Entering the shop, the princess was happily greeted by an older woman who waved the two from the entrance. As Lecca spoke joyfully with the woman, Mike rested on the far side wall under the stern watch of the old woman's husband.
After trying on several new dresses that had arrived from a nearby by nation the day before, Lecca moved to the back of the shop where her uniform was waiting, Mike suddenly recalled a memory of him shopping with his sister. The sudden memory put a pained smile on his face which did not go unnoticed by the man waiting behind the counter.
Calling him over, Mike was caught off guard as the man brought him over to a set of high-quality goods. Red-velvet shirts, pressed fitting black trousers, and shiny dress shoes. Panicking, Mike refused the man's offer to try the clothing on, but after some persuasion, he relented and entered a nearby dressing room.
Though he enjoyed the moment, Mike refused to buy any of the clothes, and luckily before the man could persist, Lecca came out wearing her uniform. Taken aback, all the Sergeant could do was stare, which was soon called out by the old woman.
Frustrated and embarrassed, Mike inquired about the price of the pick-up, but was shut down when the man folded his arms and shook his head no.
Teasing him about his adventure, Lecca walked outside with Mike in tow.
Walking down the main street of the economic capital, Bishmark, was once so peaceful, so beautiful, that the thought of a worn-torn city seemed so far away that many lived in ignorance. Once, there was little reason for anyone to be pressed that a war was being declared just beyond the confined walls of the city.
Along the brick streets, carved white marble governmental buildings and gracious buildings adorned with the cities spirit; the greenery around the city sprung to life in the afternoon sun. One by one the metallic-almost steel looking lamps shut off one by one giving way to the clear autumn sky.
As if nothing happened the day before, children, men, women, began to populate the streets; flooding to a variety of stores, cafés, those people began to laugh and play. Their voices resonated like a chord as life returned little by little.
There was no war in the city. There was no death in the city. There was no answer from the people.
In the shining light of the sun, the city hall that just stretched beyond the normal sight from the residential district, adorned the kingdom's three colored flag, that represented sacrifice, loyalty, bravery. Next to it was the statue of the kingdom's founder, Sternlicht Spinlefielg.
Cheering, a flock of adolescent girls passed by Leccamaradel and Mike as they went to whatever was the main interest for girls that age in this time. As the girls walked pass, a slim smile formed on her face as her, now clean, silver hair fluttered in the wind. Walking down the street towards the city hall, a grim reminder of what she was about to encroach upon made her frown.
Walking down the street, she was adorned a simple grey uniform that hugged her figure. It was no formal dress or uniform, but it was instead her special military uniform that she wore when acting as her position in the army as an officer. Chieftain Arish is what she went by when acting in an official position within the ranks. At a mere twenty-four-years-old, she was the fifth youngest chieftain in history.
Amongst herself and the people around, her softly flowing, wave like hair and blue eyes made her stand out. Many gazed at her like a goddess, as the only the man she traveled with knew of her identity as the First-Born, Silver-Haired Princess.
"Chieftain Arish, Holy Knight Randall! Welcome to the city hall of Bishmark! I do hope that this meeting will be over swiftly so that I may take you out for a grand tour of the city!"
Freezing at the voice, Lecca's face scrunched in frustration and anxiety. Mike looked ahead and he saw an older man wearing a black suit walked up to himself and Lecca with a brilliant smile. As the man grew closer, Mike stepped in front of Lecca.
The person in front of the two was the city mayor, Norman Quartz. He had organized the city workers and soldiers to quickly repair most of the city with available materials, thus, compared to the previous night, the blue-eyed man was optimistic in the presentation of his city. Much of the damage that came from the fighting the previous night had simply vanished.
Glancing around the area they stood, Mike's eyes scanned the city, leaving nothing to be missed. Evident by the nickname many citizens of the kingdom had given Bishmark, the money and materials that flowed through the city had rebuilt the damaged parts overnight, thus the first bout of 'capitalism' had showed its colors.
Standing at the entrance to city hall, Lecca stood irritated at the man before her. It was well known that Quartz had allowed those that had recently graduated the military academy, and that had recently been stationed here, to go to waste.
Opening her eyes, she noticed how close she was to the man, and at two meters away, she was close enough for her to catch a whiff of the man's overbearing, perfume-esk potion that he had applied to himself.
"Mayor Quartz." She spoke with a hint of venom in her voice, "It's been many years since I last saw you."
Norman clasped his hands as he responded to the less-than-threatening voice that had come from Lecca, "My-Princess. It has been many years since I saw you with your father and mother. May I ask how they are doing in these daring times?"
Her face contorted full of anger and irritation as she kept her voice down.
"I appreciate you wondering about my father and mother, but I'm afraid me and Knight Randall are on a tight schedule that must be fulfilled—"
"Ah of course. I would like to have you indulge me on His Majesty's 'statuses' later. Now, I believe we should attend to more important matters?"
"Of course. Have your men prepare a room for the meeting!" Lecca ordered as she walked past the mayor with Randall in tow.
Kicking the ground in frustration, the mayor did as Lecca ordered and took out a small slim card out of his pocket to notify the staff inside to prepare a room. He would then soon catch up to the two after some deliberation of what to do next.