Feeling reassured, La and Zara fall into a comfortable silence as the carriage continues through the winding streets of the kingdom.
They take in the sights and sounds of the city, marveling at the opulence and grandeur of the buildings and people they pass. After a few moments, Zara breaks the silence. "So," she says, looking at La. "What should we get first on our shopping spree? Stationary? Clothes?"
La, being the impulsive and fashion-forward girl she is, decides that they should start their shopping spree with clothes.
She turns to the maid and asks, "Hey, do we have to wear uniforms for school or something?" The maid nods, "Yes, my Lady. It is mandatory for all students to wear uniforms." La groans playfully, her love for fashion clearly trumped by the idea of a school uniform. She turns to Zara with a pout.
Her face the epitome of disappointment. "Ugh, uniforms? Seriously? How am I supposed to express my amazing fashion sense when we're all going to be walking around looking like clones?" Zara laughs, finding La's dramatic outburst amusing. "Oh come on, it can't be that bad. I bet we'll still find a way to make the uniforms look totally us."
La huffs, still not convinced. "Yeah, I guess you're right," she says grudgingly. "But it's just not the same as wearing our own clothes. I don't want to look like everyone else."
Zara places a comforting hand on La's shoulder. "Oh, don't worry. Even in uniforms, you'd still stand out. No one could ever mistake your vibrant soul for someone ordinary."
La and Zara exchanged curious glances as the carriage came to an abrupt halt. "What's going on?" La asked out loud, peering out the window. The maid sitting in the front of the carriage looked a bit uncomfortable, her expression tense. "There seems to be a delay," she said quietly. "Something unexpected has come up."
La and Zara both looked at each other, curiosity piqued. "Can we go take a look?" La asked, already reaching for the carriage door. The maid fidgeted nervously. "I don't think that's a good idea," she said firmly. "It's better if you both stay inside."
The maid's refusal only increased La and Zara's curiosity and worry. La's hand still hovered over the door handle, her expression serious."Why can't we go see what's happening?" she asked, her voice growing more insistent.
The sound of raised voices and shuffling came from outside, adding to the ominous atmosphere. The maid looked torn, her expression now more concerned. "Please, Ladies," she implored. "It's not safe for you to step outside right now."
La and Zara exchange an alarmed glance. "Wait, what do you mean it's not safe?" La presses, now sensing a more serious threat.
The maid hesitates before speaking in hushed tones. "There's a group of... human traffickers outside. They seem to have somehow gotten word about you both.
They're searching for you." She averts her gaze, looking uncomfortable. "I fear there may be spies in the palace leaking information to them."
Zara and La's eyes widen in shock as they hear a loud, frightened scream. They both instinctively try to call out to the maid, but are met with silence. "What was that?" La asks, her voice trembling as she looks to Zara for reassurance.
Zara's expression mirrors La's fear, her heart pounding in her chest. "I don't know," she replies, her voice shaky. "But it didn't sound good."
La and Zara sat frozen in terror at the sight before them. The carriage door swung open with a sudden force, revealing a stunning yet menacing figure.
The woman standing before them was tall and strong, her muscular frame adorned with various scars. Her dark skin was a stark contrast to her bright violet eyes, which gleamed with a mixture of authority and danger. The unknown woman smirked, her gaze sweeping over La and Zara. "Well, look who we have here," she said tauntingly.
Zara instinctively moves closer to La, a protective gesture as the woman's eyes linger on them both. "Who are you?" Zara asks, her voice betraying a hint of fear despite her attempt to appear steadfast.
The woman lets out a cold, mocking laugh. "Oh, sweetie, you're in no position to ask questions right now," she replies, her smirk growing wider. "All you need to know is that I'm getting a very valuable prize today." She takes a step closer, peering at La with an unsettling intensity.
La, despite her fear, found herself weirdly drawn to the woman's intimidating presence. However, her bluntness got the better of her, and she blurted out, "I'm taken, sorry." Zara's eyes widened in surprise, her jaw dropping at La's unexpected statement.
The unknown woman paused for a moment, taken aback by La's bluntness, before a sly smile spread across her face. "Oh, is that so?" she purred, a hint of amusement in her voice. "That doesn't change a thing, darling."
The unknown woman moves towards La with swiftness, her intentions clear. Zara, feeling the danger of the situation, desperately attempts to transform into her beast mode, but something is holding her back. Frustration and fear course through her, as she struggles to find the power within her.
La backs away quickly, her eyes wide with fear and defiance. "Stay away from me!" she spits, her voice quivering. The woman grins, undeterred by La's brave front. "Oh, don't worry, love," she says with a chilling calm. "I just need you to come with me quietly."
The woman reaches out and grabs La's arm, her grip strong and unyielding. La struggles against her grip, trying to free herself, but the woman's strength is too much. "Let go of me!" La gasps, her voice a mixture of frustration and panic.
Zara, still unable to transform, tries to come to La's aid, but the woman sees her coming and moves between them, blocking Zara's path with a cold glare. "Ah ah ah," she says, her voice a low growl. "You stay right where you are, darling."
La, overpowered and captured, is thrown over the woman's shoulder with ease. She struggles weakly, protesting and attempting to free herself, but the woman's hold is too strong.
Zara, determined to save her girlfriend, tries to reach out and grab La, but the woman swiftly kicks her away, sending her flying into the other side of the carriage.
As La is carried off, she catches a glimpse of the scene outside the carriage, and the sight is not one she wants to remember. Dazed and terrified, La faints, her unconscious body slumped over the woman's shoulder.
The woman carries La's unconscious body away from the carriage, her accomplices following close behind.
Zara, dazed and injured, struggles to her feet, her heart palpitating in her chest. She scrambles out of the carriage, her eyes scanning the area for any sign of La and their captors.
"No, no, no," Zara mutters to herself, panic setting in. She looks around wildly, searching for any clue of where they've taken La.