Finding Fate

A green figure dashed across the palace roof, a large bag thrown over their shoulder.

"He's got the Jade Princess," Lloyd said and I looked up at him catching a slight glimpse of a frown before he threw himself off the balcony in pursuit of the kidnapper. I left Harumi's room and alerted one of the guards.

"Do I get to say I told you so?" she said, appearing from the shadows. "That bag wasn't big enough to hold Harumi."

I frowned, "Are you implying that you know what she's up to?"

"It smelt like food," Luna replied in a dull manner and I crossed my arms.

"So, maybe she's doing a good thing like giving away food, not running away?"

"The Princess is gone! Find her!" bellowed Hutchins down the hallway.

"But it's the fact that she's just proved my point! She escapes frequently! Don't you see what I mean?"

"That doesn't mean she's up to no good!"

Then it was Luna's turn to sigh. She kicked a piece of parchment from out behind her and then nudged it closer with a paw.

"Just... I found this. It's not in any language we'd recognise. I found it in her room."

I began to unfold it but Hutchins came up beside me,

"Princess, you should return to your room. It's not safe for you to be unguarded at the moment."

"But-"

"Come Princess." Two of the guards gently pushed me in the direction of my room and any attempts to argue were silenced.

I barely slept that night.

________

"Not to mention dangerous. Wouldn't you agree, Taylor?" I glanced up at the sound of my name,

"Hm?" My grandmother did not look pleased.

"Wouldn't you agree that it's dangerous outside during the night?"

I shrugged half-heartedly, turning back to my breakfast, "Well it depends. You could get hit on by creepy men or find out your friend is possessed by an emo all-powerful wannabe-" Four pairs of eyes peered over the table at me, curious and confused. "What? Sorry, out of context. What are we talking about again?" She sighed,

"Taylor, what did I tell you about zoning out? Pay more attention."

I withered under my grandmother's words. My grandfather turned to Harumi, his brows furrowed.

"Harumi, why don't you explain your endeavour last night?" Harumi rolled her eyes.

"I left the palace to give some food to the less fortunate and Llo- Master Lloyd followed me. It was nothing really."

"Except with music and an intimate setting," Laura said.

My heart dropped. "So... like a... date?

"It was not a date!"

"You are forbidden from talking or interacting with him... or any of the Ninja. You are a princess of Ninjago," the Emperor ordered, side-eying me in the process.

"But he's not just a ninja—" Harumi tried to argue but he continued.

"You are royalty. He is not."

"I'm sorry. I have dishonoured our name and our house." She hung her head low.

"No, Harumi. We're sorry. We all have a role to play." He reached over and placed a hand on her shoulder. "And yours is in this palace. Your heart mustn't interfere."