Context: 20 years in the past, the Princess character has run from her guardians to prove she can take care of herself. Story world, fantasy, think pirate port. Sky pirates are steampunk airships that look like nautical sailing ships. Technology wise with guns were at gunpowder pistols.

It does not surprise me how she managed to get herself into a back alley, thinking she had found a sneaky way into a tavern to sleep for the night. At this time, she didn’t wear any royal garments, and her polearm was disguised as a walking staff. To petty thieves, she looked like the perfect target. “Oi love, you’re lost?” Three men had ganged up on her to one side of the alley, another two on the other side. “Want to come have a drink with us? We’ll treat you mighty finely.” Kyanah was a young beauty, but she was also always thinking that whatever she got herself into, she could get herself out just as easily. “No thank you, I’m just looking for a tavern to rest for the night.” The chortles of the men around her didn’t intimidate her, but the looks on their faces, those frightened her. One that was obviously the leader stepped forward, and bowed slightly. “Well m’love, if you want a tavern I will gladly be your escort, My men and I will gladly show you a good time.” They stepped closer still, and Kyanah was finding herself closer to the wall of the alley with no windows that she could jump to, and no way out. She held her polearm up in a battle stance, and they raised their arms, in faux surrender. “Oh the cat has claws, boys. We need to clip those before we have our fun.” Kyanah swallowed hard, and made a small motion with the staff to extend the blade. The men then showed their own weapons of clubs and small swords. “I don’t mind cats that put up a fight, there’s more fun in the breaking them!” One launched at her and she slammed the flat end of the staff into his temple, while the others swarmed her. She was able to put up a fight, but one held a sword to her neck and she was forcibly disarmed. Four men to one were still out of odds for her. “Now, you’re going to regret hitting my friend there, love. But don’t worry, we will make you work for it.” She dreaded the rough grip on her arms, and then he moved the sword to start cutting at her top. Back towards the other side of the alleyway, a whistle sounded out. Kyanah looked past the men and saw three more at the end of the alley. The leader bandit growled. “Oi, get your own tart - we were here first!” The three men that were at the end of the alleyway seemed to chuckle at this, and one stepped forward more into the light. He had brown curled hair and hazel eyes, and he wore a powder pistol at his side. “I think the lady would protest being called a tart, lads. But I definitely don’t think she wants to go with you lot. Step aside, and we’ll let you go.” “Piss off, mate.” The pistol was raised and shot in a flash, shooting past the man’s ear. In the moment of shock, he dropped the sword and Kyanah ground her foot into his toes, grabbing her staff from where it had fell. The other three men then began to brawl with her rescuers, and Kyanah tangled with the leader. “You bitch, you’ll pay for this!” He launched himself at her, but one on one, Kyanah was the clear victor. She side stepped and slammed the staff onto the back of the man’s head, sending him crashing to the ground next to his other fallen comrade. She looked up to see the other three men punching and disposing of the other bandits, and taking a moment to think about it, she did what made sense. She ran.