The Last Princess

by Marissa Craig

  So he sees it that way. I’m fighting for my own path but what do I wanna be?

  “Ayato, what do you wanna be?”

  “Simple. You.”

  He continues playing. I just want to be…able to do whatever I want. I go back to my bed and write an entry in my journal. I hate this nameless princess. I don’t ever wanna be put in a room where my will is taken from me. Not ever again.

  Chapter 43: Ayato

  “Do you have a girl you like?”

  “Huh?”

  “Do you have a girl you like?” she repeats to me. “You always spend your time with me. I just hope I’m not keeping you from her.”

  Once again I’m with her picking flowers in the garden. The princess has a big love of flowers. She comes out here to draw them, plant them and pick them. I think that’s something I only know.

  “I suppose there’s one I like.”

  “Really?”

  I sit under the tree and she turns back to me. It’s been a peaceful three years. The most peace I’ve ever had. The big bad wolf everyone is afraid of is me so there’s no need to put up a guard.

  “Who is she?” Setsuna-san asks me. “Is she a maid or a soldier?”

  “Neither.”

  “Is it the queen?” she whispers. “I won’t tell.”

  “You seem to be in a happy mood. I thought you’d still be sad that you couldn’t invite Kyoya-sama to your party.”

  “It’s fine,” she says. “I figured out why he’s avoiding me.”

  “Why’s that?”

  “I won’t say. So about this girl of yours. How old is she?”

  Has she given up on him? I can’t blame her; it’s been three years of nothing. I warned him. With him out of the picture that just leaves me.

  “She’s a nice young girl. Pretty, polite, intriguing, smart. But I like her in a very unconventional way. So I’m not going to tell her how I feel.”

  “What’s an “unconventional” way?” she asks.

  When I’m around Setsuna-san I think about her screaming. Her scar has disappeared; I wanna make a new one. But I’m restricted cause I made a promise to my friend. I won’t play with her. I kept that promise so far but if she’s falling out of love with him and he wants nothing to do with her that leaves it all open.

  “Not all love is posies and strawberries.”

  “You’re weird,” she says to me. “Do you like this bouquet?”

  She holds them out to me. I nod and she gets up.

  “Who are these for?” I ask.

  “My mother,” she says to me. “I can’t see her crypt so I’ve just been placing flowers outside the windows. I figure she stands there watching me.”

  “You miss your family?” I ask.

  I follow behind as she walks back to the palace.

  “I do,” she admits. “I miss all of them but I’ve never sat in the grass until I came to this place. I’ve never picked a flower until I came to Han.”

  That’s why she likes it out here so much. She places a flower under a window and keeps moving.

  “The killer told me he did it for me. He implied it at least. I couldn’t figure out what he meant. I figured he was a supporter of Kyoya-sama; he never talked about him though. Maybe he did it so I could walk in a garden.”

  “Well he’s dead now. I doubt his intentions were like you say.”

  “He’s not dead, he’s here.”

  “Hm? What do you mean?”

  “The man that confessed to the massacre was not the killer, just an unfortunate result of failed intel. The real killer is near me. I’m not sure where he is….”

  She turns back to me. Does she suspect? I’m frightened by her big eyes.

  “But I’m sure he’s happy wherever he’s watching from. Everything is working like he planned.”

  She hands a flower to me.

  “Put this under your window so mother can watch over you.”

  I take it and put it behind me to hide my shaking hand. What am I so afraid of? It’s cause for once if I silence a witness I’ll be the one grieving. She skips around the corner.

  Definitely hard to read. I can’t tell if she knows the truth or not. Somehow she knows why Kyoya-sama refuses to speak to her and she knows her parent’s killer is still watching over her. The Morinaga military couldn’t figure it out so how can she? But…she still stays near me. Perhaps she doesn’t mind being liked in an unconventional way.

  Her screams snap me out of it. I grab my sword and run after her.

  “Setsuna-san!”

  She stands backed up against the palace. She looks like she’s seen her mother’s ghost. I put my sword away.

  “Welcome back, prince,” I say to him.

  Kira, the brat from the past, is her tormentor. He’s starting to resemble his brothers a bit; he’s gotten much taller. She looks at him with the same fear she once showed me.

  “You still hanging with this idiot,” he says to her.

  “H-he’s my bodyguard.”

  “You don’t need him when I’m around. Come play chess with me.”

  What the hell has gotten into him? I’ve been to that military academy; it doesn’t have the resources to turn a brat like Kira into a man.

  “C’mon,” he urges her. “We should talk.”

  I look at her trying to see her intentions. If only I could harm him; I would make him leave her alone for good. She doesn’t trust him after that stunt he pulled. Her eyes look scared but she pushes herself off the house and steps closer to him.

  “Captain, please take your break now.”

  “As you wish, princess.”

  “I don’t think they’ll be much use for you anymore. You can use your skills to cut my steak tonight,” he says to me.

  “Captain Saki deserves more respect than that. Three years in the military academy doesn’t make you better than him. Apologize,” she says to him.

  “Why should I-”

  “Apologize or I won’t play with you.”

  He grumbles. This will be interesting to hear. That’s two bothers she has wrapped around her finger.

  “Sorry, captain. I meant no disrespect.”

  “She’s not even your woman and you let her whip you.”

  “Shut up.”

  “Kira-kun,” she warns him.

  “I apologized so can we be alone now?” he asks her.

  “Please stay close,” she says to me.

  I would have even if she didn’t ask. He made a move on her last time; I won’t allow it to happen again. They start walking and I stay behind. I’m curious what he has to say but I think I know. He wants her answer. Kira has some nerve to move in on his brother’s girlfriend. But what he’s doing isn’t any different than what I’m doing.

  She turns back to me with worry. It may not have been my mission when I met her but I’ll protect her. Not sure if I can protect her from me though.

  Chapter 44: Setsuna

  He’s definitely changed. I bet when Kyoya-sama was fifteen he looked like Kira-kun does now. He’s gotten taller than me and his arms are a bit bigger. Also his voice has gotten deeper. When I saw him for the first time I was shocked; I thought somehow it was Kyoya-sama. But I can’t be that lucky.

  I walk with him along the palace perimeter. Looking up at him I see him smiling with his hands behind his head. What’s there to smile about? I’m extremely uncomfortable. He turns to me and I put my hands to my mouth; I won’t allow him to kiss me again.

  “You look the same,” he says to me. “I thought you’d be wearing normal clothes by now.”

  “These are normal clothes.”

  “Your grandmother’s clothes. You’d look better in a dress. Then I could see what’s under there.”

  I cross my arms to hide from him. So he hasn’t dropped his…what do you call it….attraction for me. He was supposed to be my friend. I’m disappointed that we can’t be.

  “So….I won’t draw it out. I’m curious about your answer.”

  “I’m e
ngaged. You know that.”

  “Yeah, I know that.”

  “And Kyoya-sama is your brother-”

  “I know that too.”

  I haven’t even thought about it cause there is nothing to think about. Kyoya-sama is my boyfriend and will be my husband.

  “I’ll give you more time,” he says.

  “I don’t need more time! Kyoya-sama will be my husband.”

  “Even though he’s been ignoring you ever since he took his place as acting king for your country.”

  “How did you know that?”

  “This is my palace remember. I’ve kept my eye on you,” he says.

  We get to the entrance door and he steps in front of me. Everyone knows Kyoya-sama has been ignoring me. They’ve probably all been laughing at me this whole time. I look up and see a hand outstretched to me.

  “Come on, let’s play. I bet I beat you this time.”

  I sigh; I feel so defeated. I take his hand and pull up my robe to walk up the stairs. He snaps me forward into his chest and puts his lips close to my ear.

  “I would never ignore you, Setsuna-san. The whole time I’ve been away I thought about you,” he whispers.

  He looks over me and then separates. Captain Saki must have shown himself.

  “That’s more than I can say about my brother.”

  He goes inside and I’m frozen. I tried to hide it. I tried to be positive but three years with no words is too long. And from what I read in his journal I know why. So why am I still holding on to him? My life has always been about Kyoya-sama but knowing that I’m nothing to him….knowing that he lied about his feelings for me…

  “Are you okay, princess?” Captain Saki asks me.

  “Kyoya-sama holds many secrets, doesn’t he,” I say to him.

  “What do you know?”

  “I want to confirm it all myself.”

  I step inside the house and follow Kira-kun to the study. I haven’t played chess with a person in a long time. Captain Saki is terrible at it. I’m gonna beat him.

  “Kira.”

  We both look up and see his mother.

  “You come home and see Setsuna-san over your parents.”

  “Hello, mother. You look young.”

  “Oh, you think so. I lowered my wine intake while you were gone. I don’t have a little boy to worry about.”

  She grabs his cheek and he shakes her off. She reminds me that he’s just a boy. He’s only acting like a man. I laugh watching them.

  “This shirt looks good on you,” she says to him. “You’re dressing yourself well-”

  “You’re interrupting! Can we catch up later?”

  “Interrupting what?”

  She looks over at me and I lower my head.

  “He wanted to play chess,” I say shyly.

  “That can wait. Since you’re both here I wanted to tell you the details of the party. Follow me.”

  I rather not be alone with him. He continues to mumble and I walk after her. He’s right about one thing, his mother always looks so young. She’s near fifty but she looks half of that.

  While I was here I compared the queen to my own mother. Tomoko-sama is a young spirit. I like that she’s in love with the king and has so much fun being queen. When she walks she’s so sensual; nothing I could recreate.

  “Setsuna-san, keep up with me,” she calls back to me.

  “Yes, queen.”

  I run to catch up with her. She puts her arm around me.

  “He’s not bothering you, is he?” she whispers. “Kira has always been brash. You’re no doubt seeing that first hand.”

  “It’s um…nothing.”

  “If you’re uncomfortable let me know. Eri-san and I were hoping sending him away would cure him of his crush on you.”

  They knew? Am I the only one that didn’t? And I suppose they were trying to protect me by sending him away.

  “What are you whispering about?” he asks behind us.

  “Nothing, dear,” she shouts back.

  She leads us to a room and I sit next to Kira-kun while she talks to her court ladies. She calls this the “party planning” room. Fabric samples and pictures of guests line the walls. I don’t know any of these dignitaries. Some of them are supposedly from Morinaga.

  I haven’t gone back to my country since I was labeled a traitor for allowing Kyoya-sama to take the throne and his forces to come with him. But through some magic of his own he’s loved by them. Loved for dropping crime and making things safer. It means changing a lot of people’s rights but they’ve allowed him to do it.

  He really is amazing.

  “I can’t believe you’re older than me,” Kira-kun says to me. “I’m far more experienced.”

  “Experienced how?”

  “Hmph, I bet you’d like to find out. I could show you when we’re alone.”

  “What use is that expensive academy if you can’t learn manners.”

  “I learned something I already knew,” he says. “In Han, women don’t talk to their men like that. It’s you that needs to learn our way of manners.”

  “I’m not from Han. In Morinaga, women are treated with respect and only give it to men that deserve it.”

  “What’s got you so snippy?” he asks me.

  He touches the strand of hair near my ear and I get up quickly. His mother sends the court ladies away. His touch makes me feel disgusting.

  “What’s going on?” she asks us.

  “Kira-kun has been acting inappropriate,” I say to her.

  She looks over at him and he shrugs it off. I’m not imagining it; he’s been inappropriate since he confessed. She touches my shoulder and I start to breathe again.

  “What’s been happening?” she asks me.

  “Before he left for the academy he confessed to me and kissed me. He wants me to forget about Kyoya-sama and be with him. He’s been pressuring me for an answer but I said “no.” He won’t believe me.”

  “Do you really wanna be with a guy that used you to get your throne? I bet he incited those people on purpose.”

  “He did not!” I scream at him. “Kyoya-sama isn’t to blame for any of that!”

  He stands up kicking his chair away. Inches from my face I look into his eyes with his mother tugging me back. I won’t back down.

  “He’s been ignoring you and you cry all the time about it. Why should you be with him when I’m right here saying I want you!”

  “Cause I love him.”

  “You love him cause your dead father told you to.”

  I release my blade on my arm and hold it to his neck. His mother pulls me away fiercely. Just his fear is enough; I don’t want to hurt him.

  “Setsuna-san, stop,” his mother says to me.

  “Don’t say another word about my father,” I warn him.

  I retract the blade and he falls back towards the wall.

  “I’m sorry,” I say to the queen. “I’m going to my room.”

  Kira-kun is brash. I hate that he says what I don’t want to hear. It may all be true. I close the party planning door behind me and lean against it. I’m a mess. I could be put on trial for treason for threatening the prince. Father….father should have never came out his mouth. I love Kyoya-sama not cause I’m supposed to; I love him cause he’s my hope.

  “Princess.”

  I look up alarmed but it’s only Captain Saki.

  “I know what I’m about to ask is against your code or whatever it is you follow but….”

  “I’ll do anything,” he says to me.

  “Can we leave, please.”

  “I-”

  “Please, for just a while. Please, captain. You’ve been with me for three years. Can’t you just-”

  “I’ll take you. Go to my room. We’ll leave as soon as it gets dark.”

  “Thank you, captain.”

  Chapter 45: Ayato

  When she talked about running away my heart, the one I assumed was missing, skipped. But this is hardly rebelling. We haven�
�t even left the capitol. We’re in a hotel that overlooks the palace.

  I covered her up in my coat. She holds it close looking out the window. By morning we’ll head back but for now, I’m enjoying myself. Being alone with the princess is nothing new but it feels different when we’re outside the palace.

  “You should eat, princess.”

  “I’m not hungry.”

  “Will you tell me what happened then? You obviously have something on your mind.”

  “I don’t want to talk about it.”

  I’m keeping my distance. I’ll have to stay in this chair all night watching over her. She turns from the window and I see her tears. It’s not my place to hug her; I stay seated. She made me pull the couch up to the window just so she could watch. “Watch what?” I asked. And she simply responded, “everything.”

  “I had hoped my first day outside the palace would be with Kyoya-sama.”

  “Forget about him for now. Aren’t you happy to finally look at a street?”

  “I…am.”

  She turns back to the window and I see her smile in the reflection. The rain is keeping us from exploring. So many places I could take her if she agreed to change out of her royal attire.

  “I don’t think I’ve ever used an umbrella,” she says to me. “It’s nice that people share. But...I think it would be fun to walk around without one.”

  “Have you ever been in the rain?”

  “Only felt it from my window. Mother didn’t want me to get sick. I told her, “it’s just water.” She scolded me. Tomoko-sama feels the same. She doesn’t want me to get sick.”

  Since she’s a princess I assumed she was spoiled. She gets the best education, the finest food and servants. I’ve noticed she won’t use servants and when people say the wrong thing she never corrects them. Binding myself to the chair isn’t working. I get up and stand beside her.

  “It’s unfair what he’s done to you.”

  He shouldn’t have taken everything from her and left her with no replacement. I look on and she takes a book from the coat. It’s his journal. Many times he would ignore me to write in it. That’s the one from his adolescence. She hasn’t read the one he writes in now.

  “I don’t blame him. I understand it all a bit more,” she says to me. “He…wanted to be free but it was taken away from him.”