The Last Princess

by Marissa Craig

  Before I speak he gets up quickly taking the gun with him.

  “What am I doing?” he says pacing. “I can’t hurt a girl.”

  He’s behind me; I can’t see what he’s doing. He grunts and the door slams shut. I wait and hear silence. I lift my head and look around. It is an apartment; definitely appealing to squatters. I guess that’s how these people live.

  “You’re safe for now.”

  I jump up quickly. A little girl lays on one of the mattresses across the room. It’s wrong to assume she’s harmless.

  I stand defensively thinking she’ll make a move. She looks about my age; maybe I should relax a little.

  “He’s Goto Yee, son of the man you killed.”

  Goto Yee?

  “He’s harmless. He won’t hurt you.”

  “He’s the one that took me.”

  “No, that was Taiga. He’s the one you should look out for. He runs the resistance that’s gonna take down your pretty prince. He uses Yee to get sympathizers.”

  I run for the door and pull at it. It’s locked.

  “No use,” she tells to me. “You won’t be leaving until Taiga sees you.”

  I run over to the window and look out. It’s too far up. To get out of here I’ll have to confront them.

  “Taiga only says bad things about you.”

  Maybe she can prep me to deal with them. I walk back to her slowly. She probably needs a place to stay so she’s caught up in all this. She stays on her mattress looking away as she talks to me.

  “What kind of man is Taiga?” I ask her.

  “Big.”

  I figured that. He pulled me in this place with no effort at all.

  “He does whatever he wants,” she continues.

  “He’s your leader?”

  “Yeah, but he doesn’t care for us. I’m only here because….”

  Something going on between her and the resistance leader.

  “If you get out of here, you have to help me,” she whispers to me. “Taiga is…”

  “What about him? I’ll protect you, don’t worry.”

  “He brought me here cause I’m next.”

  “Next?”

  “Next to carry his baby.”

  I won’t let that happen. That man is archaic. Being locked in the cage is making him act like an animal.

  “What’s your name?” I ask her.

  “Miyuki.”

  “I’ll get you out, and I’ll take care of Taiga.”

  “Don’t bother talking to him. If you say the wrong thing he’ll snap.”

  Talking is all I can do. If someone was coming to save me there would be more of a ruckus out there. I stand up from her and have a look around the apartment. The living room is full of cots and mattresses.

  I have experience talking to a killer. I’m not afraid of Taiga.

  As I walk around I spot another room. There’s a dresser in the way. Tall buildings normally have fire escapes; it could be in this room. I push hard and move the dresser out of the way.

  “What are you doing?” she calls across the room. “You can’t go in there.”

  “What’s in there?”

  “Taiga’s apartment.”

  She hides under her blanket and I open the door. It’s a much nicer apartment. So he lives here.

  “Miyuki-san, push the dresser back in place.”

  “If you’re not here when they come back-”

  “It’s okay. Just trust me. I’ll bring help.”

  This other apartment seems well-kept. Why would they all crowd into one place when there’s a well-kept apartment next door? The resistance leader must like his space. She pushes the dresser back.

  I run to the kitchen and search for a knife. Nothing. So no one here cooks. I have nothing to defend myself. Kyoya-sama made me take off my arm blade just in case the reporters saw. I’ll have to make a run for it. The guards will notice me as soon as I get to one of those windows.

  I try the front door and it opens to the hallway. Exit is this way. When the two guys were talking earlier, they said to keep my presence a secret. I guess that’s why there’s no one here.

  I walk down the hall and peek around the corner; stairway is clear. I go down the next two floors and still nothing.

  I’m almost out. I take the next flight down and hear screaming. That could be Miyuki-san. They came back too soon. I’m almost out but I can’t leave her; I promised to save her.

  I have an idea; time to play the princess again. I run back up the stairs; the screaming gets louder.

  “I don’t know where she went. I don’t know who you’re talking about.”

  That’s Miyuki-san. I stand outside the room. Sounds like just one person is in there. Slamming the door open brings all eyes on me.

  “Get your hands off her.”

  “What! Get back in here.”

  He approaches me with his gun still in hand. She said he’s harmless; I have to believe her. I raise my hand to him and he stops in his tracks.

  “Yee-san,” I say to him.

  “How did you-”

  “Of course I know who you are. Put the gun down before you hurt yourself.”

  “What!”

  “Do what I say. I’m your princess, aren’t I?”

  “No, you’re-”

  “You may be behind steel walls but you’re still in Morinaga and that makes me your princess. Now put the gun down.”

  He backs up one step at a time and places the gun on the table. I’m surprised that worked. If I can reason with him he’ll let me go.

  “Why do you want to keep me here?” I ask him.

  “It’s not me,” he says with his head down. “I know you want to free us from this prison. You’re the only one that knows my father was innocent.”

  “Yes, I know he’s innocent. I’m sorry he had to die.”

  “I’m sorry your father had to die too.”

  I step inside. I always felt bad that someone died and had their name ruined cause I didn’t say anything. I want to make it up to Yee-san and everyone here. There’s no need for a resistance; these are my people.

  “Seems like we’re both apart of that monster’s game. Prince Kyoya.”

  “Huh? Kyoya-sama isn’t to blame for any of this.”

  “His men planted evidence in our home just before the arrest. It’s him.”

  “It’s not him. I know your father was framed but it wasn’t Kyoya-sama that did it.”

  “He’s brainwashed you.”

  “He hasn’t.”

  Kyoya-sama is just trying to help. All he knows is his Han ways. I plan on teaching him more kindness so he can let these people go.

  “After all that happened, who’s sitting on the throne benefitting from everything,” he says to me. “Prince Kyoya. And you want to marry him and cement it all. Marry him and I’ll see you as my enemy.”

  This is how people feel about him. They don’t know him at all.

  “Don’t take anything personal. What Taiga has planned is to hurt him not you.”

  I won’t be around to meet him.

  “Miyuki-san, come with me.”

  She stands and steps over her blankets. I reach out to her and she retreats backing into the corner.

  “Miyuki-san,” I call out to her.

  She shakes her head and falls down to her mattress. Something pushes against my back and I know it’s him. He feels huge; I’m afraid to turn around.

  “Setsuna,” the familiar raspy voice says.

  I’ve never heard my name said like that.

  “You’re a feisty one, aren’t you.”

  His hand pats the top of my head.

  “I like feisty.”

  “Taiga-san?” I guess.

  “Just Taiga is fine.”

  His hand is large. He moves from my head to my neck.

  “Watch Miyuki,” he says to Yee-san. “I want some alone time with Setsuna.”

  I look over at her and she’s in tears. I can handle this. He pulls me out i
nto the hallway and guides me by holding my neck. Now the halls are full of people. They all go where he goes. Looks where he tells them to look. It’s easy for a strong presence to rally broken people. Taiga’s no hero.

  “See your so called people,” he says to me.

  It’s hard to look at them. More people squatting inside apartments. How can I call myself their princess when they’re living like this? How can I save them when they think I’m the enemy. In the middle of the hallway he lets go.

  There are a lot of them. Now they’re venturing out their rooms.

  “You have to believe in me,” I say out loud. “I’m the only one that can save you. You say the prince is cruel but I can fix him, I can fix this. You won’t suffer anymore.”

  “What do you know about suffering,” Taiga whispers in my ear.

  I turn back to him fiercely. Finally I can see his face. What can I do against a man that size.

  “You don’t know suffering. I’m gonna teach you.”

  I take a step back as he approaches me. The first strike hits my back. I turn around and see a woman with a belt. More approach me with belts in their hand. I’m whipped while Taiga laughs over me. I fall to the floor guarding my face. It continues and all I can do is cry.

  Mother and father, I let them down. My people hate me. They yell harsh words at me and whip me. My mother’s robe is being ripped to shreds.

  “Okay, that’s enough,” Taiga says to them. “I don’t want her to pass out.”

  Mother’s robe is ruined. It was her favorite one. Green was her favorite color. He grabs my hand and pulls me back towards his apartment. I go limp and see them all staring. They hate me because they think Kyoya-sama is a monster. He’s not.

  The last face I see is Miyuki-san. She stares at me in tears. The door slams shut and I’m alone with Taiga.

  “You’re not going to break me,” I say to him. “I can handle anything you throw at me.”

  He smiles and starts to undress. No, I can’t handle that.

  “Bedroom’s through that door. Go ahead in.”

  He turns his back to me and grabs a drink from the fridge. I get to my feet and stumble to the bedroom.

  “It’s good you understand.”

  I’m only looking for a weapon. I close the bedroom door and collapse on the bed. My body hurts so much. It’s like all the cuts I had previously opened up again. No, I can’t give up.

  I pull out a few drawers and see nothing. How can I fight him without a weapon? There’s no fire escape so I can’t get out.

  But I can’t sit here and let him have his way with me. Even if I survived, I would be sullied. Loud music comes from the other room; it’s rock music.

  I can’t stay. A guy that big will rip me apart. Pushing up on the window does nothing; it’s stuck. I bang against it and still nothing.

  “Please, someone help me,” I say out loud. “Where’s Kyoya-sama?”

  Where’s Captain Saki?

  The door slams open and the rock music comes into the room. Taiga stands smiling at me.

  “I’m a traditional man, so come near the bed. It’s time for your second round of suffering.”

  “No.”

  I push up on the window again and it opens. I jump out and he grabs me by my waist. All that’s below are bushes; I might survive the fall but likely not.

  He keeps trying to pull me inside as I push myself out. I’ll take the fall. Just let me fall. He grunts harder and flips up my robe exposing my underwear.

  “Fine, we’ll do it here.”

  Taiga falls back and the struggling stops.

  “You know I’ll always come to save you.”

  Who in the world…I look up and see a man holding on to the pipe.

  I pull myself inside and a man climbs into the window. It’s the masked man; the man that killed my parents. He’s here to save me.

  I don’t know what I should feel but I run forward and hug him. He pushes me behind him and takes out his sword.

  “Don’t distract me,” he says to me.

  He pushes me back and directs Taiga’s gaze away from me. Taiga charges at him and they struggle. Taiga’s too strong. The masked man will be killed. I want him to win.

  “Please, be careful,” I call to him.

  The masked man lunges his sword and Taiga snatches it away and throws it into the headboard. If it’s a fist fight, the masked man won’t win.

  Taiga pummels his stomach over and over again and throws him to the floor.

  “This your champion, princess,” he laughs.

  He steps over him and walks back to me. I run to the sword and try to pull it from the headboard. Even if I pry the sword out, I could never kill a person. He’s getting closer. I crawl over the bed and go to the masked man’s side.

  “Wake up, please,” I say to him. “You’re stronger than this.”

  I’m pulled away. Taiga throws me back to the bed and lays one last stomp in the masked man to keep him still.

  “Let’s continue your suffering.”

  He grabs my neck and I claw at his arms. I can’t push him off; he’s too big. His other hand pulls at my sash.

  My eyes search for the masked man. He’s still lifeless.

  “Help me,” I struggle to say. “Please.”

  Move….just move. I know it’s wrong to rely on him. My memory is still vivid. He’s the one that took my parents from me. Killed everyone in my palace. Slashed my face and body. Said he loved me. That’s why he came.

  I turn my head away and Taiga releases my neck. He senses my surrender.

  “You mean everything to me,” Kyoya-sama once told me.

  I want to see him again. I want to have my first time with him not this behemoth. I want to hug the shark he gave me. I cover my eyes and cry.

  “You’re so tense. Not use to being touched,” he says in my ear.

  So slimy. His tongue circles the outline of my ear as I push him back.

  He raises his head and licks his lips. Please don’t try it again. He chuckles and stops abruptly. Blood spills out his mouth and splashes my face. He hurls more and more and falls on top of me. He’s dead?

  The masked man continues thrusting his sword into Taiga’s back over and over again. I close my eyes and hear his roar each time he stabs into Taiga’s back.

  “Princess,” he finally says. “Did he hurt you?”

  He kicks Taiga’s body off me.

  “You saved me?”

  “If this is his lair it’s not safe. Follow me.”

  He helps me up. I fall into his chest; I’m so thankful for him.

  “I never thought it would be you. I’m so happy to see you.”

  “Don’t distract me,” he says pushing me away. “You’re not safe yet.”

  Chapter 81: Ayato

  I don't know what to say. I don't know how to make things better. Finding her and saving her was my priority; it will always be my priority. Yes, I had to kill and I would have continued to kill to save her. But look at her.

  I gathered her limp body and brought her to the temple. We are near an opening but we can't leave this place, not while there's still daylight. She sits against the alter with her knees pulled to her chest. I keep my distance. I am not Ayato now, just the man that continues to murder in front of her.

  Back in the apartment, I stabbed the man that tried to rape her. Stabbed him until my blade had no solid surface to puncture. She lay covered in his blood. It wasn't a turn on this time. I wanted to rinse it all off and make her clean again. She had suffered enough.

  "There are people out there," she tells me.

  “Then they’ll die too.”

  “No, you can’t. They’re my people.”

  “These people are savages. Don’t claim them as your people. Do you realize what he was about to do to you. What your people were gonna allow him to do.”

  I open the bedroom door cautiously. I’m tempted to burn this place down but Kyoya-sama said to be discreet. A fire here would spread to the whole
district.

  She groans behind me; she’s limping. I go back to her and she hugs her arms close hunching over. She avoids my eyes. I’m not the enemy this time.

  “Your back?” I guess.

  She nods. Looks like they were aggressive. But she's still standing.

  “I’ll be fine,” she says to me. “You’ll get me out of here?”

  “Yes.”

  “But why? Who sent you?”

  “Nobody. I just saw you were in danger.”

  “So you’re always watching?”

  “Is that a problem?”

  “For now….no,” she says shyly.

  My head must still be rattled from that boot to the face. It looks like she’s smiling. For once she’s happy to see me. Can’t get distracted.

  She stays close to me and we head for the front door. It’s quiet. I open to door to the hallway and all the other apartment doors open. Harmless tenants wanting to know the fate of the large man’s encounter.

  A shot fires and I push her back.

  “That was probably Yee-san. Don’t hurt him.”

  I can’t listen. I go into the hall with my sword swinging. The gunman retreats into the apartment next door. I leap across the hall and cut down a makeshift family then another. Every one of them falls.

  My head hurts but I can’t rest. Not till they're all dead. I pant heavily and approach the last apartment. Setsuna-san peeks out.

  “Stay inside. I have one more.”

  “No, don’t hurt him. I owe him.”

  “You owe him nothing.”

  I kick the door in and shots fire. I dodge and run towards him. He fires another shot above my shoulder just as I pin him against the wall.

  “Stop it!” she screams. “Please don’t hurt him.”

  “Setsuna-sama,” a girl says in the corner.

  “Miyuki-san, it’s okay. We’re gonna get out. Taiga’s gone.”

  They’re not getting out.

  “Princess, no one here will survive,” I say to her.

  He’s trying to weasel away. I slam him against the wall.

  “Is he your bodyguard?” the girl asks.

  “No, he’s just helping me. We can trust him.”

  The girl refuses to leave her corner. Setsuna-san’s heart is too soft. These are not her friends or people for her to save.