Chapter One

Lucette finds herself in the throne room without remembering how she has gotten there. There is a harsh ringing in her ears and one of her arms feels much heavier than the other, but she recognizes the weight. For whatever reason she has her sword again. That doesn't make any sense. Today she had been training with Delora not Klaude. A movement to her right catches her attention. Her father is tied and gagged to the throne. He is staring at her with apprehension. She starts to move towards him, but finds that her body seems to be frozen.

It is another thing that doesn't make any sense to Lucette. Is Delora putting her though a test right now? It had already been a long day and judging from the lack of light coming though the windows it is late into the night. Lucette feels a rush of angry at Delora. She had promised her that there would be no more training for the next few days. Would she really break her promise and on top of that make it so Lucette couldn't remember? Delora knew how much memory spells upset and affected her, she really thought they had reached the point in their friendship where Delora would respect her wishes in such matters.

A commotion near the doors draws Lucette's attention. She turns towards the sound, this time her body obeys her desires. She doesn't dwell on the change for too long since what she see pushes away all of her other concerns. Before the doors, along with many soldiers, is Sir Alcaster.

'No that's not…right. He is…' Before she can figure out what it is she can't remember the doors to the throne room are torn open. A large black beast with glowing red eyes stands among the wreckage. Everyone in the room freezes for a moment as the beast moves further into the room. The still is broken when Sir Alcaster shouts a command that cause the soldiers around him to move as one towards the beast. The sight makes Lucette's heart leap in fear far more than the sight of the beast did.

'No, don't hurt him!' Lucette tries to shout but her mouth will not move. She remembers that the beast is Klaude but she thought that he couldn't transform now that his curse is broken. Thankfully Klaude's beast form is able to push back the soldiers with ease. One the soldiers come flying at her, but with Klaude's training he is easily able to dodge the large man.

'Well even if I can't speak at least I can still move.' She looks back Klaude to see that Sir Alcaster is now in the fight. Klaude is handling Sir Alcaster without too much trouble. She figures she would only get in the way if she tries to help. Instead she turns her attention to her father who is still bound and gagged. She is glad when her body obeys her desire to move over to him. Now if only she could figure out how to get her voice to work again. She highly doubts she has the time to find Rob or Sebby for help.

However she is stopped by cane. Varg, who she had forgotten about, blocks her way. He speaks but she doesn't pay any attention to his words. Instead she attacks him with her sword. An attack that he dodges effortlessly. He speaks again but Lucette is distracted as she sees Klaude walks towards her. Relief floods her as he walks closer. Klaude would be able to hold off Varg while she frees her father. She turns back to face the throne, but she notices that Sir Alcaster is no longer prone and attacks at Klaude again. Worried, she looks back at the king before looking back at the battle. However her body doesn't stopped there, as it keeps turning she till she is focused on the doors. It makes no sense to her. She doesn't care about the doors or what lays behind it. The most important people to her, the ones who are in the most danger, are already in this room. She tries to move again but for some reason her body refuses to obey her. That doesn't make any sense, she was in control just a moment ago. Maybe Varg has done something to her, but she can't move to look at him any more than she could move to help her father. Finally she felt her muscles start to shift. They shifted in a direction she didn't want to go.

'No! Stop!' Try as she might she isn't able to stop herself from darting though the chaos of the soldiers. The only part of her that turns the direction she wants is her head as she looks back. She tries the the spells Delores and Parfait have taught her so far, hoping that something, anything would work but nothing does. She notices Klaude dart past Sir Alcaster and towards her. Maybe he can help her. At the very least he should be able to stop her from running out of the room. He would be bound to notice that she can't control her actions.

To her absolute horror her body takes a defensive stance and she holds her sword out at him. She opens her mouth to explain but instead she shouts, "Stay away!"

'No! No! No!' Lucette tries to pled with her eyes, to make him understand. Before she can tell if Klaude understands what she is trying to do Sir Alcaster appears again. She feels a quick burst of hatred towards the pretend king. Why could he not just leave them alone?

The hate quickly turns to fear as she feels herself stumbling away and out of the throne room. What is happening to her? Why can't she get her body or even her voice to obey her?

In the hall there are even more soldiers. These ones don't seem to have any problem rushing to attack her. Thankfully her body or whoever is controlling it want to keep her alive. Unfortunately even if someone is controlling her actions she doesn't have nearly enough training or strength to hold off Sir Alcaster's knights. A blade catches across her shoulder. She dodges his return attack but stumbles into another knight. He places his hand on her shoulder, thankfully it is the uninjured one.

"Just come with us Princess," said the knight as he tightens his grip on her. "The King wants to you kept safe."

"No." Thankfully the word Lucette wants comes out of her mouth. She doubts it is because of her own accord though since she still can't command her body. A scream far too close to her ear fills her senses. She looks to see Klaude standing before her. She can see him glaring at the guard who still has a tight grip on her shoulder. It confuses her when she feels herself take a deep breath. She figures it out a second before it happens but can do nothing to stop herself as she screams aloud. On the inside she starts scream to stop screaming. The knight release her to fight the beast. Klaude defeats the three soldiers within seconds. He comes closer to her, but she starts to back away.

'No, please! Stop moving me! I know him. Klaude!' When no words actually come out she tries again to speak to him with her eyes hoping against hope that it will work. Her back hits a wall. She is trapped against it, Klaude's massive beast form blocking her from escaping. 'At least now I will stop moving'

When Klaude reaches for her she feels like smiling. Maybe he understands! Maybe he can help her! These hopes are dashed when she feels her sword arm move to block him. 'No!'

"That…stance…," said Klaude in a voice far deeper than his usual tone. She can feel it in her very bones.

"Stay away from me!" Those words burn in Lucette's heart. Franticly she tries again to goes though all the spells, charms, and even the rhymes she knows to try to get control of herself again, but nothing works. In that time the soldier that had previous held her tosses his dagger. It goes wide but still manages to sink into the beast's massive shoulder. Lucette feels herself moving again. This time she attacks his arm on his wounded size. The bright red blood she draws makes her own feel like it's turning into ice.

"Princess…" There is such sadness in Klaude's deep voice that Lucette swears she can feel her heart cracking. She feels like sobbing, begging him to forgive her. She desperately wishes to be able to do so. When Klaude turns from her slightly her body lunches forward, driving her sword deep into his heart. This time Lucette does feel her heart shatter as Klaude cry out.

' .No.' She heard the word repeat over and over into her head as the beast, her Klaude, sinks to the ground. His long jaw seems to move but she can't make out what he is saying over the ringing in her ears. She tries to push the ringing away. Even if she couldn't control the fact that she kills him she can at least remember his last words, that she can have control over. His hand reaches towards her sword still in his chest. She notices the soft gleeing object immediately; it's the rose locket she gave him.

"Afraid…of…me…I told you…" The redness of his eyes starts to dull.

'No! No!' She sinks to cold marble floor before him with such force she bruises her knees.

"No, no, no!" The word she has been thinking all night finally burst from her lips.

"I…was…wrong."

"No, no, no! Klaude!" His blood reaches her and seeps though her stockings. Tears start to flow down her face. They fall and disappear into Klaude's blood.

"Klaude, no! Please!" She leans down to him, but his breathing has already stopped. She hears footsteps coming towards her but they sound so far away. Even if they sounded close it wouldn't matter. She has killed her love. She is surrounded by his blood that she had spilled. Nothing else mattered.

A/N: The spoken dialogue is taken from the bad ending of Karma's Route.