Disclaimer- Nope. Vocaloids still aren't mine. Nor do I own The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli.
Author's Note- WOW. I absolutely do not know what I was on while writing this. It seemed like a good idea at like 3am at night, but then ahfsdgsdflk. Not exactly how I planned it to be, but worked too long on it to give it up xP. A variation on the whole Servant of Evil thing. BLEH BLEH ignore the suckage I tried to stuff it into a one shot, but it just kind of failed horribly. Or at least in my opinion. Because I wanted to put more things in there and elaborate on stuff etc etc but too lazy oh well enjoy Dx.
Two children, a boy and a girl, sat upon a hill. They looked no older than ten, but from the appearance of their clothing they must have been part of royalty. Both of them looked very similar to each other: turquoise eyes, blonde hair, and creamy complexions. The boy had his hair pulled up into a high, little ponytail, whereas the girl wore hers down and loose. Despite their resemblance, however, they were not related. The girl, Rin, was Princess of the Kingdom of Yellow, and Len was the son of the castle's late steward.
"Hold still," Rin giggled as she placed a flower crown on Len's head. She squealed at his appearance, "Oh Len, you look so adorable?"
"You think so?" he grinned and blushed.
Rin nodded her head vigorously before bursting into a fit of giggles. Len laughed too fell back on the grass with her. Rin intertwined her fingers with his.
"I love you, Len," Rin grinned.
The boy blinked and blushed heavily, "I-I love you too, Rin."
The girl giggled and threw a handful of grass at him.
"Hey! I'll get you for that!"
"You'll have to catch me first!" she giggled and ran in the opposite direction. She suddenly collided with something firm.
"There you are," a deep voice growled, "Where have you been?!"
Rin looked up to find a not so happy King Kagamine, "H-Hello father," she curtsied, "I… I was just-"
"I don't care," he snapped, "Come, you've got duties to attend to." A guard standing beside him hefted the girl onto his shoulder.
Rin struggled against the guard, "Put me down! Wait, what about Len? Len!" Her eyes widened as she saw him being beaten in the distance.
"Punishment for acting to casual with the Princess," King Kagamine grumbled flippantly.
"No! Stop it!" Rin felt tears well up in her eyes, "Leave him alone! He didn't do anything wrong! Len!"
But her cries were of no use as the children were carried off in their own separate directions.
"You should not be acting too friendly with him," King Kagamine gazed out the window of his study, "He was the son of a steward, you are a princess. You must make him fear and respect your presence. In the words of Niccolo Machiavelli: It is far safer to be feared than loved. Remember that, Rin."
His only daughter kneeled behind him, "But why? Len never did anything wrong! I don't want him to fear me." Her shoulders shook, half with fear and half with anger.
"You idiot girl," King Kagamine cast a disgusted glance at his only child, "Fear is the only proper way to rule a country. Love will only bring you to ruin. It is a despicable, deceitful feeling."
"I love Len," she declared, "And I think it feels wonderful!"
"Fool," the King grumbled, "You are too young to know anything about love. You will forget all about such emotion and do as I say."
"No!" Rin stuck her nose up defiantly, "I don't want to rule the country. I want to marry Len."
The King's eyes narrowed. He turned to face her, "How dare you! I-"
"And if I do end up ruling this country," Rin interrupted, further antagonizing the old man, "I would make sure my people were happy and that they knew I cared for them. They would be more obedient with love, not fear!"
King Kagamine scowled and threw a book at her. Rin squeaked as she was barely able to avoid the object from hitting her head, "Insolent child! Leave my sight this instance!"
Rin scrambled to her feet and ran out the door. The King's chest heaved with anger, "She'll ruin us. She'll ruin the entire kingdom. I'll have to show her first hand, then." With a clap, he called in his servant and ordered a certain blonde haired boy to be brought to him.
"You summoned me?" Rin kneeled before her father, who sat at his throne. She had been getting ready for bed when a young Kamui Gakupo, one of their soldiers, came to fetch her. He seemed to have an apologetic look on his face as he delivered the young girl to the throne room, where King Kagamine was waiting for her.
"Tonight," his tone was grave, "you will be taught the difference between love and fear." He clapped his hands and two guards stepped forward with a bundle that looked as big as her. It was covered in a white sheet stained here and there with splotches of red. From beneath the sheet, should could see fresh drops of that peculiar red liquid splash onto the floor. The guards gently laid the bundle down and removed the sheet.
A bloodcurdling screech ripped through the air.
"Len!" Rin screamed, unable to control the hysteric flow of tears that suddenly spilled from her eyes, "What have they done to you…" she fell onto her knees before the boy and gently cupped one of his bruised cheeks. There was blood. So much blood. She could feel his struggled breathing raggedly fan her hand. He was in so much pain… how could they do this to him… to Len… her Len…?
His body was littered with cuts and bruises of all shapes and sizes. Blood dripped lazily from a few of the particularly nasty gashes that didn't have enough time to heal up. There were various indentations on his skin, some looked like they came from ropes, whips, and other things she couldn't identify, but knew they probably must have hurt. A lot.
"How could you," Rin's shoulders shook as sadness was gradually replaced by rage, "How dare you! You… you monsters!"
"Do you see now the weakness of love and the power of fear?" King Kagamine sneered, "Foolish, insolent, wretch! You loved him, and look how vulnerable love has made the both of you. If you loved your people, they would take advantage of you, and I'll not have some silly brat of mine ruin our family's legacy. Men are less hesitant about harming someone who makes himself loved than one who makes himself feared, because love is held together by a chain of obligation which, since men are wretched creatures, is broken on every occasion in which their own interests are concerned; but fear is sustained by dread of punishment, and thus will never abandon you."
"That's not true!" Rin cried.
"SILENCE!" King Kagamine slapped her across the face, "You truly are a stupid child. I guess I'll have to demonstrate it to you personally." The King straightened himself and looked Rin straight in the eye, "Kick him."
"W-What?" her body froze.
"Kick Len in his stomach. If you do not, I will kill him."
But Rin could not reply.
The King narrowed his eyes, "Very well then."
With a snap of his fingers, a burly man standing in the corner of the chamber approached them and drew an axe from the sheathe on his back. He poised himself above Len and raised the blade high in the air. Rin's eyes widened as a fresh batch of salty tears threatened to pour forth. Was he serious?!
"Kill him."
"NO!" Rin screamed and threw her body over Len's as a meager form of protection, "STOP! DON'T YOU DARE!" the man with the axe merely grunted at her actions, yanking her up by the shoulder and throwing her to the side. He then cracked his knuckles before repositioning himself for the beheading.
"STOP!" Rin screamed until her throat hurt. Her heartbeat was racing now; it felt as if it wanted to burst from her chest, "STOP! PLEASE! I… I'LL DO IT!"
The man suddenly stopped his blade right above Len's throat. The King smirked.
"I… I will kick him," Rin struggled to hold back the wails that were threatening to betray her, "I'll do whatever you say… just please, don't kill him… Len never did anything wrong…" Shuddering with sobs, Rin slowly pulled herself up and stepped towards her best friend. Closing her eyes, she drove her foot into his side.
A strangled gasp escaped Len's lips as his body was jerked awake by the pain. At first his eyes were clouded, unable to focus do to the assault of pain on his weakened senses. Slowly, his pupils adjusted to the light, and above him he saw…
"Rin? Rin, why are you…"
"Pick him up by his hair and slap him."
Before Len could identify the person who the voice belonged to, the girl he recognized as Rin reached down and firmly grasped a handful of his disheveled hair. Her shoulders shook with sobs.
"Please forgive me, Len…"
"R-Rin?" What the hell was going on here? "What are you doing?! Why are you covered in bloo-" A slap suddenly silenced him. Len's eyes widened as a metallic taste seeped onto his tongue, a taste recognizable only as blood. He glanced, horrified, at Rin. What was she doing? Why did she hurt him?
"Now step on him," Len finally recognized the voice to be King Kagamine's, "You are royalty, he is not. He is garbage. Let him know that he is nothing but the dirt beneath your feet."
Rin merely nodded, her bangs shadowed her face, making it impossible to read her emotions. But the tears that continued to fall revealed that she was not doing this out of her own free will, that it pained her, and that gave Len comfort. Rin slowly approached him and kicked him in the chest. Len's eyes widened as he felt the wind get knocked from him and collapsed to the floor, struggling to get air. But Rin was relentless and stepped on his stomach, his shoulder, his back, any place, reopening wounds and staining her slippers with his blood. Len cried out in agony until the pain was too much for the boy to bear, and he drifted into unconsciousness. At that point Rin collapsed to the floor also and sobbed. Sorrowful eyes scanned his wounded figure. She wanted so bad to just pull his head into her lap and stroke his hair, whispering her condolences. But she couldn't.
"Take the boy away." King Kagamine motioned to one of the guards, who nodded and tucked the boy under his arm as if he was a sack of flour instead of a living being. He bowed once to the King, then to Rin, and exited the chamber, leaving a trail of Len's blood as he went. "Your Len will live," the King continued, "He will live, so long as you promise never to love him or anyone. Do you see now the power of fear and the weakness of love?"
Rin nodded weakly.
"Good. You will begin your formal training as Princess today." He strode over to her floor ridden figure and dropped a black, leather bound book in her lap. Rin did not lift her gaze to meet his.
"The Prince," she read the cover aloud, "by Niccolo Machiavelli."
"You will read and memorize that book," the King threw his cloak over his shoulder and made his way toward the door, "It is a treatise on the arts of statesmanship and the wielding of power. Our family has ruled this country according to that book for generations, and I'll be damned if some silly wretch of mine defiles our honor. Once Len heals, he will become your personal servant, and you will treat him with the lowest respect possible in order to squash any remnants of love he may share for you." King Kagamine paused at the door and rested his hand on the handle. He turned his eyes upward and began reciting from memory a passage from the book, "One can make this generalization about humans: they are ungrateful, fickle, liars, and deceivers, they shun danger and are greedy for profit; while you treat them well, they are yours. They would shed their blood for you, risk their property, their lives, their children, so long, as I said above, as danger is remote; but when you are in danger they turn against you..."
From that day on, Rin no longer had a heart. Her eyes, once vibrant and youthful, were now a dull, murky turquoise; and her complexion, once cheerful and smiling, was now filled with stoic detachment. She no longer hesitated when delivering sentences or even executions. She ruled her country with an iron fist and made it properly known who was in charge, who was royalty, and who was not. But although she ruled strictly, she was just, and delivered punishments only to those who deserved it; however, her punishments were always particularly extreme. Forcing a man to spend two years in a torturous dungeon for not paying the royal tax once seemed excessive, but it was necessary, as King Kagamine had told her. She had to make examples out of those who refused to obey the law so that the rest of the people would fear and obey her.
And Len… he continued to smile. But it killed her every time he did. She didn't see him for a month after that incident, but could swear she heard his screams at night. Upon his return, he no longer addressed her as Rin, but as Princess, or Your Highness, and all signs of familiarity were gone. He treated her with the utmost respect and listened to her every command, not once faltering on an order. He was at her side nearly every waking moment and it was torture. She wanted to run into his arms and apologize for hurting him, but she couldn't, and the guilt continued to build and hover over her every time she saw him.
But along with her guilt grew her love for him. Even though she had promised she would no longer love him, it was impossible. Every time she saw his face she would feel her knees buckle. And she tried so hard to squash any warm feelings he might have had of her: she treated him harshly, demanding this and that of him, shouting at him when something went wrong, and taking all her anger out on him. If she could make him hate her, then she wouldn't feel so bad anymore. But he continued to stand there smiling, taking all her frustration and orders with that same, complacent disposition, thus the guilt continued to multiply, and so did her yearning to take him into her arms and confess everything. She wanted to love him again like when they were younger- when they were happy. The feeling had almost become unbearable, and Rin was almost at the point of confessing…
But then he saw her.
On one of their visits to the neighboring kingdom, Len had spotted Lady Miku of the Kingdom of Green from afar. Rin saw a small hint of pink had befallen his cheeks. Whenever he interacted with Miku, he would be shy and stutter. And on the way home, Len found himself humming that familiar tune that Lady Miku always sang. Rin realized then, with much horror, that Len had fallen in love.
A teardrop fell into her tea, which had long turned cold. Rin smiled bitterly. Wasn't this what she wanted? This pain, this heartbreak, wasn't this what she always wished for? It was her punishment for hurting Len so many times in the past. But then why… why couldn't she bear it? No, she had to. For his good as well as hers. She had to do what was right.
"You summoned me, Princess?" Len bowed as he entered the parlor.
"Len…" Rin refused to meet his eyes. She knew that if she did all her plans would instantly go out the window, "Today, what did you think of our visit to the Kingdoms of Green and Blue?"
"I thought they were quite beautiful." Len obediently replied.
"Did you like it?"
"Yes, very much."
"Which one do you prefer?"
"The Kingdom of Green, Princess."
"What did you think of Lady Miku?"
At this a light blush found its way onto Len's cheeks. Of course he felt some kind of attraction for her; it was only natural for a boy to be drawn to an attractive lady. But that infatuation was nothing compared to the devotion he had for Rin.
"Len," she interrupted him. It unnerved him that her voice was unnaturally detached, "I want you to leave my side and go to the Kingdom of Green to become Lady Miku's servant."
"W-What?" turquoise orbs stared in disbelief, "Your highness, I-I do not wish to leave."
"I ordered you to."
"It is my duty to serve only Princess Rin Kagamine." His tone now held a hint of desperation.
"You love her," Rin felt tears well up in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall, "I saw it in your eyes, when we saw her passing by with Prince Kaito. With her kind voice and smiling face, she will make you far happier than if you stay here in this miserable kingdom with me. Go, Len. As your Princess I command you, or will you defy me?"
"…"
For a long time, neither said anything. Rin watched him from the reflection in the window. It was nighttime, making it easier for her to observe him. He seemed… angry?
"My devotion," Len murmured, "as your servant far outweighs any silly feelings of affection I might have felt for her."
"Liar," Rin said, tracing a porcelain finger along the cold window. A rainstorm pelted the glass and drifted down the contours of her reflection, giving it the illusion that she was crying. How ironic. "Prove it to me, then." Rin continued, "Prove to me how deep your devotion runs by killing the Lady of Green, and I will believe you."
At this Len said not a word. From the reflection in the window, Rin could see his eyes widen and his face pale. She knew it. He didn't have the courage to kill the woman he loved, even though he claimed that he would do anything for Rin. She smiled bitterly and remembered the words her father said so long ago: "One can make this generalization about humans… they are liars… while you treat them well, they are yours. They would shed their blood for you, risk their property, their lives, their children, so long, as I said above, as danger is remote; but when you are in danger they turn against you..."
"You are dismissed," Rin sank into one of the nearby chairs, not once taking her eyes off the window. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Len steadily rise and bow before leaving the chamber. Rin sighed and finally let out the sobs she had been holding back.
The next morning, Rin awoke to an unfamiliar presence. Instead of it being Len who was arranging her things, it was another servant.
"Luka? Where is Len?"
The pink haired maid jumped a little but stopped her duties to turn and face her mistress. She bowed lowly, "He left for the Kingdom of Green early this morning and said that you sent him there," her brows furrowed together in confusion, "Has he run away?"
"No, he's right," Rin sighed and sank back against her pillow, "I did send him, but don't anticipate his return. I sent him to become Lady Miku's new servant."
Luka gasped, "But why? I thought he was faithful…"
"He'll be much happier in the Kingdom of Green," Rin said as she climbed out of bed. She felt tears prick at her eyes. No, she couldn't cry. She had to be happy for him.
The day wore on rather slowly. Everyone seemed to move at snail pace- even the sun. And the extended time only served to prolong the ache Rin felt when Len wasn't next to her. Gradually the days dragged on, and at the end of the 7th day since Len's departure, General Gakupo of the Guard came running into the room.
"Your Highness," he panted, "Len has returned."
Rin froze. Was it true?
Without a word, the princess picked up her skirts and followed the captain of the guard to the entrance of the castle. Her breath caught in her throat at the sight. Len was riding on her stallion Josephine, but he seemed so tired and beaten up, like he had been on the run all night.
"My Lady," he breathed as soon as he caught sight of Rin.
Instantly, Rin ran to his side and helped him as he leapt off the horse, "Len, what…?"
"If the princes wishes that girl to die," he whispered while placing a rose in her hand, "Then I will answer that." The exhaustion finally caught up to him as he fell unconscious in Rin's arms.
Rin glanced down at the flower and gasped. It was a rose, but not just any rose. It was a viridian one grown exclusively in the Kingdom of Green, but on it were several dark brown areas recognizable only as blood stains. He did it. He actually did it. Rin sank to her knees, Len still resting on her lap. "I'm so sorry…" Rin whispered to him, "I'm so sorry Len… Please forgive me… I love you, I love you so much… But I've hurt you so many times. Yet why do you continue to stay by my side?" she brushed the bangs out of his face with one hand and cradled him with the other, "Why…"
Len awoke with a groan.
"Finally awake, huh?"
"Princess Kagamine…" he made a move to rise but Rin promptly pushed him back down.
"You need your rest," she shook her head sadly, "I should have never dared you to do such a thing."
"If it was to prove my devotion to the princess," he replied, "it was necessary."
"No," Rin bit her lip, "I've made a terrible mistake. The Kingdoms of Green and Blue are angry. They want revenge for what has happened… I fear war will be upon us soon. Gakupo and Luka have informed me that soldiers from those kingdoms are communicating with the discontented citizens of this kingdom. A revolution seems imminent as well… Soon, we will-"
But before she could utter another word, Len rose and softly planted a kiss on her forehead.
"Princess Kagamine," he gave her that same, gentle smile, "You are my Lady, and I am your servant. Even if all the world becomes your enemy, I will protect you. Even if you are proclaimed as evil, then I too shall have the same evil blood running through my veins." At this point, Len had sunk to his knees and gently grasped one of her hands before placing a kiss upon it, "So you just be there, smiling and laughing, ne?"
Rin could hold it back no longer, "I'm so sorry, Len…" she threw her arms around his neck and cried into his shoulder, "For making you kill Miku, for hurting you, for everything. You don't know how much I regret everything, how guilty I feel. I love you so much, Len, it's driving me insane, I-"
Upon hearing her declaration, Len's eyes widened.
"Rin…" he interrupted, lifting her chin to meet his gaze.
She tried to turn away, but he wouldn't let her.
"You don't know how long I've waited to hear those three words," he murmured before capturing her lips with his.
At first the kiss was soft, but gradually grew into a fiery, rapturous embrace. All those emotions, pent up for so long, were finally released. Len pinned Rin against the wall behind her and let his hands roam free upon that once forbidden body, her soft mewls only ushering him on. Before long both had finally succumbed to their passions.
Len gazed longingly at his lover's face as she slept peacefully in his arms. If only they could remain like this forever… But he knew that was only wishful thinking.
The revolution was coming. He had long heard rumors about the people's discontent, not directly at Rin, but at the whole Kagamine lineage. Each of her ancestors had been cruel, exploitive tyrants, and the generations of unrest were finally reaching their breaking point, and naturally the target to receive all this animosity was the last heir to the Kagamine name: Rin. Even though she had been a relatively just and merciful ruler since her father's death a year ago, and compared to the rest of her ancestors, the people still wanted revenge.
Not to mention the Kingdoms of Green and Blue also thirsted for Kagamine blood. Len had killed the compassionate Lady Miku, and Prince Kaito demanded justice for his love's murder. They didn't explicitly know it was him, but they did know it was someone from the Kingdom of Yellow. It wouldn't be long now. Worry creased his brow.
He gently reached out and stroked the side of Rin's face, intently studying her delicate features. An idea began to form in his head.
Rin's eyes fluttered open as a hand gently shook her awake.
"Len…? What are you doi-"
"Shh. We don't have much time. Here, I will lend you my clothes. Wear this and escape immediately."
"W-What?"
"It'll be alright, we are twins, no one will notice."
Before Rin could protest, Len quickly silenced her with a kiss and led her to a secret passage reserved for servants.
"Even if all of the world becomes your enemy, I will protect you," Len whispered as he watched her escape through the gardens, "You just be somewhere laughing and smiling…"
Len briefly wondered why his tears would not stop falling.
"The Princess is not here!"
"That's impossible! Have you searched every corner of this castle?!"
"Yes, even the secret passages!"
"What about the gates? Is anyone guarding them?"
"We have sentries at every post, Lady Meiko! They only permitted the servants to escape- surely the guards would have recognized the Princess if she was trying to escape as a servant."
"How can this be… have you tried the gardens?"
"We are burning them now, just in case she is hiding in there the smoke will force her out."
"…Burn the entire castle down."
"W-What?"
"She may still be in here somewhere. If we burn the entire castle and all its grounds down, then surely we will find her. Or if we don't, she will be killed anyways by being burned alive."
"Are you sure that will work, Lady Meiko?"
"There is no possibility she could have escaped, correct? You said there are guards at every post."
"Yes, even at the top of the walls to see if anyone would try to climb over."
"Then that means she is still here. Burn it down."
"Yes, milady."
It had been many months since the revolution. Still there had been no sign of the Princess. A few skeletons had been found amongst the ashes of the castle, and many had just assumed that she was burned alive in the fire. For a few days thereafter, the kingdom had been at peace, until the question of who would take power now came up. Once again they had been thrown into chaos as many tried to claim the throne, and the first few tentative laws set up resulted in disaster. But after a month of quarreling, General Kamui Gakupo finally rose to the occasion and was unanimously appointed as new monarch. One of his first orders forbade anyone to slander the Princess, which raised skepticism among many, but his later effectiveness at ruling silenced all concerns.
Now the kingdom was thriving again, and the town square was bustling with vendors and the like. A young woman draped in a ragged, tan cloak stopped in the midst of it all to gaze with vibrant, turquoise eyes at the towering mechanism that was the guillotine. It had initially been intended to execute the Princess, but never got the chance. The people were disappointed, but decided that burning her was an equally deserving punishment, or maybe even more. The guillotine would have been too merciful.
"What are you looking at, Rin?" a man with eyes just as bright as hers wound his arms around her waist and planted kisses along her neck and jaw.
"Len," she smiled, "Nothing, just reminiscing."
"Come," he gently took her by the hand, "We've got business to take care of." The pair walked quietly to the docks, where Len took out two pairs of clothes. They were secured by a long string, which he tied to a heavy rock.
Rin sat on the side of the dock and dipped her feet in its cool waters, "I'll miss those clothes," she pouted, "They were rather comfortable compared to these." She poked at her scratchy peasant garments.
"Servant clothing isn't fitting for a Princess," Len said as he dropped the rock and clothes into the water before taking a seat by his lover, "Peasant life is a pretty drastic change from royalty, ne? No more snack time."
Rin laughed and placed one of his hands on her swollen belly. She recited a line from a certain book she memorized long ago: "One change always leaves the way open for the establishment of others."
BLEH bleh bleh bleh. Bleh. Bleh!
Okay enough with the bleh's xD. Review and make me happy, please? And if anyone got confused on what happened, both Rin and Len dressed up in servant clothes and escaped through different entrances. Ho-ho! Smart, ne? They should have done that in the first place, because then Len wouldn't have died and I wouldn't angst everytime I watched Servant of Evil. And at the end, Rin is pregnant, not fat. Maybe someday I'll go back to this and elaborate when I'm done working on my other fic. Until then, sayonara!