Hey, I'm back with another AMUTO story like I promised on my last story 'The Dark Secret'. Credit for my beta reader [regulusgal] for helping me with this story, I hope you will like this story and please give it a chance!
I do not own shugo chara. Please enjoy the first chapter of "Blood Is Red" and hit the review button 'kay?
Note : This story was rated 'M' for a reason, you have been warned! And this story is written with Amu's POV
Summary : I was hated by people in my village because blood was 'purple' but that wasn't all, I was also forced to marry the Crown Prince — Tsukiyomi Ikuto — to make it worse, I couldn't decline it because of my social status, even my parents couldn't help me because of the law. Being the prince, he could marry any other women he desired. He brought them to the castle and slept with them. He raped me on our first night and I was impregnated with his child, he didn't love me and my child. How could my baby and I survive this cruel world?
"Blood Is Red"
Chapter 1: The Meeting and The Wedding
Everyone knew that our blood was red. That was a basic common sense that had been relevant for ages.
But here in my village, people were divided into three groups: blue blood, red blood, and purple blood.
I had found it stupid since I had been young. Why did people divide themselves by blood color categories? If you bled, your blood was red, even if you were blue-blooded or purple-blooded.
Oh, I must have confused you.
The blood color categories were used to identify our social status. The 'blue one' – also known as the highest status – was given to royalties: princes, princesses, or nobles. The 'red one' – the lowest status – was given to poor people.
And lastly, there was the 'purple blood'. It was bestowed to people who were born from a consummation between a person belonging to the blue blood and a person from the red blood. They weren't nobles, but they also weren't peasants. This category wasn't acknowledged by the society, and was hated as they couldn't fit into the right class.
That was why the purples had their own community. And guess what? I was one of them.
My father was a nobleman and my mom was a poor woman. They had met at a banquet which my Dad's dad – my grandfather, so to say – had held. My mom had been one of the maids that time and my dad had taken interest in her.
They had been dating for a year when Dad had proposed, and they had been married ever since. My grandpa hated my mom, but my dad had insisted to marry her. My grandpa had approved at last when Dad had threatened him – with what, I had no idea.
But that didn't mean that the old man had accepted my mom and me. He never let me call him Grandpa – which proved that he hated me. I had been confused when I had been a small child. Why couldn't I call my own grandpa 'Grandpa'? Then Mom had explained to me about the blood categories.
So, I was part of the hated people in our village. Mom said that people could recognize us, the Purples, easily because we were made to wear a pair of purple ear piercings for girls and a purple necklace for boys. We couldn't take it off until a Blue – or a Red – claimed us as theirs.
Of course it was a bit impossible, since the purple would always marry the purple. Like people from the other two blood classes would accept us.
Why? Why me? I had asked myself since I had been still an innocent young girl. It was one of the craziest things I'd ever heard. Just because you were a rich people, that didn't mean you would have blue blood instead of red. I just couldn't fathom it. Who was the stupid person that had created this whole blood thing?
I complained about it too much I was tired because no one would listen to me. So here I was, sitting at my usual spot in the park built for the purples. Did you know what made it crazier than before? The Blues and the Reds could come into our properties, but we the Purples couldn't go into one of theirs.
Life was so unfair, didn't you think so?
I – without the intention of bragging, of course – was the weirdest of the Purples. People called me a 'Pink Freak' because of my hair color – which was naturally pink. I swore I didn't dye it!
But as usual, no one bothered to listen to me, and kept calling me with that stupid nickname.
My name was Hinamori Amu, and as I'd told you before, I was one of the Purples, with pink hair. I was twenty-two years old and currently graduating from university. I was one of the most intelligent people – again, no intention of bragging – in my village, but no one cared about it since I was a Purple. My dad came from a prestigious family, the Hinamoris, while my mom was only a mere village woman.
I had a pair of purple Sakura piercings on my earlobes – my identity that had been chosen by my mother when I had been born. I loved Sakura; the flower was so beautiful and the petals were soft. It only blossomed in the first days of spring and it made the view become more beautiful. Sakura petals were also pink, reminding me of my hair color.
Now, let's stop talking about Sakura and my hair color.
I was looking for a job. It was a bit hard to find one, as I was a Purple. Hah, it was so unfair! Even a lowly job as a maid was hard to get.
I sighed deeply and walked back towards my house. I didn't really pay attention to my surroundings, and suddenly I bumped into someone. I hissed in pain when I felt my butt make contact with the cold floor.
I looked up and was about to say sorry when the person jerked my skirt up. I screamed as I slapped him hard, and gasped when I took a good look at that person.
It was Tsukiyomi Ikuto – the crown prince who would inherit the kingdom from his father soon.
'Damn, I'm in big trouble!' I screamed inwardly as I saw him smirking.
The prince was known as the evil among all evils, and now I was one of his preys. The smirk wasn't a good sign.
What should I do? Even my father couldn't help me this time – what should I do? My grandpa would kill me if he knew that I had just slapped the prince.
Not a normal prince, but the crown prince! Damn!
I knew that he knew I was in panic, so I stepped back when he approached me. Damn, I needed to run away, but knew it was no use since I was a Purple. There weren't many Purples in my village, so it would be easy for him to know who I was.
But hey, what was a prince doing in a Purple's park? And not to mention, I could defend myself by reasoning about his perverseness.
No, it was also no use. Whatever I said wouldn't help me – again because I was a Purple.
Well, let's just hope that he didn't do anything stupid to me or I wouldn't hesitate to slap him again. I didn't really care about our status anymore since I would go to jail all the same, thanks to my earlier deed.
"What do you want?" I asked him, trying to sound confident.
With his smirk still on place, he asked me back, "You still have nerve after hitting me, huh?"
"So?" I replied, almost shouting. "It was your fault!"
I saw his smirk grow wider. Damn!
"What is your name?" the prince asked me.
"Why should I tell you?" I asked him back, and as I had predicted, his smirk grew.
His eyes flicked to my ear piercings. "You're a Purple, huh? Interesting."
'Welcome to the jungle!' I exclaimed with sarcasm – inwardly, as I decided to not say anything to him.
He asked me again, "What is your name?"
I didn't answer him right away; debating myself whether I should tell him or not. The prince seemed to have lost his patience. He asked his guard to drag me to his palace.
'Now, welcome to the jail!' I thought. Goodbye, Mom, Dad; I wouldn't see you soon until the prince released me.
If he released me.
Okay, I really didn't know what he would do to me. I arrived at the palace – the last place I wished to be – and I was locked in a room, a fancy one to be exact. The walls were covered with black wallpaper, and a king-sized bed stood in the center of the room. The blue silk covered the bed perfectly and I knew that it was so expensive. I, for one, wouldn't try to lay even one finger on it.
I was looking around the room when I heard the door cracked open. I turned my head around and saw a tall figure – who I recognized as the prince – walk into the room. What did he want now? I asked myself and saw the tall man approach me. I froze at my spot, not daring to move even one bit.
"I see you have made yourself at home in your room," he spoke when he reached me.
I didn't say anything for the umpteenth time – to be more detailed, I found myself afraid to speak up.
"Now, follow me," he said. He walked in front of me, leading me, and I followed him. We soon arrived at a fancy room with a gorgeous and elegant design. He sat himself on one of the plush couches and motioned me to sit beside him.
Okay, now this was scaring me more. What did he want to do to me? Kill me? Tear me apart before feeding me to his dog?
I gingerly sat on the couch he was on, but I kept our distance as far as I could. He clapped his hands and I saw a butler, dressed in a fancy suit, approach us. The prince whispered something and the butler bowed his head before walking out of the room.
Damn, what would he do to me? I screamed inwardly, feeling much more inferior.
A few minutes later, I saw my parents walk into the room along with the king and queen. Shit! I cursed. Now, he probably wanted to kill me in front of the public! What were Dad and Mom doing here, anyway? Wait, he had said something about my room before; did it mean that he wasn't going to kill me or feed me to his dog?
My mom and dad sat on the couch across from us, while the king and queen took the other one. Why did the atmosphere feel so tense here? I kept looking around, completely confused with this whole scene. Would I be killed or what?
"Good afternoon, Mr. and Mrs. Hinamori," Prince Ikuto greeted my parents, while I kept my mouth shut.
"Good afternoon too, My Lord," my parents replied in unison.
Feeling a bit rude before the presence of the royalties, I bowed towards the king and queen and greeted them in a low voice. "Good afternoon, Your Majesties."
"Thank you for coming here, Mr. and Mrs. Hinamori," Prince Ikuto said.
"It's our pleasure," Dad answered him.
Damn, I really hated the formality. I wasn't used to it!
"I want to ask you for your daughter's hand in a marriage with me," the blunette prince said bluntly.
Hold on. "What?!" I shrieked in shock once his word seeped into my mind. It was way far from my prediction. I thought he would kill me, instead of asking for a marriage!
"It's all our pleasure; I hand my daughter to you," Mom said.
I snapped my head towards her. "Mom!"
"Then, it's settled," the King spoke up abruptly after his long regal silence. "We will have the ceremony tomorrow." My parents nodded in approval.
I could feel my veins popping on my temple. I strode towards them and hissed, "Mom, Dad, can I have a word with both of you? In private."
Catching what I had said, the prince, along with the king and queen, left us three alone in the room. I couldn't hold my tears any longer. I had never imagined that my mom and dad would do this to me!
"Why?" I asked, my voice cracking.
"Amu, you know that we don't have any other choice," Dad said. "You know the rule, too."
Yes, I knew the rules so well I could recite them by heart. The very first one was that every request from the king, queen, prince, or princess couldn't be turned down, even if they wanted your life.
See? It was crazy, and that was why I didn't give a damn about it! Just because he was prince, he thought that he could have everything? Why did he want to marry me anyway, huh? Didn't he already have a fiancée?
Later, my parents left me. Along with them, I had to say goodbye to my freedom. I sat in the atelier and cried. Damn! Why did this happen to me? I was going insane! Now, my life would change drastically – oh, it actually had. Just say goodbye to freedom and happy life, and say hello to hell!
A maid came into the living room and guided me back to the room. I didn't speak nor protested; I walked behind her silently while trying to memorize the way to the room. It was going to be my room, anyway.
When we reached there, the maid knocked on the door politely, puzzling me. If it was my room, why did she need to knock? Then I heard a deep voice from the other side of the door, telling us to come in. She opened the door for me and I slid in. I was shocked when I saw the arrogant bastard of a prince standing in the middle of the room, shirtless.
"What are you doing here?" I asked him rather rudely in annoyance.
"This is my room – our room," he said calmly.
It took me a while to process his words. "What?!" I shrieked once it got me. Couldn't disaster stop coming one by one into my life in just one day? I needed a damn break!
"We will be wed tomorrow, so why not?" he continued casually.
"Why?" I finally managed to ask him, my eyes locked on his, looking for an answer for my many questions. "Is it because I slapped you?"
He shrugged a little. "Not really. It's because I take an interest in you."
The hell? He took interest in me, as if I was a toy for him? Damn you, Prince! I couldn't count how many times I had cursed today, but I didn't really care. Then I remembered that I was a Purple.
The first rule for the Purples was you were born to be owned by people.
That was right; now I was owned by the prince. He could do anything to me – whether it hurt me or not, I couldn't complain about it, and my parents couldn't help me. It wasn't only about my freedom – my life was at stake here. Say goodbye to both of them.
Starting tomorrow, I would completely be the prince's property who didn't have control over her life anymore. His blood might be red, and mine was as well, but we had different control of our own life.
Today was the day. I had enjoyed my last seven hours of freedom last night by doing something that entertained me. And now, I was officially the prince's.
I let the stylist dress me in my wedding gown and do my make-up and hairdo. Once she was finished, she asked some maids to bring a full-length mirror. I took a good look at the young woman inside the mirror; she wore a long white strapless dress that hugged her curves perfectly. The natural make-up made her look beautiful, and the pin-up style hairdo made her look mature.
Was she really me?
I didn't know I could look this good. A part of me squealed in happiness when I saw myself, but the other part was screaming in frustration because of the wedding.
I knew that the prince would make me his toy to play with as he wished, but I couldn't refuse because of the law, and since I was a Purple, I couldn't decide for myself. I didn't have any single freedom since I was born, and now I experienced it firsthand.
I knew I was only a toy because the almighty prince could marry more than one woman. Some of the kings and princes before had thirty wives! Some of the consorts were just like me, being forced to marry into the royalty. Some were willing to be married because they were some gold diggers. But among the consorts, one of them would be chosen to be the rightful queen, the highest title for women in my village. Women from all over the village dreamed to become the queen.
All, except me.
I never wanted to become the queen. I just wanted freedom. My freedom.
But it was all just a dream. I could no longer become a happy teenager who dreamed for freedom. I was the prince's property and let's just say, 'Goodbye, Freedom!'.
A maid twirled my body, snapping me out of my thoughts. They had finished their work, and I could see that they were satisfied with it. One of them bowed in front of me and asked me to follow her to the chapel, where the prince and our families had waited.
I followed her; each step led me towards my hell. I stopped when she halted and I saw the beautiful flower decorations coloring the chapel perfectly. It was full of pink – my hair color, and my favorite color beside blue. I could see daisies, roses, and tulips – all pink – hanging on the ceiling of the chapel.
I heard the wedding march slowly heaved, and my dad was already standing beside me, taking my hand into his. He squeezed my hand, and I nodded to him. I knew it was hard for him, too. Dad was spoiling me too much, and he had to give me away so suddenly. It was hard. Believe me, I knew.
Dad squeezed my hand one more time before guiding me to walk down the aisle.
Every girl dreamed of a beautiful wedding and to be married to someone she loved, but my wedding was far from it. Sure I had a beautiful wedding – a fancy one at that – but I couldn't find myself to be happy. Each step to the altar didn't give me any emotion of happiness. It was sadness instead. I saw Mom sitting on the front row, wiping her tears.
I reached the altar soon, and Dad gave my hand into the prince's. He was handsome, I wouldn't deny the fact, but I really wanted to wipe the smirk off his face! This arrogant bastard of a prince! See, I cursed again today.
He turned us to face the priest. Damn! How much I wished I could say 'No' to vows!
"Do you, Prince Tsukiyomi Ikuto, take this woman, Hinamori Amu, as your faithful wife?" the priest asked the prince.
'Please say no, please say no!' I prayed inwardly.
"Yes," Prince Ikuto answered. Of course he would say yes, argh! I became more frustrated now!
"Do you, Hinamori Amu, take this man, Prince Tsukiyomi Ikuto, as your faithful husband?" the priest asked me.
Should I say no? I asked myself. But then, if I said no, Dad and Mom's life, along with mine, would be in danger.
Flashback
"Why? Is it because I slapped you?"
He shrugged a little. "Not really. It's because I take an interest in you."
"What?!" I yelled, again.
"You heard me, Amu," he said casually.
I gasped. "How do you know my name?"
"Who do you think I am?" He looked at me, smirking. "I am the prince; it won't be hard for me to know about you."
"Why do I have to marry you?" I questioned him.
"I told you; no reason. I'm interested in you."
I of course wasn't satisfied with the same vague answer. "Why? Tell me, or I will say no tomorrow!" I threatened.
And of course, he had the ball to threaten me back. "Hah, who do you think you are? If you say no tomorrow, your family's lives will be in danger!"
Screw him and the law!
End of flashback
"Yes," I muttered, not caring to look into the prince's azure eyes.
"Now, I pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride," the priest announced loudly.
The prince kissed me on the lips to seal our vows as the guests clapped their hands.
All of you may be happy for me, but I pitied myself right now. My first kiss was taken by someone I didn't love, who forced me into this stupid marriage thing.
Ikuto – since I was married to him, I surely could call him by his first name now – carried me bridal style into a black car, and dropped me onto the back seat before climbing in from the other side of the car. The driver then drove off.
I was told by a maid that I would spend my honeymoon right after the ceremony. So here I was, sitting in the fancy car beside the prince and let him bring me to wherever he wanted.
What do you think of the first chapter? R&R please! Um, should I continue the story or not? Tell me your opinion 'kay!
Have a great and wonderful day guys, Ja ~