Hello this is now the updated version!
(Being updated because I will start a new fic which will be a continuation of this and the current storyline won't work if I keep it the same.)
But don't worry the original story will still be up so you can enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own any of these nonsense characters except for Akari
Akari rushed through the forest "Leave me alone!" she looked back into the dark abyss and clutched her headache. "Belphegor…You ruined everything!"
"Hmph I save you from that death trap and you keep insulting me? Rude." a blunt voice called after her through the shadowy woods, much to her annoyance.
"You've done nothing to help me! Go away you stupid prince!" she yelled back, her voice strangled her, making it hard to breathe.
"No can do~" he replied mockingly as if he knew "Besides it's also boss' orders. For someone who has disappeared from existence for the past years you sure are popular princess~"
"S-Shut up!" she stopped running and screamed at him. "You don't know anything! Those people…they were my family!"
The prince eventually caught up and frowned. "They were illusions as in things that aren't even real stupid. You've been trapped in that magic the whole time."
"No! You're lying!" She crumpled to the ground and cried. "You…I hate you…"
"You know I'm not lying come on. Remember your past, your real life…How I met you." He grabbed her shoulder and turned her face to meet his.
"Ugh! Stop! I don't want to!" She screamed. But it was already too late and the memories came pouring in.
It was many years ago when Belphegor still lived in his castle as the prince of a small town called Astria, along with his twin brother Rasiel. The two young boys parents had taken them shopping, and although they both liked getting presents, and showing off their wealth they'd still rather be inside where there were nice sharp materials to throw at each other. So they trudged behind, getting their shoes dirty, and taking their anger out by pelting rather large rocks at each other.
Their father, the king sighed, occasionally yanking his two boys by their shirts to keep them from killing each other.
The queen lectured them "Why can't you two just try to be normal? What are you even fighting about this time?"
"Bel is inferior. I'm obviously better than him~" Rasiel snickered as he threw another rock, the size of a fist at his twin.
Bel caught it and chucked it back. "Tch you're so full of yourself Sil! Besides a dead king won't make a very good one."
"Guh!" The older twin grunted as he took in the rocks blow. "I'm not dead yet stupid!"
"Not yet at least Ushishishi~" Bel snickered and received a punch on the head from his mother.
His mom then glared at them for an unsettling amount of time until they went quiet.
Then Bel stopped. "Hey look at tha-" as he was about to finish Rasiel knocked him down with a bigger rock. "Will you stop? Look!" he pointed to a small run down shack. It was made from now old bamboo stalks and looked as if it would collapse any moment, there was also a tall merchant who was sleeping in a tiny chair made from similar material.
"What? We pass by that shack all the time there's nothing special about it idiot~" Rasiel scoffed.
Belphegor rolled his eyes, causing the queen to glare at his some more. "Are you blind? I mean this!" Bel ran up to a girl a little shorter than him and poked her in the face.
The girl was dressed in what looked like a collision of rags hastily fashioned into a noodle strap dress, a pair of handcuffs around her right wrist chained her to the bamboo pole probably to keep her under control but could probably be broken with one pull, and there was a collar marking her as a slave that read $358. She had long black hair that rested in strands on her head and went down a little past her shoulders, her eyes matched the color of her hair but had a shine to them, and her body was small but had a strong quality to them.
"What the heck are you doing?" She bit the young boys hand, making it pull back in pain.
"Oy! We're the princes of this land so you'd better respect us you dumb slave! If you're a good girl we might even buy you." Bel snapped at her as he shook the pain out of his hand.
"Tch I'm not interested in any fake princes." She taunted him. "Besides after I get bored of this place I can go back to my real home any time."
"Why you-" The prince swiped his fist at the girl only to realize her great speed. She dodged the punch, which ended up breaking her chains. (And only hurting Bels hand that much more)
"Thanks stupid~" she giggled and ran off into the deeply populated marketplace.
"Hey!" The shop owner jumped. "You! I don't care if this is your country or not. Stealing is illegal, yes? And I would say your boy there just let my merchandise go, so either buy it or bring it back!" The shop owner pointed at the king with his chipped finger.
"Fine. Take the damn money!" He yelled back, in equal volume. He reached into his coat pocket and tossed a large bag of money onto the roof of the already worn down shack. "Go get it."
Bel stood on the sidelines of the fight. And his brother punched him to get attention. "Hey lets see who finds the girl first. Then we'll know who's better at finding people right?"
"Okay. But only cuz I'm gonna win this time." Bel smiled and surveyed the area of bustling people.
"Ready? Start!" Rasiel yelled and dashed off, leaving his brother far behind. "Usheshe~ you forget brother! I am still the fastest!" He laughed, and disappeared into the crowd.
"Damn"
The younger prince sneaked around, he had now acquired (stole) a dirty and torn up coat as a disguise. "Ushishishi~ I bet that idiot Rasiel is being surrounded by the cameras right about now." He laughed to himself.
"Hey you stupid prince what are you doing now? Playing 'hobo hide-and-seek' or something?" A familiar voice sighed above him.
"No looking for a dumb-" He looked up to see the girl from before, dressed now in dark torn up rugs. "You…"
"Oh so first I'm just a thing and now I'm a dumb me? Awesome my rank went up." She said sarcastically.
"What's your problem? First you run away and now you just come straight up to me?"
"Yep it's called 'tease the prince' way more fun than 'hobo hide-and-seek'" she laughed and gave off a warm feeling. "Anyway, my name is Akari. What's yours?"
"Belphegor. So I guess you aren't all that mean."
"Hmmm…no I guess I just hate certain people. Like you."
"Oh gee thanks."
"No not like that! It's just…whenever I meet someone I kinda get this vibe that something bad is gonna happen to me if I stay in contact too long so I try to steer them away from me. But with you it's different…like there's something bad about you but at the same time you have a good heart." She stared at him.
"Because im a prince right? Ushishishi~" He laughed.
"Yeah…a prince" She smiled.
"Ushishi~ Oy Sil. Guess what? I found the girl before you so I win. ~" Bel reappeared from the crowd, and back to the run down shack holding Akari's hand.
Rasiel, who looked like he had given up a while ago, stood up. "Tch I know you cheated somehow Bel. A king never loses a challenge."
"But you're not a king yet stupid." Akari muttered.
"HEY BELPHEGOR!" The Queen yelled and smashed her fist upon the boys head (don't worry he's used to it :D) "WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?" she growled.
"Ushesheshe~ See Bel? Even if it is you who wins the challenge I am still the one who gets the most out of it in the end~"
"Oh and just a moment before you were accusing him of cheating." Akari continued to mutter out complaints.
"Look! I brought back what we paid for so I can keep her right?" Bel whined to his father who had calmed down by now.
"Oh ok" he shrugged. "I mean its not like the castle isn't destroyed enough already thanks to you two." He said, sounding annoyed.
"Yes!" He grabbed Akari and spun her around. "Now I can be your prince and you will be my princess Ushishishi~"
Thank you for reading! *bows*
I hope you will support me in the making of a new fic called "A Princess' Locked Heart" which will be the continuation of this short – "How I Met You" I will also be having an OC contest later so don't stop viewing ;D
Arigato minna! And I hope you enjoyed it!