Revised because writing sucks
San had to admit she was a bit shook up. The guards had tortured her, it was obvious by the many bruises she now had on her face and arms. They had tried to touch her in places where she knew they could not touch. In a small corner of her mind, she had remembered her conversation with Ashitaka about her body. Many parts of her, along with many actions, made him blush so bright that San often laughed at his expression, getting an angry look from him in return. She wasn't aware of the many things that humans did when they were in love but she knew one thing. Whatever the guards were trying to "take", as so they put it, was not supposed to be taken that way. With anger and fury, she had attacked them and hurt them quite badly. That's when things turned for the worst. No matter how strong San was, three grown men were no match for her, especially since her energy was draining quickly. She was extremely relieved when she saw Ashitaka standing in the doorway. However, she had not been prepared to see such a side of Ashitaka. San knew, as a human, that Ashitaka could be cruel and harsh. Many humans were; in fact, they were surrounded by them. But to see Ashitaka, who was always calm and steady suddenly lose control of his anger and unleash such human destruction was not something she had been prepared for. So as they kept searching for Chandra, San couldn't help but be cautious around him. Not in fear that he would do something to her but in fear for his own safety.
Ashitaka led the way, carefully scanning each area before they went ahead. San was already confused by the many passages and she was sure he was as well. Before long, she heard Ashitaka curse loudly.
"We're back to my cell!"
Sighing wearily, he indicated for them to go back when a hand grabbed San's arm as she turned the corner. She swung her leg forward and connected with a man's neck.
"Ow! What'd you do that for?"
"Eriol!"
Incredibly happy to see Eriol, San jumped and hugged him. He patted her back and he nodded to Ashitaka, who nodded back at him. His bright eyes were now sober and his hair was in disarray, long strands had escaped the bonds of the bun he usually wore, a sign of royalty.
"Where's Chandra?" asked Ashitaka as San let go of Eriol.
"I don't know but I have to find her."
"We'll help," said San quickly, looking at Eriol fiercely, " we'll get her back, don't worry."
Studying her face, once so white and pure but now covered with bruises and dried blood, he shook his head.
"This does not concern you anymore. If you go now, you'll be able to leave without too much trouble. I already explained to my father that I forced you into this so you don't have to worry."
"Eriol!" cried out San, amazed at such unselfishness.
"Please! I feel that tonight, my father will finally see the unhappiness the people in the village feel."
San looked at him, confused. She had not seen any signs of unhappiness in this village, nothing strange or evil. She did notice that the people didn't like the Emperor so much but it was just a simple dislike, nothing serious as far as she could see. But in the back of her mind, she remembered the battle that had led them here, as if destiny had called them—.
Ashitaka said nothing. The two men looked at each other for a while before Ashitaka sighed.
"If there's anything we can do---- don't hesitate to ask."
Smiling, he nodded before grabbing Ashitaka's hand and shaking it. He turned to San, who was still looking at Ashitaka in surprise, and gave her a hug, smiling at her as he wiped a trail of dried blood from her face. He turned and walked back to where he came from. As he turned the corner, he called out,
"I will ask one favor," he turned to look at the couple and his eyes shone brightly, "take care of each other, all right?"
Ashitaka and San nodded at him, thanking him for his kindness before he disappeared around the corner. They stood there for a minute, looking at where Eriol had been standing before turning to each other.
Now what?
They decided to keep a low profile as they tried to find their new target. An exit had to be here somewhere and they had to quietly find it. Ashitaka did not want to repeat the scene at San's cell again.
"Why aren't we helping Eriol again?" whispered San, as they turned yet another corner.
"Because he is right. This is between him, his family, and Chandra."
"Why can't we just knock some sense into them?"
Inching along the hallway, he grabbed San's hand and kissed it, much to her surprise. He turned to face her with a smile on his face.
"Not all of us respond to your violence."
Smiling back at his teasing, she bit his knuckles.
"Just you, right?"
He laughed softly and took a good look at her. Her eyes were downcast, eyelashes long and thick, hiding her blue eyes from view. They did not hide the frown forming across her brow.
"This is your blood, not theirs," she mumbled, carefully studying his beaten, red knuckles.
Looking at his hand, he guessed she was right. The pain from the fight had not reached him yet.
"Mmmm, probably."
Angrily, she slammed his knuckles against the wall, causing him to wince but thankfully, he held in his shout.
"What's the matter with you?" he whispered harshly, his vision slightly blurry from tears caused by the pain.
"You're an idiot!" she hisses at him, taking his hand again to repeat her actions. He saw it coming this time and stopped his hand from connecting with the wall.
"Have you gone insane?"
"Have you, Ashitaka?"
A couple of footsteps came running from their side and Ashitaka put their little fight on hold as he opened a cell door with the keys he still possessed and pushed San in, closing it quietly behind him.
"We have to go the showing area, as many soldiers as we can spare..."
Their voices trailed away.
Ashitaka opened the door and looked around. They were alone once again. He signaled San to come out and closed the door again. San said nothing, she kept walking around the corridors, trying to find the exit as they had before. Sighing, Ashitaka realized he had to be the one to start the conversation.
"I can't fell my hand–" he whined slightly, not very prince-like but still rubbing his knuckles and wincing dramatically. San raised her head, nose pointed to the sky and kept walking.
Trying another tactic, he rested against San as they walked, sliding his hand in hers as they came up with yet another long hallway, this one had many doors in it. San tried to shake him off but to no use. He was bent in annoying her until he received an answer.
"Why are you so upset?"
San kept quiet, checking the doors for an exit. After a while, she turned to look at him with an angry expression.
"I'm relieved you saved me but you should be more careful!"
Scoffing, Ashitaka gave her a withering look.
"I was."
"No, you weren't. You had a three knives and you went up against four guards, unprotected and mad with anger!"
Ashitaka kissed her temple, much to San's annoyance.
"Says the girl who entered an angry village with only a knife, got shot in the face, and tried to kill Eboshi with the entire village surrounding you with knives."
San looked at his superior face and pouted.
"That's not the point," she mumbled resentfully.
"Then what is?" he laughed.
"Listen, I've never felt protective for a human before. You're all so weak and easily killed."
Ashitaka was about to retort sarcastically but he decided not to.
"Well, I don't kill so easy and besides—"
"An exit!" interrupted San excitedly.
Ashitaka swallowed the rest of his words and checked around. It was a bit dark but the door led to stairs and that was the best option they had so far. Holding hands, they started going down quietly. After a while, they found another door and decided to check it out. Opening the door silently, Ashitaka suck his head out and peered around. To his surprise, the door led to the outside. He swung it open and led San out. The sun was blinding them, the heat almost unbearable once outside. Not having enough time to enjoy the weather, San told Ashitaka she wanted to see if her brothers were safe. Nodding, his gaze went to the sky. Getting his point, San walked around to find a suitable house and started climbing. Helping each other, they got to the roof and looked around. Frowning, they saw that the town was too quiet and too deserted. Very few people were walking around and it was still noon. They shouldn't have been complaining, this way it was better for them. They wouldn't attract too much attention. San cupped her hands to her mouth and started howling. Ashitaka kept the lookout while San conversed with her brothers.
Once San told Ashitaka that her brothers and Yakuul were safe and expecting them, Ashitaka decided to go see what was causing such commotion to their right. Instead of getting down, they skipped over the roofs of the houses, thinking it'd be safer and they could not be so easily spotted. Once they got there (their destination was farther away than they thought), the settled themselves on the nearest roof of the scene. Their mouths dropped open as soon as they laid eyes on what was causing the commotion.
Hundreds of the townspeople were angrily shouting and screaming with a fury unknown by anyone. They all seemed to be many headed monster, shouting loudly, their voices booming but the message was clear. They were shouting against the injustice happening before their eyes. The hordes of people were barely being held back by tons of soldiers, firing their guns into the air but Ashitaka knew it wouldn't be long until they'd start firing against the crowd. However, he still couldn't see what had caused such an uproar. San was also trying to get a closer look and it wasn't until she gasped that he actually saw what was happening. He could not bite back his own gasp.
Raised on a pedestal, a woman was hanging from her hands, held up with thick ropes, her clothes in disarray, her once beautiful face was now dirty and bloody. Her hair was flying all over the place and her eyes were shut tight, her face contorted in pain and sadness. The Emperor was easily visible. He had put on his best clothes and jewelry, looking as if he was attending an important party. A heavily pregnant woman was next to him, looking down to the ground but even from far away, they could see her face twisted with sorrow. The Emperor looked bored as usual, playing with his rings, twisting them around a few times. They all seemed to be waiting for something— but what?
San had already gotten up, ready to leap down. Ashitaka could do nothing to stop her, not that he wanted to. He was getting ready himself when the crowds abruptly stopped shouting. It was such a drastic difference that San and Ashitaka stopped to see what happened.
From somewhere in between the crowds, a man was walking out. He was not stopped by the guards as he entered the small area around the platform where Chandra was currently hanging from. Her face barely lit up as she saw him. His calm face soon changed as he got closer to her. This time guards did stop from getting farther.
"Let her down," he strongly commanded, his voice loud enough for San and Ashitaka to hear.
"I will," drawled the Emperor, still twisting the rings on his fingers, "once we come to a conclusion."
Eriol's face turned angry as he reached into his belt and took out a knife. A collective gasp came from the crowd.
"Ashitaka..." whispered San worriedly, but what could they do?
"You want a conclusion?" Eriol shouted loudly and angrily, "Very well, here's your damn conclusion."
And without a moment of hesitation, he raised the knife to his head and cut off his bun. The lump of hair fell to the ground but it was so quiet, you could hear every strand hit the ground.
"Let her go, I am no longer a prince."
While the Queen had started to cry, the Emperor did nothing but merely looked at him wearily.
"It means nothing. The girl still belongs to me."
Eriol said nothing and for a moment, the two men looked at each other with pure hatred. How a father could hate his own son in such a way was unknown to Ashitaka. But this hatred was dark and sincere. The Emperor had no regards to his son's feelings and only to what his duties were. The Emperor's short-sightedness of such issues caused so much unhappiness in his village, that it could no longer be contained. Eriol turned and started walking toward Chandra. The Emperor gave a quiet command and four guards came towards Eriol. Though he fought with all his might, more guards came and quickly held him down. The Emperor walked up to the platform where Chandra hung from. He turned to the townspeople and spoke.
"As the Emperor of this town, my command is final. This command is for all those who decide to take your life in your own hands. It is not so. I am your God and my word is final. You need an example, then I'll give you one."
The Emperor walked away, nodding to a man on his right.
The man nodded back and picked up a whip from the floor. The world seemed to go by in slow motion as the scene unfurled. Without hesitating, the large man brought the whip back and slammed it against Chandra's back. A blood-curling scream filled the air, freezing the blood in everyone's vein but not as much as it did to Eriol. The man started fighting back against the soldiers as Ashitaka and San tore through the crowd. They made it to the front, bruised and hurting, only to be stopped by the guards who were now pointing the guns at them.
Eriol seemed to be possessed.
The whips kept falling on Chandra's back, her screams almost as loud as the weeping coming from the crowd. The Emperor did nothing but stood there, a blank expression on his face.
Eriol had six men holding him back but with the knife in his hand, he became a madman. He started slashing anything that moved with fierce and fury, his blue eyes turned red as more screams wafted through the air. Chandra seemed incapable of breathing properly and hung loosely, only tensing up when the whip fell on her bare back. As the whip retracted, it sprinkled blood all over the platform which already contained a small puddle of blood below her limp body.
Eriol was finally free. He started heading up to the platform when a couple more guards stood in front of him, their guns facing him directly.
"Would you really kill your own son!" shouted Eriol hoarsely at his father, his face twisted with anger.
"You're no longer my son," retorted the Emperor quietly, looking straight at him, then his gaze fell to the clumps of hair on the gorund.
With his head lifted in the air, Eriol walked on forward, ignoring Chandra's cries of dissent. A shot rang in the air. Eriol shook. After a moment, he continued on, the blood flowing from his arm. The crowd's cries were becoming louder.
Another shot was heard. Once again, Eriol stopped moving for a few seconds before continuing on, the blood now flowing from his leg. Another whip fell into the air, another shot still. Such symphony of hate kept on and helplessness fell into the background. The crowd pushed on forward, hard enough to scare the Emperor. He called on guards to protect him but did nothing to stop the violence by the platform. Confusion surrounded everyone and Ashitaka was pushed from all around. He tried to feel for San, the guns firing and the whip's lashing in the background still. The people broke through the guards' line and more bullets fell, this time against the crowd. Ashitaka called out for San but could not find her anywhere. He could no longer see the platform or hear anything more than the townspeople's unhappy cries and the guns firing into the afternoon sky. Pushing harshly, he saw a hint of green hair. San was fighting with all her might against many guards who held on to her. Ashitaka was at her side in a second, both of them fighting against the guards' grip. More shots rang out and Ashitaka pushed them to the floor. The crowd was stomping all over them and there was no more visibility. Panic took over as Ashitaka took San's hand and started running, they needed to get to Eriol and Chandra.
Their agility helped them jump over people and guards alike until finally, they saw the platform. Chandra was no longer hanging but crouching on the ground, holding Eriol's head in her lap and crying softly. Her back was not visible to them but her shoulders were slashed and bleeding profusely. They looked at Eriol. His eyes her closed, blood was spilt all around them, his clothes were torn and tattered. She raised her sad eyes, full of tears, her face covered in blood and looked at Ashitaka.
"He's dead," whispered Chandra brokenly, but it was loud enough to resound through the smoke filled air.
"He's dead."
