The Prince of Aincrad - Beginnings

by CloudyLightning

AU! Ever since the announcement of the first born son of the King of Aincrad, no one has ever seen him. Fourteen years later, a mysterious boy appeared with extraordinary skills with two blades. But as two years passed, a danger approaches. The mystery boy disappears and the prince finally reveals himself. *Tied to The Two Swordmasters, recommended to read to understand it*

12. Chapter 12: Sweet, Loving Princess

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Chapter 12: Sweet, Loving Princess

~The Late Afternoon of the Fourth Day of Ash Tree~

The sunlight glistened off of the golden blade of the Holy Sword of Alfheim. The green gems reflected its surroundings as Oberon held it up by the handle. Over the fifty long years he owned the sword, it still looked completely new. There wasn't a single scratch, stain of blood, or even a speck of dirt. Its edges were dangerously sharp; it could slice apart the strongest metal. Oberon used it well, only unsheathing it with "good" intentions.

For now, all he wanted to do was to admire the deadly beauty in his possession. To him, it was his way of "preparing" himself to do what he must…something either wretched or against his will. And by the Goddess, it was beyond wretched. If anything, one could (and most likely will) consider it as—

"Your Majesty?" called a voice. The Faerie King lowered Excalibur and turned his head to see his guest. There, bowing on one knee and his right hand touching his shoulder with his arm pressed against his chest, was Kuradeel. "The leader of the Laughing Coffin accepted your request for help, My King. They are on their way here."

"Will they arrive before the evening of the Seventh Day?" Oberon asked as he refocused his attention on his gleaming sword.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Oberon stood silently for a moment. "Kuradeel," he said as he tapped the stone floor with the tip of his blade and turned to the Knight. His eyes were steeled as he continued with a set frown. "Tell me, and answer me honestly, why have you joined me?"

Kuradeel bowed his head, careful to keep his expression blank as he answered. "I may have been born and raised in this country, but I cannot accept the lies that my people have been fooled to believe. King Kazune had murdered the Queen of Alfheim, Titania. Why should I follow a murderer who claims to be a king, Your Majestly?"

"You seek vengeance for the lies Kazune fed your people." Oberon restated in a simpler way. Kuradeel's nod confirmed his statement. "Do you truly believe that King Kazune deserves to die for the death of my sister?"

"Yes, Your Majesty." came the swift reply. Kuradeel answered with no hesitation and finality clear in his voice. Outside, Oberon grinned devilishly as his grip on his sword tightened, but at the back of his head, he felt an annoying nag that seemed persistent about something. He chose to ignore it as he dismissed Kuradeel with his final words.

"Good. Then we will proceed as planned. Make sure to give the King of Aincrad one…hell of a show."

._._._._._.

~The Morning of the Fifth Day of Ash Tree~

The Prince of Aincrad hated the fifth day of his ceremony and he had a pretty good reason why. Out of all the days, the fifth was always the worst. It became more tiring and terrifying each passing year. He began to fear the Fifth Day like a plague. And this year was no exception. To put it bluntly, Kazuto was about to flat out refuse to enter the Chamber of Springs when Scary and Asuna brought him to the grand doors. But, of course, he couldn't speak up. He could only plaster a convincing smile on and calmly (while internally panicking and screaming for help) entered the Chamber.

The water was cold as Kazuto knelt down to the shore of the spring. He couldn't help the shiver that crawled up his back when he settled himself in that spot. The Chamber of Springs was quite literally what its name stated. It was just a spring of water that sat in the middle of a stone-like chamber. There was not a single torch anywhere in sight. The room was lit up with the brightly glowing white light coming from the bottom of the spring. Of course, the white light was the pure energy that dwelled there.

Kazuto made himself as comfortable as he possibly could and attempted to relax. He sat there for a moment, trying to calm his racing heartbeat. Shoving down a lump of fear to the pit of his stomach, he sat up straighter and cleared his throat. He leaned forward to touch the water with the palm of his hands with half lidded eyes with practiced ease. Streams of crystal white ribbon-like threads of magic poured from his hands and flowed into the water, twisting and turning beautifully throughout the spring. Kazuto himself seemed to glow slightly as he finally closed his eyes. Underneath his coat, the colors of his birthmark leapt into life, the golden-like feathers expanded slightly and fluttered. Of course, he didn't know, but he was aware of something changing slightly.

He stayed that way for a long ten minutes. Kazuto barely moved his body as he lifted his head slightly and took a deep, slow breath. As much as he hated this part of his ceremony, he did it anyway. He sang softly, yet strong, steady, and melodic.

"Fate may be harsh and cruel~," He began. The strands of magic started gather at the center of the spring as Kazuto's voice guided it. He could feel a pair of hands gently clutching his shoulders (and yes, there was no one else in there except himself) as support. He continued on.

"But there may be a way~

To change the fated path~

Regret weighs heavily~

Hope dwindles out of reach~

Peace hidden behind lies~"

As Kazuto finished the first verse of the song, he lifted his hands away from the surface and slowly raised them with his palms slowly turning upwards. The ribbon-like magic slipped out of the water as if to follow the Prince's hands. The hands on his shoulders gripped a little tighter and he could hear the familiar, warm, gentle voice of the Goddess whispering in his ears. A few of them began to circle around Kazuto as he easily eased his way into the second verse.

"The agonies of time

A loss so heavy it cries

Roses wither away

A hope we long to have

A life we want to live

Promise of Tomorrows

Life is for the taking

Just as it is giving~"

Kazuto's hands barely passed his head when it happened. The last note of the verse cracked horribly and terrifyingly so that the magic around him shattered. The hands were suddenly gone a split second later with a shrill scream of defiance following it. He literally felt like something ran him through from behind and twisted the blade in his chest. The prickly sensation of thousands of pins and needles washed over his body, drowning out any chance of thinking straight. A sudden rush of wind whipped past him and thrown him on his back at the water's edge. Gripping the sides of his head, he cried out as he felt himself slipping in and out of reality.

He could barely make sense of what in the world just happened to him. He snapped open his eyes and tried to focus on the glass-like particles of shattered magic flailing about in air. Twinges of purple streaks collided with white, killing his magic. But, Kazuto knew it wouldn't last long. Something other than Etra would always interfere on the Fifth Day, and drag him away.

"E-Etra!" Kazuto called out as he widened his eyes in vain attempt to not slip away from reality. Of course, he knew that Etra heard him, but she would never come to his aid because he also knew, she was being held back forcefully. "Etra!"

It was too late to hope for any help coming to his aid. He blinked once and reality was gone.

._._._._._.

A small little child no older than four stumbled across the dark forest. He was a mess. He was covered in dirt from head to toe with minor cuts and scrapes, though he didn't seem to care. His raven eyes were wide with confusion and panic. Where did his Onii-chan go? Where did Yui-nii and Eugeo-nii go?

He felt so lonely without them, he just had to go and find them. What if they all got hurt?! If that was the case, then he'd better hurry. As the child ran, the trees danced, as if to tell him to don't go. He paused and looked up at the closest tree.

"Oh, don't be silly! I'm not going back home without everyone! We're a fimily, and family should stay together!" the child told the tree. Despite his words, he really wanted to turn around and go home where it was warm. The air was getting colder and the flowers seemed to dim. The child lightly touched the petals of the flower and whispered reassuringly, "I'll be fine."

He felt a bit of doubt as he continued his trek through the forest, somehow finding it hard to take each step. A shadowed image of his older brother appeared in his mind's eye, reaching a warm hand to him. The child blinked and the image went away, revealing the end of the forest and a broken building in the middle of an open field just up ahead. He paused, hesitant to go on. He never left the forest, and they've always told him, never, ever, leave the safety of the trees.

"But…Onii-chan and Yui-nii and Eugeo-nii might be there…" he said to himself. He sucked in a breath and took the first step. "I have to find them and bring them home!"

With determination, he left the forest. He walked across the field of bluebells and stopped at the entrance of the broken building. It was a lot bigger and scarier than he first thought it would be. An air of forbidding practically screamed at him. It took the child a few minutes, but he managed to gather enough courage to go inside. He could barely utter a word as he walked around. He found a door and debated whether or not to open it. His curiosity got the better of him and he opened the door.

"Onii—" the child cut himself off at the scene before him. Blood splattered across the floor and stained it with its crimson color. He paused, staring at a tall man in shock. The sword in the man's hand was coated in red and gleamed at him. The child let his gaze drop to the still figure below the man. "—chan…?"

._._._._._.

"I wonder how long His Highness will take today." Asuna said as she paced the width of the hallway. Just an hour ago, her Prince entered the Chamber of Springs as if the (very) early morning chaos never happened to begin with. She was quite frustrated when she saw the Prince smiling innocently with Prince Scary right next to him before Kazuto went in. Of course, Scary had his usual scowl on his face when the three gathered at the oak doors.

"Hmmm…I can't really say when his ceremony would end since I'm not from here, but it may be a little longer than yesterday's." he said as he stood in front of the double doors. His teal eyes were half-lidded with boredom. "…which means that my afternoon with my sister is out of the question."

Asuna stopped her pacing and stared at his back. At the tip of her tongue was a very casual question, but she stopped herself. Several times, she had to constantly remind herself that the teen before her was a Prince. No matter how casual she wanted to be, she couldn't be disrespectful. Instead, she reworded her question.

"Your Highness, if I may," she began politely. She took note of Prince Scary's small tilt of the head at the formality. "I have heard that every child in any Royal Family must perform a Purification Ceremony until they reach adulthood. All under the Goddess Etra's blessing. This also applies to Gale, does it not?"

Prince Scary inspected his bow in his hands, but didn't turn to look at her. "Well, it does. Since Gale is one of the three main Kingdoms, there are no 'if's, 'and's, or 'but's."

"You mean the three main kingdoms of the Cardinal." Asuna stated as she shifted her weight into her right leg and placed a hand at her waist. Prince Scary finally turned around and began to pace lazily as he tested the string of his bow, almost haphazardly.

"Yes. Aincrad, Gale, and Alfheim must all abide in that rule, but how it's done can be varied." he said. Asuna tilted her head.

"I suppose that means Aincrad's tradition is different from the others then." she said, placing a thoughtful hand at her chin.

"Yeah," Prince Scary sighed and lowered his bow to his side as he stopped pacing, "In Gale, there is a temple in the forest north of the castle. Just like Kazuto, I have to perform the ceremony a week before my birthday. Although…" he paused and looked at the grand doors with unease in his posture. "…I never had a day that lasted longer than seven hours. My sister, Sinon, is the same."

Asuna frowned slightly and looked at the doors. "…You seem a little more uptight than usual, Your Highness."

"Well, even though I'm a Prince from another kingdom, this is—Gah! Goddess-damn!" Scary cried as his slapped a hand over his burning birthmark. It came without warning; as if it was an attack. His bow in his hand slipped and clattered to the floor. He lost his composure and fell to one knee, gritting his teeth against the pain.

"Your Highness!" Asuna was quick to come to his side. Even though he wasn't her Prince, she felt that she should help him anyway…well, if she could. Her hands lightly touched Scary's shoulders as she knelt in front of him. She nearly froze in surprise when his hand suddenly clutched her right forearm. His grip was strong, yet she could feel it weakening with each passing second. Confused, she took one look at his face and gaped. Though Scary's face was scrunched up in pain, he looked more like a child than the adult he portrayed. It made Asuna wonder made Prince Scary the Prince he was today.

"Please make it stop, make it stop…!" he whispered desperately, begging like a child. She quickly snapped out of her stupor and moved her hands to his cheek, cupping his face. He was sweating lightly and his cheeks were burning (not from embarrassment though). She had no idea what she was doing as she touched his forehead with hers.

"It's okay, it's okay," she said in a slightly shaky voice. She nearly cursed herself for sounding weak and strengthened her voice into a soothing tone when she felt Scary cringe. "Calm down, it'll go away soon, okay?"

She removed a hand and placed it gently over his on top of the birthmark. "Breathe, Scary, breathe."

Scary nodded slightly as he took a shaky breath and exhaled just as shakily. Asuna caught a glimpse of his arm and felt a surge of dread and frustration. The skin around their hands was angry red and slowly spreading. Poison. It looked like poison spreading through his body. She mentally cursed and focused on Scary.

"That's it, just hang on a bit longer." She suppressed a flinch when his grip in her arm tightened suddenly. Asuna pulled away when she looked into his dead serious teal eyes.

"K-Kazuto," he forced out as he pulled away from her. "G-get him out of there!"

"What-" Asuna began, but she couldn't even finish her thought. Scary pulled her up as he stood up, grabbing her hand. He stumbled over to the grand doors with Asuna's hand tight in his grip. He placed his other hand on the door and looked up.

"Goddess Etra! I, Prince of Gale, ask to enter the Chamber of Glass-I mean, Springs!" he yelled, mentally scolding himself at his mistake. Wrong chamber, idiot!

Luckily, the doors cracked and slammed open, shooting away from his hand. The ground shook at the sudden movements of the doors and Asuna struggled to keep them both up as a huge gust of wind nearly swept them off their feet. At the corners of their eyes, they could see faint strands of purple magic fading away. Scary crumbled to his knees and gripped Asuna's arms. His eyes were wide with urgency and a tiny hint of fear.

"Get your prince and get him out of there! Go! Now!" he exclaimed and practically shoved Asuna toward the door. She didn't need to be told twice as she turned on her heel and dashed inside the chamber. Her chestnut hair billowed behind her and her footfalls clanked off the walls. Fear and worry gripped her heart as she neared the end of the hall. Instead of being bright, the air began to feel darker and heavy to breathe. She gasped when the area suddenly opened up.

Tiny fuzz balls of magic floated around the spring's surface and strands of purple, black, and red circled around in both air and water. Asuna felt her eyes widen at the sight of her Prince. "My Prince!"

There, at the edge of the water, was Kazuto lying on his side half in the water unmoving. She rushed over to the water's edge and knelt on one knee. With careful hands, she pulled him out of the water completely. The teen didn't budge at her touch and he was completely drenched. Placing one arm behind his back, and one under his knees, she lifted the Prince up and held him close. It scared her how cold he was. He didn't even shiver. He was almost as cold as death itself.

._._._._._.

Scary bit the back of his lip to muffle a cry of pain as he watched Asuna hurry into the Chamber of Springs. His birthmark still burned and it felt like it was about to sever his arm from his body. He couldn't ignore the words that echoed in his head over and over, begging him.

"Please! Help him! My child, save him!"

He shook his head and stood up, placing the pain at the back of his head. He could feel the twisting, dark aura he was very familiar with, but at the same time, sickened to the bone. Memories of fires and dying screams threatened to resurface. Gritting his teeth, he snatched up his bow and strung and arrow. He looked into the chamber and swallowed.

He was scared and nervous and he didn't even want to deny it. He could feel the despair and sorrow heavily laced in the air, which only heightened his dread.

"Come on, Scary. Stop being a baby and get in there!" he told himself. He steeled his nerves and gathered his courage. Before he had the chance to chicken out again, he hurried after Asuna, ignoring the heavy weight of the dark magic in the air. Once he reached the chamber, he could see Asuna carrying Kazuto in her arms with a dazed look on her face. He couldn't help but notice how small the younger Prince looked in her arms… and how ill. It was almost as if the Prince was dead.

"Don't just stand there! Get him out of here!" Scary snapped at Asuna. She seemed to wake up from her daze and give him a shocked look.

"R-right!"

Asuna ran past him as he pulled his arrow back and aimed for the center of the spring. He never done this before, but he was willing to give it a shot. As a human, he had no idea how to cast a spell, but everything that came next happened on its own. The tip of his arrow began to glow as he closed his eyes and spoke the words of another language entirely. He had no idea what in the whole he was saying. "Spirit of the West, Ruler of Fall, guide my arrow to hit its mark. Lend me your strength! Byakko!"

Scary felt a surge of his energy flow from him and merge into his arrow. It glowed a bright light of white and honey gold before it went flying. He could've imagined it but he could've sworn he heard the roar of a tiger echo in his ears. He kept his position as it stopped short of his mark, creating a crack in the air. Everything was still for a second before the dark magic twisted in fury and began to either shatter or fade from existence.

'So, this…this is magic…?' he thought to himself. Scary released a breath he didn't realize he was holding as he felt the air clear into a pure, refreshing atmosphere. 'That's impossible! I am a human being! Unless…'

The waters were clear once more and the area eased into its originally lighting. For a moment, he feared that it was only a trick on his mind, but instantly shot it down when he heard the voice of the Goddess ring in his head.

"Thank you, child. You have done well, but be warned. This is only just the beginning of a greater trouble. Forgive me, child, but my hands are tied."

Scary dropped his arms and nearly sighed in relief as his birthmark finally stopped burning, leaving behind a dull pain. Grimacing, he looked at it and winced. The used-to-be black lines of his birthmark were swollen and now a shade of dark blue. His skin around the marking was irritated and swelled slightly, ending just near his shoulder and elbow.

"Well, that sucks. It never gotten this bad before." he stated rather bluntly, trying to relax and go back to his normal self. "Now, I'll never hear the end of it from Sinon."

He took one look around the Chamber of Springs as he held his arm. "'This is only just the beginning of a greater trouble', huh?"

He scowled his usual scowl and turned around. He could worry about her words later. Right now, he had more important things to do.

._._._._._.

The King of Aincrad was worried. For the eleventh time in a row, Kazuto collapsed before he could finish the ceremony on the Fifth Day. Kazune tapped the tip of his feather pen on top of an empty parchment as he thought.

"Why does this keep happening? Eleven years and yet the same thing happens every single time. Why?" he asked, muttering to himself. As he began glare at the empty parchment, he was so lost in thought, he didn't even hear the door to his office open and close a second later.

"Your Majesty?" said a voice. Kazune scowled and held up a hand.

"Wait! I'm thinking here!" he snapped, not looking up. He tried to think of an explanation as to why these things keep happening to his son. No one has ever tried to kill Kazuto before until just recently. Was it because his son was turning sixteen? Or was it the fact that Kazuto was getting stronger without him even realizing it? What should he do next?!

After a good five minutes of complete silence, the King finally looked up. There, standing before him with a scowl on his face, was the Prince of Gale. The teen was clearly upset as he had his arms crossed over his chest and his skin was still clammy. Kazune hid a flinch when he spotted the birthmark. It was swollen with angry red skin around it, nearly affecting his whole upper arm. His teal eyes were sharp and serious, but Kazune can see the hints of exhaustion behind it all.

"You done?" Scary asked, not caring about being polite. Kazune quickly caught on to the fact that he wanted answers. And by the looks of it…there was no way he could sugar coat anything.

"Yes, I'm sorry. I'm sure you're here because of Kazuto." Kazune said, getting straight to the point. Scary shifted his weight to his right leg and gave him a look.

"Damn right, I am. What the hell just happened?!" Scary snapped. He glared at the king, uncrossing his arms and placing them on his hip. "A human like me should've never been able to use magic, and yet, just an hour ago, I used magic! And not just any magic; it was Byakko's magic! Explain that!"

Kazune took a moment to collect his thoughts as he sat up a bit straighter. He gestured to a comfy chair right in front of his desk with a calloused hand. "Scary, please. Sit. I would rather have you sitting than standing for this."

Scary gave him a weird look before shaking his head. "Whatever the hell this is, I can handle it."

The King of Aincrad sighed and allowed his shoulders to fall. "If you insist." He leaned back and regarded Scary with a frown. "Just as you have said, humans, like you and me, are not capable of using magic. In that aspect, Kazuto is the same."

"Are you just going to tell me things I already know?" Scary said, scowling. "I'm here for answers, not honey coated crap."

Kazune's eyes narrowed slightly. "Straight-forward, aren't you?" He paused to take a quick look around his office and stood up. "Promise me, Prince Scary, that what I tell you must not leave this room. You must absolutely not reveal this information to Kazuto until you think the time is right."

Scary stared at him for a moment, not really understanding the importance, but at least understanding the importance. "I promise."

"Good. I'll be blunt, and cut to the chase. Time is very short and I need you to listen very carefully. I am a seer, and I have seen a horrid future."

"Whoa! Wait, what?" Scary spluttered, losing his composure at the mention of the King being a seer. "A seer? But, you're a—"

"I know," Kazune interrupted, raising a hand to silence the teen. "I was born with the gift of Etra's eyes, and I was the only heir to inherit the throne. All of my siblings died to unfortunate accidents that were of other's doings. But, enough about me."

Without missing a beat, Kazune briskly walked to his bookshelf and pulled out a book with practiced ease. Scary watched with confused eyes as the King opened the book to a page and handed it to the Prince.

He took it with a slight bit of hesitation and looked at the page's contents, rotating the book right side up. There, on the page, were the drawings of three different crests. He quickly spotted his own mark and read the caption underneath: "Rose's Peace". Next to his was a cluster of different shapes. It had three tear shapes clustered like a flower. A pair of wings nearly touched the tear drops, one on each side with two leaves lining its sides. At the bottom was another tear drop. In its center was a flame shape. Between the feathers and leaves on either side, were colored in triangles. At the very bottom were three seemingly random marks. Underneath were the words: "Hope's Tears". And lastly was a drawing of a series of swirls that shaped a half decaying clock. It twisted as if in agony. Scary nearly winced at the name at the bottom: "Time's Regret".

He looked up at the King. "Okay, why show me this?"

"First, have you heard of the story about a child that was accused of being a demon?" Kazune asked. Scary's eyes widened slightly.

"…You mean Kirito? The Black Swordsman…?" he asked hesitantly. Kazune nodded.

"Yes, that's the one." he confirmed.

"Kazuto told me quick, shortened version of it." Scary said, slowly feeling a sense of dread as the King's eyes blinked in surprise. He went on. "About how he was human who could restore things to its original state, I believe. I don't know how or why he died. Only the theories of how the child could still be alive…or dead."

"…My son told you this story?" Kazune asked, a bit skeptical.

"Yes, just earlier this morning." Scary confirmed. The King of Aincrad hummed. Of course, Kazuto would tell Scary that. If anything, Kazuto only told him on a whim.

"I see… then I suppose that makes everything a bit easier." he said. He gave Scary a worried look. "Kirito was nineteen at the time when he 'died'—" (he did air quotes here) "—nearly a thousand years ago. It was foretold, by his little brother himself that the Black Swordsman will return from the Realm of the Dreams. Once the three traits that reflect the Restorer's Heart are present, he will be released from his curse."

"Wait, what? Curse? Okay, seriously, what the hell does this have to do with Kazuto and all this crazy crap that happened this morning?" Scary asked, wanting him to get to the point.

"That I cannot tell you." Kazune said.

"Then why did—" Scary began, but the King was quick to cut him off.

"You will find out in time, but right now. I need your help. In three days' time, a horror will wreck everything you once knew. I need you to do everything in your power to do what must be done."

The Prince paused and gave him a look of shock, slowing coming to an understanding of what's going on. "The Masquerade Ball… You're telling me that there's going to be an attack?"

The King nodded once with certainty. "Yes. I had seen the many bodies slain, and felt the heat of the burning fires. Scary, help me change that and give me a future that bears no more suffering."

He held out a hand to the teen for him to accept. Scary stared at the hand with shock and realization.

"But…Sinon, and Gale…" He looked up at the king. "What would happen to them?"

"I do not know, child, but know this, everything that I have told you must be taken into memory. Remember it well."

Scary stared at the offered hand once more and chewed on his bottom lip in thought. Everything he just learned today: the images of the markings and their names, the mention of the Restorer's Return, and the Masquerade Ball. Were the markings that important? Was it a bad think that the Restorer would return from a curse? Or was the Restorer, Kirito, really dead and this was just a lie passed down for centuries? He didn't know what in the world the King of Aincrad wanted him to do, but he could, at the very least, try to help with something.

"…Alright." He said finally, "but only if you promise me that Sinon will come out of this alive."

Kazune stared at him. "I will not make a promise I know I'll never keep. That depends entirely on you."

Scary scowled. Goddess-damn it all. "Then—"

"You'll be fine. Both of you will." The King assured with a smile.

"…Goddess-damn." Scary cursed as he took the king's hand, sealing his agreement to help. It was then that he knew that there was a huge possibility that things…just gotten worse for not only him, but for the Prince of Aincrad as well.

._._._._._.

~The Evening of the Fifth Day of Ash Tree~

The cool night air brought relief to Kazuto as he leaned against the railing of the balcony. Just faintly, he could hear the joyful, upbeat music playing from the dining hall not too far away. He felt a little jealous, but there was nothing he really could do. It didn't help the fact that he just woke up an hour ago. The Prince sighed and bowed his head to his crossed arms, feeling slightly feverish.

"I hate the Fifth Day." He muttered to himself. He could still feel the lingering bits of pain in his marking and the uneasy feeling that something wasn't right. He scoffed at the thought and stood up straight, looking up at the stars.

Images of a small child that looked eerily like him flashed in his mind's eye. Out of the eleven years it had happened to him, this was the first time he had seen something unrelated to a Faerie. That child couldn't have been no older than four; a child just learning about the basics of things. Kazuto closed his eyes.

A child as young as that should've never seen such a gory scene. He could remember how much red coated everything. It stained not only clothes and metal, but also the stone and the grass. The scent of iron was so strong; he couldn't believe that it was blood and not a blacksmith's iron. Kazuto placed a shaking hand to his mouth and held back the urge to gag.

How could a dead person have such an innocent smile on their face? How in the world did that happen? Who was the man who murdered the child's brother?

Kazuto gulped heavily as he turned on his heel and hurried back into his room, fighting the sickening feeling of dread that threatened to overpower him. He flopped back into his comfy bed and curled up underneath the covers. He hated this. He had absolutely no control over anything. He knew there was something odd about himself.

He knew it since the day he became Kirito. The moment he held a sword he knew he could not kill. Even if he wanted to, something was there to hold him back.

"What the heck is going on…?" he muttered to no one. For a split moment, he felt his heart lurch in fear.

In fear of himself.

._._._._._.

The next few days passed without any more problems (and no pranks shockingly) and Kazuto's ceremonies no longer ended past noon, shocking the two "Appointed". Scary covered up his birthmark with a bandage, and by the Goddess… He was forced to stay up well into the morning listening to Sinon scolding him about hiding things from her. Asuna wasn't surprised to see the Prince dozing off while on the job the very next day. She was also very shocked by the request that Scary asked of her that morning.

It was quite…immoral, but rather…amusing. Highly amusing.

._._._._._.

~The Noon of the Seventh Day of Ash Tree~

"…I'm starting to have second thoughts about this, Scary." Asuna said, voicing her uneasiness. Scary had his arms crossed with his usual scowl, but she could see the faint hint of nervousness in his eyes. Both of them were waiting for Kazuto to come out of the Chamber of Springs and already they were beginning to lose their nerve.

"You aren't the only one." he assured her. He looked at anything but her. "Honestly, what is your king thinking? Making me of all people do this!"

Asuna laughed nervously and shrugged her shoulders. "Ahahaha…I am slightly more worried by the very fact that he suggested this."

Scary uncrossed his arms and placed a hand at his hip. "Ugh, this is pissing me off just thinking about it!"

The Sub Leader/Commander allowed her tense shoulders to fall limp with a sigh. "Well, it is a masquerade ball…"

"Why did I even agree to this?!" Scary finally snapped. Just then, the double doors cracked open and Kazuto strolled out with a confused expression on his face.

"Agree to what exactly?" he asked. Scary suddenly looked like a frightened rabbit before quickly regaining his composure.

"The very fact that I decided to help with the preparations for tonight's ball!" Scary said, not lying at all. Asuna was amazed that he was able to stay calm….ish. Kazuto pressed his lips together in a tight frown.

"Hmm…What did my father do this time?" he asked, almost hesitantly.

"...heh."

._._.(I'm not evil. Nope, not at all. :D)._._.

"By the... Goddess," Scary said as he took a step back and blinked in surprise, "You...you're...Damn, I just hope nothing perverted happens to you."

Kazuto's face flushed bright red as he struggled to keep his voice leveled. "E-exactly...how the hell is this supposed to Goddess-damn help me...?"

Asuna smirked as she shrugged. "Well, your father did say that it was a Masquerade Ball. Besides it was the most easiest way to hide you from the people and Faeries alike. It's a good thing that you have a feminine face...and you were slim enough, too."

Did anyone ever mention that his parents were all for it, too?

Scary just shrugged and moved to one end of the room to retrieve something. Meanwhile, Kazuto bit his lip as he looked over his shoulder to see the mirror. He froze when he saw a long, black haired girl with a flustered look staring right back at him. He watched as the girl's expression fell into absolute shock. "You...have...got to be kidding me."

He turned around to fully face the full body mirror. The dress itself was a laced corset like dress with a soft hue of ocean blue as the main color. Laces of white ribbons outlined the details of the dress. His arms were covered with thin sheets of sheer, flimsy at the ends. The skirt of the dress grazed the floor and Kazuto felt a tiny bit of relief. At least he wasn't showing off anything. As an added plus, he just looked like a flat chested girl. A very pretty flat chested girl.

White ribbons were tied elegantly in his hair, pulling half of it up in a loose yet fashionable style. Asuna stood behind him with little blue roses and soft white feathers, gently adding them in with a smile.

"There," she said as she secured the last one, "you're almost done!"

Kazuto buried his face in his hands. "I'm going to kill you guys one day."

Scary stood next to him with a wooden box in his hands. "Kill your father. He was the one who came up with the idea. He chose the dress, too."

Asuna took hold off the box and allowed Scary to open it. The Prince of Gale carefully removed the contents and stood in front of Kazuto.

"Oi, raise your head. We just need to add one last thing and we can head to the Grand Hall. The ball starts in half an hour." Scary said with a blunt voice. Kazuto groaned in frustration and lifted his head with a heavy sigh.

"What? Are you going to give me a prep talk before—whoa. That's…" Kazuto trailed off when his eyes caught the item in Scary's hands. A stunning, white feathery mask had small glass gems gleaming brightly in the evening sunlight. Kazuto suddenly remembered who was going to wear it. "—a shockingly pretty mask for a guy."

Asuna closed the box and placed it on top of a nearby dresser with a smile. "Well, you'll only be wearing it for the first half of the night, alright? Besides, Her Majesty picked out a boy's attire for you with Princess Suguha's help."

Kazuto couldn't answer when Scary placed the mask on his face and tied the black stings together. "But, don't tell your father. If he finds out, we're screwed."

Closing his midnight blue eyes, Kazuto pressed his lips together in defeat. At least he could be a boy again later. Hopefully, he could also get some privacy at that time. Earlier, Scary and Asuna dragged him all the way to his room back in the tower and took most of the afternoon dressing him up. It wasn't supposed to take that long, but Kazuto was difficult. Shockingly, Asuna wasn't the one to force him into the dress, but rather…Scary did. The Prince of Aincrad reopened his eyes as he perked up.

"Oh, come to think of it…" He turned around to see a straight faced Scary. He had a curious smile on his face as he asked. "How did you know how to put on a dress? Don't tell me you had to dress up like a girl to."

Immediately, Scary's face flushed red in embarrassment and anger and he took several steps back in shock. "Absolutely not!"

"Oh? Your actions are saying otherwise." Asuna pitched in, placing a hand at her hip. Scary glared at her and clenched his hands at his side.

"I didn't! I swear!" he snapped. Kazuto placed a disbelieving hand at his hip.

"No, you really must've. You're just too embarrassed to admit it." he deadpanned.

"I DID NOT!"

"Did too!" Asuna argued with her arms crossed.

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Did—"

Kazuto chuckled to himself as the two quickly went into the childish blaming game. He heard a soft knock on the door and Morgan's familiar voice.

"Your Highness, I brought fruits to munch on!"

He turned away from the two (who were completely into their argument) and unlocked his door. He didn't show his face and allowed the boy to waltz right in with a tray of freshly sliced fruits. Morgan placed the tray down and instantly recognized his prince.

"Wow. Did someone curse you or something?" he asked with childish curiosity. Kazuto couldn't help but laugh at the child and swat down to his height, the multiple layers of the skirt of his dress spread out around him.

"Actually, I'm just wearing this for now. It's…" Kazuto trailed off, searching for a good explanation that wouldn't make his father sound bad. "…ah… a disguise to go to the ball tonight. You know, can't let anyone know that I'm a Prince, right Morgan?"

"Oh cool! It sounds just like a game! I wonder if anyone is gonna—" Morgan began but cut himself off as he spotted the two teens in their heated argument. He turned to Kazuto with an innocent look of confusion. "Are they having a lover's spat?"

._._._._._.

~The Masquerade Ball~

Sinon was amazed. The moment she stepped into the ballroom, she was enthralled by the magnificent elegancy of it all. Silk banners of warm white were swaying slightly with its ends attached to the high ceiling. Chandeliers of candles had several amounts of clear gems of various sizes dangling down, lighting the entirety of the hall. The hall was decorated with silver and crystal. She was amazed by the drastic differences of her country with Aincrad. Although gold was the main theme to most things in Gale, Aincrad was rich in silver and crystals.

Over the course of last week, she had spent her days enjoying the festival both in and out of the castle. Princess Suguha accompanied her throughout the week, giving her short but very informative things about Aincrad; like how things are normally done on a daily basis and such.

Of course, she even heard about the rumors of a certain swordsman donned in black. It made her wonder why a person as skillful as him would only appear in the dark. If anything, it made him sound like a coward than a brave swordsman.

The Princess of Gale felt a bit nervous. No, she wasn't nervous about the ball or anything. In fact, she was worried about her brother. The only times she had seen him was in the evenings and at the parties. She could tell that something was up, but she decided that it was better to keep quiet. Well…other than the fact that she scolded him for a good portion of the night on the Fifth of Ash Tree.

"Sinon!" called a very familiar voice. The teal haired Princess blinked for a second and spotted a girl wearing a pink dress and a feathery mask to match it in the crowd waving at her. She immediately recognized her. Sinon placed a smile on her face and easily slipped through the mass of people.

"It's pretty crowded tonight." she said as she reached Suguha's side. The other Princess smiled.

"It sure is! Usually there isn't this many people, but this year is different. Instead the whole country was invited." Suguha said near her ear to be heard over the classical music and the chattering of people. Sinon brush a small lock of hair behind her ear as she searched the crowd for her brother. It was a little hard to see through her own mask (which was a lovely lavender and tiny gemstones decorating the edges), but she could learn to manage it.

"Though, I must say. I never expected to see this many Faeries all at once!" she said. She spotted about several different colors of thin wings, but to her surprise, none of them were white.

"Yeah, it's pretty amazing." She agreed. She looked around and spotted the Queen of Aincrad signaling her to come. Suguha tapped Sinon's shoulder and gave her an apologizing smile. "Sorry, but my mother is calling for me. Remember to have fun, okay?"

Without even waiting for her reply, she took off in the direction of the Queen. Sinon blinked after her, feeling a slight hint of jealousy at the mention of the Queen. For a moment there, she wished that she still had her mother around. Shaking her head, Sinon refocused her efforts into looking for her brother.

Her eyes scanned the crowd once more and saw nothing that immediately caught her eye. After a full five minutes of just standing there, she gave up and made her way to one of the open balconies. She gave a relieved sigh as a refreshing cool breeze swept by her, easing her thoughts for a moment.

Just then, something caught her eye. There, leaning against the railing, was a really lovely long, black haired girl. The girl's hair was half up and half down with adorable little blue roses and feathers in it. Her dress was a fitting color for her and it made Sinon wonder where the girl came from. She admired the white feathery mask that adorned her face. Simply put, the girl before her was pretty, beautiful even. Well, she would've looked even nicer if she didn't have such a frown on her face.

"Good evening," Sinon said as she approached her. The girl jolted for a moment, as if waking from a trance and stared at the Princess with a look of surprise. She only stared as her frown deepened, not saying a word.

"Is something the matter?" Sinon asked politely, tilting her head slightly to the left. The girl hesitated for a moment before answering her.

"…No." came the short answer. Sinon gave her a look.

"Oh, come on. Don't be like that. You should be smiling! I mean, you're at a ball after all!" she said with a smile, emphasizing her words with her hands. The girl bit her lip and placed her hands behind her back, no doubt wringing them out of nervousness.

"I…I don't like crowds." she said, slowing inching away from the Princess with a forced smile. Sinon shook her head in disapproval.

"Oh, that's it. Come on, you're coming with me whether you like it or not!" she said, grabbing the girl's arm and forced her to come with her. The girl stumbled after her, suddenly spluttering refusals.

"No! Wait! I'm serious! Please, stop!" Sinon only laughed as she gave her a glance over her shoulder.

"I'm Sinon, you are?"

"Ah—Kazu—Kazumi!" the girl stammered. Sinon suddenly stopped and gave her the brightest smile she could manage.

"Tonight, Kazumi, you are going to have the time of your life!" she said. Of course, Sinon missed the look of dreaded terror on "Kazumi" face as she dragged the poor "girl" into the ballroom. After all, what kind of Princess would she be if she ignored a girl her age in distress?

---

Ahahaha...So, tell me what you guys thought about this chapter! I'm really sorry for making you guys wait for this chapter for this long...I didn't mean it. My only reason is my laziness, plot bunnies, and school. I'm trying to graduate, but my GPA in under a 3.0 right now...it's depressing. But! I hope this chapter made up for the wait! It was going to be longer, but then it would've stretched into a 10,000 to an 11,000 word chapter. Ahaha, yeah, no. Too long. And I'm not sure it this was funny, but I needed to put in the main problem of the story before the ball (I kinda forgot about it). And describing Kazuto was HARD. I mean...He's a guy, but then I had to describe him as a girl. A GIRL. That...wasn't very much of a pleasant thought. But, it's done.

Anyway, thank you to Stormagedon69, Mayuko-chan, DemonFoxBK201, InvisableTarget, anomonist, Kiriguya Kimiko, spaghettiwhisper, quartermutx,Sn0wk1tty, Kanrei, Myra242, AW27, darkhalhula, CMPerk, ahnikagee, EclipseKuran, StarElsie (chapter 1-11), and Guest for reviewing last chapter! You guys are awesome! XD

Preview!

Kazuto felt his blood run cold when a death chilling scream tore through the night, immediately silencing the music and lowering the chatter. His gaze quickly locked with Asuna's eyes. Silently, they both quickly came to a conclusion in that short moment. Scary stiffened as his eyes widened. A loud shout from the distance was barely heard, but Kazuto heard it as clearly as a ringing bell.

"Death to the Princes! Death to the Princesses! Let the Royal Massacre begin!"

Later!

~CloudyLightning