Mei stood, the soles of her feet were cold on the tiled floor and she was shaking. Shaking because of what was about to happen. Shaking because of what was going to happen. Shaking because of what she feared would happen. She stood there in a robe that hid her nudity underneath, two guards were facing her and they were both very tall and armed with swords so Mei could not try anything, she was vulnerable here because her powers were temporarily eliminated. She tightly gripped the cloth, determined not to let it go, she didn't want to be exposed to the two men. Even though she had told Xiang before she had been molested and was comfortable taking her clothes off, Xiang had changed her into something more human and yet even more demon. The men looked sternly at Mei, not wanting to ask again. One of them took a whip from his belt and threatened Mei with it, whipping at the floor dangerously close to her feet so she would jump.

"I won't ask you again" One of the guards said threateningly, his deep voice was not welcoming like Xiang's was and Mei was terrified. "Drop it"

The other picked up a big bucket of ice cold water and Mei internally winced. With much hesitation, Mei let go of the robe that was hiding her and a perverted smile appeared on his face, the other, holding the bucket, walked up to Mei and poured the ice cold water onto her. He looked at her face and immediately felt bad, he knew her situation, knew somehow that she was missing someone she loved but would never admit it, because she thinks she can be strong by herself.

He whispered, "Just wait it out" and then he walked away. Mei didn't believe him obviously, she had no hope anymore.

When the cleaning was done, Mei was taken up to Francesca's old room, all of her belongings were already gone as if it was expected that she would die, Mei sighed. A white dress with a low breast line was laid on the bed for her, even though it was beautifully, it reeked sex and Mei knew it. But she put on the dress with a white robe and sat on the windowsill of the new room. She stared out into the kingdom watching the guards whipping the slaves as they worked; they were all collecting firewood for the bonfire. Mei looked at their faces and just saw their sadness. Mei imagined Xiang…was he happy? Or not?

Mei heard the doors to her bedroom open but she didn't bear to look, she knew who it was. Eventually, a blonde haired man was standing beside her looking out the window,

"These slaves are what makes this kingdom run, my dear. Don't feel sorry for the poor bastards" Arthur said, he looked over at Mei. He grabbed her face and made her look at him, she had no expression, "You were the sister of my friend, a friend I intended to kill for power. I knew your mother you know, she did many bad things, but don't we all? You're satan's daughter, but your curse is your beauty. It's your curse because you are beautiful and yet nobody can safely love you, your past will always come in the way. I can make you feel better, Mei…"

"…I can make you feel better, so much better. I can make you feel like a virgin again. Free. But I will give you a choice. You live with me, you obey me and be only mine. Or… you burn at the stake"

Arthur leaned forward and connected his lips with Mei's, he held her other wrist tightly above her head so she could not struggle. Mei closed her eyes, tears appearing below them and running down her cheeks, she was weak, her powers were as good as useless in this kingdom and she was not physically strong enough to fight back. So she waited it out, let him have his fun...since nobody was going to save her.

When Arthur pulled away, he looked at Mei and smiled, "I can make you feel special, Mei. Please be mine"

Arthur suddenly pulled out a large knife from behind him, with his other hand he pinned Mei back by her neck so her head met the wall, escape impossible at this point. He pressed the knife against her neck so an indentation appeared in it, a little drop of blood down her neck.

"What's your choice, Mei?" He asked, smiling. He leaned into her neck and licked up the trail of blood that had fallen and Mei cringed, but she couldn't push him back. He kept biting and kissing at he skin and Mei didn't like it, every time she winced the knife was pressed in harder.

"Okay...okay..." Mei said finally, Arthur halted and looked at her with those angry, soulless eyes, "I've made my decision"

Arthur smiled and grabbed her face, dangerously close to her and Mei took a breath expecting his reaction before she even got it.

"Arthur, I'm sorry, but my true love lies with Xiang. He was the one who was with me and made me feel special, he was the one who owns my flower, he was the one who made me feel like I mattered. I cannot be yours and you are hardly man enough to do any of those things. You killed Francesca, so why should I stay knowing that may happen to me. I would rather burn"

Arthur's expression was stoic and they stared for a while, Arthur reached down to Mei's hands and looked at her, "Haha...it's really funny...because you think you have a choice"

Suddenly, something clicked and Mei looked down to see that her hands were cuffed together! with a panicked look she stared at Arthur as he smiled. He took her arms and threw her onto the bed and she landed with her cuffed tangled on the bed post, her hands were useless for defence. Mei knew exactly what he was going to do when she saw him look over her.

Slowly, Arthur began to take off his clothing and Mei screamed, not wanting him to do what was on his mind.

"Mei, you cannot choose. A mere woman, wanting to decide her fate. Haha! I am your fate, Mei. I will make you birth my heir, whether you want to or not"

He climbed in top and Mei and grabbed a cloth from the bedside table, he wrapped the cloth around her mouth over and over to muffle the screams slightly, she wasn't loud anymore. Mei had tears running down her face by the time Arthur was starting to take off her dress, the strap slipped off her shoulder and she closed her eyes, not wanting to see him smile.

When her chest was exposed, Mei began to scream louder and louder until her voice was hoarse, she kicked him and the more he carried on, the more she kicked. Eventually, Arthur was getting fed up of her retaliating and swiftly slapped her across the face. Mei continued to cry, her wails were quieter and she looked up at Arthur. Her cheeks were red from crying so much.

Arthur then whispered to her, "Why won't you just ACCEPT IT YOU FUCKING WHORE"

Arthur gave a chilling punch to Mei's jaw and the girl's head was thrown back onto the pillow, Arthur then gave another punch in her face and the girl was silent. Arthur climbed off her and picked up his shirt, slamming the door on the way out. Mei lay there, her eyes flickering, blood running out her nose, her jaw hurting. Her wounds would already be cured in the morning.

But she heard the door open again and as she looked over, she saw another man. A different one. A much better man.

Mei widened her eyes and smiled at the relief, "Kiku..."

...

Xiang was walking towards the emperor's palace, the extravagant home was beautiful but with very little treasures, since the emperor doesn't care for personal possessions. The emperor was sat on his cushion in the middle of a room, full of lockers blue water and lotus flowers, most likely meditating.

He hears Xiang come in and with an echo of a voice said to Xiang, "Come in, Xiang. I would like to speak with you"

Xiang gasped that he knew who he was before he spoke, but hesitantly he sat on the cushion opposite the Emperor, leaving his bag at the door.

The Emperor opened his eyes, smiled at the boy and bowed his head, Xiang did the same out of respect. "Xiang, can I ask you something?"

"Of course"

"Do you think we were wrong...to turn Mei away like that?" He asked, Xiang raised his hand to touch the locket and nodded,

"Yes, I have realised my mistake, I've tortured her just as much as Arthur has"

"I was wrong, Xiang. She did no wrong, there was one witness to this incident that Arthur has pulled on us. My messenger, Jiang, saw the whole thing. Arthur had dumped all his deceased bodies in the water, so their disease would poison our kingdom. Arthur then got his water from elsewhere, so he would not be poisoned. Jiang reported it when it was too late and Mei was imprisoned"

"As a child, Mei might have done some terrible things, but I believe you when you say she was under the influence of the devil to which she is connected to. She was a lovely girl, I respected her, we were wrong to judge her so quickly. I can see that you two have a special connection..." The Emperor tapped Xiang's locket, "...this locket is a sign of what she thinks of herself. Even though she has transformed you into a demon, she believes she is still the evil one. So tell me, can you feel what she feels?"

Xiang looked at the Emperor, their eyes connecting, "I can sense her feeli-" Xiang paused, another wave coming over him, the feeling of vulnerability, the violence, the feeling of being tortured. Mei was feeling it and Xiang began hyperventilating, not being able to stop what was happening to Mei. He could hear her screams, her wails, her cries, her-

The emperor dunked Xiang's head in the cold, freezing water and pulled his head back up. "Xiang!"

He snapped out of it and began to recover, "I'm sorry..." He apologised.

"No need to apologise my boy. You're just like your father, so apologetic all the time. I'm commend you, Xiang. Your brother and father were murdered by the girl you love and you still do, love her"

"No"

"Hm?"

"It wasn't her, that killed my father and brother, it was that man, that man inside my lover that won't let her go. I will get my girl back and he shall not be inside her for much longer. I will be sure of it"

"You are a good boy, Xiang. Please bring her back if you can, I will formally apologise"

Xiang ran his fingers through his now wet hair and nodded, "Nothing will get in my way"

...

"So...the humans think I will let go of my dear daughter, she is all I have left, she is my only heir. Xiang...

...if you want my daughter and just my daughter, you will have to fight for it...and you will lose"