Another update, woo hoo!
And forgot to say: It's the best month of all, OCTOBER! Spooky season is well upon us and I love this time of year; I love all the colorful leaves and beautiful weather (and fashion)!
TRIGGER WARNING: There is interrogation/torture in this chapter, so if that makes you uncomfortable, skip the first few paragraphs. Sorry!
Enjoy~!
-Chapter 34-
"Where are they?" The interrogator's face was inches from Ritsu's. The tall and well-built man regarded Ritsu apathetically with calculating dark brown eyes. His hair was dark, almost black, and slicked back but one wave had escaped and rested on his forehead. Ritsu could tell from his – now crumpled – uniform that he was highly ranked within the military.
Ritsu's lungs burned and he gasped for air from the most recent submersion. He glanced down at the deep bucket of filthy water where he was kneeling. His hands were still bound and two other guards held him, one gripping his hair, ready to dunk him again. Two of his left fingers were broken and bruises were forming on his beaten abdomen; a few of his ribs had to be at least fractured.
Yet he refused to give in. He would never reveal where the rest were. He growled, "Go to hell."
The interrogator's face twisted in suppressed rage and he growled back in a deep, smooth voice, "You're lucky I have orders not to break your pretty face; I have to keep it decent for your public hanging. But the rest of you doesn't matter."
He gave a curt nod, a signal for them to immerse him. Suddenly, Ritsu's face was underwater, the dirty and ice-cold water invading his nostrils. He attempted to struggle and his lungs felt like they were tearing until he didn't think he could take it anymore. The blackness was closing in on his vision and he wanted to pass out.
Then he was wretched out of the water. The sweltering heat of the basement rushed into his lungs, crushing them briefly before he coughed up water. He was close to retching on the floor as he welcomed gulpfuls of air, fighting to remain conscious. He was grateful the walls were thick enough so he could not hear the screams from other rooms. The chamber he had been dragged to was the last one in the grimiest corridor of the network of interrogation rooms that were below the castle. He never imagined he would be tortured in his own castle.
"Still not talking?" The officer said quietly. His dark eyes searched Ritsu's face before lingering on the emerald orbs glaring back at him. He chuckled deeply and sneered, "You asked for it. How do you feel about scars?"
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small but wicked-looking knife. It glinted in the low light as he came closer. Ritsu was still breathing heavily, but as the man unshackled a hand to grab it palm up in front of him, his breath quickened in panic as he managed to cough out, "No!"
His futile struggles were weak as the officer squatted down and placed the tip of the knife on the inside of Ritsu's elbow. He twisted it slightly, sending the very tip of the blade into Ritsu's flesh. It began to burn and Ritsu drew a sharp, quick breath. His arm jerked, only sending the knife deeper.
"Before I trace a pattern all along your arm, I'll ask again," The man's face was blank, emotionless as he studied Ritsu closely, "Who and where are they?"
Ritsu contemplated whether to give just a little information, a little piece to ward him off for a while. But one clue would collapse everything, everything they had worked so hard for. It only took one secret to reveal all the others.
Ritsu breathed deeply, gathering all his courage for what he was to say. An had faced worse that night, now blind and bound forever to a wheelchair. Hatori had a scar across his handsome face, forever disfigured but still loyal. His parents had lost their lives and kingdom, and likely perished believing their children had been slain as well. He drew his conviction from those who had sacrificed for his family, for him especially. They were relying on him to save them all.
Ritsu's voice shook with a mixture of loathing and terror, "Never."
The interrogator sighed through his nose, as if he was annoyed or disappointed. Ritsu counted the breathless seconds the older man waited for, his eyes bearing into Ritsu's. Just as Ritsu felt the pressure and twist of the carving blade, a loud knock came at the heavy metal door. The officer stopped, holding Ritsu's gaze steady. A second knock sounded and the soldier chuckled, "You got lucky."
He rose and stowed the knife back into his uniform pocket. He swiftly swung the door open to a young guard, who snapped to attention and saluted.
"You better have a good excuse for interrupting. State your business," The officer barked.
The guard stated quickly, "Ijuuin-san, I have orders from the king for you."
The officer – rather Ijuuin – leaned in and permitted the guard to whisper instructions. He brusquely nodded in agreement and responded, "I understand. I'll be there immediately."
Ijuuin shut the door and turned back to Ritsu. He stared, studying him momentarily. He pulled away from the door and paced around the prince slowly. When he spoke again, his untroubled voice was touched with amusement, "Luck is on your side, Lost Prince. You'll be missing out on the rest, but only for now. We seemed to have pulled in a few of your followers."
Ritsu's heart sank as Ijuuin left, no doubt to torture the others. He prayed it wasn't Hatori, his parents, Kisa, or even An. Masamune slipped into his mind too, dreading if he was alright. He feared if Matsumura would use the opportunity to hold Masamune prisoner or even declare war. But he had not seen Masamune in any of the cells or heard of mobilization of troops – yet. His mind continued to race – despite his exhaustion – as the guards hauled him out and escorted him back to his cell. He was so weak, he could barely hold himself up and stumbled along with the guards.
They passed new prisoners being dragged into the prison, some fighting for their lives and others beaten unconscious. Ritsu recognized a few faces he had seen at meetings, but no one of great distinguishment. Hateful bile rose into Ritsu's throat as he witnessed the bruised and bloody prisoners, even sighting some as young as himself. Some called out to him as they struggled to break free, enraged by his pathetic state.
They pitched him back into his cell carelessly. He landed harshly on his side, reiterating the pain in his battered torso. After uncuffing and leaving him, he examined his throbbing hands. Two fingers on the left and one on the right were broken, the left ones in worse shape; he was glad he had lied he was left-handed. They were all swollen and at a crooked angle, but nothing Ritsu prayed he couldn't fix. The examination of his injuries was disrupted by a loud commotion down the hall, louder than the rest of the chaos happening down there.
Someone was screaming and obviously thrashing against their captors. Ritsu took a deep breath and heaved himself up, groaning languidly as he stumbled to his cell door. He tried his best to press himself against the bars and look down the hall. Two guards pushed through the crowd, holding a petite prisoner in between them. The woman's blonde hair was a wild mess of tangled curls falling out of their usual pins. An elegant, dark navy dress flowed around her kicking legs, ripped and torn along various spots. She was yelling obscenities in a robust voice, flailing and fighting for her life like a rabid dog. Ritsu only recognized her once she tossed her head back and her hair fell away from her fuming face: it was Aimi.
He could barely discern her crazed eyes and copious insults, "Let go of me, dammit! You bastards, Matsumura will burn in hell!"
Then a lurking rage suddenly climbed up Ritsu's gut and into his heart: it had been her husband who betrayed them. Perhaps she too was a spy, a decoy. He could not trust her and glowered as she came closer. But then why was she being arrested?
When they were a few feet away, Aimi spotted Ritsu in a frenzy of emotions. She was shocked, then elated, before her eyes filled with tears and she wailed out, "Ritsu! Ritsu! You're alive, thank the stars!"
Ritsu teetered back from the bars, bracing himself against the wall as they stopped at the cell across from his own. Aimi attempted to scramble through the guards' blockade as they pushed her in like a wild animal to be caged. Ritsu knew she had always been vivacious and strong, but he never realized her survival instincts were so fierce. They locked her in and briskly walked away from her enraged screams.
Ritsu's gaze bore into her disheveled and mud-streaked self, both of them breathing heavily. Aimi temporarily forgot her anger and switched her focus back to Ritsu. She flung herself towards him and gripped the bars until her knuckles were white. He tried to decipher the desperate expression on her face, tried to determine whether she was true or not, before she broke down into sobbing tears.
"I'm so sorry."
Rage boiled in his blood and filled his heart, "So you did betray us? Along with your husband?"
"No!" She looked up from her weeping, "I would never betray you; you must know that! I am apologizing for that asshole. I never knew he was a traitor."
He wanted to stay suspicious, continue being cautious of her, but seeing her heartbroken, desperate tears and hearing her dismal apology told him the truth. Ritsu knew Aimi was faithful, a tough and valiant woman. But his chest still burned with rage and hatred.
Ritsu murmured angrily, barely loud enough for Aimi to hear, "Why did he betray us? How long was he working for Matsumura?"
"I don't know, truly. I heard rumors Matsumura was offering lucrative deals to those who helped him, but I do not know what he offered my husband."
Ritsu frowned, then his face shifted into pure panic: Aimi had been living with them. If she was here, that meant…
"Where are they?!" Ritsu said sharply, causing Aimi to flinch, "They must have raided our home to find you; where are my parents?"
Aimi sighed deeply but she looked almost reassuring, "Your father returned home before they came and they both escaped. They caught me because I returned home with my husband to collect things. That's where they ambushed me."
Ritsu began to nod his head before a thick, rattling cough had him pounding his chest, causing a shot of pain through his bruised torso. He stumbled back to the wall and flopped down as he coughed loudly. His apparent pain and injuries were finally realized by Aimi and she grew alarmed.
"Ritsu! Oh by kings, look at you! What did they do to you?!"
Ritsu's unnerving cough turned into a wheeze and he fell back onto the floor. He could barely register Aimi talking before he drifted out of consciousness.
.
.
.
Masamune hadn't eaten since the day of Ritsu's capture, but he didn't feel the hunger over the torment in his mind. It had already been more than a day and yet no word, no sign of what was happening to Ritsu. He constantly rattled the windows and doors, hoping for one to come loose. Yokozawa had come again several times in attempt to console him, yet to no avail. His parents had not come to see him at all.
The usual first morning knock at his door meant breakfast, but to Masamune's surprise, Yokozawa escorted the tray in. Masamune's eyes immediately caught the newspaper tucked under Yokozawa's arm; his hands itched to snatch it away.
"Just because you bring the food instead of the maid will not make me eat," Masamune growled. But he was sure Yokozawa was here for a more significant purpose.
"There's something I think you need to see," The royal advisor replied, as stoic as ever. But Masamune noticed the hesitation as he was presented the newspaper, the underlying apprehension clear in his blue eyes.
Masamune unfurled the paper slowly. He felt the breath leave him in a rush, leaving him dizzy and distraught. All his memories of past bliss with Ritsu clouded his mind and choked him with tears as the bold front-page headline glared at him.
'The Lost Prince' Onodera Ritsu to be Hanged Publicly on Monday Morning
…
RiTsU! Eeek!
I'll try to update soon, cause trust me stuff is about to go down O.O
Hope you guys have a fantastic Halloween and stay safe :D
See you next chapter~! :)
