In public, he was the epitome of the doting, caring, courting mate-to-be. In private, he was rude, arrogant and crass. Fuiasu had never cared for such traits but given her roles in court life, she was constantly surrounded by the like. What bothered her the most about the arrogant, powerful demon attempting to court her was that it wasn't her choice, as cliché as that had been. It didn't matter that he made fun of the pretentious name her mother had given her, or the markings that showed her lineage. It didn't matter that the fought like two dogs in heat.
Always, all she'd wanted was a choice. But even the smallest detail was decided for her, from what to wear to decorate her hair, or what she could and could not say to the people of the court. As much as she did not like it, the young hime was entirely under the thumb of her parents. And as much as she wanted to pin her cold attitude on him, on Toga, she knew it was not entirely his fault.
Fuiasu remembered distinctly the day almost all of her opinions of him had changed, or at least been shattered to allow growth for new ones. Trapped in her visions, she hadn't noticed him enter the room and apparently her parents hadn't either. When she had come out of it, her mother and father began their usual routine, demanding answers, prodding her for more when they knew she could not divulge additional information.
Though part of the reason she kept such secrets to herself was because it could change important events, it was also because it was the one choice she was allowed to make herself. The only way they would get what they wanted was through torture and as she thought about it now, the way they had treated her was a type of torture in itself.
o.O.o
Word Count - 318