It had been months since I'd seen her. Everything just got harder without her. I refused to sleep. I refused to close my eyes or space out long enough to day dream. I found myself hearing her voice in the back of my head. I had managed to put three holes in my bedroom wall as I kept replaying those words in my head. She had said "raped." I thought about that nonstop.
"Axel, you can't sit in here forever." Zexion muttered, leaning against my door frame.
I was lying in my bed. I had not moved for nearly two days now. Zexion had tried over and over to get me up. He always said "we'll find her Ax." I knew he was wrong. I could hear it in her voice. I was never going to see her again. Normally it's "'til death do we part." In our case, it's "'til death are we apart."
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Dream Girl
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I was in chains again. I was being lead down a hallway toward the only room I feared other than my cell. The massive doors opened in front of me and I was shoved in. I hit the floor face first.
"How many times do I have to tell you not to hurt her?" their leader screamed.
I was pulled to my feet. Xemnas was his name. He brushed me off and fixed my dress, which had slid up to reveal most of my right thigh.
"How are you feeling little one?"
"I…"
I didn't know how to answer him. I hadn't spoken in months.
"Hm, still upset?"
"Yes. I miss him."
"I know. You cannot wallow in the past forever. I have offered this to you many times before but I will once again. Forget your dream and join your reality. I promise if you join me, no one will ever hurt you again."
"Every time you ask me to 'join you' but what does that even mean?"
"Be mine. Be my," he paused, "wife."
"And if I do, what would that mean for me?"
"You would be untouchable. All those that have hurt you, you may hurt back."
"I will not marry you right away but I suppose I could consider it, on a conditional level."
He smirked and moved around my right side, stopping to stand behind me, "Leave us!" he called and the room emptied.
He put his hands on my shoulders and kissed my neck. I craned my head to the side and he smiled against my skin.
"Name your price, my sweet."
"I want out of that cell. I want my dreams to be left alone and I want all experiments to cease."
"As you wish, anything else?"
"I want," I paused when his hand slid across my thigh, "Saïx killed."
He stopped all movement, "Why?"
"Do you not know what your precious cell guard does?"
"No."
"He's raped me. He still does on occasion."
I could feel in the way his hands tensed against my body that this upset him.
"How can I deny you?"
"You can't. Accept my conditions and I will be yours for as long as I am happy."
"Very well. Would you like a room of your own or would like to stay with me?"
"How about both?"
"Quite the inventive idea. Would you like to watch me take care of Saïx?"
"Of course."
He moved around me and stood in front of me. He leaned down and kissed my lips. I kissed back because I had to now.
"Have a seat, my love. This will be over soon."
I lifted my hands and he unchained me. He escorted me to his chair and I sat. He called for everyone to return. They did so.
"Saïx, come forward please."
He did as he was told, "Yes, sir?"
"Choose your words carefully, for they may and will be your last. Did you or did you not have sex with this girl against her will?"
Gasps and murmurs erupted throughout the room. Saïx nodded and his eyes locked on the floor.
"Hm, then your punishment is death."
"Sir I beg of you."
"No, you are far past begging for anything. Luxord, Xaldin, hold him."
The two he called grabbed Saïx and kicked the back of his legs forcing him to his knees. I couldn't see what Xemnas was using but at first glance it was something right out of a science fiction movie. Then there was only the final strike. Saïx's blood was on the floor.
"Clean this up. Someone escort her to my chamber. Allow her to take a shower and leave her clothes." He turned to me, "It is done. I will be in shortly."
He smiled and walked off. I was led away and shortly after was left in a room.
"The bathroom is through there." one of the people said pointing to a door on the far end of the room.
I nodded and then the door was shut.
The room was quaint. For the location of this place, I was surprised by the way it was decorated. The walls were a light gray with red swirls painted over them. The ceiling was completely red. The bed was large. The frame was black iron with a pattern of black roses and butterflies on the headboard. The comforter was the same red as the ceiling, maybe a little darker, with golden embroidery.
I walked into the bathroom, which was at least twice the size of my cell. I stripped off the fabric I called a dress and threw it away. I turned on the hot water and stepped into the shower. This was my first real shower in a really long time. I washed my hair and every part of my body at least twice. I turned the water off and stepped out. I wrapped a towel around my body and walked back to the bedroom. Spread out on the bed now was a short burgundy dress. The top was corset like but not tight like one. The bottom fell just above my knees.
I climbed onto the bed and towel dried my hair. I ran my fingers through it. The door opened after a few minutes and Xemnas walked in.
"Hello." He mumbled.
"Are you okay?"
He nodded and lifted his shirt over his head, "I just never thought he would be the one to do something like that."
I got off the bed and walked over to him. He kissed my forehead and then my shoulder.
"It's over now." I muttered.
"Yes, it is."
He walked past me and into the bathroom. The shower started and I sighed. I climbed back onto the bed.
"Shortly, my sweet. You will not be there alone forever."
I rolled my eyes at what he called me. I sat there alone for about ten minutes. He finally emerged from the steam filled bathroom with nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist. He joined me on the bed and I forced myself to smile.
"You seem upset?" he said, moving my hair from my face.
"I am a little unnerved I suppose."
"Why is that?"
"I am not used to such kindness from your people."
"Yes, well now they are our people."
"May I ask you something?"
"Of course."
"Why did you bring me here?"
"I did not. No one ever told you because I did not want you to know."
"To know what?"
"The truth about who you are."
"Who am I?"
"Your name was… your name is Rienna Marlayna Aires. You were wealthy, everything to your parents. But when they lost their money, you were their only hope to get back on their feet. They sold you and one of my men bought you. We were here together as children, things so much easier. You were allowed outside. You were allowed books. You had your freedom. You were a child. You wanted nothing more than a stable home. They gave you that but as you approached your teenage years, you became more… requesting. You wanted to go out and see the city. You started wanting to become part of the outside world. They wiped your memory and made you believe you were a prisoner."
"You knew?"
"Of course I knew and I'm sorry. I could not tell you."
"And now what? I can't get any of my memory back. I don't know my name. I don't know my family."
"I am truly sorry."
"You can be sorry but that doesn't change anything. I don't blame you. You were no older than I was. I just wish I knew who I was."
"There are ways. There are records. We can check them if you'd like."
"Why is it that off all the people here, you are the only one I trust?"
"Because I am the only one who has not harmed you. Whenever I look at you, I remember that little girl I used to play hide and seek with as a child."
I smiled genuinely this time.
"You look tired." He said as he stood.
"I am."
He went to the dresser and found some boxers. He pulled them on and walked back over to the bed. He pulled the covers back and sat on the sheets. He laid back and opened his arms to me. I crawled over to him and lay down on his bare chest.
"Your hair is cold." He mused.
"You'll live."
"Not without you."
"How can you be in love with me?"
"Because I know you even though you don't know yourself. I know your weaknesses and your strengths. I know how you cock your head to the side when you begin to think about something too hard."
"Before I sleep, I need you to promise me something."
"Anything."
"I won't wake up tomorrow scared for my life. I won't need to be afraid of you because you won't hurt me."
"I promise you won't wake up scared and I will never hurt you."
Although he made the promise, I still didn't want to sleep. He turned out the lights and closed his eyes. He fell asleep first. I laid there with my head on his chest for a while longer. The closeness was odd. It was the first time I had real physical contact with another human being that didn't involve fear and/or pain. His breathing was even. I would have called it soothing if so much wasn't running through my mind. I waited a little longer and finally drifted to sleep.
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"I know you're out there!" I called.
"I'm always out here. Every time I sleep I think of you and I sit here hoping you'll come."
"From the looks of your eyes, you haven't been sleeping much."
The area beneath his eyes was dark.
"It's easier not to sleep. It keeps away the disappointment."
He continued to avoid my eyes. He wouldn't look at me.
"Axel, why won't you look at me?"
"Because I can't. You've been gone for too long."
"But you can't look at me? I assumed you would be happy to have me back here with you."
"It's been too long."
"So what are you saying?"
"I still love you. Don't think for one second that I don't. It's just that if I look at you then I will begin to miss you again."
"It's okay to miss me."
"No, I'll break my promise."
"What promise?"
"I promised I wouldn't miss you. I promised I would do everything I could to forget you. I promised I would let you go."
"But I need you to look at me."
"Why?"
"Because I need you to miss me. I need you to make everything I'm doing worth it."
His eyes finally met mine, his eyebrows pulled together, "What exactly are you doing?"
"To an extent, I am free. I'm not locked up anymore but I'm not out of that place."
"What are you doing?"
"Their leader promised that I could be released from the cell and all experiments are over. But there was a counter-condition."
"And what was it?"
"I have to be his…"
"His what?"
"His wife, he wants to marry me."
"No."
"I don't have a choice."
"NO!"
"Axel, listen to me, I have no choice. He won't hurt me. I have his wrapped around my fingers."
Next thing I knew, he was standing inches away from me. His hands were on my face. His eyes holding mine. They seemed lighter, a melted jade.
"Get him to let you go free."
"I can't."
"Yes, you can, please."
"No. If I leave, that puts you in danger. That puts your friends in danger. I know you think you can take care of yourself but you can't. You don't know these people. They're all trained killers."
He stared at me. His eyes searched my face for some sign I was going to change my mind. I wasn't. I couldn't.
"Are you sure you know what you're doing?"
"100%. I can handle this."
He sighed and his thumb caressed my cheek.
"I love you."
"I love you too.
He pressed his lips against mine and pulled me tightly to his body.
I pulled away from him, "Axel we can't."
"Yes we can."
His hands moved to my shoulders. His fingers unclenched my fingers from my shoulders. He moved my hands around his neck. He put his hand to my cheek and looked into my eyes.
"Listen to me. You will be fine. I will be fine. We can do whatever we want here."
I could feel the tears in my eyes. As one fell down my cheek, his thumb wiped it away.
"I love you."
"I love you too."
He kissed me again and again. Then his lips moved down my jaw and to my neck. We were in the usual room now, his room. He picked me up and laid me on the bed.
"I know my name now."
"What?"
"My name is Rienna Marlayna Aires."
"Rienna?"
I nodded and he smiled.
"I want you here with me for real."
"I know but for now let's work with what we have."
He took his shirt off. He took his pants off. Then he was kissing me again. I was feeling pleasure instead of fear.
"Axel…" I mumbled as his teeth grazed the skin at my shoulder.
He was inside me and I wasn't scared. It was odd because it had been so long since I'd experienced this. My name escaped his lips in a whispered ecstasy.
Time passed. Eventually, we were just laying there cuddling.
"Axel, I have to wake up."
"No."
"I'm sorry." I kissed him, "I love you."
"I love you too."
Then I woke up.
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Haha, she knows her name now. Yay! Axel knows her name so now she's more than Dream Girl. Rienna Marlayna Aires will soon find everything isn't so peachy. NO SPOILERS! SORRY!
Reviews make me smile and are greatly appreciated.
