Twisted Cinderella Story
Once Upon Cinderella's Discoveries
Yuusei was faster than anyone noticed as he went to Bruno and slapped him causing him to drop everything.
"How could you?!" Yuusei accused, "you sold me out to that monster!"
Jack quickly restrained Yuusei's arms who began kicking out at the blue haired man. "I trusted you!"
Jack quickly led Yuusei away while Jonathan tended to Bruno. They made it to their rooms and Yuusei fell onto the bed crying.
"I know you're upset Yuu, but that was beyond. What do you have to say for yourself?"
"Why am I being reprimanded? He sold me out! Why are you so calm about him selling me to that monster!"
"Because I knew about Bruno. As I knew about Kiryu working for that person. I also knew about the letters you haven't ever mentioned."
Yuusei's heart skipped a beat. "Bruno was working for Kiryu and undercover for you pretending to be a spy for Kiryu?"
"That's right." He smiled softly, "you've hidden so many secrets from me Yuusei."
"You have no space to talk!" Yuusei replied harshly, "you have hidden my whole life from me!"
"I know, he replied, his shame burning in his heart.
"But," Yuusei stood and pushed himself close to Jack, as close as he could get, "I love you still, if not so much more. We were meant to be together. And I will be with you forever."
They shared a kiss so powerful, Martha glowed around Yuusei's neck.
-Yuusei's POV-
I wasn't allowed to see Bruno until I was comfortable as it might distress the baby.
I was taken care of, pampered and everything I wasn't at Old Domino and I loved it.
"My love," there was a voice calling to me, "my love, wake up."
"Mmm, wha's the time?"
"Early. Come, get dressed, we're leaving."
"What? Where could we possibly be going so early in the morning?"
"We're going on another honeymoon to the hot spring."
"We're going right now? Why can't it wait?"
"It will be good for you. And you can relax."
"I suppose." I stretched out like a cat and resettled. I was just so comfortable but the second the duvet was pulled from my body that ended. I turned over to shout when a blindfold covered my vision. I went to scream when a hand covered my mouth.
"Shh Princess, don't panic. We're going to take care of you." A soft, unfamiliar voice said.
I was pulled from my bed and from the familiar scent into my bathroom. I was stripped naked which freaked me out but I was given more reassurances. My captors put me in a warm bath and began washing me. They dumped water over my head and washed my hair but didn't remove the blindfold until I was out and dried. It was futile to think I could get a peek at anything because the moment the sopping blindfold was removed a towel covered my face and dried my hair and any remaining water droplets before a new, dry blindfold was immediately placed over my eyes. I was pulled from the bathroom and back into the bedroom where my arms were lifted straight into the air. I was confused as to why until I felt a soft fabric sliding down my body. My arms were let down and the let me sit.
"Are you feeling sick or dizzy Princess?"
"No." I replied truthfully. I was nervous because I didn't know what was going on.
"Okay then. We shall lead you to your next destination." They once again grabbed my arms and pulled my along presumably out of the room due to the change in air. We continued through the halls, my captors telling me when we were at stairs and random steps.
The thing that bothered me the most was the lack of interference. The sight of the princess blindfolded and being led away should've aroused at least some suspicion but either no one saw or everyone knew. The other thing that bothered me was the fact that Jack disappeared. He was there one moment and the next he wasn't. Where did he go?
I began to panic the moment we stepped outside. The summer breeze hit my face lightly but everything was unusually silent.
"Please, where are you taking me?" I asked. "Please tell me where." All I thought was that I was captured and being taken to Old Domino again.
"Do not worry, everything will be fine." The hands that were guiding me left me and I was standing alone. I felt the heat of another person coming close to me and I began to panic even more. I took a step back and hands grabbed mine. They traveled up my arms, over my shoulders, past my neck and to the blindfold. As the cloth was pulled away, I had to blink as the brightness blinded me for a moment. When things became clear, I was looking at my smiling husband's face. He moved to the side and I realized we were in the inner courtyard of the castle and many people were there.
"A party?" I asked.
"For you and the child." He responded.
I smiled wide and bowed in gratitude. "Thank you everyone!"
Claps resounded and the king told everyone to mingle. He gave me a great hug and I smiled in happiness.
"How could you do that?" I huffed at Jack. "I was so afraid and no one would tell me what was going on. I thought I was being kidnapped. "
"I'm sorry my love. I didn't mean to frighten you, it was meant to be a surprise."
"What a surprise it was."
"Nee-san!" Every hair on my body lifted at that voice. I grabbed onto Jack's sleeve and moved away. I looked in the direction of Rally, no, in the direction of that demon. He was a demon in that child's body.
"Nee-san?" A hand reached out to touch me and I moved more behind Jack. "Nee-san, what's wrong?"
"Don't touch me!" I shouted and he shrunk back.
"Yuu!" Jack had turned and gripped my shoulders. "What has gotten into you?"
"He killed them," I said, remembering vividly the blood that splashed on my face at that time. "He murdered the ones who took me from you. I saw him back then. I saw him."
Jack said nothing, just led me away from the courtyard and into the castle. "Tell me what happened."
"It was when they took me from here after my father's death. Those two men and the driver, they were killed then and it was that boy. He killed them and delivered me to my stepmother. That was when I woke up at my house with no memories."
He stopped and sighed. I turned to look at him and he brushed a strand of hair from my face. "It was around that same time that you're talking about. A little before you were taken away, Father got a letter that a noble couple in Old Domino was brutally murdered and their two sons were separated. One was only in his second year and the other was in his ninth. The youngest was kidnapped by that person and the other was found outside the burned remains of his home. The people of Old Domino rescued this child but he was kidnapped as well not too far later. At the site where you went missing, there were footprints of a child there and three dead male bodies there. We knew that it was the doing of the youngest kidnapped son under the influence of that person and that Aki had his brother. I just didn't know for sure until we saw them together."
"You mean that Rally and Crow are those two brothers?"
"That's right. When Rally told you that he couldn't and didn't want to remember, that's why. Deep inside he knew what he'd done but it would destroy him inside if he truly regained his memory. He truly doesn't know what he did to you or to those men."
I stood there frozen. I just yelled at my innocent little brother in front of everyone, all because I came to a conclusion on my own. There was no way that sweet little boy could hurt a fly. "Oh, what have I done?"
"It's not your fault, you didn't know, and he doesn't know. Just go and apologize."
"He'll never forgive me." I cried.
"He will. Rally isn't an ill spirited person. He'll forgive you, I promise."
I nodded and he took me back to the party. I didn't see Rally or the king so it was easy to assume that Rally was upset and away with the king.
"Someone please get me a chair." I said placing a hand on my forehead. The sun was awfully bright.
"Are you hot?"
"No I'm fine, just a dizzy spell."
Jack took my hand and led me along to the other side of the courtyard where three seats had already been set up. He pushed me to sit in one and sat in the chair next to me.
My hand went to my stomach where my child laid. I smiled and closed my eyes as Jack closed his hand around my other and ran his thumb across my rings. It was so sudden that I gasped and gripped Jack's hand tightly.
"My love! What is it, what happened?"
Tears filled my eyes and I smiled at Jack. "The baby, he moved!" I pulled his hand to my tummy and waited for the feeling again. "Come on, Daddy wants to know you're there too." After that statement, I felt the slight pressure and Jack's grin widened. He kissed me and I smiled with him.
"You said he," Jack commented after those few minutes of excitement.
"Yeah," I blushed, "I won't mind a boy or a girl but I'm hoping for a boy because I imagine him looking like you. Soft tufts of blonde hair and beautiful violet eyes. He'll be your little clone."
"Nee - oh, um, I mean, Princess." I turned and saw the king standing with Rally at his side.
I stood up and walked to him. His eyes were averted to the ground and he held himself tightly. "You can still call me Nee-san. I'm not mad at you."
He looked up at me and I gave him a smile. I gently grabbed him and held him as close as I could. "I'm sorry, for everything I said to you. I am still in shock and recovering over the things I experienced and I hope you'll forgive me."
"I forgive you, Nee-san."
The rest of the time I spent sitting down and rubbing my tummy. Jack had disappeared but I wasn't worried. I couldn't believe that I was six and a half months along, I couldn't believe that I was married for just as long and it made me happy. I smiled and let out a small giggle.
It had been a while since Jack left but I hadn't seen him yet. I stood up and looked around but I couldn't see his blonde hair anywhere. There was commotion a little away and I went toward it. "My princess!"
I stopped as someone stood in my path. "My princess, please come back and sit."
"No I'm fine. What has happened? And where is my husband?"
"Please don't worry."
I pushed past him and all the people to see what happened and I regretted it immediately. On the ground laid Jack, his clothing soaked in blood and a crossbow arrow through his heart.
"Jack!" I shouted in horror. I knelt to the ground and shook him, my sane mind clouded with doubt. He couldn't be dead, no everything was going so well, he couldn't! How could this have happened? "Jack! Wake up!" The anxiety over took me. "Why aren't you doing anything!" I screamed at the people around us. "What is wrong with you all?!"
"You need to wake up."
"What?"
"You're dreaming, just open your eyes."
"What are you saying? I am awake, this is a nightmare!"
"Exactly, so open your eyes."
"But-"
"Wake up!"
I gasped as consciousness returned to me. I sat up and looked around. It looked familiar but unfamiliar, the drapes were closed so I couldn't tell what time of day it was. The duvet covering me was thin and soft since it was a little warm inside. I got out of the bed and noticed I was still in the same dress but it wasn't covered in blood, thankfully.
I found the door in the darkness and opened it, revealing the sitting room of Jack's villa. He wasn't in the room so I assumed he was in the kitchen but he wasn't there either when I looked. I walked outside and saw him chopping wood with an axe.
He was shirtless, his broad back muscles flexing as he brought the axe down. He stood straight and wiped sweat from his forehead with his forearm. I stood frozen and he put the axe down. He seemed to notice me out of the corner of his eye and turned to me with a smile.
"Hey, you're awake. Did you sleep well?"
I felt my lower lip tremble as I tried to hold in the tears of relief. His smile disappeared and he came closer. "What's wrong?"
I stepped closer and reached out hesitantly for him, afraid that he would disappear at any moment. My hand touched his chest and I pressed myself to him, his arms coming up around me.
"Please don't leave me alone. Don't, please."
"Another nightmare?" He asked after a few moments of silence.
I nodded and he kissed the top of my head.
"Embrace me Jack, please. I want you so much." I whispered and grabbed his hand to go back into the house. I pulled him to the bedroom and turned to face him. "Will you feed my indulgences, my dear husband?" I asked, already unbuttoning his trousers.
Although the air was warmer than usual, the villa was comfortable and relaxing.
I was sitting as Jack massaged my feet. He told me there was a team of doctors on standby since I was in my seventh month and they were paranoid anything could go wrong.
"I still don't understand why we have to go back tomorrow. They could always come here."
"It's too dangerous and besides, Father wants to be there for you."
"I suppose." I sighed. "I am excited to see Father but I really do want to stay here."
"After the child is born, we'll stay out here for as long as you want."
"I can barely get up on my own now. As much as I love being pregnant I just can't wait to not be pregnant anymore."
"Father told me my mother said the same thing when she was pregnant with me." Jack laughed.
I smiled at him and I stroked his hair. "Did you ever get a chance to know your mother?"
He went silent and I bit my lip. "I'm sorry, if it's a sensitive topic you don't have to tell me."
"No, that's not it at all." He took in a breath. "I didn't really know her. I only know her face from paintings because I was three when she was taken away and killed. I was glad she saved us all but I really feel like it was unfair that it had to happen that way. It's why I'm so worried for you because the terror you must have felt being in the hands of the one who despises you the most because of me, that guilt will never go away. He killed my mother and I almost killed you."
"It's in the past. We're here together and nothing will change that."
"Don't forget, we've to decide names. I really do like Ori for a girl."
I shook my head and smiled. He tried so hard to keep me comfortable and it was absolutely endearing.
We were able to speak about names for a short time before rapid pounding came to the door. "My prince! My prince! Urgent news from the king!"
Jack went to the door and a young messenger was breathing heavily with a letter in hand. "The Kingdom of Old Domino has declared war on us."
Darn those cliffhangers and screw whoever invented them right?
Well I didn't declare war. In fact, this was a plot twist even I didn't see coming. Anyway, excitement at hand and only two chapters left! What are we gonna do?
