„I still don't get it." Came the voice of one of the two guards. The other sighed knowingly.
„I know."
„I mean why a newbie." Another sigh.
„I know." The other man shook his head.
„I still don't get it." And yet another sigh.
„I know."
„I mean, look at him, so proud and conceited, like he's so much better than us." The man looked to other in desperation.
„Why him?!" He cried out. „He's a bastard."
„I know."
The vain man in question just strolled up to the two and yelled at them for slacking off. After that he skipped to another pair of guards and yelled at them too. Holding his head high he patrolled the lower parts of the castle, the medal shining under the torch light declaring him the holder of the keys to the dungeons and the head of the guards in the castle. The man also had a duty to check on the demon once in a while. That's why he was a newbie, no other dared come close to the creature. He was also the one who decided what to do with some lesser criminals.
The man was in his early thirties, with copper hair and dark brown eyes, he was rather tall and burly. He was though the epitome of cruelty and vanity. And he did not share the fear of the beast with the other men.
What a mistake.
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
Amu was running as if demons were chasing her. The tightness in her chest began to subside and she, unadvisedly, let herself relax. A moment later she found herself in a rather large puddle of mud. She fell in it back first and it covered her almost completely, just letting her face peek out. Swearing, she pulled herself out and looked around. She saw something akin to a swamp not far from the puddle and decided it was better than the mud.
Cleaning her skin of the mud she realized she was further out from the castle and on a completely wrong side. To get back she would have to go around the great lakes, and she couldn't cope with the choking feeling. Realizing she would have to go through the gates of the castle she bristled. Of course everything had to go wrong. Shaking of some more mud from her dress she set towards the castle.
She never realized her mistake.
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
The man could not believe his eyes, or better yet his ears. This muddy commoner was ordering him to let her through. She was claiming to be the princess and that she would behead him herself if he didn't let her in. Like he was stupid enough to believe her. He fumed, who did she think she was.
He looked at her again and realized she wasn't half bad when you looked under the mud and dirt. Her hair was obviously brown and her eyes yellowish. Her skin seemed to be tanned and smudged but maybe it was all just mud. Her gown was also brown with some lighter and darker blotches in it and her feet were bare. This was certainly not a princess.
He heard of the cold and deathly princess that wields a dagger made from demonic gems. He heard that she was deadly and beautiful, morbidly so even. That her hair was persian pink and her eyes pure cold gold. That she wore the finest silk and velvet. And that she was the epitome of grace. Therefore this muddy creature could not be the princess. He sneered at her.
„Like hell you are a princess, do not think me a fool commoner." His eyes got an evil glint to them.
„But if your good and do as I tell then I may even let you go." Her eyes suddenly got cold and he swore they glowed for a second. And then she punched him straight into the face. As he cradled his probably broken nose, his face contorted in a mask of rage. He exploded.
„How dare you, you filth, I will make sure you get the punishment you deserve." A smirk crossed his face.
„What a shame for such a pretty face, but it seems you'll meet the beast." His strong arm caught her thinner one and he dragged her off towards the dungeons. The guards did not dare stand in his way as he made his way to the lowest part of the castle. The residence of the demon. He took a bucket filled to the brim with water in his other and shoved it in her hands, the lock clicked and he waved at her over his back.
„Don't want the beast to refuse his feast because of the smell." And with that the foul man disappeared around the corner.
Amu shook with fury as the man dragged her down, his words barely registered in her mind. How dare he, he will die tonight, be it the last thing I do.
When a bucket of water was shoved into her hands and a click of the lock heard she finally noticed her surroundings and his words finally clicked in her mind.
Feast for a beast.
Oh, she had heard of it, the foul beast that took her mother away from her. How could she not, when it was the latest gossip arround the castle. It could not even understand the human speech. Some said it was a demon, others that it was a creature of death. So foul and evil and terrifying that none could comprehend it.
She shook her head, stupid gossip.
Then her situation hit her full force and she realized she might not exit this alive. She heard that the last man that was in touch with the monster was a vile and evil criminal. He was found in pieces. She spilled the cold water over herself to wake a little. She wondered briefly why she wasn't dead yet. Maybe the beast was sleeping.
Finally turning around, preparing to see a giant maw open to swallow her, she was surprised to see a pair of glowing azure eyes staring at her. Like the gems on her dagger she realized. Suddenly a flashback hit her.
A noise caught her attention, somewhere beyond the fence. She turned around quickly, eyes glowing and wild, like a wild animal caught in a trap. She spotted a black figure, moving behind the wooden logs, rustling the leaves but their footsteps unheared. The figure was in the shadows and as it turned around she found a pair of glowing, dark blue eyes looking straight at her own golden ones.
She looked back at the owner of the eyes. A boy, maybe a year older than herself with dark hair and pale skin marred with some blood and dirt. A pair of feline ears atop his head and a furry tail curling behind him. His clothes were black and ripped in some places. She realized that he had fangs and claws only a moment later.
Swallowing and dripping wet she steeled herself. This was a monster, it killed her mother, it was evil, it was dumb like an animal, it was nothing.
But the more she looked at those eyes the sadder they seemed to be. It couldn't even speak.
„Hi." Almost falling back she pushed herself against the metal bars that separated her from freedom.
„What?" Her voice was barely a whisper but the monster, demon, boy, whatever, managed to hear her well.
„ I said hi, do you not hear well?" His, definitely his voice was laced with heavy sarcasm and his lips turned into a slight sneer. She furrowed her brow, was she in the right cell? It was obvious that the bastard that shoved her here was new.
„Are you the...beast...?" He raised a brow at her question and slowly nodded. Pointing to his ears he answered.
„Those aren't just for show you know." Her brow still furrowed she shook her head.
„Y-Yeah, I mean why do you...well...talk? I-I mean aren't you supposed to be...you know...a beast?" He looked at her funny as she gestured towards him.
„Well I prefer talking instead of growling, it hurts my throat less." He said as he rubbed his throat. She slowly nodded, still not believing her eyes.
„Will you eat me?" Her question was blunt to the point that he couldn't help but look at her as if she were crazy. Not that she wasn't.
„Why would I eat you?"
„Well the last guy who was brought here, well he kind of...turned into pieces." His mood suddenly darkened and she wondered if her time was up. Well she would not go down without a fight. She prepared herself for an attack.
She almost fell over when she heard his completely serious voice.
„He called me kitty." And one of his ears twitched. She suddenly grew angry, realizing how stupid his reason was.
„And what?! My mother stepped on some rock you liked so you killed her too?!" His expression grew serious again.
„Who are you?" She stiffened, this wasn't the response she was hoping to get.
„Hinamori Amu, the heir to the Hinamori throne, and that woman you killed four years ago, she was my mother." She finished coldly.
A sudden remembrance shone in his eyes and she only got more and more furious. He suddenly shook his head.
„That was not me who killed her, when I arrived the carriage was already burning and she was bleeding to death." How can he, how dare he deny what he did.
Her eyes suddenly shone gold and she barred her teeth. Claws grew from her fingers and he had to dodge before she could stab him. His first reaction was surprise, his next, realization. She wasn't all human herself, knew she that or not. Dodging yet another attack he let his inner beast out and caught her hands behind her back.
As if his power commanded her she changed back, her chest heaving. She barred her teeth at him again, though this time they were blunt and human looking. He knew better.
„Let me go this instant." She hissed.
„No, now calm down." The voice was a soft growl in her ear and she realized that the claws that were gripping her seemed harder and longer, sharper even, but careful not to rip her skin. And the tail that brushed her leg was a lot thicker than she remembered. She swallowed and nodded.
He slowly let go and she crawled into a corner, her face hidden in her arms that were around her knees. A soft sob was heard and he sighed. Today was something wrong with him,if it were anyone else they would've been in pieces the moment they attacked him.
But there was something about this girl that drew him in, and it wasn't just her feral side that he witnessed earlier, it was something in his chest that he didn't overly like, but didn't mind either. It was an interesting feeling and he was a curious creature by nature.
He crawled to her and hugged her close to his chest, her wet pink hair moistening his shirt. She cried in his chest until she fell asleep. It was already around midnight when he too let sleep consume him.
A scream woke them both up.
Okay, I'm squealing right about now. This is THE LONGEST CHAPTER I have ever written, I really do hope you guys liked it. And don't worry about Amu's sudden change of...well...character and Ikuto's too, cause you know, they're both crazy...please do tell what you think and remember to review review review and then review some more xD I'm so happy right now. And don't worry I have a cheat sheet with the characters so they won't get out of...well...character R&R guys!
Love ya all and special thanks to all who reviewed!
And now about that quiz I mentioned earlier: I'm not sure what to give the winner as a reward so ask what you want and I'll try to do it...maybe to add your character in the story? Some minor one but still...tell me what you want; and here is the grand question:
By whom(what character) is the story called and why, and I really do have a specific reason for the name so if you guess correctly(both the character and the reason) you will get a reward.
The first one to answer correctly is the winner and remember, Not everything goes both ways.- that's your clue
Well good luck to everyone.
Kuroneko is out :3