CONTENT UPDATE: The following chapters from here on out take place from Maka's perspective, unlike the regular perspective we've been seeing from Soul.


Watching the foreign bedroom door slam shut was like looking down the barrel of a gun. She blinked the tears from her eyes as a cry tore its way from her throat. This had been the end, hadn't it been? She'd given Soul the gun- and he'd shot it the second the lock of the door clicked back in place.

With closed eyes, she ran her index finger over her cracked swollen lips. The skin had been opened by her teeth when she pushed them worriedly into the once soft skin. Digging the pad of her finger down on the open and sore cracks, she felt another wave of hot tears slip down her cheeks and down to her neck.

She could feel the phantom touch of Soul on her- the hot and desperate slip of lips as warm hands dragged up from her hands to her forearms.

"Don't tell me this is goodbye. Tell me you'll come back for me."

Soul never responded. He'd gotten up from the cot, readjusting his cloak as he walked steadily toward the bedroom door. He hadn't even looked back as he opened the door and left. He didn't even say goodbye. He'd refused to meet her eyes.

"We have to go our separate ways."

As another sob wrecked its way from her throat. Knocking the breath out of herself, she wrapped her hands into the fabric of her blood-drenched dress, looking for something to steady herself with. The smell of metal assaulted her nose as she leaned her forehead into the sheets of Soul's cot.

This isn't fair, was all she could think. How in the world was this fair?

With her hands falling limpy into the rough sheets of Soul's cot, Maka cursed the world.

She didn't want anything more in the world than she had wanted Soul.

It was an infantile thought for someone who had just turned twenty-two- but did she care?

Her shaky blood-stained fingers curled into the rough sheets, bunching them against her bruising palms.

She'd never experienced such a desperate needing feeling before. Sure, she knew what it was like to want. She wanted to explore, wanted to leave the castle, wanted to see what was beyond the walls of the kingdom she'd called her home. They were simple wants- childish ones- ones that wouldn't necessarily kill her if she didn't get them. Eventually, she'd forget about them and move on, find something else to want, and obsess over as if it were the cycle of life.

Soul was different.

He was someone, someone she wanted for herself.

It was a selfish want, wasn't it? She was a Princess, she had everything she could have wanted at her fingertips. She had the crown, she had the money, she had a multitude of servants waiting on her on hands and knees, she had loyal subjects who looked to her like a god, and she had men from all around the world looking to take her hand in marriage, shouldn't that have been enough for her?

Shouldn't that have satisfied her?

Maybe the difference was, she never asked for any of that stuff. She never needed any of that, after all. Even when she had all of that, it never truly satisfied her.

Soul was the one thing- the one person she chose she wanted on her own.

Growing up she had guards picked for her to take care of her. She had riches thrown in her face. She was given every little thing she asked for.

Growing up, her parents picked her guards and servants they thought were suitable for her. They never really paid her much mind; they just stuck around and did their job as they were told. She had asked them to fetch her water or a piece of parchment, they'd be following her every order to satisfy her. Sometimes, she didn't even have to ask for stuff, they'd just give and give- water, set on her table as she studied- a platter of food, warm and ready for her to eat passed into her lap- her clothes neatly pressed onto the corner of her bed, ready for her to wear.

Growing up, she was given fancy clothes, dancing feasts, fancy everything. Her clothes were silky and soft- much different from the tagged and rough clothes those of villages beyond the castle would wear. Her foods were rich, rich enough to make her sick after eating. The portions she was given exceeded what she needed, and even after countless comments about it, she was still given the overzealous amounts. Her crowns were made of solid gold, her shoes lined with stones and crystals she knew she didn't need.

Growing up, everything was given to her, even if she didn't ask. New toys every week, imported foods from kingdoms and nations she had never heard from, a new book to add to her collection regularly. She never asked for any of it, and yet, it was all given to her.

Even so, she became friends with Kim because they were thrown into life together. They never really had a choice in the matter, but that was okay enough for the,. They had made it work. It wasn't that Maka wasn't thankful for their friendship because surely, she was, but the truth was she never asked for Kim. She never sought out to make a friend on her own because instead, she was given one.

Again- she didn't ask for Kim's replacement, Crona. The day Kim had stepped down, her parents had chosen Crona as her new personal guard. She'd just turned twenty at the time- she was very much capable of making her own decisions, and yet, she never got that choice.

Soul was the first person she willingly got to choose on her own.

Solomon- Soul- he was mysterious to Maka. From the day she'd first gained knowledge of the guard, walking down the gravel path mid-june just five months ago, she was intrigued.

Maka liked mystery. The white hair he wore messily that cloaked his face before he cut it, drew her in- blatantly out of pure curiosity, of course. She wondered for days after she'd first seen the guard running down the path, of what he truly looked like beneath that messy hair. What color eyes did he have? Did he have a pretty smile? Did he have any beauty marks or scars?

The second time Maka had seen the guard was the beginning of August as she leaned against the railing of her balcony, watching the horizon line with pointed attention. Her eyes had drifted from the mountains just beyond the gates to the guards who were walking back into the entrance of the kingdom. She had seen him then- despite how far he'd been out in the distance, she recognized that white hair anywhere.

Soul, she thought. Soul's a gate guard. Soul's mysterious.

Truthfully, Maka stood out on her balcony every morning after that to watch the gate guards, and every morning, her eyes landed on Soul with excitement.

The day Crona didn't show up at her bedroom door, Maka went searching the castle for Hero, both confused and worried. Crona didn't show up for another week, leaving Maka in the hands of Hero. In that week, she realized how temporary things could be. She'd spilled her truth to Soul about how Crona's disappearance made her feel, but even then, did Soul really understand?

Maka found herself leaning against her balcony each day that week, watching the gate guards stand just beyond the gates. She'd wondered if Crona went beyond those walls and left, and then, wondered what really stood beyond those walls. That week was spent mulling over what came next. Crona seemed like a good person; a person who knew what they wanted in life. Sure, they were a stiff and awkward person, barely sparked conversation with Maka- but they seemed content with their job.

She thought about it again and again- could she just leave, too?

She never asked to be a Princess- never asked to one day be the Queen. Was she even fit for the job? She worked through the motions of being a royal, but she never really felt like one. She didn't like the power- she didn't like things just being handed to her.

Maybe she could go and see the world like Crona was probably doing. She could leave, just as they did, and see the world for herself rather than reading it from the many books she'd been given. It was a selfish thought, surely, but she was okay with that.

A fleeting thought from her childhood began to fester. As a kid, she wanted to see the world. She wanted to leave and be an adventurer, see all the world had to offer. Then, when she was confused and lost, making the decision to leave the kingdom behind and find something more fulfilling seemed like the right answer.

When the end of that week came and Hero addressed her, saying it was her choice to pick a new royal guard, she found herself confused. She'd been given a list of the guards names- and only one name had she remembered.

Soul.

Soul- a gate guard. He would know what's beyond the walls, wouldn't he? Maybe he could help Maka find what laid beyond them.

Choosing him wasn't as hard as Maka would say it was. It was the first decision she truely made on her own that didn't involve parties or whatnot. For the first time, Maka was able to choose to put someone in her life- to have something other than what was given to her.

She thought it would be simple- using Soul to find out what laid beyond the walls- but then she got to know him.

Their first real encounter was anything but perfect- but Maka remembered the way Soul's hand felt in hers, both warm and steady, and she realized just how human he was in that moment.

The descent was anything but slow. Maka had caught onto the feelings rather quickly. Even though she was still trying to find a way to get Soul to take her beyond the walls, she found herself falling for the guard.

Maybe it was because he was the only person who gave Maka the time of day and treated her something other than royal-

Or, maybe, it was the way Soul seemed to brighten at just the thought of eating warm food. Perhaps it was the humor and poise he carried- or maybe it was the way Maka could catch the faint sight of his lips curled into a shameless smile. Maybe it was the way Soul thumbed through the pages of her books with interest, hunched over his chair as he pulled the book he'd been reading closer to his face- or how eager he seemed when it came to talking about traveling and venturing out of the castle.

Maybe it was the way he called her Princess without shame- or the way his hands felt brushing against her skin softly- or how their arms linked perfectly- or the fact that the moment Soul had gotten his hands on flowers, he tucked them behind her ears, a smile growing on his face.

Maka knew fairly quickly that she liked Soul more than she should.

If she had to think and pinpoint an exact time that the desire and want for more started, it happened after the truth had been spilled to Soul about why she'd chosen him as a guard. Even after she told him the dirty truth, he still tried to be a good guard and a good friend- and Maka couldn't just ignore that.

Maka couldn't help the way she found herself waiting every morning at her bedroom door for Soul to come. She couldn't help the way her heart raced in her chest every time they spoke or even touched for that matter.

In her eyes, Soul was everything she could have asked for-caring- mysterious- playful- happy- he balanced her out, he made her happy.

Soul was radiant and she loved it.

Selfishly, she was glad when she broke his walls the night she tore his necklace off his neck. She was glad Soul had trusted her enough to show it to her. She was glad that Soul seemed open to the idea of friendship between the two of them. She was glad that Soul agreed to leave Eibon with her, even if it was just for one night.

She was glad he didn't stop her when she was leaning in for that first kiss.

Even so, Maka was mad.

She had him- after a month of wanting and confusion- she had Soul. For one night, a brief few hours, she had him. She got to feel the way their lips moved against each other- she got to revel in Soul's careful touch- she got the confirmation that those desires she held weren't just one way- she got to dance in his arms without a care in the world-

And in just a few hours it had been ripped away from her.

The one thing she genuinely wanted- the one thing she'd gotten for just a few hours- was gone.

The funny thing was; she didn't care when she'd put the pieces together.

Soul- Prince Solomon.

They were all the same person in the end, weren't they? You could change the title, but you couldn't change the person.

She'd heard the tales of Prince Solomon and Kid from Cinder, but had she believed them? The 'star-crossed lovers' trope- and then the tragic Romeo and Juliet ending where Solomon ran away while murdering his love. She never really believed it. She knew of Cinders actions all too well- knew that their kingdom was built off lies. After hearing of the sinful actions of Cinder's monarchy, she wasn't surprised their Prince had run away. Who would have wanted to inherit a kingdom that was known for war, lies and destruction?

Soul- Solomon- he was a kind person, and Maka knew that. All he did, he made Maka happy, and that wasn't something she could overlook.

The moment she saw Soul whisked away into the dancefloor with strangers she'd never seen before, she knew something was up- but she never expected Soul to be the runaway Prince she'd heard so many stories about.

She knew his past must have been bad- but there was so much more she was missing.

He'd suffered, hadn't he?

"You're so selfish."

"We're way more alike than you think we are."

"I know how easy it is to use people, I've done it a thousand times to get where I am now."

As her hands clenched the sheets of Soul's cot harder, she wept until her throat burned.

The story of Soul was messy, wasn't it? There was so much she still didn't know- so much she still wanted to know- so much she still wanted from Soul- and yet, she knew, she'd probably never see him again, would she?

Her thoughts began to muddle into nothingness as she sobbed.

What was she crying about?

The fact that her party had been ruined? The fact that hundreds of guests were just sent running down the streets of her kingdom, scared for their lives? The fact that her kingdom and people were in danger? The fact that her guards were out there, fighting off trained assassins, trying to keep her kingdom safe?

The fact that someone she'd known for a month at most was leaving?

It was stupid, wasnt it? She'd only know Soul for a month/ She shouldn't be crying, not after all that had happened.

She should be mad- she should be angry- she should have been the one throwing Soul back over to the people of Cinder- and yet, she knew that in this lifetime and the next, she would never do that.

Instead of trying to make sense of the situation, she allowed herself to cry.

She sobbed until she heard the bedroom door slam open and shut again.

As her chest heaved and she found her breath caught in her throat, she felt two hands pulling her up from the bed carefully, pulling her up and against their shoulder. Their hands carefully curled around her own to pull them from the sheets.

"Hey- Maka, you have to breathe, c'mon man, breathe with me."

She registered the fact someone had pressed their hand against her chest and motioned for her to breathe as she choked over her own breath. Through blackening vision, she listened to whoever was talking despite how tired and worn she was starting to feel. Following their motions, she breathed in harshly, her lungs cold as she held her breath. When she exhaled, her shoulders hook and her chest shuttered.

"Okay, that's good that's good, you're okay," they said, squeezing her forearm, "We're in this together, its okay."

She nodded blindly, her eyes squeezed shut.

"Let's get you out of these clothes. Can you help me?"

She peeled her eyes open, meeting the red-rimmed eyes of Blackstar who offered her a sad smile. With blurry vision, she nodded once more, sitting herself up and running her palms against her dress. She watched, dazed and frozen as Blackstar got up from beside her. He moved toward Soul's dresser, pulling out an assortment of clothes before returning.

When all was said and done, Maka found herself curled against the sheets of what was Soul's cot- warm cotton clothes hanging off her shoulders. His clothes were two sizes too big for her, but either way, she was grateful to rid herself of her blood soaked clothes. Blackstar had scrubbed her hands with a cold cloth until the blood that had stained them faded.

The smell of cheap soap welcomed her as she buried her face into the rough sheets, her shoulders shaking. She'd cried herself dry by now, but that hadn't stopped the silent sobs that left her.

Blackstar sat beside her feet, running his hand against her shin quietly.

She wasn't sure when it happened, but she knew eventually she had dozed off with her head hidden in the cheap smelling sheets that smelled distinctively of her guard.

Eventually, she woke up to the sound of crashing feet. With a numbed body, she peeled her eyes open, cringing at the sunlight that poked its way through the dirtied window across from her. In her half awake state, she could hear the end of the cot dip and creak as Blackstar, as she presumed, stood up.

"Hello? Who's there?"

The bedroom door was creaking open- slamming open as the doorknob hit the wall behind it. She felt herself jump, her hands curling reflexively into the sheets before her.

"Blackstar," an unfamiliar voice gasped out, their voice hoarse and uneven. "Did he come back?"

She could tell the man had been running. His shaking breaths echoed in the room as Blackstar timidly replied, "Stein? What do you mean?"

Urgently, the door was being slammed shut once more. As footsteps creaked across the bedroom, Maka found that the sunlight had been blocked. "Soul. Did he come back?" Sucking in a breath, she stares at the white sheets in front of her. She was awake, right? She wasn't just dreaming, right?

"He left last night- didn't he go to the castle to meet back with you guys?" Blackstar questioned, his voice filled with sleep.

"He did," the unfamiliar voice responded, "He went out after Medusa with Kid and they were supposed to return hours ago. We can't find them anywhere."

"What?"

Blinking hard, Maka found herself sitting up, her head aching. Despite the pain, she looked up with wide eyes to a familiar looking guard. His gray hair was disheveled, dry and cracked with blood splattered across his cheeks. He was looking down to Blackstar with a fire in his eyes, his hands curled into fists at his sides.

"He and Kid left late last night in the crowd to go after Medusa and they haven't returned since. We've been searching for them since dawn, but no one knows where they are."

Maka watches as the guard stiffens, his eyes wavering from Blackstar to her in an instant. The blood in his face leaves her as she sees the ghostly expression that plays across the guards face-

And suddenly, she knows things have gotten worse.