Umika kept her eyes fixed on him as he seemed extremely uptight when night falls. He kept staring in the sky and occasionally looking out into a small burrow on the far end of his fortress. After his stern warning that he will kill her, she didn't dare speak to him. She sat on the ice bed which seemed to be permanently reserved for her.
You are really difficult to understand. I don't know your name. You are evil, but you are not evil at the same time. I don't know how to put it. It just seemed like he didn't have the intention to kill me, even though he said otherwise. It might not be apt to say, but I think he is somewhat protecting me from his kind. He doesn't allow me to step out of this fortress because of the danger lurking. He also warned me about the Queen. "if she gets her hand on you, then even I can't save you. It's up to you to decide your fate" It's all these words he spoke that hinted to me that he could be helping me. But why? Maybe he is different from his mum.
"Oiii come back!!!! It's dangerous out there!!!" He shouted at the 3-4 rabbits which hoped out of his fortress. He stared at the full moon and became even more anxious.
"HEY! give me a hand here!" he shouted at Umika. She got startled, but quickly ran beside him in case she angers him again.
"w-what can I do?" she got so flustered she knocked into him.
"watch out" he shook his head in frustration. She blushed at the short skinship.
"there's 4 of those rabbits. Come with me, help me catch them back. I can't hold all of them by myself." he said.
"they are frightened by the full moon. In fact, we all are. so be gentle with them, just like how you did the day you cared for me" Umika blushed at what he said. Now that she thought about her tender care for the rabbit which turned out to be a handsome guy like him, it's really quite embarrassing come to think of it.
"Oi! are you listening?"
"y-yes. Count on me" Umika said with certainity. To her surprise, he smiled briefly, thought she wasn't sure if he is mocking at her or he is really glad that she was here to help. But regardless what the smile meant, it's the first time she saw him smile. It made her relief somehow.
----
"Oi stop running! you're safe with me!" he ran after 2 of the rabbits, while Umika aimed the other 2.
Umika knelt and leaned towards a bush where the 2 rabbits hid. They were trembling. "don't be scared. your master will protect you isn't it?' she looked into the rabbits eyes like she did before. The rabbits seemed to understand her and started hopping into her arms.
Ryosuke looked at her without blinking his eyes. He is more than impressed with her skills to communicate with animals. He has to admit that he feels quite thankful for her. But more than that, he finally understood the difference between her and all the other victims.
I know why I absolutely cannot kill her.
"s-sir...." her voice trembled as she called out to him. he looked in her direction and saw a pack of werewolves approaching.
"damn!" he cursed at the situation and slowly approached her. he grabbed her hand and pulled her behind him.
"listen carefully. these are not your normal wolves. they are powerful, especially in this full moon. with my condition now, I won't be able to tackle them. hold on to me, and we'll make a run for it." he whispered to her. she anxiously grabbed his hand. she felt a surge of awkwardness. Umika knew that he hates people touching him, and this definitely makes him uncomfortable. but never did she expect his hand to be so warm and it gave her a sense of security.
"1,2,...3!" he held her hand tightly and ran towards the fortress. the moment is so intense, she felt like she's holding him back with her slow speed, but he was really patient and calm. suddenly he whistled with his free hand. it seemed like he's summoning something, but Umika didn't have the chance to observe her surroundings.
"it's just beside us!! we'll not make it!!!" Umika shouted. he didn't respond, instead he tightened his grip on her hand.
the entrance to the fortress is just a few steps away. it's a pressing moment as the wolves are really close. in desperation, he took her by the shoulder and jumped towards their goal, barely making it. fortunately, they landed themselves in the fortress, and an imaginary force field surrounding the fortress caused the werewolves to fly backwards, hitting the trees with a loud thud.
the 2 of them landed beside each other and after gaining back focus on their surroundings, they realised the close proximity between them. Umika was first to pull away. her cheeks is so flushed that she hopes he didn't see her blushing. Instead, it seemed like he didn't care about the intimacy they shared. He turned to his 4 rabbits and gave them a pep talk. "those damn wolves almost killed you guys, if you try to run away again, i'll leave you to the carnivores. don't expect me to save you." Umika felt amused at how tender-loving he was towards the rabbit. She smiled unconsciously, but she quickly hid her smile as soon as he noticed.
"rabbits are the only innocent creatures out there... humans, like you, on the other hand, are a selfish, power-thirsty, never-contented, hypocritical and pathetic bunch." she felt offended by his acclamation and stared at him with furious eyes.
"humans can be kind and innocent too. My friends, Miku and Suzuka are the nicest people I know. It's nothing like what you said"
"ah, really? wanna bet?" he came close to her face and she felt intimidated once more.
"I'll win the bet for sure!" she confidently said.
He laughed cynically and then spoke with a stern tone as if announcing her death, "if you lose, I'll offer you to the werewolves...how about that?" She shivered in fear as she absorb his statement. He sounded so confident that he's definitely right. no, Miku and Suzuka are the best people I know. He's absolutely wrong!
She gulped her saliva and she heard him snigger. "coward" she heard him mumble under his breathe as he gave a last smirk. She took in a deep breathe to suppress her anger. "angry for all I care... pass me your hands" he held up his hand, as if waiting for her to place her hand on his.
"huh?" she looked at him, startled by his request. She backed away, thinking that he might wanna kill her right at the moment.
For him to kill me will be too easy. That's no place to run. She closed my eyes intuitively and awaited her death. She could sense that he's right under her breathe. Her body stiffened up when he took her hands.
Nothing happened, instead she felt a surge of energy entering through her hands, and a tinkling feeling. She opened her eyes slightly and took a peep. His face was in frowns, he seemed to be focusing hard. His hand squeezed her hands and she noticed pulses of energy flowing from his arms into her hands, and her little cuts she sustained earlier when they were dashing through the forest miraculously healed by itself.
How?! How is it possible?! She looked at the scar-less hands in amazement after he released her hands. He turned her back against her and crossed his hands and stood in a position like as though waiting for something.
The wait wasn't long. She didn't have to guess long, as 2 shadows approached the gates of the fortress.
"s-sir...someone is coming..." she shivered and wanted to hide behind him. He smirked in response and instead of easing her tension, he invited the 2 guests in.
"Ryosuke...we chased those werewolves away, but... we're here to warn you about something else....the Queen, she thinks you let the girl off. HOLY !" Daiki noticed that the girl he was conveying about is standing right behind Ryosuke. Yuri also gasped at the sight, and was speechless.
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU THINKING...YOU KNOW THE QUEEN WILL NOT BE HAPPY ABOUT THIS..AND SHE'S COMING HERE RIGHT NOW.!" Daiki lost his cool as he thought about Ryosuke's stupidity.
"Ryosuke~" Yuri called out worriedly. The poor girl was shakened by the news, but no one could be bothered by her overflowing fear.
"I already knew she was aware that I've let her off." he said in his usual calmness that further caused his 2 minions to become even more frustrated.
"then why did you let her off? don't you know the Queen take this seriously. She won't let you off even if he's your mum. You want history to repeat itself?!" Daiki added.
History? does it mean the prince has let someone off before me too? what happened to that person? - Umika thought deeply, but regardless what the answer to the questions were, she knew that what Daiki said has angered him gravely. Looking at his reaction, she knew that this was a taboo not to be mentioned in front of him.
"SHUT UP! I want no mention of the past. I have my reasons for keeping her alive..." he raised his voice.
"why Ryosuke? you can tell us right?" Yuri softly said. This guy must be the more gentle one, he seemed kind and approachable...Umika surveilled them each closely to understand each of their traits, in case she ever needs to come in contact with them.
"This girl here....(she stiffened up again as he dragged her by her collar and pulled her in front of the 2 guests) she is a valuable resource... it's a waste if I kill her now. Somehow, her pathetic kindness and innocence, which could possibly have killed her, have trapped such rich energy within her, and most importantly, self-replenishable that it could feed my thirst continuously."
"Really?" Daiki and Yuri stared at her in astonishment, and started surveying her.
"interesting.... then I guess the Queen would possibly accept this reason." Yuri smiled. is he smiling to me? if he is, then he really calms my nerves a little. He walked closer and looked at me with the same intimidating act as the prince. The way he surveyed me seemed like as though he is analysing a rare species.
"I thought you let her go? how did she end up back here again?" Daiki asked.
"well, I did let her go, in return of the favour of saving me...but she stupidly return in search of her friends. Now her fate lies in my hands. I won't let her go this time." he answered.
"hello. My name is Yuri," he stretched out his hand to shake hers. She hesitated, but still she obeyed. Upon contact, she was shocked that his hand feels very different from the prince... his felt mortal.
"Yuri may look angelic, but mind you, he is not someone to mess with, in case you think he's easy to mingle with. Anyway, my name is Daiki" he too gave off the same mortal feel as Yuri, but he looks just as intimidating as the prince.
Somehow, it seemed like the prince heard my thoughts. "they don't have the powers the Queen and I possessed. The two of them are almost as mortal as you; they don't feed on humans." he explained why she could feel the difference between them and him.
"so you feed on people like me?" she asked curiously.
"Ryosuke only feeds on people when he needs to replenish his energy or recover from injury. The Queen on the otherhand feeds on people for pleasure." Chinen answered instead.
She nodded. Before she let off her guard, a strong gush of wind past the fortress and send chills down her spine.
"So... I'm not invited to the party," the Queen entered the fortress and approached them. Step after step she took caused Umika's heart to thump like a bullet train. She unknowingly retreated behind Ryosuke and grabbed his sleeves tightly. He turned briefly to look at her shakened state and quickly focused back his attention on the Queen.
"This girl... She looks irresistibly delicious... It's really disturbing how you could have endured her seductive scent and not out every bit of energy in her" the Queen pulled her from Ryosuke's back and wrenched her wrist, causing her to let out a painful scream "AHHHHHHHHHH".
She cried as the Queen continue to harasse her. "dear, dear, did I hurt you?" she ran her fingers on her delicate cheeks and send electric shockwaves into her, causing her further distress.
"my highness. she is of great use to us. she carries valuable energy that can help us in times of danger. so I think it'll be best for you to keep her alive" Ryosuke said. For once, I felt that he is protecting me. Although it's for his benefit, I still felt comforted for a reason.
"I see, no wonder I can sense her bursting energy. Then would you lend her to me?" Umika furiously shook her head in protest, only to realise she has triggered the Queen to punish her. The Queen raised her hand and was about to show Umika her might when Ryosuke stepped in between them, pushing Umika behind him.
"Your highness. don't waste your strength on her. Leave the disciplining to me." he said. "and regarding your request, I hope I could, but please let me monitor her for the time being until I could completely control her inner strength."
"should I trust you again? I must remind you, the price to pay if she does something wrong, would be no less than the previous incident. and you must bear the punishment too." the Queen warned. the prince gave a chilling answer and spoke right at Umika as though he wanted to send a clear warning to her.
"even then, I have never failed you.
Your highness, you can put your trust in me...
Anytime she ceases to be of any use to us or becomes a nuisance,
I will take her life personally.
I'll stab her heart with ice,
and extract the last drop of life and vitality from her,
and throw her remains to the filthy werewolves."
he looked at me with his cold, dark, intimidating eyes as he forecasted my tragic fate. I was disillusioned by the little gentleness and kindness shown earlier, but I am now awakened by the brutal reality about his evil nature. It is a matter of time, that he kills me in the most unimaginable way. It's pointless to believe that he will let me go, for he only keeps me alive because I was of little use to him. Once I have exhausted my good luck and he finds me of no use, he will dispose off me. Then, perhaps I could rest my soul with my dear friends whose fate remains a mystery.
one burning question that I hope to resolve is.... what exactly happened previously that both Daiki and the Queen mentioned? I am almost sure that this could be the key to my fate and his, the Snow Prince, whose name I now know - Ryosuke.
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