Kris - Part One

There was nothing that could be more horrible than this. God no. It was all pitch black as a black cloth was over your eyes, taking your eyesight away as you leaned back against the corner of the wall, your legs and hands tied together tightly and it was started to bruise. You winced, closing your eyes where tears seeped through the cloth, a silent prayer that you’ve been chanting ever since you were conscious had ran through your mind again.

“Kris… please…” Your heart whispered, hoping he would listen or come to you.

It seems like nothing came when you were left with silence in this room – wherever you were, you didn’t even know. All you could make up was a dungeon as the smell of rotten bodies invaded your comfort zone. You heard clang of metals booming into your ears – it made you wince and before you knew it, you passed out, head on the ground where you were left tied up.

Little did you know, that little hit you received on your head, brought you onto a journey down memory lane – to how it all began, to how you met him.

And Then We Met.

 

“Did you take out rubbish the yet?” A voice called you out from outside your door, making you flinch as you shot up from the stained floor with a gasp, “N-No! I forgot!” Your half-whispered, half-panicked. The older woman simply smiled, opening your door where she motioned you to do so, “Hurry. The King and Queen are not home yet.”

You sighed in relief. At least you still had some time.

But that was when you froze, “W-What about the prince?”

It seems like she had forgotten about it too when her expression changed into a worried one.

Because the rule of any disposal of trash or rubbish must be done before the King and Queen returned.

And curse the day you thought that you had done it when you didn’t. The woman had no chance to say what she had to say when you had scrambled off to the kitchen, using the back door where you gathered all the rubbish into one big bag before you head out using the back door silently. The moment it let out a loud creak, you hissed, “Out of all the times you could’ve been noisy!”

“Please please please…” You chanted quietly, tiptoeing outside where there was no one around. Another wave of relief washed over you as you closed the door behind you – the coast was clear, thank God.

Usually, the prince would roam around – in which, you would steal a couple of glances here and there but who could blame you? Almost all the maids here would do the same, you just joined the wagon. However, you were smart enough to not get caught because every maid that went googly eyes over him, had tried to make him fall for them but they would never succeed. The way that they would flirt is offering themselves to clean up the prince’s bedroom and with that, they would always get caught of trying to plant something in his room. Something like a charm that could make the prince fall in love with them but you always giggled with the woman earlier on how ridiculous it was.

You hurriedly made your way past the trees and past the walls surrounding the castle. You quickly reeled open the wooden door and the moment the sight of nobody was there, you tied the knot on the handle before grabbing the bag of rubbish to jog out as quiet as possible. You tossed the bag into a big disposing box and when the bag was out of your hands, you sighed – getting away with this once again.

In that moment, a breaking of a tree branch could be heard, making you gasp as you spun around with your face paling with fear.

No one was supposed to be here.

Not even the King and Queen because they would usually use the front gate, not the back gate.

You kept silent, however, eyes inching over to the wooden door where you wanted to run towards it but something told you that if you did, something would happen. That’s when it hit you that you should’ve ran while you had the chance because now, shadows of figures started to approach you and as their figures hit the light that were shining down, they were men.

F-Four… five of them as they gave you a wicked look.

There was this twist in your gut as you flinched, feet shuffling towards the door as fast as you could but you let out a scream the moment their hands were on you, tugging you away from the wooden door as they slammed you down on the dirty ground. “Such a gem.” One of their voices echoed into your voice but you had your eyes closed from the impact that took over your body from the harsh fall. Your head hurt the most but the thought of them touching you at places they shouldn’t, it was making a big scar on your mind as you tried to fight back.

“S-Stop!” You shouted, kicking violently and that was when you felt a harsh slap across your cheek – it made you wince. A burning feeling was on your cheek as it hurt and you were pretty sure, based on the reeking smell of beer and rum, they must be drunk and out of their god damn minds to be around the castle area.

The castle.

That was what made you scream louder at the thought that any guards could he listening.

Anyone.

Just anyone.

“H-Help!” Your scorching scream left them with no choice but to shove a cloth into your mouth, keeping you silent and your eyes widened with fear when suddenly they were smart enough to pin you down. One person each on your arms and legs while one of them had the opportunity to straddle on you. You tried to spit out the cloth but it was too far down your throat, almost making you suffocate but you could breathe through your nose. All of their filthy hands were on you, making you close your eyes in disgust as you couldn’t even look.

You’d rather be dead right now.

A tear rolled down your cheek but they showed no mercy, they started to tear the long skirt you had on, revealing your legs and you wanted to shove their faces from staring at your legs like that. “P-Please!” Your voice was muffled but it was better than nothing.

It was in that heart stopping moment when all their movements stopped the moment a voice spoke, “Get your hands off her.”

Your eyes were blurry from the hot tears, the deep realization that this might not be the end of you had hit you hard, making you try to make up whoever was trying to protect you but you failed terribly. The man straddling on you had got off you, making you wince the moment the other four men had yanked you back, away from their reach as they got up to their feet (after a struggle) just to come face to face with whoever who had interrupted with what they were about to proceed with.

“And who the bloody hell are you? The prince?” One of the laughed, causing the rest of the bunch of goons to laugh along with him.

Your heart stopped once again when you heard, “As a matter of fact, I am.”

That was the only thing you could hear left other than grunted screams and shouts as you were brought into an embrace, muting your ears from the horrifying noises as he hushed you calmly after aiding you to spit out the cloth in your mouth that made your throat sore from the screams and the shouts you were making earlier. “It’s alright now…” His voice rumbled into your ears but you could only flinch, shaking your head. “N-No…”

He sighed, frowning at you as he held onto you, your head pitifully – how on Earth…

“Sir, the King and Queen wishes to see you now…”

He shook his head, “Tell them I’ll meet them later in the hall." His eyes locked on you, realizing how petrified you were that it made him add in, "Tell them I’m dealing with something important.”

The servant gave a nod, “Very well.”

Before he could have his moment with you, another voice had interrupted him, “S-Sir. What shall we do about the dead bodies?”

He looked over his shoulder to meet eyes with his men and with that, he took just a second to think before he answered, “Burn it in the cremation and return back to the castle. Call upon one maiden for me, Tao.” He had instructed clearly and within just a few minutes, it was just down to you and him.

He looked down on you again, sighing as he noticed how scarred you were from what could’ve happened and his hand was placed on your cheek, the red mark on your cheek as well as urging you to open your eyes. Your heart calmed down – realizing that it was all over now. It will definitely make you more careful from now on and that in the future, you wouldn’t be as lucky as you were today. With that, you had gripped on tightly onto his shoulders for support, not knowing if you were ready to open your eyes.

Oddly, he found himself fond to your touches. 

“It’s alright now – you can open your eyes…”

That voice.

That… voice.

It left you with no choice as you shot your eyes open to meet eyes with his. His eyes widened partially when he met gazes with yours – he never really knew that these pair of crystals staring back at him right now would sparkle this bright under the moonlight.

And really, it was.

He was stunned but he was even more stunned on how you flinched and escaped his embrace, standing up messily as you pressed your back against the brick wall behind you as you weakly pointed at him, “P-Prince…”

He hissed disapprovingly at you because how could you worry about the status right now after what you’ve been through? He too, stood up and furrow his eyebrows at you, his intentions true and clear, “Are you alright?”

It seems like you were even too stunned to speak, as if a cat caught your tongue as you stood there with a small frown. You had definitely caught him offguard when suddenly you bowed, “I-I’m sorry, sir. I… I shouldn’t have held you like that and-“

You gasped instead, not being able to finish your sentence when his hands found accord to your arms, pinning you against the wall with a stern glare, “Are you out of your mind?”

You whimpered, but kept silent as you looked away from him nervously.

Not because he was mad, because he was suddenly so close again. His body, his touch – his eyes.

Just him in general, it was making this foreign feeling form from your gut and based on how he saved you like that earlier added fuel to the fire in your heart.

You heard another sigh from him as he let go of you, but his hand moved up to cup your chin as he made you lock eyes with him. His eyes were beautiful, too.

“This will stay between us – I can assure you that.”

You gave a mere nod, still not being able to say anything.

“But I want one thing in return.”

Your eyes widened – what could you possibly give him? You had nothing while he had the whole kingdom ahead of him. He was so close to being crowned as king but yet he wanted something from you? You blinked at him rapidly and gulped, “W-What is that, sir…?”

“Your name.” He whispered, making you frown as you stared at him, “W-What?”

He couldn’t help but let out a small smile – you were now confused rather than afraid from what had happened. He had managed to just wash off all your thoughts like that.

“What is your name?”

You never thought the day would come when you forgot your name.

At this moment – it was just so insane.

Your head shot at the wooden door when suddenly your name was called – that was when you remembered your name when the old woman earlier appeared by the wooden door, afraid of what could’ve happened to you as she rushed towards you. He stepped aside respectfully as he swiftly walked around the old woman who was currently cupping your cheeks, inspecting you thoroughly but it seems like your attention was somewhere else when you were looking at him entering the castle through the wooden door.