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Upon a solemn eve, a restless lady happens to find love before her very eyes.
A princess whose silvery hair shined through the moon's light, her pure white dress and its embellishments glowing beneath the stars' grasp. A sharp, yet gentle gaze of viridescent green gleamed in the evening's shadows, as if she was but an embodiment of the heavenly stars above.
That evening, Tenma Saki, a young lady who worked under the kingdom's orders for as long as one could remember, has fallen in love upon the one she served for what felt like her entire life, a whole eternity.
Hinomori Shiho, her dear princess.
Truth be told, the moment she saw nothing else besides utter beauty and perfection in that certain Hinomori's eyes began on a fateful day, the moments in their childhood coming into bloom.
Even when the two of them were but a pair of young girls whose job was to accompany one another for the entire day, what Shiho saw upon those rosy eyes was nothing short of great admiration that never ceased to stop spilling out of her sweet words and acts. Almost like they were coated in honey, painting the princess's heart in warmth and its sweetness.
Though someone who seemed so cold from the outside wouldn't really savor anything sweet, Saki was an exception to her and her only. A dear one whom she was supposed to see as nothing more than a friend, is, in fact, someone she secretly held dear.
The two of them are now wrapped by the strings of eternal love, forbidden by whatever laid between them. Whether it was the gap between them, a blossoming feeling between a princess and her dear knight, or if it was someone else that awaited the arrival of Saki's dear princess so to take her away, blinding them of their purely blooming love for an eternity.
If such a terrible event occurs, even until she dies and departs from the world, never will she meet Saki again.
And so, the two of them made a promise.
On a fateful night dyed in despair, right after the princess waltzed with a young man whose name was never revealed to the chevalier's being, the older one of the two grasped onto the white fabric of her beloved's dress, as if restraining her from leaving in a desperate manner.
"Hinomori-sama," she hastily whispered in the dead of night. "Please, stay with me... right here."
A short silence.
"What do you mean?"
A mere question spilled out of the gray-haired lady's lips, one that earned a sigh out of the other as a pair of warm arms soon wrapped around her body. One that felt even more comfortable than the hands of the man who held her like a being nothing more of a substitute for the void within his heart.
"I don't want you to leave," her words slipped out of her tongue so quickly, along with the tears that soon welled upon her eyes at the thought of her dear princess's goodbye. "I know that it's selfish for me to ask of that, but–"
"Hush, now, Saki." A hand stroked the strands of blonde, kissing them gently as she held her childhood friend close to her chest. As if stroking the petals of a thousand marigolds, endearingly cherishing them with each and every second that passed. "I understand. There's no need for you to say another word."
The knight remained speechless in response, silence enveloping her being as she relentlessly weeped in Shiho's embrace. The hushing noise that never ceased to come out of the girl whose arms were wrapped around her shaking form did nearly nothing to stop the tears that continued to well up before getting released over and over again.
As if her hands grew weaker with every sob, her grasp loosened on Shiho's waist while the other's own one grew stronger on her trembling back. Crying out into the night was she when the younger one of them both comforted her until this despairing sadness ends on that very night. Never letting go of one another, as if they were but a pair of children helplessly holding onto their dear friend's hands whenever they were about to part ways.
"I don't want to leave, too, you know?" she cooed, kissing away the guard's tears away. "You've protected me and accompanied me for so long, so it would've been more than selfish for me if I was to leave you."
The girl's cries continued to reach her, not leaving any room for her to console her even more than to assure her that she won't leave.
Although, it wasn't long before sigh soon greeted the blonde's ears, a loving one to hear.
"Fine, I won't leave you here."
Right after she said that, Saki looked up from her embrace, lifting herself off of the dress's fabric. A smile soon bloomed on the younger's face, relieved that she was to find her dear knight's tears melt into the night.
"On one condition," she chided, raising her chin up with the tips of her fingers. A breathy chuckle elicited from her chest, one that quickly made Saki's heart bloom with an awkward, yet evident sense of desire. "I need you... to do something for me."
"And what is that–?"
She teasingly grinned, pulling her close as she laid a finger upon her own lips.
"Kiss me first, Saki," she cooed. "After that, I'll tell you what it i–"
In the blink of an eye, a warm sensation enveloped her heart, the softness of the knight's lips clashing against hers soon overwhelming her now hazy eyes. As if the entirety of the scenery beneath the castle she once saw was now blurred into a mix of colors and light, for the only thing she could feel now was the desperate touch of Saki's fingers against her clothed waist.
Each and every flick of her tongue felt electrifying, sending a shiver down her frail back.
The cold wind that night wasn't even enough to make her tremble. Only the mere touch of Saki's fingertips that felt so unbearably cold that night could drive her into such a deep sea of pleasure and desire. Those sharp nails of hers that entangled themselves upon the short strands of her luxurious silvery hair soon moved down to her neck, almost like digging deep into the depths of her sealed form.
Even if she was about to run out of breath soon enough, her tongue craved for more and more. Never has she regretted ordering Saki to do such selfish deeds, for the mere taste of her tongue was so sweet, so enticing. As if it was but a trail of honey that trickled into her mouth that she quickly lapped up with no restrain.
At this point, her body was shaking out of pure desperation, lips aching as if she was begging for more. A noble princess stooping so lowly, as if surrendering to the acts of a selfish young knight... How utterly sinful, she thought. How rapacious. How egoistic.
But of course, she would never regret such a seemingly awful doing.
Regardless, the chevalier soon pulled away, translucent strings of fluid connecting their lips beneath the moonlight. Small clouds of white formed in the air, both from Saki and Shiho's mouths as they breath in and out. Grasping on one another's clothing, almost like holding onto one another for support as they continued their waltz of emotions in the solemn eve.
"Now," she exhaled, smirking in a playful manner. "Tell me—what do I need to do for you to stay by my side?"
A brief interlude before she pulled her close, lips brushing against the chevalier's ear.
"Take me away from here, my love."
Shiho simply smiled as she loosely pushed her away, as if she has not said anything so tempting for Saki to do for her on that very second, on that fateful night.
"For now, let's start from escaping this ball together, alright?"
The chevalier soon sighed in defeat.
"As you wish, Hinomori-sama."
The next day, there a prince from a foreign land stood, outside a ballroom that soaked his heart in utter impatience.
The building seemed so empty, even if the countless royal guards stood before the doors and the gates while his family sat idly beneath his sight. Even as the pastor awaited the presence of this young man's would-be fiancée, it felt so silent, so quiet without that princess to stand by him on this very altar.
Though, he merely wanted her for a reason nothing more than a greedily selfish desire. A disgusting, foul deed, an awful wish locked deep inside of his cold, freezing heart. That face of love he showed before her on the last night's ball was no more than a revolting facade, one made to deceive her and make her fall into his arms like a butterfly trapped in a spider's web.
But of course, someone as great as her wouldn't fall for such a foolish trick.
So on that very day, the prince waited, waited, and waited, along with the pastor who stood by his side as minutes turned to hours. As the sun continues to rise, she, along with a certain knight from the neighboring kingdom, has not appeared before his eyes, nor did they reveal their presence as of now.
Until someone barged into the room to utter a few words.
"Your Highness," a young knight ran to his side so to accompany his once lonely being. "Your bride... Hinomori-sama... she–"
"What happened?"
"She ran away!"
Just now, it felt like a large rock just dropped inside of his stomach as he heard those words he never wanted to hear. Never did he wish for that princess to run away from his grasp, even if she was but a mere lady for him to 'love' until their lives wilt into the ticking of the clock. That selfish greed soon bloomed into anger, teeth gritting roughly as he stepped down from the alter with sheer fury.
"Search for her," he commanded, his voice heaved with wrath. "Now!"
As the group of knights and elite royal guards soon scrambled to run towards that other kingdom's castle, he stood still in desperation before running alongside them. The rage that burned so brightly in his aching heart didn't cease to stop, consuming his being in the flames of exasperation.
And even as he reached her room and revealed whatever was under her covers, he found absolute emptiness. No one laid themselves there, nor did they rest on that large, fluffy mattress.
Only a yellowish rose, a golden blossom placed upon the bed.
Meanwhile, beneath the shadows of a town far away from the kingdom's hold, deep in the depths of the abandoned city's streets, a knight sat idly by her dear princess's side, holding her slumbering body as if there was nothing else for her to cherish. While the younger's form faintly heaved itself up and down with each and every breath she took, a hand soon came to stroke the silvery strands beneath the dust of the wilting leaves.
Letting Shiho sleep in her arms in such a manner wasn't an unfamiliar doing for her, after all.
Being the escort of such a fine, wonderful princess that the land adored and loved, she would witness that certain young lady grow tired of the commotions of the crowd. No matter where it came from, whether it was from those who chatter about her being from time to time or anything else, she'd come to rest upon Saki's form every now and then.
Snuggling into her arms before ending up sleeping on her shoulder or lap, even as the sun rises, alerting the two of them of their royal duties. Selfishly wishing for the two of them to have a night for their own so to endlessly waltz beneath the sea of stars, or maybe a mere afternoon where they could indulge themselves in a session of devouring sweets before one another in an unfabricated warmth.
As if that isn't what lovers do.
Now, there they were, wrapping their arms around each other's bodies. A princess whose rest remained undisturbed, and her escort whose breaths grew even more unsteady with each second that ticked.
She was afraid.
She didn't want anyone to see them like this.
Running away from a royal family member's wedding, selfishly hiding a noble being away from the eyes of those who nosily witnessed each and every act of hers, just to have this Hinomori Shiho all for herself. Almost like devouring a forbidden fruit, sucking every last drop of its juice until it grows dry along with her wilting existence.
How her life is now put on the line, just for fulfilling her and Shiho's selfish desire to live a life together, away from the eyes of whoever had witnessed their lives back then. What an egoistic being was she, obeying Hinomori's last order uttered inside the castle before she was to take her away.
"Take me away from here, my love."
How foolish of her to do exactly so.
Sighing, she shifted in her seat, her dear princess's arms still clinging onto her, even as she moved. A calm, serene expression bloomed on the face of the young lady, alongside a small smile that blossomed so beautifully beneath Saki's gaze. A sight only for her to treasure, never to be seen by those whom had accompanied her for years on end.
As if she was thankful for her hard work, her efforts of escaping the castle with the restless princess that slept in her arms turning into a fruitful moment for them to cherish.
All of a sudden, the girl woke up, hands weakly pushing away from her escort's body as she looked up to those baggy eyes of the blonde's features. The black hat that covered her grayish bangs still remained on top of her, almost like it was a form of protection that only Saki had done to her before.
Even if it was a mere piece of cloth that lumped itself over her head as she slept, she was grateful for that.
"Ah," she sat up, her head moving to lean onto the other's shoulder. "Good.. morning."
"Ah, Hinomori-sama!"
"... Where are we, Saki?"
"I don't know where we are exactly, but," Saki exclaimed, gleefully smiling as if her entire body wasn't about to collapse if only she didn't have to put up with this act. "I helped you escape the ball and that's what matters, right?"
Shiho's soul nearly left her body at the sound of that. The mere delusion of how she is now free from those who restricted her of her freedom back then was now gone, or at the very least, vanquished from her hold. Even the sole thought of Saki's so-called selfish act of stealing her away from that damned castle was such a glorious, wonderful, finely-crafted illusion that was weaved out of the fantasies that dwelled on the depths of her mind.
A small smile tainted her face as she chuckled.
"I see how it is. That's quite admirable of you."
"Hehe, thanks a lot!"
The knight's giggle broke out of her lips, a sense of pride soon whelming her heart. It's been a while since she had last heard Shiho being so proud of her for doing something with such a huge risk of being caught like this. With how happy she's feeling now, her heart could explode from the joy that circulated within. Like a dog whose tail wagged with excitement, her eyes sparkled with glee.
A small fire was lit inside her heart, one that made her feel warmth. Unlike the flames of hatred that burned so brightly on the other side of her being, the hatred and despise that was purely served for the greedy man that was supposedly taking Shiho away from a kingdom she once called home.
Regardless, what mattered the most that day was her dear princess's happiness and safety, so she was happy nonetheless. As long as no one would lay their uncaring eyes upon the two who ran away with such an egoistic heart so to escape from the hellish gates of the kingdom, she'd be safe, and she'd be happy, too.
One step closer to true happiness.
"It's nothing," the princess's voice reached her, bringing her out of her train of thoughts. "I never thought you'd actually do all of this for me, though..."
"I had fun carrying you all the way here, anyway, so don't worry! It's not like you're burdening me with these matters or anything~."
"You carried me... all the way here?"
"Of course!" Saki raised her voice with overwhelming pride, lightly hitting her own chest in a high-and-mighty manner. "I carried you here with the sheer power of my strength! Crossing the seven seas and climbing a thousand mountains... I did all of that for you, Hinomori-sama!"
"... And now, you sound like your brother. Also, no need to put up with that white lie."
Flicking her finger on the side of the chevalier's head, she sighed, a loving smile on the curve of her lips.
"Don't call me that, too. It's just the two of us here, so if you suddenly feel like calling me 'Shiho-chan' or the likes of that, don't refrain yourself from doing so, alright?"
"Shiho-chan–?"
"Just like that," she cooed, patting the strands of blonde as she let the chevalier's hat settle on top of her head once again. "I'm surprised you can do it right away. Good."
"That's not what I meant while doing that~. In the end, I'll still call you Hinomori-sama, after all, so there's no use in teaching me that."
Chuckling, the knight smiled, leaning to her beloved's side as she quickly stood up. A hand extended to Shiho's side, a pair of eyes that harbored a brilliant shade of pink gazing down upon her form. Above the girl whose body was hugged by the white fabric of her dress was a chevalier in black, her hand reaching out to the once sleeping princess whose hand soon held hers.
"So, shall we continue our grand escape?"
The small laugh that came out of Saki's lips was more than enough for Shiho's little heart to handle. One that shook the core of her being, one that gave her the will to run away.
"Of course."
For a happy ending with her dear knight.
That hand, which was held out to her just a few moments ago, was now pulling her up. Finers intertwined with hers, the girl's entire body heaved forward along with the force that thrusted her legs to start running with the sprouting energy inside her form. As if she was but a child, playing with someone of her age, chasing them down in a game of tag. Almost like she was thrown back into the world filled into the brim with her childhood memories.
If only they could stay in those moments forever, she thought, Saki's joyful giggles bringing her back to those delightful times.
But of course, as mere human beings, one must grow and face the world. To challenge the faces of fate and to defy their existence. To obey or rebel against its orders is what she and Saki was obliged to do.
And so, she ran away, eyelids fluttering as the knight's laugh embraced her being. Those pair of arms that had once held her so firmly beneath the clear skies was now supporting her form once again, her feet swept off of the ground as the older's arms carried her across the small town. Witnessing the fragments of dust that flew everywhere as Saki continued to advance towards the bright future they have always desired, she simply giggled along, grasping the clothes that hugged the chevalier's waist.
Never had she ever thought of running away with her dearest like this.
Regardless, it's better for her to do so than to stay in a foreign kingdom with a man from an unknown land. One that would seal her of any chance to meet Saki for the rest of their lives, even if they wilt into the ground as their existence starts its erosion. Anything would be better than that.
Although, Saki didn't seem to think of anything that day. Absentmindedly running through countless plains until they reach a place to safely reside, the girl continued her journey throughout the land.
After all, if it wasn't for the princess's orders, she wouldn't have been able to taste the freedom of a careless voyage across this endless world.
That was, before an arrow shot through the air around them, alerting the two of another's presence.
"You there!"
A heavy, wrath-filled voice rang through the air, the silhouette of whoever owned that piercing shout standing so tall under the rays of the dawning sun. The tip of his blade gleaming with the shining light from above, pointed at the forms of the knight and the princess. A small crowd gathered around him, armed with swords and bows with the intention of capturing the chevalier and ridding themselves of the nuisance that had been following them for so long.
That damned knight who selfishly agreed upon the princess's order to take her away.
"Get down and surrender, you scoundrel!"
His voice rang through the air once again, alerting the two of his rage. After all, to rid of whoever defied himself was what he had obliged for himself, be it a knight who wanted nothing more than happiness for her beloved or the princess whom he was supposed to have all for himself. For those whom had heard of countless rumors regarding this man, one could assume that whoever shall try to oppose his words shall end up by the edge of his blade.
Is this really the end of the road for them?
Sighing, Shiho let herself settle on the dusty stone path, fingers grasping the fabric that wrapped around her dearest's arm. A gulp of hesitation, followed by a glare of sheer despair, shot through the dusty atmosphere on that very day.
Meanwhile, there the chevalier stood, an arm loosely wrapping around the girl's waist. Lips clenching shut before she uttered a few words for that terrible man, she gritted her teeth, as if challenging him for a session so to spar with her.
"Hmph," she chided, mischievously glancing at the prince from afar as she pulled Shiho close to her. "As if you aren't a scoundrel yourself."
"Silence! You'll regret saying that soon–!"
A rustle as Saki caught a glimpse on them from over her shoulders, but not before he had readied his sword on his hands. A short, yet piercing shout echoed in her ears once again, the sounds of arrows raining down on their forms. And yet, the younger one of the two remained unharmed, the chevalier's protective arms shielding her from every last one of the arrows that shot themselves from above. As if the two of them were waltzing by the blink of an eye, her blade hitting the arrows lightly by their edges.
"This... is getting quite interesting," she murmured, letting her arms embrace her dear princess's body. "I might as well indulge. It's no fun if it's only some stupid one-man show of some sort, right?"
With an arm holding Shiho close while her once free hand grasped her own weapon, the sounds of blades clashing soon ringing in the atmosphere. The teasing laugh of the knight and the angry sighs of the prince came forth, causing Shiho's breathing to escalate as she struggled to remain calm.
Snickering, the blonde lady's eyes cast themselves upon her dearest's face. Her smile that faded into a scowl, her pupils clouded in worry, her aching heart shook so greatly so to evoke a deep sense of concern. All of this must be so exhausting for her who only wished for an escape to freedom and glee, now held back by the borders of what appeared to be a doomed ending of their voyage.
She didn't want their blooming love story to end miserably with a despairing tale.
She promised her happiness, and now's the time to make it come true.
Nothing else but freedom and joy clouded their childish minds. No matter how many years they've grown, their hearts remained eternally young and eager. Whoever has the temerity to hold them back shall face whatever Saki would do. Be it a prince or maybe even someone as great as a king, they'd end up tossed away in a pile of their burning memories, a past that they'll never want to return to.
At least, that's what Saki would do for her.
Hinomori Shiho, the almighty princess that she'd continue to serve until death, is what her entire life has come to revolve around. If she ever vanishes frok Saki's grasp, then what is the meaning of having to continue a miserable life without her beloved princess to accompany her until the world turns to ruins?
In other words, Shiho's life mattered to her the most.
And so, as she thrusted her blade so to weaken the man's hold, she held the younger's form close to hers so to whisper in her ear.
"Run, Hinomori-sama. Let me take care of this mess for you."
The clouds of dust that wafted themselves amongst the air blinded anyone who dares to open their eyes to lay their gaze upon the clashing of the chevalier and the young man's blades. Faint footsteps faded into oblivion, leaving Saki alone on the field of battle. Only the prince was there to accompany her, his sword falling onto the ground they stood on. Those knights from earlie, that had accompanied him all the way was now gone, vanishing into wherever they shall go.
Once he opened his eyes, however, a sharp edge met his gaze.
"You," a voice said from above, the owner's shoe mercilessly stepping onto his head with no restrain. "What made you think that she'll fall into that sick trap of yours, Your Highness?"
Coughing, he wiped the sweat from his brow, hands still supporting his body as he breathed. Too scared to look up into the eyes of the young knight whose voice and form now harbored the strength of an almighty grand chevalier, he gulped, careful not to swallow the fragments of dust that seeped into his mouth as he choked.
Meanwhile, behind a gap that was surrounded by a pair of buildings' outer walls, the princess held her breath still, gazing upon her dear knight whose blade was pointed at that greedy prince. A pair of rosy eyes she harbored turned into that of a terrifying stare, looking into the weakened form of the bloodied young man.
He wasn't dead yet, but with Saki threatening him like this, he knew he was finished.
But of course, such a hot-headed being would lie his way back to get up and vanquish Saki from her hold instead, so he quickly spat out foolishly terrible words that could be deemed as nothing close to a truthful statement.
"Silence, fool. You don't know anything about it, so it's better to keep your mouth shut."
"Hm? What's that? I hear another putrid lie."
"That princess... she already agreed to this. You... shouldn't be taking away happiness from a noble prince like m–"
The heel of the shoe above his head suddenly felt even heavier, the knight pressuring even more of her weight onto the lowly young man's form. How dare he deem himself as someone 'noble' who deserved joy, when all he did was to simply agree to a contract that binded both him and Shiho together. Not showing any form of love whatsoever, just to expect her to give him back.
Such a lowly life form.
Saki never wanted to see his face again.
This time would be the first and last time she'd have to look at this man's features, from this day onwards.
But of course, despite being someone who harbored hatred for this lad, she'd rather spare him in exchange of freedom.
And so, she held his head up by his hair, crouching as she stared into the man's gaze.
"Now, now," she chuckled, a hand over her chin as she spoke. "Enough with that sick nonsense of yours."
"You–!"
"Here, let's compromise. I'll spare you, but you have to leave us alone, got it?"
"Or else what?" he spat out, trying his very best to break free of her hold. "It's not like I'm supposed to obey your stupid words, right?"
"Unless you want your life to end right here and right now, I'm only giving you that," she chided, mischievously laughing at the man underneath her shoe. "So, what do you say?"
Sighing, he bowed down, nodding.
"Fine, then. Do as you please."
"Sounds great to me," Saki giggled, leaving her sword on the cobblestone path. "Well then, as a fair exchange, I dropped my weaponry so I won't do anything to you anymore! Quite fair, right?"
Silence.
Shrugging, the knight walked away, turning her back to face the prince as she proudly trotted forward. Now that everything has been solved, she'll come back to Shiho with all the pride in her being. Bragging about such an act that made the boy surrender to her in minutes, she's sure that she'll be happy to hear it, even beneath her mask of outward coldness that she emitted, even to her dearest knight. As if proving herself worthy for the princess to love her.
Or so she thought.
A noise came from behind her. Someone was moving. The sound of an iron blade brushing against the ground reached her ears, loud footsteps coming closer and closer.
Someone was running towards her with a sword.
For whatever reason, she froze in her steps.
Why can't her legs move? Is this some sort of punishment given from whoever ruled the heavens for defying such a foolish man's words? If even God is by his side, then what else could the young lady do besides to accept her fate and die in a pool of her own blood, leaving Shiho to live by herself, alone in this miserable world?
She didn't want that to happen. But of course, despite being such a great, mighty knight, she was too afraid to even move a muscle. Maybe she wasn't afraid. It was her body that was restricted of motion.
Gulping, she turned around, seeing someone she'd expected to see.
The prince was now back in his fit state, holding his own sword as he swung it closer to Saki's form. Whether if it was to stab her or to injure her neck, she was afraid. Horrified. Betrayed, even.
For someone the people saw as a noble being, he was quite devilish. Countless lies he had weaved of his own tongue, deceiving even someone as godly as a celestial being so to help him find whatever he seeks. Gold, glory, and every remaining object that this world holds would soon belong to him with his terribly putrid lies.
And that includes Saki's life.
As the blade swung itself right before her eyes, she snapped out of her trance, trying her best to evade and hold out each and every move he made. Soon enough, if she kept holding it back with her forearms, they'd make her bleed to death somehow. A slow, painful act that would slowly lead her into an endless abyss of pure despair.
So, what better way is there than to give up and let that iron blade pierce her heart?
Right after she thought of such hopeless deed, a knock on her chin soon blew her into a state of weakness, the sword now pointed at her, rising and rising with every remaining second of her life. Preparing for the most agonizing blow that she'll ever experience and witness for the final moments of her life, she looked up, seeing the prince's gleaming eyes staring down into hers as he raised the handle of his weapon.
"Ah," he laughed, grinning a crooked smile that dyed his face in all of its horrid features. "How the tables have tur–"
Stab.
A deep pain dyed his chest in crimson, a sword of steel piercing his body as he felt it thrust even more into his bloodied form. Drops of blood soon dyed his hand as he dropped his own blade, coughing, letting his hand cover his mouth as the gloves that covered it grew redder and redder with each drop.
Someone was there to save Saki, and she was sure of who they might be.
A young lady whose face was covered in the silhouette of a large cape, her white dress nearly hidden away from her gaze. Sharp, green eyes that would scare away even the most frightening of beasts pierced into both her and the man's gaze. Silvery hair shining beneath the faint sunlight, she could see the cloaked being grit her teeth, a smile soon coming forth from her darkened features.
"Now, who's the one to surrender?"
That familiar voice.
That cloaked being was, indeed, her dear princess, Hinomori Shiho. Someone she loved dearly now came to rescue her from such a situation. A gamble between life and death was won by the knight, leaving the miserable young man to die before both her and the one he 'loved'.
"You... You–! Hinomori, I thought–"
"You thought that I'd be the one to save you?" she teased, pulling the sword out of him as she looked down at his collapsed form. "If you thought that, you're absolutely incorrect."
"What... do you mean?"
"You... You forced me to be the one to agree to that stupid contract that day. To marry such a foolish animal like you and to reach happiness together... That's what you promised me, right?"
"Shut it!" he suddenly yelled, the aching sensation soon coming back to his chest. "I didn't do any of that!"
"Liar," she argued, lightly kicking his back. "What a terrible liar you are. Defying the truth for the sake of your selfish deeds just to end up like this... How pitiful."
The man continued to revel in a state of agony, his body weakening as his mouth dried itself and sealed his tongue of uttering any words. No matter how hard he tried to get himself back together, just to say a word or two to what seemed like a sinful pair of a mere paladin and a runaway bride, maybe even curse them for the rest of their remaining lives, he couldn't. Even as he countlessly attempted to wipe the blood off of himself, his white gloves dyed themselves in deeper shades of red, more and more.
It really was the end of him, thanks to the fiend and the lady he once loved.
As he breathed his last, the couple gazed into each other's eyes, albeit a certain lack of warmth in their stare.
Were they really the ones in wrong?
Even the death of that foul tyrant shook their hearts, little by little. Was it way, way too selfish of them to end his life, even if he'd do the same to both the knight and the young lady if they didn't do it to him? Was it something they were supposed to feel sinful of?
That strange feeling continued to dwell in their little beings, as if being watched by the eyes of whoever resides among the heavens. Shiho, whose hands was stained in red, bloodied from the crimson that emerged itself out of the man's dying form, gulped.
Perhaps the one in wrong was her all along?
Perhaps she was the one to selfishly commit sin out of wrath, rather than he, who waltzed with his own lust and pride?
Her hands trembled, eyes staring down into the pool of blood before her. That feeling inside her was far different from regret. Guilt. Only guilt. As if sorry for what she had done, though knowing of the fact that she and Saki will move on from this day.
Regardless of what she has committed, whether it could be deemed as a sin too heavy to be weighed by the other's greediness in itself, the chevalier, whom had been rescued by her in salvation, soon held her hand. Black gloves meeting her white cuffs, stained in deep red that continued to drop onto their heels, a pair of lips soon landed on the younger's fingers, that certain shade of light pink now dyed in scarlet.
Kneeling was the knight before her before she felt her leather-covered arms wrapping her body, pulling her into another embrace yet again. A mere gesture so to thank the princess from saving her while also calming her down from that guilty state of mind.
"Now, now," she patted her dearest's back, lightly smiling. "Don't feel too bad about that. After all, if only you didn't do that earlier, our beautiful little love story would soon come to an end."
"You... have a point, but... isn't this–"
"Hush," a finger placed itself on her lips. "It's not that much of a terrible deed if someone else was to do the same thing for us. I'd be willing to commit anything for you, anyway, Hinomori-sama."
A brief interlude came to soak the air, before she pulled away from the embrace, eyes still longingly gazing into Shiho's face.
"If letting you escape from that castle was some awful act, then I'll gladly become one to commit it. Weren't you willing to do the same for me?"
"After all, you've saved me by doing... that."
"So, we're not so different from each other now, aren't we?"
Such sentences made their ways out of Saki's mouth, as if tempting her to escape further and lead her into a place where she would no longer feel such emotions. No more regret for whatever she and Saki had done, and no more guilt for whatever the prince had to go through.
An dreamy wonderland where she could live with Saki, happily ever after.
Far away from everyone else that'll make her feel this way towards themselves.
As if falling into an abyss of the chevalier's words, she nodded, letting her gloved hand invite her into their timeless dream that will soon come true. A vision of freedom and rebellion, one that would blind them of sadness and despair. Only joy, happiness, and nothing else.
"Saki," she sighed out, nodding. "If that's what you say, then... I guess it's alright for us to be selfish once in a while."
"See? I knew you'd understand," the knight laughed, her inviting hand moving a little so to appease the princess's sight. "So, what do you say? Shall we continue our grand escape once again?"
Seeing the expression on her beloved's face, Shiho nodded, accepting the other's hold on her fingers.
"Of course, my knight. Take me away from here, will you?"
"As you wish, my dear. If it is what pleases you, then I shall do just that."
Even if this wasn't the happy end they had expected, may whoever weaves the strings of fate let them continue their journey until the last page of their tale.
After all, it's not wrong to let your selfishness overcome your heart once in a while, is it?