Chapter Text
While you sleep, dream of me. I will be keeping all those memories, hidden deeply in my heart. No one can take away those moments we shared, no one can take away the memories of you beneath my body, your shivering body, your gasps and how sweet your voice sounded as you called out my name, over and over again.
Throughout the night you whispered softly to me “Take me away, free me from here. My prince, carry me to a better life.”
In your eyes I saw how strongly you believed that I was a prince, how you were lost in your own world, believing any word I uttered. And how stupid I was for trying to give you the world. But you know my lovely princess, I would say those words over and over again, if it meant that you would become mine.
So it was no wonder, that as I saw how you longed to flee from that gold cage they made for you. How perfect it all seemed to be, but how broken it actually was – it was all hidden so perfectly. Except, they never would have guessed, that their prize, their lovely princess would try to break free.
The princess … was never as naïve as they thought she was. Silly how they just declared her to be the new Rika, how quickly they obsessed over the little miss. How they never truly cared for who she actually was, how in the long run, she even forgot about who she actually was.
But the princess waited patiently, she waited and waited in the dark castle filled with lies and dark, twisted love.
Everyone in the organization, that she thought of as her friend … in the end turned out to be the one who controlled her and molded her to their liking.
The innocent Yoosung Kim, who tried so many times to change her into Rika, who was blind to see the person who she was, who tried to dye her hair, make her wear contacts and who never let her talk to other guys out of the RFA. The lovely Jaehee, who always wanted a friend that would understand, found someone she could vent to, a doll that never spoke back, someone who would only listen and nod and here and there give words of encouragement. But did she ever try to listen to the pleas of the small princess? Of course not, there never was time for that. So the princess shut herself down, she was merely a puppet. How about Zen? He loved how she only smiled and encouraged him, he loved how she would nod at his narcissism and how easily he could take her at any moment, she could hardly say no to someone as handsome as him, right?
Then Jumin Han, who took every opportunity he could to have her near him and the perfect plan was, to make him her home assistant, to insure that she was there where he could see her. He was lucky, for there were still small glimpses of her true self there, when he fell for her. Out of all of them, he saw the most of who she was. That smile she gave him was true, the words she spoke to him, how she believed in him and all those tasks she did, she did them because strangely enough, there she felt safe. Even if he was completely obsessed with her and even if he was so scared to lose her, she felt safe in his arms. Strangely enough she grew to love him.
But this story is not a story about them, so you might have guessed, something in Jumin snapped and he changed. His gentle gaze turned to a crazed one, his soft kisses grew to be hungry and rough kisses, those careful touches; that she loved so much, were now exchanged for bruises on her delicate body. It was only to discipline her, it was to keep her close. He trained her, he made her learn new things, he made her look a certain way, behave properly and like a wonderful lady, while also whimper beneath his touch and be his personal slave.
Well, dear ol’ 707 did nothing, he felt as if she was safer with all that abuse, he soon helped his friends out. He thought that she was brought to them for that reason alone, to be used by them, to give them some sort of comfort and well, since she never complained to anyone, she probably liked it, no?
Therefore it is no wonder that they decided to share her. But on the condition that she would remain in, well in a cage. It was for her safety, she was safe behind that big golden cage that resembled a bird’s cage, it was intricate with its golden details of flowers and birds, but the most beautiful creation remained locked behind bars.
And she believed, that they loved her, somewhere inside of them, they would know, they had to know, and that it was wrong what they did to her.
With time all of them grew to be more and more violent, they did not hurt her with just words, but with their hands, whips, what they could find. They stopped when it was too much, they held her close when she started to shed tears.
After a while the small bird, stopped to sing. She was only a shadow of her former self. She was always dressed beautifully, seated amongst the loveliest things money could buy. A wonderful doll she became to be.
She still smiled, even if her eyes were dead, she still smiled. But they liked her that way, she was safe and she was theirs.
At nights, when no one saw her, when they all left her to rest up, she couldn’t sleep. It was at those times, all of her came alive and started to gasp for air, she felt how all the pain she swallowed was hurting in her chest, how the weight sat deep in her tummy, how it burned to breathe and how she couldn’t even scream out. How she hated herself for what she became was something she never wanted to be. But it was too late for her, she would probably perish by the hand of one of them. Maybe then she would find peace.
Not one member knew of her grief, if they did, she was sure that they would hurt her and restrict her even more. Well, one was quite aware of what she was going through, and even if it did remind him of his childhood, he thought that she is at least…safe. Right?
She will never be safe. Not if she is to stay in a cage.
But ladies and gentleman, here comes the hero, the one who will save our princess.
She is a damsel in distress and I am the who will save her and punish everyone that made her go through so much anguish.
The night is still, not a mouse can be heard in this big estate, ah! You might ask, but where is the princess? You see, she was hidden in a castle. What a silly idea? Well a princess deserves a castle, doesn’t she, a castle where the golden cage wouldn’t look that out of place. The castle was safely hidden in the woods in the same woods where my hideout was. The one place I call home.
It took me quite a while to be able to go through the security they put up, but well I am no fool. There was a flaw in the system, so small and unnoticeable that it made everything possible. Climbing over the gates, opening the gates, while the cameras were frozen, and through the hall and just a few steps there was the huge cage and in the back, hidden with flowers and pillows were you, awake, simply staring at me. You truly looked perfect, your long silky hair, cascading like waves, your complexion was pale, your lips were rose red, but your eyes were far too dead. But I would soon change that.
With a simple pin I opened your cage and walked towards you, your eyes started to look more alive then. I crouched down and looked you in the eyes. “Princess, I am sorry that it took me such a long while to come and save you.”
You blinked a few times and in all those months of confinement and not speaking for such a long while all you could muster with your soft voice was: “Thank you.”
I stretched out my hand in a sign for you to lay yours on top of it. “Come, we must go.” But you wouldn’t move, you didn’t do anything.
Then you simply pulled up your dress, showing me your legs, which were wrapped in bandages.
“Broken.” You uttered.
Hate, hate, so much hate was burning inside of me. I was clenching my jaw, there was no way I could carry you over the gate. There was no way, you would be able to make it.
Not today.
Not … today.
I sank to the ground and held my head, I planned it all, how I would save you, and how you would be free. But never could I have guessed that they would literally break you! Then I felt how gently you put your hand on my head and as I looked up, I swear by all the gods humans believe in, your smile was astonishingly breathtaking. You smiled with such serenity and spoke.
“You will save me, won’t you, my prince?”
I vowed then at there that I would save you and if it was the last I would do.
But until your wounds healed, I would visit you and at those times you told me, your story.
One day, as I came by and as your complexion was healthier, your eyes shone brighter and as you welcomed me with such joy, I instantly melted, but as you called my name, I was about to break down.
“Sa-saeran! Today, I will share with you my secrets!” So I sat there next to you and you began to tell me how you were made. You explained that in the beginning, you were a small dying star, soon to find their end. But then a man came, a strange looking man, he called himself the wizard. He told you of these people who wished dearly to be saved, who wanted to be free, happy and joyful. But their wishes weren’t pure enough, so he couldn’t make them ALL happy. So he came with a request, he would save you and make you a mortal woman. Well you were maybe stronger that the average, but human nonetheless. So, what you would do – you would make them happy no matter what. If you belonged to one, so be it.
“Wait, but you didn’t gain anything so far. Or did you?”
At that you simply smiled and looked into the distance. “You see, stars can live for a very long while, we see many things but we don’t experience them, naturally I welcomed the offer. But the wizard promised me, if it was too much, someone would save me.”
Someone? Was that meant to be me?
As I pondered that question, I suddenly heard a car outside. Oh no, if I would be found, neither of us would live. As I looked to my princess she didn’t look scared or frightened, she looked strong and with that she grasped my hand and said,
“Go, flee from here, my darling knight so that you can come back and save me!” With her last words for the day, I leaned to her and kissed her forehead.
“Be safe, princess.”
I ran into the night, this can’t be the end. For our journey has only begun and I vowed to protect her. I jumped over the fence, ran through the woods and I ran and ran as fast as I could, for the only image keeping me alive was her face, her face as she smiled at me.
But as a figure appeared in front of me – a figure that could mean the end for us, I wasn’t so sure, I could keep my promise anymore.