Chapter 9

Shiro breathed heavily, his sword dripping with blood. The scent of smoke caught his nose from the distance. And the night sky was illuminated with an eyrie glow from the flames engulfing the western side of the palace. Glancing over the gruesome bodies of fallen soldiers and guards, the battle was surely tougher than most the king's soldiers lacked the will to kill, and in situations like this it was kill or be killed…

And yet shiro felt uneasy at the sight of it. unlike before, the carcasses of his enemies had faces.

Shiro tresses down the hall, dragging his sword along the ground and panting. Screams of men and women alike fill the air but he sees no living soul near him, carrying down the bloodstained corridor he searches for other souls, be they ally of foe. Desperately looking for someone undefeated by his actions, hoping there was an unharmed soul amongst the dead

"Face me!" an angered voice calls from behind. He turns to see prince Souma, eyes full of rage arms bloodied from the battle. He pants heavily limping toward shiro.

"No!" Shiro shouts, tossing his sword to the ground. " I won't kill you.''

But his efforts are to no avail, a blade pirces through the princes back.

"No!" He screams as Kuro drops soumas lifeless body to the ground,

"Don't fret over small fish like him Shiro," Kuro says, "he would have killed you anyway"

Kuro hears voices echoing from the room to his right and like an animal on the hunt he dashes in, hungry for blood. Shiro dashes in after him

"Help…"the faint voice of the king echoes through the room His figure bloodied, his form weak, barely holding on

"A beautiful sight isn't it master kuro?" the soulless voice of watanabe draws his attention. He smiles eyes lacking any emotion, dead eyes like a shark. " such beautiful chaos"

"I wholeheartedly agree my friend" Kuro says approaching

"Please…" the king says with his eyes pleading "please, help... her... Shiro"

He barely manages to finish his sentence before his eyes grow dim, the life having left them.

Watanabe laughs with glee at the sight. Shiro spins leaving the room and continuing to the end of the hall where the princess stands glancing around. Upon spotting him she runs to him smiling

"Shiro! Hello brother. What's wrong you look like you've seen a ghost? Have you seen my father?" He stares deeply into her eyes but her smile only fuels his despair.

Behind her a hand grasps her by the neck, holding her small body into the air. Her moon dust eyes filled with shock and fear."shiro…" she gasps, eyes begging for help.

"Now now , leave some of the fun for me" kuro says. He watches the light nearly leave her eyes before dropping her small body to the ground. She coughs grasping her neck.

"Don't kill me…" she pleads

Kuro kneels tilting her chin to face him "I won't. Not yet anyway, we still have some fun to be had"

"Kuro, stop this!" Shiro says.

Kuro stands tilting his head " but Shiro, we are the same. This plot was you're, these fallen men are dead by your sword, and the princess…" Kuro circles behind her with a vicious chuckle "you yourself sealed her fate"

Shiro awakes suddenly. As he searches for Tsuki, he suddenly remembers letting princess Misa take him with her for the evening. He reaches for the pitcher of water at the side of his table, drinking the glass down with a gulp.

He lays back down exaggerated, his long hair curling around the pillow. With his left hand he grips the sheets. Desperately he tries to fall back asleep to no avail. He gives up and sits back up sighing.

Shiro gets out of bed and puts a robe on. He steps into the chilly night air going for a walk, His mind calculating the assets of the palace as he passes them. He stares at the moon, from the hilltop the palace sits on it looks larger than he had ever seen it. It reminds him of the princesses eyes. He runs his fingers through his hair. Shiro can't make sense of the feelings and dreams he's had. But now was not the time to be distracted.

"Shiro?"He jumps at the voice behind him, it is prince Souma. "Can't sleep?" He asks

Shiro nods "something like that" he says

"I think i know why," Souma responds

"Oh really?" Shiro says disbelieving

"It's my sister, you can't stop thinking of her, am I right?" Souma says

"N-no!" Shiro shouts with a stutter

Souma puts his hand on Shiro's shoulder "there's nothing wrong with falling in love, i know you're worried about you're prince but-"

"It's not that!" Shiro inurupts "I- that's just not how i feel…"he says

Souma sighs "if you keep telling yourself that now, there may not be time to change your mind later. Regret is a bitter feeling"

"I don't have any feelings, if anything she's the one who keeps bothering me." Shiro says, unconvinced by his own words.

Souma nods. "I understand, my mistake." He frowns and walks away

As the sunrises in the sky, Kuro stretches as he wakes. Checking his reflection and examining his face with admiration. He carefully selects a robe that will match his impressive looks. And after fully preparing himself, he saunters to the princesses room. She comes out the door as he reaches her room.

"Subarashii? You're awake early" she says

He approaches pressing her back against the door "what better way to start the day than looking at a pretty face ?"

Somehow she was sure he meant his own face, not hers.Misa casually pushes him away "how about we take a walk?" She asks

Kuro nods "sounds good to me." He says in reply.

"One moment." misa says. opening her door, she calls to tsuki who flies to her " i have to return tsuki to shiro," misa starts down the hall, Kuro following after her

"I can't believe he left you with that thing" kuro groans.

"Well i might have pressured him a bit"she says gliding her finger over the grand birds glowing feathers "but who can blame me , he's such a handsome boy!"

Kuro felt a tinge of jealousy at the praise the bird received from the princess "I don't much care animals he grumbles"

"Why not?" Misa asks

"Well, why do you like them?" Kuro says, clearly displeased with the topic.

She stares into Tsukis eyes and smiles "relationships with animals are one of love , of exclusive devotion, and their love is never clouded by useless emotions like greed, jealousy or pride." Tsuki presses his head into her hand.

Kuro had never had a real emotional relationship, human or otherwise. This fact did not bother him, but it was one topic he was completely clueless on. He cares for himself and he has never needed anyone else. Yet the idea of caring for someone and to have them feel the same… it was intriguing. He wanted misa, because he deemed her perfect? Perhaps, but he hadn't considered the possibility of a mutual relationship till now. He tries to imagine what it would be like to own her heart, to want each other equally. It was something he didn't even begin to know how to do, but kuro was always up for a challenge.

When they reach Shiro's room he is sitting outside on the ground staring at the sky. Misa runs to him, tsuki in arm "shiro!" She calls. "I wanted to return tsuki to you"

He stands and whistles for tsuki to return to him. Kuro watches as both of them smile and converse with each other politely, growing more and more angry. The ability to connect with people was a talent that Shiro possessed, even when he ignored it. Kuro hated the thought of shiro being better at something than him, especially something so trivial. In kuros mind he was the best in everything, he deserved to be the best at this too.

When Misa returned to Kuro she smiled, but the smile clearly was not for him. "Shall we go on our walk now?" She says. Frustrated, Kuro grabs her wrist and yanks her along. She Keeps up the best she can, not saying anything, not fighting his grip. Eventually it's too much and she trips.

"Get up!" He shouts, causing her to flinch. As tears well in her eyes he can see that he has only made things worse.

"S-sorry i didn't mean to….."she clenches her fist against her chest, trembling in fear. Kuro grabs a nearby vase and tosses in the yard. He was a brilliant mind, and yet he couldn't see how to connect with her. "P-prince subarashii, I'm sorry whatever I did to make you mad …. didn't mean to." She cries

Kuro grasps her wrist "stop calling me that!" He shouts

"I-"

Angrily he presses his lips against hers, she doesn't pull away. Yet he can tell she wants too. Kuro grips misas throat, pushing her away. There is nothing but fear and confusion in her teary expression. He had seen the look many times before, from men and women alike. It never bothered him till now, because this time he didn't want it, he had planted his seed and now he watched as his consequence of his actions ripened.

"I don't care!" He shouts to nobody in particular. He repeated in his head. He was above caring what she thought. He didn't need her permission to have her. He didn't need her love to love himself. He stands laughing, misa more confused than ever. "I don't think I can go for a walk today, " he says confidence returned. "I'm going out alone, i'll see you tomorrow" and with that kuro heads back to the black and white legions camp, ready to make his final preparations for the siege.