1 The Scarlet Promise

For the longest I could remember, Mia had always been by my side. She was a noble's daughter, but to me, she was practically like a sister. Because of my red hair, I was always looked down upon, but she had never made me feel unwanted. My father had married an outsider and the families of insiders hated that.

The insiders are the noble families loyal to the celestial sun empire, Solsus. The outsiders include nobles and any other lower statuses that are foreign or loyal to the celestial moon empire, Amaya.

Mother had left her hometown in the attempt to escape the civil war between the kingdom of amethyst, Valedyn, and the kingdom of topaz, Zerium. She ran away and had found a beautiful empty home and later found out, it wasn't as empty as she thought. Someone else had come to relax infront of the flickering fireplace. The shadowy figure removed their dark cloak and layed down on the couch, letting out a sigh of relief from the taxing labor of a noble knight.

CRASH!!!

The mysterious figure swiftly teleported to the incident in the kitchen.

"What are you doing here?" the man asked.

Mother, looking at the emblem engraved in his armor, sensed her life in the hands of this man depended on her choice of words.

She replied honestly," I was taking shelter after fleeing from the massacre in Zerium. Please... please allow me to leave in peace. If you want," she slipped one side of her shoulder straps down," in exchange then-"

Seeing the fear trembling in her words and bloody scarred legs, he carried her to a misty room, lifting her into a porcelain bowl like a doll and called for a maid to tend to her.

"Leave by sunrise," he told her.

But pitying her, he had allowed her to stay and live there. Father was never a lady's man, so they did have unagreeable moments. But Mother always cared for him in return for his hospitality. Eventually they fell in love and had me.

It was normal for nobles to have at least one foreign nightstander to fulfill their desires.

However, it was unheard of a noble knight being betrothed and sharing rights of the nobles with a filthy outsider. Because of the unapprovals of the insiders, many assassins were sent to kill Mother.

Mother was only going to pick flowers in the nearby garden and Father went to surprise her with her favorite flower from her hometown.

They died that afternoon and I was hurriedly announced as heir through the authority of my uncle, Father's youngest foster brother, Lex. Lex was father's trustworthy apprentice and was five years older than me.

Lex and Mia would come everyday to talk to me about the old times with Mother and Father or ask how I was doing.

He was gentle and sweet, and she was kind and encouraging.

Soon I was of age to be married and I did not want to marry just any man I didn't know. The only man I had in mind was Lex.

Lex and I had been meeting in mother's garden often. And one morning, he came to ask me for my hand in marriage. I was troubled.

"Mia! Mia! Lex proposed to me," I said as I panicked in my chair.

"Such wonderful news!" Mia exclaimed with joy.

She had been braiding my hair.

"But, he's like a friend to me. And he's my uncle," I sighed.

"An uncle not by blood, but by oath. He's a good man and you don't dislike him. Why don't you consider him?" she asked," He seems to be the safest person who you can rely your life on. Don't forget that there are still insiders who believe you're not suitable as heir. Master Lex was the one who defended you and fought for your title. He can become your most strongest ally, in your heart and on the battlefield."

It was true. I didn't dislike him and he was always kind to me. He was a sweet man that held my heart lovingly, but I could not do the same.

"Because I- the one who I love is in front of me," I said embarrassed.

"Really..?" she asked in shock and stopped braiding midway.

I nodded my head.

She paused and held me in close.

"Then please understand that you're also very precious to me. The safest place for you is by Master Lex's side. I am a noble as well, but female noble marriages are not legalized in this country since we wouldn't be able to bare any children related to eachother."

Bloodline heirs are the strictest law in nobility enheritance. There were many rumors of the neighboring country fighting amongst heirs because of its polygamy or same sex marriages.

"I wouldn't mind! We can move to a different town. If you want an heir, you can have an heir from another relative or I can have an heir for you by another relative! Wouldn't that fix the loop?" I said in desperation.

"No, because then the law would give the other partner authority for bringing us heirs," she sighed.

"But what if we found two men who were in the same situation as us?" I asked.

"It's not that easy to find good honest men, Saiya," she said.

"Do you.. not want to be with me?" I asked.

"Saiya, of course I do. But I would rather you be alive than get hurt," and so she hugged me that night.

I accepted his offer.

She was right.

For any allegations, he would be able to stop it all.

And though I had loved Mia, my feelings started to waver with the gentle look in Lex's eyes. It hurt me to be rejected by Mia, but being with Lex was like melting into honey. As time flew and I spent less time with Mia, a love I never knew I had, began to blossom for him. Eventually, I never saw her again.

"Saiya, won't you spend the evening with me," his lovely voice beckoned me as he wrapped his arms around me.

My feelings for Mia had gone with spring.

"Yes, Lex," I said as I blushed.

It was Lex's birthday.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart. Tonight will have to wait for another day. Can you wait for me, dear?" he asked.

"Ah, but it's you who can't wait, now is it?" I teased him.

"The more you point it out, the more I won't be able to hang on," he chuckled, pulling onto the ribbons in my hair, kissing the delicate lace.

He was going to be busy with late night paperwork. So I decided I would surprise him with a visit and snacks I had been practicing baking.

"This way!" I heard voices shouting and thumping footsteps in the halls.

"Lady Saiya! You must run and hide! The rebels, they're after you!" Elice said pulling me away from my path.

Elice was my most beloved maidservant that had grown up with me since Mother and Father were alive.

"Then the safest place I will be is by Lex's side!" I hurried to Lex's study.

"No! Lady Saiya! You can't! It's best for you to come with me!" she desperately pulled my arm.

"Why? Lex is also a knight! He is more than capable of protecting me!" I frowned.

"That's not it! It's-" the young woman swallowed her words carefully, almost hesitating to answer," The rebels belong to Master Lex! Hurry we must go!" she pleaded.

"That- That can't be..."

In disbelief, I shrugged away from her grasp.

I was already right in front of Lex's door.

I could hear the noises of another... woman.

It couldn't..

"Lex," moaned the voice.

I panicked with uneasiness and opened the door.

The pit of my stomache grabbed my heart and sunk it in doubt.

"Mia?" I said confused.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Mia asked.

Mia and Lex had been kissing. She was sitting on Lex's lap.

My heart flopped and fluttered into the bottom of my belly.

"This is a misunderstanding right, Lex? Mia?"

I regretted opening the door. I couldn't believe I had said that. It was, what it was seen to be as.

That night, I had heard voices I had never heard before and saw faces I had never seen before.

Rain streamed down my face.

"I- I trusted you. I believed in you.." I fumbled backwards.

"I loved you. Didn't you love me? Oh, did you fall in love with Lex, like I did?" the words that came out only matched my insanity. The other part of me was screaming at myself...

"Are you stupid?" she asked rhetorically.

"I never loved you. You're the one who thought as you wanted. And are you sure about that? Did you really love Lex or was it all in your head too?"

"Lex, what's going on?" I asked him.

"You'll see," was all he said.

The thundering of the rainstorm woke me up. I ran towards where I had left Elice. She was lying in a muddy red puddle.

"There she is!" a man yelled out.

I jolted at the voices and ran into the garden.

It was a garden that Lex had given to me.

I had sat at the table, laughing and crying.

"Look! She's here! Hurry and break the door open! This is where she has been making her cursed potions. See! A witch! She's a witch. That cursed red hair. The cursed Red Haired witch! We should just burn her alive!"

"Are you a witch?" the official asked. It was a myriad of voices and whispers that asked all at once.

I couldn't speak. My heart and mind was shocked.

"Is this a weapon of your spells?" he asked.

It was a doll my mother had made for me, a black furry doll.

"Saiya, don't forget your little pup! He'll protect you always!" I heard Mom say.

"Mom..." I mumbled.

"It was a spell from your mother?" the voices asked.

"Saying I love you is like a magic spell! So whenever you tell me you love me, all the strength in my body grows!" I remembered hearing her say.

"Answer!" a soldier kicked my limp body.

Then suddenly I felt a thunder surging from the pit of my stomache, listening to the rumbling hysterical cry. An unfamiliar sound coming from within my throat.

"Mom!" I laughed and cried out loud from the polished porcelain tiled floor.

"It's no use. She is guilty of using cursed herbs and is obviously not in a state to cooperate, sir."

The official sighed," She is guilty of obtaining and growing illegal herbs and for the use of cursed herbs that could potentially destroy this town and eventually pose threat to this kingdom. Saiya Adene is hereby guilty! Her title will be stripped from her and she shall serve her sentence in the prison of the abyss," the voices said.

My senses were coming back to me faintly," Wait! No! I'll cooperate! I'm not a witch! I'm not! I'm innocent! I'm-" I screamed as they placed the brightly lit golden stamp onto my skin. The crackling of my charred skin echoed in my ears as the smell of burnt flesh filled my nose. It was a magical branding stamp. No matter where I go, I will never be safe.

I could feel the tickling in my senses again and started laughing.

"No! No no no no!" I kept screaming and laughing, but the tears would not stop.

The soldiers dragged me to a well, chained my wrists to a metal block, and pushed me down the pitch black hole.

The moon was bright and full. It luminated the world in blood.

I had cried and screamed as the light above me lived and died over and over again. Despite being withoyt food ever since, my hunger was dried up from filling myself up by the salt of my tears, the songs of my cries, and the lullabies of the raindrops that fell with my voice into the night.

"If only I had known. If only I did something. If only-"

"Would you like a second chance?" said a voice of a young man.

"If only I could," I whispered to myself.

"I must be hearing voices again," I started to laugh.

A creature of darkness, a black wolf chained in shackles, walked up to me.

"Now I'm seeing things. Are you, my little pup?" I asked it in a babying voice, like how a doting mother speaks to its newborn.

"No! I'm not a pup! I'll ask you once more. Do you wish for a second chance?", he asked annoyed.

"Yes, I do," I struggled to slip the words out my drying throat as tears fell.

"Then by the redwine flowers," the creature bit his lip," I will grant your wish and you shall grant mine," the creature had transformed into a young man.

"Your lip is bleeding... Are you okay? Oh wait. Is this a dream?" I lifted my head and knocked mine into his," Owwie."

"This b****-!" he grunted.

He took a deep breath. "No," he sighed.

"Coochy coochy coo," I said as I rubbed my nose against his.

"Ugh! Now hold still. It's time to wake up from your cursed fate," he said as he placed his lips, dripping in wine red, upon mine. It was unexpectedly warm. The only sensation I had ever felt was the iciness of the rain piercing my shoulders and neck and the spicy burns from the sharp cuffs on my wrists, so the softness of his touch had startled me.

"I am Kyuro, the demonic were beast of Amaya. We are now binded by contract. For as long as this contract binds us, I will forever be by your side just as you will be by mine," he said looking into my soul.

"No way..." I passed out in shock.

He's real.