Kingdoms (kaimaki fantasy AU)

Chapter 32: The Truth

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Warning: you might need tissues. This chapter might be a tear jerker.

Kaito paced the prison cell in pure frustration. That's all he had been doing so far. It had been over a week now since he and Maki were arrested. They were brought into the cells at least two days ago. Kaito had nothing to do other than pacing. He had been trying to plan, but everything he came up with had him stumped. No matter what he thought up with, it came to dead ends. He paced the 8 by 11ft cell more, slowly starting to get dizzy. He was starting to get a little tired too. He hadn't been given much to eat, just a loaf of bread and a small cup of water. None of which were appetising nor filling.

Kaito looked at the four walls surrounding him. This was his fault. There was no two ways about it. He was so concerned about his family and what Maki might know instead of focusing on the border. He didn't notice Maki stopping to fight back. If he had, maybe they would have gotten away. How could he have been so selfish and stupid?! This happened all because of him. And he was going to regret this if he doesn't get Maki out of here.

Kaito looked up at the barred window of the cell adjoining his. It was a few metres above his head. Wanting to see the person next door, he took a big jump, grabbing the bars instantly. He pulled himself up, ignoring the almost instant burn in his arms. Maki made no move to acknowledge him. She sat with her back against the wall, knees to her chest. She was more focused on a piece of straw that she was fiddling with. She looked so depressed and angry with herself. Kaito could tell that she was blaming herself as well. She shouldn't do that. This was his fault and his alone.

"Maki Roll, please tell me that you've thought of a way out." He said, causing Maki to look at the door to her cell.

"Kaito, there's nothing we can do." She said so quietly that Kaito almost missed it.

"We can't just give up!" Kaito argued shaking the bars a little. This wasn't like her. Maki wasn't one to give up. Even when she was trapped in that basement, she didn't seem to give up.

"Wake up! We're stuck here! There's no way out!" Maki shouted, glaring right at Kaito. However, upon seeing his face, she turned away, her glare fading. "It's over..." Kaito's heart broke a little when he heard that. Maki sounded so small and broken then. She really has given up. Kaito hoped that this was a ploy that she was playing. However, a gnawing feeling feeling in his stomach told him that it wasn't an act.

"Maki, why did you panic that morning?" Kaito finally asked. He wanted to ask that again ever since they were arrested. He just needed to know what was going on before someone else does. He needs to hear it from Maki first. She had to know something. "This has something to do with my pendent, doesn't it?"

"Kaito, I don't know everything. Just pieces of what others had told me." Maki said, finally looking up at him. So she did know something. Why wasn't she telling him? If there was a time to tell him, now would be a great time. If he was to be executed, he didn't want to die without knowing what was going on.

"Then piece together what you do know." Kaito begged. Maki looked down at the ground, fiddling with the straw in her hands again. "Maki, if you know something-anything-I have a right to know. Especially if it's about my family. Please." Maki kept silent. Kaito sighed hopelessly. It didn't look like she was going to tell him anything after all. He felt angry, he wanted to shout at her until his throat went raw. But what good will that do? Nothing. Kaito braced himself, ready to jump down from the window.

"Before Junko, there was a king. He was wise and kind. No matter how rich or poor you were, he would treat you as his equal." Maki suddenly spoke, catching Kaito's attention. Still clutching onto the bars, he looked at her as she looked up with a lost look on her face. "There was a servant in the castle. Despite her status, the king was awed by her beauty and kindness. They grew close and it turned into your typical love story. Despite the council's rejections and the fear of what the people would think, they got married. Nothing had changed. Their kindness and compassion towards others made the kingdom prosper. However, there was one person that loathed this."

"Junko." Kaito sneered, his fists clenching around the bars tighter than ever. Now he knows why the elders and his grandparents looked so sad every time he asked about the previous rulers. They were good people that made everyone happy.

"She raised an army, using magic to make Monokumas and manipulated some of the people." Maki continued, looking a little angry herself. She may not have known the previous rulers, but it was clear that she was angered by what had happened to them. "She wanted to attack at the right time, so she waited. At that time, the Queen announced that she was pregnant. Everyone was excited, happy to hear that the love that they shared would continue for so much longer. They had hope for a brighter future. However, the night that the baby was born was when Junko attacked. A spy Junko had told her when the time had come to strike. The Queen was too weak to run after birthing her child, and the King didn't want to leave her behind. He gave his child to his parents, begging them to hide the child so that one day they will take back the throne.

The King and Queen died that night, but the baby survived. The King's parents raised the baby to have a normal life. I imagine that it was hard adjusting to that lifestyle, but they raised the child as an ordinary person. No crown, no ties to royalty and no history as to what had happened to his family." There was this bad feeling in the air around Kaito as soon as she stopped talking. He didn't know what it was at first, but he had a horrible feeling now.

"Maki, what does this have to do with my pendent?" He hesitantly asked after biting his lip. He had an awful feeling that he knew the answer, but he wanted to confirm it. The look that Maki gave him said it all. She looked so depressed, close to crying.

"Kaito, the symbol on your pendent is that of the old royal family crest." She said, just barely getting the words out. Kaito felt like he had been stabbed at that moment. He finally let go of the bars, just barely able to land on his feet. His legs buckled under him. He rested his back against the wall and entangled his fingers in his hair, holding his head in his hands. He ignored everything around him, even Maki trying to convey her apologies to him. This had to be a lie! It can't be real! However, Kaito knew that it was all true. So much made sense to him now. His grandparents always looked depressed whenever he mentioned his parents and asked about them. Not to mention, when they thought that he didn't notice, Kaito could always see how sad they were on his birthday. His parents died when he was an infant. How they died wasn't a full lie. On the day he was born, they were slaughtered by a plague. A plague named Junko. Why didn't his grandparents tell him?! He was old enough at the time his grandfather died. He would've understood why they had him hidden away. He would've understood why they were always so sad at the mentioning of his parents or the previous rulers. Now everything he had was shattered around him. He was angry. Angry at his grandparents for not telling him. Angry at Maki for not telling him that day. Angry at Junko for murdering his parents. And angry at himself. His whole life was a lie! His identity, his home, everything he had was a lie! Why did this have to happen?! Kaito couldn't hold back his despair any longer. He cried as silently as he could, with nothing but this empty void around him to comfort him.