King of the Darkest Stars (EXO Kai ff)

Chapter Thirty One

Coming back to the palace felt like one strange circle. It reminded me of my first time coming to the castle, scared and a prisoner. Only then the only true prison had been the hopeless curse placed on me by my mother to believe happiness was unachievable and a trusting marriage was impossible.

Now my marriage was not the prison, it was the key. It was everything that gave me will to hope that this would end in anything other than death. We walked through the halls of our home bound and gagged.

A small, disobedient voice in my head reminded me that at least if I was going to be held prisoner, I would die today rather than everything being drawn out like last time. I pushed that narrative away. I was not going to let things end that way.

I couldn't stop myself from being kidnapped but I was sure when the moment came... I'd figure it out. It had to work. I couldn't... I couldn't lose him. I wasn't going to idly let everything slip away from me. My father had better kill me first because I was not going to let him succeed easily. They led us to our room where two outfits were laid for us. Mine was the white dress of the innocent victim. Kai's was the dark uniform of a tyrant. The perfect costumes for whatever narrative my father wanted painted.

Someone cut the bonds on my hands and before they could grab me, I threw my arms around Kai. After a second his arms wrapped back around me. His breathing was strained. He still hadn't fully recovered from his injury. Or maybe he was just upset. I wasn't sure which.

The guards let in a few maids to get us ready. One of the guards attempted to pull me away, but I clung to Kai for a moment longer. When I let go I went over to the wall and took down the painting of Kai's monstrous face and demonic wings. The guards had their swords pointed at me but I knew they couldn't touch me. I walked towards the fireplace.

"You're not a monster." I shifted my gaze from him to the soldiers. "I have seen true monsters now and this painting... is nothing but wasted oil."

I threw the painting into the fire and the team of maids grabbed onto me and pulled me away from the flames, and towards the bathroom. I met Kai's gaze, it was determined and hardened by circumstance but I knew the affection was budding beneath it all. A guard came and shoved me towards the bathroom. I fell in the process and he grabbed my arm and yanked me up, shoving me towards the waiting maids.

"I don't know why the king wanted so many maids to help you undress. I could have done it." He seemed pleased with his comment. I spat on him and he slapped me. I laughed and the maids pulled me into the bathroom and shut the door, blocking me from seeing him anymore.

They weren't going to hurt Kai.

The maids quietly did their job. They were softer than before when they dragged me out. They put on soft makeup that made me look younger than I was and somehow softer. They curled my hair and strung white blossoms through it. So this is the perfect princess my father wanted me to be. I hated her.

Kai was face to face with the guard who slapped me, glaring down at him while another two were holding onto his arms. His gaze turned to check if I was alright but lost none of its intensity. He looked at the maid's around me.

"You're going to want to step in front of her." Everyone seemed confused by this statement, but I only moved back behind the maids. In seconds Kai was out of the grasps of both guards and had one of their knives in his hand. He slit the throat of the guard he had been mad at and grabbed the man's throat, stopping him from immediately bleeding out.

"No one touches my wife." Despite the blood and the vulgar action, I found myself blushing. The maids who were in front of me now had their uniforms spotted with blood as he let go of the man's neck and he sunk to his knees gasping for only a few seconds before lying in a puddle of his own blood. Kai had blood splattered across his face and a darkness had settled in his gaze as his eyes met mine. I smiled. He couldn't bring himself to do the same.