Imprisoned to Love You [Edited]

♦⊱ Chapter 32 - Drowning Love ⊰♦

Kichiro sama pov:

I looked out of the window of Ruka's house, my eyes narrow and my expression a glare. We had just returned from meeting an old man who said he could send us back to our time, the past 400 years before now. That was good news but I was angry, furious even, for Ruka had lied to me, betrayed me, only proving the truth that no one could be trusted. She didn't love me like she had said – she embraced others just as she did with me. What was the difference between other people and me then?

I was her husband. She was mine and mine alone, from the very moment I had brought her to my palace. And yet, this is how things were ending.

She was a fool, like all the other fools who had though that they would be forgiven after making a mistake, that they would be spared. I would never forgive Ruka – I would do away with her just like all the other wretched fools who had insulted me, plotted against me, betrayed me. People who stood against me didn't deserve to live!

And yet, the very thought of killing Ruka made an intense tightness rise in my chest. I felt weak, unable to instigate what I could have done to anyone else without a bat of an eyelid. I hated this weakness! I hated how I still desired to trust Ruka, to have her to treat me the way she used to, with affection and care and concern.

"Your Majesty," Kijima broke my train of thought. I rewarded him with a sharp, threatening glare under which he flinched. However, it didn't stop him from saying what he wanted to say, "Your Majesty, have you decided what we will do now, about Her Highness and going back to the empire?"

"We will leave to my empire tonight," I said, "but not before I give Ruka what she deserves for betraying me. She is wrong if she thinks that I will forgive her for treating me like a fool, for insulting me and pretending to get along with me. I will kill her along with this b******."

I eyed the leader of the Red Eagle Organization who was asleep a few feet from where I sat. He was being so careless now, so open to attacks – I could kill him and he would never know. Yet I didn't, as Ruka's plea for us to not cause trouble echoed in my ears.

"Your Majesty, I do not mean to speak out of turn, but if I may," Kijima spoke, waiting for permission to continue. I nodded and he said, "I may be wrong but I'm tempted to believe that Her Highness may not have betrayed you."

I clenched my fists, feeling a jolt of uneasiness suddenly. Not one person could be trusted – these words weighed on me heavily. I narrowed my eyes at Kijima dangerously and seethed, "Are you supporting her, Kijima? Are you planning to turn into a traitor as well? Be aware that I will kill you as well if such is the case!"

"I am not supporting her, Your Majesty, but I do not want you to lose someone whom you've come to trust. I do not wish for you to go back to being alone – Her Highness, Ruka sama truly cared for you and loved you and I want it to be true now as well," said Kijima as I reached for my katana to end things once and for all. I stalled though, frowning at him as he added, "If you permit me, Your Majesty, I would like to speak with Her Highness once before you see through your decision of punishing her for what she did."

I couldn't think of anything that could be spoken about with her. She would most definitely cover up her mistakes with stupid reasons and beg for mercy, which I had no patience to give. Despite the uncomfortable hesitance I had at the thought of killing Ruka for what she had done, I wouldn't change my decision.

However, I had grown up trusting Kijima. His loyalty had always been unquestionable and so had his unchanging concern for me. He was the only one I was lenient with...and I couldn't help but desire to give him a chance to prove that Ruka had not betrayed me. An unexpected desperation for Ruka to have not betrayed me bothered me.