ONC Shortlister 2023!
There are few rules in the Kingdom of Kadotaru, and punishment is not kind, even for the young prince who wishes he was anybody else. Tied to the crown, to his family, to his kingdom, there isn't much he can do. He isn't born t...
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CONTENT WARNING
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Everything is cold, so very cold. And hard. Why is it hard? Rinley stirs, opening her eyes. She tries to move her limbs, blinking in the bright light, but she is bound. She frowns.
"Aramis?" she calls, grimacing as she manages to raise her head.
"Aramis is not here." Before her stands a man of great height. His skin is a deep green, hair black as night, eyes red as fire.
Rinley's heart hammers against her chest frantically, eyes darting back and forth as she tries to recognise anything. A-Anything at all. Her hands tremble, fighting the chains that bind her.
"Do not try fighting," his voice curls through the darkness, spreading over her skin like poison.
"Who are you?" she asks, trying to stay calm. She barely keeps her eyes on him as she surveys what keeps her down.
"I am King Malefic of Kadotaru." Her blood stills. "Father of Prince Aramis and Prince Vaxalan. I am sure you are familiar with them."
She frowns. "What's going on? I don't understand. I—"
"Aramis has betrayed his family, his people, and his kingdom."
"Aramis never wanted to be part of it," she responds, giving a hearty tug. "He wanted to be free of the weight you forced on him."
A chuckle echoes around her. Is she in a cave?
"What father does that to his son?"
"Aramis is not my son." Malefic's silence is just as deadly. "You have taken both from me."
"W-What? Please let me go, I—"
"Vaxalan is dead. Your blood is poisonous to him."
She frowns. "Impossible." But an idea sparks in her mind. She can feel the weight of the gems on her chest.
"Humans and Creatures are meant to stay apart for many reasons..."
"Alucentio," she whispers as he talks.
"The blood poisoning is..." He stops. "What is this?"
"Tamve—"
Malefic lunges forward, grasping the gems and ripping them from her neck. His claws rake against her skin, and she cries out. He growls at the gems before throwing them to the ground, breaking the gems under his foot.
"Even now, she mocks me."
"Harmaa?" She gasps in pain.
"I gave her rule over my castle, my kingdom. Yet still, she tries to kill me." Malefic tuts. "Pity this method failed too. What an utter, utter mistake to bring a human to me."
She shakes her head, coughing. Pain laces up her side, but she's confused as to why it's even there. Did something happen yesterday?
"Harmaa!" he calls out, looking upwards. "Try me again, and it will cost you. You cannot kill me!"
Silence rings out, and he looks back down. The anger in his eyes makes her flinch.
"I never understood what he saw in you," he says, stepping closer again, tilting his head to the side. "Was it your strength? Aramis was always so good at choosing his kingdom over his desires. That is why he was to be Duahlin."
A searing hot pain explodes from her stomach. The scream that leaves her mouth is not a pretty one as she clenches her fists and sobs.
"Please..."
"Maybe he was like me. He saw you for your body," Malefic hisses.
Another cry pulls through the air as the fire moves from her stomach to her inner thighs, travelling to a place that fire should never go. It disappears after a long second, leaving Rinley wailing in pain.
"I promise to leave him alone. Please, I promise, I—"
"Shhhh," he soothes, running a finger down her trembling face, sweat trickling down her cheek.
Rinley whimpers. "Just don't hurt him. All of this is my fault. I swear it is. I'm the one who made him talk to me when we met. Do not punish him, please. Do not hurt him." The words drown in her throat, replaced by the sobs that shake her shoulders.
"I do not care at all," Malefic spits on her. "He said, she said... Both of you are fucking pathetic, and I'm over it. I am King. Have you forgotten? I will hurt who I please. I will punish you for the murder of Prince Vaxalan, heir to the Kadotaru throne."
Her body reacts like it's been shocked by lightning. "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO HIM?!"
Malefic puts a hand to his chest, gaping at her. "My, my, what a temper. Humans really do not know how to contain themselves. Emotional filth."
His laughter is like slices of a knife, slashing across the face, neck, and shoulders. Everything inside her just wants to die at this point. She can only hope that Aramis is safe; recovering somewhat. Free.
"So why don't you just kill me?" she spits, trying to lift her head again. But all it brings are burns.
"Oh, I will, do not fret." Malefic grins. "I just prefer to kill slowly."
Tears roll down her face, and she slackens against the cold stone. She gave up her human life for Aramis; her family, her safety, the familiarity and simple life. Now it's all being burned to ashes by a devil. Rinley cringes, bile rising in her throat. Is this really how she'll go out? Murdered by a power hungry grieving beast?
"Now, tell me, do you love him?"
Rinley opens her eyes, focusing as hard as she can to hear any singing. She doesn't lie. "Y-Yes."
"Pity how you can never tell him." He tuts. "And you thought that could work?"
The majiiki of the gems isn't lost. She can hear the soft hum. She clenches her fist, struggling to keep herself awake, but in her mind, she forms a vision.
"My, my, has Harmaa truly abandoned the humans she adores so much to let this one become so wild?" Malefic shakes his head.
"Uquala," she whispers, suddenly transforming into a bear. The chains break, she rises, reaching to claw Malefic in the face.
But she stops short, shrinking back to her human form.
"Pathetic."
She looks down at her chest, a needle long knife poking out. Her knees meet the ground. She didn't even see it coming.
Malefic kneels down in front of her. "In the end, you and Aramis deserved each other. Just as much as you both deserve to die."
"No," she says through gritted teeth. "You deserve to die." She spits, blood flying onto his face.
The king shrieks, stumbling back, wiping at his face wildly.
Rinley slumps further to the floor, blood coating her teeth, her face, her chest. She closes her eyes. "Harmaa," she whispers. "If I am your child, then watch over Aramis. Help him get what he deserves."
Everything falls silent. Darkness takes hold. Then there is no more.
