Shangri La Pt. 1

117: Frozen Torture

'Wait– Is he... the King?' 

"If you weren't the one responsible for killing my father, then I would've taken you as my own wife for sure. Then again, another man has already claimed that you are his, and it isn't my deceased father." Kuro added. 

'Huh? Another man? Does he mean... Shoto is... here?'

"Hm~? Oh dear, it seems my dear sister has used one of her silly toys on you to make you not talk. Remove the collar on her." Kuro commanded, as a servant appeared from behind him and up to Momo to calmly remove the collar off her throat with a key. 

The second the collar was off, Momo gasped for breath as it felt like it'd been ages since she's been able to make a single noise. 

'I can breathe with ease now...' 

"You must feel relieved that you don't have the fear of any electricity burning your throat, hm?" 

"Ah– T-Thank you, Your Majesty." 

"Haha! If you actually thought I was being nice, you are mistaken. Hold her." Kuro demanded, as the group of servants behind him ran past him and grabbed Momo by her arms. 

"Ah– Hey! No! L-Let go of me!" 

"In case you forgot..." Kuro spoke as he paused to lean towards the Princess and grab her chin and lift her head up. 

"You're the one responsible for killing my father, and because of that, I can never forgive." Kuro stated with eyes filled with death and no remorse.

Momo was paralyzed in fear, as no one has ever treated her this way, and it made her feel like a slave more than anything. But though she was clearly filled with these feelings that her life could be collapsing before her eyes, she suddenly remembered a certain Young Prince the last time she saw him and how he was smiling at her. 

'Shoto!' 

"Erm– You're blaming the wrong person." Momo managed to say as her jaw felt locked in the King's grip. 

Kuro flinched, as he wasn't anticipating to hear her voice, and even for a split second; her voice sounded nothing like the one he remembered from over 20 years ago. But seeing through Momo's eyes, they were the exact same fury and ignorance that he saw and memorized after all these years.

"Hmph– Don't make me laugh, feigning ignorance already? You've been hiding from me for more than 20 years, so I will make sure you get your comeuppance and suffer just how much I've gone through." Kuro declared as he released her chin and stormed a few steps off. 

"Get that disgusting mark on her neck covered, we can't reveal that we've been torturing her." 

"Yes, Your Majesty." 

And in seconds, servants were holding up Momo's chin while others were using thick brushes to start covering the Princess' damaged throat. But even after getting makeup to cover her throat, Momo could only feel a strong and uncomfortable itch and how warm her throat felt as if the makeup was smothering her skin and not letting it breathe properly. 

"Now then, shall we head to the festivities for the night? You will be the main event." Kuro suggested. 

"W-What are you gonna do? Kill me?" 

"Kill you? Oh no no, nothing like that... we'll make the waters do that for us." 

'The waters? What does he mean?' 

"Hold her tight, and you better not make a word, otherwise, your precious little throat will have to wear a collar again." 

'Am I really... going to die here tonight?'