Love's Power

Chapter 7

She tasted better than he had imagined! Her soft lips were like sugar cakes and a bit of candy. Deep Blue wrapped his arms around her shoulders, deepening the kiss. Amai's eyes were wide in horror. No nightmare she ever had as a child could possibly come close to the one before her now. Her entire body felt like it was being drained from the cold that embraced her, which was dropping down to below freezing. She began to shiver from both the cold temperature and desperation for him to let go.

Opening his eyes, Deep Blue could feel the girl shivering. He didn't want to physically hurt her. Just love her. At this rate, he wasn't concerned about her magic, knowing that she'd be too weak to even try to fight him.

Pulling back just slightly, he called away the ice holding her, causing her to start to fall. He caught her before she hit the ground, holding her in his embrace for a moment.

Blue eyes scanned the princess. Skin pale from the ice, lips beginning to bruise, eyes brimming with growing tears. Her breathing was uneven, as she was trying to regain her breath from the long kiss and the tightness that was previously on her neck, which was also lightly bruised.

He didn't mind, though. Tucking a hand into her hair, he lifted her head and kissed her again. Harder, more vigorously.

Deep Blue's thoughts were purely horrid when his lips made contact with hers again, her limp body confirming that she couldn't get away. He pushed himself closer to her, leaving no space between them.

Amai's brain was screaming at her to get to her senses, to fight back. The chill from the ice was slowly fading from her, and her heart pounded loudly in her chest. Fisting her hands, she began to struggle again, hoping to break free so she could use her magic.

The king's arms tightened around her, making her wince. A tongue probed her closed teeth, trying to get into her mouth. She resisted as best as she could, but his right hand that rested on her waist squeezed to the point which it hurt.

Amai gasped in pain, which gave him the access he needed to invade her with his tongue. He indulged himself with her sweet flavor, grasping her tongue with his, stroking and sucking it.

Amai cried, tears dripping down her flushed cheeks. She was exhausted and running out of air. Her head started to get dizzy. She couldn't take much more of this.

Finally, after what felt like forever, he let her go.

Well, her lips, at least. A string of saliva connected them as his mouth released hers. His arms stayed around her, head tucked on hers, eyes closed in bliss.

Terrified, Amai did the only thing that came to her mind in that moment.

She screamed.

Snapping his eyes open, Deep Blue quickly placed his fingers over her lips, shushing her, but it was too late. Guards rushed from the doors to the palace and around. They all pointed their weapons at the wicked king. "Release the princess!"

Laughing darkly, Deep Blue raised his right arm, his left still tightly wrapped around the princess. Shard shards flew from his hand, impaling the guard who had given the order.

The others began to rush at him, but he fought and killed them with a single wave of his hand. As more guards came, Deep Blue made his sword appear, grasping it and slaying each guard. Amai watched, struck by fear. Innocent lives were being destroyed, and it was all her fault. She shouldn't have screamed, she shouldn't have gone out into the gardens with Deep Blue, she shouldn't have...

Suddenly, she was released. Looking up, she saw an arrow impaled in Deep Blue's side. He didn't look much affected, but he was angry. He charged forward, his fighting growing more furious.

While he was distracted, she took the opportunity to run into the palace. As she reached the hall leading to the ballroom, she could see guests running away. She pieced together that someone told everyone of the danger that was here, and now they were evacuating. Pushing people aside, she desperately attempted to find her family or Kisshu.

"Amai!" Turning, Amai saw Retasu and Ichigo running towards her, their hands outstretched for hers. Gasping in relief, she reached out, grabbing their hands, and let them pull her away from the panicking crowd and to her room.

"Are you alright?! We heard Deep Blue had you!" Ichigo cried as they ran. Amai couldn't respond. She couldn't tell them everything that happened right now, not while chaos was already in the air.

Approaching her bedroom door, the sisters closed it as soon as they were inside. A second later they were going through her things, taking out a bag and packing it.

"What are you doing?" Amai asked her frantic sisters. Retasu replied without looking up; "We have to go! It's not safe here. Mother and Father told us to help you get ready and then we'll all escape!"

Amai's eyes widened, her hands gripping together in front of her mouth. "No, we can't! It's my fault that...!"

Ichigo rushed to her, throwing down the dress she was folding and took Amai's wrists, stopping her from finishing her sentence.

"We need to! We're all scared, Amai! We don't have a choice!"

Amai began to cry. She couldn't risk any more lives, but she wouldn't fight her sisters. Escape was her only means of survival now from Deep Blue's lustful advances.

She helped her sisters pack her things, taking only what was necessary. Some suitable clothes for the forest, close family treasures and such. Sugar, who had been in her room the entire ball, rubbed against her ankles for comfort.

Amai smiled sadly at the cat, thinking about when she ran into the woods, when all of this started. Picking the cat up, she whispered; "Oh, Sugar. I want to blame you for all of this, but I can't. You wouldn't have known this would happen." Sugar mewed in her arms softly, as if apologizing.

Hearing footsteps at her door, Amai looked up and saw all of her sisters, waiting for her. Taking a deep breath, she stood up, putting Sugar on the floor. Taking her bag, she walked to the door, the cat at her heels.

"Come on, this way." Zakuro rushed them out to the back of the castle. The king and queen were waiting for them, standing by a stone wall in a small room. When the princesses stopped before them, the queen embraced them, her eyes watering.

"I'm so sorry we all have to part like this. I love you." The girls cried with their mother, all hugging her back. The king kissed them each before he turned to the wall. Pressing on a stone, the wall moved back and sideways, revealing a staircase leading down. "We had this made after Amai was born, should someone ever come after her for her powers, or any other reason."

The royals looked at their daughters. "Go, now." One by one, the princesses went down the stairs, Amai being the last one. Sugar rubbed her ankles before sitting by the queen, staying behind. Stopping a few steps down, she turned back to her parents, a somber look on her face.

"This is my fault. I'm so sorry." The king and queen gave her sad smiles. "It's not your fault. Whatever happened happened. You and your sister's safety are what matters now. Be strong, Amai."

With those words, the princess held her hand to her heart, and turned away, the stone wall closing behind her. She followed the staircase down to an underground hall where her sisters waited. The start of the hall was dimly lit by two candles, the rest beyond dark. Mint turned to Amai.

"Amai, can you give us some light?" Nodding her head, Amai lifted her left hand, a small, bright ball of light forming. Pudding took her hand. "Let's go. No turning back." The sisters all took each other's arms, and walked down the passageway, not knowing where fate would lead them.

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Meanwhile, Deep Blue stood surrounded by the bloodied bodies of the guards he had killed, along with some innocent bystanders. His princess was nowhere in sight.

Where was she? Had she run away, was she injured, frightened, or all the above?

Snarling, he walked away, his sword gleaming with the blood that dripped onto the floor. He had officially brought war to the land, making a vow to find Princess Amai, and slay everything in his path. He wouldn't be satisfied until she was where she belonged. With him, in his arms, forever.