Those who were raised in darkness

Princess Grace

  "Do you happen to have feelings for me?" I asked her. When you pull the ears, that means that you love them. It hurts a little, but its how you say it without words. Whenever I was having a bad day, mom would lightly pull my ears and smile at me. Of you pull my tail, that signals hate.

   "Eh? What do you mean? I only did this-" she said and pulled my ears again.

  "What do you think that your saying?" The boy stomped towards me. "That's my sister!" He yelled. But I was more concerned about her pulling my ears again.

  "You love me? But we just met!" I exclaimed.

"Fai, calm down. Grace, stop pulling his ears. And Yudai, was it, please explain." The king asked and we stood by each other.

   "Well, where I'm from" I said my face turning red. "When you pull the ears, that means that you love them." I said. The guard, Yuta, sighed and face palmed himself.

  "And the tail means the other, or you lessen what you pulled on my ear." I said looking at Grace.

  "Oh, okay then, I might as well just-" she pulled my tail twice. The feelings were fasle. I wasn't excited anyways.

   "Me too." Fai said and pulled my tail once. "Stay away from my sister!" He said. I glared at him and bared my fangs.

    "Ah!" He said and pulled Grace away from me.

   "Grrrrr... I forgive you. It was just a misunderstanding." I said calming myself. Yuta sighed again. . 

      "Well, if I don't have a lead here, I might as well leave." I said bowing to the king. "I'm sorry for taking your time. Have a good day.." I said and turned around. I was about to leave but the king asked me a question, I was hoping to avoid.

   "From your tale, you have nowhere to stay... Where have you been living?"

    I sighed. "Well, actually, I've been living in the wild." I lowered my head. "I used the last of my soap trying to make a good impression on you. But, I have to go find a trail on to where my brother is." I admitted defeated.

   "But it is going to rain soon. Would you like to stay here? Maybe you can study the lands, and get a trail." The king said. I was elated to hear that.

   "Please!" I bowed my head down.

  "Please!" I heard Princess Grace bow down too.

  "Sure.." The king said. Then I heard a cheer.

  "Yahoo! He's so adorable and cute!" I felt a hand pat my head. I stood up. The princess was on her tippy toes patting my head.

   "Sit!" She commanded.

  "I'm not a pet. Don't expect me to actually-" I was cut short as I jumped in the air to dodge the prince's foot. What the?

   "Why would you?" I asked.

  "Well, if I tripped you, then you would be on the floor and she would be happy." Prince Fai said.

   Well hell. "Fai, Grace, I need to speak with him alone. Please leave."

   "Yes father." They said and walked out of the room. What does the king want with me?

   "What would you do if it was actually your brother that killed your mom?" The king asked. The guard turned to stone. I never thought of that.

   I looked down. "I'd be sad and lonely and lost. I wouldn't know what to do." I said.

   "What if I was the person who killed everyone?" He asked. I was shocked. Why does he ask me that?

   "I don't know..." I said.

   "Well. Guards, show him to his room. I'll be leaving now." He said. Then he and his guard left through the side door, and left. I was escorted by guards to my room. It was quite far from the others, but had a nice view of the town.

    I'm lucky to have met such nice people.. I will find you brother, and I will avenge you mom.

The moment the side door closed, I fell to the floor and suppressed a scream. Instead I sat on the floor and glared at the king. "Why are you letting him stay here? Isn't keeping me as your guard enough? Must you torture me more?" I growled.

   "Nope. I just want to see how will things turn out, til then" he handed me a cat mask. "Wear this as well as your hood. That way he won't know its you. And your voice sounds a bit different while wearing it."

   "You fucking bastard!" I held myself back.  "First, you save me from bandits. I thought it was just a nice thing. I even sent him a note saying how nice and kind you are. That's bullshit!" I growled. The king just looked at me with his never changing expression. It may seem kind, but he's actually imaging you perish.

     "I was wrong! I'm out of here! Right now. I've repaid my debt." I growled and got up off the floor.

   "Okay then." He said cheerfully. That's right! Your going to let me leave! "I like having you as a guard. So if you go, I'll either torture your brother like he was supposed to, or make him my new gaurd. I might just torture him first, and then make him my gaurd!" The king laughed.

   I stopped in my tracks. "Shit." I whispered. "That's right. So come back, kitty kitty." The king said. As angry as I was, I can't let that happen to Yudai. Mom would never forgive me. Clenching my fists and grinding my teeth, I turned back to him. I have no choice. Until Yudai leaves, I have to stay here. The only choice I have for freedom, is to force him to leave.

   "And if you force him to leave, I'll incarcerate you. Hehe. So don't do anything reckless now. I'll be watching." The king said.
   Dammit! Yudai!