Lost and Found: A Story of a Broken Princess

Ch 12- Lost Hope

"Don't let her escape.."

Her eyes fluttered open and saw an unfamiliar scene in front of her.

It looked like she was inside an abandoned village of the Kou empire, looking at the flag that stood on the pole, still waving above her.

She looked around and grunted in pain, and her eyes widened.

Groups of woman were gathered, sleeping, but they looked tired.

The most striking features were the bite marks on their bodies.

She gritted her teeth. She knew where she was.

It was obvious now.

She was in the heart of the enemy territory.

She glanced down at rope that restricted he movements and tried to free herself.

"Its useless, you know."

Her head turned to the direction of the voice.

A guard was leaning against the door frame and he looked at her eyes.

"Your little friend actually got out of his bindings, too bad he didn't make it past the door."

"Aladdin!" 

"Where is he! Bring me to him now" she yelled.

"Oh the little princess always calling out for her little prince." another voice said.

She narrowed her eyes on the approaching figure and eyes widened once more as she recognizing him.

General Saito strided through the door, with a couple of guards following him.

"Good, you're awake" he paused and the said, "former Empress Kougyoku"

Her breathing stopped and she looked at him.

"The hell do you mean by that, you fucking bloody traitor" she growled.

He smirked and said, "You've been out for a couple of weeks, you know and those brothers of yours are quite protective of their sisters."

"They searched for you and that boy but they found nothing, thanks to my ...resources. Actually when you passed out, I made a slit in your arm and spilled a little blood on the ground." he continued.

"No....no no no" Kougyoku panicky said.

"That's right, and I also broke that boy's staff, so when they found that annoying freak's corspe, your spilled blood, and that boy's broken staff, they were so convinced." he smiled.

"No, my brothers were never be so convinced, no, they are not like that." she pleadingly said.

"And that's where you're wrong, princess, actually, just yesterday, they made Prince Hakuryuu emperor again." he laughed.

"What about ...me?" she shakily said.

His smile just got wider.

He leaned closer until his breath could be felt by Kougyoku's ear.

"Do you really want to know?" his hot breath tickled her ear.

Kougyoku shuddered.

"They declared you and that stupid boy DEAD"

Kougyoku's heart skipped a beat.

"DEAD"

That word just rang in her ears.

She faced the general.

"What about Aladdin? Where is he right now?'

He smirked once more.

"Oh, you know was such a great deal on selling young boys for labor on the west side of the Kou empire, and I couldn't just let it pass, you know, so you basically, you will never see him again."

Kougyoku felt like crying now.

All the hope she had for future all came crashing down in front of her.

She gritted her teeth and shook violently.

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WANT??" she yelled at the general.

The general slapped her.

Kougyoku's eyes widened and her cheeks reddened and burned with pain.

"Don't you ever raise your voice in front of me. You are not in charge of me now. I am your superior, you bitch. You don't know how much I've been waiting for this day. Too see a goddamn woman have so much power and to see her rule you . I just wanted to killed you that day, but you were so young and naive, and I wanted to see you grow, to see how awful this world was"

"Are you going to destroy the Kou empire" Kougyoku weakly said.

"Destroy? You still don't understand. I don't give a damn about this damn empire and I only care about my business. You simply interfered with it and I had to take you out. That damn general payed the price, and if you don't want your head rolling, I advise you to stay quiet."

Kougyoku couldn't believe this was happening.

She really thought things were going to be better.

But it was hell all over again.

"What are you going to do with me?" she quietly said.

The general was quiet for a couple of seconds and then spoke to the guards.

"Bring a bucket of dye, black dye if you can find some."

The guards bowed their head and left the room.

Kougyoku felt a sharp pain and the general grabbed all of her hair and pulled her up until she was head -level with him.

She squirmed with pain and tried to get her hair out of his grasp.

"We can't have anybody recognizing you so we'll just give you a new look" he said as he drew his sword.

He raised the sword and then..

SLASH!

Long crimson hair fell to the ground as Kougyoku knees hit the floor.

Kougyoku gasped as she touched the reaming hair on her head.

It was now at chin-level.

The guards came into the room carrying a bucket full of black dye.

The general grabbed the bucket and dumped it on her head.

Kougyoku coughed and spit out the dye that had entered her mouth.

As black dye dripped to the ground, she faced a broken mirror that was in the corner.

Her hair was now short black hair, and not the long crimson flaming hair.

She shook and faced the general once more.

"You are not going to get away with this" she said through her gritted teeth.

The general looked at her and then spoke to the general.

"Load all these woman, including this one, onto the carriage. We'll send them to the person who requested them at the east side of the Kou empire."

The general faced her and saw her broken form, and smirked evilly.

"It's too bad, princess, you are not in charge anymore." as he took stick and placed it in the fire and then threw it at the flag pole.

"Your reign is over."

Kougyoku's vengeful eyes traced the back of the bloody traitor as he left the room.

As the flag of the Kou Empire burned to ashed until they was no more.