Two Heartbeats: Princess' Lament

Inspired by: Ruin Princess

Chapter One: Encoded Destiny

BACK there, to the place I called my home, everything seemed bright. Dazzling. Happy.

Everyone cared for me, loved me. My father, mother, brother, little sister and everyone else. It was a perfect life.

And so I thought.

That night came. Darkness covered the sky. Fire was everywhere. Everyone was shouting and running to escape from something that threatened their lives. At my young age, I knew something bad was happening. I stood there in the middle of the chaos, too scared to run away. I felt an overwhelming fear.

I called for my mom.

"Mother…!" Warm tears flowed down my cheeks. Where are they? Where is everybody? My breath caught the smoke. It ached my throat and lungs. I was coughing hard and when I finally managed to take a few steps, I staggered into something stiff lying on the ground. I fell face down on the wet soil.

"Ame-sama!"

Someone grabbed my arms. I looked up to see a lady, her long hair tousled and her skirt muddy. She was holding a baby wrapped in white cloth.

"Come, quick! We must leave this place!" The lady half-dragged me away. It was then that I caught a glimpse of the thing lying on the ground. With its face visible to the light, I saw how horrible it was. It was a man, his face distorted, his head inclined on a rough angle. The eye sockets were hollow like something or someone took the eyeballs out. The man was all sullied with blood.

Something on the man's chest caught my eyes. It shimmered against the flames around us. I recognized my father's topaz that hung on a silver chain.

Pain shot through me like a thunderbolt. It was my own father, my ever gentle and loving father, lying on the ground. Cold and dead.

"Father….!" No! No please no! Father! Not my father! "Let me go! Father! Nooo…!" I could not cry and scream hard enough for I knew my father could not hear me. I tried to reach for him but the lady caught my arm. Her grip was hard and she would not let me go.

"Ame-sama! I'm sorry but we should leave now! They are coming!" She tried to pull me away.

Scream! Harder! But I could not hear my own voice, my own scream. It was like I lost my voice. What should I do? I'm so scared that if I won't scream louder, my family would not know that I was there and I needed them.

The lady tugged me away. I was still trying pull free from her grip all the way, screaming for my family. After a while, we reached a small river. The flames and smoke were still visible from a distance, and I could still hear the shouts of the people back there. Shouts and screams of agony and fear.

The lady pushed me gently unto a small raft on the riverbank. I slumped, weak and exhausted. I was helpless; all I could do was cry.

"Ame-sama, listen very carefully." I did not look at her. My eyes were sore from crying too hard.

"I'm sorry I couldn't do anything to save them. But I would risk my life now, for you. You must go away here. Save yourself, Ame-sama. This is for our people. You must live! And please, bring my baby with you." She placed the baby on my shaking hands.

"Take care of yourself and my baby." The lady broke into a silent whimper.

I gazed at her. Our eyes met. Deep scarlet eyes reflected each other.

It was then that I sensed something different. My eyelids were dropping. From a far, I heard a lullaby, a gentle song, the kind that would put babies into sleep. My body felt weaker, lighter. I collapsed on the raft, holding the baby close to my chest.

I felt the raft slowly shifted away from the riverbank. Away from the lady and the flames. Away from the shrieking people and the chaos. Before the shadows took my consciousness, I glimpsed at the moon above me. It looked like a single scarlet eye. I wonder why… But I was too tired and sleepy to think about the red moon. I closed my eyes.

Sometime between my sleep, I was half-awakened by a movement on my side. With my eyes half-closed, I peeked, and saw a woman. It was not the lady who helped me escaped that night. Something was different about her looks and most of her face was covered. Her eye glinted, small and red.

"Indeed, I am lucky today, am I not?" Red colored lips smiled gently at me. "Such beautiful pair of eyes." I heard her giggle. "Oh well, fate must have brought you here. I only wished for someone ordinary, yet, I ended up with someone exceptional." Another giggle. "Now, now, let us get on with it, shall we, princess?"

I felt a piercing pain in my chest. It was like a sharp knife cut into my chest towards my heart. My eyes widened as the pain intensified. My mouth opened, but no scream came out. The pain was blocking my senses.

"Your destiny is mine to decide." The woman whispered close to my ear.

Darkness.

Chapter Two: Favors and Surprises

Kikyo wanted Killua back. She would do everything to prevent Killua from running away from home again.