Defoliation

"She was like a caged bird, whose wings had been broken. Never again would she soar into the sky, and find the freedom that she deeply longed for. Her spirit would wither, if she remained imprisoned any longer..."

Chapter Summary: The once prestigious Kuran family meet their terrible demise at the hands of another aristocrat, rendering them completely beneath his mercy. In exchange, he offers them an irrefutable bargain that no one in their right mind would refuse. However, it comes at the cost of their most beloved daughter...

Chapter 1: Prologue

"Just what will we do, Haruka?" Juri cried in anguish, as her body was quickly overcome by wretched and pained sobs.

Kuran Juri.

The beautiful, ethereal-like woman who was often regarded as a goddess by the people and whose grace was rivalled only by the deity of love herself, Aphrodite. She carried her form with a veil of elegance and femininity that one could only dream of having. Her enchanting presence enraptured all of whom were privileged enough to set their eyes upon her.

Her every movement was never without purpose and her ruby orbs glistened with the wisdom of a woman far more knowledgeable beyond her years. The serene aura that shrouded her every shadow could calm even the deadliest of seas.

But none of these were present within her today as she lowered her tear stained eyes into the chest of her beloved husband, Kuran Haruka.

Only those who had been living beneath a rock all of their lives would have not once heard of the Kuran family name. He was prestigious in all the lands for his intelligence and wit that was incomparable to anyone else. No one could even hold a flicker of a candle to his immense skill, and all those who tried ended up tarnishing their own family's reputation and fortune.

He was truly befitting of the noble blood in which the heavens had bestowed upon him, and was his parent's greatest pride and joy until their dying days.

His cold and calculative endeavours that never once succumbed to failure, won the recognition and respect of all the aristocrats of their time. Their family fortune was indeed one to be deeply envied, and was more than anyone could ever dream of their whole entire lives. He was as handsome as he was cunning, and the Kuran name prospered beneath his rule.

"I don't know what to do, my dear Juri..." he murmured, as he pulled his beloved wife into a gentle embrace. He raised his smouldering amber eyes to meet the mirror image of his own, in the reflective surface of his daughter's treasured dresser.

The greatest prized jewel of the Kuran family, Kuran Yuuki, who was as mysterious and majestic as the fleeting signs of the first fallen snow.

She was like a blossom in its first bloom, and one didn't need anything more than their eyes and wits to realise that she was going to be absolutely beautiful. Haruka had nurtured her so tentatively for years on end, spraying away the lecherous parasites that dared to latch onto his most precious flower.

He had slaved away with meeting every demand, need and whim that his daughter had ever desired. He'd be damned to the depths of hell before he let some pompous imbecile tarnish his most prized treasure.

She sat at the dresser gracefully and continued to stare at him grimly through the mirror's surface. Her expression held an uncanny resemblance to a porcelain doll. A doll that could shatter at the slightest touch if one wasn't careful enough.

Haruka couldn't even bring himself to give her a reassuring smile, as he quickly turned away and lowered his eyes. This was something highly uncharacteristic of him, and practically unheard of. Yuuki continued to brush her hair, a habit that had been drilled into her by her mother since the very first day she opened her eyes.

Her mother always said that her hair was the loveliest of all her features, and to let it fall hands to ruin would truly be a waste of such undeniable beauty.

"How could he have possibly taken away all our assets, without us even knowing?" Juri let out a wail, as her sobs slowly regressed into pitiful whimpers.

Haruka petted her hair affectionately in an attempt to soothe his beloved, even though they were both fully aware of the futility of their current predicament. "He chipped away all of our investors one by one, a feat that must have taken him years to accomplish from the shadows. What I don't understand is how he managed to even swindle us into debt..." Haruka whispered, the deadly implications of his words lingering in the already tense atmosphere.

Yuuki momentarily paused in her movements and after a few seconds, she slowly regained her composure. A lady must always remember her etiquette, even in the most difficult of circumstances. She slowly placed the intricately handmade brush down onto her dresser counter, as the gentle clink resounded around the expansive room.

It was deathly silent, and Yuuki finally turned around in order to gauge her mother's reaction. Juri slowly lifted her head from the warm comforts of her husband's chest, as she gently dabbed a handkerchief at the corner of her eyes.

"And what did he say... at the meeting with you? What can he possibly expect us to pay, when we have nothing left? We have nothing of monetary value to even begin with such a unanimous debt. He took away... everything..." Juri had trailed off to barely a whisper, but her voice held the same impact as a deafening scream.

Yuuki felt herself stiffen in response, as the underlying meaning of her words truly began to sink in. They had nothing at all left... so what could he possibly wish to have that required him to push her father and her family, to the brink of desperation?

Haruka began to tremble as he turned away from his wife, as he found himself unable to hold her gaze. He couldn't possibly watch her heart break before his very eyes. He would rather die than ever witness such an excruciatingly painful moment.

"He said... he wanted the most prized jewel of the Kuran family. Greater than any materialistic possession, worth more than any amount of gold, money, fame or prestige..." Haruka rasped, as he fisted the duvet beneath his fingers. His knuckles had turned white from the strain, as he resisted the urge to destroy every single object in that room.

He gritted his teeth as he heard the audible gasp from Juri, and he could just imagine the horrid look of dawning realisation flooding into her beautiful ruby orbs.

Haruka felt the grip of her icy cold hand over his own, seeking some form of comfort... some form of solace... anything that could possibly wake her up from this gruesome nightmare.

He turned to look into the eyes of his own beloved daughter, and saw the fear as clear as day that permeated her entire being. A self-deprecatory smirk filtered across his features, as he shook his head. Even at the most crucial of moments, she never allowed her true emotions to shine through. She would forever stay as the porcelain doll of the Kuran family... just how they raised her to be.

Sometimes I wish that you could have had a normal childhood, without carrying the burden of being born to the burdens of the Kuran name. Would you then, have been able to show your true emotions and thoughts? When was the last time I even saw you smile, my dear Yuuki? Haruka thought to himself, as a small bitter smile spread across his features.

And now in the wake of such tragedy, you still try to be brave for me. Because that is what a "Kuran" is suppose to be. I only ever wanted you to be happy... my precious daughter.

Haruka took a deep breath, as he stilled his beating heart for the forbidden words he was about to utter.

"He said... that he wanted Yuuki to be his bride... and if we were to refuse... he would crush the Kuran name beyond recognition, beneath his iron fists."

—My Endless Love