Riku thought he'd feel something when he fell into the darkness, chasing dreams and fantasies of being a prince in shining armour.

Just like a little girl who fell down a rabbit hole.

But there's absolutely nothing left to feel which he hasn't felt fifty times over already. The pain had come and gone, and in its place was a strong desire to lay down in the grave he'd dug for himself and sleep. Sleep for a houndred years.

Just like a fair maiden with sunshine in her hair who pricked her finger a spinning wheel.

He'd already gone through every single little detail that led to his downfall, cursing Sora, cursing Kairi. Kairi. It was all her fault, what with her wide violet-blue eyes and her small smiles, infectious giggles, the way she looked and laughed and touched him casually, spoke to him, bright red hair bouncing around her shoulders... Tempting him to what he could not have, for he knew she'd always return to Sora's arms, Sora's heart - why did she need his?

Just like a raven-haired beauty who reached out for a rosy red apple that would bring about her destruction.

But no, he decided, leaning back against a wall (do corridors of darkness even have walls? Substance? Or is this all in my mind...?). It wasn't Kairi's fault. It never had been. She'd only tried to be a good friend to both Riku and Sora, to bridge the gap that had stretched between them, to smile and be happy like their own little beam of sunshine. Despite Kairi's happy-go-lucky ways Riku had still found himself sinking into the darkness, trying to take that smile, trying to make it his. All his.

Just like a chambermaid reaching out to take hold of a glass slipper that would tie the prince to her forever.

And now look at him... Sat by himself, broken and alone - so terribly alone - with his arms wrapped around his legs, hair hanging in his pale face. He'd probably never see Kairi or Sora again now, trapped in this dark realm with fairytale monsters and glowing yellow eyes.

Just like a pretty French girl locked up in a castle with a hideous beast.

He wished he could turn the clock back - oh how he wished - and just spend one more day back home on his island. Just one more day... He was a fool, always daydreaming of escape until his body was enveloped by tendrils of inky darkness and he'd finally realised just how much he would be leaving behind... But it was too late.

Just like an Arabian princess who longed to escape palace walls, only to find the real world far too much more than she could handle.

Riku always supposed he was like the knight in the story, braving thorns and thistles and all the forces of evil to rescue Kairi, his temptation, his one-true-love, to plant a kiss on her rose-red lips and make her his forever.

Riku now knew he had been wrong.

He wasn't the knight.

He wasn't even good enough to play at being the villain. He'd been a puppet all along, hung by invisble thread and forced to do horrible things.

No. He was the bloody princess here, sat in his tower waiting to be rescued.

Too bad there was nobody else left who wanted to save him.

a.n: lol, princess riku. and... um... i think it sort of sucks, but i got an idea and was like 'lol must write' but i wasn't in angsty mood & it was hard putting every princess in & i didn't put in kairi but whatever it mentions her enough. & i really wanted to finish this angst collection, so consider this the final chapter x3 love all my reviewers very much so, i just want to get this over with now D