Chapter 9

"You killed her?! How did you kill her? TELL ME!"

Seeing Soushi all angry made me feel sad. And the fact that he referred my incarnation as "her" hurt me even more.

Kagerou then starts laughing insanely then finally replies with, "Alright… I'll tell you… it was months later, when I found out that you and MY BITCH was going to have a wedding."

⊰ . . . . . ⊱

"Oh Soushi, I cannot wait for the wedding tomorrow." exclaimed the princess happily holding one of the copies of their invitation in her hands.

"I am just as excited as you are, my princess." Soushi said, holding her from behind.

Ririchiyo set down the copy of the wedding invitation on her desk and turned around to face Soushi and wrapped her arms around his neck gently. She stared into his eyes and smiled.

"I love you, my prince."

"I love you too, my princess."

Soushi then placed his lips on top of hers and kissed her. In return, Princess Ririchiyo kissed back.

⊰ . . . . . ⊱

"You see, while you guys were kissing and all of that bullshit stuff, I climbed up her balcony and saw the copy of the invitation on her desk." Once again, Kagerou formed one of his hands into a fist. "That really pissed me off to no end. So, I decided to make my threat to the princess a reality and burn her castle down, as well hurt Soushi in the process by taking desperate measures."

⊰ . . . . . ⊱

Soushi and Princess Ririchiyo kept kissing until someone knocked on her door gently and said, "Princess Ririchiyo?"

After breaking apart from the kiss, she happily said, "Come in."

The door opened and there stood one of the princess's guards.

Princess Ririchiyo unwrapped her arms around Soushi's neck and walked up to the doorway where the guard was standing.

"Ah yes, what can I help you with?" she said with a gentle smile.

The guard returned a smile, took out a letter, and handed it to the princess. "A letter has been sent here today, your highness."

"Thank you very much." the princess said then dismissed him.

With a bow, the guard walked out of the room and softly closed her bedroom door. The princess opened the letter and read it. After reading it, she looked up at Soushi.

"This letter is actually for you, Soushi."

Soushi looked at the letter and took it out of the princess's hands softly and read it.

"It says I have to meet up with Watanuki and Zange… it's something important apparently." Soushi said puzzled. "But what could possibly be more important than the wedding tomorrow?"

Princess Ririchiyo smiled sweetly then kissed Soushi on the cheek. "Go, my darling, I'll still be here when you come back."

Soushi returned a smile. "Alright, my princess, I won't be gone long."

With that said, Soushi gently kissed his princess on the lips, grabbed his coat, and walked out of her bedroom.

Princess Ririchiyo sighed happily, feeling ever so in love then sat down at her desk, looking at the copy of the invitation once more.

While she was admiring the copy of the wedding invitation, she saw a shadow emerge in front of her.

Assuming it was Soushi, she softly giggled and said, "Did you forget something, my love?"

"Why yes dear, I forgot that I need to kill you for leaving me, my bitch."

Not recognizing the voice, she quickly turned around and saw Kagerou with a knife.

"Surprise, bitch!"

Without hesitation, Kagerou stabbed the princess multiple times in the chest. The princess shocked as to what happened fell to the ground and laid there, lifeless.

Kagerou looked at his hands full of the princess's blood and laughed insanely. Then looked at his masterpiece lying on the floor, bent down to her level, pulled her hair, and whispered, "Next time, take my threat letter seriously and don't believe anyone when they tell you that they'll protect you."

With that said, Kagerou let go of her hair and let her head fall hard onto the floor.

Princess Ririchiyo threw up a bit of blood and cried in pain and tried to crawl her way to the door.

Kagerou laughed at her pathetic attempt to get the guards. "Don't bother princess, I will end your misery in just a second."

Kagerou then got out a match and set it on fire. "Just remember, my bitch, that all of this is your fault."

Kagerou set down the match on her wooden desk and right away, the whole desk burned quickly, along with her wedding invitation.

"Goodbye, princess. Thanks for playing, 'Do Not Piss Kagerou Off!"

With that said, Kagerou jumped off the balcony and ran far away from the kingdom.

Soon after the desk went aflame, so did the bed. It spread quickly. Desperately seeking for help, Princess Ririchiyo painfully got on her feet and made her way to the door as fast as she can. She opened her bedroom door and saw 3 of her guards run down the hall.

In shock, one of the guards said, "Princess Ririchiyo! What has happened?!"

Breathing heavily, Princess Ririchiyo responded with, "I...I got stabbed…"

"By who?" One of the guards asked her.

Just as Princess Ririchiyo was about to answer, the leader of the guards interrupted and said, "There's no time for questions, we must get the princess out of her immediately and tell everyone else to move out of here, the castle is on fire!"

Obeying their captain's command, the two guards picked up Princess Ririchiyo and ran out of the castle while the captain goes off to tell everyone to exit the castle.

Once the two guards safely got Princess Ririchiyo outside of the castle, they set her down on the grass of the castle's garden.

"We'll be right back Princess, we need to get a doctor."

Too weak to answer, she nodded and kept breathing heavily.

The guards then went off to find a doctor.

'S-Soushi…' Princess Ririchiyo thought as she felt herself crying.

⊰ . . . . . ⊱

"You see, Soushi, while the princess is dying miserably, I had you totally distracted by sending that fake letter. It was totally brilliant because I knew an idiot like you would fall for that trap."

⊰ . . . . . ⊱

Shortly, Soushi arrived where Watanuki and Zange lived and knocked on their door. Waiting patiently, Watanuki answered the door and was surprised to see Soushi.

"Oh hey Soushi, I'm surprised to see you here. Aren't you supposed to be having a wedding rehearsal with the princess today?" asked Watanuki all puzzled.

"Surprised?" Soushi asked just as puzzled as Watanuki. "I actually came here because you and Zange sent me this letter to meet you guys here."

With that said, Soushi took out the letter from his pocket and showed it to Watanuki.

"What? A letter?" Watanuki took the letter and looked at it. "I don't recall writing any letters…"

"Oh… perhaps it was Zange then?"

"Soushi, you know Zange doesn't like writing letters! He's into drawing bunnies, you know that. Plus, he's not here at the moment…"

"If it wasn't you or Zange… then who was it that sent me th-"

"Oh my God! The castle is on fire!" Watanuki yelled in terror as he pointed to the castle on fire.

Quickly, Soushi turned to look at the castle and gasped.

Without thinking, he dropped the letter and yelled, "Miss Ririchiyo!" then ran toward the castle as fast as he could.

"W-Wait Soushi, I'm coming with you!" Watanuki then ran after him without closing the door to his house.

By the time they got there, the fire on the castle was put out by the guards. Soushi desperately looked around to see if he can find his princess all safe and sound. Watanuki looked as well but could not find her.

"Soushi, I'll look all over here and you look over there." said Watanuki.

With that said, Watanuki went on the west side of the castle while Soushi looked at another part of the castle. After a while, there was no sign of his princess. He felt himself start to cry and panic until one of the guards came up to him and said, "Mad Hatter Soushi."

Soushi wildly turned around and looked at the guard. "W-Where's Princess Ririchiyo?!"

The guards sadly looked at him and sighed. "The doctor had a look at her… she's no good." Then pointed to the garden.

Without a word, Soushi ran to the garden and saw his princess lying on the grass, drenched in her blood. He ran toward her body and sat down beside her. He gently pulled her close in arms and whispered softly, "Princess…"

Small tears were starting to form in his eyes until the princess weakly responded, "S-Soushi…"

"Yes, my princess, what is it my love?" Soushi said, looking down at her with sad eyes, holding her small fragile hand.

With all the remaining strength that she had, she smiled gently and weakly said, "I...I...lov…"

Her eyes forcibly closed and her hand dropped to the ground. She was dead.

"Princess…? What were you gonna say?" Soushi asked desperately, still looking down at her. "P-Princess…"

More tears started to form in his eyes. "P-Princess, wake up!" Desperately trying to wake her up, he leaned down and kissed her lips covered in blood. Once again, he kissed her lips again, but a couple more times thinking it's the solution.

"Please… wake up…"

He then held her lifeless body even closer. In agony and without thinking, he yelled, "PRINCESS!"

He cried hard and kept holding her.

Watanuki heard Soushi's cry and walked up from behind him. Watanuki started feeling himself cry too. Just seeing his best friend cry made him all sad inside. He never thought he would see Soushi, the happiest guy he has ever met, cry like this.

Soon after, the sky started raining, as if it was crying along with Soushi and Watanuki.

"Why did it have to end like this…" said Watanuki softly.

⊰ . . . . . ⊱

"...And that's how I killed the bitch."

I looked toward Soushi. He was dead silent and didn't say anything after that.

I felt myself start to cry as well and placed one of her hands on her chest. I swear I could have felt the pain of Kagerou's knife stabbing her chest. I looked away from Soushi, avoiding the sad look on his face.

I heard Kagerou chuckle slightly. I assume his sadistic side likes watching me cry. He then spun me around so I can face Soushi.

"You see this, my bitch? It was technically your fault, since you're the reincarnation of the princess. Your incarnation should've listened to my threat, but instead you choose to take the risk and make Soushi's life miserable. How terrible of a person are you, naughty, naughty girl."

I felt myself start to tremble and I started to cry.

"I-I'm sorry Soushi… I...I didn't mean to make you suffer like this…" I said, trying to keep my voice steady as possible.

Soushi did not respond neither did he look at me.

Kagerou laughed at what he was looking at then forcefully grabbed my waist and whispered into my ear "Give it up Ririchiyo… he'll never forgive you, which means that you're mine and mine alone… forever."

He then took out a injection needle and was about to put it into my arm. I closed my eyes and waited for the needle to inject me. All of a sudden, I heard Kagerou's groan. I opened my eyes to see Soushi gripping onto Kagerou's wrist tightly.

I then looked into the eyes of the man I loved. His eyes were calm, yet angered.

"You shall not touch her. I lost her once and I will not lose her again from the likes of you!" Soushi said then twisted Kagerou's wrist, causing Kagerou to drop the injection needle.

My eyes widen and I felt myself blush what he said.

"Oh? So now you decide to fight for the woman you love. Alright then, bring it on!" Kagerou then took off his cape and threw it the ground.

Soushi readied his stance and started dodging at Kagerou. Kagerou did the same and soon enough, the two men started fighting, throwing punches at each other.

I watched desperately on the sidelines what seemed like for hours. At first Soushi was winning the fight, but then Kagerou caught up and now Soushi is the one being beat up badly. I couldn't take it anymore and yelled, "Stop!"

Kagerou stopped kicking Soushi, who was on the ground drenched in blood and looked at me, "What is it, my bitch?"

I didn't want to do this, but I made the decision to go home with Kagerou… in order to stop the man I love from feeling any further pain.

'All I ever do is cause pain…' I thought to myself then took a deep breath and said, "Please… take me back home… but please… I beg you… don't hurt him anymore…"

Kagerou smirked at me. "I like it when girls beg, especially coming from you, my bitch." He then looked back at Soushi and without hesitation, he kicked Soushi's head one last time.

"Kagerou!" I yelled in terror. "I said to stop, I said I would go back home with you!"

Kagerou then laughed once more then walked toward my side.

"Miss… Ririchiyo… no…" I heard Soushi say desperately. I looked away from him, trying to avoid eye contact with him.

"Shut the fuck up Soushi, it's obvious my bitch has learned her lesson and will take my threats seriously from now on."

I looked at Kagerou picking up the injection needle and placed it on my arm. I could feel the tip of the injection needle against my arm.

"Princess… no…"

It was painful to leave Soushi, but I had to in order to stop the pain.

"Soushi… I don't want to hurt you any longer…" I said, trying to prevent myself from crying.

"You heard my bitch, she no longer wants you, so give it up." With that said, I felt the injection needle being pushed into my arm and into my vein.

The world started spinning around me then everything went to black. But even when I'm knocked out, I could hear Soushi's voice calling for me.

'Goodbye… my prince…'

To be continued…