#WILL NEVER PASS UP THE OPPORTUNITY TO DRAW HERMITS AND DRAGONS

[lorebird]

Once more, I find myself asking the age old question: what if dragon egg could hatch

[inviouswriting]

Past

Aymeric x Kiya

milder smut

During their stay in the Hermit Hovel, Kiya and Aymeric read a lot of the books on the shelves. They had discovered quite a few erotic romance tomes and read them together. Kiya felt a twinge of shyness whenever they came across a spot in the book that was explicit, she would shift closer to Aymeric. There were many moments where they got lost in the passion of the book and he would pepper kisses on her neck to draw her attention to him.

They were in one of those moments, the book was more of instructions on positions or how to please. Aymeric took and put everything he read into memory as well as tested these ideas on his beloved. They had retreated to the water outside or on rare moments when completely enraptured. Aymeric took his love on top of the tables.

Aymeric preferred the water, it allowed him to move with her without preparing so heavy. He had her once completely on her back and waist raised to where he had her hold his hands to keep support. The rain that fell on them made the experience one of his favorites to see Kiya so lost in bliss he recalls in his mind how tight her hand held his.

Now he had her in his arms and read to her from the text. He would feel her shift closer till his voice lulled her to sleep. He’d stop reading when her breathing evened out and tug her close into his arms. 

Aymeric had never thought that the time he would spend with her would be spent discovering so much about the other. She had donned the outfit she had left her tribe in and showed him a sultry side of her as she had danced for him giving him a lasting memory as he took her then. There were quiet moments together talking about their lives. He shared stories of his youth, she shared many of her adventures before she became the eikon slayer. How she use to work at the Gold Saucer as a server. He had recalled her there a few times when he and other knights snuck to gamble at the race tracks. 

He vaguely remembered her, she had to be around nineteen while he was twenty two. It was before he had his own fateful events with his band that left only he and Estinien alive. He remembered how the other knights at that time had tried to harass her. The men laughed as they walked away from her. 

Aymeric steps back from the group seeing her casting spells quicker than the others could react. Fire and ice hit his companions while he stares on after them. He looks back at the girl seeing the fury in her eyes. Even he felt fear from them, she gives him a glance debating whether she wanted to throw a fireball at him, or ice when he waves his hands. He didn’t do anything to her.

“Easy!” He backs up and she lowers her hands down. He glanced over to his group. The men that sported burns had groped her, while the ones hit with ice made comments and whistles. He himself reprimanded them fierce about harassing other women. 

“Would be that you guys deserved it! If you all had half a brain between your lot, you would have noticed her scepter! Miss! I am terribly sorry for my companions. They are idiots who have not seen women dressed so... well... scantily..”  He apologized to her for his company. She gave him such a cold stare he still remembers the anger behind her green eyes that it made him shiver in memory. They had went their separate ways then.

He poured himself into his training, Kiya poured into hers till he had heard that Ifrit had been slain by two survivors.  Ten years had pass since that one encounter. Aymeric became Lord Commander, while Kiya had become a warrior that had survived Ifrit’s fire, then Titan, followed Garuda. Every single being that came to fight her had fell. He became enamored by her tales. How she with another group of people took down the castrum and Gaius.

Then Leviathan. She has recounted to him that despite the fact Leviathan was a primal. The great sea monster was her favorite fight. It was raw, it was alive, it was a fight between not falling off into the depths, while the serpentine monster lashed and summoned creatures. People lost to the sea in hysteria, till she had taken it down. The light in her eyes at talking about the fight.

As they shared their stories, Aymeric became aware of how much she had achieved in years, he had his own, but he was no warrior of light. He felt a little envious towards her prowess in few moments. He shoved those feelings aside as this woman who sat nestled in his arms divulged her life to him. When she remembered he was that young knight in training that apologized for his companions she gave him that one stare. Then laughed when he panicked earning him pinning her down for his retribution on her.

The turn of events of her becoming the warrior of light, and him with his heritage as the archbishop’s son.

They shared their first impressions of each other. She knew his from when he first told her about his fascination in her. He scoffed when she thought him pompous at first.

“Me? Pompous? What gave you that impression?” He questioned as he lain on top of her with his hands beside her head. He had to know.

“It was Alphinaud’s words! He had told me you Ishgardians were stand-offish and set in your ways! So I had assumed you would act all high and mighty! I thought you were going to be this old crotchety man. Not some young and handsome guy.” This earns a laugh out of him as he placed kisses on her face.

“Old? Crotchety? Forgive me if I dashed your expectations.” Aymeric says haughty and amused. Kiya lines one of her hands with his, marveling at how the size between their hands are. His so much bigger than hers and he tilts his head at how small hers are closing his fingers on hers easily.

“I think I like the fact you were a lot younger. If I had been faced with one of the devoteds.. I don’t think we’d be here today.” The thought makes him frown at how easy this opportunity would have slipped them. They would have been overrun by Vishap breaking their barriers and probably have died defending his home from so many dravanian. Her mere presence turned that fight. Her and the adventurers that came to their aid.

They pause to share a kiss with each other. Kiya leans more into it, while Aymeric runs the back of his hand against her face tender feeling her skin. They lounged a lot together nude and in the comfort of the others arms. The only time they really need clothing was to make a trip to camp overlook for provisions.

Kiya notes at just how much the man over her has grown from that knight that scolded his mates for grabbing her to a alliance leader and now husband to her. They keep their kiss till Aymeric parts it to look her in her eyes checking to see what sort of mood she is in. When he sees how she matches his own stare. He inclines his head down to hers to seal another kiss.

The book they had been reading forgotten next to them as they get lost in an emotion together of realizing just how much is between them. She urges him to allow her to fit on his lap and he guides her as she does. He listens to her sighs and whimpers she makes whenever she takes him on he cautions her about being reckless with having him in her so sudden. He tries to move but is met with a sight that makes him stop altogether in pained tears.

“My love.. you can’t just mount like that.. you know how large it is.” He scolds her as he tends to her pulling from her. He showers her face in kisses and holds her to him.

“If we were in the water it would be different. or an oil used. We can’t go dry my love.” He soothes her through his touch, he has her lie back and checks to make sure he didn’t tear her.

“I’m sorry Aymeric. I just felt in the moment.”

“I understand that my love. But you know the prep I do is for a reason. So I don’t hurt you by accident like this.” He rubs her gently, to sooth the ache from the poor penetration done. 

“I still want to...” She is met with his concerned stare, and Aymeric sits more upright.

“Will you let me lead then? Make it all the better?” Kiya nods and he has her on her back now, he tends to her, his mouth used to please her till her toes curl against his back where her feet press against it. Once Aymeric knows she is prepared to his liking and knows she is more accepting to his length. He takes her slowly, just to be sure she isn’t still in pain.

Aymeric gets her to keen out in pleasure as he moves within her. Pleasure across her face, he sighs in relief at her feeling it better than earlier. He is in bliss himself at the way she is to him. Soon he has her saying his name, he can’t help letting his mind drifting to that woman he met those years ago. The one that gave him such an angry expression is now beneath him looking at him in need and chanting his name as if it is all she knows how to muster.

Kiya holds onto him after they had peaked together. He jumps down from where the bed is with her in his arms to take her to the pools of water. To let her waist soak in warmth to ease the tension in her thighs and soreness in other spots from him being over eager.

“Funny how... you and I became so intricately bound together now. What were you doing at the Saucer then?” Kiya murmurs as she rests her head in his lap, Aymeric simpers a smile down at her, his blue eyes shining bright as he locks eyes with her vivid green ones. 

“Aye. We were there to bet on some races. Some foolery on our half before we went to respond to a dragon sighting.” Kiya’s eyes widen at his words remembering the story he told her from when he met Estinien.

“That was then?” He nods, Kiya feels a little bad about their encounter then. He tugs her cheeks a little.

“Do not look at me like that. While I lost those companions, it reshaped my thinking and well here I am now. A knight, married to a beautiful woman. Who also happens to be a powerful black mage.” He cups her face to lean down to kiss her.

She notices he does not use the titles. She smiles even more as when they began their pilgrimage they excluded all titles and their roles. Aymeric had donned a bow to leave his sword behind to fully focus on them in their marriage. She notices even more how they’re so comfortable now. 

“How do you feel? Not still sore?” Aymeric breaks her thoughts checking on her from earlier. She stung just a little bit still.

“A little bit.” Aymeric feels a little guilty. if he wasn’t so big he wouldn’t worry so much. He at least made her feel good erasing the pain she felt, but he had to be sure in their times together to make sure she doesn’t try to repeat that move.

“You my love, while I enjoy loving every ilm of you. You have worn me out from all the fun we did today.” He sees her grin, he collects her into his arms letting her cling to him so he can climb the ladder with her up to the bed.

Getting her into his arms to actually rest, he moves the book they neglected then lays where it was. He notices how she seems to beam happiness at him. Making many secrets between them in how they see the other in different ways each day.

Aymeric takes her leg hand to kiss her ring, a steady habit he has gotten into to do it every chance he gets to. He pets her face until she drifts to sleep again. He joins her afterwards making sure she is secure in his arms under a blanket.

[mythicamagic]

Diabolik Fairy Tales - Chapter 4

AU - The Diabolik Lovers re-imagined as fairy tale characters. Each chapter will feature a different diaboy, as their dark natures become entwined with the original macabre fairy tales of the past. Includes smut with a nameless heroine (slight reader insert)

Rated M               Trailer is here          (you can read all my fics here on fanfiction.net or Ao3)

Chapter 1 - Yuma Mukami                            Chapter 2 - Shuu Sakamaki

Chapter 3 - Kanato Sakamaki                       Chapter 4 - Ayato Sakamaki

Chapter 5 - Ruki Mukami                                  Chapter 6 - Laito Sakamaki

Chapter 7 - Azusa Mukami                              Chapter 8 - Reiji Sakamaki

Chapter 9 - Kou Mukami                            Chapter 10 - Subaru Sakamaki (end)

Special thanks to @fyeahdialovers for this one. I owe you big time for all your editing help and Ayato advice ^^

Hair like Ribbon ~

An announcement had been made, by the king himself, regarding the fate of the land he'd ruled over for more than thirty years. Subjects had flocked to the courtyard. Peasants mixed with nobles. All desperately shoved to the front of the crowd, straining to hear the news. Once the last word was uttered, gossip spread like wildfire.

For reasons not divulged, the king would be abdicating the throne early, passing it down to one of his six sons. The kingdom had been expected to fall into the hands of the eldest, so this news shocked many in the lower rings. For the upper-class, it came as no surprise, considering Prince Shuu's infamous lethargy. Yet the conditions that the princes had to meet, in order to be selected, gave everyone pause.

The six sons would have to leave the castle and search for a priceless treasure. It would be paramount to any other held within the royal treasury. Whoever brought back the 'best' object, would gain the crown.

People interpreted this in many ways. Perhaps a dragon egg would win? Or a rare spell? Maybe even a captured magical creature.

Prince Ayato was practically bursting with joy. This was the chance he'd been waiting for his whole life. It was a simple task, cut and dry, and for once he was actually thankful to his bastard of a father. Why the fool had done it made little sense, but he wasn't going to complain. Suspicions be damned, he was winning this thing.

As the third in line for the throne, yet eldest of the triplets, he'd always been pulled in different directions for where his place should be. But now he had an answer to everything, and competition was something he excelled at.

Grinning viciously, he mounted his horse and set off into the remote wilds of his father's kingdom.

He'd never had a chance to prove himself in such a clear way before, so he didn't think much of riding all day and night in search of a spectacular find. Of course, he would have to bring something cool back, worthy of himself. He thought briefly of his brothers, and the conversation he'd shared with Laito.

"Let me guess, the buzzkill is gonna search for a lame plant of some kind." He'd sneered, eyes on his older brother, who was pouring over maps some distance away.

Laito had laughed lowly. "I wouldn't underestimate him, Ayato. I've heard delicious little details of what he got up to with the Mage's Dark Magic book."

"Tch." Ayato leaned back, frowning over his own map.

"How about you?" Laito's eyes had gleamed with interest.

"Like I'm gonna say. What if you steal my great idea?"

"I'm wounded that you would think so low of me, brother. Especially since I won't be participating in this farce. It'll be more fun to watch you all struggle."

Ayato frowned to himself as he urged his horse on. He didn't want to be manipulated by his father, but this was the easiest way to get what he wanted. And why wouldn't someone want the crown? Well, Ayato hardly cared what motivations his brothers had. He needed to win, that was all.

After dismounting, he cursed foully, complaining over saddle sores.

He'd heard rumor about a rare stone, located deep within the Eastern Forest. Alchemists had coveted it for some time, yet were unable to find any trace of it. That probably had something to do with its location, as the forest was infamous for trapping weary travelers within its many twists and turns.

A part of him longed for a servant to order around, but pride demanded that he brave the woods alone. Subaru had also set out by himself, with nothing but his fists and the clothes on his back.

Ayato snorted, swinging his sword through the dense undergrowth that blocked his way. He tugged his horse forward, gripping the reins tightly. It pulled against his hold, becoming more skittish and frightened the deeper they went into the forest.

"Oi, don't go wussing out on me. You belong to a great prince, have some pride! It's gonna reflect badly on me if you get all jittery from a bunch of twigs."

His horse continued to yank at the reins. Ayato rolled his eyes, glancing at the sky and feeling some of the sleep he'd put off start to creep into his tired body. He wasn't one for camping, though the idea of roughing it on his own had initially been exciting. Yet now that the situation was in front of him, Ayato wished that he'd stopped by a peasant's house before entering the forest, demanding shelter.

With night descending quickly, he made a fire and grabbed the half organised pack from his horse, sitting down on the grass heavily. He'd been walking through the Eastern Forest for some time now, with no trace of the rare stone anywhere. It was meant to be found in a glade, and could grant a person some kind of immense power. He wasn't worried though, he'd find it soon enough. Ayato rubbed his head, wearied as he took a swig from his water pouch.

He'd be happy just for a bed right then, or a hot meal. The leftovers in his pack had been eaten a little too quickly.

Just as he was about to settle in for the night, a rustle caught his attention. He sat up, thinking he's seen something in the shadows up ahead, a figure flitting through the trees. Quickly rising, he staggered from headrush, before grabbing his sword. He then glared at his horse.

"You better be here when I get back." He warned, before turning and running after the figure.

As he ran, knocking the bushes aside and roughly scraping his shoulder against a tree, he thought to himself that the figure must've been a hermit.

When the stranger came into view, just barely visible from the dimly lit sky, Ayato stopped, crouching low. He squinted as the figure's hood drew back to reveal an old hag, aged and haggard. She kept walking, and Ayato followed, curious.

His feet eventually stopped dead. Green eyes slid up to stare at a tall tower. It was made of aged white bricks, and stretched up into the darkening sky, standing alone among the trees.

A flash of memory resounded in his mind, that of building blocks piled high, but Ayato shook the thought away furiously. He crept closer, watching as the hag walked to the base of the tower which had no entrance, calling up to the high window:

"Rapunzel! Let down your hair!"

To his surprise, a large fall of hair, twisted into a braid, swung down from the tower's only window. The hair was impossibly long, hitting the floor and pooling into a heap.

The old hag grabbed the braid and used one of the many ties adorning the locks as a foothold. Ayato stared, amazed as the hair began to slide up. He heard grunting, and the sound of something turning up above, like a crank, as the hag ascended into the air. She rose up to the tower window, before disappearing from sight.

Ayato stood there for a long while. Minutes slipped by, and as they did, his lips curled up at the edges, spreading wider to reveal teeth.

Some time after the hag descended, walking off into the gloom of the forest, he stood below the tower window. Reiterating the words that had caused the hair to fall, satisfaction puffed up inside him as it fell down into heap at his feet.

Mimicking what the hag had done, he was surprised to find that the hair was soft and sleek in his hands. He gripped the strands tight as the hair slid up, grunts of effort reaching his ears and the sound of a crack drawing closer. He glanced below at the ground, refusing to acknowledge the way sweat pricked the back of his neck, and instead focusing on the adrenaline that pumped through his veins.

The girl's eyes flew wide and disbelieving at the image of a stranger climbing through her window. Instead of wrinkles, or frail, weathered bones beneath a sweeping cloak, there was a lithe, athletic build, smooth skin, and a bright shock of red hair.

This person was a man. She'd never laid eyes on one before, but had heard plenty, as the old woman had a penchant for seizing every opportunity to gripe about them.

His lips curled up, and a pleasant voice rang out. "Yo." He said nonchalantly.

She blinked, heart stuttering with fear as she stared uncertainly. "U-um, hello?"

He leaped down from the window, before standing tall. "The name's Ayato Sakamaki."

Amazed, she stuttered, before introducing herself. The man's keen green eyes swept down her figure with interest. He then stepped forward and put his hands on his hips, sizing up her home. "So what's the story with this place; You live here?"

"Y-yes. Sorry but, I'm not sure you should be here. Does my mother know about this?" She glanced uncertainly at the window.

"Huh? I can go wherever I please. You happen to be talking to a Crown Prince." He jabbed a thumb at his chest, smirking as her eyes widened. Cherished memories spent pouring over fairy tales warmed her heart, and when she looked at him again, it was with a new light that went completely ignored by him. "Anyway, the tower doesn't really matter. What's the deal with your hair?"

Her eyes dropped to the fall of locks that were spun around the room, hanging from the rafters and wrapped around her bed posts like a monstrous snake. "Oh...I've never been allowed to cut it, or go outside." She fiddled with a piece of it, tucking the strand behind her ear. She shouldn't have been answering a stranger's questions, but if he was a prince then it felt only natural to.

"Ha? Seriously?"

When she nodded, he grinned, moving uncomfortably close. His green eyes were alight with something indiscernible but intense. She felt like shrinking under that keen stare, but having endured her mother for years, her feet remained firmly rooted in place."You've never been outside?"

"I was brought here when I was twelve. But my mother...she told me to forget about everything that came before then."

"Heh, and how much do you know about the world? Not much, I'm guessing." Prince Ayato peered at her. "Hmm, maybe if the hair thing isn't impressive enough, I can sell you as 'The Airhead Girl.''

"Sell?!" She sputtered.

"Figure of speech. Don't worry, I'll be sure to keep you close when we leave." He waved off her concern dismissively, as if batting a fly.

Her eyes shot wide. "But I barely know you, and I-I can't! I'm not even supposed to be talking with you."

He laughed, sounding young and carefree. It was so fresh and new she couldn't help but be drawn in by it. "Yeah, and your keeper has done a fine job of hiding you away. Really, I applaud them. But-" He bent close to her face, his scent filling her nose. It was spicy, overwhelming, and yet, somewhat inviting. "If you cared about that, you'd have obeyed them and not said a word to me when I climbed in, right? But you've been nothing but chatty. I think you wanna leave. You want to know what you're missing out on."

Her hands fretted at her sides, and she wet her lips, heart leaping when his eyes followed the action. His voice dropped, looking down at her hungrily. "I have a pretty good idea of why your guardian chose to lock you away."

She frowned, "You do? Why?"

Something in his laugh mirrored that of her mother's. Cruel and low. "Ahh...you're gonna be tons of fun." He leaned away, smiling to himself.

The girl didn't know what to make of his words, and stood lost in thought for a moment.

"Would you like a drink?" She suddenly blurted, remembering the manners an etiquette book had taught her.

He rose a brow, blinking in confusion, before shrugging.

Though she would loathe to admit it to her mother, in fear of punishment, the girl had allowed the prince to stay for the night. He'd slept in a tangle of limbs on her bed, having claimed it earlier as the most comfortable surface, and therefore, the only surface he would be sleeping on.

She'd acquiesced, but had stayed awake longer than he had. His snores were loud at first, but after turning over, he'd quieted into hushed breaths, frowning in his sleep. She knew this because she'd stayed attuned to him throughout the night. Without realizing it, she'd watched him from her position on the sofa, wondering about everything beyond the tower.

"When I win, I get the throne!" He'd bragged, before sobering and staring at her. "You'll definitely be the key to victory."

"Oh I don't know...is long hair really that impressive?"

"If I say so, then it is! I've stepped on it five times already. You'll win me the crown for sure, and then I'll-" He seemed to withdraw into himself for a moment. "I'll cast that guy into the streets, or better yet, kill him. Heh, I wonder which would hurt more?"

She didn't mind helping him achieve his goal of being crowned King, but the anxiety of leaving the tower kept her from sharing his enthusiasm. When sunlight began to peak in from her only window, the girl rose. She hesitated by her bed, gazing down at the prince with a small smile.

Another person in her home, whether or not it was a noisy one, was something she couldn't help but be enraptured by. Mother never slept in the tower. She couldn't remember seeing another person so unguarded, or hearing their breathing fall so quiet.

She made him breakfast and woke him up with a careful nudge to his leg. She didn't complain when he ate half of her meal in retaliation for waking him. As she cleared the plates away however, panic was starting to creep into her hands, making them shake.

She didn't want him to leave. To be left alone again after one night of company felt sickening.

"Rapunzel! Let down your hair!"

The girl turned, eyes wide as she stared at the tower window. "She's back." Her throat became dry, and she quickly looked at the prince.

"Heh, so what are you gonna do now?" He asked, utterly calm, not worried in the slightest.

The need to escape had always been there, lurking in the back of her mind. Some days it was pitched into a low hum, barely noticeable, but today, it sang in her veins. A longing for freedom. For wide open spaces, where she could breath in fresh air and talk with people, to live like they did.

She became aware of the prince's proximity, as he drew close to her from behind. ""Hey, don't you feel lucky I found you?"

"Yes." She whispered, moving her hair over her shoulder and sliding it into the pulley system automatically.

"That luck will have been useless if you stay, but at least nothing will change, right?"

His words opened a cavern in her heart, her stomach twisting like the fall of her hair as it plummeted to the ground. There was a tug, signalling her guardian had stepped on.

She began to pull, barely feeling the strain of her muscles from years of her practiced art. Nothing will change.

Horror numbed her fingers, making her hands freeze mid-pull.

"Rapunzel? What's going on?" Came a disgruntled voice, confused as to why she'd stopped.

The girl inched forward, until she stood overlooking the edge of the tower, staring right into the eyes of her mother. Realization slowly dawned on the hag's face as she held onto the hair, swinging in the slight breeze.

"R-rapunzel? Why are you looking at me like that? Pull me up. Now."

She swallowed. "I know my parents were foolish people, and what happened between you was a 'fair' exchange. But...but why did you keep me up here for so long, mother? Why must I always be alone?"

"I-its for your own safety! Come now dear, you know the world of men is dangerous. Let me up and we can enjoy a nice brew together-"

"I don't care, mother." Her voice wavered. She tensed as Ayato chose that moment to lean around her. The heat of his chest pressing against her back sent butterflies scattering in her stomach.

He laughed, judging the distance between the hag and the ground with a grin. "That's quite a drop, huh?"

The hag's eyes snapped wide, mouth falling open. "F-foolish child! What have you done, inviting the company of a man into your midsts?"

"I don't care. Whatever dangers there are, I would rather face them. Better that than enduring one more day stuck in this- this prison!" The girl yelled, her fingers trembling.

"Stupid, ungrateful child! How dare y-"

Rapunzel's eyes widened as her grip slackened. Never in all her years had her grip failed. And yet she watched with a numb sort of fascination as the threads of hair passed through her fingers. The hag screamed. Slack hair was still clutched tight in her gnarled hands, fluttering like a kite's tail as she fell to the earth.

A sickening thud broke the spell.

The girl stared, breaths coming in short, gasping pants. She'd let go. She'd...killed Mother.

"Whoa, dropped like a stone, didn't she?" He glanced at her, before seeing her expression and sighing. "Well, come on. Don't wanna hang around here forever." Ayato muttered, grabbing her loose hair that hung over the side, pulling it back up like a rope.

He made no comment on the broken ends, most likely torn off by the Mother's hand. Instead, he stepped inside the tower, gathering the strands into an incredibly large bundle and stuffing them inside a sack. The girl stood frozen in the window, staring down at the body that lay below.

"Oi!" His voice was suddenly close to her ear, and she jumped, quickly staggering back from the edge and bumping into him. He shoved the sack into her arms and gestured behind him.

"Do you need anything else, or can we get a move on?"

She glanced dazedly around the suddenly too small room. It was packed near to bursting with fairy-tales and little knickknacks that had amused her for years. Her first pictures hung on the wall, some of handprints that she'd smeared onto paper as a toddler.

Instead of giving her comfort, the childish possessions now disturbed her more than anything. The need to leave, and never lay eyes on them again rose like bile in her throat.

She turned to him, desperate for assurance. "Once I win you the crown, what will happen to me afterwards?"

Ayato blinked, before smirking, eyes unreadable. "Let me worry about that."

His cryptic answer did nothing to inspire trust, but she nodded, uncertainty clinging to her like a second skin. "I don't need anything. Let's go, please."

After setting her feet on solid ground, the girl had once fantasized that she would enjoy it, celebrate it like a momentous feat. But in reality, she'd quickly made light of it in favor of moving as quickly away from the broken body of her mother as soon as possible.

Ayato remained unruffled as he strode forward, leading the way through the forest and away from the lonely tower. Rapunzel glanced behind her just once before it was lost from sight.

As they walked, she remained silent, lost in memories. The story of how she'd been traded as a baby in exchange for vegetables had been recited to her ever since she was young. While she knew that her mothe- captor, hadn't loved her, she'd still felt a degree of affection for the old woman.

Ayato's boisterous laughter startled her from her heavy thoughts.

"So you decided to stick around, huh? Knew you'd make the right choice."

She glanced up, stopping dead at the sight of a large animal. "I-is that a horse?"

Ayato patted the steed, grinning. "Sure is. Ah, you never seen one before?"

"I don't remember, but I've seen pictures in my books." Her arms tightened around the sack in her hands. The horse towered over her in height.

"Ohh, then you know all about them then, huh? Like the fact that they like to bite people's hands off?"

She blinked, gaze snapping to his deadly serious features. "Huh?"

"Oh yeah, they love to nibble on delicate young ladies hands the most. When prisoners are executed at the castle, we make sure to save the hands for the horses."

"K-keep it away!" She backed away when he drew close, grabbing her around the waist. She struggled for a moment, feeling herself being lifted into the air.

Ayato set her on the horse, lifting himself up and sitting down in the saddle in front of her. "Heh, don't fuss, idiot. Here you can hold on to me." He grabbed her arms and placed them around his waist, leering at her. "Make sure to grab on real tight-ack! Not that tight!"

After loosening her hold, he clicked his tongue. The horse started forward, quickening from a walk to a trot. When her hands made fists in his shirt, he laughed, and urged the beast on, until they were galloping through the trees at a breakneck speed. The girl kept a firm hold of the sack under her arm, though large strands of hair escaped and blew out into the wind, lashing behind them.

She pressed her face against his shoulder blades, feeling the air chill her bones. Yet she was grateful for the trembling of her shoulders, the bite of cold on her nose. Eventually the forest opened out into farmlands, and she drank in everything with starved eyes.

Ayato smirked to himself as her chest pressed against his back, feeling her racing heartbeat.

Both were hardly aware of the time that passed before the castle came into view. Her arms tightened around his waist as they rode through the main gate. She looked around them wearily, staring at the strangers that haggled their wares.

The prince glanced up at the castle by chance, setting eyes on a certain figure. Immediately, his good mood scattered. Karlheinz stood on the topmost balcony of the castle, overlooking the bustle of the courtyard. Ayato tensed, limbs turning rigid when those patronizing eyes turned their sights on him.

The girl patted his side lightly, "Who is that man?" She asked innocently.

Ayato kept his gaze upward. "You just keep your eyes on me. Don't concern yourself with anyone else. Got it?"

"Y-yes."

Karl Heinz's eyes slipped past him to the girl, and Ayato swiftly turned the horse, heading towards the stables. Something hung low and heavy in the pit of his stomach.

"What do you mean: You have to present me?"

"Just what I said! Geeze, don't you listen when people talk? I have to show what treasure I brought back for this ceremony thing."

There wasn't anything she could say when he'd already explained the reason she'd been welcomed into the castle. Then I really am like some sort of object…

Ayato sighed and tugged on a strand of her hair. She winced just as he grinned sharply. "I took care of you didn't I? You should show me a little gratitude."

The girl nodded quickly. "I am grateful you helped me escape the tower, more than you'll ever know."

He frowned down at her, as if puzzling over her answer. Finally, he loosened his regal clothing, tugging the material out until it was comfortable and scruffy. "Hm, as you should be." Once he was satisfied. he grabbed her by the arm and tugged her out onto the waiting stage.

The ceremony had been held before a large crowd. Each of the brothers had stood, presenting their finds to the kingdom, all the participants seeming annoyed. Putting on a show wasn't in their tastes, though Ayato certainly enjoyed the attention from the crowd. When it was his turn, he bid her to wave, and the girl smiled shyly, standing a bit behind him.

Ultimately, his confidence grew on her, to the point that she felt herself straighten up, engaging in bouts of eye contact. It felt so alien, to be around so many after being alone for so long, but his presence was assuring.

After the ceremony, Karlheinz announced that the winner would be selected the following day. Ayato griped and nagged, trudging along to dinner without noticing the girl trailing behind him.

She sat still during the feast, her eyes flitting from one guest to the next, before finding someone bent close to her face. "Oh~ Who's this?" A pleasant voice asked, his green eyes, though darker, struck a familiar chord with her.

"Are you one of Ayato's brothers?" She hadn't been able to see or interact with them during the ceremony, having stayed glued to Ayato's side.

"How cute, you refer to him without a title! Fufu, have you gone that far already?"

Although clueless, she was beginning to understand the gist of his words from the blush painting his cheeks. "H-how far?" The question slipped out without her consent.

"Oh you know~" The man drew closer, making her shrink back in her seat. "All the way." He purred, eyes raking down her form.

"Oi, Laito! Buzz off already, she's mine."

Laito chuckled, but none the less moved away, smiling at Ayato. "So Reiji brings back a rare gem of necromancy, Subaru coughs up an old artifact, and you bring back... a girl, is that right brother?"

Ayato grumbled in his seat. "She's not a normal girl, she has the longest hair ever. Besides I wasn't about to waste my time in a forest looking for some dumb rocks."

"I don't blame you. A woman is worth far more than any other treasure, and has a thousand other uses." Laito was saying, but it went mostly unheard.

The girl wasn't paying attention any more. Her eyes had risen from the feast, connecting by chance with that of the King's. Though he sat at the end of the long, ornate table, he stared at her with a fixated heat that bridged the distance. She felt stifled under that gaze.

His pale lips tilted up, the slight wrinkles under his eyes creasing.

She found herself replaying that single moment in her head, long after dinner had ended and she'd retired to her bed. Before sleeping, she locked the door of her room, not understanding where the need had arisen from.

Despite public expectation, the announcement that followed the ceremony a day later dubbed the eldest triplet the winner.

Several people went bust, having bet good money on Reiji winning the crown. Some expressed pity that the youngest hadn't won, having participated in order to have a say over his mother's welfare.

The girl had been happy, thinking that she'd managed to be useful. As for Ayato himself, he'd been in a daze ever since. She wished she could spend some time with him, but court officials had been prepping him for the coronation, making it difficult to get close.

Since then, she'd mostly been spending time in her room. Shut off again.

The insidious sensation of eyes had hung on her skin like sticky vapor ever since the dinner on that first day. Though she hadn't seen the king since then, she was constantly alert, uncertain of what had been in those eyes, or why they frightened her so. They made her unable to face going outside her room alone.

On one particular day however, those fears were realized. "The King has…requested an audience with me?"

An aged servant waited outside her door. "Yes dear."

She hesitated. "I don't understand, what for?"

"Why, for your company of course." Seeing the girl's furrowed brow deepen, the older woman leaned forward conspiratorially, lowering her voice. "This is a big opportunity for you! Many a fine woman has longed to be in the position you're in now. His Highness tends to the needs of his lovers exceptionally well. Even better than his wives."

A dull pang echoed in her heart. "Lovers…"

The maid left her standing alone in the hallway, mind turning impossibly fast. A tingling feeling on the nape of her neck pricked into a harsh bite, alerting her to eyes once more.

Her gaze locked with Ayato's.

Quiet, tense energy coiled inside her. She wanted to speak, to break the horrible silence. He had never looked at her like that before, or felt so remote and distant.

Her lips parted. "Ayato." Why did her voice shake? Was she guilty of something?

The prince stared at her a moment longer, before stalking forward.

Her heart thundered in her chest as his hand slammed onto the wall beside her. "Oi…that just now." He finally spoke, hair spilling into his eyes. When he looked up, the locks parted, revealing sharp, glaring green. Somehow, they burned with an inner light.

"You didn't invite it. Did you? His interest." His usual jovial tone had been replaced with one that made her tremble. When she didn't answer, he leaned forward until their foreheads pressed together. The act elicited no warmth or happiness. Her skull ached from being pressed back into the hard surface of the wall behind her.

"You didn't do anything while I wasn't looking, right? Because if you did, nothing will save you." There was a deadly promise in his voice. Hot breath fanned over her lips.

"I wouldn't do that!" She yelled, but words didn't seem to reach him.

She broke the barrier of touch and grabbed his shirt. "Ayato, I don't want to go, please- don't make me! I don't understand what it is he wants from me."

His fingers snapped over hers, crushing them under his larger hands as he pried them off himself. "He wants to fuck you! Why else would he call you to his room?" He spat, the harsh words striking a chord within her. Hadn't Ayato said she belonged to him?"

"W-what? But-but"

"Damn it, stop blubbering." He sneered and backed away slightly, muttering to himself. "That fucking bastard…"

"Ayato, can't you stop this? You're King now aren't you?" She soothed her voice from a less confrontational one, but he seemed too lost in his own frustration to be calmed.

"Not yet I'm not! Shit. He knows I can't do anything to stop him until after the coronation. That's why he's doing this now." He ran a hand through disheveled red locks.

"Please, I don't want this-"

His gaze snapped to hers. "Like he gives a crap what you want."

Her head bowed forward. Hopelessness threatened to overwhelm her. "I won't…"

"Ha?"

Her body was strung tight, her fists shaking at her sides. "I refuse to let him touch me." She jolted roughly in his hold, twisting out of reach and disappearing down the hall before he had a chance to stop her.

Ayato grit his teeth, kicking the wall and feeling a dull thrum race up his leg from the impact.

The building blocks stacked impossibly high flashed in his minds eye. They tilted precariously, threatening to fall.

He wouldn't stand for it. She was his! The bastard knew that, but he just wanted to fuck with him, as always.

Just like that bitch…

"Do you want to go back to the bottom of the lake, Ayato?"

His mind refused to quiet throughout the rest of the day. When guests began to filter in for the informal banquet, he barely noticed.

The girl didn't show up to the feast. Her absence drilled into his thoughts. Come to think of it, when was that special meeting between her and his old man taking place?

His back snapped straight. Was she with him already?

He sucked in a sharp breath, the glass in his hand drawing his attention. The water trembled, as if something was shaking the ground. Like a force was coming no one could stop. Yeah, that was him wasn't it? He wasn't a kid anymore, he could- he could-

"I have no need of you, if you're utterly worthless to me."

Ayato stifled a phantom choke, trying to ignore the sensation of water filling his lungs. This was bullshit. He wasn't doing this, not now.

Why did he still feel like this when he'd finally achieved something of worth? He'd be crowned king soon! The hell was he doing, thinking of these things again?

But a flash of his father's face made the taste of victory turn sickly sour. No, there was no victory if that bastard was still breathing. What's more, he was thinking of satisfying himself inside that girl, the one he'd claimed as his own…

Ayato set down the glass, hands balling into fists. Don't underestimate me, old man. It pisses me off.

Laito glanced away from his conversation with a beautiful brunette to look at his brother, but Ayato had vanished.

Everything lay calm and still that morning. Not a ripple disturbed the motionless surface of the nearby lake. Sunlight blazed, scaling the walls of the castle and bathing every surface in a gentle glow. The kingdom's flag fluttered atop the massive structure.

Further down, stray strands of hair gently swayed in the breeze. The rest of the locks were twisted into a heavy fall, thrown over the side of the King's balcony.

And there, swinging lightly, hung the body of Karlheinz.

A guard who'd been on patrol all night, glanced up by chance whilst walking through the main courtyard. At first, disbelief had severed any action from his brain, but the moment the light hit the body in such a way that it highlighted the king's blank expression, the guard sprung into action.

Chaos descended on the kingdom in the form of frantic footfalls, yells, cries of alarm, thinking that an assassin had killed their king. It was only after the initial terror had subsided that attention was paid to the hair wrapped around his neck.

All blame immediately focused on the girl named Rapunzel.

Officials within the court hushed this information, wanting to handle the situation delicately. Several of them made their way to the throne room, panic quickening their steps.

When the door was cast open, the men stopped, taking in the image before them.

Prince Ayato comfortably lounged on the intricately carved throne, his leg thrown over the armrest. The murderer of the king sat happily on his lap, utterly clueless to their entrance. Ayato held her close, his gaze slanting up to meet the officials who stared at the couple in horror.

"What's with you?"

One man began, his voice shaking. "Y-your Highness, it pains me to say this with such little decorum but-"

"Your father, the former King, has been murdered." Interrupted another.

The girl on his lap glanced at them, her fingers threading in Ayato's loose shirt. He regarded them snidely, eyes filled with boredom. "Really?"

"Yes, Your Highness. We also have reason to believe that the girl with you has-"

"Heh, The King is Dead, Long live the King, right?" Ayato interrupted, moving his leg down and straightening in his seat.

Several of the officials looked at him with shock. "W-what?"

Other's kept a level gaze, expecting this reaction.

Ayato's hand slid up the girl's side, passing her ribs to caress the back of her neck. "This girl isn't someone the kingdom should worry about. She's mine. So I'll do what I want with her." His fingers tangled in her hair, tightening his grip on the cut locks.

Unflinching green eyes challenged any of them to protest.

The court officials didn't dare say a word. Speculation spread throughout the interior of the castle. Noblemen and guards felt they knew the truth, but none were certain in what really happened, save for the five brothers who stood on the sidelines, watching Ayato's coronation.

"It's as if he's carrying the murder weapon around with him. Does he have no tact?" Reiji frowned as Ayato stood close to the girl, the heavy crown adorning his head.

Kanato's nodded dazedly. "I wonder why he doesn't get rid of her?"

The crowd assembled cheered for their new king, the roar of shouts drowning out Laito's quiet chuckle. "I hope your building blocks don't tip over, Ayato. Be sure to mind them carefully."

Slim fingers twirled short strands around absentmindedly. The girl read on, various notes adorning her desk, all regarding the kingdom's welfare and upkeep. Days once spent idle in the tower were now crammed full of study, meetings and research. Yet Rapunzel had never been happier.

Her mind absorbed the information like a sponge. Her love of books had made her useful in attending to things within the kingdom that Ayato didn't have an interest in.

Turning a page, her heart clenched, fingers freezing. Karlheinz's handwriting stared back at her.

She slowly, carefully, shut the book. Another reason of why she drowned herself in work began to crack the surface of her placid expression.

"Dear, the King requests an audience with you." A kind voice called out.

The girl jumped, weaving through nightmares in order to focus on the old maid. "A-Ayato needs me?"

All it took was a single nod, and she was already rising, clearing away her things. When she found that he awaited her in his quarters, she took a steadying breath, trying not to think of that night.

Yet with every step she took, her past self shadowed her footsteps. She could see herself walking to Karlheinz's bedchamber, like a lost lamb going to the slaughter. She'd entered, found him waiting inside, that kind, false smile on pale lips-

"Enter." A voice called, snapping her out of her daze.

Realizing she hadn't knocked, and was instead loitering outside his room, the girl quickly opened the door. Ayato stood by the window, arms crossed.

"You're late."

She rose a brow. "I wasn't aware we had plans?"

He released a sigh before grabbing the curtain, slowly sliding it shut. "You know what I mean. You've kept me waiting long enough."

When he drew in close, enough for her to heart to flutter, she stepped back. "Waiting for...what?"

His lips turned down into a frown. Grabbing her roughly by the arms, air rushed out of her lungs as she fell back onto the bed with a thud. He stood in-between her legs, shoving a knee between her thighs and prying them apart.

"Don't play innocent. You should thank my generosity. If it weren't for me, you'd have been exec-"

"Please don't remind me of it!" She wailed, gripping his forearms and squeezing her eyes shut.

A squeak escaped from her when his lips collided against her mouth. His tongue slid past her lips the moment she gave in, and he moaned as he tasted her deeply. The girl clung to him, feeling his muscles shift as he pushed her deeper into the mattress. Something nudged insistently against her, and she gasped, pulling back from their kiss.

"I'll burn any trace of him away." He said solemnly.

A hush fell over them. Their breaths intermingled. Ayato's gaze slid to her chest, which rapidly rose and fell with each pant. She knew now what that gaze meant, and her stomach fluttered. Spending the better part of her childhood with only fairy tale books, her knowledge about the intimacies shared in bed were limited and naturally, her curiosity took over when she'd come across certain books in the library.

But this wasn't like how they'd described it in the books. He shed her clothes and impatiently waited as she attempted to strip him, growling when she took longer than he wanted. Once his bare skin touched hers, her body flamed alight. A wetness and tightening need swelled inside her core. Instinctively, she rocked her hips against his, desperate to relieve the ache.

It was clumsy and rough at first. Teeth knocked, blunt nails scratched, biting into skin harshly, before hard fingers thrust and prodded their way into places that had her back arching.

"Heh, that's not a bad face you're making, it's actually kind of arousing." He murmured, voice muffled as he retracted his tongue from between her thighs.

He shifted above her, and she closed her eyes, a furious blush spread over her face. She could hear his pants, could feel his fingers press over her skin, and when his hands lifted her thighs so her legs could wrap around him, a noise escaped her throat. That prodding that she felt earlier returned, only this time, it felt hotter and more real.

When he slid inside her, her eyes opened on reflex, and she tensed, expecting it to hurt, but he just smirked at her. His fingers only had to press against her sex to be coated in her fluids. "Can't pretend you're not enjoying it now, huh?"

And then he began to move. The sensation of him thrusting inside her built the ache in her core, until it consumed her entire body. Her fingers slid into his red hair, feeling its softness soak with sweat as he grunted and moved.

As the ache inside her curled her toes, white hot heat coxed her higher, and higher- until ravenous, soul splitting pleasure drowned out all thought.

Without the barriers of her mind, memories came rushing in.

She saw it all. The way her body had shaken violently, throwing off Karl's hands before he'd been able to do anything more than kiss her. Wrong, all wrong! Her mind had screamed. Fairy tales lining the walls of the tower bled into her vision. Those stories had become her sole comfort in her isolation. To the point that they'd become her obsession.

When a prince had stepped through her window, she'd felt a thin veil of relief and peace wash over her. It'd been perfect. He was the same as her books by association of his title. She'd implicitly trusted him without needing any other reason.

So then, when had the situation turned so sour? Why did a King embrace her? Only a prince was supposed to have her.

The rest was a red haze. She recalled her fingers wrapping around his neck, squeezing and squeezing as panic surged through her bloodstream. In another flash, they were struggling on the floor, her hair wound around his neck.

Then the voice of Ayato had startled her, his green eyes wide. Karlheinz had been coughing, retching on the floor, gasping for air.

She dimly remembered Ayato's voice calming her as they'd manoeuvred the king over to the balcony. And then...

Strands of hair had twisted into a rope, strung tight around his neck as it gave a sickening snap. His head had lolled to the side, eyes glazed and vacant.

Ayato had brushed his fingers through her hair afterwards, muttering incoherent things as he'd cut her locks free with bloody scissors. Everything else was a blur, except for the few words that he echoed now, locked inside her and panting torn, ragged breaths.

"You're mine. And mine alone."