Execution and Butterlies

Misa wasn't sure what she had expected to walk into when Ida had told her she would again be in the company of the kingdom's most important figures--a prospect which made her jittery and uncomfortable--but it wasn't this.

Who would have expected... she began the thought but never finished. Her eyes were glued on the callous scene unfolding before her.

Lit lanterns on poles nearly as tall as modern streetlights illuminated the dark plaza, casting daunting images over the stone walls of various homes. The flames dancing as if to a jubilant song. A large wooden deck, seeming to be hastily fashioned, was set at the center of a very large, large gathering of onlookers.

Misa estimated at least three hundred city dwellers were in attendance for this display. She set her gaze rapidly over all of them, hesitant to meet their eyes. Hungry, their eyes were, for insight concerning the night's mystery.

Why were they all gathered at this time of night? Why had that particular deck been constructed? Why were the royals present? And Master Om, senior counsel to the King, and the great Oracle of Kkum, the seer of the world's dreams?

Who was the alluring girl standing beside Prince Ran, with the dark skin, chartreuse eyes, and the long, black hair? Who was that kneeling on the deck, with his arms strung up on either side of him, his head hanging down, and his wavy brown hair obscuring his face?

Who was being executed this evening?

"This outfit..." Misa muttered, shifting uncomfortably in the red, flat and elegant ballet-style shoes she wore to accompany the equally red, flowing dress she had been made to wear for this 'special' occasion. It had long, loose lantern sleeves and a low-cut, square neckline. "I don't feel right." She finished.

She felt much too fancy, too 'dressed-for-dinner' to watch a full-blown execution. In fact, each of the royal family was dressed in a similar deep red fashion, the rich color of blood from head to toe. The Queen even wore a red, drooping silk headdress with a white, crown-like rim. She looked ready for a night at the royal theater.

Not this, Misa thought, I don't want to be audience to this. None of this feels right. It's Leto, their longtime friend. I get that he betrayed the Crown, but...

"I don't know if I can do this," left Misa's mouth without her meaning it to.

She heard the click of a tongue on her left side. "You are not going to do anything... Misa."

Her heart thrummed more energetically than it should have (literally been able to) at the sound of her name on Prince Ran's voice. She bit her lip, hoping, or maybe dreading that, he'd look her way. Recently, she'd been having so many feelings cooped up in her chest about the vampire prince that she wasn't sure how to make up her mind about them.

The only thing she knew was that Prince Ran being gone or avoiding her these four days really put into perspective how much her being here in this world depended on him. She wondered how she felt about that: despondent? interested? nervous?

The distinction wasn't clear enough, but Misa figured she should, for now, just allow herself to feel.

So, she exhaled the breath she'd unwittingly started to hold as Prince Ran stared straight ahead at his mother's favorite retainer and said, "This is what happens when one of our own loses his way. This is someone who has betrayed his kingdom."

As if on cue, Leto began to cry out in response to the accusations.

"Please! Hear me. All of you! It was not I who carried out the act. I was not myself! The Fae woman cast her hypnosis on me. I was made to do her bidding. Never would I dream of betraying our great nation. I would rather--" He cut himself off. Misa watched Prince Ran frown at Leto who, in that moment, failed to show his allegiance. "I-I wouldn't," the desperate vampire continued, "I swear!"

"Swallow your tongue, traitor. You have dishonored the Crown with your ill-conceived betrayal." King Kousei spoke. He addressed the entire crowd, his voice booming as if boosted by magical ability. "This Fool has provided aid to our greatest enemy, the Fae, and in doing so, brought great injury--almost death--to our beloved heir, Prince Ran, and endangered the life of his betrothed. The prophesied, Lady Misa."

Gasps and murmurs rolled through the crowd. Misa heard her name on various vampires' tongues and watched their glowing eyes find hers. Involuntarily, she shivered.

"So, it's the princess," some whispered. "The prophecy has been answered."

"She looks promising."

"She's beautiful. Certainly fit to be Prince Ran's bride."

"She... has a unique smell. Does she not?"

Misa's eyes sprang to the widest they possibly had ever been, and she turned, alarmed, to Prince Ran. The prince didn't spare her a glance as the whispers continued.

"Never mind her smell. It must be because she is special."

"Perhaps you are right."

"Yes... Must be."

"But I smell her too, all the way from here." Someone else said louder. "This may sound strange, but I believe she smells... She smells like a--"

The deafening sound of a massive fire being set ablaze gripped everyone's attention in the crowded plaza. The King bellowed, "For his acts of treason against this great kingdom, Leto's eternal life will be extinguished here for all to bear witness."

A nod from King Kousei triggered the fall of a large, silver blade, and Leto, who begged futilely for his life to be spared, was decapitated in the city square. With no wasted movements, guards from the castle removed and tossed his remains into the raging fire which multiplied the silhouettes dancing on the walls by three.

The townsfolk hooted and yelled hurrahs, screaming mindlessly as the flames consumed Leto's body, his soul at last ripped from his reanimated corpse.

Misa watched all this activity with a sick taste stuck in her throat. She swallowed over and over again, focused on keeping some part of herself tampered down. Her disgust, her fears. Her smell.

She wondered briefly why it was that her smell was so fragrant, so talked about and seemingly different from other humans. She thought to ask the Oracle. He was wise and seemed to know more about herself than she did.

However, Misa was depleted from the night's activities and decided against any courses of action that might draw attention to herself. Instead, she thought despairingly, I have to get out of here, knowing she would do best G-O-N-E, but had no way out.

Come with me.

Prince Ran's voice in her mind drew a sharp intake of breath from Misa and she looked to him in surprise, finding his striking eyes on her. She almost took a step back. Your eyes...! She exclaimed in her mind, unable to draw her gaze away.

His eyes had changed color. They were chartreuse, a perfect split between yellow and green. Just like hers.

Early glances in the mirror after their deadly encounter with Prince Von, the Fae prince, in the enchanting tower taught her that her eyes had undergone a change in color. They were brighter than before, and she had assumed that the change had only applied to her. Now, she realized that she and the prince remained connected after that day.

A tickle of butterflies fluttered in her stomach at the thought.

Come, he said, and to Misa's utter earth-shattering surprise, Prince Ran held out his hand to her. It was a wildly gentle gesture juxtaposing the macabre scene that still burned around them.

Misa felt like they were part of their own little world as she, for the very first time, took Prince Ran's hand. He led her to the trio of horse-drawn cabs that awaited the royal family and the wise Oracle and Master Om. Ahead of them, the Queen and King were being helped into their vehicle.

As the Queen stepped up, she suddenly paused her movements to settle a burning glare at Misa who was approaching from behind with Prince Ran. Her stare bled into Misa like a hot iron, and Misa frowned wondering, What's with that woman? Honestly.

"Don't mind her." Prince Ran muttered beside her ear and urged her toward their cab.

Misa nodded, blinking confusedly at the prince as she did so. This massive change in his demeanor was catching her off guard, bad. But don't get me wrong! I like it! She cried internally, then cringed because the prince might have heard her and that was damned embarrassing.

Thought, honestly, she couldn't help but wonder about it.

"So, Ran..." She started, hesitant, "You're not mad at me? You don't, like, hate me?" When he only looked at her as their guardsman helped her up into the cab, Misa added, "For not stopping you from... you know... back then."

The prince seemed to consider her question for a moment before answering. "I was. Before. But not anymore. I understand your position, and I am grateful for the actions you took." 

The guardsmen, whose incisors suddenly popped at the smell of Misa, cowered and hurried away at a sharp sideways glance from Prince Ran. Misa grimaced, her face showing fear. The prince, on the other hand, huffed a little and seemed well on his way to... smiling?!

Hurriedly, Misa leaned in, waiting for the prince's record-breaking first real smile to break through. The prince quirked an eyebrow at her in surprise and, when it happened, she wished she had captured a picture. 

It was so beautiful.

The prince's bright-colored eyes turned soft and seemed to gleam in the moonlight. His white teeth gave him the perfect, poster boy smile that every dentist would love. His lips, usually set in a thin, no-nonsense line, seemed so inviting, Misa almost had to tell herself to sit the hell down, or else.

Prince Ran chuckled--actual music to Misa's ears. "Foolish human." He said. "Always frightened like a mouse. You need more of the potion. It's been five days. And you stink too much."

Misa, still hanging halfway out of the cab, let her own lips curve into a little smile. "Oh, shut up." She said, and then moved into the cab so Prince Ran could take his seat.

Though, just as he was about to enter after her, something to his right seemed to catch his eye. He turned. His demeanor darkened drastically. "Ran?"

"Stay here."

"But wait! What's going--"

To the guardsman who would chauffeur the cab, Prince Ran ordered, "Take her home." Then, he hurried off toward a faintly lit corner of the city.

Misa peeked after him, seeing just before he turned the corner a face that looked remarkably similar to his own. She didn't need to be a rocket scientist to guess who that might be.

"Prince Ryusei." She whispered and then jumped out of the cab to run after them.