Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Shattered Illusions ❯ Agony ( Chapter 50 )

XxXxXxXxXx

Shattered Illusions

Chapter 50: Agony

By: Melissa Norvell

XxXxXxXxXx

Hizaki sat on the cold floor, blood flowing down the opened neck from the severed head he held close to his body. The drag queen sobbed as he cuddled his slaughtered friend. "Hide..." He chocked out the name in a weak voice. "I never got to tell you how I truly felt. The entire time we've existed together on this earth, we've spent a lot of time together but I never expressed my feelings to you. Were we merely comrades in arms, friends who comforted each other? No...I cannot believe that it was so simple. I remember the first time that I met you."

A flood of imagery assualted his senses as a nostalgia submerged him in visions of the past. It was a happier time back then, when the man he held such deep feelings for was alive and at his side.

I was a distinguished member of the royal court when they first saw your potential. I came from a family of royal breeding. For countless generations of the Hiyazawa bloodline, we have served the Wittenburgs as faithful knight, ambassadors and earls.

I grew up with King Carlyle and he accepted me, even though I was not like others who were of my gender. They aspired to become manly and strong, while I wanted to be a beautiful consort who enjoyed the more feminine and luxurious ways of life.

My human mother was a seamstress for the royal court, and I inherited her love of making elaborate dresses, gloves and bonnets. Because I was so feminine, I had also taken on the mindset of a woman. Men and masculine tasks in general were an interest of mine. khid what I felt.

However, I did have certain men in the royal court who fancied me.

Hepesta and Carlyle, accompanied by Hide, approached Hizaki. The queen looked tired and held a small bundle in her arms, wrapped in vibrant, red blankets. The small child slept soundly, kissed by the rays of the sun.

The drag queen turned and looked to them as Hepesta gave him a small smile.

"Princess of Illusions Hizaki, I want you to meet someone," the queen told him.

"Oh? Who would you like to introduce me to, your majesty?" Hizaki asked with his usual sly smile.

"This is Baron Hide Kawakawa. He is new to the castle staff and he'll be King Carlyle's personal assistant and military tactician of Ramada," Hepesta gestured her head to the blonde who stood to her right.

"He'll be your partner in crime, so to speak. It will make your task easier. This way, you won't feel so busy with both Queen Hepesta and I." Carlyle knew that Hizaki often felt overwhelmed with his job, especially since the prince had been born. It would do him some good to have a little help.

"You didn't have to do such a thing, but I'm humbled that you did. The both of you take such good care of me," he really was thankful back then for that moment in time. Hizaki never knew that he would get such a good part of that deal.

Hide walked up, dressed in brilliant red and gold baroque clothing, his familiar hat adorning his head as he knelt before him and planted a small kiss on his hand. "It will be nice working with you, Princess Hizaki."

Holding a hand to his face, the feminine male smiled, "the pleasure is all mine."

"Since I'll be working with you, would you like to show me around? We could get to know each other in the process." Hide stood, leveling him with a quaint smile.

"Of course," Hizaki nodded.

During that course of time, I found out many interesting things about you, my lord.

Hizaki pulled out a needle and thread, and fetched a spell book from a drawer and placed it in front of him on an oak table. Red lips twisted into a smile as devious thoughts ran through his head.

I learned that you were originally from a rival vampire clan who was remotely related to the Wittenburgs. Your great grandmother was betrothed to one of the Wittenburg Kings but it wasn't the beautiful wedding that she had dreamed of...and eventually her life went downhill. She eventually committed suicide by throwing herself off the balcony after the loss of her son, Prince Starchild Wittenburg.

He had told me this information during the course of time when I showed him around. I never knew what any of it meant until later on when I started to notice his behavior become suspicious a good seven years after he was hired into the royal court.

I remember the first time that he mentioned his plans to me.

The two of them sat at a table with a crystal tea set, sipping tea and engaged in conversation. Hide put down his clear cup of tea and gazed out of the window to see the massive swimming pool below. It had a few children in it, including the young prince, Copernicus. He was happily splashing a few of his friends as his parents floated nearby.

"This child will be my key point in taking over the Wittenburg Empire."

Hizaki glanced out of the window casually. "Take over? You're going to overthrow King Carlyle?" This was the first he'd heard of such a thing.

"Not overthrow," Hide corrected, "kill off."

"Why are you telling me this? You do know that I could tell them easily." In all honesty, it was pretty stupid for someone of his caliber to admit things so carelessly.

"Wouldn't you like to have your own kingdom?" Hide asked, returning his gaze to the drag queen.

"That's a stereotypical offer," it felt like something from a storybook. Hizaki found it a bit silly.

"I've already taken over three kingdoms so far using this method," Hide's words caused the drag queen to jolt a little in shock on the other end of the table.

"What?" Hizaki's eyes widened.

"I can make you a true princess, in every right." Now, the offer was sounding tempting. It seemed that Hide was a man of promise and had all of the fortitude to go through with it.

"What do you mean?" Still, Hizaki was going to question his methods. He wasn't quite convinced.

"Rule by my side, Princess of Illusions," his offer was getting hard to refuse.

"If you can pull off this murder, then I'll join you." Hizaki was no fool. He wasn't going to forsake his position for such a fairytasitic little plot.

"Aren't you loyal to Queen Hepesta?" It was so quick how he reconsidered.

Hizaki then explained that he became the queen's advisor after being turned down from other facilities because he liked to dress in woman's clothing and he was caught in affairs with man of the royal court. King Carlyle took him in and he was happy for that. However, he hoped one day that he would return to his country as well. If they took over Ramada, then he could ally with his country of origin, Ibil and expand his land.

Hide arched an eyebrow. "Ibil? That's a small country."

"Yes, and they are a poor, third world country. They don't really have any technology like they do here in Ramada," Hizaki needed expansion to make them richer, or at least get them up to date with the rest of the world. There was so much he wanted to do in order to help them. They needed someone like him.

"Loyalty is easily thrown away, I see," Hide smirked. Honestly, people were so easy to sway. A good promise and the power of suggestion was all it took to control them. Give them a convincing enough story and they'd fall for it. There was one born every minute.

"If you can pull it off," Hizaki wasn't quite convinced yet.

To do what I had to, I grew away from the royal family; he thought to himself as he meticulously sowed something below him. Hide took on the job of taking care of the first prince, Copernicus. It broke my heart to backstab them, but as long as they ruled Ramada they would not ally with a small country like Ibil, who had a grudge against the larger super powers.

Ibil hated Ramada.

However, if they saw that I had a joint rule, they would trust me and I could give them half of the land and technology, helping them expand their territory. Yes, this was all for the good of my people, or at least...that's what I would keep telling myself.

Over time, I began to understand his way of rule. The more I stuck with him, the more involved I became, and the more in love with him I fell. We were the closest companions and they only ones each other trusted. He raised Copernicus to become a cold-hearted strategist with a lust for his parent's blood and I continued to play the part of Queen Hepesta's advisor as King Carlyle's health deteriorated and he came to depend on his wheelchair more and more.

However, over time our bond became stronger and we became a sexual outlet for each other. We were friends with benefits and he came to appreciate me for more than just my beauty and mastermind in my field. He loved me for who I was and it was a display that only I could understand. Only... He glanced down in sorrow; he had never expressed it in words.

We had never told each other of our feelings. I never knew how he felt about me and I never got the chance to tell you of my feelings, either. Bringing the body close to him, he hugged Hide, who now had his head attacked, sown on by his needle and thread. The strand that connected the severed pieces glowed bright neon green.

"My sweet Hide, I shouldn't have left you alone with him," Hizaki nuzzled the side of his head, blonde hairs ticking his nose. "I thought that my possession was strong enough to keep him loyal to us. I should have listened to you when you told me to watch out for him."

Pulling away from the one-sided embrace, he stared into his lover's dead eyes with determination on his face. "I swear to you, I'll make sure that he suffers in hell for what he's done to you. The Wittenburg family will fall, if it's the last thing I do. Even if I have to die in the process, I'll see you in hell, my love."

Hizaki laid the corpse down, holding out his hand as streams of glowing, gold energy traveled around him. They illuminated the room. "Live for me, Hide," the words slipped from his lips as Hizaki leaned down and kissed his dead lover. A wind kicked up, causing their hair and clothing to float. Everything began to sparkle, as if someone doused the two of them in glitter.

It was truly a beautiful sight.

XxXxXxXxXx

Zino and Millie stood on the porch as the rain continued to fall down around them. After Copernicus got inside, it rained harder and didn't stop. Glancing up to the clouds above, there seemed to be no end to the shower.

"Man, it's coming down hard. I haven't seen rain like this in a while," Zino could barely hear himself talk over the noise.

"Yea! This rain is loud!" Millie had to lean in just to hear what Zino had even said to her.

"I didn't mean to make you feel awkward back there." After all, just blurting out a confession like that was pretty random. There really was no definite precursor that he loved her, other than his admission. He had been good at hiding his feelings all of this time.

"It's okay," Millie smiled, "I've been thinking about everything."

"It is how I feel. I've kinda had a crush on you for a while now. You're a pretty girl." This was hard for him to admit, and Zino knew that he might get rejected. However, it was better to just get it out in the open and have a genuine conversation about it.

"For how long?" Crushes took time to develop. Obviously this had been going on for a while.

He explained that it was since Earl Prizemarter's part. He thought that Prince Yale was a lucky guy to have someone like her. In a few ways, Zino was pretty jealous of him.

Millie had loved him very much and Yale was the first man that ever paid any attention to her and took her seriously.

Zino was sorry to hear that he was assassinated. It must have killed the gun slinger to find out in the way that she did.

Nostalgia filling her head, Millie reached over and hugged him. Strong arms wrapped around her as he hugged her back. The girl snuggled into him, feeling his warmth surround her as the rain poured all around the both of them. His words reached her ears, telling her that it was alright and she couldn't help but feel comforted by them.

"You're a sweet guy, Zino. I...I want to be close to you." In so many ways, Zino reminded her of Prince Yale. She couldn't help but compare the two, and he really was sweet. Maybe she would consider him later on.

"Millie, I-"

He was cut off by the girl looking up at him. Their eyes locked as he glanced at her hands, splayed out over his chest. She looked so innocent, like a doe in the forest. He couldn't help but touch her her face, feeling her soft, ivory skin under his touch. The two continued to stare at each other, their heads growing closer as he closed his eyes and their lips brushed together in a soft kiss.

XxXxXxXxXx

Tsubomi and Copernicus lay together, nude. Their bodies were huddled against each other, hair tussled and bodies covered with a layer of sweat. Long, feminine fingers ran up his shoulder as the vampire tucked his head under her chin, nuzzling her neck and inhaling the scent of their actions.

"I love you, my king," the girl admitted lazily, kicking what was left of the thick blankets off of the side of the bed.

"I love you too, Tsubomi. I hope we can do this more often." It was an action that he missed performing and felt deprived of for so long. It more than paid off to have this moment between them.

"Now that I have no secrets, I won't hesitate to make love to you," Tsubomi ran her hands along his chest and stomach, feeling every incline and inch of skin covering the well-toned muscle. "You're very skilled."

He knew all of the ways to please her, even though he had claimed to have a strong preference for men. Their actions were limited before, but she could tell that he had skill in his movements. Every bend, thrust and touch was enough to drive her over the edge. His lips on her skin, their bodies embracing, made her lose track of all senses and become enveloped into the world where only the two of them existed.

"You aren't too bad yourself," he smiled in satisfaction at the compliment.

Tsubomi blushed a little. "That was my first time. You're the one who took my virginity."

"I'm honored you would give it to me." Pulling his head away from her neck, he sat a hand on the side of her face, turning her head and kissing her passionately. The vampire slipped his tongue into her mouth and she reciprocated.

Pulling back, she looked into his eyes, keeping her face close to his. "I'll give you anything you want, my king."

"You belong to me, my sweet Tsubomi." The words were husky and sweet as they filled her ears.

"You belong to me, too," the tom boy ran her hands over his chest again. "I never realized your hair was so long."

For a male, the vampire had hair that went to his shoulder blades. It was long, shiny and thick with large, rolling waves. It was beautiful, just as he was. Smiling, she ran her fingers through it, feeling the silky texture in her hands.

"I keep it tied back. You're the only one to see it down." Being so long, it was bothersome to have flying everywhere. Not to mention, it got in his face in battle. Nonetheless, Copernicus couldn't bring himself to cut it.

"Well, you make me feel special." Compliments like that endeared her.

"Tsubomi," his voice suddenly took a serious tone, and his visage morphed to match.

"Yeah? Why do you look so serious?" Tsubomi arched an eyebrow and cocked her head to the side.

"Something happened at Yale's memorial," he had been so caught up in having a passionate moment with her that he had nearly forgotten about the issue at hand.

"What?" Tsubomi's expression turned serious as she stared at him, waiting for an explanation.

"Someone dug up his casket and removed his body." It was strange news at the very least. Copernicus couldn't wrap his mind around why someone would do such a thing.

"But why? Why would someone do that?" Tsubomi was just as confused. It made absolutely no sense.

"I really don't know. Something is wrong." Why it happened and who did it, he could only guess, but he knew that there was something more to it than met the eye. No doubt it was part of Hizaki's twisted game.

"Why would someone want a corpse?" That was the ever-present question that kept surfacing in her mind.

"That's a good good question. Since it was raining, it was hard to tell if the dirt was fresh. Millie visits his memorial frequently. Perhaps she can tell me when she was there last." If anyone would know, the details then it would definitely be the gunslinger. Copernicus was going to ask her later, after the two had rested.

"That's a good idea. She won't like knowing that it happened, but it's better to tell her," she could only imagine how the girl was going to be affected by this knowledge. Millie would be crushed to know that someone violated her lover's resting place like that. She hated to be the one to break that news to her. "Do you think it has to do with Hizaki and the fact that you killed Hide?"

"I do. I'm just not sure how the events are connected," Copernicus had a feeling that he was going to find out.

"It's so strange," Tsubomi looked thoughtful as the vampire climbed out of bed. Her eyes shifted to his well-built form as he began to dress himself. "Where are you going?"

Pulling his undershirt over his shoulders, he paused in his actions. "I want to think to myself. Get some rest. We'll be facing our last foe soon. You'll need to recover."

Tsubomi was already hurt, and she, just like the rest of his allies needed to heal their wounds before they even thought about going up against the puppet master. Hizaki was stronger than all of them could ever imagine. The fact that he had possession behind him made him especially powerful, and a large threat to everyone.

Laying back and covering herself with blankets, Tsubomi nestled herself in the bed. Getting comfortable, she looked at her master as he finished dressing. "Alright, be careful and don't worry."

"Huh?" Copernicus turned to her in confusion.

"Puppets can still function in different ways, even when they've cut their strings. They still have a use, just as a doll. When you sever the last string, you'll just have to reteach yourself the things you should know. That's one of the sacrifices you'll make, in order to be free," her words touched him to the core. It was as if this tomboy understood his confliction over being seen as a puppet all of this time. In a way, it was Tsubomi's method to cushioning that hard fall he had. Copernicus couldn't appreciate it more.

"Tsubomi..."

XxXxXxXx

Backing up, Hizaki put his hands on his hips as he eyes Hide, who was standing before him like a lifeless doll. A victorious smile crossed his face. He was giddy with excitement and couldn't help but let out a mischievous giggle at the success rate of his plan. "It worked. My corpse reanimation spell was a success! Now, we can finally be together and share in my success. I want you to watch in the afterlife as I crush the Wittenburgs once and for all.

"Ramada will be ours, and then the royalty will be bowing at our feet. Isn't that right, Prince Yale?" Turning, Hizaki glanced at the lifeless body of Yale, who stood at the door with a blank expression.

He said nothing, merely looked at him with soulless eyes. Yale remained a silent prisoner, and even if he had passed, he never fully would rest.

...To Be Continued