Motheaten Memories [Yandere Prince x Enemy Princess Reader]

57. Confessions by the Fire.

"How?!" King Ilidoro demanded, not even hiding his rage beneath the guise of calm as he slapped the palm of his hand against the table where the remaining traitor lay bound. "Tell me how that bastard's daughter escaped?!" He demanded, his indigo eyes flashing in the flickering light in the interrogation room deep within the bowels of Ficcioro Palace. 

"Your son," Enicia began, keeping all signs of the fear she felt from her face and voice, choosing to sneer at him with malice instead. "Your precious son professed his love to princess Y/N before helping her escape - to do something so reckless, he must be truly besotted-" her mockery was cut short by a harsh slap to her cheek.

"-You bitch!" he growled, grasping her chin so hard that she let out a small cry of pain. "Somehow, you and his daughter poisoned my son's heart, and bent him to your will, but I won't let you get away with that." He released her and strode to where an assortment of blades, brands, and vices hung neatly on the moist stone walls of the chamber. Enicia couldn't help but shudder as she saw that some were coated in what appeared to be dried blood.

"My son is beyond me protection and enthralled with such a vile creature, and my beloved queen has fallen ill from the terrible stress of it all, and I refuse to simply standby and watch." After choosing a pair of plyers, that appeared to be coated in either rust or blood, from the rack he turned back to where she was bond and leaned over the table menacingly. "No one comes between me and my family," he breathed into her ear, and a chill traveled down her spine at the bloodlust in his words.

"I'm going to kill you and, once I capture that fends daughter, I'm going to kill her too." He declared as he leaned up, planting one hand on her face to pry her mouth open while the other maneuvered the plyers inside to begin pulling out her teeth. "But don't worry, I'm a merciful man, her death won't be as excruciating as yours."

. . .

After fleeing Petiro's farm, Y/N and Abeloni had ridden until their weary and sore bodies forced them to stop. They set up a camp that was little more than a fire just within sight of the main road. Once the fire was lit the two lovers collapsed by it, even their stallion was so tired that he laid down on the cool grass alongside them.

Noticing that, even though she had dark circles beneath her eyes, Y/N was making no efforts to sleep and was instead sitting and staring into the dancing flames with a furrowed brow Abeloni decided to ask her what was on her mind. "You look upset Y/N, what's bothering you?" When she gave no response he pressed her. "Let me be here for you in any way I can, please."

"I-I just feel so hurt," she finally admitted, tearing pooling in her overtired eyes, her voice cracking from emotion and fatigue. "All the people I trust seem to betray me! And I abandoned the only person who has always been by my side... Do you think Enicia managed to escape?" She asked, looking across the dancing flames at him doubtfully.

Abeloni had to bite his tongue to keep from saying that he would always be by her side, his lapse in judgment was the reason they were in this mess after all. "She seems like a very capable woman," he said, forcing a comforting smile even though deep down he didn't believe it. "I'm sure she's alright..."

"I hope so..." Y/N agreed, although by her tone it was clear that she didn't fully believe it either. "What about yourself? You're not exactly the picture of tranquility?" She asked, remarking on the blank and somewhat sick expression that had come to inhabit Abeloni's features whenever silence fell.

"It's nothing," He said, slouching forward and looking away. He couldn't just say that the recent memory of killing Petiro, Y/N's old lover or friend or whoever he was, was taking a toll on him. "After almost getting you executed I shouldn't be burdening you with my worries."

"There was a time when I wanted to kill you," she rebuked him seriously. "I'd say that makes us even. So... Tell me what's wrong?" She asked in a gentler tone, reaching out to caress his cheek before turning his head so that their eyes met.

Unable to resist, he melted into her soft touch, savoring the feeling of being her sole focus as he spoke. "Just thinking about all the mad things I've done in the past day," his eyes got a faraway look as he recalled everything that had happened and realized the staggering magnitude of it all. "I left the palace for the first time to buy this horse and pay that miller to prepare a landing for us, I helped you escape becoming a wanted criminal myself, and I even... I even killed people..." He faltered, breaking eye contact with her as the face of, not only Petiro but the guards and soldiers her had shot for doing nothing more than their duty.

"You're right..." She felt guilt well in her stomach as she realized that Abeloni had sacrificed, not only his dreams for the future but his position as crown prince for her as well. "Everything happened so fast that I didn't have time to think about it at the time... I'm so sorry, you gave up so much for me and even got your hands dirty, that must really be taking a toll on you-"

"-It's not!" He lashed out suddenly, once he saw the frightened look on her face he tried to calm himself down, racking his fingers through his long curls as he stared wide-eyed into nothingness. "I know what I've done is madness! I should feel shame, guilt, fear, remorse, uncertainty, ANYTHING! But I don't!" His words quickly dissolved into manic ranting as he clutched at his hair.

"A-Abeloni-" Y/N stammered, shocked by his outburst and frightened by his behavior.

"I threw away my life as crown prince killed innocent people, but I don't feel any regret," he suddenly turned his gaze on her, the whites of his eyes flashing in the firelight and a wide grin contorting his handsome face, as he crawled forward and caged Y/N between his arms. "Because I'm with you, and you're safe. You're the only thing that matters to me." He continued to smile as he looked down on her, his injured arm trembling from the strain of supporting his weight.

Even though his expression and odd behavior were very unsettling Y/N, she resisted her urge to run when she saw that his face was flushed red and sweat was glimmering on his forehead in the firelight. Leaning her forehead up to his, she let out a small gasp when she felt the heat radiating from his skin. "You're burning up!" She exclaimed, worry for his health replacing the unease she had felt before. "You should get some sleep, you must be exhausted."

"I love you Y/N, I love you so much that I'd die without you," He rambled as she coaxed him into laying down on the ground beside her. He clung onto her as though she would disappear the moment he let go, giving her another chance to feel his feverish state. "I don't ever want to be apart from you again. You'll be with me forever, right? You love me, right?" He asked, fear and uncertainty clear in his voice that was gravely from exhaustion.

"Yes Abeloni," She reassured him, stroking his hair in hopes of aiding him to sleep. "I love you."

A/N

This chapter was slower, but I think it was needed after all the action these characters have endured in the last few chapters.

Until next time I'll see you on the other side

~J. C. Coltt.~