The Gift of Reincarnation

The king walked out the door, hearing a dull thud behind his back. True, his pet behavior was peculiar for today. There’s no way a person can change his personality in just one day. He was begging for forgiveness with tears in his eyes, even though there was nothing he had done wrong. Disgusted with the prince’s weakness, he had continued his rightly strikes on the lithe body.

That was before he passed out.
Things changed with a 180 degree difference when those emerald eyes opened again in the dark. The strong stubborn sparks in the prince’s eyes were burning into his mind. It was something that he had never seen before in those eyes. He frowned. An unknown fury buried deep in his chest, suffocating him.

“Prince Siere!” The maid who was standing outside hurried inside the moment she ensured that the king was out. The body laid half-lifeless inside. Frantically, she called in a few other maids for help, carrying him out from the cell towards the bed. Takaki felt his body being moved in his dream. He heard the girls busying around him, and he remembered his back hitting against a soft bed. He couldn’t explain what this strange phenomenon was, as though he was momentarily detached from this new body. In a flick of time, he was floating once again in the sky, looking down. At this distance, he could see for himself clearly how his new body looked like. A long chest-nut hair fell down loosely around his shoulder. The boy had a fairly pale face, was stained with frozen blood and scars here and there. As the maids carefully cleaned up his face, he realized with a jolt, this body’s face has a resemblance of his previous soul.

“Like your new look?”
Startled by the voice, Takaki spun around, in search of the familiar voice. But it was as if the voice sounded from within his ears. He couldn’t trace them. Realizing the futility of it, Takaki silenced down and continued observing himself.
“Where is this place?” He let the question that has been bothering him for so long out.

“That is your obligation to find it out.”
A little annoyed by the answer, Takaki grimaced but couldn’t do anything about it. From the way the maids dressed, he could tell that this is not the ‘current’ world where he had been living in.
And the address of ‘King’ and this horrified experience had made realized that he was and will not be living a ‘normal’ peaceful life.
“I have a question. And I think you have to at least tell me the answer to this one.”
“Ask.”

“Where had the previous soul in this body gone to?”
“He was dead, walked into the light.” It was like a knock to his heart. He didn’t notice that he had been holding his breath.
“Aren’t what I’m doing considered as thieving? Thieving a body? Thieving a life?!”

“That is a choice that he chose. And the same goes to you too. You still have a choice. Either live in this body, or go into the light.” The voice said again, emotionlessly.
He has a hunch that if he chose to live in this body, he might continue to experience the torturing that king inflicted. To be frank, it was not pleasant, nor was it something that he wished to re-experience. The pain, the blood, the nerves… The pain had made him passed out involuntarily. And one whip had told him that this new body wasn’t as strong as his previous one, and will not be able to stand through the torturing. How right he was.
As for the light, it is comforting. But he was afraid of what was waiting ahead for him. Always being alone in this world, abused by his mother, sold out like a property by his foster parents, isolated from his friends, betrayed by Simon… and him… it was always him alone in his life. He couldn’t imagine what would be the difference if he stepped into that light.
Why not? If he had the chance to live a difference life, why not give it a try?
“Yes.” He said without second thought. As if on cue, he was immediately sucked back into the body. He never heard a word from the unknown fairy ever since. His world was sinking in the whiteness. Nothing could penetrate through.

Xxxxxx

King Tresan strode along the rocky path, leading his way into the small palace. It was where his pet resided, and where he would be staying for the night. Pushing open the door, the maids who were kneeling besides the bed stood up immediately. They gave their bows, not daring to look straight into the king’s eyes. In fact, no one dared to look into his eyes.
“Your Majesty.”
“How’s he?” He voiced, the sound deep and calming.
“Prince Siere had not woken out since this afternoon.”
Walking pass the trembling maids, he was finally able to take a closer look at the prince. His face was pale, the lips were cracking, all the dried blood was gone and he had dressed up in a new clothe. He was sleeping peacefully like a tamed animal in the bed. Under the illuminate of the soft light, he appeared even weaker. Yet, the king still remembered how those stubborn eyes pricked his anger.

“Leave the room.” He commanded. The physician gulped in surprise.
“Your Majesty, the prince is weak at the moment. His heart stopped once back then. It was a true miracle that he came back. I advised Your Majesty that his body cannot withstand anymore…”
“Do you doubt me now?” The King cut off, his voice as cold as ice.
“No.” Sharing a slight nod among the maids, they slowly and silently stepped out from the room. Silence surrounded the remaining living souls. Dead and cold. He stretched out his hand, pulling the gown apart. The smooth silk glided down from the body, down towards his waist, revealing the porcelain body which was covered with scars, old and new. The king cupped up the boy’s chin, the lips ajar. He bended forward and captured them into his without thinking. The fresh mint rushed into his nostril. The smell of Prince Siere.

……………..

He groaned, allowing the kisses to land on his chest. The tingling sensations spread from everywhere he touched. Grabbing his hands that were going towards the forbidden place, he turned his head so that he could look directly into those eyes.
“I love you.”
Seeing the passionate swirling inside those glistering orbs, Takaki felt a stab of pain in his heart.
Why am I doing this?
……

The prince struggled, his hand slapping away the king’s palm. His mouth spilt out indistinct moaning. ‘I’m sorry… didn’t mean…’ It was difficult to breath, let alone to get those words out from his mouth. ‘Listen to me… You’re heavy… get off me…’
The emerald eyes snapped open in shock, meeting the bluish curtain. ‘Eh? Something isn’t right…’ Instantly, the cloudiness was gone. Takaki gave a sharp push at the figure above him and scurried backwards into the bed.
The king leaned back, smirking.
His eyes gone even wider when he noticed that invader was the very same bastard from this morning. Takaki’s blood boiled as he pressed a finger on his swollen lips. The sensation was so strong, he could still feel it now.
Did that bastard kiss him?!
“You were responding back to me, my prince. What were you dreaming about?”
A sharp pain stabbed his heart again. Takaki threw a hard glance over at the man.

“None of your business.” He pulled the quilt higher up his chin. The images of the afternoon torture came back to him like thunder. “Why are you here?”
The brows rose up dangerously at him. His heart thumped. What is he up to? Did he not have enough?
“Since when did you start addressing me as ‘you’, Prince Siere?”
A thunder stroke down within his nerves, harder and colder, making Takaki jumped. Chills spread from the tips of his foot up to his body. He grabbed the quilt tighter, looking back at the man who was scrutinizing him. How would he know what to address this man? His soul did not belong to this body! Wait, did he just say his name? What was it again? Prince Si…? A Prince? He’s a prince?
“You’re daydreaming again.”

“I…” ‘Excuses, excuses, think of one! What can I use?’
None. Oh wait, how could he forget? Didn’t the drama from the television always address a king with the title ‘Your Majesty’? Is that what this Prince use on him? He can’t think any further, might as well give it a shot.
But before he could say another word, the king had stretched out his hand on the quilt. ‘No wait, what are you doing?’ He didn’t have time to express his thoughts when the quilt was gone. He froze on his position, seeing a devilish smile playing on the king’s face.
His chin was grabbed; the gripping was so hard that he felt as though the king was attempting to break his jaw bone.

Those stubborn rebelling eyes. This is the second time he saw those eyes. Why had he never seen them on this pet before? What a treasure. They were so alluring.
He neared his face, feeling the boy stopping his breathing. How cute. He smirked. Firming his grip, he went nearer, his nose touching his trembling face, and kissed him.
“Nno…” All resisting words were muffled into the kisses. Takaki rounded his eyes, big in shock.
‘Not again!’

His lips were bit, softly at first which then turned into a harsh suckling. He punched his weak fists against the man’s chest, which did no effect at all to the man. Instead, it felt more like something that turned the king on. The king deepened the kiss, sneaking his hand into the prince’s clothes, slowly unbuttoning them. Annoyed at the prince who refused to open his lips, he swept his fingers and gave his nipple a pinch across the silky clothes. Takaki twitched in sudden pain and surprise.
Grabbing this opportunity, the king parted his lips open harshly. The boy’s body jolted in surprise. His teeth bed was swept. His tongue was touched. Their saliva mixed. He felt the resisting growing stronger. He pushed the body down into the bed, pressing and restraining his movements.

“Didn’t I say I won’t go easy on you tonight?” He let go of his lips, which gasped for air immediately.
Smirking, he came nearer again. The message behind that meaning was suddenly sent through. He thought that he meant more whipping before he passed out that afternoon, but now, with all these going on, he suddenly comprehend what he meant by that. Being raped was the last thing he wanted in this new world. No… He didn’t want this to happen again.
“NO, let go!” Summoning all his might that he could muster, Takaki pushed, with vain. His hands were grabbed and up over his head. Scare infiltrated his nerves. His mind went blank and he did the first thing that came to his mind.

Takaki kicked his legs up.
A loud groan was heard and the pressure on his hands was released.
Bingo! I hit the target.
Happiness didn’t last long as he tried to get out from the bed for escape. He rushed to the door. It was opened even before he could touch it.

“Your Majesty!”
Standing in front of him were two guards, wearing the soldier-like uniforms. He froze.
“Catch him.” He heard the cough behind him, who still seemed to bear down his pain where Takaki had hit.

“Bastard, you can’t do this to me!” The hands harshly gripped his arms, and twisted them against his back. He bit down his lips as he was turned back to face the dark room. The king adjusted his royal clothes.

“Take him to the cell.” He smirked, the very same one that made Takaki’s blood ran cold. “Prince Siere seemed to have forgotten about his manner. I’ll personally tame him again myself.”