The Time It Takes To Fall

The Death of Prince Kaito

But Kaito didn't see her again for months to come. No matter how desperately he searched for the girl she was nowhere to be found. On one occasion, he even asked his dearest companion Torin if he had ever met a girl by Kaito's description of her, but it was to no avail. She had vanished quite entirely.

So Kaito resigned to forget her, this girl who made the hollowness within him feel full. He carried on in aiding his father and preparing for his wedding to Levana Blackburn. He allowed for the cold to return back to him.

Then one day he caught a glimpse of brown hair and white cotton scurrying past him down the hall carrying an armful of linens. His heart leapt as he rushed her way, nearly knocking her to the ground once more.

"Servant girl," Kaito called out, cringing inwardly, though he knew not what else to call her by.

The girl froze, then turned, and it was indeed the servant who owned his heart. Her eyes were the same shade of brown, though they looked fearful. Kaito's face fell as he neared her— she had changed immensely from the day that Kaito had met and fallen in love with her. 

That's when he caught sight of her hand, bandaged and swollen beneath its heavy load. Kaito approached slowly, raising his eyebrows as if to show that he meant no harm.

"That load must weigh heavily upon you," Kaito said, taking the top half of the linens from her and carrying them in his own arms. "Allow for me to take my share of the burden."

"No no no," the girl gasped, reaching to take the articles back from him, but he held them out of reach. "Your Highness, I shan't allow you to do so."

"But these linens are used primarily for mine own benefit, are they not?" Kaito asked, tilting his head somewhat to the side. "And of course there is the matter of me making amends for my most obnoxious behavior upon our last occurrence of meeting one another."

"There is no need," the girl insisted, eyes pleading as she held out her arms for the remainder of her load.

Kaito deflated and gave back the load of linens.

"Thank you most graciously," the girl bowed her head to Kaito. She turned from him and began to walk away, taking Kaito's heart with her.

"By what name do you go by?" Kaito called out to her retreating form. They were entirely alone within the hallway, so there was no one there to eavesdrop in on his conversation with the girl. Her eyes roamed the hallway despite this, wary of all her surroundings.

"That is of no matter," the girl responded, eyes downcast.

Kaito took a step toward her and placed a hand upon her shoulder. She flinched, and Kaito retracted his hand, his heart squeezing with misery.

"What happened to you?" Kaito inquired, trying desperately to get her to look into his eyes. "Who has tormented you so?"

The girl swallowed then looked up at him with watery eyes. "They heard the way that I spoke to you," she whispered, glancing about her as if to make sure that no one had entered the corridor. "I was simply reprimanded for my untoward behavior to the most noble Zhu Kaito."

Kaito let out a little gasp and the girl looked away from him. She blinked rapidly as she stared at the white linen within her arms, but a single tear fell upon them.

"The master held my hand upon a raging flame until the flesh thereon resembled nothing of a hand," the girl muttered.

Tears filled Kaito's own eyes, and it was that precise moment that he knew his way of living wasn't the right way. He had been raised to believe that he was better than those around him because of his birthright, and he had believed it up until that point. But now, as he stared at the girl that he had somehow come to fall in love with— the once brave soul who now cowered before him— he couldn't live as he once had anymore. That moment was the death of Prince Kaito.