“This isn’t much of a ball…” commented Jessamine who stood in the centre of the emptied church, dressed in a lovely rose-pink ball gown. “I’ve never been to a ball… but aren’t there supposed to be… more people?”
“I was exaggerating when I said a ball,” replied Shu as he walked across the polished floor, adjusting his cuffs. “You are exquisite, as always, my dear.”
“You aren’t healed,” she said, “we should wait-”
“The Shapeshifter is weakened.” He said, looking down at her with his stoic face. “This is our only chance.”
“Do we have to dress up?”
“I just bought you that dress, do you hate it?”
“It’s rather itchy.”
“I shall help you remove it later.”
Her cheeks were as pink as her dress as Shu held out his gloved hand. “The music is lovely,” he said, “would you care for a dance?”
“I cannot dance for the life of me.”
Jessamine was a quick learner and the pair waltzed across the polished floor elegantly, only slowing when Jessamine would wince. “You are meant to maintain eye contact,” said Shu, causing Jessamine’s head to lift.
“If you want your toes safe, I would advise against that.”
Shu chuckled, his hand tightening on her waist as they span once more. “Jessamine,” he then said, pulling her closer, “I…”
“It isn’t like you to stumble on your words, Mr Sakamaki.”
“I have said, many a time, that I am fond of you,” he said, “and I am very sorry for how your first date ended.”
“How do first dates usually end in your company, Mr Sakamaki?”
“With a kiss,” he smirked.
“As I said yesterday, keep dreaming.”
“I will.”
They span again and Jessamine cleared her throat. “Did you want to kiss her?”
“Hm?”
“T-The other me.”
“Oh,” Shu’s smirk never left his lips, “are you jealous?”
“N-no! I just… wondered, that’s all.”
“Have you ever been kissed, Clarke?”
“Of course not,” she replied, “why would anyone willingly kiss me?”
“I would,” said Shu, “and I wouldn't hesitate.”
“Well,” she blushed, “you are just a strange specimen.”
“Jessamine…”
“What happened to Jess?”
“Jess,” Shu cleared his throat, “I want you to marry me.”
Jessamine stopped moving as she looked up at Shu, his words slowly processing. “Are you… have you lost your mind?” She frowned. “You… I’m mortal, Shu. I will die and you won’t even remember my face.”
“Then I would like to pretend,” he said, “let us get married here, now.”
“You cannot pretend something so serious!”
“Jessamine Clarke,”
“Shu Sakamaki.”
“Will you do me the honour of becoming my pretend bride?”
“We’re in a church!” She cried, “I-It cannot be pretend.”
“Miss Clarke,” Shu cleared his throat, his arm still around her waist, “when this shapeshifter is dead… I will never see you again.”
“I…”
“You will never see me again.”
“Won’t you visit?”
“So whilst the night is young, and it is just you and I, I wish to marry you.”
Jessamine closed her eyes, taking a deep breath.
“I don’t want my marriage to be fake,” she whispered, looking deep into his eyes.
“I love you and you love me. Our marriage wouldn’t be real, but our love would.” Shu wrapped his other arm around her waist a she placed her hands on his chest. “Do you, Jessamine Clarke, take Shu Sakamaki to be your pretend husband for just one night?”
Her eyes brimmed with tears as she licked her lips anxiously. Well… who else would marry her? Shu would be her first and last husband.
“I do,” she whispered, “do you, Shu Sakamaki, take Jessamine Clarke to be your wife for just one night?”
“I do.” There was only certainty in his voice as he took Jessamine’s hand and slipped a dainty, gold band onto her wedding finger. Jessamine’s heart was racing.
“You may now kiss the bride.” She whispered.
Shu’s eyes closed as her hands gently wrapped around the back of his neck. She stood on her toes as he leaned down, their foreheads touching. She closed her eyes, body trembling with anticipation as Shu gently embraced her. She could feel the heat of his lips just before they met hers, and she felt as if she could fly when he finally kissed her.
It was sweet and passionate, the complete opposite of Shu. He caressed her waist with his hands, her hands caressing his cold cheeks as he kissed her. He pulled away when the church doors opened, revealing their only guest.
Uma clapped as it slithered in, wearing a gown of dark emerald. It was disguised as Amabelle, designed to make Shu flinch. But he didn’t. He held his new bride tight, staring forward at the shapeshifter.
“A lovely ceremony,” said the shapeshifter, “congratulations.”
“I’m going to kill you tonight,” said Shu, his face determined, causing the shapeshifter to cackle.
“I am invincible!” Said the shapeshifter, grinning sadistically, “There is no way to kill me.”
“I have a theory.”
“Oh? And what is that?”
“You panicked when Amabelle tried to kill herself. You got lucky when I prevented it.”
“You base your theory off something which barely proves it?” The shapeshifter grinned, “Let’s put it to the test, shall we?”
The shapeshifter was extremely powerful and it immediately sent both Jessamine and Shu flying with a solid kick. Shu slammed into a church pillar, falling to the ground with blood pooling from his lips. Jessamine slammed against the organ, the notes groaning at her body weight as she attempted to move.
Shu was quick to move despite his injury, with a longsword in his hands, his face determined. The shapeshifter laughed. “A sword fight? If that’s what you wish…” Out of nowhere, a sword identical to Shu’s appeared in the shapeshifter’s hand.
Jessamine hated the sound of sword blades kissing. It made her feel violently ill. Shu was good at blocking and parrying, which was good since the shapeshifter only attacked. Still, the fight was intense and fast-paced and the woman struggled to keep up. Shu was injured, but so was the shapeshifter and the creature was slowly losing its strength… but Shu was rapidly losing his. Jessamine needed to help him out, somehow.
But how?
Jessamine couldn’t fight well, not any better than Shu could. She didn’t have a weapon either. She watched closely. The shapeshifter was weaker on its right side of the body, it was getting slower. Jessamine couldn't stall… but she needed a plan.
-_-_-_-
“I cannot free you because it will know.” Amabelle Ritchens’ voice was soft as her cold hands caressed Jessamine’s sweat-soaked face, “But it has a weak spot. Please kill it. Save us.”
-_-_-_-
“Amabelle!” Jessamine cried out as she stood up, heading towards the fight which she’d now interrupted, “Miss Ritchens, I know you’re in there.”
“Get back Jessamine!” Shouted Shu.
“You spoke to me, when I was in chains and suspended in the air. You told me nice things, you tried your best to heal my wounds.” Jessamine winced as the shapeshifter’s blade went through Shu’s shoulder.
“JESSAMINE!”
“You’re hurting the man you love, Amabelle.” Jessamine was trembling, her fists clenched as the shapeshifter turned its attention to her. “Y-You told me about the strawberry fields, and how much Shu adored strawberries.” From the corner of her eye, she saw Shu’s face fall as the shapeshifter gripped its blade tight, tearing it from Shu’s body and dragging it across the floor, towards Jessamine. “You told me about how much you wanted a family,” Jessamine winced as the shapeshifter stopped before her, a smirk on its lips. “If you were to have a boy, you would have named him Stephen. Annie if it were a girl.” Jessamine kept rambling. “You… you were wearing a beautiful gown on your wedding day. Your something blue was your necklace, the same colour as Shu’s eyes. You were so excited.”
“NO!” Shu screamed as the shapeshifter lifted the sword, pointing it at Jessamine’s chest. “LEAVE HER OUT OF THIS!”
“You’re scared to die,” whispered Jessamine, “but isn’t your soul trapped inside this thing worse than death?” The sword fell to the ground and standing before her was the real Amabelle Ritchens. Jessamine was quick to pick up the discarded weapon. “I made you a promise,” Jessamine was standing so close to Amabelle whose tears rolled down her cheeks.
Jessamine reached out to hug her, Amabelle collapsed into her arms sobbing as Jessamine adjusted the blade. “You didn’t want to die alone.”
“Jessamine!” Shu had managed to stand, leaning on his sword as Jessamine’s eyes met his.
“So I promised you,” Jessamine said gently, “that I would die with you. Do you remember?”
“I do.” Sobbed Amabelle.
“Are you ready?”
“I am.”
The sword penetrated both of the women’s torsos just as Shu staggered forward, screaming. Jessamine gripped the hilt of the sword until she no longer could and she fell to her knees with Amabelle who had fallen limp.
“Jess.” Shu’s voice broke as he fell beside her, taking her face in his hands, “Jessie, Jessamine, why?”
“You have… a kingdom to run someday,” Jessamine replied, her eyes droopy, “whereas I have nothing to leave behind.”
“You have me!” Shu said, tears welling in his beautiful blue eyes. “Jessamine-”
“You were the best thing that ever happened to me, Mr Sakamaki.”
“Jess, please don’t go. I love you.”
But Jessamine didn’t reply.
The woman’s body crumbled, and she died in Amabelle Ritchens’ arms. She died with the shapeshifter roaming inside her body, trying desperately to escape, but only to die in the process.
Just like that, Shu’s first love and his true love passed away, leaving him alone in the church, clutching Jessamine Clarke’s body as he sobbed.
But Jessie was right, Shu had a kingdom to return to… and she had nothing.
With his tears dripping onto her face, he pressed kiss after kiss on the hero’s lips, wishing that true love’s kiss would prevail. But it didn’t… and nothing would. Because Shu had already paid the price to bring her back to life. He couldn’t pay that price again.