Chapter 8: The difficult task
"Prince Kaito?" someone asked after knocking on the door. "It's Haku. Can I come in?" Kaito replied with a 'yes'. The door opened. "Excuse me, your highness, for me to interrupt you, but I have something important to tell you." She told him everything she saw the last night, but he didn't listen. He already knew Miku was in love with that boy, but he just didn't want to hear it and sent her away. If this didn't work, she just had to go to somebody else, somebody with power. She already knew who that would be. She smiled. She would break everything Miku had now until their friendship was the only thing left. Then they would be together again. Her revenge was sweet.
Meiko, the Queen of the red country, laughed. She finally came up with a plan to destroy the Green Nation. That stupid girl just gave her some valuable information. It was the only thing she needed. Now she'd found the soft spot of the Green Country. Only one little hint and she could suppress everyone. The Red Country would grow again, all because of one silly event. She was brilliant! She could do everything right now!
"James," she called her servant, "arrange an appointment with..."
The Queen of the Green Land stood up. She was a bit worried. She heard it wasn't going well in the Golden Land. It was a good choice to sign the contract of the Red Land. Now they were militarily protected. Still, something didn't seem right. That's why she asked Miku to come to her. The girl stood at the end of the throne room.
"You asked me to come here, majesty?" Miku was formal, even though she and the Queen were friends. The Queen nodded.
"Yes, is everything okay with you, Miku? You seem a little bit distracted. It's like you're avoiding Kaito for some reason. I'm a bit worried about you two."
"Don't worry, majesty, everything's fine. Kaito is just a busy." It had been three weeks since she'd seen him. The last time was when she met Len. Did he know about them? All this time, she had been seeing him almost every night. They were always at the well. All those nights were the most magical ones. Was it wrong what she did?
Rin rid her horse, Josephine. She really had to blow off some steam. How could those stupid governors reject her proposal? Her plan wasn't watertight. Who cared? No plan is ever watertight. Everything has a weakness. But her plan also wasn't detailed. She didn't had enough information about how to fulfill it. Many people could get killed. She was the QUEEN! Everything she wanted had to be done, but those stupid governors didn't want to work with her. It was just so frustrating. They said it would affect the peace of our country. Silly men, there isn't peace in this world anymore.
"You are very talented at horse riding, my lady," Len praised her. She stopped to greet her brother. "I have something for you, your highness." He held a letter in his hands. The Queen stepped off Josephine. She accepted the envelope and nodded. He bowed and went back into the castle. It was weird for him to suddenly play servant again, but he had to. Anybody could see them right now. Rin opened the letter and smiled. 'I guess my plan can still work,' she thought.
This night, they would be together again. Len really looked forward on seeing Miku again. It had been two days now. Even though it were just two days, it seemed like eternality. They were together for three weeks now, so this couple would meet up at the well when they first kissed. Last time, she also gave him a letter. His first love-letter. It seemed like a dream, but he was really head over heels for her. He only had to do some chores and then Rin would go to bed and he would sneak out the castle and go. There were only some minutes left, but then somebody came. It was another servant of Rin.
"Her majesty asked you to meet her in the throne room," he informed Len. What was that all about? He hoped it would take that long. whatever it was about, it should be important. She never called him to the throne room. He rushed there and opened the door.
"Sister, you wanted to see me?" he asked. She was looking at him with the most pitying face he'd ever seen. Those silent minutes really scared him. Whatever she was thinking, it couldn't be good. He had never seen her this way. It was like she was ready to kill somebody. Her eyes stood aggressive and her grimed mouth looked like it had the desire to drink blood. He couldn't really look at her this way.
"Why, Len?" She almost spit out the last word. "Why did you do this to me." What was she talking about? She showed him an envelope. Why did she had it?
"That's mine," he uttered while realizing what had happened, "you've been through me stuff!" Did he now just accused her for being a thief? She was the Queen and he had betrayed her!
"You should be ashamed of yourself!" she yelled at him. He had no right to do this! He didn't understand. Why should he be ashamed?
"Why? Because I love somebody and didn't tell you? Well, sorry! Now you know, Rin. What's the problem?" As a servant, he was especially rude. If he was a servant, she would've killed him, but she didn't. He was her brother and clearly didn't understand what he was doing.
"Do you know who this Hatsune Miku is?" Her question was weird. Why wouldn't he know who he was dating? "She's a hostile, Len. She has been ruining everything from the first time she met the Prince of Blue," she sizzled, but loud enough for him to hear.
"Is that what it is about? The prince? She doesn't care about that guy at all." Rin shrieked. He didn't keep up with her. Why was she suddenly laughing?
"Well, that makes it all clear. She doesn't care about him at all! Ha, and what about you, Len?! She already took everything away from me! Is she willing to take away my only brother? My own twin brother?" He paled. What did Rin mean with 'she already took everything away from me'? She calmed down a bit. "It was her who took Kaito away from me. We were together for a long time. Some months ago, we did the same. We saw each other in secret. He claimed that he loved me, but he didn't. A month ago, his mother lanced a huge project. Everyone who wanted to marry her son, could send a proposal letter, so I send him mine. We were together, so I expected a 'yes', but he refused and broke up with me. A week later, he introduced his fiancée, Hatsune Miku. She took everything away from me. Love isn't going to last. Love doesn't exist, only between family-members. Len, choose my side. Choose the side where you'll really be loved." He felt sorry for her, but Miku was different. He knew it. He was so sure. She was different. "Len, you said you would do everything for me, right?" He nodded. He was her servant, she was his Queen. In order to protect her, he would become whatever she became. "Then do something for me." She took a golden dagger with the Golden Escutcheon on it. "Erase her from the world." Those words echoed in his mind. Kill her? Murder her? Slay her? He couldn't do it. He couldn't kill her. He wasn't like that, and... And it was Miku. She was so soft, so lovely. She wasn't a fraud. She loved him. He was sure. He never was so sure. He knew it. He knew... But he also knew he had to protect his sister. He sauntered to her and kneeled down.
"Your wish is my command," he responded and took the dagger out of her hand.
She waited at the well, as they promised. Len put the knife away, where she wouldn't see it. He had to do it. 'I love her,' he kept saying, but he knew nothing could stop his sister from harming this girl. If he didn't do it, she would be tortured. If he just made an end at this right now, he could keep her from suffering. What did he actually told himself? Why make excuses? He probably just loved his sister more than her.
"Len!" Miku yelled and dashed to him. She kissed him intensely. His heart ached. It pained him. What was he thinking? What should he do? Was her love real? Who should he trust? Miku or Rin? "I missed you, Len."
"I missed you to." It took some seconds for him to ask her. He almost didn't dare. "Say Miku, could I talk to you?" She nodded. Of course he could. He invited her to sit down. When he turned around, she saw a knife, but pretended she didn't notice it and sat down next to him. "Why did you actually say 'yes' when the prince confessed his love?"
"I don't know. I guess I just didn't want to bring him pain. He wished for this and I felt responsible for it. So I made a pledge for myself that said I wanted to make everyone happy. To give them what they wanted, but I soon realized, I couldn't do that. You can't give everyone happiness. You just have to choose who's the most important for you or has the most important reasons. You for yourself have to make a choice. If you don't, you'll break down." She was right. He had to make a choice. Miku or Rin? Who was the most important. He loved Miku, but he also loved Rin. He promised Rin to protect her, but his love for Miku was stronger. What was love actually? Was this love just like the one between Kaito and his sister? What was it that he wanted? Why was making a decision so difficult? What should he do?
Rin sauntered in the dungeon. This was the night. She knew it. Len was already killing the fraud, so she had to punish the others. She went to the one prison she had came here for. It was the prison of her father. He had been one of the governors until she was princess. She couldn't believe her mom let him, even though he fled with her son. That's why Rin captured and replaced him. He never told her what had happened to Len, but she was sure he didn't know himself.
"What are you doing here?" the former king said. "Haven't you caused enough trouble? Do you really think you're a good Queen? Look at your people and tell me: do they look happy? You are a horrible daughter!" It was always the same he said. When would he realize she could kill him with only a snap?
"You want to get free, right?" He eventually nodded. She sneered. "I know you still have people who will do anything you say." He nodded again. "If you do this thing for me, you are free to go wherever you want to go. You just have to do one little tiny thingy for me."
"And what is this 'little tiny thingy'?" She smiled and replied with a soft voice so nobody would hear her:
"Seek out every green-haired woman and kill them. I have a secret passageway to the nation. It perfect for a surprise attack." Her father smirked.
"You can count on me, majesty."
Len stood up and took her hand to help her get up as well. She finally knew what his plan was. She always knew who he was. She saw the Queen of the Golden Land once or twice and wasn't so stupid to not see the similarities. He was her brother and she knew that Queen hated her so much. She knew their plan, but didn't let anyone notice she did. It was too late anyway. She had lost everything. It wasn't like she should be alive anyway. She was a wooden doll and couldn't make anyone happy. When she saw him, it was the first time she smiled from the bottom of her heart. She was happy that she was able to meet him. Now was the time she had to say goodbye and disappear from the stage. She noticed how he took the knife. He trembled. She knew he didn't want to. He hesitated.
"Quick, end this," she whispered, nearly hearable. She put her hand on his cheek and took his knife-holding arm with her other. With one swing, she put her lips on his and the dagger in her heart. It took some seconds for him to realized what had happened. She broke the kiss. "Thank you, Len." She smiled for the last time, from the bottom of her heart. She always wanted to die with a smile on her face. 'Haku,' she thought, 'please forgive me. I have to leave you know. Please, live on without me. Live your life like you wanted it. LIVE!'. Before she even touched the ground, Len caught her. Tears appeared on his cheeks. She was gone. She was dead. He killed her. He was the one who had the knife in his hands. He hesitated. He was the one who chose for Rin. He abandoned his love. He felt horrible. He screamed.
"Miku!" His tears wouldn't stop. He put her body against his and hugged her. Why did he do it? The only thing he could do was close her eyes. She didn't had to look this way when she was dead. He gave her one last peck on her forehead. Then, he suddenly heard something.
"Miku? Miku are you here? The city is under attack! Where are you?" Len recognized the voice of Prince Kaito. He had to run. It was his only way. He put the corps nearby the well. "Miku!" Kaito yelled again. He was close. Len had to run away. He stood up and fled.
"Goodbye Miku," he still whispered. Kaito didn't notice anything. Where was Miku? Kaito really had to find her. He was almost at the well. Maybe she was here? Finally he found her.
"Miku, you're here," he said, but his voice faded away when he saw the blood. Someone had stabbed her in her heart. "Miku!" He yelled and wanted to go to her, but he felt something underneath his feet. It was a knife, a golden one. He almost didn't see it because of the blood, but then he noticed the symbol of the Golden kingdom. It was Rin! She did this to his beloved fiancée. How could she? He dashed to Miku and held her in his arms. He cried and yelled at the top of his lungs. Why did she do this? Why did she had to kill her? Even though Miku never loved him, he loved her with all his heart and wanted to protect her for eternality. He couldn't. He didn't protect her. Why did he left her alone? Even though he was inconsolable, he felt anger. He felt vengeance. He would take revenge on Rin. She would pay!