Yuki woke up and slowly slipped out from between Kaede's arms, which were protectively wrapped around her.
She smiled as she looked at the handsome face of the man she had confessed love to underneath a thousand stars.
She slowly walked away in search of the pegasus, which she intended to ask for assistance.
Though she understood Kaede's sentiment, she wouldn't be able to live with herself if she let the innocent child suffer without her doing anything.
She called the pegasus using Kaede's magic whistle, which only the mighty steed can hear. She skillfully sat on the steed's back and whispered the direction she wished the steed to take.
Soon enough she was in front of Louis' residence.
When her knocks were met with complete silence, she twisted the doorknob and let herself in.
She was met with the sight of Louis drinking wine with an unexpected house guest comfortably seated across him.
"Jiro!" in her state of shock, Yuki dropped the whistle as her eyes focused on the raven-haired handsome man.
"Surprised to see me, my dear?" the now newly crowned emperor looked at her with contempt.
She was about to run when she felt her wrists being gripped by pitch-black shadows. More shadows blocked her exit and she was forced to face Jiro and Louis.
"What is the meaning of this, Louis?" she asked as the old man looked away from her, unable to meet her gaze.
"Can't you see, my love? This man deceived you, he was working for me all along." Jiro smiled, a glint of evil in his eyes.
"I only did it to save my grandson. They promised to help me, Yuki. They promised to help me save him. Please understand," Louis said in a barely audible voice.
"Fool, isn't he?" Jiro said as he went behind Louis's back. He took the knife lying on the table and unceremoniously slashed Louis's neck while looking into her eyes.
Yuki screamed when Louis's blood splattered across the room like a fountain, painting everything scarlet.
Jiro walked towards her, with a pleased smile on his face, "Are you happy Yuki? That I disposed of a traitor in your midst?"
Yuki's tears were falling as she looked into the golden orbs she used to dream of.
"What has become of you Jiro? You have become a monster," Yuki said. Though her voice trembled, her conviction did not.
"A monster, yes. But not worst than your comrade, that I can assure you," Jiro smiled as he gently caressed her cheeks and slowly kissed her lips.
Jiro looked into her eyes, which were filled with aggravation towards him.
"Why do you hate me, Yuki? Why did you run away? Do you not see that he is your greatest enemy?" Jiro softly whispered against her ear as he motioned for the shadows to let go of her.
"What do you mean, Jiro? How can Kaede be my greatest enemy when you were the one who turned against me that night? You were about to take my innocence without my consent."
Anger was reflected in Yuki's eyes as she met his eyes with all the courage she can muster.
"But did he not? Did he not take your innocence, Yuki, fooled you into believing the greatest of his lies, did he not?"
"Have you become... have you become a demon?" Yuki's eyes widened in disbelief when he realized the change in him, the power that can barely be contained by his human form.
Just then, the door was forcefully opened.
Kaede's anger was evident in his voice as he declared, "Let her go, Jiro. Fight me instead."
Jiro chuckled while his grip tightened around Yuki's wrist, "I will, dear brother. But only if you tell her the truth."
"We can't afford to make you look like a hero once again when we both know that you are the villain," Jiro continued as he restrained Yuki with his arms tightly wrapped around her waist.
"What do you mean? Why are you calling him brother? Kaede, what is happening?" Yuki's tears kept falling like she already knew what was yet to be confirmed.
Her heart rejected the theory forming in her mind, but his eyes, those cold blue eyes looked at her with horror after hearing everything Jiro had just declared.
What are you so afraid for me to find out, Kaede? Yuki silently asked as she pleaded with the heavens for her fears not to materialize.
***************
"Let's settle this outside, brother," Jiro said confidently as he motioned for Kaede to go out first.
Once they were outside, Jiro challenged, "Now tell her what you did. And then we can start the much-awaited duel. A fight to the death." Jiro smiled deviously.
"Let her go," Kaede stated, ignoring Jiro's words. His blue eyes locked with Jiro’s golden orbs, now the color of the setting sun.
"Let her go? I have not even started. But if you won't tell her, how about I be the one to tell her your secrets? Wouldn't you like that, princess?" Jiro teased, his eyes never leaving Kaede's blue ones.
"I want to know the truth," Yuki said, she completely stopped struggling from Jiro's grasp. Her face filled with unvoiced resignation.
"Then the truth shall set you free," Jiro laughed jubilantly.
"Must be your lucky day my love, that I happened to pass by. Tell me how much you know already. Did you know he was the one who killed your father that night? Did you know he made me this way? The monster that I am now is all thanks to him," Jiro whispered in her ears, licking the base of her neck while looking at Kaede.
Kaede's eyes pleaded with her, but he did not say anything. He did not deny what she just heard.
"Kaede, tell me that it's not true. Please tell me." Jiro let her go, aware she had completely lost the will to fight.
"It is true. I am the enemy," Kaede acknowledged. The pain was evident in his voice, accepting his participation in her father's death and his scheme to make Jiro a demon like himself.
"How? Why?" Yuki shouted at Kaede, tears streaming down her eyes like precious pearls that could never be recovered.
"I am not an ordinary demon. I am the demon general, the crown prince of Selene." Kaede confessed as he met her eyes and spoke the truth.
"It was under my instructions that the demons attacked the village and the emperor's council," Kaede said.
His voice was steady as always but his eyes reflected the anguish he felt.
"Jiro and I, we are brothers from different mothers. His mother, then a human empress, consorted with the king of dark faes. I was sent to your world to reveal this to him, to make him accept being a demon. To conquer the world with the strength of the dark faes. That is why I brought him to the whispering forest where his deepest desire was revealed. The desire consumed him until all that matters to him is to have you," Kaede's voice was not apologetic. He was well aware that he did not deserve forgiveness.
Yuki was frozen in place, her tears stopped, and her mind did not seem to function. She just stared at him, neither anger or love reflected in her eyes.
Yuki was broken. There were no emotions left for her to feel. No thoughts occupied her mind. She felt heartbroken beyond repair.
The man she confessed love to, the man she entrusted her heart with... he did not exist.
The love she thought they shared was nothing more than a bewitching illusion.
It was nothing but a lie. A well-crafted facade designed to make her believe.
Jiro satisfied she wouldn't run away, faced Kaede and unsheathed his sword. "Well done, brother. You finally confessed. Now, a fight to the death, shall we?"
Kaede waited for Jiro's first strike. He bid Jiro to come to him, afraid that Yuki might be caught in their fight and get hurt.
Yuki, can you ever forgive me? If I die today, will you be able to? Will you be able to forgive me, Yuki? I love you. And though you won't believe me, know that I love you. I love you. Completely and utterly so.
As he raised his sword to strike back, the demon pleaded with the gods for another chance, another chance to be with his one true love.