A/N: I suck at writing action scenes, I know. Thank you very much >.>

♬♬♬♬♬

The day went on normally, one could say. I was led back to my room and just left there. The maid wasn't allowed to talk to me at all really, so she left. I just stayed in my room and thought things over and over and over again. Sitting on the bed, I took a deep breath. "War, or peace, hm... Lose him, or save him... Save him? How will I," I mumbled to myself quietly. I was still greatly confused about everything that happened in just the morning. The rest of the day wasn't any better either. All that was on my mind was that man. I just wondered and thought constantly about him. How special was he to me, I wondered. Asking myself that... I already knew. I already knew that he was everything to me. Though, I don't remember why I knew so.

Time was slow, since I did nothing. I would stay in my room whenever I could. Only when they told me to come out, did I do that. They only told me to once in a while to talk, to lie, to me about things. Things such as this marriage I agreed to. I doubt it. Never did I really want to marry anyone... I didn't really want to take over the province, after all. Marriage would quickly put me up there and, since it is the princess, I wouldn't really have a choice. They fed me lunch, which I was for some reason wary about. I didn't eat much of it because of that feeling. I was always taught to be careful with the food from the other provinces if I go, but this province was on another level. My mind totally thought if I ate one dumpling, I would fall over and die. Why? I don't know. I only saw a bit of this place... I think.

Even so, I usually eat a ton, so for me to eat little meant something was wrong. I sighed, quickly getting tired from all of this boring stuff. I wonder if he has eaten. There was some left over steamed buns on the horse... Horse? Leftover...

These random things I thought about confused me even more. I just couldn't piece much together. I needed to remember more. Maybe if I saw him again, I would, but I learned that I was unable. He was going to be executed tomorrow. While I am still here? To do executions while a guest is here... Doing executions in general...

Though the time felt slow, dinner soon came, then the time to sleep. I was taken to the princess's room without a say, then left there with her. This princess was odd. I felt like I didn't like her a lot. I didn't know why, so I didn't say anything, but... I didn't like her.

"How are you feeling, my prince," she asked me as she started undressing. What was she doing... I turned my eyes to the side for respect and sighed. I wanted to go to another room. She slipped into sleepwear, thankfully, then made her way over to me. "Are you shy? You ought to see... this body of your future wife," she giggled.

"You're not my wife... You won't be in the future either... I know that, Princess. I apologize, but I can't," I replied, keeping my head away from her. She didn't seem happy with my answer at all. "Princess, I would like to sleep in a separate room."

"That so? Fine. I will let you do so. Tomorrow is a big day. Rest well. You will enjoy it," she told me with a huff. She then went to the door and called for a maid. Closing the door behind her, I heard her mumbling to the maid that presumably came, then I heard a loud slap.

In worry, I hurried over and opened the door. The princess just looked at me before slipping into her room. I stepped out and she shut her door, now leaving the maid and I out in the hall. The maid had her head lowered and seemed to be shaking. I looked at the shut door, then took the maid's hand to pull her off somewhere. I didn't know where I was going, but away from the princess's room was enough. The maid ended up dragging me off in the right direction, which was the opposite way I was going.

 ❁  

Once we got to my room, the maid was about to turn and leave, but I kept a hold of her hand and pulled her right in. She started panicking and shook more. "Shh, shh... It's alright. I'm just worried about you. Did she hit you," I asked as well as comforted. "Let me see. Is it bad? It's alright. Don't cry," I cooed. The maid looked awfully young. She looked up at me with tearful eyes, still shaking. One of her cheeks was stung red in the shape of a hand. I thought so... I sat down and made her do the same. "It's alright. It's alright. Don't cry now," I still kept telling her. Eventually, I pulled her into a hug and patted her back. "Tell me, how old are you?"

The maid hiccuped and tried to stop crying. It took a while before she could answer my question. "Mn- 11 years, Prince... I'm sorry," she apologized immediately after.

"Why are you apologizing," I mumbled with a sigh.

The little girl weeped and gripped my clothes. "Becau- se I'm not a pwetty lady- for the Prince to sleep with," she said.

"Hah-?! W-What are you saying," I asked loudly. Realizing how loud I was, I shut my mouth quickly. The girl jolted and started crying more. "H-hold on- Don't cry. I'm not mad! It's okay- well, no it's not, but you're okay," I told her softly. "Who taught you that... That's insane..."

"Tha pwinces here- t-tol me that- If you wanted to- You can do whatever you want- and I have to let you- because- because," she cried.

I looked down at her and petted her soft hair. "That's stupid... Don't listen to those guys... Don't let any guy just do whatever to you. Don't let anyone, you hear? I can't believe this province... Once I get out, I'll come back to save- everyone," I said, starting to remember more. "That's right... I said that... When I was going to the throne room... Tired, I was, but... to see him, I went," I started mumbling.

The little girl stared up at me and rubbed her tears away. "Are you talking about brother Sabo? Your guard? Poor brother Sabo... I finally saw him again... but he got locked up and beat up bad," she whined. "He hurts so much... but he tells us that he's okay..."

"Sabo... Ah- that's right," I exclaimed before grabbing the girl's shoulder to push her away and look at her. "Sabo- he's my guard- personal guard... right? Is he? When was he assigned to me... I don't remember..."

"Why do you not remember," the girl asked me with a frown. "Brother Sabo will be hurt if he finds out you forget. He said you are the one he loves- so I think it will hurt a lot," she murmured.

I looked down at her and sighed. "I don't know... I don't know why I don't remember," I told her.

"Will Brother Sabo be executed... Do I have to say bye bye," she asked me. Just asking that, she started shaking again. I knew she was going to start crying again...

I shut my eyes and thought for a bit. "I- You won't." I mumbled when I looked back up to her. She rubbed her eyes and looked to me. I could tell she was uneasy about my words. Who wouldn't be... I don't even remember everything. "Come on- I promise, okay? You have to go now. Go rest up, okay? They don't want me talking to you anyways. And- don't come see, if you had a choice... Don't come to watch."

 ❁  

That was probably the worst thing to tell the little girl. 'Don't come watch,' I tell her, when she has the thoughts of this man dying. She probably thinks I'm nonsense and that her 'brother Sabo' has his last day tomorrow. What do I do... It was obvious, but the me now didn't think it was. "Idiot," I told myself. My night was filled with thoughts and my dreams were only filled with nightmares. I never remembered much else of how I got here. I wish I had more time to think, but the night passes fast when you don't want it to. Morning crawled over and woke me up. When I woke up, there was a knock at my door, then it opened. It was her, with her usual disturbing smile.

"I came to pick you up, my Prince," the princess said to me. I reluctantly got up and went with her. What else could I do? At these moments, I didn't feel like a prince at all. I felt like I was the ones given orders and forced to do things I wished not to do. We were at the throne room again and those familiar looking doors were open again. Again? There those were... the pieces of memory that confuses me.

Food was brought out and then the other princes came. Execution... to execute someone is to rid of someone completely and to rid of someone, you kill them. If that is so, why do these people treat it like a show? We sat with our food, facing the wide area. It seemed like when my brothers and I would watch the dragon dances at the palace. Red... This 'show' will give me a different kind of red.

The princess sat next to me and explained what was happening. I knew already, their plans to execute. "Bring in the criminal," I heard someone say. Some time passed before I heard steps of soldiers. They had to be of soldiers due to the armors' clinking sounds. Right outside, I saw him coming.

"Sabo," I mumbled softly. I felt a hand tighten around my arm when I said that name. Without even looking, I knew it was the princess. I didn't need or want to look down at her. My mind was too busy, along with my eyes. Remembering the other night, I looked around quickly. I didn't see that little girl. That relieved me. Whatever happened, I didn't want to risk having her see... death... Death in general. There were other maids and servants around. They all had their heads lowered like they hated seeing this man walk.

Sabo looked the same as before. He limped, but he stood as tall as he could. His eyes kept to where he was walking and never looked at me. He sighed and stepped up some sort of platform. The execution was to hang him. No, there were guards with swords too. There was also a pile of wood near. Why was there so many... Did this province do every single type of execution.

"Prince. What form would you like to do," I heard someone asking. I jolted, then looked over. The emperor nodded at me and waited for an answer.

"Me? Ah- um..." I turned back to Sabo and looked at his scarred back quietly. Why did I have to choose... For a moment, Sabo turned his head to the side. I couldn't see his eyes, but I saw his mouth move. "... Fire," I mumbled, trying to figure out what he had worded.

I heard a big laugh. The emperor seemed pleased. "Fire method! Good! Good! This will be entertaining," he guffawed. "You will be a good son-"

My eyes widened and I tried to get up, only to be pulled back down. "Wait- I didn't mean that! Wait," I pleaded, but they didn't want to change any decisions. I looked to Sabo in panic and shook my head. Fire... That was probably the most painful-

Sabo smiled before walking down to the wood that was set aflame. The fire that was made was so much larger than needed. He stopped in front of it and stared up at the tall fire. His hands were untied and he was allowed to stand free for a while.

"We always let those about to be executed to have a little bit of freedom before they die," the princess told me. Lies. This province isn't as good as it is being told...

Sabo was asked if he had any last words. He just remained silent as he watched the flames flickering in front of him. After a bit, he took a big breath, then suddenly yelled out, "COME HERE!"

That confused everyone... Even if I had all my memories, I don't think I would have understood, to be honest. Sabo then smiled at the soldiers, telling them that he was done. The confused soldiers glanced at each other, then at the emperor.

"He probably gone insane... Kill him," the emperor responded. The soldiers nodded and stepped towards Sabo. No... Not yet- Sabo lifted up a leg to stop the soldiers. He smiled and told them he'll walk in himself. Unbelievably, he did so. He took a step to the fire and soon the fire started spreading up his pants. The emperor laughed louder, "he's lost it-"

"SABO! YOU IDIOT! WE'RE GETTING OUT! KILL THEM," I suddenly started yelling. Pushing the princess aside, I got up and started running to him. I never thought I would give a death order, but I knew death wasn't something I could avoid. Sabo looked back at me and smiled. He looked so blissful and happy even though his legs were basically on fire. This idiot-

I saw him suddenly start to fiddle with his pants, then soon the pants were thrown right off at a soldier. The fire that was on Sabo was now on the soldier. Even now, I was thanking that he wasn't naked in the open. His top just apparently was a one-piece. Under the cloth he threw off... were western firearms and bullets. I heard yells from the king and the other nobles. Soldiers all started to chase after me as well. Sabo flipped out a dagger from under one of his thighs and ran it through the fire before chucking it right past me. My eyes followed the flaming dagger as it flew right by and towards the emperor.

War was going to happen... It definitely will. With the emperor... dead, war will start. I expected that, of course, but Sabo- I somehow thought he would be at least my strength! That was a stupid thought though, but- Sabo looked to the side then glanced at me. Once I got close enough, he stepped past me and scooped me right up and tossed me towards the fire, where he was standing before. I panicked, like anyone would and tried to grab onto anything.

I thought Sabo had gotten pissed for me forgetting and thrown me into the fire, but... I wasn't burning. I opened my eyes slightly and sat up, "ah- you!" The horse we took here let out a huff and ran towards the gate with me on her. I made sure to grab a hold of the reins before looking back at the sound of gunfire. "Sabo-"

Sabo wasn't on the horse. He was still there, shooting down the many soldiers. When he heard me, he looked over to me and started to run over to us. If he wasn't whipped, it may have worked perfectly... I saw him wince and stumbled onto the ground. Either the pain was still great or they beat him up even more after that.

"Sabo! Wait-" I tugged at the reins to turn the horse around, but as she did, a gunshot frightened her and she kept her run to the gates. "No- Hold on! Sabo- why did you," I snapped when I looked back. Sabo had shot near the horse to make her keep running.

"Keep running! Don't you dare turn back for me! Trust in me- my prince," I heard Sabo yelling at the top of his lungs. He then continued to try and hold back the soldiers going for him as well as me.

For some reason, I listened and stayed on the horse. Somehow, I turned my back of him and even told the horse to run faster. Maybe it was because I got used to listening... Trust... In these situations, what was I going to do... I couldn't fight like he could. The only thing I could do was try and survive, and apparently, that was my choice...

 ❁  

I patted the horse and set my forehead onto her muzzle. I had gone far... There were no soldiers chasing anymore. Right now, I was near a cave that wasn't so far off of the place we stopped to eat at. Sabo... still wasn't here. Maybe he would run home and wanted to meet us there, but... I never payed attention to the routes. The only way I got here was by the horse running here on her own. She stopped at the rocks and then just lingered. After that, I didn't know which way to go. The paths weren't too clear either.

I didn't think it was a good idea to stand in the open, so I found a cave not too far. "Come on. It's starting to rain a bit. Can you fit in there," I asked the horse, trying to get her in the cave. The horse stomped her feet a bit with some jumps and huffs. "What... is this place not fancy enough for you," I asked her with a sigh. "Come on... Please don't be hard on me... Sabo's still... He's still..."

The horse let out another huff and nudged me with her snout before going into the cave. She laid herself down and just shook out her mane. I stared at her before laughing slightly. "You understand," I questioned. I stepped in and sat down. "Was it you he called when he yelled out suddenly? How did you even get out." I started asking.

Of course, she didn't reply and just blinked her round eyes at me. I sighed at the silence and looked out of the cave. It was raining now. Rain drops took over the silence and dripped here and there. All I could hear was the sound of water hitting the nature outside. "It's quiet," I said softly. He wasn't here with me... Where was he... I shut my eyes and chewed my lips together. Why did I leave him there... What am I doing here... Leaning down, I held my head and and gripped at my hair. "Why... why did I listen to him... Sabo... It's quiet- Sabo," I started saying. Who was I saying this to? He wasn't here... "Where are you... please- be well... I beg," I pleaded shakingly.

Maybe I had to beg to a certain deity to have it work, but since I didn't, no one came. The only thing that came was the cold wind and the stray rain droplets. I leaned against the side of the cave and stared at nothing. There was of course something, but... I felt like I saw nothing.

Nothing... There was nothing that I wanted to see out there... I shut my eyes and pulled my clothes taught to try to keep warm. I was so tired, but I also did not want to sleep. Though, the body never listens to the brain when it came to this, did it...