Motheaten Memories [Yandere Prince x Enemy Princess Reader]

52. Imprisoned.

Y/N was in a daze as she was roughly guided through the twisting halls of the palace by the two guards who had been with Abeloni. The air grew cooler as they walked deeper into the palace. The windows became smaller and after descending a final stone stairway Y/N found herself in an underground prison.

The walls oozed with dark water and the sandy color of the bricks was mostly covered by grime and moss. Before she could examine the environment anymore she was shoved roughly by the guards. They tried to lock her in a pair of handcuffs chained to the wall, but the heavy iron bands were too large for her dainty wrists and fell to the floor with a clatter.

Grumbling about the inconvenience one of the guards fished out a large set of keys from his tunic and after several minutes found the correct one for the nearest rusty cell door and opened it before tossing Y/N roughly inside. She tripped over an uneven stone and stumbled onto all fours, grazing her palms against the rough floor, before she could straighten up the door was slammed behind her.

Not bothering to get up she sank onto the damp and moldy floor. She pulled her knees up to her chest and rubbed the sore place on her neck where Törrsk had choked her. She couldn't believe he was dead just like that. She felt so betrayed and confused. He had tried to kill her and Abeloni had saved her life only to then arrest her for treason, if he was going to arrest me why not just let me be killed she wondered.

Not like it matters, I'm going to die anyway. She shivered as the wetness of the floor soaked through her skirt and she heard the sound of something scuttling about in the near-darkness. She had been in many unpleasant places since the fall of her nation but none were as full of despair as that damp and desolate prison cell. She knew that because she had technically confessed to the prince that there would be no trial, all she could do now was wait for her inevitable execution.

"There's no need to handle me so roughly, I'm not foolish enough to run," she jumped as she heard the sound of several footsteps descending the stairs and a familiar disgruntled voice. Light emerged with them as they reached the bottom of the stairs in the form of a small lantern. It was the same to guards and Y/N nearly let out a cry when she saw the woman they had brought was Enicia. "I would appreciate it if you told me what I'm being charged with." She snapped scornfully as her hands were clamped in the heavy iron cuffs that were too big for Y/N.

The only guards chuckled coarsely at them both for several moments before leaving, taking the light with them. "Enicia?" Y/N called out softly once they were gone, scooting to the front of her cell to get a better view of her in the dim light.

"Y/N?!" The older woman gasped, squinting to make out her face in the shadowy cell. "Why are you here?" She asked as she moved forward to the extent that the chains around her wrists would allow her to, she tried to reach out but her restraints kept her from being able to get her hand through the bars of the cell.

"Enicia we've been discovered, Törrsk betrayed us," Y/N explained, tears running down her cheeks as she fully realized that they were both going to die. "I'm so sorry! It's all my fault! I ruined everything and now and now-"

"Just breath Y/N, just breath," Enicia tried to reach out and wipe her tears away but was unable to because of the tautness of the chain planted in the wall. "it's alright-"

"-It's not alright!" Y/N cried, distraught at herself for causing such a calamity because of her emotional whims.  "Abeloni hates me and now you're going to die because I was foolish enough to fall in love!"

"Don't apologize for falling in love Y/N, I was so happy that you did," The old governess told her, surprising her with a gentle smile despite the grim circumstances. "I knew the risks when we can hear, I am prepared to die."

"I'm not..." Y/N whispered, choking on her sobs. She reached her arms through the bars and clung onto Enicia's hands tightly as she sobbed. "I-I'm scared..."

"Don't be scared Y/N, I'm here with you," Enicia murmured soothingly as she squeezed her hands affectionately. "I'll be here with you until the very end."

. . .

Crown Prince Abeloni's heart throbbed painfully in his chest. He was only able to get several hallways away from the king's council room before he had to lean against the wall, clutching at the silk fabric covering his chest. He had been in agony ever since Y/N had confirmed her identity and her aims.

This pain will pass, it has to, He thought as he gritted his teeth and tried to withhold the tears gathering in his eyes. He didn't want to cry because of a traitor. I have informed father of Y/N's Identity and her plot to murder us. She and Enicia will be executed tomorrow at noon.

He shook his head, trying to rid himself of the immense dread that filled him at the thought of her being executed for all to see. Once she's dead these feelings will go away, once she's dead it will stop hurting. His pulse pounded painfully fast as he recalled her smiling face. By Luccia, she was going to kill me but my heart still races when I think of her... Why?

He felt like he was lost amid a stormy sea, his mind unstable. All he could think of was her. "I-I need something of hers, just to get me through the night," he muttered. He pushed himself off the wall and stumbled towards her chambers.

He arrived several minutes later and slipped inside, grateful that no one had seen him entire the bedroom of an assassin. "I never really noticed just how cramped her quarters were until now," he commented as he realized that he didn't need to raise either of his arms fully to touch the walls and that the two other dresses Y/N owned were hung from to ceiling as there was no room for a wardrobe. "it's strange to think of a princess living such a life, doing manual labor and sleeping on a bed stuffed with straw." He found it hard to picture the down-to-earth woman he had come to love looking and acting like the noble ladies in court.

"Oh Y/N... Why couldn't you have loved me..." Abeloni lamented, tears finally beginning to flow from his eyes as he let himself fall back onto the lumpy mattress, finding only slight comfort in the lingering scent of her on the sheets. "Why..."

He silently cried, his heart breaking as all the hopes and dreams for the future came crumbling down around him. It felt as though all hope had gone from the world, leaving only bitterness and regret.

He was distracted from his sorrow by something glinting in the corner of the room.  He sat up and wiped the tears from his eyes. It glimmered in a pile of dust in the corner of the room, and he walked over to inspect it eager for any distraction from his sadness. He picked it up and gasped, it was a dainty gold bracelet with a golden butterfly that was very familiar to him.  I-I don't understand, this is my mother's. She never takes it off, what is it doing here?

A/N

Ooooh, looks like Y/N isn't the only one suffering from heartbreak. ^~^

Until next time I'll see you on the other side

~J. C. Coltt.~