Prince's Knight (Kaneki X Touka Kingdom AU)

Chapter 19 - Touka's Realization

Three days have passed and today, Princess Kamishiro Rize will visit central kingdom soon. The king, queen, Prince Ken, and their knights already waiting for them. The princess's carriage has arrived at the castle then the footman helped her to alight. Princess Kamishiro Rize greeted the Kaneki's family then Ken was told by his mother to escort her. As he takes princess's hand, Ken saw Touka bowing from the corner of his eyes.

Touka? Why is she here? Is she already alright to move?

"Prince Kaneki? Is there something wrong?"

"N-Nothing. Please be careful, princess."

Princess Rize glances at the blue haired knight then she and Ken went upstairs. Many days have passed, Ken and Rize's relationship doesn't make any progress. They only talk if they need something and when they read books in library. Every time they go together, Ken always glances at his knight but Touka always avoids his eyes.

A week before the marriage, Rize's attitude began to change. She became more arrogant and she began to command the maids at Ken's castle as her wish. Ken who witnessed it, told her to mind her attitude but she won't listen. Ken tried to control his emotion until he can't take it anymore.

One day, Ken is looking for Touka but he can't find her anywhere. Nishiki told him about Touka that she was forced to accompany Princess Rize. He annoyed because she took her without his consent and he wait for them to return to palace. At evening, Ken saw the Rize's carriage back to the castle and it's full of her goods. When he saw Rize is commanding Touka to bring of her goods, Ken really mad and he went downstairs.

"Princess Rize! How dare you?! Who give you permission to bring my personal knight with you?!"

"What? One day we will get married. Your knights will become mine too."

Ken can't hold his temper anymore; he threw everything at Touka's hand then he pulled Touka's hands while yelling at Rize to command her maids instead. Ken dragged Touka to somewhere and along the way, Touka tried to free herself but Ken's grip really tight. As they reach at isolated place where there's no one there, Ken pushed Touka into the wall then he kissed her. Touka's eyes widened and she tried to free herself but Ken won't budge.

Wha- Why he won't budge?!?

Ken inserted his tongue inside her and for a moment their tongue swirled. They both panting then Ken moved to her neck and he licked it. Touka let a soft moan when Ken sucked her neck and she began to enjoy it. But shortly after, she goes back to her sense. With all of strength that she got, she managed to break free and she pushed Ken back.

"STOP IT!", shouted Touka to Ken. They both stare each other while panting and blushing.

"Touka, I-I'm sorry! I-I don't mean to- No, I can't take it anymore! I don't want to marry Princess Rize! Touka, please! Can't you love me?!"

"T-That's...I DON'T KNOW!!"

Ken saw Touka ran away from him again, he really wanted to after her but if he did, Touka won't like it. He leaned on wall then he reflected himself for what he had done.

Ah...what have I done??? I lost control again. I bet she will avoid me forever for good.

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Touka bolted to her room then she locked herself there. Her face still flushed and she is sweating, she looked at her reflection in front of the mirror and she saw a dark hickey on her neck. She can't stop imagining when Ken sucked her neck then she tried to calm herself by sleeping. She rolled in her bed while touching her lips and her brain keep replaying what happened. She can't stop imagining Ken kissing her, she snapped out from her imagination and she hit her head to the desk.

Stop. I need to stop thinking that. Touka, what's wrong with you??? 

In the next morning, Touka has bags under her eyes since she can't sleep at all. She kept yawning and when she saw Ken from afar, she immediately hiding from him since she can't show her red face to him. When she took shortcut through garden, suddenly one of Rize's maid called her and told her that princess is calling for her.

Touka thought that she wanted her to do something for her or she would punish her for yesterday. Touka followed the maid and she saw Rize alone at gazebo. Touka asked her for what reason she called her then Rize told her to sit in front of her. Touka followed her order then she saw Rize is pouring something black into the cup and she gave it to her. It's the first time Touka saw a black drinks and Rize said it's called coffee, it was imported from north kingdom and it's quiet famous in her hometown right now. Touka smelled the drinks then she sipped it a bit, it turned out to be delicious and she liked it.

"What's your relationship with Prince Ken, miss knight?", asked Princess Rize as she drink her coffee.

"Kirishima Touka, you can call me Touka, Princess Kamishiro. I'm his personal knight since childhood, my parents were murdered and Prince Ken took me in."

"Hmm...I see. You keep thinking as his knight but Prince Ken is thinking of you more than that. He thinks you as a woman."

Touka became speechless, she can't deny it or admit it right in front of his fiancee.

"So, how's your feeling toward him? Do you feel like to be touch by him or maybe kiss-"

Touka choked by her coffee and she spilled a bit on the table. Rize smiling and quite enjoying her reaction.

"Uh...princess? Can we change the subject?"

"Don't want to. Relax, it's only two of us here. So, by looking at your reaction, he already kissed you. Then, do you love him?"

"...I don't know, princess. Recently, I feel flustered when I was with him also my heart is acting weird. It keeps pounding and my face becomes hot. Am I sick? Or maybe it's because I haven't totally recovered from my wound?"

"Wound? What wound?"

"It's my back, I got hurt while I was protecting the prince."

After hearing her explanation, Rize putted down her cup and suddenly she apologized to Touka. She also explained why she was acting like that, that's because she actually doesn't want to marry Ken either. She has someone that she loves and she made a promise that they will get marry. That's why she tried to make Ken hates her and break this marriage by using Touka. Touka told her that she doesn't need to sorry about it but after she heard Rize's motive, she suddenly felt relief. Looking at Touka's reaction, Rize told her that she isn't sick from her wound but she is love sick. Those things which happened to her is the symptoms of love sick.

"Love sick? It can't be. I'm just commoner and he is a prince."

"It's not about status, Touka. Love never looked at someone's status or their age. Then, I will change my question; how do you feel when you heard he will get married with me?"

"That's...to be honest, it's a bit uncomfortable? Here.", said her as she pointing at her heart.

"That's what you called love, silly. You feel comfortable, happy, and safe when you were around him and your heart is in pain when you saw he is with another woman."

"How do you know that, princess?"

"Because I've experienced it before. I don't like when I saw him with another woman but I feel happy when he said he love me."

Touka's eyes widened when she heard all of those things from Rize. All what the princess said just now also happening to her and at the moment Touka is blushing, she just realized that she already falls in love with Ken. 

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