All I could do was run.

Run and panic.

How had I let that happen? Ichiji had nearly claimed every part of me, and I had surrendered without a second thought - or any thought at all. The realization was terrifying. How could the world be so cruel as to bind me to the one man I despised more than anything?

Sick! Sick and twisted!

My lungs burned like crazy as I sprinted through the thick masses of trees and shrubbery, twigs and thorns ripping at my skin, leaving bloody scrapes and slits that would no doubt be questioned come the following days.

Would anyone believe me if I told them what had happened? Would anyone care? I could already hear the excuses pouring from their lips. He was just eager to finally be with you! He got ahead of himself! Why did you let him into your room if you didn't want it?

No...No, I'm alone in this...

How long had I even been running for? Ten? Twenty minutes? It was pitch black, the moon barely dripping through the canopy above, so I couldn't tell. I didn't care, as long as I got as far away from Vinsmoke Ichiji as possible.

He would come after me. I knew him well enough to realise that, so that's why I couldn't stop. His family was strange. They were abnormally fast, and I knew hiding wasn't going to be any use, since Niji had somehow found me out the last time and nearly drowned me. I could only cling to the hope that by my knowledge of this forest I had the upper hand, for once.

"TIMBER!"

A loud shout and then a thunderous crash caused me to skid to a halt, nearly falling flat on my face. What the hell? Timber? Was somebody out here cutting down a tree? That wasn't permitted in this part of the forest. It was sacred, and everybody knew that.

Unless...

Slowly, I crept forward until I saw lights through the brush, hiding behind a tree before I peered out from its side. What I saw caused my stomach to lurch almost as violently as when I realised what Ichiji had been doing to me.

Dozens of Germa soldiers, with twice as many machines, to dig, cut and drill. At least fifty trees had been lopped, their now dead trunks stacked neatly to the side of the man-made clearing. Flood lights lit the area as the men worked, and I had to stifle a gasp.

No...What the fuck is Germa doing out here..? This...My parents wouldn't allow this...

Feeling something wet beneath my palm, I pulled it to my face to find red. Blood? Sap? No, after giving it a timid sniff, I realised it was fresh paint. Looking back to the bark of the tree I hid behind, I saw the great red X painted across it. They weren't done with chopping my forest down.

"What the fu-"

A hand slapped over my mouth from behind and dragged me back a few yards, and I kicked and flailed as hard as I could to no avail. I didn't need to turn to know who it was.

"Why do you have to be so difficult, Princess?" Ichiji muttered under his breath as he finally released me, though he wasn't expecting me to spin around and slap him as hard as I could, leaving a smear of red paint against his cheek. It hurt me more than it hurt him, my hand throbbing like crazy, but I didn't drop my guard.

"Wh..What the hell are your goons doing out here, Vinsmoke?! Why are they cutting everything down?! What are those machines for?!" I barked my questions, my hands balling into fists as though I could intimidate him. Pinching the bridge of his nose, Ichiji grit his teeth.
"You're such a headache...My father is going to be pissed..."

Judge. Of course.

"Good! I hope he gets even more pissed when I tell my mom and dad what's happening out here!" I snapped back, but before I could march around him, he seized me by the wrist, forcing me to halt.
"What makes you think they'd believe you? They already know you'd do anything to get out of our marriage."

I was almost speechless for a few good moments, spluttering before I yanked my wrist back and violently motioned to the work site behind me.
"There's literally proof right there! Why wouldn't they believe that?! What is wrong with your fucked up family?! Is that why you have to marry me?! So Judge can play deforestation?!"

I hate him. I hate all of them.

Ichiji was starting to get irritated - I could see it in the slight twitch of his jaw, the way his fingers curled ever so subtly at his sides. But he didn’t lunge at me, didn’t try to force my submission through sheer dominance like I half-expected him to. Instead, he remained still, stiff, and unreadable, his usual stoic mask firmly in place.

"Look..." he finally spoke, his voice measured, as if he were trying to keep himself in check. "You're overtired, and you're all worked up after realizing there's an actual connection between us. So why don’t we—"

"THERE ISN’T A SINGLE DAMN THING BETWEEN US!" I cut him off before he could finish, my voice raw and shaking with fury. "STOP TRYING TO GET INTO MY HEAD, ICHIJI!" My throat burned from the sheer force of my screaming, but I didn’t care. Let the Germa soldiers hear me. Let the whole damn world hear me. I was done. Done with him, done with all of them.

My chest heaved as rage and terror twisted inside me, feeding off each other until I felt like I might explode. "I'VE LET YOU AND YOUR FAMILY SCREW WITH ME ALMOST MY ENTIRE LIFE! TWISTING, BREAKING! BUT THIS?!" My voice cracked, but I didn't stop. I wouldn't stop. "DESTROYING MY HOME?! TEARING APART THE LAST PIECE OF PEACE I HAD LEFT?!" My vision blurred with unshed tears, but I glared at him through the haze, willing him to feel even an ounce of the pain he had inflicted. "YOU'RE MONSTERS—ALL OF YOU!"

To hell with it. I'm finished.

"I HATE YOU WITH EVERY FIBRE OF MY BEING, VINSMOKE ICHIJI! I WILL NEVER, EVER MARRY YOU! I REJECT THIS BOND! NO MO-"

Pain.

A fierce, nearly scalding pain shot out from my chest to every last inch of my body, knocking the wind out of my already burning lungs. I hadn't felt pain like this before, and it felt nearly impossible to remain standing, but I did so out of fear. Fear of looking weak in front of my enemy, and fear of what was even happening to me.

Ichiji seemed to falter as well. He took a step back that looked stiff, even for him, and his teeth bared, clenched so tightly together that I was positive they'd break at any given moment. Was this because I had said I'd rejected him? Had I finally severed the tie that forced us together? Was I free?

Why...does it hurt so bad..?

Barely managing to keep myself composed through the physical torment, I caught my breath before I spoke again, this time in a voice that was so taut it could snap.
"You...are not welcome in Fell Wilds, or my life, V..Vinsmoke. Go t..to hell..."

My pride wouldn't let me show the extent of my pain as I walked past him, back towards the palace, and he didn't try to stop me. He didn't even turn to look at me. Ichiji just stood there, still and silent, allowing me to leave.

It's over...It's finally over...but this pain...It's so deep in my chest...It feels like something was actually cut. No, it's fine. It'll be gone by morning...and so will the Vinsmoke family...

.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

***ICHIJI POV***

"Sparking Red, Sir? Should we notify-"

"Yes." I spat out through my teeth, turning my back on the Germa soldier who addressed me, having heard the commotion. "He'll have a back-up plan. Leave me be." I stalked further into the forest, in a different direction than the Princess had gone, and continued to walk until I knew I was alone.

Dropping to my knees, my hands flew to my chest, fingers twisting violently in the fabric of my shirt. So this was pain? Real, agonising pain? I wasn't supposed to be able to feel anything like this. It was impossible, but there it was, deep, deep inside my chest, and it wouldn't stop.

What had (Y/N) done to me? Was it because she had so passionately rejected me as her mate? It had to be that. That was the moment it had hit me, rendering me weaker than I ever had been in my life. Pathetic. Wounded. It made no sense to me.

"This...is wrong..." I choked out, hunching over further, almost hugging myself as though it would quell the intense pain. Something really was wrong with me. First the strange sensations when we had made out, and now this. Was I broken? Damaged? Had something messed with my alterations to let these things slip through the cracks and harm me?

No, I wasn't an idiot. I knew it was the bond, or what used to be the bond, but it still made no scientific sense. I physically wasn't capable of experiencing these feelings or emotions. Ever. Nothing made sense anymore when it came to Arden (Y/N), the bane of my existence.

This...is fine. I'll go to the lab and get myself fixed, then keep working on my mission. I've already let dad down once...I can't do it again, otherwise he'll move to the second plan...the second son...and I can't let that happen...

...As much as I despise that girl, I can't let that be her fate...

.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
***Next Time: Proxy***