57 _ Failed.

Mizuki eyes fluttered open and she blinked away any remainder of sleep. Her eyes swept around the room, which made her remember once more that she was a prisoner. She could not help but feel a mix of emotions from fear ,not anxiety to confusion. Her life had taken an unexpected escape into a world of devils and she knew not what to expect next.

As she sat up in the barely furnished room , a tear escaped her eye and slid down her pale cheeks and into the floor. Mizuki wiped it away, still determined to stay strong in the bare face of adversity. Unable to return to sleep any longer , she awoke and strode to the balcony to gaze upon the crescent outline of the moon Shadows , hoping that the blackheads of the dark night sky would bring surcease from the pain.

She missed the contact with the outside world. The different people and faces , their lively personalities, a general cheerful atmosphere. Mizuki thought about the family that she had left behind. She would miss her mother loving smile and embrace. Despite being the Lady of the Clan that did not stop her from showing her needed affection to her only daughter. A sharp pang shot through her heart at the slightest thought of her mother in pain because of her sudden disappearance.

"I would give all I have ..." She fell to her knees and cried out to the moon above her. "If I could only know of my mother's well being , I ask for nothing more."

Dai Fang watched her solemn display from the obscurity of the shadows , not making any comment nor letting her be aware of his presence and once she had risen to her feet to return to her chambers, he deftly melted away into the darkness.

÷———÷—————÷————÷

Rain poured down from the sky unrelenting, beating against the window as a game billowed in the air. Mizuki was seated in her chambers, since she was not permitted to do anything else , brushing her lengthy hair , she heard a soft knock on the door.

"You may come in." She beackoned

A gentle demon maid breezed in and informed her that Dai Fang requested that she would be the one to serve him that day in his Chambers.Before Mizuki had the time to react or ask her any more questions , she had taken her leave ,leaving her in s state of panic and confusion as she gulped at the thought of what awaited her.

The cracked walls seemed to cave in on her as Mizuki walked mindlessly towards the Chamber her presence had been requested. Her heart was beating rapidly at the thought of what lay in wait for her behind those large oak doors.

When she went in , she saw him by the candlelight polishing and cleaning up his bloodied sword and Mizuki dreaded to think whose blood it was and how many people he had slain with that mighty weapon.

"How far can you go for your family, Mizuki Yang? What will you be willing to give up for them?" He asked her sullenly not averting his eyes from his task at hand. She was taken aback at his unusual question before she made to give her answer.

"I will do anything."

"Would you sacrifice your body for them?"

"Without a doubt."

"Would you forfeit your life for them?"

"Yes."

"Now my last question Mizuki..." Dai Fang said speaking directly to her , his voice resonating through the door walls of the Chamber and into the distance beyond. "Will you give up your freedom for them?"

"I will."

Satisfied that she was not lying, he took up his Demon Blade and moved effortlessly towards her , until they were close , separated only by a hair's breadth.

"I will take you to your Estate so you will get a final glimpse of your Father and Mother. You shall not speak to anyone nor make your presence know with antics of any kind. You will be by my side always and any kind of foolery will not be tolerated. And once finished , We shall return here and you shall submit your entirety to me as your Lord and Master . Do you understand?"

"I do." She replied and then Dai Fang took up his Blade and he struck it into the Earth as Vibrant swirls of red began moving around in elliptical patterns and soon the duo vanished.

When Mizuki opened her eyes again , she could not believe what she was seeing.

She was back home.

The familiar scent of the green meadows and blooming blossoms wafted passed her nose and the familiar cut of her estate came into view. She saw all of her servants and guards as her house bustled with usual activities and she wished that she could just call out to them to inform them of her presence but on turning back , she saw his silhouette lurking in the dim shadows and was reminded of the reason she was taken there.

Time was precious and Mizuki decided not to waste the one she was granted and went off in search to find her parents to see how they had fared. Knowing her home like the back of her hands and also adhering with Dai Fang's first instructions , she was able to gain access and move ahead unseen.

Ti Yang was in a heated discussion with Su Yang, her face bloodless and eyes heavy from continuous weeping as she looked feeble and frail.

"Mizuki has disappeared and the men we have sent to find her have reported nothing of use and here you are talking about the Wrath of the Emperor when our daughter is nowhere to be found."

"Your Daughter has shamed this family" Su Yang declared brashly and Mizuki was taken aback by her father's harshness. Had she disappointed him that much?

"At large she has disgraced every person that bears the Yang name by her childish actions." The old man continued . " Mizuki ran away cowardly instead of facing her duty with honour and presently the Emperor's guards are after her. After all the ignominy she has caused this family , I no longer regard her as a daughter to me or to the Yang Clan. If she ever steps a foot back in this Estate, I will take her to the capital and Marry her off to the Emperor Myself!!!"

"Mizuki is not more than a little girl , all the responsibilities were too much for her to bear." Her mother tried to defend her child vehemently but began coughing incessantly as Su Yang deftly stormed out of the room, to see with other more important matters at hand.

Tears came forth from her eyes as she released her hold from the Shutters and lost her footing. Mizuki fell into the sharp bushes as thorns , tore into her skin , ripped into her robes but she did not care. Two words came reoccurring in her head over and over and over and over as she ran trying to escape the gravity of what her father had said , the reality of what had been set in motion by her only once decision she had made not to marry The Emperor. The fact...

She had failed.