The Crown's Entrapment

At Keen Manor, Silver Crescent Pack

Gilas smiled as the warm rays of the sun hit his face. It had been a while since he felt the warmth of the sun.

"Spring is here..." he whispered as he enthusiastically walked outside. He promised his mother that he would check and talk to Pinra today so might as well do it before he and Clara set off to Cordon Castle.

"You sound so happy, Son. I'm really glad that you and Clara are getting along so well," his mother who was walking beside him commented.

"I've never been this happy in my life, Mother. You and Clara with me like this... I cannot ask for more," Gilas genuinely stated.

"Well, me too Son," Shila answered.

The two of them finally reached Pinra's safe house. Gilas couldn't help but take a deep breath as he stood right in front of Pinra's safe house. With guards flanking the entrance, his mother stood beside him as he stepped forward.

"I really hope that this is worth it," he sighed as he gestured for the guards to let him through.

"I'm sure it will be alright," his mother reassured him. "Pinra's... She's too conflicted to even form her own decisions."

Gilas blinked as he stopped just before he pushed the door open. "Why haven't you told me of this?"

This time, it was his mother that blinked at him as she replied. "I had thought that it was clear to you by now," she genuinely explained. "All this time that I've been caring for her, she has never shown any sort of agency on her own. She's... She always looked to me for direction, even if she constantly asked for your presence."

He hummed in thought. "So all this time... Pinra doesn't even know what's happening?"

"That's what I've been telling you," his mother exasperatedly smiled. "Really, what's the harm in seeing her now?"

Gilas couldn't help but chuckle. "You know what? Those words just gave me a bit more confidence that what I'm doing won't backfire on us too badly."

Sharing a small chuckle, mother and son entered the safe room. The former entered first, and Pinra quickly turned with a smile to greet her.

"Shi-Aunty," Pinra greeted his mother, her eagerness palpable in her tone. "W-What brings you here this early? But I'm glad you came. I feel s-so lonely staying here alone. W-will be nice to h-ave y-you to talk to and read me stories."

Gilas watched from the sidelines as he observed Pinra. True to his mother's words, his cousin was clearly off-center in terms of self-confidence. Her words were shaky, but the genuine happiness in her voice told him that she was very happy to see his mother. She was also smiling. It was a rare sight and Gilas truly wondered if there was nothing behind what Pinra was showing to his mother.

"I might've managed to get someone here to see you," his mother warmly smiled. "I hope you can finally get some peace after this, Pinra."

Hearing his proverbial cue, Gilas stepped inside, his gaze quickly connecting to Pinra's as his cousin turned to face him. Almost immediately, her smile fell, replaced with a pained confusion as her eyes betrayed just how lost she was feeling upon seeing him.

"You've wanted to see me, right?" Gilas shrugged. "Well, here I am, now Pinra."

[Something feels wrong. I just can't point it out but I have a feeling that seeing Pinra is not a good idea...] Ham suddenly interrupted. Gilas frowned as he keenly observed Pinra.

***

Pinra didn't know whether to feel elated or furious the moment she saw Gilas approach her. All of a sudden, the warmth and happiness she felt upon seeing Shila evaporated, replaced with a fury that she once thought had already left her after the weeks she had spent with his mother.

'W-Why... Why?!'

"Pinra?"

She snapped her gaze at Shila, the older woman's worry palpable in her tone as Pinra forced herself to calm down. Unfortunately for her, the voice in her head picked that exact time to rear its ugly tone to her yet again.

'It's him! Kill him! Kill him now! What are you waiting for? It's Gilas! Kill him!'

Her head throbbed in pain as the serpent coiled around her arm burned with an intensity only matched by the last time she had seen Gilas. The pain was indescribable, but the fact that she knew she was worrying her Aunty helped her fight through it somehow. She...

"Pinra?!" "What's wrong?!"

Pinra groaned as she held her head. She felt Shila's hand touch her shoulder, and she quickly flinched away as if she had been burnt by it. Why?! The older woman had done that to her countless times by now?!

'KILL! THIS IS YOUR CHANCE! KILL HIM NOW'

"Ngh... Kill..."

"P-Pinra?"

Shila's shocked voice almost made her want to cry. Why did she say that? Why were her lips moving against her will? This voice in her head... Why won't it shut up?!

"Stay back, Mother! Something is wrong with Pinra. She's dangerous!" her target grunted, shielding her auntie from her as he stood in front of her. "I knew you'd never change..."

Pinra felt her neck snap as she turned to look at her target. The rage within her boiled with an unrelenting fury, the warm feelings within her warring against it while her confusion only grew alongside it. Why? Why was she feeling like this?!

'YES! THIS IS IT! KILL HIM! KILL THEM!'

The world seemed to spin as she took a shaky step forward. Her right hand raised up to him, she gritted her teeth as she felt the beginning of tears prickling against her eyes. The pain... The burning... The confusion... She couldn't even tell what was happening anymore.

"I... will... Kill..." she gritted as her now red eyes darted to Gilas.

"Get back!" he shouted as he stepped back with her aunty.

"Pinra! Get a hold of yourself!"

Their screams didn't reach her. Instead, the voice's incessant whispers filled her head, giving her directions that she really didn't want to follow anymore.

"G-Get out of my head! No... Stop! No!"

For a split second, Pinra saw Gilas as someone trying to keep her away from her Aunty. Screaming, she lunged, the serpent on her arm jumping and biting the obstacle in the way of her comfort.

"Gilas!"

Pinra froze as she heard her precious Aunty's voice. Blinking, she saw Shila catch Gilas's unmoving body, the older woman hysterical as she cradled her son.

'KILL! KILL! KILL!'

Her right hand raised, Pinra felt like she was watching her alter ego control her body as she threatened to kill the one person that truly cared for her. She didn't know why... She didn't know how... All she wanted to do at that moment was to stop herself... To stop herself before she did something she knew she would regret.

But her body seemed to be controlled by someone else. She couldn't stop. She was craving for more blood. She didn't want to do it... Not her Aunty... Not her too. She would not harm her!

"N-No... No!"

Through sheer force of desperation, Pinra fought against her own directionless rage, forcing her body to fall to the floor before balling up her own fists against herself.

"I-I won't! I refuse! No! I won't kill her!"

"Pinra..."

Her beloved aunty's voice echoed in her ears, giving her just enough will to grab her right arm and stop it from going after Shila.

'WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!'

In truth, Pinra didn't know why she was doing what she was doing. All she knew was she was doing the right thing in her eyes, stopping herself before she could do any more damage. She must stop her own self. She would not harm the only person who showed her kindness and let her feel the warmth, love, and care she had never experienced before.

'I knew my past self was horrible... But I refuse... to be...'

"I... I refuse to be her anymore!"

With a cry of determination, Pinra screamed as she tore off her own right arm. The pain was indescribable, and she didn't know where she found the strength to even do it, but she at least did the right thing.

Yes... Even as she bled out from her own injuries, she was at least happy that she had repaid what she had done to Shila's son with her own life...

Even if she still didn't know the extent of her sins, at least she would no longer be a bother to the one that cared for her...

Tears started clouding Pinra's eyes as she stared at her Aunt who was sobbing in front of her son. Pinra opened and closed her mouth as she weakly murmured, "I... I'm s-sorry..."

She would die and she could feel it inside her body. Tears continuously run down her eyes as she inwardly hoped how she would want to do things differently if she would be given another chance. But then Pinra knew that there was no chance left for her now, her time was up.