Bite Back

Plans For Escape

When Wyleen’s head was done throbbing and she could stand without getting dizzy, she made her way to the conjoined restroom. She patted her face with cool water and admired the bruising on her face, only now being able to see for herself. Wyleen wasn’t mad at Katakuri, but at herself for breaking concentration and at “My damn father.” She muttered, gripping the sides of the sink. It was because of him that she and Katakuri had a slight rift between them right now; it was his fault she was taken as a glorified prisoner, his fault she was put in the position she was in. Audibly growling, Wyleen swiped everything off the counter in her frustration before sitting on the floor of the bath to put her face in her hands and cry silently in the middle of the mess she had made.

“Hey girlie, what’s got you so worked up? Whe whe,” Brûlée chuckled.

Wyleen quickly wiped the tears from her face before turning around, “It’s nothing.” She cleared her throat, “What can I do for you, ma’am?”

Brûlée came out of the mirror to sit on the bathroom counter, looking down at Wyleen, “I came to ask what you said to peeve my brother off so much, but it would seem the feeling is mutual.”

“Is he really that upset?” She muttered, rolling her eyes.

“Ah, so it was something you said? Whe whe whe.” Wyleen turned her gaze to Brûlée, giving her an exhausted look. She gasped, covering her mouth with her hand, “Big brother is probably off to kill whoever did that to your face, poor girl.” Brûlée grabbed Wyleen’s chin to look at the side of her face more closely.

Wyleen shook Brûlée’s grasp off, averting her gaze, “He did this,” she muttered.

“That’s a lie,” Brûlée frowned, touching the scar on her own face, “My big brother would never.”

She gave the woman sitting on the counter a solemn look, “It wasn’t his fault.”

Brûlée searched Wyleen’s face for deception, “Who was the cause of this, then?”

“The old man who’s been running around here, my father,” she snorted, shaking her head, not being able to help but feel responsible for the events that transpired.

“Ah, yes, that man keeps asking the help as to where he might be able to find you.”

“That’s the one,” Wyleen scowled to herself as she crossed her arms. “Should have let your brothers snuff him when he got here.”

***

“Another!” Katakuri snarled.

Cracker sighed, clapping his hands to produce a dozen more biscuit soldiers before lying back against a trunk of an animated tree in the seducing woods, “Bro, haven’t you had enough? We’ve been at this for hours.”

Katakuri grunted, crumbling one of the biscuit men with a swift stab of his trident, “No.” He glanced at his younger brother.

“What even pissed you off this much? Get into a fight with your little girlfriend or something? She talk back to you again?”

“That’s enough of your questions, Cracker.” Katakuri used armament Haki to punch through two of the soldiers at once, knocking a few trees back with his force.

“So it does have something to do with her, am I right?”

“Enough,” Katakuri glowered at his brother, using his grasp to crumble the head of a soldier.

Cracker shrugged his brother off before leaning back once more.

***

“Wyleen, sweetheart,” a voice called at the edge of her consciousness.

“Hm…Kuri?” Wyleen mumbled.

“No, Wylee girl, it’s me,” the man whispered.

Wyleen sat up, rubbing her eyes, “Da? What the hell are you doing here?”

“I came to take you back home. It’s been my plan this whole time to take you before you have to marry that monster.”

“Monster? The only one here is you,” she frowned.

“I know it was cruel of me to do what I did. But please know, daughter, that this was my intention the entire time. I always intended to take you back with me once I found you.” Daveed clasped his hands around his daughter to plead with her.

She shook her head, “Why should I trust a damn thing you say?”

“Because I am your father.”

“Yes, and?”

Katakuri had come back from the seducing woods, having blown off some steam, to see Wyleen before he retired for the night. Reaching for the handle of the infirmary door, he stopped upon hearing voices coming from inside. One of them was Wyleen’s; he noticed as he listened carefully, putting his ear to the door to listen to the exchange.

“I didn’t ask you to come here, nor did I expect you to come all this way for the Tea Party,” Wyleen said.

“You're my daughter.”

“That doesn’t mean a damn thing,” she hissed.

“And I’ll be damned if I let you marry that monster,” Daveed’s voice rose slightly.

Katakuri was about to burst through the door to teach the man a lesson himself, but stopped upon hearing a slap followed by Wyleen’s voice. “He is not a monster,” she sounded offended at the notion. “I will not repeat myself again. I could have you killed in an instant. If not by my hand, my husband’s, if not his, I’m sure I could find someone in this godforsaken kingdom who would be more than happy to do the job. I let you live because of Mother and Lillian. After I become a Charlotte, I want nothing to do with you or your dreaded kingdom.”

“Wyleen, you are being unreasonable,” Daveed’s voice was stern. “Look what that monster did to you.”

“Because of you! If I hadn’t been distracted, this,” she pointed to her face, “wouldn’t have happened.”

“A noblewoman shouldn’t be engaging in combat anyway. I’m not sure why you bother. Can’t he protect you? Why must you be subjected to protecting yourself?”

“You are the one who taught me to fight initially! And you know I am more than capable of protecting myself.”

“You are a grown woman now; you have responsibilities to your kingdom.”

“I’ve had just about enough of your prattling. Now, please leave, or I will have you removed.” She glared at him. “Leave!” Wyleen repeated.

“Is there a problem, dear?” Katakuri had opened the door to make his presence known. His gaze shifted to Daveed, and he glared down at him.

“I was just leaving,” Daveed huffed, exiting the infirmary without another word.

Katakuri watched Wyleen’s father leave before engaging with Wyleen herself. “Care to tell me what that was about?”

“How much did you hear?” She looked off, glowering.

“Enough,” he sat down on her bed, “I apologize for leaving earlier. I’m not too proud to admit that I was upset, however.”

“I’m sorry I upset you,” she looked up at him, “I can’t begin to understand how you feel. That was wrong of me to make assumptions.”

“Thank you,” he said, brushing a lock of her hair behind her ear with a gloved hand. Lightly tracing the bruises on the side of your face, “I’m sorry,” Katakuri whispered, looking remorseful.

Wyleen gave him a gentle smile. “I know you are. I’m alright, you don’t have to worry so much about me.”

He pressed his forehead against Wyleen’s before he spoke, “I won’t be able to honor those wishes.” Katakuri’s crimson eyes locked with hers.

“Of course not,” Wyleen put her hands on either side of Katakuri’s face, sitting up to close the space between them until her lips locked with his. Only wincing slightly at the pressure on her sutures.