That

Prince held a rose gold chain in his sepia armored grip. Brown gloves stretched over his fingers. Precious stones ran through the chunky choker, the squared-off links looking as though they captured diamonds in the midst of their dance. A Queen wore this close to her neck once. There was blood set inside of the diamonds held within the crown charm. She wore it close to neck once. Prince bowed his head feeling as though he betrayed the Nobility that coursed through his blood.

He was a small man. Regal in his taste, a fitted tunic with blended quilted suede and white linen falling on his compact and athletic build with pressed white slacks falling over brown monk shoes. An all white scabbard swung with his stride. A 24k gold herringbone bracelet fell from underneath the sleeve of his tunic, black diamonds shimmering inside of the links, black diamond crown charm outlined in gold falling on the créme metal strapped to the back of his hand.

The clicks of his boots echoed on the linoleum floor to the rhythm of flickering fluorescent lights flashing on the blood splattered on the linen of his tunic.

Prince wore a stoic expression on his delicate features. The tattooed crescent moon angled underneath his left eye was set in the stone of his visage.

It was a quiet night outside of the Tri-Star hospital. The sky was indigo outside of the bay window. Hospital machines beeped in the background. Prince approached the lump of woman underneath the sterile white hospital sheets.

There were bandages wrapped around the patient's lean torso. Her black silk mane was wrapped in bandages. There were patches of bandages on her angel face. There were bandages littered everywhere on her brown skin. A cold sweat dripped on the earthen surface.

Fear swam to the surface of her crystal clear black gaze when she looked up at Prince. She squinted slight. Her name was Aaliyah. Aaliyah Elijah Muhammad. She was Queen now.

Prince let the chain fall on Aaliyah's toned stomach, moving mechanically back into a formal stance with his hands to the side, feet spaced equidistant. There was a slight furrow to his thick eyebrows as he stared down at Aaliyah. His voice was measured; a roar in a whisper. "I set Midnight free for this." He pointed toward the chain he rested on her stomach. "I hope you'll be ready to pay the price for that crown. I wasn't."

Aaliyah's eyes traveled down her torso until her gaze landed on the small choker. A tiny volcano of blood diamonds. She turned toward him in time to see Prince turn on the heel of his shoes. The crown on his bracelet swung with his step. So did the sheathed katana; the white braided hilt ready for his touch.

Always ready.

Prince walked towards the door.

"Why does this feel so wrong?" Her voice was so soft. As if her throat held all of her cries.

Prince offered no sympathy. He couldn't. He looked over his shoulder. Aaliyah shook underneath his glare. Prince went by many titles. Saint Reverie Ross. Little Ross. Little King. Sword Saint. The Hand of God. But Prince was not just prince in name. Prince was the lost Prince of the Kingdom of Saints. The only one left of his bloodline. Aaliyah could not know what he lost. His family. His kingdom. His everything. She could not know that he had taken away someone else's everything. For her, who would sacrifice her everything for a crown. "You know why. That woman loves you." Prince shook his head with a grimace. "Just like mine loves me." He stared at the crown on Aaliyah's stomach. The heart rate monitor beeps quickened in their cadence. Prince waved his hand in the air. "I can't forgive myself for the hurt I put on her face." Tears ran down the smooth and angled planes of her cheeks as she stared at Prince. Sobs leapt from her lips in fits of hiccups. "And she doesn't even know it was me." He paused, looking down at the floor. "I hope you can swallow what I sacrificed for you."