She was waiting for him as he left the nursery.

"Don't worry, Mother," Rido said amusedly. "I would hardly harm my dear girl."

"And does your brother yet live?" she asked lightly.

She caught the flash of annoyance on his face before he replied.

"The boy is fine."

Nothing about her revealed her relief.

"I will not steal my bride's playmate from her yet."

"How fickle you are," she teased. "Did you not once wish me for your bride?"

"Is it not you who are fickle, Mother?" he grated out. "Slipping from bed to bed like a common harlot?"

"I shall trust your verdict," she coldly replied. "You have made quite the study of harlots this past year."

"When you left me no recourse!" he burst. "You have denied everything to me!"

"Nothing you tried to take was yours."

Rido stalked up to her. The look he shot down at her through his thick lashes was full of a threatening longing.

"You cannot tell me that Juri is not mine."

His voice was soft and pleading.

"She is not."

"Is she not my child? Is she not my betrothed?" His questioning tone was growing desperate.

"Any child of mine belongs to my husband," she said softly.

"That must be a lie," he growled. "Why else would you have run to our father's bed? He disgusts you!"

"It was necessary. Allowing you into my bed was—"

"Don't dismiss me so easily, sister. You share in your husband's sin," Rido cut her off bitterly.

"As you share in mine."

She thought she might grow used to the hatred in her son's eyes with the frequency she saw it of late. He turned to leave her. Her opening was clear.

"Do you truly think your father will allow you to have her?"

"What?" He whirled back in obvious shock.

"You have been a fool," she chastised. "Why should he give you a bride, let alone a crown when you have done nothing but make an enemy of him?"

"What is there for him to give?" snarled Rido. "It is my birthright! Do you think that the court will stand for--"

"The court will stand by the king. You have alienated those who might have supported you."

"I have allies!" he roared.

"You have toadies!" she barked back. "All they wish for is power. They do not care how they gain it."

"They know that when I am king--"

"Do you not see? You will never be king!"

He froze, his eyes hardening. He approached her until they were breaths apart.

"What do you know?" he asked in a low voice.

"I know that as we speak the king is with his advisors making arrangements to step down. He so fears your reign that he would end our family's rule," she breathed.

"He wouldn't," Rido spat. "Who would take over? The Shirabuki? He thinks less of them than he does of me."

"He plans to create a council of nobles."

She watched the horror dawn on Rido's face.

"Will your allies still support you if they think they might rule themselves?" she taunted.

"How can he? Surely he sees how foolish--"

"It is you who has been the fool," she bit out. "Your pathetic lack of self-control will let that dotard destroy everything I have worked for."

Rido's shoulders stiffened.

"Don't worry, mother."

He leaned in.

"I won't give the old bastard the chance."

His kiss was not the gentle one from the year previous. It was cruel and felt like a punishment for all her failings.

"Wait for me here," he said, leaning his forehead against hers. "Watch my bride for me."

Rido spun away from her and stormed off down the corridor.

As soon as he turned a corner, she entered the nursery. She soon had Haruka and Juri bundled up and ready to leave; she had been preparing for this since her daughter's birth.

As she left the palace her heart felt lighter than it had for some time. She had her perfect son and daughter. The two men she no longer needed would take care of themselves.

Finally, she had done her duty.