Peony's eyes were the darkest of blues as he entered the sunlit throne room. The waterfalls in the background seemed to quiet with his entrance. The emperor's footsteps were quiet as he attempted to calm his breathing, slow his heartbeat. He didn't know what to say, even though he'd thought this moment through for months -- no, years now. But it was okay, he reminded himself, it was all going to be okay.

Nephry stood at the far left of the room, staring out the windows at the enormous waterfalls that supplied and drained the moat of Grand Chokmah. This city was so different from her own, so warm and open compared the cold city of Keterburg. Not that she disliked Keterburg, but sometimes the memories were so… overwhelming.

"Nephry?" Peony asked quietly, knowing she'd hear well enough.

She whipped around quickly, not hearing him enter. "Peony," she replied calmly, keeping her poker face still. "You're late."

"I'm sorry," he apologized, "I had a meeting that just dragged on."

She took a step towards him. "You're always late, Peony," she murmured, her soft red lips seemed to snatch his attention.

Peony's heartbeat quickened, irritating him. Why could he run a country but not manage to talk to the woman he was head over heels in love with? It didn't make any sense, and he hated that. Even Jade couldn't explain this one. "Always too late," he murmured to himself. Checking his emotions, Peony continued, "How are you?"

"Well, thank you. Yourself?"

"Good," he replied noncommittally. "How's Keterburg? And," he paused for a moment. His resentment was boiling up like lava in his throat, "and how's Erik?" Peony hated speaking of her husband, the man who won Nephry - the man who he so desperately wanted to be.

Nephry, with her vast green eyes and shimmering hair stopped suddenly. "Erik is in Sheridan," she replied softly.

"Is he away often?" Peony asked.

She glared, her eyes dark and smouldering. He missed her chastising look more than he thought.

"Sorry," he apologized quickly. He didn't want her leaving too soon, despite the tug on his heartstrings this meeting was costing him.

She seemed to catch what he was thinking, as she often did. "You know I wouldn't come here unless I was absolutely out of options," she said. Peony's expression dropped but readjusted, making her double-back, "you know what I mean, Peony. I'm not trying to change anything… I just need to ask you something, emperor to governor."

"Yes, I understand," he replied. But did he really? Didn't he just want to have here? Here in his domain where he could talk to her face to face?

"Two thrones, Peony?" she chuckled, her voice like a wind chime. "I didn't think you were that big!"

"Ha-ha, very funny," he replied, "it's not mine."

"Do you just like variety then? Who else sits on it?"

"No one. No one else sits on it," he replied, caressing the soft, uncrushed velvet of the seat.

Nephry's expression was purely confusion.

"It's yours," he replied quietly.

"Mine," she replied without inflection. "Really."

"It was always yours, still is yours, and will always be yours."

Peony didn't know what he was expecting, but it shocked him to see her turn around and walk away quickly.

"I know you're not coming back," Peony said quietly.

Nephry, nearly at the door, spun around. "Do you really know that?" she snapped. "You've said it before, and you're saying it now and I still don't believe you!"

"I know you're not coming back, okay? I know, I know, you've got Erik." Peony's confused look encouraged her.

"Then why do you still have that throne? Why do you still have it in the room? Just throw it out!" her voice was uncharacteristically loud and unbridled.

"I can't," he replied, his voice raising. "That's giving up."

"Then give up," she replied, her voice quiet but sharp. "You said yourself that I wasn't coming back!"

"But I'm usually wrong, and for once I'm counting on that."

Nephry's green eyes tightened, her lips pursed. "Peony, you--"

"Emperor!" a weary voice called from the anteroom, "is everything alright?"

Peony pinched the bridge of his nose between his eyes, "yes, I'm fine."

"Good. May I send in the doctor then? Or would you prefer to retire to your room?" the weary voice replied.

Peony glanced at Nephry, her shoulders stiff and muscles tensed. He quickly felt bad for making her feel guilty. She shouldn't have to regret marrying Erik, even though he was a dull, brownnoser that he couldn't stand.

"A doctor?" Nephry asked, her voice returning to its normal easiness. "Are you sick?"

"No," Peony replied too quickly, shaking his head vigorously.

She looked past his façade. "Go. Get the check-up. Be good, we'll talk later."

"Are you staying here tonight?" Peony asked, "I have a few rooms to spare…"

"Yes, I'd appreciate that."

"Can you meet me at eight, tonight?"

She nodded, "see you then."

"May I come in?" Nephry asked softly as she entered the room, now wearing a light robe overtop of her clothes. She wasn't waiting for his response, she just walked right in.

Peony wasn't expecting her this early. It wasn't eight yet, and he knew how punctual she was. "You're early," he said, ignoring her question.

"The doctor told me you were available," she replied, sitting down in a chair across the table from him.

Peony didn't say anything. Instead, he walked across the room to fetch her a cup of tea. They sat in comfortable silence as they sipped the hot beverage. The lights that illuminated the borders of Grand Chokmah shone through the windows in whispy rays, not dark enough to frighten, not light enough to think clearly.

"How was your check-up?" she asked after a few silent minutes.

"Good," he replied.

"Good in what way?" she pressed. He wasn't going to weasel himself out of her curiosity.

"I'm still alive, aren't I?" he retorted.

Nephry scoffed. He never took anything seriously enough for her liking. "Don't be stupid, what's wrong?"

"Nothing!" he replied with a forced laugh. "Honestly, Neph, you keep nagging me you'll age prematurely."

She sighed. "I just wish you'd talk to me. I want to know if you're okay."

"I'm okay," he replied. "It's nothing."

She stood up and walked over to him, her lithe figure towering over his seated form. "Don't make me examine you. I will."

He raised an eyebrow. "Is that a threat, or are attempting to seduce me?"

She let her shoulders drop as she leaned against the table beside him. "Of course not."

After a few more minutes of pensive silence, he finally answered her original question. "It's stress. Apparently I'm under too much stress," his mocking tone told her he didn't agree with the diagnosis.

"I'd heard you fainted a few weeks ago," she said hesitantly. "But you know I… couldn't come. Although I would've wanted to be there."

"To fret," he finished, grinning.

She leaned towards him and pushed his hair away from his forehead. She placed a single kiss on his forehead. Soft, but more than just a peck. "That's stupid of you not to have told me. You know I can calm you down," she murmured as she leaned his body forward.

She had captured his attention to the point that her insult hadn't hit at all. He was much more interested in the fact that she was now pulling off his night robe from behind. In moments, she was standing behind the stool on which he sat and her warm hands massaged his cold body. His muscles tensed quickly, but released once the initial temperature shock had worn off. As she rubbed and kneaded his back, his shoulders dropped and his breathing changed from laborious to deep and regulated. He was putty in her hands. Once Nephry was sure he was completely relaxed, she planted another kiss on his neck.

"You should go to bed now," she whispered.

"Only if you'll tuck me in," he smiled a crooked smile. The smile she hadn't seen in, oh, what was it now? Years and years and years, at least.

Unthinkingly, she agreed, following him into his adjoining bedroom. She tucked him in, feeling foolish as she did so. Especially foolish as she knew she would be doing this by choice, if she had such a choice.

He pointed to his cheek expectantly.

"What?" she asked quietly.

"I need a bedtime kiss," he said as if speaking to a young child.

Why not? she asked herself. She smirked and bent down to kiss him. Peony rotated his head, catching her lips on his. It was so sudden that she couldn't think of how to act. His action erased all thoughts, preconceptions and memories in milliseconds. He noticed her hesitation and pulled her closer by the front of her loose robe. She didn't fight it, instead she moved her head slowly with his, letting him take the lead as he cautiously kept his cool with her.

She stopped, pulled back, and looked at him incredulously. "Peony, what the hell do you think you're doing? I'm a married woman, and you're…" she stopped. She didn't know what he was.

"Shamelessly in love with you?" he finished, his eyes big without apology.

"Then why didn't you marry me!?" she nearly shouted in a hissing tone. "Why didn't you? For goodness sake, Peony! I was yours!"

He just stared as her angry face stalked out of the room, slamming the door behind her.

Peony sat sleepily on his throne, his left ankle resting on his right knee. His blue eyes playing peek-a-boo with his eyelids, bobbing in and out of concentration. When Nephry walked into the room, however, his interest peaked. He couldn't even guess what she was going to say. No, no, that wasn't it. He knew what she was going to say, but he knew he didn't want to hear it.

"Emperor," she said, brusquely bowing to him. Her expression was unreadable to Peony's dismay.

He closed his eyes serenely and nodded his head. "What can I do for you, governor?"

"I humbly ask for the funds to construct a Keterburg-Grand Chokmah ferry, my liege."

He tipped his head and stared at her dead-on. Why did they have to discuss business? Why now? She never came over to the mainland, so why did this have to be so boring? "If you'll answer me a single question," he said before he caught himself. "Of course, you must answer it truthfully."

Nephry glared at him. She had a good idea of where this was going. "Of course, emperor."

He motioned for her to come closer. She did so, albeit hesitantly. "What would I have to do to get you back? Is there any way you'd leave Erik? Name your price, Nephry. Anything, just name it."

Her eyes were dead-set and harsh, like always. Peony knew her better. Her lips parted, then clenched quickly. She wanted to say something but she held her tongue. His big blue eyes matched the raging waterfalls behind them, the black pupils tracing her every move.

She bit her lip. "Peony..." she softly said. "Peony, please don't make me make this decision."

"Nephry-"

"No!" she nearly shouted. Nephry calmed herself quickly. "Peony, no. Please, don't."

Peony relaxed his tense body against the worn throne. The velvet wasn't as smooth as it had been, it now felt like spears against his back. He took a deep breath, signaling to Nephry that he was done with the conversation. She made her way out.

"Get the ferry, it's a good idea," he added quickly. Once a lover, always an emperor.

"Thank you," she replied quickly, and closed the large door behind her.

Grand Chokmah's waterfalls continued to flow in a mix of rage and serenity, a welcome white noise to the citizens awaking at the early hour. The sun had yet to rise, and the capital city was still hidden behind a mask of darkness save for the imperial aqueduct's lights5. Few carriages left the city at this time, and even fewer ships. Sailors rarely set sail at such an hour. One lonely ship, however, left the port quickly and set sail for the northwest, its flag clinging to the condensation-covered flagpole in the dewy morning. The white of the Malkuth emblem was covered by its own blue background, hidden in the fog.