Dedication

By

Angel Della Notte

Author Notes: I've been working on this for a while and took a small break to start Conflict but I finally came back and finished it so here you go. As always I don't own Mai Otome or any of the characters found in it. Anyone else I totally claim :)

(Desert, Outside of the Aswad Village)

A young man walked out from a tent in the middle of the desert, it was late at night but he was still up working on some samples that were most active during the night. It was a strange moss that seemed to glow at night. He was determined to figure out why and if it would help his people with the strange sickness that had plagued the Aswad for longer then any of them could remember. "Shiro," A deep metallic voice said. The voice sounded male but it had some sort of female grace to it even though it was defiantly male.

The scientist quickly turned around dropping the pink glowing tube. He fumbled with it several times managing to catch it before it hit the ground unfortunately his feat of catching it caused him to land face first in the dirt. "Lumen, you startled me." Shiro said standing up with the help of a tall bluish purple cyborg. "I don't think I will ever understand how you guys can sneak up like that."

"I have a message from leader." Lumen said helping to steady Shiro then took a step back.

"Tell him I'm sorry but examining the sample is going to take longer then I thought but it looks promising." Shiro said setting the sample on the table then sitting down as he started to pour a drink. He reached for a second cup but stopped as Lumen sat next to him. Looking at Lumen he shook his head remembering that Lumen and the other cyborgs didn't eat or drink.

"Leader is not concerned with the sample. You are welcome to take some samples back to the village with you." Lumen said picking a rock that had one side of it covered in the glowing pink moss.

"Back to the village? Leader approved my studies and said I can stay here while I complete them." Shiro said sputtering water somehow managing not to get any on Lumen.

"There have been new developments that can't be ignored." Lumen said then placed the rock back on the table.

"New developments?" Shiro said standing up. "What new developments?"

"A complication if you will." Lumen said, "An unexpected presence that we can't allow."

"Presence? You mean Lena?" Shiro said a slight blush coming to his face as he thought of the Blue Sapphire. They had been seeing each other off and on for a couple of years. Every so often Lena would get some vacation time the Queen of Wind being very generous with her Otome. Lena had originally been assigned to Bruce Windbloom but after was crowned Queen Bruce had Lena transfer to her. Shiro and Lena had met when Lena had been thrown into the desert after a battle with M9.

"Hai, Leader is not pleased with your connections to an Otome." Lumen said standing up. "Gather what you can carry. Leader will send someone to get the rest tomorrow."

"Wait! You can't do this. Do you have any idea how important my work is?" Shiro said as his voice rose and he stepped towards Lumen even though the cyborg was twice his size. "There may be a cure for our people here. In this or this! I need time to figure it out" Shiro grabbed samples from the table thrusting each one at Lumen until the cyborg was unable hold all of them dropping a vial of the glowing pink moss on the ground.

"Leader has declared your relationship with the Blue Sapphire unacceptable." Lumen said setting the remaining vials back on the table then started walking away. "Gather only what you can carry."

"Lena…" Shiro said pausing then chasing after Lumen. "If I end it will her can I continue my studies?"

"Leader has no quorums with your research." Lumen said, "Only with the Blue Sapphire."

"Is that a yes?" Shiro asked even though the thought of losing Lena broke his heart. Still finding the cure to his people was the most important thing. If he had to suffer the loss of love then so be it.

"Cease all contact with the Blue Sapphire and I believe leader will be satisfied enough to allow you to continue your research here." Lumen said turning back to Shiro. When Lumen spoke next the deep metallic voice somehow seemed softer. "You should have known better then to get involved with an outsider."

"Hai," Shiro said dropping down on a box, he stared at the ground for quite sometime not paying attention even well after Lumen left.

The moon dropped behind the mountains making way for the sun to raise all while he remained sitting on the box staring at the ground. It wasn't until he felt two arms wrap around his neck and something hard press into his back that he moved, "Get lost in thought, contemplating how the world turns?" A woman said as she whispered in his ear trailing a row of kisses behind it.

"Lena." He said his voice barely above a whisper as he turned to face Lena; she stood behind him still wearing her robe. "I thought you couldn't get time off for a while, something about a conference of nations or something."

"Elliot owed me a favor." Lena said even though that wasn't really true. The blonde Column was still in love with her even though she tried to hide it and had even started a relationship with the new Principal of Garderobe. Elliot was quite lucky that even though the principal knew of her infatuation with Lena she still chose to pursue a romantic relationship with Elliot.

Una Shamrock had been relieved of command after it had been discovered that she was abusing her powers and using Garderobe as her own personal army. She had used Garderobe and the other columns to directly interfere in Windbloom by trying to have Fran killed. Her replacement was Kihomi Kruger who had been the Otome to an Arian Councilmen that had lost the election. His replacement had not requested an Otome and her contract nullified.

Rei, Kyoko and Iruma had each been suspended for a month though in the two years since it had happened Iruma and Kyoto had retired while Rei had stepped down as Archmeister in favor of becoming an instructor at Garderobe. Iruma was replaced by Valerie Alvarez. Valerie had lost favor with her master and requested to be reassigned. It wasn't in her nature to stay in one place. Becoming an Otome had completely been her idea. She had been recruited towards the end of the Dragon Wars when every young girl with the ability to become an Otome was drafted into service. Valerie was fortunate enough that the war was nearly over when she graduated. She saw a little combat but the war ended before she was forced to face her classmate and dear friend Maria Graceburt.

Saffron Ivanova and Nunoe Geoffrey had graduated the same year that Iruma and Kyoko retired with Nunoe being promoted to Fourth Column and Saffron Fifth Column leaving Elliot Chandler as the only one of the original Columns will in position. Neither Iruma nor Kyoko kept in contact with Garderobe their last year and half having been especially hard both quite ashamed of their actions. It was believed that the two of them lived in the mountains in Cardair.

"I see." Shiro said unable to look Lena in the eyes. He had spent the whole night thinking about what he would have to do. He hadn't expected to see Lena so soon and thought he had more time to figure out how to tell her that he couldn't be with her. Telling her the truth wasn't an option as she barely knew he was Aswad and they never really discussed it. Even though he didn't live in the village and cared a great deal for Lena he couldn't break the rules of the Aswad, he couldn't tell her that he had been ordered to break up with her. She wouldn't understand outsiders never did.

"You don't sound happy to see me." Lena said letting her robe drop as she stepped around him sitting in his lap wearing a pair of loose pants and one of his shirts that she had taken with her when she left the last time she was there. Shiro started to answer her not sure what to say luckily for him he cut himself off with a yawn. "You were up all night again weren't you?"

"I really got into a project and lost track of time." Shiro lied. It was a believable lie as it had happened quite a few times before.

"Silly, do I need to come around more just to make sure you to go to bed?" Lena said pressing a kiss to his lips as she stood taking his hand in hers. "Come on let me put you to bed."

"Lena…" Shiro said as he trailed off not knowing how to say what it was that he needed to say. How do you tell the person you love that you can't be with?

"No, buts Mister," Lena said turning around so she walked backwards all while holding his hand. "You've no doubt been up all night. How many hours of sleep have you gotten this week?"

"Not enough." Shiro said feeling very tired as Lena pulled him into the tent. She pushed him onto the bed inside. There had once been a small cot but Lena had convinced him to buy a larger bed. Not to mention move his specimens into another tent. He let her pull his shoes off and then his pants not stopping until he lay on the bed in only his boxers. He couldn't bear to look at her with thoughts of what he had to do running through his head. "I don't think I could fall asleep anyway."

"I'll just have to think of something to wear you out then." Lena said sliding her shoes off and climbing onto his lap. She leaned over pressing a kiss to his lips while her hands guided him to the buttons on her shirt. "Or something to take your mind off whatever's been keeping you up."

"Lena…" Shiro said his hands seeming to work on their own as he unbuttoned her shirt. Lena continued to kiss him arching into his hands. "I love you…" The words came out of his mouth before he even had realized he had said them. That didn't make it any less true. He loved Lena and that would never change but it was his duty to obey his leader.

She let out a smile as the shirt fell from her shoulders. "I love you too Shiro." Instinct took over as Shiro stared briefly at her chest before he leaned up kissing her breasts. As he continued thoughts of what he needed to do left his mind being replaced by nothing but lust. The only thing he could focus on was how soft Lena's skin was and how nice she smelled. He had almost forgotten the smell of her shampoo. Last time she had visited she had left a bottle of it and he had used the last of the shampoo a month ago. Just like she clung to the shirt she had 'borrowed' he did the shampoo. Little did he know she wore it quite a bit when she wasn't on duty guarding the Queen.

They rolled over until Shiro lay on top of them kissing her neck. He knew this was wrong especially since he should be telling that they couldn't be together not making things worse by making love to her. Still against the screams of his mind he moved down lower kissing down to the line of her pants. "Did you?" He asked looking up at Lena who only nodded as he reached into her pocket pulling out a condom. Before he unbuttoned her pants he pressed the condom into her hand then quickly pulled the pants off. He was a little surprised at first to see that she wasn't wearing anything under her clothes though he had to admit he liked it.

"Shiro stop staring at me like that." Lena said with a blush her arms crossing over breasts covering them. Shiro had seen her naked before and this wasn't the first time they had made love but the way he stared at her brought a blush to her cheeks. She wondered if she would ever get used to him looking at her like that.

"Sorry." He answered her then climbed off her long enough to pull his boxers off and then reached for the condom but she closed her fist shaking her head. He looked confused at first and jumped when she reached out and took him in her hand gently stroking it then placing the condom on him. She leaned down sliding her mouth around him forcing him to buck into her mouth but she placed her hands on his hips holding him in place while she continued. "Gods…. Lena." Shiro threw his head back glad they were in a tent and not a room with hard walls for surely his head would have been sore if it hit a wall and not canvas.

"I want you Shiro." Lena said looking up her hand pumping him. She leaned back down licking his length testing to see if he was hard then moved herself above him gently sliding down onto him. "Ahhh." Lena said rocking her hips into his as she slowly took all of him into her. "Gods I missed you Shiro." Once there she held still adjusting to the fell of him holding him still just by pressing her hands to his chest. She sat there with her eyes closed before she resumed grinding into him.

"H-hai!" Shiro said one of his hands cupping Lena's breast while the other thread itself through her hair pulling her into a kiss. He pressed up into her growling as he did. It was true they had been apart far too long. The last time he had seen Lena had been four months ago. They wrote to each other all the time but a letter was nothing compared to actually being with her.

Thoughts of what Lumen said to him came flooding back into his mind forcing another growl from his throat. Why should he have to give up Lena? He shook his head in frustration then rolled them over pushing Lena into the bed as he thrust into her.

"Shiro!" Lena shouted. She clung to his shoulders holding him tight as his pace and temper grew so fast. He continued on like this causing her to start whimpering. He was hurting her yet at the same time Lena was in bliss being taken higher then she had before. She started to shake the beginnings of an orgasm hitting her. Her shaking turned into quivering and she found that she couldn't speak the only sounds coming from her were whimpers and moans. Even after she climaxed he continued on pressing her to the bed until he finally pulled out and ripped the condom off throwing it to the ground. He started to finish up himself but Lena having barely recovered wrapped her hand around him trying to keep the tempo he had with her until he climaxed on the sheets.

It was always like this with them. Being an Otome meant you couldn't be with a man or so Garderobe had taught mostly because if an Otome was exposed to PSA serine protease her nano-machines would disintegrate and she would develop an anti-body preventing her from ever carrying nano-machines again. After falling in love Lena had gone to Kveta the director of Garderobe and asked her if there was any way around this. Against the director's advice Lena had become sexually active with Shiro using protection and ensuring that he never came in her.

"You must have really missed me." Lena said as they both fell into the bed her wrapping herself around him and resting her head on his chest.

"Hai," Shiro said then quietly added, "I will miss you." He looked to her seeing that she was starting to drift to sleep pressed a kiss to her forehead then laid his head back on the pillow. They both drifted off to sleep neither of them noticing the broken condom on the floor.

(Later that afternoon)

Shiro woke to a light breeze running up his back, he shivered then pulled the blanket over him. He rolled over to get comfortable when he realized light flooded the room through the open door. His eyes shot open staring at the open door, he never slept with the door open not even on the hottest days of summer. Quickly jumped to his feet the sheet falling to the ground as he looked around several times before he noticed he was naked; in one swift move he grabbed his pants from the floor pulling them on then looking for his shirt. He couldn't find it though he did find a pair of women's panties and a bra. "Lena," Shiro said sadly remembering what Lumen had instructed him to do. Giving up on finding the rest of his clothes he walked out of the tent seeing Lena standing over his small stove wearing only his shirt. "Lena what are you doing?" He said walking over to her.

"I was wondering when you would wake up." Lena said pressing a kiss to his cheek. "I know it's the middle of the afternoon but I'm making you breakfast. One egg or two?"

"Breakfast?" Shiro said the last thing on his mind was eating.

"Yes, it's a good thing I stopped at the market before coming. When was the last time you made a supply run?" Lena asked cracking an egg into the pan with one hand while the other flipped the bacon in another pan.

"Tuesday," Shiro said then swallowed hard working up the nerve to do what had to be done. He reached out grabbing Lena's hand as she moved to get another egg, "We can't do this."

"Do what have breakfast?" Lena asked feeling Shiro grab her hand tighter, "Shiro you are hurting me."

He let go of her and walked several paces away with his back to her. "This Lena," He said facing her and gesturing to everything around them. "You and me, it's not going to work out."

"I know I don't get to come here as much as I would like and I never would dream of taking you away from your work but I think we are doing alright." Lena said walking over to him caressing his cheek.

"I'm an Aswad and you're an Otome!" Shiro said, true Lena knew he was an Aswad but it was something they never really talked about. Shiro wasn't anything like the other Aswad Lena had met and she never thought their backgrounds got in the way of their relationship.

"So?" Lena said concern on her face as she watched Shiro stand in front of her his fist clinched while he shook.

"Our people are enemies. It was fun while it lasted Lena but it can't go anywhere." Shiro said still shaking his eyes closed.

"Shiro, I love you and I wouldn't care if you were Schwarz." Lena said putting both hands on his shoulders.

Shiro just pulled away knocking her off her balance causing her to fall to the ground, "I think it would be better if you just left and never came back,"

"Shiro what the hell are you talking about?" Lena said standing up realizing he had turned his back to her again.

"Damnit Lena, I'm breaking up with you. Now leave." Shiro said still keeping his back to her.

"You said you loved me was that a lie?" Lena said then shouted when Shiro didn't answer. "What was this morning then? A goodbye fuck? One last time? Shiro you can't do this without giving me a better reason then you're a damn Aswad and I'm an Otome!" She stared at him feeling the rage build inside of her and didn't realize her robe had formed around her. Lena wasn't your average Otome, they had been researching at Garderobe but still hadn't figured out how she could call her robe with being authorized by her master nor could they figure out what Artemis was.

"Everything was a lie." Shiro said barely above a whisper. "It gets lonely out here and it was nice having you come by every couple of months so I could get laid."

"I don't believe that." Lena said with tears running down her face. "You can't mean that."

"I do now get the hell out of my camp and I mean it don't come back." Shiro said walking into the tent he had come out of. He fell on the floor just inside starting to cry. "I'm sorry Lena." He whispered. "I do love you."

Still not realizing she had her robe Lena leapt in the air and was flying back to Wind. She was reaching the edge of the city when everything sunk in. There were still tears running down her face when she changed her course from Wind to Garderobe. She circled the campus a couple of times before she spotted a blonde standing in her robe watching two coral's practicing while the rest of the class sat watching and listening as she pointed out flaws and praised good moves.

The blonde stopped mid sentence when she saw Lena land a short distance from the class standing near a tree. The blonde was sure no one else had noticed her but she couldn't help but see the tears. "Class dismissed, we'll continue this tomorrow. For now I want you all to read chapters six and seven." The blonde said. The students stood and bowed to her before leaving. She waited until the last of them had gone then walked over to Lena dropping her robe. Once there she saw Lena's robe was gone and she wore only a shirt and was crying. "Lena what happened?" She asked.

Lena threw herself forward wrapping her arms around the blonde as she cried into her shoulder, "Elliot." Lena said between sobs.

"Here. Take this." Elliot said taking off the coat she was wearing wrapping it around Lena. It was winter and though it hadn't snowed in a few weeks it was quite cold and here Lena stood wearing only a shirt. "I thought you were supposed to be in the desert with Shiro."

"I don't want to ever hear that name again." Lena said clinging tighter to Elliot.

Elliot blushed as she felt Lena's breasts press into her own. She still had feelings for Lena and was sure she always would. Still now wasn't the time, something had happened to her friend and she had to find out. "Co-come inside we'll get you something better to wear and something warm in you." Elliot said leading her inside.

Several minutes later Lena sat in the principal's office wearing a pearl track suit and holding a cup of tea. She took a drink of it and looked over to Elliot who was sitting next to her then she looked over to a woman a little older then them with short blue hair. "Kihomi, I hope you don't mind us coming here my office is still being remodeled." Elliot said, a couple weeks ago they had a very bad rain storm and the roof in Elliot's office had started out as only a small leak until the entire ceiling caved in flooding the room.

"It's quite alright I can tell one of my sisters is in need." Kihomi said standing up and straightening her dark blue jacket and full length tie. "Here let me get you another cup." Kihomi said taking the tea cup from Lena and walking back to the pot seeing it was empty. "I'll just run down to the kitchens and get another."

Elliot nodded as she watched Kihomi walk to the door, she gave her a thankful smile and Kihomi nodded before leaving. Kihomi and Elliot had become involve shortly after she had been appointed headmistress. The blue haired Principal could see that something had had happened to her lover's friend and felt that it was better if they were alone. She knew of Elliot feelings for Lena and had even encouraged them until Elliot realized it wasn't meant to be. Still Kihomi trusted Elliot alone with Lena knowing that her being here surely had something to do with her Aswad lover. Not many people knew about Lena and Shiro and Kihomi only knew because Elliot had told her.

"Alright, tell me everything," Elliot asked with a comforting hand still on Lena's shoulder.

"Shiro, something happened to him. He was so cold, said that I never meant anything to him aside from a good lay." Lena said breaking into tears again. "I just can't believe it. I thought he loved me as much as I did him."

"How could he do that to you?" Elliot said standing up her fists clinched. "Why….why I'm going to fly straight to the desert and give that Aswad a piece of my mind."

"Elliot no," Lena said looking up at her friend. "Don't. Maybe he was right. An Otome and Aswad it would have never have worked. I couldn't exactly bring him to the palace nor could he take me to his village." She stood and started to the door. "I'm just going to go home. I'll get these washed and sent back to you. Thank you Elliot."

Elliot followed after her taking Lena's hand, "At least let me give you a ride back to the palace." Elliot said and Lena nodded.

(One month later, Fuka Palace)

"Lena, could you take this to Prince Harlow in Cardair?" A woman with short red hair said standing from her desk and handing the letter to Lena.

"Of course Sifr-sama," Lena said bowing as she took the letter.

"Lena I've told you that you don't have to call me that." Sifr said with a smile.

"Sorry, I forget sometimes. Guess it's my training least I stopped calling you master all the time." Lena laughed. Sifr was nothing she expected a master to be like. Bruce was always so nice to her but she still addressed him properly he was always more formal than the queen. "What are you going to do when you have a child calling you mommy?" Lena laughed.

"I don't know," Sifr said with a smile. She had just found out about a week ago that she was pregnant, "I suppose I will just get used to it." Sifr said then leaned forward kissing Lena's GEM, "Blue Sky Sapphire in my name I authorize you."

"Hai," Lena said then stepped back, "Materialize." She stood there waiting from that warm feeling to run through her as it always did right before she called her robe but nothing happened. "Nani? Materialize!" Lena said louder closing her eyes trying to force her change though still nothing happened.

"Lena?" Sifr asked staring at her robe.

"I can't call me robe." Lena said confused.

"What do you mean you can't call it?' Sifr asked confused watching as Lena tried again. "That's it come on." Sifr said grabbing Lena's hand and dragging her to the door.

"Where are we going?" Lena asked still shocked that she couldn't call her robe. She let Sifr drag her down the hall following blindly after her master.

"To Garderobe to find out what's wrong with your GEM, maybe it's a syncing error or something." Sifr said walking past the conference room and past a startled aid.

The aid followed after them when he realized the Queen wasn't entering the conference room. "Your highness you have your meeting with Lord Viola." The aid said looking back to an older man that stood next to the conference room along with a young girl maybe six or seven years old with light brown hair and bright red eyes.

"Tell him I have to reschedule." Sifr said not pausing as she left the aid standing in the hall.

She didn't stop until they were at Garderobe the head of her security convincing her to take the car rather then walk through the streets which seemed to be her original choice. Lena sat in a chair holding a piece of cotton to her arm; Director Kveta had just taken a blood sample from her and was across the room looking at it under a microscope. "Director, what is it?" Lena said when Kveta jumped and almost knocked the microscope over. Next to her Kihomi and Elliot stood both of them wondering what the newest development with Lena was.

"She doesn't have any Nano-machines in her blood." Kveta said as Kihomi looked through the microscope.

"How can that be?" Kihomi asked looking up from the microscope she didn't know much about medical science but she did know what nano-machines looked like in the blood and Kveta was right there wasn't a single one in Lena's blood.

"That's impossible." Lena said standing up.

"Actually, I warned you this might happen." Kveta said encouraging Lena to sit back down; Lena complied but looked up confused. "When you asked me about taking a man as lover,"

"Huh?" Lena asked, "That can't be I haven't seen him in a month and I just called my robe last week when I flew to Aries."

"It can take time to break down the nano-machines completely." Kveta said looking at Windbloom's Otome then continued. "Lena, when was your last period?"

"Huh? About a month ago," Lena said thinking that she was supposed to start last week but figured it was just a little late. Things around the palace had been a little stressed since they found out the Queen was expecting. She stood up nearly knocking her chair over. "No, run the test again. It can't be right."

Kveta lightly shook her head, "I'm afraid it is."

"What?" Elliot asked a confused look on her face, "What's wrong with Lena?"

"Elliot, she's pregnant." Kihomi said placing her hand on Elliot's shoulder.

"It's Shiro's isn't it?" Sifr asked looking to her Otome or rather former Otome. Lena had told Sifr everything that had happened and everyone that knew thankfully didn't bring him up. Lena wanted nothing more to do with him.

"Hai," Lena said dropping down in the chair again.

"What are you going to do?" Elliot asked. "I can flight out to the camp and tell him if you want."

"No, he wanted nothing to do with me that means he wants nothing to do with our child….. my child." Lena said her hands moving to her stomach.

(Eight months later, Fuka Palace)

Shiro stood at the palace gates being blocked by two large guards, "Lena is in there I know it. You have to let me see her!" Shiro shouted. He had heard when he came into town for supplies that both the Queen and Lena had given birth to baby girls on the same day only a couple of weeks ago. He hadn't been into Wind since he had ended it with Lena, his supplies had been coming from the Aswad Village but he had to come into Wind to get a chemical compounds that they didn't have in the village.

"Lady Sayers isn't taking any visitors." The guard said still standing in the way.

"Damnit! That's my child!" Shiro said pointing to a television monitor across from them that showed a picture of Lena with her child. It was a mystery as to who the father of Lena's child was. Lena refused to tell the public and had made everyone that knew swear that they wouldn't tell. While both guards looked to the screen Shiro ducked between them running across the courtyard. He ran not knowing where he was going with the two guards following after him.

He spotted a group of people in one of the gardens and ran towards them as he neared he noticed Sifr then Lena. "He is heading towards the Queen get him!" The guard said several others with him.

"Lena!" Shiro said only a few feet from them when he was tackled by several guards. "Let go of me!"

"My apologies your Highness, Lady Sayers. He gave my guards the slip." The Captain said while Shiro still struggled, the guards having cuffed one of his hands but not the other.

"It's alright, I know him." Lena said rocking the child in her arms.

"Let him go," Sifr said cradling her own daughter. "You are dismissed but don't go far." Sifr looked over to Lena then nodded and walked to the other side of the garden the guards following after they released Shiro.

"She's beautiful." Shiro said taking a step closer hesitantly reaching out to gently stroke the baby's head. "What is her name?"

"Arika Yumemiya." Lena said, she went by the name Sayers but that was only because she had enrolled in Garderobe under a false name. She had come to Wind wanting to be an Otome but knew they would never accept a farm girl from Galeria. So she had taken the name of a family that sponsored her through Garderobe.

"Arika…" Shiro said looking up at Lena, "That's an Aswad name."

"She isn't yours Shiro." Lena said coldly.

"You are lying." Shiro said running his hands through the baby's short brown hair. "Her hair is light like mine."

"Shiro, you gave her up when you left me." Lena said just as cold. "She isn't your daughter."

"Lena, you can't do this. She changes everything." Shiro said.

"No, she doesn't, leave Shiro." Lena said when he didn't move she looked over to the guards. "Escort him out of the palace."

"Hai, Lady Sayers." The Captain said as his men grabbed Shiro dragging him towards the gates.

"Lena!" Shiro shouted unable to break free from the guards.

She just watched them drag him away until the baby in her arms woke up crying, "Shoo Arika, it's alright."

"Are you sure that was the right thing to do?" Sifr asked.

"It's better this way." Lena said heading inside. "I think Arika is hungry." Lena walked into the palace not sparing a glance to the gates where Shiro continued to argue with the guards.