sakurahanaalice: It's no problem at all! And I can totally see that conversation happening... Tatiana is hopeless ^^'

Everanix: Thanks! Relationships are really important. btw I'm really digging RichmondXNaoto right now XD Agnes is cool in her own way, but there is at least one person who matches her coolness...

Enjoy this chappie and keep on reviewing, please!

~Chapter 18: Mourning~

Willem gritted his teeth. She's smarter than I thought.

"Any last words? Or maybe I should keep you alive, with a little memory of me…" Agnes twirled the blade, enjoying the look of horror on his face.

I can't kill her, and she probably knows that. If someone she had geassed before comes in they'll see her as Sergeant Villanueva or Cornelia. And CC's cover would be blown entirely.

"I'll take that as a 'no'." She closed the distance between them and crouched, the tip of her knife touching his cheek. He sat very still as the knife pierced his skin, knowing any motion would only make it worse. "No resistance, either? You aren't worth keeping alive."

I guess I have no choice. He carefully drew his gun despite the pain. Her eyes flicked to his hand and she stepped on it, forcing him to release the gun. When she turned to him again, she was shocked to see him holding a different gun in his other hand. She stood up quickly. He shot.

She staggered back and fell.

"You never noticed that I'm a leftie." He crawled to her unmoving body and removed the tranquilizing dart.

He had woken up that morning to Kaguya's incoherent screaming. She was kneeling and sobbing outside of Tatiana's room. "She – she's not– " She broke down again.

When he saw what it was she was screaming about, a cold feeling formed in the pit of his stomach. It wasn't a dream, then.

Tatiana was gone.

Akira had already called the police. They had searched the outlying lands, including the forest, but so far she was nowhere to be found. They had been questioned about her habits, who she knew, if she was prone to depression, and so on. All the while Kaguya was shivering, giving answers in a small voice Bobby had never heard her use before.

In the meantime, Kagami's parents had also reported their daughter missing.

The police were considering it to be a possible kidnapping, but there was no one else missing. No one knew of any suspicious neighborhood activity. At least, no one had reported seeing anyone suspicious that morning.

Bobby was certain now that he knew exactly where Tatiana was.

She was on her way to China, with Kagami. And RR. But he couldn't tell them that. He had no proof. The only way to prove it to them would be to reveal his own geass, and who he really was.

Kaguya would not take that well, especially in her current state.

Whether it was luck, coincidence, or fate that let him exploit the weakness in Kagami's geass he could not say for sure. But that night as he slept he was pulled into another dream.

Kagami offered for Tatiana to go with her to China, and Tatiana immediately accepted. But we have school tomorrow… and why China? He looked at Kagami, suddenly afraid. Why am I afraid? I love her. Then it hit him. She had a geass. A geass which creates a dream. Then this dream could very well be real, at least to Tatiana. He tried to shout or move, but he couldn't. He could only observe.

He thought hard for the rest of the day. It seems that as long as anyone she's geassed is still asleep, they will be able to witness her other dreams as well.

He remembered the dream she had created for him. Does she really think I'll just let her leave like that? Now that she has a geass, why can't we grow our geasses together? It would be harder for her to accidentally activate my geass since she has one of her own. My geass… I haven't used it in a while. But if it were to protect her…

But RR is with her. He scowled. Why did she have to get her geass from HIM? I don't know much about him, but ever since he came to this town I've felt uneasy.

He's been watching us. Me and Tatiana. He wants something with her. I don't know what it is, but I know I can't let her go with him. Is it even possible that he knows Tatiana's true identity?

If that's the case… I'm going to China.


Present time, Chinese Federation

The Empress knelt by the tall granite gravestone. Written on it in beautiful, strong calligraphy was, "Li Xing Ke of Luoyang - National Hero - Died May 2019".

At this time of year, it was covered in flowers and wreaths, given not only by the people of China but by people from around the world. She placed a single white chrysanthemum on top, as was her custom.

She stood up and reached for her husband's hand.

a.t.b. 2019

"You can't die! Xing Ke! Promise me!" The Tianzi grasped his hand, the tears overflowing.

"That's one promise... I cannot keep... my Empress." Every breath he took caused him great pain. He looked at the Empress lovingly. "Tianzi... I can no longer... protect you..."

"Yes, you can! Don't refuse your medicine, please! Live!"

The Li clan watched as their Tianzi cared for Xing Ke. Many of them were crying, a few looked on compassionately, while the remaining few watched expressionlessly with the air of those who have seen death all too often.

As the final moment neared, Xing Ke turned to a brown-haired teenager among the closest to him. "My nephew... and student... Xiao Lang..."

He blinked away his tears. "Yes, teacher."

"In my stead... you must promise... to protect... Lady Jiang Lehua." The boy's eyes widened. The Li clan murmured among themselves. No one could use the Empress' true name upon pain of death. Even in this case, it was still a great taboo.

"Y-Yes, teacher. I promise." He looked at the young girl who ruled the nation in awe. She stared at him for a moment, her lips quivering with the force of her tears, then turned back.

"Xing Ke! Don't die!"

"I'm sorry..." He let his head fall back. "I'll see you... again..." The hand the Empress was grasping became limp.

She mourned for a full year. True to his promise, Xiao Lang stayed by her side the entire time. He protected her from those at court who would rather she stop mourning, as well as from her own fears and insecurities. He listened to the story of how she had met Xing Ke many times, with the frequency of the telling becoming gradually less and less. She once told him that she had only realized that he loved her when he had said her name. She did indeed love him, but more as a father figure than as a lover. He listened to her, and before he knew it, he had fallen in love with her as well.

When she did come out of mourning, it was with a surprise announcement no one, least of all Xiao Lang, expected.

She wished to be married to him, if he wished to have her as well. He was shocked. A commoner marrying the Empress? But truthfully, he was very happy. He was the one Xing Ke chose to protect her, and now she had chosen him.

They were married a few months later. Every year, they went together to Xing Ke's grave.

He held her hand tightly. Behind them, carrying flowers of their own, were their two teenage twin sons. The elder looked just like his father, with warm brown eyes and messy brown hair, and had taken his father's name as well. The younger, Jun Xin, had dark black hair and unusually bright blue eyes.

The younger Xiao Lang stepped forward resolutely. He placed a small wreath of cherry blossoms by the grave. His brother, who hated graveyards and any other place spirits could be found, followed quickly with his own wreath in hand.

Together, the royal family walked gracefully to the awaiting ceremonial carriage.

All but Jun Xin. A strange feeling went up his neck, like when he could sense a spirit but... more vague.

Something was about to happen, something dark and important. It would be just his luck to get caught in the middle of it.

I just can't seem to stop referencing CLAMP works! This certaintly won't be a crossover (at least not that I know of yet), but I was inspired by the shared last name to make Li Xing Ke related to Li Xiao Lang. In Japanese, Xiao Lang is pronounced 'Syaoran'. The father would be the equivalent of reincarnated c!Syaoran, while the son is r!Syaoran. The kanji for Jun Xin is pronounced in Japanese as Kimihiro, which is Watanuki's personal name. I'll be introducing Sakura(s) in the next chappie!

If you have no idea what I'm talking about, that's fine. It's not necessary since these characters will be a little different from the ones I'm referring to. However, IF you want to, I highly recommend reading/watching Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle and xxxHoLic!

I'm really such a CLAMP fangirl...

Alrightie then, R&R!