Until the End of Time

by Icemera

When Madam Fujino requested her presence, Natsuki was forced to return to the island. The myth concerning the missing Fujino bracelet still haunted Madam to her final days. Unexpectedly, Natsuki was transported back into the past, a whole new world awaiting her. There, she met a stranger, who owned the lost treasure. Sunrise's Hime/Otome. AU/OOC. Not historically accurate.

21. C21: The Vanishing Star

A/N: Happy new year, everyone! Sorry for late update as I've been very busy the past months.

No beta. Enjoy.

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Chapter 21: The Vanishing Star

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The first rays of morning light graced the wooden corridor, where the maids were occupying. Some closed their eyes, while the others looked away from the light reflected upon the passageway. A few were nudging the others next to them to stay awake. Light was never welcomed after a sleepless night.

Sitting on her heels, Natsuki found it most difficult just to keep her eyes open. Strands of her raven, sticky hair fell from the hair tie, partially covering her ashen, muddied face. Her bloodied knuckles whitened as she clutched her folded knees, trying to keep her back straight. She was still in her old clothes from last night, her body sore and cold. It must have been the longest night she had ever endured her entire life. It was far from her comfy home in Germany, far away from all the things she had ever imagined. However, what occupied her mind at the moment wasn't the comfort she wished for, but what was happening on the other side of the doors.

Natsuki, along with all the maids, flinched as a graceless scream erupted. It wasn't a short, ragged cry this time, but a drawn-out howl of agony. It sounded like a wounded beast behind those closed shoji doors, caged and pained. Biting her bottom lip, Natsuki got up to her feet, only to be pulled back down by a hand.

Natsuki fiercely turned to Aoi. "What!?"

Retracting her hand, Aoi immediately averted her gaze from Natsuki. There were dark circles around the young maid's eyes, her slender hand shaken. None of them had any sleep as the whole mansion had remained restless the whole night. "P—please, stay calm, Natsuki-san. Shizuru-sama will be all right." After a few moments, Aoi looked up again, anxious. "She will be all right, won't she?"

A deep frown marred Natsuki's pretty face. She sat back down once again. "I… I don't know," she murmured almost to herself.

When they encountered in the garden last night, Natsuki had held Shizuru close, panicked by the girl's bleeding shoulder. She had eventually shouted for help, and soon the guards had found them. Shizuru's condition had gravely worsened by the continual bleeding, and it complicated the matters when she had regained consciousness now and then, struggling against help. Cauterization had been the only solution given.

Natsuki's stomach unsettled as Shizuru's scream continued. She clutched her knees tighter, keeping her gaze on the wooden passageway. "What happened last night? Who did this to her?" Her questions came out a dry, but angry whisper.

Aoi leaned closer to Natsuki, keeping her voice low. "Shizuru-sama had gone to see Keiko-san at the shrine last night. Shizuru-sama did not want to make a fuss over the meeting, so she had only a few guards with her. But, the attack happened. They were fierce men, possibly professionals. It left Shizuru-sama and Kiyoshi seriously injured, and… Keiko-san was killed."

Natsuki froze at the information as she recounted what had transpired. While she was caught in the middle of the deadly ambush, Shizuru was fighting for her life on the other side of the forest. It had been a crazy night, indeed. If only Midori wasn't in the ambush at the time, things might have turned out differently. If only Natsuki was released, and returned to Shizuru in time. Natsuki grimaced as her thoughts darkened. Someone clearly wanted Shizuru dead, and they were absolutely adamant about it.

They almost succeeded. Natsuki shuddered at the thought.

It was unlikely that the assassins were just stalking the pair into the woods, but they must have known of Shizuru's plan to meet Keiko. A spy inside the Fujino household? Keiko was used as a bait, but who set up the meeting? At any rate, the bait was dead, and the target was badly injured. If Shizuru survived the injuries, they were unlikely to stop at this. Natsuki briefly glanced around, trying to catch any suspicious eyes around. She had thought that Midori would be the most trustworthy person for Shizuru's safety, but the woman had her own murky secrets as well. It seemed that they all had secrets that they refused to share.

"Does Masaru-sama know about Keiko-san?" Natsuki asked.

Aoi became stoic in her post. "They reported him of what happened. As far as I have heard, 'devastated' was an understatement."

"He's devastated by his lover's death. Hmm. I haven't seen him around even though his daughter might die at this very moment."

Aoi cast her gaze down. "He… He was… It's the first time anyone has seen his tears."

It serves him right. Natsuki inwardly cursed. She did not rejoice Keiko's death. But, perhaps, this was karma's doing. Masaru had destroyed his wife and children's lives out of his own selfishness. None of them got what they wanted in the end, and Keiko was now dead, innocently caught in all of this. If only Masaru had allowed things to go as they were supposed to. 'If only' was an expensive question after all.

Eventually, the doors slid open, and all heads snapped, their gazes fixing were upon the figure standing between the parted, shoji doors.

Midori stood, staring down at them, sheens of sweat coated her face. "Shizuru-sama will rest now. Except Aoi, the rest of you may leave."

Natsuki got up and approached the doors. "I want to see her—"

Midori pushed Natsuki's shoulder, causing Natsuki to stumble back a few steps. "Who do you think you are? I'm amazed you're still here even. Go back to wherever you came from. Get out of my face before I lose my patience!" She then sharply looked away, turning to bark more orders at the maids.

Natsuki stood still, studying the fiery-haired woman. Midori's face was pale, and her hands were bloodied. Midori was slightly trembled, although she tried her best to hide it. It must have been the exhaustion from the ambush, the lack of sleep, and then witnessing her master's life hang in the balance. To see how shaken a determined person like Midori was now, Natsuki couldn't help but fear for Shizuru.

"I need to see her," Natsuki said quietly, her fists clenched by her sides.

Midori turned to Natsuki, her face twisted in anger. The veins on her neck bulged as she opened her mouth, growling. "YOU DO NOT—"

"Please."

Midori suddenly paused at the whispered word. A slight shock flashed across her face as she stared into the weary, green pools.

Natsuki looked away. "Let me see her." The words came out before she could stop herself. She wasn't sure if it sound like a command or a plea now. Perhaps, she just wasn't in the mood to watch her manners more carefully.

Midori eventually turned away. Waving her hand, she stalked away along the corridor. "You're allowed only a short visit. She needs to rest… You need it, too."

Natsuki looked up. She was surprised that Midori was concerned for her well-being even in the slightest way. But, at the permission, she wasted not another second to slip through the doors and closed them behind her. She froze by the doors when the maids inside the room looked up, staring at her in bewilderment.

Megumi, the head maid, especially, slightly shook her head at Natsuki's presence. "Shizuru-sama needs her private time," she eventually said.

Even while Shizuru remained unconscious, all the maids seemed to take Megumi's words as their master's own. Promptly, all the maids gathered bloodied cloths and bowls of crimson water. One by one, they exited through the doors on the other side of the room.

Once she was left alone with Shizuru, Natsuki moved on her knees towards the body resting on the futon. Her chest tightened at the sight of several patches of blood on the blanket and the sheet.

Shizuru was partially covered with a white yukata, leaving the wounds on her left shoulder and right ribcage untouched by the fabric. The bleedings seemed to have stopped, and some sort of herbal balm, sticky and dark brown-colored, was applied over the wounds. Even so, the nasty slashes on the shoulder appeared deep, swollen and tender. It terrified Natsuki to recall how Shizuru had previously refused help even with serious wounds like these. The girl had even escaped from her own room to the south wing, where Natsuki's room was. If Natsuki hadn't returned to her room last night, Shizuru could have been lying there, bleeding to death without anyone knowing.

Natsuki was unnerved, exasperated by the thought. What was the girl thinking!? Then, a question abruptly hit her. Did you… want to die with her? Were you in love with her? She immediately frowned at herself. She had no interest to know what business Shizuru had with Keiko. Holding back her breath, she anxiously caressed the girl's face. "Shizuru… Can you hear me? I'm back, Shizuru. I came back—"

'…as promised.' A voice rang distantly in her mind, but Natsuki had no idea who had said it. The whisper was so faint that it could have been easily missed in the wind. But it was still there, echoing melancholy in the darkness of her heart.

There was no response from the girl. Shizuru's eyes remained closed, sheen of sweat covering her skin. Her breathing was heavy and ragged. Her frail body was shivering, agonized whimpers escaping her throat.

For some unknown reason, the sight tore at Natsuki's heart like a rude opening of an old wound. The cut so tangible—so familiar as if it were her own, but she did not know when or how she had felt it before. But this was not the time to ponder. Natsuki briefly shut her eyes, trying to shun the thoughts out of her mind. Biting her bottom lip, she grabbed a piece of clean cloth prepared nearby and soaked it in the washbasin. She then gently wiped off the sweat from Shizuru's face and body.

Shizuru slightly twitched at the faintest of touches. "It… it hurts… H—help…"

A lump forming in her throat, Natsuki froze before her hand eventually fell to her lap. For a long moment of silence, she wasn't even sure if she was breathing at all. Her eyes were red and sore, her arms starting to shake. All of a sudden, the crumpled cloth in her hand felt heavier than a rock. It took her a moment before she reached out again and traced her fingertips along Shizuru's cheeks, softly brushing the sweaty strands of chestnut hair from her face. It frustrated her that she didn't know how to take away the pain. If only she knew.

Out of the blue, the freezing air outside found its way inside. Natsuki began to shudder uncontrollably. How strange that she could literally feel strong gushes of wind blowing right at her, leaving her puzzled as the doors were closed. Quickly, she pulled the blanket up higher to Shizuru's neck, careful not to touch the wounds. But the bitter wind intensified. Natsuki bent and started to rock on her heels, her hands rubbing her arms. But she couldn't stop the shivering as the cold seemed to freeze her from the inside.

Lips quivering, Natsuki squeezed her eyes shut. What's this…? Cold… It hurts so much… She couldn't tell what it was. It was colder than a dark winter, but hotter than a cruel summer. She felt as though her body was being ripped to shreds. She bit her bottom lip so hard she could taste her own blood, holding back her screams with all her might. Her jaws clamped shut, her limbs numbed. A wave of agony washed through her whole, crushing her insides. It felt just like when she was pushed off the cliff and drowned in the sea of sakura, just like that night she was transported into the past.

Green eyes shot opened in fright, only to be terrorized even more when she saw that her fingertips began to morph into sakura leaves. Before long, her entire arms became rivers of flowing pink and white, alive but fickle. The leaves began to fall, disappearing into thin air along with her flower arms.

I… I am vanishing. Natsuki watched unblinking at the spectacle displayed before her. She wasn't sure what it was, but deep in her heart she felt that it was coming. I'm going back to my world. Yes, it's happening! For a split second, she felt utter relief, deep joy flooded her heart. But a glance at the sick girl on the futon stopped her, and it gripped her cold. She tried to reach out for Shizuru, but her hands were gone now. She looked down at herself and found that the ghostly leaves had already eaten up a large part of her stomach. Almost half of her body was disappearing behind the flow of sakura. She looked up at Shizuru again and cried out.

No. No. No! Noooooo!

"NO!" Natsuki gasped, her eyes snapped open once more. Her body rocked on her heels as if she was about to fall off her balance. Wheezing, she glanced around her surroundings in panic. What the hell has just happened!? She was still in Shizuru's room, occupying the spot beside the girl. When she realized that she had been unknowingly gripping Shizuru's arm rather harshly, she immediately let go off the girl. Shaken by the peculiar vision, she took a deep breath in, allowing herself a few moments to calm down.

Something had tried to literally tear her apart. Something had tried to wake her, taking her away from this plane of existence. Perhaps, the very entity that had called for her presence to this world was trying to send her back. Whatever it was, she didn't give in. For all the complaints she had made, or how much she had missed her father and friends, she had refused to leave at the last moment. She wasn't sure why, but that there was something holding her back. The bond so ancient—so brittle, veiled behind the planes of time; she could still feel it watching her, breathing through her. She had no idea what had just happened, but she believed that she had traveled a world apart to be here. There was no way that she would surrender so easily now. For what it was worth, she would stay and see it to the end.

Natsuki's shoulders dropped when the hurt finally subsided. She began to breathe more easily, and she could move her limbs freely now. She turned to glance at the sleeping Shizuru, holding back a frustrated sigh. She had thought that the missing bracelet was calling for her, but she could be wrong. It could be 'someone'.

Was it you that called for me? Are you even real, Shizuru…? Are we?

---

Morning sun reflected upon her fiery, red hair as Nao paced around in the garden of her mansion. It was a beautiful, cold morning, but the princess felt heated more than ever. It had been four days since the ambush. She had been waiting, but there had been no visit from a certain suitor. She had been so bored—so frustrated that she had even decided to have a ride with Takeda Masashi one evening. It was not as disastrous as she had thought. In fact, Takeda had been kind and polite, respecting her more than a certain suitor had.

"So the rumor is true," Nao said, clutching the hems of her sleeves.

Aiko, the princess' young maid, slightly nodded. "It is confirmed that Eiji-sama was wounded."

Nao shot a brief glance at her maid. She noted her dark, silky hair and brown eyes. With its gleaming darkness, it shone brightly in the sun. It lent out the light to Nao's dark, crazy world. It did not matter what had happened, those eyes never lied to her. Aiko would never lie to her.

Nao forced herself to look away. She despised the idea of having to depend on anyone. Not her dead mother. Not her father who never cared to visit her or receive hers. Not her half-brother who only tried to pursue power by marrying her off to a powerful family. She had only herself to rely on. Only when The Protectors came, she had felt what a family was like. They stood by her like no one else had. But Aiko has…

"It was outrageous. They dared attack him in Kyoto! How brash those bandits were!" Nao faked a light laugh as though it was an exciting subject. Indeed, the attack had been the hottest gossip in the capital for the past few days. But she had refrained herself from bringing up the topic of 'Eiji', not wanting her maids to talk about it. Last time Shizuru had kissed her, the gossip had spread like wildfire, and she felt deeply humiliated. Though most girls in the capital would feel exactly the opposite.

"Some had said that they weren't common bandits, but professional assassins," Aiko said.

Nao darkly hummed to herself. "An attack on a nobleman? They were surely asking for death."

"Although they were killed in the woods, we haven't found out about their masters. Those men were highly secretive and dangerous."

At the notion, Nao remained silent for a second. "They worked for a noble family," she stated matter-of-factly.

Aiko nodded. "That is what some have speculated."

Nao looked grim at once. An attempt on a nobleman's life was a severe crime, and it was likely that only other noble families were bold enough to risk it. Nao couldn't think of any other reason 'Eiji' was targeted but by being one of her suitors. The competition for her hand in marriage had grown fiercer as Crown Prince, her half-brother, was pressuring her to marry. The Imperial Court was watching. The whole country was waiting for her decision. As long as she tried to delay her marriage, Shizuru's life would be in danger. It would not stop as easily as the assassins were eliminated.

Nao groaned in irritation. She had no idea why she should care for Shizuru's wellbeing as she never even considered accepting the proposal. Furthermore, she had no interest in a man who could not even protect himself (or his lover). Pouting to herself, she looked elsewhere. For some unknown reason, she suddenly found the sight of the cold pond very alluring.

"So… is it true about the singer?" The question slipped through her lips.

Aiko stopped a little at the question. "It is true. She is dead, Oujo-sama."

"How unfortunate," Nao said.

Nao had seen Keiko's performance once when she sneaked into the backstage years ago, and she must admit that the woman had such an angelic voice and marvelous dance moves. It was a great loss, indeed. However, she felt anger rising when she just couldn't seem to kill the smile appearing on her lips. She raised her fan to hide the lower half of her face. "The poor man must be in grief. I shall pay him a visit later this afternoon. Tell them to prepare the carriage."

Her expression voided, Aiko paused for a moment before she bowed. "Yes, Oujo-sama."

---

It was a new day, but Natsuki was beginning to feel that it was repeating itself in a tattered, tiring pattern.

She yawned into her left fist. Her raven hair was loosely pulled back, tied by a white ribbon. The collar of her blue yukata slightly slid down her slim shoulders as she uncomfortably shifted on her heels. Her folded legs had gone beyond numbing, but she ignored them. She continually reminded herself how lucky she was that Midori had allowed her to stay here with Shizuru, while she should be back in the south wing with other maids. It had been her double luck that she hadn't seen Lord Masaru anywhere. She was certain that he would disapprove of her presence here.

For the past four days, a two-hour nap was precious as it was sporadic, few and far in between. Shizuru's condition had robbed her of any decent rest. Whenever she began to slip into the depth of slumber, she would soon unconsciously lash out of it. It rudely pulled at her as though she was jolted by a slash of a whip around her neck. She would wake and gasp for breath as if she had been running miles in her dreams. It was tormenting. Day after day, there wasn't much she could do but to watch Shizuru bedridden with fever and pain. Herbal medicines were aiding her recovery, but at a slow pace; it did very little to lessen Natsuki's worries. Given the nonexistence of modern medicines and the poor clinical level, there wasn't much hope to begin with. But, Natsuki knew that she had to be strong now; Shizuru needed all the strength within herself and from those around her.

Natsuki turned to glance at Shizuru's sleeping form, her shoulders slumped in defeat. She held back a sigh, while moving on her knees towards the washbasin next to the futon. She grabbed the white cloth hanging over the edge of the washbasin and soaked it with warm water. Under the cold weather, the water got cold very quickly. It was about time to call for Megumi to change the water.

Natsuki rinsed the cloth, and then began to wipe Shizuru's face fresh again. It had become a ritual for her; she needed to watch over the girl as Shizuru constantly succumbed to the fever. She drew the wet cloth along the girl's brows and closed eyelids. At a positive note, Shizuru's body now didn't feel as warm as she did the past few nights.

"Dead… am I?"

"Huh, not yet." Yawning without covering her mouth, Natsuki used her free hand to lift the edge of Shizuru's pink yukata up, while her clothed hand continued to wipe off the heat down Shizuru's chest.

"Is… my death… to be expected?"

Okay. Who's talking to me? Natsuki eventually paused. With her sleepy eyes, she looked up from her task, and was met with the pair of crimson eyes staring right back at her. She blinked. She couldn't tell how long she had stayed stock still, but she was sure that it was long enough that Shizuru cleared her throat a little.

"Oh… my God." Natsuki instantly retracted her hands from Shizuru, puzzled to see a tinge of disappointment in the girl's eyes. She sat back down on her heels and blew out a breath. A wave of relief washed through her, taking away all her fears.

The amused look on Shizuru's face was rapidly replaced by a whimper when she tried to lift her shoulders. Gravity worked fast, and she fell back down without much resistance.

"Don't move! You'd hurt yourself!" Natsuki hurriedly placed a hand over the girl's good shoulder to prevent further movements.

Her brows creased, Shizuru herself appeared shocked at how her body completely failed to accomplish such an easy task.

"Jeez, you almost gave me a heart attack." When Natsuki was certain that Shizuru wouldn't dare to pull such a stunt again, she peered down, and their gazes locked. Natsuki felt her heart heavy as she observed the girl. Obviously, Shizuru looked pale and drained; she was a mess. She looked so fragile as if she might dissolve into dust at a child's innocent touch.

"You're back," Shizuru finally said.

Natsuki honestly couldn't tell the meaning behind those words. She wasn't sure if Shizuru still welcomed her or not. If there was a hint of anger in those eyes, it was well hidden behind the crimson curtain. "Yeah… yeah, I'm back." She found herself murmuring under the weak gaze, her mind still trying to remind herself that this wasn't just a dream. "Good morning, Shizuru," she said as she sat back down.

"Morning, is it?" Shizuru's gaze flickered as she observed her surroundings. A look of curiosity, concern, and then sadness. Surely, Shizuru must have recalled what happened to put her in this dire condition.

Natsuki instantly gripped Shizuru's hand. "You're safe now."

Shizuru looked up at Natsuki, and for a moment, she remained silent. Then she averted her gaze and nodded to herself. Biting her bottom lip, she slowly pushed herself up from the bed.

Natsuki let out a sigh, debating whether to try to stop Shizuru from moving again.

Strands of her thick, sticky hair fell to her face gracelessly. "I… I'm rather thirsty—ah—" Shizuru winced when she unknowingly lifted her left arm too fast.

Shaking her head, Natsuki grimaced as she brought a cup of warm water to Shizuru's lips. "You should lie still. Your wounds are still very tender."

Shizuru slowly sipped the water. Crimson eyes were briefly hidden behind those eyelids before looking up at Natsuki again. And, Natsuki found herself caught off-guard, chained in her spot. The worn-out gaze looked and felt so familiar somehow; it easily lured Natsuki into a place so dark, a place haunted and eerie—somewhere she sensed that she had been before. Natsuki couldn't help but stare at it, drawn to its mystery.

"Thank you. Natsuki is very kind," Shizuru said, breaking their eye contact.

Only then Natsuki was snapped out of her stupor. She took the cup from the girl, lowering it down so fast that the remaining content spilled down onto her lap. "Oh…! Urgh, man," she grumbled at her clumsiness.

Shizuru chuckled softly. She watched her caretaker so attentively that uneasiness began to fill the air around them. Reluctantly Natsuki slowed down the patting on her yukata, slightly blushing.

"Uh—M—Midori will be very excited to hear that you're awake now. I should go tell her." Natsuki trusted that her voice was still even, but she knew that she failed by quite a big margin.

"This is strange." Shizuru smiled slightly wider, shaking her head as if inwardly arguing with herself.

"What is?" Her heart beating faster, Natsuki grew more and more uneasy under such a sweet stare.

"I didn't think that… that I'd be smiling at you. I thought that I'd be angry when you returned, or at least give you a scold, but… I just can't seem to hide my joy to see you again. Tell me that I'm not dreaming."

Natsuki furiously blushed, fixing her gaze down on the tatami floor. She had predicted many scenarios upon her return, too, and being warmly smiled at by Shizuru wasn't one of them. She had thought that she had been the only one looking forward to their reunion. She could not possibly think of what importance she had held to make Shizuru feel so strongly about her return. Only about two months ago, she was just a trespasser, wandering in the girl's mansion.

Natsuki let out a small yelp when she pinched her own thigh. "Okay. I'm not dreaming, so you aren't either," she said, awkwardly staring up at the ceiling.

Shizuru let out a chortle, but was disrupted by a few coughs. Clutching her chest, she directed her gaze elsewhere as if she could hide her pain from Natsuki that way.

"Don't push yourself too hard," Natsuki warned.

"I… am merely… sitting."

"That's right. It means that you are far from being well. You don't want to risk losing those four days we'd tried to nurse you back to health," Natsuki said, a stern crease forming between her brows. She moved closer to the girl and wrapped her arm around her waist. She could feel Shizuru's slight movements in a feeble attempt to keep her position, but she steadied herself. Silently, she waited for Shizuru to come to term with herself and comply. She just wanted to assure the girl that she would be there to catch her.

It took Shizuru only a moment to give in. Wearied, she allowed her weight to fall back into Natsuki's arm, trusting her caretaker to hold her balance. Once she was laid down flat on her back, the blanket was pulled up to her chest. She gazed up at Natsuki, a small smile gracing her lips. "That felt nice," she commented.

The remark came out of nowhere, and Natsuki felt blood shooting to her face. "W—w—what felt nice?"

"To lie down… You were right. I should have listened…" Shizuru teased, even though her voice seemed to lose its strength fast.

Natsuki quickly looked away, grumbling at herself for having such a bad thought.

A corner of Shizuru's lips slightly curved up. "Ara, forgive me, Natsuki. I only meant to say 'thank you'."

"Naaah. My pleasure," Natsuki said casually. It somewhat relieved her that Shizuru still had her lighthearted moments even in this fragile state. She spread out the blanket to cover Shizuru's body, and then stood up.

"W—where are you going?" Shizuru panicked at once.

"Huh? I'm going to sit here." Natsuki was puzzled by the anxious look from Shizuru. She moved to sit at the end of the futon, reaching under the blanket and taking Shizuru's left foot in her hands. She didn't bother to speak as it was just another routine for her; she began to massage Shizuru's foot. She would switch to another foot after she felt that it was warmed enough.

"You… uh, you don't have to do this. The others—"

Natsuki looked up, perplexed yet again by the change of expression on Shizuru's face. Now, Shizuru was actually the one blushing. What the hell? "I've been doing this for four days. It's totally okay. You actually seemed to like it in your sleep even."

"It's been… four… four days?" Quickly, Shizuru's eyes fluttered closed at the comfort and warmth generating along her limbs. She knew that Natsuki shouldn't have to do anything like this for her, but the woman was so good; she selfishly neglected any manners and grace at the moment.

Natsuki let out a big sigh of relief, while continued to massage the foot. "You know, you had us so worried. We thought that you might never wake up again."

"I thought so, too." Shizuru only opened her eyes again when Natsuki suddenly slowed down the massage.

After a long moment, Natsuki asked, "Did you not want to wake up?"

Shizuru slowly raised her right hand and rubbed her eyes in fatigue. "I was in… a very… very dark place. It was all black. Everything. Everywhere. And it was… so cold that I thought death should feel like that." Sighing, she absentmindedly stared up at the ceiling. "I called out for father, but he didn't hear me. I called for help. No one answered."

Natsuki paused. She must admit that hearing what Shizuru had said scared her. It scared her to think of the possibility that Shizuru might actually die. But, she forced out a smile. "But you found light in the end. You woke up from that dream."

Shizuru nodded, offering a small smile back. It seemed like a genuine smile no matter how difficult it looked for Shizuru to just lift her facial muscle now. "Yes… yes, I remember now. Someone had called out to me. She was speaking to me. She said that… she promised to come back for me, a—and I actually felt that… I felt that she had come back. She did. And that was right before I woke up."

"I didn't promise you anything. My return that night was purely coincidental," Natsuki stated with a shrug, continuing the massage.

Shizuru eyed the raven-haired woman. "I didn't mean that it was you. I didn't even know that you've come back."

Natsuki raised her brows. "What? You don't remember that we met in the garden?" She inwardly pouted, her hands squeezing Shizuru's foot a little too hard that the girl lightly yelped.

"We—we did?" For a moment, Shizuru glanced around awkwardly. "I—I must apologize then. I must have been really tired, and my mind wasn't working as efficiently as I would have liked."

"Oh, well. You were badly injured. I shouldn't expect that you'd remember much of it."

"Natsuki is… very understanding…" Shizuru's eyes were closed again. Her breathing became a little ragged, her voice shaken.

Natsuki tried to gauge her energy as she moved up to massage Shizuru's leg now. "So who gave you that promise?" In all honesty, she didn't even know why she should care since it was just a dream. Strangely, she found that she was fast to feel threatened by this person. What power that could bring Shizuru back to life? It was the power she clearly did not possess.

"I don't know. But it doesn't matter now, does it?" Shizuru opened her eyes again and gave Natsuki a weary smile, almost a sad smile of disappointment. "Where have you been? Why didn't you send me a word? I… every night, I waited."

'I waited for so long…' Someone had said those words to her long ago—so long ago that Natsuki couldn't remember who it was. But its presence had been there, haunted and trapped, calling out to her in the fragments of her distant dreams.

Natsuki slowly took in Shizuru's words, and felt a soft blush on her cheeks. It somehow comforted her that she wasn't alone in missing the other's company; her sentiment was returned. "I'm sorry. It—it was urgent, and—I didn't think that you'd care to know."

"Have I always seemed indifferent to you?" For some reason, Shizuru did look serious with her question now.

"I just thought that you didn't really want me around," Natsuki said. She did question it from time to time why Shizuru bothered to take her in. It had been clear then that she wasn't the foreign writer Shizuru was looking for, thus there was no reason for Shizuru to keep her around. Perhaps, she had underestimated Shizuru's kindness.

Shizuru closed her eyes again, and muttered, "I thought that you might have gone back to your world. Ara, I've become less and less rational each day passed, haven't I?" Then she let out a shaky sigh. "I thought that… that I might ne… never… see... I…"

Shizuru's words began to slur, and Natsuki could feel her body tensed up in pain. She lowered Shizuru's leg back down on the bedding, and only rubbed her feet to keep her warm.

"N—Natsuki?" Out of the blue, Shizuru opened her eyes and looked up at Natsuki almost in panic. She gulped and relaxed again when she saw that Natsuki was still around.

"I'm not going anywhere, I promise. Now, go back to sleep."

But crimson eyes widened a little more as if to defy Natsuki's order. It was as though Shizuru had had enough of four days of sleep, and she tried to stay awake for as long as she could. "How is father?"

Natsuki's hand movements momentarily slackened, her gaze fixed upon the floor. "I heard that he's been very busy."

After a long silence, Shizuru said, "I do not doubt it. He is a… a very busy man."

Natsuki just nodded in agreement. Masaru had not once visited his daughter. If this was how the man had loved his daughter, no wonder he could lock up his son in a forsaken mansion for years. He kept shoving his messes behind the family's name, and everyone seemed to pretend to not see it. But, did Shizuru agree to Masaru's methods after all? Why didn't Shizuru fight for her brother? What had Masaru molded his daughter into, while he masqueraded her as a tool to fulfill his ambition? Doubts gripped Natsuki's heart, desperately trying to drench out her emotions and leave her conscience bare.

"But your mother has visited. She's been staying here since the first day she'd learned about the incident. She's very worried about you," Natsuki said, keeping her tone even. Her head warned her about this girl, but her heart felt for her.

Shizuru's eyes slightly widened at the mention of her mother, a flash of hope in her eyes. "How… how kind of her. I feel bad that she had to visit me, while she's ill herself."

"She's your mother. It's only right that she came to be by your side now. And, trust me, she looks much healthier than you do at the moment. Hmm. I think I should go tell Midori that you're awake now. Your mother will be super excited, too," Natsuki said, while looking up at the doors.

However, Shizuru suddenly struggled to push herself up again.

Natsuki swiftly turned back to the girl. "What are you doing!? I told you to lie still!" She wanted to grab the girl and force her down, but decided against it.

Shizuru bent, clutching the hem of her blanket. She took a few deep breaths in and looked up at Natsuki. "Please… please, bring Midori here."

Natsuki noted the beads of sweat rolling down the girl's forehead. The girl proved to be too stubborn to argue with. "Why do you always have to prove yourself? You don't have to be 'Eiji' now, you know. You don't have to be what your father wants you to be." As soon as the words slipped through her mouth, she mentally smacked herself at the slip. Having been watching Shizuru in agony for the past few days had only driven her to the edge.

Shizuru's gaze turned cold as she glared back. "It is… none of your business to say what I am, or who… who I am…"

Natsuki instantaneously nodded in an apologetic way. "I'm sorry." But she found herself besieged with frustration. She had no idea what else had Masaru done to his children, but she was rather certain that his actions were not in positive light. And, to see Shizuru so vulnerable, while still trying to reach out to her father, it only angered Natsuki even more. But, Shizuru was right that it wasn't her business to begin with.

Without another word, Natsuki shot up to her feet and moved towards the doors. However, she had been sitting on her heels for hours on end, and her knees buckled. She tripped and fell forward. "Ah!" To Natsuki's surprise, a slender arm had snaked around her waist and pulled her up before she hit the floor. In one fluid move, she found herself fallen back onto the soft futon, a body below her. Her eyes widened at the sudden occurrence; she stayed absolutely still on the bedding. She could hear Shizuru's low, muffled cries of pain, but she was slow to pick up on things at the moment. Her mind was clouded with a certain sensation shooting through her whole. It was that familiar warmth, which was enveloping her, suffocating her. It was all around and inside of her, flying with her into the plane of nothingness. Nothing but never alone. She had felt it before. Long before this.

Natsuki blinked a few times ever so slowly, and eventually broke from of the reverie. "S—Shizuru?" Alarmed, she looked over her shoulder to see the pair of crimson eyes staring back at her. The gaze looked lifeless, hazy and dull, or at least that was how Natsuki saw it. Natsuki wanted to get out of this uncomfortable position, but debated whether she would risk harming Shizuru further or not, considering that the girl might try to get up and catch her again.

Natsuki huffed. "I told you not to move."

Whimpering, Shizuru closed her eyes. She rested her chin upon Natsuki's shoulder. Her breathing was uneven, her body tensed.

Shizuru's heart was beating so hard and fast that Natsuki could feel its beat against her back. It was as if about to jump out of her weak body. Natsuki felt her heart caught in her throat. "Please, don't do anything crazy like that again. Your wounds—"

"Stay."

The word came so softly that if Natsuki weren't careful, she would have missed it. Natsuki could only sigh. "Don't be silly. You wanted Midori, so I was going to get her—"

"You… promised… that you'd—back… come back for me."

Natsuki froze. She kept her gaze at the doors, not daring to look back at Shizuru. For a fleeting moment, those arms that were wrapped around her felt like a dead weight of a giant snake. There had been no promise between them, hadn't there? But Shizuru kept pondering about the mysterious promise. It scared Natsuki as she, too, had felt the peculiar promise in the bits and pieces of her dreams and visions. But were their promises the same one? Natsuki couldn't be sure if she was the one giving Shizuru the promise since she had never met her before in her own world. She had no memories of Shizuru at all. It was as though there had been absolutely no connection between them.

Her thoughts continued to flow like a wild river. Warmed by Shizuru's embrace, Natsuki felt her eyes give in to the heavy eyelids. She had been very drained herself, and was now easily pulled into a deep slumber. What do you mean to me? Just how much… do you mean to me?

---

Yumi was sitting out in the corridor, peering through the tiny gap between the shoji doors to Shizuru's room. The maids surrounded her; some were massaging her legs, while the others her shoulders. Chiyo, Yumi's personal maid, had followed from the Fujiwara's Autumn Mansion as well, sitting close to her master, instructing the young maids how to massage her master the way she liked.

For the past few days, Yumi had demanded a report on her daughter's condition on an hourly basis. She had her daughter's room heavily guarded on both entrances. Someone was adamant in seeing 'Eiji' dead, and she needed to find out who it was. This grave matter needed to be dealt with harshly, precisely and immediately.

Megumi, the head maid of the Fujino Mansion, moved on her knees towards Yumi. She was holding a bowl of hot, black, thick liquid. "The medicine is ready, Yumi-sama."

Yumi coughed a little, and then gestured to the floor. "Let us wait a bit."

Megumi bowed in response and put the bowl down.

Then came Midori, who knelt down in front of Yumi and bowed. Her face beamed in delight. "I—I have heard! This is great news, Yumi-sama!"

Yumi lightly raised her hand, suggesting Midori to keep her voice down. "Shizuru is still very weak. She's asleep now."

"Ah." Midori blushed, looking down a bit, embarrassed at her overexcitement. "But… there is also other great news, Yumi-sama. Nao Oujo-sama has sent words that she will be visiting Shizuru-sama this afternoon."

This garnered Yumi's full attention. It was a rare occasion, especially from a wild one like Princess Nao. After the few, most stressful, fearful days in her entire life, this was a pleasant news, indeed. Yumi solemnly nodded and said, "Please give my daughter a few hours more to rest, and then wake her for preparation. Aid her in every step as it will be very difficult for her."

Midori bowed. "Yes, Yumi-sama."

Yumi then turned her attention back to the gap between the doors. She observed the two bodies on the futon inside the room. Many questions stormed through her mind. Old and new worries overwhelmed her now. She inwardly sighed. She was overjoyed to see Shizuru gaining consciousness today, but had hesitated to enter the room when she saw that Natsuki hadn't left. Even though she couldn't hear what the girls were saying, she dared not to interrupt their conversation. Partly because she wanted to observe Shizuru's reaction towards this foreigner. Partly because she had felt the understated attraction between the pair. She wasn't sure what was going on, but she needed to know that Natsuki wouldn't be a threat to Shizuru—in health and marriage plans; Eiji's and Shizuru's own.

---

Midori was sitting by the futon, tears in her eyes as she watched her master's peaceful face.

Eyes closed, Shizuru was lying on her bed. Her naked form was covered by the blue, silky blanket. Her long hair was pulled up, soaked and washed in a wooden washbasin. Megumi was sitting next to the hair washer, softly whispering, instructing the young maid what to do.

"Stop crying, Midori," Shizuru said, whilst her eyes still closed.

"I—I am certainly not crying!" Midori brushed her tears away with the hem of her sleeve. She then placed her fists down on her lap again, her expression ridden with guilt. "I did not mean to disturb your rest time. But, it was reported to me that Nao Oujo-sama is planning to pay you a visit this afternoon. I had to come in, and see if y—you, uh…"

Midori scratched her cheek a little as she recalled how she slipped into the room and found her master cuddling with Natsuki. It wasn't the first time Midori had seen her master close to a girl. In fact, she had taken note of her master's bizarre tendency for years now, but she must admitted that it was Natsuki, who surprised her. Natsuki never gave off the vibe, or at least the woman never seemed to hold any particular feeling towards Midori's master. To find Natsuki sleeping on Shizuru's very own bedding, holding Midori's master in her arms, was unexpected and unnerving at the same time. It was going to be a bit hard to look at Natsuki now. Midori would hate the idea if she had to start bowing whenever Natsuki passed.

Shizuru cleared her throat, and gave herself a few moments to breathe. "It… it should be only a short visit. The princess probably wouldn't want to spend too much time around me, so it should… should be fine."

Midori looked up at her master, her heart aching to see the girl murmur in weariness. Four days were hardly enough of a rest for grave wounds like this. It was more than fortunate that Shizuru had regained consciousness, or was even alive at all. She had tried to talk her master out of it, but Shizuru insisted to receive the guest.

"How is Kiyoshi?" Shizuru asked, her eyes still closed.

"He is healing well…, although he might not be able to join the guard team anymore due to his leg injury. I think he is in denial about this."

"It's good enough that he's safe." Shizuru sighed before opening her eyes, and turned to look at Midori. "Where's Natsuki? Where did she go?"

Midori must admit that there was something about her master's voice whenever she uttered the name. She wasn't sure if Natsuki herself had felt it, too. "She's resting in her room, Shizuru-sama. She's very tired. She's been watching over you for days, and hardly had any sleep." She told the truth. As much as she distrusted Natsuki, she couldn't lie about what happened. There were hours in between, which she couldn't fight the exhaustion and fell asleep, only to wake up and find that Natsuki was still awake, closely watching over her master.

But Midori inwardly sighed. It must have been the third or fourth time her master had asked for the woman. It was undeniable that Natsuki was exceptionally attractive. Her beauty was of a rare type, exotic even; her vivid, green eyes were so mystifying that one could only try to look away, but fail. Midori herself was perplexed at how detailed she had described Natsuki's appearance as she normally wouldn't even want to look at her. She knew that Shizuru always had a soft spot for a pretty girl, but something deeper—something more alarming was beginning to transpire between the two, and she wasn't sure if it was a wise move for her master.

"I am grateful for… her care." Shizuru momentarily held her breath as she let the maids reached under the thin sheet of blanket and cleaned her body. She needed to freshen up, readying for the visit. "I do not want her to get ill. Please—" She coughed a bit before continuing. "In your free hours, please make sure that she is fed and warmed in her room."

Midori inwardly screamed. She wanted so much to tell her master to worry about her own health before worrying about anything else. "She is being taking care of as we speak. You don't have to worry about it."

Shizuru seemed to relax a bit upon hearing Midori's reassurance. A sigh escaped her throat, she closed her eyes, her brows twitching.

A look of concern flashed in Midori's eyes as she moved on her knees closer to her master. "Shizuru-sama?"

"I… I just need a few moments." Shizuru turned her head the other way, eyes remained shut. She appeared paler than how Midori had first seen her an hour ago. "Please, inform me when the princess arrives."

Midori glanced at the empty bowl of medicine nearby, relieved that her master had taken it without causing trouble. She then bowed and said, "Yes, master."

---

The amount of time Shizuru spent just to get up on her feet terribly frustrated her. It infuriated and scared her at the same time when each movement of her body intensified the pain on her wounds. She knew that she should be lying still for weeks to come, but a princess' visit was not to be denied. Although she hardly had the will and strength to pursue the marriage proposal at the moment, the princess herself had come to her doorstep, indirectly offering a hand to mend their estranged relation after their disastrous, first kiss. It was surprising, but nonetheless a good sign. It held a special meaning when Nao decided to pay a visit to someone, especially one of her suitors, which had never happened before.

With a black hat on, Shizuru was dressed in various shades of blue kimonos, and gray-colored sashinuki. Although the several layers of clothes lent her warmth, their weight bothered her wounds, especially on the shoulder. With difficulty, she moved along the corridor with Aoi, the other maid trailing behind her. The maids were strictly ordered by Midori to follow Shizuru every step just in case she should falter. As much as she wanted to annul Midori's order, she secretly felt that she might actually need help. Her body shuddered as surges of cold waves continually hit her, the aches sharp and heavy. Along the way, she momentarily stopped, and had to lean against the wall, out of breath. The maids were quick to reach her sides, grabbing her arms to ensure that she was on her feet.

Shizuru took a few moments to breathe as deeply as she could. All of a sudden, the echoes of men shouting and screaming began to ring in the back of her mind, and they were getting louder and louder by the second. She shut her eyes, trying to shun out the images of the men charging at her, blood in their eyes—her blood on their blades. Even though she had tried not to show how much it affected her, those savage moments still haunted her. She was hurt. She was scared. But, she just didn't dare to admit it. She knew that she needed to be strong, and that was everyone wanted to see.

"I… I'm fine," Shizuru said.

Aoi and the other maid promptly took their hands away.

As Shizuru moved further down the hallways, she decided to a make a turn to the large section located on the east of the North Wing. It was where her father's quarters was. As much as she had tried to denied, she was saddened by his absence. Even her mother, who had sworn years ago never to come back to the Fujino Mansion, had come to visit and stayed with her for the past few days. Natsuki obviously hadn't dared to talk about her father. Midori, too, had avoided to mention him whenever the question arose. It roused some suspicions, and the only way to find out was to see him. Shizuru didn't expect much, only wishing him good health and a healthy state of mind. Their family was in a rough patch; Eiji was cast away; Yumi had been ill for years; and now Shizuru was injured. If she were to die now, she didn't want to imagine how hard it was for her father to uphold the family's legacy all by himself.

'I am with child, and it is your father's.' Out of nowhere, the thought of Keiko's confession revisited her mind. Doubts began to grow heavier, dragging on far slower than her own feet's sluggish pace.

As she was approaching the designated room, she stopped dead in her tracks. Her hand shot up to cover her nose and mouth. What was the awful smell? She glanced back at the maids, who instantly looked down to avoid her gaze. Not getting any response from the maids, she inwardly grumbled and resumed her walk. Eventually, she reached his room, noting that the doors had been slightly slid open.

"Father—" Shizuru stepped into the room, blinking in confusion.

The room was cold, screens pulled down to block the sunlight. In the shadow, Masaru occupied the middle of the room. He was sitting on his heels, his hands on his lap. He kept his gaze on the body lying on the bedding, the blanket pulled to the lying form's neck. Shizuru squinted, noting the stiff body's darkened skin and bloated face. The face looked unfamiliar, but it couldn't be mistaken; Keiko had been kept here ever since the incident.

Shizuru froze upon realization, her heart skipping a beat. She then looked at her father, who was still sitting motionlessly, unperturbed by the sight, the smell, or a visitor's visit. What have you done?

"Father?"

Masaru slowly looked up. The hollowed look in his eyes startled her. As she grew up, watching and worshipping him as her hero, he had always been majestic and beautiful. Now he looked everything opposite to it. His hair was loosely pulled up into a high ponytail, while some strands of hair messily falling down his face. There were dark circles around his eyes. His skin appeared gray, his cheeks bony. His long nails were mudded with blackened crimson. His parched lips compressed, askew in a sad, angry line.

"I heard that the princess is paying you a visit today. It is a great progress. I am proud of you," Masaru said. His voice was composed, but lacked the commanding presence as it usually did.

Slightly winded, Shizuru leaned back against the door. She wanted to look away from the dead body, but couldn't. It would have been a little less heartbreaking if Keiko were just one of her father's affairs. It would have been better if Keiko was just a singer to her, not a friend. But in death, Keiko had proven that she had meant more. The singer had not only left strong memories with her father, but she had marked Shizuru's journey to Kyoto, the beginning of the trek along the path of life, love and rage. Keiko was to stay in their memories for a long time to come whether they wanted it or not.

"Nao Oujo-sama wants to visit Eiji, not me." Shizuru couldn't quite believe what she had just said. She had rarely ever let slip of her own thoughts, considering it a flaw. Her father didn't need to hear her opinions. Her mother didn't need to know how she needed an embrace. Eiji didn't need to care how apologetic and regretful she had been. She was just living the role her family needed her to, nothing more. But, seeing Keiko here—seeing her father's secret bare, his heart broken, she needed a moment of truth herself.

Masaru blindly nodded. "You have done well, and you will continue to do so. You are our family's only hope." The words came out so fluidly as usual. They were the codes she must live by.

But, seeing her father in this state, Shizuru wasn't sure if he was solely responsible for all of these messes. It was something that seemed to have been his burden as well. Possibly, he was forced to do things he did not want like she was now, and the experiences had shaped him into who he was today. But, Shizuru pulled her thoughts together before her emotions could take over her reasons. Unfortunately, it didn't matter what had led them to this point, everyone must pay for what they had done.

"But I'm not. I can't be everyone's hope." I don't want to be. Shizuru continued to speculate Keiko, and it rushed her back to the details of the night of the attack. She had been fighting for her life. As she gave her true name to Keiko, it was the only time in which she had embraced someone and dared to admit a truth. A truth. The notion seemed so alien to her that it staggered her. Tears shot to her eyes, and she muttered, "Father, please, you have to let her go—"

"Let her go!?" Laughing bitterly, Masaru rose to his feet, stalking towards her. "She is dead because of you! You should have protected her. She should have been alive!" He pressed in, his steps aggressive. His narrowed eyes scrutinized her. "Why were you meeting with her that night? What business did you have with her?"

Shizuru watched him in horror, her back pressed against the wall. After what had happened to their family, she couldn't believe that all he could think about now was what went on between Keiko and her. Perhaps, it had been so all along, but she hadn't realized it until now. One would see ugliness around them only when they wanted to. She could only watch her father as if he was a stranger.

"She asked to see me. She wanted to tell me something," Shizuru replied calmly.

After a moment of contemplation, a look of horror flashed across his eyes. "It was you then, the one visiting her at night, the one she hid from me." He was murmuring, his tone accusing.

What? Shizuru tried to recall the evening visits at Keiko's home. Nothing of that sort happened, though Keiko had tried. "It wasn't anything like that—"

"She made me wait, sometimes for hours, so that she could have her time with you first. It was… it was you," Masaru growled in her face.

"It's not what you think—"

He grabbed her shoulders, shaking her violently. "Do not lie to me! What had you done behind my back!?"

Shizuru tried her best to ignore the sharp stings on her wounds. She gazed up at her father, and for once in her life, she had to admit that she was very afraid of him. "S—she didn't even know that I'm not Eiji!"

"Did you trick her? Did you lie to her, give her hope?" Masaru tightened his grasps on her. His eyes were wide, his gaze empty. "You did wrong! You took her away from me. You killed her!"

Shizuru pushed her father away and took a few steps away from him, hand clutching her wounded shoulder. Her knees were as she tried to keep her balance. "It… it isn't about me. She was Eiji's lover. How could you do this to him!?"

Masaru caught her by the collars and pushed her down to the floor. There was no regret in his eyes, only rage. "She was mine. Mine!"

Wheezing, Shizuru clumsily crawled away. She wasn't sure if she could take another abuse from him before it would tear her wounds open, if it hadn't already. Then, something eventually dawned on her, and she suddenly found her voice dry. She looked up and studied him for a long moment.

Hand on his chin, Masaru was now pacing back and forth beside Keiko's body like a dog guarding his dead master. His eyes darkened, widened in a horror seen only by him. The air around him was wet and cold, deadly and vicious. It was no wonder nobody had wanted to talk about him to her prior. His quarters was now a disturbing labyrinth no one wanted to enter, fearing that they would never get out.

"Was it you? Were you the one who poisoned Eiji years ago?" Shizuru blurted out before she could stop herself.

Masaru eventually stopped his pacing, his eyes looking elsewhere, but there was neither refusal nor admission.

Shizuru felt her blood run as cold as his. Her body trembled as she tried to get up to her feet, but failed. Everything happened for a reason, and they just couldn't stop it. Something backfired, and they had no way to avoid it. "Keiko… She told me that she was with child. It was yours… You deserve this," she said. She watched him as he slowly turned to stare back at her, his gaze voided. She watched him as her words took their time in cutting his heart open and bleeding it dry. Any sign of love, hate and anger, were ripped out of his soul. Nothing. There was nothing left in the dark as light burned all.

Without another word, Masaru stalked across the room and came to stand in front of Shizuru again. She suddenly found herself curled into a ball. He had kicked her at her injured ribcage. For some odd reason, he always knew how to get her, mentally and physically.

Peering into the room, the maids closest to the doors shouted out. "Shizuru-sama!" Masaru would have successfully repeated his assault if not for the maids coming between them.

"Shizuru-sama, are you all right!?" Aoi rushed into the room.

Amidst the maids' cries of horror, Shizuru violently coughed as she tried to catch her breath. Gritting her teeth, she hugged her midriff with both arms, trying to still her body. She didn't want to show any weakness—not in front of this man.

Without another word, Masaru walked back to sit beside Keiko once more. His gaze traveled around and then fixed upon a spot in the dark corner. If only one could reach out to him now, to see where he really was.

---

Her body voided of any strength, Shizuru allowed the maids to pick her up from the floor. Graceless and shamed, each of her arm was draped over the maids' shoulders. They carefully carried her out, and only when they were much further down the hallway that they finally helped her to sit down.

"Shizuru-sama!" Midori came running down the corridor. She knelt down in front of her master, breathless. Noting how pale Shizuru looked, she sharply turned to look at Aoi. "What happened!? I told you to watch her!"

Aoi looked down, her lips quivering. "It—it was Lord Masaru. H—he, uh—"

"I'm fine… or I will be." Shizuru forced out the words, turning to Midori. "I was starting… to wonder where you've been. Now…, help me to the central hall, please." Midori had served her for many years, and Shizuru knew that she could hardly lie to the woman. She was genuinely grateful that Midori decide to remain quiet to her absurd suggestion, or what had just transpired between her and her father.

"Nao Oujo-sama will be pleased to see you today," Midori said as she gently wrapped her arm around Shizuru's waist, pulling her up to her feet.

Shizuru closed her eyes. She had to admit that she felt safe whenever Midori was around, trusting that Midori would protect her from all harms. Often times, Midori had acted like a big sister in her desperate times. Just when her family was falling apart, it was strange to find strength and comfort among those who served her.

"I never… never thought that it'd hurt this much." Hearing the older woman chuckle, Shizuru opened her eyes to witness it out of curiosity.

Dragging her master along the hallway, Midori smirked as she glanced at the girl a bit. "What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger."

"Ara, it scares me whenever that you might be right."

"I'm always right. Well, most of the time." Midori shrugged, and her expression grew darker. "You know that you don't have to do this. I can send words to Nao Oujo-sama that you are in no shape to receive any guests today."

Shizuru could hardly feel her legs at the moment. She shamelessly hung onto Midori's shoulder, letting the woman to carry her weight. But, she still considered it a favor on her part that she didn't just let herself slip into unconsciousness; it would leave the maids in a ruckus like that night they tried to move her from the garden back to her room in the north wing. She mentally smiled as she thought back to the faint memories of that night; the large, crescent moon shining brightly above; incoherent flashes of the guards picking her up from the grass, rushing her inside the mansion; the yells and screams from the maids around her. Amidst the chaos of dreams and memories, there was one thing that she couldn't seem to forget: the deep set of familiar green eyes.

Natsuki Kruger. Shizuru felt her heart beating faster at the thought of the woman.

Though they had gotten to know each other for a while now, Shizuru still wouldn't consider Natsuki a close confidant just yet. However, those eyes were so alluring—so spellbinding that it had seemed to stop the time; its power could take Shizuru to strange places. They were places she hadn't been to before, but she felt them in the back of her mind. With Natsuki, sometimes it felt though she was reliving her dreams. It felt as though she was replaying the role she once had, speaking the lines which had already been written for her. In the deepest bottom of her heart, the tiny spaces hidden in the darkest shadow of her soul, she had sometimes sensed the coming of events. Her instinct had been uncanny, and there was nothing she could do to change or ignore it. At times, it scared her when her whole world seemed as simple as scripted. If anything could feel crazier than this, she felt as though she had met Natsuki before, somewhere long, long ago. Natsuki, as she was flesh and blood now, seemed only a written character waiting to happen.

Natsuki Kruger. Kuga Natsuki. Who are you…? Who am I? Shizuru stiffened a little at the thought. Natsuki did happen that day; she woke up inside the mansion's guarded walls. If Natsuki was 'written' to happen, Shizuru herself couldn't be sure if she was actually herself at all. Then a thought nagged at the back of her mind. In the old notebook, Natsuki Kruger lived to be an old, bitter soul. Alone and sad… But, on this day, what should I do?

"Would you like to go back to rest? I can cancel the appointment for you," Midori said, her words pulling Shizuru back from her trancelike state.

"Oh… Ah…" Shaking her head, Shizuru brushed the strange thoughts from her mind. She needed a clear mind to get through it, not some fragments of imaginations and eerie dreams. Crimson gaze then traveled into the vast, well-cared garden just beyond the long passageway she was walking on. She wondered how a beautiful place such as this felt so hellish at the moment. She took in a deep breath, coming to term with herself. "No. No, I need to be there. A serious matter needs my immediate attention."

Midori sighed as she tightened her grip around her master. "Whatever you wish, Master."

---

The soft, pink rays of light shone through the opened shoji doors, flooding the spacious room with some warmth in the cold, late afternoon. It was getting dark as Nao had arrived later than scheduled.

A few feet away from the screen, the princess was sitting onto the matted floor, her hands clasped together on her lap. Her gaze reluctantly lifted up and pierced through the screen, observing the person on the other side. She had debated whether she should make the visit after all. The gossips had already spread among the elites even before the actual visit happened, indirectly putting the pressure on her. To make the visit seemingly her usual exploit, she had calculated exactly when and how long she should make the other party wait to gain most attention for this rare appointment. She had wanted Shizuru to realize it, to take it to heart.

But, what Nao was seeing in front of her was far from what she had expected. A screen separating them, Shizuru was sitting with her head dip in an uneven pattern, her body struggling against the ungraceful bend. It looked as though Shizuru would collapse any moment now. Nao decided that, perhaps, she had taken too long to visit. She had no idea how ill Shizuru had been.

"Are you all right, Eiji?" There came the greeting from the princess. Shizuru straightened herself, and Nao blinked at how one simple sitting position could look so painful for someone.

Shizuru took a deep breath in before smiling slightly. "It's very generous of you to… to pay me a visit today. To what do I owe this honor?"

Uneasiness rose in her chest. Nao got up to her feet and strode towards the screen, lifting it up and slipping to the other side of the room. She felt chill running down her spines as she crossed the line separating them. Slowly, she sat down next to Shizuru, and placed her hand over the older girl's forehead. Her eyes widened in alarm, her hand shot back to her chest. "You're burning!" From what she had heard, Shizuru was only mildly injured, far from a life-threatening condition. "You're unwell! You should be resting, Eiji! Why didn't you tell me?" Then, her own words resonated in her own head; Shizuru wouldn't have to stay up if it weren't for her 'unusual' visit.

It puzzled Nao to see Shizuru smiled wider. Although the crimson gaze appeared dull, a hint of mischief did briefly spark behind that veil of exhaustion.

Shizuru sighed softly. "I'm glad to see you here, Nao."

It touched Nao's heart whenever Shizuru spoke her name in such a casual, earnest tone, just like how they were when they were younger. No talk of marriage proposal, which was suggested by someone else, the idea followed obediently by Shizuru. No pressure of satisfying everyone around them but themselves. Even though during the past two years Shizuru had adopted and mastered her social mask (instructed and advised by Lord Masaru, surely), there had been a few times she would slip and be that friend Nao had grown to like.

Nao couldn't help but lazily shrug with an honest smile. "Well, I'm glad to see you, too. I really didn't know that your condition is serious. They didn't tell me much about it. I guess that they didn't want to worry me."

Shizuru raised her brows. "You would worry about me," she stressed as though in disbelief.

Nao rolled her eyes, leaning back a bit, relaxed in her post. "We're friends. It's perfectly fine for me to worry about you." The words slipped out so easily from her mouth. It sounded so natural. It should have been a relief on her part to get it out, making certain that their marriage plan had no future. However, for some unknown reason, she felt the strange disappointment when Shizuru nodded in agreement almost too quickly.

"Yes, you're right." Shizuru chortled.

Nao couldn't help but stare at her friend, mesmerized by Shizuru's perfectly sculpted face; the set of thick, dark eyelashes; the smooth, lovely curves of her lips; the straight, delicate nose; the mysterious, yet expressive eyes. How could a man possess such a rare beauty? How had her friend grown to be something totally different from what she had expected? She still recalled their specific meeting five years ago. Although it wasn't the first time she got to meet 'Fujino Eiji', but it was the first time they got to talk. She vividly recalled how thin, shy and awkward Shizuru had been among other boys. It had taken Nao a few hours to finally get Shizuru to speak to her. Nao had thought that the boy was eccentric, though somehow enchanted by his secretive, soft smile. They had grown much closer, but Shizuru would only be herself and relax whenever there were just the two of them.

Until the kiss happened about a week ago.

Nao found her thoughts slip into the unwelcomed territory. As she delved deeper into the land of unknown, she began to feel unsettled by the odd feelings in the pit of her stomach. Her body tensed up at the sensation. She tried to brush the thoughts away, but found it hard to achieve when Shizuru had abruptly turned and caught her gaze. "W—what—what are you looking at?" Nao stuttered in panic.

Shizuru's gaze dimmed. Her hand clutched at her chest as she breathed harder, her body slightly shivering. "I should keep my distance from you… for the time being. They'll certainly try again, and I wouldn't want any harms upon you."

The princess frowned at Shizuru's worries for her safety. It wasn't what she had expected at all. Instead, she felt a heavy pang of guilt as she thought that she was the true reason of this attack. Although Shizuru was a young, popular noble, she had never tried to extend her power over others in court; she never made enemies. In fact, for a charismatic, bright aristocrat like 'Eiji', it seemed as though that Shizuru had always tried to stay out of spotlight. The attack that night couldn't have sprung from any other reason but the marriage proposal itself. She thought grimly as she feared what the Takeda family might do next. If she prolonged her decision on the marriage, the longer time she'd put Shizuru's life in danger.

Nao sulked, her gaze determined. "That's nonsense. No one will dare to touch me. Besides, I can protect you." Really well, too.

Shizuru's gaze darkened, fears and uncertainties swimming in the crimson gaze.

"What are you afraid of?" Nao glowered at the older girl, her tone curt. She had no idea why she grew impatient all of a sudden. Or, perhaps, she had already grown impatient for the past few days. If this visit was to lessen the fire in her heart, it did exactly the opposite.

"I cannot risk your well-being."

"Do you deem me so important, or do you just not want to see me?"

"Don't be silly, Nao. Your safety must come first." Shizuru tried her best to suppress her cough, her fist hovering at her lips. "This… is really not a good time for us to meet. If something happens to you… like it did Keiko, I would never forgive myself."

Nao sat still, her gaze softened at the notion. She noted the beads of sweat trickle down Shizuru's ashen face, her lips almost purple. Before she could stop herself, she moved on her knees and pulled Shizuru into her arms. She gently guided Shizuru's head to rest against her arm, allowing her friend to lie down. Shizuru offered no resistance to her touch, shivering uncontrollably against her. As their bodies were pressed against each other, the sensation became raw and unnerving. It was totally unlike the usually reserved 'Eiji' she knew.

"You really need to go back to rest," Nao said, her voice hard with concern, full of authority.

Shizuru remained cocooned for a moment before glancing up at Nao, and the princess staggered at the sight. Shizuru cuddled, looking almost too comfortable in her post, her gaze dazed and murky. But, it was those eyes. How it looked honest and scared now; it was one of those rare chances to catch a glimpse of the truth behind that dark, hypnotic gaze.

They had known each other for several years. Nao had learned of Shizuru's quiet, secretive methods, while Shizuru had learned of her brash, untamed ways. She would climb past the walls and run off into the markets, knowing that Shizuru would somehow find her. Or, if she was lost, she would somehow find where Shizuru was, knowing where the older girl liked to hang out at. While she would break the rules whenever she wanted to, heedless of what the others might say, Shizuru would work her way around it and made the outcomes seem ordinary, its flaws slipped unnoticed. Even if their methods differed, Nao knew that their paths would always meet in the end.

Nao debated whether to call out for the maids or not, partly unsure if Shizuru would want to leave her embrace considering how comfortable she looked. In silence, she studied the delicate face below hers. The sun was setting, and Shizuru slowly blinked as her gaze drifted away in the soft evening light. Nao found her breath hitched in her throat. How could a man be so fragile—so beautiful? 'Eiji' was everything opposite to the man Nao had imagined to be her husband. Then, a simple truth dawned on her; she wasn't actually looking for a brave soul like Takeda Masashi, but she was magnetized by the enigmatic ways of 'Eiji' instead. It sucked her in. It drowned her. Such a weakness. Such a deadly trap.

Nao leaned down closer to the pale face, her gaze fixing upon the pair of lips only an inch below hers.

"We should not marry."

The whisper came, and Nao paused. Her embrace suddenly turned cold as those words registered in her mind.

Shizuru struggled out of the princess' hold and sat up again. She pinched the bridge of her nose, groaning a bit. Her gaze contemplative, she eventually turned to look at Nao. "You always talked of freedom, but I never really listened, did I? Now, I think… I think that I'm beginning to understand it." She offered the redhead a wide, genuine smile. "You've always been right, Nao, and what a fool I've been." She sighed happily in relief. "I would love to be your friend again, and there will be no more talk of marriage. I should have respected your wish long time ago, not pushing it upon you like I have. I've been very selfish, a terrible friend. For that, I am very sorry. Will you forgive me?"

Nao stared unblinking at the older girl. She couldn't quite believe what she was hearing. It felt as though she was slapped out of slumber, rudely kicked out of bed. Her dream was shattered by a killer smile even before she realized that she had a dream. "You…" Nao tried to find her voice. "You are not dying, are you?"

Shizuru chuckled. "I try not to."

"L—Lord Masaru is fine with this?" Nao quickly averted her gaze away from Shizuru. All of a sudden, she was afraid that her friend might see something that she had just begun to feel, the emotion she still didn't know how to hide it.

Shizuru feebly shook her head. "No, but don't worry about it. I'm doing this for us. We can do whatever we like now, just like you've always wanted."

"Oh—ah, right. Yes. Yes, of course." What am I saying? What have I always wanted? Nao absentmindedly wondered. What had led her to this? The marriage was supposed to happen, and she was supposed to hate the idea but somehow went through with it. This wasn't how she was supposed to feel. She didn't pay the visit today, expecting this to happen.

Shizuru leaned closer to the princess. "Nao?"

Nao jumped at their close proximity. "Yes, of course!"

"I thought that you'd be glad that we finally agree not to marry. Or, are you disappointed now?" Shizuru gave her a playful wink.

Nao felt the hurt in her chest to see how Shizuru tried to be gentle with her even though they both knew how hard it was for Shizuru to be up still. At the thought, Nao sprung up to her feet, her clenched fists hidden beneath several layers of her sleeves. Her action surely startled Shizuru, but she offered the widest smile at her friend. "Don't be absurd! We will celebrate like our old times. Of course, when you are well again."

Shizuru smiled. "I am looking forward to it."

Nao turned away, stalking towards the exit. "It's getting late. Get some rest, Eiji. I would like very much to have you healthy enough and go hunting with us next month. Takeda Masashi is getting on my nerves. I need you to be there to keep him away from me." She kept tone light and cheerful, while striding fast out of Shizuru's sight, not waiting for a response. She could catch a mumble in agreement behind her, but didn't dare to look back.

Aiko, Nao's maid, who had been waiting for her master by the exit, readily got up and followed.

Several maids of the Fujino Mansion bowed as Nao strode down the passageway. They, then, hurried towards the room where the princess had just left. Presumably, they were getting to help Shizuru back to her quarters.

What… what's this feeling? Nao panicked when her feet felt light, her knees wobbly, though she tried to keep her confident strides. She was perfectly healthy, and she believed that the meeting had been pleasant. One of her suitors had backed down; she should be celebrating for one less nuisance in her life. Before her thoughts would spiral down the perilous path—before she would turn around and run back to check on her friend, her feet came to a sudden halt when she saw a figure moving closer from the opposite direction.

Natsuki was approaching. The raven-haired woman was in a navy-colored kimono, her ponytail bouncing over her left shoulder. Her lustrous, green eyes were the first Nao had recognized from afar. In such simple clothes, the woman still shone under the darkening, peach-colored sky, her milky skin capturing the gleam of the last sunlight of the day. She didn't look like a static, untouchable beauty in the paintings, but a moving, raw beauty in the wild, so striking that one had to stop and look. Nao inwardly growled at the notion, refusing to understand why Shizuru had taken the woman in despite their difference in class.

Slightly out of breath, Natsuki only slowed down when she spotted Nao. Her face hardly knew how to hide her emotions, and she obviously wasn't delighted to see the princess.

Nao briefly glanced at Aiko. "Wait for me at the carriage."

With that, Aiko bowed and walked down the passageway.

Standing only a few feet apart, Nao stared at her fellow Protector. She couldn't tell why she disliked the fact that Natsuki was wandering around in the Fujino Mansion as a woman. It was now obvious that Shizuru tried to masquerade her toy as a man, trying to keep Natsuki away from other men's reach. How important Natsuki was to Shizuru?

"Yeah, hello to you, too." Natsuki broke the ice, and tried to pass.

Natsuki didn't mention the ambush that night, at least not here, and the feeling was mutual for both of them. But the ambush wasn't what they had stopped and stared at each other, and they both knew it.

"Where are you going?" Nao was fast to move to block the woman's way. She knew exactly where Natsuki was heading to, but for some very odd reason, she completely disapproved of the idea. As she asked the question, she found it hard to look into the green eyes, secretly fearing that she might have no absolute solution herself. Slowly, she realized herself losing the authority she had always possessed. What was happening to her that she couldn't even meet a commoner's eyes?

Natsuki took a step back from the princess. "I'm going to Sh—to Eiji. He needs to rest. He's been bothered enough for today."

"He has many maids to take care of him. What are you to him?" The question slipped through her lips before Nao could stop it.

"I'm a friend. Is that all, Your Royal Highness?"

Nao wouldn't budge. "If you want to pass, get on your knees and crawl."

Her fists clenched, Natsuki glared at Nao. "You are no princess. You're a thief. A murderer."

Nao chuckled. If she found something funny, she wasn't sure what. "You are not different from me now, Kuga. You stole. You killed. You helped us."

"You held me hostage. You held me prisoner for weeks! I did it only because I was forced to, but you did it because you wanted to."

Nao scoffed. "We did what was necessary."

"Enough with the lecture. I don't care about honor or glory. It's all bullshit." Natsuki pushed her way past the princess.

Nao, being of smaller stature, stumbled back a few steps, but swiftly gained her balance. She glowered at Natsuki's back. "You dress freely in this mansion."

Natsuki paused, raising her arms to inspect her clothes. "Yeah. So what?"

Arms across her chest, Nao forced out a smirk. "I wonder why Eiji tried to masquerade you around as a man."

"Oh, not this again. For whatever reason, it really is none of your business," Natsuki said, sighing in exasperation.

A hum escaped Nao's throat. "But it is only natural for me to want to know what my future husband is up to, considering all the dangerous things happening around him these days."

'Husband'. The word worked like magic. They both stood, unmoving. Nao's gaze was determined and intense, while Natsuki's wandered in confusions and uncertainties.

Natsuki was the first to look away. She stared into the distance as if her mind was clouded with heavy thoughts. "It's for my safety." Her answer came short, and Nao believed that there were more to it.

"But you are no longer safe. You are one of us, The Protectors."

Natsuki's brows twitched; she was clearly agitated now. "Yeah, go back to looting and killing. I don't really care what you believe in, or what you do. I just don't want to see your face now." With that, she strutted off.

But, Nao was quick to grab Natsuki's arm, sharply turning the woman around to face her. "Is that what you think? Does a peasant think so simply? Looting. Killing. Were that all you see? Kuga, you cannot escape your fate. No one can."

Natsuki took a moment to stabilize her feet and stared down at the smaller girl. "Neither can you. It doesn't matter if you're a princess or not, you can't win all the times. And these—" Natsuki scoffed as she studied the princess' several layers of clothes. She brushed her fingers over Nao's shoulder, causing the princess to back away in disgust. "You can't hide your true self beneath your fancy clothes. I can't. Eiji can't."

A frown came upon Nao's face. "What do you mean? What does he got to hide?"

Natsuki staggered for a moment before glancing the other way. "Everyone has a secret, don't they?"

"You seem to know him really well," Nao said through her gritted teeth.

Natsuki eventually let out a defeated sigh. "If… if you really want to know… I have no home and no money, so Shi—Eiji took me in. He's been very generous to me. He brought me to Kyoto, because he wanted to help me find my way back home. We were complete strangers to each other, I swear. There's nothing going on between us."

Nao inwardly stumbled at Natsuki's last words. Why would Natsuki suggest anything like that? She was certain that she didn't harbor any feeling for 'Eiji', but she just didn't want to be upset by a commoner. A princess had her honor.

"I'm stuck here, because I've got nowhere else to go. But you, Nao, go back to The Protectors. Maybe that's where you truly belong." Natsuki mildly shrugged. "Eiji wants to marry you, because his father tells him to. When he gets you, he will change. He'll become someone else. He doesn't love you." With that, Natsuki turned around and headed towards the direction of Shizuru's room.

This time, Nao had made no move to stop the woman. She just stood there, watching as the sky darkened, the air thickened and cold around her. No one had dared to talk to her this way. No one had ever dared to lay down the ugly truth before her. She couldn't outright deny Natsuki's statements; the woman was probably too careless to lie to her. Her face cold, her body trembled. While Shizuru's smile kept flashing in her mind, Natsuki's words thundered in her ears. She was a princess, but she felt her dignity destroyed by a commoner. Someone had taken her heart ransom. Someone had made a fool out of her, making her feel what she should not. Someone must pay.

---

Full moon adorned midnight sky. The wind was cool, but calm tonight.

In her black, tight attire, the lower half of her face was hidden behind the black veil. Nao was alone, standing atop the roof of the north wing of the Fujino Mansion. It wasn't a mission designed by The Protectors. It was driven purely by her rage to overcome all foes—to defeat her destiny. It was what she had been trying to achieve all through her years. No one could dictate where her life would lead. Only recently that her determination had been threatened by a weak heart, and she needed to stop it.

She got down to her knees and pulled out a slim, bamboo-made projectile. She put her lips at one end and blew it, sending the first dart into the neck of the guard standing in the yard below. She delivered the second dart at the other guard some distance away from the first. The poison worked quickly. In a short amount of time, both of the guards began to sway on their feet and fell flat on the ground, unconscious.

Nao glanced around one more time before leaping off the roof, somersaulted in midair and agilely landed on the plane of grass. She straightened up, and looked up at the room before her. Having the guards around was a giveaway; it must have been Shizuru's private room. However, she couldn't help but grimace at how inexperienced the guards seemed to be. She had expected more fun, a bloody event even. Glancing at the two prone forms on the grass, she shook her head in disapproval. These men wouldn't be able to protect Shizuru at all.

Fast and nimble like a mountain lion, Nao climbed over and rolled along the lifted passageway. Swiftly, she slid down to her knees, her hand softly pressed against the shoji door as she pressed her ear against the plane. Nothing. Not even a sound of breathing. It was strangely quiet. Carefully, she slid the doors open and entered. Once she was inside, she instantly slid the doors close. It had taken only a few moments to gain access to this room, and her heart grew heavy in worries that the security was shamefully inadequate.

Pulling out a knife from the tiny, ankle scabbard, Nao turned around to inspect the room, but suddenly frowned. The bedding was present, an untidy blanket pooled in the middle. It took her a moment for her eyes to adjust and realized that the room was actually empty.

Hmm. All of a sudden, she didn't want to particularly imagine where Shizuru was at the moment. In truth, she wasn't even sure what she was here for, but she just couldn't go to sleep without achieving anything; be it chaos or tragedy. She didn't want to see Shizuru again, that was for sure, but she wanted to get back at such a disgraceful rejection. No one could reject a princess.

This is stupid. Nao grumbled at herself. She shouldn't be here at all, risking being caught. To think of all the possible consequences to come if she were caught, she could imagine how furious Shou would be, not to mention the whole Imperial Court in chaos. Above all else, she didn't want to be humiliated by Mai; she just couldn't seem to get along with a peasant after all. But, one's social status should not be all they were. Being a princess herself, she had realized how nasty one could be even with the highest of ranks in society. It was all power and business, and integrity was something as foreign as a bottle of perfume from the mainland.

Nao put the knife back into the scabbard. Lazily, she moved around the room, inspecting Shizuru's belongings. Before her mind would return to delve around Shizuru's current whereabouts, Nao turned her attention to the cabinet. She wouldn't go back empty-handed, or she knew that it would be the longest, cruelest, sleepless night for her. Going through the clothes, she was certain that this was Shizuru's room, but she found it amusing that there were both men and women's clothes in the drawers and the wooden chests.

Nao paid no attention to the fallen pieces of clothes on the floor, and continued to ravage through the piles. Then, she suddenly halted. In the dark, her hand found a wooden box hidden beneath the piles of clothes, kept at the farthest corner of the cabinet. She grabbed it and pulled it out. Carefully, she opened the box and found a pair of bracelets sitting on the velvet, red cushion.

Nao's eyes widened at the marvel of the jewels. The carved bracelets were rich and heavy of gold, one adorning a ruby stone, the other an emerald one. Nao blinked in disbelief; these bracelets must have been the legendary pair of the Fujino family. It was said that the bracelets were given by a Chinese empress to a Fujino samurai, a token of their eternal love when they finally parted. The pair of bracelets were believed to pass down from generation to generation for at least two hundred years now. Nao just couldn't believe that the tale was real, and that Shizuru had the bracelets in possession. Did Shizuru prepare it for someone? For a princess? Certainly, a princess like her deserved nothing less, if not more.

Nao held the emerald bracelet up, studying every detail carved on it. She was drawn to this particular one, its color soothing her mind in this feverish night. She then gritted her teeth upon a realization. 'Eiji' was supposed to give her the bracelet when they married. They both were supposed to hold the bracelets until they gave them away to their firstborn son. But it wasn't going to happen now, was it? Shizuru had just rejected her like no one else had.

So this means nothing.

Nao put the bracelet on her left wrist. She slowly turned her wrist, scrutinizing as light reflected upon the gem. It was just another jewel—another treasure, wasn't it? The myth concerning the pair of bracelets was just a story created to heighten their importance. Nothing more. Nothing was real in this world.

Then, her breath caught in her throat. Her arm stiffened as she admired the gem's haunting beauty, enraptured by it. She just couldn't take her eyes away from it.

It is mine.