A long time ago, I promised the last two chapters would be uploaded at the same time and I'm doing that right now. Mostly because I thought this chapter was too short to upload on its own. I had a tiny writers block these months... it was horrible. Somehow I cured it by trying to write OC smut... (it's really bad though and I have never sinned that much before XD I don't think I'm going to upload that). Well, I hope you enjoy this chapter and the next one.

Hakuryuu was so silent. The fire had left him hurt, but he should be able to talk, right? He just didn't feel like it. No matter how many times I tried to talk to him, he never replied. His left eye was covered under a bandage, just like the rest of his left side. I knew that when he had healed completely, he would be just as scarred as I was, probably even more.

"Do you believe it?" I looked up, I was surprised to hear that soft, young, cracking voice.

"Believe what?" I had no idea what Hakuryuu was talking about. I hadn't expected him to suddenly start talking after weeks of silence.

"That mother would try to kill us." Ah, that. I wondered if I could tell the boy that his mother had killed his family. That she wasn't the woman he believed her to be. She was a witch, had sent a lovely girl to murder all of us and now sat on the throne once again. No one stopped her, there wasn't anyone around who could. Who would believe it if I'd say the empress was a murderer and that the emperor knew about it without doubt. He did agree on having more priests in the imperial court. They swarmed around, there wasn't a place where their ears didn't reach.

I didn't answer the boy. I stood up and walked to the door. I really couldn't tell him, his fragile heart would break.

"The emperor will speak for the public tomorrow. The entire imperial family will be present then. As your recovery is going well, they expect you to join them."

Before I left, I gave him one last look. We were both a mess and it wasn't my job to worsen it.

"Please get some rest. You will need it." I said and closed the door.

…

He was indeed there. As the youngest of the royal court Hakuryuu stood on the other side of the group, next to his mother. If I could, I would've taken the boy out of her hands and kept him by my side, but I couldn't. Kouen and I stood on the right side of emperor Koutoku. The other princes and princesses were present, behind us stood a line of priests. I felt trapped, but as the emperor had told me, I was lucky to be allowed to stand here. As I was married into the family I still held no power in the empire. I would have to fight for it and I was fine with that. I just wanted this speech to end. The spoken words would fly past me, all I focused on was Hakuryuu. His mother was so close, but she would never hurt the boy. That I had promised.

But when the speech had ended, I lost Hakuryuu. Kouen stayed to talk with his father and I had been forced to stay. By the time he was done, the priests had left and their witch had vanished as well. Together with her youngest son. I had failed to protect him for sure.

-at that time- -inside the palace-

The young child sat on the ground, he had fallen over. The priests were all around him, his mother with her everlasting smile of innocence stood before him. She looked as if nothing was wrong but the boy knew different. Things weren't right. His father was dead, his brothers had died in the fire. But his mother, she was still here. She was the only one he could trust. Or that was what his thoughts told him. He was nervous, intimidated by the priests that stood everywhere.

"Brother said you were the one who tried to kill us. But I don't believe him. Surely it was my uncle who wanted to become emperor…"

That smile never faded, kept on looking innocent. So innocent…

"Right… mother?"

Innocence that had never been there.

"Why aren't you denying it?"

His mother sat down. That smile of her started to scare the boy. It was always there, even when her oldest sons had died and she was going to marry the ugliest man of the empire. She always smiled.

"What if I said it was the truth? What would you do?" She touched his face and looked at his face of terror.

"Would you try to kill me with your own hands? Who are you going to ask for help? Hakuei? [Name]?" She took his hands. She still looked lovely, but the boy felt nothing but fear when he looked at her.

"Your sister won't believe you and [Name] has already left you for a different man. You have no one to go to." She kept on smiling, but the boy cried.

"You can do nothing and no one will be there to support you."

And the child took that as the truth.

…

"I'm giving you permission." I never expected those words to be such a blessing, but they were. Kouen said them during breakfast and finally returned my sword to me. He had kept it safe while I recovered, but he had been scared I would try to practice on my own if I held on to it. My fingers traced the hilt, it still held those nice memories inside. Some bad ones were engraved in it as well, but I hope to forget those.

"You are?" My face lit up.

"Yes, I want you to become strong again and fight by my side. You're safer by my side than alone in the palace." He answered me. I knew Kouen was right. The wars were still going on and as the first prince and general of the empire's forces, he had to leave me again soon. And with Gyokuen around, who I could only think of that she'd want to kill me, I wasn't safe anywhere.

"I guess you're right." I said and stared down at the food in front of me.

"Don't be afraid, I'll take good care of you. Prince Hakuyuu taught me how to fight and I shall pass it on to you." He shoved his chair back and stood up. "Just finish eating and meet me when you're ready." He walked away, into my direction. I heard his steps come to an end when he stood next to me. Felt his fingers run through the hair I had not tied it together yet. Softly, I felt him press a kiss on it.

"You look beautiful, I'm glad you're back to the old you."

He continued walking. I tried to hide the blush on my face, but I knew it was futile. So I clenched my sword in my hand tightly. I wouldn't love Kouen, I had told myself that. But I could protect the Kou empire, the place Hakuyuu and Hakuren had fought so hard for.

…

I walked through the hallways, I knew exactly where to go. As Kouen had told me to, I had eaten and then changed into some easy clothes. With my sword on my side I was prepared to spar once again. I deeply hoped my previous skill had not left me in those months.

When I almost reached my destination, I spotted the bandaged body of Hakuryuu walking in the opposite direction. As he spotted me, he bit his lower lip and looked away. I stopped in my tracks.

"Hakuryuu…" I said, "what's wrong?"

He shook his and wouldn't let his eyes meet mine. "It's nothing, you wouldn't understand anyway. You've already picked a side." I saw the tears for in his eyes as he said so. Before I knew it he ran away.

"Hakuryuu!" I reached out to him, but I could not stop him. Behind me I heard Kouen's voice calling out to me. The figure of the young boy disappeared as I turned to where Kouen's voice came from.

'I'm sorry Hakuryuu, but I need to be stronger so that I can protect you'