a/n: There might be a mix-up with this and the last chapter (I want to make sure no one is confused) SO!

** If you have not read chapter 35 (Ryoji's POV; takes place after Mitsukuni's wedding) please go ahead and read that first before reading this chapter! Thank you!

Otherwise, feel free to read on :)

Haruhi

I stormed out from my father's study after hearing most of his conversation with King Yoshio. I wasn't thinking very clearly, as the only thing on my mind was to see Kyouya.

How could he do that to me? How could my father keep such information from me? I was infuriated, and it was not only with him. I also could not believe that King Yoshio would think such a cruel and terrible thing of his own son. He did not deserve any of that. Had I known about the kind of situation Kyouya was in, I would have never acted so horribly. These past five years could have gone much more differently than it had...

My feet had been carrying me all over the palace. By the time I finally realized where I was, the doors to palace was standing tall before me. Just as I told the guards to open the doors for me, my father had appeared suddenly from behind and grabbed a hold of my upper arm, turning me around to look at him.

"Haruhi, wait! Please hear me out," he pleaded.

I could tell that my father was rather distraught. He never liked when I was mad at him, but I was more hurt than angry. "What else is there for you to say?" I snapped back.

"Haruhi, look. I know that you are upset but please understand—I never meant for this to happen—to keep things from you."

"Really?" I yanked my arm out of his grip and spoke sternly. "Then why did you never tell me? You had five years to say something. If I had known about this, the relationship between Kyouya and I would be drastically different then it is."

"I know, Haruhi. I realize that now and I'm sorry. I just thought that everything would turn out the way I had hoped. I don't know what happened back then to make matters become so difficult... I should have told you. I truly am sorry, sweetheart." Father gave me such a pained look, but I was just too upset with the whole situation. I had such wonderful news to tell him, too, but the only thing I wanted at that moment to was stop Kyouya's wedding.

"Father, I..." My voice trailed off. I started to feel conflicted again. So much so that tears were beginning to form.

My father lowered his head to study my face. "Haruhi? Is there something else that is bothering you?"

As a tear escaped and ran down my cheek, although I couldn't help but laugh in disbelief. I looked up to my father who now appeared very confused. "I can't let Kyouya get married. I want to stop him."

"And that's funny, how?"

"I just think it's kind of ironic, seeing how I just came back from meeting with Parliament about the marriage law."

"Y-you did what?" My father stuttered.

"I talked with Parliament earlier today. The meeting lasted almost three hours, but I finally... I got them to amend the marriage law."

Father looked at me, astonished and then he put his hands on my shoulders, pulling me into a hug. He didn't have a need to say anything nor did I have to explain exactly what I did. He could tell. Once he pulled away, I stared up at him and he had huge grin on his face. "I'm so happy for you, Haruhi. But what you did—it doesn't have to stop you from what you want. Your efforts affect generations to come."

Father smoothed my hair with his hand, "Your mother would be so proud of you."

I was so happy to hear my father say that. After all, I had the need to prove, not only to the world, but also to myself that I was my mother's daughter. Nothing would change that and nothing would change the fact that my father was a great King, despite his background.

"Quite an accomplishment, Princess Haruhi."

The all too familiar voice was coming from the staircase. King Yoshio was walking down to the foyer after Celia had led him there. My Father put a hand on my shoulder and walked forward a little. As if he were protecting me from the King. "King Yoshio, I don't think what my daughter does is any of your concern."

"I simply overheard a part of your conversation as I was making my way here to leave," he said calmly. "I thought it to be appropriate to acknowledge the Princess's, efforts as Parliament is more strict than I." King Yoshio stopped just a few feet away from where my father and I stood.

Just as my father was about to speak, I lightly touched his arm. He looked over at me and I stared back at him with a gentle smile. I was still angry at King Yoshio, but I couldn't let that show. "I appreciate your words, King Yoshio, and if I may say a few words of acknowledgment of my own?" King Yoshio narrowed his eyes very slightly which was followed by a weary nod of his head. "Although I cannot fully comprehend your reasoning, but as for whether I attend Prince Kyouya's wedding ceremony, that is not for you to decide."

King Yoshio's stared at me, keeping a straight face. "It was not my decision, Princess." He said almost smugly. "It was Kyouya's."

Fuyumi

It had been three days already and the level of stress and anxiety that was welling up inside of me was agonizing. I should have known that Father would be busy with Kyouya's wedding but I did not think he would so busy. I barely had the chance to meet him and I had to do it soon. Every time that I saw Kyouya, he looked more unsettled by the minute but he made no protests. Part of me understood that he had no choice but to obey Father, but... well, he also did a great job at acting just like the rest of this cold-hearted family. Too great, I might add.

I had run around the palace, searching for Father since the morning. I thought that I would be able to talk with him but I couldn't find him is his room. I happened to meet Emilio while walking out of Father's bedroom. "Oh, Emilio! Have you seen my father?"

"Oh my, Princess. You startled me," Emilio said on a wisp of breath, "but no. I have not seen His Highness since he went out earlier this morning."

"He went out? Where did he go?"

"To the Northern Kingdom so speak with the King. However, he did leave a while ago, Princess. I assume he should be returning relatively soon."

I smiled at Emilio and thanked him as I turned around back into the hallway. The moment that he mentioned the Northern Kingdom, I knew it could not bode well. I finally decided that it would be best to wait in my father's study. It was the one place everyone in the palace knew to look first if they needed to speak with him. I made my way to father's study and opened the door to the empty room. The room was exceptionally tidy and well organized—the way father kept it himself. I sat down in one of the upholstered chairs and waited roughly five minutes when I heard a voice come from the doorway. "Fuyumi, what are you doing here?"

I turned to look behind me and saw Father slowly walking into the room. He looked a little irritated but to anyone else, he didn't look any less menacing. "I need to speak with you. I have needed to speak with you for the past three days now actually, Father."

"You know very well how little time I have of late due to our preparations for Kyouya's wedding tomorrow." Father walked around his desk and sat down in his chair. "Be quick with what you have to say."

I sat up in my chair as I folded my hands neatly on top of my lap. I stared straight into the eyes of my father. "Isn't it true that all of your actions up until now, are only fueled by your unreasonable hatred for King Ryoji?" Father was silent. He only stared at me with furrowed brows. I continued, "You planned this all out from the moment King Ryoji told about how he wanted Kyouya and Princess Haruhi to marry. Not only were you able to toy with the King's hopes, you manipulated Kyouya as well, knowing that he could not disobey you because he still has hope that he could be crowned."

Father raised a hand to forehead and lightly rubbed at the skin a small circular motion. "There is only nonsense that is spoken everywhere I go," he said in a low voice. He then lowered his hand. "Why is it that you are constantly taking the side against your own family? What is the basis to your claims?"

I scoffed. "You have to be kidding, Father!" I unfolded my hands and crossed my arms across my chest. "The only 'side' I am taking is Kyouya's, but that does not matter. You did not answer my question. I would like to hear the truth."

"All of my actions are made to merit the well-being of this kingdom. As such, I do not see the collaboration of the Northern Kingdom as an asset. Therefore-"

"You're lying." I spoke sternly. "What you said is proof enough of the hatred you bear! Why can you not just admit that the reason you hate King Ryoji so much is because he was able to move on from the late Queen Kotoko's death, when you were not able to move on from mother's!"

"Enough!" Father shot up from his chair, slapping his hands on the desk as he shouted at me. I flinched at the his outburst. It was rare to ever hear him raise his voice like that. "I've had enough, Fuyumi."

"Well I am just getting started. I will not stop until you end this charade. You could learn so much from King Ryoji and... you need to let Kyouya do whatever he pleases."

"Why is Kyouya relevant?" Father regained his composure.

"This whole wicked little plan of yours revolves around King Ryoji as much as it does to Kyouya. You could toy with the King as much as you could give and take away the hope from Kyouya." I spoke as I was putting all of my understandings together, much like puzzle pieces. "You are jealous of the King's ability to rule and be well-respected by his Kingdom despite his background and his wife's death... and..." I trailed off because I had to think for a moment. Why was Father hard on Kyouya? "A couple of months after Kyouya was born, mother became ill and there was nothing we could do to treat her."

Both Father and I were quiet until I stared back at Father I saw a look on his face that I had not seen in years. For once, he broke his coldness, his thick skin that sheltered his emotions softened when he looked at me with his sad eyes. "I told your mother to stay in bed... to rest as to not speed up the process of her illness." Father had sat back down and nestled his face into his hands. He looked like he was in so much pain.

Although it was vague, I could recall those memories. Father was always worried he would lose mother after we all found out she was ill. I walked over to Father, I felt sorry for him but the way he handled everything was childish and he needed to put himself at peace. "Mother didn't listen to you because she needed to take care of Kyouya. She... she was just being a good mother! Father you can't blame Kyouya or mother for her passing."

"I know that but... I'm not King Ryoji." Father muttered in a low voice. "I can't just ignore her death and be happy about it!"

"Do you think that that's how King Ryoji saw it as?" I asked. "King Ryoji puts on a smile because he needed to be strong for Princess Haruhi and the people of North who were taking the late Queen's death much worse than him. That's one of his strengths and what makes him a wonderful King."

"Fuyumi..." Father turned to me. He no longer looked upset and had returned to all his serious expressions. "Leave me be."

"But Father! You can't let Kyouya get married tomorrow! If anything that I have said has really gotten through to you, the least you could do to make things right is to stop this wedding."

Father said nothing more. He didn't even look at me. I bit my bottom lip to stop myself from crying out. I made my way to the door silently and closed it behind when I got into the hallway. A few tears had escaped my eyes when I heard another voice call out my name. I looked up to see Yuuichi standing in front of me. I hurriedly wiped my cheeks and smiled at him. "Hello, Yuuichi."

"Fuyumi, why are you crying?" He asked, straight to the point. Before I got a word in, he spoke again. "You talked with Father, correct? Did he not listen?"

I paused for a moment before shaking my head. "No, he did, but I don't know whether I got through to him." I tried to force another smile and I bowed to Yuuichi. "I'm sorry but please excuse me." I rose from my bow and unexpectedly, Yuuichi placed a hand on my shoulder. Then he flashed a small gentle smile.

"Let me speak with him," and with that, Yuuichi opened the door to Father's study and walked inside.

a/n: Hello again! So sorry for, the 2/3? month-ish absence. I was really busy with my summer course pretty much since I last updated. But I'm finally done and now I can focus on finishing this bad boy up! :) I hope that you liked this chapter and I am 95% sure that the next chapter will be the last. Possibility of an epilogue type chapter is also in the 80-90% range.

Thank you so much for your support, reviews, and everything! I look forward to hearing from you all again!

-Bliss