Sakuno woke up and sat down slowly, the long red hair falling over her naked body. She silently watched Ryoma finishing to get dress. The sun was not even completely up yet and her heart was awfully painful.

"You are leaving already?" her quiet voice called his attention and he looked at her.

"I am sorry. Did I wake you?" he got close to his wife and caressed her face. "Go back to sleep. It is very early still."

The princess lowered her eyes, not being able to look at him.

"Please, be safe, Ryoma. Take good care of yourself."

He hugged her gently, caressing her hair.

"Do not make such a face, wife. I will be all right."

Ryoma touched her chin and made her look at him, showing her a small smile.

"I need you to be all right as well."

She felt tears invading the scarlet eyes, but she was able to hold them back.

The demon lord touched his wife's belly and his voice was very sweet.

"I will be away for a while, Ai. Continue to be safe and growing properly inside your mother. Make her eat and sleep a lot."

Sakuno smiled at his words.

"I have something for you, wife." He pulled a black thin collar from a pocket of his kimono and showed it to her on the palm of his hand. The pendant was a sharp canine tooth."

"What is it?"

"One of my fangs, of course."

"Eh?!" she was horrified. "Why did you do that?! Are you all right?!"

"I am just fine." He smiled, showing there was no bleeding and his canines were on the exact same place.

"But…" she was confused.

"It grew back immediately." He smiled.

"Didn't it hurt?" she cupped his face.

"Not at all." He put the collar around her neck. "I want you to keep a piece of me."

"Onis tolkiens of affection are weird." He chuckled at her words. But his wife held his fang and pressed it on her chest. "I will treasure it forever. Thank you, Ryoma."

He kissed his wife so gently, it made her heart tight. His thumb caressed her cheek and the golden eyes were filled with love.

"Behave yourself. I will see you soon."

################

Ryoma took a deep breath, looking around the wreckages of the burned castle. Only some structures made of bricks and iron resisted.

"What a horrible sight." Ryuu said. He had visited the place sometimes before.

"At least Kaguya's green house was not affected. Otherwise, we wouldn't have any medication." Suichirou's voice was quiet and sad.

His whole body was taken by anger. That was the home of the oni kings and queens for many generations. It was the place his mother grown up, the place he lived all his life as well. Sometimes, after work, returning to his chambers late at night, he imagined his daughter growing up on the hallways and gardens of that ancient place.

All the beautiful clothes he had bought his wife, the bed were they loved each other, his books, his mother's notes and the manuscripts with many information about the youkai country. Everything was completely gone.

"Son." Nanjirou was by his side, with a worried look.

"Tou-san. Are you all right?"

"I am fine. And you?"

"I lost my home and my pregnant wife almost lost our child because of this." He had a terrible expression on. "I am pissed."

"Let's go to my place. You traveled a long way; you are probably hungry and tired." The older oni said, gently, before looking at Ryuu and Shuichirou as well. "You two. Come with us."

##########

"So, how is Sakuno-chan? Is the baby still at risk?" Nanjirouh asked, after pouring some tea to his son. Ryoma had written him, telling about what happened.

"Not at all. Kaguya said that she will be probably out of bed rest in a month. It is just to be safe."

"That is good." He looked at Ryuu. The tengu was eating silently. "Thank you for coming here with my son, Ryuu-san. You even left your new brides."

"You should not thank me, my lord." He said, seriously. "It is an honor to be here and be useful to Ryoma-sama at such time."

"How about you, Shuichirou?" Nanjirouh looked at the young human, worried. "Are you well?"

"I will be fine when we find out who is the culprit of such horrible act." His whole body was tense with anger. "The palace has been my home as well, for many years now. I feel deeply ashamed, as a human, for what happened."

"Do not, Shuichirou." Ryoma looked at him. "You are the reason everyone is safe."

"So, what are you going to do now, son?"

"We are going to the human country first thing in the morning, reuniting with the human lords."

"Are you sure is wise going to their territory? After everything that happened."

"It is the interest of the human lords peace remains, Tou-san. If they try anything, I will destroy their capital completely." He said, his fangs showing.

############

"Hime-sama, it is time for dinner." Syuusuke smiled at her, after entering her chambers.

"Thank you, Syuusuke-san." She smiled back.

"Ryuu-san sent a crow. He said they arrived safely and are staying with Nanjirouh-sama."

"Ah, that is good! How about your sisters? Are they well with their husband gone?"

"They are just fine." He smiled, getting close to held her stand from the bed. "They are going to make up for the lost time when he returns. I feel sorry for him, though. Ryuu-san is probably going to die out of exhaustion."

Sakuno giggled with his words before she sat down by the short table.

"How about you, my lady?" Syuusuke asked, concerned. "How are you with all these things happening?"

"I am trying not to think much about it; otherwise I will never stop crying." She smiled, sadly, placing her hands over her belly. "I need to be strong for Ai. Kaguya-san told me the baby can feel the mother's sadness or happiness, so I want her to only feel good things."

"Sakuno-sama…"

"I cannot give Ryoma any more problems as well." She pulled the fang from inside her clothes and held it dearly. "I need to be a strong queen."

"Hime-sama!" the kitsune sat in front of her, the blue eyes wide in absolute surprise. "This thing on your neck!"

"Ryoma gave it to me before he left. It is one of his fangs."

"Do you know what it means, my lady?!"

"He told me he wanted a piece of him with me. Isn't that so?"

"Oh, Sakuno-sama, is much more than that! When an oni give one of his fangs to someone, it is a tolkien of a everlasting bond! Ryoma-sama gave you a proof of forever love!"

"Eh?! He did not say anything like that!"

Syuusuke chuckled.

"He is very smooth, our lord."

"Oh, Ryoma." She smiled to herself, holding the pendant with both hands, feeling extremely happy for such a gift.