Disclaimer: I don't own Akame Ga Kill, certainty not. Aside from that, I believe we can all agree that Tatsumi belongs exclusively to Esdeath. (Yes, I was ordered to write that.)

Not too long now kids, not long before we reach the moment everyone's been waitin' patiently for.

Speaking of which, sorry for the long wait! The world's, as of writing, going to hell but bare through it!

Before Tatsumi knew it. They'd be only one more day before what was left of Night Raid, were scheduled to depart from the Empire's territory. He was scheduled to leave today himself. The days had gone slow, but quick at the same time.

Everyone was busy as usual, packing their belongings and training together in the fields near the Cabin. Inori was at the Capital, she had written a letter to one of her relatives, about her journey to Wakkou in hopes they wouldn't seek them out, and risk imprisonment due to their involvement with Night Raid.

Tatsumi had not slept the night prior, purposefully keeping it off as he had begun to experience a horrible horrific recurring dream that never failed to shake him to his core.

The dream was simplistic in its imagery, with a deeper complex meaning to it all the same.

Tatsumi was stood, in an empty bleak void of absolute darkness, it's only light source came from the muted light shining from the many glowing chains that surrounded Tyrant. Trapped, completely helpless, Tatsumi was forced to watch as the Danger-Beast writhed and thrashed.

In its efforts to escape, the chains only grew in number to suppress the beast and bind it down. Soon, it'd stop trying to muster an escape all-together and simply allow it's imprisonment to continue.

Tatsumi almost felt sorry for the dangerous beast that had tried to devour him, and it wasn't until he saw who were holding the chains, in that he realized what the dream actually meant to tell him.

Because of the fact the only person alive, that could restrain a beast such as the Tyrant and refuse to let it loose, was the Green-Eyed Assassin. So it was only fitting that Tatsumi saw faceless versions of himself holding unto the chains that kept the Dragon passive.

Tyrant could not talk, but it'd be fairly obvious to Tatsumi that if it could, then it would be hurling insults and demeaning words to the boy for his role in its imprisonment. Completely unaware that Esdeath was the true culprit in Tyrant's failure to control the boy, by giving him training that allowed his body to overcome the enduring dragon's influence and eventually, overpower it.

With each awakening after the recurring dream, Tatsumi began to understand more of the Tyrant's situation. Soon, he was fully aware of what was happening in his body through it, the dreams were not natural but instead, they were simply the Tyrant's last cries of rage as he was absorbed into Tatsumi. Tyrant could no longer control him anymore. In fact, he had been doing the same to the beast and would continue doing so.

It'd make perfect sense, for as soon as he was allowed to evolve during the battle for Fallhaven's fate, Tyrant had trapped itself.

No longer would Tatsumi have to plead for more power.

No longer would he be weak, or frail.

His body was the same as the dragon's own, but maintaining it's human shape.

As long as he did not lose himself and his mind.

Despite this, Tatsumi was firmly convinced that he was still human. They'd be no reason to believe otherwise, he looked and felt human. He did not spout horns, or talons like expected of a dragon or like he was warned he would if he kept pushing his luck. So he was human, in mind and body.

It wasn't the Tyrant's torture that stopped Tatsumi from falling asleep, eventually with enough trips to the dream world, his sympathy well soon ran dry and he no longer pitied the creature's predicament in the slightest. No emotion was felt.

Instead, he felt like laughing at it for its weakness, a sensation that shook him further.

It was when the dream changed, and soon, it was him in the chains instead. Naked and exposed. Nailed to the wall, by the palms and wrapped almost lovingly in sharp barbed wire that mockingly resembled bloomed blue roses.

His captor.

Did it need to be said?

Was Esdeath, many Esdeath's, in fact. Nude, like himself. All wearing insane maddened expressions as they watched him with eager, lustful eyes that bore into him. Tatsumi would be suspended in the air against a block of ice during his agony and caressed by the numerous Ice Queens around him. Hungrily lapping at the dripping blood that was produced from his struggles against the barb, touching him without pause.

Stroking his abs, his stomach, dragging their tongues roughly across each of his cheeks and his pectoral muscles. Whenever Tatsumi tried to scream to be released, no sound came out, and his vain struggles were always dismissively ignored by them along with the growing frightened expression on his face.

He'd wake up, after what felt like forever.

With each venture into the dream world, the intensity of their shared passion grew and did not stop. The barb's constriction, firmer and less lax. Their gentle eerie caresses, now violent powerful squeezing and possessive pulling.

They were fighting over him, each refusing to let the others that surrounded him, be apart of the show. Violence soon erupted at the eclipse of their jealously, their hands shifted, moulded, into blades and a crimson garden of madness unfolded. Each stabbing the other with a crazed expression before absorbing them inside themselves, this horrific continued until there were only one left of the original twelve that had been.

The glorious victor.

The last one, disturbingly proud of herself and caked in the blood of her sisters, partook of him. A feminine hand pressed over the mouth that could not scream. Riding him on his length, midst the blood that flowed from his chest. Her motions, violent and uncontrolled.

Feral, even. It soon stopped, Tatsumi's body almost torn apart by the wires and the phantom of Esdeath wore an ecstatic expression. Even as she forced her hands inside herself at the navel, and began searching deeply inside. They'd be no blood, whatsoever. Esdeath's hands seemingly phasing through herself like sand without any injury to be seen, the only indication that she was hurt during this, was the heavy restrained pants she made.

Akin to labour.

Childbirth.

When it was over. Esdeath slowly pulled a perfectly normal newborn child, tiny strands of blue hair on their head, eyes closed and safely wrapped in white cloth from the abyss that she had tirelessly searched through. Holding it lovingly, and with an expression that could not be any happier than it was now or would ever be. When the mother was done, admiring what she had brought into the world, she held the baby up to its father and wordlessly urged him to hold it in his arms with a loving gaze.

But he was trapped in his prison, he could not move. He could not hold his child, the child brought into the dream world. Even as the infant silently reached for him, wanting to be held, Tatsumi couldn't.

His struggles, futile and wasteful.

Only causing more blood to be spilt.

It was at this point, Tatsumi's voice, his scream of pain, broke through the silence it had been masked with. Yelling in a combination of anguish, enraged annoyance and pain. Pulling himself loose of the barbed wire, and into the two before him.

He suddenly fell straight through them as his arms moved to embrace the two of them at once, in his rush to be together with them, even with the knowledge that his body would be torn into pieces by the razor-wire. Self-destructive love. His acute shock was only matched by the hopeless quickness of his downfall descend into the void below him.

That's why Tatsumi refused to sleep, he was innately afraid that if he fell back asleep, then he'd simply be falling again.

And he had fallen enough.

In sharp contrast with his recent fallings, Tatsumi had risen up drastically. Now he was almost recovered, his body felt better than ever. Having adapted and increased its durability, evolved once more. Cheated death.

And now that Tatsumi had the knowledge that he was the one in control of his fate, not Tyrant. He felt infinitely better about his future ahead, if he kept going as he was, Akame wouldn't even be needed to defeat Esdeath.

The future wouldn't repeat itself. He'd change it, and take back control of his life.

Giddy almost, that's what he felt.

Even as he knew that he could not properly honour the wishes of his fallen comrades, Tatsumi vowed to not let sadness overtake him. If it did, they'd be no way back. He wasn't perfect, or the idealistic hero that people originally viewed him as. He was flawed, he could make mistakes and already had done. He knew that.

But what counted as a mistake was largely up to the individual, Tatsumi feared if Esdeath was able to twist his mind further then soon, he would not count the things that he would be forced to do in her name as mistakes, errors and tragedies.

It wasn't entirely Esdeath's fault, she had only begun to twist his mind, at the moment they first met.

Minus the incident with the Three Beasts on the Emperor's Cruise Ship, and that of Seryu. She was largely uninvolved in his life, the tragedy of his two friends and their sad fates. So rightly, Tatsumi had the sense to not place all of the blame on herself.

Tatsumi breathed out, dressed and packed up. He stepped towards his closed door, only to pause when he heard footsteps. It was Leone, as hinted by his senses. A piece of paper was quickly slid under his doorway and then she fled from the scene, with haste. Dumbstruck, Tatsumi kneeled down and picked the folded piece of paper up, and opened it slowly.

Wave had slid a similar message under his doorway, three days ago, asking him to meet up so they could talk in private. When the talk came, Wave sheepishly asked Tatsumi if they could work together on the boat.

Tatsumi happily agreed, unaware that Wave originally requested the meeting to explain the fate of Makoto, backing out at the last minute since he knew that Tatsumi held great love for his son, and would be crushed by the news, not to mention angry.

He had been strong-armed by Akame and Leone to do this, neither wishing to shoulder the burden to do it themselves, especially Leone.

As explained by the letter. It asked Tatsumi to meet her at the sole aged tree, on the hilltop near the Cabin and its lake.

An oddly romantic spot, for a chat, Tatsumi thought.

Either way, he wouldn't turn down a chance to talk with Leone. The days that weren't spent in bed, were spent, drinking with Leone and working with the others to prepare for the departure. Tatsumi was to leave today, so he had to ensure everyone else was ready to leave before he was, since he was travelling alone to the Capital. Breaks included, and on foot, if he couldn't acquire transportation.

It'd take roughly three days time.

Whilst they had a much longer journey ahead of them.

It'd have been a short hour-long trip if he had been successful with Incursio.

Tatsumi had previously activated it out on the plains, when he felt recovered enough, intending to test his ability with flight, in hopes that he could cut the journey's lengthy duration into pieces. No success was had, as mentioned, whenever he tried to summon wings on his back.

Incursio refused as if it was afraid that if wings were spouted, then would be taken from its host again in the same violent way.

Tatsumi couldn't blame it, honestly. He was pretty afraid himself of the way Esdeath had torn them away, in a crazed fury.

So the reason why they weren't appearing now, was pretty understandable. He'd have to make the trip on foot, it'd seem. Charitable souls existed in the Empire, but he knew that charity only went so far in the Empire, one day they were putting you up with lodgings, only to try and drug your food for whatever sick practices they desired. It was ironic, that one of the only people that had been earnest and kind in their ways, had been Esdeath.

Kind as possible, in her case.

Tatsumi changed his clothes and got dressed in clean pairs. He had his bags ready, prepared and packed at the side of his bed. Aside from spare clothes, he had basic medical supplies and food rations to eat for the trip, money too. He knew that if he wanted to quickly make his way to the Capital, he wouldn't be able to stop for any reason, like working part-time to fund his journey.

Tatsumi had to be smart about this, nobody could be allowed to stand in his way.

Suiting himself up, tying the laces on his boots. Tatsumi strapped Incursio unto his back and made way for the hilltop. He'd eat first, and wash his face before meeting with Leone, but he wouldn't keep her waiting for him. That wasn't very polite.


Six days earlier.

The Imperial Palace, inside one of its many ornate dining halls. Esdeath sat alone, cutting and chewing away at meat steaks with a mild manner about herself. Using some of the most expensive silverware in the entire Capital, but she did not care for that.

Or that the leather weaved into the seat she sat upon, had been tirelessly crafted to perfection. She had spent more mind, carefully cutting the vegetables on Makoto's plate into tiny piece portions and doing the same with the cuts of beef, too.

Even now. Whilst alone. Esdeath asked for three plates of food to be cooked and delivered, child portions suitable for a boy of Makoto's age, for the third plate. She had not enjoyed the days that had passed since Fallhaven.

Whenever she wasn't working in the interests of the Empire and the Imperial Capital, she slept or kept herself in isolation. Everywhere reminded herself of the happy life she had led before, so she preferred to dwell in the unconsciousness of sleep instead, only to arise haunted by dreams of bitter yearning.

Painful yearning.

To relieve her pain, Esdeath took to tidying Makoto's room, every day before she slept for the night. In the mornings, she would make it messy again.

Go about her day, and forget and convince herself that she had not been the one to bring it to such a state of ruin, only to happily clean it up once more before bed. Every now and then, she'd catch herself heading to her rooms, at seven PM instead of the usual eight PM, that she opted to sleep.

Makoto's bedtime was eight PM, sharp. Unless, the following day was one where he could do as he wanted, usually at the weekend, in which he was allowed to stay up with his parents until nine came, but whenever Esdeath called her boys from their places to their quarters at seven. Meant two things for the two of them.

For Tatsumi, it meant that Esdeath was feeling very frisky, and wanted to partake of him intimately early so that they had plenty of time for fun, excitement and then rest.

For Makoto, it'd meant that he was to have a bath overseen by his Mother. Esdeath usually let Makoto bathe himself, but they'd be times that she had helped him by applying shampoo and the like, carefully pouring water over him.

Makoto complained at first, but he was eventually brought around to it, enjoying the comfort the bath and the comfort his Mother brought with her kind words of maternal love.

Lifting herself up, and concluding her noontime meal. Esdeath placed a hand to her hip and used the other to gently stroke her stomach. It wasn't of the food she had eaten, it was delicious, she had to admit.

But it was because the life that would soon be held there, for today was the day that she discovered the beginning of Tatsumi's legend and his life at Matsura village, every last piece of information regarding him would be taken for herself.

She would shake the Village's Elder for everything that he knew of her mate, to properly aid in her future ventures as a parent and as his doting wife.

Or he'd be explaining everything he knew in the Torture Chambers instead.

Of course, if he was willing to cooperate without any resistance. He'd be spared such a gruesome fate and greatly rewarded for his information. Esdeath wasn't stupid, she knew how much the village meant to Tatsumi considering he had thrown himself into her arms in hopes of providing for it.

But even so, Esdeath could not deny that she didn't feel somewhat jealous and hateful over Tatsumi's single-minded dedication in ensuring the village's people did not starve when she deemed that his dedication should be better spent on herself and the children they were going to have.

From what Esdeath had managed to learn, Tatsumi was sent away from his village to the Imperial Capital accompanied by two other individuals, as some form of human labour sacrifice. Even if Esdeath was thankful for this, she did not like it one bit.

Despite the fact, Tatsumi had willingly accepted this fate and made his way to the Capital without duress, for him to live his life in complete acceptance of servitude when he was destined to lead instead, was unacceptable.

To serve another that was not herself? An entire people, you say?

Laughable, just plain wrong.

To correct this, Esdeath intended to remove the issue of Tatsumi's village from the playing field entirely, to make way for their wedding preparations together to take centre stage. She would lift Tatsumi's village permanently from the depths of poverty, and depending on what she discovered there.

Maybe even arrange for a few additions that would surely attract new settlers, if Tatsumi was made aware of his village's success and it's thriving society, then he would surely fall deeper in love with the woman responsible for it, the woman that yearned for him.

Who simply wanted him happy, and oh, his children too.

At that note, Esdeath had played with the idea of crafting a little modest house retreat at the village for her own affairs and whims. Which notably included, making snow angels with Tatsumi and their infants. Unfairly beating him in the snowball fights they had together.

She would be excited for such things since she could not introduce Tatsumi to her childhood home, due to its destruction at the hands of a rival tribe, it would be one of the rare few moments that Esdeath allowed Tatsumi to dwell on the past.

Because Esdeath simply intended to use Tatsumi's childhood residence as the heritage site for the Partas Family, ensuring that every descendant and child of theirs, knew of its importance. And why it must be protected, maintained and looked after. It would be her gift to him, out of love, ensuring that his village never met an end, only flourished as time moved on.

But for now. There was work to be done, and she would not rest until everything was back to how it was before.

"Great General, Matsura Village is directly ahead of us! We'll be there, within' the minute's time!" The Carriage driver beckoned loudly, holding the reins of the horses pulling the decorative carriage along the road into the Northern Village.

They'd be closely followed by two other carriages, one designed for comfort and transport, like the Ice Queen's own and the other holding essential supplies and goods from the Imperial Capital as gifts.

Above all else, Esdeath did not want to be seen as somebody to be feared by the residents of Matsura Village, instead, she intended for herself to be viewed as a saviour from the cold to their eyes. A goddess, who held the key over life and death above their heads.

She wasn't entirely selfish, nor did she intend to take every last ounce of their given devotion for herself. Tatsumi and Makoto would be seen as respective Gods to revere with praise, too.

Tatsumi, especially.

She intended to let every last soul in the village, know their wealth and livelihood came from Tatsumi and his service to herself.

And that, just as long as Tatsumi did as he was bid, they would be safe, protected and looked after.

They were Tatsumi's people after all, and since she owned Tatsumi, hers as well. Tatsumi's little kingdom. Since that was so, it meant the same as it always did. Total protection, regardless of the enemy they faced. Be it hunger or illness, she would ensure they were not wiped out as they would be without any support from the Empire, or her deep pockets.

The carriage entered the gates of Matsura Village, Esdeath soon stepped out of the carriage's doorway, as the step ladder was lowered by her retinue and the door pulled out on cue. As she did not feel the cold, Esdeath's attire did not change at all, wearing her usual dangerously seductive uniform that swayed many an eye.

The same could not be said for her men, who wore outfits lined with fur across them.

Much like the one, Tatsumi had worn on his departure from the village itself.

As expected, Esdeath's first welcomer was the Village Elder. Also known as, Mr Matsura to his village peers, Tatsumi's defacto guardian during the boy's upbringing in the Northern Village. And quite unsurprisingly, the very one that Esdeath wanted to speak with.

The man was a head shorter than Esdeath, roughly Tatsumi's size and stature. His hat was accompanied by the symbol of the Religion of the Path of Peace, which was now entirely under the control of the Empire since the Lord of it had committed suicide upon the Revolutionary Army's defeat at Fallhaven, out of grief and sadness.

Locking his hazel eyes with the Ice Queen's cold orbs, the Elder in his early 60s, spoke up for the first time. "Salutations, Great General. I trust your journey through the mountains has found you well, hm?"

"Mhm."

"It has, it's been a long time since I've come this far out, but I am no stranger to these parts, Elder." Esdeath proudly stated, brushing aside some of her hair amidst a confident scoff. "Although, I deeply regret that I didn't venture this far out, as a little girl... I might've found my treasure early."

The Elder looked confused at her statement but brushed it off. He assumed the woman simply meant the Village itself, and the people in it. He wasn't stupid, surprisingly well informed about the affairs of the Imperial Capital, has been able to gain some insight into it from the various guardsmen that had been stationed by the Great General herself.

Sadly, they had also told him of the sickening ways that Esdeath operated and how she was.

To say that the Elder had a profoundly positive outlook on her, wouldn't be close to the truth, but he couldn't deny that they wouldn't have lasted without her as a benefactor for support either. He attributed that to Tatsumi, Sayo and Leyasu's actions, completely unaware that Tatsumi was the only person that had successfully enlisted into the Imperial Military.

But not by choice, mind you. By a forced hand.

"Let us speak inside my office, Great General." The Elder huffed, eager to get this over with. He needed to learn how the three were doing quickly, with haste. "You are surely tired from your trip, you can take inventory of the village's state of being once we've hashed the details out of your sudden visit."

"You needn't rush, Mr Matsura. But if you insist, I'll hasten things along appropriately." Esdeath clapped her hands, drawing the attention of her gathered legion that stood behind herself in wait.

Breathing cold air from their mufflers. "Start unloading the supplies, at once, everyone. Deliver what we've brought to their respective places, work hard to ensure everything is done by the time I leave the Town Hall."

"Treat the locals with the utmost respect, within' reason that is, but they are as much your sworn ally as the man standing beside you." Esdeath continued, turning away from the Elder entirely and to the men standing in front of her.

"Anyone caught abusing their authority, for whatever unsavoury purpose, will see the awful things that occur to the human body when it is subject to the harsh cold conditions of the Northern Climate that I love so much..."

She paused, Esdeath kneeled down and scooped a bundle of snow into the palm of her hands. Carefully sculpting it into a perfect ball of snow, a snowball. Paying way more attention to it, until she moved to finish her words, which was when Esdeath brought her head up to the eyesight of the waiting men. Crushing the ball of snow when she began to speak again.

"Minus warm clothes, and then lastly made to run laps around the town square at the dead of night as punishment until I deem the lesson learnt." With that, Esdeath clapped her hands and directed her men to get to work with a motion of the head.

Turning right back around to the Elder who had just seen the Ice Queen's way of enforcing the chain of command, Esdeath noticed the Elder had in fact vanished from his spot and instead was already making his way to the door to the Town Hall in the distance, his footsteps showing such.

"Cheeky old geezer, aren't you?" Esdeath stated quietly, dumbstruck even, but way more amused than angry with the brazenness of his brave action.


In the Town Hall.

"Take a seat, Great General. I do not wish to delay." The Elder was already sat down, Esdeath took her seat at the office table, seconds later as well. "I trust, as you lead the entirety of the Imperial Military now. You know the wellness of my chosen three, the brave young souls that set out to the Capital to save us."

"That's quite a generous number you say, but I only know one." Esdeath corrected, leaning back and folding her arms tightly. "And that is Mr Part... Uhm, do excuse me, Mr Matsura, Major Tatsumi Matsura of the Imperial Military, serving me, Great General Esdeath Partas."

She didn't want to give that away just yet, and she almost had. Slipping up way too soon would ruin all of the fun seeing his expression change when she revealed the news, Esdeath thought.

She had almost addressed Tatsumi in the name he would take when wed in marriage to herself joyously, currently, he shared the name of the Elder and it wouldn't be so unusual to spot the two as Father and Son in that same margin.

"There is only one, Tatsumi you say? What of little Sayo, she's alright, isn't she? And Ieyasu, too? I-I, they made it, right?" The Elder began visibly breaking down in grief when he slowly but surely realized by the stone-cold expression on Esdeath's plain bemused face, she honestly had no clue what he was talking about, or more accurately, who he was talking about.

"I do believe I have some idea of who you mean, my good Elder. Major Matsura has quite a number of dead friends, you know." Seeing as she had personally killed some of them, Esdeath knew this well, but she had never killed any by those names, least that she knew of. "I'd give you the name of the last one that I killed myself, but then, I'd have to kill you, you see."

A burst of girlish laughter was had, lasting seconds before stopping entirely.

The Elder stayed quiet, his eyes closed and his teeth bared in sadness. Then, he opened them and his expression became calm once more. Unlike Tatsumi, he could control his feelings and emotions to a T. He couldn't think of the two that had passed, Mr. Matsura had to focus on the matter of Tatsumi, the one that he could still help. "...That won't be necessary, thank you."

"Very good, but now you see... Tatsumi is the only reason why you people continue to exist, and why I haven't enslaved this tiny small village of yours and thrown every work-capable man into the Empire's labour mines to pay back what you owe in taxes."

"The women would've likely been forced into sexual slavery, give or take. Children, orphanages, obviously." Brushing her nails against her chest-pocket, Esdeath weighed the reality of their lives over the Elder's head, but she didn't stop there. "Of course, as it's elected official, you'd be the responsible party."

"Everyone would blame you, your lacklustre leadership and in the end, everything that you had worked so hard to accomplish would've been for nothing." Taking slight sadistic pleasure in her words, she halted when she noticed the Elder wasn't responding to any of this in a way that she felt was enjoyable.

"Despite my reservations for it, and trust me, I haven't forgiven myself for sending him away to this very day. Your words, however, only go to show my point of sending Tatsumi over to the Empire wasn't a mistake." The Elder grinned at this, experiencing a tremendous amount of pride in Tatsumi, something that ticked the Ice Queen off profoundly. "It is what saved this tiny, small village of the fact that you outlined. My legacy is secured."

"So it is, so it is." Esdeath coldly stated, repeating herself for added effect. "Tell me, you mentioned that Tatsumi has risen to the rank of Major, is that so? That's unexpected, it's only been two years since he left, I only expected him to reach a... Notably lower rank than that, in that time frame."

"Ieyasu was the ambitious one, not him." He added, with a huff.

"Ohh, I can assure you, my good man. Tatsumi's done more than enough to warrant that specific promotion in my Military, within' the short time span that you say."

"Let me just clarify between you and me... His enlisted service provides such wonderful pleasurable benefits and especially exciting experiences that I simply cannot refuse giving him a good reward when he's a good boy." In their privacy, Esdeath stretched for a moment and then continued in her lusting words.

Knowing she had the Elder, very literally, dead to rights. She did not care what she said, during or after their meeting, whatsoever. Not only that, but she also figured that as Tatsumi's parental guardian for most of his life, he would have to be made aware of the intimate nature of their relationship, one way or another.

So she picked gloating to be the delivery method.

"A good boy, that just knows where I like to be touched, squeezed and groped and how, for that matter." Holding the side of her head in bliss, Esdeath peered to the window, to gaze at the falling snow as she was largely unaware of the horrified expression on the Elder's face. "You should have seen the face I made, the thoughts swirling in my head, when Tatsumi mustered the courage to spank me on the rear for the first time, I slapped him across the face for that... But deep down, I felt so good."

"You're... You're..."

"Hm?" Esdeath was pulled from her daydreams, by force. "Do you have something to say, to add, esteemed Elder?"

"You're..." He stammered, for the third time.

"You're sexually extorting him, aren't you, to satisfy your own perverse lust?! Is-Is there no end to your vile practices?! Even for somebody like you, he's just a boy!"

"...A boy!" He cried out, shouting now.

"A horrific abuse of power against a boy that would do anything for his people, that's what you're doing right now and you're doing it with a smile on your face, too!" Shaking his head in disbelief. It was too sick to be real, Esdeath was everything that he stood against.

"I can tell by the sick look in your eyes, the eyes of a sadist...!" The Elder continued to shout, immediately forcing Esdeath's seriousness to present itself. The Elder was sadly uninformed of the deeper intimate details that she would've clued in for if she had been allowed the chance. Namely, the love they shared.

He, at this very moment in time, merely assumed that Esdeath was holding the fate of his village over Tatsumi's head, and not only using him for his amazing abilities but sexually extorting him for the aid that she provided for his village. Abusing her position as his superior to get what she wanted, from the lesser subordinate.

Although to be fair to him, he wasn't entirely incorrect in his thoughts.

But he had assumed Esdeath, in terms of how she treated those she slept with, so one person, and just one person, were the same as Nouken's behaviour in bed without any notable distinction. Not only that, but he also figured that Tatsumi's numerical value was somewhere in the double digits, that he wasn't anything special to Esdeath. Just a cute boy, that she could play around with, only to get bored and pass on.

If that happened, Tatsumi would lose everything that she had given him. Including assistance with the Village's taxes, this would not stand.

The Elder did not want to live, on borrowed time, knowing that Tatsumi endured unspeakable events that would scar him for life. All for them.

Only to be thrown away, when the sadistic bitch in front of him got tired of his body, his skills found only to find somebody she deemed better. Of course, as shown by Esdeath's insane obsessive love, the likelihood of that happening was literally 0000%. Regardless, the Elder did not know that. He, like Tatsumi, refused to believe that for their sanity.

"Tatsumi doesn't belong with you, you can't do as you please with him!" He urged.

"Give him back, we'll do whatever it takes to repay the debt." He pleaded.

"You can find a lad like him, anywhere in the world, but he's important to us, to me!" Begged.

"We'll give you back what you've given us, just return Tatsumi to his home...!" Demanded.

The Ice Queen was eerily silent, motionless even.

To him, this was a form of sadistic limbo. To wait for the end, the day where the Imperial Soldiers that defended them, began robbing them of what they had been given. Medicine soon to be stolen from their cabinets, food thrown to the floor when tables were overturned in a struggle.

Chaos, the Elder did not feel right about giving hope to his people, when he knew it could easily be taken away from them without a second thought.

If he gave back what she had given them now, least they could make a start at repaying her rather than start later when they had no chance of ever successfully repaying their debt. But for the Village Elder. He'd willingly take the hatred of those that depended on him, for the sake of Tatsumi.

Refusing to be slandered anymore, Esdeath slammed a hand violently down on the table, to the point, it'd snap into two. Pieces of wood flew everywhere, from the explosion of pieces. Nobody was harmed, least, Esdeath hadn't intended to harm him.

She had use for him, but she would not tolerate being thought badly of by somebody that she wanted to cooperative with. Somebody who's opinion, she'd be forced to acknowledge and respect. Being Tatsumi's parental guardian, he'd be a wellspring of information of her love, she could not bully him into submission for the crime of speaking up, as she could with anyone else but that didn't mean she would just turn the other cheek when she was spoken badly of. "...That's enough out of you, exercise some silence, it's my turn to talk now."

"And you best listen, to single every word that I say, do you understand me, Mr Matsura?"

"Do you?" She pressed hard with vengeance in her words.

"I don't play games with my wants, especially when it comes to the question of, who, Mr Matsura."

"So, if I find that you continue to be so grossly misinformed about the finer points of my professional and, most importantly, my unprofessional relationship with the strikingly handsome Major in my service, then I will bury you so goddamn deep in the thick snow that surrounds your little village, that your people won't even be able to find you."

"The search parties they send out, will never be able to find you."

"Do you hear me when I say this? They'll never find your body. Or even what remains of it, not even the wolves." Esdeath's left eye twitched sharply, then her entire body did the same. It soon stopped, but Esdeath was not finished.

She kicked away what remained of the desk, and slowly walked over to the Elder. Looming over him, ominously. The hollowness in Esdeath's heart made itself known once more, that is until she was distracted by something inside one of the drawers of the broken desk.

A gleaming picture frame, reflecting from the sun's beams passing through the nearby window.

Almost blindingly.

"Hm, now what do we have here...?" Esdeath, curious at heart. Didn't suspect the Elder to have any family of his own, he seemed very workaholic and she was right about that, the thing is, he had a very justifiable reason for his willingness to abandon the needs of his village for Tatsumi alone.

"No, leave that alone! Don't you dare touch it, I said, leave it alone!"

In all honesty, Esdeath had merely picked the frame up, so that she could see if there were any way she could use it against the Elder. Perhaps it'd be her turn to extort him instead, using his relatives to trap him to her whims. And then she realized, looking at the frame.

Surprisingly, it was a photograph. The first photograph that she had seen, that contained colours, no sign of grayscale. A photograph of a newborn Tatsumi, his Mother holding him lovingly and his proud Father.

The Village Elder. Mr Matsura.

Tatsumi, very clearly got his looks from his Mother.

A broken crooked smile immediately fixed itself on Esdeath's face, at the very sight of this, tears welled up and soon flowed powerfully. She fell faint, and her hands almost let the frame drop the floor. When it slipped, she gasped loudly and obsessively reached for it.

Missing it by a hairsbreadth, Esdeath fell with it, collapsing into the woodpile and then scooped it into her arms to cushion it during its fall and impact to prevent a crack in the frame's glass.

"I'vegotyou. I'vegotyou. I'vegotyou. I'vegotyou." Pulling herself to her knees, Esdeath pressed the handheld frame into her chest and rocked herself back then forwards repeatedly. Maddeningly repeating the words she spoke, endlessly, in the tone that was used to comfort a sleepy baby. Now she knew the reason for the Elder's outburst, and why he had thought the worst of what she had seemingly been doing with Tatsumi.

He was her Future Father-in-Law.

And most importantly, Makoto's Grandfather. Tatsumi's Father.

He was family, her family.

"This is MINE," Esdeath growled, loud and animalistic enough to cause the Elder to convulsive in frantic primal fear. Very clearly, reduced to basic instincts by the revelation she had just discovered. "You are mine, everything in this region is mine, and it will all be mine."

Rising up, Esdeath began taking apart the picture frame, upon examining the condition of the photograph's state. It was suitable, once done, Esdeath made a thin needle of sorts with the power of the Ice Demon Extract and hollowed out, exactly where the face of Tatsumi's Mother was.

Soon, removing it entirely to the frantic cries of the Village Elder. When she was done, Esdeath planted a very deep kiss to where Tatsumi would be on the photograph. "I am the only Mommy you need, Tatsumi. There is no role that I won't take up, for you, my love."

"She is no longer required, I will not allow her to let your mind wander away. Her time is over before it began." The Village Elder was horrified by this, suddenly realizing that Tatsumi's connection with this, insane, disturbed woman wasn't something as simple as a sexual partner but something way more, in fact, he would've likely preferred it to have just been that instead. For she had just neatly cut out the face of his wife and kissed the photograph in such a devoted manner that wasn't achievable by a normal sane human being.

Regaining herself, and finally, ridding the emptiness that she felt. Esdeath slid the photograph in between her cleavage with a delighted smile and extended a hand to the Village Elder. Kind, and polite.

Lifting him up, seconds later when he accepted the hand, by instinct alone. "If only you had told me sooner, we could have avoided this mess, and not only that, I would have provided the means to turn this humble town of yours into a city already."

"But let's not get ahead of ourselves, or too swallowed up in the past." For the first time in her life, Esdeath bowed respectfully to somebody that was not of the Imperial Leadership that she was expected to behave around, not the Emperor or Budo but to a simple Village Chief. "I am Miss Esdeath Partas, proud heiress to the tribal Beast hunting clan of Partas in the Northern Regions. Great General of the Empire and it's Military and your son, Tatsumi Matsura of Matsura Village's, Wife to be."

"He is my Fiance, and I am his Fiancee. I intend to birth, many healthy happy children between us, you will have no shortage of Grandchildren, that is my promise to you."

"But I expect you to put aside your duties as Village Chief for them and their happiness, I will elect a replacement out of your number with your recommendations."

"A.. Replacement? Fiancee? My Wife... I can't..." Eyes wide, mouth agape.

"You leave today for the Capital when I do, pack your things. You live in the Imperial Palace now, until I purchase a suitably fitting residence that will cater to our family's needs, everything will be provided for you."

"You will want for nothing at all, so forget this sad life that you know." Adjusting her gloves, Esdeath raised a hand up, one last time. "And if you've got anything, such as photo albums and the like, that depict Tatsumi in their pages, I want first rights to them."

"Especially duplicate copies, every last piece. I will reward you handsomely for whatever you bring me."

"I will state, however, that you are to keep quiet about the matter of Tatsumi's Mother." Jealously, not even trying to be hidden as she spoke, Esdeath acted as if this was a perfectly reasonable thing to ask a Father that had kept his relation to his child, secretive from their very birth.

"Your wife, so to speak."

"Yes, my Wife." He repeated unamused with gritted teeth.

"She's a nuisance, as pretty as she may have been in life. She has no place in Tatsumi's own life anymore, and that's how it will be, now and forever."

"...I understand. Crystal clear." He choked, pained by a broken sunken heart.

"Oh, I knew we'd get along together." She swooned, taking the photograph, straight out of the space in between her breasts to dreamily smile at it once more. "To be a good sport, I'll do you a favour. A piece of advice, you may want to give Tatsumi a brother sooner rather than later, by the way."

The Elder became confused, immediately voicing his thoughts on that.

"Why is that, I am sixty-four years of age, I have no intention of having any more children at my age." Shaking his head firmly, the Village Elder kicked a few pieces of wood across the floor into neater positions to avoid a bad fall, later on, trying to weigh his options now that he knew the full reality of the situation.

Did Tatsumi really consent to any of this, for them? He had to admit, not even he could argue against the choice that his son had made, even if it came at a great moral cost, he'd be saving the entire village and countless people for years to come!

"Well, you see. He'll be taking my name when we marry, so the Matsura name may fade away unless you've got some illegitimate children hiding the walls... You need not worry yourself about finding a suitable partner. A vast number of women are easily swayed by the promise of security and the lifestyle that I can provide." Trailing off. Esdeath had only a few more things to discuss with the Village Elder in-depth, of course, now that she knew of his, of their connection, she had even bigger plans to plan for. She was largely fortunate, however.

Due to their blood-relation with Tatsumi, she would be able to trust him in the care of her children, when she did not have time to stay in their presence for the duration that she yearned to be in, perfectly fine with using him as a pseudo-babysitter if it'd her life and Tatsumi's life easier.

Esdeath hadn't forgiven him, for callously abandoning Tatsumi at birth, for whatever mysterious reason that he had.

Therefore, she intended to milk him for all of the guilt that she could, instilling the notion that since he couldn't be there for Tatsumi, they'd still be time for him to be able to find redemption if he was there for his grandchildren instead.

Children that would have unconditional love for their Grandfather and would not hold any grudge against him, for what he had done to their Father. All information of it would be suppressed by the Ice Queen, as the Elder had done himself.

In turn, regardless of his thoughts on Esdeath and the crimes she had committed, he'd be instinctually obligated to love them wholeheartedly.

And like with Tatsumi.

This was exactly, as she had planned for.


The present-day, Tatsumi had finally arrived at the aforementioned hilltop, ready to see what Leone wanted.

He had passed by, and paid his respects to the makeshift gravestone Wave had constructed for his fallen comrade, Ran of the Jaegers. Having convinced Kurome to release him from her sword's curse, they had been no corpse to bury for Ran simply faded away from his cursed unlife in a dispersing black mist, Wave, however, felt relieved when he heard the words from his friend's mouth as they were released.

"Thank you."

Wave had buried Ran's Teigu inside a wooden box, too. Acting as the last reminder that Ran was alive, Wave originally wanted to keep the Teigu for emergencies, but something supernatural pulled him away from it and persuaded him to simply leave it be to serve as a body in place of Ran's own.

Tatsumi didn't spend long at Ran's gravesite.

He wasn't in a rush, but Tatsumi just wanted to begin making tracks to the Capital before it became dark, the goodbyes had already been said. Not as heartfelt as he wanted or expected but that's what he had to accept. Looking around, Leone was nowhere to be seen, so Tatsumi simply opted to sit by the tree's tall trunk.

"She calls me out here and doesn't even bother to show up... The nerve on that woman." Tatsumi scoffed, closing his eyes to rest them. Drifting off mildly, only to be sprung awake by the sound of somebody landing from a tall height, it was Leone. Shaking his alertness off, Tatsumi lifted himself back up and shook his head to throw the hair away from his eyes. It was now reaching his upper back, he hadn't cut it during his month coma, he'd have to tie it up soon else it'd just get persistently in the way of his vision.

"Heh, sorry bout' that! Did I keep you waiting, huh? Lionelle sometimes makes me want to nap up on trees, Boss used to tell me that was because it's in my instincts to avoid predators." Leone teased, leaning down with a mocking grin on her face.

Her hands fixed to her hips, Tatsumi scoffed once more and raised his hands in the air to shrug apathetically. As much as he wanted to talk with Leone, Tatsumi wasn't here to just be teased and prodded at verbally. "Listen, just tell me why you asked me to come all this way out here, first. Then you can mock and tease me, all you freakin' want, alright?"

"Wellll... How're you feelin' first? I ain't gonna spill the beans, if I know you're gonna die of a heart attack when I say what's on my mind, ya know." Leone, clearly not emotionally prepared for what she had spent the past two weeks preparing herself to say, prolonged the conversation and only invited a snide remark from Tatsumi when he picked up on that. "Better than ever. Recently, I've discovered whenever I get destroyed, annihilated, crushed into the ground beneath my feet and all other manners of various bodily harm, I get stronger than I was previously."

"Provided I survive it, of course. It's a pretty damn useful gimmick, and it's not gettin' old anytime soon." Tatsumi grinned, wiping his brow a bit. Smug as he had been, for a very long time. Insanely smug, even. "So, you've got your fancy trees, which is impressed and all that. I've got the innate ability to pull the middle finger on any goddamn motherfucker that I want, get beaten into crap for that and then get back up..."

"AND DO IT ALL AGAIN!" Tatsumi practically yelled and roared that last part, shocking himself deeply and Leone too, for that matter.

They both stood dumbstruck, Tatsumi breathed out and then breathed in. Trying to slow the fast rate of his heart, and calm himself down.

"I'm starting to believe that I just may have a slight mental problem, that's bad. Very bad, oh, so bad." Tatsumi thought, yet once again, he didn't feel as bad as he would've normally about his outburst.

Not embarrassed or shocked to his core. Just stunned and surprised. Leone, however, wasn't horrified at this, in fact, her reaction would be way more akin to being turned on by it than scared. Tatsumi's words had made perfect sense, it explained why she suddenly felt so attracted and irresistibly drawn to him.

He wasn't just a young naive boy anymore, he was a man and a growing one, at that.

Of course, like Esdeath herself, the base of Leone's feelings were pure true love. They weren't single-mindedly driven by the desire to capitalize on Tatsumi's increased strength, that was simply just a wonderful added bonus to the collection of wonderful concepts that made up Tatsumi.

She couldn't help but notice that he had gotten way more handsome, too. He was still cute, but now that was largely overshadowed by his mature features.

"Y'know, Tatsumi." Leone began, stepping closer to Tatsumi without any fear in her expression, just a kind smile.

"Normally, I'd be pretty shocked by that lil' outburst of yours, but you've been through a lot. We all have. There's no wonder that you need to let off some steam." Tatsumi's eyes widened, then looked away from Leone's face.

Unable to look her in the eyes, she didn't like this. Immediately pulling his head right back towards hers, in a way that was so very similar to Esdeath's own. She was right up close to him now, their chests were inches away. "I'm here, if you need me, Tatsumi."

"...I know that! Of course, I know that!" Tatsumi sheepishly laughed, leaning back and Leone just leaned closer until her breasts were pushing against him. "Uhm, aha. You're a bit close. You're aware of that, right?"

"I am, why wouldn't I be? I let you go once, Tatsumi. I'm not letting you go again." Leone pressed, immediately wrapping her left leg around Tatsumi's own to force him close, any attempt to unravel their union would cause him to fall over on his backside. "Hey, what do you mean, big sis?"

"What I mean is, you idiot. Is that I love you, so damn much and I want you to be with me. Forever, Tatsumi." The revelation would've blown Tatsumi away to his feet if Leone wasn't currently holding him tight.

Now Leone's arms came unto Tatsumi's shoulders, near his neck, to ensure that they held their gaze. He had literally just come out of one relationship, Tatsumi was no prepared to begin another so soon. Out of polite principle, and the primal fear of what his previous sadistic lover would do to Leone if she caught wind of their relationship.

Which wasn't completely unjustified, when you think back to what she did to Mine.

"Listen, I..."

It wasn't that Leone wasn't attractive, she was drop-dead gorgeous and stacked as hell. Only Esdeath was her superior in those departments, not to mention that she had the mature womanly charm that made Tatsumi's hairs stand up, along with something else for that matter but despite that, Tatsumi couldn't stomach it. If things were different, then Tatsumi wouldn't even consider turning down somebody such as Leone. He was well aware that she wanted the very best for him, no strings attached.

Which is why it made what he was about to say, all that more painful.

"Leone, I-" Tatsumi moved to speak, Leone cut him off before he even began properly. She had suspected Tatsumi's hesitant behaviour to her proposal, having already decided on using force to get what she wanted, Leone grabbed him strongly by his shoulders and tripped him up with the leg that she had held him in place with.

Pushing him down, and placing a hand over his mouth to prevent him from screaming vocalizing distress. If the others came, this wouldn't be something she could explain easily, or did she want to for that matter. "Listen, stay quiet...! Just shut up for a sec, Tatsumi. Hear me out, and listen!"

"I know you like me, and I like you, I really like you."

As ordered, Tatsumi did not struggle against Leone, simply laying on the soft grass beneath him. "But you've changed, and it's that bitch back at the Capital's doing, you know it. I'll admit, I kinda like this bad boy you, Tatsumi..."

"Mhhhmmhm-Hmhh?" Tatsumi expressed, against the firm hand on his mouth. Translated: "I'm not that bad, am I?"

Leone ignored Tatsumi's muffled vocalizations, trying to press her point forcefully. "I won't allow it to continue, because if you get really bad, then I won't be able to recognize you anymore."

The Lioness took a deep sigh, then smiled bitterly to herself, mostly but also to the man that she loved so much. The man she was currently assaulting and holding down in place, even if Tatsumi had the strength to knock her away with ease, without Incursio.

He was her willing prisoner. Tatsumi refused to lay a hand on Leone, with the intent to harm. When she was pouring her very heart out to him. "But I'll still love you, I'd still love you and I've accepted that. That's why I can't accept you being with somebody so evil, somebody who just doesn't deserve you."

"I threw my arm over you, the other day when we were drinking together and you went white, pale as a ghost." Indeed, even when he was safe around in Night Raid's presence, Tatsumi's body still kept the memory of Esdeath's touch in its mind, and how she would lay her hands on him without any forward notice.

It wasn't that he was afraid of Esdeath's advances, but when your respective partner constantly alternated between passionately loving and passionately violent with you, they'd only be so much that you could take before your body began trying to work into developing defence mechanisms on the fly against such unexpected scenarios.

As shown by his outburst, Tyrant was changing more than Tatsumi's body, but shifting his emotions and unlocking the restraints he had placed them.

"You never did that before, Tatsumi. You were never scared of me, and I ca-" Leone continued, but Tatsumi had heard enough. Lifting his arm, Tatsumi gently removed the hand over his mouth, taking Leone's wrist to do so.

She did not pull against him, showing that she did not have the strength to truly keep him down, unlike Esdeath. In sharp contrast to Leone's own expression, Tatsumi's face was a confident smile, when he had time to show it after being smothered for minutes.

"It's not you that I'm afraid of, you know that. I'm afraid of myself, of her and for you, Leone." Tatsumi confessed, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "You see, your feelings aren't unrequited as you think they are, you're a beautiful woman and I wish I could be the one that finally gives you what you deserve."

"No, no more, don't say anymore." Leone urged, pleading with Tatsumi, trying to hold back tears and everything she had locked away.

"...If things had been different, I would have gladly been that man. But I can't now, I'm in too deep..." At that, Leone lost it. Throwing her hands at Tatsumi's head, the right took firm hold of the boy's wavy hair and bundled it up as tight as possible, with the other pushing him straight into her. Leone forced her lips onto Tatsumi's own, heeding the primal call that she had felt inside herself.

Relief beyond description was felt, but it was an innocent kiss. No tongue, or aggressive motions from either party. Until the first five seconds of the kiss had passed, that's when things started to heat up between them.

The suddenness of the kiss had awakened something inside Tatsumi as well, much like how he had trained himself to say "I love you" to Esdeath, on command and without any delay in his delivery, to avoid invoking the insecure woman's wrath. He had trained himself to kiss as she wanted, as well.

Aside from when she wanted to be gentle with him, practically all of Esdeath's given kisses were forceful, exploring and intense.

Light pecks were unheard of.

Tatsumi's mind simply relapsed, mistakenly believing Leone to be Esdeath in that very moment. It did not play games with chance and luck, Tatsumi's trained senses would not risk acting hesitant for the sake of a quick double-check and to be rewarded for that hesitance with a slap upside of the head. Sadly, which is why, when Leone moved back for another kiss to affirm her love. Tatsumi immediately returned fire, sliding his tongue into Leone's mouth, only to be rewarded with the same with added primal fury from the Lioness.

Like usual, Tatsumi's eyes were closed. As were Leone's own, as the passion between them grew, they began rolling and tossing on the hilltop together. They fell with the incline and separated away from each other when the rolling pace was picked up.

Due to the suddenness of this, Tatsumi and Leone just began laughing happily together as they were thrown on there backs. The sun was shining brightly down on them, and the sky was blue without a grey cloud above to be seen.

Leone was giggling currently because she believed that Tatsumi had been able to let go of Esdeath, as shown by his willingness to kiss her that strongly. With so much passion. Tragically unaware of the fact that Tatsumi had just been acting on instinct, regardless of his existing attraction to the beautiful Leone. He would not be able to betray Esdeath in the intimate sense.

The tyrant had already instilled the same bestial values that Esdeath and Leone held close into the boy's mind, causing his body to identify Esdeath as it's mate and lover and Esdeath had hard-wired Tatsumi with the sense of dread that came with the risk he'd be taking when it came to seeing other women that were not herself.

A minute passed.

Tatsumi himself had been laughing, mainly because he knew how fucked he'd be if Esdeath ever leant of this but it wasn't all that bad. Tatsumi had no intention of allowing himself to be taken back as the woman's lover.

It'd simply just be a secret that he would have to take to the grave, which wasn't that bad either. Tatsumi sat up, and Leone noticing this, did the same. When she moved to get closer, Tatsumi stood up and turned away. Surprising her greatly.

"..."

"I best get going, it'll be dark soon," Tatsumi noted, rolling his shoulders. Unable to see the dumbstruck expression fall on the Lioness's face. "What do you mean, you're coming with us, aren't you? That kiss-"

"I didn't... I can't, I can't come with you." Tatsumi turned around and lowered his head. His hair covering his eyes, allowing him the strength to break Leone's heart for what he deemed to be her own good. "You see how Akame looks at me, Leone. Like I'm not even human anymore, all because I threw in with Esdeath, trying to do right by you and the Revolution in the shadows."

"Tch... It's..."

"It's like apart of her believes, that I enjoyed being knocked around by her. That I derived some sick satisfaction in being used and abused by her." Tatsumi sighed, but he wouldn't be ready to stop his words now. He needed to get this off from his chest and to give Leone a straight answer to why he couldn't come with them.

He took the manner of Leone's feelings seriously, no enjoyment would be had in destroying Leone's dreams of love. "If Akame was able to forgive me, and herself. Then maybe I'd be willing to come with you, willing love you earnestly but Makoto's still out there, likely with Esdeath right now."

"I can't leave that boy alone with her."

"I have a responsibility to see this through to the end, for him, Leone." With that, Tatsumi looked up and gave one last smile of farewell to his friend, turning away slowly to walk back to the Cabin. He would be gone from the Cabin within' the hour's time.

Beginning his long journey back to the Capital to embrace his fate, deciding that running away from it, would only wound his pride and hurt more innocents in turn. Tatsumi would gladly run away from Esdeath, but he would not run from Makoto. His legacy.

Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit, Leone thought.

She recalled what Wave had said to them. When they asked if he had given Tatsumi, the news about Makoto's fate.

Wave had merely said that he had done so, but Tatsumi wanted to be left alone and that bringing it up around him was ill-advised. Unaware that Wave was said this, because he could not find it in him to properly tell Tatsumi what had happened, due to his role in it. Fearing his best friend's wrath, knowing that if he had received such news himself and were stood in front of the persons in responsible for it, then he'd be rightly angry as well.

Very angry.

Wave's assumption of Tatsumi's anger would be right on the money. Wave, however, was completely oblivious to the fact that if Tatsumi had learnt of Makoto's horrible fate in the ruins of Fallhaven, then hell on Earth would've been unleashed at that very moment. He'd be dead, and everything else within' the immediate radius of the Cabin and it's surrounding forests would be, for lack of a better descriptive word.

Nuked to shit.

Leone, in the end. Just sighed heavily, and walked up the hilltop to the tree to nap some more. A defeated expression fixed to her face, she had lost Tatsumi once more. Unable to muster the power to take him for herself and unable to betray his trust by resorting to unethical tactics either. She was the moral victor over Esdeath, but the woman had still beaten her overall.

They would be safe in Wakkoku, able to sleep and rest without worry, but Leone would have to live with the knowledge that Tatsumi was back in the Ice Queen's clutches, even if Tatsumi did not intend to be reclaimed entirely.

Least they'd be that, Leone thought.

She was a persistent creature, yet was wise enough to know when folding the cards in your hand was the right choice to make.

But make no mistake, Leone intended to learn in Wakkoku as well and when she met Esdeath on the battlefield again. Nothing would be able to stop Leone from clawing the Ice Queen's eyes out after gouging them and making a mess of the woman's face for good measure. Watching Tatsumi leave from the top of the tree, Leone's eyes widened in shock. Tatsumi hadn't noticed it himself but the youth's shadow no longer resembled the body that it was being cast against by the sun's rays, instead, it'd resemble Incursio, or Incursio's evolved form.

Complete with horns, too.

When Leone did a double check on Tatsumi, she noticed that he had gone relatively unchanged.

A sense of overwhelming dread overcame her and worry grew in her heart, what even was Tatsumi anymore?


Esdeath's time at Matsura Village had ended, but she had acquired so much in her time here. A new member of her growing family, for instance. The ultimate trump card in securing Tatsumi's loyalty, his very own father. Not only that, but she had attained the location that she would pick as the heritage site for the Partas Family.

Fittingly in the North, too.

All that would be required, were to locate a suitable mansion of her liking in the Capital and then renovating it accordingly to suit her needs. Thanks to the Nobles that had supported Budo being executed in mass, they'd be plenty of vacant lots that she could search through until she found the right one.

She intended to bring her attendants along with her to live in the servant quarters, as well, with the Three Beasts acting as the Praetorian Guard against threats and thieves. Esdeath had everything planned out, and when she didn't, she was able to plan on the fly too.

Tatsumi's Father was currently having his belongings loaded into the spare carriage, Esdeath already had any of Tatsumi's possessions that were left behind, loaded into her own under her supervision. The Elder would be ready to leave, once everything was carefully packed away.

But they were something that she needed to do before she herself could leave the region. Near the deep crevices, on the tall peaks surrounding Matsura Village, one silent beautifully decorated grave stood. The lack of snow on it, was all that Esdeath needed to know that it had been visited recently.

She had come to pay her respects to the woman that had brought Tatsumi into the world, and by extension, into her arms. Mixed feelings swirled inside the Ice Queen's heart.

Gratitude and fiery envy, but she dismissed them so that she could complete what she had come out to do, with a clear mind.

"You have my unwavering gratitude, Mrs Matsura. You, who is responsible for bringing Tatsumi to me, shall always be remembered in my heart and mind for what you have done. I even thank you, for not being present in your son's childhood, too. As strange it may sound to you."

"For his lack of a proper maternal figure in his early life, has made him so very easy to control with the right combination of words and actions." At the cold conclusion of her words, Esdeath took the bundle of pretty flowers she had gathered on the way upward to this height.

Blue Lily's that had adapted to the cold climate to thrive and grow without worry. Kneeling down, she would place them at the centre point, with care in her motions.

Rising up, with an upright posture. Esdeath placed a hard firm hand to her hip, with the other taking hold at the tip of her white cap. "I will not seek forgiveness for my actions from you, I do what I must for the sake of my family. That is why I must destroy all memory of you, Tatsumi cannot be allowed to find you, or what is left of you. If he is allowed to form a bond, then my work will be undone. Your role as his Mother will never be, or will it begin."

"I will become everything for him, I am his Mother now. Your existence is no longer required in this world." A devastating cut tore the gravestone into two pieces. Dividing into several more, with accompanying slashes so fast that they could not be perceived by the human eye.

Esdeath immediately sheathed the weapon back into its scabbard and allowed her power to do the rest of the work. Leaping away to blow the gravesite away, destroying what was above and below.

The Evil Queen watched as the thick clouds dispersed with a wide grin on her face, taking her cap away from her head to bow down with it, once more. "Now... Just as long as I can keep my soon-to-be Father-In-Law quiet, everything will go as planned. I won't suffer the failings of my other self, she was too complacent. Too weak."

Sighing heavily, Esdeath decided to spend the last twenty minutes or so that they had at Matsura Village, finding more flowers to admire and look at. She had already decided what flower her bridesmaids would carry in their hands, at her wedding.

A flower from the region they shared, would be very fitting, indeed. Not only that, she appreciated how they looked and the tenacity of the flowers for their continued survival in an awfully cold climate.

Despite her desire to hunt for the flowers, she would refrain from playing "Love's me, love's me not with them." since whenever an unfavourable result was met, that clashed with what Esdeath thought to be the truth. People often ended up dead or badly injured.

So practically, it was as if playing Russian Roulette with three bullets in the chamber to start off with. Only to then rise, with each lucky miss.

This little game only demonstrated further why Esdeath's mind had become so very bent out of shape, thanks to her obsession with Tatsumi. Makoto's arrival had only made it worse, as previously stated. She was a woman, determined to fulfil every need and want for her chosen partner but considering the Village Elder had already played a role in Tatsumi's development and moulded him into a fine man for herself to lay claim too. Esdeath was perfectly fine with allowing him to have a level of influence over her children, too.

In hopes, they'd take on the same wonderful traits as they're Father, too.

Esdeath wasn't completely oblivious to the fact she lacked a lot of the traits that were usually deemed suitable for a role model, hence why she put Tatsumi and his accomplishments on a pedestal instead of her own.

Hoping that if her children's focus were on surpassing their Father then she could behave as she usually did, without breaking the illusion of innocence in regards to her job.

Esdeath would go so far as to plan to withheld herself away from the Torture Chambers, whilst she was pregnant, fearing that if she performed her duties in the chambers with the peak of her sadism that she was renown for. That it may adversely affect her child's mental state, even before their actual birth. Clearly having faith in the connection that they held, through the umbilical cord.

And like many mothers before her, Esdeath intended to perverse the umbilical cords of every child she had.

To prove they had once been connected, that she had once been completely in control of their growth.

This would largely be why she intended to deal with threats, using her Ice Kings. So that blood would, metaphorically, not touch her hands in the slightest. The only real concern that Esdeath had was that to have the number of children she wanted, she would have to undergo pregnancy for a least three times, five times with the possibility of twins was the ideal number she craved.

Which wasn't the issue itself but of what that meant, it meant that she would be out of action for quite some time.

Which, again, was perfectly fine for Esdeath. In her mind, it was a "Ends justify the Means." scenario. She did not care about how long she would have to wait, to get what she wanted as long as she actually got it. What concerned her were the very real possibility that Tatsumi would be able to surpass her in combat, but then again, by the time that happened, she would've already locked him into her love through a child anyway.

Esdeath just didn't like not being the stronger one in their relationship.

Unaware that, through the act of having quite possibly, the strongest (Male) living being in existence's child inside herself would provide benefits that would surpass any amount of training she could do in the time it could for the fetus to gestate properly.

By the umbilical link, the power of adaption and invincible evolution would be shared by the child to its Mother. A metaphorical reward for her act of love.

Of course, you can only imagine what she'd feel and do, when Esdeath discovered this for herself.

But that would be for another time, Esdeath would have to dwell with her worries for a little while longer.


Tatsumi had been walking for hours, carrying his backpack and Incursio on his back, slung over his shoulder. Taking Wave's advice, he purposefully hid his face with a bundle of cloth and scarf, wearing chainmail underneath his shirt and coat.

Gleaves on his feet, Tatsumi opted to use reinforced footwear for his extensive journey through the dense forests and walked roads that led to the Capital. He would not rush his journey, Tatsumi had to conserve energy, in preparation for whatever he'd face during it.

His thigh was lined with holstered simple daggers, some used for defence and others for simple craftsmanship.

He had prepared well for his trip, no longer taking any chances in his forward march to his destiny.

He hadn't met anyone on the roads to the Capital so far. Tatsumi intended to gather information on the nearby settlements, for a place to rest.

An inn, for instance.

Since Tatsumi had become something of a celebrity in the Empire, for landing the woman that had stolen the hearts of countless men. He had to be careful, of who he revealed himself to. Intending to use a fake name and alias, if he suspected the person that he was speaking to, being unappreciative of Imperial rule and authority. But at the same time, Tatsumi didn't feel comfortable with using his status as an important member of the Imperial Society, to gain safe passage through the vast expanse that he was travelling through.

Seeing it as despotism at it's finest.

The act of using oppressive force, to acquire what you wanted. That said, Tatsumi's hold on morality had waned considerably if he did not make it to the Capital within' the timeframe that he had expected himself to, it'd be highly likely for him to just throw morality to the wind and just take what he wanted to ensure that his goals were met.

Esdeath's influence and Tyrant's corruption had marred the line between hero and villain, good and bad in Tatsumi's mind.

The evil Demon Weapon that Tatsumi carried on his journey, had already made its way into Tatsumi's body, his very soul and even if Tatsumi had overcome it in the end, becoming just like the creature who's lifeforce he was consuming was inevitable.

Tatsumi's good heart was the only reason why he hadn't descended into a bestial madness, but that day may still come.

And it would come soon, for when Tatsumi met a three-pronged road. Intending to head over to the leftmost path, to reach the nearby village as night was beginning to fall. A waiting figure refused him passage, they were clearly hostile, as shown by the broadsword they held tightly. A wicked presence was felt in the air by Tatsumi, blackened and vile.

What looked like black water was dripping from their body, too.

In response to the threatening aura they gave off, Tatsumi's shadow quickly morphed away from its human form in a blink of an eye and assumed the shape of his evolved Incursio self. A grave warning to those that threatened him, that would activate regardless of his intent, when hateful eyes came on him.

It'd not only be a sign that Tatsumi was becoming more than what was originally thought to be possible, but also that Tatsumi's current appearance was just facade, and not actually what he was.

An incredibly dangerous creature, that could not be stopped by any normal means.

A Demon.

"Move aside, I have somewhere to be. I won't ask you again." Tatsumi called out, seeking to resolve this without violence. Despite being accosted, the man didn't look like a thief or highwayman. Thieves usually didn't intend to kill their victims, just shake them for what they had. Not only that, they hadn't made any demands of his wares, staying completely silent with heavy breathes. An irregular heartbeat.

"But, by all means, if you wish to die. Stay put, and I'll grant your foolish wish."

"Your fault... Everything." The man coughed out, like a diseased thrall. They previously held themselves like a puppet on strings, but soon as Tatsumi lifted the scarf from his face to get a better look at their face. They immediately jerked upright and kept their poise without any of the former weakness in their motions. As if brought to life by their foe's very visage, by hatred itself. Tatsumi could only scoff when he felt their rage rise, in the air. "Well, that's convenient for you. If your rage gives you motion, then..."

"Heh..."

"WHY DON'T YOU TRY SOME OF MINE?" Tatsumi leapt at them as they did the same, Incursio now in his hand.


I won't talk too much about IRL, as that's why people write and read. To get away from all that nonsense, but I assure you that I'm perfectly fine and well. I hope everyone else is, I'll try and release another chapter soon since I have a lot of time on my hands currently. I hope you enjoyed this one! Do let me know what you thought about it, in reviews and PMs!

Also, btw. As you can see, I've begun using the useful Horizontal lines, my lack of using them prior is because, and this sounds stupid but I legitimately didn't know how to do it, I recall trying to figure out how from the first chapter and if I had discovered it, I'd have made use of them from henceforth. So it wasn't an intentional choice for neglecting their use, so I apologize about that.

Have a great day, and see you soon!