Author's Note:

Rose: . . . THINGS SHE SAID/MOTHER, LOOKING AT ME/TELL ME, WHAT DO YOU SEE/YES, I'VE LOST MY MIND/DADDY, LOOKIN' AT ME/WILL I EVER BE FREE?/HAVE I CROSSED THE LIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINE??

Primose- YES, U HAVE, NOW SHUT THE HELL UP!!!!

i don't own digimon.

- Rose

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Straydes Part 10 of Chapter 5

As the emperor snapped his eyes wide open, the first thing he saw were three lines of orbs. Orbs of blinding lights. Cursing silently to himself, he shut his eyes again. He opened them again, but only slightly this time. After adjusting to the light, he opened his eyes again.

The lights were coming from the three lines of candles which lined the walls of the hospital part of the castle.

He became aware of a dull ache in his shoulder. He tried to move his arm. All of a sudden, a pain shot up through his arm. He bit his lower lip to keep from crying out.

"What the hell am I doing here?!" he asked to no one in particular. The room was totally empty.

The door shot open and May walked in. She looked surprised, then smiled softly to herself.

"You're awake," she said.

"What happened?" Ken asked.

"Well, to start things off, you won the war. You got shot with a poisoned arrow and were unconcious for the past three days."

Ken stared at her. "Anything else?" he asked, dryly.

May paused. "Yes, but I'm not the one to tell you."

A momment passed in silence. Then, May spoke.

"She was really worried about you." she said, softly.

Ken turned to her and raised an eye-brow.

"She cried very much . . . " May continued.

Ken stared at May for a moment before asking, "Where is-?"

He was cut off because the door swung open. "Is he awake yet?" Miyako hadn't noticed that his eyes were open.

"Yes," May answered. "I'll leave you two alone, now." May walked out, slightly smiling to herself.

~~~

"What are you doing here?!" May asked.

Selena, Sara and Misty were standing outside the door. Before Misty could open her mouth to reply, May felt someone tap her on her shoulder. She turned around and came face-to-face with Pansy.

"I called them here. You can stay if you'd like, but if you're a thorn in the side, I will throw you to the other side of the castle. Got it?" the queen asked. She smirked at Misty, who grinned right back.

"What're you going to do?" May asked.

"We're going to spy on them. What did you think we're going to do?" Selena asked.

"But, you can't spy on them."

"Watch us."

"Oh, you three are sick. I'm leaving!" With that, May stomped off.

"Okkaaaaaayyyyyy . . . " Sara muttered.

Pansy shrugged. "What're you going to do?" she asked, lazily. "That woman has just gotten too old for anything." Laughing softly, she pulled out her wand.

"What're you doing?" Sara asked.

Pansy just smiled. She tapped the door so softly that they could barely hear and then she murmered a few words in latin.

Then, clear as day, they could hear voices. Putting away her wand, Pansy smiled at the three woman who were giving her awed looks. Once the surprise faded away, the four of them listened.

~ ~ ~

Miyako had sat down on the edge of the bed. "How are you feeling?" she asked. Her voice was barely a whisper.

"Fine." Ken could see tears forming in her eyes and he resisted the urge to pull her into a hug and tell her that he was alright and that they'll be a big happy family . . . . But, that just wasn't him.

So, he dropped his gaze and that's when he noticed the shape of her body. She had all her curves back and she was slender again.

"You're not pregnant anymore."

Miyako laughed. It was the first real laugh she had laughed in a long time. "No, I'm not." She said. "I gave birth a few nights ago."

A small smile played across the emperor's lips. "Really? Boy or girl?" he asked.

Miyako hesitated before answering. "It's a girl." She watched his face carefully for any signs of disgust or resentment or anything of the sort.

She found nothing.

"Did you name her yet?" he asked after a moment of silence.

"I wanted to name her Audacia, but I had to wait and see if it were all right with you," Miyako answered.

"Audacia is a beautiful name." He smiled.

A few minutes passed in silence. Then, Ken spoke.

"Did you miss me?"

Miyako looked a bit startled. Then, she nodded and started staring at the floor. Suddenly, she felt the back of his hand on her neck.

"You hate me, don't you?"

"Why would you think that?" she asked.

"I ruined your life."

Miyako pondered this for a momment. He was making it hard, especially when he was caressing her neck.

Then she turned and looked him right in the eye. "Why?"

"Why what?"

"You attacked my village, murdered my family and kidnapped me along with other women. That seemed like something you would do. I could almost understand that. But, I wasn't special back then. I was no different from any of the others . . . " She had raised her voice a little as she said all of this. "But, then you had to force me, me of all people, to marry you. Why?"

"I just had a feeling . . . I had to have you . . . " He fingers were running through her hair now. All of a sudden he sat up. Miyako looked surprised, but she didn't move.

"Do you think it's possible to learn to love someone?" he asked.

This question caught Miyako off guard. "What?"

"Do you think it's possible to learn to love someone?" he repeated.

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I learned to love you . . . "

With that she broke down crying. Ken stared for a moment, but then he reached out wrapped his arms around her in a hug. She was crying against his chest, but he didn't mind. Instead, he kissed the top of her head and held her until she stopped crying.

~~~

Pansy took out her wand, tapped it against the door and muttered a few more latin words. They couldn't hear what was going on inside the room anymore.

Misty sighed and then smiled. "I guess they'll be happier from now on."

Pansy smiled. "I believe they will."

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Ken got out of the hospital after a few days. He loved his daughter, he thought she was very pretty and was not sexist about it being a girl. But, even though, he was very happy with her, Miyako gave birth to two more boys.

Ash and Misty got married and had twins, named Adam and Marina.

Pansy later gave birth to a girl, who she named Zinnia.

The End

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A.N. Oh my God, it's finally over!!! (Starts crying) Waaaaahhhhhhh!!!!! (sniffs) Please review . . . (goes back to crying in joy and sadness) (huh?)

- Rose