A/N: I know it's been forever. I'm terribly sorry. Unfortunately, real life, finals, and high school graduation gets in the way sometimes.

I just want you all to know that this will be my last chapter for at least a week. I am moving to go to college (yay ASU) and will not have an Internet connection until God-knows-when. Anyway, let me know if you like it. I'm not too sure about this one.

I'll hurry to get the nest one ASAP!

Disclaimer-don't own crescent moon

Mizu 2

Keiko lay in bed with her husband, feigning sleep. It was the last night they would share their current bed. Akira had been named an advisor and would have to move to the inner chambers of the Emperor. Keiko wondered if he knew who the Emperor was. After all, if he was going to marry her best friend, he better be a nice guy.

"Kei, why aren't you sleeping?" Akira mumbled into her hair, his eyes closed.

"I'm asleep." She grunted.

"Your breathing is awkward. You're upset about something." Damn him. He always had his strange ways of knowing she wasn't feeling well.

"I'm thinking about Mahiru. Do you think the Emperor will make her happy?"

"Yes," Akira said, "Now go to bed."

"But what about Mitsuru? Could the Emperor make her happier than he does?" Akira thought for a moment.

"I think the emperor has many things he must sort out. But once he gets his act together, he will make her happier than Mitsuru ever could." Akira snuggled her, "Now go to bed. You don't need to worry about any of this." Keiko nodded and burrowed into Akira's chest. She pretended to be asleep.

"Keiko, what is it now?"

"What about Mitsuru?"

"He'll be fine. I promise." Akira held his wife close and waited for the soft even breathing of her sleep before he succumbed to slumber himself.

The next morning Mitsuru sat at the breakfast table with a scowl on his face. Not that anyone could see it. The porcelain mask that covered his face thankfully hid his expression.

Mahiru sat beside him, chatting away, and snacking on her fruits and cereals. Mitsuru glared at her. He was starving! And this damned mask kept him from eating or drinking. The rumbling of his stomach mirrored his growls. It was only the second real day of his rule and already he hated it. If he couldn't even eat, what was the point?

Mahiru turned to him, and noticed his frumpy posture. She giggled a bit, and then leaned over to him, "Your Majesty," she said, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I'm just…concentrating." He said. Stupid girl. What did she care anyway? Mitsuru was about to run out of the hall when Akira and Keiko walked in. The two girls saw one another and immediately began talking and laughing and carrying on. Mitsuru wanted to be happy for Mahiru, he really did, but all the incessant happiness and laughter, coupled with his extremely empty stomach did not improve his mood. He walked over to the werewolf and nodded slightly to him. Akira smiled back and bowed. Keiko turned away from Mahiru to her husband. She saw whom Akira was speaking to and immediately dropped to her knees. She had never been in the presence of an Emperor before, and she wasn't sure exactly what to do. Mahiru giggled. Keiko glared at her out of the corner of her eye.

"You may rise, ma'am. No need to bow." The Emperor said. He turned to the rest of those seated at the long table, "I would like to introduce to you all one of my newest advisors Yamabuki Akira, and his new wife Yamabuki Keiko." Applause filled he room. Mahiru looked at the Emperor with wide eyes. He turned to her and said, "As of today, these two will be living in the Inner Chambers, as will the other members of the Moonlight Bandits."

Mahiru grabbed the Emperor into a tight hug. She would get to see him again. Those dark eyes hadn't looked upon her in what seemed like years. And Keiko would be practically next-door! Tears formed at the corners of her eyes, "Thank you." She whispered. Mitsuru didn't know what to do. He had never been held like this. She was happier than he had ever seen her. Deep inside of him, he felt something spark.

And he knew: later he would regret that hug.

Mitsuru slowly pushed Mahiru away. He would have done so quickly, but the death grip she had him under was too strong for him to break. He motioned to Akira and Keiko to sit near him at the head of the table. His stomach had stopped rumbling for the time being. He once again took his place.

Oboro, once seeing everyone seated stood in his place at the opposite end of the table. He had an important announcement to make. "My friends, it is my duty to inform you that the body of the deceased Lord Shirogane will be available for viewing for the remainder of this week. This Friday, five days after the coronation of Our Majesty, we shall send the soul of our young Lord to the other realm. We mourn for his departure from this earth until that time, and rejoice when he has reached his final resting place."

The applause thudded in Mahiru's ears. She had no idea Shirogane's body was still within the castle walls. She had been through so much these last few days she almost forgot the boy had passed. She hung her head. How could she forget the death of such a sweet baby? The servants came to the tables to collect plates, and Mahiru left the Hall with Keiko.

After breakfast, Mitsuru retired to his bedroom. He discarded the long and heavy robes of an emperor and the restricting porcelain mask and replaced them with his old, normal clothes. He sighed with relief. It felt great to be released from those daunting articles of clothing. He walked about his room and noticed that a warm breakfast was waiting for him. He dashed over to the table and crammed as much food into his mouth as he could.

One large stomachache later, Mitsuru found himself miserable on his bed. He rolled onto his back, but found himself landing with a thud on the floor. He stood up, ready to tear the offending bed to shreds. He glared at it before opening the inner wall of his chamber to the garden. He sent his bed one more warning glance before slamming the door shut.

Mahiru was spending the morning with Keiko. Oboro had summoned Akira and the others, so the two girls were on their own, left to wander the enormous castle. Keiko was glad to have some time alone with Mahiru. "So, Mahiru, what do you think of the new Emperor?" Keiko asked her friend. Mahiru looked thoughtful.

"I don't know. He's very kind. He let me stay here when I thought I was to return home. He gave me a nice room, he let you be close to me." Mahiru said. A small smile graced her features, "I am very grateful to him."

"I think he's sweet on you." Keiko said. She might as well come out and say it, "You'd make a good Empress Mahiru. I'm glad he's taken to you. I think you should grab a hold of him. Guys like that don't come along very often."

"What kind of guys?"

"The kind that will provide everything they can for you."

"I think you've made a mistake, Keiko. The Emperor doesn't like me. He doesn't even know me. I'm just a human girl. What could a demon like him ever want with me?"

"Mahiru. Listen to me. I'm a human girl. I've got a demon that loves me very much. You are their princess. It's only natural for him to wish you to be his bride."

"I can't marry him," a pause, "I can't believe you even brought it up." Mahiru and Keiko had been walking down a long corridor. Mahiru kept her lead low. Keiko stopped.

"It is because of Mitsuru?" Mahiru stopped as well. She hadn't spoken his name in days. A pain panged her heart when Keiko said it. She grabbed her chest. It began throbbing.

"He has nothing to do with this." Mahiru said coldly. The pain was becoming too much to bear. She dropped to her knees.

"Please, Mahiru, for your own sake, and for the sake of the nation, give the Emperor a chance. He can give you things Mitsuru could never dream to." Keiko pleaded with her friend. Mahiru had to get away. This hurt too much. She crawled slowly, on her, knees down the hall until she could gather strength.

Then she ran away.

Keiko stood in the corridor, stunned. Mahiru had never acted like that before. Something was amiss. Akira knew something she didn't, and she needed to speak with him about it.

Mitsuru ran among the lofty trees. He didn't know why it felt so good to just run and be free, but it was an experience so liberating, it almost made him cry. But he was a tengu. And they don't cry. Mitsuru stopped at a small pond to watch the koi swim in circles. He sat on a long wooden bench.

He realized that his perspective on the world had altered much in the last few days. It had become much more complicated, yes, but he had more power now than he ever imagined before. Maybe being Emperor wasn't such a bad situation after all. He remembered when he first started working with the Moonlight Bandits. He only wanted personal success. To make himself greater. How much greater could he get? He had executive power over the entirety of the Lunar Race!

A rustling came from the trees, snapping his train of thought. Mitsuru stood up, ready to fight.

Mahiru ran as far as her legs could carry her. She dropped to her knees outside her door and threw the door open with the weight of her body. When she reached her room, she threw the door closed. She fell upon her bed, exhausted. The pain in her chest would not leave. She quieted her cries, and tried to take a deep breath. She felt the pain culminate into one central area. She felt it on her sternum, pulling her outside. It was as if a string was yanking her, directing her somewhere.

She threw open the inner door of her chamber and found a forest. She took a few lingering steps before taking off at breakneck speed in the direction of the mysterious pull. She dashed between tress, over rocks. She had hard, not knowing where she was going, or what her heart was hoping for.

Up ahead she could see a familiar shade of blue atop a familiar head. Her heart leapt with joy. "Mitsuru!" She cried. He stood up, his intense eyes boring into hers.

Mahiru crashed through the trees and into his arms. Mitsuru staggered backward a bit before toppling over the edge of the pond. Mahiru fell with him.

"Damned girl! What the hell were you thinking? What are you doing here, running around like a madwoman?" he yelled. Truthfully he was happy to finally be able to see her face, unobstructed by the layer of glass that had come to be fixed to his face. Mahiru's face was buried into his chest. She was kneeling in the pond water, and shaking. Mitsuru became worried, "Mahiru, let's get out of the water. You're soaking wet." She nodded her head, but refused to look at his face. He carried her to the bench. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"I haven't seen you in so long." She whispered. She finally raised her eyes to his, "I don't know what I'd do without you, but I go crazy when you're not around every day." His eyes went wide and he just stared at her. Was it finally happening? Was she reacting to his claim? What was he going to do now? Mahiru looked at his face, saw his expression, and thought nothing about it. The pain was beginning to swell up again, and she'd do anything to stop it.

She grabbed his face, and pulled it to hers.

It wasn't the most romantic of kisses, and it certainly wasn't full of love and compassion. It was simply a kiss of desperation. Mahiru wanted him to heal the pain; she wanted him to save her from the heartache she was feeling. Mitsuru didn't know what to do. He could feel her need to be comforted, but was it right to be kissing the future Empress?

Wait a minute… he was the Emperor. He mentally smacked himself. It was hard to imagine himself and the Emperor as one person.

He grabbed Mahiru's shoulders and pulled back. She tried to push herself back to his face. The pain, it seemed, had not gone away.

"Mahiru!" Mitsuru cried, "Look at me! I want to see your eyes!" She opened them and openly glared at him. Her normally hazel eyes were tinted with crimson flecks. He knew then that he had to help her. He slowly lowered his face to hers, and caught her in a kiss not unlike the one they shared in her room the night he claimed her two years ago.

Mahiru sighed. The searing heat in her chest was fading. She leaned her head on his chest and smiled. This is what she wanted forever. To feel this sense of belonging.

"Mahiru, we need to talk." No response. "Mahiru! Damn girl! Get your head out of the clouds and listen to me! I have to tell you something very important!" He shook her body until she finally looked into his face, alarmed. Mitsuru sat Mahiru up on the bench next to him. Her eyes were wide.

"What's going on with me, Mitsuru?" She asked, "I'm scared. I've never been emotional like this."

"I'm not good with words." Was all he said.

"Tell me, Mitsuru, what did you do?" Her eyes were imploring, pleading with his own.

"You were dying." He started, "You didn't let me die, so I couldn't let you die."

"What did you do?"

"I claimed you. It-it's a tengu ritual, you see. It is something two lovers do when they wish to become—become mates." He stuttered.

"I see." Mahiru said. She turned her face away so he couldn't see her blush, "What does claiming me have anything to do with me dying?"

"Well, you were dying. I put my life force into you to keep you alive and heal your wounds. I figured it would fade as your body recovered." A blatant lie. He knew what he was doing the moment he claimed her. He just intended to make her his eventually and hoped he wouldn't lose his mind before it happened.

"I'm not sure I understand. You claimed me to keep me from dying, right?" she asked, "And then you decided not to tell me."

"If I told you, you would make me mate with you. And who wants to be mated to a stupid human anyway?" He said. He got up to leave. Mahiru stopped him with her final words.

"Thank you for saving my life, even if you didn't mean to do what you did. It's flattering, you know, almost like you actually care for me. But I know that you have no heart with which to love. Goodbye Mitsuru. May the madness take you before it does me."

She left.

She spent the remainder of her week in the solitude of her room, fighting a searing pain that scorched her heart.

When Shirogane was sent to the other realm, she attended the ceremony by herself and shared her torment with no one.

The Emperor watched her, and decided it was finally time to win his Empress.