Warning: I almost never do a warning, so take notice. I had the warning when I posted the story "graphic depictions of violence, graphic depictions of rape." This is the chapter I was referring to. If that makes you uncomfortable, I am telling you now to brace yourself. I do not break narration to cushion the blow, so this is your only warning it is here.

AN: First, Happy Thanksgiving all ya'll. As you are reading this, I am likely cooking with my family all day, which is why I'm posting this around midnight. And sorry, but I've decided until the new year to keep the posting every other week. These next two weeks are going to be a gauntlet for me with a Christmas concert I'm singing in for 4 days, plus my first baby shower/party thing, and then I have the holiday season to prepare. Plus, I totally had to restructure the 3 chapters from 20-22. I'd originally planned to do a setup for something at the end of the 3rd book, but I realized it wasn't going to pay off right, so I decided to nix it. Plus I realized writing the sand siblings interactions, the planned scenes I had for them didn't work organically when writing it out, so I had to restructure how things were said when, change scene order, or just delete a now superfluous scene altogether, etc.

So, next post will be December 7th. Chapter 19. We're starting to come to the end of Book 2. I have two other books planned for this story. Book 3, and a side novel that this chapter will shed some light on. There will be more about it later.

Remember, please review! Just hearing how this chapter touched you, made you angry, sad, happy, excited, really help me to continue writing when I get stuck. So, please leave a comment or a review.

Chapter 18

"I should have known. I should have just stuck to the sex idea," Emika panted against Gaara's lips as she grabbed his member and began to coax him into her.

"E-Emika," he stuttered out, but the hazy look in his eyes begged her to keep going.

She kissed him as she eased herself onto the head of his penis, causing him to gasp at the sensation like he was coming to life inside her. She smiled, then whispered against his lips. "It's our wedding day. Just the tip won't hurt." She kissed his lips deeply as she rubbed the head of his penis around her opening, causing his breath to shorten into pants. But every roll eased him in further and further into her. "You feel so good," she purred against his lips as she slid him into her more, her body gripping at him like it craved to feel him. To devour him. "God, I need you."

They panted together as her hips coaxed his to life. She could see in his eyes he hadn't expected this, but was loving the sensations as much as she was. "I love you, Gaara. I love you so much," she panted against his lips.

"Emika," he moaned, his fingers tightening on her hips desperately as he pulled her down so he was buried in her so impossibly deep. Then he flipped them with ease, pressing into her wantonly and eliciting a gasping moan from her. He grabbed her hand as he began to ride into her, his fingers lacing with hers as he pushed her hand into the bedroll. Her legs wrapped around his waist as her feet pushed his pants further off his ass as he panted against her lips, occasionally stealing a kiss. Their tent became a concert hall of primal grunts and mewling moans, punctuated by the rhythm of his love, growing steadily in power and depth.

It felt so good. So amazingly good. Feeling him so deep inside, pulsing with love. He felt so perfect inside her. She'd never imagined this to feel so good. To feel his hands on her body as he brought her to the brink of ecstasy and love.

She could feel her throat tightening as he rode her into the beginnings of what had to be a climax. Her voice climbed in pitch as she began to let out airy whines and moans. "Gaara. Gaara, I love you so much," she cried as she clutched at him, her knuckles on their joined hands turning white while her other hand fisted the back of his mesh shirt.

"I love you too!" he groaned before collapsing his mouth on hers, his thrusts deep and hard. She squeaked her pleasure into his mouth with every one, until she broke their kiss with a groan as her walls clutched and spasmed around his member. "Oh!" he half grunted, half gasped. Her clutching and spasming milked his member of his seed, which she felt by him filling her with his warm essence.

They panted breathlessly as they came down from their releases, and she smiled at him. She never imagined losing her virginity to be so beautifully wonderful, but with his stoic eyes suddenly full of love and wonder as he looked in hers, and his body alighting her body like an inferno, she could hardly describe it as anything else.

It had been a little over a month since Emika saw the man who broke her heart. The man who ruined her and made her realize she was just an idiot girl that everyone else already knew. And to make things even worse, two and a half weeks after signing off on his title and swearing to herself she wanted nothing else to do with the demon boy who tricked her, she fainted while strolling the Palace Gardens with one of the prospective suitors her mom had struggled to set up. Apparently, her disappearance in Suna had already started several rumors among the nobility, and men were wary of looking at marriage to such a loose cannon.

So, her first prospect was shot as soon as she fainted. Her mother called the family doctor who determined she was pregnant. Her mother pressed her on who the father was, and Emika lied, saying he was a random nomad. Mostly because she frequently wondered if she had slept with that nomad, how would things have been different. Deep down, she knew she wouldn't have actually slept with him, like she had Gaara. She'd believe she'd been in love.

It had been two weeks since she was declared pregnant, and now she was 8 and a half or 9 weeks pregnant. She wasn't sure how exactly it mathed out, because 9 weeks ago, she hadn't even met Gaara.

Her mother stressed that she was a month out from showing, and had assured her given the situation, the only solution was to lock down a husband immediately. Find a suitable man, possibly tricking him into premarital sex to pass off the baby as his, and give the crown a legitimate heir.

That night, she was at a charity auction, trying not to look conspicuous by holding a champagne glass she wasn't drinking from. Across the hall, she spotted a familiar face. Prince Hamaru was talking to one of the artists about her clay sculpture, looking very interested in what she had to say. She stared at him, wondering if she really wanted to pursue him. She remembered in the back of her mind how much her father liked him. Sure, he was boring, but boring meant safe, and she needed safe. Casually, she made her way over to him, being sure to stay out of his sightline until she "accidentally" bumped into him.

"Apologies," he said, reaching out to steady her. When she turned and smiled at him, his eyes widened with surprised. "Princess Emika. I didn't know you were here."

She smiled broader. "Nor I you, Prince Hamaru."

He quickly introduced her to the artist, a young woman from the Ceramics Village named Kanyu. After a quick discussion about what happened recently with her village, Kanyu made a pitch about a brick business to rebuild the village. Hamaru was sold, however Emika wasn't. But to appear interested in his ventures, she too offered to help fund the business. Then she was able to get Hamaru alone to catch up. Before the end of the night, she kissed him, in hopes he'd be interested in taking things further. The kiss was lackluster, especially with his protruding buck teeth, and she couldn't help but remember how much better Gaara had been. When he pulled away with a blush and an odd giggle, she knew she'd have to try a little harder.

"Princess Emika, I apologize if I'm mistaken, but was under the impression you didn't like me," he stated once he composed himself.

"No, I didn't dislike you. We only met the one time, and to be frank," she rolled her eyes racking her brain for an excuse to have been short with him when they met, "I was on my monthlies."

His brows shot up surprised. "Oh. So, you were – you are interested in going with the tradition?" He meant of their families marrying every 100 years or so.

Her smile was a little forced now. "Absolutely."

"Oh," he giggled, blushing hard. He gulped, then turned to her, offering, "I'm in Futen for another week. Shall I call on you?"

Emika smiled. "You can come to the palace every day until you leave."

By the end of the week, her mother was stressing that she was almost 10 weeks. Every night, she came to Emika's room and asked if Hamaru had proposed yet. Emika would say no, but that he would be back again tomorrow. On his last day in Futen, Ichika had decided to take things into her own hands. As Emika and Hamaru finished their usual library discussions, Ichika came in, urging the prince to stay for dinner. Hamaru, unable to refuse a direct request from the Queen, agreed to dinner. Ichika had directed the staff to make sure Hamaru always had a drink available. After dinner, dessert, and tea in the lounge, Hamaru was completely drunk.

Towards the end of tea, as he was staring into the palace fireplace, Ichika pulled Emika aside and said, "Lock it down." Emika flinched a little at her mother's tone, and was surprised at the sudden shift when her mother turned to Hamaru and said, "Oh, my dear. You are in no state to leave. I'd be worried you'd end up in a ditch somewhere."

"I'm sure I'll be hic fine," he tried. Although his swaying made it very unconvincing.

"Nonsense," Ichika said, sounding every bit the worried mother. "Emika, why don't you show him to our guest quarters."

Emika walked over, looping her arm in his, and guided him to the guest chambers. When they reached the doors, she kissed him. He swayed, and she reached up, steadying him before she kissed him again. She led him inside the room, and began to undress. He giggled, then asked, "What are you doing?"

"I want you, Prince Hamaru," she said, feeling the nerves all over her body as she stood in nothing but a bra and panties. When he only blinked at her, she closed the distance between them, and kissed him, undressing him as she did. Once she started fiddling with the buttons on his pants, he unfastened them himself and took over. He couldn't figure out her bra, so she finished undressing herself.

She laid down on the bed, and he laid over her, kissing her cheek and neck as his knees pushed her legs apart. He reached down and stuck his fingers inside her. The sensation was sharp and uncomfortable, and she let out a small whimper. He smiled as he pulled out his fingers, which had pink tinged mucus on them, which he stuck in his mouth. "Mmm," he said as he sucked them clean. "You taste so pure."

"Uh-huh," Emika grumbled, a little awkwardly.

He held her by the waist as he positioned himself over her, spreading her legs wide as he settled between them. "Full disclosure. I've never done this with a virgin before. Mostly prostitutes."

"Ok," she said, unsure what to do with that information.

He nodded as if that were warning enough before he rammed into her. The feeling was again sharp, and she clenched involuntarily. "Oh," he groaned, fully sheathed in her. "You are so tight."

"Mhm," she hummed, trying to hide the pain by sounding pleasant, as he began to ride her.

The sex was uncomfortable, and thankfully over quickly. She only counted eight thrusts before he groaned, and she felt her core warm with his seed. He pulled out and collapsed next to her in a heap, and began to snore. She laid there still for a minute, then peeked under the covers. His dick was smaller than Gaara's, judging by the size of her hand next to it. Nor did he have Gaara's stamina. He hadn't even lasted a minute.

She covered her face with her hands and lamented that her married sex-life would never compare to the man who took her virginity and knocked her up. Then she quietly tiptoed to the bathroom, cleaned herself up, turned off the bedroom's lights, and climbed back into bed naked. If he woke up having forgotten what they did, he'd see her there naked and remember.

In the morning, he woke when the servants knocked and entered to open the drapes, seeing both him and Emika naked in the bed and running out. Immediately, he was apologetic for his behavior, and promising to make it right. Before he left, he sat down with Ichika, who heard from the servants what they saw, and promised to marry Emika, and would be back from the Delta Palace in a week's time with an assortment of engagement rings. Ichika agreed, and he left for his home. When Ichika saw Emika moments later, she gave her daughter a pursed smile, and said, "Well done."

Emika felt dirty.

On October 1st, Ginmaru received a call from the Suna Council informing him of a possible national security issue. Gaara, who had only been Kazekage for three and a half months had been kidnapped by the Akatsuki, and for the most part presumed dead. He didn't say anything until the 3rd when Emika mentioned over dinner that Hamaru hadn't called for several days. She knew it was odd, because ever since she told him a month ago she was pregnant, insinuating the baby was his, he called every day to check on her. Except the last four days.

Ginmaru didn't even notice her deadly silence as he continued, "Yes. The Council says he was kidnapped three days ago. They're almost certain he's dead, and his brother is in the hospital from being poisoned trying to rescue him. This is all just a big fuck up on the ninjas' part," as he aggressively carved into his steak. "And now, there's a good chance the Kazekage line is caput. Leaving us with no one to replace them."

Emika couldn't look at her food, much less eat it as the news sank deep into mind. Gaara was dead. Hamaru wasn't talking to her. Her safety felt stripped away, and her heart ached at the thought the man she'd fallen in love with and who'd fathered her child months ago was dead. Actually and truly dead.

Her mother looked her over and said, "Are you alright, honey? You look pale."

Emika looked up at her with wide eyes, then said, "Excuse me." She dropped her napkin on her plate and practically ran to her room, locking the door and pacing. This didn't feel real. None of this felt real. She needed to hear it from someone else, so picked up the phone and called Tenshimi. "Is it true?" she asked when her friend answered the phone.

"Is what true?" Tenshimi asked.

"The Kazekage. Is he missing?"

Tenshimi was silent for a moment, then answered, "Yeah, he is. Apparently, the Council has setup a puppet system in his stead. His brother's apparently been poisoned too. Outlook is kind of grim."

Emika's lips trembled. Tenshimi wouldn't lie to her about this. "Thank you," she managed. "I need to pray for them." Then she promptly hung up, and devolved into tears.

She didn't know why her heart hurt this much. Why it felt like someone had ripped open her chest and cut it out. She had sworn to hate him forever. But facing his death as a reality was more hollowing than facing her father's death. She saw his face, both smiling and annoyed, in a torrent of memories, and knew she'd never see that face again. She tried to quiet her sobs by placing her hand over her mouth before collapsing slowly to the floor, curling up in a ball and weeping, "Gaara. Why him? Why my Gaara?"

And that was the moment. That was the moment she felt a thud against the walls of her abdomen. The moment her baby reminded her that he was still there. That he was real. His first kick. Her bump wasn't obvious yet, especially since her mother started buying her oversized clothes, gaining weight under the guise of wedding stress. But she still knew where to place her hand as she hiccuped mid-sob, feeling a second kick. "Hi, baby," she sniffled, rubbing her womb softly. "I feel you."

She felt him shift around, probably trying to get comfortable again. She sniffled, her tears falling silently now as she realized she probably woke him. "I'm sorry. Today's a bad day." She licked her lips, and said, "Your daddy is missing. And they think he's dead." She blinked as more tears fell, and her lips trembled again. "It's just us now. So, don't let me lose you, too. Ok?"

A week later, news broke that the Delta royal family had been slaughtered in their palace. All except the oldest son, who was studying abroad in the Land of Tea. Ichika took Emika to her room, and said, "That's it. We are all out of plays."

"I can still find another husband," Emika offered.

"Emika, you are already showing. We can't hide it another month," her mother huffed, gesturing to her swollen womb.

Emika pouted, running her hands lovingly over her womb. "So, what do we do?"

Ichika sucked her teeth, then said, "The only thing we can do. Tell the public you're traveling the world, while you go live with my parents, and have the baby on Sunafuki Island."

Emika laughed. "What? You're kicking me out?"

Ichika licked her lips, then said, "The only way to proceed is if you aren't here, and are not seen by cameras. If anyone beyond me and your guards find out you're carrying a bastard, no one worthy of the throne will marry you, and the Wind will be doomed." Ichika set her jaw, then huffed, "If only you had enough sense the night you bedded a nomad." The queen shook her head dismissively. They'd fought about it before, and the argument did nothing but make them both angry. It definitely didn't solve the problem.

Emika sank, realizing what her mother said was true. No matter how much this baby had been made with love, no one would see her pregnancy as honorable. All they would see is a royal bastard of a loose princess.

"I'll call my father, and tell him to expect a visit from us in the next few days," Ichika stated. "I'll send the servants to pack you up."

Three days later, Emika stood on the marina dock as the servants loaded her bags on the family boat. Chie and Rinri helped her on board. They'd known about the pregnancy since the day she fainted. She could tell Chie didn't believe the nomad story, but wouldn't speak against her. The ship sailed, and after a few hours, they were docked on her grandfather's private dock. He greeted them there, had the servants get them settled in the palace before meeting him in the gardens for tea.

"And to what do we owe the pleasure of this sudden trip, Ichika?" he asked happily.

Ichika, less happily, turned to Emika and said, "Well," gesturing to her.

His gaze shifted to his granddaughter, who pressed her lips in a thin line, before smoothing her dress to show her baby bump. His eyebrows raised high, and he said a small, "Aha."

"I know this is a big favor, Papa," Ichika said, her voice sounding much like how Emika's would when she'd ask her father for favors. "But can you keep her until she delivers the baby? She needs to be away from the prying eyes of the public."

"Yes, yes, of course," he said, turning to continue on their walk.

Emika groaned tiredly, slumping in the bed. "You can't relax yet, princess. The shoulders are almost out. Just another good push," her doctor coached.

She whimpered shaking her head. She was in so much pain, she couldn't even articulate anything beyond, "It hurts. It hurts." She'd been at this for hours. The baby was already over a week late. Her water finally broke at noon, and she'd been pushing for four hours now.

"I know it hurts," the doctor said comfortingly, "but the baby needs you to focus now. Alright?"

She whimpered, but nodded, pushing herself up. She braced her hands on the bed, then began to push when the contraction hit. She grit her teeth, pushing as hard as she could. The pressure built within her, and a sudden pain made her cry out, and then a pop and relief. She could still feel the cord tethering her to her child as the doctor smiled, and held the baby up for her to see. "It's a boy."

Emika let out a happy, tired sob, finally seeing her child. The baby let out a cry and a wriggle as the doctor placed the baby on her chest. She cradled him to her, and cried, "You're real. You're finally here."

The doctor cut the cord, and handed the baby to a nurse to clean up while he helped her deliver the afterbirth. Then the baby was returned to her, swaddled and cooing. The doctor went outside the room, where her mother, grandfather, and guards were waiting. They rushed in, each wanting to hold the baby. Her grandfather declared he was the handsome prince charming, and Chie agreed, while Ichika and Rinri fussed over Emika, telling her she did a wonderful job. Her mother was staying for another week and a half before returning to the palace.

It was several days later, when Ichika was watching Emika play with her son, and heard Emika saying, "Of course he had to be late, just like his father always is. Yes. Just like your Daddy."

"His father wasn't a random nomad, was he?" Ichika stated.

Emika straightened, looking at her mother curiously.

Ichika pursed her lips, then said, "I can't help but notice he looks an awful lot like Lord Kazekage."

Emika was silent as she looked down at her son as he grabbed her finger and kicked his feet, cooing at her. The silence hung between them for a long while until Emika finally admitted, "I thought we were in love. He offered to marry me." She licked her lips sadly before adding, "I didn't realize he said it to stop me from ruining myself, and didn't actually mean it. Much good that did me, because I pushed him to …" She sniffled, looking up at the sky, blinking back tears. "It wasn't real, though."

Ichika sighed, folding her hands demurely in her lap. "You should have told me."

"What would you have done?" Emika asked.

Ichika shook her head, clearly unsure how to answer. "I don't know. Married you to him would have been the obvious choice, but he is the Kazekage, meaning it would be difficult. There would be a fight on if he's part of their ninja clans or not. The Daimyos might not have accepted him. Either of them if they knew." She pursed her lips, then added, "Maybe we could give him the child? Let you start over."

"No," Emika said, repulsed by the idea. She settled her hand on her son's belly as she said, "This baby's mine," before leaning down to kiss his head.

For two and a half years, Emika stayed on Sunafuki Island to watch her son grow, looking more and more like his father. Several months after she turned 18, Ichika came, and said it was imperative for Emika to resume her duties as heir, get her signing rights back and find a husband to take over the Daimyo's duties. Ichika had remained silent about the affairs of the crown, since Emika had signed away her rights, but she no longer could. Her Uncle was draining the accounts with frivolous parties and concubines. He'd fired many of the staff and guards, and hired people with close ties to the yakuzas of Tsumi Shi, which he was incredibly indebted to before becoming the Regent. Ichika tried to reign him in where she could, but she was not respected as a Daimyo.

So, Emika left her son, promising to visit as often as she could. A promise she was proud to say she had upheld for the most part these last two years.

She hadn't gotten her rights back as they had expected. Her uncle was crafty, and very politically minded. After a few months of plotting and planning, Ichika and Emika realized Emika needed to marry a man who would be willing to claim her son as his heir. That ask was hard to make without admitting Emika had a bastard, which couldn't get out. Even though Ginmaru had been born a bastard himself, the way he clung to the throne's power meant he couldn't be trusted with the knowledge that Emika had a son.

Then in February, just before Emika turned 20, Ichika was sure she struck gold. Touma was the 28 year-old standing Regional Daimyo of Okiniwa, sitting along the Okiniwa Mountain range outside of Fennec. His father had died recently, leaving him as heir. He was one of the few lords that faced an odd conundrum. Due to a hunting injury several years back, he was unable to produce children, and was in need of an heir to continue his line. When he and Emika met, it was clear Ichika had believed this was it, because he already knew marrying her entailed saying her son was his.

They'd been engaged for three months now, and their wedding was scheduled for a month later. He'd even moved into the palace, seeing as how it would be his in a month. In that time, they hadn't slept together. Hadn't even kissed. That's not what this marriage was about, and she wasn't going to pretend it was.

She wasn't sure what she disliked about him. He was perfectly attractive. His light brown hair was well taken care of, and he boasted a muscular physique. He had a strong brow, straight nose, and chiseled jaw. And his teeth were perfectly white. If she thought about it, it was probably that he was too perfect, in a way that he knew it. She couldn't say he was a gentleman, because he drank, and on more than one occasion, she'd been informed of his cavorting with one of the maids.

The incident she walked in on as she was preparing to meet her son in Sunafuki Island next week was incredibly problematic. Of course, her uncle was entertaining guests at Shiowa Castle, and her mother out with him as Queen Regent, so they were in the palace alone, except for its workers. She'd walked into her own bedroom when she saw them. He had the maid pinned to her dresser. They turned to see Emika standing there looking at them crossly. Touma let out a grumble like she'd ruined his fun, as the maid said, "Princess…"

"Get out," Emika said stiffly. The maid quickly extricated herself from her fiance's arms, while Touma scowled. Touma moved to leave, but Emika held up her hand and hissed, "You stay."

He stopped, scowling at her as the maid ran off, shutting the door behind her. Emika walked over to him, sniffed, before walking past him to deposit her things in her chair. "You reek of alcohol."

"I would reek of sex if you hadn't interrupted," he countered annoyedly.

Emika set her jaw, then said, "I don't care if you take lovers. But can you not be so fucking obvious about it?"

"Like you're one to judge. You act like such a demure prude when in reality you're the whore princess who bore some nameless man's bastard," he snapped.

"My indiscretion was discrete," she hissed back. "You try and fuck every maid that walks in front of you in this castle! And why the hell are you in my room doing that!?"

"That's supposed to make me feel better?" he scoffed. "You kept your bastard a secret. Well done. That doesn't make you any less of a whore."

She balled her fists and swung at him, making contact with his nose. He was taken aback a second that she did that, seeing a little blood drip from his nose, then swung back, hitting her in the cheek so hard she was knocked to the floor. Her mind rattled around shocked he actually hit her. He hit her a lot harder than she did.

"You don't get to judge me when you're a whore yourself!" he howled as he began to pace around her. "A whore. You're a fucking whore!" He set his jaw as she began to pick herself up before wrenching her up by her upper arm, holding her in a vice-like grip as he hissed, "A whore should know her place," before throwing her onto her bed face down. She tried to push herself up, but he knocked her feet out from under her, grabbing her shoulders at her neck and pinning her with his weight.

She felt him push up her dress, and she began to struggle and scream, "Get off me!"

He pushed her further down on the bed and hissed, "You be a good little whore, or I tell your Uncle your little secret."

She stilled at that, and he chuckled darkly. "You didn't think of that did you. That I don't have to claim your son. You need me more than I need you." She didn't struggle. Didn't scream. Just felt her lips trembling as he yanked her underwear down and heard him unfastening his belt and dropping his pants. "And if I'm going to marry a whore, she better do her job," he added, spreading her legs with his knees as he rubbed his member against her entrance.

She was trembling with fear, unable to do anything. He was right. He had all the power here.

She prayed for someone to come in, to see how he was attacking her and stop him because she couldn't. Then a horrifying thought came to her that even if someone did come in, it wouldn't change anything. He knew too much, and now had the power over her, and the intention to use it. Even if she came out unscathed miraculously, he'd reveal her son to the world, and then her son would be killed. She couldn't risk that.

He shoved himself inside her, and she let out a small whimper at the pain. Sharp and invasive. He pulled out and rammed back into her, and she let out another groaning whimper as the pain and force drove all the air out of her lungs. His pace was rough and unapologetic, and so painful she had to fist her covers as she cried quietly. He didn't go quickly either. Despite her prayers he finished quickly and left her alone, the seconds ticked by torturously slow with his hands gripping her hips bruisingly, and the vicious sound of his animalistic grunts and huffs filling her ears, making her want to vomit as the blood of her ravaged and ripped cunt starting to drip down her legs. Every invasive thrust he made, she couldn't believe this was happening to her, until she couldn't stand to think about it anymore.

Mercifully, her mind checked out and transported her to a place of pure happiness, where this would have never happened to her. In the Infinite Tsukuyomi, where she laid in bed, waking to Gaara's smiling face in the morning sunshine before he kissed her softly and went to check on their baby boy.

She was so lost in the day dream, she barely registered Touma grunting as he came in her. He caught his breath, then yanked her head back by her hair and he sneered at her. "What do you know? You do have use other than bitching." He then pulled out of her, refastening his pants and belt, looking his work over. "And clean yourself up. You're a bloody mess," he hissed before spitting on her and walking out.

She stayed like that for a while, just hanging over her bed, painfully numb. She wasn't sure how long, but the sun had set by the time she pushed herself up in the darkness and walked awkwardly to the bathroom. She ran her shower in the pitch black and undressed before standing under the water for as long as it took to feel clean again. Even when the water began to run cold, she still didn't feel adequately clean.

She had five days left in the palace alone before she went to see her son, and Touma would go on his drunken raid through Tsumi Shi known as a bachelor party. She prayed that was the only time that happened, but the next day, she ran into him in the library, and he told her to bend over the table. She flinched, but smiled amiably. "Surely, I've learned my lesson," she said.

"Is that what you'll tell your son when your Uncle has his yakuza drown him in the bay?"

She flinched again, seeing the image of her son's body floating in the water and knew in her aching heart that it was within the realms of possibility. She gulped as she shakily locked the library doors, and then proceeded to the table where she bent over, undoing her pants and letting him rape her again. Again, the process was punishing, long and painful. And again her mind retreated to Gaara's loving smiles in the Tsukuyomi.

That was how her last week with Touma went. There was no use hiding either. Even if she stayed in her room, he hunted her down, and raped her there. He'd even gotten the servants to give him a key when she locked the door. Eight times. He raped her eight times in one week, using her son against her for compliance. Twice he hadn't even been careful which orifice he used, telling her her job was to please him as he suited. It didn't matter how much she bled, cried, or begged him to stop. That her learning her lesson not to question him again was more important. As long as she let him finish in her. As long as she knew that in the grand scheme of things, his pleasure, his power meant more than her body.

When she finally arrived in Sunafuki, she did her best to ignore the lingering pain, and smile as her son ran into her arms. Touma was not there, and she felt she could finally relax, like Sunafuki Island was a separate world from the Palace.

A week later, she received news that Touma went missing in the desert while in Tsumi Shi. He was presumed dead. Despite that meaning she was back to square one, she smiled and prayed he stayed missing.

After hearing news that Gaara was engaged, and marrying his betrothed that weekend, Emika took it upon herself to get absolutely hammered. There had been something comforting knowing Gaara had been the elusive bachelor who had never been able to be tied down. Something comforting with the idea that she was the only one who saw Gaara in love. It made the idea of having his son seem meant to be. Like the only one who could love him properly was herself, and the only one he could be like that with was her. But to hear that wasn't the case anymore, that comfort was gone.

As soon as she got back from her visit in Suna, she immediately began hammering back drinks, even before the party started. There was a game of Truth or Dare played, and she vaguely remembered partaking in a couple rounds. The last of which was a dare for her to kiss the hottest man in the room. She saw Ryuki, with his hair quaffed and his eyeliner perfect, and his pouty lips looked the most kissable, and promptly sat in his lap and kissed him.

The group moved onto another game, and she pulled Ryuki aside to talk on one of the couches. It had been a while since they had caught up. She hadn't seen him since he started making movies last year, but had been the one to connect him with his publicist shortly after he started Moonlight Kunai two and a half years ago.

"Ryuki," she said with a giggle, "How are you!?"

He smiled. "I'm good, Princess. How are you? You seem a bit … toasted."

"Iss a party," she slurred. He smiled, and nodded as if she said something obvious. "Actually, I've been thinking … about that kiss?"

He laughed, shaking his head. "Emika, you don't have to—"

"No, there's more there," she reasoned. "Cuz you aren't a bad kisser."

His brow furrowed. "Thank you."

She gulped, then leaned closer. "Can I just—?" She didn't let him answer as she planted her lips on his again. She licked at his lips, and he let her in. Her tongue pressed against his aggressively. He didn't push her off, but he wasn't as into it as she wanted. Her tongue kept pushing his to play back, but he only kissed back minimally. She would have left it alone, but in the back of her mind, she was imagining Gaara and his fiancé, happily in love, getting married, and enjoying their wedding night. Her Gaara with another woman.

Tenshimi had always said the best way to get over a man was to get under another. And Hamaru had been her only real fuck since Gaara. But it had only been the one time dismally short and uncomfortable, and she was pregnant with Gaara's son, so her heart hadn't been in it. But this time she wanted to forget. She was desperate to move on, because he was. He wasn't thinking about her.

Not liking the angle, she climbed into his lap, straddling him on the couch as she deepened her kissing, leaning his head back against the back of the couch as she poured more lust into her kiss, grinding against him. "Emika," Ryuki murmured, trying to ease back, even though she had him pinned beneath her.

"Fuck me, Ryuki," she said. "I need to be fucked."

"You are beyond drunk," he chuckled.

"Please," she panted against his lips.

He sighed, then assisted her up, holding her hands as he led her back to her room. As soon as he shut the door, she was stripping. "Woah," he breathed as she got completely undressed.

"I want you to have your way with me," she declared as she took off her skirt.

Ryuki smiled awkwardly, locking the door to the bedroom. He smirked as he said, "How about we get a bath?"

She smiled excitedly. "Alright."

"Alright," he breathed steadily, before going to her bathroom, running the bath water warm. "Bubbles?" he asked.

"I love bubbles!" she declared.

"Who doesn't?" he chuckled as he grabbed the bubble bath and poured a dose in. The bath filled with bubbles. He helped her step in without slipping, noting the white striping on her lower abdomen. "What happened to your belly."

She rolled her eyes as she plopped into the water. "Dammit. I forgot. Stretch marks aren' sexy. Juss ignore 'em."

"But how'd you get them?" he asked more concerned.

She blew out her lips and said, "I had a baby." His eyes flew wide, and she waved it off. "But shhhhhh," she added, putting her fingers to her lips before she chuckled, "It's a big secret."

"I'd imagine," he stated, his expression dumbfounded.

"Are you gonna still fuck me?" she asked. "I'm a good fuck. You can ask Gaara."

"Gaara," he clarified.

She nodded. "Yeah. He was my first. An' he knocked me up."

"Wait. Gaara's your baby-daddy?" Ryuki asked clarifyingly. She nodded. "As in the Kazekage, Gaara?" She nodded again. He let out a bark of a laugh. "What!? When!?"

She blew out more air, sinking down in the bath. "Remember when you an' Tenshimi an' Haru helped me escape the Shōrikokos' concert six years ago?"

"Yeah," he answered. "We spent the night in jail thanks to security."

"Yeah, well, he was outside. I didn't know he was running the security operation, and I hired him to help me escape. And then my Dad decided to have him essentially babysit me without me knowing. And then my Dad and I had an argument, and I ran away. And he went with me," she explained. She sank further down, but Ryuki picked her back up to make sure she didn't drown, and she laughed.

When she calmed, Ryuki asked, "So, what happened?"

She licked her lips and rolled her eyes. "Well, I fell in love with him, and he fell in love with me. At least he said he did. I dunno'." She grimaced as she added, "I kept pestering him to have sex with me. God, I was such a little whore." Her lips trembled as a tear slipped down her cheek.

"No. You weren't a whore," Ryuki corrected. "You were in love."

"I guess it serves me right. I mean getting pregnant was my pretty much all my fault. He wouldn't have done it if I hadn't …" Ryuki's gaze softened as he saw her begin to cry, ugly cry, as she said, "He has a son. He doesn't even know. He's getting married tonight, and he has no idea that I had his baby. That I've been keeping him a secret because if people knew they might want to kill him."

Ryuki exhaled sharply, then muttered, "Well, that explains the drinking."

She pouted as she muttered, "This isn't sexy. I wanted to be sexy. Are you still going to fuck me? I mean, now that you know my big secret."

"Honey," Ryuki said, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Don't take this the wrong way, but I'm not into women, and I just want to make sure you're ok."

She nodded, letting herself cry hard in front of him, weeping, "He's moving on. He's moving on and happy. And I'm just an unmarried single mother with two dead fiances." Eventually, she began to drift off. He grabbed a towel and carried her out, putting her on the bed in a good position before going to drain the bath. He got her a glass of water, and got her to drink several times as she drifted off.

Not thirty minutes later, Tenshimi knocked hard on the door, calling, "Emika! You in there!?"

Ryuki went to the door and said, "She's passed out. I'm taking care of her." Emika groaned, rolling out of bed before running to the bathroom and vomiting. "Or, she was passed out. Now she's puking."

"Oh, Ryuki. Sorry," Tenshimi murmured, clearly also drunk. "I just wanted to make sure she was accounted for, cuz' I was about to go to bed."

"I've got her," he stated.

"Thanks. You're the best!" Tenshimi sighed, walking away from the door.

Ryuki quickly went to the bathroom to hold Emika's hair back as she vomited the evening's drinks. When she'd finally finished, she groaned, "What happened? Why am I naked?"

"You got plastered and asked me to fuck you," he answered plainly.

"Oh," she grumbled, clearly disappointed with herself. "W-was it good for you?" she asked.

"We didn't have sex," he laughed. "I ran you a bath to help sober you up."

"Oh, thank god," she breathed. She looked up guiltily as she added, "I don't mean any offense."

"None taken," he said. He chuckled oddly as he said, "You really don't remember me telling you thirty minutes ago that I was gay?"

She exhaled sharply. "It might've come back to me in the morning when I'm sober. I'm sorry if I said anything stupid."

He nodded, pursing his lips. "So, you don't remember telling me about your secret love child with Sabaku no Gaara, the Kazekage?"

Her eyes flew wide as she looked at him, and he smiled knowingly. She promptly vomited again, and Ryuki held her hair back, rubbing her shoulders soothingly as she retched. "Please don't say anything," she said between retches.

"I won't tell anybody," he promised. He scoffed as he added, "I mean, I can keep a secret."

She groaned as the bout finished, then asked, "Can I have some clothes?"

"Yeah," he chirped, getting up and grabbing her some pajamas. He handed them to her, and she got dressed as he filled her another cup of water, stating, "This will help sober you up."

"Thanks," she murmured, taking the cup and sipping it slowly.

He crossed his arms as he looked at her. "So, what's your son like?"

She took a bracing breath, then gestured for him to follow her. She put her purse on the bed, and pulled out a folded photo sleeve that had been ripped out of a wallet and hidden in a discreet pocket of her purse. She handed it to him, and said, "I try to come out and see him whenever I can. But it can be difficult since Tenshimi always wants to come with me to Suna."

He smiled as he saw the baby photos. "He's a beautiful boy," he said as he got to the last photo.

"He looks like his father," Emika stated.

"Yeah, I see that," Ryuki murmured. "So, if you conceived him around the concert, he's what? Six?"

"Five," she said, smiling a little proudly. "He just turned five a few months ago." She couldn't contain her smile as the facts about her son came spilling out. "His birthday is March fifteenth. He came a week late. He's always running late, like his father. His favorite color is blue. And he's obsessed with wolves. He knows everything about them. Seriously. He likes to play soccer and practice ninjutsu. And he's sweet. Like the sweetest kid I've ever even met. And that's not just me saying it. Everyone who meets him says it. But he's also kind of shy. And he's just starting school in a week. And he's so excited about it. He keeps talking about the friends he's going to make." She pursed her lips as she felt her tears begin to well. She was missing a lot of his childhood trying to keep him safe.

"You sound really proud," Ryuki said.

She nodded, gulping back the pain in her throat. "I am."

He handed the photos back to her as he asked, "What's his name?"

"You," she said shakily. She sniffled as she said, "You're his father."

The answer hit him like the Susanoo's spear through his heart and lungs. He couldn't breath. And he was certain his heart had stopped. "What?" he blurted.

A part of him had been assuming Touma's rape had resulted in an unwanted child when she said she had a son. That had been his first thought. They were engaged a year ago, and the sudden push to get married at the possible cost of the country added up mathematically, he assumed. Not this.

Was she telling him she was pregnant with his child now. That the Sylph pill didn't work. It was known to happen.

"Are you pregnant?" he blurted, his brow raised with surprise. If she was, it was a welcome surprise, at least by him. It might make their plans difficult, but he was sure they could figure it out.

"No," she answered. He straightened, unsure what she meant. She licked her lips, pacing before sitting in the chair across from him. She steepled her fingers over her lips, then said, "Six years ago, you and I took each other's virginities, and in the process … conceived our son."

His eyes widened, and his heart refroze again. His mind whirred with shock. Six years. He'd been a father for six years? He just had a son somewhere out in the world that he'd known nothing about.

She took his silence as a reason to explain herself. "I found out shortly after I signed away my rights and started the marriage meetings again. My mom pressed me to find a husband quickly, but she was having difficulty scheduling meetings because everyone knew I'd run away for five days, so I wasn't considered a stable choice for a bride at the time. So, when I ran into Hamaru at a charity function in Futen, I got him to agree to come to palace for a few visits before he returned home." Her face grew red with shame, and she looked to the floor as she admitted, "The last day he was there, my Mom helped me seduce him, so I could pass the baby off as his. Of course, he agreed to marry me as soon as he thought he'd taken my virginity, and when he returned a week later with the engagement rings, I told him I was pregnant. A month and a half later, he was murdered."

She could feel Gaara's wide eyes practically boring a hole into her skull, and she refused to meet his gaze as she continued, "I was already starting to show at that point, so my mother sequestered me on Sunafuki Island in my grandfather, Soseki's palace, while she told the correspondence I'd gone on a trip around the world to find myself. Chie and Rinri would go off occasionally disguised as me with a transformation jutsu, traveling around so the paparazzi could get their photos to sell the story."

She took a deep breath, licking her lips before pressing them into a thin line. "Everything I've done since I found out I was pregnant has been to keep him safe. Every lie. Every engagement. Even letting Touma –" she trailed off, her nose twitching as she pressed her lips in a thin line again. "Towards the end, I'd gotten tired of Touma's lack of discretion when it came to his affairs with the maids, and when I confronted him about it, he threatened to tell my Uncle about my son unless I let him 'put me in my place.'" She spat the last bit out distastefully. Her breath hitched as she added, "If my Uncle knew about him, I would never see him again."

She took a deep breath, then added, "I only told Ryuki about him, because when I went to Suna for a visit back in August, and I heard you were about to get married, I got hammered and tried to seduce Ryuki, which didn't work because he was gay. But he saw my stretch marks from the pregnancy and asked about them, and I being a drunken fool blabbed. When we talked about it after I sobered up, he came to the conclusion that I just needed a husband who would help me legitimize him, and agreed to do that. He was the one who pointed out how odd it was my fiances kept winding up dead. So, he told me if anything happened, to go to you."

The silence hung between them for a while as she finished her tale. She chanced a look over to him, only to see him catatonically staring out the window behind her, clearly still processing everything she just told him.

"He looks like you," she offered, her heart pounding with trepidation. When that only made him blink out the window, she pressed, "Say something."

He finally looked in her eyes as if he finally was registering her voice again, his mouth curled in a pensive frown. His mind had been a storm as she unloaded all this information. So much so, he couldn't even put words together. He knew she was hiding something, but this seemed entirely outside the realms of possibility. This wasn't the honorable princess Emika he knew. This was a woman who seduced a hapless man to trap him in marriage to hide her mistake. A woman who hid a child not just from the world, but even from the man who helped create him. It wasn't just that she didn't tell him in the years his son had been alive. It was that they had been living together for a month now, and she'd lied to him over and over again to keep the fact she bore him a son a secret from him. The woman before him was suddenly an entirely different person than he thought she was.

He had no words.

Silently, he stood up and left the room. She jumped up as he wrenched open the door, and cried out, "Gaara, wait!" But he didn't stop. He wasn't sure where he would go on a moving train, but he wouldn't sit there and listen to her excuse her actions.

The train pulled into Suna's station the next morning around nine. Gaara returned to the Daimyo's car for the first time since yesterday just to make sure their bags were grabbed. As he walked into the suite, he saw Emika talking to Chie. He looked up, clearly sensing Gaara outside the door. Chie bowed to Emika, and walked out. The look he gave Gaara was apologetic and understanding as he passed him into the hallway.

Emika stood seeing him in the doorway, and said, "You came back."

"I came to get my bag," he stated plainly.

"Akira is handling them for us," she said.

His shoulders dropped as he exhaled tiredly through his nose, then turned to leave.

"Can I … just…" she tried to start, only to lose some of her nerve as his penetrative glare settled on her. She took a shuddering breath, then said, "I know you don't like me right now. Honestly, I've hated myself for it too." She gulped as he stared at her more piercingly. "I have something to show you."

He took a steadying breath, then said, "Alright."

She nodded thankfully, then reached for his hand, which he pulled away, crossing his arms. She flinched a little in her eyes, and he knew the action hurt her. She gave a resigned sigh, then said, "This way," before leading him onto the crowded platform out into Suna. He followed her winding through the crowd until they dove off down Third Ring street, skirting around the upper basin of the village, only to cut across west on Shamon Drive, making their way past several neighborhoods, apartments and dorms, the Puppet Corps building and several market squares and children's parks and hotels. Their walk was silent, except the few people who stopped them on their way to congratulate them on their marriage, and express gratitude for Gaara's service at the House of Daimyos. Their path winded a little bit once Shamon dead-ended on 7th street, and they headed south, only to turn sharply northwest two blocks down on Aria Boulevard.

As soon as they made that turn, Gaara began to suspect where she was leading him, but didn't say anything. Even as they finally reached the familiar large plaza where Aria Boulevard met 9th street just a couple blocks away from the West Gate. The plaza was bricked with a design surrounding the Central West Opera House. The building in the middle of the day shone creamy white against the more yellowed buildings around it. The outside wasn't all that grand in comparison to the opera house of Futen. It wasn't gilded and was made of styled concrete like the rest of Suna, with an odd dome on top. There were more modern statues in the vague shape of samba dancers around the plaza, and the fountain. Since he'd become Kazekage, he'd gone to a few shows there, and knew the inside was grander than the outside boasted, with painted ceilings and good-sized theaters.

As she led him towards the front, where there were still outside benches and tables, he finally spoke up. "What are we doing here?"

She turned to him, smiling sadly. "Don't you remember? This is where it all started."

Gaara pursed his lips as he walked towards her, then said, "Actually, that mission started at the Suna Premier Hotel."

"Not the mission," she scoffed. "Us." She pointed to a spot at the base of the house's entry stairs and said, "That is where I first saw you buying a t-shirt."

He remembered. "You stared so long, I thought I'd been made."

"I stared because I'd never seen such a beautiful man," she said, smiling again at him. He pressed his lips in a line, appreciating the complement, but at the same time, wanting her to get to the point. "It was doubly amazing, because Haru had just told me an old saying, 'When you follow Love, you find happiness.' And there you were, with 'Love' carved into your head." His hard expression fell a little, and she sighed. "I didn't pick you on a whim. I sought you out when I ran away from Chie and Rinri. Based solely on that stupid saying."

She pulled him over to a bench, fishing in her purse, then pulling out what looked like a folded picture frame from a wallet, but it had been ripped out. She gestured for him to sit next to her, and he did. Silently, she handed the picture frame to him, but he didn't take it immediately.

"You told me two weeks ago you took a Sylph pill back then," he stated.

She looked at him with a mix of pity and regret. "Come on, Gaara. You read the window time on the prescription when you got it. Forty-eight hours. Mathematically, you should have seen through that."

"Should I?"

She licked her lips, then explained, "For the whole forty-eight hour window after we had sex, we were running back to Suna in the middle of the desert. Did you notice our group stop for a prescription at any time?" She exhaled sharply, then said, "Chie and Rinri didn't think you did anything like that until I found out I was pregnant."

She offered the frame again, and this time he took it, grumbling, "You still lied to me during this marriage about having our son. I'm not sure what to believe," as he unraveled it. It had four photos, and his gaze immediately softened as he felt his eyes begin to water as he looked at them and felt a dawning realization that she wasn't lying anymore. The first set were baby photos. The first the baby was sleeping in a green muslin blanket, and he had peach colored fuzz on his head. Emika held her son in her arms and smiled at him as he grabbed onto her finger. He was a newborn in the photo. The second photo, the baby was a little older. The peachy hair had started to grow out and darken a little to be a similar shade of hair as Emika's. He was sitting up playing with a white teddy bear as he giggled wide-eyed at the camera. Immediately Gaara saw what she meant when she said they looked similar. Besides his hair and eye color, their son looked exactly like Gaara did in his baby photos.

"His birthday is March 15th, born a week and a half after his due date," she started. "I always joked he had your sense of timing."

The next photo he was a toddler, sitting in Emika's grandfather's lap as Soseki read him a story as he sucked his thumb. The last was a photo of the boy smiling broadly with all his teeth and bright hazel eyes as he sat in front of a birthday cake with two candles. Gaara's brow furrowed as he looked at the little boy's face. The slight adolescent freckling. The oddly colored eyes that couldn't decide between olive or brown. His hair was an amber ash color. It wasn't just that his son looked like him. He'd seen this boy before.

He looked at Emika expectantly as she continued, "He'll be six in a month. He loves wolves and the color blue. He loves to go to the beach and build sand castles. He's gotten pretty good at it for his age. And he's really kind, and shy. And—"

She was cut off as the voice of a young boy called out, "MOMMY!"

Emika snapped up and Gaara peered around her, both surprised while at the same time, suddenly understanding everything. Emika jumped up, a broad smile on her face as Rinri and Chie entered the plaza with their foster son, Hira, who was sprinting into the princess's arms. The boy practically tackled her with his hug. "Oh, Baby, I'm so glad to see you!" Emika cheered, squeezing him tightly against her.

"Why are you here? Is it my birthday?" he asked.

"No, it's not your birthday," she chuckled. She booped his nose with her forefinger as she said, "You have to wait another month for that." She grabbed his hands and said, "Actually, it's Mommy's birthday in two days, and I just wanted to see you." He beamed broadly and hugged her around her neck. She closed her eyes, and Gaara could see how at peace she seemed in her son's arms. Then she kissed his cheek and grabbed his hands and said, "Come here. I have someone I want you to meet."

Gaara felt his heart thudding and his mind whirring wondering what he should say as Emika guided their son over to him. She stood Hira in front of her, placing her hands on his shoulders and said, "Hira, this is Gaara. Gaara, this is my son, Hira."

Gaara opened his mouth to respond, but couldn't think of any words good enough to say. Hira instead twisted up to Emika and corrected, "Mommy, that's Mr. Kage." That little name that was once so endearing from the little boy now struck Gaara like a knife in the gut. His son didn't know him. No more than the average Suna child. His son didn't know that he was more than the Kazekage to him.

"Yes," Emika murmured. "He is the Kazekage."

Hira turned to Gaara, his eyebrows furrowed before he asked, "Are you friends with my mom?"

Gaara cleared his throat and finally found his voice. "Something like that," he answered.

Hira smiled brightly and said, "Cool!" He then spun around to Emika, not paying Gaara anymore attention as he started animatedly tell her about school, and a new tv show he was watching. Gaara could only watch as his feelings stormed within him, bubbling under the surface.

Chie stepped up to Hira, squatting down to his level, then saying, "Hey, Bud. Let's let Mommy finish her conversation. Let's go check out the fountain."

Hira pouted, but acquiesced, trotting over to the fountain with his foster parents. Gaara watched his son playing in the water as he heard Emika say, "I named him in your memory. Ironically, if you take the first kanji of my father's name, 'Hi' which means sun, and take the last kanji of your name, 'Ra' meaning demon or carnage, together, it means Peace, which is what you told me you wanted so many years ago." She cleared her throat adding, "When Chie and Rinri were let go, and my mother begged me to return to the palace, I asked them to bring him here, so he could grow up in the town his father grew up in. So he could have at least a piece of you. Also, another orphan in Suna after the war, no one would bat an eye at him."

Gaara flinched at her factually resigned tone. "Why didn't you tell me earlier?" he asked in a low voice.

She moved her mouth a little, revealing her regret mixed with pain at the thought for just a moment. "Mostly it was the timing of everything. It took me a long time to forgive you. And for the first four months of my pregnancy, I was trying so hard to pass him off as somebody else's and get married, so he'd be considered legitimate. And after that, I wasn't allowed any correspondence until I left Sunafuki. And after two or three years, I couldn't just hunt you down and say, 'Hey, by the way, you have a son.'" She pressed her lips together, then said, "I guess that's not entirely true. Mother did suggest I have Chie deliver him to your doorstep just after he was born and give up all ties, but …" she shook her head, puckering her lips pensively sad as she said, "I couldn't give him up yet. And definitely not forever."

Gaara couldn't imagine if she had done that. Had Chie drop off a wailing baby on the doorstep of the penthouse, or more likely just brought him to Gaara's office directly. Of course, he'd have had to confess what had happened to his siblings. Temari was the only one of them at the time with parental instincts, meaning she'd have had to give up her job as Konoha Ambassador, which in the long run probably would have meant she wouldn't have married Shikamaru. They probably would have figured out raising a child, but it would have been unorthodox. Despite all that, he still felt robbed of the chance to see what kind of father he was.

"Would you have told me?" he finally asked. "We've been married almost a month. So, would you have told me if I hadn't pestered you about your heir?"

She pressed her lips in a thin line, clearly thinking about her answer. "Probably not." He inhaled sharply, feeling his anger bubbling up as he clenched his fists. He wanted to howl at her, "Why not!?" but she quickly added, "I don't want to confuse him. He can't be your clan heir and the Daimyo heir. Doing all of this takes the target off his back, and saves him from your Council." She turned to him carefully, her arms crossed, matching his stance as she said, "Even if you don't think the law as it stands is a good enough reason to go to war, then maybe knowing you son's right to live and to be raised by his mother is what's actually at stake changes your mind." She looked back to Hira, and added, "Keeping him safe. Keeping him happy. For that, I've already sacrificed so much, going to war means nothing. For him, I'd burn the whole world."

That, Gaara could tell, wasn't an exaggeration in the slightest.

Ryuki handed the photos back to her as he asked, "What's his name?"

"Hira," she answered. "His name is Hira."

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