I have been extremely busy. But here is the next chapter. The chapters might not be too long but I will make them long enough. I guess I am really keeping you guessing about if it a dream or not, what is the truth and all that stuff. Thank you for all the reviews


The sunset was beautiful. Anna stared at the painted sky as the sun began to droop, ready to hibernate beyond the horizon. She gently rubbed her bare arms, the cool night was coming which made her stomach tighten. The trial was approaching. It sounded so corny in her mind but it was what she was thinking. She did not know why she was so worried. Anna slightly jumped as Hao wrapped his poncho around her shoulders, his arms embracing her, warming her silently from behind. She felt safe in this warmth and it was odd and not right.

"Hao," she began without thinking.

"Hmm?" He softly replied in a gentle sigh as he rested his head against her back. Anna searched the sun for a reply, muddling over a careful way to approach it.

"Go on Anna," he pressured, softly and gave her a tender squeeze. He added, with serious and soft tone. "As your husband, tell me what is on your mind, I want to know."

"This doesn't concern my husband, this concerns the Shaman King." Hao rested his head against her shoulder, she felt his chest inhale as he sighed and slowly let it out so it fluttered her hair. Anna took her own deep breath, biting her tongue slightly. He knew what she meant now she let it go. "What will happen to Faust and the others?"

"Anna..." Hao replied in a tone that was slight with frustration and annoyance. He tilted her head to look at him, which require her to move her body in his embrace. His brown eyes searched her own, intent on discovering what Anna hid instantly and very well. Strands of hair fell lazily over his features as the shadows and sun played off it. "Why do you care about them?"

"I don't," Anna, said sharply, acting offended. "I know them, we were acquaintances and that ends any close relations I have with them today. However because I know them, I would want to know what fate will be in store for them. You may not do the same with your followers but of course you have no feelings toward them but as tools and followers."

"You have always been so harshly honest," he murmured, with respect. He brushed away a stray wisp of her blond hair, his finger delicately tracing the curve of her face but his eyes were locked on hers. He was studying her intense but Anna did not flinch. She returned his intensity with an icy confidence. Her own confidence, something that Queen Anna had almost lost. Hao kissed her lips, very softly...a brush of silky in a cool breeze. "That is why I love you."

"Huh..." Anna chocked on her own breath as it was stolen away from her. She gasped to catch it again, turning her head away from Hao. Automatically the back of her hand was against her lips. Why could she not catch her breath? She felt fingers massage her back as she struggle to get her the lump of air out of her throat. Slowly, after a few moments of breathing through her nose, she started to regain the use of her throat. Tears moistened her eyes, trailing down her cheeks.

"Anna," Hao said, he took her face lightly in his hands. Anna had to purse her lips from coughing in his face as the remaining tightness began to loosen. His fingers softly brushed away her tears from her cheeks. His eyebrows were furrowed in an expression of worry and suspicion. Anna attempt to speak but her throat was dry, worn, and raw. Hao poured her some water that they had brought, giving her a glass silently as he watched her. Anna sipped the drink, the cool liquid refreshing her vocals. For a minute, Anna sipped her water, unable to think of anything to say. She was truly shocked, caught of guard.

"Those words..." she began, breathless, the words reaching her lips before they played in her head. Anna scowled as bitterness, the Queen's and hers began to twist together. Anna glanced at Hao, cynical and nonchalantly. "...mean nothing."

"What do you mean, Anna?"

"They are just words. Anyone can say them," Anna replied, monotonous, the Queen's feelings heavy with bitterness. "For you, they are simple lies. You cannot love; you will never allow yourself too. Love...is nothing but a worthless, human emotion."

COLD-HEARTED BITCH," Hao erupted, his hands suddenly clasped around her neck, firmly. Anna gasped for air as his finger dug angrily into her flesh. His weight was on her, crushing her as he loomed over her, trapping her underneath him. Strands of long hair fell around his face, those usually calm features were full of rage, and his eyes were the color of fire. Anna's fingers wrapped around his wrists, her nails having no affect on the pressure against her throat. "All you can do is criticize me! All you do is resent me behind my back."

"H...h..." Anna sputtered. She could not breath, her vision was blurring. Hao bowed his face closer, a sinister grin, cold and hostile touched against her ears.

"We are a lot a like. Now matter how much you begrudge it, we are kindred spirits. We need each other to survive..." His harsh whispers were cut off, a loud roar like a waterfall muting his sharp words. Anna! Yoh, Anna thought, still feeling the warm breath against her ears and the pressure on her throat. Yoh, where are you? Anna, please, do not provoke him...do not inflict his rage upon yourself. I...I do not want to see you harmed. Yoh...Yoh...where are you? I am near...

"Ha...ha...Hao," Anna whispered. "Ple..please...you are hu...hur...ting me."

He blinked at her, his finger slipped away from around her throat. Anna took a deep breath of ragged air, shoving Hao off her as she sat up quickly. Again, Anna had to struggle to catch her breath again, her hand feeling her chest rise and fall. Hao was breathing hard to, his temper beginning to fade. Long, wispy strands of his brown hair veiled one of his eyes as he gazed at Anna. Yoh, she thought, her fingers tightening over her heart, tears dampening her eyes. She brushed them away with her hand just as she felt warm finger caress her hair.

"Do not touch me," she shrieked, her hand went flying, catching Hao's cheek with a sharp smack. His eyes widened, she had caught him off guard. Yet he smiled, touching his cheek.

"I guess I deserve that. Anna...I am...." Beep. Beep. The sound startled them both as they stared dumbfounded. Hao unclipped something from his pants, an oracle bell. Anna stared at it. She never noticed that before.

"They are ready," Hao muttered, then stood up. His long hair caught the breeze, he looked solemn, deep in some thought. His hand came before her. "Come on, my Queen. We must attend a trial."

At the trial

"HoroHoro. Chocolove. Faust VIII. Tao Ren," Nick Rome smugly called Ren's name, his lips curved in delight. "You are brought before the court of the Shaman King on charges of treason, attempting to escape, impersonation..."

"Nick...we know what they are here for. Let's getting to the sentencing," an impatient Kanna remarked. They are all ruthless, Anna noted as she sat beside Hao. They had not spoken to each other ever since the incident. Hao's fingers simply curled around hers, flexing around them as they listen. The only joy was the venomous jealousy that Kanna would flash her, staring in blunt distaste at their conjoined hands.

The trial was held in a large stone room. The accused were group together, chained with spirits that crackled with electric energy. Kanna, Nick, Luchist, Macchi and Mari surrounded them, positioned in pillars that hovered high above them. Anna and Hao were in the middle, in an opera booth that looked over everyone. The only source of light was the torches that were scattered everywhere, so it was cold. Ren and Chocolove had been stripped of there disguises. Eliza was encaged underneath Luchist, Faust kept looking over at her.

"Do you have anything to say," Hao asked them, eerily calm and friendly.

"Oh I have a shit load of things to say to you and your Queen," Ren countered and was rewarded by a shock of electricity conducted by a spirit. He screamed in pain, kneeling in submission. He was going to rat her out. Anna looked over at Hao, his features were light and smiling.

"That will do. Let him speak. I would like to here what he has to say to us."

"You...are nothing but a murderer."

"As you once where...Nick Rome brother was murder by you, was he not," Hao, countered, savagely sweet. Ren winced.

"He felt remorse," HoroHoro screamed back, his fists tight. "You do not know the meaning of it."

"Remorse? Remorse is nothing but an unnecessary emotion. Just because one feels it, does not mean one can understand it." Like love, Anna thought to herself.

"You should not be Shaman King. Yoh should be," Chocolove cried out, angrily. Anna felt the heat of Hao's eyes on her. She remained emotionless. "You killed him."

"But I did not. He is me...He was mine. My soul in a separate body. Will you never understand that?" It was not sinking in...there was something there. There was something, a meaning within those words. What was it? She could not grasp it... it was like fog nothing but an illusion of clouds.

"Anna," Hao was looking over at her with studious eyes. Anna looked at him then felt a numb cramp in her hand. She was squeezing house hand, it was white, and her nails made red crescents in his flesh. Anna withdrew her hand, looking blankly at Hao.

"I..."

"If this upsets you, you should go," he whispered. Anna looked at the others, they were staring at her intently. Anna nodded in retreat. If they revealed her, she would rather not be there for it. A few minutes alone before she died were better than suffering with eyes around her. Anna bowed toward Hao, who gently placed a kiss against the back of her hand.

"Please...tell me what..."

"I will, Anna. Now go to bed," There was a touch of impatience in his voice. Anna left behind the heavy black curtains. Her heart was pounding in her chest. Her mind was racing. Why was she so worked up? There was something, she needed to find it. The answer was so close. What did he say...what was it? Without realizing it, Anna had found her way back to the room. She started to paced, her mind electrified, trying to spark anything, a though, a memory, a connection.

"Lady Anna," a voice piped, nervous.

"Tamao?" The pink-haired girl emerged from the shadows, her pink eyes were red and puffy. She sniffled, her cute face looking distraught and fearful. Her heart sank and her stomach twisted in dread. "Tamao...what is wrong?"

"I...I...am sorry. I just did not want to...to stay in my room."

"What do you mean?"

"After...after finding out about Faust...Master...master," Tamao took a few deep breaths, sniffling uncontrollably. Her whole body was trembling. "He placed a spirit...in my room. It watches me whenever I change...and...and it will not let me...leave...without some sort of bribe."

"Oh Tamao," Anna soothed, softly. "I am sorry."

"What if...what if...that thing finds out...I am...?" Tamao began to weep again, burying her head in her hands. Anna forgot about her reckless pacing and pulled Tamao in a comforting embrace. Tamao stiffened, almost afraid of her.

"Tamao, I can even describe what is going on. I am sorry for putting you in this situation."

"Lady...Lady Anna," she stuttered. Anna sighed, holding Tamao out in front of her, looking at her. Her pink eyes were red and wide. It was obvious she was not used to Anna showing a kinder side. Just knowing why Tamao was victimized, Anna knew she was responsible. Tamao looked at Anna's face and she loosened. There must have been something there, an expression of exhaust and weary.

"I am sorry to disturb you with my problems, Anna. I am just so afraid," Tamao said. Yet Anna was barely listening, she noticed the chest as the end of the bed. It was the one she had tried to get to earlier. Anna pulled away from Tamao and kneeled down in front of the chest. The spirit emerged, looking sleepy. Tamao was watching her and then at the spirit.

"Lady Annnnna...youuuuu are nnnnnot permitted innnntooo....," Anna hand caught the spirit around his throat.

"Do not mess with me. I am an itako and I will send you straight to hell if you get in my way," she threatened, almost in an identical hiss. His purple eyes went wide as she began her exorcism spell.

"Lady Annnna....forrrrrgive meee," he sputtered in a low hiss.

"Leave. NOW." The spirit slithered away, looking at Tamao for a moment before he ran off.

"Lady Anna. He will go and tell Master Hao."

"If he does...I will track him down. You got that, slither?" He looked ruefully, his lips curled as if he was ready to hiss at her but he just slithered away. Anna ran her finger over the top of the chest and around its side. The latch was metal and locked. "Tamao give me something to open this."

"That's Master Hao's. You should not..."

"I will get it." Anna went into the bathroom and brought out a hairpin. She bent back down and shoved the pin in. Fiddling with the lock, it was very complicated. She twisted the hairpin everywhere, trying all of the nooks and crannies until. CLICK. Anna froze as the locked fell onto the floor. Her heart was pounding. There must be something, a clue, the key... Carefully as the lid creaked, Anna lifted it up, peering into the darkness. Tamao gasped behind her, a loud thump followed. Anna gazed blankly at what was inside. Finally, in a ragged, surprised, and pleased tone she said:

"AMIDAMARU!"


Yeah. I finally updated. I hope you enjoy the chapter. The thing between Tamao and Anna......well I need filler space