The door was locked.

Kyoko let out a long breath, pursing her lips in exasperation. This was the third time they had trapped her in a room. It was starting to get annoying. She pressed her finger to the keyhole and sent magical pulses through the door knob. She held still, letting the vibrations travel through the metal and back, relaying to her the layout of the lock.

Finding the solution to her problem, she pressed her magic against the spring, and the door gave a sound "click" indicating it was unlocked.

Really, had they not figured out she couldn't be locked in a room yet?

Apparently they had. When she tried to open the door, it wouldn't budge.

"What did they do this time?" she sighed.

Kyoko pressed her hand against the door, repeating the process of sending pulses and getting back information. She grimaced. They had placed something across the door, probably a metal rod, stopping the door from opening. She couldn't do anything from this side.

Seriously? She thought. Do they have nothing better to do than find ways to annoy me? The women had finally started bullying her with actions instead of words the past couple weeks. It wasn't anything she couldn't handle. Locked doors, threatening notes, and food spiked with hot spices paled in comparison to what she had endured before. That rule about not hurting each other was really handy.

Kyoko looked around the room, searching for another exit. She was in one of the dance halls, having just finished practicing that morning. It was a wide room with little furniture, no carpets, and lots of open space in the middle. There were also several large windows that opened up to a balcony.

That was her exit.

Kyoko went outside onto to the balcony and looked out. She was only up two stories but didn't like the idea of falling from that height. There was another balcony on her right that connected to the adjacent room. She could make it if she jumped.

Kyoko walked up to the railing of the balcony and carefully climbed up. She balanced for a moment, feet against the thin railing, body bent over with hands outstretched to stabilize her. Then she jumped.

Propelled by her pulse magic, she cleared the space between the balcony's landing with only a few stumbling steps to keep her balance.

That took some days off my life. Thought Kyoko, but she couldn't help smiling as she looked at the other balcony. It was going to take more than that to stop her!

She walked through the other room, which was thankfully empty, and peaked out the door. No one was in sight. Perfect. Let them think she was stuck in there all day.

Kyoko shut the door, then quietly made her way back to her room. After quickly washing herself down, she went to the clinic to enjoy her last day with Kurosaki.

At least, it should have been enjoyable.

"I'm not letting this woman put any medicine on me!"

"Mr Naito." said Kurosaki, attempting to calm down the old man, but not staying calm himself. His teeth were grinding audibly. "Kyoko is a very talented physician who brought this medicine to the palace in the first place. Now, let her put the sap on your foot."

Kyoko stopped herself from sighing for the hundredth time this week. They were inside one of the research rooms, doing volunteer experiments on people with the sap. This was the third patient this day that had refused to let Kyoko see them because she was a "woman." She put a calming hand on Kurosaki's shoulder.

"It's fine." she said, "It's almost time for me to go anyway. The duke wants to see me before I leave."

Ushio Kurosaki growled, but agreed.

"Alright, but let me walk you to the office." He motioned for another assistant to take over his spot, and they left the clinic, making their way down the hall.

"So what did you think about the research facility? Now that you've officially had a hand in it." he asked her.

Kyoko thought for a moment before answering.

"It was a lot of fun." she said. "Setting up trials and experimenting with new formulas. But... honestly I think my heart is in interacting with the patients and helping them get better."

Kurosaki nodded as if he had expected that answer.

"You always were the best at handling the volunteers. Well, except when there are idiots like Naito, then that's just bad taste. Nothing you can do about that."

Kyoko flushed at the praise. They arrived at Lory's office, and she gave a low curtsy.

"Thank you Mr Kurosaki." she said "For everything. I had a lot of fun, and learned a great deal in your care."

"The pleasure is mine." he said with his signature cocky grin. Then he held out his hand "Come and visit every now and then. I'd love to work with you again if given the opportunity."

Kyoko beamed, giving an enthusiastic "Yes!" before taking his hand and shaking it.

He smiled one last time before leaving with a quick. "Later", and walked back to his study.

Feeling better, Kyoko knocked on the duke's door. There was a muffled, "Enter" and she walked in, closing the door behind her.

This time, Lory was standing next to his bookshelf, reading one of the large tomes. His current strange pet, a sandy colored monkey, was hanging off his arm.

"Kyoko, it's nice to see you, and good timing." said Lory, putting down the book and walking to his desk. "Please, sit down."

Kyoko obliged, Lory taking the seat behind his desk. The monkey swung from his arms and crawled onto Kyoko's lap. She giggled as it reached up and grabbed at the necklace, the gems showing through the top of her vest.

"I'm sorry little one, but you can't have these." said Kyoko, gently pulling the necklace from its grasp. To compensate, she took an earring from her ear and handed it to the monkey. It took the jewelry and jumped away, climbing on to one of the bookshelves.

"He has sticky fingers that one." said Lory "You shouldn't encourage him. He might take the other earring when you're not looking."

Kyoko wouldn't really mind that. She didn't have any attachment to the jewelry in the first place.

"So you wanted to see me." said Kyoko. "Is there something I can help you with?"

"Yes." said Lory, taking his eyes away from the monkey. "I would like to know how you like it here."

"It's amazing!" said Kyoko, honestly "I'd only read about some of the things that they were doing in research. And all the new up to date magical technology. It's like a dream come true. Kurosaki's a very talented alchemist. Then the other physicians were really nice, even though I was a guest. Well, some of them doubted my ability, but after I proved myself to them, they warmed up to me."

Lorys eyes were smiling in amusement. "I'm not sure it was your medical ability that did that miss Kyoko."

She didn't understand

"As much as I like to hear you praise my clinic, that's not what I was talking about." continued Lory. "I want to know how you're doing. In the palace, where you're living. In the harem."

"Oh."

Her mood instantly began to sink, thinking about how miserable it was. All the women were still ignoring her, despite her efforts to be polite. Ever since that night with Kuon, they had increased their efforts to be unpleasant. Well, at least most of them.

"It's difficult to say." said Kyoko. "There's nothing lacking when it comes to physical needs. But sometimes I wish the concubines would be nicer to me. Most of them don't talk to me, and a few actively strive to harass me."

Lory nodded.

"It's unfortunate but it's to be expected." he said. "The coop always becomes a little ruffled when a new hen enters the pecking order. Especially when they don't know where you stand with the rooster."

It was an accurate description, though it should be obvious where she stood. Right at the bottom.

"I wish they'd realize I'm not interested in the prince like that." said Kyoko, face darkening. Her little demons started to come out, reveling in their masters barely submerged anger. "Something as superficial as love only brings problems. This harem proves that fact. I've been greeting by nothing but harassment, hate, and bullying since I got here. Love is a poison that corrupts the heart of pure maidens and turns them into vultures."

Lory's brow wrinkled in concern.

"It breaks my heart to hear you say that." he said. "Though I understand why you would feel that way. But don't you think you're being a little too harsh? Love is a wonderful thing! It can bring miracles, and soothe troubled hearts. And most of all it changes people. "

So do broken hearts and jealousy. Thought Kyoko. She gave a weak smile, trying to pull back her demons. While she didn't agree with the duke's optimistic viewpoint, she didn't want to say anything when he had so kindly allowed her to study here. Best to let the subject be dropped.

"I'm sorry to hear it's been so hard with the girls." continued Lory. "They are a feisty bunch. But I think you should take this as an opportunity to test yourself."

"Sir?"

Lory motioned with his hand, the gesture taking in more than just the immediate area. "This clinic is only one of many institutes where people come to learn and test new medicine." he said. "There are dozens of other facilities around the kingdom as good as this one. Especially in other countries. If you want to become a top physician, it's going to be important to visit those other places. And when you do, you won't have me or anyone else to rely on." He leaned forward, placing his elbows on the desk and lacing his fingers together. He rested his chin on the tops of his hands. "I've told you before Kyoko. As a woman, there will be a lot of people waiting for you to fall. Some will be actively seeking to debunk you. When that happens, it's best to make friends, and make them fast to protect yourself. Does this sound familiar to you at all?"

It sure did. It sounded exactly like what was happening in the harem. Except the friend's part. She frowned at her lap, hands placed gracefully on top of one another.

"That's all sound and good." said Kyoko. "And I can see where you're coming from, but I don't like the idea of making friends just to use them for protection. It seems rather shallow and callous to me. I'd rather not create such a fake friendship."

Lory blinked, then laughed.

"No, I suppose you are that type of person." he said, relaxing back into his chair. He gave her one more look over before smiling. "I guess I shouldn't worry too much. You did befriend Kurosaki's group quiet quickly, and the women in the harem are especially difficult to get along with, so it's natural they would take longer to break."

"Are you telling me to try to get along with them?" said Kyoko, a little incredulous. He might as well have told her to fly.

"It wouldn't hurt your position." said Lory.

"I've been trying, but I can't get an opening." said Kyoko, shaking her head. "I wish they would realize I'm not a threat and leave me alone."

Lory gave a grimace, and she knew he was restraining himself from saying something. Kyoko switched the subject before the conversation could go back into those dangerous waters.

"Can I ask you a question Duke Takaraka?" she said.

"Of course."

"When I first came here and showed everyone my new medicine, you made up a fake story for me." said Kyoko. "Why did you do that? Do you know what happened at my home?"

Lory gave her an apologetic look. "I'll admit that I do. When you entered the harem, I did a complete background check on you. I'm sorry for not asking your permission first."

"I'm sure it was necessary." said Kyoko. She was a little uncomfortable knowing someone had taken the time to investigate her, but she could see why he did it. She was after all, (supposed to be) in close proximity with the prince. "It all worked out in the end. I'm just glad that you chose to believe in me." It wasn't something she experienced very often.

When she first met Lory, she had an immediate fondness for the old man, and after working under his care, he had earned her respect as well. Even if his habits might be a bit strange. He had been very kind and taken the time to make sure she was comfortable here in the clinic. But most of all, it was the belief in her abilities she appreciated.

Come to think of it, didn't Kuon and Yukihito believe in her at the beginning as well?

"I have one question as well." said Lory, "You use magic quite often in treatment. Specifically pulse magic. Who taught you to use it like that?"

"Ah well." Kyoko scratched the back of her head, embarrassed. "No one really. I remember my father using it when he was a physician, and I watched some of the others use it as well. I kinda figured it out myself."

Lory looked at her in shock.

"Is that bad?" asked Kyoko, suddenly panicked. "If I've been doing something wrong please let me know. I don't want to hurt anyone because I didn't learn how to control it properly. Did someone complain about it? If-"

"No one has said anything Kyoko." said Lory, and Kyoko relaxed. "I was just surprised that's all."

Lory rubbed his chin for a moment, thinking.

"Maybe we should send you to the Arcane Syndicate we have in the palace." he said. "You could learn a lot over there."

She thought for a moment before replying.

"I would love to eventually." said Kyoko. "But first, I want to learn what I can here and earn my physicians license. Then I can work on incorporating more magic into it." And then she could start paying Lory back for helping her. Who knew. Maybe they would even let he become a sorceress?

She quickly dismissed the thought, waving her hand in the air to disperse it. That was thinking way too far ahead. Lory was right. If she wanted to continue to improve, she needed to deal with what was in front of her. And for the moment, that meant the other concubines.

The monkey suddenly jumped on to her lap, snatching at the hand she had just waved in the air. The next second he was gone, carrying one of her rings in his hand.

Kyoko couldn't help but laugh.

Kuon closed his eyes, focusing on the magic essence within him. It began to pulse, expanding from its single point, then spreading through his body. The magic hummed with suppressed power, sending goosebumps up his arms. He held on to the feeling, making sure it was stable before opening his eyes.

The training room was empty, save for the racks of weapons dotted through the room. The immediate area around him was clear, giving him space to practice. Kuon raised the hilt of a sword, the blade of it not there, keeping the hum of magic consistent within him. Then, he began pushing it out towards the hilt. The energy that once filled him, now seeped into it and began expanding outwards. It formed the blade of his sword, a faint glow surrounding it. Kuon let out a slow breath, straining with the effort of keeping the magic steady. Then he began to move.

He was slow at first, methodically moving through the different sword formations. Then he began moving faster and faster, darting from one position to another. Soon, he was a whirlwind of motion, the glowing sword leaving behind faint trails of light on his irises. For a second, the practice routine reminded him of the dance Kyoko had performed for him the other week. It was only a momentary lapse of concentration, but it was enough.

The blade of his sword burst suddenly with light, the magic flowing uncontrollable. On reflex, Kuon's will grasped for it, invisible hands tightening. It was the wrong thing to do. The magic backfired, surging violently back towards Kuon. It crashed into him, dislodging the darkness within. Black energy began to take the place of the light, spreading through his body. He gasped, falling to his knees, trying desperately to rein in the darkness.

Slowly, ever so slowly, it began to retreat back into him. He had no idea how long he knelt there. Every second was agony. And then it was gone.

Kuon collapsed on the ground, his breaths coming in shaky gasps. His head was pounding, and he recognized the signs of an imminent migraine.

It's gotten worse again.

He flipped over to his back, staring at the arched ceiling. That had been a bad attack. Probably one of the worst he'd had in years. Kuon gritted his teeth in frustration. He was supposed to be improving not regressing. He was the crown Prince of Ashuron for crying out loud! His father was the king, blessed by the light, and he was supposed to be as well. How was he supposed to take over after his father if he couldn't use light magic properly? How was he even supposed to be worthy of ruling if he had dark magic inside as well?

The lights were starting to hurt his eyes, making him feel queasy. He had his migraine to thank for that. Kuon sat up, forcing his still shaking body to move. He tossed aside the now ruined hilt, the magic gem broken from the dark magic.

First thing, He needed to get rid of his headache

Kuon quickly made his way to Lorr's study, taking the servants routes to avoid running into anyone important. The servants knew to leave him alone when he looked like this, so he was able to make it without having to talk to anyone. He barely bothered with knocking before opening the door and entering.

"Lory, I nee-"

he stopped, noticing that he wasn't the only person in the room. The very cause of his distraction earlier was standing beside Lory. She was holding several books, turning to him in surprise as he entered. Her black hair was swept back, held out of her face with two gold pins. She was wearing the gray vest of an apprentice, though she managed to make it look good despite its drab design. He also noticed that she was only wearing one earring. Strange.

Kuon cleared his throat. "Kyoko" he said. "I didn't expect to see you here."

"She's helping me arrange the room a bit." said Lory, also holding several books. "I haven't done a deep cleaning in a while, and she agreed to help."

"I see."

Kyoko stared at him for a moment before asking. "Are you ok your highness?"

That's right, the migraine. His head chose that second to send him a strong surge of pain. He grimaced at it, momentarily blinded and putting a hand to his head.

"Just a little headache." he said, not wanting to worry her. She didn't look convinced.

"Another one?" said Lory frowning. "Give me a second Kyoko while I get Kuon some medicine." Lory put down his books while Kuon took one of the seats. He tried not to fall into it, his pride not wanting to show any weakness in front of Kyoko. A moment later Lory held out a cup to him, and Kuon took it gratefully. He took a swig of the concoction, then gagged.

"Lory," he said, after managing to swallow. "I don't know how you managed it, But this tastes worse than horse manure." It was awful, but it was doing its job. Just the one drink had taken the edge of his headache. He could look around the room without wanted to vomit. From the edge of his vision, he could make out Kyoko slowing putting away books. She was not being sneaky with her glances towards him.

"You can have either the taste or the effectiveness." said Lory, standing by Kuon. "I can already tell it's helping. Your face has more color to it."

Kuon didn't say anything. Lory studied him for another moment before addressing Kyoko.

"Miss Mogami. Do you mind if we continue this cleaning another day? And don't forget to take that book with you. I want you to study it when you can."

"Of course." said Kyoko, setting down the rest of her bundle. She grabbed one of the books, and curtsied to them. "If you'll excuse me Duke Takarada. Your highness." Then she left.

"She's a good girl." said Lory, leaning against his desk. He took out a cigarette, lighting it with a flick of magic and taking a puff. He blew smoke rings into the air, a smile curling on his lips. "She gave me quite the lecture about smoking the first time she saw me with a cigar. It's rare to meet someone with enough guts to call me out in front of the staff. Half of them were scared of her after that. Still are, now that I think about it."

He took another long draft before continuing.

"And then the things she does with her pulse magic. It's absolutely inspiring. Especially considering she learned it herself. So much talent. Reminds me of you a little bit. At least when you were younger."

Kuon took another sip of the disgusting liquid.

"What's going on Kuon?" said Lory, his tone changing to concern "How can I help you? I'd be a terrible godfather to not notice how you've reverted back to your old self. Was seeing the specter again that much of a shock?"

It was, but he didn't want to admit it to Lory. Even now, just thinking about the specter caused a bubble of anger to form, pushing against his soul.

"I think you should take a break from practicing." said Lory. "Let your body rest for a bit before trying light magic again."

"I don't have time to rest." said Kuon. "The Sun Tournament is coming up. Once the preparations start, I won't have time to practice."

"Not if you spread out the responsibilities." said Lory. "I know you like to personally make sure everything gets done, but a good leader can delegate his work to people he trusts, even if they won't do a perfect job. That's how people learn Kuon."

Kuon grimaced, not wanting to hear this lecture again. He knew Lory was right, but it lost its effectiveness after the hundredth lecture.

"I'll try." he said vaguely.

"No, for your own sake, you will." said Lory, being uncharacteristically stern. Kuon was a little surprised at the tone. It had been a long time since Lory had scolded him like this. Just how sick had he looked when entering the room?

"Besides" continued Lory. "Before the tournament, we have another problem to sort out. Ruriko Matsunai is going to be coming this week."

Kuon managed to stop himself from groaning. Ruriko was the daughter of the Duke of Treston, one of the larger cities in the Ashuron Kingdom. That made Ruriko a Duchess, and an annoying one at that.

"What's she coming for?" said Kuon.

"It's Treston's turn to be in charge of the opening ceremony." said Lory "And they chose Ruriko to be the star of the moment."

Of course. He should have expected it. Most likely she had begged and cried to her father to get her way. The woman was the very definition of spoiled brat. And what was worse, she had deluded herself into believing that Kuon was secretly in love with her. Like he needed anything else giving him headaches.

"I'll see if I can find some way to distract her for you Kuon." said Lory, giving him a sympathetic look. His godfather knew exactly what he thought about Ruriko, and just how annoying she could be. "I can't do much personally as I'll be entertaining her father. But I will try to keep her occupied with other things."

"Thank you." said Kuon. "I'll need all the help I can get." His godfather was one of the few people he could trust to help. Most others had a hidden agenda, thinking of themselves before the kingdom. Keeping Ruriko happy was unfortunately important enough to demand their attention. Staying in good sitting with the Duke of Treston meant keeping him happy, and keeping him happy, meant keeping his daughter happy.

Kyoko walked quietly back to through the concubine's quarters, thinking. The last time she had seen the prince was when they had said their goodbyes after visiting the Daruma-ya. Honestly she had purposefully forgot about his request that she come to the main room once a week. She didn't want to be anywhere near him, lest he revert to the 'Emperor of the Night' again.

She drummed her fingers against the book she held. He hadn't looked well when he entered the study. His whole face had been white, and she could see him shaking from where she stood. He was obviously very sick. The physician in her wanted to help him get better, but the woman in her wanted to run. In the end, she hadn't done either. Lory was there to take care of him, and the prince had barely acknowledged her. Well that suited her just fine. For now, she needed to concentrate on her other problems.

She was almost to the library door when raised voices reached her ears. It sounded like someone was yelling in the library. She crept closer, wondering what was going on.

The door bust open, and Kyoko jumped, nearly dropping her book. Yumi stood in the doorway, her face scrunched in furry. She looked at Kyoko in annoyance.

"Out of the way!" she yelled, and Kyoko instinctively backed up. Yumi strode past Kyoko, her long hair whipping in the air as she turned and stalked off.

What in the world was that about?

The sound of someone crying brought her out of her shock. She peaked inside the door of the library. A young woman was sitting on the floor, head bent, her sobs muffled by her hands. She looked like the very definition of helpless. Kyoko's heart ached for the unknown girl, and she found herself beside her. She placed Lory's book on a table and took out a handkerchief. She knelt down and held it out to crying girl.

"Are you alright?" she asked

The girl jumped, eyes wide as she stared. It was only then that Kyoko noticed the gold choker she wore. It was another concubine, but Kyoko didn't recognize her.

Kyoko couldn't help thinking how cute the girl was. Her eyes, though red from crying, were a deep blue, tears clinging to her long eyelashes. Her hair was a fluffy bronze color that framed her heart shaped face. Overall her appearance just made Kyoko want to hug and protect her.

The girl rubbed her eyes, ignoring the proffered handkerchief.

"Yeah. 'M fine." she said, with a sniff. "It's not anything unusual."

"Do you fight with Yumi a lot?" said Kyoko. It wouldn't surprise her. Yumi was one of the key members of the 'Kyoko hate club.' The girl nodded, then gave Kyoko a weak smile.

"She really hates me." said the girl. "Ever since I entered the harem. She corners me whenever she gets the chance. Last week she even tied my dress to a pillar. I couldn't undo it, and had to wait till someone came by to help, and OH!" she put her hand over her mouth. "I'm not supposed to be talking to you."

"Did Yumi tell you to stay away from me?" said Kyoko.

The girl nodded. "And she told everybody else the same thing." she said, then covered her mouth again.

Well, that answered one question. At least she knew who her main enemy was now. Based on the girl's predicament, Kyoko wasn't the only one getting harassed. Which probably meant there were other conflicts within the harem. Now that she thought about it, some of the women did tend to stay together rather than walk around alone There were small clicks within the harem that probably grouped together for protection. It was just Kyoko that didn't have any allies.

She was beginning to realized how little she knew about the women and the harem in general. Kyoko pocketed her handkerchief, thinking. She remembered that Setsuko had told her that several of the women wanted to become Kuon's wife. But did that include all of them?

"What's your name?" said Kyoko,

The girl bit her lip, peering up at Kyoko from under her lashes. Kyoko giggled. She couldn't help it. The girl was probably a few years older than Kyoko, but her current appearance and actions made her seem younger.

"I'm not going to bite you." she teased. "My name is Kyoko, though you probably already know that."

"Aya." said the girl, blinking at her. "My name is Aya."

Kyoko smiled, holding out a hand. "Nice to meet you Aya."

Aya hesitated before timidly taking her hand. Kyoko beamed, shaking it enthusiastically.

"I know that Yumi told you not to talk to me." said Kyoko "But… would it be ok if I asked you a few questions? I don't know much about the harem and would like have a better understanding of what's going on here."

Aya pursed her lips. "Didn't Kuon tell you anything? Why haven't you asked him?"

"I..." what should she say? That she didn't trust Kuon and that he forced her here in the first place? Today was the first time she had seen him in two weeks. She chose to tell a portion of the truth. "We're sort of fighting with each other at the moment."

"Oh." said Aya, and she scrunched her face in thought. "I don't know Kyoko... I really don't want Yumi picking on me anymore then she is."

Kyoko's shoulders slumped. Of course. Well it was a good try.

"But..." said Aya, "You were nice to me when I was sad. And I would feel bad ignoring you when you don't have any friends."

Kyoko held her breath.

"So how about this." said Aya. "We can both ask each other questions. I want to know more about you Kyoko. If that's ok." The small girl looked up at Kyoko, almost as if she expected Kyoko to deny her the request.

"Of course it's ok." said Kyoko, thrilled. "I would like to get to know you better too."

The two girls smiled at each other. They moved to one of the tables near the back, the book shelves hiding them from the door. Kyoko sat down on the wooden chair facing opposite of Aya.

"So. What would you like to know?" said Aya.

Kyoko considered the several questions in her head. It would probably be good to start out with the basics.

"How many women are in the harem?" she asked.

"22." said Aya. "Or well, 23, now that you're in it."

Kyoko was surprised. She had only seen about half that number in the main room at a time. Come to think of it she had never seen Aya in the main room before either.

"My turn." said Aya. "Who's your family?"

"What do you mean by that?" asked Kyoko.

"Like, what's your social connections? My dad's a Baron. Yumi's dad is a Count of Augotor. All the girls in the harem come from noble families. Who's your family?"

"My f-family?" Why would that even matter? Ah, of course. Because of the prince. "My dad was a normal physician. He didn't have any grand titles like your father."

Aya's eyes widened. "So you are a commoner, like everyone's been saying."

Kyoko could help wringing her hands in her lap. "Is that really such a bad thing?"

"Well. I guess not. It's just unusual."

Kyoko sighed. At least one person in the harem didn't seem to care about her background. Maybe Aya would consider being Kyoko's friend.

"My turn" said Aya.

"But you just asked a question." said Kyoko.

"No, you did. You just asked if it was a bad thing to be a commoner."

Oh yeah...

Aya pursed her lips in thought, then pointed at Kyoko. "Why did Kuon invite you to become a concubine?"

Kyoko opened her mouth to answer, then froze. He said it had been to pay him back for putting him in danger. But it wasn't like she could say that to Aya.

"Why do you ask?" said Kyoko, trying to deflect the question.

"We all have a reason for being asked to become a concubine." said Aya. "Some of the girls are here for political reasons. Others for... entertainment purposes." Aya's face flushed red. "So what contribution do you bring into the harem?"

Again, Kyoko couldn't answer. What contribution did she bring? She couldn't think of one thing she had done to help Kuon. All she tended to do was make him mad. Several seconds went by as Kyoko racked her brain, trying to think of an answer.

"Don't tell me." said Aya, and Kyoko looked up to see Aya, mouth open in horror. "Can it be.. that Kuon fell in love with you?"

"NO!" said Kyoko, standing up and flinging out her hands. If there had been anyone else in the library, they would have shushed her for being loud. "Please don't say something so outrageous and stupid. How could he have fallen in love with me? He hates me, and picks on me at every moment he can. He thrives on making my life difficult and enjoys watching me squirm. He's a stupid playboy who doesn't listen and.." Kyoko stopped, realizing something. Hadn't Kuon gone to apologize for almost hurting that man? Which meant that he did at least listen to her. She never did apologize for slapping him.

"...yo, Kyoko." said Aya, waving her hand in front of her face. "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing." she mumbled, sitting back down. "But It's just impossible that he would look at me that way."

"So you do love him." said Aya sadly.

"Wha?!"

Kyoko burst into laughter. She couldn't help it. How had the conversation gone in that direction? Her, love Kuon? It was almost as impossible for her to forgive Sho. Just the thought of loving someone made her demons stir.

"You have quite the imagination Aya." said Kyoko, wiping tears from her eyes. "But I should tell you. I'm not sure what the prince's reason is for inviting me into this harem, but he sure as heck isn't mine. I'm using his position to get something I want, and that has nothing to do with the prince."

Rather than comforting the girl, it seemed to make her wilt instead. Her head bowed, she muttered. "That's what they all said."

"What do you mean?" asked Kyoko.

Aya looked at Kyoko, new tears in her eyes. "All the concubines. When they first started out here. Most of them were only here to help their families by forming a tie to the royal title. But one by one, they all fell in love with Kuon. I watched it happen every time. To my friends, to my enemies... even to me."

Tears started to slide down her face. "You say you won't fall in love with him. But just watch. You'll fall in love, just like the rest of us. And then we can't be good friends anymore."

She looked so vulnerable and desperate, Kyoko would have promised her anything to make her happy. And had she just said they were friends? Kyoko got out her handkerchief, and this time Aya took it.

"Don't cry Aya." said Kyoko. "Believe me when I say this. I have no interest falling in love. Be it with the prince, or anyone else for that matter. So you don't have anything to worry me falling for him."

"You promise?" said Aya, peering at Kyoko.

Somewhere within herself, Kyoko felt a slight pull on her heart, telling her it was a bad idea. But she brushed it aside. She had sworn off love. What did it matter if she made a promise to a girl when she had already made the promise to herself? Kyoko placed a hand on Aya's and gave it a squeeze.

"Promise."

At that moment, someone walked out from behind a bookshelf. It was another concubine. They had been so engrossed in their conversation they hadn't heard the library door open. The newcomer had shoulder length curly hair and an upturned nose. Her arms were laden with bracelets and rings. Based on her thick immaculate makeup, she spent a lot of time on her appearance.

"There you are Aya." said the newcomer. "I was wondering where..." She stopped when she saw the tears on Aya's face. The women looked furious.

"You!" she said, pointing at Kyoko. "What did you to do Aya?!"

Kyoko held up her hands in a surrender. "I didn't do anything. We were just-"

"What are you yelling about Chieko?"

Two more women came out from the bookshelves. They were probably Aya's other friends. Each wore the glittering blue choker that indicated they were concubines. The one that had yelled at Kyoko, Cheiko, turned to her friends.

"The new girl did something to Aya and made her cry."

Instantly the other women were around Kyoko, the atmosphere turning icy. They began heckling her, telling her to watch out, cause if they saw her bugging Aya again, they wouldn't tolerate it. Desperately Kyoko tried to tell them she didn't make her cry, but they wouldn't let her say a word. Instead, she sank into her chair, unable to escape the mob.

Finally, a small voice shouted over the rabble.

"STOP! She didn't do anything."

Aya's voice managed to still the group, and Kyoko let out a breath. The women turned their attention to Aya.

"You mean she didn't make you cry?" said Chieko.

Aya hesitated.

"Well, she kind of did. But not really." she said quickly, trying and failing to explain exactly what happened. "It was an emotional topic and I just cried on my own. She didn't do anything wrong."

None of the women looked convinced.

"Aya." said Chieko, with an air of forced patience. "You are too nice for your own good. If she made you cry, don't try to take the blame. It's her fault. Period."

Aya shook her head, new tears in her eyes.

"She didn't do anything. We were just talking... We were becoming friends."

This last statement made Chieko raise her eyebrows. The other girls were muttering to each other, stealing glances at Kyoko.

"I find that unlikely." said Chieko. "She's just a money hungry leech, using Kuon to her advantage. She's put him under her seductive spell, taking everything she can from him. She pretends to be nice, but doesn't care about helping the harem and spends her time plotting how to become his wife."

"I'm doing what?" said Kyoko, wondering how in the world that rumor got started. "Who told you that?"

"It's common knowledge." said one of the other women, folding her arms and glaring at Kyoko. "If you thought you were being sneaky by playing meek, think again. You went to the main room and then disappeared with Kuon the next morning. You're gone for most of the day, and haven't bothered helping the rest of us with our duties. It's obvious you want Kuon for yourself and don't care about fulfilling your role as concubine."

"Hold it." said Kyoko, holding her head in her hands. "You think that because I'm gone most of the day, I'm skipping my duties? And you also think that I'm following after Kuon, and trying to seduce him outside the harem?"

"Of course."

"And so because of this, you don't like me, and think I'm doing things behind everyone's back?"

Chieko rolled her eyes. "Like she said. You're not very sneaky. A good actor, maybe. But quite obvious."

Kyoko was incredulous. Was this why all the women hated her so much? Was this why they refused to talk to her? Did they think she was trying to seduce Kuon from under their noses?

"I'm not trying to bed the Prince." said Kyoko

"Then what are you doing all day when you're gone?" asked another one of the women. "None of the guards will say anything.

"That's..."

Oh yeah. She had told the Ishibashi boys to keep it a secret where she was going. Who knew it would backfire like this? The only real solution was to tell the truth. But she didn't want to. If she was honest with herself, she was scared of their mocking. Yet how different was it from what they were doing now? It wasn't really. Besides, if she couldn't face the concubines, how could she face people in the future when she was trying to prove to them her worth as a physician. She had done it once already. It was time to conquer her fear.

Kyoko stood up straight, sticking out her chin in determination. "I told them to keep quiet because I didn't want to make a big deal about it. But if you're going to spread false rumors then I guess only the truth will satisfy you."

Chieko frowned at the change in her behavior.

"I am not going to see the prince every day." continued Kyoko. "I go to visit the palace clinic as an apprentice. I have been accepted and am currently studying to become a certified physician."

Chieko snorted. "Seriously, if you're going to lie, at least make it believable."

"I'm really am physician's apprentice, honest." said Kyoko.

"I'm sure she's telling the truth." said Aya, "Kyoko's not a bad person. She was really nice to me after Yumi yelled at me."

"You're too trusting of people Aya." said Chieko, curls bouncing as she shook her head. "How many times are you going to be fooled before you get it? People lie Aya. And this one's no different."

Kyoko watched with little pleasure as Aya's face fell in confusion. She didn't like the way Chieko bossed around Aya, but she could tell Chieko did it out of concern. Even if it was a little much. But even more dire than that, Kyoko couldn't figure out how to prove she wasn't lying. This was obviously a critical moment. If she could get these girls to believe in her, maybe it was her first step in being accepted into the harem. Then her eyes fell on the book Lory had given her.

"Wait a second." she said, then sprinted down one of the aisle of books. She spotted one she recognized, A Beginners Guide to Epidermal Diseases, and hurried back to the group. She held it out to Chieko.

"Ask me a question." said Kyoko, breathless. "Anything from the book. Signs and symptoms of any disease, what medications to take, anything. I'll prove to you that I'm a physician's apprentice."

Chieko took the book, but didn't open it. Instead she walked to the side of the room and tossed it out the open window. Kyoko heard the page's flap violently in the wind before the telltale thump of it hitting the ground.

"Come on." said Chieko to the group, ignoring Kyoko. "I don't want to bother with the liar anymore."

Kyoko watched, numb as the four girls walked out of the room. Aya glanced one more time at Kyoko before mouthing "Sorry," her eyes pleading for forgiveness. The group ushered Aya out of the room, taking away Kyoko's only chance at making a friend.

Thanks for reading! Like always, I appreciate each and everyone's comments. (google translate helps me with the other languages. =D)

OH mah gosh. SO many Words! A lot of talking in this one. Like.. this was not supposed to be this long, But I needed to set stuff up. I can't tell you how many times I've been tempted to just summarize the whole thing.

So here are some answers about the Harem. Don't worry, more will come to light later.

I'll try to make it so you don't forget who each of the concubines are. It's sometimes hard to keep track of people when you make a ton of new characters within a similar situation.

Noooooo Kyoko. Why do you have to go and make that promise? It's so annoying when the main char does that in a story. Thankfully, I think I'll be able to maneuver around it so it won't be too obnoxious. Rather, I'll just use it as a large and rather obvious flag. YOU SHALL FALL IN LOVE WITH KUON. IRONY! BWHAHAHAH.

Ahem...

Maybe the scene with her escaping the on the balcony was unnecessary, but meh. It was a fun scene. So I wrote it.

lLexa: I understood you! Thank you (and everyone else) for helping me die of happiness. XD

misao97: No, I have not read Sabaku no Harem. (15 minutes later) And now I have. Man, there were quite a lot of similarities. Oh well. Material is reused for a reason. (Because it makes an interesting story!) =P

cleocat333: Did Kuon enjoy her dance? Well... I think we all know the answer to that. =D

Spelling will be the death of meeeee! But never fear! My sister will be returning home this week after being out of the country for a year and a half. She will become my new beta reader. (She has no choice in the matter) Hopefully my spelling and storytelling in general will get better with a fabulous editor like herself. Then again... I might neglect the story to catch up with her... So this is a warning in case I don't update weekly like I promised...

Oh! and my sister in law just had a baby today! Yay! Congrats to her. But, that means I'll be helping to take care of it as we live in the same house, so that's another distraction.

So to all those that wish I was updating twice a week. I'm super flattered! XD but it is not humanly possible. I may not even be able to do the once a week like I promised. I wish I could. Truly I do. But family and school comes first. =P

Thanks again to everyone for reading this story and taking the time to write reviews/fav/follow!

-Blushweaver