Hello everyone! How're you all? Here I come back with the second as well as the last chapter of AWP.

Thanks so much to Elena Dranzer, shashreetha, Lynxriot, Blue lightning of the night, Cutetyhil, Rose and sakurasato56 for reviewing. Also special thanks to Elena Dranzer and sakurasato56 for faving and following it and Cutetyhil for following it :D

Rose: Hi there, thank you so much for reviewing! Reading this chapter, you'll get to know what happened to our Maxie (Though you'll not be sad at all, I guess). And...OMG...you read Kingdom? I'm so honored! *Sniffs* I've written two TyHil shots in medieval backdrop (Though not so good like Kingdom). One is "A futile revenge" (This is definitely sweet but not awesome and fantastic) And another is "Checkmate" (Not fully medieval but semi-modern or pre-modern it can be said, a period one-shot, awesome and fantastic *I can say it because at least the author to whom I dedicated the story said so :P* but not sweet at all). I'll specially forbid you to read the latter because it is M-rated, dark and creepy...but you are welcome to "A futile revenge". :D

I'm planning to write another TyHil one-shot based on a legend of Arabian nights (Alibaba and forty thieves maybe :P). Thank you so much for reviewing, again :)

So...here comes the new chapter! I hope you all will like it, so enjoy! :D

Though it was a light-hearted season like spring, the atmosphere was weightier than monsoon for the relentless weeping and mourning of the people. Tears were flowing like cataracts from the eyes of the subjects of king Taro Tate, feeling like to stop never. The sky was sunny, clear because all the rainclouds mustered in their hearts. Even in the cheerful season, the birds stopped cheeping. Cuckoos forgot that they were the messengers of spring, gawking sadly at the lamenters. Flowers ceased blooming, remaining only as buds in the branches. Green leaves paled; so did the nature of the empire. Vapors gathered in the eyes of the king; he just kept his head down. From the convulsion of his body, it was known that he was shedding tears. The blonde queen was still unconscious, in her chamber.

Only the female blunette sitting near the bamboo stretcher which had the corpse of her husband didn't have any waterworks gathering in her eyes. All her jewelries which she'd been wearing on their wedding night were put off from her body. She was still in her nuptial robes, unbound hair blowing in the gentle, but heavy breeze of the spring. Instead of tears, fire burnt in her emerald orbs which were as dry as a desert. They kept glued to the laid dead body of the blonde. One day, he'd been very cheerful, vibrant. That day, he was lifeless, blue, pale-with a silent body and a heart inside it, never beating.

Four people came to the stretcher to take it to the riverside for performing the last rituals. No sooner had they touched it than they faced one of her palms stretched before their eyes. The newly widowed lady stood up, maintaining the fire inside herself and spoke very calmly, "Don't dare take my Max from me!"

All the people started whispering there, stopping crying. They'd seen widows before, mourning over the deaths of their husbands but they all had let the dead ones go to their eternal address and attain peace. At first, Mariam didn't shed a single bead of tears at the death of her husband and now, she wasn't letting the coffin-bearers take the corpse. This was something new in their kingdom, and surprising too, to add-on.

"It's impossible!" One of the priests asserted, "According to the old scriptures, it's the rule to drift the corpse of a person in a river, who dies because of snakebite. Prince Mizuhara isn't any exception. Handing his dead body to anyone is against the religion."

"No!" Mariam glared at him, "My husband will return to me! I have full faith that I'll be able to revive Max by accompanying him on his way to heaven! For it, I'll do whatever I have to! I'm prepared to undergo any obstacle or danger!"

The whispers of the subjects stopped as their jaws dropped. What the hell was the girl saying? Reviving a dead man? Did she go crazy by lamenting for the blonde? The priests exchanged confused stares and disbelief looks among one another, a few widows simpered in irony but reading the face of the blunette, it could be determined that she was serious. She wasn't saying those things being emotional.

"Are you sure that you can do it, my child?" Another vicar asked the girl softly.

"Yes." She nodded.

"But for it," The first priest said, "You've to give two tests."

"I'm ready," Mariam gave a burning stare, "To undergo any kind of test in this world."

After a few moments, again, all the people gathered in the temple yard. The priests came with a pair of earthen pitchers, one was filled with water and another was empty. Mariam looked at them.

"You have to transfer the water to the empty pitcher which has a hole on its surface," He instructed, "If a single droplet of water comes out, you'll fail in the test."

People sneered. It was really an impossible task for the blunette. But not being nervous a bit, the new widow closed her eyes and chanted the holy name of Genbu once. Approaching the minister, she took the pots, placed them on the ground and knelt down. Very gently, she tilted the filled pitcher and poured all the water in the vacant one. Strangely, a sole bead of the liquid didn't splash, the outer surface of the latter was as dry as it'd been before taking the fluid inside it. The random folk who were thinking that Mariam would fail in this test became astonished. Their eyes became widened. Was it even possible? After a long time, the blunette smiled.

"Good job, you've passed one of the tests," A vicar said, "But you have yet to give another."

Getting his order, the servants brought a huge scale and a pile of cottons in a jute sack, seeming much lighter than the blunette. When it was placed, turning to the widow, he explained, "This cotton sack will be posed on the right pan. You have to sit on the left. If you come lighter than it, you'll be permitted to accompany prince Mizuhara. Otherwise, you've to stay as a widow for your lifetime."

"Enough!" The king rumbled, "Mariam is the daughter-in-law of Mizuhara clan, our future empress. You cannot put all these troubles on her!"

"Pardon me, father," The blunette softly said, "But they aren't troubles for me. Not only as a wife, but also as the future empress of this empire, it's both my right and responsibility to take care of the future emperor-which I am doing now. Let me attend this test too, father."

Taro couldn't utter any other word after it, just keeping his head low. Straightly walking towards the balance, Mariam closed her eyes and chanted the name of Genbu again. Then, she gently sat on the left pan. Surprisingly, when the sack was positioned on the right, it went down and the opposite one rose to a height. Mariam beamed again in her success. The faces of the people were something like to see. Specially, the priests were amazed, not able to believe that an ordinary girl like her could hold so much spiritual power. Women also smiled seeing her potential, quite proud of her. A smile rose in the lips of the emperor too. The flame of his hopes which had been extinguished along with the demise of his son seemed to rise once again.

"This girl isn't simple at all," The head-priest declared, "She's really chaste, brave and powerful enough to face the deities. Let her accompany the corpse of her husband."

Mariam walked with the rally to the riverside. The corpse of her husband was placed on a raft made of four banana trees, tied with one another. The blunette went on and sat on it, right beside the blonde. Within a few moments, it started floating and leaving the shore. The people standing there jubilated by her name; she just kept staring at the bluish-pale face of the prince, placing his head on her lap. She didn't know where the raft would stop but she didn't even have the wish to learn. She only knew that she had to accompany him for her lifetime. She had to bring him back anyhow.

Bit by bit, six complete months passed. The raft was floating across the slender, silver river of Japan. Already the body of the prince had decomposed fully and turned into a skeleton. Everyone who'd seen her with the corpse had thought her to be mentally unstable or lunatic. They'd taunted her, thrown pebbles to her and said that she would never be able to achieve her goal but she hadn't paid any heed to them. Even when the body of her husband had been spreading odor, she hadn't left him. She survived through this time only drinking the river water which wasn't possible for an ordinary human being. During this, she'd only chanted the name of Genbu and prayed to him.

Unexpectedly, one day, the raft stopped near another shore of another river, declaring that it had lost its energy to float more. Mariam stood up and saw a lady around her age; having lush green hair reaching her knees and crimson-ruby eyes. She was wearing violet attires made of cotton and silver accessories, studded with sapphires. Her hair gently played with the riverside breeze, the fringes of her skirt swerved a bit too. Seeing the girl, she smiled and headed towards her, not being confused a bit. She asked, "You must be Mariam Mizuhara, right?"

"How…." However, the blunette was puzzled, "How did you know my name, my lady? We don't even know each other!"

"I'm lady Sharkrash, the family deity of your clan." The mysterious woman introduced herself.

Mariam was amazed. Somehow bowing her back, she said, "Greetings, lady Sharkrash. Bless me."

"You're always blessed by me, my child because you're the chosen one," Sharkrash patted her head, "Observing your devotion, love and sacrifices, I've been very impressed. That's why, I've come here to help you. I'll help you reach the abode of four sacred spirits so that you can revive your husband back."

"Thank you so much, my lady," Mariam faintly smiled, "I'll be grateful to you forever."

"It's my pleasure," The shark instructed, "Now, close your eyes."

Touched and hopeful, the girl did whatever she was told to do. After a few moments, when she opened them, she discovered herself in a totally new place. White rafts of the vapors were blowing across the blue river of emptiness above her head…nope, around her. She was literally floating in the sky and unexpectedly, not falling down because gravity wasn't working on her. She was at the center of a hall, surrounded by four thrones made of white marble-stones, two facing each other in each pair. Gypsum pillars rimmed with gold were amidst them. In front of her, the skeleton of her husband was lying, floating like her. She was shocked to discover her in such a place. Then again, she rotated her eyes across the chairs.

Four chairs were occupied by four sacred spirits. The azure dragon of the east had blue hair and orange eyes, wearing blue-aquamarine cloths and silver earrings, wrist-cuffs and circlet, known as Seiryu. Suzaku, the vermilion bird of the south, having scarlet hair and golden-emerald orbs, presented herself in red column gown of golden chintz pattern and gold ornaments embellishing her from the top to toe. There was Byakko, the white tiger of the west, in white-golden robes and aureate accessories. At last, but not at least, the family deity of Mizuhara clan, Genbu, the black turtle of the north, embodied himself in black attires and oxidized jewelries. Their divine bodies were enlightened with blue, red, golden and violet glows, spreading everywhere. The girl bowed before them humbly.

"Stay blessed, girl," The phoenix asked, "Which purpose brings you here?"

"Pardon me, o the holy beasts who protect this world from four directions," Mariam replied, "I know that no human being is allowed in this realm but I've to come here because I need something from you. Only you can fulfill my demand."

"What's it, girl?" The dragon queried.

"Lord Seiryu, the skeleton which you're seeing-belongs to my husband," The blunette said, still with no tears in her eyes, "I was married to prince Max Mizuhara, the only successor of Mizuhara clan. But on our wedding night, he left us all forever due to snakebite. Being his wife, I couldn't leave him alone on his way to heaven because I promised him that I would always accompany him. Now, it's my request to you all…please, give his life back."

The spirits exchanged surprised stares. It was first time for them to witness a human being who came to them only to revive her dearest person. Though the task was impossible, they appreciated her efforts and hardships. So, they took a decision.

"Girl, we're really overwhelmed to witness how bold, courageous and sacrificing you are!" The tiger praised, "Nobody comes here with such a request. Actually, no one dares but you have done it. We'll surely return your husband to you."

"But it needs the mixture of our tears," Genbu said, "I mean…the mixture of the tears of four sacred protectors. Unfortunately, we, the protectors, rarely weep. If you can manage our tears by making us cry, you'll get your husband back. Otherwise, we're sorry but you have to return with empty hands."

Mariam looked all over the environment. Before her, there was the skeleton of her dead husband whose bones had already started decaying. Around her, there were four mighty deities who didn't know how to shed tears. Even seeing her state and the piles of bones scattered at her toes, they weren't crying; they weren't feeling pity. They still had a smile all over their faces. Taking a sharp breath, the blunette again bent her head before them and sat on the ground. Closing her eyes, she let her heart be free as a beautiful, honeyed tune escape from her throat.

Here I, Mariam Mizuhara, come and sing,

Chanting the name of lord Genbu, dawn and evening,

I beg the life of my life, to the four sacred souls,

O, four spirits, please, listen to my calls….

The smiles faded from the faces of the protectors; their eyes softened a bit. Not caring anything, Mariam continued singing, placing the head of the skeleton on her lap:

Playing instruments and making notes doesn't make a song,

A song is words of a heart, for which a lover longs,

Here I sing the story of my incomplete love and life,

Due to the game of the fate, how I became a widow from a new wife!

How a snake entered the impregnable tower!

How a bride became a witch, did it have so much power?

Which changed the destiny of Mariam, was it so effortless?

Did it ever meet Mariam's determination, courage and devoutness?

Lord Genbu, give life back to your ardent devotee,

Don't be so ruthless, on us, please, feel pity,

I'll keep singing until my voice breaks,

And I fall down, taking my last breaths….

That was enough. Tears started flowing from the eyes of the sacred beasts, the pitch of the girl went higher but she didn't stop. Soon, in the form of streams, the waterworks touched the skeleton placed before her and it glowed in blue, red, golden and violet. A layer of flesh rose there, covered with another layer of porcelain skin. This time, it wasn't bluish-pale; rather it had much life. When the body was fully reformed, little by little, the heart started beating and the pulses emerged. His fingers flapped. In the end, the blonde opened his eyes. Stopping singing, his wife gasped.

"Mari…Mariam?" He fluttered his eyes, "Where…where am I?"

The blunette didn't answer. She kept staring at his confused face without blinking. Was she dreaming or was it reality? Max was alive, breathing and talking in front of her eyes. The voice for listening which her ears had been craving since the last six months had finally resonated. No no…it wasn't his skeleton; it was her husband…in her full form! Unexpectedly, she burst into tears and banged her head on his chest. Nervous, the prince somehow hugged her, binding her in his arms and stroked her head. Slowly he remembered what had happened on their wedding night. He'd been supposed to die but his stubborn, devoted wife had never let it happen. He closed his eyes and kept hugging her who was crying like a baby after a long time. She hadn't showered tears when he'd died but she was weeping now, unable to hold the barrier of her emotions, thus, letting it collapse.

The sacred spirits wiped their eyes and looked at one another, giving contented stares. After a long time, they wept too but it didn't crush their pride. Rather, they were happy. They all stood up and bowed before the couple, specially towards the royal blue-haired girl. Today, they became compelled to show reverence to an ordinary human being born on the earth, totally impressed with her dedication, courage and love. In front of them, all the rules and regulations of the creations faded away. It was proven once again that love could do everything impossible. They showered flower petals on the couple from all the directions and cheered, singing the victory of love.

That's how the power of a wife is.

Epilogue: After it, Max and Mariam safely returned to their kingdom and Mariam requested her father-in-law to worship the snake too along with lord Genbu because the snake was the inseparable part of the black turtle of the north, thus, deserving to be venerated and revered. Taro Mizuhara realized his faults and apologized to Genbu and the snake, being forgiven too eventually. After his departure, Max became the king and Mariam was his queen. She died at a matured age, living a long life with her family and lovely children. She never became a widow because it was her unique power, the power of a wife. That's why, even after her death, she became respected and adored by the people of her kingdom like a Goddess.

Yayyyy! After a long time, I've written a MaxMariam. I missed this lovely pairing so much *Sniffs*

There there...I'll write more stories on this sweet, sugary, cutie couple...maybe a lemon too for destroying their image as I've promised someone *Coughs*. Till then, do read and review. Pardon the grammatical and spelling errors, along with the song. Take care and stay safe :D

-Misty ^_^ ^_^