"Hey, Inaaaaa!" a joyful voice called the guard. As she sat and watched the kids playing she wondered the reason of her presence there. Perhaps another servant or priestess could do a better job than her, not that she minded the free time but it felt odd to rest when the winter was coming. Of course her kinshi was going to rest for the change of weather, so she was there, stuck in the castle with little snowflakes falling covering the once green garden. She sighed looking at the sky, there wouldn't be any scout mission until the sky was clear. "Heeeeey, Inaaaaaa!" again that voice called her, this time it was enough to take her out her thoughts, looking in front of her was a little red haired girl with her winter clothes, ticker kimono and a scar around her neck, puffed cheeks as she finally got her attention.

"Yes milady? What´s wrong?" Reina asked as the girl shook her head.

"Is not me, it's Kamui," she pointed behind her, looking at the garden was that snow-haired boy, kneeling in front of the Sakura tree. Sakura and Takumi were a few steps behind of him as he tried to hide something from them.

"Alright Princess Hinoka, let me see what´s going on," she said, standing up. She couldn't believe that in her teens she had to do what every girl in her age had to, babysit some toddlers. Well, not everyone had the chance to take care of the royal kids, and just to think that that woman was with King Sumeragi, she wouldn't dare to think ill of any new spouse of the king, but that kid wasn't his, so why pamper him so much? She had to admit, though, that having him near was something good for Hinoka and Sakura, who were more comfortable with him than the others. She was thinking until she saw something in the snow, with a signal of her hand some ninjas appeared behind the kids except for Kamui, who was still looking down near the root of the tree. The princesses tried to complain but couldn't go against their hold, preparing her nagitana another shadow appeared aside of her.

"Something wrong, Reina?" Asked the man.

"I don't know Saizo, it´s seems unlikely but…." With a gesture of her face the red-haired ninja could see something in the snow just in front of the albino.

"…..Blood?" he asked to no one as he prepared his shuriken under his sleeve, they slowly approached at it felt impossible that somehow someone managed to sneak, they were about to jump and see what was in front of the kid but he suddenly looked back looking at the pair, they halted as the albino just showed what he had in his hands, his clothes were stained but they sighed in relief as the ninja relaxed and made another signal with his hands walking away "False alarm, but we need to check the dens."

"…Ina….help him…." He tried to get closer what he had in his hand, Reina couldn't think straight for a moment, as the little fox groaned in his arms she didn't hesitate to take a closer look. Its stomach and front left leg were injured, perhaps a hawk? She sighed, nodding.

"Ok Milord, let's just…..take him to the nearest priestess, we need to clean you up and to make sure that you´re ok, alright?" although what she said was true somehow he wasn't convinced, he just sat rubbing the small animal's head "Look….Kamui, I´ll make sure that your little friend is in good hands, so why don't get some help and get some clean clothes, ok?" she offered her hand, hesitant he accepted it as he walked at her side, with the small animal in his other arm. It took a couple of minutes until they were inside the main floor and a priestess joined, talking with the albino as he was taken to another room.

"Well, who would have guess that, you HAVE a heart," the same ninja laughed, making her sigh and face-palm.

"And that´s Saizo the fourth…" Reina deadpanned, looking at him. Although she was serious they could hear some servants snickering around them.

"Hey, I'm still the same Haru, you know," he crossed his arms and leaned against the wall, both of them looking at the albino who just shyly handed the injured animal to the priestess, "…to think that we missed one little fox in the garden…."

"Aside from that," she coughed in her fist. "Make sure that he´s clean when Lord Sumeragi and Mikoto return from their travels."

"Already attached to him, uh? You could try to convince him to call you 'mother', he´s already calling Lord Sumeragi´s children 'Brothers' and 'Sister.'"

"Wouldn't you be more reliable for that?" She glared daggers at him. "And I'm just eleven years older than him, I would be his big sister rather than her mother."

"No thanks, I already have my hands full with my twins at home," he said, walking backwards and with his hands waving in front of him. "With that said, I have to report this, otherwise Kentaro will be displeased that he has to stop the training of his new star."

"….Fine, I´ll let you go this time, just because Lord Kentaro would be really angry if that four-eyed kid training is delayed," she made an expression with her hand as the ninja disappeared. She sighed again, looking at Kamui who was back at her side, still with stained clothes and with curious eyes. A small smile appeared in her face as she gently ruffled his hair. "C´mon ….. Lord Kamui, let's get you new clothes, shall we?" Although he was shy with new people, he nodded and raised his arms. She was surprised for a moment before carrying him with care. It didn't take long before they reached his personal room. Hinoka waited outside with a small blush and worried about him, before she could ask they noticed that after the small stroll he was already sound sleep in her bosom.

"Oh my, that´s quite rare," Both girls turned to see that raven-haired woman with a bright smile. Before Reina could reply she carefully took her son from her arms. "Hello, sweetheart," she whispered as Kamui slightly opened his eyes and smiled to greet his mother. "Let´s go inside everyone, you can help me, Hinoka," the girl quickly nodded as they entered the room, Reina just stared at the woman who changed her son's clothes. "Sooo, I find out that you make a new friend, Kamui," he was still a little sleepy but managed to nod as his mother giggled. "Good to know that you´re making new friends, just try to be safe, ok sweetheart? Hinoka has been worried since all she could say was that there was blood on you. Will you be more careful?" Kamui looked at the princess and nodded.

"….Sorry Noka…" he said as she shook her head and pulled him in a warm embrace

"It's okay, as your big sister, I need to take care of you," she said with a bright toothy smile as both toddlers sat at the edge of the bed with the raven-haired woman. Reina sighed as she leaned against the wall.

'Attached, huh?' Reina thought, closing her eyes, humming a familiar song at the same rhythm as she remembered Mikoto sang so many years ago. The place changed as her sight returned, that same room she was in minutes ago, Orochi sleeping leaning on the desk, Miyu and Rin on the floor leaned against each other, Hinoka soundly sleeping in the chair beside her. She was on the bed with a familiar face on her lap, for the light outside it has been a really long night as finally the sun was rising on the horizon, caressing his head as his white bangs covered part of his face. Just by sheer luck she arrived before something else happened and Orochi countering the curse was one of the best things that could happen that night. She finally had the chance to sooth his grief as, at least for the incoming days, Orochi guaranteed that the curse wouldn't be effective. There was enough time to call back Ryoma, to track down Yukimura, and to finish that madness.

It wasn't Nohr. It wasn't Kamui. It was the hand of one of the most important people in Hoshido that disgraced that place. What was supposed to be the threshold of peace was now turned in something hideous, and she hated it.

In the past she always had a smile on the battlefield, bathing with the cries of agony of her fallen enemies, always with the upper hand. Now she was nothing more than a simple woman trying to not break under that disgusting feeling of not being able to stop the suffering of her former liege´s son. "You know you shoudn't be here…." She whispered, looking at her right. "….Kaze" as the words left her mouth, another figure appeared from the shadows, kneeling, looking down.

"My deep apologies, Reina, but if I hadn't reach you then there was no guarantee that he would calm down….." Kaze replied, still looking down. "…I hope you can forgi-"

"Stop it, Kaze, I rather enjoy my time with him than talking nonsense with you…" Reina looked at the albino, finally the color returning to his face, "…..I understand your position, I'm not ok with what you did, but I assure you that I understand."

"…..Fair enough…." Kaze said, taking his leave after some seconds of silence. He managed to see with the corner of his eyes how Reina was looking tenderly at the albino, a bittersweet smile as she carefully caressed his hair.

"For the time being, if you want to have the right to be in the same room as him, then finding Yukimura´s hiding place should be a good start….." she said with a neutral tone without looking at him. After some moments of silence when he was about to go he heard something, looking up he saw how she was trying to say some words, slowly mumbling at first she sighed "…Thank you, for letting me know that….he needed me…." It was all she could say before Kaze disappeared.


Chapter 18: Fall is ending. Part 1


"That dammed woman!" a voice yelled, taking Bell out of her thoughts. It has been a while since she had to stay up all night, and just when she was finishing her reports and with bags under her eyes, she was surprised as Yukimura hit the table with his fist and throwing one of the orbs at the other side of the room. It didn't break but certainly had some dents as it turned in stone leaving a trail of purple fog behind it. "I WAS SO CLOSE THERE!" he yelled again, slamming his hands against the table again. Then with his hands on his head he massaged his temples.

"L-Lord Yukimura? A-Are you ok?" Bell asked as Yukimura slowly turned to see her. "I-If you w-want I-"

"Forget it, Bell, it has nothing to do with you," he stood, taking some of the orbs on the desk and playing with them, with a stern look and a frown that was common in the last few days. "I need to think in a way to make these works as they should, bu-"

"W-Well, excuse my i-interruption, but I would be more helpful if I knew who the test subject is," Bell injected as Yukimura frowned again with a sigh.

"…..Finish those reports as soon as possible, Bell. Sooner or later we´ll get what we need, just a little more time," he said, looking at the orb and seeing his own reflection on the crystal. Although he managed to seize a great amount there was still something missing in the process. Raw energy without anything more would just produce defective orbs in time and to avoid that, Kamui needed to be affected, not just resting like nothing happened. Fear was a very effective catalyst, but if he wanted it to last longer he had to use something else. Pulling some strings in his mind to make it more stable as sheer fear wasn't enough, and just when he was getting good samples it stopped. If he had to guess it was Orochi´s doing, looking at the journal on his desk he searched for any reference to the glyphs in his notes. He hated that from ten or twelve pages on the journal seven or eight were about Kamui, and just one or half of one about her spells. Mikoto was a mystery, but he never expected that she would be so reserved even in her personal belongings.

Thinking about what to do, he looked back at the big orb in the middle of the room. It was certain that he needed more energy if he wanted to maintain the barrier and to erase the Nohrians for good, and he needed to do it while Ryoma was away. Kamui´s last attack was good enough to ensure that he would get anything he wanted, now he only had to pull the correct strings and all would be done by the end of winter. With a sigh he stood and walked to the door. "I'm leaving for now, we need to end this as soon as possible, I´ll be back at the evening."

"E-Evening?" Bell looked around and took the papers. "I-I didn't know th-that it was a-already that late! I-I need to…" she was taking her papers just to see that he was already gone. "….I guess….th-that I can always h-have breakfast…later….." Bell sighed as once again she was left alone.

As Yukimura was walking through the hallways he noticed the odd amount of guards in the corridors. Most of the time he passed them without much care about what they were doing, looking down and trying not to attract undesired attention. Hearing some gossip from the servants that were on the edge for last night incidents, a small smile in his face appeared as it would be delightful to explain during the next session of the council how that was more evidence not to trust the albino as lately it was harder to take what he needed.

As he finally entered his own personal bedroom in the 8th floor he left his belongings except his robe on the desk near the door. The room was barely lit by the dying torches, with a groan he took one of the flask on the desk near his bookcase, he didn't bother to take a glass, just took out the cork and drank the bitter liquid. Leaning against the wall near the window as he took another book from under his robe "Let's see….May 14th … 'Kamui's first words?' That´s useless," he mumbled as he took the page and ripped it out of the book "…No…no…..lame…." he keep reading, tearing the pages, and groaning. "Just what the hell were you doing all this ti-"

"What´s the meaning of this?" Another voice took him out his thoughts as he looked around, hiding the book under his sleeve. He felt a knot in his throat as the girl in front of him had the pages he just discarded. He tried to think of something but it was the first time that he felt Oboro´s glare so full of venom, not even the Nohrians he saw dying in her hands had such misfortune to see her void less eyes. "THESE?" She asked again, Yukimura shook his head, making some space between them and walking to the center of the room.

"None of your business! This is outrageous, you have no right to in-blerg!" He was talking and as soon he turned to see her face again he was pushed against the wall with her Nagitana. There were no words, just a glare from her as she made sure that he couldn't move. Yukimura threw the flask, hitting her in her head, breaking in pieces, although her grip softened for a moment she didn't move from her place. She looked down from the sudden hit, but she gritted her teeth's and looked up, blood falling from the right side of her head, covering part of her face, but she just frowned.

"…This….this is nothing…" she started tightening her grip. "NOTHING COMPARED TO WHAT YOU HAVE DONE TO HIM!" Yukimura could feel how he was missing breath as he kicked and punched her, his fist directly to the new injury on her head. Although her right eye was covered in blood she didn't soften her grip. "….You took your time, right?" she asked as after a few minutes. He was losing consciousness. "All night, you took your time to use the curse…..so I´ll do the same," as his vision became blurry he was able to take some short breaths with barely energy to struggle. "We can do this all the day…"

"Oboro, stop." Another voice injected. Yukimura wasn't able to recognize it, but Oboro grunted.

"I´m not letting him d-"

"If you really want to save him, then you need to stop, I know how you f-"

"That´s rich coming from you!" Oboro spat, looking back, although she expected to scare her companion, but after some seconds she looked away from his eyes, finally releasing the tactician. She took a small piece of cloth from her pouch, pressing it against the cut in her head.

"Where are you going?" the voice asked as he took the papers from the floor.

"….I…I can't let him see me like this….at least not with blood in his room…." She huffed, looking at the ninja, not with the same frown but with anger in her face. "If you want to do it that way, Kaze, fine, but don't you dare to say that you know how I feel," she returned to his side just to take the ripped papers from his hands. "I´ll take that, thank you," she said, walking away.

"Wh-What are you doing?" Yukimura asked between coughs as he felt the sore pain in his skin. "ARREST HER ALREADY! SHE JUST TRIED T-"

"You only exchanged some words as you tripped and broke one of your flasks of alcohol in duty," Kaze said, taking the few pages on the floor that were covered in blood and alcohol. "Unless you want me to explain what these are to the council?" Yukimura frowned, looking down and cleaning his face with his sleeve. "Good, now if you'll excuse me," Kaze said, closing the door of the room leaving the Tactician alone in his chamber. "Enjoy the little time you have until Lord Ryoma returns after receiving a report of your recent doings," was the last thing he said before closing the door.

Yukimura remained in silence, trying to regain his breath as the sound of the clock on his wall was the only thing that could be heard. He looked down for a moment and just snickered. What started as a faint snickering turned into a maddening laugh. "Bring it on, beast," he stood, supporting his weight with his right arm against the nearest chair. "There won't be something to save after the harvest….."


AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAND THAT´S ALL FOR NOW!

Geez, it´s been a while, I know, I know, but im glad to see that you enjoy the new chapter, i´ll update as soon as possible guys, just hang it there a little more.

Way to go with the new updates huh? I know that there are some delayed projects but you know….life and stuff :´v

ANYWAY! A huge thanks for all the feedback and pm´s that some of you have sent in the last weeks, also a big thank you for my beta reader who´s always helping me to clean and check the chapters.

All reviews and PM´s are welcome as always, hope you have a great Day/Night and good week!

SHIDESU! OUT!