A week had passed slowly and Ren continued to keep Sakuno inside the castle. He had put her on a big and luxurious chamber and gave her a lot of new and expensive clothes. But, the only thing she cared about was the child growing inside of her and if Ryoma was okay. Every night before going to sleep, she would look to the skies and remember the happy times of their home at the beach.

Even though Ren arrange for her to take a bath on sea water, she missed the ocean. She missed the feeling of the waves on her body and on her scales, the smell of freshness and salt and the sounds inside the tides. Above all else, since she met her husband, going to the see meant he would always be there when she returned, with his small smiles and holding her tight while they returned to the small and old house that become their home.

The food in the Muramasa castle was very refined, but Sakuno could not eat it with the same pleasure she ate Ryoma's simple food. It was a good thing she was not feeling so nauseated anymore, the mermaid was sure she wouldn't be able to hold the meals on her stomach otherwise.

The baby kicked again and she smiled. Her hands were around the small roundness.

"You know, little girl, your father, he changed my life completely. Even before we fell in love, he showed me so many things; he made me feel like I finally had a place to return."

She lowered her head.

"I know Ryoma is going to take very good care of you, but… I wish you could stay here inside of me forever, so I could have a part of your father with me. I miss him so much. It hurts the same way when I am away from the water. My whole body is aching."

Her conversation with her child was interrupted when a young servant opened the doors of her chambers slowly. Sakuno turned around to look at her.

"I'm sorry to disturb you, Sakuno-sama, but Muramasa-sama asked me to get you ready."

"Why?"

"He said it is time for you to work."

############

There was a summer festival happening on Muramasa's harbor on that evening. The place was full and there were people dancing and eating around a big bonfire. The mermaid was very beautiful. Her long red hair was tight on a high ponytail and she was wearing a white furoside with blue flowers.

She was walking by Ren's side and he had a smirk on his face. While he walked, people were opening the space and whispering. There were no guards with him; since he was sure Sakuno's strength was more than enough.

The Muramasa lord arrived at the center of the party and the music died. Sakuno noticed everyone looked uncomfortable when looking at Ren.

"Good evening to you all." He said, with opened eyes in a very gallant pose. "It is so nice to see you were expecting me with such lovely music." He was being sarcastic. "I hope you remember that, by the end of the month that will be a raise on the tributes of this summer's crops and do not waist a lot of money on this party."

"We didn't agree on that." a tall middle-aged woman said. "And we are no longer under your control."

"We are celebrating a new lord!" an elderly man was in front of him seriously.

Ren laughed at them.

"Is there something on your drinks? Are you delusional by any chance?!"

"They are not, Ren." Kaori appeared from inside the crowd and there was a deep frown on her features.

"What are you doing here, Kaori?" his smiled died.

"Muramasa people accepted a new lord. That was appointed by our father."

"Is that you, by any chance?! You cannot be, you are a useless woman and the law…"

"I am." Ren turned around when hearing the familiar voice. Ryoma was in front of him, looking at his older brother with a deep diplseare look.

Sakuno's heart skipped a beat on seeing her husband after so much time. She wanted to run to him and hug him tight but she had have Ren her word.

"If my older son, Ren, cannot fulfill his ditues to Muramasa and its people properly, is it my wish that my youngest son, Ryoma, will be the new lord of the state." She read the official paper out loud and Ren's face was disfigured by hate.

"You bitch! You are lying! You and that bastard are lying to make the people go against me!"

"We are not." Kaori turned the page and showed him their father's signature and Muramasa's official seal.

"There is no need for that, Ren. You have been a monster to this land. People are suffering because of you. You tried to kill me, you threatened Kaori, hurt Shuichirou-san and now you are slaving my wife!" he pointed to Sakuno. "She is pregnant and you let her without food and water for days, you almost killed our child!"

"Give up, Ren." Kaori came close to him. "There is no need for us to fight over this. It is settled already. Go away with the rest of dignity you still have."

"Okay, Nee-sama." He smiled at her. "I will go away. I hope you are happy for betraying your own twin."

"You gave me no choice."

He turned around and was about to leave when, picking up a small dagger inside his clothes, he attacked Ryoma.

"Die, your bastard!"

"Ryoma!" Kaori screamed and the sound of the blade being broken reached their ears.

Ryoma was thrown on the ground and when he opened his eyes Sakuno was in front of him. Many scales had appeared on her right arm, that she used as a shield to protect her husband. The scales were red like the ones on her tail, but strong like steal. His wife's eyes had turned into white and her fangs were showing.

"You liar!" she growled to Ren and he took a few steps back, terrified.

"You cannot go against me! You promised you would serve me!" he screamed, when she took some steps towards his direction.

"Silence!" her deep voice shook his spine. "My duty was to serve you so Ryoma would be safe! And you just tried to kill him!"

The Muramasa lord stood up and started to ran away from her, going towards the sea. Sakuno followed him in regular steps and a blank expression. When Ren was just a few meters away from the tides, the mermaid moved her hands and he was surrounded by a circle of sea water, letting just his head out.

Sakuno closed her hand and the water tightened around Ren's body, making him scream.

"How does it feel, to be afraid and suffering and someone looking at you like you are nothing?"

The water surrounded his head entirely and Sakuno smiled when seeing him getting breathless, the desperate bubbles coming from his mouth.

Kaori and Ryoma ran after them. When they finally arrived, Kaori fell on her knees on the sand and Ryoma's golden eyes were wide in absolute shock.

Ren was dead inside the water circle.

The mermaid looked at her husband with the white eyes and her long red hair moved with the night wind. She smiled, showing her fangs and Ryoma noticed she was not her usual self. Something dangerous and primitive took over her and it made his blood cold inside his veins.