A/N: Going down this troubling path of what to write when I have time is very boring. I know I ahve many ideas. I jsut have to find the time to finish them in. I am a busy girl attempting to finish college. One day, I will. And then I can be pleasantly miserable teahcing high schoolers.

Be warned...I am beta-less.

Music ideas for the ball include:

Helena by My Chemical Romance
Mr. Brightside by The Killers
All Around Me by Flyleaf
Stuck on You by Paramore
Be Be Your Love by Rachael Yamagata


Deadly Lovers: Azure Monarchy by Kara Papas

Chapter 11: Masquerade

A spinning beat was all she had trapped in her mind as her eyes overlooked the busy room. She had been fit for her costume and now was standing there in it as music roared and voices hummed about in the ballroom.

A mishmash of colors invaded her view as bodies danced back and forth of politicians, military leaders, and common business heads who had the power to be present at the unveiling of Natsuki's status to Webstein as the new monarch.

-Flash back-

"When you are entering the ballroom Ms. Fujino will be at your side of course..." Ojos said in an all knowing cocky tone as she was running through her mental list.

"She won't." Natsuki said in her low husky voice.

"I'm sorry?!" Ojos's tone was of complete shock and her mental list went into disarray.

"She won't...we should think of the public eye, my feelings have no bearing on the issue." Natsuki said in a hard tone feeling another set of measuring tape running across her body as she bleakly spoke with her advisor. Ojos couldn't help but frown knowing something must have happened; Natsuki had an irrational logic.

-end flash back-

The dancing bodies and the laughter could not open Natsuki's mood as she turned her eyes from the crowd to lean against the banister. In her hand she held a beautiful mask. It was solid black with an intricate golden lace pattern that veined its way about the mask. Natsuki huffed and placed her mask back on making her emerald eyes stand out that much more. Her exhausted pushed from the banister and she turned to the crowd again thinking random thoughts.

This would be a great way to kill so many politicians at once setting special charges around the key points in this room. No, it would be good to have the charges to destroy the room, but the first explosion should be a high charge frag bomb. That's really good. The frag bomb would shred through most of them and the secondary should destroy the room killing the remaining survivors. Plus that would rid any initial traces of evidence, or at least slow the investigators down. Natsuki let out a deep sigh after the thought finished as she rubbed her temple through her mask. This is awful of me, thinking about killing these people. But then again there are some people in this room I have, was, ordered to kill and at the last moment they'd call me off right as my finger was caressing the trigger of my favorite rifle.

It was true that the young Queen's thoughts were morbid because she began to point out to herself the people she had been called off from getting a morbid delight from large number there were. Her thoughts ran to Shizuru and she wondered if she had ever been called off from killing any of her subjects, but then again Shizuru was an extremely cold blooded killer. Yet, that was to harsh of judgment as Natsuki rested her elbows against the banister.

"Why don't you dance, silly?" came the sounds of a familiar voice. The azure haired woman turned with fear realizing that a psychotic immortal was standing behind her. A hand landed on the middle of her back making Natsuki straighten her back as the other appeared on the banister.

"A monarch of any kind should always have a perfect form. No being sluggish." Natsuki turned to seeing the smiling lips of another azure haired woman also masked by a similar mask. "I'm having one of those small moments of sanity right now. You're okay, my darling child."

"You'll have to forgive my doubts on that..." Natsuki said in confused and shocked tone making her immortal parent laugh.

"You can call me mother. After all that is what I am, your mother...but I have this feeling you might have to kill me, Natsuki. Somehow I know that…" Saeko said jesting at the beginning but hushed down as her thoughts crowded in on her.

"This isn't a normal conversation for a masquerade you know." Natsuki said in a slightly sarcastic tone.

"Yes, it isn't but I am sure you thinking about how to kill all the people in this room isn't as normal either." Saeko said now mirroring Natsuki's position completely. The immortal senses for Saeko were going off everywhere so she ignored each time she felt it so she could talk with Natsuki.

"Are you a mind reader too?" Natsuki said, feeling herself relax knowing she shouldn't, but she did any ways. A momentary lapse of comfort, the way it should be between mother and daughter.

"I've been watching you for a long time Natsuki...I know you're expressions." Saeko sighed like mother would although the thirty year old appearance and Natsuki being twenty eight didn't really help anyone believe the two were mother and daughter. "Where is that woman you living with?"

"She hasn't shown up yet." Natsuki sighed feeling empty without Shizuru being at her side. Shizuru would have loved to have been there with her just to enjoy the interaction between Natsuki and her mother.

"I would have thought you'd walk in hand in hand with her. Personally I think you should be with a gentleman, but you really like this woman so...I'll let it pass. It is a pity you choose that path...no heirs." Saeko lectured on making Natsuki drop her jaw like a teenager.

"You've never been in my life and you're telling what I should do?!" Natsuki griped as she rubbed her head. "This really is so weird."

Saeko eyes started getting a far off look as she turned her focus to the crowd. "You would have loved your father. He was twenty years older than me...married into the family. Kruger is my last name." Her voice was trembling and Natsuki could see a change in the immortal's stance.

"You loved him that much..." Natsuki whispered in a soft warm tone. Saeko looked at Natsuki with a painful nostalgia a tear escaped her eye.

"And there is so much of him in you. Your green eyes are his. That roughness in your voice is his. I'm sure the way you love is like his. Everything...that's why...I couldn't be with you. I have to go my child...you're not safe with me anymore. This will probably be the last time I'll ever be this.." Saeko laughed as she and Natsuki faced each other. "Be this sane ever again." Saeko pulled Natsuki into her arms not before pulling Natsuki's mask off to kiss her child's cheek. "You are a Kruger; powerful, graceful, and poised. We are undefeatable in battle except to those we love. We are forever in the eyes of our people for we seek to give them prosperity and peace of mind. And we kill those who dare threaten our existence and take what is ours. Undefeated...forever. My Natsuki..." Saeko voice was trembling and lost as she pulled herself from Natsuki and quickly disappeared leaving Natsuki just as lost.

Of course, from across the way stood the busty orange haired editor, Mai Tokiha who caught the entire embrace scene and walked her way over. "You wouldn't happen to be cheating on Shizuru would you?" Natsuki looked to Mai and gave her a disapproving look.

"That was...family." Natsuki said sighing yet again. Mai looked back to the crowd to where the person disappeared.

"You're an orphan Natsuki...how?" Mai said fully knowing that Natsuki had been telling the truth based of her tone alone.

"Too difficult to explain and I'm having an information overload, but knowing them now explains a lot about me. Especially how I kill." Natsuki voice lingered towards the end disturbing Mai a bit.

"Okay! Time for me to leave...bye Queen Kruger." Mai stuck her tongue out at Natsuki making Natsuki laugh as she watched her friend walk away only to have her eyes lock on to the entrance. There framed by the magnificent door way was Shizuru in her costume taking her time to look across the ballroom for someone. It was obvious that she had caused some people to stop dancing as they were all trapped in her undeniable beauty and her deep red eyes. Whether or not the people present had a grudge against Karisan citizens didn't matter because the red eyes were characteristic of unique region of Karis that commonly did not support the views of the government of Karis. Most red eyed Karisan had been brainwashed into the military of Karis or were violently murdered by the military. Shizuru's presence at the masque was daunting, but what was even more daunting was who showed up at her side.

"A lady should never come unaccompanied." Shizuru looked to her side feeling a hand grabbing hers. Natsuki eyes burned with a different kind of green now as she watched Shizuru be walked in by Juri Arisugawa.

"General Arisugawa…" Shizuru said in shock as they walked in together and out to the dance floor joining the crowd.

"Juri, call me Juri." The general said pulling Shizuru into a closer dancing stance. Juri smiled warmly like she never had before beaming with a strange confidence. Shizuru kept dancing with Juri not wanting to upset the immortal. However Shizuru knew by dancing with Juri she was further jeopardizing her own relationship with Natsuki because she was certain Natsuki saw the entire thing. Shizuru's loyalty to her lover had never been a concern for her because for her she had never truly loved anyone, but Natsuki. Her heart was solely meant for one other in the universe and that one she was not with. Her body was being drawn in closer to another's by the swift motion of a hand at the small of her back yet it was not a forceful motion. Everything was falling into a set of perfect instants with a hinting sting inside the pit of the Karisan woman's heart.

"Juri, I should really be with…" Shizuru began to say, when Juri pressed her closer and interrupted with a caressing whisper as the music died down.

"You're here with me now…. think of nothing else."

The void of nothing was exactly what was filtering about the hallways of the palace as the click of heeled boots echoed alone. Azure hair bounced across the shoulders of the owner as they trod to their destination as their sanity leaked from their mind forever. I shall end this all. All players in the undoing of my monarchy ruled by me shall perish with me. We shall all die. Eternity is meant for lovers for eternity alone is deadly enough. Oh, great Warlord of Rose, you loin hearted bitch. Let's revive the time before time inside your heart. Saeko Kruger mind was gone as her hand grasped the door to the office of the orange haired general of Rose. The goal was a simple item which Saeko had easily remedied with switch of broken miracles. From the velvety bag emptied to the desk a broken locket and produce from Saeko's pocket came a locket that matched down to the most beautiful detail except for a picture.

"I have only to be with anyone other than my Natsuki to be alone in nothingness…" The words were solid, crisp, cold, but honest with that stinging charm of a Karisan accent. A softer wave of music began and all the other dancing pairs around the two women continued on with the music. The two remained motionless locked in each other's gaze and locked in that dancing stance. Juri's heart contorted in such a fashion that the immortal never thought she could feel again. Juri took a back step still holding onto Shizuru making the woman dance with or without her consent. Shizuru fumble forward ever so slightly completely against the general.

"I can give you forever Shizuru. You won't merely just be a photo for me. I can keep you the way you are forever. I have many, underlings that no one would miss. Your beauty alone already marks you as immortal. I can say this. I can. Let me give you immortality." Juri whispered against Shizuru's cheek as her hands seductively ran across the mortal's back.

"Why would she want immortality when her soul is matched forever with her soul mate," said a stern husky power female voice making Juri stop dead still. Shizuru felt the immortal's arms fall away and she stepped away from her. Green eyes blazed from behind an ornate mask only to be met by the same kind of passion from the general's green eyes. "I maybe a blink of time for you, but I have no desire to have Shizuru be away from me even in death. She is my light in that void." Natsuki's eyes now shown a fiery love for Shizuru and the Karisan woman stepped forward from Juri to Natsuki. "I do thank you for bringing my lover to me though."

The striking blow was dealt in those last few words. Juri stepped back smiled very diplomatically and bowed at her waist before leaving. Natsuki took her mask off and extended her hand to Shizuru making the woman sigh heavily. The two stood hand in hand as Shizuru extended her hand to caress the side of Natsuki face which was heavy with anxiety and angst.

"My love, don't ever think I could love anyone else but you. And please, don't hide your face from me, ever." Shizuru said as the sound of mask hitting the ballroom floor could be heard as Natsuki pulled Shizuru to her.

"You are always mine, and no one else's…what must I do, to show this?" Natsuki said as they swayed with the music.

"You must be a ruler and forget of me. We'll always be together in this palace." Shizuru whispered feeling Natsuki drawing her ever closer. Shizuru's cheeks flushed red as she read the signal buried deep in Natsuki's emerald orbs. The love there was a madness for Natsuki and she contained it so well but it was overflowing in that moment. The music died down and a roar of applauses was heard around the ballroom. Natsuki and Shizuru broke from their trace between another to see the crowd gathered about. The other applauds was that natural, "there's clapping we should too." However the faces in the crowd were either delighted or majorly confused by how Natsuki was dancing with another woman.

The two women bowed and took their leave as Natsuki grasped Shizuru hand as they exited the ballroom to the hallway. The tension for Natsuki was so great that her mind could not bare it any longer.

"Natsuki, why are we…" Shizuru voice was silence as her lips were soon locked in a fiery kiss. The kiss was so passionate that Shizuru became weak in her knees making Natsuki hold her even tighter which increased that growing tension for Natsuki. The kiss broke and Shizuru was in that shock of pleasant stupor.

"Let's leave the ball for tonight. Please…" Natsuki said with enthusiasm. Shizuru shook her head. Natsuki sighed and went stoic making Shizuru heart ache. "I know, I have my duties…but they mean nothing to me if I can't have you." With that the azure haired monarch turned away and went back into the ballroom leaving Shizuru in the hall.


Thanks for putting up with the wait for those of you who actually read this story.