Ηi again! Umm, sorry for taking so long to post the new chapter, life keeps me busy, but I'll try harder. :)

I'd like to thank CriMsonxLadY for the fave.

nakigaoyuu: Oops! Sorry for that, I just fixed it. Hehe, you'll see, you'll see.

Chapter 3 – Scatter winds

Sen-hime's P.O.V.

I lost track of how long I was standing there, near the big window, staring outside. The winds were blowing and filling the gray sky with black ominous clouds, hiding the sun behind veils of mystery. I could feel the temperature getting colder and I was feeling the moisture in the air – a sign that very soon heavy rain drops will start falling from the sky.

The dull weather and the upcoming storm seemed to fit perfectly with my mood; however, I was imagining snowflakes freely dancing in the winds. I had never been fond of winter, but I was finding myself missing it, even in the middle of the summer. Maybe because every time I was watching the snow flying in the winds, and softly touching the ground, I could feel something calm and peaceful inside. That was only the half true, because the snowfall was reminded me of someone…

"My princess?" a soft voice filled the air, and slowly caressed the winds, as my loyal guardian knelt behind me.

"What is it?" I asked, with my eyes still set on at the faraway horizons.

"You're unusually quiet my princess, is everything alright?"

"Yes… Everything is fine," I replied, almost mechanically, even though I wasn't sure about it.

That wasn't the truth though. For several months now a storm was already raging on, inside my head and mind, like the one that sooner or later would start outside. I knew that I had all the answers I needed, but for some reason I was refusing to accept them – maybe because they weren't the answers that I wanted.

"There is no need to pretend that everything is fine, my princess. If this has something to do with Chizuru, and the conversation you had with a specific man months ago, you know you can talk to me."

I found it hard to take a breath, yet I couldn't help a faded smile; Kimigiku could read me like an open book and she was right about her guess.

…

Flashback

…

I kept staring the door where Kazama Chikage disappeared with a brief gust, allowing some snowflakes to penetrate adrift. His words were still spinning inside my head and I wasn't sure if I would be able to understand what he had told me.

"My princess, you think we could trust him?" Kimigiku wondered.

I nodded. "Yes, we can, Kazama may be arrogant, but he is proud and would never lie about something so important and to someone like me. If he would, he could have left me to wonder; however, he assured me that his business with humans is over, and with Chizuru-chan…" My voice faded as I suddenly felt myself running out of words.

"I admit that I never saw that coming."

"Me either, but… how is this possible, Kimigiku? I mean…" I sighed, irritated. "I know Kazama, he is very strong minded and stubborn, he could never leave someone such as Chizuru-chan in peace."

"However, something must have happened to make him change his mind."

I nodded. "What could it be? Don't tell me that he suddenly respected a woman and decided to step away? No way, he is even putting his own feelings to the side in front of his goals. And if there was another man there is no way to let him take her without a fight."

"However you hear what you wanted to hear, my princess. Kazama stopped working with humans and he won't cause any more problems for your friend. That's the important thing and his reasons are nothing to concern us."

I squeezed my fists. Perhaps Kimigiku's words were correct, but I couldn't just leave it as it was. "I must find out."

"Then what are you suggesting to do, my princess?"

"I'll find Chizuru-chan," I announced, "And she will explain it to me," I added and stood up, determined.

…

Flashbacks Ends

…

And here I was; months after my conversation with Kazama and my meeting with Chizuru-chan, and only half day away from Kyoto, with all of the answers I wanted in my hands. However…

"You think she will be okay, my princess?" Kimigiku asked and even if she didn't mention her name, I knew to whom she was referring to.

I slowly closed and opened up my eyes again. I took a deep breath and said, "Yes, she will. Hijikata-san wasn't the head of the Shinsegumi for nothing. He is a fine man and strong enough to protect her. He is the right man for her and I'm sure Chizuru-chan will be happy at his side."

"And how about Kazama Chikage?"

"What about him?" I asked coldly, feeling a tightness in my heart at the sound of his name.

"He is a fine man and strong too, my princess, and he is like you."

My lips were dry when I turned to face her. "What is your point Kimigiku?"

She bowed her head even more. "Forgive me, my princess, but I saw the way you reacted when Chizuzu asked you about your future and just like you care about your friend's happiness, I care about your happiness."

I was starting to feel my heartbeat getting stronger. "What do you mean?"

"You're a female demon from a royal bloodline just like he is, and if you would, you could be his wife."

I turned my back to her again feeling her words cutting me like thousand knives. I knew she was just worrying, but she wasn't helping me at all right now.

"He is a demon like you, you share the same royalty in your blood and he is strong and capable to protect you. Also, he is a nice man, annoying and proud but loyal and a gentleman, not to mention that he is handsome too. He proved himself with more than words."

Kimigiku paused, probably waiting for me to say something but I was feeling too stresses and confused. She was right about everything and it wasn't that I wanted to disagree with her or try to prove her wrong. The reason was another and more complicated, it was just…

"He is the right man to be with you, my princess, no other man would ever be worthy enough to stand up at your side and knowing that you have feelings for him, I can't understand what keeps you from being his bride."

I gasped – eyes widened – yet surprisingly my voice came out straight without trembles or gaps. "Stop saying that I have feelings for him."

"My princess, I've known you all my life –you cannot deceive me. I know that you have feelings for him since the day you first asked him how he was feeling about Chizuru; it wasn't only because you were caring for your friend. No, it was something else and the way you were lecturing him and getting angry for ignoring you made everything clear to me. That was the reason for suggesting you my princess; you're a demon with royal blood, you live in the same world, you two are the same and perfect for each other."

I took a deep breath but couldn't stop myself asking, "You really believe that?"

Kimigiku nodded. "I know it, my princess. I'm sure about it and together you can give birth to powerful and even stronger demons, saving your bloodline from extinction."

I tried to take another breath, but all the air stuck to the back of my throat. Yes, I knew those possibilities, I knew Kimigiku was right about Kazama being the best man I could mate with and I also knew that he was handsome, strong and a gentleman, just like I knew that it was impossible to overcome my feelings for him.

"However, you rejected him, even though you could accept him and be his wife…." Kimigiku continued only to stab me one more time, right in my heart. "Why, my princess?"

I shut my eyes tightly trying to keep whatever self-control I had left. Things were never as I wanted them to be, and with Kimigiku seeing through me it was pointless to deny it or try to hide it anymore. She was right about everything; her guesses were all correct. I cared about Chizuru-chan, but I was also moving by my own feelings, when I had asked him what his intentions were, and why he was after her, the same feelings made me travel from the capital to Edo, searching for her; I desperately needed some explanations for his decisions and actions –I had to know. And now I knew… however, nothing changed; the same reason of why I rejected him all those years ago was still there.

A strong wind blew, penetrating the room, making my hair fly. I took another breath and turned to leave quietly. I passed by my loyal guardian, who was still kneeling with her head nearly touching the floor, and I headed to the exit. One moment before I crossed the door I stood still. Without looking at her and with a heart that was kicking in my chest I finally confessed.

"I know, but I want a man who can love me for me and not my blood."

Something broke inside of me and all the fragments scattered in the winds that were blowing hard, and with that, I disappeared, wanting some time for myself.

I want to give special thanks to all my betas.

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