Everyone turned their head to look at the three girls in kimono, even the horsemen.

Negi slapped his hand on his head. He expected Konoka and Asuna to emote their surprise, but even Setsuna did.

The Head-master frowned. He remembered saying he wanted everything to be perfect. These girls were just needed to stand there as a decoration, and talk when he would order to. But it looked like they didn't hear his demand.

He cleared his throat before turning back to see his special guest.

" Welcome to Mahora Academy dear Princess of Cloud's Kingdom. We have been waiting for you with joy. We all hope you can enjoy you stay. Please feel free to ask anyone's help if you need something. If you may come this way, I'd like to introduce you to my grand-daughter. " he led her to where Konoka was standing.

The three girls bowed to the beautiful blond-hair princess, all blushing sightly at their silly behavior.

" It is a pleasure to meet you. I'm looking forward to know you, and be your guest. " the veiled princess bowed back to them.

" Ah, it's my pleasure. " Konoka replied with a smile.

When Setsuna recorrected herself, she noticed the new princess kept staring at her. She blushed at the eye-contact, attracted by her green eyes. She didn't know if she had to smile or stay impassive, since she already made a mistake that earned an angry look from the Head-master.

Then the dean walked her inside the building, and waved at his men to lead the horsemen where they could set themselves.
However one of them got off of his horse to escort his princess. Setsuna assumed he was her bodyguard.

As they walked away, the girls kept watching them leaving. They were speechless for a moment.

" Do you think...she's the princess Emiko-san was talking to when she was unconscious? " the girl dressed in the brown kimono asked her friends.

" She is. " a young male voice said behind them.

They turned back to look at him, still shocked from their discover.

" The Head-master is going to scold you all for your impolite behavior you know. He said he wanted the welcome moment to be perfect, which meant no surprised reaction. " Negi scolded them first.

" But, if she is, then why is Emiko-san not present to greet her? She knew we are welcoming the princess she loves. " Asuna wondered, ignoring her teacher's words.

" Something bad must have happened between them, so she didn't want to see her. " the girl dressed in black kimono answered. She knew well what it was to hide from a certain princess, as she did years ago with hers.

" Which is why we should not say a word about what we found out, okay everybody? " Setsuna told them.

' I can't let you be more hurt than I already did to you. ' Setsuna thought with kindness.

They all nodded, even though their curiosity had been aroused.

After the welcoming ceremony, the three girls went back to the dorms to change themselves into casual clothes.

" Ahh...I didn't even had the chance to see Takahata-sensei... " Asuna sulked, sitting on the couch.

" I'm sure he saw you in this beautiful kimono. But he just couldn't come to talk you, since everything needed to be perfect. " Konoka giggled, as she went to cook dinner.

Setsuna was spacing out, worried about her childhood friend. After they ate, she decided to look after her.

" I wanna come to Secchan! Today is a day-off, and I wanted to spend it with you. " the chocolate-hair girl went to her lover's side to hold her by the arm, smiling happily.

Setsuna sighed, smiling back at her cute girlfriend.

" Alright, whatever you wish my princess. " she teased her, ready to leave. Even though she wanted to see her friend alone, she didn't want to break her lover's happy mood.

They waved at her still skulking friend and left the room. As they walked in the corridor, they stayed quiet. They didn't notice they walked closer together until their hands brushed. Both girl jumped a little, looking at each other, before smiling with love.

The black-hair girl was blushing a little at the thought of holding her hand. She was about to take her girlfriend's hand, her fingers caressing the palm of her hand in the movement, but stopped her action at the view of two persons.

" Oh look, they held a ball yesterday night! I wish we would arrived earlier. " a soft voice spoke.

" They seemed to enjoy life here...Ah, I think I saw their faces before... " a deep voice talked back.

The couple approached them.

" It's us. Konoka Konoemon and her girlfriend, Setsuna Sakurazaki. " the samurai blushed at what her princess decided to call her.

" Oh, hello again princess Konoka. You really look cute together. " the veiled girl smiled fondly at the couple. She then turned her eyes to look at Setsuna again. And this time, Konoka noticed it.

The man bowed to the couple as a greeting. The brown-hair girl didn't even see him as her attention was on her blushing girlfriend who was staring back at the blond-hair princess.

" Um, as you can see and read, the ball was held for both of us. " Konoka said, feeling a bit hurt in her heart.

" So you're engaged? " the couple blushed together.

Setsuna smiled weakly, brushing the back of her head with her left hand. She then turned to look at her girlfriend, widening her smile.

" Not yet. " and Konoka felt the pain washed away, sinking into her lover's loving eyes.

" What a cool bodyguard, if working here requires to wear a suit, I would definitively love to work at Mahora Academy! " the man joked, pointing the photo of the security guard to show it at his princess.

" Are you okay, princess um...of the Cloud's kingdom? " Setsuna didn't know if it was proprer for her to call her by her name. She asked as she noticed the girl's face turned white.

" Woah...what a beautiful pair of blue eyes! I could even fall for her! " the man laughed, looking at Asakura's photos.

The veiled princess froze, as if she saw a ghost. She tried to speak, moving her lips like a fish, but couldn't.

Finally understanding the situation, the dark-hair girl whispered to her girlfriend's ear.

" I think you should make them visit around, you stay with the princess and I'll go look for Emi...um, my friend. "

Konoka nodded happily, as if she was told a secret plan.

" Would you come with me please? I'd like to show to around so you can familiarise with the places. " the bodyguard pushed slowly the back of his princess as she didn't hear what Konoka told them. They followed the brown-hair girl, who glanced at her girlfriend and winked.

' What a lovely impish girl! ' Setsuna thought as she smiled back at her.

Then, she walked away furtively.

" Thanks for you report Emiko. Still loyal as always, huh... "

Setsuna stopped at the dean's office doors. With her great hearing abilities, she heard Emiko's name. She instantly hid her presence, but stayed as she was in front of the door.

" I owe you everything Sir, you have been really kind towards both of us, the least I can do is to be loyal to you. " a feminine voice said.

" You really are just like Setsuna-kun. I never doubted I made a mistake by taking in you two. " the old man cleared his throat.

' Crap! I have to hide quickly, now! ' Setsuna thought and jumped far away at the corner of the corridor behind a wall.

The doors opened for a minute, and closed.

' fiew... ' Setsuna sighed, and this time she sent a shikigami to listen at the door.

" So, if what you say is true...then, I should undo my agreement with the Cloud's kingdom and push the princess out of our home. They might sent her here as a spy. " the Head-master continued his talk.

" If I may say, I know this princess very well, and she doesn't have this kind of abilities. I also know well the horsemen, but I never met her bodyguard. He might be the one to distrust. However, their country is full of kind and generous people. They are just deceived by their king. In my view, it would be wrong of you to break the reconciliation pact. The king would understand you discoverd his plans. But if we let him believed we hooked and eyed, this would be our chance to dethrone him without bringing another war. And I... " Emiko lowered her voice.

' Damn, I can't hear anymore! Shikigami! Put you ear against the door! ' Setsuna ordered, but she suddenly felt a presence coming from inside the room to the door. She raised her two fingers at her chest and blew away the shikigami.

Emiko opened the door and turned back to the head-master to bow.

" I'll do whatever you ask, Sir. " and she closed the door, walking the opposite way of Setsuna. She stopped after few steps to look behind her, and resumed her walk.

Setsuna clenched her fists.

' What is going on! '

" Here we are at the school's court. It's really nice when summer comes, many students would picnic under the World's Tree. " the princess of Mahora academy walked to the fountain at the bottom of the tree.

" So this is the famous tree... " the bodyguard man thought out loud.

" Yes. And I finally can see it from my own eyes... " the veiled princess approached the tree to touch its trunk.

Konoka was looking around, in case her Secchan would come to her. She smiled when she caught sight of someone. Yet, it wasn't her love, even though it was a tall dark-hair girl who was coming. A beautiful woman with clear blue eyes.

Then Konoka remembered the possible relationship between her friend and the foreign princess. She hoped they would recognize both and be happy to see each other.

The blond-hair princess turned to see the person who was walking towards them, and froze at the view. Her eyes widened in disbelief, feeling tears coming up to her eyes.

How beautiful her blue eyes were to look at and deep to drown in it. Her face redened as the person was almost near her.

' It's impossible... '

Emiko completely denied the presence of Konoka, to whom she usually gave a warm smile. She was now standing in front of the veiled princess, looking right into her eyes.

' It must be a dream. '

She bowed at the princess, making her jumped in surprise at her behavior, as if she was expected something else.

" Nice to meet you Princess of the Cloud's Kingdom, I'm Emiko Aki, bodyguard of the princess of Mahora Academy. Recently we've been confronted to a magical barrier issue, so I have been ordered to stay by your side in case a demon attacks. Please don't mind my presence, I won't be a bother for you. " the girl told her new defended.

Konoka was shocked, but not as much as the veiled princess. The latter felt her tears turned into anger. She didn't understand why this woman pretented to not know her.

But she was a princess, she knew about manners. So she smiled lovely, and nodded to her words. Then she walked away, trying to avoid any contact with her new bodyguard.

Except that the tall dark-hair girl was now following her everywhere she went. She introduced herself to the male bodyguard who was speechless.

" Hello. As you heard, I'm Emiko Aki, a temporary bodyguard for your princess. I hope we can work in collaboration. " she bowed briefely.

" Ah-yes! Sure, there's no problem with that! " the man said stuttering, he bowed back.

Emiko was waiting for him to introduce himself at his turn.

" Um- I am Jima Marebaro, main bodyguard of princess Megumi. " he bowed again. He seemed to totally lose his composure in front of the beauty tall lady.

The dark-hair girl nodded, and followed her princess. She quickly smiled to Konoka as a greeting, and left.

The brown-hair girl only had the time to say hi and then saw her friend walking away. She felt bad for both girls, expecting a passionate moment of reunion.

" Kono-chan! " she directly turned to the voice she loved to hear.

Setsuna came to her side, catching her breathe while the man ran to his princess after recovering his senses.

" Did you see Emiko? I think she was walking here. " Konoka gently caressed her girlfriend's back, easing her pain to breathe.

" Yes...she talked to Megumi-san but, it seems that she didn't recognize her. She just introduced to them and said she was now her new temporary bodyguard. "

' Why would she deny her? Was it that bad between them? At least, I wasn't ignoring Kono-chan when she tried to speak to me. ' the dark-hair girl thought as she saw her friend far away.

" I'm so glad...we passed this and are together Secchan. " Konoka reached for her hand to squeeze it. She completely read her lover's thoughts.

" Yeah...me too... " Setsuna said, and leant to kiss her on her cheek.

' I also hope you will... '

As she walked near the big garden of the school, Megumi stopped to watch the beautiful flowers. She bent to take a cornflower and smelt it.

' It smells so...pure... ' she thought as she stood up.

" I thought you said you won't be a bother? " she said out loud, still staring at the flowers.

" I'm sorry if I am, but my job is to stay by your side. " the tall girl with blue eyes replied quietly.

" Your job... " Megumi was about to add something when her main bodyguard came behind them, breathing heavily.

" P-princess Megumi, you should at least wait for me! What if you get hurt, your father is going to kill me! " Jima scolded her, coming to her side.

They stayed quiet for a moment, until some blue gray tanagers flew in the sky, singing the end of the day.

' My heart is crying. '

" We should go to your host room, it's getting late-"

" -Jima-san, could you go first to see if my room is set with all my suitcases? I need everything to be done so I can rest quickly. "

" Ah...sure. Since Aki-san is here...I leave the princess to you, please be vigilant. " the man bowed to the two of them before heading to the school.

When Megumi heard no sounds of footsteps, she finally turned back.
Emiko stayed straight, not moving an inch. She fell into those green eyes, green as the garden.

The princess walked, step by step, not breaking the eye-contact. It was as if she needed to look or else she would fall onto the ground. Her legs were shaking, but she overcame this difficulty. She had to.

When she was close enough to her new bodyguard, she stopped.

' My heart is breaking so hard. '

She waited a minute to gather herself, feeling a painful sensation as tears were coming again to her eyes.

" Why...are you pretending to not know me...? " the blond-hair girl said quietly.

She waited for an answer but nothing. Nothing but the beautiful sounds of the singing birds.

" ...Why?...Why are you keeping quiet while you should tell me why you left me with nothing! " she tried her best to hold the tears.

' The birds keep singing like they... '

Emiko suddenly reacted at her words. She heard them before, and it hurt her like hell.

" Not even...a word of where... " the princess' voice began to shudder.

' Like they know the scores. '

The dark-hair girl closed her eyes, breathing deeply.
The first words were hard enough to take, but hearing the same blame from the two of them made her think she was a horrible person.

" I...don't have to tell you anything. " Emiko's words were cold, but she needed to be if not, she would possibly, fail to her job.

However that was enough of words to break Megumi's attempt to not burst into tears.
And she did, she cried as if her heart just broke.

' And it's bleeding again,

You cut me open. '

" How could you say that...after all we've been through...after all this time... " Emiko tried to resist the urge to wrap her arms around her.

Emiko stood still, impassive at her crying, and looked away to stay focus on her attitude.

" I've been searching for you everywhere! I thought you were dead, and it tore my heart so much that it hurt to breathe!...All I wished was to die and be set free from this unbearable pain!... " the veiled princess said between sobs.

" I thought...I couldn't be more hurt after you loss...but now, hearing you words- "

" -Megumi- "

" -You're breaking my heart again! "

The princess tried to walk away when she felt a hand pulling her wrist.

' You're driving me insane, and you should stop. '

She fell onto a strong chest, feeling trapped in those arms which she never forgot its warmth.
She tried to release herself from the hug but she was locked very hard.
She then remembered, she had been waiting to fall. Waiting to feel this smell again. Dreaming of touching this softness.

" Don't use tears against me...you know very well how I can't stand to see it in your eyes. " the bodyguard whispered soflty to the princess' ear.

' Stop before I'm taking you in again. '

" Please...don't cry anymore. " Emiko hugged her tighter, hoping it would stop her tears.

You only know what I want you to

Megumi was punching her chest with her small fists, she wanted to hit her so hard as her pain.

I know everything you don't want me to

But she couldn't, she loved her too much to even try to hurt her.
And her fighting hands turned into needing ones, as she clenched her dear love's shirt.

" I love you...so much... " and she cried even more into this warm chest she was looking for all this time.

Knowing her hold won't be enough to calm her, Emiko raised her princess' face with her hand.
And pressed her lips against her wet lips.

Your mouth is poison, your mouth is wine

She thought she could just acted, but the touch of these wet lips took out her hidden feelings.

You think your dreams are the same as mine

So Emiko let her heart opened, leaking out all she had been wishing.
She pressed harder, trying to find her way into this mouth she kissed so many times before.

Oh I don't love you, but I always will
Oh I don't love you, but I always will
Oh I don't love you, but I always will

The veiled princess' eyes widened, but she closed them quickly after she felt those lips she had been asking for after this long.

I always will...

Their kiss deepened, and Emiko was kissing her in the way she could say

I wish you'd hold me when I turn my back

Tears were rolling down the blond-hair girl's cheeks. She kissed like she wanted to catch up the time when she should have done it plenty.

The less I give, the more I get back

Emiko broke the hug to reach her lost princess' hands. She walked with her, always kissing with passion, until she pushed her on a tree's trunk. She felt her heart raced so fast that she was losing control of herself.

Your hands can heal

She tightened her grip on the shorter girl's hands, only to open and intertwine them.

Your hands can bruise

Megumi was so lost in the moment, though all she wanted was to feel her against her once more. So she pushed her body back on the girl who was crushing her.

I don't have a choice, but I still choose you

The demon was burning inside her. Feeling Megumi's body pressed against hers only increased her hunger to kiss harder.
She knew she had to stop, but her mind was blown away the moment she felt Megumi's warm skin.

Oh I don't love you, but I always will
Oh I don't love you, but I always will
Oh I don't love you, but I always will

All of the sudden she got hit. Her body was on fire, messed up with all this burning love. Her heart was asking to do more, but the pain inside her mind grew more.

Images ran through her mind, and she stopped in a sudden.

She pulled back, trying to release their hands but the veiled princess kept holding hers as to say 'don't leave'.
However the female bodyguard was stronger, and she roughly pulled her hands back, looking in those green eyes one last time.

" You should not love me. " the dark-hair girl said, and disappeared in an instant.

Megumi's legs shook so hard she couldn't stand on her feet anymore. She let the last tears wet her face.

I always will.

Not far away from the scene, two girls were hiding in the bushes. They witnessed the moment in silent.

" Kono-chan...go to the princess of Cloud's kingdom side... " a dark-hair girl whispered before she got out of the bushes.

" Wait! Where are you going Secchan? " the brown-hair girl asked with concern.

" I have to talk with someone. " the swordwoman smiled at her, and left quickly.

On the roof of a building, a girl suddenly appeared.

' Damn...I let myself go soft...I shouldn't have done it. ' Emiko thought as she knelt down on one knee.

" Emiko. " the called girl turned back with surprise.

" How can you let your crying defended on her own? " Setsuna asked, approaching her friend.

" Don't try Setsuna, this is none of your business. " the knelt girl replied coldly.

" I think it is. You're up to something, and I don't why but I feel you're in trouble. And from what I saw just a moment ago, I am sure you may go crazy like I was- "

" -Leave me alone! "

" Wait, Emiko! I'm worried about- " Setsuna reached for her friend's shoulder but she felt pushed back on the ground.

" -Don't! I'm the one who is supposed to care, not you! "

" Emiko...your eyes... "

' ...are bloody red. ' Setsuna finished her words in her mind, too astonished by her dark glare.

Even if they were on a roof, Emiko jumped away.

" Wait! "

When Setsuna looked down from the roof, all she could see were black feathers fluttering in the air.

Song fic: Poison & Wine, from The Civil Wars.