Disclaimer: GrimGrave doesn't own Lucky Star or its characters associated with it. They belong to Kagami Yoshimizu. GrimGrave doesn't make money out of writing fiction.

Iwasaki Minami's Yuri Harem Story

Part 2 of 2

Minami let out a low sigh from her parted, glistening lips. She relished in relaxation, provided by the steams that slowly rose up from the small tub where her feet soaked in. Drops, combining into small streams, ran down her body as she sat comfortably on a wooden arm-chair befitting an empress. Sponges caressed her skin, cleansing it with gentle warmth that soothed the icy empress. The icy empress, whose only fire came from her passion for women, and the intimacy they provided.

Hands kneaded her slowly softening muscles, working the tension away with the greatest of care. The empress' shoulders and arms, as well as her feet were massaged by handpicked girls of the empress' harem, girls who either came from noble families or those who worked in high-esteemed places such as shrines.

She smirked to herself. The girls' hands roamed over her body, working the fatigue away while stimulating her body perfectly. It was bliss.

She opened her eyes very slightly. The steam was clearly visible, rising from underneath her. At her feet was one of her latest catch, the long-haired twin of the Shinto shrine Kagami Hiiragi, who massaged Minami's feet without pause. Minami glanced to her right, eyeing the long-haired brunette that massaged her arm and shoulder. She purred softly as she looked over at her left, grinning at the blue-haired girl who massaged the other shoulder. A boost in her ego shot up sky-high as she glanced at each of her girls one after another, each whom paid her with full attention and sensual touches.

But just as the bliss seemed everlasting, the doors to the royal bathhouse were flung open. Footsteps of metal clashed against the stone floor as soldiers marched inside, along with the clattering of armour with each movement they took. Alarmed, the servants covered their empress' body with a silky veil in time for the captain to kneel down. Minami shot him with a scornful glare.

"You better have a good reason for disrupting the quality time with my friends." She said, lowly yet spiteful. "Or should I let the men know they will have a new practice target in the archery course?"

The captain shivered noticeably, but shook his head. "N-No, Iwasaki-sama! But I have an urgent matter I felt I needed to let you know of as soon as possible!"

Minami cocked an eyebrow. "What is it?"

"We spotted and captured a thief within the castle, milady." He replied. "We found the thief skulking around the kitchen, and apparently-"

Minami's glare intensified and effectively silencing the captain. "You allowed a common thief get inside the castle? A common thief, you say? Tell me captain, how much do you and your men value your lives? Certainly not much as far as I'm concerned." The aforementioned captain was noticeably frightened. His noggin was already firmly pressed against the stone floor, and his voice was shaking with the fear he felt.

"W-we have no e-excuse milady! Before we knew it, someone had already entered the castle without permission! I assure you though that she is already taken to courtyard for punishment and-"

"She?" Minami inquired with a now gentle tone in her voice. Amused, she cocked an eyebrow to accompany her small smile. "The thief is a girl?"

The captain raised his sweaty head. "Y-Yes, milady."

The next words were expected of the empress. As much as they feared her, people would agree that she was predictable at times. "Bring her over. I wish to see this thief with my own eyes – preferably while she is still unharmed."

Without delay, the captain got up and ordered the two nearby guards that had accompanied him to fetch the thief in question. Barely minutes passed until the rapid footsteps emerged from the hallway and into the room, emitted from two guards whom each carried a small arm, dragging someone along.

They pulled her along till they stood directly before the still covered empress, and released her. Minami felt taken aback – she blinked, rubbing her eyes as if to comprehend what she saw was true.

Before her stood a girl who was small in size. Her hair was held up with simple bands into two pigtails, coloured auburn red. Her face was a mixture of adorable features, ones which Minami couldn't stop staring at; olive-green eyes looked back at her, trembling with fear whilst petite, pink lips remained on the verge of soft cries. Judging by her tattered clothes, she wasn't a thief by occupation; she was a commoner, a peasant girl who had just sneaked inside without any skill or plans. Minami kept eying her over repeatedly in silence. Her heart was beginning to beat rapidly.

Cute… cute… Cute. Cute! Cute! CUTE!´ Minami felt her lips curl in satisfaction, a sly smile that everyone excluding the "thief" knew too well what it meant.

"Why is an adorable girl, such as you, doing sneaking inside my castle?" Minami said with a light purr. The strawberry-haired girl winced, her eyes quickly averting the empress' gaze. "Look at me when I'm talking to you… I asked you a question, girl."

The "thief" broke down right then and there. In her hand was a small bowl made of copper which she held out in front of her with teary eyes. "I-I-I'm s-sorry! P-please d-don't hurt m-me! I j-just wanted to f-find something to e-eat! I d-d-didn't mean to steal a-anything!"

The guards scoffed quietly to themselves, but a single look from their empress silenced them quickly. Minami returned her gaze at the trembling girl before her. She looked so vulnerable and so small; Minami felt her heart rapidly beat against her chest again. The girl looked so cute when she was scared like a frightened little animal. "What is your name, girl?"

The "thief" looked back up, quickly wiping her tears away. "Huh?"

"I asked you your name, girl."

"Oh… I'm… I'm Y-Yutaka…."

´Even her name is adorable…´ Minami noted. "Yutaka huh… That's a cute name. A cute name for a cute girl…" She grinned at her as she got up from her seat. "How old are you, Yutaka?"

"I'm e-eighteen…"

"Really?" Minami replied with a smirk. "You're quite short for your age…"

Yutaka fidgeted. "M-milk is hard to come by… My family is poor, so we can't always afford it…"

"I see… well, no worries. I'll be sure to give you all the milk you need from now on." Minami replied. "Because you won't be going anywhere." Ignoring Yutaka's puzzled expression, Minami looked over at her guards. "Get Yutaka-chan some clothes befitting my harem... And girls, clean her up thoroughly."

Yutaka let out a small yelp at the hands that suddenly stripped her bare and ushered her to the nearby pool. Her body was nearly thrown into the warm water of the spring, and the servants followed suite to clean the small girl up as instructed. Yutaka felt embarrassed, but to which reason she didn't know; was it because of being naked with other almost naked girls who cleaned her, or because she was naked while the empress just stared at her with such an intensively, non-blinking gaze?

Regardless of the reason, she knew she wouldn't get away. The empress' words were law, and escape was futile.

:::::::

"I-is this really necessary…?" Back in the empress' chamber, Yutaka spun slowly around before Minami, giving her an ample view of the red-haired girl's new attire. Minami smirked, licking her lips slightly before nodding.

"Yes. You look even more adorable now, Yutaka-chan… And don't worry your pretty little head, your family will know of your whereabouts."

Yutaka looked back worriedly. "Will… Will I see them again?" Minami simply stared at her for a second, puzzled, before she let out a chuckle.

"Eventually, perhaps. But enough about them, let's focus on us now." She stepped closer to the frightened girl. ´So naïve… and childish looking… Yet I can't take my eyes off her. I want to see more of her… all of her…´ A predatory possessiveness kicked in. Her steps quickened, and her hands itched for something to grab, to fondle. With no restraint, Minami almost ended up leaping over to the short girl, sweeping her off her feet and held her closely.

Yutaka yelped. Her weight was next to nothing, allowing Minami to easily carry her over to the bed, throwing her onto it. She was looming over Yutaka in a fraction of a second, smiling predatorily at the startled girl. "You're so cute, Yutaka-chan. Way too cute to be a simple peasant girl…"

She lowered herself closer to Yutaka, ready to catch her lips and ignite the bonfire of passion that was slowly growing inside her. This day had been most wonderful so far; an early present with not one, but TWO shrine maidens, and now with a stroke of luck, a pretty thief had now become yet another member of the empress' harem. With this kiss, it would be official and another window of time would be spent with ecstasy. Just a little closer…

"N-No! P-please, stop! Not like this!"

The moment Minami opened her eyes was one she wouldn't forget for a very long time. Beneath her was Yutaka, crying softly with barely opened eyes, small arms clutching over her chest. "N-Not like this… I beg of you…" Her voice was shaky, and just above a whisper. Yet it shook Minami's foundation like an earthquake to the point that she got up. Her mind couldn't comprehend what happened (or was happening); she wanted to throw herself at the girl like crazy, just as she had always done. Yet her body wouldn't budge an inch. It sat there, frozen on the spot, while Yutaka sobbed quietly beneath her.

It didn't make any sense. Once or twice had something like this occurred, yet Minami hadn't even hesitated for a second and just kept going at it until the girl gave in. And now, she felt her heart wrench itself just by looking at Yutaka, crying. She felt herself unable to pursue what she wanted, and her mind couldn't comprehend why.

"What do you mean…?" Minami asked, stunned and wide-eyed without any answers. "What do you mean by that…?"

"I don't want it to happen like this…" Yutaka cried. "I d-don't want it to… And n-now you're g-going to have me sentenced a-a-aren't you..?"

Minami just stared blankly back. This girl, had she just now unknowingly demanded that it didn't happen as the empress had wanted? Minami wanted to be furious, she wanted to slap the girl and chew her out for her insolence. But the anger never came.

The longer she stared at the curled up, sobbing form of the redhead, Minami felt herself unable to add more kindle to her grief. Which in her 18 years of living, was a first.

"…Go back to your room." Minami eventually said. Yutaka merely looked up, confused but nodded. As soon as the door closed behind her, the empress flung herself down at the pillows, burying her face for a muffled scream. "What is this…?"

She looked up at the ceiling. Her eyes, once icy and stern with barely any emotions residing in them were now bewildered and darting all over the ceiling's surface. Her body was itching unpleasantly, irksomely even, till she got up from the bed again. Minami was scorned. Pissed off, the whole package.

She had been denied, and the girl had gotten away with it too! But whenever Minami thought on how she would extract her revenge, she couldn't bring herself to go any further when the images of Yutaka crying came flooding back. And she couldn't understand why.

"What did she mean by "not like this" …? What other way is there?!" She tossed a nearby pillow across the room in her fury, watching it land with a light thud. She sighed. "She already has everything someone would want. Or is she not satisfied…?"

Now that was an interesting thought. Was the reason for Yutaka's behaviour simply that she wanted more? Maybe it was the lack of choice in the cloth-department that made her unhappy? Of course! Perhaps Yutaka had wanted to wear something more appealing and comfortable for her empress? That had to be it!

Minami grinned. That really had to be it. "She's too shy to say anything, that little minx…" She mused out loud. With that thought in mind, she got off the bed and headed towards the door. She had shopping to do.

::::::

Yutaka sighed softly. Having been lying down in her futon since she got back, she only just now realized how tired she was. Tired, yet worried about her family; the empress had told her they knew she was here, and everyone knew why a girl would be staying in the castle. At least the girl's family would be "compensated" for the girl's continuous service, something Yutaka felt she had failed at earlier. Her empress had not looked happy, but she had only been honest.

"Isn't it supposed to happen when two people are in love…?" Yutaka whispered to herself. She wasn't in the wrong, was she? It felt that way, yet she kept telling herself that there had to be some rationality with her empress. Why? She didn't know herself.

The sliding doors to Yutaka's room were suddenly opened up, startling the petite redhead to the point that she shot back up in a sitting position. A guard stepped inside first, carrying a painted wooden box with Minami following behind him, then lastly another guard followed suite. Minami smiled slyly at her whilst the guards kneeled down, placing the crate before the redhead who stared back in puzzlement.

"Open it." Minami purred. "I'm sure you'll like it." Yutaka shifted her eyes between the box and Minami, who smiled at her as slyly and almost bit down on her lower lip in anticipation. Fearing of possibly letting down her empress, Yutaka opened up the box to find a kimono – blue like the ocean with red patterns of koi-fishes on the sleeves and back, accompanied by a white sash.

"I thought of what you said earlier." Minami said with a grin, ignoring Yutaka's bewildered expression. "I now understand how you felt wearing your current outfit. You're ashamed of its near-bareness, so this should be more comfortable for you. Try it on."

Yutaka's face imitated her hair within seconds. "T-This is… I c-can't put it on w-while-"

"Of course, where are my manners?" Minami replied. "Guards, leave us." The two men did what they were told and left the two inside the enclosed room. Minami smirked. "There, now try it on."

"I c-can't put it on w-while you're here either!" Yutaka squeaked out. "I-I'm flattered, r-really! But this i-isn't what I m-meant!"

Minami's expression fell like a rock. "What? But I just bothered to get out into the public, I had this kimono custom-made just for you. You said earlier that you didn't want to "do it like this", I assumed you felt embarrassed by the attire."

"I-I was!" Yutaka couldn't even look Minami in the eyes due to the overwhelming fear. "B-But that's not what I m-meant!"

"Then what do you mean? Is it money you want? You won't need it here, for I will provide you with anything that you need. Clothes, food and water, saké… A pleasant change from how you used to live. What more could you possibly ask for?"

"But we d-don't love each other!"

Minami's eyes widened in disbelief. "W-what…? Love…? Is that what you meant? You won't comply because of love..?" Yutaka didn't respond. She had already hidden herself behind the kimono, shaking in fright at the thought of the consequences. Would Minami have her executed for her disobedience? Or would she be flung into the dungeons to stay till she was forgotten? Or perhaps even worse, would she AND her family suffer for what she had just done? The possibilities were endless.

Yet nothing happened. Minami was silent enough for Yutaka to peek back at her. Their eyes met.

"Then I'll make you love me." Minami suddenly said with a feature that was a cross between a smile and a frown. "I'll have you fall for me so hard you'll want to spend every night in my chamber. Put on the kimono, Yutaka-chan. You'll have lunch with me."

Flabbergasted, Yutaka barely managed to nod. Minami seemed obsessively bent on making Yutaka fall for her, as if love was something you could buy. Not that she dared telling her empress that.

After a quick undress-and-dress race with Minami's eyes, Yutaka soon enough found herself in the royal dining hall, sitting on the opposite end of a small table with food she had not even dreamed of eating, yet alone seeing. Minami grinned at her the whole time, smug. "I'll be honest with you Yutaka-chan. When I first laid my eyes on you, I felt something. I don't know what it was, but I knew I had to have you for myself." She rested her chin in the palm of her hand, supporting the weight on her arm. "I find you highly desirable. And I will treat you like gem for the rest of your life."

"T-That's kind of you…" Yutaka said with a blush. "B-but I don't think y-you can just f-fall in love right a-away…"

"Just be open-minded." Minami replied harshly. "Now, enjoy the food, with the knowledge that this is what you'll be eating every day from now on." ´What's with me? I've never had to persuade anyone like this before! She should be at my mercy, panting from our hot intimacy… So why is it that I feel the need to show her how much I want her? Damnation on it all….´

She watched Yutaka closely. Although hesitant, the petite girl eventually tried the luxurious food, and by the looks of it she enjoyed it greatly; her face lit up, and she began to grow bolder with what and when to eat the various dishes that were out on the table. A little on the sloppy side, but being a peasant it was to be expected. Fine dining wasn't something you would know of, and even now did it make Yutaka look even more adorable in Minami's opinion. So she kept watching with a sly smile how Yutaka ate more and more, a sign (for Minami) that she was opening up to the empress.

"How do you like it?" Minami inquired, to which Yutaka immediately stopped and looked back at her. The mint-green haired empress grinned. "That good huh? Well, eat your fill. Your breakfast and dinner will be just as good, each and every day."

Yutaka looked away. "I-I know w-what you're trying t-to d-do… M-Minami-sama, I really a-a-appreciate what you're offering, b-but-"

"But what?" Yutaka flinched at the sharp tone Minami let out. "You'll have everything you would want, and more. Anyone would step over corpses to be in your position right now. What else is it that you want?"

"I…" Yutaka began, swallowing a gulp of breath. "I j-just want… g-genuine l-love…"

Minami was taken aback. There she was again, talking about love even though Minami was showering her with it! Was she blind to Minami's affections? The empress scowled darkly. "If you had paid attention, Yutaka-chan, you would see that I'm trying to reach out for you. Is the food not enough? Do you want me to have the chefs cook something else up for you?"

"I-it's not the f-f-food that's the problem! O-or the d-dresses! I… I… I just can't fall in l-love on d-demand…"

There was a brief silence afterwards. Yutaka bit her lip. Her eyes were widened in fright as Minami kept staring at her in silence, glaring with animosity. It was foreboding. Had she finally had enough? Yutaka most certainly didn't want to disobey her empress, but it had all happened so fast; it had only been a few hours since she was captured and made into a member of Minami's harem. She had only been honest though, was there something wrong with it?

Scratch that, of course it was! You didn't say no to your empress unless it was the correct answer. Far too late did Yutaka realise that her honesty and integrity as a virgin girl meant nothing to the empress unless she asked for it. It had been a foolish, clumsy mistake.

"M-Minami-sama…"

"I think you've had enough." The mint green-haired empress stated. "Go back to your room. Now." Yutaka didn't waste a second. Feeling ashamed, she hurried out of the room with quick little steps as Minami buried her face in her palms, brooding. A gnawing thought was festering at the back of her mind, and a realization was threatening to usurp from the wound.

This required thought. Much thought even. Much thought, and a test. All thanks to a seed of doubt that Yutaka had planted in her head with her talk, and it irked her. Now she had to go through with it.

::::::

Much later into the evening, with the sun having just set below the horizon and the sparkle of stars started to become visible; Minami pushed a member of her harem onto her bed as roughly as she could. The girl yelped due to the roughness, her hazel hair spreading out beneath her on the bed in chocolate waves. Minami loomed over her in an instant, eyes seething with a forced lust and spite. There was no pleasure in this, not like it used to be – there wasn't any excitement. It all felt staged now, an act, a theatre.

´She'll love me if she just give me a chance!´ Minami thought bitterly. ´If she's stubborn about it then it's her fault. Not mine.´ She bit down on the girl's neck, sucking just as roughly as she had handled her which earned Minami a startled cry that mellowed out into a moan. A moan that sounded fake in her ears now, very noticeably even. As if it too was staged.

She tried another approach. Craning her head down, Minami started to lick and kiss the girl's nipples, though occasionally biting down on them, harder than she had meant to due to the lingering animosity. The hazel-haired girl winced and cried out as a result, even clutching onto Minami's head as if to push her away. There was a spark of defiance in her, something Minami hadn't witnessed before.

She ceased and looked down at her girl. Beneath her was a girl who on the verge of tears avoided eye-contact, trying to cover her aching nipples. She looked so small from where Minami was sitting. Vulnerable. Not unlike Yutaka, who had been so defenceless and still had managed to hold Minami at bay. Just like now.

"Hiyori-chan…" Minami said as monotone as ever. The girl looked up. "Do you love me?"

The girl blinked, but there was no puzzlement. ´Hesitation…´

"Y-yes… I love you, Minami-sama… I love you." The girl said with a smile. Tears had escaped her eyes, but still she smiled. Minami studied her intensively. Something wasn't right.

"Do you love me?"

"Of course I do, Minami-sama…"

"Liar…" Minami observed the girl. She looked frightened now – as if she had been caught with her hand in the cookie-jar. Red-handed. She shook her head, but Minami was able to see it now how Hiyori's eyes blinked whenever she tried to speak – too often – and the hesitation in her words. "Liar. You're lying."

"N-No! I love you Minami-sama! I love you my empress!"

"Liar!" As swift as the wind and sharp as a blade, Minami slapped the brunette across the face with a glare. "Be honest with me! Do you love me?!"

"M-Minami-sama, I-"

"Answer me!"

"N-No! I don't love you!" Hiyori shouted back loudly. Her face was hidden behind her arms as if to shield herself from any future attacks. A quiet sob was clearly heard. Her body shivered. "Please don't kill me…"

She felt her empress get off her. "Get back to your room." There wasn't even a second's worth of hesitation with that command, and Minami was once again left alone in her chamber. Faint stains of her girl's tears were the first thing that caught her eyes as she idly looked around with a loss for words. She cringed sharply.

"They don't love me…? How can they not?! I've given them everything they could possibly want! They have everything that they couldn't even wish for before! Are they blind to my love for them?! Blind as bats in the daylight!" She felt like crying. Right then, right there. They were her subject, hers and hers alone. They had been rescued by her from a life in poverty or mediocre noble life and ascended to a place in the heaven of the country, basking in their empress' glory. She had been their rescuer in shining armour! It didn't make any sense to her.

And yet, it did. Minami sighed a prolonged sigh, rubbing her eyes of any escaping tears that threatened to show.

N-No! P-please, stop! Not like this!

But we d-don't love each other!

I just can't fall in l-love on d-demand…

Yutaka's words came back to mind. Minami dwelled on them, and suddenly it all felt a bit more clearer now.

"No… I'm the one who's blind, aren't I? They don't love me because of new clothes… Or fresh food... Nor have I been their saviour…"

She hid her face in her palm. Even if she was alone, she did not dare allowing anyone to see her tears. Was it this Yutaka had meant with love? Genuine love that you couldn't buy, or expect others to express by simply taking them and putting them in the castle.

She dared not think that was the case. If so, she would've been in the wrong – an empress was never wrong! At least that's what she tried to tell herself, even as she stood outside Yutaka's room. Her heart pounded rapidly again. Her face felt hot.

"Yutaka-chan?" She said softly, poking her head inside the redhead's room. The aforementioned girl looked up from her bed, confused and startled as she met Minami's eyes – kind, softly gazing eyes – as the empress smiled very lightly.

"For everything up till now… I'm… I'm…" She sighed. "I'm… sorry."

Yutaka stared at her. First, it was in disbelief at what she had just heard. Then her expression lit up with a radiant smile, forcing her out of bed and running over to her empress. She hugged her, giggling even as she did when Minami awkwardly hugged back. A sign of forgiveness, if any.

So what would happen next? The first step is always to admit your wrongs; but what about the day after, and the day after that? After years of oppression and terror, how could an empress with a legacy of soullessness change for the better to the point of belief from the people? Such changes never happen overnight, but what definitely was a fact was that love was not beyond their reach. In time, even the dreaded empress, Minami Iwasaki, would earn the love of her subjects, her people, and her harem.

The End

Woooh! Finally done! xD Been procrastinating my writing for a while, my apologies to keep you all waiting for this and my other stories!

Hope you liked it!