Amu was exhausted the next morning, with dark circles under her eyes. Despite Nagi's best efforts, she had to get up twice during the night to feed Aruto, who refused to sleep and often cried loudly.

"He just ate again... Hopefully, that will hold him for a while. I should probably go to Tadase..." she murmured sleepily as she handed her son to Nagi. "Thanks for the help." She smiled at him softly and sighed. It was really hard for her to see him only as a friend, and it would surely take a long time for the discomfort of the situation to subside. Overall, she found the situation absurd—leaving her child by Ikuto with Nagi so she could go to Tadase. At least she had seemingly given birth without further complications, as she only felt a bit wobbly but had no other complaints.

"Keep your chin up, it'll be alright," Nagi tried to encourage her while gently rocking Aruto. While Amu was with Tadase, he and the others would set up Amu's room for Aruto so she could finally return to her own space. The pink-haired girl smiled weakly and made her way to Tadase's room, where she found a tired-looking Kiseki.

"Didn't sleep?"

"I need to make sure no one takes advantage of the situation." The lilac-haired boy yawned and stretched a bit.

"I'll stay with him for a while; you should rest," she smiled kindly. Kiseki hesitated briefly but then sighed and nodded. A bit of sleep would do him good, and he probably should give the two some time alone anyway.

Amu lay down next to Tadase, resting her head on his chest. Her fingers traced slow patterns on his chest.

"I... Nagi and I have ended it... You didn't deserve any of this, and I don't want you to suffer more than you already have..." she sighed softly and closed her eyes. "Would you disappear from here if you had the chance?" She laughed briefly, ironically. "It's wishful thinking, but would you?"

"Why do you think of such a silly idea... Doing something like that..." She shook her head and wiped away a tear. "That's no solution..."

His breathing was steady and calm.

"You know how exhausting it will be to keep his hair blond," she chuckled a bit. "I think it'll be easier to say he dyes it blue once he's old enough. The roots can never show, and with blue and blond, we'll always be dyeing. Look forward to that," she said, trying to stay positive. "There are spells for everything, but none for a permanent hair color change," she shrugged slightly. "I hope you don't pull another stunt like this; you can't leave me alone with all this... And... I'm also a bit scared of your parents without you..." Her voice grew more somber towards the end.

"Besides, we should probably move in together soon. It'll make it easier to care for the child, and it's expected of us as a married couple anyway." She looked around his room. It was huge, but so was hers. She'd probably prefer her own, but he'd likely feel uncomfortable there because of all that had happened with Nagi.

She talked for a while longer about various topics before slipping unnoticed into sleep; the night had been too short. Tadase could actually hear everything, but he neither had the strength nor control to fully wake up or move. One thing hit him hard though. In his selfish decision, he hadn't considered Amu. She would have been easy prey for his parents.

After about an hour or two, Amu woke up and looked at Tadase, who lay just as before. She sighed. Just as she was about to return, his parents entered the room. Amu swallowed and decided to stay.

"Would you please leave? Shouldn't you be taking care of your son?" His father scrutinized the pink-haired girl disdainfully and raised an eyebrow.

"I'm staying." Her gaze was determined and unwavering.

"You have to obey." His mother gritted her teeth in anger and grabbed Amu's shoulder. The grip was strong, and the woman's nails dug into her flesh, causing Amu to flinch momentarily, but she quickly steadied herself and held a firm gaze.

"Girl, you don't want to cause trouble, go now." She smiled softly, but her eyes betrayed her anger, and her grip tightened even more. Amu felt as if she was already piercing through her skin.

Another hand approached Amu's shoulder but landed on Mizue's wrist with a firm grip. "Stay away from my fiancée, Mother." His grip on her wrist tightened, causing Mizue to flinch and grimace.

"She's preventing us from visiting you!"

"Why should she leave? This can happen with her here too." The woman was about to speak again but let out a pained sound and finally withdrew her hand. She rubbed the spot with her other hand, noticing that her wrist had quickly swelled and turned slightly blue.

In the next moment, another, louder sound was heard. Yui, his father, had slapped Tadase. "How dare you hurt your mother?!"

The young prince looked at them blankly and disdainfully until they finally left the room in anger.

"I can't protect you much longer... They'll just disown me or make me disappear. They got what they wanted..." He gave Amu no time to react to the whole situation or the fact that he was awake.

"Aruto..." escaped her lips worriedly, but she shook her head. Nagi was with him; he was surely safe.

"Where would I go, Amu? I have no place in this world," he sighed and looked ahead at a wall. He was referring to her question about wanting to disappear from here.

"That's not true! You have me..." Her words, however, were hesitant.

The blonde laughed bitterly. "Assuming we all escape from here, what keeps you with me? You could finally live a free life with Nagi."

The pink-haired girl looked down and sighed. He was probably right; without the terror that the castle brought, why should she stay separated from Nagi?

She sighed and looked at Tadase, who was now just a shadow of his former self. He was broken.

"You all need to get out of here... Once I'm gone, it'll only be easier for them to do the same to you..." He placed his finger thoughtfully on his chin. "The barrier has been strengthened... Not by me... I can't dissolve it anymore... I tried before the incident..." He had no use in keeping them trapped if he was going to leave this world, so he wanted to free them.

"How can you talk about this so calmly..." Amu sobbed, her fists clenched at her sides, her gaze fixed on the floor.

"Do you care so little about your life? Don't you want to at least try to prevent them from succeeding?"

Tadase swallowed at this sight. "That..." he hesitated, for if he spoke further, he would lie, and he didn't want that. "Even if I cared, they would find a way. I'm pretty sure they have dark magic henchmen under them..."

The pink-haired girl sobbed again before a storm of tears and emotions burst out of her, and she hugged Tadase. "I don't want this, do you hear me?" She hit his chest with her hand. "You're going to fight and live!" Her tearful eyes met his red ones. She gently stroked the spot where his father had struck him before pulling a cloth from her neckline and wiping his entire face. She swallowed, and more tears rolled down. There were only a few spots on his face that still had a normal color. Since she knew anyway, he didn't have to hold back and let every twitch from painful touches show.

"We all need to get out of here..."

Tadase smiled at her silently and gently, placed his hand on her head for a moment, and then pulled her into another embrace, this time wrapping his arms around her. His head rested on hers while his eyes were closed. Amu could hear his heartbeat and closed her eyes as well. The girl pulled away from him again, her eyes lingering on his face before her hand instinctively rose and approached his face, causing Tadase to flinch unconsciously. Her expression was sad and pained at this reaction, and she paused briefly before letting her hand continue to rise.

A gentle light blue glow surrounded her hand, and Tadase felt a pleasant warmth emanating from it. Amu didn't know what she was doing; she just trusted her instincts. She gently stroked every part of his face, and gradually the marks disappeared, and his skin returned to a normal tone. Tadase looked at her briefly, uncertain and confused, before his hand also wandered across his face with pressure. The pain was gone. "You... You can heal?" he tilted his head slightly.

"I... actually..." She looked at her hand, appearing as confused as Tadase. "Apparently?" Her voice clearly showed uncertainty, as she was just as surprised by her action.

"Why do you put up with all of this?" she sighed, gently stroking his cheek. Tadase placed his hand over hers, holding it there with his eyes closed and a gentle smile.

Finally, he took a deep breath and opened his eyes again.

"What else should I do? I'm standing up for myself more than I used to, but as you can see, it's leading to my imminent death," he shrugged, smiling a bit nonchalantly.

"They haven't officially crowned me king yet. My father is still in power, and as long as that's the case, they have more authority and control."

Yet, he was already fulfilling all of his father's duties while his father did nothing. The whole succession affair made no sense since it was still his father's concern, and he did have a son after all. He sighed deeply.

"We'll find a way to get us all out of here," she gave him a kiss on the forehead and smiled confidently at him.

The blond sighed again. And then what? To him, life still seemed meaningless. He decided that it was a concern for another day, should it ever come to that.

"You could use a bit of cheering up," she grinned mischievously, and Tadase instinctively took a step back.

"Whatever crazy idea you have in your head, no."

"Don't be like that," she bit her lip playfully, matching his steps to prevent any distance between them.

He shook his head. "Why?"

"I forgot how good you actually look," she winked, looking him up and down.

"Oh really?" he raised an eyebrow skeptically. "That's not enough for that. I don't need cheering up."

"Let's go check on Aruto," he placed a hand on her shoulder and gestured towards the door with his head.

She took a deep breath and crossed her arms. The closer she got to someone, the harder they made it for her to get truly close. Crazy world, crazy guys.

She had several reasons. She wanted it herself, needed a distraction. She was convinced it would serve as a distraction for him too. She found him really attractive. She wanted to come to terms with her role. She wanted closeness and comfort. Finally, she locked the door. "Don't tell me I have to beg you too," she pouted.

The blond didn't like the taste of that statement at all. Begging him 'too'. Because it was like that with others. Because she had others.

He didn't want to be just one of many; it hurt. He wanted all of her or nothing, but in the end, he couldn't deny her anything.

"So soon after the birth...?"

Amu briefly placed her hand on her lower abdomen, making it glow warmly, feeling the comforting warmth inside her. That ensured her safety, but she was already quite sure that Su's rapid healing methods had worked well.

He watched her quietly, subtly nibbling the inside of his lip with his teeth. He didn't know what to do and sighed. "Do you need a distraction?" After Amu nodded, he sighed and took the initiative, lifting her in a princess carry and carrying her to the bed.

The girl smiled gently, cupping his face with her hands as he laid her on her back, kissing him shortly afterward. One hand began to caress his cheek gently, while the other slowly ran through his hair, making gentle movements there too.

Tadase reciprocated all the tender touches and kisses, slowly working his way along while undressing her. Amu also helped, and it didn't take long for the two of them to become intimately close for the first time willingly and without coercion. Tadase was incredibly careful and gentle, focusing greatly on ensuring Amu's comfort.

Both were still breathing heavily, her head resting as always on his chest.

"We really should get going," Tadase brushed a strand of hair from her face and began to sit up.

"It... was really nice..." she played a little shyly with her fingers, twisting them in circles.

He smiled gently and kissed her forehead. His soul indeed felt a bit lighter for the moment. Her warmth and closeness felt like a balm for his soul, though he remained unsure about it all and couldn't express more.

"Are you really okay?" he gently touched her lower body.

Amu nodded. "Better than ever," she found magical means and magic itself fascinating.

Then it dawned on her. Magical means.

"We didn't pay attention, and you... um..."

He interrupted her by ruffling her hair.

"I can't have children, remember?" He started dressing and gave her a reassuring smile.

Amu's expression became pained. "About that..."

He immediately detected the uncertainty in her voice and raised an eyebrow.

"It's not my fault!" she held her hands defensively in front of her.

He shook his head, confused by her behavior.

Amu took a deep breath and began to dress too, to avoid looking directly at him.

"When it was decided that you were to take care of a child, my maids weren't pleased. At that time, you... you did it lovelessly and against my will... They didn't think a child with someone like that was good." She paused briefly, taking another breath and gathering courage.

"So Su started mixing magical herbs or potions into my tea, preventing me from getting pregnant."

She could predict the first question that would cross his mind. "He and I were at the lake, the one considered a myth. It neutralizes everything, including the potion inside me. The next day, I received it again through my tea."

Tadase sat still for a moment, unsure how to process this new information. At least he wasn't a complete failure in his parents' eyes anymore? Who was he kidding, he was that no matter what.

"Do they have something for when it's already happened?"

Amu blinked in disbelief. That was his first reaction? "I... I don't think so... And we don't even know if anything has happened."

"But... as a precaution." He buried his face in his hands, his fingers threading through his bangs with a heavy sigh.

"You can't get pregnant again! We have to get you out of here... you and Aruto. I don't want to worry about you like that again. The complications were terrible..." His voice started out loud but then became quieter, still sounding desperate.

"How am I supposed to get away from here? We'll live together in this golden cage. What's the difference if there's one more or one less..." she sighed softly, stroking his back.

"A part of me wishes it were that simple..." he turned to her, looking deeply into her eyes. "But I won't let that happen. We'll get you away from here somehow. Maybe to one of the neighboring countries... My parents won't be able to reach you there." His voice was sad but determined.

Amu sighed and smiled slightly. How were they supposed to escape all the guards and sensors? Maybe his parents would finally become nicer now that there was a suitable heir and they would be a normal couple from now on. After all, there was no longer any reason for complaints.

They were still getting dressed when the door handle turned, and they heard the key turn in the lock shortly afterward. It was his mother again. Tadase quickly wrapped a blanket around Amu to cover her more, while he continued getting dressed, ignoring his mother.

Mizue raised an eyebrow. "I hope this is finally heading in a sensible direction." Her gaze was fixed on Tadase, who still ignored her. "It's none of your business, but yes," Amu narrowed her eyes, sparing no respect for this person.

Mizue wrinkled her nose. "Nothing will come of it anyway."

Tadase clenched his fist but then took a deep breath and looked at his mother.

"Mother, I would appreciate it if you respected my privacy and handed me that spare key." He felt terribly uncomfortable.

"Why are you here?... Again..." he asked, his voice lowering towards the end of the sentence.

"The ceremony will be this afternoon. Since you are well enough to hurt your mother, that shouldn't be a problem. It's long overdue anyway," she left no room for questions or objections and immediately turned around. To Tadase's surprise, she placed the key on the table before leaving the chamber.

"I'm curious about my dress; after all, you said it would be something special," she smiled happily, clinging to his arm. "And stop making that face," she nudged him a bit on the side.

Tadase was in the middle of buttoning his shirt when Amu's hands found their way inside and glided over his chest. "Do you know how sexy you are?" her voice whispered softly in his ear, sending an emotional shiver through his body. Her fingertips explored every muscle of his torso while she gently bit his neck before letting go and finishing getting dressed herself.

She wasn't lying; she meant it seriously. She found it easier to interact with him again, even though her heart was heavy with the matter of Nagi. However, she decided the best way to move past it was to focus on her attractive almost-husband instead of dwelling on the past.

Tadase blushed and felt his heart nervously race at her touch, but he enjoyed every bit of it.

Before he could stand up, Amu jumped up and extended her hand to him. "Come on," she smiled cheerfully at him and gently pulled him up when he took her hand. She held his hand firmly in hers and headed to her room with him, where Nagi and the maids had prepared everything. Nagi was rocking the crying Aruto back and forth and looked relieved when he finally saw Amu, even though the sight of the two holding hands gave him a pang in his heart.

"Tadase, don't do anything stupid like that again," the lilac-haired boy shook his head and looked at him seriously. The blond sighed and nodded.

He didn't wait any longer and pressed Aruto into Amu's arms. The constant standing and walking was starting to take its toll on him. Amu noticed his exhaustion immediately and approached Nagi, placing her hand gently over his wound. Once again, a soft, pale blue light appeared, but it seemed to be insufficient for larger wounds. She sighed in disappointment and explained her new discovery and what she had just attempted.

Before Nagi could respond, Su shoved one of her bottles into his mouth, glaring at him sternly. "I don't care if it tastes awful, you have to take it regularly!" She had noticed that Nagi hardly ever consumed the medicines she gave him, which explained why he was still in so much pain. Of course, the wound was still very fresh and needed time to heal, but her remedies were meant to manage the pain if taken hourly.

Amu looked at Nagi with a resigned expression and sighed, to which he only nodded like a chastised child, resolving to take the remedies regularly from now on.

Tadase sighed quietly. Despite their efforts, the closeness between them was evident. "Kind as my mother-in-law is, she has scheduled the wedding and the announcement for today. Why wait when her son has just woken up?" Tadase's condition had never been too critical, thanks to Kiseki who found him almost immediately, but she could still show a bit more compassion.

"I should go fetch your dress," Tadase murmured, somewhat absentmindedly playing with Aruto by holding out his little finger.

"Why is he always so calm with you?" Amu pouted briefly, then smiled.

Tadase just shrugged and left the room. He still looked unhappy, which made Amu feel downcast as well, and she sighed heavily.

"It'll be alright. He probably is very aware that this between us won't just disappear overnight; he has to find a way to cope with the situation too," Nagi tried to comfort her, ruffling her hair briefly.

"I don't want to see him so sad all the time…" she said, her gaze fixed on the floor as Aruto tugged at her hair. He probably wanted to cheer her up too, but needed her attention to do so. "If we manage to escape, we have to take him with us… we can't leave him behind." This reminded her of Tadase's statement, and she shared with the others the new development about the stronger shield. Though it was just her assumption, she suspected that the guards and sensors had also been improved.

"We don't have time for that now! We need to get you ready!" Ran said as she pushed Amu towards her vanity, while Su took Aruto from her arms and kept him occupied. "Or do you want to keep things simple?" Given that it was a forced wedding, Amu might prefer to keep it low-key.

The pink-haired girl shook her head and explained that she still wanted to look beautiful and make the day as special as possible.

"Well, then you can really go all out," a male voice chimed in from behind Miki, and she felt a light breath over her shoulder. She flinched and turned around, finding herself face to face with Yoru, who was in his human form, making her blush at the sudden closeness. "What are you doing in your human form?!" she asked, panicked, looking towards the door, knowing Tadase could return any moment.

"Living as a cat all the time is boring and uncomfortable," he sighed, his yellow eyes rolling upwards briefly.

"Do that when it's safe! Tadase still doesn't know about Ikuto! Do you want to cause another drama?! Transform back, now!" Miki pushed him away from the door, looking serious. "Besides, he'd immediately think you're another guy! Or 'the' guy!" they both had blue hair after all.

Yoru's ears drooped and he pouted. He knew it wasn't the best moment, but he missed his human form. Miki watched as his silhouette changed and shrank until the familiar black cat stood before her again.

Miki sighed relieved. "I'm sorry… but it's just not possible right now…" she petted his little cat head, trying to cheer him up.

Yoru sighed and changed the subject. "Since I don't know how this new shield is set up or its rules, I'll never find out what's happened to Ikuto…" his voice was plaintive and irritated. "If I leave, I might not be able to get back in, and that wouldn't be smart to risk…"

Amu looked down at this mention. "Miki, we should get started." The blue-haired girl gave Yoru a sympathetic look before turning her attention to her mistress. It didn't take long for her and Ran to come up with a plan for makeup and hairstyle, which they promptly began to implement. They opted for styles that would be universally suitable with any dress.

Shortly after they finished, there was a knock at the door. After a confirmation, Tadase entered the room carrying a large chest, which he placed on the bed.

"Oh, who's learned to knock?" Nagi grinned, trying to lighten the mood but received only a wounded look from Tadase. "Hey, I was just joking, okay?" Nagi sighed, deciding to refrain from further attempts at humor for now.

Amu's expression turned sad at the sight of Tadase, and she approached him to give him a quick kiss. "You can't see me in the dress," she smiled gently. "It's bad luck," her arms rested around his neck, their gazes locked.

Tadase had changed a lot over the past weeks and months, and she appreciated his efforts. The blonde sighed and gently removed her arms from his neck. "You still don't have to do this."

Nagi sighed. "I'll stay away for a while, okay? Let you two settle in," he said, meaning Tadase in particular, as Amu was clearly already trying to embrace her role as Tadase's wife. "But can I still be there today?"

The prince rubbed his eyes and forehead, sighing. "You don't have to go."

"You'll hurt her if you keep this up," Nagi noted, observing Amu's disappointed expression.

Finally, Tadase let go of Amu's wrists, which he had been holding up halfway, and wrapped an arm around her waist. "Superstition, but if you believe in it, I'll see you later," he swallowed hard, trying to suppress all his negative thoughts and feelings to give her a gentle smile. "But you should at least look at it; I already know what the dress looks like anyways," he nodded towards the bed.

Amu tilted her head slightly before moving to the bed. She knelt before the large, ornately decorated wooden chest, adorned with intricate patterns and silver fittings. Her fingers trembled slightly with excitement as she lifted the lid. A gentle scent of rose petals and lavender wafted up, a hint of magic woven into the fabrics.

Slowly, almost reverently, she lifted the carefully folded dress from the chest. A few rays of sunlight streamed through the window, making the silver threads and crystals in the fabric shimmer as if the dress itself were made of light. Amu's eyes widened, sparkling with awe and joy.

The dress unfolded in her hands, revealing its details more clearly. The finely crafted fabric, embroidered with silver threads, glittered in the soft light, creating a mesmerizing play of light and shadow. The delicate floral patterns on the bodice seemed almost alive as she gently swayed the dress back and forth.

She ran her fingers over the delicate lace of the sleeves, admiring the perfect craftsmanship and the lovingly embedded pearls and crystals that sparkled like tiny stars. Amu's heart raced with excitement, and a broad smile spread across her face.

The flowing skirt, made of layers of silk and tulle, rustled softly, reminiscent of leaves whispering in the wind. She held the dress against herself, already imagining how it would feel to float in this masterpiece.

With shining eyes, she turned to Tadase, who was quietly watching her. "It's beautiful," she whispered, overwhelmed by the beauty and the love that had gone into this dress. Her gaze returned to the dress, barely able to believe that this stunning, unique piece was really made for her.

The blonde sighed in relief, happy that she liked it and that he could bring such a beautiful sparkle to her eyes. "See you later, my lady" he said softly, bowing to his beloved before leaving the room.