Kaori sits in the garden of the palace on a stone bench, long heavy robes of gold silk draped tightly across her body in several complicated layers. She looks up at the trees covered with orange leaves with a slight melancholic expression as a soft breeze brushed across her face and guided down several leaves near her. “I’m really married now.” She lowers her gaze toward her hand, studying the wedding ring delicately wrapped around her finger. “Should it feel this way?” She asks herself with a sigh, turning to her side as she heard footsteps approaching her. She stands fluidly and bows in respect as she noticed it was Soujirou who was approaching her.

  “My dearest...” He says with a look of adoration in his eyes.

  “Yes?” She replies with a hollow tone.

  “Is this garden to your liking?”

  She nods faintly. “It’s peaceful.”

  He takes her hand in his tenderly, entangling his fingers with hers. “If there is ever something you wish to have grown here, please feel free to ask,” he says kindly. “I would bring the Lunar Garden here myself if that was your wish.”

  She shakes her head. “I don’t think you need to go that far.”

  “I am very happy to have you here with me,” he says gazing ahead of them.

  She looks down, her expression unreadable.

  “Is there anything I can do to see a smile on your face?” he asks, his voice aching with concern as he put his full attention back on her.

  “I really am sorry... I’ve just got a lot on my mind.”

  He nods with understanding, deeper than what Kaori noticed. “I see. Rest assure your safety should not be something that troubles you. As long as you are with me, I will ensure your complete and total protection.”

  “Thank you,” she closes her eyes as Soujirou drew her into a gentle and meaningful embrace.

  “I promise you I will work hard to one day win your heart.”

  “His embrace is so meaningful. Why can’t I feel anything in return?” She looks up at Soujirou as he pulled back and smiled down at her. “I’ll... Try hard in return,” she says, the words heavy with uncertainty.

  He brushes his fingers along her cheek before stepping away from her. “I must attend to some important matters at the moment. If there is anything you need of me, I will give you my full attention, just say the word.”

  “I’ll be fine on my own.”

  He takes her hand, kissing her softly as he bowed to her in respect. “Join me at the throne room this evening?”

  “I will.” She watches him leave her reluctantly before she turned her attention to the path in the garden. “I’m so pathetic,” she mutters to herself dejectedly, the silence around her broken by Yogen’s caring voice.

  “My lady...”

  She looks up from the path to see Yogen walking toward her. “You...”

  “I have been watching you for the past few days and the sadness in your heart concerns me.”

  She turns away with a bitter sigh toward herself. “Hah... So I am pathetic.”

  “You’re not pathetic,” he whispers kindly, standing close behind her and looking upward toward the sky with a longing feeling.

  She inhales deeply, the soft wind moving across her face as it rustled the leaves nearby. “I don’t know if what I’m doing is right,” she admits reluctantly. “Every choice I make feels wrong, and even if I contradict a choice, I feel so...” Her voice trails off, tears of frustration forming in her eyes.

  He looks down at Kaori, his content smile fading to concern. “From your time in the heavens, you knew this would not be an easy task. Though it is difficult for you, you should know that you are handling it well.”

  “What Aduro said is true then? I’m really the ruler of gods?”

  “He did not lie. A quality of his that is commendable to say the least.”

  She shakes her head in defeat. “This... This is all just so...” She holds back her emotions as she clenched her fists at her side.

  A pained smile spreads across his face as he watched Kaori go through her emotions. “It is so painful to see such turmoil in the goddess we all cherish. Though I want to ease your pain I must regretfully let you know that there have been instructions, from you, that keep me from doing so at this point. However...” He places a hand on Kaori’s shoulder, smiling sadly. “Know you are very close to your own path.”

  She looks at him directly, the pain and frustration in her eyes unable to be hidden. “I... I want to say something so horrid, but I fear the consequences should I voice it out loud.”

  He wraps his arms around her in a comforting embrace, the two of them standing in the garden silently together, letting her softly cry in his arms.

  ?

  Soujirou rests his cheek against his fist, elbow propped on the arm rest of his throne.

  “Is something the matter your excellency?” A nearby servant asks looking concerned.

  “Do you feel your Empress to be happy?”

  “Ah! Yes your highness, very happy.”

  He lowers his gaze. “Must you sound so reassuring to a lie?” he asks, his tone neither kind nor accusatory toward him, but neutral and knowing of the situation.

  He bows deeply. “My apologies!”

  His kind eyes seem somewhat amused as he heard the servant. “It’s quite alright. I know she does not feel the same love toward me as I do for her.”

  “I’m sure she will grow to love you sire. If not she would never have returned to you in the first place.”

  He smiles hesitantly and looks at his servant with interest. “Do you feel safe in this palace?” Soujirou asks suddenly.

  “Of course sire! It is a place I am honored to serve under.”

  He nods lightly and leans back in his throne with a silent sigh. “Tell the grounds keepers to clear the Southern Garden in preparation for the Lunar Garden to be relocated. When we are to have children, I want them to see their mother’s strength from a place of safety,” he says distantly, a somewhat boyish smile crossing his lips at the thought of the future he imagined.

  “I’ll let them know right away sire,” he says with a bow, only to quickly get up and leave the room quietly.

  Soujirou maintains a thoughtful look on his face as his mind started to wander between thoughts until a guard rushed into the room, pulling all of Soujirou’s focus toward him immediately.

  The guard hurries into the room and kneels down. “Sire! I regret to inform you that we have an intruder in the palace.”

  Soujirou’s eyes narrow in seriousness at the declaration. “Do you know who?”

  “We have reports that it is Yaban, Taiichiro. We have yet to apprehend him but once we do we will move him to the dungeon for detainment,” the guard replies dutifully.

  “I would ask you bring him here to me first before doing so.”

  “Of course sire,” he lowers his head a little and gets up, bowing as Kaori had entered the room. “Lady empress,” he says politely before hurrying away.

  She turns to Soujirou with blank curiosity. “What was that about?”

  “Nothing of concern I assure you,” he says with a smile as he stood up. “How was your day?”

  “It was fine...”

  He stands from his throne and walks over to Kaori, taking her hand in his, and leading her to the platform where a throne similar to his was. “I would love to hear all about it.”

  She smiles uncomfortably at the kindness, seeming apprehensive at his ability to do so, so freely. “I only spent most of the day in the garden,” she says, keeping her eyes down in avoidance as she took her seat next to him. “It wasn’t anything interesting.”

  “Nonsense. Anything you do is bound to be interesting,” he smiles peacefully as he noticed her face become flush at his words. “Is there anything else you’ve done today?”

  She turns to look at him, about to speak before being interrupted at the sound of people outside the throne room yelling orders as they ran by. “What’s going on?”

  He looks in the direction of the door and shakes his head a little. “Perhaps it’s best we stay here for the time being.”

  She studies the calmness of his expression with skepticism before nodding in agreement. “Is the palace under attack?”

  ?

  “There he is!!” Yells a royal guard seriously.

  “Stop! In the name of the Royal Guard!” Yells another nearby.

  Tai runs down the palace halls, coming to a stop as he realized he was surrounded. “Shit,” he falls forward to his knees as he felt a strong blow of a weapon to the back of his head.

  “Get up!” Says a third guard aggressively as he forced Tai to his feet and held his arms back. “Trespassing in the Palace is treason.”

  The first two guards run up holding their weapons to Tai. “Take him to dungeons.”

  He nods and starts to do as told until another staff member of the palace hurried up to intervene.

  “Wait a moment!!” Says the palace staff seriously. “Is this Yaban, Taiichiro?”

  “Yes. Caught him trespassing,” growls the main guard.

  The palace staff nods understandably. “His Royal Majesty has ordered his presence in the Throne Room.”

  The guard’s expression seems surprised and confused. “Uh... But the Empress...”

  “His Majesty’s word is above all else,” says the staff with a regretful bow. “We must adhere to his order.”

  “Very well,” Says the main guard, signaling the others to drag Tai with them behind the servant.

  ?

  Soujirou glances toward Kaori with a concerned look in his eyes a few hours after they had been sitting in the room together. He slowly averts his eyes downward thoughtfully, as he noticed Kaori’s eyes reflected that she was mentally far from him at that moment, leaving an air of sadness around her. “My dearest...” He says in a calm and soothing tone.

  Kaori looks over at him blankly. “I’m doing it again aren’t I?” She says with heavy disappointment in herself, realizing her expression had become saddened.

  He smiles worriedly. “Is there anything I can do?”

  “I-,” she stops as the royal guard hurried in, two other guards behind him holding Tai by his bounded hands and throwing him to the floor before the emperor and Kaori. She stands quickly in shock and distilled anger as she saw Tai slowly get up from the floor and glare at Soujirou with hatred in his eyes.

  “Good afternoon Taiichiro,” Soujirou says standing calmly signaling the guards to release Tai from the restraints around his arms.

  Tai disregards Soujirou and stares at Kaori as he was freed. “Kaori I-,”

  She turns away about to leave but is gently pulled back by Soujirou, turning to look at him accusingly.

  Soujirou sighs softly, standing from his throne and taking her hand in a single fluid motion. “Taiichiro has entered our home without invitation. This constitutes as high treason from the royal court. But as he is an old acquaintance of mine and a friend of yours-,”

  “He’s not my friend,” Kaori says resolutely as she pulled away slowly.

  “Kaori listen to me,” Tai starts as he looked at her irritably.

  “I wasn’t talking to you,” she says coldly, still avoiding to look at him.

  “I’m not here to play games with you right now,” Tai says frustratedly.

  She feels a sharp emotional pain in her chest, causing her to turn and looks at him with tears forming in her eyes and her expression hurt rather than angry. “Yet you were before?” She says in a wavering tone, trying to keep her voice from breaking.

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  Soujirou waves his hands lightly, dismissing the guards and staff from the room, leaving the three of them alone in a heavy atmosphere. “What is this about?” He looks over at Tai seriously. “What is the reason you are here? Hasn’t she told you she’s given up this mission?”

  “She needs to finish this. She’s the last deity to set foot on this earth, and the High Ruler of the Gods. If she doesn’t defeat Aduro, he’ll always remain,” Tai says seriously, finally giving his attention to Soujirou, even if it was partial.

  “Even so, it is her choice to choose what she wants isn’t it? If she feels it’s not in the best interest of the people she can decide not to go through with anything involving Aduro. Wasn’t that what you had told her before?”

  “I will not go back with someone I cannot trust,” Kaori says sternly. “I really wanted to think the best of you and you just-,” she shakes her head, unable to continue. “Just leave.” She turns on her heel and eaves the room quickly through the back exit, leaving no room for any further discussion for either man she left behind.

  Soujirou watches as the door had closed and frowns. “It truly saddens me to see her this way. Whatever you have done to her has truly hurt her heart. Pity.”

  “She’ll never love you,” Tai says coldly.

  “Yet she willingly came back to me when she was hurting. It speaks volumes don’t you think?” Soujirou replies softly.

  “I won’t leave here until she listens to me,” Tai replies.

  Soujirou turns his attention away from Tai as the door opened and Sudou walked in with a sense of urgency.

  “My lord,” Sudou bows to one knee. “Might I have a word with you in private.”

  Tai raises an eyebrow as he saw Sudou.

  Soujirou nods and turns to Tai lightly. “She may have gone to the garden in the west wing. She seems to find it peaceful there as of late.”

  Tai steps back hesitantly and doubtful before hurrying off out of the room, deciding the priority over them was speaking to Kaori quickly.

  Soujirou averts his gaze down for a moment as if something bothered him before looking at Sudou. “What is the urgency?”

  “It’s just as you predicted.”

  His eyes narrow lightly in an unfamiliar seriousness. “I see. I want Yaban, Keiji summoned here immediately.”

  ?

  Tai hurries to the entrance of a familiar garden and runs inside without reluctance, down a neatly beaten dirt path until he saw Kaori standing in front of the stone marker at the end of the pathway. He stands silently as he watched her, taking a step forward lightly as he called out to her. “Kaori,” he says cautious.

  She turns and looks at him, the pain in her eyes apparent. “I said go away,” she says quietly as she started to walk passed him.

  He clenches his fists looking angry before stepping a few feet after her, forcefully grabbing her by the arm and pulling her toward him.

  She trips over her heavy robes and falls into Tai’s arms, attempting to push herself away but freezes as Tai held her tightly.

  “For once, just listen to me,” he says aggressively.

  “Let me go,” she whispers in tears.

  “I won’t. No matter how much it hurts.” He looks at Kaori with determination on his face yet pain in his eyes.

  She shakes her head seriously. “Please-”

  “I’m sorry,” he says with difficulty as he looked down at her, trying his hardest to ignore the pain surging through him from touching her. “I thought if I told you, you would run from us to keep your distance from me like those before you did, but either way it happened. I will never resent you if you decided to hate me for it, but please... Don’t leave Keiji and Breeze behind. If I need to be the one who leaves then I’ll do it,” he says with intensity in his eyes. “Whatever sacrifices I have to make for you to keep you with them, I’ll do it.”

  She looks up at him sadly and shakes her head. “Why can’t you understand that’s never what I wanted from you.” She pushes away from him forcefully, looking heart broken. “How can you have lived for so long but still not understand the impact you have on others? That’s what keeps you alone, and that’s the reason I’d rather stay here,” she turns away from him, her gaze on the ground before walking away from him.

  ?

  “Ooh a royal escort huh?” Breeze says excitedly with intrigue as she and Keiji walked down the halls of the palace, following one of the Palace Staff.

  He nods in return, his eyes showing slight suspicion as they were lead into the Consult room where Sudou and Soujirou were waiting.

  Soujirou motions for his staff to leave the room and waits for the door to close silently before looking at Keiji. “Thank you for coming on such short notice. There is something of great importance that I need to be done and you are the only ones that can be trusted with the task.”

  “Trusting Yaban is becoming even more dangerous these days you know,” Breeze says cautiously.

  “I’m well aware,” Soujirou says with a slight smile.

  “What is it you need of us?” Keiji asks plainly.

  Soujirou looks directly at Keiji with seriousness in his eyes. “Please take my wife as far from here as possible.”

  Breeze’s eyes widen a little in surprise before she was overcome with sudden suspicion at his request. “Why? Are you setting us up for a kidnapping?” She asks skeptically.

  “Must your first assumption be so horrid?” Sudou asks with a defeated sigh.

  “Well, sorry for being cautious. We were already blamed for holding her hostage once,” Breeze adds casually.

  “We have received information that our beloved city has become a target with the intent of stealing our Empress. I want her removed from here at once,” Soujirou says calmly. “From there, my men will guard the borders of our city to keep them from entering.”

  Keiji looks at Soujirou with the same seriousness in his eyes. “Who has targeted?”

  Sudou finally speaks, an air of caution in his voice. “Precautions all around. The New Reform draws near...”

  Keiji’s eyes reflect the notion of his understanding, yet his expression doesn’t seem to change. “Rumor has it they have been using modified weapons with the blood of our people. Are your troops ready to fight them? You could just as easily hand her over to them,” he says tonelessly. “Especially with so many of your footmen near the Temple.”

  “If I do so, I feel they will kill her without mercy as they’ve been known to do before. I never want the death of the woman I love to weigh on my conscious. I will do anything for the sake of her safety,” Soujirou replies, a hint of emotional pain in his assertion.

  “Then what do you plan on doing? Any attack on a place such as this will not end well,” Keiji asks.

  “We keep them at bay as best we can. No matter what, I ask you to not let Kaori know until the very end of this should the worst happen.” Soujirou looks directly at Keiji, his eyes telling him something his voice could not express. They all turn to look toward the door as it opened, and Kaori entered with Tai right behind her as if he were still trying to get her attention.

  “Darling,” Soujirou says quietly as he walked over to her. “Is something wrong?”

  Kaori shakes her head a little. “I’m fine.” She looks at Breeze and Keiji with confusion. “What’s going on here? I didn’t know you were here as well.”

  Breeze smiles innocently. “We were asked on short notice. Don’t worry, we didn’t follow him,” she says gesturing toward Tai playfully.

  Kaori smiles worriedly, then looks at Soujirou as he spoke to her kindly.

  “My dearest, I must ask of you to leave the Palace for a short while,” Soujirou says with sadness in his eyes.

  Kaori looks up at him with concern in her eyes as if knowing something was wrong. “What? Why? Am I no longer welcome?” She asks worriedly.

  Soujirou shakes his head in reassurance. “You are always welcome, it’s just... Danger is approaching the area and I want you to be protected. Will you leave on my request and return as soon as it is deemed safe?”

  “But, where will I go?” Kaori asks quietly.

  “You’ll be coming with us again... If that’s okay?” Breeze says nicely.

  Kaori turns and looks at Breeze. “Even after I left like I did?”

  Breeze smiles sadly and shakes her head. “It’s alright. We would never hold anything against you.”

  Kaori smiles thankfully in return and returns her gaze to Soujirou as he spoke to her lovingly.

  “Kaori. I want you to know, I truly do love you with all my heart.”

  Tai rolls his eyes sarcastically as he turned away from them, soliciting a silent laugh from Breeze.

  “I know,” Kaori whispers regretfully, feeling guilty for not returning his feelings.

  “I trust them to keep you safe until I can once again protect you,” Soujirou leans forward and kisses Kaori’s forehead lightly.

  “Your highness,” Sudou says imploringly. “We haven’t much time.”

  “We should get going then,” Breeze says with a nod and takes Kaori by the arm, pulling her out of the palace quickly.

  “We will keep her safe,” Keiji says with a bow. “I swear to you.”

  Soujirou nods lightly as Keiji rose and went after Kaori and Breeze, then looks at Tai who was also about to leave, stopping him by calling his name. “Taiichiro,” he says calmly. “A word?”

  Tai sighs exasperatedly at the emperor’s presence and turns around. “What?”

  Soujirou looks at Sudou and nods. “A few moments please.”

  “Yes my lord,” Sudou bows and quickly leaves the room where now only Tai and Soujirou remain.

  “I’m trusting her life to the Sky Bandits now.”

  “Well good for you,” Tai says carelessly. “I’m sure they’ll take care of her.”

  “Will you not be with them?”

  “I-...” He stops attempting to better articulate what he wanted. “She’s made it clear that she doesn’t want me around.”

  He nods thoughtfully, gently changing the subject. “I want to tell you that I did appreciate your time served under my family’s rule. I’m sure it was something never told to you before.”

  “So what? I don’t want your sympathy.”

  He chuckles at the statement and shakes his head before continuing to speak “I know how it must have been around my father, and his father before him. They were not the best of people... I realized that the day you were cast from the Palace when you refused to follow the orders of my father to kill your own. I remember thinking you truly wanted to die so much as to deny his word. It genuinely was a saddening thing to hear him turn against you, someone who was so loyal to the family, and set you as someone to be condemned for only caring for you own.”

  “Yet here I am...” He says sarcastically. “Are we done here?”

  “As retribution for what he has done, I want to ask you to please... Please take care of her,” he says in a strange tone. “And in return, I will ensure your protection under royal law.”

  He looks at Soujirou suspiciously. “I told you I’m not going to be with them.”

  “I know. That is why I’m asking you to continue on with her. Support her in every way you can and be there for her when I cannot.”

  He stares at Soujirou until a knock was heard on the door and Sudou spoke seriously.

  “My lord you’re needed at the courtyard,” Sudou interrupts.

  “I will be there shortly,” Soujirou says glancing at the door, then turning back to Tai. “I’m trusting her to you now,” he says with a heart broken smile then hurries off to the back exit.

  Tai stares at the door before hurrying back seeing Keiji waiting for him.

  “Breeze has Kaori safely on the ship. Will you be going with us?” Keiji asks lightly.

  Tai looks behind him suspiciously, his gaze slowly moving down in deep thought.

  “Breeze firmly believes your home is with us, but after your disagreements with Miss Kaori... Well, I believe it’ll be up to both of you.”

  “I would rather not go back by my own choice, but seeing as I was given an order from the Emperor himself, I would say I have no other choice.”

  “Oh? What might that be?”

  He shrugs carelessly, walking with Keiji out of the palace gates. “He told me to take care of Kaori.”

  He slows down as Tai passed him and frowns lightly.

  ?

  “We can see if we have something else for you to wear if you’d like?” Breeze says after walking into Kaori’s bedroom in the ship.

  “I’m fine for now,” Kaori says gently as she moved to sit on her bed.

  “Are you alright?” Breeze asks with caution, wanting to not tread too deep into the subject. “I know you were upset about what happened the last time we saw you.”

  “I’m alright, I think... It’s just,” she stops as if thinking of a delicate way to speak. “Does he really not understand?”

  “I don’t know. I just know for sure that he never intended to hurt you,” she says compassionately. “Usually he doesn’t involve us in his life other than just being a presence around us, so we tend to just leave him be. If we ask him anything he usually tells us it won’t make much of a difference on what will happen to his future.”

  “Even so, I wish... I wish I would have known beforehand. Something...”

  She breathes in deeply and nods. “Well, for sure I can tell you that what he is now is everything that he’s shown you.” She stops and grins to herself lightly. “Some parts of his actions even leave us at a loss for words,” she shakes her head, dismissing the thought and changing the subject. “Anyway, I’ll go see what other clothes I have for you just in case you change your mind okay?”

  “Alright.”

  “Let me know if you need something okay?” She hurries to the door and opens it, stepping back as she saw Tai standing there with his hand raised to knock. “Uh-,”

  Tai glares at Breeze about to walk away until she pulled him into the room.

  “Tai’s here!” Breeze says quickly as she pushed him in and hurried out, leaving the two alone together as she shut the door behind her.

  Kaori stands looking surprised. “Um...”

  He glares at her, not bothering to move from near the door. “Aren’t your clothes a bit heavy for you?” He mumbles bitterly.

  “I’m fine,” she replies quietly, her tone holding no meaning. “I thought... You weren’t going to come back.”

  “Yeah well things change,” he says looking away.

  “Why is that?” She asks hesitantly.

  “For some reason your husband asked me to stay with you in return for my so-called protection from the Royal Guard.”

  “So you work for him now,” she says somewhat bitterly.

  “Working for someone involves real payment. I’m only returning a favor,” he replies putting his hands in his pockets.

  “Is that right...” She says quietly. “Is there something you wanted from me?”

  “Nothing in particular,” he says distantly.

  “Then why are you here? What is it you want to say?” She looks down, not knowing what to say in the heavy silence between them.

  He looks up slightly at her, noticing she was biting her lower lip. “What?”

  “I... Didn’t say anything,” she says quietly.

  He sighs as he crossed his arms. “You sure?”

  “I thought you said you couldn’t read my mind.”

  “I don’t have to. When there’s something you’re worried about you always bite your lower lip.”

  She blushes lightly and turns away. “I- is that right?” She says, embarrassed that she was not as good at hiding her emotions as she thought she was. “He notices things like that?”

  “What’s with you?” He asks in a harsh tone.

  “It’s nothing.”

  He stays quiet before finally saying what he wanted. “Why did you go to him instead of the Temple?” He asks suddenly.

  She turns and looks over at him curiously, his expression remaining indifferent toward her in response. “I had promised him if I was not here, I would return to him. I knew I would be safe there.”

  “Aren’t you safe here? You could have stayed and I could leave.”

  She stares back at him, her eyes unsettled at the how easily he’d be willing to leave for her sake. “Why would I ask you to leave the people who truly care about you?”

  “Because you have a purpose here.”

  “I have a purpose back at the palace as well.”

  “So you fell in love with him then?” He asks more aggressively than he intended to.

  “I-... I don’t know...”

  “You run to him easily enough,” he says bitterly.

  She looks down, clenching her fists at her side lightly as Tai’s words and tone hit her sharply.

  “If you wanted to stay with him to begin with then you shouldn’t have decided on following us in the first place.”

  “Why can’t you just stop and think for a moment?” She asks sadly.

  He glares at her, frustrated with her response and, in turn, not knowing what to do any longer until he seemed taken aback once he saw tears form in her eyes.

  “I just didn’t want you of all people to use me as means to get what you want.” She notices his slightly taken back expression and steps toward him lightly. “I wanted to trust you, but not knowing the extent of what you’ve done, or if you’re genuinely who you are... I felt just as trapped and alone as I would if I went to follow the Temple.” She holds her hands together in front of her tightly as she spoke.

  “I... I didn’t-” He stops, not wanting to finish his sentence for a moment as he looked down. “I don’t want anything from you other than for you to take care of Aduro. For the sake of Noroc... For what’s left of our people.”

  She looks at him seriously as she noticed his stance stiffen with tension.

  “I don’t want to be responsible for the suffering of others anymore. I don’t care if it means that I’ll live forever or die tomorrow,” he says looking at her, his eyes full of desperation yet his expression reflecting frustration. “I don’t know if it’s genuine kindness toward you or not. I just know I want to make sure you are well taken care of, to make sure that I’m not the reason anymore. Regardless, I never intended to ask you for your life in anyway.”

  “Even if it means all the hate toward you will go away?” She asks stepping toward him once more, closing the gap between them.

  “I can handle the hate of the world, fighting for my life, but when it comes to losing you for a reason as stupid and meaningless as forgiving my mistakes...” He shakes his head. “How could you expect me to live with myself after that?”

  “It’s something you want though, isn’t it?” She asks sadly. “You’ll always strive for forgiveness won’t you? Why not take that chance for yourself while you have the opportunity?”

  “Because my life means nothing compared to all those who suffered because of me. I can’t keep repeating history and allow you to throw something so valuable as your life away for something useless. You have no obligations toward me.”

  She hurries closer to him about to embrace him but stops herself realizing that she would hurt him if she did so and looks down instead.

  “I’m sorry I lied to you. I’ll try to tell you what you want to know, but you have to understand there are some things that are just difficult to say out loud or to even think of them anymore, even after all this time.”

  “Do you really mean it?” She asks weakly.

  He nods once in response. “And as for being here, I don’t want you to think I have any ulterior motive. I’m only doing it as a favor to your husband.”

  She looks up at Tai, tears in her eyes as she forced a smile.

  He puts his hands back in his pockets and looks away. “Don’t force a smile... It’s unbecoming of an Empress.”

  She cleans away her tears with her long silk sleeves. “I’ll try... I’ll try to bring the peace you want for those you care about... With everything I am...”