"Good morning Yukina." Aino greeted.

"Aino… Ainooo… Help me… I can't move…" She quickly went to my side.

"What happened?" I must've over-exerted myself yesterday, now every muscle I used yesterday hurts. I thought this body was strong.

"Should I call the doctor?" I shook my head.

"Don't! Just draw me a hot bath. That'll soothe my sore muscles." Aino did what she was told. If I call the doctor, Sora's going to be suspicious. He's going to come here and ask me what I did. I can't tell him I was training. He'll think I'm trying to get stronger to replace him.

After Aino prepared the bath, she helped me get up and take my clothes off. She helped me into the bath. Ah this feels nice. I can already feel my body getting a little better. After bathing, my body still hurts.

"Can I just stay in bed today? My body still really hurts." I asked Aino.

"You can but what do I tell the Emperor? I'm sure he's going to ask about you." She's right. I have no choice.

"Come on; let's go to the dining hall." I said, defeated. Aino helped me walk all the way to the dining hall. But I stopped her when we were about to enter. They must not know that I'm in pain. I entered the dining hall and everyone was looking at me. It turns out I was walking really slowly.

"Empress, are you okay?" Ima asked. I nodded. She stood up and linked her arm with mine. f.u.c.k that hurt like h.e.l.l! My face was smiling but inside I was crying. She helped me to my spot next to the Emperor. I was staring at the floor. How do I bend down and sit? Everybody was waiting for me to sit down.

"Is there a problem?" Sora asked. I shook my head. He took my hand and pulled me down. That hurt too much. Kill me now please! I was cursing in my head but I tried to maintain composure in my outer appearance. We started to eat. I can't raise my arm to reach for the food. Sora must've noticed, he took a few pieces of meat and placed them in my bowl.

"Thank you." I muttered. We continued to eat. After breakfast, we drank tea. I wanted to go back to my room but I couldn't stand up. Someone please help me!

"Are you sure you are okay? You don't seem like you're okay." Sora whispered to me.

"I'm fine. I really am. You don't need to worry." I said while trying really hard not to sound like I'm hurting. Suddenly, Yukio strolled in and decided to sit on my lap. I bit my lip. His weight on my sore thighs, it feels like a boulder was dropped on my legs. It hurts too much.

"Mama, are you okay?" Yukio asked. He must've noticed that I was struggling.

"Mama's fine." I said through gritted teeth.

"Yukio, come here." Sora called Yukio and he went to his father. He sat on his father's lap. I felt relieved when Yukio stood up. I pulled myself up.

"I'm going to go back to my room." I gritted my teeth while walking from the dining hall to my room. When I reached my bed, I plopped down and didn't dare move.

Suddenly, the door flew open and Sora came in. Uh oh I'm dead.

"Why didn't you tell me you were in pain?" It's not that I didn't want to tell you, I just didn't want to die.

"Pain? Me? I'm not in pain. I'm fine." I sat up and smiled at him. He didn't look convinced.

"Is that so?" He asked. I nodded. Suddenly, he grabbed my arm and lightly pressed my shoulder. f.u.c.k that hurts! I winced but immediately gave out a smile.

"S-see… I'm fine." He let me go.

"Why are you lying to me? It's clear that you are in pain. Are you planning to endure the pain all day until it goes away?" I looked away. You d.i.c.k! Stop seeing through my acting.

"Akiko, call the doctor right now." My eyes widened.

"What? Why? I told you I'm fine." As I said that, he lightly squeezed my thigh. I screamed but immediately covered my mouth. Oops. He carried me bridal style and placed me on the bed properly. The doctor arrived and did some tests on me.

"Her muscles are sore your majesty. She must've been doing a lot of movement yesterday." Sora looked at me.

"What movements were you doing yesterday?" The doctor asked. I can't tell him about the training. Aha! I have an idea.

"My husband and I were trying different positions last night, doctor. The rumors about the Emperor being a monster in bed were all true." Everybody's eyes widened. The doctor must've felt awkward. Sora was blus.h.i.+ng. Akiko and Aino quietly left the room.

"Ahem, well then. Please be careful in the future. It would also help her if she keeps moving. I shall take my leave." The doctor left. Now it's just me and Sora. He looked at me menacingly. I smiled my brightest smile at him. He walked closer to me until he was at the side of my bed. He sat next to me.

"Do you want to find out how monstrous I am?" He asked. I felt my face getting hotter. I looked away but he grabbed my face and made me look at him.

"What were you doing yesterday?" I avoided his gaze.

"I was… dancing."

"Why were you dancing?" He asked. I shrugged.

"I had nothing to do yesterday so I decided to practice dancing." He let go of my face.

"Then why did you say that to the doctor? Unless… were you trying to tell me something?" He had an evil grin on his face.

"Don't take it the wrong way. I just said that because I thought it was funny." He pinned me under his arms.

"The doctor did say that you should move your muscles so they'd get better."

"What are you planning to do?"

"I'm going to put a little truth in what you said about me to the doctor." Before I could answer, he crashed his lips on mine. I was enveloped in his fiery kisses that my mind went blank. I unconsciously snaked my arms around his neck. He deepened the kiss and after a while, we ran out of breath. He pulled back from me, we were both panting.

"I see your enjoying this. You managed to wrap your arms around my neck." I blushed. d.a.m.n you! If you weren't so s.e.xy… I suddenly felt something poking my thigh. When I realized what it was, I covered my face.

"Why are you covering your face?" he asked. I could feel your b.o.n.e.r on my thigh. How can I not be embarra.s.sed by that?

"I can feel you poking my thigh." I said in a low voice. That sounded so wrong. He looked down and smiled.

"You got me this excited." Stop! I think my head is going to explode. If I was an anime character, my nose would be bleeding by now.

He kissed me again but this time, he was being gentle. We were starting to become pa.s.sionate when Yukio burst through the door. Sora and I immediately stopped and put distance between us.

"Mama, Papa." He called out. He came to the bed and sat in between us.

"Are you okay? Why are your faces all red?" Sora and I looked at each other. We got c.o.c.k-blocked by our own son. This is hilarious.

"What are you doing here?" Sora asked irritably. I held Sora's hand to calm him down.

"I was lonely and I saw Papa follow Mama after breakfast so I wanted to come here too." I patted his head and kissed his forehead.

"You could go play with Aino. Mama's not feeling well today but I promise to play with you tomorrow." He smiled and went outside.

"Well, I should go too and you should rest." Sora was about to stand when I stopped him. I grabbed his arm and pulled him in for a hug. I whispered in his ear.

"I don't mind continuing our alone time later tonight." And that kids, is how you become a seductress. He looked at me and smiled. He kissed my forehead and left. I decided to sleep to rest my body. And to prepare for tonight's adventure.

I woke up as the sun was setting. I stood up and stretched my muscles. I feel much better.

"Yukina, I see you're moving on your own. You must be feeling better." Aino strolled in carrying a bowl of fruits.

"The Emperor asked me to bring you these fruits. He said you should eat some." She placed the bowl on the table. I grabbed the apple and took a bite. I suddenly thought about what I found in Tori's room.

"Aino, I have to tell you something." She sat down next to me.

"What is it Yukina?"

"I found something in Tori's room. Her handwriting is similar to the ones on the letters that arrived. I'm pretty sure she's the one who's sending the letters here. And I know why." Aino looked concerned.

"Lady Tori? But why? All the years she's been here, she's been nothing but good to you." Flashes of those horrible drawings I found in her notebook made me shudder.

"She's obsessed with the Emperor. She wants to get rid of me because I'm the Empress." I hung my head in my hands.

"What are you going to do about it? Will you tell the Emperor?" I shook my head.

"He won't believe me." Aino was taken aback by my answer.

"He'll believe you. You're his wife. He has to believe you." Aino exclaimed. I took another bite from the apple.

"The Emperor has doubts about me. He won't believe me even if I tell him what I saw. I need to show him but I don't know how." This is a pain in my a.s.s. Aino put her hand on my shoulder.

"Yukina, please be careful. I don't want to see you get hurt." I gave her a hug. Aino has been serving me for probably most of her life. I can see where she's getting at. I just hope I can pull this off and reveal Tori's true intentions.

After Aino left, I felt anxious.

What if I can't pull this off? What if I die? Who's gonna take care of my baby boy? He's gonna grow up without a mother. He'll be traumatized. And what about Sora? Will he care? I bet he's going to find someone to replace me. I can't let that happen.

All these thoughts ran amok in my head. I couldn't sit still. I was pacing the room when I heard the door open. I expected Aino to come back but I was surprised when I saw Sora standing by the door way.

"Are you okay? Is something bothering you?" He asked. I really want to tell you but you don't trust me. I shook my head.

"No, I was just thinking about something." He came up to me and cupped my face.

"You've been hiding something from. I can see through you. It's better if yo---…" I pulled him in for a kiss. I have to shut you up before I cave in and tell you. I don't think it's the right time for me to tell you.

He responded with my kisses. I wrapped my arms around his neck and he wrapped his around my waist. He pushed me back until I felt the bed behind me. He broke the kiss and pushed me down. He pinned me down between his arms.

"If you have something to tell, just tell me. Whatever it is, I probably already know it." He said. I bit my lip. He should seriously drop it.

"Stop talking." I crashed my lips on his again. He responded aggressively. I untied his robe and allowed it to fall on the floor. He undid mine and now we were both naked on the bed. His hands travelled up and down my body, each movement sending s.h.i.+vers throughout my body. His kisses trailed down my neck. His lips met mine once again as he slowly entered me. I bit my lip but the sound kept coming out. He broke the kiss and looked me straight in the eyes. His face… his eyes… I felt the warmth from his gaze. He kissed me again but it wasn't like before. He was gentle, as if he was telling me that I was loved. The buildup inside us was released and we fell asleep in each other's arms.

[Flashback]

"Empress, come with me… I want to show you something…" I remember holding a cup of tea in my hand. This tea… looks familiar…

"Empress…" This voice. I feel like I've heard it before. I could see the hooded figure's eyes. Eyes with the color of wilted gra.s.s…

"Have fun in h.e.l.l." The feeling of falling… My body feels numb… What was in the tea?

*Falling into the water*

[End of Flashback]

I jerked awake. That dream again… but I remembered something… The hooded figure's eyes… I know what they look like now. I sat up and covered my face with my hands. I looked out the window. The sun hasn't risen yet. I looked over to my right and saw Sora sleeping soundly. If only you trusted me more, I could tell you what's bothering me. I took my robe from the floor and wore it. I decided to go outside but I was careful not to wake Sora up.

I opened the door and slipped out. I went to the tallest tree in the Palace and climbed it. I wonder if the sunrise here is more beautiful since there are no skysc.r.a.pers covering the view. I waited to see the sun rise.

I've grown accustomed to the life here. I'd be lying if I said I want to go back to my time period. My life here is better, sure my husband doesn't trust me and I'm constantly in danger but apart from that, life here is great. My life back as Tojou Miu was a mess. I had no family, no friends. All I had was the order and even they didn't care about me. So this is the feeling of being cared for, I had no idea it'd be this nice.

A few moments go by and I could see the first slivers of light coming out of the horizon. As the sun rose to the sky, the horizon was beautiful. The mixture of blue, red and orange looked stunning in the morning sky. It is more beautiful here. I won't ever wish to go back to my old life. This is my life now.

I decided to go back to my room. I hope he hasn't woken up. He's going to ask me where I was. I opened the door quietly and went inside. It seems he's still asleep. I lay back down next to him.

"What we have is so complicated but I don't mind. I'm having fun." I whispered to him as I caressed his face. Suddenly, he grabbed my hand. His eyelashes fluttered as he opened his eyes. I gave him a warm smile.

"Good morning. Did I wake you?" He looked at me and released my hand.

"No, but why are you awake so early? I usually wake up before you." I giggled.

"It's true, you do wake up before me. I just had a nightmare that's why I woke up." He looked at me, concern filling his eyes.

"Are you okay? What did you dream of?" He caressed my face and I held his hand. His hand is so warm.

"It was a memory about the day I was pushed. I remember seeing the hooded figure's eyes and I can't forget what they looked like." He sat up.

"Have you been having nightmares of that night?" He asked. I nodded.

"That's… what's bothering me… The nightmares have been frequent and I feel like I'm getting close to revealing who that hooded figure is." I confessed. A truth in a lie.

"Are you that determined to finding out who wanted to kill you?" He asked.

"Of course! These nightmares mean something. I feel like I won't be able to relax until I find her." He raised his eyebrow.

"Her? How do you know it's a girl?"

"From my nightmares. I always hear her voice. She kept calling me, 'Empress, come with me'." I tried to imitate the voice but I couldn't do it properly. I looked at Sora, waiting for a reaction.

"I want you to stop investigating. I'll let my men handle it." My eyes widened.

"What? Why?"

"Because it's dangerous. What if while you're pursuing her, she still wants to kill you? You'll get hurt." I can't believe my ears.

"Are you kidding me? This is why I didn't want to tell you. Because you'll prevent me from doing it. Stop thinking I'll always get hurt. I can handle myself." We looked into each other's eyes, anger and frustration can be seen from both of us.

"Stop being stubborn. My men are more capable of handling these things." I stood up from the bed.

"You're unbelievable. I can handle this. Why do you always stop me from doing this?" Our voices started to get louder.

"How many time have you gotten hurt ever since your accident?" I was at a loss for words but I wasn't just going to back down.

"Tell me the real reason why you don't want me to do this investigation. Is it just because of me getting hurt?" I waited for his answer but he suddenly grabbed me by my wrist and pulled me close to him. He trapped me in his embrace.

"I can't afford to lose you again. I almost lost you once, I'm not going to let it happen again." I could hear how loud his heartbeat is. Or is it my heartbeat.

"Please trust me. I can handle this. You don't need to worry." He let me go and stood up. He grabbed his robe from the floor and wore it.

"I'm sorry. I can't let you get hurt. Everyday starting today, you'll report to me in my study. You will accompany me wherever I go. I need to keep my eyes on you." He turned his back to me.

"So what? You're going to watch my every move? And what if I try to escape?" I'm looking for options. C'mon give me some freedom at least. I can't stay cooped up in your study. It's boring in there.

"Even if I'll resort to locking you up, I'd do it. Just to keep you safe." My eyes widened.

"Are you crazy? To keep me safe, you're willing to lock me up?" I was becoming desperate. My voice was shaking. He turned and our eyes met. He walked up to me and put his hands on my shoulder.

"Do you have any idea how much I worry about you? I can't sleep well at night when you're not by my side. I haven't done any work when you're not in my study. What if something happens to you? Yukio depends on you so much. I've never seen him this happy before. If you got hurt and end up losing your life? What will become of him? What will become of me?" It felt as if Sora was injected with truth serum. I could tell he was telling the truth. His eyes held no uncertainty in them. I couldn't speak. It felt like being slapped with the truth. I couldn't do anything but hug him.

"Okay, I'll do what you say." To an extent… I'll do as he says, I'll stay in his study, I'll follow him, but when he's asleep, I can still investigate. He can't stop me just like that. I'm too close to solving this. He let me go. I gave him a quick kiss for a.s.surance. He smiled at me.

"Go back to bed. You still look tired. After breakfast, you report to me immediately in my study." I nodded and he kissed my forehead. I went back to bed and he left my room. A few minutes go by, I heard footsteps outside. He must've ordered his guards to standby outside and guard my room. He really doesn't trust me. What kind of relations.h.i.+p is this? I went back to sleep since I couldn't do anything.

When I woke up, the sun was up and Aino prepared a bath for me. I took a bath before I went to the dining hall for breakfast. I was greeted by everyone. It's too suspicious for everyone to be in a good mood. I sat down next to Sora and we started eating. After breakfast, I went to Sora's study, as promised.

I knocked on the door and he opened it himself. I smiled at him. I went inside and sat on one of the chairs. This is where I'll die of boredom.