Fumi's eyes widened, a tightening grip of fear attacking her stomach. Aiko was on the floor. The mirror was cracked, a particular shard was sticking out. It's jagged point red with blood. Aiko's blood was seeping from her head, staining her black hair.

The Emperor felt his heart be torn out of his chest. It hurt; it hurt so much he couldn't breath. He pushed past Fumi and fell to his knees next to Aiko.

His eyes frantically searched for her red flecked ones, but her heavy lids were covering them.

The Emperor took her in his arms. He cuddled her against his chest. Aiko's limp hand tumbled away from her lap, exposing the candid skin of her wrist.

Fumi was frozen in fear. She tried to speak, but her mind told her she had done it. She had probably killed Aiko. Maybe the only woman The Emperor had truly loved. She knew her brother wouldn't let her go this time.

The Emperor slowly lifted Aiko of the floor. He opened the screen doors and yelled, "A herbalist! We need a physician And a herbalist urgently!" His voice almost cracked towards the end but he regained himself. The words were urgent, and made everyone run around as quickly as they could.

After every servant had left, the Emperor turned to stare at Fumi. His eyes were a terrifying black. Something inhuman and blood-curdling twitched inside of them. The devil which nestled in his heart had awoken, and Fumi was in a horrible danger.

The Emperor's silk kimono reflected the pale winter light. There was a particular ray of light that bounced off the kimono and illuminated the Enperor's left eye. But the pupils were dark as ink. No light illuminating it. "Get. Out. Of. My. Palace. And. Never. Come. Back." He said, cutting every word with a furious breath.

Fumi licked her dry lips. "The wedding." She spat in his face. "You have to invite me, there has to be a female presence from the groom's family to dress her in the kimono before ceremony." She sneered, knowing her proposition was feeble.

The Emperor lifted his furious glare. "I'll invite Tachikaba. I've always preferred her anyways. and she isn't a monster, like you." The Emperor said, his eyes shimmering darkly, and his voice cutting.

Fumi clenched her jaw. "You will regret sending me away brother. Maybe," she said, a dark glimmer in her eyes. "She will end up like your first lover." Fumi said, slowly walking to the open windows.

The Emperor felt pure rage surge through his stressed body. He started walking to her, but the doors were thrown open. Eriko was standing there, Herbalist Eiichi and an other, Physician Kimura.

The Emperor turned to them. "Carry her to her rooms and cure her. I will come as soon as I finish talking here." He hissed. The two men gently lifted Aiko off the floor. They hurriedly left. Eriko shot one last glance at the Emperor. Pure terror shining in her eyes before she closed the screen doors. Soft feet pattered away.

The Emperor wanted to follow Aiko, but he wanted to finally confront his sister. The devil who had lived next to him for so long. Too long.

As the two doors closed, blocking them off from the rest of the world, the Emperor's eye stared at the pool of red blood on the floor. He gritted his teeth and turned to his sister. "You murdered my previous lover as well didn't you?" The Emperor whispered hoarsely. The harsh truth hitting him like a ton of bricks. The dots connecting. He lifted his gaze from his sister's legs to her face.

Fumi turned around. She looked beautiful and cold, and not even a sparkle of guilt lit her eyes. She leaned against the screen door. "Of course. Who else could it have been? That girl you loved, tsk. She was not fit for the royal life."

The Emperor started trembling with fury. "She was extremely intelligent. She would have managed to survive. She would have been a perfect Empress." He hissed, about to punch the wall.

Fumi laughed gently.

At this, the Emperor broke. He lunged at her. He grabbed the collar of her beautiful kimono and gripped it tightly. He pulled the kimono closer. Fumi continued smiling. Her eyes cold and brutal as the Emperor yanked her closer. His face drenched in pure rage. "You monster, how could you? She never did anything to you!" He spat, searching for some type of humanity in her eyes, but he couldn't find anything.

Fumi laughed in his face. "You didn't even love her. You forced yourself to do so. You don't know how to love. You are a monster as well." She whispered in his ear, passing her hand through his hair.

The Emperor slapped her. With all his strength. Ignited by the rage. His eyes were completely black. Not even a speck of white.

Fumi felt the slap maybe two seconds too late. Her brain registering the fact that her brother, the one who feared her, had hit her.

The Emperor then threw her on the table. She landed on it with a thud. The table broke in half, cracking under her weight. "I did love her. And I am not a monster! Don't compare me to you!" He roared.

The Emperor looked down as he felt Fumi's hands on his legs. Clasped tightly around them.

"The throne was mine from the start, you're just a brat! You don't know anything! Father always preferred me!" She yelled furiously. Her voice hysterical.

The Emperor looked down at his sister.

The cold and beautiful façade Fumi had had a few minutes ago was gone. Drowned in her emotions.

Now, as the Emperor looked at her, her hair disheveled, her kimono slipping off her shoulders, a terrifying, mad glint in her eyes, he realised, Fumi was insane, and was jealous of him. From the very bottom of her twisted heart.

His eyes scanned his once beautiful and calm sister, who's lust for power and desire had broken her heart and corrupted her mind. Now dark and dead.

The Emperor kicked her off his feet and left. At the door, without even turning around he said, "Tomorrow morning. Tomorrow morning you will leave." He hissed before he left. Faintly, the Emperor heard pitiful wails from behind him.

He continued on walking towards Aiko's chambers. He threw open the doors. There were Aiko's personal maids crowded around the bed. Other servants and the Herbalist and Physician were there as well.

Th Emperor walked in. "How is she?" He asked quietly, exhausted. Eriko looked at him, surprised. He had asked nicely without raising his voice. No one else seemed to notice.

The Herbalist stood up and so did the Physician. "If we hadn't come quickly enough, she could have lost more blood and died of anemia. But, she is fine now. She has to rest and not work." The Physician said.

"She also doesn't have to stress." The Herbalist said.

The Emperor nodded. His mind tired and his heart broken. "Please leave." He said, quietly.

Everyone shot glances at each other, shocked by the politeness. The room emptied out, silently.

The Emperor walked slowly to Aiko. She was lying on her bed. A soft linen vest was covering her. The sheets were tucked over her gently. Her long hair was spilled on the pillow, while her head was covered in a white bandage. Her face was extremely pale. She looked peaceful. A rose petal flew inside from the window, landing on her cheek.

The Emperor kneeled down next to her bed. He took her limp hand and gently laid his head on it. He inhaled her lovely scent as his eyes closed.

•

•

•

After a few hours of sleeping peacefully, the doors were thrown open. An Eunuch ran in. "Your Majesty!" He yelled frantically.

The Emperor woke up, dazed. His head still on Aiko's hand. He groaned as he slowly walked to him. "Be quite you fool!" He hissed. The Eunuch trembled and cowered back in fear. "Your Majesty, please, go to Your Majesty's sister's room." The Eunuch said, heaving for air.

The Emperor felt a twinge in his heart.

He quickly walked towards one of the many pavilions. There was already a crowd of people. Prime Minster Bunta was pale and moaning outside, sick and pale. A few servants were whispering to each other. Akhifumi and Goro were talking. The Emperor passed in between them. Goro realised and slowly followed him discreetly, while Akihfumi clung to his arm. He was about to shake her off when he saw what had happened. The room was a complete mess. Clothes thorn and strewn around. Overturned furniture.

But the worst sight, was the body, that was hanging from the roof outside. The Emperor slowly walked forwards. His eyes widening at the sight.

Fumi was swinging from the roof. A silk cord tied around her neck. Her eyes were open. Glossy. Her chest was still. She dangled aimlessly. Pushed by the wind. Her long hair hung down. Fumi was dead. She had committed suicide.