Ahn jae - rim looked left and right with fear filled eyes. She held a little baby girl with bright golden eyes in her arms, and a one year old girl by her side. She held the one year old girl by her hand and clutched the baby in her arm. Tears poured from her eyes as she stood in fear. The one year old girl looked at her puzzled. Soon agents dressed in black came running Ahn jae - rim's way. She hid deeper in the shadows with the kids.

She moved immediately the agents were gone. She walked hurriedly with the kids. Soon she got to a tattered house and knocked on the door very urgently. After a few more knocks and shouts the door opened.

" oh my God Ms Ahn jae - rim. What happened? " Aiko said in shock and surprise seeing Ahn jae - rim breathing hard with children and worse blood of her dress.

" Aiko, please help me, kudasai" Ahn jae - rim begged in Japanese. Aiko looked at her for some time, there was reluctance in her eyes.

" come in " Aiko finally said and opened the door wide.

" you gave birth? I thought you claimed to be barren " Aiko accused her immediately she entered. Aiko collected the little child in her arm and for a moment she was marveled by the baby's golden eyes.

" please protect them both " Ahn jae - rim said weakly and collapsed.

" Ms Ahn, Ms Ahn. Are you alright? " Aiko asked worriedly. Ahn jae - rim opened her eyes and breathed weakly.

" Samantha, the American. My maid. The one year old is her child. Please protect my children " Ahn jae - rim said and fainted. The blood on her clothes increased. Hijikata, Aiko's husband entered the living room at that moment. He was having a shower all along.

" what's going on here " Hijikata asked.

" Hijikata - San, it's the queen, She's bleeding " Aiko said hurriedly. Agents knocked at there house at that moment. With Aiko's free hand, she quickly checked the queen's pulse. " she is still alive, what do we do? "

" kise " Hijikata cursed in Japanese.

" open the door right now " kenji the agents leader shouted outside Hijikata's home.

" we would break it down if you don't comply " his voice was heard again. After there was no reply for sometime. Kenji said to the agents.

" break it down "

Three of the agents took a long and heavy log, as they moved to break the door down. It opened suddenly, the log almost hitting Aiko who yelped in fright. Kenji pushed her away before she could say a thing. His gaze dropped on the queen on the floor. Aiko quickly bent down and started cleaning her in order to start treatment.

" you, you, search the house now! " Kenzo ordered two of the agents who bowed in reply and left. Kenzo turned to Aiko and asked.

" where is the baby?, where is it? " Kenzo yelled.

" what baby?, the queen is dying. You need to call a doctor " Aiko said to Kenzo as she tried to stop Ahn jae - rim's bleeding from between her legs.

" you... Kenzo advanced towards Aiko and grabbed her hair roughly. Where is the baby? Tell me now "

" I don't know what you are talking about. Please get a doctor for Her Majesty " Aiko begged as she held her hair that Kenzo dragged. He looked at her for a moment then pushed her away. He had no intention of getting a doctor for the queen. And Aiko read into it. She started trying to reduce the queen's bleeding with a towel and pressure. It looked like she had a hard time giving birth and now she is bleeding profusely. Aiko begged Kenzo again to get a doctor but Kenzo paid no heed to her and ignored her. The queen was unconscious now but her heart was still beating. As Aiko tried to stop the bleeding, she looked at Kenzo with the side of her eye as she remembered what happened a few moments ago before the agents broke in.

" kise " Hijikata had cursed after analyzing the situation. The baby had started crying in Aiko's arms, while the one year old girl stood silently, innocently and some what puzzled.

Ahn jae - rim eyes opened weakly at that moment.

" there is a canoe... "The queen said as she breathed weakly. Aiko gave the child to her husband and ran to the queen.

" a canoe at Chikugo river. Please get the girls there, my uncle is on the canoe. He would save them " the queen said and fainted again. The couple stood puzzled.

" I can't do this " Aiko finally said.

" nani ? " Hijikata said in Japanese as he looked shocked.

" after all queen Ahn has done for you, you can't do this for her? " Hijikata said. Aiko laid the baby on the couch.

" mitsu..." Aiko said as she went towards Hijikata, calling him honey in Japanese.

" it's too risky, the agents are at the door right now. We could be dead if we do this. " she said clutching Hijikata's arm.

" we would have been dead long ago had the queen not put her title on the line to save us. " Hijikata pulled his arm from her grasp and clutched her hands instead.

" you are her best friend Aiko, she trusts you. That's why when people claimed we committed adultery because we slept on the same bed, she stood up for us. For you. And she proved to everyone that we did no such thing. And then she still went far to see that we were legally married " Hijikata said seriously. Aiko's gaze softened and then she turned to the queen.

" I don't want her to die..." she left her husband's grasp and started putting pressure on the queen's wound.

" iku..." Aiko said to go in japanese.

" I would take care of her, you see to it that the kids are safe " Aiko said looking up at Hijikata. He looked at her for a moment and then nodded, as he moved to carry the child. The agents banging w ere heard again.

" ima iku Hijikata - san" Aiko said to go now, hurriedly in Japanese.

Hijikata took the children and moved to the back door. He turned back to Aiko at the door and said.

" aishiteru " Hijikata said meaning ' I love you '

" aishiteru mo " Aiko said with tears in her eyes. Immediately Hijikata left, Aiko checked the pulse of the queen, relieved that she was still alive. She moved to open the door.

As Aiko finished her remembrance, a sly smile appeared on her lips.

As she looked at her best friend's face, she said to herself.

" it's almost over your majesty, the kids would be safe now "

" do you live alone in this house?" Kenzo's voice cut into Aiko's reverie with her mind. Aiko shaked in fear.

" I asked you a question " Kenzo said getting really serious.

" I- I- I- uh - we- I... " Aiko stuttered.

" you what? Do you live here alone or not " Kenzo yelled at her.

" I live with my husband!... " Aiko breathed heavily. " I live with my husband " she repeated. Kenzo moved towards her.

" I thought as much " he said and pointed to the wall picture behind Aiko. And laughed wickedly. Aiko turned and saw it was the picture of her and Hijikata. Tears fell from her eyes. She remembered she was going to pull it down the previous day but Hijikata refused her.

" where is Hijikata, that adulterer of a husband " Kenzo sneered at her.

" don't you dare to insult my husband " Aiko shouted and rushed to Kenzo like a banshee, but he caught as simply as he would have caught a fly.

" where -- is -- he " Kenzo said putting emphasis on each word as he tightened his grip on Aiko's arm.

" he-he went to see a friend. " Aiko stammered as she struggled to get out of Kenzo's grip.

" a friend? At this time of the night. Speak the truth woman " Kenzo yelled as he manhandled Aiko. She spat on his face instead and he threw her to the ground.

Kenzo cleaned his face and sneered. He pulled out an injection from his kimono.

" why don't I give this a different approach " Kenzo smirked and approached the dying queen on the floor.

" what are you trying to do ? " Aiko shouted and rushed at him. The agents sent to search the house came back at that moment.

" sensei, there's no one else in the house! " one of the agents who Kenzo sent to search the house said. The other agent nodded in affirmation.

" hold her " Kenzo said to the agents to hold Aiko. She screamed and struggled but her efforts were useless. Kenzo approached her with the injection. She struggled harder thinking he was going to inject her.

" rest assured Aiko..." Kenzo said as he played the syringe in his hand. " this is for the queen, this will put her out of her misery " Kenzo said and smirked. He went towards the queen and bent down to inject her.

" onegai shimas, Kenzo. Don't do this " Aiko begged.

" where is your husband ? " he asked. Upon Aiko silence and tears instead. Kenzo inserted the syringe on the queen's arm, as soon as he started pulling the syringe.

" mate kudasai, wait. I would tell you. So don't do this, onegai shimas " Aiko begged.

" hanashite, now! " Kenzo yelled at Aiko to speak as his jaw curved in an unnatural line.

" chi-chi Chikugo river " Aiko finally said as more tears fell from her eyes. Kenzo pointed to three of the agents to move to Chikugo river. They bowed and left immediately. Kenzo looked at Aiko and with a wicked smile, he bent down and injected the substance into the queen.

" no, no, please stop " Aiko begged but Kenzo didn't listen to her. As he injected the queen, he said.

" a little parting gift from your mother in law... Sayonara " Kenzo said farewell to the queen and left, the two agents holding Aiko let her go and followed their sensei. Aiko crumbled on the floor like a pile of rags. She crawled to the queen crying bitterly. The queen's eyes opened weakly for the last time and she gave a weak smile to Aiko who only cried more. The queen moved her lips as if to say something. Aiko brushed her long hair from her ear and placed it over the queen's lips.

" BEN-ZAITEN HOSHI " the queen said. And closed her eyes peacefully. Aiko raised her head and blinked unsure of what she heard. She checked the queen's pulse and heartbeat and then she started wailing. The queen's body slowly turned purple and smelly. Aiko was sure it was as a result of whatever Kenzo injected into her. As she sat beside the dead queen with her swollen eyes, unsure of what to do next. Her gaze hit the wall picture and...

" Hijikata - San " Aiko said aloud and ran out of the house. She ran all the way to Chikugo river. But she was too late. Not that she could do anything to stop the inevitable. Hijikata was at the bank of the river, writhing in pain on the floor. Kenzo men had stabbed him immediately they got to him. But it was too late for them too. Hijikata had earlier reached the river but on seeing no one and seeing the agents closing in on him, he placed the children on an empty canoe and let the canoe row into the sea. Hoping the Gods would protect them. Immediately he turned, he met the agents.

" well, well, well. If it's not the adulterer Hijikata - san... Where is the child. " Kenzo asked.

Hijikata scoffed and said.

" the children are long gone, you will never get them "

Kenzo looked at the vast river and seeing a canoe disappearing out of sight. He shouted at the agents.

" go now, get the canoe "

Kenzo then approached Hijikata,

" what does you mean by children. Did the queen had twins? " Kenzo asked. Hijikata scoffed and said.

" I'd be a fool to tell you anything " Hijikata said looking at Kenzo right in the eye. Kenzo nodded and turned back only to turn to Hijikata and swiftly stabbed Him with his long sword.

" you'd be a fool not to " Kenzo said as he made sure the sword went all the way in.

He joined his men and ran to get the kids.

It was on the floor Aiko met her husband.

" run Aiko, nigero " was all Hijikata managed to say, then he died. Aiko wailed but as she heard footsteps advancing towards her. She left her husband and started running as she cleaned her tears.