I sighed. "For now, I'll have to rest and think things through tomorrow," I chewed on my lip as I tried to stop myself from panicking. "Yes, there's nothing like a good night's sleep to help clear my head."

I went back to the futon and rolled on to one side. I didn't need to count sheep because, despite the rising panic in my throat, exhaustion soon overpowered me.. I was off to dreamland in just minutes.

~~~

I woke up to the feeling that someone was staring at me. I slowly opened my eyes, a few strands of my black hair were covering my face so I sleepily tucked them behind my left ear. I slept on my stomach again, I silently prayed that I didn't sleep in that position the entire night. This bad habit of mine has always been the cause of my back pains. I removed the warm blanket covering me and sat up.

I looked around my room, trying to find my bearings. When I saw the lavish quant.i.ties of gold leaf and elaborate wall carvings, I sighed. Although I said I'd sleep on it, I was still disappointed that everything that transpired last night was real.

"Saddened by something?" came a man's deep voice, startling me.

I turned to where the voice came from. In the far corner of the room, clad in a simple black robe and sitting cross-legged on the floor, was the great master of the palace. His hair was loose but not a strand was out of place, a wry smile tugged at the corner of his thin lips. When I looked into his eyes, I felt my brows knit. His left eye was blue while the other was a dark brown. Disregarding the manners and customs of societies old and new, I walked towards him and kneeled to cup his face.

"It's you," I whispered, my voice carrying a mixture of joy and wonder. Ignoring the confused and questioning glint in his eyes, I proceeded to trace the ridges of his brows. "I remember this.. And these," my fingers touched his high cheekbones and square jaw.

Kaname recovered and grabbed both my hands. "Hmm? You remember?" a mischievous glint flashed quickly in his eyes. "Tell me, what is it that you remember?"

"Your eyes, your face.. Everything," I replied, completely entranced.

Kaname let go of one of my hands and grabbed my waist. "Oh? Have we met before?" he countered, showing interest, but not enough to betray his desire to know immediately.

"Yes, we first met in the bamboo forest," I said. "You gave me a tsubaki[1] bloom."

Kaname slowly pushed me to the floor, laying partially on top of me, pinning me down and releasing his dominance over me. "What happened next?" he asked, finally caving in to his curiosity.

"I then removed your mask but I woke up."

"You woke up?" he sounded and looked bewildered.

"Yes," I frowned, not hiding my disappointment. "The second time I was crying and you went to look for me in the same forest.. You comforted me and then.." I blushed involuntarily.

"What happened next, Hinata," he whispered in my ear, his warm breath tickled my skin there. "I need to know, tell me."

"We.."

"Yes?"

"W-we kissed," I blurted out. I buried my heated face in my hands.

I felt Kaname stiffen above me as he digested what I just said. He let go of my waist and sat back on the floor. He threw his head back and laughed until he cried. "We kissed?" he wiped his eyes. "Woman, you have a very wild imagination!"

I blushed even harder. "But it's the truth!" I insisted.

"If it is, then how come I don't remember meeting you?" he grew serious and pounced at me. "Surely I wouldn't be able to forget a beautiful face that easily," he caught my chin and smiled.

"Ever since I came to j.a.pan, I've been having weird dreams! The ones with you in it are the craziest!" I feigned annoyance and slapped his hand off my chin, his touch made my heart do somersaults for some reason. "Even if it was just a dream, I'm sure the man I kissed was you!"

He laughed again, this time, a lot more boisterously. "I have heard of women dreaming about me but none of them have admitted to it! I like your honesty, you are indeed an interesting woman!"

Interesting, my foot! He was making fun of me, his laughter grated at my ears. I was so angry I grabbed one of my pillows and threw it to his face! Kaname stopped laughing, his face once again turned serious.

He removed the pillow on his lap then tossed it aside. "Did you forget why you're here?" he asked, his gaze solemn.

Not wanting to show a hint of the fear I was feeling, I tossed my head and crossed my arms. "I am to become your newest lady-in-waiting."

"And do you know what that means?"

I chewed my lip again. "No."

"The ladies-in-waiting under my care work as personal a.s.sistants who tend to my wardrobe, baths, and meals."

My haughty façade disappeared. "I am to become a chambermaid?"

"I can also appoint them as my concubines, consorts, or even as my official wife. I have an opening in my harem," he announced. "Are you interested in becoming my woman?"

My jaw dropped. Was this what he meant by his words last night, about me being his woman? "A chambermaid does not have the right to sleep in a room as opulent as this," I said, carefully choosing my words. "Your question is just for formality, is it not?"

"Not only are you interesting, you're quick to understand as well," he stood up and offered me his hand.

I didn't take it, preferring to stand on my own instead. He didn't seem to mind. "W-what if I don't want to be your woman?"

"Oh, that's simple. I can just accuse you of being the mastermind behind the kidnapping of my niece and have you beheaded," he spoke the words nonchalantly.

"So it's either sleep with you or be framed of a crime I did not commit!?" I was aghast. I didn't expect him to be so shameless!

Kaname narrowed his eyes at me. "You're making me sound like an evil person."

Are you not!? I wanted to scream! He suddenly pulled me in a tight embrace and ran his fingers through my hair. I stiffened. "Hinata, do you have any idea just how powerful I am?" he lowered his face and buried his nose on my neck, giving me gooseb.u.mps. I shut my eyes tightly and shook my head. "I am basically the king of all j.a.pan, the emperor and his family are beneath me. My every word and command is absolute. n.o.body can argue my decisions."

His tone was soft but his words contained blatant warning: I had no other choice. Kaname then proceeded to planting light kisses on my neck; I s.h.i.+vered. I neither recoiled nor tried to break free from his arms, I was simply rooted in place. "So what do you think?"

He is nothing like the man in my dreams, I bitterly thought to myself. The man in my dreams was kind and gentle, this man just wants to bed me! They are polar opposites!

"I.. I am yours," I said shakily.

With that, Kaname let go of me abruptly. I lost my balance and landed on my b.u.m. He clapped his hands once, his face a mask of joy. "Good! That's settled then."

When he left the room, Ryuko-san and the maids from last night hurried to my room. They must have heard everything because all six of them avoided my eyes.

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[1] Tsubaki is j.a.panese for camellia. The variety Kaname gave Hinata in her dream is the sasanqua camellia.