Jealousy - that ugly feeling inside so many felt.

Alibaba never thought he would feel such strong jealousy. Yet, when he watched you with him in Balbadd, he couldn't help himself. Why? Perhaps because he never actually perceived you as big sister, but like a woman. But he let you go, because he was once again coward. You said you wanted to be a lady of your own fate when you left on your own journey.

He asked himself, how in the world, you got intertwined with Ren Kouen? When he watched from afar you laughing at something Kou's prince said, he wanted to break something. Worse – when he talked with you, you held that lopsided smirk. The same you used when you talked with incompetent clients. He saw it even when you tried to hide it behind sleeve of your rich clothing.

("You're staying in Kou?"

"I do,  Alibaba."

"But-"

"This is where my loyalty lays."

.

.

.

"Why?"

"Big sis seems happier this way, Alibaba."

"Aladdin?")

You felt jealous. From all around there were whispers. That Hakuei and Kouen got a thing for each other. That they were close. That they shared views. It ticked you off. You shouldn't feel jealous. You didn't really have a right. You and Kouen weren't in the real relationship anyway. So you kept silent. When similar gossips reached your ears, you gave your all on the training grounds.

All your jealousy problems were solved one particular night. His kisses were forceful and heated. They always left you breathless and weak on your knees. Yet, you yearned for more. You wanted more of that passion between sheets, more lust, more everything. You reached for him and didn't ever wanted to let go. You wanted his touches, you selfishly wanted him to look only at you.

("You like brother En, don't you?"

"I don't know what are you talking about, Kouha~.")

One day Wheel of Fortune turned its sides.

You were walking with Kougyoku and some of her court ladies through palace corridors. She asked you about your silver hairpiece. You, taking it into your hands, told her that it is only reminder that you have belonged to some place in the past.

Being amnestic and homeless left you yearning for some kind of place where you could belong. Perhaps that's why you couldn't settle with merchants on the farm years ago. You wanted to find a home on your own. And somehow, you thought, you found it in the arms of Ren Kouen. He was your anchor, your protector, your beloved.

Looking wistfully at silver ornament you didn't notice person before you. You stumbled backwards and dropped the headpiece. You quickly regained composure and apologized with small bow. You looked around looking for your belonging.

Elderly man before you stood petrified as he looked at the ornament. He wore foreign clothing and you recognized him as general of allied country army. With polite, yet little nervous smile, you asked him if he could give you back your hairpin.

("P-princess _-_____? "

"Huh?"

"Are you Princess ______?!"

"That's indeed my name, but I am not a princess, my lord.")

He didn't look convinced at all. He was scrutinizing you with his gaze. He asked you were did you got that headpiece. You told him that it was always with you since you could remember. You wanted to go already, his stare made you uneasy. He proceeded with more and more questions, about you, where are you from and lastly about your tattoo on your back.

Your polite façade was shattered as the general asked you this question. Your mind raced – how could he know? You were wearing non-revealing clothes all the time. Surely you haven't met before, have you?

You looked at him nervous and uncomfortable. Kougyoku was fidgeting beside you. Regaining your composure you tried to excuse yourself. To no avail.

.

.

.

You were the Princess of Lorien.

After a fire in the palace your maids took you outside. They were probably killed in a city, while you were kidnapped. Somehow you found yourself in Kou Empire thirteen years ago, where those merchants found you.

That old general, who recognized you, was in fact your uncle. Later you told him how creepy he was. He took you to Lorien back. Your parents were dead, taken by an illness. You met your younger and older siblings, sweet little sister and two brothers. Lorien was an autonomic kingdom in the Kou Empire. They had an army of mercenaries that was important to Kou. That's why they continued alliance.

Alliance was meant to be broken, after the princess – you – went missing. Right after your birth you've became engaged to Ren Kouen, while he wasn't first prince yet. But even when the princess was gone, nobody broke the engagement and the alliance. The alliance was simply too important.

Now you were still wife-to-be to Kouen, as nobody called it off. In this matter you were too realistic – it was like a dream, too good to be true. Engagement was an old affair, probably long forgotten, till more suitable bride would come. Were you pessimistic? Why, yes.

But nobody called it off. Ever. Nobody opposed from either side. You were cautious, he was cautious. You and Kouen were confused and lost, though neither of you would admit it under calm masks at the official meetings.

("Hey, Kouen... is this real?"

"Stop doubting this, stupid. Practice more smiles, you're going to be an empress soon."

"Blunt as ever, I see, fufu~.")

World was crumbling, empress was killed. Kou Empire stood at the edge of civil war against Hakuryuu and his followers. The Magi, Judar, sided with the rebellious prince. You were not sure about your friends – Morgianna or Aladdin. You accepted the truth that Alibaba is dead for good. You didn't know how the conflict would turn. But at the end of the day, you found yourself happy.

You were now crowned Empress of Kou Empire. You were Princess of Lorien. You were Ren Kouen wife.

But above it all, you found home, a place to belong, a place to return. It wasn't just a 'place', as in Kou's palace, or Lorien palace. It was people you met along the way. It was faces you would never forget, memories that would always remain. It was feelings burned deep inside, love, friendship or even those darker ones.

It was Ren Koen in whose arms you're waking up and falling asleep. It was small talks and debates in his study. It was serene evenings in the gardens. It was smiles and eye contacts. It was sharing and giving. It was kisses and nights spent with him.

Who would have thought? You? Certainly not, because even your wildest dreams didn't allow you this kind of happiness.

Really, who would have thought?

 FIN

~*~*~

A/N:

Hey! And that's the end of my two-shot :3
<ending was supposed to be kinda different, but I decided to make it happy >
Please, comment below, and tell me what do you think!