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Mikoto had always been so singleminded—so focused only on herself. The hopes of everyone in Romana relied on her. And yet she failed.
Haruka had to be disappointed in her. She always said she would be the first one to take Mikoto from the throne if she deemed her unworthy. Her sword would stab right through her leader's back without remorse.
Mikoto expected anger. She expected Haruka to tell her how weak she was. Instead, Haruka took her by the hand and helped her to her feet.
"Why?" Mikoto asked once they were alone.
Haruka, who had been quietly following behind her, furrowed her brow in confusion.
"You saw me at my lowest. I was at your mercy. Why didn't you take me down?"
It would have been the perfect chance. Didn't Haruka want the throne? Or was it true that she only cared about Romana?
She considered the question carefully. Then, Haruka posed a new question. "Do you think Brutus would have given Caeser a chance to change if he thought it possible?"
"If you're casting yourself as Brutus, I suppose that makes me the corrupt dictator," Mikoto said bitterly.
Haruka reached out a hand to cup her cheek. Her gaze was intense as she stared into Mikoto's eyes. "If I took your life, I fear I would live to regret it for the rest of my days. 'I killed not thee with half so good a will.' Those were Brutus's last words. I think I would say something quite similar."
As Mikoto pressed her own hand over Haruka's, there was only one thing she could think: Haruka's hand was warm. It was a completely ridiculous detail to focus on. They'd been closer before, though that was all on stage. This was the first time Haruka had truly chosen to stay by her side.
"Brutus," Mikoto said softly.
"When the conspirators wished him dead, Brutus wanted to see the good in Caeser's heart. He wanted to prevent a bloodbath."
"'But I am as constant as the northern star,'" Mikoto said.
Haruka's thumb stroked her cheek. "And the northern star could not be convinced to yield. His spirit was too strong. A bloody death was the only way out for him."
The way they recounted Julius Caeser's death in Shakespeare's play should not have been romantic. And yet, Mikoto found herself entranced by the soft, gentle way Haruka spoke to her. She was utterly captivated.
"So no, Mikoto," Haruka said. Only the second time she'd ever spoken Mikoto's name. The syllables sounded so different from her mouth. "You are not Caeser, nor will I take your life. You will not die by the hands of your friend."
"Am I a friend to you?"
The words sounded so weak to her ears. Mikoto could hardly believe she'd spoken them. She dreaded Haruka's answer. If only she could take back the question. Just as Mikoto opened her mouth to do exactly that, Haruka answered.
"You are."
Mikoto still hadn't pulled away from this strange embrace. Haruka's touch felt too comforting to even consider moving back. "What if I wanted something more?" she asked very quietly.
Haruka's lips quirked into a tiny smile. "Then I would say you have the ambition of one fit to rule."
Not quite an answer. Of course Haruka would make Mikoto work for anything she wanted. It wasn't like her to go about things the easy way.
"Haruka," Mikoto breathed. "May I kiss you?"
"You may."
This close, Mikoto only had to move forward slightly to capture Haruka's lips. It wasn't at all like their stage kiss for Salome. That had been an accidental brush made to look real. The real thing felt so much better.
Mikoto wrapped an arm around Haruka's waist. She felt a hand on the back of her neck, pulling her impossibly closer. When they finally broke apart, they were both breathless and red in the face. Haruka had never looked so beautiful as in that moment.
She pressed a kiss to Mikoto’s cheek before pulling away entirely. “You will lead us to greatness.” She said it as if it were an irrefutable fact. Haruka turned her head to gaze out the window.
Mikoto did the same. "The rain has stopped."
She hummed a single note. "I suppose it has."
Through the window, Mikoto saw a scattering of brightly colored flowers in the grass. After eagerly soaking up all the rain, they had bloomed into brilliant reds and blues. The sight nearly took her breath away.
"Haruka." Mikoto looked out across the flowers. This was her domain. Romana was hers to rule. No one else's. "I hope to be a Caligula you can be proud of."
"And if you begin to stray, I will see to it that your path is corrected."
Mikoto nodded once. She would not be a constant, unchanging north star. Mikoto vowed to be a great ruler to Romana. If she ever wavered, she had a trusted ally to bring her back.