"Thorn, stop biting!" Gulf scowls down at his drowsy son.

Oh God! What will he do when his Little Prince starts teething?

"No immi for you, if you bite mae." Gulf tickles his baby's neck before burping his happily fed son. Thorn has already started snoring and slipped into the dreamland.

"Aw... my son fell asleep. Come here you." Mild picks Thorn up. "Gulf, let us go. We have to be quick or Siwa will throw a fit."

Gulf chuckles behind his palm and follows Mild, rolling his baby buggy. San is busy kicking the new balls his papa has attached to the buggy cover.

"Maybe I will go alone to the plant nursery; you stay here. Last time, you fainted!"

"I did not... I had a mild fear-breaths. I am fine."

When they reach the nursery that flowering plant is still there.

"Do not keep staring at it. That is how you faint!"

"I am fine, Mild. You get what you want. I will be over there."

Yellow Cruzhayles are very beautiful, yet nobody wants them and Gulf now knows why. He gently walks to the plant and brush his fingers through its vines and small leaves.

5 Copper coins.

So cheap.

Gulf lovingly brush the rich luxurious yellow flowers it bears.

"Not your fault." he mumbles and then decides. "Phi, Can I have this..."

"GLADLY!!!" She shouts and runs to her husband. "We got a buyer for bad omen!!!"

Gulf soothes the flower petals.

The husband, an old lady in late fifties comes with an apologetic smile. "I am sorry for my wife. I am a scholar of herbal studies and I tell you there is no bad omen in that flower. We have been happily married for twenty-seven years. Yet... I ask you, young man, do you want this plant? You have to think twice if you will end up blaming an innocent plant for any bad happenings in your life."

"Whatever the flower could have given me, has already passed my life. I would like to have this, yes. Thank you."

"... they don't have it Gulf... where will I get red pompom flowers?" Mild pouts but then gasps. "Please tell me... you did not buy..."

"Here you go, Sir. We have already added fertilizers and pest repellents free of cost. Thank you!" The wife is jumping with joy to wash off her hands on the beautiful plant.

"Oh Gulf. You are so surprising." Mild tsks. "Our men are waiting."

Gulf knows Mild means nothing by that. He has learned that the Emperor is now living with P'Siwat and Mild.

Some paper issues and the investigation of Red Murder is nowhere close. "Mild... do not announce that I bought this plant, okay. You can tell your husband privately."

"Aww... you have to tell me specifically if you want to keep it a secret Gulf... or I will end up screaming. Hehee..."

Gulf shakes his head and watches Mild gently skipping - not to wake up Thorn – towards P'Siwat, already complaining about not finding their plant baby.

He feels the eyes on his cheek but Gulf gives no mind; except maybe think what that man wants. What would that be?

Gulf looks at Mew and the man is unashamedly staring at his chest. He looks down and notices the wetness of breastmilk on his shirt after feeding Thorn.

What in the name of...

He quickly covers himself properly with the tunic robe and if his eyes delivered the message 'creepy pervert' enough for the man to avert his eyes with a quick mumble of apology, well, it is not Gulf's fault.

But the man really does not stop.

He just stares and stares... and Gulf is scared.

What is the meaning of this?

Why now? No number of funny portraits will get what Mew might be wanting.

He pours water and prays to the Goddess of Soil - Kylampe to grow this Yellow Cruzhayles to finesse.

"Those flowers are beautiful."

Gulf gulps. Mew's voice is always so raspy.

"Do you know what they are?" Gulf chastises him for talking to the man.

"No... what ar..."

Gulf nods and politely bows to the Emperor before taking his gardening tools and running inside.

Yet, his eyes water and he cannot believe he was so naive for so long.

How did you manage to live this long without getting killed, Gulf?

"I do not know." Gulf gasps out but now he has to live or his baby boy...

"Mmmmaaa..."

"Mmmmmmmmmaaaaa..."

Gulf laughs at two adorable cries for him and peeks to the cradle to see Thorn rolling on his back.

'Mae... I am a tortoise. See...'

"Weeeeee!!!"

Gulf melts at his son's cuteness. He is clutching his feet with his hands and rocking himself to the sides.

Mild comes in holding a squirming San. "San, I will throw you out of the window!" Mild scolds but kisses his son's cheek. "Here, Gulf, hold him. I will get the p.u.l.p."

Gulf sighs.

God, the waterworks and screams will be terrible.

The healers have told them to give their kids semi solid foods now. San does not mind, he will gobble them down but Thorn...

He looks down at San who is chewing on his tunic. "I hope you will help your best friend eat his food, San."

Gulf is zoning out all through the feeding and poor Mild suffers Thorn's projectile spitting. "Thorn, I will beat you with this spoon! Now eat!"

Mild vibrates the tiny spoon in front of Thorn and the baby wails.

"Oh, no! Mama Mi is such a bad mama. Did I say I will beat you? I won't, I won't. You are my baby." He kisses Thorn's cheek and tries to put another spoonful inside his mouth... only to get spit again.

He looks at his own child and San is still licking the already shiny bowl.

"Did we switch the babies at birth, Gulf?" Mild giggles. "Gulf?"

"I do not know why they have Yellow Cruzhayles here!" Mild scowls. "It will bring bad omen to their marriage."

"Ye... Yellow Cruzhayles? Where?" Gulf wonders. He just wants to know what the Emperor thinks of him. Just out of curiosity, nothing else.

"There! See. So beautiful but stay away, okay? I know your husband is dead but..."

"What is wrong with them?"

"You don't know?! Oh Gulf... Well, there was a harlot." Mild whispers and Gulf nods.

Of course, a harlot! What else the Emperor will think of him.

"She was so beautiful; men from all the countries visited her for a night. So expensive. The way she giggled were like Yellow Cruzhayles in wind. So, people called her Yellow Cruzhayles. The Prince of Vlalar gave her the diamond of Bo for a week's stay. Anyways... she decided, she wanted a man. A man; married and happy with his wife. She tried all tricks but the man was committed. She harassed them, stalked them and the wife started to hallucinate her man with the harlot being in their bed. Anyways... the man finally had enough of his wife's misery and... cut the harlot into two pieces using his wood saw. People found the rotten carcass after several months. One piece on this side of the lake and rest on other."

Gulf can't breathe. He shakes his head and tries to take in some air but...

"The Emperor of Boelterpronth at the time, Jiramenpatong let go of the family because it was the harlot's fault to come between a married couple and there was no enough proof to tie that man down to the crime. People later found a dead body of an embryo a couple of walks away... Some say it is the harlot's and that husband's... and the husband was playing his wife and the harlot... but the family had moved away from our Empire and nobody really knows."

Gulf has to kneel on the floor but Mild does not see.

"So, having a Yellow Cruzhayles at home may cause marital issues betw... GULF!!! GULF!!! Gulf... Gulf... are you okay? Gulf... Why are you crying?"

"Mamaa..." Thorn kicks Gulf's thigh and he jerks from the thoughts.

"Hey baby..." He takes a wet cloth and wipes all the goo off Thorn and then wipes Mild's face. "Come on let us get you two cleaned up."

Yet, Gulf's mind is troubled. The Emperor has no idea about the plant or flower. So, Gulf was called Yellow Cruzhayles because of this story.

He locks his door from the inside when Siwat, Mild, San and the Emperor leaves his home.

What if Mew is here to...

No, he has seen how that man looks at his son and San. He seems soft and if anything he claims that Thorn is his baby.

So... to take Thorn and kill only Gulf?

Gulf does not know. He has no one to turn to, ask for advice or... care for his wellbeing.

His thoughts keep him awake at night with the rain that is pouring water like rocks on his sheeted roof. His heartbeats are also like drums in his chest.

What if he moves away from this...

"GULF!!! GULF!!! PLEASE OPEN THE DOOR! IT IS ME SIWA... MILD AND SAN ARE WITH ME!!! PLEASE OPEN!!! QUICK! GULF!!!" Loud knocks are from his front door.

Gulf rushes to the front door, worried sick and San's loud wails make his eyes water and mind haywire.

"What is wrong?!"

He lets in his guests; Mild, P'Siwat, N'San and then... the reason for his panic.

"Our home... Gulf!" Mild hiccups and tries to calm down his cold shivering son. "It is leaking... and water is getting in from everywhere!"

"You scared me Mild!!! Get in... Get in... Oh baby boy, come here... Mama Kana got you, son... Aww... my son is cold... it is okay..."

Everyone is dripping wet but Gulf does not care anyone else but screaming San.

"Mild get warm... I have clothes in my bedroom. Get dry clothes for them too. Let me warm up my beautiful boy... Aww... it is okay..."

Siwa and Mew comes in with whatever they could rescue from their flooded house.

Gulf quickly rub San's head with a dry towel and tries to light up the fireplace with one hand.

"Let me..." A hand takes the fire blower from him and Gulf shuffles away. He removes the wet cloth of San and his baby's mouth is wobbling with cold.

"Oh... love." Gulf cuddles with his San quickly, rubbing that freezing tiny body with his warm hands. "What happened, son? What happened... Tell mama everything..."

The fire cackles in the fireplace and Gulf shifts closer hiding San under his robe.

"P'King... Wear this." Mild opens his iron trunk and takes clothes of P'Siwat. "I hope these are fine. I could not pack much. Oh God..." He sniffles.

"You are all here. You are all safe. Rest what we have lost, we can make some other day, Mild. Make something hot for your husband and his friend to drink." Gulf's voice does not leave space for argument and Mild holds in his tears but goes to the kitchen.

"Oh, my baby's feet are so cold." Gulf is so worried. He presses kisses and blows warm air all over. He adjusts San closer and gently sings a lullaby for the baby who is blinking up at him.

"Baby and the mamaa... sitting by the fire... sitting by the fire to warm up good... baby and the mamaa... sitting by the fire... oye oye oye..."

Gulf feels a blanket on his shoulders and the Emperor places a cup of warm tea in front of him before handing him a milk bottle.

"Mild said..." Mew wants so many things... so many many things with his beautiful wife who is glowing in the light of the fire.

His eyes slip to the couple who is cuddling under one blanket. Mild is still crying and Siwa is saying all the right things.

Gulf is so fereking beautiful.

The softly blinking eyes, the adorable cheeks, the pouting upper lip that is begging him to...

Mew turns his face away... ashamed; only to look again with... wonder.

That collar bone, the soft skin on Gulf's neck... He never knew a shoulder bone is a very tempting feature on a person but...

"Where is..."

Gulf walks away.

Mew is left alone.

"My son was shivering, Gulf..." Mild sniffles hugging Gulf's waist.

"So what? Look at him now..." San is softly snoring to his chest, his tiny hands holding Gulf's tunic tight. "Everything is okay Mild. You know you can stay here forever. We will find a way tomorrow. Let us figure out how to sleep today."

Gulf has backache so he needs the only bed. Nobody cares what Gulf has to say on that matter.

So, Mild, Gulf and the babies take the bedroom while Mew and Siwa take the floor of the kitchen store; so a decision is made.

Mew can only watch Siwat going in and out of Gulf's bedroom like he has every right in the world while Mew... he feels there is some force that is keeping him squirming at the door.

He is that beautiful fawn's husband and by the laws of nature, it is his room too. His eyes are unnervingly fixed on that slim waist that is bend forward fixing the bedsheets, to accentuate that...

"Hold these, Mew." Siwat hands him a stack of blankets and the Emperor scurries away like a common servant on duty.

Mew can only watch as Mild and Siwat kiss each other whenever their paths cross.

Gulf will not even look at Mew.

"Mew, can I have a word, friend?" Siwat and Mew is on alert; any danger? "Look... Gulf, he is very young... he is single and the mother of my Thorn. I know he has no family who particularly cares about his existence..."

That is not true; Mew wants to correct but his tongue will not move.

"... but we do. He is like... no, he is my younger brother. If something happens to him, it will be my shortcoming. This is his home and I would not have anything, that will make him uncomfortable. You are a grown man and I know I will not have to spell everything out for you..."

"I know... I..."

"I know you will not hurt him but... I know he is very beautiful and you are unmarried but Gulf is not an option. You are in this home under my trust. Please respect that."

Mew nods and the worried older brother of Gulf, leaves him to help his wife Mild.

Yet, his eyes betray him. He cannot stop watching his wifey, even for a moment. He tries but... Mew has not really seen this beauty in so long and he understands the reason of his frustration all those days were his guilt.

The nights he squirmed in his bed.

The tasteless dishes he had thrown to walls.

The days he felt he was incomplete.

Mew was pinned by Gulf's absence in his life. But as a fool he is, he never prodded deeper.

"Is my presence making you uncomfortable? I will..." No, Mew will not leave even if Gulf begs him to. He cannot. He may keep a distance but he cannot leave his heart that is right in front of him and the soul that is sleeping in that cradle.

"You are Phi Siwat's friend."

"Is that all I am to you, Gulf? I..."

"I trust him. He will not put me in danger but if a danger finds me... I have a sharp machete under my bed."

Mew's heart leaps.

Ferek... that is tempting. His foot unknowingly takes a step closer but the fawn is already galloping away.

Maybe Mew will have to stand under cold rain for some more time.

"P'King... I have a sharp pocket knife." Mild smiles adorably at him and the 'problem' is solved.

"Nong... come on. Do you still think I am a pervert?"

Mild giggles and Mew laughs with him. "No... P'King but I do think you are a man of many mysteries. Just do not end up giving my best friend hopes and dreams... if you are to break his heart when you leave. I cannot have that. He is my San's and my Thorn's mae. If you value me... you have to value him too. We are a package."

Mew is called brave in his home land. Mew is called the Mighty Lion. Mew is the 'man of no fear' for his enemies.

Yet, when in his personal life, Mew feels he is as cowardly as the band drummer on the way to a battle field. The first shot of arrow to the sky will make him run back with pee stains in his trousers.

Why else, he cannot tell Mild that he had indeed given Gulf hopes and dreams and he had done more than break Gulf's heart? Why else he has smiled and promised N'Mild that he is not planning on it?

You are no brave man, Mew.

The night feels too long for the Emperor, without a lick of sleep. Gulf is sleeping in that room, hugging Mew's son closer to his chest.

He turns on the mat.

He wants Gulf. Really and truly wants.

He wants to lie on the other side of the bed and stare at his sleeping wife while their son is lying between them; safe and secure in their combined warmth.

He almost sits up in panic when he sees the man lying on the mat on the other side and goes to Gulf's room.

He forgets that Siwat's wife and son are also in that room as the husband in him roars in rage and possessiveness, until he sees Siwat coming out with a whimpering San.

Mew takes deep breaths.

God, his mind is insane.

What the...

FEREK!!! Calm down, heart. You know they are not that way.

"... what is wrong, son? Moms are tired and sleeping, so let us not disturb them, huh? Papa is here... are you cold?"

Mew watches a father, softly rocking his son and trying to tell a story.

He cannot have that moment with his own son. Thorn does not even know Mew is his father.

Whose fault is that, you whimpy Emperor?

His son will not pat his cheek and call him 'Ppppaaa' like San does. Mew's eyes sting and he closes his eyes to get some sleep.

"Sleep with Papa today, son?"

"Mmmm..." San drops his head on Siwa's shoulder and Mew just lie there looking up at black emptiness again.

Mew knows what hell feels like when Mild also comes out of the room, looking for Siwa.

"You know, I cannot sleep without you, meanie!" Mild whispers.

Mew can hear husband and wife softly giggling and whispering love words.

"... don't call yourself, bad omen Mymi... heart breaks... gave me a son... home... and my home is where you are... I love you, Wifey... and you know there is no home as your..."

"Shhh... P'King is here..."

"He is sleeping..."

"Our son..."

"Is also sleeping..."

"Later... you naughty scoundrel..." Mild giggles and then gasps.

Mew just wants to die; not out of embarrassment. His life as the Forces Supreme Commander has taken every inch of shame that a normal person feels.

Yet, he... also has a wife; beautiful, tempting, gorgeous and gentle.

But Mew cannot feel Gulf's warmth on his chest or gasps of his wife's thirst on his ears... His wife is so near but a world of misunderstanding between them.

Mew is a very unlucky lonely man, who will never feel what true love feels like and he has no one else to blame. Lord knows, he would blame anything if he could.

He is an Emperor and an Emperor's wrongs are all rights.

'I miss you so much, baby, my Gulfie... I will die for your forgiveness.'