13 CHAPTER ELEVEN
"Mother." Princess Toyomike said.
"Quiet." Katashishime said.
"Please mother." The Princess pleaded.
"Do you know how much trouble you'd be causing for us, for all that we know you can not expect me to let you recklessly traverse the Empire dressed as a boy." Katashishime said.
"Mother, I feel this is for my own good." Princess Toyomike replied.
"In what world?" Katashishime asked.
"There is every reason mother." The Princess replied.
"Identify it then." Katashishime said.
"These people out there, they suffer day and night, I need to see the world for myself mother, I need to see the real world behind the palace walls." Princess Toyomike said.
"What for?" Consort Katashishime asked.
"Are you the Crown Prince, are you the Emperor, all we did while raising you was to train you to be a Princess, do you need any physical, military or academic qualifications for that?" Consort Katashishime asked.
"If I can not be for my people how can I find courage in being a Princess?" The Princess asked.
"Your courage is in being a wife, ours is the nature to submit." Consort Katashishime replied.
"But that is not in my nature." Princess Toyomike said.
"Too bad it is not something that is debatable, it is something that is required of you." Consort Katashishime said.
"I'd rather die." The Princess said.
Consort Katashishime looked angrily at her daughter.
"You." She said as she raised her hand.
Princess Toyomike did not waver but looked up straight at her mother in the eye.
"You aren't a Crown Prince, let alone a Prince. How can you assume such duties?" Consort Katashishime said.
"Pardon me my dear mother, it is because I love these people so much, Nippon, Nara, who in the world could love all these more than I.
Your heart is filled with great devotion to father and you love him throughout his imperfections and flaws, can I not share a similar feeling towards the people of my own country?" Princess Toyomike asked.
"But what can you do?" Consort Katashishime asked.
The Princess kept quiet.
"You are a young girl that is growing into a woman each and every day that goes by, you'd best understand this if you were old enough. You stand no chance against any man in the world.
Growing up I came to realize, devotion, it is not just a feeling that is spoken or felt but something that requires sacrifice.
There is nothing, nothing there is to die for because I assure you the very people that you cherish, people that constitute this very Nippon you hold so precious and closest to your heart, they are murderers, robbers, assassins and the very children shall rise up and when you are not careful slay your own children.
Shall you still love them?" Consort Katashishime asked.
The Princess still maintained her silence.
"It is in our nature even as Royal women to jockey for the favour of those men that we love, when it comes to the country can you jockey with men for the same favour.
There are women who shall dream to mistreat you and turn your life into a living hell, there are selfish politicians who have their own intentions while in your service.
The greatest height that you can ever reach is becoming a General's wife or another Prince's wife, the greatest a Prime Minister's official Consort and beyond that there is no hope for never can a woman stand powerful on her own." Consort Katashishime said.
"Can there never be a first time for everything?" The Princess asked.
"What you speak of is nothing but folly." Consort Katashishime replied.
"Nothing you say mother shall change my mind." The Princess insisted.
"And mine is to ensure that like it or not you do not land yourself in trouble." Consort Katashishime said.
"Why, it's not fair, living at the whims of a man, jockeying for his favor, I do not want to live that kind of living, struggling to be the favorite amongst the women of another man." Princess Toyomike said.
"Should it be your fate then how could you stand against it?" Consort Katashishime asked.
"I am confident that it is not mine." Princess Toyomike said.
"And it is simply because as Long as I am your mother then I too am unwilling to let you suffer the same fate that I have suffered." Consort Katashishime replied.
"Mother." Princess Toyomike said but she was halted by her mother.
"If I am still someone you respect then for your own good I'd appreciate you set not a single foot of yours outside the Royal premises that is without the Emperor's consent or mine.
If I can not teach you my own daughter to serve as a proper wife in future then I am afraid that no one else will." Consort Katashishime said.
She turned around to leave but then halted in her footsteps as she looked down and caught sight of her daughter tightly holding onto her feet.
"Mother." Princess Toyomike said.
"I fear the Empress could make such a big scene if she were to find out that you reside so much outside the palace and as a man.
She'd use it as a chance to ensure that she attaches you to her own strings and controls you and before that happens, then I can not let her into any form of close proximity.
I need to make sure that something of the sort never happens." Consort Katashishime said as she continued and walked out of the room leaving Sina there on the ground right next to her Mistress.
"Your Highness." Sina said as she came closer and touched the Princess on her right shoulder.
The Princess turned around and looked at Sina who looked down.
"Why did you do that?" Princess Toyomike asked.
"SAKAE and the Empress are both suspicious." Sina replied.
"So what?" Princess Toyomike asked.
"You do not understand." Sina said.
"I am not afraid of those people." Princess Toyomike said.
"But Your mother is." Sina said.
"Is there something that I do not know?" Princess Toyomike asked curiously.
"I knew that I could not tell you in the first place because you would not believe me that is why when your mother approached me then I had no choice but to tell her the Truth." Sina replied.
"What happened?" Princess Toyomike asked.
"Apparently, I was walking past the Empress' quarters when I overheard her and Sakae talking about you." Sina replied.
"What did they say?" Princess Toyomike asked.
"The Empress' knows that something is going on in the palace but she can't put a finger on it." Sina replied.
"What happened?" Princess Toyomike asked.
"After the Crown Prince's attempted assassination on the night of his return into the capital, she received word that your maternal grandfather has gotten close to him. It is natural that he is planning something so the Empress has her eyes put on you in case something suspicious were to happen." Sina replied.
"It's not because I could be suspected for the Crown Prince's attempted assassination." Princess Toyomike said.
"Perhaps it is because Your Grandfather is up to something." Sina replied.
"What would my father be up to, to involve me in his schemes?" Princess Toyomike asked.
"Even I can't be certain but you and I are well aware how the Empress is very daring, I am very certain that she's already put people to watch you which is why you shouldn't leave the palace for the time being.
The Imperial Princess leaving the palace irregularly could spark off a series of rumours that could in her view damage the reputation of the Imperial family and worse she could use it as an opportunity to get rid of you." Sina replied.
"If she can not tie me to her own apron strings it is possible that she'd have me accused of treason." Princess Toyomike concluded.
"Which wouldn't be a surprise if she ably accused a six year old girl of assassination." Sina said.
"And it could in turn have an effect on mother's reputation and my own before the eyes of father." Princess Toyomike said.
"I understand that I might have displeased you but I found it necessary to inform an elder." Sina said. " One I could trust at that." She added.
"And as it seems the Empress herself couldn't be flawless." Princess Toyomike added.
Sina looked curious.
"What are you going to do?" Sina asked.
"I am going to beat her at her own game." Princess Toyomike replied.
"How?" Sina asked.
"Using guile." Princess Toyomike replied.
"Enlighten me." Sina said.
"If we can not defeat the Empress head on then she must give up on us willingly and the only way to do that is to let her see something useless on her side." Princess Toyomike replied with a ghastly smile on her face.
The Crown Prince Nunakakura entered his private Chambers only to find the Crown Princess seated right on his bed.
"Your Highness." The Crown Princess said as she stood up and ran towards her husband.
The Crown Prince raised his right hand and halted her.
She ceased at once and folded her hands before she could even hold him.
She bowed her head.
"There is no need for you to act nice before me." The Crown Prince said.
"Your Highness." The Crown Princess said.
"We have closely respected one another, I have given you children so there is nothing more that you should expect from me." The Crown Prince said.
"Your Highness, a children and a family are not things that can satisfy a married woman." The Crown Princess replied.
"And I care less of your complaints." The Crown Prince said as he walked past her and then stopped at the window where he stared at the evening sky.
"Your Highness, can your heart not even change even once towards me?" The Crown Princess asked.
"My marriage to you was out of filial piety without any other strings attached to it, as a wife you are my responsibility but they doesn't make you the person I most certainly long for and cherish.
I can't even once be moved or flattered standing right next to you, nor can I smile freely and lie that I am alright with your eyes staring into mine.
Without you life can be a continuation for me and something that is very smooth, without regret and remorse I'd drown myself in the duty of loving my people, my heart towards you shall always be nothing but a lifeless rock and a fruitless tree." The Crown Prince replied.
"No Your Highness." The Crown Princess said as she hugged the Crown Prince from behind.
"My heart is void with all the women in the inner court yourself inclusive, our matrimonial union came about as I felt obliged so expect nothing from me because to you my heart is something that I am unwilling to give." The Crown Prince said as he got hold of his wife's hands and then broke them apart.
At once, he turned around and walked out of the room leaving the Crown Princess there painfully looking at him as he made his departure.
The Crown Prince halted at the entrance of his Chambers where he met Miwa no Sakau.
"Your Highness." Miwa no Sakau said as he bowed his head.
"Watch Her Highness as long as you can, I don't think she is in a good enough mood right now." The Crown Prince said.
"Your Highness." Miwa no Sakau called.
"What is it?" The Crown Prince asked.
"Aren't you being too cruel offering kindness to her when you can never give her your heart?" Miwa no Sakau asked the Crown Prince.
"She is my wife after all, if I can not offer kindness even after crushing her, it's better for the rest of the world to at least feel she is so lucky rather find her to be quite pitiful a woman." The Crown Prince replied.
"If you say so Your Highness." Miwa no Sakau said as he bowed his head while the Crown Prince left the vicinity.
"Any news on the Imperial Princess?" Empress Ishi Hime asked Sakae.
"She hasn't left her quarters in a while for quite sometime." Sakae replied.
"How could that be?" The Empress asked.
"I got people from all over the palace to watch out for the Imperial Princess' movements but the only person who leaves and enters the Imperial Princess' quarters is her personal servant and guard Sina." Sakae replied.
"Are you certain that it was Sina and not the Imperial Princess who left the quarters?" The Empress asked.
"Yes, she has been tailed every time and her only destination has been a jewelry store in town." Sakae replied.
"I don't think so." The Empress said.
"Why so Your Highness?" Sakae asked.
"The Imperial Princess can't be that foolish and at the same time I doubt that she is that wise." The Empress replied.
"Do you mean to say that she is unpredictable Your Highness?" Sakae asked.
"For the time being I wouldn't overestimate her but that doesn't mean that I shouldn't keep a close eye out for her.
I think it is high time that we granted her the opportunity to act." The Empress said.
"How Your Highness?" Sakae asked.
"If she can prove to resist the path that I have laid out for her, she'll have shown me how conniving and smart she is, if she falls for it then I'll know that compared to Iname, she is in no way worthy to contend with my might." The Empress replied as she smiled ghastly.
Princess Toyomike sneaked out of her quarters through the back window, her face veiled with a long dark cloak and a sisal hat on her head.
Sina stepped out of the Princess's quarters from the front dressed in a similar attire and in a distance a couple of hedges away on the Southern side of the palace, someone stood there watching her.
She stealthily made her way around the Princess' quarters and was closely followed from behind.
The sooner that the Imperial Princess made her way out of the palace, Sina was followed through another exit where she jumped over the palace wall and landed outside.
Princess Toyomike was walking on the streets when all of a sudden, she halted in her footsteps when she caught sight of Jinsuke who was standing right in front of her.
For a while she was frightened and there she wondered whether she had been spotted coming out of the palace.
"Abe?" The Crown Prince called.
"Jinsuke." She replied as she walked up to him.
The Crown Prince walked up to her as he could tell those dark eyes even under the cape, it was quite evident he wasn't wrong in his judgement and according to the was that Abe had reacted, it was too late to pretend that he hadn't noticed his presence.
"What do you want?" Abe asked.
The Crown Prince stared at him still lost and short of words.
"Are you speechless?" Abe asked once again.
"I'd never expected to see you again." The Crown Prince replied.
"And so did I?" Abe said.
"Perhaps we'd talk in a better place." The Crown Prince requested.
Abe appeared to comply as the two eventually made it to the top of Kagu hill and they stood there as they beheld the city which was stationed in the valley below them.
"What is it that you wish to say to me?" Abe asked.
"Have you thought about what I had asked of you?" The Crown Prince asked.
"What about?" Abe asked.
"Could you consider putting yourself in my service?" The Crown Prince asked.
"No." Abe replied.
"Why?" The Crown Prince asked. " You must have a reason for your refusal." He added.
"What guarantee is there for me?" Abe asked.
"A guarantee?" The Crown Prince asked.
"You scholars, aspiring politicians are very cunning, once I'd be your very sword to do all the dirty work, at another time I am your shield to bear all your problems." Abe replied.
"To any good cause of the country, good men must be sacrificed." Jinsuke said.
"Even Innocents are sacrificed in vain, why not sacrifice yourself?" Abe asked.
"My country still needs me." The Crown Prince replied.
"Does it not need those Innocents that put their lives on the line?" Abe asked.
"Have you heard that those people that are in deed fated to meet always cross paths one way or another?" Jinsuke asked.
"So you'd imply that there is a future for me and you working altogether in alliance?" Abe asked.
"Has fate not brought us together more than three times?" Jinsuke replied.
"You'd consider it that it was just a coincidence, you saved my life the first time and I saved yours recently, what more is there for us to want from each other?" Abe asked.
The Crown Prince stepped in front of him and the two were face to face.
"I have a dream." The Crown Prince said.
"Could it be more grandiose than mine?" Abe asked.
"Perhaps, or it could even be the same." The Crown Prince replied.
"And what was in it?" Abe asked.
"A country prosperous, a people free, a nation so strong and a kingdom united without us being divided at all." Jinsuke replied.
"Mine was of a free Nippon, where the rich do not oppress the poor." Abe asked.
"And are we so far from a common goal, are our dreams too divergent or our motives to parallel?" Jinsuke asked.
"What is your definition of similarity?" Abe asked.
"Similar dreams, similar passions, similar visions and similar missions." Jinsuke replied. " Everything that we do, to the very people that we are, in our thoughts words and deeds, could we not share even the deepest sentimental feelings?" He added.
"It doesn't take that much effort for one to drift onto another course, I can not be certain that as I stick to that goal, your heart and mind shall still follow in the same direction." Abe said.
"Could my word not be enough?" Jinsuke asked.
"Someone can make promises that are empty and not fulfill them, tell you they love you and not mean it or show how willing they are to die for you when in the face of death, they'd be the first to abandon you." Abe replied.
"Could we not be different from other people?" Jinsuke asked.
"How can you guarantee that?" Abe asked. " Even I can't trust that I am entirely perfect when it comes to the way that I live, I can only be confident that I try way harder than all other people." he added.
"Can I not be like you, can I not try to even do it better than yourself?" Jinsuke asked.
"We are all victims, we know little of one another, I am not certain how powerful you are or what it is that is in your capabilities and the same goes for me towards you.
You can't learn to trust me and I can't do the same for you so how can we Foster an alliance, no, how can I be in your service?" Abe asked.
"Your faithfulness is of no use to me, because I consider that your unremitting smartness an all sufficient industry." Jinsuke replied.
"And if I am smart, that means that I am equally a threat to you, you'd dispose me off after all to keep your name clean and aren't you suspicious that I can at one point turn on you?" Abe said.
"You won't." Jinsuke replied.
"What makes you think that, after all, people change and we can never be constant like the direction of the sunrise and the sunset." Abe said.
"Unlike any normal people, at least you make an effort to be different, and could you love people all this time after all there is that they have done to you, certainly your devotion towards Nippon and it's people is something I am certain is unwavering." Jinsuke replied.
Abe walked towards the peach tree that was stationed right next to them and there she looked into the valley.
Beneath us there are people, when for me I could close my eyes and at the same time open them, I could see for myself a land full of very many souls lost and suffering.
I could drench all places in this land with my blood, Christen myself for an even greater responsibility that no other person like myself has done before.
My devotion towards this country as you have said is unwavering, to the extent that I could do so much more than just help you change it. I can't even tell you the dream of this fifteen year old here in Nippon as I suppose you'd all call me crazy as I see wisdom in my own ways." Abe said as he turned around and looked at the Crown Prince.
"Me and you are different people and that alone could at one point in time turn the both of us into enemies." He added.
"Perhaps I could prove you wrong Abe." Jinsuke said.
"I have nothing to lose on my side while you have too much." Abe said.
"Could you then tell me, is fostering an alliance impossible for the both of us?" Jinsuke asked.
"I didn't say that it is impossible, that was out of the question." Abe replied.
"And what was the question?" Jinsuke asked.
"Could it be a durable one?" Abe asked as he came close to the Crown Prince and looked him in the eyes.
The Crown Prince was silent.
"When you have acquired your answer and you can tell me, then the both of us shall meet again, if I can not get your guarantee or the answer that I want from you, as I told you we saved each other so we are even.
Devote your all and do what you can to help these people of the Nippon that I cherish while on the other hand, I'll also do what is in my power to do the same." Abe said as he touched the Crown Prince's right shoulder and patted it before walking away in the opposite direction.
The Crown Prince remained there gazing at the city in the valley, a beautiful view from the top of Kagu hill he could clearly hear the bustle rising from the ground beneath.
"Your Highness." Sakae entered the Empress' personal quarters where she was seated with the High Priestess while playing a game of chess.
"What is it this time?" The Empress asked.
"The Imperial Princess made her move." Sakae replied.
"You've been tailing the wrong person all along." The Empress said.
The High Priestess and Sakae were quite surprised by what she had said.
"Excuse me Your Highness." Sakae said.
"Yes." The Empress said.
"How is that possible your Highness?" Sakae asked.
"Make a noise in the North and attack from the South." The Empress replied.
"So you are saying....." The High Priestess said as she was halted by the Empress.
"Isn't it curious enough that Everytime you are tailing Sina and she visits the same place over and over again?" The Empress asked.
"I didn't think about it Your Highness." Sakae said as she bowed her head.
"Of course you wouldn't, who would, you all let your guards down the moment that Sina walks out of the Imperial Princess' quarters but none of you bother to stay and watch a little bit longer for the Imperial Princess." The Empress replied as she continued playing her game.
"Forgive me Your Highness, I am incompetent." Sakae said.
"You overestimate the Imperial Princess." The High Priestess said.
"You underestimate her." The Empress said.
"So where could the Imperial Princess be?" The High Priestess asked.
"From the first time I had my suspicions that she was always out of the Palace but now I have certainly confirmed it that the Imperial Princess has her own hidden agenda behind the palace walls." The Empress replied.
"What?" The High Priestess asked.
"Yes." The Empress replied.
"How sure can we be Your Highness?" The High Priestess asked.
"It is important that we know right now, if we can not learn about who exactly it is that the Imperial Princess is meeting outside the palace then we need to know the likely people outside the palace, inside or outside the Imperial court that are out at that time of her absentia." The Empress replied.
"Your Highness." Sakae said.
"I want you to tell Hinote to make sure he puts people to surveil every member of the Imperial family and the Imperial court as long as they are within the capital, find out which ones of them come in contact with Sina or the Imperial Princess.
Untill we learn who they are, we'll be able to learn of the Imperial Princess' plans and what she is up to." The Empress replied.
"Yes Your Highness." Sakae said as she bowed her head and then withdrew from the room.
"Is everything ready?" Princess Toyomike asked Sina.
"Yes Your Highness." Sina replied.
Princess Toyomike got an envelope and then handed it over to Sina.
"Make sure that you deliver that letter to General Fujiyaro in secret and should anyone attack you for it, protect it's contents and fight for it with your life, if you have been cornered then just destroy it." Princess Toyomike ordered.
"Yes." Sina replied as she took hold of the letter from the Imperial Princess in her possession.
She sneaked out of Imperial Princess' quarters in the dark of night and then she made her way through the palace backyard her face veiled with a sisal cape and black silk fabric.
She walked through the streets until eventually, she was headed to the General's manor.
She kept on looking behind herself stealthily trying to make sure that there was no one following her until eventually, she was able to make it to the General's manor.
"Halt." The guards at the entrance of the manor halted her.
"Identify yourself." One of the guards ordered Sina.
"I am here to see the General." Sina replied as she kept her face veiled.
"Who are you?" The guard continued asking.
"It doesn't matter who I am but your General is expecting me right now." Sina replied.
"Unless you identify yourself, there is no audience for you with the General." The other guard said.
"Then call out his entire private army, if I do not penetrate through you all or die trying then I shall have brought disgrace upon my mistress." Sina said.
"Hahahaha." The guards laughed.
"Penetrate us all." One of them said.
"Quite funny and courageous of you young woman." The other replied.
"I have no intention to fight you but if you can not inform Your Master that I am here for an audience with him then you'll leave me no choice." Sina said.
"Bring it on Young girl." One of the guards said.
Sina unsheathed her own sword and then pointed it towards one of the guards.
"Halt." A sudden deep voice said and everyone turned around to see who it was.
Fujiyaro had stepped into sight and he hadn't changed much as he still looked to nearly be in his mid thirties and was very handsome and energetic.
Sina returned her sword into her sheath and then knelt down in front of the General.
"Greetings my Lord." Sina said.
"What is it?" Fujiyaro asked.
"I have a message for You Milord." Sina replied.
"Rise and come in with me." Fujiyaro replied as he got hold of Sina by both her hands and helped her to her feet.
"Thank you Milord." Sina said as she was led inside the manor by the General.
The two entered the General's study and the General closed the doors behind himself.
"What is it?" Fujiyaro asked.
Sina removed her cape and veil as she looked at the General while she pulled from her clothes the letter that she had carried in her possession.
"I convey this message to you Milord." Sina said as she handed over the envelope to the General Fujiyaro who took it into his hands and opened it.
He pulled from it a piece of cream parchment which he unfolded to read what had been indicated on it.
"What is this?" Fujiyaro asked.
"Yes." Sina said. "Her Highness wishes to have a word with you tomorrow at the Silver Spring Tea house." She added.
"On this matter?" Fujiyaro asked.
"Yes." Sina replied as she bowed her head.
"Very well then." Fujiyaro said. " Tell her that I'll be honored." He added.
"I shall Milord." Sina replied.
"You may leave." Fujiyaro said.
"Yes, Milord." Sina replied as she put on her cape and veil.
At once, Sina set out from the General's manor and she returned to the palace.
"What?" The Empress asked.
"Yes Your Highness." Sakae replied. " Hinote replied saying that his men caught sight of Sina leaving the palace." She added.
"When?" The Empress asked.
"Last night." Sakae replied.
"Where was she headed at such an irregular hour?" The Empress asked.
"General Fujiyaro's Manor." Sakae replied.
"What?" The Empress said quite surprised.
"What for?" She asked.
"I am not sure Your Highness but whatever it is it must be something big as Hinote reported that Sina was delivering a message to the General." Sakae replied.
"Why would the Princess be involved with a military general let alone one of the Emperor's most trusted ones." The Empress asked.
"I don't know Your Highness." Sakae said.
"I wasn't asking you." The Empress said.
"Pardon me Your Highness." Sakae said.
"There is no need for you to apologise." The Empress said. " After all, given that Sina delivered a message at an irregular hour it means that it is a very vital issue.
If the issue is vital then I am certain it can not be dealt with on a simple piece of paper so the two are bound to meet in person." She added.
"What should I do Your Highness?" Sakae asked.
"We needn't be hasty in our decision as it seems that there is so much more to the Imperial Princess than what we think.
Inform Hinote and his men to keep a very close watch on both the General and the Imperial Princess and find out what it is that the two are up to as soon as possible.
If there is nothing serious going on then we shall come up with something serious to pin on them." The Empress replied.
"Yes Your Highness." Sakae said as she withdrew from The Empress' presence.
"What could you be up to Toyomike?" The Empress asked herself.
