17 CHAPTER FIFTEEN
The Princess was applauded by the audience as she watched the Crown Prince and her eyes appeared teary.
The Crown Prince couldn't have seen it, her face was safe under the golden mask and the Princess intended to keep it that way.
He stared at the dancer who led the rest of the troupe away as the rest of the guests resumed their business.
The Crown Princess noticed how her husband had stared at the Dancer with great interest and before she was content with what to feel about the situation, the Crown Prince stood up.
"Where are you going?" The Emperor asked his son.
"I'll be back father, I need to excuse myself briefly." The Crown Prince replied.
"You just got here." The Emperor said.
"I was caught up with a lot of work at the office of Finances." The Crown Prince replied as he walked away while the rest of the guests were too distracted to notice.
"Who was that?" The Empress heard a few Princes talking amongst themselves.
"It's the Imperial Princess Toyomike." Prince Tachibana replied.
The Empress was confused.
The Crown Prince followed the troupe that was stationed behind the palace and there he caught sight of a few of the members.
Noticing that amongst them the lead dancer was absent he drew closer and one of the dancers turned to him.
"Your Highness." She said as she bowed her head and by instinct the rest of the dancers present followed her example.
"Rise." The Crown Prince said and they complied.
"How may we be of service to Your Highness?" The dancer asked.
"Where is the lead dancer?" The Crown Prince asked.
"She...." The dancer was about to reply but she became hesitant.
"What's with her?" The Crown Prince asked.
"She....." The dancer said stutteringly that the Crown Prince was fed up and he exploded in anger.
"Are you going to talk or should I make you?" The Crown Prince yelled.
"Your Highness, please contain your anger." The dancers said in unison as they all fell to their knees and it was at that point that the Crown Prince realized he had entirely lost it.
"Your Highness." Another voice suddenly intervened.
At once the Crown Prince turned around and faced the direction in which the sound had come from.
Behind him a very thick shadow had been cast as night had completely fallen over the country but nonetheless he could still behold a silhouette identical to the form of the woman he had seen performing in the courtyard.
"You." The Crown Prince said.
The silhouette came closer and closer until it stepped in the moonlight to reveal the very lead dancer herself that the Crown Prince was so desperate to see.
"Are you looking for me Your Highness." Princess Toyomike asked her face still veiled by the golden mask.
"Yes." The Crown Prince replied as he walked closer to the Princess but she set her foot behind which was an indicator to the Crown Princess that she was unwilling to come into close proximity with him.
He halted at the sight.
"What is it that His Highness wants from me?" Princess Toyomike asked.
"I wished to see you for myself." The Crown Prince replied.
"Was it thanks to my performance that I have been graced with your presence?" Princess Toyomike asked.
"Perhaps, one can say I am curious because you were very little the last time that I saw you." The Crown Prince replied.
"My apologies Your Highness, you'd understand that I am a girl who is young and unmarried." Princess Toyomike said.
"What has that got to do with seeing your face?" The Crown Prince asked.
"It's natural that I am shy, I am not that beautiful and I have known no man in my life, I could be heavily punished by the Empress if I were to let you glance at me in Private and I am certain that I could be additionally greatly reprimanded by all members of the inner court." The Princess replied.
"You'd stand noticed among courtiers and roam the palace unhidden amongst your servants." The Crown Prince said.
"In this context it is a formal occasion." The Princess replied.
"Who doesn't know about the striking beauty of the Imperial Princess of Nara, her grace that makes her surpassingly lovely amongst all women in the land and the joy of the Emperor himself?" The Crown Prince asked.
Toyomike was speechless.
"Forgive me Your Highness but I must attend to the guests." The Princess replied as she turned around and then walked away.
The Crown Prince desperate followed and held the Princess on her right shoulder and dragging her he was very determined to pull off her mask.
In retaliation the Princess turned around the very moment that the Crown Prince tightened his grip on the mask and pulling it off she was already running away with her hair covering her face she abandoned the golden mask in the Crown Prince's grip.
"Your Highness." The Crown Prince shouted after her but she hurriedly vanished as she negotiated a corner.
The Crown Prince ready to pursue halted the moment someone summoned him.
"Your Highness." Miwa no Sakau called that he was forced to turn around and look at him.
"What is it?" The Crown Prince asked.
"The Emperor demands that you return to the feast immediately." Miwa no Sakau replied.
The Crown Prince stared at the golden mask, a memento of the Princess in his hand before he turned and looked at Sakau.
"Your Highness, is that.....?" Miwa no Sakau asked as he was immediately interrupted when the Crown Prince replied at once.
"Yes." He said as the rest of the dancers swiftly walked away. "It is her mask." The Crown Prince added.
"Hmm." Miwa no Sakau muttered.
"Let's go." The Crown Prince said.
"And the mask Your Highness, everyone will be curious if you are the one in possession of it and not the lead dancer herself." Miwa no Sakau said.
"You're right." The Crown Prince recalled.
He handed over the mask to Miwa no Sakau who looked at him surprised.
"Your Highness, what should I do with it?" Miwa no Sakau asked.
"Keep it safely for me, I'll collect it later." The Crown Prince replied.
"Aye, Your Highness." Miwa no Sakau replied as he bowed his head and took the golden mask from the Crown Prince's hands.
The Crown Prince then walked back to the courtyard where everyone else was gathered and Miwa no Sakau in possession of the golden mask followed him closely from behind.
"What took you so long?" The Emperor asked as the Crown Prince sat down right next to his mother.
"Something came up father." The Crown Prince replied.
"As long as you are now back." The Emperor said.
"Where is the Princess?" The Empress suddenly asked.
The Emperor looked around and seemed to notice her absentia.
"It seems everyone has become so immersed in the festivities that they forgot all about the host." The Emperor said.
"She has been out of sight ever since she concluded her performance." The Empress said.
"Perhaps something urgent came up." Consort Katashishime said.
"What could it be?" The Empress asked and at that very incident Sina walked up to the Imperial family.
"Your Majesty." She said as she bowed her head, "Your Highnesses." she added as she bowed to all the others present.
"What is it Sina?" Consort Katashishime asked.
"Her Highness shall not make it for the rest of the festivities." Sina replied loud enough that the officials and the Princes that were close to the Emperor heard her clearly.
"The Princess won't make it?" The Emperor asked.
"Yes, Your Majesty." Sina replied.
"What is the matter with her?" The Empress asked.
"Please pardon Her Highness for her impertinance organizing such a grandiose ceremony and not primarily being apart of it.
She hasn't been in good health recently but she hoped to give back to the members of the Royal household this year by throwing such an event to let them enjoy themselves and additionally ease the burdens of both His Majesty and His Highness by relaxing and bringing the Imperial family together.
She put in her tireless efforts in arranging the dance and preparing it herself as a gift to appease all of you but sadly after the performance her body has succumbed to the fatigue and she passed out not so long ago.
She rests in her chamber while being tended to by the Royal physician." Sina replied.
"What?" The Emperor said as he stood up.
"Forgive me Your Majesty." Sina said as she fell down on her knees. "it was Her Highness' order and she didn't let anyone know of her illness, I am to be blamed of endangering her life." She added.
"Rise." The Emperor ordered and at once Sina stood up.
"You were only following orders and the Princess is perhaps too considerate and caring that she'd put her life on the line for us all." The Emperor said.
"Thank you Your Majesty." Sina said as she stood up and bowed her head to the Emperor.
"Let the festivities continue as planned, take me to her Highness." The Emperor said.
"Yes Your Majesty." Sina replied as she moved aside and led the Emperor away while the courtiers and the Princes along with all the other guests who had gathered at the party murmured amongst themselves and were entertained by another Troupe of dancers.
The Emperor entered the Imperial Princess's Chambers and beheld her lying on the bed with the Royal physician tending to her.
"Your Majesty." The Royal physician said upon noticing the Emperor's presence in the room.
"Be at ease." The Emperor said.
"Thank you Your Majesty." The Royal physician replied.
"Tell me, what is wrong with the Princess?" The Emperor asked.
"Her Highness overworked herself the past couple of days and has barely slept or eaten well all this time, she is stressed out as it is and it's natural that she'd pass out, it's nothing serious." The Royal physician replied.
"That's a relief." The Emperor said as he sighed while looking at the Princess who lay unconscious in her bed.
The Empress and the High Priestess barged into her private quarters furiously as she sat down and the High Priestess lowered herself to her side.
"Calm down Your Highness." The High Priestess said as the Empress leaned on her right hand and massages her temples.
"Sakae." She called.
"Yes Your Highness." Sakae rushed in as she bowed her head.
"I am stressed out." The Empress said.
"I'll see to it." Sakae replied as she made her exit.
"Your Highness, reserve your fury." The High Priestess said.
"I have." The Empress replied.
"The look on your face says otherwise." The High Priestess said.
"Then would you prefer if I vented it out on the things within this room because if it is to shatter the mirrors and throw a tantrum then I am very good at that." The Empress said.
"No Your Highness." The High Priestess replied.
"It never occurred to me that her Highness was this smart." The Empress said.
"Your Highness, I am curious." the High Priestess said.
"Can you find it in yourself to comprehend my thoughts?" The Empress asked.
"Compared to you, I am not fit." The High Priestess replied.
"Do you seek my enlightenment?" The Empress asked.
"Very much Your Highness, I need it." The High Priestess replied.
"You must be wondering what exactly the Princess was up to and what her achievement this evening was." The Empress said.
"Yes." The High Priestess affirmed.
"I am awed and I couldn't see it for myself, what had been the very trap that she had laid for herself was the very staircase on which she ascended." The Empress said.
"Are you saying that she turned peril into aid?" The High Priestess asked.
"She deed exceedingly more than that." The Empress replied.
"I only find her to be disrespectful unable to host an event she arranged." The High Priestess said.
"At this point the courtiers are impressed by her and as it is, her actions of persistence and kindness have only proven to be second to none." The Empress said.
"What makes you say that Your Highness?" The High Priestess asked.
"Come to think of it, she risked her life despite not being in good health to arrange such an important festival out of her care towards the Emperor and her reward towards the service of her people.
She has proven to be religiously upright putting herself at the forefront to appease the gods and fulfill their will and above all, she presented herself with such dignity and virtue, saw to it that her filial piety was invincible.
Very soon rumour would conflict with her winning over the hearts of many with this charm as she'd be the Princess driven by passion and not ambition and one can even say that she is dutiful which is a character that portrays the will of submission of any woman.
She'd also be the reward to the best and most capable suitor so it's important not to undermine the fact that in her dance, she reminded us all of the immeasurable grace of the women of Nara." The Empress replied.
"Either way, as of now the image she has created for herself could turn the tide and even entirely extinguish the fury of the Princes towards her." The High Priestess said.
"Most awfully for us it could win her the hearts of many including the very Princes themselves." The Empress said.
"She is quite brilliant your Highness, turning the tide with one unpredictable stroke she was able to crack our diamond plan." The High Priestess said.
"It's hard to believe but judging by the way that things are moving, this Princess I do fear that in a short while from now, she might on our side become a very great for." The Empress said her face suddenly overcome by worry.
"I have proved beyond doubt that the Princess in nature is in deed too wise." Iname said to his son as they walked through the gardens inside his manor.
"Father, as it is the rumors travelling about at such intense speeds are changing in the Princess's favour." Umako said.
"Who wouldn't admire the filial, kind, generous and gracious Princess, I mean unlike all the other Royals none has been known to create such a standard for themselves and that alone gives her the hearts of many." Iname replied.
"In deed, even her closest people at this point could give her the assurance of unwavered devotion that she'd come to create for herself a class of supporters to call her own people." Iname said.
"Father?" Umako called so surprised on hearing what he had spoken.
"I am certain that with my absence the Empress is convinced that I am on the edge of my own grave and now given that the Princess has acted and become prominent enough I think it is high time that we cast the final Stone and hoped that it's ripple would be wide." Iname said.
"Yes Father." Umako replied as the two of them smiled while walking inside.
"Impossible." The Crown Prince said.
"What is it Your Highness?" Miwa no Sakau asked.
"I talked to the Imperial Princess and she seemed fine to me, on top of that she performed with such ease that it was hard to tell she had any problem at all." The Crown Prince replied.
"You heard her personal guard and servant, she was only acting fine yet in actual sense, she wasn't doing well, it is possible that she passed out as soon as she finished talking to you." Miwa no Sakau said.
"Yes, that's also a possibility." The Crown Prince finally agreed.
"Your Highness." Miwa no Sakau called.
"What is it?" The Crown Prince asked.
"The mask." Miwa no Sakau replied as he handed over the golden mask that the Crown Prince had given to him.
The Crown Prince looked at the mask for a moment and then appeared to be quite hesitant to take it into his possession.
Eventually, he got a hold of it and then looked at it as he examined its intricate designs and feature.
He could at that moment not help it but admire the spirals and the floral designs.
"It is quite strange." The Crown Prince said.
"How strange Your Highness?" Miwa no Sakau asked.
"I felt very familiar with the dancers, and when she turned around, she reminded me of Abe." The Crown Prince replied.
"I don't think that's an explanation, perhaps it's because she's the Princess." Miwa no Sakau said.
"Most likely but I can't help it." The Crown Prince said. "Watching her perform was enough to calm me down and for a moment I certainly couldn't regret the reason why I had turned up." He added.
"I told you your Highness, the Princess is well known to be captivating not only in her beauty but her character as well." Miwa no Sakau said.
"Perhaps she really is." The Crown Prince concluded. "she really is quite strange." he added
"Your Majesty." Sato said as the Emperor sat down in his bed.
"I suppose the rumours running around are entirely different right now." The Emperor said.
"Yes Your Majesty." Sato report.
"Was it not the grace, the filial piety and the virtue of the Imperial Princess that has won them over?" The Emperor asked.
"It is Your Majesty." Sato replied.
"I can't expect the courtiers and other officials to now point fingers at her when the court sits, they're all rather endeared to her including the Princes themselves who would naturally feel challenged by her actions." The Emperor said.
"Her Highness is in deed very smart." Sato said.
"I can barely believe that she has grown up this fast." The Emperor said.
"Forgive me if I say this Your Majesty." Sato said.
"No need, you are free to speak your mind." The Emperor said.
"In my opinion, her wisdom and the way that she conducts herself, she takes after Your Majesty more than any of your sons." Sato said.
"My sons all have got flaws of their own and her one and only flaw is that she is a woman." The Emperor said.
"Why Your Majesty?" Sato asked.
"Compared to all my son's, had she been a boy then I would have been proud and confident while handing the throne over to her." The Emperor replied.
Days passed and the Princess walking through the Royal gardens halted when she stood near the pond.
She was lost in her thoughts and judging by the expression on her face, she was very distraught.
"Sina." She called her.
"Yes Your Highness." Sina replied as she walked up to her and left Kabane at a distance.
"How are the guards?" Princess Toyomike asked.
"Everything is as planned, they have trained well enough." Sina replied.
"That's good enough, they could be quite competent in the future." Princess Toyomike said.
"Yes in deed, they all could be the very best." Sina said. "but Your Highness, I have come to notice with my own eyes at this moment that you do not seem fine." She added.
"All I have had these past few days is bed rest, it's natural that I'd get fed up of it and bored." The Princess replied.
"Your Highness, I do not mean to pry but I have served you nearly all my life, I know you very well and you seem bothered by something." Sina said.
"Perhaps I am just surprised." Princess Toyomike replied.
"Your mood has been unlively since the festival all those nights ago, I have noticed with concern that you have entirely abstained from leaving the palace like you usually do." Sina said.
"Perhaps I was betrayed." Princess Toyomike replied.
"By whom Your Highness?" Sina asked. "your reputation isn't at stake and you are only more popular at the moment." she added.
"You wouldn't know but all this time, I was foolishly ignorant and I could have perhaps been fooled by fate to unfortunately be drawn to the Empress." Princess Toyomike replied.
"I am confused Your Highness." Sina said.
"It's natural for you to be but I am certain that with time you'll come to know the reason as to why I am lowly." Princess Toyomike replied.
"Aye Your Highness, you'll tell me when you are ready." Sina said.
"Let's go back to my quarters." Princess Toyomike said as she offered Sina her left hand and she took it up and the two walked back followed by the Princess's palace maids and Kabane himself.
The Crown Princess entered the Crown Prince's office.
"Your Highness." Miwa no Sakau called her but she didn't halt in her footsteps as she walked up to her husband.
"It's alright." The Crown Prince said to Miwa no Sakau who ceased at that point.
"Excuse us." The Crown Princess told her closest Palace maid Hotaru who withdrew.
"You can leave as well." The Crown Prince told Miwa no Sakau who complied as well living the two inside.
"What brings you here?" The Crown Prince asked his Princess.
"You haven't stayed at the palace these past few nights, it's natural that as Your wife I be worried." The Crown Princess replied.
"I was caught up with a lot of work." The Crown Prince said.
"How long do you plan to drown yourself in all this work?" The Crown Princess asked.
"You'd know better that above all things there is nothing that I find more important than the welfare of the monarchy, I must ensure the most accurate accountability especially when it comes to planning the Royal expenditure." The Crown Prince said.
"You and I both know that is not the only reason." The Crown Princess said.
"You've heard me right." The Crown Prince said.
"I suppose you wouldn't mind then if I were to bring with me my maids and we might as well turn this office into our residence." The Crown Princess said.
"I understand that you are concerned but I have made it clear a number of times before that I never asked for any of it." The Crown Prince said.
"It doesn't matter any more." The Crown Princess said.
"I told you that my heart feels nothing when I am with you." The Crown Prince said.
"And I also told you that I do not intend on giving up on you." The Crown Princess said.
"And you have heard that liberty." The Crown Prince said.
"I fail to understand why you still can't open up to me, I have put in so much effort in sustaining this marriage that it feels like I am the only one that is trying to keep it together." The Crown Princess said.
"That was a decision that you made on your own, you knew it very well in the first place and I had in deed told you a number of times that we might be married but I intend on protecting my privacy." The Crown Prince defended.
"Can you for once in your life treat me as Your most legal wife?" The Crown Princess asked.
"Should I laud you for that?" The Crown Prince asked.
"I'm not asking for too much." The Crown Princess replied.
"That's exactly what you are asking for." The Crown Prince said.
"I am not content." The Crown Princess said.
"That's your problem and not mine, you still have a life to devote to raising our children and on the other hand I have one to devote to the welfare of my people." The Crown Prince said.
"Aren't I one of them?" The Crown Princess asked.
"You have had more of me than anyone else, it is time that other people had the chance as well." The Crown Prince replied as he stood up from his seat and walked past the Crown Princess.
Before the Crown Prince would go any further, she turned around and held him by his right hand.
"Please." The Crown Princess requested her eyes getting teary.
"I have exhausted my sympathies on you long enough, don't keep holding onto me any longer because you shall only hurt yourself." The Crown Prince said.
"It's alright for me and I do not care whether you have feelings for me or not, whether you have someone else in your heart, that won't at any one point in my entire life stop me from loving you." The Crown Princess said.
"Then do as you will and I'll also work according to that which is mine." The Crown Prince said as he broke free from the Crown Princess's grip and left her inside the office alone.
The Crown Princess fell to the ground as she wept bitterly.
"Your Highness." Miwa no Sakau said the moment that he saw the Crown Prince stepping out of the office.
"Let's go." The Crown Prince ordered.
"Where to Your Highness?" Miwa no Sakau asked.
"Kagu hill." The Crown Prince replied.
"Again?" Miwa no Sakau asked.
"Yes." The Crown Prince replied.
"I don't understand, it's been a week yet you go there every afternoon." Miwa no Sakau said.
"I am always waiting for someone." The Crown Prince replied.
"What if they don't turn up Your Highness?" Miwa no Sakau asked.
"Then I'll wait there everyday that'll go by, until the very moment that I breathe my last, never to stop until the person that I am waiting for turns up." The Crown Prince replied.
"Very well then Your Highness." Miwa no Sakau said.
"Let's go." The Crown Prince ordered as he led the way out of the office.
Hotaru who was standing not so far from the Crown Prince and his retainer was able to eavesdrop the entire conversation.
A while later, a distraught and heartbroken appearance stepped out of the Crown Prince's office and Hotaru rushed over towards her.
"Your Highness." Hotaru said as she bowed her head.
"Let's return to the palace." The Crown Princess ordered.
"Your Highness, could you have any idea where the Crown Prince is going to?" Hotaru asked.
"How could I, he is less interested in telling me about his travels." The Crown Princess replied.
"A while ago I was able to eavesdrop his conversation with Miwa no Sakau." Hotaru said.
The Crown Princess turned to her and looked so curious.
"Where to?" The Crown Princess asked.
"Kagu hill." Hotaru replied.
"Kagu Hill?" The Crown Princess asked.
"Yes." Hotaru confirmed.
"Do you know who he was going to meet?" The Crown Princess asked.
Hotaru looked down.
"Pardon me Your Highness, I don't." She replied.
The Crown Princess sighed.
"Why does it matter, it's better if we go back to the Palace." The Crown Princess said.
"Aye Your Highness." Hotaru replied as the two walked away.
Princess Toyomike was staring through the window as she recalled Jinsuke and the Crown Prince, putting their faces together she was unable to draw a distinction which was something that she was entirely afraid of.
She blamed herself for being a monster, she had started to feel something towards Jinsuke but at that point in time it was entirely useless given the fact that the Crown Prince's mother and her own were never on good terms.
The two had long been antagonistic forces even in their marriage and they had entirely devoted their all to discredit one another and win favour before the Emperor himself.
The thought of it alone was enough to give the Princess a headache.
"No." She said to herself. "It can not be." She added as she remembered his words, the very sweet words that he had said to her.
"How could we Foster an alliance upon this ground when we both lied to one another, how can we work together towards the common good of the people when in nature we are enemies.
How can we treasure one another when we are conflicting in our backgrounds and even worse I fear the most that between me and you, you already belong to someone else and I am unwilling to share you with any other woman." The Princess said to herself as she leaned over her window.
The Princess recalled Jinsuke's words.
"When you have acquired your answer and you can tell me, then both of us shall meet." Jinsuke had said.
"I have my answer." The Princess replied as she walked over to her trunk and then opened it to pull out her cheap boyish attire.
She stared at it and looked pretty much determined to meet the Crown Prince at last.
The Crown Prince stood at the top of Kagu Hill with Miwa no Sakau by his side, there under the shade of the peach tree he looked at the vast expanse of the Capital and the people within it.
All of a sudden, he heard a horse neighing and turned around to see Are approaching him on a fine red stead.
It halted and Abe stepped down from it as the Crown Prince looked at him a bit surprised and amazed.
Abe approached him and then stood right beside him.
"I hope you did not wait too long." Abe said.
"For your answer it did not really matter how long I had to wait." Jinsuke replied.
"And here I am." Abe said.
"I suppose you have finally come to a conclusion." Jinsuke said.
"Certainly." Abe replied.
The two turned to look at the City once again.
"Oh what a splendid view of Yamato." Jinsuke said.
"It really is quite marvellous." Abe replied.
"I'd been here often since young and at first I had never really noticed how important this view was to me." Jinsuke said.
"Beauty, importance, all these are qualities that can only be found in the visage of the beholder." Abe said.
"Does it matter?" Jinsuke asked.
"For me, everything in the world there is for me to see, to feel, taste, smell and hear, it matters to me." Abe replied.
"And yet I hold such grandiose plans for this country, such marvellous dreams and on top of that a magnificent paradise." Jinsuke said.
"Seeing is not enough Young Master, the question is how much of it are you going to fulfill?" Abe asked.
"I'll be frank in telling you, whatever it really takes, as long as I can still walk this earth." Jinsuke replied.
"We are all men after all, you and I are one in the same and yet we see things differently." Abe said.
"How differently?" Jinsuke asked.
"You personally wish to get rid of all the flaws that make Nippon imperfect in nature, on the other hand, I want to change them into the most beautiful designs." Abe replied.
"Some people are beyond redemption and for the welfare of the country, it is better off without them." Jinsuke said.
"But they deserve a chance, you never know the last window you open can be their way to redemption." Abe said.
"Then could you agree to take on that task of redeeming them for me?" Jinsuke asked.
"Remember what I told you last time, that even I have thoughts of my own and plans that are distinct from yours." Abe asked.
"Yes." Jinsuke replied.
"This might sound out of line and in a way it may seem like I am quite foolish but if you are unwilling to hear me out then I can shut my mouth and never let it escape from my heart." Abe said.
"Feel free to tell me, I give you my word that I won't take it personal." Jinsuke replied.
"My only way to good grace, my only path to finding peace and my only light shining in this Nippon comes from my will, my will to perhaps devour this Nippon and where I can to possess it." Abe replied.
Jinsuke smiled.
"Everyone could perhaps desire that." He said and it struck Abe that Jinsuke had misunderstood him.
"To possess Nippon, why not start by possessing me?" The Crown Prince asked.
"I can't." Abe replied.
"Why?" Jinsuke asked.
"Could I look at you, hold your hand, call you a dear compeer of mine when our fate is uncertain and we can never have an alliance.
When between us the people we love and hold dear are irreconcilable foes and surrounding us are men with varying expectations from each one of us individually?" Abe asked.
"You indirectly mean to revoke my request for an alliance." Jinsuke said.
"It occurred to me recently that it's an impossibility." Abe replied.
"Why?" Jinsuke asked.
"My service rests with the faithful, we have all been wonderful liars to one another so that is an honour that we do not deserve, if we couldn't be true right now in the present, would we not be contenders in the near future?" Abe asked.
"That doesn't matter." Jinsuke said as he turned and held Abe on his shoulders.
"What if I possessed you, what if I made you one of my people, a man on my right, a brain and heart of mine?" Jinsuke asked.
"You won't." Abe replied as he looked the Crown Prince in the eyes. "For this alone shall be the last day you shall see this Abe, the last day that you shall recognize him, and the last day that you shall know him." Abe replied as he freed himself from the grip of the Crown Prince and set foot towards his stead.
He had barely moved two feet when Miwa no Sakau screamed.
"Your Highness, watch out." He said and Abe looking in his direction beheld an arrow flying first towards her she barely had the time to react.
It struck the hair band on her head and turning around to look at the Crown Prince herself overwhelmed by worry she was calm seeing the arrow had passed them both.
She had not noticed her hair breaking free from its hold it fell very long over her shoulders up to the edge of her back.
The Crown Prince staring at him was surprised as the picture came clear before his eyes.
At that point it was very difficult for Abe to hide it any more as Miwa no Sakau himself froze like his master upon realising it that all that time, the Abe they had thought to be a young boy was a very beautiful and charming young woman.
