18 CHAPTER SIXTEEN
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.
"Abe?" The Crown Prince called as he decided to walk over and come closer to Abe.
The Imperial Princess feeling uncomfortable hurriedly climbed the stead that she had gone to the hill with.
At once the Princess rode away as she heard the Crown Prince shouting and calling her male name from behind.
"Miwa no Sakau." The Crown Prince called.
"What is it Your Highness?" Miwa no Sakau asked.
"Get me a stead." The Crown Prince said.
"You didn't come with any." Miwa no Sakau said.
The Crown Prince looking around right next to him he saw a horse that was tied to a carriage.
At once the Crown Prince rushed over to the carriage.
"What are You doing Your Highness?" Miwa no Sakau asked.
"Help me untie the horse." The Crown Prince ordered.
"Your Highness." Miwa no Sakau called.
"Do not worry, we shall return it." The Crown Prince said.
"It's still not a good thing." Miwa no Sakau said as he untied the back straps that were connected to the horse.
"I wasn't asking." The Crown Prince said as he climbed up onto the horse and then rode it away.
"Your Highness." Miwa no Sakau called.
"I'll meet you at the office." The Crown Prince shouted as he vanished around the nearby hedge.
The Princess having ridden the horse for a long time without being followed by anyone had slowed down.
She was still lost in her thoughts as she recalled her final meeting with the Crown Prince.
All of a sudden she heard the neighing of another horse and she was forced to look behind in the direction where it was coming from.
At once, she beheld the Crown Prince riding towards her on a black stead raising the dust before him it was faster than she had ever seen all her life.
"Giddy up." She shouted as she struck her stead and forced it to go further, as they negotiated a corner and while descending into the valley she'd hoped to lose him.
"Abe." The Crown Prince shouted. "Halt." He added as he went faster and faster.
The Princess more determined than ever to lose him diverted from the main path as she made her entrance into the nearby forest.
The Crown Prince equally determined not to lose her followed her inside and the two raced through the trees at very high speeds.
The Princess could see every log that was fallen on the ground and tightening her grip on the reins that steered her horse, she went for the leaps one by one leaving the Crown Prince behind.
The Crown Prince persisted on top of being impressed that the young girl he was after was such a talented horsewoman.
He smiled a bit as he turned around and took a shortcut.
The Princess more aware of the woods given that she had already spent all her life growing in the Capital knew what he was after so she also took another shortcut.
Riding for long in the opposite direction it was a matter of time and the Crown Prince noticing that he could be losing his target adjusted quickly.
The Princess's freedom was short lived when the Crown Prince caught up to her immediately.
He seemed to get closer than she had expected so she branched off instantly as her stead halted and made a quick turn around.
The Crown Prince was left to stare as the Princess rode past her while his horse taking a bit longer to turn around in pursuit, the Princess went deeper into the thicker parts of the forest.
The Crown Prince arriving at the spot where the Princess had vanished stopped for a while and noticed that he wasn't hearing any neighing from around.
He looked but he couldn't see anything while the Princess herself had hidden with her stead as she caressed it's head to calm it down and prevent it from making any noise to alert the Crown Prince.
The Crown Prince satisfied that she could have gone further rode away and there the Princess remained with her stead as she leaned against one of the trees.
Her mind was lost in thoughts.
"He knows me." She whispered to herself as she ceased her head by her temples.
She seemed to recall everything that had happened and the way that the Crown Prince had looked at her the moment he realized that she was a woman.
The horse neighed.
"I never thought that fate could in deed be this cruel." The Princess said to herself. "why of all people in the world does my heart feel strange when I remember him." She added.
The horse neighed.
The Princess continued to caress her stead.
"You sound like you understand." She said.
The horse neighed again.
"I never thought that in all my life, we'd eventually come to this, initially I had thought that Jinsuke and I would be the very best of friends, it is quite sad though, that even that one simple thing this life has deprived of me." She spoke sadly as she recalled everything that she had been through with the Crown Prince.
She sighed before standing up and looking around.
"I think he's gone." She said to herself as she dragged the horse out of the woods and led it back onto the track before mounting it.
She then rode it down the hill.
The Empress was walking about in the gardens of the palace when she came across Hinote who was headed in her direction.
"Your Highness." Hinote said as he bowed his head.
"What is it?" The Empress asked. "I thought that we were never to meet in the open like this." She added.
"This is a very urgent matter Your Highness." Hinote replied.
The Empress turned around and standing on the bridge looked at the water that was rushing beneath.
"Go on." She said.
"It's about the Imperial Princess." Hinote replied.
The Empress continued to look at the mild currents of the water that though being still was still blown by the wind.
"I'm certain she's been up to something." The Empress said.
Hinote moved closer to her right ear and whispered.
"Her Highness left the palace." Hinote said.
"Good." The Empress replied.
"I've been aware that it's been a while and she's been doing that, the first time we tried to apprehend her it wasn't a success, I'm guessing that she was with the General once again." She added.
"No." Hinote replied.
"Then who was she with?" The Empress asked.
"My sources informed me that the General didn't leave his manor and no one went over or paid him a visit." Hinote replied.
"That can only mean that she certainly had another commitment." The Empress said.
"The people that I had put to follow her lost her." Hinote replied.
"She was only cautious knowing that outside there could possibly be people watching her, if you lost her it's natural that none of you could have seen her entering the General's manor." The Empress said.
"Forgive me Your Highness, my men aren't competent." Hinote said as the Empress turned and looked at him.
"The Princess has done a good deed to deprive the palace of it's moles, she has thoroughly cleaned the house and in so doing she has raised a loyal army of her own.
It's possible that no matter what we do at this moment she could have planned ahead of time so I shall ask you one simple thing." The Empress said.
"Speak Your Highness, I am listening." Hinote said.
"Tell your men to find out whom the Princess has been with, even if you can not find a name at least a single clue." The Empress said.
"Yes Your Highness." Hinote replied as he walked away.
"Your Highness." Sakae said.
"I also have a task for you." The Empress said.
"I'll see to it Your Highness." Sakae replied.
"Find out the times at which the Princess's room was out of bounds or she had locked herself away during the day." The Empress ordered.
"Yes Your Highness." Sakae replied as she bowed her head.
"Let's go." The Empress said as she offered Sakae her right hand and she was led away.
Umako entered his father's chamber and found him drawing.
"Father." He said as he bowed his head.
"Did they do the job?" Iname asked as he continued to stroke his brush.
"Yes Father, the Crown Prince is now aware that the boy he has been meeting all this time is a woman." Umako replied.
"Excellent." Iname said.
"Unfortunately, the Princess fled and he lost her." Umako said.
"That's better, and I expected nothing less." Iname replied.
"But father, wouldn't it have been better if the Crown Prince realized the real identity of the woman?" Umako asked.
"Patience my son, nothing comes more convincing than fate." Iname said. "If you can command it well and become it's Master and if it can forever coincide with your will then the more reason the people shall have to believe you." He added.
"I don't understand father." Umako said.
"We can't be that hasty." Iname added. "humans are quite funny, funny enough that once the heart is longing, they can never stop searching.
By nature, our feelings escalate the further we are apart, all that is left to do is to ensure that the desperate Prince finds his lost Princess." he added.
"I understand father." Umako replied.
"Have everything ready." Iname said.
"Yes Father." Umako replied as he watched his father continue with his work.
"Why are you still standing there?" Iname asked.
"I'm curious father, curious about when you plan to turn up in court once again." Umako replied.
"I must use the will of heaven." Iname replied. "with it you'll see me soon enough." He added.
"Aye father." Umako replied as he excused himself and walked out of the room leaving his father behind and admiring the masterpiece he had created.
"Flawless and perfect in every way, just as the river never flows upwards there'll never be a good enough equal to contend with me, never Your Highness." He whispered to himself as he smiled ghastly.
Princess Toyomike arrived at the palace and walking into the room Sina rushed up to her.
"Your Highness." She said as she took her hands and examined her entire body noticing that she was in very low spirits.
"I am alright." Princess Toyomike replied.
"It's natural for me to be worried as my life depends on yours, you left without saying a word that I couldn't stop wondering if something bad had happened to you." Sina said.
"I could take good care of myself and none of the Empress' minions could keep up with me." The Princess replied.
"Nevertheless Your Highness, it's my duty to protect you but you make that difficult for both me and Kabane." Sina said.
"You don't have to worry, I won't impose on you anymore." The Princess said as she turned and looked at Sina that she noticed her eyes were swollen.
"Your Highness, did anything bad happen?" Sina asked.
"Living as another person makes things more and more difficult for me, at first it was out of my desire to help those who needed me and become a part of them but now...." She halted and appeared to be hesitant.
"But now I realize that it could entirely jeopardize my relationships with all the people that I cherish and care about and even worse, I end up being hurt and not at ease at all." she added.
"Your Highness, you do not have to feel convicted, I understand and everyone knows that we aren't perfect people." Sina said.
"That isn't an excuse for us to do nothing." The Princess said.
"I can clearly tell Your Highness, there is something more that is bothering you." Sina said.
The Princess walked over to the side of her bed and stood their facing the wall.
"I am not certain the type of person that I have become, and neither am I certain of the intense feeling that is hidden within my heart.
At first I thought that it was normal, later that perhaps I wanted to be his friend, now I have come to notice that it is definitely more than that." The Princess replied.
"Your Highness, do you have feelings for someone?" Sina asked.
"I do not know." Princess Toyomike replied.
"Confide in me, I can certainly help you Your Highness." Sina said.
"I don't wish to talk about it." The Princess replied. "I am tired of living this kind of life right now that I feel so confined and weakened by these feelings."The Princess said.
"Your Highness, feelings aren't things that you can just throw out of the window or get over, they aren't things you can simply forget overnight and live as though nothing happened in the first place." Sina said.
"And relationships aren't things that I am willing to sacrifice and put on the line over an uncertain prediction and expectation of future happiness I can never be certain about." The Princess said.
"Yes Your Highness." Sina stopped at once noticing that the Princess wasn't interested in dragging the conversation any longer.
"If you say so." She added.
"Starting tomorrow, I wish to restrict myself to my Chambers a little, I am not willing to move out oftenly for a while.
I have done so much more than I can handle and I feel that it is high time that I took a rest." The Princess ordered.
"I'll have everyone informed not to disturb your rest Your Highness." Sina said.
"You can have a few books brought over from the Imperial library." The Princess said.
"Aye Your Highness." Sina replied as she bowed her head and withdrew from the Princess's presence aware that she needed some time alone.
Sina walked out of the room only to find Kabane waiting.
"How is her Highness?" Kabane asked.
"Awful." Sina replied.
"What's wrong with her?" Kabane asked. "shouldn't you call the Royal physician?" He added.
"I'm afraid her ailment is nothing physical, it's only something to do with her feelings and her heart." Sina replied as she walked away.
The Crown Prince barged into the Office of Finances furiously.
"Your Highness." The guards at the entrance greeted him but he did not reply as he was headed towards the main building where Miwa no Sakau approached him from.
"Your Highness, you have returned." He said.
"Come with me." The Crown Prince ordered as the two walked inside into the Crown Prince's office where the doors were shut behind them.
"What may I do for you Your Highness?" Miwa no Sakau asked.
"I want you to secretly help me find out everything you possibly can on the real identity of Abe." The Crown Prince replied.
"Your Highness." Miwa no Sakau looked frightened. "It's not that easy trying to find someone whose been living with a false identity." He added.
"There must be someone who has a clue about her at least try getting in touch with any of the people around the area where we first met her." The Crown Prince said.
"Alright Your Highness, I'll do my best." Miwa no Sakau said.
"Your best isn't enough, just do it as fast as possible." The Crown Prince ordered.
"Right away Your Highness." Miwa no Sakau replied as he withdrew from the room and left the Crown Prince inside alone.
"I'll do whatever it takes Abe, I'll find you wherever you are, I don't care if I have to risk my reputation, I'll still do it even if I have to turn the whole of Nippon upside down." The Crown Prince said to himself.
Dusk lingered over the entire country and at that moment the High Priestess had secluded herself inside the Inner shrine.
She stared at the small window that was stationed right above the idol of the Sun goddess, and looking beyond the constellation chart she noticed something a little bit strange.
Amongst the stars one appeared to be shining so bright.
"Couple it be?" The High Priestess asked herself as she hurriedly got up at once and moved to the exterior of the shrine.
There she stood able to watch the night sky extensively.
She noticed that the light of the Emperor's star was dimmer than usual as the glow of Sagittarius only appeared to be exceedingly brighter.
"The Emperor's star." She said. "Sagittarius." She added as she looked so shocked.
"Mihari." She summoned one of her shrine maidens.
"Yes Milady." Mihari replied as she bowed her head.
"Heaven has a message to deliver." She replied as she stared at the sky very much afraid of the sight she was seeing herself.
"Your Highness." Hotaru said as she offered the Crown Princess a cup of tea.
"It's alright Hotaru, I am not thirsty." The Crown Princess said.
"You haven't had anything since morning Your Highness and you are putting your health on the line, I fear that you could fall sick if you do not at least drink something." Hotaru said.
"How can I eat or drink anything, how can I even find the courage to enjoy all this wealth and luxury when the man to whom I am married and I chose to give my heart is not here beside me?" The Crown Princess asked.
"You need to be hopeful Your Highness." Hotaru said.
"Until when?" The Crown Princess asked. "How long do I have to lean on the hope that at one point the Crown Prince shall eventually turn to me and love me?
Even worse I am forced to ask myself, how long do I have to stay silent when we can not last even ten minutes in the same room and we're married but live like strangers only respecting one another but entirely private and reserved in all our actions?" She added.
"I understand how you feel Your Highness but perhaps you are being to kind to His Highness." Hotaru said.
"I am a woman, what more can I certainly do to my husband, it's not like I can punish him and even if I could, I love him too dearly to hurt him." The Crown Princess said.
"But he treats you like nothing , not even close to a concubine, you're only to sympathetic that I think Your Highness should seek aid from someone concerning the Crown Prince." Hotaru replied.
"I am a married woman who is old enough to act on her own, if I can't do anything to help myself win over the heart of my husband in my marriage who else can fulfill that responsibility for me?" The Crown Princess asked.
"How about Her Highness the Empress?" Hotaru asked.
"I don't wish to impose on her and worse my husband could hate me." The Crown Princess replied.
"But she is the only one who can help you keep this marriage intact your Highness, after all, it was her who wanted you to marry her son in the first place so naturally she'd be bothered if your matrimonial alliance is crumbling." Hotaru replied.
"I suppose she'd certainly be." The Crown Princess agreed.
The Courtiers and other ministers were admitted into the palace early in the morning and as they walked up to the Throne room, they passed through the courtyard and hanging above the palace they noticed that something was unusual.
"Isn't that Sagittarius?" Moriya asked as he pointed at the star that was shining brightly.
"It's day time already, what is Sagittarius doing hanging over the palace?" Otomo Ren Nukate asked.
"It must be that the the heaven's are communicating something to us." General Fujiyaro said.
"I'm not one to believe in any of these signs anyway." Moriya said as they continued inside the court.
The Crown Prince himself had turned up for the meeting as well and was stationed at the forefront of the hall and the rest of the house already immersed in conversation were disrupted when Sato walked in and announced.
"His Majesty the Emperor deigns you with His presence." He said.
At once, the officials turned and faced one another as they paved way for the Emperor who walked through the aisle to the Chrysanthemum throne.
Upon arrival, he was seated and the Courtiers and the Ministers present bowed their heads.
"Greetings Your Majesty." They said in unison.
"Greetings to you all." The Emperor replied.
"Your Majesty." Mononobe no Moriya said.
"You may present your concern." The Emperor replied.
"His Majesty has been graced with good health and autumn is around the corner." Moriya replied.
"Do you have anything in mind?" The Emperor asked.
"Around this time, it is necessary Your Majesty that the nation commemorates the distinguished service of all men that have died throughout the course of the year and had dedicated themselves to the service of the nation." Moriya replied.
"With Heaven's blessings no one in this court has been a victim of calamity and none has succumbed to the jaws of death." The Emperor said.
"But Your Majesty, I have noticed that for the past months The Imperial Chieftain Soga no Iname has been present and the news has already gone around that he is beyond redemption and his time is limited." Moriya replied.
Umako was angry.
"I heard of it as well but shouldn't his son be the one to speak up for him?" The Emperor asked.
"I was only concerned Your Majesty, please pardon me, I think it is important that we hear from his son though." Moriya said as everyone turned to Umako who confident enough and containing his anger spoke up.
"Moriya is right Your Majesty, my father is terminally ill and his survival can only be miraculous, the physician concluded that he has limited time left with us and I'd understand everyone's concern including Moriya's.
His late father's fate came as a shock to us all, for my father, nothing is certain about his recovery that I fear we are leaning on the grace of heaven to protect him and keep him in our company a bit longer." Umako replied.
"I'd understand, he is a pillar of the country after all." The Emperor said.
"Your Majesty." Otomo Ren Nukate suddenly spoke up.
"What is it?" The Emperor asked.
"The issue of the Imperial Chieftain being discussed now arises our great concern, you Your Majesty have acknowledged him as a pillar of the country however his continued absentism becomes the concern of the people." Otomo Ren Nukate said.
"What are you implying?" The Emperor asked.
"The Responsibility of the Imperial Chieftain is very great Your Majesty, we believe that the service of Ōomi Soga no Iname no Sukune with reference to his son's statement he could depart from us anytime.
It is necessary Your Majesty that for the time being he is relieved of the duty and be granted some peace in his final days." Otomo Ren Nukate said.
"The country can not continue without the service of the Imperial Chieftain." The Emperor said.
"I think it wise Your Majesty that the office of Imperial Chieftain be temporarily handed over to the responsibility of someone capable for the time being." Otomo Kanamura Maro replied.
"There is still a chance as we can not decide the fate of any man as long as they are still alive." The Emperor said.
"Please reconsider Your Majesty, in terms of intelligence and skill, Ōomi Soga no Iname is second to none which qualified him to be the best candidate for his office.
He is in his prime years and he can do nothing much Your Majesty and relieving him of his duties can be considered a reward for his service so that he can enjoy his last days peacefully.
Ours is only a suggestion to see that a capable person succeeds him Your Majesty." Mononobe no Moriya replied.
"Please consider Your Majesty." The courtiers and officials said in unison.
"General Fujiyaro." The Emperor called.
"Yes Your Majesty?" Fujiyaro replied.
"What do you think about the suggestion?" The Emperor asked.
"Everyone is concerned Your Majesty and I believe that the position of Imperial Chieftain is in deed very vital but in my opinion, I think replacing Ōomi Soga no Iname is something that requires a lot of in depth thinking.
On top of that if it comes to choosing someone to succeed him, I believe that task is quite big itself and if His Majesty is to consider then all of us present can concur that definitely it'll need some time." Fujiyaro replied.
"I agree with him Your Majesty." Soga no Umako said.
"That is in deed something very crucial and since it seems to be a great concern of yours then I shall put it into consideration." The Emperor said.
"Thank you Your Majesty." The courtiers and officials said in unison.
"Is that all that you have to say?" The Emperor asked.
"No Your Majesty." one of the Courtiers said.
"What is it?" The Emperor asked.
"Greetings Your Majesty." The Courtier said.
"Mononobe no Suke, you have my permission." The Emperor assured.
"This morning as we walked to the Throne room, every one present noticed that perhaps the heavens are pointing to something very strange." Mononobe no Suke replied.
"I see." The Emperor said.
"Your Highness, it is only something that has happened once." Umako said.
"All the more it is important that we take caution given that explanation." Mononobe no Suke replied.
"Perhaps you understand how auspicious and inauspicious the signs of the heavens are." Umako said.
"Even of such knowledge I am ignorant." Mononobe no Suke admitted.
"Lest you're implying that should it be that the sun rises from the West given that it has never happened heaven could have another message for us all?" Umako asked.
"why would it have risen there in the first place?" Mononobe no Suke asked.
"Shall it change the way that we'll do things or the way that we'll live and work?" Umako asked as well.
"Enough." The Emperor said.
"Pardon us Your Majesty." The two courtiers said.
"I understand that all of you are concerned and perhaps we're focused on the welfare of the state.
All sides can be considered so I'll see into it as well as it seems too crucial a matter of its own and my intention is to handle it that way." The Emperor said.
"Your Majesty, we wait on you." Mononobe no Suke said.
"I'll ask the High Priestess and the Imperial Shrine at Ise to monitor the situation for the time being, should the same sign persist then I am certain we shall all hear what heaven has to say." The Emperor said.
"Yes Your Majesty." The courtiers and officials said in unison as they bowed their heads.
"The Court is dismissed." The Emperor said as he stood up from his throne and followed by Sato made his way through the aisle until he was outside.
The Courtiers and Officials having confirmed that the Emperor had left followed him out of the throne room.
The Empress stood at her balcony and stared in. a distance at the star that was glowing in the sky above.
"A great omen." The Empress whispered to herself.
"Sorry Your Highness." Sakae said as she drew closer to her.
"It's nothing." The Empress replied when turning around she noticed that the Crown Princess was headed her way.
"Your Highness." She said as she bowed her head.
"Your Highness." The Crown Princess greeted as she did the same.
"It's been a long time that I am curious what could it be that brings you to me?" The Empress asked.
"Pardon me Your Highness." The Crown Princess replied.
"I told you you can call me mother." The Empress insisted.
"Pardon me mother, I haven't visited you in a very long time that I was convicted to come over and in addition I need your help." The Crown Princess replied.
"My help?" The Empress asked.
"You are the only person that I can turn to mother, the inner court is entirely filled with strangers and you are the only one that I can find in it to give me comfort and call my family." The Crown Princess replied.
"What's the matter?" The Empress asked.
"I'd prefer Your Highness to discuss the matter with you in private." The Crown Princess replied.
"Very well." The Empress said as she waved to the palace maids who withdrew immediately from her presence and stood at a distance.
"Mother." The Crown Princess said, "It's about the Crown Prince." she added.
"The Crown Prince, what Happened to him?" The Empress asked.
"He has entirely changed." The Crown Princess replied.
"It could be the responsibility that comes with his title, politics as you know is something that is very burdensome." The Empress said.
"It is beyond that mother as I had hoped so much that he'd love me if we returned to the capital but all the more the closer I try to get to him, I have come to notice that this fate being too cruel is only pushing us further apart." The Crown Princess revoked.
"It's very difficult for men to stay faithful, it's most likely that other concubines of his have his favour." The Empress said.
"He holds no desire towards all the three of us, yet yesterday when I inquired from Hotaru who happened to eavesdrop his conversation with Miwa no Sakau, I learnt that he had gone to Kagu Hill to meet someone there." The Crown Princess said.
"His Highness?" The Empress asked.
"And surprisingly not once or twice, it's been a number of times that this could have perhaps become a habit of his." The Crown Princess replied.
The Empress was quite startled.
"You are suspecting that His Highness could be seeing someone?" The Empress asked.
"It hadn't occurred to me yesterday mother but it certainly has now come into consideration." The Crown Princess said.
"It's another explanation, sometimes when people lose their love for you it is because the flame within them is burning for someone else." The Empress said.
"That is my greatest fear mother and that alone haunts me more than anything else, I already have two contenders with which I am forced to jockey for my husband's favour, another one only makes the fight seem all the more unfair to me." The Crown Princess said.
"Life isn't always fair my dear." The Empress said.
"That is not good enough an excuse for consolation mother." The Crown Princess said.
"Then if you feel it isn't satisfying for you it rests with you and you alone to do something about it." The Empress said.
"Mother, as it is someone might have Bewitched him because the thought of sharing him with someone else when he is meant to be mine alone kills me and it strikes me to the bone I find myself so far from consolation." The Crown Princess said.
"Given Hotaru's hearings it's likely that the Crown Prince has feelings for someone else." The Empress said.
"Why mother, my love for him has entirely been as deep as the sea and yet to every effort I dearly tried to invest in loving him, he coldly turns to me and tells me that he only felt nothing." The Crown Princess said.
"Your only problem my dear is that with the world you are too generous." The Empress said.
"Mother." The Crown Princess said.
"Haven't you ever wondered how my power in the inner court has grown and how I managed to keep the other Royal consorts and concubines under my rule they simply dance to my tune and learn their place when standing next to me?" The Empress asked.
"You're the Emperor's most legal wife." The Crown Princess replied.
"No." The Empress said. "being the Emperor's most legal wife is not at all enough." she added.
"What is it then mother?" The Crown Princess asked.
"Control, absolute, unrivalled, unchallenged control." The Empress replied with a ghastly smile on her face.
The Crown Princess looked puzzled.
"I understand that you'd be confused." The Empress said as she turned and faced the Throne room.
"In every direction you are surrounded and the inner court itself is a place that is as bloody as a battlefield. We compete for the favour of the Emperor but only those that are strong enough in this war can be determined to the extent of killing for it." The Empress added.
"I understand mother." The Crown Princess said herself becoming entirely more and more confident.
"My dear, you must learn that if you wish to side with me and learn from me at that." The Empress said as she turned back around and looked at the Crown Princess.
She held her hands together and smiled at her.
"What is yours you must certainly ensure that it remains yours alone, if you love it so dearly then you must devote your all to protecting it even if it means that blood must be shed never hesitate to kill for it." The Empress added.
The Crown Princess looking at her mother appeared to drastically change that very instant and overwhelmed by a new aura similar to that of her mother in law, the Empress herself, she smiled ghastly and her innocent self was surely no more.
