14 CHAPTER TWELVE
Princess Toyomike's palanquin arrived outside the Silver Spring Tea house and it halted.
"Are we here?" the Princess opening the window of the palanquin asked Sina.
"Yes, Your Highness." Sina replied as she bowed her head.
"Very well." Princess Toyomike said as the palanquin was opened and she stepped out being helped by Sina who held her left hand.
The Princess stood in front of the magnificent building whose walls were coloured with bright red and green and above hung a plaque that was coloured red and gold.
"Your Highness." Sina said.
"I am sure that you must be wondering why I am staring at the place." Princess Toyomike said.
"Pardon me Your Highness." Sina said.
"Our fate and the fate of our Nippon rests in this very building." Princess Toyomike replied.
"What are you going to do Your Highness?" Sina asked.
"Careful Sina." Princess Toyomike said. " the walls have ears." She added in a light whisper as she walked into the building and then looked around.
For a teahouse it was quite busy, with dancers and musicians, plucking strings and gracefully moving about the centre to impress all the nobles that had been gathered there.
The Princess' eyes moved to one of the nearby corners and when she caught sight of the General Fujiyaro she walked towards him and then stopped.
"Milord." Princess Toyomike said as she bowed her head.
"Your Highness." Fujiyaro said as he stood up and then bowed his head offering his respect to the Imperial Princess.
The Princess moved about and then sat at the opposite end of the table.
The General sat back down where he had been seated and the two looked at each other as the Princess saw the small cup of tea that had been put in front of her.
"It seems that the tea is still hot." The Princess said gracefully.
"It just arrived not so long ago." the General said.
"I understand." The Princess said.
"To what do I owe your unexpected audience?" The General asked.
The Princess got hold of the cup of tea and sipped it before she placed it down on the table in front of her.
"Milord." she said softly. " I have a favour to ask of you." She added.
"What is her Highness inquiring from me?" Fujiyaro asked.
"It is very simple considering the fact that the terms I am willing to lay ahead of you are quite agreeable and I guarantee they shall suit your best satiety." The Princess Toyomike replied.
"Feel free to tell me." Fujiyaro said.
"I can not express my demands in words but here is what I have to ask of you." The Princess replied as she slid her hand into her sleeve and then pulled out an envelope which she slid on the table and handed over to Fujiyaro.
Fujiyaro looked cautiously at the Imperial Princess as he got a hold of the envelope and then opened it to pull out a cream piece of paper.
He unfolded the paper and then his eyes looked throughout it as he was later overwhelmed by another expression of awe and surprise.
"Your Highness." Fujiyaro said.
"Is what I am asking for too much?" Princess Toyomike asked.
"Your Highness." Fujiyaro said.
"It is a yes or no question and not something I am interested in debating about." Princess Toyomike said.
"What you are doing, are you aware....." Fujiyaro said but was interrupted by the Princess.
"Yes." Princess Toyomike staunchly replied.
"You don't plan on going against the Empress?" Fujiyaro asked.
"My intentions are far from that." Princess Toyomike replied.
"I only wish that you could help me make it appear that way." She added.
"What are you after Your Highness?" Fujiyaro asked.
"It is very simple." Princess Toyomike replied. "I only wish to make sure that I put Her Highness' eyes off me for the time being." She added.
"But the Empress is a very dangerous woman." Fujiyaro said.
"Aren't I a woman as well?" Princess Toyomike asked.
"What's in this for me Your Highness?" Fujiyaro asked.
"Your loyalty." Princess Toyomike replied.
"hahahaha." Fujiyaro lightly chuckled.
"My loyalty, what for?" He asked.
"War is coming to the country and the Emperor can not live for long sadly." Princess Toyomike replied.
"So?" Fujiyaro asked.
"Everyone is jockeying for the Crown Prince's favour and as we both know he has been from the capital for a very long time." Princess Toyomike replied.
"Have you had an audience with the Crown Prince before?" Fujiyaro asked.
"No." Princess Toyomike replied.
"What is the relationship between you and him then?" Fujiyaro asked.
"I saved his life." Princess Toyomike replied.
"Wasn't it Your Grandfather and your uncle?" Fujiyaro asked.
"Yet with the edge of his sword I threatened his attackers away and had them scattered about." Princess Toyomike replied.
"Nevertheless, I can not just lean on your words alone." Fujiyaro said.
"Given what my Grandfather and uncle did to save the Crown Prince's life can you not be too certain that by now he wholly trusts them?" Princess Toyomike asked.
Fujiyaro kept quiet.
"I understand that you must be wondering why but even I can see through my Grandfather and uncle much better than anyone else and it took me a while but I eventually understand what they were after all this time." The Princess added.
"I understand you wouldn't delude me but for a sixteen years old Princess, what idea have you when it comes to the politics of this country?" Fujiyaro asked.
"I do understand that my grandfather night not have so much time left in this world and compared to him my uncle is much easier to control.
Should the Crown Prince ascend the throne as soon as possible then before him his most trusted and favoured subject shall certainly be my uncle.
I could make good use of his talents to win the favour of the Crown Prince in no time and should that be the case I could put in a good word for you to the Crown Prince he might consider recruiting you in his service." Princess Toyomike replied.
"You are speaking confidently yet both you and I know it very well that the Crown Prince is also a very smart man, additionally, the fate of the Emperor's successor is quite unpredictable as he has more than one son all of which are capable in their own manner to inherit his Crown." Fujiyaro said.
"Yet compared to all those people, The Empress herself is the blood of the late Emperor Senka so her right is Paramount and her power absolute that she'd certainly be the strongest aid in the succession of her son." Princess Toyomike replied.
"Yet I still don't understand why you go after her when you know of all people the Crown Prince's filial piety especially towards his mother is very strong." Fujiyaro said.
"There comes a time in every nestling's life when it desires to spread it's wings and fly and in no time, I can assure you that the Crown Prince's desire to be more independent shall push him into revolt against his mother." Princess Toyomike replied.
"That is just a possibility that you can not guarantee." Fujiyaro said.
"listen carefully to me." The Princess said.
"You must be out of words but what if the Empress really proves that there is a treason plot against the Chrysanthemum throne and you are involved in it?" Fujiyaro asked.
"Let her." Princess Toyomike replied.
"What?" Fujiyaro said.
"Have you not understood that as you stake your life I have also staked mine?" Princess Toyomike asked.
"How shall you deal with it then should the tides turn?" Fujiyaro asked.
"That is what I want." The Princess said. "Either way, if she can prove it then it shall be her own grave as I have planned it all out and I guarantee you that she won't." Princess Toyomike added.
"What is it you are after?" Fujiyaro asked.
"Nothing much, just a temporary distraction that can allow me to divert the Empress' attention onto you for the time being." The Princess replied.
"What's in it for you?" Fujiyaro asked.
"Should I succeed then should the Empress make one rash move it shall be her fall from Grace, should we fail I have nothing to lose as I shall have gotten all the time that I need." Princess Toyomike replied.
"Very well then, if you say so." Fujiyaro said.
"I understood that compared to all others you would certainly be the best and the easiest to come to terms with.
You know my favour before the Emperor and on top of that I am certain that you know despite my age there are numerous things that I am most capable of." Princess Toyomike bragged a little.
"I am doing this not because of your brilliance but compared to everyone else I am very certain that you are a woman of your word and on top of that if you fall while your uncle's rising then I could fall from grace as well." Fujiyaro said.
"After all you know it very well that if we are both weak then we must rely on each other to survive, and perhaps, the outcome shall determine our relationship in the near future." Princess Toyomike said.
"hahahaha." Fujiyaro chuckled. "Of what use could I be to the Imperial Princess?" He asked.
"You'll see in due course that it could Foster our greatest alliance." Princess Toyomike replied with a smile on her face.
"So you are politically enlightened?" Fujiyaro asked.
"I suppose that I could only say I have great plans for this country." Princess Toyomike replied.
Fujiyaro stood up.
"So I shall take my leave from here your Highness." He said as he bowed his head.
"Please be careful, after all, from here onwards I am very certain that the Empress shall have her eyes and ears nearly everywhere." The Princess said.
"Do not worry, I won't falter as well." Fujiyaro said as he turned around and then walked away.
"Sina." Princess Toyomike called.
Sina rushed over.
"Yes Your Highness." She said as she bowed her head.
"Is everything ready?" Princess Toyomike asked.
"Yes Your Highness." Sina replied.
"we'd better get going as soon as possible." Princess Toyomike ordered.
"Yes." Sina replied as she bowed her head while Toyomike stood up and the two walked up to the entrance of the Tea house.
Princess Toyomike halted in her steps as she looked at her palanquin.
"How many are there?" She asked.
"About five." Sina replied.
"They'll report to the Empress as soon as possible." Princess Toyomike said.
"Most probably." Sina replied.
"Very well." Princess Toyomike said. " When we return in the palace, I wish to inform my father that I feel my Royal guards should be reshuffled." The Princess added.
"Yes Your Highness." Sina replied as she bowed her head before she helped Princess Toyomike to climb into her palanquin.
While sitting inside, the Princess smiled before she was veiled from the world as her convoy set off immediately and they were headed for the Imperial palace.
"What?" The Empress asked.
"Yes Your Highness." Hinote replied.
"Are you sure about what you are saying?" The Empress asked.
"Yes Your Highness." Hinote replied.
"You expect me to believe that a sixteen years old girl is out there planning a treason plot with a military general?" The Empress said.
"I am very certain, the moles that we planted at the tea House informed us that that was what the two discussed throughout." Hinote replied.
"Your Highness, it is possible that the Imperial Princess is not acting on her own accord." Sakae suggested.
"We've kept a close eye on all her movements and there has been no form of contact between both her uncle and herself." Hinote said.
"A treason plot is something that is out of the Imperial Princess's league." The Empress said.
"But it is something that we can not underlook Your Highness." Hinote said.
"She has an ulterior motive or alternatively, she'd not organise a treason plot unless she has something on her back." The Empress said.
"Your Highness." another voice interrupted as the High Priestess barged into the room all of a sudden.
"What is it Saio?" The Empress asked.
"I have some news that you must find useful." The High Priestess replied.
"What is it?" The Empress asked.
"The Imperial Princess payed her older brother the Second Prince a visit at his residence." The High Priestess replied and at once the Empress stood up.
"Do not act." The Empress said.
"What Your Highness?" Hinote along with everyone else said in unison.
"The Imperial Princess is a naive young girl and I must say that I in deed underestimated her." The Empress replied.
"But Your Highness, this is clearly a treason plot." Hinote said.
"The Princess is quite clever but why at this time when we suspect that she is colluding with someone outside the palace, this false distraction that she has put in place is to have our attention pinned onto something else." The Empress replied.
"What do you propose we should do Your Highness?" The High Priestess asked.
"We'll play along in this game of hers." The Empress replied as she smiled ghastly.
Princess Toyomike arrived at the Imperial palace and there and then she walked towards her father's private Chambers.
She halted at the doorway when she noticed the presence of Sato right outside.
"Sato." Princess Toyomike called.
"Your Highness." Sato said as he bowed his head. "How may I be of your service?" He asked.
"I wish to have an audience with my father." Princess Toyomike replied.
"Very well then, I'll announce Your presence." Sato said as he bowed his head once again and then walked into the Emperor's private Chambers.
He returned a short while later and bowed his head to the Princess once again.
"Your Highness." Sato said.
"What is it?" Princess Toyomike asked.
"His Majesty accepts your audience." Sato replied.
"Take me to my father." Princess Toyomike said.
"This way." Sato said as he led the Princess inside the Emperor's room.
Princess Toyomike upon entering inside saw her father seated in his bed.
"Father." She said as she rushed over to him and sat right by his side.
"Princess." The Emperor said.
"Are you alright?" Princess Toyomike asked.
"How could I dare to not be?" The Emperor replied.
"But you are lying here in bed in the afternoon." Toyomike said.
"Can I not have some rest?" The Emperor asked.
"It's not you Father." Princess Toyomike replied.
"Every monarch has to sleep even sometimes during the day, it is necessary that I replenish my strengths and prepare for the trials that might arise in the night." The Emperor replied.
The Princess was puzzled.
"Father." She said. "What trials?" She asked.
"When I have eyes everywhere in the Empire and I can watch over all my people from every corner, I can tell when my foes are conniving and sometimes I choose to ignore because I wish to see how far my people are willing to go." The Emperor replied.
"You don't trust your ministers?" Princess Toyomike asked.
"I don't trust anyone, even myself." The Emperor replied.
"Yet those people have helped you build this magnificent Nippon out of nothing." Princess Toyomike said.
"And people themselves change." The Emperor replied. "You'll learn once you grow up, some people are conniving and only get close under the certainty of reaping.
If anything can be of no use to them in the near future, they abandon it like farmers in search for more fertile ground and bees in search of a new hive.
With that you must be very careful, sometimes even those people closest to you could develop like bees and scorpions the most venomous stings one could ever think of." He added.
"Like hounds turning against their Master, so you safeguard yourself." Princess Toyomike said.
"That is politics, a game that is bloody and one in which only the fittest can navigate their way to survival." The Emperor said.
"I understand father." The Princess said.
"You haven't yet stated what it is that you wished to talk to me about." The Emperor said.
"Father, I wish to have all my Royal guards changed." The Princess replied that the Emperor looked surprised at what the Princess had demanded.
"Pardon me?" He said.
"I wish to have all my Royal guards changed." The Princess repeated herself as she stared at her father determined to have her own way.
"Why all of a sudden?" The Emperor asked.
"I am growing up father and most certainly I'll get married soon, I must be ready by whatsoever means and that is having trained people to be in my own service father." Princess Toyomike replied.
"What has the Imperial Princess done to need an army of her own?" The Emperor asked.
"I find it convenient father, after all, in a world where the political landscape is changing I must certainly prepare myself." Princess Toyomike replied.
"You're a woman." The Emperor said.
"And I am your daughter." Princess Toyomike replied.
"That I know." The Emperor said.
"And I wish that you'd also consider the fact father that like you I do not trust your people, I do not trust your officials and Generals." The Princess replied.
"That's the Crown Prince's business." The Emperor said.
"Yet he alone can not sustain the Royal family father, I am certain that you have heard it very well father that rumors are circulating around that the Crown Prince has spent a long time from the capital.
Should the time come that people might use me to usurp the throne I need to have a chance to break away by any possible means and protect my Independence as well as that of my brother." Princess Toyomike said.
The Emperor was quite surprised.
"Why would you help your brother?" He asked his daughter.
"Family is power, should he fall at any one point then most certainly we all fall." Princess Toyomike replied.
"I could try and see for myself that your eyes are filled with absolute certainty, I do not doubt in my heart that you are a very good person." The Emperor said.
"Yet you are hesitant to meet my demands father." Princess Toyomike said.
"You are only sixteen years old." The Emperor defended.
"And only a woman at that?" Princess Toyomike said.
"I have not trained you to be a politician nor have I given you a foundation to participate in the military of the country. I have not trained you what it takes to help your brother govern." The Emperor said.
"And a smart man is who you'd certainly choose for a groom, I can have a good enough suitor to choose from." Princess Toyomike said.
"Except that you are a dear daughter of mine and on top of that you are very innocent, for a man it could be very easy but when it comes to love your judgement could be clouded.
If not for that you should remember that people change which is the reason as to why I have been reluctant to marry you off all this time." The Emperor said.
"Because Nippon needs me." The Princess said.
"No." The Emperor said.
The Princess was surprised.
"Father." She called.
"I trust that you are very wise enough and with your wisdom you know that I wish to see you work well with what you already have. Don't prove your need to me because it is of no use, rather, I desire that you prove your capability and I shall reward you with more." The Emperor said.
"Yes Your Majesty." The Princess said calmly as she smiled at her father.
The Emperor looked at her quite surprised at her reaction.
"Did you understand me?" He asked.
"Thank you for your wise counsel father and I shall certainly not let you down." She replied.
"You haven't answered my question." The Emperor said.
"I shall take it that you have given me an order your Majesty, and that order is to put to great account that which I have already been graced with." The Princess replied as she stood up with a smile still gracing her face.
"You may leave then." The Emperor said.
"Thank you father." The Princess replied as she bowed her head and then turned around to depart from the room.
Sato walked in a while later as he stationed himself beside the Emperor's bed.
"Your Majesty." Sato said as he bowed his head.
"I have proven beyond doubt in deed." The Emperor said.
"But Your Majesty, you can not be very certain, it's not so like the Princess to plot a treason plot against you." Sato said.
"In politics anything is certainly possible." The Emperor replied. "She asked me for a new group of Royal guards." He added.
"What?" Sato said quite surprised.
"She had every excuse to get new guards of her own and she'd go through me but I nonetheless refused to grant it to her." The Emperor said.
"Would she be....." Sato said but halted halfway a little bit too hesitant to complete the sentence.
"Raising an army of her own?" The Emperor asked.
Sato fell to his knees.
"Pardon my foul mouth Your Majesty." He said as he bowed his head.
"There is no need, I can control your tongue but not your thoughts and your heart." The Emperor said as he waved his right hand and signalled for Sato to stand up.
"Could you have hindered her Highness entirely?" The Emperor said.
"She could negotiate with Fujiyaro so she is a very cunning personality after all but nonetheless she is still the daughter of my very own flesh and blood and her head and heart altogether harbour ideas I'd wish to maintain and foster in more of my descendants." He added.
"So there is a chance that she could be dancing on the whims of Fujiyaro?" Sato asked.
"Perhaps but from what I have seen even if she were to do so it would be to win his favor and save his talents for the future." The Emperor replied.
"I am confused your Majesty, couldn't she be gathering people of her own?" Sato asked.
"She is simply farsighted compared to everyone else and she alone has heralded ahead of them a tumultuous age for this Empire." The Emperor said.
"So you mean to protect her Your Majesty?" Sato asked.
"I cannot command the attention of all other officials rising up towards the Imperial Princess and on top of that if she is to be framed for treason and at anyone point abandoned by Fujiyaro then it'd be quite easy to prove with the Royal guards she shall have acquired from me.
Additionally, it is from those very people that she might recruit in her service that she could pool moles in the service of her enemies." The Emperor replied.
"And since she has been with these other guards for a long time then it is easier for her to foster a relationship between herself and them and it could eliminate the possibility of her becoming a suspect of a treason plot in the future." Sato said.
"After all there is nothing as the Princess's army, they are all the Emperor's loyal men." The Emperor said as he looked at the doorway suspiciously.
"But should it really be the other way around Your Majesty?" Sato asked.
"Don't worry, she won't fail me." The Emperor sternly replied.
"What?" Sina replied.
"Father refused to grant me new guards of my own." Princess Toyomike replied.
"We were leaning on him to act according to the plan." Sina said.
The Princess smiled.
"Your Highness, why are you laughing?" Sina asked.
"I understand father's thoughts and you on the other hand misunderstood mine." Princess Toyomike replied.
"I am confused Your Highness." Sina said as they continued to walk away from the Emperor's chamber.
"When did I say that I was going to get new Royal guards to recruit in my service?" The Princess asked.
"You said you were going to ask your father to have your Royal guards changed." Sina replied.
"Exactly, and those two are different things." The Princess said.
"Enlighten me then Your Highness, what is it that you were after all this time?" Sina asked.
"I have confirmed without doubt, even father knows of my meeting with the General Fujiyaro and he is aware that I could be planning a treason plot to overthrow his government." The Princess replied.
"That is a very bad thing on Your side Your Highness." Sina said.
"Who said it was?" The Princess asked.
Sina was quite confused.
"Of course you might not understand it very well but this is my path to changing so much more in this country than that which has been changed before.
On top of that, father himself has informed me he is watching everyone including the members of the Imperial family and I am not an exception.
However compared to all those people he trusts me so much to the extent that he refused to give me the Royal guards as his way of protecting me.
Alternatively as I must have calculated anytime soon word of this shall have reached the Empress' ears." The Princess said.
"So primarily you wish to force her to believe that in deed this is a treason plot?" Sina asked.
"It'll take more than my meeting with the General to convince her and alternatively should she learn then the rumors of my treason attempt shall have circulated among the officials in court.
If the officials have every reason to be suspicious for me who is a very young girl it'll be nearly impossible to think that I'd fathom such ideas." The Princess replied.
"Then they'd have two options that is to say that the Empress is indirectly attacking you or General Fujiyaro is instigating these ideas in you." Sina said.
"Yet I am a graceful, a dignified and quiet Princess it'd be very natural that I'd yield to General Fujiyaro's demands so he'd be automatically isolated from the rest of the court and his last alternative and best way of survival would be to pledge his allegiance and Foster an alliance with me." The Princess said.
"You are very smart your Highness and your wisdom is surpassingly amusing." Sina said.
"Don't praise me yet." The Princess said, "I still have something else to do." She added.
"What is it Your Highness?" Sina asked.
"How many Royal guards were assigned to me in my palace?" The Princess asked.
"One hundred." Sina replied.
"I want you to prepare all the necessary records concerning them, their names and their families as well and have them brought to me as soon as possible." The Princess said.
"Why if I may ask Your Highness?" Sina asked.
"I wish to speak to all one hundred of them today evening in my courtyard and I think it is high time that we trained an army of our own." The Princess replied with a smile on her face.
Sina was instantly frightened.
"I understand that you wish to make the Empress believe that you are planning a treason plot but I fear you might take things a little bit too far." Sina said.
"I have no fear at all and this is the Emperor's order, besides, one can take it as me preparing my shield for the turbulent age that is set ahead of us." The Princess replied.
"If you say so Your Highness, mine is to trust and die for you." Sina said.
"And your time to die has not yet come Sina." The Princess said as he caught Sina's right shoulder.
"Your Highness." Sina said.
"We are set on a path of no return but I assure you this that today shall be the very beginning of our rise to prominence and nevertheless, like it or not, it shall be the Empress' fall from grace." Princess Toyomike confidently said.
Iname was coughing violently.
"Father." Umako said. "There is something wrong with you." He added.
"My son." Iname said. "Do not falter." He added as he coughed more violently as he held a handkerchief to his mouth he pulled it off shortly and it was soaked with blood.
Umako turned to the physician that was seated right next to his father.
"You are one of the best physicians in the country and you have been working all this time, you keep giving my father all the medicine but how come he isn't getting better?" Umako shouted at the physician.
"My apologies Milord." The physician said.
"Pardon him." Iname said to his son.
"No father." Umako replied.
"Your father has been poisoned with a Lethal poison for the past three months so treating it at the moment is quite late." The physician said.
"Poisoned?" Umako said.
"Yes." The physician said.
"Who could dare?" Umako asked.
"The house has already been cleaned and the assailants shall no more walk the earth as I made sure of that." Iname replied.
"Right now since he has been poisoned for a very long time he can not be cured by any form of medicine.
Additionally the poison is very rare and has already spread to various parts of his body that at this time the best we can do is to ensure that he lives longer but even that alone is something that is miraculous as his chance of survival is low itself." The physician said.
"Thank you Sir." Iname said. "Just pass me the prescription." He added.
"Very well." The physician said he handed over a piece of parchment to Iname and he stood up and bowed his head.
"I'll take my leave here." The physician said as he walked out of the chamber of Iname leaving him and Umako behind.
The sooner that he had stepped out of the room, Iname therw the blanket aside and he sat up very well.
"Our sources tell us that the physician has been in contact with the Empress' servant Sakae lately." Umako said.
"I knew it very well." Iname said. " For someone like me, it isn't that difficult to tell a loyal servant from a conniving and treacherous dog." He added.
"How dare he?" Umako said.
"There is no need for us to worry that much, I bet that by now the Empress certainly feels she has had her upper hand." Iname said.
"But you were poisoned father." Umako said.
"Except that I noticed early and all we are doing is faking the fact that I am in a critical condition I possibly couldn't wear myself out that much or threaten the Empress for the time being." Iname replied.
"How did you find out father?" Umako asked.
"I knew from the very beginning that rats and moles had infiltrated my household and the sooner I found out that what I was eating had already been dedicated to the devil's plate I had to play along.
Only three weeks after I learnt that I had been poisoned I had to make sure that my dishes were swapped regularly with the healthy dishes that had been medicated.
That way I could survive this long and I only executed my attempted murderer three months later to convince the Empress that no matter what I was already sick beyond redemption and all that is left for me is to dig my own grave." Iname replied.
"Then whatever it is father, we must see to it that we get back at the Empress as soon as possible." Umako said.
"Patience my son, it is nearly time for us to get what it is that we have long wanted." Iname said with a ghastly smile on his face.
"Great." The Empress said as she smiled at Hinote.
"I don't understand Your Highness, how Iname, the smartest man in the country could fall prey to your trap?" Hinote asked.
"It's all thanks to my brilliance when it comes to scheming and plotting conspiracies, additionally, every wise person has one small weakness and that is much as they can be open to the fate of others they tend to be distracted by that and become blind to their own." The Empress replied.
"Nevertheless, he doesn't have that much time left in the world, he is running to the physician for medical aide but he doesn't realize that out of his desperateness, he is closer with one foot already set in his grave." Hinote said.
"And just like that we'd better make all the preparations early, after all, quite soon the Soga clan shall grieve the first and last of it's greatest leaders." The Empress smiled herself quite satisfied that her long time foe was soon to meet his demise without any doubt.
