The Emperor part 1

All heads turned in Shiori's direction when she entered the White Pavilion on the Emperor's arm. The people went quiet and stopped what they were doing. As one, they clasped their hands to their chest and bowed their heads. They murmured their greetings in time with their actions perfectly, Shiori wanted to ask whether they had practiced it.

Shiori glanced at him, the man she was sent to observe, the new Emperor, Ryu Asahi. From what she could tell, he was not that much older than her.

It seemed to Shiori that her father deliberately did not tell her that the new Emperor was handsome as sin. However, Shiori was a trained member of the Fox Clan and a pretty face was not enough to deter her from her dream. Still, Shiori was a young woman and her heart was not impervious.

He was tall, broad-shouldered and his hair was an unusual chestnut color, twisted into an elaborate topknot on the back of his head. His face was finely structured with a sharp jaw, high cheekbones and a straight nose. Paired with his full lips and clear green eyes like the most precious jade, was it a wonder that Shiori's heart lurched at first sight?

Thank goodness for Shiori's impenetrable poker face, because of that she was able to keep her composure when he found her in the garden. Shiori had summoned all her training in manners to just blink and lightly place her fingertips on his sleeves without so much a hint of a blush. She was here to observe him, nothing more, and nothing less.

Emperor Asahi escorted her to the foot of the Dias and ascended the steps alone. When he had seated himself, Shiori bent her knees and bowed her head to the gleaming marble floor.

As if to make a point of his importance, the Emperor appeared to enter into a deep conversation with a member of his entourage stationed near his throne. During this time it was expected that the rest of the assembled guests maintain their silence as if their worlds must stop and wait for the King to give them permission to recommence their lives. Shiori took advantage of this quiet time to revisit the many different emotions of the last few days.

She was skeptical before coming here, for who would use such treasures with so little regards for their importance? Well, the Imperial Family apparently.

The Pavilion was pure and unapologetically, white, from its floors, to the ceiling and even the tables and chairs. The only source of color here was the dragon throne, made of jade and gilded with gold.

The Jade Palace and the dragon throne, Shiori's father told her tales about them when she was but a child. She remembered her long journey to the capital and her amazement for finally seeing it with her own eyes.

After a week of hard travel, Shiori and her attendants finally arrived at the capital, Ryu City, the heart of the Yamato Lands. She was not a stranger to wealth; the Fox clan had their own abundant resources, but the capital's opulence set her teeth on edge. The display of wealth was only for extravagance and ornamentation without a thought of the resources' practical uses.

The mansions were made of sturdy looking bricks and arrange into creative designs more elaborate than the last. Some of their gardens sprawled all over the road and more often than not, it was the cause of disputes. Who's land were whom and who got who's plants.

Granted, Shiori could admit that Ryu City was beautiful, albeit grudgingly. It was also a place filled with talented people, bright dreams and never-ending possibilities. The city had a fast paste that Shiori wasn't used to.

Large establishments peppered the city, left, right and center. There were brick buildings on every turn, painted in the colors of the rainbow. They were of varying heights, as if showing off who among them could reach the skies first.

People from different places hurried past them without a second glance. Their clothes were thick or thin and hair colors varied from light to dark. It showed Shiori which city they descended from. Some were walking, others were in carriages or riding horses. This wasn't surprising for the city was standing in the middle of all known trade routes, it was a center for arts, business and anything you can think of.

Compared to Kitsune Castle, the Fox clan's official residence in the northern mountains, the climate in the city was sweltering. Shiori immediately wished for thinner clothes but they were already behind schedule, so she opted to wait to change until they arrived in the palace.

When they arrived at the Palace's gates, Kuro, one of her cousins and also a bodyguard decided to use one of the secret entrances. He, Shiori and her maid Hinako entered and waited in the famed rose gardens of the former empress. It was their agreed meeting place with Shiro, Kuro's twin and the Fox clan's hidden representative in the Imperial Court.

Up till now, he had been using a different name to hide his identity. His mission was to provide Shiori the detailed report on the state of the capital, its people, the Emperor and the twelve noble clans.

The Imperial succession had always been bloody. Royal siblings fought over the throne, their mothers plotted behind false laughter and empty smiles. The twelve noble families egged them on and supported the candidate that would benefit them the most.

The first Emperor was deeply troubled by this and knowing that the Fox Clan refused to get involved with the various political factions, he sought their assistance. The clan were known for their clever plans and mischievous antics, but they were also focused on chasing profit and discovering new things. The first Emperor trusted them implicitly and this made the other clans jealous. He made a blood pact with the head of the Fox clan to watch over his descendants. He reasoned that they were too clever to fall for any tricks and were resourceful enough to handle a crisis if one arose. It wasn't an easy negotiation, but Shiori's ancestors agreed eventually.

The first Emperor decreed that the Fox clan would watch from the shadows and keep the Royal family in check and it had been that way ever since. That had been their beloved Ruler's last wish and Shiori's ancestors took it to heart. That is why from then on, the Fox clan retreated to the northern mountains and bathed themselves in secrecy.

They cultivated and improved the lands they were given and built connections in all corners of the kingdom. The Fox clan held positions in every industry, all the while diligently maintaining their status as the ones who watch from the shadows. Always vigilant and waiting for the right moment.

It was because of this, the reality of the Fox clan became muddled in history and they became part of outrageous myths and baseless hearsays. At some point, the Fox clan realized that it was easier for them to be surrounded by uncertainty and conflicting stories. They could do whatever they pleased and move without being watched. So, they decided to spread those rumors themselves.

Despite being nearly invisible, Shiori's father Takumi of Kyon, the twenty-fifth head of the clan warned her of the potential risks of her journey to visit the new Emperor. She must take all precautions for there was danger lurking in the imperial capital. The Fox clan may have been a myth to most people but there were still some who knew about them. They coveted what they hadn't been given and would do anything to discredit the Fox clan.