The Face of the Queen

As the ball reached its peak, Akihiro stood up and took everyones attention.

"I think you already have an idea of the reason why I hosted this ball," Akihuro started lookung at everyone.

"And I know not one of you will be shock if I say that I have decided to introduce the woman who shall be standing beside for the rest of our lives, the one who will support me in all the trials that may come, the one who will become the mother of our kingdom, the one who shall be our queen," Akihiro announced, which earned him a few gasps and some who nodded in agreement.

He also noticed how some of them would look at Manami's side, wearing her white gown, which complimented her snow white skin giving you the impression of a snow lady.

She bowed her head in a demure manner.

"Could he be referring to you now?" one of her friends nudged her.

"Should we be calling you, your highness now?" another one teased.

"Don't be like that now, it might not be me," she replied in a shy manner.

"What? Don't be shy now. You are the only one who could stay by his side and accompany him from the entire kingdom. You could freely enter his office as well," another one added.

"That is only because we have practically grew up together," she replied but her eye sight couldn't help but to look at one side of the room where another man is being entertained by some single ladies.

"Hey, come on. Don't try to evade. We are pretty sure it shall be you, whom he will choose," one took her attention once again.

"Geez, stop that now will you."

She acted like its nothing but deep down she is completely nervous, despite knowing that he would choose that woman she still wished that it would be her, if it's not her then everything will be over.

She didn't realize that upon returning her attention to her friends, the one she is looking at actually looked back at her. His eyes filled with sadness.

"Allow me to introduce to you, no allow me to reintroduce to you," Akihiro announced as the door of the great hall opened.

There walked in, a woman wearing a sky blue gown. The upper body was covered just enough to show her curves while the lower part flows giving you the impression of a serene water flowing down the river.

The way she walks was naturally overflowing with elegance, despite having a veil over her face, her eyes was expressive enough to make people see a beautiful woman walking in the middle of the crowd.

Akihiro walked towards her and offered his arm which she gladly accepted. He walked her towards the front before facing everyone once again.

"Allow me to introduce the one I've chosen to have beside me for the rest of my life," Akihiro started. And just as he started he garnered different kinds of reactions but most of it were negative.

"Your highness, you have told us that you brought her here not to marry her but for the improvement of our battle tactics. What is the meaning of this?" one official shouted.

"Your highness, why did you have to bring another woman from another kingdom when you have a lot to choose from in this kingdom of ours," another complained.

"Your highness please clear your mind, we have discussed this already," Ichika couldn't help but to complain as well.

"You already have Manami by your side, why still look for another, your highness," Osamu added.

"Are all of you deciding for me now?" Akihiro said, his voice firm. He wrapped one arm around Haruka's waist giving her assurance. He felt her nervousness and this is all he can do to ease it for her.

Haruka, on the other hand, felt much more secured when he changed their position, from her clinging unto his arm to him hugging her in the waist. At the same time, her heart beat became faster at how close the two of them are. Her nervousness was actually partly because of how close he is to her, she can feel his warmth that is calming all her nerves.

"That's not it, your highness. We are just wondering why you suddenly changed your mind from back on our meeting. Please don't be offended," Takako answered back.

"I never said I won't marry her, but instead was wondering why you suddenly brought her up to that conversation, its like you really were scared that I would choose her. Now I wonder why is that the case?" Akihuro replied.

"We just want what's best for you and for the kingdom, your highness. You suddenly marrying someone you just met for a few months,won't do you any good," Jin answered.

He is the most nervous of them all at the same time the most agitated, if Akihiro won't marry his daughter then his loss will be too much and that is something he never wanted to have. He glanced at his daughter and saw her looking at another direction, following it he saw that she is looking at a certain man.

He could only sigh to himself, he knew how they both felt for each other. The two of them grew up together after all. Just as how they both grew up following the steps of the person they treated as an older brother.

"Just met for a few months? I really want to laugh about that reaction," he was brought back to his senses when the woman beside king Akihiro spoke.

Her voice that is full of confidence and the voice that is different from her demure one, the one she had been using until now, and that voice that somehow felt familiar to most of them.

"This voice," Miwako suddenly said.

This voice and tone is truly familiar to all of them.

"Mutsumi?" Itsuko looked at Mutsumi with confusion visible in her eyes.

"Tell us we are just hallucinating," Hanae then said looking at Mutsumi as well.

"Why would I say that when you are not hallucinating?" Mutsumi replied smiling at the four of them.

"Then is that?" Ayaka added, tears started welling up in her eyes.

Mutsumi didn't answer but just smiled warmly at them.

"Yukimura? Can you hit me? It feels like I'm hearing things," Genjiro asked as he stared wide eye at the woman beside Akihiro.

"Ouch," he suddenly complained when Yukimura indeed hit him hard in the head.

"Don't look at me like that, you are the one who asked for it," Yukimura said when Genjiro looked at him with daggers while rubbing his head.

"Seriously Yukimura, what is this? The other might still be confused but just that one sentence and all of us within our group is already certain," Ryosuke commented.

"All I could say is that you have to prepare yourself and be on guard," Yukimura said seriously looking at the four of them.

"We have decided to reveal everything today in order to clean up this messed up place. And for us to succeed we would also be needing your help," he then added causing the four of them to actually be on guard.

"Would a fight break out?" Teiji asked in a whisper.

"May he or may not be, we are still uncertain if they would go so far as to actually raise their swords against all of us," Yukimura replied in a whisper as well.

"Just give us the signal then, we really are confused right now, but if our good friends will be needing our help even going so far as to call us back then we would not think twice on unsheathing our swords once again to fight by your side," Kohei answered.

Yukimura was truly happy that he and Akihiro actually found such friends, friends that should be treasured and kept for their whole life.

"How dare you spout such nonsense in front of all of us?" Daiki retorted after a momentary intimidation when the woman beside Akihiro spoke.

"Oh non sense? I'm spouting some nonsense? Then does this face looks like she's spouting some nonsense?" she rebuked at the same time removing the veil that have been hiding her facial features from the start.

Upon removal different gasps were heard. Different looks could be seen as well. Some were pleasantly syrprised while others were already terrified and a few were actually blank.

There stood beside their king was the queen whom they once have. The face of the queen who was even stronger from some of the generals. The queen that never hid behind the king and would always be beside him despite the difficulty of the battle. The queen that they had lost more than 20 years ago.

"Now tell me? Am I really spouting some nonsense or are all of you have already forgotten the face of the queen that you have driven out of the kingdom, the face of the queen who lost her children because of your selfishness?" Haruka said, her voice filled both with grievances and anger.