CHAPTER FIVE
Everyone really loved the sight of the magnificent palace but within the very walls of that majestic building, there was loneliness and pain, with no hope for love, the distance with people only growing farther apart.
Toyomike had already turned six years of age and even as she walked through the palace hallways, she was greeted with dignity.
"Your Imperial Highness." The palace maids kept on saying as they walked past her and bowed their heads yet she maintained her composure.
Toyomike walked through the courtyard of the palace and she was escorted by Sakae who was watching her closely.
She stopped to look at the fence of the palace as Sakae also halted in her footsteps.
"How long do you plan on following me?" Toyomike asked.
Sakae kept quiet.
"Have you not heard a single word that I have said to you?" Toyomike added softly.
"Mine is to do or die and not to reason why, I am not commensurate to you but to her Highness the Empress, it is her command that I watch the Imperial Princess and wherever she goes." Sakae said.
Toyomike sulked.
"Even as a Princess I am much like a Royal prisoner." She spoke.
Suddenly at that very moment, Katashishime walked over to the two and called her daughter by name.
"Mike." She said and the Princess turned around.
"Mother." She said as she walked over to her and then stood behind her.
Sakae walked after her but came face to face with Katashishime who stared at her so furiously.
"Sakae." Katashishime called.
"Yes Milady?" Sakae asked.
"Which part of the Imperial Princess' command was not clear?" She asked.
Sakae looked down.
"Consort Katashishime." Another voice intervened and the three along with Sara turning around beheld the Empress Consort herself walking over.
Sakae withdrew a few feet behind as the Empress stood between her and the Consort.
"Your Highness." Katashishime said.
"Milady." The Empress said as the two bowed their heads to offer their respect to one another.
"What has my humble Sakae done to offend you Milady, after all, I do believe it deep inside my heart that if there is something wrong with her service then you can complain directly to me." The Empress said.
"And I also thought that I could take good care of my daughter so there is no need to bother her with a maid to tend to her needs.
It is already of importance that she gets to survive off the left overs that fall from your table, why should she stretch her hand out to those that fall from mine?" Katashishime asked.
"I do realize that she is at fault but not because she disobeyed the Princess but I believe according to the rules, hierarchy and seniority within the Inner court, she was trying to be commensurate to me." The Empress defended Sakae.
"Have you not a Crown Prince and Princess to look after Your Highness?" Katashishime asked.
"All Princes and Princesses of the Royal House are formally my sons and daughters." The Empress said.
"We appreciate your effort Your Highness but I find it a little bit to bothersome for your age, come what possibly may, I trust I can raise and protect my daughter." Katashishime replied.
"How confident are you while saying that?" The Empress asked.
"How confident are you that you can be better at raising her than me her mother?" Katashishime asked.
Silence prevailed as the two Royal ladies glared at one another.
It was at that very moment that Sato announced the Emperor's presence and the two turned around.
"Your Majesty." The two said in Unison as they turned around and bowed their heads.
Toyomike, Sara and Sakae along with all other palace maids did the same thing as the Emperor came into very close proximity with his two wives.
"Your Highness, Milady." He said.
"Yes Your Majesty?" The two asked in unison.
"Did I interrupt anything?" The Emperor asked.
"Nothing, nothing at all your Majesty." The Empress replied.
"Her Highness thinks so much of the Imperial Princess, so much like a mother." Katashishime added.
"Wonderful, very wonderful Your Highness." The Emperor lauded his Empress.
"There is no need to land my efforts, you are our husband after all, is it not our duty to live in harmony and ensure that our husband is a free man?" The Empress asked.
"I couldn't say any less, I do believe however that it is not so moral of me to burden the Empress with the care of my own daughter and do nothing.
She already has the inner court to run for a really difficult task and all that I can possibly do to ease the weight on his shoulders is to demand that I at least relieve her of the duty of the Imperial Princess." Katashishime said.
"There is no need for that Consort Katashishime." The Empress said.
"Come to think of it Your Majesty and make your decision." Katashishime demanded.
"I believe that Noble Consort Katashishime is right Your Highness, you should be relieved of that duty as there is much more for you to do for me." The Emperor replied.
"Your Majesty..." The Empress was still saying but was interrupted by Consort Katashishime.
"His Majesty is Sage, Yes." Katashishime added as she smiled at the Empress.
"Perfect." The Emperor said.
"In deed your Highness after all as she said, You are our husband, she will certainly not go against your word." Katashishime added.
"Your wish is my command." The Empress replied as she bowed her head.
"I'll take my leave." The Emperor said.
His wives bowed their heads and withdrew from their close proximity to let him pass in between them along with his eunuchs and palace maids.
After he had negotiated a nearby corner, the two ladies came closer to one another once again.
"Your Highness, I hope His Majesty made himself clear." Katashishime said as she moved further towards Sakae and stood in front of her while she looked down.
"Sakae, you are in deed to loyal but Your Mistress does understand now that she has been relieved of her duty, there is no use of you being around the Imperial Princess anymore.
After all, who knows, her discomfort when next to you a mere servant could culminate into a capital offense." She whispered in to Sakae's right ear.
Katashishime turned around to walk away with her train of palace maids and her daughter.
"Milady." The Empress eventually called out to her and she halted in her feet but didn't turn back around.
"Do you mean to forsake my last shred of mercy towards you?" The Empress asked.
Katashishime turned around and smiled.
"Your Highness, which part in defining our relationship as two antagonistic entities did I not clarify six years ago?" Katashishime asked.
"Perhaps you now think to highly of yourself but has your life not been an example all this time of the trouble that could happen to those who contend with me?" The Empress asked.
"Have I not been the best example of what could happen when you mould your foes into colossal talents that could one time vanquish you?" The Consort asked.
"And between me and you, you have identified yourself, where is it that I like in the scope of the people that you fear?" The Empress asked.
"No where your Highness, you are beneath me and this time I am all the more forced to act out of haste, we'd come to terms that all would be good if you didn't mess with my daughter but peace has failed you." Katashishime said.
"Then I lie in wait for war, let Milady contend with me and together, let us see whose cause shall prevail after all." The Empress said as she walked her way and left Soga no Katashishime there with her people.
"Milady." Sara called.
"Let the Imperial Princess be for now, The Empress has already made her move so it is time we made ours." Katashishime replied as she raised her foot to walk away.
"Thank you." Toyomike said, "mother." she added as she gripped her mother's dress.
The Consort halted in her footsteps and looked down at her daughter as she held her by her chin.
"There you are my daughter, feel free to pray around, I'll let you have your own personal maid at the age you feel like having one." Katashishime said with a smile on her face.
"Yes, mother." Toyomike softly replied as her mother patted her head and then walked away leaving her in the courtyard.
The sooner that Katashishime had left, the young Princess heard the nearby hedges shaking and curious to discover what it was that was producing the sound she turned around and looked at the hedge so perfectly still.
It didn't seem to calm down her curiosity so she went ahead to approach it and as she went closer and closer, she realized a crude human image behind that she was about to scream until someone stepped into her sight.
"Your Highness." The person said and Toyomike appeared to immediately calm down having noticed that it was a real human being.
"Who are you?" Toyomike asked as she studied the rugged little girl nearly the same age as she was stationed in front of her.
"Why should you know a nobody like me?" The young girl asked.
The Princess looked and in the hands of the young girl she beheld what appeared to have been a rotting apple in her possession.
Toyomike walked up in fury and smacked the apple out of the young girl's grip.
"Your Highness." The girl said.
"Do you dare speak up to her Highness with your neck craned that high?" Toyomike asked and the young girl intimidated looked down.
"Why would I, forgive me your highness, even if you don't know me at all." The girl said.
"Even dogs themselves know not to eat what has gone bad, you for the sake of heaven are an all knowing human." Toyomike said.
"If her Highness knew that beyond the prosperity of the monarchy there in the depths of Nara the people suffer,she wouldn't be too quick to judge my actions, no she would bleed if she cared at that alarming and awful sight." The girl said.
"What do you mean?" Toyomike asked.
"You are the Imperial Princess after all and I am but an ordinary poor girl roaming the streets of Nara without a roof to keep me from the rain and a fire to warm me in the winter.
How could you know the great agony that lies behind these tall and painted walls and the suffering of your own people?" The girl replied.
Toyomike was surprised.
"What is it even like, behind these walls?" She asked as she gazed at them still too short to even reach halfway it's height.
"Your Highness, pardon me." The girl said. "I'll take my leave." She added.
"No." Toyomike said.
The young girl was quite surprised.
"What do you mean Your Highness?" The girl asked.
"Where are your parents?" Toyomike asked. "Where are your mother and father?" She added.
"Your Highness, I have none, there isn't a single person to run to when the boys on the streets bully me, there is no one for me to call my friend.
In a solitary world, it's one for themselves and nothing else." The girl said.
Toyomike got hold of the girl by her hand and then she dragged her.
The girl tried to yell in protest but Toyomike did not want to hear anything from her.
She brought her around to the back yard and then into the kitchen and then she started to stealthily make her way inside.
"Your Highness, what are you doing?" The girl asked.
"Reserve your questions first." Toyomike said as she started to shuffle through all the things in the kitchen.
Eventually, she happened to land on a large number of steamed rice cakes.
"Wow." The two girls said in awe.
"It all smells so delicious." Toyomike said.
"Your Highness, I am a poor girl, please, all I ask is that you don't do this for my sake." The girl said.
"Forget it." Toyomike said, "even I don't get to eat these special rice cakes so it works out for the both of us." Toyomike said.
"I am just a stranger Your Highness and you bring me here into the Royal kitchen, I could do you more harm than good." The girl said.
"No." Toyomike said as she smacked a rice cake into the young girl's mouth and then looked at her as she ate it.
"You are someone who needs help, it is better for me to treat you with sincerity and also ensure that at least you are very fine.
My mother told me to always be kind and even if you have gone through all that, I can not start to judge you because I also understand that it is not easy.
You showed yourself to me, answered my every question, made no effort to flee from my presence, so what more right have I to call you a criminal when you did none of those very things that criminals do?" Toyomike asked.
The girl swallowed her rice cake.
"Thank you." She said.
"It is my duty, after all, you are one of my people and to look after you is something that the heavens and my nature demand from me." Toyomike replied.
She also got hold of a rice cake and ate part of it and as the time went on, eventually they had eaten so much in their secrecy.
Suddenly, the doors of the kitchen were flung open and the Royal chef, a shirt and grumpy old woman walked in on the two.
She halted in her footsteps as she looked at the girls.
"Your Highness?" She asked herself. "You?" She said to the girl that was right next to her.
She ghastly smiled as she strode over to the two of them and ceased the Princess by her right hand.
"What have you done Your Highness, you got the Emperor's food and then gave it to a poor rugged stranger from outside that you don't know?" The woman said.
"Let go of me." The Princess yelled as the old but energetic woman ceased the young girl by her hand as well.
"Come with me both of you and your father shall decide upon your punishment himself." The woman dragged them.
"Guards." She summoned them into the kitchen and the Princess and the poor young girl were taken out with the guards' aid.
"Milady, Milady." Sara barged into the room as she called Consort Katashishime who was seated at her dressing table and was removing from her hair some ornaments.
She turned around and looked at Sara who was sweating profusely.
"What is it Sara?" Consort Katashishime asked.
"Milady." Sara said. "It's the Imperial Princess Toyomike." she added.
Katashishime was immediately worry stricken by this news.
"What has happened to the Imperial Princess?" Katashishime asked.
"Immense trouble has befallen her Milady, she is at His Majesty's court with the Empress." Sara replied.
"What did she do to get there?" Katashishime asked.
"She let a stranger into the palace and led her straight to the Royal kitchen to the King's personal food.
For all that we know, this is no longer a small matter because the Empress has already made allegations that the girl that was found with the Princess could be an assassin." Sara replied.
"What?" Katashishime screamed out of disbelief as she rose from her seat.
"Let's go to the Imperial court at once." Katashishime said.
"Yes Milady." Sara replied as she bowed her head.
"What, her Highness did what?" Umako asked Shizu.
"Her Highness allegedly brought a stranger into the palace to the Royal kitchen in the very place that the Emperor's food is prepared." Shizu replied. "The Empress claims that a girl with no clear whereabouts could be an assassin." He added.
"How proposterous?" Umako said.
"Her Highness is in deed very smart and that possibility can not be ruled out." Iname suddenly spoke up as he fanned himself.
"Father, a six year old to organize a treason plot, does it make that much sense to you?" Umako asked.
"Of course, a six year old can not be that smart, you think I do not know that very well?" Iname asked.
"What is it that you are trying to imply father?" Umako asked.
"Since a six year old can't be possibly involved in a treason plot then whom do you think shall be held responsible for the Imperial Princess' misconduct?" Iname asked.
The two kept quiet for a while.
"Could it be.....?" Umako asked.
"Yes." Iname replied. " Your sister." He added.
"What?" Umako said a little bit surprised.
"And Her Highness?" Umako asked.
"The Empress has always desired control of the palace and now that your sisters the Noble Consort Katashishime and Oane no Kimi appear to be conniving with one another to contend with her, she will do what ever she can to contain their aggression even though it means putting the Imperial Princess under her watchful eye.
It could be truimph for her and disaster on our side because our growing influence will start to appear as a threat in the Emperor's very own eyes and instantly, our fall may come swiftly inevitable before our total rise." Iname replied.
"What are we going to do Father?" Umako asked.
"This is a matter of the Royal household for now, we can't intervene in matters concerning the Emperor's private life." Iname replied.
"This is an alleged assassination attempt, nothing concerning the Imperial family is a private matter." Umako said.
"Patience my son and reserve your anger, let us watch first and we'll act later, after all, it is only when they have come to agree that it is an assassination attempt on the Emperor's life with evidence that we can start to act." Iname said as he smiled ghastly at himself.
Consort Katashishime came face to face with Oane no Kimi right outside the Emperor's court.
"Sister." Katashishime said.
"Upon receiving this news, I also got up as well." Oane no Kimi replied.
"Let's hurry before the Emperor does anything to the Imperial Princess." Katashishime said as she led the way into the court.
"The Noble Consort Katashishime, your Majesty, her sister Consort Oane no Kimi requesting to see you." Sato announced inside the court.
"Let them in." The Emperor ordered and Sato complied returning with the two Consorts a shirt while later.
"Your Majesty." The two sisters said in unison as they bowed their heads to pay their homage to the Emperor.
"Please rise." The Emperor said as Katashishime looked at The Empress Ishi Hime who was seated in her own seat right beside the Emperor and was smiling from the corner of her mouth.
"It is an opportune moment your Majesty now that Noble Consort Katashishime is here as well, we are after all some of the seniors in the inner court." The Empress said.
"Yes." The Emperor replied.
"I am certain that Consort Katashishime herself can explain herself on matters pertaining to the misdeeds of the Imperial Princess." The Empress said.
"Yes." The Emperor replied.
"Bring the girls in." The Empress ordered and the doors to the court were opened and the young Imperial Princess Toyomike walked in next to the rugged young poor girl.
Katashishime was frightened at the sight that she was beholding and the Empress on one side might have been pleased that she could have been on the verge of winning the Imperial Princess' custody with so much ease.
The girls were halted in front of the Chrysanthemum throne upon which the Emperor sat and the rugged young girl was forced to her knees.
"Stand up." Toyomike yelled at her.
"Your Highness." Katashishime said.
"Get on your knees Your Highness." The Empress ordered Toyomike.
"I am not going on my knees and neither am I asking for any forgiveness, after all, I did nothing wrong." Toyomike firmly said and even the Emperor himself where he was seated along with everyone in the court, they were surprised.
It wasn't with some of the ministers and the only people that dominated it at that very moment were the Emperor, his Consorts and the other female elders of the inner court.
"Your Highness, how dare you show disrespect to your Emperor and father. The duty of every daughter is that they remain filial to their parents, the other that they submit to their elders, the last that they love and submit to their husbands." The Empress said.
"Have I no right to speak in my defense even before my own father?" Toyomike asked.
"What right have you now, you led a stranger deep into the palace, that is already a breached law, as though it wasn't enough you took them straight to your father's kitchen and they were their with the Emperor's food, what more is there for you to explain yourself?" The Empress asked.
"Your Majesty, the Imperial Princess is very young, forgive her for her misconduct." Katashishime said to the Emperor.
"Yes Your Majesty, the Imperial Princess is young after all, if in deed she was involved in any misconduct then the elder in charge of her well being has taught her nothing on the true code of conduct of a Princess.
This ceases to be a private matter especially concerning the Emperor's life, I personally feel that whoever is in charge of the Imperial Princess must be punished." The Empress said.
"What have you to say for yourself Toyomike?" The Emperor asked.
"I didn't bring into the palace a criminal." The Princess replied.
"Can you prove that Your Highness?" The Empress asked.
"You have all been hasty to judge me but none of you even looked around, my question is why were there no guards at the kitchen?" Toyomike asked.
Everyone was alarmed.
"Even I noticed, where was the Emperor's chef to leave the food hanging around with no one to watch it?" she added. "None of you know." Toyomike said.
"I was the first person and the only one who ate those rice cakes and if they were poisoned because of the chef or guards' negligence then the blood of me, your Imperial Princess would have been upon your hands." Toyomike added.
The Empress was surprised on hearing all those questions coming from the Princess's mouth that she couldn't help but wonder how smart she was at such a young age when everyone least expected it.
"Your Highness." Katashishime said.
"No mother, do not stop me at all, is it not you who told me that I can have my personal maid whenever I wished?" Toyomike asked.
"Is this true?" The Emperor asked Katashishime.
"Yes Your Majesty." Katashishime replied.
"The person you are insisting on calling an assassin is my personal maid and father, can I not complain that as the Imperial Princess of this Royal house I have been abused.
Her Highness always says that disrespect and insult to my servants is disrespect and insult to me and she taught me herself that I am never wrong unless proven guilty." Toyomike said.
"Your Highness." The Empress said.
"Childishness clouds your envisage, your association to people outside the palace is a bad trait, it has contaminated your thoughts and morals and led you into telling lies." The Empress said.
"Can you prove that I am not lying?" Toyomike asked.
"What is the name of your personal maid and when and on whose permission was she admitted to work for you in the palace?" The Empress asked.
"Her name is SINA." Toyomike replied. "I got her today." she added.
"I was off to my mother to have her registered as my maid, it is sad however that we were at the wrong place and at the wrong time, nevertheless on a baseless accusation, I the Princess was abused." Toyomike replied as she looked sternly at her father.
"Have you seen Your Majesty?" The Empress asked.
"Can I lie to you father when as a daughter I have loved you and looked after you, I have done everything that you ever asked of me, I am only six years old with no knowledge of the world around me, I speak as Her Highness taught me and as I have seen her.
My servant is insulted yet above all you are the Emperor of your people and the good father of your children, their accusations are of no use to me, my only question is whether my blood father still trusts me?" Toyomike asked.
The Emperor was convicted and the Empress all the more surprised.
"You don't kneel before your Emperor and father to admit that you are guilty because you trust your virtues, you do not want to ashame your mother and step mother or show your weakness.
You are very kind and at the same time to smart for any normal girl your age, all people are cunning but you see through them faster than we can all see for ourselves." The Emperor said.
"Your Majesty." Katashishime said.
"Pardon Her Highness." Oane no Kimi added.
"What for?" The Emperor asked. " For tolerating her abuse and insult, for the guards that neglected their duty and would have endangered her life, for the chef who was unable to even portray the least amount of care towards my food." he added.
"Your Majesty, your grace is immeasurable." Toyomike said.
"Your Highness, I am at fault here for not being very thankful to you for risking your life for mine." The Emperor said.
"Empress." He called.
"Yes Your Majesty?" The Empress replied.
"Have all those guards and the chef of the Royal kitchen dismissed and replaced and please ensure that Her Highness's personal maid Sina is registered among the palace staff and well catered for.
"Yes Your Majesty." The Empress said as she bowed her head and then stood up from her seat.
"Thank you Father." Toyomike said as she went on to her knees and thanked her father.
"I feel it that this issue has been resolved, you may all leave." The Emperor said.
"Yes." everyone spoke in unison as they withdrew from the Emperor's presence and they left him all alone with Sato.
The Empress returned into her chamber furious but calm and sat down as she massaged her temples.
"You're greatly worried Your Highness." Sakae said.
"I am perturbed." The Empress replied.
"Perturbed?" Sakae asked.
"Yes." The Empress replied.
"Why Your Highness if I may inquire?" Sakae asked.
"For a girl that young it is close to impossible." The Empress replied.
"Who?" Sakae asked. "The Princess?" She added.
"I underestimated her and now even I have come to see Saio Shinaga's worry over her.
All my life, I was entirely unable to see someone as smart as the Imperial Princess Toyomike that at her age, she could actually speak up that confidently and carefully say every word that comes from her mouth." The Empress replied.
"Even I am surprised Your Highness." Sakae said.
"It reminds me of myself when I was young and perhaps this girl does act and resemble me more than she resembles her mother." The Empress said.
"Should you be worried about her Your Highness?" Sakae asked.
"After all that has happened I suddenly should be, after all, the apple never falls so far from the tree." The Empress replied.
"My Lord." Shizu said to Umako and Iname.
"Any news from the palace?" Umako asked.
"Yes." Shizu replied.
"What happened there?" Umako asked.
"Even I am surprised but what I heard was the truth and it matches the description of what the Consort Katashishime asked me to come and convey to you." Shizu replied as he handed over a very large scroll to Umako who read it out loud.
"What?" Umako said. " This is impossible." He added.
"Except that your sister says the same thing that Shizu was told." Iname said.
"How can a six year old do that, in front of the Emperor and moreso to the Empress herself?" Umako asked.
"We all were at fault to underestimate the Princess, after all at such a tender age, she was still able to contend with the Empress and speak up to the Emperor.
I notice her utterly perturbing as well as her birth not so long ago came with very great expectations that even normal Princes at her very age and old people nearly as I am can't be that confident or that smart.
For her courage she must be commended but this could be a sign on our side if the Empress does take it lightly, perhaps in deed the coming of this Princess was the Advent of a nother worthy contender for the Empress's might." Iname said with a smile on his face.
"Your Highness." Sina said. "I laid your support and your defense, you have risked so much to protect a nobody like me but I am afraid to be your maid I can not live up to your full expectations." She added.
"Sina." Toyomike said. " I have no body my age for a friend or to play with, and neither have I a companion to share some of my problems with." She added.
"You are a Princess." Sina said.
"And You are the first person that I can get to call my people." Toyomike said.
"Nevertheless, I am not worthy." Sina said.
"Not everyone who is called is worthy, it depends on who is ready Sina, if you want to return my kind favour then do it with your life and enter my service diligently.
With that, you'll never have to live worse than a dog and I'll take you myself and turn you into my arms and legs.
I shall cherish you like my own sister and shall give you no disrespect, look after you and turn you into one of Yamato's greatest friends and if possible associate you with all greatness, I'll consider this repayment of your debt to me a sign of your unwavering sworn fealty." Toyomike said.
Never had it been for someone that young to speak with so much eloquence and intelligence.
"My life is in your hands, your Highness." Sina said as she bowed her head.
The Emperor stood at a pavilion and stared in a distance at Nara beyond the palace walls.
"Your Majesty." Sato called.
"What is it?" The Emperor asked.
"It is now time." Sato replied. "Time for you to return to your Chambers." He added.
"When was the last time someone ever spoke to me the very way that the Imperial Princess spoke to me today?" The Emperor asked.
"Your Majesty, I'll be sincere that for as long as I have served you, there never has been such a thing from the very moment you ascended the throne." Sato replied.
"That's because no one even the Empress herself except from you knows that it has ever been so." The Emperor replied.
"The only likely situation that I do recall being a similar scenario was when you spoke up to your father the very same way Your Majesty." Sato replied.
"And In deed there it was that I had never hoped one of my daughters to be as persistent as I was back then or that confident while speaking up to the Crown." The Emperor said.
"Yet you pardoned her still, because she is your daughter or because she reminded you of yourself?" Sato asked.
"Neither." The Emperor replied.
"Why so then Your Majesty?" Sato asked.
"Unlike her I am not as courageous, I'd rule without aggressing all the political factions within my court, I could maintain peace in being a politically smart coward.
Hers' is a demeanor to challenge and perhaps the court would do well to have someone like her in the future at one point even from amongst her children, I would tolerate anything but I certainly can't deprive this my country of such a wise and rich heritage that comes too rare in every generation of ours." The Emperor replied.