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CHAPTER EIGHT

The Crown Prince opened his eyes as he looked up first at the ceiling above his head and then to his right he beheld his wife the Crown Princess holding his left hand and looking at him.

"Your Highness." The Crown Princess said as the Crown Prince strained himself and sat up in his bed.

"What are you doing here?" The Crown Prince asked.

"You are my husband, you were incapacitated and can't I have a reason to worry about that, aren't you the father of my children?" The Crown Princess asked.

"I find all that of no use to me, we are tied to our responsibilities and I do not think I am one of yours." The Crown Prince said.

"You think that way Your Highness and I have no right to hold on to you, however, you have no right whatsoever to stop me from loving you.

Whatever the case is, I am your most legal wife and I feel it is my duty to see to your utmost care." The Crown Princess replied.

"I wish to be alone." The Crown Prince said.

"You aren't fully recovered from your wounds." The Crown Princess insisted.

"Which part of I wish to be alone did you not understand or are you suggesting that I should get out of the room myself?" The Crown Prince asked.

The Crown Princess complied out of reluctance and there she walked out of the room and left the Crown Prince alone.

Upon reaching outside, she met Miwa no Sakau.

"Your Highness." Sakau said as he bowed his head.

"Please look after him for me." The Crown Princess said before she was joined by her palace maids and altogether they walked away.

Inside the room, the Crown Prince Nunakakura who was all alone looked around once again before he turned to his right hand which was tightly holding onto something.

He opened his fingers and there he beheld a beautiful Phoenix bracelet like none he had ever seen in his life.

The beads were red and gold and it looked way too expensive to be owned by any average human in the palace.

Immediately, memories from the previous night came back to him and he recalled what was an all too familiar experience.

The Crown Prince still lost within his thoughts was suddenly interrupted when the doors to his chamber were flung open and the Empress Ishi Hime, his mother walked in.

"Your Highness." She said as she bowed her head negotiating a corner around the Crown Prince's bed while he hid the bracelet in his possession within his covers.

"Mother." The Crown Prince said.

"Say less, you aren't at full strength right now, there are issues that must be the nation's priority the first being your health." The Empress said as she sat down beside her son and then placed her right hand on his forehead.

"I am already grown mother." The Crown Prince insisted as the Empress lowered her hand and looked at him.

"Had I known that such an awful event was going to happen, I wouldn't have let these Royal guards be that reckless during the feast." The Empress said.

"We are all men without eyes of the gods, it is natural that some things remain forever hidden from our sight." The Crown Prince said.

"But that is not the type of counsel you must seek." The Empress said.

"Is there any wiser one mother?" The Crown Prince asked.

"If you can Master the art of seeing everything and becoming like the gods, your enemies against you shall stand no chance and no danger shall strike when you're unprepared for it." The Empress replied.

"Then why did you fail mother?" The Crown Prince asked.

"Because I could have seen something but I chose to see nothing." The Empress replied.

"How is father?" The Crown Prince asked.

"Bruiseless, alright, he is without wound, I worry about you Your Highness than I do for him, after all, he is the present and yet you are our future." The Empress replied.

"I understand, but who sent the assassins?" The Crown Prince asked.

"Do not overwhelm yourself with the burden of worry, I gave Hinote the order to investigate and find out the real instigator of that incident.

I trust his competency when it comes to things such as this and I promise you that once the real culprit is found, then I shall ensure they fall along with each and every single person that was involved in the act." The Empress replied.

"I trust your words mother." The Crown Prince said.

"No worries, I'll give you more reason to believe that I have already handled that well." The Empress replied with a smile.

Princess Toyomike was being dressed up in her usual clothes and Sina tidied her hair.

"Sina?" The Princess called.

"Yes Your Highness." Sina replied.

"Who do you think is behind the attempted assassination?" The Princess asked.

"I don't know." Sina said. "No one even comes to mind." She added.

"That is strange." The Princess said.

"In deed it is." Sina said.

"My father hasn't had quite a number of enemies, his reign has entirely been one of tolerance which makes me wonder who in the world would bear such ill intent towards him." Princess Toyomike said.

"It is natural to have enemies after all there are still a number of people that challenge his right to the throne as he succeeded his brother and married his niece." Sina said.

"Nevertheless, it has been more than twenty years since father ascended to the Chrysanthemum throne as well. If he were to have enemies then there is something more to it since being beloved of the people is a tool itself efficient in creating enemies through jealousy." The Princess said.

"That is a possibility to Your Highness." Sina said while maintaining her handiwork with the Princess's hair.

"Or.....?" The Princess said.

"Or what?" Sina asked.

"The Emperor wasn't the primary target." The Princess replied.

"That is ridiculous Your Highness." Sina said.

"It is only logical." The Princess replied.

"What makes you think like that Your Highness?" Sina asked.

"Haven't you already come to think of it Sina, don't you question the showdown of those series of events, have you not seen for yourself the reactions of the assassins or the fruit that came from their deeds?" The Princess asked.

"Every Imperial family member's life was on the line." Sina said.

"With the exception of the Crown Prince at least I am certain that everyone else in the Royal family who attended was unscathed including the Emperor." The Princess said.

"You stood between his attackers and him, the case of the Crown Prince could be unfortunate as everyone else might have simply been way more guarded than he was." Sina said.

"There were arrows and archers that still weren't found and my uncle himself took an arrow for the Crown Prince with his bare body. In perfect sense if arrows weren't for any other people what does that imply?" The Princess asked.

"They weren't targets that were vital enough for the entire operation." Sina said.

"And it implies that the harem of dancers was nothing more than a phony, it was a distraction to divert the Royal guards and then expose the Crown Prince." The Princess replied.

"What?" Sina asked.

"Yes." The Princess replied.

"You really think so?" Sina asked.

"Yes." Princess Toyomike replied. "whoever had planned this whole thing out must have been someone who is in deed very smart." she added.

"But there is nothing that we can do." Sina said.

"And it fills me with so much shame and pushes me to the point of breaking, having to go through the trouble if knowing that as a Princess if this our Nippon, I can do nothing." The Princess replied.

Sina finished her hair as she looked into the mirror.

"You are very beautiful, Your Highness, your conduct without flaw and your kindness comes in abundance to all your people.

It is because of you that I became who I am, certainly tell me this and answer this one question for me." Sina said.

"You are like a sister to me, feel so free." The Princess said to her.

"Just please forget about it." Sina said.

"Me, forget, never." The Princess replied.

"But there is nothing that you can do, you come as the daughter of the Emperor and leave the world as the wife of another man, hold no devotion to being a politician as yours is to a sole man." Sina said.

"I become an Enemy of this country, the very moment that I start to fathom abandoning my people, that alone I find most painful and most burdening than dying with regret." The Princess added.

"Then what is it for You Your Highness?" Sina asked.

"Why not gather my own people, love them, cherish them and support them. It is in qualities such as these that I shall win the hearts of the people and wouldn't winning the hearts of the people give me the chance of ruling them?"

Sina surprised looked at her Mistress.

"Your Highness, this is enough willful thinking for one person, How could you even start to imagine something of the sort when that is something that can never be.

You are at the greatest disadvantage compared to all the men within the Imperial family, there is a reason that women have never been politicians to rule in the history of the land." Sina said.

"I understand." The Princess said.

"I know that Your Highness is very stubborn, it is the reason as to why I persist on telling you that the only way a woman can do something and contend with men is by surviving at the mercy of their superiors." Sina added.

"Forget it Sina, I think I misspoke this time around." The Princess said.

"Yes, Your Highness." Sina replied.

The Princess looked at her right wrist and there she noticed something that she hadn't in the first place.

"Sina?" The Princess called.

"What is it?" Sina asked.

"Where is it?" The Princess asked.

"Where is what Your Highness?" Sina asked.

"Where is my Phoenix bracelet?" The Princess asked.

"Where is it? I do not know anything your Highness, I do not know where you put it." Sina replied.

"This is impossible, I was very sure that I had it." The Princess said.

"I know you are not the type of person to put it off Your Highness, if it is lost then it must be somewhere within this room." Sina said.

"That doesn't matter, what matters is that I find that bracelet, it was given to me by my father and he'd certainly feel offended if I lost something that valuable." The Princess said.

"But where can you start to look for such a small thing throughout the Palace or even the Empire, it is like looking for a needle in a haystack." Sina said.

"I must do whatever it takes to find it, the question however is where do I start?" The Princess asked herself.

Iname and Umako arrived at the Crown Prince's residence and there Iname was faced with Miwa no Sakau who halted him at the Crown Prince's doorstep

"What is your business here?" Miwa no Sakau asked.

"I am here to have an audience with the Crown Prince." Iname replied.

"I am here on the orders of her Highness, there is no one allowed to see the Crown Prince." Miwa no Sakau asked.

"Then I think that you should consult his Highness's personal feelings first before following the Empress' orders." Iname said.

"Are you a senior member of the Royal family, you'd no best that in the Imperial family, seniority rules the annals of the palace?" Sakau said.

"You say seniority, is there no body who taught you that I am an elder, I come in peace and request you to talk with your master, I am confident, he would remember me much clearer than you certainly will." Iname said.

The doors of the Crown Prince's quarters were flung open and he walked out into everyone's view.

"Your Highness." Everyone outside said in unison as they bowed their heads.

"What is it, can I not have a single moment to myself, I can barely rest with all the noise that you are making outside here, it is giving me a headache that I feel my head is ok the verge of exploding yet I expect you to act more formal than behave in such a barbaric way." The Crown Prince said.

"Forgive me Your Highness." Sakau said. "It is this man that is persistent on having an audience with you." Sakau said.

"He asked in peace." The Crown Prince said.

"I was ordered by Her Highness the Empress not to let anyone in to disturb his Highness." Sakau replied.

"And from whom do you take your orders, is it from me or from my mother?" The Crown Prince asked.

"You Your Highness." Sakau replied.

"Whose retainer are you, Mine or my mother's?" The Crown Prince asked.

"Yours. Your Highness." Sakau replied.

The Crown Prince then turned to Iname.

"Greetings your Highness, congratulations on your recovery." Iname said as he bowed his head along with Umako.

"Greetings Your Highness." Umako also said.

"Greetings." The Crown Prince replied. "What brings you here?" he asked

"Your Highness, I came to check on your condition, at last now, my heart is at ease seeing that you can walk and you are doing very well." Iname replied.

"Who are you?" The Crown Prince asked.

"Oh, pardon my insolence Your Highness, I did not make an introduction of myself because I thought that you could remember me." Iname replied.

"You are ...?" The Crown Prince said.

"Soga no Iname, this is my son, Soga no Umako, you might remember us two from the incident that happened yesterday night." Iname replied.

The Crown Prince looked at the two and he seemed to recall something from the previous night.

"You are the one." He said as he pointed at Umako. " You took the second arrow for me." He added.

"Yes Your Highness." Umako replied.

"What are you waiting for Sakau, these two are my guests, please let them in." The Crown Prince said as he led the two inside.

The three sat down to have some tea.

"Gentlemen, I laud your unreserved efforts to make sure that I was safe last night." The Crown Prince said.

"There is nothing to thank us for Your Highness, this was merely our duty." Iname replied.

"In the face of death, every man tends to be very selfish, you however did your very best and put your life on the line for me, how could I certainly not return that favor?" The Crown Prince asked.

"All that matters is that you are safe that's it, besides all I got from the arrow was a mere wound, I have fought for so long in my life that I am used to such conditions." Umako said.

"I am curious though." The Crown Prince asked.

"About what Your Highness?" Iname asked.

"I am curious as to why you saved me when you had a choice not to." The Crown Prince replied.

"Why so Your Highness?" Iname asked.

"Everyone had a choice between me and my father, my father and his men and his men's men. All that they could do in situations such as that was to think of the Emperor's safety.

You above all men reacted contrary to such laws and for the first time I noticed that you thought first of the Crown Prince and not the Emperor." The Crown Prince replied.

"From the will that is good, even His Majesty would have wished the very same for us, you above the two of us know that you are the Future of this monarchy and the heir of the Imperial house.

In every generation, as men we know that it is only forthright to protect the children rather than the Father of many as it makes no sense to save the Emperor of this country and deprive it of it's heir." Iname replied.

"In deed, I am flattered by your words." The Crown Prince said.

"You can trust our words Your Highness, who better than us to have as your disciples?" Iname asked.

"Sirs, you are too kind." The Crown Prince said.

"It is not our Kindness your Highness but what is right, we fear as well that anytime the Emperor might depart from us all and the actions from yesterday are all but a clear indicator of what is most likely to happen when that happens." Iname said.

"I am curious Sirs, please enlighten me." The Crown Prince Nunakakura said.

"You are very smart Your Highness and you do not refute any kind of wisdom whatsoever, from my point of view having grown old within the Imperial court and having happened to witness the last of Emperor Senka' s reign I know better than anyone else.

There are men that are always rivaling for power within the court and I know better than anyone that not everyone that bows their head offers their utmost homage to you.

Considering that the Emperor was unscathed only someone smart enough could certainly know this very well that the Crown Prince was the Primary target of the attempted assassination." Iname replied.

The Crown Prince looked surprised.

"Why would that be the case when everyone would consider that I was the unlucky member of the Imperial family?" The Crown Prince asked.

"Then why of all days to launch an attack the day that the Crown Prince returns to the capital?" Iname asked.

The Crown Prince kept quiet.

"Wasn't the Emperor also to the best exposure of the assassins given that he was raised above us all despite being heavily guarded?" Iname added.

"Yes." The Crown Prince replied.

"But nevertheless the archers chose you and I believe that it was with an intention attached to it." Iname said.

"Why?" The Crown Prince asked. " Perhaps we are only overly cautious." He added.

"Your father to ascend the Chrysanthemum throne succeeded his brother under great opposition. Through his entire rain he has primarily sought to prevent any form of aggression and deprive his enemies of a reason to depose him but that doesn't mean that he had none.

When the Crown Prince, His Highness left the capital nearly fifteen years ago it was something that could have been efficient enough a tool in ensuring that his influence in the court was contained." Iname replied.

"And now my return is but a threat to that power that the enemy seeks to have for themselves." The Crown Prince said.

"Exactly Your Highness." Iname replied.

"How conniving!" The Crown Prince exclaimed.

"And it is worse that we do not know who we are up against your Highness but certainly considering the series of events that were exhibited at Your welcome feast it must be someone very powerful." Iname said.

"Why so?" The Crown Prince asked.

"You must be desperate for my elaboration but an attempt on the life of a member of the Imperial family let alone the Crown Prince needs no amateur killer.

Only the talent of a well trained assassin is sufficient in ensuring your demise and for such a move to be played then someone exceptionally rich and influential must have been involved." Iname replied.

"Should the Emperor happen to die, someone with such power can trust that in a plebiscite, they along with support from many can take over the politics of the country and that puts you as the Crown Prince who is not yet famous in the capital at a disadvantage." Umako said.

"One way or another, you are saying that a civil war is likely to be the fate of the country as it seems that the Emperor hasn't that much time to live." The Crown Prince said.

"Yes Your Highness and My fear is that you have been away from the capital for a very long time." Iname said.

"You are well meaning but then again why not side with the enemy and you choose me, someone you are not very close with, for all I know my mother has never been on good terms with the Sogas?" The Crown Prince asked.

"That choice was your mother's and not ours, besides, we are humanitarian in nature, men that love our country and fight to uphold our dignity and honour.

The difference between us and your enemies is that in their greed they are very willing to be deserters while on one hand we are committed to the good cause of the country.

Your mother the Empress appears to have turned a blind eye either or she trusts these conniving men a bit too much. I know better though that she shall be disappointed unless we can help you give more power to the throne." Iname replied.

"How are you going to do that?" The Crown Prince asked.

"Just because you are the Crown Prince it doesn't mean that you'll automatically inherit the throne, the same went for Senka's sons and it is sad though that unless we do something the same might happen to his Highness." Iname replied.

The Crown Prince looked utterly worried.

"You are very right in all your counsel wise sirs, mine however is the question of how you are going to help me gain the throne." The Crown Prince asked.

"The answer to that question is very simple Your Highness, we can grant you power." Umako replied.

"Why?" The Crown Prince asked.

"For the good of everyone and to avoid the descent of this country into a tumultuous age." Iname replied.

"How can I acquire such immense power to be able to contend with an unknown foe?" The Crown Prince asked.

"Simple, by gaining the hearts and trust of people you can call your own." Iname replied. " Most importantly, you need to prove to your father and the rest of the Imperial court that you are ready and fit to wear Your father's shoes and follow in his footsteps." He added.

The Crown Prince seemed to understand the old man's words.

"It isn't that easy however." The Crown Prince said.

"First and foremost we are more than willing to be at Your service and secondly, before the Emperor's health culminates into a more undesirable situation, react by taking over great responsibility and ask from him the powers to carry out your duties as soon as possible." Iname said.

"Father would agree to that because he sees the need of it as well." The Crown Prince said.

"Yet it is more difficult given that it is bound to be laden by immense resistance as someone shall certainly ensure that success isn't on Your side." Iname replied.

"I can not act and gain anything without your exceptionally wise counsel and it is this that pushes me into accepting your service and allegiance to my cause." The Crown Prince said.

"Don't make haste your Highness, think about it." Umako said. " We aren't as powerful as well." He added.

"But You're brains are perhaps the most, something that I can entirely need and make great use of." The Crown Prince said.

"We are up against great men and we can try to help you gain power but I do not think it is in the question for us to gain it along the way." Iname said.

"And you are trustworthy people on my side and we know that should I gain it it can not be the end for me as my intention is to keep the two of you close to me.

I intend on making you my greatest executions that you'll act as my arms, my legs, wings and eyes where necessary and upon such a foundation, I'll see to it that you acquire all the power you need for us to maintain ourselves along with the order and stability of this our heavenly kingdom." The Crown Prince replied.

Iname and Umako looked keenly at him and it was without a doubt that courage, valor and determination were the qualities that the Crown Prince's eyes spelt out.

Iname and his son walked out of the Crown Prince's residence and they suddenly halted outside as Iname turned around and looked back at the palace.

"What is it father?" Umako asked.

"I still can not believe it myself, I underestimated the Crown Prince." Iname replied.

"What makes you say that?" Umako asked.

"We awakened a sleeping tiger." Iname replied.

"Was this not what we wanted?" Umako asked.

"I wanted more than that." Iname replied.

"What more was there for you father to want?" Umako asked.

"I'd measure the wisdom of the Crown Prince and say that he is very much like his mother and very smart and unpredictable like me." Iname replied.

"What do you mean, like you father?" Umako asked.

"He knew too much that is why he asked too much from me, he knew that I'd propose a helping hand for gains on one end that's why he tried to find ways of forcing me into proposing first." Iname replied.

"And when you didn't?" Umako asked.

"It spelt for him the one end that I am someone he could use and trust after all I wasn't a hand that he could turn down." Iname replied.

"Won't that make him suspicious about us?" Umako asked.

"It is by all possible means bound to do so and now it rests with us alone to ensure that he doesn't desert us because he can't but simply because he'll never find someone as trustworthy and supportive as we are." Iname replied.

"And there is his mother on one side, do you believe that the two of us can co exist?" Umako asked.

"This is a survival for the fittest and that is politics, the Empress' visage is clouded by her insatiable thirst for more and more power in the inner court, contrary to her, ours is to survive the aggression of other clans and Her Highness' anger." Iname replied.

"But His Highness being wise makes him a formidable threat to our existence as well." Umako said.

"And that is where the Imperial Princess Toyomike comes into the equation." Iname replied with a smile as he and his son walked away.

Hinote who had just entered the palace caught sight of the two exiting from the Crown Prince's residence that he was forced to wonder what they had been doing there.

"Your Highness." Sakae told the Empress.

"What is it Sakae?" The Empress asked.

"Hinote has returned and he wishes to see you." Sakae replied.

"Let him in." The Empress ordered and Sakae in her service complied.

"Your Highness." Hinote said as he bowed his head.

"Did you fulfill what I asked you to do?" The Empress asked.

"Yes." Hinote replied.

"And who was behind the Crown Prince's attempted assassination yesterday?" The Empress asked.

"The well trained assassins were in deed hired by someone and even you'd be surprised who the person was Your Highness." Hinote replied.

"Who?" The Empress asked.

"Soga no Iname." Hinote replied.

"Impossible." The Empress refuted.

"Why so Your Highness?" Hinote asked.

"The wisest man in Nara and in Nippon to leave himself exposed to being a murderer, it would be very believable if it went out into the world given that the Imperial court knows that he and I are two antagonistic parties in thoughts, words and deeds.

Iname's thinking is above us all and it is because of that I tell you your investigation was misconducted as I would have taken him to be the first hand in orchestrating such an event if your investigation was inconclusive." The Empress replied.

"Forgive me Your Highness." Hinote said.

"As it seems one of the hounds that I raised is trying very hard to bite it's Master." The Empress said.

"I am at fault and incompetent Your Highness." Hinote said.

"Get up, you are not as smart and I put a very big weight on your shoulders, I do understand though that I have hinted you on something so find out which one of the officials are colluding behind my back." The Empress ordered.

"Yes Your Highness." Hinote replied.

"You may take your leave." The Empress Consort said.

"I still have something else to report to Her Highness though I am uncertain if it shall be helpful to you." Hinote said.

"Something else?" The Empress asked.

"Yes Your Highness." Hinote replied.

"What is it?" The Empress asked.

"On my way here, I saw Iname and his son leaving the Crown Prince's residence." Hinote replied.

"What?" The Empress shouted as she stood up.

"Yes Your Highness." Hinote replied.

"Are you sure?" The Empress asked.

"I might have been at a distance but as a warrior my sight could not have been wrong and neither could my eyes have deceived me." Hinote replied.

"Iname and Umako are two foes of mine and their presence in my son's residence is something that comes so senseless to me and incomprehensible." The Empress said.

"I thought I should let you know it." Hinote said.

"Fine, I've heard it, you may leave." The Empress ordered.

"Yes Your Highness." Hinote said as he withdrew from the Empress' room.

The Empress stood there and remained furious until The High Priestess and Sakae walked into her room.

"Your Highness, what is wrong?" The High Priestess asked.

"I fail to know what Iname is thinking as that snake makes it more and more difficult for me to understand him." The Empress replied.

"What has he been up to Your Highness?" The High Priestess asked.

"Honestly, I do not know anymore as I am forced to to think so hard against him I'm eventually tired." The Empress replied.

"What are we going to do as he has proven to be quite an impenetrable mastermind?" The High Priestess asked.

"I think it is High time the old seer was laid to rest." The Empress replied with a ghastly smile on her face that promised nothing more but pure evil.