CHAPTER NINETEEN
"Father." Princess Toyomike said.
"Do you know what those Courtiers are mentioning behind my back?" The Emperor asked.
"Trust me Father, nothing shall happen to me." Princess Toyomike said.
"How certain could you be, I have given you command of nearly a twentieth of the Palace guards, you compared to all my other children are quite special in your conduct.
What you are asking for at this point in time is that I accord you my benevolence but could you tell me how when you keep putting me in a dangerous position?" The Emperor asked.
"Those men see what they want to see." Princess Toyomike replied.
"And you turning up at that moment showing how deeply affectionate and filial you are in the absence of my sons especially the Crown Prince.
You were the most painful reminder to the Courtiers that you were born under the sign of Sagittarius and you could be the very person that is going to cause upheaval in the country." The Emperor said.
"What more do they see in me that they do not see in all other people?" Princess Toyomike asked.
The Emperor went silent and he appeared to be debating inwardly whether to tell his daughter the truth or not.
The Imperial Princess noticed that her Father's expression had suddenly changed and worry was all over his face.
"What is it Father?" Princess Toyomike asked. "Is there anything that you are hiding from me?" She added.
"Is there something that I should know or something that concerns me that I could have forgotten?" The Princess persisted.
"I never wished to tell you this before." The Emperor said. "I wanted to watch and make sure that you kept your distance from the courtiers because I greatly feared for this day." He added.
"Father, what is wrong with me?" Princess Toyomike asked.
"Originally I couldn't even tell but it is clear right now that when all other officials and courtiers turn to Nara and look at you, their eyes are filled with fear." The Emperor replied.
"Why Father, what did I do wrong?" The Princess asked.
"It's not what you did wrong my dear." The Emperor replied. "It's just that you were a victim and you happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time." He added.
"Father, I am confused." Princess Toyomike replied.
"So much controversy surrounds your birth my dear daughter." The Emperor replied. "At the time towards your birth and on the day that you were born itself a lot of supernatural signs were manifested in the land both on Earth and in heaven." The Emperor added.
"What?" The Princess said.
"It was once that the High Priestess received three visions, one that told of the birth of a child that would be very powerful in the land, the other of a child that shall bring about absolute upheaval and disorder throughout the land.
However, the third was the one that we found more threatening and when she beheld the three crowns it was the most inauspicious revelation that she ever had." The Emperor said.
"In most cases, one Crown represents one Kingdom." The Imperial Princess said.
"And where it could represent the Emperor then that means a second Crown represents the Crown Prince." The Emperor said.
"Then the Third?" The Princess asked.
"Another contender for the throne." The Emperor replied even the Princess herself was startled.
"Three divisions." The Princess said.
"Three Crowns." The Emperor said.
"Three stars." the Princess replied.
"Three Kingdoms." The Emperor concluded.
"Impossible." The Imperial Princess said.
"While there is me and the Crown Prince." The Emperor said.
"I don't see another as powerful." The Princess said.
"That doesn't mean that one can not become." The Emperor replied.
"The Emperor's star regained it's light." The Princess said.
"And Sagittarius split into two." The Emperor said.
"Twin stars." The Imperial Princess said.
"Two children born on the same day under the sign of Sagittarius." The Emperor said.
"And the three contenders, something surely doesn't add up father." The Imperial Princess replied.
"Apart from all my sons you and the Crown Prince are perhaps the two children that have had the best of my favour." The Emperor said.
"I am the Royal blood so if You are one the Crown Prince the second, to the Courtiers..." The Princess said and she suddenly stopped when something came to her realization as her father looked at her calmly in her eyes.
"Yes." He said as a serious expression overwhelmed him. "You are to the courtiers the third contender and the assurance of the scourge that heaven has prepared for our land." The Emperor added.
The Imperial Princess stood up.
"I won't let that happen." Princess Toyomike said to her father.
"Heaven is beyond your control my dear and there is nothing more that I can do." The Emperor said.
"No, there is something." Princess Toyomike replied.
"And what is it?" The Emperor asked as he angrily stood up after smacking the table.
"Fujiyaro already proposed to have the palace and all those nobles born under Sagittarius executed at once so I am certain he had perfect knowledge that you yourself are among those victims he is someone who perhaps had is chance to get the best from you until he realized that perhaps to him you were useless and you couldn't meet his full satiety." The Emperor added.
"No father, that's not his intention." The Imperial Princess said.
"Then what is?" The Emperor asked.
"Fujiyaro was just following orders." Princess Toyomike replied.
"Whose orders?" The Emperor asked.
"Mine." The Imperial Princess replied and the Emperor surprised on hearing this fell down in his seat as the Imperial Princess sat back down in hers.
"What?" The Emperor said in disbelief.
"Yes Father, all those months ago, I am the one who asked General Fujiyaro to do it once he had the chance." Princess Toyomike replied.
The Emperor was speechless.
"What were You thinking?" The Emperor asked.
"I met with Fujiyaro at a tea House and when we sat down and talked with one another, I gave him my request." Princess Toyomike replied.
"What was it?" The Emperor asked.
"I feared that there could be a number of the people in the Imperial court that are suspicious of me and it occurred to me as soon as the Empress made a scene last time that I wasn't in my Chambers." Princess Toyomike said.
"Are you blaming your step mother?" The Emperor asked.
"No." Princess Toyomike defended. "someone must have let her in on some false information about me with the intention of tarnishing my reputation." Princess Toyomike replied.
"So it was an indicator to you that someone could be watching you." The Emperor said.
"Even worse someone wanted to either get rid of me or force me into a corner to use me." The Princess replied with a smirk on her face.
"It makes sense." The Emperor said.
"And is it not the duty of politicians?" The Princess asked.
"Since when was your political scope this wide?" The Emperor asked.
"I have an eye out for everyone and my intentions were confirmed in the day that the Crown Prince returned to the Capital and they injured him." Princess Toyomike replied.
"All others unhurt and the fact that the assassins chose to turn up on that particular day, the Crown Prince being a casualty it was natural that he was the Primary target in the first place." The Emperor said.
"Yes Father." Princess Toyomike replied.
"But I don't understand how an attempt on the Crown Prince's life is related to you." The Emperor said.
"Think about it father if the Empress was misinformed about my existence in the palace and an attempt was made on the Crown Prince's life, before he returned to the Capital rumours had gone around that I amongst your children and especially your daughters was rising to your favour." Princess Toyomike said.
"Then it'd be natural that framing you for being outside the Palace and an attempt on the Crown Prince's life, someone in deed has something on you so they intended to accuse you of treason." The Emperor concluded.
"Yes." Princess Toyomike replied.
The Emperor was very shocked to hear that he nearly fainted.
"Your Majesty." Sato said as he came over to support him but the Emperor halted him with his right hand.
"I am fine." The Emperor said as he turned to his daughter.
"My daughter, this risk that you are taking is something that is very big." The Emperor said.
"I am aware father but if this prophecy is here now given the course of events that has happened now is the best opportunity that they would have to act against me so I am giving them the opportunity." Princess Toyomike said.
"What are you thinking my dear, this politics is something that is complicated and yes you could have a very high sense of reason but this risk that you have taken is just too big you are digging your own grave." The Emperor said.
"Trust me Father." Princess Toyomike said. "I want peace for this country more than anything else and that peace can not be realized unless we rid it of such people." Princess Toyomike defended herself.
"No." The Emperor said.
"Using this prophecy, I am going to forge for myself a shield and it is that very shield that shall ensure the Courtiers support me and fear me no more." Princess Toyomike said with a smile on her face.
The Emperor looked at his daughter with disbelief that he could barely believe she was the young innocent girl as a strange aura of courage and resilience overwhelmed her.
The Empress was seated in her Chambers and was lost in her own though as she recalled everything that had happened in the Central Palace courtyard.
The way that the High Priestess had looked at Princess Toyomike before she had passed and the series of events that had followed.
The three stars, the looks of the courtiers and the look that was there in the Princess's eyes was enough to confirm that she had everyone to worry about the Princess.
At that very moment, her bedroom door was opened and Sakae walked in.
"Your Highness." She called and the Empress turned around and looked at her.
"What is it?" The Empress asked.
"Her Highness the Crown Princess is here to see you." Sakae replied.
"Oh." The Empress said.
"Should I let her in Your Highness?" Sakae asked.
"Yes." The Empress replied and Sakae walked out of the room returning shortly with the Crown Princess.
"Your Highness." The Crown Princess said as she bowed her head.
"Hmm." The Empress muttered while nodding her head she raised her left hand and signalled for the Crown Princess to sit down right in front of her.
"Thank you, mother." The Crown Princess said as she sat down.
She noticed that the Empress looked quite absent minded.
"Mother, what's the problem?" The Crown Princess asked, "I have noticed that you look bothered." She added.
"There is something that is utterly perturbing about the Imperial Princess." The Empress replied.
"I see." The Crown Princess said.
"You were here in the morning, seeing that you are back here I can't help but question what it is that has brought you here again." The Empress said.
"I am also here concerning the Imperial Princess." The Crown Princess replied.
"I see." The Empress said. "It has become quite clear right now that she is much more headache than she seems." The Empress added.
"I did confirm that the Imperial Princess is the person that the Crown Prince is looking for and on top of that I found evidence in her possession as well." The Crown Princess said.
"That's good." The Empress said.
"I have decided to get rid of the evidence and even if the Crown Prince were to search anywhere around the Palace he won't find it as I shall put it in the last place that he'd ever go searching for it." The Crown Princess said.
"And the Princess?" The Empress asked.
"When the sun sets tonight, we are going to use the very interpretation of the High Priestess to see her miles away and out of Nara for good that she won't possibly think of returning." The Crown Princess replied with a ghastly smile as the Empress looked at her.
"Don't get too excited my dear." The Empress suddenly spoke.
"Why Mother?" The Crown Princess asked.
"I know the Imperial Princess much more than you know and she is someone who is quite unpredictable." The Empress replied.
"Don't worry Your Highness, this is a sin that is too a big and a worry of the nation that can not be underlooked or shadowed by the Emperor.
He must choose between both the Imperial Princess and the state and I am much confident that the only way he can contain the support of all the aristocrats and his people is if he chose the latter." The Crown Princess replied confidently.
The Imperial Princess made her descent from the Emperor's room as Sina and Kabane supported her.
She barely had any strength in her legs but she was still persistent on walking as she fought hard to maintain her stamina.
Eventually, having reached the bottom of the staircase they were joined by Princess Toyomike's Palace maids.
"Your Highness." Sina called.
"Yes?" She replied.
"Why did you punish yourself for all that long?" Sina asked.
"Nothing good comes to those who are not determined to fight for it." Princess Toyomike replied.
"You have suffered so greatly and for a moment His Majesty was acting as though you were a stranger and not his daughter." Kabane said.
"Do not hold him accountable." Princess Toyomike said.
"Why Your Highness, I think Kabane us right." Sina said.
"I have burdened him with such a very great responsibility and I am accountable given that I had to force him to choose between both the state and her daughter." Princess Toyomike replied.
"Which side is the Emperor Your Highness?" Kabane asked.
"The State." Princess Toyomike replied.
"Why?" Sina asked.
"Even if he wanted to be on my side I certainly wouldn't let him." Princess Toyomike replied.
"Your Highness, how can you say that, he is your father after all." Kabane said.
"This is my war against the world and I fear that if he gave me any aid he would only be implicated by me, Nippon itself not to mention is above all things even my life compared to it alone it can never measure up.
The other thing is I intend to show father that I am in deed a grown up and I can certainly win this war on my own without his aid." Princess Toyomike replied.
They negotiated a corner and walked up to the entrance of the Emperor's courtyard and there the Imperial Princess halted.
"You can let me go from here." She said.
Kabane and Sina reluctantly complied and they let her go.
"What shall we do Your Highness?" Sina asked.
"Nothing." Princess Toyomike replied that both of them were surprised by Her answer.
"Your Highness." Kabane called. "Everyone is saying that even heaven can't make you survive this ordeal." He added.
"Patience is a fundamental in every battle and we can not react out of haste or else it would jeopardize everything that we have planned.
I understand that now every one is going to devote their everything and showcase their views and tonight the palace is going to be on fire." Princess Toyomike replied.
"What are you going to do Your Highness?" Sina asked.
"It's not yet time to act so you just wait and see as all those hypocrites fight to divide themselves." Princess Toyomike replied with a ghastly smile on her face.
"Your Highness." Sara said as she called Consort Katashishime.
"Is anything wrong?" Katashishime asked.
"Yes Your Highness." Sara replied.
"What's it about?" Katashishime asked.
"It's about the Imperial Princess Your Highness." Sara replied.
Katashishime looked up to her all of a sudden.
"What's with my daughter?" She asked.
"The Emperor is drafting an edict to banish her from the Capital." Sara replied.
"What?" Katashishime said as she stood up from her seat.
"Pardon me Your Highness but that's the truth." Sara replied.
Consort Katashishime hurriedly walked out of the room at once as Sara followed.
"Your Highness." Sakae said as she walked in on the Empress and the Crown Princess amidst their conversation.
"What is it?" The Empress asked.
"The Imperial Princess." Sakae replied her heart beating first and she was gasping for air.
"What's with the Imperial Princess?" The Empress asked as she appeared to be concerned and her face furious and serious at the same time.
"The Emperor is drafting an edict to banish her from the Capital." Sakae replied and the Empress turned around to look at the Crown Princess who was smiling ghastly while she was filled with worry.
"I told you mother, he was bound to choose the latter anyway." The Crown Princess said.
"It's impossible that the Emperor would do it that first without the slightest bit if remorsefulness and reserve." The Empress said.
"Why?" The Crown Princess asked.
"Something is certainly not right." The Empress said as she wondered what it would possibly be.
"Father, Father." Umako called as he barged into Soga no Iname's room all of a sudden while he was sleeping.
"What's with all this fuss?" Iname asked as he opened his eyes and sat up in his bed.
"How can you be sleeping at this time father when all this is happening?" Umako asked.
"The way you are shouting, you make it seem that the house is on fire." Iname said as he turned around and removed his legs from the bed putting them on top of his shoes.
"Father, it's very urgent." Umako said.
"What is it, say it" Iname said.
"The Imperial Princess." Umako replied.
"What happened to her?" Iname asked.
"The Emperor is drafting an edict to banish her from the Capital." Umako replied.
"Is this what made you scream like a very mad man?" Iname asked his son.
"Father, this is a very serious matter." Umako said.
"You think that I do not know that or perhaps I have grown too old and stupid that I am now out of my mind?" Iname asked.
"I did not mean that father." Umako said.
"Then what do you mean?" Iname asked.
"The Princess is a primary piece that we must use in our plan, should she leave the palace and worse the capital, how do you think that we shall execute it?" Umako asked.
"Who said that the Princess was our Primary piece?" Iname asked and Umako seemed confused.
"I don't understand Father." Umako said.
"You obsess so much over the dear that you have lost sight of your mountain." Iname said. "From the very beginning the Princess was only an important pone in the game that we were to use to get where we wanted.
Our Primary piece in this game is the Crown Prince and we are jockeying for his favour without having to lose the Emperor's own." Iname replied.
"I now get it father." Umako said, "but what about the Princess?" he asked.
"Relax as nothing serious is going to happen to her." Iname said.
"What makes you say that Father?" Umako asked.
"In fact I am awed that there is someone that is very much like me in the world I never thought that at such a very gentle age, she would be this smart and conniving." Iname replied.
"Father, what could the Princess be thinking?" Umako asked.
"This is the Emperor's trap and he is using his daughter as bait to lure the shoals from all around, when the time is right he is going to cast the net and at the end of it all, the Courtiers shall be in his trap." Iname replied.
Umako still seemed so confused but he didn't dare to tell his father.
Dusk was approaching and Miwa no Sakau was still investigating and finding out where Hotaru had been coming from earlier in the day.
He walked around the Palace and eventually as he was passing the Southern side of the Palace, he caught sight of the Crown Princess and Hotaru leaving her private quarters with Hotaru holding in her possession the black bag that he'd seen her with earlier.
"Your Highness." The guards outside her quarters greeted her.
"There is no need for you to come with us." The Crown Princess told the guards.
"Very well Your Highness." They replied as they stepped back and they let the two walk out.
Miwa no Sakau was already suspicious so he hurriedly rushed over to the back of the hedges that were nearby and he hid when he saw them heading towards his direction.
Once the two were outside, they both looked around to see if there was anyone watching.
"There's no one Your Highness." Hotaru said.
"Let's go." The Crown Princess said as she led Hotaru away and the two walked out of the palace as Miwa no Sakau followed them.
The two having walked for a distance reached the small forest that was stationed at the back of the forest.
They made their entry inside struggling to make sure that they were not being seen by anyone and once they were a considerable distance inside, they halted right next to a tree.
Miwa no Sakau who had been following them for a while sneaked until he was close enough to hear what they were saying.
"This is it." Hotaru said and at that point Miwa no Sakau noticed that there was a very small hoe that was nearby.
The Crown Princess looked as Hotaru got a hold of the hoe.
"Start digging." The Crown Princess ordered ad at that moment, Hotaru complied.
Miwa no Sakau made sure to keep quiet and as he was there watching the two women, he felt something slithering and looking right in front of him he noticed that there was a snake that was on the tree he was right next to looking at him.
Miwa no Sakau froze at once and there he watched the snake barely making a single move.
He knew that if he moved he would alert the Crown Princess and her servant that he was watching and on the other hand he was still curious to find out what it was that they were doing outside there at night.
He watched for a while as he looked at the snake and kept his ears open.
"Are you done yet?" The Crown Princess asked Hotaru.
"Almost Your Highness." Hotaru replied.
"Hurry up before it's totally dark." The Crown Princess ordered and Hotaru tried much harder and harder until a while later she halted.
"It's done." Hotaru said.
"Put the sack in." The Crown Princess ordered and Hotaru complied as Miwa no Sakau was listening.
"There You go Your Imperial Highness." The Crown Princess said. "At this rate Toyomike, the Crown Prince shall never at any one point know your identity and before the moon is at its highest peak tonight, you shall be nowhere in his reach for you to find." She added.
Hotaru started burying the sack as the Crown Princess watched.
The Snake that was on the tree moved down and it slithered closer until it came to eventually stop in front of him that it started to slither up his body.
"It's done Your Highness." Hotaru said.
"Well done." The Crown Princess said as Hotaru stood up. "Let's return to the palace at once." She added.
"Aye." Hotaru replied and the two of them walked away.
At that point, the snake had slithered up to Miwa no Sakau's chest.
Once he was certain that the two were out of sight, he tightly gripped the Cobra by it's neck before it would strike him or spit venom.
"I was already tired of looking at you." Miwa no Sakau said.
As he stood up and then he threw the snake far away.
He walked up to the spot where the Crown Princess and Hotaru had been.
"What exactly were the both of you hiding here?" Miwa no Sakau asked as he got a hold of the small hoe and then he started to dig the very spot that Hotaru had been digging.
After a while, He landed on the sack and pulling it out of the hole he placed it there on the flat ground.
He opened the sack and the first thing that he saw was the Navy blue and black cheap cotton fabrics.
Staring at them he recalled the words that the Crown Princess had said a while before.
"At this rate Toyomike, the Crown Prince shall never at any one point know your identity and before the moon is at its highest peak tonight, you shall be nowhere in his reach for you to find." She'd said and at that moment the memories came back to his head.
He recalled the first time that he had seen Abe in the alley when he had been rescued by the Crown Prince and then that moment on the mountain when both he and the Crown Prince learnt that Abe was a woman all along.
He had seen the Imperial Princess before unlike his master and he recalled that night and that the Palace had been attacked by assassins on the very day that the Crown Prince had returned to the Capital.
Looking at those clothes he was convinced that he himself was surprised.
"Her Highness." Miwa no Sakau whispered to himself. "Abe, the person that the Crown Prince is looking for is the Imperial Princess Toyomike herself." He added.
Miwa no Sakau stood up and with the clothes at hand, he hurriedly rushed out of the forest.
The Courtiers had arrived at the entrance of the gate and they stood there as they were being halted by the guards.
" Tell her Imperial Highness to leave." Mononobe no Suke said. "We are here by the will of the people and the will of the Emperor himself and we shall not leave even at the point of the spear." He added.
"Your Highness." Sina said as she walked into the Imperial Princess' chambers where she found her busy dressing up in front of her mirror.
"Tell me Sina." Princess Toyomike said.
"Your Highness." Sina called.
"Do I look beautiful enough?" Princess Toyomike asked."
"Your Highness, this is not the hour." Sina said.
"That is out of the question." Princess Toyomike said. "Tell me, do I look beautiful enough, yes or no?" She asked a second time.
"My Mistress's beauty is second to none." Sina said.
Princess Toyomike smiled.
"I understand it very well Your Highness that as a woman you must be beautiful at all times, there is one thing however that I don't understand and it leaves me with curiosity." Sina said.
"What Is it?" Princess Toyomike asked.
"Your Highness, at a time like this, why are you acting this way?" Sina asked.
The Princess smiled.
"I stood on Kagu Hill and looked at the vast expanse of Nara beneath it, I admitted it at that very moment that I had never seen anything like it and that to the eyes of another it might not have been that gorgeous but to me, I had certainly known no other beauty." The Princess replied.
"You asked me just now why I am doing this and it is not out of my will and might but entirely for Nippon." The Princess added.
"I don't understand Your Highness." Sina said.
"I must dress and fit the occasion." Princess Toyomike replied as she stood up from her seat.
"I believe that it is time." She added as she continued to walk out of the room.
"You'll have them all leave everything behind, tell them all that no matter what happens they shouldn't pack anything because they are not going anywhere." Princess Toyomike said.
"Aye." Sina replied.
The Crown Prince was in his Chambers when the doors were flung open and Miwa no Sakau rushed in and bent over himself gasping for air before the Crown Prince who was startled by his entry.
"Your Highness." Miwa no Sakau said.
"What is it?" The Crown Prince asked quite puzzled.
"Miwa no Sakau revealed the clothes that he was holding in his possession.
"Your Highness." He said as he showed them to the Crown Prince who with one stare in deed was reminded they did not just look familiar but they were Abe's clothes.
"Those clothes....." The Crown Prince said.
"Yes Your Highness." Miwa no Sakau said as he stood upright. "These are Abe's clothes." He added.
The Crown Prince walked up to him.
"Did you find Abe?" The Crown Prince asked.
"Yes." Miwa no Sakau replied.
"Who is Abe?" The Crown Prince asked.
"Abe is none other than the Imperial Princess Toyomike herself." Miwa no Sakau replied.
At once the Crown Prince was shocked and he walked backwards for a while as he tried to process what Miwa no Sakau had said.
He recalled that night at the Imperial Princess' palace when she performed at the Gion Matsuri festival, he recalled the Golden mask.
"No wonder she felt so familiar." The Crown Prince said.
"These clothes belong to the Imperial Princess Toyomike herself." Miwa no Sakau said once again.
The Crown Prince looked at him and at once he ran out of his room.
"Your Highness." Miwa no Sakau shouted after him as he dropped the clothes there and he ran after the Crown Prince as well.
He travelled as fast as light as he made his way across the palace Courtyard to the very Palace he knew very well.
The servants watching and wondering what was wrong with him Miwa no Sakau went on chasing the Crown Prince from behind.
Negotiating a number of corner he eventually came towards a pair of large doors that had been shut and he knew it very well that it was the very entrance of the place he was certainly looking for.
Princess Toyomike along with Sina and Kabane walked up to the large doors that marked the entrance into her Courtyard and the guards there looking at the Princess she nodded her head and they opened the doors.
As they parted the Imperial Princess looked and at that moment with awe the snow started to fall upon noticing the very person that was standing right in front of her.
The Crown Prince's eyes were teary as he put all the pieces together and he was. certain it was no mistake, there was no difference between Abe and the person that he was seeing right there in front of him.
The Imperial Princess was immediately speechless and Kabane and Sina noticed that something wrong had been going on between the two of them.
"At last with heaven's blessing I've been graced to lay my eyes on the real you, by far the most beautiful amongst all women and the fairest in the land. As you have held onto your kindness and passionate nature to win this very heart of mine, mortal but in deed divine I find my greatest delight as a man in you, Immaculate Princess of Nara." The Crown Prince Nunakakura entirely amazed spoke up to her.