CHAPTER TWENTY TWO
Her eyes meeting with his she saw the face right in front of her as one which was very familiar while Kabane, Sina and everyone else who knew the man very well were shocked.
"Yes Your Highness?" The man said and Princess Toyomike surprised called him by the name that she knew best.
"CROWN PRINCE NUNAKAKURA?" Princess Toyomike asked.
"Yes Your Highness." The Crown Prince replied with a smile on his face it had in deed come as one of the biggest surprises to the Princess in all her life.
Princess Toyomike looked around and she did not want to create a scene.
"It seems that His Highness and Her Highness are both well acquainted." The High Priest said.
"Yes." The Crown Prince replied with a smile on his face that Princess Toyomike was forced to smile back at him.
"I am very grateful for the warm welcome that you have accorded both me and my people." Princess Toyomike said.
"It is our duty Your Highness." The High Priest replied.
"I'm here to fill in for the Royal family and help conduct a prayer to the heavens to protect us all from any harm." Princess Toyomike said.
"Tomorrow is the most auspicious day Your Highness." The High Priest replied as he turned and looked at the sky.
"The snowfall has settled over the land and people from around in the village below and near the mountains shall gather here with us in a commune.
We look to the gods for mercy and remain thankful hoping that they can sustain us to continue living according to their way." The High Priest replied.
"Great." Princess Toyomike said. "If Your Eminence is willing, may I lead the prayers to heaven?" she asked.
"Yes Your Highness." The High Priest replied as the Imperial Princess Toyomike smiled.
A while later, Princess Toyomike was led to the room where she was going to be staying, it wasn't quite lavish but it had a simple table with six chairs and a small bed.
Sina and Kabane walked into the room with her as they started to look around and other maids brought in some of the Princess's belongings.
She watched as they placed them about the room and when they were done she smiled in appreciation as they withdrew leaving her with her two personal guards.
"Your Highness." Sina and Kabane said in unison.
"Let's sit." The Princess Toyomike replied as she pointed at the table and the three sat down.
"You must be wondering what I want you to do." Princess Toyomike asked.
"Yes Your Highness." Sina and Kabane replied.
"Its very simple, I want you to get the syrup that I brought along with me from the palace." Princess Toyomike said.
"What are we going to do with it Your Highness?" Kabane asked.
"You'll know what I want you to do tomorrow." The Princess replied.
"Alright Your Highness." Kabane said as she turned to Sina.
"Did you prepare what I asked you to?" She asked.
"Yes." Sina replied.
"This place is mountainous and the shrine is located in the gorge within the mountain, get an Archer and place him at the top of the mountains.
It's snowy so we shall expect a fog early morning to rest there and guard him from everyone's view." Princess Toyomike asked.
"What are you going to do Your Highness?" Sina asked.
"You are only being impatient but let me let you in on one small secret." Princess Toyomike replied. "I am going to pray." she added and the two were confused.
Shortly after, they walked out of the Princess's room and standing at the entrance they started talking amongst themselves.
"What do you think the Princess is going to use the syrup for?" Kabane asked in murmur.
"I don't know but one thing is for sure whatever it is it must be something big." Sina replied and the two of them walked away.
"Your Highness." Miwa no Sakau called.
"Yes." The Crown Prince replied as he smiled widely.
"You seem to be in a very good mood today." Miwa no Sakau said.
"Of course." The Crown Prince replied. "Why wouldn't I be in a very good mood?" He asked.
"Retiring from the comfort in the capital and coming here to live like a hermit even for a few days, the food they eat is saltless and they survive on only water and no liquor." Miwa no Sakau replied.
"None of those pleasures is of any use to me." The Crown Prince replied as he leaned on his right hand and smiled dreamily.
"As long as I can see her in the morning when the sun graces the sky and as long as I can see her in the evening when the sun sets behind the mountains.
When I can just see her smile gracing the earth and giving it life and the distance between me and her is only a couple of metres away.
When I can live under the same roof with her and I can watch her in the cold dancing under the snow fall, it's all good enough and worth it even if I must live a life that is so simple." He added.
Miwa no Sakau looked surprised.
"Your Highness, I have never seen you like this before." He said.
"Because I had never met anyone like her in my life before." The Crown Prince replied.
"I can not tell the difference between her and other women except that she is exceedingly very beautiful." Miwa no Sakau said.
"You don't understand." The Crown Prince replied.
"What don't I understand Your Highness?" Miwa no Sakau asked.
"With other women I had only felt valuable all my life even while doing nothing yet from the very moment that I laid my eyes on her and got to know her, she made me realize that I was worthless and just someone lucky enough waiting to inherit power.
For other women there are in my life, our marriage came as they were perhaps presented to beautiful and adorned with all the precious stones to render them Charming which was something good.
For her, even in a simple piece of cotton cloth with a hat so shabby and her boots so big I still found her to look most beautiful.
For all the women that I have married, it was put of filial piety and to guard against the aggression of the Courtiers and yet for her she only made me feel like I'm a real man.
All other women in the inner court submit out of their nature and they are humble and quiet because they have no dreams and they are beyond redemption and yet all my life except from my mother, she is the only woman that ever spoke up to me rudely and made me look like nothing but a joke in my own eyes." The Crown Prince replied.
"Your affection for her Your Highness." Miwa no Sakau said. "It runs too deep." He added.
"I thought that as a great Emperor I would become, I needed the Courtiers on my side to guide me and I could entirely lean on the male members within my family.
Ever since that I met her it made me realize that even if I was tired from working hard through the day, I would come back home to someone that I love and they can love me back to comfort me.
When I am burdened by the politics of this country, she'd do well to guide and share the burden with me.
Above all she is gracious and kind, with a woman like that tell me which man can not be so proud?" The Crown Prince asked.
"I can perhaps try to understand you Your Highness." Miwa no Sakau said. "But can your mother do so?" He asked.
"She must." The Crown Prince replied.
"Why Your Highness?" Miwa no Sakau asked.
"All my life I did everything that she asked me to, and now it is my turn to at least do something that I want for myself." The Crown Prince replied.
It was nearly a short while as dusk came to pass and then Morning came.
The sun rising above the mountains, a thick fog rested over their tops like the Princess had predicted.
The Shinto priests stood at the entrance of the Temple as they welcomed the people from the villages below, around and near the Kii mountains.
The High Priestess stood personally in front of the shrine and was among the people that welcomed the villages who carried with them some Vegetables that they handed over to the hermits around.
Princess Toyomike who was inside her Chambers was being dressed in her white and black prayer attire and her hair was left to hang free from her head with nothing but a simple knot on top.
"Even in such plain clothes." Sina said. "You look like a goddess your Highness." She added.
"That's what on this day I am going to become." Princess Toyomike said.
"Hmm." Sina muttered.
"You remember when I told you that I shall put heaven on my side?" Princess Toyomike asked.
"Yes, that you'll challenge the power of the High Priestess." Sina replied.
"Exactly." Princess Toyomike replied.
"I see." Sina replied.
"Sometimes people are too hopeful and when they become to hopeful, they end up being too desperate." Princess Toyomike said.
"You want heaven's power because people are desperate?" Sina asked as she readied her.
"No." Princess Toyomike replied. "Not at all." she added.
"Why then Your Highness?" Sina asked.
"People being too desperate suffer at the fate of misinterpreted signs of heaven, one prophecy can put the lives of thousands and perhaps tens of thousands on the line, I noticed it recently when my own fate was tied to the same branch." Princess Toyomike replied.
"And using heaven on your side could redeem the people?" Sina asked.
"No." Princess Toyomike replied.
"What would it do then Your Highness?" Sina asked.
"I believe that the first task in uniting a people is if they share a common belief that brings about harmony.
Sacrifice is unnecessary and it can bring about division and destruction, I want to use the will of heaven and it's power for the people to fight against it for only if people can find enlightenment in all your actions can they follow you easily for a good cause." Princess Toyomike replied.
"Was this what you meant your Highness about taking with us the Spirit of the Capital?" Sina asked.
"Yes Sina." Princess Toyomike replied. "If shall be made known today that the Spirit of Nara and the spirit of Nippon that rules the heavens above and the ground below rests with me. That's the power of heaven's will." She added.
After she was done dressing up Kabane walked in.
"Your Highness." He said as he bowed his head.
"You are here to take me?" Princess Toyomike asked.
"Yes Your Highness." Kabane replied. "It is time for the prayers." He added.
"Let's go." Princess Toyomike said as she stood up and walked out while being followed by the two.
The courtyard to the shrine had already been crowded and filled with a number of people who looked as the Imperial Princess was led through by the priests.
A number of people looking at her for the first time in deed praised her to be very beautiful while the others were in awe having seen the courageous Princess Toyomike of Nara as someone who was too humble.
Sina moved to the side of the Princess and the Princess whispered to her.
"Go to the tree that stands right in front of the temple of the sun goddess and make sure that using as much syrup as you possibly can write the word 'PEACE' on its stem where everyone can see." Princess Toyomike said.
"Yes Your Highness." Sina whispered as she broke away.
Kabane then joined in and moved to the Princess's left.
"It's ready your Highness." Kabane said.
"Pour it in the water channels that surround the altar." Princess Toyomike whispered.
"Yes Your Highness." Kabane replied as he walked away while the Princess continued behind the priests her eyes surveying the entire place.
The people bowed as she passed and others humbled themselves as it was well known that the Imperial family being descended from the sun goddess Amaterasu were in deed amongst all people considered to be semi divine.
As she continued, she caught sight of the Crown Prince and his guard amongst the people and he smiled at her but she kept her serious expression unwavered as she continued the journey.
The Shinto priests parted as Princess Toyomike continued up until she stood on a platform that had been created with small ditches around filled with water and a small altar in the centre.
Right in front of her were a group of flowers and fruits and there was a golden pan which was a symbol of the sun.
The sun above her head she smiled as she knelt down on the platform and every one else knelt down around her as they looked up to the sky.
A Group of hermits started playing their instruments as Princess Toyomike burnt the incense and the drums were sounded and the horns blown.
The Princess continued the rituals in silence as she prayed and the people eventually closed their eyes and prayed as well.
After a while, the Princess looked at the channel that led to the small smaller ones that surrounded the altar and seeing that a mild wave of turbulence had passed through, she turned around and looked up at the sky where the sun made a small appearance despite being covered by some fog.
She knew that there was no better opportunity than that and she smiled at herself.
At that point, the people had started to open their eyes and look at the Princess who continued to cease the golden pan in her hands and then stand up.
A mild wind howled as the fog appeared to shift for a while, and the Princess Toyomike raising the golden pan in her hands to face the sun, she reflected a very bright light that was blinding to the sight of some of the people.
the people still looking at her were surprised when from the fog that separated them from the sky, a very bright and brilliant tongue of fire descended upon them.
"It's a star." Some remarked.
"Perhaps a piece of it." others said as it landed with fire and at once, all the water in the channels that surrounded the altar was started to evolve into a series of flames which surrounded the Princess.
"The will of heaven is here." The people said led by Kabane and they fell down to their knees and started worshipping the Princess who smiled at the people.
She looked around and saw the priests that were right there with them amazed themselves as they had never seen anything in their lives before.
The Princess turned around and faced the mountain as she walked around the altar to the very place where the tongue of fire had landed and as she bent over while showing other people her back, in the fire while most of everything had burned she picked a very big stone of solid gold and turning around she showed it to the people.
"It's a star." The High Priest said and everyone could barely believe it as the Princess despite being in the centre of the flames did not look frightened she looked up and their eyes followed hers there.
The fog was starting to clear with time and in the sky where the three stars had once stood only two remained.
"Two stars." They said amongst themselves even the Crown Prince where he was was quite surprised at the spectacle it was a theory that even he himself he couldn't explain.
"With snow falling over the land throughout the night, today in the morning the sun rising high the heavens responded to our prayer with fire." Princess Toyomike said.
Sina who was amongst the palace maids that had also been dressed in white and black for the ritual spoke up.
"Were there not three stars that graced the Eastern skies?" She asked.
"Yes." A common man who was nearby replied.
"The Princess, she made the star fall." Sina said and the people were in deed quite puzzled.
"Her Highness is in deed semi divine." The people started talking amongst themselves.
"She caused the third star to fall." Others added.
The rumour has already circulated about the place like a wild fire consuming a forest and even better for the Imperial Princess the people had seen for themselves.
The Crown Prince staring at her the flames that had danced on top of the water died out and he too was in fear wondering how her sister was powerful enough to do it.
Princess Toyomike walked up from the altar as the people forged a way for her and bowed their heads while some of their eyes followed her to the tree that stood in front of the shrine right behind them.
Many of them noticed at that moment as they had been absent mindedly watching her and the fallen star from the heavens, a large number of ants had gathered around the tree they forged the word 'PEACE' on its middle stem.
It was in deed another sign that the Princess had shown to them and the second time they went into their knees and they bowed their heads and worshipped her.
"What's the meaning of this?" the hermits asked themselves and the Princess spoke up almost immediately.
"While praying I have received a revelation." Princess Toyomike replied and the people looked up to her.
"What has heaven to say your Highness?" The people asked.
"For the past three days, three stars graced the Eastern sky and they amongst the people were the message from heaven which indicated a third contender for the throne.
With fire the sun goddess banished the contender's star from heaven and cast in upon us on this sacred mountain to let us no that the contender is no more.
With heaven's blessing the Emperor's star has regained it's light and shines bright again, and the second right beside it represents the Crown Prince as nature has in deed come together as one and heaven has given us the assurance of peace." Princess Toyomike replied.
"Her Highness is Sage." The people continued to worship. "Her Highness is Eminent." Others replied while the Princess smiled.
"I am but a servant of heaven and I've been graced with the honor of leading you all in the prayer that has delivered our Heavenly kingdom." Princess Toyomike said.
The people stood up and the Shinto priests walking closer to her looked at her with the High Priest puzzled he concluded in one statement.
"You in deed are the descendant of the sun goddess." he said as he smiled and for the first time ever, the High Priest fell onto his knees and bowing his head as the people watched him and placing it on the ground, he started to worship.
"Please rise." Princess Toyomike said as she lowered herself down and held the High Priest by his arms.
"She even is benevolent." She heard someone murmur as she smiled and helped the High Up to his feet.
"Kindness rules your heart great one, compassion is your daily breath and heaven's will is your power." The High Priest said.
"It is all Heaven's great doing and either way whether it's beyond our expectations or not, it remains marvellous in our sight." Princess Toyomike replied with a smile on her face.
The people were leaving the shrine and the Imperial Princess was seeing them off at the entrance with a smile on her face as she bowed her head.
The Crown Prince moved closer and stood right next to her.
"Her Highness is in deed blessed." He said. "The will and power of heaven coincides with yours." he added.
"Perhaps before the eyes of heaven I am destined for greatness." Princess Toyomike said.
"No man known has ever achieved what you have, this is a miracle and a sign that gives people the hope and me in deed that you were sent as a blessing to us." The Crown Prince said.
"I am for my people and they are for me." Princess Toyomike said.
"Even I am one of your people." The Crown Prince said as the Princess turned around and looked at him with a smile.
"I received a revelation from heaven and I have played my part Your Highness, my question is have you played yours as the Crown Prince of these people?" Princess Toyomike asked.
She walked away from the Crown Prince who turned around and looking at her as she headed for her quarters he smiled.
Princess Toyomike entered and found both Sina and Kabane seated inside waiting for her.
"Your Highness." They said as they stood up and bowed their heads the moment that she walked in.
"It's alright." Princess Toyomike replied.
"Your Highness." Kabane said as he looked quite intrigued.
"I know what you are going to say." Princess Toyomike said.
"Your Highness, the Prayer ritual." Sina said.
"You must be wondering how I pulled it off, isn't it?" The Princess Toyomike asked.
"Yes Your Highness." Sina replied.
"Enlighten us please." Kabane said.
"I asked you to prepared the syrup and the oil before departing from the Imperial Palace." Princess Toyomike said.
"Yes Your Highness." The two replied in unison.
"You now do understand what the syrup was for." Princess Toyomike said.
"Yes." They both replied.
"We don't understand the part of the star." Kabane said.
"Initially when Sagittarius split into two above the Imperial Palace, I closely started to monitor it, yesterday before we came to the Kii mountain ranges, you found me gazing at the sunrise." Princess Toyomike said.
"Yes I remember that Your Highness." Sina said.
"I noticed that the twin star that had emerged from Sagittarius was growing dimmer and dimmer and I knew it was soon bound to vanish.
My suspicions were confirmed the very moment that I looked at the sky yesterday night and the light of the star was totally dying out so I knew that I could still use it to my advantage.
I got one of our best archers with a huge lump of gold and I gave it to him with the order that he had to shoot it down with a wooden arrow and that its bag had to be on fire to burn the arrow along as it made its descent.
Gold is heavy but we had the advantage of height given that the place where the Archer stood was very high above the altar and there was fog shielding him from our view which is natural because this is a high mountain.
When You poured the oil into the channels and it spread like a thin sheet on top of the water, I noticed it and I waited for the sun to show up as I possessed the golden pan and raised it.
When the sun struck the pan, I was able to reflect some light that could enable the Archer see where I was and shooting the arrow with fire it descended down, everyone unable to see beyond the fog believed that it came from the sky." Princess Toyomike said.
The fire consumed the oil that floated atop the water in the channels and the third star had vanished but because in the early morning, the fog hadn't cleared from above the people couldn't see." Sina said.
"Yes." Princess Toyomike said.
"And Your Highness concluding her prayer and the fog starting to clear seeing for themselves they would know very that you are the one whose endless prayers and revelation brought down the star from the sky it landed with fire strong enough to burn on the water." Kabane said.
"Yes." Princess Toyomike replied with a smile.
"You are in deed wise Your Highness." Sina said.
"In this rural area I am confident that some people did not hear about the High Priestess's prophecy very well and we are going to delay our stay here in the mountains for one day." Princess Toyomike said.
"Why Your Highness?" Sina asked.
"Merchants that pass this place and some of the traders amongst the villagers travelling to the capital are set to depart today at noon.
For the purpose of security I decided to send one of my men to go back to the Capital ahead of us and he shall champion the spread of the rumour.
'THE IMPERIAL PRINCESS ON THE MOUNTAINS PRAYED AND HER PRAYERS CAUSED THE THIRD STAR OF THE CONTENDER IN THE EASTERN SKY TO FALL AND THE ANTS ON THE SACRED TREE TO COME TOGETHER AND SPELL OUT THE WORD "PEACE" AS WELL, EVEN THE HIGH PRIESTESS HAS NEVER PERFORMED ANY SUCH SIGNIFICANT MIRACLE.' Princess Toyomike replied.
"If he starts the rumour with the witnesses along with him, then they'd spread it about and before we know it you shall have made news in the capital." Kabane said.
"Just igniting the spark to turn into a very violent fire." Princess Toyomike replied.
"At this rate your Highness, people shall see you as a demigoddess." Sina said.
"I shall have weakened the influence of the High Priestess over the heavens and the Empress' powers to influence the Imperial and inner courts with it shall have crumbled." Princess Toyomike added as she smiled ghastly.
"By the time we return to the capital all the people there shall be heralding your advent and by any chance, it's even possibly call you Heaven's commander." Kabane said.
"The Will of Heaven shall have become my own." Princess Toyomike said.
The Crown Prince entered his room and he sat down as Miwa no Sakau followed him.
"Your Highness." Miwa no Sakau said.
"You may sit." The Crown Prince said and Miwa no Sakau complied at once.
"Did you see that?" The Crown Prince asked.
"I did very well Your Highness, I also saw it with my own eyes." Miwa no Sakau replied.
"It is surprising." The Crown Prince said. "No, it's so unbelievable." He added.
"Is Her Highness really that powerful?" Miwa no Sakau asked.
"I don't know but with the looks of it, it seems so." The Crown Prince replied.
"There is no way that someone in a single prayer could cause a star hanging in the sky to fall and even worse fire to dance on top of water." Miwa no Sakau said.
"All this only makes me more and more endeared to the Imperial Princess." The Crown Prince Nunakakura said.
"Your Highness." Miwa no Sakau said, "Could it be that the Princess is a witch?" He asked.
"No." The Crown Prince replied. "She barely has a hand in any religious practices." He added.
"Perhaps she was just lucky." Miwa no Sakau said.
"There are limits to luck, it would have been luck if such an incident had happened before but it has never been the case." The Crown Prince opposed.
"Then what could it be?" Miwa no Sakau asked. "Does Your Highness believe that the Imperial Princess is semi divine?" He asked.
"People would believe it given that our right was descended from Amaterasu the sun goddess." The Crown Prince replied.
"But what does Your Highness think about this?" Miwa no Sakau persisted to ask.
"May be the Princess is too smart but even she is innocent and growing up as a princess all the time that I have known her even as Abe she was devoid of astronomical knowledge.
She couldn't possibly understand the theories of heaven and the language of the stars." The Crown Prince replied.
"We don't know either." Miwa no Sakau said. "What if she actually had someone who can possibly understand the theories of heaven and the language of the stars?" Miwa no Sakau asked.
"It's possible but I can't think of any other way what happened would have happened if it were according to a perfectly organized plan." The Crown Prince replied.
"You are right Your Highness." Miwa no Sakau said.
"It doesn't even matter anymore what happened and how it happened, all that matters is the outcome of what occurred on this mountain today." The Crown Prince said.
"Why do you say so Your Highness?" Miwa no Sakau asked.
"The Princess in the eyes of all men is now semi divine and a demigoddess at that, she could in the future influence the people to follow her and become her disciples." The Crown Prince replied.
"That would only make her religiously powerful." Miwa no Sakau said.
"And I love her sincerely and remember she told me that I must possess Nippon and I still have a long way to go." The Crown Prince said.
"You have the support of the Sogas through Iname and his son who saved your life." Miwa no Sakau said.
"Their influence was only growing and I needed to also reinforce the power of the Crown which is why I also need the Imperial Princess on my side because only with the power of Heaven's will in my hands can I be powerful enough to withstand those Courtiers who could dislike me." The Crown Prince said.
"I see your Highness." Miwa no Sakau said.
" This battle is set and I am more than confident in Princess Toyomike right now that she'd make the most fruitful ally." the Crown Prince said with a smile.
"Your Highness, what now?" Sina asked the Princess Toyomike.
"We have already drawn the line and we have pointed the sword at the High Priestess we can not expect her to just remain seated." Princess Toyomike replied.
"It is the Empress' power that we have threatened after all, they are going to act up against us anytime soon." Kabane said.
"And that's why it's time that General Fujiyaro stepped into the Higher political circle." Princess Toyomike said. "It's time that I also exercised some influence in the Imperial court." she added as she smiled.