CHAPTER FORTY NINE

The Crown Prince was seated inside his office when Miwa no Sakau barged in.

"Your Highness." He said as he bowed his head and studying his expression the Crown Prince could tell that there was something very urgent that Miwa wanted to talk about.

"What is it?" He asked as Miwa no Sakau gasped for air while his entire body was sweating profusely.

"Her Imperial Highness Princess Toyomike." Miwa no Sakau replied.

"What's wrong with her?" The Crown Prince asked.

"Her Highness is in labour." Miwa no Sakau replied and at once the Crown Prince stood up.

"Let's go back to Osada no Miya Palace at once " He said.

"Yes Your Highness." Miwa no Sakau replied as the Crown Prince strode out of the Office of Finances at once.

Empress Ishi Hime was kneeling down in front of the altar at the Ise Grand Shrine when Sakae walked in.

"Your Highness." She said to her.

"What is it?" Empress Ishi Hime asked while she prayed as she closed her eyes.

"Her Highness the Princess." Sakae replied.

"What's wrong with her?" Empress Ishi Hime asked.

"I have received news from Osada no Miya that Her Highness is in labour." Sakae replied.

At once the Empress opened her eyes as a mild wind that rushed through the Inner shrine extinguished the candles that were burning.

"It's a very bad Omen." Empress Ishi Hime said.

"Your Highness." Sakae pleaded.

"Once again another great disaster is headed for us all." Empress Ishi Hime said.

"What should we do about Her Highness?" Sakae asked.

"Let's wait and see." Empress Ishi Hime said.

The Crown Princess was kneeling down in front of another altar which was also in the Ise Grand shrine.

"They say that when all is devouted in prayer then there is nothing that is impossible." The Crown Princess said.

"How deep is your devotion?" The High Priestess asked.

"So deep that I'd kill for it." The Crown Princess replied when Hotaru walked in at the very moment that she was bowing her head to the Sun goddess Amaterasu.

"Your Highness." She said.

"What is it Hotaru?" The Crown Princess asked.

"I have received news from Osada no Miya that Her Highness is in labour." Hotaru replied.

The Crown Princess looked at the statue in front of her.

"Are all the Imperial Princes and Princesses descended from the sun goddess Amaterasu?" The Crown Princess asked.

"It's in your blood, why do you ask?" The High Priestess asked.

"Was she loathsome and greedy, was she ruthless and ambitious?" The Crown Princess asked.

"For a deity, their is always Prudence towards the faithful and punishment towards the sinful." The High Priestess replied.

"Am I sinful and is her Highness sinless?" The Crown Princess asked.

"I dare not say so Your Highness." The High Priestess replied.

"How I pray that may that child that she is carrying be still born, may the worst pains of labour strike her and may she bleed endlessly that the very child she is bringing into this world is her own demise." The Crown Princess said.

The High Priestess kept quiet.

"Calm down Your Highness." Hotaru said.

"I can't." The Crown Princess said, "If I must turn the whole world upside down to see the downfall of Her Highness the Princess then so be it because whether in this life or the next of I killed her I'd have no regrets." She added.

Princess Toyomike held the long piece of cloth that had been suspended from the ceiling and the others that were around her were tending to her.

"Please your Highness, keep pushing." Sina said as a few others wiped away the sweat that was on her head and around her neck.

Princess Toyomike bit the white piece of cloth and then her veins already showing on her forehead and on top of the rest of her skin, she closed her eyes and pushed as she cried out.

"Your Highness, I can feel the head." The midwife who was an old woman who appeared to be in her early fifties said.

Princess Toyomike relaxed a little it as she looked up at the ceiling.

"Your Highness, take a deep breath." Sina said and Princess Toyomike complied.

"Push now." The midwife said and The Princess gathering the strength that she could find gritted her teeth and she succeeded and gave another big push.

The gates of Osada no Miya Palace were opened and the Crown Prince rushed in along with Miwa no Sakau.

Halting there at the entrance he asked the guards.

"Where is her Highness the Princess?" He said.

"She's in her own room." They replied and the Crown Prince hurriedly darted through ghe outer Courtyard into the Inner one while Miwa no Sakau did his best to keep up with his master.

Eventually, he caught sight of Kabane who was standing outside the room is with some Imperial guards and ladies in waiting while the mild cries of the Princess escaped the room he could tell that his wife was in excruciating pain.

"Your Highness." Kabane said along with everyone else when they caught sight of him.

He ascended the stairs to where they were as they bowed their heads.

"How is she?" The Crown Prince asked Kabane instantly.

"We haven't yet been told a thing." Kabane replied.

Emperor Kinmei was standing at his balcony when Sato rushed over to him.

"Your Majesty." He said as he bowed his head.

"Make it quick." The Emperor said.

"Big News from Osada no Miya Palace." Sato said.

"What is it?" The Emperor asked.

"Her Highness the Imperial Princess Toyomike is in labour." Sato replied.

"That's good." The Emperor said.

"How long has it been?" He asked.

"About thirty minutes." Sato replied.

"That long?" The Emperor asked.

"Yes." Sato confirmed.

The Crown Princess in the shrine was dancing.

"Hear my prayer goddesses of Heaven." She said.

"Let harm befall the Princess." She added.

"Let her child die." She stumped her feet.

"Let her bleed heavily." She swang her hands.

"Let her die of uterine contraction." She sang.

"The Crown Prince is mine." She bowed her head.

There was a prolonged silence that followed bit the wind around the Shrine itself was most turbulent than it had ever been before.

Empress Ishi Hime inside the Inner shrine was shaking the tambourine as she prayed to the goddess.

"Let my success be her misfortune." She chanted.

"Let her join the ancestors in Shinigami's embrace." She prayed while the Princess looked up at the ceiling feeling her strength slowly waning.

"Your Highness." Sina said.

"You can do it." The others around her encouraged her.

"There is hope for you." They pestered.

"I can feel his hands." The midwife said.

"I must survive." Princess Toyomike thought.

"You can do it." Sina cheered her on.

"My child must be born." She thought to herself.

The Princess took a deep breath in and then she exhaled as she let go.

Biting at the piece of cloth in her mouth while they wiped the sweat off her body, she tightly clasped at the piece of cloth that was suspended from the ceiling and raising her head upwards she pushed with all her might.

Her cries outside intensified as the Crown Prince closed his eyes as though feeling the pain that she was feeling.

At last the child had broken free and while it's mother's cries were silenced it emerged victorious from the darkness of her body.

The light cast upon it it cried out loud while it's sons dominated the place.

The candles at the altar where the Empress herself was fell down while the statue in the Crown Princess' part of the shrine collapsed at once.

She looked at it and was dismayed while the High Priestess was puzzled while through the walls and the hallways and the compound of the Osada no Miya Palace the cries of a child resounded.

Princess Toyomike raised her head and she looked up at the baby that she had given birth to.

Relief prevailed in the room while the Midwife had the child put in a pile of clothes to cover it and keep it warm.

Princess Toyomike smiled as they stood with the child by her side while Sina also looked at her Mistress.

"Your Highness." The midwife said, "It's a very strong baby boy." She added and Princess Toyomike was most pleased.

"Congratulations Your Highness." The midwives said as they started cleaning up the whole place while the chief midwife gave the child to its mother.

Princess Toyomike looked at the child whose eyes were closed and who had entirely quietened down.

"He's beautiful." She said as she looked up at the ceiling.

"Heaven is with you Your Highness." Sina said.

The Crown Prince was eagerly waiting outside as it had been a while after they had heard the child keeping quiet and its mother falling into silence.

Eventually the door opened up and the Crown Prince rushed over to the midwife.

"How's Her Highness and how is the child?" He instantly asked.

"Calm down Your Highness." The Midwife said, "Her Highness and the baby are alright." She added.

The Crown Prince sighed in relief.

"How is everything?" He asked.

"Congratulations, it's a son." The midwife said.

The Crown Prince along with his entire household they was excited.

"Can I see them?" The Crown Prince asked.

"Come on in." The midwife allowed and running inside the Crown Prince halted when he caught sight of his wife who was lying down on the bed right in front of him with their son in her arms.

"Your Highness." Princess Toyomike called.

"My dear." The Crown Prince said as he smiled while he walked up to the bedside, there he fell down and then he knelt as he ran his right hand over his wife's forehead and pushed away the stray hair while he moved it back to his son's forehead.

"It's a Prince." Princess Toyomike said to her husband.

"He looks like me." The Crown Prince said and the Imperial Princess chuckled.

"Yes he does." She finally agreed.

"I laud your efforts Milady, first there was a daughter to keep me company and now you have given me a son to complete my pride." The Crown Prince said.

"I am grateful for your love Your Highness, without it you wouldn't have given me this joy of being this boy's mother." Princess Toyomike said.

"He is a very strong boy and he is like me someone that shall be very wise.

He takes after your good looks and knowledge and he takes after me his strong will and persistence." The Crown Prince said.

"What are you going to make him Your Highness?" Princess Toyomike asked.

"From this day on, he shall be known throughout Was as the IMPERIAL PRINCE TAKEDA." The Crown Prince replied.

"Prince Takeda?" Princess Toyomike said.

"Yes." The Crown Prince replied.

"I love it Your Highness." Princess Toyomike said.

"Thank you so much Your Highness." The Crown Prince said as he leaned over and he kissed the forehead of his wife.

Empress Ishi Hime was seated in the shrine amidst the silence when Sakae walked up to her again.

"Tell me good news." Empress Ishi Hime said.

"There is none." Sakae replied.

"What news is there?" Empress Ishi Hime asked.

"Her Highness Princess Toyomike has given birth to a son." Sakae replied.

"Huh." Empress Ishi Hime sighed.

"It must be our I'll fortune." she Said.

"There is always hope." Sakae said.

"Long ago heaven used to listen to me but right now it seems that it has long forgotten me." Empress Ishi Hime said.

"You don't need Heaven." Sakae said.

"Why?" Empress Ishi Hime asked.

"I have served you for more than forty years and I know it that you are much better than this." Sakae replied.

"You are right." Empress Ishi Hime said, "I am much better than this." She added.

"Her Highness could use the will of heaven and manipulate it however way she wants but I believe that above her, rather than using it why not become it Your Highness?" Sakae asked.

"You know me inside out Sakae, walking with me has made you much wiser than I could have imagined." Empress Ishi Hime said.

"I learned from you Your Highness, the teacher is always better." Sakae replied.

"Princess Toyomike also learned from me." Empress Ishi Hime said.

"She's survived only on her husband's affection and beyond that she could build for herself nothing more without him." Sakae said.

"What are you trying to say?" Empress Ishi Hime asked.

"This may sound out of hand Your Highness but I don't mean to be disrespectful to your feelings as a mother but I am afraid if you can not control the Crown Prince at his own good will then control him by force." Sakae replied.

"I am listening." Empress Ishi Hime said, "I thought that he just deserved a chance to repent." Empress Ishi Hime said.

"He won't." Sakae replied.

"Why? Do you think he'd choose a woman over his birth mother?" She asked

"He already did Your Highness." Sakae said and Empress Ishi Hime raised her right hand and halted her.

"Perhaps I have given you too much liberty." She said as Sakae bowed down her head.

"My apologies Your Highness." She said.

"I understand what you are saying and where you are coming from Sakae but I told you once before that to give up on my son shall be the most painful and also a last resort.

There is still time for us to exercise our will." Empress Ishi Hime said.

"Yes Your Highness." Sakae said.

"See to it that you make all the necessary preparations." Empress Ishi Hime said.

"What shall I do Your Highness?" Sakae asked.

"His Majesty is weak and Her Highness is out of the Imperial Palace, there is not that much the left for the Emperor so I am going to define my position." Empress Ishi Hime said.

"What shall I do Your Highness?" Sakae asked.

"Keep an eye on Sato for me, he surely knows way too many things that the Emperor himself says and writes." Empress Ishi Hime replied.

"Yes Your Highness." Sakae replied as she bowed her head while she withdrew from the Inner shrine leaving the Empress alone.

"Heaven's will?" Empress Ishi Hime said, "I am the will of Heaven." She added as she smiled ghastly.

The Crown Princess was kneeling before the altar as Hotaru walked hesitantly to her.

"Your Highness." She said.

"She is alive?" The Crown Princess asked.

"Yes." Hotaru replied hesitantly.

"Where are the gods for me?" The Crown Princess asked.

"His Highness was overjoyed at the birth of a son." Hotaru said.

"Of course he should be." The Crown Princess said.

"At first with the birth of a daughter it seemed that Princess Toyomike was quite unlucky in a way, now that she has given the future Emperor a son it's natural that his affection for her has moved to a higher level." The High. Priestess said.

"In this pretext the only thing that she needed was a son, this at the moment puts my position as the future Empress in jeopardy." The Crown Princess said.

"Her Highness is protected and even if we wanted to kill her son we wouldn't succeed at all, as it is that his mother knows how fearful we are of her she'll be all the more cautious with his life." Hotaru said.

"We won't kill her just yet nor will we harm her child." The Crown Princess said.

"What are we going to do Your Highness?" Hotaru asked, "If we can not act now then I am afraid that by the time we choose to face the situation it could be more difficult." She added.

"Your forget that to get rid of her now is not the most important, the most important thing at the moment is to consolidate my position as the Crown Princess and also the Future Empress of Was." The Crown Princess said.

"Your Mistress is right." The High Priestess added.

"I am only cautious." Hotaru said.

"Everyone is." The High Priestess said.

"Escaping death has become a hobby that the Imperial Princess is very good at, we could orchestrate a death plot for her but when she failed then she'll become the Crown Princess and upon that ground I'll have been eliminated from the chain of survival." The Crown Princess said.

"I understand Your Highness." Hotaru said.

"Moriya is a very good person to support me but like the Princess let the Empress consolidate those above I shall take on the ones below." The Crown Princess said.

"What are you going to do Your Highness?" Hotaru asked.

"Organize for me to meet with Jinnō immediately." The Crown Princess replied.

"Yes Your Highness." Hotaru replied as she withdrew from the shrine along with the high Priestess.

"Let's see Your Highness between me and you, who shall reign with Crown Prince Nunakakura as his Empress in Wa?" The Crown Princess said to herself wearing a very serious expression on her face.

Princess Toyomike was inside her room when Consort Katashishime and her aunt Consort Ōane no Kimi walked in.

Her mother carried her one year old daughter Princess Uji as she approached her daughter.

"Mother." Princess Toyomike said as the Crown Prince stood up by her side and he bowed his head to greet them both.

"My dear." Consort Katashishime said .

"Congratulations." Consort Ōane no Kimi added.

"Thank you." Princess Toyomike replied.

"We must thank you." Consort Katashishime said, "There is no greater Honour for a woman than giving her husband a son. You Your Highness have achieved what all Imperial wives in the Palace and Concubines should do and for that you haven't brought any disgrace upon us all." She added.

"Yes." Princess Toyomike said as she nodded her head.

Consort Katashishime turned around and looked at the Crown Prince.

"Your Highness." She said as she bowed her head.

"There's no need, you being Toyomike's mother makes you as well a mother to me." The Crown Prince said.

"Thank you so much for looking after her, I was worried about my daughter before when I learnt about your relationship with het but now that I have seen how well you have treated her my heart is a t peace that I am thankful you were the first man that came into her heart." Consort Katashishime said.

"He is the only man that shall ever be in my heart." Princess Toyomike said as she turned and looked at her husband.

"She's also the best thing that has ever happened to me." The Crown Prince said.

"I understand that." Consort Katashishime said

"You two are really lucky and we might have started on a bad note but I can confidently say that you are a match that is made in heaven." Consort Ōane no Kimi said.

"Do we look like it?" Princess Toyomike asked.

"Yes." Consort Katashishime replied.

"I appreciate that." The Crown Prince remarked.

"What's the little one's name?" They asked.

"Imperial Prince Takeda." Princess Toyomike replied.

"You chose it?" Consort Ōane no Kimi asked.

"No." Princess Toyomike replied.

"I did." The Crown Prince replied.

"It's beautiful." Consort Katashishime said.

"In deed it is." Consort Ōane no Kimi agreed.

"Princess Uji?" Princess Toyomike called.

"Ah." The young girl replied.

"See your brother." She said.

Consort Katashishime hurried to their side.

"There he is." Princess Toyomike said while his daughter stared the other way.

"She is shy to look her brother in the eye." The Crown Prince remarked.

"No." Princess Toyomike refuted.

"I wish you all happiness my dear." Consort Katashishime said.

"Thank you." Princess Toyomike replied.

"I brought you some Ginseng tea and also some Spices from Sui, additionally, I decided to also get you some new clothes to congratulate you on your second child and also some material to make the baby's own." Consort Ōane no Kimi said.

"Thank you Aunt." Princess Toyomike said as she bowed her head.

"Your welcome." Consort Ōane no Kimi replied.

"They got you so many things that for me I decide that all the gifts I would bring would be for my wonderful son in law." Consort Katashishime said.

"Thank you mother." The Crown Prince said.

"I brought some ingredients that Toyomike should add to your nectar soup once she recovers which will help you replenish your strength and rid you of the fatigue from working hard every day." Consort Katashishime said.

"Yes Mother." The Crown Prince replied.

She turned and looked at her grandson.

"I am so happy to see that he is very handsome, father would have been happy as well to see this grandson of his." Consort Katashishime said.

"He would have been very proud of Toyomike." The Crown Prince said as he looked at his wife who blushed while she looked at her child.

"That's enough." Princess Toyomike said, "Can I have Princess Uji while you are carrying him?" She said as she exchanged the two babies and then she held her daughter in her arms while the Crown Prince took Takeda.

Emperor Kinmei was seated in his room when Sato walked in.

"Your Majesty." He said as he bowed his head.

"I believe that Her Highness has already given birth." Emperor Kinmei said.

"Yes Your Majesty." Sato replied.

"Boy or a girl?" Emperor Kinmei asked.

"Congratulations Your Majesty, you have a grandson." Sato replied.

"Marvellous." Emperor Kinmei said, "How joyous it must have been for the Crown Prince's household." He added.

"Yes Your Majesty." Sato said, "I heard that the Crown Prince upon hearing that he had been graced with a son he leaped with so much joy that he hurriedly made it into the Chambers.

Once inside he wasted no time naming his son the Imperial Prince Takeda.

"He must be so strong that he has very high expectations in him." Emperor Kinmei said.

"Yes Your Majesty." Sato replied.

"What about Princess Toyomike?" The Emperor asked.

"Her Highness is doing well and she must be recuperating." Sato replied.

"That's very good then." Emperor Kinmei said while a look of worry overwhelmed his face.

Sato noticed that he didn't look alright and he wasn't as excited as he had expected.

"Your Majesty, is there anything bothering you that I should know?" Sato asked.

"Yes." Emperor Kinmei replied.

"Whatever it is please tell me." Sato said.

"I can't help but wonder fir myself, Her Highness is in luck but recalling from her first pregnancy and knowing that a number of times there was someone that made an attempt on her life I am all the more concerned about her welfare especially now that she has given birth to a son." Emperor Kinmei replied.

"Your Highness it is like that in the Inner Court, when women keep vying for the favour of their husbands the most ambitious go as far as killing if it's what it takes." Sato said.

"The question is who is that ambitious?" Emperor Kinmei asked.

"Why do you ask Your Majesty?" Sato Asked.

"I haven't been that generous to tell it to everyone but I know you know better than anyone else I haven't been myself these past couple of days." Emperor Kinmei said.

"I noticed that Your Majesty and I thought that perhaps asking you would it cause you to worry the more." Sato replied.

"My days are numbered and I do not have that much time left but I received a strange message months ago from the Kii Mountain Ranges and I want you to make sure that you pass me a posthumous edict to the Crown Prince." Emperor Kinmei said as she got hold of a golden scroll that was inside one of his drawers and then he handed it over to Sato.

"Your Majesty." Sato said.

"I have drenched my hands in the blood of all the Priests that saw this and I am firm there is none that is surviving and no matter what the case is let no one hear about this." Emperor Kinmei said.

"Your Majesty, should I read it?" Sato asked.

"No need." Emperor Kinmei replied.

"Are you going to tell me what is inside Your Majesty?" Sato asked.

"it's folly and nonsense." Emperor Kinmei replied.

"If you say so." Sato said.

"I am not finished." Emperor Kinmei replied.

"What is it Your Majesty." Sato asked.

"SHOULD THERE BE A WOMAN AS AMBITIOUS AS ME OR EVEN SO MUCH MORE, LET NOT THE RETURN OF THE PRESENCE OF JINGU AND LITOYO DWELL AMONGST US ALL BECAUSE THE COUNTRY SHALL CEASE TO BE STURDY THE VERY MOMENT THAT A FAIRER IS PLACED OVER ALL, AND LET NOT THE ANNALS OF HISTORY HERALD THE ADVENT OF A FEMALE RULER IN WA TO SIT UPON THE CHRYSANTHEMUM THRONE." Emperor Kinmei replied.

"What?" Sato asked.

"Yes." Emperor Kinmei replied, "You must let not the Empress be the absolute power should I perish because I fear that the woman ruler that the Sages and Priests perceived is her." Emperor Kinmei replied.

"Yes Your Majesty." Sato said, "I am afraid that however there is not much that I can do because I am merely a Eunuch tending to you." He added.

"That's why you must give the Crown Prince this edict once I perish within this very hall and he'll know what to do." Emperor Kinmei said, "I am telling you because you are the only person here that I can trust." He added.

"Yes Your Majesty." Sato replied.

"I need to spend some time alone." Emperor Kinmei said.

"Yes Your Majesty." Sato replied as he bowed his head and with the edict at hand he walked out of the room.

Princess Toyomike sat down at her table and Sina and Kabane joined her.

"Your Highness." They said as they bowed their heads.

"It is time." Princess Toyomike said.

"Yes Your Highness." The two replied while she stood up and handed a few boxes to them.

"Make sure that they are all delivered to each and every Palace and leave the General copy alone with me but send a special to the Empress and the Crown Princess as well." Princess Toyomike said.

"Yes Your Highness." The two replied.

The Crown Princess was seated in her Chambers when Hotaru walked in while she was holding a document on her platter.

"Your Highness." Hotaru said as she went down on her knees.

"What is this?" The Crown Princess asked while she was tending to her parrot which was in her hand.

"It's from Her Imperial Highness Princess Toyomike." Hotaru replied.

Hearing that, the Crown Princess put the parrot back into it's cage and her lady in waiting who was bearing the cage took it away.

"Bring it here." The Crown Princess ordered and Hotaru offered it to her.

The Crown Princess looked at the booklet.

"THE MANNER OF THE IMPERIAL WOMEN OF THE INNER COURT." she read the title as she hurriedly opened it to look through.

"A master piece by Princess Toyomike Kashiki ya Hime." She said while she started to peruse through the large booklet.

"What's this?" The Crown Princess asked angrily.

"In the last nine months while she was pregnant her Highness composed the first ever literary order of the manner and ettiquette of the women of the Imperial Family.

Right now she is being applauded by nearly all Princes and other Imperial husbands as I have been well informed the copies have been sent throughout the Imperial Palaces as well.

A special was sent to both Your Highness, the Empress and the Emperor himself but as it is, her work has been approved as an Imperial publication." Hotaru replied.

"That wench." The Crown Princess said while she stood up and walked away from her seat.

"Calm down Your Highness." Hotaru said.

"What is everyone saying?" The Crown Princess asked.

"As it is Your Highness, she is most Virtuous and graceful and possesses the qualities that are befitting of a future Empress." Hotaru replied.

"Is she better than the Crown Princess?" The Crown Princess asked.

"I dare not say so but she's even rumoured to have played a more exemplary role than the Empress' herself." Hotaru replied.

Empress Ishi Hime looked at the booklet.

"THE MANNER OF THE IMPERIAL WOMEN OF THE INNER COURT." She said, "Her Highness is in deed full of so many surprises." She added.

"Her work has been approved as an Imperial publication."Sakae said.

"What role has the seniority within the Inner Court played when at this very moment a Consort aside the most legal Imperial wives has left behind such a meritorious account of the etiquette that must be observed by Imperial women?" Empress Ishi Hime asked.

"Your Highness, in my opinion I think that right now it is much clearer than ever before what the true intent of the Imperial Princess is." Sakae said.

"She wants the Empress position." Empress Ishi Hime said.

"By so doing she desires that the Crown Princess should be impeached." Sakae said.

"One can as well say that her public image given the early curbing of the Imperial scandal has only become more luminous amongst the people and this has besmirched us of our every achievement in the years of our past dominion.

As it is now that Her Highness has cast the net, to compile five thousand different articles equivalent to a constitution of us Imperial women she must have planned this long ago." Empress Ishi Hime said.

"There is no way that nine months were enough for her to do everything because the organization with which and every text has been written makes it all the more time consuming." Sakae added.

Between ourselves and her, we must consolidate our part of the Imperial Court." Empress Ishi Hime said.

"Why Your Highness?" Sakae Asked.

"There shall be a number of proposals that shall try to bring forth an impeachment of the Crown Princess, we need the support of most Courtiers to counter that possibility and let it not happen at all." Empress Ishi Hime replied.

"We are protecting the Crown Princess?" Sakae asked.

"Yes." Empress Ishi Hime replied.

"What should we do about the MANNER OF THE IMPERIAL WOMEN OF THE INNER COURT?" Sakae asked.

"It's hard to duplicate any of the copies that have already circulated and I am very sure that a number of people have already received them so we can only be forced to live with it." Empress Ishi Hime replied.

"I understand Your Highness." Sakae replied.

"We must act right now." Empress Ishi Hime said.

"What should I do Your Highness?" Sakae asked.

Empress Ishi Hime stood up and she walked towards one of her drawers.

Opening it she pulled out a golden scroll that had been placed inside which was blank and she walked up to Sakae and handed it over to her.

"What should I do with this Your Highness?" Sakae asked.

"Get into the Emperor's study and there make sure that you secretly stamp this piece of paper with the Imperial seal.

Return it to me at once because we must make the final necessary preparations before our war begins." Empress Ishi Hime replied.

"Yes Your Highness." Sakae replied as she took the scroll into her possession and withdrew from her Mistress' presence.

"Between Your Highness and Me." Empress Ishi Hime said, "Let us who in the end shall emerge victorious and who shall be vanquished." She added as she smiled ghastly while she looked out of her bedroom window.