Signs and Marks

I handed the message neatly folded inside a white cloth to Shuji. He accepted it confusedly and look at me full of questions. "Go to a known courtesan house near the marketplace and look for Himiko, a courtesan. Show this to her," I put the small blue cloth with a circle in the center, at the table. "The moment she saw this cloth, she will know what to do. She will bring you to a place where someone will talk to you."

I look at him intently, to let him know how serious I am as I will be revealing some secret information that they are not aware of. "This mark is used to meet the men secretly deployed by the King in the whole Empire. This insignia is for you, Shuji," I smiled at him and give him the cloth. "The moment the person that you should meet sees the circle in your insignia, they can determine that you are my guard. They will also know that the message is from and it should be handed to Prince Yuuji or Princess Yuuna."

Shuji carefully raise the insignia and checked in thoroughly. After doing so, he turned to me and smiled widely, "Thank you, Your Highness."

"It's only appropriate to give you that thing, Shuji. So that you can freely send a message to the kingdom, whenever needed." I tapped him on the shoulder, "take care of it and no one should know or see it, okay?"

Another insignia is on my hand. I turned to Yoshie and handed her a blue cloth too, as a sign that she is my trusted subordinate. "This is for you, Yoshie. Same as Shuji, this sign is a way to call the attention of the kingdom's men scattered throughout the Empire."

"Thank you for giving us your trust, Your Highness," Yoshie uttered full of emotions.

"Please be careful interacting with anyone. The kingdom's secret men have their own signs and marks," I reminded. "The color for them is green, and through the circle mark, you will know if they are under my siblings, my mother, or the King," I explained.

The two nodded and I continued, "before I forgot, be reminded of the most important, the black insignia. The men with this insignia are under my father. They report directly to him but they are rare and hard to spot but they are just around."

Yoshie looks at me in confusion, "What do you mean, Your Highness?"

I sigh involuntarily, "The men with black insignia are not under the kingdom. They are my father but they are not from the kingdom and not a citizen of the empire."

"How come, Princess? Why did the prince consort have those men and much more they are scattered in the whole empire?" Shuji asks.

I stand up and reach my covers. I wear it, turn to them, and answered, "There are things and happening that are better if you don't know. There are secrets that are better kept a secret for those people that have nothing to do with it. In the event that you will find one or face any of them, much better to do what's necessary, alright?"

"Understood, Your Highness!" the two uttered and bowed.

"That's good to hear," I smiled at them and walked to the door. Before opening the door I look at Shuji, "Pass the message discreetly, Shuji. Don't let anyone discover you, there might be enemies watching our every move."

"Rest assured that I'll be discreet as I can be, Princess." He bowed, "I'll go ahead." He exited my room before me to prepare. It's best that he will leave now because the sun is just about to set so that he can come back before late at night.

"Please prepare, Yoshie, I will visit the Crown Prince," I said without looking at her. "I wish to talk to him about his impending journey outside the imperial palace."

"Right away, Your Highness," Yoshie bowed and left to prepare.

A few minutes later, we are walking towards the Crown Prince's house. In the middle of our walk, we encountered the other candidates. With the direction that they are coming from, it seems that they stroll at the palace garden.

"And where are you going, Princess with a face?" Wakamoto Reina grinned. The other girls laugh at what she said except for Kisana.

"I just want to go to the library, my lady," I said in a low voice and passed at their group as I don't have time to face and entertain her contempt. But then, I felt someone grab my arms and forcefully release me causing my fall to the ground.

"Princess Yuki!" my attendants shouted simultaneously. They quickly come to my aid and help me get up.

"I am still talking to you and you have no right to turn your back on me," Reina angrily uttered while gritting her teeth.

Breath, Shandra, breath. Don't let that spoiled brat loosen your control. Hold it tight! You don't want to be on the bad side if ever you lose it and punch that shitty face of her, I whispered to myself trying to calm down.

I heave a deep breath to relax my boiling nerves. I can't afford to stake my status just because of something trivial, like this. I will just take revenge on her in my way.

"My apologies, Lady Reina, but you don't have any right to hurt the Princess," the head of my court ladies said on my defense. "Please do remember that Princess is still a part of the selection process, she is still a candidate."

"Why are you defending that girl that is not worthy to be here?" Hanata Mizane ask my court lady. "Are you not disgusted with her face?" she added disgustingly.

"It's useless to ask, Mizane," Reina said. "Because they are the same with the person they served, gross. They don't deserve to be here in the palace in the first place, as they are all insignificant and cheap."

I unconsciously tightened my grip into Yoshie's arms to stop myself to punch Reina and Mizane for the disdain that they are throwing at my attendants. But I know that if they add a little more, I will definitely lose myself and do something I might regret. But before that happens, Kisana stops them.

"That's enough, okay?" Kisana stands in the middle and raises both hands. "Reina, Mizane, if you won't stop this, I will make sure what happens here will reach the Empress."

Everyone stops and looks at Kisana in surprise. The two, Reina and Mizane scoffed at her and turned away, walking back to where their houses without a single word after Kisana's threat.

"I do apologize for what they did, Princess Yuki," Kisana said, apologizing on their behalf.

"You don't have to apologize on their behalf, Kisana," I said in a fair voice. She did nothing wrong so she doesn't have to apologize because of them. "But I appreciate that you intervene, if you did not do it, perhaps, I did something I shouldn't do." I slightly bowed my head and said goodbye to her. We then proceed to the Crown Prince house. The prince attendants quickly announce our arrivals and ushered me to the receiving room. In a short while, the Crown Prince entered the room with his court lady following him with the tea to serve.

"What a surprise! I was expecting your visits, Princess," the Prince said while occupying the seat in front of me. "But I am glad that you grace my abode humble your presence."

I stood up and bowed my head, "My apologies for coming here without notice, Your Highness."

"It's alright," he motioned me to sit. "May I ask for the reason for your visit? Surely, you will not come here just to see me?"

"You're right, Your Highness, I have a favor to ask," I honestly said. "I heard that you will be going to the city for an awarding ceremony. Will it be too much if I ask to tag along on that day?"

"Hmm," he looks at me intently, "there is a reason why you want to tag along?"

I nodded, "I want to be away from here even just for a day. I know that you are aware of my predicament, that I can be removed from being part of the selection. As of now, a lot of petitions were submitted to the Emperor's office to disqualify me," I explained making sure that the sadness can be heard from my voice.

"I can understand why you wanted to be away for a while," he agreed, understanding is visible in his eye. "Even just for a day, you wanted to escape from everything that is going on here."

"I know that it's an audacity to ask you for this, Your Highness but as you have said, I wanted to escape the contempt. The palace become suffocating for me nowadays and I wanted to take a breather in order to continue," I lowered my head and fake small sobs to convince the prince. I needed his approval, as I can't entrust any of our men to get the thing a needed from my father. Not because I don't trust any of them, but because I don't want to endanger the person assigned to do it. It is risky to pass it from one to another as the thing is something that we can't allow to fall into the wrong hands. Besides, I also need to talk with Princess Yuuna and it's our only chance to meet.

"I know how hard your situation is as of the now, Princess Yuki," he reached out my hands and hold them in comfort. "Most people here in the palace look at you with disdain and stay away from you. If there is something that I can do to ease the hard day, I gladly do so," he smiled at me. "I allow you to come with me outside the palace," he stated.

"I owe you this one, Your Highness," I answered joyfully, thankful that I was able to get his approval. I can't help but smile, so far, everything is within my expectations. I can finally have the documents and information that I needed to roll out our plans and win this fight. The fight behind the selection process, my true intentions, and the aim of why I decided to enter this place.