High Above The Chimney’s Top

[SAKURA]

To say Sakura Watanabe was frustrated beyond reason would be an understatement as the royal cleaners came to clean her up and make sure she looked presentable when the council meeting started. 

Sure, she didn't show it on her face because of the eyes she could feel, but she hated every bit of this. She was supposed to be the most powerful woman and yet for some reason, she had to bear the brunt of this kind of shit. 

She had more than just Kiyomi to lose and she wasn't willing to gamble on that. 

Perhaps that made her come off as a crazy woman, but Sakura had been through it all. She had endured what he had never thought would be possible and she had put up with the craziest of the universe. 

Perhaps she just had to live through the next few days until she found a way out, right? 

Then again, with the cleaners' hands on her, and their lips on her body as they desperately sucked on to whatever they could get a hold of, Sakura wanted to burn them. 

She was disgusted that none of them were Kiyomi and this felt like the worst betrayal for her petal whose only mistake was being spotted by her. 

Was this the price of the chaos that she had sated long before their lives had taken quite the turn years ago or was this what was left of the shadows she had spent her life fighting? 

But would any of this clear her mind off the notion that her mother was something in the shadows watching her like she wanted her to fail? Izanami was Sakura's greatest fear, but only now that Saki had something to lose, but would it be just that forever?

"Your majesty, the council members are ready to common," Lola said hours later once the cleaners were gone.

"Let them in," Sakura said as she stared at the emptiness of the room. She didn't have much to think of save for the fact that she was haunted by thoughts of Kiyomi and the blatant betrayal right now. 

Her Kiyomi would have made the kingdom brighter with her smile. The lavender would have bloomed so perfectly and the once ruthless Doiwa would have remained a kingdom of whatever love was. 

Kiyomi was what passion looked like for Sakura, and she hoped that there wouldn't come a day when her Erasthai would have to make a run for the hills. 

Of course, a part of Sakura was already aware of that, but she just wanted to hope that all would be well. It was crazy how shit had gotten for the both of them, but there was no denying that all of this had fucked up their lives in even worse ways.

"Are you sure you want to do that now? You need to rest, my queen. You need to get a hold of yourself. The night was rough and you need to take a break," Otaru said as he walked in. 

He knew that this was not the most ideal situation for Sakura, but he had seen the way she had strained herself ever since she had come back to Doiwa. It was like she was preparing for the worst, only that this time, there was an emotional attachment to it. 

Somehow, Otaru was certain that all of this had little to do with Kiyomi, which made it even harder to tell why the fuck Sakura was doing this. She knew she was born to break if she earned harder and yet here she was again. 

Was she the kind of girl to push herself to the limits for shit that he had no understanding of? Then again, she was the queen. Everything in Doiwa was her responsibility. 

She was to keep their people safe and protected and yet it didn't feel as exciting as before anymore. It was like Sakura was fighting ghosts that couldn't even show themselves. Was she another one of those ghosts though?

"I am the queen Otaru and your enemy enforcer. How about you take your rightful place on the council table and shut the fuck up?" Sakura said and Lola sighed, knowing that that was the answer she ended up letting the council members in.

It was risky, but what else was there for them? She had to just hope that blood didn't spill because, with the rage that Lola had felt from the queen, someone would probably be losing their hand today. 

Maybe that was for the better, but would it make sense to Sakura when she was done with what this was? Would it make it any easier for her or was this just another side of life that he had to embrace because of the shots around her?

"Fine. But I'm not going to be leaving your side for a long time, Sakura. Prepare to be sick of me," Otaru said defiantly even though his heart was about to beat off of his chest from anxiety. 

The queen could replace him in an instant and he was painfully aware of that. Perhaps he was just hoping for the day that Sakura did have to do shit just because it was needed. 

All of this was stressing him out and honestly, it would have been better if they found a way around this as soon as possible. That was the only thing they could deal with at the moment, no?

"Good morning, Your Majesty," the councilmen greeted as they walked in and Sakura just stared at them with a bored face like she truly didn't want to come to deal with them. 

It was so crazy how she had always looked forward to such meetings because they would forever make the lives of other people difficult and that was where she served her pleasure, and yet right now it didn't even seem to matter to her. 

It was as if the lights had gone off and all that was left was a dull woman in the palace of the woman she had always been. 

But would it ever be any better for her?

"What's on the agenda today?" Otaru spoke as Sakura just continued glaring at the councilmen. She was horrifying and she knew it but she just didn't give a shit anymore. 

She wanted to go back to Odanera and these bastards were somehow keeping her occupied with their agendas. Then again, wasn't she the queen of Doiwa? If she left, who would be running the shithole she had been born to?

"The victims of the Kimura house demand justice, Sire. They have been told that there is a last Kimura alive, and they want her to come and stand trial for the sins of her house. She is a rogue and there is no reason for her not to be prosecuted. 

"Rumor has it that she is a doctor too, just like her cruel family," the councilmen spoke and Otaru stilled. This was definitely not good news. It wasn't something Sakura would take blindly to. 

One turn to Sakura and Otaru knew that shit was about to go down. It was one thing for the Bogdans to want to hound Kiyomi, but it was another for the regular Lycans to demand the queen's Erasthai's head. 

Her instincts were calling out to her and just as Sakura was just about to respond, the door to the council room opened.

And through it, came her mother.

Izanami Watanabe.