Author: greyrani
Genre: romance, angst

DAY 650

“You’re too soon concluding this,” I calmly negated the opinion brought up by one member of my Royal council.

My council consisted of my late father four trusted generals and politicians, and the youngsters I chose myself, Okamoto Keito (my confidant and childhood friend) and Nakayama Yuma (my head guard).

We had been discussing about the recent change in your family. Your eldest brother, Shida Daiki, had been proven guilty and thus would be exiled to some deserted region in near time. Along with the verdict, his title as Shida's apparent heir was taken from him by your father.

The odd happened when your family then announced the new heir of Shida House. It was natural that the second eldest son rose up to replace Shida Daiki. What odd was this second eldest brother of yours whose name Shida Kei didn’t have any record with Royal Court. He mastered art and never once was seen attending court. His record of political involvement was null. Seeing that fact, my council deliberately concluded that he would be the doom of your family. However, I had different thought.

If your second brother was indeed incapable running Shida House, I believed your father would never give him the position of a heir. He could just choose the third son or the fourth. It was not unheard of replacing the heir without considering the chronological births. Hence, I strongly believed that he wasn’t incapable. His lack of recorded activities in Royal Court didn’t mean he didn’t know how it works. Instead, I was anxious about the rising of your second elder brother. Tranquility was often a trap. His lack of political record caused me to unable analyzing his way of thought, unable to predict his move.

In other words, the new heir of your family was even more dangerous than the predecessor, or even more than your father, Shida Toru.

“What Your Majesty suggest us to do then?” Yuma asked.

I thought for a moment, deciding, “Stay alert and watch carefully.”

**********

It was the first since last week I visited you, my queen. Even, I wouldn’t have visited you unless your maid delivered your request of asking to see me. I had been busy with my duties, but it was the first time you asked for my presence, thus I was curious, and somehow excited to know why.

I left my study chamber at evening. The weather was quite nice. The breeze was only slightly chill, giving me a fresh air to breathe. I was expecting your welcome but had to be disappointed when it was your lady in waiting instead welcomed me in your place. You weren’t in your quarter, taking an evening walk, your servants said.

I decided to wait in your chamber while your servants scrambled to look for you. Looking around your chamber, I was still amused at how empty it seemed to be. The only decorative thing in it was the painting of us in our wedding attire. The rest were only a bed, a vanity, a book shelve, a small closet and a set of chairs.

I grabbed a book, wanting to know what kind of topic you were interested in. Politics, language, medical, were the ones dominated the shelve. Finished looking at the books, I was too engrossed with my own thoughts that I didn’t realize it had been hours unless your servants asking permission to lit up the candles to give light to the chamber.

A brief moment later you arrived, bowing so deep to me, apologizing for making me wait. I brushed it off since I didn’t think it was that serious. We had dinner, also little talk, but I noticed you were different. The was something off. You avoided my eyes most of the time. You’re quieter than usual. Even, when the bed time came, you asked to be allowed sleepin