More trouble brews
The Lost Prince"I'm General Yuto and he is General Daiki from Aoihoshi. King Ainosuke sent us here to see your King" Yuto told the guards standing firmly at the gates of Shiroku. After almost a day of non-stop traveling, Daiki and him finally reached the outskirts of Shiroku. throughout the journey, the two were worried about the court hearing, and at the same time, their eyes couldn't move away from the parchment handed by Ainosuke. what could possibly be written inside the letter, and what is Takea going to instruct? these questions bothered them from the start and even until they stood in front of the older King.
"your highness, we hope to send our deepest regards from our King." Yuto and Daiki gave their most formal salute and took caution in every single formality as they represented the kingdom of Aoihoshi.
"rise~ what is it that your King wants to convey?" Takea hates to beat around the bush so he asked directly.
"our King hopes to seek your affirmation about the alliance the 2 kingdoms have established all these while. but the renewed threat from Akunami has worried him about the effect it may have on the people of Aoihoshi should a battle break out. our King hopes that the alliance would deter any potential enemies, or to shorten the duration of any battle should there be any."
Yuto and Daiki saw Takea in subtle nods of approval, and felt proud of Ainosuke as it seemed his strategy has impressed the King of Shiroku.
"Very well. bring my parchment and ink" he instructed the guards and they did as requested.
"I've given him my word, and I'll not go back on it..." Takea handed the completed contract to the duo. the two saw hesitation in his eyes, and they knew exactly what the King wants to enquire.
"d-do you have news about my daughter?" bingo, the two generals guessed it right. the King appeared frail from the last time Yuto met him. needless to say, it must be the result of many nights of insomnia after the losing his daughter.
"erm... you may want to read this first. perhaps you might have answers to your questions in it. it's a personal letter our King wrote to you." Daiki exclaimed. Takea impatiently snatched the parchment from Daiki and the environment turned extremely silent.
Yuto and Daiki exchanged glances of worries as the clock continues to tick and they realised the King's expression changed as he flips the pages of parchment.
"what's wrong, your highness?" Yuto saw the King's face turned pale and his eyes turned teary. All of a sudden, he dismissed the guards around, leaving only him and the duo.
"M-Mirai, you guys found Mirai~" Yuto and Daiki finally realised that the content of the letter addressed about the finding of Mirai.
He handed the letter to the duo and finally they understood what Ainosuke meant when he asked them to abide and assist the king in whatever he needs for the task. it is definitely a risky move that allows for no mistake. if the mission is made known to any other person, their heads will roll. a top secret mission hence begins as they awaited the King to make the last minute preparations.
*****
this night is spent more worthwhile than the previous, as Riko woke up in the soft bosom of her husband. though they were fully dressed, she was sure she was drowned in his manly scent and touch of his skin. she blushed at her seemingly thoughts, but it worsens when she found herself staring at his sleeping face. she realised how distress he was, that he frowned even in his sleep. she stretched her neck a little and dropped a kiss on his neck, as a consolation for him.
"Riko~"
"morning, my lord" her voice was bright and cheerful that he felt uplifted.
"good morning" he returned a smile and rubbed his eyes lightly. giving himself a stretch, he felt a lot more fresh and also realised he slept well without pills yesterday. learning from the lesson the previous night, she only assisted Ainosuke in putting on his coat and nothing else.
"will you be busy today?" Riko asked with a personal agenda. she secretly hoped that he would accompany her another night, but the reply was disappointing.
"maybe. I might not be coming tonight, but I'll let you know again, okay Riko?"
"yes. I understand."
"thank you. anyway, I brought Daichi out yesterday. if it makes you feel better, the 2 of you can have fun outside of the chambers. even though it's not safe to go out of the palace, Daichi seemed to be having fun even in the palace gardens, somewhere he can run about freely."
"we can?"
"of course. I haven't been able to show you around the palace, but feel free to explore. there's a lot you can do without going out. horse riding, archery, swimming." he sounded excited, and that spurs Riko's interest.
"we can go together next time too!"
"sure. it'll be fun, just like old times" there was awkwardness and at that instant, Ainosuke realised he has just thought about Riko as his sister again.
"erm... make sure you bring more guards with you though. it's always better to be safe, although you're in the palace" he tried to divert the attention and break the silence.
Ainosuke left the room and walked towards his work chamber. he buried himself in the piles of documents about the first class generals, particularly zooming into Nishikido house and Kawashima house.
"there wasn't much documented about the relationship between the 2... then why are the 2 armies interacting?... and then this Nishikido Ryo, his eyes, the aura he gives off, it gives me a sense of uneasiness. my gut feel has been accurate~"
then he recalled something else during the hearing.
"he likes Umika... his reaction says it all. he is just as worried for her as Chinen... could this be the missing link between Kawashima and Nishikido house?"
Aside from this, he looked at Ryutaro's new report that raised his doubts about what Akunami is intending to do...
"I don't get it... there is no way Akunami doesn't know that both our armies are equally matched, especially with the backing of Shiroku...and that if they attacked now, they won't stand a chance...but still, they looked like they are preparing for war... it's too risky a move for them so it doesn't make sense they're going ahead. what is giving the King such confidence? He definitely has something up his sleeves. I've to figure this out before horrible things happen."
*sneeze* he sniffed as he felt mucus run in his nose, and his eyes turned teary. he was too engrossed that he didn't realise he was freezing in the strong wind that was blowing into the room. he shut the window and wrapped himself in a thick blanket. especially at this time, Mirai came into his mind. those times she entered the room when he's in the midst of his work and tended to everything and kept him warm and cozy. he shivered in the loneliness and went back into making sense of the mass of notes and data.
he sat for hours and hours, neglecting his mealtimes in complete daze. mental block, migraines, mental exhaustion are all taking a toll on his young brain. even during his days at school, he was never that hardworking. realising he never progressed from the beginning of the day, he finally stood up and took a glance at the surroundings. he realised it was already night time. he knew that in the face of such problems, he can never sleep. he opened his drawer and took out the bottle of sleeping pills which resembled the one he saw at Yu's house. he stared at the pills and thought of Mirai, and a sudden urge strike him, that albeit from afar, he wants to see her.
the underground bunker is the place he least favourite, as every corner reminded him of the whips of torture that breaks his skin. yet he subjected his first love to such dark place. escorted by the guards, he finally reached the room containing the 2 innocent ladies. silently the door swing open, and it revealed the 2 ladies cuddling beside each other in a deep sleep. he could see the exhaustion and the swollen eyes on both faces. he leaned closer to the 2 ladies and pulled the thin blanket over them. owing to the alertness of a spy warrior, Umika pry open her eyes and saw Ainosuke squatting right beside her.
"your highness" she tried to sit up but Ainosuke pressed her down and cupped to silence her.
"how are you?"
Umika nodded. once again, she was touched by Ainosuke's gentleness, as he patted on her shoulder like a brother. he returned a smile that seemed to tell her that everything will be over soon. somehow his presence calmed her nerves, just as how being around Chinen soothed her anxiety.
as expected, Mirai didn't wake up. that's one of those worrying traits of hers - she is a heavy sleeper. regardless of the noise around her, she could still be sound asleep. "how could a born royalty be so insensitive to her surroundings" he thought to himself. however, it's exactly this insensitivity that allowed him to stay a little longer by her side without her realising. if they're eventually parting again, he didn't think that facing each other and pouring mutual longing and grievances would help. hence he thought staying imaginary would be a lot better for either of them. he's sure she was thinking of the same thing when she drugged him at Yu's house.
"I'm sorry, Mirai. I wanted to keep you here so you stay as my possession... it is out of my pure selfishness. have I hurt you? are your tears shed because of my tyranny towards you? just bear a little more, I'll repay your deeds and your sufferings during the time with me. after which, I'll return you your freedom." he looked at her and gently brushed her hair to reveal her frail face. these mental words and sentences formed in his mind, and a tear drop fell from his wet eyes and onto her fingers. even the onlooker, Umika, couldn't bear to see the heart breaking scene. she wanted to comfort the King; she placed her hand on his shoulder and gave it a squeeze. He quickly wiped his tears away and forced a smile on his face, again emphasizing that he's okay. she knew this was a fake. he is hurting, and there's clearly no doubt about it. but she also knew he is constrained by his position as the King which forces him to bottle his feelings and managed his emotions.
"there's still no news about your brother..." he refocused his attention to Umika.
"sorry that my family has caused such trouble. as for me, I have no wish to see my brother who has forsaken our relationship"
"where's your faith in your brother? you've always persevered in the innocence if your brother"
"but what he has done this time has only added distress to you, the master whom I have sworn to serve"
"Umika~think about yourself before you think about me... cause I won't be able to always make decisions that put you into consideration."
"i don't expect my king to do that for me, so I am grateful how things are thus far" he gave a irritable expression at her stubbornness.
"how's Chinen, your highness?"
"he's worried for you... though he doesn't say it, I'm sure he is feeling this way towards you. I hope you keep your faith and love for him. give him some time"
"thank you, your highness"
"there's just something I need to ask you, since I'm here. I hope you be truthful about this" she nodded, though her inner anxiety grew exponentially.
"is there something I should know about you and Nishikido Ryo?"
"n-no... there's nothing-g between us..." she stammered and avoided those questioning eyes.
he leaned closer and brought his hand on her chin, forcing her to look into his eyes as she speaks.
"don't lie. that's one thing I cannot tolerate. Umika, don't hide from me."
"h-he's my fiancé.... my brother, he and Ryo decided on my marriage during King Minoru's reign."
"w-what?! how could you only tell me this now. then Chinen, do you take him as a fool too?"
"no no, your highness. I don't love Ryo. my heart and eyes are only for Chinen, not any other men. it's just a one-sided contract the 2 men drawn"
"and what are they trying to gain from this marriage?" Ainosuke asked, but Umika had no answer for it. instead, by explicating this question, he seemed to get a lead about the missing link between the 2 houses and the unexplained movement of the army.
suddenly, Mirai tossed her body, and it startled both of them.
"i'll go first. take care..." Ainosuke left without facing Umika and that leaves her worrying whether he's angry with her. somehow she values this relationship with him very much. in fact, he has become a very strong dependable pillar in her life.
*sneeze* Ainosuke laid in his bed, cuddled into a ball, buried beneath his blanket, thinking of all the overwhelming information he gathered from Umika.
has there always been an underlying relationship between Kawashima and Nishikido? for military might?
the more he thinks, the more his head hurts. drowsiness kicked in, and he could only proceed his investigation the next day.
******
breaking dawn, Ainosuke pulled himself out of bed despite the body aches and exhaustion. it was almost like a eureka moment where he realised what he forgot to analyse.
he flipped through Ryutaro's report on the current military strength and isolated Kawashima and Nishikido military contribution.
"how can it be?!" the amount of military strength due for mobilization from both sides only accounted for 500 each. that's even lesser than a second class general! their military strength during the late Akiyoshi's time were at least thousands, but how could it have dwindled so much over 2 reigns.
"there's something amiss. these 2 houses must be concealing a conspiracy." he reasoned to himself and his anger rose to a new high.
"guards! get General Yuya, Yabu and Hikaru to me now! *cough*" he summoned.
in a lightning speed, the three generals were sat in front of their stern King. they were dumbfounded at his discovery and took a moment of time to digest the allegations of treason against 2 noble houses.
"how could any of you not have noticed all these. if it's not because of the Kawashima-Chinen case, and that Daiki told me about his observations, these unexplainable numbers and strange interactions between these 2 houses would have gone unnoticed!" he asserted, leaving the 3 minions in pale faces. the 3 lowered their heads, apparently too disgraced to look at the pair of fierce eyes staring at them.
"fine~ no point regretting. now, put your brain to work and tell me how you think about all this allegations I made...is there even a slightest possibility that they are concealing their true army strength from my knowledge and deploying them for other purposes?!"
"I'm afraid, this is what it seemed. as far as I know, like what you found, Nishikido house has had a strong military force. it's appalling that they only reported 500." Yabu led the response and the rest nodded in agreement.
"okay, then is there even a chance that this deployment is something amounting to treason, and could potentially put us at a detrimental position in the battle against Akunami?!" Ainosuke continued to probe.
"I think it's a little too serious on the assertions. Nishikido and Kawashima houses have been loyal subjects to the rulers of Aoihoshi for generations. unless we have concrete evidence that they are guilty of betraying the country, I think we should take a step back on the assertions." Keito said, and as usual he neglected the enraged state of Ainosuke.
"look, I don't give a damn about what their parents have contributed to Aoihoshi. if they themselves are guilty of such acts, then I'll stop at nothing to bring them a harsh sentence. no one shall be spared because of their status or past contribution, you understand?!" Ainosuke put his point across sternly and there's no excuse for the 3 generals to not understand what this connotes - he wants them to do a thorough check on the 2 noble houses.
"yes, your highness. we'll do a check on the 2 houses" Yabu complied.
"i understand that I'm putting you guys in a difficult position because of the relationship among the houses that have thrived for centuries. if it makes it any easier, I give you guys my permission to do undercover work instead of openly declaring an investigation. at least this doesn't jeopardize your relationship with them. liaise with Ryutaro, since he's the master of this area. what I want now is the actual number of their military strength, not the one they reported. and if there are any discrepancies, which I'm sure there will be, then find out where they deployed their army. I understand that Hiro Kawashima disappeared with his army, but I want more details than just this statement. understand?"
"yes, your highness" they said in synchronicity.
"pull up your socks on this. based on their previous statistics, these 2 houses could well have at least 2000 strong fleet in total. this number can threaten us in our battle efforts."
though they hated to admit it, but Ainosuke is right, this scenario will really put Aoihoshi in a losing end.
"your highness, you should take a rest. you are coughing profusely since we started discussion. you don't look so good" Hikaru said.
"I'm fine. I'll just get some honey water to soothed my throats. anyway, are there any news about Yuto and Daiki?"
"the last time i heard, there're on their way back~" Hikaru replied.
"okay... then you guys are dismissed" the generals gestured to leave. just before they stepped out, Yabu reminded "Take care, your highness. your health is important too. don't overwork"
but they knew such reminders are useless. instead, they took a more proactive measure...
"Queen, may I see you for a second" Hikaru represented the 2 other generals and entered her chamber.
"what's up?" Riko still hasn't grown used to formalities and hence, retained her usual mannerism which sometimes tickle the generals, guards and maids.
"the King seemed to be overworking himself. it appears that fatigue will set in soon and we hope that you could tend to his health for this period. nothing we say will be seriously endorsed by him, but Queen Riko, I'm sure you'll have a way with him" Riko let out a face of worry upon hearing Hikaru's request.
"thanks for telling me, Hikaru. I'll go to him right now... where's he?"
"he's in his chamber" he told Riko and Without a minute lost, she dashed towards the direction.
they were right, just a while outside his chamber, she could hear his coughing and sneezing. now that she's closer, she could see his pale, weary face. he didn't even realise someone entered.
"Ainosuke~" she covered the blanket over him and hugged his back like a koala.
"Riko?!"
"you're working really hard, neechan"
"heh?!" Ainosuke was shocked to hear her call him that way.
"don't see me as your wife for now, just for a while I would want to stay with you as your sister" Riko knows somewhere within him, he hopes she's his sister and not his wife.
"ah, I brought you the honey drink you ask for" she handed him a bottle and she watched him drank down in a few gulps.
"thank you, Riko!" he smiled, but it still can't conceal his exhaustion, coughs and sneezes.
"you should take a rest. you can resume after a nap right. you won't be able to think in this state"
"you're right. maybe I should just take a nap."he stood up and headed for bed.
"do you want me to stay with you?" Riko asked and Ainosuke hesitated, but he remembered his promise to her, and decided to go with the flow.
"sure" he indicated a spot on the bed, close beside him. however, before she could move towards the bed, there was a knock on the door.
"it's me, Daiki"
Ainosuke quickly sat up and immediately summoned him in.
"good evening Queen Riko. I'm sorry to disturb but I need to have a private word with our King"
"alright~" Ainosuke could see the disappointment on her face.
"Riko, maybe you can head to bed first. if I finish early, I'll come to your chamber" he smiled to her, and she knew he meant it.
"see you, my lord" she returned a smile before heading out. immediately the mood in the room tensed up.
"Is everything running as planned?" Ainosuke asked before Daiki could say anything.
"yes. I'll bring you there now"
"okay. and there's something extra I need you to do after this..."
******
although Ainosuke was the one who requested that befriends Mirai, she never thought of it as a chore. in fact, she realised that Mirai despite being a royalty, she was extremely easy going and optimistic. she saw similarities between Ainosuke and her, both so sincere and down-to-Earth.
from the time she returned to the cell after the hearing, the 2 of them spent almost every minute talking about girls' stuff and occasionally seek consolation from the other about the problems they face, including love. even during their sleep, they tug each other to bed like a pair of close siblings. there were periods where Umika wanted so badly to tell her how much Ainosuke loves her and is doing for her, but she held back. Mirai was completely unaware, and that made Umika felt pitiful for her. but the night's unprecedented event took her by surprise, and she knew the King's intentions were much clearer to Mirai, as well as her... including the part about granting freedom.
they were startled by the guard who dropped by so late into the night, unchaining the door. Mirai intuitively thought that Umika was summoned again and grew fearful for her since being called upon at this time of the day meant something more severe and urgent.
"what do you want?" as usual Mirai stood up for Umika, shielding her behind. everytime she does that, Umika feels protected and grateful.
"we're not looking for Kawashima-san. we're looking for you."
"heh?!" the 2 girls expressed their shock. immediately the thought about Ainosuke finally summoning her surfaced in her mind. deep down, Umika believed in such proposition cause she expected it coming days ago; she never expected that it came so late, but being late is better than never.
"go on, the King must be thinking of you. good luck, Mirai~" Umika gave her an emotional booster. though Mirai didn't express it, she was inherently feeling an outburst of excitement about meeting Ainosuke again. She followed the guards, corridors after corridors, in a completely muted environment. it was so silent at this side of the bunker that she could even hear her own heartbeat and her hard breathing. something doesn't feel right? why does Ainosuke need to meet me so deep into the bunker.
"where are you guys bringing me?!"the guards didnt respond to her question, instead they tightened their grip on her arms. The sudden enlightenment got her struggling as she began to feel that her life is in danger. she started thinking of the possibilities of Ainosuke sentencing her to death. Previously she has denied such odds because she thought Ainosuke is still the same one as before. but putting more thoughts into it, she realised that she could have underestimated the extent of harm she inflicted on him that it is not unlikely that he has changed.
"let me go, you bastards! where are you bringing me?!" she continued to make unnecessary struggles until she reached the outside of a hostile looking door. they opened it and at a glance she saw the shadows of a man, much larger sized than Ainosuke.
"let me goo!!!" she made the last struggle but the guards threw her in and enclosed the door behind her. she refused to be locked in with another person; she banged on the door helplessly, begging to be let out.
with her back facing the shadows, she hear a voice from the figure behind "don't you recognize me?"
she turned around out of curiosity and her heart almost stopped when she saw a familiar face revealing behind the shadows.
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