Accompanied song: Oretachi no Seisun (Hey! Say! JUMP's Takaki Yuya)

Wisdom said one death was the price of a thousand births. As the heat of summer shimmered away from the air of Hakumei, and the trees started to prepare their long sleeps in the chilly autumn, a new life graced the kingdom. Queen Nami gave birth to a beautiful princess. People of Hakumei were drowned themselves in the grandness of royal festival for a whole week, as though forgetting that they had mourned for their former king just as long in the past month.

“Congratulation, My Queen, the princess is so adorable,” Mirai said as she visited Nami in the Inner Palace.

“Thank you. She’s indeed wonderful. I can’t describe how happy I was seeing her for the first time,” Nami replied while cradling the baby in her arms.

“Somehow you look shining when you talk about her,” she praised honestly.

“Really? Maybe because I’m just too happy being a mother,” Nami beamed at her.

She smiled in return while looking at the little one who was her own thumb, eyes closed.

“Do you want to try holding her?” suddenly Nami offered.

Mirai was hesitated since she had never held a baby before, “Is it alright?”

Nami’s eyes lit up, matching the smile on her face, “It is fine, try it.”

Nami brought the baby closer to Mirai and she instinctively held her arms out to cradle the baby. She was surprise of how light the baby was, so small and delicate. She drew the baby closer to her chest, tilting her arm a bit so her face almost touched the baby’s little nose. The baby let out a small squeal and she almost jumped.

“It’s alright,” Nami assured her.

She gulped in nervousness. Looking the baby so close, she unconsciously smiled.

“I bet you’ll be just as happy as me, Mirai, once you have your own child,” Nami said softly.

Hearing that, her heart clenched. “Yes, maybe, one day…,” she replied without taking her eyes off from the baby. Or maybe never, she added in her mind, bitterly.

“Ryosuke doesn’t accompany you?” Nami asked.

“He still has to attend council meeting. Maybe he would visit after it’s finished.”

Nami nodded in understanding, “I see. Men are always busy, aren’t they?”

“I think so,” curved up while saying this.

“And as a wife we should support our husband by not troubling them with trivial matters,” Nami looked at her as though asking for agreement. “Especially in a time like this. You are aware, right?”

Mirai nodded, “Yes.”

***********

Meanwhile in the throne chamber, Keito was discussing matters with his minions: Prime Minister Okamoto Shinsaku, King Advisor Arioka Eichi, Head of Royal Army General Shida Makoto, and his brother Yamada Ryosuke.

“So, the decision is final, my majesty?” Shinsaku asked.

“Yes, uncle,” he answer. “I have the same thought with my father in this matter. Hakumei will never yield to such demand.”

He added seconds later, “So, rest easy, uncle. Suzuka will stay with us.”

Shinsaku bowed, “Thank you, my king.”

“Then,” Keito continued while lingering his gaze to the other attendants. “I suppose you have known what you have to do, General.”

General Shida answered, “Yes, Your Majesty. I will prepare our army.”

“Good.”

“My king,” Arioka Eichi spoke. “May I give some counsels?”

“Yes, Arioka-san?”

“We still have several months to answer Seiryoku. Though we have reached final decision, it is wise if we hold it until the deadline to send them our rejection. And, if possible, we should look for other possibility to avoid war during the remaining time we have.”

“Ah, indeed, wise it is. So, until the date, uncle Shinsaku, please refrain the council from leaking this out.”

“As you wish, my king.”

“And Ryosuke,” he addressed his brother who listened silently all this time.

“Yes, Your Majesty?”

He actually did not like being called in such way by Ryosuke because it made him felt they were distant. Yet, protocol required.

“You’re a very good strategist. I want you to work along with General Shida.”

“I’ll do as you wish.”

He turned to Shinsaku, “Uncle, reduce half of Ryosuke’s council duties for the time being.”

“Yes, my king.”

He bellowed to all of them, “If there is no other thing you want to discuss, I shall end this meeting here.”

Everyone left the room after dismissed by their king, except Ryosuke who stayed behind because he ordered him to.

He descended the stairs to walk toward Ryosuke and stopped just a distance before him.

Keeping his face calm, he said straightly, “Explain your ignorance toward Mirai, Ryosuke,” his tone was demanding.

He needed to wait a moment before hearing Ryosuke answered, “I assume you’ve known about our predicament.”

“Your behavior has stirred unpleasant rumor in the council.” He quickly countered.

Ryosuke had showed subtle ignorance toward his wife for several months, yet it worsened since their father died. Everyone started noticing the coldness of their marriage life. The rumor about Ryosuke’s possibility broke up the marriage strengthened by his submitting the bill, though only he and a few council members knew about it; and it caused another shock to the already imbalance stance in the council, and it was really not good especially when Hakumei preparing to face a war.

Ryosuke seemed reluctant as he replied, “I’m aware.”

“You know the result of that, don’t you?”

Ryosuke drew in silence.

“Breaking the marriage, you will cause the stance inclines more to Okamoto. I need a balance in the council to be able to rule well, Ryosuke. And if there is better way to secure the alliance with the three general other than you marry one of their lineage, I’m sure father would have done that.”

“This marriage will only bring her pain, aniki,” Ryosuke eventually muttered.

He had suspected the cause of his brother’s trouble with marriage.

“Sacrificing one person or two to save thousands is the best choice we have, Ryosuke.” He knew it was harsh, but it was the fact. “Besides, she refused to break up with you, didn’t she? It seems to me that she have a feeling for you.”

Ryosuke’s silence was an affirmative answer he needed.

“If she loves you,” he said softly to his brother, “then this marriage should not pain her, unless… you are the one who trigger her sorrow.”

As Ryosuke kept his silence, he continued, “I can annul your marriage with my order even if she doesn’t agree, Ryosuke. And I know you want that, but,” he paused and made a firm gaze to his brother.

“But even if you divorce her, I shall arrange another marriage between you and the daughter of either Chinen or Nakajima.”

Ryosuke frowned deep, “You can’t do that, aniki.”

“Don’t forget, Ryosuke. I’m a king, now, and you’re a prince. We both know since we were kid what those titles mean. Hakumei should always be the top priority.”

Ryosuke gave a bitter smirk, “I never expected you’ll be harsher than him pushing me in this matter.”

A flash of his father’s pleading eyes appeared in his mind. “I am not father, Ryosuke. I don’t have his fear and worry. I have Okamoto behind me, and I never doubt the loyalty of the three generals toward Hakumei. The only problem is how people see the bond between me and my alliances.”

He paused to inhale a breath. “I need to make people think the power is balance, that no one will gain more advantage of me, and YOU are causing it so hard to achieve. So, please, just stop being childish.”

He could see Ryosuke clenched his knuckle, and that was predicted.

“So, I’m childish now?” Ryosuke countered with a fake smile. “Would you enlighten me, Your Majesty?”

“Tell me first why you’re so desperate to break this marriage?”

Ryosuke’s frown deepened, “You knew the reason.”

He sighed, “You don’t want to marry, right? That’s why I called you childish, Ryosuke. A child will act based on what they like or dislike. And that’s what you are doing now.”

Ryosuke’s jaw tightened, “Think as you wish.”

He smiled sympathetically and stepped closer to Ryosuke. “If you just let her, she will do you good, Ryosuke. You have to overcome your fear.”

He gave Ryosuke’s shoulder firm squeeze before walking away, leaving Ryosuke with his own thought.

His father had hesitated to push Ryosuke before because he was afraid it would only cause Ryosuke to break even more. His father had too much fear and worry over Ryosuke’s state. Yet, he knew Ryosuke so well since they grew up together. Ryosuke was cracked, and it would be nearly impossible to stick him back to be a perfect whole. So, instead doing what his father did, he would push Ryosuke harder until he really broke so that he could arrange him to be something new: a new Ryosuke, a stronger one.

I need him to be strong before executing th