Chapter 21 - Complications

Izumi pov:

"Your Highness, Prince Taheji wishes for an audience with you." An attendant said as he kneeled in front of me with his head down and eyes closed in respect.

"Oh?" I mused with a raised brow. "Where does he want us to have a chat?"

"He wishes that you would join him in the Royal Tea Courtyard. And, um..." The attendant paused, hesitant to continue.

"What is it?" I coaxed.

"He wishes that you would come alone, without any guards or handmaids. He said he has something of utmost importance and secrecy to discuss with you."

My lips twitched, threatening to break out into a smirk. So, Prince Taheji had finally decided to approach me directly and alone. And he wanted to discuss something of 'utmost importance' with me. I had a feeling that this wasn't going to be a friendly meeting – he was up to something and as much as I knew that I was probably stepping right into a trap, I couldn't refuse meeting him. After all, it was another chance for me to find out a possible weakness of his.

I was silent for a moment and I dropped one hand to my side to feel the dagger I had hidden in my kimono. I also had a knife strapped to my ankle and I was sure they would come in handy if Taheji decided not to be friendly with me. Reassured by the weapons I had, I told the attendant to lead me to Taheji without any protection.

A week had passed since the Elite Division went out into the Capital's streets and since Ryuusei and I visited the warehouse. The Elite Division was close to cornering and confronting the enemy – it would be just a few days before the Capital was cleared of them and their nuisance. Ryuusei had spoken to Taheji's men in the warehouse while disguising himself as one of them and he had found out the extent to which Taheji had spread his influence in Nihon as well as a hint on what was happening on Yokobu Shore. Well, even the guards weren't fully aware of what was happening in the fort on Yokobu Shore but they did know that it was related to strange appearances of objects and people there.

Having got the information required, Ryuusei sent out his assassin samurai as well as another team of men I didn't know that worked for him – an elite team much stronger than assassin samurai called and 'The Golden Dragon'. I happened to meet a few of them when Ryuusei had summoned them to give them orders and I was not just really impressed but also a little intimidated by them. They were men with the most vicious eyes I had ever seen – cold, concentrated and almost lifeless – and the air around them was sinister and death-like. They ignored my very existence and had all of their attention on Ryuusei. However, they were very alert of my presence as well and would most definitely strike if I made one threatening move against Ryuusei.

It was another instance where I had got a better understanding of Ryuusei – if he was commanding such people, his level was definitely off the charts by leaps and bounds. How on earth did I end up falling for a guy who's so powerful when I had probably seen just half of what he was on the inside?? Well, I suppose I had seen enough of his heart to trust him and know that falling for him was a good thing....

I snapped out of my train of thought when my escort and I entered the denser gardens of the palace. I glanced around with narrow eyes, a little curious and cautious. I couldn't see any guards and the garden was a bit too quiet for my liking. I looked at the man walking ahead of me but he showed no sign of being a threat. I exhaled deeply and straightened my posture, deciding to just go with this till the end anyway – I was armed so I'm sure I could hold out long enough to escape in case some unexpected trouble started.

The Royal Tea Courtyard was one of places of the palace compound I hadn't visited before. It was a beautiful gazebo that extended onto the large inner palace's lake and had a variety of flowering trees growing around it. There were also creepers that grew on the roof and added to the natural tranquillity of the place. In the center of the gazebo was what looked like an Edo Period picnic table and four chairs around it. Seated on one chair with a tea tray in front of him was Taheji. He looked just as sinister as he did on our first meeting and it somehow made uneasiness settle in the pit of my stomach. Nonetheless, after my arrival was announced and I received a bow from Taheji, I joined him at the table, taking the seat right opposite to him.

"Empress Izumi, I am truly honoured that you accepted my request to meet you." He said with a sickly sweet smile and a chaste bow of his head. "Seeing how we didn't start of on the right foot, I assumed you wouldn't meet me today."

"I was debating on whether I should meet you or not, Prince Taheji. In all honesty, I wasn't up to the idea but since your attendant mentioned that you had to discuss something important, I thought I could spare a few minutes." I said while keeping my chin up and staring at him dead in the eyes.

"I understand, Your Highness." He said and chuckled. "Shall I pour us some tea so we can enjoy the beverage while we talk?"

I merely nodded and he proceeded with pouring hot tea into two cups. He slowly pushed one towards me and proceeded to drink his. I hesitated for a moment but picked up the teacup in my hands. I observed Taheji, trying to see if he would look at me while I drank the tea, and give me any hint that he had added something to it that could cause me harm. However, he drank contentedly with his eyes closed. Well, he had poured the tea into both cups right in front of me so he probably hadn't done anything sneaky....unless of course, the tea cup itself had been tampered with.

As pigheaded as I was, I wasn't ready to do something I had my doubts on. So I placed the tea down without drinking it and Taheji opened his eyes to look at me curiously.

"Is something the matter, Your Highness? Did you not like the tea?" He questioned innocently though I noticed the devious spark in his eyes.

"It's not that. I had a heavy lunch so I'm not really in the mood for tea right now." I answered and I saw a moment of annoyance flash in his eyes. That was enough for me to understand that he had definitely tampered with the teacup.

"Anyway, what is it that you wished to talk about? Ryuu sama doesn't like it if I linger with other men for longer than necessary – I'm sure, being his brother, you are aware that he is a possessive man." I said and smiled.

"Of course. And I know that he truly loves you....but perhaps not as much as you think he does." He said making me narrow my eyes just a bit. "In all my years of knowing him, he hasn't shown interest in women. He has a harem but he spares them no more than a few hours a week. It's a pity that those women don't get the chance to lose themselves in the arm of their husband, especially when they are so beautiful. You are much more beautiful than all of them though and I'm sure Ryuusei dotes you more than anyone....but tell me, does he really love you the way a man should love his wife? As a commoner, you must know better than those of royalty how a man and his wife should be with each other when in love – always wishing to be with each other, showing deep care and concern for each other and, of course, planning for a family. I do not mean to rude in any way, Empress, but does my little brother show any of these signs?"

"Why is it that an outsider wishes to poke his nose in the Blood Emperor's and his wife's personal matter?" I snapped back, my voice coming out just a bit harsh.

"I apologize if I offended you, Empress. I merely worry about my little brother and this Empire. He is already twenty four and has just chosen an Empress. It is quite late already and people are expecting news of the arrival of an heir to the throne soon so they can be sure of a continued prosperous rule."

My eyes went slightly wide and a blush rose to my cheeks at his words. This guy, seriously! Asking about Ryuusei's love for me was understandable since he was probably trying to brainwash me but what gave him the right to talk about Ryuusei having an heir?! How could he be so shameless in asking that to me?!

"Watch your words, Prince Taheji." I said sharply, furrowing my brows in anger. "If you wished to meet me to merely mock the love Ryuu sama and I have for each other, I will hear no more of it. I will take my leave now."

"Oh, no, no! Please, Your Highness! I deeply apologize for everything I said – I clearly stepped out of line." He said before I could get up. "However, you must understand that I said all of that not only for my concern as an elder brother but also because of personal reasons. I meant no disrespect to you or my little brother."

"Personal reasons? And what might those be?" I questioned while relaxing my posture a bit.

"I have fallen in love with you, Empress Izumi. Ever since the first time I saw you, I have been charmed by your beauty. My heart is afire at the thought of you and despite knowing that it is wrong, I cannot wish but yearn for your love and attention."

I stared at him dumbly for a moment. Was it just me or was poetry and cheesiness hereditary in the Royal Family? I couldn't maintain composure and I snorted before bursting into peals of laughter. I just found it hilarious and I couldn't stop laughing until I felt a strain in my sides. Taheji was watching me surprised and speechless, not expecting my rather 'unladylike' behavior and I cleared my throat when I had calmed down enough to speak.

"You're in love with me, Prince Taheji? You jest!" I said, still chuckling. "Surely you have a beautiful wife of your own, one who is much more beautiful and not of low standing like me. If you wish get good favors from Ryuu sama, there are better ways than trying to impress me."

"I do not lack in any skill to get what I want, when I want it, Empress, so I have no need to impress you to get favors from Ryuusei. Have you not heard the say 'the older the wiser'? I believe I am much more capable than my little brother." Taheji answered, no longer smiling and his voice deep.

That made my smile turn to a frown and I looked at him challengingly. "Are you trying to say that you would be better suited to be the Emperor of this country? Are you challenging the worthiness of the Blood Emperor?"

He gave a sly smirk, and it was more than enough to answer my question. However, it seems he wished to play it safe and changed the topic.

"I wouldn't dare, Your Highness. That aside, will you consider my confession? I can assure you that I will dote you much more than my little brother, shower you with all the pleasures you could dream of having and I will ensure that we bring up a powerful heir."

"I already have everything I wish for and I receive much of Ryuu sama's affection. It is something that we prefer not to show off in front of audience." I responded, now getting quite annoyed with this guy's hidden motive flirting.

"Does that mean it is possible for us to hear about the arrival of an heir soon?" He pressed and made me lose the last bit of composure.

"Shut up!" I snapped and slammed my hands on the table as I stood. "What is with everyone and heirs?! Why can't people understand that it's none of their bloody business to tell us when we wish to start a family?! Ryuu sama is healthy and strong and is governing his Empire well, much better than any other sorry excuse of a Royal Family member would have done, and no one has the right to question the way he handles things! And more than anything else, Prince Taheji, you should watch your words – I will not allow you to belittle the Blood Emperor in any way. Do not assume that you have even half the power he does to rule this country, let alone have a pleasant attitude or good enough brains for it."

"What did you...?!"

"I am not done talking." I cut him off sharply. "You will do well to remember your place here. I will not tolerate any more of you flirting or hints of breaching loyalty to the Blood Emperor. If you do, consequences will not be pleasant. I will take my leave now, Prince Taheji, and I wish that you will never show your ugly face around me again."

I pushed the chair back hard enough for it to topple over and swiftly walked out of the gazebo. How dare he suggest his wish to overthrow Ryuusei so boldly in front of me! And saying that he is in love with me and will 'dote' me! I was so close to blowing my cover and actually punching the living daylights out of him to teach him a lesson. I would not allow him to mock Ryuusei when he knows nothing about him and when he is one of the main reasons for his suffering all this time!

He had been playing around until now but with all the information that Ryuusei, the Elite Division and I had collected, he wasn't going to play around for much longer. His downfall had begun and he didn't know it yet. But he would soon.

I was still fuming as I walked through the gardens between the Tea Courtyard and the palace but I was stopped by a painful grip on my wrist and a harsh tug backwards. I couldn't balance in time and I landed against none other than Taheji. He wrapped an arm around my upper back but below my arms and held me to himself in an iron grip. He was smirking as he watched me struggle in his hold – he was really strong and I could barely budge.

"You have quite the temper, Empress, and you were quite right about me belittling that fool." He said before letting me go. I stumbled back and glared at him while getting into a guarded stance. "I merely wished to get you onto my side at first – make you trust me and then kill you – but after seeing this feisty side of yours, I have come to think that I might actually enjoy your company. If you become my wife willingly, I might really consider giving you all I said I would."

"Not even in your dreams." I spat and touched the hidden dagger at my waist. "You better get your act together unless you want me to call the guards."

"Threatening me, now are we?" He mused. "Sorry, Empress, but no one is going to come here to protect you. My men and I have made sure of that."

"You killed all the guards." I stated, narrowing my eyes and feeling the slight uneasiness return. Perhaps I should have arranged for backup before coming her after all.

"I did. It would seem my little brother's defenses aren't all that great. Overthrowing him won't be any trouble."

"Don't underestimate him. You don't know what kind of person he is and you know nothing about those who follow him. They're much more capable than you think." I said and smirked slightly. "Besides, he's not going to be happy when he hears about what you've done – especially trying to kill me with that poisoned teacup."

"Oh?" He said, looking mildly surprised. "So you knew about it?"

"No, I didn't. You just told me." I answered smartly and he chuckled.

"You're quite intelligent, aren't you? It seems I gave you too less credit. Now I really want you as my wife – I'm sure you'll serve as great entertainment!"

"Like I said, that's never going to happen." I hissed.

"We'll see about that." He said darkly and I unsheathed my dagger just in time to block the one he had hidden in his robes.

He was really strong, possibly as much as Ryuusei, and he wasn't holding back even a bit. I was pushed back easily and I felt a burning strain through my arms every time I blocked his dagger with mine. The clanking of the blades was quite loud but since all the guards in the vicinity had been killed, there was no one who could come here to see what was happening. My best bet now, knowing that I was clearly overpowered by this jerk, was to retreat and get back to the palace where there would be witnesses to keep him at bay.

He figured out my thought though and began attacking more rigorously. "Don't even think of escaping! I won't let you! But I am still willing to give you a choice – join me in overthrowing that fool to take him place as Emperor or be killed by my hands right now!"

"I choose neither! I'm not as weak as you think I am!" I snarled and threw my own set of power-packed hits at him.

He wasn't easily affected by my onslaught and retaliated almost too easily. He was as strong as Ryuusei....or maybe not, since I hadn't seen Ryuusei fight seriously before. But I was almost sure that they were almost evenly matched and at a level I didn't want to compete with. That being said, I had to figure out a way to get out of this mess for now.

I sucked in a sharp breath while bending sideways when Taheji thrust him dagger horizontally at my face, missing it by mere inches. I shuffled back to get some space between us but he was quick to close the gap and reach to me with his free hand. Luck wasn't on my side today and he grabbed the long accessory of my dress and tugged me forwards with his dagger aimed at my torso. I managed to swivel in place to avoid the blade but he brought it towards me again and left a bleeding gash across my back.

I gasped and stumbled forward when I was let go. Bearing with the pain, I turned to face Taheji ready to fight but I was glad that Taheji showed signs of taking a short break from the fight. He was smirking menacingly and looked entertained. Unlike me, he hadn't even broken out into a sweat. I was in really deep shit right now.

"I'm really impressed, Empress! I didn't know that a commoner could be such a good fighter! It's no wonder Ryuusei chose you to be his Empress!" He said while laughing loudly. "Too bad you have chosen to die at my hands instead of join me! I could have put your skills to good use!"

"Don't you dare make fun of me! I'm not fickle minded and I will not betray Ryuu sama like you!" I yelled and bolted forward to fight again.

I put it every bit of strength I could muster in these hits so I managed to land a shallow cut on his arms and another on his shoulder. He wasn't happy about that so he got serious – to the point of attacking me with the intent to kill. The wound on my back was putting a lot of strain on my body. It hurt and every movement I made, every blow I took drained out more and more energy. I was slowing down by the moment besides being pushed back with every strike I blaocked and my attack and defense were getting weaker. I couldn't hold out for much longer.

Was this going to be the end for me?

Taheji brought his dagger at my neck and I blocked but I didn't expect his next and instantaneous kick in my guy. It was so hard that the wind was knocked out of my lungs and I coughed up blood. I lost grip on my dagger and it fell to the ground with a clatter. Taheji's leg then met with my side and I was kicked to several feet away. The rough stone path left burning scratches on my left arm, the kimono sleeve having been torn off due to the friction.

I coughed when I came to a stop, almost gagging at the metallic taste of the blood in my mouth. I managed to get on my knees while holding my aching torso and looked up with glare at Taheji. He was amused and was smirking. He walked forward and crouched when he was right in front of me. He took a hold of my hair, painfully gripping it at the roots to bring my face to his level and I winced. I looked at him through one eye, gasping like a fish out of water and tensing when he brought his dagger close to my neck.

"My my, you didn't expect this to happen, did you, Empress? You thought you were strong enough to fight me and win – you're such a fool, just like my little brother. It won't be very long before he too will die at my hands like this and I will become the Emperor of all of Nihon. Now let's end this, shall we?" He said and I felt a burn as the dagger made a shallow cut on my neck. I shut my eyes tightly, cursing at my recklessness and for ending up like this but Taheji paused and tensed when we heard commotion from outside the garden.

"Izumi!" I heard Ryuusei's voice in the distance and Taheji cursed.

"Empress Izumi!" A few guards called.

"Izumi, where are you?!"

"Hmph, it looks like he noticed your absense quite quickly. Well, no matter. What's the fun in finishing you off right now? Once I have taken care of my little brother, I will come to claim you and that's when I will break you. I will break your body and your spirit before killing you. Live happily in your precious Ryuu sama's arms till then, hmm?" he said and I shuddered in disgust as he licked the blood from one of the cuts I had got on my cheek.

I shoved me to the ground before summoning the attendant who had escorted me to the Tea Courtyard. As he approached Taheji, his neck was slit and he fell to the ground dead, blood splattering around him. I felt queasy at the sigh and tasted bile in my mouth along with blood.

"You are going to tell everyone that this man is the assassin who tried to kill you. If you say anything about me, it isn't you who will be suffering the consequences – it will be a certain helpless prince. I'm sure you wouldn't want me to kill a child whose life is yet to unfold." He said and I cursed under my breath, understanding very clearly that he was talking about Prince Shichiro.

But I relaxed my body a bit knowing that I was safe for now. I shut my eyes and took deep even breaths, trying to ease the numbing pain I felt throughout my body. I could hear Taheji's footsteps fade out as he walked away from me but he paused a little away and spoke up.

"Ah, and I hope that you would have recovered enough to attend the Annual Lantern Festival on Yokobu Shore next week. It's quite a sight to see and I have something quite special planned out for that day – you of all people wouldn't want to miss it."

He was gone soon after. I opened my eyes feeling intense anger and irritation bubble within me at how I had been reduced to this state by him. I may have ended up with some pretty painful injuries but I had good endurance – enough to get up onto my feet and limp my way through the gardens to where I could hear Ryuusei and the others calling for me.

When I came into view, Ryuusei rushed to my side. Upon seeing my tattered state, intense fury burned in his eyes. He didn't wait for even a second to lift me up into his arms and hold me close to himself.

"Search the gardens! I will not allow anyone who did this to my wife leave from here alive! Find them and slaughter them!" He snarled out orders, absolutely enraged.

"Put me down, Ryuusei! I can walk! And the assassin has been taken care of – he's just a little past these bushes." I said and struggled in his arms despite the pain.

"Stop struggling." He said icily making me tense. This was one of those instances where I knew talking against him probably wasn't a good idea.

{A/N: Lesson learnt - don't get Ryuusei angry o.o]

While those of the Imperial Guard dispersed to find the so called assassin, Ryuusei rushed to the palace and to our chambers with me still in his arms. The Royal Doctor had already been summoned and I was left in her care while Ryuusei went out to assess the situation in the gardens. The doctor cleaned my wounds – even the smaller scratches I had suffered on my arms, neck and cheek – and applied a pain killer salve on the forming bruise of my torso before wrapping almost my entire chest and torso with bandages. She gave me some really bitter medicine to drink as well, saying that it would help me feel better faster, and left me to rest while lying on the bed.

I guess the medicine made me drowsy so I fell asleep while waiting for Ryuusei to return. When I awoke, probably a few hours later, I saw Ryuusei standing near the window with his arms behind him and looking out into the distance. The air in the room was thick and tense and I had a feeling that it wasn't going to get lighter any time soon.

I sat up with a soft groan and got off the bed as well. I was about to walk to him but I froze in place when he turned just his head to look at me with the iciest stare I had ever seen him give. He watched me like that for a few moments, his presence becoming thoroughly overbearing at this proximity, before relief washed through them. He relaxed his stance a bit and walked to me to embrace me gently.

"How do you feel, Love?" He asked in barely above a whisper and it snapped me out of my daze.

"I'm a little sore but alright for the most part." I said and lifted just one hand to hold his side.

We stayed as we were for a few moments in silence before Ryuusei let me go. I met his gaze and they turned narrow, making me mentally cringe. Well, here it goes....

"Who did this to you?"

"Do you need me to answer that even after you've found the assassin?" I asked flatly.

"He wasn't an assassin." His answer was curt.

"How can you say that?"

"Because he does not have the physique of a man well versed in martial arts or sword fighting. He carried no weapons and no weapon besides your dagger was found in the vicinity. The Imperial Guards were killed much before you were attacked and it wasn't by that man for sure. So tell me the truth – who did this to you?" He asked, no, commanded.

I sighed deeply. With his level of perception, there was no way I would be able to hide the truth from him. Besides, this was no time for hiding truths – Taheji had gone too far and I wanted to end this matter once and for all. I was already formulating a plan and the only way for it to work was to get the right resources and people involved.

"It was Taheji."

"I knew it!" He barked in intense rage and the look in his eyes turning merderous. "I will kill him! This is the last time he tries to make a fool of me! We are already in the process of taking care of his followers in the different provinces but now it is finally time for him to die at my hands!"

"This isn't something you can rush, Ryuusei." I said and placed my hand on his arm, hoping he would calm down. "We need to make his backstabbing public enough to fight it out and put an end to it. Even if the civilians are witnesses, they won't confess anything in fear of losing their lives. And there's also...."

"I don't care! That fool will not live to see another day! I will slaughter him and everyone in this palace who follows him!" He yelled and pushed me away to reach for his katana.

"Ryuusei, calm down! I'm telling you that this isn't the way to make things work!"

"Don't tell me what to do, Izumi! I have been silent for far too long and my patience has worn thin. This will be settled today and right now!"

"No! You can't do this! His men will warn him before you do anything and it will cause us a lot of damage!" I said while pushing against his chest to stop him from leaving the room.

"What can he possibly do to me?! I am the Blood Emperor! I am the law! Whatever I do cannot be questioned, especially if it is pertaining to the safety of my wife and my country! And if he thinks that he is strong enough to win a fight against me, he is dead wrong!"

"I know that but there are other things you need to consider!"

"There is nothing else to consider! Once I kill him, everything will fall to its rightful place!"

"That b****** is threatening to kill Prince Shichiro!" I finally yelled and that made him freeze on the spot.

His eyes went wide and were filled with sheer disbelief when he looked at me. "What....what did you say?"

I sighed and let go of him, thankful that I finally had his attention and he wasn't rushing out the door. If he had left the room looking angry and holding a katana, spies of Taheji were sure to warn him and Prince Shichiro might have been in danger.

"That's what Taheji told me before he left. No one must know that he attempted to hurt me and if anyone finds out, Prince Shichiro will pay the price. He knows your weakness, Ryuusei, your only weakness." I said.

"One of my two weaknesses now." He corrected making me roll my eyes to cover the embarrassment I felt from his words.

"Whatever. Anyway, what I've come to understand from out meeting is that he's got a lot of people backing him. If we're careless, Prince Shichiro could get hurt and open revolts may start. Then it will be difficult to maintain order in the provinces while trying to deal with Taheji. We cannot do anything against him until all of his men have been sniffed out and put down."

"Then that is what we should do. The remaining of the Elite Division will scout the palace and find the traitors. They will be killed the minute they are found so..."

"No." I said, cutting him off and narrowing my eyes dangerously. "We're going to take them out all at once – during the Annual Lantern Festival on Yokobu Shore. Taheji said he has something special to show us and I'm pretty certain it has to do with his fort there. When he is busy with dealing with you, our people should strike all of his men and clear them out all at the same time so there is no chance of escape. Don't you think it's better to use the festival gathering as a chance to confront him and all of his allies all together and in one go?"

Ryuusei picked up on my point of view quickly and narrowed his eyes. "There is a possibility that many of his allies will be gathered there for the festival and he is planning to use the chance to get rid of me. He's planning to use numbers against me. And since he has been gaining political power by bribing government officials of various provinces, he may even be planning to be crowned as the Emperor on that day."

He clenched his fists before throwing the katana in his hands to the side, causing it to leave a slash in the wall and them fall with a clatter onto the floor. He also upturned the table while yelling in frustration. I stood silently, not wanting to stop him from letting out some steam. When he had vented out some of his anger, he stood tall with his hands clenched tightly at his sides.

"Fine. They will all die on that day together. It will be just like that day, fourteen years ago – another bloody war, another rebel army slaughtered by my own hands and I will be left standing amongst them all with blood on my clothes and skin, proving that I am the Blood Emperor." He hissed through his teeth.

I inhaled deeply before walking up to him and placing a hand on his arm. He looked at me but his eyes didn't soften. He was so angry and I could understand it. But I didn't like the way he spoke so bitterly about himself.

"We are here to help you, Ryuusei. Me, Haji san, Haruko and everyone else in the Elite Division. You don't have to do this alone like you did all those years ago." I said gently and he twitched. "Let us help you. Let us support you as our Emperor, as the true ruler of Nihon. You now know that even the civilians are glad to have you as their Emperor so you have no reason to isolate yourself anymore. Let us take Taheji down....together."

"Izumi..." He said airily.

"It's time for the climax of this war between you and Taheji, isn't it?" I said, now smirking. "Let's make it a blast to remember, shall we?"

Ryuusei smirked just a bit as well, the thought of taking down Taheji once and for all sounding very appealing to him. "Yes, let's do it. Let us take down Taheji once and for all along with all those fools who think they can get away with betraying me."

"That's what I want to hear." I said with a chuckle. "The Elite Division will fight for you and you can have them take care of the small fry. I'll fight too and you can concentrate on dealing with Taheji. But to make our victory flawless, we're going to do some preparation."

"So, Love, I assume you have things planned out already?" Ryuusei questioned in amuse.

"You've understood me so well, Ryuusei. I do have a plan ready and it's one that I am going to have a lot of fun with. It's been a long time since I did anything satisfyingly adventurous and this is going to give me the action I missed. Besides, I have to pay Taheji back for all the trouble he's caused me. Would you like to hear it?" I asked, my smirk widening.

"Definitely, Love. I absolutely love it when you take charge – I find it overwhelmingly enticing. You methods to deal with situations are always foolproof and I wouldn't want this grand finale for Taheji to be anything less. So, what do you have in mind?" Ryuusei coaxed while running his finger through my hair.

I opened my mouth to speak, to tell him what I wanted to do, but a thought crossed my mind. I pressed my lips into a thin line and shook my head.

"Hmm, on second thought, this should be something we discuss with those of the Elite Division. The festival is just a week away so we have to act fast to get the most out of my plan. We have to put the first part of them plan into action as soon as possible."

"I understand, Love. I will have Soutarou send out a message to all the members to gather for a meeting immediately. We should probably meet in secret though since they are now pretending to be mere civilians." He said and I nodded in approval.

"By the way, Ryuusei, there's one more thing that we should be doing." I said with a frown.

"What is it, Love?"

"We have to tell Prince Shichiro about what's going on. He'll be attending the festival too, right? From the way Taheji spoke, he wants to get rid of you and Prince Shichiro in order to secure the throne for himself so Prince Shichiro will have his own part to play in the plan." I explained. "It is probably the only way we can protect him."

"That is what I was thinking too, Love. Taheji may be able to threaten his life with spies while in the palace but during the festival, when we are all together, Shichiro will have to know what to do so we can protect him. I will not lose the only family I genuinely care for." Ryuusei responded.

I nodded with a smile and stepped closer to Ryuusei. I placed a hand on his chest where I could feel his heart thumping strongly at a constant pace. I looked up to meet his eyes and felt a jolt through my body when I saw him staring at my lips. But I also chuckled with a shake of my head, still finding it amazing that the two of us, who were quite reserved and untrusting people, had fallen for each other so seriously.

I decided to surprise Ryuusei so I stood on my toes and let my lips meet his in a chaste kiss. I pulled away before he could wrap his arms around me to return the kiss and I stepped away from him while holding down a wince from the pain I felt in my midsection. I grinned mischievously as he watched me with a frown but he soon closed his eyes and laughed.

"Alright, Love, you got me." He said and held his hands up in defense.

"I always do." I said cheekily and turned to walk to the door. "Now c'mon! We have a certain minister to order around!"

With another chuckle, Ryuusei followed me out of the room and to the study so we would find Soutarou san.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

O.o

Taheji is in some really deep trouble now - he's angered Ryuusei way too much by hurting Izumi. Can you believe he actually had the guts to try and poison her and attack her inside the Blood Emperor's palace?!

Welp, it looks like both Ryuusei and Izumi have had enough of him and they are planning for the grand finale - 'Kick Taheji's butt' XD As expected, Izumi already has something in mind B) and Ryuusei is all in for her plan!

Things are getting real now! And the fate of Ryuusei, Izumi, Shichiro and Taheji will be decided in the next chapter! So stay tuned!

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