So, guys, I'm not entirely sure where this is going, but it seems to be writing itself, so here you go!
Shigeru knelt on the mat, his feet tucked underneath him.
"Good morning, Shigeru-san." Tegi, his adopted cousin, and adviser, bowed as he gingerly entered the small structure. It seemed Tegi too had learned just how fragile paper doors could be.
A smile came to the Emperor's face as he remembered how Or'ss-san broke the paper doors for weeks upon his arrival. The bear of a man had become nearly reverent of the flimsy structures ever since. Not unlike the Emperor's younger cousin.
"Good morning, cousin. Did you sleep well?"
Tegi bowed again, still uncomfortable with the Emperor. He had never expected to be Shukin's successor after their other cousin had died defending the Emperor. But Shigeru remembered him from when they were younger and knew the boy would serve him loyally. It was more than he would have dreamed, twelve years ago as an orphan in the poorhouse.
"Very well, Your Exce- Shigeru-san." The teenager corrected himself quickly. Although Shigeru had never reacted harshly when Tegi had forgotten his instructions, he didn't want to displease his Emperor.
Heavy footsteps sounded outside the structure, before becoming timid. The door eased its way open with incredible care.
"Or'ss-san!" The Emperor was on his feet immediately. "You weren't supposed to be here until tomorrow!"
The big man shrugged, blushing furiously. "Cassandra- Evanlyn, I mean, made sure we made good time. Being married to the princess heir has its perks."
Shigeru laughed. "I'm sure Ev-an-in would be very pleased to learn that her only use to you is quick passage."
Horace paled. "That's not what I meant!"
"Calm, my friend. I know."
"You must be Or'ss-san." Tegi bowed.
Horace belatedly realized another person was in the room and recovered quickly, bowing to Tegi. "And you must be Lord Tegi. Forgive me for ignoring you. I assure you it was unintentional."
Tegi offered Horace a hand. "Call me Tegi-san, please, Or'ss-san. I have heard much about you."
"Good things, I hope." Horace said, grinning.
There was a ripping sound as the door was violently removed. Horace and Tegi both went for their weapons, moving in front of the Emperor. A girl, wild-eyed with a katana in her hand, stood in the new opening. Horace leveled his sword at her, but she stepped back, quickly speaking.
"I challenge the Emperor's champion to a duel."
Horace stared at the girl, who couldn't have been more than thirteen. Even if she were of the Senshi class, she would only have been training for three years. The Emperor was no master with a sword, but he was competent. He could beat her.
The Emperor noted her extremely thin build and the dark purple smudges under her eyes. Her clothes hung shapelessly off of her, and her tunic's belt was by no means tight. In her eyes, he saw desperation.
But the sword at her side was high quality. It was in a simple sheath, but it bore the mark of the man who had made Shigeru's own sword, the same man who had made Horace's. Either she was a thief, or it was an heirloom. Given her challenge to the Emperor, he was willing to bet the latter. Thieves didn't risk their lives with a stolen sword.
"I will fight you myself." Shigeru offered and saw the flash of disbelief on her face. She mastered it quickly, however, and he continued. "On one condition."
She looked down bitterly. "I'd rather fight your champion."
He held up a hand. "You did not let me finish. No one will fight for me. Either I fight you, or no one will fight at all."
"Coward."
Horace couldn't let her insult Shigeru that way. Tegi and Horace went after her, grabbing her arms and forcing her to kneel. The Emperor winced at the treatment. They didn't understand that her defense came from fear. He swiped a hand, palm down, and Horace's sharp gaze caught the movement. The big man loosened his hold on her, gesturing to Tegi to do the same.
"My condition is simple:" Shigeru said. "Have a meal with me before we fight."
"A meal?" She asked suspiciously.
Shigeru bowed. "Do we have a deal?"
Her eyes met his, sparkling. With anger, or fear, or tears, he didn't know. "I guess I don't have a choice, do I?"
When the food was brought in, he offered her first choice of the bowls. "I'm not trying to poison you. Choose which bowl you'd like."
The silence was deafening as the group ate their meal. The Emperor was right about how hungry she was, and the girl struggled to eat at a normal rate. With a touch of sadness, he wondered when her last meal had been.
'I don't know your name." He pointed out.
She paused from slurping her noodles for a moment. "Why do you care?"
"Common courtesy?" Horace offered.
Shigeru shot him an amused look. "Oras-san is correct. It is polite for me to know your name."
Her lips pressed together. "Neno. My name is Neno."
"Neno, may I ask why you're determined to kill me?"
It was a guess, based off of the careful distance she'd kept between them, and the way her hand rested protectively on her sword when he spoke. If her reaction was anything to judge by, it was a good guess.
She shifted. "Your Excellency, I have humored you. Are you prepared to duel?"
Shigeru winced. "Please, call me Shigeru-san. I am human, the same as you."
Neno raised her eyebrows, but she bowed. "Of course, Shigeru-san."
Shigeru examined her again. She trembled slightly as she lifted the bowl to finish her noodles. He watched her eyes close and her head drop for a second, but she quickly recovered. Had she fallen asleep for a moment?
"Are you sure you want to duel today?" He asked. "I will honor our agreement tomorrow if you wish."
She jumped to her feet. "And have you kill me in my sleep? I don't think so. Are you prepared to duel, Your-" She caught herself. "Shigeru-san?"
Shigeru sighed. "If you insist."
He stood, motioning to a servant to clear the room. Tegi handed him his sword.
"You will fight until there is a victor." Tegi began. "The victor may kill the loser, according to tradition. Are you ready?" Both parties bowed. "Begin!"
The two fought brilliantly. It didn't take Horace long to realize that he had underestimated Neno. She was a whirlwind, and it was clear that Shigeru wasn't going to last long. He ducked under the onslaught of blows, occasionally sneaking a blow in.
Then something happened.
She feinted to the ground, then swung her sword in an arc. It was a deadly move, and the Emperor wasn't quick enough to defend himself.
But she faltered.
Her eyes shut and her hand dropped, just for a second. That second was long enough for Shigeru to recover, but he'd seen it too.
She'd fallen asleep in the middle of a stroke. She was exhausted.
The Emperor forced her to the ground, his katana pricking her throat. He dropped down to kneel over her, a firm hand on her ribs to remind her not to move.
She didn't, accepting her defeat with dignity. She opened her hand and her sword clattered to the ground.
"I yield."
Shigeru studied Neno one more time. She felt brittle, fragile underneath his hand. He could play xylophone on her ribs.
"How old are you?"
"Fourteen." A spark lit in her eyes. "I'm almost fifteen."
Horace rethought his opinion on her age. She was just malnourished.
No Emperor had ever spared someone who had challenged them to a duel. Ever. In generations upon generations, no one had found the exception to that rule.
Except for Shigeru.
"I spare you."
Her face twisted. "Is it because I'm little? Or because I'm a girl? I don't want your pity!"
"Neither." Shigeru said, struggling to keep his face even. He had spared her life, and her response was anger? "You would have won, except you fell asleep. It's because you're exhausted, and scared, and half-dead from hunger. When was the last time you ate a real meal?" She opened her mouth to respond, but he stopped her. "The one I gave you doesn't count." She was silent. "I'm waiting." He reminded her.
Neno's jaw set. "I don't have to answer you. What are you going to do, kill me?"
He watched her. "Maybe."
"Bastard." She spat.
The Emperor stiffened. "What did you call me?"
"You're a bastard. Your father cheated on his wife. You are no heir! You're just a lovechild whose father was so desperate for a boy that he kept you!"
Tegi gasped, but Shigeru didn't deny it.
"How do you know?"
"My mother told me. Etabi."
The young Emperor's shoulders slumped as he relaxed. "You believe yourself to be the rightful heir."
"Who is Etabi?" Horace whispered to Tegi.
"Etabi was Shigeru-san's father's wife. If her mother is Etabi and Shigeru-san was born out of wedlock, she would be the heir." The teenager whispered back, his face pale. "Shigeru could be forced to step down in favor of her."
Horace was horrified. Shigeru was one of the best kings he had ever met. Might he be forced to step down in favor of this... child?
Neno shook her head. "I have no desire to take your throne, Shigeru." The absence of the polite 'san' was not lost on Horace. He gripped his sword, waiting for Neno to stab her half-brother in the back.
"Then why did you challenge me?" Shigeru asked.
Her eyelids fluttered, and suddenly the Emperor remembered why she had lost the duel that had started this whole thing in the first place.
She answered. "You started a war that destroyed the outlying villages of this country. What have you done to fix it?"
Shigeru laughed softly. "My sister tried to kill me because of a misplaced sense of justice. If you ask the inhabitants of those villages, I have done quite a lot and they refuse anymore help from me."
"I don't believe you."
Shigeru set down his sword and raised his hand. She flinched, but all he did was run his hand through her hair. "You need to sleep." He said. "Take a deep breath, and close your eyes. You'll be safe."
Neno couldn't help herself, succumbing to the gentle fingers working their way through her hair and fell asleep.
Please read and review! Actually, that's kind of dumb of me, because clearly you already read it, but please review!