Prologue
"You will never succeed out there!"
The small cottage set on the rolling hills of China was falling apart with the furious energy from within.
But for the boy, today would be the last day he stayed with his ever-controlling guardian. Today he would go out and accomplish the orders the Emperor set for him. He would prove to everyone, especially this man in front of him, that he was an able person, capable in the ever-turning world.
"I will. You'll see." He said simply, answering the question. "My ship is already here. Move aside, Yao."
But the older man blocked the entrance of the house. "Ai yah, Kiku, you are not being wise. Stay here. We have a good alliance, aru. You can't just abandon your country because of a whimsical dream!"
Kiku's hands clenched into fists. He was ready to tell any sort of lies to get out of here and to make the Mikado proud. Yao would not be able to control him anymore. If his guardian had to think that he was leaving for a "whimsical dream" to explore, so be it. He boiled with determination on the inside, but on the outside, his pale face remained stoic.
"It is not whimsical. I want to discover new places. See the rest of the world and what they've been up to for the last few centuries." Kiku insisted calmly. "You wouldn't understand. Move aside."
"Don't betray your people, Kiku!" Yao made one last attempt to stop him. He grabbed the boy's broad shoulders and said softly but determinedly, "Don't abandon your life!"
"I'm not!" He turned and growled, his dark eyes flashing with anger. The boy had finally snapped.
Kiku glowered at Yao as he shoved his hands off violently. "You don't own me!" He shouted. This was it. He couldn't let the Emperor down. He would go out on his own at last, and get the taste of independence all while becoming the Emperor's champion. But right now he has to get away from Yao.
The Chinese man was startled and he stepped back, not used to Kiku's display of anger.
Kiku took a deep breath. "Yao, this is has gone on for too long. The alliance has to end. I won't be your underling for another day. Goodbye."
With that, he shoved past the older man and ran out onto the path. I'll never go back there. Ever! He thought angrily. Securing the katana at his waist and his pack on his shoulder, he ignored his former guardian's livid shouts.
"You irresponsible fool! We'll see if you don't come crawling back here, begging for my help!"
Yao's final shouts lingered in Kiku's head like the persistent mist of a spring morning. But what if I don't succeed? The conscience of his mind nagged. No, he insisted. Failure is not acceptable in a Japanese man's standards. Kiku closed his fingers tightly around his katana, but he reluctantly turned his head once more to see the quaint little home where he had grown up and lived most of his life in. Then he saw his guardian's face, filled with fury and hurt.
Kiku clenched his teeth and declared to the man, "I'll never come crawling back here. Never in my lifetime! I'd give up Japan before I ever come back to beg for your help. Remember that, YAO!"
A/N: Hello readers~I hope you are enjoying this story so far. :) I would like to give a big shout out to my beta reader, Joy! Thanks so much! So please leave a review and follow for more chapters!