TO KISS A BLUE ROSE
Prologue: Shattered Memories of a Young Prince
The Emperor and Empress of Japan were sitting in the throne room.
"Will our son ever be a ruler as I am?" the king asked.
His wife smiled and replied, "Of course, especially when he sees his father is a good and just man."
The great man sighed. "I hope he gets along well with his sister."
"Well, I don't see any reason why not," the Empress glanced at her 1- year- old daughter asleep in her arms. "He's very lucky to have a sister and he does get along well with other people."
"I suppose you're right. He couldn't hurt a fly."
The empress nodded. "Yeah, he would never hurt even a fly."
oOo
In another corner of the palace, 3- year- old Rukawa was running around and around in his room, stamping busily on the flies.
"There! There you go! Die, you stupid fly!" he smiled at his guardian. "Hey, that rhymes, you know!"
Asaru Hashime looked fondly at the little boy who reminded him so much of his own son. "After stamping on them, why don't you clean them up?"
The small boy pouted. "I don't want to clean. I want to play ball." He smiled again. "Can I play ball?"
Hashime knelt down and looked at him eye- to –eye. "Good boys clean first before playing. Well?"
The little prince thought for a moment. "I'm a good boy," he said at last. "I'll clean."
His guardian replied, "That's good. Go on. Clean."
Rukawa suddenly ran out of the room. "After playing!" he called, laughing. Hashime only shook his head.
oOo
"Do you have the bombs?"
"Yes. When should I let them off?"
"As soon as I'm done with my business. You'll know when."
"Of course I'll know when. Don't fail."
"I won't. I never do."
He went, thinking, This is such a piece of cake. Soon, that palace will become nothing but a burned mass of bricks.
oOo
While Hashime was busy running after Rukawa, a resounding silence reverberated in the throne room, except for the silent cries of a baby hidden under a chair. The Emperor and his wife were lying down on the floor; they seemed to be sleeping. Blood was oozing out of their bodies.
oOo
Rukawa ran into the hallways with Hashime at his heels. He turned into a corner and ran straight into Hashime's wife, Mirai.
Her face was grave. "Someone struck the palace. His Majesty and the queen are dead." She handed the child to Hashime. "Guard him well. We cannot afford the assassins finding him and killing him. I'll try to find Mikaze. You go ahead and hide in the village. I'll catch up."
Hashime was shocked. "Why—what..." He could not get words out. "What's happening?" he finally managed to say with difficulty, because Rukawa was struggling hard to get away.
"I don't really know. But whatever it is, it's not good."
At that moment, an entire section of the palace wall blew up, with pieces of cement and plaster thrown everywhere.
Hashime grabbed Mirai's hand. "Forget the princess. We have the true heir here. Let's go!"
After a moment's hesitation, Mirai ran after her husband. The three of them were struggling to run through the thick debris. Rukawa was crying.
As soon as they got out of the palace, another explosion sounded, completely destroying the majestic palace of the Royal family of Japan. It disappeared and collapsed in a mass of flames, burning with it the remnants of the shattered memories of the Royal family's sole survivor, the prince of Japan.