Chapter 4

Kaiyamichi knew that she was in trouble. As soon as she got back to her rooms a messenger knocked on the door and told her that the Emperor wanted to see her. The last time she had gone to speak with the Emperor her parents had told her that they had to go to Scanra for a year. She sighed. It had only been 7 months since they had left and she missed them so much that it hurt to think about them. The Emperor had insisted that she stay in the Yamani Islands and her parents had agreed. All of the scholars had helped to look after her for that time until Decimus had said that it was unhealthy for her to be moving from one person to another so she had been moved back into the rooms that her parents had been given and Decimus took main guardianship over her.

It was never good when she saw the Emperor. As she walked to his private tea-room (where she was to see the Emperor) she switched her thoughts to Mikanashi. She had spent the afternoon talking to him and found him very interesting. He was 13yrs old and he had the same sense of humor as she did.

Arriving at the right door she took a deep breath and entered.

The Emperors private tea-room was beautiful to say the least. The walls and paper screens depicted perfectly painted mountains and streams, along with beautiful gardens filled with vibrant flowers that looked so real you almost expected them to carry a scent. A low-lying table in the middle of the room was already set out ready for tea and the Emperor was sitting comfortably on a cushion nearby. He looked at her and then gestured for her to take a seat beside him. Taking a step she half sat half fell onto the cushion. As the colour rose in her cheeks Kaiyamichi looked up to see that emperor was visibly trying not to show his amusement. Kaiyamichi went to smile but caught herself just in time and put her "Mask" back in place.

Suppressing his amusement the emperor spoke, "It has come to my attention that you have been leaving the palace grounds." He looked her straight in the eye as he continued, "As I recall, one of the arrangements that were made with Markus and Julia before they left was that you would not leave the grounds without an escort. Is that not correct?"

If she were not in the presence of the emperor or it was not considered disgraceful to the Yamani's Kaiyamichi would have been fidgeting and squirming under his gaze. I should have been more careful, I should have made sure that no one saw me leave! Great I've finally made a friend who actually treats me like a person and now I'll never be able to see him again. Not only that but I'll never even be able to leave the palace again! She answered slowly, "Yes your highness that was the arrangement."

He stared at her for a long moment. "You may go then."

Kaiyamichi tilted her head to the side. "So I'm not confined to the palace grounds?"

"No. Not as long as you have an armed escort with you when you leave."

Quickly grabbing the chance before he reconsidered she rose to leave. "Thank you your majesty." He inclined his head in dismissal. Bowing with her head touching the floor as was protocol for someone of his status she then left the room quietly.

Walking back to her chambers she was thoughtful. After all he had only said that she must leave with an armed escort, not that she must STAY with them. Making a quick change in directions Kaiyamichi made her way to one of the scholar's main libraries and spent the next few hours researching ways on how to abandon an armed escort.