Part 8

She was isolated and so she knew that the breach of isolation meant that the day has come, as he would only order someone to bring her to him when he was no longer able to come to her.

Her emotions were true to what she had predicted: she was happy, yet sad.

Mortals must die in such a short amount of time, but for the first time, she actually felt that it was too soon. This man could still do much more.

Yet this was his fate: a fate that she would not change.

"Even if I seek to change your fate, it is no longer possible. You are the subject of death now." she told him as she knelt by his bed. "It is finished."

"And the tennyo will don the hagoromo and fly away? A cliché ending for a foolish story." he chuckled. "You are the one who wins."

"Win? No, I lost as much as you. Perhaps even more. You did not gain anything, but you did not lose anything. However, despite me not changing your fate, you have changed mine. I will continue to think of you. I will miss the time that I spent with you, despite all that you did."

"Yet even now, you will not grant me what I wish. Even if you are able to, you would not." But unlike before, there was finally resignation.

"I hate you, that never changed." She said firmly as she kissed him. "However, I love you too."

He placed his hands around her face and pulled her back so that he could return her kiss. That was his reply to the unspoken question that she still asked. This was probably the first real tenderness that he gave her.

Then he reached under his pillow and pulled out a key: the key that would unlock her hidden hagoromo.

"I will like to see the proud tennyo again."

"You can just be honest and say that you wish for me to come back and give you a proper goodbye."


The hagoromo was no better then a few feathers knitted together, but it was still her hagoromo. Even in that pitiful status, it could still let her fly away.

The moment she put it on, she felt that the heavy chain which had bound her could finally be gone. Nothing could tie her here anymore.

Yet she did not immediately leave. Despite having the ability to be free from all this, she could not fly away yet.

Entering, she saw that he was giving his brother his sword: the symbol of all that he has done and hoped to do. He finally acknowledged his defeat.

"Your brother could have achieved what you wanted as this is a possible destiny of his." She said. "But because he did not seek it, it would not be the fate that he would have."

Shiba Shou recognised the woman and he was startled by how powerful and absolute she seemed to be. A clear contrast to the time when he thought of her as his brother's strange prisoner.

"Why him and why not me?" this was merely asked for the sake of asking, as a dying man should not really care for the answer- since nothing could be changed.

"It is the heaven's will, and it does not always make sense. However, one of your nephews will create the glory that you sought. He will be the emperor. However, know that it could not have been done if it was not due to you."

"You do not know me at all if you think that I will be comforted by this. In fact, it might have the opposite effect. But then, that could be why you say it." he chuckled. "Shou, leave us."

The other was very reluctant again, but his reason was completely different this time. It was because he know that this would be the last time that he would be able to see his brother alive.

"In the end, I still cannot get you." Shiba Shi said as he reached out to clasp her hand. "In the end, I still couldn't stand at the very top. I have the ability and desire, and even the resource and situation."

"All but the destiny. However, is it not time for you to accept this? Or will you die cursing your fate?"

"I am tired." Was his answer. "I will rest. Stay with me until I fall asleep."

This was the only time that he allowed his self to do this, but it was because this would be a sleep that he would never wake up from.