It seemed that Shiraishi was not completely immune to the ideas of the court as he was able to acquire a very good control of his emotions- a highly valued skill. Unlike the emperor who masked this by his rather extreme merriment, Shiraishi tended to erase his emotions with a gentle smile- a bit like Yukimura.

His men knew that something must be up because Shiraishi was summoned to an emergency visit to the palace and returned with a frown. However, they were not able to guess the degree of the news.

"Alright, you all know that I don't like to waste time so I am just going to tell you what happened now." Shiraishi announced. "The emperor told me that due to the insistence of many of his advisors, we must travel with Atobe and some of his men."

"Why?" someone immediately protested.

"No doubt this is because of our low status. We aren't suitable to escort the future empress." Zaizen muttered. "Tell me, commander, deputy commander, what did you two do wrong to end up here? Being leader of a bunch of men that include those from the lowest class with a fondling in a temple?"

"Zaizen, watch what you says!" Shiraishi began angrily, but was stopped by Gin, who waved the reference aside without any concern.

"It is alright. I am not ashamed of my birth then any of you."

"And that is probably why Kenya and I are here." Shiraishi explained. "We admit who we are. I am the son of a peasant while Kenya is regarded as being on a similar level due to his mother. But I much rather be here then among Atobe's troops.

"So who will be going with us?" Zaizen asked on behalf of everyone.

The faces of his men become grimmer as he mentioned the ones who will be accompanying them.

"So, the normal lot." Kenya commented. "But why is Ootori coming? He isn't even in the army. Can he even fight?"

"He wants to talk to the strange musician in Tanako. This seems a very good opportunity for him to visit since his brother is going. But I want you all to remember this: even though Ootori's presence is largely due to his father, Atobe is here because he was chosen by everyone else. The emperor specifically told me about this. In addition, nor does the Lord Akio know anything about this."

The meeting of the two troops were not as bad as Shiraishi thought it would be, but that was all he could comfort himself with. He and Atobe set the example by greeting each other rather coldly but politely, unlike the two deputies- who ended up exploding into an argument that went all the way to when they were four.

"For goodness sake, Kenya! You are a deputy commander!" Shiraishi muttered.

"Well, he is not the only one who got embarrassed." Zaizen pointed out at the sight of Yuushi- who had a reputation of being very elegant- shouting about a childhood incident. "To think that the mighty Lord Yuushi got scared when he saw a caterpillar."

"That was when they were children! Children are scared at a lot of stuff!" Shiraishi reasoned out.

"Were you, commander?"

"No, because I spent more time outside a house then inside but that's not the point!" Shiraishi said quickly. "Look, I've already got quite a handful with Kintarou who want to challenge everyone to a sword match so please don't give me any extra work."

"Don't worry, commander. I won't do anything that will cause you too much trouble." Zaizen promised.

That was probably the best he could get from Zaizen: the young man was already blunt enough to the stage of being disrespectful to those he cared about, and he naturally was not more polite to those he disliked.

In addition to Kintarou and Ootori, they had a third non-military member with them: Shudou, the emperor's current taster.

"Is this really necessary?" Shiraishi had asked when he first heard of the arrangement. "I can understand your concern at her being attacked, but poisoning?"

"I will not take any risk." Watanabe said simply, and this made Shiraishi re-question what his foster father felt for the girl he would marry. "Besides, sending Shudou is a further indication of my intention to Ashita, that I really desire to marry her as I will offer her protection."

"But what about you?" he asked with great concern.

"Do not worry, I can easily get another taster, I was going to get one soon anyway. Although I am not sure whether sending Shudou is a good idea."

"Is he not a good taster?"

"It is not due to that. To tell the truth, you are the worst taster I've ever have." Watanabe laughed out, referring to what happened in Shiraishi's first year in the palace. His father had teased the boy by saying that he must earn his keep, so Shiraishi declared out that he would take the position of the taster- since the current one just left. "You made me so nervous every time you eat something, and in the end I didn't really dare to eat anything."

"No one would have wanted to poison me at that time." he had replied a bit too grimly.

They would ride to the region of Tanako and stay there for a week in order to let Ashita and her family sort out her dowry due to taking the bridal gift into account. Not only did Watanabe give them a very large amount of gold, there were also additional jewelleries and gowns.

There was also the hairstick that he had to give to Ashita along with an attached message.

Then they would head back to the palace with some of Ashita's servants and her dowry. She would be carried in a bridal chair, concealed from the world by the traditional red curtain.

She wouldn't be like the woman who had to ride to her marriage in a foreign country in a foreign fashion.

"Let us head off then." Shiraishi announced.

Shiraishi was a relative patient man as he did spend many time teaching Kitnarou- so if his patience was tested, then it might mean that his men was more then a bit angry.

The region of Tanako was inland toward the mountainous regions so the route was naturally less developed. The problem appear at the very first night, when the closet inn was extremely shabby.

"We are expected to stay in this place?" Yuushi examined out as he reluctantly sat in front of the table, after he first made sure that the chair wasn't broken.

The inn was shabby even by the standard of Shiraishi and his men, but Atobe and his men irritated them due to the way they saw all this. They seemed to see it as a representation of commoners and peasant's living condition when it is not true, thinking that the others would be used to it.

The complaint grew worse when the food was brought out- even though their foods in the barracks were very simple, it would be well cooked, unlike the thing in front of them.

"How can people live like this?" Gakuto muttered out when the last lot of food was cleared away by Kintarou.

"I almost think that it is a mistake to come here." Yuushi agreed. "To think that I gave up the invitation of dining with so and so."

"You are welcomed to go back, Deputy Commander Yuushi." Zaizen stated bluntly, cutting off whatever Kenya intended to say.

"Who are you to give orders?" Gakuto immediately retorted back. "We should have been the ones to be chosen in the first place."

"On what ground?" Zaizen scoffed angrily. "We are equally skilled and our commander has beaten your commander, and I have won against people in your troop before."

"At the very least the future empress should not be escorted by the band of commoners lead by a peasant!" someone snapped back. "We all know that you only got elected due to him being the emperor's pet."

"A father's favour works both ways." Gin suddenly said, his voice very calm and grim. "If the emperor is a loving father, then so is Lord Sakaki."

"I did not…" Atobe began very indignantly due to feeling that his own merits were being dismissed.

"We squabble like children. I think we are all tired and should rest." Shiraishi snapped before adding the following in a very chilling voice that often made his men regret whoever caused this. "But I will say this one thing- whoever is unsatisfied with this band of commoners and peasants that is lead by this peasant can head back to the palace and use that as a reason to explain why you returned early."

"Enjoying yourself?" Kenya muttered to Zaizen after Shiraishi left them rather abruptly. "I will start preparing for your punishment now."

"How did I know that he would be like this?" Zaizen muttered. "Besides, don't deny that you are annoyed as well."

What Shiraishi felt was a strong frustration as he didn't want this job that everyone else seemed to desire. Having to be in the company of a lot of people that he disliked didn't help.

He didn't think that he would return to Tanako this way. He really didn't.

How ironic it was, when he was a child he wanted nothing more but to return home and stay there.

Now his goal was the very opposite.

Much to everyone's relief, they managed to continue their way without many problems. There were constant bickering but they differed from what happened at the very first night- when swords had a chance of escaping from their sheath.

Ootori's presence turned out to be a great asset, as the young boy along with Yuushi was able to use their instruments to ensure some sort of peace.

Yet their playing made Shiraishi to have a greater desire of listening to Ashita's pipa, an instrument that he gained a new liking for.

He even asked Ootori whether he would play that piece of music on his guzheng. Ootori's playing was certainly very good but Shiraishi was a bit disappointed that he didn't feel the same sense of emotion when he listened to Ootori's version.

"This is because the proper instrument is meant to be the pipa." He told himself when Yuushi decided to play the same music on his dizi.

He actually managed to discuss the various versions of the legend with Kenya's cousin in a very friendly fashion when Kintarou asked them about it.

"A beautiful story- a very tragic one too." Yuushi was saying, being a secret romantic. "She was engaged to the crown prince who she loved, but had to leave and marry a foreign and barbaric king for the sake of her country."

"But I heard that the emperor sent her to marry the foreign emperor as she was his least favoured daughter." Shiraishi pointed out.

"She couldn't have composed such moving music if she didn't have to leave something she cared so much about behind. But is that the peasantry version?"

"I heard it from the emperor." Shiraishi said simply, and that was enough to end the originally friendly conversation.

Shiraishi felt that Yuushi was automatically making a distinction of their different rank by associating Shiraishi with the peasantry even though he actually spent more time with the nobility. Shiraishi's reminder of the close relationship he had with the emperor was almost like a taunt- that someone with a humble birth like him could actually be in a situation that the emperor's own kin could not be in.

Just like the first time, Ashita was dressed in her best gown with her hair held up. But the gown she wore this time was so much more fine and her hairsticks were all much more expensive.

The preparation of her dowry certainly resulted in a period of chaos, she was measured by numerous dress makers before being made to pick some jewellery that all seemed equally elaborate, and then she might be lectured on about the rituals and ceremony of the court.

She now had chests of fine gowns with a jewellery box that was actually full.

But she felt weight down and chained by these fineries- as they were items that were exchanged in return for her marriage to the emperor.

They should be gifts, but she felt that they were like chains. Likewise, her bridal carriage seemed to be a prison. She already felt suffocated by the fine red silk curtains.

She was sitting in the garden instead of standing at the entrance with her brother. Because she would be the future empress, it was deemed to be degrading for her to wait for her servants.

Her attention was immediate caught by Shiraishi but she turned away equally quick. It was so strange to see him, as she was to marry his adopted father when she was a few months younger then him.

"Lady Ashita." Shiraishi said simply as he knelt down, his eyes only on her for such a brief amount of time.

"Welcome." All Ashita could say was words that were trivial or formal. "I did not know that Lord Atobe and his men would be accompanying you."

"A sudden arrangement." Shiraishi said, forcing his voice to be neutral. "May I present Lord Ootori? He has especially come with us due to desiring to converse with Ojii."

"You are all welcome." Ashita said. Her voice was rather dull, even rather flat.

Atobe was naturally more then a bit insulted when she hardly spared a second look at him once she told him that he could stand up.

"Lord Akio, Lady Ashita, may I request one more thing?" Shiraishi suddenly said, still kneeling. "May I do what I failed to do last time? I wish to spend a few days in the village that I grew up in."

"As I have said before, you may travel to any part of our land." Akio said once more.

Yuushi happened to see the expression on Ashita's face at that very moment. She must have been practising the necessary skill of surviving in the court as her anger and sadness was quickly gone.

Yet he still saw it.

No doubt, he decided, this would be useful in the future. It would certainly be something of interest to more then one.

The bridal money was mainly used to pay for Ashita's dowry, not the general improvement of their home and land. Akio was a kind man and felt that it was unfair for the money which was given to them due to his sister to be used in a way that she could not really benefit from.

Therefore, the size and exterior of the mansion gave some the false hope of luxury. Although they were given a room of their own, even Shiraishi- who planned to leave the very next day.

He slowly unwound the silk bandages around his left arm, revealing the strange tattoo on it. This was why he kept his arms bandaged. It was not to conceal some serious burnt marks- his lie to the world, even his best friend- as he had no such scars.

To those who did not know where to look they were just unusual designs. But for his father and those involved in the conspiracy, they were the base of the board for their hidden messages.

His father would draw or shade on certain parts of the basic design and that would be some information about their plans. That was why he was made to wonder around, and if someone made him unwind these bandages, then they would only think that it was the result of a child scribbling since the drawings were very crude.

A relatively secure code.

But although his arm was used, Shiraishi himself was not able to understand the truth on his own body. Nor did his foster father understand the exact meanings either, but the tattoos reminded him of what he wished and longed to forget. That was why he had wound these silk bandages around the boys' arms and begged him to continue doing so.

He thought Watanabe's decision of marrying Ashita was rather strange as mentions of the conspiracy always made him very sad and bitter since a very large amount of people died, and it also made him realise that people could think of him in such a way. The conspiracy clearly affected Watanabe because some servants once told Shiraishi that Watanabe had been a much more merry man.

"He was burdened by his duties, true, but that only made him all the more determined to enjoy his free time. "

With his window open, he could hear Ashita playing on her pipa although the music no longer sounded so pleasant to him.

He was so absorbed with his thoughts that he actually didn't hear the knocking on his door until Kenya decided to accompany a yell with it- which naturally caused his cousin (who was not very far) to make some comment about Kenya' lack of patience.

"So that is her pipa? It is not bad." Kenya commented.

"Do you just dislike the dizi in general?" Shiraishi asked, recalling the numerous times Kenya would be annoyed by his cousin's playing.

"I think it is more of the fact that Yuushi is playing it. Maybe it is jealousy." Kenya admitted. "That he can spend quite some time playing his dizi while I practice and still end up being on the same level as me in sword fighting."

"He is a genius so what can people like us do?" Shiraishi said with a smile although he can easily understand his friend's frustration. "But what do you want? I don't think you came just to chat."

"No, I didn't. Well, since you don't like to waste time I will tell you straightaway. I want to come with you."

"Why? Kenya, I know that you are not like your cousin even though your father is the last emperor's cousin too, but are you really able to spend that amount of time in that village? I am going to help as well, I am not just going to stay there."

"I am willing to do whatever I need to do in order to come with you." Kenya said very firmly. "Shiraishi, I want to know what their lives are like. My mother is a peasant and she occasionally speaks of her life before her marriage, while my brother and I are often referred to as being 'that peasant girl's son', yet I don't even know what the peasantry life is like at all."

"I am glad that you are coming with me, Kenya, but you must realise that things are going to be different. Your mother was from a prosperous region, unlike Tanako."

Their departure was not easy because Kintarou really wanted to come with them, and it had took Shiraishi a very long time to reason with the young boy to prevent him from chasing after them. In the end, Kintaoru was finally persuaded when Shiraishi told him that the emperor had gave him the very important task of looking after Ashita.

Many of his men had a rather bitter expression as well, even though Shiraishi assured them that Atobe was not the type of person who would bother them due to lacking a commander.

"But isn't it still quite irresponsible for you two to go on some soul searching quest?" Zaizen had said cuttingly.

Shiraishi couldn't answer back as the other was completely right.

Luckily, he did not need to provide an answer because Ashita happened to arrive with her niece and nephew, who were both clinging onto her as they were finally aware that she really would be leaving.

"You are leaving? I hope you have a trouble-free journey." Ashita said rather chillingly as she was rather angry at how he announced he was going to leave without any proper indication.

"Lady Ashita…I have something to give you." Upon the sudden attention, Shiraishi finished he sentence with a rather dry tone. "From the emperor. He told me to hand this to you personally."

This was accepted with a rather bitter smile- should a young girls' gift from her future husband be sent to her by his foster son?