Chapter 16: The Crown Prince.
Kankurō fulminated. How dare the Duchess of Yggalë send one of her knights to joust for Temari? The Crown Prince's fist clenched in his chair as Sire Dal bit the dust, thrown to the ground by a swift blow from Sire Kō. Damn the Duchess Hinata. How dare she declare herself like this for Temari? How dare she interfere in Suna's affairs like that? The Prince felt a gaze upon him and turned his eyes to where it came from. Immediately, he had to restrain himself from leaping to his feet and leaving the royal dais in a huff.
The duchess looked him straight in the eye, a slight amused smile on her face. Her porcelain eyes, which shone on her golden face like diamonds, had a mocking gleam. She was laughing at him! She was daring! Kankurō would teach her manners, one way or another. She may have been a duchess of Yggalë, but he was the Crown Prince and future Daimyō of the Wind Kingdom. He was not some unimportant nobleman she could play around with without any repercussions.
He inhaled deeply, refusing to let this shoddy duchess's disrespectful attitude get to him any further, and no matter how hard it was for him to do so. He was the Crown Prince, and the Hyūga would have to deal with him whether she wanted to or not. As for Temari, he would make her kneel before him and beg for forgiveness. Her dear sister may have thought that the Council would be forced to reconsider if Yggalë came to support her, but that would not be the case. Her preferences went against the laws and customs of the Kingdom. Worse still, she would be unable to produce any heir to the throne. In the long run, her coronation would lead to a great civil war to find an heir and would therefore be a failure.
He had nothing to fear from Temari, even if she joined forces with the duchess of Yggalë. In the end, they were not of the same kingdom and could only support each other. A border would separate them forever. Still, he shouldn't be blind; Gaara was also part of the equation. His younger brother was unpredictable and just about under control. Even if it hadn't happened for two years, he could be seized by a burst of madness and destroy everything around him. There were countless unfortunate people who had perished when he had a whim. An alliance between him and the duchess would be a disaster. Where Temari had no power, Gaara remained powerful if only because of the fear he inspired in others. Many of the nobles would not dare to stand up to him if he were to speak.
Fortunately, he had remained neutral throughout the Selection, only exposing his true thoughts when Kankurō had come to him. The Crown Prince nervously ran a hand through his hair as the memory played in his mind like a play. He had rarely feared for his life, but this encounter with Gaara had petrified him to the spot. Still, he should have anticipated such a reaction from his younger brother.
Many seemed to think that Gaara seemed to change moods like a shirt, but he was actually more predictable than he let on. Indeed, Kankurō knew perfectly well what his younger self wanted. A peaceful life in a sunless land, and the duchess of Yggalë, with whom he was deeply in love. And Kankurō would be able to offer him both if Gaara agreed to cooperate with him. All they had to do was conquer the duchy together, and Kankurō would make him duke.
Nevertheless, the conquest of Yggalë would be a complex plan that he could not carry out without first discussing it with Gaara. If his younger brother were to side with Yggalë, then the war would be lost. Gaara was the only mage in the eight continents capable of containing a primordial god. Even the elves of Ish-Al-Vin were unable to do so. To contain all the Rage of existence, that was Gaara's gift - or rather curse. From then on, he was almost invincible, and it would take several Kage to bring him down.
Besides, no matter how hard he tried to deny it, Kankurō would never be able to raise his sword against his little brother. He had seen Gaara scream in terror the first few times the god sealed inside him had spoken and tear his hair out as he slowly lost his mind. If giving him Hinata Hyūga and Yggalë could appease his younger self, Kankurō would be all the more motivated to conquer the duchy. If only to see Gaara dance again like the night he had met the Yggalën.
Kankurō bit the inside of his cheek as he thought back to the dumbfounded look he had exchanged with Temari that night. No one had ever asked Gaara to dance, and he had never asked anyone in return. It was like an unspoken agreement he had made with the rest of the nobility. Nevertheless, this girl with bones weaker than twigs had dared to cross that invisible line. The Crown Prince felt blood in his mouth, and this immediately brought him back to more rational thoughts, like the conquest of Yggalë.
Duke Salèn had already agreed, and it would not be difficult to convince the ministers of war and economy. The conquest of Yggalë might be expensive, but the duchy would bring them much more money in the future. It was a long-term plan, after all. If he did well, he might even gain the support of the temples and the Lulas. Yggalë worshipped the One of the Woods instead of the One of the Flames, the primordial goddess associated with the Kingdom of Fire. The duchy therefore had no place in this realm. Moreover, the Hyūga, the ruling clan of the region, had been blessed by the One of the Air as had the Hisuna. Yggalë was made for the Wind Kingdom and not the Fire Kingdom.
The god of the forests would have blessed the region itself, which was not a totally absurd belief. After all, the duchy was far more luxurious and greener than its neighbours Pràyol and Laguloé. A smile stretched Kankurō's lips slightly. He would have no trouble receiving the approval of the powerful spheres of his kingdom. Yggalë would join the Wind Kingdom willingly or unwillingly, and he would make Duchess Hinata swallow her pride.
Kankurō glanced again at the Hyūga. The joust was over, and a banquet would soon be served in honour of the winners, the guests, and her nomination. She left the stands, flanked on both sides by her ladies-in-waiting and followed by her knights.
If she didn't seem to feel the prince's gaze, it was the case of one of the knights who accompanied her. True to his customs, he wore his hair in a long braid adorned with a few jewels, far fewer than those decorating Hinata Hyūga's braids. Kankurō was briefly surprised by the striking resemblance between the knight and the duchess, but the unreadable look in the young man's eyes marked him far more. It was a look unique to the Yggalën clan, due to their iris-less eyes. From what little he knew - biology had never fascinated him - these strange pupils protected the iris from the wind caused by the speed of the Hyūga.
The knight turned his back to say something to his mistress, and the latter gave Kankurō an uninterested look. She smiled mockingly, as if she knew some vital information that he did not. The Crown Prince clenched his fists and stomped off the esplanade, his face set in stone. He could not afford to show his emotions here.
He was destined to be Daimyō, and he would not be seen losing control of his feelings in public. Even more so when Duke Hōki, Temari's former supporter, was watching him carefully. He was probably wondering if he had done the right thing in betraying the princess he had supported up until then. Even though he had no respect for a man who had turned on him, Kankurō had no intention of disappointing him. He needed the support of all the dukes, especially Duke Hōki. He was the one in charge of the most fertile lands in the kingdom. If Kankurō wanted to negotiate – or even threaten – effectively with Hinata Hyūga, he needed the support of the man who could feed the kingdom in times of need.
Yggalë was really at the centre of this whole power game, and that made Kankurō furious. How could a foreign region weigh so heavily in the balance?
When he reached his flats, the Crown Prince dropped onto one of the sofas. He had to prepare for the banquet, but he needed a few minutes. Beside him, Sire Shàku, his bodyguard and confidant, glanced at him questioningly. He was probably wondering where this sudden lack of energy was coming from.
"It's that damned duchess," he grumbled to his knight.
"The Yggalën? Yes, she is very arrogant indeed," Sháku replied, looking out the window as if he could see the duchess outside. "As much as I would like to advise you to teach her a lesson, it is not a good idea. She's too important. Nevertheless, I have a proposal for you."
"Tell me."
"What if you charm her? Not romantically, of course, it is obvious that she has fallen in love with your brother. Nevertheless, you will be Daimyō, and she will need an economic partner. She won't be able to work without one."
A smile stretched Kankurō's lips. Shàku was right. He would soon be Daimyō of the Wind Kingdom, and the Duchess of Yggalë would be obligated to work with him and his government whether she wanted to or not. Especially once he had conquered the duchy. Nevertheless, in the meantime, he had to manipulate, lie, negotiate. The military threats would only come once his coronation was over and his power well established.
"Yes, it is. I could also offer to support her a little on the international scene. She will feel obliged to be grateful"
There was a sudden knock at the door, and Kankurō raised an eyebrow. Who was visiting him just twenty minutes before the banquet? Nevertheless, he invited the intruder in, and the door revealed a young woman of the Hyūga clan. She wore the traditional dress of her kingdom, though not as elaborate as that of his duchess. She was also taller than the latter, and older. She was probably approaching twenty years of age.
Why had the duchess sent one of her own to visit him? An amused smile stretched Kankurō's lips. Surely this would be mildly entertaining.
"Miss Hyūga, isn't it?"
"Your Highness Kankurō, I introduce myself. Hanika Hyūga, a maid in the service of Duchess Hinata," she replied, bowing low.
Kankurō had to admit, this foreigner was graceful and beautiful. She must have charmed many a man, and he could almost remember her visit, during the last council of the Daimyōs.
"Get up, miss, and tell me why your mistress sent you here."
The young woman briefly rested her intelligent eyes on ser Shàku before returning her attention to Kankurō. The Crown Prince crossed his legs and rested his chin on his fist in an attempt to convey his superiority through this bored position. Nevertheless, she did not seem the least bit intimidated and crossed her hands behind her back as a knight would. Were all Yggalëns as arrogant as their duchess?
"My lady the duchess would like to take tea with you after the scrimmage. She apologises for not being able to come and offer it in person.
Kankurō squinted. Tea with him? What on earth was Hinata Hyūga planning? This was getting really interesting. As much as the duchess annoyed him to no end, and as much as he fantasized about stomping on her arrogance, he couldn't deny that she was certainly intelligent and quite skilled in manipulation. She would undoubtedly use this tea to evaluate and manipulate him. So be it. He would do the same, in that case.
"Tell the duchess that I shall be delighted to take tea with her. If I may ask, who is keeping her?"
"She is preparing for the banquet, Your Highness. She was exhausted from the journey and from attending the joust."
It made sense, he had to admit. Anyone would have been satisfied with that answer, but Kankurō couldn't help but feel that the young woman facing him wasn't telling him the whole truth. He quickly studied her body language and noticed that she always had her hands behind her back. However, women of the five kingdoms didn't stand like that, let alone nobles. This position was reserved for knights and other men at arms. Therefore, she was hiding her hands.
"Ah, I see..." thought Kankurō as a strange weariness enveloped him. If the duchess wished to lie to him, wouldn't she have been better off sending someone who could do it? She really did think he was a fool. Nevertheless, he would not say anything. Not for the moment, at least. That could wait until he was face to face with the duchess.
"I understand. I look forward to seeing her at the banquet. You may go."
"I will relay your message to the duchess."
Hanika Hyūga bowed low again and left the room without another word.
"This woman is hiding something," said Sháku.
"Yes, she lied to me. Her posture was pitiful."
"I'm talking about something else. Haven't you noticed? It doesn't make any noise when it moves."
"So what? She is light, all Hyūgas are. No wonder she was silent," Kankurō replied with a shrug.
"No, her heels should click, at least slightly, on the floor."
The prince froze. It was true that the Hyūga wore shoes with heels, as all noblewomen did. Heels always made a noise on stone, no matter the weight of the person wearing them. He met Shàku's eyes, understanding at once what kind of person he had just met.
"She has been trained to move silently. This woman is an assassin."
"Or a high-level spy."
"Whatever the case, it is certain that the duchess is not a person to be taken lightly. She knows how to surround herself, that's for sure," Kankurō concluded. "But she won't be able to do as she pleases here; she's in Suna, in a foreign kingdom."
"I am in complete agreement, Your Majesty. Would you like me to take care of this lady-in-waiting? She was as arrogant as her mistress."
"No, it would be like openly declaring war on Yggalë and by extension, the Fire Kingdom. Without Gaara, we would have a hard time holding our own against Pràyol's forces, especially without prior preparations. Instead, I would like to damage his pride. You're an expert in melee. Take care of whoever she sends."
"As you wish, Your Majesty. Should I also call upon my acquaintances among the participating mercenaries? Many of them would be happy to face a knight from a foreign clan."
"Good idea. Be sure to break at least one bone. After all, Hyūga bones are so brittle and, in a melee, accidents happen so quickly..." he mused.
"Of course, Your Highness. Shall we go to the banquet?"
As Kankurō had expected, the banquet was lavish. What's more, he now had a place of honour while Temari sat at the end of the table, her eyes glued to her dish. She wasn't looking at anyone and was conversing with no one but her young lady-in-waiting. She had arrived among the first guests, but everyone had ignored her. Kankurō's heart pinched slightly but he refused to be moved. They had been fighting for the throne, and all bets were off. This was no time to be sentimental.
He sat in his seat, and smiled as all the nobles and rich guests greeted him, raising their glasses in his honour and almost jostling to come and address him. It was quite exhausting and pathetic, but this kind of situation amused Kankurō. His former enemies were almost crawling in front of him, and he couldn't wait to see Duchess Hyūga in this state.
Just as he thought of her, the Yggalën entered the great hall. She was accompanied by her retinue and was discussing trivial matters with her second lady-in-waiting while Hamika conversed with the young knight. They were obviously a young couple, and Kankurō hoped that this boy would be the one sent into the mêlée. Seeing his bones break would be all the more satisfying. The duchess and her retinue walked over to the main table where he was seated, and they bowed.
"Your Majesty the Daimyō of the Wind, Your Majesty the Queen, Your Majesty the Crown Prince, I am honoured to be your guest at this splendid banquet. May the Mother of All bless you for centuries to come."