Blood spattered onto the muddy wet ground as Lord Royal or the Emperor Lord brought his sword down on a soldier, slicing his throat. The smell of iron and blood was heavy in the air as the screams of the men and the swift shot of arrows pierced through the air.

This was his element, he was a soldier before he became an Emperor even back in his homeland of Asheia. He defended his land and fought for his father, the King's father and even the current King. This element of his, where he could just let go, let out his fury out. He side stepped a soldier's swing as if it were a dance, light on his feet but heavy with his blows. The soldier slipped onto the ground, he cried out in tears but it fell on deaf ears as Royal brought his sword on his head, cutting the top clean off with little to no effort.

General Sugi, a supporter of Lord Champoo and Lord Sugi, watched in horror as his men were being slaughtered. He was sure that victory was his, but this Emperor Lord fought with the fierceness of a tiger and this strange rage. He was astonished that this older man would even fight in the battle. He watched in horror as this Usurper hacked one of his men to pieces; but it wasn't the violence that got to him...it was the strange look...this look of pure madness. He wasn't looking at a Man but a beast, a monster that roared in the battlefield while soaking in the blood of his men.

Word was sent immediately to Lord Sugi, brother of General Sugi.

The messenger kneeled in front of him (Lord Sugi), "The battle has been lost my lord!" He exclaimed breathlessly.

"And my brother?"

"He has stayed behind, to hold them off. My Lord, you must flee. The Usurper's army will cut through the last blockade at any moment and all will be lost if this pale barbarian-"

Suddenly, the messenger was impaled in the back by a sword, he fell to the floor, dead.

Lord Sugi looked shocked at the person holding the sword and at men who was rushing into his private chambers in their armor and holding their swords at him, he asked in complete disbelief, "Lord Mu, what is the meaning of this?"

Lord Mu, who was one of Lord Sugi's vassal lords and a childhood friend, looked at him sternly, "I am sorry, My Lord for this." He held two fingers in the air, commanding his men to bring in Lord Sugi's family who were hidden in the castle's secret passages.

Lord Sugi looked in despair as his wife and two children along with his nephew were held at dagger point.

He stood up, still in disbelief and anguish as his brain slowly processing what was happening.

"How could you do this to me? To my children, your Godchildren?" He finally asked through clenching teeth.

"I am saving them unlike you. Do you think for a moment Lord Champoo will come for you? Do you think yourself important enough that he will send his army to support you? You were always biased... biased and stupid. You never think about the consequences, even when we were little-"

Another Messenger, one of Lord Mu's, came rushing in.

"The Emperor Lord has won the battle and is marching this way."

"And General Sugi, what of my brother?" Lord Sugi asked.

"General Sugi has committed Seppuku when cornered."

Lord Sugi nodded with tears in his eyes, hearing that his little brother was dead, he looked at his nephew, General Sugi's only child.

"Please, dear friend, give up. I promise you, your family will be spared on my honor." Lord Mu was a man of his word

He just nodded in defeat.

Later on

Lord Sugi and his family were tied and knelt before The Emperor Lord, who sat on his chair looking down at him.

"This is a nice place you have here.

"I will give you a chance...one chance. Plead Fealty to me and you will keep your lands and your family will be spared the humiliation of having a traitor in their midst." Lord Royal spoke.

"You..You...have no authority...You're not the real Emperor. " Sugi stuttered his word fulled with fear.

"I'm offering you a way out. Take it, not just for yourself but your family." Emperor Lord took a deep breath, "Its more than you deserve. Trying to run from battle while your men who are fighting for you, die. Not even leaving your beloved manor to watch... Where is your confidence when you spat at the ground in front of me yesterday or when you called my Beloved Lady Empress a whore?"

Lord Sugi looked up at him but as he did, he saw some of the heads of his other vassal lords being carried away.

"You're a monster." He spat down at his feet, "You dare desecrate their bodies...those men fought you with honor and should be treated as thus."

"I gave those men the same choice as you. They would rather plead fealty to Lord Champoo but of course when offered the honorable way out...they were baffled, a few suddenly begged me to spare their lives...even wanted to swear fealty to me...only your brother didn't yield and took the honorable way out. He has my respect really."

"What does your respect bring? My brother is still dead."

Him cleared his throat, speaking, "Lord Sugi, Seppuku is a very long and agonizing death. My Emperor Lord shorten that anguish and painful death by chopping off his head. Furthermore, for earning the Emperor lord's respect, his son shall be spared any punishment and his lands shall not be confiscated and placed under the custody of Lord Mu until old enough to govern his lands." Him snapped his fingers and the boy was grabbed, he struggled and cried out as he was taken out of the room.

"Last chance, I'm a very fair ruler...just ruler-"

"You are not the ruler, you have no claim to the throne! You pale face monster!"

"Let me tell you a small truth...Everyone is a monster to someone, since you are so convince that I am yours...I will be it."

Royal stood up with a serious look on his face, "Kill his children first."

Lord Sugi looked surprised, he gasped in despair as the soldiers walked towards the kids. His wife screamed in horror at this command and shielded her children, guarding them as the soldier continued to walk towards them.

"NO! NO! YOU CAN'T! LORD MU PROMISED THEY WOULD BE SPARED! NO!"

"He promised...but I didn't. I'm a monster remember. Monsters don't care about who they slay, whether its women...or children."

"Dad! Daddy! Please! Daddy!" His children cried out as the wife was pushed to the side and grabbed the kids by their hair and pulled out a dagger.

"PLEASE! NO! NOT MY CHILDREN! I SWEAR FEALTY! I DO!" The wife cried out, begging.

"I'll commit Seppuku! I will! Please not my children!" Lord Sugi cried out.

Lord Royal held his hand up, stopping the soldier.

"So changeable...so easily persuaded...I don't need someone like you in charge of this land. Lord Mu will be in charge of your lands...you are strip of your title, your home and...your children."

"No!"

The children were dragged out, kicking and screaming. Lord Sugi looked in despair as his wife screamed and cried out.

Him snapped his fingers, the army's apothecary and doctor had prepared a concoction.

The soldiers held the wife down and despite her struggle, they pried her mouth open and poured the concoction down her throat. She coughed at the bitterness.

Lord Royal kneeled down to him

"You will never see them again, you will never find them...and in time, they will forget you...that concoction your wife just drank will make her infertile. No replacement children in the future. Am I truly a monster now?"

Lord Sugi and his wife looked in horror.

"Get them out of my sight." Royal ordered.

When Him and the Emperor Lord were alone in Lord Sugi's old chambers.

"Dealing with Lord Sugi made me realize, I need an heir." He sighed in deep thought.

Him was pouring him tea, he paused, "But my Emperor Lord, I thought the Lady Empress was your heir."

"No, I meant a child, a son would be preferable."

Him whispered, "But My Emperor Lord, I thought...that wasn't possible."

Royal looked at him for a moment and Him quietly gasped at the realization.

He sipped his tea, "Anything about that subject from our Housekeeper."

"Nothing about that."

"What is the deal, I've given them space. They are true loves, both are young, hot blooded and passionate. The temptation should be unbearable by now."

"Well My Emperor Lord, perhaps the Lady Empress needs some education on that matter. She is young, maybe she needs something to start the temptation."

"That could be a factor, Asheian Women don't even think about those things until marriage...well the ones with a upright upbringing at least."

"And the Lady Empress seems to have such upbringing. She seems to me the type that wouldn't stray so easily as well. She may need a little 'encouragement'."

"No...its too early for that kind of encouragement. The poor girl just recovered...lets wet her appetite first. Write a letter to Hirono-san, instruct her in widening the Lady Empress' education."

Back in the Royal City of Miyazaki

A figure in the walls, look through a hole.

Blossom was huff and puff in frustration as she was sewing clothes for Kasey, while Bubbles was showing Kasey how to dress herself. The figure moved towards the kitchen, seeing Belle was showing Hagatha how to make some of the food and very her special method for tea brewing. Brianna was coiled around in a ball and sleeping in a corner with the puppy, Stormy sleeping close by.

"I hope you can forgive Hiro-chan, "Bubbles said earlier, "She gets so sleepy during the winter."

"Hello Aunt, "Beast greeted with snow drop flowers, he blushed shyly, "I hope you will take it easy, watch your health."

"Thank you Ren- I mean Beast...how kind you are." She looked directly at Brick when she said the kind part, both hmph and looked the opposite way from each other. Beast chuckled with a blush uncomfortable with being caught between them.

"C'mon Beast, we have things to do." Brick grumbled and pulled him away, when they were far enough, Brick turned to him and snapped, "I don't get it, I said the same thing and she bites my head off."

"Eldest Brother...I know your intentions are good...but sometimes-"

"Sometimes what?"

"You come off a little too strong." Beast explained shyly, "Telling her she's grounded is not the way to say you care for her safety and insulting her intelligence is not nice either."

"I'm not taking it back. She is stupid, going to the damn Samurai district when...when..."

"Eldest Brother, you guys agreed that it was best to keep this attempt on her life a secret, it is not fair to snap her like this when she does not know."