REVISED: 05 February 2019
13. The Escape
-;-
ANNOUNCEMENT
The Crowned Prince, Shinomori Aoshi wished to marry Watsuki Emi, the only daughter of the South Kyoto's Daimyo. We are really sorry for those hopeful women who wish to marry the crowned prince… We, the Royal Family would like to give our deepest apologies. However, we hope that all of you enjoyed the balls and parties. We are really happy and thankful to those who attended the Imperial balls. As for the date of the wedding, please wait for further announcement.
At your service,
The Royal Family (signed by Emperor Seijuro Hiko)
Every guards of the palace told every region of Japan the awaited announcement. The entire Kyoto was not surprised to hear the news. After all, royals intended to keep their bloodlines pure. Even so, everyone was excited to witness the wedding of the crowned prince and his intended bride. Some women cried with jealousy towards Princess Emi but most people in Kyoto were glad to hear the news so the madness will end soon, anyway.
Empress Okon and Kaoru were fighting every minute and giggling like little girls as they fought like cats and dogs over who was going to plan for the wedding. Sanosuke has been appointed as the new personal guard of Aoshi after Soujiro's mysterious disappearance. The new position Sanosuke had made his life busier than ever.
It has been two weeks since Megumi saw Misao and Yahiko, she would like to pay them a visit but she was so busy that she barely had no time to breathe.
Princess Emi said that the wedding must commence as soon as possible and everyone in the palace agreed on her immediate decision. Hiko finally decided to celebrate the wedding at the end of the winter season but Princess Emi had her heart set on summer wedding.
Aoshi was elusive as a ghost. He avoided absolutely everyone, refusing even the company of his bride to be. One time, Kenshin had attempted to speak to him because he truly cared about Aoshi's feelings - but no matter how Kenshin tried to confront his brother, Aoshi remained more distant than ever.
Hiko, his father irritates him as he heard another series of comments about how his marriage to Emi was a good political choice.
Okon, his mother played the part of being the good Empress to the extreme. Being friendly to Emi like a good mother in law, asking her a thousand questions on how she fancied her wedding to be like. She even talked to the Princess Emi for hours…
As the number of days passed, the summer season has begun. Tomorrow is the most awaited wedding. All citizens were invited to attend the said celebration. Women, especially those singles are required to wear white kimonos. Everyone was really excited but for Aoshi... he usually spent his time alone in the gardens, his back pressed against the grass as he stared at the sky with a blank expression.
"Aoshi!" someone called and it was his mother, coming her way towards him.
Aoshi stood and helped Okon to catch her breath. "What is it, mother?" he asked.
"Will you take a walk with me?" Okon requested. Aoshi was about to say no but he caught the look in his mother's eye. He sighs… knowing that look. He knew she would never take no as an answer.
As they walked together, Okon started to reminisce. It began how she first met Hiko and her discussion travelled to the events when she was having trouble to produce a child. They decided to adopt and raise the boy that survived the harsh civil war and named him 'Kenshin'… Finally, she had become teary eyed when she told Aoshi how happy she was when she learnt that she was pregnant for her first child. Aoshi listened but he never commented.
"Don't you know how much I thanked the gods when I learnt that my child is a boy and turned out to have a pair of beautiful blue eyes like his father?" Okon laughed. "Aoshi-kun, I hope that I have been a good mother to you."
"Aa.", was only Aoshi's response, Okon smiled at her son's usual behaviour.
"I have some questions for you, my son…" she said and held up her hand as Aoshi was about to decline to hear questions. "Do your mother a favour and refrain asking some questions about my reasons."
"Unreasonable. That is not a fair trade…" Aoshi commented.
"Oh son, please… Aren't you an honourable man?" Okon pleaded, Aoshi looked at her… What a silly request…
"Fine." He finally gave up.
They stopped walking as they sat under one of the trees. "So tell me, where have you first met lady Akari?" Okon genuinely asked.
The question surprised Aoshi. "Why do you…" his words were cut off when Okon's hand went to his lips.
"If you are an honourable man, you shall not question your mother." She commented.
Aoshi glared at this but answered, "I met her in the first ball." For a moment, he suddenly recalled a memory of two lovely indigo eyes, she was wearing a blue kimono, her hair decked in wildflowers…
"Now my second question is… Before the balls had begun, you came home late and you told us that you escorted a lady which happens to be a servant girl you met in the woods. Tell me, Aoshi… what is the name of this certain girl?"
The question made Aoshi confused than anything else. He had not seen Misao for a long time. Aoshi wondered how the girl was doing and then came a memory of frightened two indigo eyes reflected in his kodachi…
"Misao…" he finally answered.
His annoyingly smart mother gave her a grin, "Thank you, son." With that, Okon quickly kissed him on his cheek.
Aoshi watched her mother leave, feeling the pain in his heart again at the thought of Akari. Tomorrow will be his wedding. He could run away and simply not to show up at all...
However…
"My fate is sealed…" Aoshi said to the tree that shaded him and turned back to the palace, determined to face his fate bravely.
-;-
Misao paced back and forth in the small cellar, her heart was racing as she and Yahiko think of a way to escape. Yahiko was sure that Kamatari would help them but Misao was unsure about it. He spent every chance he could get begging her to help them. Kamatari said nothing every time they plead to her and Yahiko took her silence as a hope.
But Misao doubts it. She knew that woman remains loyal to Shishio.
"Misao, sit down and you need to remain calm." Yahiko suggested.
"I can't… if you think Kamatari would help us then we only have a few hours before the wedding begins."
Misao knew about the wedding, of course. Kamatari told her last two days ago… She also said that Shishio planned to murder the Imperial family in the midst of the wedding ceremony.
Yahiko sighed.
Out of the small crack in the door, Misao could see the window in the kitchen. It was getting dark, and unless Kamatari had lied about the date, the wedding would be starting for any minute. She heard Shishio and the others leaving… She could hear the shoji door slid shut and the carriage in the yard as it pulled away…
The tears as they started to fall – they would not stop…
…until the door of the room where Misao and Yahiko were locked slid opened revealing the face of Kamatari. Misao and Yahiko looked at each other, their eyes perplexed as they asked in unison, "Why are you still here, Kamatari?"
"You owe me…", was all she answered as she tossed a shinai to Yahiko. "Both of you need to go at the wedding and save the Imperial family before it's too late."
"I always knew you would help us! Have you warned the Emperor?" Yahiko asked.
Kamatari shook her head no... "I am leaving Kyoto this evening… Being a hero is not my style but surviving is…And if both of you will fail, well… I might as well throw myself at the river…"
Yahiko grinned from ear to ear at the thought of getting out but Misao was unconvinced. What if Kamatari was tricking them? Nonetheless, she had not expected to get the freedom at Kamatari's hand…
"Why?" was all Misao managed to ask…
Kamatari gave her a faint smile as her answer and suddenly she kneeled on the floor, her eyes were full of tears and it was the first time Misao saw this woman cried with all her heart… "When I saw Shishio and Yumi went to the palace together, leaving me alone, I decided to go back here. I know I am fooling myself that Shishio would love me back if I will follow his plans. But… but… he really loves my dear sister and after all these years, he never returns my feelings… I know the pain that Princess Emi will feel if she will marry Aoshi because he loves you Misao…"
Misao paused for a moment… trying to register every words Kamatari had said…
"It's hard to marry a man who is in love with another, even for me. Now, leave and warn the Emperor or whatever you plan to do. You will never see me again…" she added, this time, wiping her tears away…
Yahiko and Misao thanked her as the woman who saved them turned to the door to leave, "Misao… I think you should wash your face first, you look horrid…" and with that, she was gone.
"I hope she finds happiness somewhere." Yahiko said. "Hurry up, Misao. We need to get to the wedding."
End of Chapter