THE ARCHAIC SKY

CHAPTER: THE CONFESSION THAT AWAKENED MORE LIES

Just as she planned, no one has suspected her nor Haru of Hijiri's execution. But she was foolish to think that her small scandal's gossip would be able to overpower the whispers of Hijiri's assassination. Some believed the Kinzokurai's grand master had killed himself out of the pressure the emperor had given him for his latest experiment. Other's suspected he was executed by underworld forces.

"to think, the prince of Kinzokurai was killed under emperor Hinomitsu's watch, he must have been not enough to protect him" she heard from the voices of passing men in crowds that slowly strode through the path in the direction of the grand Kataikami shrine. The grand shrine on the mountain just beside the yashiro commission's estate. Where the shrine stood right at the very peak, the estate remained on the hillside, overlooking the plains and lake.

"the complete opposite, my friend, if the emperor were not there, imagine how much more casualty there would have been" his friend said to the first voice. Seirans are always quick to dismiss all bad things of their emperor, even when those things happen before their eyes. Hah. How annoying.

"but what would lady Himiko think of this? I do fear her retribution if we could not sooth her flaming fury" the third spoke.

Right, Amara reminded herself. the goddess Himiko is going to descend today at noon, where the sun is said to be held the highest and made the brightest of the year by the deity of light.

Years ago Amara had begged the council to let her go to Fumetsuhi to get a single glimpse of the scorching archon's rite of descension. But of course, her pleas fell on deaf ears. It was too far they said. too risky to let someone as valuable as her visit. she thought the reasoning behind that was because she was far too young to go so far away from her home. But now, she was sure it was because of the heat.

She could feel every part of her slowly melt and begin to evaporate the second it did. The only thing between her and the sunlight was the thin veil her uchikatsugi had. "you seem rather unhappy ojou-chan" he teased her. The noble who seem to have nothing to do, or maybe he did, but instead, he chose to follow her around the city.

Amara sighed, pushing away the veil from her face to allow a clearer view for both him and her. "are you really going to refer to me that way?" with a flick of her wrist, her fan bursts open. It was rather plain, certainly nothing expensive, as far as she could remember, it was something she bought from a small shop in Higana. Not a seikatsu member's shop of course, if it was they wouldn't dare sell Amara something like this.

"I thought you dislike it when I call you "ojou-sama"" he replied with a smile. His eyes teasing her for him.

"that's because you don't mean it!" she huffed loudly "when other's say it they really do mean "my lady" you say it to tease me, hah, don't you know who I am?"

"who are you again?" he teased, grabbing a clump of her hair before letting it slip away from his fingers. His eyes followed her, darting away when anyone nears her. Sending a glare to those who do. "nothing but a fair maiden for now, after all, a noble wouldn't go out without personal guards, handmaidens, attendees-"

"let's say... I escaped them and now I'm roaming the streets by myself freely, like in those stories" Amara smiled behind her fan.

"well... that does sound like something a free-spirited noble woman would do..." he played along, walking around her before running a hand over his light brown hair. His eyes were still restless, darting around. She fills her cheeks with air, her mouth pouting slightly. She had to keep his attention on her.

Amara sighed loudly, looking at him from the corner of her eye. "and you? Master Hirai, where are your personal guards? Surely an esteemed noble such as yourself would have a hard time showing your face in public so easily? Do you not have enemies?"