Asami's Shadow (Ryoma's POV)

Chapter 59

Shu had been more than welcoming in the month we had been here, but we were summoned for an urgent meeting, not with the court. It had me edge especially when Katashi was present, we hadn't been in this situation since arriving.

We sat away from the others as we always did. It seemed we were learning more from Asami than she was from us and it was interesting to say the least. All rumors surrounding her outside of these walls were that she may have been incompetent and unable to lead the kingdom, but that was far from the truth.

The room was tense as she and Sunako came in, no one gave any indication as to why we were here, but I could only think of one reason. Everyone knelt, even Katashi when the princess turned to them. "Rise." They moved at once and took their seats. "Report."

Katashi turned to her. "Small skirmishes and those loyal to the former empress reagent have been dealt with accordingly."

She nodded. "Good, any other news."

She sounded hopeful as the corner of his mouth twitched. "Katana said she's proud of the progress we all have made in her absence, especially you."

My lungs failed me as she smiled softly. "Her condition?" He paused and she arched a brow. "What did she say about her condition?"

He was struggling to keep a straight face and I had no clue if it was good or bad. "She says that we are pains in her ass since we insist on hovering so much."

She chuckled. That sounds very much like her. "Of course she would. Any other complaints?"

He couldn't help, but smile. "A ton, including that she has been denied access to any form of weaponry."

She giggled. "That's good, keep it that way until you see fit."

Sunako looked at him. "If she is well enough to threaten you, will you continue to work in her stead, Master Kairo?"

He scoffed all the formal air in the room gone and now light. "You really think she isn't getting into anything?"

She smirked. "I imagine not."

Genkai rolled his eyes. "Just keep her out of trouble, tell her I said she's not a fucking cat. Even if she was, she has been past her limit on lives."

Katashi nodded. "That I will. Anything further, Princess?"

She shook her head. "Just tell her that I ordered her to stay out of trees and mind those taking care of her."

After a single nod, he left the room and I followed, surprised no one stopped me until I reached the door and saw no one, but the boy. "Is something the matter, My Lord."

I paused and kept moving forward. She's alive... but... "No, as you were."

I couldn't think of where to find the man, so I went to the stables. That's where he always was in Wu. "Careful or careless... I'm still not sure which."

I turned not exactly sure where his voice was coming from. "She's okay? Why can't sh-"

I turned again and jumped as he was right behind me. "She had a specific message for you."

I stepped back, knowing he could end my life easily and I wouldn't see it coming. "Which was?"

"Stop pestering people for answers you won't receive and to take better care of yourself. Both are unattractive."

I frowned. Has she been here? "That's not very enlightening."

He shrugged. "She also said she didn't die, so waiting it is, but... I'm sure she'll find a way out as soon as she can."

I searched his face finding nothing, but the fact that she was alive and speaking was more than I had in a month. "Tell her she better not do anything stupid."

He chuckled. "I will, but that doesn't mean she will listen. I must go now, she doesn't know how to behave for long."

He stepped back into the shadows and I watched carefully, still trying to figure out how they managed to just disappear in them, but all I saw was him walking away. I narrowed my eyes and followed, but he was gone when I got to the door. "She owes me a lot of answers dammit."

I started to go back into the palace, feeling better than I had since she left me. She's alive... why would they wait this long to admit it? They didn't even really say what state she was in... I heaved a breath. They won't even say where she is...

It made sense, she was now being charged with killing the empress. Asami told me it was necessary after I tried to plead her case. No one in Shu even liked Homura, but the charges were brought against her regardless. Why?

I seemed to be asking that question a lot lately. When we were out, they pretended to be heartbroken over her death and assured the people they were doing everything to bring her killer to justice. Unfair taxes were lifted. Apparently some people who were falsely imprisoned for opposing her were released. Shu seemed happier now that she was gone.

Then there was this extra council that apparently belonged to Sayomi. So far as I know, they only met twice in our time here, otherwise... nothing that I could see happened with or because of them. But each time they reported they spoke of taking care of invisible problems. "We do our work in silence... never to be praised or congratulated..."

I paused outside the door when I noticed the boy was gone and knocked. "Took you long enough."

Youta opened the door, searching my face. "Nothing other than to tell me to stop asking questions and take better care of myself."

He heaved a breath. "Figures."

He closed the door as I plopped in a chair. "I don't get it."

He sat across from me. "What?"

I frowned at him. "They clearly wanted that bitch dead as much as we did, they won't tell us anything, except vague information."

He sat back. "Killing an empress is killing an empress, Ryoma. Someone has to answer for that."

My frown deepened. "Why her?"

His brow arched. "Because she's in safekeeping until the time is right."

I leaned towards him. "What do you know?"

He sighed. "Think about it, really think about it. Not as a man who is dying to know how she is, but as a lord of the court. If this was anyone else, what would we do?"

I sat back, thinking. "We would hunt them down for execution, but they know where sh-"

He shook his head. "If you haven't realized... they don't exist, neither does Sayomi. That's why when asked about her, they play dumb outside these walls and that of the court. They don't know a Sayomi, she never existed. There is no Sunako or Akio or Katashi... there's a handmaiden, a stablehand, a mentor. This entire council, the boy who stands at the door included, does not exist. And Kieko is apparently the mastermind behind it all when she is well."

I bit my lip. "They work in the shadows..."

He nodded. "Father disappears for an hour or two every month. I suspect we have something similar in Wu, but like these people..."

I sighed, in defeat and understanding. "They aren't real."

He rubbed his face. "The fact that Asami let us into this room baffles me to an extent and yet..." I watched him process. "I'm coming to realize that Father didn't send us here to teach her anything. She is well equipped to take the reigns, he sent us here to learn."

I looked out of the window. "That's rather difficult right now."

He rose and pat my shoulder. "I have a sneaking suspicion... that won't matter soon enough."