The Kingmaker

Breath and Skin

Lion's claw strikes swift

Owl forgets the sky's embrace

Flight's memory fades 

Ogiwara, for once, has agreed with him. Now, he has returned to his chamber, most likely still deep in prayer.

Tetsuya shakes his head, the wind tousling his long hair. It's not as if he doesn't believe in a higher power. He is not a heathen like Akashi. That's a secret only he and the Crown Prince share. He simply wants to see solid attestation, and by then, he might fall to his knees and say his prayers like Ogiwara does every morning and every night.

Ignoring the chilling wind, Tetsuya unfolds the paper the Crown Prince has left. He did it so subtly that it is no wonder Ogiwara did not notice the simple exchange that occurred before him.

The words, 'The Mouth of the Lion', are scrawled across a page of neatly folded, red paper.

To keep his blood flowing, Tetsuya shifts his weight from his left foot to his right. One benefit of living in the North is growing accustomed to the cold. Yet, they are still humans and have to remain mobile to stave off the chill.

If he weren't born and raised in the north, he might have found it strange that it is already spring, and yet the winter seems to be still lingering. But this is Fushogane. Even the summer season has a tinge of unforgiving coldness.

The air around him is crisp. He shudders as the wind knifes through his clothes. Despite its bite, his breath puffs out into nothingness, leaving small clouds in front of his face.

His body thanks him as he starts walking, hair whipping wildly until he deftly ties it. As a Dancer, multitasking is second nature to him. 

When he reaches the Royal Garden's iron door, he disappears into the shadows cast by the enormous tree on the left and climbs silently. He has no desire to speak with the guards or prove that he has been summoned. After all, what would they think if he was expected to meet the Crown Prince at this hour?

He climbs higher till he can see over the stone wall that surrounds the garden. As he makes it to the top of the tree trunk, his fingers find a big hole where a loose branch has fallen and now allows him to squeeze through.

Carefully, his eyes scan for any movement. Aside from the usual night sounds, the garden is quiet and still.

The faint glow of the lanterns allows him to make out the tall pillars and the main door's scarlet arches through the shadows.

Tetsuya balances on the thick branch and then scales down its trunk. Grateful for the lush grass that carpets the ground in every direction, he silently praises its ability to muffle his footsteps. He grimaces. Sometimes the Royals do not think thoroughly. No one should question why they die one by one when they are too stupid to care. Certainly not Akashi, though. He has chosen their rendezvous for this specific reason.

The grass is still wet from the rain that fell last night, but it does help to dampen his steps.

The birds have gone silent. It's almost eerie.

Avoiding the stone bridge to evade detection, Tetsuya swiftly leaps between patches of verdant foliage and rocky terrain. The last thing he needs is a guard to hear him coming.

There, on the pavilion, is their kingdom's Crown Prince. He's wearing a burgundy robe with the traditional six claws circling his back, symbolising the six deities. Atop his head, a little golden lion crown shines, its ruby eyes gleaming even from a distance. His crimson hair is bound in a low ponytail befitting his noble status. He stands alone; no one else is within sight.