Royal Intrigue

My heart is pounding as I slip open the screen to my room and quickly lay down on my pallet, forcing my breathing to even out and covering myself with heavy blankets despite the heat. Hopefully I can blame the sweat on my body on the heat of the night rather than having been out after dark. Getting caught now could mean an end to my life as I know it. I'm only 20, I don't want to become a nun, I don't want to leave the palace. My name is Princess Metori, daughter of Emperor Hisaaki of the Wa Kingdom. I was born in the palace to his first wife, Emperess Miyoshi, and have spent my entire life within these walls. I've learned to compose poems, to write letters that chronicle my life, to embroider and weave, to tend to the business of the royal family, but they have never been able to teach me to behave. Typically my misadventures are looked over, but I've never been caught out in the dead of night by a male attendant. I can't be sure he saw me fully, but his shout as I entered the royal wing of the imperial palace will have consequences. I will my breathing to slow, struggling to change out my clothing under the covers, pushing the robe I was wearing under several others, hopefully obscuring it enough. I can't faster my own belts laying down and will required the help of my ladies who sleep in the room next door if I am summoned. Still, needing help to dress after sleeping is normal, something that should be expected and should not bring too much attention. I almost manage to drift off to sleep, counting my breaths in and out as I recite passages from the latest court books in my head before I hear footfall in my corridor. I tense all my muscles, hoping for a knock rather than guards throwing open the doors. A knock is still a problem, but it means there is no proof that it was me out wandering the grounds, speaking with people outside of the royal household and approved dignitaries. A silly rule in the palace, a princess should only converse with those who have been approved by the emperor, to do otherwise is seen as a form of treason, proof that one is plotting a coup. All I wanted was to learn how to make the bright red ink the foreign visiting servant mixed for her mistress earlier in the day. A knock sounds, quieting my heart and I feign sleep, waiting until a second louder one wakes one of the ladies in the next room over. She comes running, bowing low to me as she fastens her own belts and answers from behind the privacy curtain, asking who dares disturb my sleep. I make a show of sitting up slowly, rubbing at my face and looking confused as more ladies come into the room, waiting to see what has roused them from their sleep. "The Emperor and his royal consort require the presence of the princess as quickly as possible." "I will ready the mistress, thank you." My maid bows low and waits for the footsteps to retreat before hissing at me; "What did you do?" I feign ignorance, hoping that it will be enough. If my father is with a consort it must be Naishi, the only one who would allow an audience where I am pulled from my bed in the middle of the night. Of all the times for him to be with one of the consorts and not a concubine, it had to be the night I made one of the worst mistakes of my life. My maids hurriedly dress me, swapping out the belts they had prepared for the robe I was wearing earlier. I trust them with my life, but regret that I chose a robe with such a different color scheme, this blunder could be enough to seal my fate. I hurry along the corridors to my father's chambers, my maids trailing after me. They wait at the threshold, the summons was for me alone. Bowing low I shuffle into the room, prostrating myself on the ground, not daring to look up. "I greet you father of the Wa people and this servant's body. May your health be as eternal as the rays of the sun." "Daughter, rise. Be at peace." "Thank you father." I look around the room and realize that we are not alone, his four main advisors, a number of foreign dignitaries, and two of his concubines are in the room. He must not have been asleep, but instead working on matters of state. "Do you know why I have summoned you here daughter?" "I do not Lord Hisaaki, however I am eternally at your service. How may this humble daughter aid you this night?" "There were reports of a noble woman in the servants quarters, speaking with foreign servants, conspiring with them about matters of state. Treason of the highest order. The servant when questioned did not know who she had spoken to, her knowledge of our tongue rudimentary at best." "That is a serious charge father, am I to help you find the woman who did this?" My father continued to speak, ignoring my question, staring at me as if he could discern the truth with his eyes alone. Despite being the emperor appointed by the gods, he is merely a man, something that my years on this earth have taught me all too well. I do not waiver under his gaze and wait for him to speak again. Keeping my heart and breathing under control, using the very tricks he taught me as a child for dealing with foreign leaders. "A servant witnessed her fleeing back to this part of the palace, she was exceptionally short, a description that fits you very well." "I am far from the only short woman in this court my lord father. I am far from the only short woman in this room even." I looked pointedly at Naishi, for once relishing her presence. She hates to be reminded that she has anything in common with me, another failure in her eyes that would be forgivable if only she would bear my father a son, yet her womb is barren and her self lacking, only my fathers love has kept her from being sent to a temple by her family. Naishi bristles at my remark, pulling herself up to her full height, trying to make it less obvious that she is the one I was referencing. I know that she will find a way to get me back for this later, she always does. A broken fan, a ruined dress, an embarrassing moment revealed to a potential suitor under the guise of too much wine. She is a master at manipulation and feels the power that my father has given her acutely. Still, this barb seems to have hit the mark as my father seems to soften his gaze a little, whether out of love or shock I do not know. "This woman was also said to be wearing a plum colored robe and jade hairpins." I didn't have time to do anything about my hairpins, my robe is now a deep crimson, expensive and hard to mistake for anything else. I did not leave my rooms today, sticking with the women of the foreign court, so no-one in this room knows this is not what I was wearing earlier in the day. "As you can see father I am wearing a crimson robe, my ladies helped me dress from my bed, they await your call outside the door to confirm my words." I bowed low again, sweeping my arms in front of my face before putting them and my head on the floor. "As for hairpins, I wear jade every day, as do most of the court ladies. It is one of your favorite gifts, how can we not wear a token of your favor?" I keep my head down until I hear him motion for me to rise. Trying to focus on him and not on the men who are seeing me without the privacy curtain. It is far from the first time a man has seen me, but such an official interrogation in front of so many could mean a fall from favor and could very well damage my reputation. "Even so daughter, there are questions about your movements in the past few days." My heart catches in my chest, I can't breathe. I was out one other night this week, two days prior. I thought I saw someone when I left the foreign dignitary quarters where I visited a childhood friend, but I wasn't sure. This is a situation that I have no answer for. "Where were you two nights ago when the moon was at it's highest?" Naishi speaks, the cruel amusement in her voice telling me it was her servant who saw me, likely one that she sent to follow me in the hopes of finding my behavior lacking. In this game that we play she may have won. "You were spotted leaving the foreign dignitary quarters and none of the Wa women with whom my attendant spoke were with you that night. Were you perhaps visiting a lover?" She has called my virtue into question, something that could see me banished from the palace forever. A daliance with a man of favor would be fine, but a commoner? That would disgrace me forever. Yes, I was meeting a man, but I do not feel that way for him. Instead he brings me stories from far off lands, teaching me about the world outside these walls. That distinction however won't matter. Any time spent alone with a lower class man is enough for a scandal. Before I can despair too much, a man that I have never met bows deeply to my father before speaking. "If I may my Lord?" "Rise Ambassador Kaiki, you may speak." My father looks expectant at the man and I wonder what he could have to say. "It is true that Princess Metori was in the foreign quarters that night." Naishi's smile grows sharp, sure that she has found a way to trap me once and for all. This man may think that he is saving me, but spending time with him alone, before we have been introduced, would be enough to doom me as well. "Is that true? What business does she have with a man of the Liuqui?" Everyone in the room is silent as they hear her emphasize the word man, leaving no doubt as to what she is implying. "She has none, but the princess does have business with my sister, Tsukimine, she is to be married into this court soon and wishes strongly for friendship and to better learn the customs. Her lady recommended Princess Metori as a confidant as they are close in age, only two years separate them and they are born under the same moon, a good omen for their friendship." Naishi's face falls. While she likely knows exactly who I was visiting, questioning the motives of the Liuqui when we have finally established a treaty that not only supplies us with goods but expands our territory and keeps the other island nations from raiding our shores would not go her way. "In that case, your sister will not mind confirming your words and putting these rumors to rest." It is as if she knows that we have never met, that she is hoping his sister will break his lies, exposing me to her wrath. "Of course, I can fetch her my lord." Ambassador Kaiki bows to my father and makes to leave the room before Naishi stops him. "No need, someone of your standing shouldn't be running around like an errand boy. Send one the attendants." She is smiling again, sure that she has taken away his chance to speak with his sister. My fate now rests on the strength of a family bond and the hope that his sister is aware of the politics within the court. If she wishes to align herself with Naishi or one of my father's concubines she will have a good chance to prove her worth tonight. No-one speaks while the attendant goes to rouse the lady, my father taking a cup of tea, while the rest of us focus on not incurring his wrath. In another situation I would comment on the beauty of the moon in the sky, the way that the stars are sparkling, on the call of the crickets around the open window, but tonight it feels more prudent to hold my tongue. Lady Tsukimine arrives wearing Liuqui robes, less refined and less fussy than those of the Wa court, she could dress herself quickly, and her hair is free around her shoulders. Practically scandalous for our court, but common enough for her land that no-one here will question it. I feel sad that she will soon have to give up these freedoms, a noble husband is not likely to appreciate such a foreign wife and her standing at court will be damaged if she doesn't conform to our ways. Still, she seems sweet and sincere. My father himself greets her. "Lady Tsukimine, your brother here was just telling us about your activities two nights ago with my daughter." She bows low, keeping to the style of her people and not quite prostrating herself, still, she is respectful and I can see that my father is charmed by her looks. "Yes Lord Emperor, Princess Metori and I were in my rooms until late in the evening, speaking of the court and things I will need to learn. I fear that there is much I do not," and here she pauses for a second, looking frustrated as she struggles for a while, seeking words that do not want to appear. "There is much that I do not understand about your ways and your language. Despite my years of learning, I am unworthy and worried." She bites her bottom lip, concentrating hard as she speaks slowly, each word over pronounced and clearly hard for her. My heart goes out to her and I know that I will need to spend time with her now, not just to keep the lie alive, but to help her before this court eats her alive. "And when you had these discussions she did not tell you of the appropriate fashions or actions for women within our court?" Naishi's remarks were intended to shame both Tsukimine and I, implying that I had been derelict in my duty. The lady bowed to Naishi, quicker than she had to my father and not as low, showing only the appropriate amount of respect for a concubine, a snub that reminded all in the room of her position as a childless consort. "Princess Metori was very helpful, but I am still a citizen of Liuqui for the time being, I have not yet married, it would be inappropriate for me to adopt customs that are not yet mine. Until I am married I am still the daughter of a Liuqui lord, not a Wa lady, should I shun my culture and dishonor my father?" Her words rung out across the room, stirring conversation from those present. It seems I was not the only one to notice the trap that Naishi was laying. This girl could take care of herself at court, she was capable and smart, and most of all she knew what was expected of both courts. I should take her under my wing and make her one of my ladies if her husband was not of too high a rank. "Of course not, it just seems that you would have put more of the lessons to use when appearing before the emperor." Naishi now sought to bring my father into the conversation, using him to shame Tsukimine and put her in her place. "Now Naishi," my father spoke to her directly. "Do not shame the girl for following her customs, she is a great credit to her culture. I am sure that when she makes her debut as a lady of the court she will be the same credit to our own." His words held a warning for both the lady and I, she would behave with the same poise towards our court as she did her own or there would be consequences. "Now," he clapped his hands, summoning attendants who had previously been in the shadows. "I do believe it is time for me to retire. Please find your way back to your rooms. We can continue discussions tomorrow." He nodded to the visiting dignitaries before dismissing everyone in the room. As the highest ranking member of the royal family besides my father, I waited for everyone else to leave the room. The ambassador held his sister back, using his status to show that she was under his protection. Naishi had not been excused from my father's words, so she too had to leave, departing just a moment after the ambassador, leaving me alone with my father. I bowed once more before approaching, embracing him and letting him kiss my cheek. Despite the cold way that I had been interrogated I knew that I was his favorite daughter, the only one that he had with my mother. Were it not for her birthing my eldest brother and his heir, I am sure that I would have been his favorite child. "My little rabbit, you must stop scaring me so, you know your place, why must you give others a reason to question it too?" I could do nothing but swallow, hoping that he would understand I wasn't trying to defy him. "May your health continue my father." I bowed low once more when I reached the edge of the room after our embrace, backing out as none may turn their back on the emperor. As a small child he had allowed me to come and go as I pleased, my nurses scandalized as I defied palace convention, making it clear where his priorities lay. Now, as an adult, the responses they had when I was a child made sense. Still, it hurt to know that this formality was required by him, not the rest of society as a whole. I didn't take a full breath until I was in the hallway beyond his chambers with my ladies. I had survived and my place was still secure. Now I could worry about other things, like why my mysterious savior and his sister had lied for me. Owing someone a favor in the palace was not something to be taken lightly. Perhaps they were after a favor from me? They were new, they might not know that I was not the person to be asking for favors, always living too close to the edge for the comfort of others, making it hard for them to respect me the way that a woman of my status should strive to be respected. I sent my ladies ahead to ready my chamber, choosing to wander along the hallways at a slower pace, lost in my own thoughts. I didn't notice the hand reaching out to pull me into a side chamber until the hand was already over my mouth. Were the threats to my life still not over?