The Brilliant Royal Divorce Plan Chapter 72
A.N. I love being back and writing!!! This time, Ryo seems to be coming unstuck for once... all his lies are coming back to bite him and we see how smart Junno really is.
“For once I agree with you Kamenashi…” Tegoshi gave Ryo a death glare, “Ryo, you’re a pervert.”
“I know, but a happy pervert,” Ryo winked and rode up behind Tegoshi’s horse and gave the unsuspecting man a slap on the ass.
The trip into Sendai went a LOT faster after that - Ryo has always been quick to run for his life when the need arose.
[The same night]
“Now everyone listen up!” Maru cleared his throat as they exited the small inn into the streets, “Our mission is to stay as invisible as possible tonight, buy supplies and leave this place for Kyoto starting sunrise tomorrow.” He sighed as Ueda, Tegoshi and Kame were already strating to draw attention just by standing next to him. “As I was saying, we are not to do anything that might alert authorities-
“HEY!! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING TO THAT POOR LADY?!”
Before his speech had even finished, Junno spotted an attempted robbery and had already taken down the street on foot, chasing the robber.
“YOU GET BACK HERE THIS INSTANT!!!” Maru screamed after him to no avail. “GET HIM BACK HERE YOU GUYS!!! We can’t afford any slip-ups and this might be a trap!!!”
“I got it!” Jin took off after the emperor with lightning speed before Kame could, “Kazu and Hime-san, you guys look ridiculous as female law enforcement so stay here!”
“Ryo,” Ueda glanced over at Ryo, who was fidgeting uncomfortably, “can I talk with you in private?”
The small sake house they chose was not private by any means, but a room full of drunk people was more desirable than a room of eavesdroppers.
”Junno’s always been a hero at heart,” Ryo offered, “don’t worry about him! He may not be as good a fighter as you, but to take down a street thug is like child’s play!”
The empress (still dressed in female garb) shook his (her?) head and ordered a bottle of sake for them each. “Drink up.”
“Why?”
“To thank you… I guess,” Ueda sighed, “Dressing Kame and I up in women’s clothing so that we wouldn’t be noticed in Morioka or Sendai. But have you got a plan B? I highly doubt we’ll leave here without causing any problems.”
“You mean not having problems seek us out?” Ryo poured himself a cup of clear liquid.
“Indeed. How worried do we have to be about the Kamenashi family?”
“Very. The two elder brothers rule Sendai now,” Ryo let the burning sake settle into his stomach and took a deep breath, “Just thinking about it gives me the goosebumps. If they are to find that Kame is still alive, I don’t want to think about what they’ll do to us!”
“Dear God…” Ueda saw true fear in Ryo’s eyes.
“When they tried to kill Kame as a child, I reported that he lived but left a top secret file saying that he had been killed for his family to find. After that, I was sure they saw it because the killing attempts stopped… I trained Kame to be head of the secret service as Odagiri Ryu instead. Only a handful of tope agents in the secret service know his real name.”
“I get it now,” Ueda poured Ryo another cup, “even his real name seems fake to his family. This way you can make sure they think he is truly dead with reverse psychology.”
“My point exactly,” Ryo sighed, “I hope his brothers never see him in person or they might recognise his face…”
“I see.”
The night was young and Sendai streets brightly lit as Nakamaru and Tegoshi carried each a heavy load of grain and dried meats. Kame had offered to go back to the inn to guard their possessions after he felt Tegoshi’s murderous aura. They walked in unison, Tegoshi as a female, attracting more attention than was necessary. “Umm Maru?” the general whispered in hushed tones, “Where do you think Ryo and Tatsuya went?”
“I don’t know.”
Awkward silence.
“Maru let’s go back to the inn!” Tegoshi looked overly anxious, “I have a bad feeling about this whole Sendai thing… just being on the street makes me uncomfortable. I don’t know why but I think something is going to happen.”
“I think you’re uncomfortable because you’re paranoid of your cousin,” Maru mused.
“You’re always so sharp with your words,” the general forced a laugh, “…do you think Ryo loves me or just feels sorry for me?”
“Are you basing this off your distrust for Ryo or are you basing this off your cousin’s uncanny ability to cause people to fall in love with him?”
“Both? And technically he’s not my cousin.”
“Then maybe,” Nakamaru put his hand on Tegoshi’s shoulder, “you should breathe for a while. Ryo loves you, mark my words. He feels forever indebted to you for what he did to, or caused your family but he only did it for you!”
“Killing my only remaining family was for my good?” Tegoshi sent a withering look back but Maru held firmly.
“Think about how you treated the rest of your family in war Tesshi,” Maru said gently, “how was he to know that you didn’t want the rest dead if you are never open with words? Only after the war ended did he figure out what you wanted and then it was too late… He never wanted your family dead by sieging but because they ARE dead, he torments himself with the blame!”
“…But all I wanted was for the war to end quickly,” Tegoshi’s voice began to crack, “All I wanted was for my father to recognise me but they’re all dead… yet I still love Ryo even though he caused it! I gave the order to attack so I can make sure my family stays alive but Ryo changed it! THE PEOPLE IN THE CASTLE COULD HAVE LIVED!!! …But I still love him. Yuichi, do you know how terrible it is to love someone like this and not be sure how he even feels about you? Ryo is such an unreadable man I can’t help but go insane when he-
“Then talk to him! What have you got to lose at a time like this?!”
“…I’m afraid to know the answer after what went down in the general’s tent,” Tegoshi answered honestly, “Ryo has always been attentive of Tatsuya, even you have to agree.”
“He’s very political,” Maru admitted, “but surely he loves none but you. I’m sure by now he’s confessed undying love to you so WHY do you press on with your insecurities?”
“Tell me then, whose name does he call when you two had sex?”
The question threw Maru off balance. He thought Tegoshi had let everything slide but obviously the man’s grudge-holding weakness was here to stay. “Yuya,” he replied simply with a poker face. “I can tell you the truth that he calls out Yuya, but what good is asking me when your mind is set that he’s cheating on you?”
“I still think we should go back to the inn.”
“NAKAMARUUU!!!!” Jin came tearing back even faster than when he’d left, “I LOST JUNNO AROUND A CORNER!!!!”
[A few hundred meters down the road]
“HEY!!! GET BACK HERE!!!” Junno was still chasing, oblivious to his surroundings which had gotten strangely desolate. The thief ran like there was no tomorrow, but thankfully, he could spot a troop of soldiers on patrol.
But before Junno could yell for help chasing the robber, the ROBBER started waving his arms and calling “ROBBER!!!”
Did that robber just point at me and call me a robber? But surely I don’t look like a-
“You there! Halt!” an armed patrol soldier stopped to point an accusing finger at Junno, “were you chasing this man and intending to rob him?”
“Who me?” Junno stared incredulously, “Does a man dressed as I am look like he’s going to steal from a peasant?” Oh God. “No- wait, that came out completely wrong and conceited but with all seriousness, I was chasing him because HE stole a bag from a madam on the street!”
The soldier narrowed his eyes menacingly and looked him up and down. “You speak with a Kyoto accent… I know all about you rich bastards from the capital - stealing from the poor here up North. This man looks like he’s been forced into slavery and running away from you!”
“How the Hell do you come to such a conclusion?!” Junno desperately tried to explain in a rational voice, paying careful attention to the way he was being circled by a dozen soldiers carrying spears, “I would be the LAST person to do that! I’m-“ He bit his tongue before the truth came spilling out. When one is the emperor, things are easy to solve. Nobody goes against you because of who you are… but without the royal shield, what is he?
“You’re what?” the soldier sneered, “Rich? Powerful? Well I’m sorry SIR, I don’t know who you are! All I know is that you big-shots from down South don’t do a thing good here… so we’re gonna have some fun with you, if you get what I mean…”
“Insolence!” Junno yelled as the circle advanced, “You’re officials employed by the Lords who serve the Emperor! How dare you! I swear if you so much s touch a hair on my head I will have you-
“Beheaded?” a few men jeered, “Like what? You’re the emperor himself? Oh you’re a funny guy-
Not a lot of men got to finish a sentence that night, and only two will ever utter another sentence again. For the dashes of black through the already dark night were so lethal and fast, all Junno could see was the fluttering of leaf litter and a dozen dead bodies fall at his feet - then he tasted metal and felt warmth dripping down his cheeks.
One thing never to do as an emperor: chase random robbers, it might be a trap.
Second thing: never argue with soldiers who hate you when they don’t know who you are, it might get you circled.
Third thing: if those soldiers die in front of you and there is somehow a sword is left behind, don’t pick it up and examine it for clues.
Fourth: make sure no witness walks by conveniently after people die.
And one last thing: If you’re going to do all of the above, at least make sure all the soldiers are dead or they might testify against you in court.
[Sendai Provincial Courthouse]
“Name?” the tired-looking official at the table yawned and looked over at the kneeling Junno. “Goddamn you Kyoto murderers… can’t you do it at a more reasonable hour at night? I wanted a sleep-in this morning!”
“Ta- err, Miura Seiji,” Junno stammered, “I am Miura Seiji.”
“And according to a tip-off from a passer-by, you killed a dozen of Sendai’s patrol soldiers, am I correct?” He yawned again, wiping the spittle from his moustache.
“NO!! Someone else did!”
“Can anyone testify for that?”
“Err, no?”
“Can you prove you didn’t do it?”
“….”
“Were the soldiers alive when you saw them?”
“YES!! AND THEN THEY-
“Are they all dead now?”
“Yes but-
“Did you see anyone else in that area?”
“No but-
“So sum up what you’re just said.”
“…I was alone and they are all dead…”
“So you did it, basically. OK men, case closed! Behead this Kyoto man immediately and I will go back to bed!”
“EEEEHHHH?!?!”
[Inn]
“Good morning all!” Jin did a lazy stretch as he sauntered into Nakamaru’s room. Kame followed soon after, clutching his lower back and hobbling slightly.
“Jin, I’d hate to sound pessimistic,” Maru said, “but where is Junno?”
“Isn’t he in Tatsuya’s room?” Jin shrugged, “he’d be back by now chasing a normal robber…”
“No, I was in Hime-san’s room last night,” Ryo appeared out of nowhere, still trying up his kimono.
“And what exactly were you doing in that room all night Ryo?” Tegoshi also appeared, looking decidedly sour.
“Nothing I swear!” Ryo sauntered up to Tegoshi and enveloped him in an embrace, “When I came back from a drink with Hime-san, you were already asleep in Maru’s room and I didn’t have the heart to wake you up…”
Tegoshi rolled his eyes at Ryo’s pouting and blushed slightly. “Fine fine,” he said, “just stop blocking the hallway and let’s try and find Junno. Maybe he got himself another room because the six of us took up all the space?”
“That’s not true,” Jin pointed out, “Me and Kazu were in the room with three futons.”
“You were also having sex,” Maru didn’t skip a beat, “in which case Tegoshi’s idea seems quite possible.”
“True that,” Jin nodded seriously before being hit over the head by a table Kame had brought out from one of the rooms.
“You mean the tall man never came back all night?!” Ueda exasperated, “But-
“I was up here all night in the doorway playing checkers with the cook milady,” the innkeeper shook his head, “and not a soul came by! Mind you, I did hear that a tall man from Kyoto did a heinous murder last night! He’s going to be executed tomorrow. But truly that wouldn’t be your husband would it?”
“My husband?.... oh yes, err, my husband. Yes he is my husband,” Ueda sighed upon realising he was in women’s clothes still, “Wait, no! He’s my husband but he didn’t kill anyone!”
The innkeeper gave him a quirky look.
“NO!! I MEAN THE MAN CAUGHT FOR MURDER ISN’T THE SAME MAN WE’RE TAKING ABOUT!!!” The quirky look continued before Ueda gave a groan and stalked off in the general direction of their rooms, panicking inside.
“Maru!!!!” he burst into Nakamaru’s room at the speed of light, hopeful for Junno to have appeared but unfortunately, life is not that simple.
“Is he here?” Tegoshi piped up.
“No,” the empress shook his head, “but…. Never mind. I might know where he went. I’m heading out!”
“To where?” Ryo grabbed Ueda’s sleeve before he could run out of the room, “Where do you think you’re going dressed like this? At least put on some men’s clothing or you’ll just get raped when you head out! And beating the shit out of them will take up time!”
“I can take care of that myself Ryo,” Ueda shook him off, “thanks anyway.”
“Hime-
The sliding door slammed and Ryo could hear Ueda already in his room, sorting through his luggage with a few metallic clangs.
“So,” Maru concluded, “our emperor and empress are now missing. Men, this isn’t something we haven’t come across before so how do we deal with it?”
“Keep calm and drink tea,” Kame replied, “they’ll come back eventually.”
“Excellent idea,” Nakamaru massaged his temples, “Let’s do that and not panic like we have been every time they go missing! IT’S NOT LIKE THEY CAN LAND IN A WORSE POSITION THAN LAST TIME OR THE TIME BEFORE THAT!! GODDAMIT!! WHY IS OUR EMPEROR SO GOOD AT CAUSING PROBLEMS?!?!”
[Sendai Prison]
“WHAT KIND OF A JUDICIAL SYSTEM IS THIS?!?!” Junno yelled from inside his cell, “I SWEAR I DIDN’T DO IT!!! I’M THE FREAKING-”
Wait… I can’t say who I am or Yamada Ryosuke will know exactly where I am, in which case everyone around me might be in danger!
“Shut ya trap ya murderer!” a guard walked by, “we’ll take our revenge soon enough…”
A black shadow danced across the walls of the dimly lit underground prison only subtly, but enough to gather the attention of the guards. “Who’s there?”
Nest moment, three guards lay motionless on the hard rock floor with needles sticking out of their necks. Ueda Tatsuya emerged from the shadows the very picture of a female assassin, eyes hardened icily.
“T-Tatchan…” Junno’s heart skipped a beat, “they’re not dead, are they?” His mind wandered back to the Osaka riverside, and to the Hokkaido palace where Ueda had last displayed his incredible talent in the art of merciless killing. It did not take much to forget that the beautiful man was really dangerous beyond comprehension, but is equally easy to be reminded.
“They’re just knocked out Junno,” Ueda sighed, “they’ll be fine. You’ve changed me for some reason… normally I would have just taken them out.”
“Thanks… even though they’ve got the wrong side of the story, they’re still Honshu’s citizens and I still have a duty to protect them,” Junno smiled, “and just to clarify, I didn’t kill anyone.”
“I know. And that’s why I’m busting your ass out of here,” Ueda said as he started probing around for keys in the guard’s clothing, “and we’re getting out of Sendai as soon as I do so. I snuck into the courtroom and I’ve read the documents… framing you for such a serious offence is definitely not a coincidence. Yamada Ryosuke has you in checkmate and he wants you dead Junno, and I will not let him have his way. If I have to, I’ll break into the palace and kill that kid myself!”
“You can’t just bust me out of here!” Junno shook his head, “I refuse to leave!”
“Are you crazy?!”
“I’m not crazy!” Junno moved into a corner of his cell, “If I disappear, these guards will cop the blame! They’ll be beheaded, I’ll be a wanted man and Yamada Ryosuke will have a perfect reason to strike us down no matter where we are! I know he’s got us in checkmate, but there’s got to be a better way to solve this problem than to run from it!”
“DAMN YOU JUNNO I CAN’T HAVE YOU IN ANY MORE DANGER!!” Ueda gripped the bars of the cell until his knuckles turned white, “You’re the emperor for God’s sake! Can’t you be more considerate of yourself when we’re running for our lives?! And… think about my feelings too.”
“…Tat-chan I’m sorry,” Junno came out of his corner and reached out to caress Ueda’s cheeks through the bars, “but if thinking about your feelings means letting you reside as my weapon, I might have to keep ignoring them.”
“But Jun-
“Just watch me try and solve this without bloodshed Tat-chan,” Junno smiled, “if I didn’t do it, there has to be a way to prove that I didn’t do it.”
“I will not have you stay in this place!” Ueda protested, “Yamada might come to kill you!”
“He won’t come to kill me,” Junno laughed, “if he wanted to kill me, he would have done it last night. He wants the Lord of Sendai to kill me and I’m not going to let him. Ueda Tatsuya, I order you to leave me here and gather our men to my last hearing in court tomorrow before execution. I will get myself out.”
[Inn]
“….and that’s what he said.” Ueda sat down on the tatami of his room while Maru, Ryo, Tegoshi, Jin and Kame gaped at his story.
“THE FUCK?!?!?!” Maru was ready to tear out his hair, “AND YOU JUST LEFT HIM IN PRISON?!?!” He was fanning himself profusely with a serving tray and had turned a hilarious shade of angry red, like a cooked octopus. “Just because you’re his lover does NOT mean you can put the emperor himself in danger at your own judgement!”
“I see where Junno’s coming from though,” Ryo nodded, “Maybe it was the right thing, He must have some sort of proof up his sleeve if he’s going to prove himself innocent.”
“And no bloodshed,” Tegoshi sighed with adoration, “That’s why I serve him…. Such a brilliant ruler!”
“I think he’s off his nuts,” Kame frowned, “but it might be the only way forward without causing more problems than what we already are in.”
Jin nodded. “Agreed.”
Maru set the serving tray down on the floor and poured himself a shaky cup of tea, “So what? By vote, we’re going to leave our emperor in a prison, at the mercy of God knows who overnight and hope for the best tomorrow?”
“Let’s talk this over alone,” Ueda gave everyone a certain look and the room quickly became empty.
“I thought you were always rational, Nakamaru-SAN,” Ueda said sarcastically, “please stop losing your cool over anything Junno-related.”
“I think we both know why I’m losing my cool,” Maru shot back, “and I dare say you haven’t a worry in the world about Junno’s interests!”
“Interests?” Ueda narrowed his eyes, “I’ve been following what he wants and he wants to solve this problem peacefully.
“His interests are not what he wants,” Nakamaru sniffed, “Only a fool would think that the emperor always gets what he wants. Instead, to be an emperor one must resign to reality- that is, not to have anything go his way. His interests are to stay alive and out of harm’s way! YOU are doing the opposite ever since you came here!”
“YOUR interests, in other words. I know you care for Junno and I know as soon as this episode with Shikoku is over; this court will undergo some radical changes. But as long as I am alive to protect Junno, I will try and compromise between his safety and his happiness. Do you know how much he pains over the number of people who died getting him where he is now? He wants no more to die!”
“Sacrifices are always necessary!” Maru stared into Ueda’s eyes long and hard, “…you know that more than I do.”
“Sacrifices need to be made in time or they are worthless.”
“When is the right time, Your Highness?”
“…You’re pushing me Nakamaru, but I promise you, soon.”
[Jin and Kame’s room]
It was not difficult hearing the heated discussion from through the thin walls and the remaining four men sat with their knees tucked under their chin, rocking back and forth like children.
“I don’t like the way this is panning out,” Tegoshi frowned, “at this rate, they might go at each other’s throats.”
“They will,” Ryo nodded, “it’s a matter of time. So I think to solve all of this, if tomorrow doesn’t go well at court, we give the Sendai courts a bloodbath, rescue Junno, head straight to Kyoto and behead that Shikoku kid.”
“Gladly,” Kame agreed darkly. I like the idea of blood-bathing Sendai.
[Sendai Courtroom, next morning]
“This is your last chance blah blah blah… if you can prove your innocent, which you can’t, blah blah blah-
“I can!” Junno said, puffing out his chest, “If you’d just listen to me!”
“Then state your case or I’ll have to pay the guards for overtime work!” the official rolled his eyes, “and the call-out for the executioner!”
“Ok!” Junno jumped to his feet, “I would like a Coroner’s report into how those men died!”
“Why would you want that?”
“Because I want to know whether there was any dirt on their faces.”
“There was,” the official replied curtly, “they died faces to the ground.”
“And according to the witness, where was I in relation to them?”
“In the middle of a circle, I believe.”
“Then how could they die with their faces down, Your Honour?” Junno smiled smugly.
The courtroom burst into a frenzy of murmuring and the officials had to bang on his desk to quieten the men down.
“What do you mean?” the official peered over his desk.
“Think about it Your Honour,” Junno said, “If I had attacked the men while they were all facing me, they would have all fallen over backwards, with wounds in their front. Yet I’m willing to bet a million gold pieces that their wounds are on their backs, and they fell over towards me. That makes it impossible for me to be the killer because no man had moved from his position in the circle!”
“… I suppose you have a point,” the official acting as head judges leaned in to whisper to each other. “But young man, have you any proof of who committed the crime?”
“No idea, but I think whoever it was, intended to frame me!” Junno said definitely, “They were good enough to kill me, but wanted the Sendai lordship to take the blame! Executing me now would only walk straight into their dastardly plans Your Honour!”
In the public viewing seating, the other six men breathed a sigh of relief. Of nothing else, Junno had been born with a royal gift of persuasive speech and his exploits at being a detective as a child had finally paid off.
As the court decided what to do with this man who spoke nothing but clear reason, the main door opened and two men accompanied with a child entered the courts like they owned the place.
“Make way for Lord Kamenashi and his brothers!”
They DID own the place.
The court rose to their feet and knelt respectfully but Kamenashi Kazuya remained standing, face ash white mainly from makeup, but also from shock at seeing his brothers once again after so long.
Ryo gave a few desperate tugs on his sleeve to hide him but Kame remained as stiff as ever, fists clenched.
The elder Kamenashi turned to scrutinise what seemed like a beautiful woman.
He came close.
He came closer still.
“Young lady,” he mused and raised Kame’s chin with his fan, “you look positively familiar to me.”
A.N. EEEEEEEPPPP!!! Warning sirens going off everywhere!!! The last thing I would want to do is get caught by the Kamenashis right now hahaha