♦⊱ Chapter 35 - Festivities ⊰♦

Ruka pov:

"It's time for a break, Kichiro sama! I got us tea," I called, interrupting his kenjutsu practice.

He handed his katanas to Kijima before walking to me. We sat down in the hallway and I reached for the soft towel I had brought along first to dab the sweat that rolled down the sides of Kichiro sama's face. The sight of him shirtless had my mind wandering to flustering memories but I pushed them away so as to not embarrass myself in any way.

I had shifted to sit closer to him and I gently tapped the sides of his face with the towel, letting it absorb the sweat. "You're training as hard as usual."

I pulled away after wiping off most of the sweat and pushing some loose strands of his hair behind his ear. I gazed into his eyes lovingly and smiled as he pulled me forward into a kiss.

I was at first awkward about how openly Kichiro sama expressed his affection for me when in front of Kijima san and soldiers and maids but it wasn't long before I got used to it. I didn't have the heart to refuse him – I was just glad that the kisses we shared in the presence of few audiences were always chaste.

My lips curled up into a smile when Kichiro sama nipped gently at my bottom lip, still hesitant and learning to be more expressive and passionate in kisses. He cupped my face as we parted. I regarded him with another smile before I shifted away a little. I then poured tea into two cups from the kettle on the tray. I handed one to Kichiro sama and picked up one for myself to drink.

"Is it good?" I asked after he had taken a sip. He liked the tea to be made from freshly plucked leaves and I made sure to make it just that way every time.

He nodded and I smiled gleefully before drinking my tea. Post tea, Kichiro sama resumed kenjutsu practice while I remained seated, watching him. He looked so powerful and handsome – I think he had become even more handsome than before since we returned here half a year ago.

Life was perfect and I was happy in every moment of it. I was happy to be with Kichiro sama always. He had become even more possessive and protective of me ever since we became more intimate and I loved every bit of the special treatment I got.

Almost an hour passed with Kichiro sama practicing kenjutsu before he was interrupted by a messenger. The man got down on one knee and held out a roll of parchment to Kichiro sama. The latter took the scroll and read through it before handing it to Kijima san.

"Kijima, get a carriage ready. We are to leave soon to attend the Rice Festival in the neighboring district."

"Are we going to a festival?" I asked smiling wide as I stepped to Kichiro sama. He nodded and I laughed, excited, "It's been so long since I've been to a festival! This is so exciting! There will be food and games and fireworks and we get to wear fancy clothes! Oh, Kichiro sama, may I pick what you'll wear for the festival?"

He nodded to that as well, making me laugh cheerily again. Goodness, he was always so sweet to me!

I took a hold of his hand and hurried to our room so we could get ready. While Kichiro sama showered, I picked out our clothes. Since we were the emperor and empress, we had to wear clothes that screamed of royalty. I picked a kimono dress of blue and red for myself and matching attire for Kichiro sama. I changed into my clothes quickly and handed Kichiro sama his clothes when he stepped out of the shower. He curtly began to take off his bathrobe and I squealed while turning around and covering my face that had already turned several shades of red.

When we were dressed, attendants came in to do our hair and my makeup. I blushed when Kichiro sama and I looked at each other when we were ready. His attire was a snug fit robe with the royal emblem embroidered on his chest in bright gold. He wore his crown over the part of his hair that was tied up while the rest of the strands fluttered loosely. He looked incredibly handsome.

He then held his hand out for me to take which I did without hesitance. We walked to the entrance courtyard where a carriage had been arranged by Kijima san. Before we could step into the carriage though, Kijima san got down on one knee in front of us.

"Your Majesty, Your Highness, the two of you look astounding today. You are a perfectly matched couple," he said.

"It's true, Your Majesty, Your Highness," added Kyo chan, kneeling in respect.

Kichiro sama nodded in acknowledgement, after which we stepped into the carriage. We sat down next to each other and it wasn't long before the carriage began to move. As we left the palace compound and the village, I looked out of the window with a big smile.

"Wow! This is so beautiful! I've never traveled in a carriage before!" I chimed, glancing at Kichiro sama who was watching me silently.

"Ruka," he called after a few moments of silence. I turned to face him and noticed the beautiful pink flower he had in his hands. He leaned towards me and set it in my hair. When he pulled away, I touched the flower gently.

"Thank you, Kichiro sama," I said. I shifted closer to him and kissed his cheek. I laughed at the mild surprise in his expression before looking out of the carriage again until we arrived at the neighboring district where the festival was set up.

I was swept off my feet by the enthusiastic bustle of the festival. There were so many people, so much color and cheer around and the early-evening, orange sky only seemed to add to the ambience. Everyone fell silent when Kichiro sama and I stepped out of the carriage though. They bowed in deep respect while the village elder stepped up to greet us and formally welcome us to the festival.

"We are humbled by your presence this evening, Your Majesty, Your Highness," he said with a deep bow. "Please, come this way."

Kichiro sama straightened up as he followed the elder. Kijima san was a step behind him with two soldiers while I was a few more steps behind with Kyo chan and four soldiers by my side. We were lead to a gazebo in front of an elevated stage. We took seats on the large cushioned loveseat, made ourselves comfortable, then looked at the elder who came to stand next to Kichiro sama.

"The Rice Festival is celebrated as a symbol of health and prosperity in the land. It is the time when we harvest the rice crops and plant the new set of crops for the following year. This is the first year of the rule of His Majesty, Lord Kurai as the Supreme Ruler of all of Nihon and it is only right for him to be here with his empress and take part in this auspicious occasion." The elder eyed me for a moment before facing the center stage space in front of us.

Call it a girl's sixth sense – something about the elder made me uneasy. I hadn't liked the way he had looked at us, as if something vile was going on in his head. Out of the sudden desire to be cautious, I looked around once. I didn't see anything suspicious but I remained uneasy. The atmosphere lightened though when dancers stepped onto the stage and began the customary dance of the Rice Festival.

I relaxed and clapped, enjoying the performance. There was no need for me to worry about anything now. I'm sure Kijima san and the soldiers had our safety taken care of, after all.

After the first dance, the village elder stepped to us with a sake jug in hand. He bowed once before he spoke, "Your Majesty, Your Highness, we wish to have you toast to another prosperous year for our village and the empire at large."

Kichiro sama raised his cup so the elder could pour him a drink. I did the same, though awkwardly, and then eyed the liquid in my cup. The smell alone made my eyes and nose sting. I swallowed thickly, hesitant to drink it. I glanced at Kichiro sama as he finished his sake in one go. I looked back at my drink, grimacing – I guess I couldn't refuse because of it being customary and all. Sighing, I raised my glass to drink but I was stopped by Kichiro sama.

"Don't force yourself to drink," he said, taking the sake cup from my hands. "I will drink it instead of you."

"W-wait, I think I manage one cup," I said awkwardly.

"You should let her drink too, Your Majesty. We want her to be a part of the festival too," said the elder.

"She does not drink. I will drink in her stead," Kichiro sama said curtly and finished my cup of sake in one big gulp.

The elder didn't force me to drink but offered more sake to Kichiro sama. Somehow, I felt like the atmosphere had become really tense. Kijima san was tense with his fists clenched tightly, tightening with every extra cup of sake the elder poured for Kichiro sama. I too noticed something off about the elder and the others of the village – they glanced at us every now and then while whispering amongst themselves but Kichiro sama remained calm the entire time.

It was late when the festival ended so the elder insisted on us staying for the night. We were led to a really expensive inn and escorted to the most luxurious suite they had. While we walked, I glanced worriedly at Kichiro sama who stumbled a little every now and then. His face was flushed, probably from the sake, but probably not. Something seemed off, especially since he was sweating quite a bit.

"Kichiro sama!" I hollered in worry when he stumbled and fell forward. Kijima san caught him though and supported him.

"It seems His Majesty has had a bit too much to drink. Please rest well for the night," the elder said as we came to a stop in front of our suite. He bowed and excused himself. We stepped into the room after Kijima san instructed the soldiers to stand guard around the perimeter of the room. As soon as the doors of the room were shut, I hurried to Kichiro sama's side.

Kijima san laid him down on the bed and I caressed Kichiro sama's face only to gasp. In a hushed voice, I said, "Kijima san, he's burning up!"

"I'm aware of that, Your Highness," said Kijima san. "It's because he's been poisoned."

"Poisoned? What are you saying, Kijima san?" I asked sharply.

Before answering me, he had Kyo chan to bring a towel and a trough of water to help with reducing Kichiro sama's temperature. He then looked at me, meeting my worried gaze. He sighed but smiled slightly as he spoke, "Please do not look so worried, Your Highness. His Majesty will be fine."

"How is he going to be fine after being poisoned?! We have to find a doctor!" I hollered.

"We cannot do that, Your Highness. Rest assured, he will be fine. This isn't the first time he has been poisoned, after all."

"Not the first time? What do you mean, Kijima san?" I asked.

With another sigh, he asked me to sit down next to Kichiro sama. I did that and looked up at him expectantly. His brows were furrowed when he spoke, "The sake was poisoned. It isn't a very strong poison but it's is very dangerous for people who have never had it before. If you remember, I told you that Kichiro sama had been used for political power when he was a child. As a result, there were many times there had been attempts of his assassination. As a result, Kichiro sama is resistant to most poisons. A poison of this level won't harm him. He will be fine by morning."

"You knew the sake was poisoned? And, what you mean he's resistant to most poisons?"

"We knew that the sake was poisoned, which is why His Majesty didn't allow you to drink it. We cannot risk starting a fight here because of the instability of the provinces under His Majesty's rule after the war. As for your second question, His Majesty has, on his own accord, consumed many poisons over the years to become resistant to them."

My eyes stung at Kijima san's words. It seems there was still so much I didn't know about the darkness Kichiro sama had been shackled in when he was younger. How much he had to go through, how much he had to struggle, how much he had to sacrifice...

I looked at Kichiro sama, a single tear making its way down my cheek. His breathing was heavy and looked to be in pain. I reached to caress his face to soothe him, so thankful to him for protecting me and so sad that he was still being mistreated by his people. He didn't deserve this...he didn't deserve any of this! When would his suffering stop completely?

Inhaling deeply, I took a hold of his hand in mine. I rubbed soothing circles on the back of his hand. I would take even better care of him from now on – I wasn't going to let anything or anyone hurt him. I would do everything I could possibly do to make sure he never had to be alone again or be shunned or mistreated in any way.

"Please get better soon, Kichiro sama. And let's go home, let's go back to where no one can hurt you," I whispered, closing my eyes and bringing his hand to my forehead.

Kijima pov:

I stood a little away from His Majesty and Her Highness, merely watching as Her Highness took care of him as he slept, affected by the poison. I could see just how much she cared for him but I also felt bothered by how worried she looked.

Her worry was understandable and so was His Majesty's action to drink the poisoned sake in her place. She was the most important person to him and he always put her safety and happiness and comfort above all else, even himself. He was resistant to the poison and had not hesitated to choose suffering over harm to Her Highness' life.

But I was surprised that he had been so calm about it. If it had been in the past, His Majesty would have slaughtered everyone who had plotted against him the moment he had known of it. He had put the peace of his empire over his personal feelings this time, and had even considered the fact that Her Highness did not like the sight of bloodshed. He wasn't rash anymore. He had become a changed man, a respectable ruler after Her Highness, Ruka sama had returned.

Her Highness thanked Kyoko san when she handed her clean water. Her Highness replaced the cold cloth on His Majesty's forehead and caressed his face gently. I couldn't help but smile ever so slightly at how tender she was with His Majesty. I was glad that her feelings were genuine and that she had returned with us to be with His Majesty. He had been alone all his life, in a closed shell all his life, and Her Highness, Ruka sama was the only one who understood him like I did. Or perhaps, she understood him more than I did.

Several months ago, His Majesty had come to me with a rather embarrassing doubt – about a man and woman spending the night together. I was aware that His Majesty had no knowledge of intimacy, when he had had no idea of love itself until Her Highness confessed her love for him. I was clearly surprised that Her Highness had taken the initiative to teach him about intimacy...that's when I knew that her feelings for His Majesty was unconditional.

Every gesture of hers to him was unconditional.

"Shh, it's okay, I'm right here," she cooed when His Majesty groaned in pain. She caressed his face, looking over him with an affectionate smile. I averted my eyes and looked out of the window, giving them some privacy.

It was a little past midnight when I returned to His Majesty's side. Her Highness had not moved for even a moment, let alone slept and I coaxed her, "Your Highness, perhaps you should rest a while."

She met my gaze, slight bags under her eyes. She smiled and stood, "I want to be by his side, Kijima san. But I'll just wash my face and change into something comfortable. Please take care of him until I'm back."

"Of course, Your Highness," I said. She gave me a tired smile before going to the bathroom to wash up.

Fifteen minutes passed but Her Highness didn't return. I couldn't hear any sound inside the bathroom so I woke Kyoko san. Rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, she asked, "Is there something you need, Kijima san?"

"Her Highness went to change fifteen minutes ago but hasn't returned. Go and check up on her," I said.

With a nod, she got up and stepped into the bathroom. She had barely stepped into the bathroom when she called Her Highness' name in alarm.

I rushed into the bathroom only to find Her Highness on the floor unconscious. Kyoko san was cradling her head in her lap. She looked up at me, her eyes wide in fright, "Kijima san, she's fainted! Please, help me lie her down next to His Majesty so I can see what's wrong!"

Apologizing for my forwardness, I picked her up in my arms and carried her to the bed. I laid her down next to His Majesty. I watched in worry as Kyoko san checked up on her. Had she become tired because she was staying up while tending to His Majesty? Or worse, had the food been poisoned too and harmed her?

If anything happened to her, Kichiro sama would surely be livid.

Kyoko san retracted her hand from Her Highness after a few moments, a soft gasp escaping her lips. It made anxiousness rise in me. "What is it, Kyoko san? What has happened to Her Highness?"

I was worried that her expression of surprise would turn to one of horror and the entire village would be nothing more than a pool of blood when His Majesty awoke in the morning.

However, she turned to me with a flushed smile, one of happiness and excitement. I narrowed my eyes, asking again curtly, "What is it?"

"Kijima san, I...t-this is such wonderful news!" she said, the excitement clear in her voice.

"Wonderful news? What do you mean, Kyoko san?" I asked harshly. Why wasn't she giving me a straight answer?!

"Kijima san, Ruka sama, Her Highness is pregnant!" she answered with a beaming smile.

I tensed, a gasp getting stuck in my throat. "Are you sure?"

"Yes! She must be about six or seven weeks now! Isn't this so wonderful, Kijima san?"

"It is," I said airily, feeling a little weak in both happiness and relief. His Majesty and Her Highness were going to have their first child, the heir to the throne, a gift of the love they had for each other. I finally let a smile surface, "Congratulations, Your Majesty, Your Highness."

"The strain of the festival must have made Ruka sama faint. I'm sure she will be fine by morning, after a good rest," said Kyoko san.

"Yes...and thank the heavens that she didn't have any of the sake. I fear to imagine what could have happened otherwise," I mumbled. "Kyoko san, please take care of them."

"Of course," she said smiling, and replaced the cloth on His Majesty's forehead.

With a shake of my head, I walked back to the window to be on guard while the two of them rested. I smiled again as I looked into the distance – I was truly happy for His Majesty. He finally had a family, a family that was only growing in size. He had grown up into a fine man and a fine ruler. I was proud of him and humbled that I had been by his side this whole time.

I was looking forward to the all the years in the future where I would remain as his humble, loyal servant.

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KYAAAAAHHH!!! Ruka and Kichiro sama are going to be parents! Isn't that so wonderful?! I'm so happy for them, for finally getting all the happiness that they deserve! Can you all just imagine a chibi Ruka or a chibi Kichiro sama running about?! Kyahh! >w<

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