The Emperor's Rose

Chapter 57//Kiss Over The Wall

The night seemed to pass in a flash. Both the Emperor and Aiko slept more then in the three days they had been separated. The dawn broke over the palace. Servants rose and started attending to their daily routines while the royals slept.

Aiko woke up, her eyes fluttering like the wings of a butterfly. The dim sun peeked through a small gap in between the two rice screens. Aiko scrunched her eyes and inhaled the smell of the Emperor. They both seemed to have snuggled closer during the night. Aiko was resting on the Emperor's shoulder, while his hand was on her thigh, her left leg thrown over his body.

Aiko felt so comfortable she didn't even move. Soon after she woke, the Emperor started stirring. His eyes opened. Encrusted with sleep. Pure and glimmering like ponds in the mountains. His dizzy morning smile made her sleepily chuckle.
"Morning," Aiko mumbled.

"Morning," the Emperor answered.

Both of them just stared at each other. They would fall asleep and wake up more often with this view of each other.

Slowly, the hand which had been resting on Aiko's thigh ran along the lent of her leg, which was draped over his body, under the covers. It was pretty chilly that morning so Aiko didn't really complain.
"We should get up." The Emperor said, his voice lilting.

Aiko nodded, rubbing her eyes.

She stood up straight, maybe too quickly for her. The room soon started spinning and she dropped back down on the bed. Right onto the Emperor's chest. He gasped and hooked his arms around her chest.

"If you wanted a hug you could've asked," he gasped, slightly out of breath since Aiko was pushing on his chest and making it hard to breathe.

"As if!" She scoffed, immediately pulling away from him and accidentally tumbling off the bed, dragging the Emperor down with her. They both fell off the bed, the covered tangled around each other. The Emperor face planted in the ground.

Aiko couldn't help herself. She started laughing. A pure laugh, which made the Emperor stand up, startled. Her laugh was so sweet and sounded like wind chimes softly blowing in the gentle wind of summer.

Aiko was holding her stomach as she leaned on the side of the bed. The Emperor adjusted his kimono, and huffed. "It wasn't funny!" He snapped. But as Aiko continued laughing, the Emperor could feel a faint smile breaking on his lips. Her laugh was contagious. "You know what else is funny?" He asked. A playful and mischievous glint in his eyes. Aiko stopped laughing. Her eyes following the Emperor with all her attention.

He lunged for her, quickly picking her up in his arms and spinning her around. Aiko felt herself whiz in the air. The room a blur around her. She continued laughing. And surprisingly, so did the Emperor. A laugh escaped the walls he had built around himself.

Aiko was so happy she clung to his neck.
This moment seemed unreal. Too happy. Too sincere. But Aiko was enjoying it, so was the Emperor. Even though he didn't fully admit it to himself.

The Emperor then turned to the bed and dropped Aiko on it, quickly falling on her, but catching himself with his arms. His lips so close to Aiko's. They both stared into each other's eyes. Bending down, the Emperor brushed his lips to hers.

Someone knocked on the door, but it went unheard.
Aiko slowly raised her back off the bed to gently kiss the Emperor. Her hand passing on his neck. The kimono slipping off her leg. The Emperor's hand passing on the bare skin. Their lips still only brushing. His hands supporting her back. The sunlight slowly peeking inside. Aiko's long hair spilled around her. The sheets tangled in a mess.

The doors were quietly opened, thinking the Empress was asleep.

The four maids slowly scuttled inside, almost having a heart attack. Eriko was the first one to react and quickly pushed all of the maids outside. Once they were all outside, wide eyed and panting, Eriko whispered to them all, "Not one word! Not one single word!"

All the maids nodded, terrified by the tone of her voice. Slowly, Eriko relaxed and tried shaking all of the adrenaline away from her. Eriko turned to the door, knocking on it so hard, her knuckle became blue.

In the room, the Emperor had just started kissing Aiko properly when the knock resonated around them. Aiko quickly pushed the Emperor away. "My maids! I told them to come today to get me ready early today! I have to meet my sisters!" She exclaimed suddenly, remembering the not which had been given to her the day before.

The Emperor widened his eyes. He was slightly furious. He hadn't had the chance to kiss his Soon-To-Be-Empress, just skimmed her lips. He had wanted to kiss her again. Relive the moment of three night ago, maybe now creating a wonderful memory even Aiko could remember and not just him.

Aiko quickly started fixing herself. The Emperor soon started helping, coming back from his thoughts. After she was presentable she called to the door, "Just a moment please. I'm in the bathroom!"

Aiko quickly fell off of the bed, throwing open the doors. Her kimono blowing in the wind. The Emperor quickly pulled it down. Aiko turned to him with a questioningly glare. "These are only mine to see." He thought. He just smirked at her.

"Get on the other side!" Aiko exclaimed, gesturing.
Just then, Aiko noticed there seemed to be a ladder leaning against the wall. She widened her eyes and pushed the Emperor to it. "It looks like the gardeners have forgotten!" Aiko exclaimed happily.

The Emperor laughed. "Not really,"

Aiko stared at him. "What do you mean?"
"I asked them to stick it to the wall. There's an identical one on my side." The Emperor said proudly. "It's going to be much easier like this," he said said simply, referring to visiting each other. Even during the night.

Aiko hastily pushed him to the ladder.
"I will have time to get mad about this later, go now!" She snapped at him.

The Emperor quickly started climbing the ladder. As soon as he was standing in between the walls( in a perilous place, switching sides) Aiko started climbing the ladder as well, she arrived at the top of the wall as the Emperor slowly started climbing down his ladder.

They were both facing each other. Standing on the ladders, their faces barely an inch apart. The wind blew. Blowing her hair around, her red eyes filled to the brim with barely hidden sadness. The Emperor's heart seemed to reflect her state of mind. But his eyes only showed a hint of this pain.

They knew maybe they wouldn't have another chance to meet each other in the days to come. This filled Aiko extremely with a heart shattering sadness she had never experienced before. She didn't like it, but as she tried to push it down, it just grew stronger. Just the thought of reliving the past three days made her heart tremble. Aiko grasped her kimono sleeve tightly, hoping the Emperor felt the same.

What she didnt know, was that he was feeling the exact same thing, and asking himself if Aiko felt the same thing. Both presumably blind to the deep sorrow in each other's eyes.

"You need to go now," Aiko mumbled. Her voice heavy. She coughed, pretending something was stuck in her throat.

The Emperor stretched his hand out, and slowly caressed her cheeks, afraid she would hit him. Instead, she leaned in and closed her eyes. Her soft hair, gently moved by the wind passing softly on his hand.

The Emperor quickly threw himself forwards, clasping her face in his hands, kissing her passionately. Aiko widened her eyes and before she could stop herself she leaned in the kiss.

What sight must it have been for the maids as they peeked in the room. The Empress and the Emperor standing over the walls, sharing a passionate kiss. Such longing and passion in the embrace. Aiko, after various minutes, pushed him away.
"Goodbye Hisato," Aiko said slowly, tasting the sound of his name for the first time in her lips.

"Goodbye Love," the Emperor said, before ducking down. His heart shaking at the thought of his words.

Aiko blushed as she ran down the ladder, gathering her skirts and running to the doors, before yanking them open.

"Hello!" She exclaimed happily. A smile on her face.
Not even one maid could face her without a blush creeping on their faces as the thought of what they saw. Aiko smiled, wondering why they couldn't meet her gaze. Maybe it was better she didn't know why.