Silver Princess

6. Protecting the Red-Haired Princess

Aki and Zen both look up to their oldest brother, Izana. They remember the time where Izana had asked for one of the most craziest things on his seventeenth birthday.

"I want a castle on the border of Lido territory and Sui territory."

Everyone burst out in mutters after his request. Zen and Aki were standing in the room. Zen, eleven years old at the time, understood what Izana was asking. Six year old Aki's memories were a mess at this time, so she didn't know what was going to happen next.

"Are you going to fix the feud between the two territories?" She had asked Izana once while he was reading her a bedtime story.

Izana had paused, wondering how this young girl's intuition was always so accurate. He smiled and patted her head.

"Not fixing it," he replied. "I'm ending it."

Aki stood behind Zen as they watched the retainers of the two lords from Lido and Sui complain about the feud between the territories and how it had gotten worse.

Zen was visibly displeased and didn't understand what his brother was up to. Rumors had started to spread around the castle about how Izana was simply playing with the two territories. Aki had burst out in anger, temporarily silencing the rumors. But no one would listen to the little Princess who knew nothing.

"You look displeased, Zen." Izana pointed out once when all three siblings were in Izana's room.

Aki was laying down next to her oldest brother as he was reading and Zen was standing, only coming to check in.

"I heard that the retainer from Sui was exiled from the land by his lord." Zen reported.

Izana had nodded. "Apparently the one from Lido hasn't been showing up recently either. I wonder if something happened."

"You wonder?!" Zen shouted in shock. Aki flinched at the loudness of his voice, surprised at the outburst. "... Sorry, Aki."

She gave him a reassuring smile and Zen gave a relieved smile back.

"That aside," Izana closed his book and looked at his younger siblings. "I was thinking of us going and having a look at my castle. Let's drop by and visit some places as well."

By 'places', he had meant the Lido and Sui territories. They visited both lords and had said the same things.

"Are you aware that the other lord is using the people's property in an attempt to bribe me? What benefit would I get from a land where all the people have lost their power?"

Both lords had replied in the same manner as well.

"That's... something that foolish person would come up with."

Aki noticed how uneasy each lord looked when they visited. And she had sensed how powerful Izana's choice of words were. She had a slight shiver down her spine at his tone.

"A lord who tortured his people like that should just be shot in the back and die."

Zen had looked at his brother in fear and Aki had grabbed the corner of Zen's shirt.

Soon, both lords were caught managing illegal businesses in attempt to raise money. Aki watched in awe as Izana easily appointed the two former retainers of the overthrown lords as the successors of the two territories. It had all happened so smoothly that it terrified some influential people.

Zen and Aki were watching Izana practice his bow and arrow shooting abilities a few days after the affair.

"I'm sorry, Aniue," Zen had apologized. Aki looked up from her medicinal book. "I thought... you took advantage of them and were playing around."