Turned Table of the Phoenix

The Head of the Table

The news of the arrangement would not be shared for a while, I had asked Emperor Hitoshi to give my new husband and I time to talk and make arrangements. I choked on the words husband. Katashi was not the man I had become close too. I threw myself on my bed and rolled myself up in the sheets.

Katashi shocked me with his words about the queen. Why did he care about her? What did he know? I had to eliminate her once and for all. Perhaps getting close to her was just what I needed. I removed myself from the bed and took off down to Empress Saku Miyo's chamber.

I knocked softly on her door, opening it ajar with the slightest push.
"Empress.."

Before I could even finish my sentence I was cut off by the words of the Empress.

"Princess! I've waited for you to come visit me. After all, we are basically mother and daughter, yes"?

I wanted to roll my eyes or yell at her, but I had to be a pleasant as possible.

"Yes Empress Saku Miyo".

She clucked her tongue, in a sound of disappointment.

"Call me mother".

The words were like poison on my tongue, I couldn't bare saying those cursed words.

"Yes mother".

Her eyes glowed and she shuffled on the mat on the floor. She patted the ground next to her as she sat down the embroidery work. I glanced at the beautiful silk threads and the images the colors created. The work was almost complete, there was a vibrant blue sky and in the center, was a soaring Phoenix.

"Mother, your work is very tasteful indeed".

She nodded and touched her plump red rose lips and smiled.

"Well you know why I decided to create this piece? Well the Phoenix is a beautiful creature, it is a symbol of strength and power. The astounding thing is, that the amazing creature is immortal, but as everyone in life, we all have our weaknesses. Those weaknesses can be the end of us".

The room appeared to become darker as clouds blocked the sun from its rays. The Empress went down onto her hands, edging towards me.

"There are stories we know, stories we do not want to tell, and stories that mold our mind into believing something that isn't true".

Her dark eyes appeared to know every sin I had ever committed.

Saku Miyo leaned away from me back to where she was originally sitting. The clouds continued their path and sunlight filled the room, however the endless feeling of fear would not leave.

"Well wasn't that a great chat! Now tell me why did you come here"?

I had to think quickly.

"Well I would like you to come and join me for dinner, the Emperor is also invited as well".

"Do not forget your husband"!

How could I possibly forget him? Oh wait I wanted to forget about him.

"Of course"!

I bowed and made my way towards the door but before I could leave, the Empress stretched her hand outward, as if I should pause.
"You'll never know how much I truly care for you".

I simply nodded, closing the door behind me.

Words can be heavily filled with lies.

......................................

Katsuro twirled his thumbs on the bed and didn't meet my eyes as he tried to gather a plan.

"Well I have one idea, but it may be a bit extreme".

"Just do it I don't care! I want this wicked woman out of my life forever"!

Katsuro shrugged and got off the bed.

"Don't tell me I didn't warn you, because I did...".

.......................................

The four of us sat at a long table with a silk tapestry that ran from corner to corner.

The servants came with trays of food, covered with decorated lids. I could hardly wait to eat the boiled eggs with roasted duck and quail. I sat back in my seat as the servants placed napkins on our laps. When a servant sat a dish down in front of Saku Miyo, when I looked closer, the man was trying to hide his face. I knew it was Katsuro.

I stood up and said with a loud voice, "thank you for dining with me, I hope you enjoy the remarkable food the chef has prepared for us".

They all nodded in agreement and the servants went to take the lids to present the food. There was a soft clang as the metal scraped the metal, but then there was a sound I didn't expect. A loud; ear piercing scream. I looked across the table and saw as the Empress jumped out of her seat, knocking the chair to the floor. Her eyes were wide in horror and her skin seemed to turn many shades whiter.

"Get this away from me"!

I tried to dodge around the view of food and servants in the way as they all tried to look and see what the matter was. I finally managed to see what was happening.

This was past a bit extreme.

Katsuro had warned me, but I never thought a man as kind as he would be capable of doing something such as this. I was horrified as well.

The blood drained from my face and my body felt numb. There was nothing I could do to take back what Katsuro had done. I walked around the table towards the Empress and managed to get a better view.

I saw the figure of a man's head.

This couldn't be happening.

The emperor, though horrified reached towards a piece of paper and read aloud-

"Here is the head of the man the Empress loved, even when sealed by matrimony".

Next to the head was another letter. A love letter I would assume. The "last letter" the Empress would receive from him.

Katsuro... what have you done?