Chapter 17

Hinoki’s foul mood had gotten noticeably worse after her impromptu audience with the Emperor. He had been very amiable about her unexpected intrusion into his palace, probably owing to the vast privileges afforded to the Yumekawa line as the reliable and preferred entertainers for his Imperial Highness’ last few forebears.

He had been less enthused about her reasoning, or rather her request.

Or, perhaps, demand was the more apt term for her presence.

Certainly, being the established oiran of the Imperial palace allotted several improprieties to be overlooked, such as commanding the Emperor to send a fleet of ships to rescue one’s errant child or telling his consort to keep out of their conversation. A lesser member of the court would’ve gotten the stocks for sure, if not worse.

Yumekawa Hinoki was not just some member of the court and even the Emperor laughed off the scolding directed at his consort, though his mirth didn’t reach his eyes.

Chisato, for her peace, didn’t even make eye contact with the Emperor throughout the entire ordeal, although his Shizhong tried and failed to send mental signals for the Jewel’s lady-in-waiting to get her out of there.

Thus the highest-ranked, untitled member of the Yuilen Imperial Court had spent the rest of the day fuming in her bedchambers.

“I told you it was ill-advised, Hinoki-sama.” Chisato finally got the statement out after spending most of the day standing stone-still by the door.

“You didn’t do your very best to stop me though, did you, Chisato?”

Chisato felt her eyebrow twitch, somehow feeling the blame of the Jewel’s sure to be infamous tantrum shifting to her. She’d be loath to admit that she hoped the legendary gossipers of the back palace had already made the incident spread all the way down to the chambermaids.

“I do believe I told you that you should let me at least place your kanzashi on your head before entering the main palace, Hinoki-sama…”

Hinoki turned her gaze, which had been mostly kept outside her windows, back to the lady by her door, scoffing. “Do you think my not wearing my full garb was the issue?”

“No, but perhaps the guards at the corridor, and at the entrance to the court, and near the throne itself and the Shizhong and the consort…” Chisato said, folding each of her fingers down as she listed the number of people observant to the events, her eyes avoiding the glare of the oiran. “...would’ve been more likely to stop you from making yourself a huaji-ist.”

“Are you saying that I was being a fool?”

Chisato bowed slightly, to hide the grin from her face as well as to try and stop herself from snickering.

“Only the biggest short of Ahoro from your grandmother’s generation.”

“Chisato, I’m starting to think that you’ve forgotten your position.”

“Believe me, Hinoki-sama, I haven’t.” Chisato stood back to her full height, a sardonic smile on her lips. “Part of my duties as your lady-in-waiting is to stop you from making a complete Ahoro of yourself.”

Hinoki’s glare was pure venom aimed at Chisato, but the lady-in-waiting seemed to have developed an immunity to it over the years. The Jewel scoffed loudly before turning her gaze back out to the setting sun reflecting off of the ocean, resting her chin on her hand.

Chisato’s eyes widened, fully believing she had just witnessed the first time Hinoki had conceded an argument in her life. She quickly composed herself, giving a quiet cough before deciding to speak once more.

“If I may speak out of turn, Hinoki-sama…”

“So now you ask for permission…”

Chisato smiled bitterly, ignoring the oiran’s comment. “...I don’t believe you were completely out of line, but I think you could’ve gone about it better. Perhaps sending a missive instead of barging into his chambers, or even requesting directly to one of the guards to see if they couldn’t find a vessel to go there. Your position more than affords you such options, don’t you think?”

Chisato glanced as Hinoki’s eyes remained focused out the window before muttering, “Anything is surely better than snapping at the consort to mind her own duties…”

Hinoki sighed, pulling back from her aimless gaze, meeting Chisato’s once again, a reticent look clouding her green eyes. “...what am I supposed to do then, Chisato? Kaede is my only daughter, out there in an unfamiliar place, with only an apprentice guard to protect her. I don’t think I would feel any less terrified even if she had the Divine Trio themselves with her. If something were to happen to her, especially with it being her first time beyond the walls of the palace, I don’t know if I ever could…”

Chisato had stepped over to Hinoki, the Jewel of the Back Palace, or rather, Hinoki, the mother and patted her shoulder offering reassurance. “I can’t begin to understand that fear, Hinoki-sama, as I am not a mother myself. You have to remember though, that Kaede-sama has a good head on her shoulders and she has been taught ways to take care of herself, if danger were to arise.”

A soft smile crossed the lady-in-waiting’s lips as she continued consoling Hinoki, “It might also be worth mentioning that Gakuto is the direct apprentice of Jiro-san, one of those Divine Trio, and Ryuta was an accomplished swordsman himself. That young man, who has been trained by two of Yuilen’s greatest warriors, won’t let anyone even close enough to bring harm to Kaede-sama.”

Chisato let those words hang in the air as she felt some of the tension leave Hinoki as she patted the woman’s back gently. “If I may continue to speak out of turn…”

“Why stop now?”

Chisato grinned slightly, patting the oiran once more. “Might I offer to suggest that upon Kaede-sama’s return to the palace, before you scold her, you convey these insecurities to her?”

Hinoki blinked questioningly as her eyes beheld the cheeky lady-in-waiting before her. “You really don’t hold back when speaking your mind, Chisato…”

“If I had held myself back, I’m sure you’d have been exiled from the court by now, Hinoki-sama!”

Hinoki let out an exasperated sigh before waving Chisato off.

“If I were to take your advice and tell Kaede these things, does it have to be before scolding her?”

Chisato was completely taken aback as Hinoki was openly considering her recommendation, perhaps for the very first time. Usually she scoffed at the lady-in-waiting’s counsel, only begrudgingly taking the advice without acknowledgement of its source.

“I do think it would be better before scolding than after, but…” Chisato trailed off, tilting her head and giving a heartfelt smile to Hinoki. “...either way, I think it would be best for both you and Kaede-sama.”

Hinoki nodded slightly, before turning away from her confidant. “I don’t know when you became so impudent, Chisato.”

Chisato stifled a laugh as she brought her hands together in front of her face, obscuring it from view behind her flowy sleeves, and bowing before stepping out of the room. She nearly stumbled over hearing the quiet “Thank you.” from Hinoki as she closed the door.