The Prince’s Bride
Chapter 2
Surprises
Enma sighed for the hundredth time, and leaned his huge frame on the balcony’s railing. Actually, it was a side of a marble wall left unfinished, with hollowed-out designs. He had often wondered how the marble frame held and why it managed to support his thousand-or so pound weight while it was clearly not too safe, not to mention that a thousand years had passed since it was constructed.
“Ahem, Enma-sama,” a whiny voice interrupted his rambling thoughts. He turned to face the green-eyed old man who was obviously fawning over him. Pity he was an envoy from Linae, aling with his son.
“Hai?” he said in his scariest voice. This person irritated him somehow.
The envoy quailed and continued, “...W-well, your Majesty, as we were saying, Baron Faust of Linae, my cousin, sends you and the prince his warmest greetings. He sends his congratulations for the coming of age of the great prince. He also sends his apologies for not being able to attend the grand celebrations tomorrow and—“
“Yes, you’ve been saying that since you got her, Now, what do you really want?” he said unceremoniously.
“Well, Your Majesty, as my father was about to say,” the younger man interjected smoothly, the Baron is greatly pleased that the prince is to be crowned at last. However, it brings to mind another matter, in which the family of the Baron is concerned, and of which he asked us to remind you.”
Enma’s eyebrows shot up. “And pray, can you tell me what that important matter is?” he asked with gritted teeth. The ground began to tremble a bit. He found the son, with his snooty attitude, more irritating than the father. Too bad the council of demigods did not approve hid losing his temper.
“Why, the wedding of course, great Enma Daioh-sama. Kotennyo-hime’s father prevailed on us to ask when you wanted the joining ceremonies to be,” the young man replied.
“What wedding?” a new voice said suddenly, making them turn to the doorway. There stood Prince Koenma in his regal best, with his hair smoothened back from his eyes. He bowed. “Good afternoon, father. You wanted to see me?” he said.
“Yes, my son. It seems your ferrygirl Botan did a good job of finding you. I expected you to come a bit later.”
“Ah, prince Koenma Daioh-sama! We are very glad to meet you, your Majesty, very, very glad,” the old man exclaimed, bowing low before him.
“As I am pleased to see you,” he answered gravely, inclining his head.
“ I called you at the behest of the lords of Linae. They have some something to say from the Baron Ito,“ Enma said, barely hiding pride for his son, who had apparently learned the formalities well.
“Ah, yes,” Koenma nodded. “So tell me good sir, how goes the harvest this season?” he asked, having read how fond the Linaeans were of formality and talking about (and bragging about) their harvest.
“It goes well, thank you, Your Majesty,” he replied, his eyes brightening. “The peasants are sometimes too contentious, I admit, but my son here had assisted the baron and actually, our profits are—“
“I’m Yamada, oh great Prince. It is a pleasure to meet you,” his son cut in quite abruptly, Enma suspected because the old retainer was about to reveal how much greater their profit was than what their agency reported. The envoy’s eyes were cold as he bowed to the prince. “You were starting to get to the point, I believe,” the emperor interjected amusedly. He frowned and added, “Now, what about the wedding you were talking of that concerns my son’s coronation?”
“Well, yes, your Highnesses” the young man turned to the towering emperor after bowing to Koenma. “ It is the wedding between Kotennyo-hime and our future emperor.”
“WHAT??!!” exclaimed the emperor and his son. A tremor shook the ground. “What are you talking about?” Enma added, as Koenma stared at Yamada in horror.
The young man sighed, running a hand over his dark hair. He was coming to the hard part. “Here, highness, “ he said, holding a sealed envelope to the prince, who broke the seal..
“The late Gendo, your majesty’s father and Baron Faust’s late father had been great friends before, your majesty,” he started to explain as Enma nodded, scowling. Gendo had been weaker than most emperors, he knew, and he was a bit ashamed of calling him father. “Years ago, they were such good friends that they made a binding contract—what the prince here is reading—to the effect that the next heirs of the Ito and Daioh families are to be married to each other. That means Koenma-sama, and Kotennyo-hime,” he finished, with a hint of bitterness in his voice.
Enma brooded for a moment before turning to his visibly paling son. “Is everything in order?” he asked coldly. “Y-yes, father. It has the personal seal of grandfather,” Koenma replied.
“Moreover—“ Yamada’s father began as he signaled his servant oni to come forward. He was holding a rectangular object draped in blue velvet. “We carry with us a bauble from the late emperor to prove his regard.” He drew back the velvet to uncover a glass-encased velvet pillow.” Perhaps you might remember this.” Koenma gasped as he saw what was revealed. “Hajime the great’s demon necklace!” he said, recognizing the jewelry lying on the pillow from a picture.
The ground lurched as Enma howled angrily. “We’ve been searching for that since my father’s death!” he growled, “and you tell me he just left it with Ito’s family?” His father had to be insane, he figured, to do such an abominable thing. It was one of the most valuable treasures of the country, for goodness’ sakes!
“Yes, your Highness,” Yamada assented gravely. Koenma, meanwhile, snatched the case. He frowned, recognizing something familiar in the power radiating from the necklace. “It’s still okay,” he replied to his father’s questioning look. “It ought to be,” Yamada said wryly. Many had died who wanted to possess it in our land. We are returning it to you now.”
“Tell me, why did your family not tell us about the necklace earlier, and about my father’s arrangement with your uncle?” Enma demanded of the old man, his great voice still sending the room to shaking.
“It was not our decision to make, your majesty,” he answered. “ Uncle Yoji made us all take solemn oaths not to tell anybody. After your father died, Enma-sama, our family faced constant danger.” The emperor nodded. The Ito family had made many enemies, most of them of the powerful ones, especially in his father’s reign. “ Mayhap it was because of this that my uncle didst deem it appropriate to hide Kotennyo’s betrothal to the prince,” he continued. “He knew that the heirs of Linae would’ve be in too much danger if word got out of this sooner.”
Koenma nodded unconsciously. He met Kotennyo when he was little, even had a passing crush on her, and knew how right the old man was. She was your typical little rich girl—prim, protected and too weak to lift a finger.
“And of course, we had to keep the necklace secret, both as proof and to hide the arrangement,” he finished.
“All right,” Enma admitted grudgingly. “Your reasoning seems sound. However, you must return the necklace to the royal treasury.”
“ Of course, great Enma…But when will the joining ceremonies occur?”
“I hadn’t exactly said yes to that now, did I?” he answered. “You aren’t really thinking of agreeing, father?!” Koenma said in a horrified voice. He didn’t even know the girl anymore!
“Perhaps not, good rulers,” Yamada interjected, “But forgive me for saying a compact is a cmpact after all. And may I present the most beautiful spirit in Linae—and I daresay Reikai..Kotennyo-hime.” With that, he brought out a small remote from his pocket and pushed a button. A hologram of the princess appeared. Enma’s and his son’s eyes flew wide.
She was very cute and girlish, with curly pink hair cut short and very black eyes. Though a bit short, her curvy figure was attractive. Her dress was form-fitting with a low front and she had on much jewelry. She waved and gave them an inane giggle before the hologram faded.
Enma cleared his throat. “She is—uh, very attractive.”
“I agree, father” his son
said, still a bit stunned at how his childhood crush had grown.
“..But we’ll have to
discuss this further,” the king added. ”For now, I’ll accept that my son
has a fiancée. Let’s just see, after the coronation what is to be done.”
Yamada and his father bowed. “As you wish, your majesty,” they said, and tactfully excused themselves, leaving the prince and his sire alone. Before he went, however, Yamada gave the remote to the prince.
“Well, son, I guess you’re engaged, “ Enma said simply. His son only nodded, fingering the remote, still unsure if he wanted to be married. He moved to stare out the balcony again.
“You had best be going now. “ he added lightly and looked at hiim from the corner of his eye. “What will you do now, by the way?”
“Um, I’m going to the Ningenkai with Botan-chan, father…You told me it’s my free time,” he said a bit defensively.
“Ah, yes,” he said, with an odd glimmer of triumph in his eyes. “You can go with her, since I told you you have nothing else to do.” He paused, then continued, “ tell me, Koenma, my son, if I tell you to do something against your better judgement, not that I will, will you still obey?”
His son looked up at him and answered firmly, “No, father. I would not. Not ever.” He refused to bring up the case of Yuusuke, his former Tantei.
“Very well, go now,” he said abruptly after a long pause.”
“Yes father. Be well,” Koenma said, leaving with some relief. He still couldn’t forget the spankings his sire gave him. Enma really had a firm hand. He did not sense the pride that came to his father’s features before it returned to its usual calm.
“ I know you’re there,” he suddenly said in a quiet voice to the empty-looking room.
A cloaked individual appeared out of the shadows cast by the dying sun. “Well met, noble king of the dead,” it said in a low female voice.
“Well met, guardian,” he answered. “You still would not let me see your face, I see. So what do you think of her?”
A sniff of derision came from underneath the hood. “Poor competition.”
His eyebrows shot up, though he knew she couldn’t see it. “You still haven’t seen what she looks like, yet you would dismiss perhaps the most beautiful lady in Reikai. Such faith you have!”
“No, tis not simply faith,” she stubbornly said, shaking her head underneath the cloak. “She came from a royal line, all of whose members were famed for their perfection –both of form and nature. Indeed, it was they who inspired the Ningens into dreaming up the so-called “angels.” She would not disappoint—what you see now is only the beginning.
“We’ll see,” the emperor just said.
“Besides,” the visitor continued, “ Even I can see she’s stupid, and because of her, the holy demon’s spirit does not yet know its mistress.”
“..And are you planning to acquaint them to each other?”
“Of course. Don’t be alarmed when things start to happen. These things must be done.” She paused. “I can trust you to keep this to yourself, can I? You’re the only one we dare trust, you know, apart from the first of the Daiohs.”
Enma smiled. “ I’m touched,” he said wryly, “maybe more so because you have to trust me, since part of it’s happening in my reign. Don’t worry, though. Your secret’s safe with me.” He paused. “Would you like to watch the sunset with me?” He could sense something familiar with her that put him at ease, though he did not have any idea who she was.
“Yes, I believe I will,” she replied softly. And they stood there side-by-side, watching the fiery sun descend in a riot of colors..