The princess was too proud, her second sister too headstrong. After giving the sword away, why try to reclaim it—knowing exactly who she was facing? Now she'd not only angered her future brother-in-law, she'd also left a poor impression on Biwako.
Seeing her stricken face, Ennosuke gently pinched her cheeks. "It's fine. He's just a kid. He forgets fast—especially when a pretty face is nearby."
Soon the hotpot was ready. Aoi knocked on Kaede's door, and Kaede opened it with a lazy, "Food, food." But the moment he saw the princess at the table, he blinked. "Huh? Guests today?"
Biwako assumed her son was still sulking from the midday dust-up and shouldn't have to bow to the fourth princess. So she smoothed it over. "Your brother did wrong at noon. He's been blaming himself all afternoon—don't be mad. I sorted all your scrolls and left them in your room. The pot's here; the dishes are in the broth."
Kaede sighed lightly. It felt like his brother had won the little game around the princess. Rudy had become the helpful go-between; his brother would one day have a son like Konohamaru; they were very alike. Brothers they might be, but they wouldn't live under the same roof forever. Let the green tea act continue—maybe his brother even liked that taste.
At the table, Biwako took to the gentle "daughter-in-law" and chatted happily.
"What? You say this hotpot idea was Kaede's? He's adorable—so clever. And this broth is delicious." The fourth princess laid the flattery on, and to Kaede it sounded like green tea sweetness. His chopsticks could only poke at the rattle-thin mushrooms.
"Where's my knife? Someone hand me my knife."
"Kaede, your clothes are lovely, and those earrings—such taste. A person of taste must be good at heart. I never know what suits me, so I end up in traditional palace dress." She talked herself up with a smile, but every word rang in Kaede's ears as more of the same. He loved his brother; he wouldn't explode. He would not.
His vision went dark. He slumped. Everyone panicked.
An hour later—
The fourth princess burst into the second princess's hall, threw the sword down, and fled in tears.
The second princess, poring over accounts, jolted at the sight of her sister storming in. She hurried after her, soothing gently. "What happened? Who bullied you?"
Between sobs, the fourth princess recounted the evening.
In truth, the second princess had wanted to use the chance to test Biwako's tolerance. She hadn't expected an oafish mix-up to offend exactly the people who mattered. That could cost dearly. Sarutobi Kaede had talent since childhood, and with Ennosuke's fence-sitting nature, most of the future mantle of Hokage would likely rest with Kaede.
She knew Ennosuke well and trusted him, but she badly wanted to peer into the Sarutobi clan's mind. First, to show the Leaf that Tenmu's house sought nothing from them. Second, to deepen ties with weighty gifts—so her sister wouldn't look like she was fawning over a boy with a borrowed sword.
Seeing her sister's tears, her pride steeled. "If you like him that much, then commit. Why bring the sword back after giving it? How did you even carry it home?" She laid out a new plan.
"You grew up indoors and haven't dealt with outsiders. I meant to pave the way for you, but I didn't foresee this hiccup. I'm sorry. Tomorrow, apologize to him yourself. I'll arrange the meeting. Third Sister, come along. And ask Master Zhongjue to attend again."
The fourth princess's sobs slowly faded; calm returned by degrees.
"It seems Kaede favors that girl named Aoi… If we start from her, it may go smoother."
Meanwhile, Kaede drifted back to consciousness. Biwako sat at his side. "Too childish," she chided softly. "Isn't this just a misunderstanding?"
Kaede wondered: if Konohamaru told Biwako about the princess's two-boat act, would she still be this calm?
"You and the second princess are out of step, and you didn't know they're quadruplets, did you? I forgot to say. The Tenmu Empress bore four daughters; the eldest passed away. The current fourth is Yuan Dongxiang, and the one in the middle is Yuan Qiuxiang. They look exactly the same."
Kaede smacked his own forehead. "So I did mix them up."
"Today she brought a gift worth ten times more than that sword. It was too costly to descend at your feet in public, so I accepted it first." Biwako's tone was even.
Kaede screamed internally, No!
He finally understood why his brother and Konohamaru were spaced by five years. His brother was five years older than his sister-in-law—timing told stories.
Elsewhere, beneath Leaf 41, a masked shinobi knelt on one knee before the roots of an ancient tree, bowing to Danzō.
"The man you ordered watched hasn't woken yet. The village rumor took hold three days ago."
Danzō nodded. "Good. Withdraw."
Inwardly, his pride swelled. Cut him off. Don't blame me for being ruthless—what they did to the child demanded it. Hmph. Sarutobi Kaede is the only one at fault. What a disappointment. Grandfather and father, elder brother—all five nature types. And you? Only wind and fire. A pity for your prodigy forebear, Sarutobi Sasuke, to have such squandered potential. If I don't use this advantage, who will?
Perhaps Hiruzen has long suspected the boy's true parentage. No wonder he sent only his eldest son away. Hiruzen sent his firstborn to the Land of Fire's capital—trusting the monks to keep watch.
(End of Chapter)
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