"Damn! Why did he have to cancel the wedding now?!" King Masashi said. (Yukina's father)

His advisor said, "They could have married her off to the son of Prince Kurasaki... I wonder why didn't they do it..."

King Masashi was troubled because he had been feeding on Prince Kurasaki's wealth up until now but now with the cancellation, he couldn't ask for any money.

And no one would give a daughter's family money since dowry comes from a daughter's family... But Prince Kurasaki was kind enough to take care of them.

King Masashi muttered, "Do you think the emperor and the empress somehow got to know of this deed?"

He knew no one knew about him taking money from Prince Kurasaki. But if the emperor came to know of it, he certainly would cancel it...

The advisor nodded, "It could be. Since they were the ones to cancel the marriage and Prince Kurasaki has no choice but to agree with it."

King Masashi fumed with anger as he growled, "That damn old fox! Call Yukina to come back! I will find her another suitor."

The advisor nodded as he left King Masashi's chamber however he knew Yukina wasn't going to come...

King Masashi wasn't the only one who got troubled by this decision.

There was another person who was troubled...

Prince Shiroichi... Arashi's one of the uncles and a distant relative of the emperor.

The reason was simple. He wanted to gain power and it wasn't going to happen if Prince Kurasaki and Arashi were alive. The emperor wasn't going to give him anything even if he was a very obedient and loyal subject of him.

"That old man! He had to cancel the wedding now..." Shiroichi growled.

"But the assassin who was about to kill the crown prince, didn't she deny to kill him?" His advisor said.

"Tch! Then she is of no use then..." He kicked the table hard as the things on it fell from the table and scattered all over the ground. "Useless! A useless assassin...!"

He muttered angrily, "I don't know what is Mr Ina doing? Can't he even control one of his subjects?!"

The advisor suggested, "Don't be angry, your highness... She may said she won't kill them but we can still use her for our benefit..."

Shiroichi looked at his advisor who smiled gently.

Shiroichi asked, "And how do you intend to use her?"

He said, "Someone has to take the blame for killing the crown prince if we are going to kill him in Wansai."

Shiroichi thought for a moment as he said, "But I heard he is in battle arena and can't come here... The Kosaki has already waged the war..."

The advisor said, "But there will be a strategy meeting in a few days... For a great strategist, Prince Kurasaki has to come..."

Shiroichi's skin tingled with rage as his own advisor just praised Prince Kurasaki for a great strategist... What was so great about him?

Shiroichi could do battle strategies with ease! If he was given a chance... He thought as he fumed with anger.

As they waited for Prince Kurasaki's arrival, they came to know the venue for the meeting had changed and their plan wasn't going to get fulfilled.

Every plan Shiroichi had made was becoming useless as he couldn't kill Prince Kurasaki nor Arashi... And soon, it was the time of the war between Kosaki and Wansai...

Shiroichi had grown impatient by now as he couldn't kill them and the organisation couldn't get in touch with Yukina either.

Yukina was in Shinkyo so it was almost impossible for them to get in touch with her.

Shiroichi was more impatient because Arashi's father and mother were excellent strategist. And people had started to say they would be perfect as the future Emperor and empress. It was making Prince Shiroichi more agitated.

Now that he started to go impatient, he directly confronted Yukina in Shinkyo.

He had gone to visit Princess Mizuki, Arashi's mother. But of course, it was an excuse...

****

Yukina was always with Princess Mizuki as her health had been not good. She knew the emperor had cancelled the wedding but Prince Kurasaki had told her that he would make sure his son marries her after the war. Yukina had no doubt since by now, they had started to treat her like their own daughter... And Arashi wasn't going to marry anyone but her.

As uncle Shiroichi came to check on Princess Mizuki, Yukina was preparing them some tea.

Uncle Shiroichi declined as he said, "I need to go now since we have to prepare for the war now."

Princess Mizuki nodded as she smiled.

She said to Yukina, "Yukina, go see him off..."

Yukina nodded and went with uncle Shiroichi when he said, "Why did you deny to kill them?"

At first Yukina got startled as her heart started to thump. But then she realised, the one whom she had been searching was him. He was the one who was feeding the organisation a lot of money in an exchange of killing Prince Kurasaki and Arashi.

Yukina's eyes became cold as she said, "That has nothing to do with you."

Uncle Shiroichi scoffed as he looked at her and said, "Oh, I know. You have fallen for the Prince, prince Rian... How pathetic of an assassin."

Yukina's palms clenched tightly as she glared at him.

She said, "At least I am not someone who wants to kill their own blood just to gain power."

Uncle Shiroichi shrugged, "Power and wealth is all that matters, little girl... If you want I can give you more wealth that you could ever imagine..."

Yukina smirked, "And you think I'll be swayed by your offer? Get amused by your wealth and power but let me tell you this straight..." Her eyes became brutal as she said, "I will never kill them and I will certainly not let you or the organisation to kill them."

Uncle Shiroichi got irritated as he fumed, "You useless assassin! I have given a lot of money to your organisation but no more! I'm going to do what I need to do with my own hands!"

He laughed, "Protect them you say... I will see how you will protect Arashi or Prince Kurasaki from now on..."

Yukina got worried as uncle Shiroichi went away... She knew, now that he had stopped giving the organisation money, both the organisation and Prince Shiroichi would get hungry to kill them...

And seeing no choice, Yukina contacted Futama Sameda again.

Yukina reached him as Futama said, "I told you before! It isn't easy to fight back with the organisation!"

Yukina said, "I know... But. Tell me what should I do then!" Yukina asked him, "Since childhood they told us we were fighting for justice but is this really for justice? That Shiroichi bastard is not a good person! How come the organisation is helping him when they should help Prince Kurasaki!"

Futama scratched the back of his head as he said, "Because of money..."

Futama hadn't told Yukina about the organisation's bad side up until now. But now it seemed, Yukina had already guessed most of it. So, there was no problem telling her about everything that has been happening in the organisation.

Futama had investigated on his own and found out the organisation had been working with many illegal gangs and even royals who secretly making money out of the organisation. It was a large racket and in a few years, it had grown on a large scale. Futama told her everything and it made Yukina to cringe her nose.

She had no idea the organisation had stooped so low.

So she asked, "Futama... I know you are a loyal subject of the organisation but help me..."

Futama was awestruck because Yukina had never asked anyone help... She would do everything on her own but it seemed now it was different... He saw love and affection for Arashi and his family.

Which made his heart thump painfully...

Because he used to love her... And he saw she was happy for the first time after meeting Arashi and his family. So, no matter how hurt he was, he agreed to help her.

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29th April, 23
1373

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A/n: Two chapters more to finish... Sorry for not updating regularly... My health is not doing good and most of the time I am feeling so tired that I'm ending with sleeping the whole day...