“Listen up, kid.”

Munisai addressed the boy next to him as they slowly made their way through the village, the castle towering over all the other buildings beneath it quickly coming into view.

“We’re meeting a Queen, you understand what that means, right?” He asked, trying to avoid any misunderstandings ahead of time.

“Yeah? Of course I do, what do you take me for? I’ve read books before!” Lawkey said arrogantly, not mentioning the fact that the books were actually read to him by Jay, instead of him picking one up and reading it. He didn’t think it was necessary to mention that point.

“Good, good, so you at least know what to expect and do-”

“A stuck up old woman with an oversized crown on her head, right? That’s who’ll be meeting today? I just hope she’s not one of those ugly old witches or something…”

“...”

Munisai was cut off by the boy’s definition of a queen. He was too stunned to react.

“Ah, wait! I’ve actually met someone like that before… Oh, he was really stuck up and annoying too…” Lawkey quickly hunched his shoulders and sighed in exasperation, “I can already feel this is going to be a long and exhausting meeting…”

“...” Munisai looked up at the castle they had just walked up to, “I couldn’t agree more, kid… I couldn’t agree more…”

They began to take the stairs, going up at the pace Munisai could move his crutch. They were still wearing their blue Yukatas, matching with each other.

Despite going to meet a queen, Munisai knew that the Shadow Queen, and whoever else was joining the audience today, wouldn’t be too hung up on any dress codes when the two of them were still recovering from their wounds.

However, while the dress code was one thing…

“Kid, just let me talk to her, understand? It’s best that you don’t set her off if you don’t know how to address her properly.” Munisai advised as he took another step up.

“...” Lawkey stayed silent, getting the feeling Munisai was trying to hint at something specific.

“Just hang back and let me take care of it. I’m sure I’ll be able to convince her somehow…”

“You know, old man, I’m having the feeling you don’t want me to talk to her at all. Why is that exactly? You think I can’t handle an old stuck up hag- HEY! OW!”

Munisai quickly hit the boy on the head with his sword’s sheath, stopping him from making any further stupid mistakes. Especially when…

“Sensei!! It’s been a while, hasn’t it?” A guard that was standing at the entrance to the castle quickly ran up to them, just after Munisai had managed to avoid a catastrophe from taking place.

“Oh, Kenzo, you’ve grown since I last saw you. That armor suits you, kiddo.” Munisai addressed his former student, acting as nothing had happened.

“Thank you, Sensei! Aki and I were really worried when we heard you were involved in the recent incident, I hope you're recovering well?” The guard, Kenzo apparently, adjusted his light armor around his shoulders quickly before checking up on his former mentor.

He wore his dark blue hair in a short ponytail, which worked well with the face guard that covered the forehead and both sides of the face. His ember eyes complimented the yellow highlights of the light armor on his upper body.

“Hahah, can you really afford to worry about this old man now? Aren’t you two expecting? To think those little rebellious brats would eventually get married…” Munisai smiled softly, feeling nostalgic, “I’m quite happy for you, congratulations.”

Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

Lawkey stood to the side, looking around and taking in the sights.

“Thank you, Sensei! Well then, please be on your way, I won’t take more of your time when Her Majesty is waiting.” Kenzo quickly moved slightly to the side, making way and bent his body forward in a quick bow.

“Aren't you forgetting something, Kenzo? Here you go.” Munisai held out his sword, reminding the guard of his duty.

“Ah, yes! Apologies! Please be assured the swords will be safe while you’re inside the castle. You’ll be receiving them promptly on your way out.” Kenzo straightened his back and took Munisai’s sword, before turning to Lawkey holding Eclipsed Dawn.

“...?” The boy just looked at the guard for a second before realizing what he wanted, “Hey, old man! You didn’t tell me about this! I don’t go anywhere without my sword!”

Munisai figured the boy might protest, but he was hoping he wouldn’t make any trouble because of this.

Then, before he could say something, he was taken aback.

“Tsk, fine.” Lawkey let out, scratching the back of his head with one hand, while holding out his sword with the other, “You better take care of it real good, you hear? A single scratch and I’ll come for you!”

“Heh, don’t worry, it’s in good hands, boy! I wouldn’t dare make Sensei angry at me!” Kenzo chuckled and took the sword.

“Hey! I’m serious! I’ll be the one getting angry! Don’t even draw it out of the sheath, you understand?!”

“Hahah, what a rowdy. It would be nice to have someone like you in Sensei’s Dojo. I hope things work out in your favor.”

Lawkey glared down at Kenzo, who simply looked back at him with a wide grin.

“Alright, enough of that, let’s go in.” Munisai quickly pushed the boy glaring daggers at the guard forward, and gave Kenzo a quick nod, “Kenzo, I’m not your teacher anymore, you don’t have to stand on ceremony.”

“Hahah, I can't let go of old habits, I guess. Please be on your way.” Kenzo bowed slightly with a chuckle.

Leaving the guards, and their swords behind, Munisai and Lawkey quickly made their way inside the castle. There was only one more gate between them and the Queen.

“We got interrupted earlier, but let me say this again, kid. Mind your tongue around this place, and especially around the Queen. We’re not here to cause anymore trouble.”

“Yeah, sure, I won’t talk to her. Let’s just get this over with, I don’t feel right being away from my sword.”

“...”

Munisai sighed in his mind, he had done his best to instruct the reckless kid.

And now it was time for…

“Enter!”

Hearing the command, the two walked into the throne room as the door opened in front of them, immediately being greeted by the Commander of the Royal Guard, Hachi.

He turned his back and walked in front of them, leading them in.

Pacing behind Hachi, Munisai kept his eyes in front of him to mind his footing, while Lawkey looked around the room, eyeing the unfamiliar pillars and lanterns spanning all around the wide throne room.

It feels like an entire army could fit in here… he thought, clearly exaggerating.

image [https://i.imgur.com/lIGcuCk.jpeg]

“You are now in the presence of the twenty second Shadow Queen, Taiga Kage! Act accordingly!”

Hachi, having stomped his long glaive in the ground, raised his left hand to the side and shouted as loud as he could. Even Kenzo all the way at the entrance of the castle could hear him.

The two guests looked up, and while Munisai was familiar with it, Lawkey was taken aback by the eerie black throne and its unusual design. Countless spiky-like objects, which could pass as blades as well, spread all over the throne from behind, as if it constantly gave birth to new blades every day.

And above the throne hung a giant flag of the Kage Clan, covering most of the wall.

Finally having inspected the room, Lawkey’s eyes came to rest on the one sitting on the throne itself.

And unlike his expectations, she was…

“Munisai! It’s been a while! Have you reconsidered my offer yet?”

The Shadow Queen, Taiga, spoke while exhaling smoke and resting her chin on the back of her right hand. In her left hand, she held her smoking pipe to the side, where the royal black crown sat at the arm of the throne. As usual, she had decided not to wear it again.

For a queen, she wasn’t wearing any fancy dresses covered with intricate accessories everywhere. Instead, she loosely wore a black and orange Kimono, leaving half of her upper body almost completely bare. A pink and purple satchel wrapping around her waist was the only thing keeping it all from falling.

The satchel’s color complimented her medium-length violet hair, which she partly wore with a small bun. It was held together by two hairpins coming out in opposite directions, almost like horns at the back of her head.

The most striking thing about her appearance however, were the visible tattoos spanning over her open shoulders and reaching down to her well-endowed chest. From the looks of it, they had likely continued down her back as well.

image [https://i.imgur.com/Qlt1UBU.jpeg]

“It’s good to see you in good health, Your Majesty. Regarding that matter, however, I believe I already gave you my answer.”

Munisai bowed and answered with a slight smile forming on his face.

“Come now… At this rate, the clan won’t have a queen after me~!” Taiga pushed the matter further, as she raised her head to the side slightly and looked down at Munisai.

“That’s your problem, not mine.” Munisai stood up and said nonchalantly, keeping his smile on.

“...”

Hachi beside them was struck speechless. Even the Commander of the Royal Guard could feel a cold shiver run down his body at times like this.

As for the boy…

“Seriously?” Lawkey made an exasperated face and looked at Munisai, not too sure what was going on, but was slightly taken aback by the odd interaction nevertheless.

“Tsk, you’re a heartless man!” Taiga clicked her tongue as she exhaled more smoke, “How many times do I have to ask? I thought if anyone, at least you wouldn’t be afraid of our curses.”

“!”

Whether it was because of hearing that, or another reason, Lawkey began to feel an ominous pressure coming from one of the sliding doors just to the left behind the black throne.

He could see the black and pink shadows begin to form, they were all too familiar to him.

It wasn’t too difficult to figure out, he already realized it.

Is that… where {she} is?!

----------------------------------------

image [https://i.imgur.com/KQmIY8F.png]