The Land of Tea was quite different from the Land of Water. For one there was more land than water, more vegetation, the sun shone vibrantly through screens of streams and pond, tossing refracted rainbows over the rows of farmland tea that gave the place its name.

There were tea houses about every thousand steps, snuck in between the farmlands themselves and opposed by a scattering of homes, markets and bath houses making use of the natural hot springs.

Princess Hanako and I didn’t get to enjoy the sights so directly. Even though it was an impromptu meeting, the Princess of the Land of Water did not travel anywhere without a palanquin and in such fine company, neither did I.

There was an unnecessary bit of ceremony and fanfare upon arriving to meet with the Tea Daimyo. An entire street in the capital was over taken by dancers, vendors, balloons filling up the air and an unending number of tea leaf scented candles.

Princess as she was this celebratory greeting was more for Hanako’s appetite than mine. She waved out the window of the palanquin, took what gifts of pearl and powder she could and blew kisses to the young ladies emulating her style so accurately.

I wondered idly what life was like in her perspective for a moment, the fame of merely being born into power. The stress of being a role model, a paragon of virtues the masses would arbitrarily assign. She was a puppet of puppet and yet, as each howling singer sung by I couldn’t wait to hear what she would ask of me.

Dealing with the powers that be rather than challenging them all the time would be a weight off my shoulders, I was looking forward to keeping hold of Watanabe and Tetsuya as long as I wanted and Hanako’s compliance would allow me to do that. Ordinarily, the Mizukage shouldn’t be so brazen to seize the Daimyo’s war goal, even if they’ve been more or less condemned to death upon return.

When the streets gave to the palace entry, a large courtyard at the top of a hill wide enough to host its own mini-festival, I broke the measured silence that had come between us since our last chat.

“Just ahead now, isn’t he? Or do we still have more…greetings to go through?”

Hanako chuckled, “You will get used to it…in time, but yes, a couple more vanity to go through before the Daimyo will grace our presence. We did arrive rather abruptly; I’m surprised he managed to pull off a welcome that large in the little time between our letters.”

Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

“What are you going to tell him?” I asked.

She looked confused for a moment, “Tell him? You said this was a warning no? The letters I sent ahead of us have already cleared all pleasantries, we’ll just have to hit the hammer on the nail and well, he clearly has a lot to lose if…”

I completed the thought for her, “If he’s so willing to butter us up even after being threatened.” It made sense he would. I don’t think it was his fault those last two isles began to think for themselves and foolishly believed they could peel off of the Land of Water so easily.

They would have their own visits in time but first, to cut off their escape. I shifted in the seat, the palanquin was right sized for me but the cushions left much to be desired.

“There’s more you should tell him.” I said, narrowing a gaze at the Princess. Her lips curled into a frown almost immediately as she matched it.

“Greedy man aren’t you, Mizukage?” She leaned against the edge, fist raised to cushion her cheek as she frowned at me, “Isn’t it enough that I’ll keep my lips tight about Kirigakure’s little…oversight over the past, I don’t know, how long has the truth eluded you?”

I didn’t flinch at the leverage she was throwing in my face but my mind reflexively thought of several counterarguments to make it not my fault, not Kiri’s fault. ‘It was before my time’, ‘there was a world war we defended you from’, ‘the daimyo is just as accountable for spies and foreign manipulators’.

I used none of them as I inhaled, “No, it isn’t. I’ve just won the Daimyo a war and corrected my predecessor’s mistakes, better yet, I’ve taken some land, whole two islands to be precise, for Kirigakure. I’m the most powerful Mizukage in the history of the title, Hanako-hime, my value is immeasurable.”

She sneered, “All the more reason for me to remind you of your place, Mizukage.”

I shrugged, “Except you won’t, will you? After all, if you’re bargaining with me then there must be something being the Princess and Envoy of the Water Daimyo cannot afford you. Something only, I can provide, you’re not going to let this opportunity glance you by, not even if I ask for one more greedy thing.”

The Princess pursed her lips and they glossed lusciously against the rays slitting past the curtains. She was silent for a while, her eyes never leaving mine as the palanquin rocked and rode further into the Daimyo’s palace.

It came to a stop before she blinked, inhaled and asked, “What do you want?”

I tried not to let my smirk burst into a grin as I leaned onto the door, ready to step out and meet the arranged servers and yet another diplomat sent to greet us, “I want revenue. Those isles had a good idea buddying up with Tea Country. I don’t know how you’ll do it, envoy, but I want the Tea Daimyo ringing my office up every time he needs a shinobi.”

She loosened up enough to smile back, “And do you know what I want? Are you capable of giving it?”

“Didn’t I tell you the first time? I’m the most powerful Mizukage in history, Princess.”

She shifted closer than we’ve been since the tournaments her breath on my cheek as she said, “Good, because this deal is all or nothing and I want Yureisen.”