"Well I'm off! Heading straight to Ezusha." I smiled at Rei then pet Nebula's neck.
"Okay. Be safe on your trip there. Ezusha really isn't a kingdom that's much of a threat but it's better to be safe than sorry. The Queen there is a rather playful one though, but I don't know. Just be careful okay?" Rei said then smiled at me.
I got in Nebula's back then grabbed the leash of the saddle and smiled. "I will. Don't worry your mind too much. I'll be perfectly safe."
She nodded then watched Nebula gallop off then headed back inside of her castle.
I looked ahead and noticed the beautiful prairie area. It was different from the usual forests we were used to seeing when travelling from kingdom to kingdom. Nebula slowed down and strolled down a path and we looked around.
"So beautiful..." I said and noticed other adventurers around and about. There were also traveling merchants and they waved at me. I smiled at them and waved back.
Nebula whinnied and looked ahead.
"Yeah, it has been a lot more peaceful. The only issues we had so far were the death of my brother, but other than that Alastor has been really quiet for a while. I was totally expecting him to strike at Volta, but it seems he's occupied with something else." I said and chuckled softly.
Nebula and I entered a village and took a direct path then stopped when we saw a crowd. I got off Nebula and heard the crowd laughing and cheering especially the children. I walked towards the crowd and they looked at me the moved aside for me as they knew who I was.
"And KICK!" A woman said and she kicked a ball. She looked frightened when she noticed the ball headed straight for me.
I caught the ball and smiled then rolled the ball back towards the woman. "Temari balls. I used to play with them back when I was younger. There were no winners or losers." I said as I set my bag down and walked forward.
"Y-You can play?" The woman looked at me in awe.
"Come. Kick the ball to me." I smiled.
She rolled the ball on her foot then bounced it up and down off her foot then kicked the ball to me. I caught ball with my foot and bounced it up and down off my foot then kicked it over my head then kicked her off my heel and smiled. The woman looked at me and her eyes sparkled. I kicked the ball back to her and smiled. The people clapped and I chuckled then went to pick up my bag.
"Well I'm off! I just wanted to do that as it reminded me of my past." I walked back to Nebula and smiled then got on her back.
Nebula walked forward and everyone got out of her way and let us pass. The woman looked at us then picked up her ball and hurried off to her horse. Her horse galloped off and neighed loudly.
Within five minutes, the woman made it back to the castle and the horse stopped then she got off her horse's back and hurried into the castle.
"M-Mama? What's going on?" The woman's son asked.
"I just met the most amazing man ever! He knows of the Kemari Game and I loved how gracefully he kicked the ball and just the way he looks and...he's just so perfect!" The woman squealed and stomped her feet down one by one.
"Alright calm your nerves, Hoshiyo. You never go this wild over a man, not since your first husband. Who is this man you speak of?" Her brother asked.
"It's Emperor Ryoma..! He's so perfect in my eyes and I want to meet him again! I'm going to meet him again!" Hoshiyo hurried off. "I want to show him all of the different games we can play!"
"Mama's never been like this before Uncle Masuhiro. Is Emperor Ryoma a good person?" Hoshiyo's son asked.
"It's half and half. Depends on why he's here. There are a number of reasons on why he could be here." Masuhiro said then looked at Hoshiyo's son. "Go find your mother, I'll go find Ryoma and find out his motives."
"Okay!" The son hurried off to find Hoshiyo.
Masuhiro walked out of the castle and went to get his horse.
Nebula and I made it to the city and looked around. It was pretty lively and the women giggled and waved at me. I chuckled and waved back at them. They squealed and hurried off.
"A more lively kingdom. It seems we are entering more populated territories. I gotta see how the castle is if the city is like this." I smiled.
"You won't be seeing anything, Emperor." Masuhiro said then stopped his horse in front of mine.
I looked at Masuhiro and smirked. He had long messy black hair tied in a low ponytails. His eyes shined red just like Takeo's did and he reminded me of Takeo just a little. He wore a black prince attire and black cape with a fur collar. I got off Nebula and hooked my bag on her saddle then watched as Masuhiro got off his horse.
"You're the prince of Ezusha. I wasn't aware the Queen had a brother. Younger or older?" I asked.
"Older." Masuhiro answered.
"And you aren't king? Sad." I chuckled then crossed my arms. I closed my eyes then sighed softly. "So why are you stopping me? I haven't done anything...yet."
"That's the entire reason I am stopping you. I refuse to let you go beyond this point. You will not reach the castle." Masuhiro said then crossed his arms.
I looked at him and walked back to Nebula then hopped on her back then clicked my tongue. Nebula turned around and Masuhiro watched me. Nebula trotted off then Masuhiro got on his horse and rode back to the castle. Nebula took a secondary path to the castle and I chuckled softly.
"I'm glad you spotted this path when you did. I wasn't going to miss this chance to meet the queen." I said then Nebula whinnied.
We made it to the castle within 40 minutes and Nebula stopped in front of the castle then I got off her. I walked ahead then noticed the guard placed their lances in front of me. Their weapons formed an X in front of me as they blocked my way forward.
"Queen Hoshiyo isn't taking visitors. Turn back now." One of the guards said.
"Security is heavy around these parts." I said.
"After what the previous king has done, security is necessary. We can't allow strangers on castle grounds unless they have a legitimate reason to be here. Prince Masuhiro's orders." The other guard said.
"What do you mean I can't see him? He hasn't done anything wrong!" Hoshiyo said.
"He's bad news. I can tell. Nothing good will come from this." Masuhiro said then looked ahead seeing me. "You...how did you get passed the other guards?"
"Oh you know me and my partner...we always find alternative paths to our destination." I chuckled and looked at Masuhiro.
"Emperor Ryoma! Guards let him and his horse through!" Hoshiyo demanded.
I looked at Hoshiyo and noticed it was the same woman I met at the village and looked surprised. She had the same long black hair and beautiful green eyes. Instead of casual wear, she wore her royal attire which was a green and white dress with black low heel shoes. She had a beautiful body, and her bust was relatively big.
The guards looked at Hoshiyo then complied with Hoshiyo then let me and Nebula through.
"Seems like the Queens Word overwrites your own." I chuckled softly at Masuhiro.
Masuhiro scoffed and mocked me then walked off.
"Come on! Greet our guest, brother!" Hoshiyo called out.
"I'm going to get a drink at the bar area. Find me there." Masuhiro sighed then walked inside of the castle.
"Don't mind him. He'll come around soon. In the meantime, come Inside!" Hoshiyo smiled and took my hand then hurried inside of the castle. "I can't believe that I'm actually meeting you for the first time ever! I've only heard of you in the books! Oh! You've got to meet my son as well!"
I chuckled as I was being dragged by Hoshiyo. "Calm down, my Queen. I can walk on my own."
"Sorry, sometimes I get overly excited..~" Hoshiyo stopped and turned around then looked at me. She held my other hand and felt her heart racing. She blushed a bit and smiled at me.
I chuckled and brought her hand to my lips. I kissed her hand and smiled. "You are a beautiful woman. I can sense that you are a free spirit as well...I really like that. I was wondering if we can talk in private for a bit."
Hoshiyo giggled and slightly twisted from side to side. "Yeah, we can talk privately..~"
"Mama!" Her son hurried over to her with a ball in his hands. He stopped when he saw me. "Is this a friend?"
"Ah yeah, this is Ryoma. Say, Koan dear. Go play with the maids for a bit okay? I have something to discuss with Ryoma, after we are done I'll play with you okay? I have a new game I want to show you.." Hoshiyo smiled at Koan.
"Okay Mama!" Koan smiled then hurried.
"I can tell he will grow up a free spirit like you are." I smiled and looked at Hoshiyo.
"I don't want him to grow up to be like his father...I'd rather him be like Masuhiro and I'm perfectly fine with that." Hoshiyo smiled and looked at me.
"Maybe I could help you help him walk down the right path..." I said and she blushed at my comment.
"What do you mean by that?" She asked.
"I'll tell you once we are in private. Come on let's go somewhere we won't be disturbed. I'll tell you the reasons why I'm here and more." I smiled.
She nodded then led me over to her room so we could talk in private.