[KURAYAMI]
Yuzuki had sworn to concentrate on her work as the queen of Kurayami.
Honestly, it was an easy task. Because all she had to do was show up at meetings and deal with Amaya Hirano. And it wasn't that crazy because at the end of the day, she would be waiting for Ayami.
But then that shit only worked for three days.
That was just how long Yuzuki's restraint had survived the promise of waiting.
Because Yuzuki knew there would never be a logical reason for her to meet Ayami again.
At least to one that ran within the rules of engagement.
After all, a Kurayami wolf and a Yamashita enforcer constantly meeting would raise eyebrows.
But Yuzuki was not one for patience.
Not this time.
Not when it came to Matsui.
Not when Matsui was in Kazuya's stronghold.
Maybe that was why, for her, there was only one way around this.
War.
"I'm sorry, you want to WHAT?" Rinko asked as she stared at her queen. She had never been one to question her orders. Never.
Until today.
Surely, she heard the woman wrong, no?
"Are your ears sore? Because your shout is definitely making my ears bleed. I am here, you are here. Can't we just talk like normal people? Friends perhaps?" Yuzuki said that, like that, was supposed to defuse the craziest suggestion she had ever made to Rinko.
Yuzuki's patience, though...
"Well, excuse me for trying to understand if you're thinking with your ass or your head. Or worse… your heart," Rinko said, her words so casual that if they had had that agreement with Yuzuki, the woman would probably be headless by now.
"It is not that bad an idea, you know? Besides, don't you want to fight with Ayami? Doesn't her smug face just irritate you and make you want to go over there and fight her to the very end?
"Afterall, surely you can't just stand by and accept that Ayami is the most lethal enforcer, can you? You're the Kurayami queen's enforcer… by all means, it should be... you?" Yuzuki said calmly.
It was almost like she was trying to pitch the greatest of ideas to Rinko instead of trying to get the woman to start a war between Yamashita and Kurayami.
War meant lives would be upended and never the same again, at least for a while.
War was too costly.
They both knew it. Hell, Yuzuki had not survived the last one.
Yet Yuzuki was here trying to trigger a war just because she missed the enforcer. And she was doing a good job of pissing Rinko off.
Oh, she was doing so well.
"Shut up, I need to think," Rinko sighed.
Yuzuki smiled at her like she had managed to plant the one seed that would help her see Ayami again.
In an official capacity, it was impossible. But if the Yamashitas and Kurayamis fought, there would definitely be a window for Yuzuki to see Ayami.
Besides, she wasn't asking for too much, was she?
"Oh, come now, Rinko. There's nothing to think about. I literally gave you the greatest motivation. Prove to the realm that you're the most lethal enforcer. It is that simple.
"Besides, if you're worried about people being collateral damage, how about the general war zone, where there will be no territories? You can do the fighting, and I can at least get a kiss from Ayami again," Yuzuki argued.
Rinko stared at her queen like this woman had gone bonkers.
Queen Kuramitsu had been different from the moment she had woken up. She had turned into this happy and angry person that Rinko had never seen before.
It was strange, really, because Rinko could swear drowning never changed a person's personality.
The queen, before the drowning incident, was cold all through.
She never smiled. Never had anything to look forward to.
She hated the throne and despised everything that came with the power she was born into.
The queen, before the incident, had done everything possible to not be seen, not because she was worried about what people would think of her, but because she wanted to be free to do whatever the hell she wanted.
That woman had only ever kept Amaya close because there had to be someone who gave intel from the brothels, seeing as the queen was never one to walk into brothels.
But this one?
This queen, who had just survived the drowning, was different.
And Rinko had seen the changes over the past year.
Hell, it was unsettling.
It was almost like her queen was a whole different person, and she didn't know what to do.
Because the queen Kuramitsu that Rinko knew DESPISED war. Hated even the very mention. Yet here she was, trying to trigger a war just because she wanted a freaking kiss?
What the heck had happened when the queen had drowned?
What could possibly change someone this much?
Queen Kuramitsu's warriors never needed to prove shit to anyone, ever.
They were the best; there was no denying that. They were better than Yamashita warriors by far.
Hell, even Ayami knew Rinko was far more lethal than her, so what the heck was this queen on about?
"You want me… to trigger a war… so you can see Ayami again?" Rinko asked, like that was supposed to make it any clearer than it already was, that the mad queen had definitely lost her goddamn mind.
Was she okay?
What the fuck was going on with her?
"Basically yes," Yuzuki said, like it was that simple.
Like war and lives that would be lost were that simple.
"Also… if you don't… I will,' Yuzuki said before she stepped out of the palace like that was the one thing she had dedicated her life to.
Yuzuki was crazy.
Unhinged.
"Zura… I missed you," Amaya's voice hit Yuzuki's ears, and the queen had never rushed back into the palace that fast. Hell, she used a damn portal back to where Rinko was as if that was going to make things easier for her.
"What is it this time?" Rinko asked tiredly.
"Hirano is coming. Can't let her kiss me, again," Yuzuki said as she kept glancing outside.
Rinko was now sure the woman had lost her goddamn mind.
Were the Queens in other kingdoms like this? Obsessed, unhinged, and stubborn?
But was that what Yuzuki was, or was it what she wanted everyone to think of her?
Was that what she was playing, or was this the only strategy left to get the answers from twenty-eight years ago? Either way, it was a long gamble.
Spending a year in Kurayami had her thinking of Fukada more than she would ever admit.
She missed her pack, and the fact that Kazuya was still interacting with other packs, other factions, other kingdoms, like the man didn't ruin her life, had Yuzuki feeling some type of way.
She knew she wouldn't be able to bury Yamashita this early, but she needed to know where Rinko stood.
And suggesting a war over a stupid kiss was the ultimate test for an enforcer who had been looking at her like she had lost her mind for over a year now.
Maybe she had.
Maybe this was the end of the road for her, but then who was to say no to that?
"Yuzuki…"
"What? You have to come up with an excuse. Hell, scare her away, and I'll give you anything you want," Yuzuki said.
Rinko paused.
"Anything?"
"Yes, anything."
"Then tell me who YOU really are."