"Hurry; this way." The samurai guided Takeda through the hallways of the castle. The sound of the many steps almost matched to one of a stampede as they made their way to the Emperor's bedroom.

Upon arriving, the samurai opened up the door, revealing the dead Emperor on the floor. A sharp pain hit Takeda's chest when he saw the blood that was spilling out of the opened stomach of his father. His father's eyes were wide opened with a cloth around his opened mouth. It seemed as if his father had been screaming right before his death, suffering the cuttings and the spillage of his own organs.

Takeda walked to the top of his father's body, looking at the cloth that was tied around his hands. It was connected to the table on which his father used to practice calligraphy. There was a possibility that there were two assassins which one was holding the table down to keep his father put since the table wasn't strong enough to hold itself while the other one did the deed.

Out of all the honorable ways to kill his father, they chose this way. Such unhonorable people.

"I am so sorry, Crown Prince." The samurai kneeled and bowed his head as Takeda looked down at him.

Takeda then closed the door behind him, sliding it to his left, and looked back at the samurai. "What is to become of me now in this situation?"

The samurai looked up at Takeda, but then quickly down again. He took in a deep breath and then answered, "It seems you will have to discuss this with the shogun."

"Indeed." Takeda nodded his head.

Following the samurai out of the castle, Takeda wondered what were the possibilities of different outcomes. Most likely, from this situation, Takeda would become the next emperor. Would he have the free will to marry Michiko now that his father has passed?

Entering the shogun's abode, Takeda prepared himself for the worst.

"Ah, Crown Prince," The shogun greeted Takeda upon his presence by bowing his head. "I heard about the news. Come here; come here."

Takeda walked over to the shogun's table in silence, watching how the shogun's hand waved him down. When he was at the table, Takeda sat down.

"About my father's death..." Takeda said before being interrupted.

"Yes. About that. It seems that there are rebels who want to overthrow the empire." The shogun pored Takeda a cup of sake, as he did for himself.

"Overthrow?" Takeda questioned. "What do you mean? Why would they want to do that?"

"Takeda, for your whole life until now, you have been what they call 'sheltered.' That means you were never intertwined with politics, not understanding why people commit some acts." The shogun took a sip of his sake before continuing. "Although you live near the richer part of Edo, you've never seen the outskirts."

"But I've seen different farmers and they are doing fine," Takeda explained when he thought of Michiko and her family. He made sure that they were fine.

"But, Crown Prince. We are in the middle of a famine. Lately, some citizens are having trouble growing rice. If that continues, they will all starve. They think that it is us causing the famine." The shogun explained. "Have you ever thought of traveling outside of Edo rather than what you were familiar with?"

Takeda shut his mouth and thought about what the shogun was saying. It was true that he never thought of going to another area besides where Michiko was.

"But I'm only the Crown Prince. Not only that if I were to become emperor, I still wouldn't have any power to help them." Takeda stood up from his sitting position.

"But you will still be a political head." The shogun looked up at Takeda. "Listen. You are the face of Edo. You are the one everyone sees and looks up to. You are the one who has a connection with the deity gods. Without you, the people would die without the help of deities."

"But I don't feel that I have descended from them." Takeda paused before speaking again. "But I suppose if it's to help the people even without power, then I shall do it."

"Excellent." The shogun grinned and then nodded his head. "And with this, you will also need a bride since you are at the marrying age."

"I already have decided on someone." He answered quickly."

"Decided?" The shogun questioned.

"Yes. With Michiko Hasekura. She is the daughter of a farmer. I love her and would like to marry her." Takeda strongly answered.

"Oh, my. That's not good at all." The shogun shook his head.

"Why not?"

"You can't marry someone of a lower class. You'd have to marry of the same. If not, it will throw off the balance of the way we're structured."

"Wait...so you mean..." Takeda realized.

"Your father has chosen out the perfect girl for you. Her name is Asa Sengoku."

Silence filled the air when Takeda fell into a state of realization that his life would not turn out the way he expected. He did prepare himself for the worst, but he didn't expect that it would still hit him this hard.

He would have to marry some other girl he has never met before instead of the girl he loved for two years and decided to marry her.

He didn't have a say in anything. Would everything go to ruin if he did marry Michiko?

"Crown Prince?" The shogun snapped him out of his mental train. "Oh, wait. I should be calling you emperor now."

The shogun then bowed his head, showing humbleness. Other samurai that entered the room when hearing that they were finished, kneeled and lowered their heads.

"Emperor, we have cleaned up the dead body. Now it is time for you to head home." The samurai announced.

Takeda nodded his head. "I see. If that's the case then I shall head back."

He looked back at the shogun before leaving his room.

Takeda felt a clench in his heart. How would he tell Michiko?