A mad Emperor, his only son dead, no more sons to speak of, and only a daughter left as legacy. It's a disaster for you truly. You know that a coup is more likely to happen than to not happen at this point. With your father further descending into madness: throwing knives at advisors, spitting in the face of foreign dignitaries, and raving about a new war for the Empire's half-dead soldiers to fight, it's truly no surprise that everyone (even the nobles) want to overthrow him. But, you know, if your father is overthrown then you are too. Perhaps, if you were a son, you wouldn't be. Maybe your father would be overthrown and you would be put on the throne in his place. But, you are not a son, and even if you were, you wouldn't take that chance. Because this is the opportunity for many noble families to take over the throne.
You have no plan to lose your right to the throne, to lose your station and have your family disgraced for future generations. You know you need power and loyalty beyond the few spies and pages you've already cultivated. Your best chance is marriage, however, it is also your worst chance. You could marry someone loyal or you could marry someone who also wishes to overthrow you, it's a roll of the dice. However, you can limit the unpredictability of it, at least slightly, with certain categories.
You cannot marry foreign nobility or royalty. Their loyalty will always lie with their Kingdom or Empire first and you can't have that. You can't marry any of the noble houses in your Empire either because they are all vying for this opportunity to take the throne. You can't marry a commoner because it will cause to much upheaval and they won't know how to help secure your throne. This leaves your best bet as an advisor or general who is loyal to your family. The pool is small and growing smaller every day, and even then there are still risks.
After deliberation, with only your own mind, you know who the best option is. Perhaps, a general might be better for gaining an army or a noble for power. But, you need someone without much of an agenda who doesn't have a strong bloodline to overshadow yours, yet they can help you rule and prevent any coups, making others bend to you. You can only think of one person, so you have your personal page summon him to your private gardens.
You're looking at the hydrangeas when he arrives, you don't hear him at first since his footsteps are soft, but you have attuned yourself to listen closely and you hear the moment he steps close to your hippeastrums. You tense up slightly, bracing for the discussion to come, but you don't turn around.
"Princess," His bored and quiet voice greets you. It would be hard to hear in a crowd with how little he pitched it, but in the sanctuary of your empty garden, it almost seems to echo. You turn to face him and his sharp, golden, eyes meet yours for all of a second before he breaks contact and inclines his head only slightly. It's a lazy incline of his head that certainly doesn't pass as a bow and instead would pass for disrespectful, but you know who this is and that he is your best chance.
You watch some hair escape his official knot and fall over his forehead. "Wiseman Kenma Kozume," You greet in return, keeping your voice calm and in a similar low tone. He looks up and you see his nose twitch at the title, but he says nothing else. "I'm sure you know why you're here, Wiseman." You would be a fool to think Kenma Kozume didn't know your plan already and that exact reason is why he's here.
Kenma glances at you lazily before his eyes move to look at the hippeastrums again. "I can only guess, Princess."
Your lips quirk slightly. "Your guess is always more of a prediction, Wiseman. They say your eyes see the future."
He scoffs slightly at that, inappropriate to do in conversation with the crown princess, but Kenma has never cared much for that besides doing what's necessary to avoid execution. "My eyes simply look where others are too stubborn to."
You hum in response and tilt your head to look at the hippeastrums along with him. "That is why you are here," You agree as you feel the weight of your royal furs become heavier on your shoulders. "I should like those eyes as close as possible."
Kenma's poor posture remains as he tilts his head back to gaze into the darkness of the sky. "What should you require of me if I accept your proposal?" As you suspect, Kenma's already figured it out. You're sure the second your page found him and said you summoned him, that he knew why, perhaps even before that.
"Serve the Empire and prevent a coup," You answer simply as you step slightly closer, standing beside him now. "See me onto the throne and secure my reign, our reign."
Kenma rolls his head to look at you before swiftly glancing up at the dark sky. The moon illuminating even brighter tonight. "The Emperor is still mad," He reminds you in a cool and quiet tone. "I can protect you from coups, but not forever, Princess. I also, most certainly, cannot protect you from the Emperor's madness. The longer he is on the throne the more useless I will become to you."
You digest his words, something you have thought yourself in the back of your mind a few times, but never spoke aloud. You know, that your father's madness is just as much, if not more, of an obstacle than the power hungry fiends coming after you. However, you have never dared yourself to think of such a thing for a more than a second, and certainly never dared to speak it aloud. "I cannot overthrow my own father."
Kenma licks his lips and closes his eyes for a moment as he feels a breeze through the air. Then, his eyes snap open and they look at you for the longest he's ever held your gaze. "There are many ways to dispose of a man without a direct coup and without suspicion," He tells you, slightly condescending this time. "However, if you wish to remain the dutiful daughter, I will not object. Though, I will also not marry you."
An ultimatum if you've ever heard one, though you've only heard one once before from your, now, dead brother. No one else would ever dare give royalty, give the heir, an ultimatum. Except, the Wiseman, of course.
You swallow your nerves down your throat and steel yourself. You cannot allow this to escape from you. It's your best chance, perhaps your one chance, and, as much as you wish it weren't, you know his analysis is true and sound. "What such ways exist that would serve us?" You ask, quietly and unsurely, almost afraid that your mad father will hear your whispers from across the palace.
Kenma seems to analyze you for a moment, assessing you in a way, before he cuts his gaze away with a simple shrug. "The silent way that has no taste or oder and can take its intended target carefully, in a way that seems of the natural world." You know what he means. Poison. A specific one he seems to have in mind.
You're silent for a heavy few moments before you speak. Your voice soft, quiet, but set. "Will it hurt?"
Kenma is quiet before answering. "No."
You inhale shakily before steeling yourself once more. "Then, let us marry, Wiseman." Your voice is slightly unsteady, but firm in its conviction and decision. This is your best chance and perhaps it is a mercy, to put your father out of his own misery of madness and push his legacy forward in his stead.
Kenma cuts his gaze to you again and lets his sharp eyes linger on your face, searching you, making sure your conviction is true. "Very well," He concludes as he seems to find enough to satisfy him. He looks back out at your garden. "It's best to marry before we engage the next step."
You agree. You can't...dispose of your father first and then scramble for a marriage and coronation all while fighting back the vultures of court and the hyenas of neighboring enemies. It's best for you and Kenma to marry first and solidify power, and allies, while collecting information on possible coups. Then, you can take care of the last step and assume the throne. However.... "My father will not agree to me marrying you. He will not agree to me marrying anyone, at the moment." The one caveat in the plan and a symptom of your father's madness.
Kenma does not seem concerned with this, though, and he simply shakes his head in a dismissive manner. "I shall take care of it," He tells you as if the matter is no trouble. Perhaps, it's not to him. He likely already has a plan. "I will get the Emperor to agree. He listens to me as his strategist." It's true, but no one is infallible. "I should hope the court doesn't call me the ridiculous name of Wiseman for no reason."
The Wiseman, a lowly born boy of a guard and an estate maid, who rose through the ranks to become the strategist of the Emperor at the early age of twenty. The Wiseman, who won the decades long war against the Kingdom of the Sun, with only one simple strategy and a day to come up with it. The Wiseman, who had a new position and title created simply for him. The Wiseman, who's never strayed from his post and never seemed interested in anything else. The Wiseman, with the eyes that see all.
It is you who inclines your head this time. "Then, I shall leave it to you, Wiseman. I, and the Empire, are in your care. Do not disappoint."
Kenma looks out at the garden for a few moments before he flicks his gaze up to the waxing moon that shines bright over the Empire. "I would never disobey my Princess."
