Surprise truce

Enkai said “Ame why are you sitting over there? Was this meeting only us or am I wrong?”

Ame smiled,her senses alert “No only us Lord Enkai. Unless you wish for someone else to join us?”

Enkai looked amused “Oh no. But then why not be comfortable and sit near me instead of acting like a stranger? If I remember well,before our brief-moment-was interrupted in my palace..well” Here he placed two fingers deliberately on his mouth,as if reliving something. Ame knew full well what he meant and felt her cheeks sear. Slightly embarrassed ,she replied "Fine let's drop the formalities. But first let's work out our kingdoms truce. If we come to a peace I have conditions you have to adhere to."

Enkai leaned back ,arms resting lightly on his chest. "I'm listening"

"First-you must retract the army that is right on the border with my kingdom. According to the laws of the land you are encroaching on my land and I won't have you drive out my own people from their homes."

"Ah but all is fair in love and war my Lady. You cannot expect me to string back my army when we have conquered that pretty piece of land fair and square"

Ame felt her temper rise "Fair? I beg to differ-you invaded the region and took it for your own. That is MY kingdoms and my peoples land"

"And now it belongs to me" said Enkai raising an eyebrow.

Ame calmly said "And if we went about invading and plundering and claiming that every piece of land was our own how wonderful should the state of the kingdoms be.?"

"True but I see no reason why you should want it-"

"-that is not the point at all. " Ame clipped tonelessly. Enkai was clearly being difficult and yet his face told he didn't care for the invasion. Was he playing mind games with her? If he was she might be quite willing to give him a dressing down with a sword.

Ame rose annoyed and went to the window,thinking that Enkai was really difficult to figure out. One minute he seemed genuinely in love with her,the next playing political mind games. She tried to calm down though she felt her cheeks were warm. Enkai face followed her form to the window and playfully shrugged saying "Why do you want it my queen?Because your politicians want you to get it? For the honor of your kingdom? What good does a piece of land mean to you high in your royal palace where you are pampered night and day?"

Ame temper flared and she faced him angrily-"I'm asking you to move back because that land belongs to the people you took it from. That may be a piece of common land to you,but to the people who lived their-the fishermen,the farmers and yes even some of Mizutenrian army-have their homes there. Not their HOUSE ther Homes. I'll be damned Lord Enkai before I let anyone take away the place they grew up,where they lived and loved and played as children just so you can have an extra bit of land to call your own" she said raising her voice slightly. She felt insulted he would even insinuate she was doing this prestige.

Enkais eyes conveyed shock but his face curved into a smile. He then shrugged "Ok. Since you feel so strongly I agree that I will take my men back across the border. Do you have any other conditions?"

Ame blinked and stopped her jaw dropping "Wait-what?"

"I said I would do as you wanted regarding the retreat of my army. Do you have any other conditions?"

Ame sunk into the window seat,all the fight gone out of her. Silence as she blinked nearly gawping at Enkai's sudden decision. What was wrong with this man? He gave up so easily...

Ame composed her thoughts,silently breathing a prayer of thanks-she finally had her truce! An uneasy one to be sure and surprising but she had done it!

"I would to propose to a collection of intelligence from both our kingdoms. I'm sure you heard we-Mizutenrian-are right in the middle of negotiations with Kina. We have reached an Uneasy truce,but perhaps Kina may let us collabarate with them on intelligence too.."

"For what purpose Ame dear?" Enkai said ,crossing his legs cheekily.

Ame froze at the pet name ,annoyed,and said "Well I think Dark Kingdom is...in the middle of us being at war with each other. For what reasons I cannot yet understand" Ame resumed her seat opposite him ,puzzled.

"Hmmm.." he said "And?"

Ame remembered  how she found a dark spy when she had washed on his land after their battle. She pushed away how fierce his face looked and the memories of their fight,and told him how her chase had ended in her capture.

"Lord Enkai something ..weird..is going on. Well do we know why the ancient rivalry between our kingdoms was-but it feels we are missing something vital. Why do I find dark spies in your kingdom? How was it that strange things are happening solely in my kingdom alone,while as I see it,most other kingdoms have no such strange happenings?"

Enkai leaned forward eyes furrowed while she continued "I need your help Enkai..please..I think someone part of the Dark kingdom is trying to destabilize my country and I don't even know why!"

Enkai looked distinctly troubled processing all this. He looked sharply at her and asked "Ame....is that why so many bodyguards are around you all the time? did someone make an attempt on your life?"

Ame fell silent remembering Haruka and shook her head "No..but. Someone else..I cannot confide it to you even if I wanted to"

Enkai looked truly alarmed at this and concern and worry filled his face. He reached for Ame's hand and she flinched away. Surprised he said "Why do you act as if it is I who has hurt you in some way?