Zima spent the rest of the day with Shea, exploring the village, and discussing the attack. By the time they got back to the palace, it was the night. Zima walked up the steps and was about to walk inside. She turned around and saw that Shea did not climb the stairs with her.
"Shea your not coming inside?" Zima asked.
"No, I got to go to my house. It's late, and I need sleep. I was just dropping you off, but I will see you tomorrow morning. Goodnight Lady Zima." Shea bowed and smiled.
Zima smiled back weakly, "goodnight Shea." Zima turned around and walked inside. The mystery ninja that was guarding the door bowed at her, Zima nodded back. Zima looked through the window near the door and could see Shea walking away from the palace.
"You're late."
Zima turned around and saw it was Aki that said that in a stern voice.
"I was walking around with Shea," Zima said, she walked up to Aki and hugged him.
"I was getting a little worried." Aki walked away from Zima's hug and went up the staircase.
'Is he mad at me?' Zima thought. Zima felt a tap on her shoulder and turned around. It was Umi the housemaid from China that didn't talk much. She was dressed formally in a maid outfit.
"Oh hi, Umi," Zima said.
"Come and eat Lady Zima," Umi said. She directed Zima to a dining room in the palace. The room had a long table in the middle, and Zima spotted one plate with noodles on them. The rest of the room was decorated with art, flowers, and Japanese figures and history. Zima proceeded to the table and sat down on her seat. Umi started to leave the room.
"Wait where are you going?" Zima asked.
"I have to go clean the kitchen, Lady Zima."
"But isn't Aki hungry?" Zima asked.
"He already ate dinner by himself, while you were gone," Umi then turned around and left.
Zima felt a piece of guilt. Was Aki angry with her because he was alone for dinner? But why would he be so upset about that?
Zima shook it off and started to eat. So many things happened in the past week, she left her village, got married, took Aki's virginity, and experienced her first dangerous ninja encounter. When Zima was done eating, she left the dining room and went upstairs. Zima has never seen Aki's bedroom in the palace and didn't know which room was Aki's bedroom.
"Aki!" She called out into the dark hallway. Nobody responded back. "Aki!" She called again. Still nothing. Zima frowned in sadness and started to walk down the stairs until she felt a hand grab from behind her. Zima turned around, and it was Aki. He was shirtless, and his hair was loose, and he had silky pajama pants. Zima's face lit up, and she hugged Aki from around his neck.
"Aki why'd you leave me downstairs like that, you seem coiled," Zima asked concerned. "Were you upset that I hung out with Shea late."
"No, it's not that, I was just under some stress, and this might sound stupid but..." Aki stopped.
Zima held onto both sides of his arms, "Tell me, it's not stupid!" Zima snapped.
Aki turned away from her, and pouted his lips, "I was just hoping to eat with you and seemed to not care, and just spent the whole day with Shea. I waited for you at dinner, and you never came."
Zima relaxed and gave a small smile to Aki. "Oh, Aki I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings by not thinking about you. I just missed Shea, and time went by so quickly. I always care about you." Zima kissed him on the check.
Aki still pursing his lips in the air, looked down at Zima. "I'm sorry for being overdramatic." He said. He walked away and slide open a door, that must have been his bedroom. Zima smiled at Aki's apology and followed him to his bedroom. When Zima entered, the bedroom was had a nice king sized bed in the middle. The bed sheets and blanket were blue and had patterns of flowers on them. The room had a table with two chairs near it. The rug was white and soft. Zima could see a closet near the end of the room. The bathroom door was closed, and Zima could see a balcony door.
"Wow, this bedroom is beautiful," said Zima. "Did this use to be your parent's bedroom?" Zima asked.
Aki sat on the edge of the bed and crossed his arms. "No, I had the palace that I grew up in destroyed once both of my parents died, and I became emperor. So this whole palace is technically new."
Zima touched the curtain that hung over the balcony door, "Why you destroyed your parent's palace?" She asked.
Aki shifted in his seat, "Too many bad memories, I had to destroy it to move on."
Zima nodded in all seriousness and sat next to Aki on the edge of the bed. She leaned her head on his shoulder and held his hand.
"I kept the books of old history, and ninja and samurai stuff. If you're interested in reading them they're in the library in the basement." Aki moved and laid down on the bed.
"You're not tired?" He asked with a yawn.
"I am, its just I don't really have pajamas you left all of my clothes and stuff at the beach," Zima crawled on top of him, sat down on his waist.
"Oh yeah, I almost forgot, I'll buy you some new clothes this week." He slid his hand under Zima's kimono. Zima tensed up, Aki's hand were cold as he went up to her stomach. He slowly untied Zima's kimono from inside, and Zima's kimono started to come off.
"Well someone is eager today," Zima said.
"I was just gonna help you change in pajamas that I have on the side, nothing special," Aki told her. Zima tugged the rest of kimono off, and put it on the floor, leaving her in her underwear. Aki reached over to the drawer beside the bed, which already had a shirt on top. He took it and pulled it over Zima's head. The oversized shirt stopped directly at her butt.
Zima moved off Aki and laid next to him, on the bed.
"So your meeting with your cabinet tomorrow?" Zima asked laying on her side, facing Aki, who was facing her.
"Yeah, we have to discuss the attack, and the scroll"
"Did you open the scroll yet?"
"No I'm going to open it with my cabinet tomorrow," Aki said. "You and Shea seem to be getting really close." Aki's tone was filled with uncertainty.
Zima smiled and stroked his cheek, "someone seems jealous."
Aki rolled his eyes, "Let me guess you're hanging out with her tomorrow too?"
Zima took her hands off him and sat up. "Tomorrow she is taking me to see ninja academy, and I'm going to be meeting some students and stuff."
Aki frowned with discomfort, "Why would you want to go to the ninja academy?"
Zima turned to him and grinned, "I forgot to mention to you what happened to me twice. One time I was in the garden with Shea near the pink leaved trees, and I threw a kunai at a dart board, it went straight to the middle. It was a perfect shot. Then yesterday again I did the same thing, and I got a perfect shoot again."
"Zima what are you saying?"
"I'm saying I'm interested in ninja and samurai combat, Aki. I was able to get a perfect shot on the first try!" Zima was confused as too why Aki did not seem very happy about her skills.
"Zima the ninja and samurai world is very dangerous. Didn't you see that when those men attacked you, I don't want you to get hurt, or even worst lose your life." Aki was not liking where Zima was going.
"Aki, Shea told me I have amazing ninja potential. I want to learn more, and fight for my new home. Protect people and be a hero." Zima's face fell she was not expecting this reaction for Aki.
Aki took a deep breath, "Shea put you up to this! Zima what would I do if I lose you? I can't have you risking your life. If you're gone I'm gonna have to start all over again." Aki put his hands on his head in frustration.
"Then what am I suppose to do to protect my village, be a housewife, follow you around, and do whatever you say. NO! Aki that's not me I didn't come all the way here just to be a slave again. This is something that interests me that I really like and if I die fighting it's better than dying from doing nothing." Zima stood up, and walked over to the side of the bed Aki was facing. She stood over him with a serious face, and hands on her hips.
Zima's words hit Aki. He bit his lip and turned away from Zima. Zima's face soften. She sat on the edge of the bed and placed her hand on Aki's side.
"Aki I know how much you care about me, and I admire that. I care about you too, but you can't just keep me in this house doing nothing, and wasting my life. I'm the empress, and the village deserves an empress that will fight for them. I want to meet the brave people that fight for us. I want to join the ninja academy, and see what happens. That attacked that happened to us, I can defeat people like that if you just give me a chance."
Aki didn't reply.
Zima tugged his blanket, "Aki please don't be mad."
He still didn't talk.
Zima's eyes were starting to water, "Aki please"
Aki rose up from his blanket and pulled it off himself. He looked back at Zima's teary eyes, and kissed her forehead while holding her head to his chest. "Just promise me one thing, promise me that you will be careful."
Zima looked down. "I can't promise to be careful, but I can promise to protect you, and the village always. To do only good, and not harm."
Aki sighed, "I guess that's good enough, you are such a handful, and strange."
Zima smiled and gave Aki a quick kiss on the cheek. "Even if I did die Aki, you would be fine without me. You don't even realize how many people love you Umi, Shea, Shin, and your whole village. You just have to talk to them instead of just shutting them out." Zima laid back down on the bed and faced Aki's back.
"Aki, do you think I can be a great ninja?" Zima asked.
Aki turned around and put his head on Zima's chest. He said one last sentence before going to sleep, "I know you will be an excellent ninja."
Zima smiled and fell asleep too.
. . .
Zima woke up the next morning from hearing someone shout, "WAKE UP! WAKE UP" over and over, while jumping on the bed.
Zima slowly rose up from bed drowsy, "okay, okay I'm up." Zima adjusted to her settings, and realized with was Shea that was jumping on the bed, and yelling for her to wake up.
"Woah, Lady Zima that shirt is really short on you, did you guys have sex or something?" Shea asked, with an eyebrow raised.
"Shea!" Zima yelled.
Aki slowly rose from the bed next to Zima. He looked grumpy and confused. "Shea, what the hell is your problem?"
Shea crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. "Me and Lady Zima are going to see the ninja academy today, and school is early. I want her to meet some of the students, and guess what the first day of ninja school for academy students is tomorrow. Today is just orientation!"
Aki narrowed his eye's, "Ugh but why did you have to wake us up like this?"
"Well, Lady Zima is gonna have to get used to getting early for school. I already have her registered, and Zima is gonna be training to become a genin ninja by the end of academy."
"What's a genin ninja?" Zima asked. She stood up from the bed and walked to the bathroom.
Aki answered her question. "Its the lowest and basic ninja level, every ninja needs to graduate the academy to reach genin level and from there you are officially a ninja."
Zima turned to Shea, "Shea are you a genin?"
Shea shook her head, "Nope I'm a jonin. I was a genin when I was 10 years old."
"What are the ninja levels?" Zima asked.
"The lowest is genin which is low-skilled ninja's, then there is chunin which are middle-skilled ninja's, and then there are jonin which are highly skilled ninja's, which where I am."
"Wow, your a highly skilled ninja," Zima said in awe.
"Well not to brag but I became a jonin earlier then most ninjas become. To become genin you have to pass basic academy school, to become chunin you have to take the three-part chunin exam and to become jonin you have to take the five-part jonin exam, including a special project. But to be able to take each exam and successfully pass you need to do some training and mission's of course," Shea said and then sat on a chair that was near the table in the bedroom.
Zima was rethinking this, it sounded like a lot of work and it sounded very difficult. Aki noticed her facial expression, and spoke up "Don't worry Zima if this fool Shea can do it, so can you."
"Hey!" Shea yelled.
Aki ignored her and walked to Zima, and placed his hand on her forehead, "Last night you proved to me why you deserve to be a ninja and fight like a samurai. Don't you dare give up now."
Zima smiled at Aki's motivation towards her, "Thank you" she said to Aki. Zima turned her body to Shea, "Shea I'll be right out, I just got to take a shower and eat breakfast with Aki."
Shea got up. "Okay just hurry up," she said before she left the room.
Aki then looked at Zima, "What am I gonna do with you two?" Zima playfully pulled him into the bathroom and shut the door.
. . .
After Aki and Zima got dressed and showered, Zima met with Shea outside of the palace. Aki begged to bring along mystery ninja to protect Zima, but she insisted.
"Aki I'll be fine, and besides the academy school is only a few blocks from here, and I'm with Shea."
Aki wrinkled his nose and watched Zima start to walk away with Shea. Zima waved one more time at Aki and turned around, he nodded back.
"Ugh it like watching a mother say goodbye to her child on the first day of school," Shea said.
Zima giggled, "Oh stop it, he's just worried about my safety."
As they walked down, they passed by the downtown area that had shops, bars, and restaurants, and they passed down peoples homes, houses, and certain areas dominated by certain clans, and finally were able to reach the academy school for beginner ninjas.
Zima looked up at the two-story building. There were two red doors, and a sign over it that read, "Academy." Zima could see little children and their parents going to the school. That's when Zima started to notice something, "Umm Shea?"
"Yeah." Shea glanced at her.
"Nobody here is my age, everyone is basically 12 years old," Zima said.
Shea did a nervous laugh and scratched her short black hair. "Yeah, about that.... most people that are genin are young children. But since you came to village late, and trained to be a ninja late, you kinda have to be in a class full of children."
"Shea!" Zima yelled.
"I'm sorry! I completely forgot to tell you."
"Shea I'm 18 and gonna be in a class full of 12-year-olds."
Shea just shrugged back at her. "C'mon it won't be that bad, let's go inside."
Zima frowned and walked to Shea. As they entered Zima saw kids running around, or with their parents. Zima entered the first classroom she saw. It was styled as a lecture hall. Seats rose in the back. A board and teachers desk was in the front.
Zima looked around the room and spotted a man that was organizing paper in the front of the room. He looked like he was in his early twenties, and was wearing a causal infantry clothing. He had on a flak jacket over his dark blue long sleeve shirt and dark blue pants. When he turned around Zima saw that he had short black, unkempt hair, and his eyes were dark brown.
He jumped when he saw Zima and Shea, "Oh I was not expecting visitors most of the kids don't come to the classroom on orientation day, um Shea who is this?" He asked.
Shea raised her eyebrows, "Hapa you can't recognize the wife of Lord Aki."
Hapa's face turned pale, "Oh Lady Zima, the foreign wife!" He quickly bowed and turned red. "I'm sorry things been happening in the village of grace so fast, that sometimes I miss stuff." He scratched his head in nervousness.
"It's fine," Zima said giving him a warm smile. Hapa blushed even more.
"So may I ask you Lady Zima, what brings you here?" Hapa asked.
Shea grinned, "Why don't you go ahead and check your list of students, that will tell you why she is here."
Hapa looked at her unsure, then he walked behind his desk, and pulled a list from his drawer. As he looked through the list, he suddenly stopped and widened his eyes.
"Lady Zima you're joining the academy as one of my students!" Hapa asked surprised.
"Yep, I want to become a genin, hopefully, I'll be able to complete chunin, and jonin someday. But that's the goal for now." Zima walked around the classroom.
Hapa looked at Shea with a face of shock. Shea smirked back at him in return and walked with Zima.
"Lady Zima you know the class will be full of kids around the age 12 and 13."
Zima nodded.
"And you know I have to be strict with you as anybody else because then it won't be fair."
Zima nodded. Shea walked up to Hapa and put a hand on his shoulder. "Lady Zima is willing to work as hard as possible to graduate and hopefully move on to chunin. Do you have a problem with teaching her?" Shea asked raising her eyebrow.
Hapa quickly responded. "No of course not, anyone is welcomed to start learning how to become a ninja. I just wasn't expecting such an important person to be in my class."
Zima walked to Hapa, "You don't have to call my anything formal, just causal Zima is fine when I'm in class. But near Aki, you should call me Lady Zima he gets grumpy when people besides him call me Zima." Zima giggled.
"Yeah seriously never call Zima with saying Lady first near Lord Aki. He made a whole big deal about it and forced me to apologize to her." Shea said rolling her eyes.
Hapa relaxed and smiled, 'she is not as intimidating and scary as Lord Aki.'
"Well the first day of school is tomorrow, and these fancy kimonos won't do. You need ninja gear clothing, I'm sure Lord Aki will be able to provide that to you. Also in ninja academy, we don't just teach ninja and samurai combat. We have special samurai classes, along with reading, writing, and math. You schedule with probably be from......." As Hapa went on and on about Zima's responsibility as an academy student, Zima listened to every word he said carefully. Shea, on the other hand, was dying of boredom.
"Ugh! Okay Hapa we get it she has to work hard, study, and you won't be easy on her. Blah, blah blah, and more crap. Know I remember why I hated school so much." Shea walked out of the room.
Zima nervously giggled, "Ignore her, I see you tomorrow in the morning!"
Hapa's face showed his irritation, and annoyance, "She hasn't changed one bit, it still annoys me that the fact she is jonin and I'm still chunin."
Zima placed a hand on his shoulder, "Don't worry you will get their one day, I can see it." Zima then turned around and ran to the door to catch up to Shea. "See you tomorrow Hapa-sensei!" She shouted as she ran out the room.
Hapa stood alone in the classroom in disbelief, not only was the empress who had way more power over him, was gonna be one of his students, but she addressed him formally by calling him sensei. Not even his own students that he has more power over gave him the respect to call him sensei.(Teacher / Scholar in Japanese)
'What a strange women' He thought as he watched Zima chase Shea down the hall of the academy. Tomorrow was gonna be one heck of a day.
. . .