Timeless Deception
Chapter 1: Moonlit Betrayal
In Lord Hideo's castle, there's a forbidden meeting that's unfolding inside.
Young Lady Emiko
*Crouched behind a silk screen*
Young Lady Emiko
*peeking*
Her lover Kenji, son of rival Lord Shinoda
Young Master Kenji
*stood facing Lord Hideo, deception sparkled in his eyes*
Young Master Kenji
My Lord.
Young Master Kenji
Lord Shinoda proposes a truce -- a united front against invading forces.
Young Lady Emiko
*heart beats fast swelled with hope*
Young Lady Emiko
*suddenly saw Kenji's gesture*
Young Master Kenji
*Gesturing the Shinoda's soldiers that are lurking in shadows*
Young Lady Emiko
*eyes widened*
Young Lady Emiko
"It can't be"
Young Lady Emiko
"He should be here to partner up with my father to stop the both kingdom from being enemy"
Kenji's words were lies, and her father, Lord Hideo, was walking into a trap
Young Lady Emiko
*rushed to warn her father*
Young Lady Emiko
*suddenly feet felt heavy as if rooted in horror*
Just as she broke free from her trance--
Young Lady Emiko
*eyes met Kenji's*
Young Master Kenji
*looks at her*
Young Lady Emiko
*glance of anguish and warning*
Young Lady Emiko
*Sprinted towards her father*
Lord Shinoda's soldiers closed in
Lord Hideo
*turned to Emiko*
Lord Hideo
Emiko, leave now.
Young Lady Emiko
No, I can't!
Lord Hideo
*turned to Kenji*
Lord Hideo
Was this your plan?
Young Master Kenji
No, my lord... But yes, my father's.
Young Lady Emiko
*heart shattered*
Emiko's love for her father surpasses her anger towards Kenji
Young Lady Emiko
*grasps Lord Hideo's arm, pleading*
Young Lady Emiko
Father, please-- escape with me!
Young Lady Emiko
Kenji's betrayal doesn't matter
Young Lady Emiko
-- YOU matter!
Chapter 1: Moonlit Betrayal
Lord Hideo's eyes fill with tears as he looks at Emiko, then Kenji
Lord Hideo
Shinoda's men have surrounded us.
Lord Hideo
Kenji, your heart was once good-- what darkness consumed you?
Young Master Kenji
*pulls back to his knees, overcome*
Young Master Kenji
Father's ambition.
Young Master Kenji
And fear of losing Emiko to you, my lord..
Lord Hideo
*turns back to Emiko*
Lord Hideo
Go-- live for me, for our family's honor..
Lord Hideo
And.. Perhaps.. One day, forgive Kenji.
With those last words, Lord Hideo draws his swords, charging into battle
Young Lady Emiko
*draws her own dagger, standing back-to-back to her father*
Lord Hideo
"She really matches my bravely" *smile*
Young Lady Emiko
Together, father-- we'll face them!
Young Lady Emiko
*assuring her father*
Lord Hideo
*smile proudly*
Lord Hideo
My daughter-- fierce as her mother..
Lord Hideo
*blade clash with enemy*
Young Master Kenji
*watches in horror*
Young Master Kenji
"it's my fault..."
Young Master Kenji
"I don't know what to choose.."
Young Master Kenji
"my loyalty to my father.."
Young Master Kenji
"or my love for Emiko.."
Emiko and Lord Hideo gain ground
Lord Shinoda
*strikes behind Lord Hideo*
Lord Shinoda
Mission accomplished
Young Master Kenji
Father-!
Young Master Kenji
*shock*
Lord Shinoda
*fiercely looks at Kenji*
Lord Shinoda
Go to my temple after you clean up this mess.
Young Lady Emiko
*standing shock*
Lord Hideo
*collapses in Emiko's arms*
Lord Hideo
*mortally wounded*
Young Lady Emiko
Father...
Young Lady Emiko
*having multiple emotion*
Young Lady Emiko
Don't give up..
Young Lady Emiko
We're gonna leave
Young Lady Emiko
Go to the safe place..
Lord Hideo's wound keeps worsing
A sign that he wouldn't have a chance to survive--
Lord Hideo
"Kenji... Loved you... Through him, forgive.."
Chapter 1: Moonlit Betrayal
Young Lady Emiko
*turns away from Kenji*
Young Lady Emiko
*looks at Kenji's wound*
Young Lady Emiko
Live with the shame of your family's name..
Young Lady Emiko
And the love you destroyed.
Young Lady Emiko
*dagger still clutched in her hand*
She disappears into night shadows,
leaving Kenji to crawl towards the ancestral temple--perhaps to warn his father...
Or stop Emiko's impending revenge.
Young Lady Emiko
*returns to the temple*
Scroll mission burning within her
• The Shinoda family scroll
• And a mysterious, ancient watch with inscription:
"𝓣𝓲𝓶𝓮'𝓼 𝓿𝓮𝓷𝓰𝓮𝓪𝓷𝓬𝓮 𝓪𝔀𝓪𝓲𝓽𝓼-𝓽𝓾𝓻𝓷 𝓫𝓪𝓬𝓴 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓻𝓼"
Young Lady Emiko
*fingers brush against the ancient watch*
Young Lady Emiko
So beautiful...
Young Lady Emiko
*visions explode in her mind*
Her mother alive, smiling
Her father victorious in battle
Kenji loving her truly, without deception.
Young Lady Emiko
What's the meaning of this...
A slow whisper echoes in her mind
Young Lady Emiko
"𝓣𝓾𝓻𝓷 𝓫𝓪𝓬𝓴 𝓽𝓲𝓶𝓮... 𝓐𝓵𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝓯𝓪𝓽𝓮..."
Young Lady Emiko
*eyes widened as she realizes*
Young Lady Emiko
This watch...
Young Lady Emiko
Could prevent my father's death..
Young Lady Emiko
It.. Can also undo Kenji's betrayal..
Young Lady Emiko
And change everything...
Emiko's caution takes over.
Emiko decides to explore the watch's secrets further,
Fearing unintended consequences
Young Lady Emiko
*examines the watch carefully*
Young Lady Emiko
Intricate Japanese characters etched onto its back.
Young Lady Emiko
There's also a small, hidden compartment containing a yellowed parchment
Young Lady Emiko
*unfolds the parchment*
Young Lady Emiko
*sees a poem*
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