So... "Grandma."

Though the queen of this castle had indeed given permission to Azure to meet with her in her own sanctuary, the workload that she has burdened for the better part of her entire life as an adult wore on her, causing her to seek temporary recluse. Truth be told, she was not so immature as to postpone her entire list of daily tasks, but it was no doubt obvious that this sovereign woman needed to relax or she would run herself dry in the end. There was no need for Azure to worry about being confronted by the guards – before resting, Misaiko had notified all of her soldiers that the young man is allowed to enter her room. Even if he possessed misguided intentions, the goddess of wind herself would be able to handle him without any difficulty. Plus, she rather enjoyed the boy’s company. From the moment she first met him as a child, he had always been such a sweet boy, always requesting to spend time with her during her visits to Ketsu, a man she had welcomed into her family as a son. She had regarded him with the same love as any of her other children, and that same love, doubtless, went for his children.

The only child that she could never possibly bring herself to love…would be Katashi. As surprising as it may sound for a woman whose entire foundation is built on being kind and demure, Katashi’s existence was completely alien to her. Never before had she met an individual who stood at the pinnacle of disrespect. However many attempts she made to divert him onto the right path, the young boy simply had no desire to live his life with love and compassion. He must’ve been raised poorly, she figured. She has not seen him ever since then. Azure, on the other hand, loved her with every fiber of his being. Always flattering, always caring, he never once disrespected her and would frequently compliment her, something she took quite the liking to.

Whenever he visited, she would always welcome him with open arms and treat him with the utmost respect. As long as he left satisfied and content with his time spent, Misaiko’s heart would always be filled its own personal contentment. As he arrived within her personal quarters, Misaiko was sleeping soundly within her ornately decorated queen-sized bed. When he knelled down beside her bed, her eyelids quietly opened as she saw the handsome boy knelling before her at her bedside, his hair fluttering as the result of the soft winds that passed through the small opening in the windows of her room.

She chuckled for a moment before yawning, as she brought a hand up to the side of his left cheek and caressed it with loving care and affection. Though her eyes still spoke of slight drowsiness, she was nevertheless happy to see her grandson. “Welcome, Azure. I am pleased that you have arrived. Oh, and with tea no less. How thoughtful of you, “Misaiko said as she raised herself from the bed sheets, revealing her voluptuous body in a white night gown. She sat Indian style as she took the cup of tea, blowing on it softly before bringing the tip of the cup to her lips. Once she completed three sips, she set the tea down and returned her gaze to Azure. “So, what brings you to my quarters on this fine day? “

“Talking? I suppose there’s nothing else I can do on my day of relaxation,” she said with serenity leaking from every corner of her soft white lips. Figuring that she didn’t have much to do anyhow, speaking with him would allow the two to not only catch up with one another, but even discuss how the boy’s current life has been moving along. There were many things she wanted to ask him, the most pressing of which is how he had been living his life up till now and that if his goals were still in the right place.

During a person’s life, things change. Where they may have been sweet and striving at one point, they could become downtrodden and cynical in a flash----an unfortunate evolution of the soul that she despised to her very core. With men, this cycle is even more daunting. They experience the perils of love, the perils of despair, and the perils of trying to prove themselves every day. When they are met with a failure, that cycle is thrown off and they tend to descend into doubt. Doubt begets self-depreciation and ultimately, their lives become dismantled and in some unfortunate cases, ruined forever. Only those with the right friends, a supportive family, and a loyal woman can hope to attain the glory they seek day in and day out.

If anything, Misaiko’s desire was to make that conclusion into a reality for the young man now sitting beside her bedside. Normally, in front of a stranger or a messenger from the west, she would request that they wait outside until she enrobed herself within her usual garb. However, having spent time with Azure more than any of Ketsu’s other sons; she had regarded him with the same love that a mother does their son, and thus had no qualms of wearing what some would perhaps consider “risky” around this pink haired iramasha. She brought a slender finger towards her lip, thinking thoughtfully on the answer she should give to Azure on how her life had been. The most appropriate answer would undoubtedly be hectic. Although it could be worse, that didn’t change the fact that it could become stressful. Ruling over an entire land was never easy.

Nevertheless, Misaiko would never relent. Even in the face of adversity, she would persevere. “Suffice it to say, Azure, that I haven’t been doing all that well. I suppose for someone else, this job would be an honor, and for me, it is. However, to rule over such a proud people…it requires patience and forbearance, and that was wearing thin until I decided to seek a temporary reprieve. “ Even with that being said, Misaiko had surprisingly remained stoic in the faces of her challenges. But an irreversible rule is that no one can constantly face challenges without acquiring some form of discouragement. Having acquired her own, she decided that resting her mind and voiding it of all negativity would bring her back to excellent condition. Perhaps even this talk would have an impact, if she were lucky. With a coquettish smile crossing her lips, she gazed into Azure’s blue eyes and asked him a question out of simple curiosity. “What would you like to do with someone of my age group? I doubt that I’d be able to do anything to keep you entertained. “