[John117xCortana]

"Affection… such a subtle little word yet its meaning hold so much more" Ikaruga was enjoying every minute of this moment. The reaction that he saw brought him such untold joy that he wished he could experience it again. He can see Yuuhi's mouth forming a frown, her eyes wavering at every word. She felt violated…

Every word that came out of his mouth felt like it was taken from her throat and formed into a perversion kind of language.

"…" But still the Shogun continued to struggle, continued to put on a brave face against a man who can kill her with but a thought.

"Despite everything my father claimed you to be, there is certainly one thing that hasn't changed. Japan thinks of the royal family as a height above them, thinking that we were… demigods… prime examples of a Japanese by honoring our old traditions in every way. (…) But they are wrong. Despite what we've been told, what our children have been taught, there is still one viable error they cannot erase. In the end… Your Highness… you're still a girl. (…!) A human—no different to the animals you see prowling on the streets every day. We feel, we think just like everyone else. (…) But such feelings are denied to us"

"…"

Ikaruga's face drew closer as if he was trying to corner the girl on the balcony. "Tell me. What did it feel like to be beside him? What manner of deed did he do to earn your affection? What kind of man was he to make you show… such expressions? How did you feel when the peasant came to you face?"

Yuuhi didn't want to imagine it but she could not help herself from thinking of the boy. Every tinge of her body was wavering. Her feelings, followed by the fear of this man was becoming close to breaking her face apart. She bit her lip sharply trying to suppress her growl but she was failing.

"Ahahaha!" The man in blue burst a laugh. "This is magnificent. Simply magnificent. It sounds like something out of a fairy tale. A princess falling for a dog unmatched of her status. Of all the men in the world…you chose a brat whose standing is of no value to you or your country. It's like comparing a bird to a mere rat that breeds in droves in the sewers! I cannot even begin to understand you. AHAHAHA!"

In that split of a second, a switch was flipped from Yuuhi's mind. A dam burst from her deep subconscious pouring all the rage that she had been holding back. Like a tsunami it swept over her body drowning all the logic she had built to keep herself from acting. All sense of reason faded from it and acting primarily on those lesser instincts, her hand moved up against the man's face, causing a sound that silenced everyone else's thoughts in the room.

Slap!

Ikaruga didn't even see the blow coming when he felt the pain seeping across his cheek. It was so fast that he couldn't even find time to dodge. It was the same slap that Yuuhi delivered to Takeru during the coup but this time… she meant every sense of the action.

"That's enough!" The guards felt a chill run down their spine at the yell of her voice. Even Ikaruga who seemed so composed earlier could not help but be still, a horrified look replacing his face.

"Y… your highness…" The Grand Chamberlain who has been with her all her life never once saw so much anger and hatred burning from the girl. It radiated so much that it may have killed a small animal.

"I said… that is enough" Yuuhi continued not taking her eyes off her mark. "I will not allow you to insult him anymore…" The killing intent she was resonating could be felt around the entire room, choking the very air that they breathed.

Crowning Moment of Awesome for Yuuhi.