The Golden Emperor
The lake around Kotir was slowly drying up, leaving only the parade grounds underwater in what would one day be the Abbey pond. Willing paws worked long and hard to fill the Gloomer's underground cavern and make a level base to begin constructing the abbey. Many of Kotir's original stones and structures were used, although they were thoroughly scrubbed to remove any evidence of the vermin. Soilflyer and Old Dinny had developed a new type of mortar that they used to build the Great Hall – with sweeping buttresses lost in the heights. The outer wall was taller than all but Bella of Brockhall, so the squirrels and otters were kept busy increasing the height of the scaffolding foot by foot. The hares had long since retreated to their mountain, but encouraged the "Redwallers" (called so after the pink sandstone used in construction) to "be sure t' invite us next time you 'ave a bally scoff, wot wot!"
--
A pink sun rose to greet the nearly completed walls of Redwall Abbey. Inside, however, it was still the ruins of Kotir, although many rooms had been retained, making up the basis for dormitories and an infirmary. Squirrels, otters, hedgehogs and mice worked hard to build the battlements taller than three grown badgers so that all who lived there would be safe. Others were busy in the makeshift kitchen preparing breakfast for the workers and their families. A little to the east, shrews, moles, and otters worked cutting and transporting the stone blocks from the quarry down the River Moss. All this Martin saw from his perch, on top of a tall hill far from the Abbey. Now that he had returned from his journey to trace his roots and find his father, now that vermin skirted the legendary armies of Mossflower, Martin's mind was free to wander. Wander, perhaps, to the faded, ethereal shadows of what could have been, or maybe the dark shadows of a past he would rather not relive.
--
Kiku ran for her life. As she ran, she clutched a sword in a black leather scabbard, sharp enough to split a hair crosswise, but thin, slightly curved, coming to an uneven point at the top. The hilt was round and removable, cast with chrysanthemums. Her father's sword. Should have been her brother's, but he was dead. "Deader 'n a carp in the desert," she told herself. Good. They had hated her. As she ran, she left her family home behind, burned to the ground. She looked back. Far behind, a dust cloud pursued her, shining golden in the refracted sunlight. But she had little time to focus on the beauty of the dust cloud. The reason for that cloud was the ten score of vermin, the Golden Emperor's army. Unfortunately, her tiny, high-wasted, tight kimono was ill-suited for running (to say the least). Not to mention her pack bounced uncomfortably off of the intricate knot on the back of her obi.
Tripping over another rock on the flat plains of her homeland, she decided to take a stand. The slim mousemaid drew the thin sword from the scabbard, holding it in front of her in a ready stance.
"All right now. Let's take as many of the scum with us as we can." she said to no one in particular. "Bushido!" Screaming the ancient war cry of samurai warriors, the cry of her father and brother, she prepared to single-handedly vanquish the horde of vermin, who were armed with little more than sharpened wooden stakes, with a few bows.
Swinging at the first row of vermin, she chopped their spears into kindling, then went after their heads. She was close enough to see their gold teeth when she was lifted by the back of her robe. She looked up at the eagle who had her by the obi on her kimono. "What d' you want with me?" she shouted at the eagle over the cries of the angry assorted mob of stoats, weasels, rats and ferrets who just realized that their quarry had eluded them yet again.
"Saving you from the Golden Emperor, little cho-cho."
"Who are you, anyway?"
"You may call me Haruto."
"I am Kiku Akira Masuyo, daughter of Ryouichi Masuyo, shogun and rightful Emperor of this land." Kiku stuck her chest out proudly, even though she was a good fifty feet off of the ground.
"Bold words for a little butterfly." The eagle emitted a screech that Kiku realized was a laugh.
Haruto landed on a small ledge of a cliff face, twenty feet above the ground and a good fifteen to the upper edge of the precipice. "What did you do to anger the Emperor?"
"I was born. Actually, Noborurin killed my father and brother after he took over the throne. To cement his victory he wanted to marry me."
"I take it you said no?" Haruto emitted another throaty screech-laugh.
"Uhhhh… obviously. Actually, I didn't say no, I said 'I would rather die than take orders from you.' Hence my pervious situation. Why did you save me, anyway?"
"I fight the Emperor because he killed my wife and children. They were defenseless, and he gained nothing." Haruto's eyes hardened with hatred for the bloodthirsty ruler of the once peaceful kingdom. "We'd better get some sleep, though. You are going to have to walk through the forest tomorrow."
--
"You lost her." The large glob of muscle sitting on the gilded throne was not a mouse, nor was it any recognizable breed of vermin. It's decedents would be known as the Wearet and Kharanjul. It shook with anger as the two fox captains slowly backed away. "You lost her. She was one mousemaid." His tone became one used for children. "Was she scary? Because I know that your great big armies were afraid of her. Poor little foxies." Suddenly, he exploded with rage, sending the porcelain dish of roasted bird flying at the cowering Captains. "Follow her, fools! I want her brought back here ALIVE! And I want that eagle on a platter!" The two foxes quickly ran out of the room, covered in chunks of bird.
"Tis's crazy, Takeshi! Tat stupid mouse was gotten by 'n eagle! He 'spects us to get 'er back 'live?"
"Tarou! Shhhhhh! If t' Emperor 'ears us, 'e'll be wearin' our tails 'roun 'is neck! The eagle look'd like it was 'elpin 'er. I'll bet they're 'eaden for ta forest. We'll go dere t'morrow.
Noborurin – EMPEROR