Brief note: The "Musk Dynasty" belongs to Rumiko Takahashi, not me ^_^ I just wrote this for the sake of…writing it. The events described are contrived by myself alone. The Musk Dynasty itself is a fictitious tribe of martial artists in China that study martial arts forms inspired by animals. Eventually, to become "one" with the animals, they would go out into the forest, capture an animal, and throw it into the Spring-Of-The-Drowned-Girl at Jusenkyo (lit. "Land of the Cursed Springs"), turning the animals into human women with animal-like traits. They then married the women, and their descendents carry those traits to this day. Also, the Musk Dynasty is sort of a group of male Amazons. The children are taken away from their mothers at an early age and raised to not even know what women are until they marry and have their own children. The rulers of the Musk Dynasty are the descendents of dragons.
***
"Fallen Dragon"
By Katalin Bakonyi
9/12/00
***
I was allowed to see my mother once a month. Anything more and it would have made me soft, and interfered with my training. Anything less..and..well..my father, Pine, didn't want to deal with my mother if she was forced to stay away from me. Dragons are very protective of their hatchlings.
My father was the strongest man I'd ever known...he could level mountains...change the path of streams...or subdue a dragon. From what I've heard from the royal advisors, he spent weeks out in the mountains to capture my mother. I was twelve years old when he died. I don't, to be honest, remember exact details about it. I do know that I sort of withdrew from everyone after it happened…at least for a while. But my two best friends, Mint and Lime, talked me into joining them outside to practice, and it got me over my grief.
Herb. Mint. Lime. They all sound a bit peculiar for names, don't they? I suppose it's just because of how they translate into other languages. My Chinese name, actually, is Xuan Long…roughly it translates to 'Imperial, dragon, herb'. 'Imperial' and 'dragon' make sense, right? I'll bet the 'herb' part still has you all thrown a bit. Well, I'll try to clear it up, I suppose.
Dragons, regarded, for the most part as holy creatures throughout the east, are indeed so. In sheer physical size, almost no living animal matches a fully matured bull dragon, aside from some prehistoric beast. 'Fully mature' implies that the dragon is at least a thousand years old or so. My mother herself, although she'd always say it was impolite to ask a lady her age, was about 800, 900 years old or so…father spent a great deal of time teaching me about the dragons. I could guess her age from the shape and color of her scales. I myself am so young as I write this that my own scales have not even developed any distinct shape of their own…every dragon's scales are different, like fingerprints on common people.
A dragon, in itself is a formidable creature with a temper that, once lost, is rarely regained by the dragon until whatever made it so blindly angry has left or been destroyed. Besides it's sheer physical strength and size, some dragons have been known to breath fire, their own hides being impervious to the effects of flames as well.
All dragons, no matter what size or stature, climate or bloodline, have horns, however. They protect the joints, and are partial extensions of the spine and other bones of the body. They are most noticeable down the back, and when a dragon is calm, they lay concealed in grooves between the thick plate-like scales there; When a dragon is aggravated, these spikes rise, like the hackles of a dog, usually suddenly and without warning. Generally, the spikes continue all the way down the spine to the very end of the tail. There, they form a complicated, interlocking pattern of horn, scales, and bone, concealing perhaps one of the dragon's most lethal forms of attack, it's poison. Between those interlocking horns, a barb, almost like one found on a scorpion, although much larger, can be found. Dragon venom is more deadly than hemlock, strychnine, or even the dangerous fugu (the puffer fish of Japanese fame. Why they eat it is beyond me). However, there are cures for it, although most people are dead before they hit the ground.
You're probably all wondering what this has to do with my name being 'Herb'. Dragon midwives, who help in naming a hatchling once the egg gets it's first crack, are famous for having a horrible sense of humor. Upon my birth, the midwife noticed that I had no spikes, and no barb. So, she laughingly suggested part of my name mean 'herb', implying I would be an ingredient to cure those poisoned by dragon venom. Father was always terrible with names.
One thing I clearly remember from my childhood was that there were rumors constantly flying. Mostly that my mother, a full dragon, had taught my father some of her magic. Among the Musk Dynasty, magic is usually regarded as a coward's way out of a fight, and spat upon. I don't really know whether father knew any magic or not, people are pretty divided over the subject.
Another thing, although I don't remember it as clearly as all the talks I used to have with my father, and the ones I had once a month with mother, was that the Musk Dynasty went to war for a very short time when I was about 11 or 12. It was where father died, although I still haven't been able to get the same story about his death from two people, and his body was never recovered so I had no way of figuring out the details for myself. As I recall, our army headed north, with father, to protect our boarders from a rival tribe that was trying to take more of our land away from us than they already had…
***
"Amazons?!" Pine roared at Cedar and Oak, who flinched back nervously at their Emperor's anger "We're going into battle with women and nobody thought it might be important to warn me first?!"
"Yes, but sir--" began Cedar, a slightly short man with very strong wolf blood in him. Pine wouldn't hear a word of it.
"No buts! This could be a disaster! You know how some of the youngest fighters will react to women on the battlefield! The same way you and I reacted the first time we saw a woman! They'll be slaughtered with their mouths hanging open! I can't believe you didn't tell me this sooner!"
"Sir!" Cedar snapped at him, growling "We didn't tell you because we didn't know!" he paused for a moment, and bowed his head slightly, muttering something about an apology for speaking so harshly to the son of Lung Wang, but Pine waved it off.
"Forget it." Pine said absently, walking out of the meeting tent, surveying the army outpost that was being set up since they arrived. Tents, small campfires, and a few traps being set around the perimeter. Cedar followed him, frowning, awaiting orders, but none came, not for him, anyway.
"Oak, go help set the traps."
The tiger-man simply nodded as he walked off, ducking his head slightly to pass his considerable bulk through the entrance of the tent. Pine paused for a moment, eyeing his advisor.
"Are you still here?" he asked, acidly. Cedar stood, unflinching, but answered him in a quiet voice.
"Yes, I am sir."
"And why is that?"
"Because you don't know what to do about this new situation, and frankly sir, neither do I."
Pine chuckled slightly to himself, and shook his head. Cedar relaxed, but still seemed quietly upset, so unlike Pine with his explosive temper.
"Again, you hit the nail squarely on the head, my friend…I don't know what to do…and frankly, I don't think there's anything we can do. These amazons are encroaching on our northern border, and we will not back down from a fight…any fight. I will have to lead the men, of course…it may keep them from being distracted in the heat of battle."
Cedar nodded slightly at this, but then cleared his throat purposefully.
"Pine…what about me?"
At first, the man who was one quarter dragon and three quarters man did not answer. Then he sighed and looked up at the sky, seeming to think.
"You'll remain in camp…if things get too dangerous…get Herb out of here, I don't care what it takes or if you have to clout him over the head and drag him every step of the way. Understood?" Cedar blinked initially, and frowned to himself, knowing that this was Pine's way of punishing him for his failure to do his job: to remove him from battle and reduce him to a mere babysitter. Although, truth be told, getting Herb to leave in the case of an emergency would take a fairly brave man indeed.
"I said..understood?" Pine repeated, not looking at the wolf.
"Yes, sir." Cedar murmured before walking off. Pine sighed. This wasn't a good day so far, not at all. In fact, it wasn't a very good week, or month, he supposed.
Pine had brought his son Herb along so he could have some battlefield experience. Heaven forbid the child get hurt, Opium, or Lan Kuei* as he always liked to call her, would rip his head off if that were to occur.
* = Lan Kuei means 'Little Orchid'
***
Herb stood in a small clearing behind the camp, practicing his long spear drills. The snow was making his feet numb, even inside his winter boots, but he ignored it. He refused to show any sign of weakness whatsoever while surrounded by all these seasoned warriors. He nimbly leapt around on his sore legs, repeating the drills and katas that he had worked so hard to memorize, over and over again, never ceasing, thrashing up snow as his speed increased. His breath steamed, but he wasn't about to rest, not until he finished what he had set out to do.
His goal had been to head out and perform his spear drills one hundred times, only resting afterwards. Nobody had told him to do it, or even suggested it. He always set goals for himself, and always met them, no matter how tired, frustrated, or cold he felt. He could have sworn he'd only taken a pause for about ten seconds when his father approached him. He sensed his ki signature long before he heard, smelt, or saw him. He continued his practice.
"Father?" he asked, still performing his drill, but switching to something slower so he could talk, barely needing to pay attention to what his body was doing, so used to the drills he was performing. Pine eyed his son in pride…and even admiration. It was a great honor to have so much blood of the dragon in your heart. Herb was the opposite to him in this respect. Pine was three quarters man. Herb was three quarters dragon, and maybe a bit more. Every half dozen generations, members of the dynasty had to refresh the animal blood of their names, as it was in the old days. Herb was the direct result of this, with more dragonine qualities than had been seen in a prince of the dynasty for at least a hundred years.
And everyone could already tell it. Especially with that temper…
"Nothing really, son, just came to talk a bit. It uh..appears that we're not fighting.." he paused a moment, noticing Herb's distinct look of surprise and…disappointment? Oh, the boy wanted a chance to prove himself, I suppose… "…who we thought…we were fighting."
We're…not fighting…who we thought we were fighting? What? That..doesn't make any sense.. Herb looked over at his father, narrowing one eye at him quizzically.
"How do you mean?" he continued his practice even as the words left his mouth.
"I mean, son, that the enemy we're fighting here is more dangerous than we'd anticipated. We're.." he paused and rubbed the back of his neck, sighing "…we're fighting women, amazons, son."
Herb fell flat onto his face upon hearing this, of course.
"W..wh..what? We..we're fighting with women?! Is…is that…possible?!" His expression of confused, surprised shock was classic, something that should be recorded for prosperity. Too bad the dynasty doesn't have a camera, thought Pine. Herb blinked and stood himself up, trying to be as dignified about it as possible. His father just eyed him, didn't offer any help, it's not how they were.
"Very possible. Like the Musk Dynasty, Herb, there is a tribe, a nation, even…a very loosely organized, I might add, nation, of warrior women, who call themselves 'amazons'." Pine eyed his son, wondering how he'd take this. Herb dusted the snow off of his clothes, and paused, confused for a moment, his brow furrowed.
"..amazon? Isn't that…a river in South America..and…that word…isn't it…I've heard it somewhere, dad! Doesn't it mean something like uh, a uh, woman that just has er..you know..uh.." Herb coughed, pointing to his chest for a moment "..uh..just er…one?"
Pine eyed his son for a moment before snickering. His son scowled, thoroughly detesting the sensation of being laughed at as he picked up his spear.
"..well, is it? Am I right?" Herb asked curtly, pulling himself up onto a tree branch, sitting there with his spear balanced across his knees. Pine thought it over for a moment.
"Well…yes…and no."
"..well which one is it, yes or no? It can't be both."
"Well son..it kind of…depends. I mean..er..some have one and uh…some have two, that's about it.. but they are very strong women, and right now they're commanding a particularly fine army."
He could see his son pause, thinking, his brow furrowed the way it always did when he was trying to put the pieces of something together in his head.
"…so…if they're strong…why don't we just…you know, take them home?"
"Well it…doesn't really work that way. See, they hate men."
"…but..why? I mean…I don't hate women , why should they hate us?"
Pine paused, and leaned against the tree Herb was sitting it. He let out an exasperated sigh.
"You ask too many questions, son. If you really want to know, ask one, someday, you'll probably get a chance the way things are going…they don't want anything to do with us, they just want our land…they can't grow or hunt anything up there…up that far north…so they plan to move south, into our borders..and we can't have that…can we?"
Herb frowned to himself slightly, fingering the razor spear point of his weapon.
"No sir..we can't have that. It's our territory…if they want it, they'll have to come and drag us off of it…it's our land." Pine looked up at his son, his own eyes narrowing for a moment, and smiled at the conviction in the boy's voice.
"That's right! A dynasty isn't build on weapons, or gold, or how many horses or warriors you have, or how good your bloodline is.."
"..a dynasty's built where you have a home for your warriors, a place to keep your gold and weapons, and…land to grow food…to make it home. Without our land we're just homeless wanderers…" Herb finished his father's words for him, his voice becoming quiet as he reached the end of the recitation. He coughed slightly.
"..father…this morning when we arrived I…felt something. Something odd, up farther north." Herb easily let himself down from the tree, hopping onto his sore feet as he began to continue his kata, from the beginning, starting at one again, intent to do it without stopping.
"…what'd you feel, Herb? How do you mean?" Herb shook his head and continued his slow, graceful movements, calming himself.
"I..I don't know…but it came from further north, where you sent the scouting troops a few days ago. It just..felt bad. That's all.." Herb trailed off, focusing on his movements.
"Eh, you're like your mother Herb …only women worry." Pine started to walk off. Herb paused and coughed, a bit surprised, and ashamed.
"..sir?"
"…what?"
"so…it's better if I don't worry? I'll stop then, I mean it!"
"Now I didn't say that, did I?"
Herb smiled slightly.
"No, father…you didn't."
***
"Oh god…" Pine stared out over what appeared to be a vast field. The snow was stained pink. He shuddered and motioned back towards his men that they should follow slowly. The cry of 'keep an eye out for the wounded' swiftly went through the ranks. Suddenly he heard a bit of a scuffle and frowned to himself, recognizing the flare of Herb's angry ki. Anyone could recognize it, that's how obvious it was.
"Son. Get back to the end of the ranks."
"But! I..I wanted--"
"I said go!" Pine roared at him. Herb stared back at his father..and before going, paused..staring out at the bloodstained snow. His father could see his red eyes cloud over slightly at the scent of blood. The blood of comrades.
"Go!"
Herb stared a moment longer…neither he nor his father could see the limp bodies littering the landscape just a bit ahead because of their bad eyesight, but they both knew the smell of death when they met it.
"..amazons?" Herb asked his father quietly, a question that had no real answer.
"Get to the back, son."
Herb looked out on the battlefield for a moment longer before he obeyed, heading to the end of the ranks gloomily. Pine frowned to himself, slowly starting to walk across the barren, dirty snow, feeling the howling northern wind chilling him even through his armor.
Time passed, and the army slowly trudged across the field, when Pine thought he heard something. Many of the other men seemed to react to it as well, and then, suddenly and without any other warning, they were attacked. The amazons leapt from their hiding places while giving blood-curdling war screams. Pine drew his sword and turned back, shouting to those that were too far to see the events.
"Ambush! Now w--" but his words were abruptly cut off when he gave a bellow of pain like a stricken beast, an arrow imbedded in his shoulder, right under his armor. He snarled and turned swiftly, felling an amazon just as she leapt at him with her own sword, throwing her to the side with a moderate ki blast. The rest of his men never waited for an order, as soon as they heard his cry of pain, they rushed into the field to do battle, drawing weapons and giving animal cries of fury. This is exactly what the Amazons had anticipated.
Bursting from the tree line nearby came a sight that could turn the bravest warrior to mush; an amazon calvary charge. Screaming like harpies, the women on horseback swept across the plain from both sides, their small northern horses obviously of the finest quality. The women had an immense upper hand even at the outset of the battle. They were a military state, an army. The Musk Dynasty, on the other hand, was more concerned with individual battle skills, and controlled combat conditions. On the other hand, the horses were terrified of the Musk men and occasionally bolted. The battle dragged on, bloody and violent.
Cedar stared, shocked, from the edge of the forest as they approached. He barely had time, even with his lightning speed, to grab Herb when the young prince tried to run towards the fray. He was surprised by the boy's strength, but somehow managed to drag him back under the cover of trees.
"W..we have to go help them! Cedar!" the boy shouted, his eyes transfixed on the battlefield. Cedar stared for a moment as well, shuddering at the sickening sounds of lethal combat, the screams of wounded horses, the battle cries of the bloodthirsty amazons and the bellows of his comrades, fallen, falling, or fighting.
"We can't. Your father ordered me to take you back home immediately if something like this happe--"
"No! I won't go!" Herb snarled at the older man, father of one of his best friends "I'm not a hatchling! I can help them! We both can!" he shouted. Cedar could feel the angry ki radiating strongly from the boy. He frowned to himself and snapped a thick branch from a tree, breaking it over Herb's head. The boy gave a surprised hiss, and then collapsed, unconscious, hitting the ground with a thud. Cedar dropped the stick and rubbed the back of his neck.
"Eh, sorry about that, prince Herb.." he muttered as he was attacked from behind. His eyes snapped wide open and he yelped in surprise, whirling on his attacker, whoever it was…and it was…a woman? Even though Cedar was quite intelligent for a man of the Dynasty, he still found himself momentarily frozen when he found himself facing off against a female. His father had told him that it was a wolf instinct to not fight with females. The amazon had no such instinct though, and didn't hesitate a moment, leaping in with her sword, leaving Cedar on the ground, and moving deeper into the forest to check for any other members of the army. Cedar lay there, panting, trying to stop the bleeding from the deep wound in his abdomen. Damnit…now I wish I hadn't knocked the kid out…
***
The battle seemed to rage on endlessly. Pine shuddered and continued to slash a bloody path through whatever attacked him, not even aiming to kill, just aiming to cripple, not wanting to waste his energy on dealing out so many killing blows. It was like an automation. Slash, dodge, jump, kick, snap, snarl, lunge, parry, block, claw, punch, over and over again. His white gi had long since been stained red. Tired, he looked around quickly as he dispatched another attacker, noting how absolutely appalling the losses were to both sides. Even with his horrible eyesight, he could tell that the snow was littered with the wounded and dying of both sides.
But the Musk Dynasty never surrendered, and never retreated. Unfortunately, neither did the amazons. Suddenly he heard a roar of pain. Rather, the entire battlefield heard it as Oak was taken down by about five warriors attacking simultaneously, none of the amazons being a match for the giant man with tiger blood one on one. Pine's breath quickened and he heard himself shout "No!" aloud when the warrior fell to the ground, limp and bloody. He had been pushed beyond all endurance. At least thirty promising young warriors had died today, and now this? Without even thinking, he spun around, striking down the nearest amazon. Things were grim. Whoever was left on the field was the best the dynasty could offer, and they were all wounded. There weren't many options left, he thought, as he continued to strike left and right, trying to avoid a struggle whenever possible.
Suddenly, he heard a whistle in the air, and before he could move, heard, rather than felt, the sickening thwack of arrows meeting his flesh. It didn't even hurt because the snow had made him so numb that his whiskers had frozen and broken off. D..d..damnit! There's only one thing I can do now, and I hope it works! He reached back and tore the arrows from his flesh, snarling as he did so, trying to concentrate, and focus his ki, like Lan Kuei had told him to. He really hoped this would work.
***
Cedar groaned, slipping back to consciousness for a moment. He blinked and peered over at the battle scene from behind a tree, only to be blinded by a bright flash of light. Blinking, he looked again. The ground and snow was smoking, thick fog covering everything. He heard, even from this distance, the sound of ripping, tearing cloth…the flash had halted the battle, even the amazons didn't know what to make of it. A low, rumbling growl came from the dense clouds, and then a sharp scream of pain, followed by a loud crunch. Cedar could hear the distinct sound of rustling scales.
Suddenly, a dragon reared up from the fog, it's considerable bulk and serpentine coils seeming to almost brush the water clouds away, clearing the ground for battle. A roar escaped it's jaws that shook snow from the trees that were still intact, making the earth and sky tremble. Cedar stared, mouth agape, recognizing the scent of this dragon. The creature plunged its head back into the fray, snapping and rumbling like a volcano, sending amazons flying. The problem came when it started to worry its prey, shaking it around before tossing it. It's jaws suddenly snapped closed on a hard metal shield, spitting it out as it bellowed like a wounded steer, a spear embedded in the scales of it's throat. It shook it's massive head in agony and blindly lunged forward, it's red eyes gleaming murder, crushing the creature that had attacked it without mercy, only to roar in pain again as a dozen amazons, tiny in comparison, clung to the beast's sides, stabbing and cutting viciously.
Cedar thought he would be sick, and looked away, the dragon's pitiful, heaven reaching roars and howls making it hard not to think of its plight. At least Herb isn't awake yet. This isn't something he should see. He heard a sudden, sharp cry, and hisses of agony before a loud thud shook the ground as the giant hit the ground. Cedar stole a quick look back, and shuddered. Of all the men that had been out on the battlefield, none had survived. About a dozen amazons were left standing, however, having tied down the dragon swiftly after disabling it. The beast lay there, panting, trembling in rage, it's eyes burning red like fire, and it's long serpentine body broken and bloody in a hundred different places.
Cedar tore his gaze away, eyeing Herb, wondering if, perhaps, he had hit the boy too hard. No. The boy was breathing fine.
***
Kizuato stared into the eyes of the helpless, wounded beast, and smirked. She herself hadn't suffered any injuries in the battle, so she was just what the others had needed to capture this thing. She crossed her arms and looked into the creature's eyes, and laughed. She could see its pupils dilate, and it's nostrils flare, trembling in sheer, helpless rage. It made her laugh harder, patting the end of the dragon's bearded muzzle condescendingly.
"Hmm…now…where to stab…so I kill you…but we don't damage this nice trophy, eh?" she asked idly as she found herself a steel Chinese sword on the ground. She eyed him and smiled infuriatingly. "Good Chinese steel. You could really hurt someone with one of these."
***
Cedar flinched, pausing his attempts to rouse the prince, when he heard a bellow of sheer rage and agony. A death roar.
And then there was dead silence. The wolf-man bit his lip and shook Herb, trying to wake him swiftly now, only noticing at the last moment when he was attacked again, by an amazon with fresh blood on the Chinese sword she was carrying. Cedar struggled to his feet, but felt the metallic sting of Pine's saber slicing his side. Kizuato pulled back to deliver a death blow when she felt an energy explosion around herself.
"Hito ryu-zan ha!!" it felt like dozens of razor-sharp knives were shot at her like bullets, and she realized the source. Herb stood there, panting, taking a defensive position, growling at her savagely. Kizuato stared at him blankly for a moment…and then laughed, seeming to realize something, sheathing the sword and running off through the trees to catch up with the others. Cedar looked at the young boy in bewilderment for a moment, and then tried to stand, failing. The prince looked visibly startled by this and went to his side, helping him stand up.
"Cedar…what happened? I mean…I know you hit me over the head to put me out but…" Herb began to speak, but Cedar simply remained silent before answering.
"..nothing…nothing happened, Prince Herb."
Herb, of course, didn't believe a word of it and rushed off, out of the trees…only stopping dead at the carnage that filled the battlefield. He felt an overwhelming urge to empty his stomach, but held it back, slowly dropping to his knees.
Father…? Oak? A..anybody? He trembled for a moment, not letting the shocked tears run down his face, staring blankly at nothing. Controlled sadness became irrational anger, as he spun at Cedar.
"What happened?! Tell me, damnit! I deserve to know!" Cedar stared blankly at the child for a moment, further infuriating him. What…can I tell him? I don't know what happened myself… Even in the icy coldness, pain was starting to overwhelm him, and he slid to the ground with a sickening thump. Herb rushed to his side, crouching, trying to help him sit.
"Y..you've been hurt, too, Cedar..I..should get you back home…" the boy was about to literally carry the older man the whole way there when Cedar strongly grasped his shoulder, letting out a pained gasp.
"N..no. Don't bother, Prince Herb…I'm dying anyway. Go on without me." Herb could see that the warrior was trying to look as brave as he could, but that deep down, he was frightened. Who wouldn't be?
"Then I'm staying here until you do," Herb began "and you're going to tell me everything you saw." The prince wasn't really that selfish. He was just hoping that the prospect he gave would motivate the wounded man to let him try to help.
Cedar cursed at himself silently. Stubborn boy! Why can't he leave me alone to die a warrior's death? He sighed in exasperation and painfully pulled himself up to sit.
"Alright…I'll tell you…but I didn't see much of anything."
***
Herb walked home quietly, favoring one leg a bit more than the other. The cold had continued creeping up his limbs, finally meeting with the icy desolation that was welling up inside of him. He stared at the ground before him with each step he took.
"Please Herb…" Cedar coughed violently, feeling the darkness approaching quickly. A little blood trickled out from the corner of his mouth.
"..leave me…but…take this—" he gave a little gasp of pain as he once again pulled himself up into a sitting position, starting to pull his broadsword out of it's sheath on his back, but failing, and falling back to the ground, wincing in pain. Herb looked at him with uncomprehending eyes, reaching over and grasping the hilt of the sword, reverently drawing it from it's covering, looking it over. The long, straight blade was of the finest steel, and the crossbar was etched with a pattern that was so ancient it had been worn away by all the hands that had held it. Most likely it had been a carving of a wolf.
"..and..give it to my son…when he turns eighteen…please do this for me.." Cedar choked out these words, sinking into the rapidly reddening snow around him Herb stared at him mutely, and nodded, unable to speak, gently taking the sheath from Cedar's back, fastening it to himself, and putting away the sword. Cedar gave an involuntary shudder, his eyes wide and staring at the starlit sky overhead. He spoke very quietly, in a distant voice.
"…P..Prince Herb…I..can't see the stars… are they out yet?"
Herb shuddered as well, looking up. He answered in a quiet, almost frightened voice.
"Yes, Cedar…the stars are out…they shine brightly…can't you see them?"
"No…I can't…b.." he coughed again, shudders shaking his dying body "..but I..remember them…p..prince Herb…is..the moon out? C..can you see the moon?"
"…yes, Cedar.." the boy repeated. Cedar was so strong, and smart too…how could be be dying? "…it's a quarter moon out tonight…"
Cedar gave a content sigh, still staring up at the sky, unblinking as snowflakes landed on his face and eyes, not melting.
"…it's good to die…under a quarter moon, young prince.." he said softly, falling quiet. Herb sat there, not knowing what to do, when he felt Cedar's hand grasp his wrist tightly..in a trembling grip, not saying anything. Herb took a moment to understand, before he stood, drawing the wolf's blade.
"You died with honor.." he whispered to the older man, before striking. Cedar gave a last gasp, and was still.
Little silver droplets of moisture ran from Herb's eyes as he walked, freezing halfway across his cheeks as he stared blankly at nothing. He was alone, and they refused to stay hidden.
Nobody would know.
Except himself, and he knew that it was a weakness, but the tears would not stop. It was if instead of bleeding from a wound to his body…his eyes bled tears from a wound to his soul.
***
The new ruler of the dynasty had refused to speak to anyone since he had returned home haggard and weak several days before. All he had told the advisors was that the army had been destroyed, and then he secluded himself into his room.
"I'm going to see my mother." He had said in a firm, but quiet voice, days after his return. Nobody dared to refuse him that. It was clear to all that his was mourning for his father acutely.
***
"Mother? Are you home?" Herb called out, entering the large cave that the empress of the dynasty called home. It was cavernous, but Herb had never been afraid of its cathedral-like awesomeness, and it had never made him somber. The walls were decorated richly, rivaling anything that could be found elsewhere in the world. The floor was of highly polished rock, an occasional pursian rug here and there. The furnishings were of all types, and all ancient, priceless treasures for any museum.
"I'm here, little one…" she gracefully walked over to her young son, crouching down to embrace him."You've grown so tall since I've last seen you!" she commented playfully, and Herb smiled in awkward pleasure, not returning the embrace, his arms hidden behind his back. Opium noticed this, and smiled teasingly.
"Oh, what's this? Have you got something for me?" Herb just shuffled his feet a little, and then pulled his hands in front of himself, slowly opening them. Cupped between his hands was a snow-white dove, trembling in terror. Opium smiled slightly and gently took the bird into her own hands, where it visibly relaxed.
"How lovely.." she said softly, stroking the bird's feathers. It cooed softly, and Herb's mother slowly opened her hands further, letting the bird fly away.
"You must learn not to terrify the creatures you hold between your claws, my child.." she ruffled his hair a little, which made the prince look quite ridiculous.
"As a dragon, all creatures will trust and honor you…all you must do is inspire their confidence through gentle actions..and a firm demeanor."
***
"Mother, are you home?" Herb called out as he entered Opium's cave. There was no answer for a while, and he heard the rustling of scales. After a moment, she appeared, embracing him.
"My, has it already been a month since I last saw you, little one?" she asked, pleased to see him again so soon. Herb thought about what he had to say, and hated it. Revulsion filled him as his mouth opened to let out the words.
"Mother…father is dead."
Now he was expecting great tears from her…he'd heard that women cried copiously when their husbands died. But there was no response, except for her words, which were so calm they surprised him.
"Yes, I know." She answered in a soft voice, before embracing him again, holding him close "..I know…" At this, Herb felt like crying all over again, but he knew he couldn't…knew that he shouldn't, so he held back the tears that were burning his eyes, and hugged his mother in return.
***
The evening sky was a deep orange, darkening into red. As the sun sank below the horizon to the west, the glowing sphere of the full moon made itself known, it's silvery light illuminating the mountains of the Jusenkyo area. The sky darkened more and more as the sun disappeared, becoming a deep velvet black, pinpoints of diamond light scattered across its surface. In the vast blackness, there was also some of blue and purple..as if the sky were a canvas and the painter had left streaks of other paints in the black, to make it seem even darker than it really was.
Herb sat under the stars with his mother, at the peak of the mountain that she also called her home. Up here, above the clouds, where the air was thinner, the stars and the moon shone more brilliantly than ever. Herb looked down at the clouds..catching glimpses of Phoenix Mountain, and of the Musk Dynasty's own lands when they parted just right. His mother seemed to be thinking to herself, before she spoke quietly, everything being so still where they were that she did not need to raise her voice to be heard.
"Son…do you ever look at the stars and the moon?"
Herb paused for a moment, wondering if moon-gazing would be considered weak and unmanly, but Cedar apparently had enjoyed looking at the moon…so it couldn't be.
"Sometimes.." he answered quietly, looking up now, his nearsighted eyes easily able to make out the distant mass of twinkling light, which was quite beautiful.
"You know.." she began quietly, smiling as the moonlight seemed to caress her features. "..some say that the moon is really a great white dragon...the gray spots are his claws and whiskers…the shining stars his treasures...scattered all across the canvas of the sky…they say he's resting up there…until the end of the world..when he'll be struck down with the sun, putting the world into darkness...except for the light of his treasures."
Herb listened quietly, and smiled. It was a nice story…but he liked most anything with dragons in it…dragons like his father…his smile abruptly melted away, and he sighed softly, his eyes seeming to search the black night for something…only he didn't know what. Opium noticed her son's pensive expression, and stared up at the moon, letting a sigh escape her as well.
"..but I don't believe in that…I believe something else."
He tore his eyes away from the moon, and looked at her, his eyes asking his question for him, and she continued.
"Look at the sky, Herb.." she spoke quietly, distantly, her eyes still locked on that distant satellite in orbit with the earth. Herb obliged, his eyes searching the heavens again as she continued to speak uninterrupted.
"So vast and limitless..it's like a sea of stars…inky black..covering the world every night to give it darkness so it can rest...it's beautiful, isn't it?"
"…yes..it is.."
"Your father..once told me…that his father had told him..that when we die..we join the stars…and those stars that shine brightest..are those that were the most noble in life..and now the most radiant in death. Did you know that the stars shine in the daylight?" she asked suddenly, and Herb shook his head wordlessly, eagerly waiting for her to continue.
"Well they do….only the sun is so bright..that nobody can see them…so…they'll always be watching over you…no matter where you are…or what you're doing…they'll always be there to guide you…so will your father." She gave a soft smile, and wrapped her arms around her son, breaking her gaze from the orb in the sky, hugging him reassuringly "…and so will I."
***
Okay, standard note time, I suppose. I created Pine, Oak, Cedar and Opium. The only thing I didn't create was the basic concept of the Musk Dynasty, which is (C) to Rumiko Takahashi...but I went into all this at the top ^_^
Anyhoo, I hope anyone who read this enjoyed it, and I'm begging for comments, questions, emails, opinions, etc.! Even flames are welcome...at least for now ;) ^_^; *L* Oh..and to those who wonder -_-; Herb had a whole arc in the later manga..volume 24, I think, where he...(gasp) fights Ranma. Wow. -- Sarcasm.
Eventually I *will* have a webpage where this will be posted as well..along with art, most likely. Also, I have another story planned that involves Herb and the Musk Dynasty...mostly to be written because I have never seen any actual fanfiction that had the Musk Dynasty appear for much of a role...also..if anyone has any name suggestions for this story, email me please? I just wanted to upload it, but I couldn't think of a name, so I stuck this one on...any suggestions would be appriciated!
Toodles!