Game of Touhou

Chapter 3

Ichirin

The halls of Temple of the Renewal echoed with... sounds. Entering the rather ominous building, Lady Ichirin Kumoi lamented to herself that she had still not found out what it was that made the strange clicking and howling within the temple, but for the time being, such unimportant curiosities would have to wait, as she was looking for her liege, Lady Byakuren Hijiri.

Afraid to call within the expansive hall, Ichirin scanned the area, her deep blue eyes dancing sideways, taking in every decadent detail, before finding an opening she was familiar with- the entrance to the Temple Mausoleum. Walking into it and down the increasingly moss-covered stairs, she found her liege, holding a lantern and standing in front of a statue of a gaunt-looking man with a hairless head.

The woman herself didn't seem to notice Ichirin's entry for a good while, simply staring at the figurine with a look of regret to her. She herself was rather tall, but had a fuller figure than whoever the statue was the likeness of, her hair light brown, with a certain darkness at the roots.

After silently mouthing what seemed to be a prayer, she turned to Ichirin, saying, "Hello... your face doesn't look a thing like his did. But your eyes... blue eyes, eyes I never had, they tell me that he's within you. Ichirin, you are more than my sister, bound by something greater than blood." Byakuren stopped her quasi-enigmatic speech, turning back to the epitaph of the man, "Myouren was a good man. My successor, before the Shotoku took him. Now the role has passed to you."

"My lady, this is not the time..." Ichirin mumbled, unsure of what, if anything, she could say that did not push the subject away from her, "...Nazrin told me to find you. Ser Toramaru has taken a prisoner. A person attempting to enter the city without prior warning."

"Shou should not be so hasty." Byakuren said, her voice not raising, yet somehow conveying slight frustration, "This House extends its hand to outsiders, not its sword. Remember that when you become Lady of this House, Ichirin. Come, let us meet this prisoner."

Walking out of the mausoleum and temple, they walked across the streets of Chatra, a rather decadent city which hid its sandy ground with paved tiles of marble and the colourful rugs of bazaar-running merchants. The sun beat down on the two, making Ichirin glad of the head-scarf she wore out of habit, and after about quarter of a mile's walking and fifteen 'miladies' from various peasants attempting to sell their Liege Lady an object of high worth, they reached the Hijiris' personal tower.

While she seemed to have not shown much courtesy to the 'intruder' of Chatra, Ser Shou Toramaru did show courtesy enough to her liege to put herself and her prisoner in the first room one enters within the tower, and greeted Byakuren and Ichirin with a crooked grin on her slightly man-like face, nodding towards her 'prisoner' with unearned pride. It was a boy who looked to be growing to the age in which he was just about becoming a man, but at the moment, he was quivering like a cowardly waif. Ichirin's attention was drawn to the bloodied stump on his right arm... it was still bandaged, and the blood tainting the coverings looked fresh.

"What is the meaning of this?" Byakuren asked, "Capturing a boy such as this? If he wishes to enter the city, let him! Do you not remember how Nazrin came to be in your service?"

"Yes, my liege." Shou said in a mixed tone, half a measure of respect mixed with half a measure of sarcasm, "While Nazrin escaped from the City of Flowers, a place any girl her age would run from, this boy ran from King's Landing..."

"King's Landing?" Ichirin asked, "Is it true, boy?"

"Y-yes..." the boy stammered, "I... I need to give something to the Lady of this House. It's Lady Saigyouji, milady, she... she made me take this to you."

The boy began to search his ragged coat's pockets with his one remaining hand, before withdrawing a piece of paper, sealed with a purple wax stamp with a familiar branched-tree sigil imprinted into it.

Byakuren took it, and inspected the seal, "Lady Yuyuko's seal... your hand, boy. What happened to it?"

"The Queen took it for theft, milady. She..." the boy stopped for a moment, thinking through his next words, "...she was quick and clean, milady. It hurt, but it was fair, milady. I won't speak treason, I swear!"

Byakuren sighed to herself, sensing that the boy was probably too frightened to be truthful about his feelings on the matter, and decided to read the letter in question.

"To the Lady of Chatra, Byakuren of House Hijiri. This letter should only be read in the presence of trusted confidants- do not worry about the messenger, for he will not leave your city. He shall be your ward, as a token of my goodwill." Byakuren looked to the boy, before looking back down to the letter, continuing to read it in an undertone, "The situation in the capital is dire. The Queen, in her great desire for justice, is listening to an unjust advisor. You may know this women- Lady Seiga Kaku, former Maester of House... Shotoku."

Shou, who had been hearing her liege's voice as a half-comprehensible mumble, asked, "What's wrong? Did the letter mention House Shotoku?"

Byakuren nodded, "It's about Seiga Kaku of House Shotoku. Apparently she has managed to find herself on the Royal Court..." stopping her talk with Shou, and continuing to read the letter, "Lady Seiga has been gaining power through being a yeasmith and treachery- she recently gained ownership of a great whorehouse of King's Landing. Yet Queen Shiki seems unaware of her treachery, and where it stands, she is third in line to the throne, as is the custom of House Sanzu- blood does not have a place there, only choice. However, I am sure you are aware that having a member of House Shotoku on the throne is not good for the realm. That is why I hope you will let me elevate instead a member of your own house... Lady Ichirin Kumoi..."

Ichirin's eyes widened, her ears more perceptive to Byakuren's mutterings than Shou's, "What? Lady Saigyouji wants me to become part of the Royal Court?"

"It would appear so." Byakuren mused, "Ser Shou, take the boy to the kitchen, and make sure he has a good meal. Also, be sure to apologise to him..."

Shou's expression first became a scowl, before becoming a slightly toothy grin, and picked up a spear that had been lying on the floor beside her, before saying, "Come with me, boy. I'll make the cooks prepare your favourite meal as an apology. What is it, boy?"

"...a bowl of brown will be enough, Ser..." the boy mumbled as he shuffled to her side.

Shou looked down on the young man, and tussled his hair a little, "Brown is for the low-born. You're a ward to Lady Byakuren now. I'll have them make beef stew, with gravy so thick you'll be able to bite it. How does that sound?"

"Thank you, Ser..." the boy quietly said, his tone torn between relief and fear.

Shou began to walk out of the room, and said, "Don't call me Ser. Shou's the name. I'll introduce you to Nazrin later, perhaps you can do whatever it is children of your age do..."

Once Shou left the room, the boy scurried to follow her, and thus, the room was left with Byakuren and Ichirin, alone with the letter from King's Landing.

Ichirin tugged a little at her head-scarf in nervousness, "So, what of this request, my Lady?"

"I am unsure..." Byakuren replied, "Lady Yuyuko has many servants, she is a rich woman, yet she sends a crippled, recently punished thief, and gives him as a ward... she didn't want this activity to be discovered. She may be sincere in her intentions for you, but to groom you to be in the royal line of House Sanzu... it is as if she wishes to place House Hijiri on the throne."

"There would be no reason for her to want such a thing..." Ichirin remarked, "...unless the Hand of the Queen is so incompetent that she truly fears Lady Seiga will instantly become Queen, and simply wants to avoid a Shotoku being Queen..."

"Incompetence doesn't lose a place on the throne in House Sanzu." Byakuren darkly said, "Unzan lost his tongue to King Shiro Sendai for calling him a 'grinning fool', and he didn't lose the throne until he died. Eiki seemed to be the perfect successor then..."

"Age is wearing the Queen. If I become part of the Royal Court, Shotoku influence on the crown would wane. Did the good Lady Saigyouji tell how she wishes to make me a Royal Courtesan, or did she have one of her moments of madness in that regard?" Ichirin asked.

Byakuren cast her eyes to the paper, having forgotten there was more to the letter beyond the words 'Ichirin Kumoi', "Ah... she wishes to take you on as a bodyguard, but you will not do anything of the sort- that role falls to her bards, it says. You will stand beside Yuyuko in the Royal Court, and with her help, become well-versed in the ways of the court, and rise in the eyes of Queen Eiki and her hand, Komachi Onozuka. If you are skilled, the Queen will finally see Lady Seiga for the snake she is..."

"Her letter is candid." Ichirin said with a wry laugh, "Still, this offer is not to be taken lightly."

"If it is your inheritance you worry of, do not. You shall still be Lady of Chatra when the time comes, just as Yuyuko Saigyouji is Lady of Death's Gates despite being a Royal Courtesan." Byakuren reassured her successor, "And if you are to become Queen... perhaps some good will come to the smallfolk of Noros. Lady Saigyouji may be a madwoman, but she cares for the people."

"She does." Ichirin mused, "If I accept this offer, I should take Unzan for protection. He has been loyal to our House for many years, and is a deft hand with a sword, even as he greys."

"Agreed. Take a party of men with you, as well as Unzan." Byakuren half-commanded, "The Royal Court is a despicable place, filled with back-stabbers and liesmiths. Especially with a Shotoku in such a powerful position. Never stop watching. Although conflict is to be avoided, do not hesitate to kill any assassins. The God of Renewal forgives those that kill to save themselves- and blesses those that save their friends. Our faceless friend is proof of that."

"I shall ride to King's Landing tomorrow." Ichirin replied, "Lady Saigyouji is making a great offer, and any delay without forewarning of refusal would be taken as a slight."

"So, you have accepted this offer?" Byakuren attempted to confirm with Ichirin.

"Yes, my Lady." Ichirin said with a smile, "To be heir to House Hijiri is a great honour in itself, and I wish to bring an even greater honour to the House. We shall embrace these empowered ones."

"Indeed we shall." Byakuren replied, wearing a similar smile, her pride in the girl showing through, "Come, we should join our messenger boy. I would very much like to know the name of my new ward..."