Again....
A
story will be retold once more.
Over and over, with the same
beginning each time.
But therein lies an ending with many possible
outcomes.
Come and see what could have been.
Meanwhile…
Yui had walked around the streets in a dazed state. Taking in all the blue roofs on the buildings and seeing the flags wave in the air. Thinking logically, she had to have passed out in the library and she was in the middle of a strange dream. She rationalized that the engulfing red light really had been her blacking out.
Yet another part of her brain said she wasn't in Japan anymore. So she walked the streets in search of Miaka, Keisuke, and his cute friend Tetsuya. She was thankful to be on a busy street as men and women gazed upon her with curious eyes. Yui hadn't approached any of the men for they gave her the creeps with their shifty eyes and lustful smirks.
Her legs were starting to ache from walking as fast as she could until she could find a safer place in the city. She tried to focus on concealing the fact that she was lost, but most importantly she didn't want anyone to see how scared she really was.
Yui had heard a melody coming from her left and turned a corner hoping it might lead to the center of the city. After turning the corner though, she lost the melody but continued forward. Finally she came to a cross road in the street. She stopped to give her tired feet a rest and consider her options. One, she continues straight, two, go left on a street that appeared to have a few vendors, or three, go right where there were fewer shops than her first two choices.
Logically, she chose to keep going straight only for rational reasons. One being there was still more locals going about their shopping and the other was that she would stop receiving funny glances by the locals. Third, her mind told her the shifty eyed men from earlier were following her, but she dared not to turn around.
"Miaka, where are you?" she whispered to herself.
Koutoku tried to put that strange foreign girl out of his mind as he walked down the street towards the shops. They wouldn't buy anything -- money was too precious to waste on nonessentials. They'd had good luck today, but the Gods knew how long that would last. The older twin had gotten very good at making money stretch.
"Hey aniki, look! This box is shiny and changes colors. And this stick makes a sound like it's raining!"
Which was why Shunkaku never handled their money.
Shaking his head, but grinning, Koutoku turned to look at his brother. Almost immediately, he bumped right into somebody else on the street.
"Oh, I'm sorry," he apologized quickly, turning back as he regained his balance. "I didn't see you...." He trailed off as he finally laid eyes on the person. It was another foreign girl, just like the one the bandit had found. And she gave him that same strange, unearthly feeling. He shivered.
Yui had not been looking where she was going since she was trying to keep an eye out for her friends. For the second time that day she bumped into someone and froze in place. To her relief though, it was a boy and not a grizzly looking man.
"Hey, who's that?" Shunkaku saw the strange girl standing there with his brother, and came back to them. What was it with half-naked girls wandering the streets today?
"I apologize I wasn't paying attention to where I was walking," she said. She was being uncomfortable by the way staring boy when another popped up beside him. Yui blinked a few times until she came to the conclusion she was talking to brothers. She had jumped to the conclusion they were twins, but making assumptions on them was not polite. For all she knew this was still a dream and she was safely back in the library with Miaka.
A crowd was starting to grow around them, gawking at the girl's outlandish clothes and overabundance of exposed flesh. And her hair, her eyes.... a Hin? No, she couldn't be. The Hins had been all but wiped out -- one of them wouldn't come into the city, and certainly not all by herself. There was only one Hin who dared to come here; his infamy was beyond renown. But this was most definitely not him.
"You came here with that other girl, huh?" Shunkaku surmised, eyeing the growing crowd warily. Well, it wasn't really any of their concern, but she seemed lost and confused. It was only decent for them to reunite her with her companion.
And besides, it would be funny to dump them both on that inept bandit.
He took her hand. "C'mon," he said, starting to lead her out of the crowd. "This isn't a safe place to be all alone, especially dressed like that."
Koutoku followed them, frowning slightly. He said nothing, but he watched the girl was warily as Shun had first eyed that bandit.
"You saw another girl like me?" she asked the second boy who was leading her away from the crowd. "Did she have the same uniform? Was her hair brown? Did you see her anywhere near a local restaurant?" She asked the questions rapidly to the two boys and was just happy that she found someone who had seen Miaka. Moreover if Miaka were here, she would find a local restaurant to eat since they had missed lunch. Yui realized that even in any world she could cling onto the fact Miaka was most likely at the local food establishment.
Yui suddenly realized she hadn't properly introduced herself and thought she better.
"I apologize again for I was rude to start asking questions without properly introducing myself. My name is Hongo Yui. May I ask who the both of you are?"
"Bu Shunkaku," Shunkaku answered amiably enough as he led the girl back towards the alley where they had last seen the other girl and the bandit. "And my brother, Koutoku." He motioned back to the older twin trailing a step behind them.
As his name was mentioned, Koutoku's eyes darted towards his brother for a moment, but then fell back onto Yui. Still, he said nothing.
"Yeah, she was dressed just like you," Shunkaku went on, casting a meaningful glance down at Yui's indecently bare legs. "Where are you two from, anyway?" He'd certainly never seen clothing styles like that. And a girl with such short hair -- such short blonde hair.... She and her friend must have come from very far away, indeed.
"I'm from Tokyo. It is a city located in the country of Japan." Yui explained to the boy. She was starting to get worried as the boys took her further down the alley.
"May I ask what city we are currently located in?" The bad feeling came back in the pit of Yui's stomach. Realization slowly setting in that this wasn't no dream, but real.
Toki-yo? Japan? Shunkaku had never heard of such places. Yui and her companion must have come from very far away. How could two girls have traveled so far by themselves? "We're in Kutou, the capital city," he answered her. How could they have gotten here without knowing where "here" was?
Unfortunately, by the time they made it back to the alley, the other girl and the bandit where nowhere to be seen. Shunkaku let go of Yui's hand. "K'so, they're not here." He looked back at Yui. "We saw your friend her earlier, with an orange-haired man," he explained. "But I guess they're not here anymore."
Koutoku tore his eyes away from Yui for a moment to look around. "It's starting to get dark. They probably went to find an inn or something." These streets turned even more dangerous by night. "We should probably do the same."
He still could not quell that strange feeling that Yui gave him. The two girls both -- he didn't know what it was about them. He didn't understand it, and he didn't like it.
They were just emerging from the alley again, however, when....
"Thief! Thieves! Guards, someone stop them!"
What? Both boys turned towards the shout, where an angry woman was taking turns pointing between them and an empty clothesline. "You thieving little maggots won't get away with stealing my good robes!"
"Relax, lady, we didn't take 'em," Shunkaku fired back. "Does it look like we did?" He spread his arms wide, showing that they were obviously empty.
"Well someone did," the woman snapped, not backing off an inch. "Guards!"
This wasn't good. They were attracting attention; already a crowd was beginning to form around them, drawn by the mad woman's shouts. And Koutoku saw the armored figures of several soldiers coming towards them.
No, this was not good at all.
Yui looked around hoping to spot Miaka, but she suddenly looked back at her two tour guides.
Her eyes went wide at the attraction of Kutou's citizens as guards were coming towards them. She wouldn't have been in this mess if she had just refused the boys help.
Slowly, Yui started backing away as fear gripped her body. She didn't want any trouble in as strange city she was not familiar with. All she wanted was to reunite with Miaka, Keisuke and Tetsuya.
Yui turned around only to meet people standing in her way. This was not her day at all.
If Koutoku thought they could have melded back into the crowd to evade the soldiers, he would have tried it. But Shun was still arguing with the woman, and too many people had seen their faces; there was no way they could fade back into anonymity. Besides, even if he and Shun-chan could have managed it, Yui would never blend in with the crowd. And then the men were upon them, and all thoughts of escape were abandoned.
The crowd parted to make way for the soldiers, who marched right into the middle and demanded to know what was going on. They were all armed with spears; a few held them at the ready. None looked pleased. Koutoku suppressed a groan. They weren't in the wrong, here, but it was their word against the woman's, and he had learned long ago that justice in Kutou was only so fair as it was convenient.
"These urchins stole my good robes, sirs," the woman spat angrily, swinging her attention from Shunkaku towards the soldiers. "They've stashed them somewhere, probably at the bidding of this Hin tramp!" She stabbed an accusing finger at Yui.
"We didn't!" Shun protested right on her heels. Then the rest of the woman's accusation caught up to him. "And she's not a Hin!" But his eyes flickered back uncertainly between Yui and his brother. She's not, right?
At the mention of that accursed race, the crowd drew back a bit further, and the soldiers gripped their spears a bit tighter. The man in front, though, merely eyed Yui up and down. There was a glint in his eyes that made Shunkaku's hackles rise, and the grin that spread over his face was decidedly lecherous. "Whatever the case, foreigners aren't allowed inside the city walls without clearance." He grabbed Yui by the arm and pulled her towards him. "She'll have to come with us."
"Get your hands off her!" Shunkaku sprang forward immediately, wrenching Yui free from the soldier's grasp. Which, of course, drew the rest of the bunch into action. Grappling with the men, Shun managed to draw his knife and find flesh. "Aniki, get Yui-san--!" His voice cut off with a cry as the butt of spear smashed into his head, and he dropped helplessly into the dirt at their feet.
Yui had no time to process the fight. She was screaming however when the soldier had grabbed her. Realizing that this was no dream and somehow the two boys got her caught up in their troubles. She was thankful when Shunkaku came to her defense, but in the tussle to free her she ended up landing on her butt.
"Shun-chan!" The blow knocked Koutoku reeling to the ground as well, despite the fact that no one had actually struck him. He stumbled back up to his feet and threw himself between the soldiers and his brother, pain and dizziness evaporating almost immediately as Shun lost consciousness. "Stop, please don't hurt him!"
The lead soldier glared at the older twin, angrily wiping blood from his eye, before shoving him roughly into the knot of his men. "Take them," he barked. "Let the Shogun decide what's to be done with them." He bent down to pick up Shun's discarded knife, and stuck it into his own belt like a prize.
Koutoku did not resist as his wrists were bound behind his back, and he was hardly aware of the same thing happening to Yui. His wide eyes followed as his brother's limp form, also similarly bound, was slung over a man's shoulder, and then they were being marched through the streets towards the Palace.
For Yui, everything that came next was a blur as her mind was racing to keep up with the situation. She wanted to run and hide, but her legs wouldn't move. Her fighting skills were weak at best and made her wish for the hundredth time Miaka was beside her. The fight was over and Yui didn't struggle as they were taken away in handcuffs. No one spoke giving her time to think.
Yui looked straight ahead and ignored the lecherous looks of the soldiers. Her eyes hurt and she could tell that she had started crying, but stopped. If they were going to see someone important than maybe she could reason her way out. She really was an innocent by-standard in the whole situation until the guard grabbed her in an inappropriate way. The boys' Shunkaku and Koutoku came to her aid.
Her mind raced to think of good reasons they should be free especially since the woman had no proof of the theft. She did keep pondering what a Hin was and why the lady thought she was a Hin tramp. Her mind already told her it was a negative attitude toward a Hin and she could prove she wasn't one.
Imperial Palace, Kutou
The room with its richly appointed furnishings was fit for a prince, but none of those in it appeared to notice the grandeur of their surroundings. Couriers bustled in and out, carrying reports from spies and units in the field. A large table was in this room surrounded by a group of men, many of them looking harried, as they gazed down at the maps on the table. Maps that had been held open casually by a variety of objects, a rock here, a mug there, and a dagger over in a far corner. The maps were awash with markers representing the locations of spies, enemy troop dispositions, and the locations of the Kutou Empire's forces.
In this maelstrom of discussion and activity, one man sat unaffected by the hustle and bustle around him. A glass of sake, untouched, at his elbow, and a lengthy supply report in one hand, he appeared to be calmly reading as others hurried about him. Pausing, he looked up and motioned a commander over to him.
"Do you notice anything odd about these figures?" he asked.
"No, Lord. Should I?"
"Doesn't the food consumption seem a little high to you?"
"Now that you mention it, yes. It does seem a bit high."
"Excellent. Send a group to investigate and report back to me in a week. I also want the commander of that unit flogged. Thirty lashes should be sufficient. See to it immediately."
"Yes, sir!" the soldier stated as he rushed out to relay the orders.
As one soldier hurried out another rushed in and bowed, "Shogun, forgive me for interrupting."
Coolly, the blond man looked up at the new entry, "Yes, what is it?"
"Lord, some of the city guards have arrived with three prisoners. A young lady, possibly of the Hin tribe, dressed in strange clothing, and two young boys. They were accused by a woman who has come along of stealing a robe."
His eyes widening briefly in shock, he asked, "What does this have to do with me? This city has courts to handle these sorts of things."
"Lord, one of the boys stabbed a guardsman when they attempted to arrest the young lady."
Nodding, Nakago smiled faintly, "Yes, this would be a matter that concerns me. It wouldn't be good for the populace to think they could casually injure soldiers and guardsmen of this country without reprisal. Bring them to me," he stated, as he looked around the room. "And the rest of you, out. I want peace and quiet to handle this."
Hurriedly, the various soldiers and palace functionaries left the room, leaving Nakago by himself. Reaching over, he picked up the glass of sake and began to idly trail his fingers along the edge. This situation was definitely unusual, if only because of the girl. He was sure there were no other survivors of the Hin tribe but himself. Getting to the bottom of this could well be worthwhile. If nothing else, the explanation this girl would give should be interesting.
***
Koutoku walked silently between the soldiers as he, Shun, and Yui were brought into the Palace. His eyes darted wildly to the left and right, without really taking in anything. His mind was racing too fast to hold on to any one coherent thought. Wrists bound behind his back, his fingers unconsciously moved as though playing out a melody on his flute. What was he going to do? What could he do? There was no way out of this. And what about Yui? Koutoku still couldn't sort out how he felt about her. While he knew he would abandon her in an instant to save Shun and himself, a part of him still felt compelled to protect her like his brother had. It was crazy; he didn't even know her! But there it was. He didn't understand it at all, and it scared him. He felt so lost, so helpless and confused, and oh Gods if Shun would just open his eyes....
His head snapped up abruptly has he was shoved forward before a man in a room filled with maps and scrolls and parchments. Doesn't look like a prison, was his first -- and only -- sensible thought before the realization of just who this man was smacked him between the eyes. The man was a Hin. A real Hin. Which could only mean one thing. Kutou's infamous Shogun, the man rumored to have single-handedly hunted down and destroyed the Hin people -- his own people! -- a man spoken of in only the most guarded whispers for fear of drawing his attention, the man known as the Emperor's right hand.
Koutoku's shoulders sagged, his eyes slipping down to the floor. He and Shun were going to need Seiryuu's divine intervention to get out of this in one piece.
Yui wanted to give the soldier a glare for pushing her too hard. Her tears were dry, but her eyes were red. Quickly she scanned the room noticing the maps and various scrolls on the table. Finally her eyes rested upon the only other man in the room. His blonde hair and commanding presence were over powering.
She stood up as straight as she could and prepaid herself for the verbal debate that was about to start. Her mind was unfamiliar with this city's laws, but hopefully she could find some loophole to save all three of them from any doom.
Nakago studied the motley assortment that had gathered before him; a small grouping of the city guards, a woman claiming a robe was stolen, and three youths who supposedly had stolen this robe. There was something about the youths though, a sense of familiarity. Could one or all of them be some of those who he had been seeking? Was this girl in her strange garb the most important of them all?
His thoughts not showing, he turned to the older woman, and studied her. Then he asked her, "So these three stole a robe from you? Tell me then, why wasn't it found with them?"
"They must have hidden it somewhere after stealing it," the woman replied nervously.
"Maybe so," shifting his attention to the guards, he commanded. "Go back and search the immediate area for this robe. I have the feeling you won't be finding it, though. Also, based upon the fact that one of you was injured in a scuffle with a young boy, it's apparent to me that the city guard needs more training. Inform the commander of the guard to see to it. Also, release these three and have a servant sent in, I'll be dealing with them personally."
"Shogun, I must protest. These three thieves are dangerous. They attacked and injured one of us," one of guardsmen replied.
"Your concern is noted, but I sincerely doubt they'll be a threat to me. Now release them and go."
As the guards filed out of the room, he turned to the three who remained in the room with him. "Tell me," he said. "What should I do with you, and why?"
As the soldiers laid Shunkaku down on the floor and left, Koutoku was immediately kneeling on the floor beside him, eyes full of concern. "Shun-chan...." he whispered, their heads close together. But his brother did not stir. He wished he could do more, but his hands were bound....and then suddenly they weren't. Blinking, Koutoku looked back up at the Shogun. What was he doing? Admittedly, the three of them were certainly no threat to him, but still.... Koutoku listened, bewildered, as the man spoke kindly, sent for a healer and invited them to dine with him. He had never been arrested before, but somehow he doubted this was the customary reception for prisoners. It made him very uneasy.
Still sitting on the floor with Shun-chan's head in his lap, Koutoku couldn't keep from staring at the Shogun, trying to reconcile this man with the one in all the rumors that floated around the city. The two seemed nothing alike. But....even if they were exaggerated a hundredfold, so many stories had to have their basis in truth somewhere, right? The man was a Hin, after all -- how could a Hin rise to power if none of those stories were true?
"First could you please remove the shackles?" Yui asked. "They are cutting into my wrists and I believe I'm losing circulation." She explained her reasoning, keeping her blue-green eyes on the Shogun. Yui felt her knees become weak as if they were shaking, but she wasn't about to lose her calm composure. She tried to remind herself that dealing with authority figures like teachers was similar to, but not in the same league as dealing with the Shogun of an entire country.
"My name is Hongo Yui and I'm from Tokyo, Japan," she simply stated. "I am not familiar with your city's laws and these two boys decided to help me look from my friends. I was separated from them and these boys believed they saw a friend of mine dressed similar to me. Arriving on the spot that woman accused us of stealing a robe I've never seen." By now her whole body was beginning to shake, but really it was her fault for getting the boys into trouble. If she had declined their help than none of them would be in the mess. She already summarized the Shogun was a man who took quick actions. She had to make their case now before he decided to punish them without hearing their side of the story.
"The boy lying on the floor came to my aid when one of your guards grabbed me in a rude manner with a lecherous look in his eyes. He only meant to stop the guard from doing anything unmilitary like and that is when the fight broke out. Your guards had already assumed us guilty without hearing our side of the story and the result caused one of your men to be stabbed and as you see the boy lying beaten on the floor who, by the way, needs to see a doctor to make sure he isn't suffering any internal injuries." Yui added in the doctor in hoping she was able to play on any sympathy this man had. Her mind doubts it for he wouldn't be Shogun if he had any sympathy. Fresh tears wanted to emerge, but Yui wasn't going to back down now. She had to be strong especially since two people depended on her. A new thought popped into her head on why she was caring for brothers so much. She rationalized that it was really her fault and she wanted to repay them for their help.
Nakago wanted to smile. She definitely had spirit. Not many would dare to make a request so boldly of him. Of course, he had ordered those guardsmen to free them before leaving, but obviously the fools had been too nervous to actually carry out the order. Fortunately, that was no problem, almost all the shackles were of a set and he conveniently had a key with him.
Standing up, he fished the key out of a small pouch, and walked behind Yui. As Nakago fitted the key into the lock, the servant he'd ordered to be sent in, came in through the door. Unlocking Yui's shackles, he turned to the servant and ordered a physician to be fetched, three rooms to be prepared for guests, and food to be brought immediately for at least three people.
As he set to unlocking the shackles on the young boys, he turned his head and said, "I apologize for the guardsmen failure in releasing you as ordered. They must have been nervous. It's not every day that a city guardsman has to meet directly with me. I also apologize for my own lack of attention in seeing that my orders were carried out. I must confess there is quite a lot going on at the moment."
"As you heard, a physician should be on the way shortly for your young friend, and food will be along as well. If you would give me the honor of dining with me? You must be hungry," he said. Following his statement, he walked over to the table and began to calmly roll up maps and move things to make space for the food that would be arriving and provide a place for the youths to dine with him, though one of them would most likely be under the ministrations of a physician during that time.
He definitely had to learn more about this young lady, Yui. The strange place she spoke of, her missing friend, and how she had ended up accompanied by these boys. Hopefully, a meal and his concern for her situation would aid him in learning more.
Koutoku's fingers were moving again, playing out a silent melody he failed to notice. This whole situation threw him for a loop. Yui taking charge, the Shogun agreeing with her and letting them go, none of this made any sense.
Worst of all, that strange feeling from Yui was getting stronger, as if the Shogun was also involved somehow. Koutoku shut his eyes and tried to ignore it. His head was starting to hurt. All this confusion, these things he didn't understand... He was just making himself paranoid, now.
No, wait.... His head was starting to hurt! That meant Shun-chan was waking up. "Oh, thank the Gods," he murmured under his breath.
Shunkaku's eyes fluttered open, and he groaned. His head was pounding. What did those soldiers have to hit him for, anyway? Assholes. "Aniki?" He looked up at his brother, then began to take in their surroundings. Where was this place? They weren't on the street anymore. How long had he been out?
Suddenly he sat bolt upright, his eyes wide. "Yui-san!" And immediately the ache in his head became a sharp, blaring pain. He closed his eyes and groaned again, sagging back against his brother.
Koutoku caught him, gently holding him upright has he tried to ignore the pain and dizziness in both their heads. "It's okay, Shun-chan," he said quietly. "Yui is....safe." He hesitated before using the word, still wondering just how safe any of them really were.
Shunkaku opened his eyes and looked around again. Well, wherever they were, Yui was here, too, and she didn't look like she was hurt. Shunkaku got a warm feeling inside. A bump on the head was a small price to pay to keep a girl safe.
Then his eyes fell upon the Shogun, and he blinked. Twice. "Aniki, tell me that's not who I think it is." But as his brother only tensed and said nothing, he had his answer. He reached automatically for his belt knife, only to find it wasn't there. Right. On second thought, reaching for a weapon in front of Kutou's most infamous Shogun was probably not such a smart thing to do.
"Aniki, what's going on?"
Koutoku just sighed deeply. "I wish I knew, Shun-chan. I wish I knew."
Yui smiled and thanked the Shogun for his help. She rubbed her wrists in her hands to hopefully speed up her blood circulation. She wasn't staring at him in the eyes anymore, but watched him closely. The way he moved and talked told her he must be a very calculating man. She listened to his words and if she wasn't in this situation she would have extended sympathy to the soldiers. Hopefully her short time here, very short time, she would like to miss seeing the Shogun in action.
Her head snapped back to the boys when she heard her name. A relieved smiled crossed her faced when she saw Shunkaku had awakened. Yui became puzzled as she noticed the boys were very tense. That could explain why her knees were still shaking and she turned to look upon the man causing that nervous energy. Yui tried swallowing, but found her mouth had gone dry. Her mind reminded her that this was a man who hadn't gotten through life waiting on someone else.
She replayed the scene in front of her again and registered the leader of the armed guards to be the only one injured. His face stood in her mind as she remembered his eyes looking at her in a sexual way.
"We accept your offer to dine with you," Yui began. She couldn't refuse since he was being very understandable for a man in his position.
Turning from the table with a pile of rolled maps under one arm, Nakago said, "What you describe concerning the guard concerns me, and I feel we should address this quickly. Hence, I have two questions for you. Was the guard you mentioned the one that had been injured? Secondly, what do you feel would be a fitting punishment for him?"
Her mind raced as she tried to come up with answers.
"Yes the man in charge of the guards was the one who got injured as Shunkaku and Koutoku were trying to reason to them. If it wasn't for Koutoku his brother would probably have been beaten in the streets." She paused for some breath and to quickly wet her lips. "I am unable to make a judgment concerning punishments for the guards of this city. I do not know your laws for I found out on our way here that they did not allow foreigners in your city's walls without permission. I'm grateful for you understanding of our situation and especially my circumstances for if I had known I had gone to the appropriate authorities. For you this seems trivial matter, but maybe a little more etiquette in talking to all parties before making snap judgments. Coming from a city myself I understand that in a large city also holds shady individuals and necessary force along with quick judgments are made, but not for every situation. We weren't even armed and we were facing spears in our faces." When she found Miaka and they returned home she was going to research more in depth the duties of a Shogun.
"You asked me and I've answered to the best of my ability. The guard you have pointed out will be reprimanded for he was unable to provide a good example to his men. What those reprimand details are left up to his superiors. It really is impossible for what you ask of me, but it tells me more about your leadership abilities." Yui added hoping the Shogun would see her last statement as a complement on his character.
Smiling faintly, he nodded then turned his gaze towards the two boys. "I see your injured friend has awakened." He knelt down and looked at the young man. "How are you feeling?"
Koutoku pulled his brother backwards a tiny bit, protectively, as the Shogun kneeled down close to them. He still did not know what to make of this man. He was nothing like what the boy had expected. Koutoku supposed that most of the tales in the city must be widely embellished, and they were only now meeting the real man. But doubt still nagged at him. He was always suspicious of strangers, and especially of offers that seemed too good to be true. That wariness had kept him and Shun alive for the past....much longer than he cared to recall. So when the man who was supposed to be throwing them in prison -- if not killing them where they stood -- instead was smiling and offering them help and food and shelter with no strings attached, it made him more than a little bit uneasy.
Just then the door opened and four servants came in carrying trays of food. Behind them the physician came in and knelt down beside the injured boy. Carefully he began his examination of the young man's injuries. While the servants placed the trays on the table and finished clearing the debris of the earlier meeting away, the physician poked and prodded the boy, as well as examining his pupils for signs of dilation.
"Hey, stop it. What are you doing? Get off me! My eyes are fine, it's my head that hurts." Regardless of who was taking care of him, Shunkaku had never been a compliant patient. He didn't like being poked and prodded and told what was wrong with him. He already knew what was wrong; what he needed was a way to make it better.
Finishing his examination, he motioned one of the servants over and gave her a packet of herbs to be brewed into tea for the young man. As the servant left, the physician turned to Nakago and bowed, "Shogun, he appears to only have some bruises and a mild concussion. The packet I have asked to be brewed as a tea will help ease the pain of his headache after he drinks it. I would ask that someone be sent for me immediately if he has any severe abdominal pains, breathing problems, or begins vomiting. Otherwise, he should be fine in a few hours and with a good night's sleep."
"Excellent, you may go, and with my thanks."
When the doctor showed up and began examining Shun-chan, Koutoku transferred his distrustful gaze to him, as the Shogun moved about the room. Koutoku hovered like a fretful parent, torn between wanting to protect his brother and knowing that the doctor was only there to help.
As the healer spoke to the Shogun, Shunkaku got up to his feet, with only a little help from his brother. Both their eyes drifted to the table laden with food. Humble meal, huh? Shun's eyes almost popped out of his head. There was more food here than he and aniki would eat in a week, maybe longer. A quick glance back at the Shogun.
Nakago turned then and walked around the table to resume his former seat, as the physician left through the door. Motioning to the empty chairs at the table, he smiled and said, "Please be seated all of you. I hope all of you will find this humble meal adequate." Directing his gaze at Yui, he inquired, "In regards to your friends that you were separated from, I may be able to assist in finding them. Mobilizing the various city guardsmen, the border guards, and a portion of the military, should enable us to easily find them. Any information that you could give me about them would aid in this search. Obviously, I will be making it clear that any acts similar to what happened to you earlier will be severely punished."
"I can also understand if you feel reluctant to accept my aid, considering our initial meeting. I will not be offended in the slightest if you choose to decline my offer and the three of you carry on the search on your own. I only ask that you enjoy this meal and stay for the night in the safety of the palace. Then you are free to depart if you wish."
Was this guy for real? Unlike his brother, Shun was not one to look a gift horse in the mouth. Before aniki could stop him -- and before the Shogun could change his mind -- Shun dropped himself into a seat and started to dig in.
"Shun--!" Koutoku managed to get out before his brother was sitting at the table and eating heartily. He still wasn't sure just how far he trusted this man, but he couldn't deny Shun the food sitting right in front of them. And it smelled so good.... If he was going to kill us, he would have done it by now. After an excruciating moment of deliberation, Koutoku sat down in the chair next to his brother. His wary eyes lingered on the Shogun for a moment before he, too started to eat.
Yui had taken the seat closer to the Shogun. Remembering the fact she hadn't eaten since breakfast informed her how hungry she really was. She slowly relaxed in her seat and remembered her manners while she shared a meal with her new acquaintances. Throughout the meal little talk was giving her time to think over the Shogun's question to aid her.
First that came to mind was she has no knowledge to trust this man and he has none to trust her. All either had to go on was the brief conversation they've shared. Second the twins were tense until they began to eat. Yui made a note to ask the brothers later what they know about the Shogun.
Second he could have some hidden agenda that she would not be aware of until it was too late. She has read too many mystery novels that made her doubt even the best intentions.
Third would be some string attached to this offer that he added after she has accepted his offer. Those were all the reasons she shouldn't, but her knees had stopped shaking, leading her into all the reasons she should consider accepting his offer of aid.
The number one reason was she was a stranger to this country. Some of her mind still refused to believe that she had been transported inside a book. Second, she wasn't sure how far the twins would go into helping her search after today. For all she knew they would give her a description of whom Miaka was talking to and then be on their way leaving her alone once more. Third, she wouldn't survive without money and food for a week if she were on her own. Fourth, the Shogun had all the resources at his disposal to find her friends and really did care about her well being for the moment.
Yui took the napkin off her lap dabbing her mouth to wipe away crumbs before placing it on the table neatly folded. She also placed her chopsticks and remaining utensils onto her now empty plate signaling she was done with the meal. She looked at the Shogun and waited until she had his full attention before speaking.
"The meal was delicious and thank you for sharing it with us," she began. "I've considered your offer and I have an answer for you right now. I will accept your aid in looking for my friends. I can only give you a description of what my three companions look like, but the brothers saw my friend Miaka talking to an inhabitant of this city."
"He wasn't from the city," Shunkaku piped up from around a mouthful of food. The guy was too dumb. This city would have chewed up and spit out an idiot like that a long time ago. "Just some stupid bandit got separated from his clan, or something." He sniffed emphatically, and turned his attention back to his food.
Koutoku was pensive, silent for a long moment before speaking quietly to his brother. "Shun-chan, slow down. You'll make yourself sick." That was obviously not what had been weighing on his mind.
Shunkaku turned a sharp glare at his brother, sniffed again, and continued on as he had been. Aniki wasn't eating enough, was the problem. This was the first actual meal the two of them had in the Gods knew how long, and aniki was picking at it as if afraid it might be poisoned. Right, like the Shogun would poison his own dinner. Shunkaku knew that aniki didn't quite trust the man, but they should still be taking advantage of the situation while they could. So the younger twin ate like he might never see food again. Besides, if provided a distraction from the Gods damned headache threatening to pound his skull apart.
Koutoku studied Yui and the Shogun each in turn, trying to ignore that strange feeling he got from both of them. The Shogun had offered to help Yui find her friends, and Yui had accepted. A part of him sincerely wanted to help her. A different, much larger part thought it was damn foolish. Life was hard enough, without getting caught up in someone else's trouble.
He still didn't know why they were here, why the Shogun was being so nice to them. Even if this was the man's true nature.... On the street, you never got something for nothing. The older twin had been gauging others for ulterior motives for so long, it was practically instinct by now. But he couldn't read this man. He had no idea what the Shogun was after, and it unnerved him.
But still....if the Shogun was going to help Yui, then he couldn't be all bad. Right?
"Whether or not he's from the city," Koutoku said finally, shooting a quick glance back at his twin before turning to Yui, "your friend was with him. Miaka, was it?" If the man was a bandit, he might have sold her already. If he wasn't, well....he might have sold her, anyway. Or taken her himself. Or ditched her.
Or, he might be helping her look for Yui.
Koutoku sighed, pressing a hand against his forehead as if he were in pain -- which, in fact, he was. "It was only her, though. We didn't see anyone else dressed so oddly."
"Excellent. I'll have someone notify the various units to look for her and the others as soon as we have a definite description," The Shogun said as he smiled faintly.
Turning his head towards the young men, he inquired, "On the subject of the bandit, this could be a problem since there are several small clans operating throughout not only Kutou, but also our neighboring country of Konan. Was there anything the two of you might be aware of involving his business here in the city? If he came for a specific purpose and met with someone, I could hopefully have those individuals brought in for questioning. Potentially, they might know something that would be helpful in making a guess as to where this individual might be now."
Koutoku tried to ignore the shiver that ran down his spine when the Shogun looked at him. "He was looking for a healer," he said, his voice still a bit hesitant. Other than kindness, which Koutoku was not quite ready to believe, the Shogun would have no reason to help Yui. But he has every reason to hunt down bandits, the boy realized. Maybe that's been his goal all along. He sighed again. He just couldn't figure this man out. Maybe he ought to stop trying.
Just then a servant entered, carrying a steaming goblet brimming with a dark liquid. Carefully she set it down next to Shunkaku, murmuring that it was the tea the physician had ordered to be brewed for him. Then she stepped back and waited for further instructions.
"No he wasn't." Shunkaku actually swallowed this time before speaking up. "He just said that to try and rob us. Like we'd be stupid enough to fall for that. Dumb bandit. Aniki told him about an old woman who sold herbs, but he didn't even go." His attention turned to the woman who placed a steaming goblet of tea in front of him, then to the goblet itself.
"He had probably already been there," Koutoku told Yui and the Shogun, "and that's why he didn't go. Chances are he's still looking, somewhere."
Nakago nodded, listening carefully. This bandit could be a problem. "An herb woman he wouldn't go visit on your recommendation, possibly because he had already been there. When the commander of the city guard gets here could you tell him where she's at, so that she can be brought in for questioning?"
Yui listened and watched the Shogun talk to the boys. She wanted to believe that the man in front of her was the most understandable human being in the world. Yet suspicion crept into her mind that he has to have some ulterior motive. She herself wouldn't be so trusting and understanding of their situation. She would have tried to find holes in her story before going to great lengths to help strangers. He wasn't do that at all and that scared her. For he could be leading her into some fall sense of hope only to be crushed later.
Now she was letting her imagination run away with her and blamed it on all the mystery novels she read as a kid. If a ulterior motive doesn't appear than she be full of shame for doubting the Shogun's honorable character.
Shunkaku took a sip of the tea, made a face, and put the goblet down. It did not escape the notice of his brother.
"Shun-chan, the doctor said to drink that."
Shunkaku made another face. "It tastes like crap."
Koutoku sighed, pressing his hand to his forehead a bit harder. "It's medicine. Drink it."
"You drink it." Shunkaku was still kind of mad at his brother for not eating as much as he should have. Did he think another meal like this was just going to fall out of the sky? And aniki was worrying too much about nothing, again. The Shogun wasn't such a bad guy, and they were all going to help Yui. Things would work out. Why did aniki always have to second-guess everything to death? Shunkaku was frustrated and in pain, and not feeling very cooperative at all.
Looking up, the Shogun said to the woman, "Have some military couriers sent here immediately. Also, send someone to the city guard's command post and have their commander report to me immediately."
"Hongo-san, if you wouldn't mind waiting to describe your friends once the couriers and city guard commander arrive, we can avoid any confusion and unnecessary repetition. I hope this will be adequate."
Yui watched the woman leave to carry out the Shogun's orders. Koutuku's words came back to her about the location Miaka was talking to the "bandit." She hoped Miaka hadn't gotten herself into a dangerous situation.
"I do not mind waiting," she replied. "It also gives me a chance to describe all my friends too." She added in hopes that someone else was in the city with her.
Koutoku just looked at his brother for a long moment. They both knew that this headache was Shun's; nothing the older twin did would make it go away. As Yui and the Shogun talked, he leaned close to his brother and whispered, "Please, Shun-chan. There's too much to be wary of, here. I don't want to have to worry about you, too."
"Aniki...." Shunkaku studied his brother, looked into his eyes and saw himself reflected there. Aniki was just looking out for them, like he always had. It wasn't his fault.
Reluctantly, Shunkaku picked up the goblet and took another grimacing swallow. "Okay. But if this stuff makes me throw up, I told you so."
A few minutes later, the door opened again and the couriers along with the commander of the city guard filed into the room. All of them were red-faced and sweating, from hurrying to the room their Shogun was in. As one they bowed in unison, awaiting orders.
Quietly, he said to the gathered soldiers, "This young lady, my guest, has been separated from some companions of hers, she will describe them to you, and you will relay to Kutou's units in field to search for these individuals as time permits. I'd like to stress now that the people she describes are not to be harmed. If they are, the soldiers responsible will be answering to me. This search is to begin immediately, using any available soldiers."
"Additionally, these young men have some information on a woman in this city who may have dealt with a bandit who left with one of Hongo-san's friends. This woman is to be brought here so that I may find out if she knows anything that may be useful," pausing, he gazed pointedly at the commander of the city guard. "Yet again, she is not to be harmed. Additionally, commander, I wish you to remain for a moment. There is another matter I wish to discuss with you, involving one of your men who was injured today."
He then turned his head and looked at Yui, "Hongo-san, if you would begin describing your friends?"
When the guard along with the couriers entered the room Yui stiffened, but relaxed after she was introduced.
"There are three of them. Yuuki Miaka should be dressed our school uniform. It is the outfit I am wearing now. Miaka has hazel eyes and brown hair normally tied in two buns on her head. She would be the one my escorts here saw with the bandit. The other two friends happen to be Miaka's older brother Keisuke and his friend Tetsuya. Both boys are taller than Miaka and I," Yui got up to display her height. Than she used her hand to show by estimating how much taller, the boys were. She sat back down before continuing with the descriptions of her friends.
"Both Keisuke and Tetsuya have brown hair. I believe both boys have brown eyes, but Tetsuya had been wearing his sunglasses. Tetsuya has the darker hair color out of the two. Both of them should still be wearing clothes that will appear strange to you." She went on to the best of her ability to describe what their clothes should look like. At least Miaka's description had been easy.
Koutoku listened carefully as Yui described her companions. Well, it was definitely Miaka they had seen, wearing the same odd clothes and fitting Yui's description to a tee. But they hadn't seen either of the men. If the four of them had gotten separated within the city, then they were probably all still here, somewhere. If they got separated somewhere else, and Yui and Miaka wandered into the city on their own... Koutoku actually found that easier to believe. The guards at the city gates would have stopped such an outlandish party, but a smaller group might have been able to slip through unnoticed. If the guards were distracted by something else. Maybe.
He still didn't understand how Yui could have come into the city without knowing it was Kutou. No matter how far away she had originally come from, she should have been able to gather that information in the lands surrounding here. It was no secret, after all.
When Yui finished, the guards and couriers turned to him, waiting expectantly. At first, Koutoku was hesitant to give any information about the herb seller, not wanting to get an innocent old woman caught up in this mess. But on second thought, he had to admit that it was somehow less than a mess. He and Shun were in the Palace, and since coming here had been neither hurt nor threatened. They had been given a better meal than they'd seen in years, Shun had been administered to by a doctor, and they'd been offered a warm, dry, protected place to spend the night. Was he crazy for being suspicious of such hospitality? Shun-chan certainly seemed to think that there were no strings attached. Koutoku was starting to feel like maybe he was just being paranoid.
He wished he could read the Shogun at all, even just a hint as to what the man intended. But there was nothing.
In a quiet voice, he told the guard where they had been in the city and what the herb seller's shop looked like. The Shogun just wanted to ask a few questions about Miaka and that bandit. He wouldn't hurt her. Right? Not any more than he had hurt them, which was not at all. Koutoku wanted to believe that very much.
He described the bandit to them as well as everything he thought might be useful. If this was all the Shogun wanted in return for everything he'd granted them, then Koutoku would give it gladly. If this was all the man wanted. The older twin still couldn't shake the nagging feeling that it wasn't; the sides seemed much too uneven to him. But he was looking at it with an orphan's eyes, not the Shogun's. The two of them had completely different mindsets, different priorities, and different goals. The Shogun could very well be thinking he was getting the better end of all this. Koutoku wished he knew what was going through the man's head.
Yui sat back and listened as Koutoku told about his encounters with the bandit and Miaka. She even studied the expressions of the ranking officers within the room. They all stood at attention, but their faces along with the muscles in their bodies were tense. She picked up a nervous energy from the room, but one should be nervous when in the presence of the Shogun.
Once Koutoku was done the Shogun dismissed those but the commander of the city guard. The commander stood off to the side while the Shogun finished with them. Yui had to admit she was getting sleepy and could do for a few hours of sleep. He summoned a servant forward to take them to the guest chambers of the palace.
Yui thanked the Shogun again for his kindness and generosity. In the back of her mind she couldn't shake a suspicious feeling that the Shogun was hiding something from them. As they walked towards their rooms, she gazed upon the beautiful architecture and tapestries of the palace. The handiwork was breathtaking and she wished to have more time to study the artwork. The young woman leading her stopped in front of a door and opened it up to the most beautiful chamber she had ever seen.
"This will be your room Miss," the servant girl bowed and moved aside for her. Yui said goodnight to the boys as she made her self at home within the room. The door shut behind her and Yui took in her new surroundings. Finally, she sat on the bed and wondered if Miaka were sleeping in a room like this one. She prayed to whatever god of this country that her friends were healthy and safe.
"Miaka, wherever you are, I'll find you," she whispered to the room. Finally letting sleep overcome her exhausted body, she stayed asleep until the late morning hours.
***
The twins followed as the serving girl led them and Yui to their rooms. Shunkaku had gawked openly at everything as they passed, from all the lavish decorations to the people themselves, dressed in such fine clothes. He had never seen so much silk and gold in one place, never even realized so much existed in the whole world. If he and aniki could get their hands on even the tiniest fraction of all this -- even a fraction of a fraction! -- they would never go hungry another night for the rest of their lives. Not that Shun was stupid enough to try stealing from the Emperor -- he'd be killed before he could blink -- but he still had the thought.
Koutoku alternated between watching his brother carefully and stealing furtive glances at Yui while she wasn't looking. Other than trying to remember the path the serving woman was taking them -- which was quickly becoming a lesson in futility; all these shining corridors looked the same -- he did not spare any mind for their surroundings. He didn't like this. Any of it. There were too many holes, too many unanswered questions, unexplained kindnesses he was afraid to ask about for fear they'd be taken away. But really, would that have been so bad? At least the streets were familiar. Out there, he knew where they stood. Here in the Palace everything was strange, and he was apprehensive as hell.
Almost immediately he chastised himself. This was the Palace. Here they were warm and dry and well fed. How could he wish them back on the street, with nothing? Some big brother he was.
"Mmm, aniki, it's so soft!" Shunkaku had bounced on the luxurious mattress for a few minutes, and was now snuggling up on it, ready to go to sleep. His headache was muted -- as were the rest of his senses, thanks to that tea -- and he had been getting drowsier and drowsier ever since dinner. A remarkably full stomach, combined with the medicine; he would be out like a light in another few minutes.
Koutoku smiled slightly as his brother curled up on the bed. At least Shun-chan felt safe here. But Shun never saw danger until it was staring them in the face. The serving girl had originally brought them to two separate, though neighboring, rooms, but Koutoku had quickly abandoned his to come here, unwilling to leave his brother alone for even a minute in this alien place. He sat in a chair by the bedside, still trying to think through the drowsy haze carrying over from Shun's mind into his own. What was he going to do? In the morning they'd probably be sent away from the Palace, which would be just as well by him. Unless, of course, they were offered the choice of staying to help Yui find her companions, which he knew Shun-chan would insist on. Koutoku, himself, wasn't sure whether he wanted to help her or not. Something about that girl still set him deeply on edge, and he didn't know why. A part of him said yes, he had to help her, while the rest screamed to take Shun and get as far away from her as possible. As for the Shogun... His thoughts kept going in circles around the man. Trying to figure out what the Shogun was really after was like stumbling through unfamiliar woods with his eyes closed.
"Aniki, you shouldn't worry so much. It's not good for you." Shunkaku's eyes were half-lidded as he looked up. He hated when aniki got like this, but other than trying to smack some sense into him, the younger twin knew there wasn't much he could do about it. Aniki was always worrying about something, whether finding food or shelter, or deciding what direction to head next. And now, when the two of them had suddenly struck the best luck of their lives, Shun was convinced that aniki was just making things up to worry about. Sometimes Shunkaku understood his brother less than a foreign language. "Play for me, ne?" he suggested.
Koutoku smiled again at his brother's lethargic request, and complied. With the first few notes, he felt the power of Seiryuu opening up to him -- the same way it always did, lately -- but he firmly ignored it, and after a moment it went away. There was no need to weave his chi into the music; Shun would be asleep in a matter of minutes anyway.
His mind didn't stop working, though. Spinning uselessly was more like it. Koutoku wanted out of this place. He didn't trust the Shogun, and he didn't want to be anywhere near Yui -- and for some reason both those intuitions made him feel almost guilty. He wanted to be back on familiar ground, where life was complicated in its own respect, but oh so very simple.
The quiet music continued long after Shunkaku had fallen asleep.
