Meeting Times
Ch. 7
He was surprised how much everyone wasn't fighting; his gaze had started to his right and made a full circle around the table.
Meetings never proved useful in times like these, not when there was so much unanswered, so much to fear about the unknown. Mind drifting he tried to remember something his father once told him about embracing the unknown and finding the light in the darkness, the hope in the sadness, life in death.
"What do you say Rekka?"
Ryo snapped his lowered eyes up at the man across from him, not really hearing what the current argument was, but he could guess.
"I believe that we don't know enough." Ryo sighed. He hated to admit that. "I believe we shouldn't change anything until we know more. For all we know this could of been a isolated case. Let us not think the gates of hell are opening when its just the ghost of the past which are haunting us."
"Ghost are of that which come from hell," Rajura rebuked.
"If there are possibilities that more events should arise we need to take actions to protect our kingdoms," Naaza suggested.
"To again put our kingdoms on alert because of a unknown is pointless, as seen. We can not sit and wait for it, we must take it head on."
"Are you daft Kongo? We can not start fighting what we are unsure of."
"I warn you say that again and you will have more than ghouls to worry about Doku."
"Is that a threat?!" Naaza stood up in a instant only to have Shu rise after his lead.
"Sit down both of you!" a voice raised as did a hand which boomed on the table hitting it. Shin looked at both men sternly and coldly. Holding himself up as straight as his body would allow him to, the blazing auburn hair was reflected oddly in the little lantern light in the room.
"You bakas," he muttered, "We will get nothing accomplished if we are fighting with eachother. And we can't put our people in alarm without knowing more Doku."
"So sit," Shu snarled.
"You too Kongo, we can not rush into a blind battle without causing even more upstart, we have no idea where that attack came from! So both of you just silence your differences until we know more!" Shin equaled his gaze back and forth between the two until they both sat down, unhappy, and unnerved.
Shin sighed and sat down after them, holding his one shoulder loosely.
"Now that is done what shall we do?" Ryo started trying to hurry the building tension in the room along.
"Except of the people here and the few in each of our trusts no one knows of what happened," Touma began.
"And so none of our people will know about it unless we do say something," Seiji finished his thought.
"Correct," Touma nodded, "Then why should we again alarm everyone until we know if the past 'ghosts' we've seen do exist anymore, or were just escaped ghouls from the underworld."
"Is it wise though to be completely unguarded?" Anubisu asked not liking the idea of being completely unprepared.
"We should have some minor defenses," Rajura said holding his chin subtly with this hand, "This time they only attacked the outer edge of Suiko with no prevail and no harm."
Shin gave Rajura a glare at his comment, the phrase of 'no harm' he would like to dispute with. He was not the one there afterwords seeing the aftermath. Part of him wanted to agree with the side of dispute with calling up reserves just in case, but to do so would be welcoming trouble just as openly.
To do nothing though, to do nothing. Shin sighed and started at the engraved emblem in front of his chair. He almost lost too much by being unprepared this time, he didn't care about the land damage or other minor things. Such things could be replaced, but people's lives couldn't. People he loved and cared about. His people, his duty was to protect them, how many of his fellow lords were thinking the same thing now?
"Then we shall decide then, now." Seiji started, "To call up reserves in each of our kingdoms for a time for protection, or to wait until we know more."
"If we do call up such reserves we must not use them," Ryo warned.
"These must only be in place for a short time, unless in that time events occur in which they seem needed to stay longer." Touma finished.
"Who will determine that?" Rajura raised a eyebrow.
The room was in silence thick and hard, to determine such another meeting couldn't be made to soon without causing more talk, and one too late could be just as costly. The closed room's air was now beginning to be stale and hard to breath. Heavied with frustrated breaths and angered exhales.
The cool smooth table in front of them all seemed now to hold more, time, wisdom, and understanding from the past which this present so desperately needed. Each of the eyes looking at others for some sort of affirmation, conclusion.
"We will meet again to determine if the soldiers shall be needed further," Seiji reasoned.
"How long till then?" Anubisu asked.
"I would say a lunar cycle shall be sufficient," Shuten reason.
"We shall than take our voices in vote, for or against the station of soldiers," Ryo stated looking around to table to confirm the decision for a vote.
Shin sighed knowing what was coming, soon each would have to call out a choice, to either take up action or to wait. He didn't even listen as the vote began who voted what or the comments that were allowed with a vote. The rested his head against his hand, suddenly a dizzying sickness filled him. The screaming of something more was behind this than ghost and soul drainers, more than scattered gates to the shadow lands. Something bigger than all of them would be ready for, so soon.
The thin line smile creped up on his face upon realizing he was sounding more like Yuri, and how much that could aide him, and hurt him.
"Suiko?"
Shin blinked up then sat straight sighing some, he looked around the council table slowly, in this room there was not suppose to be friendships, or enemies. This room was set aside so that decisions could be made, decided on what was best for your people, without prejudice, only in justice and harmony, and understanding.
Why now was he looking for help in the eyes of the other men he would call friends, or even brothers, which could not give him any. Or was he looking for someone to change what his heart was screaming for him to do, what he thought was right.
"The vote is now to you it is three to four with only you and I to speak," Seiji said evenly with no pressure of either decision, just flat in tone.
Shin raised his chin slightly, "I vote that soldiers should be put in place."
He could see many faces of antipathy at him changed to shock, to disbelief, the burden of wanted to explain burned him, but he knew no explanation could be given to them that would suffice.
Shin gave a short nod towards Seiji as he received one back.
The decision was now made.
"Is she awake?"
"I do not know."
"I knew she should of rested more."
"Nokomis," Nari sighed shaking her head. Their meeting didn't go as she expected, if they weren't fighting with eachother deathing silence would fill the room. She looked over at Sakura who was still staring at Yuri.
She seemed to be the only one in her right mind during the whole time by sleeping through most of it, annoying as it was.
"Try and wake her again," Ginko smiled, "Won't promise how long she'll be awake after you do."
"As long as when a humming bird flaps its wings once," Kristina laughed.
"She should then go back and rest some more," Nokomis said in a tone of like a older mother.
"Stop worrying so," Ginko rolled her eyes, "We are not children."
"At times I would like to question that," Nokomis said back with much animosity.
"Oh will you two quiet your bitter tongues for longer than a heart beat?" Nari sighed again, trying of the minor bickering.
"But if we should do that, then our lives and talk would be not," Kutsuko smirked.
"I doubt life shall end if more of us learned to hold our tongues," Kayura chided.
Nari decided to give up and let them argue more, she called them to discuss what happened but the conversation had come to no prevail. They could do nothing until they find out what the lords decide in the circle council today. She moved from her place beside Nokomis slowly and walked over to the window sill.
The sweet smell of fragrant flowers and honey floated up from the near by gardens through the gothic window and mixed with the already perfumed air. She breathed it in and let it sooth her tensions, relaxing.
She lowered herself gradually down next to her sleeping friend and gave Sakura a smile, to receive one back.
"Shall we wake her?" Sakura giggled mischievously.
"Well we can not have the lady missing the meeting can we?" Nari smiled back.
"Point taken Princess," Sakura said lifting herself up and walking over to the others who were still busy chiding and reasoning measures between them.
"Yuri?" Nari called shaking the sand hair girl, woman in front of her.
"Must I open my eyes?" Yuri groaned back.
"Yes for only with ones eyes both open can one see the complete beauty of the day," Nari smiled.
"But those who are blind do not see what we see, they see a morning and world so much more beautiful than ours I do think."
"But why wish for someone else's gift when the gods' have given you your own?" Nari questioned.
"If we were smart enough to be happy with what we were each given, then the gods' wouldn't given us dreams so we could do as such. Dream of ourselves as different." Yuri smiled at her.
"What do you dream my friend?" Nari asked more flatly, the teasing gone from her tone.
Yuri wished Nari wouldn't ask that, not now.
"Nothing."
"What do you mean?"
Yuri frowned and turned her gaze back out the window, looking, seeking, not finding it.
"As I said as I mean," her voice distant, "sleep for me has been just that, nothing."
"Do you mean you haven't been sleeping?" Nari frowned.
"No, I sleep but nothing comes from it other than that, sleep. There are no dreams no nightmares nothing of substance to carry with me. It is like the future I so rely upon has left. There is nothing coming, nothing forming, there is, nothing."
"Why do I feel that you do with hold something?" Nari smirked while placing a stand of hair behind her ear.
"Just that then, a feeling. I do not see anything, do not dream terror." Yuri looked at her friend, "but I do feel something. With no substance, but filled with tears, it is nothing I've ever felt in life, only dreams."
"What is it?"
"Death."
"How did you fear?"
"As well as you did," Sakura wrinkled her nose.
Shu smiled encouraging his pale stallion into a canter, "That bad."
"I wouldn't consider it bad, after my ears regained hearing," Sakura muttered the last part under her breath.
Shu laughed and gave her a wide smile, the last couple of weeks hadn't been the greatest for them either. Own troubles, their own lives needed to be lived, but life outside their kingdom seemed to want them to wait. Their time together thefted at every turn by some problems of another kingdom.
Shu did not mind helping out Suiko, the two kingdoms had been in good arms for more generations then Shu remembered. Each Lord raising their sons and daughters in company of the other Lord's lands. The mutual friendship not only helped them in politics and trades, but in simple camaraderie.
But now it wasn't just Suiko demanding Kongo's time, but Korin, and Rekka, and all the others. Both of them had a hard time the other night remembering when the last time it was when they were able to hold eachother and watch the sun rise slowly over the ridged mountains of their own kingdom.
"Do not worry, the way Korin and she fight, her voice must give its peace at some time," Shu said.
"I will not put a wager on that Lord," Sakura smiled finally.
"And why not? Sometimes great profit is made when you bet on the ones who do not seem to have any hope."
"Hai. But with some people I do think there is little hope," Sakura sighed.
"Ne," Shu said softly and called his horse to a halt, "Saku you must know that isn't true."
"I know," She rode her horse along to his and also stopped, "but lately it seems as if our attempts to be alone and ourselves have failed. I do not regret my duties though."
"Neither do I," Shu reached out and took her hand in his. He looked down and smiled, her hands were not like the other pampered nails of the ladies, neither small or frail. The nails were kept short, and they had more power in them then what they appeared to show, the woman was so much the same, almost so symbolically and ironically. "We will find our time I know it, after everything calms down, your hands are lovely today."
"Hmm, sweet talk from my lord comes only so rarely, I will not object," Sakura smiled at him, "especially when my Lord himself is so handsome."
"I take your compliments for once with more heed then every, for I fear I need them," Shu kissed her left hand. The only hand that bore any jewelry, and the small ring she did wear was the only thing she kept close to her.
"What happened today in the meeting?"
"Much talk and little action in my opinion," Shu sighed, "I feel as if we are waiting for something that no matter how hard we fight we will not be strong enough."
"Shu no Kongo not strong enough?" Sakura smirked and flipped her cherry blossom colored hair, "we all better cower then if you can not defeat it."
"Your wit and humor can be as dry as old bread," Shu looked at her, his eyes filled with laughter though.
"Maybe," Sakura smiled.
"Do you doubt me?"
"Do you, doubt you?"
Shu thought over the question, for once in his life, maybe he did. And for once in his life, maybe he was scared.
"You think it was a mistake don't you?"
"I didn't say that," Shin stared at the air as if trying to get its own agreement.
"How long again?"
"About a fortnight after the Moon Ball,"he ran his hands through his already damp hair.
The room was filled with mild incense and a warm breeze, which only complimented the warm bath. Leaning back against the marble tube Shin looked up at Yuri with a frown. She had been miles away since they had come home, and her new found obedience made him even more perturbed at the day.
"Have I done something wrong?" Yuri looked down at him. Her long hair put up in a intricate bun and she wore a plain white kimono with a topaz pattern. She had began abstint mindly messaging his shoulders not noticing her damp hands from the bath water.
"No, as I have said before." Shin wasn't in the mood to argue about anything tonight, this whole mess about spirits and ghosts were enough to worry about.
"Do you need anything more?" Yuri asked in a whisper, neither of them knowing why she had come in the first place or why they both forgot such actions weren't in traditions.
"What are you not speaking to me Yuriko," Shin's voice became suddenly deep and demanding.
"I do not know what you are speaking of my lord," Yuri reached over to a nearby towel and dried her small hands quickly.
"And you shall not keep anything from me," he directed his gaze to her sternly, her hands stopping in their action as the bearer of them now looked into nothingness.
"I keep nothing from you, nor shall I my Lord," Yuri put the towel back into it's neatly folded place and stood up. "I will leave you now if that is ok with you my lord."
"No."
"Excuse me my Lord?" Yuri looked at him half in astonishment and half in hurt.
"I said no it's not ok with me." Shin quickly pushed that look from his mind and reached for his own kimono on the side of the bath. She immediately turned her back to him and walked over to the burning incense and in turn distinguished the smoking tip.
"Why do you wish me to stay my Lord?"
"Why do you find it in your nature tonight to purposefully try and anger me," Shin tied the front of his kimono with ease and grabbed a towel to run through his hair.
"I do not wish to do so my Lord," Yuri now pretended that the single simple white lily in a vase interested her.
"Then why do you do so? You call me by the title I ask you not to do, you do not share on which your mind rest, and then to my face say that there is nothing your mind thinks."
"I have not done any of it to make you mad lord," she softly spoke turning to face him again.
"Then why do you do all this?" Shin opened his arms as if in surrender and in annoyance.
"Because I do not know what else to do."
"Explain," he only said walking closer to her.
"I have nothing on my mind in which is what you want or need. My dreams have stopped in unison and as a result this scares me more than any one creature. I have heard my self pities enough to fill a sunken ship, and still I get questions to what I dream. You are right shin-sama I do not tell you what I think because I do not know what I do think."
Shin wrapped his arms around her and gave a long sigh into the back of her head before putting his chin on top of it. He didn't know what to say anymore. He had actually voted for them to station soldiers in readiness for a evil no one had seen or heard of but only know it is coming. He kissed the top of her head and turned her small body to face him.
"You do know I do not like what is coming anymore than you do, but maybe all our worries will be for nothing and normal times will come again. I do not look forward to beginning a war, nor do I look forward to fighting in one."
"I know you do not, and I am sorry if I caused you any pain."
"You have not. If anything it has been others that have caused pain but not you. I just wish our kingdoms could go back to rest, let us continue our lives."
"I know," Yuri offered him a smile, a smile in which wasn't enough as he stole a slowly deep kiss.
"I should go Shin-sama before some finds us and I am banished from here because of breaking tradition," Yuri pushed a wet burning auburn lock away from his eyes slowly."
"I will not let you go that easily Yuriko, I have already told you I would follow you through death to be with you."
Yuri nodded and slowly walked by him towards the door, opening it slightly to make sure no stray servants roamed the halls.
"I do mean it," Shin said at her.
"I believe you Shin, I do. But as Lord of this land you need to keep your image in the eyes of the people kind and soft. I love you more than the breath I breath and with that am willing to give you up because of it. You have now taken a stand in a war that may not happen, a war which is neither here nor gone."
"I pray war does not come and that we only have to worry of spooks of our dreams to conquer," Shin frowned some.
"I do too."
Time is in the mind of the one it hovers on. In children, time is of no factor and so is in no worry, as one grows though time becomes not only the measuring stick in which we gage our lives but the item in which we base everything else.
Aikyo didn't understand it when Yuri said that the last two weeks had flew by as quickly as wind on a doves wings. She wrinkled her nose slightly at the odd smell of jasmine and oddities.
"Why do we come to this land alone?"
"It is something we always do every so often." Yuri told her.
"How long is so often?" Aikyo flipped her silver blue hair out of her face, the wind though kept playing with it.
"It is measured in odd increments small one do not worry," Yuri smiled at the small child who shrugged off the answer.
Yuri didn't mind meeting the other ladies usually, but lately she felt as if there was extra weight in which they expected her to bear. She smiled at Aikyo's growing riding abilities, or lack there of yet. She was grateful the others didn't mind the girls presence, she did know though that it was mostly because Aikyo didn't understand half of what they talked about anyway.
Aikyo seemed to have grown so much over the last fortnight, she wasn't the small child Yuri saw only a few years back.
"It was about time you arrived!"
Yuri smirked at Nari as she pulled the reins to make her horse yield. "As I can not hurry anymore than you can wake yourself at the crack of dawn."
"But at Solra it is always dawn and since I do wake how do you support this?" Nari laughed.
"I do not nor do I have to as Nokomis will second me," Yuri dismounted.
"She would not," Nari shook her head.
"Oh yes I would," Nokomis laughed.
"You are both just being argumentative."
"No they're both being truthful," Kristina smiled.
"Yes now that we are all here let us start ne?" Ginko said impatiently.
"Yuri-san may I ride for awhile more?" Aikyo questioned down.
"Hai just be back by us in needed time," Yuri nodded at the small girl and watched her ride off slowly.
"I do think the Lady Ginko has other plans today," Kayura teased.
"And with the Lord Shut'n none the less," Sakura handed out.
"Both of you are now erroneous," Ginko crossed her arms.
"Let us begin our discussion then, our place is not far from here and as long as the lords shall have their meeting we shall have ours." Nari said softly and almost bitterly as she started to walk off into the eastern part of the forest.
Yuri looked at Nokomis and frowned, "What was that for?"
"I believe that our princess is having troubles of her own," Nokomis shrugged back.
"I would not put it past it since they are to be wed in a short time," Yuri put in easily.
"Yes but since when does last minute worries bother her so?" Sakura asked or more pointed out.
"Why are we worried about this right now, come we discuss this further up the trail," Ginko tied her hair back and started to walk after Nari.
"Is everything ready?" Seiji looked around at the growing scrolls of orders and documents that would have to wait until after they all came back from the Moon Ball.
"Hai, but Lord are you sure you want to go as a separate convoy other than going with the rest of the Lords?"
"We have made our decision that it would be easier if we all took our own ways there and our own time." Seiji said as if rehearsed.
"That and he can not wait till he will be able to be utterly alone with the Princess," Ryo poked from the side of the room.
"That is nonsense beyond anything," Seiji waved his hand straight out to back up this statement.
"And that is why according to your time table you will arrive at the Ball before everyone almost a full two days?" Touma raised his eyes from a lengthy book he was reading.
"I am not the one known for my lack of presence on time," Seiji glared at him.
"I am never late than what is considered fashionably," Touma protested.
"Is fashionably the new word for being constantly late now Tenku?" Shu grinned, "I must remember that for next time I do become late."
Touma equaled a glare to everyone in the room, he was not always late. In fact there was only one time when he was very late but that was in the beginning of his Lord-ship and has not happened again, but the others seem to like reminding him besides the point.
"Do leave him be," Shin groaned some, "We did not come here to fight but to talk about our actions that will come soon."
"There have been no other disturbances in the kingdoms," Seiji sighed.
"You believe we will be able to call down our people then after the ball?" Shu inquired as he ringed the thick riding gloves in his hands.
"I will do so. I will call the meeting after the ball and promote that we do release or standing soldiers," Seiji tossed his quill down lightly, "Objections?"
"I do not know if I agree. For all we know that is what this danger is waiting for us to do, drop our guards." Ryo rebuked.
"But there has been no other threats, why keep our people on edge if it is not warranted?" Touma reasoned.
"For the same purpose as when we worry them at times of uncertainty to keep them safe. Even if we are attacked there is enough warriors to hold back the strongest attacks." Ryo sat himself down impatiently.
"I agree with Ryo now," Shu raised his voice, "I think that we should not underestimate whatever it is until we know how to defeat it."
"How do we plan a defeat for something we can not see?" Shin whispered from the other side of Shu.
"I do not expect us to come to a decision now," Seiji said quickly to quiet the already building dispute, "I wanted only to give you my friends warning of the upcoming choices we will all have to make."
"Choices we hope we will make right you mean," Touma said closing his book almost ironically, "but let us now think about the ball that is to come ne? A more happy subject at hand."
"To think of such pleasures at times of such turmoil's can be fatal," Ryo frowned.
"But one will go mad if he thinks too much about the ghosts in the future," Seiji pointed out.
"Even if those ghosts are our death?" Shin asked.
"Hai, even then." Shu answered him.
"We can not stop the future from coming Lords we can only change with it," Touma offered. They all agreed finally and prepared for the upcoming event, all ignoring their own danger sense in order to live their lives now, uncertain if they would be able to tomorrow.
Ch. 7
He was surprised how much everyone wasn't fighting; his gaze had started to his right and made a full circle around the table.
Meetings never proved useful in times like these, not when there was so much unanswered, so much to fear about the unknown. Mind drifting he tried to remember something his father once told him about embracing the unknown and finding the light in the darkness, the hope in the sadness, life in death.
"What do you say Rekka?"
Ryo snapped his lowered eyes up at the man across from him, not really hearing what the current argument was, but he could guess.
"I believe that we don't know enough." Ryo sighed. He hated to admit that. "I believe we shouldn't change anything until we know more. For all we know this could of been a isolated case. Let us not think the gates of hell are opening when its just the ghost of the past which are haunting us."
"Ghost are of that which come from hell," Rajura rebuked.
"If there are possibilities that more events should arise we need to take actions to protect our kingdoms," Naaza suggested.
"To again put our kingdoms on alert because of a unknown is pointless, as seen. We can not sit and wait for it, we must take it head on."
"Are you daft Kongo? We can not start fighting what we are unsure of."
"I warn you say that again and you will have more than ghouls to worry about Doku."
"Is that a threat?!" Naaza stood up in a instant only to have Shu rise after his lead.
"Sit down both of you!" a voice raised as did a hand which boomed on the table hitting it. Shin looked at both men sternly and coldly. Holding himself up as straight as his body would allow him to, the blazing auburn hair was reflected oddly in the little lantern light in the room.
"You bakas," he muttered, "We will get nothing accomplished if we are fighting with eachother. And we can't put our people in alarm without knowing more Doku."
"So sit," Shu snarled.
"You too Kongo, we can not rush into a blind battle without causing even more upstart, we have no idea where that attack came from! So both of you just silence your differences until we know more!" Shin equaled his gaze back and forth between the two until they both sat down, unhappy, and unnerved.
Shin sighed and sat down after them, holding his one shoulder loosely.
"Now that is done what shall we do?" Ryo started trying to hurry the building tension in the room along.
"Except of the people here and the few in each of our trusts no one knows of what happened," Touma began.
"And so none of our people will know about it unless we do say something," Seiji finished his thought.
"Correct," Touma nodded, "Then why should we again alarm everyone until we know if the past 'ghosts' we've seen do exist anymore, or were just escaped ghouls from the underworld."
"Is it wise though to be completely unguarded?" Anubisu asked not liking the idea of being completely unprepared.
"We should have some minor defenses," Rajura said holding his chin subtly with this hand, "This time they only attacked the outer edge of Suiko with no prevail and no harm."
Shin gave Rajura a glare at his comment, the phrase of 'no harm' he would like to dispute with. He was not the one there afterwords seeing the aftermath. Part of him wanted to agree with the side of dispute with calling up reserves just in case, but to do so would be welcoming trouble just as openly.
To do nothing though, to do nothing. Shin sighed and started at the engraved emblem in front of his chair. He almost lost too much by being unprepared this time, he didn't care about the land damage or other minor things. Such things could be replaced, but people's lives couldn't. People he loved and cared about. His people, his duty was to protect them, how many of his fellow lords were thinking the same thing now?
"Then we shall decide then, now." Seiji started, "To call up reserves in each of our kingdoms for a time for protection, or to wait until we know more."
"If we do call up such reserves we must not use them," Ryo warned.
"These must only be in place for a short time, unless in that time events occur in which they seem needed to stay longer." Touma finished.
"Who will determine that?" Rajura raised a eyebrow.
The room was in silence thick and hard, to determine such another meeting couldn't be made to soon without causing more talk, and one too late could be just as costly. The closed room's air was now beginning to be stale and hard to breath. Heavied with frustrated breaths and angered exhales.
The cool smooth table in front of them all seemed now to hold more, time, wisdom, and understanding from the past which this present so desperately needed. Each of the eyes looking at others for some sort of affirmation, conclusion.
"We will meet again to determine if the soldiers shall be needed further," Seiji reasoned.
"How long till then?" Anubisu asked.
"I would say a lunar cycle shall be sufficient," Shuten reason.
"We shall than take our voices in vote, for or against the station of soldiers," Ryo stated looking around to table to confirm the decision for a vote.
Shin sighed knowing what was coming, soon each would have to call out a choice, to either take up action or to wait. He didn't even listen as the vote began who voted what or the comments that were allowed with a vote. The rested his head against his hand, suddenly a dizzying sickness filled him. The screaming of something more was behind this than ghost and soul drainers, more than scattered gates to the shadow lands. Something bigger than all of them would be ready for, so soon.
The thin line smile creped up on his face upon realizing he was sounding more like Yuri, and how much that could aide him, and hurt him.
"Suiko?"
Shin blinked up then sat straight sighing some, he looked around the council table slowly, in this room there was not suppose to be friendships, or enemies. This room was set aside so that decisions could be made, decided on what was best for your people, without prejudice, only in justice and harmony, and understanding.
Why now was he looking for help in the eyes of the other men he would call friends, or even brothers, which could not give him any. Or was he looking for someone to change what his heart was screaming for him to do, what he thought was right.
"The vote is now to you it is three to four with only you and I to speak," Seiji said evenly with no pressure of either decision, just flat in tone.
Shin raised his chin slightly, "I vote that soldiers should be put in place."
He could see many faces of antipathy at him changed to shock, to disbelief, the burden of wanted to explain burned him, but he knew no explanation could be given to them that would suffice.
Shin gave a short nod towards Seiji as he received one back.
The decision was now made.
"Is she awake?"
"I do not know."
"I knew she should of rested more."
"Nokomis," Nari sighed shaking her head. Their meeting didn't go as she expected, if they weren't fighting with eachother deathing silence would fill the room. She looked over at Sakura who was still staring at Yuri.
She seemed to be the only one in her right mind during the whole time by sleeping through most of it, annoying as it was.
"Try and wake her again," Ginko smiled, "Won't promise how long she'll be awake after you do."
"As long as when a humming bird flaps its wings once," Kristina laughed.
"She should then go back and rest some more," Nokomis said in a tone of like a older mother.
"Stop worrying so," Ginko rolled her eyes, "We are not children."
"At times I would like to question that," Nokomis said back with much animosity.
"Oh will you two quiet your bitter tongues for longer than a heart beat?" Nari sighed again, trying of the minor bickering.
"But if we should do that, then our lives and talk would be not," Kutsuko smirked.
"I doubt life shall end if more of us learned to hold our tongues," Kayura chided.
Nari decided to give up and let them argue more, she called them to discuss what happened but the conversation had come to no prevail. They could do nothing until they find out what the lords decide in the circle council today. She moved from her place beside Nokomis slowly and walked over to the window sill.
The sweet smell of fragrant flowers and honey floated up from the near by gardens through the gothic window and mixed with the already perfumed air. She breathed it in and let it sooth her tensions, relaxing.
She lowered herself gradually down next to her sleeping friend and gave Sakura a smile, to receive one back.
"Shall we wake her?" Sakura giggled mischievously.
"Well we can not have the lady missing the meeting can we?" Nari smiled back.
"Point taken Princess," Sakura said lifting herself up and walking over to the others who were still busy chiding and reasoning measures between them.
"Yuri?" Nari called shaking the sand hair girl, woman in front of her.
"Must I open my eyes?" Yuri groaned back.
"Yes for only with ones eyes both open can one see the complete beauty of the day," Nari smiled.
"But those who are blind do not see what we see, they see a morning and world so much more beautiful than ours I do think."
"But why wish for someone else's gift when the gods' have given you your own?" Nari questioned.
"If we were smart enough to be happy with what we were each given, then the gods' wouldn't given us dreams so we could do as such. Dream of ourselves as different." Yuri smiled at her.
"What do you dream my friend?" Nari asked more flatly, the teasing gone from her tone.
Yuri wished Nari wouldn't ask that, not now.
"Nothing."
"What do you mean?"
Yuri frowned and turned her gaze back out the window, looking, seeking, not finding it.
"As I said as I mean," her voice distant, "sleep for me has been just that, nothing."
"Do you mean you haven't been sleeping?" Nari frowned.
"No, I sleep but nothing comes from it other than that, sleep. There are no dreams no nightmares nothing of substance to carry with me. It is like the future I so rely upon has left. There is nothing coming, nothing forming, there is, nothing."
"Why do I feel that you do with hold something?" Nari smirked while placing a stand of hair behind her ear.
"Just that then, a feeling. I do not see anything, do not dream terror." Yuri looked at her friend, "but I do feel something. With no substance, but filled with tears, it is nothing I've ever felt in life, only dreams."
"What is it?"
"Death."
"How did you fear?"
"As well as you did," Sakura wrinkled her nose.
Shu smiled encouraging his pale stallion into a canter, "That bad."
"I wouldn't consider it bad, after my ears regained hearing," Sakura muttered the last part under her breath.
Shu laughed and gave her a wide smile, the last couple of weeks hadn't been the greatest for them either. Own troubles, their own lives needed to be lived, but life outside their kingdom seemed to want them to wait. Their time together thefted at every turn by some problems of another kingdom.
Shu did not mind helping out Suiko, the two kingdoms had been in good arms for more generations then Shu remembered. Each Lord raising their sons and daughters in company of the other Lord's lands. The mutual friendship not only helped them in politics and trades, but in simple camaraderie.
But now it wasn't just Suiko demanding Kongo's time, but Korin, and Rekka, and all the others. Both of them had a hard time the other night remembering when the last time it was when they were able to hold eachother and watch the sun rise slowly over the ridged mountains of their own kingdom.
"Do not worry, the way Korin and she fight, her voice must give its peace at some time," Shu said.
"I will not put a wager on that Lord," Sakura smiled finally.
"And why not? Sometimes great profit is made when you bet on the ones who do not seem to have any hope."
"Hai. But with some people I do think there is little hope," Sakura sighed.
"Ne," Shu said softly and called his horse to a halt, "Saku you must know that isn't true."
"I know," She rode her horse along to his and also stopped, "but lately it seems as if our attempts to be alone and ourselves have failed. I do not regret my duties though."
"Neither do I," Shu reached out and took her hand in his. He looked down and smiled, her hands were not like the other pampered nails of the ladies, neither small or frail. The nails were kept short, and they had more power in them then what they appeared to show, the woman was so much the same, almost so symbolically and ironically. "We will find our time I know it, after everything calms down, your hands are lovely today."
"Hmm, sweet talk from my lord comes only so rarely, I will not object," Sakura smiled at him, "especially when my Lord himself is so handsome."
"I take your compliments for once with more heed then every, for I fear I need them," Shu kissed her left hand. The only hand that bore any jewelry, and the small ring she did wear was the only thing she kept close to her.
"What happened today in the meeting?"
"Much talk and little action in my opinion," Shu sighed, "I feel as if we are waiting for something that no matter how hard we fight we will not be strong enough."
"Shu no Kongo not strong enough?" Sakura smirked and flipped her cherry blossom colored hair, "we all better cower then if you can not defeat it."
"Your wit and humor can be as dry as old bread," Shu looked at her, his eyes filled with laughter though.
"Maybe," Sakura smiled.
"Do you doubt me?"
"Do you, doubt you?"
Shu thought over the question, for once in his life, maybe he did. And for once in his life, maybe he was scared.
"You think it was a mistake don't you?"
"I didn't say that," Shin stared at the air as if trying to get its own agreement.
"How long again?"
"About a fortnight after the Moon Ball,"he ran his hands through his already damp hair.
The room was filled with mild incense and a warm breeze, which only complimented the warm bath. Leaning back against the marble tube Shin looked up at Yuri with a frown. She had been miles away since they had come home, and her new found obedience made him even more perturbed at the day.
"Have I done something wrong?" Yuri looked down at him. Her long hair put up in a intricate bun and she wore a plain white kimono with a topaz pattern. She had began abstint mindly messaging his shoulders not noticing her damp hands from the bath water.
"No, as I have said before." Shin wasn't in the mood to argue about anything tonight, this whole mess about spirits and ghosts were enough to worry about.
"Do you need anything more?" Yuri asked in a whisper, neither of them knowing why she had come in the first place or why they both forgot such actions weren't in traditions.
"What are you not speaking to me Yuriko," Shin's voice became suddenly deep and demanding.
"I do not know what you are speaking of my lord," Yuri reached over to a nearby towel and dried her small hands quickly.
"And you shall not keep anything from me," he directed his gaze to her sternly, her hands stopping in their action as the bearer of them now looked into nothingness.
"I keep nothing from you, nor shall I my Lord," Yuri put the towel back into it's neatly folded place and stood up. "I will leave you now if that is ok with you my lord."
"No."
"Excuse me my Lord?" Yuri looked at him half in astonishment and half in hurt.
"I said no it's not ok with me." Shin quickly pushed that look from his mind and reached for his own kimono on the side of the bath. She immediately turned her back to him and walked over to the burning incense and in turn distinguished the smoking tip.
"Why do you wish me to stay my Lord?"
"Why do you find it in your nature tonight to purposefully try and anger me," Shin tied the front of his kimono with ease and grabbed a towel to run through his hair.
"I do not wish to do so my Lord," Yuri now pretended that the single simple white lily in a vase interested her.
"Then why do you do so? You call me by the title I ask you not to do, you do not share on which your mind rest, and then to my face say that there is nothing your mind thinks."
"I have not done any of it to make you mad lord," she softly spoke turning to face him again.
"Then why do you do all this?" Shin opened his arms as if in surrender and in annoyance.
"Because I do not know what else to do."
"Explain," he only said walking closer to her.
"I have nothing on my mind in which is what you want or need. My dreams have stopped in unison and as a result this scares me more than any one creature. I have heard my self pities enough to fill a sunken ship, and still I get questions to what I dream. You are right shin-sama I do not tell you what I think because I do not know what I do think."
Shin wrapped his arms around her and gave a long sigh into the back of her head before putting his chin on top of it. He didn't know what to say anymore. He had actually voted for them to station soldiers in readiness for a evil no one had seen or heard of but only know it is coming. He kissed the top of her head and turned her small body to face him.
"You do know I do not like what is coming anymore than you do, but maybe all our worries will be for nothing and normal times will come again. I do not look forward to beginning a war, nor do I look forward to fighting in one."
"I know you do not, and I am sorry if I caused you any pain."
"You have not. If anything it has been others that have caused pain but not you. I just wish our kingdoms could go back to rest, let us continue our lives."
"I know," Yuri offered him a smile, a smile in which wasn't enough as he stole a slowly deep kiss.
"I should go Shin-sama before some finds us and I am banished from here because of breaking tradition," Yuri pushed a wet burning auburn lock away from his eyes slowly."
"I will not let you go that easily Yuriko, I have already told you I would follow you through death to be with you."
Yuri nodded and slowly walked by him towards the door, opening it slightly to make sure no stray servants roamed the halls.
"I do mean it," Shin said at her.
"I believe you Shin, I do. But as Lord of this land you need to keep your image in the eyes of the people kind and soft. I love you more than the breath I breath and with that am willing to give you up because of it. You have now taken a stand in a war that may not happen, a war which is neither here nor gone."
"I pray war does not come and that we only have to worry of spooks of our dreams to conquer," Shin frowned some.
"I do too."
Time is in the mind of the one it hovers on. In children, time is of no factor and so is in no worry, as one grows though time becomes not only the measuring stick in which we gage our lives but the item in which we base everything else.
Aikyo didn't understand it when Yuri said that the last two weeks had flew by as quickly as wind on a doves wings. She wrinkled her nose slightly at the odd smell of jasmine and oddities.
"Why do we come to this land alone?"
"It is something we always do every so often." Yuri told her.
"How long is so often?" Aikyo flipped her silver blue hair out of her face, the wind though kept playing with it.
"It is measured in odd increments small one do not worry," Yuri smiled at the small child who shrugged off the answer.
Yuri didn't mind meeting the other ladies usually, but lately she felt as if there was extra weight in which they expected her to bear. She smiled at Aikyo's growing riding abilities, or lack there of yet. She was grateful the others didn't mind the girls presence, she did know though that it was mostly because Aikyo didn't understand half of what they talked about anyway.
Aikyo seemed to have grown so much over the last fortnight, she wasn't the small child Yuri saw only a few years back.
"It was about time you arrived!"
Yuri smirked at Nari as she pulled the reins to make her horse yield. "As I can not hurry anymore than you can wake yourself at the crack of dawn."
"But at Solra it is always dawn and since I do wake how do you support this?" Nari laughed.
"I do not nor do I have to as Nokomis will second me," Yuri dismounted.
"She would not," Nari shook her head.
"Oh yes I would," Nokomis laughed.
"You are both just being argumentative."
"No they're both being truthful," Kristina smiled.
"Yes now that we are all here let us start ne?" Ginko said impatiently.
"Yuri-san may I ride for awhile more?" Aikyo questioned down.
"Hai just be back by us in needed time," Yuri nodded at the small girl and watched her ride off slowly.
"I do think the Lady Ginko has other plans today," Kayura teased.
"And with the Lord Shut'n none the less," Sakura handed out.
"Both of you are now erroneous," Ginko crossed her arms.
"Let us begin our discussion then, our place is not far from here and as long as the lords shall have their meeting we shall have ours." Nari said softly and almost bitterly as she started to walk off into the eastern part of the forest.
Yuri looked at Nokomis and frowned, "What was that for?"
"I believe that our princess is having troubles of her own," Nokomis shrugged back.
"I would not put it past it since they are to be wed in a short time," Yuri put in easily.
"Yes but since when does last minute worries bother her so?" Sakura asked or more pointed out.
"Why are we worried about this right now, come we discuss this further up the trail," Ginko tied her hair back and started to walk after Nari.
"Is everything ready?" Seiji looked around at the growing scrolls of orders and documents that would have to wait until after they all came back from the Moon Ball.
"Hai, but Lord are you sure you want to go as a separate convoy other than going with the rest of the Lords?"
"We have made our decision that it would be easier if we all took our own ways there and our own time." Seiji said as if rehearsed.
"That and he can not wait till he will be able to be utterly alone with the Princess," Ryo poked from the side of the room.
"That is nonsense beyond anything," Seiji waved his hand straight out to back up this statement.
"And that is why according to your time table you will arrive at the Ball before everyone almost a full two days?" Touma raised his eyes from a lengthy book he was reading.
"I am not the one known for my lack of presence on time," Seiji glared at him.
"I am never late than what is considered fashionably," Touma protested.
"Is fashionably the new word for being constantly late now Tenku?" Shu grinned, "I must remember that for next time I do become late."
Touma equaled a glare to everyone in the room, he was not always late. In fact there was only one time when he was very late but that was in the beginning of his Lord-ship and has not happened again, but the others seem to like reminding him besides the point.
"Do leave him be," Shin groaned some, "We did not come here to fight but to talk about our actions that will come soon."
"There have been no other disturbances in the kingdoms," Seiji sighed.
"You believe we will be able to call down our people then after the ball?" Shu inquired as he ringed the thick riding gloves in his hands.
"I will do so. I will call the meeting after the ball and promote that we do release or standing soldiers," Seiji tossed his quill down lightly, "Objections?"
"I do not know if I agree. For all we know that is what this danger is waiting for us to do, drop our guards." Ryo rebuked.
"But there has been no other threats, why keep our people on edge if it is not warranted?" Touma reasoned.
"For the same purpose as when we worry them at times of uncertainty to keep them safe. Even if we are attacked there is enough warriors to hold back the strongest attacks." Ryo sat himself down impatiently.
"I agree with Ryo now," Shu raised his voice, "I think that we should not underestimate whatever it is until we know how to defeat it."
"How do we plan a defeat for something we can not see?" Shin whispered from the other side of Shu.
"I do not expect us to come to a decision now," Seiji said quickly to quiet the already building dispute, "I wanted only to give you my friends warning of the upcoming choices we will all have to make."
"Choices we hope we will make right you mean," Touma said closing his book almost ironically, "but let us now think about the ball that is to come ne? A more happy subject at hand."
"To think of such pleasures at times of such turmoil's can be fatal," Ryo frowned.
"But one will go mad if he thinks too much about the ghosts in the future," Seiji pointed out.
"Even if those ghosts are our death?" Shin asked.
"Hai, even then." Shu answered him.
"We can not stop the future from coming Lords we can only change with it," Touma offered. They all agreed finally and prepared for the upcoming event, all ignoring their own danger sense in order to live their lives now, uncertain if they would be able to tomorrow.
