IMPORTANT: This fanfic is connected with RahXephon's fanfic Master of Corruption. To properly enjoy this fanfic, you should read my partner's fic too. Check out my favorites in my profile to access it. Thank you!
Mistress of Tyranny
Ch. 9 Mistress' Accumulation of Fire
By Sesshy's Girl 00 and RahXephon
I stared incredulously at Susanime's face, waiting for this to turn into some hoax. However, the seriousness of her expression didn't waiver and I was convinced. Once more, I was impressed by the expressiveness of those pale orbs. I had the distinct impression that Susanime was perfectly capable of dealing with anyone whether she was blind or not. I wondered if she was stronger then I'd realized.
I bowed respectfully to Susanime, to express my appreciation. "Thank-you, Susanime-sama, for being kind enough to warn me of this turn of events. I will most certainly prepare a demonstration for everyone later today."
Susanime nodded, a hint of relief appeared upon her pale face. "That is comforting to hear. I wish you luck, Angel of Echigo."
I gave her a small bow of appreciation. "Arigato. I fear I must leave you now and attend to other matters."
Susanime graciously dismissed me and I hurried to make a quick exit. In my head, I already had an idea of how to make the magic happen. I just needed Frieda's assistance to gather what I needed. From there, all of the pieces should fall into place and I would produce another brilliant performance. This was so easy…so exhilarating.
I couldn't believe how simple this all was. These people were so primitive and naive. It was all too easy to awe them with my superior knowledge. Come to think of it…if they knew what I knew, their heads would explode from the pressure. For a moment, I considered enlightening them just so I could see the look on their faces. Then, I thought better of it and decided that doing that might be cruel.
I arrived back at my room to find Koto alone and still asleep. Her gentle breathing filled the otherwise silent room, punctuating that steady rhythm was the occasional grunt, groan, moan or gasp for air. Koto's face remained flushed by fever but she certainly appeared to be sleeping easier. I made my way over to her side, my sock covered feet making the Tami mass nestle and wood beams creak with each step. I feared the noise would disturb Koto's rest but she continued to sleep peacefully.
I knelt beside her, gently removed the wet rag from her forehead and replaced it with a fresh one. Then, I fed her an infusion of Frieda's poppy made medicine to help her continued to sleep. I felt reasonably certain that her broken ribs had avoided puncturing her lungs, but without modern technology I wasn't sure. For now I needed to trust and wait for nature to take her course.
Silently as possible, I worked my way around the room, collecting everything I needed. Once I obtained what I needed, I headed for the veranda and closed the door behind me with a soft thud. The sun was blazing hot outside. I felt a layer of perspiration begin to build on my forehead and neck. The air was thick, still and humid and provided little relief from the heat. I hoped the weather wouldn't always be like this since I already hated how sticky and uncomfortable 1 felt.
For a moment, I allowed my gaze to wonder over the elegant garden that surrounded me. Some of the plants had delicate blossoms resting on them while others formed interesting shapes without them. The beauty and tranquility relaxed my mind, distracting me from my irritation. When I felt more focused, I took a seat upon one of the low wooden benches and began to assemble my creation. These new batch of explosives would be more spectacular than the last, I resolved.
Frieda found me there, hunched over bomb number three, as I placed the wick into the explosive substance. Calmly, she leaned down to whisper in my ear. "Do you need anything, Mistress?"
Without hesitating, I replied with my commands and sent Frieda on her way. I sighed and took the fourth bowl into my hands. I needed as many of these things as possible; the bigger the blast the better. I refused to accept anything but the best for this performance. I wanted all their plebian minds to be blown to smithereens by what they would witness. This was way, way, way too much fun for me.
It took less than ten minutes before Frieda rushed back onto the veranda. When she stood before me she sank into a bow. Her heavy breathing indicated to how much energy she used in her hurry to return here. I gave her several minutes to recover before I demanded to know what the problem was. Frieda raised her face to look at me, revealing the smile upon her face. "Lady Soryu, I now have everything for the tattooing. I thought you would appreciate being informed." She explained in rapid German.
An eager, appreciative smile stretched across my face. This was good— no, fantastic news and I felt almost too excited. Logically, I knew that spontaneous combustion was rare, not supposed to be caused by sheer force of will, but I didn't care. If, in this world, a special tattoo allowed you to do such a wonderful action, then I was all for it. I craved every iota of power there was. For the first time since my early days in Unit Two, I felt unrestricted, as if I could do anything and everything I wanted. In fact, I believed I could challenge all the gods and win.
"Thank you Frieda. Well done." I replied in German, "We will do the ritual in my room after I give a second demonstration of black powder."
Frieda bowed once more and excused herself from my presence. I returned confidently to my work, invigorated with fresh energy. Things were going so much better than I could have dreamed or hoped. I wanted to laugh and mock in the faces of these antiquated and narrow-minded fools. They knew nothing of true knowledge, of power and glory. I would have to change all that… Perhaps there would be a handful of lucky and intelligent people who could keep up.
Frieda returned thirty minutes later with everything I'd asked for. She laid the material out before me and helped me organize it into piles. The urge to grin overcame me as I studied my glorious prize. There was enough here to construct twenty more explosives. I would be set for a long, long time. I could not imagine any way for them to stop me now. I was nearly one hundred percent invincible.
"Thank you, Frieda. This is excellent work."
"Arigato, Mistress. Is there any other way I might be of service?"
"Yes, I want to put on something more formal for this afternoon and there are some other preparations to be made. Your assistance would be appreciated."
Frieda nodded and disappeared back into my room. I gathered up my new bombs and supplies before I followed her inside. I dropped them a corner while I followed Frieda to the chest that contained my wardrobe. She pulled out several different kimonos and held them up for me to judge. I studied them intently, trying to decide which one would make the best impression. Frieda silently and patiently waited for me to make my decision. She seemed nonplussed by my uncertainty but did not voice her feelings.
I chose a stunning black obi covered with vivid flames dancing across the surface. I loved the way it brought out the color of my hair and made my eyes seem to sparkle. A nagging voice hinted that it might be too flamboyant, too dramatic. I refused to listen and to succumb to the temptation of that fear. I knew that theatrics were imperative to leave a good impression. It was the only way to secure my place and assure my path forward.
Frieda motioned for me to turn around, bringing my mind back to the present. I obeyed her command and she produced her small knife once more. With a few expert strokes, she cut free my obi and gently uncoiled it from around my waist. She gingerly folded it up and placed it into an empty box resting beside her. Then, she turned her attention to the next set of stitching.
Nearly two hours later, Frieda's hands were meticulously inserting the final stitches into my new costume. Gracefully, I pirouetted around to face the mirror and stared dumbstruck at what I saw. I…I looked… positively stunning… despite my overly European looks and scars. Even I could plainly see what a princess I was. Slowly, I raised my hands from my side to touch my face and assure myself that this was real.
With a mix of relief and horror, I watched my reflection's hands touch her face at the same time my fingers reached my cheeks. This was no illusion. I couldn't believe it; it was impossible to understand how this had happened. I wasn't supposed to be capable of pulling of the Japanese look. It was all because of him…the man who had never loved me. It never occurred to me that his curse might one day be softened so that I could be beautiful in my mother's land as well.
Frieda made no comment on my reaction but she studied me sympathetically, attempting to understand my response. I was unable to enlighten her because I was too distracted. Eventually, I managed to pull myself together and turned my focus to more important issues. An hour later, Frieda and I had everything set up and ready to go. Now, all I needed were the people to come.
I sent Frieda off to find them, with invitations to my demonstration written in hand. In the meanwhile I completed the last finishing touches and assured myself that everything was ready. This time, I set myself up upon a lower bamboo platform, where the people could come closer to see. I was pleased with the implication of both the power and the intimacy it allowed me to convey. I had also made sure the room my unusually dark, despite the midday sun outside. Lastly, I'd left the bombs I wasn't using around the edge of my stage, making it easy for all those curious eyes to have the up-close look I knew they would crave.
The shuffle of sock covered feet upon Tami mat flooring and the rustling of silken gowns outside the room caught my attention. Without hesitation, I stepped onto the stage and assumed my position. Moments later, the first group of curious nobles entered the room. With a personal thrill, I read the mixture of curiosity, fear and uncertainty upon their pale face. I smiled to acknowledge their presence and beckoned them to come closer to me.
The easiest person in this first group to recognize was Urara Ichigawa. At six foot, three inches tall, she easily towered over almost everyone else in the room. Plus, she loved to wrap her large frame in vibrant kimonos, lots of precious metal and jewels. With her hands, she led her two children, Takateru and Sayu, in beside her. Her husband and Echigo's lead economist, Tabito Ichigawa, would have been harder to spot if I didn't know where to find him, standing in front of his family. He was just under average height but appeared notably shorter with Urara so close. Unlike his wife, Tabito had chosen to wear clothes with a much simpler print.
To my joy, I realized that I was able to identify people confidently by both name and face. My efforts to learn the faces of this land were proving successful. Not that it was very hard thing to do but there were so many new faces that they still blended together at times. At least I knew I was on the right path. Time and practice would make things even easier for me.
Also among this group was a young man I felt I couldn't entirely trust, Otoya Choshi. He was a former member of the Doragon but he claimed he was immature, naive and brainwashed when he joined them at the time. After Kotoya reclaimed the throne, he forgave Otoya and granted him a position as a minor Samurai in the military. While his story remained entirely plausible since he was not quite 17, there was something about him that made me believe he still harbored Doragon sympathies and might one day try to betray us to them. I would keep my eyes on him, regardless of Kotoya's insistence that Otoya was entirely faithful to him.
Several priests and priestesses were also in attendance, led by the ancient head monk, Shou Fujita. I heard some rumors that my presence was driving a rift through this usually stoic group. Not all of them believed that I was anything special and worse some felt my black powder was a blasphemy against the gods themselves. I hoped that through my demonstration today, I could convince some of my skeptics that black power was actually a gift that could be harnessed with human hands and was not a curse or sacrilege.
Talking with one of the young monks, whose name I didn't remember, was the wonderfully handsome and refined Kaname Kaoin. He personally oversaw several temples he had founded with his family's considerable wealth and was undoubtedly deeply religious. Kaname's wife, Emi stood patiently behind her husband, listening to the conversation. Despite the nasty rumors that floated around the couple, he seemed every part the protective, loving and genuinely devoted husband to her. I suspected that the slander was spread by those who were envious or wished Kaname had married into their family instead.
To my surprise, I saw that Umito Ishida and his wife Fujiko were also in attendance. Umito was a lifelong sailor and the new admiral of Echigo's navy. His duties frequently took him away from the palace so I assumed he wouldn't be here. Maybe it was a coincidence he was available, or perhaps he found my demonstration important enough to attend. The pair made an odd looking couple as they made their way through the room. Umito's skin looked like tanned leather from his time in the sun and his body was lean and muscular. Fujiko was pale and delicate as a moon flower, her skin translucent in the darkness of the room.
General Akaka was also in attendance along with were two other Samurai, Naoki Takeda and Jimon Saito. Of the three, Jimon captured the most attention because of the severity of his injuries. Most of his left arm and all of his right leg beneath the knee were gone. His prosthetic leg, made of heavy, highly polished, dark wood, caused him to walk with a limp. Takeda on the other hand, was the least visibly injured of the group. I believed that he was actually in excellent shape. He was stationed back to Echigo after fighting in Han for many years.
When Kotoya and Susanime arrived, I wasn't surprised by who accompanied them, General Uesugi and Ginga Uesugi. Together they represented the heads of Uesugi Kenshin's heirs and the most important figures in the province. If nothing else, I had to respect their combined authority, even if they weren't very adept at using it.
Of the three, Ginga Uesugi was the one I knew the least. He led the descendents of Uesugi Kagekatsu's (the elder adopted son of Uesugi Kenshin) descendents, which made him the natural heir after Kotoya and Susanime. Ginga seemed like a decent enough man but he wasn't the member of the bloodline who worried me. That honor belonged to his ruthless and spoiled son Hirohiko, who used his share of the family fortune to support the Namiki clan. Of course this created a wedge between father and son, which I fully intended to study further and exploit.
Also accompanying Kotoya was his long time ally, advisor and confidant, Futoshi Otake. He was a former retainer to Kotoya's parents and spied on the Doragon after their take over. Apparently, his reports had been crucial in Kotoya's recapture of the capital and his throne. Now he spent his days helping Kotoya make decisions and using his extensive spy network to bring in information on troublesome factions and current events, especially when it came to Kaihon's nobility and royalty.
Standing in a corner, intently watching everyone was Benito Genji. He personally oversaw Echigo's military police the Peces. Their mission was to spy on the common people to detect signs of unrest or traitorous intents. Kotoya trusted him implicitly but I had my doubts. How much could one trust a person whose job it was to spy on everyone else?
The sound of deep laughter filled the air, bringing most conversations to a halt. Emori Harada entered the room, surrounded by a group of other nobles. He was another person who was hard to miss, even in a crowd. He was always laughing and knew how to draw attention to himself; not that he needed much assistance with that since his impressive girth commanded plenty of space. From what I'd heard about him, Emori was one of those people possessed by both virtue and sin.
He willingly gave gifts to children and helped out the poor and downtrodden. However, he was also notorious for being no Robin Hood. His main occupation was overseeing construction and rebuilding projects in Echigo. Emori raised the prices on his services so excessive that those who used them were always in his debt. Plus, he all too eagerly added a percentage of his profits to his wealth, making him richer by the day. This fortune he used to buy prostitutes, illicit favors and secure his position among the rest of the nobility. The opposite opinions about him were conflicted. There were those who loved him and those who loathed him.
The biggest delight for me was the sight of a real Kaihonese geisha in full regalia. I was able to recall her name after a moment. It was Kaori Abe. She'd been sold into a geisha house as a young child because her poor family could not afford to feed her. After she worked her way up and earned herself the rank of a fully-fledged geisha, her job became to entertain the nobility and rich of the capital. Rumor has it that Kaori had a young daughter but the child was almost never seen because her mother wanted to protect her from her 'family' and the other unsavory influences of palace life.
With mixed feelings of anticipation and reluctance, I pulled myself away from my observations and focused on the task at hand. My audience expected me to interact with them. Standing silently was not going to make the good impression I needed. "Thank you for coming this afternoon. I am honored by your presence. Please take a minute to examine the bowls of black powder around the edge of the stage but I must insist that they be kept away from fire. The show will begin soon."
The crowed began to relax upon hearing my cheerful words and several noisy individuals took hold of a bomb to study. I patiently answered their questions and smiled at their awestruck faces. All the while, I unobtrusively made note of those individuals who displayed the most hostility and concentrated much of my energy on them. I knew it would possibly take forever to win them over but I was will to work my hardest to soften their distrust of me.
Ten minutes after the first group arrived, Frieda returned to my side. She bowed and whispered in German. "Everyone is here Mistress."
"Well done. You are a very swift on your feet." I replied.
Frieda blushed slightly at the compliment and melted silently into the background. Then, turning to the crowd before me, I raised my hands to signal for silence. Almost instantly, the voices began to fade and all eyes turned to me. This was it, show time. Every cell in my body hummed with energy and anticipation. I could taste the tension in the air, as if it was palatable.
I took a step towards the front of the stage and paused for dramatic effect. One hundred pairs of eyes followed my movements hungrily, waiting for what I would do next. This, I understood, was a kind of game and one I could easily win or lose. It all depended upon how I played my cards. Fortunately, I'd been dealt a strong hand and was a determined competitor.
I allowed my eyes to roam over the crowd one last time until saw someone that made me pause. Shinobu Daigo, the shape-shifting witch who'd tried to kidnap me was present. She lurked near the back of the room with a man I assumed was her husband. The pair was watching me with dark unfriendly glares. I eyed them back, wondering what they were planning. I could not forget the fact she'd kidnapped me for her own devious goal.
This time, I would not be the fool.
I averted my eyes and forced myself to smile for the masses. A wall of curious faces starred back, waiting to see my powers at work. I carefully lifted a lit wax candle and carried it to where I left the line hanging. This time, I decided to go for multiple explosions at once. I had suspended several bowls of black powder from the ceiling above me and connected them with a thin piece of twine. I tied the strings together in one big knot and it hung waiting for me to set it off.
I held the flame high and watched the knot ignite into a ball of fire. Behind me, mummers of anticipation rippled through the crowd. I began to turn around but then I caught movement out of the corner of my eye. For a second, I refused to believe what I saw. A small group of children were crowded around one of my spare bombs and the fuse was burning. 'Bakas!'
I leapt off the stage and fought my way towards the children, hoping I'd be able to stop things before they were hurt. I watched helplessly as one of the boys in the group handed it to the lone girl member. She turned and looked at me and for a single heartbeat our eyes met. Then another child ran into her and the bomb flew into the air. In the next instant, the bomb exploded and the children were engulfed by dust and smoke.
For several terrible seconds, everyone was silent, and then a chorus of terrified screams erupted. I pushed my way past the last few obstacles and approached the children. Ignoring everyone else, I checked on the girl first. Her hands, arms, chest face and neck were all burned and bloody from the fire. As I knelt down beside the injured girl, I suddenly realized who she was, Sayu Ichigawa. I knew I was in trouble now, since one of my creations had hurt nobility. Gently, I wrapped up her injuries to stop the blood flow. Meanwhile, my other bombs exploded as planned, lighting up the room for the second time and causing a wave of panic to seize the room.
"Where's the burn medicine? Bring me some cold water." I demanded.
Most of the people, still stunned by what had happened, stared back at me blankly. However, there was one person who had returned to her senses. Urara Ichigawa muscled her way through the crowd towards us. Her huge terrified eyes told me everything I needed to know. "Sayu! What happened? What did you do to her?" She demanded furiously.
Before I could answer, Frieda appeared along with the burn medicine, cold water and rags needed to treat the injured Sayu. I took the bowl of burn cream and gingerly spread it over her burned skin. I wrapped cool cloths over the same areas to alleviate the pain and burning sensation. Then, I turned to the other children and began to treat their injuries too. Slowly, others began to awake from their stunned stupor and knelt down to help me.
"Sayu! What did you do?"
Urara reached out with both of her bejeweled hands and seized me by the collar, pulling my roughly to my feet. Fear and confusion made her eyes hard, cold with unspeakable anger. I had no words that could ever please her in this moment. She wanted me dead and was very close to getting it. "We should have never believed him. You're a menace to society and you don't belong here." She spat venomously.
"Momma?" Came Sayu's weak voice.
Urara dropped me immediately and went to her daughter's side. Taking advantage of Urara's distraction, Frieda and Kotoya appeared at my side. Frieda took my hand tightly in hers and nodded sadly. Using my other hand, Kotoya guided me to my feet. "Come, Mistress. It's time for you to go." Frieda whispered in my ear.
Kotoya motioned for me to go with Frieda before turning back to the near riotous crowd. Frieda tugged on my hand and I reluctantly followed her around the edges of the room and back into the hallway. This path allowed me to hear what people were saying about my black powder. Most seemed completely horrified by it and cursed my arrival in this world. A minority of militarily minded people saw promise in exploiting black power in battle.
I wanted to tell them what bakas they all were but I recognized they couldn't possibly understand how little they knew. At this rate I would only get myself in more trouble. Frieda took my hand and guided me through the mass of humanity to the safety of the doorway. We made our way down the corridor back to the safety of my room. Once there, Frieda inquired if I still desired to receive my tattoo today. I informed her that I absolutely did, so she went to go collect her supplies.
I sat down beside Koto and laid my head in my lap. I groaned inwardly with frustration and disappointment. This was a complete disaster and I had no idea how to fix it. Maybe, perhaps it was time I quit trying to play by their rules. I could bring them and their entire pantheon of beloved god down so easily, so why not? Clearly, I needed to forcibly control them or nothing would get done. These idiots were too weak and primitive to know better.
The sound of Frieda's voice brought me out of my thoughts and back to the present. "Where do you desire the tattoo, Mistress?" Frieda asked.
"How big is the pattern?"
"Not too much, but more advanced versions cover much skin."
I thought about her words for a moment and examined my own body critically. There was really only one part where such a large image would be possible. Plus, it would be easier to hide and harder to remove there. "On my back, Frieda."
"Hai."
Frieda lay out the three bowls she'd brought upon the floor. She filled one with water, another with red tattooing ink and the last with strong sake. I nodded in approval as Frieda cleaned the needle with a rag soaked in the alcoholic beverage. "Well done. Don't forget to clean my back after as well."
Frieda bowed her head in acceptance of my praise. I untied by obi and lowered my kimono to my waist. Carefully, I lowered myself chest down upon the futon and waited for Frieda to begin. She cleaned the skin on my back with several expert swipes of her sake soaked cloth. Then, Frieda started to sing, her voice somehow both guttural and light as it filled the air. The language was German, but somehow not German. For a moment, I thought it must be some form of an ancient Germanic tongue but then it shifted suddenly to appear as a sacred invocation for the gods. My head spun with the half understood words as the melody rushed me along.
I was vaguely aware of Frieda's hands moving the needle in and out of my skin but a sense of disconnect made it all seem unreal. Behind my eyelids, bright flames danced and twisted to the melody. As I watched, the fire grew until it surrounded me in a roaring conflagration. Although they were now impossibly close, they didn't harm me at all. Gradually, my body started to move in concert with the flames and power started to flowed into me.
As the ritual reached its climax, I turned around to find the center of the fire now possessed the face of a man. A deep frown possessed his features, making him appear truly tyrannical. 'Fire God,' insisted a voice in the back of my mind. Slowly, almost grudgingly, his lips curved into the faintest hint of a smile. Then he disappeared in a roar of fire. With his absence, a new presence filled the void. Burning pain spread throughout my entire body. It felt as if my insides were on fire and was rapidly being charred away. I tried to scream but my voice betrayed me.
Suddenly Shinji's voice cut through the pain as his arms encircled me gently, "Rest now, Asuka. I promise I'll take care of you."
Before I could protest, a void of impenetrable blackness rose to meet me and everything disappeared.
The next thing I knew, I lay somewhere cool and dark. My shoulders ached, as if my new tattoo had been burned deep into my skin as well and the pain radiated through the rest of my body. I expected to feel Shinji there but found myself to actually be all alone. Sadly- desperately, I groped silently for him in the darkness, hoping against hope to find him there. Depressingly, I found myself completely isolated and alone. He had left me…why?
It's because you're always going to be alone Asuka, you deserve nothing else.
Asuka! Please don't push me away…I always be here, if you'd just let me.
Bakas, both of you! You don't understand anything!
Don't lie. You know it to be true. You're a horrible person, a monster. Why else does everyone always leave you? You're worthless.
Don't listen to it Asuka. You don't have to be alone anymore.
What do you understand? You don't know anything!
But I do Asuka. I've been watching your every move and listening to your thoughts. I know what your heart truly looks like.
Leave me alone!
Asuka…I can't-won't abandon you. I love you…
Baka, don't say things like that. We both know you don't mean it. The only reason I survived was because you were afraid to be alone. Wimp…is nothing good enough for you? From now on—
But before I could finish they were gone. This time, I didn't bother to search for them because I knew it was pointless. I was sick of this, all these worthless words and fake promises. I couldn't stand all the lies…all the pain…Why did Shinji have to bring me back? How could he do this to me? Despite his claims of love, want and need, he clearly had no use for me. I was an insignificant doll to him, just how everyone else saw me.
"I quit." I whispered vehemently.
Silently, I buried my face in the pillow and allowed the tears to come. 'Why? Why did things always turn out like this? Couldn't the universe leave me alone for once?' I wondered. Soon, the small amount of energy I had left was gone and sleep claimed my mind. My dreams were much more pleasant than before.
Tales from Echigo
Part 4 - Aid for Dragon's Heirs
I didn't allow myself to look back as I marched away from my foolish brother and his boundless pride. As much as the realization saddened me, I knew there was nothing more I could do. While I was always my father's daughter, I could not be the heir to the throne because I was a woman. If they would not listen to me as a sister, then my best option was to flee and find a place safe to raise Akiya.
"Sohyuki!" Cried the familiar voice of my husband.
The next thing I knew, Wataru wrapped his arms around me and pulled my body close to his. His permanently calloused and burned hands held tightly onto my own as I leaned in to inhale his aroma. The scent of sulfurous fire and tangy metal washed over me, transporting me away from this world. Gently, I traced my fingers over the network of scars that covered his wonderful hands, remorsefully examining the new ones he'd received since our parting.
"Welcome home, my love." He murmured softly, tears threatening to choke his voice.
Reluctantly, we released each other and I introduced the father to his son. I had no doubt that the pair would recognize each other instantly and a lifelong bond would form between them. Happily, Wataru and I walked hand in hand back to the tent and Akiya slept soundly in his father's strong arms for the first time.
Back at our family tent, we spent the remainder of the day simply relaxing together and passing the time with small talk. For a few carefree hours, I was able to forget about both past and future to focus entirely on the present. By evening however, we both recognized that the time had come to concentrate on more serious matters; especially concerning our son and his safety.
"Wataru, we need to leave this land." I insisted in a tear choked whisper.
I took a deep breath as I fought to soothe the immense ache in my heart. This land was my home and had nourished my ancestors for countless generations before. The last thing I wanted to do was abandon it into the hands of that arrogant Nobunaga. What hurt the most was the fact I had no choice in the matter. If I stayed, I would be captured and killed. Akiya would not survive either and it would be years before he would be ready to defend his title.
Wataru wrapped his arm around my waist and held me tightly to him. When I looked into his eyes I saw pain, understanding and resolution. I could tell that he agreed with my words and would do all in his power to see us through the journey. Despite the tension visible on his face, Wataru held himself with such calmness and assurance. That was one of the things I admired and envied about him because he was so much better than me.
"We're leaving tomorrow morning, right after breakfast." He stated evenly.
I nodded, firmly in agreement with his words. The faster we disappeared, the better. In my mind, an idea began to form. "Would it be possible to take some armor and katanas with us?"
Wataru's eyebrow rose in confusion in my words and his mouth twisted into a crooked frown. However, he remained quiet for several moments as he attempted to reason my request out. "Hai, but why do we need them?"
"We're too obvious this way. Nobunaga-san's men will be looking for us. Dressing up as a pair of Samurai would be much safer."
"What about Akiya? How do we explain him?"
I thought about this glaring hole for a moment before a plan occurred to me. "We'll pay a woman to act as your wife and Akiya's mother. It will be perfect."
Wataru stared at me and I felt his worry all too easily. 'Could we pull it off? Were my skills with a sword good enough? Who could we trust? Where would we go? Was there any place safe for us?' These were all questions that we asked ourselves. My only answer was to trust the gods to see us through. After all, my newly risen father wouldn't-couldn't allow us to fail. He loved this land more than anyone else. 'Please, father, guide us safely through the dark.'
"We'd best start making preparations, since sunlight is fast returning." Wataru pointed out with a sigh of sadness and worry.
"Hai. What do you want to do?"
"I'll secure us some armor and weapons. You should find our companion and some provisions."
Without another word we rose to our feet and headed off in opposite directions. I cradled my sleeping son to my chest as I walked with the aid of a makeshift sling I had made from some blankets. An odd sense of peace overcame me, knowing he was at my side and safe. Not even the pain from my injuries could dull it.
This must be what it's like to be a parent, I realized. To have someone else rely completely on your care and to want to protect them from the dangers of the world. I wished I could spare my son from the certain pain and danger he would face but I knew I could not. That terrified me the most. How many nights would I spend restless and awake, worrying about how he would return to me? Too many, I realized.
All too soon, I'd reached my destination and was forced to return my thoughts to the present. Before me was the section of the camp for those who followed it. Most who lived here were prostitutes, whose main purpose was to satisfy men's desires at night. A few of them however were widows, elderly and orphans who had nowhere else to go. The rest consisted of abused women who run away from home. They made their living doing odd job around camp, comforting the injured, assisting the cooks with food preparation and distribution and removing garbage and refuse from the camp area.
I had difficulty picturing myself interacting with these people but I had little choice. My only hope was that I might find someone trustworthy to bring with us on our journey. As I neared the cluster of tents, an old woman approached me. Her body was frail and twisted with most of her hair missing. She held out a hand in greeting and smiled assuringly, displaying the remains of a lost finger and a mouth full of rotted yellow teeth. "Princess Sohyuki of the Doragon. How kind of you to come." She wheezed in a high pitched voice.
The Doragon, she called me The Doragon. That was impossible, there was no way I could fill that role. I was a woman, and a banished one as well for marrying a commoner. She was crazy if she thought I held any claim to the throne. Equally important was how she knew who I was. Since I'd been banished from the palace nearly a year and a half ago, no one had recognized me or addressed me by my proper name. Only my brothers and husband had known who I was, to everyone else I was simply Higuchi-san, wife of the metal smith.
"How? You're mistaken, ma'am. I am not the Doragon." I insisted stupidly.
"Oh, everyone knows dear, when one who has achieved godhood passes on, the whole world knows. You are his only living blood heir, therefore you are the Doragon."
"You're speaking nonsense."
The woman smiled again and patted my arm. "I realize that the nobility doesn't think highly of us commoners but I speak the truth, princes. Now listen to me, the woman you seek is down that way to your right. Look for someone holding a babe with bandages around her neck. Her name is Chiharu."
Before I could say anything else, the woman turned and was gone from my sight. A quick look around proved that the woman had truly disappeared and not just walked off on me. With a reluctant sigh, I realized that my best option was to follow the woman's advice. I didn't exactly have a better plan in mind. I set off in the general direction the old woman indicated and hoped to see the other woman she'd referred to. Luck was on my side that evening, because not ten minutes later I found her.
The young lady in question appeared to be about my age or a little older. Her long, ink black hair was tucked under an improvised, faded, red kerchief tied around her head. Her clothes were frayed and patched in so many places it was hard to know what they'd originally looked like. Suckling from her breast was a newborn baby.
Upon hearing my approach she raised her head to meet my eyes. For a moment, I couldn't help but be transfixed by the mass of bandages that encircled her throat. They were dirty and messy but contained no recent stains. I could only imagine what would induce her to wear such things but I didn't want to ask. She watched me warily with two dark eyes, her whole body radiating fear.
I sat down beside her and turned my gaze to the stars. The young woman said nothing but she slowly seemed to adjust to my presence. She touched my arm, drawing my attention back to her. By now she was smiling weakly at me and her mouth opened to speak. "Can I help you?" She mouthed slowly.
Although her lips were moving, nothing but a strained hiss emerged from her throat. I was severely confused by this until it occurred to me that she couldn't talk. Was that why she wore the bandages around her neck, to hide the scars from the injury that stole her voice? It made sense but I wasn't positive.
I explained my reason for coming to see her and asked if she would join us. Her first response was to motion to her child, who was now fast asleep in her lap. I needed no sound to understand her meaning; she refused to leave her baby behind. I didn't have the heart to ask her too, I completely understood how she felt. "Of course you may bring your child with you. We'll tell anyone who asks that they are twins."
A relieved smile stretched across her face. She considered my proposition for a minute more before she nodded assuredly and mouthed, "We come."
I bowed to her with gratitude and release. "Arigato."
The woman smiled back and I received the impression she was happy to help. Gingerly, she wrapped her child up in a blanket and rose to her feet. She disappeared into a nearby, makeshift tent. I could hear her moving around for several minutes before she returned with a small bundle containing their possessions. She returned to my side and signaled that she was ready to leave. "What's your name?" I asked carefully.
"Chiharu." She mimed back.
Then she pointed to her child and her lips formed a second name. "Hitomi."
"Chiharu and Hitomi." I repeated, just to make sure I understood her correctly.
The woman smiled and nodded.
Author's Notes:
Yep, I'm back! Party!
Several issues have been brought to my attention that I want to address.
First is the question of whether Asuka loves Shinji or not. The problem is that the answer to that question is complicated. Yes, she does have feelings for Shinji but she's unwilling to acknowledge them at this point in the story. On top of that she feels angry, hurt and betrayed by what she perceives as his multiple abandonments of her. For Asuka, the pain is easy to focus and dwell on instead of dealing with her deeper muddled emotions. I promise that once Shinji and Asuka are reunited and she works through some of those feelings, the fact she truly does love Shinji will be much more apparent.
It's not supposed to be easy!
Second is the inconsistent pain/problems caused by her arm. I asked the reader to remember that her arm was actually split in two by the MP Evangelions. This means a massive bone fractures and muscle damage. Such an extensive injury will be difficult to heal even with modern technology and it's likely the victim will suffer from lifelong problems. So it's all too easy for Asuka to do something that will re-aggravate it.
For anyone who's confused, Doragon is simply Japanese for dragon. It is first used in this world as part of Uesugi Kenshin's official title after her becomes Lord of Echigo. The old woman's identification of Sohyuki as the daughter of the Doragon means she's Uesugi Kenshin's daughter by blood and therefore heir to his throne. By Asuka's time, the Doragon is used by rival militaristic faction to legitimatize their claim to the throne of Echigo. I hope that makes things clearer for everyone.
Finally, a teaser:
I gripped my katana tightly in my gloved hand and narrowed my eyes behind the slits of my mask. The opposing samurai aimed his weapon at my throat and prepared to charge.
