Chapter Nineteen
"Wow."
As the horses drew to a halt outside the palace gates, Haruka let out her breath in a rush, gazing up in awe at the immense building that rose up before them. Gleaming columns of white marble ornamented with gold flanked the entrance, and beyond, the young desert urchin could see people flurrying around in all directions, each bent on a specific errand as they darted from one sumptuous wing of the complex to another.
"It's pretty, isn't it?" Anara's voice behind her made her turn, and she nodded her head.
"I guess the Emperor really is loaded," she murmured. "Shit - I had no idea a real palace looked like that. It's frigging huge...how many people live inside of there, anyhow?"
"In the central, Imperial wing, the Emperor and his Lady wife Rie-sama, as well as his Lord son Prince Nefuru, Lady Sashi and Prince Shinju reside," Zarin answered this time, reining in his steed as he cast her a smile. "In other wings, important officials that are vital to Heiboutei-heika's council have apartments close to the centre of power. And at the very rear of the palace grounds is the barracks, where there are soldiers on duty day and night to serve their King and Queen."
"And we're really going in there?" Haruka swallowed hard. "Are you sure? I mean, it's not like I ain't ever done anythin' bad, an...well..."
"It's all right, Haru-chan," Anara said softly. "You're here with Zarin, aren't you? Noone's going to want to hurt you so long as that's the case."
"I suppose," Haruka cast Zarin a doubtful glance. "I don't really know much about him, though. Anara-san, aren't you coming into the palace too? I mean, you did come here with me, and..."
She faltered, and Anara sighed, reaching across to rest a hand on the young girl's arm.
"I wish I could, but I have no reason to go further than this, and I'm not an invited guest," she said softly. "I have people back home I have to return to, too, and it's you they want to see. Not an apothecary from the desert. It's Subaru that matters - I'll only be in your way, here."
"You've not been in anyone's way so far, Anara-san," Zarin assured her. "Haruka trusts you, and that's been a big help."
"See, Zarin-dono said that," Haruka scrambled down from the horse, gazing up at her guardian plaintively. "You could come in - it'd be okay."
Anara laughed, shaking her head.
"Believe me, you won't want me here when you've had time to think it over," she said gently, reaching across to ruffle the thick dark waves. "I have a lot of faith in you, Haruka, and in what you can do. But I think that right now you need to learn about Subaru, and if I'm constantly there watching over you, you might find yourself torn."
Haruka's heart clenched in her chest, and she stared up at the older woman sadly.
"Does that mean you don't want me?" she murmured. "Did you only help me because I was Subaru?"
"Oh, don't be silly," Anara scolded, shaking her head. "I don't want to leave you here any more than you want me to, believe me. Even in just a few days I feel as though you've become a part of our family, and the maternal instinct inside of me wants to protect you, not leave you here. Still, my life thus far has taught me that Byakko has a purpose in everything he does, the good and the bad. You have a great destiny and you need to be at the Emperor's court to learn how to achieve that destiny. I wish you were older, and that you knew more about what you could do - but those are things I can't change. So it's best that you come here, to the court that Byakko himself blessed and protected a hundred years ago. Understand? The Emperor is a fine King, and I'm sure Lady Sashi is just as kind a person as Zarin's said. You've nothing to fear."
Her gaze softened as she met the melancholy expression in the young girl's gaze.
"I promise, Haru-chan, that even though this is where we part, it's not the end of our acquaintance," she added gently. "You are always welcome back in Shouki-mura. When it's over - when you don't have to be Subaru for Sairou's sake any more - come home. All right? You'll always have a place with Shirobu and I - that's for sure. We'd love to have you, and we'll always welcome you back. No matter how long it takes or how much happens - that will not change. Understand?"
A faint glimmer of light touched the melancholy eyes at this, and Haruka nodded her head.
"I understand," she agreed, her voice trembling slightly. "Thank you for helping me, Anara-san. I promise I'll make you proud. I swear I will."
"I don't doubt that for a moment." Anara dismounted the horse, putting her arms around the youngster and hugging her tightly. "I feel like I'm letting another daughter disappear into the sunset, and I don't like it any more than you do. But Byakko and my family have an unbreakable connection, so I suppose that's part of it. And I meant what I said, one hundred percent. Shouki-mura can always be your home, if you want it to be. You might decide not, after you find out what being Subaru means. But if you ever want it - we'll be there."
"I'll remember." Haruka flung her arms around the older woman, burying her head in her companion's shoulder. "I can't write you or nothin', because I don't know my letters an' I never learnt t' read. But I won't forget. You an' Geiyo-san have been good to me, so I'll make sure I get strong an' help Sairou, no matter what."
"Then we should be heading inside," Zarin, who had observed this scene from a distance interjected at that moment. "I sent a messenger that people should expect us, so it shouldn't be a problem. Haruka, will you come with me? We're strangers yet, I know, but I've no reason to harm you. And when you see Lady Sashi, you'll realise that it's all right."
"I'm coming," Haruka disentangled herself from Anara's embrace, nodding her head resolutely. "I'm coming, Zarin-dono. Just, if I say anything rude or shit, will you jab me or something? I don't want anyone thinkin' I ain't respecting the Queen or the Princess. I jus' don't know how you're s'posed to do stuff like that."
"I'd advise you cut down on the swear words, first of all," Zarin's eyes twinkled. "Well? Will you mount my horse? Or would you rather I dismounted and we walked together through the gates?"
"Walked," Haruka said firmly. "My backside's still achin' from the ride here. I don't wanna get back on another one, an' your nag's kind of snappy."
Anara met Zarin's gaze, a slight smile touching her lips at this.
"Take care of her, Zarin," she said softly, as the soldier obediently dismounted his steed, slipping the mare's reins around his fingers. "I know that you're a responsible man, so I'm trusting you with her. She's someone very important, so make sure she learns how to harness that fact."
"I'll do what I can, depending on Sashi-hime's instructions," Zarin agreed. "Don't worry, Anara-san. I'm sure Haruka's in safe hands now she's here - safer than in a desert village."
"Yes. Doubtlessly," Anara nodded her head. "Take care, Haru-chan. And remember everything I said...Shouki-mura will still be there, when you're done."
"And on that note, let's go," Zarin touched Haruka on the shoulder. "This way, Haruka. Keep close to me and noone will question why you're here. Don't speak unless you have to - I'll explain what needs to be said and then you won't need to worry about being rude. All right?"
"All right," Haruka nodded slowly. "I guess that's cool with me."
She cast Anara one last glance, and then obediently fell into step with the young soldier, glancing up at him as she did so.
"Zarin-dono, you grew up in Eiroku, right?"
"Yes. Why?"
"Did you know Anara-san's son, Miramu?"
"Not personally, no," Zarin shook his head. "I knew of him, but...well, most people did, to be honest. It wasn't really...avoidable. Considering..."
He hesitated, then shrugged.
"But the man is dead, so it's not worth talking about now," he said briskly. "I may not have found him, but I did find you. That's more than enough for now. To be honest, I think I prefer it that way. What kind of a person he really was, I can't tell you – but from the stories, I'm fairly sure he's not a man I would have liked…or been able to trust this close to my Princess. Don't worry about the ghosts of departed men, Haruka. Geiyo Miramu's deeds are legend in the desert land, but they're also long past. Long, long past."
"Mm," Haruka pursed her lips, but fell silent, and as they passed through the big marble-coated gateway, a young soldier on duty darted from the ranks of guardsmen, saluting sharply and casting Haruka a curious look as he did so.
"Zarin-taichou, welcome back!"
"Thank you, Junbei," Zarin cast the youngster a warm grin, even as he handed over the reins of his horse to one of the other waiting soldiers to deal with. "Have you been sent to meet me?"
"Yes, sir," Junbei did not relax his stance, nodding curtly, and Haruka raised her gaze to his, curious at this stranger's unusual appearance. He was not as tall or as old as the well built Zarin, though he was sturdy enough and from his stance and his physique Haruka guessed that he could hold his own in a battle of fists. Hair the colour of mist curled wildly over his brow and in a rough tail down his back, stray wisps of it framing his features and softening his soldier's expression. Yet, despite the light colour of his hair, his brows and thick lashes were dark enough to be almost black, and something about this sharp contradiction gave the youngster a striking, unusual overall appearance. His complexion was not as dark as the desert-born Zarin's, either, and the eyes that sparkled beneath his dark brows were a vivid sea aquamarine. In his left ear, he wore a gold stud, and Haruka bit her lip, remembering bits and pieces of a story her father had told her when she had been very small.
"Are you a pirate?" she asked innocently, and Junbei flinched, staring at the youngster in confusion.
"Haruka, shh," Zarin cast her a glance, shaking his head. "What did I say about speaking only when you're spoken to? You're asking questions about things again - and it's not polite."
"I only wondered," Haruka defended herself. "And this guy's not as important as you, right? He saluted you, and you don't mind me speaking straight to you - right? So he can't mind either - he's not an important noble or anything, so I won't get my head cut off if I ask him questions."
Junbei's eyes widened in disbelief, and despite himself, Zarin chuckled.
"Junbei, at ease," he said softly. "I know you're dying to respond, and I ought to give you that right."
"Yes sir. Thank you, sir." Junbei lowered his hand, turning to send Haruka a wary glower.
"Who are you?" he demanded. "Of course I'm not a pirate - what kind of question is that?"
"I'm Subaru," Haruka said calmly. "I have Byakko's mark and Zarin-dono's brought me here to see Princess Sashi. You've been waiting for us - haven't you?"
Junbei faltered, taken aback by the child's composure, and Zarin shook his head slowly.
"Haruka, this is Shin Junbei. He's one of the guardsmen serving at the palace, and a man of my own retinue," he said evenly. "He's a soldier and a very good one, too. I don't know why you might think he was a pirate, but I assure you that he's nothing of the sort. It's a long way from the sea here - don't you think so?"
"Haven't a clue," Haruka said cheerfully. "I've never seen the sea, so I wouldn't know. Just Pa used to tell me stories about people from the coast lookin' like this guy - an' he had the earring and shit, too. So I wondered...if he was one of those people, like in Pa's stories."
"Zarin-taichou, with all respect, what is she talking about?" Junbei looked mystified, and Zarin smiled.
"This child is Mai Haruka." He explained simply. "She's the one said to bear the mark of Byakko's Subaru, so as she said, she's here to see Sashi-hime. I guess you could say she's not travelled much, though - so it's probably the first time she's met anyone of Zanji origin. I'm sorry - I don't think she means to offend you."
"Zanji?" Haruka looked blank. "What's Zanji?"
"The Zanji are the people who come originally from Sairou's coast, that's all," Zarin told her. "Junbei's descended from that people, which is why you think he looks like a pirate. But he was born in Arudo, just like a lot of his brethren in the barracks. You really need to learn to think before you speak, Haruka. Sashi-hime is from the northern Funoki - what if you were to ask her questions like that?"
"I wouldn't say something like that to a Princess." Despite herself, Haruka reddened. "I just...I didn't know, that's all. There ain't anyone who looks like him where I was living before."
"No, there aren't many Zanji in the desert," Zarin agreed. "But in Arudo, there's a huge mix of all kinds of peoples. You'll get used to that, now you're here."
He cast Junbei a smile.
"Will you accompany us, and convey the message to Lady Sashi that we're arrived?" he asked quietly. "Then return, if you would. Since Haruka seems to have plenty to say to you, I think it would be well if I put you in charge of her safety, for the time being. I won't be able to guard her myself for long, and your skills are above average for your age."
"Sir?" Horror glittered in Junbei's sea-coloured eyes, and Haruka snorted.
"I don't need to be protected," she objected. "It's not dangerous here. That's why I came, right? Because it's safer."
"In the palace, it's always better to be safe than sorry." Zarin told her. "Sashi-hime will no doubt insist on it that, while you're here, someone is assigned to take care of you and make sure you're not in danger. It's just the way of things."
Junbei's lips thinned, and Zarin cast him a questioning look.
"Do you have an objection, Junbei?" he asked softly, and Junbei faltered, then shook his head.
"No, sir," he said reluctantly. "If it's an order, then of course I'll do as you say. I'll go immediately to convey your message to Lady Sashi."
He saluted again, casting Haruka a final glower before disappearing across the courtyard.
"Do I really need him to be watching over me now I'm here?" Haruka asked, as she and Zarin made their way slowly in the direction he had gone. "He ain't that much older'n me, an' I don't think he likes me much. He might slit my throat with his sword soon as look at me, an' besides, if I'm Byakko's, don't you think I could defend myself if I had to?"
"I told you. It's protocol. The Princess has my retinue to keep her safe even though I don't think anyone in the palace would dream of hurting her," Zarin told her. "Prince Nefuru has soldiers too, and so does the Emperor and Empress Rie. It's a sign that you're important here, if nothing else. Don't you think so?"
"Maybe." Haruka pursed her lips, thinking this over. "But he really looked at me like he wanted t'kill me. An' that ain't a good start."
"Well, you should hold your tongue, shouldn't you?" Zarin chided her gently. "I'm serious about that, Haruka. Junbei's a good soldier, even if he is only seventeen, and he's true to the orders he's given. He is a little sensitive about his heritage, however. Shouting about it isn't going to put you on his good side, so you might want to rethink that."
"Sensitive about it?" Haruka stared. "Because he looks weird?"
"He doesn't look weird. I told you already, he's of Zanji descent."
"So? That's weird enough for me." Haruka touched her dark hair pensively, then, "I don't think I ever saw anyone with that colour hair before. An' his eyes were like he looked right through me. Though I guess he could be kind of pretty, if he wasn't salutin' and scowlin' so much. Still..."
"Haruka, do you ever shut up?"
"Guess not." Haruka looked sheepish. "Sorry. But really, I don't get it. Why would he care if I asked him if he was a pirate? All he'd have to say is no, he wasn't. I don't even know if pirates are real. Pa only told me stories an' then only when he was drunk. It might've all been made up."
"Pirates do exist, so far as I know, though I've never met any." Zarin hid a smile, and Haruka felt that her companion was somewhat humouring her. "But I'd advise you don't talk too much to Junbei about that side of his heritage. As I said, it's a sore point with him...and it's better not discussed."
"I still don't see why." Haruka pouted. "It's no big deal t'me. I was just curious."
"Junbei was born illegitimate," Zarin told her simply. "That's all."
"What's ille...ili...ille...what's that mean?"
"His mother and father weren't married when he was born."
"Oh." Haruka thought this over carefully for a moment, then she shrugged.
"I don't even know if my Ma and Pa were or not," she admitted. "Does it matter, if they were?"
"In Arudo society, it does," Zarin agreed. "So it's better you don't ask him too much about it."
"All right," Haruka sighed. "If you say so, then I won't."
"Good girl." Zarin grinned, patting her on the head again, and Haruka pulled away.
"Don't keep doing that, like I'm some pet dog," she protested. "I'm not that little a kid, you know."
"My apologies." Zarin's eyes twinkled. "I didn't mean to belittle you. Besides, this is where we're heading. This is Lady Sashi's wing."
"This...whole wing...belongs to Princess Sashi?" Haruka's eyes widened, and Zarin nodded.
"She is the Princess Consort," he reminded her. "We'll wait here for a moment, for Junbei to return. It'd be bad manners to just barge right in - better we wait for him to tell us she's ready."
"Shit, there really is a lot of rules to this etiquette thing, ain't there?" Haruka observed, and Zarin smiled.
"Yes, I'm afraid so," he agreed. "But you'll pick up the important ones if you listen and learn. I really don't think you're at all stupid, and you certainly seem to want to know everything that's going on around you, whether the questions are impertinent or not."
"I'll never remember all of that," Haruka said heavily. "I'm a desert rat. I know how t'make fires out of stray twigs an' steal apples from market stalls without gettin' caught. I don't know nothin' about speakin' to royalty."
"I'd mention less about apple-stealing when you see the Princess, too," Zarin advised lightly. "All right?"
Haruka reddened.
"I guess," she acknowledged.
"Taichou, Sashi-hime would like you to take the child and go through to her main parlour," Junbei returned at that moment, saluting his captain once more as he did so. "She says she's been eagerly awaiting your return and looks forward to meeting the girl face to face."
"Then that's our cue to enter," Zarin cast Haruka a smile. "You look fairly presentable, considering the long ride - just follow my lead and wait for the Princess to speak before you speak back. All right? It'll be fine."
"All...all right," Haruka swallowed hard, feeling the apprehension curling up inside of her. "Is he coming with us too?"
She jerked her head in Junbei's direction, and the young soldier bristled at her dismissive gesture.
Zarin nodded.
"Of course," he agreed simply. "I said it, didn't I? I'm going to entrust you to Junbei's care once this meeting was over. His duty is to accompany us to see his mistress, too - a fact he knows as well as anyone. Don't you, Junbei?"
"Yes, Taichou," Junbei agreed, though Haruka could see the glitter of irritation in his unusual eyes.
"Then it's settled." Zarin's eyes twinkled with humour. "This way, both of you. Remember to smile, Haruka - and most of all, to answer as honestly as you know how."
Haruka nodded her head, a sudden lump rising in her throat as they reached the ornate doors of the inner chamber. She clasped her hands together anxiously as the guards on duty saluted Zarin, pushing the doors back to admit them into the Princess's own particular quarters.
As she stepped over the threshold, Haruka caught the toes of her shoes on the step and she let out a yelp, almost going flying headlong into the chamber. Rough hands grabbed her, however, hauling her to her feet, and at the casual manhandling she cast a glower upwards, meeting Junbei's annoyed gaze with an indignant one of her own.
"Get your hands off me," she hissed, wrenching herself free. "I can walk by myself."
"It really looks like it, too," Junbei snapped back, his tones low enough that only she could hear him. "You're meeting the Princess Consort - at least try and hold yourself upright."
"Zarin, welcome back to Arudo."
Before the conversation could continue any further, a fresh voice broke through Haruka's irritation, and she turned to see a slim, petite figure rising from her seat by the furthest wall, stepping daintily down from the dais towards them. A few feet away she paused, her lips twitching into a warm smile.
"I have always had faith in your abilities to carry out my orders, but I didn't expect such swift success, even from you," she added softly, and Haruka noticed the faintly foreign-sounding intonation of the woman's words. Absently she wracked her brains to remember what Zarin had called her. Funoki? Had that been it? Was that from Sairou or not? Haruka didn't know for sure, but as she eyed the Princess curiously, she saw that the young woman that stood before them was also striking in appearance, with eyes as deep black as her long dark tresses providing a stark contrast with her delicate, pale complexion.
At her gaze, the Princess's smile widened, and she held out a hand.
"Your name, I understand, is Mai Haruka?" she asked gently. "That's correct, child?"
"Y...yes, ma'am," Haruka struggled back to the matter at hand, belatedly bowing her head as she remembered whose company she had entered. "That's right."
"I see. And you are how old, Haruka-chan?"
"I...really don't know, Hime-sama," Haruka admitted. "Twelve, maybe. Thirteen, perhaps. I'm not sure."
"Twelve or thirteen," The Princess clicked her tongue against her teeth as she thought this over. Then she nodded. "I understand you've been in the care of people known to Zarin...people in the village known as Shouki-mura?"
For some reason, this question lodged in Haruka's heart and she faltered, a sense of unease washing through her young body as she gazed at the Princess anew. She was beautiful, yes, but for the first time since she had entered the room the youngster saw something else beyond the beauty. In the depths of those black eyes glittered something cold enough to suggest they had been carved from ebony, and as she stood there, suddenly Haruka had a vague sense that she'd met the woman somehow before. In that instant, she knew that she did not want to tell the Princess about the kind family who had looked after her or, for that matter, that their own children had as strong a connection to Byakko themselves.
"Haruka?" Zarin cast her a glance. "Sashi-hime is asking you a question...please try to answer it."
"I..." Haruka swallowed hard, struggling to regain her composure as inwardly she made up her mind. "I don't know as it's quite like that, though. I mean, I stopped in Shouki-mura but only for a few days. The apothecary helped me because I was hurt, but I don't belong to them or to that village, not really. I've...I've taken care of myself since I was six, since my Pa died an' I was on my own. I don't really have...family."
Zarin shot her a startled look, and Haruka clenched and unclenched her fists inside the long sleeves of her gown, raising her gaze to meet Sashi's enquiring dark eyes.
"I'm a desert rat," she added. "So I'm pretty much by myself."
"A desert rat," Sashi's brows knitted together, and Haruka could tell that the woman was considering this carefully. "With no family or ties of your own?"
"Y...yes, ma'am."
"You said you were hurt," Sashi looked thoughtful. "And Zarin, I believe you mentioned to me in your communication that the child had had some unpleasant encounter in the Kanin mountains. I would like to hear more about this incident, if you don't mind."
She smiled.
"Haruka, the people of the North have a tradition and a faith in a mage called Kitora," she added, her tones deceptively sweet and gentle. "My family have always been gifted in receiving messages of spiritual nature. Maybe if you tell me what it was that happened in the mountains, I might find a way to explain it. I am right, I think, when I say that you were attacked by an evil spirit when you were there?"
"I...think so," Haruka felt uneasy again, as the Princess's eyes bored into her. "I don't really know what it was, Hime. It was jus...it came out of the wall, an' it killed two of my friends. An' Anara-san an' Geiyo-san went t'bury them, an' saw that something had written 'revenge' on the cave wall. I don't know, myself, cos I don't read. But it seemed like somethin' took over my friend's body an' sh...stuff, before she died. I don't know what, but it thought it should kill me. Because...because it knew I was...Subaru."
The Princess's eyes narrowed.
"A demon spirit attacked you because you were Subaru?" she repeated, and Haruka nodded her head, again getting the sensation that the Princess understood far more about the encounter than she had let on.
"And what happened next?"
"I ran away," Haruka admitted. "I ran an' ran till I collapsed in Shouki-mura. Then Zarin-dono came an' I came here."
"Well, that was fortunate," Sashi reflected, "especially if your situation was as hopeless as it sounds. As a Princess, I can't understand what it must be like to be abandoned and alone without anyone to call on for help. But surely such a life must have been a burden for you, my child...surely it must have been a welcome release to find that you bore Byakko's mark and were therefore able to escape it and come to Arudo in Zarin's capable care."
"I..." Haruka faltered again, then, "If I can help Sairou then I promised that I'd do that. So I will."
"And you believe that by coming here, you can do that?" Sashi's question was gentle enough, but again Haruka felt a chill rush through her body at the Princess's soft words. "A commendable thought. Thank you for coming here, Haruka. Sairou will no doubt one day be in your debt."
She took a step or two forward, resting her hands gently on Haruka's shoulders, and as soon as she did so, Haruka felt the surge of something dark tingle through her shoulders. Her eyes widened, and she stared up at the Princess in alarm as a sudden recollection flooded her senses.
"In the mountain..." she whispered, loud enough that only the Princess could hear her, and at her words, Sashi's smile widened.
"Will you show me Byakko's mark?" she asked gently. "I'm sure that you must be aware of it - and I've never seen one for myself. I would like to see it, Haruka. Your mark of Subaru interests me greatly."
"It's...on my chest," Haruka instinctively folded her arms across her body in a protective gesture. "An' I'm not taking my clothes off when there are men present."
Her tone was defiant, and Zarin opened his mouth to reproach her, but Sashi held up her hands.
"The child is right," she said simply. "It was wrong of me to ask - she is a young woman at a sensitive age and to bare her skin before men who she barely knows would be an unreasonable request."
The cool smile returned to her lips, and Haruka saw a flicker of something in the depths of her gaze once more.
"Very well," she reflected. "For the time being, Mai Haruka, I have made arrangements for you to stay at the palace. You have had a long journey, and are clearly tired. We will talk more, I'm sure, when you are rested. I trust that if I leave you in Zarin's hands, he will ensure you are adequately protected from any dangers. Am I correct, Zarin?"
"I have already instructed Junbei to keep watch over her, my Lady." Zarin bowed his head, and Sashi looked pleased.
"Then it is decided," she agreed. "Shin Junbei, take the child and see to it that she has the ultimate in secure accommodation for the duration of her stay. She is young and vulnerable and we must protect her from harm - so I will be relying on you to ensure that she is never able to wander these halls by herself. I would hate it if she got into danger, when Sairou may rely on her in the months to come."
Haruka flinched at the Princess's words, staring at her in confusion, and Sashi sent her a knowing, meaningful smile.
"Go with Junbei, Haruka," she murmured, and the soldier bowed to acknowledge his command, beginning to lead the youngster resignedly towards the exit. "I will speak to you again soon. Zarin, I have things to discuss with you, so please, remain. You have done well - but I realise you went there originally in search of another. Tell me, what became of the one who bore the soul of Amefuri?"
"Amefuri's dead!" Before Zarin could respond, Haruka blurted out the truth, ignoring the dismayed look Junbei gave her as she ran back into the centre of the chamber. "Amefuri-san died a year and a half ago! He killed himself an' his ashes got scattered, Hime - Amefuri is dead!"
As she did so, she tripped once more over her unfamiliar footwear, sprawling onto her knees at the Princess's feet, and as she glanced up, she was aware of a combination of shock and pleasure crossing the other woman's gaze.
"Haruka, you forget yourself!" Zarin said sharply, and Haruka cast him an anguished glance, shaking her head.
"Geiyo-san and Anara-san lost him a year and a half ago. They told me, but it hurts them a lot to talk about it," she said honestly. "He died in Kutou, so it ain't nothin' to do with them an' I don't want them to be upset again because of it. I'm here, an' if you want me to do Byakko things then I'll try, I really will. But Amefuri-san died, an' he can't be brought back. So there's no point in looking for him."
Sashi was silent for a moment, as if digesting this. Then she met Zarin's gaze, a question in her ebony eyes.
"Is this the truth, Zarin?" she asked quietly, and Zarin sighed, nodding his head.
"I have confirmed that Geiyo Miramu - the man said to be born with Amefuri's soul - passed away in Kutou a year and a half ago," he said respectfully. "I have heard it from many sources, so I believe it to be the truth. He is a well known figure in Eiroku and the surrounds, due to his acts there eleven years ago, so stories like that spread swiftly. I'm sorry, Hime - in that regard I have failed. I will not be able to locate the one who allegedly bore Amefuri's mark."
"No. No, it is no matter." A faint smile touched the corners of Sashi's lips, and Haruka was struck cold by the satisfaction that briefly crossed the princess's expression. "In Kutou? How interesting. I wonder what fate drew him there, and what tragedy drove him to take his own life in such a place. Still, as the girl says, there is nothing to be done about a man who is already in Byakko's care. It is as well to know because there's no sense in sending out men and using resources on a hopeless quest."
She cast Haruka a glance, then nodded.
"For now, we have you," she murmured. "I think that Kitora would be content with that, at the very least."
She gestured towards the door.
"Junbei."
"Yes, Hime. My apologies," Junbei bowed hastily before his Princess once more, grasping Haruka firmly by the arms. "I'll do as you instruct right away."
"I already told you not to grab me!" Haruka protested, but Junbei took no notice, hauling her forcibly from the chamber and out into the corridors beyond.
"You have some damn nerve, brat," he snapped, once they were out of the Princess's hearing. "Rushing back in like that as though you were speaking to just anyone. Do you have any concept of how some of the nobles would treat you, if you acted like that to them? You're lucky Sashi-hime's as understanding and as kind as she is, else it could've been your head for insolence."
"I didn't mean to go flying like that. I'm just not used to wearing things on my feet," Haruka glanced down resentfully at her shoes. "I never needed them in the desert - it's not my fault if I don't know how to walk properly in things like this."
"I was talking about you speaking out of turn," Junbei said flatly. "Didn't you listen to the Taichou? He told you to hold your tongue, right? Are you incapable of obeying orders?"
"Dunno. Never really had to think about it," Haruka responded with a shrug. "I've always made my own rules, I s'pose. But I didn't mean to be rude to anyone. It's just that Geiyo-san and Anara-san were kind to me, an' I know that it upsets them, talkin' about Miramu-san an' all. So I wanted Sashi-hime to know that, too. I'm here to help, if I can - but they can't bring back a dead man."
"No kidding," Junbei muttered. "You didn't have to go make such a show of it."
Haruka shivered.
"I didn't like it in there," she admitted. "If talking to all royal folk is like that, I'd rather stick with you an' Zarin-dono. Even if you do look like a pirate, at least you talk normally."
"I'm not a goddamn pirate!" Junbei shot back, and Haruka frowned, shaking her head.
"Sorry. I told Zarin-dono I wouldn't talk about that any more," she remembered, looking apologetic. "Cos you hate it or something, right? Talkin' about bein' Zanji or whatever it was."
Junbei sighed, shaking his head.
"Just shut up, all right?" he ordered. "I can't believe I've got to babysit a brat like you...yeesh. Orders are orders, but even so..."
"Junbei, do you like Sashi-hime?" Haruka asked softly, and the soldier frowned, casting her a startled look.
"Of course. Why wouldn't I? She's a kind mistress, and understanding."
"No reason," Haruka frowned, her mind flitting back to the sensation she had felt when Sashi's fingers had touched her shoulders.
"I guess it just seemed...like there was somethin' dark goin' on in that room," she said at length. "Somethin' weird and creepy. I didn't like her. I didn't like her eyes. They were cold an' hard an' looked right through me. I didn't like that at all."
Junbei's brows knitted together.
"You better not say that a second time in these parts, else Nefuru-sama will be on your case," he warned her roughly. "Listen. Sashi-hime is very popular here, not to mention that she's the daughter of a powerful northern noble family. Jus' because you ain't used to seein' people who don't look like you an' the other folk livin' in an' around the Kanin mountains doesn't mean you can make comments about them an' shit. This is Arudo, not some backwater. There are lots of different peoples here. You can't jus' look at folk an' decide they're somethin' on that. It's just like I'm not a pirate. I ain't never even been to Kaidou or Shifu, or seen the sea. So learn to button your lip, all right?"
"I didn't think Sashi-hime was a pirate." Haruka said, her expression uncharacteristically solemn. "I thought she was very pretty - maybe the prettiest person I've ever seen, if I'm honest. She doesn't look weird in the same way you do - it's not like that."
"I do not look weird!"
"You do," Haruka was unmoved. "But it's different, somehow, with her."
"An' I'm telling you now, if you want to survive in Arudo, don't criticise the royal family," Junbei said smartly. "I'm serious. I ain't the only soldier who won't listen to shit said against them. Okay? You'll make yourself a bunch of enemies if you carry on in that vein, and I won't be protecting you if cross that line too far. Understood?"
Haruka sighed heavily.
"Men are so stupid," she murmured. "They really don't listen."
"Haruka!"
"Okay, I get it. I'll shut up," Haruka shrugged. "You won't get it, even if I try and explain it, anyhow. So there's no point. Take me wherever it is you're taking me, okay? I'll work it out for myself. I don't need your help, in any case. Yours or anyone's. But I bet you I'm right."
She poked his arm, causing him to send her a dark glower.
"You'll see," she added, a challenge in her voice. "I bet you anything you like that I am."
"That's the lot for today, I think."
Shi Maichu heaved the last sack onto the pile, pausing to cast his companion a tired grin. It was late in the morning, and already he and a group of his bandit companions had been out since dawn on the mountainside, waylaying the many travellers who chose to use the quickest route from Sairou into the Southern lands. For many who travelled the road regularly, a brief encounter with Reikaku-zan's legendary protectors meant handing over an amount towards the upkeep of local villages, and for the most part these days traders had accepted that this cost was generally lower than paying to stable horses and find accommodation in a profiteering border town like Hengei or Souun. However, there were still those who tried to avoid paying the bandits' dues, and in these instances, the mountain men were not averse to resorting to their swords to enforce their demands.
That morning had been no exception, as they had encountered cloth traders doing their best to sneak across the mountain territory by way of a little known path that led to Souun. When challenged, they had claimed to be nothing more than poor travellers seeking shelter, but Reikaku-zan's men had heard that excuse many a time before and within a short space of time had teased not only the truth but their toll plus penalties from the unfortunate traders.
"We did good this morning, Shishi – you wouldn't believe how much cloth merchants can hide when they put their mind to it."
"Cloth traders, huh?" Shishi leant up against the wall of the chamber, eying the spoils pensively. "Did they cry this time, or did you just have to
threaten to slash their belts to get them to cough up, huh? Cloth merchants are usually sappy when it comes to border control – Papa always says they're stingy as they come about payin' the regulation toll."
"Well, they were first-timers, Aniki thought." Maichu pulled a scrap of worn fabric from his pocket, dusting his hands clean of mountain dirt. "Came by the route thinking they could outsmart Reikaku-zan's bandits. The fact that we know all the pathways better than any strangers from the Western lands seems to have completely passed 'em by."
"Says the oaf from the Eastern lands who's only been squattin' in these parts a year and a half." Shishi teased him, and Maichu snorted, shrugging his shoulders.
"Long enough to know my way around," he assured her. "I've always been good at finding tracks in and out of places – piece of cake."
"Ah yes. The Dancing Spider," Shishi looked amused. "Well, I guess you had t'be good at something, right?"
"Shut up, cheeky wench." Maichu tossed the rag in her direction, and Shishi caught it deftly, throwing it back.
"You'll have to do better'n that to catch me out," she told him frankly. "Well? It looks like a lot – did you take the entire amount in fabric or what?"
"No. That was extra," Maichu shook his head, "for the insult to Reikaku-zan, Aniki said. Although I think it's got more to do with a woman in one o' the villages who's husband died last week an' who has seven kids to find summer clothes for, if y'ask me. He's soft at heart, that one – I've learnt that much since I've been here."
"Aniue's always been like that about the villagers. More'n Papa, in some ways," Shishi agreed. "Aniue's village an' family were wiped out by poverty, famine an' plague, so he gets it probably best of anyone how bad these places suffer. Still, if that's the case, it's all for the good, right? It ain't easy for any family to raise seven kids in this area – an' if she's a widow now too, even worse."
"Yeah, that's it," Maichu nodded. "Not paying toll it is like saying you don't care if the local people round hereabouts starve or die, and I'm with Aniki in that regard. Besides, rich folks like that should've known better'n to try and dupe us. The mountain toll is the toll and that's that. Right?"
"Mm," Shishi grinned, perching herself on the windowsill. "You know, once I heard merchants had complained to Reizeitei-sama about our tolls an' our methods of collectin' them. It was a funny story in the end. He's so damn cunning, that Emperor of ours, I swear. He asked them all kinds o' questions, heard their whole story out in that calm, sympathetic Imperial way of his, and then he nicely told them that his job was to ensure all the people in Kounan had enough t'eat and so on. He never said it in so many words, but he pretty much implied that the tolls were with his approval an' that if the fat cats didn't like it they should detour their routes elsewhere an' pay more on accommodation in city inns rather than think they can take a short cut through the mountains. Papa was there – he an' Aniki both went on Reizeitei-sama's request, but they never had to say more'n a word because the Emperor already had it in mind how to deal with it for keeps. The whole thing was dealt with all civil an' legal like – noone's tried t'question our right to do it since."
"Reizeitei-sama knows we ain't in the business to kill folk, or make profit for ourselves," Maichu reflected. "So long as Kashira's here, this mountain protects the villages. So long as that happens, the Emperor ain't goin' to interfere. Nothin' he can do in Eiyou that's better for the people round Souun than what we can do here…and I've learned that more'n more since I came to live here. While I dunno what my folks would make of it if they knew I'd changed careers from Imperial guardsman to mountain bandit, to me it doesn't seem like the values are all that different. Both means protecting something important, so it seems fine to me."
"Right." Shishi nodded. "The mountain's always been a key player round here anyway. S'how it was before Papa was Kashira, an' he's made the tradition even stronger. There used t'be nobles governing the South West, but it always wound up in problems somehow cos they didn't understand the people an' the people didn't trust them. Since the war with Kutou, it sort'a fell to Reikaku-zan to take charge an' these days everything is fine. Jus' goes t'show what a good Kashira Papa is, I guess."
There was a note of pride in her voice at this, and Maichu laughed.
"Not that you're biased," he teased her.
"No…" Shishi pursed her lips. "I jus' wish, given all that, he'd damn well lighten up about lettin' me come with you to get toll. I ain't sure if he thinks I'm gonna vaporise the mountain with Do-nee's magic or if he thinks I'm gonna be raped or killed or somethin', but considerin' I crossed the four corners of this world with Hiki, he might cut me some slack from time to time. It sucks bein' part of the clean-up party after. I wanna be a proper bandit sometimes too, y'know – him protectin' me because I'm a girl kinda defeats the object of me provin' bein' a bandit an' a girl ain't a problem."
"Your Pa looks out for you, that's all," Maichu said sensibly. "You know that you're a kickass fighter an' so does he. But the rest o' Kounan's male population are still goin' to look at you as a chick in bandit getup. An' you're a pretty chick, which doesn't help things any. If you were butt ugly, you might be able t'scare 'em off with your face – but as it is, they'll want t'get close enough to see your attitude an' feel more'n just your blade…an' I'm pretty sure that's the bit Kashira has issue with."
"Thanks, I think." Shishi sent him a rueful look, and Maichu grinned sheepishly.
"I'm just saying," he responded. "That's how it seems to me."
"Well, I didn't ask to be 'pretty', as you put it," Shishi said frankly. "It's a goddamn nuisance, if you're right. But Papa's said things like it before, an' Hiki's touched on it, too. I guess I'll have t'work on being more kickass an' less appealin' – maybe I'll cut my hair off an' crop it short or somethin'. That'd do it, right? They'd not bother about me then, would they?"
She fingered her thick red locks thoughtfully, and anxiety flooded Maichu's gaze.
"You dare do that an' Anzu-sama'll have my head!" he exclaimed. "Shit, if I put that kind of idea into your mind – forget I said anythin'!"
"Relax. I ain't gonna do it right now," Shishi assured him, releasing her grip. "Okaa-san would definitely freak, an' besides, this is like my badge of identity – it's the same colour as Papa's hair an' a sign I belong here. But sometimes it bugs me. I don't have any time for bein' pretty or girly. Suzaku did me no favours, in the end."
"If you looked more like Kashira, it'd have been better," Maichu reflected absently, and Shishi shot him a startled glance.
"Are you sayin' Kashira's ugly, now?"
"I didn't say that," Maichu held up his hands hurriedly. "Not that. But jus', he's more of a predator to look at than you, is all. He looks like the wolf. You…"
He paused, eying her critically, then he shrugged.
"Wolves are hunters," he added at length. "But people don't look at 'em as cuddly or nothin' like that. You might be a lion, Shishi, but you sure as hell don't carry the same aura. You look too much like Anzu-sama, an' Anzu-sama's a damn fine lookin' woman. Even if you did cut off your hair – I don't think you'd be able to change it."
"Damn," Shishi grimaced, glancing at her hands. "Oh well. Then I'll just have to get stronger, an' noone will want to touch me."
"This is peacetime, you know," Maichu dropped down onto the pile of sacks, eying her questioningly. "Why the sudden obsession with strength an' fighting? Taking on toll evaders an' fightin' Kaou-zan are little things compared to the shit we were wound up in a year an' a half ago. Why are you so bothered about it? Surely there's nothin' excitin' in doin' any of those things."
"No…maybe not," Shishi agreed. "But it's not so much that. It's just…"
She faltered, her pretty bronze eyes clouding, and Maichu frowned.
"Just?"
"Do-nee's picked up some odd vibes of late, is all," Shishi sighed. "An' when Hiki was here the last time, she said somethin' about it, too. Like somethin's up – somethin's in the pipeline an' it's more than just Kaou-zan risin' up against us. It's not just imagination, because Chichiri's apparently sensed it as well. But noone knows what an' it's got me twitchy. Especially now Hiki's taken off to Kutou all of a sudden – I don't like it."
"Hikari's gone to visit Myoume, hasn't she?" Maichu looked surprised. "She went with Aoi and the royal dame he's escorting. What's suspect about that?"
"Nothing," Shishi admitted. "I won't pretend I ain't a little jealous, though. I ain't seen Myoume in over a year either, and she's my friend too."
"Do you really think you'd wanna travel with some foreign princess?" Maichu snorted. "You'd have to mind your manners all the time – it wouldn't be like visiting Reizeitei-sama at his court."
"I know," Shishi acknowledged. "It'd be a drag, an' when Chichiri told me she was goin', he also told me that, too. I'm a big girl, so I'll get over it. It's just…when Chichiri told me, he didn't seem worried about sending her, even though it's such a long trip an' he always worries about her ridin' from Eiyou back here when it's gettin' darker in the evenings. He seemed glad, actually, that she was goin'."
"Glad?" Maichu echoed, and Shishi nodded.
"He said it was the best thing to do," she agreed. "An' I don't think he meant that Hiki needed a change of scene or some private time with Aoi. I think he meant something else – he's my uncle, so I can generally tell when he's got more to say than he's saying outright. I think he had one of his hunches – an' Hiki's trip is part of his playin' it out."
"Yeesh," Maichu let out a low whistle. "Crafty bastard, ain't he?"
"Always," Shishi nodded. "Whatever it is, though, he hasn't told me. He just said it would be for the best…if Hiki went to see Myoume in Kutou."
"Think the Kashira knows?"
"Probably not," Shishi sighed. "Hiki probably doesn't even know. Chichiri doesn't believe in worrying people unless he has to. He doesn't realise that these days other people can sense the weirdness he can, at least a little bit. We jus' can't pull all the secret meanings out of it that he seems to."
"Maybe you should ask him straight."
"Maybe," Shishi admitted. "Though I ain't sure…do I really want to know the answer? Last time shit happened here, Jin got killed. I ain't looking to be part of something else like that."
"If Hikari's gone to Kutou, who says that it's anything to do with Reikaku-zan at all?" Maichu asked. "Though Kutou ain't the mess it was before Kikei died, so I don't see what'd be happening there now. Maybe it's innocent. Maybe it has nothin' to do with these vibes. Maybe Hikari jus' really wanted to see Myoume. I dunno. You might be readin' too much into nothing."
"Perhaps I am," Shishi rubbed her temples. "An' I'll miss her not being here, which is an added pain. It's stupid how much time I spend with Hiki considering I only met her eighteen months ago, but she's probably the closest friend I have, so it sucks when she's away. Still, I'll deal with it. Like I said, I'm a big girl."
"No different than me missin' Aoi, an' I grew up with him," Maichu reminded her. "Six years sharin' quarters in the barracks. I do get it."
"Girls are different from guys, though."
"An' I thought you said you weren't trying to be girlish."
"Ah, damn you. Shut up," Shishi pulled a graphic face. "That ain't what I mean."
"Pull that face more often an' noone will even vaguely think you pretty," Maichu advised, ducking out of her way as the bandit lunged towards him. "I'm serious – if you make that your war mask, you'll have people running for the hills."
"You kids seem cheerful in here."
Before Shishi could respond, the door of the chamber swung open to reveal the bandit Kashira himself and, as he stepped into the room, Shishi let out an exclamation as she registered that her father was not alone.
"Chichiri! Shit, are you psychic now, too? We were jus' talking about you, and here you damn well are!"
"Good afternoon to you too, Shishi-chan," Chichiri's lips twitched into a warm smile, but there was something preoccupied in his ruby gaze and Maichu frowned.
"Shishi thinks something's up, in the way you sent Hikari to Kutou," he said abruptly. "Is she right, or just following some woman's whim that makes no sense at all?"
"Hey!" Shishi put her hands on her hips. "You pipe down already, okay? This isn't to do with you – even if there was something in the air it'd hit your block-headed brain and bounce right off again, so don't make it sound like I'm off my rocker!"
"Pipe down, the pair of you," Tasuki ordered, holding up his hands as he cast a glower from one youngster to the other. "That's one reason Chichiri's here, an' if you both shut up you'll find out about it for yourselves, all right? He came up early this mornin' and we've been talkin' things over – considerin' you were both involved with Hikari two summers ago, he thought it best we spoke to you too."
"About Hiki?" Shishi cast her uncle a quizzical gaze, and Chichiri shook her head.
"Not exactly," he said, pushing back a couple of stray bags and settling himself on one of the room's dusty, battered seats. "I would have spoken to you sooner, but Tasuki said that Maichu was still out collecting toll, and I didn't want to have to go through the story twice if I didn't have to."
"Twice?" Maichu's ears pricked up. "You mean you didn't jus' come here to tell Shishi – you want me involved in whatever this is, too?"
"Shouldn't you be?" Tasuki cast him a questioning glance. "You're one of my bandits, ain't you?"
"Well, for sure, but…"
"An' I've said it's cool, so what're you bellyachin' about?" Tasuki grinned, giving his subordinate a friendly clip around the ear. "Shut up and listen already, I told you. I was the one who suggested you'd be in on all this, but if you speak outta line, I can always send you to collect firewood or polish blades."
"I'm shutting up," Maichu held up his hands hurriedly, and Shishi laughed.
"I think, on the whole, including Maichu is the right thing," Chichiri continued. "Shishi, do you remember out chat the other day, when I told you of Hikari's plans to travel with Aoi and the Princess Ouba to Kutou?"
"Yes," Shishi nodded. "That's what I was talkin' to Maichu about, actually. About how you thought it'd be a good thing for Hiki to go, rather than bein' worried about her makin' such a long journey."
"Well, I am worried about it," Chichiri admitted, looking rueful. "Hikari is almost as much a daughter to me now as Meikyo, and I'd be devastated if anything happened to her. But even so, sometimes I can't let that bias the decisions that I make. Especially since she's something more to Kounan than just another young girl."
"Suzaku no Shinzahou," Shishi murmured, and Chichiri nodded.
"And that's why you sent her to Kutou?" Maichu looked confused. "Seiryuu was raised already, right? Don't tell me she's gotta do it all over again?"
"No. I don't think Seiryuu will be making a second appearance over Kutou," Despite himself, Chichiri laughed. "Don't look so worried, Maichu. Your land is healing, and I'm sure there are great things to come from it in the future. Certainly on the two occasions I met with your Emperor, I liked his way of seeing things. And, with a steady companion like Hyoushin on board, I think it's unlikely that the East will be able to slip backwards into bad habits."
"Then why?" Shishi looked foxed. "I don't get it. What's happening in Kutou if not something to do with Seiryuu?"
Chichiri was silent for a moment, then,
"Shishi, what has Doryoku told you about the changes in the atmosphere lately?" he asked lightly, and Shishi snorted.
"Doryoku? All she's said is that things are afoot. Something's happening. She's not sure what and nor am I – that really ain't enough to be goin' on with, when it comes to making decisions about what to do."
"I see. No, I can understand that," Chichiri nodded. "All right. What would you say, then, if I told you that when I went to Eiyou to see Reizeitei-sama, I picked up the distinctive features of a Shichi Seishi?"
"You looked in a mirror?" Maichu suggested, and Tasuki gave him another light cuff around the ear.
"This is serious, so knock it off," he warned, though a faint smile touched his lips. "Go on, Chichiri. They're too stupid to guess it, so you'll haveta spell it out for 'em."
"Ow, that hurts!" Maichu objected, rubbing his ear. "I was only tryin' to lighten the mood…yeesh."
"So I'm guessing from that that it wasn't a Suzaku Seishi, an' it obviously wasn't a Seiryuu one, since they're all dead 'cept Amiboshi," Shishi looked uncharacteristically thoughtful. Then she let out an exclamation, her eyes widening.
"If it was one of Genbu's, Do-nee'd know all about it," she realised. "An' you said yourself, Chichiri, that Hikari was goin' to see Myoume…an' travellin' with people from the West. That's it, isn't it? Something's goin' down in Sairou an' because we're here near the border, you want us to keep our eyes open an' all that!"
"Got it in one," Chichiri offered her a warm smile. "That's it exactly."
"So something's goin' down in Sairou, not in Kutou at all?" Maichu still looked bewildered. "Yet they're all off to Shunhou to have a party? I don't get it."
"Don't be stupid, you oaf, it's obvious," Shishi cast him a disparaging look. "Think about it. Myoume's Toroki. Right? If anyone knows anything about Byakko, it's Toroki. Amefuri's stiffed out, an' even when he wasn't, he was a damn psycho, so wasting time trying to track him down would be pointless. An' we don't know shit about any of the others."
She frowned.
"Also, come to think of it, Amefuri bein' dead means…they need Hikari because she's the Shinzahou?"
"We're assuming a lot of things, but yes. That's how my thoughts have been going," Chichiri agreed. "Though I can't be specific, I sensed Byakko's chi very clearly in the palace the other day. Aoi isn't just escorting Ouba-hime to meet her potential husband in Shunhou. He's also escorting one of the Tiger's Shichi Seishi to the place where another Byakko Shichi Seishi is already in residence. If Byakko is moving, Myoume is sure to know. And if Hikari can help, then surely she will and everything will be fine."
"An' if it gets more complicated, we'll watch for rogues headin' over the border from Hengei, right?" Shishi frowned. "Rogues or refugees, I guess, either or."
"That's pretty much our job in all of this," Tasuki nodded. "This ain't our legend, so it ain't our fight. Hikari's gone without bein' told all of this – personally I would'a told her, but that's just me. At the end of the day, if she helps them, it's her choice. It ain't up to us. But Byakko's people would'a given us their Shinzahou to raise Suzaku with, more'n twenty years ago. So, given that, we're honour bound to do the same."
"And that means I've entrusted our Shinzahou to Myoume, for the time being," Chichiri said finally, "with the belief that, when they meet, one of them will know what's to be done."
"Hey, but ain't Myoume about to drop a kid, or something?" Maichu frowned. "Won't that kind of get in the way?"
"There's no accounting for the decisions of Gods," Tasuki said blackly.
"Tasuki's right," Chichiri nodded. "But a Shichi Seishi is never retired, not really. So whatever the difficulties, I'm sure Myoume will find a way to come through."
"Byakko's legend was done a hundred years ago, right?" Shishi reflected. "Why now? Why again? Genbu's ain't kicked off again. Do-nee's burblin' in my ear about how Hokkan gained peace and kept it. What's so wrong with Sairou's administration that it's only lasted so long?"
"Your guess is as good as mine," Chichiri spread his hands, looking mystified. "My impression of Sairou's royal house is that they're inherently stable. More, the population does well considering the harsh landscape and limited resources. They enjoy a good rapport with Kounan and Hokkan and are building stronger ties with Kutou which can only serve to improve conditions even more. I can't for the life of me work out what could be wrong, but there's no mistaking it. I've met Byakko's people before – five in total now, including Amefuri. Though this one's chi was not one I recognised…it was still undeniably from the same source. A human soul laced with Byakko's blessing – it's quite a distinctive feeling."
"Maybe it's just Miramu's replacement," Maichu mused. "Since he's dead, he's obviously out of the game."
"Possibly," Chichiri pursed his lips. "Either way, by sending Hikari now, I hope, any major disaster may be averted."
He grimaced.
"I also spoke to Taka and Makoto, you know," he admitted. "I didn't tell them everything, but there is one other reason I feel that this is more Byakko's legend kickstarting than just a change in personnel."
"Taka and…who now?" Maichu blinked, and Shishi frowned.
"Taka's the name Hiki's Dad uses now. He's Tamahome, right?" she asked, glancing at her father for confirmation, and Tasuki nodded his head. "As for Makoto – no idea. Someone else from Hiki's world, maybe?"
"Hikari's younger brother," Chichiri agreed. "He seems to be as well informed on all of this now as anyone. I met him briefly eighteen months ago when I went to bring Hikari back here – he's an intelligent young boy of Eiju's age, or thereabouts."
"And he's part of this now, why?"
"Apparently one of Hikari's former school friends disappeared on a visit to a city called Morioka," Chichiri said gravely. "I don't pretend to know anything about the place, except that the location holds the burial place of Byakko's last Miko, Oosugi Suzuno. It was at her graveside that this girl – Arina, her name is – was swallowed up by a blast of white light. Makoto was sure this meant she was pulled into our world…but where she was pulled to is anyone's guess. The fact that she's known to Hikari suggests to me that she might make for Kounan, if she can find aid to help her get there. I promised to keep an eye open for her, if that happened."
"That's who you're expecting to come over the border, then?" Shishi's eyes darkened. "Hiki's stuck up idiot friend from her Tokyo place?"
"You got issues with this chick or something?" Maichu stared at her in surprise, and Shishi shook her head.
"No. Never met her," She said flatly, "but she sounds like an idiot to me, from everything Hiki's ever said. An' now she's going to be descending on us for help? Great."
"That's not the spirit, Shishi." Chichiri chided. "I remember you being less than enthusiastic about Hikari coming here in the first place, and look how that turned out."
Despite herself, Shishi reddened.
"Hiki an' I just got off on the wrong foot, is all," she defended herself. "But this Arina girl – sounds to me like she's someone who wouldn't be afraid to lie or cheat or do that kind of shit to get out of trouble. I don't like people like that…an' I'm not really looking to help them out."
"Hikari said that about Arina?" Chichiri looked surprised. "I've met the girl and I didn't get that impression from her. Besides, if Byakko chose her for this, she can't be all those things, surely? Maybe you misunderstood."
"Either way, she's come here an' that means she's probably gonna be the Miko," Tasuki took a hand.
"Almost certainly," Chichiri nodded. "Makoto had the opinion that she was Oosugi Suzuno's reincarnation. I'm not quite sure how he came to that conclusion, but it seems like they had some evidence in that world which backed it up."
"Even more reason for us to be alert," Tasuki responded. "Whether she'll show up in Kounan or not is anyone's guess, but if she does…nothin' bad is gonna happen to her. All right?"
He sent Shishi a meaningful look.
"If she's a brat, then she's a brat we'll send to Shunhou an' Myoume can worry about her," he added. "An' if she ain't, well, we'll see about what we can do to help her."
"Seems fair enough to me," Maichu looked thoughtful. "This Arina wench – how old is she? Hikari's age?"
"About that," Chichiri frowned. "That's the other thing I wanted to say. Time has always moved differently in that world to this. But it seems that, since Hikari came here permanently, the time difference has stabilised and our worlds are now moving alongside each other. Arina is the same age as Hikari – even though they're worlds apart. It's probably nothing at all, but it struck me as strange. Even if she is Suzuno-san reincarnated, maybe Arina's been so easily drawn here because the barriers between that world and this aren't as solid as they used to be."
"Meaning that Hiki's still not entirely part of this world?"
"Hikari remembers the other world, and they remember her," Chichiri responded sadly. "I wouldn't have it any other way. But memories are powerful things, Shishi."
He shrugged.
"For the time being, there's no imminent danger on any front as far as I can see." He added. "So there's no need to panic. I just wanted people to be aware of everything – just in case things begin to move more quickly. If Byakko's legend is on the repeat, it might have fall-out for more than just the Western people…so be ready, all right? Just in case they call on their Southern allies for help."
Things were looking more and more positive by the minute.
Makiko stretched and curled her arms in front of the mirror, registering the growing stiffness in the limbs as she did so. Sashi's body would probably not withstand her spiritual onslaught much longer, but now, having met Haruka, she felt confident that it would be long enough to take care of at least one part of her problem.
And Amefuri is dead. I could not have asked for a better outcome. Whatever I thought I sensed here, I was mistaken. Amefuri is dust on the wind, and his cursed soul will take that taint into his next life, just as I hoped. Suffering doesn't end with death, Han Daiyu. I'm sure I told you that when you put your dagger through my heart.
A soft smile curled across her lips. The girl had been suspicious, but it didn't matter. She was a desert rat, and a stranger in the heart of a court where Sashi herself was a beloved and much respected figure. Dispatching of the juvenile would not be difficult. She had failed in the cave, moments after she had awoken, but this time she was sure it would go differently.
Subaru's power has resisted me for far too long, but nobody will care about one dead orphan girl. In fact, given Junbei's behaviour earlier, I could easily put the blame for it at his door. A little too rough with such a delicate young thing, a snapped neck…if he were to hang for it, it would be no concern of mine. Sashi's men are there for my purpose and disposal – and, doubtless, trained to face death with equanimity.
She glanced out at the night sky, pursing her lips as she gauged the position of the moon. It was late, and, probably, Haruka was already asleep, worn out from her long journey.
I could go now. Nobody would notice, if I did, and then…
"Sashi?"
The voice of the prince startled her from her reverie and she swung around, clenching her fists beneath the long sleeves of her gown as she fought to pull her features into a more natural expression.
"Nefuru! You startled me!"
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to," Nefuru offered her a rueful smile, crossing the room towards her and resting his hands on her shoulders. "You look tired."
I'd be fine, if you just left me to do what I came here to do. You're making it worse for your wife, you know, dragging it out like this. At this rate, she'll drop dead in front of you.
Makiko resisted the urge to curl her lip at his obvious affection, instead adopting a smile.
"I'm all right. It's just been a long and busy day."
"Mm," Nefuru's expression became thoughtful, and he nodded. "I saw Zarin in the hall. I understand you had a child brought here this afternoon?"
Damn.
Makiko's eyes narrowed slightly at this revelation.
If the Crown Prince knows the child is here, killing her might be more complicated. I shall have to find a more subtle method.
Out loud she said,
"A young girl from the desert with a wild imagination. She's claiming to have Byakko's power, but she's not been able to show either a mark or any sign of magic yet. She's an insignificant urchin, really. I thought maybe it was a waste of time, so I didn't send a message to alert you – was that wrong?"
"Claiming to be..?"
"Zarin reported rumours of people falsely claiming to be Byakko's chosen to generate unrest," Makiko nodded her head. "In particular, bearing the mark of the warrior Amefuri. According to the child, that man is conveniently dead, so there's no way to prove his story and I suspect from what Zarin said he fled our borders to escape punishment for some heavy crime. Apparently the man was a quite notorious criminal. What the girl has to do with him I don't know, but they seem acquainted, and so…"
"You really are bothered about this, aren't you?" Nefuru looked concerned, and Makiko sighed.
"I think of you, and of Shinju's safety," she murmured, in a voice she hoped sounded apprehensive. "I want to know the truth, Nefuru. There's no reason for Byakko to be needed with Sairou as prosperous as this, so all these claims…they make me worried. As though something dark is going on behind our backs."
Nefuru was silent for a moment, then he hugged her tightly, taking her off guard.
"Sairou is as you say, prosperous and safe," he murmured. "You investigate what you think is right, but Sashi, remember that whatever happens, I'll protect you and Shinju - with my life if need be. I promise."