Celebration and Gifts

Yuya did her best to stay still for the flock of girls working to prepare her for the crowning ceremony. She wondered just why they were so insistent on making her look like a highborn lady. When they finally finished she made her way towards the imperial court, walking stiffly in the flowing silken robes. Along the way she encountered Akari, moving with swanlike elegance as usual. She couldn't help but admire her ability to look completely comfortable in the ridiculous clothes.

"How do you do it? I can barely walk in this getup," Yuya said.

"It's because you're doing it wrong, you can't move like you usually do. You have to take smaller steps and allow your hips to sway more, like this," Akari said, demonstrating.

Looking back and seeing Yuya's incredulous expression she laughed before encouraging her to at least give it a try. In spite of her skepticism Yuya made an attempt to walk more like Akari. She was surprised to find that it actually did make moving in the cumbersome garments a bit less awkward. As they continued along the hallway Akari gave her a few more pointers and by the time they reached the imperial court Yuya felt like she was starting to get the hang of it.

The room was cavernous and decorated with gold leaf and expensive silk tapestries. It was full of powerful and important people, already separating themselves into factions. Yuya noticed her friends standing in a group near the throne and headed their way with Akari by her side. Yuya did her best to mimic the actress's grace, keenly aware of all of the eyes following her movement across the room.

Scanning the gathered faces she realized that everyone but Kyo and Hotaru had already arrived. She was not surprised in the least by those two being the ones missing.

"You two look stunning!" Yukimura said as they drew close.

"Of course we do," Akari said.

"Thanks, but I feel ridiculous," Yuya said.

Benitora fell over himself assuring her that she looked wonderful. His compliments were echoed, albeit without the drama, by Akira and Bontenmaru.

A gong sounded loudly and the murmur of conversations in the room stopped as everyone turned expectantly towards the herald who announced the arrival of Pingyang. She was resplendent in purple and silver silk robes that trailed behind her as she ascended slowly towards the throne. As she turned and sat the herald called out the order for everyone to kowtow to the new empress.

After the formal prostrations were finished the giving out of gifts and new titles began. Pingyang had to reward those who helped her take the throne and bind to her those who didn't. Yuya found it all incredibly boring. The longer she stood still the more her feet hurt and the heavier and hotter her robes felt.

After what seemed like hours Yuya and her friends were called up to the platform in front of the throne to receive the rewards for their service. The empress was clearly displeased that Kyo was not in attendance. Her voice was cool and clipped as she gave the symbols of his new rank and gifts meant for him to Yuya to be passed on to him. Yukimura received the second highest honors, having been the one to take the head of General Shao.

Just when Yuya thought it was finally going to be over the doors opened to admit a delegation of priests from the mountain temple. She saw Yuan among them and smiled at him brightly. Fubuki and Hishigi led as the group ascended to the platform beneath the throne and bowed. Each of the high priests held out an object to be taken to her by her attendant.

"Empress Pingyang, our goddess, Xutia, smiles upon you. This is an amulet of power to bring you health and longevity," Hishigi said as he held out the golden gift.

"This is a diadem imbued with the wisdom of our goddess, to bring you clear vision for your rule," Fubuki said, holding out another golden trinket.

Both were brought to the empress and carefully placed on her person. Yuya wasn't sure about the claims for their magical powers but they certainly increased the sense of presence and majesty around the girl. The Empress thanked the priests and asked them to take the deposed Emperor Liu into their custody to live out his life in their temple. They agreed and the boy walked slowly to join the two priests, standing between them with a look of trepidation on his round face.

"Everyone, the time of war has passed and a new era of peace and prosperity has begun. Our country will be united and strong under the renewed Xia Dynasty," the Empress declared in a loud and clear voice.

The room erupted in cheers and the Empress was escorted out by her attendants. The crowd of people began to mill around and a hum of conversation quickly arose. Yuya was hoping that she could get out of her suffocating formal clothing soon but was disappointed to learn that she would need to continue wearing it for the celebratory feast.

The meal lasted for hours as course after course of rare and exotic delicacies were brought before them. Everything Yuya had seen in her vision in the mountains and much more was piled upon the long table that she sat at with her friends. She filled her belly to bursting with roasted duck, salt and pepper pork, dumplings bursting with flavorful juice, and more unusual vegetable side dishes than she'd ever imagined could even exist. It was all accompanied by bottle after bottle of sweet sake that danced on Yuya's tongue and quickly had her head spinning.

Taking a deep breath and leaning away from the table Yuya let her eyes wander around the animated conversations filling the air with a happy hum. She noticed Akari chatting with a lord she had met during their time apart. A fetching blush stained her cheeks as leaned close to him to hear him better. As Yuya took in the man's strong features and broad shouldered form his name swam to the front of her mind. Jing, that's what Sasuke had called him. Yuya frowned thoughtfully, thinking that the two of them made quite an attractive couple. Akari looked up and caught her eyes and Yuya blushed at the knowing and clearly amused smile on her friend's face.

It was well past dark when the celebration finally ended, and Yuya was tipsy from all of the sake. In the hallway back to her room she kicked the painful shoes off and sighed with relief as her bare feet touched the cool stone of the floor. She was never going to let anyone dress her up like a doll again. This was simply intolerable. Visions of a nice bath and soft bed danced in her mind, distracting her so much that she stepped on the hem of her dress and nearly fell flat on her face. Staggering to catch her balance she glared at the layers of silk stifling her.

"I can't wait to get this thing off!" she said to herself.

"Oh really?" a low voice replied, sounding amused.

She turned slowly, face heating, to see Kyo leaning against the wall and watching her with an eyebrow raised.

"Kyo! What are you doing here?" Yuya said, mortified that he of all people heard her.

"I ran out of sake," he said.

"Well, good luck finding any now. I think we drank it all during the feast," Yuya said, somewhat ruefully remembering just how much she herself had put away.

His answering silence was not amused. Remembering the gifts from Pingyang she stepped forward and reached into her sleeve. As she tried to pull the badge free it got caught in the fabric and the distraction caused Yuya to trip on her dress again. She pitched forward with a yelp of surprise that was muffled as she fell into Kyo's chest. His hands closed over her arms to steady her. She placed her hands on his torso to push away from him but paused, breathless, as he bent his head until his nose was barely brushing her hair and inhaled deeply.

Yuya's ears grew hot and her heart began to thunder in her chest. Emboldened by the sake that was making her head spin she gripped his kimono and craned her face up toward his. Kyo's hands kneaded her arms for a moment as his lips hovered over hers. Then he pushed her away firmly.

"If you can't handle your liquor, you shouldn't drink," he growled.

While Yuya was trying to decide if she was angry, embarrassed, or disappointed, Kyo brushed past her and began walking down the hallway. She blinked at his back before the weight in her sleeve reminded her of the badge she had tried to hand over. She pulled the heavy, gold emblem from where she'd stored it and held it out.

"Wait, this is yours. You are now officially a General of the Imperial Armies and Guardian of the Northern Border," Yuya said, imitating the formal tone the Empress used.

He turned and frowned at her but made no move to take the object.

"Oh come on, it's just ceremonial. Yukimura got one too. The rest of the guys were all made into Imperial Guard Captains. Jing, the one who helped them, he's now the governor of an entire province," Yuya said.

"Not interested," Kyo said, turning and walking away.

Yuya stood watching him for a moment, her eyes widening in anger.

"Fine! I'll keep them and then I'll be the Imperial General. I'd probably make a better general than you anyway! Selfish! Arrogant! Insufferable!" she yelled at his back.

Muttering some choice imprecations she made her way to the baths where she was grateful to have attendants help her undress and take her hair down. Washing off the perfume and makeup was nice, but slipping into the hot bath was even better. She sighed with content, wiggling her toes and rolling her shoulders. After an uncomfortable recollection of the encounter in the hallway she pushed Kyo from her mind and focused on enjoying her last night in civilization.

Tomorrow they would leave. Tomorrow they would continue their journey. Tomorrow she would be riding a horse all day and have no chance for a bath before sleeping on the ground. A smile spread across her face because she didn't care, it would all be worth it to be moving forward again.

Yuya woke early and dressed in a kimono with a flower pattern and a pair of pink hakama, happy to be back in familiar clothes that she could move in properly. As she finished she noticed the golden badge sitting on the table and put it on. If Kyo wouldn't wear it then she would. Packing the last of her things away she lifted her bundle of belongings, a bit heavier than it had been before, and headed out to join her friends in the courtyard.

"Good morning, General Yuya," Yukimura said with a smile.

"Kyo refused to take it and I thought it would be a waste to leave it here," she said with a slight blush.

"Wise decision," he replied sagely.

As the rest of their companions arrived Fubuki and Hishigi led the priests into the courtyard. Two of them were carrying a large wooden box. It was covered in sealing talismans and heavy chain and gave off an aura of malice that made Yuya pull away from it.

"Kyo, as the reward for the service you have done for our goddess we have brought you this gift," Fubuki said, gesturing to the box.

The priests put it down and Hishigi stepped forward to unlock the chain and open the lid, as he did so the feeling of malevolence increased dramatically. Yuya's breath caught when she saw that the source of the oppressive aura was a katana.

"This is a sacred sword that was brought to us for safekeeping two centuries ago. It is strong enough to withstand your power and is the most fitting weapon for you to use in all of the world. It is called Tenrou," Hishigi said.

"Sacred? Seems more like it's cursed to me," Yukimura commented, raising an eyebrow at the weapon.

"Some would call it cursed, the origin of that dark power is the soul of a demon sealed inside of it. That demon is neither good nor evil, merely an embodiment of strength and the desire to fight. As I said, there is no more fitting weapon in the world for Kyo to bear," the priest said calmly.

"Interesting, I'll take it," Kyo said, reaching out to grasp the hilt.

As his hand closed over it the dark aura engulfed it and then began to snake up his arm. His face twisted into a grimace and he looked up at the priests angrily.

"What's this?" he growled, his voice strained.

"In order to use that sword you must first subdue the spirit of the demon living inside it. If you are not strong enough it will take possession of your body and we will be forced to kill you," Fubuki said, his voice emotionless.

"Definitely cursed," Yukimura said with certainty.

"How could you give that to someone without warning them?" Yuya asked the priest, horrified by what he had done.

"Forewarning was useless. Kyo has no choice but to take on this challenge. He's grown too powerful to use a normal blade without breaking it. He needs this sword to move forward on the path to realizing his full strength," the priest said.

Yuya looked back at Kyo. The dark mist had covered his arm, wrapped around his chest, and was working its way up his neck toward his face. Just when they were getting so close to finding their answers something was threatening to take him away from her. The mere thought of it made Yuya burn with anger.

"Kyo! You'd better not lose to that thing! There's too much for you to do to give in to some stupid spirit! You hear me Kyo? If you don't come back to me I'll never forgive you!" Yuya yelled, stepping forward and balling her hands into fists.

Kyo looked up and their eyes met for a second before he was completely engulfed in darkness. There had been no fear in those crimson eyes, only stubborn anger. Her heart pounded as she watched that inky gloom swirl around his form, only the gleaming blade was clearly visible.

There was a palpable surge of rage from within the dark cloud, and it began to pulse and swirl. The air in the courtyard felt heavy and difficult to breathe. Yuya's chest was tight and when she noticed some of the common soldiers and servants collapsing she realized that it wasn't just because of her worry for Kyo. His battle with the demon spirit was filling the area with such an intense aura it was overwhelming.

Yuya realized the princess was pale and about to pass out and she moved to shield her, instinctively using her will to create a safe space in which the girl could breathe. She looked around, realizing that Taihaku and Bontenmaru were carrying unconscious servants out of the room, while most of her friends were showing some strain but watching the strange conflict with fascination. Only Fubuki, Hishigi, and Yuan seemed unaffected by the pressure in the air. They watched impassively to see if Kyo would succeed, waiting to kill him if he failed.

Just as the pressure began to grow unbearable it was as if a fresh breeze blew through the courtyard. Yuya's eyes widened as the darkness around Kyo began to tremble and then retreat back into the blade. It started slowly but then with increasing speed the malevolent power of the demon spirit was driven away from Kyo and forced back into the sword. When it was done the sun seemed to shine brighter than it had before and Kyo had an increased aura of power around him.

"It is done, you have subdued the spirit of Tenrou and claimed the sword as your own. It will serve you now as no other weapon could, but be warned that the demon will still take over any weak minded person who tries to draw it. This sheath has been enchanted to contain the demonic spirit. Only when the sword is securely in this sheath can it be touched by anyone other than you," Fubuki said.

"Remind me to never accept a gift from those people," Yukimura muttered to Sasuke, the boy was staring at the sword with a glimmer of jealousy in his eyes.

Kyo took the sheath and slid the blade into it. After securing the weapon in his belt he actually smiled at the priests, saying, "This is almost worth all the trouble you put me through."

"Trouble? You don't yet know the meaning of the word," Fubuki replied.

"Heh, bring it on," Kyo sneered.

Yuya shook her head and sighed. She turned to help the Empress back to her feet. The girl was still pale and trembling, her eyes fixed on Kyo with a fear in them that Yuya had never seen before. It looked like she finally understood just how terrifying he could be. Yuya noticed that most of the people looking at Kyo were frightened, but some were intrigued or even excited. Her friends, Hotaru and Yuan, the old man Lu and his young student Tokito, were all either smiling or looking thoughtful. Akira's mouth was slightly parted in an expression near rapture as he gazed at the extraordinary warrior. General Jing had his face turned toward Akari instead of Kyo. He was looking deeply worried.

After Pingyang had regained her composure she gave her farewell speech. She wished them well on their journey and offered her hospitality whenever they returned to her land. She also announced that Jing would be accompanying them to the border to serve as their guide and to provide them with any help they might need on the way. Then, with one last glance at Kyo, she turned and fled from the courtyard.

Jing began shouting orders to his men and they were escorted to a staging area just outside the palace where dozens of attendants stood holding the reigns of horses that waited for them. As they were shown to their respective animals Master Lu approached with Tokito held in front of him by the shoulders.

"I would like to make a request. Will you take young Tokito along with you? I have been asked to serve as one of the Empress's ministers and won't have time to dedicate to her training. I believe traveling with you and seeing some of the world would be good for her," he said.

"It will be very dangerous," Yuya warned.

"I can take care of myself!" Tokito said, her eyes flashing angrily.

Yuya was a little taken aback by the ferocity of the answer, but smiled in welcome.

"These three will also be joining you," Yuan said, stepping forward with Antera, Hotaru, and Shinrei.

"We'll be happy to have them along! It was so nice to be able to see you again, Yuan sensei," Yuya said.

"Our party just keeps getting bigger and bigger. We're going to need packhorses to carry our supplies," Okuni said.

"That's alright, I'm sure Jing will be happy to provide some," Yukimura said brightly, he had a pair of bottles slung over his shoulder for the day's ride and was looking quite happy.

It took nearly an hour for the large group to get moving. As they rode through the streets of the city people gathered to cheer and wave. Yuya looked around at the faces of the citizens smiling up at them gratefully and wondered out loud why they were so happy to see them.

"They don't know the details of what happened, but they do know that with our arrival the potential destruction of this city was averted. If our plan hadn't worked they could have lost everything. In a very real way we are the heroes who protected their lives and livelihoods," Yukimura explained.

Benitora seemed particularly off-balanced by the cheering. He had been unusually subdued since their reunion and Yuya was a bit worried about him.

"Are you okay, Benitora?" she asked.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, fine. Just wondering if it's all really worth it," he said.

"Is what worth what?" Yuya asked, confused.

"So many people died for the people here to be happy and safe. Is it really okay for some people to die so that others can live?" Benitora said pensively.

Yuya was at a loss for words, she had no answer for such a question.

"In an ideal world it wouldn't have to be that way. Unfortunately, that's just not how things are. Some people will always be sacrificed. If death cannot be avoided then choosing the path that leads to fewer deaths is best," Yukimura said, his voice unusually gentle.

Benitora's face was still conflicted. Yuya noticed Mahiro watching him with a worried expression and wondered once again just what they had done while they were apart. She had heard stories of taking and defending cities, but hadn't gotten any of the details. All she knew was that there was a new tension between Benitora and Yukimura. She hoped that they would be able to fix things and go back to the way it was before.

It was almost noon by the time they made it out of the city and onto the open road. Jing's men were divided into a squad in front and one behind, while the companions rode in a jumble in the middle. Jing himself rode next to Akari, his head bent toward her in a conversation that made her occasionally tilt back her head with peals of laughter.

Looking around at the faces of her companions Yuya couldn't help but smile. They were finally back together and forging ahead again. It felt so good she almost wanted to sing.

"What's with the dopey grin? Are you still drunk?" Kyo asked abruptly.

"Oh shut up, you're going to ruin my good mood."

"If a good mood is the cause of your idiotic expression then I want to ruin it."

"Smiling doesn't make me look like an idiot!" Yuya shot back, glaring.

"That's more like it." Kyo smirked.

"But before you said that she's less attractive when she's angry," Hotaru pointed out from ahead of them.

Yuya's mouth fell open when she saw that he was sitting cross legged on the saddle, facing them instead of looking forward. Kyo shot him an irritated look but said nothing.

"You don't like her face when it's angry, you don't like it when it's happy. Why do you care what she's doing with her face, anyway?" Antera asked.

"Isn't it obvious? It's because-" Yukimura cut off when Kyo threw a bottle of sake at his face.

"It's because he's a jerk who takes pleasure out of tormenting me," Yuya said with an annoyed sigh.

She thought she saw a brief twitch of a smile on Kyo's lips before he uncorked a fresh bottle and began drinking and looking bored again. They settled into relaxed banter as they continued along the road, the gently rolling landscape beckoning them forward. After all the chaos and intrigue of the past weeks it was remarkably peaceful. It felt almost unreal to finally be on their way out of Chang'an and heading toward the answers they sought. A cold wind blew from the north carrying the scent of winter and Yuya shivered as it caught at her ponytail and streamed it out behind her.