So...I'm back? *crickets chirp*

February 29th is coming. In honor of Fuji's birthday, I plan to post updates for both Sea of Hidden Dragon and Et Cetera. To start us off, today (2.8.2020) is the first full moon of the lunar calendar year, so on this auspicious day, I come bearing the chapter 12 of SoHD.

Quick news about the project statuses.

Et Cetera was re-written yet again during NaNoWriMo 2019, but I'm having second thoughts... Okay, twenty-fifth thought at this point. I don't like the direction it's heading. Again. I think earlier chapters like 5 and 6 shouldn't affect the overall story direction too much, so I will see if I can release at least chapter 5 this month.

As far as Sea of Hidden Dragon is concerned, except for one particular plot point in chapter 19, I think the story is pretty much good as it is. Some geographical clean-up is required, and probably truckload of research I probably should have done back in 2012-2013. T_T (You pay for your own laziness. The later you pay, the higher the interest rate. I'm learning slowly, as per usual.) But I WILL try to finish posting the whole story this year. I think having three stories pending updates is only making my stress level worse.

Bloodstone is still on hold though, I am so sorry. T_T

SEA OF HIDDEN DRAGON

와룡장해 :: 臥龍藏海

by Solmae

[11/2012 & 11/2013]

BOOK III: STORM

[2.8.2020 Version]

Chapter 12

When Fuji showed up at the Rokkaku dominion's mansion without prior notice, it was a testament to how well he was known to Rokkaku that he was immediately welcomed inside nonetheless. In fact, the person who came to greet him was none other than Saeki Kojirou, the dominion's acting vice-lord and the lieutenant commander of Rokkaku's armed forces.

"Yo, Fuji. Looking good," Saeki greeted, wiping a hand over his sweaty forehead. "Sorry 'bout this. You caught me in the middle of a practice session with my team. D'you mind giving them maybe half an hour to finish up, and I can bring you over to say hello?"

"Of course." Fuji stood and clasped arm with Saeki with easy familiarity. "You look good yourself. You finally got dragged out here, hmm?"

"Eh, you know Grandpa can't come out here himself. Someone had to come keep the team out of trouble."

"If you're here supervising the team practice, then I assume Aoi-kun is paying the courtesy visits. Can you call that 'keeping the team out of trouble'?" Fuji asked playfully.

The Lord of Rokkaku himself, a positively ancient man known simply as "Grandpa," never left his seat at Rokkaku. Currently, his representative in the imperial capital was the phenomenally young commander of Rokkaku's military forces, Aoi Kentarou. Since Rokkaku's court rarely visited the imperial capital at all, the young commander would be kept busy for a while yet paying all the overdue courtesy visits.

"Technically Kentarou outranks me," Saeki replied with easy humor, leading them through the hallway. "Grandpa's call. 'Sides, the imperial court and the rest of the empire couldn't care less about us and we couldn't care less about them, so what if one or two get snippy during the visits? Kid's pretty easygoing, he'll handle himself fine."

"I'm surprised you all even bothered to come," Fuji said with an arch look.

Saeki grinned, sweeping a hand through his sweat-soaked bangs. "Can't be helped. Tournament and all, you know the deal. This year's competition is a group tournament. Of course we'd show for that. Ken-Ken's real excited about it. It'll be his first."

"Ken-Ken?" Fuji chuckled. "I almost forgot how you guys are. I'd missed that."

"Kentarou doesn't like standing on ceremony. None of us does. Proper titles and fancy hats are not for us," Saeki added, leading them into the sitting room and gesturing Fuji to a comfortable-looking guest chair in silent invitation.

Fuji sat down with a short nod of thanks. "Still dig for clams together, do you?"

"You betcha." Saeki gave him a rakish grin, sauntering to a chair next to Fuji's and dropping down in a comfortable sprawl. "We'd have brought you some, but they'd never last the journey. It's another reason we hate coming over here, besides the stuffiness. Literally and figuratively. It's the worst during summers. How do you stand being around here all the time?"

Fuji shrugged philosophically. "You get used to the humidity. And usually it's just for a couple months during the summer, when the rains come. I can't help that you guys always end up visiting in summer," Fuji said with a soft laugh. "Besides, even if Rokkaku is cooler during the summer, you've got two storm seasons. That cancels out any benefits, you know."

Rokkaku was the second smallest of all existing dominions by landmass, comprised of several islands far off the empire's eastern coast. Despite having voluntarily joined the empire over a hundred years ago, Rokkaku retained much of its distinct culture, dialect, and traditions that set them apart from the rest of the empire. The windswept islands were beautiful with lush forests, but there was more untamed wilderness than inhabited lands, and population density of Rokkaku remained the lowest in the empire. Fishing was the main industry, with a side helping of lumber production, although some dominions sniffed that piracy constituted the third.

For the most part, Rokkaku wasn't considered of any particular importance, providing little economic or strategic advantage to the empire. And surrounded by rough seas and girded with rocky shores, Rokkaku was accessible only for about half of the year, in between storm seasons in late summer and midwinter. Like all other dominions, Rokkaku was given a mansion in the imperial capital for its use, but due to the difficult journey, it remained unoccupied most of the time, unlike other dominion mansions.

But the storm-beaten islands of Rokkaku bred a strong people. Rokkaku islanders were usually laid back, but they were famously stubborn, free-spirited and fiercely protective of their own. The Rokkaku team was a well-known contender in the empire's tournaments.

"Eh, we just have to avoid traveling during late summer and winter. Which means we've got to rush right back as soon as the tournament's over. Hey..." Saeki tilted his head, a question in his eyes. "Can you visit, d'you think? With Yuuta, I mean. Next spring. I, uh. That is—"

Saeki's unusual hesitation made Fuji study him curiously. Then, it dawned on him. "Oh. Sae, are you—" A faint blush spread over Saeki's cheeks, and Fuji let out an incredulous laugh. "You are."

Saeki's blush deepened. "Well—yeah. I know. Who'd have thought?"

"Who's the unfortunate lady doomed to spend her life looking after you?" Fuji chuckled, warm and affectionate. "She must be something to keep you in her net."

"The young Lady Amane," Saeki said, ducking his head. "Rika. She's Hikaru's older sister. And – she's much more than just something."

Fuji raised his eyebrows, surprised by the admission. Saeki, incredibly handsome and extremely popular, had been made the acting vice-lord and the lieutenant commander of Rokkaku's forces at a young age. He was also the biggest heartthrob of his dominion. However, despite his secret love for romance novels, Saeki disliked being tied down, and had avoided romantic entanglements for most of his youth. That Saeki of all people was planning to get married must had shocked everyone, Fuji mused with a smile. "Have you told Yuuta?"

"Nah, not yet. Wanted to tell you first. You're my best friend, after all."

Fuji brothers and Saeki had been inseparable during their five years of exile. Fuji's smile turned nostalgic. In many ways, those years were the most carefree days of their lives. From the old Lord of Rokkaku to the youngest members of the court, the informal and warm atmosphere at Rokkaku had left its mark on them. Even now, both Fuji brothers looked to Rokkaku as their second home.

"Congratulations," Fuji said sincerely. "I'm sure you two will be very happy together."

"Thanks, Fuji." Saeki managed to wipe the silly grin off his face before he continued. "So hey, any news on your end or Yuuta's?"

"Well," Fuji said demurely, sounding perfectly neutral save for the gleam of satisfaction in his eyes, "Yuuta will be courting officially before this year's out,"

Saeki's eyebrows rose nearly to his hairline. "Whoa, seriously? Young Lady Tachibana, is it?" Fuji nodded, half-smile curving his lips. "Man, I was worried she'd dump his sorry ass after he made her wait so long. She must really like the kid. Didn't you say Yuuta was on the road most of the time for the last few years?" Then he frowned minutely as something else occurred to him. "Wait, Yuuta's going courting before you are? Or do you have someone, too?"

"I will be married soon," Fuji said placidly, as if discussing the weather. "So Yuuta plans to make his courtship known right after."

"You will be—" Saeki stared at him, slack-jawed. "Wait. You're getting married. On your head, you're getting married and didn't think to tell me?"

"It's a recent development."

Fuji's careless tone made Saeki frown even more. "How recent are we talking? And who's your bride-to-be?"

"Lady Yukimura. And quite recent, since she only sent back her formal acceptance a week ago."

"A week?" For someone who just recently had his marriage proposal accepted, Fuji sounded too indifferent. "When did you send your proposal? And – you...don't sound very excited about all this. What's she like?"

"The proposal was sent three weeks ago." Fuji shrugged. "She is quite beautiful and intelligent. I'm sure we will find each other's company perfectly inoffensive."

"Wait, what?" Saeki fell silent, watching Fuji with incredulous amazement. "You don't even know each other, let alone—" He closed his eyes, fingers pressing into his forehead. "This is the Empress's doing, isn't it?"

"We both knew it'd happen eventually." Fuji's placid voice did not change.

"But you don't love this Lady Yukimura." Saeki's gray-blue eyes were studying Fuji intently, missing nothing. "What about her? How does she feel about this marriage?"

"She came to see me, actually. She seems perfectly reasonable. I think we'll get along fine." Fuji's hand rose to tap on Saeki's shoulder briefly. "Hey. It will be alright."

"This isn't right. It's your life, for crying out loud. You're the Empress's nephew. She can't just tell you to marry a woman you don't even know." Saeki grabbed Fuji's wrist before he could withdraw his hand. "Talk to the Empress. If you tell her honestly how you feel—" The look that crossed Fuji's face stopped him cold, and the rest of Saeki's words faded to a deep sigh.

"The Empress needs at least one alliance through marriage," Fuji in a calm and monotonous voice, "since her last attempt ended in a failure."

Saeki pursed his lips. "Because your sister ran away from home rather than be married off to some lord," he said heavily.

"My sister had interests that didn't quite converge with our aunt's. And she was passionate enough to go after them at any cost." Fuji's mouth quirked in the tiniest of smiles. "I'm different. My interests easily keep me occupied within the city walls. Besides, if I have to marry for political alliance, what difference does it make which lady it is? Lady Yukimura at least seems interesting. I could do worse."

"What does Yuuta say?" Saeki asked shrewdly. He knew Yuuta: there was no way Yuuta would have accepted this without protest.

"He's accepted my decision."

Saeki let out a frustrated huff of breath. If Yuuta gave up, then Fuji must had made up his mind already, and was adamant about his decision to marry. A Fuji was stubborn by definition, Saeki knew very well. Even if it often made him want to knock them over their heads.

"I guess there's nothing for it but offer you my best wishes, then," Saeki said in reluctant capitulation. "When?"

"As soon as possible, I think. I hope it's soon enough that you can attend before you leave. We'll see. The Empress is making arrangements, but right now, the tournament's the priority, even for her."

"Right, the tournament. About that, don't you want to participate? We'd take you in a heartbeat."

Fuji laughed and shook his head. "No. And don't bother asking Yuuta. He's already registered as part of Seiru's team."

"Seiru?" Saeki rolled his eyes. "Mizuki," he concluded knowingly.

"Unfortunately," Fuji agreed. "I told you, you should have let me strangle that weasel when we had the chance."

The ensuing laughter was heartfelt, melting away the last of the awkwardness lingering between them. "Yuuta'd have noticed if Mizuki went missing. Besides, I don't fancy digging ditches every night to hide all the bodies if I let you on your killing sprees. Best not let you start."

Fuji favored him with a perfectly ingenuous expression that Saeki trusted not at all. "As if I'd be so prosaic. Besides, all we'd need is an anvil strapped to each body, and the sea would take care of the rest."

Saeki shook his head but couldn't help an amused chuckle. "You see? Ryou always said if people randomly started disappearing, we should check the ditches around your house first because you're the likeliest one to turn a serial killer."

"I will keep that in mind when Kisarazu-kun suddenly disappears," Fuji returned in a tranquil tone, eyes glimmering with mischief.

"Eh. Good times." The next moment, however, Saeki sobered. "We're facing Joushuuin in the first round. From what I've seen, they'll be a tough bunch."

"Oh?" Fuji had seen the draw for the tournament himself, but that wasn't the part that caught his attention. "I thought you'd be more concerned about Rikkai."

Saeki scratched his head with an easy laugh. "Yeah, but that's assuming we make it that far. We face Midoriyama after Joushuuin, and Midoriyama boasts an extremely well-trained team, you know."

"I have faith in yours," Fuji said, serious despite the half-joking tone. "Still, there's also Fudomine and Shitenhouji to consider. And Hyoutei, obviously – Keigo's been talking about nothing but winning the tournament this year. Shishigaku, Murigaoka, Nagoya. Maybe even Yamabuki as well, to list the possible contenders."

Saeki raised an eyebrow. "And Seishun, of course. And, unless I'm vastly mistaken, Seiru. And Higa."

"Yuuta liked Higa's team. Something about their foot technique appealed to him, apparently." The mention of Seishun had brought a brief shadow of something indefinable pass through Fuji's face. Focused on the subject at hand, Saeki did not notice. "Yuuta mentioned their acting lord, Kite Eishirou, is an expert at it."

An expressive roll of the eyes followed the announcement. "The one they call the Hitman? Not exactly a reputable title for an acting lord."

Fuji didn't smile. "Yuuta said the only thing reputable about Higa is their strength. Don't let your guard down, Saeki. They play rough."

Saeki nodded. "Yeah. But Higa's on the other side of the draw and won't be our problem until the finals, if even. I think Seishun will win, hands down. For one, Seishun has Tezuka, and I remember Oishi and Kikumaru. But aside from them...hm, there's Inui, I guess, but I don't think anyone else participated in a group tournament before. It should be interesting."

"Everyone already predicts Rikkai is the sure winner," Fuji murmured.

"True," Saeki admitted. "Rikkai didn't even bother putting in an alternate, I hear. Without Yukimura, they have only seven members. Rather self-assured of them, isn't it?"

"Not if they can deliver a win," Fuji observed with an insouciant wave of a hand. "The competition will be fierce this year. It'll be interesting to see if Rikkai lives up to its reputation."

Saeki shook his head with a rueful smile. "It's supposed to be a friendly competition. Terribly ironic, don't you think? By now every team is on high alert against sabotage attempts. Missing weapons, practice arenas mysteriously defaced, practice time slots switched around, accidents happening to key team members... You name it, they've tried 'em all."

"And your team? How are you guys doing?"

"Fine, fine." Saeki waved off Fuji's concern. "A couple things, like things going missing and our practice schedule being messed up, but we've been careful. 'Sides, we've been through all this before. Except for maybe Kentarou, they all know what to expect."

Fuji nodded, relieved. "So – ready for your first round, then?"

"Ready as we'll ever be. Wish us luck."

"I doubt you'd need it to win. But good luck, Saeki."

Oishi surveyed his team one more time, and confident they would be fine without his input, left the practice hall and returned to Tezuka's office.

"Hey. How's the lineup going?"

Tezuka looked up from where he was writing out names, and gestured for Oishi to come and sit. "I have two lineups, one for Higa and one for Okakura."

"This is Higa's first team tournament appearance in nearly twenty years. I know Inui said we need to watch out for them, but do you really expect Higa to defeat Okakura?"

"Preparation averts peril," Tezuka quoted automatically. It was one of his favorite sayings, handed down to him from his much-revered grandfather. "Will you and Kikumaru be willing to fight in doubles match for every round?"

Oishi's mouth quirked. "I don't think we can afford otherwise. But yes, we would prefer to fight as a pair."

"Ah."

There was a brief silence while Tezuka finished writing and laid down his brush. Oishi watched him, nearly spoke, then hesitated. Finally, with a quick intake of his breath, Oishi met Tezuka's eyes. "You weren't surprised to see Fuji. So I take it that you two have talked already. Can I ask whether you and Fuji have...reconciled?"

Tezuka was tempted to ignore the question. What happened four years ago was a sore point. At the time Tezuka had been angry at what Fuji did not – could not – offer him and had been harsh in his rejection. Tezuka had since regretted the way he'd phrased his rejection, if not the rejection itself, and knew that Fuji's reaction was not unreasonable. But he wasn't sure if Fuji understood that Tezuka too had been angry, let alone the reason behind his anger.

Oishi watched him shrewdly, then sighed. "I thought so. But you'd like to?"

"What makes you think so?" Tezuka's tone was a tad sharper than he'd intended, but it was an honest question. Oishi knew how to read him better than most people ever managed, but Tezuka was certain he'd let slip nothing of what happened to anyone, including Oishi.

"You acknowledged him. If you didn't care, you would have ignored him."

Tezuka couldn't deny it. He had cared, probably a lot more than Fuji realized. Four years ago, he'd been younger, barely out of his teens, and at first it was anger that kept him silent, kept him from seeking out Fuji first. Then, it was a mix of several things neatly rolled up and encased in crystalline armor of stubbornness. In the end he'd let Fuji depart for the imperial capital without ever having spoken to him again. "How much did you guess?"

Oishi looked taken aback, then embarrassed. "We-well, first you two were inseparable then you suddenly stopped talking to each other. We all figured you two must have had an argument. But then you two wouldn't speak to each other at all weeks and then months, even when you both knew Fuji had to leave soon. And you weren't talking to anyone else about it. Eiji tried to pry it out of Fuji, but Fuji wouldn't budge. So I figured whatever you argued about was really personal." A dusting of red spread across his face, and Oishi ducked his head. "I mean. I did tell you about that rumor."

There was no sense in hiding. Even if mostly in exaggeration, what the court of Seishun had seen had been rooted in the truth. Of all people, he didn't need to hide from Oishi. Resolved, Tezuka met Oishi's eyes squarely. "The rumor wasn't wrong. Not entirely."

"A-ah." Oishi's blush deepened, but his honest green eyes were clear as they met Tezuka's. "I, er, I assume you mean the part about mutual romantic attachment?"

"Yes."

A flustered Oishi was a stammering Oishi. It took Oishi a few tries before he could form a coherent sentence again. "Uh. So...if the feeling was mutual, then I don't understand why you two, ah, broke up in the first place."

At that point, Tezuka found himself balking at further disclosure. He trusted Oishi, more than anyone else in the whole world other than his own parents. But admitting to the truth was a completely different matter from confessing the full story. His private stories were always committed only to the secret pages of his own journal, and never to a living soul.

"We were never together." There. He could admit that much.

Oishi frowned in confusion. "Then..." One of the best things about Oishi (and also the worst, in some situations) was that he was able to rapidly formulate and narrate through a scenario of what-if with surprising details. "I'm going to guess, and – maybe you can tell me if I'm right?"

Tezuka nodded mutely. Oishi's scenarios often ran away with his imagination, but every once in a while, they could prove useful. Like on the battlefield. At times, especially when supporting Kikumaru, Oishi seemed to enter a zone of some sort, and became intensely focused. At moments like those, Oishi was able to read through the enemy movements several steps ahead.

It was a question whether Oishi's ability would work in this particular case, but after repeatedly thinking himself into dead ends, Tezuka didn't see what he could lose, either.

Oishi cleared his throat self-consciously and began. "The rumor made Fuji or you realize both of you had feelings for each other. And – one or both of you tried to broach the subject. This went badly, and you two ended up being angry and hurt with each other, so you stopped talking. But now, you would like to pick up where you two left off?"

That was a surprisingly succinct – and accurate – picture of what happened. "Yes."

"And how does Fuji feel about it?"

"I don't know."

Oishi sighed aloud this time. "Well, it explains his reaction to you two days ago. Speaking of, Eiji's planning to go visit Fuji later today. I think Taka-san and Inui will go as well." That Oishi himself would be joining them was a given. Oishi's eyes flickered to Tezuka's, with unspoken concern. "If you decided to join us, that is perfectly reasonable, wouldn't you say?"

Nothing had changed since the last time. Tezuka was viscerally aware of this. Fuji was set to be married to the Lady Yukimura, cementing the alliance between Rikkai and the Empress. Perhaps letting Fuji know of his feelings now was unfair to all three of them. But in four years without Fuji, and nearly three years of being at the battlefront, constantly living a step away from death, he had no more pretension left that he would be content to let Fuji go without a fight. And he also knew himself and Fuji: neither of them could stoop to having an extramarital affair, to become each other's dirty secret. They were both too fiercely proud. Even if the whole empire did not care, they would. If he wanted Fuji, he would have to turn Fuji away entirely from the betrothal.

All this was assuming that Fuji even retained similar feelings. Fuji had stated he would not live regretting the past.

"If you're sure Kikumaru won't mind." Which Tezuka rather suspected otherwise; the last thing Kikumaru would want was for Tezuka to tag along and make Fuji clam up like he had two days ago. But he didn't want to take the cowardly way out and make someone else his proxy to find out how Fuji felt. Besides, this was Fuji. Fuji would let nothing so personal slip to anyone, not even a friend. No, if he wanted to know how Fuji felt, he would have to find out directly.

"After lunch. And don't tell anyone, especially Eiji," Oishi advised. After all, Tezuka mused wryly, Oishi knew his partner the best. "I'll do my best. I don't know how much help I'll be, but you can count on me."

Tezuka let a small smile quirk his lips. "I always have."

The smile that brightened Oishi's face was heartfelt. "Okay."

"Oishi."

"Yes?"

"Thank you."

When her chief handmaiden nervously informed Yukari a guest had arrived for her brother, Atobe Keigo of Hyoutei was the last person she expected to see waiting in the drawing room.

"Lord Atobe." Yukari drew closer as Atobe rose, then the two of them bowed to each other with due courtesy. "My deepest apologies. My brother is not in right now."

"Lady Shiraishi," Atobe returned. "And now I must beg your pardon: Lord Shiraishi isn't expecting me. I apologize for suddenly visiting without any word beforehand."

"Not at all." She graciously waved him back to his seat. "It must be something urgent for you to grace us with a personal visit. If it would please you to wait, my brother is expected to return within the hour."

"If I may impose on your kindness, Lady Shiraishi, I would be much obliged to you."

Yukari did not quite raise an eyebrow, but only through considerable exercise of will. Atobe's arrogance was famous throughout the whole empire. Besides, whenever they met at court, Atobe had never once bothered to acknowledge her existence (or indeed, the existence of anyone except those he had immediate use for). If Atobe was taking such care to be polite to her, not to mention his willingness to wait for her brother rather than demanding that a messenger be dispatched, then Atobe had something significant to gain by this association.

"The pleasure is entirely mine, Lord Atobe. Maybe I offer you some tea? Or perhaps something more soothing, if our humble wine cellars could offer something suitable for your tastes?"

"You are far too kind. Though I must admit I am not much of a drinker. May I trouble you instead for rose tea?"

Yukari possessed far too much self-control to show how taken aback she was by the request. Out of all the outlandish herbs with dubious health benefits that her brother continuously pressed on her, rose tea had been the only one that took. But she knew hers was an uncommon choice. Nevertheless, she dutifully made a subtle gesture to her chief handmaiden standing near the door, who curtsied and discreetly opened the door to relay her order. "Your choice surprises me, Lord Atobe. Rose tea is a rare choice among young lords."

Rose tea, like most kinds of tea with floral additives, was a lady's choice. Yukari had expected at least a bristle – men were always so concerned about their masculinity, especially when questioned by a woman – if not outright offended pride, and was sorely disappointed: Atobe only smiled. "Their loss. I make my yearly batches with roses grown in my own garden. Last year's harvest wasn't quite up to my usual standard, but I hope to correct that this year."

"You like roses, Lord Atobe?" Under the watchful eyes of Yukari's chief handmaiden, household servants brought in an ornate tea tray with one of their best tea sets and appropriate refreshment. A cursory glance told her everything was laid out flawlessly to her satisfaction. It wouldn't do, after all, to have her weapons in a disarray during a battle.

"I do," Atobe answered, offering a gracious half-smile in acknowledgment. He'd evidently noticed the tea tray: his gaze was approving.

Satisfied, Yukari waited until the leaves was steeped to perfection, then poured the tea with precise and graceful motion. "Then perhaps I could interest you in a walk through our gardens. We have some lovely blossoms in the rose garden this year. Although, I thought perhaps peony or lotus would appeal to you more," she said honestly. Peonies were unparalleled for their extravagant beauty while lotuses boasted pure and noble appearance, and both had very large blossoms. In comparison, roses were charming and fragrant, but small and almost plain compared to peonies or lotuses, and therefore hardly the gardener's choice. Although some double-flowered varieties had been introduced from foreign lands, most considered roses a sideshow in the gardens, valued for their fragrance and long blooming season, but little else.

"They are beautiful," Atobe conceded, "but I prize flowers for their fragrance and resilience, and not for appearance alone."

"Do you?" Yukari asked, genuinely intrigued; she, too, valued flowers with high perfume over those with showy petals. "That's – unexpected," she said, barely remembering not to add, "of you," and hastily conjured up a smile to cover up her near miss.

"Of me?" Atobe's sly question was accompanied by a slight upturn pulling at the corner of his mouth. "Do you, in fact, accuse me of judging by appearance, Lady Shiraishi?"

When she was the one doing exactly that, his eyes said without words, and Yukari held back a start. Atobe had very astutely called her on it, and damn it, he was right. "I stand corrected," Yukari answered. He'd gotten that point, fair and square. No need to leave it unacknowledged merely to save her pride.

She'd half-expected Atobe to play it up, but again he disappointed her. A slight raise of an eyebrow, and he let it go. "Then it's my turn to acknowledge you are rather unlike my expectation."

"Am I, now." Yukari wondered if he meant it as a compliment or a complaint. "Perhaps you, too, have judged by appearance alone, Lord Atobe. Or do I miss the mark?"

Atobe barked a short laugh. "On the contrary. I'd say you exceed it entirely."

His laughter had been unfeigned, Yukari thought with some surprise. Honesty for honesty had always been her policy, and besides, Atobe intrigued her. "Then you will not refuse to accompany me on a walk," she said, and it wasn't a question. With a gracious inclination of his head, Atobe accepted her invitation. "However, after you've seen my roses, I expect a fair return."

"Ah." Atobe's quiet laugh was far more charming, Yukari decided, than his usual show of disdainful amusement. "Then you must honor me with a visit to my garden. It would be only fair to reserve judgment until we are able to draw an accurate comparison."

Oh, he had not just challenged her rose garden. Yukari loved her roses, and while she rarely mentioned her rose garden, and only with due self-deprecation whenever she did, it was her pride and joy. She'd used her brother's extensive network of garden sources to obtain the best rose cultivars in existence. (When her brother wasn't running them ragged hunting down the latest exotic poisonous plant species, that was. She adored her brother, but he had some really questionable hobbies.) If Atobe Keigo actually thought whatever riffraff he'd gathered could possibly hold a candle to her prized collection, she was going to enjoy making him choke on his injured pride. The spark of competitiveness added to the pique, and Yukari lifted her chin proudly, like a salute between two warriors about to enter combat.

"I look forward to it."

Notes:

One note about style of address in Sea of Hidden Dragon. Despite being written in English and using Japanese names and suffixes, the style of address in this story doesn't really follow either. There is a huge emphasis on bloodline, so women do not change surnames upon marriage. People are referred by surnames rather than given names (e.g. Lady Shiraishi and not Lady Yukari). "Young" lord or lady is not an official title, per se, it's just a way to distinguish that person from a senior holder of the same title (i.e., there is someone older who can be addressed by the same title). But in direct address, Lord Atobe and Lady Shiraishi is fine, even though neither is the senior-most holder of that address.

About the marriage culture in-story. Basically the "empire" is monogamy – one lawful husband, one lawful wife. Rich people, nobles and imperial household DO practice polygamy, but other than the lawful wife, the rest – concubines – do not have much legal standing, if at all. (Different dominions vary on this point.) The Emperor, because he is Special, can have multiple concubines of different ranks, but only one lawfully wedded Empress exists at a time. But imperial concubines do receive special privileges because they received "imperial grace" – particularly if they bear imperial children.

And because this is a pseudo-historical story, the usual double-standard with men and women does exist. Men can have concubines, women cannot. Extramarital affairs are less problematic with men than with women. There is social stigma to such things, and possible legal consequences if both parties (okay, the woman) having affair are married.

So what does this mean for Tezuka, Fuji and Lady Yukimura? Technically, even if Fuji married Lady Yukimura, there's nothing stopping him and Tezuka having an affair on the side. (Well, except a certain homicidal brother on Lady Yukimura's end.) But would they? No, because if you really love someone, you don't turn them into a dirty secret. That was kind of the whole reason they stopped talking four years ago, after all.

SoHD trivia: the smallest dominion in the empire is Fudomine. ;)