*************Chapter Six**************
**The Search for the Eighth Warrior**
**************************************
Nousatsu rode towards the Seiryuu camp at the speed of light. She
really didn't have very much time; it was already late, and she had
promised that she would know if the Seiryuu had the eighth warrior in
the morning. Half an hour later she arrived at the camp. She tied her
horse to a tree where it could be seen from the tents. She took apart
her braid and re-tied the long black hair in a ponytail loosely at the
nape of her neck. She then crouched in the bushes and waited for Nakago
to exit one of the tents. When she knew that he would see her when he
re-entered, she walked inside cautiously. Nakago appeared not three
seconds later, angry. He yanked open the curtain that served for a
door. Then the acting began.
"What are you doing here? Who are you?!"
Nousatsu flipped around as if she were scared. "Oh I am so sorry! I ...
I didn't know that soldiers were traveling...I was lost... I'll go, I'm
so sorry to intrude!"
She then proceeded to walk towards the door, past a now very sly-
looking Nakago. "This could be interesting," he thought.
"Wait, you don't have to go. You said you were lost,...?" Nakago asked
with charm dripping with sympathy.
"Yes, I am. I am traveling from Hokan to Kuto, but I haven't traveled
for years and I have lost my way." She added quickly, "I saw your tents
and thought that you could help me, so I came in looking for someone."
"Well I am glad that you did." "Very, very glad," Nakago thought. "Did
you walk all this way?"
"No, I have a horse. I tied him up outside." Nousatsu replied. "All is
going well, the bastard buying it," she thought.
"Please, bring him around, and I will send Suboshi to feed him. Then
come back here, and I'll have some dinner for us," Nakago said, his
voice simply soaking in hospitality.
"Why, thank you!" Nousatsu replied. Now was the time to turn on the
flattery. "I never dreamed a solider could be so gentle and kind."
"I do try," Nakago responded. "I have this one in my complete control.
This will be so easy." He thought as the girl left.
Nousatsu brought the horse around, closer to the tents. Suboshi showed
not a moment later, stunned at the sight of her.
"Hello, are you Suboshi?" she asked politely.
"Uhh... umm, yes I am ... Suboshi." He recovered quickly. "I'll take
your horse."
"Thank you. Is it all right if I look around? I've never been near a
royal expedition." She asked, with obvious ignorance of what was really
going on.
Suboshi saw this and told her she could, but not to wander off.
"Oh, I never could! I am afraid of what lurks in the dark. These last
couple weeks have been so horrible!" She spoke as if she had just been
through the trauma of her life.
Nousatsu walked around camp, and came across a quite strangely dressed
man. She knew that he was someone to be wary of.
Upon seeing the girl, Tomo felt a negative premonition. He glared at
her as he passed by, and headed towards Nakago's tent. He entered to
find Nakago opening a bottle of wine.
"I know what you're doing,"
Nakago turned around. "I did not call for you, Tomo, and my business is
none of yours."
"That girl-"
"That girl is my affair. The Suzaku have not sent her, I doubt she even
knows the priestesses are here. We have summoned Seriyuu, what harm
could come to us now? We have won."
Tomo glared through narrowed eyes. "She will destroy you."
"No, you are wrong. I will use her and send her on her way. Or, if it
pleases you," he said, glancing at Tomo, "Tomorrow morning you may kill
her."
"Tomorrow will be too late," Tomo finished. He turned and walked
quickly out of the tent, passing Nousatsu on his way.
Nakago poured two glasses of wine as 'the girl' walked in the room. In
her mind, Nousatsu was disgusted by the whole ordeal so far, but it
doubled when she saw that Nakago wasn't wasting any time. He had
already stripped down to leggings and a shirt. A bottle of expensive
wine rested on the table. She would have to put him out quickly to be
able to search about a little.
"Did you meet Suboshi?" Nakago asked, handing her a glass of wine.
"Yes, I did. (Thank you) Who was that man that was in here just now?"
She asked, and gracefully seated herself on the bed.
**The Search for the Eighth Warrior**
**************************************
Nousatsu rode towards the Seiryuu camp at the speed of light. She
really didn't have very much time; it was already late, and she had
promised that she would know if the Seiryuu had the eighth warrior in
the morning. Half an hour later she arrived at the camp. She tied her
horse to a tree where it could be seen from the tents. She took apart
her braid and re-tied the long black hair in a ponytail loosely at the
nape of her neck. She then crouched in the bushes and waited for Nakago
to exit one of the tents. When she knew that he would see her when he
re-entered, she walked inside cautiously. Nakago appeared not three
seconds later, angry. He yanked open the curtain that served for a
door. Then the acting began.
"What are you doing here? Who are you?!"
Nousatsu flipped around as if she were scared. "Oh I am so sorry! I ...
I didn't know that soldiers were traveling...I was lost... I'll go, I'm
so sorry to intrude!"
She then proceeded to walk towards the door, past a now very sly-
looking Nakago. "This could be interesting," he thought.
"Wait, you don't have to go. You said you were lost,...?" Nakago asked
with charm dripping with sympathy.
"Yes, I am. I am traveling from Hokan to Kuto, but I haven't traveled
for years and I have lost my way." She added quickly, "I saw your tents
and thought that you could help me, so I came in looking for someone."
"Well I am glad that you did." "Very, very glad," Nakago thought. "Did
you walk all this way?"
"No, I have a horse. I tied him up outside." Nousatsu replied. "All is
going well, the bastard buying it," she thought.
"Please, bring him around, and I will send Suboshi to feed him. Then
come back here, and I'll have some dinner for us," Nakago said, his
voice simply soaking in hospitality.
"Why, thank you!" Nousatsu replied. Now was the time to turn on the
flattery. "I never dreamed a solider could be so gentle and kind."
"I do try," Nakago responded. "I have this one in my complete control.
This will be so easy." He thought as the girl left.
Nousatsu brought the horse around, closer to the tents. Suboshi showed
not a moment later, stunned at the sight of her.
"Hello, are you Suboshi?" she asked politely.
"Uhh... umm, yes I am ... Suboshi." He recovered quickly. "I'll take
your horse."
"Thank you. Is it all right if I look around? I've never been near a
royal expedition." She asked, with obvious ignorance of what was really
going on.
Suboshi saw this and told her she could, but not to wander off.
"Oh, I never could! I am afraid of what lurks in the dark. These last
couple weeks have been so horrible!" She spoke as if she had just been
through the trauma of her life.
Nousatsu walked around camp, and came across a quite strangely dressed
man. She knew that he was someone to be wary of.
Upon seeing the girl, Tomo felt a negative premonition. He glared at
her as he passed by, and headed towards Nakago's tent. He entered to
find Nakago opening a bottle of wine.
"I know what you're doing,"
Nakago turned around. "I did not call for you, Tomo, and my business is
none of yours."
"That girl-"
"That girl is my affair. The Suzaku have not sent her, I doubt she even
knows the priestesses are here. We have summoned Seriyuu, what harm
could come to us now? We have won."
Tomo glared through narrowed eyes. "She will destroy you."
"No, you are wrong. I will use her and send her on her way. Or, if it
pleases you," he said, glancing at Tomo, "Tomorrow morning you may kill
her."
"Tomorrow will be too late," Tomo finished. He turned and walked
quickly out of the tent, passing Nousatsu on his way.
Nakago poured two glasses of wine as 'the girl' walked in the room. In
her mind, Nousatsu was disgusted by the whole ordeal so far, but it
doubled when she saw that Nakago wasn't wasting any time. He had
already stripped down to leggings and a shirt. A bottle of expensive
wine rested on the table. She would have to put him out quickly to be
able to search about a little.
"Did you meet Suboshi?" Nakago asked, handing her a glass of wine.
"Yes, I did. (Thank you) Who was that man that was in here just now?"
She asked, and gracefully seated herself on the bed.