It was not as hard as she thought. The abilities of the ring were quickly unlocked by Jyo by the third day. She pleaded sickness and kept herself in her room for those days, struggling through each night and day to learn the use of the ring. Ginyuu was alarmed by her star ha-nyo's illness, and ordered the maids to bring her tonics and boiled bird nest. Jyo threw those out of the window. Grass strangely sprouted from where the tonics seeped into the ground, despite it being early winter.

Satisfied with the illusion of her old self, Jyo finally stepped out of her room. Ginyuu was so relieved that her golden goose was going to lay eggs again, that she gave permission to Jyo's request that of returning to the countryside to visit her mother. Of course, with guards accompanying her. Ginyuu did not want her goose's wing clips to loosen. However, Ginyuu was rather suspicious why Jyoha would suddenly ask to return to visit her mother. She knew the greedy woman sold the two sisters without even blinking an eye. Yet, Ginyuu sensed something strange going on with Jyoha. Before the day of the trip, she instructed the guards to keep a careful watch on the girl. On the day of her intended escape, a storm was brewing. Flakes of white snow fell heavily from the sky, covering the whole court with a thick blanket of glowing white. Jyo opened the windows of her room for the last time, and stared out into the snowy courtyard. Five years and today, she might be free. She did not tell Kaa of her plan. Her sister was intoxicated with the life of the courtesan at Ginyuuka. The riches and the jewels she received from fawning customers, the clothes, the luxuries, totally changed the once proud and upright Kaa. She was not Kaa anymore, she was a lady of the courtesan court.

A tear slipped down Jyo's cheek. Somehow, deep in her suddenly chilled heart, someone told her she would never have the power to bring back Kaa to what she formerly was. Jyo's fingers wound around the stone ring, bringing the stone to her cheek to warm it. She will not wait the rest of the days here and be in fear of her illusion unraveled. She would flee, and use the illusions to cover her tracks. She would stay away from the city until the twenty nine days were reached, and she would head towards Konron Mountains to find that old man. Closing her eyes, Jyo breathed a soft prayer to the drifting snow, hoping like the blanket they cover the earth, she too will be protected and concealed.

She would say goodbye to Kaa first.

Kaa was not too happy that Jyo wanted to go back. She flung her wine cup onto the carpet and stared at her sister vehemently.

'A visit? Are you out of your mind?' Kaa strided to face Jyo, her finely-drawn eyebrows meeting in a dark thin line. 'That woman disowned us, sold us here. And you want to visit her?'

Jyo chewed her lower lip sadly. She could not tell Kaa of her real purpose of going. Let Kaa think it that way than. And Kaa was furious.

'I know what is going on your mind, Jyo.' Kaa griped her sister by the shoulder. 'You want to find Kai, don't you.'

Jyo shook her head violently. 'No, I don't want to find Kai.'

Kaa's grasp on Jyo's shoulder relaxed slightly. Suddenly, her elder sister's face looked tired and worn. The painted mask seemed to crack, a stream of sadness seeping out.

'Jyo, don't leave me..don't leave me here.' Kaa's voice dropped down into a hoarse whisper. Her fattened fingers clutched at Jyo's hands. Kaa's eyes widened.

'What is this?' She stared at the stone ring on her sister's left hand. Kaa glanced at her sister. Jyo shifted nervously. Kaa's eyes narrowed.

'Take it off, Jyo.' Kaa ordered, her grasp tightening around her sister's wrist. 'Take that ring off. And you are going to tell me where you've gotten such an ugly ring.' 'It was a gift, from..from…'

Five years, and she was still bad at lying.

'You better tell me what that is, Jyoha. Or else I will report to Ginyuu. That you are wearing something weird.'

Blood rushed from Jyo's head. She could not take off the ring. Her illusion will be discovered. She stepped back, shaking her head. An ugly grin danced on Kaa's lips.

'Kaa!' Jyo clasped her hands together tightly, her face turning a ghostly white. Her sister wrenched Jyo's wrist away and tried to pull the ring out. The ring slipped off from Jyo's finger.

'Kaa, don't!'

Kaa screamed as her muscles strained to hold the pao-pei. Her strength vanished and the ring fell onto her body, tearing a hole right through her stomach. The stench of half-digested food and acid saturated the air. Jyo retched, tottering back. Kaa laid bloodied on the ground, the ring unscathed amidst blood and torn flesh. Kaa's painted face was twisted in agony. Her sister's fingers twitched, gripping at the carpet.

'Jyo…Jyo…save me….' Kaa groaned, trying to sit up. Blood gushed from the hold in her stomach, staining the red carpet a even deeper red. Blood crept like Death to Jyo's shoes, reddening the tips of the silk toes. The stench grew stronger.

Jyo could only stare on, stunned. She killed Kaa.

I killed Kaa.

The three words reverberated in her ears. It was the only thing she heard. Kaa's painful groans withered away, her bloodied fingers slackened and stilled.

Kaa….

Jyo moaned and collapsed onto the ground. Blood stained her skirts. Between sobs, she stared at the comatose body of her sister, the ugly wound, the gore and the stone ring, itself still clean and dull, resting in the middle of the torn abdomen.

The clutter of guards' boots awoke her. In a flash, Jyo stood and snatched the ring up, soiling her fingers with blood and gore. The male body she had now gave her more strength and she was able to drag her sister's plump body away into the inner chamber. Pushing the stone ring back onto her finger, she willed the illusion of Kaa to weave down her frame. And herself. Looking around wildly, she picked up an apple and wove the illusion of herself around it. She had just enough time to send the double back to her room.

The blood.

She would have to explain for the blood.

Mechanically, she overturned the table and broke the vases, scattering the bits over the carpet. Picking up a small fruit knife, Jyo inflicted deep cuts onto her arms and grabbed a bit of broken porcelain, scratching more cuts onto herself. She sprawled onto the bloodied carpet and closed her eyes.

The court guards burst into the room.

'Lady Kaaha is injured! Call the court physician!'

Ginyuu hurriedly came in.

'Kaaha, what happened to you?' Like an anxious mother-hen, Ginyuu wiped at the girl's cheek with her handkerchief. Jyo tried to croak out something.

'After Jyo left, someone came here…and tried to kill me!' Jyo coughed loudly to cover the tremble in her voice. Fear stomped through her heart, for Ginyuu's magic might reveal her thoughts. She could see that gleaming look in Ginyuu's eyes whenever she started to use her magic.

But somehow, the sweet smell of sandalwood did not wind itself around her. The stench of stale blood pricked at her nostrils. Ginyuu's eyes stopped glittering, and she stood up. Maids filed in to help Jyo to the bed while the old doctor cleansed her wounds, and bandaged her.

All the while, Ginyuu stood there and observed the ongoings silently. Jyo's heart thumped. She could feel herself breaking out in cold sweat. She will have to escape by tonight. Ginyuu will never let her go now.

She was never good at lying, but it looked to her, Ginyuu had been fooled.