Kindling
They had given Homura a sword.
Tenpou had been there, of course, along with the other marshals and high dignitaries, Kenren a warm certainty beside him as they stood there in full uniform. Boots polished, pleats in order, everything that Heaven could ask for. He had watched the careful procession of ceremonies, creeping from speech to speech to proclamation to appointment. Homura was at the centre of it all, anomalous among the robed men with their carefully arranged sleeves and combed hair.
"Doing all right so far," Kenren muttered, not moving his lips. The sussurus of background whispers hid his voice.
"Of course." Tenpou yearned for a cigarette.
"You see Litouten?"
"How could I miss him?"
The Great Minister was there, of course. It would have been inappropriate for him not to attend an event of this importance -- not to mention, Tenpou thought in that part of his mind which was still trying to treat the whole affair like a chess game, a bad move. Snubbing Homura the itan was one thing. Snubbing Homura the new toushin taishi was another thing. Snubbing the Emperor's nephew, however barely acknowledged he might be, and however much in disgrace, was yet another thing again. Add the three together, and one got Litouten standing there with his oiled ringlets carefully arranged and a smile pinned to his face. He was currently affecting a generous benevolence, eyes as dark and hidden as clogged weed-covered ponds.
"Think he's going to try something?"
"Of course." The two fell silent as the current speech reached its end, and joined in the general ripple of polite applause. Homura held his position, down on one knee, sword resting across his joined hands, the length of chain which joined his shackles puddling on the marble floor, his cloak spread out behind him.
Five minutes later, once the next speaker was comfortably into his monologue, Kenren flicked his eyes briefly towards Goujun. "He said anything about the subject?"
"Not yet." Tenpou deliberately put the weight of uncertainty to one side. You'll have to trust me, he'd said. You'll have to take the risk that I'm not part of whatever's going on. As I take the risk that you're not part of it yourself.
"Going to?"
"It's likely to come up." He looked away from Goujun, before the dragon could sense his gaze -- assuming that he hadn't already done so -- and back towards Litouten again. There was a visible space at Litouten's right hand where nobody dared stand. Reserved for Nataku, no doubt.
"What are you going to say?" Kenren prodded.
Tenpou would have shrugged, if he hadn't been standing at attention. "You could have asked me this last night."
"I did. You distracted me."
"Yes, well . . ." He considered. "There's no law against it."
Kenren apparently didn't want to be diverted. "He's not going to like being involved in this."
"I took care he wouldn't be."
"You're his Marshal. You want to bet Litouten can't find some way to blame him for it?"
Tenpou slid his eyes sideways, considered Kenren. "Litouten isn't going to take on the Dragon Kings."
"Not yet," Kenren muttered. Then his eyes widened. "Shit."
Tenpou let himself register what the speaker in the background was saying. " . . . and, given the continued uprising by the youkai in the region, both high and low, it is our considered order that for the good of Heaven and the stability of Earth, the newly-named Toushin Taishi shall within the day take up his sword and . . ."
"This could be awkward," he murmured. It could. He'd heard about the rumours, but hadn't expected action to be necesssary so soon. He hadn't yet managed to arrange protection from the regular army for Homura, short of the soldiers under his personal command, and Litouten had far too much influence among the "toushin taishi's personal squadron" . . .
"Have you seen how he's smiling?"
"Mnh?" Tenpou glanced towards Litouten, but the Great Minister still held the same cultured smile which he had been affecting since the beginning of the investiture.
"Not him. Homura."
Tenpou's gaze flicked across, his face still carefully mild. Homura was smiling, wide and brilliant, and glints of light from his sword danced across his face and reflected in his eyes.
---
Outside, Tenpou said, briefly, "Go and congratulate Homura."
"You want me to --"
"I need time." And I don't have it. He glanced towards where Homura was being bowed to by a group of courtiers, still smiling that delighted private smile. The courtiers moved and eddied uncertainly, unsure of propriety, unsure of safety. "You won't be telling Litouten anything he doesn't already know by talking to him in public. But I need to try to arrange something before Litouten arranges a formal sendoff for him, and for that, I need time. Congratulate him, introduce him to people, be obvious."
"While you aren't?"
"Exactly. And -- try not to get arrested."
"Not this again. You're going to make me think you don't trust me, Marshal."
Tenpou's mouth twitched for a moment. "It's the men I'm thinking of. How are they supposed to get used to you being in command if you keep on being arrested?"
"Yeah." Kenren found a cigarette, brought it out, lit it.
Tenpou smelled the tobacco and sighed in envy. His next meeting wouldn't be made any easier if he smoked a cigarette beforehand, but his whole body lusted for nicotine. "You're a sadist, General."
"Believe it, Marshal."
---
Tenpou knew that Goujun would be heading for his office after the necessary civilities had been observed. He riffled and stacked candidates in his head as he walked, cutting and shuffling the mental card index of his mind. Not him. Can't get him. Won't have him. It had been an error to assume that the youkai were as subdued as rumour claimed.
Goujun had one hand on the door of his office as Tenpou turned into the corridor. He turned, cloak swaying out behind him, at Tenpou's steps. "Marshal," he said, flatly formal.
"Sir."
Goujun regarded him with those flat ruby eyes, face carved and set and polished into stillness. "My office, Marshal. I believe there is something that you wish to discuss."
"Sir." Tenpou followed, obscurely thankful that Goujun had begun the discussion. He closed the door behind him.
Goujun seated himself, interlacing his fingers carefully. His blunted claws glinted in the afternoon light. "Explain, Marshal."
Tenpou adjusted his glasses. "Sir. I would like to put forward a request as to the command of the squadron of troops attached to the new Toushin Taishi, which will shortly be assigned to earth duty, as witness the recent investiture."
Goujun blinked, a quick flicker of eyelids. He made no other motion. "I am not sure that is what I asked, Marshal."
"I wouldn't have thought you'd want to ask questions about my life as a private individual, sir." The words came out more easily than he had thought they would.
"Ah." Goujun watched him. The dragon eyes were distant, speculative, looking for prey. "And you feel that -- private matters -- are unrelated in this instance?"
"Well, that's an awkward question." Tenpou let himself shift position, casual, easy. "It would be inappropriate for myself, as a private individual, to bring matters before you that weren't connected with the army. Leaving aside any question of any sort of relationship to be presumed on . . ."
Goujun's eyes narrowed.
". . . it wasn't a question of the army. Sir." Tenpou let his smile drop. "What private individuals do in their own time, even if it's their rank that lets them back it, has nothing to do with the army and can't be held against the army. Or anyone else in the army. If the point gets pushed. Which it may."
"And that's how you're putting it?"
Kenren's rank stripped away, just like that, as though Litouten thought he had the rank and authority to order it. The army now under the Great Minister's control. "The army and bureaucracy seem very closely linked these days, sir," he said mildly. "It would be inappropriate of me to give them cause to be more so."
"Mnh." Goujun's face was dangerously quiet. A reaction would have been preferable, Tenpou thought, even anger. That at least would have been something which he could respond to. Once he had thought that he understood his superior officer quite well. Now he was quite sure that he understood his superior officer better than most of Heaven; unfortunately, he now knew how little that was. The dragon was a foreign language whose vocabulary he had only just begun to grasp. "Your position as Marshal is all that has made this recommendation possible. To suggest that you do so as a private individual is -- disingenuous."
There was a closeness between the four dragon brothers that Tenpou could not share, could only observe. Four statues cast in different shades of marble, snow, fire, rain, ocean; four bodies that moved with the same grace, four minds linked in a way which he could not understand. He had watched them and still he could not see. "You have the right to treat me as disingenuous, sir," he said flatly. "There is no reason why you should give the new Toushin Taishi any support in public. It would be -- anh. It is inappropriate for any toushin to be treated as the figurehead of a private faction. Or even a public one."
Goujun removed the weight of his gaze, looking down at the papers which were stacked in neat piles on the desk. He tapped one pared, blunted claw against the polished surface. "And given the toushin himself . . ."
There was a moment of silence. Tenpou finally said, "Yes, sir?" and hoped for clarification.
"Is there anything you wish to tell me, Marshal?"
And if I tell you, how much of it do you then become responsible for? That much about dragons he thought he understood. Older brothers have to take responsibility for younger ones, senior officers for junior officers, and the commander of an army for the actions of his Marshal. He let military stiffness close over him like a mask. "I have a suggestion to make, sir. That is all."
Goujun tilted his head curiously.
"Given that the Toushin Taishi Nataku is currently confined to bed due to his wounds, and given that a detachment of the army will be seconded to accompany the new toushin, it seems to me that Shien would be a good choice to command this section of the army. Nataku does not require his services at the moment, and Shien is known to be a reliable commander." Extremely reliable, with a clear record, and most of all, a name for staying out of politics. A fastidious man, and one who Litouten could not buy.
"Shien," Goujun said reflectively, looking up at Tenpou again. "You feel he would be a good choice?"
"An excellent one," Tenpou said firmly. "Nobody could dispute it."
"Would anybody try?"
Tenpou pushed his glasses up to the bridge of his nose. "It's a sensitive enough position that I feel it worth making a personal recommendation to you, sir. I'm sure that other people may feel strongly about it too."
"Mnh. Very well. I'll have the orders issued."
Tenpou blinked. He hadn't expected it to be quite that easy.
"Safer to have someone reliable on the spot. I agree." Goujun slid a piece of blank paper across, and began to draft the order. "Is there anything else, Marshal?"
Tenpou saluted. "No. Thank you, sir."
---
Homura was still enjoying the interest or nervousness of the courtiers. Kenren loitered nearby, eyes half closed in boredom as he leaned against the wall, cigarette dangling unattended between his fingers. He glanced across to Tenpou, and nodded once.
It's an interesting question, Tenpou considered as he approached the two. Do I tell Homura that Shien is trustworthy, and let him know there's someone he should be able to rely on? Or might Shien take that sort of attitude as an insult?
He knew what Kenren would advise. Tell the kid. Let him know he's not going to be alone down there. Kenren's voice, solid and reliable and generous.
And yet . . . part of Shien's strength, Shien's value to him in this, was that Shien was not biased in any direction, not even against Litouten. If he should tell Homura that Shien was an ally, then Homura might expect more than Shien would be prepared to give. Honour, certainly, duty, obedience, the proper balance and support between officer and toushin, that would surely be there -- but no more.
Tenpou's fingers found cigarette and lighter automatically as he walked across the room. Do, or do not.
"Everything under control?" Kenren asked quietly.
Tenpou nodded. "Anh. Sorry, Toushin Taishi. Didn't expect you to get sent anywhere so soon."
Homura blinked those mismatched eyes, and smiled at him. "Don't worry, Marshal. You warned me about the possible dangers, didn't you? I knew what I was doing when I agreed to take the position. And besides -- I have a sword now. I'm Toushin Taishi. Don't you think they're the ones who should be afraid?"
"Fear's a survival instinct," Tenpou said mildly.
Homura shrugged, still smiling that cheerful smile. "Why do you smoke those things?"
Tenpou took the cigarette out of his mouth and looked at it for a moment. "There's nothing like the first cigarette in the morning. After that, the rest are -- necessary."
"Mnh." Homura stretched, rolling his shoulders. "I suppose I should go and be doing things." His voice lingered on the words, somewhere between pride and delight. "I'll see you later, Marshal, General."
Kenren nodded, face oddly blank. "Later."
"Later," Tenpou repeated, and drew on his cigarette again.
Several minutes later, after the bow wave of Homura's passing had faded away, he asked, "What is it?"
Kenren shrugged. "The kid was . . . being a kid, I suppose. Enthusiastic."
"You're the one who told me that sometimes a man just wants to shoot something."
"Yeah. Well. He's a kid. Maybe it's that I'm not sure he understands what it means."
"Or?" Tenpou queried.
Kenren blew smoke. "Or maybe he does understand what it means."
---
They had given Homura a sword.
Tenpou had been there, of course, along with the other marshals and high dignitaries, Kenren a warm certainty beside him as they stood there in full uniform. Boots polished, pleats in order, everything that Heaven could ask for. He had watched the careful procession of ceremonies, creeping from speech to speech to proclamation to appointment. Homura was at the centre of it all, anomalous among the robed men with their carefully arranged sleeves and combed hair.
"Doing all right so far," Kenren muttered, not moving his lips. The sussurus of background whispers hid his voice.
"Of course." Tenpou yearned for a cigarette.
"You see Litouten?"
"How could I miss him?"
The Great Minister was there, of course. It would have been inappropriate for him not to attend an event of this importance -- not to mention, Tenpou thought in that part of his mind which was still trying to treat the whole affair like a chess game, a bad move. Snubbing Homura the itan was one thing. Snubbing Homura the new toushin taishi was another thing. Snubbing the Emperor's nephew, however barely acknowledged he might be, and however much in disgrace, was yet another thing again. Add the three together, and one got Litouten standing there with his oiled ringlets carefully arranged and a smile pinned to his face. He was currently affecting a generous benevolence, eyes as dark and hidden as clogged weed-covered ponds.
"Think he's going to try something?"
"Of course." The two fell silent as the current speech reached its end, and joined in the general ripple of polite applause. Homura held his position, down on one knee, sword resting across his joined hands, the length of chain which joined his shackles puddling on the marble floor, his cloak spread out behind him.
Five minutes later, once the next speaker was comfortably into his monologue, Kenren flicked his eyes briefly towards Goujun. "He said anything about the subject?"
"Not yet." Tenpou deliberately put the weight of uncertainty to one side. You'll have to trust me, he'd said. You'll have to take the risk that I'm not part of whatever's going on. As I take the risk that you're not part of it yourself.
"Going to?"
"It's likely to come up." He looked away from Goujun, before the dragon could sense his gaze -- assuming that he hadn't already done so -- and back towards Litouten again. There was a visible space at Litouten's right hand where nobody dared stand. Reserved for Nataku, no doubt.
"What are you going to say?" Kenren prodded.
Tenpou would have shrugged, if he hadn't been standing at attention. "You could have asked me this last night."
"I did. You distracted me."
"Yes, well . . ." He considered. "There's no law against it."
Kenren apparently didn't want to be diverted. "He's not going to like being involved in this."
"I took care he wouldn't be."
"You're his Marshal. You want to bet Litouten can't find some way to blame him for it?"
Tenpou slid his eyes sideways, considered Kenren. "Litouten isn't going to take on the Dragon Kings."
"Not yet," Kenren muttered. Then his eyes widened. "Shit."
Tenpou let himself register what the speaker in the background was saying. " . . . and, given the continued uprising by the youkai in the region, both high and low, it is our considered order that for the good of Heaven and the stability of Earth, the newly-named Toushin Taishi shall within the day take up his sword and . . ."
"This could be awkward," he murmured. It could. He'd heard about the rumours, but hadn't expected action to be necesssary so soon. He hadn't yet managed to arrange protection from the regular army for Homura, short of the soldiers under his personal command, and Litouten had far too much influence among the "toushin taishi's personal squadron" . . .
"Have you seen how he's smiling?"
"Mnh?" Tenpou glanced towards Litouten, but the Great Minister still held the same cultured smile which he had been affecting since the beginning of the investiture.
"Not him. Homura."
Tenpou's gaze flicked across, his face still carefully mild. Homura was smiling, wide and brilliant, and glints of light from his sword danced across his face and reflected in his eyes.
---
Outside, Tenpou said, briefly, "Go and congratulate Homura."
"You want me to --"
"I need time." And I don't have it. He glanced towards where Homura was being bowed to by a group of courtiers, still smiling that delighted private smile. The courtiers moved and eddied uncertainly, unsure of propriety, unsure of safety. "You won't be telling Litouten anything he doesn't already know by talking to him in public. But I need to try to arrange something before Litouten arranges a formal sendoff for him, and for that, I need time. Congratulate him, introduce him to people, be obvious."
"While you aren't?"
"Exactly. And -- try not to get arrested."
"Not this again. You're going to make me think you don't trust me, Marshal."
Tenpou's mouth twitched for a moment. "It's the men I'm thinking of. How are they supposed to get used to you being in command if you keep on being arrested?"
"Yeah." Kenren found a cigarette, brought it out, lit it.
Tenpou smelled the tobacco and sighed in envy. His next meeting wouldn't be made any easier if he smoked a cigarette beforehand, but his whole body lusted for nicotine. "You're a sadist, General."
"Believe it, Marshal."
---
Tenpou knew that Goujun would be heading for his office after the necessary civilities had been observed. He riffled and stacked candidates in his head as he walked, cutting and shuffling the mental card index of his mind. Not him. Can't get him. Won't have him. It had been an error to assume that the youkai were as subdued as rumour claimed.
Goujun had one hand on the door of his office as Tenpou turned into the corridor. He turned, cloak swaying out behind him, at Tenpou's steps. "Marshal," he said, flatly formal.
"Sir."
Goujun regarded him with those flat ruby eyes, face carved and set and polished into stillness. "My office, Marshal. I believe there is something that you wish to discuss."
"Sir." Tenpou followed, obscurely thankful that Goujun had begun the discussion. He closed the door behind him.
Goujun seated himself, interlacing his fingers carefully. His blunted claws glinted in the afternoon light. "Explain, Marshal."
Tenpou adjusted his glasses. "Sir. I would like to put forward a request as to the command of the squadron of troops attached to the new Toushin Taishi, which will shortly be assigned to earth duty, as witness the recent investiture."
Goujun blinked, a quick flicker of eyelids. He made no other motion. "I am not sure that is what I asked, Marshal."
"I wouldn't have thought you'd want to ask questions about my life as a private individual, sir." The words came out more easily than he had thought they would.
"Ah." Goujun watched him. The dragon eyes were distant, speculative, looking for prey. "And you feel that -- private matters -- are unrelated in this instance?"
"Well, that's an awkward question." Tenpou let himself shift position, casual, easy. "It would be inappropriate for myself, as a private individual, to bring matters before you that weren't connected with the army. Leaving aside any question of any sort of relationship to be presumed on . . ."
Goujun's eyes narrowed.
". . . it wasn't a question of the army. Sir." Tenpou let his smile drop. "What private individuals do in their own time, even if it's their rank that lets them back it, has nothing to do with the army and can't be held against the army. Or anyone else in the army. If the point gets pushed. Which it may."
"And that's how you're putting it?"
Kenren's rank stripped away, just like that, as though Litouten thought he had the rank and authority to order it. The army now under the Great Minister's control. "The army and bureaucracy seem very closely linked these days, sir," he said mildly. "It would be inappropriate of me to give them cause to be more so."
"Mnh." Goujun's face was dangerously quiet. A reaction would have been preferable, Tenpou thought, even anger. That at least would have been something which he could respond to. Once he had thought that he understood his superior officer quite well. Now he was quite sure that he understood his superior officer better than most of Heaven; unfortunately, he now knew how little that was. The dragon was a foreign language whose vocabulary he had only just begun to grasp. "Your position as Marshal is all that has made this recommendation possible. To suggest that you do so as a private individual is -- disingenuous."
There was a closeness between the four dragon brothers that Tenpou could not share, could only observe. Four statues cast in different shades of marble, snow, fire, rain, ocean; four bodies that moved with the same grace, four minds linked in a way which he could not understand. He had watched them and still he could not see. "You have the right to treat me as disingenuous, sir," he said flatly. "There is no reason why you should give the new Toushin Taishi any support in public. It would be -- anh. It is inappropriate for any toushin to be treated as the figurehead of a private faction. Or even a public one."
Goujun removed the weight of his gaze, looking down at the papers which were stacked in neat piles on the desk. He tapped one pared, blunted claw against the polished surface. "And given the toushin himself . . ."
There was a moment of silence. Tenpou finally said, "Yes, sir?" and hoped for clarification.
"Is there anything you wish to tell me, Marshal?"
And if I tell you, how much of it do you then become responsible for? That much about dragons he thought he understood. Older brothers have to take responsibility for younger ones, senior officers for junior officers, and the commander of an army for the actions of his Marshal. He let military stiffness close over him like a mask. "I have a suggestion to make, sir. That is all."
Goujun tilted his head curiously.
"Given that the Toushin Taishi Nataku is currently confined to bed due to his wounds, and given that a detachment of the army will be seconded to accompany the new toushin, it seems to me that Shien would be a good choice to command this section of the army. Nataku does not require his services at the moment, and Shien is known to be a reliable commander." Extremely reliable, with a clear record, and most of all, a name for staying out of politics. A fastidious man, and one who Litouten could not buy.
"Shien," Goujun said reflectively, looking up at Tenpou again. "You feel he would be a good choice?"
"An excellent one," Tenpou said firmly. "Nobody could dispute it."
"Would anybody try?"
Tenpou pushed his glasses up to the bridge of his nose. "It's a sensitive enough position that I feel it worth making a personal recommendation to you, sir. I'm sure that other people may feel strongly about it too."
"Mnh. Very well. I'll have the orders issued."
Tenpou blinked. He hadn't expected it to be quite that easy.
"Safer to have someone reliable on the spot. I agree." Goujun slid a piece of blank paper across, and began to draft the order. "Is there anything else, Marshal?"
Tenpou saluted. "No. Thank you, sir."
---
Homura was still enjoying the interest or nervousness of the courtiers. Kenren loitered nearby, eyes half closed in boredom as he leaned against the wall, cigarette dangling unattended between his fingers. He glanced across to Tenpou, and nodded once.
It's an interesting question, Tenpou considered as he approached the two. Do I tell Homura that Shien is trustworthy, and let him know there's someone he should be able to rely on? Or might Shien take that sort of attitude as an insult?
He knew what Kenren would advise. Tell the kid. Let him know he's not going to be alone down there. Kenren's voice, solid and reliable and generous.
And yet . . . part of Shien's strength, Shien's value to him in this, was that Shien was not biased in any direction, not even against Litouten. If he should tell Homura that Shien was an ally, then Homura might expect more than Shien would be prepared to give. Honour, certainly, duty, obedience, the proper balance and support between officer and toushin, that would surely be there -- but no more.
Tenpou's fingers found cigarette and lighter automatically as he walked across the room. Do, or do not.
"Everything under control?" Kenren asked quietly.
Tenpou nodded. "Anh. Sorry, Toushin Taishi. Didn't expect you to get sent anywhere so soon."
Homura blinked those mismatched eyes, and smiled at him. "Don't worry, Marshal. You warned me about the possible dangers, didn't you? I knew what I was doing when I agreed to take the position. And besides -- I have a sword now. I'm Toushin Taishi. Don't you think they're the ones who should be afraid?"
"Fear's a survival instinct," Tenpou said mildly.
Homura shrugged, still smiling that cheerful smile. "Why do you smoke those things?"
Tenpou took the cigarette out of his mouth and looked at it for a moment. "There's nothing like the first cigarette in the morning. After that, the rest are -- necessary."
"Mnh." Homura stretched, rolling his shoulders. "I suppose I should go and be doing things." His voice lingered on the words, somewhere between pride and delight. "I'll see you later, Marshal, General."
Kenren nodded, face oddly blank. "Later."
"Later," Tenpou repeated, and drew on his cigarette again.
Several minutes later, after the bow wave of Homura's passing had faded away, he asked, "What is it?"
Kenren shrugged. "The kid was . . . being a kid, I suppose. Enthusiastic."
"You're the one who told me that sometimes a man just wants to shoot something."
"Yeah. Well. He's a kid. Maybe it's that I'm not sure he understands what it means."
"Or?" Tenpou queried.
Kenren blew smoke. "Or maybe he does understand what it means."
---
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