Glossary: okaeri=Welcome, Shounetsujigoku=Hell, hyakuhei=evil, tasukete=help! hyoukyo=possessed/demon, iroona=whore, aikouka=lover, succuba=female demon that preys on men, kitani=unclean, nonstu=bewitch, anata=endearment from a wife to her husband
Standard Disclaimers Apply.
Chapter Seven
Lies and Secrets
The lipstick glowed a deep bloody red as it slid smoothly over the full sensuous lips of the woman sitting before the oval mirror. She carefully scrutinized the color of her lips, and then liberally applied a second coat of the glistening color.
Her eyes were large and round and the blue-green color of wild stormy seas. They were fringed by heavy thick dark brown lashes which she carefully covered with black mascara. This made the eye color an almost smokey blue in contrast to the new black background of the eyelashes. These enormous eyes were her most valuable attribute, and she had learned long ago how to used them to her best advantage. They had seduced Kings, Prime Ministers, Emperors, war hardened soldiers, the highest Nobility, and the lowest gutter slime. She had done whatever she had to in order to get what she wanted, and if it meant sleeping with fat sweaty Counts or slimy cabin boys, she had done it. It had taken her several years of planing and manipulating, but she had finally achieved what she wanted in order to get what she needed, and she had done it without any unwanted complications. Except... Her stormy eyes darkened to a grey-green as her mind wandered. Thinking about him always brought an unwanted pain to her heart. HE was the only mistake she had ever made, and he was also her only regret.
"Himura..." She allowed herself to whisper his name once, then mentally shook herself. There was not time to think about what could have been or might have been. Choices had to be made back then, and she had only one choice to make. So she had walked away and left him behind. Her head dropped and long dark brown hair fell over her slender shapely shoulders and into her lap. That had been so many years ago. A lifetime. They had been different people then, and now each had gone their own way.
She looked back into the pearl framed mirror, and thought about where his life had gone. A wondering ruroni forever haunted by his memories and hunted by his enemies. Everyone wanted to claim the blood of the Battousai, and he had never known a moments peace in the time they were together. There had always been someone to fight, or someone who needed his help. The chaos was never over for him. It went on and on.
The same shaft of pity she always felt in her heart when she thought about him pierced through it again as she wondered what had ever become of him. A deep sigh of regret lifted her chest and pressed her small round breasts against the thin silk of her chemise. If ever she had loved anyone, it would of had to have been Him. So brave, so kind, so strong, so tortured, so lost, so dangerous. But although he had won her heart, he had never been able to satisfy her needs.
"Himura..." She whispered again and met her own reflected gaze and noticing the touch of sadness lurking in their smokey depths, asked herself? "Are you dead, my love?"
"Elsbeth? You aren't dressed, Darling." General Katsura Anaki strolled into the elegantly furnished dressing room and observed his wife's state of undress. She sat on the powder blue velvet cushioned stool in front of her vanity still clad only in her hose, garters, satin bloomers, and camisole. "Our guests will be here any moment and you have not even finished with your make-up?" His stern handsome face looked at her in disapproval. "I know you are aware how important this banquet is to our future." Hooded deep brown eyes looked expectantly at her attractive pale back. "I will expect you to be downstairs on time. Is that quite clear, My Dear?"
Elsbeth Katsura smiled indulgently at her husband. He was several years older that she was,and his dark hair was already showing a touch of grey at the temples. She found that almost as irresistibly attractive as she found him, and stood up to move to his side. "Of course, Anata," she purred and tenderly stroked his temple with soft sensual movements. "I will be there. Unless you want to stay here and be fashionably late with me?" She suggestively fluttered those famous eyes at him and dropped her hand to his broad chest to tease the pearl buttons on his shirt front.
"Elsbeth..." He admonished her in a stern voice, even as a tolerant and loving smile crossed his usually stiff lips. "You really are incorrigible my love. How am I ever going to teach you proper diplomatic etiquette if you will not even try to learn?"
"I suppose you could beat it into me, koishii." A naughty half smile curled her beautiful mouth as a shrug of nonchalance lifted her attractive slim shoulders in a display of feline sensuality. Elsbeth felt a familiar vibration of energy pass through her husband, and a sense of satisfaction poured over her as his powerful arms lifted her up and carried her through an adjoining door to their bedroom. He tossed her onto the bed hard enough to make her bounce, and with a wicked laugh she opened her arms to him. It appeared they were going to be fashionably late after all.
The elegantly attired couple met their guests only a few short minutes past the hour, but their lateness went completely unnoticed. However, there were many comments and compliments on the beauty and vibrant life of the General's lovely wife whose presence appeared to brighten the entire banquet hall with just a smile.
The male population in the room were mesmerized by the ethereal quality of the dark haired European woman who floated through the crowd greeting and welcoming her husbands guests with practiced poise and grace. She was beauty, elegance, and desire woven together in one amazing woman, and she created a scene wherever she went with all of the men panting after her.
The female population followed her with eyes filled with distrust and venom and envy. It was unnatural for such a high government official to have a foreign wife, and a Spaniard at that, and as with all European's, it seemed there were a great number of sordid stories and tales that had followed this particular woman from Spain to Japan. Although, not one shred of proof had ever been found to substantiate any of the accusations that had been brought up against her, she remained a sourse of enigmatic mystery within the female and male political-social population. She also remained one of the most sought after Hostesses in the Japanese High Archy, both for her graciousness as well as her unnatural beauty.
She had married General Katsura Anaki seven years ago, and his status in the social circle of Japan's wealthy and powerful had been elevated dramatically. Three years ago, Lady Elsbeth had been asked by the European Spanish Embassy to become one of their Foreign Attache's in Japan. It seemed to their logical minds that she would be perfect considering who her husband was, and the particular political and social circles she was becoming privy too. It had become a very satisfying relationship for both parties. Lady Elsbeth made bi-weekly reports on Japan's political status, and delivered messages to her husband from his counterparts at the Embassy, and for that, she was given free run of the entire country without any restrictions.
She could come and go as she pleased. The General made certain that her bank account was always well padded so could do what ever she wished. He loved her so dearly he was willing to give her almost anything she wanted, and Elsbeth loved to travel the country. So, he let her roam the landscape once or twice a month with four body guards and some personal staff. She always came back happy and filled with an unearthly amount of energy that she willingly spent off in his bed.
Anaki had never known a woman like Embeth. She had a hunger for sex and the sensual pleasures of the flesh that had left him in awe of her and aching for more from the first time he had held the heat of her in his arms. The thought that she could be sleeping with other men while out trekking across Japan's countryside had never crossed his mind because despite some of her more exotic tastes, Anaki was more than willing to fulfill every desire, need, and craving she had.
Lady ELSbeth Katsura was insatiable in her hunger for pleasures of the flesh, and Katsura Anaki was the only man she had ever been in bed with who was able to truly satisfy her monstrous needs. She did not love him the way a woman was supposed to love her husband, but she could not live without him either. Only he seemed to understand the raging lusts that drove her to do what she did when he took her in his arms and ravished her body, or when she seduced him into taking her with a voilence that would have left a lessor woman unconscious or dead.
A natural sadism and cruelty existed in him left over from his many years as a Samurai and his service as an officer in the Bakumatsa, and once he knew her preferences, he had few qualms giving her what she wanted.
Elsbeth knew no restraints, no inhibitions or taboos, and his powerfully muscled body was her only means of release. And Anaki willingly let her use him as often as she wanted.
"Okaeri," Lady Katsura wove her way through her husbands guests making certain each of them was personally welcomed to their home. "Okaeri, We are so pleased you could come this evening. My, what a beautiful Kimono, Honia-san. Did you buy it in Aizu while you and Minister Honia were visiting there last month?" Elsbeth was smiling and complimenting gowns, kimono's and hairstyles; she queried after health and family members, she offered drinks and piece meats. In short, she plied her wide ranged seduction and manipulation skills on her husbands guests and lulled them into a state of suggestable relaxation.
Thus the evening started, and looked as if it would pass in a blur of wine and warm conversation that would hopefully lead to some much needed network negotiations. Anaki was looking into increasing the spread and size of his political associations throughout the North and Mountain up-country around Aizu and the many surrounding towns and villages. He felt that establishing a stronger governmental presence in the poorer and more cut off areas of the country would help bring about a more unified Japan. It would also provide the opportunity to bring in a better Police force as well, and by doing both of these things, he was certain the stability of the country would be improved with in the next five to seven years. Of course, it would also establish the main trade route farther inland, and this could be most beneficial to him as well.
However, he could not implement his ideas without the cooperation from these eight men sitting around his banquet table.
"My friends, my friends.." His deep voice rose above the din of multiple conversations in an attempt to gain everyone's attention as he stood up from his chair at the head of the long table. "I am sure you are all wondering by now why I have asked you here to my humble home tonight." A round of indulgent laughter followed his self mocking comment and he smiled waiting for the noise to die down before he continued. "First of all, let me say Welcome and be comfortable. If you require more wine, more food, or anything, please just signal my staff, and they will assist you promptly." He bowed respectfully to his guests, and waited while several wine glasses were filled and plates were removed.
As the activity around the table died down, Anaki's face and voice became very serious. "I have asked you here to propose a very risky idea to you." Surprise and apprehension covered many of the faces up and down the table as questions began to circulate. "Listen to me first, please, before you be come alarmed. Please hear me out, and then judge my idea." He waited patiently for a response. There were many disapproving looks, but no one declined to listen to him, so he continued, carefully choosing his words.
"All of you are from the Northlands and up country. Some of you have come as far away as the base of the Taki Mountains to be here tonight, and I thank you." He bowed respectfully again. "Each of you hold a position of importance whether it be a Daimyo, a governing Minister, a commissioned military officer, or a member of the functioning governmental Police. All of you are important men with a great amount of influence and power at his disposal, and that makes each of you potentially very useful to me and my new plan."
Anaki allowed his words to sink in while he watch a plethora of emotions play across the faces of the men setting around the table. He could see each of them weighing the small piece of information in his minds as he decided whether or not to stay and listen to the rest of the General's proposal.
After several long minutes, not one man had left the table, but each turned to his wife and asked her to step into the other room so that important business could be discussed. Anaki watched closely as each of the women left before he motioned for one of his maid servants to attend to them.
Elsbeth stayed. Her cool grey-green eyes surveying the men closely and taking in every detail of their responses and their hidden feelings. She was Anaki's spider-spy. Setting to his left in a large padded oaken chair, she would watch, she would listen, and she would discover each and everyone their weaknesses. It was one of her special gifts, and Anaki had learned over the years to use it to his best advantage.
The men around the table exchanged bewildered glances when it appeared the Lady Katsura was not leaving with the rest of the women. There were few men who allowed their wives to be privy to their private conversations, but this was outrageous.
Once the huge oak doors were closed, Anaki took his usual stance of authority when he assumed his role as acting General of the Governmental Armed Forces.
"I thank you, Gentlemen, for your interest and your patience. I ask your indulgence in allowing the presence of my wife, Elsbeth. She is one of the highest ranking Attache's at the Spanish Embassy, and it is tantamount to my cause she be permitted to observe our meeting. Now if I may continue, please allow me to enlighten you as to my ideas about the North country."
Over the next four hours, Anaki systematically explained his ideas, plans, and goals for the unification of the Northlands to the eight men setting at his table. Many questions were asked concerning the benefits of the people, and how they would be affected by these drastic changes. Other questions concerning whether or not trade and supply lines would be affected, if the demand of food supplies (especially their much needed and difficult to grow rice) would be damaged by the influx of emigrants and government personell.
"I assure you, Minister Honia. The food problem would be one of the first to be addressed. I have already considered that by increasing the population on an already food poor countryside, I would need to have a way to not only supplement the stores, but I would also need to provide an ongoing production line and distribution process to maintain the increased number of people."
"And do you have a plan, General? Or is that still just another one of your ideas?"
"I have already established negotiations with Spanish traders to make an agreement on buying as much rice and wheat as I need every three months."
"Impressive, except one thing." The Minister's voice was derisive and chiding. "How do you intend to pay for so much product as it will take to feed the thousands you are talking about? Who do you intend to tax for the yen to buy your precious wheat and rice? The people you are intending to feed?" The old man snorted with irony. "I do not think that would be a viable option. Tax the poor to feed their bellies. Where will they find the yen to pay your tax when they barely sell enough fish and vegetables now to keep clothes on their backs, and a roof over their heads? I do not see your great plan being so great for the unfortunate you think you are helping."
Struggling to hold his temper, Anaki had to clench his teeth when he answered the Minister. "You misunderstand, Honia-san. I have no intention what so ever of taxing the people to buy my wheat and rice. That was never my plan."
"Really?" Eyebrows white with age rose questioningly. "Then what is?" Every face in the room turned to look at him in intense expectation. His would be comrade in arms were waiting for an answer.
"It is something that you really shouldn't be concerned with. Suffice it to say that I have a source of income that will more than cover the cost of the product, and the existing trade routes can be easily used to implement the distribution across the up country."
"Are you trying to say that you are purchasing the product with illegal monies, General?" The voice of Miko Ishida, the Captain of the Police force in Aiza rose above the other mens to reach Anaki's ears. "Is that why we should not be concerned? Or do you have some extremely generous benefactor who is willing to spend millions of yen on what would basically have to be considered a charity donation?" The young Policeman's voice was harsh and sharp with intelligence.
Anaki's dark eyes met those of the fierce young officer setting near the far end of the table. 'Hmmmm....' He thought with wary instinct. 'I need to watch this one. He is cleverer than most.'
"Officer Miko. I almost feel insulted that you would even suggest I would have illegal dealings in order to procure my finances for this venture. Surely my reputation speaks higher of me than that." He allowed a note of superiority and offense to creep into his voice as he spoke to the younger man.
"Of course, General Katsura. Forgive my insinuation. However, you must admit, your answer does lead one to think in that direction." Officer Miko inclined his head in apology.
"Perhaps, Officer Miko, but my honor should put me above those suspicions. Do you not agree?"
"Yes Sir. I beg your pardon, Sir." Miko apologized again, but inside his heart and his sharp logical mind, he knew the General was lying. He was lying in order to cover up something. Miko vowed to himself that he would keep a watchful eye on this stuffy General, and when he made a mistake, Miko would be there to see it.
Conversations moved on now that the food production and distribution problem had been primarily addressed to the satisfaction of the other men presant. And all the while, Elsbeth sat to the left of her husband in silence. Watching.
She watched the play of emotions among the men, the struggle for show of strength and superiority, and she watched her husband wield his power like he wielded his katana. Smooth, graceful, and with the confidence and ease of long years of practice and training. He was magnificent as he skillfully manipulated the eight powerful men into seeing that his plan was not only meant for the benefit of the people in the Northlands, but for the greater good of all of Japan.
By the end of the night, six of the eight were in full agreement with him and willing to enter into a binding contract that would make their power and influences Anaki's to use as he wished. The other two, Miko Ishida, the Police Captain from Aiza, and Minister Honia of Tama. Both men were unwilling to extend their assistance to the outlandish plan. Each had his own reasons, but there were two they had in common. Neither of them believed or trusted General Anaki Katsura, and both had a very uncomfortable feeling about the General's wife. The Lady Elsbeth Katsura.
They had watched her watch all of them through out the entire meeting, and there was a strangeness about her that could not be explained or described. Perhaps it was her eyes, which seemed to glitter with white lights and dancing silver flames though there was not a source of light in the room that could cause such a phenomena. Or maybe it was the way she sat so still and unmoving for the full length of the meeting as if she were nothing more than a beautifully dressed life sized porcelain doll.
In their hearts, neither man could discern what affected him so oddly about her, but whatever it was, it felt undeniably... hyakuhei. It felt Evil.
******************
"Hello, Captain Miko..." The smooth feminine voice purred from the shadows of the stable, startling the tall dark officer. "Or may I call you.... Ishida." She flowed from the darkness like shimmering green water and ocean mist. The deep green over dress of her gown had been removed leaving only the grey satin underskirt, and the snug fitting pale green corset which was pushing her breasts upward to the point of over flowing. Her long dark hair was unbound and it hung well below her small waist in a cascading mass of tangled ringlets, but it was her eyes that captured him. It was those horrible, evil eyes that seemed to reach out from their smokey gray-green fathoms with icy arms and wrapped themselves around his body.
"You are leaving already?" Beautiful blood colored lips formed a pretty pout. "I had hoped you might decide to spend the night along with the others. The General and I have plenty of empty rooms, so it would not be an imposition... if that is what you are worried about."
Ishida could hear all the warning alarms screaming in his head telling him to keep saddling his horse and get the hell out of there and away from this woman, but he just could not seem to make his body respond to what his mind was urging him to do. All he could do was watch as she closed the distance between them, moving with all the grace and sensuality of a cat stalking an injured bird.
"Would you not rather stay... Ishida?" A pale fragile looking hand reached up and cupped the hard line of his jaw then rose to stroke his forehead and cheek. "Would you not rather stay here... with me tonight?" Her eyes glittered like a thousand diamonds in the growing darkness of the stable, and their pupils seemed to be getting larger and larger until the grey-green of the irises was nearly obscured.
The feel of her soft warm body pressed against his chest, and her other hand rose to slide behind his neck pulling him down to her. "Stay with me, Ishida." Her voice had taken on a rich husky quality, and he shivered violently as gooseflesh spread lightening fast across his body. "Stay..." Her mouth was only a hairs breadth away from his, and he could feel the moist heat of her breath on his chin. Hands that no longer seemed to belong to him rose from his sides and pulled her roughly against him crushing her with their fierce strength.
"Yyeesss...." It was a moan of pure hunger as the hand behind his neck tightened and urged him toward her waiting lips. "Ishida... kiss me... " Her eyes closed and she waited for the heated ravishment she knew would come. But...
Suddenly she was thrown away from him with concentrated and violent force. As she stumbled and fell to her knees in the dirt, she heard a strained but furious voice lash out at her.
"Get off of me, Bitch!" Her huge round eyes were filled with shocked incredulity. No man had ever been able to resist her once she set out on a seduction hunt, but Miko Ishida was standing before her doing far more than resist. Although his breathing was ragged with the effort he was exerting to control himself, he had broken himself free of her and her spell completely. His eyes were raging, his handsome face contorted into a fearsome snarl of primitive fury, and Elsbeth realized that it was completely possible for him to kill her at that moment, so she changed tactics.
"Oh no, please, please don't hurt me...." She filled her eyes with tears and produced a cascade of pitiful sobs. "I did not mean to offend or upset you. I- I just thought when I saw you watching me earlier that you wanted... that you were implying... oh dear, I've made a mess of things haven't I." Carefully covering her face so she could still see through her fingers, she continued to watch Miko's responses and tried to gauge his next move. She knew he was a man of profound honor, and she was fairly certain he would respond to her woman's tears and frailties like the gentleman he was. She was wrong.
"Don't try to confuse me with your false tears, woman." He advanced on her threateningly and jerked her up off the ground by her elbow. "I don't know what kind of game you think you are playing with me, but I am not playing." His enraged gaze burned into her shocked face. "I am not someone you can seduce so you can blackmail me later into assisting the General. UNDERSTAND?!" A snarling wolf could not have filled her with more fear than Miko Ishida did at that moment, and she found herself nodding in panicked silence even as he walked her towards the door of the stable. "Good, I am glad you do. Now, get the fuck away from me!"
He shoved her out into the night watching as she stumbled and fell again. Her face was pale as the full moon when she looked back at him, and Ishida felt a deep tremor of apprehension flicker through his heart. Once more his eyes met hers. "If you ever come near me again, Lady Elsbeth, I swear to God I will kill you."
When he rode his horse out of the stable, she was still kneeling on the ground where she had fallen. He reined his horse to a halt several yards away and considered her small slim form for a moment, but as his eyes watched her, he saw something happen that would change his life forever.
Her head was bent down low to the ground, and she leaned heavily on her hands as if she were suffering from a tremendous exhaustion. Then, in one fluid movement, she whipped her head upward sending her mass of hair sailing over her head in a wild curtain of dark living silk. Before
Ishida realized it, her eyes were locked with his, but what he looked into were not eyes. What had once been oddly shimering silver pools, were now glowing orbs of red hot flame burning in her face.
He was frozen, he was caught, trapped by a force he could not identify. It felt as if a massive hand of tremendous power gripped him and held him to the place he and his horse stood. "Oh Kami... help..."
Elsbeth climbed to her feet and stood watching his fear mount with a look of amusement on her face. "You think to threaten me, Ishida?" Her voice was strange. It sounded almost hollow; like an echo upon itself. "I think you do not understand the dangerous forces you tamper with." She advanced three steps towards him and raised her left hand. "Listen to me you pitiful man," and as she spoke, the nails on the hand began to grow and lengthen until their curved shape and razor tips resembled an eagles talons. "Beware the creatures of the night." She hissed. Beware those who walk unseen over the land and devour the souls of the living, for from this night forward, they search for you." A horrible laugh rose from her slim fragile throat and the night was filled with the frozen promises of death and doom. "They will search and come for you, Miko Ishida. They will hunt you like a wolf hunts a wounded deer. The very smell of the blood that runs through your veins will lead them to you, and you will die... a feast for the undying." She approached him and the pale light of the moon finally illuminated her features, and Ishida saw the thing that spoke the curse upon his head.
And he screamed.
Miko Ishida was found six days later wandering aimlessly through the forests on his horse. He was delirious and suffering from exposure when he was rushed to the hospital in Toma for immediate attention. Word was sent to Aiza to the Police force there that their young Captain had been found, but he was in grave condition. His faithful Sargent, and younger brother, Thian came as quickly as he could after hearing the news. They had almost given the Captain up for dead when he did not return from Enshi after so many days gone missing, and Thian was being pressed to take his place though he did not have the heart for it. Now it seemed the Captain had been found alive, and Thian had many questions to ask him. Many, many questions.
Ishida felt as though he were trying to climb out of a deep, deep cavern filled with thick heavy darkness that he could almost touch with his hands. He knew he was far away from where he was supposed to be, and it was very important that he get back, but he could not remember why. A memory lay dormant in his frozen mind. A terrible memory. A memory his mind screamed in terror over being forced to locate and acknowledge. It was black and evil. It promised death; his death. It was better for him to stay away from it, but he knew somehow he had to bring it back. There was a very important reason he had to remember. What was it? What was the reason he had to remember? What... Thian! He had to tell Thian! Thian had to know about.... about... OH GOD!! THIAN!!!!
"Ishida??" Thian placed his hand over his brothers heart and felt the comforting sensation of its beating rhythm. "Ishida, wake up my brother. I need to know where you've been. I need to know what happened to you." Thian sat down in a chair next to the bed watching Ishida with worried brown eyes. The doctors had informed him of his brothers condition, which was serious but treatable, but they had also told him something very strange and disturbing. There was a mark on the back of Ishida's neck that had them puzzled. It appeared to be a burn of some sort, but they would not be able to make out what it was of until it healed and the scab fell off. However, they were all in agreement that it appeared to have been made with some sort of instrument or brand. Ishida had been branded, or marked.
"Marked for what?" Thian had asked himself a hundred times since hearing the report. "And by whom?" Looking at his brothers thin face, he offered a prayer to Kami asking that Ishida wake up soon. "Come back, brother."
It was close to three o'clock in the morning and Thian had long since fallen asleep in the chair next to his brother. The window was open and a soft cool breeze was blowing through gently fluttering the gauzy white curtains. No sounds existed in the room. All was quiet and at peace. No terrors stalked the night while Thian was near.
As long as Thian stayed close, Ishida was safe. Just as while in the forests, as long as Ishida remained awake, he was safe. After four days without sleep, he had become delusional and began hallucinating. That was when he became lost in the forests, and that was when he had locked himself away in his mind.
He had seen what hunted him while in his altered state of mind. The half rotted corpses, their mouths filled with bloody daggers for teeth relentlessly following him. Everywhere he looked they were there, pulling themselves through the trees, clumsily climbing over the short brush and rocks, wading across streams. Nothing stopped them. They just kept coming, and all the while he could hear them saying over and over, "Ishida... Hungry... Ishida.... Hungry... Ishida... Hungry... Ishida... " until they had nearly driven him insane with constant repetition of the two words. They would start to bounce around in his brain like bullets until he could hear nothing else, then he would scream and scream and scream.
Instinctively he knew as long as he stayed awake they could not touch him. As long as he remained conscious he was beyond the reach of their rotting hands and gnashing teeth, and so he had fought them with the only weapon he had against them. His will to live.
Now he was away from them, and Thian was here. "I can feel you, Thian." His heart wept as the presence of his brothers ki soothed his tortured soul. "Please, do not leave me alone... please, Thian."
The Sun rose and cast a clear gold light into the sick room illuminating the two figures. One was slumped over uncomfortably in a chair, the other lay supine in the bed covered with a blanket. A faintly warm breeze wafted through the window and lifted the curtains as it entered the room. A feeling of peace came with it, and it seemed to say "Wake up," to both of the men in the room. "It is time." Then it left and the curtains settled back to their original place as if they had never moved at all.
"Thian."
Thian was having a dream. It was the dream he always had about Ishida and himself when they were little boys playing in the river that ran through their village. It was always a pleasant dream because they were always happy, but this time the dream was different.
He was watching Ishida splashing in the murky green water and throwing stones as he always did, but then suddenly he was being dragged down under by an unseen attacker. Thian heard his high pitched screams of terror and ran as fast as he could through the knee deep water to help his brother. "Thian!" Ishida's voice screamed again and again inside his head as he watched his brother being pulled down stream by something black in the water. "Tasukete! Help me!" The blackness rose up out of the water and covered Ishida like a shiny blanket, and he disappeared under the murky green surface one more time. Thian kept running as feelings of desperation and terror seized him pushing him forward with increased strength and speed, but his brother was being dragged farther and farther away from him despite his efforts.
Then all at once, Ishida's head and upper torso shot out of the water only a few yards away from Thian. Something black and shiny as the tar pits with dozens of tentacles was wrapping itself around his body. His arms and legs were being bound within coils upon coils of this black water demon that held him prisoner.
Thian sprang toward his terrified brother as one of the tentacles began to wrap around his forehead, but he was not fast enough. Ishida was being pulled under the water again probably for the last time. "Tasukete! Tasukete!" he screamed, his dark eyes bulging in terror, and then he was gone. "ISHIDA!! "Thian cried out and jerked himself awake, sweat running down his temples and forehead.
"Kuso!" he swore under his breath as trembling hands covered his face and wiped the sweat away. "What the hell is going on?"
"Thian." The voice was so soft and low Thian was not sure he had even heard it. His hands lowered, and he looked around the room in leery suspicion, but found nothing. He decided it was nothing more than echoes left from his nightmare and stood up moving to the open window.
"Thian." He whirled around, eyes wide in fear and alarm. It had been much louder this time, and he was sure he had heard it. Thian's heart thundered in his chest as his eyes darted around the room again, looking. "What am I looking for?" he breathed in a low cautious whisper. "Ghosts, demons, phantoms? What's the matter with me?" Giving himself a hard mental shake, he walked back to the bed. "I have to go, Ishida." His voice was filled with resignation as he gazed at his brothers still unconscious face. "But I will be back very soon. Be well, and may the Angels watch over you." Leaning down, he tenderly kissed Ishida's forehead and then turned to leave.
"Nooooo...." The word was but the faintest rubbing of tongue against teeth, but it was clear and distinct. Thian was staring down into his brothers face in an instant, his eyes wide and searching.
"Ishida...?" He watched closely for signs of any response. "Can you hear me? Did you call my name? Did you just keep me from leaving? Ishida?"
Eyes too long shut began to roll beneath the thin frail flesh of pail eyelids as they struggled to open. A mind long without rational thought struggled to form words with body and meaning, and a mouth that had long since ceased to speak parted and simple sound was born.
"Thian."
Miko Thian, Sargent of the Azia Police force, and younger twin brother to Miko Ishida burst into tears as he listened to his brother speak his name for the first time in nearly four days. He buried his head in the bedding next to Ishida's shoulder and cried. He cried in joy, he cried in sorrow, and he cried in fear. Now he would find out if his brother could tell him what had happened to him in the mountains for the week he had been lost, or he would find out if his brother had gone insane.
A gentle hand touched Thian's head, and when he looked up, he saw Ishida's eyes were open and looking back at him. They were clear and rational, but a haunted look of fear Thian had never seen before lurked deep in their dark brown depths. He had been right after all. Something terrible HAD happened to Ishida. He had not just gotten lost and exposed to the elements as everyone was trying to believe. Something had happened to him. Something that had changed him. He was no longer the fierce determined police officer who had lead their unit with such dignity and honor for the last five years. He seemed somehow... diminished.
"Ishida! You are awake, my brother." Thian's smile was pure joy as he gazed into his brothers face. "I have been so worried, and so afraid. I was afraid you were never going to wake up."
"Forgive me, Thian." The words were slow and raspy, but they were coming. "Have I been gone a long time?" Anxious eyes met and searched worried ones. "Am I away from Enshi?"
Thian was startled by the last question. It was asked with such a feeling of panic that he could sense the pure terror within Ishida's ki. "You are in Toma. You are in the Hospital there. When you were found, you were very sick from exposure and near death. You were brought here to be taken care of." He watched as Ishida visibly relaxed and felt his panic subside. "You wentmissing for almost one full week, and you have been here unconscious for four days. I was beginning to wonder if you were ever going to wake up."
Ishida shivered as the reason for his struggle to wake up came back to him. Fear and the burden of too much knowledge sent a rush of gooseflesh across his body as every hair stood on end screaming out in the bodies age old primitive alarm system. "No! Do not remember! We cannot go there! Please do not make us go there!" His mind, heart, and soul were screaming and sobbing in his head like terrified children, but his rational mind knew it could not be helped. It had to be done. He could not bare this burden alone. Someone else had to know. If anything happened to him, someone else had to be in possession of the truth so she could be stopped. She had to be stopped. Somehow, she had to be stopped.
"Listen to me, Thian. Please, you must listen to me and believe, my brother. The world is becoming a dark and dangerous place where evil runs free across the land pillaging and devouring the souls of the living." Ishida's eyes were wide with the intensity of his conviction. "You have to hear what I need to tell you before it is too late"
"Too late?" Thian pulled back from his brother's sudden show of mania. "What are you talking about? Too late for what? Ishida, you are scaring me."
"Scaring you? You do not know what it means to be scared, Thian. You do not know what it means to be in mortal fear for your life from those that are not dead yet do not live. That is Fear, my brother. That is true Fear."
"What the hell are you talking about? Zombies? Ghosts? You are starting to sound crazy, do you know that. You are starting to sound like you really went insane out there." Thian grabbed the chair and pulled it up next to the bed and grabbed his brothers hand. "Now tell me what the fuck is going on, and tell me the truth. The real truth, Ishida. Not this cockamamie bullshit. Tell me what the hell is going on, and why you're so damned afraid. I've never seen you afraid a day in your life." His voice rose in anxiety revealing his own level of distress. "Tell me what you meant by it almost being too late to tell me. Too late for what? What's it almost too late for, Ishida? What??!"
"Me." Was the whispered terror filled reply that sent Thian's mind reeling into confusion, and desperation. Ishida's eyes were once again clear and rational, and he was deathly calm. There was no mistaking the look of sanity and truth on his face, and his spirit-ki was emanating a feeling of pure truth. Thian could do nothing else but believe him.
"Dear God, Ishida. What's happening out there? What did you see?"
"Shounetsujigoku." Despair filled brown eyes met and held the gaze of anxious and confused eyes of the exact same shape and color. "I saw Hell, Thian, and now I am damned for I have looked into the eyes of the Devil's whore, and she has spat out a curse of such evil upon my head that I may not live to see the light of many more days."
"I cannot accept this. I cannot. The Hyoukyo are only legend. There has never been any proof found that their cult existed. There is another explanation, there must be."
"There is not another explanation. The Hyoukyo do exist, and they are building a community somewhere within the Taki Mountains. The living dead roam the forests and will devour any unfortunate traveler who dares stop and camp. They have only to fall asleep to become the prey of the Zombie Horde. I know." His eyes took on a faraway look as he stared at nothing. "I have seen them."
"Ishida... how...?" Thian was agast at his brothers admission.
"They hunt me now. They search for me. They can smell my blood as if it were the scent of steaming raw meat, and they are ravenous for it." A shudder passed violently through his body. "She did that to me. She sent them after me. She made it so they smell only my blood, and they will not stop until they have devoured every last morsal of my body. Then, when they are finished, and every drop of blood has been cleaned away, they will take my screaming soul to her and she will consume its energy and I will become part of her powers. It is only a matter of time."
"Who did this? Who is 'she', Ishida? Who is this woman you speak of who has control over the Horde... and over you? Who is she?"
Hoarse laughter scratched it's way out of Ishida's dry throat, and a single tear traced its way down his cheek. "No one will ever believe me." he replied in a broken whisper. "Not even you."
"Yes I will. I will believe you. Tell me." Thian was urgent.
"She is a witch, Thian. A succuba perhaps, but one thing is certain. She is the Devil's Iroona, his Aikouka."
"Lover?? The Devil's lover??" Shock and horror colored Thian's voice as he processed the information his brother was telling him. A witch living somewhere in the reasonably close vicinity was casting evil spells, conjuring and controlling a large zombie horde, and she was also the Devil's lover. Thian buried his face in his hands trying to get control of his whirling confused mind.
"What is her name, Ishida? You know her name, don't you."
"You will never believe me, Thian. No one would ever believe it. It's just too impossible."
"Dammit! Just tell me her fucking name already, and stop playing around with me, all right. Just tell me and I will decide if I believe you or not. Deal?" He met his brothers eyes in frustrated
irritation. It had been a long morning.
"All right, little brother. Deal. But remember, you are the one who asked, not me. OK?"
"OK. Just get it over with will you. I am getting the worst headache I think I have had in my whole life." A deep breath filled his chest then came out in a 'whoosh' as he attempted to settle his nerves. "Come on. Let's hear it."
"The Lady Elsbeth Katsura." came the nearly inaudible reply, and Thian was stunned. He could feel his hands and feet going numb as a sense of extreme shock over came him. "Lady Katsura...?" he could hardly say the name himself it was so preposterous a notion to try and digest. All he could do was set in his chair and blink his eyes trying to maintain focus as his vision kept trying to blur. He had met General Katsura and his Lady Wife a few years earlier, and his mind was emphatically denying the possibility of what his brother was insinuating.
"It cannot be." He seemed to be speaking to the floor. "It simply cannot be. She is such a fragile and beautiful woman. I can't... How can this be true? Ishida?" His eyes bore into his brothers resigned and blank face. "How?"
"She is full-blooded Spanish directly from Spain. There were rumors years ago that she had fled Spain to avoid an Inquisition after being accused of being a Witch, but nothing was ever proven so the matter was ignored, and no investigation was ever done here in Japan. Then after she married the General, everything seemed to be totally forgotten as she became a favorite in the higher social circles." Ishida closed his eyes recalling a report he had seen on the Lady Katsura years ago when he was only a street officer. "I remember when she was appointed Attache' at the Spanish Embassy. There was such a raucous in the department because the Captain had been secretly watching her activities for several months, and had a prepared statement for the Chief Secretary concerning something he had discovered. But the report disappeared, and the Captain was dead before the year was out."
"Dead?"
"Yes. I think now they must have killed him because he found something out about her. Something she could not afford to have anyone know. He was found at the foot of some very steep stairs in his home with his neck broken. It was always presumed he had fallen, but now I am not so sure. He'd walked those stairs a thousand times over the years, even in the dead of night without one mishap. Why should he suddenly fall, in the middle of the day?" Ishida's eyes turned to the open window where he stopped to gaze at the trees in the courtyard outside his room.
"You think he was pushed now, don't you?"
"Yes, I do."
"You know there's no proof to what you're saying."
"I know. There never is any proof. That is the beauty of it, Thian. No proof, no clues, no links. Just a nice clean accident and all the loose ends are neatly tied up. Think about it. With the file gone, and the Captain dead there was no possible way any of the information he had uncovered would ever reach the Chief Secretary. Or anyone else for that matter because it had been the Captain's own private investigation."
Thian reared back as a state of stunned understanding sliced through his brain. "Kuso," He swore as everything actually started to make sense. The whole, entire, bizarre load of it. He groaned and covered his face with his hands. "Do you know what something like this could do? I mean, really do?"
"It could destroy the new alliance and trade agreement with Spain... Fucking bastard!!!" Ishida sat up in bed and slammed his fist into his other hand with murderous force. "That's how he's going to do it. That's his 'unlimited supply'. That filthy bastard. He has his own trade agreement with the Spanish and I will bet they aren't your regular merchants either." He snarled and threw his water pitcher across the room. "Damn you, Katsura. Damn you to Hell, you and that fucking succuba your married to. I hope you scream while you burn!"
"What are you yelling about? Ishida??" Thian tried unsuccessfully to get his brother to lay back down on the bed. "Calm down before you send yourself into seizures or something, dammit. What 'trade agreement' are you talking about? Why would General Katsura have his own trade agreement with the Spanish? Now you're really not making sense."
"The meeting... that damned fucking meeting I went to at his house. It was all about how he wants to improve the Northlands and up countries by increasing the amount of political and governmental presence we have here. He wants to unify the towns and villages and make the North into something like its own little country, but the problem we were all concerned about was the increase food demand and how it would be procured and paid for." He was breathing heavily as if he had run hard and fast. "He just assured us that he had access to monies to buy the needed wheat and rice, and he was negotiating a contract with Spanish traders to obtain the product in as large a quantities as he required within set time periods not to exceed two months."
"All right, it sounds plausible. I still don't understand your point."
"He said he would not tax the people for the yen to buy the product, but he would not disclose his source of income for the purchases either. There can be only one way he can come up with that much product to sustain a growing population of that size in that short of a period of time. And there is only one way he can pay for it."
Thian was struggling to keep up. "OK, OK. But I'm still not following you."
"Baka." Ishida smacked his brother in the back of the head. "Idiot, if you had to come up with a lot of money fast, how would you do it? Use your brain for once, Thian. Quit expecting the answer to jump out and bite you in the balls. Work it out."
"Kuso, Opium trading. He's smuggling opium, and planning to trade it for the wheat and rice. Isn't he?" Huge brown eyes filled with stunned disbelief met the hard glare of Ishida's gaze.
"Yes. But where is he going to get the wheat and rice? Think about it."
"The trade agreement..."
"That's right. He's going to steal it before it ever gets here."
"But won't he destroy the trade agreement by doing that? Why would he do that? That would hurt him as well as Japan?"
"I am thinking only for a little while. Who is his Wife, Thian? But, more importantly, WHAT is she?"
"The Spanish Attache'to Japan."
"That's right. Now wouldn't it be interesting if General Katsura and his beautiful wife appeared just in time to save the tragically failing trade agreement, AND the threat of the dissolution of the peace alliance? Are you with me yet?"
"Yes, I think I am with you. Holy shit!" Now everything was really starting to make sense, and Thian felt sick to his stomach. "Wait a minute, after they do all of this and they save everything and everybody, what do they get out of it? What benefit do they get?" He cast a confused glance at Ishida.
"The Chief Secretary is an old man. There are rumors he has developed a condition of the heart, and is liable to die anytime. There has to be someone there who is qualified to take his place, doesn't there? And who better than the Savior of the Spanish Alliance and Trade Agreement?"
"Oh My God, he's after the whole country, and if what you say about Lady Katsura is true, then... Kami-sama save us all. Not one soul of us would be safe." Thian's voice broke on a whisper and he buried his face in his hands and bent over in despair.
"Yes, Thian. Not a single soul of the living would be safe, and I do not know a man alive who is strong enough to face her... And kill her." He grasp a handful of his brothers hair and gripped it hard trying to help him cope with the unthinkable. "If she were not at his side, the General would not have the power to accomplish such a humangous goal. She is the force that drives him. Her power and kitani magic have bewitched him, and he is under her control. The things he does now, he does according to her will, not his own. He is her slave, her willing Deacon. He is nonstsu. She has bewitched him. If she does not die, we are all dead men."
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Chapter Seven
Lies and Secrets
The lipstick glowed a deep bloody red as it slid smoothly over the full sensuous lips of the woman sitting before the oval mirror. She carefully scrutinized the color of her lips, and then liberally applied a second coat of the glistening color.
Her eyes were large and round and the blue-green color of wild stormy seas. They were fringed by heavy thick dark brown lashes which she carefully covered with black mascara. This made the eye color an almost smokey blue in contrast to the new black background of the eyelashes. These enormous eyes were her most valuable attribute, and she had learned long ago how to used them to her best advantage. They had seduced Kings, Prime Ministers, Emperors, war hardened soldiers, the highest Nobility, and the lowest gutter slime. She had done whatever she had to in order to get what she wanted, and if it meant sleeping with fat sweaty Counts or slimy cabin boys, she had done it. It had taken her several years of planing and manipulating, but she had finally achieved what she wanted in order to get what she needed, and she had done it without any unwanted complications. Except... Her stormy eyes darkened to a grey-green as her mind wandered. Thinking about him always brought an unwanted pain to her heart. HE was the only mistake she had ever made, and he was also her only regret.
"Himura..." She allowed herself to whisper his name once, then mentally shook herself. There was not time to think about what could have been or might have been. Choices had to be made back then, and she had only one choice to make. So she had walked away and left him behind. Her head dropped and long dark brown hair fell over her slender shapely shoulders and into her lap. That had been so many years ago. A lifetime. They had been different people then, and now each had gone their own way.
She looked back into the pearl framed mirror, and thought about where his life had gone. A wondering ruroni forever haunted by his memories and hunted by his enemies. Everyone wanted to claim the blood of the Battousai, and he had never known a moments peace in the time they were together. There had always been someone to fight, or someone who needed his help. The chaos was never over for him. It went on and on.
The same shaft of pity she always felt in her heart when she thought about him pierced through it again as she wondered what had ever become of him. A deep sigh of regret lifted her chest and pressed her small round breasts against the thin silk of her chemise. If ever she had loved anyone, it would of had to have been Him. So brave, so kind, so strong, so tortured, so lost, so dangerous. But although he had won her heart, he had never been able to satisfy her needs.
"Himura..." She whispered again and met her own reflected gaze and noticing the touch of sadness lurking in their smokey depths, asked herself? "Are you dead, my love?"
"Elsbeth? You aren't dressed, Darling." General Katsura Anaki strolled into the elegantly furnished dressing room and observed his wife's state of undress. She sat on the powder blue velvet cushioned stool in front of her vanity still clad only in her hose, garters, satin bloomers, and camisole. "Our guests will be here any moment and you have not even finished with your make-up?" His stern handsome face looked at her in disapproval. "I know you are aware how important this banquet is to our future." Hooded deep brown eyes looked expectantly at her attractive pale back. "I will expect you to be downstairs on time. Is that quite clear, My Dear?"
Elsbeth Katsura smiled indulgently at her husband. He was several years older that she was,and his dark hair was already showing a touch of grey at the temples. She found that almost as irresistibly attractive as she found him, and stood up to move to his side. "Of course, Anata," she purred and tenderly stroked his temple with soft sensual movements. "I will be there. Unless you want to stay here and be fashionably late with me?" She suggestively fluttered those famous eyes at him and dropped her hand to his broad chest to tease the pearl buttons on his shirt front.
"Elsbeth..." He admonished her in a stern voice, even as a tolerant and loving smile crossed his usually stiff lips. "You really are incorrigible my love. How am I ever going to teach you proper diplomatic etiquette if you will not even try to learn?"
"I suppose you could beat it into me, koishii." A naughty half smile curled her beautiful mouth as a shrug of nonchalance lifted her attractive slim shoulders in a display of feline sensuality. Elsbeth felt a familiar vibration of energy pass through her husband, and a sense of satisfaction poured over her as his powerful arms lifted her up and carried her through an adjoining door to their bedroom. He tossed her onto the bed hard enough to make her bounce, and with a wicked laugh she opened her arms to him. It appeared they were going to be fashionably late after all.
The elegantly attired couple met their guests only a few short minutes past the hour, but their lateness went completely unnoticed. However, there were many comments and compliments on the beauty and vibrant life of the General's lovely wife whose presence appeared to brighten the entire banquet hall with just a smile.
The male population in the room were mesmerized by the ethereal quality of the dark haired European woman who floated through the crowd greeting and welcoming her husbands guests with practiced poise and grace. She was beauty, elegance, and desire woven together in one amazing woman, and she created a scene wherever she went with all of the men panting after her.
The female population followed her with eyes filled with distrust and venom and envy. It was unnatural for such a high government official to have a foreign wife, and a Spaniard at that, and as with all European's, it seemed there were a great number of sordid stories and tales that had followed this particular woman from Spain to Japan. Although, not one shred of proof had ever been found to substantiate any of the accusations that had been brought up against her, she remained a sourse of enigmatic mystery within the female and male political-social population. She also remained one of the most sought after Hostesses in the Japanese High Archy, both for her graciousness as well as her unnatural beauty.
She had married General Katsura Anaki seven years ago, and his status in the social circle of Japan's wealthy and powerful had been elevated dramatically. Three years ago, Lady Elsbeth had been asked by the European Spanish Embassy to become one of their Foreign Attache's in Japan. It seemed to their logical minds that she would be perfect considering who her husband was, and the particular political and social circles she was becoming privy too. It had become a very satisfying relationship for both parties. Lady Elsbeth made bi-weekly reports on Japan's political status, and delivered messages to her husband from his counterparts at the Embassy, and for that, she was given free run of the entire country without any restrictions.
She could come and go as she pleased. The General made certain that her bank account was always well padded so could do what ever she wished. He loved her so dearly he was willing to give her almost anything she wanted, and Elsbeth loved to travel the country. So, he let her roam the landscape once or twice a month with four body guards and some personal staff. She always came back happy and filled with an unearthly amount of energy that she willingly spent off in his bed.
Anaki had never known a woman like Embeth. She had a hunger for sex and the sensual pleasures of the flesh that had left him in awe of her and aching for more from the first time he had held the heat of her in his arms. The thought that she could be sleeping with other men while out trekking across Japan's countryside had never crossed his mind because despite some of her more exotic tastes, Anaki was more than willing to fulfill every desire, need, and craving she had.
Lady ELSbeth Katsura was insatiable in her hunger for pleasures of the flesh, and Katsura Anaki was the only man she had ever been in bed with who was able to truly satisfy her monstrous needs. She did not love him the way a woman was supposed to love her husband, but she could not live without him either. Only he seemed to understand the raging lusts that drove her to do what she did when he took her in his arms and ravished her body, or when she seduced him into taking her with a voilence that would have left a lessor woman unconscious or dead.
A natural sadism and cruelty existed in him left over from his many years as a Samurai and his service as an officer in the Bakumatsa, and once he knew her preferences, he had few qualms giving her what she wanted.
Elsbeth knew no restraints, no inhibitions or taboos, and his powerfully muscled body was her only means of release. And Anaki willingly let her use him as often as she wanted.
"Okaeri," Lady Katsura wove her way through her husbands guests making certain each of them was personally welcomed to their home. "Okaeri, We are so pleased you could come this evening. My, what a beautiful Kimono, Honia-san. Did you buy it in Aizu while you and Minister Honia were visiting there last month?" Elsbeth was smiling and complimenting gowns, kimono's and hairstyles; she queried after health and family members, she offered drinks and piece meats. In short, she plied her wide ranged seduction and manipulation skills on her husbands guests and lulled them into a state of suggestable relaxation.
Thus the evening started, and looked as if it would pass in a blur of wine and warm conversation that would hopefully lead to some much needed network negotiations. Anaki was looking into increasing the spread and size of his political associations throughout the North and Mountain up-country around Aizu and the many surrounding towns and villages. He felt that establishing a stronger governmental presence in the poorer and more cut off areas of the country would help bring about a more unified Japan. It would also provide the opportunity to bring in a better Police force as well, and by doing both of these things, he was certain the stability of the country would be improved with in the next five to seven years. Of course, it would also establish the main trade route farther inland, and this could be most beneficial to him as well.
However, he could not implement his ideas without the cooperation from these eight men sitting around his banquet table.
"My friends, my friends.." His deep voice rose above the din of multiple conversations in an attempt to gain everyone's attention as he stood up from his chair at the head of the long table. "I am sure you are all wondering by now why I have asked you here to my humble home tonight." A round of indulgent laughter followed his self mocking comment and he smiled waiting for the noise to die down before he continued. "First of all, let me say Welcome and be comfortable. If you require more wine, more food, or anything, please just signal my staff, and they will assist you promptly." He bowed respectfully to his guests, and waited while several wine glasses were filled and plates were removed.
As the activity around the table died down, Anaki's face and voice became very serious. "I have asked you here to propose a very risky idea to you." Surprise and apprehension covered many of the faces up and down the table as questions began to circulate. "Listen to me first, please, before you be come alarmed. Please hear me out, and then judge my idea." He waited patiently for a response. There were many disapproving looks, but no one declined to listen to him, so he continued, carefully choosing his words.
"All of you are from the Northlands and up country. Some of you have come as far away as the base of the Taki Mountains to be here tonight, and I thank you." He bowed respectfully again. "Each of you hold a position of importance whether it be a Daimyo, a governing Minister, a commissioned military officer, or a member of the functioning governmental Police. All of you are important men with a great amount of influence and power at his disposal, and that makes each of you potentially very useful to me and my new plan."
Anaki allowed his words to sink in while he watch a plethora of emotions play across the faces of the men setting around the table. He could see each of them weighing the small piece of information in his minds as he decided whether or not to stay and listen to the rest of the General's proposal.
After several long minutes, not one man had left the table, but each turned to his wife and asked her to step into the other room so that important business could be discussed. Anaki watched closely as each of the women left before he motioned for one of his maid servants to attend to them.
Elsbeth stayed. Her cool grey-green eyes surveying the men closely and taking in every detail of their responses and their hidden feelings. She was Anaki's spider-spy. Setting to his left in a large padded oaken chair, she would watch, she would listen, and she would discover each and everyone their weaknesses. It was one of her special gifts, and Anaki had learned over the years to use it to his best advantage.
The men around the table exchanged bewildered glances when it appeared the Lady Katsura was not leaving with the rest of the women. There were few men who allowed their wives to be privy to their private conversations, but this was outrageous.
Once the huge oak doors were closed, Anaki took his usual stance of authority when he assumed his role as acting General of the Governmental Armed Forces.
"I thank you, Gentlemen, for your interest and your patience. I ask your indulgence in allowing the presence of my wife, Elsbeth. She is one of the highest ranking Attache's at the Spanish Embassy, and it is tantamount to my cause she be permitted to observe our meeting. Now if I may continue, please allow me to enlighten you as to my ideas about the North country."
Over the next four hours, Anaki systematically explained his ideas, plans, and goals for the unification of the Northlands to the eight men setting at his table. Many questions were asked concerning the benefits of the people, and how they would be affected by these drastic changes. Other questions concerning whether or not trade and supply lines would be affected, if the demand of food supplies (especially their much needed and difficult to grow rice) would be damaged by the influx of emigrants and government personell.
"I assure you, Minister Honia. The food problem would be one of the first to be addressed. I have already considered that by increasing the population on an already food poor countryside, I would need to have a way to not only supplement the stores, but I would also need to provide an ongoing production line and distribution process to maintain the increased number of people."
"And do you have a plan, General? Or is that still just another one of your ideas?"
"I have already established negotiations with Spanish traders to make an agreement on buying as much rice and wheat as I need every three months."
"Impressive, except one thing." The Minister's voice was derisive and chiding. "How do you intend to pay for so much product as it will take to feed the thousands you are talking about? Who do you intend to tax for the yen to buy your precious wheat and rice? The people you are intending to feed?" The old man snorted with irony. "I do not think that would be a viable option. Tax the poor to feed their bellies. Where will they find the yen to pay your tax when they barely sell enough fish and vegetables now to keep clothes on their backs, and a roof over their heads? I do not see your great plan being so great for the unfortunate you think you are helping."
Struggling to hold his temper, Anaki had to clench his teeth when he answered the Minister. "You misunderstand, Honia-san. I have no intention what so ever of taxing the people to buy my wheat and rice. That was never my plan."
"Really?" Eyebrows white with age rose questioningly. "Then what is?" Every face in the room turned to look at him in intense expectation. His would be comrade in arms were waiting for an answer.
"It is something that you really shouldn't be concerned with. Suffice it to say that I have a source of income that will more than cover the cost of the product, and the existing trade routes can be easily used to implement the distribution across the up country."
"Are you trying to say that you are purchasing the product with illegal monies, General?" The voice of Miko Ishida, the Captain of the Police force in Aiza rose above the other mens to reach Anaki's ears. "Is that why we should not be concerned? Or do you have some extremely generous benefactor who is willing to spend millions of yen on what would basically have to be considered a charity donation?" The young Policeman's voice was harsh and sharp with intelligence.
Anaki's dark eyes met those of the fierce young officer setting near the far end of the table. 'Hmmmm....' He thought with wary instinct. 'I need to watch this one. He is cleverer than most.'
"Officer Miko. I almost feel insulted that you would even suggest I would have illegal dealings in order to procure my finances for this venture. Surely my reputation speaks higher of me than that." He allowed a note of superiority and offense to creep into his voice as he spoke to the younger man.
"Of course, General Katsura. Forgive my insinuation. However, you must admit, your answer does lead one to think in that direction." Officer Miko inclined his head in apology.
"Perhaps, Officer Miko, but my honor should put me above those suspicions. Do you not agree?"
"Yes Sir. I beg your pardon, Sir." Miko apologized again, but inside his heart and his sharp logical mind, he knew the General was lying. He was lying in order to cover up something. Miko vowed to himself that he would keep a watchful eye on this stuffy General, and when he made a mistake, Miko would be there to see it.
Conversations moved on now that the food production and distribution problem had been primarily addressed to the satisfaction of the other men presant. And all the while, Elsbeth sat to the left of her husband in silence. Watching.
She watched the play of emotions among the men, the struggle for show of strength and superiority, and she watched her husband wield his power like he wielded his katana. Smooth, graceful, and with the confidence and ease of long years of practice and training. He was magnificent as he skillfully manipulated the eight powerful men into seeing that his plan was not only meant for the benefit of the people in the Northlands, but for the greater good of all of Japan.
By the end of the night, six of the eight were in full agreement with him and willing to enter into a binding contract that would make their power and influences Anaki's to use as he wished. The other two, Miko Ishida, the Police Captain from Aiza, and Minister Honia of Tama. Both men were unwilling to extend their assistance to the outlandish plan. Each had his own reasons, but there were two they had in common. Neither of them believed or trusted General Anaki Katsura, and both had a very uncomfortable feeling about the General's wife. The Lady Elsbeth Katsura.
They had watched her watch all of them through out the entire meeting, and there was a strangeness about her that could not be explained or described. Perhaps it was her eyes, which seemed to glitter with white lights and dancing silver flames though there was not a source of light in the room that could cause such a phenomena. Or maybe it was the way she sat so still and unmoving for the full length of the meeting as if she were nothing more than a beautifully dressed life sized porcelain doll.
In their hearts, neither man could discern what affected him so oddly about her, but whatever it was, it felt undeniably... hyakuhei. It felt Evil.
******************
"Hello, Captain Miko..." The smooth feminine voice purred from the shadows of the stable, startling the tall dark officer. "Or may I call you.... Ishida." She flowed from the darkness like shimmering green water and ocean mist. The deep green over dress of her gown had been removed leaving only the grey satin underskirt, and the snug fitting pale green corset which was pushing her breasts upward to the point of over flowing. Her long dark hair was unbound and it hung well below her small waist in a cascading mass of tangled ringlets, but it was her eyes that captured him. It was those horrible, evil eyes that seemed to reach out from their smokey gray-green fathoms with icy arms and wrapped themselves around his body.
"You are leaving already?" Beautiful blood colored lips formed a pretty pout. "I had hoped you might decide to spend the night along with the others. The General and I have plenty of empty rooms, so it would not be an imposition... if that is what you are worried about."
Ishida could hear all the warning alarms screaming in his head telling him to keep saddling his horse and get the hell out of there and away from this woman, but he just could not seem to make his body respond to what his mind was urging him to do. All he could do was watch as she closed the distance between them, moving with all the grace and sensuality of a cat stalking an injured bird.
"Would you not rather stay... Ishida?" A pale fragile looking hand reached up and cupped the hard line of his jaw then rose to stroke his forehead and cheek. "Would you not rather stay here... with me tonight?" Her eyes glittered like a thousand diamonds in the growing darkness of the stable, and their pupils seemed to be getting larger and larger until the grey-green of the irises was nearly obscured.
The feel of her soft warm body pressed against his chest, and her other hand rose to slide behind his neck pulling him down to her. "Stay with me, Ishida." Her voice had taken on a rich husky quality, and he shivered violently as gooseflesh spread lightening fast across his body. "Stay..." Her mouth was only a hairs breadth away from his, and he could feel the moist heat of her breath on his chin. Hands that no longer seemed to belong to him rose from his sides and pulled her roughly against him crushing her with their fierce strength.
"Yyeesss...." It was a moan of pure hunger as the hand behind his neck tightened and urged him toward her waiting lips. "Ishida... kiss me... " Her eyes closed and she waited for the heated ravishment she knew would come. But...
Suddenly she was thrown away from him with concentrated and violent force. As she stumbled and fell to her knees in the dirt, she heard a strained but furious voice lash out at her.
"Get off of me, Bitch!" Her huge round eyes were filled with shocked incredulity. No man had ever been able to resist her once she set out on a seduction hunt, but Miko Ishida was standing before her doing far more than resist. Although his breathing was ragged with the effort he was exerting to control himself, he had broken himself free of her and her spell completely. His eyes were raging, his handsome face contorted into a fearsome snarl of primitive fury, and Elsbeth realized that it was completely possible for him to kill her at that moment, so she changed tactics.
"Oh no, please, please don't hurt me...." She filled her eyes with tears and produced a cascade of pitiful sobs. "I did not mean to offend or upset you. I- I just thought when I saw you watching me earlier that you wanted... that you were implying... oh dear, I've made a mess of things haven't I." Carefully covering her face so she could still see through her fingers, she continued to watch Miko's responses and tried to gauge his next move. She knew he was a man of profound honor, and she was fairly certain he would respond to her woman's tears and frailties like the gentleman he was. She was wrong.
"Don't try to confuse me with your false tears, woman." He advanced on her threateningly and jerked her up off the ground by her elbow. "I don't know what kind of game you think you are playing with me, but I am not playing." His enraged gaze burned into her shocked face. "I am not someone you can seduce so you can blackmail me later into assisting the General. UNDERSTAND?!" A snarling wolf could not have filled her with more fear than Miko Ishida did at that moment, and she found herself nodding in panicked silence even as he walked her towards the door of the stable. "Good, I am glad you do. Now, get the fuck away from me!"
He shoved her out into the night watching as she stumbled and fell again. Her face was pale as the full moon when she looked back at him, and Ishida felt a deep tremor of apprehension flicker through his heart. Once more his eyes met hers. "If you ever come near me again, Lady Elsbeth, I swear to God I will kill you."
When he rode his horse out of the stable, she was still kneeling on the ground where she had fallen. He reined his horse to a halt several yards away and considered her small slim form for a moment, but as his eyes watched her, he saw something happen that would change his life forever.
Her head was bent down low to the ground, and she leaned heavily on her hands as if she were suffering from a tremendous exhaustion. Then, in one fluid movement, she whipped her head upward sending her mass of hair sailing over her head in a wild curtain of dark living silk. Before
Ishida realized it, her eyes were locked with his, but what he looked into were not eyes. What had once been oddly shimering silver pools, were now glowing orbs of red hot flame burning in her face.
He was frozen, he was caught, trapped by a force he could not identify. It felt as if a massive hand of tremendous power gripped him and held him to the place he and his horse stood. "Oh Kami... help..."
Elsbeth climbed to her feet and stood watching his fear mount with a look of amusement on her face. "You think to threaten me, Ishida?" Her voice was strange. It sounded almost hollow; like an echo upon itself. "I think you do not understand the dangerous forces you tamper with." She advanced three steps towards him and raised her left hand. "Listen to me you pitiful man," and as she spoke, the nails on the hand began to grow and lengthen until their curved shape and razor tips resembled an eagles talons. "Beware the creatures of the night." She hissed. Beware those who walk unseen over the land and devour the souls of the living, for from this night forward, they search for you." A horrible laugh rose from her slim fragile throat and the night was filled with the frozen promises of death and doom. "They will search and come for you, Miko Ishida. They will hunt you like a wolf hunts a wounded deer. The very smell of the blood that runs through your veins will lead them to you, and you will die... a feast for the undying." She approached him and the pale light of the moon finally illuminated her features, and Ishida saw the thing that spoke the curse upon his head.
And he screamed.
Miko Ishida was found six days later wandering aimlessly through the forests on his horse. He was delirious and suffering from exposure when he was rushed to the hospital in Toma for immediate attention. Word was sent to Aiza to the Police force there that their young Captain had been found, but he was in grave condition. His faithful Sargent, and younger brother, Thian came as quickly as he could after hearing the news. They had almost given the Captain up for dead when he did not return from Enshi after so many days gone missing, and Thian was being pressed to take his place though he did not have the heart for it. Now it seemed the Captain had been found alive, and Thian had many questions to ask him. Many, many questions.
Ishida felt as though he were trying to climb out of a deep, deep cavern filled with thick heavy darkness that he could almost touch with his hands. He knew he was far away from where he was supposed to be, and it was very important that he get back, but he could not remember why. A memory lay dormant in his frozen mind. A terrible memory. A memory his mind screamed in terror over being forced to locate and acknowledge. It was black and evil. It promised death; his death. It was better for him to stay away from it, but he knew somehow he had to bring it back. There was a very important reason he had to remember. What was it? What was the reason he had to remember? What... Thian! He had to tell Thian! Thian had to know about.... about... OH GOD!! THIAN!!!!
"Ishida??" Thian placed his hand over his brothers heart and felt the comforting sensation of its beating rhythm. "Ishida, wake up my brother. I need to know where you've been. I need to know what happened to you." Thian sat down in a chair next to the bed watching Ishida with worried brown eyes. The doctors had informed him of his brothers condition, which was serious but treatable, but they had also told him something very strange and disturbing. There was a mark on the back of Ishida's neck that had them puzzled. It appeared to be a burn of some sort, but they would not be able to make out what it was of until it healed and the scab fell off. However, they were all in agreement that it appeared to have been made with some sort of instrument or brand. Ishida had been branded, or marked.
"Marked for what?" Thian had asked himself a hundred times since hearing the report. "And by whom?" Looking at his brothers thin face, he offered a prayer to Kami asking that Ishida wake up soon. "Come back, brother."
It was close to three o'clock in the morning and Thian had long since fallen asleep in the chair next to his brother. The window was open and a soft cool breeze was blowing through gently fluttering the gauzy white curtains. No sounds existed in the room. All was quiet and at peace. No terrors stalked the night while Thian was near.
As long as Thian stayed close, Ishida was safe. Just as while in the forests, as long as Ishida remained awake, he was safe. After four days without sleep, he had become delusional and began hallucinating. That was when he became lost in the forests, and that was when he had locked himself away in his mind.
He had seen what hunted him while in his altered state of mind. The half rotted corpses, their mouths filled with bloody daggers for teeth relentlessly following him. Everywhere he looked they were there, pulling themselves through the trees, clumsily climbing over the short brush and rocks, wading across streams. Nothing stopped them. They just kept coming, and all the while he could hear them saying over and over, "Ishida... Hungry... Ishida.... Hungry... Ishida... Hungry... Ishida... " until they had nearly driven him insane with constant repetition of the two words. They would start to bounce around in his brain like bullets until he could hear nothing else, then he would scream and scream and scream.
Instinctively he knew as long as he stayed awake they could not touch him. As long as he remained conscious he was beyond the reach of their rotting hands and gnashing teeth, and so he had fought them with the only weapon he had against them. His will to live.
Now he was away from them, and Thian was here. "I can feel you, Thian." His heart wept as the presence of his brothers ki soothed his tortured soul. "Please, do not leave me alone... please, Thian."
The Sun rose and cast a clear gold light into the sick room illuminating the two figures. One was slumped over uncomfortably in a chair, the other lay supine in the bed covered with a blanket. A faintly warm breeze wafted through the window and lifted the curtains as it entered the room. A feeling of peace came with it, and it seemed to say "Wake up," to both of the men in the room. "It is time." Then it left and the curtains settled back to their original place as if they had never moved at all.
"Thian."
Thian was having a dream. It was the dream he always had about Ishida and himself when they were little boys playing in the river that ran through their village. It was always a pleasant dream because they were always happy, but this time the dream was different.
He was watching Ishida splashing in the murky green water and throwing stones as he always did, but then suddenly he was being dragged down under by an unseen attacker. Thian heard his high pitched screams of terror and ran as fast as he could through the knee deep water to help his brother. "Thian!" Ishida's voice screamed again and again inside his head as he watched his brother being pulled down stream by something black in the water. "Tasukete! Help me!" The blackness rose up out of the water and covered Ishida like a shiny blanket, and he disappeared under the murky green surface one more time. Thian kept running as feelings of desperation and terror seized him pushing him forward with increased strength and speed, but his brother was being dragged farther and farther away from him despite his efforts.
Then all at once, Ishida's head and upper torso shot out of the water only a few yards away from Thian. Something black and shiny as the tar pits with dozens of tentacles was wrapping itself around his body. His arms and legs were being bound within coils upon coils of this black water demon that held him prisoner.
Thian sprang toward his terrified brother as one of the tentacles began to wrap around his forehead, but he was not fast enough. Ishida was being pulled under the water again probably for the last time. "Tasukete! Tasukete!" he screamed, his dark eyes bulging in terror, and then he was gone. "ISHIDA!! "Thian cried out and jerked himself awake, sweat running down his temples and forehead.
"Kuso!" he swore under his breath as trembling hands covered his face and wiped the sweat away. "What the hell is going on?"
"Thian." The voice was so soft and low Thian was not sure he had even heard it. His hands lowered, and he looked around the room in leery suspicion, but found nothing. He decided it was nothing more than echoes left from his nightmare and stood up moving to the open window.
"Thian." He whirled around, eyes wide in fear and alarm. It had been much louder this time, and he was sure he had heard it. Thian's heart thundered in his chest as his eyes darted around the room again, looking. "What am I looking for?" he breathed in a low cautious whisper. "Ghosts, demons, phantoms? What's the matter with me?" Giving himself a hard mental shake, he walked back to the bed. "I have to go, Ishida." His voice was filled with resignation as he gazed at his brothers still unconscious face. "But I will be back very soon. Be well, and may the Angels watch over you." Leaning down, he tenderly kissed Ishida's forehead and then turned to leave.
"Nooooo...." The word was but the faintest rubbing of tongue against teeth, but it was clear and distinct. Thian was staring down into his brothers face in an instant, his eyes wide and searching.
"Ishida...?" He watched closely for signs of any response. "Can you hear me? Did you call my name? Did you just keep me from leaving? Ishida?"
Eyes too long shut began to roll beneath the thin frail flesh of pail eyelids as they struggled to open. A mind long without rational thought struggled to form words with body and meaning, and a mouth that had long since ceased to speak parted and simple sound was born.
"Thian."
Miko Thian, Sargent of the Azia Police force, and younger twin brother to Miko Ishida burst into tears as he listened to his brother speak his name for the first time in nearly four days. He buried his head in the bedding next to Ishida's shoulder and cried. He cried in joy, he cried in sorrow, and he cried in fear. Now he would find out if his brother could tell him what had happened to him in the mountains for the week he had been lost, or he would find out if his brother had gone insane.
A gentle hand touched Thian's head, and when he looked up, he saw Ishida's eyes were open and looking back at him. They were clear and rational, but a haunted look of fear Thian had never seen before lurked deep in their dark brown depths. He had been right after all. Something terrible HAD happened to Ishida. He had not just gotten lost and exposed to the elements as everyone was trying to believe. Something had happened to him. Something that had changed him. He was no longer the fierce determined police officer who had lead their unit with such dignity and honor for the last five years. He seemed somehow... diminished.
"Ishida! You are awake, my brother." Thian's smile was pure joy as he gazed into his brothers face. "I have been so worried, and so afraid. I was afraid you were never going to wake up."
"Forgive me, Thian." The words were slow and raspy, but they were coming. "Have I been gone a long time?" Anxious eyes met and searched worried ones. "Am I away from Enshi?"
Thian was startled by the last question. It was asked with such a feeling of panic that he could sense the pure terror within Ishida's ki. "You are in Toma. You are in the Hospital there. When you were found, you were very sick from exposure and near death. You were brought here to be taken care of." He watched as Ishida visibly relaxed and felt his panic subside. "You wentmissing for almost one full week, and you have been here unconscious for four days. I was beginning to wonder if you were ever going to wake up."
Ishida shivered as the reason for his struggle to wake up came back to him. Fear and the burden of too much knowledge sent a rush of gooseflesh across his body as every hair stood on end screaming out in the bodies age old primitive alarm system. "No! Do not remember! We cannot go there! Please do not make us go there!" His mind, heart, and soul were screaming and sobbing in his head like terrified children, but his rational mind knew it could not be helped. It had to be done. He could not bare this burden alone. Someone else had to know. If anything happened to him, someone else had to be in possession of the truth so she could be stopped. She had to be stopped. Somehow, she had to be stopped.
"Listen to me, Thian. Please, you must listen to me and believe, my brother. The world is becoming a dark and dangerous place where evil runs free across the land pillaging and devouring the souls of the living." Ishida's eyes were wide with the intensity of his conviction. "You have to hear what I need to tell you before it is too late"
"Too late?" Thian pulled back from his brother's sudden show of mania. "What are you talking about? Too late for what? Ishida, you are scaring me."
"Scaring you? You do not know what it means to be scared, Thian. You do not know what it means to be in mortal fear for your life from those that are not dead yet do not live. That is Fear, my brother. That is true Fear."
"What the hell are you talking about? Zombies? Ghosts? You are starting to sound crazy, do you know that. You are starting to sound like you really went insane out there." Thian grabbed the chair and pulled it up next to the bed and grabbed his brothers hand. "Now tell me what the fuck is going on, and tell me the truth. The real truth, Ishida. Not this cockamamie bullshit. Tell me what the hell is going on, and why you're so damned afraid. I've never seen you afraid a day in your life." His voice rose in anxiety revealing his own level of distress. "Tell me what you meant by it almost being too late to tell me. Too late for what? What's it almost too late for, Ishida? What??!"
"Me." Was the whispered terror filled reply that sent Thian's mind reeling into confusion, and desperation. Ishida's eyes were once again clear and rational, and he was deathly calm. There was no mistaking the look of sanity and truth on his face, and his spirit-ki was emanating a feeling of pure truth. Thian could do nothing else but believe him.
"Dear God, Ishida. What's happening out there? What did you see?"
"Shounetsujigoku." Despair filled brown eyes met and held the gaze of anxious and confused eyes of the exact same shape and color. "I saw Hell, Thian, and now I am damned for I have looked into the eyes of the Devil's whore, and she has spat out a curse of such evil upon my head that I may not live to see the light of many more days."
"I cannot accept this. I cannot. The Hyoukyo are only legend. There has never been any proof found that their cult existed. There is another explanation, there must be."
"There is not another explanation. The Hyoukyo do exist, and they are building a community somewhere within the Taki Mountains. The living dead roam the forests and will devour any unfortunate traveler who dares stop and camp. They have only to fall asleep to become the prey of the Zombie Horde. I know." His eyes took on a faraway look as he stared at nothing. "I have seen them."
"Ishida... how...?" Thian was agast at his brothers admission.
"They hunt me now. They search for me. They can smell my blood as if it were the scent of steaming raw meat, and they are ravenous for it." A shudder passed violently through his body. "She did that to me. She sent them after me. She made it so they smell only my blood, and they will not stop until they have devoured every last morsal of my body. Then, when they are finished, and every drop of blood has been cleaned away, they will take my screaming soul to her and she will consume its energy and I will become part of her powers. It is only a matter of time."
"Who did this? Who is 'she', Ishida? Who is this woman you speak of who has control over the Horde... and over you? Who is she?"
Hoarse laughter scratched it's way out of Ishida's dry throat, and a single tear traced its way down his cheek. "No one will ever believe me." he replied in a broken whisper. "Not even you."
"Yes I will. I will believe you. Tell me." Thian was urgent.
"She is a witch, Thian. A succuba perhaps, but one thing is certain. She is the Devil's Iroona, his Aikouka."
"Lover?? The Devil's lover??" Shock and horror colored Thian's voice as he processed the information his brother was telling him. A witch living somewhere in the reasonably close vicinity was casting evil spells, conjuring and controlling a large zombie horde, and she was also the Devil's lover. Thian buried his face in his hands trying to get control of his whirling confused mind.
"What is her name, Ishida? You know her name, don't you."
"You will never believe me, Thian. No one would ever believe it. It's just too impossible."
"Dammit! Just tell me her fucking name already, and stop playing around with me, all right. Just tell me and I will decide if I believe you or not. Deal?" He met his brothers eyes in frustrated
irritation. It had been a long morning.
"All right, little brother. Deal. But remember, you are the one who asked, not me. OK?"
"OK. Just get it over with will you. I am getting the worst headache I think I have had in my whole life." A deep breath filled his chest then came out in a 'whoosh' as he attempted to settle his nerves. "Come on. Let's hear it."
"The Lady Elsbeth Katsura." came the nearly inaudible reply, and Thian was stunned. He could feel his hands and feet going numb as a sense of extreme shock over came him. "Lady Katsura...?" he could hardly say the name himself it was so preposterous a notion to try and digest. All he could do was set in his chair and blink his eyes trying to maintain focus as his vision kept trying to blur. He had met General Katsura and his Lady Wife a few years earlier, and his mind was emphatically denying the possibility of what his brother was insinuating.
"It cannot be." He seemed to be speaking to the floor. "It simply cannot be. She is such a fragile and beautiful woman. I can't... How can this be true? Ishida?" His eyes bore into his brothers resigned and blank face. "How?"
"She is full-blooded Spanish directly from Spain. There were rumors years ago that she had fled Spain to avoid an Inquisition after being accused of being a Witch, but nothing was ever proven so the matter was ignored, and no investigation was ever done here in Japan. Then after she married the General, everything seemed to be totally forgotten as she became a favorite in the higher social circles." Ishida closed his eyes recalling a report he had seen on the Lady Katsura years ago when he was only a street officer. "I remember when she was appointed Attache' at the Spanish Embassy. There was such a raucous in the department because the Captain had been secretly watching her activities for several months, and had a prepared statement for the Chief Secretary concerning something he had discovered. But the report disappeared, and the Captain was dead before the year was out."
"Dead?"
"Yes. I think now they must have killed him because he found something out about her. Something she could not afford to have anyone know. He was found at the foot of some very steep stairs in his home with his neck broken. It was always presumed he had fallen, but now I am not so sure. He'd walked those stairs a thousand times over the years, even in the dead of night without one mishap. Why should he suddenly fall, in the middle of the day?" Ishida's eyes turned to the open window where he stopped to gaze at the trees in the courtyard outside his room.
"You think he was pushed now, don't you?"
"Yes, I do."
"You know there's no proof to what you're saying."
"I know. There never is any proof. That is the beauty of it, Thian. No proof, no clues, no links. Just a nice clean accident and all the loose ends are neatly tied up. Think about it. With the file gone, and the Captain dead there was no possible way any of the information he had uncovered would ever reach the Chief Secretary. Or anyone else for that matter because it had been the Captain's own private investigation."
Thian reared back as a state of stunned understanding sliced through his brain. "Kuso," He swore as everything actually started to make sense. The whole, entire, bizarre load of it. He groaned and covered his face with his hands. "Do you know what something like this could do? I mean, really do?"
"It could destroy the new alliance and trade agreement with Spain... Fucking bastard!!!" Ishida sat up in bed and slammed his fist into his other hand with murderous force. "That's how he's going to do it. That's his 'unlimited supply'. That filthy bastard. He has his own trade agreement with the Spanish and I will bet they aren't your regular merchants either." He snarled and threw his water pitcher across the room. "Damn you, Katsura. Damn you to Hell, you and that fucking succuba your married to. I hope you scream while you burn!"
"What are you yelling about? Ishida??" Thian tried unsuccessfully to get his brother to lay back down on the bed. "Calm down before you send yourself into seizures or something, dammit. What 'trade agreement' are you talking about? Why would General Katsura have his own trade agreement with the Spanish? Now you're really not making sense."
"The meeting... that damned fucking meeting I went to at his house. It was all about how he wants to improve the Northlands and up countries by increasing the amount of political and governmental presence we have here. He wants to unify the towns and villages and make the North into something like its own little country, but the problem we were all concerned about was the increase food demand and how it would be procured and paid for." He was breathing heavily as if he had run hard and fast. "He just assured us that he had access to monies to buy the needed wheat and rice, and he was negotiating a contract with Spanish traders to obtain the product in as large a quantities as he required within set time periods not to exceed two months."
"All right, it sounds plausible. I still don't understand your point."
"He said he would not tax the people for the yen to buy the product, but he would not disclose his source of income for the purchases either. There can be only one way he can come up with that much product to sustain a growing population of that size in that short of a period of time. And there is only one way he can pay for it."
Thian was struggling to keep up. "OK, OK. But I'm still not following you."
"Baka." Ishida smacked his brother in the back of the head. "Idiot, if you had to come up with a lot of money fast, how would you do it? Use your brain for once, Thian. Quit expecting the answer to jump out and bite you in the balls. Work it out."
"Kuso, Opium trading. He's smuggling opium, and planning to trade it for the wheat and rice. Isn't he?" Huge brown eyes filled with stunned disbelief met the hard glare of Ishida's gaze.
"Yes. But where is he going to get the wheat and rice? Think about it."
"The trade agreement..."
"That's right. He's going to steal it before it ever gets here."
"But won't he destroy the trade agreement by doing that? Why would he do that? That would hurt him as well as Japan?"
"I am thinking only for a little while. Who is his Wife, Thian? But, more importantly, WHAT is she?"
"The Spanish Attache'to Japan."
"That's right. Now wouldn't it be interesting if General Katsura and his beautiful wife appeared just in time to save the tragically failing trade agreement, AND the threat of the dissolution of the peace alliance? Are you with me yet?"
"Yes, I think I am with you. Holy shit!" Now everything was really starting to make sense, and Thian felt sick to his stomach. "Wait a minute, after they do all of this and they save everything and everybody, what do they get out of it? What benefit do they get?" He cast a confused glance at Ishida.
"The Chief Secretary is an old man. There are rumors he has developed a condition of the heart, and is liable to die anytime. There has to be someone there who is qualified to take his place, doesn't there? And who better than the Savior of the Spanish Alliance and Trade Agreement?"
"Oh My God, he's after the whole country, and if what you say about Lady Katsura is true, then... Kami-sama save us all. Not one soul of us would be safe." Thian's voice broke on a whisper and he buried his face in his hands and bent over in despair.
"Yes, Thian. Not a single soul of the living would be safe, and I do not know a man alive who is strong enough to face her... And kill her." He grasp a handful of his brothers hair and gripped it hard trying to help him cope with the unthinkable. "If she were not at his side, the General would not have the power to accomplish such a humangous goal. She is the force that drives him. Her power and kitani magic have bewitched him, and he is under her control. The things he does now, he does according to her will, not his own. He is her slave, her willing Deacon. He is nonstsu. She has bewitched him. If she does not die, we are all dead men."
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