Promise of a River
By: LadyRainStarDragon
Chapter 18: Dragon's Musings
Rain owneth not ye Spirited Away.
"Master Haku! You're soaked."
Soaked wasn't really the word for it. Miserable was more like it. His mind had been playing tricks on him in the rain, thanks to the particular type he had been caught in. Even his very bones felt waterlogged. His normally pristine hair was plastered to his skull, his clothes clung to him uncomfortably, and he was very glad his hakama and under kimono were dark. The yuna were eyeing him in ways that made him very uncomfortable.
"Bath. Dry clothes. Food."
Naturally, he was very grouchy. Not to mention he was supposed to see Yubaba and report how the Council had gone. No way he was seeing her looking like he had been drowned.
"Yes. Right this way."
Thankfully, the foreman himself escorted him, cutting out the pouting women. Male bath attendants were being turned out of normal chores to draw the bath, as Haku would not let any of the women near him if he could help it, especially when bathing. Most especially when bathing.
After peeling out of his sodden clothes, which were taken away to be dried, Kohaku slipped into the scalding bath, driving the chill from his body. Hidden from the cheekbones down in a comforting embrace, he glowered at nothing in particular. The rain's caress had affected him in ways that he really hadn't wished, and it was all the fault of those Breeding dragons.
'Blasted Breeding urges.'
When he finally got to Chihiro, he was going to take her into the deepest part of his new river, and he was going to hide her there. She wouldn't choose any weak human if she had no human suitors, and he could keep her safe from her parents' idiocy. And he wouldn't have to see any more displays like what he had just escaped not so long ago. He was still shuddering inside.
The thought of Chihiro getting married turned him green. Her choice was a condition that he was going to have trouble living by.
The attendant who brought in his dry kimono heard his growls, and peeped in to see that everything was alright. The dragon-man didn't notice though, he was too busy trying to kill the side of the tub with his glare, imagining some pathetic male even touching his Chihiro. Prudently, he retreated, not wishing to have taken out on himself whatever was bothering the master. Today he was supposed to find out if he would be getting Chihiro, and perhaps the verdict had been negative. He wasn't too sure the bath house could handle a pissed off dragon.
The growling stopped abruptly though, the young spirit rising a bit and laughing as he remembered that at least he got his wish, and a bit more. Besides, he could start all over with her, and see her smiling eyes again.
"It could have been worse. They could have said no."
After a while, he emerged from the tub, shaking himself dry as he was still lost in the realm of thought, his body on autopilot. The water droplets sprayed through the air like fine diamonds, and he unconsciously directed them to rejoin their brethren in the bath. A far away and dreaming gaze softly flowed from his deep eyes as he wondered how his little Chihiro had grown, and what a fine young woman she must now be. A tune, that he could not remember the name of, burbled from his throat, humming at first while he enjoyed the feeling of comfort. Dragons love music and song, and he was no exception, occasionally giving in when he thought he was alone.
Gradually, his soft humming gave way to the words of a song, the notes of a stately river matching the tune he had floated about himself, but carrying his own thoughts. While he pulled his clothes on, he was unaware of the few women who had snuck away from their chores to spy on him.
She fell into my rushing river,
So innocently reaching.
I saw her fall, felt her shiver,
Glad I wasn't sleeping.
Her eyes had no fear within,
So wide, clear, pure.
Instincts within me arisen,
Her trust, it was sure.
I did as I had once sworn to,
By bringing her to shore.
So lovely to feel them, two
Tiny hands once more.
And yet, wrath awoke itself,
That such a treasure fell.
Irreplaceable precious elf,
Untended was her well.
She came again herself to me,
Older yet still untended.
Still needing my caring safety,
Not as I had intended.
The ones who were supposed
To guide my beloved pearl,
They had not been composed,
And belief had yet to unfurl.
Now she is no longer near to me,
And in what vile trouble
That now embroiled within she be,
Or in what corner huddled.
I am on my way, river's maiden,
And I'll soon fulfill my vow.
Always open to you is my den,
I've not my freedom now.
Having gotten his clothes on, the spying yuna wondered what the song meant, as they had never heard the words before. Still lost in his own thoughts, he made his way to report to Yubaba, knowing that his food would be waiting for him in his room when he was done.
He was overjoyed that he would be seeing his Chihiro again, and if he had been a less reserved spirit, then he probably would be doing cartwheels now that his clothes no longer felt like a second skin. However, Kohaku was a very reserved spirit, so it didn't happen. Besides, if he had given in and done so, somebody was sure to die of a heart attack. Haku never was seen doing such silly things if he wasn't babysitting.
On the other hand, he had met his father. The sad thing is that he hadn't recognized the dragon as his father, but at least he knew now why the smell had been familiar. As pups, dragons imprint the smell of their parents, and then later, are put at ease when they smell similar scents. He should have been able to recognize his father, but for some reason, the memory had not been there. But why?
The monotonous clack of his indoor sandals, so very much like the wide parts of a ghost river, fell on deaf ears, and so too the greetings of the workers that he passed. The pale complexion was so much like what he had worn when under the witch's power, and many of the workers wondered if she had not found some new way to trap him when his time was almost done there. He was like a ghost in his own world, others seeing him now and then, but not truly belonging. He had a past, although it was shrouded in mystery. What had been his place in the world as a river spirit? Was he of noble birth, or had he merely been a minor stream? No, he had been a lord of some kind, but when he tried to press into the memory, it flew away. What was his mother like?
Gaudy and ornate objects did nothing to catch his eye. Through the halls he trekked, gliding through like some apparition of times gone by. Broad shoulders bore a load unknown, and glimmers of whom he had once been could be visible to the spirits who had been passed by, tucked into the set of his shoulders or the pace of a foot. The sweep of invisible sleeves would pass over a frog or slug, leaving them to wonder what had happened. Deep within, change was taking place as his river drew ever nearer to its completion, long buried parts of himself awakening and releasing the poisons that he had held for so long buried within.
In the world of men, there was a big deal on the news about vials that had been found that had once been reported missing from a research facility that was no longer secret. Despite the cold of winter, cleanup crews had been dispatched in the areas that had oddly thawed.
At last, he had come to the doors that lead to Yubaba's office, and they parted for him without a word. The clanging echoes made him think of how alone he was, how empty his life had been, and how empty it still was. He would not fall for her tricks this time though, nor would he succumb to the spells of helplessness and hopelessness hidden in every vase. He refused to dwell on the ashes of the creatures that lay resting withing them, brothers and sisters of legend brought low by her tricks.
When he reached her office, instead of finding her at the desk as usual, she was gazing morosely out of the window. The storm was still howling outside, and within the buildings there was sure to be a swarm of activity. A few animals could be seen trapped outside, giving in to the call of the water and dancing their separate dances. The smell of regret and loss hung heavy in the room, the old woman lost in her own thoughts. The very occasional sniffle could be heard, making him feel like he was intruding on something.
Turning to go, supposing his mistress needed a bit more time to compose herself, he met with a closed door.
"Report."
The hard edge was still in her voice, even though the reek was still all around, making me want to gag. Again I faced the witch, noting that her face was in its usual distasteful sneer, even though her dusty eyes had an unfamiliar and disturbing sheen.
"The Council convened, and awarded me a river . . . and Chihiro."
"What took you so long to come?"
"I was . . . caught in the weather . . . and then I had to make myself presentable."
"Hmmm. In weather like this, it must have been hard for a single dragon to concentrate on flying. Perhaps you were distracted?"
'Only if you count watching another male dragon get the rice beaten out of him of a distraction. It is going to take him a while to heal, and I might be scarred for life.'
"There were no distractions."
"Good. Next time be quicker, you were needed here."
'To tally accounts maybe.'
"Understood."
"Go check on Yoruiki in the healing center, then you can go run inventory on Kamaji's herbs."
'I was close.'
"Yes Yubaba."
The doors crashed open again, and I found myself being hurtled through the hall and landing on my head in the lift. It was the first time in a long time that I had been thrown out, and I wondered what I had done. Last time, I had been caught giving Bou a glass of blackberry juice, and ended up on my rump wearing the offending beverage and staining my best haori. This time though?
Before I got a chance to get into a more dignified position, the doors slammed shut again, the knocker giving me a very decisive glare. It seemed to be asking me what I had done this time, but wordlessly, like it was afraid to be heard.
A disturbing thought beat me over my abused head as I righted myself. The way that she had been staring out the window, and the way she had smelled, had almost been like she was also affected by the particular kind of storm. It was an odd thought, but despite all that I had learned under the slave-driver, I didn't know much about her other than the as my mistress.
Perhaps she had once had a mate of her own, then lost him somehow? Was that why she now turned to gold and jewels, like some kind of drug? The way that she doted on her son, now that I thought about it, was reminiscent of someone who only was connected to a dear one by a common thread.
Despite myself, I wondered what she had been like before she ran the bath house. I could hardly believe it, but I actually found myself pitying the woman who had tricked, abused, and otherwise manipulated me.
Kami, did I need a vacation.
After a while, I found where they had put the blasted kitsune. He was curled up in a corner, moaning like somebody had ripped him into pieces, or at least given him a good lick in the gut. When he rolled over, his countenance was also purple in a few places. It seemed like he had lost a fight.
"Are you dead yet?"
An indignant wheeze came from his general direction as he acknowledged the jab in his side with a convenient pole. I just had never liked him, and similarly, I had been his test subject for every trick the fox was teaching Lin.
"So, what brings you here?"
I got a rude gesture.
"Lin?"
A ruder gesture.
"Did she do this?"
Yoru looked at me like I was an idiot. For my part, I probably wasn't doing very well in hiding my enjoyment. Nor did I care.
"Let me guess. You had been in the rain, and she hadn't."
A small nod brought a grin to my face. In turn, it made him look like some blood sucking youkai had asked him for a 'little bite.'
"I could always throw her out in it, if it would help."
He merely groaned and rolled back over, gripping where the center of his abuse had been. As I went to check on Kamaji's inventory, I was actually now very glad I was single.
Beneath Mount Fuji, one Take Fujiyama finally pulled himself into his bed. His battered and bruised body clearly told his mate that he had not quite been fast enough escaping his female work mates. Several of his polished coal scales were missing, and a few were still barely dangling by a cuticle. It was a really good thing for him that she had eaten a large meal today, because she had also been affected by the quakes and eruptions, but her main problem he had taken care of before leaving for the Council.
Opening one bruised eye, he shuddered when he mistook his mate for Red, then noticed that it was only his mate. She was much redder than Red, a blood red as opposed to the fire red. His favorite son, Ryu had taken his mane color from the ryu-onna, but had his knack for getting in trouble and his deeply black scales.
Tatsu was so lucky that he had married a Water, his mate wouldn't be harrying him all night long. The two had jobs that usually kept them in very different areas.
As his mate licked his wounds clean, his last thought before restful sleep was about how fickle males are when it comes to banding together against women. He had seen the others scramble for safety, leaving him no good hiding spots.
It is drawing to an end, another chapter or two. Yubaba isn't going to want to let him go that easily.
