Major Tawya Ko-Wen stepped regally onto the gangplank and walked to where Kichitsu, in his disguise as a low ranking Aronian army officer stood by a tattered state flag. Meiyar, her subordinate, known generally as the "Lightning Rod Warrior," trailed behind her, his dark eyes darting around taking in every detail of the city's port. Meiyar's nickname came from two well-known facts about him, one of which he was not especially proud. He was skilled in the use of lightning magic and also an accomplished swordsman. At one time he had been called simply the "Lightning Warrior," but during a skirmish in the west on the Amur Plains during a storm he had been struck by lightning. Meiyar had been lucky to survive, and although Major Ko-Wen never mentioned the incident, the foot soldiers would never have quite as much respect for the talented man as they had before.
"Welcome to Crona City, Milady," Kichitsu saluted.
The shorthaired woman smiled at the man who appeared to be in charge of watching the port and asked, "Would you be so kind as to take us to see Lord Satis?"
"Yes, Ma'am," the knight in disguise replied smartly.
Meiyar tugged on Major Ko-Wen's cloak nervously, "Major, there is something funny going on here..." he warned his commander.
The pale-faced woman pulled the edge of her cloak out of her subordinate's hand and snapped at Meiyar quietly, "I will be the judge of that! I will not be bothering Lord Satis about how quiet the port is today or how you don't like the look of the dirty flags! You can stay here with the ships if you are in such a mood, Meiyar."
He lowered his eyes, long bangs falling over his face, "Yes, Ma'am. That will be all."
Kichitsu calmly led the Major and her follower along the cobblestone street towards Crona's seat of government until he smelt smoke.
The door of the government building opened to reveal Ayu also dressed as an Imperial soldier. "Good work, captain," he said to Kichitsu, before focusing his attention on Major Ko-Wen. "I see you made it safely, Major."
"I am here to speak with Lord Satis" she told Ayu in slight frustration, "Who are you?"
Ayu unsheathed his two blades, one reddish and the other blue. "I'm your worst nightmare!"
Murasaki Fuji no Shita ni Kuni
"The Country Under the Purple Wisteria"
Chapter 38- Blood and Vinegar
Tywin looked at Haneh and grinned. Her aim had been good. They sat atop the roof of one of the buildings overlooking the port and laughed. The two ships that had sailed with Major Ko-Wen to Crona were on fire. Tywin had used her slingshot to hurl a burning rag at the main sail of the closer of the two ships and it had ignited nearly instantaneously. Smoke was beginning to rise in thick, puffy, gray clouds.
"You are fun person, Haneh," Tywin told her companion as they headed down to join in the battle that was beginning to brew down on the docks.
Haneh was somewhat surprised by this statement, "I'm fun?" The blond assassin had not been told she was fun to be with since she was a child in Naco before the family was betrayed. Haneh had been forced to grow up after that and there was never time for fun. Life was war and war was life.
"Very much so," Tywin said with a knowing smile.
The blue-eyed woman scuffled down the staircase, "Thank you, Tywin. I think you are fun too."
"Tcha! Here we go!" the northerner yelled in reply as they burst out of the building onto the docks with weapons drawn.
The Imperial soldiers were in turmoil. Most of them had still been on the ships when the fire began and their two commanders had disappeared into the city. The wooden boats were being quickly eaten away by flames so they abandoned ship, helping the "soldiers" stationed around the port would aid them in their fire-fighting effort. However, as soon as the Imperials began to ask for help, rebel banners were unfurled and former "allies" shed their helmets to reveal the dark scarves of bandits, who drew their weapons on the confused adversary.
However, due to the rebels' skillful planning and the fighting spirit of Ayu's bandits, the Imperials were soon trapped between the burning ships and their enemies' blades. Father Izador stumbled in the smoky atmosphere and nearly ran into Haneh, who was busily swinging her bright blade. Lucien hurried to the priest's aid as Haneh shoved him out of her way. "Just as I expected, Father Izador, come with me," the older man said. Lucien was not surprised by Izador's inability to act, but merely felt a little sorry for him and sent the young priest off with Tasrinym to find out how Ayu and Kichitsu were doing with Major Ko-Wen.
*********
Father Izador and Tasrinym scurried along the alleyways toward the government building until they caught sight of Major Ko-Wen, her blade locked between Ayu's two swords. The young man obviously was gaining the upper hand, pushing Major Ko-Wen slowly backward. At the same time Kichitsu was engaged with Meiyar, the small Imperial deftly dodging the knight's heavy swings.
"It was a trap..." Major Ko-Wen snapped as she jerked her sword out from between Ayu's. The bandit tripped and fell, but before the pale-faced woman could act, he nimbly leaped back onto his feet, defending himself from her next blow.
Meiyar was contemplating telling his superior officer, "I told you so," but fear of what she would do to him if they both made it out of the rebel trap alive kept his mouth shut. He was quick-footed and although the knight from Onwya could not touch him, Meiyar was unable to get an attack in edgewise.
The citizens of Crona peeked out of windows and doorways to see the spectacle taking place in front of the government building. One bold watcher went so far as to throw a flowerpot at Meiyar, who leapt aside untouched, his face white as a sheet.
Attempting to regain the offensive Ayu ducked Major Ko-Wen's swing and darted behind her. As he moved, the dark-haired bandit caught sight of his father watching from the shadows. He winked and charging towards Major Ko-Wen, blades raised called, "Alrighty mates! This is for Pa! Blood and vinegar!!!"
Their swords met and the Imperial officer thought she felt a spark singe some powder off her whitened face. She was growing weary of battle, but Ayu was still gaining energy. Tasrinym could tell the woman was slowing down. He grabbed Father Izador's spear out of his hand and swung it swiftly, close to the ground. Major Ko-Wen tripped over the long shaft and Ayu did not waste a second. He finished the duel with barely a scratch, rushing over to his father and giving the older man a tight hug. "That was great Pa! Perfect! Absolutely perfect!"
Father Izador laughed nervously for a few moments before the sight of so much blood caused him to faint. "Didn't realize he was so faint of heart," Ayu apologized with a laugh.
When Meiyar realized his commander had fallen he felt somewhat lost. He was pretty good at taking care of himself and Major Ko-Wen had usually driven him crazy more than anything else, but he was still sorry to see her go do. For self-preservation there was only one option left. Meiyar dropped his rapier to the ground and put his hands on his head, "I surrender!" he squeaked. Kichitsu sheathed his blade, happy to end the fight, as he was nearly out of breath.
********
The remaining Imperial troops were offered the choice of joining the rebels or dispersing and going home. A few men opted to follow the rebels back to Slalain Citadel, but most abandoned their weapons and struck out south along the highroad back to the states they had come from. Tywin was sad to see that last pieces of the wooden ships burn down to nothing and flicker out, but when she saw how well Ayu had done against Major Ko-Wen she forgot the burned out conflagration.
Kichitsu gave some money to some of the prominent merchants in the city to pay for damages to their warehouses from the fire and appointed some troops to stay behind and clean up the mess from the battle. However, most of the revolutionaries were happy to turn west and head back to the citadel quickly.
Meiyar was taken along as a prisoner of war. Lucien was pleased with his good behavior, remembering the last prisoner the rebels had taken. "I know Hai-Yong," Meiyar remarked with a laugh, "I'm not surprised he changed sides either."
Lucien frowned, recalling all the trouble Hai-Yong had made for him and Russ, "He was certainly not the quiet sort."
The prisoner agreed readily, "He never was the quiet sort."
After about fifteen minutes on the road the older man suddenly realized that he was having a conversation with their prisoner as if they were old friends. "Funny how some people grow on you so easily," he thought to himself and continued listening as the "Lightning Rod Warrior" told his version of the battle, "...and after I heard that crazy Ayu yell, "Blood and vinegar!" I knew that was the end and there was nothing left to do. It sounds pretty tough, but what does it mean, anyway? Blood and vinegar? Vinegar?"