Chapter 2: Shadows of the Past
The quiet rustling as a maid cleaned the fireplace woke Lord Miroku from deep slumber. He squinted his eyes at the bright sunlight that poured through the windows. He yawned and stretched, trying to ease his sore muscles.
"You should not sleep at your desk, my lord. You have a bed for that purpose."
Miroku looked up with an affectionate smile at his housekeeper. The old woman was more like a mother to him than anyone else.
"I have a deadline to meet, Nabiki" he said. "The Queen will have my head if I don't finish on time."
"Nonsense!" Nabiki scowled as she put down a cup of steaming hot coffee on his desk with rather more force than was necessary. "Queen Rin is a sensible woman. She would not want her royal librarian work himself to an early grave."
Miroku smiled at her, knowing it was useless to argue. Muttering darkly under her breath about men who still behaved like children, Nabiki left to go see about breakfast.
Miroku took a fortifying sip of his coffee as he stood near the window enjoying the quiet of the morning as the maid finished cleaning his study. The streets were quiet, waiting for the vendors to open their stalls and cry out their wares. Soon, it would be full of people exclaiming about the beauty of something and haggling over the price of some others. The air would be full of the squawk of birds and the yells of children.
The Fountain City, so named for the numerous fountains to be found scattered about, was indeed a beautiful place. It was constructed on a small rocky mountain in such a way that it could also double as a fortress in times of war. At the centre, set on the highest point was a beautiful castle, the home of the Queen. This was followed by 10 streets known as circles, each in the shape of a huge ring surrounding the castle and each one set narrower and lower than the one above. The last was surrounded by a huge and thick wall. This wall had three gates and many towers set into it in intervals. The top of the wall was wide enough to allow four soldiers to walk abreast and was constantly patrolled along the two major gates. The third gate was always shut and could only be opened by direct command of the Queen.
Many of the nobles of the court kept beautiful houses on the first circle just below the castle, with the common people occupying the lower streets. Many of them stayed here for the better part of a year, leaving their distant estates under care of stewards. Miroku smiled to himself as he thought of all the nobles who looked down on him for choosing to live on the third street. For himself, he found the common neighbourhood and the colourful marketplace more comfortable than being surrounded by snotty nobles. But it did have its disadvantages, especially when he was researching something for the Queen. He had an impressive collection of scrolls and ancient texts, but it was nothing compared to the library in the castle.
The Kibonosaiten – the Festival of Hope - was only a month away. It was the most important festival celebrated throughout the kingdom. It commemorated the vanquishing of the darkness and coming of the Jewel of Four Souls. It was a day when good triumphed over evil and hope was reborn from the ashes of a terrible war. This year being its 500th anniversary, the Queen had ordered him to collect all the data regarding the life and death of her ancient ancestor, Midoriko which was to be sent out to all the schools in the kingdom so that people may never forget the price that had to be paid for their present-day happiness and peace. It was hard work, trying to decipher scrolls written who-knows-how-many-years ago in languages long forgotten by humans and demons alike. But Miroku was a lore master at heart and enjoyed these sorts of assignments the Queen set. Having some spiritual powers also helped in understanding the scrolls, especially since some of these ancient texts were actually seals to powerful and ancient creatures, some even more deadly than demons.
Miroku finished his coffee and with a groan, once more seated himself at his desk. He had to order these scrolls which he had worked on late into the night yesterday, before he could go to the palace and continue to search for more. He thought about requesting the Queen's permission to visit Bodhidera, the monastery where he had been born, and later was trained as a Buddhist monk in his youth. The monastery had a collection of very ancient scrolls and the head monk was much learned in ancient history.
As Miroku shuffled the papers, a very old parchment caught his eye.
'Hmm… I don't recall seeing that yesterday.' he thought to himself as he gently picked it up and unrolled it. He was surprised to see that even though it was very old, the writing seemed quite fresh, the dark red ink barely dry. Something about the scroll seemed to alert his senses and for a moment he thought about just taking the parchment with him to the palace and have the royal priestess, Lady Kikyo, take a look at it. But his instincts were screaming at him to read the text which seemed to have been written in the language of the court in the beginning of the kingdom. This was not a hurdle for Miroku since he was well versed in many ancient and dead languages. Scowling at the innocent looking parchment causing so much strife within himself, Miroku finally decided to just read it.
He spread the parchment out on top of his desk and kept one hand spread across it to keep it flat as he read and jotted down the translation on a fresh piece of parchment. After completing he began to read the first line of the translated text. A chill seemed to creep up his bones and an unknown dread caught hold of his heart. The bright sunlight hit the old parchment in such a way that the dark red ink looked suspiciously like blood. Sweat formed on his forehead as Miroku read.
"I, Xahar, on this evil day have had a terrible vision. The red spider and silver axe shall rise again and destroy the labours of the white dove. Darkness shall once more devour the land. Trust shall die and hopes wither. The lost keeper and the forgotten brother must be united under the Fabled Fang lest the darkness have no end. This I have seen even as I watch a jewel pulse with unholy light as the demons are devoured and my friend disappeared. I write this down in hopes that it may be a guiding light to those cursed to be in another darkness."
Miroku sat back with a gasp, his heart pounding as the words became imprinted in his mind. He was so agitated that he could not even begin to guess what the prophecy, if that is what it was, was talking about. He began pacing in front of his fire as his mind teemed with questions and no answers. He debated dismissing the jingling of his senses as mere fantasy. But something in him insisted that this was a warning of dark times coming. The only clue he had was the white dove which was the symbol of the ruling monarchs of the kingdom. And he knew he had read about the silver axe somewhere. But what on earth was the Fabled Fang? He continued to pace, deep in thought as the city came alive outside. Finally, after nearly an hour, he gave up. He needed serious help in deciphering this prophecy. And something told him that it was imperative he get that help now.
Miroku had always followed his instincts no matter how ridiculous it might seem on the outside. They had yet to guide him wrong. He had to get to the palace and seek out Lady Kikyo. She would have answers, he was sure. She was an exceptionally powerful priestess of common origins, who completed her training at the tender age of fifteen. But her thirst for knowledge had taken her on long journeys and rarely travelled paths. She was a store house of ancient lore and myths. Then he needed to get an audience with the Queen. Having decided on his course, Miroku snatched up the two parchments and stuffed them inside his robes before dashing out of the room. He paused as he eyed himself in the hallway mirror. His shoulder length hair, which was usually tied back in a neat ponytail hung about his head giving him a wild appearance. And he was still dressed in yesterday's clothes. Deciding that he would take care of his appearance once he reached his office in the palace, Miroku ran out unheeding of Nabiki's frantic calls about breakfast.
Kagura woke up with a headache. This was normal for her as she was part of the Queen's Council. Queen Rin was nothing if not a rebel. It was probably the result of being raised in a very strict and traditional manner. The late King was famous for his penchant for traditions and strict observance of the law. He was also wily enough to be conversant about all the loop holes of the law to suit his purposes which had been a single-minded pursuit of pleasure. He certainly had his followers especially among the corrupt nobles, but Kagura had to admit that it had often strained her temper to the limits, seeing the king's gross disregard for his subjects. In a freak hunting accident, in which the royal hunting dogs had turned on their master and bitten him mercilessly, the king had bled to death before help could be reached. That had left his only daughter and heir to take up the throne at the tender age of 14.
With no mother to guide her (the old queen having passed away when Rin was 10 years old) many of the more politically oriented nobles had thought to control the young Queen, and carry on the legacy of her father. But they had not bargained for her genuine love for her people and her will of steel. She had quickly proven herself as above their machinations, even going so far as to threaten the lives of said nobles and their families. She had nearly carried them out too, before the advice of Sesshomaru and Lady Kaede managed to avert civil war. Lady Kaede was the sole reason the kingdom had not collapsed under her grandfather's reign. And, Sesshomaru was singlehandedly responsible for enemies, both within and without, not making a bid for the throne. However, ever since Rin had almost started civil war, the nobles had steered clear of her, letting her do as she pleased, but secretly muttering behind her back. Giving Rin free reign was not a bad idea, as the people soon found. She was a just ruler and cared deeply about her people. But it was not easy, erasing the people's mistrust of the Crown which had been acquired after years of neglect under her grandfather who had been more concerned with bookish knowledge than running the kingdom, followed by years of indifference bordering on cruelty under her own father. Rin had gathered a few trusted and wise people around her and formed the Queen's Council, to help her rule this vast kingdom. With each new policy that she passed, the people began to love their little queen a bit more. Of course, the more the people loved her, the more the nobles who had much power during her father's rule despised her. Some had even gone so far as to say that she was responsible for the late king's death. But Rin could not have cared less about these mindless rumours. She had better things to do.
Kagura thought back to all the assassination attempts that had occurred against the Queen during the three years of her reign. The Council was fiercely protective of their Queen and had thwarted all of them. Of course, having a gifted seer who could predict most of these attempts also helped. Kagura smiled wryly to herself. She was a powerful wind demon and most people thought that she was Rin's bodyguard. What most people did not know was that she was also a very talented seer. When Rin was only 7 summers old, a young wind demon child who looked to be about 12 years old in human years, had been found abandoned near the palace. Unable to remember her past, she was left to the mercy of the Crown. The king couldn't have cared less, but the queen who had always wanted many children but could not, decided to adopt the demon child. It was the queen who had named her Kagura and raised her alongside Rin. As she began to display abilities of a seer, the queen had also seen to it that she was properly trained. Kagura still remembered how she kept having visions of a silver-haired demon for several nights before Lady Kaede pointed out to the queen who had been playing with the girls the inuyoukai by the name of Sesshomaru who had joined the king's army. Kagura had gasped on seeing the man from her visions. Her reaction did not go unnoticed and soon, Kaede made the pronouncement that Kagura was a seer. She had trained under the kind old priestess with the queen's blessing. A few years later, when a winter ailment took the life of the queen, it was not Rin alone who mourned a lost mother. In their grief, Rin and Kagura forged a unique relationship with each other akin to that of siblings but much more in reality. This was perhaps what made Kagura so effective in predicting attacks on Rin, the person she was closest to in her life.
Kagura hummed to herself as she navigated the vast halls of the palace towards the kitchen. Having a cup of soothing green tea under the cherry tree in the courtyard outside the kitchen was her early morning ritual. It helped to calm her for the day ahead which would be full of arguing with the stubborn nobles who preferred to fatten their pockets as opposed to helping the people. If she and the other members of the Queen's Council could not handle them, the Queen would have to get involved and everyone knew that was a bad idea.
Kagura sipped her tea and watched as the nobles and other courtiers trickled in through the main gates of the palace. Her location gave a clear view to the main gates of the palace without being observed in return, camouflaged by the lush foliage of the cherry tree. A flash of silver caught her eye and she looked up to see the general of the Queen's army walk past and into the entrance hall of the palace. At first a mere mercenary recruited into the army, it had not taken Lord Sesshomaru much time to rise through the ranks and become general of the army, under the previous king. Unmatched in swordsmanship and ruthless determination, he was a very powerful inu taiyoukai, the last of his family. His long silver hair was the envy of all the ladies of the court. Bangs lay low on his forehead, covering the purple crescent moon, the mark of his family. His eyes were a deep golden shade, but his countenance cold and stern. Like his forefathers, Sesshomaru had also wandered the land, gaining power and knowledge. It was unheard of for powerful inuyoukai to settle amidst humans and other demons. They preferred the wild forests to structured cities. But for some inexplicable reason, Sesshomaru, in typical style, had flaunted the age-old customs of his people and settled in a city, that too under a human monarch. He was not an easy person to approach – indeed, many called him the Ice Prince – and no one claimed to be his friend. He had a simple dwelling made for him in the First Circle and was attended to only by a short green toad-demon named Jaken. And Jaken was religiously devoted to Seshomaru; in fact, he had been with Sesshomaru when he had first arrived in the city. Sesshomaru had also been the only one allowed to keep his position when Rin ascended to the throne. All the deposed nobles thought that he would chew out Rin, but he was strangely very protective of her. Theirs was a relationship no one could understand.
Kagura was shaken out of her musings to see a very strange sight. The royal librarian had tottered in through the front gates, almost running down the guards in his haste. And instead of entering the entrance hall like the other nobles, he was making a bee line for her. Kagura blinked as she tried to understand what was going on. Then her reason caught up with her senses and she realized that Miroku could not have seen her. She surmised that he must be trying to enter the kitchen. As he came nearer, Kagura observed that his hair was down and messy instead of in its customary sleek ponytail, and he seemed to have run all the way to the palace as he was gasping for breath. He also seemed to be dressed rather shabbily and if her memory served her right, he was still in the clothes he had on yesterday. Kagura shook her head, the silvery green feather she had stuck in her hair after coiling it up into a messy bun wobbling precariously. She contemplated merely observing his strange antics in silence, but her curiosity got the better of her. Kagura got up quietly from her spot and went forward so that she stood in Miroku's direct path.
"Good morning, Lord Miroku." Kagura said "What seems to be the hurry?"
Miroku almost had a heart attack when Lady Kagura appeared out of nowhere. His already frantic nerves almost snapped as he almost crashed into her in his mad rush. He had wanted to enter the palace through the kitchen and take a short cut to his office to clean up before going in search of Kikyo. He did not want any undue curiosity from his fellow nobles. For a moment, he panicked as Kagura's question registered.
"Why don't you sit with me for a while and calm down?" Kagura said as she gestured to a small wooden table with two short benches on either side, situated underneath the giant cherry tree in the courtyard.
Miroku hesitated, but then thought that it would be a bad idea to rush into the palace even if it was through the kitchens. Kikyo might not have gotten to the palace yet. And Kagura seemed to have tea and fresh bread. The rumbling from his stomach finally decided him as Miroku nodded his thanks and followed her to the table.
Kagura poured a fresh cup of tea to her impromptu visitor and pushed a plate of bread and some cheese towards him across the table. Miroku still seemed out of breath, but he had lost the wild look in his eyes. He seemed to have calmed down and Kagura let him take a few bites of the bread before questioning him.
"So, what is the matter Miroku?" she asked.
If she had not been watching him carefully, she would have missed the way he seemed to freeze for a moment before continuing to chew thoughtfully. Kagura frowned as she thought about his strange behaviour. Miroku was normally open and cheerful, always cracking jokes and trying to cop a feel from the ladies. But he appeared wary and even somewhat frightened.
"It's a wonderful morning, isn't it?" Miroku decided to play dumb. "Every morning after a new moon feels brighter than on other days."
Kagura narrowed her eyes at him from across the table even as both her demon senses and Sight searched for the reason for his edginess. But she could only See the future, not look back into the past.
"Miroku…"
He gulped as he heard the dangerous edge to Kagura's voice. She was not someone to be crossed lightly and it was not pleasant to have her undivided attention. He had wanted to tell Kikyo first, but Kagura would get it out of him. She was a powerful demon and was not known for her patience. It would be less painful for him if he gave in. He sighed internally. It wasn't that he didn't trust Kagura. It's just that Kikyo would have a better idea of deciphering the parchment's cryptic message and he did not want to look like a fool if it all came to nothing. But then again, Kagura was a gifted seer and prophecies were supposed to her thing. 'Maybe she can make better sense of it.' He thought.
Kagura watched the conflicting emotions flitter across his face. Miroku rarely revealed his mind so openly. 'Something must have upset him a lot to lose his cool like this' she thought.
"I found a parchment today" Miroku began in a quiet voice.
"So?" Kagura raised an eyebrow at this. He was the librarian. Wasn't he supposed to find parchments?
Miroku scowled at her and began to rummage inside his robes. He brought out two tightly rolled scrolls. One appeared to be ancient but the other seemed new. He put both on the table between them.
"This" he said tapping the ancient scroll "is something I have never seen in my entire life. It was lying among the papers on my desk this morning."
"You must have taken it from the palace library." Kagura said.
Everyone knew of the assignment the Queen had set him for that year's Kibonosaiten.
"You don't understand." Miroku said in earnest as he leaned forward, one hand resting on top of the parchment. "I had gone through all the scrolls I took from the library last night. This was not among them."
"So, it probably came from your own collection." Kagura said.
Miroku shook his head in irritation. "No! Anyway, where it came from is not important."
Kagura raised her eyebrows at this as Miroku opened the new-looking parchment and turned it around and pushed it towards her. "I translated it. Read what it says."
Kagura looked at him sceptically, but pulled the scroll closer and bent down to read the small script which seemed to have been written in great haste. It took her all of 5 minutes to read it, but by the time she was finished, her face was deathly pale and her hands shook.
"You understand this." It was a statement. Miroku had watched Kagura's reaction and thought that perhaps she had been the better choice than Kikyo.
"Only some of it." Kagura licked her lips that had suddenly gone dry.
"The white dove probably signifies the Queen" Miroku said. "I know I have read about a silver axe somewhere. But I can't recall it now."
Kagura had a grim expression on her face. "The silver axe was the symbol of Onigumo, King of the South during the dark ages."
Miroku's mouth was an O shape as he processed that. "So, the white dove is…"
"Midoriko." Kagura confirmed. "She was the first one to use such a symbol. Her descendants simply carried on with her choice."
"Oh" Miroku said. "So, who is this Xahar? And what about this red spider and the keeper and the rest?"
"The ruling monarch is often referred to as keeper in connection with the Jewel." Kagura mused, thinking out loud.
"But it's talking of a lost keeper" Miroku said with a frown. "The Queen's not lost. Rin is right here!"
"Mmm… it doesn't make much sense" agreed Kagura. "But there is one thing we can safely assume."
"What's that?" Miroku asked.
"Since we found explicit mention of Midoriko and Onigumo through the symbols both used, we can safely assume that the spider refers to a demon. And also, since it talks of a second darkness, it must be one of the demons that Midoriko fought and supposedly killed."
Miroku had to admit that her reasoning made sense.
"So, you are saying that somehow this spider demon escaped and survived all these centuries and is now trying to make a comeback?"
"I don't know as to the time the prophecy refers to. Seers can rarely tell the time when their prophecies will come to pass. But if this parchment turned up out of the blue as you say, I'd take it as more than just a coincidence. We have to notify the Queen, now!" declared Kagura as she stood up and marched away in the direction of the kitchen. She looked back at Miroku and asked, "Are you not coming? After all you found the accursed scroll."
Miroku grumbled under his breath about impatient wind demons, but he picked up the scrolls and hurried after Kagura.
