AN: Hey guys, I'm really sorry for leaving you hanging last week after halfway promising I WOULD update, despite the business trip I took. But that trip sucked up energy and time, so I just wasn't able to. On the plus-side, I feel much better about where the story is going now that I've had an extra week to devote to it. Enjoy this Setsuna-centric chapter!
Chapter 7: Instigating a War
"Let me make sure I understand this, Sesshoumaru," Inukimi began. The palace matron had banished all servants within hearing distance and commanded her son and her granddaughter to relocate to Sesshoumaru's study after Setsuna's big reveal in the garden. "Fourteen years ago, not only did you fail to mention you married a human and sired a child until you brought Towa home, but now I find that you've had a second daughter all this time as well?" Inukimi asked.
The ice in her tone caused goosebumps to crawl up Setsuna's spine. Like her father, she tended to keep quiet about certain matters, and when her mother finally found out about them, she would worry and cry and wonder out loud if she was a horrible mother because her own daughter couldn't bring herself to trust her mother with certain bits of information.
Despite her nonchalant tone, the tic in Inukimi's jaw and the deep furrow of her brows was so much worse.
Setsuna always felt like dried-up worm on a burning summer sidewalk after those conversations. She hated making her mother feel bad, but she also didn't want to distress her with problems that she wouldn't be able to fix.
She wondered if that's how her father felt now—or if as a demon, he simply lacked the empathy to care that his mother was so obviously hurt.
"I did not see a need to inform you," Sesshoumaru answered. Internally, Setsuna winced. If she had had any doubts a week ago that Sesshoumaru was her father, they were quickly eroding away. They were just too similar.
Inukimi picked up a writing brush from Sesshoumaru's desk. "You didn't see the need to inform me that I had a second granddaughter," she repeated.
"You were not altogether pleased you had a first. Why upset you further?"
Setsuna sucked in a breath, her heart aching for Towa in that moment. I've only lived with her for a week, and that's been difficult enough. I can't imagine being a bubbly child like Towa and trying to get affection from a grandmother who doesn't even want me. …But at least she appears to care for Towa now.
Setsuna wondered what her grandmother thought of her—the secret granddaughter. Her heart hammered with the anxiety of finding out.
"Did I turn you or Towa out of the palace when you brought her home?" Inukimi snapped, glaring at her son. "Did I neglect her? Did I abuse her?" When her son didn't answer, Inukimi huffed in victory. "Exactly. You have had every opportunity for fourteen years to tell me of this girl's existence, and yet you deliberately hid her from me."
"I am not the only one who deals in secrets, Mother—or do you not recall withholding those letters from Councilor Shiori from me?"
Setsuna's eyes widened. Is that why it took so long for him to respond? Her heart lifted at the realization that he hadn't been ignoring Shiori's pleas for help. In all likelihood, he simply hadn't known.
Because of her grandmother.
Setsuna's stomach twisted. She was having a difficult time reconciling the upset demon in front of them with the one who would so cruelly deny her son a chance at reuniting with his family in the South.
"You had every opportunity for two years to tell me of their existence," her father countered, his stolen words dropping like bombs between mother and son, "yet in not doing so, you made your position very clear. You wanted me to have nothing to do with the South."
Inukimi bared her teeth, the writing brush snapping in two in her grip. "Had I known you had another daughter waiting for you, I might not have done so!"
Sesshoumaru's glare mirrored her own. "So you would have allowed contact for the sake of my daughter but not my wife?"
"The girl is blood—that is a bond that can never be broken. But a spouse? Despite the best intentions you may have, there is no guarantee the other will remain faithful."
She's speaking about Grandfather, Setsuna realized. All these years, and she's still hurt by his betrayal.
Setsuna honestly couldn't blame her, even though she could also not imagine a life without her uncle in it. The conflicting feelings of empathy and relief that things had turned out as they had sat like spoiled meat in Setsuna's stomach.
Inukimi continued, "What's more, your wife is human and prone to that race's fickle ways. Who is to say she has not found comfort in another man all these years?"
That Setsuna could not let pass. She clenched her fists. "Mother has never betrayed Father—even despite one persistent suitor." Sango's brother, Kohaku, had long ago made it clear that he did not care if she had a previous marriage to a demon or a half-demon child.
"Suitor?" her father echoed, looking at her in a way that demanded more information.
She waved it off—they could speak of that another time. "The point is, she has been waiting for him all this time. Had you seen her face when Miss Shiori announced he was the one allowing Zone land to be used, you would not even question how much she still loves him."
Inukimi's head whipped towards her. "She speaks! Do not think you are out of the woods yet either, little pup. What magic did you use to confound us all? Should it fall into enemy hands, just think of the destruction they could wrought."
"I am not certain another could use it like that," Setsuna said, holding out her gold pearl.
Her father glanced at it. "It holds a similar energy to the Shikon Jewel—something any demon would die to get its hands on."
Setsuna nodded. "I understand, but it was born from our wish and Towa's tear that touched the Shikon Jewel. She has a silver one from mine. I don't believe just anyone could use it."
"So Rion is aware of your ruse," Sesshoumaru segued.
"Yes, Father."
His eyes cut up to meet hers at her use of the term. "I see. Then perhaps this will take less time than I thought."
"What will take less time?" Inukimi asked.
Sesshoumaru went over to his bookshelf and pulled out a roll of paper. He unfurled it on his desk to reveal a map of the demon kingdoms in the North. He traced a claw along the Wall. "Conquering the territories that lie along the Wall. Should Kirinmaru join us, we can flank them and crush them more quickly."
Inukimi frowned. "Sesshoumaru, that's madness."
"No, that's genius," Setsuna answered, coming over to look at the map. She glanced up at her father, hope shining in her eyes. "You want to control the entirety of the Wall, don't you? So you can tear it down."
"Perhaps one day," Sesshoumaru answered. "For now, it is enough to control the border gates and reestablish communication with the South."
Setsuna frowned. "Why not just destroy the wall? Surely you have the power." Even living for just a week in the palace, she had heard plenty of tales of her father's prowess. It was not just simple loyalty that had his subjects proclaiming him the strongest demon in the land—it was utter truth. The only one who could potentially match him, the guards and servants said, was Kirinmaru of the East. Even then, the two had never gone seriously head-to-head.
Inukimi tutted. "It is not a question of power, little pup. The humans would simply never agree to it. It would restart the war. The Wall was never a political boundary for them—it was a protective barrier. They fear us. They do not want the Wall to come down."
Setsuna nodded. That had always been one of Miss Shiori's political opponents' biggest attacks: that she was trying to reestablish relations and bring down the Wall, placing humans in danger once again. "What about demons?" Setsuna asked. "How do they feel about the Wall?"
"They are ambivalent," Sesshoumaru answered. "Many miss the opportunity to hunt humans, but others do not care, so long as they can fight each other."
"Are you and Kirinmaru in the minority then in your stance on humans?" Setsuna asked.
"Of course they are. How many half-demons attended camp from the North, little pup?" Inukimi asked.
Setsuna gritted her teeth. "Six."
"Precisely. There is a reason most half-demons live with their human parents. Demons regard both as lesser beings."
"Can we change those perceptions?" Setsuna asked.
"Demons are slow to change, Setsuna," her father said, looking straight at her grandmother. A crease appeared between Inukimi's delicate brows.
"How do your people regard Towa? Is she accepted?" Setsuna asked.
"Within my borders, she is respected as the princess she is," Sesshoumaru stated.
Setsuna heard what he didn't say: outside those borders, that was not necessarily the case. "Do they respect her because you force them to or because she has earned it?"
"Both," her father answered.
Well, it's better than nothing, but still….
Perhaps her father saw the disappointment in her features, for he added, "War is not won in a single day, Setsuna. Each battle is a goal. To change the feelings of an entire land, one would have to conquer it all and make every being submit to a single will."
Setsuna's eyes widened. "Is that your ultimate plan?" Inukimi gave her son an appraising glance.
"If it comes to that one day, then it will. For now, I want only the Wall. The success of Shiori's camp has shown that the South is willing to compromise on the Zone of Neutrality. Ideally, the Zone would become a haven for humans, demons, and half-demons that wish to co-exist."
Setsuna nodded along with her father's words, her heart lifting in hope. "And by controlling the borders along the Wall, you could guarantee the safety of those who live on the other side."
"Precisely," her father replied.
It was not the grand sort of victory Setsuna had come to expect from movies showing a ragtag team of heroes breaking down a cosmic order. But this wasn't a movie—it was real life with messy politics and prejudices, and it was her life.
Maybe we can't change demons' and humans' perceptions of each other in an instant…but as long as our family can be together, it is enough.
She smiled softly at her father. "How can I help?"
He gave her an appraising look. "You can convince Kirinmaru to join our fight."
Setsuna's smile fell. "How am I supposed to convince a demon I've never met? I know nothing of his motives or personality. All I know about him is that he's kept Rion cooped up her whole life."
"Then you know everything you need," her father said, letting the map roll shut.
When no other answers were forthcoming, Setsuna sighed. Sometimes, she wished her father wouldn't be so damn cryptic.
Setsuna clung like a burr to A-Un's back as the dragon demon flew beside her father. She was once more disguised as Towa, Sesshoumaru having insisted. Even if other demons looked down upon Towa as a half-demon, they still recognized not only her status as Lord General Sesshoumaru's daughter but also her own immense fighting prowess. Only the strongest or stupidest of demons chose to take her on in a fight. The unrecognizable Setsuna, on the other hand, would appear only to be fresh half-demon meat (though she wondered who would dare bother her when she flew so close to her father anyway).
Still, the disguise was a reminder that she still needed to one day prove herself Towa's equal in fighting and stand on her own merit. And perhaps she could get the chance in the upcoming war her father was planning.
Luckily, the bisected island nation was not nearly as wide as it was long, and flying was so much faster than taking a carriage, so it only took half a day to reach Kirinmaru's seaside palace on the opposite side of the demon nation. With the sun setting at their backs, it illuminated the castle that rose before them.
Setsuna gaped at it. She had been expecting another traditional Japanese palace, but what met them was a hodgepodge of Eastern and Western architecture. Though a five-story Japanese castle tower dominated the center of the complex, white, stone watchtowers with bulbous heads like those found in India or the Middle East sat at the corners. A stone arcade in the style of ancient Western civilizations supported by Corinthian columns connected the watchtowers. It stood on the edge of a cliff, and in the bay below, a three-masted ship in the old Western style but boasting a Japanese tower was docked.
Setsuna couldn't decide if the mesh of styles was an ugly clash or beautiful harmonization—similar, perhaps to symphonic rock, blending two distinct types of music.
As they alit before the front gates, a demon in Daoist robes with a dragon's tail approached them.
"Lord Sesshoumaru, Lady Towa. To what do we owe the honor of your unannounced visit?" he asked with a bow.
"I have matters to discuss with Kirinmaru," Sesshoumaru answered, walking past the demon as if he had already allowed them through. Setsuna decided to follow in her father's footsteps. I see. Walk with authority, and you won't be questioned.
"Then allow me to announce your presence," the demon replied as he followed them inside the castle courtyard. Setsuna glanced around, amazed that there was no hustle and bustle of servants and guards, as there were at the Dog Demon Palace.
"There is no need, Konton. Sesshoumaru made his presence known from leagues away," a new voice announced, ringing throughout the empty courtyard, and Setsuna looked around for the source. She finally tilted her head back and spotted a demon with long, riotous, red curls glinting in the setting sunlight. He stood on a partition of tiled roof two stories up.
Why do demons like standing in high places? Setsuna wondered, thinking back to how her father had jumped down from the roof when she played the kokyu. Is it for dramatic effect? Or is it simply that they are like birds, landing wherever they like because they can fly?
"Come. It seems we have weighty matters to discuss, if you have made the trip out here without preamble," the Lord of the East said, jumping down in front of them. "Will Lady Towa be joining us, or is she here to visit Rion?"
"She stays with me," Sesshoumaru replied.
"Very well. Let us adjourn to the throne room." As Kirinmaru led them into the center castle complex, he looked over his shoulder at Setsuna. "I do not know whether to thank you or curse you, Lady Towa. My Rion has returned from camp a new woman. Indeed, I have never seen her more joyful, and it gladdens my heart to see my daughter smile so, for I have not seen it in many a year. And yet…her excursion has made her bold. No sooner did she return home than she asked to set out on a journey to see all of the demon lands—on her own."
Setsuna's eyes widened. Far be it from her to deny Rion the freedom she so rightly deserved, but she couldn't imagine the innocent little half-demon making it unscathed across the whole of demon territory. "How did you respond?"
Kirinmaru frowned at her. "Of course I refused her. Until I have found and killed the demon who made an attempt on her life all those years ago, she is not to leave my protection without an escort I can acknowledge would keep her safe in my stead. I only let her attend this camp under your protection, since I figured it could be the one place even safer for her than my own palace. After all, the Zone is barren of anyone, save the campers."
Setsuna had heard all this from Rion at camp. Even Towa had intimated that she was surprised Kirinmaru had let Rion leave with her. Apparently, it hadn't all been because of Towa's skills, like they had thought. Her heart panged for her sister and her friend—both underestimated.
"Rion is stronger than you give her credit for," Setsuna said. "Is she not the daughter of the Lord General of the East? Surely she could hold her own."
Kirinmaru laughed as they entered the throne room and took a seat on his wooden throne, leaving them to stand before him. "Spoken like a young half-demon. Tell me, Sesshoumaru, do you fear for your daughter's life when she sets out on her own?"
"I have trained Towa well enough so that she may defend herself," Sesshoumaru replied. Setsuna did not miss that way he named her sister. Does that mean…he fears for my life because he did not train me?
Kirinmaru smirked. "As usual, you deflect. Others might question if the great Lord General Sesshoumaru even has a heart, but it is obvious to me it beats for your daughter—and likely her mother as well."
Setsuna stiffened. Even in so short a time of knowing her father, she knew he largely kept his feelings hidden in his heart. If Kirinmaru knew that Towa had been born from love rather than a chance encounter of battle-born lust, then he was either a good friend of her father's or very perceptive.
"I found it strange, after all, that you would allow that Councilor Shiori to use the land bordering your section of the Wall," Kirinmaru stated, resting his head upon his hand. "I received the same request from her, after all, but declined. I myself have no reason to generate discourse between the North and the South. I could only speculate that this must be some attempt to reunite with Lady Towa's mother."
No reason? Is Rion's mother dead then? Setsuna wondered. Her friend had never spoken about her mother at camp, but if Kirinmaru was as tight-lipped as Setsuna's parents had been about each other, it was likely Rion had no idea who the woman was or what happened to her.
"What is your plan, Sesshoumaru? Do you really think it wise to bring humans and demons back together?"Kirinmaru asked.
"The fates of others do not concern me," he replied.
Setsuna frowned, certain that Towa would protest in such a situation. "Fa—Papa," she warned.
Sesshoumaru closed his eyes. "It is not my intention to bring down the Wall just yet."
"Oh? Then what, pray tell, is your intention?"
"I will take control of the Northern Wall, so that we may open up the Zone between for a mixed resettlement."
Kirinmaru's eyes widened. "Is this your way of declaring war on me, Sesshoumaru?"
When her father said nothing, Setsuna stepped in. "We came to ask for your help. We would have you be an ally in our quest. With your help, we could squeeze the territories between us and defeat them more quickly."
"What benefit do I gain from this?" Kirinmaru asked.
Setsuna frowned. "Is Rion's happiness not enough of a reason to fight?"
Kirinmaru's brows rose. "Why should this war make her happy?"
"Not the war, but the aftermath," Setsuna continued. "Think of the half-demons and their families who might resettle the Zone. She could reconnect with the friends she made at camp or make new ones."
"She has friends enough in you and your cousin," Kirinmaru replied.
"Your daughter owes me," Sesshoumaru cut in. Setsuna looked at her father in alarm.
This time, Kirinmaru sat up straighter on his throne. "What do you mean?"
"I do not know whether to thank her or to curse her," her father said, echoing Kirinmaru's words from earlier. "For she provided the instrument that robbed me of one daughter yet gave me another."
Kirinmaru frowned. "What exactly are you accusing my daughter of?"
"Summon her and ask for yourself."
Kirinmaru did just that. They waited in tense silence for several moments before two sets of padded footsteps approached. Rion entered the throne room, followed by a red-headed attendant with devilish eyes and an ever-present smirk Setsuna inherently didn't trust. But the Rion that arrived in the room was not the same Rion that Setsuna recognized. This one acted more like a porcelain doll, coming to bow to her father without looking at her or Sesshoumaru.
"Greetings, Father. What is it you require of me?"
Kirinmaru waved off the attendant. "Riku, you are dismissed." Then he gestured to their guests. "Rion, Sesshoumaru has accused you of 'robbing him of one daughter.' How do you answer him?"
Rion turned around then, and her eyes widened a fraction upon seeing Setsuna. Her ears twitched—a sign that Setsuna knew meant she was happy to see her, despite the fact that no such emotion crossed her otherwise serene face.
"Lord Sesshoumaru…Lady Towa," Rion greeted with a bow. "It is a pleasure to have you visit us today. What seems to be the issue?"
"Explain your part in this deception, Rion," Sesshoumaru ordered.
"D-Deception?" The red-head glanced at Setsuna for a quick second before looking away. "W-Whatever do you mean?"
Sesshoumaru sighed. "Admirable though your loyalty to my daughters may be, it is misguided to stubbornly cling to a lie when so obviously outed. Enough. Setsuna," her father commanded, and once again, Setsuna unmasked herself in public. The gold pearl shined as she removed it.
Kirinmaru stood up from his throne. "Who is this?"
"My daughter, Setsuna. Towa's twin—from the South," Sesshoumaru explained.
"A twin? All this time?" Kirinmaru rounded on Rion. "Did you know about this?"
Rion ducked her head. "Towa and Setsuna are my friends, Father. They asked for my help."
Kirinmaru looked at the pearl in Setsuna's hand. "Then that pearl is…?"
"Derived from the Shikon Jewel, yes," Rion confessed, her ears pressing flat against her head.
Kirinmaru snarled. "Rion, you know better than to use the Shikon Jewel like that! Imagine what it could have done!"
"But Father, it gave them what they wanted—"
"Yes, but now that they have switched their lives, what then? They cannot go back home. Indeed, as Sesshoumaru said, he has lost a daughter by gaining another."
Setsuna decided it would be wise to keep quiet about her and Towa's plans for deporting themselves later. If Kirinmaru didn't know that, perhaps he would be more inclined to help.
Kirinmaru turned to Sesshoumaru then. "So you would have me join your war efforts as recompense for the part my daughter played in your daughters' scheme?"
Setsuna cut in before her father could answer. "No."
Kirinmaru stared at her. "No?"
"Such an excuse would only breed resentment against allies. We do not need to watch our fronts and our backs," Setsuna stated. "Rather, you should join our cause for your daughter's sake."
At that, Rion raised her head, her ears perking up.
"For her sake?" Kirinmaru turned to face his daughter. "Rion, tell me: how would this war benefit you? All the family you have is here in the North. There is no one with whom you can reunite."
Rion frowned. "Certainly there is, Father. Right now, Towa is separated from me, and she is my best friend. Should we not partake in this war and Setsuna must be deported, I would lose another dear friend. Besides, I wish for my friends to be happy. They are separated from their parents. If I were separated from my mother like they are, I feel certain they would help me reunite with her. As would you—correct, Father?"
Kirinmaru's face darkened. "Do not attempt to sway me by invoking your mother's memory."
"But that's just it, Father—helping Lord Sesshoumaru is the first step towards bridging the chasm of hate that separates humans and demons. You always told me it was that same hate that killed my mother and tried to kill me. If that is the case, would helping them not benefit me in the end by helping to change attitudes towards humans and half-demons?" Rion argued.
Setsuna smiled, proud of her friend for standing up for herself—and for her.
Kirinmaru stared hard at his daughter for several seconds before sighing in resignation. "Very well, Rion. You have convinced me."
Rion beamed, and her little brown ears twitched in excitement. "Thank you, Father! I promise, I will do whatever I can to help you in this war. I will even partake on the battlefield."
In an instant, Kirinmaru's face darkened like a thundercloud. Horns sprouted from his forehead, his fangs poked out of his lips, and his brows grew sharper. "You will do no such thing."
"But Father, how can I stay back knowing Setsuna is out there, putting her life on the line for this cause, and I am not?"
"It is her cause, so it is only fitting that she puts her life on the line," Kirinmaru retorted.
"Setsuna will not be joining the fight," Sesshoumaru interrupted.
Setsuna's head whipped around to face her father. "What do you mean?"
He leveled her with a stern gaze. "You would be more hindrance than help on the field. You have studied the art of fighting for less than two months. Even our newest recruits train their bodies for six."
Setsuna scowled at the reply. "Perhaps I have not had six months of continual training, but Uncle has made sure I developed my body and skills over the years."
"You are not ready, Setsuna."
Setsuna gritted her teeth, looking back and forth between her father and Kirinmaru. "I thought demons were the types to throw their children into the fray, prepared or not, so they would learn on their feet—like a mother bird tossing a baby out of the nest so it learns to fly on the way down."
Sesshoumaru's brows relaxed just a fraction. "Is that how you believe I raised Towa?"
Setsuna faltered. "Isn't it?"
"Had I sent Towa into battle unprepared the knowledge would break your mother's heart. I pushed her, but not before teaching her what she needed to know. You have not received the same training."
Setsuna's heart quaked. I know this is his way of trying to protect me, but…. "How else am I supposed to prove myself?" she asked in a quiet voice. She turned to Kirinmaru. "How can Rion prove her strength to you if you do not let her show it?"
Kirinmaru's lip curled over his fang, but before he could snap back a remark, Sesshoumaru said, "Enough, Setsuna. Our work here is done." With that, he turned and walked out of the throne room. Setsuna looked back and forth between his retreating figure and her diminutive friend still standing with her head bowed in disappointment. Rion glanced up at her and nodded slightly.
Despite the girl's remorseful posture, her sharp, emerald eyes still blazed with fight.
The sense of normalcy chafed at Setsuna worse than the stiff-collared kimonos she had to wear. After returning to the Dog Demon Palace, her father returned to his duties and told her to return to her studies.
But how could she go about Towa's normal schedule when there was a war to plan?
Granted, she knew next to nothing about warfare. Her father was apparently trying to remedy that. Now that Setsuna's identity had been revealed to the court, the difficulty of her studies and practices sessions had gone down dramatically. They had come down to her level, and for that she was thankful, even though it irked her that she still knew so little.
Nevertheless, she couldn't get over the feeling that she was wasting time.
But then a message for her arrived that morphed her unsettledness into anticipation—much like Towa's plan to switch places had a couple months ago.
It came by mirror, of all things.
Setsuna was dressing for bed (and now that her identity was out, she absolutely refused for servants to dress her, feeling more than capable of doing so herself) when a tentative, muffled voice called out, "Setsuna?"
Setsuna whipped around, looking for the voice's owner. "Rion? Is that you?"
"Yes," the girl replied.
"Where are you?"
"There should be a mirror in Towa's room. She has it covered—that's why we cannot see each other at the moment."
"Keep talking," Setsuna said, following's Rion's voice.
Rion hummed a tune instead, but it was enough to allow Setsuna to follow it to Towa's trunk and find a handheld mirror wrapped in silk. Upon unveiling it, she noticed it was crafted of polished bronze, and the side facing her had been sculpted with a long-tailed dog and kirin circling each other. Setsuna flipped over the bronze to find Rion's face reflected in the polished metal.
Setsuna blinked in surprise. "What is this?"
"It is a magic mirror," Rion said. "Towa had them crafted for myself and Moroha as a way to keep in communication despite the distances between us."
"So you guys basically do have cell phones," Setsuna remarked.
"Well, the mirrors are only connected to each other, so they're not quite as utilitarian."
They probably weren't cheap either. The mirror had obviously been crafted with a great amount of artistry and magical prowess—not something just anyone could afford to purchase.
"Why did you call?" Setsuna asked.
"Are you alone?" Rion answered. Setsuna nodded. Still, Rion lowered her voice. "It appears to me that we are in the same situation: we wish to aid our fathers in this fight, but they will not let us. Would you agree?" Setsuna nodded. "Of course, I understand their concerns. Neither you nor I am experienced in the art of war, and they wish to protect us. What we need is training. Unfortunately, my father will not employ anyone to teach me. I would ask our retainer, Riku, but anything I do or say to him would get back to my father, since they are…connected." Setsuna wasn't sure what that meant, but she didn't ask Rion to explain. "What about you?" she asked.
"I am studying warfare and still training, but not at Towa's level any longer. My father has set my curriculum to cover only the basics. I understand, but at the same time…I feel like this method will take too long. After all, Towa's been studying for years. How am I supposed to catch up to her in just a month?"
Rion nodded in sympathy. "In truth, it's not possible to catch up to her in so short a time. However, I think I know a way we can both get what we need. If we want to undergo the same training and Towa and Moroha, we will need to seek out their master: Yawaragi."
"Isn't she part of the wolf demon tribe?" Setsuna asked. At camp, Towa and Moroha had regaled her with stories of their tutelage under Yawaragi—some hilarious and some horrifying. "Are you saying we should run away to the Northern Mountains?"
"Precisely. Yawaragi is known for her cutthroat but effective teaching methods. No one could instill the skills of battle in us faster."
"Even so, the war could be over before we finish training," Setsuna countered. "And won't your father blame mine for you leaving? Will that not instigate war between them instead of an alliance?"
"I will leave my father a note stating my intentions clearly: that if he wants me to return to him in the future, he will continue to assist your father in his efforts."
Setsuna nodded slowly. In her heart, she knew this was the right path, and yet she hated the thought of leaving her father after having only just arrived and met him.
But think, Setsuna—if you are able to help him take The Wall faster, hopefully we can all—Mother, Father, Towa, Moroha, Uncle, and Aunt—live as a family again, and you won't have to choose anymore between who you see.
"Alright, I'm in. But it shouldn't be an issue for me to leave the palace. Rather, how are you going to escape?" Setsuna asked.
"I'll need your help," Rion answered. "Father often lets Riku take me out to go boating or fishing. While we're out at sea, I'll need you to swing by on A-Un and pick me up."
Setsuna frowned. "But what about Riku? Didn't you say everything you did would be reported back to your father?"
"Everything Riku sees and hears my father sees and hears," Rion explained. "He was born from my father's broken-off horn, you see. But Riku has his own personality. He adores me like a sister, and he is not afraid to stand up to my father for what he thinks is right. He may put up a bit of a fight for show, but he will let me go in the end, because he knows it's what I want. We simply have to put in the element of surprise so that my father or his Four Perils don't come after us immediately."
"If you're sure," Setsuna said.
"I am. Actually…if we're speaking of surprises, you should come as Towa."
"Why?"
Rion giggled. "Don't tell her, but Riku has a soft spot for Towa. He just can't say no to her."
Setsuna's mouth dropped open. Her sister had an admirer? She had only seen Riku from a distance, but she hadn't liked that smarmy smirk of his. This would require closer investigation. In fact, this would be the perfect opportunity to vet him.
"I see. But doesn't he know that Towa's gone?"
"Oh no. Only my father and I know. We haven't told anyone," Rion said.
"Ah. So are you asking me to…flirt with him?" Setsuna had never flirted a day in her life. And she couldn't stand those cheesy romance movies her mother liked to watch.
Rion gasped, and though it was difficult to tell with the bronze cast to her face, Setsuna was sure she blushed. "Oh my! You're so bold, Setsuna! I could never—I mean, it's not proper for a lady to do the chasing, is it?"
Setsuna scowled. "I'm not chasing him, because I don't like him. But if I'm not supposed to engage in a little harmless flirting, what did you have in mind?"
"I-I don't know! I just thought that if Towa and I asked together, he would let us go…."
Now it was Setsuna's turn to blush. "Oh. I see."
"B-But actually…maybe it would help if you did flirt with him…as Towa. He'd probably be so stunned, it would give us some valuable seconds to fly off without him coming after us—if, you know…we fail to persuade him to let us go."
Setsuna sighed. "Let's just save the flirting as a last resort. Now, when should we do this?" Setsuna asked.
"How soon can you be here?"
Setsuna thought about it. It had taken a whole day to reach Kirinmaru's castle before. She would need to map out a path to the Northern Mountains and pack for the trip.
"Give me a day. I'll fly out tomorrow night and be there in the morning. This way, we don't have to fly over unknown territory in the dark."
"Perfect. I'll give Moroha a heads-up that we're coming," Rion said.
"Okay…but don't tell her I'm Setsuna. She doesn't know yet."
Rion's eyes widened. "Don't you think you should tell her before we arrive?"
Setsuna shook her head. "I'd rather tell her in person when we get there."
"Well, she is your cousin, so if you think it best…I shall abide by your wishes."
Setsuna could barely sleep that night as her mind ran over everything she would have to do to prepare for her journey. At one point, she was ready to abandon her attempt at sleep to get started, but as often happened at such times, she finally nodded off.
The first thing the following morning, Setsuna approached her father in his study. Rion might be running away from home, but she had no reason to do the same.
Besides, she didn't want her father to find her missing and worry unduly.
When he bade her enter, she announced, "Father, I would like to go visit Moroha in the Northern Mountains."
"Do as you wish," he answered without looking up.
That was easy, Setsuna thought. Mother would have asked a million questions before letting me go.
"Don't you want to know when I'll return?"
Finally, he glanced up at her. "You will return when you are ready. Should I have need of you, I will summon you." His golden eyes pinned her with a patient look.
Setsuna's breath hitched. He can't possibly know my intentions…can he?
She swallowed thickly. "Do you have a map so I can chart a course to get there?"
"A-Un knows the way," Sesshoumaru answered.
She couldn't tell him she was going to pick Rion up and that they would be taking a new flight path. "Still…I would prefer to know myself, in case something happens."
Wordlessly, her father stood up and went to his bookshelves, pulling out one of the rolled-up maps that were stacked there. He handed it to her.
"Thank you," she said. "Do you have any advice on what to take to the Northern Mountains?"
Her father's nose curled. "Wolf demons are an uncivilized lot, preferring to camp in caves rather than build homes. You will desire warm clothing and blankets. Bring any necessities you require—wolf demons keep no possessions but weapons and crude tools."
Setsuna's eyes widened at the veritable onslaught of information her father had supplied. She hadn't actually been expecting much an answer. "Thank you, Father."
"Remember to travel under Towa's guise."
He is worried about me. "I will."
He returned to his desk without a hug or even a pat on the head. Well, I'm not leaving right this moment. I can say goodbye later.
She spent the rest of the day preparing for her trip: charting her courses and packing as she would for a camping trip (but feudal-style).She retired early so that she would be decently rested for departing in the middle of the night. She hated not having an alarm to be able to set, because it meant instead that she had to bother a servant to wake her at that time.
When the servant did wake her, Setsuna dressed and gathered her belongings. Finally, she put the gold pearl back in her eye.
"Where is my father?" she asked, knowing he did not often sleep.
"I believe he is outside stargazing, Lady To—er, Lady Setsuna," the servant answered. "Shall I take you to him?"
Setsuna nodded and followed the servant into the garden, where her father indeed stood simply staring at the sky.
"You are leaving?" he asked without looking at her.
"Yes."
"I will see you off."
He walked away then, and she followed him out of the gardens, down the main flight of stairs, and to the stables. There, Setsuna saddled A-Un herself, knowing she would need to get more and more practice as the days went on. When the dragon was ready and her things were slung over his back, she turned to her father.
She had only just said hello a few days ago, and here she was saying goodbye. The realization twisted her heart. "It was not my intention to leave you so soon, Father."
"If this is the path you feel you must take, then do so," he replied.
Setsuna ducked her head, wanting to at least give him a little hug but feeling shy without Towa's disguise to lend her agency. "I will try to return soon. I'll…miss you."
Just then, he reached out and tilted her chin up so that she was looking into his eyes that glowed also golden-green in the moonlight. "You must live."
Setsuna nodded, placing her hands over his. "I'll be safe." The fact that he didn't pull his hand from hers injected her with a booster shot of confidence, and she stepped forward into his chest, removing one hand to gently grip him by the fur. She swore she felt a fleeting touch on her shoulder before she pulled away, unable to meet his gaze.
"Goodbye," she said, clambering onto A-Un. Safely atop the dragon, she finally looked down at him. In response, he reached out and gently squeezed her knee.
Setsuna smiled softly and then snapped the reins. A-Un shot into the cool night.
AN: Full confession: this chapter was originally going to go all the way through Setsuna getting to the Northern Mountains, but…as I was working on it, it got too long and involved, so I decided to break it up. (Have you heard this refrain from me before? 😆) Anyway, the good news is, I'm now officially ahead in terms of writing, and that makes me feel a whole lot more confident in what I'm delivering. So, look forward to more Setsuna next time!