Announcement: NEW CHAPTER DEAD AHEAD!
Disclaimer: I do not own Jackie Chan Adventures. This fic itself even is respectfully adopted from Nocturne no Kitstune.
Queen Of Shadows
A Jackie Chan Adventures fanfiction
Written by Eduard Kassel
Created by Nocturne no Kitsune
Beta'ed by Zim'sMostLoyalServant
Adopted from Nocturne to finish what he began.
Summary: Last chapter, Jade's journey in this strange new world grew more bizarre, even as some questions were answered. Brought before the Generals of the Shadowkhan, Jade learned of a war of conquest being waged in her name. Struggling to navigate the web of power and politics she has fallen into, Jade finds herself fearing for her own fate with little to spare for the evil unfolding in the world. As she struggles to find solid ground in this potentially deadly situation, where even her own body is that of a stranger, what will become of Jade Chan?
Meanwhile, in those lands still free from the Shadowkhan, mysterious figures begin to gather.
Warnings: Blood, light-to-mild violence, and possible light gore and cursing. If you're not one to like mental and moral issues, then this might not be for you.
Rated: T
Chapter Three: The Princess in the Tower
Jade's head quite nearly twisted off her neck as she looked up at the second floor of the library and the entrance, which was slowly sliding open with an almost dramatic effect – although that just might have been her adrenaline kicking in. A quick glance around her showed that she had been extremely obvious in her frenzy for information as she took in the scattering of scrolls and writings around and before her on the table. With the skill born of a child almost always in some sort of trouble, she had the table before her sorted into something slightly more organized, and an old and dusty scroll that seemed to detail... an old treatise between the Shadowkhan and the Tengu, in her hand and looking to be read.
Just in time as well, for Jade spied from the corner of her eye the tall well dressed Ninja Khan from before entering, carrying an ornate tray with teacups and a steaming kettle.
Now, she paid as subtle attention as she could as the orange-eyed ninja worked his way around the circling upper level. Which was surprisingly subtle, as even Hiruzen did not feel her gaze upon him as he walked down the stairs and then towards her. As he did, part of Jade's mind idly remarked that while straight-laced, he was acting a bit less formal then before. This told her that in the relationship between Evil Queen and Minion, he was pretty high up on the list to the point of a possibly more personal relation. From the way he acted, she would peg him as the most trusted advisor.
Just great.
That meant that out of all of the Khan here, he had the best chance to notice if she screwed up.
Either way, her act of innocent reading lasted until he reached the table, and setting the tray down, took a seat on a cushion himself. He sat across from her, which she thought was a sign of favor or equality? Or was that when they were at your right hand?
Who would have thought paying attention to lessons on etiquette would have actually come in handy?
Hiruzen saw that the Queen had indeed been deep in her scrolls. Hmm, histories, he had almost expected her to be studying the ritual or the cartography collection again. Well, it was irrelevant for now, so he inclined his head in polite but not quite formal greeting.
"Your Majesty, I trust you do not object to sharing tea with your yojimbo this day?" he asked, already knowing the answer.
"Not in the least. Rise," she told him. Hiruzen shifted into a sitting position and poured her cup of tea. He knew many Generals despised servant actions. It was especially prevalent among the younger generation. Kamisori was the exception, but then he was irreverent of his own station and thus saw very little as beneath him. The truth was, for all their power the Circle of Generals were merely the greatest of servants to the Queen. Hopefully the new reign would refresh that fact in their minds.
The Queen hesitated before picking up the teacup and taking a sip. He was pleased at the tiny smile that briefly appeared on her schooled features. The young may have their fool's pride; his was the pride of well-done service.
"Is there something I can do for you?" the Queen asked, putting her cup down and eyeing the rice cakes. She seemed a bit nervous – she was intelligent, so she had likely deduced the reason for his visit. Timidity was a poor quality in Queens, but she was still young, he reminded himself.
"You have created quite a stir among the Generals. Even I must admit to a certain degree of surprise at your seeming shift in favor. Has it shifted so, Divine Majesty? As your yojimbo, it is best I know who enjoys your favor and who incurs your displeasure," he inquired politely, training his gaze downward as etiquette required.
Jade had a brief moment of panic and was grateful for the vanity of tyrants making their minions avert their gazes at times like this. Jade, being Jade, quickly pulled herself together and assumed a thoughtful look that was actually indicative of what she was doing.
Okay, for starters it had been clear, though she hadn't appreciated it, that there was more than just reporting going on in the throne room. The Queen, unlike Shendu, had many minions that were not mindless drones or simply puppets. These guys were Generals, and had armies to back that title up. And for whatever reason, they were loyal to their Queen, and seemed to be bent on competing for a piece of the evil empire pie instead of just taking it.
This guy, her yojimbo, her bodyguard, clearly had the top spot, but people could fight for silver just as much as gold.
It all sounded like it made for a convoluted soap opera-esque mess. At least compared to her usual Saturday morning-esque evildoer interactions.
The point was that, judging by what this guy was saying, she upset the balance of power earlier, by letting exhaustion and wild guesswork choose what she did while she tried to stay collected. The groom had slept with the bride's evil twin the night before the wedding… dang, she was going to need some serious therapy when she got back if these tangents were any indication!
Schooling her features, she took another sip of tea and delicately placed the cup back in place, fixing Hiruzen with a bored but not rude look that she hoped fit the character of the Queen.
Jade knew that this whole war of conquest had been suspended for like six years; her attempts to read up on the war showed it had halted around that time with only skirmishes, raids, and the like since. Ikazuki had looked thrilled at getting called on, and now she was being told it was strange for him to be singled out like that. Answer: he was low in favor, likely a warhawk then, since the Queen hadn't seemed too eager to continue the conflict.
"The current peace with the humans is not likely to last, as you well know. Ikazuki is able and eager to provide the information I may need when the war resumes," Jade said; she cringed inwardly at the slip, she had meant to say "If".
"Besides, he has seemed somewhat restless of late, giving him a moment in the light will ease that and get me what I need," Jade continued, a bit more energy in her voice than intended as a result of worry over her slip. She consciously tried not to sweat as the Queen's yojimbo sipped his own tea, looking her over critically.
'Epic fail, hello torture chamber o'doom,' Jade thought despairingly.
Hiruzen accepted the Queen's logic as sound. She knew the war would be resumed after the ritual – there could be no doubt on that. Fresh supplies of troops were the only thing they needed to resume the expansion of the Empire.
"You are correct, and the same could be said for the Buke Tribe as a whole. Though they have their place in the Circle and Empire, they come into their own in open warfare. In particular, he has become fixated with Tobe, and I worry it may cause him to overlook other opportunities," Hiruzen answered. He had not shared these concerns with the Queen previously – she had so little interest in such things.
But now she did not seem repelled by the discussion. She was not as eager as some Queens had been for the dramas of the Circle. Though that was all to the good in his opinion – what was important was her interest and applying her mind to the matters of her court.
Still, from where did this interest spring? Kuro thought he held her favor, but it was merely that he provided the Queen an opportunity to test her knowledge. The Queen had never shown true interest in the Circle's policies and politics before. It was another result of his failure six years past; it had affected the small Queen in ways he could not claim true understanding of.
Yet, while strange, could he honestly criticize unexpected growth? It could simply be the approach of the ritual had, as it had at times in the past, lit a new fire in a blooming royal.
There was still a nagging question though, one that had to be addressed.
"Even so, why so disfavor to Kuro? He has been bringing glory to the Empire through the path you sent him down. It seems almost cruel to reward his success with such dismissal," Hiruzen asked, refilling Jade's empty teacup.
Yeah, the demon calamari, while very creepy, was clearly high up on the food chain. And if he was the favorite, how to spin treating him poorly? Thoughts of him presenting all his loot mixed with classic villain paranoia to give her an answer.
"That's simple enough, my yojimbo – Kuro should act more like a General and less like some conquering hero. He brings back lots of treasure, well and good. But it's already mine, not a gift he can withhold. One should remember their place and not put on too many airs," Jade drained the teacup in one drag.
"I see, you act with wisdom beyond your years, Majesty," Hiruzen bowed his head with a slight smile.
"Before I go I must ask, are you prepared for the ritual?" Hiruzen inquired. Jade couldn't quite suppress the gulp; she knew she had forgotten something. It sounded big, and if he knew she didn't know what she was supposed to know…!
'Get a hold of yourself girl! Bluff already, it's gotten you this far!' she admonished herself.
"Of course I'm ready," she answered, trying to sound slightly affronted.
"You lie," Hiruzen answered simply, rising to his feet. Jade's eyes went bug-eyed as she realized the jig was up.
"I have served many Queens in my time, and not one has been without anxiety facing the ritual," Hiruzen continued in a… reassuring tone? Jade looked up at him, stunned for different reasons than he thought.
"I cannot attest to the experience. It is unique to royalty, but even your grandmother, who even at your age showed such promise, had fear of the Ritual of Izanami. You need not fear; I have served Queens that were far less than you at your nadir, and they completed the ritual successfully."
'And you seem to be gaining a much firmer spine now; perhaps we will again have a Queen truly worthy of utmost respect,' Hiruzen thought to himself.
"Thank you," Jade told him, stunned at an enemy being reassuring. She was seriously wondering at the relationship between this guy and the girl she had body snatched.
"If you will excuse me, I have duties to attend to – as the Generals arrive, the Fortress must be prepared to receive them and their retinues," Hiruzen explained, taking a step back. Watching her look a bit confused and relieved at the same time, he was tempted to pat her head as he once had. But those days had ended when she assumed the throne; duty and tradition dictated their relationship now.
"Yes, tend to your duties yojimbo," Jade told him, recovering her air of superiority. He said nothing, merely bowing and leaving as he came. He left the tea; apparently it was hers to finish or not finish.
She still felt his presence lingering after the door closed; she did not want to be here right now. Not touching the tea, she hastily replaced the scrolls, and forced herself to calmly walk back to the eager safety of the bedchamber.
Jade let out something that was between a sigh and a whimper as she let the door shut behind her and she walked into her room. As she kicked off her slippers and made to place the scroll she had grabbed on the small table, she was instead forced to closely examine her hand as it refused to release the said scroll from its grasp.
It was shaking, locked in a vice-like grip around the scroll as if the entire world hanged on it.
Jade just stared for a moment, in a sort of detached curiosity, before she realized what was happening. She took a deep breath, exhaled slowly, and brought her other hand around and forcibly pried her fingers from the scroll and let it fall to the table with a dull thunk. After she did, she brought it up to her face and just watched as the muscles in her hand and fingers spasmed uncontrollably and chuckled weakly.
"Big ol' bundle of nerves, ain't I? Wonder what the boss ninja would make of his 'Queen' shaking in her little booties? Heh. What I wouldn't give for a comic book or a Dark Hand scheme right now."
After a few breathing techniques taught to her by Jackie, she was able to bring herself under control. She picked up the scroll, and checked it to make sure that dropping it had not left any noticeable marks. Once she was sure that it was not damaged, she placed it far more gently back on the table before she made to take off the few dressings of royalty she still had on. Her hair was left pinned up to keep it out of the way, but the other jewelry went back into its cabinet.
Once that was done, she was rewarded by a feeling of slight relief. Looking into the mirror, she thought she looked a bit more like herself despite the colors, clothes, and admittedly nice hair. The sound of knocking at the door ended the moment.
A quick pat down and a moment to gather herself later, and she let out her best "Enter" in her royal voice. She did not return to the table, instead choosing to stand where she was and watch. Their reactions might give a clue as to what was expected here.
An eyebrow migrated slightly up to her hairline as a set of ninja Shadowkhan entered carrying trays of food, which they silently lay on the exact same table that she had enjoyed breakfast on, bowed, and left in mere moments.
It smelled even better than breakfast had; she couldn't help but pick out what she recognized of the spread. Well, no sense plotting an escape on an empty stomach, right?
With lunch finished and put away, tea and good food were soothing Jade's frayed nerves. Somewhat relaxed now she seemed to be able to finally properly call up her adventurer's mentality, and she had decided that she was once more going to test the limits of her freedom. Jade was now sure that within the tower there were only two places she was not intended to go, those being the guardroom below the bedroom, and the unmarked and armored door on the lowest level before the ground floor.
Both were, reasonably, off-limits for her. The guardroom served no real purpose to her, beyond most likely holding a contingent of lesser bodyguards. The locked room on the other hand was a mystery, but she was betting that whatever was in there was something she did not want to see. No one put such a heavy door with a massive lock on it like that unless they wanted whatever was in there to stay in there.
Either way, it was moot.
Her new test was that of around the tower itself. She needed to see if the garden was a place she could roam freely, and perhaps unwatched. If it was, it just meant more wriggle room for her to find a way to ultimately escape when the time came.
Her slippers whispered as she took the steps slowly and with as much poise as she could remember ever using since the last time her mother dragged her to one of those parties. She knew she was being watched as she took each step. She couldn't see who it was, but that did not mean she couldn't feel it. It was unnerving, but she was holding together now with her lunch warming her insides.
With an internal sigh, she stepped from the stairs and onto the main floor, and looked around the main hall. It was fairly barren, mat carpets and paper walls, nice but unfurnished; oh and still that Shadowkhan color scheme. Still feeling the silent gaze of her watcher on her, she made for the large doors on the other end with a dignified haste.
Only a single guard, one of the Samurai Khan, stood by the door, standing at what she guessed was their version of attention. Jade could feel his attention slide to her, but not become entirely focused. She saw now that the door had sets for two iron bars that were rammed into place in wall slots, locking it. The fact they were on the inside was some comfort – to keep others out, rather than her in.
She continued her approach and was about to say something, when the samurai acted on his own. The samurai turned and managed to even bow some as he opened the door and let it swing wide.
'That was surprisingly easy,' Jade thought coyly, half expecting the other shoe to drop. When she reached the threshold and nothing happened she resisted the urge to let out the breath she had been holding. After all, there was still a demon samurai bowing to her; she gave him a very small nod – after all, she was pleased this part at least wasn't complicated – and stepped out of the tower.
Looking to the sky she could see it was a beautiful day, and what's more she could feel the weight of unseen eyes lessen massively. She was still being watched, but it was at a more… she would call it "respectful" distance. Not good, but better than bad certainly.
Walking forward with a bit more confidence, she surveyed her surroundings.
The courtyard was a garden of sorts she realized, though not something like you found in a western mansion or some such. There were the fruit trees she spotted earlier, scattered about. Aside from the main walkway she had gone down before, the paved plateau was marked by hedgerows that came up to her shoulders, with a sort of small grayish green leaves. Choosing to go left, flowing out of the hedgerows, she noticed that there were depressions also winding through the garden filled with sand and rocks of various shapes scattered in the white sand.
A rock garden, or some sort of Zen thing, Jade thought; this wasn't really her scene. She looked over the pond shaped Zen thing and shook her head, already finding it boring. This is why she hated philosophy – it expected you to be interested in stupid things when more interesting stuff was just outside the door waiting to be seized.
Resuming her walk, she came up under one of the fruit trees, a plum she realized, noticing some small, probably under ripe fruit nestled in the branches above her.
She briefly entertained the notion of climbing the tree, but she doubted she could do that in this kimono. Besides, it would likely bring the ninjas and samurai running. With a sigh, she continued on.
The garden seemed more of the same, with small stone benches scattered about, just her size for resting in the garden no doubt. She idly wondered if the Shadowkhan tended these hedges. That gave her a smile, imagining Ninja Khan with pruning shears or the samurai dramatically trimming them with sweeping strikes from their katana. All while wearing straw gardener hats and wiping the sweat from their brows.
She had just started to be bored when she walked enough to see behind the tower into the grotto against the mountain. The smell of water and the sight of trees thickly set against one another greeted her.
Casting a subtle look around, Jade walked around the side of the tower and through the winding path leading into the cloister of trees, towards the sound and smell of trickling water. It took surprisingly longer then she thought; the path was a twisted trail paved with stones among tightly packed trees of a type she could not identify. For a moment, she almost thought it was some sort of maze of twists and turns but was proved wrong when the dark path gave way to a clearing.
It was small, shockingly so. As Jade looked around, she wondered why it was here. It had taken her a good three minutes to make her way here, but perhaps the way the path was made it feel like that. Either way, she decided that she had earned herself a brief moment to sit, rest, and admire her surroundings.
As said, it was a small clearing. Obviously not meant for any grand function beyond a place of contemplation or rest. A slightly more elegant stone bench than the others she had seen rested on the edge of a pond with crystal clear waters, revealing that the pond itself was artificial. A stone bowl planted in the ground, the inside of which was carved with pictures and writings that had apparently weathered the test of time quite well, showing little to nothing in the way of being worn away. Pink Sakura blooms fell slowly onto the waters from a Sakura tree carefully positioned above the bench, to best give shade, while lotus blooms danced back and forth on the water.
And as she sat and watched, she could not help but think that it was a very beautiful sight.
Also Jade could feel, or rather not feel, something quite welcome – the absence of eyes watching her. No one was watching her now, not a single pair of prying hidden eyes! It was such relief to know that she had another place to not have to keep up the act!
Slumping back in relief she let out a very, very, long breath. This feeling was so worth the trip.
Watching Sakura petals fall and alight on the water's surface and watching them drift in the miniscule currents like little pink boats, Jade's attention was drawn to a depicted scene. It showed a mountainside forest, the mountains apparent in mid-ground and background in Japanese-style carvings. She could almost tell it was late summer in the scene. There were two foregrounds; the first she noticed depicted a man of physical perfection bathing in a pond, a boulder rolled against a cliff face behind him. For some reason, the boulder was wrought of black stone, and she felt a desire to avert her gaze from it.
She followed that desire and it took her to another scene near the first but obviously meant to be separate – it showed a ragged little girl with long ratty hair under a peach tree being handed a piece of fruit by a man mostly hidden in its branches.
An act of kindness and an act of cleanliness; she would more expect scenes of conquest and brutality depicted in the heart of an evil empire.
For that matter, who would ever expect to find such a serene scene in a dark fortress? Normally she would be suspicious of the set up, and not interested in something so boring, but she had had one hell of a day.
So Jade closed her eyes and leaned back against the Sakura tree, listening to the water and the wind in the trees. The wayward adventurer could practically feel the knots of stress inside her slowly unwind as her stomach settled, not fully realizing it had been upset.
It wasn't till she woke up to find the night sky stained twilight that she realized she had fallen asleep.
"Oh boy," Jade muttered, sitting up. Her back was stiff from sleeping like that, and against a tree no less. Standing, she tried to stretch her back to get out the kinks. A few popped, but the most noticeable occurrence was her stomach growling.
"Aiyaa," Jade groused, putting a hand to her stomach. She hadn't done much but nap since lunch, but she felt famished!
'Can you burn calories with stress?' she wondered with a sour expression. The wind picked that moment to rustle through the grove, making her shiver slightly. Frowning, she decided to head back to the tower.
'I didn't even circle the whole tower! And now a little breeze has me shivering? This queen really is a wimp,' Jade thought as she made her way back to the tower at a casual pace. She noted how the landscape looked in the long shadows and the color of the setting sun. She stopped a moment to appreciate the way it came together. She could almost think it had been designed to look its best at times like this.
But she was hungry and cold, so she carried on, reaching the imposing tower door in short order. The samurai now stood outside… at least, she thought it was the same one. She looked up at the helm-covered face, but before she could speak, he stepped forward and aside, bowing as the door swung open. Jade gave him a nod and walked past him into the light pouring from the tower.
Lamps had been lit, filling the entry chamber with a warm light, and Jade watched as another samurai who had been inside closed the door as soon as she was clear. He shoved the iron bars back into place with practiced precision before falling back into attention at the door's side.
"JoōHeika," a refined voice said. Jade turned away from the samurai and resisted the urge to step back. A Ninja Khan was kowtowing before her.
"We did not wish to disturb you, so we have prepared your dinner and placed it in the Most Royal Audience Chamber," he told her. It took Jade a moment to get over another Shadowkhan talking, a normal one. But she had taken bigger hits to her perception of reality today.
"That is fine, you will escort me there," she told him. It wouldn't do for her to get lost getting to a room the Queen probably used often.
Thankfully, her request did not seem unusual; if anything, she thought the ninja swelled a bit as he stood and bowed to her. He led her to the elevator and pulled the door shut.
888
The room marked as Contemplation turned out to be the audience chamber. It looked more like a study or meditation chamber, she thought. It had a table and desk with a pair of books laid on it. Screens depicting forested mountains and one showing an old-fashioned Japanese ship at sea. And the low table on which was spread out a spread of delicacies.
Jade was a bit stunned at the amount of food, and it was clearly expensive; one item being sushi, she supposed, but the fish so recently cut and baked it was still undeniably a fish. Curious, she picked up her chopsticks and easily picked up a segment of the delicacy. It was delicious.
Her sampling proceeded in that manner though the various dishes, and before she knew it she had cleaned the table and emptied a large ornate pot of tea with a floral pattern.
"That hit the spot," Jade admitted, setting her chop sticks aside and brushing nonexistent crumbs off her kimono with a handy white cloth. She stopped at the act, puzzled at the tidy gluttony and now cleaning herself when she wasn't dirty.
'Like with the dress up. I need to watch out for stuff in my head that doesn't belong,' Jade thought pensively. The door opened behind her; she hated that she had to sit with the door to her back in this place! She resisted the urge to turn around – people in charge didn't do that, they waited for guests to present themselves, or for a servant to present them.
A Ninja Khan, probably the one from earlier, walked up to her right and bowed deeply, keeping a respectful distance.
"Will you be wanting anything else, Your Majesty?" he asked.
'Else?' Jade wondered, keeping the puzzlement from her face, 'How is this queen not a tubbo?'
"No, that is enough for now," she told him, rising from the cushion.
"As you wish. Will you be taking your tea in the creation room?" the ninja asked.
"Yes, that will be fine," Jade told him without looking at him. She walked past him and to the door.
Giving a small sigh as she closed the sliding door behind her, she wondered how long this little charade would have to go on?
Well, getting more scouting done was a start, and checking out the room of creation seemed a good idea. Spells, maybe?
888
Before moving on she had discovered the audience chamber only took up half of its tower level, the other half was separated by screen walls with sliding doors at both ends.
Apparently this was the serious contemplation part. The room was a deeper blue allover, with an almost black blue for the upraised mediation mat with an incense burner situated before it. The gold incense burner was the only color other than the unbroken blue, depicting an eight-headed serpent with its mouths serving as holders, one short, fat, incense stick each.
Jade closed the door without bothering to step in. She knew she wasn't going to have much to do with that room.
And so she had moved on, down the stairs accompanied by the feeling of being watched.
Jade decided while the title "room of creation" was technically accurate, "hobby room" would have been a better choice.
Like the library, it circled the central stairwell/elevator shaft, taking up a full level of the tower, and had no windows. She was starting to wonder if the only window was the one in her bedroom.
The Queen's bedchamber, she reminded herself.
As for the room she was in now, it was less elegant than the study/meditation chamber and the two level-encompassing library. Wood panel floors with faded blue mats and walls concealed by paper such a pale shade of blue it was almost white.
Unpainted but varnished wood cabinets lined the walls at regular intervals along the outer wall with a low table across from each cabinet in the center aisle. It was clear along the inner walls as Jade walked through the room.
It was much less tidy than the other rooms, far more lived in, which Jade couldn't help but be interested in. Most of the tables had drawings on them. Whether they were ink drawings still laid out on sumi-es or full color landscapes in progress on other tables. One was littered with origami animals.
Jade stopped to inspect the origami table. There were six origami animals on the table. Three cranes, a design she had never seen before, a snake, an origami bear on all fours, and…
'What is this supposed to be? Guess little miss royal high and mightiness messed this one up,' Jade thought snidely. This may be Shendu's fault, but the Queen was an evil overlord of some kind, so Jade was not about to pass up a chance in rib her in absentee.
She thought the folded collection of triangles was maybe a headless bird. Grinning, she pressed down on the highest end of the origami critter. And sent it flipping into the air. Pulling her hand back, it landed right side up.
"A grasshopper," Jade muttered; after seeing it in action, the shape clicked into place.
Feeling like the missing queen had somehow shown her up, she went to the next table, and frowned at what she saw. She recognized what was on the sheet of paper laid out, and looking to the neat stack nearby and a book set aside on the table confirmed it.
'Calligraphy, the most boring hobby ever in the history of anything,' Jade frowned, picking up the book.
'Who had enough time on their hands to obsess over getting characters just right by standards made by dead, boring old men?' Jade wondered in exasperation.
Moving on, she left the tables to inspect the cabinets. To her surprise, the first one she came to was locked. She considered giving it another jerk, but thought better of it. The Queen would know about locked cabinets after all.
The next one wasn't locked; it had three shelves, though only the lowest one, within her reach, was stocked. It had a set of small bristly brushes in a ceramic white jar, several books whose bindings bore no titles, and a small wooden box.
Curious, Jade pulled out the box, and brushed off the dust on top of it.
'Guess Queenie didn't think much of this. I like it already,' Jade thought. Tucking the box under her arm, she closed the cabinet and took her prize to the nearest empty table. Settling on a convenient plush cushion, she set down the box on the table. Undoing a simple brass latch, she opened the box.
"Oh," Jade said.
Lying snug in the little box's silk-lined interior was some kind of instrument. Picking up the egg-shaped enameled clay instrument, she inspected it. Thankfully it wasn't blue, but rather a light green with gold flecks on its smoothed surface. There were six holes, not counting the two meant for the mouth and air to escape.
'Four holes for fingers, two for thumbs, and the mouth piece on the big end,' Jade analyzed the instrument.
"Tsuchibue," Jade stated. She pondered for a moment if she had seen one somewhere or if that was another bit of unwelcome head filler.
Determined not to dwell on that, she blew into the tsuchibue. The note was high and shrill – Jade winced at the sound.
Covering the thumbholes, she gave it another blow. The note was high, but also crisp and clear, not the least bit painful.
Jade was experimenting with the different sounds the instrument made when a Samurai Khan entered the room. He carried a tray with a small teapot and a single cup.
'Is there a tea pot for every occasion of the day?' Jade wondered. The samurai set down the tea tray and stood at attention.
"JoōHeika, Hiruzen-sama wishes you to know that the Circle will not require your presence further this week. He expects General Kamisori of the Reza Tribe to arrive in four days time. General Sanshobo of the Kamikiri Tribe is expected to begin his journey from the Shrine of Shades to instruct you on the ceremony shortly thereafter," the samurai told her.
"I see, that is well," Jade kept it brief. He bowed at his waist and withdrew, closing the door behind him.
Jade replaced the tsuchibue in its container before pouring herself a cup of tea.
Well, the good news was, she wouldn't have to bluff her way past the Generals like she had earlier anytime soon. Though it seemed Hiruzen, as her bodyguard, had full access to her. And the other Generals could probably approach her by appointment or something. Still, an improvement over that throne room, though.
Then the bad news. Two more Generals were coming. And one was going to be tutoring her for this ceremony coming up. If it was as easy as Hiruzen claimed, why was a VIP like a General coming to tell her how to do it?
Draining her teacup, Jade wracked her brain for a solution. Given the weakness of this body and the paranoid level of security around her, escape was hardly an option.
So the best she could do was research, find some way to train up this body some, and wait for that golden opportunity to bust out of this gilded cage.
Once she was finished with the tea, it was back to the library. She needed to read up on this ritual.
888
That turned out to be easier said than done. The Dewey Decimal System was seemingly lost on Shadowkhan. The fact many of the books and scrolls had to be opened up just to see what they were about made it all the more time consuming.
She couldn't help but notice the black bound book on a pedestal in the corner, complete with a small wood staircase for helping her read it. The thing was nearly as big as she was tall.
That book may have answers, but she had quickly decided on it as a last resort. She didn't want to think too much what would be singled out like that in a dark queen's private library.
All in all, her meticulous search, careful not to make a mess that would arouse suspicion, covered maybe a tenth of the library. She hadn't found anything more on rituals. Poetry, haikus, herbology, origami, biographies of people she had never heard of, a listing of relics associated with the Kami Tsukiyomi*, the mystic uses of shellfish, and even one on the courtly fashions of Heian-Kyo under some Emperor!
It hadn't proven a complete waste though, as the book she had set down on a library table attested to.
"The Conquest and Administration of Shikoku, by the 14th Ozeki," Jade read the title page aloud. Opening it up, she was surprised at the flowing script filling the pages. It was clearly a scholar's work; magic was no substitute for a printing press, it seemed.
"The 14th Ozeki," Jade repeated aloud. She recalled from somewhere that it was a custom in old Japan for people to change their names as they advanced in social ranks. She wondered if Ozeki was a title, or maybe homage to some venerated Sumo General.
Putting a hand to her mouth, Jade suppressed a yawn. It had been a long day, quite easily the most stressful one of her life; she was rather okay with it being over, she admitted.
Apparently taking books from the library was no problem; no one made an appearance to object, anyway.
So she made her way up the stairs with the book and entered the bedchamber. Setting the book down on the table she had eaten her breakfast at, she opened it to the first page and began reading.
"The production of this land in the aftermath of the destruction of its irrigation system by sabotage by surviving samurai has yet to recover. Yet in place of irrigated crops, the herding of livestock…" Jade read, eyes drooping.
If she had any doubts as to whether the current Ozeki was the author of this book, they were as dead as doornails. She wouldn't have believed you could make reading about a war as interesting as watching paint dry, but he had done it.
"The Conquest and Administration of Shikoku and its Economic Transformation and Integration into the Empire of Shadows" was without a doubt the most mind-numbing thing she had ever had the displeasure of reading. Even the accounts of slaves taken versus executions hardly stirred her from the study-inspired stupor.
She slammed the book shut with a thump. And as if in answer, someone knocked on the door.
"Enter," she practically snapped.
The door swung open and a samurai walked in carrying a tray, followed by another samurai. Jade pushed the book aside to make room for the tray. When it was set down she saw it had a single cup of green tea and a plate with four small buns on it.
The other samurai walked past her and placed a folded cloth on her bed. They bowed to her, their tasks done, and withdrew after extinguishing most of the lamps.
Sniffing one of the buns, Jade took a bite out of it. They turned out to be stuffed with some kind of reddish paste that was mildly sweet.
'Guess I get desert after all. Good to be the Queen if you like to eat,' Jade thought, finishing up the pastries and tea. Getting up, she walked over to the large bed and pulled off the cloth that had been brought.
Letting it unfold, she saw it was the night robe from before. Or at least one that looked just like it.
"So, time for bed," she muttered. Going behind the screen she undressed, slowly, careful to not rip any of the exotic garments. Even under a more watchful eye, her hands eerily knew what do, and before Jade knew it she was replacing the hairpins and other accessories in the cabinet.
With a sigh, she picked up the ornate hairbrush and ran it through her hair, glancing to the mirror. She stopped midway through a stroke – she was not going to pamper her hair like this. The Queen's hair, whatever.
Meaning to slam the offending brush down, she instead returned it to its place, and found herself looking at it with a strange feeling in her stomach.
'Sweets before bed,' Jade dismissed.
Blowing out the light by the mirror, she made her way to the bed and scooted to its head. Sliding her too small body under the blankets of the too big bed, she settled in. Jade was dreading how long it would take her to get to sleep with all the thoughts ricocheting around in her skull.
She drifted off into a deep dreamless sleep within a minute, snoring peacefully in the darkened tower room.
:::Honshu:::
The road heading to Tobe was of well-packed dirt; the ruts of wagons were light impressions, showing how recently the daimyo had bestirred himself to the highway's upkeep. The path it cut through the forest and weaving through the hills was as broad and true as any country road could be in these times.
The ease of the passage it allowed was nearly matched by the fine views it offered in the hills. As such, the road was well traveled, with many inns along its length for not only the commerce between the castle town and its vast domain, but also trade from other domains.
At the moment, the road was fairly deserted, and the serenity shattered by a man's cry.
A palanquin of fine, if not superb, make sat in the center of the road, its bearers resting at the roadside as a middle-aged nobleman with graying hair and a double chin stood beside it. He watched with a smile as three samurai wearing mon* to match the one adorning his fine hakama kicked a woodcutter around the road.
"Enough," the noble said, raising a hand. Two more samurai from his escort fell into step behind him as the aristocrat made his way to where the peasant panted and spat blood onto the dirt. A piece of the dirty and bloodied man's load was in the noble's path as he drew close. Wrinkling his nose in disgust at the piece of wood, he kicked it away with his geta.
He and his men roared with laughter when it struck the man in the side.
"Be grateful peasant – your lack of respect for your betters warrants death. But the blame I know lies not entirely with you. Lord Rokutaro is far too lenient with your kind, and demands such of his vassals. You forget your place, and he ensures his inevitable ruin as peasants becoming irreverent and lazy," the noble said to the moaning man.
"Well, aren't you going to thank me for my mercy? Do you require further instruction in the proper order of the world?" the noble demanded as the woodcutter pulled himself up. The man made to bow, when a whistle cut through the scene.
The noble and his entourage looked up the hillside. The trees had been cleared to deny bandits any cover, but tree stumps remained, clinging to the steep incline. On one such old stump, a man was crouched down, watching them.
He wore what looked to be faded peasant clothes, with a frayed green cloak covering much of him. His face was concealed by a kasa that was fraying around the edges.
The two escorting samurai immediately stepped in front of their lord, ready to draw their blades.
"This is such a beautiful day. The sun is bright and warm, the wind is gentle, the sky so blue with a light spread of fluffy clouds. Why would men choose to spill blood on such a day as this?" the man asked in a light, somewhat mournful tone.
The noble sneered as he gave a slight nod to one of his samurai. Keeping his eyes on the strange commoner, he stepped past his men, giving his best sneer.
"This lowly woodcutter, he showed me disrespect. Me! An envoy sent to speak with the great Lord Rokutaro himself," the envoy declared.
"Good manners are very important. Though I suppose it is also rude to beat up strangers who pose you no threat," the stranger mused.
"Manners? An unwashed commoner has no place lecturing his betters on manners. And I can't help but notice…" the envoy smirked. Looking past the man, he watched one of his samurai quietly descend the hill, sword drawn, behind the stranger.
"You have also failed to bow to me!" the noble shouted.
"Run!" The woodcutter yelled. He cried out as one of the samurai kicked him in the side, sending him sprawling again. The samurai all drew their swords; the stranger put a hand to his chin, watching them.
"This reminds me of a song. But which one?" the stranger wondered.
"You can ask Lord Enma," the samurai sneaking up behind him said, raising his sword for a strike.
"THAT'S IT!" the stranger shouted for joy. Standing up, suddenly he whipped off his cloak, sending it over the sneaking samurai's head. Stepping aside as he pulled something from behind his back, the samurai's blind strike missed and sent the warrior off balance, stumbling down the hill.
The stranger pushed his hat back, letting it fall to rest behind his head, held by a string. His face was plain, showing signs of middle age through small smile wrinkles and stubble. His eyes seemed to gleam with joy while he smiled and ran a hand through long unruly hair. There was even a small yellow wild flower tucked behind his left ear.
He plucked at a Heike Biwa* on a strap that had been behind his back. The instrument was well worn, with strange symbols painted on it, and a small silver charm glinted in the light, dangling from its neck.
Humming, he strummed a few notes, seeming oblivious to the samurai advancing up the hill.
"Ohhhh!
"Oh Mr. Samurai, don't draw your sword today!
"The rain will rust its edge, the sheen will fade away!
"The keenest blades are in theirs sheaths, and there they should stay.
"So please Mr. Samurai, don't draw your sword today!" the minstrel sang, his deep and unsophisticated voice a strange accompaniment to the music from his fingers.
The samurai could not help but stop for a moment at the beautiful music coming from the stringed instrument. As their target seemed to blur they blinked, and he was gone.
"Where did he go?!" the leading samurai demanded, climbing onto the stump.
"My geta!" the nobleman shouted, staring in shock at his bare feet; even the socks were gone! Blinking, he reached inside his hakama, and his face began to redden.
"I've been robbed!" he roared.
The samurai soon realized their own money was gone as well. And while they searched the hillside, a newly rich woodcutter and a minstrel with a new pair of geta sang their way down the road to Tobe.
888
The sun was shining on the meadow, with its waving grass and rundown shack. A dozen horses – many of them old and less than well cared for – stood tied between two poles by a rope as several of their owners lounged by the doorway, passing around a sake gourd.
The bandits wee a shabby looking lot, bearded or unshaven; the only things that looked cared for were the swords at their belts or the bows and quivers laid nearby on the grass.
"Just one gourd – the boss is getting stingy," one of them complained. As he spoke, an arrow zipped through the air, severing one end of the tethering rope.
"He's trying to ration; he knows there will be Hell to pay if we run out of sake," another answered.
"What gives? With all these raids, we should have enough of everything," the first objected.
"The peasants around here are dirt poor, and we've been here awhile. We already took anything worth taking. Even the women are ugly here," another lamented. Another arrow took the remaining end of the tether.
"The boss should take us south. I hear even the peasants are rich there; one raid and we could probably retire."
"Don't be a fool! The Shadowkhan are to the south."
"They aren't even on Honshu!"
"Because they fear Lord Rokutaro! Would you risk facing the warriors of a man who can turn back the shadows that walk?" the bandits argued.
An arrow grazed across an old stallion's rump, leaving a shallow but long cut.
The horse whinnied, rearing up, its panic immediately spreading to its fellows. One of the bandits spat his sake as the horses ran off, still tied together.
"Shit! Which of you idiots-" the man with the gourd shouted. He was silenced as an arrow tore through his neck. Falling to the ground, the clear sake ran out of the gourd, mixing with the blood.
"What-" another said, before an arrow sank up to its fletching into his chest.
The boss burst out of the hut at the commotion. A ronin clad in beat up armor with well-trimmed sideburns, his nostrils flared, looking out at the horses. Drawing his sword he leveled it at his shocked men.
He opened his mouth to bellow something, and an arrow passed between his teeth.
888
The archer reached back to his quiver and notched another arrow as the village headman shielded his eye from the sun. From a hilltop, they looked down on the meadow, watching the distant men drop one by one.
"We are forever in your debt," the elderly peasant bowed his head.
"Yes, you are. Hmm, I have killed the leader and four others. It's time to let my men handle this," he said, loosing the arrow. Watching the arrow find its mark, he nodded and lowered his bow.
"But why, when you can fell men as a hunter slays deer?" the headman asked.
"Swords need to be sharpened, or they loose their edge. The same is true of men. They were ronin of no small talent when I hired them; if they die at the hands of panicked, leaderless bandits, it's their own fault," the archer shrugged.
The archer was not dressed like a warrior; he wore an elegant hakama of purple and yellow with a gold ring adorning each hand. His hair, silver streaked, was long and pulled back, but not in a topknot.
He walked away from the hillside; after a moment's hesitation, the villager followed him.
"Will your samurai be taking the spoils then, my lord?" the headman asked as the archer reached his horse.
"I am no lord, merely a humble merchant, who has prospered by virtue of talent and determination.
"Take the spoils for yourselves, the horses too. You will need some capital to recover from the raids – it's not like your daimyo will help you.
"All I ask is that you remember, Rosuto Kahei and Lord Rokutaro of Tobe," the merchant said, mounting his fine brown mare.
"At the very least we must host you and your men," the headman insisted.
"So be it, but not for long. Once my men are rested, we ride for Tobe," Rosuto smiled down at the peasant. Without another word, the merchant rode off, leaving the headman to motion with his arms. A large group of peasant men armed with scythes, hoes, and crude spears moved to the crest of the hill.
Japanse Terms & Definitions
Sumi-E: A box containing brushes, ink sticks, paper, and a securing surface for the paper. Used for ink painting.
Tsukiyomi: The Moon Kami, opposite to Ameratsu the Sun Kami, and brother to Susano.
Tsuchibue: "Earth Flute" a traditionally clay rounded flute. A Japanese instrument, it is similar to the Western ocarina in form and function.
Heian-Kyō: A former name for the city of Kyoto.
Mon: A badge/crest belonging to a clan.
Heike Biwa: A small version of the traditional Japanese instrument known as a biwa. Due to its small size, it was often associated with traveling musicians.
Nonki's Song: A folk song that featured in Stan Sakai's "Usagi Yojimbo" series, specifically the short story "Saya".
Author Announcement:
Greetings, and welcome to the continuation of the very first Project Dark Jade story.
I know many of you are aware I announced my plan to adopt this story after Queen of All Oni was finished. However, certain events, including my involvement in a car crash, motivated me to speed it up. The crash went well, all things considered – no one was injured despite damage to the cars. Still, I was driving home on the same route I used for years, and was almost there. Only for it to suddenly go horribly wrong.
So along with my resolution to finish at least one of my ongoing stories this year, I decided to get a start on this story.
Before anyone asks, I will not be adopting Nocturne's other beloved work, "My Big Sister the Spider". I simply don't have the spark for that fandom, and unlike Queen I lack extensive insider information to guide me in following Nocturne's footsteps. I am sorry to leave it hanging – that story is what brought Nocturne and me together, and therefore the reason my JCA stories and Project Dark Jade exist.
It was while discussing Sari's fall to darkness I brought up my idea for a Shadowkhan Jade return and lamented how I could only find two stories on the subject. Neither of which I felt truly addressed the potential of the scenario. Nocturne asked why I didn't do one then. I explained I had no idea how to change Jade back, and threw out some random scenarios; to demonstrate a good start of darkness was easier said than done in this situation.
Well, got hoisted by my own petard in regards to Wong awakening Tarakudo, and so events began to unfold.
Nocturne came up with this story, Queen of Shadows, while helping me develop Queen of All Oni. I took a quick shine to it, and as a result of our collaboration it was the first PDJ installment to go up.
PDJ was his idea as well, though I came up with the name. To address a seeming lack of good Jade/darker JCA stories we decided to throw our collaboration open to the public. In the hope that just as we had built off each other, the Project would inspire and assist other writers while helping post their work on the site.
Nocturne went on to come up with Jade Dragon and the Jade Crossover Project (Shadow of the Titans), again with my assistance.
And of course Nocturne vanished, only to reappear and then vanish again to this day. Even his Deviantart page is silent, with no reply to any number of messages.
But before he vanished again, I secured permission to carry on the work in his absence, and I still have the PM threads and other notes from our brainstorming and discussions backed up on flash drives and my personal computer. And so I have carried on.
This story I have held back on. Part because of my own load, and perhaps more because I held out a hope he would return to finish it.
I still hope for his return, but further delays just might mean the great story we created together will never see itself completed and released.
Sorry for the long author's note. Hope you enjoyed the chapter and find me a somewhat acceptable successor to this story.
Long days and pleasant nights to you all.