Yuuko had sent Momiji ahead with a note to warn those at the camp of their impending arrival as well as of their special cargo. The poison was still coursing through the young archer's system and would need to be dealt with immediately. They had to figure out a way to get that bandage off and treat the wound before it started to fester. It was strong magic, unlike anything Yuuko had ever encountered. She had always prided herself in the strength of her fire magic, and felt utterly baffled as to why it had had no effect on whatever magic the young archer possessed.
They made it to the camp to find the gates already open and a recovery area set up for their injured guest. Yuuko and her husband ran ahead while Minako stayed behind to check the perimeter of the camp and make sure that they hadn't been followed. She rejoined the others a short while later after she had completed her task. Yuuko placed the young archer onto the pallet they had prepared for him and set to work immediately. She removed the young man's armor and garments then dressed him in a clean yukata. She picked up the most intimate piece of cloth the young man had been wearing and looked it over with great curiosity.
"I have never seen a fundoshi* like this before. What a bizarre-looking thing."
Minako stepped in close and took the garment from Yuuko's hand before turning it around in her own.
"Indeed, it's rather strange. But, to its credit…it appears to be much easier to put on and remove than a fundoshi. It definitely offers more…uh…coverage than a fundoshi."
Yuuko nodded and was about to speak when a guard entered the tent.
"Attention! Lord Katsuki has arrived."
Minako, Yuuko and Nishori immediately went down on one knee and bowed their heads. The flap to the tent was opened and Emperor Yuri Katsuki was ushered inside. The guard bowed deeply to the lord before turning on his heel and making his exit.
"Please rise, all of you. We're not at the castle, there's no need for such formality."
The three warriors lifted their heads and smiled as they stood back up.
Minako stepped forward and pinched the lord's cheek with her thumb and index finger.
"Yuri, Yuri…you're much too soft on your subjects."
Lord Katsuki playfully swatted at the shinobi's hand before clearing his throat.
"Yes, yes…so I hear. Would you rather have a strict and unforgiving emperor then? I could always change…"
Yuuko stepped in close and patted Lord Katsuki's shoulder.
"Yuri, we respect you as our Emperor because you are brave, kind, and fair. Not because you're some tyrant to be feared."
A light flush colored the emperor's face and he quickly reached for the fan tucked into his obi, opening it to hide his face.
"Ah, th-thank you. Please be at ease, I have no plans to change my ruling style."
Yuuko excused herself and returned to her patient while Nishigori turned to speak to the lord.
"You're a bit early. I thought you were due to arrive tomorrow."
"Yes, that is true. However, I was informed by our generals back in Orientalis that there had been increased demon activity in the area and they sensed an impending attack. So I hastened to travel here."
The lord looked over Nishigori's shoulder and noticed the unconscious archer laid out on the tatami.
"What do we know about our guest? Any new developments?"
Nishigori stepped aside to allow the young lord a clear path to their guest.
"No new developments, but he's about to get a second dose of antidote. I wish I could remove the bandage on his leg to treat his wound, but it's been enchanted with a kind of magic I am unfamiliar with."
Lord Katsuki stepped up to their young guest to get a better look. The surprise at what he saw showed clearly on his face.
"He's so young!"
Yuuko nodded.
"Yes, he is. We think that this may have been his first mission. He seems inexperienced and untested."
The lord shook his head and sighed.
"This cursed war with the demons keeps claiming younger and younger lives. Armies these days are replacing their soldiers with children. It disgusts me."
The young lord turned to Minako.
"So, what do we know about him?"
"He's an archer, he has golden hair and green eyes, he has strange fundoshi, strange enchanted armor, and an enchanted leg bandage we can't seem to get off."
Lord Katsuki raised an eyebrow quizzically as he turned to look at Yuuko.
"An enchantment that even you were unable to break? This is I must see."
The young lord reached down toward the bandage and allowed his hand to hover above it as he closed his eyes and concentrated. He felt the familiar heat build up in the pit of his stomach and flow outward into the fingertips of his extended hand. He imagined the flames leaving his fingers and swirling around the bandage. He felt a slight resistance as his flames finally reached their destination. Sparks formed as the two magics came in contact with another. The three other conscious occupants of the room were immediately on guard and ready to jump in should their emperor be in peril. The lord sensed their concern and held up a hand.
"Worry not, the foreign magic is simply resisting my attempts to probe it."
The lord refocused on the magic he sensed in front of him. It was unlike any magic he had ever experienced. He couldn't be sure, but he felt a coldness radiating from it. His excitement grew as he delved into it. Its novelty and strangeness absolutely fascinated him. The lord probed deeper, amplifying the intensity of his magic. The foreign magic tried to match him, but was ultimately overpowered. The lord raised his hand and clenched it into a fist. As he did so, the enchanted bandage burst into flames and disintegrated. The two kitsune hanyou gasped in awe and the shinobi smirked.
That's our Yuri, thought Minako. They don't call him the strongest fire magic user of all time for nothing.
Lord Katsuki opened his eyes and looked down at the young archer. He had to know what that magic was. He turned to look at Yuuko.
"Where are his things?"
Yuuko led Lord Katsuki to the pile containing his armor, garments and weapon.
Lord Katsuki picked each item up individually and examined it with great scrutiny. His brow furrowed when he got to the armor.
"This armor has been enchanted with the same kind of magic as the bandage. It's a much stronger enchantment, however…definitely from another source than our young archer friend."
Lord Katsuki picked up the archer's shirt and marveled at its iridescence. The material resembled the scales of a lizard and shone like the wings of a butterfly. He was fully enthralled and mesmerized by it. As he put the shirt down and reached for the strange-looking hakama, something heavy and metallic fell out of the pile. He bent down and picked it up, feeling its weight in his hands. When he turned it around, he gasped.
All three warriors were at his side in an instant.
Minako was the first to speak.
"What is it Yuri?"
Lord Katsuki held out the item and pointed to the emblem etched into it.
"This blue thing here is a dragon."
Yuuko leaned in close and cocked her head to the side as she scrunched up her nose.
"THAT'S a dragon? That looks nothing like a dragon!"
"It's not a dragon that we here at Orientalis would recognize, this is a dragon from Occidentis."
Minako perked up at the mention of Occidentis.
"Yuri…a blue dragon…from Occidentis…is this…?"
Yuri nodded solemnly at the shinobi.
"Yes, Minako. This is the crest of the ice dragon magic clan."
Yuuko covered her mouth with both hands and Nishigori threw an arm around her shoulders.
He turned to look at Lord Katsuki.
"Ice Dragon Magic clan? What would they be doing here, so close to our territory? Our clans have never crossed paths."
Lord Katsuki stared pensively at the crest.
"Where we are now is considered neutral territory. This is why the demons have decided to build their base here. It is possible that the Ice Dragon Magic clan also received reports of the increased demonic activity and sent their own delegation to investigate."
Yuuko snorted derisively.
"A delegation? They sent a whelp…one still wet behind the ears."
Lord Katsuki placed a hand on Yuuko's shoulder and gave it a light squeeze.
"Yuuko…I know that being a mother makes you protective of children in general, but please don't allow it to cloud your judgment. We barely know anything about the situation. We must wait until the young one is well enough to speak to us and tell us what happened."
Minako shot Yuuko a smug 'I told you so' look and the young kitsune hanyou pouted dejectedly.
Nishigori planted a kiss on his wife's cheek before addressing his lord.
"So…what do we do now?"
Lord Katsuki tapped a fingernail against the crest.
"We message the dragons and tell them one of their fledglings has fallen into our nest."
Fundoshi - traditional Japanese undergarment for adult males, made from a length of cotton.