Chapter 11: No Choice

Zeno took a deep breath as he and Ora stepped outside of the black orb that had brought them back into time. He recognized the city as a young version of Kuuto. The city wall hadn't even been built yet, however, upon the hill was Hiryuu Castle, fully fortified and with its red clay roof gleaming in the bright evening sun. It was beautiful.

"Okay, so how do we get inside?" Ora inquired as they began to walk through the small city streets. Venders were beginning to close their shop's before dusk.

"We find an inn around town, then tomorrow we begin looking for a way to get into the castle." Zeno told her.

"We don't have money." she pointed out to him.

Zeno turned towards her and smiled brightly. "Trust me." he said as they approached an inn. When the innkeeper looked towards them she gave Zeno a toothy grin.

"Lord Ouryuu!" she greeted him.

"Baaba." he said with a wide grin. "I was hoping to get a room for the night."

"What the palace ain't any good fer you child?" she asked him before noticing how he held the young woman's hand. "Or are ye tryin' to keep somethin' secret from those other warrior?"

Zeno laughed nervously. "She's lovely, isn't she?" Zeno announced causing Ora to flush lightly.

"That she is, but she's a bit thin." she motioned to how small Ora was causing Ora to look at herself.

"She's beautiful to me." he told the older woman.

"Well if ye love her," she turned to show them the way to their room. "treat her right, boy."

Zeno laugh, "Yes, yes." he told her as he closed the door. When he looked towards Ora she looked furious. Laughing nervously he said. "Sorry. It was best to go along with her assumption."

Ora gave a deep sigh of resignation. "Fine." she said as she did not want to argue with Zeno. "You knew her?" she asked.

Zeno began to pull the futon matresses out of the closet. When he heard her speak, he looked up at her just as the sun was beginning to set and saw the red glow reflecting off of her. She looked very pretty in that moment. "Y-Yes." he stuttered having been caught off guard. "Baaba was my closest cousin and last living relative. After she died I had no one but those at the palace to call family and eventually even those died off; Zeno has been alone for a long time."

"Was Yona his last reincarnation?" she inquired as she helped him lay out the sheets and blankets on the futon matresses.

Zeno sat on his bed as she sat on her across from him. Thinking back he found that he couldn't really remember. "I-I don't know. That is..." he began as he looked off into space trying to recall.

"Your memories are being affected." she announced. "I wonder when mine will begin to be affected?"

Zeno blinked at her. "Maybe they have and you don't know it." he pointed out.

"It's possible." she said before looking down at herself and then asking. "Am I really too thin?"

Not having expected that question, Zeno snorted a laugh. Upon shaking his head, he answered her. "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, correct?" he asked causing her to not. "In this era the women were...meatier. They weren't vain or as vain as your era. A thin woman meant she came from a drought affected area or that she wasn't that great of a cook. Thicker women are more prized because it means they can cook better." he chuckled. "It was also thought that bigger women could give more children than thinner ones." he laughed at her look of shock upon his answering her.

"People are odd." she announced. "To think such things." she shook her head.

"Zeno's wife Kaya was neither thin or thick. She was both and she was lovely in Zeno's eyes." he told her as he remembered Kaya. "If Zeno could go anywhere in time, it would be to see her one more time." he said with a dreamy expression upon his face.

Ora watched his face as he thought about his wife. "Do you want to?" she inquired. "After we set things right with Yona, we could-"

Zeno smiled softly at her. "No." he said with a shake of his head. "Zeno neither remembers when nor where she is, so there is no point." He gave her a bright smile. "She was reborn. A thousand years ago Zeno saw her. She was a nurse." he chuckled. "She had a feeling of deja vu with Zeno when we met again." he looked towards the window as the darkness settled in for the night. "We spent twenty years together before she died in her sleep. A clot had formed during the night and went to her brain. She died instantly. No pain that time."

"I'm sorry." Ora said feeling her heart ache for him.

Zeno shook his head. "It's okay." Zeno then stood up. "I'm going to go look for some food. I'll be back." he went to the door to leave.

"Okay." Ora said softly as she watched him leave. She hadn't known Zeno had been married. She assumed that he hadn't been, but now... Poor Zeno. He's had to live passed everyone in his life. It's a wonder he hasn't gone crazy with loneliness. She couldn't imagine going hundreds of years without any companionship, then only have a few decades to be with people you saw as your family and then watch them die. It's torturous! She realized. Why would he willingly do this? Then the answer hit her. "Because he has no choice." Suddenly she felt very sad for her new friend and made a decision. I'll ask him to stay with me after all of this. Perhaps he could help me take the company into a different direction. Messing with time is just too dangerous. I'll have to lock the TDD away and hide all the files away in a vault somewhere. She nodded at her thoughts before she laid down upon her bed and waited for Zeno to return.

Zeno hadn't meant to reveal so much to Ora about his past, but found that once he had begun, he couldn't stop talking to her. It was simple as to why. When he had first met her all those years ago, he had recognized her for who she was, or had been. Kaya, his wife had been reborn several times and each time their paths met. Four times he had met her, and each time he had looked for her name. Ora Tomoe was Kaya's fourth reincarnation and it felt wonderful to meet her in this form. She was so smart! He'd always known it and now he had seen the proof, but as fate would have it, she was also responsible for the condition things were in.

Zeno needs to get his head out of the clouds. He thought to himself as he took both hands and smacked his cheeks. Right! Food! He thought as he took of towards the tavern that was down the way from the inn. Upon walking into the place he froze upon seeing them; Guen and Shuten. The white haired Hakuryuu and green haired Ryokuryuu both looked so much older than he remembered. Wrinkles around the eyes and some on their necks. They had scars that littered their arms. Both looked to having a great time, as they clanked their cups together and ordered drinks for everyone in the tavern.

Taking a deep breath, he just hoped neither would see him amongst the throng of people. I don't recall ever going out with them to the taverns. I usually was with the King or Abi, though I do have memories of telling stories to the Miss. He smiled at those memories.

One more Uncle Zeno! she would yell gleefully.

Zeno made it to the bar without being noticed by his brothers on the other side of the tavern who were singing out of tune and laughing the whole time. He chuckled as he listened to them and flinched as they both hit sour notes in the song. The barkeeper looked surprised to see him. "What can I do for you Lord Ouryuu?" he inquired

Zeno noticed how tired the man looked. "Two bowls of meat with vegetables over rice." he said knowing it was one thing most taverns served freely.

The man chuckled. "Is it for those two?" he flinched as another sour note was hit.

Zeno laughed. "Sorry for my brothers." he apologized to the man who waved his hand at him.

"Don't, they're harmless..." he winced as the tone went too high. "Mostly."

Zeno gave a hearty laugh as Ryokuryuu Shuten slammed his cup down and pulled a barmaid to him and kissed her, only to get slapped by the woman and yelled at by one of the men. "Uh-oh." Zeno muttered as the two ended up out in the street after threats were made.

"Tell King Hiryuu I'll send him the bill if those two break anything." the man threatened as he handed Zeno two large bowls.

"Put it on their tab." Zeno told the man who nodded as the youngest warrior left with the food in his hands.

Outside Shuten chuckled as he took down the young man he had supposedly challenged by kissing his betrothed. Guen wrapped a hand over his shoulder. "Perhaps we should leave." he said, sounding a bit sloshed.

"You can't hold it like you use to." Shuten laughed at Guen's scrunched up face of disgust. "Its true!" he laughed when he suddenly saw something out of the corner of his eye. Turning his head he witnessed Zeno vanishing into an inn. "Zeno was staying with the King tonight, right?" he inquired.

"Uh, yeah." Guen said with a bit of a slur. "I need to sit down."

"Don't up-chuck." Shuten told him gaining an annoyed look. "I'll be back." he went off to see if he could see what Zeno was up to.

Zeno knocked on the door to his and Ora's room but got no answer. Sitting a bowl down he opened the door then picked the bowl back up. After closing the door he turned in time to see that Ora was sleeping. Chuckling, he placed the food down and then went to wake her up. "Ora." he whispered her name as he gave her a gentle shake.

"Hmm..." she hummed lightly as she opened her eyes.

Zeno flushed at the proximity of their faces before he sat back and handed her a bowl. "It's stew over rice." he told her as she looked at the bowl.

"Uh..." she began as she looked at the meat questionably.

He began to laugh. Taking a bite from his own bowl, it took him a moment to tell her what kind of meat it was. "Stag or venison." he announced. "It's usually easiest for people to catch.

Ora sighed but decided not to make a big deal about it. Taking a bite, she found that the meat gave the stew a rich taste. "It's good." she said softly.

"Lad use to make the best venison stew." he mumbled offhandedly.

"Who?" she inquired with a clock of an eyebrow.

"Yun." he clarified. "He had a kind heart. Was a wonderful cook and caretaker."

"He was a friend." Ora said, realizing it from the way he spoke about the man.

"He was." Zeno nodded as he finished his meal. Looking up he saw a flash of green vanish and frowned. "We should get some sleep."

Shuten appeared next to Guen who had his head between his legs. "You okay old timer?"

"I'm not old!" Guen suddenly yelled at him, which gained a smirk from his brother.

"Found Zeno." he pointed at the inn behind them. "I think I figured out why he vanishes every so often." he helped Guen stand back up.

"No jumping." Guen growled before looking at Shuten. "So why does he vanish?" he inquired.

Shuten's smirk turned into a full blown smile. "Zeno is interested in a girl and he's got her in there." he laughed at Guen's shocked look.

"I'm not having the talk with him." Guen said suddenly.

"Neither am I!" Shuten yelled at him."We'll con Abi into it." he said.

"Didn't we do that when Hiryuu got married?" Guen inquired as he walked sluggishly next to Shuten who chuckled. "He'll say no."

"That's why I said we'd con him." Shuten said. "Take a deep breath."

"Huh?" Guen inquired before suddenly they were airborne. "SHUTEN!" could be heard throughout the night.

When morning came around Ora found herself alone in the room with a note beside her. Opening the paper, she saw Zeno's handwriting on it.

Gone to the palace. Be back soon. Don't leave the room.

Zeno

Sighing, Ora groaned as she began stretching out from sleeping all curled up. Surprisingly she had slept wonderfully, but now she was all stiff from having been laying in one position all night long. Once she had all the cricks out of her joints, she began looking outside. It was pouring rain in sheets. There was no way she'd go out in that. Probably why Zeno told me to stay. He knew I wouldn't leave when it's raining cats and dogs. Yawning she sat back down on her futon cot that she had yet to put away.

The rain was making her feel sluggish again. She could remember as a young girl when her grandfather would make hot chocolate milk on days like today and tell her stories of grand empires and epic battles that took place in history. It was her grandfather's love of history and the need to know more that had drawn her into this world, but now she wondered if maybe it was something that never should have been.

It was late afternoon when Zeno came back soping wet from head to toe. "They're going to the hot springs in the water tribe. Hiryuu's taking the miss." he told her as she grabbed blankets to dry him off with. Zeno laughed at her attempt to dry him off. "Zeno is fine. I won't get sick." he assured her.

Ora blinked. "Of course." she said absently. "You're the eternal dragon, I keep forgetting what that means."

Zeno grasped her hands that were holding the soaked blanket around him. "Zeno - I appreciate the gesture." he assured her. "You're very kind to me Ora."

Ora smiled. "I can't help it." she told him. "You're just so sweet. I want to-"

"Keep Zeno safe?" he finished for her with a smile. "It happens." he grinned at her causing her cheeks to flush. "When we are done, Ze-I have something that I need to tell you." Ora nodded. "Come on!" he yelled. "We don't have time to waste."

"But the room!" she cried out only for Zeno to laugh.

"Baaba will take care of it." he yelled as they ran out of the building. A wagon was waiting for them. He helped her into the back and looked at the driver. "Let's go." he yelled happily.

"Where does this go?" Ora inquired as she sat against the wooden frame of the covered wagon.

"Bah-nai." Zeno told her. "The home of the best hot springs in all of the water tribe." he smiled. "It no longer exists in our time, but that's because of war. You'll see. It's beautiful there."

Ora watched Zeno's face light up with excitement and could help but smile at him as she realized as to how much fun the Ouryuu was having. It's probably the best thing that's happened to him, while at the same time the worst because of Princess Yona's disappearance. She thought as the wagon rocked back and forth as they moved along the road. She looked at the portable TDD. I just hope we make it in time, otherwise we will be stuck in the past and things will inevitably become worse than they are. We have three days left. She looked out at the road as the city of Kuuto vanished over the hills. Hopefully we will make it with time to spare.

M-Angel: Yay, I got another chapter out. Did everybody like my surprise of Ora being Kaya's reincarnation?