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Chapter Sixteen

Meeting

When they reach the stables, Yari is groomed and saddled and waiting outside his stall just as the servant said. Hakuryuu hoists himself up onto the horse's back and then holds his hand down to Morgiana who grabs it and is promptly lifted up behind him. She settles herself into the saddle and grabs Hakuryuu's shoulders for support as he nudges the horse into a walk.

The city, which had been lively and bustling just an hour before, now has a subdued kind of energy as shopkeepers close their businesses for the night and stall owners pack up their wares and carts. As soon as they clear the city gates, Hakuryuu spurs Yari into a canter and they begin heading for the hills that loom just a few kilometers outside the city. The sun is sinking quickly now and the air has started to become chilly. It whips through her hair as they ride and causes gooseflesh to rise on Morgiana's arms and legs.

As they draw closer to the hills, Morgiana speculates on what they will find there. Why would Hakuei call Hakuryuu out to meet her in such a way? Morgiana can only think of two reasons. Either she wishes to speak with Hakuryuu clandestinely somewhere she thinks they won't be overheard by Gyokuen, or this is a trap laid by Gyokuen herself to get Hakuryuu on his own. It wouldn't surprise her if the latter were the case. If Gyokuen happened to retain memories of the lost future somehow then she will certainly anticipate Hakuryuu's plot to take her out and now is the perfect time to do away with him before he can become a problem.

Morgiana tightens her hold on Hakuryuu's shoulders. She absolutely won't allow Arba to lay a hand on him. Now that she has the power of a djinn at her command, she is confident that she can hold her own against the conniving witch. For a while, at least. It's high time Arba was paid back for everything she put Hakuryuu and Aladdin through. Nothing would please Morgiana more than delivering a good, solid punch straight to her mouth.

But… a thought occurs to her suddenly that causes her to frown. It's a little strange that after all the trouble Hakuryuu went through to keep her safe he would ask her to come along with him to a potential faceoff with his mother when both of them are completely unprepared. Of course, she would have gone with him regardless, but the fact that he asked her to come of his own volition strikes her as being not in line with his usual behavior. Could it be that despite everything, Hakuryuu is scared to face Gyokuen by himself?

Now that Morgiana thinks about it, she doesn't often ask him how he feels. She usually reads him by his words and actions, but it's possible that on the inside there's a lot going on that isn't manifested in ways that she can see. She's fallen into the habit of thinking of Hakuryuu as mentally strong and indomitably determined, but what if he's actually terrified? She already knows he's the type who will keep giving and giving without ever once complaining. It would stand to reason that living in such a way might place a huge emotional strain on him.

He probably won't admit to anything like that even if she asks, though, so she mentally resolves to watch him even closer from now on.

It's already dusk by the time they reach the hills. By this point, it has become difficult enough to see that Hakuryuu stops to pull a lantern from his saddlebag. He lights it swiftly and hands it back to her to carry. She adjusts her position to make sure the trail in front of them is sufficiently illuminated and they carry on. The trail is rocky and large roots bulge out of the hard packed earth. Morgiana is impressed that the horse never once stumbles while picking its way along the narrow path. "Do you know where to start looking?" she asks after about twenty minutes of climbing. The servant only said that Hakuei was taking a ride in the hills. The hills are a large place.

Hakuryuu turns his head slightly to look back at her. "If it really was my sister who called me here, then there's only one place she would be."

Morgiana nods and falls silent again. It turns out she didn't have to say anything because Hakuryuu continues. "There's a camphor tree where we used to play as kids. It's where my brothers taught my sister to use a sword. It's a place that's very dear to us."

"I see," she says simply.

The sun is already gone by the time they reach their destination. The foliage above them is so thick that even the stars are hidden and Hakuryuu's lantern is their sole source of light. It casts a haunting glow across the ground and Morgiana notices that there aren't any trees or shrubs surrounding them anymore. The ground is barren save for numerous large roots leading to a massive trunk a few meters away. This must be the camphor tree Hakuryuu mentioned. It's so enormous that it shadows the full area over what looks to be about a ten-meter radius. Morgiana imagines that this place doesn't get much light even on the sunniest of days.

Her skin prickles as Hakuryuu calls his horse to a halt. Even though the area appears vacant she can feel eyes on her. Someone is definitely here. She hops down from the back of the horse and scans her surroundings intently. She hears Hakuryuu follow suit behind her. The roots of the camphor tree interrupt the lantern's light and cast large, dark shadows; big enough to hide any number of things. She's just thinking that if the person who called them here really was Hakuryuu's sister she would have shown herself by now when a voice suddenly speaks from the shadows near the base of the tree.

"Hakuryuu…and Miss Morgiana, too. I'm glad you came."

The two of them swivel to face the voice and Hakuei steps into the light. To both their surprise, she is accompanied by none other than Kouen who follows a beat after and comes to stand at her side. In the lantern's flickering glow, the two of them could be forest spirits or demons of the night. "I'm sorry for calling you all the way out here at such an hour," Hakuei continues, "but we wanted to have a conversation with you away from the vicinity of the palace." She looks to Kouen and he nods his agreement.

"I've had a talk with your sister," Kouen speaks this time. "She's told me of your travels together. I see that you are indeed serious about engaging Al-Thamen."

Hakuryuu says nothing and he continues. "When you came to see me in Balbadd, I was lacking facts. I could not know if what you told me was the truth but I decided to cooperate with you based on a feeling I had when you spoke with me. I can see plainly now that my judgement that day was not unsound. Just as you predicted, the emperor has passed and the time to crown a new king has come."

Hakuryuu acknowledges him with a nod. "Yes."

Kouen's eyes narrow. He regards Hakuryuu with overt suspicion. "You, who were in Sindria and well away from any news from the Kou court, should not have possessed knowledge of the emperor's illness at that time. No matter how I tried to rationalize it, there simply isn't a way that any such news could have reached you."

Once again, Hakuryuu says nothing. Hakuei watches him with furrowed eyebrows and a frown. She doesn't look surprised at all by Kouen's words so she must have already heard all this from him before.

"I agreed to wait for you to explain it to me until after the witch is dealt with," Kouen continues, "but you'll understand if I wasn't satisfied to simply sit idly in ignorance. I did a little digging into the matter; starting with your friend Alibaba in Reim who you reported told you of Reim's plan to invade Magnostadt." Kouen crosses his arms over his chest. "Imagine my surprise when word got back to me that this Alibaba possessed no knowledge of any such plans." He shifts his weight and continues to regard Hakuryuu with that same narrow-eyed, steady stare. "And yet, the informant I sent to the palace there reported back that Reim is indeed making preparations for a full scale invasion. I wonder if you can tell me, little brother, how you really heard about Reim's plan to go to war with Magnostadt."

This time, Hakuryuu responds. He cracks a half smile and says, "As expected of the general of the Western Subjugation Army. You don't give an inch, do you? Perhaps approaching you the way I did was careless."

Kouen doesn't acknowledge his comment. He appears to have not expected an answer from Hakuryuu to begin with because he continues. "I was put into a difficult position. I had no desire to suspect my own blood of plotting against our country but what other conclusion was I to arrive at when all the signs pointed to you being a conspirator in whatever plan Al-Thamen has cooked up to ruin our empire?"

Morgiana's throat goes dry. This discussion has taken a very dangerous turn. This is definitely not the result they'd been hoping for. If Kouen has decided Hakuryuu is his enemy, they will not only have lost his support, but Kouen isn't going to let them just go on their merry way. There's no way they'll be able to take out Gyokuen with all of Kou against them. She looks at Hakuryuu but he hasn't faltered in his composure. He doesn't look worried.

Kouen too still has his gaze fixed on Hakuryuu. "You're not going to say anything?"

Hakuryuu cocks his head. "There's no need. If you really thought I was in line with Al-Thamen you would have had me dealt with already."

Kouen's tiny smirk returns. "True enough. Despite the evidence to support it, I found my conclusion unsatisfying. I decided to continue digging, this time personally going to pay a visit to your little magi friend in Magnostadt. It was a visit that I found quite…illuminating."

Morgiana looks at Kouen in confusion. He went to Magnostadt? She can't imagine how he was granted entrance into the city. She hopes he hadn't done anything that would blow Aladdin's cover.

Hakuryuu actually looks surprised by this. "You talked with Aladdin?" he asks, raising an eyebrow skeptically. "What did he tell you?"

Kouen stares hard at Hakuryuu for a long moment. He almost looks like he's appraising him. It's a look that says he knows more than he's letting on. Finally, he uncrosses his arms and raises his right hand in a kind of signal. "Why don't you ask him yourself?"

Morgiana and Hakuryuu only have a moment to be confused before two more figures step out from the shadow of the tree. One is small and sports a long braid and a red gem on his forehead. Morgiana's eyes widen in shock. It's unmistakably Aladdin…but why is he here and not in Magnostadt? Beside him stands Judar, grinning as usual.

Hakuryuu's face screws up in confusion. "Master Aladdin…?" he starts. He's looking at the young boy as if mentally trying to add one and one and getting three. "Why…? What are you doing here?" He casts a stern look at Judar who raises his hands in front of him and shakes his head in a hey, it wasn't me kind of gesture.

Aladdin approaches them. He's carrying a new staff. Morgiana remembers it as the one he received after the death of Director Mogamett in the other timeline. He's slightly taller now and dressed in a black robe. He looks seriously first at Hakuryuu and then at her. "Mor, Hakuryuu…" he greets them, "It's good to see you again. I'm sorry to appear before you so unexpectedly."

Morgiana takes a step toward him. "I thought we were going to meet at the end of one year," she reminds him. "Your mission…"

Aladdin shakes his head. "It's okay. I already took care of it. More importantly…" he looks back and forth between her and Hakuryuu again. His mouth is set in a serious line. "I know. Everything."

Morgiana and Hakuryuu share a look of confusion. "You know?" Hakuryuu echoes.

Aladdin nods gravely. "Yes. I know what you did." His frown deepens and his dark eyes are more serious than Morgiana has ever seen them. "In the other future."

Hakuryuu's eyes widen and his jaw goes slack. Morgiana too is shocked. Behind the small magi, Judar wags a hand in front of his face. "Just so we're clear, I wasn't the one who told him."

Hakuryuu looks back and forth between the two magi and then at his cousin and sister. Hakuei is wearing that same somewhat concerned expression and Kouen appears unmoved. He looks back at Aladdin. "How…?" he utters dumbly.

"It was while I was training to become a mage in Magnostadt," Aladdin explains. "I'd been practicing sifting through the memories contained in Solomon's wisdom. It turns out the events of that timeline are still contained within the memories of the rukh. I saw everything."

Morgiana and Hakuryuu share another look. Hakuryuu looks like he's trying to school his expression but he's failing. They are both blindsided by Aladdin's confession. Hakuryuu tightens his grip on his halberd and forces himself to look back at their small friend. He opens his mouth to speak but he seems not to be able to think of how to respond and he shuts it again. Morgiana too is speechless.

Kouen steps forward, drawing their attention back to him. He looks coolly at Hakuryuu. "Indeed, you've been busy, little brother," he remarks, his arms coming to rest over his chest again. To Morgiana's wonder, his lips lift upward into an amused quirk. "I wonder if this time you'll be able to accomplish your goals without the sacrifice of my legs."

Hakuryuu takes an involuntary step back and his shoulder catches Morgiana's arm, causing the lantern to swing and scatter phantomlike shadows across the clearing. She instinctively shifts the object to her other hand and steadies him with a palm to his shoulder blade. He shakes his head as if trying to make sense of what he's hearing. "You told him?" He directs the question at Aladdin who is still watching them seriously.

Aladdin's eyebrows knit at the accusation thinly veiled in Hakuryuu's voice. "I used Solomon's Wisdom to show them everything. They deserved to know." He takes another step forward. "We're going to need their help if we want to defeat Arba."

Morgiana is furthered confused when Hakuryuu isn't comforted by this. "We…" he repeats, sounding shaken. He lets out a humorless laugh. "You saw the future and you want to help me?" He sounds incredulous, like this is something that makes as much sense as snow in Qishan. Morgiana looks at him uncertainly. She doesn't understand his sudden shift in behavior. Why wouldn't Aladdin want to help them set things right?

Aladdin clenches his staff tightly. His eyes are sad. "Yes, I do," he tells him plainly. He turns his gaze to the ground. "I still don't agree with your decision…but it's done now and there's nothing I can do about it. You made your choice." He looks back up and his eyes are shining with emotion. "All I can do is help you make sure this chance doesn't go to waste."

Hakuryuu clenches his teeth and looks away from the small magi. He looks ashamed. Morgiana can't for the life of her figure out why. Why would Aladdin disagree with his decision to set back time? He doesn't seem mad…just sad. The only other time she's seen Aladdin wear such an expression was after Alibaba died in the other timeline. Just what is she missing here?

Hakuryuu looks back at Kouen and Hakuei. He seems suddenly vulnerable in a way that Morgiana hasn't seen him look in a long time. He straightens his back and sets his shoulders to appear more confident. "And?" he asks them, his tone suddenly impassive. "Will you help us?"

Hakuei steps around Kouen and approaches her younger brother. She reaches out a delicate hand and lays it over his chest. "Hakuryuu," she addresses him, frowning at him with the same look of concern she's worn since she appeared from behind the tree. Morgiana realizes now that she looks sad as well. "I…" she trails off and purses her lips briefly before starting again. "Of course Kouen and I will help you. However we can."

Hakuryuu's expression falters just slightly and he brings his hand up to hover over hers for a brief moment before taking it. He holds their clasped hands over his chest and as Morgiana watches, his lips thin into a line and he bites his lower lip. The expression is familiar to her but she can't remember when she's seen him wear it before. He squeezes Hakuei's hand and from the gleam in his eye Morgiana thinks he's about to say something, but when he opens his mouth he hesitates. A few heartbeats pass before he simply says, "Thank you."

Judar, who has been uncharacteristically nonverbal up to this point, finally speaks up and everyone's attention shifts to him. "Great! Team Kill-The-Stupid-Bitch has just grown by three. How about we celebrate by leaving this ugly mountain. Standing around in the dark like some creepy cult is getting campier by the minute."

Kouen nods. "Indeed. Let's not waste any more minutes. Koumei and Kouha will need to be informed of the situation and we will need to come up with a plan regarding what to do about Kougyoku."

Morgiana frowns at that. "What to do about Kougyoku?" she echoes, not understanding what the kind young princess has to do with any of this.

Hakuryuu answers her question. "Sinbad has her bugged. Back in Sindria, he put one of his djinns inside her. Everything she sees and hears gets relayed back to him." He sighs and crosses his arms. "It's going to make things very complicated for us."

Hakuei nods in agreement. "There's danger in leaving her in the dark but we can't let slip anything to her with Sinbad listening in." She lifts a pale hand to her chin thoughtfully. "If only there was some way to warn her…"

Morgiana looks back and forth between them. She's a little confused by their dilemma because she thinks the answer should be obvious. It was Hakuryuu himself who had pointed it out to her. "If it's just a matter of telling her without Sinbad knowing, then I can use my djinn's powers to do that," she informs them.

There's a moment of incomprehension from everyone gathered but then Hakuryuu's face lights up. "That's right! Belial's powers allow you to control dreams. It's the perfect solution." He breaks away from his sister and walks back over to her where he lays his hands atop her shoulders with a wide smile. "It's brilliant, Morgiana. We could even use Sinbad's djinn against him."

Morgiana returns his smile and nods. "Yes." She turns to the rest of the group. "In fact, it's probably possible for me to bring everyone into a dream together. There, Aladdin can show everyone the events of the other timeline all at once."

Aladdin allows a smile to break the serious line of his mouth. Morgiana is relieved to see the familiar expression on her small friend's face. It helps to break the nervous tension that had been building within her. "Then let's return to the city," he says. His eyes flicker briefly to Hakuryuu. "We can't afford to dawdle."

The group agrees and Morgiana is ushered back to Yari. As she mounts behind Hakuryuu, she wonders again at the odd confrontation she just witnessed. She has an ill feeling, as if she's out of the loop of a very important secret. Is there something Hakuryuu isn't telling her? She grips the back of his shirt and tries to understand the sadness she'd seen in Aladdin and Hakuei's expressions. She can't think of any reason for them to look that way.

She doesn't like being left in the dark. Particularly on matters that cause her friends to wear expressions like that. As Hakuryuu spurs Yari into a trot, Morgiana wonders if it's something she should ask about. She's generally in the habit of allowing Hakuryuu to be forthcoming in his information, but he's kept important secrets before. Perhaps this is a matter best addressed with Aladdin or Hakuei.

Yes, she decides. She will confront one of them tomorrow.