Chapter 12: Requiem

Izayoi choked as tears streamed suddenly down her cheeks, her hand over her mouth as she moaned in horrified disbelief. "Oh, kami preserve us... the fear and the stress caused her to go into premature labor and she delivered a stillborn child just before she died." She spun to look at the man who was now cowering on his knees and stared at him with disgusted eyes. "How could you do that to your own wife – and your child?" she asked, a look of total confusion and revulsion on her face. "Have you no compassion at all? And then to just leave their bodies here, abandoned to wander with no rest?! There is truly no fate too terrible for you to face. I hope you suffer far worse than she did!"

Touga, disgusted in a way he could never recall being, threw the sniveling man to the floor before them and watched as the youkai's eyes locked on him. In a dry, desiccated voice, she called to the trembling man.

"What is wrong, Shun? Don't you recognize me anymore?"

After a moment of staring at the terrified man, she chuckled, the sound just as horrible as the visual. Then she raised her eyes to look at the four other people standing behind him, obviously weighing them. When her eyes met Touga's, she narrowed her eyes just a little.

"So... what is your purpose in bringing this offal to me?"

Touga knew immediately that her hatred would have to be spent by her vengeance on her former husband before she would listen to anything else.

"After what he did?" he asked, brow cocked. "Because he deserves whatever it is that you are going to do to him – and probably a great deal more."

The cavern reverberated with his words as energy built from the youkai around them.

Eyes alighting on Izayoi, who still had tears streaming down her face at the horrible fate the woman and her child had suffered, a little of her once soft heart came to the fore and she said, "What I will do to him will be too terrible for the girl to bear. Take her from here. Once my vengeance has been had, my energy will dissipate and I ask that you bury mine and my child's remains so that we may finally rest peacefully."

Touga nodded. "It will be done."

With that he took ahold of Izayoi's arm, gently leading her from the cavern and back the way they had come, the light fading as they disappeared...

Leaving the former headman blinded and screaming in the dark as he waited in terror for the first blow to fall.

Grimly, they all strode hurriedly from the area wanting to get Izayoi away from what was about to happen and the horrific screaming that would soon begin; she had seen enough and her dreams, already haunted, would probably be even worse for some foreseeable time to come. They didn't wish to let it get any more disquieting for her than it already was.

Once again reaching the outside, Touga took them back across the river and a bit of a ways back from the road into a small clearing with dense growth that would provide at least some protection from the storms about to come. Quickly gathering as much wood as possible, the men let Izayoi just sit down and attempt to calm herself while they got the fire going and Touga quickly wove a bit of shelter out of the undergrowth so that they would stay mostly dry.

It was clear from the dark skies above that the storm could hit at any time, and indeed, they had barely gotten the fire going when, with a huge crack of thunder, the heavens opened and the rain poured down.

Izayoi, clutching her cloak around her found it a fitting atmosphere for this place – it was as if the heavens wept with her for the fate of that lost woman and her child. She could not even fathom the last hours of that poor girl – for she had been little more than that when she had died. Just the thought was making her ill, and when her father, a sympathetic look on his face tried to encourage her to eat something, she shook her head.

"I can't, father. If I do, I will only heave it back up," she whispered, unable to even speak louder than that for the grief she felt. If she lived to be a thousand she would never forget the sight of that poor dead girl clutching her dead infant to her chest.

Touga was glad for the storm – as loud as it was, Izayoi would not hear the screams of the man as he was finally forced to pay for his crimes as he, himself, could. She was already disturbed enough because of this mess, and had he known how this would turn out, he would not have wanted to allow her to come on this hunt.

Still, once the youkai's rage was spent and her vengeance taken, Izayoi would be needed to bless the woman's new grave and purify the place, allowing the spirits of the dead mother and child along with the other lost children to rest finally in a peace they'd so long been denied. It was horrible, it was heartbreaking, but as much as he wished that Izayoi hadn't had to be confronted with this, in truth he knew that she couldn't be protected from everything terrible. Life was sometimes horrible and she couldn't hide from it. All he or anyone else could do for her was to stand by her and support her through the grief it would engender in her.

And he would, no question.

That night was one of the longest that Izayoi could ever remember living through – she didn't sleep a wink, too afraid to even try for fear of the horrid nightmares she just knew she would end up having. Even Touga's comforting thrum couldn't ease her completely though it did eventually numb her, and she simply stared into the fire as the night passed, knowing that the morrow would not bring much relief. Not only would the mother and her child have to be buried, but she was certain that the other children that had been taken from the village would also need to be laid to rest.

Then she could purify the whole area, make sure that all the stones were either destroyed or inactive, and then the village would need to be told the true story of what the headman had done, and the reason behind all the bad things that had happened to both villages.

She was not looking forward to any of it.

~oOo~

Gray, sullen light greeted the four companions as they stirred the next morning, a thick heat already forming. Water dripped off of everything, and the ground was muddy and soaked.

It suited the mood of Izayoi as she stood and stretched wearily, dark circles under red-rimmed eyes underlining the forlorn mood she was in. Letting her aura sweep the area, she quickly noted the diminished youkai aura from the hill ahead, and knew that the woman had finally gotten her vengeance and that her fury was truly calmed.

Still, she didn't think she could go back there until her body had been removed and laid to rest.

Embarrassed to bring the matter up as she felt as though she were showing weakness, still, she just couldn't stomach seeing that again. And so, reluctant as she was, she opened her mouth to bring the subject up - only to be beaten to the punch.

"It would be best, I think," Touga said, "if Ichirou and I went back and laid the woman and her child to rest, as well as the other children. Once that's done, we can return and lead you back, Izayoi, to bless the graves and purify the area."

Hiraku, knowing that he would be little help digging graves with his injury, understood Touga's reasoning and with an appreciative glance at him, nodded. "I think you are correct. I would not be much help digging graves in my current condition, but am fine to stay with my daughter. We will await your return."

Oddly grateful, as she suspected that Touga had known what she was about to say, Izayoi dipped her head in gratitude and sent him a weak smile. "I will prepare myself for the blessing and purification, then. Thank you, Touga."

His expression softened on her and he nodded in return as he waited for Ichirou to stand up and stretch the kinks from his body and shake out his cloak. "You are welcome, Izayoi. We will return shortly," he finished as Ichirou nodded his readiness. With nothing further to say, the two males turned and walked away, themselves not looking forward to the duty they were about to undertake but knowing it had to be done. They were much more capable of handling such a thing than Izayoi was, and no shame to her for that.

It didn't take the two males fifteen minutes to make it back to the cavern entrance, and stepping inside cautiously, Touga held a hand up to keep Ichirou behind him as he let his senses sweep the surrounding area. A frown hit his brow at what his sense of smell was trying to tell him – the only things dead in this cave system were the woman and her infant, along with her former husband... there was no scent of any other dead thing anywhere near.

But his frown deepened as he caught the scent of quite a few humans somewhere in the cave, and drawing Tessaiga, he looked over his shoulder at Ichirou. "The mystery here deepens, my friend – I catch no scent of anything dead here but the woman and her child – and the bastard that killed her. But I do scent quite a few living humans coming from somewhere ahead. Draw your weapon and be cautious."

"That would work – if I could see in the dark," Ichirou said wryly, unable to stop a slight smile from flashing across his face. "I have not your senses, Touga. I will be as blind as a bat in there without Izayoi here to glow for us."

Touga chuckled a little; despite the serious nature of their work in this place, still, his words were true. "Do not worry so, Ichirou – I am just as capable of 'glowing' as your sister is," he replied.

"Ah! Well, then, father has chosen her husband even better than we had thought," Ichirou tossed back, the smile fading from his eyes as he caught the inuyoukai's gaze. "Lead on, then, and I will follow. I would dearly love to finish this and leave this accursed hollow far behind. As would my sister," he sighed.

Shifting his shoulders to better settle his armor, Touga began to infuse his skin with his youki, and slowly, a soft yellow glow chased back the darkness of the cave as they entered it. "Hai, I know. That is why I spoke up before she could. I could see the fight the thought of coming back in here to be confronted by such a sight was causing in her. She felt shamed to be unable to handle it again... but there is no shame to be found in her gentle heart. It is telling that even a youkai created by hatred and grief and a lust for vengeance was softened enough to delay its longed-for vengeance long enough for her to be taken out of here. So that her heart would not be wounded any more."

It was silent for a moment, and then Ichirou said, "And it is also telling that you protect her so easily now, as though it were simply a habit. You have softened to her very quickly."

Paying no attention to the eerie surroundings, Touga chuckled at that, knowing that Ichirou spoke true. "Who could resist her? When this possibility was first broached between your father and I, I had no idea of what your sister was like. But I needed her strength to fight the dragon of the north and was willing to take just about anything. However, when Kenji began sending me letters describing her I became fascinated almost instantly, and now I can honestly say that were she to be of no use to me against my most hated enemy, still would I want her. Even if she had no power of her own, it would not matter. I would still wed her."

"You love her."

"I am fast going that way."

A sigh, then, "Good. Most in her position are never fortunate enough to find such in their marriages – but I could not see my sister being thrust into a marriage with a human man who would slowly leach her spirit and mind away with his simple use of her body for heirs and nothing more."

About to reply, Touga came to a halt instead, the scent of humans getting stronger. It was coming from a separate passageway that veered off from the main cavern. Nonetheless, they hadn't been there last night, or he would have caught their scents then as well as now.

After a quick consultation, it was decided that they would investigate that cavern first to see why there were the scents of living humans in this place of the dead. Even stranger was that there was no movement or sound coming from them, and it put Touga's hackles up.

Moving swiftly but cautiously, they traveled the narrow passage to what Touga could tell was another large cavern up ahead, though not as large as the one the woman had been killed and her remains dumped in, still, it was sizable and could hold quite a few dangers.

Slowing as the passage began to open up into the cave, Touga whispered over his shoulder, "Shield your eyes for a moment – I am going to brighten our surroundings and I don't want your eyes harmed."

Nodding his understanding, Ichirou closed his eyes and put his hand over them just in case, and as the light flared, he slowly pulled his hand away and then cautiously opened his eyes...

Only to stare in astonishment at what Touga had revealed.

Children... looking as though they were just sleeping. All were breathing steadily, but showed no signs of waking, and it didn't take a moment to know who they were.

So the spirit of that woman, filled with hatred as she had been, had still not been able to actually kill the children she'd taken. She'd simply put them to sleep and used their spirits as gatherers of the life force she needed to overpower her husband's charm and gain her vengeance.

It was a happy note in a sour story that would help Izayoi gain some sense of relief, definitely – if they could figure out how to wake the children. Both men sheathed their swords, glad they were not needed.

Ichirou watched Touga as he moved to the closest child, who looked about seven, and crouched down to examine him. "How are we to wake them up?" he asked, mostly speaking to himself as he looked around at all the children he could see. Not one appeared older than perhaps eleven. But there didn't appear to be any injuries to them at all, and he was certain that if they could wake them, their families would be overjoyed to see them again.

"I believe that once we have buried the woman and her child the children will wake on their own." He frowned, then, catching an underlying scent of new death, and followed it to the back of the cavern, where he found a tiny girl child, not more than four, dead. He frowned deeper... why her? Why just the one child?

Something made him reach down and pick her up, and turning back, he motioned for Ichirou to join him as they made their way back to the main cavern. He looked the child over, and noted bruising and signs of various other injuries in differing stages of healing, and he scowled. He was beginning to suspect why this one little one was taken...

"So there is one that's dead," Ichirou sighed as he looked over Touga's shoulder as they walked. "Are you certain there were no others?"

"Hai. All the other children were fine. But this little one shows signs of abuse – I begin to wonder..." he trailed off as they stepped once more into the main cavern, not sure what to expect. Would there even be a body left of the former headman, or would she have completely destroyed every trace of the vile coward?

"All that is left are bones," came a quiet voice as the spirit of the young woman appeared to them, this time as she had been in life. Her youkai fury had been expended in taking her vengeance.

Touga stepped forward and laid the little body on the ledge below the spirit. "Tell me. You left all the other children their lives – but not her. Why?"

Sadness passed over the face of the girl as she looked down at the tiny child. "Did you not take note of the bruises and other injuries on her? When I took her from the village it was only a kindness. Her father did not want a girl-child and he abused her terribly. Broken bones, blackened eyes... I looked into her future and saw a death no better than mine for her – and mayhap worse. I couldn't stand the thought... so when I released the other children, I simply let her fall into a sleep so deep that she just stopped breathing. It was peaceful and there was no pain – not like the death that was otherwise waiting for her in far too few years. Even to be returned to a village where her father was not would have availed nothing – she was too damaged in her mind already to ever have a normal life. All I ask is that you bury her with my child and I."

Angry at the tale, Ichirou, voice grim and cold, asked, "Can you tell us what her father's name is? If he would abuse one child in such a horrific manner, he would abuse another, as well. I would not see such on Setsuna land, nor would my father."

The spirit tilted her head and looked at him, such sadness in her eyes that he, male or not, almost could not choke back the tears, and he was suddenly very glad that Izayoi was not here for this.

"Jirou. He is an ill-favored, squinting man, and his wife a cringing, terrified woman who has had a horrid life." She fell silent for a moment, and then said, "I could only wish that the men she and I were forced to live with were more like you. But it is a fool's wish now."

After a moment, Touga asked, "Where do you wish to be buried?"

Beginning to lose her last bit of energy, she sighed, "Outside, in the light of day. I died in darkness and fear, at least let the sun shine on my grave. Near the river."

With that, the girl was gone, and keeping the silence for a moment, the two bowed their heads and said a silent prayer for her and the two children.

After a few minutes, Touga looked up and sighed. "Come... let us get this done." He stepped onto the dais. "I will carry her and her child's remains, if you will gather the little girl."

Ichirou nodded, his face grim in a manner Touga had never seen it, and within seconds, the cavern was empty once again as they carried the remains back into the light of day just as they'd been asked to do.

It didn't take them long to find a beautiful little spot near the river – a small, protected dell filled with flowers and sakura trees. It would be gorgeous come early spring when the sakura bloomed, and with unspoken consensus, the men placed their burdens down gently and soon had a grave deep enough to hold the three dug. Placing the woman and her infant down first, they gently put the little girl's body atop the other two, and then filled the grave in. Not wanting their final resting place to ever be defiled, the two then built a cairn over the top of the grave, and Ichirou scattered a few blossoms atop it.

With that, they were done, and both could almost feel the gratitude of the dead as they left - at least they had a place of beauty and peace to watch over them in their rest.

Now it was time to get the children from the cave – it would not do to have them wake in total darkness.

Once more leading the way with his youki glow, Touga moved swiftly back to the cavern they were in, Ichirou right behind him. They had no more than reached the entrance to the cave when both could hear rustling as the children began to awaken. Ichirou stepped around Touga with a wry, "If they see you first, glowing like a firefly, they might think they are dead, too," at which Touga chuckled.

The inuyoukai watched with interest as Ichirou quickly calmed the confused and panicked children, and saw in the young man a fine father in the making. It made him think of Izayoi as a mother – he was certain that she would be just as good a parent as her own had been to her.

Time will tell the truth of it, though I could never imagine her being a horrible parent. I don't think it is even possible with her loving heart.

Within minutes, Ichirou had gathered the children around him, the older's holding the little's hands, and just like that Touga found himself at the head of a train of human children as he led them all from the cave. It was not what he had imagined from his visit to Setsuna just a few short weeks ago – but he couldn't say he was sorry, because one thing he was most definitely not was bored.

On top of that, he was gaining very intimate and detailed knowledge of the family of humans he would soon call kin, and he could honestly say they were worth more than ninety-nine percent of his court. There were really very few in his courts that he trusted even a little, and it seemed he'd been wise there, since he now had a traitor to deal with – and one high in his council, at that.

Izayoi was most definitely startled when the now enlarged group reached the clearing they'd spent the night in, as was her father, but Touga didn't have to tell her where the children came from, her eyes tearing up again as she helplessly met his gaze. He immediately moved to take her arm and pull her away for a moment as Ichirou introduced his father to the children, determined to find out what was wrong.

"Izayoi?" he asked softly, his eyes a little confused.

She shook her head, wiping her eyes, she met his gaze with such a tormented look that he was beginning to get worried. "What is it?" he prompted, his eyes gentle and concerned.

With a deep sigh, she looked off into the distance. "Do you realize... with the fate that was given to her and her child, the betrayal and pain and suffering as she waited to die... and yet, she couldn't bring herself, even in her hatred and rage to truly harm those children – her heart must have been so soft and tender in life. And to be abused in such a manner... gods, it's all I can do not to scream with the horror that must have been her last hours and the hurt that was done to her heart. She was a good person, and that she was lost in such a way..." she trailed off on a chocked back sob, simply unable to even articulate fully just how much she hurt for what that poor girl had gone through in her last hours – dying and alone in the dark as she gave birth to a dead child, living just long enough to grasp her baby in her arms for comfort that would never be found.

"It sickens my soul," she finally whispered, "and I feel so helpless. There's nothing I can do to change what happened to her, and I hate that." She chuckled mirthlessly after a moment, her eyes almost bitter as she glanced at him. "I'm sorry. I must sound so inane and foolish to you. And weak," she said as she made to turn away from him.

He tugged her gently back around by the arm he still had in his grasp and tilted her chin up to face him once more. Golden eyes fiercely alight with something she couldn't name, he shook his head at her. "No. It is those that have no compassion that are weak," he insisted, "for it takes a strong heart to open itself to the possibility of pain to show caring for others. That is why my son, though he has great power is weak where it counts – because he cannot open himself to others. Tell me, Izayoi, who is stronger – the youkai that destroys, or the fragile human mother that fights the beast to defend her child? True strength is found here," he touched a gentle palm to her heart as she blushed deeply, held immobile in his gaze, "and you are the strongest woman I have ever known. Do not ever apologize for your heart. Not to me. Not to anyone."

Lashes fluttering helplessly over blue eyes finally settled on pale cheeks stained by tear tracks and she nodded, sighing as she tried to find her center. "Thank you, Touga," she whispered. After a moment, she dropped her head and smiled a little. "I need to calm down – after all, I have tasks to perform, and I can't do them with an unquiet mind."

Reluctantly pulling away from her, Touga echoed her sigh with one of his own. "Yes. But I believe you will like the place we chose to bury her." Then his eyes went flat. "There was one little girl that did not return to life. That was a deliberate thing. The child's father was horribly abusive and the spirit of the girl couldn't even think of returning her to one who would have one day killed her savagely. So she took the little girl with her and her child – the little one died in her sleep, basically. It was peaceful and painless, at the very least."

An angry light in her eyes, Izayoi's mouth thinned with temper. "What is it with this particular village? Are all of the men in it nothing more than vile savages?" She turned to go back to the others, and met the angry, set expression on her father's face and knew that Ichirou had filled him in. It looked like there were going to be some changes in this village when they reached it this afternoon.

"It would probably be best if you and Ichirou waited here with the children for us, father, as Touga and I will go so that I can take care of the final things that need done to see this finished. I will try to be as quick as possible."

Both men nodded at her and with no further ado she followed Touga from the clearing, ready to cleanse this place of its last bits of malevolence and bless the graves of the three tragic people buried here. Then they could then return the living children to their homes – and take care of a violent, abusive coward. Never one for violence, Izayoi's loving heart had been strafed terribly by all of this and she could find no pity for the next man they would be dealing with any more than she had for the former headman. She hoped her father sentenced him to death.

She said as much to Touga, who told her that in the end that would probably be the only way to stop him from harming anyone else. If he were merely beaten himself and then let go, he would only get more violent in his bitterness for feeling the violence turned against him. Ones like him just couldn't be left alone unless you wanted to see a lot of innocent people hurt or even killed. And if he would do such to his own flesh and blood, how much worse would he do to strangers?

He took her first to the gravesite that he and Ichirou had chosen for the three unfortunate souls, and tears in her eyes at the loveliness of the small sheltered dell, she moved to the cairn built over the top of the grave and knelt before it, her head bowed in prayer as pink light began to move from her tiny hands to encompass the entire grave. It became so bright that Touga had to actually shield his eyes, and when the light finally dissipated, he watched curiously as she finished her blessing.

By the time she'd completely withdrawn her power and stood back up, the whole feeling in the little dell had completely changed; instead of a feeling of intense sorrow, there was a sense of peace and even lightness, instead.

He didn't know what she'd done, but whatever it was, it was powerful to have changed the feelings resonating from the past from sadness and grief to peace and a light heart.

It was a clear sign of her power – the power that dwelt within her heart, because that was where all of this had come from.

When she turned to face him again, ready to go purify the caves, he noticed that she appeared a little older, almost strained – there was an ancient look deep in her eyes and it was one filled with the sadness that too often life is for so many of those with horrid fates.

And then he knew what she'd done, and he was simply astounded at the sheer depth of her heart. She'd cleansed the feelings of sadness and grief from the souls of those interred here and taken them within her own soul, so as to spare those here any more time spent in such grief as they'd never deserved.

He stared at her for some few minutes, assessing everything he could see in her eyes, and she let him.

When he was finished, he stirred and said, "How you could think yourself weak is beyond me. I have lived uncountable centuries already, and yet never have I seen before what I saw here today." And then he bowed deeply before her, a measure of deepest respect which to his amusement saw her back to herself, blushing and stammering at him to please stand back up, that she in no way deserved such from him.

Hn. She will never see what I see, but I suppose that is part and parcel of what she is, for if she became anything other than what she is, she would not be so humble.

It didn't take long once they'd reached the cavern interior for her to purify the place of any lingering wickedness, hatred or rage, and as the atmosphere in the cave lightened, Touga sighed.

"Have you felt any more of those stones that were placed to steal energy from people?"

Her brow furrowed as they walked easily through the corridor leading to the outside. "Last night there were several in the direction of the village we will be taking the children back to. But this morning, they had all vanished."

Thinking about it, he was not really surprised. "She did tell us that once her vengeance on her husband was satisfied, that her energy would dissipate. Perhaps she meant her energy which was infused in those stones, as well."

Izayoi nodded. "Most likely. Still, on the way I will still keep my senses on full alert. It wouldn't do to be caught off-guard by one that was still active."

As they exited the cavern, Touga caught her arm in passing, causing her to turn and look up at him in surprise. "When we reach the village, it would perhaps be best for me to stay in the forest and await you and your family to finish your business there. This village has suffered much for curses and youkai haunts, and may not take well to the return of their children if they see me. They may feel that the children are themselves cursed in some way."

Brow furrowed in instant temper, Izayoi's face scrunched in anger. "I do not care to pander to anyone's misguided and ignorant beliefs. I feel no shame in walking with you, and they should not fear those who have done them no wrong."

And out comes the hime, he laughed to himself. Despite her humble attitude, there is still some arrogance there. It is interesting how both sides of her fit together so seamlessly. But then, no one is perfect – although she is as close as I have ever seen.

With that in mind, he gently chided her. "They are simple folk with simple lives. They believe the stories told to them, and sometimes life likes to allow things to mimic those stories to give even more credibility to them. If our two worlds are ever to live in peace, it will have to come from the top down – and it will take time. I am not insulted by their fear, Izayoi. Do not condemn them for believing things they have been taught for generations."

Embarrassed as she took his words to heart, knowing he was right, she lowered her head and nodded. "You are right, and I apologize for my unseemly display of temper."

He chuckled softly at that, eyeing the attractive color in her cheeks, and they continued walking. "Only if you let me apologize for my own sometimes unseemly temper in advance, because sooner or later, it will escape my grasp and leave me just as angry as you."

Blushing, she merely nodded, not really taking his words to heart. Not that she wasn't one hundred percent sure that he had a temper – just not seeing why she, who was of no real importance in his life and would most likely be forgotten after this summer, would have cause to see said temper.

If she only knew...

~oOo~

Izayoi sighed as they marched along the road to the next village, but a smile touched her lips as she watched the children frolic along easily with them all. They seemed to have no fear of Touga, and instead, several of the smaller girls were walking surrounding him, casting admiring glances up at him every so often as they tumbled along.

She couldn't help the tug on her heart as she watched him interacting with the children – he was a natural, showing no disdain for mere human children at all, telling them stories and smiling and teasing them and even holding the hands of two of the smallest little girls. Envy struck a bolt through her heart at the sight.

What a great father he will make someday. I know he has his heir, but from the things he's said of him he's no longer a child. Still, whichever female youkai he eventually weds will be a most lucky woman.

With another sigh she looked down at herself and cringed – the last couple of day's adventures had left her feeling grimy and unclean, and suddenly, she couldn't wait to get back home. The very first thing she would do is take over the bathing room and soak for hours. Unable to do anything much about her less than clean appearance at the current moment, however, she smoothed her hands down her hakama clad thighs and tried to at least wipe off some of the dust and smooth out the wrinkles. After a moment, she gave it up as a lost cause and turned her attention back to the road.

She hadn't felt any more of the collecting stones since leaving the area of the hill and was thankful for that – it would speed up their travel, not having to stop every few minutes so she could go off into the brush to melt another rock. The faster this trip was over, the better, as far as she was concerned.

Irritatedly brushing another lock of her unbound hair away from her face, she frowned at having to leave it down; normally, her hair would be held back by a white ribbon, but it had gotten grimy way too fast, and she couldn't help but think she would be better off using a black ribbon instead. Yes, but if I did that, then people would all of a sudden look at me in fear, taking me for a dark miko, instead. It is silly how people take such minor changes in appearance and attach such significant – and erroneous – reasons to them.

Startled from her thoughts by her brother's voice, she turned a narrow-eyed look up at him as he chortled at her.

"Ha. Caught you daydreaming, didn't I?" he teased, and Izayoi just shook her head at him, a small smile playing about her sweetly bowed lips.

"I would hardly call any thoughts engendered by our last few days daydreaming, brother dearest," she retorted. "I was simply reflecting on human nature, that's all."

At that, Ichirou's face went solemn, and he eyed her carefully. "Are you okay, little bit?" he asked, his voice low and full of regret. "Perhaps we should not have brought you on this trip, for I can see in your eyes a rather profound change. I never wanted to see your innocent heart so spoiled by such blackness as is found in life far too often."

A surge of affection went through her at her brother's words, and she turned loving eyes up to meet his again. "We all have to grow up, Ichirou. No one stays innocent like a child forever, more's the pity. But how can I regret my life when I have been given such blessings as you and father, and even a chance to know beings like Kenji and Touga? Verily, for me to bemoan my life would be as a slap to those like that poor girl and her child, and even the other one, who had such horrid, short lives with little happiness and even worse luck in who they knew. I could never do so and be truthful, for I know I have been blessed, and even more in that I know father will be most careful in choosing my future husband, so that I will not face a fate such as she did. What more could I ask?"

"Oh, hai," he said after a moment, with a smile at her, "your future husband was indeed chosen with great care. You will never share the mundane fate that most hime do – even my own lady wife's fate is not as great as yours, my little love," he finished, knowing that he was the first person to really let her know that her husband had indeed been chosen. Until now, they had all danced around that subject. But as Touga was ready to begin his actual courtship of Izayoi, she would know soon enough just who she was fated to, anyway.

He also knew that if she had shown no desire for the youkai Lord or even a fear of him, their father would never have forced the issue, alliance or no alliance. But as Touga was such an honorable being himself, Ichirou was quite certain that had either circumstance been true, he himself would have bowed out and not pushed for the terms of the alliance to be honored.

After the time he'd spent with the male and the things he had said, Ichirou was certain that he would always treasure his little sister, and that knowledge kept him pleased, because he knew that Izayoi would always be happy and well cared for.

His musings were interrupted as her voice called him back to his surroundings. "Yes, little bit?" he asked, frowning. He'd missed her question.

"I was just wondering how you and Airi-sama are doing. It's a big thing to find yourself married to one who you really don't know. And for you two, there was even less of a chance to get to know each other – since things were so rushed with Touga's advent into the palace. I was just concerned," she said, setting aside his confidence that her husband had, indeed, been chosen. She could worry about that later. "I wish you to be happy in your marriage, too."

Ichirou inhaled deeply, and then slowly let it out as he thought about his new wife. He'd had little time to really spend with her since their wedding, and so he still knew little of her. Of course, he knew she was dipping her little fingers into some of the intrigue around the palace, and he would soon after returning home be taking her to task over some of her behavior. But truly, that was nothing more than most noble's wives did, to greater or lesser degree, and it wasn't like she was really that great at it, after all, he chuckled to himself.

"It is difficult to say, my love, since I have had little time to spend in her presence with all that has happened lately," he sighed.

Lips pursed for a moment as she thought about things, then she nodded. "Hai, I know. But to ignore your new bond could be dangerous, you know. A bored and lonely wife can cause untold grief to a clan. Perhaps when we return home you should set aside your afternoon hours to spend with her. I know she's already your wife, but maybe you should court her a little bit, Ichirou. It's not really fair that she never got that with you just because of circumstances. Believe me, it's not too late. I think you will find that you will have a very amenable bride and a happier marriage if you do."

Unbeknownst to Izayoi, the two males following her and Ichirou were also listening, and both were wondering where she came up with her most excellent advice, seeing as she was an unmarried and – so far – uncourted young female.

Ichirou also wondered. "How do you know such things, Izayoi?" he asked, honestly curious.

She noticed the confused look on his face and couldn't help the little giggle that slipped from her lips. Men could be so clueless at times. "Well, first off, am I not a girl, too? I know how I would feel were I in Airi's shoes. And second, part of miko training is giving advice. Most miko, at least those who live in a village, spend more time giving advice on diverse topics to the villagers under their care than actually fighting oni and youkai. And the topic is not difficult – it is common sense, really. You will only get back what you put in, ne?"

After acknowledging her words, he cast a mischievous glance over his shoulder at Touga, who was most definitely listening, and then turned back to his sister. "So... then, if you've thought of such things, surely you've thought over what you'd want in your own courtship, eh, little bit? So tell me what would make you amenable to your own husband-to-be."

He was surprised to see her face fall as she looked away from him to stare at the road ahead fixedly. "No... actually, I haven't. It really doesn't matter, ne? I will be married to whoever father has seen fit to give me to. It will be incumbent upon me to uphold the honor of our family by being an obedient wife to whoever that is. My feelings do not matter. My marriage will be for the betterment of our family, not for my feelings."

Taken aback, Ichirou frowned. "And no different was my marriage to Airi. And yet you tell me to court her. Why would I do so if feelings do not matter?"

Izayoi sighed, still refusing to look at her brother, she admitted something to herself that she'd been hiding from for days. It would not matter if her husband tried to woo her or not, because she would never be able to love him. Not when her heart was already so close to giving up the fight over Touga.

"It would not matter if my own intended husband chose to woo me or not, Ichirou," she finally said softly. "My heart would not be able to respond. It would be a wasted effort."

And suddenly he knew what she was meaning, and with a little grin he shot a glance over his shoulder to catch a concerned look in Touga's eyes. He didn't understand quite yet what Izayoi was saying.

"And why is that, little bit?" he asked gently, carefully prying his sister's worries from her.

"Because no one that father could have chosen would ever be able to measure up..." she trailed off, then shook her head, blushing. "Anyway, it doesn't matter. Let's talk about something else, please," she finished.

When Ichirou again glanced behind at Touga, this time he was happy to see that the inuyoukai had caught on and looked extremely pleased. After all, he'd already admitted that he was fast falling for Izayoi, so to know that she saw him as the perfect husband that no mere human husband could ever match was a comforting thing.

A comfortable silence fell as the group continued walking along peacefully, though Izayoi's thoughts were now morose. Touga, watching her from behind, made his decision – the moment they returned to the Summer Palace he would state his intentions to her and begin his courtship of the little hime.

She wouldn't be morose for too much longer.

~oOo~

Carefully penning a short poem in pretty hiragana, Airi sighed quietly as she listened to her ladies talking and giggling over some of the more naughty rumors that one hears in a large clan's court. Most of the names being passed around meant little to her, as she was still so new here. Only a few weeks now. It would take time for her to begin to fit in, but in the meantime she was so lonely.

It wasn't that she missed home so much, because she'd never been noticed much as one of the younger daughters of the many children of the last Hojo Lord. Of course, she'd had a few friends among some of the younger girls there in the court, but... drifting through life with nothing to look forward to just suddenly bothered her in ways it never had before. It was all Izayoi's fault; until she'd met the Setsuna hime, she'd never been discontented with her lot in life. But now, she saw the freedoms the other girl seemed to have and she couldn't help but compare the other girl's life to her own.

Pulled from her thoughts by a servant entering the room and bowing, Airi waved the woman back up. "Speak."

"My Lady, you are needed at the palace entrance immediately, where you will be met by the Lord's advisers. We have visitors – the Lord of the Takeda clan has come," the servant rattled out.

Surprised, Airi frowned as she set aside her brushes and rolled her small scroll up. "To stay?"

"Aye, that is what he said. That he would remain until Lord Hiraku returned as they have important business that must be dealt with. He also asked after the Lord Ichirou – and Izayoi-hime, as well."

"Hm." Frown deepening, Airi stood and made her way out of the room as her ladies followed behind, new whispers making the rounds between them as they guessed at why the Takeda Lord would be visiting.

I wonder...

Arriving on the palace steps just as two of Lord Hiraku's top advisers walked down to meet her, she efficiently fulfilled her duties as the wife of the heir apparent, greeting the Takeda Lord and getting him and his entourage settled into appropriate rooms. That was one of the only times her ladies were actually useful, helping her with assigning rooms since she was still new and didn't know the palace that well yet.

She was quite stunned by the Lord's appearance, he was young, probably her own husband's age, and almost eye-catchingly handsome, though compared to the youkai Lord Touga he was as nothing. Of course, with the perfection of the youkai's form no one could compare, and especially no human. Even the two youkai advisers, Kenji and Hikaru, were almost mesmerizingly gorgeous, and that had told her that human men would never be able to compete with the youkai for sheer beauty.

Still, he was certainly no hardship to look at, and she couldn't help but wonder when he again asked after the Lady Izayoi – was he then, the young woman's chosen husband?

True, as the gossip flared after the Lord was settled and she settled herself in the gardens for the nice breeze, the Takeda clan was relatively a new power, but they were very wealthy and their Lord was ambitious and a force to be reckoned with. Although he wasn't as wealthy as the Setsuna Lord, most were not - Airi reluctantly concluded that even her birth family, the Hojo, did not hold as much wealth as Setsuna did.

The most impressive thing about that was that most didn't really realize it. Lord Hiraku did not have a tendency to flaunt his money, and so no one seemed to realize just how rich he was until they were actually faced with it – like Takeda's Lord now was. It was apparent that he was quite stunned at the richness of the palace, and then to find that they had two such large and richly appointed dwellings... well, it was definitely an eye-opener.

The only thing Airi could do was keep the man occupied, her servants delivering an invitation to join her in the gardens at his leisure – it was, after all, her duty as the only representative of the ruling family left in the palace at the time.

It was a duty she was familiar with, and at least the advent of the handsome young Lord was a cure for some of that boredom she was suffering from.

~oOo~

Kenji watched silently as the Takeda Lord mingled in the garden with Ichirou's young wife and her ladies, his mind going over the various reasons he could possibly have for showing up as he had.

There were many.

All he could do was hope it had nothing to do with Izayoi – or Touga would not be pleased.

He wouldn't like his courting to be interrupted by another coming to beg her hand.

Hurry back, Touga...

Takeda's presence wasn't even the only reason for wishing for his Lord's return. He was still keeping a very close eye on Takemaru, and his uneasiness around the man was only getting worse. He was up to something, and it would be nothing good for his Lord, Lord Hiraku, and most definitely not for Izayoi.

He had participated in several more spars with his friend in the army, and each time, more rumors of the Captain were heard.

One that he found particularly interesting he had heard just today: apparently, one of the newly-hired samurai had gotten a good look at Takemaru and claimed to know him – despite the Captain claiming to be from the southern Setsuna lands, this soldier claimed he was from the north, instead.

That soldier died the next day in a 'training accident' that coincidentally, no one actually witnessed – except Takemaru.

It was apparent that the Captain had no compunction about killing anyone who knew any of his secrets... which meant that they were very, very important, and that they really, really needed to know them.

If Takemaru reacted like that over someone claiming he was from the north rather than south, then it was because it was true.

And Kenji was interested in finding out just what it was that the man was hiding.

Very interested.

He was willing to bet that his Lords, both of them, would be, too.

~oOo~

The adults of the group found themselves getting grim again as they approached the village, and as they reached the end of the forested lands, Touga came to a stop and reminded them that he would be awaiting their return there so as not to unnecessarily frighten the villagers any further than they already were.

Hiraku nodded and stepped forward to walk with his daughter, the children trailing behind with Ichirou to shoo them along. Izayoi would be openly welcomed as a miko, and he made sure that he had his seal with him for identification as the Lord of the region so there would be no demure when he passed his judgment on Jirou, and then called for a new headman.

Sure enough, it didn't take long for the villagers to notice Izayoi, and as a few of the less timid men came forward to talk to her, sudden cries of "Father, father," from behind them could be heard as children ran after astounded parents, the commotion calling more of the villagers out to suddenly be presented with their missing children.

It took some time for order to be somewhat restored, and Izayoi and her companions, who the villagers took for a simple samurai protecting the miko, to be welcomed into the village proper by the elders. As soon as the excuse was made for their headman's absence, Hiraku spoke up.

Showing his crest, he soon had his identity, his son's, and Izayoi's settled, and then told the tale of the former headman and just exactly why their village had become so cursed. Needless to say, there were a few people who were not overly surprised – it seemed that several families had suspected the headman of just such a crime, though not knowing the reason he'd done what he had - including the girl's family. Her mother, the poor woman, could not be consoled and eventually she had to be escorted away by some of her other children.

Her father listened grimly, berating himself for ever giving his daughter to the bastard, and was only lightly consoled by the vengeance his daughter's spirit had exacted on her former husband. In his eyes no vengeance could ever be enough, and Izayoi agreed with him.

It was at that point that Hiraku made the call for a new headman, and then, figuring it only bitter justice, appointed the girl's father to the job, no one thinking to challenge the naming. Thus the village gained a new face, and it could only be hoped a more respectable one, at that, though Hiraku felt content with his choice.

Then came his next call – for the man named Jirou to step forward. As he did so, smiling ingratiatingly, apparently thinking some good fortune was to befall him, Ichirou was not surprised to note that the young woman's spirit had spoken truly – he was an ill-favored man, and his wife looked like she wished she were dead, instead of standing next to him.

"I am sure you have noticed all the children that have been returned; yet you do not seem curious as to why your own missing daughter is not among them," her father said sternly, and abruptly, the man was cringing and stammering excuses that gave him away. It was only his wife who looked at them hopefully when they spoke, obviously wanting to know where her child was.

His face softening slightly as he looked at the tired, frail looking woman, Hiraku shook his head. "I am sorry. Your little girl the spirit chose to take with her, for she had been beaten and damaged too much to ever be normal again. Now she rests peacefully, away from the one who abused her so." The woman simply folded in on herself and nodded before turning away and shuffling off into the distance. Hiraku's face hardened again as he turned to look back at the girl's father, not speaking, just looking at him with a grim, still face. Apparently, it scared the man into talking – and holding out every excuse under the sun, even claiming that he'd never laid an unkind hand on the child, that she was merely clumsy.

He let the man babble for a few, and then he yelled, "Silence!" He looked at the new headman and requested that Jirou be tied up, and waited with arms folded and that harsh look in his eyes as it was done, Ichirou just as grim, and Izayoi, as well.

Once he was suitably restrained, he made arrangements with the new headman for the care of Jirou's wife and remaining young son with the knowledge that Jirou would not be returning, and then forced the man to march before them as they finished their business in the village and began their trip back to the other village through the forest.

Izayoi breathed easier once Touga was back with them; she had been surprised to find herself feeling almost bereft without him near. While that bit of knowledge would have definitely pleased Touga, Izayoi only felt troubled for the path her heart seemed determined to take.

It was Ichirou who asked what fate his father had in mind for Jirou.

The man who was tied up and whining in fear fell just a bit quieter also in hopes of hearing his fate; his whining only grew in volume when Hiraku said that he would be executed.

"But where are we taking him, then? Couldn't that have been done there so that we wouldn't have to listen to him?" Izayoi asked, frowning.

"No. He will be taken to the palace cells just as the head of the bandits will be; when it is time, they will be hung and a sign made that reads their offenses off placed beneath their bodies so that others may get the idea as to what I take offense to and what I consider a crime."

She shivered at his answer but thought it only fitting, and with that the group fell silent as they marched on, wanting to make it back to where the army was camped at before dark. If they pushed their pace, they would just make it.

That meant one more night – tonight – on the road, and then...

Home.

For once, Izayoi was going to be happy to be back indoors with the luxury of hot water and her soft bed. These last several days had felt more like several months and she was more tired than she could ever remember being.

She would welcome the rest and the chance to put all the turmoil they'd met on this trip behind her.