UPDATE (1/17/2016): New edit and proofread.

The five may have been yokai but that didn't mean that they didn't hate a long walk as much as the next man. Jiro, on his part, thought that hanging around with official members of the royal army would allow them more time in local inns and eating good food. Unfortunately, it simply meant marching longer with less breaks. It wasn't long before Jiro got tired of walking and wanted to utilize his ability to fly. Sure, it annoyed the "earthbound" ones like Takeshi, who made no secret of his irritation, but he didn't really care. Why should he punish himself for Takeshi not having that power? However, as it turned out Nakamura was ordering them not to engage in anything supernatural. That was kind of an umbrella term to Jiro as well as an unsophisticated one, but the five agreed to comply for the time being.

The first two days were nothing special. The pace was always rapid and Nakamura, a true military man at heart, kept them moving so fast they probably would have taken four or five days to cover the same area of ground. Jiro noticed that everyone else with him was more ill at ease as they went along. It seemed none of them were familiar with this part of the country. They had pretty much reached their northern limit at the last village; in parts they normally stayed clear of, mostly because the army and more well-guarded provinces started not too farther north of here. Furthermore, there were fewer people who lived in this region and with little political turmoil, so there was little need to go in that direction. After the first day, they had passed the political barrier to their travel and were back into the country, and surprisingly wild country at that. It didn't take long for things to level out into more natural wide-open spaces, filled with trees, mountains, and rolling landscapes. Jiro was a bit amazed to see such a long stretch filled with such wildness and natural beauty.

"Isn't this lovely?" He said after a time as he admired a patch of wildflowers. "Very picturesque, this route. The mountains and all of these trees are a nice touch. I'd love to see how this place looks like in winter."

"Heh, you'd like anything in winter…even a desert." Nobuyuki answered.

"True." Jiro shrugged. "But this place looks like it'd be better than most. I'm a little surprised there's a fiefdom all the way up here. Seems the shogun hasn't had much opportunity to exploit tribute…"

"This might not be so bad after all!" Takara cheered as she fluttered over one patch of flowers and gave them a smell. "I wouldn't mind spending some time in this part of the world that's still wild and lovely… Maybe we'll even run into some other yokai!"

Jiro chuckled. "I think I could go ahead and do without that, but it beats trying to work my way through a major city with skin and hair like this." He turned to Takeshi. "How about it? So long as we're keeping up this rapid pace, how about taking in the greenery? It might do you good to ease up."

Takeshi, however, didn't smile or react. His eyes remained forward. "I'd pay more attention to what's going on around you, kid."

The white-haired man sighed. "You're a real stick in the mud some days, aren't you?"

"I'm serious. All of you. Take a look around."

Jiro sighed and did as he was told, as did the others. He soon noticed the rabbit-hooded man was right. The soldiers guarding them seemed nervous. Their gazes turned far northward, past the road they were on to what lied far beyond it. Anxiety hung like a cloud.

Nobuyuki raised an eyebrow. "Someone wave around an ugly stick?"

"I have no idea." Takeshi answered. "But they all turned that way the second Jiro here said 'winter'."

The young man's own smile faded a bit.

At any rate, the rest of that day was without incident. That night, many of the soldiers seemed anxious to be sleeping in a country so wild and untamed compared to most of the other rural areas of the world. The Jido no Hogosha, on the other hand, were right at home. They were yokai, after all. And being out and about in the wild, closer to their element, only made them feel more at ease. While the comforts of a town may have been welcome, there was no problem with this location here. About the only thing that was bad about it, at least for some of them, was that the night was very chilly for summer. Extremely chilly, in fact; such that one couldn't abide the wind blowing unless they wrapped themselves in a cloak or a blanket. Jiro was fine with this as were the rest of the Jido no Hogosha, but he realized it did seem unseasonably cool. In fact, it had felt that way through many of the villages and locales they went to over the past week…too cool for summer, at any rate.

And, once again, Jiro noticed that the soldiers not only disliked the cold, but seemed fearful of it…

The biggest surprise happened the next day, however. While the vegetation and landscape around them was still green and alive, the flowers were stunted and still emerging from the bud. The reason was clear enough. While it seemed like the peak of summer and for all things to be growing verdant and strong, the day was very cool and downright chilly whenever the wind blew. The only reason the vegetation was green had to be because it had a chance to grow, but then had been struck by this cold snap. It definitely couldn't have grown in this weather. It was a good thing they were briskly marching, for that did wonders at keeping warm. Even so, as they continued to walk all day, only Jiro and Nobuyuki were completely unaffected.

"Good grief…it's so chilly…" Takara said after a while. "I thought this was supposed to be summer?"

A tinkling came from Satoru.

"We ain't that far north, friend." Takeshi answered him. "It's not like this is Hokkaido. Besides, as close as we are to the ocean, we should be getting plenty of warm breezes coming in…"

"I'll admit, I feel pretty 'spry' in this kind of weather." Jiro answered. "Which means the rest of you must be pretty chilly. I thought this was a bad year for weather, but this is a bit ridiculous."

"Starting to really wonder why these men are fearful of winter." Nobuyuki muttered. "And wondering if we'll find out fairly soon…"

The next morning brought some relief as the group marched on, but not as much as one would think. Rather than progressively get warmer, the temperature stayed quite chilly. The reason was clear to anyone who had ever spent a lot of time outdoors. As they continued to go north, any offset in temperature that might have occurred as the sun came up was negated by growing progressively colder. Jiro enjoyed the relief and Nobuyuki seemed fine with it, but the others were soon trying to move even faster and stay more in the center of the soldiers surrounding them to keep away the cold wind.

"Never seen weather this unseasonably cold in my life…" Takeshi grumbled after a while.

"You can see it in the plants too." Takara added. "Some of them are starting to look wilted. And there's no more wildflowers…"

At long last, after midday, the group came into a new province. None of them had ever been this way before but it was quite lovely and picturesque. It looked fairly well-off too. Based on the nature of the houses, settlements, and farmlands in the villages they passed through, it seemed as if the tribute that the local daimyo demanded was very small. That or there was enough surplus to avoid trouble. There wasn't any place that looked too terribly run down. Fresh paint, new roofs, gardens and some opportunity for ornamentation here and there. Very well off for being so remote.

As they walked through the country and passed by several other villages, the reason began to grow clear. It seemed there were a large number of craftsmen and traders within this province. Normally, that wasn't too good of a sign. Farmers, after all, were considered the mainstay of the country, and the price of having a great deal of natural mountains, forests, and beauty around this province was reduced farmland. Yet the group also noticed a high amount of ships in dry dock, along with nets, poles, and other apparel to allow for fishing and trading. Both seemed to be well-established operations within the province. It must have been rich in catches if they had so many boats, and none of the buildings that looked like places for fishermen to operate out of seemed in poor condition or dire straits. And these were all the buildings far from shore. Closer to it, who knew how many more there were? The fact that this province had the means to support all these people so far from the coast meant there had to be more than enough. It's likely that they didn't bother confining whatever crafts or goods they made here to the local province, but used the ships to take them far and wide all over Japan. With this locale, they were probably able to maximize profits from this lower class.

Jiro soon realized that they had better be able to, because he saw no one was bothering to work the various fields around the villages. And there was little reason to either. The crops were either stunted or withering. If it was this cold during the day, he could expect that it would actually frost at night. He wouldn't be too surprised if that was the case, too. Yet there was something else he noticed as well. As he walked along, most people were either indoors or minimizing how much they were moving around. No one seemed too eager to move their boats or goods or anything else out away from the villages and toward the coast, leaving only a few errand runners. However, the few that were out for one reason or another (mostly firewood, from the looks of it, and occasionally clothing materials) occasionally gave looks to the Jido no Hogo-sha. All of them were a bit unsettling to look at normally but usually awe-inspiring.

When they saw Jiro, however, and his frost-white hair, pale face and wintry style attire, they looked either very scared…

Or angry.

The pale man may have been more among the clever than the wise, but he was well aware of what he looked like and he began to put two and two together. He began to seriously doubt this weather was simply a bad year.

At any rate, night had fallen again by the time they finally worked through enough of the province to get to the castle itself. It was here they also saw the ocean at last; their path taking them toward the coast although there was still quite a bit of land both to the north and west. As the group approached, they noticed that the castle was in a strange position. An inlet of sea into the land had left one large bit of rock isolated from the rest of the mainland. It was on this bit of rock that a large, lovely castle had been erected. It was at least five levels tall, vast in scope, and with an elaborate stone wall guarding its access from the shore via two bridges leading across the inlet. It was filled with light and activity, decked with colors of greens, gold, and purple; apparently the colors of the realm itself. In fact, it seemed to be arranged quite festively, and as the group got nearer they saw signs that there had been quite a celebration not long ago. Stands for fine food and drink, decorations and game areas zoned out, racks for masks and kites. All of it not having been properly taken down but rather abandoned and left for the elements and wild to tear apart. The food alone was quite rotten, indicating that local wildlife had eaten their fill and yet still had left much behind to mildew with no one ever removing it. Of course, it might have been out even longer considering the temperature…

By the time they got to the castle, everyone except Jiro and Nobuyuki was quite cold in spite of moving fast. Several soldiers were visibly shivering, for by now it was chilly enough for frost to start forming. It was incredibly refreshing to Jiro, but as they drew closer most of the soldiers began to give him the same look the people did…and even he became so unnerved by the look that he held back a bit. He also noted that at the dock nearest to the castle multiple ships were in harbor. They looked like the more expensive kind; definitely ones for those with means as opposed to fishers or merchants.

The thick walls were guarded well by armored men of the region, ones different from the shogun's own soldiers. All were on edge and gave the Jido no Hogo-sha very grim looks. Some of the archers looked ready to fire at them on sight. However, on seeing Nakamura, they stood down readily and opened the gates.

As they crossed the bridge over the water and into the main courtyard, Jiro noted that it wasn't just the ships that bore the look of a large number of nobles. The stables were filled with horses and wagons that could only have come from other vassals that had been making a political visit of some sort as opposed to a wartime one. And based on how splendid some of them looked and how they had been built for baggage, it seemed they would have been bearing gifts as well. Not only that, but the inner courtyard was even more decorated than the outside, or rather had been. There were lines hung up that had been filled with lanterns and banners hanging from every pole bearing the same colors of the region. The weather had torn most of it, granted, but still it caught his eye.

Finally, the group moved to a large set of doors, also guarded. They were let in and through an interior garden. It seemed to incorporate natural pools into it, but Jiro noticed a stench around them that was none too pleasant. It turned out to be masses of rotting fish. They looked like the ornamental kind themselves, but they were all "belly up" in the water or on the shore. Something had killed all of them in a snap and he assumed it was the unseasonable cold. Beyond that was one final set of doors, and beyond that, they were inside.

Jiro heard Takara exhale in relief as soon as she stepped in, for between fires, lamps, and the people moving about, this castle was far warmer and more inviting than outdoors. The interior was very well cared for and painted with soft colors. Someone had taken a great amount of effort to make it look like a welcome place as opposed to one that instilled fear or terror. It seemed almost more like a large manor than a castle of a feudal lord. As Nakamura led them in further, the five noticed in addition to a large number of servants, there were also numerous nobles and landowners from other provinces that they recognized. Most gave the five murderous looks. After all, they had caused them trouble before. Jiro grinned and waved as he kept going inside.

At length they approached a double set of doors covered with fine metal and engraved with images that Jiro only assumed represented the local noble household. On the other side was a hall likely used for dining in grand occasions but was currently emptied. There was a fire set on one side of it, and candles lit as well, so that the entire chamber was filled with light and warmth. However, only one individual was inside at the time.

He seemed a bit short, lean, and was poised so close to the fire with his back turned that all the five noticed of him initially was a shadow. In coming here, Nakamura finally stopped and turned to his men. He ordered all but a fistful back into the castle to either rest or relieve the guard. As for the few that were left, they fanned out through the room and took their positions at the doors. It wasn't very frightening to the five. After all, they could easily take reduced numbers. Instead, they calmly walked further into the room when Nakamura finally went on, and after that came to a stop when he went further to the fire and off to one side, apparently deferring to the man poised in front of it.

When the doors had been shut and a few moments of nothing but the sound of crackling embers and footsteps rang out, Nakamura gestured to the five. "As requested, sir…I give you the Jido no Hogo-sha."

For a moment, on hearing that title, Jiro thought this was the shogun himself. Rather puny and feeble compared to his reputation, if such was the case… However, when the voice of the man responded, he realized it wasn't the shogun at all but someone more familiar.

"Yes, yes…I'm aware of that. The pages sent me word on your approach. Thank you, Lord Nakamura." He remarked somewhat impatiently. After that, he gave a deep sigh, as if he was doing something he really didn't want to do, and turned around to face the five.

Jiro and the others recognized him almost immediately. In his case, it instantly made him chuckle and grin. He knew this lean and gaunt fellow anywhere. He was unmistakable between his sunken features, his oversized, pointed nose, and, most of all, the avaricious gleam in his eyes. The Jido no Hogo-sha had made numerous visits to people under his direct command before or operating on his orders, as they usually ended up being underhanded schemes to get more wealth and authority for himself…and usually ended up falling through terribly even if the five weren't there to throw a fly in his ointment.

"Well, well, well…" Jiro snickered. "If it isn't my favorite court onmyoji: Itachinootoko."

Instantly, the man's face turned red. "Itachitoko*. You'd do well to remember that, you monstrous brat. You're in my domain this time, surrounded by men at my beck and call. If I so wished I could have your life ended right now."

"Aw, you're not still upset about me snowing you in that outhouse, are you?" Jiro innocently answered as he braced his bo over his shoulders. "What's a mere six foot pile of snow to a great and powerful court onmyoji like you? Why, as much as I heard you talk about how great you are, I'm surprised you didn't have an army of shinigami just take it away for you…"

Itachitoko looked livid with rage by now. He seemed nearly ready to do as he threatened and order his men to attack. However, Nobuyuki, seeing that Jiro was pushing too many of his buttons, quickly stepped forward and held out an arm to push him back.

"Now, now…there is no need for the pulling chains, alright?" He said, looking between Jiro and Itachitoko for a moment before focusing back on the old man. "Lord Nakamura here says the shogunate wishes to recruit us, yes?"

"Let us be clear on one thing before we go any further…" Itachitoko snorted, holding out a finger toward them. "No one wishes to recruit you. As far as I'm concerned, you are all foul demons that this world would be better off without. You have made a mockery of the shogun's domain and royal court with your monstrous, vile acts causing repeated crimes and law violations throughout the realm. You fill our land with chaos and lawlessness by your profane, unholy, supernatural devilry and were this any other time I would be happy to banish you into some dark, forgotten realm where you all belong."

"Now don't sugar-coat it, sir." Takeshi snorted as he crossed his arms. "Tell us how you really feel."

Jiro merely snickered as he let his eyes wander around the room. "And how do you plan on doing all that, Big Bad Onmyoji-san? Last time I saw you, one of your little magic tricks couldn't even fool eight-year-old children. You planning on pulling coins out of our ears until we cry for mercy?"

Nobuyuki held up another hand as a stopping gesture, but chuckled at Itachitoko. "I have to admit, you have a very funny way of asking for our assistance. But I take it this must be a big deal if you need our help none the less, yes?"

Itachitoko swallowed down some of his anger and took in a deep breath. "As much as I loathe you all, I have inquired of the gods and there can be no substitute. We have no chance in this current matter without your help."

"The Jido-no-Hogo-sha…" Nakamura spoke up from nearby. "The oddest gang of self-proclaimed 'ronin' in the land and the most notorious criminals. Not human at all, but rather five yokai masquerading as human. Self-appointed 'champions of justice' who commit countless crimes against the shogunate and his vassals in open rebellion, claiming to promote justice and standing for nothing but lawlessness and chaos."

Takeshi grit his teeth. "And since when was the shogun the standard of justice, friend? What god came down from on high and said that anything that hurts him is automatically a violation of the natural order?"

"The only people we attack are those who oppress the very farmers and villagers that build up his kingdom." Takara maintained. "Those landowners who think that they don't need to do so much as catch a fish or harvest a grain of rice and yet they think they're entitled to take whatever they want from their people."

"They are, in case you are not familiar with how a fiefdom works." Nakamura retorted. "Those people want to live on a daimyo's land, exploit his access to water, gain the benefit of protection from his armed forces… Do you think daimyos should run a charity for such things? That they're not entitled to compensation for that?"

"And do you think that compensation should extend to the lives and service of men, women, and children?" Nobuyuki answered. "That widows and the poor should be punished further by having their homes burned and their family members slaughtered for being unable to come up with tribute? That people already struggling to give the shogun and emperor their due should be penalized further by losing what little support and happiness they have? We have seen many families take the food out of their children's mouths in order to meet demands for tribute. If you force people to watch their own children starve to death, or subject them to lives of toil and misery, does your shogun really think he will be able to maintain power forever?"

"And we ain't even getting into landowners like the one we just stopped who pretty much treated every boy in every town as a soldier to impress into service and every girl as a harlot to be abused at will." Takeshi snorted.

Nakamura merely frowned coldly. "Bold-faced lies from treacherous, vile demons. As if there was anything you said that could be expected to hold a kernel of truth in it, especially regarding the shogun. We've made note about how you frequently come to the aid of children…no doubt poisoning them against the shogun and the emperor, intending one day for them to cause even more rebellion and trouble. To lead them and their families to destruction when people like me will be summoned to suppress such rebellion. Monsters such as you sicken me."

Takeshi kept frowning. "Well, isn't that just typical for a human… Needing to find a 'monster' to direct everyone's anger against so no one notices you. Your shogun owes us both for that as well as keeping his people from revolting, it looks like."

Both Itachitoko and Nakamura were beginning to look rather incensed at this point, as were the five members of the Jido no Hogo-sha. Seeing the tensions flare, the guards began to react, looking like they might have to draw their weapons soon. However, before things could escalate any further, everyone in the chamber was distracted by the sounds of one of the side doors opening.

Jiro turned just in time to see a handsome man walking in, dressed in all the finery of being both a noble himself as well as some indication of military experience. Rather unusual, considering how young he appeared. Most his age would allow their fathers to do that sort of thing or whatever samurai were beneath them. He pushed the door to behind him and advanced a bit before bowing respectfully to Itachitoko and Nakamura.

"Forgive me for being late, sirs." On rising, however, he spotted the five. He was a bit taken aback at first, but then turned fully to them and, a bit to Jiro's surprise as well as the rest, bowed again. That was stunning. No noble ever gave them a bow of respect.

"This must be the Jido no Hogo-sha. Welcome to Arender-ken."

Takara blinked a few times. "Someone actually greeting us politely? Whoa…that's new."

"Almost doesn't seem right, eh?" Nobuyuki chuckled. "But do not forget, it's only polite to return the favor." He bowed as well. Soon the others followed suit, even Jiro. After all, he could afford to be civil to the one noble he had ever met who was the same to him. The lord rose, and they did as well. "The lord of Arender-ken, I presume?"

The young man blushed a bit. "Oh, heh…certainly not. I'm just another visiting noble like the others for the coming-of-age festival. I am Lord Hachiro, the eighth son of Lord Miyamoto of the White Isles."

"Ooooh…" Takara echoed, looking around again. "That would explain all the decorations…"

"Looks like it 'got out' a bit early, friend." Takeshi remarked.

The young man began to look nervous. "Well…yes. It seems the other lords haven't told you the whole story yet." He turned to Itachitoko and Nakamura again. "We should probably be quick. I don't think Lady Akiko will be delayed for long. She knew this meeting was going to take place and she insisted on being in on it."

"It's better if she hears nothing of it." Nakamura responded. "It will only make things more difficult for her as well as for the fiefdom at large."

Hachiro looked more uncomfortable at that. "My lord, I understand that Lady Akiko has a personal stake in this, but this is her domain and, as of now, she is the current ruler of Arender-ken. She is the one with ultimate authority here-"

"I'm afraid that is where you are wrong, Lord Hachiro." Itachitoko interjected. "This may be Arender-ken, but, last I checked, Arender-ken is itself merely one of many of the emperor's holdings. Therefore, the word of the shogun has the authority here, and we are representatives of the shogun."

"It is better ultimately for relations with Arender-ken that we handle the punishment at this time without her input, lest we be forced to pull rank on this province and stress matters later." Nakamura added.

"Besides," Itachitoko threw in. "From what I saw at the celebration, it seems as if you being the ruler of Arender-ken is rather inevitable at this point."

Jiro saw Hachiro grimace and actually clench and release his fists uncomfortably. He bowed his head and said no more. However, by this point, what was being said was arousing more of his curiosity. It sounded rather serious…

Takeshi broke in with a sigh. "Look, as much as I loved being kept in the dark for three days, I'd really like to know why exactly we're here. I never was one for all of this 'keeping secrets right in front of me' talk. And the sooner we're done here, the sooner we can be out of your hair."

The three looked up and to the five once again. They exchanged grimaces afterward. It seemed they had a bit of a hard time trying to decide who should go first. Finally, Nakamura drew in a deep breath and faced them.

"Very well. I'll begin. But before I do, I should advise you all that this is to be kept secret from everyone. What we are talking of is likely to create a panic if the truth becomes widespread…yet while the truth is not disclosed, what will likely happen as a result of these actions will be branded as treason or an attempt to seize power by the citizenry. To keep from causing any civil unrest, it is therefore in everyone's best interest to keep this quiet."

He gestured about him.

"As you have no doubt guessed, there was indeed a celebration within this castle nearly two weeks ago now. A very grand one. It was the coming-of-age festival for the daimyo of Arender-ken, Lady Eiko."

Satoru blinked at that, and let out a small tinkling sound.

"I'm with you, friend." Takeshi added.

Nakamura quirked his eyebrows. "…I'm sorry, what?"

Nobuyuki tapped the side of his head. "You need a yokai's ears to make out what Satoru says. He said 'I was not aware that there was such thing as a female daimyo'."

"For the moment, there is in this region." Nakamura continued. "The family line of Eiko and Akiko, the Amugawa, have been friends with that of the shogun's house for four generations now. However, during the last war, all but one son died. He eventually married and had children: two daughters, but no sons. While on a voyage to attend a wedding function within a fiefdom to the south, a tsunami arose and sent their ship to the bottom of the sea. No survivors. Hence, the Amugawa family has been left without a patriarch."

"Normally the emperor would have encouraged one of the local nobles of repute and strong character to marry the eldest daughter and take over management of the household." Itachitoko joined in. "Yet the shogun realized that doing so would likely mean the end of the Amugawa family line and so, in a breach of tradition and propriety, he encouraged the emperor to allow the eldest daughter to have full control over the landholding from a legal standpoint." He grimaced. "This is one of the most prosperous regions under the shogunate, so naturally many thought it was a tad foolish to place a woman in charge of all of it…so the compromise was to allow the eldest to become the full landowner only on reaching her eighteenth year. Prior to that the region was under unofficial 'supervision' of the emperor. However, not putting much thought or concern into the matter, it ended up consisting of only a few visits each year to make sure all was well." His eyes narrowed. "The shogun now realizes that was a mistake."

"Oh?" Nobuyuki answered. "How is that?"

"The eldest child, Eiko, has been a recluse for years, even to her own family." Nakamura went on. "She rarely talked to anyone other than her parents, the household staff has told me. And after their death she hardly said anything to her younger sister for three years. Her becoming the full landowner at the age of eighteen was almost like a noble returning from exile; so rarely had she been seen."

"She at least appeared to be a good choice." Itachitoko continued. "Proper, quiet, reserved…not nearly as out of control or rambunctious as her younger sister. Polite and deferring in all manners to those with age, experience, and higher status. It seemed that in spite of the mystery surrounding her that she would handle the land of Arender-ken well until she married and was able to give birth to a male heir to continue her family line…"

He trailed off here. Everyone's faces turned grim. When they were quiet for a bit, Jiro couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.

"So what happened?"

"...The festival had been going for only two hours when Lord Taguchi and his retinue began to approach Arender-ken from the south gate." Hachiro interjected. He bowed his head again, wringing his hands a bit. "Akiko and I had met that evening and…we 'hit it off', you might say. I've never seen a girl as lovely, energetic, and amiable as Lady Akiko before in my life. She was what I envision perfection must be. As rash as it was, I went with her to Lady Eiko with the intention of asking that she consent to our marriage. It may have been a bit sudden, but I know without a doubt that there is no other noble in all the land of Japan who could compare to her." He frowned a bit. "But Lady Eiko was vexed grievously by what we asked. She told Akiko that she was being foolish and reckless for even considering wanting to be married to a noble she had known only for a single day. An argument began…and…and…" He trailed off.

"And Lady Eiko's personality change was almost instantaneous." Nakamura interjected. "Everyone could see it. The shift in her demeanor, the increase in the volume of her voice, the growing aggression…"

"All quite baseless." Itachitoko spoke up. "She could not ask for a finer man, a more valiant warrior, a more compassionate heart, and a wiser ruler beyond-his-years than Lord Hachiro. It was clear immediately to me the real reason she was so incensed at the idea. It became clear the moment one began to understand that the legends regarding her birth were true."

"Legends?" Jiro asked, echoing the confusion of all present.

"Between her light hair and pale skin, to say nothing of her features, none of which match either of her parents, it was no secret that many people questioned the validity of her birth." Nakamura explained. "There was the rumor abounding that she came from a different union…" His voice dropped, and the demeanor of the three men grew grimmer and uneasier yet. "A union between the king and a yuki-onna** that seduced him one winter and, nine months later, dumped a horrid half-monster child at his wife's feet as if it was hers to raise. After all, no one saw his wife during the pregnancy. No one could see her 'getting bigger'. The news of her birth was almost a surprise to the kingdom. The Lord Amugawa concealed it so he would not face the shame at having been unfaithful to his wife, even if it was with a seductive demon…"

"A yuki-onna?" Takara answered. "What could have made that connection?"

"Rumors." Nakamura continued. "Rumors from old servants of windows lined with frost in the middle of summer. Of children playing in the middle of night, leaving the floor wet and looking raw from cold air the next day. Snow falling in the inner courtyard. Cold…winter itself…somehow being in the domain of Eiko."

Things began to click for Jiro. He was getting an idea of how this story was going to end. Yet in spite of that, he found himself actually suppressing a high level of pleasant interest. He had never heard of someone else who could manipulate cold and frost before besides him. And when he heard of this young daimyo being able to do it, he not only was intrigued, he felt like something inside him was stirring…

"The long and short…Lady Eiko stormed out of the room after an argument with her sister." Itachitoko went on. "And soon after doing so, a hailstorm of icicles the size of swords came forth from the highest window of the castle. Hundreds saw it, and saw them come down upon Lord Taguchi's regimen. It might have been her just letting loose her wrath at last or perhaps venting anger at seeing her wicked designs for the throne after 18 years coming to a close, now that her sister's new husband would have a dominant claim over her to the throne,but soon Taguchi and his men were slashed into pieces and left impaled as frozen corpses on shards of ice.

"In no time at all, the watchmen passed the message back to the castle of what had been seen. When the lady was confronted, she made no secret of her power at all. She began to attack wantonly and with the desire to slay every last noble in the castle…"

"That's more than a bit of an exaggeration, if you don't mind me saying so, Lord Itachitoko." Hachiro interjected. "I was there myself. Lady Eiko looked frightened. Confused…"

"Mere demon seduction." The onmyoji snorted. "I saw her myself. Behind her innocent face her eyes were filled with malevolence, bloodlust, and glee at watching us all suffer as she generated palisades of ice, froze the floor, and wrapped the entire castle in deep cold. She was like a horrible ice demon made flesh…the way she terrorized the gathering...lashed out at every man, woman, and child...delighted in making grown men huddle like helpless babies against her cold as she vented the full wrath of winter against us…in the middle of summer, no less!"

Hachiro began to frown. "Sir, I really must protest that rendition. There were very few injuries and the lady seemed like she just wanted to get away from everyone-"

"Lord Hachiro, I am the shogun's most trusted onmyoji for a reason. I can see demonology and evil far better than most." The old man nearly snapped, his voice sounding cross now. "And if I say Lady Eiko would have made every last one of us suffer until our last breath as she froze our hearts from the inside out, then you can accept that as truth and be done with it."

Nakamura nearly rolled his eyes, an encouraging sight to Jiro, as he took it from there. "The bottom line is that the new queen has proven to be an entity of unspeakable power. I've never seen or heard of anything like her before outside of the oldest myths. She wields ice, snow, and cold as if it's a part of her. I sent my men after her when she fled; many of them my best soldiers. They tailed her to the mountains north of here." He frowned. "Four of them were impaled through various places on thick spears of ice and are fortunate to be alive, although they'll be bedridden for weeks yet. Others have lost patches of skin to severe frostbite. Whoever was left eventually was stricken by a severe blizzard with wind and cold, they say, that cut down to the very marrow. The only reason they survived was a horrid monstrosity that seemed to arise from the snow itself attacked and flung them violently back the way they came, breaking bones but also clearing them from the storm. Enough were still conscious after that to drag those who had already passed out from the cold to warmer areas."

This wording caught the interest of the five. "What do you mean by 'warmer areas'?"

"Surely you've noticed how cold it is out right now. How it's been getting colder the closer we got to Arender-ken? You see, the queen doesn't just manipulate ice and snow on a local level. She's actually changing the weather...the seasons themselves. The night she escaped it just had a cool breeze. Now, as we speak, frost is forming on the tips of the grass around the castle. Within a few days…perhaps tomorrow night…fresh water left outside overnight will begin to ice over. At first it was just the northern lands and the castle but now it spreads south. The entire province is impacted now, and the surrounding ones are beginning to feel what it was like a week ago. Yet none of this is as compared to the north. If you travel but fifteen miles north of here, everything is covered with a thin blanket of snow. Continue north and as the temperature drops the snow grows thicker than any have ever seen it. The sky is blotted out and wind and blizzards break forth. The trees are coated with ice and all water is trapped in a moment of cascading. Yet it only grows colder and deadlier from there."

The lords hadn't very well noticed something at this point, but the others did. Jiro's face was looking progressively less merry and more stunned. He seemed to be focusing harder on these words as the men continued to describe the queen. In the end, he had more than fascination about this. He seemed to almost be intently fixated upon it…

"You see, the demon isn't just attacking those in her way to power anymore." Itachitoko went on. "Now she's cursed this entire land to slowly turn into winter…an endless one, no doubt. One where her power would be without limit. And it's spreading from here. It will only be a matter of months before the kingdom is covered in snow and the sun is blotted out forever. And if it only gets colder and worse from there, within a year we'll be dying off like flies. It might be even worse than this. What's to say this devil witch can't do the same to the entire world?"

The five gave pause on hearing this. Truth be told, they had noticed it getting rather unseasonably cool over the past few weeks. And it had definitely gotten unnaturally cold for summer as they went north. If what they said was true, then they realized that this was indeed a very serious matter. And, quite frankly, it was shocking to them.

"Well, you've certainly established why you're more concerned with this queen than having us beheaded…" Takeshi spoke after a while, slower and more measured. "But how do we figure personally into it?"

"Quite simply." Itachitoko answered. "You're to find and kill the queen as soon as possible."

Almost immediately, Nobuyuki broke out into a laugh. "Why, you make that sound so easy. We are yokai, good onmyoji. Not gods."

"I can see you have some wisdom if you thought of asking us rather than mere mortals…" Takara added. "And this seems serious enough to be everyone's problem, including ours. But what exactly do you think we can do about it? I'm just as nervous about going up against someone who can make ice weapons on a whim or freeze me to death with a snap of her fingers as the next human."

"You still have a much better chance than any of my men." Nakamura answered.

"How flattering." Takeshi snorted. "Trying to say you're all either too scared or too weak so you'll hire someone else to do it for you that you don't care whether or not they get whacked over?"

"No, actually." Itachitoko answered. "It would be no use to us to have you killed doing this if doing so meant the world would be frozen in the process. I selected you five specifically and told Lord Nakamura to summon you for one reason."

Jiro soon found Itachitoko looking directly at him and pointing.

"Him."

The white-haired man pulled back a bit and blinked. The other four looked to him, and then out to the onmyoji again.

"Jiro?"

"Oh, don't give me those puzzled expressions." Itachitoko responded. "Don't think me so blind as to know nothing about you."

"Yokai may be few and far between…" Nakamura answered. "Enough to where most think them legends. But that young man among you is a legend-amongst-legends. No yokai, onmyoji, or any other practitioner of magic ever heard of save for Lady Eiko herself wields the manner of power that this young man does. In fact, the story is that he's not a yokai like the rest of you at all. More of just a 'mutually-interested party'."

Jiro's smile abated. Instead, he actually looked a bit unnerved. Hachiro was the one who broke the silence next, his voice more imploring.

"No one can get close to Eiko because of her power over cold. But I heard the myth that Jiro here is completely immune to cold. There was a story from a province east of mine that three children got lost in a storm last winter. They said that a single thinly-clad, white-haired young man went into the thick of it to look for them. In spite of staying out all night, he brought them back. They were practically blue and had to be revived, but even though the young man's skin was as cold as ice and white as snow, he never shivered or cringed once." He paused. "…That was you, wasn't it?"

The five were silent. Jiro managed a half a smile and rubbed the back of his head. "Heh…"

Takara sighed. "…Jiro, I told you to put on at least a reed cape before going out and doing that. It would make it less obvious…"

"But that means that the queen can't hurt you." Hachiro answered. "That means you're the only one who can get close to her and talk her out of this…"

"No need for 'talking', Lord Hachiro." Itachitoko spoke up. "Simply get close enough to give her a good, solid blow to the back of the head. That should be ample."

The young lord grimaced again. "Lord Itachitoko, Lady Akiko would be devastated if we didn't at least try to talk her into surrendering…"

"Talk?!" The onmyoji responded. "The daimyo struck the first blow, Hachiro! She wants us all dead! She's murdered several people already in cold blood and she nearly murdered two score more escaping justice! She's a killer and there's only one sentence the shogun decrees for killers!"

"Even if, by some mysterious unhappy chance, this was some sort of misunderstanding, which I honestly doubt," Nakamura added. "The fact remains that the queen neither acted innocently nor is coming quietly to explain things. And the whole country may suffer the ultimate price for it. Negotiating surrender may be a luxury we can ill afford."

"Lady Akiko has sworn on the graves of her ancestors that Eiko is somehow innocent." Hachiro added. "That this was all a terrible yet accidental tragedy. She'd never forgive-"

"Lady Akiko is merely a noble's daughter, not a daimyo or a ruler, and she is thinking like a selfish child, not as someone who must look to the lives and welfare of countless thousands." Itachitoko cut off.

"…I may not put it in that 'wording', but the onmyoji speaks the truth, sir." Nakamura sighed. "Akiko would naturally defend the woman she sees as her sister regardless of her misdeeds, but if Eiko is indeed guilty then I am afraid it does not matter. The sentence of the shogun is absolute."

Jiro thought of all of this. It seemed as if he was suddenly very important. He wasn't sure exactly how to feel about that. On one hand, he was a bit excited. To actually be essential to this little mission of the Jido no Hogu-sha. He had felt like an outsider for some time now, but this would definitely make him feel that he was needed and therefore belonged. Plus, he honestly grinned at the thought of needing to be the one who saved the day this time instead of having someone curse him for his power and appearance or, worse yet, flee or shrink back in terror.

Yet at the same time, a part of him was very regretful. In spite of what he had heard, he had a hard time focusing on the queen's misdeeds and the threat she represented. He merely focused on the fact that she had power over ice and snow…just like him. For the past year he had been wondering continuously if his sort of power was unique; if he was some sort of entity that just embodied it or if it meant something greater. Now, at last, it seemed he had found a clue to the truth behind him and his power only to find that he needed to destroy it.

The regret was nearly enough for him to wish to say "no" to all of this, especially since, for the first time in a long while, he was feeling something about the situation and not just going through motions.

But the fact remained that this woman was dangerous. The thought of a world always covered with snow honestly intrigued him but not at the cost of what it would do to people. Not to his friends…not to the kids he had saved…

"Well…I'm game." He finally shrugged.

"So that means I'm in to keep this runt out of trouble." Takeshi added, looking to him. "Don't forget she's got more than ice on her side. If she can make projectiles and have them be lethal at long range, even you can't just waltz right up to her."

"We're all interested, of course." Nobuyuki chuckled. "Get one of us, you deal with all of us."

Takara wrung her hands a bit. "I kind of which I had switched to my winter clothes, but I'm definitely for it."

Satoru gave a jingle.

"What did he say?" Hachiro asked.

"Basically 'yes'." Jiro smiled. "Although it sounded a bit more like 'f*** yeah'. He's got quite the mouth on him when he wants, you know."

Itachitoko grimaced at the vulgarity, but gave a nod. "Very well then. I'm glad we could come to an agreement."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa…" Jiro laughed. "I merely said I'm 'game', not 'in'. What exactly do we get in return for this, just so we're all clear? How do you make it worth our while?"

The onmyoji paused. After a moment, he uncertainly looked to Nakamura. Apparently, that was his realm. As for him, he coughed a bit and folded his hands behind him.

"You certainly will have rendered a great service to the country. The shogun will be grateful."

"Ah, but how grateful?" Jiro asked, flashing his teeth.

He grimaced again and sighed. "I have the authorization to pardon you for all of your crimes against the shogunate. You will all have clean records."

Nobuyuki gave a laugh. "Well, I should certainly hope for that at the least! But is that supposed to be a reward?"

Nakamura blinked a bit on hearing that, almost a little perturbed. Itachitoko and Hachiro looked much the same, but the five merely smiled back. After a moment, the daimyo frowned and exhaled.

"What is you want? Gold? Lands?"

"Oh, use your head, dear boy." Takara teased with a giggle. "What would yokai do with those kind of material goods?"

"Something more in tune with our nature, friend." Takeshi answered. "We all love our freedom more than anything, so what do you say we ensure it?"

"From now on, next time we decide to give a local lord and his men a good swift kick in the arse for overstepping their bounds…" Jiro concluded. He held his staff out and made a cutting notion. "You, the shogun, and every one of all the king's horses and all the king's men just…looks the other way."

Nakamura's jaw nearly dropped. "Wh…what?!"

"The audacity!" Itachitoko bellowed. "The outrage!"

"That's out of the question!" The first lord continued. "You want us to just condone your lawlessness? Go about spreading discord and unrest among everyone you go to?"

"You won't hear one peep from us…provided you and the shogun start cracking down on the corruption in your kingdom." Jiro simply responded.

"Contrary to what you think, the only time we intervene is when daimyo act dishonorably and unjustly toward their citizens." Takara spoke up. "If you don't extort or menace people just trying to get by, then you'll never have to deal with us again."

"And you're going to say you are the standards of justice and right? Rather than our emperor? The code of bushido?" Nakamura answered.

"No, we're just making sure the code you all claim to follow gets enforced." Takeshi answered. "And now that we've got the all-clear from the shogun, we'll even right some wrongs in his name. How's that sound?"

Nakamura's eyes seemed to nearly come out of his head. "No! Impossible! Even if I could make that sort of decision in good faith, I wouldn't do it! I'd violate every standard and code I live by!"

Nobuyuki gave a shrug. "Well, it is your decision, my good lord. We only agreed to come this far, after all. Perhaps you would like to be the leader of the next party that goes out to slay the queen, yes?"

"I'd wear some sort of hat over a scarf." Jiro answered as he put his bo down and casually leaned on it. "You lose most of your heat through your head, after all."

The lord hesitated on hearing that. He looked over the five, but they calmly and casually looked back. Some looked ready to "pack it up" right there and start heading out. He clenched his jaw, but finally exhaled.

"…Very well. I'll see what I can do."

"And since you are, indeed, a 'man of honor', we'll hold you to that." Nobuyuki answered.

The lord frowned, quivering in a bit of anger, but in the end put it down. Taking a deep breath, he eased up a bit.

"Now…is there anything you need provided to you before you can begin?"

"Just one thing." Jiro answered.

Nobuyuki patted his belly. "Can't save the kingdom on an empty stomach, eh?"

To be continued...

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

*The Jido no Hogu-sha purposely mispronounce Itachitoko's name as Itachinootoko, because that translates into "weasel man".

**A "yuki-onna" is a demon in Japanese mythology that takes the form of a lovely woman made of snow or ice, who lures men to their deaths during the winter. They have a bit in common with mythology of nosferatu or vampires from Eastern Europe in that regard. However, there are some legends that portray them as somewhat more benign and interbreeding with humans.

I'm also not sure what I should make Eiko's title be. Early on I referred to her as "daimyo", but from here on in I may refer to her as "queen" with the understanding that those who call her that are using the connotation of "hime". For reference, "daimyo" is somewhat equivalent to "lord" and was used for the individual landowners in feudal Japan. "Onmyoji" is something akin to what would be considered in more Western cultures a court mage or diviner. The title refers specifically to one who adheres to the way of Yin and Yang, but there was some occultism mixed in with it as I understand it. In short, this story shouldn't be considered a 100% accurate look at feudal Japan but more of a fairy-tale version.