A/N: Now I remember why I stopped writing this. The reviews for this story, while always appreciated, are like the gems on a miser's ring- precious, but few in number. Oh, well. I think there's only one or two more chapters after this one, and then this story is done!
By the way, I've tried placing breaks in here to show changes of scene. Let me know if it doesn't work.
Chapter 17
Cologne looked around curiously as she hopped down the cobbled street on her gnarled staff, her long white hair flying behind her. It had been a good twenty minutes since breakfast, when she and Nodoka had started their journey. She'd noticed that the broad avenue they had started from had narrowed into a well-used commercial street filled with hawkers and ware-sellers of all kinds. The horses carrying riders looked harder-used, less well-fed. The street got narrower and dirtier, with side streets of different breadths weaving away into the distance. They had large, ornate street signs at the entrance to each street- 'Street of Beggars', 'Street of Coppersmiths', 'Street of Thieves'…
Beside Cologne, Nodoka walked nonchalantly, looking around her. The Jiyan queen seemed to have shed her worry and fear this morning. Or perhaps she had just forgotten it. Cologne had the sense that the queen was seeing familiar sights, long forgotten. An air of contentment had enveloped her, and she walked with her shoulders back, arms loose and swinging, nose up as though inhaling the scents around them.
"Have you been to Dara before, O Queen?" she asked. Nodoka had refused to tell her much about her idea to find Shampoo, but at this point Cologne was willing to go along with just about anything.
Nodoka glanced down at the little old woman beside her. "Yes, I used to live here," she replied. Her answer was absent-minded. She was thinking back to the last twenty years spent in Jiya, avoiding her home city, living with a demon that masqueraded as a husband and human being. She briefly clenched her fist. If only she still had her power! Genma would have seen a different woman then!
She turned melancholy as she thought of Ranma. Poor child, forced to war and worse under Genma, and raped by his demon lover. She applauded Ranma for killing the man. And now that Akane was with him, promised to him, perhaps...
They turned the corner into one of the tiny side streets, and Nodoka was assaulted by memory.
Cologne glanced up at the sign as they passed. It said 'Street of Flower Sellers'. A thousand flowery scents suddenly hit Cologne's nose, and she inhaled sharply. She recognized many of them, but even more were a mystery. They all blended into one exotic scent that perfumed the street. They traveled further into the warren of homes and women and girls with baskets balanced on their heads, with streams of flowers spilling from them.
Nodoka led the way into a small courtyard, where a few girls sat on steps, threading flowers into garlands and chattering away. At the edge of a fountain sat an old woman, her wrinkled fingers swiftly needling flowers onto a wooden frame.
She glanced up when they entered the courtyard, and her eyes narrowed in speculation, then widened in shock. The wooden frame tumbled from her fingers.
"Nodoka?" she whispered.
Nodoka glided forward, a wide smile on her face, her hands outstretched. "Hello, Hari. It's been a long time."
"It's been twenty years! And you don't look a day older!" They embraced, the tall queen and the tiny aged flower seller.
"Yes, well, you know that can't be helped," Nodoka murmured as she withdrew. "I've come for your help, Hari. We're looking for a girl, who came to the city a year ago, looking for her fortune. I know you see everyone in the city. Your flower girls go everywhere."
"I can try, but there are thousands of strange girls coming into the city," Hari said, sitting back down on the lip of the fountain. "Can you describe her to me?"
Cologne came forward. "Her name is Shampoo. She is my grand daughter. She's about your height, and has long purple hair, and large brown eyes. She is very…buxom."
Hair frowned as she thought. "Purple hair, eh? That should stand out. I myself haven't seen such a woman, but most of the girls are out and about already. I will circulate this description among my girls as they return, and let you know."
Nodoka thanked Hari and gave her their address. As she led Cologne away, the old woman wondered if this was the turn of luck she had been waiting for.
Tarou watched from the shadows as Genma rather drunkenly exited the coffeehouse he had been patronizing. He'd kept watch all night, making sure that Genma didn't leave. He'd dispatched the sentry with quick orders when he'd seen that Genma was getting ready to leave.
He wanted to attack Genma, but out here, in the bright daylight, it would be too obvious, and someone would call the city guards.
Instead, he crossed Genma's line of sight as he crossed the street, seemingly engrossed in what a hawker was selling. The chill on the back of his neck told him that Genma had spotted him. He casually walked further, window shopping. After a few minutes, he picked up a silver mirror and examined his reflection in the polished surface. Yes, Genma was still behind him., staring at him like a vulture that couldn't believe its luck.
Tarou moved on. He walked a long and winding path down the street of wares, turning absently into smaller sidestreets, until he reached a wide sun filled alley that nevertheless stopped at a tall brick wall. He stared up at it, and turned around to see Genma drawing his sword.
"You! I knew it was you!" Genma grinned ferally. "The spawn of Happosai! I thought you would be dead by now!"
"And why is that?" Tarou asked. "Is it because you told the Cantos prince and Tsubasa where to find and ambush me and my sister?"
"Yes, but they should have killed you immediately, instead of simply raping your sister and displaying your half-dead body like a trophy in their hall!" Genma spit to the side with hatred.
Tarou's hands clenched. His short hair blew in the sudden breeze.
"Then why don't you come for me?" he purred quietly. "And finish the job?"
"I will, pup! This is your death!" Genma roared and rushed Tarou with his sword drawn, like a bull galloping toward the enemey with plunging horns .
Tarou dug his heels into the ground to meet the charge, and the sound of steel clashing rang through the alley as their swords bit into each other. The enemies sprang away, circling each other, looking for an opening in the other's defense.
Genma used his ape-like strength to whale away at Tarou, the power behind each blow pushing the young prince's heels back further and further in the hot sand. But Tarou was more agile, and he managed to dart past Genma's attack. He was strong too, and his biceps strained as he met the assault of steel with his own weapon. His leather vest grew wet with sweat.
But Genma was tiring too, as the minutes ticked by. The day grew hotter and hotter as the sun rose overhead. The wound from Ukyou's dagger was also beginning to throb, and Tarou had an uncomfortable feeling that the wound was bleeding through the bandages, but soaked with sweat as he was, he couldn't tell.
At last, a ringing blow from Genma sent Tarou flying to the ground, and Genma pressed his advantage, but Tarou twisted at the last second, and slashed at Genma's calf. Genma fell, but fisted his hand in the sand and threw a handful into Tarou's eyes, blinding him. Tarou staggered backward, blinking, and Genma leapt forward grinning to slash Tarou's arm from bicep to elbow.
Tarou leapt backward, and turned the leap into a spin, swinging and slamming the back of his sword into Genma's skull.Stunned, Genma fell, unconscious, the sword falling from his hand.
Around his fallen form, the shadows of Arun soldiers gathered, commanded there by their prince. They began to swiftly tie him up.
Tarou stood there, gasping from the exertion, blood running freely down his slashed arm.
Cologne, Nodoka, Kasumi and Nabiki sat in the inn all day, waiting for news from the flower sellers. Cologne was watching the sky turn to dusk when there was finally a knock on the door.
A young girl of fourteen or so stood in the hallway. She looked nervous.
"You be the ones looking for the purple haired girl?" she asked.
"Yes!" Cologne hopped forward agitatedly.
"Well, I seen a girl like that…I do the palace rounds you see. Well, a couple of the wings anyway."
Nodoka felt a chill go through her at the news.
"She's in the palace?" Cologne gasped. "What is she doing there? Is she a maid?"
The girl smirked. "Nay, she be in the king's harem."
Cologne froze. "She's a courtesan? Oh no!"
Nodoka wanted to say "I'm sorry about this, Cologne,but my daughters and I have to go." She wanted to turn away from Cologne's worried face. But this wasn't chance, she knew. The palace was pulling at her tos tay. Dara itself was pulling at her. She had to face her fears...
Cologne turned to Nodoka and her daughters. "The poor child! I must rescue her!"
And Nodoka knew her fate was sealed.
Ranma watched as Akane entered the large dining hall where he and Kunou awaited her. She'd been given a dress, something long, soft and light blue, with bare arms and tinkling glass and metal bangles. Her hair had been washed, and combed, but it was too short to be tied up.
He himself had been given a new vest and a pair of loose trousers gathered at the ankles. Kunou's generosity made him uncomfortable, since they still didn't have a clear idea of what he wanted.
Akane drew close to the large table set with cutlery and candles. She was ushered into a seat, directly across from him. Ranma watched her throw a glance his way in greeting, then look apprehensively at Kunou. His insides clenched. I won't let him hurt you, Akane. That's the promise I made last night. I won't let anyone hurt you.
Kunou sat at the head of the table, watching them with his large, dark eyes. He gestured expansively with his living hand.
"Welcome!" Kunou tonight was dressed in a long rich robe of dark blue, the cuffs a brilliant gold, stitched with gold and silver thread. The robe was closed, so neither Ranma nor Akane could see how far the marble had crept up, but he had left off the golden glove, and his marble hand lay on the table like a paperweight, black, solid and gleaming in the lamplight. Akane repressed a shudder.
"I'm sorry that you were feeling ill," she murmured, as servants began to serve a clear soup around the table.
"I do apologize for my absence," Kunou said. "This is a difficult condition to live with." Akane and Ranma glanced at each other, wondering what to say. Kunou had sicced the Arun nomads on their kingdoms, but looking at his frozen body sealed their throats.
"How did you meet my mother?" Ranma asked finally, taking a spoonful of the soup. It was very good.
"Ahh," Kunou leaned back. "It was a long time ago. She was the daughter of one of my nobles. i saw her at a wedding, and I was instantly captivated."
Yes, thought Ranma bitterly, Nodoka seemed to inspire that feeling in men.
"We had many years of married bliss together." Kuno's eyes had taken on a faraway look, as though he was thinking on happy memories. "Until she betrayed me."
There was an awkward silence.
"How was your soup, Akane?" Kunou asked gently.
Akane gulped. "It was wonderful," she said, and that was true. But enjoying her food right now, while wondering what Kunou was about, was a different story.
The servants took away their bowls, and replaced them with platters of a creamy salad, and racks of roast lamb.
Akane picked at hers as Kunou began to tell them a story of life in the palace. Ranma, she noticed, ate wholeheartdely. Perhaps he wasn't worried. But no. That visit last night had told a different tale. She blushed as sshe remembered Ranma bending her backwards into the bed, kissing her...
The lamb was very good, and before she knew it, Akane found herself pleasantly full. The servants came to remove their plates, and brought platters of sticky sweets that Kunos' guests could eat, and bowls of scented lemon water in which they could dip their fingers to cleanse them.
Kuno, Ranma and Akane were sipping Rishian coffee from tiny silver cups, when Ranma returned them to the subject of his curse.
"So, Kunou, tell me again how helping the Arun attack us would help your curse," he demanded.
Kunou turned to regard Ranma stiffly. "As I said, having the Arun massing at your foothills made it necessary for your fathers to unite. And I needed them united."
"But why?" Akane cried, leaning forward so that her palms were pressing against the table's edge.
Kunou scowled. "This is not common lore, but a sorceress may only birth daughters to carry on her magical line. Nodoka herself is descended from a long line of sorceresses. When she put the curse on me, she had to place a way to break it. No curse is complete without an accompanying way out. It's the nature of magic. And Nodoka used one of the more common ones used by sorceresses.
"Only the blood from a son of mine, she said, can break the curse. You can imagine my despair. I didn't think she would ever have a son. But I knew it wasn't impossible. No 'out' ever is. And when she married Genma, I crowed with triumph. My spies told me of Genma's obsessive need for a boy child. When Genma's ministers switched you and Akane, I knew my solution was close at hand."
"So you think I am the son?" Ranma asked. "I'm not even her blood."
"But you have been adopted by Genma and Nodoka as their offical son, have you not?" Kunou asked. "However, I do have a back up plan," he admitted. "In case your blood doesn't work, I have a cask of Jusenkyou water ready with which to splash Akane, as she is certainly of Nodoka's blood. She will become male, once splashed. It will be interesting to see which of you are the solution."
Akane was getting woozy from Kunou's explanation. She shook her head to clear it, and frowned. "Our blood? How much blood?"
Kunou smiled. "Oh, my dear, all of it, of course."
Ranma leapt to his feet. "No! No way. Is that why you tricked us into coming here? I won't let you hurt Akane!" Then, as Akane watched, horrified, he clutched his middle. Kunou watched avidly as Ranma bent over in pain. "What did you do?" Ranma growled.
"I'm afraid I poisoned your soup," Kunou explained earnestly.
The wooziness returned to Akane, and she trembled as a black cloud overtook her vision and she collapsed onto the table.
So there you have it. Kunou's trap is sprung! What will happen to the prince and his fiancee? Review, if you want to find out! :)