Saru led Daisuke to the stables where she'd stashed the Hanabi. She tossed him a pair, and then raced him to the barrack's rooftop. They scaled the wall easily. It was still a while until sunset; they'd have to wait.
Amicably, they sat on the roof. Saru started to juggle her hanabi. Daisuke watched her for a while, lazily enjoying the weather and company. Finally, the silence stretched and became thin.
"What do you plan to do after this?" He asked.
"Run. Hard and long, until the Lady Knight gets bored with the chase." Saru replied immediately, with a grin.
"No, I mean, where do you think you'll end up next? When do you plan to leave?" He wasn't going to let her dodge the question; and she seemed to sense his determination. She caught the hanabi and looked at him warily.
"Why?" Her voice was cautious. "What are you planning?"
"I suppose it would be childish to point out that I asked you first." Daisuke replied evenly. Saru stuck out her tongue at him.
He just looked at her; and she shivered involuntarily. Dai was always fun to play with, but he had a serious side that made her want to run in the other direction. She was a monkey; she couldn't handle complicated, delicate emotions. It always ended badly.
"I meant what I said during the tournament." He said quietly. Home is where the heart is. A stupid cliché he used to finely to suggest she had his heart. Saru looked away. Part of her wanted the same things he did; but she wasn't capable of…of…
Of WHAT, Monkey? Don't you know your own soul? The smooth, delicate tones of the Shang Crow resounded in Saru's inner ear. She blushed. She wanted to slide off that rooftop and disappear; to get away from the conversation and the choice it presented.
She could stay a Shang, keep her freedom and independence; or risk opening herself to a relationship that she desperately wanted. If she chose the latter she'd have to accept the possibility of a broken heart. Suddenly, she knew a way to end this. Tell him the truth.
"Dai, what do you remember about your Daimyo's death?" She asked.
He frowned, hurt flashed through his eyes. Saru waited.
"He attacked Lord Kira within the sacred grounds of the emperor's palace." She reminded him.
Fighting was forbidden within palace grounds. Moreover, Asano had attacked a lord of higher standing, which was equally illicit.
"Do you know why?" She added.
Daisuke answered indignantly. "Kira had continually insulted my Daimyo's house publicly for the several previous weeks. Kira's stature did not give him the right to—
"Do you know why Asano Nanasora suddenly lost his temper at such an importune time and place?" Her voice was insistent.
Daisuke shook his head. "I was not present, and no one overhead Kira's comment."
"The Shang Crow did." Saru corrected heavily. "She was the focus of Kira's insult. Our masters were…involved. That's why I came to the Isles, the Crow wanted to visit her lover. At first, that was also why I spent so much time with you—they wanted you to be distracted so they could spend time together." Asano was married. Affairs were not unheard of, but they were kept quiet.
Furious rebuttals flew across Daisuke's mind, each more scathing than the last. Saru's claims bit deep. They suggested she was only interested in him because someone had asked her to be. At first. Daisuke clung onto those two words.
"What happened?" He asked hoarsely.
"To us or them?" Saru's eyed sparked back with a bit of her usual persona. Quickly, she clamped down her urge to be flippant. For once, now was not the time. "The Crow and Asano were walking together when Kira suggested the Crow would move on to bigger umm…jewels—namely, his own. Asano lost his temper and drew a knife. You know the rest of the story." She paused, trying to gauge his reaction.
Seeing nothing, she continued gently, "when Asano was killed, my master lost a piece of herself. When we left the Yamani isles, it was only a matter of months. She became reckless, to a point where the Council assigned me a new teacher. Within the year, I found out she'd been killed fighting in the Copper Isles." Saru's gaze was bleak. "That's where love between a Yamani warrior and a Shang woman can lead."
The sun was starting to set. Daisuke stood, and Saru mimicked his movement. "You see. I stay away because I have to. Becau—
Daisuke leaned in and kissed her soundly, cutting off her excuses. "Little monkey, you're being more foolish than usual." He growled. "After all, we're in Tortall now. I'm not married. And Kira is dead." The last part rumbled off with cold certainty.
Saru quivered, still torn. Her hesitation only lasted several seconds. She wove her fingers into his long, dark hair, upsetting his careful braid as she yanked his face back down to her own. Damn the risks. She was the Shang Monkey.
After a moment, she pulled back. She was breathing heavily, her head felt too light. She couldn't stop an utterly ridiculous grin from spreading across her face. There was nothing tricksterly about that smile. It was pure, simple happiness. Gods, she'd forgotten how good Daisuke was at that.
"Fireworks." She reminded him.
Wordlessly, Daisuke offered her a flint starter.
88888888888
Kel was sitting, enjoying her first meal as Lady of New Hope fief, when suddenly; she heard a deafening boom. Dom cursed and ran out of the mess, and Kel followed at a slower pace. She had a good idea what was going on.
Outside, people had gathered and started a chorus of 'ooos' and 'ahhhhs.' Bright, colorful lights exploded across the night sky. Kel's grin was somewhat resigned, it was hard to be mad at the Monkey on a day like this. She looked up at the roofline and saw that the Shang wasn't alone. A taller, broader figure stood beside her. She tried to wave them down, but the couple caught sight of her and fled, disappearing over the other side of the rooftop.
Minutes later, Isamu and the player's horse came crashing through the center of the fort, heading for the gates. Someone obligingly opened the doors so horses and riders sped off.
"GODS ALL BLESS, LADY KNIGHT!" Saru yelled over her shoulder.
Kel shook her head and turned back to her people. "Well, that's two less wedding guests I have to worry about." She quipped.
Dom returned her smile. "Speaking of that, who're you gonna ask to be your maid of honor?"
Kel gave him a mock scowl. "See me in my office sergeant. Now."
As they walked back across camp, Kel could've sworn she caught a mutter or two about baths and a good night sleep.
