Chapter 13:
Hotohori returned to his chambers to find Menesku waiting outside his door wearing a light tunic and a frown. His hand was on the hilt of his trusty sword and his aspect looked so forbidding that all the soldiers at guard had inched as much as possible away from him.
Hotohori smiled at him " Come inside. Somehow I expected to find you here."
Menesku quietly followed him inside.
The lamps had been lit .The soiled carpets and tapestries were changed and replaced with fresh ones. The sweet fragrance from the flower arrangement wafted through the room.
Hotohori sat down on one of the cushions signaling Menesku to sit down "So what do you make of this whole affair?"
Menesku was quiet. Then he spoke " I would rather learn of your opinion first."
"Lady Lee is quite beautiful, " Hotohori said.
"What has that got to do with anything?"Menesku asked confused.
"Nothing " Hotohori sighed, "It was just an opinion. "
"Ah." Menesku said gravely.
"Somehow..I find her innocence extremely enchanting." A slight blush graced Hotohori's cheek.
"Such naivety is sure to get her killed in this world." Menesku observed.
"I know " Hotohori said grimly " But isn't that why we are here? To prevent that from happening under any circumstance."
"I know " Menesku said simply.
" But enough of that. When I came to know that she was the granddaughter of the legendary miko who came during the First war my mind was filled with so many questions."Hotohori said quietly "But I thought that it would be better if we heard the story together .At least now we know what truly happened to Seiryuu."
"Do you feel sad my Lord?" Menesku asked a cryptic look in his eyes.
"I do."Hotohori ran a hand through his dark locks "So many lives wasted for one man's ambition."
"Perhaps you should feel afraid my Lord." Menesku spoke with an awful calm.
"What?" Hotohori was confused.
"History serves only one purpose. That we learn from the mistakes of our ancestors and try not to repeat them."Menesku was looking unusually grave "Lady Lee explained that during the first war, the power of the Suzaku seishi were sealed. That must mean that they went to war relying only on their skills. And then..."
" I know what happened that day."Hotohori had a pained expression in his eyes "My great grandfather fell in battle."
"I don't want to distress you, my Lord ...Still ,your great grandfather was rumored to be one of the best swordsmen in the lands ...and even though Nakago was tremendously powerful, I am sure that the loss of your grandfather's seishi powers was a decisive factor in his demise that day."Menesku said quietly.
"I ...I suppose."Hotohori was if possible more confused than before " But.I still don't understand."
"Now, Seiryuu is sealed. "Menesku continued gravely " That means that there are no Seiryuu seishi. We should most definitely have an edge over the army of Kutou."
" I thought we had an edge over Kutou."Hotohori said grimly.
"We did."Menesku said, "Until the Black Warrior became the shogun of the armies of Kutou. Granted that he is a good sorcerer... But he is no seishi."
Menesku paused a while before continuing "But I am. And what difference does that make? "
" Nothing!" His voice was bitter " Even with my seishi powers the most I could do to the Black Warrior was injure him!"
"Maybe he was lucky." Hotohori said soothingly.
"Or maybe I am no where near in strength as the previous Suzaku seishis." Menesku tried to keep the disappointment out of his voice.
"Menesku "Hotohori laid an arm over his friend's hand " You are one of the best warriors in the land... and my dearest friend. You are also my strength, the one person I will trust with my life. If you doubt yourself, then I will loose the strength in my arms. Take heart Menesku, such sentiments do not suit you!"
"Thank you." Menesku smiled " I needed that."
Then his face turned serious "Today, the spies have brought news that disturbs me greatly."
"Did the black warrior attack?"Hotohori asked.
"No, but some days ago, three travelers left for the cursed forest in Kutou .One of those travelers was Suraco." Menesku said.
"So?"Hotohori continued.
"The cursed forest used to be the capital of Kutou before the first war. I have a nagging suspicion that they went there to find out about what really happened to Seiryuu."Menesku's expression was grim "After so many years many people in Kutou believe that Seiryuu is merely a myth. Others believe that Seiryuu has turned his face from Kutou..But no one knows what really happened. Now we know the truth and it is better that this stays that way."
"And why is that?"Hotohori questioned, "Even if they knew the truth, they could do nothing. Seiryuu is sealed and that is that."
"Seiryuu is sealed due to a wish made by Lady Miaka. But, I am sure that she did not include the word ' forever ' in her wish."Menesku 's aspect was growing steadily grimmer "Who is going to stop a strong enough wizard from unsealing Seiryuu?"
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Keeah looked at the fallen statue of the dragon with a strange feeling of awe and wonder. Up until that time even she had doubts about Seiryuu's exsistence, but seeing that statue filled her with a strange hope. They had a guardian... She looked at the dragon's sad lonely eyes and felt sadness fill her heart.
What had happened? What could have happened? The answer lay in the lost history of the First war. Keeah was sure of that.
Hesitating she bend in front of the statue and laid one quivering arm on the snout of the dragon.
Suddenly she felt the world melt away around her. Strangely enough she felt no fear, only a detached feeling of curiosity enveloped her. She floated weightless in a sea of stars, drifting like a leaf in the wind; she flew past galaxies and planets. And then in the middle of that never-ending river of stars she saw a garden.
The garden was full of strange unknown flowers and the grass that covered the landscape was so soft that her feet sank in it. Sparkling fountains bubbled from the mouth of crystalline figurines. And in the middle of the garden sat two dragons. One was white, whiter than the clouds of spring, whiter than ivory... The other was black, darker than the thunderclouds of monsoon, darker than night itself.
Keeah saw them fly and play, their sinuous bodies shone and shimmered in the light of a thousand stars .She saw them flying side by side through the ocean of stars in a kaleidoscope of colors. For what seemed like centuries she saw them play. She saw peace reigning throughout the universe ...and then suddenly she saw a red poisonous miasma slowly spread over the stars, covering them, stealing their shine...
She felt a strange dread fill her heart. The kind eyes of the black dragon suddenly twisted and became the color of blood, as the poisonous miasma curled around its elegant body. Talons drawn it hurled itself at the white dragon. They fought, their blood staining the shimmering white river of stars red...
And the garden died. The flowers wilted and flew away in the wind. The grass was scorched white by the dragon's hot breath. And the ground became parched and barren...And still they fought ...
Suddenly Keeah felt herself flung into a bottomless nadir .She fell a scream dying in her throat, hand outstretched, desperate for some sort of purchase..When suddenly a searing burst of white light enveloped her...
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Hotohori looked at Menesku. Menesku's words had begun to sink in.
"That is a possibility."He said slowly "But also consider the fact that nobody knows where the scroll in which Seiryuu was imprisoned is hidden."
"There is one who knows of that. Because I am pretty sure that she is the one who hid the scroll." Menesku said.
"Taiskun?"Hotohori raised an eyebrow.
Menesku nodded his head " Yes."
"But why will she reveal such a knowledge to them?"Hotohori asked "And what grantee is there that they can even see Taiskun's abode?"
"Legend has it that one who is not of pure heart will not be able to see Taiskun's abode. But my Lord..How do you define evil?"Menesku looked directly into Hotohori's eyes " The black warrior is a devious bastard ...But I cannot call him ... evil."
Hotohori's head was bowed in deep thought "You are correct. The concept of right and wrong is very dodgy. The way I look at it, it is all about perspective. What may be acceptable and right in our eyes may be considered wrong from somebody else's point of view."
He raised his head and gave a small lopsided smile "I guess I was letting my sentiments regarding past actions influence my present view of Kutou. It shall not happen again. Still I do not understand why Taiskun would reveal such knowledge to the people of Kutou .The last time they totally misused Seiryuu's power. How can she know that such power will not turn their heads yet again?"
"But my Lord you are forgetting the socio-economic condition of Kutou during the first war. The country was ruled by a power hungry tyrant who cared little for his people." Menesku spoke calmly "The country itself was torn apart by internal strife and minor rebellions. And the military power rested in the hands of a general with an heart of ice, who cared if possible even less for Kutou."
He paused a while before continuing "But Princess Keeah, the present empress of Kutou is known amongst her people as a just and kind ruler ... She commands the absolute loyalty of her generals and rules over the heart of her people."
Hotohori grudgingly agreed that what Menesku said was true "Yes, I have heard similar things abut her as well."
"But she is also completely ruthless when it comes to crushing any who stand against her."Menesku said gravely " After her father died there was a plot to overthrow her..Her retribution was swift and merciless .She ordered the black warrior to behead every single one of the rebels and display their heads in the town square."
Hotohori paled a bit " Really?"
"But it crushed the rebellion quite efficiently."Menesku said, grudging respect in his voice "In other words she is a welcome ally but a ruthless enemy. She does not believe that her father was the one who sabotaged the peace conference. She believes it is we that have breached their trust."
"Bullshit " Hotohori snorted.
"What I am trying to say is ...if she or the black warrior comes to know about the truth regarding Seiryuu, then they will stop at nothing to release him." Menesku's face remained stoic, but his eyes looked disturbed "The black warrior is already very strong ...But he gets weak after launching powerful attacks. It is then that I can wound him. If Seiryuu is released and the black warrior ... Suzaku forbid.happens to be a seshi then..."
"I get your point " Hotohori said sharply "Now relax a bit."
" I am trying my Lord." Menesku said.
"The black warrior is yet to know the truth about Seiryuu. "Hotohori said quietly "And the only person who can give him that knowledge is Lady Lee. Fortunately for us they do not know that Lady Lee holds the answer to all their questions. We have to keep it that way. "
"I have already increased the security of the palace. "Menesku said, "Strangely enough, I am not comforted by that fact."
"Neither am I " Hotohori sighed "But it will have to do. For now."
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Keeah gasped and sat up flaling her arms .Her tunic was drenched with sweat and her heart was beating as if she had run a race.
' That was disturbing ' Keeah laid a hand on her beating heart to steady it.
"Princess, are you feeling well?" She felt Sotisku's hand on her shoulders.
She turned to see Sotisku and Suraco watching her, anxiety clearly written on their face.
"I just had the weirdest experience" She admitted quietly, and then smiled at them "But I am quite all right now."
"That's it!" Sotisku exclaimed, "We are going home!"
His eyes flashed angrily "We have already seen what we wanted to see. We have come to the conclusion that there is a Seiryuu. I see no reason for us to tarry any longer here."
"But we are yet to find out what happened to Seiryuu."Keeah argued.
"I don't freaking care!" Sotisku yelled angrily " You were just sitting there, staring into space ...scared the shit out of me! This is the third time you have spaced out since we entered this god forsaken place ...and this time I could not revive you at all!"
"Sotisku, do calm down."Keeah tried to calm Sotisku.
"Sotisku is right Princess."Suraco spoke up. He did not yell like Sotisku, but his green eyes were agitated "There is nothing else we could learn here .The sun is about to rise and it is in our best interest that we leave this place."
"Is it morning already?"Keeah asked surprised, then her face fell "And we found out so little about our quest."
"What we found out is enough for now." Suraco said ... his green eyes troubled "This place reeks of only death and sorrow ...let us leave, there is nothing more that we can find here."
Keeah sighed. They were speaking the truth. But she felt unfulfilled, it was as if she had opened a book and found all its pages torn .It was frustrating.
She ran a hand over the fallen dragon's snout ' I will find out what happened here. This I swear."
"Perhaps the answer to your problems is not here."
Keeah jumped up, her hand on the hilt of her sword. Both Suraco and Sotisku had whirled towards the source of the sound, their grip tightening around their weapons.
A man stood framed in the doorway. In the flickering torchlight Keeah saw that the man was wearing a silky black robe with a hood drawn over his face, leaving his features in complete darkness. His hands were hidden inside the flowing cuffs of his robe as he stood before them with folded hands.
' He breached my shield! How!' Keeah was disturbed. But she maintained her calm "And who are you?"
"A friend, Princess "The man bowed .His voice was smooth and silky, yet, Keeah felt repulsed.
"Indeed "her voice was contemptuous "What business do you have with us?"
"You seek a way to defeat Konon."The man chuckled "I could provide you with the means of doing so."
"Really now. How?"Keeah asked dryly.
"I could tell you what happened to Seiryuu." The man said smoothly.
Somehow this knowledge did not excite Keeah, instead she felt dread creep up her spine " I see. Name your price then."
"I seek nothing in return, yet, little one " The man gave a small bow "But only your word that I may collect my debt later."
"In that case "Keeah paused a while to gather her courage "I will not require your assistance."
The man stiffened before giving a low mocking chuckle "I hope you do not regret your choice my pretty dragon "
Keeah gasped a little to watch the man melt away into thin air "Somehow I feel that I made a very bad enemy today."
"I am glad that you did not take that ...thing's help " Sotisku spoke up nervously.
Keeah turned at Sotisku who looked very pale. He continued, "He disturbs me. Even though he came under the guise of friendship it seemed as if he, in return for his help, would take without the slightest hesitation, the money from your coffers, the shirt from your back, the sleep from your eyes, the peace from your mind..."
Sotisku's voice dropped to the barest whisper "...Or the soul from your body..."
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