Chapter Five

Where in hell was she?

Hikari opened her eyes, a mixture of fear and confusion flooding her senses as she realised she was no longer inside the small inn chamber. An icy wind whipped through her young body, causing her to shiver, clutching her clothes more tightly to her body in a vain attempt to shut it out as she struggled to her feet. Dully she realised she was outside, but how she had come to be here, and where exactly here was eluded her. As she gazed around her, looking for some clue as to her location, she found her visibility obscured by dizzy, whirling white flakes and she swallowed hard, feeling disorientated and afraid as she registered the fact she was now quite alone.

"I was...in the inn...fighting with Shishi...again." She murmured, taking a hesitant step or two forwards as she struggled to find her bearings in the falling snow. "And then...now...I'm here. What happened? How did I...why did I...?

She faltered, as another cold breeze rattled past her body, penetrating deep to the bone and she swallowed hard, tears prickling in her dark eyes.

"Chichiri?" She murmured. "Tasuki...Jin? Is anyone there? Can anyone hear me? Is it...a dream...or...?"

There was no answer, and in the stifling blackness of the cruel Hokkan night, the entire world seemed to be a dancing dervish of white specks in a midnight sky. The urge to panic overwhelmed her, but she fought valiantly against it, realising somewhere in her subconscious that if she gave in to it, she would probably perish out in the cold weather. Though their journey had been icy, the temperature had plummeted since the sun had set and, with Chichiri's warnings about Hokkan weather ringing in her ears, she realised that her only chance of surviving the bitter winds and cold, damp snowfall was to keep moving.

"Somehow." She murmured. "I need to...find...Chichiri and the others. How did I get here? What happened, dammit!"

As she gazed around her in one last, hopeless attempt to gain a clue as to her surroundings, she caught sight of something gleaming out of the black, and her eyes widened as she blinked, unsure whether or not it was real or whether it was a hallucination. In the darkness, almost like a beacon, something glittered and glowed with a vivid blue light, and Hikari stumbled towards it, hoping against hope that it meant some kind of settlement was not far away.

"I must be somewhere." She whispered, her legs feeling like lead as a combination of the harsh weather and the day's journey took its toll. Bravely she forced herself forward, determined to reach the source of the glow that provided her only hope, and as she drew closer to it, she found that her efforts had been rewarded. Out of the looming, white-scattered darkness she was sure she could make out the dim shapes of buildings, and as she pushed her heavy, frozen body forward, she was sure she heard the faint sound of a flute on the wind, playing a soft, soothing melody. Something in the instrument's gentle notes soothed her panicked heart and she set her teeth, managing somehow to put one foot in front of the other as she made her way towards the sound.

"A flute...means someone...must be here?" She reflected through chattering teeth, her thoughts buzzing in her mind as the cold weather began to rob her of her senses and her coordination. "Surely...someone will help me? Someone...will...help me?"

Almost as if her words had been heard, the flute music stopped, and as Hikari's weakened body gave up on the fight against the cold, she was dimly aware of a brightness somewhere ahead of her. A man's voice exclaimed, followed by the sound of footsteps in the snow coming towards her, but the creeping chill was too much for her to resist and she stumbled as the blackness seemed to pour in from all around her, pushing her down into a deep, dark stupor as she crumpled to the icy floor.

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"Koutaku?"

As the farmer laid his limp burden down on the floor beside the fire, he glanced up, meeting the horrified, quizzical gaze of his wife. "Koutaku...what? You...where did...she..."

"I don't know." Koutaku admitted. "I just...playing my flute, I felt...something. That there was someone out there...calling for my help."

He frowned, casting a glance down at the unconscious girl, taking in the pallor of her face and the blueness of her lips.

"She's freezing." He murmured. "But she's still alive. Touka, bring blankets...and heat some water. I don't know how long she's been out there, but she's not dressed for a trip through the snow."

"Of course." Touka got to her feet, nodding her head. "But what was she doing out there? She's just a girl -she can't be more than fifteen or sixteen. Why would she be wandering around in such a blizzard?"

"Papa, what's happening?"

A small voice from the doorway alerted Koutaku to the fact his youngest child was still awake and he bit his lip, casting the small girl a glance.

"It's all right, Kazui. Someone was just taken ill in the snowfall, that's all - your mother and I are going to help her - so it's quite all right."

"Is she dead?" Kazui padded forward, peering at the still body over which her father had already spread a blanket, and Koutaku shook his head.

"No, but she is very cold." He replied. "She's just sleeping, Kazu-chan. I'm sure now she's somewhere warm, she'll wake up soon enough."

He offered her a smile.

"Go back to bed, musume-chan." He added. "It'll be all right, and I'm sorry if we disturbed you. It's late, after all, and tomorrow you're going with Mother to the market, aren't you? If you don't sleep now, you won't be able to get up to go."

Kazui's eyes widened, and she nodded her head, turning on her heel and hurrying out of the room. As she shut the door, Koutaku sighed, sitting back as he surveyed his young companion thoughtfully.

"Where did you come from?" He wondered. "And why was it that I heard your call, even though I was inside and you were out there? Something about you...but I can't place what it is. My memory...it won't cooperate. But there was something in your chi...something that sent out a signal to me. Like an old friend...was calling for my help."

He brushed melting flakes of snow from her hair, touching her cheek as a thoughtful look crossed his expression. Even in the brief time she had been inside his home, her colour was already beginning to improve and Koutaku realised that she had probably not been outside as long as he had first thought.

"But she's not dressed like anyone from Makan, and I think I'd recognise her more definitively, if she was from this village." He decided.

As though she had felt his touch, the girl's eyelids twitched and fluttered open, confusion flooding her dark eyes as she gazed up at him, struggling to bring him into focus. At the sudden panic that flared in her expression, Koutaku held up his hands, shaking his head.

"I'm not going to hurt you." He said gently. "I promise. You're quite safe here. You were out in the snow, and you collapsed. Luckily for you, you did it outside my farm...it's blowing up a nasty snowstorm outside, but we've plenty of firewood and you'll be quite warm in here."

"Farm...?" The girl echoed the word faintly, struggling to sit up and Koutaku offered her a strong arm, helping her into a more upright position as he wrapped the blanket more firmly around her still shivering shoulders. He nodded.

"That's right." He agreed. "My name's Bu Koutaku, and this is my home. You more or less turned up on my doorstep...can you tell me your name?"

"H...Hikari. Sukunami Hikari." The girl swallowed hard, drawing the coarse blanket more tightly around her as another shiver wracked through her. "I was...in the snow. And then...here? But..."

"What were you doing out in that storm, Hikari-san? Surely you must've realised it was dangerous to travel anywhere in that kind of weather?" Koutaku asked her gently, and Hikari sent him a blank look, wetting her lips.

"I don't know." She admitted weakly. "I was with...friends. And then...I was in the snow...and...where is this place? Am I...still in...Hokkan? Or..."

"Yes. This is Hokkan." Koutaku agreed. "You really are still out of it, aren't you? I guess you're not used to the kind of weather the North can dish out."

Hikari shook her head, but before she could respond, Touka re-entered the chamber, blankets tossed over one arm and a bowl of warm soup in her hands.

"I thought this was better than water, for thawing a frozen body." She said softly, casting Hikari a gentle smile as she set them down on the floor beside the young patient. "You've woken up - I'm glad. You were lucky my husband spotted you - people have been known to perish in this kind of weather, especially at night."

"This is my wife, Touka." Koutaku explained, at Hikari's blank look, and the girl sighed, relief touching her expression.

"Thank you for helping me." She murmured. "I...I should have said that right away, but..."

"Don't worry about it." Koutaku shook his head. "Here. Drink Touka's soup. She's a good cook, and it'll warm you up inside. You look like you need it, Hikari-san - your colour is improving, but you still look a little blue."

Hikari hesitated for a moment, then, gingerly she took the bowl in her hands, taking a tentative sip. Her eyes widened, and she glanced up at Touka in surprise.

"It...tastes really good." She murmured, and Touka laughed, settling herself on the floor beside her husband as she folded her hands in her lap.

"Thank you, Hikari-san. I do my best."

"Where have you come from?" Koutaku asked her, as the young girl obediently drained the bowl of soup, setting it aside as she allowed her host to wrap another blanket around her still shivering body. "Somewhere nearby, I'm sure - but you said you were with friends. Are you staying in Makan? I can't imagine you could've got too far, walking in weather like that. But you're not from this village - I'm certain I'd know if you were."

"I...I was staying in an inn with friends I was travelling with." Hikari said slowly. "But I...I don't know how far away it is. I don't really know...how I got here. That's the truth, Koutaku-san. I...don't really remember."

"I guess the cold weather's still fuddled her brain a little." Touka said sympathetically. "Well, for the time being, there's nothing else to be done. You can stay the night here with us, Hikari-san - you'll have to, in any case. The temperature is still dropping outside, and you've already had a hefty enough dose of ice and snow for one evening. And then, in the morning, maybe you'll remember more clearly where your friends are staying."

"I'll help you find them." Koutaku added, as Hikari eyed him in surprise. "If you're a stranger to Hokkan, you'll probably need a local's eye to retrace your steps - the land can look very different after a snowfall than it does before, and you might not be able to find your way on your own."

"Thank you." Hikari offered him a faint smile. "That would be...kind of you. I...I need to find them. I think...they might be worried about me. At least..."

"I'm sure they are." Koutaku agreed. "So first thing in the morning, that's what we'll do. For now, though, you should get some rest."

"I'll go make up somewhere for her to sleep." Touka offered, getting to her feet as she retrieved the empty bowl. "You do look all in, Hikari-san - some rest will do you good."

With that she was gone, and Hikari sighed.

"I'm sorry to put you to trouble." She murmured. "I didn't mean..."

"It's no trouble." Koutaku offered her a grin. "I'm sure you're not the first waif and stray this farm has seen, over the years. You're quite welcome, Hikari-san. Believe me. I'm just glad I was able to help you - and that you managed to find your way here. In the blizzard it can be hard to find anything."

"I heard...a flute." Hikari admitted. "It sounded...gentle. I...I guess that I knew there must be people here, if someone was playing a flute."

"A flute?" Koutaku looked startled, and Hikari nodded.

"It was beautiful." She agreed absently. "Like fairy music. I never heard anything like it before."

Koutaku grinned, stretching out his arm to pick up the narrow wooden pipe that lay on the unit by the fire.

"This flute, perhaps?" He murmured, and Hikari's eyes widened in surprise. Slowly she nodded.

"I...I guess so." She agreed hesitantly, and carefully Koutaku put the instrument to his lips, closing his eyes as he played a brief, soothing melody.

"It was...you?" Hikari's expression became one of realisation, and Koutaku nodded, lowering the flute and offering her another grin.

"I've played since I was a little boy." He agreed, as he set his precious burden aside. "Music brings comfort, somehow, and I've always done it. It...it's a very powerful medium, and when it's cold and dark outside, it's nice to soften the atmosphere inside with a little melody."

"It's such a beautiful sound." Hikari agreed. "I think...no, I'm sure it led me to you, Koutaku-san. Your flute...I'm sure it brought me here."

"Perhaps it did." Koutaku glanced at the instrument for a moment, pursing his lips as he considered her words. "Music has its own strength, that's something I've learnt over the years. And if that's the case, Hikari-san, I'm glad that it did. Because it meant that we were able to bring you in from the cold...I wouldn't have liked to guess your chances if you'd stayed out there any longer."

Hikari shivered involuntarily, shaking her head.

"Me either." She admitted, and Koutaku was glad to see the colour returning to her cheeks and her lips. "I feel tired...and a little shaky, but I don't feel so frozen any more. Touka-san's soup really helped."

"It has magic qualities, so I like to tell her." Koutaku's eyes twinkled, and Hikari managed a faint smile, nodding her head.

"I guess it does." She agreed.

"Can you stand, do you think? Touka will have made you up a bed to sleep in, but if you can't get up, I can always carry you - if you'll let me." Koutaku eyed her keenly, and Hikari frowned.

"I'll try and stand." She said. "My legs are aching, but I think they're all right. We travelled a long way today...I guess it's that as much as the cold. I'm not used to walking through mountains."

"All right, then." Koutaku nodded, getting to his feet as he offered her his hand, and Hikari accepted it with another faint smile, struggling to her feet.

"This way." The farmer told her. "You can sleep as long as you like, and then tomorrow we'll see about finding your travel party. There aren't many cities in close proximity to Makan-mura, and not many villages, either, so it shouldn't be too hard to track down which one you and your companions are staying at. When the weather's cleared, it'll be much easier to work that out - and I promise I'll do what I can to help. I know it can be disorientating, being split up from people you know and love...so I'll do my best to help."

"You're really kind, you know." Hikari remarked absently, and Koutaku looked startled, then he offered her a smile, shaking his head.

"Everyone in this village would do the same." He reflected. "And my father was always one to open his doors to guests, no matter what their circumstances. He was a good man, and I know he'd want me to help you, too...if he were here. Hokkan might be a cold country, Hikari-san, but its people aren't. In all the years I've lived here, I've never found a more gentle, friendly, accepting set of people than the Hokkan-jin."

"Really?" Hikari looked surprised, as he led her through the halls of the house to the chamber he knew Touka would be busy preparing. He nodded his head.

"Really." He agreed. "The cold weather and the harsh winters mean that people have to pull together, else they starve. Besides, Hokkan has been at peace for more than two centuries, now. There's no reason to fight...nothing to fight about. Even with the snow, everyone has what they need, and there are so many different races and peoples settled in the North that it's impossible for one to act against the other. Hokkan is a large land, after all...there's plenty of room for everyone."

He sighed, casting a fleeting glance towards the window as they reached the chamber.

"But this is harsh weather for the Spring." He admitted. "Even for Hokkan. We've had snow a lot later this year than we have in a while - if it goes on, we'll have to be careful about our crops."

"I can't imagine living somewhere this cold, permanently." Hikari admitted. "It snows back home, of course, but I always try and avoid it. I mean, it's wet and freezing and it gives you chills. I couldn't live around it like this."

Koutaku laughed, shaking his head.

"Oh, I'd rather be fighting the elements than fighting my neighbours." He reflected. "Believe me, there's a big difference."

"It's all ready for you, Hikari-san." Touka put in at that moment. "We can't offer you much more than this for the night, but I hope it will be all right."

"Right now I could sleep anywhere...so long as it isn't cold." Hikari admitted. "Thank...thank you. I...I'll be fine here. Thank you for being so good to me."

"It's no trouble." Touka rested a gentle hand on her shoulder, flashing her a compassionate smile. "If it were one of my daughters out in the freezing cold, I'd hope someone would do the same for them as we're doing for you, after all. Get some rest, Hikari-san. In the morning, Koutaku will help you find your friends."

Hikari nodded slowly, and Touka linked her arm in her husband's as they left the small chamber, Touka shutting the door behind them.

For a moment, the two looked at one another. Then Koutaku sighed, pursing his lips.

"She said she followed the sound of the flute." He hazarded. "I guess that's how she found us."

"But how you found her..." Touka frowned, shaking her head. "Not that I'm not glad you did, Koutaku-kun - but with the weather how it is - how did you know she was there?"

"I just...felt she was." Koutaku's brows knitted together. "I think it was my music, Touka...I can't explain it any other way. That somehow she picked up the sound of what I was playing, and through that, I picked up her life force, too."

"Mm." Touka looked troubled, and Koutaku shook his head, slipping his hand into hers as he pushed open the door of the main sitting room.

"It's not like that." He murmured. "Touka, she was a young girl lost in the snows. What else was I to do? I couldn't not help her. I know that we've agreed that I'll have nothing more to do with Seiryuu's power - or with using my flute in any way except as an instrument to bring pleasure to my family. But this was instinctive, and besides, if it did draw me to help her - so much the good, right? I don't object to still having elements of Seiryuu's magic, if it means I can save someone's life, after all."

"I know." Touka sighed, nodding her head. "I understand. You've always felt that way, Koutaku...and it's almost taken you away from me enough times. But I do get it. And you're right - Hikari-san is probably alive because your music locked into her in some way."

"Then don't fret about it." Koutaku smiled, planting a kiss on her forehead, but even as he did so, he remembered the glittering blue light from the stone barn and the whisper of his brother's words on the wind. "There's nothing to fear. This is Hokkan, not Kutou. Our family have peace and tranquility, even if the weather is cold this year. You and I are together...and nothing is going to change that. I'm simply Bu Koutaku. Nothing more."

"Maybe it would have been easier if I'd learnt to call you Kaika, and hadn't pressed you to bring your memories out." Touka reflected, but Koutaku shook his head.

"They came on their own, and I wouldn't have wanted to live a lie." He told her gently. "I'd want to remember meeting you, after all. Kaika didn't do that."

"No, true." Touka offered him a rueful smile. "All right. I'm sorry. It just worries me, whenever there's a hint of you using Seiryuu's power. Seiryuu is gone and we're miles from Kutou...it's just unsettling. That's all."

"I know." Koutaku acknowledged. "But you've really no reason to fret. As you said, Seiryuu's legend is over. Right?"

"Right." Touka eyed him momentarily, then she nodded her head. "As you say. And I am glad you could save that girl, so I suppose it's all all right."

She grinned.

"Now, if you could find a way to melt the snow..."

"Oh, I wish I could." Koutaku laughed, relief in his eyes at his wife's light hearted remark. "But it'll pass soon enough, I'm sure. Spring must come soon, and if it doesn't, well, I'm sure we'll find a way around it. We'll be fine, Touka. And you know what they say - kindness brings good karma. Maybe Hikari-san's coming is a blessing to our farm in some way - what do you think?"

"I think you're being obscure, as ever." Touka chuckled, touching his cheek affectionately. "I'm sorry, Koutaku. I shouldn't have been so worried about the past. You're right on every count - and you know I love hearing you play your flute. I know you're Koutaku now...and that all of that is in our past."

"Yes." Koutaku murmured, his gaze once more flitting to the window as he had a dim sensation that someone's eyes were watching him from the black. "After all, there really is no need to be Amiboshi now."

He sighed, sensing the disapproval in the invisible watcher's resolute gaze.

"No need." He repeated, more firmly this time, as if to dispel the feeling of unease that curled up suddenly inside of his heart.

"Not any more."