Aku had never been so exhausted in her life.
The reception for her and her queen was extravagant, as far as she noticed. She was so tired her vision was blurry, so it was hard to tell for sure. Touke carried her, interrupted in her walking by people coming before her saying repetitious obsequious things. Eventually she carried Aku to a chair and set her down. It was a very comfortable chair, and it took some effort to not pass out. Touke sat not far from her. She blearily looked around at the gathered people, hardly taking in any details. Everything was very colorful, that she noticed.
Food was brought out, and most people took a spot at the table they were sitting at. A few dishes were set down right in front of her. She supposed Mei had told the cooks that she couldn't have anything with meat, so had set aside a few portions just for her. Aku was too tired to feel grateful. She could barely hold her chopsticks. She managed to eat a little, not very much. It didn't take long for her to pass out in her chair.
Her hunger woke her up the next morning. She felt pretty miserable. Her stomach gnawed on her other organs. It was a new sensation; until her trip to Han, she had rarely eaten only two meals a day. And then she had just spent a whole day eating barely anything at all. And the effort she had put in running wasn't helping. She had never worked so hard in her life. That was the other part of her misery, the aching pain in her limbs, a dull throb that already had her frustrated. She didn't want to try to move. But she probably should, being morning and all.
At least she thought it was morning. She opened her eyes, and looked around at her surroundings, her vision as clear as usual. There was sunlight shining into the room, which suggested it was morning by the shallow angle, but as she didn't know what side of the palace she was on it could just as easily be evening. The room she was in reminded her a lot of her home on Houzan; the simple elegance of the furnishings, the silk curtains around the bed. Even though she knew she was probably in one of the better guest rooms in the palace. Mei had been a soldier, and Aku knew she preferred simple decoration above extravagant, so the palace had likely been adapted to her tastes. She had been governor for a while, after all. Aku sat up.
And immediately regretted it. She had had to tense her back up to support Touke's weight, and now it hurt terribly. She tried to hold it in but ended up letting out a groan of pain. She reached around to rub her lower back. That helped a little. Of course, twisting around to do that strained her sore arm and shoulder, only making that worse.
"Is the Taiho in pain?" came a small voice.
She looked over toward the door to see someone standing there with her head bowed deeply. By the style and quality of her clothes, Aku assumed she was a servant. "I'm fine," Aku said. "Just tired from flying across half the kingdom. Come on in." Not only her, but two more servants came in. That didn't exactly surprise her. They walked up to a spot not far from the bed, and suddenly prostrated themselves on the ground. Aku immediately told them to stand up. When they did, Aku asked, "Where's Touke?" The servants glanced at each other. "The Queen."
"Taking breakfast with the Lord Governor."
"Bring me to them."
The servants hesitated. "The Lord Governor said you were free to rest today."
"Bring me to them." She was starting to get a tingling of anxiety being removed from Touke, now that she was awake, and she didn't want to stay away for longer than necessary. Really, it was much greater than a tingling, but it did have a similar texture to it. She would try to explain that to them, to make her sound less demanding somehow. But they wouldn't understand anyway. Just as sometimes she didn't understand humans, she wouldn't expect humans to understand the burning need in Kirin to be near their master. She hadn't understood herself until it had happened to her.
"What would the Taiho like to wear?"
She just noticed now she wasn't decent. She hadn't really expected to be asked that question. Servants in places like this often dressed their masters appropriate to the situation, no matter the wishes of the masters themselves. Perhaps because she was the Kirin she had the choice, or maybe that's just the way Mei ran things. "Have you seen what we wear on Houzan?"
Their eyes widened, apparently at the thought of going on a shouzan. "I'm afraid not."
Aku shrugged. "Simple." The servants bowed their heads in acknowledgement.
Soon Aku was dressed. Standing was torture, but she bore it. While the servants gave her more help than necessary getting into her clothes—though it was more necessary than it would usually be, as she was very sore and stiff—Aku learned their names. They looked a little surprised she would want to know, but they didn't say anything about it. Someone else led her away from her room—or more accurately, rooms—and through the palace, alternating inside and outside. The place was rather austere, the trappings simple. There were a lot of blues and yellows, the colors of the Teki Provincial Guard. The pain in her limbs and back slowly receded as she used them, working out the tension. A bubbling happiness started rising in Aku's chest as they walked, as though a piece in the puzzle of life were falling into place; she realized it was because she was nearing Touke. It was amazing she could feel Touke around so unconsciously.
Soon she found her. Touke and Mei were in a small room, nothing like the hall they had been in last night. It was probably one of Mei's personal rooms. There was a low table among some plush-looking chairs, on which there was food arrayed. Aku was very relieved to see Touke safe—and better yet, getting along with Mei—and she let out a breath she hadn't known she'd been holding. "Aku Taiho." As she walked in, Mei started scrambling to her feet, clearly intending to either bow or prostrate herself.
Aku waved at her. "No, stay down." Aku thanked the person who had guided her before moving for one of the chairs. She sat as near Touke as she could. It seemed the closer she was the more intense her glee. It was enough for her to almost forget the pain.
"Are you well?" asked Mei.
"You're up and around," said Touke in her usual drawl, "so probably."
"Yes, I'm fine," Aku said, the smile she wore making it a little difficult to talk properly. "I'm in a little pain, but it's nothing more than I can handle." She reached for some nearby fruit. "I'm starving, though." She took a generous bite out of the red, fist-sized fruit. She didn't know what it was for sure, but it was sweet and juicy, so it didn't really matter. "Don't mind me," she said through her mouthful of fruit.
She got a few amused looks at her zeal—though she thought she saw a small amount of guilt in Touke—but they did turn back to each other. "So about the Chousai," Touke started.
Mei nodded. "Yes, the Chousai. I suppose his violence towards the two of you settles the matter. We're going to war. I've already sent messengers to our allied provinces, as well as Retsu and Ken. We should hear back in a couple days. We've already started coordinating our armies."
"Okay," Touke said. Aku suddenly noticed she was a little white-faced, had likely been since before she'd arrived. She had been so distracted by the aura Touke gave off she hadn't even noticed.
"I have up to now been leading our alliance, responsibilities I would now like you to share. I would cede all authority to you, but I can see by the set of your face that you are not prepared for such responsibility, if you'll forgive my saying. I'll help you along, if you'll allow it. The minimum I require from you is to be a presence. Just seeing you will give the generals, and the soldiers beneath them, great confidence."
Touke nodded. "I understand."
"I would like you to contribute as much as possible. It is my hope that in aiding lead our forces against the Chousai you will gradually accustom yourself to the authority that is yours as Queen. I know it can be hard to adapt to. It took me some getting used to when I was promoted to general, then again to Lord Governor. I was just a simple soldier, so I have some idea of what you're feeling. So don't worry overmuch. Take it slowly. I'm here to support you every step of the way, if you'll allow it."
Touke nodded again. "I appreciate it. I'll do my best."
A thin smile sprouted on Mei's face. "That is the most we can hope to ask for."
"It's really the least you could ask for."
Mei and Aku laughed. Aku almost got fruit up her nose.
Possibly out of respect for Aku, Mei changed the subject from war and blood. Instead, Mei asked Touke about her life, and how she had gotten chosen as queen. Touke somehow left out the sex part. She managed to get a good interview in. As it went on, color noticeably returned to Touke's face. This, talking about her life, even for someone so reserved, was clearly much easier than talking about the responsibilities she now bore. Mei's interview was so complete Touke talked about things Aku didn't know either, stuff about what she remembered of her family, her life in the rike, and later serving the eccentric hisen that was once her old lord.
Aku quickly discovered that Mei had Touke calling her by her azana, which was Kokumei. Aku had noticed it before, and still found it a little weird, that Mei's azana was a word, and not really a name, at least not one she had heard before. But she wasn't entirely sure how people chose azana anyway so maybe it wasn't actually all that strange. Mei had a good azana, so she guessed it didn't really matter. She was sure it would be more appropriate to use her uji, but if Mei didn't want her to use it, that was her decision.
Touke asked Mei a few questions, so the focus of the conversation turned to her. So now Mei was being interviewed about her life. Most of it Aku knew. She had risen up the ranks in the Forbidden Army quickly. In an exhibition duel against the General of the Left, Mei had beaten the stuffing out of him. The King at the time had been so impressed that he had had Mei replace him. The King after that had been so impressed with Mei's service, he had had her assigned to Teki Province, where she had now been serving for over a hundred years, through the reigns of a couple kings. "Actually," Mei said at one point, "I'm the only Marquis of my kind, the only one in the Kingdoms." Then she seemed to notice her slip.
That got a weird look from Touke. "Of your kind?"
Mei hesitated a little. Aku could kind of understand that; many people didn't accept her kind, and a less enlightened king could easily remove her from her post just in knowing. But Aku didn't think Touke was that kind of person, so she answered for her. "Mei is a hanjuu."
Touke's eyes widened, and she stared at Mei for a few seconds. Finally she said, "What kind?"
The smile on Mei's face, together with the casual, languid way she had been sitting the whole time, could be interpreted as predatory. It almost gave Aku a shudder. "Big leopard."
"I've seen her," Aku said, her face dominated by her usual smile, she could tell. "She's magnificent."
"You're too kind, Aku Taiho."
"But it's true, Lord Governor."
Touke glanced between them. "I thought there were laws against hanjuu in place in Kyou. Most kingdoms, actually."
"True, there are," Mei said with a nod. "I'm surprised I'm here myself. I shouldn't have even been able to get into the prefectural academy. I should have died hundreds of years ago working some field somewhere. But here I am. Of course, I'm sure, it helps what form I take. Being a predator is certainly conducive to soldiering." A short pause. Before anyone decided to speak, Mei asked, "Does my being a hanjuu bother you, Your Highness?"
"No," Touke said, shaking her head and looking a little offended. "Of course not. My brother was a hanjuu," she added after a second.
"You didn't mention that," Mei said over Aku's baffled surprise. What were the chances?
"I didn't really think to mention it. Does it really matter?"
Mei considered that for a moment. Then she turned to Aku. "Good work. You picked a good queen."
"Let's see how she does before making judgements."
Touke nodded at Mei. "Thanks for the vote of confidence." She turned a raised eyebrow at Aku. "Thanks for the vote of confidence."
Aku could only smile.
"So, what sort of hanjuu was your brother?" asked Mei.
Then Touke and Mei did a little bonding over the topic of hanjuu. Touke had very few memories of her brother, so young she was when he had died, but they were good ones. Aku found the whole thing strangely touching. She hadn't expected Touke and Mei to get along so well. Watching this scene before her warmed her heart in a way she hadn't thought it would, for reasons she wasn't quite sure of. Maybe she was just happy to see Touke, usually so reserved, getting along with anyone. Maybe she was pleased Touke was developing a warm relationship with one of her greatest allies in the kingdom. In fact, Aku had been considering recommending that Touke make Mei chousai when this business with the current Chousai was done with. It was good that they got along, very good. Her quick adaptation to dealing with Mei, Aku thought, was a good indication of how she would adapt to her duties, despite how casual Mei was, and she thought that was great as well.
Actually, now that she thought about it, this whole business with the Chousai, the coming war, may very well work to adapt Touke to her role. That was a depressing thought. Aku would much rather that ease come through benevolence than violence.
They must have been talking for a while. A servant poked her head into the room, and Mei nodded to her. "I have a good portion of our generals gathered here," she said to Touke, "and I would like to introduce Your Highness to them, over lunch. We will likely discuss plans for our assault on the central provinces as well." Mei turned to Aku. "I would also like you to be there for the first few minutes. It would look better for Touke to arrive with you, and I have already gathered she could use you for emotional support." Touke didn't deny it. "As soon as you get uncomfortable, I would suggest you leave."
Aku nodded. "I think I can do that. Although, simply being in the same room as a sword makes me uncomfortable, so I'll wait until I'm too uncomfortable."
A short grumble of a laugh came from Mei. "Whatever you wish, Aku Taiho. Well, then." She stood.
Again Aku was led through the palace, that sea of blue and yellow. As they neared where they were going, judging by Mei's somewhat more professional body language, Aku started getting the vague feeling she had been here before. This must have been where the welcoming banquet had been held, somewhere around here. Aku was sure they were almost there, so she took Touke's arm and linked it with her own. It would be better, she was pretty sure, for the two of them to appear together, unified. A queen's closeness to her Kirin was often interpreted as closeness to the Way. Touke gave her a look, but didn't pull away.
Mei charged without slowing into a room, an open hall with a high ceiling. Inside was a table, and around it were gathered an assortment of men and one woman, most of them in armor. Those that weren't, Aku recognized their dress as that of military men. So these would be the generals. Each of them was wearing a sword. With a flash of fear, Aku felt herself shrink slightly in the presence of so many weapons. But she straightened her back and forced herself not to think about it. She had seen plenty of weapons people brought on the shouzan, she reminded herself. This wasn't anything new.
When they entered, Mei quickly introduced them. Everyone got out of their chairs and prostrated themselves on the floor. Touke told them immediately to get up. When they did, one man quickly moved toward them, bearing a long, thin bundle. Touke watched as he approached, a strange expression on her face Aku couldn't place. The man dropped to a knee, head down, and proffered the bundle with both hands. "This belongs to you, Your Highness."
Touke hesitated for a moment, before reaching forward with her open hand to unwrap the bundle as it still sat in the man's hands. The cloth parted, and revealed a sword. Aku repressed the urge with great effort to take a step away. For an instrument of death, it wasn't unpleasing to the eye, all made of gold and sprinkled with jewels. But Aku found she could barely look at it. When it was revealed, Touke let out a short gasp. "This is mine?" she asked after a moment.
"It is Ryuutei-tou," he said. "It belongs to Kyou-Ou."
Touke continued to stare at the sword. Aku thougth she was much more impressed with the weapon than anyone had right to be. "Isn't this supposed to be in Soufuu?"
"Yes."
"How did you get it?"
"I nicked it."
Touke blinked, her eyes now stuck on the man. "You stole it."
"I did." He didn't sound particularly bothered with his theft; if anything he seemed proud of himself. "I am Sei Chou, General of the Forbidden Army of the Left. When the Chousai declared himself King, many of my men and I deserted. We took a few things with us."
Aku wasn't sure if she should be showing ironic appreciation for his desertion, praising him for his foresight—he must have known that, should the king return in time, he or she would need to lead people into battle, and would certainly need a good sword—or reprimanding him for stealing from the throne. The situation was certainly complicated.
Touke, though, didn't seem likewise conflicted. She untangled her arm with Aku's to take the sword with both hands. Slowly, reverently, she drew the sword. As the silver-blue blade, the color looking nothing but harnessed lightning, glinted in the light Aku took an involuntary step away, trying to smother her irrational fear of the weapon and only partially succeeding. The sight of Touke looking at the sword in wonder raised a sinking feeling of dread in Aku's chest. Such intense appreciation of a weapon could only be a bad omen. Touke sheathed the sword, took the matching golden and jeweled belt, and hung the detestable thing from her waist.
A shudder worked through Aku at the sight. It was a strange state she was in. On the one hand, she was ecstatic to be around Touke, and wanted to be closer, to never leave her side. On the other, the sword filled her with fear, and the sight of Touke with it with dread; she wanted to run over to her, tear the thing out of her grasp, and throw it across the room. If she could get any closer, against the urge to flee the weapon inspired in her, she might have. She felt the weapon, and the shedding of blood that it symbolized, was going to corrupt Touke, that she would be swayed away from the Way by the heat of battle and the feeling of taking lives. She had read that, as strange as it sounded, people could learn to get used to it, and even get addicted to it. She definitely didn't want that to happen to her Touke, her Queen. But yet, she was intensely happy that Touke was so pleased by the thing. The conflicting emotions would tear her apart.
After that business was over with, they moved to the table. Touke sat at the head of the table, the place usually reserved for the lord of the palace. A chair was brought around on that side for Aku to sit, reinforcing the image of the two of them being inseparable. The conflict continued in her as she sat so close to the good Touke and the evil weapon.
Aku ate almost nothing, despite her appreciation that, again, some food had been set aside specifically for her. She wasn't particularly hungry. It could be because she was uneasy around so many weapons, but it could just as easily be because she had just spent a few hours slowly munching on an assortment of fruits. This wasn't that different from people on the shouzan, she tried to convince herself. She did notice that Mei was eating, opposed to the small amounts the other people had, mostly meat. She wondered if that was the usual way of things. It wouldn't be that surprising, considering her form. It must be a little bit of a hassle feeding a leopard. As she understood, meat was pretty expensive. She supposed if anyone in Teki could afford it it would be Mei.
Soon, sooner than she would like, the conversation turned to war.
Kokumei: 克明 (This is a word in Japanese meaning "elaborate" or "diligence")
Ryuutei-tou: 鎏霆刀 (Obscure kanji, I know. I like the sound.)
靖睖: Sei Chou (surname given name)
