The thing that woke me up, not long after falling asleep, was the noise. Though noise was not uncommon in the village, drunken laughter often filling the air, the sounds of shouting and a few screams, that wasn't normal. I sat upright, eyes wide. Aladdin was stirring next to me, his big blue eyes blinking tiredly.
"Essie what's happening?
"Stay here." I kissed his head, and left walking towards the commotion. The villagers were gathered. Baba laid on her stomach, an arrow sticking out her back. My heartbeat echoed between my ears, the pressure building. The earth was shaking, quaking, no I was. My eyes burned with determination as I ducked off into the high grass, grabbing as many large flat stones as I could. Organizing each stone into twelve stacks of twelve in a circle around a bonfire.
"Miss Esther." Toya called out to me. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed her, and Aladdin next to her. I held out my hand stopping her.
"I must do this." My fist clenched.
I pulled my hair wrap down and laid it on the ground outside the circle. I took a slow deep breath and opened up myself to the rukh, they came to me like a flood. My staff, the one my Father once owned, appeared in my hand once more and I laid it down on the ground. I spun in a circle and let the rukh flow from me into the staff. I whispered prayers and with each rise and fall of my body the rukh responded in kind. Time passed quickly, and I noticed noting except the sound of the will, and my will fusing together. I stopped once the sun rose, and my magoi left me. I collapsed to the ground without a moment of wavering, as blood leaked from my nose and eyes. I let myself rest for a few moments before the shouts of the clansmen roused me. I grabbed my staff and pushed myself to my feet and shuffled to Baba's tent, moving past hoards of angry men.
"Essie!" "Miss Esther!" two surprised shouts greeted me. I felt Aladdin grab my legs but for the moment I ignored him. I reached out with my staff and touched Baba's chest.
"Give us a little more time, we must prevent war." the rukh rushed to answer my pled, and Baba awoken.
"Essie?" Aladdin asked looking up at me with his large blue eyes.
"Not now little brother, we must stop the clan from making a terrible mistake."
With the use of Aladdin's magic turban we speed after the clan. I kept one hand on baba's back, keeping pressure on the wound there.
"I'm sorry there wasn't more I could do Baba." She looked at me and smiled, before gently patting my leg.
We arrived as they had the Kou princess surrounded and were calling for her death. Baba got off the turban and shuffled forward, leaning heavily on her walking staff.
"Will you fools stop this nonsense." She shouted loudly catching everyone by surprise. I quicly rushed to her side and supported her, my hand pressing against her wound. "Spare me your deplorable antics. You call yourselves Koga warrior? Make no mistake what it is you really need to protect, or exactly what kind of battle you need to wage for it." She shook me off and walked forward on her own towards the princess. She knelt down before the Kou princess. "Your highness, my clan shall fully submit to the authority of the Kou empire."
The men cried out in denial and I pulled Aladdin to my side, wrapping one arm around his thin shoulders.
"As you can see, your highness," Baba continued "our clan is devastated, both physically and mentally from long years of invasions and slave hunting. I cannot allow my family to be hurt by this anymore. There was a time I was prepared to go to battle with your country, but that changed when a certain young child told me something. That you, a general of our enemy was someone we could trust to be honorable."
"Your wound" The princess noticed "It's not a natural one, was it caused by one of my men?"
"Which is more important, the life of one village chief or all the villagers? You of all people should know."
The princess bowed. "Your intentions have been duly communicated. Henceforth in the name of the Kou empire and of Hakuei, General and princess, I grantee your safety."
"So after all this we are surrendering." One man near me muttered.
"What difference does it make anyway? All we have to do is hold on to the pride in our hearts. Just like Baba." Dorji spoke up. I smiled, he grew up.
"What do you say to this my Kouga Clan? Its time to show me your intentions." Baba ordered. Slowly, one by one, each man dropped their weapon and bowed to the princess.
I calmly stepped forward and knelt down next to Baba. "I have done all I could have, but it wanes. The Rukh will be calling for you shortly." She patted my head fondly and smiled. "please forgive me Baba, but I have no stomach for watching someone pass into the rukh, especially someone I'm so fond of. With your permission, I would like to accompany Princess Hakuei back to her people to ensure her safety." Baba nodded and, to my surprise, pressed a kiss to my forehead.
"Go Esther, and be prosperous. May you live a long happy life." I gave a tearful smile before kissing her aged cheek.
"Goodbye, Chagan Shaman, chief of the Kouga Clan. May your children, and your children's children forever remember you."
I reached out for Aladdin who rushed over to me. "Go back with the others, and keep Baba company until the end." He nodded and threw his arms around my neck. "I'll be back shortly." I stood and bowed to Hakuei.
"Please allow me to see to you to your people safely." She nodded and we set off.
After a horse was given to me we rode in silence for some time before I looked at the princess.
"I must apologize." I spoke up. She looked over at me surprised.
"Whatever for?"
"I was abrupt when we had first met, despite the fact you saved Aladdin. Then again you go and surprise me. He sought you out and you let no harm come to him. Thank you." I smile at her.
"May I ask why you are so wary?" She asked her companion also looking at me curiously.
"It is not your person Princess." I assured her, before smiling softly. "I have spent many years avoiding the Kou empire, even as you stretch your boarders." I glance over at her confused face. "I have many connections with the seven seas alliance. That and the one time I saw your mother, the empress, she set me on edge."
"My mother?"
I barked a laugh but nodded. "Yes, quite a formidable woman, she reminds me of someone I don't have a pleasant history with. But my little Aladdin has taken quite the shine to you."
"He's an adorable child, you're very lucky."
I laugh once again. "You say that now princess, but he is quite the handful. He's lucky he's cute, otherwise I'd have him over my knee." We shared a laugh before seeing Kou flags on the horizon. "Are your people meant to be this close?"
"no."
We pulled our horses to a stop.
"What are you doing?" Hakuei called.
"Doing? We're going to war." A man, her general I assume, responded. I reached out calmly and felt the buzz of Hakuei's metal vessel. This was not going to go the way he was expecting.
"Pull back those troops!" Hakuei ordered "We've negotiated with the Kouga clan and they've submitted to our authority."
"then they're more spineless than I thought." He laughed "Even after being subjected to slave hunting and our attack on their chief, they still caved."
"They chose to live, even if it's under the tyrannical rule of another." I spoke up, my fingers inching towards my staff.
He smiled. "This is the scenario I had in mind. You your highness were brutally murdered in the barbarians' village, poor thing. Left in command Ryosai led the entire army in a bid to avenge you and wiped out the village."
"the most you've lead is a thousand men." She smirked. But more men stepped forward.
"Turn back while you still have the chance Ryosai, was it? I will destroy you utterly." I narrowed my eyes.
He ordered his men to fire and arrows came flying towards us. Before I could throw up a borg Hakuei had her fan in her hands and had the arrows frozen in the air. With a wave of her arm air went bursting forth and the arrows went back at those who shot them. I jumped off my horse as the soldiers charged. I heard Hakuei's companion summon her household vessel but before he could even take a step I had my staff held out in front of me.
"Dhoruf Sabaha." I said calmly and the men went flying backwards. I could feel the princess' surprise but I smiled.
"Spirit of maniacal love and chaos, I command thee. Envelope my body, inhabit me, transform me into a great demonic god, Paimon!"
My eyes widened in surprise. Paimon was her djinn, that explained quite a bit, Paimon was an excellent judge of character.
I spun around shooting off spells and pure magoi at soldiers, making sure to give those who got close enough a sound whack on the head with my staff. Then the archers fired upon their own men and Hakuei had to protect them. Together they used a bout of magic that created a large tornado. When they landed the princess' magoi had depleted. We were then surrounded, the princess had a sword to her neck.
"Well, that's quite enough of that, wouldn't you say princess?" I said loudly. Everyone looked to me surprised and confused. Before I had a chance to open my mouth a blue hand swatted at the man and, there was Ugo, with Aladdin sitting on his shoulder wide eyed. I sighed exasperated.
"Paimon show yourself." I called out to the princess's Djinn. With a burst of air Paimon sprung from her vessel. Her eyes scanned the field surprised, landing on Ugo's scantily clad body, Aladdin perched on top, her candidate, then finally me.
"Esther!" She knelt down, pressing herself down against the ground so she could get close to my level. "my dear queen, how you've grown!"
I smiled at her, then reached up and touched her cheek. "I'm glad to see you've chosen a king's candidate."
She grinned wickedly and wrapped herself around the princess. "I'm quite fond of her."
"I can see why, she's a wise choice."
Then her eyes went back to Ugo, and she giggled. "Is that who I think it is?" I nodded. Paimon went up to him and she grinned "Oh, now this is a sight you don't see often." She poked his chest, lightly, and his whole body flushed a bright pink. He started gesturing about what had happened and why Aladdin and I were here. She had crossed her arms sweetly behind her back to stick her chest out farther forward. He was turning scarlet. I covered my mouth with one hand and shook my head.
"These two will never change." I muttered under my breath. Then Paimon ran her hand down his chest.
"Oh, Paimon, don't be mean!" I scolded, she simply grinned in response. I think somewhere in the past, she had a deep affection towards my old uncle. However, Uncle Ugo knew only his research in magic. He only knew how to talk about his theories, and only Father ever seemed to appreciate his knowledge and wisdom.
Hakuei looked to me. "How? Uh- why did she call you her dear queen?"
"It's my blood, just ignore her." I responded with ease and a smile. Hakuei was wise, and let the conversation drop.