Part III, Chapter Eight: Kiratake Is Stung

Part III: Zhian

"A family ceases to be a family the minute it becomes necessary to pick sides." --Shiromori priest, c. 870 AE

April 22, 1112 AE
Shiromori Castle, Ayumora, Shiromori

Kiratake's mental count of the seconds had reached a hundred and still Kitasaka paced. What was taking him so long? Yes, she understood that it could be difficult to find words, but every minute spent hesitating was a minute wasted; why couldn't he just spit it out? "It has to be said, Kitasaka."

It did. She knew it, and he knew it. She'd known it from the moment he'd told her, and he from the moment Guildsman Aero had told him. Maru and Kawa had to be told, and soon.

Kitasaka stopped, clearing his throat and staring down at his granddaughter. "You're right. Anyway, Maru... I don't know an easy way to say this, so I'm going to be frank. Your father has been hiding things."

Beside Kiratake, Maru uncrossed her legs, leveling her posture as her hand clenched into a tight fist. "Why does that not surprise me?"

Kiratake sniffed. "Tell her what it is."

He opened his mouth--likely to ask her if she'd rather tell Maru herself, no doubt--but it was Maru who spoke first. "Please, do; I'm curious now."

Curious, she claimed. Well, she wouldn't be for much longer. The thing about curiosity, Kiratake mused, was that it was often replaced by another emotion, and not always a pleasant one; in Maru's case, she suspected it would be anger. Fury. Wrath.

Kitasaka swallowed, then allowed himself one blink before breaking the news. "Maru, your mother has written you and your brother several letters over the past few years. Your father's been hoarding them."

Silence. Kiratake didn't have to look to see Maru's reflection; in her mind's eye, the wide mouth, the shocked stare, and the arched brows were as clear as the wall in front of her. The silence took on a different form. No longer was it the fragile quiet of impatient waiting, but the brief calm before a particularly violent storm. "...what?"

"We're sorry that you had to hear it from us, Maru," Kiratake apologized, adjusting her posture as she suddenly found no position comfortable.

Kitasaka nodded, a hint of a scowl tugging at his lips. "I told your father that if he didn't tell you, I would--and he didn't. This wasn't our choice, Maru; it was your f--"

"Don't call him my father."

No sooner had the word left Maru's mouth did Kiratake begin to stiffen. This was her son Maru was talking about. Yes, he had made mistakes--horrible ones, at that--but who hadn't? Ignorant fool or not, Kohashi was her child, and she loved him dearly; it stung to hear him denied, even if he did deserve it. "Maru..."

Maru tilted her head back and snarled. "No. I'm sorry, but I won't hear you call him that. He killed my lover and drove my mother away. He's making me marry a man I loathe--a man who tried to rape me, might I add--and now I learn that he's been keeping my mother's letters from Kawa and me. He lost the right to call himself my father the day I woke to find my mother gone and Aurius dead, and I won't stand to hear him referred to as such any more."

And with that, she cracked her knuckles and once again locked eyes with her grandfather. "What did the letters say?"

"Well, at first glance, nonsense," Kitasaka admitted. "Scattered, almost random thoughts. Then, I noticed something. If you take the first letter of each line of each letter, the same word is always spelt--'Shouchuen'."

"Shouchuen?" repeated Maru, a brief glint in her eye. "Do you think she's with my aunt and uncle?"

Kitasaka shrugged. "I would assume that's what she means, yes."

Thoughtful, Maru brushed her hair over her shoulder. "Have you told Kawa yet?"

"No. I plan on doing so when he gets out of his lesson."

Nodding, she pushed herself from the couch and stood. "He's a good kid; make sure Kohashi doesn't change that."

As Kiratake exchanged a puzzled glance with her husband, Maru slipped past him as she made her way toward the door. "Thank you for telling me. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some things to attend to."

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