Ashelia at War

2010-09-09T15:55:00.010-07:00

Introduction

~Part I: Tasius~

Chapter One: Hiseus Offers No Opinion

Chapter Two: Kitasaka Speaks and Is Not Heard

Chapter Three: Kinea Is Made a Medium

Chapter Four: Maru Finds Herself Forewarned

Chapter Five: Aurius Finds Himself Unnerved

Chapter Six: Kuchimatsu Assures His Beloved

Chapter Seven: Luidius Observes a Different Specie

Chapter Eight: Kohashi Gains an Ally

Chapter Nine: Danitia Looks to January

Chapter Ten: Kawa Hears a Cry and a Sigh

Chapter Eleven: Aurius Dreams of the Unattainable

Chapter Twelve: Kawa Starts a Chain Reaction

Chapter Thirteen: Maru's Freedom Is Fleeting

Chapter Fourteen: Banus Is Informed

Chapter Fifteen: Covius Enters the Dragon's Den

Chapter Sixteen: Aurius Finds a Convenient Victim

Chapter Seventeen: Maru Wakes in a New World

Chapter Eighteen: Aurius Steps into the Sunlight

Chapter Nineteen: Takamari Is Ignored

Chapter Twenty: Danitia's Day Ends on a High Note

Chapter Twenty-One: Maru Is the Judge and the Accused

Chapter Twenty-Two: Kiratake Is Given an Unexpected Task

Chapter Twenty-Three: Aurius Sets Matters Straight

Chapter Twenty-Four: Kawa Senses Something Amiss

Chapter Twenty-Five: Kohashi Is Informed

Chapter Twenty-Six: Maru Sees This, but Not That

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Aurius Is Proven Otherwise

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Covius Just Makes It Up

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Maru Enters a Forbidden Realm

Chapter Thirty: Aurius Finds a New Goddess

Chapter Thirty-One: Kinea's Puppy Bares His Fangs

Chapter Thirty-Two: Kitasaka Gives a Place to Think

Chapter Thirty-Three: Hiseus Performs His Unfortunate Duty

Chapter Thirty-Four: Luidius Finds the Tables Turned

Chapter Thirty-Five: Maru Meets a Different Sort of Man

Chapter Thirty-Six: Aurius Damns the Rest

Chapter Thirty-Seven: Banus Finds the Leverage

Chapter Thirty-Eight: Kawa Asks a Question

Chapter Thirty-Nine: Kinea Gets an Opportunity

Chapter Forty: Aurius Is a Myth for a Moment

~Part II: Shiromori~

Chapter One: The Guild Master Attends to His Business

Chapter Two: Shia Makes an Offer

Chapter Three: Maru Is Shown the Advantage of Ignorance

Chapter Four: Kohashi Peers into the Seeing Stone

Chapter Five: Hian Learns a Secret

Chapter Six: Kitasaka Finds the Obvious Flaw

Chapter Seven: Hiseus Comes for an Answer

Chapter Eight: Maru's Sensation Fades

Chapter Nine: Aurius Is Greeted by a Smile

Chapter Ten: Takamari Takes a Plunge

Chapter Eleven: Maru Makes the Threat of Butterflies

Chapter Twelve: Aurius Is Half at Fault

Chapter Thirteen: Shia Dispels a Blindness

Chapter Fourteen: Aurius Makes Note of Magnification

Chapter Fifteen: Taios Learns Something about Women

Chapter Sixteen: Maru's Worlds Collide

Chapter Seventeen: Takamari Lets It Slip

Chapter Eighteen: Aurius Is Halfway There

Chapter Nineteen: Kohashi Is Persuaded

Chapter Twenty: Maru Distinguishes Taking and Giving

~Part III: Zhian~

Chapter One: Danitia Is Told What Is Not Pining

Chapter Two: Maru Chooses a Color

Chapter Three: Kitasaka Declares His Business

Chapter Four: Shao Plays the Waiting Game

Chapter Five: Aurius Is Hopelessly Gone

Chapter Six: Kawa States What Will Change

Chapter Seven: Kohashi Is Blind to the Motive

Chapter Eight: Kiratake Is Stung

Chapter Nine: Maru Chases the Far Thing

Chapter Ten: The Guild Master Loses One

Chapter Eleven: Takamari Gives the Primary Reason

Chapter Twelve: Maru Hears What She Did Not Expect

Chapter Thirteen: Aurius Steps Aside

Chapter Fourteen: Shao Finds Her as He Left Her

Chapter Fifteen: Maru Has a Perverse Idea

Continued in...

Ashelia at Dusk

Part III, Chapter Fifteen: Maru Has a Perverse Idea

2010-09-08T18:31:00.006-07:00

Part III: Zhian

"Sometimes, there is something oddly romantic about the unromantic." --Zhi playwright, c. 1110 AE

April 27, 1112 AE
The Rose Petal, Shouchuen, Zhian

Either Maru's mother was a lousy shopkeeper or whoever she'd hired to cover the afternoon shift was a lousy employee. There was no sound of footsteps upstairs, no note on the counter explaining the absence of a clerk. She stood alone, in her mother's shop, unassisted and unsure as to whether or not that would change--at least, there was no evidence to the contrary. If only she had a quill and a scrap of parchment. Hello Mother, it's Maru. I'm staying at the Sky Dragon Inn, so don't be a stranger. By the way, you should definitely sack whoever was supposed to be here when I stopped by.

A flower shop. Her mother, Queen of Shiromori in name, owned and ran a flower shop. Couldn't she have picked something a little more interesting to sell? Or at least, something without pollen, she thought to herself as she stifled her running nose with an unladylike sniff. How were all of these plants surviving indoors, anyway? There were only a few small windows; by all means, they should have been dead. She wished they were. Might as well be, if you're caged up in a dump like this. If I was a flower... ah, who am I kidding? If I was a plant, I'd be a weed.

Behind her, the door creaked open and someone stepped inside; knowing her luck, Maru doubted it was her mother. "I'd find another flower shop if I were you. The service here is awful."

The newcomer was silent for a few seconds longer, then shut the door and spoke. "I don't care."

That was certainly an odd thing to say. Maru rolled her eyes. "Well, you should."

"I'm only here because someone told me I'd meet a pretty girl," the man replied. There was something chillingly familiar about his voice, but as far as her memory was concerned, it rang no bells in conjunction with the Zhi language. "I didn't think that he would be right."

Maru only snorted. What a creep; he was not even worth a verbal reply.

"Maru?"

She turned around and stared. She somehow had the feeling that this moment might have been a lot more fitting if she hadn't lost her ability to be surprised. "Well, I'll be damned. Half an hour ago, I thought you were dead."

Other than the motions required of speech, Aurius's features were unmoved. "That explains a lot."

"I imagine my mother planned to tell me when I came to see her?" she asked, flicking at a loose bit of flesh by her thumbnail. He nodded; she sighed. "Pity that my father was withholding her letters, then. Two years without sex was a living hell--don't ask me how I ever survived virginity."

His full lips twitched into a slight smile. "Two years apart and this is the first thing we talk about."

"Well, that's what we do, isn't it? We fuck around and talk about absolutely nothing. How sturdy do you think that counter is? I don't think we're at any risk of being interrupted."

Aurius crossed his arms and stepped around her, grabbing her hand and leading her further into the shop. "I think we have a lot to talk about first."

A shiver of guilt coursed through Maru's body; she tried to mask it with a grimace. He must have meant the baby--he must have thought there was a baby. It was cruel to let him think that, but she did not feel strong enough to tell him otherwise just yet. "Can it wait?"

He shrugged. "Who am I to argue with you? You're so stubborn that it isn't worth the trouble, no matter how obviously wrong you are." He placed his hand on the counter and firmly pressed against its surface; satisfied, he withdrew his arm to his side and grinned.

"I think it's mounted to the floor. It should be sturdy enough." He drew toward her and rested a hand on her shoulder, kissing her chin and working his way upwards along her jawline, concluding with a soft nip of her earlobe. "If you don't want to talk just now, then we might as well make use of the time some other way."

Maru ran her hand downward along his chest and unhooked a button on his tunic at random. "Pervert."

"You say that as if it wasn't your idea."

He threw his arms around her and dipped her downward as she pawed it the back of his leg with her foot. "Is this where we left off last time? For some reason, all I can remember is being beaten by a group of thugs twice my size before being thrown into a dungeon."

Maru's eyes narrowed as he plunged his face into her neck. "By Kitasa, you're disgusting--and I don't think I could love you if you weren't. Now stop stalling for time and just take off your damn clothes already."

The End.

...or is it?

Part III, Chapter Fourteen: Shao Finds Her as He Left Her

2010-09-02T14:01:00.003-07:00

Part III: Zhian

"One can travel the world and never find a sight so beautiful as the one called home." --Shiromori poet, c. 590 AE

April 27, 1112 AE
Shou Residence, Shouchuen, Zhian

Mia hadn't aged since Shao had last seen her. She looked much the same as the day he'd been taken--collapsed on the couch after a hard day's work, too thoroughly exhausted to climb the stairs and tuck herself into bed. She always worked so damn hard.

He wondered where the children were while their mother took her much-needed afternoon nap. Out and about, surely--even the youngest was at the age where he could roam about unsupervised. For all Shao knew, his eldest could have been married with babies of her own; he had missed so much.

Not anymore.

Mindful of the floorboards he remembered as creaky, he stepped toward the couch and lifted Mia's legs, sitting down before letting them fall back across his lap. He leaned over and slid his arms around her torso, lifting her upright. He felt her lashes flutter against his shoulder as she slowly emerged from her slumber. "...Shao?"

"Yes, love," he whispered as he brushed his lips against her cheek. "I'm sorry. I had to do something--I was made to do something. But it's finally done, and I'm home now."

Her lack of a reaction betrayed her as still half-asleep. Perhaps she thought she was dreaming. "You've had a long day, haven't you?" he asked her, gently massaging the small of her back, just as he had often done as she would fall asleep in his arms. "You work too hard, Mia."

Humming in agreement, her head slumped to the side of her neck. Her brow seemed warmer than he remembered; he hoped she hadn't been ill. "How about I make you some soup? I'll make sure it's still nice and hot when you wake up."

She straightened herself upright and nodded, a yawn escaping her mouth. "That sounds nice."

Shao nodded. First, he would carry her upstairs and put her to bed, then he'd start on the soup. He didn't know what he'd do after--watch her sleep, perhaps. It didn't really matter. He was home, and that was all he needed.

NEXT CHAPTER:

Part III, Chapter Thirteen: Aurius Steps Aside

2010-08-24T01:56:00.003-07:00

Part III: Zhian

"Perhaps there is such a thing as caring too much." --Zhi novelist, c. 1100 AE

April 27, 1112 AE
River's Gate Farm, Shouchuen, Zhian

"No, you should definitely go see what all the fuss is about," Covius insisted yet again, the smile on his face growing annoyingly fervent. "I swear, Takamari hired this girl just for you--she's young, available, and absolutely stunning. Seriously, drop by the flower shop this afternoon."

Aurius sighed. He knew that his brother-in-law's heart was in the right place, but couldn't Covius see that he just wasn't interested? There were plenty of women around in the event of him wanting a one-night stand, but as for an actual relationship, he still wasn't ready. He wished Covius and Danitia would just let him be until he was.

Fortunately, though, excuses were never in short supply. "I don't know. Visiting a woman I've never met while she's working with the sole intention of picking her up seems a little rude."

"She won't mind; with her body, I'm sure she gets men there all the time," the other man tried to assure him. "She's probably used to it by now."

"Then I see no reason why I shouldn't give the poor girl a break from that sort of nuisance."

Silence. Covius fiddled with his wedding band, then cast a sidelong glance his way. "Danitia's really worried about you, you know. She doesn't want you to die alone."

Aurius shrugged. "I won't. I have my son, and all of you."

"And what if something were to happen to us?" Aurius cringed; the question stung with the sudden gravity of an arrow to the heart. He had already lost most of whom he had loved, and did not care to consider the possibility that he may lose even more--especially Athayos.

Not again.

But he just couldn't say that to Covius's sad face. He put on a false smile and did his best to appear more confident than he felt. "Chances are that I'll be the first to go; I'll be fine."

His brother-in-law clasped his hands together and bit his lip. "Aurius, just humor me. I'm not saying that you have to marry her or anything--just go up and introduce yourself. For all you know, you might really like her."

"Look, Covius!" Aurius snapped at last, leaping to his feet and stepping in front of his brother-in-law. "I'm not looking for a relationship right now, all right? Can you just get off my back about finding somebody? I'm not ready!"

"It's been two years!" groaned Covius. "Stop being so selfish! Think of Athayos--he needs a mother!"

"Don't bring my son into--Covius! What the hell are you doing?"

He'd stood, suddenly wrapping his arms around him; Aurius rolled his eyes, then gave the younger man a quick pat on the back. "Covius..."

"I'm just giving you a hug, you moron," his brother-in-law told him. "You need one. You also need a slap in the face, but I'll leave that to your sister. Anyway, could you just swallow your pride and go to the flower shop? I think you're more ready than you think you are; for all you know, you're standing in the way of your own happiness."

Clearly, the man had no idea what he was talking about, but if Aurius was honest with himself, it wasn't as if he had anything better to do that day. Maybe he would go to the flower shop; if nothing else, perhaps he could pick out a nice bouquet for his largely pregnant sister. "Fine, I'll go--but don't start picking out wedding colors or anything."

NEXT CHAPTER:

Part III, Chapter Twelve: Maru Hears What She Did Not Expect

2010-08-06T23:12:00.003-07:00

Part III: Zhian

"The trouble with secrets is that they have a most annoying tendency to become public." --Tasian novelist, c. 430 AE

April 27, 1112 AE
Sky Dragon Inn, Shouchuen, Zhian

"Well, as I live and breathe! Maru!"

A smile broke on Maru's face when she recognized the young man behind the counter. "Qian!"

He had been the apprentice of the Zhi merchant who had escorted her and her party from Tasius to Shiromori over two years ago now. She hadn't expected to ever see him again, least of all behind the counter of a tiny little inn such as this; still, she'd found him a pleasant enough fellow, and after days of perpetual travel with only her horse for company, it was nice to see a familiar face.

With surprising athleticism, he propelled himself over the counter, then opened his arms for her to run into the embrace. "Now, would you mind explaining to me why the Crown Princess of Shiromori might just walk into a place like this--and in men's traveling clothes, no less?"

"Ever tried riding in a dress?" she teased. "It's a pain in the ass. These are much more comfortable--in fact, I might start wearing men's clothing more often."

"You do wear that outfit better than most men would."

"Exactly." She brushed a stray lock of hair out of her face and tucked it behind her ear. "Anyway, long story short, I found out my mother is living here now."

A frown curling on his usually jovial face, Qian raised an eyebrow. "It took you two years to figure that out?"

Maru scowled; she knew he wasn't being serious, but it stung all the same. "If that bastard who calls himself my father hadn't been hoarding her letters, I would have known earlier. Anyway, I can have a room? And would you by any chance happen to know where I can find my mother?"

"Yes, you can," he informed her with a wide grin, seemingly ignorant of her bile, "and yes, I do. She lives right in town, actually."

Maru felt her eyes widen in interest; she hadn't guessed it would be so easy to find her mother. "Where in town?"

"She runs a flower shop over on the west side, in the commercial district. It's the only flower shop around, so you'll know it when you see it." Qian tossed back his curly-haired head and laughed. "You know, it was quite the piece of gossip when she first arrived; we don't get many Shiromori setting up residence in these parts, and of course the fact that she arrived with a Tasian only made things seem more inter--"

"Wait, what?" Of all the things he could have said, she never could have expected that. "A Tasian?"

Qian nodded. "Some young fellow she sprung from the castle dungeons herself, believe it or not! Apparently her husband wanted him dead, so she freed the man to spite him. You Shiromori women really are more capable of surprising the world than anyone bargains for, you know that?"

"Indeed." And we're not the only ones, she added to herself, hoping the bitterness didn't show in her face. "He told me he'd had the man killed."

"Probably just trying to save face, if what I've heard about Kohashi is any indication," sighed Qian, his curls flying every which way as he shook his head. "I take it you never saw the body?"

"He told me it had been cremated." That liar. That fucking, cunt-faced liar.

But she'd already known that Kohashi was a liar; what she hadn't known was that Aurius was still alive. Finding her mother was even more urgent now.

"Thank you for the information, Qian," she acknowledged him, turning and her heel and heading toward the door. "It was nice seeing you again."

"Likewise."

She briefly looked back and sent a parting grin his way, then placed her hand on the doorhandle and stepped onto the street; she had a Tasian to find.

NEXT CHAPTER:

Part III, Chapter Eleven: Takamari Gives the Primary Reason

2010-07-31T23:58:00.003-07:00

Part III: Zhian

"Doubts are best dispelled by exposure." --Zhi philosopher, c. 690 AE

April 24, 1112 AE
Shouchuen Keep, Shouchuen, Zhian

Even though she'd resigned herself to the fact that her little boy might never know his two older siblings, Takamari was grateful that at the very least, he had his similarly-aged cousin to play with. She doubted either Maru or Kawa would be all that willing to indulge him by sitting on the floor and playing with a toy castle. Or perhaps they would have on occasion--in any case, it hurt to think about them. They'd never replied her letters; knowing Kohashi, they might have never even received them.

Kohashi. She didn't even want to think about thinking about him.

"Takamari?"

She turned around and smiled; there was no need to worry her sister-in-law. "Sorry, Shia. Just... dozed off for a minute."

Shia raised an eyebrow, but chose not to question. "I see." She turned her head, her green eyes resting once more on the children; Shia knew a lie when she saw one, but she seemed to make a point not to press Takamari. After all those years of Kohashi, it was a welcome freedom.

But all the same, Takamari did like conversation too. "So... has Naka taken a fancy to any young man lately?" It was weak, but it was the best she could come up with just then; she supposed age must have been catching up with her, if the first thing that came to mind was so dull a topic.

Her sister-in-law shook her head. "I think she thinks Aurius is cute, but you know as well as I do that she won't go there."

"Why shouldn't she? It isn't as if either of us has had any word from Maru since we came here."

Beside her, Shia stiffened. "Taka, just because you haven't heard anything yet--"

"It's been years, Shia!" she sighed, exasperated; she expected to have to explain this to Aurius, but she expected more practicality from Shia. "If she hasn't written back by now, she never will; knowing her father, she probably hasn't even seen any of the letters."

"Exactly--and perhaps she'll write back the second she finds one."

Takamari winced; at this point, the possibility was far too much to hope for. "But even if she does find one, I'm sure she's moved on."

"From him, maybe," Shia admitted, "but not from you. You're her mother."

Her toes curling inward within her slippers, Takamari clasped her hands together and started flicking a loose bit of skin by the nail of her left thumb. "As far as she knows, I abandoned her and her brother." There. She'd said it. This was the heart of the matter, why it hurt so much to think about Maru and Kawa--this above all else.

And yet, Shia laughed. "You silly little girl! If she finds one of the letters, she'll obviously know you didn't--you just had to get away from Kohashi. The minute one of your children finds out you've written, Taka, they'll set course straight for Zhian, no matter what their father says."

"You can't really believe they'd come all the way out here against Kohashi's will." Takamari leaned against the arm of the couch and waited for Shia's argument. Why would one of them stand up to him? Kitasa knew it had taken her years to reach her breaking point--who was to say Maru or Kawa might walk away sooner?

"Of course I can," Shia insisted. "They're your children, Takamari. They're survivors; they'll do whatever it takes."

NEXT CHAPTER:

Part III, Chapter Ten: The Guild Master Loses One

2010-07-24T00:31:00.003-07:00

Part III: Zhian

"Sometimes, the best way to achieve a desirable outcome is to take a less than conventional approach." --Tasian general, c. 1110 AE

April 24, 1112 AE
Willow's Edge Inn, Koheno, Shiromori

"My instructions," the Guild Master hissed as Guildsman Aero continued to glower, the defiance in his eyes something he had never seen from one of the Guild, "were perfectly clear. You were not to involve any extra parties, and Lord Kitasaka constitutes such!"

Unyielding, Aero shook his head. Where had he found the will? The Guildsmen were bound to his orders for the duration of their service--was Aero's time really drawing to an end? The bonds of the last Guildsman he'd seen leave had not so quickly dissipated, he was sure of it. "Lord Kitasaka is a direct forebear of Princess Marusake--I hardly think he counts as an outsider. Besides, there is a point where a Guildsman must go with his instinct, and mine led me to Kitasaka."

The Guild Master stiffened; he did not care to hear his own teachings thrown back in his face. "As I said, there was to be no other involved--surely this will not work now."

"But it is working," insisted Aero, his brows arched and his eyes simultaneously wide and tired. "If it wasn't, don't you think I would still be following your orders to the word?"

Whether compelled or not, he forgot his place; the Guild Master was on his last nerve. "Do you deny my authority then?"

Aero shrugged. "It seems I now have the right to do so if I see fit. Lord Kitasaka had to be involved--he had to find the letters, and he had to tell Princess Marusake. She wouldn't have taken a tip from an anonymous stranger; hearing it from her own grandfather, Kohashi's own father, had a much more profound effect. Trust me when I say she's on her way to Zhian right now."

"And she had better be!" he snapped. She had to be--the fate of the continent depended on it. That kid had to be born.

His underling nodded. "She is."

Aero then turned around and strode toward the staircase. The Guild Master scowled; he hadn't given him permission to leave. "Where the hell do you think you're going?"

The other man glanced back at him, though he refused to stop. "I'm going home to my family--where the hell do you think I'm going?"

NEXT CHAPTER:

Part III, Chapter Nine: Maru Chases the Far Thing

2010-07-17T00:16:00.005-07:00

Part III: Zhian

"Only when we wake may dreams become reality." --Zhi poet, c. 420 AE

April 23, 1112 AE
Shiromori Castle, Ayumora, Shiromori

Sleep had become a fragile thing for Maru. There had once been a time when she could have closed her eyes as her head touched her pillow, and that had been it. She would sleep for hours, no bell nor beast nor ballad capable of waking her. She'd woken only when refreshed.

But such a time was no more. Sleep had become evasive; every time she thought it was in her grasp, it slipped through her fingers, just out of reach and yet so far away.

Whenever she'd struggled to sleep as a small child, her mother had always known just what she needed. Lullabies. Warm milk. A story, perhaps. Her mother would not have let her spend the night tossing and turning; she would have done everything in her power to get Maru to sleep, and as always, she would have succeeded.

But Maru's mother was in Zhian now.

Sleep. Her mother. Aurius. Must everything in her life be so far away? How was it fair that all she wanted--all she needed--was so unattainable, while only the harmful, painful things remained? Above all things, she was tired; tired of Shiromori, tired of her miserable excuse for a father, tired of her horrid betrothal, and of course, just plain tired.

Before she'd lost Aurius, Maru had never been one to waste her life on the state between wakefulness and slumber. When she was tired, she slept--there was no sense in being awake if one was not fully conscious. She supposed that now, there was no sense in being awake at all. There was nothing worth waking for--not here, at any rate.

Falling asleep was a losing battle, and Maru knew when to retreat. She did not care to waste any more time chasing such an impossible end. Nothing she sought could be found--not here, at any rate.

She'd had enough of this horrid purgatory. She was going to Zhian.

NEXT CHAPTER:

Part III, Chapter Eight: Kiratake Is Stung

2010-07-07T09:13:00.004-07:00

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."

NEXT CHAPTER:

Part III, Chapter Seven: Kohashi Is Blind to the Motive

2010-06-30T00:10:00.005-07:00

Part III: Zhian

"Paranoia will cause an exaggerated perception of danger ninety-nine times out of a hundred--but even the most overly suspicious of all are right on occasion." --Shiromori doctor, c. 620 AE

April 21, 1112 AE
Shiromori Castle, Ayumora, Shiromori

"So it's settled," Ustelian confirmed with a grin as Kohashi lowered the stylus to the desk. "Taios and Marusake shall wed on the ninth of June."

Less than two months from now. It felt good to finally have a date in place, especially since Kohashi had been waiting two long years now for this marriage to occur. Ustelian had never threatened to call off the engagement, but by his lengthy refusal to set the date, Kohashi had begun to wonder if it was only a matter of time before he did--a valid concern, considering the questionable state of his daughter's virtue.

But now that the wedding date had been set, it was a done deal. Maru would marry Taios, and soon--and Kohashi would be, in effect, an emperor.

"Oh, not until I'm dead and gone, Kohashi."

Kohashi looked up; somehow, it didn't surprise him to muse that Ustelian could read minds. "Sorry?"

"You won't cease control of my nation until I have passed," Ustelian repeated, "and that is assuming that you outlive me in the first place."

How old was Ustelian? Older than Kohashi himself, he was sure of it; chances were that he would live to see the empire formed. "Of course."

Or would he? he couldn't help but wonder as he found himself frozen under Ustelian's icy gaze. Whether he was older or not, Ustelian was a little different from other men. Sharper, colder, more cunning. Perhaps he was of the sort who simply refused to die.

No. That sounded ridiculous, even in Kohashi's head. Everybody died--even Ustelian. Everybody would die--even Ustelian. And Ustelian would probably die before he would. Most likely.

Ustelian tossed back his head, then shifted his eyes back to Kohashi's. "But as long as the marriage does take place, then rest assured that your precious empire will eventually be formed--and now that the date has been set, the marriage will take place. Are we clear, Kohashi?"

Why did Ustelian have to take that tone? Up until now, Kohashi had been damned sure he'd been the one who viewed the matter with more urgency; was there something he didn't know? Was it possible that Ustelian had bigger plans, plans that he could not begin to fathom?

No. No, he was just getting paranoid in his old age--and even if he wasn't, he couldn't deny that this was in the best interests of his kingdom. "Yes, my lord. We are clear."

NEXT CHAPTER:

Part III, Chapter Six: Kawa States What Will Change

2010-06-22T23:51:00.003-07:00

Part III: Zhian

"The dangerous talk of today evolves to be the common sense of tomorrow." --Zhi philosopher, c. 530 AE

April 21, 1112 AE
Shiromori Castle, Ayumora, Shiromori

"...and then she starts chasing me around, begging me for a kiss, and I just keep running until I collapse. I figure I've lost her, but what do I know? She jumps on me and starts smothering me! I try to push her off, but she's stronger than she looks, so now my mouth is full of girly spit and it's gross and I hate it!"

Kawa paused, waiting for his sister to agree--disagree--laugh at him--whatever. But she didn't do anything. She hadn't done anything in... well, a while. Now that he thought about it, he wasn't even sure why he still tried.

And yet, for whatever reason, he did. "Well? Don't you have anything to say about that?"

Maru shrugged--at least it was a movement. "So what? She likes you and she's a little forward. There's nothing wrong with that."

Did that even qualify as a reaction? It hadn't seemed like her heart had been in it at all. Desperate, Kawa tried a different angle. "Father says not to take forward girls seriously."

As soon as the last word had breached his lips, he had to marvel at his own brilliance; both their father and forwardness were sensitive topics for Maru. How had he not managed to think of this before?

"In that case, I think you should marry her," she advised him, her expression a mask of half-amusement despite the neutrality of her voice--well, at least she was trying now. "That way, even if something happens to me, or he decides that he hates me enough to throw away the chance to become an emperor by passing me over for succession, he's still stuck with a forward girl on the throne. That would be sure to piss him off, wouldn't it?"

Kawa shuddered; he wasn't sure if she was joking, but he didn't think it worth the risk. "But I don't want to marry her!"

"Well, the way most people would see it, you have to now, or else that makes her a splay-legged slut for ever kissing a man other than her husband." She paused for a moment, taking the extension of her belt between her fingers and twirling it about. "Kawa, why do you think it is that if a man fools around with women before he's married, then he's just getting it out of his system, but if a woman does the same with men, then she's a filthy whore? It seems a little unfair, don't you think? I mean, when you get down to it, who declared it was any different? I doubt it was the Goddess--she's a woman herself, you know."

Kawa had to admit that he'd never considered that. Perhaps there was still a lot he didn't know--about sex, about the world, about anything really.

All he knew was that he did not want to grow up to be like his father.

"I don't know why that is," he agreed, hoping that at the very least, she would realize that she had an ally. "I suppose that's another way to piss father off--whichever one of us gets the throne, things like that are going to start changing."

NEXT CHAPTER:

Part III, Chapter Five: Aurius Is Hopelessly Gone

2010-06-17T11:23:00.003-07:00

Part III: Zhian

"Is it more foolish to fall in love, or to pull oneself out of it?" --Zhi poet, c. 890 AE

April 17, 1112 AE
Shouchuen Keep, Shouchuen, Zhian

If there was one thing Aurius had noticed about Takamari over the years, it was that her greetings had grown increasingly amorous with the time she had spent away from her husband. At first, she had nodded. Then she had smiled. Waves, embraces... now, a peck on the cheek. At first he'd thought it was just him, and maybe she was warming up to him, but Lord Takahashu and Lady Shia had mentioned a similar observation. She had been a caged bird for too long and was only now beginning to flex her wings.

"Takamari," he acknowledged her. "Here to pick up the boy?"

She smiled. "I hope I'm not late."

"Sun's still up, isn't it?" Aurius insisted. "You know Lady Shia doesn't mind--besides, it's healthy to take some time for yourself every once in a while."

Really, it was more than every once in a while... but hell, when he first met her, he would have never guessed he'd one day see her so happy. He didn't know what she did when she left the baby with her sister-in-law, but whatever it was, it was doing wonders. She looked almost like a different person; she looked so much younger.

So much like...

Aurius shook his head, then grimaced. "Say, Takamari... have you recieved any--?"

She cut him off with a resigned sigh--just as she had every time he'd asked in the past two years. Was he an idiot for hoping that he might get a different response one of these times? "Aurius, if I'd heard anything, I would have told you."

I would have told you. She would have. And she hadn't. In two years, Maru had never written back; if she hadn't by now, she never would.

And yet, he kept on waiting and hoping. "Am I a complete ass for thinking she might write back one day?"

"Probably, but there are worse sorts of men out there." Takamari paused with a sniff as she fiddled with the gold band around her finger. Aurius wondered why she still wore it; perhaps over the years, her fingers had swollen to the point where she had no choice. "My daughter's a lucky woman to have been loved by somebody like you, I think. I can't say I understand why she wouldn't reply."

"Well, thank you for the sentiment." Maybe it was simply because she'd never felt the same way? It was true that she had never told him otherwise; every time he'd admitted his love for her, she'd hastily changed the subject. Some vain part of him had assumed she'd only been afraid, but the thought seemed petty self-flattery now. If he had any sense at all, he would have walked right up to the maid's pretty daughter and asked if she cared to join him for a drink--it had been damn well long enough.

But he didn't. He was so hopelessly gone. It made even less sense than continually whoring himself out to Kinea--if nothing else, that had at least had some practical benefits. There was nothing practical about Maru, or the way he felt about her. It was painful and humiliating and almost disgusting how obsessed he was, and not practical at all.

But it gave him hope. If nothing else, he had the hope.

NEXT CHAPTER:

Part III, Chapter Four: Shao Plays the Waiting Game

2010-06-07T01:29:00.005-07:00

Part III: Zhian

"How beautiful can it be, the view from the top, when it cannot ever be shared?" --Shiromori poet, c. 750 AE

April 17, 1112 AE
Willow's Edge Inn, Koheno, Shiromori

Shao had once heard it said that the weakening of the Guild's hold could be felt as a Guildsman neared the completion of his true task. Indeed, he was supposed to have met Terrus in town for some trivial business, but he knew for a fact that one man could easily finish such a job on his own, so he had stayed at the inn instead--the former compulsion to follow orders in spite of his intuition all but gone.

He couldn't describe it, just how the Guild worked. Somehow, he had to do as the Guild Master said. Several times it had occured to him to disobey, but for whatever reason, he just hadn't been able to follow through with any of his planned rebellions, as if he had been robbed of his free will. Until now, that is, he reminded himself with a hint of a smile.

He knew what he had to do, this one task that was required of him before he was done with the damned Guild forever. It had already begun; at this stage of the game, all he had to do was wait for the king's father to inform the princess of her mother's letters, and if his freedom from the Guild Master's every whim was any indication, then the natural course had been set in motion. The Guild Master might have been annoyed with him for involving an extra person, but Shao was long past the point of caring--the sooner that he could put all this nonsense behind him and go back to his life, the better.

How much would he have missed by now? Far too much, at any rate. It wouldn't be long before his older daughters were having children of their own, and he doubted his two younger children would even remember him much at all. Once upon a time, he'd thought that six years was a relatively brief period, but now, he knew otherwise; his time apart from all of them had been an eternity.

But soon it would be over. He'd played time and time again the chain reaction in his head, and should anything go astray, he knew how to bend the process accordingly. As long as the princess ended up going to Shouchuen, he would be free.

He was already planning what he would do when the Guild's hold on him was broken for good. He'd teach his son how to fence, demonstrating the art using any ardent suitors his girls might have--each of them would have had a handful by now, he was sure of it. He'd then take his family for a nice picnic in the countryside and if his little girl begged him, he might even relent to let her braid his hair. They'd go home and his children would fall asleep in front of a fire not unlike the one he prodded now, and then, he and his wife would whisk away to the bedroom and make passionate love all night long. It had been six years, after all--they both had needs that had gone long unsatisfied, and damned if they didn't see them fulfilled any time soon.

Today, the crackling of the fire was the only company Shao had, but the thought of his approaching release made such realities bearable. Soon, he would cease to be a Guildsman; no longer would he be some pathetic errand boy to a trio of goddesses who didn't even show their faces to their own servants. No, as soon as Marusake was safely in Shouchuen, Shao could go back to being what he truly was, and all he truly wanted to be.

A husband and a father.

NEXT CHAPTER:

Part III, Chapter Three: Kitasaka Declares His Business

2010-05-31T22:28:00.002-07:00

Part III: Zhian

"Never was a more foolish creature than a man insulted." --Zhi philosopher, c. 260 AE

April 16, 1112 AE
Shiromori Castle, Ayumora, Shiromori

As Kitasaka could have expected, Kohashi opted to play dumb when faced with the accusation. "I don't know what you're talking about, Father."

Damn right he didn't know; he didn't know, and the sky was a brilliant shade of emerald green. Of course he knew. "Kohashi, don't flatter yourself by thinking you're a half-decent liar; you're well aware of what I'm talking about."

"Look, Father, I'd think I'd know if my missing wife had sent my children any letters--"

"But she did!" Kitasaka snapped, crossing his arms and biting his lip so firmly that he could taste a small amount of blood trickling into his mouth. "And you do! Those letters didn't just hide themselves in the dark recesses of your desk drawer, you realize!"

A vein throbbed in Kohashi's temple. "What the hell were you doing in my drawer?"

"Never you mind that! In any case, there must have been twenty letters in there, all for Maru and Kawa. I take it that neither of them were told that their mother had written?"

"If I don't get a letter from Takamari, then nobody does!" Kohashi roared, his anger quickly swelling from annoyance to outright fury. "I am the king, in case you've forgotten, and further more, I am the head of this household! When she writes to me, then I shall distribute the other letters--and not a moment before!"

This was irrational even for Kohashi. Where did the boy get it from? Had Kitasaka been the sort of man to doubt his loving wife's fidelity, he might have wondered if Kohashi was truly his son. "So you're blaming her, then? Even though there's not a chance in hell that she could possibly know your terms?"

The younger man clenched a fist; at this point, Kitasaka almost wanted a punch in the face, if only on the off-chance it might startle Kohashi more than it did him. "What goes on between my wife and myself is none of your business, Father!"

"Maybe so, but what goes on with my grandchildren is," Kitasaka informed him, his brow furrowing to a point where it began to ache, "and if you don't tell them about the letters, then don't think for a second that I won't."

NEXT CHAPTER:

Part III, Chapter Two: Maru Chooses a Color

2010-05-16T02:07:00.003-07:00

Part III: Zhian

"Pettiness is one of those rare ailments that takes a greater toll on the health of the uninfected." --Tasian journalist, c. 1090 AE

April 15, 1112 AE
Shiromori Castle, Ayumora, Shiromori

The other three were too excited to pay Maru much notice, but it seemed that even talk of a wedding could not bring relief from Kihara's ever-vigilant judgment. "You know, Maru, most women like to have some say in their own wedding plans."

How shallow her companions were. They didn't even realize that they had been molded to fit a society so rigid and superficial that even the most over-zealous of folk must have had more than a few conscious restraints--or if they did, they didn't seem to mind. Why was she still friends with such people? Perhaps she had grown too numb to even bother telling them otherwise; it seemed the only logical reason at this point.

"They're not my plans," she corrected the other woman as she turned away from the window. "They're my father's plans. You can't honestly believe that I'd be marrying this man if I had any say in it myself, can you?"

Kihara sniffed--she did that a little too often for Maru's taste. "Why not? Yes, he's not much to look at, but he's the heir to a sovereign state, meaning that once both of you ascend to your respective positions, you'll have a small empire."

"But is a small empire worth the cost of a hellish marriage?"

"Oh, marriage isn't quite so bad as you might think," Akiko tried to assure her. "If it's the sex you're worried about, it's not as if it isn't tolerable. It's a bit of a bother, yes, but it's not really any more of a hassle than any other chore."

They thought it was the sex that was the source of her apprehension? She wondered how they might react if she told them she'd actually had sex before--and that she enjoyed it. A few years prior, she would have done exactly that, just to see them squeal, but even that prospect seemed hollow to her now. Somewhere down the road, she had forgotten how to feel. "Akiko, the sex is a detail; it's just that Taios is probably the last man on the planet I'd care to spend my life with."

Miya sighed. "Maru, it isn't as if there's much variation within the male species to begin with; marrying Taios will be pretty much exactly like marrying anyone else."

There were so many things wrong with that comment that she decided to dismiss it as pure madness and deny it a proper reply. "It's the principle of the thing."

"Well, at least choose the color for the wedding, if nothing else," insisted Kihara. "Pink? Sky blue? Perhaps a soft yellow?"

Maru's lip curled inward as an opportunity for a subtle jab came to mind. "All right--black."

Four pairs of blue eyes exchanged confused glances. There was something mildly entertaining about watching them flounder, she had to admit; she might have smiled, if only she could remember how.

It was Senoka who spoke first. "Maru... isn't that a little bleak for a wedding?"

"Bleak?" repeated Kihara, nothing short of scandalized. "It's blasphemous! Maru, black is a color for mourning!"

Maru met each of their gazes in turn, then went back to staring out the window for no particular reason other than the lack of anything better to do. "Precisely."

NEXT CHAPTER:

Part III, Chapter One: Danitia Is Told What Is Not Pining

2010-04-30T00:21:00.005-07:00

Part III: Zhian

"Family and alcohol are alike in the sense that they are both the cause of and solution to any given problem." --Zhi novelist, c. 1100 AE

April 15, 1112 AE
River's Gate Farm, Shouchuen, Zhian

"I thought I heard some level of adult conversation down here," Danitia stated with a grin as she descended the stairs and stepped into her brother's embrace. "What are you doing here? I would've thought you'd have something more exciting planned for your day off than a visit to your sister's house."

"Who says I don't?" asked Aurius slyly as he kissed her cheek. "Maybe I'm just here to leave Athayos with you while I go and gamble away my earnings."

Danitia chortled. "Oh, Aurius--you don't even know a straight from a flush."

"What the hell is a flush?"

Smug, Danitia rolled her eyes. "Case and point."

Aurius sniffed. "In any case, how is it that you have come to think yourself an expert on shady card games?"

She tilted her head and smiled mischievously. "I have my ways."

Chuckling, Aurius placed his hands on Danitia's swollen middle and shot a loving glance toward her bulge. "You hear that? Seems like your papa and your brother can't keep your mama out of trouble; I suppose her safety rests with you, little one."

Danitia clicked her tongue. "Not even born yet and already burdened; poor baby."

"You'll have to tell Covius and Caius to pick up the slack, then."

"And give up my illicit gaming? I think not!"

Aurius tossed back his head as he gave her belly one last gentle pat. "Oh, Dani--wherever did I go wrong with you?"

"Well, you must have gone right somewhere," she surmised, "seeing as I live in a nicer house than you do."

He shrugged. "Fair enough."

Shaking her head, she laced her arm around his and led him to the couch, past the two small boys playing on the rug and Covius seated nearby. "Let's sit, shall we? This baby is even heavier than he looks."

"You know, they always say that... but once they're out of the womb, the babies are so light that you wonder why they were ever complaining," mused Covius, looking briefly to Athayos and Caius.

Danitia frowned. "We've been over this--once you've spent nine months with one inside you, then you're allowed to have an opinion."

Covius swallowed; it never failed. "I'll shut up now."

An obscure sort of grimace on his face, Aurius leaned forward in his seat and locked eyes with Covius. "Well, it seems that my sister managed to train you up quite well."

Danitia caught sight of her own lashes as her eyes narrowed. "Says the man who's still pining away after two years of separation from his own woman with absolutely no attempt at contact or even reply on her part."

"Dani, I've told you a thousand times--there is a considerable difference between 'pining' and not actively seeking the company of other available women."

"Speaking of available women," piped up Covius, a devious glint in his eye, "guess who I ran into in the marketplace earlier this week? Shou Mi-Shia. You know, Lady Shouchuen's maid's eldest?"

Aurius nodded. "Of course I know her; I work with her mother, remember?"

Covius sank back into the couch, crossing his legs. "She's about seventeen or so now. Very nice girl--talkative, but not to the point of being obnoxious. Very pretty too."

Danitia turned to face her husband. "So you noticed."

"Well, obviously not as pretty as you, love."

"Better."

"Are they always like this?" Athayos demanded of his young cousin as they maneuvered their dolls about the walls of the toy castle. Caius was too young for too verbal a reply, so he simply shook his head, banging the wooden figure against the crenelation in the process. A preciously skeptical look crossed Athayos's features. "Right..."

Aurius placed his elbows on his knees and winked at his son. "You must admit, though, that either one of these two is a much more handsome specimen than your scary old father."

Athayos shrugged. "That's neither here nor there."

Danitia exchanged a few snickers with her husband and her brother--children! It wouldn't be long before Caius was speaking in sentences as well. It would be even less of a wait before his little sibling arrived. She wished Aurius would just hurry up and find a wife already; as someone who never had any cousins, it might have been nice to have more than just the one to offer her babies.

Fortunately, Covius seemed to have the same idea. "Anyway, I had a little talk with Mi-Shia, and I think you and her would get along quite splendidly, Aurius--and you know, she specifically said that she finds single fathers very attractive."

Danitia snorted. "I'm sure."

"Well... maybe not that specifically--but she implied it, I assure you!"

Aurius sent Danitia an amused smile, then shifted his focus to Covius. "I've met the girl, you know. She is very nice, and quite pretty. But you know, there's nice and there's... well... you know..."

"What?" chimed Athayos.

His father laughed. "I don't know the word for it, son; just... something. Uncle Covius knows what I'm talking about--right, Covius?"

"Well, yes," Covius admitted, his brow furrowing, "but sometimes it takes time for that something to show itself. It doesn't always just dance into your life; sometimes you have to look for it."

Danitia nodded. "He's right, Aurius. Covius and I knew each other for a few years before we fell in love, and now that I think about it, we're probably stronger because of that. And really, you can't honestly expect Athayos to grow up without a mother, can you?"

Aurius took a moment to consider, the heel of his boot rising to the base of the couch and falling back to the floor. "We'll see what happens, I suppose. Anyway, have you two thought of any names for the new baby? It would be nice if at least one of your children doesn't get stuck with one that Covius just thinks up at the last minute."

NEXT CHAPTER:

Part II, Chapter Twenty: Maru Distinguishes Taking and Giving

2010-04-17T02:20:00.003-07:00

Part II: Shiromori

"Saying too much and saying too little are oft the same." --Zhi proverb, c. 210 AE

April 24, 1110 AE
Shiromori Castle, Ayumora, Shiromori

"Well, it's about time!"

Maru hadn't slept at all the night before. She'd tried for all of five minutes before deeming it pointless. How could she sleep while the father of her child sat in some filthy dungeon several storeys underground? And for some crime he never committed, no less? And--by Kitasa--incarcerated by her own father? Sleep had been out of the question.

Her father's severe mouth curved into a scowl. "You mind your tone, young lady! Also, what are you doing in your nightgown? Have you any idea what time it is?"

"Time to sort out this whole fucking ordeal, maybe?" she snapped in reply, his jaw dropping in shock. "Where's Aurius?"

Kohashi sniffed, his disapproval evident in every aspect of his manner. "Well, you certainly aren't going to find out if you don't ask nicely."

Doubtful of her ability to contain her anger, Maru clenched her fist tightly her nails breaking the skin of her palm. "Do I look like I'm capable of asking nicely right now? Tell me, where the hell is Aurius?"

"Watch your mouth!" her father spat, a glint of disdain in his eye that he typically reserved for beggars and criminals. "Why should you care about the fate of a stranger who tried to steal your honor?"

How was it that her supposed virginity was synonymous with honor in his mind? It seemed to her that he must have thought it the only honor she could ever hope to have. "He didn't try to steal anything! And he's not a stranger; I met him in Tasius. I've known him for a year! Where is he?"

Judging by her father's bulging eyes, the question was not the part of her spiel that he was considering. "A year? Kitasa be damned! He's already taken it, hasn't he?"

She returned his scornful accusations with a glower. "Who's to say I didn't give it?"

She watched as the color drained from his face, leaving him pale as some sort of graveyard ghoul. The look suited him. As of this moment, she held him in no higher regard than the most irksome of poltergeists. Even his lips were the bleached, cracked pink of a dying rose as he opened his mouth at last. "I don't think I can look at you."

Maru tapped her foot. "Good. I don't want you to look at me."

"And I shan't," he promised, turning on his heel and bursting through the door to the corridor. "By the way, your Tasian is dead. He was hung this morning on account of some injustices to his own king. Don't ask about the body, because we burned the remains. Have a nice day."

And with that, he slammed the door shut behind him.

It was just as well that he had left, because she didn't think she could bring herself to speak. It wasn't true... was it? Perhaps he had lied, just to spite her? Yes, that must have been it; he'd lied, and Aurius was still in the dungeon, just waiting for her to break him out.

And yet, the tears fell. She couldn't fool herself. He was gone; he was gone, and she'd never even told him.

It wasn't long before she was no longer conscious of her own crying. She didn't realize that her hair was sticking to her sweaty face, nor could she have cared. She didn't notice her racing heartbeat, nor the sharp cramping of her middle. She didn't even notice the drop of warm, thick liquid trickling down her thigh.

END OF PART II

NEXT CHAPTER:

Part II, Chapter Nineteen: Kohashi Is Persuaded

2010-04-07T20:17:00.003-07:00

Part II: Shiromori

"There is little overlap between those who are rulers and those who should be rulers." --Tasian dissenter, c. 1070 AE

April 24, 1110 AE
Shiromori Castle, Ayumora, Shiromori

"I take it there still hasn't been any sign of either of them?"

Kohashi needn't have asked; he already knew the answer. Ustelian's body language had a tendency to change with the status quo, and the man's stance had remained constant since he'd seen him hours earlier. Of course, he hadn't been optimistic to begin with anyway. Takamari had left him. His prisoner had escaped. Somehow, he had to deal with both disappearances without looking like a pathetic fool.

Ustelian shook his head. "I'm sorry, your majesty. Frankly, I'm surprised that you're in any functional state; were I in your shoes, I'd probably have barricaded myself in my bedchamber and cried."

He must have just been trying to be sympathetic, as Kohashi could not imagine any instance in which Ustelian would do such a thing. In any case, he could only frown. "If you're referring to my wife, the shock hasn't really set in yet; it seems so surreal than I can scarcely believe it as I see it. In the meantime, I'm more concerned about the prisoner at this point. I trust you told Banus all you know?"

The other man nodded. "He was... shocked, to say the least. He did give permission for you to do as you saw fit in that regard, and the added note that if you did not, he would."

"Convenient," Kohashi snarled bitterly. "The one thing we see eye-to-eye on, and the dog escapes from right under my nose. How am I going to explain this to Banus?"

Ustelian took a step forward. He was a few inches taller than Kohashi, but he had a way of making eye contact without having to stoop, or even appearing to be looking downward at all. How did he manage? Somehow, Kohashi doubted he'd ever know. "Fortunately for you, I've already thought of that. If the boy is on the run from you, then logically, he wouldn't show his face in these parts any time soon, correct?"

Kohashi's eyelids sunk to the edge of his vision. "Fair enough..."

"And if he's been hiding all this personal information from Banus, then he probably won't be running off to Tasius, correct?"

"Yes..."

Ustelian's eyes flickered toward the door. He then muttered, his voice lower than usual, "Well... seeing as this occured before the matter could become public... perhaps we could simply cover it up?"

Kohashi's brows arched. Coming from anyone else, he didn't think he would even consider a plan that relied on so many uncontrollable variables, but Ustelian had never steered him wrong before. "How so?"

The other man glanced toward the ceiling. "We tell anyone who was aware of the incident that you decided not to wait and hung the man at dawn. If anyone asks, you cremated the body shortly afterwards. It's obviously not the best of plans, but this situation doesn't exactly present many choices."

He had a point. Defeated, Kohashi fiddled with his wedding band. "True. You may tell Banus; I believe I should rather tell my daughter myself."

NEXT CHAPTER:

Part II, Chapter Eighteen: Aurius Is Halfway There

2010-03-31T00:44:00.004-07:00

Part II: Shiromori

"You never truly live until you find something worth dying for." --Zhi philosopher, c. 320 AE

April 24, 1110 AE
Shiromori Castle, Ayumora, Shiromori

The only light in the dismal cell came from the small, barred window of the locked door. Aurius supposed it was better than nothing, but it was only torchlight; unchanging, given these slow-burning Shiromori oils, barely different at midnight than it had been at sundown. How long he had sat in this dungeon, he couldn't be sure, only that it had been too long.

And yet, as no footsteps nor clinking of keys betrayed an approaching guard, it had not been long enough.

A rat in the corner scurried about, digging around for spare crumbs and whatnot. Aurius tried to follow it with his eyes to distract himself from his own throbbing face. The guards--on Kohashi's orders, he was almost certain--had beaten him liberally upon his arrival at the cell. He hadn't struggled; they had wanted him to struggle. If he had fought back, then they could have charged him with the assault of the king's men. They had gambled that he would be foolish enough or naive enough not to realize that; they had lost.

He probably looked a mess. Hours later, blood still streamed from his likely-broken nose, and even had the light been sufficient, he doubted his left eye would have been of any use. He'd been lucky to find that piece of string amongst the hay; at least his hair was out of the way of the blood.

But while he was in a wretched state physically, he didn't doubt that Maru was more stressed than he. At least he knew what was happening; she was in her bedroom, likely unable to sleep, writhing in both anticipation and fear of dawn's first light. This incident was probably taking its toll, on both her and the baby. Aurius did not think he could rest until he saw her again.

Outside the cell, a door creaked open; Aurius's gaze snapped to the cell window. Whoever it was pushed the door shut behind them, then continued on their way, their footsteps drawing nearer. Oddly enough, the tread was rather light--more like a lady's slippers than the heavy boots of a soldier.

And there was only one lady who would dare. "...Maru?"

A cloaked female figure stepped in front of the window; he saw little of her, but he knew the curves of Maru's face and body well enough to tell that he'd been wrong. "No," she replied in a whisper. "Her mother."

Aurius frowned. "Your majesty?" He had assumed that Princess Takamari was a meek sort of woman, the kind who dealt with difficult situations by relying on an overpowering husband, but perhaps he had underestimated her.

The lock on the cell door clicked open. "Please, call me Takamari--you and I are going to be seeing a lot of each other, so we might as well be on first name terms."

"Takamari," he repeated with more than a little awkwardness, pulling himself off the pile of hay and shuffling toward the door. "What's going on? Did your husband send you for me?"

She pulled the door open and shook her head, but he scarcely noticed the gesture--he was too distracted by the obvious bruising around her eye.

A grimace broke upon her face at the sight of him. "Well... aren't we a sorry looking pair."

He wasn't even going to pretend there was any humor here. "What happened to you?"

"Wardrobe door," she answered hastily. "Anyway... we have to get out of here. This is almost too convenient for Kohashi--it's a pretense."

"But Maru--"

Takamari silenced him with a roll of her eyes--a shockingly Maru-like action for a woman who had seemed to think herself more ornamental than anything else. "Don't be an idiot. Kohashi wants you dead and thanks to Ustelian, it won't be long before Banus does too. His plan is to hang you at noon. I'll explain on the way, but you have to realize that you can't throw away your life for some girl you've only just met."

"Just met?" he gasped in disbelief as he stepped out of the cell. "I've known her a year! And loved her the better part of it!"

Takamari sniffed. "Then this place is only more dangerous to you--especially if she loves you back. Kohashi would never stand to see his daughter with a desert dog, even if she weren't his firstborn."

"But we were going to run off together anyway! She wanted to leave tonight!"

"I can send for her later."

"But we're--"

She sighed. "Look, I'm only rescuing you because my daughter seems to like you--not because I want you to be together. Anyway, I have some other leverage that I know for a fact will make you cooperate with me."

Aurius scowled. "There is no leverage that can make me leave without her."

"You had a son, correct? He died as a baby?"

He froze. There was still enough lingering pain over Athayos that he did not feel comfortable discussing him. It had even taken him a few months to work up the courage to mention him to Maru. "I don't see how that's any of your business."

She gestured toward the wall opposite the cell doors. "Look."

Irritated, he did as he was told--only to step back in shock. "How...?"

He was bigger. He was older. He was healthy--and alive. But he had Aurius's own eyes--Danitia's eyes--their father's eyes. He had Kinea's mouth, and even the nose of Aurius's long-dead mother. How was this possible? Was this an illusion of some sort? Aurius tried to look back at Takamari, but found he could not take his eyes off the boy--his boy--his son. "What...?"

"My in-laws have been looking after him," she began in a whisper, "hiding him from my husband. A pair of Guildsmen rescued him from Ustelian--he brought him back to life as part of some sort of experiment or something, I'm not entirely sure. Anyway, they dug up your son's grave later just to be sure; it was empty."

Whatever remained of his rational side was skeptical. "That's a lot to believe."

"I know--but just hold him. He's real."

He wanted to believe it. He took a few steps toward the child and pick him up; sure enough, he was real. Very real. The baby even seemed to recognize him, if his little smile was any indication.

It no longer mattered that he was bruised and battered. It no longer mattered that he was a prisoner of the tyrannical ruler of an unfriendly country. His son was alive--and he was here. Unable to contain himself any longer, he hugged the boy tightly, a tear running from his eye and into a cut left by the wedding band of one of the guards--as far as he was concerned, it hadn't stung. "Athayos! I thought I'd never see you again!"

"He's a good little boy," Takamari assured him, though he had sensed it already. "I'm taking him to Zhian. He'll be safer there than he would be here. If you come with us, you may get a house there and keep him--and if I find I like you, I will send for Maru."

Aurius nodded. This was his chance. He would have a house in Zhian, with Maru and Athayos, the new baby and any other babies to come. Finally, he would have a family again. "Rest assured, Takamari--before we reach Zhian, you will like me."

Tilting her head beneath her hood, she gave him what he guessed was a half-smile. "For all I know, you're already halfway there."

NEXT CHAPTER:

Part II, Chapter Seventeen: Takamari Lets It Slip

2010-03-24T23:44:00.004-07:00

Part II: Shiromori

"There's a fine line between falling in love and falling apart." --Zhi novelist, c. 1090 AE

April 23, 1110 AE
Shiromori Castle, Ayumora, Shiromori

After what could have been an eternity for all Takamari knew in her anxious impatience, Kohashi finally returned to their bedroom. "What's going on?" she demanded as he closed the door behind him. "What happened?" If he hesitated to answer, she was prepared to grab him by the shoulders and shake him, and if that failed, she could do worse; she would not be left in the dark in regards to screams coming from her own daughter's chamber.

Kohashi sighed. "It's not for a lady's ears. Just go to bed, Taka; everything's fine now."

Indignant, Takamari squirmed; did he actually expect her to sleep not knowing what had happened? "Kohashi, that's my child down there!"

Her husband shook his head, then exhaled slowly. "Taka, Maru is fine. I found both Taios and that Tasian translator in her bedroom. Taios said that the Tasian was molesting her and he came to stop him; the Tasian claims it to be the other way around, and for some reason, Maru has elected to lie for him."

This didn't make any sense; Maru was not a liar. "Maybe he's telling the truth; maybe it was Taios. You can't deny that there's something not quite right about that boy."

Kohashi sniffed. "Oh, Taka, please think before you speak. The man is a Tasian--everyone knows that anything one hears from a Tasian should be taken with a grain of salt. You aren't seriously going to believe a Tasian, are you?"

Takamari shrugged. "I'll believe what Maru believes. She was the victim; she's the one whose account should be taken into consideration."

"I don't imagine it takes much to coerce an eighteen-year-old girl. Regardless, he broke the law just by being in that room alone with her, and I firmly believe that he broke an even more serious one--one that may be legal in his backward country, but is punishable by death here. I'm hanging him at noon tomorrow."

She blinked. In all her years of knowing Kohashi, he'd said his fair share of unbelievably stupid things, but this was a level of idiocy she had never considered possible to attain. "Are you insane? You can't execute a foreigner in a time of war!"

"I can if said foreigner is a suspected sexual assailant!" he hissed, his eyes narrowing to dangerous, serpentine slits.

"Suspected!" she repeated firmly. "You don't know for sure that he did anything!"

Irritated, Kohashi glared at her through his thin lashes. "Look, Ustelian has told me some things about this man--and if Banus knew what I know, he'd want him dead anyway. The scum's father harbored rebels during the last Tasian civil war. They executed him and his wife, then took the brat and his sister as slaves, where they were supposedly lost in obscurity, but the kid worked his way to the top by sleeping with that Kinea woman--with whom Banus is in love, by the way. If I hang this Aurius, Banus will be so grateful that he'll likely surrender!"

"You're mad!" Takamari screamed, desperate to find a way to pound some reason into his thick skull. "There's no chance that Banus would believe any of that if you told him after the fact--or even before the fact!"

"Lord Ustelian will talk to him!"

"Oh, well if Lord Ustelian bends to your every whim, then why are you married to me instead of him?"

She hadn't meant to say it--it had just slipped out--but as the final syllable spewed from her mouth, she couldn't help but feel a wave of relief, as if she had just dislodged a piece of meat on which she had been choking. He had been relying too much on this enigma of a man, never once thinking to consult his own wife instead; now that she thought about it, she was rather insulted.

And, apparently, so was Kohashi. "How dare you?"

"Well?" she snarled, the briefly absent tension flooding back into her veins. "Somebody had to say it! And it's about fucking time, too!"

Her husband's eyes bulged in repulsion. "Watch your mouth, woman!"

"No, you tit-fondling, cunt-licking bastard!"

"Shut up!"

"Never! Motherfucking, shit-eating, half-assed excuse for a--"

His fist met her eye with such shocking force that she found her voice unconscious. She moved her lips, she flailed her tongue, but no sound but a startled gasp left her mouth.

"I thought I told you," Kohashi seethed as he attempted to calm his shaking body "to shut up."

NEXT CHAPTER:

Part II, Chapter Sixteen: Maru's Worlds Collide

2010-03-15T19:56:00.005-07:00

Part II: Shiromori

"Failure to communicate is a mistake; refusal to communicate is a crime." --Zhi philosopher, c. 470 AE

April 23, 1110 AE
Shiromori Castle, Ayumora, Shiromori

Maru spun into her room and smiled as she noticed Aurius reclining on the bed. "Hello."

"Hello yourself," he replied, the toe of his boot rocking back and forth as she locked the door behind her. "How are you feeling today?"

She shrugged; in truth, she was fine, but she figured it would be unwise not to take advantage. "I could use a back rub, maybe."

Nodding, he slung himself off the bed and proceeded to spin her about, massaging her shoulders, then slowly moving down to the small of her back, then up again. Maru sighed in contentment; she could get used to this.

She released a soft moan as his hands slipped away, her muscles soothed and her insides stirring. "Not bad. Is that what they teach in your country instead of table manners?"

He dismissed her comment with a wave of his hand. "Of course--table manners are rather useless in comparison."

"Agreed. Now, help me pack--we're leaving tonight."

"Hmm?"

He took her in his arms and squinted, a shy grin curling on his mouth. "Tonight? Are you sure?"

She nodded. "Why not? We both want to get out of here, so why don't we?"

Aurius considered for a moment, his brow arched and his eyes narrowed. "You know--what the hell? Let's just go."

Maru sniffed. "So much for you being the rational one."

"In comparison to you, love, that doesn't take much," he breathed as he leaned in and kissed her. "Now, what all do you--?"

He was cut off by a knock on the door. Both of them froze, then exchanged a horrified glance that lasted a few seconds, until Maru gestured to the dressing screens at the side of the room. Nodding, Aurius darted between them and crouched on the other side, leaving Maru to turn to the door. "Who is it?"

"It's Taios," droned her betrothed's dull voice from the corridor. "May I come in?"

Maru cringed. What the hell was he doing here? "Didn't your father ever tell you that it is rude to impose one's presence in a lady's bedchamber?"

"My father was the one who told me to come."

That was certainly strange. She would have to confront Ustelian about it later, if she could get past the fact that he scared her more than anyone she'd ever met before. Figuring an answer wouldn't be the worst thing in the world, she unlocked the door and pulled it open, keen to keep herself near the fringe of the room and not to let Taios get past her. "Why are you here?"

"To spend some time with you," he answered as he strolled inside, much too casually for Maru's liking. "Is that such a crime?"

She shrugged. "Arguably, if my father catches you here."

"Oh, he won't mind if I'm here."

"Oh, really?" she inquired with feigned interest, her eyes bulging in amused disbelief. "And what makes you so sure about that?"

Stupidly, Taios cocked his head to the side. "My father said it wouldn't be a problem."

And how should he know what was and wasn't a problem? Unimpressed, Maru yawned. "Fascinating. Now, go away."

From what she knew of Taios, she had expected him to obey--but instead, he simply pushed the door shut, remaining on the side Maru had claimed for her own. "Oh, I see how it is."

He drew nearer, his arm reaching under her own and around her waist. Trying to mask her panic, Maru scowled. "What the fuck are you doing?"

"Just trust me," he muttered, his mouth so near that she could feel his rank breath on her flesh. "You'll like it."

"Like wha--?"

She didn't have to wait long to find out; his fingers rested upon her ass and squeezed, causing her to jump. "Don't touch me!"

Taios laughed, suddenly reminiscent of a gravely misled child. "As if I don't know what that means!"

Not giving her a chance to protest, he took her in his arms and pressed her body to his, a twisted smile on his face and his eyes aglow like those of a hungry predator. Maru squirmed. "Get off of me!"

"Your mouth says 'no', but your heart says 'yes'," he groaned as he pulled her in for a sloppy excuse for a kiss.

"Every ounce of me says 'no'!" she screamed as he devoured her neck was his clumsy mouth, a swelling hardness rising against her thigh. "You sick bastard! Leave me alone!"

Ignoring her, he took her skirt in his hand and began to pull it upward. Her ankle was exposed... her shin... her knee...

Then, she was flung backward as a result of his startled release. She'd been freed; someone had shoved him away.

"Correct me if I heard wrong," seethed Aurius, glaring at Taios through narrowed eyes, his fists clenched and his knuckles even whiter than the rest of him, "but I believe she told you to stop."

He was not a large man, but he somehow filled the entire room. Taios cowered in his presence; Maru took shelter in it. Trembling, Taios dared flick his eyes toward the other man's face. "You know women; everything they say is the oppos--"

"That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard!" Aurius snapped, straightening to his full height. "Iaytia be damned, I'm sick just looking at you! Don't you ever do that again, you disgusting fucker--not to her, not to anyone!"

Taios stomped his boot against the floor. "She's my betrothed!"

"I don't care! You have no right to touch her if she won't have you!"

"What the hell is going on in here?"

It was her father.

Maru gasped, one hand flying to her mouth, the other to her stomach. Her father was the main reason she locked the door when Aurius was in the room, but she'd had no time or presence of mind to lock it since she'd been saved from Taios. "Daddy!"

His eyes swept right over her as he entered the room, Ustelian at his heels. They rested briefly on Taios, then fell to Aurius. Maru cringed as Kohashi shoved Taios aside and proceeded to the Tasian.

"You have about half a minute to explain exactly why you are in my daughter's bedchamber before I tear off all of your appendages, including the one I don't see fit to mention in a lady's presence," her father snarled, his profile both livid and leonine.

Aurius flinched, taking a step backward; indignant, Maru bounced, ready to hold back her father if it proved necessary. "Daddy, I invited him! He's my friend!"

Her father shot her a glare, something she had never earned from him before; she was suddenly half her former height. "Don't lie for this piece of desert filth!"

Kohashi faked a lunge; Aurius continued to back away. "Look, your majesty... with all due respect, if I hadn't been here, who knows what Taios might have done to her?"

From his son's side, Ustelian snorted. "Oh, don't try to pin this on Taios--I daresay he doesn't even understand half of what you seem to be insinuating."

"From what I saw, he seemed to have at least some idea of what he wanted to do!"

"And you would know, I'm sure!" Kohashi barked, readying himself to pounce once again.

Unable to take any more of this, Maru tugged her father's arm and pulled him toward her. She looked him in the eye and frowned. "Daddy, please. Aurius was here because I invited him in, then Taios came and started doing things I didn't want him to do. If Aurius hadn't been here, he might have done more. I know you're tight with Ustelian, but don't try to pin this on Aurius just because he's a Tasian."

Kohashi was unmoved. "Maru, I don't understand why you feel the need to lie for this man."

"I told you!" she sighed, exasperated. "We're friends! And I'm not lying! What do I have to do to make you understand that?"

Her father's eyes narrowed dangerously. "You've changed since you came back from Tasius, Maru. I don't even know who you are anymore."

"She's your daughter!" cried Aurius from his place near the bedpost. "Listen to her! She's the most honest person I know!"

Kohashi turned back to him, his eyes like blue daggers and his teeth like a serpent's fangs. "Nobody asked you! Remind again me why I haven't killed you yet!"

"Because he's a guest, and your only means of communicating with Banus!" Maru insisted. "Daddy, just let him go!"

He reared his head, as though about to take a bite out of his freshly-killed prey, when he was interrupted by a voice from the corner. "Your majesty, if I may..."

Aurius peered through the gap between Maru and Kohashi and to Ustelian. The room's other three occupants quickly followed suit and stared at the man. Noticing that he now held all eyes in the room, a cool smile broke through his stony features. "It's getting late--surely we're all much too tired to deal with this now? Why don't you just lock the boy in the dungeon for tonight, and then we'll deal with this in the morning, when we're all rested and of a clearer state of mind. Besides, I imagine your wife is missing you."

Kohashi took a moment to consider the suggestion. "Fair enough. I suppose we have had enough excitement for one night. We'll talk in the morning, and I'd like to see each of you in a one-on-one conference. Now, dog--will you go to the dungeon willingly, or do I have to call for my guards?"

Close to tears, Maru shook her head. "Just let him go back to his room, Daddy. He didn't--"

Aurius pressed his finger to his lips, his new moon eyes begging her to stop talking; figuring it was the least she could do, she complied. He then locked eyes with Kohashi and nodded. "If that's what's needed to resolve this situation, then fair enough; I'll spend the night in your dungeon. Just make sure Taios doesn't come anywhere near this room."

Ustelian's eyelashes fluttered darkly. "Oh, I can assure you, Lord Aurius--that will not be an issue."

NEXT CHAPTER:

Part II, Chapter Fifteen: Taios Learns Something about Women

2010-03-09T00:18:00.005-08:00

Part II: Shiromori

"Obedience is an unusual childhood strength in the sense that it can become an adult weakness." --Tasian philosopher, c. 620 AE

April 22, 1110 AE
Shiromori Castle, Ayumora, Shiromori

Lord Ustelian was not a man to wait for people to step out of his way, nor even one to ask them to move. He simply pushed them aside and barged right past them; the man's own son, suddenly face-to-face with the stable wall, was no exception to this rule. "Sorry to have kept you waiting, Taios, but there was a matter that required my urgent attention. In any case, I'm here now, and I'm relieved to see that you are too. I was worried that you may have gotten lost somewhere along the way."

Taios laughed; his father said the strangest things sometimes. "Father, how could I get lost on the way from the castle to the stables?"

His father shrugged. "I have no idea, but you do have a penchant for amazing me with mind-blowingly stupid feats. Anyway, I have to discuss something with you."

He blinked; discussions with his father had always been few and far between, so far as he was aware. He wondered what the man could possibly want. "All right. What is it?"

"Oh, Taios!" sighed his father in a voice somewhere near the line between fond and patronizing. "Do you recall that talk I gave you when you were younger? The one that gave you nightmares for weeks?"

Taios shuddered, the painful visuals renewed fresh in his mind. "I think so..."

His father smiled. "Good. Well, long story short, I think you should do that with Maru tomorrow night."

He felt the corners of his mouth drop to a frown--he had no idea what to make of this suggestion. "I don't know, Father... aren't we supposed to be married first?"

The older man answered with a dismissive shrug. "You don't have to be married; that's just something married people say because married people are miserable and they want one aspect of life to be better for them than it is for their unattached counterparts. Besides, you're going to marry her anyway, so why not?"

"I don't know, I just don't think she likes me in that way," Taios muttered in reply, remembering their awkward, forced conversation at the banquet. "What if she doesn't want to do... that?"

Frowning, Lord Ustelian shook his head, as though Taios was six years old again and had given a wrong answer during his arithmetic lesson. "Taios, women always say and do the opposite of what they mean; the more passionately she tries to refuse you, the more she actually wants you."

NEXT CHAPTER:

Part II, Chapter Fourteen: Aurius Makes Note of Magnification

2010-03-03T00:12:00.002-08:00

Part II: Shiromori

"No matter what happens, there will always be a way to speak about even the most serious of things in a joking manner--except when there is not." --Zhi humorist, c. 1080 AE

April 22, 1110 AE
Shiromori Castle, Ayumora, Shiromori

Out of habit, Aurius glanced over his shoulder before entering Maru's room, then hurried through the door and shut it firmly behind him, turning the lock and playing with the handle to make sure it held. Satisfied, he turned around and smiled. "Hello."

Maru winked from the bed. "Hello yourself, desert dog."

Only Maru could take a racial slur and make it into a pet-name... or, at least he hoped that was her intention. "You had something to tell me?"

"Why don't you get comfortable first?"

Aurius kicked off his boots, then joined her on the bed, taking her in his arms and kissing her on the cheek. "All right, I'm comfortable. What did you want to tell me?"

A smug grin crept from the corners of Maru's mouth. "Are you sure you're ready for it?"

"As ready as I'll ever be, I suppose."

Maru inhaled, then looked him in the eye and stated, "That tunic makes you look fat."

"Oh, really?" he demanded, squinting at the sight of her snickering eyes; Aurius was not a man prone to laughter, but he found Maru's most eerily contagious. "Well, I could take it off if you like."

Maru giggled. "Then you'd just look fat again when you put it back on."

Sighing, he leaned toward her and pressed his forehead to her own. "You're one to talk, you know--that nightgown does tend to magnify your breasts. Not that I'm complaining, mind you."

"You bastard," she laughed. "I'll have you know that this is my favorite nightgown, and it's never magnified any part of my body for as long as I've had it. My breasts are only slightly larger because we're having a baby next winter. Now, stop blaming my changes in proportion on my nightgown."

His body jerked backward, a warm sort of stimulating sensation spreading throughout his core. He looked her in the eye and grinned. "Are you serious?"

"Yes," she insisted with a nod. "I really love this nightgown. Want to run off to Zhian before I get fat enough for anyone to suspect anything?"

Aurius shrugged, then took Maru in his arms and gently pressed her to the mattress. "All right, but we'll have to be careful; we can't risk anyone getting wise to us."

Maru rolled her eyes. "You worry too much--trust me, no one is going to get wise to us."

NEXT CHAPTER:

Part II, Chapter Thirteen: Shia Dispels a Blindness

2010-02-21T14:16:00.003-08:00

Part II: Shiromori

"There is something to be said about the time between a first and second glance." --Zhi artist, c. 860 AE

April 22, 1110 AE
Shiromori Castle, Ayumora, Shiromori

Shia had not guessed the boy to be a particularly violent child, but his ringing laugh each time he slammed the doll's head against the wall of the toy castle seemed to indicate otherwise. Perhaps it was just a phase; her own son had been a rather rambunctious boy at that age, but he had sense mellowed and grown more diplomatic in his inclinations. In any case, she supposed it wasn't her problem, and even if it were, there was no need to put much stock in it.

"That doll must have a horrible headache by now," she ventured with a grin, figuring it would only be smart of her to take advantage of Takamari's good humor. She and Kohashi, apparently, had made some sort of peace, but Shia was not so naive as to believe it would last long.

Takamari gave a brisk laugh. "The poor fellow probably feels as though he drank himself to hell and back last night."

"Indeed, only he isn't quite back yet."

She giggled. Two bouts of true laughter in the same short exchange? There could only be one explanation for this drastic elevation in mood.

"So, was Kohashi as good in bed last night as you remember him being? Or is age catching up with him?"

Her sister-in-law flushed a reddish shade of burgundy. Maybe that had been too bold, especially considering that this was a Shiromori princess she was talking too... but even despite her culture, the Takamari Shia had once known had never been the most prudent of women. Indeed, a Takamari of eighteen or nineteen might have been the one to think of such a question in the first place; it was nice to see that at the very least, that girl lived on in Maru.

"Shia!" Takamari gasped after a few seconds of incoherency. "In Shiromori, we do not kiss and tell!"

Shia shrugged; it may have been foolish, but she had never been one to admit to tactlessness. "Ah, but in Zhian, we do not get laid and shut up."

Her fingers twitching, Takamari's slipper skidded an inch or so forward. "Well, we are not in Zhian. And if you must know, it was quite like I remembered. Satisfied?"

Dropping the doll onto the castle drawbridge, the child turned his head, his dark eyes wide--and uncannily familiar. "What talk about?"

Shia grimaced at the boy, then turned to Takamari. "Uh... girl stuff. You wouldn't be interested."

This seemed a satisfying enough answer for the child, who nodded and resumed playing. Takamari, however, did not seem to share the sentiment.

"Shia? Are you all right?"

Her question prompted the kid to glance back at them again, allowing Shia another glimpse of his new moon eyes. She had seen them on someone else before, she was sure of it--but why hadn't she noticed this when she'd first met the boy?

"I'm fine," she assured them, waiting for the boy to turn back to his toys. As soon as he had, she muttered to her sister-in-law, "Do his eyes look at all familiar to you?"

Takamari's own narrowed as she dismissed the notion with a sniff. "I think I've seen about five Tasians in my life, and this boy was the first of them."

The child sent Shia a wide, toothy smile. She tried to return it as best she could, all the while studying his eyes and looking for hints in his other features. Now that she had begun this puzzle, she could not rest until she had solved it.

Fortunately for her, all it took was a slight inclination of the child's chin for all the pieces to slide into place.

That Tasian from the banquet--that one who had danced with Maru. Same eyes, same mouth, same brows... how had she not noticed this at the dance? Perhaps she'd been too preoccupied with the man's seeming familiarity with her niece to notice his resemblance to Kitasaka's ward. Regardless, it seemed a stupid mistake on her part now. It was so blindingly obvious that she had, indeed, found herself blinded.

"Taka... that translator who came with Banus..."

NEXT CHAPTER:

Part II, Chapter Twelve: Aurius Is Half at Fault

2010-02-07T21:10:00.002-08:00

Part II: Shiromori

"It's good to be bad." --Tasian brothel proprietor, c. 1090 AE

April 22, 1110 AE
Shiromori Castle, Ayumora, Shiromori

"Thank you for meeting me here," Maru greeted Aurius with a smile as he placed his hands on her waist and spun her away from the archway. She had adapted a rather devil-may-care attitude in regards to their meetings, so he found that he had to take it upon himself to make sure that they were, at the very least, somewhat concealed. Still, he had to admit, there was a certain thrill that came with the risk of getting caught--granted, he was not keen to know the consequences.

Aurius laughed. "It's not as if it's any inconvenience."

"Good. I need to tell you something."

The neutrality of her voice caught him off-guard. From his experience, that sentence was usually said with some sort of strong emotion, whether it be excitement or anxiety or urgency, but Maru might as well have stated that the sky was blue. "All right. Good news, or bad news?"

She shrugged. "Depends on how you look at it, I suppose. It's a bit of a... complication, perhaps. I think we can figure something out, though."

"A complication?" he repeated; since when was Maru one to worry about complications? "What sort of complication?"

"The sort that complicates things, stupid."

Chuckling, he ran his fingers down the side of her face, then caught a quick kiss; she'd eaten honey recently. "I'd figured that much. What does it complicate?"

She glanced up at him with a playful smirk. "Well, you'll have to figure it out, considering it's half your fault."

"Only half? That's a first."

Nodding, Maru reached for a lock of his hair and twirled it around her finger. "I wouldn't get used to it if I were you. Anyway, you see--"

"Aurius? Aurius, are you there?"

It was Kohashi's steward. He sounded like he was some ways away, but Aurius hadn't been born yesterday; if he didn't answer soon, then Kojihasha would find him.

And Maru. Together.

He gave her one last parting smile, then released her. "I'm sorry... can it wait for tonight?"

"It's going to have to," she agreed. "They must need you. Come to my room when everyone's asleep, all right?"

"I will," he promised as he hurried out of the room. "I love you."

"That's nice. Now, just shut up and don't keep them waiting, all right?"

NEXT CHAPTER:

Part II, Chapter Eleven: Maru Makes the Threat of Butterflies

2010-02-02T19:21:00.011-08:00

Part II: Shiromori

"The most romantic of gestures can occur without the intention--or even illusion--of actually being romantic." --Zhi playwright, c. 1000 AE

April 18, 1110 AE
Shiromori Castle, Ayumora, Shiromori

If Maru hadn't known her father as she did, she might have thought he was playing a practical joke.

She didn't know if she could trust her father to make such distinctions, but Taios Ustelian was quite possibly the must unsightly creature upon which she had ever laid eyes. With his long face, thick brows, and distinct lack of an upper lip, she couldn't help but think that instead of being the son of this mysterious lord on which her father had grown to rely, he might have been the product of a drunken encounter between a monkey and a carthorse. A monkey and a carthorse... when had such disgusting thoughts ever occured to her, anyway? She'd been spending far too much time with Aurius over the past year, it seemed; she wondered whether or not that was a bad thing.

Fortunately, creepily awkward smiles aside, Taios himself didn't seem to be any more interested in her than politeness dictated he should be. His eyes only rested on her for seconds at a time before they flitted off--to the ceiling, to the floor, anywhere. In that sense, at least he was preferable to pushy, self-deluding Kuchimatsu.

Still. It might have been nice to have someone interesting, or at least someone with whom she had a few things in common. If Taios had any passions, they were of such a small scale that she could not detect them. On the plus side, being married to him probably wouldn't be all that different from not being married at all.

She swayed back and forth, waiting for him to say something--anything--but he never opened his mouth for so much as a sigh. Maru clicked her tongue. "You know, if you don't have anything to say to me, you could just go to the table and wait for supper. I don't care."

Finally showing a spark of true interest, Taios arched a brow. "Really? I might just do that, then."

"Please, do."

He leapt from the chair with surprising, eager athleticism. "Thank you, Maru."

"Oh no, Taios," she called after him as he hurried on his way, "thank you."

And thank Kitasa that's finally over.

But now what? Now that she was officially betrothed, no one else was going to ask her to dance, and with Taios at the table, she wasn't about to head over there. Kuchimatsu's mother was seated behind her, and while she was pleasant enough for a conversation, she would probably be somewhat bitter about the fact that Maru wasn't marrying her son. There were her so-called friends in the far corner, but she had a distinct feeling that all they would be willing to discuss would be Akiko's damn baby and her own damn engagement. It seemed that her aunt and cousins were her only--

"Nice hair, Your Majesty."

She didn't have to turn around; that smile was not common in such crowded rooms, but it had been pointed at her so many times that she was well attuned to its feel. Damn, what a stupid notion, feeling a smile... but, somehow, she could. She didn't want to spend much time brooding over why--it just wasn't her style.

She decided to be blunt. She turned around and stared him in the eye, bold as she could muster. "Do you have a problem with my hair?"

With a brief lift of his shoulders, Aurius shook his head. "If anyone can pull it off, it's you."

"My father, he uh... he must want to make Banus feel guilty or something. He wanted the mark to be visible," she explained, absent-mindedly lifting her hand to her brow.

His new moon eyes narrowed to a dark intersect. "You have butterflies in your hair and you're worried about a mark?"

Maru scowled. "A real man could wear butterflies in his hair. Are you just jealous because I'm manlier than you, apparently?"

"Oh, by all means, of course not," he replied with a subtle smirk. "I mean, it's your birthday; it would be rather ungentlemanly of me to come in here looking prettier than you."

Over his shoulder, she could see Kihara sending a disapproving glance her way. Maru sent a careless wave her way, then faced Aurius smugly. "Oh, but it would so amuse me. That could be your present to me; I'll take these out right now, and you can wear them instead."

"With this tunic? I imagine they'd clash."

"All right, I'm willing to compromise," offered Maru, with a wink. "Midnight. My bedroom. We'll see how you look wearing the butterflies--and only the butterflies. Now, shut up and dance with me."

His jaw dropped as she joined in the steps, edging away from the wall and toward him. "Maru... isn't this a little... dangerous?"

"I'm dangerous," she teased. "You should know that by now."

"Yes, because those butterflies make you look so intimidating."

"That's nothing. You should see them on a scary Tasian with coloring like death... oh wait, that's coming up later tonight. I'll be sure to position my mirror at the perfect angle for the most frightening effect. Think you can handle the sight?"

Aurius laughed forcedly. "Can you? I'd only get to the see the reflection, you realize. You'd have to face the actual sight--you're going to scream yourself to death."

"If it's anything like the mental image, I'm going to laugh myself to death. Now, do we have a deal or not?"

Breaking away from the steps of the dance, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close--or, at least, as close as either of them dared in a room full of Shiromori nobles, off-continent diplomats, and Maru's forebears. "I love you."

She looked him in the eye and flashed him her most devious smile. "Nice try--you still have to wear the butterflies."

NEXT CHAPTER:

Part II, Chapter Ten: Takamari Takes a Plunge

2010-01-25T23:19:00.002-08:00

Part II: Shiromori

"Love is not a thing that easily dies." --Shiromori poet, c. 250 AE

April 18, 1110 AE
Shiromori Castle, Ayumora, Shiromori

It hadn't been all that long ago when Takamari had loved parties and banquets and the like, but in recent years, she had grown to dread them. All they did was provide an occasion for which she had to pretend to be happy, charming, pleasant... Kitasa, what an exhausting ordeal! She didn't even know that she could grimace if someone stuck hooks in the corners of her mouth and pulled; perhaps her body had finally reached the same hopeless emptiness as her soul.

What might have happened if she were to dive through the window in front of which she sat? Would she even feel the wind rushing past her face as she fell, that final collision just before her misery ceased? Maybe she ought to test this--if only she had the strength to jump.

"Taka?"

She flicked her eyes upwards to see her husband standing in front of her, beaming at her with a smile she hadn't seen in years. What has happening? Was it possible that she had jumped after all, and never even noticed? Was this the After? If so, why was Kohashi here? What could have possibly happened to him in the space of a few hours?

"Taka... can I sit down?"

Takamari shrugged. "I suppose you will regardless, so I might as well say you can."

"Thank you," he acknowledged her--a rare feat for him. He settled beside her, the grin on his face never fading. She had could hardly even remember what that meant anymore.

"You're so beautiful."

Her eyes narrowed at his obligatory compliment. "Thank you."

"You don't look a day over nineteen," Kohashi insisted. "Just as young and beautiful as the day we met... and that diadem! You haven't worn it since our wedding day."

After all these weeks, she had finally been given an emotion--surprise. "You... you remember?"

Chuckling under his breath, he rested his arm on her shoulders and pulled her closely, the fingers of his free hand interlocking with her own. "You think I could forget the sight of you? That white silk gown, your mother's diamond pendant..."

"...and the diadem," she finished for him.

"And the diadem."

Easing her guard down, Takamari allowed herself to share a quick grin with her husband. She'd forgotten how easy smiling could be if one happened to be in the mood to do so. They sat there for a moment, exchanging glances and timid laughs like a pair of young suitors during their first meeting, awkward and skittish as Takamari could ever recall, before Kohashi spoke again. "Want to leave the continent for a while?"

Takamari made a strange sound with her throat; after the fact, it occured to her that it was giggling. "Don't be absurd!"

"I'm serious," he pressed. "The guests from other lands will probably wish to return our hospitality after this conference, if only for their own diplomatic means; we could leave Maru in charge here and travel the world, just you and I."

"Kohashi..."

He shook his head, leaning in and planting a kiss upon her forehead. "I love you," he whispered, his very voice velvet against her flesh. "I always loved you, Taka."

Takamari couldn't help but tremble. "Kohashi..."

Her husband pressed his finger to her lips--the closest she had come to kissing him in years, she realized. "I know I've been an ass, Taka, and I'm sorry. If I could take back all those awful years I put you through, I would do so in a heartbeat... but we don't have to continue on like this, do we?"

"Kohashi..."

He kissed her again, on the mouth this time, his lips as innately kissable as ever. "I love you so much..."

This was getting to be too much--she was breaking down. At this point, it was easiest to give in to the revived instincts in the pit of her gut, the rekindled embers in whatever was left of her dying soul. She had to take the plunge.

"I love you too," she confessed, more to herself than to him. She wasn't sure it was the smart thing to do, placing her heart in his hands again, but she was long past the point where she cared about smart or stupid. She had done her part. It was up to him now, and she could only hope that he would make an effort--and if not, she supposed that in the end, that window wasn't going anywhere.

NEXT CHAPTER:

Part II, Chapter Nine: Aurius Is Greeted by a Smile

2010-01-18T21:18:00.006-08:00

Part II: Shiromori

"We begin to die the day we lose our ability to be surprised." --Zhi novelist, c. 780 AE

April 18, 1110 AE
Shiromori Castle, Ayumora, Shiromori

Just how proficient Banus was in the Shiromori language, Aurius had not known until they had arrived at the castle; upon being greeted by the steward, however, he found himself rather disappointed. Not that he was surprised--he somehow doubted that the King even knew what a gerund was, let alone how to form them in a foreign tongue--but it would have been nice if the man had known a few words other than basic greetings and the occasional color. Even Kohashi's introduction seemed to be more than Banus knew what to do with.

"He welcomes you to his castle," Aurius informed him in Tasian. "He hopes that your journey was pleasant and that your stay here will be comfortable."

Banus grunted. "I see."

He said nothing more. However, it seemed that Kohashi's command for Tasian was similarly weak, so as far as he was concerned, Banus could have said anything. In fact, the only member of Kohashi's party who seemed to understand Aurius's language at all was Lord Kitasaka, whose eyes flickered the way of the King as his mouth curled into a frown. Aurius half-expected him to comment, but he seemed to have decided against it--just as well.

"His Majesty thanks you for your hospitality, and assures you that the journey was without toil."

He sent a quick glance Kitasaka's way, silently pleading that he would not correct his liberal translation. Fortunately, the older man seemed to understand. Aurius resolved to speak with him later; somehow, he got the feeling that Kohashi's father could be trusted, or at least shared similar sentiments in regards to the war and the 'diplomats' involved.

"Tell him that he is welcome," bade Kohashi's wife in the ghost of a whisper.

Nodding, Aurius turned to Banus. "She says you're welcome."

Kohashi cleared his throat, summoning all eyes in the room to his face. "Tonight, we shall feast and dance, in celebration of both your arrival and my daughter's birthday. I trust you will find this an agreeable precursor to our negotiations."

It seemed that he was trying to test the limits of Aurius's Shiromori; if that was the case, however, he had not yet reached them. Aurius was not a proud man, but his one vanity was his uncanny talent for languages, and if Maru had failed to stump him linguistically over the course of their time together, he did not think that Kohashi could in mere weeks. "There's going to be a party tonight."

Banus raised an eyebrow. "A party? Like a drayos? I wouldn't have guessed they had such things in Shiromori."

"They don't. He just means a fancy dinner and dancing."

The old King's spirits were all but visible as they fell. "Oh. Well, that is rather disappointing. Is he trying to get my hopes up?"

Resigned, Aurius locked eyes with Kohashi. "His Majesty would like to inform you that he eagerly anticipates the festivities."

Kitasaka gave an odd cough that sounded suspiciously like a snicker. Beside him, his daughter-in-law didn't appear to have noticed--in fact, she didn't appear as though her mind was even in the room. If he had been a friendlier, more outgoing sort of man, and if the situation had not been so delicate, Aurius might have been inclined to offer her a hug.

There was something about her face that struck him as familiar--her husband's too, as far-fetched of a thought it was. He felt as though he had once before stood in the path of her blue gaze, admired her luscious lips, and perhaps come across a nose or two not much unlike Kohashi's. It was an eerie feeling; he did not know whether or not to ignore it.

There was no denying that Princess Takamari was a beautiful woman. She had to be at least in her mid to late thirties, but her flawless skin was as uncreased as that of a sixteen-year-old girl. Her golden hair glowed with a youthful radiance, and he would have been a dishonest man if he told himself he hadn't noticed her firm, ample cleavage. No piece of her was any older than twenty.

And yet, somehow, she looked so old.

"Where is she?" Kohashi inquired of her in an undertone; Aurius assumed that he meant his daughter and heiress, who had yet to make an appearance.

Takamari blinked. "She should be here soon."

"Well, she's late."

"She's a girl, Kohashi; she has more exciting things to worry about than your diplomatic exchanges."

"But she's next in line after us! She has to learn how to handle these situations."

"I'm sure her husband will be more than happy to take care of everything--I know mine is."

The Prince Regent opened his mouth to reply, but was interrupted by a voice from a nearby doorway--a voice that Aurius had certainly not been expecting to hear. "Sorry about that, I just... oh. They're here already... oh."

'Oh' indeed. He had meant to search for her, but he had never expected to find her so quickly, or in such a place as this.

And dressed so finely as well! Her shimmering blue gown put many of Kinea's best dresses to shame. What was she doing here? Did she live here? Was she a lady-in-waiting of some sort? A visiting lord's daughter? She had always made a point to avoid discussing her life in Shiromori with him; he sorely wished that hadn't been the case.

Her lashes barely fluttered his way after her initial notice of him, but his eyes followed her as she crossed the floor and approached the Prince Regent. Definitely a lord's daughter, Aurius figured, and an important lord, at that--no lady-in-waiting could be allowed to approach the him so casually.

Kohashi shook his head, flashing her an indulgent smile. "About time."

The hem of Maru's dress fluttered; Aurius knew that for a sign of her fidgeting. "Sorry."

Sorry? Since when had Maru ever told anyone she was sorry? So far as Aurius knew, there was only one person to whom she submitted absolutely, and that person was...

No!

"Gentlemen," Kohashi addressed the row of Tasians, "my daughter, Princess Marusake."

Aurius's gaze lingered on her as she scanned the line of them; it was all he could do to stop his heart from exploding. She was a princess? He, a lowly Tasian fisherman's son, had fallen in love with--not to mention, deflowered--a Shiromori princess? Iaytia be damned; Kohashi was suddenly the most frightening man in the world.

If Maru sensed his discomfort, she gave no indication. Instead, she faced Banus--who, Aurius was instinctually aware, had been ogling her the entire time--and stated "Welcome to our home. We are pleased to receive you."

Banus frowned. "I assume that's the daughter? What did she say?"

"She said that King or not, if you don't stop leering at her, her jealous suitor will murder you in a rather unpleasant fashion."

Kitasaka choked; Maru grinned deviously. It seemed she had not forgotten whatever Tasian she had learned.

"Sorry," the King apologized hastily, lifting his eyes to the ceiling.

Satisfied, Aurius turned to Maru. "He says thank you."

Kohashi chuckled, though Aurius could not be sure why. "I would introduce my son to you as well, but he is in a lesson at the moment. You shall meet the boy tonight."

Aurius relayed the message to Banus, then the reply to Kohashi. "He looks forward to it."

I bet Kawa wouldn't if he knew I was here, though, he added to himself.

Maru's eyes rested upon him. His face fell to the floor, as if in less than a minute, the toes of his boots had become fascinating. He tried not to stare as she glid toward him; he hoped she would not try anything foolish, like kissing him in front of her father. That would have been disastrous for the both of them... but after a second, he figured she was smart enough to realize that. If she wanted a kiss--or more--they would have to steal away later, and hope like they had never hoped before that no one caught them.

She stopped about a foot in front of him; he lifted his head to find himself greeted by her smile. "Hello," she whispered in his language.

Cautiously, he returned the grin. "Hello. Happy birthday."

"Thank you. I... I'm glad you came."

NEXT CHAPTER:

Part II, Chapter Eight: Maru's Sensation Fades

2010-01-09T22:00:00.005-08:00

Part II: Shiromori

"Once released, a bird does not return to its cage without struggle." --Shiromori showman, c. 660 AE

April 18, 1110 AE
Shiromori Castle, Ayumora, Shiromori

"There!" exclaimed Mayami as she tucked away the last loose lock of Maru's hair. "That should just about do it! You look beautiful, Your Highness."

Maru grimaced. "Thank you."

For a servant, Mayami had always had rather exceptional tastes, but Maru could not help but feel somewhat overdressed. She could scarcely believe that she had once worn such fine gowns on a daily basis. If this was how she was to greet her father's guests, what sort of unspeakable finery would she have to wear to the ball he was throwing in honor of both their arrival and her birthday? Was it even possible to dress any more formally?

Kitasa, she really had spent too much time in Tasius! Even her maid's dress appeared rather regal.

Mayami gestured for her to turn around. "Won't you look at yourself, Your Majesty?"

Shrugging, Maru turned around and faced her reflection. Mayami had done a nice job with her hair, she had to admit; the style managed to frame her face while still concealing that ugly mark, which was an impressive feat indeed. Perhaps Mayami and her husband ought to move to Zhian so she could make better use of her talent... of course, then Maru herself would be without a maid...

But hadn't she been without a maid for almost a year? And hadn't she managed to survive?

Well... her hair had certainly never looked so pretty in Tasius. But since when had Maru been one to care about hair anyway?

She didn't get it. Here, she was home. She was second-in-line to the throne of Shiromori, and she had all the comforts she could ever desire. She was not in that horrid desert and its dreary underground chambers and dismal caverns, nor would she ever be again.

And yet, why did she still feel so trapped, so stifled and enslaved?

"Er... Mayami?" she ventured, unsure as to why she was uncomfortable asking a question of her own servant. "This dress is rather fancy, and you've done such a splendid job with my hair... shouldn't this look really be saved for the actual ball? Wouldn't it be better if I just wore something a little less formal for now?"

Mayami gave a tired smile. "Well, you see, Your Highness... your father picked this dress. You should see the one he wants you to wear tonight--now that is fancy. Not to mention, I'm really going to have to outdo myself with your hair, or he'll have my head."

Her father...

Maru snapped her fingers as the pieces of the puzzle clicked together. "My father! How stupid of me!"

He had always been this controlling, it occured to her now, or at least in recent years--it was only now that she noticed because for once, she had been out of his reach for so long. She had grown unaccustomed to his complete orchestration of every aspect of life in the castle, her own existence included. Now that she was aware of that, she did not honestly know what to do about it. Her brief sensation of triumph faded; naming the problem hadn't helped at all.

"Your Majesty? Are you all right?"

Her mouth twitched into the most dazzling grimace it could muster; everything in this castle had a way of getting back to her father, so it was crucial that she keep this realization to herself. "Of course, Mayami. Now, be a dear and run and get me a slice of sausage, would you please? I have a most unusual craving for pork."

NEXT CHAPTER:

Part II, Chapter Seven: Hiseus Comes for an Answer

2009-12-31T16:29:00.002-08:00

Part II: Shiromori

"Anything one needs can often be found nearer than one would think." --Zhi lord, c. 340 AE

April 11, 1110 AE
Tasia Castle, Miesios, Tasius

"Your Majesty," greeted Hiseus dully as he slipped into the study. "My Lord."

Lord Aurius gave a nod of acknowledgment. "Hiseus."

"Hiseus," Banus parroted. "Have you any news for me?"

Hiseus shook his head. It was one of the rare occasions in which he brought to the King not an answer, but a question to be answered; needless to say, he did know the King, and therefore knew to brace himself for a prolonged period of silent frustration. "In this instance, I do not. I merely require an answer to Kohashi's summons, as I doubt he would care to wait long."

Nodding, the King turned back to Lord Aurius, as though Hiseus was nothing more than a small, insignificant child who had demanded a piece of cake. "You see, this is what I was telling you about--Kohashi has offered to host a peace talk, and I have to send a reply to his summons fairly soon."

Hiseus got the distinct impression that Aurius hadn't needed that refresher, but the younger man did not protest. "I see."

"I trust you spoke with Lord Ustelian about the proposition?" Hiseus inquired of the King.

Banus turned around, a frown on his face and a confused spark in his dark marble eyes--not that Hiseus ever did expect any more than such helpless maneuvers. "Of course. I spoke with him just yesterday. He says I should go, and that all I would have to do in order to get my way would be to constantly stroke Kohashi's ego, and that if I should be harmed in any way, Kinea and Nukus will launch a full scale attack, and the Zhi will surely side with us seeing as Kohashi will have gone back on his word."

"Then I shall send a reply saying you will go?"

The King sighed. "Well... not quite yet. You see, I have my party of guards in order, but I can't for the life of me find anyone who speaks passable Shiromori, and I do need a translator."

Now that he thought about it, Hiseus had to admit that it would be quite difficult--very few Tasians had ever bothered to learn that language even in times of peace. "I see. No one has come forth in answer to your announcement?"

"Not a single--"

"Your Majesty?"

Hiseus and Banus broke eye contact, transferring their attentions to Aurius. Hiseus, for one, knew that Aurius made a point of only speaking to Banus if it was about something important, and it seemed that Banus realized this to some extent as well. "Yes?"

Aurius's lips twitched into a slight smile. "I speak Shiromori."

NEXT CHAPTER:

Part II, Chapter Six: Kitasaka Finds the Obvious Flaw

2009-12-14T22:48:00.002-08:00

Part II: Shiromori

"Rarely is it wise to gamble on ignorance." --Shiromori tactician, c. 640 AE

March 29, 1110 AE
Shiromori Castle, Ayumora, Shiromori

Kohashi drummed the soul of his boot against the tiles. The tapping was hardly audible, at least to Kitasaka's old ears, but he could feel the vibrations on the floor, the couch, in the very air. No other noise rang throughout the room, but that beat was all-encompassing, a chanting crowd partaking in some pagan ritual. He could practically see its smoky waves weaving throughout the room, smell their putrid odor. It was almost like smoking some sort of hallucinogenic herb, clouding the senses, shrouding him in a dull stupor as though intent on pulling him into some fantasy world a half-step beyond the physical realm, urging You're dreaming, Kitasaka... Sleep...

But he couldn't--no matter what happened, he could not leave Kohashi alone with Ustelian, especially now that there was the matter of the boy at hand. If Ustelian were to mention him to Kohashi, and Kitasaka was unable to subtly pry the conversation away from that topic...

To his great relief, the sensation ceased as his son spoke. "So let me get this straight... they have either taken or surrounded all of the border towns?"

"Would I say it if it wasn't true?" Ustelian demanded in a mock-insulted manner. "Believe me, Your Highness, I have many trustworthy spies--I have more than enough evidence of the truth of my statement. I also know that they plan to strike both Kuro and Nishino within the fortnight."

Kitasaka watched as Kohashi fiddled with his wedding ring. It seemed that he was having difficulty processing just what Ustelian had said. "Son, if they establish themselves in Kuro, they will likely be able to take this city the next time they attack here."

"I know that!" snapped Kohashi, as though Kitasaka had spoken out of line--which perhaps he had, but not without fair cause. "Anyway... what do you suggest I do? We can't afford for this war to go on much longer, but I am only Prince Regent, and not yet King; I can't surrender if I'm not even ruling from my own throne--nor would I care to if I was."

Ustelian tossed his head back, his pale mane falling in such a way that it framed his hawk-like face with all the regularity of a smooth brick wall. "I see your point. However... perhaps you can resort to diplomacy without actually surrendering. It seems to me, Your Majesty, that you could potentially end this war on your terms simply by inviting Banus here for a peace talk."

Kohashi raised an eyebrow. "A peace talk?"

"I know it sounds rather... far-fetched," Ustelian assured him, "but Banus himself is not the most shrewd of negotiators. If it weren't for his advisers, you would have won this war long before it even started. Listen, Your Majesty; all you have to do is invite Banus for a peace talk. Banus, an interpreter of his choosing, and a party of guards--no more. Without access to his advisers, I doubt you'll have much difficulty talking Banus into an essential surrender."

Judging by the smile curling on his lips, Kohashi was at least partially convinced; Kitasaka, however, did not have to look hard to find the plan's obvious flaw.

"My Lord, Banus would have to actually agree to come here, you do realize," he ventured, "and if he knows that he cannot bring his advisers, I don't doubt for a moment that he would decline. If he truly does rely on them for everything, then I imagine he wouldn't dare delude himself into thinking he could handle something so important on his own. How can we be assured of his compliance?"

Ustelian let out a rather odd-sounding breath; Kitasaka found it suspiciously like a laugh. "A valid concern, my good sir, but... he will come. Trust me--he will."

NEXT CHAPTER:

Part II, Chapter Five: Hian Learns a Secret

2009-12-10T03:02:00.003-08:00

Part II: Shiromori

"The tongue is oft not a reliable source." --Tasian revolutionary, c. 1070 AE

March 28, 1110 AE
Shiromori Castle, Ayumora, Shiromori

"I hope that bath was nice and relaxing?" Hian-Li asked her cousin as she finished tying the strings of Maru's shift.

Maru sighed, twirling one red-gold lock of hair around her finger; Hian got the distinct feeling that the older girl's mind was somewhat preoccupied. "It was. Thank you, Naka; bathing conditions just aren't the same on the road."

Hian nodded indulgently, though it had been a rather obvious statement. "I trust they were fair enough in Tasius, though?"

"Surprisingly," Maru agreed. "They actually bathe quite often, those Tasians, since it's so damn warm in their country."

"I could have guessed that." But I suppose that's just because I didn't grow up in this backward kingdom like you did, she added to herself.

Maru merely shrugged. Hian really couldn't have expected much else; while they got along for the most part, the Shiromori in general did not make a practice of taking the words of the Zhi too seriously. A pity, really--even Hian's Shiromori father figured they might have learned a thing or two.

"Regardless, I imagine you're glad to be home," she mused, despite the fact that it really went without saying; her cousin had been so resolutely non-verbal upon her return that Hian felt the need to make up for Maru's lack of conversation.

The older girl sniffed. "Quite. Of course, as soon as Father starts talking about marriage again, I may think otherwise. Kitasa, Naka--I hope you realize how lucky you are that you get to choose your own husband, if you decide you even want one at all."

"Comfortable, Maru?" asked Hian's mother as she emerged from behind the screen, somehow maneuvering her largely pregnant belly through the narrow gap by the foot of Maru's bed.

Maru smiled, but something about her eyes roused suspicion in Hian; whatever she answered, the true answer was no. "Yes, Aunt Shia."

Liar.

She watched as her mother locked eyes with her cousin, then sent her what seemed to be meant as a reassuring grin--though to Hian's eye, Maru looked anything but reassured. "I'm sorry about this, but your father insisted. If you prefer, I could have your mother or grandmother--"

"Oh, no!" Maru protested suddenly, a note of panic in her voice. "No. I mean... they're busy. I'd feel horrible if either of them had to drop their important business for something like this."

Hian's mother's eyes narrowed. "Well... suit yourself, then."

"I will. Just out of curiosity, though... what are you going to tell my father?"

Shia shrugged. "That's what I'm supposed to find out. Now, are you ready?"

Maru swallowed. "Well... might as well get this over with, I suppose."

Nodding, Hian's mother brushed past her, pushing herself between the fireplace and the edge of the screen. Maru followed, a distinct reluctance in her every step; Hian half-expected her to turn around and run from the room.

"Don't be nervous," Shia tried to assure her. "Just make yourself comfortable, and it will all be over before you know it."

"All right..."

Hian sat herself down at the desk, fiddling absent-mindedly with her sleeve as her mother proceeded to examine Maru. Seconds passed like hours; she had half a mind to run off and play with Kawa. Then--

"Oh."

She was suddenly frozen. Never before had she been present for such an occurrence as this, but she knew that there was only one thing that 'Oh' could mean. "Maru," her mother's voice addressed her cousin, "what happened?"

For a moment, there was only silence. Then, finally, Maru replied in scarcely more than a whisper, "It wasn't rape."

For Maru's sake, Hian cringed. While neither she nor her mother saw anything wrong with this, she knew that Maru's father would--as would most Shiromori. This was why Maru had preferred to be examined by her aunt by marriage as opposed to her mother or grandmother; it all made sense now.

"I'll just... tell your father that you weren't hurt," Shia compromised, "which is the truth, correct? Now, Hian, don't you be breathing a word about this, all right?"

She nodded; it would be most unspeakable to have an innocent woman punished for something that was only natural. Cousin or not, this was one secret she was willing to take to the grave. "I won't, Mother."

NEXT CHAPTER:

Part II, Chapter Four: Kohashi Peers into the Seeing Stone

2009-12-01T13:31:00.004-08:00

Part II: Shiromori

"The time your eyes have been closed is measured not in hours or days, but in that which you have missed." --Shiromori poet, c. 530 AE

March 28, 1110 AE
Shiromori Castle, Ayumora, Shiromori

It seemed to Kohashi that his wife was unaware of his presence. She hadn't acknowledged him when he had walked into the room, nor had she even flinched as he had cleared his throat and collapsed onto the couch. Either she was trapped in her own little world or she was making a point to ignore him; at present, Kohashi was more inclined to believe the latter. What had happened to the magnificent woman he had married? That flirtatious, smiling girl who had looked upon him with such wild passion in her loving eyes? Who was this stranger in her place?

Oh Kitasa, she was beautiful, with her soft blond hair and her porcelain skin, and those pretty ears he'd always loved to tickle with kisses. And that dress! It was an old dress of her mother's, one of his personal favorites--but obviously, she didn't know how much he liked it, or she wouldn't have worn it. In fact, she believed he hated it; before Kohashi had married, his father had told him that a man should always lead his wife to think he disliked at least one of the dresses he secretly adored, so that he could admire her even when she was angry enough to dress to displease him. It was a sly trick, and he had felt horrible about it at first, but he certainly saw its purpose now.

But in truth, he was tired of seeing that dress. It had been reduced to nothing but a symbol of her dissatisfaction with him, the fact that their marriage was now no more than his own one-sided longing coupled with the need to keep up appearances. In his dreams, she wore nothing but their bed linens and a smile--and even in his dreams, that smile was fading fast.

"Your Majesty!"

The steward skidded into the room, nearly knocking down a nearby bust in his haste. Kohashi rolled his eyes--oh, the recklessness of youth these days! "Watch where you're going!"

The young man bowed. "Ah, yes, Your Highness, but you see..."

He trailed off; Kohashi raised an eyebrow. "Yes...?"

"Yes, well... you see, they came so unexpectedly, and--"

"Who came?" he demanded. "Out with it!"

The steward opened his mouth to reply, but it was not his voice that answered with the gleeful call of "Mama! Mama!"

"Kawa!" Takamari squealed as the boy dashed into the room and bounded into her arms. "Oh, Goddess! Is that really you?"

Kawa giggled. "It's really me, Mama! I missed you!"

"I missed you too, Kawa," she choked, a tear running from her eye; Kohashi couldn't help but grin as he looked upon the two of them together. "Very much."

"And now I'm back!" the boy exclaimed happily. "We escaped with a pair of Zhi merchants, and then we ran into Kuchimatsu and Eclipse at an inn in Koheno, and then he brought us back here, and now we don't have to miss each other anymore!"

So Kuchimatsu was here. Oh, joy. Good thing Maru was already tidily betrothed to Ustelian's son. Now, he only had to tell her...

How sweet it was to finally see that smile on Takamari's face again, even if it was not directed at him. "Oh, Kawa, I'm so happy you're back... bu where's your sister?"

"I'm right here, Mother."

Kohashi turned his head to see his daughter and that dunce Kuchimatsu file through the arch. Kuchimatsu stopped by the statue, locking eyes with Kohashi; clearly, he was thinking he deserved some sort of reward. Maru, on the other hand, proceeded immediately to her mother. "I'm sorry about everything. I shouldn't have snuck off, or at least I shouldn't have let Kawa tag along. I suppose it was just... rather bad timing for an afternoon in the city, wasn't it?"

Takamari sighed. "Well... whatever the case, at least you're safe now. That's all that matters."

Nodding, the girl stepped forward and embraced her mother. Kuchimatsu continued to haunt Kohashi for a trace of praise, but the Prince Regent grew tired of this and waved him off; he could not miss this sight for the pleading glances of a fool who had just had a stroke of dumb luck. His family was finally together again... finally happy again...

And yet, he could barely bring himself to stand. All three of them were just so untouchable; it was like he was a small boy again, peering into one of his father's old seeing stones, thick layers of crystal and miles and years separating him from the scene upon which he gazed. They were in a different place entirely, some perfect, ethereal world of which he himself was not a part.

At last, he managed to pull himself to his feet, just as Maru released her mother and turned to face him. She looked so grown-up; it seemed he had missed the last of his little girl. Somehow, over the course of her absence, she had become a woman. She had all the beauty of a blossom in full bloom, just waiting to be plucked from her branch and caressed by a gentle, loving hand. But why would she not meet his eye?

"Father," she addressed him.

"Maru," Kohashi replied, nodding to her and her brother in turn, "Kawa. Welcome home."

NEXT CHAPTER:

Part II, Chapter Three: Maru Is Shown the Advantage of Ignorance

2009-11-23T16:20:00.006-08:00

Part II: Shiromori

"The only thing more insufferable than a complete fool is a complete fool who is thoroughly unaware that he is, in fact, a complete fool." --Zhi novelist, c. 1100 AE

March 25, 1110 AE
Willow's Edge Inn, Koheno, Shiromori

It felt good to be back in Shiromori. There were a few comforts here that could not be found in Tasius. Windows, for one. The occasional sight of green, for another. Despite all this, however, Maru had found herself unable to sleep the night before. Perhaps it had been Zhou's snoring, or Kawa's thrashing about in the night; the occasional bout of nausea, or the baby's cries. Or maybe it was just the fact that she was no longer sleeping in someone's arms. She wondered how Aurius was sleeping these days; she hoped he was having just as much trouble as she was.

Aurius. He'd told her that he loved her... but what the hell did that mean? Having spent all that time with friends who wasted their days complaining about how horrible sex was and how their husbands were a necessity and not a luxury, 'love' was a foreign concept to Maru. From what she could gather, the phrase 'I love you' could mean either 'I want to see you naked' or 'Thank you for giving me a healthy heir, and keeping my household running smoothly while I fuck the maids'. Since Aurius, as far as she knew, had neither children nor a household, she gambled on the former, even though he had already seen her naked on many occasions Perhaps he was just being greedy that way.

"Maru?"

She looked up to see Danitia standing by the foot of the bed, a quiet sort of exasperation present on her face. "Maru, are you done? Covius, Kawa and Caius are already in the coach, and as long as you stay here, Zhou will be forced to continue his conversation with this ass downstairs."

She was speaking in Zhi, a language in which both of them were passably fluent. In fact, Danitia's Zhi was much better than her Shiromori; she would definitely need it where she was going.

Maru rolled her eyes, then pulled herself off the bed. "Well, if it helps Zhou, we might as well go. Who's the ass?"

Danitia shrugged. "Some pompous Shiromori idiot. I stopped listening to him after about five solid minutes him calling us desert dogs."

"It's better in Zhian," Maru promised. "You're more likely to be discriminated against for the way you crack your eggs than you are for your race there."

"I don't like eggs."

"Oh. You might want to keep that to yourself, then."

The other woman laughed prettily; Maru had always envied Danitia's melodic laugh. "Come along--we have to rescue Zhou."

Somewhat reluctant to get back into that stuffy carriage, Maru trudged down the stairs at Danitia's heels. "You're fine for the ride, right?" asked Danitia as they reached the bottom.

Maru frowned. "Hmm?"

"Well, you were a little sick last night. Are you feeling better?"

"Oh," she dismissed. "Yes, I'm fine, thank you. Probably just that awful excuse for a sup--"

She found herself frozen mid-sentence as they made their way further into the lobby. Danitia had been right about Zhou talking to an idiot, but never in a million years could Maru have guessed exactly which idiot it was. "Kitasa help us all."

"...and that is why one of these days, he's going to have to accept me for his daughter," Kuchimatsu concluded. "Shall I review?"

Zhou stifled a yawn, his boot scratching against the wood as though he was itching to pull himself from his place at the first sign of an opportunity. "No thank you, I think I got it."

"Ah, so you agree, then?"

"Ah... of course," choked the merchant. "You give many solid arguments. Now, if you'll excuse me, I was rather hoping to leave by midday, and..."

"...and there is hardly any time for me to explain the rest of the situation, so I'd better hurry!" finished Kuchimatsu--wrongly, Maru could tell by the pained stiffness of Zhou's form. "Perhaps I should just outline from the beginning. You see..."

Zhou's apprentice, Qian, took a few steps toward Danitia and grinned. "That bastard just doesn't know when to stop talking, does he? Rather arrogant too, I think."

"Poor Zhou," agreed Danitia.

Qian chuckled. "I'm just glad it isn't me. Anyway, I bet the girl he's talking about won't even give him the time of day, let alone... oh, how did he put it? 'Love him with the fires of a hundred suns', I think he said?"

Maru sighed; how did Kuchimatsu manage to delude himself so? "You're right about that, Qian," she muttered under her breath.

"...so, her mother and my mother grew up together, and when we were little, they would always talk about the possibility of--"

Suddenly, he stopped; to her horror, she could tell from the movement of his eyes that it was because he had noticed her. Oh, fuck!

"Well, as I live and breath," he whispered, seemingly gliding toward her; she shied away toward the counter. "My heart told me that I would be the one to find you, but I never imagined that it would be in such an insignificant place as this."

Maru groaned. "The hell are you doing here, Kuchimatsu?"

"That's rather strong language for a delicate lady such as yourself. Must be these desert dogs you're running about with," he sneered, sending a quick glare Danitia's way.

Offended, she rolled her eyes. "Have you considered the possibility that I'm just not so delicate a lady as you say?"

She had to scowl inwardly as he flashed an indulgent smile. She'd found him a pig before, but it seemed that in her absence, he had fully grown into his snout and curly tail. "Oh, you make me laugh, my silly little darling! Nonsense, every word--you're a perfect specimen of a fine lady, and don't think I don't know it," he added with a wink.

Her nausea from the night prior seemed to be returning. Somehow, she had to get him to stop with his self-flattering blasphemies. "Er... I have a suitor." She marveled at the half-truth of her own statement. Could Aurius be considered a suitor? He'd told her he would come for her, hadn't he? Didn't he claim to love her?

Regardless, Kuchimatsu's shameless grin remained. "Not if your father doesn't say so, you don't! And as far as I know, he hasn't said so."

"Well, has he ever explicitly said that I don't have a suitor?"

He gaped stupidly; she seemed to have him cornered now. Her victory was cut short, however, by a cold gust bursting into the inn as Covius opened the door and stepped inside.

"Hurry it up already--the children are getting anxious," he reminded them, as though worried that they had all forgotten about Kawa and Caius. He beamed in his wife's direction, then caught sight of Maru and Kuchimatsu. "Uh, do you two know each other?"

Kuchimatsu glowered. He was trying to look threatening, it seemed, though Maru found his expression more pained than anything. "Don't talk to me, you impudent dog!"

By the time Kuchimatsu finally left--if he ever did--Maru figured she would have memorized the inside of her own head. "Unfortunately, we do know each other. It would be polite of me to introduce you, but I think I'd rest easier knowing I'd spared you that agony."

"Thank you," Kuchimatsu acknowledged.

"I was talking to Covius."

As usual, her words simply bounced off his thick skull. It seemed that he could not ever be discouraged or offended--perhaps that was the advantage to being so unbelievably stupid. "You know, up until this moment, I was never aware that Tasians had names. I suppose you learn one new thing every day, do you not?"

"You personally might want to consider increasing your quota," Maru quipped.

Kuchimatsu waved his hand as if to push the notion aside. "Maru, Maru, Maru! It isn't as if I have unlimited space up there, you know."

You're telling me.

"Anyway, my dear, I think I'll make you love me even more by taking these dogs off your hands. What say you?"

What had he just said? "Wait... what? No, Kuchimatsu, you don't understand! They're my..."

It was too late; he had already turned back to Zhou.

"You may take these desert devils to your homeland as you intend to," he instructed the merchant, much to Maru's silent horror, "but I shall take the maiden and her brother from here. And I'm Lord Koheno, so I can do that sort of thing if I want, and you don't have a say either way."

NEXT CHAPTER:

Part II, Chapter Two: Shia Makes an Offer

2009-11-14T23:30:00.006-08:00

Part II: Shiromori

"Insiders are the informed parties, but it often takes an outsider to immediately see--and solve--the problem." --Zhi philosopher, c. 880 AE

March 23, 1110 AE
Shiromori Castle, Ayumora, Shiromori

Lady Shia-Lao could infer from her sister-in-law's unyielding chatter that Takamari was trying to distract her from the child, but in all honesty, she didn't understand how anyone could think that such a feat was even remotely possible. All the additions to the castle that Kitasaka's letter had warned her about--an irate Kohashi, a borderline spectral Takamari, and a complete lack of Maru and Kawa--had shocked her thoroughly enough, but that which he had failed to mention was beyond all reasoning. Perhaps he had avoided discussing the boy out of fear that the letter might be intercepted by some other party; considering the war, this was plausible.

Kiratake had told her that the boy had been raised from the dead. Of this claim, Shia was skeptical--at best--but there was enough intrigue to the presence of the child regardless of whether or not this was true. The Guild had delivered a Tasian child to the very heart of Shiromori, the damn castle itself, where he was being cared for by the Crown Princess and her parents-in-law, only choice servants and now Shia and her husband aware of his existence. She had not thought she would ever hear of such a thing if she lived to be a hundred and fifty, but alas, now she had even seen it for herself.

From what Shia had observed, Kiratake seemed intent on having the boy raised as though he were growing up under normal circumstances, but Kitasaka's very life was beginning to revolve around keeping Kohashi from finding out about the new young ward. So far, they had both been successful enough, but Shia's head and heart agreed that it was only a matter of time before one or both of them ran out of luck.

"Look, Kiratake, Takamari," she addressed Kohashi's mother, interrupting whatever Takamari had been saying; she would feel guilty later, she supposed, but she realized that this was more important. "I admire what you're doing here, but... Kohashi's eventually going to find out about the boy, unless you lock him up in a room somewhere. He's fine now, because he's still small, but what about when he gets a little older? He's not going to be happy living like this; why don't you send him along with Takahashu and I when we go home?"

Takamari's blue eyes flickered to Shia's bulging belly before resting on her face. "Thank you for the offer, but I imagine you'll be rather preoccupied soon as it is."

Shia shrugged. "Some women manage twins, don't they? Looking after two children under the age of three at once can't be much more difficult than looking after all of our tenants."

"Now that you mention it, that might not be the worst idea I've ever heard," Kiratake mused as the little boy in her arms yawned. "I'll mention it to my husband when I see him next--and you mention it to yours."

She felt a sly grin manipulate her lips. "My husband, of course, has no say in the matter."

"That's just as well; Takahashu never did like to make a difficult decision," reminisced Takamari, an exasperated, yet loving fondness in her eyes that had been her very signature once upon a time. "Part of the reason he abdicated, as I'm sure you know. A pity, though--you would make a better queen than I could ever hope to be."

Shia took a moment to consider this. The Takamari of old would have been a splendid queen, a far better ruler than Takahashu and even Shia herself--but alas, even without Kohashi in the room, and even in her jest of fair spirits, the woman was only a ghost of her former self.

"You'll manage, Taka, I'm sure," she eventually tried to assure her sister-in-law, but Takamari did not look convinced and Shia felt even less so.

Hastily, she shifted her gaze back to Kiratake and the child, now resting peacefully upon the older woman's breast. He was an adorable little thing, of that there was no doubt, and of a most unusually agreeable temperament for a boy so young--quiet, yet friendly. Shia was overcome with a deep sympathy for his parents. The loss of any child would have been agonizing enough, let alone a child so sweet-natured. Inside her womb, her own baby kicked; the feeling strengthened.

The poor darling. So young and small and helpless, stuck in a country where most of the inhabitants would hate him based solely on his coloring, and having to be kept under the radar from a dangerous presence in his own new home... if this was a home. At the very least, he looked happy enough, and his foster parents seemed fond of him, but as the daughter of one lord and wife of another, having been exposed to a variety of less than fortunate tenants over the course of her life, Shia was painfully aware that one could not live solely on love.

Forcing herself to smile, she turned to face Takamari. "Just think about it, dear. If the situation with Kohashi becomes too difficult, the boy is welcome to come and live with us... and as always, that offer stands for yourself as well."

NEXT CHAPTER:

Part II, Chapter One: The Guild Master Attends to His Business

2009-11-07T15:00:00.004-08:00

Part II: Shiromori

"Games of the mind are the only sort of games that scarcely provide mutual enjoyment." --Tasian prince, c. 230 AE

March 22, 1110 AE
Shiromori Castle, Ayumora, Shiromori

There had once been a time when the Guild Master had felt uncomfortable with taking such alien forms as that of a teenage girl, but he had since grown accustomed to the idea. In fact, it seemed even practical in some instances, assuming a persona of a different age and gender, as that would invite less suspicion in the rare event that he was dealing with someone who had any reason to suspect that he did, in fact, have business with them. Of course, such individuals were few and far between.

But he knew from personal experience that this Lord Ustelian was one of them.

Cautiously, he shuffled--as he felt that this incarnation was a rather shy, self-conscious girl who would walk by shuffling--toward the ladder to the upper level of the barn. He had a nagging suspicion that there was something of a particular interest up there, and by this point, he knew better than to ignore such intuition.

And he was not disappointed.

"Well, what have we here?" Ustelian slurred, drumming his fingers against the wall as the Guild Master continued to stare. "Indeed, I've been told that good things come to those who wait, but this... I suppose I've been waiting longer than I would have thought."

The Guild Master stiffened. Was he... coming onto him?

"But alas... what are you waiting for? Come here, and let me take a look at you."

Reluctantly, the Guild Master did as he was told. As unpleasant as the thought of a romantic encounter with Ustelian was, at least he might get some information out of him. If he'd thought it might have come to this, he might have come as a promiscuous, voluptuous beauty of twenty or so.

"Closer--I don't bite."

Immediately, the Guild Master added mentally on his behalf as he proceeded to run his hand along the curve of the girl's face, pushing a blond lock from her eyes.

Ustelian's expression was unfathomable. "Hmm... I do believe I've seen you prettier before, but I suppose this isn't the worst you've ever done."

I do believe I've seen you prettier before? The Guild Master was alarmed; did Ustelian know it was he?

"Indeed, there is a sort of handsome, speechless charm about you," he continued silkily, his finger's resting beneath this young woman's chin. "Clever of you, choosing someone shy and not conventionally attractive--more subtle that way, I daresay--but still, you always make the mistake of portraying... something... that never fails to spark my interest.

"Perhaps it is not the form; perhaps it is simply you."

This was certainly not going as he had planned.

Not at all as he had planned, he realized only too vividly as Ustelian's hand snaked down the side of the body. Ribs... waist... hip...

"All right, you got me," the Guild Master snarled as he returned to his own form. "Now, out with it--how did you know?"

Ustelian gasped in mock astonishment. "Oh, but how do you know that I knew? Perhaps I simply always talk nonsense to the girls I attempt to seduce, and am now rather horrified to realize that it was you all along?"

The Guild Master sighed. "I somehow doubt that. How did you know?"

The other man grinned deviously. "I always do."

"Yes, I'm sure," responded the Guild Master, rolling his eyes; it appeared that there was no use interrogating the man.

"Good. Now that that's out of the way... why are you here?"

The Guild Master scowled. "That is my business."

"Ah!" exclaimed Ustelian. "My good fellow, please--you cannot mistake me for a fool, you realize. Experience has taught me that your business is only ever the process of finding out about mine."

"What can I say?" the Guild Master growled. "You're a person of interest."

"Indeed--and never forget it."

"Never forget it," he repeated blankly. "From you, that phrase could have a thousand different meanings."

"I will admit that bluntness is not my strong suit," Ustelian dismissed with a grin.

"You certainly do have a way of making even the most obvious of things sound thoroughly vague."

His eyes narrowing, Ustelian slowly leaned toward him; the Guild Master was suddenly very relieved that he was in his own form and not that of the girl. "My dear friend," Ustelian addressed him, "I believe that is why after all this time, you still have no idea as to exactly what it is I am trying to accomplish."

NEXT CHAPTER:

Part I, Chapter Forty: Aurius Is a Myth for a Moment

2009-10-29T22:30:00.007-07:00

Part I: Tasius

"The word 'love' is proof of the laziness of men; so immense a thing cannot feasibly fit into four simple letters." --Zhi novelist, c. 930 AE

March 21, 1110 AE
Tasia Castle Caverns, Miesios, Tasius

"So, run this by me again," requested Covius as he prodded the fire. "You're giving us two hours to pack up and leave? With a baby who isn't even three months old yet?"

Aurius rolled his eyes; why was it that now, when he needed them to start gathering up their things as quickly as possible, they felt the need to question him? Couldn't they just trust him? "That would be the general idea, yes."

Nodding, his brother-in-law rested the poker against the wall and turned to face him. "I see. Might I ask why?"

"Do I need a reason to want my only sister and my only nephew to get out of this war-torn, godforsaken wasteland?" he hissed through gritted teeth--so much for hoping this would go smoothly. "You don't have too many possessions anyway; will it really take you all that long to get ready?"

"No," Covius admitted, "but I think there's a catch here, and I'd like to be informed before I go along with anything I'll regret."

Aurius inhaled impatiently, then crossed his arms and locked eyes with the other man once more. "Believe me, there's no catch; I just think you'd be safer in Zhian than you would be here."

"But you want us to go through Shiromori," Danitia mused as she planted a kiss on the head of her infant son. "Why else would you hire a Zhi merchant to accompany us? Legally, we're allowed to pass into Zhian unescorted, and don't pretend you didn't know that. We'd only need a Zhi companion if we were to travel to Shiromori."

His sister's cleverness had always been a source of pride for him, but in that moment, he might have preferred that she was one of those empty-headed, doe-eyed women that had always rather disgusted him. "Fine, I'll admit it; I need you to deliver Maru and her brother to Ayumora."

"Maru?" repeated his brother-in-law, turning his gaze away from Aurius. "Ayumora? Why?"

Again with the damned questions! Aurius scowled. "There's no time to explain; will it suffice to say that she's in danger?"

Covius frowned. "What sort of danger?"

"I don't know, the sort that will get her killed, maybe?" Aurius snapped, causing Covius to stumble backward in shock; for a horrifying second, he feared that the other man would topple right into Danitia and the baby. "I'm sorry, Covius, it's just... you two are the only ones I can trust with this, and I need you to share my sense of urgency here. Come on, don't make me play the 'you knocked up my sister' card!"

"All right, all right!" relented Covius in exasperation. "We'll pack up and take your little sweetheart back to her homeland. Satisfied?"

"She's not my--"

"Don't try to deny it, Aurius," his sister interrupted him. "Everyone knows."

He opened his mouth to tell her that there was nothing to deny, but then thought the better of it; that would be a waste of precious time, a resource that was quick to deplete. Instead, he turned back to Covius and made eye contact once more. "Just promise me you'll get her home safe, all right?"

His brother-in-law nodded. "I promise."

"Good. The merchant I hired as your guide will be outside the old passage in an hour and a half. He'll wait an extra half hour. You are to escort Maru and Kawa to the central square of Ayumora, and then I want the two of you to proceed to Zhian. You may then set up a home for yourselves wherever suits you. Write me when you arrive, and then again when your arrangements have been made, and again when you're settled. If you choose to write more frequently, then--"

"We get it, we'll write to you!" Danitia laughed, gently patting baby Caius on the back. "Now, go tell Maru what you just told us; you don't want to keep your Lady Love in the dark, do you?"

"She's not my--"

"We get it!" sighed Covius. "Just go tell her!"

"Right."

Aurius turned on his heel and pushed open the door, stepping into the hallway and closing it shut behind him. He listened for the frantic opening of drawers and rustling of clothing; satisfied after a moment or two, he then strode swiftly to the next room.

Maru's room.

Closing his eyes, he wrapped his fingers around the doorhandle and pushed it forward, revealing Maru and her brother seated on the floor, an open book in Maru's hands, her blue skirt billowing as it met the ground and her sunbeam hair shimmering even in the dim candlelight. She looked so vulnerable, delicate, so innately touchable--as though even a simple glare from the likes of Kinea could shatter her.

"Maru. Kawa."

Maru looked up at him and smiled; she really had no idea, did she? Was there any way she could know just how Kinea despised her? Just how far that woman would go to make her suffer, and him as well? To punish him? Of all the ways Kinea could have carried out her revenge, too--did she really have to drag Maru into this? How could anyone want to erase that smile from the face of the earth?

Suddenly aware from the fact that he was slowly freezing from his feet upward, Aurius swallowed. "Kawa... do you mind going to Danitia's room? She and Covius might need your help."

Kawa didn't answer--as Aurius could have expected, he supposed. The boy never had gotten over that horrible first impression, it seemed.

"Maru?" Aurius addressed her, failing to win her brother's attention. "Maru, I need to talk to you--alone. It's important."

Her face fell; she could not have possibly known exactly what this was about, but she could tell from his tone that this was a grave matter. He knew--after all this time, he had studied her face long enough to know such cues. Kawa, however, was not so quick on the uptake. "Maru, keep reading--you promised! What happens next?"

Maru shook her head, carefully bending the corner of the page and pressing the book shut. "I'll only be a few minutes, Kawa. Just... run along, all right?"

Kawa sniffed. "Fine. Be that way!"

As his sister pushed the book back into its place on the shelf, the boy stormed out, pointedly bumping into Aurius as he passed. He wasn't sure he could blame the kid; on one hand, he was only a child, but on the other, he certainly wasn't being cooperative at this crucial time. The door slammed shut behind Kawa, and his little footsteps could be heard as he made his way to Danitia's room. Soon, he would be pestering her and Covius with all the usual childish questions--What are you doing? Where are you going? Am I coming? Is Maru coming? Is Aurius coming? No? Good! I hate him!

"I did promise him, you know," Maru began as they heard Danitia's door creak open. "He's terribly lonely, you know, and rather jealous; he thinks I like you better than him."

Aurius sighed. "That's ridiculous; any fool can tell that you don't like me at all."

"I know. He's just a kid, though; he's allowed to be stupid."

Nervously gnawing on the lining of his cheek, Aurius ventured further into the room until he was within arm's reach of her; he brushed the back of his hand against her flawless shoulder, then looked her in the eye. "Maru, remember how I promised I'd get you home one day?"

She nodded. "Yes. Why?"

"Well... can you be ready in an hour and a half?"

Maru's lip trembled slightly as she cocked her head, as though trying to find a trace of a lie or a joke in his eyes. "An hour and a half? Well... yes... but this is rather unexpected."

"It's somewhat urgent," Aurius admitted, debating with himself about how much he should tell her. "Long story short, something's come up in regards to the prisoners that I do not wish for you to suffer through. I've arranged for a Zhi merchant to escort Danitia and her family to his homeland; I'd like for you and Kawa to tag along, and they will take you back to Ayumora."

It seemed a fairly safe half-truth; at the very least, Maru appeared to be convinced. She chose to remain silent, so he allowed himself to continue.

"I'm sorry this has to be so sudden," he apologized, "but... you're happy to be going home, right? I know how you feel about this place."

"I... I guess," Maru stammered in reply. "I mean... you did promise, and... well, thank you."

No sooner had her last word left her mouth than she had turned around; it seemed her blue eyes were intent on tracing the title of each book on the shelf. It occured to him that they were more interesting than he was... or perhaps simply more inviting? Why wouldn't she look at him?

"Maru..."

Sighing, she turned just so that he caught sight of her profile. She raised her thumb to her mouth and ground her nail across the gap between her teeth for a few seconds, then muttered, "So... this is it, then. I'm going, and you... you're just staying here?"

"For now," he agreed. "If you want, I can come after you later. Do you want that?"

For a moment, she did nothing; at last, she nodded meekly. "I'd like that."

"I would too," Aurius assured her as he stepped behind her and wrapped his arms around her. "I really would."

He gently ran his hand up and down her arm, burying his face in her soft hair. Vaguely, he recalled one of his father's ancient scrolls, upon which had been penned an old myth about a fallen demigod, cursed to carry the earth and every last insignificant thing upon it for all of eternity. As he caressed her stomach, he realized that in that moment, he knew what it was to do exactly that--only he didn't feel cursed at all.

On the contrary, he'd never felt more blessed.

An unfamiliar phrase lodged itself at the base of his throat. The words struggled upward to his tongue, only to find themselves barred by his teeth and lips. Dare he open his mouth? He had never said any such thing to a woman in his life, save for his mother and sister, and it now seemed to be a different sentence entirely. How would she react? Would she answer to this?

"I love you," he breathed into her ear; he felt her stiffen in his arms. "I love you, Maru--and if you like, I will come for you."

She said not a word. He didn't care; in fact, it was almost better this way. This was his proof that he truly did mean it. Had the words simply been a passing vanity, he might expected a similar response, but no--love was unconditional. Love did not expect to be returned. This was what love was--pure selflessness, sheer devotion, not some cheap whore waiting to be paid.

"Come for me," she instructed him once more. "Find me in Shiromori."

Aurius smiled. "I will."

END OF PART I

NEXT CHAPTER:

Part I, Chapter Thirty-Nine: Kinea Gets an Opportunity

2009-10-20T20:45:00.005-07:00

Part I: Tasius

"A chance wasted is no better than a chance never had." --Zhi priest, c. 640 AE

March 21, 1110 AE
Tasia Castle Caverns, Miesios, Tasius

"Your Majesty," Kinea greeted Banus prettily as she twirled into the room and stopped in front of the King's desk, beaming down at him with wide eyes. When he blinked, she chanced a glare back at Aurius, who was tending to the fire, then scowled to herself; it appeared that he hadn't even noticed she was there. Iaytia, what was wrong with that man--was he so thoroughly occupied with the nether regions of his Shiromori whore that he could not even notice a former lover blatantly flaunting herself to another? Whatever spell she had cast upon him, it was certainly working; little witch.

The King smiled up at her as he always did, but the usual spark of excitement could not be found in his eyes; it seemed that he had summoned her to discuss a serious matter. Seeing as Aurius was also there, she could conclude that it had something to do with the prisoners. She vaguely wondered just what it might be--Banus rarely took an interest in much that had anything to do with the daily workings of the castle, and the prisoners were no exception to this.

"Lady Kinea," he replied, his lips falling to a neutral, professional expression. "There is a matter I wish to discuss with both Lord Aurius and yourself."

Kinea nodded. "Discuss away, Your Majesty. May I inquire as to what this is about?"

"It seems that we are on the same page, My Lady, for I did plan to get straight to the point," affirmed Banus. "You see, this has to do with both the prisoners and the war."

The war--perfect. Not only did Kinea quite enjoy a good discussion of the war, but she also knew for a fact that Aurius found the subject rather bothersome. That hardly qualified as revenge, of course, but she figured she would take what she could get if she reasoned it was all cumulative.

"Fabulous. You know there is nothing more I love than talking about the war with you, Your Majesty."

As Banus closed his eyes contentedly, Kinea smirked at Aurius; again, much to her dismay, he paid her no heed. Frustrated, she shifted her focus back to the King, who fortunately hadn't noticed her lapse of attention.

"As you are undoubtedly aware," he began, "it would not be in anyone's best interests if we allow for Kohashi to continue with his warmongering. The fool is starting new battles wherever he seems to think there hasn't been enough destruction already, and the continent can barely handle the skirmishes at hand as they are. Any new ones could prove utterly disastrous to either side, but I would not put it past Kohashi to start some anyway."

"Go on," Kinea urged him, though in truth she did wish he would drag out the conversation a little, if only to torture Aurius.

Banus nodded. "So, I was wondering, Lady Kinea... would you say we need some sort of leverage in order to prevent this from happening, or at least slow the situation somewhat?"

"Leverage would help," she agreed. "Do you have anything in mind?"

Another nod, a grave air looming about him. "Do we have many Shiromori prisoners at the moment?"

At the sound of his words, she could almost hear Aurius choke behind her, his organs freezing despite the nearby fire. They both knew what the King was implying, and he, for one, did not like it.

Of course, that only served to prove to Kinea that it may have been the opportunity she had been searching for. "Shiromori prisoners, you say?" she mused allowed, locking eyes with Banus against all temptation of glancing smugly at the younger man instead. "Please do clarify, Your Majesty... do you mean to kill a prisoner? Perhaps one for every unnecessary siege Kohashi orders?"

"That is what I am proposing, yes."

As she took a minute to consider, she allowed herself to turn around and study the face of the man who had scorned her. His brow was twitching; his lip, curling inward. He did not like the sound of the plan, she would have been able to tell without looking. Perhaps what he liked even less was that he had no real power to stop it--Aurius was only here because Banus felt obliged to inform him of whatever he chose to do.

That, and he knew exactly what she would say.

If ever she had come close to loving Banus, it was in this moment. Here, he had unwittingly given her something she had been seeking since the day that Aurius had humiliated her so--a chance for vengeance.

Of course, his hopeful gaze told her that she would need to give him an answer in order for this to occur.

"I think," she started, clearing her throat and raising her fist, "that this is a most inspired idea, Your Majesty."

Banus cocked his head slightly to one side. "You truly think so."

"Oh, most certainly!" she assured him excitedly. "And to think... I even know just the prisoner to begin with!"

There were no words to describe how the opportunity so thrilled her. As she shivered through and through in her delight, she did not even notice as Aurius put down the fire poker, turned on his heel, and made his way out of the study.

NEXT CHAPTER:

Part I, Chapter Thirty-Eight: Kawa Asks a Question

2009-10-12T19:29:00.004-07:00

Part I: Tasius

"That which is said without thinking is oft what is truly thought." --Zhi satirist, c. 1070 AE

March 20, 1110 AE
Tasia Castle Caverns, Miesios, Tasius

"I just don't see why you never spend time with me anymore," Kawa whispered as the last of his tears drained from his eyes. "You're always working..."

He'd barely seen hide or hair of his sister for the past month or so. She didn't even sleep in their room anymore--or if she did, she came in after he fell asleep and left before he woke. He ate his meals with Danitia and Covius and the baby, while Maru--assumingly--had hers with Aurius. She did everything with Aurius; at least, she spent all her time in his study. She claimed that it was because her job required it, but Kawa was starting to have his doubts about just how much work they actually did. A few times, he had pressed his ear against the study door, straining for the scratch of a quill or the rustle of pages; instead, he had always found whispers and laughter, some private joke that the two did not see fit to share.

It was not just his parents, it seemed, who were in an entirely different country. It was as if his sister had escaped this place and left him behind.

And yet, she was right there. How could so many miles fit in the few feet between them?

"I'm sorry," Maru muttered at last. "I've just been... busy. Kawa, I'll spend all day tomorrow with you, all right? I'll ask Aurius for the day off."

Pleadingly, Kawa gazed at up at her. "And the night?"

His sister winced, a brief look of panic in her eye; why she had reacted in such a manner, Kawa had no idea. "...Sorry?"

"You work nights too," he reminded her with a sigh--it didn't seem like the sort of thing he should have had to point out to her. "Or else I would see you after supper, at least."

"Oh. Right."

That was it. No explanation, no excuse, nothing; simply "Oh. Right."

"I'll... ask for the night off too," she added hastily, seemingly sensing Kawa's disappointment. "I'm sorry, Kawa--really."

But was the night good enough, he wondered? Was even the whole day good enough? The whole week? Kawa didn't understand--why couldn't things just be like they were before? Why couldn't they just leave this place? Their father was both Crown Prince and Prince Regent of Shiromori--did mean, scary Aurius really have the power to detain them?

"Maru, when are we going home?"

He hadn't truly meant to ask it; nonetheless, it had slipped out just the same.

Maru's head tilted as her blue eyes wandered to the ceiling. Perhaps she was thinking that she would find an answer there--Kawa wished it could be that easy. For a minute or two, she simply stared, barely even blinking or breathing. Then, finally, she spoke.

"I don't know, Kawa. I don't know."

NEXT CHAPTER:

Part I, Chapter Thirty-Seven: Banus Finds the Leverage

2009-10-04T09:45:00.005-07:00

Part I: Tasius

"A conflict becomes a war when all room for negotiation is lost." --Shiromori general, c. 990 AE

March 20, 1110 AE
Tasia Castle, Miesios, Tasius

As he watched the flames wreak their havoc upon the logs, Banus couldn't help but think of all the Tasian towns that had met similar fates. Siheos, Cirreus, Isotia... all in flames. They were still standing, of course, but there was no denying that they had been damaged, perhaps beyond total repair.

Really, Banus had been expecting the war to be over by this point. Skirmishes between Tasius and Shiromori had been frequent for as long as even the history books could remember; why was this conflict any different? What had caused to grow to the massive struggle it was today?

It had been over a year now. Goddess, Banus missed the days when King Takada had been well enough to govern for himself; he, at least, had been enough of a diplomat to dispel the fighting every time it became an issue. On principle, Banus had never liked the fellow, but at the very least, he respected him--much unlike Takada's son-in-law, this brute Kohashi, who was running Shiromori these days as Takada drifted in and out of his comatose state, dying slowly, yet thoroughly.

Kohashi himself, of course, made no effort to negotiate. Instead of messengers, he sent more soldiers, more swords--more battles. Banus had half a mind to march right up to Shiromori Castle himself; if only age hadn't caught up with him.

But alas, Banus himself was not a diplomat by any stretch of the imagination. He had lasted this long as King--he grudgingly admitted--because of his advisers and Hiseus. Left to his own devices, he would likely be no better than Kohashi.

Perhaps they needed some leverage. Yes... that sounded like a good idea; it almost sounded like something Kinea would suggest. But what sort of leverage did they have over Shiromori? All that came to mind were the prisoners...

Maybe he would threaten to kill one of them. One for every future battle, perhaps; that might cause Kohashi to think before adding to the aggression. Surely he would have a problem with killing civilians--in fact, it seemed likely that they would only have to kill one, just to assure the man that they were being serious.

It was settled. Tomorrow, he would summon Lady Kinea to his study and see what she thought; he might summon Lord Aurius as well, since they were his prisoners and he had the right to know of Banus's plans for them.

But of course, the question was... which prisoner?

NEXT CHAPTER:

Part I, Chapter Thirty-Six: Aurius Damns the Rest

2009-09-26T22:57:00.004-07:00

Part I: Tasius

"Passion is the key that unlocks the gate between the the realms of possibility and reality." --Zhi philosopher, c. 220 AE

February 18, 1110 AE
Tasia Castle, Miesios, Tasius

After Maru had made her brief appearance at the drayos, Aurius had no longer felt obliged to stay himself. Fuck Banus, and fuck Kinea; fuck all these royal invitations and celebrations. None of that mattered anymore.

He had returned to his room hours ago, but he dared not venture past the doorway. He could tell that Maru was only pretending to be asleep, but he had been around long enough to realize what a woman meant by that. She didn't want him here--she probably wished he'd just leave and spend the night on the couch in his study.

She truly was a creature of another world. Once again, he pondered how she had come to even give him the time of day when at certain moments, it seemed she could hardly bear to look at him.

Not that he blamed her in this particular instance. Certainly to a wide-eyed, naive young Shiromori girl, events such as a drayos were an incredible cultural shock. Poor girl probably would have never thought such rituals existed had she not seen it with her own eyes; well, she certainly knew otherwise now.

Covius hadn't gone. No, Covius had stayed home with his wife and child, and he hadn't even had to think about that decision. Aurius, of course, had gone, despite the fact that in truth, he would have preferred otherwise. He hadn't had any fun--not this time. All a drayos was, it seemed, was a chance to fuck shamelessly with any person one desired; it was ironic that the one person he desired had been in his own bedchamber nearly the entire time he had been gone.

Not for the first time, he mused that the whole affair had been a mistake. She could never be happy with him, nor could she ever understand him--nor he her. His mother's cryptic words echoed throughout his mind: They are the people of the sun, and we are the people of the moon. Very rarely can we stand to share the sky, and much less the earth...

He felt he may have understood her now; he thought he knew what she had meant. Iaytia, how he wished he could tell her that--that and everything else. It seemed now that she had always had an answer to everything; perhaps she might have had an answer for this.

Very rarely can we stand to share the sky...

"...but I wish we could," he added softly, perhaps on the off-chance that somehow, his mother could hear him from the grave; at the sound of his whisper, Maru stirred.

It was a tragic coincidence. There were many women he could have loved, women of his own race, his own background and attitudes... and yet, there was her. She had waltzed into his life, and that had been it. She was the sun; everything revolved around her.

And damn it, he would be lying if he claimed not to like it.

He was done with moping around and feeling sorry for himself. The only thing he could do was make things right with Maru, and the rest be damned either way. This was his lover, his angel, his goddess; he could accept that. He had accepted that. If he wanted her to do the same, then he was obliged to take action--he did not wish to lose her like this.

Slowly, and just loudly enough that he knew she could hear him, he began to step toward her. She was motionless; he took that as a good sign.

After what seemed like an eternity, Aurius kicked off his boots and pulled back the covers on the empty side of the bed, settling himself down beside her. She hastily rolled over, but did not kick him away, nor scream at him to leave her alone; perhaps she had calmed somewhat by this point.

With continued caution, he gradually inched toward her, just obviously enough so that she knew what he was doing; if she wanted him to stop, he wanted her to have the opportunity to let him know. He felt it was the least he could do, as she had endured enough surprises for one night.

She turned her head, peering at him out of the corner of one incomparably blue eye. For one precious moment, she was silent; he marveled at the fact that she could be so magnificent without even saying a word. Then--

"I don't even know who you are."

Gently, he placed his arm around her waist in a comforting motion; she shivered slightly at first, but soon eased as she seemed to realize that he wasn't about to force her into doing anything she didn't feel up to at the moment.

"I think you know better than you think you do," he assured her as he embraced her, inhaling the sweet scent of her hair. "We'll talk in the morning, all right? Let's just get some sleep, Maru."

It wasn't long before she complied. Relieved, he allowed himself to follow suit; even with just that one step, the sun was already shining a little more brightly.

NEXT CHAPTER:

Ashelia at War

Table of Contents

Part III, Chapter Fifteen: Maru Has a Perverse Idea

Part III, Chapter Fourteen: Shao Finds Her as He Left Her

Part III, Chapter Thirteen: Aurius Steps Aside

Part III, Chapter Twelve: Maru Hears What She Did Not Expect

Part III, Chapter Eleven: Takamari Gives the Primary Reason

Part III, Chapter Ten: The Guild Master Loses One

Part III, Chapter Nine: Maru Chases the Far Thing

Part III, Chapter Eight: Kiratake Is Stung

Part III, Chapter Seven: Kohashi Is Blind to the Motive

Part III, Chapter Six: Kawa States What Will Change

Part III, Chapter Five: Aurius Is Hopelessly Gone

Part III, Chapter Four: Shao Plays the Waiting Game

Part III, Chapter Three: Kitasaka Declares His Business

Part III, Chapter Two: Maru Chooses a Color

Part III, Chapter One: Danitia Is Told What Is Not Pining

Part II, Chapter Twenty: Maru Distinguishes Taking and Giving

Part II, Chapter Nineteen: Kohashi Is Persuaded

Part II, Chapter Eighteen: Aurius Is Halfway There

Part II, Chapter Seventeen: Takamari Lets It Slip

Part II, Chapter Sixteen: Maru's Worlds Collide

Part II, Chapter Fifteen: Taios Learns Something about Women

Part II, Chapter Fourteen: Aurius Makes Note of Magnification

Part II, Chapter Thirteen: Shia Dispels a Blindness

Part II, Chapter Twelve: Aurius Is Half at Fault

Part II, Chapter Eleven: Maru Makes the Threat of Butterflies

Part II, Chapter Ten: Takamari Takes a Plunge

Part II, Chapter Nine: Aurius Is Greeted by a Smile

Part II, Chapter Eight: Maru's Sensation Fades

Part II, Chapter Seven: Hiseus Comes for an Answer

Part II, Chapter Six: Kitasaka Finds the Obvious Flaw

Part II, Chapter Five: Hian Learns a Secret

Part II, Chapter Four: Kohashi Peers into the Seeing Stone

Part II, Chapter Three: Maru Is Shown the Advantage of Ignorance

Part II, Chapter Two: Shia Makes an Offer

Part II, Chapter One: The Guild Master Attends to His Business

Part I, Chapter Forty: Aurius Is a Myth for a Moment

Part I, Chapter Thirty-Nine: Kinea Gets an Opportunity

Part I, Chapter Thirty-Eight: Kawa Asks a Question

Part I, Chapter Thirty-Seven: Banus Finds the Leverage

Part I, Chapter Thirty-Six: Aurius Damns the Rest