We left Rokugan Yogasha Shiro behind in high spirits. Things had gone well enough for us, all things considered. The Northern Emperor appeared as if he might agree with us, that his primary concern was saving the Empire. Hiro had a bride, and we all felt glad for him. It was a good marriage. We had fresh horses, supplies, and a purpose. It almost felt festive.
The weather was pleasant enough. It was cold at night, but not so cold that we could not be comfortable. In the morning the sun warmed the air, and melted the frost. Fortunately no great amounts of snow had fallen yet, so the roads were still passable. The cool, crisp air tickled our noses, and the air was so clear about us.
For the most part we relaxed and enjoyed the ride. The two Samurai who had joined us, Kakita Shinso and Doji Rogashi, did not fit in well with us. They spent a lot of time ignoring Niya, Akayama and Hashi. Me they were not sure of, they did not appreciate my friendship with the three they were ignoring. Murusashi they did not understand nor did they even pretend to. Hiro they would talk to, but he was spending most of his time with Akayama talking of battles the Crab General had fought, and playing Go with him at night.
We were a day or two from Otousan-Uchi when it happened. I had been feeling a little uneasy for a time, occasionally looking off the side of the road. Perhaps it was some noise, or lack of noise that should have been there. A few of the others were also looking a little disturbed. Then it happened, and I had time to yell out, and throw myself off my horse before a volley of arrows passed through the space I had so recently occupied.
Of course this was not just an attack on me. Arrows were falling all around us. I had grabbed my bow and quiver as I went off my horse and was already placing an arrow.
There were twenty four of them. two groups with bows, two already moving forward to finish us off. There were eight of us to their twenty four, and they had surprised us. They never had a chance.
Even as I was releasing an arrow and watching it bury itself in the chest of one of the bow men. Even as Murusashi and Akayama were charging the advancing groups, Hiro called lighting down on them.
The battle did not last long. We quickly had killed them all. Unfortunately Kakita Shinso had been killed by one of the arrows. It was an unfortunate loss. Doji Rogashi had been wounded and needed to be treated. Niya offered him aid, but he refused her.
I walked among the bodies of those we had killed, wondering who they were, Probably just a bandit group I told myself. As I looked I noticed all of them had some small item, or a the remains of some cloth that had been torn off that bore certain colours. All of them made me think of Shiro no Yojin, recently held by Kakita Kenshin.
I told myself that they were just things that bandits had picked up, perhaps when looting the battle field. But all of them? And they were so far from the castle now. I did not say anything about it though. I wonder if any of the others noticed?
We left the battle scene behind us, moving farther down to the road to one of the Imperial Way Stations. We planned to report the bandit activity and see if we might find someone to get Rogashi-san’s wounds treated.
We discovered the Way Station to be deserted and at first feared that the bandits may have killed all the men. Looking around we decided this was not likely. There were no signs of conflict, no bodies, and the interior of the building looked very clean, with what few things remaining neatly put away. It appeared as if the men had left this way station at leisure. It was as if they had been ordered away.
Hiro, Murusashi and I would look around the area, Hiro even went off some distance, tracking something, but when he came back he said he had found nothing.
We spent the night in the way station then pushed on the next morning. Rogashi’s wound slowed us down so we did not arrive at the hub village until the sun was setting. We were welcomed to our accommodations in the hub village. It was both a dojo and a set of barracks, but there were also guest rooms that were quite comfortable.
Food had been prepared, as well as baths. I went to the baths first, more than happy to get clean. I finished bathing before any of the others arrived in the rather ornate bathing room. I got dressed and then went to the dojo to practice before I fell asleep. It had been some time since I had managed any real practice with my katana and I felt it was time to do something about that. While I knew that was on a mission of diplomacy, I did not pretend that it might come down to sword play at one time or another.
I heard that the rest of my companions went to the bathing rooms to clean up. When Hiro entered and removed his clothing he revealed a ugly black scar on his back. For some reason I’ll never understand, Murusashi asked loudly if the wound was the taint? That Murusashi is not dead speaks highly with his skill with his swords I think.
Rumours were spreading around the village by the next morning about the Unicorn and his strange scar.
But that was the next morning. I was still in the dojo when Akayama came in, just wearing a kimono, his hair still damp. He swung his boken around in practice strikes, making that sword whistle through the air. Not long after he was approached by several students who wanted to try themselves out against the big Crab.
Akayama agreed and was soon knocking the students down with just enough force to make his point, but not so much as to cause lasting hurt. I watched occasionally as I took a break between the two hundred or so repetitions of each strike. As my sensei’s said to me, attain perfection in the simple things, then rest will come.
Finally the sensei of the school came and sent his students off. He then thanked Akayama for providing his students with such valuable lessons. Akayama smiled broadly and asked the sensei if he played Go. I was still practising my swings when they walked out together.
The next morning I bathed again, then got dressed for the day. We would reach the doors of Otousan-Uchi before the hour of the Horse had passed and I wanted to be ready. A fine kimono, covered with a cloak to protect it from the elements, my hair, which had grown some since I had hacked if off—and had been trimmed neatly during my time in the Northern Emperors court—tied back with a simple ribbon.
My companions were also dressed well: Akayama in his fine armour; Hiro in a fine kimono in his clan colours; Niya, who had managed to find a new kimono she would wear; and the rest. We said our goodbyes to the sensei of the school, then rode off.
As we rode across the Plains of Fast Trouble we knew we were being watched, but did not let it concern us. We were their with a message for the Southern Emperor and did not think we would be bothered. And if we were, we would deal with it.
We arrived at the gates of Otousan-Uchi, and once we had stated our business, were allowed in.
We rode along the streets until we got close to the palace, then were directed towards the stables. As we were handing our mounts over to the stable servants we noted a large number of Unicorn horses there. While some of them had been given as gifts over the years to the Emperor and his family, most were those stolen from the Unicorn lands.
I could see the anger in the way Hiro held himself, but he kept it controlled. I myself was angry, seeing proof of the Lion’s actions.
From the stables we were shown into the palace and then to a room where we would wait for Genji-sama to see us. We were not alone in the room. There were three Lion Samurai there as well, also waiting to meet with their Emperor.
News of Niya must have spread for the Lions there knew of her. They began to talk, directing what they probably thought were subtle insults at Niya. I could see that Niya was starting to get angry, and I was not the only one.
Akayama suddenly stood up. "You," he looked at the Lion who had last talked. "I grow tired of listening to you insipid chatter. Be quiet or I will beat you senseless, if you don’t run away first."
The Lion samurai’s face grew red with anger and for a moment I thought he might choke to death on t he words stuck in his throat. "How dare you say such things to me," the Lion finally got out. "I am Matsu Roueki and I will kill you for what you said." He had sprung to his feet, his hand on his sword. He was trembling with rage.
Akayama smiled. "Of course. Let’s go outside so that we do not stain the palace floor with your blood."
Roueki suddenly looked surprised, as if he had not fully expected what would happen. His eyes suddenly narrowed as he realised that he had just been manipulated and there was nothing he could do about it. He walked towards the door with one of his companions, Akayama following. Akayama looked back at us and told us to make apologies to the Southern Emperor for his absence.
That left us alone with only one of the Lion Samurai and he seemed content to be quiet.
As for Akayama, he went outside with the Lion Samurai, stood off against him, and let the Lion win, by all accounts. But the Lion’s blade would not harm Akayama who knew how to call upon the very strength of the Earth to protect him.
Then the Crab drew his own blade and cut Roueki down.
Many Lions would say that Akayama’s actions were dishonourable. He had lost the duel and yet had still chosen to kill the Lion. Perhaps. Or perhaps it was another of Akayama’s lessons to the Lion clan in general.
I do not know. I do know that Roueki’s family demanded the right to a blood feud on Akayama and were given it by Hida Kagaya, a Crab clan Daimyo who was present at Otousan Uchi while we were.
The rest of us were soon shown into the Southern Emperor’s presence. Genji-sama was seated upon a dais, dressed in armour, looking like a Lion. Genji is smaller than his brother, a moody young man who did not claim the adoration that his older brother so easily took. He always seemed to be in the background.
That had changed though, he was thoroughly in the foreground. It did not suit him.
With him were his personal guard as well as several advisors, including Matsu Murusaki, the woman that the Lion’s claimed was the new Emerald Champion. Also there was an ambassador from the Scorpion Clan, Bayushi Ekoya.
We bowed to the Southern Emperor as we were shown into the room. It was given to me to speak for us. I told him that I had come with a reply to his message to his brother. Genji-sama looked at me in a strange way as I knelt there. There was something of a hunger in his eyes that made me fell rather uncomfortable. It was a good thing I had left my sword in the waiting room. Otherwise I might have reached for it.
After staring at me for a moment he asked me to read the message. I took the message out, broke the seal, and read its contents to the group.
I was pleased to note that Shuguto-sama had used my words in his letter. There cannot be two Emperors as there cannot be two suns in heaven. Only one was the true one and the true one would be proven by driving back the shadow, by saving the Empire. Shuguto told his brother that he was ordering his armies to the Crab lands to help turn back the approaching armies of he who is not named. The Mantis would take them, allowing them speedy passage. By doing so he would prove his claim to the throne to be the true one.
When I finished reading the Emperor made a motion, indicating he wanted to see the letter. I handed it to one of the advisors who passed it to Genji-sama. Genji-sama read it, then placed it down. He asked me if there was anything else and I told him not for him, but for the Daimyo of Akodo Banui I had a message. Matsu Murusaki asked if she might see it, and I handed it to her. She looked at it, then over at Rogashi-san, then nodded.
It was at that moment that the doors opened and Matsu Tsuko, the Lady of the Lions, the Lion Clan’s new champion strode into the room. "Niya Akodo," she said, "You have something that is not rightfully yours."
"Matsu-sama," Murusaki-san said. "Might I remind you of where you are."
Tsuko-san looked at the Emperor, and after a moment bowed to him, offering an apology that did not sound very convincing. I took note of this, the tension between the Lion Clan Champion, the Emerald Champion and the Southern Emperor.
Tsuko-san soon put her complaint to all there. Akodo Niya, a traitor to their clan, was wielding the blade of the Lion Thunder. The blade of a Matsu. Tsuko-sama would not have this.
Murusaki-san listened, then called for the blade to be brought to her. While everyone, including the Emperor, looked on with interest, the Tears of Morning, still in its saya, was brought to the Emerald Champion of the Lions. She looked at it for a moment, then asked Niya to tell how she had come to possess such a valuable weapon.
Niya told the story and Murusaki listened. When it was finished she looked between the two women, the Matsu and the Akodo. Both had claim to it, she admitted, so there was no easy answer, but to let the two prove their right to hold the sword. Tsuko-san agreed and Niya did as well. Murusaki said that the next day the decision would be made and until them the sword would be kept secured.
Niya did not care too much for that, but agreed, having no other choice.
The Southern Emperor told me that he would reply to his brother’s message and that I would wait until then. We were then shown out of the audience room and led to the rooms that had been set aside for us.
While comfortable enough, surrounding a garden, still beautiful even with winter closing, they were somewhat secluded from the rest of the castle. Also, screens were put up around the corridors, with guards being posted behind them. We were more prisoners than guests, cut off from the rest of the castle.
Hiro, Akayama and Murusashi were shown around the city and castle when they asked, though with an escort. My request to wander about alone was turned down. As I had no desire to be shown around a place I knew so well I chose to remain behind and practice with the flute I had picked up in Rokugan Yogasha Shiro for a time.
Hiro, on visiting the stables saw how the Lions were treating the horses they had stolen and was not pleased. It almost came to blows and only Akayama’s cool head kept there from being a lightning hole in the roof of the stables.
After that they were shown back to the room where a meal was waiting for them. We all ate together, quietly talking about what was happening. None of us were too happy about the way things were going. While the Crane were moving to face the threat of the Shadowlands, the Lion were not. We all suspected it was going to take all the clans to face this threat.
Later, Akayama noticed that the guards that had been around us before were gone. Curious, and perhaps a little alarmed, he came and asked me if I might look around, after all, I was familiar with the palace. I agreed and went to do as he asked, he and Murusashi also going to scout the area.
They saw the first sign of trouble, a woman talking to a group of men. When she saw them she turned and hurried away. The four men turned to face the two Samurai. They all wore masks of white porcelain and moved slowly forward. Akayama told Murusashi what they faced and told the Dragon to take care of them. Then the Crab samurai went after the woman.
Instead of running through the approaching zombies and following the corridor, he went crashing through the shoji screens, and even the walls of the room to catch up to her. As he came crashing through a wall, into the far corridor, he saw the woman standing at the end of the corridor. She was doing something, making gestures and chanting. She stopped, saw Akayama approaching, then turned and ran. Akayama followed close behind her.
Murusashi, called out a warning to the rest of us, then moved forward to face the approaching zombies.
The rest of us soon found more of the creatures, coming down other corridors towards us. We prepared to fight.
It was at this time that Matsu Tsuko came, looking to discover what had happened to her missing guards. She found us in battle with the zombies. Taking one look around, she sent on of her men to fetch the Tears of Morning, then joined Murusashi in battling the zombies.
I found myself standing shoulder to shoulder with a young Lion Bushi, facing four of the zombies.
We were all engaged, and there were many more of them than us, but they were just zombies. If that was all we had had to face that night things would have been very easy. As it were, the zombies were just the first part.
Behind me I heard crashing, but was too involved in destroying the walking corpses, and keeping the Lion Samurai beside me alive, to look. What had happened was an Oni, the spawn of the Oni Akuma I was told, had come crashing through the walls and into the garden. It was likely the woman that Akayama was chasing after who had summoned it here.
The Oni’s primary target appeared to be Niya, it screamed out her name as it cashed into the middle of the garden.
Niya was without her sword, but she still had her spells. From her scroll case she brought forth what she needed to fight. Hashi also rushed into the garden, drawing his crystal katana. Hiro took up the bow the Emperor had given him and began to fire arrows, charged with lightning, at the beast. Tsuko-san leapt the railing around the garden, ready to battle with the beast.
Niya’s spell began to slowly turn parts of the Oni to jade, while Hashi and Tsuko both cut into it from different sides. One of Hiro’s arrows buried itself deep into the beast.
Then the Oni hit Hashi with a powerful spell that sent the ronnin flying back, slamming against a wall. The jade that had been creeping up the beasts limbs stopped and began to recede. It lashed out at both Tsuko and Niya, but both managed to avoid the blows.
Murusashi moved in, picking up Hashi’s sword. Murusashi told me as he began to approach he suddenly felt heavy, as if the earth was drawing him down. He could not move very fast and had to struggle to take each step forward.
I finished off one of the Zombies, cutting the mask on is face in half. Then cut the mask from the face of the one that was about to kill the Lion Samurai beside me. "That is how you do it," I told him. He actually looked shocked, like I had just insulted him. I had no time for his feelings and turned, ran, and leapt the railing, landing beside Tsuko to help with the Oni.
Above us we could see what looked like a dark funnel cloud, moving towards us. From within it we could hear strange screams and saw flashes of light.
Sword blows, spells, arrows, none of them seemed to truly hurt this creature. I was beginning to wonder if we might actually manage to win this time when the man Tsuko had sent off for the blade returned carrying it. He tossed it to his Daimyo and she stepped back to catch it. I found myself in the unique position of having to step forward, putting myself between the Lady of the Lions and this Oni so that she might have time to safely draw the blade.
She never thanked me now that I think about it.
I stood there, catching this thing’s blows with my blade, taking its attention from the woman behind me. It was odd that nothing was happening. Before the Tears of Morning had had quite an effect on an Oni once drawn. I turned and looked over my shoulder for a moment, hoping that the Oni’s attention we elsewhere. I saw Tsuko trying to draw the blade free of its saya, and failing.
"Give it to Niya!" I yelled at her, then turned back in time to meet another of the Oni’s strikes.
I guess Tsuko saw the wisdom in my words for she tossed the blade to Niya.
In one smooth motion Niya had drawn forth the blade. As soon as it was clear of the saya the Oni began to scream, calling out to its dark master for help. The clouds above us had grown thicker and we could see the shapes of Oni as they moved down towards us.
The Oni we faced continued to howl in pain, trying to draw back from the Tears of Morning. Behind it Murusashi, freed from the spell that held him, leapt forward, slashing into the Oni.
Niya stepped forward, the sword held in front of her. She slashed at the Oni, cutting it deeply. It screamed and began to burn. She turned her attention away from the creatures as it thrashed on the ground, instead looking up at the dark clouds and the approaching Oni. Her brow furrowed with concentration, and suddenly the sword flashed even brighter.
The clouds above us seemed to catch fire, a fire that crawled up towards the approaching creatures. They tried to turn, to escape the approaching flames, but I don’t think any of them did. They screamed as they burnt away to nothing. Soon all that was above us was clear, night sky.
We stood around the ash that had once been an Oni, breathing heavily. It was quiet, but for the pained cry of a wounded Lion. The zombies were dead, though a number of the Lions who had come with Tsuko were wounded or dead. Rogashi had also been badly wounded in the fight.
I reached into my kimono and pulled forth a cloth which I used to clean my blade. As I let the cloth drop I turned to Tsuko and said, "At the Northern Emperor’s court all they offered for entertainment was a dance and such. An Oni attack is much more interesting."
She stared at me, as if trying to decide whether that was an insult or if I was just mad.
"I think now we know who the rightful wielder of the Tears of Morning is," I told her.
And she looked angry at that, and for a moment I wondered if it might mean a duel, but they she nodded. "It appears we do. What was all this about?"
I did not know.
Akayama showed up then and told us what had happened with him. He had chased the woman through the halls until coming to a set of guarded doors. He had seen the woman enter and tried to enter himself. The guards refused to allow him, telling him beyond were the quarters of the courtesans. He demanded entry, and the still refused. He asked who the woman who had just entered was, but they would not tell him.
I’m sure that Akayama thought to just break his way in, but instead he turned his back on them and came back to us.
On hearing that the woman who had killed her men and raised them as zombies, and who had likely summoned the Oni, could be found, Tsuko set off right away. Hiro, Akayama and Murusashi went with her. I remained behind to help with the wounded.
With Matsu Tsuko to back them up, they easily entered the quarters—easily after Akayama slammed his way through the locked doors--of the courtesans and were told the woman that Akayama had been chasing was named Namuko. They went in and entered the small garden that Namuko had been seen to enter. There they found two more women, armed with wakizashi, standing guard in front of a screen.
From behind it Namuko talked to them, telling them she would buy her freedom with information.
Neither Akayama or Tsuko were in the mood to listen to such offers and leapt forward, first cutting down the guards, then sweeping aside the screen.
What they saw there was a woman, twisted as if she had been tainted for years. Before she could use her spells Akayama cut her down.
What Hiro then discovered was that Namuko was the same Namuko he had seen all that time ago at Shirukozuko. There she had been masquerading as a peasant girl who had killed Doji Yachoda.
Soon Tsuko-san called for a Witch Hunter, Kuni Sousaku, who was part of the Crab contingent currently in the palace. He examined the body and told them it looked like she had been using the dark arts for a long time. He was of the opinion the body should be burnt as soon as possible and Tsuko agreed.
It was also learned, from some of the other women in the quarters, that Namuko had been a favourite of Genji-sama.
While this was happening Niya, Hashi—who was up again thanks to Niya—and myself were treated rather poorly by a number of Lions under Matsu Murusaki’s control. They wanted to know what had happened. Personally I would have thought the bodies of zombies and all the destruction would have made it obvious.
Later Akayama and the rest returned to tell us what had happened. Sousaku also came to examine the area. He was surprised when all that was left of the Oni was a fine ash, most of which had blown away by then.
After being asked a number of pointless questions we were shown to new quarters. I commented loudly that I hoped these ones would not be subject to such happenings as the last one. Murusashi asked, also loudly, if such things were common occurrences in the Imperial City. I told him that they had not been when I was last there, but certain things had changed.
I did notice a few Lions looking angry, though none of them said anything. I suppose that was a good thing. There were already enough dead Lions for one night.
Something wonderful did come out of it all. With Oni being summoned in the very heart of the palace, a Maho Tsukai the Emperor’s mistress, and other things, Matsu Tsuko decided that the Shadowlands were not a threat she could ignore any longer. She announced she was taking the Lion armies to aid the Crab in dealing with the latest threat.
Murusaki-san was not pleased to hear this and pointed out that such a course of action should be blessed by the Emperor. Tsuko did not seem to care, or maybe she just decided that at least one of the Emperors had blessed such an action. Her orders were given. Most of her people were to be ready to leave in he early morning. She would take Niya with her.
Bayushi Ekoya, the Scorpion Ambassador, mentioned that the Scorpion might not be able to guarantee the Lion army safe passage though the Scorpion lands. This did not seem to make much of an impression on Tsuko either.
Now both armies were making their way to the wall. With that news I finally felt as if we had achieved our goals. Now we just had to deal with the battle with the Shadowlands. I was certain that it would be somewhat easier than what we had faced in getting the Clans to do what was right. That was naïve of me.
The sun was not yet up when the Lion Clan Champion marshalled her troops and rode from the palace, on a Unicorn war horse. From the way Hiro held himself I do not doubt that the day will come when those two meet and only one walks away. Still, Hiro needed something, and he was going to ask for it.
He wanted to find out more about Namuko, and what she had done in court. Tsuko, in an offhanded way, told him fine. Then he pointed out that seeing as he was a Unicorn, he might have some difficulty. Tsuko stared at Hiro for a moment, then called for ink and paper. She wrote out something and put her inkan (seal) to the paper. She handed it to Hiro and wished him luck.
Matsu Tsuko had just made Shinjo Hiro one of her Magistrates.
We said our farewells to Niya and to Hashi who was going with her. The rest of us would stay. I still had to deliver Genji-sama’s message to his brother, and the others, well I’m sure they had their reasons. I wished they had all gone though. It would have made what followed easier.
With the sun just beginning to raise I returned to my quarters, wanting to get a few more hours of sleep before I went back to work, whatever that was. I was taking off my kimono when I heard a soft scratching come from one of the walls.
My katana slid noiselessly from its saya as I moved towards the wall. I called out softly, and a soft voice replied, calling my name. It was a man’s voice, one that I did not recognise. I asked him what her wanted and he told me that I should be careful. Shosuro Ginsho , the Scorpion Envoy to the Northern Emperor, was not to be trusted. He was a friend of the Black Circle. I asked the mysterious person behind the wall how he know, but there was no answer. After several seconds I realised he had left.
I rested then, and the others were busy with their own affairs. I think Akayama went to talk to Hida Kagaya during that time, but I am not sure.
Sooner than I would have liked Hiro was at my door, requesting my help. He wanted to find out as much as he could at Namuko while he could but was not very familiar with the palace. I might have refused, but the offer he made was too amusing to turn down. I became Yoriki to Shinjo Hiro, Magistrate to Matsu Tsuko, Lion Clan Champion.
We went to work, asking questions of the woman, finding out that she was Genji-sama’s favourite and had been at the court for two years. We also discovered, though servants, that she had been absent at points for these two years. We noted that a number of times her absences coincided with assassinations that had occurred in the Empire. Hiro knew she had killed Doji Yachoda, and he was fairly certain that she was also responsible for Akodo Toturi.
So we had possibly tied the Maho Tsukai to a number of deaths in the Empire. Was it not also possible that she might have been responsible for the Emperor’s death? It seemed likely, and it cleared Shuguto-sama of any wrong doing. We did not have proof of course, but I was not sure if we would really need any. That she was Maho Tsukai was proof enough.
Our investigation was cut shorter than we would have liked as we were escorted back to our quarters and put under guard again.
Later we would be called, individually, to talk with Murusaki-san. She wanted to know what had happened. She asked us the same questions for the most part. I don’t suppose that the others answered like I did. I was asked why I had killed the guards, and I pointed out that I had not killed any guards, but had destroyed some zombies.
How did I know there were zombies?
Well, when the Lion Bushi beside me drove his sword through one with no blood and the thing not dying I took that as a sign.
Did I know a lot about zombies?
Only as much as a Samurai should in order to protect the Empire.
At first I thought she was attempting to make us look like the guilty party, but later I realised her real target was Matsu Tsuko.
Why did Matsu-sama kill the courtesan Namuko?
I don’t know, because she was Maho Tsukai?
How do you know she was Maho Tsukai?
I don’t, but the Kuni Witch Hunter said she was. Do you wish to start doubting the word of such an honoured tradition? Why would you want to do that Matsu-san?
I am asking the questions here.
Then ask.
It went on like that for a time. A one point I asked her if she had ever fought an Oni before and when she answered in the negative I suggested that she get someone who had so they might understand what I was saying. I must admit, she had excellent self control.
At one point I asked her about a noise I heard from a room beyond and she said it was nothing. I asked her if it was common practice to have people listening in hiding. That was all I did, unlike Murusashi who had, on hearing a similar noise, stood up, threw the doors open, and gone after whoever it was. He had been stopped, restrained and put into a cell for his troubles. I am not Murusashi and simply remained where I was, content to let her know I knew.
Finally she allowed me to go, and I was escorted back to the rooms.
Only Hiro and Akayama were there, Murusashi having been in his cell. We talked about what had happened and about what the Lion’s Emerald Champion might be up to. Was it possible that Murusaki was aligned with the Shadowlands? Was that why she did not want Tsuko marching on the Shadowlands? Was she trying to destroy the Lion Daimyo’s reputation. It was something to worry about, and perhaps something to warn Tsuko of.
Also, we wondered about Prince Genji, a man who had taken a Maho Tsukai as his lover. What about him? An innocent, or a threat? We did not know, nor did we wish to speak of it to much. He was a Hantei after all.
We also talked about what to do if Murusashi was not freed. We did not want to launch an attack to save him. We were willing to do so, if necessary, but it was an option we wanted to save for last.
As it turned out we did not need to do so.
The next morning Murusashi was turned over to us, with a demand that we ensure that the Dragon did not come near the Imperial City again. I was given Genji-sama’s message for his brother, a box holding a sealed letter. We were then escorted from the city and across the Plains. The Crab Contingent left with us as well. I suspected they were glad to be going.
While we did not feel things had gone as well as they had in the Northern Emperor’s court, the way things had worked out in the Southern Emperor’s court were not all that displeasing.