ã€Š(Old) Gin and Kuroã€‹


 Chapter 1: We Live Like Brothers, Fight Like Enemies

    The known gods created a world just like them¡ªflawed, imperfect, rife with anger and strife that overpowered the possibility of love and joy. Bekin and Emaya¡¯s creation was full of chaos¡ªthey created children, Aimiki and Itoki, to help balance that creation. Animals were made to fly into the heavens, delve far beneath the surface of the earth, or reach the depths of the sea. Thus, the world was close to perfection¡ªalthough animals ate away at the plants and flowers, creating a barren landscape devoid of any life, and when predators were created to manage the problem, their small prey were captured and killed. Still, this amount of imperfection was allowed, as it gave balance to the young world.

    Human beings were created for Aimiki and Itoki¡¯s pleasure, who often grew bored simply playing with the wild creatures. A set of twins caught their attention, and despite their parents¡¯ warnings the younger gods fell in love with the mortals.

    From this love Ginshin and Kurokami arose, born from an immortal and human parent. The boys were cousins, but they were raised as brothers¡ªas twins themselves. The difference between them, however, was like night and day; to some, they were night and day. This was never so apparent as when they were dueling, a common pastime since their childhood.

    They grew into strong men¡ªyoung despite their decades of life. Neither felt strong remorse as the first generation of humans died, and they both felt little attachment to the second generation that came about the land. Ginshin and Kurokami were revered yet feared, admired yet warned against. Due to that fear and concern, they were relocated time and time again.

    Once they ended up in a holy place, where Bekin and Emaya had first come to the world. Although briefly accepting that it would clearly mean their ancestors¡¯ wrath if they were to fight there, Ginshin and Kurokami nevertheless grew bored of the mundane life their mortal peers lived. They resumed fighting mere days upon arrival.

    The two dueled without acknowledging how their blows broke trees and shook the very ground, without realizing that their ancestors had taken on physical forms to spectate. Their ancestors gave many warnings.

    ¡°Children.¡±

    Yet they refused to listen, still fighting.

    And again, ¡°Children.¡±

    When the half-mortal gods did not answer, both ancestors spoke at once.

    ¡°Children.¡±

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    Only when their duel ended, both weapons shattered, did they turn towards their respective ancestors: Ginshin spoke to Aimiki, while Kurokami spoke to Itoki. These words were spoken among them:

    ¡°Mother Aimiki,¡± Ginshin said, bowing to his mother.

    ¡°Father Itoki,¡± Kurokami said, offering his father the remnants of the training sword. ¡°Mighty is the strength you have given me.¡±

    ¡°Mighty is the power you wield,¡± Itoki replied calmly, ¡°And mighty is the path which you must walk.¡±

    ¡°Shortly,¡± Aimiki added, carrying on with her brother-cousin¡¯s tone, ¡°Father Bekin and Mother Emaya will descend to this place. Behave, young children¡ªthey bring with them good tidings and gifts. Obey the higher gods, and they shall bless you.¡±

    ¡°We shall obey the higher gods, so that they may bless us,¡± the cousins responded in unison.

    Remnants of their duel vanished as each cousin took their place next to their respective parent. Strong winds and rumbling earth, albeit only present for a short time, heralded the arrival of the first two gods. They spoke these words:

    ¡°Children of mortals and gods,¡± they said, both speaking together, sky and earth seeming more beautiful and glorious once its creators stood within it.

    ¡°We are at your whims, Creators,¡± Ginshin and Kurokami replied.

    ¡°You have exceeded your mortal parents¡¯s lifetimes,¡± the creator-gods said. ¡°What have you seen of the world?¡±

    ¡°It is beautiful,¡± Ginshin said.

    ¡°Wonderful,¡± Kurokami added. ¡°But also hurtful.¡±

    ¡°Harmful.¡±

    ¡°Deadly.¡±

    ¡°Cursed.¡±

    ¡°We have observed your actions,¡± the creator-gods said, speaking in a firm tone that demanded reverence, ¡°And we have decided on your role in the gods¡¯ realm.¡±

    ¡°Shall we be protectors?¡±

    ¡°Guides?¡±

    ¡°Or dangers?¡±

    ¡°Demons?¡±

    Bekin and Emaya both gestured to the world around them, Bekin to the east and Emaya to the west. ¡°Just as mortals have capacity to do both, you do as well,¡± they said. ¡°Ginshin and Kurokami, from this day onward you shall rule this island and all creatures within it. This shall be your shared nation, for you to do what you wish as long as you obey your parent-gods.¡±

    They took a step away from each other; Bekin approached Ginshin, and Emaya approached Kurokami. Each put a hand on the top of their heads, and brushed their hand down the length of the men¡¯s hair. Ginshin¡¯s shimmered from dark brown to a bright, silvery white; Kurokami¡¯s became a deep, pitch black.

    ¡°This is a sign of your heritage,¡± the creator-gods said together, ¡°And shall be passed down through your blood. Go forth, and make this island yours.¡±

    Bekin and Emaya disappeared, leaving nothing behind; Aimiki and Itoki disappeared as well. The cousins glanced at each other, but their rivalry returned.

    It was the beginning of two nations¡ªjust as it was the beginning of the end. Ginshin and Kurokami quickly used their greater powers in a war against each other, eventually involving the mortals as well, that lasted even after the two men died.

 Chapter 2: War and Creation

    Ginshin and Kurokami fought for hundreds of years after achieving the mark of their godhood, and all of the powers that came with it. Mortals¡ªhuman beings¡ªwere inclined to do wrong, flawed and imperfect like the world the gods created. The cousins had no grudge towards each other but mere challenge, as both liked to fight and their cousin was the only one to give them a decent battle as they grew stronger.

    Their personal war only grew stronger with the promise of land¡ªbut neither of them could decide on how to split it. To the east was mountains, plains, and rocky shores; to the west, a vast amount of forests, lakes, and good ground for unexpected battles. Ginshin and Kurokami both wanted all of this land, and so they fought a war over it. The victor shall rule the whole island, they decided, while the one that lost will be killed. They saw it as fair and just, believing it to be the creator gods¡¯ true intention.

    They gathered the human beings living in those areas, and rallied them to their cause. This created people who believed in the silver-god, and those who believed in the black-god; they fought against each other as enemies, often viciously, and many lives were lost.

    As the fighting intensified and humans grew in number, Bekin and Emaya created several more islands and gods to govern them¡ªyet these gods could not bear children, as the original four and the cousins could, and there was only one for each island. Of note was a god named Torigami, who governed a northern island that always seemed to have sunlight filtering through it.

    Ginshin heard of Torigami and his trickster spirit, and spoke with him. Together, they devised tengu, flying creatures that would fight in the war between cousin-gods. In response to this, Kurokami led a massacre of foxes in the forest lands, reviving them with his power and creating kitsune. The tengu were haughty and proud, however, and fought amongst themselves more than they ever went into battle; kitsune were shapeshifters, who avoided the fighting and stayed in the forests to play. Although some of their creations did fight, many did not follow their intended purpose.

    When Ginshin and Kurokami sought to gain Aimiki and Itoki¡¯s support, these words were spoken:

    ¡°Children,¡± Aimiki and Itoki said together, ¡°Cease your fighting, and calm yourselves. Be at peace.¡±

    ¡°We cannot stop fighting,¡± the cousin-gods replied. ¡°It is in our blood¡ªour nature. Until we face intervention, we will continue our battle.¡±

    The older gods both sighed. ¡°Very well. Allow these monsters to end your feud!¡±

    Aimiki and Itoki thus created oni¡ªmonstrous demons, in a sense, and powerful male warriors¡ªand kijo¡ªan oni¡¯s strong, female counterpart¡ªwho were monstrous, powerful, and soon heeded none but those who could defeat them. Many spread across the land, hiding as the kitsune and tengu did, although a few fought alongside Ginshin and Kurokami. This achieved the goal Ginshin and Kurokami had desired, albeit inadvertently, and served to make the fighting even more vicious.

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    They continued fighting until a day in winter. One thousand years had passed since the creation of the world¡ªonly a century was spent in any kind of peace, before Ginshin and Kurokami received their proof of heritage.

    The cousins met, with their horde of human and monster soldiers, at the center of the island for a glorious battle. Ginshin and Kurokami were engaged in a duel as soon as the battle began, exchanging blows. The soldiers behind them took it as an order to engage, and the armies fought in the cold night, the stars being their only light, desecrating a holy place in their haste and bloodshed.

    When the moon reached its highest peak, the world grew darker. Every warrior but Ginshin and Kurokami fled, the cousin-gods being so consumed in their duel that they did not notice the darkening sky, nor did the lack of light bother them. They were spoken to.

    ¡°Be still.¡±

    Not even a command from the gods stopped them. The wind around them grew stronger.

    ¡°Be at peace.¡±

    They continued their fight. Rain began to pour down from the heavens.

    ¡°Heed our words.¡±

    Ginshin and Kurokami continued their duel. There was rumbling from the earth.

    When Bekin and Emaya appeared next to their respective descendants, the dueling cousin-gods stopped.

    ¡°Will you cease your fighting?¡± Bekin and Emaya asked. ¡°This world grows darker still. There will be nothing left if you continue on this path.¡±

    ¡°Very well,¡± Ginshin and Kurokami replied. ¡°We shall accept destruction, if it means we can section the land however we desire.¡±

    ¡°Your fighting has taken away that privilege,¡± Bekin and Emaya said. ¡°You will no longer have the choice.¡±

    The earth rumbled, opening up a large gap in the ground. A chasm was created, dividing the island in two, and was quickly filled with rushing seawater to create a river. The cousin-gods were no longer close enough to exchange blows, separated by a water barrier that could not be easily conquered and passed. Bekin and Ginshin stood on the east side of the river; Emaya and Kurokami stood on the west.

    Emaya spoke to Kurokami first. ¡°You shall remain in this place, and make this area your kingdom,¡± Emaya said. ¡°Everything west of this river shall be yours for you to do as you please. Your descendants shall be strong and prideful¡ªyet in that pride, they shall fall in true dignity, and stoop to great lows to achieve their own ends. Your kingdom shall initiate all battles in this world, no matter how far away or distant they seem.¡±

    Bekin then spoke with Ginshin. ¡°You shall remain in this place, and make this area your kingdom,¡± Bekin said. ¡°Everything east of this river shall be yours for you to do as you please. Your descendants shall be resourceful and cunning¡ªyet they will have the nature of a fox, and hold on to their beliefs dearly no matter how false. Your kingdom shall bear the person to end both nations, silver fighting against black, until one takes their own life in protection of others and is acknowledged for the deed.¡±

    The gods stepped away from their descendants and spoke together. ¡°On this island, separated perfectly into two, will live two kingdoms¡ªtwo nations. In time, these nations will destroy themselves, your feud never ending.¡±

    ¡°Very well,¡± Ginshin and Kurokami said. ¡°We accept your rewards and punishments.¡±

    Bekin and Emaya nodded, then left. Ginshin and Kurokami¡¯s war was only paused briefly, to the dismay of their immortal parents. They resumed fighting for the rest of their lives, and their people fought after their founders had passed.

    Thus ended Hajimari, the beginning¡ªand so began Kokka, the years of nations.

 Chapter 3: Little Seiko, Little Seiko...

    Seiko had lived with voices for as long as she could remember, and she treated them as a part of her. They spoke to her while she was awake, and took the appearances of people she knew whenever she slept. They told her reassurances, stories, warnings; on a few occasions, they even seemed to be prophetic. She spoke aloud to them when she was a child, and they were such a constant thing that she was lost for words whenever they left her.

    Seiko¡­it¡¯s time to get up. Wake up, now, get started with your day. Mikka is coming to get you.

    As the voices said it, she heard the door to her room slowly open. Seiko opened her eyes in response, seeing her mother standing there. The voices grew quieter¡ªbut did not completely go away¡ªas soon as she fully recognized it.

    ¡°I have a little trip planned for you,¡± Mikka said softly. ¡°Get dressed in your best travel clothes, dear; you¡¯ll be heading out to Gin no Shuto by noon.¡±

    Seiko sat up, brushing away her blankets. The capital! her voices cried. You¡¯re such a lucky girl, Seiko. Oh, but ask her why.

    She complied with the voices¡¯ request. ¡°Is there a specific reason?¡± Seiko asked curiously.

    ¡°Ujuro and I were talking,¡± Mikka replied, giving a few telltale signs of hesitance¡ªa sad smile mixed with a wistful expression, leaning on the doorframe. Her voice was quiet as she continued, ¡°The royal family is looking for someone to watch over the younger children. You meet their qualifications perfectly. We were thinking¡­it might be better. You have experience taking care of others.¡±

    Receiving some words from the voices, Seiko replied to her mother. ¡°I won¡¯t protest,¡± she said carefully, standing up from the bed, ¡°But who will be watching you? You¡¯re still not well; you¡¯re barely standing now.¡±

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    Mikka put on a smile that never once reassured her daughter, remaining close to the door. The voices pointed out little things about her¡ªshe¡¯s swaying slightly, uneasy on her feet. Ujuro is unlikely to stay here to watch her.

    ¡°One of the miko offered to help while Ujuro is working,¡± Mikka explained.

    Seiko, wanting to make sure that her mother was completely sure, continued on with a kind of insistence. ¡°And what if Ujuro goes out to fight? He¡¯ll forget I¡¯m not home. He would¡ª¡±

    ¡°Peace, dear,¡± Mikka said kindly, adding a faint smile that wasn¡¯t necessarily genuine. ¡°The same miko has agreed to stay here if he goes away for any amount of time. We thought of every possible scenario.¡±

    The voices pleaded Seiko to ask another question. ¡°¡­When did you make the decision?¡±

    Mikka frowned slightly, but still answered. ¡°Yesterday, when you were out of the house. We¡¯ve been considering it for days.¡±

    ¡°Do I really have a choice, then?¡± Seiko was at the whims of the voices, even if they were just murmurs and whispers whenever she knew Mikka was close, and as a result her words, tone, and true feelings didn¡¯t quite align. The voices made her speak before her own mind had time to process it, leading to her sounding more upset than she intended.

    Mikka came a bit closer and smiled sadly at Seiko again. She brushed Seiko¡¯s dark hair behind her back, tucking a few strands behind her ear. ¡°You¡¯re a beautiful girl, Seiko,¡± Mikka said kindly. There was pain in her voice as she continued, ¡°This¡­will be a better arrangement than what you can ever have here. The royal family is very generous¡ªyou¡¯ll be taught well, and you won¡¯t have to worry about¡­anything, really.¡± She gave a little chuckle, and wistfully added, ¡°Besides¡­I met your father in the capital. Maybe you¡¯ll have the same luck.¡±

    The comment didn¡¯t feel as encouraging to Seiko as her mother had intended, even without the voices¡¯ influence. ¡°Hopefully better luck, if I could manage,¡± she noted dully.

    Mikka¡¯s smile was genuine and happy now. ¡°You¡¯re far too beautiful for any man to leave you,¡± she assured her. She held her, then pulled away after a few moments. ¡°Now, gather your things. You¡¯ll be traveling with a few other girls; you can take one of Ujuro¡¯s knives on your way out, just in case.¡±

    Seiko only nodded, even if she wasn¡¯t entirely willing to leave. As soon as Mikka left the room and closed the door again, the voices returned, loud enough to be mistaken for someone in the same room. They entertained her with both ill and pleasant thoughts as she gathered whatever nice things she owned.

 Chapter 4: The Capital

    Mikka took one last final look at Seiko before sending her of, making her promise to send some kind of letter back when she arrived at the capital. The group of girls she was traveling with already knew her¡ªor rather, they remembered her as the girl who heard voices. They never spoke to her directly as a result.

    They had to travel on foot, but they were never bothered. Most people in the area knew Seiko¡¯s appearance and old habits, at least, so they all avoided her¡ªit extended to the rest of the group as well. The voices alternated between harsh comments and kind assurances that people wouldn¡¯t mind as much as the capital.

    It took two weeks to get there, and the girls carried on to the palace. When they were questioned by a guard, the oldest spoke a few words and they entered; all had come, willingly or not, to possibly live in the palace. A few of the girls likely saw it as a chance to live in a large place, mostly cared for¡ªthere were one or two like Seiko, whose parents thought it would be better than staying at home.

    One of the guards brought them inside the courtyard, but asked them to wait. All the girls but Seiko immediately started chatting amongst themselves, admiring the grand scenery; the building was as old as Gin no ¨­koku itself, with the backdrop of mountains to the east side. It would be breathtaking if the voices hadn¡¯t been arguing, screaming, some begging her to stay and others demanding she leaves; the loudness of them gave her something of a migraine.

    A group of seven children¡ªaged anywhere between one and thirteen was Seiko¡¯s guess, with one bored girl seeming older than the rest by a few years¡ªcame out with a man and a woman following them. Bow, a few of Seiko¡¯s voices said. She complied, prompting the other girls to notice and bow as well.

    She remained in that position until the woman spoke up. ¡°You may stand, ladies.¡± She cast a glance at the girls, frowning when she looked at the man. ¡°I suppose beggars can¡¯t be choosers,¡± she mused. ¡°Although these ones don¡¯t look very capable, either.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll see,¡± the man replied. He looked at the girls with a firm, cold expression. ¡°I am Gin Ozuru, brother to the king; this is my wife, Lady Yukira. You¡¯ve come to see us about watching the children?¡±

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    ¡°Yes, Lord Gin,¡± the oldest girl said.

    Lord Ozuru asked each one what their qualifications were, their history, how well they believed they could do in the job. When it came time for Seiko, he frowned.

    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± He asked.

    ¡°Tsujihara Seiko, sir. My mother is Tsujihara Mikka.¡±

    Lady Yukira cast him an almost amused glance. He carried on coldly. ¡°What of your father?¡±

    Seiko responded to his tone with her own cold smile, one she did not completely control nor intend. She spoke dutifully and respectfully despite it. ¡°I am a bastard, sir. I¡¯ve never met the man.¡±

    Lord Ozuru¡¯s expression changed, for a moment, until he went on to ask about her qualifications. Seiko was relatively neat and very obedient, and had experience taking care of others; although the voices encouraged her to share her heritage, they warned her against mentioning them. You don¡¯t want people <u>here</u>to think you¡¯re insane as well.

    After he spoke with everyone, Lord Ozuru stepped aside and let Lady Yukira pick and chose which girls she liked the most. ¡°Those three seem the most capable,¡± she said calmly, gesturing to a group of the older ones. She pointed at Seiko and looked at Lord Ozuru. ¡°That one seems to be the most interesting. Wouldn¡¯t you agree, Lord Ozuru?¡±

    His eyes narrowed, but he didn¡¯t say anything towards her comment. ¡°Leave if you weren¡¯t chosen,¡± he said firmly. Those girls¡ªthree of them¡ªbowed and left, not even daring to speak a word of protest. When they were gone, he looked at the children who had come out with them. He didn¡¯t change his tone when he spoke to them. ¡°Pick which one you want, and if you change your minds later we can make arrangements.¡±

    Almost immediately, two of them pointed at Seiko¡ªthe oldest was a girl, apparently the eldest of the group and must¡¯ve been about two years younger than Seiko, and the younger was a boy who was around five or six years old. The younger looked at Lady Yukira. ¡°Mother, I want that one!¡±

    ¡°Me too!¡± The girl added. ¡°Can she be mine? She¡¯s so pretty!¡±

    ¡°Maenomi can have Tsujihara permanently,¡± Lord Ozuru said. ¡°Kyuru can have her as a playmate.¡± He looked at Seiko. ¡°Will that be a problem? You¡¯ll be in charge of Maenomi¡¯s daily routines, as well as keeping Kyuru occupied afterwards.¡± His tone suggested he wasn¡¯t really looking for an answer.

    Seiko bowed again, this time to the princess and prince. ¡°I will do my utmost to ensure you are both satisfied in my presence.¡±

    The boy grabbed her hand and started to pull her forward. ¡°Come on, come on, I want to play!¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s mine!¡± The princess whined, following them.

    The voices constantly commented on the scions¡¯ rowdy natures. Even future rulers had to learn how to act dignified, she supposed. She adjusted quickly to the change.

 Chapter 5: Descent to Chaos

    Seiko stayed in a room shared by most of the royals¡¯ assistants and caretakers; fortunately, none of the girls who had traveled with her saw it necessary to explain their dislike of her, which she would thank them for if they ever spoke a word to her. She was in charge of making sure Princess Maenomi was dressed and ready for each day by the time the royal family ate breakfast, and she was tasked with keeping both the princess and Prince Kyuru entertained whenever they weren¡¯t being schooled by another servant.

    Some voices chose to relent when she was around her charges¡ªthey were still loud enough, however, that she could use them to inspire the stories she told the princess and prince. Seiko had no opportunity to try to ask why; they only really ¡®responded¡¯ when she spoke to them aloud, but she wasn¡¯t comfortable doing so when there were others nearby.

    A month passed since Seiko first came¡ªshe was able to send Mikka a few letters, one or two of which received a reply. She wasn¡¯t doing anything much different than what she had done to help her mother, so the greatest thing that took some adjustment was living in such a large place and people actually talking to her.

    Seiko woke up earlier than most of the girls, but it didn¡¯t bother her. She made sure she was ready and presentable before quietly making her way to Princess Maenomi¡¯s room. The girl was already awake, sitting at the foot of her bed.

    ¡°Good morning, Miss Tsujihara,¡± she said kindly. ¡°Mother promised that we would see the festival after breakfast. I was wondering if she would actually take us if I was prepared, so can you get out something for me to wear?¡±

    Seiko nodded, remaining quiet. The voices weren¡¯t particularly fond of Princess Maenomi¡ªher feelings were so closely tied to theirs that she felt the same, on some level, although if the princess noticed she never said it outright.

    She chose a few possible options, allowing Princess Maenomi to have the final say. When that was decided, Seiko helped the princess get dressed. Princess Maenomi seemed very pleased when she finished.

    ¡°You¡¯re an excellent servant girl,¡± she noted cheerfully. She grew slightly more polite once the novelty of having a personal servant wore off, only occasionally lapsing back into childishness. The princess smiled as she looked at Seiko. ¡°Are you free for the afternoon, Miss Tsujihara? Mother¡¯s servants aren¡¯t as pretty as you; I want everyone to know who we are, and a beautiful young woman walking with us should do.¡±

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    Seiko took a step back to make sure the girl looked reasonable before she answered. ¡°I have no place to walk alongside the king¡¯s family,¡± she replied honestly. ¡°Nor do I believe that Lord Ozuru is particularly fond of me.¡±

    ¡°Shame,¡± Princess Maenomi said, sighing. She cheered up fairly quickly as she smiled and turned to the door. ¡°Well, I¡¯m off!¡±

    Before she could leave, there was a knock on the door. ¡°You may enter,¡± the princess said, adding even more formality when the person was unknown.

    One of the guards opened the door and bowed. ¡°There¡¯s some news concerning King Tsunkei,¡± he said hurriedly. ¡°The royal family is meeting in the throne room.¡±

    Princess Maenomi nodded and left the room with more authority than she actually demanded. The guard turned to Seiko and nodded. ¡°They¡¯ve asked all servants to return to their quarters until called upon.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m in no position to protest,¡± Seiko replied. ¡°Thank you for carrying the message along.¡±

    The guard left, and she went to the servant¡¯s quarters. Only about half of the girls were there¡ªa few came in during those next few minutes, but five or six of them were missing. They mostly kept conversation amongst themselves, with Seiko¡¯s voices speaking louder than usual. On occasion she would hear a voice that hadn¡¯t been there the day before.

    There¡¯s a story¡ªno, a truth¡ªthat Ginshin¡¯s kingdom was once white instead of silver. However, the color white gained certain connotations, and he abandoned it in favor of something similar. Do you know what white means, Seiko? It heralds forth winter with snow; it¡¯s perfect, in some way, and pure. But that¡¯s not all¡ªcan you guess, child?

    Seiko couldn¡¯t respond, her voices creating a headache as they talked over each other and only grew louder. She winced, making one of the older girls notice¡ªbut Seiko couldn¡¯t really hear the girl asking her a few questions. The voices only grew louder before they answered the question for her.

    White is the color of death, and silver was made to cover the corpses.

    It was only a moment later when the door opened, one of the missing girls finally returning. Whatever news she had to share, Seiko did not hear it from the girl¡ªinstead, her voices repeated it over and over again.

    Things can change so quickly¡ªa perfect world can become corrupt, and a small feud can bring complete ruin. With lives being so short, it was only a matter of time; change has come yet again.

    King Tsunkei has died¡ªhe¡¯s been killed. Who knows who did the deed. Soon, though¡­what will even be left of them? Perhaps this wretched existence will end, after so long¡­

 Chapter 6: Coronation

    King Tsunkei had left the palace about a month prior with his oldest two sons, Jukazu and Teiki; the queen and his other children stayed behind, with Lord Ozuru taking care of most things while the king was away. News came¡ªone full week ago, now¡ªthat King Tsunkei had been killed at some point during their travel, along with most of the guards, leaving only one or two soldiers left to bring Jukazu and Teiki back to the palace. Their original reason for departure, judging by the murmurs and her voices, seemed to have been a lie.

    The family took the time to bury the king and mourn, then began to prepare for Prince Jukazu¡¯s coronation. The king of Gin had no crown in the physical sense¡ªan appeal and promise was made to their ancestors and Tsuyoi Aimiki, and the silver-white hair they received served as their mark of leadership. The process was the same in the sister-enemy kingdom of Kuro.

    The news of the coronation officially spread before exact confirmation that King Tsunkei had actually died, but people still flocked to the palace regardless. When the day came, Seiko¡¯s voices were loud and practically screaming¡ªthey spoke so quickly, so randomly, that she could only make out portions of what they were trying to say. She dealt with a migraine for that whole day as a result; she would have stayed in the servants¡¯ quarters if they hadn¡¯t all been forced to attend. The noise around her didn¡¯t help the situation any.

    People crowded into the throne room, with noblemen being closest to the royalty; commoners were closer than the servants living in the palace, although if any servant wanted they could easily sneak through the ranks. Seiko was fine staying where she was near the back of the group.

    Prince Jukazu came up to the throne, wearing a white kimono with elaborate gold patterns. He bowed, not to the crowd but to the watching gods, and spoke reverently. ¡°Ky¨­ryokuna Bekin, Tsuyoi Aimiki. Watch over this kingdom, as I swear to do now, and it shall strive to be even greater¡ªit will become greater¡ªthan my late father¡¯s reign. The world will soon usher in another era, with me as their king.¡± He then turned to the crowd, sparing no moment to pause. Seiko could faintly recognize that his smile held some manic undertones. ¡°We shall fight! The modern era is upon us!¡±

    The crowd cheered, and they all bowed out of respect. Her voices grew clear enough to say a single line¡ªFight you shall.¡ªbefore becoming nonsense again. The crowd began to whisper, however, when they fully stood and had a chance to look at their new king.

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    Nothing about him was changed, and the assurance Jukazu had before visibly faltered.

    Lord Ozuru quietly urged him to try again, and the prince complied¡ªstill no changes. One of the noblemen in the front row was brave enough to protest.

    ¡°Is King Tsunkei even dead?¡± He asked.

    ¡°You¡¯re free to dig up his body in the graveyard,¡± Lord Ozuru replied coldly. ¡°Tsunkei is dead and has been for over a week now.¡±

    Addressing the assembled royals, he asked Prince Teiki to come up and replace his older brother. When the younger prince performed a simpler version of his brother¡¯s speech, there was still no change.

    They should have sent you all home, the voices murmured.

    Instead, they cycled through every eligible heir in the room. They tried all the men first, including Lord Ozuru himself¡ªthen they asked for the princesses to try, and eventually they even invited the noblemen who knew they shared blood with the royal family. None of them received silver hair.

    For each one, her voices came together to make a comment. Too prideful. Too childish. A coward. A fool. Bloodthirsty. Lustful. Seiko winced as the new voice spoke briefly, drowning out all others.

    There is not a known person of this line that is worthy¡­not even I, in the end.

    Lord Ozuru began trying all of the candidates again, refusing to explain any possible causes to the curious crowd. Her voices grew loud again¡ªlouder than the murmurs around her, and twice as plentiful¡ªand caused another wince. A few people around her noticed this time, although she couldn¡¯t actually hear what they were trying to say to her.

    One of the other servants carefully guided Seiko away as the frantic search in front of them continued. Her balance was uneven and all she could focus on was the pain. She could only manage a small, quiet ¡®thank you¡¯ when she made it back to the servants¡¯ quarters. The woman who helped her said something that sounded like a promise that Seiko still didn¡¯t hear.

    The voices didn¡¯t grow any quieter until the sun had set, hours later. The servant girls came back with the news that the royal family would investigate the matter, and until then there would be no king and Lord Ozuru would take up that position.

    In the following days, many things came to light¡ªa few scandals were made clear, as well as past deeds. Rumors came about that one of the king¡¯s own sons had killed him, and the rest of the family was corrupt or tainted in some way. Some of the servants resigned or ran away upon hearing all of it, but Seiko stayed¡ªthe voices begged her to. When she wrote to Mikka in order to explain that, her mother¡¯s response seemed calm. She didn¡¯t seem to mind.

 Chapter 7: A Knife to Defend Your Liege

    Seiko suffered migraines from the day King Tsunkei had died; despite some of the palace¡¯s staff leaving, Princess Maenomi¡ªlikely thinking it was caused by stress or general illness¡ªinsisted she took some time to rest. She spent those given days learning how to trudge through the pain, on the chance they would send her home. She didn¡¯t want to explain that to Mikka¡ªwhy she decided to stay, but ultimately left. It would worry her mother more than the woman needed, if the situation wasn¡¯t already worrying.

    She still wasn¡¯t quite at her best, despite her attempts at trying to appear otherwise. Princess Maenomi seemed to understand this, at least somewhat, and didn¡¯t ask quite as much of her¡ªthen again, in Seiko¡¯s absence the girl had gained two assistants, so one whose capability became dependent on who she was near wasn¡¯t always necessary.

    The people around her kept gossiping whenever she did try to rest, making it difficult to do much more than hope she could sleep. The allotted time for lunch was always the loudest.

    ¡°This whole thing¡¯s public. They can¡¯t hide it.¡±

    ¡°What will they do? Wait until the littler ones are eighteen?¡±

    ¡°Age doesn¡¯t matter, does it? It¡¯s some strange thing like whether or not they¡¯re worthy.¡±

    It¡¯s almost time, little Seiko. Are you excited? We are. There will be a battle! It¡¯s been so long since we fought.

    Seiko winced, failing to hide it. Most of the other servants in the room glanced at her, curious or worried. ¡°All right there, Tsujihara?¡± One of them asked.

    Lie, girl. ¡°I-I¡¯m fine; just a migraine.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m so sorry! Are we talking too loud? Want me to get some tea?¡±

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    ¡°I can manage, but thank you for the consideration.¡±

    The servant girl didn¡¯t look convinced, but none of the others offered their help and Seiko wasn¡¯t going to make them. They kept on chatting away before one of the older servants opened the door.

    ¡°How many of you are assistants to the royal family?¡± He asked firmly.

    Seiko raised her head, as well as a few others. He continued on with his response. ¡°Get to the training area, ladies. Change if you have to.¡±

    None of them protested and he left; the remaining girls began to chat on about possible reasons as Seiko and three others left. Seiko trailed behind the other three, never having the chance nor desire to explore the palace, and they took her outside. The training area was big enough for about a dozen people to spread out and still have plenty of room. Trees were planted at neat, orderly intervals to make the place seem more natural, while brown spots on the ground indicated bloodshed earlier in the day.

    One of the soldiers greeted them, but they weren¡¯t immediately told why they were brought there aside from the bare minimum. ¡°Because you all take care of the royal family,¡± the soldier explained to the collective group of servants, ¡°Lord Ozuru has seen it necessary to give you some fighting experience. All of you will be carrying some sort of weapon with you in order to protect the royal family in the future.¡±

    A few girls looked like they wanted to question or protest, but Seiko kept silent¡ªif only because her voices wouldn¡¯t let her actually speak a single word. They were quite fond of the idea, actually, but that¡­wasn¡¯t quite reassuring, considering how spoke of it¡ªalthough they did quiet down enough for the pain to leave for a few moments.

    They were given basic, crude instructions; the servants¡¯ safety wasn¡¯t much of a concern, as the soldiers only instructed them how to use their given weapons in defense of someone else. They weren¡¯t even given an actual chance to practice, instead being instructed on what to do then given a small knife wrapped in thick fabric as a cover.

    Her voices grew louder, while the actual people around her became less apparent and less important. Absently, Seiko unwrapped the fabric around the knife and ran a finger across the blade. At the very edge, the blade cut her finger¡ªthe pain of the wound brought her a moment of silent clarity, but even the small dot of blood was enough to make the voices scream. She winced as the migraine returned, but if anyone offered to help she denied it.

    It¡¯s about time you head back to your duties, little Seiko. Yes, be a good dear. Your responsibilities will be much grander, soon¡­

 Chapter 8: Are You Any More Sane Than Us?

    The answer to why the assistants were asked to take up arms was answered in a matter of days, when news came from a town farther away that people were choosing to oppose the royal family. In light of none of the heirs receiving silver hair and the things they did to supposedly remove them of the right, people were willing to take up arms against the descendants of gods. Seiko¡¯s voices assured her, albeit coldly, that is was a useless endeavor.

    Seiko maintained her work, and eventually the voices dulled enough that she could do the work well. They convinced her to play with the small knife she had been given, however, encouraging her to use the thing, quiet them down, then witness the blood and cause them to scream¡ªshe never quite realized it until a few of the servant girls would ask when she was cut.

    Only a week after a threat against the royal family was confirmed, she found herself wandering into the training area under the voices¡¯ suggestion. Seiko simply pulled out one of the training dummies, circling it and occasionally making a few aggressive stabs with her knife. She wasn¡¯t needed at the moment¡ªthey were wary to let Prince Kyuru play outside, and Princess Maenomi¡¯s new assistants practically replaced Seiko¡ªso she didn¡¯t expect to be interrupted.

    Then came Lord Ozuru, and oddly enough her voices grew louder to make sure she knew he was present before a few of them fell silent. Seiko stopped, turned towards him, and bowed in respect. ¡°I will leave this area to you, sir.¡±

    ¡°Stay for a minute, Tsujihara,¡± Lord Ozuru replied firmly.

    Seiko waited obediently, although at first he just walked past her to get a weapon to train with.

    ¡°Do you have much experience fighting?¡± Lord Ozuru asked, never looking directly at her.

    ¡°No,¡± Seiko said. She turned towards him, watching as he picked up two spare bokken from a small box near one of the trees.

    ¡°Do you have any desire to fight?¡±

    Her voices gave her the answer. ¡°On occasion.¡±

    Although Lord Ozuru turned towards her, he didn¡¯t look at her. ¡°Did Mikka ever give you a reason to fight?¡±

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    ¡°We¡¯re an honest family,¡± Seiko replied calmly. She could guess what he was trying to get to, but he sounded accusatory. A few voices whispered negative comments about the regent. ¡°There¡¯s no reason for a daughter to take up arms, when there is no threat nearby and our needs are cared for suitably.¡±

    Lord Ozuru didn¡¯t make much of a comment, instead tossing her one of the wooden swords. Seiko caught it, albeit barely, and put her knife back in its little sheath. ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re much of an assistant,¡± Lord Ozuru told her firmly. He looked her in the eyes, albeit briefly before looking away again. ¡°You have a certain strength to you¡ªa fighting spirit. You have a reason to fight now, Tsujihara¡ªin defense of the royal family. Show me if knowing that gives you any kind of skill.¡±

    Seiko only nodded, and Lord Ozuru moved forward without hesitation. As soon as there was a threat, her voices grew louder and she wasn¡¯t quite aware of what she was doing. Lord Ozuru swung at her, she responded by stepping away and retaliated. He hadn¡¯t been prepared for a reasonable fight, it seemed, because she actually drew blood from him fairly quickly. It only made the voices louder.

    After a few minutes, Lord Ozuru make a quick stab at Seiko, the first time he had drawn blood from her after he had a few small cuts. He caught her left arm, and the pain made her wince. She dropped the bokken before she had a chance to look at the blood, the voices growing silent during the pain but screaming when she did glance at the blood.

    ¡°For a beginner,¡± Lord Ozuru said, almost laughing, ¡°That was impressive. Greater than impressive, even. What did Mikka put you through, that you fight so harshly?¡±

    ¡°Mikka is quite kind to me,¡± Seiko replied defensively.

    ¡°I assume she¡¯s married by now. What of her husband, then?¡±

    ¡°Kyou Ujuro is the same.¡±

    Lord Ozuru laughed again. ¡°Given your performance, I somehow doubt it. There¡¯s something¡­manicabout you, Tsujihara Seiko¡ªmore than I thought at first. A normal man would send you back home in an instant.¡±

    ¡°And you won¡¯t?¡± Seiko asked curiously.

    ¡°I assume Mikka sent you here for a reason, and I won¡¯t stop that from happening,¡± Lord Ozuru mused. He smiled coldly. ¡°And besides, we need fighters. You¡¯re too good at that to pass up.¡±

    Although Seiko herself wasn¡¯t sure of the praise, all of the voices agreed. Yes, you¡¯re quite amazing. You¡¯re very strong. Very stubborn. A beautiful, broken soldier.

    You are <u>perfect.</u>

    Lord Ozuru interrupted the voices before they could say more. Rather casually, he went to where the spare weapons were, picked up one of the cloths, and wiped down his blade. ¡°Maenomi needs another guard; watch over her, even when you¡¯re not feeling well. If there¡¯s a battle, however, I expect to see you front and center¡ªI want to see you here every morning until then, training. You will be the one to end this little war; I know it.¡±

    He put his katana down among the other weapons, then turned to her and smiled coldly. ¡°I trust that won¡¯t be a problem, Tsujihara Seiko?¡±

    The voices gave their answer instead of letting her use her own words. ¡°No, of course not. I will fight, Lord Ozuru.¡±

 Chapter 9: Soldiers

    More soldiers started coming to the palace as the threat of war grew¡ªthey couldn¡¯t quite ignore it, and a few servants even had difficulty coming in and out of the palace thanks to a few people who had ill intentions. They kept a close eye on most new recruits¡ªalthough any servants or soldiers that had been working there seemed to be above suspicion.

    Guards and soldiers ate together¡ªafter the servants but before the royal family, sometime in the early hours of daylight¡ªso Seiko had yet another chance to try to speak with others. The most women there were guards of princesses or the royal wives, with any others being a few years older than Mikka, typically unmarried and childless from what Seiko knew. The men were a bit more varied, although there were still only a few around Seiko¡¯s age.

    Seiko seemed to attract the dozen or so people that only had a year or two¡¯s difference from her, meaning that all the young adults stayed near the same area. Only two were brave enough to speak to her on their first day of being there, however.

    She was in the dining hall with a majority of the other guards and soldiers, speaking quietly to her voices thanks to the noise of everyone around her. Her voices dulled when someone behind her spoke¡ªstrange in that she didn¡¯t recognize the people when she looked at them. There were two men roughly her age¡ªone looked to have some S¨®lstaeuric blood in him, while the other was smiling a bit in a likely attempt to be friendly. The latter spoke.

    ¡°Mind if we sit around here, ma¡¯am?¡±

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t. Take a seat.¡±

    Both nodded some thanks, and each took a seat on either side of her. ¡°Masaaki Sonoru, by the way,¡± said the one who had spoken earlier.

    ¡°Kinjo Asahi.¡±

    ¡°Tsujihara Seiko.¡±

    Masaaki and Kinjo took some food, and the former mostly entertained innocent conversation in between bites.

    ¡°Where are you two currently working at?¡± Masaaki asked curiously. ¡°I¡¯m going to be heading over to watch Prince Kyuru.¡±

    ¡°We might be close, then,¡± Seiko mused. ¡°I¡¯m one of Princess Maenomi¡¯s guards.¡±

    ¡°Lord Ozuru¡¯s children, right?¡± Kinjo asked. Seiko nodded, and he continued on, ¡°I¡¯ll just be heading out and fighting wherever they need me. It can be hard to guard someone else.¡± He looked at Seiko, and asked, ¡°Have you been here long, Tsujihara?¡±

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    ¡°About two months now,¡± Seiko replied, ¡°Although I was an assistant first.¡±

    ¡°How¡¯d you go from assistant to guard?¡± Masaaki asked curiously.

    Seiko answered with a simple answer¡ªLord Ozuru decided was a better guard than assistant¡ªand the conversation lasted until they were called out to start their work. Her voices helped her make note of the important things¡ªboth of them were noblemen¡¯s sons, living east of the capital. Given how they were all soldiers for the moment, neither seemed to care that her family wasn¡¯t as lofty; she didn¡¯t mention her parents specifically, however, to avoid speaking of her father. She wanted to avoid possible pity¡ªor possible hatred¡ªby admitting to be a bastard child.

    While she had a clearer mind without the voices hounding her, it made her realize how strange it was that she was even here to begin with¡ªa girl with her praised beauty usually became a miko or a servant girl, not a soldier. As soon as she had that thought of her own, however, the voices who wanted to speak all did so at once. Don¡¯t question it, girl. You can question it all when it¡¯s over.

    Seiko showed Masaaki to Prince Kyuru¡¯s room, and the boy¡¯s other guard entertained a few introductions. The voices were still quieter than usual¡ªalthough during her earlier conversations they were mere whispers, which surprised her a bit. It took her an hour before she adjusted back to the noise.

    Another month passed before anything happened. Seiko, Kinjo, and Masaaki often sat together and spoke over meals¡ªshe almost considered them to be friends, albeit her standards were low. She learned much about them, as well as telling them about herself; she shared that her mother used to live in the capital as a miko, and how Ujuro was a soldier (neither of them questioned¡ªat least not openly¡ªwhy she referred to him initially as ¡®her mother¡¯s husband¡¯).

    She learned that Kinjo Asahi was the second son of his family and third down the line overall, with parental prompting to join whichever side of the war he wanted (the family itself, it sounded like, was divided fairly evenly between the two sides). He decided to fight for the royal family instead of against it for the practical reasons¡ªeventually being charged with treason or being stricken down by the gods were his cited worries. He and Masaaki were familiar with each other due to their families having close lands, but this only showed when Masaaki seemed to annoy Kinjo.

    Masaaki Sonoru, on the other hand, was far enough east to be considered one of the ¡®pacifist nobles¡¯¡ªthe east of Gin was protected by tall, deadly mountains, a large lake, and rocky shores that were hard to navigate, so its people did not often engage in any battles whatsoever. Masaaki prided himself on being one of the exceptions, although it also sounded like the promised compensation was a benefit for him¡ªhe brought up his family even less than Seiko, and when he did it often had to do with the family¡¯s failing financial situation.

    Seiko had been in the capital for three months, now. Your first battle isn¡¯t too far off, her voices assured her. And my, will it be <u>grand.</u>

 Chapter 10: The First Real Battle

    Seiko often found herself training alongside Kinjo and Masaaki in the mornings. At first, it was mere coincidence¡ªKinjo was awake early, and the guards were required to train for at least thirty minutes after breakfast. After the first day, however, she found that the voices were significantly quieter when she was around them, allowing her to focus on training. It caused her to be a bit more awkward in conversations until she was used to it, but she gladly accepted it for the exchange of preventing herself from doing serious damage to anyone or anything. Lord Ozuru didn¡¯t seem pleased whenever he came to watch, however, although he never outright said why.

    News came about a battle rather suddenly, one of the generals calling all soldiers to fight early in the morning. Seiko was in the training area with Kinjo and Masaaki at the time, and took her sword with her and began to go to Princess Maenomi. Lord Ozuru stopped her on the way there.

    ¡°I want you front and center,¡± he said firmly. ¡°Unless they get inside the palace walls, you are to fight on the front lines.¡±

    Seiko nodded, moving with some urgency as her voices grew louder. Her own thoughts were drowned by sounds of delight and threats to the attackers. Battle! It¡¯s been so long. Let¡¯s make it grand, little Seiko.

    By the time she actually stepped on the battlefield, she had no thoughts of her own¡ªonly voices telling her what to do, overwhelming her, to the point where she acted before realizing what she was doing. Every soldier was already engaged by the time she got there, and she focused on fighting those in front of her¡ªanyone who didn¡¯t wear the armor of the royal army.

    She took her sword, possessing some kind of ability she wasn¡¯t capable of on her own. She moved forward, attacking those who approached her and fought back. She would lunge forward, cutting them with her blade, and the blood somehow left her more excited to continue.

    Seiko wasn¡¯t sure how many people she fought, but she was vaguely aware of how many she killed.She approached an opposing soldier, caught them off guard, and ran her blade across them. Precious few stood up again, and in the moment it was ecstatic¡ªand afterwards, it was terrifying. She had to be held back when the other side retreated and both army¡¯s miko came out to solemnly pray for the dead.

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    Although the excitement of battle faded, it never completely dulled. The clearest moment she had was when she recognized she had been injured and the pain caught up to her¡ªsuddenly she felt it, and the voices were absolutely silent. In that moment, the joy and empowerment of fighting was lost as well, and she realized how bloody her sword was.

    She dropped the weapon immediately and fell. Even though she could think clearly, her thoughts were hazy and running rampant. She couldn¡¯t make sense of it. Eventually, however, the miko who murmured prayer noticed her. Seiko could only remember going back inside the palace, although she knew what Lord Ozuru said to her:

    ¡°You truly are a magnificent beast, Tsujihara. I look forward to seeing you fight more.¡±

    ¡­

    No one ever actually confirmed why she couldn¡¯t remember much after the battle; there was a gap in her memory from when the battle ended to when she woke up the next morning, and her voices didn¡¯t give any firm answer.

    Ozuru was impressed; he let you rest for the remainder of the day. What a generous man. Although Maenomi was worried, and Kinjo and Masaaki know you¡¯re not quite <u>right</u>, now, too. Oh, but it was a glorious battle! Just stay far, far away from the people, and you¡¯ll be satisfied.

    Seiko was satisfied to listen to them, at first, except it was nigh impossible to avoid anyone who made the voices quieter. As such, it was nigh impossible to avoid her own thoughts, reminding herself constantly of the battle¡ªof what she did during the battle.

    What would Mikka make of this, when she heard? Seiko guessed she would worry, naturally. Ujuro would likely come to keep an eye on her¡ªhe was already a soldier, after all, and as long as he agreed with the cause he would fight for it. Lord Ozuru almost seemed proud when he looked at Seiko now, and she was left to wonder if that meant her only use now was to kill. And perhaps it wasn¡¯t exactly that she had killed that bothered her¡ªmany soldiers who fought had done the same¡ªbut how she killed.

    In that moment, while the voices consumed her and her thoughts were not her own, she enjoyedwatching them fall, bleed, and take their last breath. That was what terrified her, and the voices wanted her to forget that fear and go back to fighting despite it.

    You¡¯ll feel so much better once you take more blood, they murmured.

    Seiko couldn¡¯t even properly protest to the demand, instead trying something of a silent revolt against the things. She didn¡¯t want to listen to them anymore.

 Chapter 11: Sheâ€™s Strange, Isnâ€™t She?

    Tsujihara Seiko was¡­baffling, to say the least. Asahi couldn¡¯t quite understand her. They met and spoke for a while, then after a few days told him and Masaaki that she ¡°couldn¡¯t think clearly¡± around them. After the first battle, she tried to avoid them but ultimately ended up staying closer, now reasoning that she ¡°would rather be around others.¡±

    In general, Tsujihara acted differently after the battle than she did before. She was a bit quieter, at first, and she stayed a lot closer. She didn¡¯t even go to the training area without Asahi or Masaaki being there, much less actually fight. Asahi guessed it was because of the battle¡ªthe first time many of them had fought, all the more jarring because they were fighting people from Gin¡ªbut even if he tried to ask, she didn¡¯t respond. Masaaki didn¡¯t have much better luck.

    Several months passed after that first battle¡ªin the meantime, there had been a few more skirmishes, but nothing major. Asahi, Tsujihara, and Masaaki were all in the training area, entertaining some conversation. Tsujihara currently sparred with Masaaki, leaving Asahi to watch.

    He always noticed things about her at the oddest times. There was something elegant in the way she fought¡ªthere was a certain charm in how she struggled to find words on occasion, claiming to be unused to ¡®silence.¡¯ She was actually one of the most beautiful people Asahi ever met; she had long, brown hair and the most dazzling eyes. If he had to guess, there wasn¡¯t a drop of foreign blood in her.

    ¡°Tsujihara,¡± Asahi spoke up at some point among these thoughts. She paused and lowered her bokken, as did Masaaki. ¡°How did your parents ever allow you to fight?¡±

    It was a second before she responded. ¡°It¡¯s a matter of necessity, I suppose,¡± Tsujihara explained, moving her bokken from hand to hand. ¡°Mikka would like me to stay here, and she doesn¡¯t mind where I am as long as I¡¯m satisfied.¡±

    ¡°You father¡¯s got to have some say, right?¡± Masaaki asked, accepting the conversation.

    ¡°Ujuro mostly just agrees,¡± Tsujihara replied, frowning a little. ¡°Essentially, all he can really do is smile, nod, and try not to let her worry. I¡¯m sure he does care, of course, but it¡¯s¡­complicated, I suppose¡­¡±

    She trailed off, shaking her head. Asahi decided not to pressure her into saying anything more. ¡°Regardless,¡± Asahi said, giving her a smile, ¡°I¡¯ve just always wondered that. Even if you were an assistant at first, I¡¯m surprised Lord Ozuru made you a soldier as well; you¡¯re more polite and beautiful than most nobles, Tsujihara.¡±

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    Tsujihara tensed, shying away for a moment. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m worth all that praise,¡± she murmured.

    Asahi started to protest before someone else entered the training area. All three of them stood a bit straighter when they realized that it was Lord Ozuru.

    ¡°Tsujihara,¡± he said firmly.

    ¡°Yes, sir?¡± She asked.

    ¡°Maenomi wants to speak with you,¡± Lord Ozuru replied. ¡°Some request to take her somewhere, I suppose. Don¡¯t keep her waiting.¡±

    Tsujihara left and put away her bokken almost immediately. Lord Ozuru briefly looked at the other two as she left. ¡°Get to wherever you need to go,¡± he said.

    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± both of the men said.

    Lord Ozuru turned around and left. Masaaki slowly put his bokken away, speaking up after Lord Ozuru was out of earshot.

    ¡°Ever notice how Tsujihara¡¯s the only soldier he knows the name of?¡± Masaaki asked.

    Asahi gave him a wry look. ¡°Ever notice how easy it is to report casual, treasonous gossip?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t see why the servant girls can and soldiers can¡¯t,¡± Masaaki protested. After a short pause, he said, ¡°But be honest with me. Isn¡¯t it a bit weird? He can¡¯t even get the Hiroki children right¡ªheck, he can barely keep his nephews and nieces straight¡ªso it strikes me as odd that he¡¯d commit a commoner¡¯s face and name to memory.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no way I can stop you from speculating, can I?¡± Asahi asked dryly. In the brief time they¡¯ve known each other, Asahi was sure of absolutely one thing about Masaaki: he had a deadly lack of common sense, even though he claimed to have more than his family. It was likely the only reason the two weren¡¯t any friendlier¡ªhe made casual remarks that would lead anyone else to be dismissed from the army, if not killed. It was a bit aggravating, to say the least.

    ¡°Nope,¡± Masaaki replied, once again confirming Asahi¡¯s beliefs. He put his bokken away and continued. ¡°He calls Mrs. Tsujihara by her name, too.¡±

    ¡°Care to share why any of this seems to be important?¡± Asahi said.

    ¡°I¡¯m just saying,¡± Masaaki said defensively. ¡°You hear a lot about Lord Ozuru when you¡¯re around his son, even if he¡¯s the youngest of the two.¡±

    ¡°Prince Kyuru is still a child,¡± Asahi pointed out.

    ¡°Yeah, and he¡¯s a screwed up one,¡± Masaaki replied simply. ¡°All of them are. They say the king was friendly with Kuro, Jukazu wants to wipe Kuro out entirely, Teiki lacks ambitions, and gods only knows about the younger five; Ozuru slept with someone and didn¡¯t marry her, Maenomi would be content to never do anything herself again, Kyuru¡¯s desperate for anything other than a few words from the others.¡±

    Asahi frowned. ¡°You¡¯re lucky I don¡¯t particularly care about getting you in trouble,¡± he noted. ¡°That¡¯s about five reasons to send you out of Gin entirely.¡±

    ¡°So be it,¡± Masaaki said firmly. ¡°But this whole mess just reminds me of legends and stories¡ªRintoshita Ginshin was never promised his kingdom would last forever. It was the opposite, really; who¡¯s to say that we aren¡¯t witnessing that fall now?¡±

    He sighed and left after that, and Asahi watched him go for a second before leaving as well to go to his own post.

    Asahi decided to cope with the idea by ignoring it entirely.

 Chapter 12: After One Year

    The only battles Seiko fought in were those that took place in or near the capital. She always hated going out there, having no choice but to let her voices give her instructions¡ªhaving no choice but to kill, often viciously. Yet¡­she didn¡¯t want to fully retreat, either. Her voices would drag her back out to the battlefield, one way or another, and she didn¡¯t want to worry Mikka by telling her.

    A full year passed since that first battle. Seiko lost count of how many lives she had taken in the skirmishes since then. It was hard to find acceptance with it; she either had her own thoughts by being around friends, or she her thoughts were overwhelmed by imaginary voices.

    Eventually, Lord Ozuru officially made her a soldier, although she kept an eye on Princess Maenomi from afar by the girl¡¯s own request. Seiko often stayed near Kinjo, finding that the voices disappeared entirely when she was near him. She was scared of herself and what she could do when she was alone, so in a way¡­she was almost drawn to him. Perhaps aiding her decision was that the voices tried to force her away from him¡ªthey fell completely silent in his presence, so it was one of her few forms of protest against the things.

    Around midday, Seiko and Kinjo were filling in wherever they needed soldiers, which currently meant standing by the entrance. Some quiet conversation was entertained among the soldiers¡ªif nothing else, many of them learned the skill of paying attention to your surroundings while also idly chatting with someone else.

    There weren¡¯t a lot of people that came in or out of the palace after the second battle; technically visitors were allowed, but they were often questioned and many people weren¡¯t willing to sit through all that. Still, as the others chatted, Seiko caught sight of someone coming closer.

    She frowned when she recognized the man. She glanced at Kinjo for a moment. ¡°Do you mind if I talk with someone?¡±

    ¡°Just be quick, I suppose,¡± he replied.

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    Kinjo didn¡¯t seem to completely understand, but nonetheless Seiko cast him a thankful smile. She quickly removed her weapons¡ªa precaution, in case the voices urged her to take blood¡ªand sat them aside, which the other soldiers noticed as well but didn¡¯t say anything about. When all was done, Seiko approached the man; he didn¡¯t notice her until she called him, having been distracted by some festival stall selling goods for the summer festival.

    ¡°Ujuro!¡±

    He immediately took notice, attempting a little smile. Seiko¡¯s voices returned¡ªeven in their slightly quieter state, they were still louder than she was used to. Ujuro¡¯s smile faded in favor of a frown as she suppressed a wince.

    ¡°Are you all right?¡± Ujuro asked kindly.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Seiko replied quickly. Her relationship with the man was a bit strained; her voices didn¡¯t like him, and she followed them so blindly at times that her feelings were the same. Of course, like many men in his position¡ªthose who only married to support a mother and her children¡ªhe seemed to assume it stemmed from said marriage. She could never think clearly enough to explain her actions.

    They fell in silence for a moment while Seiko gathered what little thoughts the voices allowed. Sighing, she asked, ¡°If you¡¯re here, who¡¯s at home with Mother?¡±

    ¡°Mikka¡¯s with me, actually,¡± Ujuro replied hesitantly.

    ¡°You let her travel?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s not as bad as it sounds. Just a bit tired.¡±

    ¡°Last I heard she couldn¡¯t leave the house, much less the village.¡±

    ¡°¡®Last you heard¡¯ was two months ago. Things can change in that time; she¡¯s gotten better.¡±

    There was another few moments of silence for both of them to quiet down. Most of their conversations went like this, and the time away and circumstances only made it worse. Despite the voices urging otherwise, Seiko stayed silent for a few more moments.

    ¡°Do you¡­¡± Ujuro began awkwardly, trying again to start a decent conversation, ¡°Do you want to see her?¡±

    ¡°I have to continue standing guard,¡± Seiko replied.

    Ujuro gave an amused look, glancing at the other soldiers at the entrance to the palace. ¡°That¡¯sstanding guard? They¡¯re chatting.¡±

    ¡°Stay on task, please,¡± Seiko said patiently. ¡°If Mother can make it here, I won¡¯t mind seeing her.¡±

    ¡°I can go back and get her,¡± Ujuro said.

    Seiko nodded. ¡°Then please do.¡±

    Ujuro murmured final agreement and went farther into town; Seiko returned to the entrance of the palace and waited for Mikka to come. She wasn¡¯t exactly pleased that her mother left home, but¡­it would be nice to speak with her again.

 Chapter 13: You Owe It To Her

    There were times when Mikka distinctly felt like she was doing something¡­wrong, somehow. She¡¯s been struggling with some illness or another for nearly two decades, never really being ¡®strong¡¯ to begin with. She thanked the gods constantly for having been able to see Seiko grow so much¡­and now she made Ujuro bring her all the way to the capital, just so she could see the girl again.

    Precious few people recognized her¡ªshe didn¡¯t go out of her way to make sure they knew her, either. This would be the last time she ever made a trip here, for better or worse¡­if she even made it the trip back home. At least Ujuro was kind enough to give her this chance¡ªalthough it took longer than usual. Mikka just wanted to see her daughter in person while she had a chance.

    After they arrived, Mikka had gone to an old friend¡¯s house to rest while Ujuro tried to get Seiko there. He came back after about an hour, explaining that Seiko couldn¡¯t leave her post but they could still speak with her. Mikka gladly took the chance, presenting herself to be as elegant as she could and hoping her daughter wouldn¡¯t notice how her movements were a bit sloppier and less coordinated.

    Ujuro brought her to the palace, and Mikka smiled when she saw Seiko. Similarly, when Seiko noticed Mikka she looked relieved.

    ¡°She does look better,¡± Seiko murmured. A bit louder¡ªsomething that she intended Mikka to hear¡ªshe added, ¡°Are you feeling well, Mother?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Mikka replied, lying somewhat. She cast a smile at the other soldiers standing guard. ¡°Are you acquainted with any of these soldiers?¡±

    Seiko nodded, gesturing to the man standing next to her; he was a bit taller than the others, and blue eyes gave away heritage from the north. He bowed out of respect, and Mikka bowed to return the favor.

    ¡°Kinjo Asahi,¡± the man said. They both stood. ¡°You¡¯re Tsujihara Mikka, I assume?¡±

    Mikka nodded. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you. This man here¡±¡ªshe gestured to Ujuro¡ª¡°is Kyou Ujuro, my husband.¡±

    Kinjo gave a small bow to Ujuro as well. ¡°It¡¯s good to meet both of you.¡±

    Ujuro tried to strike up small talk with Kinjo, so Mikka spoke directly to Seiko. ¡°Are you allowed to let me inside the palace?¡± Mikka asked curiously.

    ¡°I should be able to let you past the gates, at least,¡± Seiko replied. She glanced at one of the other soldiers, who nodded and stepped aside. Seiko gave a little smile as thanks and looked back at Mikka. ¡°Any place in particular you would like to go?¡±

    ¡°I think I¡¯ll just wander,¡± Mikka mused. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I last came here.¡±

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    Seiko nodded. ¡°Just stay out of any guarded areas and you shouldn¡¯t have any trouble.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Seiko,¡± Mikka said kindly.

    Seiko smiled in response, and Mikka entered the palace. Much had changed in the last decade or so¡ªher memories no longer matched the place around her. Not like she ever spent a particularly long time here before.

    Mikka knew who she wanted to see, but she wasn¡¯t entirely sure where he was. She saw his children and could faintly recognize his wife, but the man himself was elusive. In the end, she waited in the entrance hall of the palace, paying her respects to Tsunkei and his father, Kyuburu. Those were the only two faces she could honestly say she remembered¡ªit was still a shame Tsunkei had to die like he did. She wondered if it reminded Ozuru of when his father.

    She knew he came based on how he addressed her. ¡°Mikka. Here I thought I might¡¯ve seen the last of you.¡±

    She laughed and glanced at him. ¡°What gave you that impression, Ozuru?¡±

    ¡°Need I list everything?¡± Ozuru asked dryly.

    ¡°I can wait,¡± Mikka replied. She was faintly aware that her smile was a bit too childish for the situation, but in the moment she didn¡¯t care.

    Ozuru sighed and looked away from her, pretending to focus on something in the courtyard. ¡°What do you want?¡±

    ¡°I just wanted to thank you,¡± Mikka said.

    ¡°What have I done¡ª¡±

    ¡°You looked over Seiko. You didn¡¯t turn her away.¡±

    Ozuru glanced at her warily. ¡°I haven¡¯t done anything more than what I believe is needed. Your daughter is strong, and we need the soldiers. It doesn¡¯t go any further than that.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t?¡± Mikka asked, skeptical. She frowned, and spoke simply. ¡°You haven¡¯t changed at all, you know¡ªI can tell you¡¯re aware of who she is. That¡¯s clear enough by how you¡¯re not looking at me.¡± He stayed silent and turned away again, and Mikka¡¯s frown only deepened. ¡°Ozuru, I need you to promise me something.¡±

    He didn¡¯t immediately respond. Three people¡ªthe eldest prince and his two guards¡ªpassed by the room, casting them a curious look but saying nothing. Mikka waited for them to leave before she continued. ¡°Ozuru, I¡¯m dying,¡± she pleaded.

    Finally, his expression changed¡ªapparently it surprised him¡ªbut he still didn¡¯t look at her. She pressed on. ¡°You have to keep looking after Seiko,¡± Mikka insisted, fighting against a few tears. ¡°I¡¯ll have to leave her soon. She heard voices when she was younger¡ªthey¡¯ve left, I think, but they might return. I need you to keep watching her, and make sure she makes it through this¡ªtake her off the battlefield and call her a princess for all I care! Anything as long as she¡¯s safe.¡± She took a breath, walking so she was right in front of him. Ozuru¡¯s response was to turn his head so he still didn¡¯t see her. ¡°You owe as much to her¡ªto me. Please.¡±

    Ozuru looked back at her after a few seconds, frowning and taking a step back. ¡°She won¡¯t die here,¡± Ozuru said coldly. ¡°If she came close, I would drag her back here¡ªbut not out of whatever duty I may have to her. If all else fails, she will still live to carry on the throne. This little war isn¡¯t over until the rebels back down.¡±

    ¡°Just keep her safe,¡± Mikka maintained. ¡°That¡¯s all I ask of you. That¡¯s the last thing I¡¯ll ever ask of you.¡±

    She took another few steps away, and Ozuru sighed. ¡°¡­For you,¡± he agreed quietly.

    Mikka smiled. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    He muttered a few words that were supposed to sound annoyed, but it only brought back fond memories for her. She laughed, the feeling becoming bittersweet. ¡°May we meet again, Ozuru.¡±

    Ozuru murmured some kind of agreement and left. Mikka watched him go for a moment, finally feeling like she made a good choice for her daughter.

    Seiko will be in good hands. She had to keep believing that.

 Chapter 14: Less of a Monster

    Mikka stayed for about a week before heading back; although Ujuro apparently planned to stay, Seiko urged him to return as well so her mother wouldn¡¯t be making the trip alone. During Mikka¡¯s stay¡ªmuch of which was spent near Seiko inside or around the palace, since she wasn¡¯t given much free time¡ªthere were a few times when Lord Ozuru came to give orders, noticed Seiko or Mikka, then left without a word.

    Considering that he continued to avoid her even after Mikka left, it was surprising to see him walk into the training area and pick up a weapon. Kinjo and Masaaki were with her, as they had been for the past few months after Seiko realized she could fight without the voices controlling her when they were close, but neither made a comment aside from the collective bow.

    ¡°Tsujihara,¡± Lord Ozuru said, picking up two swords from the pile.

    She could guess easily enough where this was heading¡ªstill, though, she nodded obediently. ¡°Yes, sir?¡±

    Lord Ozuru gave her one of the swords. ¡°Show me if you¡¯ve improved at all.¡±

    Seiko nodded again, and Kinjo and Masaaki moved closer to the trees to give them space. Lord Ozuru moved first with a certain kind of frustration¡ªshe moved away before the blade hit her, albeit barely. She tried to retaliate, but was slow enough that his katana drew blood first, catching her arm. She winced, but tried to avoid looking at the blood¡ªeven when the voices were gone, that was the one thing that could bring them back.

    Lord Ozuru entertained some semblance of a duel for a few minutes, then stopped. ¡°What happened to the way you fought before?¡± He asked coldly.

    She couldn¡¯t immediately think of a good excuse¡ªin truth, she purposely sought ways to avoid it, but she knew that answer wouldn¡¯t please the regent¡ªso she opted to stay silent. Lord Ozuru frowned, taking the sword she was using away from her.

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    ¡°We can¡¯t afford to keep soldiers here that won¡¯t fight,¡± Lord Ozuru said firmly. ¡°There will be another battle, and if you¡¯re not strong enough you will die. I¡¯ve seen you here every day for the past year; whatever changed, get rid of it. You¡¯re the best monster we have.¡±

    Seiko winced, not quite brave or foolish enough to speak out in her own defense. She didn¡¯t expect Kinjo or Masaaki to say anything, either¡ªexcept Masaaki did.

    ¡°With all due respect, sir,¡± Masaaki began, gaining a worried look from Seiko that he brushed off with a smile, albeit hesitantly, ¡°I¡¯ve seen Tsujihara fight in battle¡ªshe¡¯s more tame than half of the men, even if she¡¯s downed more opponents. She lacks the basic skill and strength to be called a ¡®monster.¡¯ I think you¡¯re overestimating her abilities a bit.¡±

    She was more relieved that she received some words of encouragement that she didn¡¯t necessarily care to realize that they weren¡¯t exactly compliments in this line of work. She knew she must not seem like an excellent fighter when her voices were gone¡ªshe wasn¡¯t much of anything when her voices were gone. When she dared to look, Lord Ozuru¡¯s expression had only hardened, his frown deeper.

    Lord Ozuru spoke simply to her. ¡°You are our final card,¡± he said. ¡°When all else fails, you will remain standing. What do you think is necessary for that to be achieved?¡±

    ¡°¡­I have an option?¡± Seiko asked after a moment.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to take the blame if you die in battle,¡± Lord Ozuru replied coldly. ¡°Now make a decision, Tsujihara¡ªbut you have to stay on the battlefield, at least for now. If that bloodlust of yours returns, I want to see it in all its glory.¡±

    Seiko frowned, perfectly aware that her only use at the moment was to kill as many enemies as possible¡ªmore so than the other soldiers, because if the voices took over they were killed gruesomely. Her voices¡ªand, by extension, her actions while they controlled her¡ªseemed more important than her own self in many cases.

    Still, she was able to give her request clearly. ¡°I fight well alongside Kinjo and Masaaki. If I could stay near them during battles, I can make it through the battle without growing confused.¡±

    Lord Ozuru nodded, and looked behind her towards the two men. ¡°Do you have any protests?¡±

    ¡°No, sir,¡± both replied.

    The regent put the swords away and left the training area. There wasn¡¯t much time left in the morning before they all had to do their separate work, so Seiko and Kinjo went on to figure out where they were needed. She was grateful that she wasn¡¯t questioned about why she chose those two in particular¡ªat least not immediately.

 Chapter 15: The Fall

    He was still convinced that there was something off about Tsujihara Seiko¡ªsomething that Lord Ozuru seemed to know, but wasn¡¯t willing on outright admitting to. Tsujihara had the same kind of screwed-up air around her as the royal family did, except she must be partially aware of it because she always looked terrified when Sonoru found her alone.

    About a year and two months after the first attack, Sonoru had the rude awakening of swords clashing in the middle of the night. He got out of bed and got dressed fairly calmly, picking up a sword on his way out of the bedroom for Prince Kyuru¡¯s guards. As per his duty and given orders, he stayed near the prince¡¯s door the whole time. He could hear the poor kid whimpering on the other side of the door as signs of attack were more obvious.

    The rebel forces¡ªthe people who believed the royal family had lost the favor of the gods, and thus wanted to kill them¡ªhad been attacking minor nobles ever since that first battle. Any families the royals were close to had been attacked, as well as any they were likely to marry into; the Hiroki family saw the rebels a few times, since they were the royal family¡¯s marriage default. The rebels never actually attacked the palace, but Sonoru guessed that was the current state of events.

    Sonoru stayed by the door until he saw Tsujihara come up to them. She looked mostly unharmed, except for a few scratches.

    ¡°Are the royals safe up here?¡± Tsujihara asked. She never seemed to look down at her own wounds, instead taking some relief that the guards were relatively safe.

    The nearby guards¡ªthose for Kyuru, Maenomi, and some of late King Tsunkei¡¯s younger children¡ªchecked the rooms of their respective charges for the second time that night. Sonoru opened the door and saw Prince Kyuru hiding in the far corner of the room, likely hearing voices and assuming they weren¡¯t friendly. Sonoru tried to give the boy a little smile, and closed the door again.

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    ¡°They¡¯re all here,¡± one of Maenomi¡¯s guards reported. ¡°A few look like they¡¯re sleeping through it, but¡ª¡±

    ¡°Even children can¡¯t sleep through fighting,¡± Tsujihara said. She winced and lost her balance, leaving one of the closer guards to try to come closer to help. She took a step back, taking out a little knife and cutting the palm of her right hand; she didn¡¯t glance down at the wound at all. ¡°Check to make sure they¡¯re still breathing. The wives are dead, now; a-and I think there¡¯s more, but¡­¡±

    She winced again, closing her eyes for a moment and cursing. ¡°Tsujihara,¡± Sonoru said, ¡°You should probably head somewhere else. Your wounds¡ª¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not wounds, Masaaki. I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m fine.¡±

    Tsujihara turned the corner and ran off again before he could try to protest more. Following her request, the guards of the royal children who had apparently been asleep went back in the room. They came back out with bloodied weapons, relaying a story on how they must have been killed before the guards got there. Why only King Tsunkei¡¯s littlest two were killed was a mystery they never solved.

    Those remaining guards¡ªfour, all told¡ªwent out to fight, with their charges dead. Sonoru doubted that they would be allowed to stay at the palace¡ªif they were even left alive¡ªassuming they weren¡¯t just demoted to a normal soldier. In light of that, however, one of the two guards of the remaining children entered their respective charges¡¯ rooms to keep a better eye on them.

    Sonoru went inside to watch Prince Kyuru, making a few grim realizations as he watched the prince whimper and hide. It suddenly became¡­a bit more real to him. This whole time, it felt like there was only a little hint of danger¡ªlike the greatest threat the family had was itself, and Sonoru was just watching the chaos unfold. Tsujihara said the wives were killed; it¡¯s fortunate that Lord Ozuru was still alive, but King Tsunkei¡¯s children were orphaned now.

    Even for all his talk about how the royal family was messed up, he knew that most families were. Still¡­who knew the royal family wasn¡¯t nigh invincible? He felt like the silver gods¡ªBekin, Aimiki, Ginshin¡ªhad all left in favor of some other place, possibly in favor of murder of their own descendants. That was a chilling thought.

    Maybe the worst part was that none of them were humble enough to step down. Sonoru wasn¡¯t sure how long he¡¯d be able to serve a family that would actively seek out death in the name of glory and honor.

 Chapter 16: After The Battle

    Being near Kinjo had helped during the battle¡ªSeiko was able to fight with a clear head, and she knew exactly what she was doing. She was a bit weaker and slower, but it wasn¡¯t anything that Kinjo couldn¡¯t fix by covering for her. After about ten minutes of fighting, however, news came that the royal wives were killed, and soldiers were hastily assigned to protect the fighting royals¡ªKinjo went to watch over Prince Jukazu, leaving Seiko alone.

    The rest of the battle blurred together. She tried her best to keep the voices away by giving herself small cuts and refusing to look at blood¡ªit became harder as the battle wore on, but she didn¡¯t want to just leave the fight outright. She had a job to do, after all, and she didn¡¯t want to be sent away or killed because she failed it; that was likely the only thing motivating the army after two hours.

    The battle only ended when all of the rebel forces were killed¡ªa third of the soldiers stationed at the palace had died or fled during that time. The injured soldiers were told to rest while those that were unharmed moved all of the bodies outside. Seiko was among the injured, albeit farther away from the rest by her voices¡¯ insistence.

    There were a two more voices added to the grim choir; voices of children, who she could faintly recognize as the two heirs that had died that night. Among the other voices singing their praises¡ªSo bloody! Oh, little Seiko, you killed so many. You¡¯re perfect.¡ªthere were sounds of those two children crying, and with so many close by she wasn¡¯t comfortable using her little knife to cut herself again to silence them.

    Seiko had her eyes closed, and for a while just listened to a miko send a prayer for the deceased to find comfort in whatever realm next awaited them. Other miko came from the shrine to tend to the soldiers¡¯ wounds, and due to Seiko¡¯s position away from the others they didn¡¯t immediately come towards her.

    Instead, the first person that spoke to her was Kinjo. ¡°How are you feeling, Tsujihara? It doesn¡¯t look like you¡¯ve been hurt too badly.¡±

    She opened her eyes, the voices leaving for the moment. Masaaki was standing next to him, and both sported some kind of worry¡ªneither were terribly injured, fortunately. ¡°A migraine is all I feel at the moment,¡± Seiko admitted. ¡°Although that¡¯s fading now.¡±

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    Kinjo smiled, but Masaaki wasn¡¯t quite as easily swayed. ¡°How¡¯s your hand?¡± Masaaki asked quietly.

    Seiko held out her right hand so he could see¡ªthe one she¡¯s been cutting so the pain would ward away the voices. By now the blood had dried, leaving most of the hand colored a dark, brownish red. The voices spoke up for a moment¡ªenough that she winced¡ªbut quieted down again.

    ¡°That might take a little while to heal properly,¡± Kinjo noted.

    ¡°Fortunately, I use my left hand more often,¡± Seiko replied. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be an issue.¡±

    Masaaki frowned, apparently hoping to hear something else. She could guess what it was¡ªhe likely saw her inflicting one of the cuts¡ªand she was grateful that he wasn¡¯t saying it outright.

    In a few moments, however, Kinjo was called to make sure the miko who were helping could make it back to the shrine (or wherever else they were staying). When Kinjo left, Seiko winced as the voices returned¡ªthey were quieted thanks to Masaaki¡¯s presence, but still louder and painful.

    ¡°You always do that,¡± Masaaki muttered. ¡°You look like you¡¯re in pain whenever he leaves; it feels worse, now that you two are spending more time together.¡±

    ¡°I have my reasons,¡± Seiko replied quietly.

    ¡°Reasons you wouldn¡¯t mind telling me?¡± Masaaki asked.

    ¡°I would like to keep them to myself.¡±

    ¡°So you won¡¯t tell me why you¡¯re cutting yourself in the middle of battle when you¡¯re already in pain?¡±

    ¡°Not if I can help it.¡±

    Masaaki sighed, and Seiko stayed silent. She was afraid¡ªthe voices made her afraid¡ªof saying too much; of losing whatever trust she had. About half the palace knew she suffered from migraines, although none knew the exact reason¡ªothers, like the girls that came with her from home, knew and spread rumors that she used to talk to herself on occasion. Add that in to apparent bloodlust in the earlier battles, and Seiko¡¯s image was one of a powerful but mentally broken soldier. She didn¡¯t want that idea to grow even more by saying she heard voices.

    When someone came by to actually tend to Seiko¡¯s wounds, Masaaki left to return to Prince Kyuru. The next day was the announcement of the battle¡¯s outcome¡ªclaimed as a victory by Lord Ozuru, and celebrated as such despite the four royal lives lost. Funerals were held later that week for the royal army and the departed wives and children. No recognition was given for the rebel army, which led to another dozen soldiers leaving the palace as deserters.

    The war was defensive on their part from there on out.

 Chapter 17: Silence

    A lot of people found the actual death of the royal family shocking¡ªenough so that they lost about two hundred men through desertion by the end of the week. It was a combination of hopelessness and how little recognition the lost soldiers received when compared to the royalty that were killed on the same night.

    As far as she understood it, Lord Ozuru decided to give three days for the entire army at the palace to ¡®recover¡¯ from that night, when the amount of deserted soldiers started to outweigh the amount of people who were willing to search for them. Each day would be given to a third of the remaining army for them to do whatever they pleased.

    It was announced two weeks after the most recent battle while most of the soldiers and guards were eating breakfast, so naturally the rest of the conversation became about that particular topic.

    ¡°It¡¯s a bit annoying that a day off is the most we get,¡± Masaaki mused. ¡°I think I would¡¯ve preferred something more along the lines of putting up memorials for the dead soldiers or something longer so we could actually leave.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m willing to take what we can get,¡± Kinjo replied.

    Seiko didn¡¯t add her own piece, if only because she didn¡¯t quite mind either way. She would have preferred a few days instead of a few hours, but she wouldn¡¯t complain about free time.

    Even if she was completely lost on how she would spend it.

    Masaaki and Kinjo talked for a while about it, which eventually fell into a debate on whether or not their respective families would be pleased to see them if they could return home. Masaaki eventually came to the conclusion he would be sent back again, whereas Kinjo would be hounded on why he left the palace¡ªeven with permission. Seiko much preferred hearing them over her voices, so she let them ramble on despite not speaking much herself.

    When they were mostly done eating, Kinjo looked at Seiko and smiled. ¡°Tsujihara, I was wondering if you would like to head out to town with me for a little while? It¡¯s the perfect time in between seasons to get a good look around the capital.¡±

    Seiko returned the smile faintly. ¡°All right,¡± she said.

    From her other side, Masaaki chuckled but didn¡¯t say anything else. Kinjo did give him a quick frown before looking at Seiko again. ¡°I¡¯ll see you outside the palace in a few minutes,¡± Kinjo decided.

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    Seiko nodded her agreement, and they finished up eating. She went back to her shared room to remove some of her armor¡ªshe still remained with the assistants despite becoming a soldier¡ªand the girls teased her slightly.

    ¡­

    Kinjo was waiting outside the palace as he said, so she went to join him. It was aimless chatting and wandering at first, although Seiko enjoyed the distraction. For at least two hours, they walked around the capital¡ªand for at least two hours, she forgot about everything else.

    He led her to a quiet place¡ªa small garden, hailed as the place where Ginshin married his first wive¡ªand struck up another conversation.

    ¡°You said once before that your mother was a miko in Gin no Shuto?¡± Kinjo asked.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Seiko replied. ¡°She worked at the grand shrine until her resignation when she was eighteen.¡±

    They wandered through the little garden a bit more, sitting down on a bench under one of the trees. It must look beautiful when the sakura petals fell in spring¡ªbut for now, she had to make due with the falling leaves of early autumn. ¡°What led to her resigning?¡± Kinjo said curiously.

    ¡°Quite a lot,¡± Seiko said. She looked around at the scenery while she spoke. ¡°She told me she wasn¡¯t particularly fond of some of the other girls¡ªthen came my father. Mikka fell in love when she shouldn¡¯t have, and during the whole relationship she considered leaving the shrine. She said that my father had been away for some time, mourning the death of his father, when she learned she was pregnant.¡± She spoke a bit quieter and a bit colder as she added, ¡°He left her when he heard, too much of a coward to even discuss the possibility of staying. Mikka left the grand shrine, went to live in a village where her grandparents were. That¡¯s where I was raised, with Kyou Ujuro as a kind of paternal substitute.¡±

    Kinjo stayed silent for a moment, but Seiko looked at him when he finally did speak. ¡°I wonder, if that man ever meets you, if he would have regrets,¡± he said. He smiled at her. ¡°He lost the chance to act as a father for the most beautiful woman I¡¯ve met.¡±

    The comment caught her off guard, and for a moment all she could do was stare at him as her cheeks grew warm. The silence was both wonderful and terrifying.

    ¡°Hearing about your father, I don¡¯t want to just¡­push this on you,¡± Kinjo said. He gained a sheepish expression as well. ¡°But¡­would you let me say my piece?¡±

    Seiko nodded without a word, and Kinjo bravely carried on. ¡°There¡¯s something¡­fascinating about you¡ªyou¡¯re beautiful and strong, with a kind personality as well. I love you, Seiko. It might take some time to convince my family about a bastard commoner girl, but¡ª¡±

    He stopped when she leaned into him, smiling. She was selfish enough in the moment that she didn¡¯t even think to protest to his confession¡ªselfish enough that she didn¡¯t care about status. ¡°It¡¯s so¡­quiet around you, Asahi. I can hear myself think¡ªmy own voice in my own thoughts, guiding my own actions¡ªand its wonderful.¡±

    ¡°So you don¡¯t mind?¡± He asked quietly.

    ¡°Not at all,¡± Seiko replied. She raised her head so she could look up at him. ¡°Just¡­try not to leave? Stay with me, or at least give me warning before you go?¡±

    Asahi smiled at her. ¡°Any man would be a fool to leave you. I¡¯ll stay with you for as long as you¡¯ll have me.¡±

    ¡°¡­Thank you.¡±

 Chapter 18: Before We Fight Again

    Although the day of reprieve went by quickly, most of the soldiers looked a little more pleased than they had before. More soldiers came in to make up for those lost¡ªamong them being Ujuro, to Seiko¡¯s aggravation. Her stepfather only explained that he was there to help keep an eye on her, but the only thing he said about Mikka was that she agreed with his choice and she was in the care of a shrine maiden.

    Ujuro joined Seiko, Asahi, and Masaaki in the morning while his exact station was being determined. He got along well with Masaaki, at least, and Asahi maintained polite conversation when they could. Barring a few instances where Ujuro would speak with Lord Ozuru or a general, he stayed fairly close. It would be more reassuring if Seiko was completely convinced that Mikka was fine without him; as much as she didn¡¯t trust Ujuro to watch her, she trusted the miko in the area even less.

    A whole month after the royal wives and the youngest of late King Tsunkei¡¯s children died, Seiko, Asahi, Masaaki, and Ujuro were in the training area after breakfast. Asahi and Masaaki trained together, while Ujuro entertained them with a story of the most recent war with Kuro¡ªwhich Ujuro himself took part in. The man liked fighting and growing stronger; in Seiko¡¯s childhood, he was either at home or in Hiroki territory, ready to fight whenever he had a chance.

    As Masaaki stepped out of training in order to be replaced by Seiko, Lord Ozuru came into view. The dozen soldiers that were in the training area stopped what they were doing as soon as they noticed, all waiting until the man was a bit closer before bowing.

    Lord Ozuru spoke once most of them were standing. ¡°Listen well; I¡¯m not saying this again, and it¡¯s your jobs to repeat it to any soldier you see.¡± A majority of the group nodded, and the regent continued. ¡°There¡¯s a lead on the rebel forces. A third of you will head out to stamp them out, while the rest of you will stay here. Exact positioning will be announced tomorrow, with a few exceptions.¡±

    There was a group of ¡°yes, sir¡±s in response and a few of the soldiers bowed again. ¡°Go ahead and spread the word, then,¡± Lord Ozuru said. There was an echo of the soldiers¡¯ earlier words and they started putting away their weapons. As the soldiers filtered out, Lord Ozuru stayed close to the exit.

    He spoke up again once Seiko passed him. ¡°Tsujihara. I need to have a word with you.¡±

    Seiko nodded, and stepped aside for a moment so she wasn¡¯t stopping anyone from leaving. She winced when the voices returned, seeming to have a better idea of what he wanted to talk about than she did.

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    It¡¯s a shame Mikka isn¡¯t here. Oh, but fight well in this coming battle, little Seiko¡­ You¡¯re one of them, after all. You¡¯ll be the <u>last</u> one.

    The voices distracted her enough that she almost didn¡¯t realize Lord Ozuru started walking, and Seiko followed a few steps behind him. He led her inside the palace, to the room where he typically did the king¡¯s work.

    Prince Jukazu was already there, noticing Lord Ozuru and greeting him with a frown. ¡°How long does it take you to give one order?¡± The prince asked.

    ¡°I had to speak with Maenomi and Kyuru as well,¡± Lord Ozuru replied coldly. ¡°Now take whatever you¡¯re working on somewhere else. It should just be us four.¡±

    The prince stood up, took a few papers, and sighed. ¡°Yes, Uncle.¡±

    He didn¡¯t give any glance or comment towards Seiko, leaving without any other words. Lord Ozuru muttered something that vaguely sounded like ¡°good riddance¡±¡ªthe sentiment of which was shared with Seiko¡¯s voices¡ªand went inside the room. He didn¡¯t move any of the papers that were already on the table, and gestured to one of the chairs.

    ¡°Feel free to take a seat, Tsujihara,¡± he said. His tone was remarkably¡­warmer than usual¡ªat the very least, he didn¡¯t sound completely disdainful. It felt a bit strange to her.

    Seiko nodded, although she only stepped into the room and stood near the one side of the door. Lord Ozuru sighed, sitting down behind the desk. ¡°I suppose that¡¯s fine,¡± he said. He still didn¡¯t look directly at her. ¡°Maenomi and Kyuru will be here shortly, but I wanted to speak with you privately first. How much¡­did Mikka tell you, about your father?¡±

    The question caught her off guard for a second; a few of her voices laughed, teasing her. ¡°Only that he left her,¡± Seiko replied after a moment.

    ¡°Not a name? Description?¡± Lord Ozuru asked.

    Seiko shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t believe it justifies what he did, but¡­she likes to believe he left so his reputation stayed intact. She doesn¡¯t speak much of my father in order to ¡®preserve¡¯ that, I suppose.¡±

    ¡°I thought as much,¡± Lord Ozuru mused. ¡°It didn¡¯t seem like you knew anything, but that would save some trouble if you did.¡± He sighed. ¡°This will be the first any of you hear of it, then. I¡¯ll have to make due with that.¡±

    Neither one of them spoke for another few minutes until Lord Ozuru¡¯s children came. Prince Kyuru was the first to notice Seiko, smiling. ¡°Miss Tsujihara! Are you going to play with me again? The guards aren¡¯t any fun! I mean, Mr. Masaaki is a bit funny, but otherwise they¡¯re boring.¡±

    ¡°Oh! Will you be my guard again?¡± Princess Maenomi asked. After a moment, she turned towards her father with pleading eyes. ¡°Will she?¡±

    ¡°Tsujihara Seiko will no longer be fighting alongside the army,¡± Lord Ozuru replied. ¡°Nor will she be Kyuru¡¯s playmate, nor Maenomi¡¯s guard.¡±

    Seiko wasn¡¯t expecting such a comment to come so casually. She tried to seem respectful when she asked, ¡°Am I being dismissed, sir?¡±

    ¡°In a sense,¡± Lord Ozuru said. He looked at Seiko. ¡°I¡¯ve said before that you are last resort¡ªthe final card we have to play if all else fails. To honor your mother¡­I might as well tell you the technical reasons why.¡±

 Chapter 19: The Truth

    Listen closely, the voices told her. This is important. This will change everything¡ªthis will lead you towards the path you should take. You will know your role soon enough.

    Lord Ozuru didn¡¯t pause very long to explain it, although Princess Maenomi seemed curious. He wasn¡¯t exactly cold, nor was he extremely welcoming.

    ¡°Tsujihara Mikka lived in the capital before she had a child,¡± Lord Ozuru said, looking in Seiko¡¯s direction but not directly at her. ¡°She told you that much, at least?¡±

    ¡°The only thing in her past she didn¡¯t tell me was about my father,¡± Seiko replied evenly. ¡°I¡¯ve heard stories and anecdotes about everything else.¡±

    The man sighed as his two children waited for any word that this conversation involved them. He continued on with the same tone as earlier, starting with a little story. ¡°My father¡ªKyuburu¡ªwanted to start a reform. He wanted to separate Gin from Kuro by changing around the social classes¡ªintermarrying and the like¡ªas well as introducing and welcoming foreigners. As you three can tell, he was only somewhatsuccessful; a Kuro assassin killed him before any real progress could be made. He did manage to reform the army, at least, and there¡¯s more foreign blood around here than before, but the changes ended there.¡±

    ¡°We know this story, Father,¡± Princess Maenomi said kindly but impatiently.

    ¡°I¡¯m not done yet,¡± Lord Ozuru replied, frowning at her for a moment. He looked back at Seiko and continued. ¡°I met Mikka during those years of reform. Kyuburu arranged for Tsunkei and I to meet with commoners¡ªhe believed that if the royal family followed his new ¡®code,¡¯ others would follow suit. I first saw Mikka while she was tending to the shrine; we were both fifteen, I believe, or around that age.¡±

    ¡°¡­She didn¡¯t tell me she was acquainted with the royal family,¡± Seiko noted quietly. She wasn¡¯t quite sure what Lord Ozuru was meaning to say, but she wasn¡¯t willing to ask just yet. All she knew for certain was that her voices were giving her dread.

    He nodded. ¡°Likely to ¡®preserve¡¯ my reputation, as you put it.¡± Lord Ozuru continued on before Seiko could question the choice of words. ¡°Suffice to say, my father¡¯s little plan worked. Simplifying three years into one sentence, Mikka and I¡­ Well, we fell in love. It was never exactly ¡®public knowledge¡¯¡ªshe was still a miko at the time, and that alone would have been a scandal¡ªbut we were enough of fools to carry on in secret. We were rarely at home, spending the days together or hiding away somewhere outside of the capital until Kyuburu died; I was too busy taking care of funeral and coronation preparations, making sure my father was honored and Tsunkei became king, to speak with her. When we next met¡ªafter two months¡ªshe told me she was pregnant with my child. I left her, for reasons I still don¡¯t quite understand.¡±

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    The other three were left in a moment of silence, each gathering their own thoughts. He¡¯s right, her voices said. But don¡¯t feel bad; he really <u>is</u> a coward.

    You¡¯re the last resort, little Seiko, because no one knows who you are.

    Prince Kyuru was the first to speak up, talking to his father innocently. ¡°Is that why Miss Tsujihara looks like Maenomi but older and prettier?¡±

    Maenomi turned towards Seiko, apparently choosing to ignore her brother¡¯s comment. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Miss Tsujihara! If I had known we shared a father, I wouldn¡¯t have made you do so much for me¡­ Oh, but why did the bastard child have to prettier than me?¡±

    ¡°Choose your words wisely, Maenomi,¡± Lord Ozuru said.

    ¡°Y-yes, Father,¡± the princess replied. She gave a small bow to Seiko in apology.

    It was still another few moments before Seiko could manage any kind of response, looking at Lord Ozuru. ¡°May I speak with Mikka about this?¡± Seiko asked.

    ¡°You¡¯re not leaving the palace,¡± Lord Ozuru replied firmly. ¡°And news of this would only stir up more trouble, so I don¡¯t trust a letter. Mikka isn¡¯t well enough to make the trip, from what Kyou Ujuro told me, so you¡¯ll have to make due without.¡±

    Seiko nodded slowly. She could believe it¡ªeven if it felt strange¡ªbut she wanted Mikka¡¯s confirmation. The voices were assuring her that their confirmation should be all she needed¡­and as much as she hated it, she knew they were right.

    ¡°What will be my new position?¡± Seiko asked after a moment, partially changing the previous subject to something more immediately relevant.

    ¡°If anyone asks, you¡¯ll be reclaiming a position as Maenomi¡¯s guard,¡± Lord Ozuru said. ¡°You will remain with the soldiers¡ªeat and train with them¡ªbut unless your monstrous fighting returns, you won¡¯t be fighting directly. Pick two or three people to watch over you; they¡¯ll hear of this, so be wise in your decision. They will follow from a farther distance and join you when there¡¯s a battle¡ªotherwise, treat Maenomi¡¯s other guards as your own. You¡¯ll mostly adopt Maenomi¡¯s routine from there.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯ll be with me all day?¡± Princess Maenomi asked.

    ¡°For the most part, yes,¡± her father replied.

    ¡°Can she play with me again?¡± Kyuru said happily. ¡°I want her to play with me again!¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll see,¡± Lord Ozuru said. He looked at Seiko. ¡°That¡¯s all I had to say. Consider which soldiers you want to have close by; you have until the end of the week before I choose them myself. Do you understand, Seiko?¡±

    She could only nod. ¡°You¡¯re dismissed, then,¡± he said. ¡°You can rest for the day, if you wish. Let me know if you have any requests or questions in light of your new status.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Seiko replied. She bowed, then left.

    Suddenly she was a bastard princess, and she wasn¡¯t sure if she was willing to accept it.

 Chapter 20: One Day With Them

    Seiko sought out Asahi and spent the remainder of the day with him, if only because of the silence. She tried to take that time to think, knowing full well her voices wouldn¡¯t give her any kind of opportunity later. A few soldiers openly questioned why she seemed so distant now¡ªSeiko didn¡¯t quite reply, having decided that Lord Ozuru¡¯s offer of rest could mean she didn¡¯t have to do as much work.

    Seiko shared her new position with Asahi, Masaaki, and Ujuro at dinner. She didn¡¯t fully explain the reason why, but instead asked if they would all be willing to look out for her if they asked¡ªnaturally, all three pointed out that they already were, in a sense. She always stayed close to Asahi or Masaaki, and Ujuro came to the palace for that reason.

    The next day, she started her new routine¡ªone that was familiar, but still required some adjustment. She still ate and trained with the others, then left with Princess Maenomi¡¯s other guards (they seemed to be slightly aware of her position, giving more formalities than a guard deserved but otherwise treating her like they would treat anyone else).

    Maenomi smiled when she saw Seiko. By now, the royal family had already eaten¡ªthey were all brought back to their rooms afterwards to make final preparations for the day. The princess was adorned in clothes typically meant for walking around town; the only people who would actually see them, however, is the soldiers. Lord Ozuru gave the royal family¡ªhis two children especially¡ªless places to roam than the soldiers, meaning that they were confined to the palace and a small part of the courtyard.

    ¡°Good morning, Miss Tsujihara,¡± Princess Maenomi said warmly. ¡°Considering your new status, may I use your first name?¡±

    Seiko nodded silently, and the princess¡¯s smile grew. ¡°You can drop formalities with me as well,¡± Maenomi offered.

    ¡°I would prefer to retain some distance,¡± Seiko replied.

    ¡°Fair. I can¡¯t assume we¡¯ll be family right away.¡±

    The words still struck her as odd¡ªPrincess Maenomi must have noticed, because she hid a small bit of laughter. ¡°You look like a trapped bird,¡± the princess noted. ¡°You¡¯re too pretty to look so terrified.¡±

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    Her voices reinforced the notion, reasonably likening the palace to a cage. A bloody cage, with a white exterior¡ªyet the troubles and corpses inside outweigh even those made by the northern nation. This place will be painted red soon.

    Seiko tried to keep the voices from growing too loud, although her own thoughts were drowned out when put against theirs. Fortunately, Princess Maenomi started to leave her room and continued talking, giving Seiko something else to focus on.

    ¡°You¡¯re lucky that I don¡¯t have much to do today,¡± Maenomi said. Seiko tried to follow behind her guards, but they refused to walk in front of her. ¡°Teiki and I¡ªhe and his siblings all know who you are, by the way¡ªhave our usual studies. We¡¯ll have to wrap up before Jukazu and Father meet with the Hiroki boys at noon. Kyuru would likely want you to spend the afternoon with him¡­ I suppose I¡¯ll join you for that. He¡¯s a bit annoying, but he seems lonelier these days without Mother to coddle him.¡±

    They went to the office¡ªthe place where Seiko had spoken with Lord Ozuru the day before¡ªand Prince Teiki was already there. He stood from behind the desk and offered a bow.

    ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet another cousin,¡± he said. He smiled wryly. ¡°Are you any better than the other two? By the gods, they¡¯re obnoxious. I¡¯m hoping it has to do with Yukira¡ªalthough Maenomi¡¯s worse.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m right here!¡± Princess Maenomi whined in protest.

    ¡°Case in point,¡± Teiki replied, gesturing towards his cousin. He looked back at Seiko. ¡°Just watch Maenomi for now; you¡¯ll be doing this soon enough, I imagine, if Uncle Ozuru genuinely thinks you¡¯ll be ¡®the most worthy of us all.¡¯ Don¡¯t be surprised when Jukazu comes in¡ªhe¡®s a drunkard at best.¡±

    ¡°Please feel free to stab him if he gets unbearable,¡± Maenomi agreed. ¡°He¡¯s still upset over how this mess all started. The man thinks he¡¯s perfect just because he wants to kill Kuro.¡±

    Seiko didn¡¯t offer much of a reply, and came inside the room by Princess Maenomi¡¯s request. The guards¡ªMaenomi¡¯s and Teiki¡¯s¡ªstayed outside the room. Seiko remained standing, staying silent until prompted to speak.

    They stayed in there for a few hours, doing whatever would be expected of a ruler¡ªalbeit they each handled specific types of problems, instead of a variety of them. Her voices commented on the uselessness of it, unless their spouse or an advisor happened to be well-skilled in the other group of problems.

    Prince Jukazu came in after a few hours, leading Teiki to wordlessly leave the room. Maenomi and Seiko shortly followed, deciding to eat a small lunch before finding Kyuru. The little prince was pleased to have someone to play with, and Seiko entertained his games for the rest of the afternoon.

    Just one day with them, and Seiko already felt dread about the coming battle. Her voices assured her it would be a quick victory, but never once claimed which side would win.

 Chapter 21: And So, They Fall

    The portion heading out to stop the rebels¡ªPrince Teiki and about two hundred soldiers¡ªleft midway through the week. Lord Ozuru made sure the royals at the palace, Seiko included, were still guarded; in that sense, he spoke with Seiko for a short time in order to help her determine who she would want to watch her. In the course of a few days, they spoke more than they had since she came to the palace¡ªit was still odd to think of him as her father.

    Typically guards were the same gender of the person they were watching; then they could truly follow their charge anywhere, in all circumstances, and there was a very small chance of any resulting scandal. However, Seiko could only consider herself friends with only a dozen soldiers, all men around her age, and even fewer did she feel comfortable sharing her new role. In the end, Ujuro and Asahi¡ªwho both had a certain right to know to begin with, Ujuro as her stepfather and Asahi as her lover¡ªwere chosen as her guards. Masaaki was told as well so he could keep an eye on her during battles where Ujuro or Asahi might be away, considering that Princess Maenomi and Prince Kyuru were often close during battles.

    Fortunately, none of them seemed to mind. Seiko was grateful that it ultimately gave her more chances to speak with Asahi¡ªa few more chances for them to be alone, when Princess Maenomi allowed Seiko to do whatever she wanted on some afternoons, and plenty more times where she didn¡¯t have to hear her voices giving grim predictions.

    A week passed since Prince Teiki left. Seiko had spent much of that time being reacquainted with the royal family with her new role in mind. When she wasn¡¯t with Asahi, her voices picked out each heir¡¯s flaws to explain why they hadn¡¯t received silver hair over a year prior; it was hard to say much to any of them as a result.

    King Tsunkei had seven children, although two were borne of a mistress; the two youngest had been killed, and one of the mistress¡¯s children had died of illness earlier in the year. Lord Ozuru only had two children, excluding Seiko; Maenomi and Kyuru, both from Lady Yukira. The oldest of all the children was Prince Jukazu, followed by Seiko herself with a two years¡¯ difference (Prince Teiki came third by mere months); the youngest living child was one of late King Tsunkei¡¯s, at age four. Altogether, there was almost a two decades¡¯ difference between the youngest and oldest.

    Seiko¡¯s routine stabilized a bit after the first few days¡ªshe ate and trained with the other soldiers, helped Princess Maenomi in the morning, and typically spent the afternoon wandering. She never had a chance to fully explore the palace, so she took the opportunity to do so now. She was stuck here, after all.

    Prince Kyuru had offered to come along with her one day, so his two guards followed behind them. Her ¡®official¡¯ role became more of an extra guard to whoever needed it as her preferences changed, but Lord Ozuru was willing to make a few compromises¡ªalbeit more out of begrudging respect one should pay to royalty, rather than remorse or love. She didn¡¯t quite mind what emotion¡ªif any¡ªwas behind it, since her own feelings were similar.

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    The prince entertained delighted conversation with her, and Seiko spoke with him kindly. Their little tour around the palace eventually ended when they reached the courtyard, coming in time to see a few men argue with the guards.

    ¡°It might be best if we get the prince out of sight,¡± Masaaki suggested.

    Seiko nodded, gently pulling Kyuru behind her.

    ¡°That means you, too,¡± Masaaki muttered, glancing at her with a frown.

    Her response was to take a few steps back and bring Kyuru with her, and as soon as they were out of sight, weapons were drawn and blood was spilled at the gates. Seiko winced as the voices returned¡ªand, louder than the rest, was one that sounded like Prince Teiki.

    Everything from today onward will be so much different. But will it be for the better, or for the worst? You¡¯ll be the one to determine, little Seiko.

    By now, she could gather what the additional voices meant¡ªshe could guess who the voices were. Seiko didn¡¯t want to hear them¡ªdidn¡¯t want them to cloud her judgement¡ªso after they went to a quieter area, she took out her little knife.

    Masaaki grabbed her arm before she could make any cuts. ¡°Stop that,¡± he said firmly. He took the knife from her, then gestured to the bedrooms. ¡°Take Prince Kyuru somewhere save until the battle dies down. I¡¯ll send Kinjo your way.¡±

    ¡°Let me have the knife back,¡± Seiko pleaded silently. The voices were only growing louder as the fighting came closer; rebels had come in for the second time that year. ¡°Please. I want the silence; I don¡¯t want to hear them.¡±

    ¡°You can make do with a sword,¡± Masaaki replied. ¡°I don¡¯t care what the reason is, but I¡¯m not giving this back to you. Whatever it helps with, it¡¯s not worth it.¡±

    She would have protested more if the fighting wasn¡¯t growing closer. Silently, along with Kyuru¡¯s other guard, Seiko took the prince to a separate area.

    The battle passed by in a blur, despite taking several hours. Seiko could barely hear her own thoughts among it all, only knowing vague happenings. Rebels made it to their little hiding spot, and the guard that came with them was killed; Kyuru was injured at well, but Seiko dealt with the attacker. At some point the courtyard was set ablaze, but the palace remained mostly safe thanks to stone walls at the base.

    Kyuru¡®s wound wasn¡¯t something he could easily recover from, if he recovered at all¡ªthe voices urged Seiko to give a quicker death, so she slit the boy¡¯s throat. A voice like his thanked her in her mind, and the action brought a certain uproar with it, satisfaction mixed with fear, disgust, excitement. She stayed in the corner of the room after that, faintly aware of the action. Her voices told her the murder was a mercy, but she hated listening to them.

    By the end of the battle, six new voices had been added¡ªthose sounding similar to Prince Kyuru, Teiki, and all of the children younger than the latter. Seiko couldn¡¯t remember how, exactly, the battle ended, only that Asahi found her near its end, and how Maenomi screamed when she saw her dead brother.

    Instead, Seiko dreamed of twin boys, one of them like her¡ªcharming but tainted, cursed with something inexplicable. If you fail, her voices whispered, there will be another with your fate¡ªanother with your duty. The sister nations of Gin and Kuro will fall after one battle, whether it be you, that boy, or another further down the line¡­

    With a world so corrupt, fall is inevitable. All that has to be done is for a royal family to die out completely.

 Chapter 22: We Only Live to Kill

    Seiko wasn¡¯t¡­quite aware of anything until that next morning. The voices had talked with her all night in her dreams¡ªthey hounded her as soon as she woke up. She could barely focus on anything else, despite the other servant girls¡¯ best attempts to make sure she hadn¡¯t fallen ill.

    ¡°Tsujihaaaaraaaa,¡± one of the servant girls said. ¡°Are you awake yet? You¡¯re a bit late, you know.¡±

    ¡°Stop giving her a hard time!¡± Another girl said. ¡°Yesterday¡­wasn¡¯t okay. There¡¯s only three left¡­ The princess said to let her rest.¡±

    Seiko opened her eyes and sat up, vaguely aware of some of her wounds¡ªnothing that would hinder her, unlike some of the other soldiers. Seiko could faintly recall trying to assess the losses of the previous day; it took all afternoon to bury all of the bodies, with most of the royal family included. The rebels brought news that Prince Teiki and his third of the army had been killed or fled for their lives¡ªno one expected them to return. She couldn¡¯t entirely blame anyone who deserted at this point; the prospects looked grim.

    Seiko tried to gather her thoughts, but acted through the whims of her voices. They alternated between commands and a certain phrase: You¡¯ll be the only one left, little Seiko. You should be the <u>last</u> one. You fail if there¡¯s more after you.

    Once she was dressed and somewhat convinced that she looked respectable, she glanced at the other girls¡ªservants who weren¡¯t needed for the moment, and would be nothing more than fodder if they were put on the battlefield. ¡°Does anyone know if they¡¯re letting anyone see Lord Ozuru?¡±

    ¡°I know the princess is there,¡± one mused. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if they¡¯re letting anyone else in, though.¡±

    ¡°Eh, they might let Tsujihara in,¡± another said. ¡°He made her Princess Maenomi¡¯s guard¡ªtwice. He must trust her.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll go see,¡± Seiko decided quietly.

    None of the girls protested, so she left to see how the regent fared. Everyone came away with injuries¡ªLord Ozuru¡¯s could be fatal if they weren¡¯t treated well as they healed. Seiko wasn¡¯t necessarily sure if she was concerned as his daughter, or because Prince Jukazu would replace the regent should he die¡ªwhich she knew would lead to even more desertion, considering the eldest prince¡¯s bad reputation.

    Carefully, Seiko made her way to Lord Ozuru¡¯s room. The door was open, and Princess Maenomi was already there, as well as the miko and doctor tending to Lord Ozuru. The princess¡¯s guards had been killed, and haven¡¯t been replaced yet.

    Maenomi looked at Seiko when she entered. ¡°G-good morning, Miss Seiko,¡± the princess said quietly. ¡°You¡¯re¡­doing well, I hope?¡±

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    ¡°I can guess that you aren¡¯t,¡± Seiko noted. She looked at the people tending to the regent. ¡°Is he doing better, at least?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s say that it¡¯s still up for debate,¡± the doctor decided after a moment. She looked at Seiko curiously. ¡°Are you all right, Miss? You look pale.¡±

    Isn¡¯t it funny how everyone cares? You¡¯re fine. You¡¯re always fine. ¡°Yesterday was just a hard battle, is all,¡± Seiko replied. ¡°¡­I¡¯m fine.¡±

    Before anyone could press for more details, the miko spoke up. ¡°Miss Miyata, he¡¯s moving again.¡±

    The doctor moved immediately, almost shoving the miko aside before muttering a small apology. Princess Maenomi seemed conflicted as to whether to move closer to farther away; Seiko watched from her spot near the door. She winced when there was another voice added to the already-overwhelming chorus.

    Pathetic¡­just like <u>her</u>, I imagine¡­

    She knew what it meant, but stayed silent. Maenomi let out a little cry. ¡°He¡¯s not breathing anymore¡­¡± the princess said quietly. She knelt down next to the bed and tried to reach out, but the miko stopped her. ¡°Father! I-I don¡¯t want this¡­ I don¡¯t want to be the last one, I¡ªplease! Don¡¯t leave me here!¡±

    The pleading was in vain, of course, as the doctor¡¯s grim expression confirmed. Maenomi shrugged away the miko, but ran to Seiko instead¡ªmuch to the latter¡¯s surprise. She could only stand there, knowing no words of comfort to offer the princess. Seiko felt more dread than grief, her half-sister holding on to her tightly.

    The miko left while the doctor made an extra check to make sure they were correct. Maenomi¡¯s tears continued, even after Prince Jukazu joined them.

    ¡°Oh, good,¡± the prince said dully. He glanced at Seiko and Maenomi. ¡°Is the man finally dead?¡±

    ¡°He deserves more respect,¡± Maenomi replied, sadness fading into anger as she pulled away from Seiko.

    ¡°All Ozuru ever did for me was hound me on my choices,¡± Jukazu said coldly. He turned toward the doctor. ¡°Miss Miyata, is it? Can you get the funeral ready?¡±

    ¡°Yes, milord,¡± the doctor said after a bow.

    When she left, Prince Jukazu laughed. ¡°Finally.¡±

    ¡°Could you manage some remorse?¡± Seiko asked quietly, frowning at him.

    ¡°Can¡¯t find a reason,¡± Jukazu replied. He looked back at her with nothing but nonchalance. ¡°We all die eventually¡ªwe only live to kill, really. There¡¯s something¡­wonderfully cursed about this family. Ozuru once said that you were manic when you fought; that¡¯s happened before in this family. Maenomi said you have migraines; that¡¯s happened before in this family. The gods want us to die¡ªthey always have. My goal was to at least take Kuro down with us.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the maniac,¡± Maenomi said quietly. ¡°You can¡¯t even pretend to give a kind word towards your uncle.¡±

    ¡°Yes, well¡­¡± He turned to leave, offering some half-wave. ¡°There¡¯s no reason to hide Tsujihara Seiko now¡ªthe man she would dishonor is dead. Congratulations, Seiko; you are officially released from the army. I¡¯ll give you a room of your own.¡±

    As Jukazu left, Maenomi went to follow him. ¡°Wait! Jukazu, you damn drunkard¡ª!¡±

    Seiko couldn¡¯t react quick enough to ask her to stay, and for a moment the voices overwhelmed her. They repeated the same things, over and over and over, only quieting down slightly when Masaaki came.

    ¡°So he is dead,¡± he mused. He looked at Seiko. ¡°Prince Jukazu¡¯s pretty determined to dress you up for the burial. There are some people waiting near one of the littler princess¡¯s old rooms.¡±

    ¡°A-all right¡­¡±

    There was no protesting this.

 Chapter 23: Help Me Fail

    The news came suddenly and hit hard: Lord Ozuru was dead. They all expected it, but it was different to hear it. Of course, from that point on, the royal family was busy¡ªor the royal trio, now. Asahi couldn¡¯t check up on Seiko even if he wanted to; he planned to ask her during breakfast, but she never came, and by the time he found her old room and the other servant girls gave suggestions on where to find her, Lord Ozuru had passed away and she was handling the aftermath.

    Asahi carried through the day, hoping to at least see Seiko. He didn¡¯t even get that lucky. Kyou Ujuro couldn¡¯t see her, either¡ªwhich meant that the two people who were supposed to watch her couldn¡¯t even talk to her. Masaaki, newly demoted to a regular soldier until further notice, didn¡¯t have any chances either.

    He was more worried about how she was doing after the battle rather than Lord Ozuru specifically dying; she didn¡¯t look well when he found her the day before. It was strange to see her quiet¡ªher wounds weren¡¯t horrible, but she looked like she had been in pain. She didn¡¯t seem to notice him at all.

    The whole day passed, and Asahi decided to try to speak with her after the soldier¡¯s dinner. If she had any logic, she would be asleep¡ªyet an apparent conversation when he got close to the door made it clear she wasn¡¯t.

    Cautiously, he knocked on the door. ¡°Seiko? I just wanted to check on you.¡±

    The conversation stopped, almost mid-sentence, and Seiko opened the door after a minute. Only remnants of whatever they made her wear for the funeral remained; a small hairpiece dangling from one side, and the dress worn under a kimono to keep it clean. She seemed relieved when she saw him.

    ¡°This is going to sound like a pointless question,¡± Asahi said, ¡°But are you all right?¡±

    ¡°¡­A bit shaken, I suppose,¡± Seiko replied quietly. ¡°I¡¯ve had a migraine all day and barely a second to myself.¡± She paused for a moment. ¡°¡­Would you like to come in?¡±

    ¡°For propriety¡¯s sake¡ª¡± Asahi began.

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    ¡°Damn propriety for a few minutes. I just want to talk with you¡ªI need your silence.¡±

    ¡°You want silence, yet you want to hold a conversation?¡±

    ¡°Silence of mind, Asahi. May I take that as a ¡®yes?¡¯¡±

    Asahi nodded hesitantly, and Seiko smiled as a way of thanks. She opened the door completely, revealing her new room¡ªlarge and empty, devoid of any emotion. Any remnants of its previous inhabitants¡ªthe youngest daughter of King Tsunkei¡ªwere either hidden or put in some other place.

    He only took a few steps in, still not quite willing to be there but not wanting to see Seiko disappointed, while Seiko herself sat on the bed.

    ¡°¡­Is there a fear of large spaces?¡± Seiko mused to make conversation. ¡°Being here terrifies me. Everything is so much louder when there¡¯s no one around.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure such a fear exists,¡± Asahi replied, ¡°Although I couldn¡¯t give it a name.¡± He paused for a moment, noticing that her eyes were still a bit dull and her gaze was distant. ¡°Are you feeling well? You still look a little pale.¡±

    ¡°Do I?¡± Seiko asked, glancing at him. She looked away again for a moment. ¡°¡­I feel like I typically do, I suppose. My wounds are fine¡­ There¡¯s just a bit more noise than usual.¡±

    ¡°Do you notice smaller noises when there are less loud ones?¡± He said. ¡°Personally, all I notice is how quiet it seems now. It feels like no one dares to even breathe.¡±

    Seiko didn¡¯t respond, falling silent for a moment. ¡°¡­Can you sit next to me?¡± She asked quietly.

    Asahi nodded without a word, albeit hesitated when he got close. She chuckled a bit and pulled him down, then leaned into him once he was sitting.

    ¡°I want you to make another promise for me,¡± Seiko said softly.

    He gave her a little, joking smile. ¡°What do you want now?¡±

    ¡°If we live through this,¡± Seiko began slowly, ¡°If we¡­actually survive¡­ Will you stay by my side?¡±

    ¡°Is that different from telling you if I leave?¡±

    ¡°Yes, because I need you to keep me safe. Keep me sane.¡±

    ¡°Seiko¡­¡±

    She gave him a little kiss and kind eyes. ¡°It¡¯s a ¡®yes¡¯ or ¡®no¡¯ answer, Asahi.¡± Her expression faltered, for a moment, growing darker. ¡°I had a dream last night¡­or perhaps its better to say that it was a nightmare. It¡¯s a vision of what would happen if I fail, but what I¡¯ll be failing at¡­it¡¯s terrifying. I don¡¯t want to succeed, but if I¡¯m left on my own¡­there¡¯s a good chance I will succeed. You¡¯re the only one that can stop me.¡±

    ¡°What would you be ¡®failing¡¯ at?¡± Asahi asked curiously.

    ¡°It¡¯s¡­hard to explain.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t force you to explain it, then¡ªand I¡¯ll try my best.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, my love.¡±

    They fell into silence, going on to carry a much more carefree conversation. Asahi stayed there for a little while, then opted to leave again with the promise in mind. He didn¡¯t know what he needed to do in order to help, but he trusted her judgement.

 Chapter 24: Perhaps a Traitor

    Sonoru was among those in the army who were¡­less then optimistic about the final outcomes. As soon as Lord Ozuru died, Prince Jukazu took charge, demanding the remaining soldiers to prepare for a final battle¡ªhe wasn¡¯t going to be slow or gradual like the regent had been. The fact that he didn¡¯t care much about the soldiers¡¯ lives¡ªor anyone¡¯s life, to be honest¡ªhelped a lot of soldiers decide that they would rather uproot their families and go somewhere else just to live.

    He kept his thoughts to himself while Kinjo was trying to figure out when he could speak with Tsujihara¡ªoddly enough, he seemed more concerned than her stepfather. It would¡¯ve been a bit amusing if Sonoru was paying a bit more attention.

    He had to have a good reason for fighting. His reason, at first, was to send his family whatever payment he got for his service; that was impossible, now, since the soldier¡¯s ¡®pay¡¯ soon became ¡®we¡¯ll let your families know if you die, and until then you eat and sleep here for free.¡¯ His next reason was to keep the royal family safe; Prince Kyuru was dead, so he failed there. He wouldn¡¯t mind staying to keep Tsujihara safe, but she stayed near Kinjo as much as she possibly could¡ªthat and she had a knack for frustrating him by keeping some things to herself. Assuming Kinjo was even half capable as a guard, Sonoru wouldn¡¯t be needed.

    Did he have a reason to stay, really? Of course, his parents would probably scowl him back out the door if he went home. That was assuming his parents were still alive. They would only keep him because the family wanted to survive into the next generation; Masaaki was quickly dying out as a last name, not unlike how Gin¡¯s royal family was dying out now.

    It was hard to make a choice, but Sonoru knew he didn¡¯t want to fight for these people. The amount of soldiers that fought, killed, then died without further recognition was enough to convince him of that. He wouldn¡¯t mind dragging his friends out while he could, but he very highly doubted they would actually agree¡ªKinjo might go if Tsujihara did, but Sonoru felt like if she wanted to leave, she would have done so a year ago.

    He considered it for a whole week, weighing the pros and cons of it. On one hand, he¡¯d be homeless, probably starve to death in the first month, and be seen as a traitor. On the other, he wouldn¡¯t have to die for a cause that was now lost to him, and he might be able to do something other than fighting. For once, he wantedto be a pacifist noble; trying to kill people was getting dull.

    Prince Jukazu gave out their new positions¡ªwait around the entrance to the palace in an attempt to kill the rebels. Since they couldn¡¯t figure out where the rebels were hiding¡ªtheir numbers were scattered, although they probably outnumbered the royal army now¡ªthe prince decided to invite the rebels. That message included pretty much every scandal in the past twenty years¡ªevery little misdeed the royal family did in the prince¡¯s lifetime that he was aware of. Tsujihara¡¯s existence, naturally, was one of them; if she was supposed to be the last card, as Lord Ozuru said, she wasn¡¯t a hidden one.

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    Hearing about the royal family¡¯s shortcomings was enough to make a few hundred soldiers disappear; Sonoru seriously considered joining them. At this point, it felt like the prince wanted everyone to die¡ªand maybe he did. Sonoru made up his mind about what he was going to do.

    It was now a week and some days since the last battle; they expected the rebels to take the bait and attack in a few days. Tsujihara was the only one of the royals that had any kind of guard¡ªand that was only because she was insistent on Kinjo being close by. Kyou Ujuro was called to return home, gaining permission only because Tsujihara gave it to him; something about checking on the older Tsujihara.

    Sonoru wandered around the palace after breakfast to try to find Tsujihara; Kinjo wasn¡¯t there again, likely being near her. Just as he expected, he found them talking just outside of Tsujihara¡¯s room. They immediately stopped when they noticed him.

    ¡°You might want to consider actually eating breakfast,¡± Sonoru said to Kinjo. ¡°Well, assuming you don¡¯twant people to try to find you. I¡¯m not going to ask, though; you¡¯re welcome.¡±

    Kinjo frowned¡ªhe apparently grew less and less fond of Sonoru by the day, although he wouldn¡¯t explain why¡ªand nodded a kind of greeting. ¡°Does someone need me?¡± He asked.

    ¡°No,¡± Sonoru replied. He gestured towards Tsujihara. ¡°I just want to have a word with her, if you wouldn¡¯t mind stepping away for a minute.¡±

    Before Kinjo could protest, Tsujihara smiled at him. ¡°Asahi,¡± she said kindly, ¡°It¡¯s all right. Get something to eat before the tables are set for the royals.¡±

    Hesitantly, Kinjo nodded and left; Tsujihara winced as soon as he was out of sight. Sonoru gave a short bow to Tsujihara. ¡°I just had a few questions to ask you,¡± Sonoru said. ¡°I would appreciate it if you could answer all of them.¡±

    ¡°It depends on the subject matter,¡± Tsujihara replied. ¡°What do you want to ask?¡±

    ¡°For one thing, why you always look like you¡¯re in pain whenever Kinjo leaves.¡±

    ¡°¡­I won¡¯t answer that.¡±

    ¡°Kyou Ujuro said you heard voices when you were younger¡ª¡±

    ¡°Childish imagination.¡±

    ¡°Your migraines?¡±

    ¡°Some condition I¡¯ve had since I was young.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s your reason for stabbing yourself in the middle of battle, then?¡±

    Tsujihara frowned, taking a small step back into the room. She winced again. ¡°Why do want to know?¡±

    Sonoru paused for a moment to sigh. ¡°I¡¯m just trying to figure out if you would be any better than the others,¡± he said. ¡°There¡¯s something¡­off about you. There always has been, I just¡­can¡¯t figure out what. I want to know if it¡¯s worth believing this place might live for another few decades.¡±

    ¡°¡­I can¡¯t make that promise,¡± Tsujihara replied quietly. ¡°No one can. We can pray for guidance, but in the end its up to the gods to decide¡ªand whatever comes to pass, it will be the right thing.¡±

    ¡°Even if the whole kingdom burns, and everyone dies?¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes. I¡­I¡¯m assured of that much, at least.¡±

    She ended the conversation there, murmuring something about getting ready and retreating back into her room. Sonoru had to be satisfied with what he heard from her; he wouldn¡¯t get any better than that.

    He went back to the soldiers¡¯ rooms, collected the small items he would want to keep, and carefully made his way out of the palace. Perhaps Gin just¡­wasn¡¯t where the gods wanted him to be.

 Chapter 25: The Last One

    There was another wave of desertion just before the battle¡ªPrince Jukazu just let them leave, apparently finding no purpose to keep the remaining soldiers happy. The only ones left were either directly affiliated with the royal family, or feared being sought out and killed should the royal family survive. Among those that left was Masaaki Sonoru, which was¡­a bit odd to hear, admittedly. Seiko assumed he decided the kingdom wasn¡¯t worth watching through the fall.

    It also became frightening when she realized Asahi was the only person, aside from Princess Maenomi, left in the palace that could dull the voices. In her clearer thoughts, she felt a bit guilty for needing to rely so heavily on his presence¡ªbut all she wanted when she could hear the voices is for them to quiet down and let her think on her own. She was still scared of them, knowing what they wanted her to do.

    It was one and a half years after that first battle; the last few weeks of winter gave the promise of beautiful spring afterwards, likely the only thing some soldiers looked forward to. Seiko, Maenomi, and Jukazu all waited in the office for further news after they knew the rebel army was close to the capital; Asahi was with them by Seiko¡¯s request, entertaining some small talk with Maenomi, while Jukazu sat behind the desk and drank some combination of S¨®lstaeuric liquor and Gin wine.

    A soldier came in while it was still early in the morning. He bowed and gave a quick report. ¡°The rebels have entered the courtyard, sir.¡±

    Jukazu sat his drink down and stood up. ¡°Good. Let them in.¡±

    ¡°Let them in, sir?¡± The soldier asked.

    ¡°We¡¯ll either kill them or they¡¯ll kill us,¡± Jukazu replied bluntly. ¡°Now stop questioning orders and let them in. Let them burn the place down for all I care! My only regret is that I had to live in such a damn place to begin with.¡±

    ¡°You could at least pretend you want to live,¡± Maenomi muttered.

    Jukazu didn¡¯t respond, leaving the room without another word, following after the soldier. Seiko looked at Maenomi, and tried to speak kindly.

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    ¡°We can stay here with you, if you would like,¡± Seiko offered. Asahi nodded his agreement.

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t mind?¡± Maenomi asked quietly. ¡°I¡¯m¡­a bit scared. This might be the day I die.¡±

    Seiko gave her the best reassuring smile she could muster. ¡°Try not to worry, even if it is. I¡¯ll do my best to protect you.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Sister.¡± Seiko knew she could never get used to hearing that one word from the girl¡ªa small part of her feared that she wouldn¡¯t have to.

    They fell silent for a time, Maenomi standing in the corner of the room while Asahi and Seiko stayed by the door. She was grateful that she couldn¡¯t hear the voices, afraid of what they would say in this situation¡ªwhat they would try to get her to do, and what they would succeed in doing.

    They could hear the battle outside of the room¡ªfighting and deaths. Seiko knew Jukazu had fallen when she heard his voice for a brief moment: Can¡¯t you finish the job, bastard girl? She winced, which prompted Asahi to give her a worried look but with no further comments.

    She wasn¡¯t sure how much time passed before a rebel soldier entered the room¡ªAsahi killed him fairly quickly, but the corpse alerted the others of someone worth fighting. Another few came in, and they all struggled; two of the five noticed Seiko, and seemed to recognize her as the recently-announced heir. She had to focus on fighting those two, and Asahi couldn¡¯t prevent the others from entering on his own.

    Maenomi let out a little cry once they entered, but the soldiers paused instead of killing her¡ªit was cut off by strange sounds that Seiko could faintly recognize, albeit painfully. One of the rebels near Seiko turned around to see, while the other¡¯s blade caught her shoulder. It was hard to avoid looking at the blood while still attacking.

    The soldiers who had paused all fell by Asahi¡¯s own sword, as did the person attacking Seiko. She made the mistake of looking for Maenomi, almost hidden among the bodies of the soldiers closest to her¡ªbut Asahi moved them aside to reveal that the princess had slit her own throat. Seiko winced at the voices returned at the sight of that blood.

    She¡¯s dead by now; consider your options, Seiko. You will succeed if you die as well¡­for no one will be left to carry on this curse. Isn¡¯t that what you want, girl? You don¡¯t want this to be passed on, do you?

    After all the time you spent around the royal family, do you think they can be better than this? Better than bloodshed? Better than war? It would be a mercy to end the line now. You¡¯re the last one left, after all. Every one of us knows the <u>truth</u>.

    Even the pain from her wound couldn¡¯t stop them; Asahi caught her before she fell to the ground, most of her effort going towards making sure they didn¡¯t act without her will.

    Would it really¡­be a bad thing, if she let herself fall?

 Chapter 26: You Will Be Their Hope

    Seiko was faintly aware of Asahi murmuring something about leaving, and he tried to get her to walk. The voices overwhelmed her, a sense of hopelessness joining them. She was glad that Asahi was holding her, trying to bring her back up, inadvertently preventing her from taking any sort of weapon¡ªshe was afraid that, otherwise, she would be dying as well. The thought was terrifying, but she couldn¡¯t stop it because it wasn¡¯t hers.

    It took a few more minutes of Asahi urging her to get up that she was actually able to stand, the voices fading slightly. She was only partially in control of her own actions, and focused those actions on staying near Asahi so the voices wouldn¡¯t underwhelm her. The voices called her pathetic for it¡ªand perhaps she was, needing someone else to help her manage her problems, but she had to accept it for now.

    Together, they made a few steps out of the office. The battle was fully intended to be the last¡ªone side or the other would have to fall, with the victor standing out clearly. What that would mean for her, she wasn¡¯t sure; Seiko found the idea of running away tempting, but the voices wouldn¡¯t allow her to take much more steps.

    All at once, her voices fell silent. She winced, the silence coming as a surprise, and fell again. Asahi cursed, his words clear now that they were the only things she had to focus on.

    ¡°Come on, Seiko,¡± he urged her quietly. ¡°We can¡¯t wait for long¡ªwe¡¯ll both die. I¡¯m not ready to leave you.¡±

    She couldn¡¯t think of any words that might help, so she didn¡¯t say anything. It didn¡¯t seem to help Asahi any¡ªhe gave a wary look around them before sitting on the floor next to her and took out her knife for his own use should anyone get close, but he didn¡¯t say anything else.

    Within the silence, Seiko heard a new voice¡ªone that was kinder than those she heard for all her life, whose presence was announced by a certain feeling of being watched.

    As a result of his hopeless feud, Ginshin received punishment¡ªcursed descendants. One of his children will end these nations¡ªthat child will sacrifice their own self to avoid harming others. You, Tsujihara Seiko, are not this child¡­you will not need to make that sacrifice. To those who came before, you are a failure¡ªbut to these people, you will be hope.

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    You are the last one, as they told you. Will you accept that? Will you carry on this nation¡¯s legacy, if only for a short while?

    Seiko nodded, which caught Asahi¡¯s attention. She responded to the voice quietly. ¡°I-I¡­don¡¯t want to die here¡­ If I could have¡­just a little more time¡­ I will accept whatever you need of me.¡±

    Good. Now stand, child. I will do what I can to cease the fighting.

    Seiko tried to stand, the voices only returning briefly now when she glanced at the bloodied soldiers farther away; Asahi noticed her efforts and helped her, smiling slightly after a few moments. When she gave him a confused look, he brushed some of her hair closer to her face so she could see it.

    Silvery-white hair wasn¡¯t natural, of course¡ªit had the same weight as a crown. She had reason to assume, then, that Tsuyoi Aimiki spoke with her; a blessing she would have to wait before she could properly thank the goddess for.

    The soldiers closest to them got a glimpse of it and paused; a few rebels dropped their weapons and ran, alerting other soldiers as well. Murmurs rippled through the soldiers for a few minutes until the whole palace was silent¡ªa few servants emerged from their hiding places in order to see.

    Seiko¡¯s thoughts recovered from the silence after a few moments, and she spoke. ¡°I won¡¯t follow anyone who leaves,¡± she said firmly. ¡°Just do not return. I can¡¯t promise any more than that.¡±

    A few more fled¡ªothers stayed and frowned. A majority, however¡ªincluding Asahi, who was to her left¡ªbowed. It was an odd feeling that she wasn¡¯t particularly fond of, but there was no way to prevent it.

    ¡°Clear out the corpses and tend to the wounded,¡± Seiko continued. ¡°That¡¯s all I will ask of you for now.¡±

    About half of them bowed again, and they all went about the tasks. Seiko stood there, calm in the moment but slowly beginning to question the circumstances.

    After her wounds were cared for and she knew that Jukazu and Maenomi¡¯s bodies had been buried, she slept. It was the first time that she never heard her voices in her dreams without Asahi¡ªbut when she awoke, they came back again, asking the same things of her that they had before. Even accepting her role could not rid her of them, it seemed.

    Just like Jukazu promised a year and a half earlier, it was the start of a new era¡ªjust not the kind that he had been looking forward to. When the year changed, Kokka became Gendai; the nations had been formed, and now prepared to take on a modern age alongside Gin¡¯s first queen.

 Chapter 27: Mother

    The next few months were busy¡ªthere was a lot they needed to get done, and Seiko hadn¡¯t spent a large amount of time practicing like the others. Jukazu and Maenomi received a funeral the day they died; there was an ¡®official¡¯ coronation afterwards, even though Seiko didn¡¯t feel like it was necessary.

    She was afraid of what she would do if her voices returned, so she kept Asahi close¡ªit was only two weeks after the official coronation that they were married. The Kinjo family was relatively surprised that their second son¡¯s love turned out to be the bastard princess, although Asahi¡¯s older brother was willing to act as an advisor and guide Seiko through the more mundane things of ruling.

    It was near the end of spring when Seiko had a chance to visit Mikka. Ujuro had sent a letter inviting her there, and it took some time before Asahi would let her travel. By the time she could go to her old home, she had been married for a month and was a few weeks pregnant with her first child; Seiko wanted to tell Mikka personally about all of this, and she had questions as well.

    There was a kind of tradition, when a king (or queen, in her case, as she was the first) would leave the capital for unimportant or personal reasons, to put dyes in their hair to mimic their natural color. It was their way of hiding their role¡ªthey wouldn¡¯t have as much attention, and for the most part could go undetected. Seiko did something similar, and it was possibly the only reason some of the villagers recognized her.

    They arrived in the morning, Seiko managing to convince Asahi to only bring along one guard for each of them¡ªthe rebel faction had mostly vanished, thanks to an actual heir ascending the throne. Asahi still had a weapon, of course, and Seiko kept her little knife, but she wasn¡¯t fond of the idea of someone else guarding her; if she wasn¡¯t scared of the voices, she wouldn¡¯t even keep Asahi so close for so long.

    Seiko briefly entertained some kind of tour around the small area, even if she had no one else to visit but Mikka. She was in a relatively good mood, all things considered, when they actually came to her mother¡¯s house; by then, the two guards had dispersed, with only Asahi close to her.

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    She knocked on the door, then opened it without a word. There was something¡­comforting about the smallness of the place and the familiarity she felt by being there. Ujuro, likely having been walking to answer the door before they entered, gave her a little smile; for once, she was able to return it.

    ¡°Good to see you, Seiko,¡± Ujuro said. He nodded towards Asahi. ¡°And you too, Kinjo Asahi. Thanks for keeping an eye on the girl after I had to leave.¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t a problem,¡± Asahi replied with a little smile. He chuckled, pulling her closer for a second. ¡°She barely let me leave anyway.¡±

    Seiko took another step inside, likely speaking more kindly to her stepfather than she had in years. ¡°I wanted to visit Mother,¡± she said. ¡°May I see her?¡±

    Ujuro nodded¡ªalbeit with a slightly changed expression¡ªand gestured for her to follow. Seiko guessed he was going towards Mikka¡¯s room, so she agreed; Asahi walked a few steps behind her. She paused as soon as she opened the door, however.

    Mikka wasn¡¯t actually there; the room was kept as she would have left it, but the only thing remaining of her was a picture of her on the bed. Somehow, Seiko hadn¡¯t expected to be met with that sight.

    She glanced at Ujuro. The question was quiet, and she tried not to seem angry. ¡°When did she die?¡±

    ¡°She was on her way when I came to the palace to fight alongside you,¡± Ujuro explained. He seemed to expect some kind of frustration from her. ¡°Her condition got worse, but she wanted me to protect you¡ªmake sure Lord Ozuru wasn¡¯t going to give up on you.¡±

    ¡°Why was I never told?¡± Seiko asked. In a silent attempt to calm her, Asahi put his hand on her shoulder; it didn¡¯t do much, in all honesty.

    ¡°Mikka decided it might distract you,¡± Ujuro said. He gestured to the picture of her. ¡°That¡¯s the closest you can get to speaking with her. I¡¯ll¡­give you some time alone.¡±

    Ujuro left, although Seiko brought Asahi inside the room with her. She knelt down beside the bed, and held a one-sided conversation with the picture¡ªa detailing of everything she¡¯s done, what she hoped to do in the future, and musings on why Mikka made the choices she did. There were some things Seiko wasn¡¯t meantto know, it seemed. She sat there in silence once she was finished, and Ujuro returned briefly to offer the memory of her some tea.

    The trip never seemed quite as happy afterwards. The village felt darker than the palace after that day.

 Chapter 28: Victim of Sakura Petals

    Seiko learned a lot about her voices over the years. Although pain would stop them, it had to be inflicted as a wound of some kind¡ªit was hard to find ways to keep them at bay when Asahi wasn¡¯t close, especially finding places where her husband wouldn¡¯t notice the cuts. At first, the voices demanded her own death¡ªthen came a child, and they wanted him to die as well.

    There were records, hidden away in journals that were kept near the memorials for deceased royalty, that two other rulers shared her affliction; they heard voices, which were a mild inconvenience for the first and maddening for the second. Both of them died in battle, claiming that their voices begged them to fight before the pages became blank and their entries stopped, marking their deaths.

    Thirteen years passed since she became queen; she had three sons and a little daughter, aged twelve, eleven, eight, and four. On most days, she was happily married to Kinjo Asahi¡ªon other days, they argued about her apparent reliance on him. Seiko never told him¡ªdidn¡¯t want to tell him¡ªthat he kept the voices silent, so he never understood why she needed him to be so close.

    The voices¡­they grew stronger, somehow, and more convincing as time went on. They often told her they were tired of waiting¡ªhow her ¡®job¡¯ should have been done years ago, and how she was on the verge of failing.

    You¡¯ll only succeed if the royal family dies. Do you <u>want</u> others to carry on this? Do you <u>want</u> some other person to carry the burden of killing all? This is Ginshin¡¯s punishment¡ªdeath of his kin <u>through</u> his kin, until this nation and Kurokami¡¯s nation falls. We will only grow in time.

    After a decade, Asahi¡¯s presence merely dulled them to a point of nigh-silence. The voices were quieted, but not completely inaudible, around her children¡ªSeiko hated that she seemed distant as a result, afraid of the voices speaking too loudly and controlling her. As the voices grew louder around Asahi, she became frightened¡ªshe worried that she might hurt her family, so she slowly started to avoid them.

    Seiko waited as long as she could before she did this; she made a plan, should the voices begin to overtake her, so her family wasn¡¯t harmed. She was still afraid of death, to some extent, but she would accept it just so the voices didn¡¯t control her. The paranoia of the voices possibly overtaking her was enough to drive her mad.

    She had a feeling she couldn¡¯t wait much longer; the voices wanted her to live so she could kill the royal family and ruin Gin as a kingdom, but she was determined to never listen to them¡ªto never do exactly what they say.

    It was spring, and even at night she could see the pale pink petals floating around in the wind; they resembled snowflakes at a glance, but the air was a bit too warm for them. Seiko quietly got out of bed, trying not to disturb Asahi, and picked up a small dagger hidden near the door that was meant for self-defense.

    She glanced back at her husband for a moment, considering how this would effect him. He wasn¡¯t a stranger to the daily work of a ruling figure, so he wouldn¡¯t have any trouble taking over her position; their eldest son would likely take Asahi¡¯s place as a helper. The littlest two might not remember this very well, but¡­perhaps that was for the best.

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    Seiko left the room quietly and quickly, keeping the dagger hidden as she left the palace. Anyone who saw her didn¡¯t seem to mind; she tried to make nighttime walks a common occurrence for that purpose. She had this all planned out by the minute.

    She went outside, finding a specific place in the courtyard where her children were unlikely to play in¡ªthe first people to find her should be the guards, if not Asahi. Her voices were questioning her with every step, growing louder and more insistent; it did nothing to sway her.

    What are you doing? This will mean that you fail¡ªdo you want to fail? You¡¯re pushing this on to someone else; someone who, otherwise, wouldn¡¯t <u>need</u> to take any lives, if they existed at all. Do you want that? Do you want some future child to be cursed?

    She only answered them after she decided on a good place¡ªan unkept corner on the opposite side of the courtyard from the palace¡ªand knelt down among the bushes and thorns. ¡°Even if this means I¡¯ve failed,¡± she said quietly, taking out her dagger, ¡°So many people died so this nation can continue on through my blood. Damned or not¡±¡ªshe lifted the dagger up to her neck, lightly pressing the blade against her skin as she mustered the courage to carry through¡ª¡°I won¡¯t let those sacrifices be in vain. I won¡¯t listen to your cursed words anymore.¡±

    Quickly, to give herself no time to question or regret it, she ran the dagger across her skin and slit her own throat. That pain was the last thing she felt as a physical being.

    ¡ª¡ª

    Asahi woke up early that morning, at first not realizing anything was wrong. It took a few moments for him to realize that Seiko wasn¡¯t in bed; he knew that she took walks at night on occasion, but she was always back by morning. He never woke up alone anymore.

    He got out of bed and got dressed, deciding that he had enough time to look for her before they ate breakfast. The servants greeted him with little smiles, and he asked after Seiko with a few of them; the ones that saw her knew that she left the palace, but couldn¡¯t recall her ever coming back inside. He started a search of the courtyard¡ªthe guards at the entrance said that she didn¡¯t leave, so Asahi tried to figure out where else she would be.

    Asahi didn¡¯t expect to find her dead, her body mostly obscured by bushes and covered in small sakura petals. Carefully, he sat her up, noticing that her silver hair was gone in favor of her natural brown; she was no longer queen, and as such she no longer needed the pseudo-crown. He tried to remove the blood from her neck, but it had dried and wouldn¡¯t easily rub off. She must have been here for a few hours.

    Slowly, he stood up and went to find someone to help bring her back without the children noticing. Fortunately there was a guard nearby, and another who went to contact the shrine to request a miko.

    The whole thing was¡­a bit surprising. They couldn¡¯t determine exactly what killed her¡ªsuicide seemed most likely, but why? Things were much better now than they had been in the past; that¡¯s what Asahi always felt, at least. The royal family was able to continue on, and Kuro was too pleased with an overseas victory to bother fighting their closest neighbor. Did she think differently? Somehow, it was easier to handle the loss when he considered it to be murder instead; and, indeed, that¡¯s what it was recorded as.

    There were many things he never knew about Seiko¡ªhe knew she kept secrets from him. Those gaps in his own knowledge showed, as the one left to write history and encourage how it was told. In the end, Seiko went down in history as the first queen, a determined woman who fought for her own cause.

    Asahi could never shake the feeling that he was doing her an injustice.

 Intermission: War is a Constant Thing

    It was interesting to hear of Gin¡¯s little¡­civil war. She imagined it must be infuriating to her family¡ªafter all, their only life goal could be taken away by Gin¡¯s own people. The only thing they cared about was killing Gin and some nonsense.

    Take her very existence as an example. Kuro-Yanami Sukaru was the child of a Kuro princess and a disguised kitsune; it wasn¡¯t an uncommon occurrence when much of Kuro was still forests, and the fox-spirits roamed free. Most children born of man and kitsune, however, were killed fairly young¡ªshe was only left alive as a kind of¡­living experiment.

    First, it was to see if a child like her could actually live¡ªthis was assumed to be true after a decade. Then came the question of how many kitune abilities¡ªshapeshifting was an iconic trait of the species¡ªshe retained; she couldn¡¯t completely shapeshift into anything, nor was she capable of hiding her fox ears and tail, but accommodations were made accordingly.

    The third ¡®experiment¡¯ was ongoing, and would be for several years: whether or not Sukaru shared a kitsune¡¯s long life. There were many kitsune who could recall fighting for Kurokami, or those who recall running away from said fighting¡ªthose creatures had lived for almost five thousand years, and had yet to show signs of coming death. If Sukaru possessed even half of that lifespan, she could advise Kuro¡¯s family for generations; after a while, they would have someone who could recall hundreds of years¡¯ worth of battles.

    As a result of that, Sukaru¡¯s time was mostly spent studying strategies. She had lived for¡­twenty-eight years, now? She watched her cousin ascend the throne, at least, after his father¡¯s passing¡ªshe was already something of an advisor to the man, despite him only listening to her if it involved fighting in some way. The heirs of Kuro were¡­difficult to hold normal conversations with.

    Sukaru was standing some distance away from where the king¡ªYoshiyo¡ªwas loudly complaining about how Gin was infighting. She only listened so she would know if he would ever speak directly to her.

    ¡°The land must be cursed¡ªthe country, at least! Fighting the royal family is mad. Now all their little scandals are out; I don¡¯t see much to complain about, really. Dishonesty, conspiracy, bastards running around¡ªnothing that wasn¡¯t commonplace before their short-lived ¡®reforms.¡¯ What¡¯s the point, then? Do they really think themselves so high and mighty? They aren¡¯t above us!¡±

    He continued on in some ramble before turning to Sukaru. She looked up before he even said her name to properly address her. ¡°Yanami Sukaru. I¡¯m getting bored.¡±

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    ¡°I¡¯m not your playmate, King Yoshiyo; I¡¯m your tactics advisor,¡± Sukaru replied as respectfully as she could.

    ¡°Of course,¡± he said, frowning. ¡°But as a tactics advisor, you arrange entertainment. I want to fight¡ªGin doesn¡¯t seem likely to respond if we attack them now. Where else can we wage war and win?¡±

    The royal family had some¡­innate desire to fight routinely¡ªSukaru herself was not immune to this feeling. Still, it was a bit surprising. ¡°You¡¯re willing to fight a nation aside from Gin?¡±

    ¡°Anything so my days aren¡¯t spend with idle chatter,¡± Yoshiyo replied. ¡°I¡¯ll be the first king to never fight at this rate!¡±

    Sukaru closed her book and stood up a bit straighter. ¡°If boredom¡¯s the issue, you could do your king work instead of passing it on to everyone else.¡±

    ¡°I want to fight,¡± he insisted.

    ¡°Fine, fine,¡± she said. Sighing, she carried on as her ear twitched. ¡°You actually have a lot of options. The northern nation gave us sea vessels a few years ago¡ªyou could use those. Just don¡¯t interfere with merchants and trading and you shouldn¡¯t face any trouble.¡±

    She began to walk away to find some quieter place as Yoshiyo fell silent in rare thought. Sukaru stopped when he spoke up again, hiding another sigh.

    ¡°What advantages do we have with the northern nation?¡±

    Sukaru recited it fairly easily¡ªshe was trained in economic relations as well for these kinds of situations. ¡°They provide clothing¡ªcoats and such for winter, although they tend to be too heavy for our weather. They also give materials like wool to make our own clothing. Some of their excess meat is sent here, but it tends to be spoiled¡ªthe same can be said for mostly every food they send but their alcohol.¡±

    ¡°What drawbacks would we have if we fought them?¡±

    She frowned, initially hoping he might avoid the place. Nonetheless, she did answer respectfully. ¡°Technically, we don¡¯t need anything they offer; we have enough imports from other countries to make up for the loss in wool, food, and liquor. The worst drawback would be people complaining they need more alcohol before they get drunk.¡±

    ¡°Could you think up some sort of¡­basic strategy?¡± Yoshiyo asked curiously. ¡°I¡¯m finding the thought¡­intriguing. If we don¡¯t have much to lose, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to try. A nation of warriors should put up a decent fight.¡±

    Sukaru turned to bow. ¡°As you wish, King Yoshiyo. I will have a basic plan ready by tomorrow evening. If the strategy pleases you, I can develop it further until a firm decision has been made.¡±

    Yoshiyo smiled¡ªnot quite friendly, but not quite ill-intended. ¡°That is all, Yanami Sukaru. You can spend the rest of the day planning and plotting inside of that kitsune head of yours; I¡¯ll see to it that you get some time alone.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. Thank you.¡±

    She left again, retreating to the tactics room to devise some basic plans. At least that part was fun, even if everything else that came with the job was dull.

 Chapter 29: The Idea of War

    Although Torigami created tengu, he was still rewarded for not actively participating in the silver and black gods¡¯ war¡ªan island was created for him to watch over, which boasted cold weather but an immense amount of birds. About one hundred people came to this island with him, and out of his own amusement he created a language different from that of the fighting nations. The humans under his care took this language as their own, giving gibberish words meaning. Torigami¡¯s old name was forgotten in favor of something more fitting of this unique language¡ªHylli.

    It¡¯s been thousands of years since then. The nation formed on that island¡ªS¨®lstaeur, otherwise called ¡®the place where the sun rises¡¯¡ªdidn¡¯t have a true, permanent leader. Legends say that Hylli didn¡¯t particularly care for leaders, nor did S¨®lstaeur¡¯s god necessarily care to watch his nation. Although the S¨®lstaeuric people still worshipped and respected the one who brought their ancestors here, they were free of complete compliance with some¡­otherworldly power.

    Sk¨¢lpr had great faith in mankind¡¯s own achievements, thanks to what S¨®lstaeur has achieved in so little time without divine intervention. They made ships, wine, clothes¡ªanything one can imagine, it came from the north. They fought wars, set the seas itself ablaze in amazing conquests. Fire was common in a place so cold, and it meant practically anything¡ªwarmth, war, death, joy, mourning, and comfort all at once.

    With great pride, Sk¨¢lpr stood among the other men of nearby villages. He was their influence, their inspiration¡ªthe grand chief. They watched his every action, and the other chiefs of the nation typically followed. Today, he planned to rally them to action.

    ¡°Men!¡± Sk¨¢lpr said, speaking loudly. He knew that the women¡ªwives and sisters and daughters of the chiefs¡ªwere listening outside, and he was always willing to give them something to talk about. Nothing said here ever stayed in the room, for various reasons. ¡°I come to you all with a proposal.¡±

    He made the mistake of pausing long enough for someone to chuckle, and it was Hermaein Rokensen¡ªa bored young man in his early twenties, only there because he was the heir of the family¡ªwho spoke. ¡°Don¡¯t you always?¡±

    Sk¨¢lpr frowned at him, and the boy¡¯s father murmured something quiet enough that Sk¨¢lpr couldn¡¯t hear. He carried on regardless; it was something of a daily occurrence, ever since the Roken boy started attending the meetings. Makt, Sk¨¢lpr¡¯s heir, seemed to encourage it in their free time. ¡°I propose that we go out to fight once more. If we wait too long, it may cause unwillingness to fight in the future¡ªwe cannot afford our children to be overcome with laziness.¡±

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    A few men shouted their approval. One spoke up¡ªsome chief whose village was closer to the sea. ¡°Where shall we fight? Do you have a place in mind?¡±

    Sk¨¢lpr smiled¡ªsomething that he only did at others¡¯ expense. ¡°Our merchants bring back stories of infighting among the silver kingdom. Perhaps we could strike one of the nations on that god-protected island, when they can fully focus on us.¡±

    Hermaein spoke up again before his father could stop him. ¡°There¡¯s a higher chance we¡¯ll win if they¡¯re fighting each other,¡± he pointed out. ¡°And our greatest opportunity for that would have been two decades ago when their other king died¡ªmorale would have been lowered in the silver kingdom, and the black kingdom would be trying to take advantage of that.¡±

    ¡°Have some honor, boy, and a mind to know when you should speak,¡± Sk¨¢lpr replied coldly. ¡°It¡¯s not a ¡®victory¡¯ unless we overcome them while they¡¯re at full strength¡ªthis is our perfect opportunity, now that they¡¯re not fighting. Who knows how long it will take before the black kingdom gets bored? How long it will take for the silver kingdom to resolve its little succession crisis? They¡¯ll kill each other first!¡±

    ¡°And attacking the silver kingdom while they¡¯re fighting a civil war is any better than fighting either country when they¡¯re at war with each other?¡± Hermaein asked casually.

    ¡°Perhaps we could convince the silver kingdom to end their little feud,¡± Sk¨¢lpr said. ¡°We are a larger threat than half-trained farmers with sickles and knives. They¡¯ll forget it all once we attack them¡ªassuming we don¡¯t fight the black kingdom instead.¡± He looked around the place, making sure to glance at every man assembled. ¡°We shall take a vote. Who would like to fight against the silver kingdom?¡±

    About a third of the group murmured agreement.

    ¡°Who would like to fight the black kingdom?¡±

    A majority of those who did not vote gave louder noises of approval.

    ¡°As of now,¡± Sk¨¢lpr said, ¡°It seems that fighting the black kingdom proves to be the more popular option. I will speak with strategists and merchants to see which of the two would be more advantageous as a conquered nation.¡± Of course, there was also the matter of making sure they wouldn¡¯t be majorly disadvantaged if they lost¡ªhe wouldn¡¯t give a confirmed answer until he knew both possibilities fairly well. Even warriors needed good sense.

    The following silence was meant to invite anyone to speak should he desire to have a word, but no one protested. Sk¨¢lpr dismissed them with a cry that was routine by now¡ªhe could hear the women outside of the place echoing it. ¡°Let Hylli guide us to conquest!¡±

 Chapter 30: â€˜A Funny Storyâ€™

    Byen Gekun¡ªthe ¡®capital¡¯ of S¨®lstaeur, if one were to call it that, where Sk¨¢lpr lived¡ªwas about a week¡¯s trip away from the water. As such, it wasn¡¯t very exciting; the most entertainment he got was from hunting. Perhaps it wouldn¡¯t be so boring if ¡®ruling¡¯ in the S¨®lstaeuric sense meant more than stopping infighting and encouraging others to follow your lead, although he wouldn¡¯t complain about the ease of the job.

    Sk¨¢lpr met with the strategists to determine which one of ¡®the gods¡¯ nations¡¯ would be subject to attack. Ultimately, Kuro seemed to be a tougher opponent¡ªit had more victories and a hotter temper than its eastern sister; victory would come at a higher price, but it would be well-earned. Gin was better known for its strategists than its strength; especially considering its current state, fighting could be finished quickly with a S¨®lstaeuric victory. Of course, then it seemed likely Kuro may feel offended by that scenario¡ªthey might be bothered if S¨®lstaeur defeated their sworn enemy, although Gin wouldn¡¯t mind if Kuro was routed.

    In the end, Kuro seemed to be the likely option¡ªit wasn¡¯t much of a tactical decision as it was a decision made to determine how to best introduce their children to war. They might as well start bloody while they¡¯re at it; Sk¨¢lpr would rather them experience horrors and joys in a grand scale, instead of dull their minds with an easy victory.

    Sk¨¢lpr lived with only one other person¡ªhis heir Makt Gekunsen, who was distantly related in some way. Although the boy was raised as Sk¨¢lpr¡¯s son, the man himself never married; he never felt love and he had no interest in making anyone think otherwise. Makt himself was about as stable as one would expect from Sk¨¢lpr¡¯s successor¡ªone major flaw of his was that he was friends with Hermaein Rokensen, and the two were strangely close. It helped that Byen Roken was about an hour¡¯s trip away.

    Sk¨¢lpr was at home, sharpening a blade for an early hunt the next morning; a week passed since the initial meeting, and at the moment strategists were coming up with basic tactics to use. It was the last step before making the final decision of who they would fight and when.

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    Makt came in at about his normal time¡ªthat being past sunset.

    Sk¨¢lpr continued to sharpen his blade while he spoke with his charge. ¡°You¡¯ll freeze to death if you stay out late.¡±

    ¡°Oh, look¡ªyou care. There¡¯s a reason for the community fire, Sk¨¢lpr.¡±

    ¡°The walk from Roken to hear is long enough for you to freeze to death.¡±

    ¡°Maybe in the winter.¡±

    ¡°Summer and winter aren¡¯t so different here, boy. You should know that by now.¡±

    Makt entertained something like a sigh, removing some of his heavier coats and his boots, putting them close to the fire at the center of the house. He threw a log into the fire before sitting down on the opposite side from Sk¨¢lpr.

    ¡°I heard a story from Hreysti Rokensen,¡± Makt said after a second.

    ¡°Better be a good one,¡± Sk¨¢lpr muttered.

    ¡°Oh, it is,¡± Makt assured him, snickering. Sk¨¢lpr looked up from his work to frown at the boy. ¡°A merchant ship was raided and set ablaze upon its arrival.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s nothing new.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s more. Guess what the survivors were sent back on?¡±

    Sk¨¢lpr¡¯s expression remained unamused. ¡°A ship, as they would need to be.¡±

    Makt laughed. ¡°Do you remember, a few years ago, when we sold that ship to the black kingdom, and they apparently thought we were telling them how amazing it was when it was actually a wreck? Well, they fixed up the thing and sent it back! That¡¯s what they told Hreysti, at least. Who knows if that thing even made the trip to the black kingdom.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t see why this is so amusing to you,¡± Sk¨¢lpr replied dully, returning to his work.

    ¡°Because, Father, you were considering fighting one or the other. Stealing from a merchant ship and then burning it to ashes feels like a good enough warning if war is their aim. Isn¡¯t it exciting, Sk¨¢lpr? Isn¡¯t it hilarious, how you wanted to fight and they seem to have the same idea?¡±

    The boy laughed again, his rambling becoming nothing more to mumbles to Sk¨¢lpr as he began to ignore it. ¡°They speak a different language, don¡¯t they? Oh, I wonder if they¡¯ll have beasts fighting for them! They say that the black kingdom has monster blood in its royalty. That ought to be interesting. They¡¯re not very tall, either, I hear¡­¡±

    Makt eventually started sharpening his own little dagger, cheerily going on and on about the glories he could achieve. The one thing Sk¨¢lpr knew to give him was a warrior¡¯s spirit¡ªthe boy would fight and die if he had a chance for glory. At least he had some redeeming qualities.

    At the time, Sk¨¢lpr hadn¡¯t been too concerned about the oncoming battles.

 Chapter 31: Black Ships Cross the Sea

    Sk¨¢lpr and his strategists finalized plans for an invasion of Kuro, and he made sure the S¨®lstaeuric people were rallied and willing to fight. Most of the people who were allowed to fight were excited¡ªor at the very least, they wanted to see how it played out.

    They started simple; Sk¨¢lpr wasn¡¯t sure how ¡®justified¡¯ Kuro¡¯s wars needed to be, so they gave them a reason to fight. Namely, Sk¨¢lpr gave out a notice ¡®advising¡¯ the S¨®lstaeuric merchant ships to avoid the black kingdom; many of them agreed. For further encouragement, those ships were sent to Gin instead. The silver kingdom likely couldn¡¯t afford extravagant things, but S¨®lstaeur could pretend otherwise.

    A month passed since the initial meeting, and they were beginning to prepare the ships for a trip out to sea. There was news of similar incidents like the one Makt had described earlier¡ªKuro raiding and burning S¨®lstaeuric ships. In a way, preventing merchants from selling to Kuro solved two problems; Sk¨¢lpr was pleased with the unintended results.

    Sk¨¢lpr¡ªalong with Makt, who ended up bringing the Roken men as well¡ªvisited one of the coastal villages that was gathering ships to use for the coming war. While Makt and Hermaein shared excited guesses and hopes for what the battles would bring, Sk¨¢lpr looked out towards the sea and simply observed it.

    S¨®lstaeuric ships were coming in and out as merchants came and went, some immediately trying to trade the Kuro coins for something useable in this nation. Distinct among the ships themselves was the craftsmanship and colors; they were painted in order to be distinguished from the weaker ships they sold to other nations, and in times of war it warned the victim nation of any coming battle.

    He noticed some other ships coming towards the shore, but they weren¡¯t colored. Sk¨¢lpr smiled, not entirely friendly; perhaps this was Kuro¡¯s response.

    He turned to Makt, who fell silent immediately. ¡°Go out and see who those ships belong to,¡± Sk¨¢lpr said. ¡°Give them a warm welcome if they¡¯re not merchants.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Makt replied.

    Hermaein followed him, and they collected a few other men to join them. Sk¨¢lpr watched as they went into a ship, made quick preparations to leave, then shoved off¡ªa few other S¨®lstaeuric ships had gone to investigate as well, while others stayed at the port or carried on a bit quicker. A majority of the villagers were watching as Makt¡¯s ship grew closer, and the boy himself entertained conversation with the other captain.

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    No one could hear the words, of course, but they still watched for any kind of sign that it was an enemy ship. Then came a spark of red, and the foreign ship was sent ablaze¡ªthe watching people cheered at the familiar sight, the replacement for many words. What better way to mark the beginning of a battle than with fire? Seeing the flames was a reassuring and oddly comforting sight no matter the context.

    Sk¨¢lpr turned to the watching crowd. ¡°Everyone! Prepare to look for stragglers¡ªwe fight once again!¡±

    There were shouts of approval, and even Sk¨¢lpr himself looked around for weapons. He stayed on land while others took to the ships and made quick work of the remaining enemies¡ªfour ships had come in total, and three were sent ablaze while the other was left to return and relay the message after half of its crew were killed in some way or another. It was simply S¨®lstaeuric tradition; you can¡¯t fight if no one¡¯s alive to tell others.

    As the fourth ship left, there was an exciting air about the place. There hadn¡¯t been ships set ablaze in S¨®lstaeuric waters for as long as anyone could remember¡ªwars had never been fought in their home before, having always been overseas. It was invigorating to witness the fires dying as they reached the water when that water was so close to home. It gave a certain sense of urgency, like there was something at risk if they failed.

    That feeling was exciting, now that S¨®lstaeur was invaded instead of being the invader.

    When the S¨®lstaeuric ships returned, they were met with cheers and shouts. Makt wandered back over to Sk¨¢lpr smiling, something rare for the boy to ever express around his guardian.

    ¡°That was amazing,¡± Makt said. ¡°Can I do it again, when they return?¡±

    ¡°We can stay here to oversee the battles,¡± Sk¨¢lpr replied. ¡°Were they black kingdom soldiers?¡±

    ¡°They were,¡± Makt confirmed. He rambled as he smiled, going on for a few minutes. ¡°They were so short! And they did speak a different language; said something about a market, but that¡¯s all I could understand. I didn¡¯t think I could enjoy the smell of fire so much.¡±

    Sk¨¢lpr almost managed a very small smile. At least one thing involving the boy went right. ¡°Go get yourself something to drink,¡± he said. ¡°You can take the Roken boy, too, just don¡¯t overdo it.¡±

    Makt looked even more excited, barely muttering his gratitude before announcing it to Hermaein and going to whatever tavern looked the most welcoming. Sk¨¢lpr trailed along after a moment to keep an eye on them afterwards, giving some instructions to a few waiting men to keep an eye out if any more Kuro ships came.

 Chapter 32: Fire (Arenâ€™t You Worried?)

    When you lived in the cold north, fire was a common sight. You had it in your homes to keep you warm¡ªyou set the bodies of the deceased ablaze so they could be more easily discarded. Makt always associated the smell of a fire with home¡ªthe smell of burning flesh with death.

    But watching the ship burn was so exciting, so new, that it gave a whole new meaning to the smell of a fire.

    Maybe it was the possibility of the wind blowing the flames across to the S¨®lstaeuric vessel; maybe it was the chance that there could be more ships. Maybe it was because he finally found something he liked, and for once he was thankful for Sk¨¢lpr¡¯s war-oriented parenting. Maybe it was the chance that he and everyone else could die, but he didn¡¯t care because that¡¯s what they lived for.

    Makt didn¡¯t want to leave that village, lest he miss any other battles. Unlike most others, the thrill of it never faded¡ªHermaein actually seemed to be getting bored of how fascinated Makt was with the feeling, a month hence. Eventually Sk¨¢lpr returned to Byen Gekun¡ªhe had to, as chief. Makt was glad Sk¨¢lpr didn¡¯t make him return as well; he hated those meetings.

    Hermaein stayed out of some curiosity or another, so after Sk¨¢lpr left they sat around the village¡¯s community fire and entertained some conversation. Makt was, naturally, sharpening one of his daggers.

    ¡°I wish they¡¯d come back,¡± Makt said. ¡°Or Sk¨¢lpr would send people out to them and I can go, too.¡±

    ¡°Keep dreaming,¡± Hermaein replied, repositioning himself so he was mostly laying down in the snow¡ªor however much snow was there with a fire so close to it. ¡°Sk¨¢lpr isn¡¯t going to let you leave, ever. For all his talk of war and fighting so the younger people don¡¯t forget how it feels, he doesn¡¯t want to send you out there.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll get the advantage unless we fight back,¡± Makt noted. ¡°Although you¡¯re the strategist, so I could be wrong.¡±

    Hermaein moved again so he was sitting up and facing the fire. ¡°My father said it takes about a month for black kingdom ships to cross the water, so it will take another few weeks before we can fight again. How do you think Sk¨¢lpr¡¯s going to handle it?¡±

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    ¡°He¡¯ll do whatever the other men want him to,¡± Makt said. He sat down his dagger for now to give his hand a rest from the repetitive motions. ¡°He usually just does what he knows the chiefs will agree with. But ignoring that for a moment¡ªregardless of what Sk¨¢lpr does, what would you do?¡±

    Hermaein laughed. ¡°I would actually burn all of the attacking ships, for one¡ªI know it¡¯s tradition, but it¡¯s a bit counterproductive. Then I would send my own ships, just to tell them that we¡¯re willing to fight back. Set fire to a few forests and I imagine this little war would be over quickly.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a shame to make it so short, though,¡± Makt mused.

    ¡°I hate it when you sound like Sk¨¢lpr. ¡®When we fight, it needs to be long. It doesn¡¯t matter if we might lose¡ªactually, I won¡¯t mention the possibility out loud¡ªso we just have to fight like warriors and it¡¯ll be fine. Nothing could go wrong; we have nothing to lose but the place we live.¡¯¡±

    Makt hadn¡¯t expected the short rant, and both of them fell silent for a minute. ¡°You have problems with this?¡± Makt asked after a while.

    ¡°Plenty,¡± Hermaein replied firmly. He sighed and turned back towards Makt, frowning. ¡°It doesn¡¯t bother you at all that we¡¯ve never fought a war on S¨®lstaeur waters? That we¡¯re not invading someone else¡ªthe black kingdom is invading us? In all the places that S¨®lstaeur has gone and conquered, we¡¯ve left it in shambles. You aren¡¯t concerned that S¨®lstaeur might end up the same way, if the black kingdom wins?¡±

    He fell silent for a moment to think about it. ¡°Tactically speaking, the black kingdom doesn¡¯t have a single victory to its name,¡± Makt pointed out. ¡°They¡¯ve always come to a draw with their sister kingdom¡ªneither of them has actually won, and neither of them have fought anyone else but each other. I don¡¯t expect them to get the upper hand.¡±

    ¡°Just because they don¡¯t have a victory to their name doesn¡¯t mean they aren¡¯t capable of it,¡± Hermaein maintained. He sighed again, standing up. ¡°Could you promise me something, Makt?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t say I¡¯ll stay alive,¡± Makt said. ¡°I want to fight through this, whatever it costs.¡±

    ¡°No, not that,¡± Hermaein replied, shaking his head. ¡°If Sk¨¢lpr fails¡ªif he doesn¡¯t listen and does something ridiculous, or if he just acts idiotically about this¡ªwould you be willing to pass on grand chief to someone else?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to do it myself,¡± Makt admitted, ¡°So if someone else was willing to take the job, I would happily give it over.¡±

    Hermaein nodded and almost smiled. ¡°At least your family has some sense left.¡± He paused for a moment, then looked away for a second. ¡°¡­Thank you for being smarter than your father.¡±

    Makt chuckled. ¡°It doesn¡¯t take that much, to be honest.¡± He stood up as well. ¡°It¡¯s going to get colder soon, so let¡¯s get something to eat and call it a day. Tomorrow morning we can go hunting.¡±

    ¡°That sounds good,¡± Hermaein agreed.

 Chapter 33: A Swift Resolution

    The meetings mostly revolved around strategies instead of the usual idle chatter and mundane problems. To the men, fighting was a better way to spend their time than worrying about each person¡¯s different needs. It was good to be in charge of a war council, instead of hearing nothing but unimportant talking the entire time.

    The next attack¡ªabout two months after the first¡ªwas brought with more ships. Sk¨¢lpr hadn¡¯t witnessed it, being in Byen Gekun at the time, but when he visited the village Makt was delighted. That time, Kuro ships had tried to set fire to S¨®lstaeur¡¯s, but the nation knew better than to make their own ships so easily flammable; their attempts only cost S¨®lstaeur two warships and one merchant vessel, none of which would be missed.

    The third attack was less than a month afterwards, sooner than they all expected. Sk¨¢lpr had been lucky enough to be in the affected village at the time¡ªalbeit it wasn¡¯t as nice of a victory. Kuro soldiers managed to get onto land, leading to a few more S¨®lstaeuric casualties than before. They weren¡¯t used to defending their own homes, and they couldn¡¯t fight as recklessly with people and things they needed to protect.

    Kuro ships kept coming for the next few months, pausing for winter when the cold was likely unbearable to them¡ªeven to the S¨®lstaeuric people, it was ill-advised to stay outside for long. Those few months were spent trying to determine how to gain the upper hand; with each battle, Kuro had gotten closer to overpowering S¨®lstaeur.

    Many of the men took it as a challenge. Sk¨¢lpr, at this point in his life, could identify when a battle would be lost. He didn¡¯t think the Kuro army could overwhelm them, but it seemed like S¨®lstaeur¡¯s strategies were easily learned¡ªof course, they didn¡¯t have a true ¡®strategist,¡¯ only men who knew more tactics than the rest. Perhaps that made up the difference.

    Sk¨¢lpr decided to wait until Kuro attacks resumed again before he voiced his concerns; he knew that none of them would listen, but as the closest thing to a leader they had, he should have the final say. Although a part of him didn¡¯t like the idea, he would only fight for as long as they could win¡ªif they avoid utter defeat, Kuro might turn a blind eye to them in time.

    Kuro¡¯s attacks continued mid-spring. Just as before, each attack seemed to be more informed and better coordinated than the previous one. Some fighters¡ªlike Makt¡ªnever lost their desire to fight, while others found it to be dull and difficult when they had to consider their surroundings.

    Near the day that would mark a year of fighting, Sk¨¢lpr received a letter simply addressed to ¡®whoever leads them.¡¯ It was carefully written, albeit with some poor grammar and spelling, essentially announcing what he already knew: Kuro was very close to victory. After receiving the letter, Sk¨¢lpr tried¡ªunsuccessfully¡ªto introduce a concept like ¡®loss¡¯ to the other chiefs.

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    In the end, he gave the letter to one of the ships they let flee. All of the men questioned him, and the weight of the choice didn¡¯t sink in for another month; Kuro ships came in, killing most S¨®lstaeuric citizens that opposed them, and simply made themselves at home.

    That next meeting, there was an uproar.

    ¡°What did you do, Sk¨¢lpr?¡± One man asked.

    ¡°We wouldn¡¯t have won,¡± Sk¨¢lpr replied.

    It was one of the only meetings Makt attended¡ªand he wasn¡¯t there to praise him. ¡°They won¡¯t leave! Defeat would have been better than whatever act of cowardice brought on this conclusion.¡±

    The accusations continued, and Sk¨¢lpr listened to them all in silence. It was easier to fall out of grace with those beside you when you could be easily replaced; he understood this, and acknowledged it when he spoke. ¡°I know I am not an official leader,¡± he said. ¡°Still, as grand chief, I do have the duty of leading an example for the rest of you. Say and do what you wish¡ªthere¡¯s no turning back! The black kingdom is here now; I encourage you all to do whatever you wish with that information.¡±

    Hermaein stood. ¡°I, for one, believe you should be replaced. I¡¯m willing to take your place¡ªI can turn this situation into a win for us regardless of what it looks like.¡±

    There were shouts of approval. Sk¨¢lpr wasn¡¯t incredibly surprised when he noticed Makt had joined in; the boy was never particularly interested in what he was raised to do. That was all the confirmation Sk¨¢lpr needed before falling back to the edges of the place, and Hermaein carried on with a few more promises. He must have expected this, on some level; it was unfortunate that a tactical mind like his would be wasted on the duller tasks of leading the other chiefs.

    Byen Roken became the new place for meetings and the like, leaving Byen Gekun to be nothing more than a relic in comparison; Makt, no longer needed for an heir, left Sk¨¢lpr to be alone. He didn¡¯t quite mind¡ªhe wasn¡¯t always fond of the boy anyway.

    In the following decades, ways came to confirm that Kuro had no intentions of leaving; it was the beginning of a long occupation, with Kuro soldiers regularly leaving or coming in. It was a common place for injured soldiers to go, it seemed, and they were only there to ensure that S¨®lstaeur wouldn¡¯t fight back. Fortunately, Kuro¡¯s attitude towards S¨®lstaeur and its people was more indifferent than anything else¡ªthey had their own small communities, and didn¡¯t often venture outside of them.

    Neither people group could be bothered to learn the others¡¯ language¡ªKuro out of the aforementioned indifference, and S¨®lstaeur as a sign of protest and to avoid assimilating to Kuro¡¯s culture¡ªso a third was formed. It was some odd hybrid mix of the two, with most words having an etymology in one or the other language. This was carried on to Kuro by visiting occupation soldiers, which in turn was brought to Gin through Kuro wars; it actually made trade with the silver kingdom¡ªKuro didn¡¯t interfere with S¨®lstaeur¡¯s international affairs¡ªeasier, in that they could all speak the same language and understand each other. Kuro¡¯s currency also gained a place in S¨®lstaeur, although its people tried to fight any further assimilation.

    Sk¨¢lpr could never decide if he did made the right choice. Time would tell, perhaps, but until then he was only left to wonder. Regardless, he passed on by natural means only a decade and some years later.

 Intermission: Avoiding the Party

    It was October 8th, Gendai 398¡ªUtaka¡¯s birthday. As thanks for him surviving sixteen years, Okimi wanted to give him something to look forward to. Without mentioning a word to him, his mother set up a grand party and invited just about everyone who could make it there within a week. Utaka didn¡¯t hear about it until Okimi told him that morning.

    They were all sitting down for breakfast, Okimi wearing her odd ¡®scheming-mother¡¯ expression. That alone was enough to warn him, but he still asked.

    ¡°What are you plotting, Mother?¡± It was an odd combination of humor and wariness that he hadn¡¯t completely intended.

    Okimi laughed, another ill sign. ¡°Make sure you look presentable, boy. I¡¯ve invited a few hundred people to the palace. You don¡¯t have to be fancy, just be¡­nice-looking.¡±

    ¡°Is it too late to convince you otherwise?¡± Utaka asked dully.

    She shook her head. ¡°It¡¯ll be fun, Utaka; I promise. And besides, you need to socialize more¡ªyou¡¯re a loner as it stands now.¡±

    Utaka only mumbled something that resembled protest if he said it loudly, knowing full well that Okimi wouldn¡¯t change her mind. After they ate, he decided he might as well look somewhat more likable by changing into an outfit that wouldn¡¯t be so shocking to see a prince wear; his current attire was closer to a servant¡¯s outfit with its dull colors, since he didn¡¯t venture outside much.

    Guests started arriving around noon; the only people Utaka recognized was Fujita Takeo and his sons Masaru and Ninsei. He hadn¡¯t even known there were so many other people that were close by. Fujita Masaru, the older of the two, came with his admirer Chinen Suzu. The four of them entertained conversation before Okimi forced Utaka to mingle with people he didn¡¯t already know.

    It was boring and, to him, a waste of time. He would have preferred a day alone¡ªor even a day to travel, albeit not very far¡ªrather than spend the afternoon around strangers. Utaka wasn¡¯t interested with holding a conversation with any of them, really; most of them still did the ¡®bow and state your name¡¯ traditions required when meeting a prince when he introduced himself as such, so it got dull quickly.

    As soon as Utaka was sure Okimi was busy doing something else, he left the inside of the palace in favor of the courtyard. He conspired with Fujita Ninsei for his exact escape route, with the latter calling over the guards at the front gates so Utaka could leave the party entirely. At that point, half the afternoon had passed¡ªthere wasn¡¯t much left to do in the day, nor was there anything particularly interesting. It was still better than being in a party that was thrown for him without his consent.

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    Fortunately, he went into town so infrequently that no one recognized him¡ªanyone who would was likely at the party. Utaka hid away in one of the public gardens; he would have preferred to go into one of the ¡®private areas¡¯ just so no one would bother him, but all of them had their gates closed.

    Utaka walked through the garden until their was a nice place in the corner to sit down. He didn¡¯t have anything to do, but at least he could take a break from people for a little while.

    That plan seemed to be doomed the moment he decided on it; a girl around his age passed by the area and paused.

    ¡°Oh. Someone¡¯s already here.¡±

    Utaka stood and offered a bow. ¡°I can leave. I¡¯m just avoiding a party.¡±

    ¡°Is that what¡¯s happening at the palace?¡± The girl asked. Utaka nodded, and she sighed. ¡°I got lucky, then. My father wanted me to see what it was, but I¡¯m not particularly fond of crowds.¡±

    ¡°Too much noise,¡± Utaka agreed. ¡°And it¡¯s always chilling when there is silence.¡±

    The girl nodded, wandering a bit further into the little area and leaning on one of the trees. ¡°It¡¯s hard to find people that aren¡¯t social,¡± she mused. ¡°I mean, I¡¯m not a recluse, but people can be¡­¡±

    ¡°Dull?¡± Utaka guessed. ¡°Frustrating? Maddening?¡±

    She chuckled. ¡°All of the above.¡± She stood up for a moment and bowed. ¡°Kaiba Erize. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet someone like-minded.¡±

    He bowed again for pleasantry¡¯s sake. ¡°Likewise, miss. Gin-Mashimo Utaka.¡±

    Erize paused for a second, then gave him a confused look. ¡°You¡¯re the prince? Whenever I heard of you, you seemed more¡­¡± She glanced him over again, then came to a blunt conclusion: ¡°Charming. Taller, maybe. I imagined you looking¡­slightly less pathetic. You¡¯re not lying, are you?¡±

    Utaka laughed; it was almost refreshing to hear someone other than Okimi be so blunt. ¡°If only I heard that more often¡ªit would be a nice change of pace.¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯re not lying?¡± Erize asked curiously.

    ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± Utaka said.

    They carried on a conversation for a while after that; when Okimi tracked down Utaka, she almost looked pleased. Nonetheless, he was dragged back to the party before nightfall¡ªalbeit Erize came with him thanks to Okimi¡¯s insistence.

    Erize ended up getting along well with the Fujita brothers¡ªUtaka¡¯s only friends at that point. In time, Utaka and Erize took a romantic interest in each other and pursued it; Okimi was especially happy about this, turning a blind eye to the pair¡¯s less traditional aspects in favor of maintaining her son¡¯s social improvement. It seemed to remind her of the king before he left¡ªa love that started out wonderful, then grew more distant until his departure. Utaka had promised both Okimi and Erize that he could¡ªand would¡ªbe better than his father.

    How did he even have the illusion that those days would last, making promises he couldn¡¯t keep?

 Chapter 34: Their New King

    ¡°I swear to do all that I can in service to this kingdom, to lead it well and to guide it in prosperity. I will follow late Queen Okimi¡¯s path¡ªstrive for peace for as long as I am able, and fight for it should the need arise. Ky¨­ryokuna Bekin¡­guide me, please; show me the way towards peace, and I will never once complain.¡±

    He bowed to the gods he was raised to believe were there, and when he stood the small group of nobles bowed to him, including Erize to his right. Utaka worried the respect wasn¡¯t genuine; the only people there were the ones who had known him as a child, fully aware that he was one of the youngest kings in Gin¡¯s history. He would be nineteen on his next birthday.

    Considering that no one spoke a word otherwise, Utaka was forced to assume there hadn¡¯t been any complications¡ªever since Queen Tsujihara Seiko¡¯s time, no one was completely assured that they would gain silver hair. Perhaps that humility and fear was what kept it from disappearing in the four hundred years since.

    ¡°¡­That¡¯s all for now,¡± Utaka said to the crowd. ¡°For those of you who are associated with the governing part of this role I¡­would like some time to let it sink in.¡±

    No one protested, and all of them left¡ªsome to spread the news, others to undoubtedly make his job harder. Utaka left without any further commands, gesturing for Erize¡ªhis wife of only a few weeks, the only good thing that¡¯s happened recently¡ªto stay close. He would be fine as long as she was there.

    They both wandered out to the courtyard, going into the small replication of the garden in town¡ªcomplete with said garden¡¯s small gate as a silent request for privacy. Once they were there, it was silent; they weren¡¯t bothered by the outside here.

    ¡°¡­It will get better from here,¡± Erize said quietly.

    ¡°Will it?¡± Utaka asked, glancing at her. ¡°I¡¯m the damn king. I fear that I won¡¯t have a thought to myself¡ªlet alone any time with you.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll be fine,¡± Erize maintained. There was something in the way she said it that made him sure she was telling the truth¡ªthat the promise wouldn¡¯t be broken. ¡°Miss Okimi¡¯s death was¡­unfortunate¡ªbut you¡¯ll be a great king.¡±

    ¡°Gods, I¡¯ve barely even had time to process she¡¯s dead.¡±

    ¡°Things will slow down after a while,¡± Erize said. She sat down next to him, putting her head on his shoulder. ¡°Then everything will fall into place. I wouldn¡¯t want to be anywhere but by your side during all of this.¡±

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    ¡°Only you could want to do paperwork all day,¡± Utaka replied, managing a little chuckle.

    Erize let out her own little laugh. ¡°Maybe so,¡± she said, ¡°But someone has to keep you in line and make sure nothing bad happens.¡±

    Silence fell again, only slightly better than the one that came before it. It gave Utaka some time to just¡­reflect.

    Before Utaka got married, Okimi wasn¡¯t exactly in the best of health¡ªsome illness or another caught her. She worked through it, of course¡ªGin¡¯s royal family wasn¡¯t anything if not stubborn¡ªand she was only barely able to attend the wedding. Not very long after the wedding, Okimi died; one of the guards found her body in the courtyard. She had a knife with her and, judging by the collection of notes she left behind, was prepared to follow Tsujihara Seiko¡¯s example. Just like the first queen, however, the evidence and the decided cause of death didn¡¯t match up.

    What bothered Utaka the most was that Okimi must have been desperate if she wanted to end her own life. It made him wonder if his family truly was ¡®cursed¡¯ in some way or another, that a strong person like Okimi would break down amidst whatever was ailing her. She never told Utaka anything, either, making it more frustrating; even the doctors knew she didn¡¯t give the full truth.

    There was a voice outside of the small area, bringing his thoughts back to the present; someone Utaka couldn¡¯t see, but he could recognize the voice.

    ¡°Sorry to interrupt or intrude, but some Hiroki boys are here.¡±

    ¡°All right,¡± Utaka replied, sighing a bit. Erize stood up, and he followed. ¡°Thank you, Takeo.¡±

    The man chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m just relaying messages, boy. Nothing more.¡±

    Fujita Takeo was something close to a father figure for Utaka¡ªor the closest thing he ever had to a father figure, at least. If he had to assign the man any familial relation, however, it would be that of an uncle; Takeo was one of Okimi¡¯s closer friends, and knew Utaka¡¯s father as well. He already agreed to be something like an advisor to the young king, having been helping Okimi in that role for a while.

    Utaka and Erize both left the small replica garden, and went to meet with the Hiroki men. Of course, then came the kingly duties Utaka was expected to handle¡ªbeing a military family and living in one of the few places that were near the river-border with Kuro, the Hiroki men naturally came mostly to discuss everything relating to it. Condolences and praises were the least of their concerns.

    However dull it was for Utaka, Erize was more than happy to listen in and provide input. They already agreed that they would work together in this¡ªif Gin ever had to fight, Erize would be left here to handle everything in Utaka¡¯s stead. She wanted to help him with the work now, so she wouldn¡¯t be at a disadvantage if Utaka and Takeo both left.

    Unfortunately, things didn¡¯t slow back down again for another month; Utaka was always needed for one thing or another. He wasn¡¯t particularly fond of the work¡ªthe amount of it nor the nature of it¡ªbut it couldn¡¯t be helped. He just asked for the gods¡¯ guidance and hoped that would be enough to get him through it.

 Chapter 35: War Begins

    Considering that Utaka cared a bit more about fighting than how the fights came about, he was glad to have Takeo handling the actual negotiations and everything involving battles. His advisor more-or-less did the work of a military aide and made general suggestions on things Utaka couldn¡¯t quite understand yet.

    It was a month after Utaka¡¯s birthday¡ªabout three months after Okimi died. He wasn¡¯t doing much at the time; just¡­trying to work through it. He still felt like Okimi should be there to help him. Fortunately, most of the complicated stuff was things that Takeo could do instead.

    Erize joined him after a while, coming back after visiting friends. She had a bit of a worried expression, but she didn¡¯t say anything when he glanced at her. Utaka assumed, for a little bit, that it must¡¯ve just been some piece of gossip or another that she didn¡¯t agree with.

    He didn¡¯t think to question her, simply allowing her to help him with his work until Takeo came in with a similar expression¡ªexcept he looked more willing to share the reasoning.

    Takeo handed a paper to Utaka and explained it simply. ¡°There was some trouble at the border with Kuro,¡± the man said.

    Utaka cursed. He never understood what made Kuro decide they wanted to attack; positions were no more or less shaky than they were three months ago, or back when Okimi was alive.

    Regardless, he still had to try to assess the situation. ¡°Was there an actual skirmish, or just threats?¡±

    ¡°A small fight broke out,¡± Takeo replied. ¡°One of the younger Hiroki boys got a few scratches, but those men see enough battle that it won¡¯t be much. That paper¡¯s the full report.¡±

    ¡°All right. Thank you.¡±

    ¡°Just doing my job, boy. I¡¯ll let you know if I see anything else.¡±

    Utaka nodded, opening up the report as Takeo left. It listed casualties, time, and other things; fortunately Hiroki territory was about the only place for an army to cross over by land, so only the Hiroki family would see an immense amount of battle. They were used to it by now¡ªand from the looks of it, it was just a small force of a hundred or so men. Kuro must not be entirely serious yet, but that didn¡¯t make it any more or less annoying.

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    Erize only glanced over at the report and frowned. ¡°How likely does it seem like they¡¯ll carry on to war?¡±

    ¡°With my bias,¡± Utaka replied, looking at her, ¡°I would guess ¡®very¡¯¡ªbut it could depend, I suppose. It wasn¡¯t a particularly large force and they didn¡¯t have any known generals in command, so it could very well be one of their bloodlust skirmishes.¡±

    ¡°And they say that Ginshin¡¯s line will usher in the end¡­¡± Erize murmured. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine it would be anything but self-defense, given Kuro¡¯s insistence on fighting.¡± She sighed, shaking her head and going back to her set of documents.

    Utaka opted to go back to his work as well. When he finished up most of it, he went to find wherever Takeo liked to work to talk through a few plans for either scenario¡ªwhether Kuro was trying to instigate war or just decided that they didn¡¯t want to go overseas in order to entertain themselves with battle. A letter addressing the problem was written and sent, but never received a reply.

    A week passed, and then another report came about another battle. It was annoying¡ªGin stopped instigating wars with Kuro after Tsujihara Seiko¡¯s rule due to the instability it seemed to cause within the kingdom and the royal family specifically, but Kuro was more than happy to continue fighting with Gin. Their current ruler¡ªQueen Nari, if he remembered correctly¡ªwas likely eager to fight, or at least eager to watch her family fight. She couldn¡¯t have been queen much longer than Utaka.

    Come the third report about a month later, Utaka decided he would meet with them in person to try to get an answer. Apologizing to Erize, he kept Takeo there with her and took the Fujita sons with him instead¡ªor planned to, at least, until neither decided they were willing to fight should it come to that. Masaru and Ninsei were left there, then, and Utaka met with the Hiroki family by the end of the month with only his two guards accompanying him.

    His time was spent waiting around a short while until another batch of Kuro soldiers came. Utaka fought them off personally, aware that it was a return of hostility. The Kuro soldiers only seemed even more excited when they saw him¡ªsilver hair stuck out pretty easily among crowds, to his annoyance. There were only a dozen or so men left of the Kuro force until they started to retreat; they moved beyond the bridge that connected the two nations, which prevented anyone from pursuing without actually calling it a war declaration.

    Utaka had no doubt that the survivors returned to Nari and told her about the situation. He wrote to Erize, apologizing yet again and explaining that he would like to stay until he could figure out if Kuro was going to continue hostilities.

    Unfortunately, Queen Nari personally came the fourth time¡ªit was the first and second-to-last time Utaka ever saw her, since she only participated in that one battle. It was a harder fight, but Kuro was driven back after a few hours. From then on, it seemed, another war began.

    Life couldn¡¯t be simple, could it?

 Chapter 36: Is It Natural to be Afraid of This?

    It was about two months before Utaka could manage to switch places with Takeo¡ªand even then, he was back out before summer. When he was in the capital, he tried to make up for it; Erize was stuck doing all of the work herself when Utaka and Takeo were both out fighting. He had hoped¡ªexpected, to some extent¡ªthat Kuro would lose interest after about a year of skirmishes, but Nari must think that the battle reports were delightful. Most wars with Kuro only lasted two or three years before the fighting died down again, but this was different. Bloodier.

    There were about one or two skirmishes each month; roughly two dozen skirmishes altogether by the end of the first year. That rose to fifty skirmishes during the second year; seventy-five by the third. At least a hundred men participated in each one, but Kuro¡¯s groups grew larger as time dragged on¡ªthe only good news was that Kuro never managed to get past the people defending the border.

    The fourth year immediately saw a lull in the fighting; after a month and a half of no skirmishes, Takeo told Utaka to return home until he was needed again. It was likely just the calm before the storm, but it felt like genuine reprieve¡ªthat was enough for him to feel all right with leaving. They sent out a letter to Kuro requesting an end to hostilities, and Utaka went back to the capital.

    He stayed home for most of the year. That first night after he got back, he and Erize ended up drinking¡ªfor the first time since this thing started, he actually felt his age. It was refreshing to put in dyes, go out to get drinks, pretend like he was anyone else. Another two months passed since he came home, and then Erizedecided to treat him.

    She was oddly chipper that morning after having been a bit snappy for the last week or so¡ªa shorter temper was her way of expressing that she didn¡¯t feel well. Gods forbid any of them actually complained about their troubles, instead of acting passive-aggressive with it.

    They spent the day wandering around the capital despite the lack of things to do, mostly just enjoying the free time. Considering Utaka was barely able to say a word without her cutting him off, it was strange for her to be so cheerful. Their conversations varied, so he wasn¡¯t sure how to determine the cause on his own.

    He managed to ask after it when they went into the garden in town after eating lunch.

    ¡°Will you explain why you¡¯re so happy?¡± Utaka asked. ¡°I don¡¯t mind, of course, but I¡¯ll be honest¡ªit¡¯s a little frightening. Okimi only laughed like that when she was scheming.¡±

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    Erize chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m not planning some grand party, if that¡¯s what you¡¯re concerned about,¡± she said. ¡°And I did have a reason for dragging you out around town, despite how scattered this is.¡±

    He prompted her with a nod and a gesture. Erize fell silent for a second, apparently realizing that she wasn¡¯t sure how to explain.

    She sat down, and Utaka took a seat next to her. She leaned into him before speaking quietly. ¡°When you proposed to me,¡± Erize said carefully, ¡°You promised both me and Miss Okimi that you wouldn¡¯t be like your father. You said that you wouldn¡¯t leave me just because the love faded, if it fades at all¡ªthat you would always be there, in some way or another, to support me, and you wouldn¡¯t just¡­claim me dead and cut off all ties.¡± She barely whispered the next part, ¡°And you promised your children would have a father there so they wouldn¡¯t have to learn about that side of life without him.¡±

    Erize only paused for a second; she didn¡¯t give Utaka enough time to question what her point was, but he could guess it easily enough. ¡°I know that might be hard, if Kuro still wants to fight, but hopefully their queen will stop sending people out to fight so she can have some time alone with her children instead of sending them off as soon as they¡¯re fifteen. But by the end of the year, you¡¯ll have the chance, at least, to make due on that promise.¡±

    ¡°All that to say you¡¯re pregnant?¡± Utaka guessed.

    Her laughter was a bit anxious, but still pleasant. ¡°All that to say I¡¯m pregnant. It took me a few days to understand it myself, but¡­there it is.¡±

    Utaka smiled and gave her a light kiss. ¡°I¡¯ll try my best,¡± he promised. He was afraid to assure her of any more than that¡ªit was fine and well to promise things when they seemed far off, but now¡­he was left to wonder. He had originally pictured Okimi being there was well; then if he did need to leave, Erize wouldn¡¯t have to raise a child as the only parental figure.

    Those worries did eventually lead to him drinking a bit more than he had before; he always brought Takeo or his sons along to make sure he didn¡¯t go too far. Utaka knew it would likely end up being detrimental to the promise, but it was something of a habit after a while. When Kuro attacked again in the fall¡ªsuccessfully making it past Hiroki territory this time, although they were pushed back again fairly quickly¡ªthis little drinking problem only grew worse.

    Utaka and Takeo essentially took turns being at the capital¡ªno one could decide if it was better to have the king or an old general on the battlefield alongside them, so they often switched places. Utaka tried to avoid drinking as much when he was with Erize, even if he worried more when he was close to her. The fear that he would end up like his father made it harder for him to make a distinction between the himself and the man he never really knew.

    His child was born only a week or two before the end of the year; a little girl that Utaka knew he would disappoint. He tried to hurry up the war and end it before she was old enough to remember it, but he failed¡ªafter a particularly rough loss that nearly cost half of Gin¡¯s army, he knew it wasn¡¯t likely to end.

 Chapter 37: Not the Perfect Future

    Erize thought she knew what she was getting into when she married Utaka. Okimi would help them settle in, teach Erize what she needed to know¡ªwhatever she was allowed to help with as queen consort, at least. They would wait a year, then Erize and Okimi would conspire together to convince Utaka he should be a father.

    That plan backfired as soon as Okimi died. Erize had hoped it wouldn¡¯t hurt too much, but Utaka was already a celebratory drinker¡ªshe should¡¯ve guessed he¡¯d try to just¡­drink away all his problems. She hated how that only made things worse. She didn¡¯t want to sound like the war was his fault, but she knew he was able to avoid drinking. He used to be, at least.

    She kept herself busy doing the men¡¯s work¡ªshe now realized that a military general was a poor choice for an advisor, but he was something of a family friend so she understood why Utaka trusted him. It just meant that Erize was stuck doing most of the essential ruling work when otherwise she would just be handling finances and the like, at least until Takeo was too old to fight safely.

    Little Kyoumi¡ªnearing two years old at this point¡ªwas in one corner of the room where Erize could still see her, playing with some toy Takeo¡¯s granddaughter decided she outgrew. Perhaps out of some kind of apology, Erize actually saw quite a bit of the Fujita family; Masaru and his wife Suzu liked to come by with their children. Erize wasn¡¯t particularly fond of Suzu¡ªshe was also a drunkard, albeit one willing to admit it¡ªbut it was nice to know that Kyoumi wasn¡¯t bound to only talk with her mother and some servant kids. Even if the Fujita children were a bit too¡­rowdy for the little girl¡¯s liking; they were used to a home where they could shout at each other and still be heard, whereas Kyoumi was most familiar with the palace¡¯s silence.

    While Erize was working, Kyoumi looked up from her play. ¡°Want Papa.¡±

    Erize couldn¡¯t immediately respond since one of the servants came in, murmuring something about a report. Erize took the paper gladly and sat aside her current work. She wanted to stay up-to-date on the battles¡ªshe wanted to know if she should expect to be officially told she was widowed, or she had to find another advisor. It was always terrifying, but somehow still reassuring when she knew Utaka or Takeo weren¡¯t among the casualties.

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    Kyoumi continued watching her mother, close to repeating her earlier sentence to ensure she was heard before Erize finished reading the report and looked at her. ¡°Guess what?¡± Erize asked with as much happiness as she could muster in the moment.

    ¡°Papa?¡± Kyoumi guessed cheerfully.

    ¡°Mhm. Your father will be back home in a week or so.¡±

    ¡°Play?¡± The girl said.

    ¡°He¡¯ll be tired,¡± Erize told her daughter kindly. ¡°You might have to wait a few days.¡±

    ¡°No waiting!¡± Kyoumi protested. She put her hands up and declared in true toddler fashion, ¡°Forever!¡±

    Erize chuckled. ¡°He won¡¯t take forever. You only have to wait a few days after he gets here. That¡¯ll only be two or three weeks; that¡¯s not ¡®forever.¡¯¡±

    Kyoumi didn¡¯t look convinced, but nonetheless went back to her doll. She babbled on for a few minutes¡ªsomething about a dog she thought she saw, or something similar¡ªbefore standing up and walking over to Erize.

    ¡°What do you need, love?¡± Erize asked kindly.

    ¡°Snack?¡± The girl requested, putting out her hands.

    ¡°Will you let me finish reading this?¡± Erize said, gesturing to the report she was currently looking over.

    Kyoumi pouted a bit, but sat down again instead of protesting. Erize trudged through the paper as quickly as she could, and when she stood up her little daughter rejoiced. Kyoumi was happy to take Erize¡¯s hand and follow her down to the dining hall, where they requested some things to keep the girl satisfied until dinner.

    Erize kept an eye out for the signs that Utaka was actually returning¡ªamong them being Takeo and his family. The circumstances leading to the return was¡­complicated. At the very least, the report said that it was a bloody draw.

    Utaka, of course, tried to avoid talking about it by either staying with Kyoumi or disappearing from the palace. Erize knew they sent out another peace petition, but not much else was said outright. Everything she heard, she got from Takeo¡ªwhich included news of Utaka¡¯s departure two months later. Utaka didn¡¯t speak a word of it to her, nor to their daughter.

    One would assume she would hate Kuro for fighting¡ªor even the gods for allowing the fighting. Honestly, though, she was more frustrated at Utaka; he wasn¡¯t doing any better than what she¡¯s heard of his father. Erize wouldn¡¯t say it out loud, but she felt like Okimi was tossing and turning in her grave. Things should be better than this, shouldn¡¯t they?

    Maybe it was her fault for idealizing the future in the first place.

 Chapter 38: A Desire for Normalcy

    He didn¡¯t like fighting; there weren¡¯t a lot of people in Gin that did. Most people were only taught to fight in defense¡ªhow to keep their families safe, not how to wage war. They had Tsujihara Seiko¡¯s reign to thank for that; she died young, so she set the best example out of everyone. She was among the youngest rulers and holder of the shortest reign, yet they followed her example anyway. She was the last one left after a long battle, after all; she must¡¯ve had some merit, if the gods spared her life.

    Sometimes Utaka wondered if his ancestor would have followed the rest after a while¡ªfought Kuro willingly, maintaining a sword as the diplomatic weapon of choice instead of words¡ªand that¡¯s why she died so young. Most kings¡ªand queens, when they were allowed¡ªwrote journals or memoirs describing the historical parts of their reigns, especially if they knew they would die soon. The only such note that remained from the first queen was something already tucked away near the rest; an apology to Kinjo Asahi for leaving so soon. No one in modern times knew if she had some kind of premonition of her death, or if she had written it during the war in anticipation of a loss.

    For now, Utaka was waiting in Hiroki territory yet again; hopefully, Takeo could stay behind to watch Erize and Kyoumi. Even if he never saw them, he would still prefer to be at the palace with them¡ªmaybe then these damn thoughts would stop and he could move away from this drinking habit.

    The Hiroki men weren¡¯t exactly heavy drinkers, but they didn¡¯t stop Utaka from using up most of their alcohol. He repaid them by staying sober before expected battles, and staying inside if Kuro attacked and he was drunk¡ªthe better choice for everyone, since he couldn¡¯t do much but think after a few drinks.

    Oddly enough, alcohol made him¡­reminisce. He thought more about the past than he did anything else¡ªabout things he didn¡¯t even personally live through, or things he didn¡¯t remember. Utaka thought about his father, for example¡ªclaimed dead after he left by his own request, so he could leave the capital and find love somewhere else. He couldn¡¯t remember the man at all¡ªUtaka was about Kyoumi¡¯s age at that point¡ªbut he knew Okimi was upset. She didn¡¯t have the luxury of remarrying¡ªconsorts grew out of favor as faithfulness was emphasized in an attempt to separate them from Kuro at some point during the Kokka years¡ªso Utaka was stuck with barely a father figure to speak of.

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    Thinking on it¡­how many kings and queens of Gin remained married into their old age? How much of those were loveless, or only came to be to avoid a scandal? Granted, Utaka¡¯s mind wasn¡¯t quite functioning properly, but he could only name a precious few. Ginshin never actually married; King Tsunkei and his father died prematurely, albeit the latter¡¯s death was somewhat expected. They say that Tsujihara Seiko and Kinjo Asahi were a beautiful example of what a ruling couple should be, except Tsujihara Seiko died when she was barely in her thirties and her husband lived for another three decades in her absence.

    That led him to wonder: was it even possible for this family to be normal? It was asking too much¡ªthe royal family, being normal?¡ªbut he had hoped otherwise for the longest time. In his personal opinion, he was too young to feel like his life was already derailing¡ªyet the thoughts came anyway, making him wish he hadn¡¯t met Erize just so she wouldn¡¯t be dragged into this mess. Now Kyoumi had to suffer with this damn family, too, and for what? A love Utaka couldn¡¯t appreciate anymore?

    A Hiroki boy came in, faintly getting Utaka¡¯s attention. ¡°We¡¯re making plans to start an offensive,¡± the young man reported. ¡°My father wants to know if you¡¯re sober enough to attend without laughing hysterically.¡±

    Utaka considered it for a moment, then shook his head. ¡°No, I¡¯m pretty drunk. Carry on anyway. Have your father fill me in tomorrow.¡±

    The boy frowned, but still bowed. ¡°All right, sir. We¡¯ll be in the main room if you change your mind.¡±

    He left, likely uncomfortable around a drunkard. In that moment, Utaka didn¡¯t really care.

    With no one to bother him, he went back to his thoughts. They grew¡­troubling, after a while. Okimi once told him she didn¡¯t like to drink because it made her hear things¡ªvoices that were hidden away while one was sane. To some extent, he heard them, too.

    This family¡ªyour family, our family¡ªis tainted. We¡¯re all friends until it¡¯s better for us not to be.

    It¡¯s a shame you won¡¯t see the person who will end this all, if he listens. The boy better listen¡­unlike the first queen and those before her. It would be awful if both ended their lives before fulfilling their roles¡ªending this family once and for all. Or maybe he¡¯ll end the nation instead.

    He never remembered more than murmurs when he was sober, and he sounded crazy enough when he was drunk that talking about them was dismissed. As such, that little piece of insanity was also lost.

 Chapter 39: A New Plan

    Utaka tried to be halfway decent the next morning so he could check in with the Hiroki head. He still woke up late and he had a headache, but he could sit through some military talk if he needed to. His family didn¡¯t really know what the word ¡®rest¡¯ meant anyway.

    The Hiroki family lived in a fort, if it wasn¡¯t an outright castle. Somehow there were more hallways than the palace at Gin no Shuto, so he just walked around until one of the Hiroki boys saw him¡ªusually one of the older ones. By now they were used to it¡ªoffered a bow and wordlessly led him to their father.

    The head of the Hiroki family¡ªHiroki Izo, who was close to Takeo¡¯s age and thus prone to giving Utaka very little respect if the man had any to spare at all. Utaka was used to it, really¡ªOkimi managed to befriend a good portion of the nobles west of the capital, so a lot of the older ones still saw him as an antisocial teenager. Being married and having a daughter meant nothing when he still acted like how they knew him when he drank.

    Utaka nodded and murmured his thanks to the boy that helped him, to which the boy nodded in return. Utaka opened the door to see Izo just sitting there.

    ¡°Wondering when you¡¯d get up, boy,¡± the man said. ¡°Sober yet?¡±

    ¡°Sober enough,¡± Utaka replied simply. He took a seat across from him. ¡°Your son mentioned yesterday that you were going to consider going on the offensive.¡±

    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind,¡± Izo reasoned. ¡°I just thought you would prefer to get everything done within the next few years, instead of waiting until they tire themselves out.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m willing to hear it as long as its not suicidal. You can always call Takeo back here if you don¡¯t trust my judgement.¡±

    ¡°I trust your judgement fine when you¡¯re not drinking¡ªnot that I need strategic input. We were able to get a good amount done without you weighing us down.¡±

    ¡°Yet you keep me here anyway.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a pain to send a letter to you every time we need something approved, so until your girl gets on the front lines or if Kuro gets far enough in that its better for you to be at the capital, you¡¯re stuck here.¡±

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    ¡°Either way I¡¯d have failed, so let¡¯s get this over with.¡±

    ¡°All right, sir.¡±

    Izo went over a few basic strategies that the Hiroki family had come up with earlier. Utaka listened to all of them, made mental note of which ones sounded more promising, then gave Izo permission to pursue two or three in particular. At that point, Izo called for someone to bring in his older sons to flesh out the basics to make them useable in the future.

    Utaka decided he could stay until he was either excused or he could no longer follow what the more tactically-minded of them were suggesting¡ªthe latter came sooner, although Izo caught on fairly quickly and let him leave. Okimi taught him everything he needed to be a decent, if not good, king, but tactics were never something he found particular interest in. Oddly enough, Gin royals seemed to prefer stabbing their problems instead of thinking about them; the tactics they were known for tended to come from other people.

    He tried to stay away from drinking¡ªa daily struggle he always failed at. After nearly three years, it was mere habit at this point; he poured himself a glass before he fully realized it, and drank it all just about as quickly. He never really did realize it until an hour or two passed and someone checked on him, and by then he had five or six cups if he hadn¡¯t moved on to the bottle itself. Whether or not he stopped depended on his mood.

    He was left to hope and pray that Kuro would decide to stop attacking once they were invaded. Utaka knew it likely wouldn¡¯t stop the people, but there was a small hope. Maybe then he could actually be a father, instead of a sorry excuse for one; he barely knew his daughter, yet he understood that she deserved much better than what he had to give him. He wasn¡¯t any better than anyone else in his family.

    The next few days passed similarly¡ªnothing really changed until the Hiroki boys came up with a decent strategy. Just as a possibility, they came up with a few more¡ªvariations for a few certain outcomes, and alternatives if everything else failed. Worst case scenario, they might lose a few hundred soldiers and be no better off than how they started; it wasn¡¯t preferable, but at least they could try.

    That being said, most of the men and women that were picked out to fight had been pulled aside prior to leaving. Utaka wasn¡¯t particularly fond of driving more families apart than those that have already been ruined, so he didn¡¯t want to let anyone with close family go into Kuro on a mission that might not even succeed.

    Utaka himself, being the king, was more-or-less required to go. It wouldn¡¯t quite be ¡®right¡¯ if he stayed behind, relatively safe, while others went and risked their lives¡ªas such, him and Izo were the only ones who would have family waiting for them back home. He made sure there was very little¡ªif any¡ªalcohol brought with them; he¡¯d have a better chance of coming home if he wasn¡¯t trying to drink away his worries.

 Chapter 40: What Seems to be a Ceasefire

    Kaiba Erize,

    The Hiroki boys made some plans for an offensive against Kuro. I¡¯d come back to say it personally, but I¡¯d rather get this over with now. Sorry. Keep praying, and maybe this can be over by the end of the year. I¡¯ll try to make up for all of this then.

    I¡¯ll likely miss Kyoumi¡¯s birthday again. She¡¯s a bit too young to care, but I¡¯ll try to get her something nice. You¡¯re around her more than I am¡ªdo you know what kind of toys she likes? If she likes any at all?

    Hopefully, Kuro won¡¯t have the same idea we do. Just keep Takeo within eyesight, and you¡¯ll be fine¡ªMasaru and Ninsei might not fight in the war, but they can defend you, at least, if they need to. They¡¯re the closest nobles to the capital, and I¡¯ve been told not to expect much from the Tsujihara family; they¡¯re still east of the mountains, after all.

    Stay safe. Try to keep little Kyoumi happy. I¡¯ll do my best to stay alive. If I make it back before spring, we could go to the festival together¡ªall of the family. That¡¯s a promise I can keep for once.

    Gin-Mashimo Utaka

    ¡ª¡ª

    They were off to Kuro a month after plans were finalized. Their goal was to dispatch or otherwise disable the royal family if they could¡ªeven Kuro couldn¡¯t keep fighting if their leader was lost. Nari¡¯s children weren¡¯t much older than Kyoumi, and due to Kuro¡¯s way of choosing heirs, none of them could ascend to the throne until they were fifteen at the youngest. Unless they planned on going against traditions set by Kurokami and his immediate descendants, they wouldn¡¯t just pick the second-strongest of Nari¡¯s generation. Revenge may come at a later date, but at the very least the war could stop for a few years.

    Utaka wasn¡¯t particularly fond of harming the Kuro children, but he had very little opinions towards the rest. Nari and her siblings could die for all he cared¡ªthey were the ones that started this and fought. Not all of their children, however, deserved death¡ªif any of them deserved being children of a Kuro queen at all. Only the favorites got much attention in a place where more heirs meant your line was more likely to carry on with ruling and eventually produce ¡®the strongest mortal.¡¯

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    There were two forces¡ªa small group of a dozen or so men to attack Kuro¡¯s capital and kill some adult in the royal family, then the main force of about three hundred to put on the front of an offensive campaign. Utaka led the latter, with Izo as an advisor; a fallen noble of some kind or another led the smaller group.

    He didn¡¯t like the idea of bringing destruction along with him, so they only fought the people who attacked them¡ªeven then, some were just brushed aside if all they had were dull knives. The people of Kuro either stayed in their houses or came out to fight; not all of them were trained, so not all of them fought.

    By Izo¡¯s suggestion, Utaka had his hair dyed the whole time so Kuro wouldn¡¯t go out of their way to fight him¡ªotherwise, he still held the same authority as before. All they really needed to do was look menacing and hope they didn¡¯t run into any capable soldiers or noblemen.

    Utaka¡¯s small army usually lingered in the forests, where they wouldn¡¯t bother anyone. They changed position every few days, going into a town and just¡­walking through it. He wasn¡¯t going to cause needless bloodshed¡ªhe preferred to go about this humanely, instead of slaughtering everyone like Kuro liked to do. Fortunately, Kuro winters were oddly mild; there was more things to hinder the wind, and more natural ways to keep the snow off of them.

    They stayed there, wandering around and rarely engaging with enemy troops, until the smaller group returned. For now, at least, it seemed they could rest¡ªNari¡¯s first husband was killed, although the queen herself remained relatively unscathed. It would take a few months at least for her to deal with what came afterward¡ªpreparing a funeral, as well as deciding what to do with the children she had by him. It wasn¡¯t permanent, but it was something. Utaka made another person go back to send another peace petition¡ªif Kuro didn¡¯t attack Gin, Gin wouldn¡¯t attack Kuro¡ªand his forces left the black kingdom.

    They all drank when they got back to Hiroki lands, although it was in celebration; Utaka waited another week for any response before heading back home. A small part of him felt¡­unfulfilled¡ªdissatisfied, somehow, with the outcome, even if it was more than he had hoped for. Nari eventually agreed to a ceasefire, ending that war for now.

    Some sort of normalcy followed for a few years. Utaka managed to keep his drinking to a minimum, finally able to do better than the people that came before him. Even if he missed out on the first two years, he was glad to be able to watch his daughter grow from then on.

 Chapter 41: Distance

    Her life was never quite ¡®normal,¡¯ but it wasn¡¯t ¡®strange¡¯ either¡ªshe couldn¡¯t remember a time when her parents weren¡¯t both there, but she still had trouble with her father. She always felt like there were more important things to worry about than her; she barely complained to Mother and Father at all. Aiding things, perhaps, was that her parents still murmured about war¡ªabout fighting¡ªnine years after Queen Kuro¡¯s first husband died. They could never know when Kuro would continue their fighting, if they continued at all; Utaka could be sent back out any day, and that expectation grew as time went on.

    Despite being constantly surrounded by a lot of people, Kyoumi only considered one or two of them friends. Most of the Fujita children¡ªTezo, Emio, and Jun¡ªwere too loud and hyper for her, considering how quiet the palace was on any day they weren¡¯t visiting; Sorai, the one closest to her age, was the only one that she could handle. Tezo liked to tease his little brother, but didn¡¯t talk to Kyoumi directly; in addition to Kyoumi¡¯s belief that the Fujita women were slightly insane, Jun was also very young, which made both her and Emio hard to speak with. Sorai, on the other hand, was like Kyoumi; relatively calm, not seeing much attention from his parents thanks to being at an age where he could take care of himself fairly well.

    Kyoumi sat by the door to the palace, watching the sakura petals fall from the trees through the open door. Knowing that they would stop soon frustrated her, and she wasn¡¯t even sure why. The sight of them gave her some dread¡ªshe was only now old enough to realize it. Father said she was mature for her age; she was mature compared to Emio, at least, although that wasn¡¯t a very high standard to begin with.

    She was alone for a while¡ªMother and Father had other things to do. Despite her apparent maturity, they didn¡¯t let her help at all; when she was old enough to mostly handle herself, she wasn¡¯t even allowed in the little office anymore. It was still early in the day, though, so it was possible Utaka wasn¡¯t even awake yet.

    Kyoumi was ready to go outside and wander, reaching for her shoes so she wasn¡¯t running around barefoot. When she looked up, she noticed a familiar group¡ªFujita Takeo and his grandchildren. She smiled a bit, knowing that Mister Takeo would take some work away from her parents. She might be able to spend some time with Mother and Father.

    Deciding that Sorai would probably want to visit the capital¡¯s spring festival, she slipped on her shoes so she could meet with them. Mister Takeo nodded a greeting when she was close enough, but Jun ran up to her instead. Kyoumi couldn¡¯t understand the two-year-old¡¯s ramblings, and thus ignored her.

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    ¡°Did you travel well?¡± Kyoumi asked, giving a small bow to the family¡ªMister Takeo and Sorai, at least.

    The other group all bowed to her, although Mister Takeo had to prompt Jun. When they all stood, Mister Takeo smiled. ¡°We managed¡ªnothing came up while we were traveling, at least. How are your parents?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re all right, as far as I know,¡± Kyoumi replied.

    ¡°Good.¡± Mister Takeo nodded again, then looked to all his grandchildren. ¡°Go on, then¡ªdisperse. Someone keep an eye on Jun.¡±

    Sorai quickly took a few more steps towards Kyoumi¡ªhis silent way of saying he had other things to do. Emio backed away about as quickly, leaving Tezo alone with the youngest. Neither of them looked particularly happy about the arrangement, but Mister Takeo was already going to greet Mother and Father, and Emio was running off to talk with some of the servant girls she was friends with.

    Tezo sighed and led Jun back out to the courtyard, leaving Sorai to look at Kyoumi.

    ¡°Are you doing anything?¡± Sorai asked. ¡°It looks like the festival is still open.¡±

    Kyoumi nodded. ¡°We should be able to go without any problems.¡± She made sure she had a little knife on her¡ªshe couldn¡¯t use it well, but she preferred it over making guards watch her¡ªand started to go.

    Sorai hesitated before he followed her. ¡°You¡¯re not going to tell your parents first?¡±

    ¡°¡­They probably wouldn¡¯t even notice,¡± she admitted quietly. There was a brief pause before she turned around and grabbed his hand, forcing him to follow her. ¡°Come on!¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t need to hurry!¡± Sorai tried to protest. It was the only kind of resistance he ever gave her¡ªhe followed her mostly everywhere if she let him.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to get there and everything be sold,¡± Kyoumi said. She pulled him forward, causing him to let out a dull ow. ¡°I¡¯ll repay you when we get back¡ªif I buy anything.¡±

    Sorai sighed¡ªa sign he was ready to give up protesting¡ªand willingly began to follow her. Satisfied, she let go of his hand and led; when they got to the town right outside the palace, they walked side by side.

    Kyoumi always felt more comfortable complaining to Sorai¡ªtalking about her parents or lamenting about things they didn¡¯t have. Both of them wished they could trade places¡ªKyoumi would rather have siblings while Sorai much preferred the quietness of the palace¡ªbut there was nothing to be done about that. She had an easier time sharing her worries with the boy than she did with Mother and Father; although Sorai couldn¡¯t help, she didn¡¯t want to make her parents feel like they were doing a poor job at raising her by telling them directly.

    With their peacetime lives already taken up with work, she feared what it would be like if war came back up again. War and fighting constantly scared her, both as a child and much later in life. Unfortunately, more often than not, those fears proved to be reasonable.

 Chapter 42: The Peaceful Days End

    Utaka and Erize managed to entertain some form of conversation while they worked¡ªthe problems that arose during the time Utaka was away were mostly solved after a few months. He still drank on most days, but never as much as he did before; Erize had actually sold or dumped a good portion of the alcohol that had been at the palace during his time away, and he decided that once it ran out he wouldn¡¯t get any more.

    The couple entertained a murmured conversation until Utaka noticed Takeo. The king nodded his greeting to the man, which was returned with a bow.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting a visit,¡± Utaka noted. ¡°I assume Masaru and Suzu are still at home?¡±

    ¡°The littlest one¡¯s causing Suzu some trouble,¡± Takeo explained. ¡°She needed the time to rest and Masaru is hopeless without her, so I brought the kids back here. Sorai¡¯ll be happy, at least.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a shame Kyoumi¡¯s only friend visits so randomly,¡± Erize mused. She sat down all of her work to fully entertain conversation for the next few moments, chuckling. ¡°Maybe Masaru and Suzu should decide to be tired of watching their kids more often. I don¡¯t mind watching over them while they¡¯re here.¡±

    Takeo chuckled. ¡°To be fair, four kids is a lot different than one¡ªespecially when they¡¯re as rowdy as that bunch. Sorai is the tamest; I think little Jun¡¯s going to be the craziest, if Suzu spoils her as much as she did Emio.¡±

    Erize kept chatting with Takeo a bit about his family¡ªinteresting tidbits and the like. It was always interesting to hear the kind of conflicts and arguments that happened in a larger household; stuffed in one house was Masaru¡¯s wife and children, Ninsei¡¯s wife and daughter, and Takeo. None of the children were necessarily mature either, which made Utaka glad that Kyoumi rarely got into petty arguments¡ªeven if he wished she didn¡¯t know as much as she did.

    Utaka continued working while his wife and the old man were talking. A guard came in after a few minutes and bowed.

    ¡°Princess Kyoumi went out to town with the younger Fujita boy,¡± the guard reported.

    ¡°Did you send someone to shadow her?¡± Utaka asked.

    The guard nodded. ¡°Yes, sir. One of the entrance guards is watching her.¡±

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    Utaka gave Kyoumi most of the freedom he had growing up¡ªthe ability to leave as long as someone was watching her. The girl didn¡¯t like to ask for a guard, however, so after a while the guards were just told to shadow her if she left the palace; it gave her the illusion of being alone while still keeping her safe. He figured giving her that, at least, would be fair considering everything else she couldn¡¯t have.

    The guard left, and Takeo looked at Utaka and Erize. ¡°Why don¡¯t you two go out and join her?¡± He suggested with a little smile. ¡°I can handle the work for a few hours.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a bit suspicious,¡± Utaka noted dully. ¡°You can¡¯t do all of this by yourself¡ªor you shouldn¡¯t, anyway¡ªand I¡¯d have to look over all of it again if you did. Out with it¡ªwhat happened?¡±

    Takeo hesitated, frowning. After a moment and a sigh, he said, ¡°Hiroki Izo wants you back out there. Kuro¡¯s toying with the border again; figured I could break the news better than one of his messengers can.¡±

    Erize actually murmured a curse, but took a moment to calm down and stood up with her usual elegance. ¡°Assuming you don¡¯t need to leave immediately,¡± she said to Utaka, her tone betraying her calm appearance somewhat, ¡°It wouldn¡¯t hurt to spend a day with Kyoumi. We¡¯ve both been busy anyway, and it¡¯s not fair to her if you leave without giving her some warning.¡±

    Utaka nodded. He glanced at Takeo. ¡°You¡¯re sure you want to handle this by yourself?¡±

    ¡°I can always pull Tezo in if I need help,¡± Takeo replied. ¡°Go have some fun with your daughter while you can.¡±

    Erize, at least, wasn¡¯t going to take ¡®no¡¯ as an answer¡ªalthough he wouldn¡¯t have denied it anyway¡ªsince she practically forced him up. Takeo took Utaka¡¯s place behind the desk, leaving Utaka no choice but to follow his wife. Erize led him to their room, and changed into something easier to walk in before helping him put in some hair dye. When they both looked like they could pass as a typical couple, they left the palace with their own guards trailing behind them at a distance.

    Utaka managed a smile when they found Kyoumi and Sorai among the festival stalls, and the girl in particular looked delighted. Utaka paid back the boy whatever he had already spent on Kyoumi, allowing him to buy his own things. Most of the time they spent, admittedly, was just watching the two children play games¡ªbut at least he had the ability to do so.

    His thoughts mostly stayed with the return of Kuro¡ªQueen Nari must be very persistent if she still wanted to fight. Things didn¡¯t look to like they would be particularly well for Kyoumi if Utaka¡¯s ruling partner was so willing to go to war; the children of those people tended to be even worse.

    Every now and then, however¡ªwhen Kyoumi specifically called for his attention¡ªhe remembered his promise. Even if was gone, off fighting in another war¡­she¡¯d have a father. He could always write to the girl, just to stay in touch; give her something to look forward to. At least Utaka would be able to have somepresence in her life, unlike his father. It wasn¡¯t much, but he wasn¡¯t quite as helpless as he was when she was younger.

 Chapter 43: Preparations to Leave

    Utaka was in a slightly better mood by the time Kyoumi decided she was done at the festival¡ªthey got lunch while they were out, then went back to the palace. He tried to go back to work, but Erize didn¡¯t let him; so, he ended up spending the entire afternoon obeying his daughter¡¯s whims. Not the worst way to spend time, but it still wasn¡¯t enough of a distraction.

    Fortunately, the girl didn¡¯t seem to mind¡ªshe looked to be happy just to have his attention. Sorai left them after a while to see what his older brother was doing, so for a few hours it was just Utaka, Erize, and Kyoumi; he managed a few stories to tell the girl, and she listened with wide-eyed fascination.

    He couldn¡¯t bring himself to tell her he would need to leave while she was still happy. Alas, he doubted he could wait very long¡ªtechnically he could refuse to go, but he also didn¡¯t want to be called a coward. The best time he found was after dinner, and Utaka walked Kyoumi back to her room. She looked like she wantedto protest against his guidance, but didn¡¯t say anything.

    When they got there, Kyoumi wandered over to her bed and sat down, apparently waiting for him to leave. Utaka stood there awkwardly for a moment before looking away.

    ¡°I have to head out soon. It should only take a few months before I¡¯m back home again.¡±

    She didn¡¯t immediately respond, so he glanced at her. His daughter had moved all the way to the other side of the bed, in the process of covering herself with the blankets. It reminded him that she was eleven years old; was she too young to be treated like this? Or was she too old to be given vague details?

    Very quietly, she did eventually respond. ¡°So you¡¯re fighting?¡±

    Child or no, honesty might not hurt. She knew more than she let on. ¡°No one¡¯s in danger right now; just a precaution.¡± Utaka tried to smile at her, attempting something reassuring. ¡°I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll see me and run back to where they came from.¡±

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    Kyoumi chuckled a little. ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re that scary, Father. But¡­I hope so.¡±

    ¡°Just send a prayer or two my way,¡± Utaka said kindly, ¡°And it might just happen.¡±

    The girl nodded, laying her blankets back down again. There was a short pause before she looked up at him. ¡°Good night?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Try to sleep well; I¡¯ll tell you before I leave, if I can.¡±

    Kyoumi murmured an agreement, and Utaka closed the door. He went back to his room, nodding a kind of greeting to the people he saw. He noticed a Fujita kid running around and told them to go to bed; that much was routine for now. He¡¯d check up on the work Takeo did in the morning.

    When he got to his room, he opened the door and greeted Erize with a small nod. She sighed in response, and they entertained conversation while he changed into something better to sleep in.

    ¡°You told her?¡± Erize asked him.

    ¡°I did. She didn¡¯t seem too upset, but I¡¯m not sure.¡±

    ¡°I can talk to her about it in the morning.¡± She paused for a moment and sighed. ¡°The good news is that Takeo is too old to be fighting on the front lines anymore¡ªor he should be, at least. He¡¯ll be here to help me with all the work.¡±

    Utaka nodded, and silence fell for a little while. When he sat down in bed next to her, Erize sighed again and leaned into him.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand why Nari wants to fight,¡± Erize murmured. ¡°They won¡¯t even let her fight personally, would they?¡±

    ¡°It depends, I suppose,¡± Utaka replied. ¡°As usual, we¡¯ll send out a message before we retaliate, but I¡¯m¡­not particularly optimistic.¡±

    Erize sighed yet again, and spoke quietly, ¡°Just once, I¡¯d like to see her worry about losing her family to fighting. Or the people in her family that she actually loves, at any rate.¡±

    ¡°Plenty of others feel the same,¡± Utaka said. He pulled her a little closer. ¡°I¡¯ll try to make it back. Maybe with enough prayer, it can just be thieves¡ªsomething I don¡¯t need to be there for. Then you and Kyoumi won¡¯t have to worry about what to do if I¡¯m gone for good.¡±

    ¡°Gods, please don¡¯t make me worry about you dying. I¡¯m scared enough for Kyoumi as it is.¡±

    ¡°Sorry.¡±

    Erize slowly pulled away and looked at him. ¡°That being said, try not to drink too much when you¡¯re away. You will die sooner than you should if you go back to drinking as much as you did last time.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t promise,¡± Utaka replied.

    ¡°Just try,¡± Erize urged him. ¡°You don¡¯t have to promise.¡±

    Utaka nodded, and her quiet thanks was a kiss.

    ¡°We should get some rest,¡± Erize murmured.

    ¡°¡­Right. Good night, love.¡±

    ¡°Good night.¡±

 Chapter 44: More Battles

    Utaka was gone by the end of the week after a Hiroki messenger came to give roughly the same report as Takeo. Deciding he shouldn¡¯t linger much longer, he left¡ªand he tried his best to make it better than the last time. He knew he had lied to Kyoumi the moment he said the words¡ªKuro would probably fight harder once they saw him¡ªbut at least she looked reassured. She was at a weird point where she couldn¡¯t quite handle the truth, but she was smart enough to know when he was lying.

    It felt bad to just¡­leave them there with that, but Utaka also wasn¡¯t keen on getting scolded by Izo for waiting too long. He sent a messenger ahead of him to confirm Kuro¡¯s intentions, completely expecting that there wouldn¡¯t be a reply.

    After he got there, it was just a matter of waiting. Kuro¡¯s next attack came before the reply to the letter did, although they still waited a little while before they decided Kuro truly was choosing to fight again. It was an expected conclusion, but that didn¡¯t make it any less annoying.

    Although he drank more there than at the palace, he actually made sure someone was with him this time to stop him after a bottle or two¡ªsome of them let him keep drinking, but seemed to replace the alcohol with water or juice. It was still enough to keep his mind off of things, however.

    Utaka participated in forcing back Kuro¡¯s little armies. It was frustrating that all they could do was repel the attacks and prepare for the next one; Gin didn¡¯t exactly have a good enough army to invade someone else at this point, so they could only defend. Creating a large-scale offensive against anyone was unreasonable, hence why they relied on a small group last time.

    The older he was, the more pointless the skirmishes seemed. Kuro came, both sides lost about one hundred soldiers, Kuro retreated, they sent a miko out to pray for the dead before burying them¡ªor, in the case of Kuro bodies, tossing them to Kuro¡¯s side of the bridge connecting them for their own people to deal with. Utaka was still considered young, but that didn¡¯t stop it from being draining.

    Helping the thought process, of course, was a part of him worrying that Kyoumi would have the same problem. Who knew how long Kuro would try to be persistent? Even with a little occupied country and fancying themselves as something close to an empire, they still wanted the land ¡®taken¡¯ from their god. Never mind the fact that it was Emaya and Bekin who told Kurokami and Ginshin which side of the island would be theirs; it was never really Kurokami¡¯s land to begin with, nor was Kurokami¡¯s kingdom Ginshin¡¯s right.

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    Three months passed by without Utaka quite noticing it¡ªand he only realized because Izo told him that he could try to head back to the palace. Utaka was glad to take the chance, vaguely aware that his drinking was probably half of the reason why his sense of time seemed off, but of course he wasn¡¯t able to even try to let Erize know.

    One of the older Hiroki boys came to Utaka¡¯s room one morning.

    ¡°Are you still in there, Gin?¡±

    Utaka tried not to groan. How early was it? He couldn¡¯t tell, and he had the feeling he had nightmares and odd dreams that he didn¡¯t remember now that his eyes were open.

    ¡°Mentally or physically?¡±

    ¡°Preferably both. Kuro¡¯s crossing the border bridge again.¡±

    Utaka cursed. ¡°A few hours out, I hope?¡±

    ¡°We just got word of it, so I¡¯d assume yes. Father thinks there should be enough time to properly prepare, anyway.¡±

    ¡°All right. Go tell Izo that I¡¯m coming¡ªslowly, maybe, but I¡¯m coming.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    Utaka heard the boy leaving, so he urged himself up and to change into something decent. He put in some dyes and headed out once it seemed to be sufficient to cover up most of his hair. From a distance, no one should be able to see the remaining strains of silver.

    He met with Izo and most of the rest of the family¡ªhis three sons, the oldest two¡¯s wives and children, as well as Izo¡¯s wife¡ªin the dining hall for breakfast. Izo offered some kind of explanation, and the battle-oriented ones¡ªthe older two sons and Izo¡ªjoined Utaka to keep watch after everyone ate.

    The next few hours passed like that; with the older two being about Utaka¡¯s age, Izo tried to get them all to talk so Utaka could think on something other than worries. A wise decision, honestly¡ªseveral times, he almost walked right back inside just to get a drink or a whole bottle, so keeping his mind occupied was a good choice.

    When the Kuro army could be seen, Utaka was the one that gave the order to head out. The Hiroki trio moved further towards the front lines; Utaka stayed somewhere in the middle for safety¡¯s sake.

    The fight lasted for a few hours, and Kuro almost got past them. When the battle ended, Izo sent a few men back to make sure there weren¡¯t stragglers that were wandering around the surrounding area¡ªwhen they knew no one made it far into Gin, Izo put a few more people to make sure future raids wouldn¡¯t be quite so lucky.

    There went Utaka¡¯s chance on going home.

 Chapter 45: As the Line Breaks

    Kuro kept toying with the border¡ªthey weren¡¯t really looking to win a battle, or even a war. They just wanted to see how much honor and glory they could muster from fighting where they could, and if they broke through Gin¡¯s defensive line, even better. That¡¯s how Erize painted the circumstances, at least; Kyoumi couldn¡¯t even begin to understand the determination needed to willingly sacrifice so many lives.

    Utaka had been coming and going, returning home every three or four months when the battles seemed to slow down, then leaving anywhere between a month and a few days later. Four years passed since he first left¡ªKyoumi was fifteen, and felt useless for it. Both of her parents insisted that she didn¡¯t do much work and didn¡¯t fight because she was still ¡®too young,¡¯ yet Utaka admitted now that he was able to understand and talk with her better now that she was closer to adulthood.

    She still held on to the feeling that there were better things to worry about than herself¡ªshe didn¡¯t complain or mention her thoughts, so as far as she knew her parents were mostly unaware of them. If anyone knew about her own self-image, it was Sorai; the Fujita boy was more insistent than her parents in making sure she was mentally well, although he did see Kyoumi distressed more than her parents. If Utaka and Erize knew anything about her state of mind, it was because Kyoumi told Sorai, Sorai mentioned it to Takeo, and Takeo would proceed to tell one or both of Kyoumi¡¯s parents.

    Currently, Kyoumi was worrying. Erize received some troubling report or another¡ªKyoumi knew it was a battle summary judging by the timing¡ªand briefly left the palace, likely to discuss it with Takeo, who went into town to please his granddaughters¡¯ whims for the summer festival. Both Tezo and Sorai were in the courtyard with Kyoumi, the younger of the two boys wearing a concerned expression; Kyoumi herself was somewhat pacing, letting her eyes wander and take notice to some tiny thing in the garden before she got distracted and repeated the process.

    ¡°I have an easier solution to this problem,¡± Tezo noted dully. He wasn¡¯t as patient as Sorai; he got annoyed with her if her anxieties were too noticeable. ¡°Just ask your mother? Or¡ªmaybe better¡ªlook at the report yourself.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d rather wait to see what she describes it as,¡± Kyoumi replied, pausing for a moment. ¡°And she wouldn¡¯t like me leaving the palace just to ask her about it. I¡¯ll have to wait, but¡­ You both know my mind travels to dark places.¡±

    Tezo took in a breath and opened his mouth to speak, but Sorai stopped him with a ¡®light¡¯ nudge¡ªTezo actually winced, glaring at his younger brother for a moment before Sorai explained.

    He tried to say it quietly, but just like everyone else in his family, he couldn¡¯t say it quietly enough for Kyoumi not to hear. ¡°I know what you¡¯re going to say and no, that won¡¯t help. Any reassurance that comes from you is going to come out wrong.¡±

    Kyoumi sighed. ¡°It¡¯s nice to know the concept of ¡®whispering¡¯ is still foreign to you.¡±

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    Sorai took the comment in stride, casting her a smile. ¡°Well, you know us¡ªwe show our love and affection by shouting halfway across the house to each other and saying backhanded insults. Fujita ¡®inside voice¡¯ is everyone else¡¯s ¡®screaming like there¡¯s no tomorrow.¡¯¡±

    Somehow, hearing the casual conversation did make her feel better; she returned his smile with her own. Sorai perked up a little, carrying on by talking about something pleasant¡ªthe delightful little conversation managed to pull her away from her worries, if only for a little while.

    Tezo only stayed in order to alert them a few minutes later that Erize, Takeo, Emio, and Jun had returned¡ªwhen that was done, he left to find something else to do. That reminder, however, brought Kyoumi back to her previous thoughts, and with Sorai trailing a few steps behind her, she went to meet with Erize.

    When she got close, Takeo noticed and apparently told Emio and Jun to head off somewhere else; Sorai diverged to follow them after Takeo made some gesture as a silent command. That alone was enough for her to know it wasn¡¯t a normal situation, at least¡ªit wasn¡¯t often that any of the Fujita family, especially Sorai, were sent away for the sake of privacy.

    Although Kyoumi reached them, she stood in awkward silence for a few moments. She wasn¡¯t sure how to go about asking after it¡ªeven a tiny thing like that plagued her. The situation could likely be solved quicker if she wasn¡¯t just¡­standing there, but it was also too late to walk away again.

    Fortunately, Erize was at least partially aware of her daughter¡¯s habits and patiently waited; Takeo didn¡¯t seem to mind either, knowing just as much¡ªif not more¡ªabout Kyoumi¡¯s reasons as Erize did.

    Kyoumi took a short breath and was able to manage the question; it was the only thing she would need to ask Erize for, even if it didn¡¯t just concern her. ¡°Whatever was in that report wasn¡¯t good, was it?¡±

    Erize hesitated, and ultimately Takeo answered. ¡°Kuro¡¯s managed to squeeze a few dozen men past Hiroki. Your father¡¯s coming back here in case they try to raid the palace or some nonsense¡ªhowever, it¡¯s verypossible that they¡¯ll be dead soon, so it¡¯s just for precaution¡¯s sake. Just keep a knife and Sorai with you, and you¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    Kyoumi nodded, waiting for a moment before turning to leave. She took a single step away before Erize spoke up.

    ¡°Your father might not be in the¡­best of moods when he gets home. If things get too rough here, I¡¯ll send you back with the Fujita family¡ªor over to Tsujihara territory, if I have to. You¡­shouldn¡¯t have to see him like that.¡±

    Kyoumi glanced back at her mother, who only offered a worried frown in response. Erize was afraid of Utaka getting drunk¡ªdid she think Kyoumi was still young enough not to notice? She always knew her father drank quite a bit; still, from what she heard, it was usually better while he was at home. This was just Erize¡¯s partial way of telling Kyoumi that if he got out of hand, she would be put somewhere else.

    She had protests, naturally¡ªdepending on how the Kuro soldiers moved, Fujita lands could be attacked before they get to the palace; on the other hand, the Tsujihara family was only mentioned due to their status as the most traceable branch of the royal family, and were friendly acquaintances but nothing more. She wasn¡¯t going to say any of those things, however.

    She looked back ahead of her. ¡°All right, Mother. Whatever you think is best.¡±

    Kyoumi walked away to locate where Sorai was, then continually prompted him at conversation until a topic stuck and they were chatting effortlessly. That was all she could do for now. Even being a princess couldn¡¯t make her be any more of a help to others.

 Chapter 46: Tactical Debate

    Utaka really wanted to lead a small group of a dozen or so men straight to Kuro¡¯s capital and just kill the queen and be done with it¡ªwhether that thought came from a clear head or his drunken mind was still up for debate. Because of the suspicion that it came from anything other than actual tactical thought, however, Izo wouldn¡¯t let him¡ªat least not without further consideration for the effects of it.

    He wasn¡¯t greeted with a whole lot of fanfare when he got home, but he didn¡¯t really expect any, either. This wasn¡¯t a return thanks to victory¡ªif anything, it was just because Izo figured he should stay at the palace. Utaka also wanted to question that point of logic, but since they still treated him like Okimi¡¯s son, they wouldn¡¯t listen.

    He managed to get through a few days without drinking too much; Erize didn¡¯t give him much options there. At this point, he wouldn¡¯t be surprised if she dumped out all of the alcohol and replaced it with water or tea. Utaka would had preferred it if they also weren¡¯t stuck doing work the whole time, but there was no getting around that.

    Two weeks passed since he returned; nothing eventful came up. One would almost mistake it for peacetime¡ªand it could be, compared to the skirmishes, but there was still a threat.

    Utaka and Takeo were both doing work¡ªconsidering that Erize did it all when he was gone, Utaka figured he should give her a break. She deserved the time to rest for a little while.

    The room was silent, the only noise being rustling papers and a few scattered sighs, until Utaka spoke up.

    ¡°Could I debate some strategy with you for a minute?¡± Utaka asked, glancing at Takeo. ¡°It keeps bothering me.¡±

    Takeo patiently put down the report he was going over. ¡°If you wanted to talk tactics, you should¡¯ve said it to Hiroki Izo,¡± he pointed out.

    ¡°The man still thinks I¡¯m a teenager,¡± Utaka replied. ¡°Any advice that I try to give is from Okimi¡¯s bored, shut-in son; if we discussed it and it¡¯s anything fruitful, he¡¯ll listen to you.¡±

    There was a short pause, then Takeo nodded. ¡°All right, then. What¡¯s on your mind?¡±

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    Utaka frowned. ¡°First¡ªwhy the hell are we still here? Kuro¡¯s passed the border and it¡¯s not like this place is a secret. We can¡¯t even say this place is theoretically impenetrable or hard to break into, because there¡¯s still half-beaten walls that were damaged during the First Queen¡¯s War¡ªif anything, it¡¯s easier to get in than it was back then.¡±

    ¡°The rebels from the first queen¡¯s time already knew the palace,¡± Takeo reasoned. ¡°A few of them were likely servants or people who were close enough to know of the royal family¡¯s troubles at the time. Kuro hasn¡¯t seen a battle in these halls for centuries before that.¡±

    ¡°I still feel like we should move Kyoumi somewhere,¡± Utaka maintained. ¡°Erize, too, while we¡¯re at it¡ªI have to stay here for all the damn ¡®honor¡¯ and ¡®bravery¡¯ nonsense. The question comes from where we can put them; east is the logical option, but we don¡¯t know anyone back there personally. Erize said she mentioned going to Fujita territory to Kyoumi, but I doubt it¡¯s any safer than here.¡±

    ¡°Defense-wise, it¡¯s not,¡± Takeo said after a short pause of thought. ¡°Our home isn¡¯t especially grand, and we¡¯re minor nobles. I¡¯d say that they might not expect it, but we¡¯re also close enough that it wouldn¡¯t take them long to raid us as well.¡± He put his report aside and looked at Utaka. ¡°With any luck, you¡¯re overestimating the situation. I doubt Kuro can really get very far into Gin; there might not be forests, but the plains don¡¯t exactly give landmarks, either.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, well, that¡¯s not really all of it, either.¡± Utaka put down his own report, sighing. ¡°I¡¯m also not sure why we can¡¯t try another counteroffensive¡ªa small team to strike back at Kuro¡¯s capital. It worked the first time, but Izo won¡¯t actually give the order and I doubt that anyone would listen to me if I gave it.¡±

    Takeo moved around a bit, changing his position. ¡°I can guess easily enough what Hiroki¡¯s thinking about that. When we sent that group out the first time, Nari¡¯s kids were still young; by now, they know who the next heir is, and a few of the children are adults. It would be harder to get in and kill someone when they train their prospective heirs how to fight as soon as they can stand¡ªconsidering we don¡¯t have any people trained for that kind of work, it¡¯s more of a suicide mission than it was last time.¡±

    ¡°What else can we do, then?¡± Utaka asked. It wasn¡¯t a question he expected Takeo to answer. ¡°This won¡¯t end until me or Nari is dead¡ªor until all of her favorites get a taste of battle, if we¡¯re lucky. There has to be a way to speed this up so this damn thing can be over.¡±

    ¡°Choose your words wisely,¡± Takeo warned him. He picked another report back up, signaling an end to the distraction. ¡°The gods hear every bit of this¡ªand you know they like to grant our wishes in one way or another. Keep your grim thoughts to yourself if you want to live through this.¡±

    Utaka sighed, taking another report for himself. ¡°I can try, if keeping my mouth shut will help anything.¡±

 Chapter 47: Defiance and Death

    It was funny how people thought they could tell her what to do. The kitsune-advisor was always so insistent, even when Nari was dressed in full armor and ready to leave.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t a good choice,¡± Yanami Sukaru said, maintaining an earlier argument. ¡°You¡¯re trying to take revenge for something that is completely unrelated. Ending a war like this is only going to cause trouble further down the line¡ªthe northern nation is getting restless and we can¡¯t afford to switch command if you die out there.¡±

    Nari cast a cold smile at her distant relative. ¡°Do you really think you can stop me? There¡¯s no one left here that I love¡ªwhy stay?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the one that pushed your favorites away,¡± the kitsune argued impatiently. One of her fox-ears twitched¡ªshe truly was angry. ¡°I told you that sending children north was a bad idea. If any of you would listen for a second¡ª¡±

    ¡°Like a fox could give a queen stable advice!¡± Nari replied. ¡°I¡¯m not listening to you and that¡¯s the end of the conversation. I¡¯ll end the war myself¡ªaside from my own feelings, Masaaki died out there.¡±

    Yanami Sukaru almost perked up, and apparently thought she could still convince Nari to stay. ¡°You know,¡± the kitsune mused, a cold look on her face, ¡°Little Masaaki Miya would be orphaned if you go out there and die.¡±

    The thought did make her pause for a moment, before she remembered her current relation with the young woman. Nari couldn¡¯t spare any time in keeping in touch with a daughter she sent far north.

    Firmly, Nari gave her answer. ¡°She doesn¡¯t need a mother now¡ªshe hasn¡¯t had one for a while. She¡¯s old enough to stand on her own.¡± Nari turned away and took one step towards the entrance of the palace¡ªor, in her case, the exit. ¡°Depending on what mood strikes me, I admit I may not come back. Keep Shunji in line for me.¡±

    ¡°Gods, please don¡¯t leave me alone with that one,¡± Yanami Sukaru muttered.

    ¡°You¡¯re stuck with him from here on out. That¡¯s my last order to you, kitsune.¡±

    Fortunately, the kitsune-advisor didn¡¯t follow Nari as she left¡ªwordlessly, some dozen or so soldiers followed behind her instead.

    In the following weeks, Nari broke through Gin¡¯s defensive line; black hair was hard to dye, so she kept it short and hid it all instead. She couldn¡¯t even say that she was aware of what she was doing¡ªshe was just acting naturally. There were many ways to end a war, and while this may be one of the bloodiest, she was fine with that. The only outlet the Kuro family had for removing anger and sorrow was fighting; the only one apparently immune to this was Yanami Sukaru, who has lived long enough that grief is nothing more than an inevitable part of life.

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    Well, to everyone else, it was crushing. There was no one else Nari loved¡ªher favorite children were sent off so they wouldn¡¯t be cast out when they were older, all of them being physically weak in one way or another, and both of her husbands were dead, now. At least she could take out Gin when she left as well.

    Nari had long since dismissed the soldiers that came with her after they gathered her enough directions to lead her to the capital¡ªwhether or not they went back to Kuro, she didn¡¯t particularly care. By now she knew what she wanted to do, and she wasn¡¯t going to turn back. This world, and the life she led in it, seemed terribly hopeless without her love and favorite children.

    It was early winter when she actually entered Gin no Shuto; she spent nearly two months just¡­wandering. By now the grief of losing her second husband faded, and stubbornness replaced it¡ªno one liked to admit that Yanami Sukaru was right, so they all ignored her. Nari was no exception; she didn¡¯t want to turn back now, only to hear the kitsune give a dry remark on the subject.

    Nighttime had set in once she approached the palace; after a short interrogation, she was able to enter without issue. From there, it wasn¡¯t hard to locate the king and queen¡ªNari was able to recognize the former due to his silver hair, and judging by how they were chatting, she assumed they were married.

    Both of them greeted Nari when she came, allowing her to strike up conversation. The king looked a bit drunk¡ªhe wasn¡¯t really focusing on anything, but he wore a grin¡ªwhile the queen just looked tired. Nari wondered if they believed she was just a servant, coming to check on them or urge them to sleep.

    The conversation was actually pleasant¡ªthey spoke of their families, and Nari admitted to losing her beloved. She was given honest sympathies for the loss.

    After hearing them, Nari smiled slightly. ¡°Well, thank you,¡± she said. She took a quick glance around her¡ªthe king and queen apparently didn¡¯t have guards with them while they were in the palace. ¡°¡­I will offer condolences to you as well.¡±

    In the second it took for them to process and question her words, she took out a small knife¡ªthe king moved to defend the queen, but that only made it easier for Nari to run her blade across his throat. As he fell, his wife tried to run, but Nari caught her and stabbed her from behind. The queen fell as well.

    Nari bent down to wipe the Gin blood off of her knife by using the king¡¯s sleeve. She considered, in that time, going into the palace to kill the princess¡ªif she spared a few more moments, she could rid Kuro of Gin¡¯s main royal line. Nari wasn¡¯t sure how long it would take for her to find the princess, however, and whether or not the princess had guards. Besides, Gin still had the Tsujihara family; this wouldn¡¯t be the end of Gin, just a hindrance to it. Although a country ruled by the descendants that shared a last name with a famous bastard¡ªhowever praised that first queen might have been¡ªcould be easier to defeat.

    Ultimately, she was given her answer when someone came out of the palace. It wasn¡¯t the princess, so Nari chose to cut her losses there. Hopefully, Shunji did not disappoint her.

    After a moment¡¯s pause, Nari lifted the knife to her own throat. It was painful for a few seconds until the blood loss and pain caused her to lose consciousness. She was dead by the time the person came to observe the scene.

 Chapter 48: Their Next Queen

    Erize¡¯s words were the only thing she could think of the next morning. Her mother had been smiling so warmly, but in that warmth she dared to make a promise.

    ¡°You won¡¯t have to spend so many days alone anymore,¡± Erize said. ¡°Your father is going to send out another letter to Kuro¡ªif the Kuro soldiers in Gin are under military command, they¡¯ll be asked to retreat. There haven¡¯t been any attacks on the border since then, so with any hope and luck, they¡¯ve given up again.¡±

    While Kyoumi was trying to process it, Erize was only growing happier. ¡°It¡¯s a bit late for a birthday present,¡± Erize continued, ¡°But tomorrow, we¡¯ll head out to the festival. There¡¯s only going to be good news from now on, I promise. There¡¯s still more, but¡­I¡¯ll let you rest. Good night, love.¡±

    Was it any wonder, then, that Kyoumi almost feared promises when she woke up the next morning to Takeo¡¯s frown? When she was shown her parents, now that they weren¡¯t breathing?

    Due to the nature of Gin¡¯s crown, it was inevitable that each ruler would never see their child with silver hair¡ªthus, it was also inevitable that their heir saw them with their natural hair color, if only after they died. Like many others, the difference between white and brown made Kyoumi question if Utaka was even the same man¡ªTakeo, however, was quick to confirm that both the king and queen were dead.

    Considering Kyoumi was just barely sixteen, with no suitable family members to assume the role until she was technically an adult, the only people invited to the coronation was the Fujita and Tsujihara families¡ªanother result of Tsujihara Seiko¡¯s time. If the gods deemed her unworthy or too young, they could minimize the public attention it received and let everyone else believe Utaka and Erize were still alive.

    She knew from Utaka¡¯s stories that it was a smaller crowd than what accompanied him; still, both families were large, amounted to about three dozen altogether. It was a larger group than she was used to; she had no one to stand next to her, and aside from Takeo and Sorai¡¯s worried glances, little to no reassurance.

    It was only two weeks after her parents died; she feared speaking, lest she lose her composure entirely and break down in tears. She wasn¡¯t fond of the pitying looks most of them gave her. She didn¡¯t want them to see her as a child.

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    Kyoumi gave no spoken appeal to the gods, merely bowing before them with a prayer in mind. This seemed to be enough¡ªfor a second, she felt comforted despite her loss. When she stood, the others bowed in response; her hair was long enough that she was able to move some strands into sight to confirm that the color had changed.

    She was now the youngest queen of Gin, it seemed.

    Kyoumi dismissed them with a simple gesture, and all of the Tsujihara family left. Takeo took a step forward and tried to give her a reassuring smile.

    ¡°I know you haven¡¯t done a whole lot of practice with the ruling aspect of things,¡± Takeo said. He nodded to his oldest son. ¡°Masaru and I can handle things until you¡¯re ready¡ªeven then, I¡¯m not throwing you in there blind. Tezo will be able to help sometimes, too.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Kyoumi murmured.

    ¡°Just let us know if you need anything,¡± Takeo offered. ¡°Even if that means running off for a few days, as long as you come back.¡±

    Kyoumi nodded, and all of the family but Sorai left. Her friend stood there with her for a moment before speaking up.

    ¡°This is a stupid question,¡± he said, ¡°But are you all right?¡±

    Her response was a bitter laugh and a failure to keep her tears at bay. ¡°Of course I¡¯m not all right,¡± she replied. ¡°If I¡¯m being completely honest, I want to trek up the mountain, find a nice ledge, and tumble down just to see where I¡¯ll end up at the bottom.¡±

    Sorai frowned, taking a few steps closer¡ªlikely so he could reach out for her if she did run. ¡°You would probably be dead.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the point, Sorai.¡±

    He immediately fell silent, and she wasn¡¯t in the mood to assure him she would stay safe¡ªthat she wouldn¡¯t die. Maybe it was childish, but¡­promises suddenly felt like a death sentence. If you make a promise to do better than your father, you try but fail¡ªyou promise that things will get better, and now the only thing left is your daughter. Was there any use in making a promise, if it seems that the universe works against you fulfilling it?

    Kyoumi was able to manage¡ªalbeit barely on some days¡ªthrough the following weeks. It helped, in some ways, that Sorai relayed some version of their conversation to Takeo, who then exchanged Kyoumi¡¯s personal knife for an extra guard; that, along with Sorai¡¯s watchful eye on her, did save her when things got particularly rough.

    Kuro responded to their message about a month later; their queen also died, so their new ruler decided to hold off on fighting. Kyoumi was glad that she didn¡¯t have to worry about a war among everything else, at least for now.

    It took a very, very long time for her to recover and adjust¡ªif only because there was so much she had to recover from and adjust to¡ªand her dark thoughts regarding her own life never completely vanished. Still, she managed fairly well thanks to Sorai¡¯s help¡ªand the little additions of her family that came several years later.

 Intermission: Out of Place, But at Home

    Miya woke up one morning to the kitsune-advisor¡¯s impatient voice. Nari had only recently resumed attacking Gin after her first husband¡¯s death¡ªMiya was a teenager at the time.

    ¡°Get up, little princess,¡± Yanami Sukaru said firmly.

    ¡°Do I have to?¡± Miya asked quietly, only slightly opening her eyes.

    One of the kitsune¡¯s ears twitched. ¡°Yes, you do. Make sure you have everything you need; you have to leave the capital today.¡±

    Miya sighed and sat up. ¡°You¡¯ve tried to warn Mother against it?¡±

    Yanami Sukaru frowned, but likely kept her actual opinions quiet. ¡°Your father is dead, you¡¯re too weak for the throne, and there¡¯s enough children running around here as it is. You¡¯re lucky Nari likes you, or else you¡¯d be on the streets begging for scraps.¡±

    ¡°The north can¡¯t be much better!¡± Miya protested.

    ¡°Honestly, you¡¯ll probably eat more there than you would here,¡± the kitsune-advisor pointed out. With her duty done, she turned and walked back towards the door. ¡°I would consider myself lucky in your position¡ªyou don¡¯t have to deal with this insane family, and you¡¯ll get more attention as an individual. You can do other things than fight to make yourself useful up there. Call it a blessing, thank Ky¨­ryokuna Emaya, and go without complaints.¡±

    The kitsune left before Miya could continue her protests. Only a few days ago, Nari decided that she would send Miya to S¨®lstaeur¡ªto keep her out of the war and away from danger, if nothing else. Miya¡¯s father and older brother both suffered¡ªand died, in the former¡¯s case¡ªdue to fighting, and Nari wanted to avoid that for one of her favorites.

    Miya sighed, and gathered her things to leave. Everything was packed and ready to go; she would need better coats during the winter, but supposedly someone should provide her with that when she got there.

    She kept the kitsune-advisor¡¯s words in mind as she left the capital with two guards after Nari¡¯s tearful goodbye. Consider it a blessing? At first she didn¡¯t think it was possible.

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    And then, of course, she actually got there¡ªtwo weeks of sailing after a few days of walking. Miya was greeted by the leaders of S¨®lstaeur.

    Her guards promptly left her, meaning that she had to make her own introduction. Out of respect, she bowed. She spoke using the two nation¡¯s shared language, and as such her speech was a bit shaky. ¡°Princess Kuro-Masaaki Miya, daughter of Queen Kuro Nari and First-King Masaaki Heimoru.¡± She left out the ¡®harm me and danger will befall you¡¯ part only because she knew it would sound pathetic coming from her.

    The Roken family offered no such formality, and their patriarch spoke bluntly. He gestured to each person as he spoke of them; he also used the modern tongue, as was required when speaking directly to a Kuro citizen. ¡°I am Elias Rokensen; this is my wife Lizette Imiadattir¡±¡ªthe woman to his left nodded¡ª¡°and our children Amanda and Andreas.¡± Both children¡ªabout Miya¡¯s age¡ªgave their own nods as well.

    ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you,¡± Miya said. ¡°You know why I¡¯m here, I assume?¡± She wasn¡¯t sure what to do if they didn¡¯t.

    Fortunately, the boy¡ªAndreas¡ªnodded. ¡°You¡¯ll be staying with us,¡± he replied. He spoke the modern tongue less confidently than she did, which brought some assurance to her.

    Miya murmured an agreement, and they started on their trip there. In the following weeks, her opinions changed¡ªshe found that she liked the greater possibility of snow, and all the activities it had to offer. It only took a year before she started experimenting with assimilation¡ªmaking herself fit in more naturally. She couldn¡¯t do anything about her height, but she did dye her red hair so it looked more brown so she at least fit in more with the Kuro soldiers.

    Living with the Rokens proved to be a blessing as well. She had her own room for the first few years, and it was interesting to hear of S¨®lstaeur¡¯s legends as well; in a way, it was also refreshing to simply hear ¡®Miya¡¯ instead of any other name, as per S¨®lstaeur¡¯s lax politeness qualifications. There were some difficulties¡ªAmanda didn¡¯t like her at first, Lizette only spoke S¨®lstaeur¡¯s native language, and Elias was a bit harsh on Andreas¡ªbut Miya learned that even the Roken¡¯s shouting was much quieter than at home. She was homesick at first, before Byen Roken became her new home instead.

    Miya found love in the north as well¡ªwith none other than Andreas Roken, in fact. They entertained the idea of romance for a few months at a time, stopped to see what it was like with someone else, then inevitably fell back in love. To bring everything up to current events, Andreas eventually gave up trying and just bluntly asked her to marry him and be done with it¡ªshe agreed, and in the year since it¡¯s been wonderful.

    The north was known as a cold place, but Miya only ever felt warmth while she was there.

 Chapter 49: News of Kuroâ€™s Queen

    Miya was very calm for someone who was being told that her mother was dead. Andreas made a point to say it as delicately as he could, knowing that Miya had a good relationship with Queen Nari before she came to S¨®lstaeur¡ªalthough it might¡¯ve helped that they haven¡¯t talked much since.

    Andreas only heard of it during the meeting¡ªMiya likely heard her mother¡¯s name, but Kuro nor S¨®lstaeur wanted her to fully learn the latter¡¯s language, so most of the rest was lost on her. He told her about the other men¡¯s ramblings when he got home.

    ¡°S¨®lstaeur, at least, doesn¡¯t know what killed her,¡± Andreas explained. ¡°We just know that the fox advisor of yours decided that Nari wouldn¡¯t come back, and asked the strongest to take her place. Everything went well, so Nari was confirmed dead.¡±

    ¡°Did they mention who the new ruler is?¡± Miya asked. She looked a bit shaken¡ªa bit concerned¡ªbut he knew she was trying to hide it.

    ¡°Shunji, I believe,¡± Andreas replied with a small nod. ¡°He¡¯s the next youngest after you, right?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s almost seventeen,¡± Miya confirmed. ¡°They had an idea he would be the next by the time I left; his father favored him.¡±

    Andreas let the conversation end there, if only so he wouldn¡¯t go on to ramble about his opinions on Kuro¡¯s system of leadership. The strongest succeeded the previous ruler, instead of the eldest like in Gin and S¨®lstaeur¡ªAndreas still wasn¡¯t convinced that it was genuine, knowing that they tested heirs for strength at a young age and not all of them received the same training.

    Miya stayed in silence for a while, likely trying to fully grasp it. Andreas could guess she would want to go home¡ªvisit her mother¡¯s grave, congratulate her half-brother. Other than that, nothing should change unless Shunji wanted her to return to Kuro. The worst part of that would be that Andreas couldn¡¯t go with her; their marriage was technically only valid in S¨®lstaeur, since it differed from Kuro¡¯s traditions, and neither of them saw a point in marrying twice just so Kuro recognized it¡ªassuming Kuro would let their forgotten princess marry a future S¨®lstaeuric leader in the first place. Miya only seemed to exist to them if she served a purpose in some argument or another.

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    Lizette came into the main room; she had been outside the building when the meeting was held, so she knew of the news as well.

    ¡°Little princess,¡± Lizette said in S¨®lstaeur¡¯s tongue. Miya looked up, recognizing the nickname¡ªsomething Amanda came up with to avoid saying her name, which became more affectionate as time went on.

    ¡°Do you need some help with dinner?¡± Miya asked. Lizette recognized the key words and nodded. Miya put on a smile and stood up to follow her back to the kitchen.

    Andreas watched her go for a moment, ultimately having nothing to do until dinner was ready. Elias and Amanda were still where they held the meetings¡ªElias was likely still arguing with some of the chiefs or complaining about his son, while Amanda stayed just to listen to the men bicker as entertainment¡ªbut he expected Amanda, at least, to be home in time to eat.

    Eventually Andreas was requested to pour out drinks¡ªalcohol for everyone, albeit the type varied between wine, S¨®lstaeuric spirits, Kuro sake, and occasionally an odd mix of all three¡ªwhich meant that dinner was about ready.

    ¡°Get me just a little red wine,¡± Miya said, glancing at him while she was finishing up preparing the meal itself.

    ¡°What counts as ¡®a little?¡¯¡± Andreas asked, taking the bottle in question.

    ¡°Enough to make me feel like I have alcohol in my system, but not enough that I¡¯m actually drunk,¡± Miya replied.

    Andreas nodded, and obeyed the request. She didn¡¯t usually ask for alcohol¡ªshe was the only one who preferred something else, usually brewing tea near the fire in the main room¡ªso that was enough for him to know that Nari¡¯s death did bother her, to some extent. He was a bit worried, but there wasn¡¯t much he could do concerning it; oddly enough, death within the family was a foreign concept to him. She would have gone through this before when her father died, but at least then she had her brother. Andreas never met, nor ever expected to meet, the elder Kuro-Masaaki child.

    He poured a bit of wine for himself¡ªS¨®lstaeur liquor for Lizette and Elias, and sake for Amanda. His twin sister did come back shortly afterwards, announcing that Elias went to drink with some of the other chiefs. Lizette, a bit annoyed, wordlessly took Elias¡¯s glass of liquor and more-or-less claimed it as her own.

    Conversations were difficult, as always, but remarkably cheerful. Andreas or Amanda translated for Lizette and Miya¡ªsometimes omitting certain things Lizette said so Miya wouldn¡¯t hear, although most was teasing that Andreas hadn¡¯t quite gotten used to yet¡ªso the conversation could include everyone. Elias didn¡¯t come home until after dinner was cleaned up, so Lizette firmly told him they ate it all and he didn¡¯t offer much protests.

    Fortunately when they went to bed, Andreas knew that Miya fell asleep fairly quickly and didn¡¯t seem to be troubled by anything in particular. He just hoped she would be able to handle whatever feelings of mourning came from the earlier news.

 Chapter 50: I Would Like to Return

    Andreas woke up early the next morning thanks to habit¡ªnot that Elias bothered hunting with him anymore. His father gradually found less things he liked about Andreas the older he got, it seemed; at this point, Elias seemed more proud in Amanda, but a part of that could be her unwillingness to marry. Meanwhile, Andreas had his love right next to him.

    He tried to move carefully, as always, so he didn¡¯t disturb Miya. At first, she would always wake up with him¡ªnow she still slept, or at least went back to sleep, after he got out of bed. He didn¡¯t feel as guilty about waking up so early when she feigned sleep.

    Andreas got dressed and ready for the day, and went out to get something to eat. Amanda and Lizette were both awake and in the main room¡ªhis sister offered some of her food to him, but he shook his head.

    ¡°I can get my own,¡± Andreas said. He looked at Lizette. ¡°Did Father leave already?¡±

    ¡°He said he wanted to hunt,¡± Lizette replied. ¡°One would think it¡¯s too cold, but¡­no, apparently not. He¡¯s just ready to be out of here, I think.¡±

    Andreas sighed, continuing the conversation even when he went into another room. ¡°He wants to leave but he doesn¡¯t want me in charge. Will he ever make up his mind?¡±

    ¡°To be fair,¡± Amanda noted, ¡°It¡¯s not like <u>you</u> want to be grand chief, either.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think Father cares enough to consider <u>my</u> feelings. He just doesn¡¯t trust that I¡¯ll make good decisions. Considering his attitude these past few months, I assume he thinks marrying Miya is one of the worst decisions I could ever make.¡±

    Andreas came back out to the main room and sat down to eat whatever they had available for breakfast. Lizette was quick to try to reassure him.

    ¡°Well, <u>I</u> think Miya¡¯s wonderful,¡± Lizette said. ¡°She¡¯s so helpful! Compared to S¨®lstaeuric women her age¡±¡ªshe specifically gave a short glare towards Amanda, who shrugged it off¡ª¡°she¡¯s respectful and kind, as well.¡±

    ¡°But you¡¯re also a romantic who regrets marrying Father,¡± Andreas reasoned with a frown, ¡°So I¡¯m not sure if your opinions can exactly count as <u>valid</u>, Mother.¡±

    Lizette frowned, albeit with some joking intent. ¡°On second thought, Miya¡¯s more respectful and kind than the <u>men</u> as well.¡±

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    They fell into silence for a little while until Andreas was finished eating. ¡°I¡¯m going to head out and make sure Father¡¯s not frozen over,¡± he decided.

    ¡°If he¡¯s visiting a friend, just leave him,¡± Lizette replied firmly. She put on a kinder expression and smiled. ¡°Oh, and we¡¯re running a bit low on liquor. Specifically the strong kind that your father doesn¡¯t like.¡±

    ¡°I can get more while I¡¯m out,¡± Andreas offered.

    Lizette nodded her thanks, and Andreas prepared to leave. That¡¯s about when Miya came out of their room, wearing one of the outfits Kuro put together to account for the cold but still hold the same cultural charm as the clothes worn in the kingdom itself.

    Andreas tried not to frown, knowing well enough what the difference in outfits meant. Miya spoke before he could, however.

    ¡°Are you going out?¡± It was nothing more than a simple, curious question. She continued after Andreas nodded. ¡°Could you wait a minute, and I can come with you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not in any rush,¡± Andreas replied.

    She gave him a grateful smile, and went to get her own small breakfast. As soon as she finished eating, she joined him near the door and put on an extra coat. Andreas led the way outside, and they chatted while they walked through the snow.

    ¡°I need to find Elias first,¡± Andreas said, glancing at Miya for a moment. ¡°Then Lizette put me on the task of getting more things for her to drink.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind,¡± Miya replied kindly.

    ¡°There¡¯s something you need done, I¡¯m assuming?¡± Andreas asked, looking back ahead of him.

    ¡°¡­I wanted to speak with some Kuro soldiers and see if I could go back to pay my respects to Nari. I might congratulate Shunji and thank Yanami Sukaru while I¡¯m there.¡±

    ¡°I thought as much, honestly. This will sound awful, but I can¡¯t talk you out of it, can I?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s only fair that I see them, Andreas¡ªand that¡¯s assuming they remember me at all. I¡¯m sure Elias can¡¯t be much more mad at you if you came with me.¡±

    ¡°As much as I¡¯d love to just to know you¡¯re safe, I don¡¯t think Kuro appreciate me being there. It¡¯s easier to pretend this relationship doesn¡¯t have political undertones when your family isn¡¯t aware it exists.¡±

    ¡°Stop sounding like I married you just for some odd reason like politics.¡± Miya playfully whacked him and chuckled, holding no genuine feelings against him. Still, she paused for a moment. ¡°But¡­you think I¡¯d be in danger if I went back?¡±

    Andreas reconsidered his earlier words for a moment, and rephrased it. ¡°Well, I¡­don¡¯t exactly trust they¡¯ll keep you safe, if that¡¯s any better. They have a new king and your mother¡¯s dead, so there¡¯s no reason for them to keep you alive.¡±

    ¡°Kuro won¡¯t kill me,¡± Miya pointed out, her earlier cheerfulness fading for a moment. ¡°If anything, they¡¯ll disown me¡ªjust as they would if they heard I was married to S¨®lstaeur¡¯s next grand chief. In that case, I¡¯ll just come back here; it might take a bit longer, but I¡¯m not staying in Kuro forever.¡±

    He was a bit reluctant to agree, but by then they had made it near the edges of the forest surrounding a part of the village. Forced to accept it¡ªfor now, at least¡ªAndreas murmured some agreement and quietly asked her to stay put. Miya obeyed, and he went to look for Elias. His father wasn¡¯t in the immediate area, so Andreas decided to put all other tasks first and look more for him later; Andreas eventually saw him when they went to buy alcohol for Lizette. As per usual, Elias didn¡¯t give him any sign that he was noticed.

 Chapter 51: Planning Rebellion

    When Miya spoke with someone from Kuro to arrange her short return, Andreas was excluded from the conversation through the language barrier. The soldier only talked in Kuro¡¯s tongue, even when Miya replied in a way that Andreas understood. Miya adapted to the conversation by including pieces of what the Kuro soldier said in her response¡ªit annoyed him, but at least Andreas knew what they were saying.

    From that conversation, it seemed like Miya was able to get assistance in returning; considering that all fighting with Gin would be concluded for the time being, she didn¡¯t have to confirm that she could leave. Andreas didn¡¯t want to let her go, but he wasn¡¯t willing to see how Kuro would react to S¨®lstaeur¡¯s next grand chief showing up in their kingdom.

    Miya left around the same time chiefs started coming in to Byen Roken for the next meeting. Meetings were held every month or so to discuss¡­whatever seemed to come to mind, actually. Andreas had been attending them alongside Elias for a few years¡ª¡®productive conversation¡¯ seemed like a foreign concept to the men, now that Kuro prevented S¨®lstaeur from having any kind of military presence. Especially after Andreas and Miya married, the meetings now were reduced to men gossiping and mocking¡ªespecially gossiping about and mocking Andreas in particular.

    The meeting was a few days after Miya left, and Andreas knew he wouldn¡¯t be able to focus on whatever it is they wanted to talk about. He knew he should trust her family on some level, but it¡¯s not like S¨®lstaeur cared if she was alive, either. The only reason why she hadn¡¯t been subject to some ¡®accident¡¯ or another was because her position as royalty was never removed¡ªthings wouldn¡¯t bode well for S¨®lstaeur if the princess died on their soil. Andreas worried that their seas, however, may be less risky.

    Andreas tried to half-heartedly entertain conversation with the rest of the men. They all spoke in S¨®lstaeur¡¯s native language, mostly to show defiance towards Kuro. He still found it impressive that Kuro continued to let them hold these meetings, even if they were meaningless.

    The meeting had been idle chatter for the first few minutes before someone spoke.

    ¡°Rokensen!¡± One of the older chiefs said, standing.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Elias asked. He didn¡¯t sound any more enthused about being here that Andreas was¡ªof course, he had also been asleep up until they needed to leave, so that could play a part in it.

    ¡°I have a proposal,¡± the chief continued. He smiled coldly. ¡°You might want to consider sending your son back home, however. The coward won¡¯t like this.¡±

    Andreas could never understand why they insisted he was a coward; the mild confusion it gave him replaced any kind of insulting intention the ¡®nickname¡¯ had.

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    Regardless, Elias apparently held enough disdain for his son that he only nodded. ¡°Go on,¡± the grand chief replied.

    ¡°The black kingdom is in a recovering state,¡± the chief said. ¡°Their queen is dead and their new king is young¡ªno one expected Nari to die. Why don¡¯t we take advantage of the chaos? We can remove the black kingdom from our home!¡±

    Andreas stood¡ªmarking his right to answer and effectively silencing Elias for now¡ªwhile a majority of the chiefs cheered in agreement. Andreas spoke as soon as they were quiet.

    ¡°You wish to fight back against the black kingdom,¡± Andreas said, ¡°But they haven¡¯t bothered us for centuries. They keep to themselves and hunt their own food¡ªif they don¡¯t, they¡¯ll pay for it. They¡¯re not a hindrance to us.¡±

    Another chief stood up as well. ¡°What, so you want to keep them?¡±

    He tried to choose his words as carefully as he could. ¡°I¡¯m saying that the black kingdom isn¡¯t an actual threat at the moment,¡± Andreas maintained. He grew slightly more bitter as he went on, however, without fully intending to. ¡°They¡¯re not doing us any harm, so long as we don¡¯t harm them. Say we fight and win¡ªthat¡¯s all fine and well, I have nothing to complain about so long the black kingdom citizens that have assimilated aren¡¯t forced to leave. But have you considered if we lost? I know the concept seems foreign to the chiefs here, but we can¡¯t ignore it. The occupation, as it stands now, is relatively lax¡ªthey don¡¯t care what we do so long as it doesn¡¯t harm them. If we fought them and lose, we would be putting too much at risk.¡±

    Andreas expected some kind of protests¡ªaccusations of having a biased opinion thanks to Miya¡ªbut was instead met with actual thoughtful consideration.

    And then the ridiculous statements continued, with the first chief speaking up again.

    ¡°The Roken boy¡¯s married to their princess now,¡± he said. ¡°If we did fight and lose, we could use her to soften the blow.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not using Miya as a bargaining chip,¡± Andreas replied firmly. ¡°And if they see her with me, they¡¯ll consider her a co-conspirator.¡±

    Elias stood, and frowned at Andreas. ¡°Sit down, boy.¡± He had to obey his father¡¯s command, leading to some snickering among the chiefs. Elias continued firmly, looking among the crowd. ¡°I agree with both points¡ªthat we should use this opportunity to our advantage, but we must also prepare for defeat. However, I am not opposed to using the princess in our favor. We can plan an attack and begin a long-awaited battle; if we fail, we can claim that the princess was opposed to it at the start, and she can appeal to the king to reduce the punishments.¡±

    Andreas looked at his father. ¡°Am I allowed to speak with Miya about this first?¡± He asked quietly.

    His father just frowned back at him. ¡°It would be better if she didn¡¯t hear of this.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to handle my marriage as you do,¡± Andreas muttered. Elias gave a quick glance around him, but the surrounding chiefs made to mention to hearing the comment. ¡°Miya will know about all of this if she wants to; she won¡¯t be given vague answers and be expected to find satisfaction in them.¡±

    Elias went on to ignore his son, looking back to the rest of the chiefs instead. Andreas became a bit too satisfied in actually getting a reaction out of him that he didn¡¯t mind whatever future things Elias would say or do in response.

    ¡°Stand if you wish to fight!¡± Elias said. Over half of the room stood for a moment, then sat down. ¡°I hope the rest of you will consider this topic; we¡¯ll leave it there for today.¡±

    The meeting ended with a different cry this time¡ª¡°For freedom!¡±

    Andreas stayed silent, and only a few women outside echoed the unfamiliar call.

 Chapter 52: The Family She Left Behind

    Miya made it to Kuro without any trouble¡ªshe knew that was one of Andreas¡¯s largest worries. The Kuro soldiers who came with her on the ship also brought her to the kingdom¡¯s capital by her request.

    Perhaps it shouldn¡¯t have surprised her, but nothing had changed. From what she was told on the trip there, Kuro went mostly unscathed compared to Gin¡ªthe latter¡¯s standing army was small compared to its sister kingdom, mostly due to the largest families living behind the mountains and having no desire to fight, so it was easier to win against them.

    Miya was greeted by Yanami Sukaru, albeit the kitsune-advisor didn¡¯t seem to expect her. Thanks to the trip, the change between modern and traditional languages wasn¡¯t quite as jarring.

    ¡°If you had told me you were coming back,¡± the kitsune said after giving her a bow, ¡°I could have sent someone else to come get you.¡±

    Miya bowed to Yanami Sukaru as well. ¡°I¡¯ll be returning to the north once I pay my respects to Mother,¡± Miya replied.

    ¡°I take it you accepted my advice, then?¡± Yanami Sukaru asked. She almost looked happy for once, albeit the emotion was hidden among tiredness and some frustration. Shunji never seemed like an easy person to try to advise.

    ¡°I consider it a blessing now,¡± Miya confirmed. The kitsune-advisor¡¯s faint smile was¡­strange, to say the least, but Miya couldn¡¯t quite blame her; she¡¯s been stuck with this family for four hundred years at this point.

    Yanami Sukaru stepped aside and gestured further into the courtyard. ¡°I would advise against speaking with the new king,¡± she said, ¡°But Nari¡¯s memorial is in the first room. Your brother should be in or around his room, I¡¯d imagine.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Lady Yanami,¡± Miya said kindly.

    The kitsune only nodded, and Miya left without any Kuro soldiers following her. First, she located Nari¡¯s memorial and prayed; after finishing that and standing nearby for a few moments in silence, she went up to the bedrooms to find her brother. No one bothered her, if they even noticed.

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    Her brother, Toru, was near the entrance to his room and frowning. He must¡¯ve heard her approach, and he smiled once he saw her.

    ¡°Sister!¡± Toru laughed a bit, moving to hold her for a moment. He was of fighting age during the war, but in one of his first battles he was injured; most of that had healed by now, although he seemed to still have a slight limp. The only reason he still lived in the capital was due Nari favoring him¡ªa glance into his room, with most personal things hidden away, was enough to make Miya believe Shunji revoked that privilege.

    Toru hugged her for a moment before pulling back. ¡°I thought I might have to go all the way to the north to see you,¡± he said, smiling. ¡°Are you staying in Kuro, now that the fighting¡¯s over?¡±

    ¡°I have to go back to the north,¡± Miya replied, shaking her head.

    Toru¡¯s enthusiasm fell for a moment. ¡°I¡¯ll be honest, that¡¯s a bit disappointing.¡± He perked up again after a moment. ¡°I have some business I need to do in Masaaki territory, but once I¡¯m done I might be able to visit you for a while. Depending on how things go, I might just come by and stay there for a while.¡±

    ¡°So you have been asked to leave, then?¡± Miya asked, a bit worried.

    ¡°Yes and no,¡± Toru replied evenly. ¡°Grandfather already needs me with the rest of them; Shunji decided that, while I¡¯m away, I might as well clear my room out. Most of his siblings are getting the same treatment, though.¡±

    ¡°Likely trying to clear out the rooms and limit the people he has to feed,¡± Miya mused. She paused for a moment, sighed, then continued on a bit more cheerfully. ¡°Regardless, I¡¯m sure my husband won¡¯t mind if you came to visit.¡±

    Toru¡¯s expression changed to something like amused confusion. ¡°You¡¯re married? Gods, Miya, it¡¯s only winter! Did you wait at all after your birthday?¡±

    Miya chuckled a bit at his reaction, but answered relatively nicely. ¡°We¡¯ve been dating on and off for most of the time I spent there. He took me out on my birthday and proposed right there.¡±

    ¡°So it¡¯s settled,¡± Toru decided, smiling again with some teasing undertones. ¡°I¡¯ll visit you once everything with the Masaaki family is dealt with; it¡¯s just paperwork and stories, I hear, so it shouldn¡¯t take long. Then I can meet that husband of yours.¡±

    Miya nodded, and the two fell into general chatter for a while. They spoke of Miya¡¯s life¡ªmore about Andreas and his family¡ªand Miya asked after Toru¡¯s¡ªhow things were going at the capital, and if Shunji seemed to want any change in policies towards the north. According to Toru, he seemed mostly oblivious to it; that was good for the sake of peace, at least.

    With nothing else to do, Miya ended up spending her planned two days in the capital with Toru, making up for lost time. Despite what she initially wanted, Toru even brought her back to a port town so she could make it back to S¨®lstaeur with little trouble. They bid a temporary farewell, and she was off to go back home.

 Chapter 53: If They Fight

    Andreas was relieved to see Miya return without any complaint or injury. Still, he didn¡¯t plan to keep the meeting to himself. When Miya came home, everyone was out¡ªAmanda was hunting, Lizette was visiting friends, and Elias was somewhere else.

    He was tending to the fire when his wife came in, smiling as a greeting. ¡°How was the trip?¡± Andreas asked kindly.

    Miya took off the outdoor coats she was wearing, replying cheerfully. ¡°Better than I expected, to be honest. I mostly just spoke with my brother¡ªhe wants to visit at some point so he can meet you.¡±

    She came to sit down in front of the fire, and Andreas gave her an amused look. ¡°I take it you didn¡¯t say I was Elias¡¯s son?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯ll find out soon enough,¡± Miya replied. ¡°You¡¯ll get along well, I think¡ªeven being S¨®lstaeuric shouldn¡¯t bother him too much, so long as I¡¯m happy.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a nice thought,¡± Andreas decided. He threw another log into the fire, then sat down next to Miya; she frowned when she noticed his expression changed. ¡°But a visit may have to wait.¡±

    ¡°Something happened at the meeting?¡± Miya guessed.

    ¡°They¡¯re thinking of trying to remove the Kuro occupation,¡± he explained. ¡°They decided that, since Nari is dead and Shunji doesn¡¯t seem to care, we might be able to pull it off.¡±

    Miya frowned a little deeper, moved a bit closer. ¡°That¡¯s not what¡¯s bothering you, though, is it?¡±

    ¡°Sometimes I feel like you would know better than I,¡± Andreas admitted, giving her a brief, small smile. He sighed and continued, looking back at the fire. ¡°If things go wrong¡ªif S¨®lstaeur loses¡ªthey want to use your status to clear things up for us. It sounds like they want you to feign ignorance, claim it was a mistake or misunderstanding, and Kuro might believe you.¡±

    Miya chuckled grimly. ¡°Well, you¡¯d best win, then. I didn¡¯t see Shunji at all during that trip, and I doubt Lady Yanami will genuinely believe an attempt at revolution a ¡®mistake.¡¯¡± She leaned into him, also looking into the fire. ¡°It¡¯s¡­a chilling thought, actually¡ªS¨®lstaeur fighting against Kuro. You¡¯d imagine I would be the first to leave.¡±

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    ¡°Maybe you being their backup plan is what¡¯s keeping you here,¡± Andreas mused. Quietly, he continued, ¡°Still, if you don¡¯t think they¡¯ll listen to you¡­ Gods, now you have me worried.¡±

    ¡°Sorry,¡± she murmured.

    They fell into silence and both took time to think about the subject. Andreas didn¡¯t want to lose her¡ªit took him this long to figure out he needed her by his side. He couldn¡¯t imagine what it would be like if S¨®lstaeur won, and sent her away or killed her¡ªand if S¨®lstaeur lost and she couldn¡¯t negotiate with her family, would she be lost as well?

    He almost wanted, right then and there, to just leave the damn place. It wouldn¡¯t be the first time S¨®lstaeuric leaders were changed; Andreas could pack up what he had, and take Miya with him. As for where they would go, well¡­anywhere would be better than here, if she could be killed for petty reasons.

    In the end, he decided against it. He could at least wait until his fears seemed more likely; the other chiefs wouldn¡¯t bother hiding it from him if they did wish Miya dead at some point.

    The two sat there for a little while longer, and Miya announced the end of the silence by giving Andreas a brief kiss.

    ¡°Regardless,¡± she said, ¡°I¡¯ll be staying here. My brother should send word before he leaves, so I can let him know if things get too dangerous.¡±

    ¡°It would be best if he avoided whatever battles come,¡± Andreas agreed. ¡°They¡¯re supposed to be deciding on early strategies now to determine if we can fight it in a way we¡¯d prefer; I should hear something in a few days.¡±

    ¡°Please let me know,¡± Miya replied. ¡°I¡­would rather be informed.¡±

    Andreas nodded, and after another few moments of silence Miya stood up.

    ¡°I should actually unpack my things,¡± Miya decided. ¡°You didn¡¯t make a mess of the room while I was gone, I hope?¡±

    ¡°Your side is untouched,¡± Andreas replied with a little smile. ¡°My area isn¡¯t any worse than it usually is.¡±

    Miya chuckled¡ªgenuinely this time. ¡°Mhm. We¡¯ll see about that.¡±

    He decided to help her, despite the lack of things¡ªit was mostly clothes suitable for a S¨®lstaeuric summer, which was still more than warm enough for winter in Gin and Kuro. While they did that, Miya entertained some conversation about her trip, mostly discussing things relating to her brother.

    Lizette came home not too long after, so Andreas stood in as a translator so Miya and Lizette could talk. Nothing eventful really happened until the meeting near the end of the following week.

 Chapter 54: The Next Meeting

    The next meeting was about a week after Miya came back. Elias left before Andreas got up¡ªof course, one was typically gone without warning the other. Like always, Andreas took his time and left when he was ready; the meetings didn¡¯t really start until everyone, future chiefs included, were there. Besides, the men hated him enough that they would spout whatever nonsense they came up with as soon as he walked through the door, instead of hiding it all behind his back.

    He bid Miya a temporary farewell, then went out to where they held the meetings. All things considered, he was still early¡ªonly about half the men were there, and those that were didn¡¯t talk about anything productive. Elias seemed to be asking after the progress of battle plans, but nothing could be done for another hour.

    When everyone came, Elias started the meeting by explaining the previous one. When he finished, he looked around.

    ¡°Has any opinions changed on the matter we discussed last month?¡± Elias asked. ¡°Stand if you wish to fight.¡±

    More men stood than they did previously, although a few chiefs who agreed to it earlier didn¡¯t stand now. This idea had shifting opinions, it seemed¡ªbut a majority of them still wanted to fight.

    ¡°Let¡¯s discuss possible courses of action, then,¡± Elias decided. ¡°For the strategists¡ªwhat will the best plan be? It could be as simple as driving away the soldiers here; it could be as difficult as a full war. I want to hear your thoughts on the matter.¡±

    A few of them took turns discussing possibilities. Andreas was surprised to hear that most of them considered reasonable options, instead of insisting on bloody retaliation. Perhaps it helped that S¨®lstaeur¡¯s occupation wasn¡¯t necessarily harsh; Kuro had more trouble with it than S¨®lstaeur, and mostly kept to themselves. There wasn¡¯t any need to be cruel in return, unless they wanted to receive harsher punishment if they failed.

    That didn¡¯t mean there weren¡¯t still¡­uninformed suggestions¡ªsome were close to, if not outright, suicidal for S¨®lstaeur to carry through with. Fortunately, Elias was smart enough to turn down the ones that were especially ill-planned¡ªAndreas used his authority to dismiss some that would be too harsh for Kuro.

    After two hours, Elias spoke. ¡°I think I¡¯ve heard enough,¡± he said. ¡°The plans said by Somonsen, Iesasen, and Yarasen will be put under further consideration.¡±

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    Somon, Iesa, and Yara¡ªAndreas couldn¡¯t pick out the men who bore those surnames, but he knew they were some of the more reasonable chiefs. They began further discussing what they came up with¡ªbasic ideas of what they could do¡ªand started turning them into actual strategies, weighing the good and bad aspects of it. Given another hour, Elias decided they would continue to pursue Yara¡¯s idea and do a third and final re-evaluation of it in the next meeting.

    They were all dismissed with the familiar call, and Andreas was among the first to make his way out¡ªmany of them still entertained conversation, while a few invited their wives inside now that the meeting was over. Elias was among those who stayed, although Andreas guessed he was just going to continue talking about strategies.

    Andreas was greeted by Miya¡¯s slightly worried frown when he returned home; she was speaking with Amanda before he came in.

    ¡°That meeting took a bit longer than usual,¡± Miya noted.

    ¡°There was a lot to discuss,¡± Andreas replied, nodding. He took off his outdoor coats and sat next to her. Amanda lingered near one of the doorways for a moment before sitting on the other side of the fire.

    ¡°Any bad news?¡± Amanda asked curiously.

    ¡°Not necessarily,¡± Andreas reasoned. Miya didn¡¯t look particularly pleased with the way he worded it, but he carried on regardless. ¡°They still want to fight, but they¡¯re actually being reasonable with it; we¡¯re better off than our ancestors on that front. It seems like S¨®lstaeur won¡¯t call for anything especially bloody until Kuro does.¡±

    Miya let out something close to a relieved sigh. ¡°That¡¯s good. Considering how long we¡¯ve been toying with Gin, the soldiers shouldn¡¯t have much strength or will to do anything drastic¡ªit takes long enough for one to get from here to there that they might not even send anyone else.¡± She paused for a moment, frowning again. ¡°One can hope, at least. I don¡¯t know exactly how Shunji would react, if he does anything.¡±

    ¡°Would it be Shunji responding, though?¡± Amanda said, glancing at the princess. ¡°He¡¯s new enough to the throne that they might not let him make tactical decisions.¡±

    ¡°Lady Yanami will tell him how to respond,¡± Miya replied. ¡°Our kitsune-advisor was the one who assessed the pros and cons of occupying S¨®lstaeur to begin with; she¡¯ll know if it¡¯s worth fighting for.¡±

    There was silence for a little bit as the line of conversation ended, then Andreas sighed and spoke. ¡°Regardless, unless¡ªor until¡ªFather makes me, I decided I wouldn¡¯t fight. I¡¯ll be a coward if we win, but it might go in our favor if we lose.¡±

    ¡°You are their princess¡¯s husband,¡± Amanda agreed.

    Miya¡¯s only response was to move a bit closer to him, and the conversation ended again. The next pause was longer before Amanda spoke to make the mood a bit lighter¡ªwhich inevitably became teasing in a matter of minutes.

 Chapter 55: Despite Their Fighting...

    The next month passed by without any true event; winter was coming to a close, albeit the weather didn¡¯t get much warmer. When the chiefs met, they discussed Yarasen¡¯s plans in more detail; it wasn¡¯t very surprising to see a majority of the men agree to it. The women outside echoed the call that ended the meeting.

    Andreas made up his mind about his course of action already¡ªhe wouldn¡¯t fight. After some consideration, Amanda chose to stay at home as well; Lizette stayed, if only to avoid Elias for a few more hours at a time. Andreas worried about either outcome¡ªif S¨®lstaeur won or lost, if Miya would stay safe. Everything else, he knew he could manage.

    The ¡®rebellion¡¯ of sorts began in April of Gendai 421¡ªthree months and some days since S¨®lstaeur received the news of Nari¡¯s death, roughly four months since Kuro and Gin¡¯s war ended. Miya gave word to her brother a few days prior that visiting may not be feasible at the moment; they hadn¡¯t received a reply, but it would be fair to assume he accepted the warning.

    A lot of preparations went in to make sure this went in S¨®lstaeur¡¯s favor; the community fires outside were allowed to burn out, and most weapons were hidden away. Kuro knew that Miya lived with the Rokens, so at the very least their house should be safe. Still, Amanda stayed close to the door to defend them if need be.

    ¡°This shouldn¡¯t take very long,¡± Lizette said, looking at Miya. Miya herself looked a little anxious, despite Andreas¡¯s best attempts to assure her; he couldn¡¯t do much more than offer silent support.

    Andreas translated it for Miya, then continued on with the thought on his own. ¡°Yarasen¡¯s plan only called for a month or two. It¡¯s still cold enough that most Kuro soldiers won¡¯t want to fight¡ªwith any luck, they¡¯ll just run off.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m still worried,¡± Miya murmured. ¡°Do you think it¡¯ll be over by May?¡±

    Amanda apparently caught on before Andreas did, chuckling a bit. ¡°S¨®lstaeur is fighting back against Kuro, possibly killing some people, and you¡¯re worried about whether or not they¡¯ll be done by your birthday?¡±

    Miya frowned and turned around to face her. ¡°It¡¯s less of my birthday and more of the celebrations,¡± she replied firmly.

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    Andreas also frowned once he heard it. For all of the years Miya had been there¡ªhowever small of a number it ultimately was¡ªAndreas took her out to sled; they brought along red juice and wine glasses to entertain childish maturity, until last year when Andreas just took wine instead. It was a friendly gesture at first, gaining romantic undertones¡ªthose outings were ultimately what usually brought them back together, and was what made Andreas realize he didn¡¯t want to be without her.

    ¡°It might be,¡± Andreas said, bringing Miya¡¯s attention back to him. ¡°But even if it¡¯s not, we can make due¡ªconsidering how they¡¯re trying to go about it, the fighting should be over in this area, at least.¡±

    Miya nodded hesitantly, and Andreas took the pause in conversation to translate the gist of it to Lizette. Then came the next topic.

    ¡°Oh, hey,¡± Amanda said, perking up a little. Andreas frowned at her when he noticed her particular kind of smile. She gestured to Andreas and Miya. ¡°As of June, you two would¡¯ve been married for a year.¡±

    ¡°Where are you going with this?¡± Andreas asked dryly. ¡°This isn¡¯t exactly the best time to be teasing.¡±

    ¡°Aw, but it¡¯s fun!¡± Amanda replied, her smile growing slightly wider. ¡°You¡¯re really easy to embarrass, you know.¡±

    ¡°But could you ever consider stopping?¡± Andreas maintained.

    ¡°As your older sister, it is my sworn duty to tease you,¡± Amanda said firmly. The look in her eyes grew more mischievous, and she continued in S¨®lstaeur¡¯s language. ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll stop when I have someone else to tease.¡±

    He picked up on her intended meaning quickly enough, leaving Miya to be confused on what was said that could have made Andreas turn red for a moment.

    ¡°If you want someone to tease, get your own family,¡± Andreas replied, as calm as he could muster in the moment. ¡°Leave me and Miya out of this.¡±

    Amanda seemed to be fully prepared to continue. Fortunately, Lizette stepped in¡ªalbeit still teasingly.

    ¡°Amanda,¡± Lizette said sternly, ¡°Only I get to ask Andreas when he wants to have children. Right now, it¡¯s best to get this rebellion out of the way first. There¡¯ll be a more appropriate time for this kind of conversation.¡±

    Amanda sighed with a bit of theatric flair. ¡°Fine. I won¡¯t bother him, Mother.¡±

    There was a short pause before Miya spoke up, turning towards Andreas. ¡°I¡¯m confused,¡± she declared rather bluntly.

    ¡°Yes, well,¡± Andreas said awkwardly, ¡°I¡¯m not translating that for you. It¡¯s a¡­conversation for another day. Just Amanda being Amanda.¡±

    Miya apparently accepted that answer, leaving Andreas to be thankful. It was too lighthearted of a conversation to be happening while S¨®lstaeur¡¯s best were pushing away Kuro forces outside. The idea was strange, but¡­all the while, Andreas could still picture it.

    It should be a ways off before then, however¡ªpreferably when Elias wasn¡¯t there to complain about it.

 Chapter 56: Retreat or Face Retaliation

    Elias had never stepped onto a battlefield before¡ªgranted, this wasn¡¯t much of a battle. S¨®lstaeur¡¯s plan was simple and, barring any major setbacks, they could be on their own by summer. That prediction might change if Kuro sent soldiers to reinforce whatever people were left, but it wouldn¡¯t be hard to turn them back again.

    He didn¡¯t even know if he fought to actually remove Kuro; honestly, life was just getting dull. The winter months were boring, and even more so when he had to listen to the men argue for hours. At least they were able to manage productive conversation and get this done.

    It was still too cold to spend a lot of time outside, so the S¨®lstaeuric fighters who volunteered came and went in groups. All they were doing¡ªby Andreas¡¯s request¡ªwas threatening the Kuro soldiers and following them to the next down closest to the sea. Elias imagined it looked similar to herding wild animals; Kuro ran and they pursued, but S¨®lstaeur only fought back if Kuro drew arms.

    Elias followed the Kuro soldiers farther than most of the others. He found it fascinating on how much indifference it must take to be completely accepting of being pushed out¡ªa few of the more enthusiastic rebels spoke up every now and then to remind the Kuro soldiers that they were being removed. The only thing they seemed to care about was keeping their lives intact; the Kuro princess once mentioned that her nation only held on to S¨®lstaeur so they could claim they were something of an empire, and not because there was anything of value to them.

    Four hours were spent getting from Byen Roken to the sea. A few hundred Kuro soldiers and citizens waited¡ªthe only ones allowed to stay were those that had assimilated to S¨®lstaeuric life, again by Andreas¡¯s request.

    Elias stood among the crowd, men on either side of him preparing to repeat his news so all of the Kuro forces could hear. He spoke in the two nations¡¯ shared tongue.

    ¡°You are fortunate,¡± he began firmly, ¡°That there are people among us who do not wish all of you dead¡ªif it were my own choice, I would have greeted you with the same bloodshed that began this occupation. Each one of you is to return to your home nation, and tell your new king: you will no longer be allowed here unless you live by our rules. S¨®lstaeur will no longer be occupied by the black kingdom, and anyone who attempts to do so will face the consequences as soon as they enter our seas.¡±

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    Other people in the S¨®lstaeuric force echoed the order, and a written copy of it was sent along with the first ship to leave. All of the Kuro soldiers had gone aboard ships and started their trip back to Kuro within the hour; whether or not there were enough supplies to suitably last them the trip, Elias did not know nor care.

    He took a step forward, and looked around to the gathered S¨®lstaeuric people. Never in his life had he seen such a large group without a single Kuro rat among them¡ªhe found it pleasing to know that he had helped that come to pass. Perhaps S¨®lstaeur really was made to fight.

    Elias spoke in S¨®lstaeur¡¯s native language when he addressed the crowd. ¡°For now, we are free of the black kingdom¡¯s influence! It shouldn¡¯t be another month before we see them again, if they ever return. Everyone¡¯s contributions were vital to this effort, and it led to this being easier than anticipated.¡±

    He turned to the person somewhere to his left¡ªone of the younger chiefs, who had volunteered to do a specific task. ¡°You,¡± Elias said. The boy nodded, and Elias continued. ¡°Go do your job¡ªprepare to send out letters to all black kingdom citizens still living in S¨®lstaeur. If they agree to live here by S¨®lstaeur¡¯s terms and not by means of occupation, they may stay by Andreas Rokensen¡¯s explicit request; if they still wish to identify themselves with the black kingdom¡¯s occupation, however, send them on their way here and they will be shown out.¡±

    The boy nodded again, murmured his agreement, and left with a few others following him to help him in his task. With that, then, Elias¡¯s job was done.

    Many of S¨®lstaeur¡¯s fighters returned home, although most of them still complained about it not being particularly bloody. Elias could agree, in some sense, but he didn¡¯t like the image of Andreas getting mad at him for petty things like revenge or mercy¡ªElias still needed an heir, after all, and his deeds would do nothing here if there was no one willing to carry on his work when he stepped away.

    Elias stayed in one of the port villages for another day, just to see if anyone would bother to thank him for staying away. No one did, of course¡ªno one mentioned it at all¡ªbut he did have the satisfaction of making sure the Kuro princess would fit with their own qualifications. Andreas wasn¡¯t fond of the whole situation, but¡­there was something fulfilling in hearing a princess from another nation agree to live by S¨®lstaeur¡¯s standards, even if it meant losing most of her old tradition and embracing a different culture.

    If she had been from anywhere else, Elias might have thought that Andreas actually made a good choice in marrying her.

 Chapter 57: The Battles Here Come to a Close

    A meeting was held at the usual time the following month. It would still be another week and some days before they received Kuro¡¯s response, whether it be more soldiers or the acceptance of defeat. Suffice to say, he understood that Miya would prefer the latter. Andreas was just glad that they seemed to consider his suggestions.

    Elias had left early as per usual, so Andreas went at his own pace. When Andreas did arrive at the meeting, he was greeted with chatter¡ªalbeit chatter specifically about their recent driving out of Kuro soldiers. The talk continued on for a while before Elias started the meeting proper.

    ¡°Settle down,¡± Elias told the group. ¡°We have other things to discuss.¡±

    It took a few minutes before Elias seemed satisfied with the amount of silence.

    ¡°First,¡± the grand chief said firmly, ¡°Everyone¡¯s help was appreciated in our last fight. If Hylli is on our side, let this be as swift as S¨®lstaeur¡¯s occupation in the first place.¡±

    There were cheers of agreement; Andreas nodded to express his own feelings. Elias continued once they quieted down again.

    ¡°There will likely be some adjusting needed, whether we continue to fight or are able to stand on our own again,¡± Elias continued. ¡°We¡¯ve had trade with the black kingdom thanks to them being here, but that may stop; we have the silver kingdom¡¯s merchants to aid us, but there might be a time where we¡¯re a bit low on nonessential items considering the kingdom¡¯s current status. I would like to focus on that possibility, and any ideas for strategy if the black kingdom resumed their attacks.¡±

    The meeting proceeded with that in mind. Andreas allowed most of them to do what they pleased, interjecting if something in particular sounded counterproductive. It had to be one of their longest meetings, at any rate¡ªor at the very least, it was one of their longer important meetings. Everything that they discussed was hypothetical, but it carried on for a while.

    After roughly three hours, Elias nodded and stood. ¡°I believe we¡¯ve talked enough about these matters; we should be prepared for whatever outcome does happen. I have one last announcement before you all return home.¡±

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    For once, the whole place was silent. Andreas wondered if everyone made the same guess as to what the ¡®announcement¡¯ was¡ªthere were only a few things the grand chief would need to say.

    Elias seemed to have recognized that most of then had an idea of it, so he said it bluntly. ¡°When this fighting ends¡ªwhether it be soon or years from now¡ªI plan to resign. Andreas will take my place as grand chief when that happens.¡±

    More silence. From what Andreas understood, most chiefs believed the work of their leader to be dull¡ªyou have to talk more than you can act, as well as fix problems and plan meetings. No matter how much they seemed to dislike Andreas, they wouldn¡¯t protest; that would mean doing the work themselves.

    Andreas didn¡¯t feel particularly pleased about the position, but preparing for it was why he was here at all. He knew Elias likely just wanted to get out of the house and away from the others.

    There was a pause, then Elias started to leave. That marked the end of the meeting, and most of the men followed.

    ¡­

    Another two weeks passed, and one of Kuro¡¯s ships arrived on S¨®lstaeur¡¯s seas. Whoever it was requested Miya to greet them, so Andreas brought his wife there; Elias went as well, albeit not traveling with the couple.

    When S¨®lstaeur¡¯s side emerged unarmed, some people of Kuro¡¯s ship left to greet them. Among them was the woman Andreas assumed was their ¡®kitsune-advisor,¡¯ considering her fox ears and tail. There were some people nearby murmuring about it in S¨®lstaeur¡¯s native language, although the fox herself didn¡¯t seem to mind.

    The fox-woman spoke to Miya in Kuro¡¯s tongue. Miya looked back at Andreas and Elias to report.

    ¡°Yanami Sukaru can¡¯t speak the modern language well,¡± Miya explained. ¡°I¡¯ll be translating her words and clarifying if necessary.¡±

    Sukaru nodded, and she went on to speak a bit more. Miya dutifully translated, and it was something similar to negotiations¡ªit was more open than Andreas had originally thought. S¨®lstaeur¡¯s requests were simple, and Sukaru seemed bored enough to accept most of them without complaint. There were a few things Miya argued with without translating¡ªwhether they were general comments or something else, however, Andreas wasn¡¯t sure.

    They discussed it until all terms were settled after two hours; Miya was tasked with putting it onto paper, and Sukaru was given the authority to agree to the terms in the name of Kuro¡¯s throne. It ensured that it would last longer, at least, after Miya explained that Sukaru was believed to live longer than a normal person.

    After everything was settled, Sukaru seemed to wish Miya well and left. Just like that¡­the occupation was lifted. Andreas found it a bit odd¡ªhe knew they were indifferent, but was it truly to this extent?¡ªbut came to accept it in a matter of days. Miya was allowed to stay in S¨®lstaeur, so in the end he couldn¡¯t really complain.

 Chapter 58: A Bitter End to Her Story

    Six years passed. S¨®lstaeur without Kuro wasn¡¯t extremely different than S¨®lstaeur with it¡ªnot on an official scale, at least. Kuro was never really involved in the political side of things, so the greatest change there was Andreas taking his father¡¯s place as grand chief. All that really meant was that Andreas had to play the peacekeeper.

    His days got a bit more interesting when a little son came along¡ªmore so when a daughter followed two years afterwards. It prompted Amanda to move out¡ªalbeit she stayed in Byen Roken¡ªbut Lizette stayed because she liked the kids. Amanda still visited fairly often regardless; Elias was barely seen after the change in power.

    At the moment, Lizette was out and it was just the four of them. Miya entertained conversation with the littlest, Emelie, while Andreas kept an eye on Kasper while the boy doodled on a piece of paper.

    Andreas glanced over when Emelie¡¯s rambling paused for a moment, smiling when he saw the girl huddled next to her mother. The little one was either talking or sleeping, as Amanda liked to point out.

    He looked back at Kasper, although he spoke to Miya. ¡°I¡¯m still disappointed it started to snow,¡± Andreas mused. ¡°I¡¯d rather them be outside than in here all day.¡±

    ¡°Not much can be done about it,¡± Miya replied simply. She gently turned towards him, as to not disturb Emelie. ¡°You¡¯re still worried about me leaving, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°I will never stop worrying about you, love,¡± Andreas said honestly. He glanced back at her, frowning a bit. ¡°I¡¯m just¡­wary. I always am when it comes to you.¡±

    Miya smiled back at him. ¡°Toru is just as protective, don¡¯t worry,¡± she said. ¡°I just want to see the spring festival¡ªvisit the capital, pick up a few things, and come right back. I won¡¯t be very long.¡±

    ¡°It still doesn¡¯t instill the¡­greatest confidence in me,¡± Andreas admitted. In the time since Kuro left S¨®lstaeur, Miya¡¯s brother had visited a few times¡ªthe men got along fairly well when it came to worrying about Miya, it seemed.

    Before Miya could carry on and insist, Kasper let out a little noise and stood up. The boy happily ran over to his mother, showing her his drawing. It managed to get Andreas to smile, at least; for nothing more than a circle and a few lines, the boy seemed proud.

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    ¡°Mama! Look!¡± Kasper held out the drawing.

    Miya chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s very pretty, Kasper,¡± she said kindly. ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s you, Mama!¡± Kasper declared.

    ¡°You got the resemblance just right,¡± Andreas said.

    The boy beamed at the compliment.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you add you, Papa, and Em?¡± Miya suggested. ¡°Then it can be a family picture.¡±

    ¡°Okay!¡± Kasper wandered back over to where his things were and continued the little piece of art.

    They sat in silence to appreciate it for a little while¡ªthe simplicity of it. Andreas believed they were one of the lucky few who could enjoy a life like this, even if he was technically still apart of the ruling people. In moments like these, it didn¡¯t feel like it.

    Miya picked up a conversation topic after a few moments, which continued until Lizette returned home.

    ¡°The snow¡¯s let up, if you¡¯re ready to leave,¡± Lizette said to Miya.

    Andreas translated so she could understand¡ªMiya had picked up most of the essential phrases and words by now, but decided she could officially learn the language alongside her children¡ªand she nodded.

    ¡°I should get going, then,¡± Miya mused.

    Carefully, she tried to move Emelie towards Andreas without waking the girl. The exchange didn¡¯t quite work, as she opened her eyes when she was placed next to Andreas. Kasper stopped drawing so he could watch his mother.

    Miya left, briefly disappeared in their room to get her things, then murmured thanks when Lizette helped move them closer to the door. His wife returned to her huddled family and offered the little ones a smile.

    ¡°Mama will be gone for a little bit,¡± Miya explained gently. ¡°I¡¯ll be back before you know it.¡±

    Emelie frowned. ¡°No go,¡± she said firmly.

    ¡°It won¡¯t take long,¡± Miya maintained.

    The girl stood and repeated herself. ¡°No go!¡±

    Miya looked like she was at a loss; Andreas gently requested that Emelie sit back down, which she did with as much annoyance as a girl her age could muster.

    After a moment, Miya was smiling again; she patted both of the kids¡¯ heads, which seemed to calm Emelie a bit. ¡°I¡¯ll bring back some nice things for you both,¡± Miya promised. ¡°When you¡¯re older, we can all see the festival and with Uncle Toru together, okay?¡±

    Both of the children nodded, leading Miya to recover from the earlier outburst. She turned to Andreas. ¡°I should get going,¡± she said. He nodded, and they shared a little parting kiss.

    Miya went towards the door, glancing back at her family with a little smile. ¡°All right¡ªKasper, Emelie, I¡¯m trusting you to keep Papa out of trouble.¡±

    The kids gave their agreement, and Andreas smiled back at her. ¡°Keep yourself out of trouble, Miya,¡± he said.

    ¡°I will,¡± she promised. She murmured her goodbyes to Lizette as well, and after she had an extra coat on, she left.

    It felt normal at the time. Andreas eventually convinced himself not to worry¡ªat least, not as much¡ªuntil two months passed and he didn¡¯t hear any word about her return. Come another month, and Toru came to tell him in person.

    He couldn¡¯t even begin to explain a concept like death to the young children.

 Intermission: Twin Boys

    Rei moved a little faster when he noticed the approaching town¡ªTaiyo was only a few steps ahead.

    ¡°Don¡¯t go too far,¡± Mama warned.

    Rei only half-heard it; at this point, he was ready for the promise of vacation. That¡¯s what these trips meant to him and his brother. Mama didn¡¯t walk any quicker as Rei and Taiyo silently challenged each other to get there first, so a guard followed behind them after a while.

    What greeted them when they got to the town was the beginnings of the autumn festival¡ªthe usual time Rei and Taiyo visited their uncle, or at least the time they spent the longest.

    Rei slowed down until he was standing near the entrance of the town, and Taiyo did the same. They waited until Mama and the other two guards came up with them.

    ¡°You two need to stay close,¡± Mama said with a frown. ¡°If you do that on our way home, I¡¯ll have to let your father know.¡±

    Both boys nodded, this time understanding clearly. Rei knew Mama just wanted them to stay safe¡ªshe wanted everyone to be safe¡ªso he tried to repeat it in his head so he would remember. He¡¯d get it one of these days.

    Mama smiled kindly, then gestured for the guards to stay there. ¡°Let¡¯s head over to your uncle¡¯s house, then,¡± she decided.

    ¡°Okay!¡±

    She chuckled when they managed to say it at the same time. Rei and Taiyo walked a few paces behind her, occasionally greeting the people they kind of recognized¡ªa lot of Papa¡¯s family lived around here.

    Uncle Tezo lived in one of the smallest houses Rei¡¯s ever been in¡ªgranted, he¡¯s not usually a houseguest, and he lived in a palace so his expectations were high. The house itself was awkwardly placed in the rough center of the town, only marked as being special because it was slightly bigger than the rest.

    Mama went up to it, giving a small knock. ¡°It¡¯s just me and the boys this time,¡± she called. ¡°Please don¡¯t do whatever you planned for Sorai.¡±

    When Uncle Tezo emerged, he almost looked disappointed. ¡°You could send me my brother every now and then, you know.¡± Rei knew his frown was faked; the Fujita family talked very gently to Mama, for reasons Rei didn¡¯t understand yet.

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    ¡°I¡¯d rather go myself,¡± Mama replied. She glanced at the twins before looking back at Uncle Tezo. ¡°Regardless, I can try to send Sorai to pick them up. Sorry for always putting them on you, I just¡­would rather them be here for a little bit.¡±

    Uncle Tezo smiled. ¡°You¡¯re fine, Kyoumi. We were shoved on your folks¡ªI don¡¯t mind making up for it. The twins don¡¯t mind it, either.¡± He turned to the boys. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, you two?¡±

    ¡°As long as Aunt Jun isn¡¯t here!¡± Rei replied.

    ¡°And no one¡¯s mean,¡± Taiyo added.

    ¡°Fortunately for you,¡± Uncle Tezo said with a chuckle, ¡°Your least favorite and most crazy aunt is actually away for the month. Your mother or father should be able to take you back home before she gets here. Can¡¯t make any promises on everyone being nice, though.¡±

    Taiyo frowned, but Rei was satisfied. Mama bent down to hold them for a moment, then pulled away.

    ¡°Try to stay safe,¡± Mama said. ¡°Listen to your uncle and aunt; be nice to your cousins.¡±

    Rei and Taiyo voiced their agreement, and Mama fully pulled away with a smile. Uncle Tezo invited them inside while Mama went back to leave.

    Fortunately, it looked like Uncle Tezo was the only one home¡ªthe place was as quiet as the palace at night. To Rei, it made the tiny house feel larger; Taiyo didn¡¯t like silence, though, so he looked at his older brother and tried to talk with him.

    ¡°Oh, I dreamt of that lady again!¡± Taiyo declared, almost proudly.

    Rei tried to be patient, but he had heard the story almost every day for the past¡­how old were they? Six? Six years? Suffice to say, Taiyo dreamt of ladies a lot. It was weird.

    Uncle Tezo entertained conversation instead, inviting the boys to sit down. ¡°Which lady?¡± He asked curiously; Rei could almost recognize the kind tone overlapping actual disinterest. He was probably as tired as Mama was.

    ¡°Don¡¯t get him started,¡± Rei said in vain. ¡°He¡¯ll talk forever¡ª¡±

    Taiyo almost certainly ignored him in order to tell yet another person of his weirdness. ¡°She has long, kind of dark brown hair,¡± Taiyo explained. ¡°She plays with me and chats with me. I don¡¯t know who she is, though. Mama dyes her hair blonde, and no one else that I known has dark hair like that. Uncle Tezo, you know people¡ªdo you know who it is?¡±

    Uncle Tezo paused for a moment, but shook his head. ¡°Can¡¯t say I do, kid. Why don¡¯t you ask her what her name is?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve tried!¡± Taiyo replied, frowning deeply. ¡°I don¡¯t think she remembers¡ªand when I do ask, I always wake up. I feel kind of bad for her.¡±

    ¡°Dream-people aren¡¯t real people,¡± Rei pointed out bluntly. ¡°You probably just made her up.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s real¡ªI¡¯m sure she is!¡± Taiyo protested. To further prove his dislike of the comment, he moved a bit closer to Uncle Tezo.

    ¡°Boys,¡± Uncle Tezo said patiently, ¡°Let¡¯s not get in a fight literally minutes after your mother leaves. I want to be able to tell her that you were good.¡±

    Rei didn¡¯t think he was really wrong, so he didn¡¯t actually apologize; Taiyo noticed, frowned, but didn¡¯t continue arguing. Uncle Tezo calmly changed the subject to something equally engaging¡ªwhat they¡¯ve been doing since the last visit, which was before their birthday. At least that didn¡¯t get the close-knit boys annoyed.

 Chapter 59: A Normal Morning

    Rei knocked on Taiyo¡¯s door as obnoxiously as he could; each knock patterned out the tune of a folk song, to anyone who listened and cared.

    ¡°Stop going to bed so late,¡± Rei said. ¡°Come out to eat and then you can go back to hiding.¡±

    Taiyo groaned from the other side. ¡°Can you just ask if I can get it later?¡±

    ¡°Do you have an actual excuse?¡± Rei asked. Since his brother responded to the knocking, Rei stopped.

    ¡°Migraine,¡± Taiyo answered. ¡°I went to bed a little before you; I just woke up feeling awful.¡±

    Rei frowned; it felt like he was using this excuse a lot, but people in this family only complained if it was actually troubling them. With that in mind, he nodded despite still being on the other side of the door. ¡°I¡¯ll see if Mother¡¯s all right with that, but join us if you can. Considering you didn¡¯t eat that much last night, she¡¯ll be worried.¡±

    ¡°Give me a few minutes and I¡¯ll try,¡± Taiyo replied.

    ¡°All right.¡±

    Rei waited a second, then walked to the dining hall. Kyoumi and Sorai were already there, and both of them nodded a greeting when they noticed him.

    ¡°Is your brother coming?¡± Kyoumi asked.

    ¡°He said he would try,¡± Rei dutifully reported. ¡°Another migraine is his reasoning.¡±

    He took his spot next to Kyoumi, and they waited a few minutes before calling in the servants to bring out the food. Meals were never especially extravagant; no one really cared for fancy meals, so usually they just served whatever they could eat and had snacks throughout the day.

    Sorai was the one who kept up conversation¡ªRei took after Kyoumi in the sense that he wasn¡¯t a huge ¡®people¡¯ person, so Sorai and Taiyo talked the most during meals¡ªwhile they all ate.

    Rei had finished eating by the time Taiyo came in. His brother didn¡¯t look well¡ªat the very least, he wasn¡¯t trying to hide it like the rest of them would. It worried him.

    When Taiyo sat down close to Sorai, Kyoumi looked at him and frowned. ¡°Just eat a little and then you can head back to your room,¡± she offered. ¡°I won¡¯t make you do anything if you¡¯re not feeling well.¡±

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    Taiyo shook his head slightly. ¡°It¡¯s too quiet by myself. I¡¯ll just stay with Rei, as long as he doesn¡¯t mind.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± Rei said.

    There was a brief pause before Taiyo spoke up again, remembering a story that he hadn¡¯t yet told Kyoumi and Sorai. Rei put in a word or two when he could, since he was done eating, and otherwise just listened. There were a lot of things Taiyo seemed to be afraid of¡ªhe didn¡¯t like silence, and he didn¡¯t like to train because he got sick around blood. Rei always wondered where it came from; silence in the palace meant that everything was calm and nothing bad was happening, and neither of them had seen anything particularly harsh that involved blood.

    Taiyo ate most of what was given to him, and Sorai offered to take the rest so he didn¡¯t have to force himself to finish it. In response, Taiyo nodded his thanks and looked at Rei.

    ¡°I wanted to check something in the entrance hall,¡± Taiyo said. ¡°Then we can do whatever you have planned.¡±

    Rei nodded, standing up as well. The royal family dispersed¡ªKyoumi and Sorai to do the former¡¯s work, and Rei and Taiyo to wherever the latter wanted to be¡ªas the servants went through to bid them a good day and clean up the remnants of breakfast.

    Taiyo rambled a bit while they walked the short distance, and once they were standing in front of the memorial for the past kings and queens of Gin, he looked back at Rei.

    ¡°I think I figured out who the woman in my dreams is,¡± Taiyo said.

    ¡°You¡¯re still determined to find out, huh?¡± Rei asked dully. ¡°Honestly, I thought you stopped dreaming about her.¡±

    Taiyo frowned, likely annoyed as well. ¡°I just stopped talking about her because I knew you were getting tired of it,¡± he replied firmly. He paused for a second, then continued with his earlier emotion and turned back towards the wall of portraits.

    Front and center, of course, was King Utaka¡ªhis portrait was placed on a table, with space for offerings. Queen Okimi¡¯s portrait was there before his, but now it was hung on the wall behind it with the rest of the past rulers. There were boxes and chests full of the memoirs and journals of the rulers right up against the wall, marked with the years their contents were made.

    Taiyo scanned the wall, then pointed to one of the portraits. ¡°Right there,¡± he said.

    Rei took a step forward and followed Taiyo¡¯s gaze. He chuckled when he read the name underneath the portrait, and gave his brother an amused look.

    ¡°Tsujihara Seiko? Really?¡±

    Taiyo frowned at him again. ¡°That¡¯s what I think, anyway,¡± he said. ¡°The appearance is pretty much the same, and sometimes she talks about how I remind her of one of her sons. She¡¯s been calling me ¡®Teiyori¡¯ for years¡ªwhich is also the name of the king after her.¡±

    ¡°I still think you¡¯re making the woman up,¡± Rei maintained.

    ¡°Wow, thanks for the confidence,¡± Taiyo replied dully. ¡°It means a lot, really.¡±

    ¡°Hold off on the sarcasm,¡± Rei said. He couldn¡¯t help but be a little sarcastic with his own response, however. ¡°It¡¯s just not reasonable.¡±

    Taiyo chuckled, becoming happy again. ¡°I¡¯ll just have to convince you one of these days. I swear, it¡¯s the first queen.¡±

 Chapter 60: Attempted Training

    Taiyo followed Rei when the latter went to train, which kept the younger from rambling. Sorai was waiting for them, as he usually was, but still looked a bit surprised to see Taiyo with the older twin.

    ¡°Are you feeling any better, Taiyo?¡± Sorai asked.

    ¡°If I say yes, will you make me train?¡± Taiyo replied cautiously.

    Rei looked over and frowned at him. ¡°Considering you never come here on your own free will unless you¡¯re following me¡ªyes.¡±

    ¡°You look better,¡± Sorai continued, walking over to wear they kept the training weapons, ¡°Which means your migraine must not be bothering you as much. If you¡¯re feeling well enough that you don¡¯t have to emphasize it, then you¡¯re well enough to try to train.¡±

    Taiyo frowned, but wordlessly wandered over to one of the trees. Rei took a step forward and accepted the blunt sword Sorai tossed his way.

    ¡°We¡¯ll be using a northern sword again,¡± Sorai said firmly. ¡°If you¡¯re still having trouble in the next few months, I¡¯ll see if Tezo can show you something.¡±

    Rei sighed, fully aware that his grip on the sword was wrong and there wasn¡¯t much he could do to change it. ¡°You know he only uses his left hand to show off, right?¡±

    ¡°Better flashy but impractical than outright useless,¡± Sorai decided. He frowned, continuing to muse a bit, ¡°If I could, I¡¯d have let Takeo or Masaru teach you¡ªor, even better, Utaka.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a shame all the lefties are dead,¡± Rei murmured. He noticed Sorai changing his position a bit¡ªhe could try to make up for lack of strength by showing he can observe his surroundings.

    After a second, Sorai silently started the session. It consisted of Sorai attacking, Rei dodging, and then instruction on how Rei could improve; they¡¯ve been doing this for the past year, with Taiyo as an occasional participant as well. They went at it, exchanging blows and comments, for a few minutes before Sorai knocked Rei¡¯s weapon away.

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    Sorai wasted no time in looking at his younger son. ¡°All right, Taiyo, you¡¯re up.¡±

    Taiyo hesitated. ¡°Do I have to?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the son of Gin¡¯s queen nineteen years after Kuro last attacked,¡± Sorai replied simply. ¡°You have to fight sooner or later.¡±

    ¡°The migraine¡¯s worse when I¡¯m training, though,¡± Taiyo argued. He winced¡ªRei couldn¡¯t tell if it was him acting or if it was genuine¡ªand continued on. ¡°Plus, I don¡¯t want to cut you by accident.¡±

    ¡°These things are pretty dull,¡± Rei pointed out. To prove his point, he pressed one edge of the blade into the palm of his hand¡ªSorai and Taiyo both frowned, but Rei held it out to Taiyo could see the lack of wound. ¡°See? No blood.¡±

    Taiyo only shook his head and took a step back. Sorai sighed, took Rei¡¯s sword, and tried to give it to the younger twin.

    ¡°Just dodge for a few minutes,¡± Sorai said. ¡°Kuro¡¯s a few years away from setting a record, and I don¡¯t want to see you die as soon as you step out there. You have talent, Taiyo, you¡¯re just not using it.¡±

    It took another second, but Taiyo finally accepted the sword and stepped further in to the training area; Rei made his way over to the trees to watch. Their father made a point to make sure Taiyo could guard attacks, at least, even if the session didn¡¯t last very long.

    Taiyo winced again and lowered his sword after two or three minutes¡ªSorai waited a moment to see if he would continue before lowering his own sword.

    ¡°That can be it for now,¡± Sorai said, frowning a bit. ¡°I¡¯d like to see both of you tomorrow¡ªin the office or out here.¡± He specifically looked at Taiyo and added, ¡°If you keep skipping training and helping with your mother¡ªreasonable excuse or no¡ªthen there won¡¯t be an option anymore. I don¡¯t want to see either of you fight and I really don¡¯t want to see you two die; either make sure you can fight, or make sure you can lead.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Taiyo replied quietly.

    Sorai put the swords away and left; Rei and Taiyo were left to stand there for a few moments before Taiyo sighed and looked at his brother with a little wince.

    ¡°Do you think Maeko¡¯s doing anything?¡± Taiyo asked. ¡°I think being around other people might help.¡±

    Rei chuckled a bit. ¡°Maeko is the person you think of when you want other people? She talks more than you do.¡±

    ¡°Yet you still hang out with her,¡± Taiyo pointed out, teasing a bit. ¡°I could probably find someone else if you¡¯d rather¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to let you finish that,¡± Rei said, effectively cutting him off. Taiyo still beamed like he said the full sentence. At least he felt well enough to tease. Sighing¡ªalthough the annoyance in it was mostly feigned¡ªhe continued. ¡°Why don¡¯t we just gather up whoever¡¯s available? They wanted to make up for the bad birthday anyway.¡±

    Taiyo nodded, seeming grateful. Rei led as they went around gathering whatever friends were available.

 Chapter 61: The End of Normalcy

    It was always strange whenever Taiyo would wake up in the morning without a migraine. They were daily, always there and never going away for years. Nothing they had in the palace helped, so Taiyo had resigned to his fate of always having a migraine and all of the drawbacks that came with it, especially since they were only getting worse.

    With the migraine gone, Taiyo did a lot more than what he normally did¡ªKyoumi looked relieved when he came to breakfast with no problems. Likewise, Rei seemed glad to be able to visit his friends without Taiyo tagging along. Heck, Taiyo even trained! The reprieve made him realize how little he did just to avoid making it worse.

    Taiyo gladly accepted the chance to be on his own for a little while; the migraines let up a bit when he was with Rei, so he ended up being close to him all the time. This was his chance to do¡­pretty much anything. So, he took it to try to determine if the woman he dreamt of really was Tsujihara Seiko¡ªand how he could help her look happy again, if at all possible. The whole day was him sitting in the entrance hall, looking over the records Kinjo Asahi left behind of the first queen.

    ¡­

    Taiyo was asleep, now. He knew he was sleeping, dreaming, and such awareness happened so often it used to baffle him that his family didn¡¯t have the same ability.

    He always started out in his room, but it was never decorated the same¡ªthere was a boy in the corner, for instance. The boy started by saying ¡°It wasn¡¯t you.¡±; recently, he¡¯s been saying ¡°I wish you had killed them.¡± Taiyo wasn¡¯t fond of the new chorus, and left the room as soon as he gathered his bearings.

    It was still the palace¡ªjust older, with less personal touches. All of the doors were open, allowing Taiyo to see people like the boy in the other rooms; he didn¡¯t know what they were doing there, or why they only spoke one or two sentences. There was only one person who actually talked to him.

    He carefully made his way down to the main room, immediately noticing that most of the people had left their rooms and come here instead. They were chatting on about killing and death, how their last plan didn¡¯t work.

    ¡°We¡¯ll overpower him by sheer force.¡±

    All of them turned to Taiyo at that point; he took a step back, but someone was behind him.

    ¡°Let him be for the night.¡±

    The people faded, and Taiyo turned around to look at the other person. It was the woman. Every time he looked at her, she seemed so¡­realistic he couldn¡¯t even understand how she couldn¡¯t be real; long, dark brown hair, brown eyes, and a few years younger than his parents at this point.

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    ¡°Thank you,¡± Taiyo murmured.

    She shook her head, and she spoke quietly. ¡°Please don¡¯t thank me. You¡¯re only involved in this because I couldn¡¯t do anything back then.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t follow,¡± he replied, frowning.

    Unfortunately, she didn¡¯t speak any more clearly. She looked at him, sad but firm. ¡°They stayed around me all my life¡ªI got used to them. They weren¡¯t going to make that mistake again, so we¡¯ve all been quiet. I¡¯m sorry, child¡ªI couldn¡¯t stop them.¡±

    ¡°Whatever¡¯s happening, I¡¯m sure you¡¯re not at fault,¡± Taiyo tried to assure her.

    She didn¡¯t seem to hear him, and despite his best efforts she started to cry a bit as she continued. ¡°I was the last one¡­for a short while. I should¡¯ve done the deed then¡ªin that brief time between the war and marriage. But then I was pregnant, and I didn¡¯t want to end two lives with one blade. They wanted me to kill my own children; what kind of mother would do that willingly? But I should have, because now you have to suffer.¡±

    ¡°I still don¡¯t understand,¡± Taiyo maintained, worried. ¡°What are you talking about? Who are you? How can I help?¡±

    The woman took a short breath, then replied quietly. ¡°I¡­am Gin-Tsujihara Seiko.¡±

    Despite everything else, Taiyo felt proud for having guessed correctly; when he woke up, he¡¯d have to report to Rei. Still, Taiyo bowed in respect. ¡°It¡¯s an honor to meet you, Queen Seiko. Even if this isn¡¯t really a ¡®meeting¡¯ per se.¡±

    She looked uncomfortable with the title, but returned the gesture nonetheless. ¡°And you¡­¡± she said silently, ¡°You¡¯re Gin-Fujita Taiyo.¡± He nodded, and she continued with some distress, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, child. I was selfish¡ªI couldn¡¯t do it.¡±

    Now that Taiyo knew who she was, he could protest more firmly. ¡°You didn¡¯t do anything wrong,¡± he insisted. ¡°You were just protecting your family¡ªthat¡¯s all you¡¯ve been doing. You were doing fine until you died¡ªand that wasn¡¯t your fault either!¡±

    Tsujihara Seiko paused for a moment. Carefully, she asked, ¡°What do you think happened to me, little Taiyo?¡±

    ¡°You were killed,¡± Taiyo replied, confused on why she was asking. ¡°A thief or something got in the palace and killed you while you were out walking.¡±

    She didn¡¯t respond for a moment, then chuckled grimly. ¡°What did I expect out of him? He wasn¡¯t the one who saw my faults.¡± Tsujihara Seiko sighed, then looked back at Taiyo. ¡°I wasn¡¯t murdered¡ªI ended my own life, because otherwise I would have killed my family.¡±

    ¡°Why would you have killed your family?¡± Taiyo asked. He could feel the dream slipping, slightly, and he wondered if Tsujihara Seiko noticed it, too.

    She put on hand on his shoulder, and spoke gently. ¡°Listen very closely, little Taiyo. We¡­are cursed. Looking at you now, I wish I hadn¡¯t failed¡ªbut I couldn¡¯t bring myself to kill my children, despite it meaning you may kill your family instead.¡± She pulled away for a moment, smiling sadly. She didn¡¯t quite sound the same¡ªher voice almost echoed¡ªwhen she continued. ¡°But it¡¯s all right; I know it will end with you. No one else will have to suffer like I have, or like you will.¡±

    ¡°¡­What?¡± Taiyo asked. A certain type of panic was sinking in now that the dream was fading¡ªand a certain kind of peace came with it as well, only making it more frightening. ¡°Please, tell me more. Be a little clearer¡ªI don¡¯t know what you mean!¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to,¡± Tsujihara Seiko assured him. ¡°Just know that this nation¡¯s history¡­it will end with you.¡±

    The dream ended there, and the migraine when he woke up was replaced with hundreds of voices telling him what to do next. It was all he could do just to stumble out without hurting anyone.

 Chapter 62: The Disappearance

    Rei found it a bit annoying when he was back to waking up Taiyo. Maybe he shouldn¡¯t have been surprised, since it was only one day, but still.

    He got up, got dressed, and went to Taiyo¡¯s room. Once again, his knocks were as annoying as he could possibly make them. One of these days, he¡¯d just let his brother sleep in. It was tempting to make that today.

    ¡°Come on, Taiyo,¡± Rei said. He kept on knocking, but he didn¡¯t hear anything on the other side of the door. ¡°I know you¡¯re awake.¡±

    Still no answer. Rei frowned at the door. ¡°Are you feeling that bad that you won¡¯t even talk to me?¡±

    Taiyo was fine yesterday, wasn¡¯t he? He acted like it. Maybe he just finally learned how to sleep through Rei¡¯s knocking.

    ¡°One last chance,¡± Rei warned. He stopped knocking, instead just putting his hand on the door. He waited another second, then sighed. ¡°All right¡ªI¡¯m coming in.¡±

    Taiyo wasn¡¯t in his room. There were a few scattered papers, and the room had little dots of blood towards the one side, leading towards and out the window.

    The sight scared him. Rei stood there for a moment, trying to process it, then started looking for little dagger they kept in the used rooms for self-defense. Unless Taiyo moved it beforehand¡ªwhich was pretty unlikely¡ªthe dagger wasn¡¯t where it should be.

    It took him another second to fully realize¡ªTaiyo wasn¡¯t there. A few more moments¡ªhe must not have left willingly. A full minute¡ªhis brother was gone. That last acknowledgement encouraged him to go down to his parents as calmly as he possibly could, closing the door behind him so passing servants wouldn¡¯t see.

    ¡ª¡ª

    ¡°The boys are taking longer than usual,¡± Kyoumi murmured.

    Sorai gave her the best reassuring look he could. ¡°It¡¯s still pretty early, and both of them did a lot yesterday. They could be oversleeping¡ªit wouldn¡¯t be the first time one¡¯s forgotten to wake up the other.¡±

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    Fortunately, she nodded and fell silent. He could tell she was trying not to fall into dark places¡ªshe still had trouble on some days, but it was a lot better now that they had the twins. Once she had something to focus on other than her troubles, she seemed to be able to move on from her past. He knew she would have trouble again if something happened to the boys, though.

    Rei came in after a few minutes, sporting a frown but not readily showing much else. Sorai could recognize the expression fairly quickly; it was the Gin-Fujita way of showing that something happened, but they weren¡¯t sure how.

    ¡°Father, can you come with me for a minute?¡± Rei¡¯s voice matched the expression, at least.

    Sorai nodded and stood, glancing at Kyoumi. ¡°Stay here, please,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll see what the problem is.¡±

    Kyoumi murmured her hesitant agreement, and Sorai managed to give his wife a quick smile before heading towards Rei. As soon as he was close, the boy was walking¡ªSorai followed behind by a few steps, almost afraid to ask what the problem was.

    Rei stopped when they got to Taiyo¡¯s room. Without a word, Rei opened the door and let Sorai look inside.

    Empty and spotted with blood. That was a combination Sorai knew wouldn¡¯t go well.

    He couldn¡¯t lose face here¡ªhe was supposed to be the one to reassure the others. If he was worried, gods only knew what Kyoumi would do. Considering Rei looked a lot like his mother at the moment, Sorai guessed kind words would be beneficial.

    It probably didn¡¯t help any that Kyoumi wasn¡¯t exactly one to give assurances if it felt like a promise, so Sorai was just about the only person who was able to help the other two if this turned out to be a problem.

    Sorai slowly closed the door again and turned towards Rei. ¡°It was like this when you came to wake him up this morning?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Rei replied quietly.

    ¡°Did you hear anything last night?¡±

    Rei shook his head. ¡°I¡­must have slept through it.¡±

    Sorai gave his son the best smile he could muster. ¡°Go ahead and eat with your mother,¡± he said kindly. ¡°I¡¯ll join you in a few minutes when I sort everything out. If she¡¯s worried, just tell her I¡¯m handling it and I can explain it later.¡±

    He hesitated, but eventually did nod. Sorai patted his shoulder and sent him on his way back to the dining hall, then went to send a few guards out to look around the general area. He couldn¡¯t do much more without Kyoumi knowing, so his mission during breakfast was to figure out how to tell her.

    Of course, she didn¡¯t actually give him much time to decide on a delicate way to phrase it, asking after it as soon as Rei had finished eating and left. Sorai had to be blunt¡ªand that meant he also had to see Kyoumi¡¯s expression slipping into something almost entirely blank. For now, all he could do was offer to do her work until she could handle it; he didn¡¯t mind.

    There one day, gone the next. Sorai just hoped they could figure out where Taiyo was before he saw how Kyoumi and Rei reacted to news to the younger twin being dead. He didn¡¯t think he could manage to smile through that.

 Chapter 63: Hoping for Reassurance

    The next few days were¡­difficult, to say the least. Kyoumi tried to ask the surrounding towns for some help in locating Taiyo, but she hadn¡¯t received any response. She was afraid that they saw her as selfish¡ªtrying to find her second son when the eldest was still with her. She never had an immense amount of respect; compared to Okimi and Utaka, she was weak as a leader. She would never understand how Utaka could handle becoming king so soon after Okimi died without breaking¡ªshe admired his strength in that area, at least.

    Sorai was with her doing work, despite protesting that she should take some time to rest. They weren¡¯t going to ask much of Rei until he would actually talk with them; he made Kyoumi think of herself, and it worried her. He hadn¡¯t taken it well when Masaru died, and they hadn¡¯t even been extremely close¡ªshe could only imagine how much harder it was when his twin seemed to have fallen on a similar path.

    Kyoumi finished reading through one letter and sighed. ¡°Another town declined to look,¡± she murmured. ¡°They cited insufficient military to conduct a search as their reasoning.¡±

    ¡°We might not have the strength to fight any kind of war, but I¡¯d imagine there should be enough to send out a dozen or so people to look around for the prince.¡±

    ¡°They don¡¯t want to listen to me. Unfortunately, it¡¯s as simple as that.¡±

    After a moment of silence, Sorai gave him the familiar, kind smile. ¡°I can send something out to Ninsei and Tezo¡ªthey¡¯ll look around, if nothing else.¡±

    ¡°I ask too much of your family,¡± Kyoumi said quietly.

    ¡°We don¡¯t mind,¡± Sorai assured her. He reached over and took the paper she was looking over. ¡°Now go rest, please; either that or check up on Rei. Looking at all of these reports won¡¯t make you feel any better.¡±

    Kyoumi frowned. ¡°And you claim that you¡¯re immune to it?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not the one who has a history of dark thoughts,¡± Sorai pointed out with kind insistence. ¡°Let me handle this. You and Rei need more support than I do right now.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t reassure me.¡±

    ¡°Be honest¡ªdoes anything?¡±

    They both fell silent again, and after a minute Kyoumi sighed and stood up. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure Rei is all right,¡± she decided. ¡°I¡¯ll come back in an hour or so.¡±

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    ¡°Take your time,¡± Sorai said gently. ¡°There¡¯ll be plenty left for you to do, despite what I would prefer.¡±

    Kyoumi nodded, then left. She went to Rei¡¯s room, noting the closed door; his way of making sense of this was to stay put. At least he actually talked when Masaru died; only one friend had tried to speak with him in the past week.

    She lightly knocked on the door. ¡°Rei. I wanted to talk with you for a few moments.¡±

    There was a bit of shuffling on the other side. ¡°¡­I¡¯m here.¡±

    ¡°Have you eaten anything yet?¡± It was as good of a place to start as any; she knew none of them had met up for any meal after that first morning.

    ¡°I got a little, yeah.¡± There was a short pause, then a brief sign of emotion in the form of worry. ¡°Is there any word on Taiyo yet?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re still trying to get people to help,¡± Kyoumi admitted. ¡°Your father¡¯s going to ask Ninsei and Tezo to look around Fujita lands.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been long enough¡­he could have left Gin by now.¡±

    Kyoumi picked up where her son¡¯s thoughts were headed, and tried her best to reassure him. ¡°The only way he could¡¯ve left this soon would be south, and even then that¡¯s more than a week¡¯s trip.¡±

    ¡°Still, that¡¯s too far for Fujita territory to reach.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe anyone would take him just to leave the kingdom altogether.¡±

    She knew she likely wasn¡¯t helping¡ªSorai was the one who could reassure others, not her¡ªbut she couldn¡¯t imagine being told nothing. She was never directly told anything while Utaka and Erize were alive; she heard it all from someone else, and that only made whatever it was worse. She wouldn¡¯t leave Rei to figure this all out on his own.

    Kyoumi was about to offer parting words before Rei spoke up again.

    ¡°What would we do¡­if we don¡¯t find him?¡±

    A normal mother would dismiss his fears with a promise. Kyoumi, however, was afraid of giving that kind of comfort. ¡°We would miss him, and we would mourn. That¡¯s all we could do in that situation.¡±

    Carefully, she opened the door. Rei was sitting on his bed with a few books scattered around him; whatever he thought would keep his mind off of things, she guessed. Kyoumi tried to offer the best smile she could muster.

    ¡°But it¡¯s a bit too early to be worrying about whether or not Taiyo will return. Take some time to rest, and tell me or your father if you need anything. Promise me that you¡¯ll try, Rei¡ªtry to ask for help when you need it. Don¡¯t be like me and ignore your own thoughts for mine or your father¡¯s peace of mind; we want to worry over you, so please let us.¡±

    A little bit more emotion came onto his expression¡ªa relieved breath and a small, thankful smile. ¡°In that case,¡± he said quietly, ¡°Could I join you in the office?¡±

    Kyoumi smiled and nodded, glad that he seemed to be a little better. He took one book with him, and followed her back to the office. Sorai offered a smile as well, leading that time to be the first ¡®normal¡¯ day since Taiyo disappeared.

    In a way, it felt wrong to be happy for a few moments. Still, she held on to it¡ªshe knew from experience that she would need those memories to recover should the worst happen.

 Chapter 64: Another Skirmish

    ¡°Who¡¯s this?¡±

    ¡°Some kid I found. He tried to kill me earlier.¡±

    ¡°Why is he here, then? Put him back where he was before.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be like that, Lady Kitsune. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯ll be more interesting if we had a little maniac fighting for us? We could finally bring in a new era!¡±

    ¡°Do you know what happened to the last man that made that decision?¡±

    ¡°A new era was brought in, just like he said!¡±

    ¡°By his bastard cousin after his death.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s still better than doing nothing all day. Draw up some plans including this boy¡¯s¡­talents, would you?¡±

    ¡ª¡ª

    Almost a whole year passed; Taiyo disappeared in the summer, and it was spring now. Rei still didn¡¯t think he¡¯s really recovered from it¡ªhe only recently broke the habit of trying to wake up his brother every morning¡ªbut things were getting better. He didn¡¯t know if he should be happy or not that not having Taiyo was worrying, but normal. Life was forced to go on without him.

    Kyoumi and Sorai kept a pretty good eye on him¡ªthey didn¡¯t want to let him help with work again, but he could just sit inside the office whenever he felt like it. When he wanted company but Maeko¡ªthe only friend he was on speaking terms with at this point¡ªwas busy, he went with his parents. Sorai tried to entertain conversation when possible.

    Rei initially came in with a book, but got distracted by watching the sakura petals fall from outside. The window was just large enough that he could see them coming down¡ªbright pink, full of color. Looking at them gave him some form of dread.

    His attention was brought away from the petals when there was a knock on the door. Kyoumi and Sorai both looked up from their own work.

    ¡°You may enter,¡± Kyoumi said.

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    Rei could faintly recognize the man that came in; someone from the Hiroki family, although he wasn¡¯t familiar enough with them to know his name. Kyoumi frowned when she saw him.

    ¡°You¡¯re one of the Hiroki men,¡± Kyoumi noted.

    The man nodded. ¡°Yes,¡± he replied. He bowed to the royal family. ¡°First, I would like to express some late condolences on the missing prince. We haven¡¯t seen anyone odd coming through Hiroki¡¯s bridge, so I regret to say I have no news on that front.¡±

    The family fell silent for a moment at the mention of Taiyo. Sorai recovered first, unsurprisingly.

    ¡°For what reason do you visit, then?¡± Sorai asked Hiroki.

    Hiroki gestured slightly towards Rei. ¡°Might want to take the kid out for a second.¡±

    ¡°I can stay,¡± Rei said. He could easily guess what this was about, and it would be easier for his parents if they didn¡¯t have to repeat it. There were only so many reasons, excluding the recent Taiyo situation, for someone from the Hiroki family to come halfway across the kingdom.

    Neither of his parents protested to his statement, so Hiroki apparently found it safe to continue¡ªalbeit hesitantly.

    ¡°We did not see anyone strange,¡± Hiroki began carefully, ¡°But I regret to say that we saw our least favorite army making another skirmish.¡±

    Rei expected that answer; he glanced at Kyoumi, only to see her quiet. Sorai continued to speak in her stead.

    ¡°How many casualties?¡±

    ¡°We lost a dozen soldiers in a day-long battle; not our greatest loss. I don¡¯t think Kuro lost in a single man, however.¡±

    ¡°Build up your defenses for now,¡± Sorai said firmly. ¡°If Kuro comes back, tell us and we¡¯ll start preparing some countermeasures. We can send word out to see if anyone¡¯s willing to fight.¡±

    ¡°That would be enough, sir,¡± Hiroki replied. ¡°That¡¯s all I came to say. Be wise in guiding us, Queen Kyoumi.¡±

    He bowed again and left. Rei closed his book and stood up.

    ¡°What do you want me to do?¡± Rei asked. The question mostly went to Sorai¡ªKyoumi was still processing the news, her expression only falling further and further.

    Sorai cast a quick, worried glance towards Kyoumi, then looked back at Rei with a sigh. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go see if Nesshin Maeko¡¯s free, or try to talk with one of the others?¡±

    ¡°I want to help,¡± Rei replied, frowning a bit. ¡°If Kuro¡¯s attacking, I can help fight¡ª¡±

    Kyoumi spoke up, quiet and firm. ¡°I¡¯m not sending you out there without good reason when we still don¡¯t know where Taiyo is. If you want to help, you can give me and your father some time to think this through.¡±

    Rei wanted¡ªand tried¡ªto protest a bit more, but Sorai stood before Rei could say another word. Although he didn¡¯t want to relent, he knew aggravating his parents wouldn¡¯t make it any better.

    He gave them both a short bow in respect, then left. Instead of going into town, however, he asked one of the guards if they¡¯d help him train. Something felt so wrong about how the sakura petals fell as Rei tried to make up for lost time; the whole time, he was thinking about Taiyo.

    The feeling of dread only grew, as did some feeling of frustration.

 Chapter 65: Paths Intertwine

    The painted ship reached Gin¡¯s shores two days earlier than expected¡ªAndreas wondered if that was Miya¡¯s way of letting her children understand her, in some way. He wanted to show them¡ªalbeit from a distance¡ªwhat their mother¡¯s home was like. Toru paid for the trip in full, barring transportation, but Andreas chose to go to Gin instead. Especially in the areas around the ports, Kasper and Emelie wouldn¡¯t get as much odd looks.

    His decision was helped by the fact that, except for Toru, Kuro didn¡¯t say anything regarding Miya¡¯s death. They received no acknowledgement from anyone but her brother.

    Emelie looked at Andreas, bringing him out of his thoughts. She seemed to get more excited as the ship came closer. ¡°I can see the petals from here,¡± she noted happily. ¡°Uncle Toru¡¯s paying, right?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s not spend everything he gave us,¡± Andreas said. ¡°We¡¯ll only be using half of it.¡±

    ¡°But is ¡®half¡¯ enough?¡± Emelie asked, frowning. She counted off each thing as she continued. ¡°I want something from the festival stalls, Kasper wants something from the festival stalls, Aunt Amanda wants a late birthday gift, we should get something for you as a late birthday gift, Grandmother wants something so she feels like a good grandmother, and you want something for Mother. I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll be able to get all that with ¡®half¡¯ of whatever Uncle Toru gave us.¡±

    ¡°Half is more than enough,¡± Andreas maintained patiently. ¡°Bear in mind that your uncle is the head of one of Kuro¡¯s more notable families¡ªa third would be enough.¡±

    As they were talking, the ship came in to the shore and the other passengers¡ªmostly merchants¡ªwent to leave.

    Emelie still didn¡¯t look convinced, but Andreas didn¡¯t carry on the conversation. Instead, he looked around to figure out where Kasper was hiding. He got ready to call out his name when the boy emerged from below deck, holding each of their small bags.

    ¡°Let¡¯s head out,¡± Andreas said. ¡°If it doesn¡¯t take long, we can go up to this side of the river¡ªit¡¯s only forest, but you¡¯ll be able to see the black kingdom.¡±

    ¡°Silver¡¯s close enough,¡± Kasper murmured. He handed out each bag, and Andreas led them off the ship. ¡°I¡¯d rather be staring at mountains than forests anyway.¡±

    The first matter of business was making sure they could stay somewhere at night. Their trip wouldn¡¯t be long¡ªAndreas was told he could only miss one meeting, but he didn¡¯t expect any negative consequences if he couldn¡¯t go to two¡ªbut he wanted it to be as carefree as possible for the kids. Toru had loaned Andreas enough money for the trio to buy every thing in every festival stall with plenty left over; the generosity was something Toru usually offered as apologies for Miya no longer being there.

    When their lodging was confirmed, Andreas let his children lead¡ªEmelie immediately took the opportunity to be amazed at everything. They found a little garden and stayed there for a while, admiring the unfamiliar scenery. They all spoke, with some varying degree of fluency, in the shared language between Gin and S¨®lstaeur.

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    ¡°Kasper, could you draw this for me?¡± Emelie asked her brother, gesturing to the area around them.

    Kasper cast her a wry glance. ¡°Could you stop talking for a second so I could focus?¡±

    Her eyes widened and she promptly stayed silent, allowing Kasper to work in relative peace. Andreas enjoyed the sight, appreciating the warmer air. Spring hadn¡¯t been there for very long, but it was a notable improvement from S¨®lstaeur¡¯s weather that rendered spring and summer mostly nonexistent.

    No one seemed to question them¡ªS¨®lstaeuric merchants and their families were likely a common sight, since Kuro never interfered with their trade. He imagined other families in similar situations¡ªthose with blood from both S¨®lstaeur and Kuro¡ªshared his reasoning that Gin wouldn¡¯t force them out again as Kuro might. In terms of culture and traditions, the sister kingdoms were very similar, so they weren¡¯t giving up much in terms of experiences.

    They arrived around noon, so they went back to find somewhere to eat dinner a few hours later. Andreas noticed that a few others seemed to have some S¨®lstaeuric blood in them¡ªlighter hair, sitting or standing taller than the rest. Most of the surrounding conversation was in the two nation¡¯s shared language as a sign of respect towards the other, but there were a few in Gin¡¯s ancient tongue and a conversation or two that only those from S¨®lstaeur would understand.

    When Andreas paid mind to the conversation around them¡ªwhen Kasper and Emelie didn¡¯t have any topics that needed his attention¡ªhe noticed the same general line of conversation in a majority of them. Kuro toying at the border; those from Gin lamented the bloodshed, some desiring final closure and others showing no faith in their queen.

    Despite himself, Andreas was a bit curious. He knew the thought was a bit self-righteous, but there were people in S¨®lstaeur who still wanted to fight Kuro¡ªand he knew that Kuro was no more ready for war than Gin. S¨®lstaeur was too far away to face any negative effects, so Kasper and Emelie could stay there. It¡¯d stop the chiefs from complaining, at least.

    Andreas gestured for his children to stay put, then went over to where one group was talking.

    ¡°May I ask a few questions?¡± Andreas asked the group.

    ¡°Go ahead, stranger,¡± one said. The other two didn¡¯t seem to mind either.

    ¡°I overheard you saying that Kuro attacked the border,¡± Andreas said.

    ¡°We caught word of the second one today,¡± the first person replied, nodding. ¡°Supposedly, the queen is working through it. The border defense is the one fortified place in the kingdom, though, so there shouldn¡¯t be any trouble here.¡±

    Andreas nodded. ¡°Could I ask why you don¡¯t really seem to trust your queen?¡±

    The second person was the one who responded. ¡°She¡¯s young¡ªyou should know that much. The woman¡¯s been under a lot of pressure; coronated when she was sixteen, married right when she was eighteen, had twins one year later, now one of them¡¯s missing or dead. But Queen Kyoumi isn¡¯t¡­much of a queen; between all that, it¡¯s her husband¡¯s family that¡¯s been handling things, even when her father was on the throne. Not everyone wants to listen to her.¡±

    ¡°Of course, fighting Kuro off with our military is suicide anyway,¡± the third added in a mutter. ¡°The First Queen¡¯s War made a lot of people lose their will to fight; the most military we have is the one dying at Hiroki¡¯s fort. She could try to make people join, but I don¡¯t think she¡¯d be willing to send her son off in the process¡ªunless she wants to keep him nice and safe, which will get people mad.¡±

    The other two didn¡¯t seem pleased at the third¡¯s comment, but confirmation was all Andreas wanted. He nodded his thanks and went back to Kasper and Emelie.

    ¡°I¡¯d like to stop by the capital while we¡¯re here,¡± Andreas said.

    ¡°What happened to ¡®we need to be back in a month so Elias doesn¡¯t come out of retirement just to kick us out?¡¯¡± Kasper asked dully.

    ¡°I¡¯m hoping to solve my own problems by helping with others,¡± Andreas replied. ¡°They¡¯ve never been bothered by getting into other¡¯s politics before, so I doubt they¡¯ll start now.¡±

    Neither child gave any further protest, and the detour became a permanent part of their trip.

 Chapter 66: Accepted Interference

    Kyoumi didn¡¯t know what to do about this¡ªwar and fighting were things that Utaka and Takeo knew, and both of them were gone. The next best person to help would¡¯ve been Masaru; he¡¯s been dead for about a decade, however. With very little people to help her understand it, she knew she¡¯d have to go to Hiroki territory¡ªif not to understand, then to actively fight.

    It wasn¡¯t any better that she tried to put it off. She knew she wasn¡¯t the best fighter, and she feared being forced to go out. She would have to, if Kuro kept attacking, just to attempt to seem suited for her position, but she worried about dying¡ªabout putting Rei in her position, especially as things stand now.

    Oddly enough, her prayers seemed to be answered a few weeks after Kuro¡¯s second attack. The news of guests came while she was in the office, trying to handle some of her other work¡ªSorai and Rei were with her. Since the guests were strangers but wanted to speak with her, she opted to greet them at the palace entrance; Sorai and Rei followed her without much comment.

    The guests were, based on their appearance, from S¨®lstaeur; a man close to Kyoumi and Sorai¡¯s age, a boy within a year of twins¡¯ age, and a girl a few years younger.

    The man spoke first. The conversation required the two nation¡¯s shared language. ¡°The queen and her family, I take it?¡±

    Kyoumi nodded. ¡°You are speaking with the queen, king, and eldest prince.¡±

    The two children bowed, although the man just nodded his own greeting.

    ¡°Andreas Roken,¡± the man replied. He gestured to each child when he said their names. ¡°I¡¯ve come with Kasper and Emelie, my two kids.¡± He offered an apologetic look, then kindly said, ¡°I heard about the younger prince while traveling here. I understand that it may sound empty, but I apologize for the circumstances; it must be difficult.¡±

    ¡°To say it wasn¡¯t would be a lie,¡± Kyoumi replied quietly. She took a breath to steady herself, and tried to present a more elegant air. ¡°Roken is the name of S¨®lstaeur¡¯s leading family, correct? Considering Gin¡¯s current position, I¡¯d imagine it wouldn¡¯t be out of place to congratulate your earlier success in removing Kuro; I¡¯ll admit, it does make me a bit jealous. We¡¯ve found ourselves struggling with our sister-kingdom recently.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the reason why I came to the palace,¡± Roken said. ¡°Forgive my forward approach¡ªS¨®lstaeur politics isn¡¯t a place for subtlety and gentle prodding¡ªbut I would like to speak with you about the situation you find yourselves in with Kuro. Simply put, I may have the resources to help bring in something closer to a victory.¡±

    ¡°We can discuss this a bit further inside the palace, then,¡± Kyoumi decided after a quick glance towards Sorai. ¡°Leave your weapons here, if you have them. Rei can show your children around the garden in the meantime.¡±

    Rei didn¡¯t look completely willing¡ªlikely a matter of being excluded from the conversation¡ªbut did nod once the other family confirmed that the guards nearby had their weapons. He simply gestured for the younger two visitors to follow him, while Sorai did the same towards the man.

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    Sorai led, with Roken more-or-less in between him and Kyoumi. They went to the dining hall¡ªthe best suited place for a meeting, excluding the office¡ªand offered Roken to sit across from them.

    Kyoumi thought it best if she gave the prompting question. ¡°Could you explain your earlier suggestion?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Roken said, nodding. ¡°Call it whatever you want¡ªI¡¯m willing to admit, all I¡¯m doing here is interfering with a feud as old as the world, but I believe S¨®lstaeur can help. We¡¯re free of Kuro¡¯s occupation, and thanks to that little bit of fighting, I¡¯ve been told ever since that the men want to go back onto a battlefield.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t deny help if you¡¯re sure of it,¡± Kyoumi began, ¡°But like you said¡ªS¨®lstaeur has been freed from Kuro. Do you have any reason aside from wanting to fight?¡±

    He hesitated for a moment¡ªthe same way she did when anyone mentioned Taiyo¡¯s undetermined state, she realized. ¡°My wife lived at Kuro¡¯s capital,¡± Roken replied firmly. ¡°Through a portion of her family, I hear of Kuro¡¯s state. The black kingdom is no more suited for war¡ªthey have better fighters and strong commanders, but in the end they¡¯re only fighters and commanders. It won¡¯t take a lot of convincing for me to arrange for soldiers to come here; they¡¯d rather fight against Kuro than with it.¡±

    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t bother you to fight your wife¡¯s homeland?¡± Sorai asked.

    Roken shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ve never thought fairly highly of Kuro¡¯s royalty¡ªit helps when they didn¡¯t acknowledge her death at all. One would imagine they would send empty sympathies, at least, for a fairly important noblewoman that died somewhere on their waters; I suppose it just emphasizes their current way of things. She wasn¡¯t strong, so as far as they were concerned, she didn¡¯t exist. Again¡ªif S¨®lstaeur¡¯s assistance somehow forces them to realize that such reasoning is harmful, I would be satisfied.¡±

    ¡°Could you consider staying here for another few days?¡± Kyoumi requested. Roken gave a confused look, so she elaborated. ¡°The Hiroki family is mostly in charge of the military; it would be quickest if I sent word and received confirmation that it would be feasible before you returned to S¨®lstaeur.¡±

    ¡°I understand,¡± Roken replied, nodding. ¡°Fortunately, my kids shouldn¡¯t mind staying a little longer.¡±

    ¡°We can pay for your stay at an inn while you wait,¡± Kyoumi offered. ¡°I¡¯d offer a room in the palace itself, but¡­suffice to say, recent events make me hesitant to do so.¡±

    Roken smiled with a tiny bit of humor. ¡°Honestly, I almost expected to be told to head back home without speaking with you. I appreciate the hospitality, if nothing else.¡±

    He stood up, and offered another nod. ¡°I¡¯ll see to that now. Thank you for taking the time to speak with me.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for offering to help,¡± Sorai replied with his own little smile. ¡°I know our reputation isn¡¯t exactly the best.¡±

    ¡°My standards are based on what I¡¯ve seen in Kuro¡¯s family,¡± Roken said firmly. ¡°Hearing that you¡¯re trying to locate a lost son convinces me you care a bit more than they would. And regardless, we¡¯ll speak in another few days.¡±

    With that, he left. Sorai and Kyoumi both stood as well.

    ¡°I¡¯ll handle the letter to Hiroki,¡± Sorai said. ¡°You could tell Rei?¡±

    Kyoumi nodded. She didn¡¯t want to say it out loud, but¡­the offered help was refreshing. She would receive some negative opinions towards it¡ªshe always will, no matter what she did¡ªbut at least she could avoid the accusations of being apathetic. She would still have to fight; she just dared to hope that it won¡¯t be for very long.

    It wasn¡¯t a pleasant thought, but perhaps war campaigns will be what brought Taiyo back to them.

 Chapter 67: Can I Go With You?

    Entertaining the younger Rokens wasn¡¯t hard; at the very least, they didn¡¯t give any complaints, so Rei assumed they were satisfied. Their father came out to bring them somewhere else for the time being, and Kyoumi went on to fill Rei in a few minutes later.

    The Hiroki family didn¡¯t mind the idea, so the Roken trio returned home to confirm with S¨®lstaeur¡¯s people. If the other chiefs agreed¡ªRoken Andreas said they would¡ªthen they¡¯d all meet up at Hiroki territory. Regardless of the outcome, Kyoumi was asked to come go to the border to prepare for any attacks.

    Rei knew what to expect a month after the Roken family left the capital; it helped that it was one of the few times where they ate together in the dining hall. He guessed this was his parents¡¯ attempts to make it feel ¡®normal.¡¯ He just felt more aware of the missing person instead.

    Just as he predicted, Kyoumi spoke up once all three of them were about done. She looked at Rei when she spoke. ¡°Your father and I will both be going to Hiroki territory in the next few days.¡±

    ¡°Both of you?¡± Rei asked. ¡°I knew you would have to, but I thought Father would stay here to help with work.¡±

    ¡°I need to keep your mother out of trouble,¡± Sorai explained. It sounded both genuine and joking.

    Rei sighed; on to confirming what he already knew. ¡°So I¡¯m going to be stuck here, then?¡±

    ¡°You can pick if you want to be here with the Tsujihara family, or with Tezo and his kids,¡± Sorai offered.

    ¡°So it¡¯s the distant family I don¡¯t know, or the closer family that drives me insane?¡± Rei frowned, knowing this was how it would go, but he still wanted to protest. ¡°How could I convince you to let me go with you?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s better for you to stay here,¡± Kyoumi replied firmly. ¡°Or at least, somewhere that shouldn¡¯t see much fighting. I don¡¯t want to see you out there alongside us.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have to fight,¡± Rei maintained, growing impatient. ¡°I just don¡¯t want to stay here all day, knowingthat everyone else is doing something productive. There are other things I can do out there than fight.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re staying here or going to Tezo,¡± Sorai maintained. Kyoumi fell silent as he continued. ¡°Things might be different if Taiyo were with us; you¡¯d have someone you know close by, at least. As it stands now, you¡¯re the only heir to the main royal line. On an official level, Gin¡¯s annoyed enough at Kyoumi¡¯s deeds that not trying to prevent your death might prompt them to look towards the Tsujihara family, and that¡¯s if they don¡¯t try to recreate the First Queen¡¯s War.¡± He softened up a little, although it didn¡¯t make Rei calm down any. ¡°On a personal level, neither of us want to outlive our son.¡±

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    Rei looked away. Quietly, he asked, ¡°So you¡¯d go out, fight, and possibly die just so I didn¡¯t?¡± He took a second¡¯s pause, then turned back towards them and continued a little louder. ¡°That¡¯s half of my point, you know. If you two die, then I¡¯m as good as dead. And would I be wrong to guess that I wouldn¡¯t even hear about it until the campaign is over? You wouldn¡¯t be keeping me safe, just keeping me from fighting.¡±

    Both of his parents went silent. That moment, without any sound at all, managed to calm him down a bit. He knew they were trying their best, but that didn¡¯t mean he wanted to go along with their intentions.

    ¡°Just¡­think about it, please,¡± Rei murmured, looking away again. ¡°None of us want anyone to die, but¡­I think I¡¯d be better with it if I was with you. If you two leave, I don¡¯t expect to be told anything¡ªand, chances are, history will just repeat. You¡¯re doing what you can to keep everyone safe; I know that much. And I wouldn¡¯t be asking this either if Taiyo was here, but he¡¯s not and at this point, he might never be here again. If you two die, I want the conclusion that would come from it¡ªnot this damn mix of guilt and hope that¡¯s been around for almost a year in Taiyo¡¯s place. I want to be there so I know what to expect¡ªI¡¯m all right with not fighting, at least in the beginning.¡±

    He glanced at his parents; they were still quiet.

    It was Kyoumi who spoke first, after taking a short breath. ¡°If you don¡¯t fight,¡± she reasoned, ¡°You can go.¡±

    ¡°Kyoumi,¡± Sorai replied quietly, frowning. ¡°He can stay out of harm¡¯s way and still stay informed.¡±

    ¡°He wouldn¡¯t if he¡¯s with Tezo,¡± Kyoumi pointed out, looking at him. ¡°I could ask whoever comes if they could let him see the battle reports if he stays here, but the Fujita family doesn¡¯t have that authority. Even then, depending on how far the northern forces are willing to go, it¡¯s possible we could even reach Kuro¡¯s capital¡ªat that point, it wouldn¡¯t be practical to send reports of every battle.¡±

    Sorai looked about ready to continue, but Kyoumi¡¯s next words were close to a whisper. Rei could only barely hear the exchange. ¡°Rei¡¯s feelings aren¡¯t too far from what mine were, Sorai. You know that.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a matter of safety,¡± Sorai argued lightly. ¡°He¡¯s still in danger as long as he¡¯s there; you wouldn¡¯t be going if I could help it.¡±

    ¡°But you can¡¯t. I, at least, would prefer not to have a second Kyoumi in this family; one¡¯s hard enough as it is.¡±

    Sorai frowned, then sighed after a short pause. He looked towards Rei, actually addressing him this time. ¡°We¡¯ll try to leave by the end of the week. You have to stay away from the fighting, and I will send you back home if it ever looks like you¡¯re in serious danger.¡±

    Rei knew that would be the closest he could get; he was able to offer a little smile. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll try to stay safe.¡±

 Chapter 68: Allies

    The Tsujihara family came before Rei¡¯s family left; he assumed they were given word a bit earlier than he was. In a sense, taking over some aspects of ruling work was most of the reason why the other family was still given mention; they had the same ¡®training,¡¯ if one wanted to call it that, to help them with sorting through documents and solving matters. They were weak militarily, having taken the Masaaki family¡¯s place in the east, but they could handle most things on their own.

    They dropped by the Fujita family to see if anyone there would want to fight¡ªRei and Taiyo were the oldest boys, and the girls were either miko or wanted to avoid it like their grandfather. Ninsei and Tezo both declined, although Rei knew his parents weren¡¯t exactly expecting them to come. While they were there, Sorai also confirmed that Kyoumi and Rei could come back and stay if needed¡ªhe apparently planned to stay at Hiroki¡¯s regardless, but it sounded like Kyoumi was on the same ¡®if you¡¯re in danger, go home¡¯ policy as Rei.

    They reached Hiroki territory about the same time S¨®lstaeur¡¯s aid reached the shore. Some word of the assistance was shared; Rei didn¡¯t know how much the people knew, but it was enough for the S¨®lstaeuric forces to get through Gin without major problems. When about ten groups of one or two hundred S¨®lstaeuric people came by¡ªoutnumbering the defense forces at Hiroki¡ªeach side was acquainted with the other¡¯s leaders; Roken Andreas would lead the S¨®lstaeuric soldiers, but for the most part follow strategy made by Hiroki¡¯s head and Kyoumi.

    Rei, much to his annoyance, wasn¡¯t really allowed to discuss strategies; he knew he couldn¡¯t provide especially helpful input, but he wanted to know what was going on as it happened. All he was sure of for now was that they were going to give Kuro a chance to pull back after revealing the added forces.

    Eventually, he decided he could spend that time training instead. Even if his parents didn¡¯t want him to fight, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to practice.

    The only other person there was Roken¡¯s son. Rei nodded a small greeting when he saw him, which was returned.

    ¡°Roken¡­Kasper, right?¡± Rei asked. His knowledge of the modern language wasn¡¯t bad, but he also wasn¡¯t completely fluent. Most people in western Gin spoke the native tongue at home, and the modern language out in public; even the royal family followed that.

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    He nodded, fortunately not seeming to have any problem with it. ¡°Roken-Masaaki, if you want to be specific.¡±

    Rei entertained some conversation while walking over to get a sword. ¡°Your mother must be from Kuro, then?¡±

    ¡°She was. Could you just call me Kasper?¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s better for you, yeah.¡± With a sword chosen, he glanced at the Roken boy. ¡°Gin-Fujita is probably as close as you should get for me, though. Kyoumi would be Gin-Kaiba, and Sorai¡¯s just Fujita. First-name basis isn¡¯t exactly common when it comes to royalty.¡±

    ¡°I got it,¡± Kasper replied. He spoke up after another moment. ¡°Didn¡¯t I hear you weren¡¯t supposed to fight?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± Rei agreed. He made sure the position of the sword felt¡­right, even if he knew the grip was still weak. ¡°But I have nothing else to do, so I might as well train. I faintly recall Roken¡ªyour father, I mean¡ªsaying you wouldn¡¯t be fighting, either.¡±

    Kasper gave something close to an indifferent shrug. ¡°I¡¯m just here so my grandfather doesn¡¯t make my life hard at meetings,¡± he said. ¡°My father¡¯s a little overprotective, though, so I won¡¯t be on the battlefield. Like you, I guess I¡¯m just bored.¡±

    They fell silent for a few minutes. Rei practiced some basic moves first; if he was lucky, there¡¯d be one or two soldiers who could actually help him.

    He found his thoughts getting less pleasant, so he spoke up again while still practicing. ¡°You have a sister, right? Emelie?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Kasper replied. He paused his own training, likely not expecting the conversation. ¡°She¡¯s still in S¨®lstaeur. She can¡¯t¡ªnor wants to¡ªfight, and women aren¡¯t technically apart of the meetings so she doesn¡¯t have the same grandfather problem I do.¡±

    Another moment of silence, then Rei lowered his sword and looked at Kasper. ¡°Most people would ask me about my brother in response.¡±

    Kasper turned away a bit, frowning. ¡°I¡¯m trying not to bother you. It seems like a sensitive topic; I heard he disappeared last summer, and that¡¯s all I know and all I¡¯ll ask. It¡¯s not my place to pry.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s more considerate than some of my friends,¡± Rei admitted.

    The Roken boy looked back, then fully turned around after another moment. ¡°It helps that my father¡¯s been through something similar. I grew up knowing how to avoid asking dumb questions.¡±

    Rei tried to put in a word, but Kasper frowned and stopped him. ¡°You don¡¯t need to apologize,¡± he said, firm but not unkind. ¡°I can¡¯t remember anyone close to me dying¡ªI haven¡¯t felt it myself, just seen the aftermath. You don¡¯t have to worry about bothering me, and I¡¯ll do my best not to bother your family.¡±

    Rei didn¡¯t know if he¡¯d be cut off again, so he simply nodded. They both went back to practicing and training, picking up a few random conversation topics when Rei became curious. Kasper didn¡¯t seem to hatehim, anyway.

 Chapter 69: Somehow, Remorse Still Exists

    Sukaru knew it must be some unholy hour, given there were no birds¡ªthey were something of a natural alarm every spring and summer, but they rose with the sun. Whatever the time was, however, she never seemed to be given a full night¡¯s sleep.

    Especially with him on the throne. As soon as the knocking started, she knew who it belonged to. Gods, he couldn¡¯t have been more annoying. Shunji had a way with making her more frustrated than every other ruler before him; Yoshiyo, the man who wanted to fight S¨®lstaeur in the first place, was more tame the ruler that lostS¨®lstaeur. She had yet to decide if they grew more disrespectful as time went on, or if they all treated her the same.

    ¡°Yanami Sukaru, that thing killed one of the soldiers again.¡±

    She didn¡¯t move much from her bed, responding calmly, ¡°I¡¯m not the one who insisted the boy stayed.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s going in here with you until we send it out with the next batch of troops.¡±

    ¡°Fine.¡± Sighing, Sukaru sat up. Shunji only barely opened the door and shoved the boy¡ªshe¡¯s been calling him Kioshi, since he never said his real name¡ªinto the room.

    He must have some portion of S¨®lstaeuric blood in him¡ªhis hair was lighter than anyone she¡¯s known from Kuro, at least, and she never actually saw someone with blue eyes in Kuro before Shunji found him. He only looked to be sixteen, although the longer he spent at Kuro¡¯s palace, the more he looked the part of a monster.

    Kioshi always seemed¡­calmer, when he was with Sukaru. She guessed that a boy from Gin must find the concept of kitsune fascinating¡ªalthough the nation had tengu, they stayed away from human eyes. Regardless, that meant Sukaru was tasked with watching him after Shunji remembered how dangerous the boy could be.

    Sukaru watched the boy carefully, although he just huddled into one corner of the room. He looked more like a child than someone that¡¯s already killed a few dozen people within the palace walls.

    She tried to talk to Kioshi while she stood up to put on something more respectable. All she really did was put her normal uniform on top of the simple dress she wore to bed.

    ¡°How many did you kill last night?¡± Sukaru asked the boy.

    ¡°¡­Only one¡­¡±

    ¡°Good. You¡¯re getting better.¡±

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    ¡°No¡­ I¡¯m just¡­¡±

    He let out a frustrated noise, and when Sukaru looked back again he was scratching his arms with more force than needed. She walked over to him and took his hands, frowning; he tried to scratch at her, too, but she was getting better at preventing him from doing anything harmful.

    ¡°We need you as alive and well as possible,¡± Sukaru said firmly. ¡°You¡¯re leaving for your first battle today. Out there, you can kill all the silver soldiers you want. Make good use of that bloodlust of yours.¡±

    Kioshi didn¡¯t respond. Seeing that he calmed down some, she let go of his hands; he immediately tried to go further back into the wall, hiding his hands behind him.

    Sights like that convinced Sukaru that she must have some remorse left in her, considering her empathy for the child. Nothing more than a tool in the end.

    She backed away, and for now sat on her bed; it was still too early for breakfast, although the sun was rising. ¡°There is a way you could avoid fighting,¡± Sukaru pointed out gently. ¡°I don¡¯t want to use a boy as a weapon against Gin, especially when he looks as trapped as you.¡±

    ¡°I-I¡­¡± Kioshi tried to say, but stopping short with a wince. Quietly, then, he shook his head.

    She had tried to convince him to leave a few times¡ªhe¡¯s been here for almost a year, after all. Miya taught her that she had a soft spot for the kids who were trapped here; Sukaru wished she had that luxury, but a half-shifted kitsune wasn¡¯t a common sight anymore. She¡¯d be back here in an instant if she still wanted to live in normal society, and she was too used to civilization to live with her father¡¯s kin.

    Sukaru sighed, knowing no way to influence the boy¡¯s choices and not willing to give him suggestions out loud. She stood up again, walking towards the door. ¡°Get dressed in something cleaner. I¡¯ll see if Shunji will let you look respectable.¡±

    Kioshi nodded and she left the room, never having any trouble with him staying inside of it. Sukaru did her usual morning routine¡ªincluding the newer parts, like making sure Kioshi was fed so he would live to kill for them¡ªas well as ask Shunji if the boy could look halfway decent for once.

    When Sukaru returned to her room, Kioshi was back in his corner in a less bloody outfit¡ªthe uniform of Kuro soldiers, excluding the armor. She gave him a plate from the soldier¡¯s meal and sat down on her bed.

    ¡°Kill lots of people if you want to come back here,¡± Sukaru said, bringing back her earlier indifference. ¡°We know that the queen of Gin is among them, as well as some number of northern soldiers¡ªkill the former, and Shunji might just let you free. I¡¯ll be moving to one of the other cities if Gin happens to think they can carry on fighting here.¡±

    Kioshi slightly nodded, but looked up at her for a moment. ¡°You won¡¯t go out there?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a strategist, and Kuro¡¯s favorite novelty,¡± Sukaru replied simply. ¡°I don¡¯t fight¡ªI tell others how theyshould fight.¡±

    The boy didn¡¯t seem pleased, but at least he ate. He looked normal when he was like that. Sukaru recalled something she was told by the first Masaaki to live in Kuro:

    ¡°They all said Tsujihara Seiko is normal, but she isn¡¯t¡ªshe¡­<u>wasn¡¯t</u>. She¡¯s killed Gin soldiers, I¡¯m sure of it; she wasn¡¯t above hurting <u>herself</u>, either. On some days when she fought, it felt like she¡¯d end the war, right then and there¡ªand the entirety of Gin while she was at it.¡±

    She couldn¡¯t help but wonder if this strange boy was the same.

 Chapter 70: Hesitance and Hope

    Kuro was given a vague warning when S¨®lstaeuric forces came to Hiroki¡ªKyoumi knew it wouldn¡¯t stop them, but the request came from Roken. Of course, the foreign leader didn¡¯t seem optimistic either, but she understood it; he said his wife was from Kuro, so there were personal reasons behind the letter.

    Until they got word of Kuro¡¯s movement, they planned. Usually, at least her, Sorai, the Hiroki head, and Roken were there¡ªon some days, another Hiroki or a S¨®lstaeuric chief might join as well. For the moment, however, it was just the four of them gathered around in the makeshift war room.

    ¡°We have mostly everything thought out,¡± Hiroki decided. ¡°We know our general course of action and a few backup plans.¡±

    ¡°Kuro should¡¯ve gotten the message by now,¡± Sorai said. ¡°We¡¯ll have their answer soon enough¡ªit wouldn¡¯t hurt to keep the soldiers ready.¡±

    ¡°I can go ahead with that,¡± Hiroki replied, standing up. He nodded towards Kyoumi. ¡°Might want to make sure you can take a few hits, Queen¡ªif you¡¯ve even picked up a sword in your entire live. You¡¯ll need it.¡±

    Kyoumi sighed and stood after he left. ¡°At least I have some assurance that these men thought of Utaka the same way,¡± she murmured.

    ¡°To be fair,¡± Sorai pointed out gently, ¡°You haven¡¯t had any kind of weapon on or near you since last summer. It does make you look like an easy target.¡±

    Roken stood and looked at both of them. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t hurt to visit the training area. I have silly little questions for you, so we could try out hand at it together.¡±

    Kyoumi nodded, and Sorai¡ªthe only one able to easily navigate the Hiroki house, oddly enough¡ªled them outside. The training area was large enough for several smaller groups to train without interfering with anyone else; like the one back at the palace, the outer edges were marked with trees. The sakura petals were getting paler as they fell, with summer getting closer.

    She opted to let Sorai and Roken practice first, and tried to entertain conversation to make the sight a little more bearable. Roken helped her in that endeavor, asking after the little cultural things that seemed to have piqued his interest; he explained it by saying his wife was always more interested in S¨®lstaeur¡¯s customs to fully explain her own.

    After roughly half an hour, the men opted to pause. Sorai turned towards Kyoumi, offering the sword.

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    ¡°Your turn, Kyoumi,¡± he said kindly.

    She hesitated to take the sword¡ªshe recognized the faint desire to test how sharp the blades were on her own skin, and it scared her¡ªbut Sorai didn¡¯t want to take that as an answer.

    ¡°Five minutes,¡± Sorai tried to reason, frowning when she remained in her position near the edge. ¡°You don¡¯t even have to actually hit me, just try to defend. If anyone needs the practice, it¡¯s you.¡±

    ¡°Dark thoughts don¡¯t bode well with training sessions,¡± Kyoumi murmured quietly.

    Sorai sighed. ¡°Well, now I¡¯ve remembered where Taiyo gets it from. Your reputation¡¯s not getting any better¡ªespecially since you have a witness.¡±

    Roken himself, fortunately, was remaining silent. When she glanced at him, a kind of realization came on his face.

    ¡°This will possibly sound rude,¡± Roken began, his expression softening a bit, ¡°But your parents were murdered, weren¡¯t they? Around the same time Nari died.¡±

    She frowned. ¡°Please don¡¯t give me that much pity. Yes, my parents were killed¡ªbut in general, I¡¯m¡­hesitant to put myself in a situation that might lead to certain thoughts. Let¡¯s leave it at that.¡±

    Roken nodded, and put on a more neutral expression; he sat his sword near one of the trees and waited for the other two to take his place.

    Sorai sighed yet again, coming close enough to put the sword in her hand. ¡°Five minutes,¡± he insisted kindly. Quieter, he added, ¡°What will end up killing you wouldn¡¯t be your own blade¡ªit will be one of Kuro¡¯s, if you keep this up. Do it for the boys.¡±

    Kyoumi paused for another moment, then nodded. ¡°For the boys,¡± she agreed. She accepted the sword now, adjusting her grip for a moment; Sorai, for now, claimed the sword that Roken had used earlier.

    ¡­

    Kuro sent a group out to the Hiroki fort a few days later. Kyoumi was supposed to stay somewhere in the middle¡ªnot as dangerous as the front line, but she would see more action than in the back¡ªbut ultimately she barely fought at all. This extended to Sorai, who stayed near her; Roken essentially took Kyoumi¡¯s place as a strong opponent.

    Staying out of danger both reassured and worried her¡ªa few soldiers came back to her position every now and then to relay news from further down the bridge. Word came of one soldier whose features were more obscured than the rest; that person caused the most casualties, reportedly killing a few Kuro soldiers as well.

    Near the end of the battle, she could¡¯ve sworn she saw that person; they approached, seemed to notice her and Sorai, then ran back towards the front line. The Kuro soldiers started retreating after that, leaving the Gin and S¨®lstaeuric forces confused.

    Kyoumi requested the full report before it was sent back to Gin no Shuto for the Tsujihara family. Over a battle that lasted three hours, Gin lost about a hundred soldiers, and both S¨®lstaeur and Kuro lost a few dozen; Kuro lost their general, which explained their retreat¡ªalthough they weren¡¯t sure which side did the deed considering the odd soldier. It wasn¡¯t their best, but it was far from their worst.

    She hoped they could keep it up. Calling it a success, their next step would go on a definite offensive for the first time in centuries.

 Chapter 71: Shared History

    Their next move would be to actually travel across the bridge; then, they¡¯d go down along the river and try to take out the Kuro forts on their way south. Should things go wrong, they¡¯d make a retreat back to the Hiroki fort and go back on the defensive. Rei did what he could do to avoid that, even if it wasn¡¯t much.

    They moved in groups¡ªthe S¨®lstaeuric soldiers opted to stay outside, leaving Gin¡¯s soldiers and all of the non-combat people to stay near the middle. It helped that S¨®lstaeur¡¯s forces roughly doubled Gin¡¯s, considering their previous losses and the soldiers that remained on the other side of the bridge.

    Rei would¡¯ve tried to sightsee to keep his mind off of things, but there wasn¡¯t much to look at; the border-river on one side, patches of trees on the other, walking down a somewhat-muddy road. He knew that his friends who had decided to fight were kept in the fort; Sorai tried again to give Rei the choice of staying behind, to no avail.

    There were six forts along the river¡ªif everything went well, it wouldn¡¯t take much more than two weeks to walk through them. When most of the groups moved further ahead to start attacking the first fort, Rei stayed behind as per his parents¡¯ requests. That left him to worry about things.

    Kasper didn¡¯t seem to stray very far; he was the one who tried to entertain conversation, scribbling on a piece of scrap paper Andreas had offered before he left.

    ¡°When do you want the campaign to be over?¡± Kasper asked, only looking up from his drawing for a second.

    ¡°July,¡± Rei replied simply, turning towards him. ¡°Then Kyoumi won¡¯t be stuck fighting on the day Taiyo left.¡± He paused for a moment, then continued. ¡°You?¡±

    ¡°May, for a similar reason,¡± Kasper said simply. He frowned at his work, sighed, then carried on with a dissatisfied look. ¡°Although considering it¡¯s April now, that¡¯s more of a distant hope. This could very well be the first year my father didn¡¯t do anything for my mother¡¯s birthday.¡±

    Rei stopped what he had been doing earlier¡ªreading a copy of Kinjo Asahi¡¯s records of the first queen, mostly out of curiosity and since he brought it with him¡ªand focused on the conversation. The Roken boy didn¡¯t look to give quite the same attention, but his responses sounded interested enough.

    ¡°Is your father the sentimental type?¡± Rei asked curiously.

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    ¡°Not¡­necessarily,¡± Kasper replied evenly. ¡°For him, it¡¯s just how he honors her memory¡ªthe Roken family didn¡¯t get her body, so maintaining the traditions he kept while including us kids is his way of keeping her alive. The whole reason we came to Gin at all was so me and Emelie could see why she left; ¡®just a short trip to see Toru,¡¯ apparently.¡±

    Rei sighed. ¡°It¡¯s scenarios like those that make my family half as strange as it is. My mother doesn¡¯t like to make promises, since they have a dangerous tendency to be broken.¡±

    Kasper held out his drawing for a moment, scowled, and put it next to him. ¡°I don¡¯t blame her,¡± he said. ¡°Gin¡¯s family history seems¡­complicated. Keep in mind my uncle leads the Masaaki household, but the legends and stories aren¡¯t quite flattering.¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t have the best record,¡± Rei agreed. ¡°Plenty of rulers are theorized to have killed themselves, and there¡¯s a history of migraines, ill thoughts, and some¡­questionable accounts about sanity.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m surprised you¡¯re allowed to say it so casually,¡± Kasper noted, looking at Rei.

    ¡°It¡¯s public knowledge,¡± Rei replied simply. ¡°As far as I¡¯m aware, we¡¯re not trying to hide it¡ªit just doesn¡¯t always come up in general conversation.¡± He glanced at the book he brought with him, then back at Kasper. ¡°Actually, if you¡¯re curious, I brought some books with me¡ªcopies of the late ruler¡¯s memoirs. Anything ¡®sensitive¡¯¡ªas in, anything that could harm Gin, like a description of a fort¡¯s layout or other secrets¡ªhas mostly been edited out. I have things written by First Queen Tsujihara Seiko¡¯s husband, if you¡¯re interested.¡±

    ¡°I do hear quite a bit of horror stories about Gin¡¯s first queen,¡± Kasper mused with some interest. ¡°Masaaki Sonoru¡ªthe first Masaaki to live in Kuro¡ªwrote down some of his experiences with Tsujihara, passed down similarly to the ruler¡¯s books. It would be interesting to see the differences.¡± He seemed to consider it for another moment, then frowned. ¡°It¡¯s¡­probably in Gin and Kuro¡¯s traditional language though, huh?¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t read?¡± Rei guessed.

    Kasper shook his head. ¡°Not the traditional language and barely the modern one; S¨®lstaeur¡¯s trying to forget Kuro was ever there, which makes it a pain for people to get resources in different languages.¡±

    ¡°I know there are some copies in the shared language,¡± Rei said. ¡°From there, I¡¯m sure someone could translate it into S¨®lstaeur¡¯s native tongue. It wouldn¡¯t be ¡®official,¡¯ but it¡¯d be readable.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll just have to make due with swapping stories,¡± Kasper decided. ¡°Now that I¡¯m thinking on it, I want to fact-check a few things that my uncle told me about the first queen. Mind entertaining conversation?¡±

    ¡°Not at all,¡± Rei replied.

    The two continued chatting, talking for most of the time the others were battling. With enough daylight left, they continued traveling for a few hours once the battle ended. Fortunately, there weren¡¯t a lot of casualties¡ªonce again, it seemed Kuro retreated after their general had been killed. Thanks to S¨®lstaeur¡¯s help, Gin didn¡¯t lose as much soldiers; then again, they were running out of soldiers to lose in the first place.

    It wouldn¡¯t be very long until they were at the next fort.

 Chapter 72: Let The Monster Loose!

    Sukaru hadn¡¯t expected Gin and S¨®lstaeur to move through the river forts so quickly; the next was given aid by the survivors of the last, and they still should have outnumbered them. She didn¡¯t want to be the one to give Shunji the reports, but she wasn¡¯t really given a choice.

    Shunji, as per usual, looked bored¡ªhe always complained about having nothing to do, when in truth he was just giving all of his work to other people like every king before him. He only slightly gave her any attention when she came in, glancing at her from the throne.

    ¡°Yanami Sukaru,¡± he said. ¡°Any news?¡±

    ¡°Gin took the third fort a few days ago,¡± Sukaru replied. ¡°They¡¯ve taken more ground in one week than I originally thought.¡±

    ¡°How?¡± Shunji asked, looking up to glare at her. ¡°Has age dulled the tactics that you¡¯re supposed to be famous for? Is the army really so incapable that they would lose to Gin? They haven¡¯t been in Kuro for centuries before this little show!¡±

    ¡°Remember that, however short-lived, their late king did enter the kingdom,¡± Sukaru pointed out impatiently. ¡°They killed Nari¡¯s first husband.¡±

    ¡°My stepfather doesn¡¯t count,¡± Shunji replied firmly. ¡°He was weak if he died in battle to begin with¡ªthe Masaaki family was riding on their reputation of being Gin¡¯s traitors, and never had real strength. Him, Toru, her¡ªnone of them were powerful enough to stand alongside the rest of us.¡± He stood up, frowning, his voice growing colder. ¡°And I swear, you will be left to the forest with your fox-kin if you don¡¯t find a way to stop Gin¡¯s advance.¡±

    Sukaru was so used to threats¡ªboth from Shunji and other rulers before him¡ªthat she remained undeterred and unshaken. ¡°Gin doesn¡¯t have the numbers to do this on their own, and even with the northern nation they should be facing heavy losses,¡± she said simply. ¡°We haven¡¯t been able to take any prisoners¡ªmost aren¡¯t even sure if Gin¡¯s queen is with them anymore. She¡¯s staying hidden, if she is.¡±

    ¡°Speak plain, kitsune,¡± Shunji said, sitting back down again. ¡°How are they winning if they don¡¯t have the necessary power?¡±

    She still replied vaguely, knowing that the matter would annoy him. ¡°Kuro soldiers are trained to obey the orders of their generals, and don¡¯t function well without orders. Whether or not our attackers know that, those generals are dying, leading to the survivors of the first fort to move on to the second, the second fort¡¯s survivors going to the third, and so on. They don¡¯t know what to do after their leaders are killed.¡±

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    For once, he seemed to have a thought other than fighting. ¡°Aeko was in Yuneda¡¯s fort with Ryobe and Shigeri.¡± His look now was almost worry; Sukaru hadn¡¯t quite realized he was capable of mustering any emotion but anger and frustration. ¡°I know they fought, but did they live?¡±

    ¡°Lady Aeko fought and died,¡± Sukaru reported simply. With the sensitive part out of the way, she tried to give the paper report to Shunji. ¡°Prince Ryobe was killed as well, and Princess Shigeri was injured before the battle; she¡¯s coming back here as we speak, although I¡¯m not sure of her exact condition.¡±

    The only reply she got was a bitter curse, then silence. Yuneda Aeko was his favorite wife¡ªshe was physically powerful, and prone to spontaneous decisions that often made Sukaru¡¯s job harder. Her and Shunji were practically made for each other in that regard; Sukaru knew he favored his and Aeko¡¯s children a bit more than the others.

    Finally, Shunji stood again. ¡°Who killed them?¡± He asked Sukaru coldly, rejecting the report that would have answered his question. He continued on before she could answer. ¡°It was the damn north, wasn¡¯t it? They didn¡¯t have enough enjoyment making me the king that lost their nation¡ªthey decided to take them away from me, too! I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if it was because of her; that damn woman caused me too much trouble.¡±

    ¡°This has nothing to do with Masaaki Miya,¡± Sukaru tried to reason. ¡°Calm down before you make the same mistake Nari did. You can strike back, just let me explain and plan before you do. Unlike your mother, you don¡¯t have a chosen heir.¡±

    Shunji actually listened, and sighed. ¡°Fine,¡± he muttered. ¡°You have an idea on who hurt them?¡±

    ¡°People have seen your ¡®monster¡¯ fighting other Kuro soldiers,¡± Sukaru explained. She didn¡¯t quite understand why she continued to speak in the boy¡¯s defense. ¡°You thought his little manic spells would help us, but he¡¯s the reason we¡¯ve been losing. I never thought using a teenaged boy as a weapon would work; it¡¯s people like him that destroy nations, including ours.¡±

    ¡°What do you want to do with him?¡± Shunji asked.

    ¡°We could kill him,¡± Sukaru suggested, although she didn¡¯t like the thought, ¡°Or we can make it look like we held on to him as a prisoner¡ªhe would still be a weapon, but not one that directly fights alongside us.¡±

    ¡°Send the monster on to Gin and their allies, huh?¡± Shunji mused. After a moment, he nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s go with that¡ªand replace the valuable generals while you¡¯re at it. Maybe the monster will destroy our enemies before they get to the fourth fort.¡±

    Sukaru nodded, finally giving Shunji the report and leaving to carry out the orders. Just like that, their little captive was free; she almost envied Kioshi, for being able to leave this place. Maybe if he managed to defeat the attacking army, he could truly be free from Kuro¡¯s designs.

 Chapter 73: Found

    He didn¡¯t really find it surprising that the soldiers brought him into the fourth fort down the river and locked him in one of the rooms. Miss Yanami was the only one who seemed to believe he was anything but a monster¡ªanything but a murderer. He couldn¡¯t even see himself that nicely anymore.

    Since he left, the only passage of time he knew was that the leaves fell, then the year changed, and now the sakura petals were getting paler and about ready to cease. It must¡¯ve been late April now, if not early May.

    Miss Tsujihara¡¯s voice was louder than all the rest¡ªor maybe he could just recognize it better than the others, so it felt louder. When there wasn¡¯t anyone around, she was nice and kind like she had been when he was asleep; otherwise, she was just as frightening as the rest of them. The Kuro soldiers were pretty careful with how they trapped him¡ªthere weren¡¯t any weapons in the room, and it didn¡¯t sound like anyone was outside the door.

    He didn¡¯t know how much time passed since he was put in here; he just knew that it was probably the calmest he¡¯s been since he left Kuro no Shuto. Miss Yanami had kept him somewhat reasonable because the voices didn¡¯t think she was a threat; she was the only one who treated him fairly, actually made sure he ate and didn¡¯t hurt himself, even after killing one of the younger heirs near the beginning of his time there.

    To everyone else, the voices told him, you are a monster, a weapon designed for war. Perhaps you are¡ªperhaps you are not. But don¡¯t forget, little Taiyo: you will be the end of this.

    Miss Tsujihara¡¯s voice added something in particular. I told you once before, and it¡¯s worth repeating¡ªthe history of both Gin and Kuro will end with you.

    He frowned, thinking back on what he¡¯s done. ¡°What if¡­I don¡¯t want to..?¡±

    Questioning it was a mistake¡ªall of the voices grew louder, all to remind him of something he already knew.

    You don¡¯t have a choice.

    He winced. ¡°R-right, I get it¡­¡±

    That satisfied a good portion of them, thus quieting them as well. They still murmured about nothing in particular¡ªsome about family, some about death, some about themselves¡ªand only a few of them were completely quiet, but it was enough for Taiyo to be comfortable.

    It must¡¯ve been a few days since he¡¯s been there¡ªthe room didn¡¯t have a window, and he couldn¡¯t imagine they were shoving food in more than once a day. Somewhere outside the room, there were actually people talking.

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    ¡°Gin¡¯s coming closer. Should we let it out now?¡±

    ¡°Lady Yanami said to wait until we¡¯ve been cleared out. Just make sure it can¡¯t get out until then.¡±

    There was some rustling around the door¡ªmaybe those soldiers readjusting whatever was outside?¡ªthen silence again. Taiyo was left to worry about what they meant until there were more voices and clashing swords.

    The voices in his head only got louder. There¡¯s fighting. Go see! Join them! Even Miss Tsujihara agreed, which was always the driving force when he listened to them.

    He tried to open the door¡ªno luck. Same thing when he tried to just¡­brute force it. The sounds of fighting got closer, clouding his judgement and drowning out his own thoughts. He couldn¡¯t tell how long the battle lasted, just that he spent a majority of it trying to get out.

    When the fighting died down, Taiyo stopped. He stopped trying to open the door¡ªstopped listening to the voices so blindly¡ªand huddled near the corner of the room. He didn¡¯t know who won; he was the one that forced Kuro¡¯s retreat these past few times. He figured it might work out better for him if he wasn¡¯t actively trying to break down the door.

    Then there was a familiar voice¡ªan actual, present, recognizable voice. They were talking in the modern language, but¡­it was definitely Kyoumi. He was back at the door in an instant.

    ¡°Check all the rooms and make sure no one¡¯s hiding. We¡¯ll pause here for a few days to see if Hiroki can spare some soldiers; worst case scenario, we backtrack so Roken can get more S¨®lstaeuric support.¡±

    There were a few murmurs of agreement, and it sounded like a few people started walking through the hallway. The voices couldn¡¯t distract him now¡ªKyoumi was here! If she was here, then Sorai probably was too; and if both of Taiyo¡¯s parents were there, he could easily guess that Rei would be as well.

    Your brother can help you avoid us, Miss Tsujihara said. Just as Asahi helped me.

    The other voices tried to drown her out¡ªthey didn¡¯t want him to avoid them¡ªbut they all quieted down significantly when Kyoumi spoke again right outside the door.

    ¡°This one¡¯s blocked. Roken, could you help me?¡±

    Taiyo started knocking on the door. He spoke in the traditional language, as the one he used to speak with Miss Yanami. ¡°Mother? I-I¡¯m in here!¡±

    ¡°¡­Taiyo?¡± At first, she just seemed confused¡ªthen, addressing someone else, she continued a bit were worried. ¡°I need to speak with whoever¡¯s in that room.¡±

    An unfamiliar voice replied to her. ¡°It¡¯s nothing heavy¡ªjust whatever will keep the door shut. Want me to leave when I¡¯ve moved it?¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s not too much trouble, could you get Sorai and Rei?¡±

    They was some murmur of agreement, and whatever blocking the door was moved.

    ¡°Thank you, Roken.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll get the other two.¡±

    There wasn¡¯t even a second after that before the door opened, and he saw the first familiar face in what must¡¯ve been months.

    ¡°Thank the gods,¡± Kyoumi murmured. She circled him for a moment, then smiled and held him. ¡°Finally, we¡¯ve found you.¡±

    ¡°Sorry,¡± Taiyo replied quietly, taken aback.

    Her words were kind enough that he almost wanted to believe them. ¡°You have nothing to apologize for, Taiyo.¡±

    His voices were quick to remind him: The only thing you did wrong¡­would be everything you did while you were away. They¡¯ll never see you in the same light if they know you¡¯re a murderer.

    An embrace can turn cold in an instant. Any hand can have a knife pointed at your back.

 Chapter 74: We Have To Stay Together

    Rei didn¡¯t expect to see Taiyo in one of Kuro¡¯s forts. It brought questions¡ªwhy he was there, why Kuro never announced it¡ªbut they opted to let Taiyo rest. Whatever happened these past few months, he didn¡¯t look like he¡¯d be able to answer anything, if he even knew.

    Once everyone had spoken their piece, Kyoumi and Sorai went back to handling post-battle things. Taiyo asked Rei to stay, so they sat around the room and just¡­talked. He couldn¡¯t tell if it was reassuring or strange.

    ¡°How did everyone back home take it?¡± Taiyo asked curiously. ¡°Me¡­not being there, I mean. Were Father¡¯s folks concerned? Our friends?¡±

    ¡°Ninsei and Tezo helped look,¡± Rei replied. He continued on a bit quieter. ¡°I¡­kind of avoided most friends, though. A lot of them tried to figure out why you¡¯d leave, what could¡¯ve happened to you; it got unpleasant quickly. I¡¯ve been¡­taking after Mother.¡±

    Taiyo frowned, recognizing what that meant, taking a second to observe his brother. ¡°Oh. You didn¡¯t¡­do anything because of me, I hope?¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°Father noticed pretty quickly. I didn¡¯t have a dagger with me until we left the capital.¡±

    ¡°Good. I¡¯d have felt bad if you got hurt because I left.¡± Taiyo paused for a second, then asked a little worriedly, ¡°Was anyone from the palace fighting recently?¡±

    ¡°Any friends that decided to fight are still at Hiroki¡¯s fort.¡± His brother let out a short, relieved sigh, and Rei continued. ¡°Thinking on it, we¡¯re among the youngest here. There are a few around our age, but not many.¡±

    ¡°Anyone interesting among them?¡± Taiyo asked curiously.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t talked to a lot of them,¡± Rei admitted. ¡°Socializing hasn¡¯t really been my priority; Roken Kasper¡¯s not bad, though. More respectful of the whole ¡®my twin brother went missing¡¯ thing than some of our friends. He¡¯s not that much older than us, I think; half a year at most.¡±

    ¡°I should probably try using the modern language, huh?¡± Taiyo guessed after a little thought. ¡°The northerners probably won¡¯t understand me like this.¡±

    ¡°We can practice until Mother and Father come back,¡± Rei offered.

    Taiyo nodded, and they continued on using the modern tongue. His brother¡¯s conversation skills were a bit stiff¡ªyou could tell he hadn¡¯t used it in a while, trying to pronounce things a bit differently¡ªbut Rei did what he could to help.

    Kyoumi and Sorai returned after about an hour; the former still looked as relieved as she did when she first saw Taiyo. They both came in, and Sorai spoke up first.

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    ¡°First things first, we¡¯ll be here for another few days to see if Hiroki can spare troops,¡± he explained. ¡°If not, we might be sending out a force to make sure the north can bring in reinforcements without needing to go through Gin.¡±

    ¡°So we¡¯ll be with you for the rest of the campaign?¡± Taiyo asked.

    There was a moment of hesitation; Rei sighed. ¡°You want us to go back home, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous for you two,¡± Sorai maintained firmly. ¡°And that¡¯s not mentioning that Taiyo was likely here before we came. Rei, you said that if Taiyo was there, you wouldn¡¯t have asked; now Taiyo¡¯s here, so you¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    ¡°It solves the ¡®talking to people¡¯ problem, yeah,¡± Rei tried to protest, ¡°But it won¡¯t help the ¡®if you two die, I won¡¯t hear of it¡¯ problem.¡±

    ¡°We have no intentions of dying here,¡± Kyoumi said, likely trying to calm him. She looked at Taiyo. ¡°You, at least, should return; it¡¯s likely that Kuro knows you¡¯re back with us, and regardless of why you were here, it would be safer if you were in the capital with people who can protect you. I don¡¯t want to separate you boys this soon, but¡ª¡±

    ¡°I need to be wherever Rei is,¡± Taiyo replied firmly, cutting her off. It caught Rei off guard, although Taiyo immediately spoke a bit quieter¡ªbut still firm¡ªas he continued. ¡°Kuro doesn¡¯t know I¡¯m one of Gin¡¯s princes¡ªthey just thought I was a random kid. They expect our forces to go down in number; if you send me home, there¡¯s a good chance that they will.¡±

    That successfully diverged the conversation, at least. ¡°Could you specify how?¡± Sorai asked cautiously.

    Taiyo shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m¡­not really sure if I could explain.¡± He paused for a moment, then spoke up again. ¡°I¡¯ve been in Kuro¡¯s palace, too¡ªit¡¯s layout isn¡¯t that much different from home. I know that they¡¯ve lost two¡ªmaybe three¡ªheirs, as well as one of Shunji¡¯s wives. I¡¯ve overheard a lot of conversations while I¡¯ve been here; I can actually help, if I stay.¡±

    ¡°Besides,¡± Rei murmured, glancing at Kyoumi, ¡°At first, the reasoning was that putting me in unnecessary danger might annoy the nobles and people of Gin. If we left now, it would just look like selfish maneuvering to ensure the line doesn¡¯t end.¡±

    Kyoumi sighed. ¡°I¡¯d like to ignore them, but¡­¡±

    Sorai looked at her, frowning. ¡°Could we damn public image for once? Their safety comes first.¡±

    ¡°I would prefer to avoid needing to backtrack in the worst case scenario,¡± Kyoumi argued lightly. ¡°There¡¯s a chance that, no matter what I do, they won¡¯t be happy with it¡ªbut our numbers here will go down if they¡¯re greatly dissatisfied.¡±

    Rei knew the matter should be handled by the queen and king, but he spoke up anyway. ¡°We won¡¯t fight, if it helps,¡± he offered. ¡°We can watch each other¡¯s backs¡ªmake sure the other stays safe.¡±

    ¡°I really don¡¯t want to keep you two here,¡± Sorai said firmly.

    ¡°I think I¡¯ll be best if I¡¯m around everyone,¡± Taiyo reasoned. ¡°And I might be able to help with what I know about Kuro now.¡±

    Their parents exchanged glances; both nodded, albeit Sorai sighed.

    ¡°You¡¯ll stay, then,¡± Kyoumi decided. ¡°Just be as safe as you possibly can¡ªdon¡¯t wander off anywhere alone. Taiyo, we¡¯ll talk about your time away whenever you¡¯re ready.¡±

    Taiyo nodded his thanks, and they all collectively left to do other things. Rei still didn¡¯t feel exactly proud in how it was done, but¡­at least he could stay here for a while longer. It¡¯d be more productive than sitting around home or with Tezo.

 Chapter 75: Further Introductions

    They gave Taiyo a few days to readjust before introducing him to the army as a whole. He looked awful when they first found him¡ªafter he ate, managed his hair, and changed into some of Rei¡¯s clothes, it wasn¡¯t as difficult to talk with him. It didn¡¯t make him feel like the best brother in the world, but Rei found it a lot easier to talk to Taiyo when it looked like nothing happened. Likewise, Taiyo didn¡¯t seem to have changed at all.

    By Taiyo¡¯s request, Rei was put in charge of watching over him. In a way, it was closer to what he wanted to do in general¡ªTaiyo didn¡¯t want to carry a weapon, so Rei would fill that role for him. He didn¡¯t mind.

    One of the first matters was to make sure Taiyo knew and recognized everyone; the last person happened to be Kasper, who seemed to be especially fond of finding places suitable for drawing. In this case, he was outside near the training ground.

    As per usual, the Roken boy nodded a greeting.

    ¡°Gin¡¯s second prince, I¡¯m assuming?¡± Kasper said, putting down his drawing supplies.

    Taiyo bowed. ¡°Gin-Fujita Taiyo. You¡¯re Roken Andreas¡¯s son?¡±

    ¡°Roken-Masaaki Kasper, putting it in Gin¡¯s terms; S¨®lstaeur¡¯s Kasper Rokensen is fine, too.¡±

    ¡°Masaaki?¡± Taiyo asked curiously.

    Before Kasper could respond, Taiyo winced. Rei frowned.

    ¡°Still have migraines?¡± Rei guessed, a bit concerned. Even if pretending nothing happened helped¡­it still made him worry a little more. He didn¡¯t want to wind up losing his brother again.

    Taiyo cast him a smile, although Rei could tell it only hid pain. It didn¡¯t reassure him any. ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s fine though¡ªI kind of know how to make them less annoying. Just keep talking.¡±

    ¡°That seems¡­counterproductive,¡± Kasper noted. ¡°My father should have something to help with it, if you want me to ask.¡±

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    ¡°No medication I¡¯ve ever tried actually helps,¡± Taiyo replied, shaking his head. Rei offered a seat on the grass, and Taiyo took it. The youngest did nod to Kasper, though. ¡°Regardless, thanks for the offer.¡±

    Kasper just murmured some acknowledgement, and they all fell silent for a moment before Taiyo looked at the Roken boy.

    ¡°No, ¡®oh wow twins¡¯ comment?¡± Taiyo asked, feigning some kind of disappointment.

    ¡°Firstly, it¡¯s not that impressive when I¡¯ve been talking with Rei for the past few weeks,¡± Kasper said simply, resuming his drawing. ¡°Secondly, S¨®lstaeur doesn¡¯t care as much for twins as Gin and Kuro do. Third, I already know a set of twins.¡±

    Taiyo perked up at the conversation topic. ¡°Really?¡±

    Kasper nodded. ¡°My father and aunt¡ªAmanda¡¯s older, although it¡¯s hard to believe.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s neat,¡± Taiyo said cheerfully. ¡°I know S¨®lstaeur¡¯s not as religious and most people don¡¯t care much for the gods aside from Torigami, but do you know if anyone¡¯s ever asked them to do the ¡®creepy twin thing?¡¯¡±

    ¡°Depends on what it is,¡± Kasper replied evenly, finally looking up from his drawing again.

    ¡°It¡¯s Fujita family code,¡± Rei explained. ¡°Essentially, it¡¯s what our cousins call it when Taiyo and I say the same thing at roughly the same time; it¡¯s never on purpose, but they don¡¯t really care about the specifics.¡±

    Kasper shook his head. ¡°In that case, no; Andreas and Amanda aren¡¯t really close enough to do that. Me and Emelie might on occasion, but that¡¯s about it.¡±

    ¡°Emelie¡¯s your sister?¡± Taiyo guessed.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Kasper said, nodding. ¡°She¡¯s still in S¨®lstaeur.¡±

    Taiyo nodded, and there was another few moments of silence. Rei could tell that, however short those moments were, Taiyo didn¡¯t like them¡ªafter wincing again, he glanced back at Kasper yet again.

    ¡°Hey, you can draw, right?¡±

    Kasper looked up from his work and frowned. ¡°Yes? Depends on what you¡¯re looking for.¡±

    ¡°Can you draw people?¡±

    ¡°From the shoulders up, yes. Do you have a request?¡±

    ¡°Mhm. Would you mind?¡±

    ¡°Just remember that it won¡¯t be perfect. Go ahead and tell me what you want.¡±

    Taiyo went on to describe someone familiar¡ªthe same thing Rei heard every time his brother described the woman he saw in his dreams. Rei wondered if he still believed she was Tsujihara Seiko; he couldn¡¯t imagine it could be possible, seeing dead ancestors so often. His thoughts now wandered into the darker side of things¡ªif Taiyo dreamt of the dead because he wasn¡¯t too far away from them. Migraines like his couldn¡¯t be normal, and he definitely looked the part when they found him.

    As Kasper drew, Taiyo continued by telling a story to ensure there wasn¡¯t silence. At some point they were called for the next meal¡ªjust to make sure they ate, if nothing else¡ªand Rei led the way.

    He really hoped his mind was just in a dark place, and his fears concerning Taiyo were unfounded. However, the last few falling sakura petals made him worry even more.

 Chapter 76: Questions About Relatives

    The last of the sakura petals more-or-less spelled out the end of spring. May was nearing it¡¯s final days; from the sounds of it, Hiroki didn¡¯t want to spare any troops. Andreas told him that they¡¯d take the rest of the forts, then try to clear out a port so S¨®lstaeur can bring in more people.

    Miya¡¯s birthday was on the twentieth¡ªKasper knew the date well enough, and went on to do his part of tradition without needing to be asked. He drew his mother¡ªhow Andreas always described her, anyway¡ªmore easily than anything else, but he still didn¡¯t like the final product. Everyone else¡¯s ¡®good¡¯ was his ¡®horrible,¡¯ but Andreas insisted on hanging the drawings on the wall, mimicking a Kuro memorial for the deceased. When they got back home, this new drawing would be added to the ones Kasper drew on previous years.

    Andreas came by in the morning to check up on him and make sure he knew what day it was; aside from that, he also announced that they would resume taking the rest of the forts that day. The adults would move on, leave a small force here to watch the non-fighters, and let them know when the fort¡¯s taken.

    Kasper, hiding away near the training area, assumed that was why the Gin twins took a little longer to find him. Rei, at least, looked slightly annoyed; he immediately took to training, with Taiyo watching for a second before turning away.

    Taiyo reminded Kasper of Emelie in the sense that he never seemed to stop talking¡ªit was slightly annoying. Until anyone told him otherwise¡ªin the two weeks since they took this fort and found him, Taiyo¡¯s always been near Rei, which meant that conversation with just one was out of the question¡ªKasper just assumed it was a result of being in Kuro for gods knew how long without any family nearby. Unlike Emelie, though, Taiyo seemed to talk to fill in the silence, or ignore something else.

    As Kasper kept drawing, Taiyo seemed to notice and struck up some conversation.

    ¡°What are you drawing today?¡± He asked curiously.

    ¡°My mother, based on Andreas¡¯s descriptions,¡± Kasper replied. ¡°Her birthday¡¯s today¡ªAndreas has always asked me to draw her as a tradition of sorts.¡±

    ¡°May I see it?¡± Taiyo said, changing his position a little.

    Kasper shook his head and pulled the drawing a little closer; he didn¡¯t like showing people the final products, much less the work-in-progresses. Fortunately, Taiyo seemed to understand, glancing back at Rei before wincing and looking away again.

    Taiyo was back to rambling after a moment. ¡°You know, I think I talked with a Kuro-Masaaki.¡±

    Kasper looked up from his work, confused. ¡°You were in Masaaki territory?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Taiyo replied, shaking his head. ¡°I was in Kuro no Shuto¡ªthe capital. The older Kuro-Masaaki came by to speak with Yanami Sukaru, the kitsune-advisor. He was¡­awkward; like he wanted to be nice, but only saw me as something¡­strange.¡±

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    Kasper couldn¡¯t help but wonder if it had something to do with his family¡¯s involvement as Gin¡¯s ally¡ªToru wouldn¡¯t have been excited to hear that his sister¡¯s family was on the other side of the battlefield.

    Despite being hesitant to outright confirm he was related to them¡ªit wasn¡¯t a secret, it just wasn¡¯t something Kasper was comfortable sharing¡ªhe ended up asking something before really thinking about it.

    ¡°Did they¡ªanyone, really¡ªever mention the younger Kuro-Masaaki? Miya?¡±

    Taiyo paused, then shook his head. ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so. Maybe once or twice, but¡­¡± He trailed off, falling silent for a second before speaking up again. ¡°I assume she¡¯s a relative? Aunt or distant cousin?¡±

    Kasper looked back down at his drawing¡ªat the unfamiliar face that he¡¯s been drawing for over a decade. ¡°¡­Something like that, yeah.¡±

    The only sound for a minute or two was Rei continuing training, once again until Taiyo looked at Kasper. He found it hard to believe he was really that much of a conversation starter.

    Taiyo winced again, murmured something in Gin¡¯s language, then spoke up. ¡°The Masaaki family has records of Tsujihara Seiko, right?¡±

    ¡°Not accurate ones,¡± Kasper replied, glancing up from his drawing for a second. ¡°Rei and I already talked it over¡ªthe only thing Masaaki Sonoru and Kinjo Asahi agreed on was that Gin¡¯s first queen was a strong leader.¡±

    ¡°Could you tell me anyway?¡± Taiyo asked. He paused for a second, then added, ¡°A friend of mine¡¯s curious.¡±

    ¡°Fine then¡ªbut they¡¯re second-hand. I can¡¯t read the records themselves.¡± Kasper sat down his drawing gently, deciding he could take a break since it was about half finished, and looked at Taiyo. ¡°Masaaki Sonoru wrote that Seiko had constant migraines, and occasionally spoke aloud to herself. She once admitted to imagining voices when she was a child; she¡¯d cut herself during battle, and always seemed to have a migraine if she wasn¡¯t near Kinjo. Sonoru wondered if she was sane¡ªshe¡¯d cut herself in battle and sometimes attack allies, sometimes unresponsive after a battle if Kinjo wasn¡¯t there.¡±

    Rei lowered his sword, taking a break from training for now to look at his brother. ¡°It¡¯s strange how much can change based on who¡¯s telling the story, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Taiyo winced again, only quietly responding to the other two. ¡°¡­Yeah. It¡¯s interesting to hear an outsider perspective on Tsujihara Seiko; she¡­must have seemed like a maniac.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the impression I¡¯ve always gotten from it,¡± Kasper said. ¡°Then again, I¡¯d trust her husband¡¯s word over a friend that betrayed her just because they were losing.¡±

    Taiyo just nodded, changing his position so his mouth was hidden.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Rei asked, clearly concerned.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Taiyo replied firmly, no longer looking at either of them. ¡°My friend just¡­won¡¯t like that answer. She wouldn¡¯t like to hear that the opinions are that different.¡±

    Rei didn¡¯t look convinced, but he continued training after a minute; Kasper resumed the work on his drawing. For a while, Taiyo remained silent¡ªKasper faintly heard a few muttered words in Gin¡¯s language, but lacked enough knowledge to understand it. Rei was probably too far to hear it, either.

    Somehow, the relative silence continued for another two or three hours when someone came to report that their parents were still fighting¡ªalthough Kuro didn¡¯t seem to care about retaking the previous forts, they were trying to make sure they didn¡¯t lose any more. Given another two hours, after they ate a small lunch, and Andreas came back to announce that they only had one fort left to capture.

    Maybe this thing could be done relatively quickly. It wouldn¡¯t hurt to hope, anyway.

 Chapter 77: Unwilling Retreat

    Since they would only be a few days away, Rei, Taiyo, and Kasper were kept at the same fort until the last one was taken; he noticed that Kasper didn¡¯t seem particularly pleased, but Taiyo seemed all right as long as Rei was with him.

    When the army took the last fort, the rest of the army was divided to keep all of the forts under their control while another group went north to secure a port. By now, S¨®lstaeur made up a good portion of the army¡¯s force¡ªit didn¡¯t sound like anyone else from Gin would be willing to change that, either.

    Kasper ultimately went with his father to ask for S¨®lstaeuric reinforcements once a port in Kuro was taken care of. That finally gave Rei a chance to actually sit in on possible strategies, even if he couldn¡¯t provide any input.

    The four of them¡ªKyoumi, Sorai, Rei, and Taiyo, one of the few times since Taiyo returned¡ªwere all in the tactics room. Rei wanted to learn what he could while he had the chance; if they couldn¡¯t let him fight, maybe he could help in the tactics side of things. Roken promised that S¨®lstaeur had enough people wiling to fight to win the war¡ªthey just had to come. Taiyo was the only one doing something else, skimming through one of the books Rei brought about Tsujihara Seiko.

    The tactics meeting-of-sorts was only interrupted when someone came in; all four of them looked up from what they were doing. From the looks of it, he was a Hiroki messenger.

    ¡°There¡¯s some word from Hiroki¡¯s fort,¡± the man said after giving a quick bow.

    ¡°Good or bad?¡± Kyoumi asked.

    The messenger handed her the report, and left again. Judging by her expression, Rei guessed it wasn¡¯t good news.

    The next to read the report was Sorai, who actually let out a little curse. Rei frowned.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Rei said.

    He didn¡¯t actually expect anyone to tell him. ¡°It looks like Kuro¡¯s trying their luck with putting us back on the defensive,¡± Sorai explained, standing up and gathering a few things.

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    ¡°I thought we had all the forts along this part of the river?¡± Taiyo asked, frowning and probably confused.

    ¡°They¡¯re either crossing some other bridge or going across the sea,¡± Sorai reasoned. ¡°It sounds like they¡¯re coming from the north, at any rate, so they¡¯re not going through the fort right across from Hiroki.¡±

    ¡°At the very least, we should head back,¡± Kyoumi said quietly, slowly standing up as well. She looked at Rei and Taiyo and continued, ¡°You boys will stay with us. If they get much further, however, you will be going to Tezo¡ªno exceptions this time. Do you understand?¡±

    After both boys nodded their agreement, Kyoumi gave them a thankful smile and looked back at Sorai. ¡°I¡¯ll send someone to tell Roken we need to pull out; the northerners should be able to stay here and hold the forts so we don¡¯t lose ground.¡±

    ¡°I can make sure we have some people to come with us,¡± Sorai decided.

    With that all said, both of them left. It took a minute before Rei and Taiyo got up as well. Rei looked at his brother; he looked a little concerned, but Rei couldn¡¯t tell for sure which part would bother him the most.

    ¡°I have some stuff I need to gather,¡± Rei said. ¡°Books and things¡ªdon¡¯t really want to leave them here. You coming?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Taiyo replied.

    Without much else being said, he followed Rei to the room he¡¯s been using. It was probably the first time since they were kids that they shared clothes and a room¡ªclothes because Taiyo didn¡¯t have any, a room because Taiyo wanted to stay close¡ªso it was fair that Taiyo would help get everything packed up.

    Taiyo entertained some conversation as they both made sure they had everything Rei came with. The rest of the time there, then, was spent in the training area waiting for Kyoumi and Sorai to finish up the prep work. The four of them, along with half a dozen soldiers, started to go through the forts to get back to Hiroki.

    Their reception was¡­poor¡ªor at the very least, there wasn¡¯t much fanfare. No one¡ªexcept for the two or three of Rei¡¯s friends that roped themselves into the army without his consent¡ªseemed to care much.

    Conversation waited until they got to the room the head Hiroki set aside for them. Rei wouldn¡¯t be surprised if they were put in a room with other agemate soldiers; it looked like it should be a room for more than two people, at least, and he doubted they were happy enough with them to give them anything nice. They¡¯d probably blame this on Kyoumi, after all.

    At least they were back in Gin. Taiyo looked a little better by being here, at least¡ªthat was a small reassurance. Rei figured it wouldn¡¯t kill him to try to be less pessimistic. Just this once.

 Chapter 78: Ignorance is Bliss

    Kuro made sure Gin was kept busy¡ªeveryone expected word from S¨®lstaeur saying they were routed or retreated, but Roken Andreas routinely sent updates explaining that his forces were completely fine and relatively untouched unless they actively sought conflict. Kuro was, for better or worse, focusing their full force on Hiroki.

    Taiyo tried to think of a reason why they would focus on the border fort instead of just going down south through the sea. Maybe Miss Yanami knew Gin¡¯s royal family was here, so there wasn¡¯t any need to go to the capital¡ªthere wasn¡¯t really any way Gin could fall unless they took out both east and west sides or killed all the royal family. They could just want to bide time¡ªthat¡¯s what the voices told him¡ªuntil Miss Yanami and King Shunji actually thought of a plan to succeed. Kuro rarely lost more than half of their force in these kinds of skirmishes.

    They left back in June¡ªenough months had passed that some leaves were starting to change color. His family didn¡¯t want him to help¡ªalthough, between the voices and what he heard at Kuro no Shuto, he couldhelp¡ªso he was stuck doing nothing most of the time. It was frustrating, and he never had as much luck arguing his way into things like Rei did.

    Knowing that his family was close managed to silence the loudest, most violent voices; Rei¡¯s presence quieted just about all of them except for Miss Tsujihara and one other. He decided that Miss Tsujihara could talk freely without menacing undertones because she was like him¡ªshe was also considered a monster by those who didn¡¯t understand her, and if anyone in Gin was ever asked, they would just say she had done what was necessary.

    Taiyo spent a lot of his free time looking at things about Miss Tsujihara and other people who were like her; in his clearer thoughts, he was able to make notes and determine why his and Miss Tsujihara¡¯s experiences were so different. As of now, he decided that the voices were essentially just ghosts that were able to drown out his own thoughts in the name of ending Gin and Kuro¡ªin that case, Miss Tsujihara was one of the only ¡®ghosts¡¯ that had not completely consigned to that fate, even if she still begged him to kill when the other voices grew loud enough.

    It was kind of funny, actually; Ginshin was told his descendants would end the nation. No one bothered to explain Miss Tsujihara¡¯s tendencies by simply looking at the creation story¡ªthe truth was right there, they just didn¡¯t want to apply it. People like him and Miss Tsujihara would keep popping up until someone ¡®laid down their life in protection of others.¡¯ The thought was chilling, yet¡­somehow, it didn¡¯t bother him.

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    To keep the voices quiet¡ªthey didn¡¯t like him actually researching their nature¡ªhe stayed near Rei, who kept himself busy training. Taiyo wasn¡¯t completely sure how, but his brother actually convinced Kyoumi and Sorai to let him fight¡ªalbeit in the very back, or else right where their parents could see him. Taiyo hoped that he wouldn¡¯t try to join them.

    He read through one of Kinjo Asahi¡¯s records about Miss Tsujihara; the first queen herself often murmured comments. She usually sounded sad or regretful.

    It¡¯s strange, Miss Tsujihara mused. The man I loved knew less than a mere friend. I hid things from Asahi, yes¡ªbut Masaaki seems to have seen through my lies. I wonder if <u>he</u> believes in my suicide.

    ¡°Does it bother you?¡± Taiyo asked quietly, trying to entertain silent conversation without Rei noticing.

    Asahi didn¡¯t mean to offend¡ªhe acted out of ignorance, not because he meant to disrespect. The accusation that I was nothing less than sane¡­to him, <u>that</u> was disrespect. If our roles were switched, I likely would have done the same. Accepting that a loved one ended their own life isn¡¯t easy; Maenomi¡­had done something similar. She killed herself before the rebels even touched her.

    Taiyo nodded slightly, and paused for a minute to resume reading. After a little while, he looked up at his brother. ¡°Hey, Rei? Do you think all these records are accurate?¡±

    Rei lowered his sword and offered a confused look. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Books like Kinjo Asahi¡¯s records of Tsujihara Seiko,¡± Taiyo explained, tapping the book page. ¡°He¡¯s looking at someone else¡¯s life through his eyes¡ªthere¡¯s bound to be stuff he didn¡¯t know or never saw. The records left behind from past rulers are regarded more-or-less as historical fact, but Kinjo Asahi couldn¡¯t have known everything. What if the records that showed a different side of her¡ªlike Masaaki¡¯s¡ªwere more accurate?¡±

    ¡°You said it yourself¡ªthose things are treated like fact,¡± Rei replied, still not seeming to completelyunderstand Taiyo¡¯s point but trying to entertain meaningful conversation anyway. ¡°I don¡¯t think she would have kept that much from her husband¡ªthe two were close. In that respect, any other accounts¡ªespecially from Kuro¡ªare probably exaggerated just to point out her flaws.¡±

    Taiyo looked down at the book, listening to Miss Tsujihara¡¯s murmurings for a moment.

    ¡°So¡­what if Masaaki was right, and Tsujihara Seiko wasn¡¯t sane? Or at least, wasn¡¯t always in control of her actions?¡±

    Rei fell silent for a moment. ¡°¡­Honestly, I don¡¯t know,¡± he admitted. ¡°I¡¯d rather believe Kinjo Asahi¡¯s account. I know it¡¯s questionable if our family can count as ¡®normal,¡¯ but it¡¯s easier to feel normal when there¡¯s no concrete proof of anyone ever losing control of themselves.¡±

    ¡°¡­Right.¡±

    He wished Rei would understand without hearing the full story. If Taiyo took after Miss Tsujihara, then Rei was Kinjo Asahi in this scenario¡ªhis brother probably wouldn¡¯t want to believe Taiyo¡¯s killed dozens of people during those months he was gone. If the voices were right, he¡¯ll go on to kill many more.

 Chapter 79: A Warning, If I May

    Just like that, it was suddenly winter. Half a year passed since they were forced to retreat back to Hiroki¡¯s fort, and she hated it. She didn¡¯t want to involve S¨®lstaeur in Gin¡¯s own defense, but Roken still insisted; it was help Gin repel Kuro, or the third party ends the war by fighting Kuro regardless. She couldn¡¯t imagine either one winning her more favor.

    Roken had come specifically to convince her to let him bring in more soldiers¡ªKuro took back and reinforced their ports, as well as took control of Gin¡¯s northern sea right until the mountains; S¨®lstaeur¡¯s ships could probably get through them, but with some trouble. She was willing to accept the extra few days it took for them to arrive if it meant more of them would come.

    Sorai was with the boys, testing if Rei could handle being put a little closer to his parents; when Roken left, then, Kyoumi was alone to do her work. She couldn¡¯t quite tell if the silence¡ªa rarity these days, but so common when she was younger¡ªreassured or unnerved her.

    She didn¡¯t have an incredibly long time to ponder it, considering someone knocked on the door to the tactics room.

    ¡°Tsujihara Isei. I¡¯m told the queen is here.¡±

    Isei¡­the current head of the Tsujihara family. Him and Kyoumi had maintained something similar to letter correspondence, making sure her decisions were actually heard and carried through.

    ¡°I¡¯m here,¡± Kyoumi said. ¡°You may enter.¡±

    Tsujihara opened the door, but only took a step outside. He took a quick glance around. ¡°Fujita Sorai isn¡¯t here?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s with the princes,¡± Kyoumi explained.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be honest, I didn¡¯t think you were capable of doing desk work by yourself.¡±

    Kyoumi frowned slightly. ¡°And I was hoping you wouldn¡¯t sound as disdainful as your parents.¡±

    He gave a delayed bow, seeming a bit indifferent. ¡°It gets a little dull carrying out orders in your place. Convincing them to listen is a bit difficult as well.¡±

    In the brief silence, she rearranged a few papers and offered him a seat. Tsujihara, however, remained standing; Kyoumi ultimately had to lead the conversation.

    ¡°Have you sent out my latest request?¡± Kyoumi asked. She tried¡ªperhaps in vain¡ªto replicate the kind of tone and presence Utaka once had. Sometimes she felt like Erize commanded more respect than Kyoumi did now.

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    Tsujihara didn¡¯t mention it if he noticed, only nodding. ¡°We¡¯ve asked every town and village on this side of the mountains to go east. My family is currently making the necessary preparations to temporarily make the capital in Tsujihara territory.¡±

    Kyoumi nodded. ¡°Good. If they¡¯re not fighting, they might as well go somewhere safer so they aren¡¯t forced to fight.¡±

    ¡°Just keep in mind,¡± Tsujihara said, frowning, ¡°That this isn¡¯t as good of an idea as you think it is. Only about half of them will listen to you¡ªmaybe half of that might change their minds if they¡¯re attacked, but I don¡¯t expect the southern towns to do anything.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m aware,¡± Kyoumi replied firmly. ¡°But if that¡¯s all¡ª¡±

    ¡°I would like to warn you.¡± Although she didn¡¯t appreciate being cut short, she nonetheless nodded so he could continue. ¡°Some people are beginning to think that the Tsujihara family is like you¡ªyour actions now, in the past, in the future, they¡¯re turning against you and us.¡±

    ¡°This is nothing new,¡± Kyoumi pointed out calmly, even if she didn¡¯t enjoy hearing it. ¡°I¡¯m doing my best to make sure Rei¡ªand Taiyo, if necessary¡ªcould be seen in a better light. They¡¯re already older than I was, at least, and I don¡¯t intend to die for another few years if I can help it.¡±

    Tsujihara sighed, continuing on with some disdain. ¡°Just a change of leadership won¡¯t help¡ªany child of yours that takes the throne will be seen just as you are now. The only way I can imagine people accepting you is if you win the war.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t control the exact outcome,¡± Kyoumi reasoned. ¡°I can try my best, but whether we win or lose this conflict is not my responsibility alone.¡±

    He chuckled grimly. ¡°Do you think they care? You¡¯re the queen¡ªwith Ginshin¡¯s apparent approval, many believe you should be capable of most anything. Compared to Queen Okimi and your father, you¡¯re still a child. Sure, it¡¯s not your fault that you had to rely on others; it would have been worse if you tried to do it on your own. All the people see, however, is every family but the correct line leading the kingdom; it doesn¡¯t help that the Fujita family isn¡¯t exactly popular, either.¡±

    Kyoumi couldn¡¯t respond without repeating what she¡¯s already said¡ªthere was nothing she could say to win this argument, so it wasn¡¯t worth the effort to try. Tsujihara seemed to take her silence as an answer on its own.

    ¡°Let me just say,¡± Tsujihara said, a bit quieter so anyone walking past couldn¡¯t hear, ¡°That the First Queen¡¯s War was named such because the first queen fought in it. If Gin fails to win¡ªif this war ends in a loss, or even a draw¡ªthe meaning will have to change; it would become the first war of a queen. Considering the circumstances¡ªOkimi¡¯s death, Utaka¡¯s murder, your younger son¡¯s earlier disappearance¡ªwe all have reason to believe that Tsuyoi Aimiki may have abandoned us. If she has, and no one can hear her as Tsujihara Seiko did, then Gin can slip out of the royal family¡¯s hands.¡±

    She considered it for a moment, then gave her answer firmly. ¡°If I should be the last queen¡ªthe last ruler, even¡ªthen so be it. This nation has lived for nearly five thousand years; I will still try, of course, to maintain good relations if possible, but I will not stand against the gods if they see fit to end this nation¡¯s history.¡±

    ¡°Pessimistic, I see. But I understand.¡± He bowed, for once speaking respectfully. ¡°I¡¯ll take my leave now, Queen Kyoumi. Good luck to you in your battles.¡±

    ¡°Safe travels back home,¡± Kyoumi replied.

    Nothing he said was anything new¡ªshe was aware of what it all meant, how it could play out. She was ready to face whatever consequences came from the outcome of this war, whether it was victory or defeat.

 Chapter 80: Taking the Capital

    The new year was celebrated by Roken coming back to Hiroki¡¯s fort and announcing he had a plan to help relieve Gin of their attackers so the war could continue. Kasper stayed at the fort this time, so Rei and Taiyo let him join them again. For the next few weeks until Roken came back, then, the three of them stayed near or in the training area.

    When Roken returned, it was with news that all bridges connecting the two nations were watched over by S¨®lstaeur¡¯s forces, and the Kuro ships lining the eastern half of Gin¡¯s shore was taken care of. They waited a few days to confirm that the skirmishes would stop, then moved on back into Kuro.

    It only took them about a week and a half to make it to the last fort in the south, where they began to plan out everything in earnest. Rei, to his mild surprise, was actually given permission to fight alongside them¡ªKasper would join the fight as well, staying near Rei, while Taiyo opted to stay behind, citing his continued dislike for blood as his explanation.

    They headed out for the capital midway through February. Taiyo got some special treatment, since he had been in the palace before¡ªthe extent of what he knew was actually kind of fascinating. Rei couldn¡¯t figure out how someone who would¡¯ve been a prisoner in the palace knew so much about its layout¡ªTaiyo could even give basic ideas of how Kuro¡¯s kitsune-advisor might react.

    When they approached Kuro no Shuto, Kyoumi came to get Rei and Kasper.

    ¡°We¡¯re heading out to fight now,¡± Kyoumi said once she was close enough to hear her. She had her hair dyed blonde¡ªshe wasn¡¯t as obvious of a target that way.

    Rei and Kasper both nodded, with the latter putting down his drawing supplies. After getting his sword, Rei looked back at Taiyo. He¡¯d been quiet the entire day.

    ¡°We¡¯ll try to be back,¡± Rei said, as close to a promise as he was comfortable with.

    Taiyo nodded, but stood up before anyone could leave. ¡°Wait. Could I¡­actually come with you?¡±

    ¡°You haven¡¯t fought at all,¡± Kyoumi pointed out, frowning. ¡°I can¡¯t put you out there with a good conscience.¡±

    ¡°I can help,¡± Taiyo insisted. He winced, but carried on. ¡°I can defend myself, at least. I know how to swing a sword around enough to not hurt myself, I¡¯ll just need Rei close if I end up hurting someone I¡¯m not supposed to.¡±

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    ¡°And that means..?¡± Rei asked, trying to prompt him. He felt like Taiyo¡¯s been strange since they got back to Hiroki¡¯s fort, and being in Kuro wasn¡¯t making it any better. He hasn¡¯t been talking quite as much as he used to.

    Taiyo shook his head like he has been, refusing to answer. ¡°I just have a feeling,¡± he said firmly, ¡°And I¡¯d rather go with your permission than against it.¡±

    ¡°You haven¡¯t trained since we found you,¡± Kyoumi maintained. Unfortunately for Taiyo, she had a lot of practice by arguing with Rei.

    Unfortunately for Kyoumi, Taiyo seemed to have taken a lesson out of Rei¡¯s arguing. ¡°Please,¡± Taiyo said. ¡°I won¡¯t get hurt¡ªI dare to make a promise about that.¡±

    ¡°Even more reason to keep you here,¡± Kyoumi murmured.

    Before Taiyo could continue, Sorai came to interrupt them. ¡°We need to get going,¡± he said, mostly speaking to Kyoumi.

    She nodded, looking back at her younger son. ¡°You¡¯re staying here,¡± she said firmly.

    ¡°I won¡¯t guarantee it,¡± Taiyo murmured.

    Rei would have questioned him¡ªwhy he was so insistent now, when otherwise he would have silently let them be¡ªbut Sorai spoke up again. ¡°We can handle this later,¡± he decided. ¡°We need to start the attack before Kuro catches on.¡±

    With that¡ªand without Taiyo¡ªthey headed into the fight. Rei and Kasper stayed near the back as they were told; Rei didn¡¯t mind the lack of action. He was on the battlefield and doing what he could to help¡ªeven if ¡®helping¡¯ here meant pointing out anyone who looked like an enemy soldier.

    A good portion of the army went to secure the palace; the rest stayed behind in the city itself to make sure the group inside the palace didn¡¯t get any trouble. The only people in the capital that wanted to fight, it seemed, were those already wearing Kuro¡¯s armor¡ªotherwise, it must¡¯ve just looked like a sudden attack from two other nations.

    Rei wished he could know what was going on in the palace, but he also didn¡¯t want to overstep and lose the privilege of fighting in the first place. After three hours, however, Gin and S¨®lstaeur¡¯s soldiers filtered out of Kuro¡¯s palace; since the rest of the force wasn¡¯t told to retreat, Rei assumed it meant they won.

    The report came in and was spread after things settled down a bit: King Shunji, his kitsune-advisor, and four out of the six remaining children had already left¡ªother than that, the members of Kuro¡¯s royal family that stayed behind, with the exception of Kuro-Masaaki Toru who was taken prisoner, was killed by a third party. No one knew for sure who did the deed.

    They made plans to stay in Kuro¡¯s capital until they knew where the king went; it took a month and some days before they headed out again, this time towards Masaaki territory. The sakura petals were just starting to fall for the year when they headed out, more plentiful than at home and no less aggravating.

    Except now, Rei had the same kind of bad feeling that Taiyo described earlier.

 Chapter 81: Sakuraâ€™s Second Victim

    Taiyo couldn¡¯t hear Miss Tsujihara¡¯s voice anymore¡ªor at least, she wouldn¡¯t respond if he tried to talk to talk to her. The night before, he dreamt about her apologizing, and then the rest of the night slipped away into darkness. He couldn¡¯t remember the last time he had a dreamless sleep.

    That¡­worried him, to say the least. The peace that he felt during that first night returned, and the rest of him desperately feared that peace. Miss Tsujihara once told him that, over time, her voices grew louder until she feared raising her blade against her children; that¡¯s when she ended her own life.

    The fear that the same was happening to him led him to fight, even if Kyoumi didn¡¯t want him to. He knew he could reduce Gin¡¯s casualties as long as he stayed on Kuro¡¯s side of the battle¡ªhe went out, killed whoever he could that wore Kuro¡¯s colors, then went back to camp and cleaned up before anyone saw him.

    Considering that he could only partially hear his own thoughts, Taiyo didn¡¯t think he could do that for much longer. He wasn¡¯t like Rei and Kyoumi¡ªhe didn¡¯t usually consider his death, how it would affect his family, how it might happen¡ªbut he found himself amongst dark thoughts. Or¡­were those things really the best option, considering what he might do otherwise?

    Taiyo knew Rei worried about him; he didn¡¯t talk as much because it couldn¡¯t quite drown out the voices anymore. He wanted to take some time to think about it, too¡ªthen, if he did follow in Miss Tsujihara¡¯s footsteps, it might not be as jarring. He could only ever remember one person in his life dying¡ªMasaru, Sorai¡¯s father, when the twins were six¡ªbut Taiyo and Rei were so young that his reaction then might not be the same as it would be now. Knowing Rei dealt with troubling thoughts while Taiyo was gone didn¡¯t assure him. He didn¡¯t want his brother to die alongside him, realizing that Kyoumi could very well follow them.

    He came to a decision by the time Kyoumi announced the battle would start in an hour or two; the Kuro royal family was in a corner, and it wouldn¡¯t take much to pull them out of it. Kasper was with Roken and the S¨®lstaeuric forces, who would go in differently than Gin¡¯s army; that left Taiyo alone with Rei while the latter waited for Gin to move out.

    ¡°Looks like everyone¡¯s about ready,¡± Rei noted. He glanced at Taiyo and frowned. ¡°Worried?¡±

    Taiyo looked down, the voices louder than they usually were. ¡°¡­Probably not the same thing everyone else is thinking about.¡±

    ¡°There might be enough time before the battle, if you want to share,¡± Rei offered. ¡°You¡¯ve been really quiet lately¡ªI¡¯ll be honest, it¡¯s a little weird.¡±

    He didn¡¯t know if Rei trying to be nice was reassuring or discouraging. He¡¯ll hate you for this, the voices said. He¡¯ll hate you for what you¡¯ve done, and what you will do.

    Still, Taiyo didn¡¯t want Rei to go out there without knowing why he probably won¡¯t be here when Rei comes back.

    ¡°¡­You know those stories, about Tsujihara Seiko?¡± Taiyo asked, looking up at Rei for a second. ¡°The ones that the Masaaki family has¡ªwhere she wasn¡¯t entirely sane.¡±

    Rei glanced around, probably to make sure no one would need him, then sat down. ¡°What about them?¡±

    ¡°¡­They¡¯re real.¡± He winced, the voices screaming at him¡ªhe¡¯ll hate you, he¡¯ll hate you¡ªbut he carried on. He didn¡¯t care if Rei hated him; he just wanted his brother to know the truth. ¡°Ginshin was told that his country would be cursed; that one of his descendants would be the person to end both Gin and Kuro. There were people like Tsujihara Seiko who heard voices¡ª¡±

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    He paused when he heard the first few sounds of battle a little ways away; Kuro must have noticed one of the forces and decided to engage. Both twins stood, but Taiyo caught Rei¡¯s arm before he could walk away.

    ¡°I need to go,¡± Rei said. ¡°We can talk more when the battle¡¯s over.¡±

    ¡°No, we can¡¯t, because I need to go, too,¡± Taiyo replied firmly. ¡°Listen¡ªI¡¯m going out there to fight again. If I start attacking anyone on our side, I need you to stop me. I¡¯ll try to keep it under wraps, but once you¡¯re there I should be able to think clearly enough to end it.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± Rei said, frowning. He tugged his arm back, reaching to pick up his sword nearby. ¡°What are you trying to ask me to do?¡±

    ¡°Just walk up to me,¡± Taiyo insisted. ¡°That¡¯s all you will have to do.¡±

    The swords in the distance grew a bit louder, but not necessarily closer¡ªhis time was up. Without another word towards Rei, Taiyo left to get ready for battle himself.

    He could only partially control himself. The fear of hurting his family managed to keep the voices at bay¡ªin addition to a few scratches so the pain can dull them¡ªuntil he got behind enemy lines. From there, he just let his voices do whatever they wanted.

    It must¡¯ve taken a few hours; Taiyo knew he managed to get to Kuro¡¯s royal family. Thanks to a little bout of hearing his own thoughts, he didn¡¯t kill Miss Yanami and the youngest two kids. Those were probably the only lives he spared.

    At some point, Kuro¡¯s forces started to flee or were dying¡ªS¨®lstaeur had brought in enough reinforcements that the black kingdom¡¯s soldiers were outnumbered, even if it wasn¡¯t by much. Taiyo ended up killing a few of Gin and S¨®lstaeur¡¯s soldiers in response, the voices never letting him pause to think about it.

    When Taiyo noticed Rei, he quickly decided it was purely coincidental; Kuro¡¯s forces were thinning enough that it wasn¡¯t as much of a risk to have him out closer to the front. Rei frowned as soon as he saw him, taking advantage of the lull in serious fighting to come close enough to hear.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be out here,¡± Rei warned. He sounded concerned¡ªand rightly so. Taiyo¡¯s actions were catching up with him; the voices weren¡¯t backing down when he focused on the pain anymore. He couldn¡¯t risk going back to fighting.

    Regardless, Taiyo more-or-less ignored his brother. ¡°I¡¯m a little bloody, aren¡¯t I? I don¡¯t really want to look. It makes the migraines worse.¡±

    ¡°Go back to camp,¡± Rei insisted.

    ¡°What if I¡¯ve killed allies?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t care, Taiyo. Go back. Like I said before, we can talk once the battle¡¯s over.¡±

    Taiyo sighed. ¡°Could you turn around, please? I don¡¯t want you to see this.¡±

    Rei frowned, grabbing Taiyo¡¯s hand¡ªbut not the one that held his sword. ¡°I¡¯ll take you back if I have to,¡± he maintained.

    The voices made the action for him¡ªsomething like a flick of the wrist, and Taiyo¡¯s sword ran across Rei¡¯s leg. Between the shock and the pain, Rei fell with a little curse. At least now, he wasn¡¯t looking.

    Mustering his own thoughts¡ªtrying to avoid the voices and their protests, their screams of You¡¯re just like her¡ªhe managed to drive the sword through his stomach. It would give him enough time to muster final words.

    Rei looked up as soon as the deed was done. Taiyo wished he didn¡¯t have to see that look of panic¡ªhe could imagine that Rei forgot his own injury at that point.

    ¡°Dammit, Taiyo,¡± Rei muttered. He moved a little closer, as best as he could. They were far enough away from the others that it probably just looked like a normal soldier¡¯s farewell instead of suicide. ¡°Why the hell did you come back if you were just going to leave again?¡±

    ¡°I guess¡­¡± The words were harder to form¡ªharder to say¡ªthan he thought. He expected it to take a few minutes, but maybe he overestimated the time he¡¯d have. Still, he tried to carry on. ¡°I guess I just¡­wanted to actually say goodbye this time.¡±

    ¡°Dammit.¡± What a delicate way to put this. Rei tried to stand to get help¡ªor even just their parents¡ªbut his wound didn¡¯t seem to let him. He fell back down immediately.

    Rei glanced back at Taiyo, scared now. Taiyo couldn¡¯t recall seeing his brother scared before. Was that how his death would be seen? Frightening? That¡¯s all right; Taiyo himself was frightening.

    After a second, Rei gently dragged Taiyo over to the wall, then sat down next to him.

    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll stay here with you,¡± Rei decided quietly, still sounding reluctant to accept it.

    ¡°Just¡­don¡¯t join me, okay?¡± Taiyo asked. His thoughts were slipping away naturally as the pain and blood loss caught up to him.

    Rei sighed. ¡°I make no promises, little brother.¡±

    Those last few seconds, Taiyo couldn¡¯t hear anything¡ªhe couldn¡¯t feel anything, either. A second before the world was lost, however, he heard someone¡¯s voice:

    Ginshin and Kurokami¡¯s folly will end here. You never should have needed to end their feud yourself.

 Chapter 82: Thoughts and Feelings

    Ultimately, Gin and S¨®lstaeur won. Rei could tell that much just by how many of Kuro¡¯s soldiers were retreating or dead. He knew his own side had losses too¡ªhe tried not to think about Taiyo to his left, who had stopped breathing after a few minutes¡ªand honestly, if this had been in Gin¡¯s capital, the silver army would have retreated.

    Granted, it didn¡¯t look like a lot of people paid much attention to the twins. It was completely possible they hadn¡¯t realized Taiyo was dead yet.

    Even after the battle ended, Rei stayed with Taiyo. Somehow, his only wound was the cut on his leg¡ªthat was the only one that still hurt, at least. It helped that he had just got a little closer to the front lines when he saw Taiyo. He hadn¡¯t fought much until his own brother stabbed him.

    He just waited for anyone to notice them. Roken came through the area first, with Kasper right behind them. Rei was brave enough to speak up when he saw them.

    ¡°Are our parents close?¡± Rei asked when they noticed.

    Roken walked a bit closer and offered his hand to help Rei stand. ¡°They went to see how much is left of Kuro¡¯s royalty,¡± he explained. ¡°We want to know how many there are aside from Toru. They¡¯ll be back out shortly, but for now I can take you back to camp.¡±

    Rei nodded, glancing at Kasper. The agemate bent down to where Taiyo sat, and pulled back before Rei could offer any explanation.

    He assumed whatever Kasper said was a S¨®lstaeuric curse. ¡°Gods. That¡¯s Taiyo.¡±

    Roken frowned and looked at the younger twin himself. Then, he looked back at Rei. ¡°I heard your mother say he wasn¡¯t fighting,¡± Roken noted.

    ¡°He wasn¡¯t supposed to,¡± Rei replied, refusing to look at his brother for now. It brought¡­unpleasant things to mind. ¡°But he did, so he¡¯s¡­¡±

    He really didn¡¯t want to say it out loud.

    ¡°I can take Rei back,¡± Kasper offered, standing up and looking at his father.

    Roken nodded his thanks, and Kasper walked alongside Rei as they left the Masaaki¡¯s house. When they were out, the few miko Gin brought with them¡ªhe noticed one or two of Kuro¡¯s miko as well¡ªsaw it fit to add Rei to their list of wounded soldiers, so he sat alongside some others. He didn¡¯t answer if anyone asked him where Taiyo was.

    He sat there for a while, watching the people coming and going. There wasn¡¯t much else he could do while some aspects of the battle were still catching up to him.

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    It was probably still an hour after the battle ended that he actually saw Sorai. His father gave him a smile not unlike one he showed when Taiyo first disappeared, except a little more forced.

    ¡°Can you stand all right?¡± Sorai asked.

    Rei nodded, and carefully got up. He still winced at the pain.

    ¡°Don¡¯t force it,¡± his father suggested. ¡°The bright side is that we can head home soon; Kuro¡¯s kitsune-advisor and two younger heirs aren¡¯t accounted for, so we can assume they left. Whether or not they continue to fight depends on how much the people trust the kitsune.¡±

    ¡°And did you see?¡± Rei asked, realizing after a second that he couldn¡¯t really phrase it. He tried again with a lot more trouble actually trying to say it right. ¡°Taiyo¡­¡±

    ¡°We saw,¡± Sorai said, nodding a little. He let his smile fall, and his own kind of awkward caution showed instead. ¡°We saw him, at least. Were you there for very long before..?¡±

    Rei really didn¡¯t want to tell his father that he saw Taiyo immediately after his brother stabbed himself. Sorai seemed to take it as a sign to rephrase his question.

    ¡°Did you watch him?¡± Sorai asked instead, kindly but leaving out the sensitive words.

    ¡°Not necessarily,¡± Rei replied hesitantly. ¡°I was there, but¡­tried not to look.¡±

    His father nodded. It probably said a lot about the family that not watching someone die was considered good news. Sorai gestured for Rei to follow. ¡°Your mother needs some time to process it, but if you¡¯re up for it we can start making preparations for heading back.¡±

    Rei nodded, and followed his father as they went about the battle aftermath.

    ¡ª¡ª

    Kyoumi hated that this would go against her; she never wanted to see either of her sons dead. She imagined Sorai didn¡¯t necessarily want to hear her ramblings, either, yet here they were.

    ¡°I don¡¯t even understand why he left,¡± Kyoumi said. Somehow, Roken had Masaaki Toru tell the people to give them lodging for the night¡ªthey were allowed to stay in the Masaaki¡¯s house. With next to no Kuro citizens left in the city, they accepted after confirming some of Gin¡¯s soldiers could guard them. She had yet to lay down, and at this point questioned if she would. ¡°Taiyo shouldn¡¯t have even left camp.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t help,¡± Sorai maintained, as he has been for the last few minutes. ¡°Rei was the last one to talk to him before the battle, but I don¡¯t want to ask any more than I have to. He looks like you did when Utaka and Erize died.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s concerning,¡± Kyoumi agreed. Finally, she wandered over to the bed and sat down next to Sorai. ¡°Aside from Rei¡­ There was a lot we never asked Taiyo. He said he was in Kuro no Shuto, but we don¡¯t know why. The kitsune-advisor might have been able to say anything, but we couldn¡¯t find her.¡±

    ¡°We could try asking Masaaki Toru?¡± Sorai suggested. ¡°It¡¯s unlikely he was there the whole time, but for the time being it seems like Roken wants to keep an eye on him.¡±

    Kyoumi sighed. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be ready to ask before Roken heads back to the north.¡± She finally gave in to the coming tiredness, leaning back completely. ¡°But I wonder¡­if somehow, this could¡¯ve been prevented. If Rei didn¡¯t fight, or if someone kept a closer eye on Taiyo, then he wouldn¡¯t¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡­don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything anyone did wrong.¡±

    ¡°You only think?¡±

    ¡°¡­It¡¯s hard to say. Maybe, maybe not. I still need some time.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll try to put my worries aside, then. There will be plenty of time to ramble once we¡¯re back home.¡±

 Chapter 83: The Fall of Two Nations

    Sukaru had lived for over four hundred years. She saw little more than twenty rulers die; she had gotten used to it. It helped, perhaps, that she wasn¡¯t necessarily considered a member of Kuro¡¯s royal family¡ªshe was Yanami Sukaru, if many thought to even name her. That certain level of dissociation helped when she was bound to live a longer life than her relatives.

    She always wanted to be rid of her obligations at Kuro no Shuto; she only left the damned place twice in her entire lifetime. Once to negotiate with S¨®lstaeur on its terms of being freed due to Shunji having no interest, and when she came to Masaaki territory in their retreat. She envied the people who left¡ªMasaaki Miya, even Kioshi.

    The battle at Masaaki¡¯s home was strange, in that Sukaru had never considered the end of her life until then. She had been put in charge of Shunji¡¯s littlest two¡ªshe would have advised some other pairing, but Shunji was mad enough at the circumstances that he didn¡¯t want to listen. Sukaru imagined she would have died, if that boy hadn¡¯t stopped and turned away without lifting a blade against them.

    She fled while they were still fighting, taking the two children with her. The forests around Masaaki¡¯s territory were thick, and she correctly guessed that Gin¡¯s forces wouldn¡¯t try to pursue.

    Sukaru found herself surrounded by kitsune for the first time. They were kinder than she would have thought, for creatures known as tricksters. A keen mind for strategies seemed to be common, whether or not those strategies were for battling. For once, her efforts were genuinely appreciated.

    The battle happened in March. Come May, the kitsune of the forest started venturing a bit further out. Sukaru thought it save to go out as well, traveling away from Kuro no Shuto. She had no interest in ruling the kingdom, even if that meant losing it. She found herself a bit surprised that it wasn¡¯t Kuro¡¯s insistence on strength that made it fall; although, it could¡¯ve been their pride instead.

    Things fell into chaos shortly after. The people weren¡¯t sure how to manage the kitsune on their own, and Sukaru was selfish enough that she didn¡¯t want to take control of the kingdom. She felt no real obligation to, and she saw it more tactically sound. She didn¡¯t have much schooling in actually ruling, because they never thought that she might outlive the rest.

    So, in early June, she left Kuro entirely with Shunji¡¯s youngest two children. Sukaru had a chance to make the family relatively normal, and she didn¡¯t want to ignore it. Kurokami and Ginshin¡¯s feud had ended.

    ¡ª¡ª

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    Kyoumi didn¡¯t think things would fall as far as they did. Within months, Kuro no ¨­koku was reduced to a playground for creatures that could be seen singing and dancing from the other side of the river. She never imagined such disorder was possible, and perhaps making it worse was that it came across the border as well.

    She hesitated to allow anyone who went east of the mountains back home, due to the quick loss of structure in the west. Kitsune crossed Hiroki¡¯s fort out of sheer curiosity, tengu appeared more frequently and began to interfere with trade between the two sides of Gin.

    Unsurprisingly, the blame fell on her. They just wanted someone to take responsibility, since the exact cause was a mystery. She wouldn¡¯t have minded if it had come at a different time; they still had to manage the aftermath of the war and mourn for those they lost. The first matter of business when they returned to Gin no Shuto was to set up a memorial for Taiyo, yet Kyoumi wasn¡¯t given enough time to fully process that her son was dead.

    By July, there were few people living west of Gin¡¯s mountains; they either went north or east, and regardless they weren¡¯t fond of Kyoumi¡¯s inaction. She already knew that mourning and responsibility didn¡¯t mix well¡ªthere was only time for one or the other. She tried to explain that there was little she could do¡ªshe could do nothing to encourage the creatures to leave, save sending out people to actively drive them out¡ªto no avail.

    Given another month, and she began to read warnings mixed in with the regular reports. Any other ruler might look at the threats and decide to retaliate towards those sending them on the grounds of treason; Kyoumi, however, had no interest in entertaining the idea of fighting as the letters suggested.

    Kyoumi decided that, if they were so dissatisfied that they would fight against her, she could prevent all the fighting and simply leave. Discussion with Sorai and Tsujihara Isei brought a similar conclusion, and Rei accepted it without much protest once his questions of where they would go and who might come with them were answered. They were only home for a few months before having to leave again.

    S¨®lstaeur allowed them to stay, even giving them a place to live in Byen Roken so Rei had a familiar face; one or two of the loyal servant or guard families came with them, although Fujita and Tsujihara initially stayed. The Tsujihara family came later, having tried to manage the people in Kyoumi¡¯s absence and similarly being rejected, but took up residence farther away; the Fujita family came to Byen Roken specifically to announce that Gin ceased to exist as a unified nation, its attempt of self-government failing due to impatience and lack of proper knowledge.

    It did frustrate her a bit¡ªeverything fell apart and she couldn¡¯t do anything to fix it¡ªyet the whole thing also didn¡¯t bother her. It gave her time to grieve and consider things without having to worry about anything else. For once, she thought lightly of the situation.

    Perhaps it could¡¯ve ended some other way, considering the war, Taiyo, and what was left of Ginshin and Kurokami¡¯s island. Yet Kyoumi recovered quickly than she thought she would have, due to having more time to sort out her thoughts and address them. She still didn¡¯t like that she lost a family member along the way, but at least she could think back on the memories with him and not fall into regret.

 Chapter 84: How Things Ended

    Rei found that, while they were in S¨®lstaeur, he needed to be reminded to get out of bed. Then again, in S¨®lstaeur things felt a bit more¡­lax. Being there worried him but comforted him at the same time. Half a year had passed since they arrived.

    If it wasn¡¯t for the fact that Taiyo wasn¡¯t here, he might have believed the war never happened.

    It was colder than he liked¡ªthe warmth from the inner fire helped, but only if he had the door open. And, unfortunately for his plans on staying underneath the blankets, he didn¡¯t close the door the night before, thus allowing whoever wanted to just wander in without feeling obligated to knock.

    He knew someone came in, but didn¡¯t particularly want to get up to check. He knew who it was anyway after they poked him lightly and spoke.

    ¡°I know you¡¯re a warm weather kid, but come on! You can drag all your blankets with you; we¡¯re only going over to the Rokens¡¯ house.¡±

    Rei opened his eyes, smiling a little at Maeko. She was still making sure he talked to people.

    ¡°Give me a few seconds to prepare myself to be cold,¡± Rei said. ¡°Then I¡¯ll get up and get dressed.¡±

    Maeko feigned some form of annoyance. ¡°Fine, fine. We¡¯re eating breakfast here anyway; you have until it¡¯s done before I come back in here.¡±

    ¡°All right, I get it. Close the door on your way out.¡±

    Maeko nodded and left, doing as he asked. He had been awake for a while¡ªjust didn¡¯t want to get up¡ªso he took a second to prepare to be greeted with the chill outside his blankets before standing. He quickly got dressed into something more decent for the weather, then left his room. The house, all things considered, was roughly the size of the Fujita¡¯s; in a way, it almost felt like they were just on extended vacation.

    Rei sat down at the little table in the kitchen, and for a few minutes watched Maeko help Kyoumi with making breakfast. For the first couple of weeks, Roken-Imia Lizette¡ªKasper¡¯s grandmother, who still lived in the Roken house despite her husband having left the village¡ªoffered food for them, but the Nesshin family started helping instead. Kyoumi allowed them to help, but refused entire meals.

    He nodded his thanks to both Kyoumi and Maeko when the latter sat the food down. Maeko sat down to entertain conversation, but simply explained that she had already ate. The conversation itself was just a confirmation of what they¡¯d be doing¡ªeveryone wanted to know where the others were, even if they haven¡¯t left Byen Roken for a while. Once Rei finished eating, Maeko practically dragged him out the door, only pausing so he could put on a coat.

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    The Rokens lived farther in the village, close to where they held the meetings; it was marked as the current one with a feather hung near the door, so the foreigners knew where to go if they had any problems. There wasn¡¯t anything blocking it¡ªRei visited fairly often, if only so he wasn¡¯t sitting at the Gin-Fujita¡¯s house all day, every day¡ªso they got in without any trouble.

    The first person to greet them was Roken Emelie, who just happened to sit in a good spot to see the door. On her other side was Kasper, who offered a little wave.

    ¡°I¡¯m still not used to the cold,¡± Rei murmured. The center fire of the home was warm enough that he could take off his coat and stay warm; both him and Maeko sat their respective coats near the door, then joined the Roken siblings near the fire.

    ¡°Mother took a year or so to adjust,¡± Emelie reported. She partially nodded to the drawings hanging up on one wall¡ªnot unlike that of the portraits of previous rulers, albeit coincidentally¡ªof Kuro-Masaaki Miya. Rei didn¡¯t actually realize the Roken siblings had royal Kuro blood in them until he first saw the drawings and asked after it.

    Maeko cast him a teasing look. ¡°Nah, I think Rei¡¯s just spoiled since he¡¯s a summer kid.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind it though,¡± Emelie mused. ¡°It¡¯s just that you guys are used to warmer weather than this. The only bad thing is that we don¡¯t get sakura petals up here.¡±

    ¡°I could probably make due without seeing them again,¡± Rei admitted. ¡°They always¡­frustrated me. Now I have an actual reason for it¡ªthat battle was in spring.¡±

    They all fell silent for a moment, for varying reasons; the battle meant different things to each one of them. Kasper awkwardly tried to bring back conversation after Lizette emerged from the kitchen, offered some explanation to Kasper and Emelie, and left after the two murmured their understanding.

    ¡°Speaking of sakura petals,¡± Kasper said, ¡°There are still a few people who are trying to trade with Kuro and Gin.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t imagine there¡¯s much people left to trade with,¡± Rei noted, successfully pulled out of his thoughts and memories. ¡°I know Kuro gave up once they saw the kitsune-advisor leave.¡±

    ¡°A few of the merchants actually came into the meeting,¡± Kasper continued. ¡°Not a lot of people are left in Kuro anymore¡ªthey panicked and left. There¡¯s a few ships left in Gin, but no one was willing to trade.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m still amazed how quickly everyone cleared out,¡± Maeko said. She leaned forward towards the fire for a moment before pulling back again. ¡°I mean, it hasn¡¯t quite been a year since the war ended.¡±

    ¡°Gin, at least, tried to recover too quickly,¡± Rei replied, shaking his head. ¡°They wanted us out, saw an opportunity, and took it without thinking.¡± He sighed. ¡°Still¡­ I wouldn¡¯t mind going back¡ªif only just to get the records and all the pictures. We only have Taiyo, Utaka, and Erize.¡±

    ¡°Ideally, there would be a time for everyone to go back and collect what they might not have,¡± Kasper said. ¡°It¡¯s hard to say when that time will come, though.¡±

    Rei murmured some agreement. There¡­wasn¡¯t much anyone could do about it. What was done was done. Most of the people from Gin and Kuro understood that by now.

    There was a chance it could have ended differently¡ªaccepting that was hard, especially for his family. At this point, though, it was actually easier to acknowledge everything. Rei had less to worry about that way. Maybe, when everything else felt real, he¡¯d go back to reassess his opinions. For now, he was satisfied with what he had.

    And one day, he¡¯d be able to talk about Taiyo and that last battle without falling silent to entertain the persisting ¡®what ifs.¡¯