After Surina and Tarsan rescued Eshana and got her breathing again, Tarsan faced Surina and told her sternly to run. “I have no time to ask why you're here, but you have to leave, now, ” he said in a voice of command. But Surina didn’t understand why she had to run, so she hesitated.
“Run, I said! When the soldiers get here, you won't be able to escape!”
Surina's shoulders collapsed inward. “You're saying I should make a run for it with Eshana?”
Tarsan shook his head at her. “ I don't know what's going to happen with Eshana. I'm not even sure saving her was the right thing to do. When I saw you dive, my body just moved without thinking. I thought I was seeing Yata dive in after her, even though that's impossible... ”
Pale moonlight fell on Tarsan's face. He frowned deeply, clearly in pain. “ Since we saved her, she'll have to be taken to the stone dungeons to prevent anyone from using her for magic. But you can still get away if you move quickly. Forget everything that happened tonight. Don't tell anyone about it. ”
Surina didn’ t understand what he wanted from her, but she stood up quickly in response to his urgent tone. Eshana coughed painfully and started shivering. There was no way that Surina could just leave her there like that. Eshana coughed again and opened her eyes, blinking repeatedly as she tried to focus her vision. When she looked into Surina's eyes, she recognized her and burst into tears. She was like a child that had been lost for a long time and had finally found her mother.
She’ d survived so many painful and terrifying things by the skin of her teeth. Against all odds, she'd been saved. The thread of nervous tension inside her had been pulled too tight for too long, and it finally snapped.
If Surina chose to run then, she knew she’ d regret it later. She took Eshana in her arms and wrapped her in a strong hug. Her body was so light. Her long weeks spent as the Eyes of the Nayugul Raita had left her little more than skin and bones.
Even when Surina heard the footsteps of the soldiers approaching, she didn’t move. She remained as she was, crouched down on the rocky shore holding Eshana while looking up at Tarsan.
Eshana didn’ t say a word as they were led away from the rocks and into Sangal's stone dungeons beneath the palace. Her skin was cold and clammy from having been submerged for so long. She trembled like a terrified puppy in Surina's arms all night. Her skin became hot to the touch; by dawn, she was wandering in a fever.
Prince Tarsan ordered his soldiers to bring her and Eshana warm blankets. Tarsan stared directly at them as the men passed the blankets through the cell's iron bars. He appeared incredibly nervous; his skin stretched over his face like leather over a beaten drum.
“I'll come for you in the morning. I'll do everything I can in your defense, so please don't worry.” He shifted his gaze from Surina to Eshana, who was still in Surina's lap. He opened his mouth to speak, then closed it, turned on his heel and withdrew.
Tarsan seemed to fear Eshana for some reason, but Surina wasn't scared of her at all. Though she'd obviously been through a lot and much was still shrouded in mystery, Surina had touched her soul during the festival under the sea. She knew that the little girl burning up in her arms was Eshana, and no one else.
The Nayugul Raita gave her soul back...probably because of me . If Surina explained things with her whole heart, she was sure Prince Tarsan and other people would understand.
Surina leaned against the stone wall of the dungeon and passed the long night holding Eshana in her arms. A faint light shone through the iron prison bars onto the damp earth floor.
The night passed slowly. Surina lost track of time. Her eyes opened when she heard footsteps; she realized that she'd fallen asleep at some point.
“Surina.”
When she identified the face of the person addressing her, she was astonished. “Pr...princess Saluna?” She had seen her face from afar dozens of times on the islands, but she'd never seen her up close before.
“I'm glad you're safe,” Princess Saluna said. “Has anyone brought you anything to eat or drink?”
Surina blinked. “They probably did, but I don't remember. I didn't mean to fall asleep.”
Princess Saluna passed a small jar and some packets wrapped in paper through the bars of the cell. The jar was profoundly heavy and full of cold liquid. It was fruit juice. When Surina realized that Princess Saluna had given them more than enough food and drink to recover their strength, she was deeply grateful.
“Thank you so much!”
Princess Saluna nodded, then whispered something to Surina. She didn't understand why the princess would say something so shocking to her, but she nodded under the pressure of Princess Saluna's stern gaze.
I should have run away when Prince Tarsan told me to...
A slick, slimy red-black tongue laved Chagum's body all over. It exuded a terrible smell that made Chagum groan and roll over in his sleep. He felt like he'd been defiled in some way and that the corruption was seeping further into his body until he smelled exactly the same as that awful tongue. He experienced flash memories of bodies cut to pieces with their organs spilling out; he convulsed as he watched the light leave people's eyes. The tongue licked at him the entire time.
He cried out and attempted to move his hands, but his joints felt like they'd been fixed in position with glue. He couldn't move at all. The tips of his fingers and toes rotted slowly away as the corruption spread through him.
“Think about the ocean, Your Majesty.” He heard Shuga's voice.
Chagum saw the horrible tongue split in two and felt something cold press into his forehead.
“Look at the surface of the ocean. Look!”
Chagum blinked and saw the ocean spreading out beneath him. Cold water slammed into his face; his nose hurt sharply as he inhaled and his body was completely engulfed by the waves. He kept sinking, sinking, farther and farther down to the ocean floor. The feeling of corruption and defilement clinging to him washed away completely, leaving him with the comfortable sensation of clean skin.
Chagum continued to sink deeper into the darkness. It was quiet. He couldn't see anyone; there wasn't anyone to see. The smell of the ocean was all around him.. He felt the soft touch of someone's hand on his forehead.
“Crown Prince Chagum?”
When Chagum opened his eyes, he felt like he'd just surfaced from the depths of the sea in an instant. He wasn't sure where he was for a few moments. The ceiling above him was speckled with faintly glowing silver flecks, which told him that he must be in his room in Sangal's palace. The flecks in the ceiling were formed from bits of shell from nocturnal shellfish. Shuga stood quietly by his bed.
“Shuga... I just had a terrible nightmare.”
Shuga nodded. His usually stern face was streaked with salt, revealing that he'd recently been crying.
“Shuga, why were you crying?”
Shuga smiled at him. “I'm glad you've returned to us,” he said quietly.
Chagum felt warmth spread through his chest. He realized that he was urgently thirsty. The sound of the sea, which he'd gotten used to hearing in Sangal, seemed somehow distant.
“Your Majesty, Princess Saluna is waiting in the side chamber.” Shuga told Chagum that Princess Saluna had told him to convey everything that had happened the previous night, so that Chagum would understand why she and Tarsan were now able to move freely. He also told Chagum that Eshana was being kept prisoner in the stone dungeons.
Chagum listened carefully, then asked, “Why would you tell me that? You knew what I'd do if you told me.”
Shuga's eyebrows rose. He gave Chagum a bitter smile. “ I made a promise, Your Majesty, to tell you anything I knew or discovered of the Talsh plot, even if knowing would put you in danger. I know that you aren't the kind of person to leave an innocent person to die. ” Shuga stared at him. “I never used to, but I now believe in the kind of ruler that can keep their soul pure while still fulfilling their role.”
Shuga's voice cut through Chagum just as it had cut through the red-black tongue in his nightmare. A cool breeze passed over him, relaxing all his muscles as if he'd just indulged in a long stretch. Chagum smiled brightly. When Shuga saw it, his heart overflowed with joy.
“Your Majesty. Would you be willing to leave saving Eshana to me?”
Chagum looked anxiously at him. Shuga said, “ Perhaps we can leave that decision for later. For now, you should get some sleep. Further discussions with the King and Princess Karina will be quite taxing, I'm sure. Won't you rest a little?” Shuga smiled. His lips were chapped from thirst.
“All right, I will,” Chagum said. “But we should hurry if we're going to help.”
“Leave it to me, Your Majesty. I'm used to staying up all night to read the stars.”
Saluna waited in Chagum's side room. She rose from her seat when she saw Shuga approach. He looked like he hadn't slept all night, either. His face was like her own: pale and drawn.
“How is His Majesty?” Saluna asked.
“Thank you for your concern. He appears to be out of danger. Thank you for telling me about Eshana. I am most grateful.”
Saluna shook her head. “It was nothing. I'm the one that should be thanking you. Crown Prince Chagum has done more for me and Prince Tarsan that can ever be expressed in words. ” She paused. “What do we do now?”
“I have an errand. His Majesty has entrusted me with a task. But,” Shuga said in a hushed whisper, “ if you assisted me, would it harm your current position?”
Saluna giggled. “Whenever I think about what happened last night, I don't think I'll ever be afraid of anything ever again.” Despite her exhaustion, her eyes remained vibrant.
“This country's biggest problem is not one poor fisherman's daughter,” Shuga said. “ Besides, it's always better to give the accused a fair trial instead of simply killing them without due cause. This is a precept that was drilled into me as both a statesman and a diplomat.”
Saluna looked up at Shuga and smiled. “I'm sure other statesmen were taught differently. But, come. I am most curious to see how the King views such matters.”
Karnan was still in his sickbed, resting after the events of the previous evening. The rest of the royal family, the King's chief retainers, and Sangal's generals passed the night and early morning in a closed emergency consultation. The most urgent issue was the matter of the Talsh invasion, followed closely by how to handle Sangal's traitorous Island Guardians. The topic of what to do with Eshana never came up over the course of the long night.
When all the most pressing matters had been decided, Saluna left the meeting to stretch her legs and get feeling back in her limbs after sitting still for so long. When she returned to the meeting, she reported Crown Prince Chagum's role in advising and supporting her and Tarsan as they'd figured out the Talsh plot together. She didn't neglect to praise Shuga for his assistance as well, so the King had Shuga summoned to the emergency meeting.
When Shuga stepped into the meeting hall, the King greeted him with a wide smile. “Please come in, Lord Shuga.”
“I thank you for inviting me to this meeting and permitting me to speak, Your Majesty.”
“What's all this stuffy formality? You are among friends. Please tell us how Crown Prince Chagum fares and if there is anything we can do to assist with his recovery.”
Shuga nodded. “That is just the matter that I came to discuss with Your Majesty.”
The King of Sangal's eyes searched his face for portents and possible hidden meanings. Shuga spoke in a calm and measured tone. “ As you know, the Mikado of New Yogo is a saint through whom the blood of a god flows. Naturally, Crown Prince Chagum is also such a divine being. It is the traditional duty of the New Yogo royal family's servants to shield them from the sight of death and bloodshed.
“ But I failed in my duty, and the Crown Prince was overcome by the sight of the massacre in the banquet hall last night. He did not simply see others die, but knew that they had died or were dying based on his own orders. He was stunned by the shame of such an act, so much so that his soul is currently suffering a sickness known as soul corruption. If things progress as they currently are, his life could soon be in danger. ”
The King of Sangal's eyebrows drew together. The idea of a pure soul being corrupted and making its owner physically ill struck him as somewhat dubious. Did Shuga intend to blame Sangal for the sickness of the prince's soul?
“ Ah, I see. I am terribly sorry that the Crown Prince had to undergo such a violent experience. If his condition worsens, we will of course do everything possible to save him. It is the least we can do to express our thanks. ”
Hidden beneath his words was a veiled threat to the man standing before him: I expect you to help save the prince to the best of your abilities, too, Star Reader—as you did Prince Karnan. “We will seek out any medicine you require, no matter how rare or expensive.”
Shuga bowed slightly. “Thank you. I have indeed come to ask for such a boon.”
The King wrinkled his forehead. He didn't understand what Shuga wanted, exactly. “ Of course. It's only natural to want to save someone's life when they've saved your own. What kind of medicine do you require?”
Shuga opened his eyes wide and stared in supplication at the king. “ To save the Crown Prince's life, we must purify his soul. In order to cleanse a soul that has witnessed so much murder and death, he must see the remarkable act of a life being saved with his own eyes. The light of life will cleanse the corruption of death. Please, help me save him! ”
The entire royal family, even Princess Karina, stared at Shuga as if they didn't comprehend what he was asking for at all. They waited for him to continue speaking.
Shuga smiled mildly. “ The Crown Prince is an incredibly tender-hearted person. To see an innocent child die would grieve him greatly. The thought of it happening torments him even now. I believe that sparing the girl called Eshana publicly would be the best possible medicine for His Majesty the Crown Prince. ”
“Are you referring to the Eyes of the Nayugul Raita?”
Shuga nodded.
Now both Karina and the King understood exactly what Shuga was asking for, and why.
“The girl is called the Eyes of the Nayugul Raita in Sangal,” Shuga said. “ But the spirit that spoke to you through her was not one of the Nayugul Raita, but was instead a malevolent magic weaver.”
The King felt goosebumps rise along the nape of his neck. The place where the poisoned dart had pricked him still stung. He cleared his throat. “ The girl is undoubtedly still the tool of this magic weaver. Bringing such a corrupted person before Crown Prince Chagum may be too dangerous.”
“There's no need to worry about that,” Shuga said smoothly. “ I felt the magic weaver flee from the girl's body. I practice the art of Tendo, which is a kind of magic weaving used in star reading. Crown Prince Chagum ordered me to protect Your Majesty and Your Majesty's family at any cost, but the scope of my own power was too small. I could do nothing but pray to the gods.
“ But the Crown Prince is descended from a god, so the foul magic weaver was unable to go against his will. I felt the magic weaver suddenly retreat when faced with the Crown Prince's resistance. That is what ultimately saved your life, Your Majesty. What I witnessed last night was an experience that shook my very soul. ”
Shuga had answered all the King's questions and objections expertly. He remained silent while the royal family deliberated. Princess Karina finally broke the silence. “ Please forgive us for our misunderstanding. We are not Yogoese, and have no knowledge of Tendo. Therefore we found your explanation difficult to credit until you presented it fully.”
Shuga was clearly desperate to get the royal family to believe his story. Karina thought that it was probably a bluff. Crown Prince Chagum, Tarsan and Saluna all wanted to save Eshana: that was common knowledge. All of this was undoubtedly a lie dreamed up to save her life. Why had that magic weaver dropped the dart from her father's neck and suddenly collapsed? She still didn't know the answer, but she thought it was a bit too convenient for Shuga to have the ability to see through magic.
If it was true that the Crown Prince of New Yogo had saved the King's life by repelling the magic weaver, the kingdom of Sangal owed New Yogo a tremendous debt of gratitude. Karina opened her mouth to say something, but Shuga beat her to it.
“ I thank you for your consideration. Since we've established that the magic weaver has been driven off, and I myself have confirmed it, I do not believe there would be any danger in leading the child before the Crown Prince. ”
Karina understood that Shuga had crafted this entire pretext on the Crown Prince's behalf—and that it would work. If the danger was past, there was no reason for the King to deny his request. Eshana's sentence was as good as decided.
“ Father, let us display our good faith to our staunch allies Crown Prince Chagum and Lord Shuga. They are wise, and have used their wisdom to avert disaster. Granting such a boon would be a show of strength and courage on our part as well. ”
The King looked at Karina for a few moments, then nodded as a sign that he trusted her decision. Karina faced Shuga with a serious expression.
“ Lord Shuga, you have shown keen insight into this situation. We of Sangal are largely unacquainted with magic, and live in fear of it. But you are more versed in these matters, and if you say the magic weaver has fled, we will believe you. ”
Karina rang a small hand bell, summoning servants to her side. “Bring the girl in the stone dungeons to this hall immediately.”
While waiting for the servants to return, Karina thought of ways to pacify Crown Prince Chagum. The girl in the dungeons below was already dying. After placing the Eyes of the Nayugul Raita and the Rassharou girl in the dungeons, Karina had called upon her most trusted servants to watch over the prisoners until dawn to ensure they'd be given nothing to eat or drink. Then, when they were at their weakest, Karina had ordered her servants to give the prisoners food and water laced with a certain drug that was used to induce long, deep sleep. In their current state, the drug's effects would kill them. It was a relatively painless way to die; the drug had been used for generations for the purposes of eliminating enemies of Sangal ’s royal family.
The little girl had caught a fever after being thrown from the cliff. Many people had seen her with the Rassharou girl. It would not be at all suspicious for the child to die of a fever. Now all of Karina's planning was for nothing.
Karina sighed. Crown Prince Chagum was a skilled tactician, for all that he was so young.
There was a knock on the door of the hall. Karina's servants announced their return. The door opened, revealing the servants and the two prisoners from the dungeon on the other side. Karina stood ramrod straight as they entered the hall. The Rassharou girl carried Eshana closely clutched to her chest. Karina saw Saluna give the Rassharou girl a slight nod. The girl stepped further into the hall, among the onlookers.
Eshana was flushed with fever. She opened her eyes blearily and lifted her head. Then, like an infant, she stuck her thumb firmly in her mouth and looked out at the people surrounding her with unsteady glittering eyes.
Well that's an abrupt chapter ending. And what is with Karina? Why is she so hellbent on killing Eshana and Surina, when they haven't done anything? Why SHOULDN'T she believe that Rasugu is gone? I think she's just so prideful that she's sore about her plan being thwarted by both Chagum and Rasugu (in Eshana's body) and she wants to take it out on them.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, it's nice to see that Shuga's association with Chagum is changing him from a cold, calculating politician into a much kinder, gentler fellow. Chagum's dream was ultra gross, but it's kind of funny how it suggests that Shuga's story about Chagum being sick from "soul corruption" isn't actually that far from the truth.
Wait, that can't actually be the end of the chapter. I went to the Epilogue and it doesn't mention Eshana or Surina at all. Did Blogspot eat the end of the chapter? Surely Uehashi wouldn't leave us with such an ending.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, this is it...but you do hear from Surina briefly in the Epilogue. (She intends to return to Kalsh with Eshana and never come near the palace again).
DeleteShuga's excuse for Chagum's "sickness" is a good way to twist what you've got (a legend/tradition of a supposedly incorruptible god-child) into something you need (sparing someone's life to remove that "corruption"). It was certainly quick thinking on Shuga's part.
Karina doesn't like anything that makes her or the royal family look bad. Thinking of her as Sangal's Mikado would be entirely fair and justified.
For Chagum's dream, the most significant bit to me was that the water spirit washed the corruption away. There likely was a kernel of truth in what certain kinds of magic can do to the soul in Old Yogo. Chagum just kind of being magic now has a lot of benefits. :)
Dude, I literally was like "Oh, part of the chapter was definitely missing, I'll wait to finish reading the book til it's fixed." >_< Talk about your cliffhangers! I mean, yeah, she resolves it in the epilogue, but I am really startled by that. Cruel, cruel Professor Uehashi!
DeleteThat's a good point about Chagum's dream that I totally didn't notice til you pointed it out.
Mikado Karina, yeah that works. XD Hopefully Karnan will be a bit more warm of a ruler than his sister. :/
I think Uehashi wanted to leave us with Eshana being oh-so-incredibly cute. :) And she does resolve things in the epilogue, so at least she doesn't make you wait forever. (You're...not gonna like the end of "Traveler of the Blue Road," aside from the bit where Jin cries. I'm thinking of working a few chapters ahead of what I usually would for that book so that you won't be faced with an agonizing wait after the cliffhanger. I can't imagine how Japanese audiences following it in real time felt.)
DeleteChagum's Nayugu powers are much more important in the books than they are in the drama/anime. They're also considerably more powerful (as you've seen), though they're still somewhat nascent. Chagum is still growing into himself, but now he gets to face the consequences of being the only living Nyunga Ro Chaga. The water spirit is going to be an essential part of him, always.
Karnan didn't strike me as too bad, though his appearances here are brief. The main problem Sangal has right now (aside from, y'know, the Talsh invasion) is that it's incredibly unstable from a government perspective. I don't envy Tarsan his task of keeping everything hanging together.