Yatagarasu Series
Volume 10:
The Raven's Autumn Full Moon
Author: Abe Chisato
Part 2: Katsura no Hana
“From this day forward, we shall conduct the Rite of Ascension. May the blessings of the mountain god be upon you on this auspicious day.”
This solemn proclamation was delivered by a lady-in-waiting that served the Souke family. She stood upon the gleaming floorboards of Wisteria Hall’s receiving chamber in Sakura Palace facing four duchesses from the Touke, Hokke, Nanke, and Saike families. The duchess’ ladies-in-waiting and attendants knelt behind them with their heads bowed.
Ordinarily the duchesses would be sitting in Wisteria Hall’s courtyard or near the windows with garden flowers as a backdrop, but this year the windows were closed and the blinds were lowered, casting the chamber into gloomy darkness. Hanging lanterns that burned lumps of sugar illuminated the chamber imperfectly, creating patterns of light and shadow on the walls.
This should be a happy occasion, but the dim lighting and lowered blinds created an incongruously dark mood in the chamber.
The lady-in-waiting of the Souke family was explaining the rules of Sakura Palace when Empress Asebi interrupted her.
“There is something I must say.” Her voice was high and girlish. She sat on her throne on a raised dais and gazed down at Wisteria Hall. Her dress was a deep purple color with wide sleeves and an elegantly embroidered skirt. Her hairpins were molded wisteria flowers cast in metal with purple amethysts set in for the petals. Her hair was a rare light brown. Her eyes glittered in the light of the lamps. Though she was past forty, her face was unwrinkled; her cheeks were a soft cherry blossom pink.
She was the mother of Emperor Nagihiko, who would soon be fifteen years old.
Empress Asebi’s eyes swept over the assembled duchesses. “I am so grateful that all of you are here,” she said. “Whatever the outcome of this Rite of Ascension, I think of you all as my own daughters.” She smiled gently. “I hope you have a wonderful time in Sakura Palace.”
The duchesses bowed so deeply that their foreheads touched the floor.
Empress Asebi handed out the keys to each of the halls that the duchesses would be living in for the next year. It was customary for the duchess whose family had the most power within the Imperial Court to be called up first. After receiving the keys into her own hands, Empress Asebi called the Duchess of Hokke up to the dais.
“Yes, Your Imperial Majesty?” the duchess asked. Her voice was clear and crisp. She bowed with a gallant sweep of her dress and then approached the empress. Her dress was forest green and many-layered like the leaves of a tree. Her over-robe was patterned all over with plums. She was dressed with scrupulous care for a celebratory occasion.
The Hokke duchess’ curly hair spilled over her shoulders in abundant waves. The set of her shoulders and the way she carried herself expressed physical power. It was clear that she belonged to the Hokke family, which was famed for their warriors. Her jawline was firm and her body was sharp and angular like a weapon.
“Tsuru ga Oto, First Duchess of Hokke, greets Empress Asebi,” the Hokke duchess said with great dignity and gravitas.
Empress Asebi handed her the key to the Winter Hall. “We are indebted to the Yellow Raven for his constant efforts. You are most welcome here, Duchess of Hokke.”
Tsuru ga Oto’s face lit up. “Thank you very much, Empress Asebi. I shall convey your sentiments to the Yellow Raven.”
Empress Asebi nodded and then dismissed her. After Tsuru ga Oto was back in her place, Empress Asebi said, “Duchess of Nanke.”
“Yes, Your Imperial Majesty?” The duchess bowed and approached. She was tall and willowy. Her voice was incongruously low for her slight frame. Her posture was perfectly straight. She wore layered robes of white, pale blue, and lapis lazuli blue and a dark blue train embroidered with waves. She had a mysterious aura that her closed expression only added to. If the Hokke duchess was warlike, then the Nanke duchess was purely aristocratic, with a small, pert nose, high cheekbones, thin lips, and slightly slanted eyes.
“Hotaru, Second Duchess of Nanke, greets the empress,” the Nanke duchess said.
“I thank you very much for coming,” Empress Asebi said. “If there is anything you require, please do not hesitate to ask.”
“I am grateful for your consideration, Empress Asebi.”
Duchess Hotaru received her key to the Summer Hall, and then Empress Asebi called the Touke duchess to the dais.
“Yes, Your Imperial Majesty!” The duchess’ answer was bouncy and bright. She stepped forward with great enthusiasm and energy. Her hair was pure black, but in face and form, she closely resembled Empress Asebi. Her face still had a touch of childish roundness. Her eyes were exceptionally large and shaped like peach pits. She wore a thin layer of crimson gauze over her formal robes. She was disarming in her charm, like a little girl who wanted to play.
“Yamabuki, Third Duchess of Touke, greets Empress Asebi,” the girl said breathlessly.
Empress Asebi gave her a radiant smile. “I am delighted to see you here, Duchess Yamabuki. I hope that you and my son will be great friends.”
Duchess Yamabuki smiled. “Of course, Your Imperial Majesty.”
Empress Asebi and Duchess Yamabuki had the air of a mother and child sharing a secret joke.
The Duchess of Touke received her key and returned to her place in the hall.
“Duchess of Saike,” Empress Asebi said.
A hush fell over the room as the Duchess of Saike rose to her feet. The atmosphere in Wisteria Hall had been light and teasing before, but now the shadows pressed in, surrounding the girl like a pack of ravenous wolves. She was lovely, but she was also clearly uncomfortable. The tension would not leave her shoulders. Her high forehead and slightly squinting eyes made her appear bookish. Her dress was a bright, clear yellow-green color resembling freshly sprouted spring leaves. The karaginu she wore over it was made of deep red sappan wood silk. Her black-red hair was completely straight, neat and well-behaved. Her eyes were thoughtful. The way she carried herself made her look like a skittish doe that wanted to flee. Her expression was severe and tinged with sorrow.
“Katsura no Hana, First Duchess of Saike, greets Empress Asebi,” she said in a voice without inflection.
The empress frowned at her. “I expect that this will be difficult,” she said, “but I sincerely pray that you and the other duchesses will be friends, Duchess Katsura no Hana.”
“Your thoughtfulness humbles me, Empress Asebi,” Katsura no Hana said. She received the key to the Autumn Hall and returned to her place. Her expression didn’t shift so much as an inch the entire time.
***
“Now, then: we are here and we are safe. We should celebrate getting this far,” Tsuru ga Oto said to the duchesses in Wisteria Hall. “You know why we’re here. I won’t be chosen as the next empress; that has never been the Yellow Raven’s goal. I must be chosen as a feather mother to the next imperial prince. If I can do that, I will be in charge of his education.”
Tsuru ga Oto sprang to her feet and started to pace. “No matter who is chosen, we will be working closely together in the future. Let’s do our best to get along, shall we?” She said this very firmly.
“We are aware of the Yellow Raven’s wishes,” Hotaru, the Duchess of Nanke, said. “Though I would like nothing more than to serve him for many years to come, we cannot even begin to speak of the future until one of us is chosen.” Her true feelings could not be easily discerned by her words. She was going along with what Tsuru ga Oto said, but that could be because she was too tired or too unprepared to fight.
Tsuru ga Oto thumped her chest with a resounding smack. “Of course! I shall do my best to support you in all your endeavors, Duchess Hotaru. And when Duchess Yamabuki becomes a concubine, I shall do the same for her. None of you need to worry about direct competition from me.”
Yamabuki nodded and smiled. “I feel so reassured.”
Tsuru ga Oto beamed at her. “The Yellow Raven wishes for His Imperial Majesty’s child to be born as soon as possible. You must do your absolute best.”
Tsuru ga Oto’s attention shifted to Katsura no Hana. “I sympathize with your situation, Duchess Katsura no Hana.”
The other duchesses looked at the unfortunate Saike duchess. She had known from the start that it would be three against one.
“Don’t hate us too much for what we have to do,” Tsuru ga Oto said. “Everything we do is for peace in Yamauchi. Surely you understand that.”
Katsura no Hana bowed her head. She had been dismissed, and she knew it. Tsuru ga Oto and the others barely saw her as a person, never mind a Rite of Ascension candidate.
***
The instant she entered the Autumn Hall, Akane made an exaggerated noise of irritation. “I can’t believe how rude they are.”
Katsura no Hana’s other ladies-in-waiting nodded in support. “Duchess Tsuru ga Oto’s attitude was dreadful! That is no way to treat a duchess of equal standing.”
“Shouldn’t we report this?” a lady-in-waiting asked. “The Lord of Saike should be informed.”
Katsura no Hana was touched by the concern of her attendants, but she didn’t want anyone to overreact. Her position in Sakura Palace was already precarious; she didn’t want to do anything to make it worse.
“Calm yourselves, everyone. We can’t start by making waves. We knew to expect this situation.”
“Even so, the other duchesses are far too discourteous,” Akane fumed.
“Silence,” Kikuno said to the other ladies-in-waiting. She was Katsura no Hana’s most senior attendant. “Your duchess has instructed you to calm yourselves. Why are you making such a fuss? Can’t you see that the duchess is exhausted? We must allow Katsura no Hana to relax.”
Kikuno had been Masuho no Susuki’s lady-in-waiting during the last Rite of Ascension. Katsura no Hana was relieved to have her here.
“The time to disparage our rivals will come, and I assure you that I will participate to the best of my ability,” Kikuno added stiffly.
Katsura no Hana gasped.
The other ladies-in-waiting appeared smug. “We look forward to your guidance, Lady Kikuno.”
Katsura no Hana looked at Kikuno in alarm.
“Apologies, duchess,” Kikuno said. “I am angry—so angry that I can’t help myself. Please forgive my outburst.”
Given the various incidents that had occurred during and after the previous Rite of Ascension, Kikuno had more reasons to be angry than anyone else.
Katsura no Hana took the time to change into a light kosode and drink some hot tea. She felt considerably refreshed. Akane sat beside her and shared tea with her.
Akane had darker skin than was usual for noblewomen and eyes that were almost black. She was Katsura no Hana’s cousin. Her mother was Masuho no Susuki, who had been the duchess sent to the Rite of Ascension before Emperor Nazukihiko had ascended to the throne. Akane’s twin sister Aoi was currently working in the Imperial Court as a rakujō.
Akane did not possess the glamorous beauty of her mother or sister, but she had a childish, charming face. She was small in stature, and when she smiled, she looked incredibly young. She was extremely serious, so her smiles were rare. Her eyes betrayed her keen intelligence.
The slightly older Akane was like a dependable older sister to Katsura no Hana. When Katsura no Hana had been chosen for the Rite of Ascension, the knowledge that Akane would accompany her to Sakura Palace had steadied her. Whenever Katsura no Hana had a problem and sought advice, Akane always offered even-handed opinions. It was rare for her to be so riled up by the behavior of other people.
“Duchess Tsuru ga Oto was extremely rude toward you. She spoke as if she were in control of Sakura Palace. It was difficult to watch her say all that and make no response,” Akane said.
Kikuno nodded. “The last time I was here, Princess Fujinami oversaw things. She would never have allowed one duchess to bully another. Who does that foolish girl think she is? You’d think she spoke with the Yellow Raven’s authority. I am certain he would not approve of her openly lording it over other people.”
“Perhaps she is behaving as she was told to,” Katsura no Hana ventured. “We can’t rule that out entirely. I don’t think we should contact my father yet. It might be difficult to send him a message, and I want to keep those communication channels open for when we really need them.”
Akane fell silent, sullen. Kikuno looked like she had swallowed a thorny stick whole.
“I was not expecting things to get so bad so soon,” Kikuno said, sighing. “Even the previous Rite of Ascension started better, and it was a complete disaster.”
The last time Yamauchi had conducted a Rite of Ascension, most of the tension between the duchesses was caused by caution and confusion. No one knew who Crown Prince Nazukihiko would choose as a bride. He never visited any of the duchesses in Sakura Palace. In the end, he chose the Nanke duchess after she’d been disowned by her family. None of the Four Families gained any advantage from his marriage. Such behavior was typical of him; he had never played the political games that the Four Families of Yamauchi were so fond of.
This time, the outcome of the Rite of Ascension had already been decided. For more than a decade, a Touke empress had reigned supreme. It was now a Nanke empress’ turn. Everyone knew that Hotaru would be the emperor’s wife.
Emperor Nagihiko’s rule had come about after his predecessor’s violent assassination. Emperor Nazukihiko had never been liked by the Four Families or nobles in general. His policies had curtailed their power, and he’d married a duchess without any family support. He’d died young with many of his aspirations unfulfilled.
Before his assassination, the people who supported Nazukihiko’s rule most fervently were his elder brother Natsuka, the head priest of Clear Mirror Temple, Yukiya, his personal attendant and military strategist, and the Saike family—his mother’s family.
Yukiya’s mother was the Lord of Hokke’s daughter. She had died shortly after Yukiya’s birth, but Yukiya and his grandfather had always been close.
Natsuka’s mother had been Empress Oumurasaki of Nanke; her name at birth was Takako. She had masterminded the assassination of Nazukihiko because she was desperate to see her own son take the throne. Natsuka himself had no desire for worldly power. Other nobles tried to use him to establish themselves in the Imperial Court, but Natsuka had the same amount of patience as his brother when it came to political games: none.
After Takako was successfully accused of murdering the emperor, Natsuka—her son—was tainted by association. Nazukihiko and Natsuka’s father, who had abdicated and lived in seclusion, returned to reclaim the throne until his third son, Nagihiko, came of age.
Duchess Asebi of Touke was Nagihiko’s mother. She had come to Nazukihiko’s Rite of Ascension as the Touke duchess. Nagihiko was now fourteen years old, and it was time for him to choose an empress.
Nagihiko’s father, Natsumihiko, didn’t live long enough to see his third son grow up. He died of an illness shortly after assuming power again. The Touke family and the Nanke family settled into their roles as relatives of the next emperor and bided their time.
The Nanke family suffered few consequences for killing Nazukihiko. There was a brief time after Takako’s death where they were shunned, but they soon regained their previous power. No one mentioned their disgrace anymore.
The Hokke family had been intensely loyal to Nazukihiko. It was something of a surprise when they immediately threw their support behind Nagihiko, even after they discovered that the Nanke empress had murdered Nazukihiko. They expressed no dissatisfaction at the current state of affairs.
Yukiya, the Lord of Hokke’s grandson, was responsible for this unusual reaction of the Hokke family. He had persuaded his grandfather not to go to war, but to wait and strike when the time was right.
After that, Yukiya wasted no time ingratiating himself with the Touke family. He made himself indispensable to them, to the point where his role in government affairs became more important than the Nanke family’s. The few Imperial Court factions that revolted after Nazukihiko’s death were swiftly crushed by the Lord of Hokke’s armies. Yukiya had been a military commander during the great war with the Kuisaru; he was a better strategist than most and knew how to persuade—or obliterate—enemies.
Prince Natsuka remained the head priest of Clear Mirror Temple after his brother’s death and his mother’s disgrace. He never returned to the Imperial Court. The Saike family made rare appearances in the Imperial Palace. Their emperor had been murdered in cold blood, and they had not recovered their previous power since.
Yukiya’s actions made people whisper that he’d been the true mastermind behind the assassination of Emperor Nazukihiko. His only misstep was failing to secure Nazukihiko’s wife, who vehemently opposed Nagihiko’s ascension to the throne, and her only daughter, Princess Shion.
Yukiya restored the power and privileges to the Four Families that Nazukihiko had taken from them. He secured overwhelming support from Yamauchi’s nobles. He never married or had children so that he wouldn’t tip the balance of power. When he became the Yellow Raven by acclamation, he took religious vows and adopted a new name, Sessai.
Yukiya was the youngest Yellow Raven ever appointed in Yamauchi’s history. Past Yellow Ravens had accepted the role after having children, but Yukiya never did.
Everyone knew that Yukiya and the Hokke family were closely allied. Tsuru ga Oto, the Hokke duchess, was the daughter of his first cousin, Kiei, who was the Lord of Hokke’s heir. In the unlikely event that she became the next empress, all the effort he’d made to demonstrate his lack of personal desire for power might be wasted. He issued commands; Tsuru ga Oto would not become the next empress, but she should try to become the next imperial prince’s feather mother instead.
The Touke family rarely seized power so brazenly as they had with Empress Asebi. They were known for scheming for years or decades to achieve a desired outcome. Now that there was a Touke empress in power, it would have been uncouth for the family to compel Nagihiko to marry a Touke duchess. They decided to curry favor with the Nanke family—their close allies—and so they bowed out of the competition. They still wished Nagihiko to take Yamabuki, their duchess, as a concubine.
The Nanke family had orchestrated all of this by sacrificing the previous Nanke empress. She had been shed like a lizard’s tail, and the future of the family appeared auspicious.
All of the duchesses present for the Rite of Ascension knew what the outcome would be well before their arrival. Hotaru of Nanke would be the next empress. Yamabuki of Touke would be a concubine. Tsuru ga Oto of Hokke would be the next imperial prince’s feather mother. There was no place in the Imperial Court for Katsura no Hana, the Saike duchess.
Katsura no Hana was very aware of her own circumstances. All she wanted was to go home. Her parents supported that goal. They had told her to focus on returning safely. That was the only thing that was expected of her.
“I don’t care what the other duchesses said. If I am able to return home, that is sufficient,” Katsura no Hana said.
Kikuno knit her brows in concern. “I am worried about the other duchesses, but above all I believe that we should be wary of Empress Asebi.”
“Why?”
Kikuno told her that during the previous Rite of Ascension, Duchess Asebi had used vicious tricks to ruin the reputation of the other duchesses. Several people had died.
“But I am powerless within Sakura Palace. If I were competing for the empress’s seat, that might be one thing, but why would anyone seek to sabotage me now?” Katsura no Hana asked.
Kikuno’s expression became grim. “It is impossible to know what will happen, or why. I cannot even imagine what Empress Asebi will do if she is displeased.”
During the previous Rite of Ascension, Asebi had lured a dangerous intruder into the Autumn Hall—where they all were now.
“At the beginning of the Rite of Ascension there were some minor clashes, as there always are. After the Crown Prince arrived in Sakura Palace, Duchess Masuho no Susuki wished to be friendly with him, since they were cousins.” Kikuno bit her lip and fell silent, glancing toward Akane.
Akane nodded. “Yes, I know about this.”
“Know about what?” Katsura no Hana asked. “What happened?”
Akane answered in Kikuno’s place. “She lured a ruffian into my mother’s bedchamber.”
Katsura no Hana covered her mouth with both hands.
Sakura Palace strictly forbade the presence of men. Only the emperor or crown prince could enter with his guards. Even the exchange of letters with the outside world was heavily restricted. The Fujimiyaren, who served as the protectors of Sakura Palace, constantly patrolled the grounds—and they were all women. For a man to sneak into Sakura Palace seemed impossible.
But it had happened, and that man had swiftly been caught and beheaded.
“The man never laid a hand on Duchess Masuho no Susuki.” Kikuno raised her voice in agitation, then let her shoulders drop. “But he gave the duchess a terrible fright. Even now, Duchess Masuho no Susuki spends most of her time living alone and does not seek out company. I often wonder if she decided not to become Nazukihiko’s empress because of the terror that man caused in her. She insists that her preferences are unrelated to the last Rite of Ascension, but sometimes I wonder.” She shrugged. “This is the first time I have spoken of this matter, but I worry that something like it could happen again. You cannot imagine how many times I have regretted that I was not more vigilant that day. I thought that perhaps, given how kind Emperor Nazukihiko was, she might agree to become his concubine, but she refused.”
Kikuno was relieved that Masuho no Susuki had chosen who she would marry. She considered Masuho no Susuki blessed in her marriage and her children.
“Masuho no Susuki does not even seek out the company of her husband,” Kikuno said with a slight frown. “I have no idea why. He must have done something to cause that.”
“You complain about Father all the time,” Akane said. “Why do you dislike him so much?”
“I don’t,” Kikuno said. “I think he’s a wonderful person. But I can think that and still be dissatisfied with him, can’t I?”
Katsura no Hana had lost the thread of the conversation.
Kikuno cleared her throat. “I consider it fortunate that Duchess Masuho no Susuki, who laughed and said that being single was her happiness, nevertheless met a gentleman with whom she felt she could share her life.”
There was no doubt that Masuho no Susuki had suffered greatly during the last Rite of Ascension.
“The incident we have just spoken of was kept secret to protect Duchess Masuho no Susuki’s honor. Empress Asebi—then Duchess Asebi—lured the man into her bedchamber. You must be cautious and vigilant, Katsura no Hana,” Kikuno said.
Katsura no Hana trembled and nodded.
***
Sakura Palace’s entrance ceremony had just ended. The Doll Festival was already approaching like a silken sleeve brushing past in a corridor.
In Yamauchi, the Doll Festival was not simply an ordinary festival day. The celebration of the festival was akin to a pageant. Nobles gathered in soft clusters along the banks of the narrow river that wound through the Imperial Court. The river, conjured from a waterfall’s borrowed grace, existed for this day alone. Upon its surface, handmade dolls drifted—stiff, elaborate little figures. Their faces were painted white, but they were detailed enough that it looked like they might blush in embarrassment from all the stares cast their way as they floated past the gathered nobles.
Once upon a time, these dolls were simple creations meant to carry away misfortune. They were effigies for those who made them that carried away sickness and bad luck. Now, with their painted faces and costly silks, the dolls hinted at the hidden beauty of princesses and duchesses who rarely left their rooms. Marriage talks often began based on the beauty of a particular doll.
During the Doll Festival, the dolls of Sakura Palace’s four duchesses would be placed on display for Emperor Nagihiko to view. Afterward, he would pay a visit to the girl whose likeness had caught his eye. Every duchess vied to outdo the others, their pride stitched into each tiny sleeve and fold.
In Sakura Palace, the custom was for each duchess to keep her doll nearby. On the day of the festival, her ladies-in-waiting would arrange the doll on a stage, and then the servants would carry it out to the river.
Katsura no Hana’s doll had been readied with the utmost care. However, this time, regardless of the doll’s quality, His Imperial Majesty would visit Duchess Hotaru in the Summer Hall first. This had been decided well in advance, and all the duchesses were aware of it.
Katsura no Hana felt a strange sense of relief that at least that part of her future was known and decided. She knew how unlikely it was for the world to arrange itself in predictable ways.
Since her graceless introduction to Sakura Palace, Katsura no Hana had lived quietly in the Autumn Hall. The other duchesses invited one another for tea, their laughter drifting faintly from distant rooms, but no invitation ever came for her. She didn’t mind; not really. She had Kikuno and Akane, steadfast as shadows at dusk. As long as she ignored the ache of not seeing her family, life was much as it had always been.
If she had attended those gatherings, there would have been talk. Each duchess would parade her doll before the others, subtly competing. Katsura no Hana saw no point in mixing herself into that. She hoped to spend her days in the Imperial Court like a quiet stream: unremarkable, undisturbed.
Her life of peaceful silence broke the morning before the Doll Festival. The air itself trembled with the promise of coming change.
***
“Her Imperial Majesty the Empress desires my presence?”
Katsura no Hana doubted her ears when she received the order from the Fujimiyaren to bring her doll to Wisteria Hall.
“Does that mean we must come immediately? Isn’t that rather sudden?” Kikuno asked.
“Yes,” said the Fujimiyaren.
Kikuno gawped in disbelief.
“Her Imperial Majesty has decreed that, with the dolls scheduled to be viewed tomorrow, all preparations must already be completed by now. Please respect Her Imperial Majesty’s wishes.”
At this point, declining on the grounds that preparations were incomplete would not be permitted. They could only obey.
Katsura no Hana was flustered as she headed for Wisteria Hall with her doll. The duchesses of the Summer Hall and the Winter Hall also scurried to prepare their dolls for viewing.
Hotaru and Tsuru ga Oto were not present when Katsura no Hana entered Wisteria Hall, but Yamabuki had already finished arranging her doll and was sitting alone, waiting for the other duchesses.
While Katsura no Hana hesitated over whether or not it would be polite to greet her first, her eyes met Yamabuki’s.
“Good day to you, Duchess of the Autumn Hall.” Yamabuki smiled at her with open, unaffected warmth.
Katsura no Hana was momentarily taken aback. “Duchess of the Spring Hall, you have arrived quite early.”
“I just showed my doll to Her Imperial Majesty the Empress.” Her face clouded over. “After she saw my doll, she said that she would like to see the other dolls as well. That’s why the summons came so suddenly, I’m afraid. I’m sorry.” Her voice was barely louder than a whisper.
“It is not your fault, Duchess Yamabuki,” Katsura no Hana said softly.
Yamabuki’s doll had been set up so it would be clearly visible from the thrones of the emperor and empress. It was dressed in a kimono embroidered with yellow roses—Yamabuki’s namesake. The doll’s cheeks were tinted pink, and its lips were painted bright peach. The doll appeared radiant, its smiling lips transforming the childlike face into something a bit more grown up.
Tsuru ga Oto’s and Hotaru’s dolls were placed beside it.
Hotaru’s doll wore delicate and refined garments and accessories. The layered colors were close to, but not quite, wisteria shades. The karaginu robe was mostly white, but it used purples throughout that skirted the line of being forbidden colors. The doll’s expression was composed and aloof, which matched the overall color scheme very well.
While Yamabuki and Hotaru’s dolls were well made, Tsuru ga Oto’s was comparatively lacking. The clothes were made from luxuriously heavy woven fabrics, but overall the colors were subdued and the face didn’t closely resemble Tsuru ga Oto’s.
“Oh my, it is rare for the Duchess of the Autumn Hall to grace us with her presence,” Tsuru ga Oto said. She proceeded to treat Katsura no Hana as if she were some kind of rare or exotic creature who spent most of her time in a cage.
Kikuno tensed. Katsura no Hana sensed her murderous gaze at the Hokke duchess and decided to smooth things over before there was an incident. “We were all summoned by Her Imperial Majesty the Empress,” she said modestly.
Hotaru gave Katsura no Hana a slight nod in greeting and then sat down behind her doll. She didn’t seem to care that Katsura no Hana was present.
Tsuru ga Oto circled around toward the empress’ seat and stared intently, comparing the four dolls.
Feeling uncomfortable under her sharp gaze, Katsura no Hana watched as Tsuru ga Oto stopped in front of her doll and frowned, her eyebrows drawing together.
“This is…” She trailed off, pursed her lips, and then bent down in front of the doll.
Katsura no Hana’s doll was clad in layered peony-colored robes made of glossy sappan wood silk. The fabric was specially made in Saike Territory. It would ordinarily be too heavy to wear in spring, so great care had been taken to tailor the layers and make them light like flower petals. The delicate jeweled crown had been crafted by artisans in Saike Territory. The doll was obviously elegant, tasteful, and artistic, even for a doll made in Saike Territory, which was well known for craftsmanship.
“Is there something wrong with the doll?” Kikuno asked, unable to tolerate Tsuru ga Oto’s penetrating stare any longer.
Tsuru ga Oto stood up straight. “The doll is unacceptable. I would like you to remake it into something more appropriate to your status.”
Katsura no Hana let out an involuntary sound.
Kikuno was momentarily dumbfounded, but she recovered quickly. “Nonsense,” she said. “What exactly is the problem with it?”
“Do I really have to spell it out for you?”
Tsuru ga Oto looked at Kikuno with contemptuous eyes.
“It is showier and more conspicuous than Duchess Hotaru’s. It is not right to outshine our future empress. Such behavior shows no sense of one’s proper place.”
Katsura no Hana wondered if she was joking.
Tsuru ga Oto was completely serious.
“Surely you understand that remaking the doll now is not possible,” Katsura no Hana said. It would take at least two months to make a new outfit for the doll. The accessories had been designed a year in advance of the festival. Selecting patterns and fabrics all took considerable time, never mind the sewing. Demanding that all these things be done by tomorrow was outrageous.
“That is none of my concern. It is your fault for not making your doll properly,” Tsuru ga Oto said curtly. “This is your opportunity to show off Saike artistry. You can reuse the pieces that you have. If you and your ladies-in-waiting all work together, I’m certain that something can be done.”
“That’s—!”
“Please stop, Duchess Tsuru ga Oto,” Hotaru interrupted a desperate Katsura no Hana. “I do not think that the Saike duchess’ doll is too showy.”
Tsuru ga Oto faltered slightly. She had not expected Duchess Hotaru to speak on Katsura no Hana’s behalf. She opened her mouth to say something, but then a Fujimiyaren entered the hall to announce the imminent arrival of Empress Asebi. Tsuru ga Oto took her seat before her doll hastily and didn’t say another word.
Empress Asebi came into Wisteria Hall and gasped in delight. “The dolls—they are all so wonderful!” she exclaimed.
Perhaps because this was a private occasion, her garments were far more informal than during the ceremony where she had greeted the duchesses. She wore several layers of white, pale violet and deep purple that swished loosely around her as she moved. Her light hair was loose. She looked like a young goddess descending upon Wisteria Hall.
Yamabuki had often been told that she resembled the empress, but seeing her dressed like this made clear how extraordinarily young and beautiful Empress Asebi really was. Her features were nobler than Hotaru’s, who wore similar colors, and she appeared even more childlike than Yamabuki, who was more than twenty years younger. Her presence was vaguely terrifying. It made Yamabuki feel self-conscious.
It was said that in their youth, Duchess Asebi and the other three duchesses of her generation had been near-equals in terms of beauty. Katsura no Hana’s face tingled as she thought about how splendid the former Rite of Ascension must have been.
Empress Asebi tore her eyes away from the dolls and cheerfully addressed the duchesses. “I am grateful to you for indulging my request to see your dolls,” she said.
“Not at all, Your Imperial Majesty,” Tsuru ga Oto said. “These are important. His Imperial Majesty the Emperor will view them soon. It is only natural that you would wish to inspect them.”
Empress Asebi smiled. “Thank you for your consideration. It is gratifying to hear you say that. I have wanted to see them for some time, but I didn’t wish to rush things. I was concerned that they might not be ready yet.”
“There is no need for concern. Each of us was thoroughly prepared to enter Sakura Palace before our arrival,” Tsuru ga Oto said smoothly. She aimed a pointed glance at Katsura no Hana.
“Oh! But when I came to Sakura Palace, I had no doll,” Empress Asebi said with a wistful smile.
Tsuru ga Oto froze.
“It’s quite all right,” Empress Asebi said. “I was just remembering… I came here in my sister’s place, you see, so there wasn’t time to prepare everything. The doll was delivered right before the festival, but of course I didn’t know that. I presented a small doll I had made as an effigy, not one of these elaborate creations. I was just a silly country girl,” she said, blushing slightly. She placed her palms together and smiled. Sometimes it was difficult to remember that she was the most powerful woman in all of Yamauchi.
“It was terribly embarrassing, but at the time, Duchess Masuho no Susuki was very kind to me. She taught me all about dolls made especially for the Doll Festival.”
She smiled at Katsura no Hana through slightly narrowed eyes as she fondly recalled her happy past. “I can remember it like it was yesterday.”
Kikuno gasped reflexively. She was pale as a ghost and did not dare raise her eyes from the floor to gaze upon the empress.
Completely unaware of Kikuno’s distress, Empress Asebi maintained her guileless grin. She looked at each duchess in turn as she said, “A great deal has happened over the years, of course, but I am only standing here now thanks to the great kindness of my friends. One never knows what life may bring. The same is true for everyone. All of you, please be considerate of one another and live together in harmony.”
Katsura no Hana was fully aware of Empress Asebi’s past misdeeds, but she was in no position to object to this sentiment. She and the other duchesses bowed deeply.
Watching them with evident satisfaction, Empress Asebi stood on tiptoes and said, “The dolls are all wonderful. I am certain my son will be delighted.” With a slightly mischievous air, she added, “I am so looking forward to seeing my first grandchild.”
***
In the end, Katsura no Hana’s doll was carried to the Doll Festival viewing platform without anyone making a single alteration.
When she heard that the Imperial Court’s purification ritual on the day of the snake concluded without incident, Katsura no Hana was so relieved that all strength left her body. She couldn’t even force herself to stand up for an hour.
Not long after the Doll Festival, a summons arrived from the emperor. As expected, the first to be summoned was the Duchess of Nanke, Hotaru.
“Well, it’s just as we expected, isn’t it?” Kikuno spoke with a hint of dissatisfaction.
Akane grinned wryly. “It would have been troublesome if he had decided to visit Duchess Katsura no Hana instead.”
“That is true, but no matter how you look at it, Duchess Katsura no Hana’s doll was the finest. I cannot help feeling frustrated.”
The Saike family valued its craftsmen more than anything else. The dolls of the four duchesses were symbols of family pride. Anyone with an eye for such things could tell that Katsura no Hana’s doll was of the highest quality.
In hindsight, perhaps they should have deliberately made the doll plain so as not to draw Tsuru ga Oto’s ire. The pride and honor of the Saike family would not have permitted them to create an ugly doll, however. Many nobles would see the doll, not just the emperor. The Saike family lived constrained lives because of politics, but that didn’t mean other nobles wished to subject them to further embarrassment.
Tsuru ga Oto’s doll was obviously plain compared to the other three. It was possible that she genuinely thought Katsura no Hana’s doll was overly ornate. She might not have intended to harass or insult Katsura no Hana, but the fact that she’d tried to cause so much trouble for the Saike duchess confirmed that Katsura no Hana’s standing within Sakura Palace was lower than that of the other duchesses.
“Let’s stop brooding over the Doll Festival. I am satisfied that the dolls were used in the purification ritual during the festival without incident. That is what the dolls are for, after all.”
When Katsura no Hana said this, Kikuno’s expression became pained.
Just because their mistress was in seclusion didn’t mean her ladies-in-waiting were required to remain in the Autumn Hall. On the contrary, the ladies of the Autumn Hall had begun gathering gossip to help their duchess. News of His Imperial Majesty’s visits began reaching them in various forms.
His Imperial Majesty’s visit to Duchess Hotaru was reported in a perfunctory way. Neither Hotaru nor the emperor courted scandal.
When the emperor came, the path from the front gate of Sakura Palace to the Summer Hall was adorned with bells and cords. The gates leading to other halls were kept tightly shut. On the first visit, they were only to converse. Not even Duchess Hotaru’s personal attendant was permitted to be present. She waited in the adjoining room until summoned.
There was no way to directly see or hear what they talked about, or how they behaved, but word reached Katsura no Hana that there had been no major problems and that His Imperial Majesty had departed having promised to visit again.
Not long after that, His Imperial Majesty paid a visit to Duchess Yamabuki of the Spring Hall.
When that report came, Kikuno appeared vexed. “Duchess Yamabuki is far less beautiful than Duchess Katsura no Hana!”
Katsura no Hana couldn’t help but laugh at that. “You flatter me. Excessively.”
She suspected that Kikuno believed what she was saying, but she wasn’t being objective in the least. I’m no Masuho no Susuki, after all.
Katsura no Hana liked her own face and knew that she was attractive, but she paled in comparison to her aunt, who was praised as a peerless beauty. She often felt like she fell short of the ideal. Of the four duchesses in Sakura Palace, she thought that Duchess Yamabuki of Touke was the most beautiful.
Katsura no Hana and Tsuru ga Oto had been born into their noble families, but she had heard that Yamabuki and Hotaru had been adopted from among the branch noble families. The current Lord of Nanke had no daughter of marriageable age, so Hotaru had been chosen as the family’s representative. Yamabuki had been chosen specifically from a branch family because of her outstanding beauty.
Duchess Yamabuki was adorable to look upon. She had a pleasant temperament and was always bright and cheerful. She treated Katsura no Hana with kindness and sympathy. Katsura no Hana felt like if His Imperial Majesty were ever to truly fall in love with one of the duchesses, it would be Yamabuki.
His visit to Yamabuki proceeded without any particular trouble. Everyone expected that he would visit Hotaru next, but then there was a small but unexpected development.
His Imperial Majesty favored Tsuru ga Oto with an unexpected visit. She had been told repeatedly that she would not be the next empress under any circumstances.
Gossipers whispered that this visit was conducted out of obligation to the Hokke family. Unlike the previous visits, which were reported without much detail, a great deal was known or speculated about His Imperial Majesty’s visit to Tsuru ga Oto.
Much of this gossip came from the mouth of Tsuru ga Oto herself.
“Really, there was no need for His Imperial Majesty to go out of his way to visit me,” she said with false modesty. She didn’t bother to conceal her delight. She recounted every detail of her night with His Imperial Majesty to her attendants, who in turn spread those details to others in Sakura Palace. His hair was pale and shining. He was quite handsome, and so compassionate. “He is a worthy Golden Raven,” Tsuru ga Oto pronounced at every opportunity.
Tsuru ga Oto had already been acting like she held power in Sakura Palace, but after the emperor’s visits, her attitude became intolerable and overbearing to everyone.
“There are rumors that Duchess Hotaru regards Duchess Tsuru ga Oto’s loose tongue as a problem,” one of Katsura no Hana’s attendants said.
“That’s understandable,” Kikuno said angrily. “Duchess Tsuru ga Oto should be ashamed of herself. The way she acts is positively disgraceful. I would not expect such conduct from the future feather mother of His Imperial Majesty’s children.”
These rumors were true. Not long after that, word came that Tsuru ga Oto had been admonished by Hotaru at a tea party.
Tsuru ga Oto didn’t alter her behavior at all. She claimed that she didn’t understand what was wrong with it.
“I sympathize with you, of course, but please refrain from such misguided jealousy. I am, after all, to become the feather mother of his children!” Tsuru ga Oto said to Hotaru, nose in the air.
Katsura no Hana could only imagine how Hotaru had reacted when she’d heard that.
If Tsuru ga Oto wouldn’t listen to a rebuke from Hotaru, who would almost certainly be the next empress, then she wasn’t likely to listen to anyone. Wanting to avoid trouble, Katsura no Hana gave strict orders to her attendants that they were not to approach the Winter Hall, not even for news and gossip. It was too dangerous to associate with Tsuru ga Oto now.
***
It was a warm spring afternoon.
Katsura no Hana was reading a book that her family had sent her when she heard hurried footsteps.
“It’s terrible, Lady Katsura no Hana,” Akane gasped out.
It was rare for Akane to be so discomposed. She was usually calmer than Kikuno. Katsura no Hana knew immediately that something extraordinary had happened.
“What is the matter?” Katsura no Hana asked.
“His Imperial Majesty is to visit the Autumn Hall.”
For a moment, she didn’t understand what had been said. “What do you mean? His Imperial Majesty is coming here? To me?” Her voice squeaked.
Akane nodded gravely. “Tomorrow night. Kikuno is making preparations right now.”
If she strained her ears, Katsura no Hana could hear screams in the Autumn Hall. She stared at her cousin silently for a short time before she asked, “Are we certain that this is not some kind of mistake?”
“Unfortunately, it is no mistake. He must have decided to call on everyone at least once so as not to insult the Four Families.”
Katsura no Hana’s instinct was immediate and clear: I don’t want to see him.
She had no way to refuse.
Katsura no Hana and her attendants spent an entire day preparing to receive the emperor. The room in which His Imperial Majesty would be entertained was cleansed from end to end. The highest-quality lacquerware was brought out and polished to perfection so that not a single fingerprint remained. When Tsuru ga Oto had received a visit, Katsura no Hana had seen bells hung in the corridor from the Merchant Wings Gate all the way to the Winter Hall. This time, those bells were to be hung from the same gate to the Autumn Hall.
The unreal scene made her dizzy. Katsura no Hana could scarcely comprehend that she was about to be left alone with the reigning emperor. All she could think about was the assailant who had entered her aunt’s bedchamber, which was awful. She had never been alone in an enclosed space, even with her brothers or her father. It was terrible that she was to be alone with the son of Empress Asebi, who had arranged for a fearsome man to enter the Autumn Hall during the last Rite of Ascension. She was not supposed to have anything to do with him. He shared responsibility for the death of Emperor Nazukihiko. She would never marry him. Why must she be forced to see him?
As the sun set, Katsura no Hana cleansed herself with cold water, then took a long bath. After that, she donned a set of pale green garments she had never worn before. She had difficulty winding her arms through the voluminous sleeves.
As Akane draped a light green shawl over her arms from behind, Katsura no Hana whispered, “Akane. I’m scared.”
She wasn’t supposed to address her attendants so familiarly in these circumstances, but she couldn’t stop herself.
Akane ceased helping her dress and took her firmly by the hand. Katsura no Hana hadn’t noticed that her hands were shaking until that moment.
“It will be all right, Katsura no Hana. Both Kikuno and I will be waiting in the next room. If he does anything unpleasant to you, don’t hesitate to raise your voice. As for His Imperial Majesty—I swear that I will knock him flat if he harms you.
“Don’t worry about your family, either. Whatever you do will not make much difference. If His Imperial Majesty frightens you, that would drive your father into a rage. He would not dare.”
Akane gripped both of her hands firmly. “So. Are you all right?”
Katsura no Hana choked back tears. “Y-yes. Yes, I’m all right.”
At last, His Imperial Majesty the Emperor arrived. Katsura no Hana’s attendants withdrew to the adjoining room and closed the door. Katsura no Hana opened the door of the receiving chamber with a key. Turning the key in the lock made a sound so loud that she nearly dropped the key.
Then Katsura no Hana sat alone in her room for a short while. The wooden floorboards gleamed from polishing. The curtained bed—purely a ritual instrument in this case, and not to be used—sat unobtrusively at the back of the room, its presence an unpleasant reminder of what might be expected of her in other circumstances.
She heard footsteps in the hall outside the room. A bell rang to announce the emperor’s intention to enter. She heard a Fujimiyaren say, “His Imperial Majesty is here.”
Katsura no Hana needed to open the door herself to indicate that she accepted the Golden Raven’s visit. She was so tense that she nearly forgot this necessary step and sat frozen for a few moments. Then she hurried to the door and opened it. She knelt and bowed as the Fujimiyaren hauled the heavy door open the rest of the way.
“Raise your head,” the emperor said. His voice had not dropped yet, and it was quiet.
Katsura no Hana looked up at him, apprehension apparent in every line of her face.
Emperor Nagihiko was a boy younger than herself. He stood in the light cast by a hanging lantern, calm and composed.
“Thank you for receiving me, Duchess Katsura no Hana.” He was thin and somewhat short; it would be some years before he grew to his full adult height. Katsura no Hana thought his neck appeared especially fragile. His facial features were well-defined and his eyebrows were sharply shaped, in contrast to his cloud of fair hair. He gave off a hazy impression, like he was an illusory creature made of light that would soon disappear.
The Fujimiyaren at the door excused herself and entered another room, locking the door as she left. Katsura no Hana and Emperor Nagihiko were left alone.
Katsura no Hana offered rice wine to the emperor as she’d been taught, feeling quite bewildered. Had a fox spirit bewitched her? Was this truly the Golden Raven?
Emperor Nagihiko sat on the cushion prepared for him. “I thank you for agreeing to meet me, duchess.”
“Such words are far more than I deserve.” She bowed her head deeply, then bowed more until even she believed that she was being excessively polite.
“Is there anything here that causes you trouble?”
“There is nothing at all, Your Imperial Majesty. I am quite content.” This was a lie, but she could say nothing else. These were mere pleasantries. The emperor would not care about her own petty problems.
“I see.” That was all he said for quite a while. Perhaps he was nervous as well. He looked around the room for something to occupy himself. His eyes alighted on the rice wine. He drank it.
Katsura no Hana couldn’t bear the silence. “I never imagined you would come to visit me, Your Imperial Majesty.”
The emperor’s hand trembled around the empty cup of rice wine. “Would you have preferred it if I had not come?” he asked.
“Of course not, Your Imperial Majesty!” She feared that she had misspoken and caused some grave offense.
Then the emperor set the cup down on a lacquered stand. His hands and his voice were steady as he said, “I would prefer it if you were honest,” he said. “I don’t know how much I can do, but if there is something I can do for you, I will. I wish to be as sincere as possible toward you and all the duchesses.”
Katsura no Hana blinked rapidly and looked at the boy’s face.
He was smiling faintly. “We may never get the chance to speak like this again,” he said. “There is no one here to eavesdrop. We can speak about anything.”
“That is…” Katsura no Hana had not anticipated a request to share confidences. She faltered.
“After the Rite of Ascension,” Emperor Nagihiko said haltingly, “I will wed the Duchess of Nanke, and the Duchess of Touke will be my concubine. The Duchess of Hokke will be the feather mother of imperial children. All of this has been decided, for better or worse. I feel guilty about making you come to Sakura Palace. I fear there is no comfortable role for you here.”
Katsura no Hana had idly wondered what the emperor would be like. She knew now that he wasn’t stupid or cruel.
“I have no say in what will happen in the future,” Emperor Nagihiko said, almost apologetic. “If you should wish for a visit and it does not happen, please know that you are not lacking in any way.”
The emperor appeared troubled. Katsura no Hana sensed no arrogance or entitlement in him.
“I am most grateful for your consideration and kindness,” she said. “You honor me.”
He gave her a slight nod. “I came today to tell you that. I’m sorry that I have nothing better to offer you than words. Forgive me.”
Forgive him? For what? His expression didn’t reveal his thoughts, but he didn’t seem to be lying, either. Katsura no Hana thought he looked sad, somehow.
Whatever they spoke about, nothing would change between them. That much was clear.
Katsura no Hana decided to talk about her family. Emperor Nagihiko acknowledged her anecdotes and offered few of his own. There was no great interest or passion in any of the things he mentioned.
As dawn drew near, Katsura no Hana ran out of safe things to say.
Emperor Nagihiko stood up. “It’s almost time for me to go.” He paused. “I am glad that I was able to meet you tonight.”
He summoned the Fujimiyaren. While he waited for the guards to make ready for his departure, he bade Katsura no Hana farewell.
“Be well, duchess. I wish you good health.”
Katsura no Hana bowed and remained in that position, unmoving, until the emperor left. The door closed, and then she heard Kikuno’s voice from the next room.
“Duchess Katsura no Hana? May we come in now?”
“Oh! Yes, I’m sorry.”
The door opened without a heartbeat’s delay. Akane, Kikuno, and Katsura no Hana’s other attendants all rushed in.
“Are you all right, Duchess Katsura no Hana?”
“You were so quiet that I couldn’t hear what you were saying…”
“Did he say or do anything unpleasant to you?”
The questions came in rapid succession.
Katsura no Hana regained her usual composure and let out a slow, relieved breath. “I’m fine. There were no problems at all.”
She’d been so nervous about meeting the emperor, but her evening had passed without incident. She had never imagined that Nagihiko would be considerate toward her and express what might have been his true feelings. She didn’t want to admit it, not even to herself, but she thought he was charming, for all that he was still a boy. She had assumed that he must be an utterly detestable man. No; she had actually been hoping that he would be evil. Easy to hate. She was ashamed of herself.
She had only ever heard about Nagihiko in a negative light. She’d never considered who he truly was before today.
From childhood, she’d heard that Nagihiko was a puppet emperor. The Yellow Raven held the real power in Yamauchi. The Golden Raven was simply a figurehead. He was only the emperor because his elder brother had been assassinated.
And yet…
Katsura no Hana felt like she wanted to help him. He gave off the impression that he needed help. He was a boy with no liveliness, no passion, no joy. It was like he’d given up on everything already. She did not find him attractive as a boy or man and felt no romantic affection for him, but she thought that she might like him as a person. She couldn’t believe the rumors she’d heard about his terrible character were true.
***
News that His Imperial Majesty had visited the Autumn Hall spread through Sakura Palace like wildfire.
Katsura no Hana had not anticipated this. Each hall was thrown into confusion by this unforeseen turn of events. The visits to the other halls had passed without much comment or interest. The emperor’s visit to her excited everyone for reasons she couldn’t fathom.
Hotaru didn’t say anything to rebuke or praise her, but Katsura no Hana had the feeling that she had done something unforgivable.
Not long after, an invitation to a tea party arrived in the Summer Hall.
Katsura no Hana wished to decline. She did decline the first invitation, but Duchess Hotaru kept sending new ones until she felt pressured to attend. If she kept declining, she would only cause offense.
On the day of the tea party, Katsura no Hana entered the Summer Hall and gasped.
“Good day to you, Duchess of the Autumn Hall. Please have a seat.” Hotaru greeted her with scrupulous politeness.
Yamabuki and Tsuru ga Oto were seated on either side of her.
Katsura no Hana was led to a low cushion before Hotaru. She felt like she was about to be interrogated. She was prepared for that possibility and had steeled herself, but seeing the other duchesses together still set her teeth on edge. She felt like she might laugh to vent her nerves.
Only a few days ago, Katsura no Hana had been terrified of these duchesses. Now they were looking at her nervously, their usual composure gone. Emperor Nagihiko’s visit had given that to her. They looked young and small and powerless now.
“It appears you are getting carried away because His Imperial Majesty paid you a visit, Lady Katsura no Hana,” Tsuru ga Oto said scathingly.
Some of what Katsura no Hana was feeling must have shown on her face.
“Oh, my! Not at all,” Katsura no Hana said in a soothing voice.
Hotaru and Yamabuki stared at her impassively.
Tsuru ga Oto raised a sharp eyebrow. “Do not misunderstand me, Duchess Katsura no Hana. His Imperial Majesty visited you as a matter of courtesy, so as not to offend the Saike family. He feels nothing for you whatsoever.”
“I understand,” Katsura no Hana replied humbly. “His Imperial Majesty told me as much.”
“You spoke with His Imperial Majesty about such things?” Hotaru asked, surprised.
Katsura no Hana glanced at her. Hotaru’s stiff expression had shifted slightly. She wondered if her conversation with the emperor was a forbidden topic, but the question had already been asked.
“We didn’t speak of weighty or important things,” Katsura no Hana said carefully. “His Imperial Majesty said that his visit was made with consideration to the relationship between the imperial family and the Saike family. I am certain that he will not visit me again in the future.”
Katsura no Hana hoped this would mollify the other duchesses.
Tsuru ga Oto’s lips pressed into a tight line. Hotaru remained silent for a long while.
Yamabuki spoke first, and quietly. “I confess myself curious how you and His Imperial Majesty touched upon the topic of the relationship between your two families, Duchess Katsura no Hana.”
“Neither of us steered our conversation in that direction,” Katsura no Hana said. “His Imperial Majesty simply said he came to visit me out of consideration for the Saike family.”
“I see.” Yamabuki appeared dissatisfied.
“So you intend to feign ignorance?” Tsuru ga Oto glared at Katsura no Hana.
“Feign ignorance? Certainly not. I wish to return home safely. I have no desire to make waves in Sakura Palace.”
“If that is true, you should have declined His Imperial Majesty’s visit.”
“I could not have,” Katsura no Hana said, but her voice sounded small to herself.
Her entire experience in Sakura Palace so far had been distinctly abnormal. Her ill treatment before the Doll Festival was bad enough. She was not aware of any precedent for refusing a visit from the emperor. She wanted to say so, but Tsuru ga Oto was speaking again.
“You are brazen. First, you bring an entirely inappropriate set of dolls for the Doll Festival, and now this! I think you do not know your place, Katsura no Hana. Do not delude yourself into believing that you can bend His Imperial Majesty to your will. No matter how indecent or underhanded you are, you will not change what has already been decided.”
Katsura no Hana had no idea how she could defend herself. The air around her felt cold and still. She opened her mouth to speak, but no sound came out.
“With all due respect,” Akane said. She stepped in front of Katsura no Hana and bowed. “Duchess Katsura no Hana has used no shameful tricks to beguile His Imperial Majesty. Such lewd accusations come only from you, Duchess Tsuru ga Oto. Have you no sense of shame?”
Tsuru ga Oto sniffed. “Even your attendant speaks above her station.” Her cheeks flushed.
Katsura no Hana panicked. “Akane, that’s enough.”
“My apologies, duchess.” Keeping her tone and gestures perfectly polite, Akane moved away from Katsura no Hana with an air of nonchalance.
Tsuru ga Oto blinked, then laughed mirthlessly. “I see. So you are the daughter of that commoner and the former Saike duchess.”
Akane’s shoulders twitched.
Tsuru ga Oto spread her fan and sneered. “It is no wonder that you have so little understanding of noble etiquette, since your father is a mountain raven. To think that Duchess Masuho no Susuki, once famed as a peerless beauty, would sink so low! The Saike family must be terribly disappointed in her. All those resources, all that education and preparation, wasted. How pitiful.”
Before Akane could raise her face, Katsura no Hana stood up to shield her. Kikuno stood near her, tense as a wire pulled taut.
“Duchess Katsura no Hana,” Akane exclaimed.
“Lord Sumio, whom you scorn as a mountain raven, graduated at the top of his class from the Keisōin. He is a noble, and he earned it through sheer merit. What could possibly be lacking in such a splendid gentleman, who rose to become the emperor’s personal guard? One might well envy Lady Masuho no Susuki, who chose her own partner and married the husband she desired. There is no reason whatsoever to look down on either of them.”
Tsuru ga Oto also rose to her feet. “A splendid gentleman, you say? Yet he botched a mission so badly that he disfigured himself. He is so hideous that no one can bear to look at him for more than a moment. He can’t even move on his own now, can he? The former Duchess of Saike was banished to obscurity with him after his failure. That is what happened.”
Kikuno let out a low cry. “Lord Sumio was injured defending the emperor! His wounds are honorable!”
“Such things have no meaning. In the end, his emperor was assassinated, wasn’t he?” Tsuru ga Oto grimaced theatrically and spread her hands.
Her words froze the room.
Tsuru ga Oto’s personal attendant broke the silence. “Duchess, we should go.”
Tsuru ga Oto didn’t look at her. Her eyes glittered like shards of ice. “You must not underestimate the intelligence of the Hokke family. On the night of the assassination, Lord Akeru of Saike guarded Emperor Nazukihiko. In the end, he could not protect his emperor. I pity Emperor Nazukihiko. He was surrounded by incompetence,” Tsuru ga Oto said, ostentatiously lamenting.
“If only one of his Hokke attendants had been there,” Tsuru ga Oto continued. “We would never have blundered so badly. Had the Yellow Raven been present on that fateful night, Emperor Nazukihiko would still be alive. He would have protected the true Golden Raven to the very end.” She shook her head and then said, sing-song, “Words cannot express how much I regret that the Yellow Raven was not there.”
Hotaru and Yamabuki remained silent as statues, frozen by Tsuru ga Oto’s aura.
Tsuru ga Oto, intoxicated by her own words, said, “The Saike family is useless. They have no right to speak.”
***
The moment she entered the Autumn Hall, Katsura no Hana burst into tears.
Akane, Kikuno, and every other lady-in-waiting present were all weeping.
“I cannot believe she would speak of Uncle Akeru in such a way,” Katsura no Hana said between gasps.
Kikuno drew Katsura no Hana into an embrace, disregarding her own position. “Lord Akeru was magnificent. We are proud of him.”
Akeru was Akane’s uncle as well as Katsura no Hana’s. He’d died protecting Emperor Nazukihiko in the garden of Sakura Palace. The last emperor had died in this place, just outside Wisteria Hall. Nazukihiko, Akeru, and one of the Yamauchishu were attacked there by assassins. Katsura no Hana had only heard stories about the terrible carnage.
There had been so much blood in the garden that it was impossible to clean it all. White stones had been spread over the worst areas to conceal the devastation. No grass or flowers grew where blood had been spilled.
Katsura no Hana had never seen that place with her own eyes. When she’d gone to Wisteria Hall to receive her key to the Autumn Hall, the window blinds had been down, concealing the garden from view. Lanterns had lit the hall artificially, but it was meant for sunlight. When Katsura no Hana remembered that day now, all she could see in that hall was darkness and shadows. She always quickened her pace whenever she passed in front of Wisteria Hall.
She didn’t remember her uncle Akeru very well, but she retained a general sense of his kindness. He hadn’t been married or had children of his own, so he’d visited the children in his family often. He’d been indulgent with all his nieces, cherishing them as if they were his own children.
It was unfair that Katsura no Hana, her siblings, and her cousins had been denied the opportunity to say goodbye. She hadn’t even seen the body. It was so gruesome that it had been cremated shortly after it had been found. Katsura no Hana didn’t know all the details regarding his death, but she’d overheard someone say that Akeru’s jaw had been shattered and that the lower half of his face was gone. She had vomited later in secret. She never told another soul what she’d heard.
She was sad that her uncle was dead, of course. She couldn’t bring herself to imagine the way he’d died. Thinking about it made her feel afraid for herself. She couldn’t see him as a fighter or a violent person, so his death was appalling to her. Sometimes she thought herself heartless for being unable to face the circumstances of his death. She remembered that she had loved him. He deserved better from her.
Being in Sakura Palace brought her uncle’s death into sharp relief for Katsura no Hana. He had died here, close to where she stood, yet speaking of his death felt taboo. She felt like if she spoke of it, she would break something fragile and precious.
Hearing Tsuru ga Oto speak of her uncle’s death with such disdain was unfathomable. She could scarcely believe that had happened. How dare she impugn the honor of her uncle, who had died bravely while protecting Emperor Nazukihiko!
But she had dared, and Katsura no Hana didn’t know what to say in his defense—or her own.
“I could not say anything back. I’m sorry for being so powerless,” Katsura no Hana said.
“Duchess Katsura no Hana, you were angry on behalf of my father,” Akane said. “I can tell. You were not powerless.” Her voice was thick with unshed tears.
“That’s right. Remember what your father said,” Kikuno said. “You must return to your family safely. They will welcome you home with joy. Everything is all right. The spirits of His Imperial Majesty and Lord Akeru will surely protect us.”
“Emperor Nazukihiko was kind to me,” Akane murmured softly.
Akane had been Princess Shion’s attendant when Emperor Nazukihiko was alive, so she’d had several opportunities to speak with him.
“Every time we met, he gave me sweets. He would kneel down so that he could look me in the eye while he spoke to me. He trusted me to care for Princess Shion…” Akane wept and said no more.
In the turmoil following Nazukihiko’s death, his daughter Princess Shion had left the Imperial Palace with her mother, Empress Hamayū. They were both still missing.
Katsura no Hana sat with her ladies-in-waiting and attendants and cried in silence. She had known that coming to Sakura Palace would be difficult. It was cruel to make the Saike family participate in this Rite of Ascension.
***
A pall hung over the Autumn Hall for a few days after that. The upcoming Boys’ Day festival lifted everyone’s spirits by slow degrees. There would be horse racing blessed by the priests of the White Raven. Every year, noblemen competed in lesser races for a spot during the Boys’ Day festivities. Those fortunate enough to earn a place in the race during the festival were blessed by priests of the mountain god. Those priests also decided which race track to use. This year, the race track nearest to Sakura Palace had been chosen.
The Doll Festival was centered around beauty, purification, and thoughts of marriage. The Boys’ Day Festival was almost its exact opposite. The rituals performed were practical and masculine. They were centered around hunting and gathering rare herbs for medicine.
During the horse race, red deer made of earthenware were displayed on stones facing the cliff of Sakura Palace. Between this cliff and the viewing platform, artfully dressed archers galloped on horseback, pretending to shoot the deer to reenact the actual hunt conducted the previous day.
Only unmarried young noblemen could be archers during the Boys’ Day Festival. Their eligibility for marriage was an opportunity for them and the noblewomen spectating. The archers were highly motivated to marry well and gain social connections to ease their way in the future. Young noblemen strove desperately to impress while young noblewomen plotted and planned over how best to reveal the edges of their robes from behind bamboo blinds.
Most of the racers for the day were not archers. Being an archer was a special honor. The racers who preceded them onto the track were there to gallop and show off their speed. The archers were tasked with splitting open the earthenware deer, which were stuffed full of rice cakes. These rice cakes were presented to the emperor along with medicinal herbs and meat that had been gathered and processed the day before.
Akane’s younger brother would participate as one of the archers in the Boys’ Festival this year.
The viewing platform was decorated with hanging medicine balls that wafted a sweet scent into the air. Cushions were arranged in neat rows and divided by hall. People could move between the divided sections, of course, but few did. The tea party from a few days ago still cast a shadow over the proceedings. No one went out of their way to come and talk to Katsura no Hana. Katsura no Hana, for her part, was glad to have an excuse to openly avoid the other three duchesses.
Katsura no Hana decided that she would do her best to enjoy the Boys’ Day Festival. Her cousin was an archer, which was a great honor. As long as she didn’t have to talk to the other duchesses, she believed that she might have a pleasant day.
“Akeo!” Akane shouted and waved when she spotted her younger brother.
Katsura no Hana’s cousin stood in a cluster of elegantly dressed noblemen. Early summer sunlight spilled over his shoulders. He resembled his father almost exactly, and it was obvious that he was Akane’s brother. He was somewhat short, but still stood out in the crowd. Katsura no Hana knew that he had top marks at the Keisōin.
The bamboo blinds concealed most of the audience for the ceremony from view of the archers and riders, so it was likely that Akeo couldn’t see his sister. He scanned the viewing platform for a few moments. After he deduced where his family was sitting, he approached on horseback, smiled, and jumped into a handstand on his horse’s back.
He held the handstand for only a moment. Observers screamed in alarm.
Then Akeo was riding on his horse’s back again, calm and unflappable. He waved to the crowd and rode off.
“That idiot,” Akane muttered. “Always has to show off.”
Akeo’s display had taken seconds, but in those seconds, Akane’s happy mood soured. Some of Katsura no Hana’s attendants had veins standing out on their foreheads.
Katsura no Hana struggled to suppress laughter. It wouldn’t be appropriate for her to laugh during such an important ceremony.
Akeo looked like his father, but their temperaments were nothing alike. Where Sumio was earnest and serious, Akeo was a frivolous flirt and a womanizer.
“I cannot understand how two such serious people produced such a son,” the Lord of Saike had said more than once. He was Masuho no Susuki’s brother.
Within the Saike family, it was widely accepted that Akeo had his father’s looks and the Lord of Saike’s personality, but no one ever told the Lord of Saike that to his face.
Akane was angry at her brother, but Katsura no Hana couldn’t make herself feel the same way. Yes, his stunt had been childish and potentially dangerous, but she wasn’t the only one on the platform trying not to giggle. He’d lifted her spirits, and she was grateful.
Several of Katsura no Hana’s ladies-in-waiting whispered about Akeo after he rode away.
“He’s so dreamy,” one said.
“He’s amazing,” said another.”
As Akane seethed and the other women tittered, Emperor Nagihiko rode in from above, clad in hunting attire.
Many of the ladies on the viewing platform had never laid eyes on him before. The tension in the air was palpable.
Katsura no Hana felt no particular attraction to the emperor, but her feelings about him were complicated. Her thoughts lingered on what he’d said to her during his visit. She watched him without particular interest until she noticed him staring.
Not at her. Of course not. But he’d been looking at the riders and archers before, and now his eyes were fixed on a single point. Katsura no Hana followed his gaze to a mass of imperial attendants and servants who were scurrying to and fro as they performed miscellaneous tasks for the ceremony.
When Katsura no Hana saw her, she gulped.
Sumio—also known as Aoi, Akane’s sister—was in the crowd of imperial attendants, clad in the light blue robes that denoted her low rank. Her skin was clear and pale. Summer sunlight shone through her lustrous black hair. Even from this distance, she was lovely and arresting. Her beauty was a monstrous thing, half-hidden as it was behind the other imperial attendants.
Aoi had taken the name Sumio when she became a rakujō. Here she was, doing menial work during the Boys’ Day Festival. Her movements were so graceful that even the sight of her sweeping up fragments of broken pottery looked like a dance.
Gradually, others noticed her presence and the emperor’s attention to her.
“Look at that! She’s a beauty, isn’t she?”
“Wait—but her hair is short!”
“Could that be a rakujō? Is that what one looks like?”
Those who noticed her were hard-pressed to notice anything else. Katsura no Hana heard people whispering, asking their neighbors who she was. Before anyone realized it, the central figure of the festival was no longer Nagihiko, the archers, the riders, or the duchesses. Sumio had captured everyone’s attention completely.
Sumio carried on with her chores, her head bare. She didn’t seem to notice the commotion she was causing. She deftly collected the rice cakes that had fallen out of the shattered earthenware statues and piled them on a dish. Then she ran toward the emperor.
Katsura no Hana gasped when she looked at Emperor Nagihiko again.
This Rite of Ascension was already decided. Hotaru would become empress. Yamabuki would be a concubine. Tsuru ga Oto would be the feather mother of future imperial children. Nagihiko had not made those choices, but he abided by them. Everyone knew that none of this would change.
Katsura no Hana felt a vague stirring of unease as he watched Nagihiko stare at Sumio. She captivated him. He had eyes for nothing and no one else.
Yamauchi’s most beautiful rakujō and the young emperor faced each other, pretty as a picture. But Katsura no Hana was not the only onlooker who felt unsettled by the sight of them together. A sense of impending turmoil rolled over Katsura no Hana as the ceremony concluded.
Translator's Notes
The Hokke duchess’ over-robe is in a style called a Tang robe, which has a raised and rounded collar, a right-side crossover or straight central opening, and a belted waist. As the name suggests, this style was popularly worn during China’s Tang dynasty (618–907 CE).
Tsuru ga Oto means “the crane calls.”
Hotaru means “firefly.”
Yamabuki means “Japanese yellow rose” or “kerria flower.” Kerria japonica is a deciduous, yellow-flowering shrub in the rose family (Rosaceae), native to China and Japan. Although the genus Kerria is in the rose family, it is not a true rose. Notably, these flowers were used as props during the Butterfly Dance during Nazukihiko’s Rite of Ascension just before he selected Duchess Hamayū as a bride.
The karaginu is a Chinese-style jacket worn by women during formal occasions in Japan’s Heian Period (794-1172). It is part of the formal court attire known as jūnihitoe, which also includes the mo (a long, pleated train). The karaginu is typically a waist-length, wide-sleeved jacket, often decorated with brocade, embroidery, or painted images.
Katsura no Hana means “katsura flower” or “Japanese Judas tree flower.” The flowers are small, spidery, red-pink, and small. Katsura trees bloom in early spring (March to May) before the tree’s heart-shaped leaves emerge.
The day of the snake comes from the Chinese Zodiac. The snake is one of the animals represented in the zodiac. In Japan, there is one day of the snake for every twelve days. Every sixty days, the day of the snake is considered particularly lucky (this happens six times a year).
No comments:
Post a Comment