Yatagarasu Series
Volume 2:
The Raven Does Not
Choose Its Master
Author: Chisato Abe
VOLUME 2 - MASTER POST
Part 5: The Star Festival
The day of the Star Festival arrived.
The Crown Prince had sent numerous messages to the Lord of Nanke over the past few months. As expected, all the replies had been curt. The Crown Prince had hoped to receive an invitation to the Lord of Nanke’s Star Festival banquet, but that hadn’t arrived yet. Yukiya was anxious. He wondered if Atsufusa hadn’t managed to convince the Lord of Nanke to send the invitation.
The Star Festival was tonight, and the Crown Prince was still waiting. He dressed in ceremonial purple robes for the occasion and then sat at his writing desk in the Sun Palace.
“We should give up,” Yukiya said. “The invitation isn’t coming.”
“We can’t give up yet,” the Crown Prince said. “It might still come.” He perused letters sent by the Lord of Saike and dashed off short replies. He’d spent the last two months awaiting correspondence from the Lord of Nanke, but he’d received a deluge of letters from the Lord of Saike. The Lord of Saike’s letters were all repetitive content, for the most part. All he wanted was for the Crown Prince to come to the Star Festival at Sakura Palace. Yukiya had read so many copies of the same letters from the man that his eyes glazed over whenever the Crown Prince gave him a new one to read.
“What will you do if the invitation never comes? Will you go to Sakura Palace?” Yukiya asked. “Will you choose the Duchess of Saike’s kimono?”
“No, I won’t choose any of the kimonos that have been prepared for me. I don’t think I’ll go to Sakura Palace even if the invitation doesn’t come.”
“Huh?” Wrinkles puckered Yukiya’s forehead. He waited for the Crown Prince to explain his reasoning.
“There’s a possibility that the Lord of Nanke’s invitation will come at the last moment,” he said. “So I’ll pretend to go to Sakura Palace in the carriage. If no one shows up, I’ll circle around and come back.” He shook his head. “The Lord of Saike has been pestering me to choose the Duchess of Saike’s kimono for months now. This is the sixth identical letter he’s sent.” The Crown Prince held the letter out. Yukiya put it away in his letter box.
“Can you blame him for trying? His daughter’s future is on the line,” Yukiya said. “I can’t imagine what he’d say if he knew you were planning to skip the Star Festival altogether,” he added sharply.
The Crown Prince raised an eyebrow. “You’re angry at me. Why?”
Yukiya glared at him. “Sakura Palace.”
“What about it? I’ve apologized for pushing you off the cliff, and I can apologize again if you like. It was a tense moment and that was the easiest way to resolve it.”
“I don’t want another apology,” Yukiya said. “I don’t care about that anymore.”
“You don’t?”
Yukiya shrugged. “I do, but there’s nothing I can do to change your usual behavior, and more apologies don’t really matter. Anyway, that’s not why I’m mad. You haven’t gone to see the duchesses in Sakura Palace even once, have you?”
The corners of the Crown Prince’s eyes tightened. He looked away.
“Everyone was looking forward to your visit,” Yukiya said. “When they found out you weren’t coming for the Boys’ Day festival, they were terribly disappointed. And now you’re going to disappoint them again. Don’t you care? What are you thinking?”
The Crown Prince winced. “Whose side are you on, anyway?”
“The duchesses were practically in tears.”
The Crown Prince nodded slowly. “You saw them. I didn’t. So it’s normal for you to sympathize with them.”
“None of them have done anything wrong. You treat them coldly for no reason.”
Yukiya thought this was another example of the Crown Prince treating people like tools to be used. The duchesses had all been educated since birth so that they would be suitable wives for him. There was considerable pressure on them all from their own families. Yukiya felt especially sorry for Shiratama, since he knew the most about her circumstances. He was furious at the Crown Prince’s utter lack of responsibility. He never showed his face to the duchesses even though they’d been summoned specifically for him. And Shiratama was family—distant family, but still. She and Yukiya were connected, and the Crown Prince spurned her like he had all the others.
“Perhaps you only see them as four random women you don’t know, but you are the world to them, Your Imperial Highness,” Yukiya said. “Why won’t you go and see them?”
Yukiya couldn’t understand the Crown Prince’s stubborn, willful refusal to visit Sakura Palace. He did think that the Crown Prince had a reason, though, because he usually did. He wanted to hear that reason. If there was no reason, he’d punch the Crown Prince in the face on the duchess’ behalf.
The Crown Prince sighed heavily. “So you want me to go and meet them. Why? What do you expect me to do, exactly?”
Yukiya frowned slightly. “You need a consort eventually, don’t you? Sooner rather than later.” Why not just pick the duchess you like and end this game? he thought.
The Crown Prince nodded again, more firmly this time. “So you think I should choose the one I like best, bring her to the Sun Palace, and then we’ll be assassinated while we’re happy together? Is that it?”
Yukiya was momentarily at a loss for words.
“What are you talking about?”
The Crown Prince looked directly into Yukiya’s eyes and said, “What do you think being my bride would actually mean? She would need to defend herself, or she would be killed immediately. Choosing the wrong duchess could be fatal for her as well as me. I might be inviting an enemy into my home, for all I know. The duchesses of Sakura Palace aren’t prepared for danger; not at all. I thought that you, of all people, would understand that.”
“But—”
“No,” the Crown Prince interrupted. “You asked, I’ll answer. My mother was murdered, and she was just a concubine. It happened around the time when the struggle for the succession between my brother and me was intensifying. If she hadn’t given birth to me, she might have lived.” The way he spoke was somewhat detached, like he was talking about someone else’s problems.
Yukiya didn’t know what to say.
“Do you know how my mother became the Emperor’s concubine?” the Crown Prince asked.
Yukiya shook his head.
Calm and controlled, the Crown Prince spoke about his parents. “My mother and father did not become close during her time in Sakura Palace. I don’t know what they thought of each other, but in any case, before they could develop a deep relationship, my mother fell ill and had to leave. The Emperor—who was the Crown Prince at the time—visited her in Sakura Palace only once. There are clear rules in place in Sakura Palace, so it’s well-known to everyone that they didn’t share a bed or spend any unsupervised time together then. It is likely that they simply exchanged greetings.
“Before my mother recovered from her illness, the current Empress—the Duchess of Nanke at the time—made her move. After that, all the other duchesses were sent back home on her orders.”
Yukiya knew a little about that. The Duchess of Hokke before Shiratama had not been visited by her Crown Prince even once. She’d come home in disgrace and had married into a noble family shortly after.
The Duchesses of Touke and Saike from that generation hadn’t gotten married after that—not for many years, and the Duchess of Touke had died before she could marry at all. The Duchess of Saike was the Crown Prince’s mother, and she had only agreed to marry after the Emperor had proposed to her.
“Both the Duchess of Touke and the Duchess of Saike received many proposals, but they refused them all.”
“Do you think their families didn’t allow them to marry?” Yukiya asked.
“I can’t speak for Touke, but I know my mother personally refused all the proposals that came her way. She always hoped that she would be welcomed into the Imperial Palace as a concubine. She waited for the Emperor. Six years after leaving Sakura Palace, she was called back to the Imperial Court and got her wish. If that hadn’t happened, I am convinced that she would have remained unwed. She would have kept waiting. Her family wouldn’t have allowed her to marry until she was well past her prime, because they had the same hope she did.
“Do you understand, Yukiya? My relationship to the duchesses of Sakura Palace is not a simple one. The bond between a Golden Raven and his future Red Raven is fraught with peril. How many of the duchesses understand that, do you think? Or do you expect me to fall in love with one of them, needless as that would be? I’m not trying to make them unhappy or disappointed. I’m trying to keep them safe.”
Yukiya was about to open his mouth to protest again, but the Crown Prince held up his hand, requesting silence. “If I were to go and visit them, I am sure they would be pleased.” He smiled bitterly. “But their happiness is predicated on the hopeful thought that they alone will be chosen. I can only choose one, and the others must go home. Their happiness comes from conveniently forgetting the reality that three out of four will not be chosen. Is there any form of happiness emptier than that? Their gain would be three women’s loss.
“And I don’t care if they hate me,” the Crown Prince continued. “They can do that all they want. But if I caused harm to them thoughtlessly, I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself.”
Yukiya thought about the Crown Prince’s mother, who had waited six long years after only a single meeting with her Crown Prince. What had she been thinking and feeling for all that time?
“So now you understand my thoughts,” the Crown Prince said. “If I go and see them and speak to them—even once—they will have hope. And sooner or later, that hope will turn to despair. Their world is narrow and their futures uncertain. A single word from me could change everything for them. I can’t be careless about that.”
Yukiya did understand. Even if the duchesses themselves didn’t care about the Crown Prince at all, they still had to manage the expectations of their families. If the Crown Prince showed any interest in them at all, then their future marriage prospects would be nil. Who would marry off their daughter to another man when there was still a chance for her to become the Emperor’s concubine?
“By visiting once, I’d be cutting off most of their other options for the future,” the Crown Prince said. “They could end up spending the prime of their lives alone, waiting for an opportunity that will never come. And the one I choose—for I must choose one—will be in danger of death everywhere she goes. I am not the bright future they hope for. I’m a harbinger of great misfortune. Knowing all this, will you ask me to go to Sakura Palace again?”
Yukiya swallowed hard. All throughout the Crown Prince’s explanation, he’d been envisioning his stepmother, Azusa, who was still waiting for him in Taruhi Village. She was always kind and patient and had seemed genuinely sad to see him go. He’d never thought about the series of inevitable circumstances that led to her marrying his father before, but he was thinking about them now. His throat closed, making it difficult to speak.
“I won’t,” Yukiya said hoarsely. “I didn’t think things through enough. I underestimated you. I’m sorry.”
The Crown Prince’s demeanor brightened. “No need for an apology. I think I might have said too much. It makes sense that you would take their side, since you’ve met them and seen their disappointment up close. Perhaps I should apologize for not explaining myself sooner.”
Yukiya was still thinking through the explanation he’d received. The Crown Prince was showing consideration to the duchesses by keeping his distance. Yukiya understood that now, but he was certain that the duchesses wouldn’t see things that way. Even so, it was wrong of him to judge the Crown Prince’s actions by his own standards. He didn’t carry the same burdens as an imperial prince did.
“I just think it’s a shame and a waste,” Yukiya said. “If the duchesses don’t hate you already, then what you’re doing isn’t helping.”
“Does it matter?” the Crown Prince asked, slightly exasperated. “Could I act differently and achieve my goals? If I changed tactics now, it would be even more destabilizing.”
Yukiya still wasn’t completely convinced.
The Crown Prince smiled slightly. “Think about your position for a moment, then imagine that one of the duchesses was here with us. Wouldn’t you feel sorry for her then?”
“Very much.” Yukiya nodded earnestly.
“There we go, then.”
Yukiya stared at the Crown Prince’s face. The man was still smiling at him.
“But you have to choose one,” Yukiya murmured. “So that means…”
He’d wind up pitying one of the duchesses from the bottom of his soul eventually.
Yukiya was about to ask which duchess the Crown Prince would choose when Sumio poked his head into the room.
“Your carriage is prepared,” Sumio said.
“Good work. Well then, let’s go.”
The Crown Prince stood up. Yukiya followed after him. The Crown Prince turned slightly and then pressed a finger to Yukiya’s forehead to stop him. “You’re staying behind,” he said. “No men are allowed in Sakura Palace except for me and my guards.”
“Oh. All right, then. Have a safe trip,” Yukiya said.
The Crown Prince still hadn’t given up on getting an invitation to the Lord of Nanke’s estate. His carriage departed from the Sun Palace, escorted by Sumio on horseback.
Just as Yukiya had finished seeing the Crown Prince and Sumio off, he saw someone coming down the path to the Sun Palace. A messenger—the Lord of Nanke’s messenger.
Yukiya shouted for joy. “It’s here! It came!”
The Lord of Nanke’s messenger was a dignified man dressed in brown robes. He landed his horse just outside the Sun Palace. He noticed Yukiya and walked his horse forward with practiced ease.
“This is a letter from the Lord of Nanke to His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince.” He offered Yukiya a splendid lacquered letter box.
“I have received it on the Crown Prince’s behalf and swear to deliver it,” Yukiya said.
“Then I shall take my leave.”
Yukiya quickly untied the tightly bound cord around the letter box and then read the letter inside. As expected, it was an invitation to the Lord of Nanke’s estate—tonight. Right now.
Yukiya immediately went to the stables and saddled the only horse there. This was not his own horse or Sumio’s, but a mount who had served the Crown Prince faithfully for some years. This horse was a magnificent thoroughbred, but it rarely warmed up to anyone other than the Crown Prince. It would be ideal if Yukiya could ride and chase after the carriage, but he doubted the horse would permit that. He would probably have to fly alongside the horse until they reached the carriage.
Yukiya took off his uniform and transformed while holding the horse’s reins in his mouth. He flew at top speed after the Crown Prince’s carriage.
The Crown Prince was riding in a carriage drawn by four horses: two to the sides, one in front, and one above. Carriages were stable forms of transport, but they were also slow. Yukiya should be able to catch up quickly.
In mere minutes, the Crown Prince’s carriage came into view. Yukiya let out a caw of warning. Sumio was also in his raven form and flying around the carriage to defend it. He saw Yukiya and signaled to the Crown Prince.
“It came!” the Crown Prince yelled over the roar of the wind. He opened his carriage door and invited Yukiya inside. Yukiya climbed over a handrail and returned to his human form, gasping for breath. “You have your invitation, but you have to go now,” Yukiya said.
“So they gave you an invitation to the Star Festival this evening?”
Yukiya nodded and then handed over the crumpled letter he’d received from the messenger. The Crown Prince scanned through the letter and then nodded. “Good. Well done, Yukiya. Now go straight to Sakura Palace and make my apologies for me. After that, come and join me at the Lord of Nanke’s estate right away.”
He threw his cumbersome long purple robe at Yukiya and then leaped onto his beloved horse. “I’m counting on you,” he said before he turned the horse.
The horse’s powerful, jet-black wings flapped, carrying the Crown Prince up and away. He was soon out of sight. Sumio followed after him. Yukiya watched them go. He saw Sakura Palace in the middle distance; he would get there soon.
Yukiya was about to go alone into a room full of merciless women. He was going to disappoint them all. “How did it come to this?” he muttered.
***
At the Lord of Nanke’s city estate, the Star Festival celebration was already in full swing. Many nobles had gathered there for the occasion.
The Crown Prince landed in a garden decorated with many-colored streamers. The Lord of Nanke’s household guards were immediately alarmed.
Unfazed, the Crown Prince handed off his horse’s reins to his guard, Sumio. Then he headed for the main hall, where a grand banquet was being held.
“Sorry for coming late,” the Crown Prince called out as he went up the stairs that led to the main hall.
The Lord of Nanke and his family sat in rows on either side of the main hall. The Crown Prince walked down the center of the hall, collecting their livid gazes like pieces of candy. It was hard not to smile at their consternation. A nobleman raised to care about his public image would have been quaking in his boots, but the Crown Prince was not such a man. He wasn’t disturbed by their hatred, but amused.
The Crown Prince walked toward the seat of honor next to the Lord of Nanke, but he didn’t sit. He faced the Lord of Nanke and said, “I thank you very much for your invitation.”
The Lord of Nanke rose from his place and bowed in a perfunctory way. His face showed no emotion. “To think you would actually come here. I am truly humbled.”
“Indeed. We’ve caused a great deal of trouble for the ladies of Sakura Palace. I hope you are deeply apologetic for sending your invitation so late.” The Crown Prince grinned.
The Lord of Nanke smiled back. “Please have a seat.”
“Thank you.”
The Crown Prince sat down next to the Lord of Nanke. A servant poured rice wine into his cup and then the Lord of Nanke’s. The Crown Prince drained his cup in one gulp and then licked his lips. “Let’s not waste any time,” he said. “I came here tonight because I wish to know your mind, Lord of Nanke.”
“My mind?”
“Yes. I know that your family doesn’t think well of me. Take your older sister as an example.”
The Lord of Nanke’s expression didn’t shift at all.
“Her opposition to me is well known, yet you did not publicly oppose my ascension—in fact, you supported it. Why?”
The Lord of Nanke took a sip of his rice wine.
He was so difficult to read. The Crown Prince had known the Empress for a long time and knew her tells, but he’d spent little time with her younger brother. The Empress could be hard to read when she chose, but her intentions were always clear. The Crown Prince couldn’t guess the Lord of Nanke’s intentions at all. He seemed like an unremarkable and ordinary man. He was the youngest lord of the Four Families, so he’d always had a somewhat lesser presence than the others.
The Crown Prince was used to being looked on with malice, hatred and venom. He color-coded gazes in his mind according to their threat level. Generally, the higher-ranked people in the Imperial Court hated him more, and they were a higher threat because of their power. The Lord of Nanke’s gaze was colorless, flat and uninteresting. There was nothing there for the Crown Prince to color-code or use for his own understanding.
The Lord of Nanke should, by his very position, be ambitious, calculating, and the Crown Prince’s natural enemy. The Crown Prince didn’t sense any of that when he faced the man directly. His bewilderment made him especially cautious.
“I have never known you to harbor any malice toward me,” the Crown Prince said. He looked the Lord of Nanke in the eye.
The Lord of Nanke smiled. “Indeed, I have not.”
“But you also have no intention of going out of your way to help me, do you?”
“I have no interest in you whatsoever.” He took another sip of rice wine. “I’m the Lord of Nanke, so I am responsible to my own family and the people under my care. Nothing else matters. I do not know what my sister thinks, but that is not my concern. As long as Your Imperial Highness does not interfere with the inner workings of Nanke territory, I will have no reason to oppose your ascension.”
The Crown Prince took the Lord of Nanke’s words to heart. He nodded gravely. “I think I understand. I have only one more question. Last week, I went to the pleasure quarters in the city and was attacked. Did you—”
“—I had no involvement,” the Lord of Nanke interrupted before the Crown Prince could finish asking his question.
The Crown Prince swallowed what he was about to say next. He’d expected prevarication and obfuscation. Outright denial gave him less to work with. “I see. So you were not involved in any way.”
Sumio was standing near the stairs to the second floor. He waved his hand. The Crown Prince smiled to acknowledge his signal. “Thank you for answering my questions. And for the rice wine.” He stood up.
“You are leaving already?” the Lord of Nanke asked.
“Yes. I can’t tell what you’re thinking, but I’m not a popular person in this hall. There’s another prince here that your family would much rather welcome, I’m sure.” His gaze shifted to the stairs.
Prince Natsuka descended the staircase. Straight-backed and broad-shouldered, he towered over most of the people around him. His long hair spilled loose over his shoulders, black contrasting against the heavy gold and silver embroidery decorating his purple robes.
The Crown Prince narrowed his eyes. “Well met, brother. I wasn’t aware that you would be here today.”
Rokon and Atsufusa trailed after Prince Natsuka as he walked closer.
Prince Natsuka’s polite, pleasant smile did not reach his eyes. “I was just stopping by to greet my uncle. I was certain you’d be at Sakura Palace tonight.”
The Crown Prince shrugged. “I had some unavoidable commitments.” He bowed slightly and excused himself. Every step forward brought him closer to Sumio. He passed close to Atsufusa and noticed that he was very pale.
***
“We should be safe enough here,” Prince Natsuka said. “I don’t need a guard.”
Rokon accepted his dismissal and went to mingle with the Lord of Nanke’s guests.
Prince Natsuka went to see the Lord of Nanke. Atsufusa was his constant shadow.
“Uncle,” Prince Natsuka said.
The Lord of Nanke’s face was expressionless. “I sent the letter after he left to go to Sakura Palace. It seems that was pointless.”
“He ignored Sakura Palace and came here instead,” Prince Natsuka said. “You couldn’t have predicted that.”
“The Lord of Saike is going to pitch a fit and blame me. How troublesome.”
Prince Natsuka didn’t offer any words of sympathy. He stood in front of his uncle, silent and sullen. “What did the Crown Prince say?” he asked quietly.
“He asked if it was me who attacked him at the pleasure houses.” If his nephew’s grim expression troubled him, he didn’t show it. “It wasn’t me.”
“Is that true?” Prince Natsuka asked. “You didn’t lie to him?”
“Do you think I’m foolish enough to dig my own grave?” the Lord of Nanke shot back.
Prince Natsuka shook his head slowly. “I see. That’s good, then.”
The Lord of Nanke poured more rice wine into his cup. “You won’t leave before drinking at least one cup of wine, will you? You came all this way, after all.”
That was a blatant invitation to sit and talk. Prince Natsuka didn’t ignore it. He bowed once and then sat in the seat of honor that his brother had recently vacated. He drank rice wine and spoke of trivial matters for a few minutes before bringing the subject back to the attack on the Crown Prince.
“Do you know who attacked the Crown Prince?” Prince Natsuka asked.
The Lord of Nanke didn’t quite meet his eyes.
Prince Natsuka set down his cup. “If you weren’t involved, the Empress probably is.” He breathed over his rice wine, causing slight ripples.
“My sister does love causing trouble. She must love you very much.”
Prince Natsuka hmphed. “Who even knows how she feels. I certainly don’t. She seems more attached to you than she is to me, uncle.”
The Lord of Nanke said nothing to that.
“It seems that she wants your daughter to be my wife,” Prince Natsuka said.
“Nadeshiko?”
“Yes. Sometimes I feel that she is… impatient.” Prince Natsuka could not return to secular life and take a wife until the Crown Prince was dealt with. “Perhaps that’s what my mother is thinking. She doesn’t want Nadeshiko to marry too late and be criticized for being an old maid.”
“Women, honestly,” the Lord of Nanke said. His voice carried the slightest trace of exasperation. “They think with their wombs.”
Prince Natsuka laughed, but he sobered quickly. “That might be true. Women can only bear children when they’re young, after all.” If he married Nadeshiko too late, there would be no children, and all of his mother’s scheming would be pointless.
The Empress’ end goal was not to make Natsuka the next Emperor and her niece the next Empress. She wanted more than that.
“Mother has only one wish,” Prince Natsuka said. “She wants to make you the next Emperor’s grandfather. Then you could become the Yellow Raven without problems.”
The Yellow Raven was the leader of all of Yamauchi’s civil officials. The position was appointed and not inherited, so there was not always a Yellow Raven in service to the Imperial Court. Yellow Ravens cropped up in times of strife and trouble, especially during times when no true Golden Raven ruled. Only a handful of officials throughout Yamauchi’s long history had received the title of Yellow Raven.
“After that, Nanke’s power will be unparalleled. Mother will replace Souke with Nanke, and we will lead the new imperial family into the future.”
The Lord of Nanke poured himself more rice wine. “That is a foolish fantasy of the Empress. No one should think I wish for that. I don’t need any more problems to solve than I already have.”
“But you’re supporting my mother’s wishes,” the Crown Prince said. “Why else would you prevent Nadeshiko from going to Sakura Palace this year? You sent an adopted daughter in her place.”
The Lord of Nanke hesitated before speaking. “That was a request from your mother, yes. I gave an inch, and she took a mile. I never thought that she wanted to replace Souke. It’s a foolish dream, nothing more.”
“If you don’t want that, then what do you want?” Prince Natsuka asked sharply.
The Lord of Nanke noticed the change in his nephew’s demeanor, but he didn’t flinch. “I could ask the same.”
Prince Natsuka met his uncle’s gaze and said, “All I want is to defend my own position as a member of the imperial family. I have no desire to take my brother’s life for selfish reasons; I do not understand my mother’s actions in that regard.”
So much was to be expected from an imperial prince. The Lord of Nanke didn’t interrupt him. He sensed that there was more to come.
“If my followers act on their own accord beyond the scope of my knowledge, there’s not much I can do, is there?” Prince Natsuka asked, mock-innocent. “I will support my brother’s claim to the throne as a good son of Souke should. His allies are not my enemies, even if my allies are not always his friends.”
The Lord of Nanke smiled. “Is that why you’re spending so much time in Hokke territory of late? Making more friends?”
Prince Natsuka smiled back. “Of course. I had hoped to converse with you today to see if we were of the same mind. It seems that we are.”
The Lord of Nanke nodded. “There is no need for us to rush or to dirty our own hands. If we simply show no openings, the other side will destroy itself without our involvement.”
“I support my younger brother’s ascension. It is unfortunate that he has spent so many years away from home. I fear that he will experience various issues when he begins his rule.”
“Yes. His education is lacking through little fault of his own. Without strong backing from the other noble families, he will be ineffective as the next Golden Raven.”
“Indeed. Saike is not powerful enough to give him the support he needs,” Prince Natsuka said. “But he will be wary of any help I try to provide. I doubt he would listen to me even if I gave him everything he needed. I believe that Yamauchi will experience great strife and trouble in the near future. Many people will be dissatisfied with my brother’s reign. If my younger brother fails to hold Yamauchi together, I must take appropriate action.” His smile turned benevolent. “Saving suffering people from tyranny is the role of the imperial family, is it not? May I ask for your support, if it comes to that?”
“Yes, of course. If that time comes, I will help you to uphold the path of righteousness and the rule of law. If you do not betray me, I will not betray you,” the Lord of Nanke said.
The threat in that statement, however vague, was not missed by Prince Natsuka.
“So this is your plan,” the Lord of Nanke said. “You will get everything you want without lifting a finger yourself.”
“You make me sound lazy,” Prince Natsuka said. “All I want is for Yamauchi to be at peace.” His smile matched his uncle’s now.
“Do you think it will be so easy?” Atsufusa asked from behind Prince Natsuka.
Natsuka turned around in surprise. Interrupting his conversation with the Lord of Nanke was incredibly rude; most people would not dare. He narrowed his eyes in displeasure.
“You are Atsufusa, aren’t you? My wife’s nephew,” the Lord of Nanke said.
Atsufusa stepped forward and placed both hands on the ground. He bowed deeply. “Yes, that is correct. Please forgive me for interrupting your conversation, despite my youth and inexperience.”
Prince Natsuka and the Lord of Nanke exchanged glances.
“We shall forgive you,” the Lord of Nanke said. “Why do you believe that things will not be so easy?”
“I thank you for allowing me to speak,” Atsufusa said. “I am not certain that the Crown Prince will fail to hold Yamauchi together.” He kept his face to the floor. “Rumors say that he is a fool, but he is not unintelligent. So much can be determined by his words and actions. I believe that it would be dangerous to let him ascend the throne unopposed.” His shoulders shook.
The Lord of Nanke frowned. “It seems you hold the fool in high regard.”
Atsufusa raised his head. “That is an ill jest, if it was one. I do not hold the Crown Prince in any regard. I support Prince Natsuka with my whole heart and mind.”
“Then why do you say such things?” the Lord of Nanke asked.
“Because I do not believe that the Crown Prince is a fool. If we proceed based on that assumption, we will fail. He may be planning something for us during his ascension, for all we know. We cannot underestimate him.”
The Lord of Nanke dismissed Atsufusa’s assessment out of hand. “Your resolve is weak and your opinions shallow. Nanke shall not be harmed by a simpleton like the Crown Prince. It is you who is underestimating our power.”
Atsufusa’s lips trembled. “I meant no offense and apologize if I caused any. But the Crown Prince is not a fool, and I do not think you should underestimate him as you have.”
“You believe that we are underestimating him and have no respect for our own power and resources,” the Lord of Nanke said dismissively. “Leave this place at once.”
Atsufusa looked to Prince Natsuka for support, but none was forthcoming.
“That’s enough for now, Atsufusa,” Prince Natsuka said. “I understand your point. Please leave.”
Atsufusa bit his lower lip, bowed his head, and then left the table.
Prince Natsuka waited until Atsufusa was out of sight. Then he sighed. “I apologize for my attendant’s rudeness.”
The Lord of Nanke waved one hand dismissively. “He’s my nephew as well as your attendant. There’s no harm done.”
They nodded in mutual understanding. Atsufusa’s words were treated as if they had never been spoken. A servant came over with more rice wine. They each poured a new cup of wine for one another and drank at the same time.
“Even if things go well for us, the real problems will start after you ascend the throne,” the Lord of Nanke said.
Conflict with the Crown Prince’s faction was unavoidable.
“No matter what, the Four Families must continue to exist in some form. We can’t just abolish them. We shall need a scapegoat.”
Prince Natsuka thought that the Lord of Nanke was bringing up such issues prematurely—he wasn’t ruling yet, after all. But his concerns were valid. He spoke of problems that they would certainly face eventually. “There’s no need to worry about that. We already have one.”
“Rokon?” the Lord of Nanke asked.
“Yes. He will obey all my orders to the letter. He is extremely loyal.” Prince Natsuka smiled again. “After everything is over, he will bravely die for my sake.”
***
Yukiya managed to extricate himself from Sakura Palace without too much trouble by using the Crown Prince’s orders as a shield. Unfortunately, he was accosted by two troublesome noblemen when he arrived at the Lord of Nanke’s estate. He’d flown here and looked around for the Crown Prince, but he hadn’t been able to find him anywhere. The noblemen had spotted him peeking into the banquet hall and were interrogating him.
The noblemen were typical of their type, silly and immature with puffed-out chests and only one consistent character trait—arrogance.
Yukiya was fed up with both of them almost immediately.
“What trick did you use to get your position?” one nobleman asked.
“Your father’s just a village leader. There’s no way you’re actually the Crown Prince’s attendant,” the other put in.
“Maybe your father bribed the right people.”
“How cunning. I’ll bet your work is easier than ours was, too, for the same reason.”
Yukiya blinked. These troublesome noblemen were some of the Crown Prince’s ex-attendants. How annoying. Yukiya already stuck out like a sore thumb because he was in his feather robe while the rest of the nobles here were in their finery. It was well-known that the Crown Prince’s attendants wore feather robes out of necessity, so Yukiya couldn’t extricate himself by lying. They cornered him in the shadow of a tree and peppered him with questions.
The noblemen’s pride suffered in Yukiya’s presence. He was just the second son of a village leader and he’d managed to do what both of them hadn’t.
Yukiya had no time or patience for their complaints. He was deep in enemy territory and wanted to avoid making a commotion over trivial things like status and pride.
Rescue, when it came, was from an unexpected source.
A shadow moved behind the tree. Yukiya looked up and froze.
The shadow moved behind the two noblemen, side-stepping an azalea bush. The two noblemen’s heads knocked together as the shadow’s hands moved at blinding speed.
“Ouch, ow!”
“What are you doing, you bastard?!”
The two noblemen cried out for help.
The figure in the shadows snorted disdainfully. “You brats, it doesn’t matter who you are. Why are you hiding in the dark?”
The noblemen exchanged terrified looks.
“Rokon from the Minami Tachibana family,” Yukiya muttered.
Rokon raised an eyebrow. “If you’re going to fight, fight like men in broad daylight. Concealing your actions in darkness rots the soul.” He shoved the two noblemen away from him by pushing the backs of their heads forward in a straight line. The noblemen stumbled and then fled.
And then Yukiya was alone with Rokon. All the blood drained from his face.
“Um, thank you very much for saving me!” He sketched a quick bow and then said, “Excuse me, I must be going.”
“Wait,” Rokon said gruffly. He grabbed Yukiya by the collar to prevent him from running off.
A sound like a frog being squashed escaped from Yukiya’s throat.
“You’re the Crown Prince’s attendant, aren’t you?”
Yukiya shrank into himself. He’d been expecting a harsher question than that. He nodded.
“Your master already went home.”
“Oh, he did?” Yukiya asked.
“Would I lie about something like that?”
So they’d missed one another. That was bad timing.
Rokon released Yukiya, who staggered two or three steps forward. He looked up at Rokon, who was dressed in a feather robe and carrying his absurd greatsword. Yukiya thought the feather robe suited him and his role as a bodyguard. He looked more capable and respectable now than when Yukiya had seen him in the Valley.
Yukiya looked and Rokon looked back, scrutinizing him. “You’re from Hokke territory, aren’t you?” he asked. “You look like a decent warrior.”
“I am Yukiya of Taruhi Village.”
“Taruhi… I heard the Lord of Hokke’s daughter married the village leader of Taruhi.”
“That’s right. I have a different mother from my brothers.”
“Yukiya, hm?” Rokon asked. He grinned. “Well, how about it, Yukiya? Would you like to be my subordinate?”
Yukiya’s jaw dropped.
Rokon burst out laughing and then scratched the back of his head. “I was thinking of recruiting Sumio, too, but he turned tail and ran the instant he saw me. He was faster than I expected. He managed to get away before I could ask him. But you—if I train you, you might be interesting in the future. I’ll look after you. So, how about it? Will you come with me?”
Yukiya remembered that Rokon was well-respected among the Yamauchishu because of his strength. Even Sumio respected him, albeit grudgingly. Yukiya’s main experience of the man came from witnessing his brutality in the Valley, but Rokon didn’t know he’d seen that.
“Um, I’m very grateful for your offer, but I am in service to the Crown Prince.”
“The Crown Prince sent you into enemy territory, and you still devote yourself to him?”
Yukiya was about to say that “devote” was entirely the wrong word when he remembered who he was talking to. “What are you talking about? This isn’t enemy territory,” Yukiya said cautiously.
“You were there,” Rokon said. “When I cut down that traitor in the Valley. You were in the next room. I didn’t recognize you at first, but I saw you before the meeting started. I assumed you were working for a shopkeeper or something, but now I know better.”
Yukiya was tempted to deny everything instinctively, but he knew that he was a poor liar under the best of circumstances. He swallowed.
Rokon watched his reaction, amused. He chuckled. “At least you have the decency not to lie. I’ll pretend I didn’t notice you there. I haven’t said anything that would cause me trouble if we were overheard, and it’s not a problem for you to know what I did. Go home.” He pushed Yukiya lightly. “I’ll let you go this time, but don’t expect to get a second reprieve. And be careful where you eavesdrop. I’d prefer it if I didn’t have to kill you.”
His words seemed genuine. Yukiya felt like a bucket of cold water had been poured over him.
“Give my regards to the Crown Prince,” Rokon said without even a hint of sarcasm.
Yukiya blushed and then took a huge step back. He transformed and flew off without saying another word.
Rokon waved at him and smiled as Yukiya flew away.
***
“I’ve concluded my business with the Lord of Nanke, so we can be on our way,” Prince Natsuka called out to Rokon. His bodyguard was in the garden, watching the sky. He approached Rokon with his hands tucked into his sleeves.
“Who is that? The Crown Prince’s attendant?” Prince Natsuka asked. The shadow of a raven in flight was partly illuminated by the moon.
“You recognize him?”
“I do. I met him during the Lord of Hokke’s New Year celebration and recommended that he come to court.”
“He doesn’t look like much,” Rokon said, “but he’s got more guts than most city nobles I know of. It seems that your brother has a keen eye for finding capable people.”
Prince Natsuka’s gaze sharpened. “His presence at our private meeting was no coincidence.”
“Someone told,” Rokon said. “We have a leak. Do you know who?”
Prince Natsuka said nothing.
“I’ve noticed some strange behavior from Atsufusa lately,” Rokon said.
“Like what?” Prince Natsuka asked.
“I’m sure you know he went to the Sun Palace in secret. And he’s been sneaking around behind my back—and yours, too.”
“And you’re certain of this?” Prince Natsuka asked.
“Yes. Since even you don’t know what he’s up to, I have to think that he’s working against us. We have to stop him before it’s too late.” He gave Prince Natsuka a sly smile.
Prince Natsuka’s lips pursed. “‘Stop him…’ What do you mean?”
“Who do you trust more, him or me?” He was smiling, but his eyes were sharp as swords. “I’m not like Atsufusa. I would never do anything that went against your wishes. I would lay down my life for you if you commanded it.” His smile flashed off.
“I trust you,” Prince Natsuka said.
“You underestimate me,” Rokon said roughly.
Prince Natsuka braced himself. What does he think he’s figured out? he thought.
“You ordered me to leave you alone,” Rokon said. “I can guess what you discussed.” His eyes burned like a predator’s stalking prey. “You intend to use me and then discard me.”
“I had to say something to the Lord of Nanke,” Prince Natsuka said defensively.
“—Let me finish,” Rokon interrupted, shaking his head. “I did not say you would be wrong to use me as you’re planning. If you can do it, then by all means, do as you wish. Use whatever you have. That approach is perfectly reasonable in the Imperial Court.”
Prince Natsuka’s brow furrowed.
“I am saying that I will allow myself to be used however you see fit,” Rokon said.
“Why?” Prince Natsuka asked. “What do you want?”
“I told you before,” Rokon said. “I’m not like Atsufusa; not at all. If you command me to do something, I will do it. Whatever it is.” He patted Prince Natsuka on the shoulder, suddenly cheerful. “I will receive orders only from you, and no other.”
“You are saying that you consent to being used, but I fear I should also be preparing myself to be used in turn,” Prince Natsuka said.
“You’ve figured out that much, so why hesitate?” Rokon asked. “Do as you will, Prince Natsuka. And consider that it would be much easier to have me as your ally than your enemy.”
Prince Natsuka rubbed his temples, agitated. “I thought something like this was coming.”
“Does it change anything? You’ll still be giving me orders, yes?”
“Yes.”
“Then everything’s fine,” Rokon said. “What I want hasn’t changed in the slightest.”
Prince Natsuka looked down at Rokon sternly. “If it is Atsufusa, find some way to preserve the peace of Yamauchi. If you don’t, I will show you no mercy.”
“I understand that very well,” Rokon said. He laughed.
***
News that Atsufusa had been cut down arrived a few hours after the Star Festival ended.
Yukiya was with Sumio and the Crown Prince in the Sun Palace at the time. They all exchanged information that they’d learned that evening.
“Rokon is a monster,” Sumio spat after hearing Yukiya’s account of meeting Natsuka’s bodyguard in the garden. “He has insane senses to have found you there so quickly.”
Even the memory of Rokon made Yukiya’s knees shake. “He said he wouldn’t spare me a second time. If he catches me alone again, I’m dead.” Yukiya tried to sound calm, but he was genuinely terrified. He’d witnessed Lord Kitashijōke’s brutal death and wasn’t optimistic about his own chances in a fight against Rokon.
Then the Crown Prince nodded in agreement, and that made Yukiya feel much worse. “There’s no tricking him easily, either. He’s sharp. We can’t risk openly opposing him. He could cut any one of us down without too much effort.”
The three of them put their heads together, considering what to do next.
“We’ve learned that the Lord of Nanke is hedging his bets—waiting for the opportune time to act,” the Crown Prince said. “I don’t think that’s posturing; I think it’s true. We might be in a better position than we thought.”
So far, at least, it seemed like Lord Kitashijōke had acted alone in ordering the assassination attempt on the Crown Prince. The Empress likely had some involvement as well, but she hadn’t acted openly.
“We still have to prove what happened,” Yukiya said. That would be quite the challenge.
Sumio grinned. “Not necessarily. We understand the lay of the land now. That’s more than enough.”
“Huh?” Yukiya asked.
Before Sumio could answer, a flying raven came into view outside the window.
“That’s Kazumi,” Sumio said.
“He’s never been so reckless before,” the Crown Prince said.
It was important to keep Kazumi’s involvement with the Crown Prince a secret. He’d never flown to the Sun Palace openly before this. Not even the Lord of Hokke knew about Kazumi serving the Crown Prince.
“Something horrible happened, didn’t it?” Yukiya asked. “That’s the only explanation.”
“We’ll find out,” Sumio said. He moved toward the door.
“I’m going with you,” the Crown Prince said. He jumped out the window and landed in the garden. Yukiya and Sumio rushed after him. They greeted Kazumi as he flew down.
“Kazumi, what happened?” the Crown Prince asked.
Kazumi transformed back into his human form and caught his breath. His face was soaked with sweat.
“Lord Atsufusa—Lord Atsufusa has been cut down.”
All three of them gasped.
“Cut down? Is he dead?” Sumio asked, leaning forward.
Kazumi shook his head. His shoulders rose and fell with every breath. “He’s barely alive. He’s bleeding a lot. It’s not clear if he’ll survive or not.”
“Unbelievable.” Sumio covered his mouth with his hand.
The Crown Prince dropped to his knees on the ground. Then he met Kazumi’s eyes. “Who did it?”
“I don’t know,” Kazumi said. “No one seems to know yet.” Kazumi explained the situation, visibly frustrated.
Atsufusa had crawled through one of the tunnels in the city’s pleasure district, begging for help. He’d been covered in blood and refused to speak about what had happened to him. He’d asked the people who’d found him to block off the secret passage. Then he’d asked to send a message to the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince often patronized Moonwatch Tower, so the proprietor took in Atsufusa and treated his injuries.
“Atsufusa sent for me,” Kazumi said. “He wants to meet you directly, Your Imperial Highness. He was conscious when I left him, but he might not be for long. We should hurry.”
The Crown Prince nodded decisively and got to his feet. “This is a lot to ask, Kazumi, but I have no one else to ask it of. Go to the Yamauchishu’s nearest guard post and send trustworthy people to protect Moonwatch Tower.”
“Consider it done,” Kazumi said. He bowed deeply. He was still gasping for breath, but he transformed immediately and flew down toward the waterfall.
The Crown Prince ran to the stables.
“You’re going?” Yukiya asked.
“Of course I’m going,” the Crown Prince said. He frowned slightly. “I wish we had more information, but that can’t be helped. If something happens—”
Yukiya thrust the bridle of the Crown Prince’s horse at him. “No way. You’re not leaving me behind this time. I’m coming with you.”
The Crown Prince’s eyes widened.
The corner of Sumio’s mouth twitched upward. He tossed Yukiya a short sword. “Defend yourself.”
“I will.”
The Crown Prince took the bridle from Yukiya’s hands as Yukiya picked up the short sword. “Well then, let’s go together.”
***
They arrived at Moonwatch Tower before the Yamauchishu did. The bouncer had been informed of their arrival and ushered them in right away. The proprietor of Moonwatch Tower met them at the entrance, wringing his hands and pacing. He guided the Crown Prince and his companions to an out-of-the-way room on the third floor.
“No one knows of our guest’s presence or status except for me and the bouncer,” the proprietor said. “I swear it. I have also ordered the staff who took the message to your man not to speak of it. I think it would be best to move your friend as soon as possible for his own protection.”
“I understand,” the Crown Prince said. “How is he?”
“Not good. He’s been cut open from shoulder to hip. The wound doesn’t look that deep, but the bleeding won’t stop. We brought him in through the back way, but he trailed blood the whole way… it was horrifying. It’s a wonder that he’s still alive. I hate to say it, but he might not make it.”
The Crown Prince nodded grimly. “Thank you for letting me know. The Yamauchishu will be here soon. Stay alert until then.”
“Understood.”
The proprietor led the Crown Prince into the room where Atsufusa was hidden. The Crown Prince told Yukiya to wait in the hall. He entered the room with Sumio close behind him.
Inside the room, incense smoke with pain-relieving effects wafted through the air. The smell of the smoke was overpowered by the iron reek of blood and disinfecting medicine. It was hard to breathe.
Atsufusa appeared to be getting worse. He lay in the center of the small, dim room. His clothes were soaked with blood. The bedding beneath him was stained red.
The Crown Prince sat down beside him. “Atsufusa,” he said softly.
A long pause made the Crown Prince anxious. What if Atsufusa never woke up?
Then Atsufusa’s eyes fluttered open. He looked up in a daze. “Your Imperial Highness?” he asked.
“Yes, it’s me.”
“I’m sorry. I made a mistake.” He closed his eyes again, grimacing. “Rokon found out that I was communicating with you.”
“Rokon did this?” the Crown Prince asked.
“Yes. He might not have meant to kill me. If he had, I would be dead already…” His breathing quickened to panting as he recalled the moment he was cut down. His face was a rictus of terror. “I was so scared that I fled from him. My hands and feet are cold. I shouldn’t have run. I lost too much blood.” His voice weakened as he spoke. “Rokon is a terrifying man. I fear that even Prince Natsuka will become his victim. I beg you, Your Imperial Highness. Please save Prince Natsuka.” He forced the words from his throat and then shuddered from the pain of his wounds. “If you promise me that, I will tell you the names of those who intend to harm you and the means I have uncovered to corner them. That’s why I wanted to meet with you in person.” Atsufusa’s voice was hardly louder than a whisper. “I beg you. Please, promise me—”
“I understand. I will definitely save my brother. I promise.” The Crown Prince nodded firmly.
Atsufusa sighed deeply. “I believe you.”
There was a thud behind the Crown Prince. He turned slightly and saw that Sumio had fallen onto the rice mat flooring. “Sumio?” he asked.
The man didn’t move.
The Crown Prince was moving toward Sumio when he felt it: a slight numbness in his arms and legs. He moved clumsily—because he’d been poisoned by the incense.
Atsufusa had outwitted him. The Crown Prince turned back toward the bedding where Atsufusa lay with effort. The incense was burning right next to his head. Incense made with karon could be used for pain relief or to help with sleep, but a dose that was too high could be fatal.
“Karon,” the Crown Prince said darkly.
Atsufusa threw aside the blood-stained comforter that had concealed the lower half of his body, revealing a leather pouch filled with beast blood. He rushed over to Sumio and disarmed him, throwing his sword out of reach.
“Stop,” the Crown Prince said. He tried to get between Atsufusa and Sumio, but Atsufusa just shoved him lightly to keep him from interfering. He tore his sleeve and made a gag for the Crown Prince.
There were footsteps coming down the hall outside.
The Yamauchishu had arrived.
“Young master, the Imperial Guards are here,” Moonwatch Tower’s proprietor said through the closed door.
Atsufusa didn’t say anything.
“Young master?” the proprietor asked.
There was another dull thud in the hallway.
“Lord Atsufusa,” a man said from the hallway. “It’s me.”
“Come in,” Atsufusa said.
The door slid open, revealing the unconscious proprietor on the floor and a member of the Yamauchishu wearing a feather robe and a sash that denoted his rank.
“What happened to their liaison—Kazumi, I think?” Atsufusa asked.
The Yamauchishu saluted and then covered his mouth with his sleeve as he bent his head. “No need to worry about him. We captured him before he could request help from the guard station. The Yamauchishu who support the Crown Prince haven’t noticed anything unusual.”
“And how did you deal with Kazumi?”
“He’s not dead yet; he knows too much. We’re asking him for names of all of the Crown Prince’s supporters.”
“Good. Make sure he talks. How many others came with you?”
“Eight, and we are all loyal to Prince Natsuka. The perimeter is secure. No one will escape Moonwatch Tower with news of what has happened here.”
Atsufusa nodded, but then glanced behind the Yamauchishu. “Did you see anyone in the hall on your way here aside from the proprietor?”
“I did not. I informed the guards at the door about the change in security, though.”
It was too early in the day for courtesans to be out and about. The proprietor had also cleared people away from the area to preserve the secret of Atsufusa’s presence here. There were no servants or guards in the hallways.
“Damn it,” Atsufusa said. “He’s gone.”
“What?”
“The Crown Prince’s attendant is missing. Where did that boy go?”
The proprietor was unconscious and there was no one else in the hall. Atsufusa distinctly remembered the Crown Prince telling someone to stay in the hallway, so he knew that he’d brought his attendant. And now that attendant was gone—vanished.
“Find him!” Atsufusa commanded. “The Crown Prince’s attendant should still be inside Moonwatch Tower!”
***
Yukiya had noticed some kind of disturbance in the room and was about to go find Moonwatch Tower’s proprietor when he heard footsteps and low voices.
“Right this way.”
“Very well.”
The Yamauchishu had arrived. He looked down at the back entrance from the third floor window and then hastily backed up so that he wouldn’t be seen.
One of the Yamauchishu was Prince Natsuka’s guard. He’d seen that man before. He’d been sitting at the table when Lord Kitashijōke was killed in the Valley.
Yukiya crept closer to the window and saw the guard say something to the proprietor and his fellow Yamauchishu.
Still confused, Yukiya quietly made his way to the staircase down the hallway. The proprietor and the guard he’d recognized were coming up the stairs.
This is a trap, Yukiya thought. He had to call for help. But how? There was no one nearby except enemies. If he could get the attention of some courtesans or the people in the neighboring shops, he might have a chance.
Yukiya descended the stairs cautiously, silent. The guards were still on a lower level, so they didn’t see him. He found a different staircase on the second floor and went down.
“Find him! The Crown Prince’s attendant should still be inside Moonwatch Tower!”
The shout came from above. Yukiya quailed and ducked down briefly, thinking he’d been caught already. Runners went back and forth above him, searching.
The entrance to the first floor was just ahead. Several Yamauchishu stood there. Alerted by Atsufusa’s shout, they were wary. One noticed Yukiya’s presence on the stairs and stared right into his eyes.
Reflect, don’t regret, Yukiya thought as he ran to the basement.
“There he is! After him!” the guards yelled behind him.
The secret passage was close, so close, when the first guard caught up. Yukiya turned around, drew his short sword, and faced him.
“Don’t come any closer!”
The first Yamauchishu was joined by another and then another. Their blades pointed straight at him.
“What do you think you can do with a little pigsticker like that?” a Yamauchishu asked.
One of his companions slapped him on the shoulder. “Wait.” He was unarmed. He reached out one hand to Yukiya. “Everything’s all right. If you put down your weapon, we’ll put down our weapons. We don’t need to fight this battle.”
Yukiya pretended to hesitate—anything to buy himself a few more seconds. He backed away from the Yamauchishu slowly and lowered his short sword a fraction.
“See, it’s all right. We won’t do anything,” the peacekeeping Yamauchishu said.
“Liar.”
Yukiya spun and then kicked aside all of the offerings on the altar. He slipped through the double doors and then slammed them closed, forcing his short sword through the door handles on the opposite side to hold them shut.
The doors shook as the guards tried to break them open, but they remained firmly closed. Yukiya heard the Yamauchishu shouting and swearing as he sprinted down the secret passage.
“Do you think you can escape from us, brat?” a guard asked.
“Report to Lord Atsufusa! The attendant is escaping!” another guard shouted loud enough so that people on higher floors could hear him.
“I’ll go back to the guard station and keep things calm there,” a different guard said.
“All right, we’ll catch him, then. We can lay an ambush in the Valley,” the first guard said.
More guards kept trying to get the doors open without success.
It was pitch black in the tunnel. Yukiya couldn’t see his feet and he’d only traveled this path once. He was terrified of losing his way, but he had no time to stop. Who? he thought as he ran. Who can I ask for help? Who will help the Crown Prince in the Valley?
He couldn’t return to the city or he’d be attacked by the traitorous Yamauchishu. The Imperial Court was distant enough to seem like a place of dreams. If Yukiya wasn’t quick enough to return with help, the Crown Prince would be killed. It was possible that he was dead already.
Cornered, fearful, and running for his life, Yukiya thought through what had happened. Atsufusa had betrayed them: there was no doubt of that. He’d leveraged the Yamauchishu who were loyal to Prince Natsuka to corner the Crown Prince and his most loyal attendant and guard.
Who could Yukiya ask for help if not Sumio or the Crown Prince?
Yukiya tripped over a rock and nearly brained himself on the passage wall. He caught himself on his hands—all cut up now—and despaired.
I’m going to die, he thought. Tears welled up in his eyes. I’m already dead. I don’t know who I can trust.
And then he knew.
The informant. The Crown Prince had an informant who was pretending to work for Prince Natsuka. Yukiya had asked if they could trust the informant, and the Crown Prince had said, “I would trust this informant with my life.”
Long before Atsufusa had offered to cooperate with the Crown Prince, there had already been another informant. The Crown Prince had a man on the inside.
Yukiya remained where he’d fallen for a long while, staring into the darkness.
It was too bad that he had no idea who the informant was. If they were in the Imperial Court, Yukiya had no way of reaching them to ask for help. Should he try to make it to a guard station, even knowing that there were traitors among the Yamauchishu?
Yukiya was missing something. He knew it. There was a fundamental fact that he was overlooking. He should know the informant. He should be able to guess.
“Remember, remember, remember,” Yukiya chided himself. The answer was there in his mind somewhere. He felt the same prickling sense of confusion and unease as he had when the Crown Prince had called himself a true Golden Raven for the first time. He remembered the days when he was just a servant, worked to the bone. And the morning in the pleasure house when he learned the Crown Prince’s true nature. With reluctance, he recalled becoming a personal attendant more or less against his wishes. The Crown Prince had acted more like a friendly equal since that had happened… but why?
Wait.
A flash of inspiration.
That was it. It had to be.
Yukiya groaned in frustration at himself. Once it hit him, it all seemed so simple. He sprang to his feet.
If I’m wrong, the Crown Prince dies along with me, Yukiya thought as he started running again. But if he was right and he didn’t make it in time, the Crown Prince would also die, and so would he and many others.
It was all or nothing now. The thought made Yukiya go faster.
***
“He escaped?” Atsufusa asked coldly.
The Yamauchishu bowed their heads before him in shame.
“We are terribly sorry. He barricaded the doors of an underground passage from the inside. He was too quick for us.”
Atsufusa’s icy stare landed on the unfortunate guard. “No excuses. If you want to apologize, bring me the head of that attendant on a plate. He’s related to the Lord of Hokke, but his father is only a village leader.” His eyes narrowed. “We can cover up any unpleasantness regarding the attendant. I don’t care if you have to cut him into pieces; just make sure he dies.”
The Yamauchishu bowed deeper. They said “Yes, sir,” and then left the room.
One of the Yamauchishu remained behind to protect Atsufusa. He asked, “What do we do now? Do we call off the plan?” He glanced at the unconscious Sumio and the bound Crown Prince.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Atsufusa said. “We’ve come this far. We can’t let this opportunity pass us by. I didn’t expect the attendant to escape, but that’s a trivial complication.”
The guard nodded in understanding.
“Don’t leave any marks on them,” Atsufusa said. “If there are open wounds on a body that should be dead from smoke inhalation, there will be questions we don’t want to answer.”
The Yamauchishu took out a needle about the length of an adult man’s index finger from a breast pocket. Then he turned Sumio onto his stomach and pressed the tip of the needle against the nape of his neck, perhaps to test the needle’s sharpness. Just as he was about to apply force and shove the needle in, the Crown Prince moved.
The Crown Prince tore through the bindings on his hands and feet and threw himself at the Yamauchishu. The man backed up and lost his grip on the needle. The Crown Prince stood between the guard and Sumio protectively. Then he ripped the gag out of his mouth and threw it away.
“Why did you deceive me, Atsufusa?” the Crown Prince asked hoarsely.
Atsufusa scowled at him. “How are you able to move?”
“The Nanke family uses karon, but not exclusively,” the Crown Prince said. “Other people use it, too.” Karon was like any other medicine: using it regularly diminished its effects. Atsufusa hadn’t expected the Crown Prince to have a tolerance to karon already.
But of course the Crown Prince was karon-resistant. His mother had died from karon poisoning. The Empress regularly used karon to sicken and poison people. The counter-measures he’d taken since childhood were proving useful here.
Karon tolerance didn’t mean karon immunity. The Crown Prince’s movements were slower than Atsufusa’s. Atsufusa was displeased, but he wasn’t scared.
“You should have just stayed still and died peacefully,” Atsufusa said. “We would have given you a beautiful funeral.”
Death by fire had the virtue of obscuring facial features and distinguishing characteristics. If the plan had gone off without a hitch, it might have been a few days before anyone knew that the Crown Prince was dead.
“Do it,” Atsufusa commanded. “It doesn’t matter if there are injuries on him when he’s dead. Just finish it.”
The Yamauchishu stepped forward, sword drawn.
The Crown Prince ducked and rolled beneath the first slash of the sword and landed close enough to the Yamauchishu to snatch his scabbard. He moved swiftly and tried to strike the Yamauchishu in the back with his own scabbard.
The Yamauchishu dodged away.
The Crown Prince jumped back, gaining precious distance. He was out of breath. He couldn’t move the way he usually did, but his mind was crystal clear. His fingertips twitched—they were numb. He wove his feather robe around the scabbard so that it wouldn’t fall out of his hand.
Atsufusa didn’t interfere in any way. After a few moments, he left the room. Maybe he was letting the other Yamauchishu know what was happening. The Crown Prince had no time or energy to stop him.
“Why are you doing this?” the Crown Prince asked the Yamauchishu. “Do you truly believe that this is my brother’s will?”
The Yamauchishu didn’t answer. He attacked fiercely, slashing three times in quick succession.
The Crown Prince caught the slashes on the scabbard and staggered. He smelled smoke—not incense this time. The building was on fire. It was spreading fast; Atsufusa must have used oil or some other accelerant.
Cold sweat beaded on the Crown Prince’s brow. He would be overcome by the smoke well before the Yamauchishu could cut him down. He understood the danger.
Two more Yamauchishu leaped over the flames and rolled into the room.
The scabbard in the Crown Prince’s hand broke in half after repeated attacks. One of the newcomers swept his feet out from under him with a sudden kick. Another guard twisted his arm to immobilize him and finally dragged him down to the floor.
When he looked up, the third Yamauchishu pressed a sword point against the hollow of his throat. Someone grabbed his hair, forcing his head up. He gasped.
“Hi there! That looks like fun.” Rokon’s booming voice made the Yamauchishu go still for a split second.
Then the window shattered, scattering pieces of storm shutters and glass everywhere. Dazzling sunlight poured into the room along with a gust of fresh air. Rokon landed heavily on the floor near the Crown Prince. The next moment, the Yamauchishu with the sword at the Crown Prince’s throat collapsed headless to the floor. His blood sprayed everywhere.
The Crown Prince didn’t have time to be stunned. He wiped the blood from his cheek slowly and looked up at his rescuer.
“Any other takers?” Rokon asked haughtily. “Or are we done here?” He laughed gleefully, swinging his greatsword in front of him in a mighty arc. One of the remaining guards backed up too late and lost an arm to that slash.
Rokon laughed louder.
“Rokon,” the Crown Prince gasped out.
Rokon gave him a fierce grin. “In the flesh.”
“Why… why did you come to save me?”
“Give your attendant a raise,” Rokon said. He chuckled. Then his attention shifted back to the battle. The single remaining uninjured guard was attempting to flee. Rokon caught him in an iron grip.
Then more guards rushed into the room like angry hornets. They lifted the still-unconscious Sumio and carried him through the window. Two guards helped the Crown Prince walk out of the opening made by the shattered window to safety.
The streets were in an uproar. Other shop owners came out of their businesses and helped put out the fire. The guards that had rescued Sumio and the Crown Prince, including Rokon, transformed and flew to a nearby estate away from the commotion. They carried Sumio and the Crown Prince to the estate.
The guards encouraged the Crown Prince to sit on a bench in the estate’s garden. Yukiya and another man were waiting for him there. Yukiya was covered in scrapes and bruises, but he wasn’t seriously hurt.
“Your Imperial Highness,” Yukiya said. His voice was tight. He couldn’t quite meet the Crown Prince’s eyes.
“Yukiya. Are you all right?”
It looked like Yukiya had fallen on his face at least once. His nose was bleeding and his hands were a mess.
“I’m fine!” Yukiya said, forcing cheerfulness. “Don’t worry about me. You should take care of yourself, Your Imperial Highness.”
The other man knelt down next to the Crown Prince in the mud. He wore luxurious robes, but he didn’t seem to care about soiling them. “Where are you hurt, Nazukihiko?”
The Crown Prince smiled wanly. “Sorry to trouble you, brother.”
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