Emperor of the Fireflies

by Sarah Ash

  “Can I bring him some medicine?”

  “You’ll have to clear that with Lord Naoki first.”

  “I will, then.” Sakami clenched her fists in determination and set off along the narrow passageway. I’ll think of a way to get to talk to Lord Naoki. Perhaps I can use my influence as miko. If I invite him to visit the shrine, he’ll find it hard to refuse. . .

  ***

  “A tea ceremony here at the shrine?” Father Taiki had been so flustered that he had stood gaping as she welcomed Lord Naoki and three of his retainers into the enclosure, even forgetting to bow until she nudged him. Then he seemed to recollect his role and courteously showed Lord Naoki and his men to the holy well so that they could purify their hands and mouths with clean water.

  There was one half-empty jar left of Princess Asagao’s precious green tea and Sakami managed to sneak it out from the kitchen stores without Mai noticing. She had also made some simple wagashi, shaping the little cakes to look like ginkgo leaves. As this was the first time she had ever performed a tea ceremony, she offered up a silent prayer to Lady Inari that she would not make some glaring error in etiquette as she ground the leaves, then whisked the powder and mixed the tea. And if her hands trembled a little as she handed the first bowl to Lord Naoki, she hoped that he didn’t notice. In fact, all the Kites looked embarrassed and awkward – with the exception of Yūgiri Hisui who seemed so poised and serene beside the warriors that Sakami would have smiled at their discomfort had she not felt so concerned about Shun.

  After the little cakes had been eaten and everyone served with tea, she sat back on her heels, steeling herself to make her request.

  “Thank you for honoring us with your presence,” she said, bowing.

  “Thank you, Miko-san,” Lord Naoki said formally, rising. His men rose too, making ready to leave.

  “Please –” She saw him turn around, frowning. “We have a tradition here at Kurozuro,” she babbled, frantically improvising. “After a tea ceremony, we can ask a favor of the clan leader.”

  Lord Naoki glanced at his retainers, one strong black brow raised. “Is that so? And what favor did you have in mind?”

  “My brother Shun is sick. He’s the archer who’s in the cells.”

  “The one who attacked me?” The frown intensified.

  “He didn’t know what he was doing, my lord, he was out of his mind with fever. And now his fever’s worse. Please could I take him some medicine?”

  Lord Naoki did not reply. She stared at the ground, wondering what she would do when he rejected her request. Then she heard him give an irritated little sigh.

  “Yūgiri, do you think you could use your skills to heal this archer?”

  Sakami dared to raise her head; Lord Naoki was looking at the healer.

  “I’ll do my best.” The healer bowed his snow-white head.

  Sakami couldn’t quite believe what she was hearing. Can this really be the same man who killed me?

  “Thank you, my lord,” she said, bowing again to hide her confusion.

  “But make sure that he knows your life will be forfeit if he stirs up any further trouble against me and my clansmen.” Lord Naoki gazed directly at her. There it was; the same ruthless determination that had driven him to strike her down to get his hands on the Tide Jewels. “The emperor has given us a job to do here – and his wishes must be fulfilled.”

  ***

  A foul gust of fetid air escaped as the Kite guard unlocked the underground cell door. Sakami turned away, eyes watering, and even the healer hesitated on the threshold.

  “I can’t treat a wounded man in these insanitary conditions,” he said quietly. “Bring him out here.”

  The prisoner shuffled out, blinking in the dim light; his wrists were confined in a wooden restraint and his ankles were manacled together.

  “What were you thinking, you idiot?” Sakami was shocked to see how gaunt he looked; unshaven, with stubble darkening his hollow cheeks and lips dry and cracked from fever. “Trying to kill the new lord of the castle?”

  “Why are you cooperating with Red Kites?” Shun countered. “Have you forgotten who burned down our village? Or who –” He staggered and she rushed to prop him up.

  “Forget that for now,” she said, trying not to breathe in too deeply for, close to, his unwashed body gave off a stale stink of sweat and piss. “This is Hisui-san, a healer. He’s going to work on your shoulder. And then you’re straight off to the bath house.”

  “I’m…free?” He leaned so heavily on her that she wondered if she had the strength to support him. To her surprise, Yūgiri Hisui came to help her, easing Shun down on to a bench. He’s a lot stronger than he looks.

  “Free – on one condition,” said the healer. “Lord Naoki has made it known that if you defy him again, your sister’s life will be forfeit.”

  A brief glint of resentment lit Shun’s dulled eyes but, to Sakami’s relief, he said nothing.

  “Please remove this man’s shackles,” the healer said to the Kite on guard duty who had been watching silently, arms folded.

  “I hope my lord knows what he’s doing,” he muttered as he took the keys from his belt to undo the locks.

  “Is there a room nearby where I can treat this man properly?”

  “This way.” Sakami pointed to the guards’ room.

  Shun stumbled as he shuffled after Sakami and fell against the guard; the Kite swore and righted him. It pained Sakami to see her brother shambling slowly along like a stooped old man. Perhaps he’ll never fully recover.

  Once in the guards’ room, the Kite guard lowered Shun on to a straw pallet in the corner and Yūgiri knelt down to examine him.

  The gentle radiance flowing from beneath his hands illumined the rough stone of the bare walls. Sakami watched, entranced. It was almost as if she could hear a low, calming thrum emanating from his fingers, growing more intense with each pulse of light. She half-closed her eyes and saw that there was an aura around him like a golden cloud; a soothing, warming glow.

  He has a true gift… but he’s different from other healers, even Kai. He must be drawing on his own life energy. And yet that aura also reminds me of Lady Inari. . .could there be a connection between them?

  The harsh lines that had been etched into Shun’s brow were gradually smoothed away. Her brother had stoically been enduring the dragging ache of a poisoned wound that had been slow and stubborn to heal. But under the Red Kite’s ministrations, he relaxed, allowing the healer to work his shamanic skills and draw out the pain.

  The healer slowly raised his hands and the gentle glow gradually dimmed. As Yūgiri sat back on his heels, Shun let out a little sigh. His breathing had slowed to a regular, gentle rhythm.

  “He’s asleep?” Sakami said, surprised.

  “Sleep will do him good.”

  Shun’s going to be all right. Sakami, kneeling on the other side of the pallet, felt as if Yūgiri had removed a heavy weight from her own shoulders. “Thank you,” she said, wiping away a tear with the back of her hand.

  “You’re no ordinary priestess, are you?” the healer said quietly. “You’re not just Lady Inari’s shrine maiden, you’re one of her chosen servants. You’re kitsune.”

  Sakami forced a laugh. “Whatever gave you that idea, Hisui-san?” He merely continued to gaze calmly at her with his pale, blood-stained eyes and she realized that there was no point in denying it. “How did you find out? What gave me away?”

  He raised his hands to mimic pointed ears.

  She let out a little yelp of alarm. “My ears are showing?” She raised her hands too to check that she hadn’t completely transformed, then risked a glance behind her to ensure that the tip of her tail hadn’t peeped out from beneath her red hakama. But there was no sign.

  “Don’t worry; your secret is safe with me.” He smiled at her and she found herself smiling back, charmed by his courteous manner. “I’m honored to meet you, Lady Fox. You’re not the only one of your kind here in the compound, ar
e you?”

  She shook her head. “Perhaps I can help you in return,” she said softly. “Someone’s placed a malignant spell on you. If I ask Lady Inari… ?”

  “There’s only one man who can lift this enchantment,” he said, “and that’s the onmyōji who cursed me.” The endearing smile faded and he turned away, ending their conversation.

  ***

  “I plan to go up to the hot springs tomorrow, Miko-san,” said Lord Naoki, setting down his chopsticks, “I’m counting on you and your cousin to show us the way.”

  “My cousin?” Sakami was busy offering round dishes of pickles to the Red Kite retainers as they tucked into the freshly grilled fish with enthusiasm. “Ah – you mean Honou, my lord.” She knew Honou would not be pleased at the prospect but she had given her word. “We’ll be ready.”

  “And make sure we have provisions for the journey,” added Raiko, rapidly cramming rice into his mouth.

  He must still be growing, Sakami thought, watching in awe as he held up his empty bowl to Mai for a third helping.

  “It’s not that far,” she said. “Half a day’s walk up the mountain if we leave at dawn.”

  “Rice cakes and some dried fish will be fine. And barley tea.”

  Mai raised her eyebrows at Sakami in exasperation but said nothing.

  “Chikaaki, I’m leaving you in charge of the castle,” Naoki said to the grizzled retainer who sat at his right, eating in silence.

  “Very good, my lord.”

  “And Yūgiri; I’d like you to come along too, if Teiko-san can spare you.”

  Sakami glanced up in surprise; she had not realized that the shaman had been using his skills to heal other injured Cranes as well as her brother Shun. He nodded in assent and she felt unaccountably reassured that he would be accompanying them.

  As the girls struggled back with the dirty bowls and serving dishes to the kitchen, she heard Mami remark to her twin sister, “Lord Naoki’s really good-looking, for all that he’s a Kite.”

  “Don’t go getting any foolish ideas,” Mai snapped back. “He’s a lord and you’re a kitchen girl. And talking of kitchen girls, we need more help. What with Sakami going off gallivanting up the mountain, we can’t do all the work with just the two of us and Kenta –”

  “Er – hm.”

  Raiko had followed them. “Let me help you,” he said gruffly to Mai, holding out his hands.

  “You? But you’re one of my lord’s entourage.” Mai sounded distinctly flustered by this sudden and unexpected offer. But she handed him one of the woven baskets in which she was carrying the dirty bowls.

  “I suspect he has an ulterior motive,” said Mami darkly.

  “My lord should remember that he’s asked for rice cakes for dawn tomorrow; they don’t cook themselves, you know.”

  Raiko did not answer back but Sakami noticed that he had flushed deep red to the tips of his ears.

  ***

  As Sakami and Honou led the Red Kites up the winding path that led to the hot springs, the morning air felt stickily heavy with moisture.

  “Good weather for the rice harvest,”

  Sakami kept shooting little glances at Lord Naoki as they climbed but, apart from stopping once or twice to wipe his sweat from his face or swat away the gnats that hovered in clusters beneath the branches, he seemed untroubled by the steepness of the track. The other Kites followed their lord in stoical silence.

  I bet they’d much rather be using their Kite Shadow jutsu to fly, rather than trudging uphill in this heat.

  Her kitsune senses were on edge; she was aware of scuttlings in the undergrowth and flutterings in the branches overhead. In one earthy clearing there was such a strong odor of mountain fox that she saw Honou begin to sniff around and had to give him a sharp dig in the ribs to remind him not to get distracted.

  His original fox family must still have a den hidden somewhere here. . . She glanced sidelong at him, wondering if he missed them. He never mentions them. Has he forgotten what it was like to be all fox and not kitsune?

  It was past midday by the time they reached the springs and Sakami was ready to wilt; she longed to shed her sweating human form and flop down in the shade of the trees on the cool grass.

  Lord Naoki stopped on the edge of the water. Little clouds of steam floated on the warm air, partly obscuring the far side of the pool where the entrance to the concealed cave was situated. It must be blissfully cool in there, Sakami thought and then saw, to her alarm, that Raiko had shed his back pack and was peeling off his clothes.

  “What d’you think you’re doing, Raiko?” Lord Naoki demanded.

  “Taking a dip,” Raiko answered with a shrug.

  “Cooling off in a hot spring?”

  “Sounds a good idea, my lord,” said one of the other retainers.

  “Yūgiri?” Lord Naoki turned to the shaman.

  “As long as you remember to leave an offering to the local kami,” Yūgiri said. “There’s a little niche carved in the rock over there.”

  “Tofu is best,” said Honou greedily before Sakami could stop him. Then she noticed that the shaman was smiling and was glad that Honou had distracted him momentarily from his curse.

  “I think you’ll find that the guardians of these springs prefer fresh fruit,” he said, pointing to the far end of the pool. And as the clouds of steam parted, Sakami caught a glimpse of gray furry heads as some bathing macaques swiftly left the water and took to the overhanging trees.

  “You go ahead,” Lord Naoki said, laughing at Raiko’s surprised expression. “Yūgiri, come with me to explore.”

  ***

  Sakami was sitting on the brink of the pool, dangling her feet in the warm water and enjoying the sensation of the rising bubbles bursting against her skin, when Honou sidled up to her.

  “What exactly is that Kite looking for in those stinky caves?”

  “How should I know?” Sakami fanned herself with a large leaf.

  “Don’t you think you ought to know? The Inari mountain shrine’s not so far away from here.”

  “It’s too hot to think.”

  ***

  By the time Lord Naoki and his men had made good use of the hot springs, Sakami had decided to take them back to the castle through the ruins of her village.

  “This is a different route than the one we came by,” he said, frowning suspiciously at her.

  “My lord is very observant.” Sakami crossed her fingers, hoping he would not misinterpret her actions.

  His hand gripped his sword hilt. “This had better not be a trap.”

  “It’s more shady at this time of day than the other path. Also there’s something I wished to show you, my lord.”

  The winding path brought them out into what had been the single street of Sakuranbo village; all that remained were tumbled, charred stones, overgrown with bushes and clinging vines.

  “I can see signs of fire damage. What happened here?”

  “This was my village,” Sakami said. “But it was burned to the ground seven years ago. My brother and I were the only ones to survive the fire.”

  “Seven years?” Lord Naoki echoed and she saw a look pass between him and his retainers.

  “My mother was shrine maiden here.” Sakami gabbled out her request. “With your permission, my lord, I’d like to restore the shrine. It will bring back the goddess’s favor to the mountain and the castle.”

  Lord Naoki gazed around, saying nothing, his dark brows drawn together in a frown.

  “My lord?” Yūgiri prompted gently.

  “Very well,” Lord Naoki said at length. “But on condition that you still carry out your kitchen duties at the castle.”

  Sakami shot Honou a jubilant look. “Thank you, my lord.”

  ***

  “There’s so much work to do.” Sakami glanced at Shun, who stood gazing with a lost look in his eyes at the desolate pile of fire-charred stones that had once been the village shrine where their mother had been miko. He started, as though wak
ing from a daydream.

  “No point wasting time then, let’s get started,” he said, rather too gruffly, she thought as he blew his nose noisily and stomped off to tug at a tangle of creepers.

  Perhaps he hasn’t been back here since the night of the fire.

  “We’ll clear all the greenery that’s grown up around the shrine perimeter first.” Hiroki took an axe out of his backpack.

  “Where’d you get that?” Shun stared enviously. “I thought the Kites had confiscated any tools that could be used as weapons. “

  “I might just have hidden it away where no Kite would ever find it.” Hiroki winked at Shun and set to work. “I’ll chop; you clear.”

  “What about your shoulder, Shun?” Sakami asked as her brother began to gather up armfuls of branches.

  Shun mumbled something inaudible in reply.

  “I didn’t quite catch that,” she said, teasing.

  “Much better,” he said grudgingly, hefting the leafy bundle over to start a pile beyond the shrine perimeter. “That Kite healer did a good job.”

  Hiroki looked up, scowling disapproval at him. “I’d never thought I’d hear you say a word in praise of a Red Kite, Shun.”

  “Kite, or no, he fixed it for me. What’s wrong with that?”

  Sakami found herself smiling to herself as the two men continued to bicker while they toiled. She and Honou set to cleaning the two guardian fox statues; Honou, the male, she, the female, scrubbing away the lichen and clogged dirt to reveal the white of the carved stone beneath.

  Only they could see the two elder kitsune prowling nearby, tails swishing irritably against the long grass.

  “You should be pleased,” Honou called out to them. “We’re restoring your home for you.”

  The male guardian, Kane, bared his teeth at Honou in a disdainful snarl; Yukiko did not even deign to acknowledge that he had spoken to them.

  “Who are you talking to?” Shun stopped to wipe the sweat from his face on his forearm.

  “Honou’s just saying a quick prayer to the fox guardians,” said Sakami, glaring pointedly at Honou. “We should have brought them a better offering. But there was so little tofu left that Mai wouldn’t give me any more.”