He had been overjoyed to see her, had hobbled towards her his leg now expertly splinted by one of Devlin’s men and had wrapped his arms around her, his body shaking with relief. He had taken her hands and looked into her face for a long time without speaking before he dared ask her to recount her ordeal. She had done so stressing how much she owed to Thom Devlin and unable to hide the affection she held for the pirate Kapitan. She had not so much seen Hayato’s face darken, but felt his mind harden against the man who had saved his sister’s life. Mizuki had understood at that moment that all her hopes were dashed, had been the foolish dreams of a young girl. Hayato was now Lord Oyama. He could not have a sister who married a foreigner. His mind told her that and hers recognised what she had chosen to conveniently forget. Tears had filled her eyes, but he had seen them only as emotion at reliving her terrible adventure and he had hugged her whispering that all was safe, that he had a plan to regain Kyo-To-Shi.
“We sail south and will rejoin the rest of my Samurai. Then with the help of our pirate friends we will drive the remainder of Kurohoshi’s men from our city,” he had announced confidently.
Mizuki had looked from Hayato to Karasu and back again. She could not tell what her twin thought; his mind was uncharacteristically closed to her.
“But Brother, Kurohoshi is not dead. With Hana-Shi-Ku gone he surely will go to Kyo-To-Shi,” she protested.
“All the more reason to get there soon then,” Hayato had replied flippantly and she sensed his desire for vengeance was in danger of overruling his sense. She had opened her mouth to speak again, but he had placed a finger softly against her lips.
“Hush Mizuki. Do not trouble yourself over this. You must be tired. Why not get some rest and refresh yourself. We can talk longer later,” he had said.
Mizuki had glanced at her twin, but Karasu had refused to return her questions and she had left, guided to a nearby cabin by Ayame who had taken on the unasked for mantle of personal maid.
Now she felt dejectedly miserable. She had tried to find Kurohoshi using her Sennjo gift and the meditative technique her mother had taught her, but she was not strong enough alone, she needed Karasu to help. For a moment she wavered, afraid to step out of her cabin without a chaperone. All of her life she had been cosseted and attended by maids or some member of her family excepting in her own wing of the castle at Kyo-To-Shi, her home. To walk out alone, amongst men she did not know and also those who would find it improper for her to be unchaperoned, frightened her. She felt suddenly angry as she realised how little she had lived and how afraid she was. She took in a deep breath and resolved to be damned with protocol. She opened the cabin door finding Ayame asleep on the floor outside. Mizuki stooped and shook the woman’s shoulder.
“Ayame,” she uttered quietly. The woman awoke startled and started to beg forgiveness for sleeping, obviously distressed at failing in her duty.
“Ayame you are exhausted. Please, return to your family. I do not need you here. I am quite safe,” Mizuki insisted.
“But Lady Oyama, I cannot leave you alone. This ship is full of rough men and your brother, Lord Oyama, had instructed me to stay with you,” Ayame said hurriedly getting to her feet.
“And I am ordering you to leave me. Do not worry I will speak with my brother. You have your own family. It is they who need your care not I. Please my friend, do as I ask. Go to them and get your rest,” Mizuki replied a little sternly as she felt the irritation at her brother’s meddling rise in her breast.
Ayame was not happy about disobeying a Lord, but neither did she want to offend the young woman standing beside her. Reluctantly she agreed and bowing low retreated to find her girls and husband.
Feeling suddenly more confident Mizuki hurried to the room where she had left Hayato some hours before, although it was a confidence that waned a little as she passed a shabby looking sailor who grinned at her toothlessly and winked his eye. He said something she did not quite catch in his strong accented voice and she lowered her head and hurried on by leaving him wondering what he had said. .
Mizuki reached the wardroom where Hayato had set up his council. She supposed she should have knocked, but to pause now would end in losing her nerve so she depressed the handle and rushed through the door. At that point all her new found self reliance faltered. She stopped and teetered on the spot her hand still holding the door handle.
Inside the room sat six men, her two brothers, Furuki, Hiraiwa, Stefan Marrel and Thom Devlin. They had been in deep discussion around the oval table in the middle of the room but as she entered they all turned to stare in her direction. In an instant she knew she had made a mistake. She should have waited. Requested to see Hayato and Karasu alone, but now it was too late. She gazed at the six faces. Saw and felt the shock and annoyance from her countrymen mixed with a flash of concern from Karasu. She almost backed away and had begun to form her apology for barging in when she caught Thom’s eye. His face brightened into his irresistible boyish grin, his soul radiating the joy he experienced at seeing her. Despite her fear she could not help but return his smile. It lifted her spirits and restored her flagging confidence. He stood from the table and to the consternation of the rest, with the exception of Marrel; he bowed and spoke to the hovering girl.
“Lady Mizuki,” he said politely, “This is an unexpected honour. Please would you care to join us?” He pulled a chair out from under the table and indicated it to her.
Mizuki took a step forward, faltered again and looked to her eldest brother. Hayato was looking stern, but she sensed he was also indecisive. She took advantage of this and, before he could demand that she left, she hurried to the table. With a nod of thanks she allowed Thom to seat her next to him.
“But this is a council of war my Lord,” Furuki hissed in Hayato’s left ear. The Lord held up his hand to silence his First Samurai.
“Sister. I am pleased to see you, but this is a discussion that a young woman should not be party to. We talk of war. These are not things that you should be exposed to,” he began diplomatically.
Mizuki looked down at her hands folded upon the table. Thom saw her clenching them so tight that her fingers turned white and he realised how alien this situation was for her and also how different from his world. Back with the clans, it would be his mother that would lead such a council. Here, women were precluded from government of any kind. He thought she was going to give in and leave and he almost blurted the words ‘do not go’ in front of everyone. In fact he was not sure that he had not, for she immediately turned her face to his and her eyes shone with gratitude. He pressed his leg against hers, feeling its trembling warmth and understood how afraid she was, but he had given her the strength she was lacking.
“I think I have something to add to your discussion,” she said and held her brother’s eye. She ignored the suck in of breath from Hiraiwa and Furuki’s shake of his head. She had Thom by her side and his unwavering support. She could say anything now.
The silence grew within the room and the tension, palpable. Hayato was torn between what protocol and tradition deemed acceptable and wanting to be an understanding and reasonable ruler. He knew the Generals expected him to send Mizuki away. No woman had ever sat on a council of war before, yet both Devlin and Marrel were comfortable with her presence, although he suspected for very different reasons. The difference in cultures yawned chasm-like before him. He turned his head slightly towards Karasu and discerned the slight dip of the younger man’s head.
“Very well. For once we will forgo the traditions of our people and allow you to stay Sister on condition that you leave when you have passed on your information,” he said at length.
“I think the Lady should be allowed to stay throughout the whole discussion Lord Oyama. After all it affects her also and I think she has earned the right,” Thom opined following Stefan’s whispered translation. He felt the ex-levtenant nudge his leg and caught the distinct shake of his head through the corner of his eye.
“Thank you Kapita
n, but I think I am best placed to decide what is in the interests of my sister and what is not. This is not your world now. Here we spare our womenfolk the horrors of war,” Hayato impressed a note of warning in his voice. Marrel interpreted rapidly.
“Uh! You only spare them talking of it. They suffer its horror more than men do and that is made worse because they are not allowed to know anything. Ignorance is not protection Hayato,” Thom argued not caring if he offended. He had no allegiance to these men. This was not, as the young Lord had rightly pointed out, his land. Mizuki’s left hand had slipped beneath the table; she squeezed his knee gently drawing his attention to her. He heard her thoughts in his head.
It is well Thom; do not provoke for my sake.
She smiled briefly and his indignation melted. He dropped his hand to take hold of hers, hidden beneath the oak above.
“Maybe we should ask Lady Mizuki what she has to tell us,” Stefan broke in dissolving the tension.
Hayato stared at him for a moment his ire still burning within him and then motioned his agreement with a wave of his hand. He sat back and seethed quietly. Mizuki took a deep breath; she spoke in Ashiman so that Stefan had to translate for Thom.
“When Lord Kurohoshi left me in the cave he ran out of the same entrance that myself and Kapitan Devlin did. We saw no sign of him, but as surely we found safety I believe he did also. I heard him tell the foul Majo that was his mother that he had sent his army to his summer palace when the mountain threatened the city. I believe he will have made his way there and will then make his way to Kyo-To-Shi.”
“Uh how do you know this? How can you possibly know what goes through his head?” Hiraiwa spat unable to contain himself any longer.
Thom felt Mizuki flinch but she resolved to explain.
“He is a great warrior. He is also a man who craves absolute power. You tell me that Hana-Shi-Ku has been destroyed. Then surely such a man will try and get to the city he has recently conquered. He has left a portion of his army there has he not? Where better than Kyo-To-Shi to rebuild one’s empire from,” she answered with growing confidence.
Hayato smiled despite himself. He felt an unaccustomed pride in his sister’s logic. True, she was not saying what they had not already thought themselves, but he had not expected her brain to work the same way as his. For a brief moment he wondered why not.
“We have surmised the same Mizuki, but we did not know of the summer palace. Do you know its whereabouts? Did he say anything to you?” he asked and knew immediately that he had put her at risk. She did not know, but her Sennjo powers could find out and help him.
“I have an idea but, I think we must ask Karasu to use his power of sight to help find it. If I could explain what I know to Karasu, he might be able to search and find it and what Kurohoshi truly plans. But he will need absolute quiet if he is to succeed. We are asking him to do something that is at the limit of his ability. Any disturbance would end in failure,” she suggested cryptically. Both her brothers understood instantly. Once more Hayato felt his pride grow and he smiled at this and his relief. He had never given his sister the credit she deserved. She was as clever and as tactical as any of the men around this table. He nodded.
“Very well. Karasu, please go with our sister now. Return only when you are certain you know something or when you are certain it is impossible to find out. May the benevolent Kami be with you,” he instructed to his younger brother.
Both Karasu and Mizuki rose. She squeezed Thom’s hand and cast him a brief but beguiling smile. The twins bowed to their Lord and retreated from the ward room, leaving the others to continue their deliberations.
FIFTY-THREE
“Can you find him?” Karasu asked as he closed the door to Mizuki’s cabin.
“Yes with your help. It will take both of us. He is far away,” she replied and sat cross-legged upon the floor.
He stood above her watching.
“You know it is pointless,” he said.
“No I believe it will help Hayato.”
“I do not mean that. I mean Thom Devlin,” he returned with a hint of exasperation. He sat opposite her.
“You are jealous Karasu. That is why you have been closing your mind to me. You do not like the fact that I am happy and it does not include you,” she stated matter-of-factly and the callous truth cut him. He almost denied it, but sighed instead.
“You stopped confiding in me after the rock fall. I got out as you asked and then you were silent. You had no time for me. He took my place,” he muttered hating the churlish tone of his voice.
“I love him Karasu. I cannot help that. He makes me feel alive in a way I never have. You should be happy for me. He still cannot take your place. Our souls are joined, but he can give me something you cannot. Please do not hate him or me.”
“I do not hate you, how can you say such a thing. I do not hate him either. I will admit that there have been times when he has frustrated me to the point of madness. I do not fully understand him, but I know now he is a man of honour and great bravery. He has saved my life and yours and probably also that of Hayato. We all owe him much, but you must see that Hayato will not allow it. You saw how it was in the council meeting and that was a small thing next to marrying a foreigner, no matter what he has done.
“Mizuki, it will only end in pain for you both. I see his affection for you, but will it last? He is man who has spent his life at sea fighting for his existence. Do you think he could settle here even if our brother allowed it? I think he would wither and die. It would be like caging a wild bird. Anyway, I do not know why I even say this, it will never happen. Hayato would rather have him killed,” Karasu finished and felt his stomach clench at the pain he saw etched on his sister’s face.
“Then let me enjoy his affection while I can. When he is gone there will be no sun anymore. The light will fade from my life. I will have nothing once more,” she pleaded, her eyes shining with tears.
“You will have Hayato and me. We will look after you.”
“But I will never marry. I will never know the pleasure of a life spent with a man who loves me as a woman. I will never have children. I may as well be cast into the wilds as a Majo,” she cried.
He had no answer. She was right. As a Sennjo female she would be outcast if found out. For that reason she could not marry. She would be discovered. In many respects Thom was the best thing for her. He did not care for her affliction. To him it was a gift from the Gods. He revered her for it not despised her.
“I will not stand between you,” he uttered at last and smiled encouragingly. He knew that when the time came he would share her misery through their kindred spirit, but his suffering would only be a fraction of the torment she would endure. He held out his hands.
“Shall we begin?”
She sniffed back the tears and nodded taking hold of him. They both closed their eyes and he surrendered that part of his soul that was hers. He felt it drift from his body like a lost child and with great effort of will he resisted the urge to pull it back. It was a sensation he always imagined to be like dying, like losing the most precious and worthy part of him. It was that part that truly belonged to her, but without it he felt bereft and unwhole. He suppressed a shiver that threatened to shake his frame and he quelled the fear he always held; that his beautiful Kami would not return, that it would finally realise it did not belong in his base body, but in a more pure mind than his. He tightened his grip in hope that by strengthening the grasp he would strengthen the hold on his twin spirit.
Mizuki welcomed her other half with joyous reunion. Once more she felt serenely whole. It was something she never truly missed until both parts of her soul were together again. She greedily held onto the part that was Karasu relishing the completeness of herself and revelled as the twin Kami wrapped themselves as one and became a force of formidable proportions.
She sent the Kami forth to seek Kurohoshi, sensing their reluctance to bend to her will and their wish to play and indulge in their unifi
cation. They sailed over the bay, across the first range of mountains and onto a trade road where they turned north and headed through the border forests of ‘Ubu Province. A palace of black volcanic stone rose before them standing, austerely forbidding, over a small village as the bamboo forest opened into a large broad valley by a snaking river and rice fields.
The gates of the palace opened and from its dark interior an army rode, greatly diminished in its number, many had perished at Hana-Shi-Ku, unable to escape the volcano. At its head rode the square, powerful figure of Lord Kurohoshi dressed in his full Samurai armour of red and black, his swords crossed behind his back and a rifle stashed in his saddle. Behind him rode four hundred soldiers carrying their banners, their faces hidden behind the hideous masks of their protective helmets. The scene appeared one of a horde of devils ascending from Hell. The people of the village dropped to their knees and bowed, remaining prone until the last of the terrible Samurai had passed.
The twin souls of Mizuki and Karasu fled back to her mind and sought comfort there. She had seen what she needed to yet she held onto his spirit not wanting to part with it yet. She knew as it left her body she would feel as he must now, bereft of her other half. But Mizuki knew the scene she had witnessed was of greater importance than her own pleasure and with reluctance she cut the Kami in two. She experienced the almost painful severance of the spirits and closed her mind to the desperate longing she now felt and the selfish bitterness at giving up what was truly hers.
Karasu slumped visibly with relief as he became whole once more. His eyes fluttered open and he caught a brief resentment on his sister’s face before she rapidly replaced it with a smile. She let go of his hands.
“You have seen?” he asked, feeling a little weak.
“Yes. We must speak with Hayato now, or rather you must. Kurohoshi has just left his palace. He has a small army of four hundred Samurai. The rest I assume are at Kyo-To-Shi or have perished in Hana-Shi-Ku. They will reach our home in three days. Hayato must ride to meet them. He must defeat Kurohoshi before he gets to Kyo-To-Shi. If he does not then the Warlord will enter the city and have the benefit of fighting from a fortress. If Hayato can defeat Kurohoshi before then, the remainder of the army in the city will surrender.”
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