by Claire Luana
“Let’s go meet some moonburners,” Takeo said.
“You don’t think they are all old and sour like that Lakota woman, right?” Ipan said, raising a bushy eyebrow. “There must be some young beautiful ones I can charm?”
Takeo chuckled and wrapped his arm around Ipan, heading down the hallway. “I can’t wait to see you try, my friend.”
When he found the sunburners in the hallway outside the throne room, the king stood looking through a large window with his arms crossed, his black-booted foot tapping in annoyance. Ozora hated to be kept waiting, though he didn’t seem to appreciate the irony of he himself being constantly late.
“So nice of you to join us,” Ozora said. He looked every inch a king, dressed in an impeccably-tailored tunic of rich burgundy and gold, with a gold circlet set atop his brow. Several jewel-encrusted rings decorated his long fingers. The king’s leopard seishen paced up and down the hallway, flicking its tail, a reflection of his master’s annoyance.
“Nervous as a schoolboy to meet your new bride?” Takeo asked cheerfully, trying to break the king’s mood.
“Of course not. In her correspondence, Queen Isia led me to believe Azura is quite lovely,” Ozora said, his carriage proud. He deflated slightly. “Though I admit I will be cross if the queen has deceived me.”
“Let’s go find out,” Takeo said.
As the sunburners entered the throne room, the aroma of roasted pig, spicy sauce dishes, and fresh baked bread mingled together, tantalizing Takeo’s senses. His stomach rumbled.
The long rectangular room had been lavishly decorated with hundreds of lights. Some hung weightless in the air, while others adorned the walls or rested on the long tables that stretched before them on the way up to the raised dais. Tall white marble columns proudly lined the room, swooping gracefully to meet in a star pattern above them. Some master painter had filled the alcoves with murals of lifelike constellations, phases of the moon, and shooting stars. Between the twinkling lights and the constellations, Takeo felt like he was standing under the night sky.
The room was packed with the citadel’s inhabitants dressed in finery: moonburners in navy uniforms trimmed with silver, servants bustling about in white, and nobles clothed in flamboyant colors and lavish fabrics. As the sunburners continued into the room, the din and chatter of hundreds of conversations quieted, and all eyes turned to them. The queen and her family sat behind a long table on the dais, where they could survey the scene and be viewed by all. They stood when Ozora and his party approached. Ozora strode to the front of the hall without hesitation as the herald announced him, bowing low before them. Takeo followed closely, scanning the room for threats and exits. When he completed his evaluation he turned his attention to the three women before him.
Queen Isia was a well-built woman wearing a clinging multicolored gown, her silver hair hanging in loose waves down her back. Her flawless complexion was betrayed only by a few fine lines around her soft brow and sharp eyes. Her seishen, a crested silver heron, perched on the queen’s high-backed chair. Her younger daughter, Airi, seated to her right, was petite with a lovely face, silver hair streaked with black, and remarkable ice-blue eyes. Those eyes locked on him with an uncomfortable intensity. He swallowed and shifted his attention to the queen’s other daughter, the king’s future bride, as she was announced.
“Azura Shigetsu, princess of Miina,” the herald said proudly.
Takeo’s heart froze in his chest, his mouth suddenly filled with bile. He would recognize that stunning visage anywhere. Azura was Wilea. His moonburner from the field.
CHAPTER 5
Takeo
Takeo’s heart sluggishly resumed beating as King Ozora strode forward and took Azura’s hand, kissing it over a roguish bow. She smiled politely, but when she turned to Takeo to be introduced, her smile faltered. She covered her shock quickly, moving on to meet the other sunburners. As he moved to take his seat, Takeo saw Princess Airi watching him with a frown on her face.
The king and his four sunburners were seated with the royal family at the head table: Ozora between the Queen and Azura, Takeo next to Airi. The feast began as servants poured them sake and brought out the first course. A trio of musicians to the left of the dais began playing an elegant arrangement, and the buzz of voices and conversation filled the room once again.
Takeo struggled to rein in his racing thoughts, taking a gulp of sake. He held back a gag as the warm sweetness of the liquid slid down his throat. His stomach churned. Wilea was Azura. Azura was Wilea. He had kissed the king’s future bride. He had daydreamed about stealing her away and marrying her. Why had she hidden who she was? Lied to him? She must have known she would see him again tonight. What game was she playing? He felt his confusion give way to anger. Was this some sort of moonburner plot to divide them?
“Are you all right?” a cool voice asked him. He started and looked to Airi, who watched him closely.
“Of course,” he said, taking a deep breath to still himself.
“You seem…agitated,” she said, cocking her head. Long dark lashes framed her arresting blue eyes. How old could she be, fourteen? Fifteen? She would be quite striking when she was grown.
“I’m fine,” he said, avoiding her scrutiny by filling his plate with succulent sliced meat and a ladle-full of spiced rice. “Just taking it all in.”
Though he began eating, her eyes didn’t leave him. She didn’t even try to disguise her observation.
“So…” he turned back to her awkwardly. “Tell me about life here at the citadel. Are you studying anything interesting?”
“No,” Airi sighed. “It’s all history, politics, burning lessons. Azura gets to take the exciting lessons.”
“I believe history and politics can be quite interesting,” he said. “It’s what brings us to where we are today, and informs us of where we are going tomorrow.”
“I suppose so,” she said. “But I wish they would let me leave the citadel more often. I’m not going to be queen, so I want to see the world. Have adventures. But they say it isn’t safe.”
“That’s sensible advice. There are many dangers in this world for a young woman.”
“I’m fifteen,” she hissed. “And a burner. I can take care of myself.”
“I’m sure you can,” he held up his hands in a placating motion. “Perhaps once the peace treaty is signed between our people, you will have more freedom to travel.”
“I could come visit Kistana…visit you,” she said, her voice sultry all of a sudden. She looked at him from under a curtain of shining black and silver hair.
“That would be up to your mother,” he said, trying not to show his alarm at her comment. “But I’m sure she would be interested in sending delegates to Kistana to improve relations. There is much our people could learn about each other.”
“I would be excellent at improving relations,” she said, drawing her finger across the back of his hand, which rested on the table. He shivered, but not from desire. He slowly reclaimed his hand, reaching for his sake glass and draining the thing. Taiyo help him, this girl was coming on to him! She wasn’t old enough for such things. He glanced at Azura, chatting with Ozora down the table. She caught his eyes for a moment and then looked away. Even if Airi had been of age, there was only one woman for him. And now it seemed his king would have her.
Dinner concluded and the trio of musicians in the corner struck up a livelier tune. Guests rose from the tables and moved to the open area at the front of the room to dance. Ozora, ever the charmer, stood and gallantly offered his hand to Queen Isia. She smiled and joined him. That meant Azura was unaccounted for. If Takeo asked her to dance, he could speak to her. Get some answers. Before Takeo could stand, Airi grabbed his hand.
“Dance with me,” she commanded. He wracked his brain for a way out, and found none. He let her lead him onto the floor.
The dance was a quick step with two lines of dancers moving between each other, trading partners down the line. It was similar
to a folk dance they had back home, so he picked the steps up without much trouble. When Airi joined with him for their turn together she pressed her young body assertively to his. He sighed with relief when he moved on to other partners who respected his space.
When the song ended the queen inclined her head to Ozora in thanks, and waved Azura over to take her place. It was another dance that traded partners, this time, circles of four and then two whirled and wove through each other.
He waited with bated breath until it was time to hold Azura in his arms.
“I’m sorry I lied,” she whispered as they met, twining one hand and spinning. His anger deflated.
“Why?” was the only word he could muster. Holding her in his arms again, smelling her orange-blossom scent, was intoxicating. He wanted to stroke her silky hair, run his fingers down her cheek, and pull her body against his own.
“I...just wanted to have what other people have for a day.”
“What’s that?”
“Freedom,” she said, and then was pulled from his arms to join with her next partner.
Takeo found himself facing Airi, a black look on her face. She had seen the exchange between him and her sister, and was displeased.
He flashed her his best smile and spun her around in double time, whirling her around in a blur. Her ire passed and she giggled. The uneasiness in the pit of his stomach did not.
The dancing and festivities continued until late in the day. Finally, the queen stood, begging their leave, and Azura and Airi went with her.
Ozora’s face was flushed with drink and excitement as they walked back to their quarters.
“This peace accord will be even better than I had hoped,” he said, grabbing a nearby column and swinging around it. “These moonburners know how to entertain!”
“Think of all we can do for the kingdom without a war to drain our resources,” Takeo said, trying to force down the beginnings of a headache. Airi had been forward all night and he had drank too much sake to drown his discomfort.
“Yes, yes,” Ozora waved dismissively. “There will be time for all of that. After I marry!” He rounded on Takeo, gripping his shoulders, eyes wide. “She is a beauty, isn’t she! I never thought I’d find a bride so lovely. And with such grace, and charm!”
“Truly your highness, you are a lucky man,” Takeo said, trying to keep the pain from his voice.
CHAPTER 6
Azura
As soon as Azura bid her maid goodnight, hot tears spilled down her face. She leaned against the closed bedroom door, sliding down into a ball on the floor. A sob escaped her lips. The image of Takeo’s face, when he realized who she really was, replayed in her mind, twisting like a knife deeper into her heart each time.
True, the king seemed nice enough, though perhaps a little fond of himself. Perhaps she could have made a life with him for the betterment of her people. She could have been content with a life of royal obligations and mutual respect.
But that was before. Before she had met Takeo. Before she had felt her heart swell and fly like an eagle soaring into the blue for the first time, only to now crash to the earth, as if an arrow had pierced it though.
Before Takeo, she hadn’t known what it was to have her body turn to fire with a simple touch. Before Takeo, she hadn’t known it was possible to have her entire future flash before her eyes, to see the years pass by, full of love, laughter, children, old age, and finally the peace of saying goodbye after a life well lived. To know that she wanted that future more than she had ever wanted anything.
“What am I going to do, Lyra?” Azura sniffed, trying to stop the tears running down her face.
Lyra licked a tear off the tip of her nose with her delicate pink tongue. “You know what you have to do,” she said.
The tears fell fresh, bursting from behind a dam she hadn’t known was there. Azura put her head on her knees and sobbed.
“Maybe if I told my mother…she would understand,” Azura said, knowing even as she said the words that they would never be. She didn’t even know if Takeo wanted her. Perhaps her lie had filled him with distrust that he could not overcome.
“Your mother made her own sacrifices,” Lyra said. “But even if she somehow understood, would Ozora? Maybe…try and focus on all the good it will do when the war is finally over. All the people you will save.”
Azura wiped her cheeks with shaky fingers, blowing her nose in the hem of her gown. “You’re right. I’m being selfish. I need to focus on what it will accomplish if I marry the king. For the country.”
“For the country,” Lyra said softly.
Azura nodded, heart still heavy with sorrow. “I’ll tell Takeo that what happened between us can never happen again. It was a mistake,” she said. Even if it was the happiest moment of my life, she thought.
The next evening, Azura stood by the doorway to the royal dining room, praying to the moonburner goddess Tsuki to calm her racing heart. The king and a few members of his retinue would be having breakfast with the royal family. Takeo would be there.
“Excuse me, my lady,” an auburn-haired servant scooted around her, bearing a heavy plate laden with eggs and sausage. It was now or never.
Azura entered the room with a smile, wrenching her gaze from Takeo’s curly blonde head, turning her smile to the king. She circled the table and sat down beside him, across from Takeo and Airi. Was it her imagination, or was Airi sitting uncomfortably close to Takeo? She could hardly take a bite of her porridge without her arm brushing his.
“Did you sleep well?” she asked the king, who was already devouring a heaping plate of food.
“It’s lucky I was tired from days on the road,” he said, “because this sleeping during the day business is difficult to get used to.”
“It does usually take Kitan visitors at least a week to acclimate,” she said, selecting a few pieces of fruit, bread and cheese for her plate. She pointedly did not make eye contact with Takeo.
“I did have good dreams though,” Ozora said, a mischievous air in his voice.
“Oh?” she asked, arching an eyebrow in what she hoped was a lighthearted manner.
“I dreamed of a beautiful silver-haired woman,” he said, leaning closer. “It did not take much imagination to interpret that dream.”
Across the table from them, Airi snorted into her tea.
“Airi,” Queen Isia said sharply, sending a flick of moonlight across Airi’s cheek.
“Ow,” Airi said, clutching her face and glaring at her mother.
“What are your plans for the day?” Azura delicately changed the subject, retrieving a cup of steaming lemongrass tea from the servant behind her. Still not looking at Takeo, she thought with satisfaction. She could do this. Never mind that her body was quivering in awareness of his proximity, finely-tuned to his presence.
“Your mother has quite a busy schedule planned for me,” he said, chuckling. “Meetings most of the day with her advisors. Discussions of trade and border patrols, topics far too boring for such a beautiful princess.”
Azura tried to keep the smile pasted on her face, though it tightened in displeasure. She might groan during Master Vita’s lessons, but that didn’t mean her head was full of air! If they married, did he expect her to sit quietly by his side doing calligraphy while he ran her country?
“Despite my pretty face,” she said icily, “I will be intimately involved in such topics when I am queen. I would be happy to sit in on the meetings.”
“Azura,” her mother said, with a pointed look. “I’m sure Ozora meant no disrespect. It’s not necessary for you to sit in.”
Ah, Azura thought. They don’t want me at the meeting because they will be discussing the price my mother will sell me for. Can’t have me there making it uncomfortable.
Isia went on. “I thought it would be better for you to spend the day showing the king’s captain, Takeo, around the citadel, so he can acquaint himself with our facilities and staff. If the king is going to spend more time here in
Kyuden in the future, he should receive a proper tour.”
Azura and Takeo’s eyes met, and a flush ran down Azura’s body, starting at her hairline and spreading all the way to her toes. The memory of his firm body pressed against hers flooded her mind.
“I’m happy to show him around,” Airi jumped in, leaning forward in her chair.
“You have lessons,” Isia said crossly. “And I’m sure your sister wouldn’t mind, would you dear?”
“Of course not,” Azura said, finding her voice hoarse and her throat dry.
“Then it’s settled.”
CHAPTER 7
Azura
As Azura and Takeo toured the citadel, the tension between them was palpable, thick and heavy with words unspoken. Azura pointed out the buildings as they walked: the dormitories, classrooms, hospital ward, and kitchens. She could feel the weight of his gaze on her, burning her skin, but she refused to meet his eyes. She worried that if she did, she might fall into them, and lose the vise grip she held on her emotions.
She led him into the armory, where a master moonburner, dressed in navy, was sparring with a girl wearing the light blue samanera uniform. Azura and Takeo watched in silence as the two threw blow after blow of moonlight at each other, blocking and striking.
Azura smiled, watching the girl, her silver hair held back in thin braids.
“You know her?” Takeo asked, the first comment he had made to her all evening.
“Yes,” Azura said, still not looking at him. “Her name is Nanase. She is one of my closest friends.”
“And a promising moonburner, it seems,” he said.
“It comes naturally to her,” Azura said. “Like breathing.”
“Not to you?” he asked.