The Twelve Kingdoms: A Thousand Leagues of Wind

by Fuyumi Ono

  He flew low through the air and landed on the wall walk. Voices cried out, voices suffused with fear, surprise, even joy. Youko pushed through the crush of people and ran to the creature.

  "Keiki! You got here!"

  "You have beckoned me to such a place as this?" he asked, clearly aghast at the surroundings. "The smell of death is quite pungent."

  "Sorry. My bad."

  "So this is what happens when you tell me not to worry? You have dragged my shirei through all this grime as well?"

  "Listen, you can bitch to me all you want later. For now, take me to the encampment of the Palace Guard."

  "You're asking me to comport myself as an ordinary pegasus?"

  "I seem to recall that mustering the Palace Guard is your responsibility."

  The purple eyes met Youko's, and then turned away.

  "C'mon, Keiki. Just a bit more patience. Please." She knew Keiki was exactly the last person she should ever bring to a battlefield. He would truly suffer carrying her, she was spattered with so much blood.

  "Let us depart, then." He turned his magnificent head toward the countryside. Youko climbed onto his back.

  "Youko!"

  The cry came from the base of the walls. She recognized Suzu and Shoukei looking up from the street, waving at her. Youko hardly had time to smile in return before Keiki leapt into the air. As he sprinted toward the flags of the Palace Guard, he said in a quiet voice, "The child lives."

  A smile rose to Youko's face.

  The troops situated along the borders of the fields looked up as one into the sky and gaped. General Jinrai, leading the Palace Guard Regiment of the Left, was no exception.

  Why? he asked, catching his breath. Why was a person riding on the back of the kirin?

  It wasn't enough that someone was riding the kirin, but that someone pointed straight at Jinrai--and the battle flags--and flew toward him. He unconsciously took a step backward.

  I can't go along with this. Mobilizing the Palace Guard is a risky business.

  Go! the Defense Minister had ordered him, and Jinrai had not refused. With the minister dropping Seikyou's name right and left, there was no way he could refuse. He wasn't about to lose rank over something like this.

  On the other hand--

  The holy beast closed on him, a red-haired lass of sixteen or so astride its back. Now Jinrai understood who she was. The Regiment of the Left had accompanied her to the coronation ceremony and to the receptions immediately following it.

  The kirin stopped in the air no more than a few yards off, hovering above the dragon standards. The rider's gaze fell on him like daggers. At the same time her crystal clear voice called out, her anger evident.

  "Jinrai!"

  At the sound of his name, Jinrai retreated another step. A stir went through the surrounding soldiers, who showed all signs of heading for cover themselves.

  "On whose authority have you come to Takuhou?"

  "I--ah--"

  "Show me your orders!"

  He had to concoct some reason, some excuse, something--but he couldn't find the words to speak. His thoughts raced yet found no purchase. She's just a girl, he'd thought. Another mediocrity like the last empress. But then where did this vibrant sense of power and authority come from, that made him quake in his boots?

  "When did the Palace Guard and its generals resign their commissions and become a gang of self-employed mercenaries?"

  "Your Highness, I--"

  "And when did your Commander-in-Chief become Seikyou! Tell me you intend to attack Takuhou on Seikyou's orders and I'll have you all branded traitors!"

  Jinrai and the surrounding troops could nothing but stand there, rooted to the ground.

  "What are you doing?" The kirin's eyes turned on Jinrai. "What are you doing, still standing in the presence of your liege? I heard no leave given."

  Jinrai's willpower crumbled. He quickly sank to his knees. Following his lead, the troops knelt, touching the ground with their foreheads.

  "Jinrai--"

  "Yes!" Jinrai answered, his head brushing the earth.

  "I am now giving you a direct order, an Imperial Rescript. Take command of the Palace Guard and march on Meikaku. There you will arrest Gahou, the Province Lord of Wa, and rescue Enho, the superintendent of Kokei in the Province of Ei. He is currently being held against his will in the provincial castle."

  "Understood!"

  "You will then dispatch a regiment to Gyouten and take Seikyou into custody. Arrest Gahou and Seikyou, and free Superintendent Enho without further incident, and I'll forget this ever happened, both the actions of the Palace Guard and the Wa Provincial Guard."

  "By my word, it shall be done!"

  Part XXI

  uzu watched as the creature and its rider alighted upon the wall alongside the Horse Gate.

  "A kirin."

  "It is," came Shoukei's voice.

  "I wonder if it's right to bring a kirin to a place like this."

  The question of how to deal with the solid wall of humanity surrounding them was written on all their faces. Suzu hadn't the slightest idea herself. She wanted to call out to Youko and run to her, but that didn't feel like the right thing to do.

  As they all hesitated, Youko bid the kirin goodbye and turned around. "Hey, everything's going to be fine."

  Her smile broke the ice. Suzu and Shoukei quickly crossed the short distance between them.

  "Everything's okay? Really?"

  "The Imperial forces, too?"

  "I dispatched them to Meikaku with orders to arrest Gahou."

  "Yes!" Suzu and Shoukei cheered together. But the people standing stock still behind them still gaped in amazement.

  "Koshou! Didn't you hear? Everything's going to be fine!"

  "Kantai! The Imperial Army will take care of Gahou!"

  The two big men blinked in bewilderment. At last, the moment broke. Kantai was the first to sink to his knees.

  "Your Highness."

  In a flurry, everybody else copied him. Koshou remained standing, staring flabbergasted at the kneeling crowd. Sekki called out, "For heaven's sakes, brother, bow!"

  "I, ah, but--"

  Youko couldn't help giggling at the sight of the poor, confused Koshou. "No, you really don't have to. C'mon, everybody. Stand up."

  Of course, nobody dared lift his head. Only the befuddled Koshou remained standing.

  Youko said, "I am sorry that my incompetence should have caused the people of Takuhou so much distress, and wish to apologize to them." She turned to Koshou. "And to Koshou and all his kith and kin, I express my heartfelt thanks. In Shoukou's very shadow, you never gave up the good fight and remained true to the cause. You did what I could not, and for that I am grateful."

  "Well, you know, it was nothing."

  Youko smiled and looked out over the crowds. Heads were popping up here and there. "And to Kantai and his loyal band, I offer my deepest regards. If there is anything you desire, please tell me now."

  Kantai lifted his head with a start. "May I truly ask anything of Your Highness?"

  "Anything at all."

  "Well--" Kantai said, glancing on the two men flanking him, and then at Youko. He again bowed his head. "I wish to dispel any doubts about the dismissal of Marquis Koukan, former Province Lord of Baku. I ask you to please receive the Marquis at Court!"

  "Koukan--" Youko couldn't hide her surprise. "Kantai, are you a citizen of Baku Province?"

  "My name is Sei Shin, former general in the Provincial Guard of Baku. And these are two of my regimental commanders--"

  The two men Kantai indicated bowed deeply as well. One of them spoke up. "Pardon me, Empress, but I regret to inform Your Highness that soon after the pretender usurped the throne, my troops surrendered to her army. Given the opportunity to wipe away that disgrace, I followed General Sei here."

  "I see," said Youko, gazing down at the three bowed heads. Of course, Kantai was no ordinary person. He was here with his comrades-in-arms, who had once been
his officers. And now that she thought about it, Kantai's mates had always showed him the greatest deference.

  "There is something I wish to ask you, first. Did you gather here in Wa Province on Koukan's orders?"

  "That is indeed the case."

  They had met once before at her coronation, but Youko couldn't remember his face. But based on the men he had gathered around himself, she could imagine what kind of a person the Marquis was.

  "Kantai, I wish you to express my appreciation to Koukan for all he has done. Tell your lord that if he can find it in his heart to serve this foolish empress, then I would indeed ask him to visit Gyouten as soon as possible."

  Kantai lifted his head and for a moment looked up at her face before bowing once more. "Upon my word, it shall be done!"

  Youko nodded and walked over to Koshou, who still seemed completely at sea. She patted him on the arm and pointed at the guard tower. "Why don't we open the gates? There's no need to keep them shut any longer."

  "Ah, right," said Koshou, with a big grin.

  As he hurried along behind her, she glanced over her shoulder and asked, "Is there anything you'd like, Koshou?"

  "Nothing comes to mind. Just seeing Shoukou brought to justice is enough for me."

  "Nothing at all?"

  Koshou smiled a bit sheepishly. "This here's all I've been thinking about." He stopped walking and Youko paused as well. "Am I going to be punished?"

  Youko sighed to herself. "Why would you think that?"

  "I made a pretty big mess of things around here."

  "Well, if I punished you, Koshou, then wouldn't I have to impose those same penalties on myself?"

  "Yeah, I guess so." Koshou grinned. "Oh, that's right!" he said, looking at her. "Now, I'm just asking you as a good mate, see, as a fellow soldier who ate out of the same pot with the rest of us. But there is a small favor I'd like to ask of you."

  "What's that?"

  "You being some sort of real important person and all, I was thinking maybe you'd know the right people who could make it happen. I was just wondering if you could arrange for Sekki to get into a good school in Ei Province--?"

  Watching this exchange, Suzu and Shoukei burst out laughing. Even Youko couldn't keep a straight face.

  "Eh? What'd I say?"

  The ramparts filled with warm laughter brighter than sunlight.

  Chapter 79

  The second regiment of the Palace Guard sent to Meikaku returned to Takuhou five days later.

  Youko had stayed behind to help put the ship of state aright in Takuhou. But she eventually got fed up with the people of the city prostrating themselves at her feet right and left and confined herself to the castle compound. There she could converse at ease with Suzu and Shoukei as they inventoried the weapons and prepared meals for the wounded. Koshou was the same old Koshou. Having fought the long battle alongside her from the beginning, Koshou's mates grew relaxed around her as well, and went back to calling her "Youshi" the same way they had before.

  Kantai and his lieutenants remained on a more formal basis with her, but that was no doubt because he was a general in the military and it was too late to teach that old dog new tricks.

  "The Imperial forces approach!" came the shout from one of the turrets.

  Youko climbed to the top of the castle wall in time to see a horse-drawn wagon entering Takuhou. She ran toward the main castle gate. The wagon stopped as soon as the driver recognized Youko. He climbed down and bowed deeply, then helped a small man off the wagon.

  "Enho."

  Enho turned his gaze from the soldier to Youko. "Well," he said, his face breaking into a smile, "I see you're doing well."

  "Are you all right?"

  Enho nodded, and his eyes darkened. "Rangyoku and Keikei?"

  The question was like a dagger in her chest. She buried her face in her hands. "Rangyoku, she--"

  A big hand thumped down on her shoulder. It was Koshou. He pointed at the middle gate. "Don't keep the old guy standing around chatting like this. Find a place to sit down."

  Youko nodded, and Enho's eyes narrowed a bit. "I believe we've met once before."

  "You were a great help to my little brother."

  "And how is he?"

  "Doing well, thank you. I'd like to bring him by later, if you don't mind. He's been wanting to see you again."

  "I look forward to it."

  Koshou bowed and continued on toward the main gate. At Youko's urging, she and Enho headed to the middle gate.

  "I'm really sorry."

  "What are you apologizing for?"

  "I wasn't at the rike when I should have been. If I had--"

  "How is Keikei?"

  His soft query stung her ears. "He's in Gyouten. He seems to have made it through the worst."

  "I see," said Enho, with an understanding nod. "It's not your fault, Youko. You should stop tormenting yourself about it. If anything, it was my responsibility. They were aiming for me, after all."

  Youko lifted her head. "Why would Gahou--or Seikyou--wish to harm you?"

  "Well--" said Enho, hanging his head, "I previously lived in San County in Baku Province."

  "At the Evergreen Seminary, you mean?"

  "So you've heard about it?"

  "Then you were there?"

  Enho flashed her a self-deprecating smile. "I was. Seikyou made overtures to me there, overtures I rejected. That was the beginning of the trouble."

  "Obviously, Seikyou--"

  "The Imperial government had uses for the seminary, he said, and we were all to become his underlings. Seikyou is a crook at heart. Cooperating with him could only divert us from the Way. I consulted with the superintendent of the seminary and urged him to turn down Seikyou's offer. As a result, many people lost their lives."

  Enho's shoulders slumped as he walked.

  "Did they hurt you in any way?"

  "I'm as well as I need to be. Don't worry about me. My resolve was to stay fast to the Way, not to sacrifice so many innocent lives in the process. What is such a personal resolution worth, then? Even at my age, this is a question I cannot answer."

  "Indeed."

  "Now and then, more than teaching the Way, I have to believe that tilling the land or taking up arms to fight would be more meaningful. Look what happens when I try to stay above it all and only teach. The farmer who plants in the spring and gathers his harvest in the fall sees a far greater reward."

  "But haven't you been sowing seeds of righteousness among the people all along?"

  Enho looked up at Youko. "I see. " He sighed and smiled. "Even living as long as I have, some things take a while to sink in. But a young piece of work like yourself gets it right off. There's no need for you to think so little of yourself."

  "I suppose so." Youko hung her head for a moment, and then nodded. "There's something I like to ask of you, Enho."

  "What's that?"

  Youko stopped in the courtyard. "I'd like to invite you to the Imperial Court and appoint you Lord Privy Seal."

  Enho laughed heartily. "What, put an old fool like me in charge of the Sankou?"

  "I need a tutor."

  "True," Enho said. "After all the pains the Marquis went through to find me a place to live, I suppose there wouldn't be much point in going home again. But if you'd like me to be there, I'd happily come."

  "Thank you very much."

  "Okay, then," Enho said with a nod.

  "Did the Marquis attend the Evergreen Seminary?"

  "He did. I wasn't teaching at the time, but the principal brought him along. I taught him as I taught you. He was a good student."

  "I really have to apologize. I swallowed everything Seikyou told me, hook, line and sinker, and dismissed Koukan."

  "Simply admitting that goes a long way in clearing up the misunderstandings." Enho smiled. "Saibou will be happy to hear it."

  "Saibou?"

  "The chief minister of Baku Province, also an alumnus of the Evergreen Seminary. When Koukan was relieved of his
post, so was the chief minister. After that, they became wanted persons. Nevertheless, he visited me several times on Koukan's behalf. I believe you met him on at least one occasion."

  "Eh?"

  "He came to the rike. The next day you asked me who he was."

  The man who wore the veil. "Oh, so that was Saibou?"

  "Yes. It was good meeting an old student, but painful seeing such a promising student brought so low. And it undoubtedly caused Rangyoku and the others a great deal of distress."

  Youko looked up at the sky. "But why?"

  "Who knows? I think it was just one misunderstanding following another." He tilted his head to the side.

  "Still, it's good to know you're okay. I worried that you'd been injured."

  "Oh, my injuries were nothing to be worry about. In any event, I'm a fast healer. The brigands who attacked the rike were pretty surprised. That's why they took me with them."

  "How's that?"

  Enho smiled and didn't answer her directly. "Well, at any rate, it'll be nice to see Kinpa Palace again."

  "Enho Sensei--"

  Enho chuckled. "When the time comes, though, you'd better use my proper name, Otsu."

  "Otsu Sensei?"

  Enho nodded. "I was born in Shikin, San County, Baku Province. The present-day city of Shishou. My full name is Otsu Etsu, also known as Rou Shou." Enho laughed heartily. "King Tatsu used to call me Count Shou."

  "Eh?" Youko leaned forward with a puzzled expression. Enho only continued to smile back at her.

  Chapter 80

  "Are you going back?" Suzu asked Youko. Suzu and Youko and Shoukei were staying in the servants quarters in a corner of the castle compound. They were getting ready for bed.

  Youko nodded. "I've been away for too long. Keiki is starting to take it personally."

  "Yeah. You're probably right."

  "I've finally made up my mind. There's still a lot of stuff I can't make heads nor tails of, though."

  "It's tough being Empress."

  Youko nodded again. Suzu and Shoukei exchanged glances. Youko asked, "So what are you two going to do next?"

  "Eh?" said Suzu, her eyes widening. Shoukei quizzically tilted her head to one side.