by Kate Grove
“Really?”
“We can visit the shop. But you need to change, Milady. You are, after all, Milord’s bride.”
I am, after all, his bride, Ciara silently repeated in her mind, as she subjected herself to Yura’s assistance.
They were done relatively quickly, and Yura promised to meet her at the gates before she ran off gods-know-where. Ciara made her way to the courtyard and put on a pair of sandals, which reminded her of flip-flops, but more elegant, when she reached the edge of the veranda that ran along the perimeter of the main castle building.
Ciara was used to moving with speed, thus she was frustrated at the slow pace the traditional Japanese clothing allowed her to walk at. Nonetheless, she endured. If that was what she had to do in order to get to town, then she’d have patience.
Just when she reached the gates, Yura appeared. She wore a straw hat and held another one in her hand. Its shape reminded Ciara of a wok pan. She accepted the hat.
“Is this for me?”
“Yes, Milady.”
“Ciara, please.”
“I’m sorry, Ciara-sama,” Yura quickly corrected. “A dark cloud is headed for this area, so it might rain. This will come in handy.”
“I see. Thanks.”
“You are most welcome,” Yura smiled at her. She turned toward the gates. “Shall we?”
“Show me the way,” Ciara was way past ready to get out of the castle walls. She and Yura walked toward the guards stationed there, and Ciara half-expected them to cross their spears or block her way like they did the day before, but neither of them moved. The women effortlessly walked through the gates. Ciara let out a sigh she didn’t realize she was holding.
“What would you wish to see, Ciara-sama?”
“I trust your expertise, Yura. Show me the must-sees.”
“Must-sees?”
“The places one needs to visit when they come to town. Surely, there’re some shops or shrines everybody visits when they come here!”
Yura’s face brightened.
“Of course! I know where to start!” Yura’s walk adopted a skip as she made her way down the hill to the castle town. Ciara followed her, curious.
Unfortunately, by the time they had reached the edge of town, rain had started to fall. Ciara put her hat on and caught up to Yura.
“You were right about the weather. I don’t know what I’d do without you, Yura!”
The girl smiled, looking ahead.
“There is a teahouse nearby. We can stop there and wait until the rain lets up,” she suggested. “What do you say, Ciara-sama?”
“I think it’s a great idea. Let’s go!”
It took a few minutes until they reached the teahouse. The inside was full, but they had a terrace in the back with a roof covering half of it. They picked a table there. Just as they sat down, the rain started to pour even heavier than before.
“Phew, we’ve just missed the worse of it!” Ciara’s eyes widened as she listened to the harsh pitter-patter of the raindrops on the roof. A cool breeze swept through the terrace.
“Welcome to the Golden Dragon teahouse. What can I get for you?” A small waitress appeared next to Ciara.
“What do you recommend on such a rainy day?” Ciara asked the woman. The waitress had bland features, was small in stature, her clothes and hands were impeccably clean, and she had a smile for everyone.
“Some oolong tea to warm up and soothe your spirit.”
“Oh, you have oolong?” Yura asked in surprise.
“Yes, we’ve just received shipment the other day,” the waitress explained. “Thanks to the Lord’s hard work, the shipments have come regularly for the last few weeks.”
“That’s great news!” Yura smiled. “Ciara-sama, what do you think? Oolong is good for health.”
“Okay, let’s try it! I’ve heard of it, but never tasted it,” Ciara agreed.
The waitress nodded and turned to Yura.
“Would you like the oolong, too, or your usual?”
“I’d like oolong.”
The waitress bowed to them.
“I’ll be back with your orders soon. Meanwhile, please enjoy this.” She put a bowl of biscuits on the table for them.
“Thank you,” Ciara said, reaching for the bites.
They sat in silence for a few moments, just enjoying listening to the rain drumming on the roof above their heads. Ciara breathed in deeply, the smell of rain making her smile. She felt at peace.
“Here are your teas. The waitress appeared soon, with a platter in her hand. She placed a cup and a tea kettle in front of each of them.
“May I have some honey, please?” Ciara asked.
Yura and the waitress looked at her funnily.
“I’m sorry, Milady, we don’t have honey here.”
Now it was Ciara’s turn to look surprised.
“How come?”
“Production is low here, Milady. I am sorry!” The waitress bowed low to apologize, making Ciara uncomfortable.
“Please don’t do that! It’s all right!”
“Thank you, Milady!” The waitress bowed again and walked off. Ciara sat back with a puzzled expression on her face.
“Do you have much honey from where you come from, Ciara-sama?” Yura tentatively asked as she poured some tea for the two of them.
“I’ve never thought about it this way, but I guess we do.”
“Please take these as my apology!” The waitress had returned and put a big bowl of sweet rice cakes in front of Ciara.
“Oh, that’s unnecessary!”
“You try these. Eat one before drinking the tea,” suggested the waitress. “Sorry for the inconvenience!” She bowed again and scurried off to attend to other customers.
She was like a hurricane, leaving Ciara blinking blindly after her. What just happened?
“Mhmmm, these are really good!” Yura picked a small mochi then slurped her tea. Ciara felt a headache coming on. Everyone slurped around her, and it was rubbing off on her. She took a sip from the tea and immediately felt better.
Ah, how she missed this feeling! It was like drinking the first sip of coffee in the morning! Suddenly, all was well in the world! The rain didn’t bother her. The loud slurping didn’t bother her. The forming headache was of the past. Ciara sighed, content.
I wonder if it has caffeine, she silently mused as she reached for a biscuit before her next sip of tea.
They chatted until the rain let up and the oolong tea had been finished. All the sweets had disappeared as well. It was time to go. Ciara turned to her side where she usually had her purse then froze when she realized she didn’t have it with her. Even worse, she remembered she’d never even had a purse ever since she’d arrived here. Which meant she had no credit cards. No debit cards. No money. Although it was highly doubtful she would be able to use any of them here.
She swallowed a cry of frustration and fought the rising panic. She turned to Yura with wide eyes, sure that she was as pale as snow at that moment.
“What’s the matter, Ciara-sama?”
She leant closer to the servant girl.
“I forgot to bring money,” Ciara whispered.
“Oh, don’t worry about it!” Yura said, reaching inside the folds of her clothes. “Milord gave us some coins to spend while in town.”
“What?” Ciara furrowed her eyebrows. “When did that happen?”
“I saw Katsuo-sama just before we left. He said to take this,” Yura withdrew her hand and a small pouch rested in her palm. “Here.”
“Oh, I don’t know your currency. It’s better to leave it to you,” Ciara said, feeling uncomfortable with the whole situation.
“Sure! I’ll be back in a moment, Ciara-sama,” Yura said with a smile and went to pay for their beverages.
Ciara sat back, looking up at the grey sky. The clouds still lingered, but at least the rain had stopped. Her emotions, however, were in a turmoil. She’d been on a few dates where she was treated to a meal, but she’d
never been in such a situation where she got some spending money from someone. Not since high school.
As an adult, she’d never had to ask someone else to pay for something she wanted. She prided herself as an independent person and that she’d never had to rely on a man to buy something for herself. She felt… indebted to Katsuo, and she didn’t like the feeling. What if he had ulterior motives?
Ciara frowned as she realized she didn’t have a choice. She was stranded in a foreign land, in a time period she was unfamiliar with. She had to rely on Katsuo’s goodwill to survive. But how would she repay him? Would he expect her to?
“All done, Ciara-sama!” Yura appeared just when Ciara’s thoughts turned darker. She glanced up at the girl, pushing the bad feeling away.
“Let’s go then. I’m sure you have some other things to show me!”
“For sure! There’s a market today. You’ll love it!” Yura said, leading Ciara out to the main street.
23
“Where is Katsuo?”
The young guard was unprepared for the bluntness his lord was referred to, but he immediately recognized the person asking the question because of her silver hair and amber eyes. He didn’t know who Lady Yuki was, but even the oldest retainers of his lord spoke of her with reverence.
He understood she was someone he’d better not question. There were rumors. The guard pointed to the pagoda in his daze.
“He’s over there, Milady,” he added, gulping.
“Good boy.” Lady Yuki nodded at him and headed toward the pagoda.
He looked after her, stunned. Even though they’d only exchanged a few words, there was a sense of dread clawing its way along his spine while in her presence. As soon as she was out of sight, his body relaxed involuntarily. He couldn’t put his finger on why he felt threatened in her presence. It was basic instinct.
Yuki took her time walking through the courtyard. Not much had changed since she’d last visited. A few, smaller buildings were erected, others had been renovated, and a new, bigger kitchen was built. She took a mental note to check it out later.
She reached the path leading to the pagoda the same time a woman with her entourage arrived there. Yuki stopped, waiting for them to greet her and step aside so she could continue on her way.
No such thing happened. The woman was vaguely familiar, but Yuki didn’t remember when she’d seen her.
“Out of the way,” the stranger said.
Yuki lifted an elegant eyebrow at her rudeness.
The woman looked to the side and opened her golden fan to speak to the maid slightly behind her. She didn’t bother to keep her voice low.
“It is unbelievable how rude the servants are! One bumps into you, the other refuses to make way for their superiors.”
Suddenly, Yuki realized where she had seen the woman. It was immediately after arriving at Shirotatsu castle. She was scolding a servant in the inner court.
“Once I’m lady of this household, these will be the first ones to go! Hmph!”
“I do believe you are mistaken, on many accounts,” Yuki replied calmly.
The woman glared at her. She snapped her fan closed and took a step toward Yuki. They were almost toe-to-toe. The pagoda’s guard headed toward them.
“About?”
“Your role in this household and mine,” Yuki replied without batting an eye.
“Just who do you think you are, daring to talk to me like that!” The woman lifted her fan in a threatening manner.
Yuki narrowed her eyes, which flashed in anger.
“You aim to be Katsuo’s bride, or so I’ve heard. Is that correct?”
“Don’t meddle in others’ business! And how dare you use his name without an honorific? The punishment I’ll give you—”
Yuki couldn’t help it. A roar of laughter left her lips.
“Oh, dear.” She wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. “You’re a thousand years too early for that, brat. And you’re dismissed.”
With that, Yuki turned away and started down on the path to the pagoda. The guard passed her in a hurry.
“You—!” She heard a shout from behind then a clank. Yuki glanced back for a moment to see the guard holding the scabbard of his katana up, stopping the woman’s fan. Her gaze locked with the other woman’s, and she sent her a smirk before turning back toward the pagoda.
She immediately frowned. Why in hell was Katsuo letting this person reside in his family’s home?
“You! Let me go!” the woman shrieked in the background. Yuki’s ears twitched at the shrill sound.
“I’m sorry, Milady. The area is off-limits.”
“But she’s going there!”
“Naturally. It’s Lady Yuki’s prerogative.”
“What—?”
Katsuo was jarred out of his meditation by sharp voices seeping in through the ajar door. He bowed as he finished his prayers and poured sake into the cup in front of him.
He soon felt the presence of his grandmother.
“What brings you here?” he asked, not turning around.
“Praying to Benten?” she asked instead and settled down next to him.
She clapped once and bowed. Yuki was never one to follow tradition. Katsuo watched her in silence. She was like a statue, hardly moving.
“Don’t stare. It’s rude.”
“Sorry, Grandmother,” Katsuo said, looking away. This was the only place where Yuki let him call her by that title.
Soon, she was finished and turned to him.
“Do you come here often?”
“Often enough.”
“It’s peaceful, isn’t it?” Yuki looked back at the altar. A scroll hung behind it, depicting a gorgeous woman with long, flowing black hair. Her eyes were black like the abyss. She wore a simple white kimono with a red sash keeping it in place. She was playing on the biwa, sitting on top of a majestic, snow-white dragon. Yuki sighed. “I’ve missed this place.”
“You are welcome anytime.”
“I know.”
Comfortable silence descended on them, and they stayed this way for a little while until Katsuo spoke up.
“Why are you here? Not that I don’t like it when you visit, but… usually it has to do with something else happening.”
Yuki was silent for a heartbeat. She fully turned to him and looked him in the eyes.
“You are right. I really should come without bearing ill news.”
Katsuo waited patiently, letting her gather her thoughts.
“There’s been some disturbance in the community.”
She didn’t have to specify which community she was talking about. His eyebrows furrowed.
“How so?”
“You know how they normally don’t interfere in matters regarding humans and how they view us of mixed blood.”
Katsuo bit back a snarl.
“Easy,” Yuki said. “That’s the truth of our inheritance. It’s foolish not to acknowledge it.” She waited until Katsuo settled down before continuing. “This time, it’s complicated. Someone from the community is on the move, manipulating humans and instigating this war.”
“It’s been going on for decades—nay, a century!
“You see what I mean? Who else would have the resources to do something like that?”
“And why are they suddenly interested in this human war? They were ignoring it for a hundred years?” Katsuo asked, genuinely curious.
“They think after he or she has conquered the human realm, the next step will be the community. A human is a speck of dust to them. However, if they were to band together, they could do some serious damage,” Yuki explained. “You know we keep our origins a secret for exactly the same reason.”
“Hard to imagine the all-powerful youkai fearing humans.” Katsuo snorted at the idea. “So what can we do?”
“You?” Yuki asked. “Do what you’ve been doing. Be more vigilant, because another front might be opened in this war. I came to warn you about that.”
She stood up,
and Katsuo immediately followed. He grabbed her hand.
“You’re not leaving already, are you?” he asked. “You’ve only just got here.”
“I have to investigate this matter further. Something just doesn’t add up.”
Katsuo’s pleading eyes made her reconsider.
“There might be some leads here. I can stay a few more days, I guess.”
Katsuo wondered, not for the first time, what would happen if his grandmother for once, would be honest with her feelings.
“Thank you, Granny.” He hugged her.
“Oh, boy, you embarrass me.”
“Shush, I missed you.”
Yuki smiled as she patted his back.
24
A few days later, Katsuo was going through the movements for his training. Today, he felt like exercising with a katana. Even though the air was chilly, he warmed up quickly and had to lose his shirt. He was just behind the pagoda, out of sight of everyone.
The quick pace of the kata made his heart race. He felt he had to break the usual routine, otherwise he’d go crazy. All he’d been doing the last couple of days was paperwork, which was broken by the instances he was eating with his family. He hadn’t had a chance to spend much quality time with them, and he hadn’t had an opportunity to let off some steam. Even though there were a few border skirmishes, they were insignificant enough that his officers stationed there could handle it.
But if nothing happened, he might just get on a horse and ride to the closest enemy border. He concentrated on the way of the sword, expanding his senses, calming his emotions, silencing his mind. After a while, he felt as if he was becoming one with the wind. Bending left and right, cutting through the currents with a sharp blade.
His concentration was broken as he felt eyes on him. Katsuo continued his practice as if nothing was amiss but carefully surveyed his surroundings. Nothing was out of place. He pricked his ears and sharpened his senses as he let his power seep out. He was in the middle of a particularly difficult choreography, twisting himself and twirling the blade so fast it was hard to follow with non-trained eyes.
He heard a gasp, and he unexpectedly let go of the blade, hurling it toward the voice he’d heard. Another gasp and a clatter followed as the sword lodged into a tree behind some huge jars, which mostly contained sake. One of those jars dangerously tipped to the side, and Katsuo hurried to get there in time to catch it.