Ai's beautiful face became like a mask, frozen, difficult to read. But I knew the emotions she felt were just as strong as mine, as it was obvious she was trying hard to keep herself from exposing her true feelings. Finally, she let herself go. There was a small sigh, a sad one, that spilled from her lips. She must have been embarrassed because she turned her head away, and then she gave a slight nod in agreement.
Chapter 28
Though many foreigners and various history books regarded him as Emperor Fung, many of us who lived during that time knew that he, his cabinet and most of the people of Rui Nan called him either general, or in some cases, prime minister. Even though some of us felt that his ambitions were unjust, especially during the last part of the war, he was not as pompous and disrespectful as much of the world claimed. One of his ministers confessed to western officials after the war that he detested General Fung’s title of emperor as he felt that he was undeserving of it. Those rooted in tradition believed that it was a title one was born into, not bestowed. General Fung was only a soldier, someone who lead his country in the only way he know how; through the use of the military.
And that was how he presented himself when he stepped onto the stage of the palace's grand ballroom. Every chienkuu ko that Minister Lu could muster and the remaining officers of the Imperial Air Navy watched as the proud man, his uniform and medals gleaming, stood before the podium and gazed upon each and every one of our faces. At Minister Lu's command, we all bowed in unison.
As I lifted my head, I saw the face of a man who seemed unchanged by all that had happened to our country since the start of the war. He was unflinching, regal, uncompromising, like the tallest tree rooted on the mountain’s highest peak; and yet, I was one of the few who had seen him humbled. That day, when he was reunited with the Young Emperor, I’d witnessed his hard, stony expression give way to one of relief, maybe even compassion for the child that had been taken away from him. How sad it was that he could never afford to show such a face again. As the country died, the people, its military looked to him more than ever. He not only carried the terrible honor of being a leader of a country, but also the burden of its coming demise.
Like brown autumn leaves stumbling upon the cold breeze, he, and what remained of his fleet, returned a disheveled wreck. Though there were ships to be repaired and wounded to be treated, General Fung stoically carried on without regard to his losses. He continued the lie that everyone so fervently believed, that everyone needed to believe. The false reports of our victory were shouted on the streets and printed in newspapers. Even the general took part in the parades and celebrations. Yet here we were, the bearers of the truth, his soldiers and the few defenders of this nation, facing a man who must have come to realize that he would never again know victory.
"We are alone," he announced. "Trapped in our sacred island while the world sends a storm to our shores. The people look brightly to the future, not knowing that at any moment their lives and all that we have come to know could suddenly end. But I say it is better to let them be happy. Let them carry on peacefully, for our duty is to help preserve their hopes, however vain or ignorant it is, as well as their lives.
A long time ago, I told you all of a dream, of uniting all the eastern countries under our rule. I know now that there is no such thing as one land, one ruler under heaven, that there will always be borders that separate us. But there is one thing that every nation must hold true, and that is the right to exist.
The world, emboldened by their vengeance seeks to take that right from us. They wish us gone from the face of this world and as a grim testament to their resolve they are bringing with them the full might of their forces from across the sea. The rumors you all have heard are true. Amongst their vast air fleets, there is a ship carrying a bomb which they believe can bring to ruin an entire city. This bomb comes for our capital. It comes for our families, it comes to pierce the very heart of our nation.
Little do they know that we have a weapon of our own, one that no cowardly weapon can match; and that is the spirit you will take with you into battle as you fight like tigers clawing at their pathetic fleets and tearing them apart like rice paper. You are the true weapons of Rui Nan, the last great warriors of our generation.
Let them think us weak and beaten for it is in their foolishness that they will witness the sky burn with the divine fury of the heavens. We shall descend upon them and strike like the waves upon the rocks and for those of us destined to fall, let our spirits be carried with the summer breeze like petals from the everbloom trees as we grace our sacred lands and valleys one last time before taking our place amidst our honorable ancestors. Remember the lands of your home, remember the faces of all those who care for you as they will remain pure and untouched for as long as the warriors of our nation draw breath."
The halls reverberated with the cheers of every man present. The air shook and even the banners that hung from the walls rippled at the quake of their battle cries. Still, even amongst such revelry, I was deaf to the sounds around me. Even the sincere words of the general's speech did little to move me. Instead, throughout the entirety of that moment, my eyes were transfixed upon a large brass statue of a dragon beside the stage, polished to an immaculate sheen. Reflected upon its shimmering scales was an image of myself gazing back at me adorned in the gleaming white robes that Ai had given me.
In respect to the dire nature of the battle ahead, I as well as the other chienkuu ko, who were so desperately recruited to serve in the air navy, were spared -at least in my opinion- the indignity of having to wear the military uniform. We were not soldiers, not in the way that General Fung would have wanted us to be, and to my relief he allowed us to keep our identities as devoted servants of Rui Nan and the keepers of the sky.
I suspected that my fate was to be no different that what had become of my friends and the others. Lai, Mai, Etsu, Han, Kidou, Masa, all were sent away; and so, finally I was to join them, to become a part of a battle we all knew would carry the last, vain whimper of a dying country. But amidst such hopelessness, the face of myself reflected back upon me was like a tranquil lake, absent of ripples and clean as the serene sky mirrored upon its surface. Drifting into the reflection like a ghost, Kassashimei's form appeared beside me, dressed in the same colored robes.
"What do you see?" she asked.
I was no longer afraid of the silver eyes staring back at me from the reflection. "I see a boy without any regret."
We marched out of the announcement hall, through the fields beyond the palace gardens where just weeks ago I’d witnessed my friends leaving. Kassashimei stayed close at my side, a look of concern on her face as she stole glances at me when she thought my attention was elsewhere. Some distance away, on the highest floor of the tallest tower was Ai, standing atop a balcony next to her father, Minister Lu. They watched as the stalwart rows and columns of soldiers, sailors and officers filed across the palace grounds. Ai must have felt the same worry for me as Kassashimei, and I knew that though I was mingled amidst the river of parading men, her mysterious eyes were squarely cast in my direction; for I, as well as the few others with me, were the last of her beloved children.
Just as we exited the gate, a pair of hands reached out and abruptly pulled me and Kassashimei away. Startled, I started to cry out, but the sharp sting of a slap to my cheeks was quick to silence me. Ready to put up a fight, I turned towards my kidnappers, only to be surprised at what I saw. Faces I had not seen in a long time glared sternly at me, as if I had somehow offended them.
"You stupid boy," Madame Quoli said, Miss Nishio looming behind her.
"Let go of him," Kassashimei protested. "He doesn't belong to you anymore."
"And you." Quoli pointed a thin finger at her. "Not another word from you."
It wasn’t long before one of the soldiers at the gate noticed the commotion and proceeded towards us. Rifle at his shoulder, he inspected the two older women carefully before speaking.
"These children are the
property of the government," he said firmly. "Release them immediately."
With practiced formality, Miss Nishio stepped forward and handed a document which the soldier promptly read. "By order of the minister of trade, these two are to be handed into my care, for which they will be assigned to serve in the imperial merchant fleets."
"Minister of trade?" I wondered.
Miss Nishio peered in my direction for a brief moment, daring me to speak again.
It was then an officer appeared beside the soldier. He handed him the document and the two stepped away discussing its validity as well as the fate of our predicament.
"How could you throw yourselves at the military like this?" Miss Nishio said in harsh whispers. "After all I've done, arranging with Ai to have the two of you smuggled out of the palace."
"Completely ungrateful the two of you are," Madame Quoli added.
"My deepest apologies." I gave a slight bow of my head. "I mean no disrespect, but I don't think either of you understand my reasons."
"No, in your childishness you have failed to understand anything," Miss Nishio interrupted. "I saved you from that village, brought you to the capital, even took the both of you in when the Imperial Temple wouldn‘t. You arrogant, ridiculous, children, thinking you can throw your lives away in a senseless war started by some disgusting, self serving general." Miss Nishio's face grew hot. "I tried to have Lai and Mai returned to me just as I did with the two of you, but just like them, the both of you did the same foolish thing and ran off to fight. Well I won't have it this time. Your lives are my responsibility and I won't have them wasted as did my precious Lai and Mai."
The officer returned, handing her the document. "Well it seems official."
"Thank you. Then I will be on my way." Drained of any remaining patience, she bowed hastily and proceeded to walk away.
"I'm not finished," the officer said, giving her pause. He waved his hand and several soldiers proceeded to surround her and Madame Quoli. "I only said it seems official. You two are under arrest for attempting to steal military property and for the forgery of official government documents."
"How dare you," she said, narrowing her eyes at him, her calm demeanor gone ", these papers are real, penned and signed by the minister himself."
"Oh?" the officer teased. "And for what reason would a cabinet minister need of two children? A person of such grand responsibility would never trouble himself over two young lives. No. It is you who stands to profit from this. You merchants are selfish and dishonorable, looking for people to fly your merchant ships and increase your profits when they’re better suited to the defense of this country." He waved the paper in front of her. "Evidence to be used at your trial." He motioned the soldiers to take them away.
"Well this is certainly a bother isn't it?" An old, scratchy voice chided from a long, black, horse-drawn carriage as it clattered to a stop. Inside, was a passenger dressed in a formal, dark-colored suit. The carriage steadied itself beside us as the man, strangely energetic for his age, stepped down onto the road and revealed his jovial demeanor. "Why is my aide being apprehended?"
The officer stood attentively, then bowed his head. "Trade Minister, my apologies. I assumed- "
"You assumed that documents produced at my offices were not fit to be taken seriously?"
"No, that was not it sir." He bowed his head even lower. "I didn‘t realize she was your aide and that these papers were genuine. Again, my deepest apologies."
The minister gave a small chuckle, his cheerful expression unphased by all that had happened. It was his laugh I immediately recognized, and like seeing the sun breaking apart the night sky for the first time, I couldn’t help but be amazed as I realized that the richly suited official before me was indeed, the nameless old man. I wondered how I could have ever recognized him without the dirty, mud-stained robes I’d seen when I first met him in the woods or his musty appearance as Miss Nishio negotiated my registry at the guild. Kassashimei seemed just as surprised as I was. Still, another familiar face presented himself as Ren Tzu, my guardian, dismounted from the carriage and obediently presented himself beside the trade minister.
"I knew my honor would come into question," the old man said.
"No, I would never question the honor of someone such as yourself." The officer seemed desperate in his reply.
"Obviously it is." He glanced briefly at Miss Nishio and Madame Quoli.
The officer immediately ordered his men to step away, then bowed once more.
The old man chuckled, then said, "I had a feeling something like this might happen so I thought I might stop by and make sure my orders were properly carried through."
"Trade Minister." I came forward confused at first, at how I would approach a man who’d once made it clear that he had a strong distaste for formalities. I was hesitant, my voice unable to form proper words, but it was evident that I had his attention, for his eyes were upon me as if I were the only one worthy enough to speak with him directly.
"Yes?" he inquired. His reply startled me, but his warm expression warded away my uneasiness.
"It-it is an honor to see you here today, but with deepest respects, I must apologize. You see, I can't go with you."
"So you have made your decision then?"
"I have Trade Minister. I know this will probably be my last flight, and if it is, I want to use it as a chance to honor this country as well as myself."
"Admirable. Very admirable, but what makes you think this will be your last flight?"
"Because I'm going to die."
The abruptness of my words gave the old man pause. Even Miss Nishio and Madame Quoli seemed surprised. Kassashimei took my hand and squeezed it firmly. Seeing their reactions was like witnessing the sun eclipsed for the briefest of moments.
"I know I’m sick," I continued. "I know these silver eyes of mine are cursed. Maybe I would live a few years longer, or probably die next week. I don't know, but as a chienkuu ko, my passion belongs to the sky and if these are my last moments, I would prefer to live them on my terms."
The wonder on the old man's face had passed. He smiled again then patted my head. "So the little trout has grown up. But you're wrong you know. Those eyes of yours are not a curse. They are a gift. Your talent has a purpose. And after realizing the sort of dedication your shyo mah keeps towards you, I think you are meant to do something quite incredible, something more profound than you realize."
He turned to Kassashimei. She looked back at him. Both allowed their gazes to linger, as if unspoken words of farewell were being shared. For a moment there seemed to be an air of longing between them, wistful feelings that existed for a few seconds before they disappeared behind his placid smile.
"Now then," he said, his attention diverted quickly back to me. "If you are so determined to put yourself in the tiger's teeth then you must take your guardian with you."
"No," Miss Nishio objected. "You can't let the boy go. You can‘t let him do this"
The old man lifted an open palm and leisurely motioned for her to remain silent.
"I'm sorry, but I can't take a guardian with me," I said. "It wouldn’t be fair to the other children who’d be without theirs."
"I’ve offered to take you back, but you declined. I shall respect that, but this is one request you cannot refuse."
Ren Tzu came forward. "The Trade Minister orders me at your side and that is where I shall remain, to protect the both of you."
"I thought you were arrested with the other soldiers," I said. "For conspiring to kidnap the Young Emperor."
"Indeed I was, but being a man recognized for my past deeds and being well known among people in certain positions carries many favors." He glanced in the old man's direction.
"Terr, are you sure you still want to do this?" Kassashimei asked.
"Are you sure I can't convince you to stay behind?" I replied almost insultingly, matching her concerned tone.
She grunted, then haughtily turned her head away. It was at that m
oment that the old man leaned in towards me and whispered into my ear.
"There is a bond between both you and that girl, one that is different from any shyo mu and shyo mah I have ever known. I fear that it is only in the end that you will come to realize her importance to you."
About a year ago I took my granddaughter to visit the cliffs and beaches at the base of Mount Ko Mei, the very site where the Ocean Temple once stood. Nowadays it had become nothing more than a collection of ruins, buildings falling apart with age and sporadic overgrowth of bushes, weeds and vines that claimed the faded walls and cracks in its foundations. As sad as the place had become, it was still a spot popular to tourists and curious onlookers who took pictures and guessed at its mysterious history.
While my granddaughter played amongst ruins with her friends, she came across a gazebo-looking structure at the end of a long pier built high above the waves. I ran out to her, angry that she had been dawdling around such a dangerous place. But as I approached, she pointed curiously at a large bronze bell hanging inside the structure. The wooden log used to ring it lay helpless on the ground as the ropes that once suspended it had long since eroded and snapped. Much of the bell’s surface had been corroded, blotched with the green and black scars of age, but across its bottom the scenic moldings of ocean waves could still be recognized, while on the other side was portrayed the familiar image of Mount Ko Mei towering above the sea.
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