by Guy Antibes
Shiro walked hours until he reached Rumoto, a bit larger than Koriaki. He hadn’t eaten since morning and found a modest inn to have a meal. A painted sign hung over the entrance. The White Chrysanthemum. He removed his shoes and waited for someone to escort him into the main room. The smells of cooking mixed with that of soap and water. The boards were still wet. He set his sandals aside and stepped up to the main floor.
“Hello? Master of the house?” he called.
A middle-aged woman waddled into the room. She stopped and peered at Shiro in the gloom. The woman came no closer.
“What do you want?” Why did she speak with such hostility?
“I’m a traveler in search of a meal and then I’ll be on my way. That is all.”
“No you are not,” the woman said. “Are you a sorcerer coming to drag me away?” The hostility turned to fear, but she stood her ground.
“I’m just a traveler.” Shiro knew he tread on delicate ground. An intricate pattern in the gravel that he didn’t want to disturb… then it hit him. He had his magic shielded. He released his glamour. “You can see through this can’t you?”
“Indeed I can and I’ll fight.”
Shiro stood and held up his hands. “There is no need. I am a refugee and sought by the Guild, as are you.”
Her voice softened. “From Sekkoro?”
“No, from Boriako. Ashiyo captured my friend and I. I escaped after spending months at a prison island.”
“Did you meet a woman?”
“Mira?” Shiro said.
“Ha! Is that what she calls herself?” The old woman walked into the room and stood a few paces away. “That is why your glamour is so easily detected. I was afraid that the Guild had learned the spell.”
Shiro sensed the tension leave the room. “And the magic shield?”
“You do that well enough. Wait here. I will fetch you food. It won’t be a minute.”
The woman returned with a bowl of rice and soup. Little circles of fresh cut green onions floated on the top.
“One of my servants is fetching tea for the both of us.” She sat down at the table and slid the tray over.
“If you don’t mind, I haven’t had anything since this morning.” Shiro began to consume the rice and drank the soup from the bowl. Once he had something inside of him, he asked the woman a key question.
He kept his voice low. “I suppose that the White Chrysanthemum is part of the White Rose Society?”
“From my behavior isn’t it obvious?”
Shiro shrugged. He didn’t know of another answer that wasn’t offensive.
“She told me, Mira, that the society banished her.”
The woman sighed. “That part is true enough. She and her father are practiced at deception and use it to make money. She has strong Affinity and trained with us until we sensed her true nature. The both of them were captured trying to fool a noble. ‘Mira’ as you know her, gave up a member of our society in trade for a lenient sentence. The father and daughter went to Diakko Island.”
“They never told me its name,” Shiro said, “and I worked there for more than half of a year.”
“How did you escape?”
Shiro paused and the issue of trust raised itself. He was past it at this point. “I was swept out to sea in a storm. I found a boat and the wind blew me towards South Isle. I landed on the coast and found a road, following it north, away from Sekkoro. Now I am just wondering what to do next.”
“And you just happen to find one of our establishments?”
“It never dawned on me that your inn’s name would so closely match the name of your organization.” Shiro said.
Tea came and the woman poured a cup for both of them. She offered one to Shiro, holding it with both hands.
“Not too difficult. We have some inn or shop in most towns west of Sekkoro. The Guild finds a few of us a year, but they haven’t aggressively tried to stamp us out in generations since we have kept a very low profile until recently.”
“And can you mask your disguises?”
“Indeed. Here,” the woman said while pulling out a marble. “Hold this.”
Shiro knew what it was. “What is the spell?”
“The usual, Piki Paki Poki.”
“Piki Paki Poki.” The marble didn’t change.
“Now remove your barrier.”
Shiro repeated the initiation spell and the marble pulsed with red and blue, lighting up the empty inn. He put it on the table to stop the colors.
“Never have I ever seen it do that! Who are you?”
That brought a smile. “I am Shiro of Koriaki. I used to own the best farm in the village… number 22. Over a year ago, sorcerers tested me. They sent me to the Guild in Boriako. The Masters banished my mentor and me to the Barren Lands in hopes that we would die. We made it through…” He showed her his tattoo.
The woman shrugged. “I don’t know the meaning of the wavy line. I’ve been told that no one makes it across the desert. There are bones to prove it,” she said.
“We were more prepared than others,” Shiro smiled at her surprise. “My mentor knew a man called Ashiyo.”
The woman nodded and sipped her tea. “We know of him. You say he put you on Diakko?”
“He did indeed.”
She looked at him with narrowed eyes. “I believe you. Ashiyo is not really an enemy. Your life was likely saved by his act.”
Shiro furrowed his brow. Saved? Then he remembered something either Roniki or Yushidon said in complaint about him.
“My mentor was killed by a poison Abe had me unwittingly administer. I talked him into teaching me to heal and I had the opportunity to be in the right place when the storm hit. Here I am.”
The woman nodded. “I’m sure there is more to your story, but that is enough for now. Let me teach you the proper spell to disguise yourself. Any of the adepts in our society would instantly know you used the wrong spell as we would know of Mira’s disguise.
The words were whispered in his ear and it contained two more phrases. He intoned the spell and Kinoru reappeared. “Is that better?”
“You are a quick learner, as well as a sorcerer of great power. No wonder they wanted you far from the Guild. My name is Shiuki. You may stay here for as long as you like. I could use a stablehand.”
“I would be delighted until I determine what I am to do with my life.” So Shiro had become a stablehand, but not at a guild house. He had to smile.
Shiuki laughed. “Take as long as you like. It’s not often the White Chrysanthemum hires men.”
~
The White Rose Society took women with power into their midst as Mira had said, but the persecution wasn’t quite as vigilant as she let on and Shiuki introduced Shiro to a number of women in the town who had enough power to shield their Affinity.
“How many women hold power?” Shiro said as he groomed a horse in the White Chrysanthemum stable in the guise of Kinoru. He’d been at the inn for the past few weeks.
Shiuki, leaning against the stable wall, shrugged. “I honestly don’t know. We certainly don’t keep track. A country-wide society would definitely draw unwanted attention.”
“All can shield themselves?”
She nodded, rubbing one arm. The temperature had dropped in the last few days as fall deepened.
“Disguises?”
“That’s the test, isn’t it? Maybe four or five out of ten.”
Shiro thought as he continued to brush the horse. “I’ve been thinking, maybe we can organize.”
That brought laughter from the woman. “Such a thing would bring a death sentence. As I told you when you first came, if we don’t cause trouble, we won’t get into any trouble.”
One of the serving women ran into the stable. “Soldiers and sorcerers!”
Shiro stopped his grooming. “Testing?”
“No.” Shiuki wrapped her shawl tighter. “That happened last year. They shouldn’t be coming through for another few years.”
It
had been thirty years at Koriaki. Could they be looking for him? He felt better prepared, but he didn’t want to expose Shiuki to any danger.
“I’ll leave immediately.”
Shiuki shook her head. “There is no need. Your tattoo is removed except for the blue dot and your disguise can’t be penetrated.”
His wrist had taken well to the cook’s healing magic while she had taken off the tattoo and left the wrist nearly as clear as it had been before he got it in Koriaki. “I’ve got something to do.” He dropped his grooming tools and ran up to his room above the stable. Pulling the sword out from underneath clothing shelves, he hurried down to an empty stall and cleared out enough straw to dig a hole in the ground and threw the weapon in and covered it with dirt in a horse’s stall. Then he tossed the straw back over his work and shoveled some horse dung on top of that. He brought in a horse from another stall to stand over his treasure.
Shiro fought to regain his breath and took up his brush once more, working on another horse as he heard calls for the stableboy. He took a deep breath and assumed a hunched posture. He repeatedly bowed as five soldiers and three men in the robes of sorcerers dismounted in front of Shiuki’s inn.
“Just watch the horses. We won’t be long,” the soldier with the fanciest uniform told Shiro.
All of the men tramped into the inn. None took off their shoes as they stepped up to the inn floor. That didn’t bode well for Shiuki.
Shiro heard yelling within.
“I am who I am!” Shiuki said. Shiro ran into the inn to see two of the soldiers holding her and each of the other soldiers held the maid and the cook and her helper. He didn’t have time to retrieve his hidden sword and swore under his breath.
“You are White Rose Society!” one of the sorcerers yelled. They all stood three abreast. “We are to take you to Sekkoro.”
“Ashiyo will vouch for me. He’s stayed here in the past.”
The sorcerer laughed. “The Guild is holding him in their Guildhouse. He’s in no position—”
The cook stepped back and threw a sheet of flame at one of the guards holding Shiuki. In an instant, two of the other sorcerers had thrown spells at all three of Shiuki’s servants. They collapsed on the floor.
“We’ll take her now,” the sorcerer said. He cast a casual glance at the soldier screaming on the floor, covered in flames, and then left the inn without helping the man.
Shiro had no way to fight these men. His sword had been hidden in the earth and he just didn’t possess the magical offensive skills that even the cook had displayed. He rushed outside and stood by the horses with his shoulders hunched and his head down.
Shiuki’s eyes warned him off, but he didn’t need any one to tell him he couldn’t retaliate. A sorcerer caught her eye and gestured towards Shiro. He gasped and clutched his chest, falling to the ground. Shiuki had been put on the fallen soldier’s horse and all Shiro could do was roll over and watch them disappear in the dust their horses kicked up.
He smelled flames inside the inn and struggled to stand. He leaned against the doorpost and made a little storm that put out the flames on the charred figure of the soldier. He slunk to the edge of the raised floor of the inn and put his head in his hands. Three women who had helped him for the past weeks lay dead on the floor, killed out of hand by the sorcerers. He gained his feet and took a bucket of water and dumped it on the soldier again before any passersby came in. The women had no obvious cause of death, but all three had changed appearances except the cook. He remembered how his heart had stopped. An easy way to kill or was it?
He put his hand on the cook’s chest and found that her heart still beat. He used his magic to give her strength. She responded to his touch and removed his hand as if it were poisoned.
“Nothing for free, yet.” She groaned and put her hand to her head and sat up on the floor.
The other’s hearts had stopped, but he did the same as he did to Cook. He gave them a pulse of power, hoping that would revive them. They both responded to his magic and recovered, but could only lie on the floor, moaning. Before any could peek inside the door, the Cook yelled out. “Find the mayor. People have been killed!”
Shiro rose and closed the sliding door to inn, but didn’t lock it. The two maids had finally recovered enough to sit up.
“Lie down and pretend to be dead,” Shiro said. “Cook,” he didn’t know her by any other name, “you can survive the attack, but I died as did the other two.”
“How do we explain the soldier?” she said.
“Tell the mayor that I did it. I’ll pretend to be dead, as well.” Shiro turned to the cook’s assistant and the maid. “Change back to your inn disguises.”
Shiro lay down as soon as he heard a knock on the door. The mayor walked in. “Chika, what happened? You all took such a risk running this inn.”
“The innkeeper has been taken. The sorcerers killed this man. He was an old farmhand that Shiuki had taken in. He killed the soldier while they held Shiuki. Then the soldiers…” Chika, the cook, who now had a name, broke down in tears. “One of the sorcerers killed Yore and Ima and nearly did me in.” Shiro could see her clutch her heart from where he lay, looking at the mayor’s back. “We must go after Shiuki,” she said.
The mayor held up both of his hands. “No. Enough damage has been done. All of you women will now have to leave the town. I can’t have you putting the rest of Rumoto in jeopardy. Can you do something about the bodies? I’ll have some men take the remains of the soldier. I don’t want to know where you have buried them when soldiers return.” He left shaking his head.
Chika bolted the door shut and the two girls stood up. “We’ll all have to go.”
Shiro grabbed a jug of wine and sat down at a table and poured a cup. “Those who wish to remain can change their disguise. Those who can’t will have to leave, but where will they go?”
The three women joined him at the table. Each took a drink and shuddered. “We have long talked and planned of this happening. There are places for most of us, but if there is an island-wide search…” Yore shook her head in despair and looked at Shiro. “What will you do?”
Shiro hadn’t known until that moment. “I’m going after Shiuki. She doesn’t deserve a moment’s interrogation by the Guild. Do either of you know the streets of Sekkoro?”
Chika stood and looked behind the counter and pulled out a sheaf of papers. “Here are maps of the island. Shiuki kept them to show travelers. Maybe there is a city map in there.”
Shiro looked through the maps and found a street diagram of Sekkoro. He might need these. “Is there something I can use to tie these up?”
Chika disappeared behind the counter. “Will this do?” She held up a tubular case with end caps.
“That’s it.” Shiro said. He’d never seen a map case before but recognized what it was. He had one more thing to do. “Is there another one that’s longer?” Chika gave him a blank look.
“I have something that needs a case.”
“Your sword?” one of the maids said.
“How did you know about that?”
She giggled, covering her mouth. “Who do you think cleans your room and empties your chamber pot?”
Shiro felt the heat of a blush. “Well?”
The maid rose and took Shiro’s hand. He let her lead him to a door. “Here are the lost items that are left in the inn. You might find something in here.”
Shiro rummaged around though packs, chests of clothing, parcels and baskets of sandals. The place was filled with all kinds of cast-offs.
“She’s given clothes out to the needy and still it accumulates. Take what you will. I’m sure Shiuki won’t mind.”
He looked at the clothing. He still had only one set of clothes except for the extra set of small clothes he used while washing. If he were to pose as a traveler on the way to Sekkoro, he’d need something in his luggage. Soon he had found three decent fitting sets of clothes and some better quality sandals as well as leggings to match. He s
hoved these into a set of old leather saddlebags and spied what he sought.
A roll of old leather that came up to his chest stood in a corner. He would make his own scabbard including a pouch for a staff. He found a suitable dagger in a pile of rusty knives and used his magic to sharpen the blade and began cutting out a sheath for his sword from the leather. Chika took thin slabs of hardwood from a sword stand that sat in the best room of the inn and began to whittle them down once Shiro retrieved his sword from the stable and showed it to her.
“That is not from Roppon.” Chika said.
Shiro paused. Trust? The woman should be dead fighting the sorcerers. They had mutual enemies. He had no reason to hold back. “I found it on Diakko Island. It’s an ancient weapon, but it keeps a sharp edge.”
“Why do you cover part of the blade?” she said, reaching out to touch the wrapping
Shiro pulled it back before she could make contact. “It is an etching that shows a man and a woman…”
Chika scoffed. “Suit yourself.” She looked at the leather pieces. “You make a sheath for a staff?”
“A staff is less lethal than a sword. There is a hardwood pole in the stable that will suit for now. I’ll replace it with a finer one in time.”
“You know how to use one?” She grinned.
Why did the cook grin about weapons?
“I do. Why?”
Chika lifted her chin. “I could well use a staff, myself.” She covered her mouth with her hand. “I mean…” She broke out in laughter, but she didn’t look embarrassed. “You could take that the wrong way.”
“Indeed I could, but I know what you mean, right and wrong.” Her words made Shiro laugh. The woman was middle-aged and a bit on the fat side. What cook wasn’t?
She pursed her lips and smiled. “I am Chika Udishi. My father is Lord Udishi of the prefecture farthest to the east on the South Isle. I trained in weapons from childhood. My father wanted a son, but I was his only child. When I became a teenager, my power expressed itself and my mother had kept the knowledge hidden from my father.” Chika took a deep sobbing breath. “When she died, my father learned of my Affinity and banished me from the family. He told me that he’d rather I become a whore. I found my way here where I learned to shield my magic and learned food preparation from the Shiuki’s original cook. Another woman, who left the town last year, taught me to heal.”
