by Kate Grove
Katsuo took a deep breath before opening the note. He squinted. He could read the letters but not the language.
“Damnit!”
He tucked the note inside his pocket for later inspection before heading to the gates. The jewelry-maker merchant waited there patiently, standing underneath a maple tree, admiring its changing colors. A couple of guards stood to the side, eyeing him.
“We meet again,” Katsuo said as he arrived.
The merchant’s eyes brightened as he saw him.
“Indeed, we do. After all, I promised to make you some unique jewelry,” he said, taking off the sack from his back. He quickly found what he was looking for.
“This is the hair ornament for the foreign lady. It is decorated with gems resembling lilac. What do you think, Milord?” The merchant asked as he handed the jewelry to Katsuo.
Katsuo held the precious ornament in his hands, admiring its simplistic beauty. It would’ve looked stunning in Ciara’s hair and would have brought out her eye color.
His heart clenched at the thought. How could he feel so conflicted? Life was easy before her. If someone betrayed him, they died. Now? Even though she ran away, straight into the arms of his enemy, he didn’t want harm to come to her. And he still didn’t want to believe that she was capable of being a turncoat. What on earth had happened to him?
“It is stunning,” he said honestly.
“Thank you, Milord, I’m happy you think so.”
“Has your wife designed it?”
“Indeed!” The merchant grinned happily. “She was very eager to come up with ideas!”
“What about the other thing I’ve asked for?”
“Right here, Milord.” The merchant gave him a small box.
Katsuo opened it and peeked inside. There was a simple silver ring with one precious stone in it. A curly design was carved into the band.
“Perfect.”
His choked on the word. It would’ve looked perfect on Ciara’s finger.
It was the engagement ring she had asked for. He wanted to surprise her, to ask her to marry him for real.
But that was not meant to be.
“Thank you,” he said, giving the merchant the payment.
“How long was your journey?”
“About a week, Milord.”
“You must be exhausted. You may spend the night here.”
The merchant’s eyes bugged out of its sockets.
“Here, sir, in the—the Shirotatsu castle?”
“Yes. Do you mind accommodation in the barracks?”
“I would be honored! But would the lord of the castle agree?”
Katsuo smiled, amused. He clapped a hand on the merchant’s shoulder before gesturing a soldier over.
“Escort him to the barracks and give him an empty room. He may dine with the others.”
“As you wish, my lord. This way,” the soldier turned to the shocked merchant.
They were already a few paces away when the man turned back to look at Katsuo.
“Are you the lord of the castle, Milord?”
“Have a nice afternoon,” was all Katsuo said as he headed off to the conference room. He had a strategic meeting to attend.
58
Katsuo swung the sake jug then leaned back to the wall of the hut behind him. It was the storage building for alcohol, standing in the castle courtyard. He looked up at the sky, seeing only a sliver of the moon. A chilly breeze swept across the courtyard, reminding him that winter was just around the corner.
The sake kept him warm, except for his heart. That couldn’t be healed so easily. He looked down to his other hand and twirled the ring between his fingers. Was it his destiny to be betrayed by women he loved?
“Milord?” A hesitating female voice interrupted his thoughts. He glanced up to see Rui and quickly hid the ring in his pocket.
“Yes?”
“Oh, nothing, I was just on my way to the barracks when I saw someone sitting here, looking—” she cut herself off.
“Looking what, Rui?”
There was a heartbeat of silence.
“You looked as if you needed some cheering up. I’m sorry if it’s not my place to say. I’m still learning the rules here.”
“You will find that I value action over proper etiquette.”
“Noted.”
She was lingering just out of reach.
“How is your accommodation?”
“Very fine, Milord, thank you,” she replied. “I have a lovely roommate.”
“Shizuru.”
“Yes.”
“She’s a capable person,” Katsuo said, taking a gulp from his sake jug before offering it to Rui. “Care to share a drink with me?”
“Gladly, Milord.”
“Katsuo is just fine.”
“Thank you, Katsuo-sama,” Rui replied, drinking straight out of the jug. She found Katsuo looking at her amused. “What is it?”
“I was just thinking how natural you seemed. You seem to like it here.”
“Indeed, I do,” she replied, giving back the sake jug. “I’ve been here only a day and a half, but so much happened!”
“Like what?”
“Eer…” Rui glanced to the side. She wasn’t sure if it was wise to bring up Ciara. Clearly, her lord was drinking because of all that concerning the lady. Rui quickly thought up something to say. “The note! Did you read it?”
That was what she wanted to ask as soon as she realized it was Katsuo who sat there then decided she shouldn’t touch the subject. Now that was the only topic she could think of. She silently berated herself, but what was done was done.
“Ah, yes, the note. I can’t read it.”
“What?”
“I can read in four languages, but this one is out of my league.”
“May I?” Rui held out a hand.
Katsuo shrugged.
“Why not?” He fished the note out of his pocket and gave it to her. He was watching as she was reading. “It’s not Portugal. I don’t know other Westerner languages. Even that one is a challenge.”
“That’s because it’s in English.”
“English?” Katsuo tapped his chin with his finger. “Now I remember! The two new ships that had arrived in Nagasaki! One of them is from the British Empire.”
“Indeed, Milord. And it just so happens that one of my former patrons had done some business with them.”
“Which means?”
“I can read this,” Rui said.
Katsuo’s eyes widened. Maybe it wasn’t such a bad decision to take her in.
“Read it to me.”
“Dearest Katsuo, our agreement might’ve started as something fake, but I came to realize that my feelings are—I’m sorry, it’s really hard to read it here—true. It says true.” Rui took a breath. “That my feelings are true, but I see now that I have no future here. I need to get back home. There’s someone I need to protect. I’m sorry it turned out this way. Love, Ciara”
Rui gave the note back to Katsuo.
“A few words were smudged,” she observed but otherwise didn’t comment on the contents. Katsuo stroked the edge of the paper in his hand, contemplating. She loved him.
“Oh, wait, there’s something else on the back!” Rui said, and squinted to make out the words. “P. S. Give Yura more days off. She deserves it. I’m going to miss her.” Rui leaned back, furrowing her brows. “Didn’t you say Yura-san went missing with Ciara-sama?”
Katsuo’s breath hitched.
“I think we’ve just made a great mistake,” he said, immediately on his feet. “Thank you for your assistance, Rui. I’m counting on you with the other matter, too.”
Rui stood up and bowed.
“I’m on it, Katsuo-sama. By the time you get back, I’ll have it all figured out.”
Katsuo smirked.
“That’s what I expect from you.”
He hurried off to Takeru’s room with the note and the conviction to go after Ciara. She was in trouble, and he wa
s going to save her.
59
Ciara was jarred awake by the sounds of metal scraping against metal as someone unlocked her cell. She was sitting at the bottom of a wall, half-awake. Strong hands grabbed her.
“Hey!” She had a hard time getting her bearings. By the time she became aware of her surroundings, two soldiers were already dragging her away.
“Let me go!” She kicked to the side, but her feet met empty air.
“Quiet!” ordered one of the men before Ciara was pinched in the shoulder.
“Ow!” Ciara whimpered as his grip tightened, and she gritted her teeth against the pain. Damnit. Why did she leave Shirotatsu castle? Maybe Katsuo was sincerely explaining what happened with that woman, but he had already lied to her once about an important thing, so she couldn’t have been sure.
Ciara unexpectedly stumbled, and vise-like fingers sank into her arms. That was going to bruise. That is, if she managed lived long enough for that to happen.
“Don’t struggle. It’s useless,” one of them told her.
“I’m not! You’re just going too fast!”
“Shut it!” The other soldier backhanded her. It reminded her of the time when she had arrived in this area. That Kawa-something dude had a bad habit of backhanding anyone he was annoyed with.
Soon, they arrived in a huge room which was even bigger than Katsuo’s conference room. A dais sat at the far end, and the room was richly decorated. Strips of silks hung from the corners of the room, giving it an airy feeling. Ciara’s eyes narrowed as they zoomed in on the two figures standing in the middle of the room.
Blackteeth and the man who had lured her to this time. She was yet to figure out the latter’s name.
“Welcome, welcome! You were missed,” Kawayuki said, opening his arms.
“The feeling isn’t mutual,” Ciara spat. The grip on her shoulder tightened, and she winced.
“Careful, I need her conscious!”
“Forgive us, Milord,” one of the soldiers keeping Ciara in place said.
“Actually, you’re dismissed.” Kawayuki waved at them. Ciara couldn’t see behind her, but she still felt the grip on her arms. “What are you waiting for? Go!”
“Yes, sir!” The two of them let go of Ciara and hurried off.
“Now. Where were we?” Kawayuki mused, tapping a finger to his chin. “Ah, right!”
Ciara didn’t even see the slap coming. She fell to the ground from the force of it, and before she could catch her breath, Kawayuki grabbed her hair and forced her to look up. His face was only inches away, and she wanted to gag at the putrid smell of his breath. She couldn’t look away from the sight of his black teeth.
“I think this is where we left off. You double-cross me again and won’t live to see tomorrow. Are we clear?”
Ciara was silent.
“Are we clear?” he repeated, emphasizing each word.
“Y-yeah,” Ciara bit out.
“Good.” He let go of her and pushed her head down with the same movement.
Ciara caught herself on her elbows and snuck a glance at the silent person standing to the side. His face was mildly amused. She snarled at him, but Kawayuki didn’t catch that.
“Juro here says that you can’t enhance objects. Is that true?”
“Yes.”
“But I sense magic from you. And you will help me.”
“No way in hell.”
“What’s your magic, huh?” Kawayuki squinted at her, as if that would help him figure it out.
“She has the Voice,” Juro helpfully supplied. Ciara glared at him under her messy hair.
“What does that mean? Does she make illusions as she speaks?”
“Worse. She can control minds with her voice.”
“Oooh, interesting. Too bad for you, darling. I’m full of protective amulets. You see, I’m a bit of a magician myself,” Kawayuki said, full of himself. Ciara’s fingers involuntarily twitched, and she looked down to see the start of tremors.
Not now! she pleaded with her body, but soon, even her arms shook.
“It is thanks to my majestic and vast powers that we are able to converse right now.”
“You forgot the alphabet.” Ciara couldn’t help the remark. It felt good to knock his ego down a notch or two.
It felt good for two full seconds before his hand collided with her face yet again.
“Stupid little wench! Show some respect!”
“For whom? You?”
“You’ll help me, or you’ll die!”
“Never! I’ll never help you against Katsuo!”
“Do you think he cares for you? Do you think he’ll come for you?” Kawayuki mocked her. “Poor little thing. He thinks you’re a spy. My spy. If he comes, it’ll be to kill you.”
Ciara gasped. “Lies!”
“Want to bet your life on it?” Kawayuki cocked his head to the side, scanning her face. “I’ll do you one better. Juro, bring her.”
The enigmatic person called Juro, who seemed to be the catalyst for everything that had happened to her so far, walked over to a partition screen and dragged someone out from behind.
Ciara’s eyes widened as she recognized Yura. She was gagged, and bruises had already started forming on her face. Ciara picked herself up and took a step toward her.
“Halt!” Kawayuki said, grabbing her arm.
She looked at him. “Let her go! She has nothing do to with this!”
“She is your dear servant, isn’t she? She has everything to do with this.”
He nodded to Juro, who unsheathed his katana and put the blade to Yura’s neck. Yura screamed into the gag and struggled to get free. Juro leaned in and whispered something in her ear which made her freeze immediately. With wide eyes, she looked at Ciara, pleading.
“You can help her,” Kawayuki said. “All you need to do is help me.”
“I—” Ciara chocked on the words. She didn’t want to help Kawayuki, but she couldn’t let herself be responsible for ending another life. She closed her eyes and tears slid down her face. “I’ll help you.”
“What? I couldn’t hear you.”
“I’ll do what you want.”
“Excellent. Let her go,” Kawayuki told Juro.
Yura was pushed forward, and Ciara met her halfway. She pulled away the gag, and the girl sobbed in relief.
“Ciara-sama! I’m so sorry!”
“No need to be sorry,” Ciara said, giving her a sad smile. “I can’t let anything happen to you. It was my choice.”
“If only—” Yura started, but her breath hitched mid-sentence. Her eyes widened as she looked down. The end of a sharp blade protruded from her stomach.
Ciara looked on in shock. Yura’s face was deathly pale. As the blade was withdrawn, a painful expression flashed across her face and she collapsed.
“Yura!” Ciara grabbed after her. She caught her but couldn’t hold her for long, as her own strength quickly seeped away. She sat down hard with Yura’s head in her lap. She stroked the girl’s hair.
“I’m so sorry, Yura. I’m so sorry.” Ciara’s own sobs echoed in her ears. Yura coughed, and blood trickled from the corner of her mouth. With palpable effort, she lifted her hand. Ciara held it in her own.
“Don’t be… sad,” Yura said with a small, bloody smile. “It’s my time. Happy… to have known… you.”
“Yura!” Ciara shouted, gripping her hand as it went limp. “Yura!”
“The next will be someone closer to you if you don’t follow my orders,” Kawayuki said, but Ciara didn’t react. Her tears continued to flow silently. She had no more words after witnessing such a brutal scene. To give someone hope just to take it away at the last second was such a cruel thing to do. Her mind had a hard time catching up, and she prayed that Yura would blink away the emptiness in her eyes and sit up. And then they could once again have tea in the morning together. But… she stayed immobile, her eyes staring into nothing.
“Take her away. I can’t do anything with her in that
state.” Kawayuki waved, and Juro followed his instructions.
Ciara felt hands snake under her arms and lift her up. She was stood on her feet and didn’t protest when she was dragged away, her feet following familiar movements as she stumbled along. Her mind was elsewhere. She couldn’t see anything but Yura’s pale face, blood trickling from her mouth. It was just as vivid as her mother’s bloodied, lifeless body had been next to her in the driver’s seat. The two images overlapped in her mind.
60
“Takeru, I need you to stay here and strengthen the castle’s defenses. That includes showing our unwanted guests the door,” Katsuo said as he stepped into his brother’s room without so much as a knock.
Takeru was just about to go to bed. He was wearing a simple yukata, and his hair was down. But his eyes were alert as soon as Katsuo started speaking.
“You want to kick Orihime out? Why the sudden change of heart? And with Ciara gone—”
“I’m going to get her.”
Takeru grinned.
“Finally, you big idiot.”
“I would appreciate it if you’d abstain from name-calling,” Katsuo said, his eye twitching.
“Fine,” Takeru said, heading for the door.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m kicking Orihime out just as you asked.”
“You can’t. It’s the middle of the night!”
“Oh, you mean I have to wait till morning?” Takeru asked, disappointment lacing his voice.
Katsuo sighed as he massaged his temple.
“I get where you’re coming from, but please learn a little diplomacy, brother. You’ll need it when you’ll run your own castle.”
“My own—what are you implying?”
“Takeru, focus, please,” Katsuo said. “I’ll go rescue Ciara and Yura. You send Orihime back to her father and concentrate on the castle’s defense. Clear?”
“Yes. Except one thing, brother,” Takeru contemplated. “What made you decide to go after Ciara? You were ready to abandon her just hours ago. Moreover, you suspected she and Yura might be spies.”
“I found a note she wrote,” Katsuo said. “Its contents made me reconsider. If you have questions, I’ll leave at sunrise, so you can ask me then.”
