The season changed so suddenly,
thought Takahiro, observing the yellowing leaves on the trees. The cold wind swept through the tree gaps littered along their path, cutting at his cheek like a knife while the warm sun cauterized the phantom wounds.
He was riding at the head, along with some of the other soldiers. Okubo was riding further back, at a leisurely trot, talking to the priest and the other generals. Takahiro had left the castle yesterday to bring a priest from the nearest village to bless the wedding, and also to meet up with Okubo and the rest of the guests on the way.
Okubo had already made it known that he wished to give his best and most luxurious castle to Chiyo and Takahiro as a wedding present; but Takahiro himself knew something else was on his mind. Probably, Okubo was growing wary of him, and wanted him to stay put in a place surrounded by his men.
Well, that won't be a problem,
thought Takahiro, as he recalled his last encounter with Chiyo.
I'm not in the mood to go anywhere soon, anyway...
Hearing hoovesteps approaching from behind, Takahiro snapped out of his reverie and turned to see one of the guests, General Eizan. He deliberately slowed down so he could catch up to him.
"Forgive me if I'm intruding on your thoughts, Takahiro-san,"said Eizan, smiling. "Your mind must be preoccupied with happier matters."
"It's no matter at all, Eizan-dono. I was just enjoying the sudden change in weather," replied Takahiro.
"Not a bad time to have a wedding, I think. I know Okubo-san wished to hold it this spring, with great festivities and celebration- but we all have to settle for what we can."
"A lavish marriage lasts just as long as a modest one, as long as the bond is made with honor in front of the kami."
"Of course, of course. But a father likes to spoil his children a little... and Okubo knows that it is a bit difficult for you, with your resources-" stopped talking suddenly, as though catching his tongue.
Takahiro laughed, dispelling the tension."My background is much humbler than Okubo-dono's, that I cannot deny. That is why I am even more grateful for his kindness. Kami has blessed me with good luck."
"You are a hardworking man, Takahiro, you deserve all that is coming your way. I have seen you fight, and you're an even better tactician. It's Okubo's good luck that he's gaining such a formidable son-in-law... good allies are hard to find, nowadays."
"I guess so," agreed Takahiro. They rode on, silently for a while. Takahiro felt there was something else Eizan wanted to say.
"Take Genryuusai for example," said Eizan suddenly. Who'd have thought he'd turn on us like that?"
"It's was as though someone addled with his mind, definitely," agreed Takahiro.
"As if he was under a spell. You remember, right? Up to his execution, he kept on saying that we were doing the wrong thing, we didn't know what we were doing... I wondered if he was being blackmailed somehow, but how..."
"I asked Tadaaki if we should take him prisoner, for further questioning. Genryuusai had put up a pathetically weak defense. Most of his men were unwilling to fight us, some actually left him. I feel we executed an ill man."
"Yes," agreed Eizan animatedly, "we caught him by a tip-off from one of his own men, for heaven's sake. But Tadaaki has always been a bit... warlike. I don't know why someone like Okubo follows him silently."
"Our leader respects Tadaaki and Okubo out of all his generals due to their combined prowess and absolute loyalty. Takaaki san is the doer, and Okubo-sama is the thinker. Okubo-sama is also not the type to rock the boat, unless there is an absolute need to," said Takahiro. "Maybe Okubo-sama would have said something if he had someone to back him up. If there was a third person, perhaps, things might have been different."
"If there was... then a lot of things could have been settled without drawing blood," said Eizen. Takahiro looked at the general out of the corner of his eye. The general looked dispirited.
"Yes," replied Takahiro, and carefully noted the change of the general's emotions at his words.
Eizen sighed, and smiled. "Takahiro-san, you're a very intelligent and understanding young man."
----
Yue's back was aching. Her throat was itchy and she felt feverish, then suddenly cool, then hot again . Most of all, she was tired from riding bareback for so long. She'd rather gallop, but Zuroh did not want to go anything faster than a trot- and now that the terrain started sloping upwards, they had slowed down to a walk.
Yue watched a swallow zip past her, tweeting away happily.
"Aaaaarrrghhhhhh..." she moaned, slumping forwards on her horse. "Why did we have to throw the saddle pieces away?"
In front of her, Zuroh rode on silently. His eyes were fixed straight ahead, and if it weren't for the subtle movements of his arm now and then, she'd have thought he was asleep.
Yue cleared her throat audibly. "Why did we-"
"Because I don't want anyone recognizing these horses," replied Zuroh. "We're already taking the least busy path, but with my luck nowadays, anything can happen."
Before they started their journey Zuroh had made them move the bodies away and dispose the saddle parts. There was some truth to his thinking- the saddles were decorated with the samurai's clan emblems, and would have been a big giveaway if anyone had noticed them. They had made it to the closest village by dawn , and when they took leave of the family they were presented with a tiny bag of food, as a way of thanks. After that, Zuroh had asked her one last time, if she was prepared to follow him. Obviously, there was no question...
"My back hurts," grumbled Yue.
"If I'd known you'd be this annoying I'd have just left you with that family," said Zuroh, seething quietly.
Yue felt offended, but kept silent for a while. She trotted up beside him, and gave him a passing glare. "For someone who's allegedly 'monstrously strong', you come off pretty cowardly."
"Being a coward is different from being careful," he replied, just as icily. "Next time you're getting gang-raped I'll just sit back and watch, alright?"
Yue huffed, and moved forwards, riding in front of him. "Where are we actually going?" she asked, trying to change the subject. "All you keep saying is 'north', 'north'. What's north?"
"Ezogashima," said Zuroh.
"What?" said Yue, surprised. She turned around to look at him, but his expression was serious.
"Got a problem?" he asked her, furrowing his brows.
"Yes, I do. First... at the pace we're going, we'll reach the coast in two years," said Yue, smiling maniacally. "And second, assuming we do speed up sometime... are you crazy? It's a frozen wasteland full of crazies!"
"Have you been there?" he asked.
"No-"
"Then shut it. Or, better," he pointed his thumb behind him. "Shoo. Go your own way."
"Fine, fine. Why are we going west then?"
"You ask too many questions. Shut up."
"I'm just trying to help," she said, shrugging her shoulders. "I know the roads around the northern provinces, I can help you."
"I'm meeting up with someone. Once that's done, we take the road straight to Ezogashima."
"There! Was that so hard?"
"Yes. Now shut it."
----
Suzu watched Chiyo out of the corner of her eye, while carefully working on her embroidery. Chiyo was leaning against the window with an odd look on her face, her book forgotten. She was never this quiet, at least with Suzu around. Whenever she met her eyes, she would smile fleetingly, then sigh, and look out of the window again.
Lovesickness, perhaps,
thought Suzu. But she somehow felt that wasn't the only cause. After all, she had known Chiyo her whole life.
Suzu was born in one of the branch houses that were loyal to Okubo. While that gave them a relatively good standing in society, they would always be subservient to the main house. When her family had found out that she was mute, they had planned to kill her- after all, such a child would be too much of a handful and of no help to anyone. On top of that, Suzu herself was appearing to be a destructive, hyperactive child- while most girls her age would've learned how to keep quiet and play silently, Suzu would bite and break everything that came her way, as though trying to physically express the frustration of not being able to speak.
If it weren't for Chiyo, she would have been killed for sure. Chiyo, being Okubo's youngest and only daughter out his four children, was treated like a porcelain doll. She and Suzu met by pure chance: as Suzu was running away from another ruckus she had caused, she ran down an unknown corridor, and slipped into one of the open rooms. Chiyo was inside, unattended, playing quietly with her toys. For a moment Suzu forgot about everything, and with the usual selfishness of a four-year-old, grabbed the drum out of Chiyo's lap and threw it against the wall. Instead of crying, Chiyo handed her the drum-stick.
"This makes more noise," said Chiyo to Suzu. When Chiyo's attendant returned, she found her playing happily with a very calm and cooperative Suzu.
Chiyo and Suzu themselves were not sure how they understood each other then so well, but from then on neither of them would leave the other out of their sight. They ate and slept together, dressed up in the same kind of robes, and Chiyo even took her along to her studies, threatening to not work if Suzu was not taught as well. All of Chiyo's friends were Suzu's friends, and even then, she was her closest. Suzu in turn was eager to follow Chiyo and do anything she said, and kept a sharp watch over her.
Now, Suzu felt her time with Chiyo would be drawing to a close. She didn't know how, but she felt it in her guts- she wondered many times if she was just jealous that Chiyo was finally getting married, that she may start paying more attention to her new husband and family- but it wasn't that, it was something else...
"Su-chan," said Chiyo suddenly, turning to look at her. Suzu smiled in return, putting down her embroidery. Chiyo sat down beside her, and hugged her tightly. Astonished, Suzu softly relaxed into her embrace, patting her back comfortingly.
