Buryoutougen

*~*~*~*~*

"Tell me all that you have learned, Captain," Kaze commanded as he paced about in front of his great throne before Captain Datesha and Atsui, who was lounging in a fair sized chair next to and behind the throne. There were also two scribes off to the side, diligently keeping record of the going's on, and two guards, motionless at their stations beside the great oak and iron doors marking the main entrance.

Adorning the circular stone walls of the wide chamber were long, tall tapastries, no windows, diplicting many famous battles of long past and, of course, more than a few of Kaze himself. The ceiling was domed, the stone walls curving inward at there peak for a dozen or so feet. Topping the chamber was a large, intricate, dome shaped stain glass window which even now reflected a breathe taking display of the day, casting a myrad of colors onto the floor below, as the time of day at that time was high noon. But as the sun slowly made it's way across the sky, gradually changing day into night, so to did the enchanted sky light, showing off a simmilarly breathe taking display on those few nights when the moon is high and full. Holding up this macnificent ceiling are six stone columns, each to large for even the tallest of men to put there arms completly around. Other than the main doors to the room, there was another smaller, single door to the side of the raised area the lord's throne sat on, leading to Kaze's pravate chambers and one near to near to the main entrance to allow the servants access. On the other side across from the lord's chamber was a door similar to his, leading to his wife's private chambers, which she requested built soon after they were wed, and lay empty while she attended to her duties on a far off battlefield.

"We garnered little information from the men who were guarding the path to your private box at the arena. And even less from the mangled corspe of your would be assassin." the captain added with a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

In reply, an unnerving scream came up from the floor then, as this particular chamber sat directly above Tendou Castle's infamous prison and torture area, only to be quickly silenced by some unseen force below.

"Ah yes," Lord Ijin said as he stopped his pacing to bask in sound of torture in progress, "those mercenary's we had hired to capture that renegade band of Ikimono. They were a bit to anixious to earn their pay...

"Not to worry!" he said happily over yet another scream as he turned a sly smile toward Datesha, "They are being delt with even as we speak, Captain." Datesha and Atsui both turned away from that sick grin. Kaze merely smiled all the more and reassumed his pacing.

"What of the man we sent to Nashi Onjun?" Kaze asked, refering to the land the Yabanjin barbarians called home. He was confident that his army would win out against the Ikimono. However, though the Yabanjin, a force to be feared, had remained neutral thus far in the conflict, Kaze was fearful that the barbarians would attack, taking advatage of war Tendou fought with the Ikimono, possibly reclaiming the lands the Yabanjin lost long, long ago to Kaze's forefathers who called the land Minjiteki and founded Tendou.
"I have a group of our fastest rides already on the way to Nashi Onjun," Datesha answered.
"Good, good," Kaze replied offhandedly, still pacing. "Was there anything else?" the Lord of Tendou and Ruler of all of Minjiteki asked.

"One of the mercenaries had reported seeing some sort of gold jewlery, a necklace perhaps, near the man who attacked you, mostly likely belonging to him. But whatever we might have learned from that jewlery is impossible now, for we have not been able to recover it."

Kaze halted his pacing once again, frowning at that bit of information and bring up a hand to rub at the slight stubble on his chin. "And you have learned nothing else?"

"Nothing," Datesha replied.

Kaze continued to rub his chin for a few moments, seeming deep in thought.

"Ah well," he finally decided as he turned and headed for lavish throne, which was covered in moon stones similar to those adorning Lord Ijin's even now gloved hand and sword hilt, though quite unmagical other than the soft white glow they constantly gave off. "It can't be helped."

Captain Datesha narrowed his gaze.

"Forgive me, my lord," Datesha said, trying hard not to grind his teeth, "but what if he's part of something much larger? He could be part of some guild of assassins. Or he might even be working with Ikimono---"

"That is why I have you and the Suraidingu Guard, is it not?" Kaze replied easily, taking a drink from a fine glass of even finer wine that had been sitting on a small table next to his throne. "To protect me."

Datesha crossed his arms on his chest and looked away. "If your father were here..." he be started under his breathe.

Suddenly, Datesha was hit hard by some unseen force, launching him far enough to slam hard into the double doors and also knocking the two guards, members of the Suraidingu Guard both, several feet to either side.

* * * * *

A girl, only just recently coming into womanhood, poked her head out from behind a corner. She was roughly fourteen winters young, her ice like blue eyes still sparkling with the innocence of youth. Her dark hair fell gaily about her slim shoulders and still held a bit of luster, dispite some dirt and grime. Her rag like clothes were a good indicator of her position; street waif.

She looked around cautiously, not wanting to be caught, before slowly making her way around the corner, closer to her quary, a fighter she just had to meet for herself.

Finally she stood in front of his cell and she carefully placed one of her delicate hands on the cool, iron bars separating them while using the other to bring to bare the torch she had been carrying. She then got her first good look at him.

He was sitting with his back against the right hand wall of the small, stone room. His head was bowed and locks of fiery red hair hung over his eyes, blocking them from view. He wore only dirty, brown leggings, the rest of him bare for all to see. His abs, chest and arms were not overly muscled like the barbarians in the chilly north, but nor was he slim like most of the people of Tendou and the surrounding area. He looked only about as tall as the rest of the community, though he was sitting so the young woman was unsure. If the she had to guess his age she would put him at about twenty winters, and she had to frown as she began to notice the many scars adorning his body, some appearing to be very nasty indeed.

She finally pried her eyes away from the saddening sight of one as young as he having to live the rest of his life with such scars, and looked about the cell. Directly across from the man was a modest looking cot. The only other thing of particular notice was the shackles and chains on the far wall, and she shuddered to think of how they might have been and may still be used.

She then turned her gaze back to the man to find a pair of eyes of the deepest blue staring back.

* * * * *

Datesha slowly opened his eyes. He shook his head to try to keep the room from moving anymore than it already was, and slowly got to his feet. The two guards were back at there posts, though both needed support from the wall.

He looked across to Kaze to find him sitting with his back straight against his throne, looking down at him. He wondered briefly where Kaze's wine glass had gone, for only as long as it took him to realize that he had been holding it in his gloved hand.

"You are dismissed, Captain Datesha."

Datesha narrowed his visage and replied curtly, "Yes, Lord Ijin."

He then stepped forward far enough for the guards to slowly open doors, though he didn't wait for them to open it fully, much to sore guards relief, and they slowly closed it once again.

Nothing was said for several long moments.

...

Atsui finally broke the silence by sitting up in her seat and daring to speak. "If we do not hurry we will be late for the match."

A look of surprize came over Kaze, and he stood up suddenly.

"I almost forgot! Well, we better hurry!" Kaze took off for the door, belting on his fabulous sword. "Guards, open the doors at once!"

The guards look at each other briefly and they both gave a groan as they moved for the doors, knowing that Kaze would want them all the way open and quickly.

* * * * *

A man in a dark cloak walked steadily along the back alleyways near Tendou's docks. Dark Street it was called. This area of the great city was always blanketed with a dense fog and the air was always chill. Such was the darkest part of Tendou. Even the mid day sun failed to give much light to the place and the shadows were many and deep. Though people could usually be seen here, none traveled alone.

The dark cloaked man was unafraid though. The way he walked, that alone would deter most thieves and scoundruls. Indeed, his footsteps made hardly a whisper of sound and each one, never out of balance, marked this man a warrior, so most of the lowlives looked for easier prey. Most, but not all.

A dagger came whisling in suddenly, accurately thrown and aimed at the man's head. The dagger would have hit, had he not quickly dropped to crouch, letting the blade fly harmlessly high. He then ran into the alleyway it was thrown. The other roughians in the immediate area heard only a swish and a thud and a few moments later, the man emergered unscathed from the alley and continued on his way. He was never bothered again during the rest of his stay on Dark Street.

He eventually came upon the alley he was looking for and turned down it without a pause. He passed several doors before finally finding the one he wanted and promptly entered the unmarked store.

It wasn't a large room, but it contained anything and everything from clothes to rope, from weapons to maps, even slaves; and, most importantly to the man, jewelery.

"We're closed right now," came an almost snake like voice from a back room, "So if you would be so kind as to---" he stopped suddenly when he entered the main room and saw who had come into his store before business hours.

"Oh, Mister Fukachi, Sir. I had no idea that---" Fukachi raised a hand, silencing the stuttering man. He was a thin, wirery thing with a wide mouth and small, dark eyes.

"I am looking for a certain piece," Fukachi began in a low voice, "a necklass, that would have come in here within the past few days."

The store owner, Sune-ku, seemed at a loss.

"I get many pieces..." he said with shrug and a shake of his head.

"It would have been a heart shaped pendant---"

"Oh yes yes yes, Mister Fukachi, Sir!" Sune-ku exclaimed happlily, again with that snake like voice of his, and running off into a back room, "I did purchase such a piece just the other day!"

Fukachi remained where he was, standing impassively by the door, while Sune-ku went to retrieve the item.

"Here it is Mister Fukachi, Sir," Sune-ku cried as he rushed back to the dark cloaked man, holding out the item for him to examine.

Fukachi's eye's, hidden still behind his customary mask, for he never removed it, widened indeed as he revertly took the necklass and held up for his eyes to see.

It a dazzeling piece indeed. Centering the pendent was decent sized plate of solid gold, probably around 24 karats, that was heart shaped and edged in neat, evenly spaced holes. Woven into these holes and around the gold portion were fine strings of silver, woven so intricately that Fukachi couldn't tell where one began nor where another ended. And probably most important of all to Fukachi, he noticed the inscription on the front, marking it as the necklass he had been searching for.

Along with that realization though came a flood of memories, some joyful, others sorrow filled, and he was nearly overwelmed for he had not thought of these particular memories in nearly a decade.

"Does Mister Fukachi, Sir approve?" the annoying man inquired, drawing Fukachi from his deep thoughts as he turned to regard the salesman.

"Yes, I do." Fukachi replied evenly, pocketting the necklass as he did so.

Sune-ku's eyes never left the necklass, watching even as it sat in the man's pocket. He looked up at Fukachi, coressing his hands neverously, smiled, and breathed out something that sounded part way between a sigh and laugh.

"Um, that will be five hundred gold pieces if Mister Fukachi, Sir would not mind," Sune-ku said uneasily, not bothering to hold out a hand for the payment, suspecting that Fukachi did not mean to pay him.

Fukachi made not a sound, simply stood there, staring down at the irritating store owner, until Sune-ku backed away a few steps, shaking noticably.

"On second thought, if Mister Fukachi, Sir desires the necklass," Sune-ku stammered, "then the necklass Mister Fukachi, Sir shall have! Free of charge, of course!" He added that last bit to be certain Fukachi understood him correctly.

The black cloaked man smiled slightly, unseen behind the mask by the nervous Sune-ku, gave a quick nod, turned, and left; to the poor man's relief.

*~*~*~*~*

"One day at a time- this is enough. Do not look back and grieve over the past, for it is gone; and do not be troubled about the future, for it has not yet come. Live in the present, and make it so beautiful that it will be worth remembering."

-Ida Scott Taylor.