Ayakashi: Pt. 03

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Everything is not as it seems; and it's cold.
6.7k words
4.87
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Part 3 of the 3 part series

Updated 08/30/2017
Created 12/17/2016
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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.

"Don't worry, Su-chan," said Chiyo. "I'll find someone nice from Takahiro-san's household, and then we'll both live together happily with our families. I'm not letting you go that easily!"

Suzu felt tears well up in her eyes, and smiled. Chiyo was always too sweet for her own good...

They heard a knock on the door. "Chiyo-sama, your father and Minamoto-sama are only two hours away. Please, let us get ready for the ceremony."

"Please, start the preparations," replied Chiyo. She turned to look at Suzu, who had a slight scowl on her face.

"Are you still annoyed by that? That the ceremony is not happening at Takahiro-san's place?" asked Chiyo. Suzu looked at the ground for a moment, and then shook her head.

Chiyo held her hand, as though pleading with her."Ah, come on. Think about it, we don't have to shift house again. No more packing!" joked Chiyo. "Besides, father has a point- we might get attacked on the way, and this castle is probably safer his... his..." Chiyo trailed off, and Suzu raised an eyebrow, as thought waiting to hear what Chiyo might come up with.

"His... whatever he might have. Father knows him for such a long time. He won't marry me off to just anybody, you know?" Suzu looked at her sadly, and patted Chiyo's hand as she got up.

"At least I'm lucky that I got to know Takahiro-san before the ceremony," said Chiyo, watching Suzu take out her bridal robes. "He seems like someone I can manage to be with... Not everyone is as lucky, I guess."

Suzu nodded, and motioned her to come and get ready.

----

Yue sat hidden between the bushes, behind Zuroh's back, watching him talk to the hooded man. He had told her to stay back with the horses, but she couldn't resist finding out what he was up to. So, she tied the horses up, and followed the slight gap among the bushes that traced Zuroh's path across the forest. She had found them, both standing some distance apart, partly hidden in darkness by the evening shadows cast by the surrounding trees.

"So, what did you find?" asked the man. He had covered his mouth with a scarf as well.

"Genryuusai was defeated by the workings of a spy paid by Okubo," said Zuroh. Yue noticed that his tone was off, a pitch higher than it usually was. "Unfortunately that spy was also helping Uehara, mostly passing details about Okubo's garrisons. Okubo was most probably unaware of this. This spy was not working with any actual fraction, but looking out for information for their own benefit. You will not find this spy though, they fled as the town was captured."

"Maybe back to Uehara?"

Zuroh shrugged, and prodded the ground with his walking stick. "You want more?"

"Yes," he said, throwing a bag at Zuroh. He caught it, and the coins in the bag clinked as he weighed it in his hand.

"Uehara passed a brief outline of his own plans to this spy as well. They were pinning on Okubo to win, that's why they did not attack the town of Iwa first although it would have been strategically easier. They were saving their resources to build boats. These plans were in Okubo's hands, but now I have a feeling they're not..."

"A feeling?" asked the man.

"A feeling." repeated Zuroh, chuckling. The man looked hesitant for a moment, and then threw another bag of coins towards him. Zuroh took out a slim cylinder from his sleeve, and held it out for the man to see. The man's eyes widened in surprise, then he laughed.

"You're incredible," said the man.

"I like being good at what I do. Adds to my job satisfaction."

He doesn't usually act like this, thought Yue, watching Zuroh throw the cylinder at him.

"Okubo also has a spy passing information among their midst to other fractions," said Zuroh, tucking the bag into his sleeve. "I would suggest you to keep some spies around Inari shrines, and to look out for any odd encounters. Though I don't know if it's a double agent or an actual traitor giving away information. And nowadays, nobody is sure."

"That is true."

"I doubt you'll take this information to your lord as well. But I don't care. I just do my job."

The man smiled. "Anything else?"

"Here's a freebie: Iyeoshi was killed on the way to the village of Sora, along with some of his men."

"Killed? By who? Why?"

Zuroh had already turned away from the man, and Yue cringed as he stepped dangerously close to her hiding spot.

"I dunno," he replied, pushing away the foliage. "You ask your other spies to find out. He's dead, that's all I know."

She held her breath as he walked away. The other man also disappeared, probably walking deeper into the forest, She then herself moved away quietly, stepping out onto the clearing a few feet away from where she had tied the horses. Zuroh was already there, standing and looking around anxiously.

"Where did you go?" he asked her angrily when he spotted her."Told you to stay here, didn't I?"

"... I had to go," said Yue quickly, blurting out the first passable excuse that came into her mind. Zuroh made a face as he realized what she meant, and looked away.

"Well..." he said after a while. "I got us some cash. We can stop by the next town, and get some winter clothes and food."

"Oh good," replied Yue, smiling widely at an attempt for normalcy. "And some rest too, my back is aching..."

Zuroh just shook his head, as he mounted his horse.

----

Chiyo watched Takahiro close the sliding doors of their bedroom. He took his time, locking the bolts into place. She looked around, trying to distract herself from the uneasy, bubbling feeling that was erupting in her stomach.

She had been in this room only once, when she had been first shown around the castle. It was a low ceilinged room, with a wide window on one wall, looking right out over the main courtyard. The wall panels were decorated with glossy paintings of the local scenery and flora. A large, low bed was set out under the window. Her bridal chest sat in the corner of a room, near the closet and a little writing table.

This is home now, thought Chiyo, clasping her hands in her lap. She watched Takahiro blow out the candles around the room. The shadows cast by the moonlight grew deeper and longer as he walked around. The last flame died, and he finally turned to look at her, and smiled. Chiyo smiled back uneasily.

"What is my little Chiyo-chan thinking?" he asked, sitting down beside her. He ran a hand though his hair, freeing it from its tie, letting his long black locks frame his face.He looks even more handsome like this, she thought suddenly, feeling her heart skip a few beats. She felt as though she was staring too long, and quickly looked away.

Takahiro nuzzling against her head, bringing his lips close to her cheek. Chiyo jumped back at the sensation of his breath against her skin.

"Am I that ugly?" he asked jokingly.

"...n-no, Takahiro-san, forgive me," she said quickly, looking up into his twinkling, mischievous eyes.

"No, Chiyo-chan, you've hurt my feelings.." he mock-lamented, covering his face with his hands. "Now only your love can heal the injury..."

Chiyo giggled, straightening her legs uneasily. He smiled at her, and then swept his arm around her waist, stopping at the knot of her obi tied behind her back. He looked at Chiyo, and she returned a little smile, nodding slightly. Gently, he pulled the the bow open, loosening the sash, inch by inch. He ran a hand under the cloth, pulling it up towards him and inspecting it in the dim moonlight. It was a navy blue and teal colored cloth, embroidered in purple and silver thread, showing a pair of cranes nestling among peony flowers.

It wasn't her bridal outfit, but one of the many that her mother had painstakingly had chosen and ordered for her to wear on her first few days as a bride. She was nobility after all, and had to wear clothes that reflected this status, even on her wedding bed.

"You know what I love about these?" he asked, as his other hand slipped under the band as well, rubbing against her belly. "Only another person can tie and untie the obi for you. You can't open it, or tie it yourself. It has an air of... vulnerability about it."

"Mmm.." said Chiyo, not really knowing what to reply.

Suddenly Takahiro pulled off the obi, and threw it aside onto the floor. Chiyo eyes widened at this action- it wasn't like him, it didn't feel right- and it excited her a little.

Takahiro smirked, as though knowing exactly what kind of effect he had caused. He pushed down Chiyo onto the bed, spread-eagled, and pulled open her robes. Chiyo inhaled sharply as the cold hit her skin, while he surveyed her naked body, raking his eyes over the slopes of her breast that pointed up to the peaks of her nipples. Her fleshy abdomen splayed out to form curvaceous hips, then pulled in again to lend meat to her thighs. Chiyo pulled up her legs, and placed a hand over that sacred spot, not ready to expose herselfthat much yet. Takahiro smiled at her movements, leaning on his knees against her flexed knees. He ran his hand up and down the slopes of her thighs while she quivered, and watched goosebumps travel up her body, perking up her nipples to hard points.

"You're a pretty little bird. Have I told you that, back then?" asked Takahiro.

Chiyo blushed as she recalled their time in the forest."I think so," she replied. "It's all a blur, really..."

Takahiro slowly eased her knees down, while Chiyo kept her hands guarding over her nether region. "I think you need to be told more. You're a pretty little bird. A very beautiful, intelligent, wondrous little bird..."

As soon as her legs lay flat, she felt him get on all fours, hovering his body over hers. His robes were loose, showing Chiyo a strip of pale skin with toned muscles. She hesitantly reached up, and with a little nod of approval from him, slipped her hand around his waist, pulling him into her body. He sighed as their bodies met, and found her lips with his.

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