The Dragon's Flower Read online

  “My brother is convinced that there is still honor and righteousness hidden amongst the clans of Masaki, and it is his hope that you, my lord Daimyo, would gather them together under a secret banner. Masaki of old was loyal to the Imperial Throne. It is our dearest wish that it would be so again. What do you say?”

  Lord Saito Naota, Daimyo of the Province of Morito, spoke slowly and carefully, his gaze never leaving that of Manami’s. “Do you, my princess, believe in this cause? In following this new Empress?”

  Manami didn’t even have to think about the question. Biggest Brother Isao trusted the Princess Hanako, and Big Brother Shichiro had nearly given his life to protect her. She trusted her brothers, and she trusted her heart. And her heart said that the Heavenly Emperor was preparing to do wondrous things.

  “Yes.” She said, without a single hint of hesitation and a heart full of conviction. “I will follow my Empress, the anointed of the Heavenly One himself, and I will do so until I die.”

  Her words settled across the room like a blanket, and still the Daimyo stood yet unmoved. Manami glanced at Kenta, who merely gave her a smile and a faint nod of his head.

  Kenta had faith in both of them.

  At last the Daimyo spoke: “You are very like my cousin Tomoko—so much so I am surprised you share no blood with her. Still, it is a relief that the girl my cousin chose as her daughter, and the sons of Tomoko’s own blood, are such courageous and upstanding people. I am certain, now, that she can rest in peace.”

  Manami floundered. “I… I’m sorry, what?”

  Lord Naota smiled at her, and while it was reserved, it carried the weight of affection behind it. “Tomoko was the daughter of my father’s youngest sister, and we were children together, a long time ago. I knew her well. It was a great sorrow to me when she died. And then, of course, all the tragedy happened to her children—Isao was banished and Shichiro was disinherited. Rather poor luck for them—they had more of Tomoko in them than their father, and a good thing too.

  But I wasn’t sure how you would turn out—Tomoko took you under her wing and made you her daughter, but your true mother was rather different from Tomoko. But perhaps old princess Kazuka bred strong in you.”

  He hummed thoughtfully. “Now tell me, Manami-sama—how long have you been in communication with Prince Isao?”

  Manami willed herself not to tense. “How long do you think, my lord?”

  “Ahhh…” the man drawled. “If I were to make a guess, I would have to say… all your life?”

  Kenta watched in amusement as Manami’s mein went as hard as granite. For such a tiny thing she certainly projected an amazing amount of wrath and warning.

  Lord Naota laughed. “Do not worry, no one else has guessed of your association with my cousin’s son. I only guessed for I knew Tomoko and how she raised her sons—they would not abandon kin. After all, that is how your younger brother got himself banished, is it not?”

  Manami scowled ever-so-slightly, but managed to gain control of her looks and smoothed her expression once again.

  The Lord continued calmly, “And it was only a guess. I had no proof, and I have heard no rumors referring to it, so I believe your secret is in capable hands. No, as far as the court is concerned, you are little more than a sweet little slip of a princess who was raised in a monastery and is impeccably educated. And I, until now, thought the same as them.”

  “And what do you think now?” Manami asked guardedly.

  He smiled at her again. “Well, I still think you are the sweet little slip of a princess, raised in a monastery and impeccably educated, but I also know now that there is far more to you than is readily apparent. But…” his eyes were warm but slightly distant, caugh up in his own thoughts. “is it not true that while a tea house may be elegant and pretty, it is the ceremony inside that holds all the true value and is most worthy of admiration”

  Manami immediately flicked her fan up to cover her pleased flush and faint smile. “It is very kind of you to say all this, my lord, but you have still not given me your answer.”

  The old lord nodded. “Then here is my answer, Manami-hime-sama. A long time ago, my little cousin Tomoko gave birth to a boy, who was named Shichiro. And Tomoko told me something and swore me to secrecy—she said that the night after Shichiro’s birth, she was visited by Tamotsu Eiji himself, and Momoe Chiyo and the Celestial Guardians. Tomoko told me that the Spirits then told her that a great path lay before both her sons, but especially Shichiro, and that ‘many things lay in the balance’. Unless I miss my guess, Tamotsu Eiji-sama was referring to now.”

  He took a deep breath and schooled his features, his eyes darkening with resolve. “I trusted my cousin, and I trust the faith she put in her sons and her daughter. More than that, I trust the word of Tamotsu Eiji-sama, for it comes from the Heavenly Emperor. So yes, Princess Manami-sama. I will join your alliance, and I will serve the long awaited Empress. And what’s more, I will do as you ask.” He grinned. “We will suck away the support from Shogun Tsuneo, so when the time comes the pillars that support his greedy campaign with rot away beneath him.”

  Manami bowed deeply. “I thank you, Saito Naota-dono.”

  The older man chuckled, waving a hand. “Don’t thank me yet, we have a long night of planning ahead of us. We already know the Miyama clan will support us whole heartedly--after all, their clan head is the brother of Princess Tomoko. After them, I think, we should approach the Adachi and Okawa clans—they’re known for their honor and have expressed careful disapproval of Tsuneo’s plans in the council…”

  Manami listend with an eager, intense face, glad to do her part to help at last. For Biggest Brother Isao. For Big Brother Shichiro. For Mother Tomoko. For the Monks. For her people.

  For Masaki.

  Kenta settled down against the wall with a sigh and a rueful smile. He was no sage or fortuneteller, but he didn’t need either of those powers to know he was in for a long night of sitting and waiting. He would try to sneak in a nap, being confidient in the trustworthiness of his father’s numerous guards… but he knew what would happen if Prince Isao ever caught word of Kenta sleeping when he was on duty, guarding Isao’s sister.

  He shuddered.

  No, he’d best stay awake.

  *****

  The months passed in a strange mixture of swiftness and slowness for Hanako. She did very little—wandering the palace (very slowly), weaving and embroidering, and she dutifully did as her brother in law asked—which was to act as his secretary. She would read the reports he got from the other leaders of the alliance and organize them, or copy them down if Isao so wished.

  Hanako suspected Isao had an ulterior motive in this, but what it was, she wasn’t entirely sure.

  However, she enjoyed the time getting to know him. He was a brave and intelligent man, whose eyes shone with brightness and delight despite the wisps of shadows that still persisted in clinging to him.

  She watched the changes in her body with amazement—the sickness had died off at last, but she had begun to experience the aches and pains (and the strange appetities) that went along with pregnancy. Still, the discomfort was washed away by the wonder of watching her belly slowly swell with child. Sometimes she would feel a tapping and prodding inside her that made her heart nearly burst in a swirl of golden joy.

  Before then, she had been told many times she was pregnant, and had experienced many of the symptoms the Immortal Momoe Chiyo and her exalted sister-in-law Aika had described to her, and she had of course observed the growing bulge on her stomach. However, it had all seemed somewhat strange and unreal. After all, this whole concept was devastatingly new and unknown to Hanako.

  But now… now she could feel her child’s touch, and she sat there and thought I am a Mother. And it was as bright and lovely as I am Shichiro’s wife, and some of the lingering shadows were chased away.

  And as she sat there, on her futon, she stroked her belly gently and quietly vowed, “I will never tell you lies through smi
les on painted lips, my child. I will always ensure are free to dance in the rain and stand in the sun.”

  She had made friends with Princess Aika (who, Hanako had to admit, she was a little in awe of), and had become fast friends with her little nephew Daisuke. Oftentimes they would play together in the gardens in the afternoons, and Hanako grew more and more excited at the thought of the child she bore. Daisuke was sweet and brave and wonderful, and she hoped with all her heart her own baby would turn out like him.

  Almost everywhere she went, a little fox trotted behind her faithfully. If the fox wasn’t shadowing her, he could be found playing in the garden, usually in the company of the shinobi Ichiro’s little daughter.

  So the rainy season passed, and the sun of summer waned towards autumn and the blooming of the royal chrysanthemums.

  It was near the end of summer when, one day, Hanako found she was unable to find Akashi Keiji. So she went to look for him in the garden, but the only one sitting there was a man she had never seen before. He was sitting in the shade of a maple tree, so she couldn’t quite make out his features, save that he appeared very tall.

  “Excuse me, honored sir,” She began cautiously. “I am terribly sorry for intruding upon your solitude, but I was curious to know if you had, perchance, seen a fox run by here recently?”

  The man turned to face her, slowly, and a deep, rumbling chuckle echoed out over the garden. “I am afraid, dear empress, that my son is currently attending his duties in Akiyama. However, he will return to his rightful place as your guardian within the week. As for me, I am stepping in for him until his work is done. After all, guardian the Empress is my primary job.”

  Hanako stared in surprise, then stepped forward cautiously. He was clearly very, very tall, even when he was sitting down, and he was intensely beautiful, with a long beard and mustache and sharp (something colored) eyes that glowed vermillion in the shade of the maple tree. He was clad in an elegant kimono the color of the sea and decorated with waves and a spiraling dragon. His hair was long and nearly fell to the ground, and it was a deep, glossy black, or at least she thought so at first. But when Hanako looked closer, she saw that his hair shone with iridescent hues blue and green as it moved, with faint hints of gold and red and purple.

  He smiled and bowed his head. “It is my honor to speak with you at last, dearest empress.”

  Hanako gathered herself together and bowed her head, as her swelling belly was doing it’s best to discourage any full bowing at the moment.

  “Am I to assume then, honored sir, that you are the Cestial Dragon, Tamotsu Eiji?”

  The Man stood up and bowed deeply. “I am indeed, Empress Hanako. It is my honor and my pleasure to be able to serve you at last.” He stepped aside and gestured towards the bench invitingly. “Please, Princess Hanako, if you would take a seat?”

  Hanako did so gingerly, lowering herself with care. She was gently assisted by the Dragoon, who then took his seat besides her. “I must apologize, my lady,” He said.

  Hanako blinked at him in confusion. “What for?”

  “I was regrettably unable to attend to you ever since you left the pagoda.” He said. “I have been watching over you since birth, but your advent from your prison signaled a great many changes to come. As the guardian of the United Seven Lands, it was also my duty to do my best to inspire and organize and build ties between the lands. However, that did not allow me to stay close to you. Instead, I asked my son Akashi Keiji to look after you, for he is swift and clever and posseses sharp and watchful eyes, and in his place I tended to Akiyama as best as I could. Still… ” He trailed off, his deep, rich voice faintly wistful.

  “It has been a long time since I served an Emperor’s heir, not since Hansuke passed away. I only wish I could have stood by your side. So, I must apologize, dearest Empress, for not being there for you.” He lasped into silence, and Hanako gathered her courage to respond.

  She had grown quite used to the company of Akashi Keiji, but this man was the Imperial Guardian, the Celestial Dragon himself!

  “Did… was what you were doing towards building peace?” Hanako asked.

  The Dragon turned and looked at her, blinking his vermillion eyes curiously. “Yes.”

  “And… and were you helping the Seven Nations?”

  “Yes.” The Dragon said.

  “And you made certain to provide me with an able and loyal caretaker?” Hanako pressed.

  “Of course.” Tamotsu Eiji responded.

  “Then,” Hanako said, and smiled, for once not hiding it modestly behind fan or hand, “You have nothing to apologize for!”

  Tamotsu Eiji looked at her long and deeply, and smiled.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN --- THE BIRTH AND THE DANGER

  The months continued to wind by, and the golden colors of autumn stole throughout the garden. Akashi Keiji stuck ever-closer to her side as time drew nearer to the birth. Sometimes he was called away, but in his place his father stayed with her, guarding her carefully.

  She spent more and more time with Aika and Daisuke, and the little girl Sakura (who could often be found in the garden, stroking the magnficiently fluffy tail of the Clever One). Isao got busier and busier, however, though he continued to have Hanako assist him. From what Hanako could gather, her honorable brother-in-law was placed in charge of organizing the entirety of the alliance. She felt very sorry for him, especially when he went on his rants about what he would do to the mountains of paperwork on his desk.

  It was one bright morning in the midst of autumn, the fourteenth of November, when the royal chrysanthemums were blooming, that Hanako woke up to find her bedding was rather uncomfortably wet. She stared at it, perplexed, as Akashi Keiji yawned and slithered off the lavish pillow that Hanako had given him for a bed. He slinked across the floor tiredly to check on Hanako and paused halfway there as his nose twitched as it caught a strange scent.

  Hanako noticed his hesitation and blinked. “Is everything all right, Akashi Keiji-dono?”

  The Fox padded closer to the futon, stuck his nose against the wet patch on the coverlet, and sniffed. Then he leapt back, fur standing up to attention on his back and his tail stiffening in his panic.

  She peered at him in concern. “What’s wrong, Akashi-dono?”

  The fox stared at her with wild golden eyes, and said in a voice that may have been just slightly higher pitched than normal, “The baby’s coming.”

  Hanako blinked. “Oh.” That then, perhaps, explained the strange discomfort in her abdomen. She pressed a hand to her belly and stared at it in wonder. Is it really time to meet you at last, my child? “Well, then, please go and inform Princess Aika-sama for me.”

  “Ah, yes, I will do that,” The Fox said, and turned and sprinted out the door, appearing to slide right through the paper of the door.

  Hanako stared after him. Apparently all men, even those that were Celestial Spirits, became scared when a baby was on the way.

  The rest of the day passed in a long, painful blur. Hanako was surrounded by people, bustling back and forth, speaking loudly and quickly. Aika sat next to her, holding her hand, and she could feel Akashi Keiji curled up on the pillow next to her.

  “I wish…” she gasped, in between waves of pain, “I wish Shichiro-san was here.”

  She felt Aika squeeze her hand, but did not speak spoke.

  Hanako felt the moisture building in her eyes and she squeezed them shut, refusing to cry. She was the wife of a prince, and she would not let her sorrow best her.

  “Why did he leave me?” She whispered, then cried out as her muscles clenched in agony.

  Akashi Keiji shifted, his tail flicking against her shoulder, and she felt wet, rough brush of Akashi Keiji’s tongue swept across Hanako’s cheek, but he did not answer her.

  “Be ready, my princess!” Someone said. “The child is coming!”

  Hanako pushed with all her might, screaming her pain to the heavens. Then—then there was perfect silence for a moment, that was suddenly brok
en why a thin, unhappy wail.

  “It’s a boy!” A voice said, and something bright and warm and wonderful suddenly filled up Hanako, and for one blissful moment of delight, all her pain and discomfort was wiped away and forgotten, replaced with wonder.

  Then the pain came back with a vengeance, and Hanako screamed in pain and shock. There was a sudden commotion, but Hanako couldn’t comprehend it in the swirl of agony in confusion. The baby was born already, so why was it hurt so much?

  “I don’t believe it,” Someone said, “There’s another baby, and it’s about to crown.”

  Hanako blinked up at the ceiling in bewilderment. Another baby? How…

  “It’ll be alright, my princess. You just went through this, so you know what to do. Get ready to push—yes, yes, well done, keep going--ah! Here it comes!”

  Two babies. Hanako thought dazedly, her throat vibrating in pain as she screamed out her anguish. One for Shichiro and one for me… what would he have named them?

  “One last push!” Someone called out, and she heard Akashi Keiji whisper softly in her ear.

  “You can do this, brave little empress.”

  So she gathered all her strength for one last gasp, and was rewarded from the tiny, angry cries of another newborn child.

  “A girl this time,” Someone said, and Hanako felt the tears she’d held at bay slip silently down her cheeks, free at last now that her travail was over.

  “May I hold them?” She croaked out softly, but Aika shook her head.

  “There’s still a little you have yet to do, and the children need to be cleaned first. You’ll get to hold them soon enough.”

  And soon enough it was, though it felt like an eternity for Hanako. But at last she was levered up carefully, and she reached out and had a tiny bundle slipped securely into her arms.

  He was tiny and red and his head was covered in thick dark hair, and he squirmed slightly, staring around him curiously with bright blue eyes. Finally his gaze fixed on Hanako, and she felt something, deep inside her heart, that had been growing and growing and gaining strength for some time now finally come into its own.