台風 (Typhoon)

1 - いちば (Market)

Kimiko stared blankly at her hands. Exhausted, she loathed preparing the endless piles of imperial decisions for her mother, the acting empress, to sign and approve. During the years in which she had trained and served as a royal advisor, Kimiko had encountered everything from land usage requests to criminal accusations. As a child, she was told that being an advisor meant assisting the emperor. But when the emperor is gone, the workload doubles, the duties become more demanding, and every quiet moment is a treasure.

It was a beautiful day outside. The sun shining, birds singing, children playing by the calm waters; under different circumstances, Kimiko would be wandering through town, greeting citizens and visiting the fish market. But today was different. Today marked the end of the third week since Emperor Kaito's disappearance. He had gone to negotiate with the leader of the Mongols, Kublai Khan, and no one had heard from him since.

A knock on her bedroom door pulled her from her thoughts. The empress peeked inside. "You're still working? Take a break and go out to the market; it will help take your mind off things," she said in her quiet voice.

"But Mother, there's far too much work to be done. If I leave now, who will sign these documents? I have a duty to fulfill, and—"

"Oh, Kimiko, you worry too much. Please, take advantage of this beautiful day and use it to get some rest. I'll take care of these documents."

Kimiko smiled. "I will. Thank you."

After changing into a casual kimono and pinning up her waist-length black hair, Kimiko set off for the fish market. Although the princess rarely left the market without a basket of fresh seafood, she never visited for the fish. Her best friend Yukio Yoshida ran a stall there, and she enjoyed helping him sell his catch.

The pleasant journey through lush gardens and bustling streets came to an end when Kimiko arrived at a small house near the harbor. She knocked on the bamboo door and was immediately greeted by a small woman with bright green eyes and gray hair in a tight bun.

"Kimiko! How good to see you, dear!"

Kimiko smiled. "Greetings, Sobo Yua."

"Oh, don't 'greetings' me—you know you can spare the formalities when you visit. Now, I'm assuming you came for Yukio. He's still selling the last of his fish. You can wait here until he gets back if you like."

"Thank you, but I think I'll walk down and find him. It's a pleasant day outside, and I don't wish to waste it." Kimiko bowed politely and started down the path to the fishing docks, leaving Sobo Yua waving from the doorway.

When she arrived in the city outskirts, Kimiko immediately spotted Yukio at his stand in the very center of the market. Surrounded by both regular customers and newcomers, the tall boy was clearly struggling to keep up with the evening fish rush. The Aoki princess pushed her way through the crowd, slipped behind the stand, and started wrapping fish. Yukio looked at Kimiko with relief as he spoke with customers and handed her their order slips. Nearly two hours later, the busy crowd had dispersed, and the exhausted fishmonger turned to his assistant.

"Finally, a moment of peace!" Yukio laughed.

Kimiko smiled. "That was quite the crowd, even for this time of day."

"Well, in any case, thank you for the help. If you'd shown up any later, I probably wouldn't have survived the rush."

Kimiko's smile faded.

"What's wrong?" Yukio asked, concerned.

"Oh, it's nothing. I was just thinking about your 'transportation service.' I don't want you to get hurt for the sake of others," she murmured.

Yukio placed his hand on her shoulder. "Kimiko, listen. It's my duty to our country. If those people don't escape the Mongol soldiers because I didn't help them, I could never live with myself. You of all people should understand that." Yukio sighed, his striking blue eyes marred by the dark circles that had formed beneath his eyes. He ran his hand through his black hair. "I know it's been hard for you these past few weeks with Kaito missing and all, but you need to stay strong for your people. Can you do that?"

Kimiko laughed softly in the fading evening life. "You've always been the wiser one. I'll do my best."

"Thank you. Now, I have some news for you..."

•••••

Kimiko leaned against the wall, staring blankly at the dismal shadows that filled her dark bedroom. Yukio had informed her of a rumor he had heard while helping refugees escape Osaka. "'A young man of imperial blood being held in the Mongol camp...' Sounds an awful lot like your brother, doesn't it?"

Yukio had urged her to join him in searching for Kaito. But with yet another member of the royal family gone, who would take care of the paperwork? Who would settle disputes? Who would help Mother when the workload became too much?

Kimiko flopped on her bed and sighed. "Oh, Kaito... If only you knew how much we need you."

That's when she made up her mind. She threw some clothes and basic first aid supplies into a furoshiki cloth, raided the kitchen, and snuck past the palace guards. Twenty minutes later, she arrived at Sobo Yua's house and was standing in front of Yukio's bedroom window.

"Psssst... Yukio!" Kimiko hissed, tapping on the bamboo shutters.

"Step back," came Yukio's voice from inside the room.

The shutters flung open, and her friend clambered through the window, a small basket in his arms.

"So," he murmured, "you decided to come after all."

Kimiko nodded solemnly. "We need Kaito. I need him."

"Then let's set out." Yukio took her hand and tugged her onward.

"Wait. Does your grandmother know we're leaving?"

Yukio hesitated. "Sobo Yua is a resilient woman. If anything happens while we're gone, I'm sure she'll be fine," he replied with a hint of sadness in his voice.

Kimiko gave him a gentle smile. "You didn't tell her... but I think she already knows." The girl nodded her head toward the house.

Sobo Yua smiled at them from the bedroom window, a candle in her hand. "Go."

Yukio gripped Kimiko's hand tightly, and the pair sprinted off into the night.