Things were moving too fast. The next morning, Suzume was taken to general Tsubaki’s home. To her great dissatisfaction, she was personally escorted by the lieutenant. He had yet to take off his mask, and he rode ahead of her without speaking. His shoulders were stiff and from time to time she saw him glance around him, waiting for an attacker, perhaps. The lack of conversation and the steady rocking of her mount were making her sleepy. Mostly, she was bored. She watched the swishing of his horse’s tail as they road down the dusty track.
“Where is general Tsubaki headed?” She asked to quell the stretched silences. She could not stand it any longer. The lieutenant was colder than the peaks of the highest mountain and just as dull.
“To war,” was his blithe reply.
Suzume scowled at his back.
“I’m not a complete idiot.”
He scoffed under his breath but Suzume heard him.
She ignored him. He was the general’s second in command and she didn’t want her intended to think less of her. She had spent a long time building her reputation and she didn’t want it ruined by this prickly warrior. “Who are we at war with?” Suzume elaborated.
The island that her father’s kingdom encompassed was massive and hundreds of leagues from the continent. At times there was internal strife within the kingdom but that was infrequent and limited to small rebellions. Attacks from the continental countries were a concern but those battles would be fought at sea. The general’s arm was head inland away from the ocean. Are they going to challenge that shape shifting monster?
“With our enemies,” The lieutenant replied.
It was Suzume’s turn to scoff. “That is obvious. Is a clan lord trying to rebel?”
The lieutenant glanced over his shoulder at her. It was the first time since they had left the camp that he had done so. His dark eyes stared out at her from behind his red mask. The bushy white mustache fluttered in the wind. The effect was meant to be intimidating but Suzume though he looked foolish. The flapping of his mustache and grimacing expression carved into the mask were at odds.
“What does it matter to you? You’re no longer part of this world,” he said without inflection.
He turned back around and kicked his heels into the ribs of his horse, cantering away before Suzume could snap back a response.
She shouted after him anyway. “I will be soon. I am going to marry the general and then I’ll have him bring me your head on a platter.” She scowled after him. How dare he say that, doesn’t he know who I am. Who I will be...
The lieutenant did not respond and continued on ahead. She urged her mount to follow him. The mare tossed her head in protest but went after the lieutenant. After a few more silent moments, Suzume reassessed her previous declarations. In truth, I don’t know if I want to marry Daiki. He’s a good man to be certain, and powerful which is very appealing and yet... She shook her thoughts away. She was being foolish. This was a golden opportunity to return to the palace and get her revenge –without the fear of being eaten by a mercurial dragon. She was still furious at him for abandoning her, but that was of no matter now. She was back on her way up in the world.
By the time she caught up with the lieutenant, they had arrived outside the complex gates. I thought getting to Daiki’s complex would take longer than this. His home is not far from the palace and that’s still weeks away.
Servants ran out to greet them and the lieutenant gave them brisk instructions. They fell over themselves to do his bidding. One servant came forward with a mat and rolled it out upon the ground for Suzume to step upon, so she would not dirty her feet upon the ground. It was a strange gesture, considering her clothes were stained from travel and she wore tattered sandals that were near worn through on the bottom.
“I suppose this is where we part ways,” Suzume said to the lieutenant, glad to see the back of him.
“I am staying on as your personal guard until the general returns,” he informed her.
It was rude to do so, but Suzume gaped at him. Her mouth hung open in shock. “What?”
“General Tsubaki insisted,” He concluded with a hint of distaste in his tone.
This is almost as bad as having Kaito with me. She peered at the lieutenant as he handed the reins of his horse to a servant. The servant led the animals away and the lieutenant kept his back turned to her. Kaito disappeared right before the general found me and the lieutenant has not told me his name nor shown his face... could it be?
“Mistress,” a servant with a soft voice called her from thoughts. She looked down to a short round faced woman with dark hair pulled back in a bun. She wore a simple robe with a large sash around it. “I am your maid, I shall show you to your rooms now if you please.”
She bowed low from the waist with her back vertical to the ground. She appears to have all the training of a royal maid and yet this doesn’t feel right. It should have taken much longer to get here. The servants even seemed prepared for our arrival and no word was sent. She glanced sidelong at the lieutenant once more. He stood with hands on hips glancing at Suzume. His dark eyes beneath the mask were impassive but it was hard to tell with his face covered. If this is some trick of the dragon, I will not let him get away with this.
“Thank you.” Suzume said and with a haughty turn of her head as to not give away her suspicions about her new guardian’s identity.
She followed the shuffling walk of the maid into the gates of the complex. The complex was surrounded by walls on all sides. Inside was a courtyard and receiving area. Steps led into one of the main buildings in the complex. Suzume and the maid went up the steps and past servants carrying baskets of vegetables and soldiers sparring in the yard. Past the main entrance building was an inner courtyard and four more sections connected by wooden walkways. The sections of the house looked onto a courtyard garden with a koi pond and a cherry tree shading a seating area. This is just as I remember it from Daiki’s fall poetry reading last year. It was the first and only time she had been to her one time intended’s home but it looked just as she remembered it. It’s too perfect, even the tree looks the same and this is not the right time of year for that foliage.
They passed by the tree and Suzume reached out to pluck a leaf from the tree. The leaves were a reddish orange. She rubbed her thumb over the leaf and it felt as real as anything else. If this is an illusion, it is a vivid one. Suzume was shown to a room that overlooked the courtyard. Sliding doors were pulled back to let light and allow her to view the garden. Lunch had been set out on a small table in the center of the room. Cushions were arranged on the woven mats that lined the room.
“We’ve prepared a meal for you,” the maid said, “And once you have eaten, I can help you dress.” She motioned to a many-layered robe that was hanging from a screen set to one side of the room, shielding a sleeping area that was on a level just above.
Suzume walked over to it and brushed her finger along the fine silk. The outer layer was crimson maple leaves cascading over an ivory field. The seven other robes beneath were varied colors from cerulean to a blushing pink. This is the same robe I wore the day of the poetry reading. She went over to the table. The food prepared was the same that she had dined on the day of the party: rice with mushroom, chestnut pastries and tea.
“Does this please you, mistress?” the maid asked.
Suzume turned around bewildered looking at the maid. “Yes...” she touched her temple. Her brain felt foggy all the sudden. What was I just thinking? She shook off her reverie and glanced back the maid who was smiling at her. She glanced at the food on the table. She suddenly felt famished. She knelt down and ate with gusto. Why am I so hungry, it’s not like I don’t get enough to eat at the palace. She shrugged and thought nothing of it. Maybe once I eat, Daiki will walk with me in the garden. I would love to see Chiyoko’s face when she sees us together. She sniggered to herself as she ate.
After her meal, she dressed, with the maid’s help. The multitude of robes needed to be put on by a maid. Suzume had never dressed herself; there were always servants for things like that. Daiki was not around, so she amused herself by walking around the complex which would soon become her home. She met the servants and they already treated her as if she were mistress of the household. They bowed low and danced to her every whim. It filled her with a thrill to be obeyed blindly.
When she grew tired, she sat beside the pond and watched the orange and yellow fish splashing around. I feel as if I have been here always. Where was I before today? Have I always been here? It seems I have. She was content here and eager to start her life with Daiki, once he returned.
When the sun began to sink beneath the horizon, the maid returned.
“Mistress, the hour is late; you should rest.”
Suzume rose to her feet guileless as a child and let the maid take her hand and lead her back to her room. The maid helped her take off the heavy multi-layer robe. Her shoulders ached from the weight of the fabric. Why do I feel so tired, I am a princess, the daughter of the emperor I should be used to wearing things like this? She frowned as she tried to puzzle through the mystery. There was something missing, something she could not quite place.
The maid laid out her sleeping mat. Incense was lit and the maid poured Suzume another cup of tea before bed. The maid brought it to her and the tendrils of steam curled up and filled Suzume’s nose with the earthy scent. Suzume took the cup from the maid and took a deep draught. It was a bit too hot and burned the back of her throat pleasantly. She handed the maid the cup and then sauntered back over to the sleeping mat on the floor. She sank down into it and her body melted into the cushion. I feel as if I have not slept in ages. Shesighed with pleasure. She opened her eyes. Where have I been, why do I feel as if my life has been interrupted. She sat up and stared at the moon pouring through the paper screen doors that enclosed her. I was sent to a temple... and Daiki came to the temple and rescued me. She smiled to herself. I was miserable and he saved me. She lay back down and closed her eyes. How fortunate that I will marry him soon.