Mirror Sword and Shadow Prince by Noriko Ogiwara

Author:Noriko Ogiwara
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Tags: Story
Publisher: VIZMedia
Published: 1991-10-19T04:00:00+00:00

chapter

seven

BANDITS

Bandits

SUMMER CLOUDS billowed white against the blue of the afternoon sky. The lush green leaves grew darker, breathing in the golden light that shone longer every day. Swallows arriving from across the seas darted to and fro. Everything pulsed with life—except Toko. Having only recently recovered, she was not quite up to form. Three days had passed since she left Izumo. But even though she was finally on her way to Mahoroba, her spirits remained low. Sensing this, Sugaru dismounted when the sun was still high. “Let’s stop here for today,” he said. “I’ll look for a campsite.”

“But we haven’t traveled far at all,” Toko complained. “I can go on a little farther. The days are long.”

“Do what you’re told, Toko. If you collapse again, I’m the one who has to look after you.”

Toko pouted but swung down from her horse. Sugaru’s high-handed manner irritated her, but it was just the two of them now. That was another reason she was feeling down. It was not at all like the journey to the west with Tasuki and Imatate, who had kept everyone entertained with their lighthearted banter.

Leading his horse by the reins, Sugaru said, “You don’t have enough meat on your bones. That’s the problem. Women should overflow with life. Look at Lady Hayakitsu. Her hips and chest are so generous it makes you want to shake them. That’s why she’s so attractive. You could learn from her.”

“My apologies for being flat-chested,” Toko snapped. “If you wanted good-looking women, you shouldn’t have come with me. It’s not too late. Why don’t you go back to Kisako?”

“Are you kidding? I’ve heard the capital is full of beautiful women. How could I give up a chance like this?”

“Will you never be serious?” Toko knew it was fruitless to get upset, yet she could not help it. Kisako’s feelings weighed more heavily on her mind than before, another cause of her moodiness. It was not that Kisako had said anything. In fact, she seemed to avoid even mentioning Sugaru’s name. But for that very reason, Toko felt her cousin’s feelings more keenly. During the four or five days Kisako had cared for her, Toko had learned a lot as she lay in bed, watching. Kisako avoids Sugaru because she actually wants to be near him. She turns her face away whenever they meet, but her eyes follow him when no one is looking. She was thinking of him the whole time we were gone, and she’s probably thinking of him still …

Yet Toko could not help her cousin because she needed Sugaru herself—as the bearer of the magatama. He now possessed two stones—the green Midori and the yellow Ki—and without them Toko would never obtain the Misumaru. So she had pretended not to see how Kisako felt. As soon as she was able to get up, she had left Izumo, feeling Kisako’s eyes follow Sugaru from the shadow of the fence until he was out of sight.

I’m sorry, Kisako. In the end, I’m the one who’s selfish.

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