Twelve Kingdoms v03 by Fuyumi Ono

Author:Fuyumi Ono
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-4062551687
Publisher: Kodansha Paperbacks
Published: 2014-10-15T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 21

[5-3] Standing on a balcony carved into the side of Ganboku Mountain, Rokuta gazed down at the Gen Province and the city below. The breeze brushing against his face carried with it the scent of rain.

“The monsoons are coming. It doesn’t look like the Rokusui levees will be ready in time.”

A long war was about to commence and the rains would come before the strife could be settled. The rainy season notwithstanding, provinces like Gen along the shores of the Black Sea didn’t see that much precipitation. The threatening rains fell further upstream.

“It’s too late to worry about that.”

Kouya leaned against the railing, looking down at the world below. The surface of the twisting Rokusui glimmered dully in the sunlight. The Rokusui was always a threat to those living in the flood plains. There was no telling when this mighty river would overflow. The year previous had been fine. And perhaps this year the banks would hold as well.

But next year? Good luck one year only heightened the unease the next. Fear would inundate Gen Province before the floods did.

Rokuta blurted out, “In any case, the sooner this thing comes to a head the better.”

Kouya replied with a wry smile, “Sooner or later, it hardly matters now. War is a bigger disaster than a flood.”

“True.”

“In fact,” Kouya said, raising his gaze from the tableau below and looking at Rokuta, “the secretary wanted to mobilize his troops long before now. Except the odds did not favor a march on Kankyuu. He had to figure out a way to get the Imperial Guard to come to him. Only after he’d failed to find such a strategy did I mention my connection to you. I said that I knew the Taiho. And so you ended up here. Are you angry?”

He’d imagined that Rokuta had forgotten all about him. But hoped if he persisted, he might at least arrange a meeting. And if he played his cards right, entice him to Ganboku. Rokuta was sure to be surrounded by his protective detail. If things went badly, Kouya would never return to Ganboku.

In response to these concerns, Atsuyu devised an alternate strategy. “Better to lie a little than lose my Shashi,” he’d said.

Rokuta nodded. “The ends justify the means. That’s the way the world works. Hey, is it really okay for me not to go back to my cell?”

“You must be getting claustrophobic in there. Besides, the secretary said you deserved time off for being so well behaved.”

“How nice of him.”

This time alone, Kouya responded with a genuine smile. “He’s very grateful for giving him your undivided attention. Maybe this is his way of thanking you. But take one step outside the palace and that thread will break.”

“Yeah, I know.” However Rokuta raised his eyes, he couldn’t see the stone attached to his forehead.

Kouya grinned. “Kirin are awfully inconvenient creatures. You need at least two hostages to keep one pinned down.”

“A lot more than two.”

“True.” Kouya smiled again. “There’s Ribi’s retainers, not to mention the rest of her entourage.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.