Both Nishida and Roka had been waiting for Taro. Now, as he stopped in front of the stables and gasped for breath, they handed him Hanae's reins.
"Huh," Taro panted. "Oh. Thanks."
Nishida laughed. "Early morning run, eh?"
"No. He was walking his sister to school as he usually does," Roka interjected before Taro could say anything.
Nishida swung himself onto his father's gray stallion. "Well, it's about time."
Flushing, Taro gripped the pommel of Hanae's saddle. Clearly his friends had been waiting for a while.
Roka was the last to mount. He got into a tangle with his bow.
"It's…around your foot," Taro muttered, his eyes wide.
"Khur," Roka growled as Nishida laughed again.
Finally Roka heaved himself into place–a position which he nearly lost a moment later when Taro clapped his back just a bit too hard.
"Are we ready to go?" Taro sang.
Nishida was already eyeing the sheath he wore. "Huh. So you did get a sword."
"Mhm." Taro smiled semi-proudly.
They rode out the fortress gate, Nishida in the lead. Taro's smile widened as Hanae nickered, tossing her head back to look at him.
"Hey," he giggled.
She snorted.
"Isn't that your dad's mare?" Roka asked curiously.
Taro shrugged. "Yeah, but he…gave her to me, I guess."
"Shouldn't get attached to your horse," Nishida grumbled. "Not if you want to be a warrior, anyway."
"And why not?" Taro's eyes narrowed.
"Because you want to last longer than your mount." Nishida kept his gaze ahead, on the street.
"Hmph," Taro muttered.
"It's a glorious day," Roka shouted from behind them, his face very clearly angled towards the sky.
"Isn't it?" Taro grinned.
"Yeah. Hey, why are you wearing your cloak? I thought you hated the mask, let alone a cloak." Roka turned his attention from the blinding sunlight to the back of the boy in front of him.
Taro found himself shrugging again.
"Can't I wear a cloak?"
"Didn't say you couldn't," Roka smirked. "Hey, did you see mine? My dad got it for my initiation."
"It's very nice." Taro glanced back at his friend leisurely. Roka's new cloak was heavy and intentionally designed, but Taro still felt he liked his own better–plain and cut from the warrior's cloth Karun was famous for.
"Taro," Nishida spoke up again suddenly as they approached the gate. "Are you sure you can't come with us?"
"Come with you?" Taro echoed.
"When we go to court," Roka supplied, his voice much softer now. "In five days."
Taro winced beneath his mask.
"What would happen to Norema if all her boys went to be soldiers?" he asked quietly.
Neither of his friends answered for a moment.
Or ever. They pulled their horses to a stop as a soldier stepped out of the guardhouse.
"Papers?" the man snapped.
Nishida handed his over, first. Roka followed his example, but Taro struggled with the latch of his bag for a moment.
The guard didn't look too happy when he handled the Karunic boy's papers.
"You don't have any permission to be leaving the city," he grunted.
"What?" Taro's eyes widened.
He hadn't been expecting papers to be demanded at all. That was abnormal. But permission?
"You didn't get permission?" Nishida glanced back at him.
Taro didn't know how red his cheeks were, and he didn't want to find out, either.
"We have to…get permission?"
"Um, yeah." Roka tilted his head slightly. "That's a new thing. You haven't heard?"
"...No," Taro admitted.
He half-glanced back at the city gate.
Well, maybe he wouldn't be hunting today, after all–
Taro caught his breath as Nishida grabbed Taro's papers from the guard's hand and replaced them with his.
"Take a second look at mine," Nishida said slowly. "But shut it up."
The guard squinted at the papers for a moment. "I don't see–"
"Name," Nishida redirected him calmly.
The guard's mouth dropped open.
"You–"
Nishida snatched his papers back.
"Taro comes with us," he announced.
"Yes." The guard stepped back.
Nishida and Roka started forward, but Taro didn't move. He stared at Nishida in confusion as the older boy gestured to him.
"Taro! Come on!"
Mechanically, Taro tugged on the reins, and Hanae's hooves hit the dusty road. Soon the guard and the gate were left behind.
"Nishida, why–" Taro began some minutes later, his brow still furrowed.
"I have an uncle at court," Nishida broke in, his voice unusually curt. "That's all."
Taro blinked. "But why do we need permission to leave the village, now?"
Roka yawned loudly. "It's happening in all the villages, my dad says. Something to do with loyalist unrest."
"Hm." Taro frowned.
Nishida pointed at the forest in the distance. "We can get there in an hour if we hurry!"
~~~
Genjo thought he could see the walls of Norema, if he squinted hard.
Still, the effort hurt his eyes.
Enatsu was a good steed. The former resistance leader was grateful for that. Though he had a feeling the gelding would be in much need of rest by the time they reached the village.
They had long left Danlora behind. Genjo wondered vaguely what kind of mess he had left behind. The guard's body would have been discovered already.
Genjo just hoped that Himura Uno wouldn't be involved in the backlash.
But there was nothing Genjo could do now.
For this was war.
~~~
King Hoshara frowned as he re-read the message and then handed it to Tadashi.
"It's from Rosrei," he explained needlessly. "Three days ago."
"Hm," Tadashi murmured. "So…"
"So the rebels are moving," the King finished for him.
He knew Tadashi would be smiling, as always, but he wasn't worried. He knew Tadashi intimately.
They had fought the war together ten years ago, after all. Tadashi had always been the King's confidante. And he lived up to the title.
"What are you thinking?" the King asked some seconds later, as Tadashi's eyes narrowed.
"Hmmm," the veteran warrior said again. "I think…I think they know we're targeting the heir and the myth."
"Most likely." The King bit his lip. "So they're trying to move in sync with us?"
"The message says they're slowly gathering manpower," Tadashi mused. "In the meantime, the rakhai told rashei Shiro to notify you that time is up."
He closed his eyes.
"I don't believe the rakhai is working in conjunction with the rebels."
"Oh?" The King raised his eyebrows. "Why not?"
"Because if the rebels were planning to move into war, and had men positioned in Hiyashi, they would actively be blocking all communication routes." Tadashi's eyes flickered open again. "The rakhai is playing her own game. In the meantime, the rebels are moving–but not quickly enough."
"What are they moving for?" the King asked slowly.
Tadashi's cheekbones tightened slightly beneath the mask.
"The messenger from Norema isn't here yet. We know that the rakhai is still active. Therefore we can probably assume that the resistance have discarded the idea of using cultural figureheads to launch their revolution."
Suddenly Tadashi laughed.
"That doesn't mean we can't use them to destroy it."
"You're right," the King muttered.
He paced a couple of feet, then stopped.
"Do we wait for the messenger from Norema, or do we act now?"
Tadashi blinked once.
"I'd like to act now."
There was something in the warrior's voice that gave the King pause.
"What do you suggest first?"
Tadashi stepped over to the map on the table. His fingers traced the border of northern Hiyashi delicately, while the King watched.
"I think we can start by torching the forest."
The King's jaw fell.
"Hiyashi is centuries old," he breathed.
This time there was no mistaking Tadashi's smile.
"It will burn all the more brightly."
The King took a deep breath.
"I'm not sure that's a good idea."
Tadashi nodded. "It can wait."
The King nodded–slowly.
"I see."
~~~
Shiro hadn't known that Princess Aneka had gotten a haircut.
But her hair was as short as a boy's.
The veteran rashei stared for a few seconds before he managed a smile.
"My Lady!"
"Shiro." She laughed, almost weakly. "How are you today?"
He glanced back at his near-empty plate.
"Alive and functional, my Lady."
She slipped into the chair opposite his, her feet kicking the table legs.
"I fought Tadashi."
Shiro nearly choked on what was left of his breakfast.
"Already?"
She nodded.
The veteran picked up another spoonful of porridge with his bandaged right hand. Aneka winced.
"Did I hurt you that badly?"
"Nah." Shiro grinned absently. "I'm just an old man."
She sighed, leaning forward.
"Will you train me more?"
"I thought Tadashi was training you," Shiro muttered.
Aneka's mouth curved into a wry smile. "He is. But I'd like you to train me first. Really train me."
Shiro frowned. "You're a Princess, my Lady. I can't risk–"
"Tadashi doesn't have to hurt me to win," Aneka hissed. "And I can't get better if those who would have to hurt me are afraid to try."
Shiro's eyes widened.
"If–"
"I will get permission," she broke in. "I just want a chance to actually train."
The veteran realized her eyes had misted over. He winced.
"My Lady, I…" He shook his head. "Your Ladyship is protected. You're…not yet of age. Is there something you're afraid of?"
Her lips were tight.
"Yes. I'm afraid…"
Her jaw was hard set in a stubborn scowl.
"I'm afraid to be less than a myth."
The first tear traced its way down her cheek.
"Because I'm not a myth. I'm real."