The daylight was fading.
Taro had not moved. For at least an hour now.
Neither had Kishi.
Not even her eyes.
Taro was beginning to wonder whether or not she ever blinked–and then she did.
That was, objectively, terrifying.
Especially because that was the only part of her face that he could ever see in motion.
Swallowing hard, Taro turned his gaze to the forest floor.
No bones creaked. But Kishi's entire form went rigid.
Taro froze.
She did not relax.
But she said nothing.
Taro hoped his heart wasn't beating too loudly.
Or that she couldn't read his mind.
He didn't know what he was thinking, either.
He was…stuck. Here. In the middle of Hiyashi. With the rakhai. And he was, apparently, some kind of prisoner.
Except he wasn't.
She just looked very dangerous every time he moved, was all.
Taro jumped as she began to speak.
"If you're going to fight me, now would be a good time."
They locked eyes. At least, Taro did. Kishi traced her finger through the ash-dirt thoughtfully.
Taro didn't answer her. He was tired of the same response.
After having said it about twenty times now.
He wasn't any more terrified when she tilted her head slightly. That wasn't new, either.
"Are you afraid you'll lose?"
Taro exhaled softly.
If he kept answering, she was going to keep asking.
Kishi's eyes narrowed into slits. Very thin ones.
"Are you going to sleep tonight?"
Oh. He hadn't thought about that.
Maybe because he had assumed he wouldn't last that long.
"I guess," Taro muttered.
Then he asked the unthinkable.
"Are you?"
"Hmph."
Kishi pulled herself somehow closer to the trunk against which she was sitting, her stare still cutting into Taro's consciousness. She tucked her cloak around her leggings.
Then she shrugged. "If you want to sleep, you can."
Taro took a moment to process.
"Okay."
He was glad he had worn his cloak. There was no telling how cold it was going to get out here in the forest.
For an instant, Taro half-wondered if he even needed to care about the cold. Would the rakhai seriously just let him…sleep?
But no. If she was going to kill him, she would have done it a while ago now.
…Or would she?
Moving very gingerly, Taro collapsed onto his side, brushing up against the trunk beside him.
Then Kishi stood up abruptly, her hand extended.
"Over there."
Taro stood up slowly, glancing in the direction she had pointed.
Into the forest.
But everywhere was into the forest.
"Huh–"
"Stand by that tree," she snapped as she stepped over to her small pile of firewood and grabbed a few of the branches there.
Taro retreated. Confused, he watched her light the fire in the middle of the grove.
And then she sat down again.
"You can come back."
He did. Cautiously.
It was darker now. As Taro lay back down, his cloak between him and the ground, he could see Kishi's masked face faintly through the flames that flickered and then rose between them.
Taro shut his eyes. The warmth toasted his face, but seemed to welcome him at the same time.
Could he…
Could he really sleep? Here?
Taro looked into the fire again. At the girl on the other side.
Her eyes were still open as she sat against the trunk, motionless, silent.
She…
She wasn't going to sleep, was she.
Taro shivered. A log crackled and fell.
He shouldn't sleep. Not if he wanted to stay alive.
Though he couldn't stop her anyway, could he?
Why wasn't she going to sleep?
But of course she wasn't. She didn't trust him, either.
Except…
The thought struck Taro that perhaps he already trusted her.
Well, he trusted predictability, anyway.
…Maybe.
Nene. Sakue.
What would they be doing now?
Did they know what had happened to him?
Did they think that Taro…was dead?
He shuddered.
Kishi coughed loudly.
Taro's face contorted as his eyes closed again.
So she was going to watch him.
It hit him like a knife that he wasn't afraid. He quite simply wasn't afraid.
He was warm. He was alone. She was there. Armed. Watching.
But Taro didn't care anymore.
Was he even hurting?
Taro clenched his right fist tightly, underneath his cloak.
His family. He missed them. He had to.
Nishida. Roka. Had they gotten back alright?
Norema would be falling asleep by now.
And no one had come to look for him.
Something shifted.
Kishi?
Taro opened one eye–barely.
She was standing.
His breath caught in his throat as she stepped out of the lit area. Into the shadows that were the forest.
She was…
No, it wasn't him, he realized.
Someone else was out there.
Taro's heart stopped beating as he listened. Desperately.
He couldn't hear anything. He couldn't even sense anything.
But she had.
He stirred–then froze.
Had she left?
If the rakhai had left, then–
No. That was stupid. She would find him before he got anywhere.
Would she kill him, though?
Taro decided he didn't want her to kill him.
Then…
But no. She wouldn't kill him.
Even if he moved.
So he could.
Taro waited.
But no part of him moved.
He blinked. Okay, he could move, then.
But why wasn't he?
There was no twig to snap, but he sensed her return anyway. The cloaked figure crossed the distance to the tree where she had been sitting and then seemed to merge with the trunk.
Taro let his eyes fall shut again.
She was back. But…she hadn't been gone.
That meant… That meant the forest intruder was still out there, somewhere.
Why was she here?
No one escapes the rakhai at night.
That was what every child in Norema heard now. The hushed warning of their parents. The rough laughter of the soldiers.
Why was tonight an exception?
Was it because of…him?
And what did that mean?
He exhaled a little more loudly than usual. His right hand unclenched.
She wasn't going to leave him alone, was she.
And she wasn't going to kill him, either.
Then what…was she doing?
Taro felt his face tighten for a moment before it loosened again.
Was she…afraid of him?
No. She couldn't be. She was the rakhai. She could probably kill him with both hands tied behind her back. He didn't doubt that.
Besides which, if she were afraid of him, she wouldn't want him to fight her.
Or would she?
Taro bit his lip.
He didn't understand.
Either she wanted to kill him, or she didn't. Either she was afraid of him, or she wasn't. It should be simple.
But then why wasn't it?
Another log fell, but Taro didn't hear it.
The girl across the clearing scowled beneath her mask as she sat.
And waited.
And listened.
~~~
It took Arai longer than he had expected to find the King.
That wasn't too surprising. The King was in…Valoren Tadashi's personal office.
Arai bowed from the doorway.
"Your Majesty," he said. Possibly a bit too loudly. He was out of breath.
Both men glanced towards him. Tadashi's hand stilled over the map on his desk.
"Arai Junzo." The King nodded as the metai knelt and bowed. "You bring word from Valoren Yazawa?"
Arai held out the sealed note from Yazawa. "There is this. And the unwritten message."
The King took the paper, but didn't open the seal. Instead, he kept his gaze on the metai.
"Well?"
Arai inhaled deeply.
"The heir has been located," he said slowly. "He is in Norema. His false name is Taro Zayasu. And he is of age."
He thought he could see Valoren Tadashi's eyes flicker. Once.
"Taro Zayasu." The King repeated the words as if they meant something. "Taro Karun, that is."
A faint smile crept over his face. Distracted.
"Is he aware that he is known?"
"As of my leaving, no," Arai returned. "Valoren Yazawa intends to maintain secrecy while keeping close watch."
He started as a soft sound hit his ear.
Tadashi. A laugh? Or a cough?
"Proximity will only create suspicion," the valoren mused. "He should have been left untouched."
Arai winced.
The King opened the sealed message now, the paper cracking under his fingers as he broke off the seal. Arai became aware that Tadashi was eyeing the King's motions.
A slip of wax-crusted ribbon fell to the floor. Neither the King nor Tadashi bothered to pick it up.
The King read in silence. Then he glanced up.
"Thank you, metai. You may be dismissed. Get some rest," he added.
Arai bowed deeply again as he left the room.
As the door latched shut, Tadashi finally bent to pick up the ribbon. He fingered it.
The King turned to look at him.
"Is something wrong?"
The valoren's eyes glimmered in a way that made even the King uncomfortable.
"He's lying."
The King's eyes widened.
"You mean–"
"He is lying," Tadashi said again.
His mask twitched slightly. Perhaps in a smile.
"Taro Zayasu is not the heir. And Arai Junzo is not working for Hoshara."
The words fell like a blade. The King was still for a moment.
Then he spoke.
"I suppose you'll take care of it."
Tadashi set the ribbon on his desk and stepped towards the door.
"I suppose I will."