Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11
The trip began well enough. Taru stowed a bag on Gogo’s shelf next to the food and water. The shelf grew wider at his request so his bag easily fit. Suki combed Gin’s hair. They both turned towards the open curtain to watch The Capital’s streets. Instead of taking Phoenix Avenue out of town, Reizo directed Gogo down a mostly deserted side street.
Taru said, “Lady Taira, Junko wishes you well this morning. She said you enjoyed archery so I brought along a bow and a few arrows for you. Junko looks forward to shooting with you on your next visit.”
His words were measured and calm, even though the implication was not. Ichiro noticed even the scowling onmyoji relaxed slightly when Taru spoke.
“Archery?” Reizo was genuinely confused.
“Please give my grateful regards to Junko. I very much look forward to shooting with her and Lady Fujiwara,” Suki smiled. She was brushing Gin’s hair into a braid and didn’t respond to Reizo’s question. Reizo let it drop.
Ichiro was sad because their mother would never comb his sister’s hair again. He turned his attention to the mysterious older man Taru and the onmyoji.
Reizo looked at his Ofuda carefully and when he was satisfied, tucked them in his sleeve. Then he looked around the carriage. He ignored everyone and Ichiro saw no reason to draw attention to himself.
He looked at Taru instead. He wasn’t human, but he wasn’t Kitsune either. Ichiro saw a small dog with round ears and darker fur around his eyes. His fur was mix of black and brown, unlike their beautiful red. Taru caught his stare and smiled at him. Ichiro looked away embarrassed.
Suki finished braiding Gin’s hair. "Ichiro and Gin, we have some gifts for you. It is customary that retainers are paid with new clothes.” She glanced at Reizo to include him in the “we”.
Both Kitsune’s faces lit up. Suki handed each a neatly folded stack of clothing and sandals. Gin thanked Suki and immediately looked through it.
"Thank you Lord and Lady Taira, it is an honor." Ichiro imitated their accent as well as he could. It was slightly different than others he’d heard in The Capital. Not sure why I bother, Gin’s country accent is pronounced. But that’s another problem for the future. The troubles for the future list grows and grows. At least a “buy new under kimono” is now done.
“Go on, put them on,” said Suki who’d noticed Ichiro’s worn out sandals.
"Oh Ichiro, look how beautiful this is. It's green! I haven't had a green kimono since..." Gin's eyes briefly filled with tears. "…I had green kimono when I was a kid," she finished. Granny and Pa gave me one for my birthday two years ago. She realized she’d forgotten her birthday this spring.
"I am glad you like it Gin," Lady Taira replied.
“Lady Taira is very good at selecting clothing. She also packed some pickled eggs for you, Taru, and some dried chicken,” Ichiro noticed that Reizo caught his wife’s eye and something passed between them. Lord and Lady Taira interacted like they were still getting used to each other. They haven’t been married long, Ichiro realized.
While Gin hugged her new green kimono and Ichiro tied his sandals, Gogo left The Capital. The Capital had no walls. Unlike Phoenix Avenue’s Rajomon Gate, the only demarcation was a threshed border between the orderliness of The Capital and the wilderness.
“Gogo, step lightly beside the road,” Taru told her. Instead of making her way to the road, Gogo paralleled it about two oxcart widths from it. She picked up speed slowly. All inside the carriage marveled as they passed by people on the road faster and faster. That answers that, Reizo thought. My wife isn’t panicking about traveling fast. She’s a good deal more level headed than most, but we are traveling really fast. He glanced at Taru, who smiled a comforting smile at him.
Instead of the rushing wind Ichiro expected, only a slight breeze from the outside flowed in through the open curtains. Some of Gogo’s breeze kami rushed back and forth across the open window to keep outside air from rushing in. More of her breeze kami spun slowly around the cart keeping everyone cool and refreshed on the journey. Ichiro saw the characteristic landscape shimmer that meant the kami hid them from travelers on the road.
For a time, everyone watched the scenery fly by in awed silence. “How long will it take to get to Crossroads?” Reizo asked Taru.
“We’ll be there by mid afternoon,” he replied after pondering it. He took his bag down from the shelf and carefully removed its contents.
He brought two swords, three daggers, two bows, and two quivers full of arrows. He set the smaller bow and one quiver back up on the shelf. Seeing all the weapons reminded everyone that no matter how exciting the journey was, the destination was dangerous and uncertain.
“Taru, you’ve done this before, do you have a plan?” Reizo’s survival instinct over rode his pride.
“Not until we know what the danger is. We could plan and plan, but it will probably be the wrong one. Ichiro can safely scout Crossroads first. Just enjoy the trip for now.” He pulled out ten small balls from his sleeve and handed two to everyone. “Since we know that laughter causes the misfortune, here is a gift from my family. Put them in your ears when we arrive.”
Ichiro stopped himself from sniffing them closely after he caught a wiff of fur mixed with wax. He’d have to learn more about the Papermaster when he was alone. Gin was unusually quiet and calm. She wasn’t rocking, humming, or creating smells. It’s the Papermaster, Ichiro decided. Every time he speaks I think everything will be all right. He glanced at his sister. Gin had a look of peace on her face, something he feared she’d lost forever.
Reizo checked his Ofuda again. The trapped kami were still there. He did most of his magic by simply asking the kami, but Ofuda were necessary for curse removals or powerful spells like he’d need today. Fujiwara always said to plan several steps ahead, but how do I know if I’ve planned for the right steps? He fretted.
“Lord Taira, enjoy the journey. Your magic is safe and sound inside the paper,” Taru smiled. He answered Reizo’s unspoken question. “I made that paper and it’s so close to me I can hear its song.”
I’m going to enjoy the wonder of this. We are in a magic paper carriage pulled by kami! He took a deep breath, relaxed, and even spared a smile for Suki. She returned it. He pushed his hand though the kami rushing back and forth across the open window and felt a great rush of wind. Incredible!
Seeing him, Gin wiggled past Ichiro and stuck her hand out the window. “Ichiro, you try it,” she giggled as he pulled her hand in and out.
Suki opened the curtain on her side and hesitantly did the same. “It’s amazing!” For a few minutes they all remarked on it and the mood inside Gogo lost some of the foreboding that seeing Taru’s weapons brought.
But even wondrous things become common place in time. Ichiro broke Lord Taira’s rule and asked Taru, "Are all those weapons yours?" Maybe he’ll give me a sword. Oh, that question was stupid, even to me!
"Yes, Ichiro. Yes, they are all mine." He sounded as if he wished he never held a sword.
"Do you have to use your sword a lot?" Ichiro asked him.
"Much more than I'd like. But when the alternative is worse I do not stay my blade." Ichiro was not sure how to respond, but what Gin did next pushed the entire conversation from his mind.
Gin stuck her body out the window and looked towards the ground. She twisted back to say, “We’re floating off the ground!” But instead the rushing wind whisked through the window and out of sight.
“Gin!” Four hands desperately reached for the space where she’d precariously balanced only a moment before.
Picture by Daphne Zaras - http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/headlines/dszpics.htmlOriginally uploaded at en.wikipedia; description page is/was here., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2130165