Were it an ordinary day, the imperial palace would be abuzz with hundreds about shuffling across the wooden floors, as nobles schemed amongst themselves while they sought new ways to curry favor with the King of Ichika. In the morning deals would be struck, just for them to be broken by afternoon and then for new ones to be made as the sunset. Human desire was a strange thing, never quite being satiated, always finding a new way to blossom underneath the weight of expectation and the desire borne from it. The nobility who stood in rarefied air only sought to climb higher as though they wished to escape something they alone could only see.
However it was not an ordinary day. It had not been one since the events the previous morning when the Twelfth Lunar Blossom General, Tsuru Yukimura had taken it upon herself to obliterate Nonawa in response to Prince Hideyoshi Sugawara’s brazen rebellion against King Satori. While she sat back and did nothing. She did not want to admit it, but it was the truth. Despite what he said, despite the royal decree and approval from the Imperial Court. It was a full blown rebellion that had been undertaken in the absence of the King of Ichika.
Inari Huli Jing would not openly admit to what was happening but would not pretend that it was not so. Which is why she found it odd to see the palace and those who inhabited the famed building act as though all was as it should be. As she journeyed through the ruby colored halls of her home, the smoldering tower of where Nonawa had been situated still burned as the fire and smoke reached the heavens. However all within ignored it as though it were not the case. Nobles and commoners alike greeted her with the same cordial manner she had come to expect. They even tried to engage in conversation with her much to her dissatisfaction. One she was quite sure her tired face reflected with each growing second they stopped her to speak.
Far too many thoughts ran through the mind of the Thirteenth Lunar General of Ichika. From the events of the previous day, to the whereabouts of the other Lunar Generals who had dispersed in the chaos, but most importantly of all of her daughter and the man she loved. Their return would be soon, five days at the most, perhaps even sooner if the events within Talterra were moving along smoothly. However Inari could not shake this strange feeling. In the very desperation she desired to see them again, there was an unsettling thought she had. It terrified her, because no matter how foolish and impossible the idea was, she felt as though their return would herald some great tragedy. The general stopped in her tracks, calming herself. She could not afford to panic at a time like this, she had already spent the entire night punishing herself for allowing such turmoil to occur with the king’s absence. But how could she have known that would happen at Nonawa? That Hideyoshi would threaten peace and that there would be Lunar Generals willing to partake in the madness. That the second Crown Prince of Ichika himself would participate. Satori's youngest son at that.
Confusion and doubt started to turn to anger and vengeance. She searched for who to blame for this madness and her mind finally rested on the hooded figure who accompanied Hideyoshi. She knew the old prince could not have done this alone, no matter the support he had. The man was a coward, this kind of revolt could only be done by someone who was ready and willing to lose it all in the process. For the hooded man to have swayed Hideyoshi this deeply, the great general could only lament on the many times she had pleaded with the king to do away with his older brother once and for all. However Satori had always eased her concerns that he was no threat, she cursed at the Gods that of all the possible times he could have been wrong it were to be now.
Helplessness could not begin to describe how she felt in this very moment, of all the rebellions that she had known both within Ichika and through Aurum, so often were they talked about with such complexity. Books spoke of plans being laid decades in advance as they were formulated. She never quite understood how they could ever come to fruition or rather, that such meticulous plans were not always thwarted in time. But here she was in the middle of one, and the ease in which she and the others were caught unawares was shameful. She was the Thirteenth Lunar General, given the title of strongest and all that was afforded with such a claim. It was her duty to stop this and yet Inari Huli Jing had never felt so powerless to do so.
“General Huli Jing?”
The servant’s voice had caught her off guard, only now did it bring her out of her own thoughts. She raised her gaze to look at the frightened girl. “What is it?”
She bowed low, her head almost touching the floor. “You are being summoned my Lady.”
“By whom?” there was anger in her words.
The little girl shook terribly, but found the courage to speak. “Lady Consort Harata”
Not now of all times, she thought.
“Tell her I am busy,” the Lunar General turned to be on her way. She did not have time to play her games, not as their home teetered on the brink of greater upheaval.
The servant girl raised her head and called out to her, voice shaking. “My lady please! I was told if I return without you, I am to be executed… Please heed her summons, Lady Huli Jing.”
Inari stopped in her tracks as she turned to study the servant girl whose face was covered in tears. She would have been unsettled by such a claim had she not known the king’s consort to be the kind of woman who always followed through with her threats. She had been that way since they were both children, power only seemed to exacerbate the issue. There was much the Lunar General had to attend to, as she was tasked with apprehending the remaining generals who had escaped in the chaos. However as she glanced at the corners of the hallway, although she could not see them, she felt their presence. The Kuroi Inu still followed her every move, not since yesterday had they left her side. Heading deeper into the imperial palace would grant her some time away from their ever watchful gaze. She turned back towards the servant girl.
“Very well, take me to Lady Airi.”
The beauty of the imperial palace was that it was structured in the same way as Ichi, the capital city of Ichika. Both were divided and sectioned off by large rings that looped around the structure. Whereas Ichi’s walls were visibly large and defined by strong stone structures that reached so far into the sky. The imperial palace instead was divided by sliding doors with historical tapestries of many legendary figures of both House Sugawara, and its allied houses from throughout the storied history of Ichika. The palace was constructed with privacy and secrecy as major tenets. It was fashioned in a similar manner to how the Golden Company had constructed their famed home deep within the caves of Neith. However here, there was a willful desire to highlight the beauty of Ichika and its many cherry blossom trees.
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The deeper in they went the more it seemed the red walls and wooden ruby columns gave way to more cherry blossoms. The heart of Ichi was not only this palace but the beautiful trees littered all around them. The mixture of open spaces was a superb choice that only further showed and highlighted those of House Sugawara–among their many triumphs and great accomplishments–had a splendid taste and eye for design. Some of the inner sections of the palace were considered among the oldest known creations within Ichika. Matching the stone castles of House Sugawara deep within the northern mountains. Stygian influence was apparent across these hollowed and ancient walls.
Inari had walked these halls many times, more so at night with Satori when she often could not sleep. She had not realized how empty they felt in his absence, far too big and spacious for her to walk alone. In an attempt to move her thoughts away from who it was she was about to meet, she chose instead to focus on the times she spent with him. Even as she carried his child within her their walks would never cease. With him at her side, he would take her to parts of the palace she did know existed. Show her cherry blossom trees that were so old that their roots had intertwined with the floor boards beneath their feet. She reminisced one night as they sat underneath a terribly old blossom tree as he cut her fruit while they spoke.
At the time she was beside herself with worry that they may be happened upon by watchful eyes. One or two whispers is all it would take for word to spread that the King of Ichika lowered himself to cut fruit for another, his mistress of all things. However Satori did not care, during those times while she carried his child he did not care for much. The man who had everything was simply content spending nights with her with Nanako often kicking in her womb. Even in the moment she had not believed she deserved to enjoy the quiet peace that she had carved for herself. Her origins and the lands she hailed from, often limited her ability to accept the good in her life. But now, when the situation called for the warrior within her to take command. Inari could not help but crave for the past to return and the familiarity it offered. However most important of all, Inari finally allowed herself to admit how much she terribly missed the man she loved and their daughter.
“We are here Lady Huli Jing.” The servant girl directed her to the sliding door that was engraved with the western mountains of Ichika and the sigil of House Hirata. The great Azure Dragon of the West Seiryū .
Two warriors adorned in battle armor stood guard, both of them bowed in respect for who approached. The Lunar General in her flowing snow white kimono did not acknowledge them, however it did not matter. Being in her presence was an honor that they would wear for the rest of their lives. She who stood at the pinnacle of strength, the blade of their king and the blade of their realm. Neither of them could bring themselves to look upon her for longer than a moment. In reverence they stood aside and slid the door open, letting her pass through.
Inari Huli Jing stepped into the personal chamber of Lady Consort Airi Harata, one of the fifty consorts of King Satori Sugawara. Although calling it a chamber was grossly simplifying its splendor. When a more apt description was comparing it to a great hall. The size of the exterior door leading into the chamber greatly masked the sheer space within. High walls matching the style and pattern of the imperial palace that reached many feet into the air. The room was structured in a circular fashion where thirteen pillars in total stood on each side of the wall bearing the weight of the ceiling that held a great many candles illuminating the area. On the walls were plastered legendary beasts that once roamed the wilds of Ichika back when the Age of Monsters and Men dominated the nine realms with their brutality and their violence. The floors were covered in red wood and snaked a path to the center. On either side on the way there, several ponds had been placed with a myriad of aquatic life. The blending of subdued nature with the uniformity of human control was an equally artistic choice as well as a status symbol to show that Lady Harata belonged in a class of her own.
In fact of the fifty consorts of the king, only ten were given a similar type of room. Showing that they stood above the rest, all candidates to be queen in their own right if the king were ever to make a decision on the matter. To Lady Huli Jing who could see past the allure of being a consort. It was more accurate to refer to them as glorified cattle. Served and propped up to maintain a tradition that had spanned several millennia. Each of the fifty meant to carry a potential heir to the throne, a savior as many within the imperial court called them. But a savior for whom? The reclusive and often quiet Sugawara clan or the various noble houses that each of the consorts belonged to? The answer often changing based on what kind of children the consorts would have. Her unique position, as both an outsider from a distant land and the woman who bore the king a child out of love- although many of the consorts would claim the same thing-had developed a personal lens to see all of this as an old and ill-advised tradition that had long overstayed its welcome. Had this been an ordinary day, she would be more comfortable in her belief, however as she recalled the smoldering remains of Nonawa and the current state of affairs. The Thirteenth Lunar General was reminded this was no ordinary day. And perhaps these old traditions that she detested so much, would find reason to justify their existence. For soon after when rebellion started, the heads of royalty followed after.
She looked around at the various nobles that had assembled, many of them undeserving of such titles. They were closer to leeches who stuck themselves to Lady Harata or more accurately, to the mother of Crown Prince Hiei Sugawara. Within the crowd she had even managed to ascertain members of the Imperial Court who took extra precaution to hide themselves from her ever watchful gaze. But she saw them all, the ones who had chosen to turn their back on Satori, the ones who had helped facilitate this great upheaval.
“Presenting the Thirteenth Lunar Blossom General, Lady Inari Huli Jing.” The servant girl's mousy voice echoed throughout the chamber as all rose and bowed in servitude.
Inari wanted to laugh, not once had they ever done so in her presence without the king by her side. Airi had already begun to play her games.
The Lunar General walked across the platform to the center of the chamber. On the red wooden floor, carved with gold, was a great dragon. Not like the ones from Vistoria no, this one bore a great resemblance to the mythical legendary dragons that were once found in the deep west within the great Jade Empire, Inari’s former home. She had always found it uncomfortable stepping upon the image of the great beasts. She had little to no memory of her time in her homeland but she could never quite escape the feeling of longing she had for a home she never desired to return to. Still she walked across it until she stood underneath the intense light. Her pale skin glowed along with her snow white hair and porcelain kimono.
Around her, spiral ascending paths led to doors which in turn led to deeper chambers from this one. There was a time when she was allowed further in, not simply just where she now stood. A time when the woman she gazed up at, hidden behind a sliding door-her silhouette only visible by the back light that illuminated her-called for her to come in deeper. Fifty steps is what separated them. Countless times in her younger years she walked up and down these stairs that she had memorized. Fifty steps is what separated her from the first person she ever called friend. Fifty steps is what separated Inari Huli Jing from Airi Harata. As all other thoughts faded away and her entire focus one what would come, the famed general had begun to wonder. When did the distance between them had grown so cavernously large?
