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ABOUT

STORIES

PURCHASE

CONTACT

LIVEJOURNAL

The Lost Gods

Book One: Treasure

Nine gods ruled the world. The Dragons of the Three Storms. Sacred Zhar Ptitka. The Basilisk. The Faerie Queen and

Guardians. Holy Licht.

In the Land of the Three Storms, the royal family rules by right of the blessing bestowed upon them by the long lost

Dragons. The blessing, however, is not what it seems, and comes at a terrible price…

Prologue

Several hundred years ago, there existed much more land than our kingdom of Kundou. The Utopian kingdom Ryugouku
stretched on endlessly, a kingdom that was a beautiful blending of earth and water, where landfolk and sea folk lived
together in contentment. This land was ruled over by three gods, the Dragons of the Three Storms. They were mighty
brothers who ruled kindly and well, until a mysterious falling out with the people they ruled. To this day, no one knows what
caused the breach but in their rage, the Dragons destroyed most of Ryugouku.

In fear, the sea folk fled to the depths of the storm wild sea. The remaining landfolk huddled on the few bits of land left,
cowering in fear and hiding inside the earth until the Storms abated. This is how the landfolk lived for many days, until one
brave man ventured out to face the Dragons and beg them to cease their raging. The people did not expect to see him
again.

Only seven days later, the man returned even as the watchmen began to send out cries that the Storms were slowing, the
waters calming. The people gathered ecstatically around the man, stroking and marveling at his hair, which was not brown
as it had been when he had departed, but a pure, smooth blue that called to mind rippling waves or the scales of a dragon
dripping with seawater and shining in the sunlight.

Though the people drowned him with questions, he would say only that he had persuaded the dragons to cease their raging
and leave this place. Though angry, the Dragons were also saddened over what they had done to their own kingdom.
However, even their regret would not persuade them to return. Instead, they bestowed a portion of their power on the one
individual brave enough to face them in their own Storms.

Awed by the events the man related, the people declared he must be their new king. The man's name was Taiheiyou, and
to this day, the blue-haired kings of Kundou take this name when they are crowned. The three gods departed, and legends
say they live on a remote island somewhere far off in the forgotten parts of the vast sea. In honor of the gods with whom
they had fallen out of favor, the three islands of Kundou were named after them: Tsunami the main island, and the smaller
islands of Typhoon and Arashi. Their final blessing to the people they once loved was a gift of good weather around
Kundou-no storm ever rages across the islands, and thus will it remain unless the people ever forget their devotion and
respect for the Dragons of the Three Storms.

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"Thank you anyway, Sir Merchant. May the Three Storms favor you." Takara smiled politely at the pudgy silk-swathed
merchant as the man took his leave. As soon as the door had clicked shut, Takara fell bonelessly into his chair, rubbing a
hand tiredly across his forehead.

"You went rather easy on that one, don't you think?" the voice was neither warm nor cool, but a timbre that was somehow a
soothing in between-or would be, if Takara's practiced ears didn't pick up on the annoyance in it. He turned to look at the
speaker, who was seated with precise care on a satin chaise below the fine picture window overlooking the ocean that
surrounded most of the palace. He was renowned through the kingdom for his beauty, remarkable even in a family known
for its stunning looks. His thigh length hair was loose today, the ocean blue tresses glinting with the jeweled beads woven at
random throughout them. His skin was tanned golden, bringing his fierce blue green eyes to life. His features were elegant
but strong; he would never be described as soft. But much beauty was lost in the presence of the slight scowl that twisted
his otherwise generous lips.

"I am sorry if it appeared so, Nankyo. He was not going to assist us; it was clear from the start. I did not feel it necessary to
waste our time." Takara reached up to pull silver spectacles from his face, tossing them lightly on top of the numerous
papers still piled neatly on his desk. Lost in thought, he tugged absently at a strand of his own sea green hair, playing with
the amber bead fastened near the end of it.

Grudgingly the blue haired man nodded, rising with liquid grace from his seat and striding over to the desk. A breeze from
the open window drifted through the room, disturbing the papers and ruffling the sleeves of his billowing white robes. His
hand darted out to prevent the papers scattering, moving it only when Takara rested an ornate weight of sea glass in its
place.

"Takara, this is not going at all well. I do not care what it takes, the next man will agree to assist us." He frowned, examining
the lists and files piled across the desk, information and statistics for the various merchants and captains that were most
likely to accept their request. He started to speak, but a sharp knock indicated that their next possibility had arrived.
Returning the papers to their respective piles, the prince returned to his chaise and called permission to enter.

Takara examined the latest arrival with care as he slid his spectacles back into place, narrowing his gray eyes in thought.
The man looked familiar, but he could not recall where me might have encountered the figure that was bowing politely to
the Prince before standing politely before the desk.

He was handsome Takara could not help but notice. He had unusually fine features for a merchant, with a deep tan but
none of the wrinkles that came with a life spent mostly at sea. He was young; he could not be much older than Takara's
own 23 years. Most of his hair was hidden by a scarf placed over the top of his head and tied in the back; a style common
to merchants. The scarf was made of fine linen, in an abstract pattern of maroon and navy blue, shot through with bits of
gold thread. The hair he had initially thought black he could now see was actually an incredibly dark blue. With most of his
hair tucked up, his earrings were easy to see. Three jewel studs decorated each ear, each one a different color.

Loose pants were tucked into well-made brown leather boots, though they were mostly lost in the folds of the long, maroon
colored tunic he wore. A sash of maroon, green, and beige in an abstract pattern was fastened loosely around his waist,
making it easy to stash money, valuables, or even a dagger. The scooped collar of the robe bared the man's throat, and
displayed the triple row of slender gold chain that wrapped around it. Secured to the rows of gold was a small medallion
bearing the scale motif that was the mark of merchants.

Shaking away his stray thoughts, Takara brought his focus back to the problem at hand. "Please have a seat, Sir Merchant."
Takara examined the sheet of paper in front of him, "Your name is Shimano Raiden, yes? I believe you recognize his
imperial highness, Prince Nankyokukai.

The merchant nodded, rising again briefly to bow once more to the prince. Takara resumed speaking, "I am Takara Noumi,
Prince Nankyokukai's personal Secretary. We invited you here to ask a special favor of you." He lifted his gaze from his
papers to the man seated across from him, surprised to see the man was staring straight at him with a smile that was…he
would almost say leering, if it wasn't such an absurd idea. He was further startled as the merchant began to speak. His voice
was low, smooth.

"I have heard a bit about it from those that preceded me, though all they have stated was that it was a fool's journey."
Raiden stared at the secretary, his smile widening. "I confess I'm rather curious about the whole affair."

Takara frowned, both at the smile and the knowledge that the merchants were talking despite strict orders to avoid doing so.
He slid a glance to the prince, who only nodded. The merchants would be dealt with. Takara turned back to the smiling

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merchant, "Well then Sir Raiden, listen closely. Prince Nankyokukai and I have been charged with a special mission, one
that prevents our utilizing royal ships. We require a ship to escort us to these coordinates," the secretary rose, moving
toward a map pinned to the western wall. He motioned the merchant over, indicating a red marker set near the center of a
vast quadrant of blue.

The merchant's eyebrows lifted, the only sign of his surprise at the location. It was literally in the middle of nowhere. "That
location is at least…five months away. Of course, that's assuming no mishaps occur. The seas out that way are particularly
rough."

Takara nodded, please with the response. "Six months, to be exact. I realize it's difficult, and long on top of that. That is why
his Royal Majesty is offering 1 million paaru to whomever is willing to except the mission."

The merchant had stopped smiling, lost in thought. "Hmm…I understand why my fellows were so reluctant to accept the job.
That's at least a year at sea, with little to no relief. Trips like that have a rather unpleasant history. On top of that, there's all
the business lost-of course, the money you're offering is more than enough to make up for it. Still…"

Takara fought to keep the frustration from his face, "So you are not interested in taking the assignment?"

The odd smile from before returned, "I did not say that. Only, I would like to modify the reward slightly."

Takara's face brightened noticeably despite his desire to remain expressionless, "Modify? In what way?"

The merchant ignored the question, "I remember you, Lord Takara, from the auction three months ago. Are you still upset
that you lost that necklace to me?"

The secretary bristled as he finally recalled where he had seen the merchant before, displeasure deepening the color of his
eyes as he glared at the smirking merchant, "That has nothing to do with our current discussion, Sir Merchant. What terms
would persuade you to agree to assist us?"

Raiden's smile said that he was laughing silently, and that he knew exactly how annoyed the secretary was with him. He did
not seem to mind, "I want half that money in actual paaru-500,000. That I would like to be given to my captain, since he is
as involved in the decision as I am. He will gladly do whatever I ask of him, nevertheless I feel he should receive the same
compensation as I."

"…Very well, as you say. It is your money after all. And the other half you would like in the form of…?" Takara raised one
eyebrow, still glaring slightly at the man standing before him.

"The other half I want in the form of-you."

Takara gaped at the man for several heartbeats, not quite sure he had heard correctly. He decided he could not have.
"Excuse me?"

"I want you as the rest of my payment-for the extent of the journey. That is my deal."

Takura was afraid he had heard correctly the first time. "That is impossible. You are out of your mind, Merchant. I want you-
"

"Agree Takara," the princes interrupted, rising from his chaise, one hand on his hip.

"Highness! You cannot be serious!"

"I told you Takara, to do whatever was necessary to get the next merchant to agree. Did I not? He has stated his terms, you
will agree to them."

Takara only stared, not able to comprehend anything about the situation. The prince and he frequently clashed but this… "I
see, Highness. As you wish." He turned his flat expression on the smirking Raiden. "You have you terms, Lord Raiden. If
you and your captain will report here tomorrow at this time, the contracts will be ready for signing."

Raiden grinned outright, "Excellent." In a sudden burst of movement, he reached out to grasp Takara's shoulders, hauling
him close and crushing Takara's lips with his own. The kiss was over before the secretary could recover from his shock. "I'll
see you tomorrow then, Lord Takara." Laughing, Raiden strolled across the office and out the door.

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Flushed with shame and consternation, Takara whirled to face the prince, who was laughing loudly with the merchant gone.
"How could you do that, Kyo? I know you're anxious to be finished, but that was too much. I'm not a whore or slave to be
sold at your convenience."

Nankyokukai was still laughing as he replied with cold eyes, "You're my servant Takara, and you'll do as I say. Besides, the
way you were staring at him I'd wager you don't find the idea all that awful. You didn't tell me you had an admirer like that, I
don't give you enough credit." Strolling toward the back of the office, he opened the door that led to his bedchamber. "I'm
glad that's taken care of. If anyone else needs me, tell them it can wait. After this day of tedium, I feel the need for a nap."
His laughter echoed down the hall.

"…Yes, Prince," anger growing, Takara somehow managed to keep his temper until the laughing prince had departed. The
door clicked shut and it took all of his will power to avoid smashing random objects. Instead he only glared at the view out
the window, forcing himself to calm. His eyes shimmered briefly for a moment, like sunlight reflecting off a dark sea.
Suddenly he felt the need for a long, exhausting swim.

Chapter One

Nankyokukai sighed, gazing out the window of his bedchamber at the ocean below. It was as flawlessly blue as always, the
exact color of his hair except where depth added shades of green and purple to the shifting waters. He hated the color, and
anything resembling it. It was a hideous shade, that ocean blue.

Tired of the view, he turned away from the window and rose smoothly from his seat. His emerald and gold robes whispered
around him as he strolled across the wide chamber, the rainbow of jeweled beads threaded through his long hair flashing in
the sunlight.

Reaching into his robes, the prince withdrew a pair of gold spectacles and slid them on. He halted in front of a tall
bookcase, neatly packed with a variety of reading material. Some of them seemed new, the leather binding still stiff, the gold
lettering bright and clear. Others were much more worn; the leather cracked and faded, the lettering barely legible. It was
one of these older volumes that he finally selected. Though the front was illegible with age, opening the book revealed
pages that somehow still looked new. Idly he thumbed through the volume, murmuring to himself with a thoughtful frown on
his face.

A sharp rap on the door broke his train of thought. Annoyed, he snapped at the intruder, "Enter if you must."

The door opened to admit the slender form of his Secretary, pushing restlessly at his own spectacles. "Nankyo, your father
requests your presence, and our…merchant will be here shortly as well. I assume you wanted to be present for the full
explanation?"

"Of course I want to be there, Takara. I wouldn't miss seeing you change ownership for the world." He snickered at the
anger that darkened the Secretary's silver-gray eyes. "Though, you'll still be my secretary really. Let's not forget that while
you're…entertaining our new friend, hmm?"

"Your father is waiting, little prince." Takara snarled the hated nickname before slamming the door shut behind him.

Leisurely the prince returned the book he'd been skimming to its place on the shelves, removing his glasses and carefully
returning them to his robes. With that same slow, relaxed pace he strode across the room and through the outer office to the
main hallway. Takara was waiting in the hallway.

"Come off it, Taka. I wouldn't have done it if hadn't been necessary."

"Oh, really? And what if he'd demanded you as his plaything?" Eyes the color of a storm cloud turned to at the beautiful
prince.

Nankyokukai only smirked, "He's not so bad looking, really. However, he didn't ask for me, did he? He demanded my pretty
Secretary. Walk more slowly or we'll actually get there on time." The prince grasped Takara's arm and forced the secretary
to slow. "Now, outline the contract details for me and we'll make sure everything is in order before the signing this
afternoon."

The two men talked quietly together as they made their way to the opposite side of the palace, occasionally sniping at each

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other. Neither man seemed to notice the looks cast their way as they strode down the hallway, looks that were a mix of awe,
envy, and fear.

"It certainly took you long enough to get here." King Taiheiyou frowned at his youngest child, displeasure increasing when
the Prince failed to look even remotely apologetic. The three figures were in the King's private office, and he had dismissed
his advisors so that they could converse in private. A salty breeze drifted through the open window on the eastern wall, and
the King breathed it in deeply in an attempt to soothe his rising temper. "I have plenty enough to do without your holding me
up more than necessary. What kept you?"

Nankyokukai brushed back the strands of hair that had spilled over his shoulder, tossing his father a bored look, "I didn't feel
like coming."

The king let his anger seep into his expression, "At least you realize what you feel doesn't matter. Now have a seat and
report to me on the progress of your preparations."

The prince's face had gone cold as he moved with his effortless grace to the seat positioned in front of the King's enormous
desk. "We have contracted a ship as of yesterday, the owner will be here shortly to sign the contract. We will then explain
the exact nature of our journey to him. Does that satisfy you, Majesty?"

Taiheiyou frowned, "With whom did you arrange the deal?"

"A merchant, Majesty. I am afraid that the more…acceptable owners all turned down the offer. And given the nature of the
journey, I was reluctant to make it a royal request as you initially suggested I do."

"A merchant? Is that really the best you could do, Nankyo? Just see to it that you don't waste any more of the royal funds
when he starts demanding more money," the king reprimanded.

A soft laugh escaped the prince's lips. "I don't think that will be a problem. Our merchant seemed more than content with the
bargain we struck. If he tries to alter things at the signing today, I will set him straight."

Beside him, Takara tensed. Barely quelling the desire to smack the royal upside the head, he forced himself to concentrate
on the King's words.

"And you are planning to depart shortly, yes? It cannot wait much longer. Your deplorable habit of moving like a turtle on
land will not be tolerated in this. Do I need to explain to you again the vital importance of this mission?"

Expression a mixture of hot and cold, the prince rose from his seat and turned to leave, "You needn't. I believe I understood
it the first one hundred times it was explained to me, Highness."

"I didn't give you permission to leave." The king rose to his feet and planted his hands on his desk, blue hair spilling over his
shoulders and across the desk.

Nankyokukai paused, his right hand resting on an ornate doorknob. "I noticed; that's why I decided to take matters into my
own hands."

"Blast it boy, you will show me some respect or you will regret it."

The prince halted halfway out the door and turned slowly around, stepping back inside and shutting the door behind him.
Takara stood just behind him and to the right, pushing restlessly at his spectacles and looking out the window to gauge the
time.

A bitter laugh escaped the prince's throat, "I'll regret it? How in the name of the great sea will you make me regret it? You'll
have to be pretty damned creative to outdo what you've already done by assigning me this voyage. Come Takara, we have
better things to do with our time."

The two departed, leaving the silent, fuming king behind them.

Takara waited until they reached the prince's own office before speaking, "Prince, that reminds me-what is to be done with
the merchants from yesterday? The ones who were proving incapable of keeping their mouths shut?

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"Ah, yes. I took care of the memory spells myself yesterday before my nap-
while you were off swimming and fantasizing." Nankyokukai snickered as he strode over to his desk, taking the seat that
Takara has used the other day. He motioned the glaring secretary to his side as he pulled the contract close to look over the
contents. "Not bad Takara-did you have a lot of trouble writing your own name here?" he looked up at his secretary,
returning his string of curses with a laugh. "Enough Takara, glaring and cursing won't rescind the deal. Resign yourself to a
year as a plaything. It will be good for you."

This time Takara did smack him, but before the Nankyokukai could respond in kind a knock sounded. "Enter," snapped
Takara before the Prince could.

He was still good looking, was all the annoyed secretary could think when Raiden sauntered through the door. He frowned
at the unwelcome thought, allowing himself to be briefly distracted by the man that came in behind the confident merchant.

The first thing one noticed about the man was his hair, a pale, almost silvery ash blonde. Such hair was extremely rare in
their country-most had darker shades of hair, rarer individuals had hair in "water tones" like Takara's own sea green locks.
The silver-blonde hair was perfectly straight, and cut close to his head. A small, black pearl decorated one ear, the only
piece of jewelry he wore besides the silver medallion bearing the mark of a ship captain.

Odder still was the man's skin-the insignia on the medallion around his neck indicated he was a captain, but his skin was
fair. It wasn't tanned and lined like that of someone who spent extensive amounts of time at sea. His face was smooth,
unlined-more like the skin of one of the court nobles, who suffered the sun and heat only when they had to. The rest of him
certainly bore no resemblance to nobility however.

His semi-formal tunic was sleeveless, and showed off his strong shoulders and chest. The tunic matched the color of his
eyes, a soft gray-blue the color of the morning sky before the sun begins to brighten it. Black breeches were tucked into
black leather boots that stopped just above his knees. The boots gleamed like new, thought the way the man moved easily
in them showed that he'd owned them long enough to break them in. His sash was flamboyant against his otherwise
practical outfit, an elaborate star and cloud design in silver and dark blue, with the faintest touches of deep red.

Raiden and his captain approached the desk, both men folding over in a polite bow, the merchant murmuring politely, "Your
Majesty, Lord Takara. Good afternoon."

The prince motioned the men to rise, greeting them in return. "Sir Raiden, good day to you. This is your captain, yes?" His
eyes slid to examine the man that was only just taller than even the prince himself. The captain stared back.

"Yes, Majesty. This is Captain Kindan Ningyo, of the merchant ship The Fuujin. He has been in my employ for eleven years
now." Raiden turned to grin at the captain, who ignored the merchant to bow a second time to the men behind the desk.

"A pleasure to meet you, Captain. We extend our gratitude for your willingness to assist us on our journey," Nankyokukai
said politely.

"It is an honor, Highness," was Ningyo's quiet response. His voice was deep, and the brief reply carried a hint of some
strange accent.

Nankyokukai indicated the men should be seated, sliding the contract across the desk for them to read. Beside him, Takara
moved to set pens and ink within easy reach. "If you will read and sign that my Lords, we can explain the mission to you."

The two men in front of the desk looked at the prince in surprise at his words. Raiden spoke first, "Lords, your Majesty? We
carry no such title" the contract lay neglected on the desk.

"If you will read the contract, Lord Merchant, you will see that the title is a slight bonus-I felt it was fitting, all things
considered. I'm sure you will agree once the details are explained to you. If you would sign?"

A few minutes of silence passed as Raiden and Ningyo both read and signed the contract. At last they finished, and Takara
moved to take the contract back. Reaching over, he was impeded by the hand resting on top of the piece of paper. He
looked up at the hand's owner, only to encounter the gloating smirk of Raiden. Willing his face to remain blank, Takara
looked back down and attempted to move the hand off the paper. After a few seconds of struggling, the hand finally lifted,
leaving the secretary free to take back the contract.

Beside him a sudden coughing fit seized the prince, causing Raiden's smirk to increase.

Ningyo shot a surreptitious glare at the man beside him, then spoke to the prince, "Are you all right, Highness?"

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"Perfectly all right, Captain. Thank you. If you gentlemen are satisfied I will explain." The two men nodded, "Very well. Every
200 years a member of the royal family is expected to make a journey to a special island-at the exact location I showed to
you yesterday, Lord Raiden. All maps indicate nothing is there of course, but that is only because the Royal House has
made every effort to keep the island a secret. At any rate, the purpose of the journey is to deliver a tribute.

"Tribute, Highness? To whom?"

"To the Three Dragons, of course."

Raiden and Ningyo looked torn between laughing politely at a bad joke or snorting in complete disbelief. Ningyo spoke, "To
the Dragons, Highness? Surely you are not serious."

The prince's gaze grew cool, "Of course I'm serious. I do not make jokes about such matters-especially as I am the one
being ordered to make the journey."

There was a pause, while the two men across the desk attempted to understand what they had just been told. Finally, the
merchant spoke up, "Then, what matter of tribute are you offering? Are there special instructions for us concerning the
handling and transportation of this tribute?"

Takara spoke up when the prince abruptly grew silent and waved his hand at the secretary, "That I'm afraid is not going to
be divulged to you. The nature of the tribute must remain a royal secret."

"…Very well. For what date is our departure planned?" Raiden asked

"Exactly three weeks from today, and preferably quite early in the morning. The fewer who notice our departure, the better.
The journey must be as secret as possible. That is why we have hired an outside ship, rather than drawing attention by
using a royal vessel."

"That brings up another question, if you will forgive my asking," Ningyo looked to the prince, who only nodded. "Why did you
not simply purchase a ship and man it with your own people?"

Nankyokukai responded to the question, "Again, because it would be noticed. No one will notice the extended absence of a
simple merchant ship, even if it does disappear for a year or more. All royal employees stay in close waters; to have them
disappear for such an extended period of time would draw questions. "

Raiden was unconvinced, "And if we all die, there won't be any loss of valuable men. No one would care if we die."

The prince smirked, "That would be His Majesty's unstated reason, yes."

Raiden returned the prince's smirk, "Well, I assumed as much when I agreed to it all. My men are the best on the islands; it
would take a great deal of danger for them to even notice it. Isn't that right, Kindan?"

"Yes, it is."

Takara smiled despite himself, glad that whatever tension might have started to brew had so easily been dispersed. He
looked down at his boss, pleased to see the frown on his face had faded back into his usual, neutral expression. Glancing
back across the desk, he spoke to the two men, "Any more questions gentlemen?"

The merchant started to speak, but Takara anticipated the nature of the question and quickly clarified, "About the mission?"

Raiden only smirked, "None about the mission, but I think we'll speak after this meeting?"

"…Fine."

The prince didn't even bother to cover up his laughter this time, and waved his secretary off, "Get the items, Takara."

"Yes, Majesty." Turning around, he withdrew a heavy ring of keys from inside his sash. Takara unlocked the cabinet situated
just behind the desk, withdrawing a small box. Relocking the cabinet and returning the heavy ring, he once again faced the
desk, opening the box and presenting it to the two, seated men. "A personal thank you gift from Prince Nankyokukai."

Resting on velvet padding inside the black lacquered were two medallions, similar to the ones already around the throats of
the merchant and captain. Medallions, ranging in size depending on money and personality, identified the trade and rank of
a person. They could be made of any material, the finer the material the higher the ranking of the person who wore it.

The two resting in the box were of moderate size, maybe twice the size of a large coin. They were strung on the triple chain

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that was the current fashion, and made to be worn as a choker. Both medallion and chain were of white gold. The first was
emblazoned with the scale motif of the merchants, the second with the compass motif of the independent ships, an added
star signifying a Captain status. Woven into both was the dragon emblem of the Royal Family.

A similar medallion hung around Takara's own throat, though the dragon emblem was woven around the eye that was the
mark of the Secretaries.

Raiden laughed as he accepted his own medallion, beside him the captain murmured a polite thanks.

The prince remained impassive, "A trifling thank you, considering you'll only really enjoy it if we manage to return home. But
you may wear them now, if you like. We will see you in a few weeks time." With that he rose fluidly from his seat, not
noticing the lingering glance of the seated Captain. He paused at the door to his bedchamber, "Takara, be back in an hour
or so. There is still much work to be done before we leave, and it won't get done if you're off with your new companion. May
the Three Storms favor you both, gentlemen."

Chapter Two

Takara knocked briefly on the prince's door, barely waiting for the curt "enter" before opening the door and stepping inside.
The door had only just closed behind him when the sound of Nankyokukai's familiar laughter filled the room.

"Well, well-I guess the inspection proceeded just fine without me." Nankyokukai continued laughing at Takara's flushed
face. "You did remember to inspect the ship, didn't you?"

Takara dropped his satchel to the floor and stalked across the room to where the prince was seated at his dressing table,
determined to knock the youngest royal to the floor. "Isn't it enough you've forced me into this ridiculous contract? Must you
constantly mock me for it, Prince?"

Nankyokukai's reflection smirked at the secretary from the mirror over the dressing table. "Would you calm down? You're
over reacting. Honestly Takara, of course I have to tease you-clearly you aren't suffering overmuch from his attentions.
Really, I'm jealous."

The secretary halted just behind the prince, glaring at the reflection, "Very funny. I throw out love letters and proposals for
you every day. And you get just as many offers in person-it's not my damn fault you're too picky, little prince."

The humor faded from the prince's face, "I have my reasons. Anyway, given the present circumstances isn't it far better that
I don't have a lover?

Takara's anger vanished as his own words hit him, and he looked away, "My apologies Prince."

"How did the inspection go? Everything is in order?"

Takara shook his head, clearing his thoughts. He began to speak as he turned back toward the door to retrieve the bag he'd
left there. "Everything is in order, we should be ready to leave first thing tomorrow morning."

"I'm impressed. I did not think they would have everything in order so quickly, despite their assurances. What of the crew?"

"More than competent; both Raiden and Ningyo swear by their men and I could find no fault of my own." Takara retrieved a
bundle of papers from his satchel and walked over to rejoin the prince, who had reseated himself at his dressing table.

"My father has insisted on a family dinner tonight, to inform them of our journey.
Naturally that means he'll be lying about what we are actually up to, but of course he has failed to inform me as to what his
excuse will be." Nankyokukai frowned at his reflection as he lifted a brush and then set it down again.

"Why does he not inform you of his excuse ahead of time? Would that not make things much simpler?" Takara thought he
already knew the answer.

"Isn't it obvious? He doesn't want to give me a chance to contrive a way of ruining everything. Leave those papers on the
table a moment. There's something else I want your help with, Taka."

"What would that be?" Takara set his things aside as commanded and moved to stand behind the prince again, looking at
their reflection. He recognized the composed expression on the prince's face and sighed. "You've found a way to cause

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trouble anyway, haven't you?"

"Naturally. Thought it's more like lovely timing is all, I was planning to do this tonight anyway." The prince smirked at their
reflection, reaching out to pick up a pair of scissors. "I had all the beads taken out of my hair while you were gone, so it's
ready for you to cut. I was thinking to about the chin?"

Takara gaped, "You want me to cut your hair? Do you have any idea what they'll do to you?"

"They won't do anything under the circumstances. I'm sure my father would normally delight in wringing my neck over such
a travesty, but our current circumstances are hardly normal, are they? Let's be serious for a moment. I'm going to be on
that ship for roughly six months, with perhaps only one or two breaks early on. The last three months or so will be
uninterrupted water. Do you really want to help me take care of all this?" Nankyokukai shook his head, sending the heavy
mass of long hair waving back and forth down his back. "Besides, no one on board needs to be impressed by my gorgeous
looks and long, flowing hair. Now get with the cutting."

Shaking his head in regret, Takara leaned over the Prince's shoulder to grab a brush, tucking the offered scissors into his
own midnight blue sash. "As you command."

He'd managed to keep a straight face on the short journey from his room to the family's private dining room, ignoring the
looks and comments of passerby in silence, but one look at the expressions on his family's faces had Nankyokukai laughing
almost hysterically. He could hear Takara groan in despair behind him, and that only made him laugh harder.

His once long hair now stopped just below his chin, still flawlessly straight. He ran a hand through it, still marveling at how
abruptly his hair stopped. It was strange, but it felt good.

Nankyokukai finally stopped laughing as his father rose and stalked toward him. Refusing to flinch, a soft hiss was the only
sound the prince made as the king backhanded his youngest child with a resounding smack. The prince refused to lift a
hand to examine his sore face.

"What in the Storms' names have you done? What is the meaning of this?" King Taiheiyou's face was red with anger.

The prince smirked, "I was bored." He saw his father move to backhand him again and endured the second blow the same
as he had the first. Strolling over to the table with a sighing Takara in tow, Nankyokukai stopped and greeted his mother and
sister, seated at the end of the table closest to the door through which he had just entered. "Mother, Umiko. You both look
lovely this evening."

Queen Nami shook her head, kissing her son's cheek. "Nankyo, how could you cut your hair like that? You look like a
commoner."

"I think it's pretty, you look older." Umiko leaned up to kiss her younger brother on the cheek, her own laughter dancing in
her eyes.

Rising, the youngest prince looked down the table toward his brothers, who were staring at him with displeasure written all
over their faces. Sweeping his own long hair behind his shoulders, the brother seated to the right of the king's chair spoke,
"Really Nankyo, could we enjoy one meal together without your ruining it? You look atrocious."

"The fact that we are dining alone together immediately discounts any possibility of enjoyment, Taiseiyou, so don't try to
blame our shared misery on me. I like my hair, atrocious or no. Now, I'm ravenous. Whatever are we having for dinner? Oh
yes, I invited Takara along. I'm sure no one minds."

The queen smiled as Takara approached to greet her, and she kissed his cheek as she had Nankyokukai's, "Of course we
don't mind. Lord Takara, it is good to see you. The two of you are always so busy, I never see you anymore."

"Our apologies, Majesty. We shall endeavor to visit you more often." Takara smiled affectionately at the queen before
moving down the table to sit beside Nankyokukai, who had seated himself beside his second eldest brother, avoiding the
heir apparent on the opposite side, whom had spoken earlier.

The king had already resumed his seat, though his face still tight with anger, "You are late."

"My apologies, it took longer than anticipated to cut my hair."

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Silence.

"Your impertinence, Nankyo, will be the end of you." The king said as the rest of the family fell into a tense silence.

The Queen opened her mouth to speak when Nankyokukai spoke in a frozen tone, "No, somehow I don't think it will." He
stared expressionlessly at his father, who only stared back. "I no longer have an appetite. Takara, do stay and enjoy the
meal. Mother, your pardon." Rising with his effortless fluidity, Nankyokukai briefly rest a hand on the shoulder of his
secretary, signaling him to stay.

He departed without a backward glance.

"Tai, that was uncalled for. I thought you had something important to discuss with all of us." Queen Nami's voice had lost its
soft tones. The mass of tiny braids spilling down from the top of her head swished as she shook her head in
disappointment. The braids ran down her back, a stark blue against the pale pink of her silk dinner dress. "I was looking
forward to this dinner, it's been so long since we last were all together."

Princess Umiko brooded silently beside her, a twenty four year old copy of her elegant mother in pale green, her own hair
pulled high to cascade in artificial curls down her back. She stared at her hands, wishing she were eating dinner with her
mother on the balcony rather than here with her father and brothers.

"Nami, you know very well that he was asking for it. You saw his hair. He was just causing trouble again. He lives to
provoke us--you can hardly blame me for giving him what he wants." The King sat back heavily in his seat, tapping the table
idly as he thought, "I'm sick of him, no respect at all; just one fiasco after another. He's been a problem since the day he
was bo-"

Nami's face went pale, and she rose from her chair. "You really should learn to watch what you say. Come Umiko, we shall
dine in my chambers. I can see the men are not fit for company tonight." Gathering her skirts, the queen led her daughter
from the room.

A silence descended, before the eldest prince spoke up, "It seems those two are in quite the mood tonight. I'm eternally
grateful, father, that I inherited your temperament rather than mother's."

The King only grunted, "Nonsense, your mother can be perfectly reasonable under normal circumstances. I'm afraid I was in
the wrong with that last statement, though it certainly did not warrant her storming out."

Taiseiyou sniffed, "Well, you certainly were not out of line with Nankyo. You really should put him in his place; he's getting
out of hand. Cutting his hair, he really went too far this time!"

"Let it be, Sei. Nankyo won't be here much longer anyway-that's what I called us all here for. But it seems I've lost the two
whom I most wanted here."

The second son spoke up, his quiet voice hard with anger, "Che, I never understood why mother was always so soft on him.
He's nothing but trouble. All he did this afternoon in court was cause trouble. First he incited a handful of farmers-it took me
the rest of the morning to calm them down. After that fiasco he started conducting business with a couple of merchants. We
were supposed to be fining them, not giving them more money! Then he started eating candy and passing it out to some
pickpockets we'd arrested. He's utterly useless." He turned to look at the young man seated next to him, "Oh, Takara. I
forgot you were here."

Takara said nothing, only stared back until Indoyou looked away.

"Never mind your mother, I can speak with her later. Takara is here, he can make up for Nankyo's absence." The king
stared at his food a moment, gathering his thoughts. "I am sending Nankyo, accompanied by Takara, on a special mission,
one that will keep them away for some time." He held up a hand as Taiseiyou started to speak, "Never mind what the
mission is, that will stay a secret for now. I only tell you this because I want his absence to remain a secret. Should anyone
question his whereabouts during the next year or so, you are to say that he is incapacitated, recovering in the country. Not
to be disturbed. Lord Takara, confirm for me once more what your departure date is."

Takara looked up from where he had been staring into his wineglass, "We depart exactly one week from tomorrow, and we
plan to leave at daybreak."

The king nodded, "That will suffice." He returned his attention to his sons, who only stared back with confused expressions,
"Then start to circulate rumors that Nankyo is feeling unwell, and that he may have to retire permanently from palace life."

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"Yes, sir" the brothers dutifully chorused.

"Takara, see to it that Nankyo starts to appear less and less in the coming week. I would like for you to inform people that
he is feeling unwell. Make sure he cooperates, all right? You are dismissed." Taiheiyou waved his hand at the secretary.

Takara rose, bowing to the king and two princes before turning on his heel and heading silently for the door, his silver-green
robes whispering softly around him.

"Hold a moment, Lord Takara. I will walk with you." Taiseiyou bowed apologetically to his father, murmuring assurances that
he would return shortly. "I would like a quick word with Nankyo before he locks himself away to sulk all night." He followed
the secretary from the room.

"Takara, what is this mission all about?" Prince Taiseiyou looked anxiously over at the secretary as they made their way
down the vast marbled hallway toward Nankyokukai's private chambers.

"With all do respect Highness, it's none of your business." Takara's voice was cool. "His Majesty has commanded my
silence, I will abide by his wishes."

"Ever the obedient servant - you are your mother's son. Remind me again why you work for my brother? Wouldn't you
rather work for your future king? Come now, Takara. What would you like?"

Takara stopped walking, turning to face the prince. "I would say the matter you plan on discussing with your brother is a
large part of my reasons--hardly the behavior of a future king, wouldn't you agree Highness?"

Taiseiyou drew a sharp breath, "What do you know about it? It's none of your concern!"

"It's my concern if Prince Nankyokukai says it is. Now shall we continue, or would you prefer to continue our discussion here
in the hall?" Spinning on his heel, Takara resumed his brisk pace, turning right at the end of the wide main hall onto a
slightly narrower one, heading for the very end of it.

Beside him the eldest prince shook his head in disgust. "Clearly you've been working with him too long - you're as lacking in
respect as he is. Don't speak so carelessly to me again, Secretary."

"My apologies, Highness." Takara murmured softly as they reached their destination. Opening the door into the front office,
the two quickly crossed to the door that led into the bedchambers. Takara knocked briefly before entering the room.

A brief look around found the youngest prince reclining on the window seat, already in his bed robes. He was fiddling with a
pendant, but at the approach of the two men he hid it again beneath his robes. Takara spoke, "Prince, your brother wishes
to speak with you."

"Oh? Is that why he's followed you here like a scared puppy? What do you want, Sei?"

So confident in the dining room earlier, Taiseiyou suddenly felt incapable. His youngest brother had that effect on people. "I
wanted to discuss the--" the heir fumbled with his words.

His brother sneered, "The what? Can't you remember, big brother?"

"You know what I mean!"

"Yes, I do. What's your point? I'd like to get to bed, so hurry up." Nankyokukai turned to look out the window while his
brother struggled to speak.

"The King's Stone, I want to know what we're going to do about the King's Stone. You're going to be gone a year, Nankyo!
What am I supposed to do while you're gone? What if father finds out I don't have it? You can't just leave, we have to fix
this."

Nankyokukai's cold laugh rang through his bedchamber, adding to the tension rather than cooling it. "We? What have you
ever done to help me fix your problem, hmm? As far as I can recall, I'm the one doing all the work. But-" he swung his legs
down from the window seat, rising with slow grace to his feet and stepping toward the heir. "Cease your worries. You will be
fine for another year or so - the Stone is safe enough where it is. And when I get back, I should be ready to return it to its
rightful owner."

Nankyokukai shoved his brother away. "Now, let me go to sleep." He stalked off toward his bed.

"You can really fix it then?"

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"Yes. Leave."

Nearly shaking with relief, Taiseiyou stumbled from his brother's room. He would get more information tomorrow - the
promise of a solution was enough for now.

Watching the door close, Takara sighed. "Honestly, Nankyo - haven't you tortured him long enough?"

"Don't ask stupid questions, Taka." Nankyo stripped his robe off and tossed it over a chair. Naked, he slid into his bed with a
sigh of his own. "How has my father chosen to explain my absence?

"You're falling dangerously ill."

"How uncreative. Well, our leaving early will certainly ruin that." He laughed softly as he pulled the blankets close around his
body, burying himself in the bed. "We leave at dawn, so wake me three hours or so before that, Taka."

"Goodnight, Nankyo."

"Indeed."

Takara went slowly around the room, robes whispering as he closed the curtains and snuffed the few candles.

Going through the door at the back of the prince's room, Takara stepped into his own chambers. Heaving an exhausted
sigh, he quickly prepared for bed.

He lay in bed, only the faintest rays of moonlight breaking the absolute gloom. Before long, he began to toss and turn
restlessly. Try as he might, his mind would not rest. Conversations and incidents of the past several days replayed in his
head, tightening his stomach with nervousness and worry.

"Sweetheart, I really don't want you going. You sound sickened when you speak of this trip - I don't think you should go."
Hana looked up at her son, worry in her light brown eyes. Afternoon sun brought out the color in her silver streaked, dark
green hair.

"I'm going mother - as much as I hate it, I want to go. It's…only right." Takara kissed his mother's cheek. "Please don't
worry, I'll be fine."

"I never should have permitted you to work for the palace. If I've learned nothing else from my life here, I've--"

"--Learned that you should never trust a royal. Work hard, be loyal, but never trust them. Yes, mother, I know." Takara
shook his head, laughing.

"Don't be smart with me, boy." Hana smiled up at her son. "Well, I'm not going to fret myself to death. You've done superbly
so far, and if you really are decided I'm not going to press it. You could have told me sooner though."

"Ah, but then you would've fretted yourself to death." Rising from the stone bench on which they were seated, Takara gave
his mother another kiss. "Now, you get back to your garden. I'll expect to see these flowers in perfect condition when I
return."

"Of course, haven't I kept them perfect for the past forty years now?" She rose, hugging him tightly for several long
seconds. "Be careful, Taka."

"I will, Mother. I always am," Takara stepped away, and smiling he strolled back toward the palace, trailing his fingers along
the flowers and trees edging the path of the intricate royal garden so meticulously shaped and cared for by his mother over
the decades.

"We shall see you first thing in the morning then, Takara." Raiden and the secretary stood in the entrance hall of the palace.
A cool evening breeze drifted through the open windows, dispersing the day's humidity.

"Yes, at dawn or shortly thereafter. You will be ready?" Takara looked over at the merchant, who smiled.

"Of course. It's not my favorite time to be awake, but we shall be ready."

"Excellent. Enjoy your evening then," the secretary turned to leave.

"Not so fast." Raiden grabbed his wrist, reaching up his second hand to grip the secretary's chin, forcing him to tilt his head

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up. Leaning down he kissed Takara softly, pulling back slightly to murmur, "It works better when you participate."

Takara jerked away, "Forget it." Spinning on his heel, the secretary stalked off, trying in vain to ignore both his own red face
and the laughter of the servants and officials passing through the hallway.

With a groan Takara forced the thoughts from his mind. Rubbing a hand over his face, he climbed from his bed, wrapping a
robe around himself to keep out the cool night air. Reclining in the chaise beside the room's picture window, Takara sat and
watched the sky as clouds hid the moon from sight, only to bare it again a few minutes later.

When a servant came to wake him a few hours later, he was still on the chaise, his head resting on his folded arms, his legs
tucked up beneath him.

Chapter Three

"Get up, Nankyo!" Furious, Takara made a third attempt to wake the prince. "Stop annoying me and get up already - I swear
I'm going to use water next!"

Nothing.

Glaring at the pile of blankets on the bed and the figure buried somewhere beneath them, Takara huffed in frustration. "Why
do you insist on doing this every morning? You would think that today of all days you could cooperate."

He stood in silence for a moment, before suddenly smiling. Bending slightly, he grasped the blanket in his hands and
yanked.

"By the Dragons! That's cold! Storms Taka, you said water was next!" Nankyokukai snapped, glaring at his secretary
through messy strands of ocean blue hair.

"I lied."

"Hmph, you're going to pay for that," the prince clambered from his bed and stalked naked toward his massive closet. "Is
everything ready?"

"Of course. We have only to show up at the docks. I thought we would eat breakfast at that inn by the harbor you like so
much. I made arrangements for it yesterday; the captain and Raiden will meet us. We are due there in about two hours. We
would have had more time, if you had risen when I first woke you."

"And where, pray tell, is the fun in that?" Nankyo said offhandedly as he secured his dark blue robes with a cream colored
sash. Finished, he strolled to his dresser and snatched up a brush. "I honestly think I prefer my hair this way; I wish I'd done
it sooner, I would have been able to sleep in a whole two hours on most days."

"Indeed. Are you going out like that, Nankyo?"

"No, though I doubt anyone that may be out at this hideous hour would pay me any attention. But part of the reason for
leaving today is to avoid unwanted attention, so better safe than sorry I suppose. Wait until we reach the gates, I'll cast a
glamour then." Nankyokukai yawned.

Preparations completed a few minutes later, the two men made short work of exiting the castle. Exiting from the servants'
door, they paused just outside the carved stone gates protecting the palace from unwanted visitors.

"Alright, here we go. I think just a simple one will suffice, I'm too tired to cast a full glamour," Nankyo yawned again, then
closed his eyes. Holding a lock of his hair in one hand, he held the other in front of his face. His lips moved almost
soundlessly, only bits of his chanting were audible in the early morning air. His chanting continued uninterrupted for a
minute or two, Takara stood silently by. As the chanting died, the prince's hair seemed to alter in color, shifting from an
ocean blue to a mint green.

Opening his eyes, the prince smirked, "Good enough?" He waited as Takara nodded. "Then let's get going. I wouldn't want
to keep our escorts waiting too long, and this glamour is only good for about an hour."

Pulling up a scarf to protect his own head from the early morning chill, Takara sighed softly and followed Nankyo out into

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the streets.

They walked in silence, footsteps gradually falling into time. Their steps seemed especially loud in the eerie quiet of the dark
morning. Passing through an intersection, they turned at the sound of new footsteps. Coming toward them from their right
was an elderly man, his head down.

His head was bare, and he wore a short robe rather than the more common long ones worn by Takara and Nankyokukai.
He also carried a peculiar looking bag.

Takara looked at the old man, then looked at the prince. Receiving a nod, he called out, "Good morning, Sir. What purpose
has a Healer out and about at this hour?"

The old man looked up, startled. He apparently had not noticed the two men standing in the intersection. As Nankyokukai
and Takara approached him, the reason for it became clear. The man looked to be on the verge of tears. "Sir, what troubles
you?"

"Forgive me, my Lords." The man bowed in apology, "I am just returning from a birthing."

Takara spoke softly, "I see. Did it not go well, then? How are the mother and her new child?"

The healer's face twisted further in misery. " The mother is doing well, given the circumstances…"

Silent until now, the prince's voice was suddenly very sharp. "What circumstances? What of the child?"

The old man looked up at him, "I think you already know. She gave birth to "cursed" children. I tried to convince her it was
merely a stupid superstition…but you know how peasants are…"

Takara grimaced and shook his head, "I had thought that superstition was dying finally."

Nankyokukai looked away, cursing fluidly beneath his breath. "The second born was killed then?"

"…Yes, my lord. It was. The parents insisted on burying it themselves."

"I am sorry you had to start your morning in so gruesome a manner, healer. May the Three Storms look more favorably
upon you," Nankyo's voice was low, his words barely audible. He turned and walked away.

Takara rest a hand on the old man's shoulder in an attempt to offer comfort, "You tried to prevent it, take heart in that. Know
that his Highness Prince Nankyokukai works to put a stop to the practice once and for all."

The man managed a weak smile, "It is good to hear that one of the Royals cares. The old rumor is true, then?"

"Perhaps. May the Three Storms favor you," Takara nodded a farewell and turned, darting on quick feet after the prince.

"Prince, slow down please. If you keep this pace up, we'll get there on time."

Nankyokukai slowed his pace, looking back to smirk at his secretary, "Taka, did you just encourage one of my bad habits?"

"If it will calm you down, yes." Takara took his arm, and forced the prince to stop. "There's nothing you could have done."

"I'm fine, Taka." Nankyo grasped the hand gripping his arm, holding it for the barest second before removing it, "Now come
on, I know how eager you are to see you're lover."

Takara glared, "He's not my lover!"

"Yet."

"Shut up."

Nankyo only laughed and resumed walking, this time at a much more leisurely pace. "So you admit it's a possibility? I really
can't wait until the day you have to thank me for renting you to him. I do believe this is funnier than that time I kissed you.
Do you remember that?"

"I'd almost managed to forget, thanks so much Nankyo. There are still people that think we're lovers, thanks to your stupid
stunt."

"Well, it got rid of that lecher didn't it? You're never properly grateful for my favors. You should work on that."

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"Shut up."

Nankyokukai laughed, but Takara's practiced ears recognized the forced tone in it.

"There's the Inn, Prince."

The prince looked thoughtful, "We haven't been here in a long while, have we? I guess we've been too busy, how sad."
Nankyokukai stepped forward, pushing open the weather-beaten door and stepping quietly inside. Takara stepped in behind
him, closing the door softly.

Nankyokukai stepped through the lobby into the dining area - a brief glance located two men already seated at a table near
the window. "Come on Taka, I think he's getting restless."

Raiden shook his head as the two men approached, "You are late, but I hear that's a habit of yours prince. Good morning.
Did you sleep well Taka?" This last he said with a grin. Reaching out, he snagged the secretary by the wrist, jerking him
over to take the seat next to the merchant.

The prince laughed at the look on his secretary's face, gracefully taking the seat beside the silent captain. " Good morning
to you both."

"Your hair is interesting, Highness. I like the length, if you don't my saying so, but I do not much care for the color." Raiden
was still grinning, throwing an arm around the shoulders of the grumbling secretary beside him.

"I like the length myself, and the color should fade shortly. Now, let us eat. I'm afraid I did not each much for dinner last
night."

At that Takara looked as if he might speak, but a shake of the prince's head stopped him. Shifting, he instead glared over at
Raiden, who smiled back unrepentant. "Remove your arm."

"Why? I like it where it is."

Takara moved to tell Raiden exactly what he thought, but before he could the captain spoke up from the opposite side of the
table, "Enough, Shima. It's too early in the morning for your games. Save it for the ship."

Raiden laughed, "Alright, alright." Removing his arm, he held it up to call over a sleepy looking waiter. The four placed their
orders, and ate in silence when the food came.

"The Fuujin? What a creative name for a ship," Nankyokukai's voice was dry.

Kindan frowned. "It's named for the local deity of Arashi Island."

"I know who Fuujin is."

The captain's frown deepened. "We bought it from a retiring merchant."

"A fine purchase, I must say. One of my best." Raiden looked smug.

The group was in the captain's quarters, gathered around the desk situated at the back of the room. The room was
luxurious, yet more evidence of Raiden's successful business. "So tell us, Captain, what is the plan? I trusted you with the
finer points of the trip, I would hear them now." The prince looked at Kindan, who said nothing.

Raiden spoke up instead, "The first half of the journey is actually rather easy. We make a similar trip rather frequently. Look
here - the nation of Pozhar is roughly a month away; we tend to pick up gems and fine wool there. We'll stop there to pick
up most of our long-lasting supplies. Afterwards we travel another two months, until we reach Sanhoshi Island, which is our
home.

"Your home? You live out in the middle of the ocean?"

"What do you call living here?" Raiden smiled, "But yes, we find that when it's time for a break, far from civilization is the
best way to enjoy it. I found the island a while ago, and Kindan here joined me several ago. We've even built up a small
community, as our men bring their families and all there to live. You'll like it, Taka."

Takara said nothing.

"After that the hard part begins. We have roughly three months of sailing to the location you gave us, once we leave

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Sanhoshi. From what you've said, there's no way to restock once we reach it. So we'll do what we can in the way of fresh
water, but basically we turn right around once you've left the tribute or gift or whatever. So that's six months of almost
uninterrupted travel."

"I am impressed, gentleman. You sound like you've got it well under control."

"I have a question, Highness. Why did you insist on leaving this morning, when everyone else thinks we are leaving a week
from now?" Kindan asked curiously.

"To cause problems, of course. This will ruin my father's secretive measures quite nicely." Nankyokukai smirked at the
captain. "You do not like my answer."

The captain frowned back at him. "No, I do not. I find nothing amusing about going out of your way simply to upset people.
It's reprehensible behavior in anyone, but especially a prince. I am only doing this because Shimano agreed to it, not
because I want to play escort to a spoiled, trouble making prince."

The prince's voice was cool. "You do it because you're well paid. Now if you'll excuse me, I believe it's getting stuffy in
here." Nankyokukai turned and left the cabin. The door closed quietly behind him.

Raiden turned to face his friend, "Kindan! Would you please control your temper? I know you don't like the man, but a job is
a job."

"Of course, boss."

"Don't give me that. If you're well aware the prince likes to be difficult, you shouldn't play into his hands as you did just
now."

"What in the Dragons' names is that supposed to mean? Neither of you know anything about him, why don't you just shut
up!" Takara's temper snapped.

Kindan snorted. "Why are you defending him? The things that are said about him are seldom kind. And did he or did he not
trade you for passage? Not to mention his positively vile behavior this morning, he wasn't even sorry for being late.
Honestly, we get up well before dawn and he can't even deign to be on time. That's no one worth defending, I don't know
why--"

"Exactly," The secretary's voice was ice. "You. Don't. Know. Yes, he traded me off. Yes, I'm mad at him for it. But you know
nothing about the situation, nothing at all."

Raiden frowned over at the raging secretary, stepping closer to try and soothe him. "Would you calm down? Why are you so
upset?"

"Do you know why we were late this morning?" Takara narrowed his eyes up at the merchant, before rounding on the
seated captain.

"Because he's always late?" Kindan's tone was scathing.

"No. In fact, Nankyo is only ever late for engagements with his family. All other appointments are exactly on time, barring
problems beyond his control. Or did neither of you notice that he was waiting for you the day we gave you those new
medallions you're wearing?"

The two men looked at each other, then looked away.

"And just so we're clear, gentlemen, I'll tell you something that you don't deserve to hear. We were late this morning
because we ran into a troubled Healer. He had recently left the home of a woman who had given birth to twins. The parents
insisted on killing the second, as per the custom for such "cursed children." That's why he was "vile" this morning. Does that
meet with your approval, gentlemen? Then I am going back to bed. Don't even think of touching me." This last was said to
Raiden, who was still trying to approach the raging secretary. He turned to leave.

"Stop a minute would you? You and I are staying in here. Go lay down there." He pointed to the bed against the far wall. "I
won't touch you all right? I'm not suicidal." Raiden cast a glance at his friend, who had turned to stare out the windows.

Kindan sighed, "I'm going to check on things outside. Hopefully we'll be underway soon." He exited the cabin, but stopped
short once outside. The prince stood just to his left, looking out over the water. He opened his mouth to say something -
anything, but Nankyokukai spoke first.

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"So, Captain. When are we leaving? I'm getting impatient." Nankyokukai's gaze remained on the water.

Kindan stared a moment, not sure whether he should be annoyed or not. "We can't leave until the wind changes. An
easterly wind is of no use to us. You'll just have to learn patience."

"Hardly. Is that all that's keeping us here?" The prince looked over at him, and smirked. "Fetch Takara for me."
Nankyokukai climbed the few steps to the helm. A few minutes later, the captain, Raiden and Takara joined him.

"Captain, tell your men to make ready." Nankyokukai stood still a moment, eyes closed. A heartbeat later, his lips began to
move. He began to chant, quietly at first but growing in volume. It began as a murmur and grew to a near shout. As he
chanted, he lifted his right arm, the finger spread wide. As the chanting reached its peak, the wind slowed, nearly stopping.
Then it began to change directions.

Nankyokukai barely heard as the captain began shouting order; it seemed to come from far away. His chanting tapered off,
and he opened his eyes. "Ugh, I haven't done that for a while. Taka, take me to my cabin."

Takara moved to walk alongside the prince, whose steps lacked their usual grace. Once the secretary reached out to
steady him. Behind them Raiden and Kindan watched in silence.

*~*~*~*

"I'm thinking, Shima, that I may have made a slight mistake."

Raiden rubbed his forehead with his fingers, grimacing. "I think we made a major mistake. I had no idea you were that
contemptuous of the Prince. You should have said something sooner."

"I did not expect him to irk me quite so much as he does. Normally I have no problem ignoring his kind."

"I have to admit it was startling to see you lashing out like that. But try to calm down, eh? It's going to be an even longer
journey if the two of you can't get along." Raiden groaned, "Not to mention you've helped me undo all the work I put in
trying to get Taka to mellow."

"Hey, don't blame that one on me. You set yourself up for it the minute you insisted on taking him as payment. That's your
own fault. But I was rather surprised myself; I didn't realize he was such a firecracker. If that's how he acts every time
someone bad mouths the prince, it's no wonder there are rumors about them being lovers."

"I highly doubt that's true," but Raiden was frowning. "I don't think he would sell off a lover - current or former - just for
passage."

"Well, it's not like it matters now. Get to bed. All three of you were up way too early; you look exhausted. Besides, now is
the perfect time to make your apologies and possibly get him back to 'mellow.'"

"And what of your apologies?" Raiden looked over at his friend.

"…I'll make them eventually. I get the distinct impression, however, that they're not expected."

"You're not asleep? I thought you wanted to rest."

"I can't sleep."

Raiden stared in silence at the figure sprawled in the desk chair with his arms folded neatly before him. Takara was staring
at the desk, but his eyes were unfocused. "You are nervous about the journey? There is no reason to be, at least not for
quite some time."

"The journey is not the source of my worry, though it has to do with it. What does it matter to you anyway?" Takara looked
up, his earlier anger still clouding his face.

Raiden sighed, attempting again to sooth away his own headache. "I came to apologize. Kindan and I were out of line - we
should not have spoken of the prince as we did, especially in your presence."

"No, you should not have. But you are hardly the first to do so."

"You have to at least concede he brings it upon himself. I still am sorry."

Takara glared half-heartedly up at the merchant, "I concede nothing, but I will accept your apology."

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Raiden frowned, lost in thought as Takara continued to stare at nothing at the desk. He wasn't entirely sure his apology had
been accepted. Moving toward a small cabinet, he spent a few minutes fixing a tonic to ease his headache. Finished, he
turned back toward the desk, "You should drink something Taka, it will help you sleep." Raiden stopped short.

Taka's head had fallen to rest on his arms, and his eyes were closed. "Taka?" Silence answered him. Raiden smiled softly,
"Can't sleep, eh? I wonder if you are a light sleeper or a heavy sleeper."

Moving around the desk, Raiden carefully lifted the secretary from the chair. Takara's eyes opened slightly, and he stared
vaguely up at Raiden. "C'mon, to bed with you."

"I'm…fine…" was the sleepy response.

Laughing quietly, Raiden guided the secretary to the bed, removing his boots and settling him in. He ran his fingers through
sea green hair, a sad smile suddenly overtaking his face. "A heavy sleeper, eh? I guess you had to have something in
common with him. I wish it hadn't been this though."

Chapter Four

"You're sulking."

"No, I'm just bored."

Raiden looked up from the papers he was examining and leered, "Well, I could use a break myself, if you really need
something to do."

"I'm not that bored," Takara cast one more look at the book in his lap, then set it aside. He shifted restlessly on the bed he'd
sat on to read, pointedly ignoring the looks Raiden was sending him.

"Somehow I knew you'd say that," Raiden shook his head. "We've only been at sea a week. How can you possibly be
bored?"

Takara looked at him, "I'm a Royal Secretary. It's all I can do most days to keep on top of my workload. That's not taking
into account who I work for, and you're asking me why I'm bored?"

"If you're that desperate for something constructive to do, you could always help me out here. I abhor such work, but my
own secretaries never last very long." Raiden managed to keep from laughing as Takara's face brightened. "Here, take a
look. Maybe you can figure out what I'm missing, my numbers keep coming out wrong."

"Let me see," Takara came around the desk, sliding on his glasses. He lifted the sheaf of papers in front of the merchant,
"Hmm…these are all your transactions for the past several months…place of purchase…and here," he lifted a separate
stack, setting the first down. "Buyers…amount paid…due…total cost…" he set that stack down as well, slowly going over
and reorganizing the papers Raiden had scattered across the desk. He barely noticed when Raiden moved to let him have
the seat.

Two hours later, he looked up, removing his glasses, "I found your problem. You failed to list one of your donations to the
National Auction. You have the necklace listed here in purchase," he indicated the list in front of him, "but you didn't record
it on these lists," he indicated three other piles. "So your records show that you still have it, even though I recall seeing the
piece myself at auction."

"How did I miss that? I would have thought I'd remember something like that. Ah, I see. This wasn't me - an associate
handles the auctions now, I no longer deal with them directly. I really only bid these days. My liaison handled the donations
this year. He must have assumed I'd already made necessary note of it, but honestly I never remember anymore what goes
to the auction. I donated what? Ten pieces?"

Takara smiled up at him, eyes laughing, "Thirteen actually, now that I've accounted for that necklace. An amount worthy of
royalty when you consider that each piece alone is worth a small fortune or three…I actually won these last two here, the
fire gem bracelet from Pozhar, and the black pearl necklace from Arashi Island."

"Ah yes, you do have an obsession with fine jewelry. An odd habit for a man."

"Says the man who buys, sells and collects jewelry for a living."

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"As you say, I do it for a living. But since we're on the subject, I have one piece here that might amuse you. More likely it
will annoy you." Raiden laughed as he strode over to the cabinet near the bed. Riffling through it for a moment, he withdrew
a wide, flat, black velvet box. Striding back to the desk, he set the box before the still seated secretary. "Take a look."

Takara looked up at him in suspicion, but opened the box. He stared at the contents a moment, unsurprised. "You really
have to rub it in, don't you? You were the only one able to outbid me on this item." Gingerly he lifted the necklace from it's
velvet padding. It was a heavy chocker, three rows of the rare blue pearls that were a specialty of Typhoon Island in
Kundou. Between each pearl, though, was set a small, green, glittering stone. They were the reason he had wanted the
necklace, the green stones that were imported from Piedre. People there called the stone 'esmeralda,' and it was one of his
favorite gems. "I'm still angry you won this. I was looking forward to adding it to my collection."

"Well, maybe I'll give it to you someday. As it is, I still enjoy keeping it. I will give you this though," Raiden tossed a small
object at the secretary, who caught it deftly.

Takara stared at the ring he was holding, impressed despite himself. It was simple in design, but worth a fortune for all that.
The band was wide, with small whorls and loops carved into it; a large green stone sparkled in the lamplight. "This is white
gold…and where did you find an esmeralda of such size? It's amazing."

"I'm the world's top merchant in items rare and exotic, I can find anything. Keep it, as a…token of my affection."

"Another sign of ownership, you mean? No thank you." Takara rose from the desk, moving to return the ring.

Raiden frowned, and refused to take it. "Well, I'm not going to take it back. If you won't wear it, at least keep it until you will.
I gave it to you, it's yours now."

Takara returned the frown, eyes narrowing in confusion as he looked up at the merchant. But he tucked the ring away in his
sash, turning away back to the desk. A sudden burst of shouting from outside interrupted his thoughts.

"Oof, he's heavy," the sailor set the body down on the ship's deck before stepping back out of the way, giving the captain
and first mate space.

Kindan tore his gaze away from the remains of a ship to gaze at the unconscious man they'd pulled from the water. His skin
was pale, most likely from nearly drowning. Slate gray hair lay smooth and flat against his head, wet strands plastered to his
cheek. Heavy white bandages were wrapped several times around his eyes. His clothing was mostly intact, and soaking wet
it molded to his lithe form. "It's a miracle he survived whatever happened. Why are his eyes bound like that? Is he injured?
Examine him, Mr. Same." He watched as his first mate knelt to investigate the bandages that were wrapped around the
figure's eyes. An all too familiar voice halted the action.

"What in Storms' names are you doing? Stop it! Leave the bindings!" Nankyokukai had come up just behind the captain,
and without waiting to see what Same intended; he dropped to his knees and shoved the first mate away. "Do you want to
kill the entire ship? Don't you fools know who this is?" He glared up at the captain, "I would have though you of all people
would have recognized what's left of that ship's insignia. Are all of you really that ignorant? This is Culebra, the Basilisk
Prince of Piedre."

"The what?" Same looked utterly confused, and he seemed to have forgotten the rude shove he'd just received.

"That's just a stupid myth from the Stone Lands." Kindan had not forgotten the prince's behavior.

Nankyokukai rose languorously to his feet, sneering. "So you believe in dragons but not in serpents? You're sadly lacking in
faith as well as knowledge."

"My supposed lack of knowledge and faith is nothing compared to your glaring lack of manners, Highness. I've warned you
about addressing me on my own ship."

"Of course, Captain. But you have to understand that--"

A movement from the unconscious figure interrupted his sentence, "Wh…where am I? Who's there? Roca? Granito? Where
are you?" His voice was hoarse.

The prince turned away from the seething captain, kneeling in front of Culebra and speaking in a tone no one on the ship
had heard from him. "Culebra, hold still. Don't wear yourself out further."

The prince of the stone lands jerked his head at the sound of Nankyokukai's voice, "Your voice is familiar, who are you?
Where are my men?"

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The crowd of sailors watched in curiosity at Nankyokukai's next action. Holding up his right hand, he held it up to the other
man's lips, touching them lightly. The man seemed briefly startled by the touch, jumping slightly, but a second later his
tongue flicked out to lick the prince's fingers. He relaxed a second later, "Nankyo! What are you doing out here on the
ocean? I thought there was a familiar scent and voice…what happened? Where am I?"

"Come, let us get you to bed first and then I shall explain what I can. Do you remember Takara?" Nankyokukai asked this as
his secretary and Raiden came rapidly towards them.

"Of course, is he here as well?" Culebra turned his head as a new pair of hands helped to lift him to his feet.

"Prince Culebra, what happened?" Takara looked over at Nankyo, who shook his head. "Never mind; it can wait until later."
Slowly he and Nankyokukai made their way to the blue haired prince's cabin, talking quietly with the disoriented Prince.

Raiden watched them go as he stepped closer to the captain. "Kin, what's going on? Why wasn't I summoned? Who was
that?"

The captain sighed, running a hand through his short hair, "Damned if I know. One of my men called the warning, and we
saw what was left of what must have been a fairly large ship. Then we spotted that man in the water, but before we could
examine him that thrice-damned prince decided to get hostile with my crew. He was adamant about us not removing those
bandages around his eyes. He claims the man is the "Basilisk Prince." If true, that means something attacked a royal
vessel…" At this last statement, the captain's expression shifted from frustrated to solemn. "I hope they weren't attacked by
what I think they were. But out here, there's only one thing that could destroy a ship like that." He looked at his men, "Back
to work! Excitements over, and we still have a ship to run! Mr. Same, keep the men on alert. Whatever destroyed that ship
could still be nearby."

The men scattered, gray haired Same barking orders as Raiden and Kindan made for Raiden's quarters. Closing the door,
Raiden poured them drinks as Kindan took a seat at the table. He accepted his drink with a nod, "We're only a week out of
Kundou, Shima. Why the hell would they be attacking ships that close to land? And a royal vessel, to make matters worse.
They've always stuck to merchant ships in the past."

Raiden stared thoughtfully out the porthole to his right, idly tapping a finger against the side of his glass, "If that ship was
this close to Kundou, then it was coming from Pozhar. Something vitally important I'm sure, if Piedre's highest prince was on
board. But the attackers wouldn't have known that. Perhaps they're simply stepping up their violence to include any ship at
sea."

"Well, I suppose it was bound to happen sometime. I really hope they ventured far enough away that we won't hear them
singing…"

As if on cue, a high, eerie keening broke their conversation. The two men rose heavily to their feet, unhappy expressions on
both their faces. Exiting the cabin, they stepped outside just as Takara and Nankyokukai returned to the deck. Dusk had
turned to dark, giving the strange singing an added grimness.

Nankyokukai frowned out at the water, then looked up at the captain, "What in the Storms' names is that horrid sound?"

Takara winced beside him, "It's horrible; I feel like I'm going to be ill."

Kindan looked as if he'd rather not say, "Where is the stone land Prince?"

"He's sleeping. What's that sound?" Nankyokukai snapped.

Kindan snapped back, "Put your claws away, Prince. I just didn't want him to hear, it's something I highly doubt he needs to
know right now. That, Highness, is the sound of mermaids enjoying their dinner. Do I need to tell you what that dinner is?"

The Prince's eyes narrowed, "Mermaids?"

Kindan sneered, "What? You'll believe in a Prince that can kill with one glance but you can't believe in mermaids?"

"Did I say that, Captain? I was merely surprised - all my reports concerning attacks by so-called mermaids mention
merchant ships exclusively. I have not yet heard such rumors in conjunction with non-merchant vessels."

The captain was still derisive, "What would you know about attacks on merchant ships?"

Unnoticed by the two men, the rest of the ship had shifted their attention from the slowly fading singing to the latest
argument between captain and prince. "My, your knowledge is lacking, Captain. Lord Raiden has stated before that you are
the best there is, but I confess I find that hard to believe. I am in charge of all matters pertaining to trade, shipping, and

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travel. It's my job to know what is happening to the ships going to and from Kundou. I tend to notice when a ship goes
missing, especially when those disappearances are attached to rumors as bizarre as mermaids."

" I know what you're in charge of, why else would rumors of you float constantly about the harbor? But given your love for
impeding, confounding, and annoying everyone you meet, I was shocked to hear that you actually do your job. Seeing as
that would actually help people."

Nankyokukai laughed, "Ah, but you see - my father and brothers wanted me to fail. Rest assured that I'm still the " spoiled,
trouble-making prince" you take me for."

"I can see that."

"Then clearly you are as observant as ever, Captain. May I request sustenance for the non-existent prince in my room? Or
do you only feed non-mythical individuals?"

Kindan said nothing, merely waving a hand at his first mate before turning to stalk off to his own quarters.

Nankyokukai turned to speak quietly to Takara, who only nodded, before returning to his own room. Takara watched him go,
a smile forming on his lips. He looked up at the sound of laughter, to see Raiden smiling back at him. "Is it just me, Taka, or
are those two amusing?"

"It is rare to see the Prince argue so frequently with one person. Most back off after one or two attempts. I think he is
enjoying himself, in a way." Takara spoke as he climbed the stairs to join Raiden on the landing. The Captain holds his own
rather well, though I think he is still coming out the loser."

Raiden opened the door to his quarters, waiting as Takara stepped in before him. "Kin rarely meets anyone so willing to call
him into question. Even I seldom give him so much trouble." He fell silent as he watched Takara restlessly shifting the
papers still piled neatly on the desk. Looking thoughtful and just slightly mischievous, he approached the secretary, turning
him around to face him and lightly grasping Takara's chin to force the shorter man to look up at him. "You've been a great
deal nicer to me the past couple of days. Are you poisoning me slowly or something? Being kind to a dying man?"

Takara stopped fighting the grip on his chin and offered a slight smile, "I told you, I'm bored…and you've been awfully
contrite ever since we left port. I felt bad for staying mad."

"Oh, so if you feel horribly guilty, you'll be extremely nice? Hmm…how guilty would I have to make you to earn a kiss?"

Takara's face clouded up again, though some of his earlier humor remained, "Forget it, you're still in trouble for that one. I
refuse to be cooperative property."

Raiden dropped his grip, unhappy. "I really wish you'd stop seeing it that way. I've been interested in you since the auction
a few months ago, but it's impossible to get near the Palace for the express purpose of asking a Royal Secretary on a date.
And I learned long ago that messages of that nature are ignored."

Takara nodded, "Almost every individual attached to the Royal Family gets dozens of such messages a day. We do not take
them seriously. And what do you mean you 'learned long ago' that they're simply ignored?"

Raiden grinned, "Are you jealous? You shouldn't be - a friend of mine was mooning over the Princess for a long time."

Takara turned away, "I'm hardly jealous."

Raiden watched him, still grinning. "Shall we eat dinner? I'll have one of the men bring it up. I would fetch the other two, but
I would like to enjoy a meal without bickering. I don't think Kindan wants to see his Highness right now anyway."

Takara laughed, though he still was fidgeting with papers on the desk and would not look up, "No, I'd imagine not." He
looked up briefly at Raiden, and then looked away toward the windows in the back of the room. "Nankyo already told me he
would spend the evening with Prince Culebra. So I guess it's just you and I."

"Ah, that's what I like to here. If you're still bored after dinner, I can recommend some recreation."

Takara glared.

"I'm going to kill him, I swear it," Kindan slammed his door shut and leaned back against it, burying his head in one hand.
He rubbed his temples tiredly; "I have more than enough to deal with right now without that royal pain in the ass taunting me
every five minutes."

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He continued to mutter to himself as he began unwinding his sash, removing his short over tunic once the sash was gone.
Sighing he fell onto his bed, hands clasped behind his head. He would undoubtedly need to be on alert most of the night,
so a nap now would be his best bet.

Nearly an hour later, Kindan rose. It was no use - he was still too furious to get any sleep. Not bothering with his tunic and
sash, Kindan yanked his door open and returned to the main deck. His white blonde hair blew softly in the cool evening air.
He spoke as his first mate approached him, "How are we, Mr. Same?"

"Doin' fine, Captain. We're out of range of the mermaids for now, and the weather seems clear. Should be a quiet night, eh?
"

"Don't get comfortable. If we were able hear the mermaids earlier, you can be sure they were aware of us. If they attack us
now, we won't be as fortunate as we were on the Kumiko. Keep the men on alert."

"Aye, Captain," the first mate nodded, his dark eyes glittering in the light of the full moon. A brief smirk flitted across his
face, his gaze on something past the captain's shoulder.

Kindan's eyes narrowed and he turned, unsurprised at the site that greeted him. "Good evening, Highness. Did you need
something?"

"Not at all, Captain. I merely thought you might like to hear some of the details of the attack?"

Kindan bit back an angry response, "Of course I want to hear it. Raiden will as well." He turned and headed for the
merchant's quarters.

"Make sure you knock loudly, we wouldn't want to interrupt anything," Nankyokukai laughed.

Kindan threw the prince a disgusted look and knocked lightly on the door. Hearing nothing, he opened it and stepped inside.
The prince was close behind him.

Takara was seated at the desk, papers scattered across it. It looked as if he had been working on them at some point, but
Raiden was at the moment proving distracting. He was standing just behind the low back chair, his arms twined around a
protesting Takara with his head buried in the secretary's neck. He looked up at the sound of the opening door, torn between
amusement and frustration. "I didn't hear you knock, Kin. Oh, and you've brought the Prince. To what do we owe the honor
of this intrusion?"

Nankyokukai smirked at his Secretary, who only glared back before directing his gaze toward the desktop. The prince
looked up at Raiden, "My apologies, but the Captain felt you would like to hear the details of the attack."

Raiden released his grip and rose, his teasing manner fading. "Of course. Kin mentioned the man was a prince from Piedre.
That concerns me because as you stated earlier, the mermaids have always kept to merchant ships."

Nankyokukai took a seat at the table, his head resting in one hand while the lay on the chair's armrest, "Yes, Prince
Culebra, more frequently called the Basilisk Prince. He was in Pozhar for the past three months renegotiating trade relations.
That's irrelevant here, but it explains why Piedre's highest-ranking Prince was in the middle of the Shizukana Sea. At any
rate, late in the afternoon their ship suddenly came under attack. Culebra said that the attack began under the water,
ramming them hard enough to put holes in the ship. After that he heard his men shouting about "women" and "monstrous
fish." He said the air reeked of the scent of blood and fish, as well as something he'd never smelled before. A little while
later his bodyguard helped him escape, but apparently the man was unable to flee with him."

"I don't understand how he managed to escape, surely the mermaids would have noticed him?" Kindan stated.

The prince frowned, "The stone lands have magic of their own, and if those mermaids are as frenzied as my reports claim
then it's entirely feasible for them to have overlooked one individual- how else would I get my reports?"

Raiden looked thoughtful, "That still doesn't explain why they attacked a royal vessel. Normally they stick to merchant ships,
as those can simply be chalked up to storms, sailors gone insane, etc. It's not unusual for those to disappear. But the loss
of a Prince would cause serious repercussions. Rumors of mermaids and wild attacks from the ocean would be taken more
seriously…" the merchant trailed off as he turned to look over his shoulder. He was perched on a corner of his desk. Behind
him, Takara was writing furiously across a sheet of paper. Two full pages rest nearby. "You're taking notes?"

Takara didn't look up, "It's my job."

Raiden smiled, and turned to Kindan. "Any ideas?"

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Kindan shook his head, "None. To the best of my knowledge the mermaids prefer to keep their vendetta small. It's not
unusual for them to attack in broad daylight, but I can think of nothing to explain their chosen target."

Nankyokukai eyed the men suspiciously, "The two of you know seem to know a great deal more than most merchants.
Explain yourselves."

Kindan hesitated, but at a look from Raiden grudgingly explained. "We've run into them twice, and we make a point to keep
abreast of what other merchants and sailors have to say. No one else may believe it, but those of us that travel the seas for
a living know that the mermaids aren't just a sea-crazed rumor."

"You've run into them twice." The prince's voice was flat.

Kindan huffed, annoyed. "Yes, twice. The first time we were attacked on Raiden's smallest ship, the Kaki. We were two
weeks from Kundou when it happened. But the damage was minor because the attackers pulled back. We barely had a
chance to discern what was happening."

"The mermaids pulled back? How is that even possible?" Nankyokukai sounded skeptical. At the desk Takara was still
rapidly taking notes.

The captain continued, "Something on the ship surprised them enough that they backed off."

"And what was that?"

"It's none of your business. Suffice to say it didn't work the second time." Kindan's voice was sharp.

"Have it your way. What of the second attack then?" Nankyokukai asked.

Kindan's voice was strained, "The second one almost did kill us. They attacked not long after sundown, and as Prince…
Culebra stated, they started by damaging the bottom of the ship. But a squall sprang up just as they launched their attack
above water. It confused their efforts and forced our ship away." He frowned unhappily, dropping his head to rub it tiredly
with one hand, "We barely made it to Sanhoshi in time. Any longer and the Kumiko would have been beyond repair."

"…Kumiko? That ship was not registered under your name."

Kindan raised his head, frowning in confusion at the carefully blank look on the prince's face, "No, I registered it under an
alias to avoid associating it with Raiden's business. It is my personal ship; it was completed only six months ago. We were
out on a test run when we were mistaken for a merchant vessel and attacked. It is still undergoing repairs at Sanhoshi."

"How interesting. Takara, you brought your birds along, did you not?"

"Of course. But only those trained for Kundou and Pozhar, as we will not be traveling close enough to the other countries to
use birds."

"That will suffice. Send one letter each to my father and Pozhar, informing them of what has occurred. Make note in your
letters that it is left to them to inform Piedre of the disaster."

"I will see to it. Shall I bring them to you for signing and sealing?"

"No, because I am not here. Use my seal, but sign your own name. Despite the circumstances, this mission is still a secret.
State that you're vacationing with your new lover or something, that will sufficiently explain your presence." Nankyokukai
snickered as he rose, "Enjoy the rest of your evening, gentlemen"

Raiden and Kindan watched him go, as Takara set his notes aside to begin the letters. Raiden laughed, "The man has no
doubts about his authority. He doesn't even wait to see if there are any questions."

Takara paused briefly, "If you can't keep up, he doesn't need you. He went through three secretaries before me, and most
of the staff is still terrified of him."

"That's no surprise. I still say the man could benefit from a few lessons in manners. I'll be at the helm if any more surprises
spring up. Sleep well." Kindan left, the door slamming shut behind him.

Raiden looked at Takara working busily away, sighing. "I guess this means we can't pick up where we left off?"

"Oh, we can if you want. If I recall correctly, I was debating between breaking your fingers and dumping ink all over you. Do
you have a preference?"

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The merchant threw him a disgusted look, "You really need to loosen up. I can see there's no talking to you now that you
have an assignment. I think I'll go attempt to cool Kindan's temper."

Takara's gaze remained on his papers, "See you later then."

"No fun at all…" Raiden muttered as he left.

Chapter Five

"Hey, this is my hiding spot! Go find your own." The boy glared down at the figure huddled in the shadowy corner formed
from row after row of shipping crates. Dust stirred in the weak sunlight peeking through the cracks in the board walls.

"I'm sorry…" the figure rose slowly to his feet, his hands going jerkily to his face to wipe away the tears. He moved to walk
past the glaring boy, but was stopped. He looked up in surprise.

"Just wait a minute, they'll spot you if you try to leave now and I don't want to get caught. It took me all day to get a chance
to run away. C'mon, sit down." The taller boy moved back into the corner, dragging the crying boy with him. Sitting down on
the dusty floor of the warehouse, he lifted the small bundle clutched in his left hand. "I'll even give you some food, if you
promise not to tell anyone I'm here when you do leave."

"O...okay…" the crying boy once again wiped his face, succeeding only in mixing his tears with the dust that permeated the
place. He crouched next to the other boy, silently accepting the pieces of dried fruit handed to him. The two ate in silence
for several minutes, listening to the pounding and stamping of the people outside, or farther away in the large, dark
warehouse.

"Name's Kinni - who're you?"

"K,Koori…" the crying boy spoke softly, his voice sad and shaky.

"Why are you crying? Boys aren't supposed to." Kinni frowned.

"I, I'm sorry. I got lost, and I've never been to the docks before alone."

"Oh. Well, I guess they can be kinda confusing…why did you come here? You're from the city, right?"

"Y-yeah." Koori sniffled, his voice still whisper soft, as though he was afraid of being heard.

"So what're ya doing here?"

Instead of answering, the smaller boy's face crumbled, his sniffling began to turn to sobs. Dismayed, Kinni moved on his
knees toward the other boy and placed his hand awkwardly on his shoulders, "Hey, c'mon, don't do that. Boys don't cry,
stop it."

"I..I..I don't want to go home." Koori sobbed, looking blankly at the other through teary eyes. He wiped his eyes, gasping
loudly in an attempt to stop crying.

"Then don't. That's no reason to cry." Slowly Kinni removed his hands, sitting back on his heels to look thoughtfully at the
other boy, only just visible in the weak light.

"I…think I have to. They'll hurt my sister if I'm not there."

Kinni frowned, "Hurt your sister? Why? Were they hurting you?"

"Yeah…for not doing my lessons right. They'll pick on her if I'm not there." He was back to sniffling - talking seemed to calm
him down.

Kinni looked up briefly at the sound of footsteps pounding near their hiding spot, sighing in relief when they continued past
and faded away, "You've gotta keep quiet, if they find us now we'll both be in trouble. I don't plan on going back, I don't
know about you."

Koori's voice sounded curious, "Where are you going?"

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"Dunno - but I'm not going back to that shop. I have some money saved up, I want to buy my way onto a ship. Most don't
take on new people unless they have something to offer, ya know?"

Koori was silent.

"Oh yeah, you're from the city. You wouldn't know I guess - most of the good ships only accept people of good breeding,
you know from the academy and all. I'm just an orphan, so I have to bribe my way. I have 700 paaru saved up, that might
be good enough for one of the smaller ships." His tone wasn't as confident as his words.

"You're going to be a sailor?" Koori's voice was wistful.

"Yeah, just like my dad was. I'm going to be Captain of the best ship in the world, and I'll use it to bring home the ultimate
treasure."

"Why?"

Kinni was offended, "Because that's what you're supposed to do! Sailors travel the world, bringing home treasurers and
wonders untold - that's what my dad always told me. He said he once brought home the ultimate treasure, so I'm going to
do it too."

"What's the ultimate treasure?" Koori had stopped crying..

"Um, well…I don't know yet. My dad never told me, he and my mom just always laughed." Kinni frowned in the darkness.
"But I'll find it anyway, don't think I won't."

The wistful tone was back in the smaller boys voice, "I'd like to look for it, to just go far away and not come back for a long
time."

Kinni snorted, "Then you should. If you're from the city, they'd probably let you on a ship."

"I don't think I'd be a very good sailor. And besides, I can't leave yet."

"Cause of your sister? I guess I couldn't leave her either, if it was me. Well, why doesn't she run away?"

"She…umm…doesn't want to. She likes it where she is, even if our teachers and all pick on us a lot. They're not mean to
her unless I'm gone usually."

"Oh. Why do you let them pick on you? Just yell at them or something."

"I tried that, but my mom just gets mad at me then. She says it's "part of growing up" and that I have to be tough."

"It's because you keep crying that they're so mean. Crying means you're weak - that's what my dad used to tell me when I
was a little kid. 'When you want to cry, laugh instead,' that's what my dad used to say. My mom got mad at him for that."

"Laugh?"

"Yeah - when your teacher's pick on you, just laugh at them. It makes them really mad."

"I don't know if I can."

"Well, it's better than crying isn't it?"

"Y, yeah. I guess so."

Kinni opened his mouth to reply, but snapped it shut again at the sound of heavy footsteps drawing closer to their corner.
Across from him, Koori drew a faint, sharp breath and then fell completely silent. The two young boys waited tensely for the
steps to move on, growing nervous when they instead stopped on the opposite side of the towering stacks of crates.

"He wouldn't have come this far."

"It's been two days already, he could have."

"Why would he come all the way out here? Let alone inside the warehouses? We're just wasting time."

"Then you suggest where we look."

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"I've got an idea, come on."

Heavy feet clomped away, voices receding gradually into silence. Kinni released the breath he hadn't realized he'd been
holding. He whispered, "Who are those guys?"

"They're looking for me…" Koori was starting to sound tearful again.

"Hey! Don't start crying again, they'll catch us for sure."

"I..I'm sorry. I don't want to go back! I want to go away - where no one can find me. But I can't!" The boy broke down into
renewed sobs, and panicked Kinni surged forward, dragging the other boy close against his chest to muffle the sound of his
sobs. "Then just leave - no one is making you stay."

"I c,can't…my sister needs me and, and…"Koori wrapped his arms around the other boy, still sobbing.

"And what? Stop crying, c'mon…" Kinni patted the other boy's back before settling for simply hugging him.

"No-no one would take me on their ship."

"Why not?"

"No one likes me!"

"Aw, that's not true. You have your parents, right? And your sister?"

Koori only cried.

"Wrong answer I guess," Kinni muttered to himself. "Well, I like you - even if you cry a lot."

"You just met me."

"So? That doesn't mean I can't like you. I only hate mean people, and you cry too much to be a mean person. But if you get
us caught because of the noise you're making, I'm going to be mad."

"S,sorry…I'll s,stop." Instead of pulling away, the boy only pressed himself closer to Kinni, shuddering slightly as he forced
himself to stop crying.

Kinni looked frantically around the dark space for a distraction, embarrassed over the way the other boy clung to him. He
spotted something he had not noticed before, "Is that your bag?"

"Huh?" Koori looked up, shifting to look at the space Kinni was staring at, "Oh, yeah. It's some food and stuff I brought with
me. I was going to run away, but I got lost at the docks and hid in here yesterday."

Kinni started, "You've been in here an entire day? I never stay here longer than a few hours, wow. Is there any food left? I
had to skip lunch to get here."

"Some fruit I think," Koori pulled away wiped his eyes one last time, smearing his face further with the dust that hung in the
air.

Kinni moved to grab the bag, digging eagerly into it for the promised fruit, "Wow, oranges! These are my favorite."

"There should be some pears too…" Koori crawled over to join him, digging out a pear and biting into one. For several long
minutes the small space was filled with the scent of fruit and the sounds of biting and chewing.

Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand Kinni grinned in the fading light and reached for the pack, "What else do you
have in here?"

"Not much, just some more fruit, another tunic and my dagger…" Koori leaned over, rifling through the pack and
withdrawing something. He held the object out to Kinni, who took it carefully in his own hands.

"Wow, it's heavy. What's it made of?"

"I don't know. It was a present from a weird looking woman. You can't tell in here, but it looks like a dragon - it even has
these bright blue stones for its eyes."

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"Sounds neat," Kinni hefted the dagger again thoughtfully. "I bet you could get a good price for it, if you really wanted." He
handed it back, "Come on, they're going to lock the warehouse up for the night in another hour or two. I know a much better
place to spend the night." He rose to his feet, holding out a hand to help Koori stand.

The smaller boy shook his head, "I should go home…it'll only get worse if I stay away much longer…"

Kinni stood in silence, "Well, c'mon then. You don't want to travel around here in the dark. Do you want me to walk you
back home? I know a lot of shortcuts through the port town up to the city."

"NO! I'll be fine once I'm away from the port."

Kinni said nothing, merely taking the other boy's hand and guiding him out of the massive warehouse. He stopped just short
of the entrance, finally turning back to look at his unexpected warehouse companion. His eyes widened.

The other boy was beautiful - he looked more like a girl than a boy, really. And that was in spite of his bedraggled state. His
dark purple hair had at some point been pulled into a knot, but now fell messily around his head, the remains of the knot
falling against his right shoulder. His face was streaked with tears and dust, but his eyes remained a stunning dark blue. His
clothes were covered in dirt and grime but clearly well made for all that. Kinni shook his head, "You're a mess, I guess you
really have been hiding here since yesterday."

Koori hunched his shoulders, ducking his head in embarrassment. "I'm-"

"Ah, don't say you're sorry again. That's as bad as crying."

The smaller boy just stared back in silent confusion in a moment, before slowly moving to try and straighten his appearance.
Lifting his pack, he rifled through it a moment before pulling out a piece of cloth that Kinni realized was a sash - an
expensive one. Koori frowned as the cloth caught on something in the bag. Jerking hard, he freed the sash and sent
something heavy tumbling to the ground.

Kinni knelt to pick up the dagger where it lay on the ground, gaping as he examined it in the light. "This…this is High Land
Silver - where did you get this? These are saphir! What are you doing with a dagger like this - you could buy your own ship
with this!"

"Really? It's worth that much?" Koori frowned down doubtfully at the older boy.

Kinni stared back up at him through pale, ash blonde hair. His eyes were wide, "Yes, that and more. I work - worked - for a
metal merchant."

"You could really buy a ship with it?"

"Dragons, Yes! A ship and more."

Koori looked thoughtful, his sad face intense, "Then take it - I don't need it."

"What!" Kinni gaped, rising to his feet with the dagger still clutched in his hand, "I can't just take this - you could save
yourself and your sister by selling this thing."

"No, I can't." For a moment Koori looked ready to cry again, but after a moment he seemed to calm, "Just take it. Maybe I
can see your ship someday."

Clutching the dagger to his chest, Kinni stood in silence a moment. Finally he moved, tucking the precious item into his own
sash, out of sight. Reaching up he reached behind his neck, fiddling with something underneath his shirt. After a moment he
pulled a heavy pendant free, dangling on a thick gold chain. "Here - take this then." Grabbing one of Kinni's hands, he lifted
it and dropped the pendant into his palm.

Koori looked at him, confusion in his face, "What is it?"

"That's my family crest - it used to be my dad's, but I got it when he died." Kinni fell silent a moment, "Dad always said you
should never accept extravagant gifts, especially from strangers…but to be honest I know 700 Paru isn't enough to buy my
way onto a ship. With this I wouldn't have to worry about anything for a long time. But I can't just accept such a valuable gift,
so I'll make you a deal."

"A deal?" Koori's voice was curious, his face intent.

"You said you can't leave because of your sister - but if one day you can run away, come look for me. Look for a ship called

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the Kumiko, and ask to speak to Captain Kinni. If you have this, I'll know you no matter what. I'll take you away, as far away
and to any place you want."

"You…would really do that for me?" The purple haired boy looked ready to cry again, "Why?"

"Because you're giving me this for no reason - I can do whatever I want because of it, including becoming a sailor and
saying goodbye to this place forever. So I should do the same for you - that's what my dad would do."

Koori smiled, and Kinni blinked at the sight of it. He cried out in surprise at the smaller boy's next move - lunging forward to
wrap Kinni in a fierce hug. After a moment Koori broke away, reaching up to fasten the pendant around his own neck. "Then
it's a promise - when you have your own ship, you'll take me far, far away."

"Yeah."

"What the--" Kindan jerked awake, blinking in confusion at the figure standing in the doorway. "Shima…"

Deep laughter rumbled from the doorway, "Working hard I see. I came to draw you out of this closet, thinking you could use
a break. Clearly you were already enjoying one. With lazy steps, the merchant entered the captain's room. He stopped
beside the desk at which Kindan sat, smirking at the still disoriented captain. "You never were very good at waking up. Let's
hope there's never a crisis while you're sleeping."

Groaning, Kindan attempted to rise - only to collapse back in his seat as his legs refused to balance him properly, "Shut up."

"Oh, friendly." Still laughing, Raiden left his friend alone to wake up. Idly he skimmed the desk that was littered with papers
and books, including the log. He examined it briefly, finding nothing of interest and moving along. A flash of silver caught his
eye and he brushed a handful of papers aside to reveal the object hidden beneath them. "Ah, memories. Were you feeling
nostalgic, Kin? "

"No, I was trying to remind myself why I put up with you and the company you keep."

Laughing harder, Raiden reached out to tousle his friend's pale hair. "Still sore that you're on the losing side of all your
spats? Come now, you should be used to it."

Kindan only stared up darkly at his blue-haired friend.

"Your reasons for 'putting up with me and the company I keep' is sitting in Sanhoshi. Beyond that, you like me despite your
efforts not to. Name one other merchant that would have permitted a young upstart to keep a treasure like this." Raiden
hefted the dagger he held, the silver gleaming in the lamplight. Brilliant blue jewels sparkled as though on fire when he
tossed the sheathed dagger at the now wide-awake Kindan.

"Technically speaking, it belongs to you."

"Quit it - we both know damn good and well that you'd kill me and everyone on this ship before you let me take that blasted
thing away from you. You're lucky you're such a damned fine sailor."

Not bothering to answer, Kindan stared down at the dagger clutched in his hand, rubbing a thumb along the intricate carving
of a dragon that formed the hilt, blue jewels forming glittering eyes.

"Then it's a promise - when you have your own ship, you'll take me far, far away."

Shaking his head, Kindan looked up at the sound of Raiden's laughter. "Does something amuse you?"

"Only the way your "may the dragons eat you" expression goes all soft when you look at that thing. It's really cute." Raiden
was smiling, but the mockery had faded.

"Shut up. What did you want?"

"I came to make you eat dinner with us. With the latest royal addition I'm feeling outnumbered. His expression was rueful.

"You're only getting what you deserve, you know."

"So you keep telling me. I was doing fine until you decided to get into a continuing game of mutual hatred with his Highness.
Every fight between the two of you works against me."

Rising smoothly to his feet, Kindan tucked the dagger into his sash. Snorting he stepped past his friend and headed for the

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door, "Don't blame your mistakes on me. The Prince and I have nothing to do with your situation."

"I'll place blame where I want," the merchant said as he trailed after his friend, toward his own cabin. Reaching it, he
opened the door and preceded the captain in. "I'm back, did you miss me Taka?"

"No," was the brief reply.

"You don't need to lie to me, it's best if you're honest about your feelings."

"Honest is it?" Takara rose smoothly from his seat, walking around the desk as Raiden approached, "Then how does 'I hope
I never have to see you aga-'" his sentence was abruptly cut off as Raiden covered the secretary's lips with his own,
trapping the angry man's head in his hands, preventing his jerking it away.

Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Kindan strode over to the table and took a seat. He glanced briefly across at the table's
other occupants, but at the amused look on the Prince's face he turned away in disgust.

"Something bothering you, Captain?"

Looking back, Kindan didn't bother to hide his contempt. "Only your attitude, but your Highness should know that by now."

"Indeed," Nankyokukai smirked, "But only because the feeling is entirely mutual. You should learn to lighten up Captain, no
one is being hurt here."

"What would you know about it? I can't imagine a spoiled prince would have much to complain about, and I don't see
anyone trading you off for something as trivial as passage." Kindan waited, fully expecting the Prince to stand and stalk out
as he usually did. He was dismayed when instead, the prince's face flashed for a moment in pain before twisting into
bitterness as Nankyokukai laughed in a way that was anything but pleasant.

"Captain, I really think you should stop discussing things about which you know nothing about. I keep questioning this
intelligence Lord Raiden insists you possess."

"Your opinion of my intelligence means nothing to me."

"Is that why you look so angry then, because it means nothing to you? I'd hate to see how you act if it were to mean
something to you." Nankyokukai smirked.

Kindan glared back, willing himself to hold still. "Highness, you're lucky this ship belongs to Raiden, because if it were mine
you-"

"Don't you two ever stop?" Gentle laughter spilled across the table from beside the prince, a smile shaping the elegant
mouth of the man seated there. "I thought Takara was exaggerating when he said you did this all the time, but clearly he
was downplaying things." Culebra laughed again before lifting a wine glass slowly to his lips.

Kindan examined the blind prince, "You are looking much better, Prince Culebra. I take it you are fully recovered from your
ordeal?"

"I am doing very well Captain, thank you. Once again, I deeply appreciate your kindness in assisting me." Pale lips smiled
at the captain, the bandaged eyes seeming to know exactly where he was. Slate grey hair looked soft in the lamplight, dark
against the pale green robes borrowed from Nankyokukai.

"It is nothing - any ship would have assisted you."

"Of that, I am not so sure. But--"

"Ow! Storms Taka, did you have to kick me--"

"Yes, I did. Try that again and you'll really regret it." Spinning on his heel, Takara stalked over to the table, sitting down in a
huff at the end of the table, with Nankyokukai and Kindan on either side of him. Angrily he glared at the prince, who only
lifted his own wind glass and smiled behind it.

Kindan shook his head as the merchant sat down beside him. "You didn't tell me there'd be a show with dinner."

"Shut up."

"Oh, friendly."

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Raiden stared a moment, then broke into laughter. "Quit being disrespectful Captain and let's eat."

"So only two more weeks and we'll be in Pozhar? I don't think I'm looking forward to being back there again." Culebra
frowned into his wine.

"Understandable. That nation is difficult to deal with when they're only visiting, I can not imagine having to confront them on
their own playing field." Nankyokukai was pensive. "You were negotiating trade rights? Pozhar is notoriously difficult about
those."

"Yes, they are. Take and take, but they will give very little. I am grateful Nankyo, that your homeland is so much more
flexible."

"Small island nations can't afford to be rigid. But I was surprised to learn of your presence there - I had thought we were
meant to accompany you and act as intermediary."

Culebra twirled his wine glass, tilting his head to look at the man seated next to him, "That had been my impression as well.
But shortly before my departure we received word that Kundou would be unable to attend the negotiations - no reason was
given. I was hoping you would be able to clear that up, but it would seem you know as little about the matter as I."

"Just out of curiosity, are you two allowed to be discussing this sort of thing?" Raiden queried, his tone amused.

"Of course not." Nankyokukai smirked, "But that has never stopped us before. How else do you think I know so much about
what goes on with my ships?"

"Your ships?" Kindan snorted.

Nankyokukai leaned back in his seat, swallowing a piece of apple before bothering to reply, "Yes - I control every ship that
makes berth in Kundou, or belongs to a Kundou citizen. You should consider being nicer to me Captain, else I might revoke
your license. "General incompetence," strikes me as a sufficient reason. What do you think?"

"I think you have a long way to go yourself before you accuse me of incompetence. You claim to be aware of every problem
concerning Kundou ships, but I've yet to see you do anything to fix those problems."

"That's because his Majesty won't let him. We've pleaded for assistance time and again, but the King won't even increase
our limited funding to conduct real investigations. Despite their importance, he regards Nankyo's duties as little more than
jokes." Takara looked angrily at the pale-haired captain, a familiar edge to his eyes.

Kindan's expression turned sour, "I sincerely doubt the situation is that bad. Kundou relies almost entirely on the shipping
trade - why would the King dismiss that?"

The secretary's voice was curt, "He doesn't dismiss the trade - Taiseiyou deals mostly with that. The King is fully aware of
trade - what he doesn't care about are the ships themselves. He only notices a ship is missing if it took an especially
lucrative cargo with it. Even then, he cares only for the results, not for the fate of the crew or the ship itself. All of that is
handled by Nankyo."

"He's rising to your defense again - does he do this often?" Raiden was laughing, though there was slight envy in his tone.

Nankyokukai's expression was amused, "Not usually in my presence, no. But he is correct - my idiot father looks at gold, not
flesh. Condolence letters and compensation certificates might carry his signature, but they were written by Takara and
myself."

"You're awfully forthcoming with information all of a sudden," Kindan's tone was flat.

"Only to prove you wrong - clearly I am competent. I have yet to see you prove any such thing about yourself, Captain."

"You're too busy being a selfish, spoiled brat to notice."

"That's enough. Highness, in my captain's defense he is the best there is. He's been in my employ for over a decade, and
Captain since he was twenty. Surely that speaks for itself?"

"Perhaps."

Kindan glared at the prince, who only smirked in reply.

Raiden rose slowly from the table, reaching out to force his captain up as well. But a sudden pounding on the door halted

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his movements. "Enter."

A harried sailor burst into the room, his slightly panicked expression immediately seeking out and finding his superior,
"Captain! It's a mermaid!"

Chapter Six

Kindan rose from his seat, moving toward the door even as he spoke, "What do you mean a mermaid?"

"She--she just climbed on board the ship," the man stumbled through the words. "She wants to speak with you, Captain."

"She asked for me by name?"

The sailor nodded, an uncertain look overtaking his face. "Yes, sir…"

Kindan's expression tensed and he waved the man off, "Get back to your post and stay away from her!"

"Aye, Captain!" The man darted off.

Outside, Kindan stared down at the stranger, standing amidst a ring of nervous sailors. "Back to work! There's no idling on
this ship! Next one I see standing still is going to regret it! Mr. Same, bring my guest up immediately!" Tense, Kindan
watched as his first mate brought the mermaid to him.

Movement from the corner of his eye caused him to turn his head, and he turned to glare at the blue-haired figure standing
next to him. "What do you want?"

Nankyokukai stared back, his usual smirk for once absent from his face. "Would you like me to be competent or not? Why is
a mermaid asking for you?"

Kindan glared at the prince, "Where are the others?"

"Takara is soothing Culebra, and Raiden seemed to indicate that it would be best if he remain out of sight. A trump card, I
am guessing, if things go wrong? Why is there only one? Don't they usually remain in groups?"

Kindan stared in silence a moment at the prince, before sighing heavily and speaking. "I have no idea what she's up to. I
didn't think they would come anywhere near our ship given what's on board."

"Yes, that mysterious "thing" you mentioned before. Why so elusive with the details captain?"

"I have my reasons."

Nankyokukai looked like he might say more, but he fell silent as the mermaid finally reached them.

Kindan stared at her, face blank. She was beautiful, in a strange way. All mermaids were though. Her hair was an incredibly
pale green, nearly white. Her skin was almost sickly looking in the fading light, as though it was not meant to be touched by
the sun. It seemed to glisten - a closer examination would reveal her skin was actually made from tiny, delicate scales. She
was naked but for the ropes of pearls and shells wrapped around her wrists, waist and throat. More ornaments were woven
through her strange hair. Eyes a sickly shade of green stared coldly back at him. She grimaced, as though smelling
something highly unpleasant.

The captain spoke in clipped tones, "What do you want, fish?"

Her voice was biting, like being doused with cold seawater after lying in the warm sun. "I come on personal business."

"Which would be?" Kindan asked.

"To be rid of you, abomination."

Kindan sneered, "Well I hate to disappoint you fish, but you're not going to be rid of me today. It was stupid of you to come
here alone - at the very least you should have waited until dark."

The mermaid let out what sounded like a watery hiss, "I don't slink around in the dark like backstabbing humans!"

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"Funny, I'm pretty sure that's what your sisters did when they finally caught my mother." Kindan's expression had grown
dark, a threat in his voice that the mermaid either didn't hear or chose to ignore.

"She got what she deserved! Choosing land over sea, siding with the vile betrayers!" Another watery hiss escaped her lips
as she glared hatefully at the pale haired captain.

Kindan's expression grew furious as he made to step forward. A hand gripped his arm, and he jerked free of it. Turning his
head, he shifted his angry glare to the prince.

Nankyokukai laughed, examining the mermaid. "How entertaining. Here I thought we might actually have a problem on our
hands and it turns out to simply be a spat between relatives. But what is this nonsense about 'vile betrayers' you
mentioned?"

The mermaid narrowed her eyes at the blue haired man, silent in thought for several seconds. "You…I could not smell you
for the stench of the abomination…you smell of the dragons..."

More laughter spilled from the prince's throat, "I am bound to the dragons, yes."

The mermaid hissed again, illness and stubbornness mixing in her expression. "The dragons will return to cleanse the world
of traitors like you and take back the power you stole!"

The prince was contemptuous, "What would you know about it? What could the sea folk possibly know about anything?
According to all the stories, your people chose to run away rather than stay and help when the dragons attempted to
destroy their own people."

"Traitor! I'll kill you and the abomination!" The mermaid lunged forward, skin flashing in the fading sunlight. Her impulsive
leap was easily blocked by the furious captain, who grabbed her and threw her back. She landed roughly on the deck of the
ship.

Kindan stared coldly down at her, "Get lost or your sisters will feast on your rotting flesh."

"You wouldn't dare," she spoke in a liquid hiss.

"Yes, I would." Kindan's expression was cold. "I would kill all of you, if I thought it possible. Get off my ship, unless you want
to be your sisters' dinner."

The mermaid stared hatefully up at the two men, before rising clumsily to her feet and plunging over the side of the ship.
Kindan stared after her a moment, before releasing a pent up breath.

"Your hand is bleeding, Captain." The familiar mocking tone of the prince penetrated his thoughts, and Kindan lifted his
hand to examine it.

A pair of cuts ran across his palm, the blood pooling in his hand and some spilling over onto the deck. He made a face,
"Probably cut by the shells around her waist. Lucky for you I was the one to touch them."

"Oh?" Nankyokukai lifted a brow, "Why is that?"

"Because they coat them in poison. I'm immune, but I doubt anyone else is."

"I see…" the prince said. "Would that be because you're half mermaid?"

Kindan's expression darkened, "Yes, that would be why. Happy now that you know the big secret?"

"Disappointed actually. The big fuss you were making about what kept the mermaids away from your ships, I thought it
would be something rather exciting. Instead I just find out there's another myth aboard. A dragon, a snake, and a mermaid
half-breed. We're quite the ship, aren't we?" Nankyokukai looked up at him, a smirk on his well-shaped mouth.

"Just shut up. The very last thing I need right now is to listen to you." Kindan clenched his bleeding fist and moved to
reenter the cabin, pointedly ignoring the prince close behind him.

But Nankyokukai wasn't finished speaking, "It's one thing to be one of several people with ocean blue hair and the blood of
dragons, quite another to be a prince capable of killing with one glance. That is rather unique. And it's just as exotic to be
the male child of a human and a mermaid. No wonder the mermaids find you so repugnant. But that does explain your
strange features. I had wondered."

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Kindan flushed with anger, "I'm so happy I could appease your curiosity, Highness. Is there anything else you'd like to
know? Or is mocking my heritage enough for now?"

"Clearly everything is fine, if you're both back to bickering." Raiden shook his head from where he remained at the table. He
frowned as he took in Kindan's hand, "Are you okay?"

Kindan waved him off, "I'm fine - it will finish healing in a few more minutes."

"How interesting." Nankyokukai was still watching the captain. "Your wounds heal all on their own?"

Kindan said nothing as he resumed his seat.

Raiden chuckled, "So fill us in. For all the fuss it would appear nothing much has happened."

Kindan related the brief exchange with the mermaid, his expression displeased.

Takara shook his head in amazement as Kindan finished, "I had wondered about your…unusual features. I had no idea it
was actually possible for mermaids to mate with humans…"

Culebra spoke up, "It's not so strange. I am more intrigued by her comments on humans as traitors. All the legends of the
dragons I've read stated that no one knew what drove the Three Storms away. Is there something else to which she
referred?"

Silence befell the table, each lost in their own thoughts. Culebra's brow knit in confusion, "Did I say something wrong?"

Nankyokukai laughed, "Not at all, Culebra. It's just that I find that tired old legend annoying."

Across from the blue haired prince the captain sneered, "Poor little prince, bored by the very legend that explains how he
supposedly obtained his all mighty power."

The prince's voice was flat as he responded, lacking any of his usual twisted humor. "Supposedly is correct captain. Yet
again you comment on matters you know nothing about."

Kindan didn't back down, "As if you know anything. Our country's greatest joke is that we know next to nothing about our
own gods or why they abandoned us."

Culebra spoke up, "So you don't know why she would have said such a thing?"

The captain shook his head, "Not I, myths and legends aren't something I like to waste my time on."

"Knowledge of any sort isn't something you like to waste your time on. You just like making assumptions and shouting."
Nankyokukai said derisively. He spoke to Culebra before the angry captain could reply, "I know a bit about it, if you would
actually like to hear it."

Raiden blinked, waving a hand to silence Kindan. "No offense Highness, but that's oddly cooperative of you. You are, in my
limited experience, not generally so forthcoming with information."

Culebra laughed, "He's hoping to exchange information. Nankyo collects legends and stories about the old gods. My own
legacy is something he doesn't know much about, given it's a closely guarded royal secret. Am I correct, Nankyo?"

The prince laughed, "Perhaps I'm simply in the mood to tell a story. Do you want it or shall we bring this to an end?"

Takara was silent at the other end of the table, looking at Nankyokukai thoughtfully. Raiden looked at him quizzically,
curiosity growing when the secretary only shook his head slightly. He turned back to the blue haired prince, "Let's have the
story."

"Yes, I want to hear your version of the Three Storms legend." Culebra said eagerly. "I'd be willing to trade, your history is
nearly as mysterious as mine."

"Excellent. I assume, Culebra, that you are familiar with the more common legend?"

The blind prince nodded, "Of course. You refer to how the Storm Dragons went suddenly wild, destroying their own lands
and people. It went on and on until one man somehow managed to appease them, and to express their contrition and regret
the Dragons bestowed a measure of their own power on him before departing for a distant land - some take that to mean
they died, but it's debatable."

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"A rather convenient legend I always thought," Kindan said disinterestedly.

Nankyokukai looked at him, "For once Captain, you are correct. It is convenient. But the entirety of what actually transpired
is largely still a mystery. The only thing that's not a mystery is that the Storms did indeed go on a rampage. The why is
what's missing - but royal documents seem to indicate that, like the mermaid said, the dragons were betrayed."

"You're being vague, Prince." Raiden smiled in amusement.

"I'm getting to it. Do you know why twins are taboo in our country?"

Raiden answered the question, "Bad fortune, a sign of disfavor from the gods. But it's an old superstition; in the past few
years it has begun to fade. Mostly because no one knows the origins anymore."

"Exactly. No one knows anything about it. Just like the legend. As it turns out, it was the first Taiheiyou that ordered the
killing of all twins. It was only later that the superstition altered to the killing of just one. Originally the order was to kill both."

"Yes, but what does that have to do with the Three Storms?" Kindan asked impatiently.

"I'm getting to that, Captain." Nankyokukai said. "Taiseiyou I ordered the killing of twins, the records say, because it was a
set of twins that betrayed the Three Storms and Ryugouku. It may seem stupid to us in present day, but I assume he
wanted to prevent such a thing from ever again occurring."

"It does seem rather stupid. I mean, it's not just twins that are capable of betrayal. Something so trivial shouldn't be the
reason that countless children have been killed."

"Yes, it's not one of the more pleasant aspects of your country." Culebra said thoughtfully, "Though I mean no offense, all
countries have unpleasant customs. Certainly my own legacy is rather grim, and Schatten I think takes the prize for horrible
tradition."

Takara grimaced, "I would really prefer we not discuss Schatten right after eating. It's bad enough we're going to be
confronted by the worst of Pozhar upon our arrival, we really don't need to discuss the only country worse than the fire
lands.

"Yes, I really am dreading returning to Pozhar, especially as I am going to be in their debt," Culebra's good humor faded.
"Relations with the fire lands are sour at best. Any more to your dragon legends, Nankyo?"

Nankyokukai shook his head slightly, "Not really. Whatever happened, whoever betrayed whom; Taiheiyou took care of it
and received the power of the dragons. Most of the important stuff is written in the old language, which we can no longer
read. Regretfully no one that could read it ever bothered to copy it into a language we can read."

"So what does all this have to do with your voyage and tribute?" Kindan demanded.

"That is none of your concern. You need only get us there."

"Kindan!" Raiden cut the captain off, "We agreed to the secrecy at the beginning of all this."

Kindan's glower darkened, "I didn't ask what the tribute was. I asked how it related to the legend. I'm pretty sure that's a fair
question. You don't agree, highness?"

The prince smirked, "You have a point, but I don't feel like explaining. It's not very interesting anyway. I believe I've had
enough explaining for one evening, if you'll excuse me."

"So you're just leaving again? You always do, when events don't go the way you prefer them to."

Nankyokukai laughed, "On the contrary, I simply leave when matters become boring. Good evening, gentlemen." Shoving
away from the table, the prince lightly crossed the cabin and departed. The door shut quietly behind him, and two heads
swiveled to look at Takara.

The secretary looked torn between exhaustion and annoyance. "Don't look at me, I'm not going to explain him every time
you annoy him." He lifted his glass and swallowed what little wine was left.

Raiden was toying with his own wine glass. "I'm not interested in his Highness' plans, so much as in the voyage itself. But I
realize asking questions is an exercise in futility."

"I believe I will excuse myself as well. Good evening." Culebra rose smoothly from his own seat, making sure to push it

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neatly back under the table before slowly and carefully making his way toward the door.

"I should make sure everything is functioning on deck. So I will leave you two alone now."

"Excellent," Raiden grinned.

"Storms take it." Takara frowned.

Kindan rolled his eyes, "Good night." He turned to the blindfolded prince, "Highness, would you care for some assistance?"

Culebra smiled at him and nodded, "It would be appreciated. Ships are easy to memorize but difficult to navigate all the
same." He reached out to grasp Kindan's arm, and the two left.

Silence descended. Raiden shoved his dishes away and rose, "So tell me about you and his Highness. All this time together
and I still know very little about you. You and Prince Nankyokukai seem close, despite everything."

"What? No advances? Did the wine mellow you or something?"

Raiden shrugged, "I get tired of rejection. I figure I can wait until you stop getting so feisty."

"Feisty! Pardon me for not wanting to immediately cater to your every licentious whim."

"That's why I'm waiting. Then it won't be immediate catering." Raiden laughed at the scathing look directed at him. "Enough.
Let's talk - tell me about you and the prince. Would you like some more wine?"

"No, thank you. And what exactly do you want to know?" Takara asked warily. "There's not really a whole lot to it. I became
his secretary when I turned 17, and I've been with him ever since."

"I highly doubt it was that easy. Seventeen? Isn't that awfully young for a secretary? But…I do recall the gossips
commenting on what a young, pretty thing you were."

Takara flushed, "What is it with you and gossip! You're worse than the old biddies spreading it. I'm young yes, but it's not
that hard with the right connections. Most people only take as long as they do because they lack the proper connections. I
had all the contacts I needed, so it was easier to get started."

"Ah yes, your mother works in the palace. In the garden, yes?"

"Yes, she's worked there for years. The Queen and she have always been close, which is why I was so fortunate."

"I see. Why did you decide to become a Secretary?" Raiden settled at his massive desk, motioning Takara to join him. "It's
rather a difficult life, isn't it?"

"No more difficult than any other job in the palace. At least I'm not a Secretary for his Majesty or the Crown Prince. They
each have three and there still is more work than they can keep up with. I nearly was assigned to the Crown Prince, but
about that time Nankyo had worn out his third secretary and the Queen suggested someone younger might be able to keep
pace. It's…interesting work. Especially working for Nankyo. I spend a great deal of time running back and forth between the
harbor and the palace. The rest of my time is spent with Nankyo or as a stand in for him. I largely chose it because it keeps
me busy - too busy to be bothered with court life beyond setting up appointments and the like."

Raiden looked thoughtful as he replied, "It sounds like you really like it, over all. Would you ever give it up, if something
different or better offered itself?"

A strange expression flickered across Takara's face for a moment, as if he were in pain. But it was gone too quickly for the
merchant to react to it. Takara shrugged, "I've received many a generous offer, but I like where I'm at. I'll serve Nankyo until
he no longer requires it."

Raiden was silent a moment, before smiling ruefully. "That is unfortunate. I'm afraid I have little love for the masses of
paperwork that come with this line of work, especially when the forms are all in different languages. Someone with your
skills would be the treasure of treasures so far as I'm concerned."

Takara tilted his head, "I am surprised you don't have a Secretary. You're one of the most successful merchants in the
world, especially with your knack for locating the rare and exotic."

The merchant shrugged, "My headquarters is based three months away from Pozhar, four months from Kundou. Not many
people are willing to spend their lives on such a remote island, least of all a Secretary good enough to keep up with my

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business."

The secretary had moved around the desk, looking with interest over the various papers stacked neatly on Raiden's desk.
"How did you get into this particular line of business? Most merchants deal in one or two exotics but otherwise stick to more
common goods. This is your latest cargo? These wines are hard enough to come by in Kundou even though they're made
on Typhoon, but you're taking enough of it to Pozhar to host a respectable dinner. Trading for Pozhar wool, I assume?
Which most people would happily surrender a limb for…and the gems of course…How do you manage to acquire all of
this?"

Raiden smirked, "I have an affinity for treasure, what can I say? I've been good at acquiring from the moment I was born. As
to how…" Darting out an arm, Raiden grasped Takara around the waist and jerked him over to sit on his lap. "…I find
unorthodox methods work best when seeking out the truly exotic."

Takara didn't even bother to struggle, settling on merely looking annoyed. "I thought you weren't going to try anything."

"Changed my mind. Next time stay on the other side of the desk." Raiden trailed a hand slowly across the sash around
Takara's waist, coming to halt when it came across a small, hard object tucked away inside the sash. Ignoring the
secretary's protest, Raiden reached inside the sash and withdrew a familiar looking ring. He held it aloft, letting the lamplight
catch in the green stone. "I half figured you had thrown it out or given it away."

The secretary was offended, "To whom exactly would I have given it? Even if I am disinclined to wear it, it's a gorgeous ring.
There's no way I'd throw it out. Are you an idiot?"

"Occasionally. But I was only jesting." Raiden was oddly serious, his eyes intent. "I do wish you'd wear it though. I didn't
take it from my collection for you to hide in your sash…though seeing as you at least keep it with you I assume I have some
hope that you don't hate me entirely?"

Takara was disconcerted, but remained silent a moment. "I'm displeased with my current circumstances but I don't hate
you."

"So tell me why I'm the exclusive focus of your displeasure. Granted, I was the one that requested you but your precious
prince was the one that agreed to it. Why is he not in trouble? You go out of your way to defend the man."

That pained expression again flickered briefly across Takara's face, "He…he has his reasons. I yelled at him plenty believe
me. But in the end I know why he did it and it's hard to resent him too much for it. And besides," Takara's glare returned,
"The fact remains that he would not have agreed to it if you hadn't suggested it. Now let me up."

Raiden refused, "How would you feel about me if I'd picked a different method of acquiring you?"

Takara was outraged, "Acquired me? Storms take you, I'm not a ring or necklace to be acquired." Renewing his struggles,
the secretary fought uselessly against the strong arms keeping him firmly in place. "Let me go!"

"It's habit, all right? I didn't mean it like that." Raiden said over the other man's continuing struggles.

Takara glared, "What's habit? Being a complete ass?"

"No. To date you are my finest treasure, it's habit to say that I 'acquired' you."

"Finest…" Takara's eyes widened in surprise and his struggles again ceased. "That's ridiculous. Are you going just a bit
overboard with that line? What's with you all of a sudden?" He stared at the other man, silver-gray eyes dark.

Raiden stared back, his manner and voice serious. "I'm just trying to make it pointedly clear where I stand. I may have been
impulsive in taking you as payment for passage, but I take it - take you very seriously. I realize you're displeased about it,
but seeing as I've never really made a real issue out of "owning" you, I think you could at least give me a chance." He cut
Takara off when it looked like the secretary was about to speak, "I only say any of this because every day I feel like I'm in
competition with his Highness. So I thought I'd improve my chances with a little honesty."

Takara was speechless. He turned away in embarrassment, face flushed. Raiden released his hold and the secretary slid
from his lap and moved to the side of the desk. Still not looking at the merchant, he slowly began to speak, "Do you know
how annoying it is to have everyone think there's something romantic between Nankyo and I? For both of us? That one
stupid peck and we were the favorite of gossips forever after. We've never been anything but Prince and Secretary…and
friends. I defend him adamantly because no one else will. You have no idea what sort of life he's had."

Finally Takara looked up, eyes dark and fierce as he stared into Raiden's. "He isn't competition, he never has been. As a

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matter of fact he's the only reason I've even tried to give you a chance."

Raiden frowned, "What do you mean?"

"I mean for all that I'm not pleased with what he did, he wouldn't have agreed to it if he hadn't thought I 'd be all right. Or did
you actually think he's that rotten? That's why I get upset, Raiden. If you think that poorly of Nankyo, you must not think too
highly of the man that so willingly works for such a horrible person." Takara turned away again, looking longingly at the
door.

Raiden seemed to sense his intent, for he rose from his seat to move and grab the secretary's wrist, again pulling the man
close. "I never thought the prince was rotten - I just thought he was a brat. And more than once a good man has been
forced to work for a bad one; it was entirely possible the same was true in the case of you and the prince. But I think very
highly of you, and I'm hard pressed to think poorly of a man you so staunchly defend. I'm jealous, but I don't think he's
horrible. So if that's what makes you so prickly, will you stop now?"

Takara blinked up at him, smiling slightly. "I don't suppose you could throw an effort to dissuade your captain into that? As
much Nankyo might enjoy the fights, I'm afraid one of them is going to get killed."

Raiden grinned, "No can do. Kindan is dead set against his Highness. It would take a dragon to make those two get along, I
think."

"Fair enough…" Takara seemed to hesitate, "…Consider yourself given a chance then?"

Raiden said nothing, though he seemed relieved by the remark. Instead he lifted the arm he still held fast, pulling free the
ring Takara still clutched in one fist. He held it up, "Wear this then."

"What is the big deal about that thrice-cursed ring?"

"Please?" That oddly intent look was back on Raiden's face, and Takara found he was loathe to argue further.

"If it really is that important to you." Reaching out he took the ring and slid it onto the third finger of his left hand. He
frowned down at it, "It's fits rather well for an old ring…"

Raiden tipped his chin up, smiling. "I told you it was yours." Dipping his head, he kissed Takara deeply, finding Takara's
hand with his own and running a thumb over the ring while his other arm pulled the secretary even closer.

Takara didn't try to pull away.

Chapter Seven

Raiden released his light grip on Takara's hand, lingering briefly on the ring there before trailing his fingers lightly up his arm
to wrap his own tightly around Takara's shoulders, pressing the secretary even closer.

Takara didn't protest, his own arms reaching up to fasten around Raiden's neck, fingers tangling in the merchant's midnight
blue hair. Indistinct murmurs escaped his throat, making Raiden smile as he broke the kiss to breath. He traced Takara's
cheek lightly with his lips, "I told you it worked better if you participated."

"Mmm…but you didn't make participating sound worthwhile before." Takara smiled briefly before slowly pulling away.

"Aw, we're not stopping already?"

"I said I'd give you a chance. That doesn't translate as 'jump into bed with you' in my book."

Raiden frowned, "I don't like your book very much."

Takara shrugged and went back to the table. "You'll get over it."

The merchant opened his mouth, then closed it and shook his head. "We'll see."

Shrugging, Takara helped himself to more wine before wandering over to his bed and picking up a book that he had left
lying there. "Don't get your hopes up. I don't consider this a pleasure voyage, and I won't spend my time goofing off while
the prince…"

"While the prince what?"

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Takara shook his head, "Nothing. But I won't have fun when no one else can. It wouldn't be right." Opening the book, he
settled comfortably into the bed to read.

"Yet again the prince stands in my way."

Jerking his head up, Takara's responded angrily. "I told you to stop that! You don't know anything about it. And I'm not going
to tell you."

"Mysteries, mysteries."

"I hadn't realized getting me into your bed was a top priority."

"It isn't," Raiden snapped, sitting huffily at his desk, "But I'm tired of the prince being your excuse for every fear and
reluctance."

"He's not an excuse! Storms, what is it with you? So quick to assume the worst before you know everything about the
situation. Dragons take you!" Surging to his feet, Takara set his wine down hard enough it sloshed from the cup, tossing the
book down on the bed. "Here I thought something was resolved between us." Storming across the small cabin, he yanked
the door open and left. The door slammed shut behind him.

Raiden's expression darkened, partly in unhappiness, partly in guilt.

"Thank you Captain, for the assistance." Culebra smiled. He turned his face into the cool evening breeze, his bandaged
eyes facing the open ocean on the starboard side of the ship.

Kindan stood beside him, staring out over the water and breathing in the salty sea air. The captain shrugged, "It is nothing,
Highness. I prefer people are comfortable aboard my ship, and it must be difficult for you…"

Culebra's smile faltered, "…Yes, but all things considered the fates have been kind to me. I regret only the pain of the
families who lost the men on my ship."

"I fail to see how these supposed fates have been kind to you in anyway."

The blind prince shook his head, "You are as blunt as ever. And of course I forget that Kundouins are adamantly against
such concepts as fate. In point of fact, your entire history revolves around rejection of such things."

"There is no such thing."

Culebra was amused, "Many would disagree with you. Tell me, Captain, do you know why Pozhar is so notoriously difficult
in its relations with other countries? The only country more troublesome is Schatten, and they at least have been courteous
enough to shut the world out. Pozhar is not self-sufficient enough to manage that trick."

"I know that Pozhar is strict about what enters and leaves the country. They highly disapprove of what they call Kundou's
'lack of faith' as well as our 'loose morals.' Clearly there's more to it, the way you say it."

Soft laughter drifted on the quiet night as Culebra responded, "Yes, Kundou and Pozhar are a little too different to ever be
the best of friends. It is fortunate for Piedre that we tend to deal well with you both, though Pozhar of late has been more
trouble than I feel it is worth. Anyway, my own country is largely fatalistic. We have to be, considering our ruling god is the
Basilisk. Rather grim, wouldn't you say? Pozhar goes a step further though - not only do they believe in fate, and the ruling
power of the gods, they believe they can foresee what fate has in store for us."

"They can see the future?" Kindan asked doubtfully.

"In a way. I'm told their temples and cathedrals are quite impressive; they put a great deal of effort into seeking out the
future before it occurs."

"This is why they're so hostile to other countries?"

"Yes. Especially Piedre and Kundou. I was privy to a recounting of some of their prophesies, though I didn't get specifics,
just a general idea that it is Piedre and Kundou they have come to fear the most. Pozhar elaborating on their precious
prophecies is about as likely as my being able to see."

"It's seems a stupid reason to reject stronger ties with powerful nations. But I suppose it's beyond me - and their loss."

"Spoken like a true native of Kundou."

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The Captain grunted, his attention distracted by something in the dark sky. It was a bird, he realized a moment later, much
like the one Takara had sent out when they first rescued Culebra. "Highness, there is a message bird approaching the
ship."

"A message bird? What color is it?" Culebra sounded surprised.

"White."

"From Nankyo's father then…how strange, no reply was necessary from Kundou…we had best fetch Nankyo I guess." The
blind prince sighed, "It is unfortunate, I was enjoying our conversation, Captain."

"I as well." Kindan watched as the bird landed, frowning in thought. "Wait here a moment, I will fetch the Prince." His gaze
strayed toward Raiden's cabin and absently he shook his head, "I'll be just a moment, unless his highness decides to be
more difficult than usual."

"Of course."

Turning away, Kindan made his way toward the cabin where Prince Nankyokukai resided. He hesitated briefly, but then
frowned and knocked sharply on the door. Hearing a faint, curt "enter" he shoved the door open.

A lamp flickered and wavered from a small table, casting yellow light on its immediate surroundings. In a chair beside the
table sat Nankyokukai, quietly reading a book spread across his lap. His short blue hair brushed down across his cheeks,
hiding most of his face, tilted down to read. The top fastenings of his robe were undone, baring the prince's throat and the
gleam of a thick gold chain.

Nankyokukai looked up, annoyed at the interruption. His expression darkened further when he realized just who had
interrupted him. Shutting his book with a snap and setting it on the table, his hands moved to refasten the top of his robe.
Kindan blinked as he realized something was off about the prince's appearance - Nankyokukai was wearing gold-rimmed
spectacles.

The Prince raised a brow, his too familiar smirk appearing on his face as the annoyance was forced from it. "This is an
unexpected displeasure. What brings you to see me at this hour, Captain?"

"The displeasure is mutual, never fear Highness. A messenger bird has arrived from Kundou. Prince Culebra thought we
had best fetch you."

Nankyokukai removed his spectacles slowly, folding them up and stowing them carefully inside his robes. "More like Takara
was unavailable. But I'm surprised you simply didn't send one of your men."

Kindan grit his teeth, "I didn't wish to inflict your antics upon them, Highness. Are you going to stand their talking or are you
coming?"

"Of course Captain. I was unaware we were in a hurry." Stooping briefly Nankyokukai extinguished the lamp on the table,
leaving only the one near his bed lit. Shadows dominated the room, traces of moonlight spilling in to give Kindan's pale
features a faint glow. Nankyokukai let out a short laugh.

Kindan glared, "What?"

"Nothing Captain. It's just amusing to me that you're part mermaid. Such a fascinating aspect to your charming person."

"You, Highness, have a warped idea about what is fascinating."

"So I've often been told," Nankyokukai said idly. His pace increased minutely as they approached Culebra, who waited
patiently as he listened to them approach.

The blind prince smiled in the dark, "Nankyo, were you expecting a reply from King Taiheiyou?"

"A reply? Not at all, I doubt my father cares overmuch about what becomes of you to be brutally honest. He knows I won't
get tangled up in any of it simply because I'm too lazy."

Kindan frowned, "So what would he be sending you?"

The blue-haired prince shrugged, the movement liquid and lazy. "How should I know? I'm in the middle of the ocean, not
the palace."

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The captain clamped his mouth shut, sullenly refusing to say anything more.

Signaling the bird to his hand, Nankyokukai laughed at the expression on Kindan's face. His attention gradually shifted to
the message as he removed it from the bird's leg and unrolled it. The lingering amusement on his face faded as he read it,
but just as a silence descended over the ship the prince once again erupted into laughter.

It was a strange mix of amusement, satisfaction and the bitterness that was always just beneath the surface of his laughter.
Crumpling the note in his fist, Nankyokukai grinned humorlessly at Kindan. "It would seem Captain, that we just missed an
ocean's worth of trouble upon our departure. How convenient for us."

Kindan growled, "Why don't you try making sense, for once? What are you talking about?"

"It would seem that Kundou has been plagued with thunderstorms for the past six days, and the storms are ever increasing
in violence and strength."

"What!" Kindan jumped, gaping in disbelief. His expression darkened at the smug look dancing over the prince's face and
angrily he reached out, grabbing the prince by the neck of his robe and jerking him forward. "That's nothing to be smiling
about, Highness. Kundou doesn't get storms. Kundou doesn't get bad weather of any sort." Practically nose-to-nose, the
captain continued in an angry snarl, "Stop playing games and just tell us what's wrong."

Eyes glimmering, Nankyokukai laughed again as he abruptly shoved the captain backward. Not expecting the strength
behind the movement, Kindan released him in surprise and went stumbling back. Nankyokukai stared at him, expression
cool. "Violence won't get you anything but trouble, Captain. I'm impressed someone as short tempered as you has made it
to so prestigious a rank."

Kindan stared resentfully back, "I'm impressed that someone as useless as you has been trusted with something as
important as this journey."

The prince was unimpressed, "We've hashed over this before. May I continue with the contents of the message, or would
you like to continue our spat?"

"The message," Kindan spit out. "What is that nonsense about storms on the Islands?"

Smoothing out his robes and brushing strands of hair from his face, Nankyokukai turned serious. "It's exactly like I said." He
held out the crumpled note, "Read for yourself if you don't believe me. Bad weather plagues Kundou, and the Islands have
been subjected to repeated thunderstorms for the past six days."

Kindan took the note, reading quickly through its contents before looking back up at the other man. "Why is he sending a
ship after us? I thought the reason for hiring us was to keep our voyage a secret. Sending a royal ship after us blows any
chance of secrecy out of the water. What did you do this time?"

"What makes you think I did anything? Perhaps my father's short temper has gotten the best of him." Nankyokukai replied
idly, turning to look out over the sea.

The Captain clenched a fist, further crumpling the royal message. "If it got the best of him, it's no doubt because you did
something to provoke it. Why is he sending someone after us? What do we have to do with the sudden arrival of storms on
the Islands? Excuse me; what do you have to do with the sudden arrival of storms on the Islands?"

Nankyokukai turned back to face him, and Kindan found himself recoiling at the look on the Prince's face. He was smiling,
but it was more like a baring of fangs, ferocious and gloating. "Everything."

Kindan's response was lost as a door suddenly banged open, and the three men jerked their heads to the source of the
sound. Takara came storming out of his cabin, about to turn away from them when something registered in his peripheral.
He turned toward them, still scowling.

The prince sighed, "Don't tell me you picked another fight, Takara? You really should be nicer to your lover, you know."

"He's not my lover. Especially if he keeps acting like that." Takara huffed as he joined them. "Besides, I can see that you're
in the middle of yet another fight of your own so you hardly have the right to tell me to behave. What on earth is a
messenger bird doing here?"

Kindan answered, "Because his Highness has apparently caused a great deal of trouble back home."

"What?" Takara stared blankly at Kindan, before turning to Nankyokukai, who only smirked.

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Tossing his head, the prince snatched the note from Kindan's hand and handed the ruined piece of paper to his secretary.
"This is what he means; everything happened much sooner that I had anticipated."

In silence Takara read through the message, tugging absently on the beads in his hair in thought. "I see they tried to send a
ship after us," he said looking up at the prince. "But they were unable to get a ship out of port. Which makes sense," he
sighed. "They may still try and send a ship from elsewhere after us."

"But no ships of yours are near enough. To catch you, they would have to come from either Kundou or Pozhar, and you
currently have no ships in the Firelands." Culebra stated quietly, and the others nodded.

Kindan wasn't to be distracted however, "You still haven't explained to me why these storms have suddenly appeared."

Nankyokukai smiled, "No, I haven't. But isn't it obvious? Kundou has finally fallen out of the Dragons' favor."

"Don't give me that. You're behind this, and I want to know how. I won't tolerate anyone bringing harm upon my ship, and
it's seems to me you might have already done so."

Takara started to speak, but Nankyokukai cut him off. "Ah, but am I not a representative of the Dragons? Is my hair not
blatant proof that I wield their power with full right? Perhaps I felt my people no longer deserved the favor of the dragons,
and took it from them."

"Do you ever give straight answers?"

"Not if I can help it." Nankyokukai turned away, waving a hand for Takara to follow. The prince and his secretary departed,
the remaining two watching and listening silently as they went.

Kindan turned to frown at the unseeing Culebra, "I don't suppose you know anything about this voyage? I'm fed up with
being left in the dark."

The prince shrugged, "He would never explain something like that to me. I have his confidence in a great many things but
the only one he trusts implicitly is Takara. Those two are like brothers - it's no wonder so many think they might have been
lovers."

The captain sighed at the reminder of his own misconception concerning the two, "It's not as if he goes out of his way to
dispel the rumor."

Culebra laughed, "Of course he wouldn't, it's too handy a rumor to make any effort to dispel it."

"Handy?"

"Oh yes, this is something I do know a bit about. If you would like to hear it?"

Kindan hesitated but finally nodded, "It can't hurt, dragons only know his Highness never feels like explaining anything."

The prince's mouth quirked in amusement, "No, he is not fond of explaining anything. Hasn't been since he was young. I
remember when I first met him - we got into a fight, did you know that? - I was speaking with Takara while the secretary was
going through mail. Every other royal has at least two secretaries, the King, Queen, and Crown Prince each have three or
four. After hiring Takara, Nankyo refused to take on any others despite the fact that I'm sure they could occasionally use the
extra help. Especially when it comes to mail. Hundreds of letters and missives to go through, it's an unending chore. Do you
know what a great number of those letters are?"

The captain shook his head, "No idea. Probably nothing good though."

"On the contrary, a number of them were marriage proposals, others are…less proper offers. Nankyo is in high demand,
and the fact that he's notoriously aloof only adds to his appeal." Culebra grinned, "I've many a cousin who bid me carry
tokens to him whenever I visit the country. They're all quite certain that being my friend he'll eventually give in to one of
them."

He turned his head into the wind coming off the water, grin fading into a light smile. He looked back toward the direction of
the silent Kindan. "Not to mention the hoards that attempt to lure away his secretary on a near-constant basis. But some are
deterred by the belief that the two are lovers, so Nankyo let's the rumor stand."

"It can't make that much of a difference."

"No, but any help is beneficial…besides…if you knew that by insulting Takara you just insulted a rather notorious prince,

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wouldn't you be more cautious of what you said? Few people will tangle with Takara; the rumor has given him enough
power that he can conduct business without the prince having to be present."

Kindan frowned, his eyes suddenly intent. "What…you make it sound almost like he did it…"

"Purely for Takara's benefit? Not entirely, Takara not needing him frees him up to do other things. But yes, the bulk of it is
for the Secretary's benefit."

Tiredly Kindan ran a hand through his hair, the pale strands bright in the moonlight. "So are you trying to tell me that
Nankyokukai is not as bad as I think?"

"I am trying to tell you nothing," Culebra reached out and trailed his fingers up Kindan's arm until he could hook his own
through it. "You wanted to know about the rumor, that is all I've told you." He tugged lightly, "Would you help back to my
room? I'm beginning to feel tired."

Kindan nodded absently, "He's still a spoiled brat."

Culebra shrugged, "Nankyo is Nankyo…no one but Taka I'd imagine understands his mind at all." He frowned in thought,
"Though I've noticed he's been sort of strange this entire voyage…the matter of storms in Kundou is bizarre. It's like he
knew how they were kept away, and how to bring them. But that is knowledge I thought no one could possess…and surely
it would rest with the King and his Heir…not with his youngest."

The captain snorted, "My impression so far is that the prince is possessed of a great deal more power than he should be.
The fact that he's been assigned to deliver this mysterious tribute is proof of that." He paused in front of Culebra's cabin,
"Thank you for humoring me, Prince Culebra. Dragons guard your sleep."

"Culebra is sufficient captain, you need not call me prince. And thank you for the company, Nankyo of late has been rather
distracted." With a last smile Culebra disappeared into his room, and Kindan went off to see to his men.

"Well, the storms arrived just as you predicted Nankyo. Perhaps a trifle sooner" Takara took the seat beside the small table,
glancing briefly at the book the prince had left there.

Nankyokukai undid the buttons at his throat as he dropped to recline in his bed. Reaching into his robe he pulled out a
heavy, gold pendant. It was round and smooth along around the edge, slightly larger than the medallions worn to denote
class and profession. The image on the front was of a lighthouse on a small piece of land, beams of light radiating out in a
half circle. At the center of the image, where the light would be, was a small, sparkling pale blue stone. As Nankyokukai
brushed his thumb lightly across it, the stone seemed to glow for an instant. He dropped it to thump against his chest, "Yes,
I had not anticipated them arriving so soon. But it does prove rather conclusively that the King's Stone is the key to it all.
Then again, the mermaids certainly felt free to come aboard…"

Takara shrugged, "It may be that they are unconsciously drawn to it. Perhaps that is why they felt brazen enough to
approach despite the presence of a half breed."

The prince nodded thoughtfully, "You may have the right of it there…odd that they did not sense it…but as you say it may
have been unconscious, and after all only the dragons themselves would know how to properly use the Stone - the Eye
rather."

His secretary lifted the book from the table beside him, "I am still amazed, Nankyo, that you managed to learn to read this."

Smirking as he once more stroked the jewel set in the pendant, he held out his hand for Takara to hand him the tome. "It's
not so difficult when the Eye wants the language remembered. If my father and illustrious ancestors had ever paid attention
rather than just carrying the blasted Eye around and ignoring the old books they would know everything for themselves." His
smirk increased, "But far be it for me to complain about keeping the Dragons' favor to myself."

Takara's face abruptly fell "I really wish you weren't in the Dragon's favor."

"Ah, but this has nothing to do with their favor. That's just my family being as pathetic as ever." Nankyo's voice turned
almost gentle, "But don't worry Taka, once it's done it won't have to be done ever again. If I have anything to say on the
matter - and don't I always have plenty to say? - this will be the last tribute to the Storms."

"But…"

"None of that Taka. And haven't I taken care of you quite prettily? The way he looks at you, you'll want for nothing the rest
of your life."

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Takara flushed briefly, then turned angry in defense. "You and your machinations! Who's to say I'll even stay with him once
everything is over?"

Nankyokukai looked smug, "Of course you will, at the very least to avoid going back to work at the palace. And you're
already taken with him - you have been since the auction, even if you don't recall. You ranted about him for three days
straight but we got busy with the visit from Verde and it slipped your mind."

"You think you're so clever. His interest will wane soon enough."

"I doubt it, but even if it does you'll have to time to secure a new life for your mother and yourself before that happens. If it
does fade, it's only because you're as stubborn as ever. Or do you pine after me, Taka?" Nankyokukai asked, snickering.

Takara snorted, "No, I long only to knock some sense into that scheming head of yours."

"You should know by now that's not going to work." Nankyokukai flipped idly through the book, pausing every now and then
to skim a paragraph. "Now instead of sitting here lecturing me, shouldn't you be going to apologize to your man? It's not
very nice to aggravate him at every turn." He looked sternly at Takara, "I didn't barter you away just to see you misbehave,
Taka. Go and be good little property for your owner." He started laughing as Takara began to sputter and make threats.

The secretary folded his arms across his chest and subsided into glares. As Nankyokukai's laughter finally faded, he
resumed speaking. "We have too much to discuss, and he could stand to cool off anyway. What are we going to do once
we reach Pozhar?"

The last of the prince's humor faded, "I'm not sure yet. I hadn't anticipated father immediately figuring out I'm the source of
the problem. I should have known Sei would cave rather quickly, the guppy. For some reason I thought he'd hide the truth a
bit longer…"

"You don't think he'll work with Pozhar to force us home do you?"

Nankyokukai shook his head, "No. As discussed before, that would involve revealing quite a bit more about Kundou's
source of power than any one back home would like. He could of course explain that I've run away, but that wouldn't quite
fit with his story that I'm deathly ill."

He flipped the book closed, "More likely he'll just wait until the storms subside and send a ship out after us. Which means
we'd better move forward as quickly as possible from here on out; the faster we go the harder it will be for anyone to catch
us. Hopefully the stop in Pozhar will not slow us up too much…but with Culebra…he will slow us down, especially if they
realize I'm aboard when they come to fetch him. I'll have to take extra care to see to it they don't sense me. Cursed bird
lovers and their anti-magic policies."

"So long as you stay inside the ship, I do not anticipate any problems. Of course if they find you…"

"It will be a nuisance." Nankyokukai made a face, "Everything would be much easier if my idiot father would find a better
method than this to establish rule. I think I will almost be glad when this is over."

Takara surged to his feet, face pale and angry. "That's not funny! Not in the least!"

"I said almost. Really, I'm not in any hurry to die. Just calm down, Taka."

"I won't calm down! I'm sick of it! Day after day I put up with Raiden, and your bickering with Kindan, now your father is
hunting us down to take back the King's Stone and none of it will change the fact that in a few months time you're going to
die so your family can keep their storm-cursed crown!"

Nankyokukai rose to his own feet, grabbing Takara's shoulders and pulling his secretary close. "That's enough Taka. First
and foremost I do not need you shouting out my plans to all and sundry. Second of all, I wouldn't be here if I didn't want to
be. You know that better than anyone."

"But it isn't fair, Kyo…why do you have to die?" Takara stared sadly at the other man, their eyes on an even level.

The prince smiled bitterly, "Because I am the most expendable. Be content, Taka, that I am going to get one last bit of
revenge from all of this." His hand went up to brush the pendant hanging from his neck. "Be further content that in some
strange way," his bitter smile turned sad, "I am actually enjoying this voyage." He dropped his arms, freeing the secretary.
"Stop getting so uptight. It's your level-headedness that makes you useful. Not these temper tantrums of yours."

"Right," Takara suddenly just looked tired. He turned away and headed for the door, waving a vague goodbye to the prince,
"I think my level head is dictating I go to bed. Goodnight, Nankyo."

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"Goodnight, Taka." Nankyokukai waited until his secretary was gone before collapsing back onto his small bed with a tired
sigh. A moment later, he sat up and retrieved the old book he'd been looking through earlier. Once more flipping it open, he
began to read through passages he'd only skimmed before. His right hand grasped the pendant, the stone at its center
glowing faintly as he touched it.

Part Two

Pozhar

Chapter Eight

"Wow…this is Pozhar? I'd heard it was amazing but…those spires are beautiful." He motioned toward the high, colorful,
twisting tours lining the horizon. Kundou prided itself on being vibrant and colorful, but the architectural masterpieces easily
put the Islands' efforts to shame. Takara continued to stare enraptured at the view before him, oblivious to the sailors
scrambling around to bring the ship into port. He barely noticed as Raiden's arm settled around his shoulders. "I wish
Nankyo could see this…"

Raiden frowned, "It's a shame his Highness must stay below."

"Yes…he's always wanted to travel the world. It was his favorite thing to imagine growing up. He always said if he could just
get away from the palace he was certain he could find a ship willing to take him away…but it's getting away from the palace
that is the trick. A pity his magic would be spotted in an instant, he could just come up at night and look around some."

The merchant shrugged, "I'm sure he'll content himself with having his Secretary see the sights for him. Besides he'll get to
look around once we reach Sanhoshi, and there is nothing more beautiful than my little island." He winked at Takara, who
only nodded absently.

"How much longer 'til we can disembark?"

"Another hour, I should think." Kindan spoke up behind them. His face was tired and strained, eyes nearly as dark as the
black pearl in his ear. "We're all ready getting grief from the harbor master, Raiden. Something about sensing traces of
magic."

"Dragons' teeth, of course there are traces of magic. Did they or did they not notice the dragon crest on our flag?" Raiden
reluctantly slid his arm from Takara's shoulders. "We sent them word we traveled with a Royal Secretary, there are always
traces of magic around those that work in the palace. Not to mention Prince Culebra."

Kindan sighed tiredly, "You know they're always finicky. Besides," his expression grew pointed, "Considering the 'cargo' in
one of the passenger cabins I'd say it's best not to give them any grief. Now come work your suave ways, Lord Merchant,
so they'll leave us in peace." With that he spun sharply around on one heel, summoning his first mate and barking orders to
an obedient crew.

"Quite the captain. Does he always get that bossy when pulling into port?"

"He always gets that bossy when he's working - the harder the job gets the bossier he gets. Authority is as nothing when
he's giving orders. It's one of the reason I originally hired him. He doesn't stand on ceremony. If it's a choice between
pleasing me and doing his job, he'll do his job. Which, incidentally, pleases me." Raiden winked, "Kindan is one of a kind,
and I don't just mean because of his origins."

Takara looked thoughtful, "Would you like some assistance dealing with the officials? I'd be willing to bet I'm acquainted
with at least one of them, if they're griping about magic being aboard ship. Thankfully it seems Nankyo's magic masking is
working. If they find him after we've said no one but myself is aboard we'll be in a world of political trouble."

Raiden rolled his eyes, "The Pozharian obsession with keeping out magic will never cease to amuse me."

The secretary shrugged, "It's no less ridiculous than traveling to a nonexistent island to offer tribute to gods we haven't seen
or believed in for several centuries."

"True enough, Taka. True enough." Raiden's deep red robes swirled around him as he turned away from the view of the city

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and headed for his cabin to await the officials of Pozhar.

Inside he made for his desk, pausing to look back at Takara, "All right expert, so long as you're here I may as well abuse
your services. Suggestions?"

Takara sighed, "As much as I hate to say it, the best thing you can do is emphasize that this is a pleasure voyage. We're
headed to your home for an extended vacation."

The merchant grinned widely at that, "I suppose I could be persuaded to emphasize that."

"Somehow I didn't think you'd protest," Takara shot him a disgusted look. "Now pay attention. Beyond that say little to
nothing. The story of our finding Culebra need not be changed, save that it was I who initially recognized and woke him. Of
course he is part of the reason they sense magic on the ship…which makes me wonder why they're putting up such a fuss.
I wonder if perhaps they sense Nankyo after all. But no, they wouldn't follow protocol if that were case. They would be
storming the ship and demanding to know why we failed to mention we have Kundou royalty aboard."

Raiden grunted, "Which thankfully they don't. This would never have been a problem without Culebra." He slid his gaze
across the room to the prince in question, grinning. "Not, of course, that we're not happy to have your highness along."

"Indeed," Culebra's mouth quirked. "I am sorry for the inconvenience. Very sorry. But rest assured they'll not hear about
Nankyo from I."

A sharp rap interrupted their conversation, a second's warning before the door swung open to admit Kindan and two other
men - one who wore the garments of a government official, the other clearly a soldier.

The official immediately fastened his gaze on Takara, lingering on the slender body encased in teal robes. Slowly he brought
his eyes up to look the secretary in the face, "Lord Noumi. A pleasure to see you again, it's been far too long."

Takara twitched, though his face remained calm. "The pleasure is yours. I had no idea you would be handling this matter,
Duke Krasny. Matters of magical interference is the realm of Earl Zholty, is it not?" He squashed his desire to slide closer to
Raiden, as unsettled as always by the presence of the Duke. Krasny always reminded him of a hawk, even his red hair
fluttered about his head in a feathery manner, his face sharp, nose pointed. Eyes dark, unpleasant. Takara hated the man.

"The Earl is indisposed at this time, and when I heard you were aboard Lord Noumi…well, how could I not come?" He
turned to address the man seated at the table, "My apologies, your Highness. In my eagerness to greet my old friend, I
neglected my duties. Are you well, Prince Culebra?"

"As well as can be expected Duke, thank you." Culebra's voice was polite, level. "But do explain to me all the fuss. Surely
you would have expected high levels of magic on this ship?"

The duke's expression grew suddenly serious, "Yes, except that the levels are much higher than they should be. Of course
I'm sure it's simply an error that will be rapidly corrected," he smiled briefly. "I was quite astonished, Lord Noumi, to hear
you were on vacation. With…" his eyes strayed toward Raiden, whom he'd pointedly ignored until now.

"With me." Raiden said flatly. He ignored the warning touch of Kindan's hand on his shoulder. "And I dislike being treated
rudely aboard my own ship, Duke."

"Of course, forgive me," the Duke smiled nastily. "I am Duke Nikolai Krasny, Chief Advisor to his Majesty Zarya IX."

"Good for you," Kindan cut in. "But even a Chief Advisor should be aware that on a ship the rules change."

Krasny's eyelids drooped, as he stared lazily at the pair by the desk. "Of course," he murmured. "I did not mean to be rude.
As I said, I was over eager to see my Lord Noumi."

"State your business please. We have done nothing but what we dictated in the messages exchanged with you."

The duke nodded, "I have men searching this ship, a mere formality I assure you. If there is any problem, it is likely to be
here in this room." He turned his gaze on the secretary, "I would like to use a crystal, if you don't mind."

"I have no problems with that." Takara tensed as the advisor approached him, withdrawing from his voluminous black coat a
heavy, dark red crystal. The secretary accepted it as Krasny held it out. Gripping it tightly, the room waited in silence,
Kindan and Raiden watching in confusion. Seconds ticked by, then the crystal slowly began to glow, turning eventually into
a bright ball of light in Takara's hand. The secretary's eyes went wide, and he stared in shock at first the crystal, then the
duke. "What…"

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The duke frowned, "It shouldn't be doing that. If the magic on you is merely residual it should only shimmer a bit…to glow
like that, and so brightly…but I was under the impression Lord Noumi, that amongst your people only the royal family
possessed magical ability."

"I have no magic," Takara shook his head. "None at all. As you say, only the royal family can use magic."

"Hmm…" Krasny frowned. "This is most strange. I had felt the magic on you the moment I entered the room…but I had
though perhaps I was just overreacting. When we visit your country it is impossible to differentiate when in the palace. That
place is a cesspool of magic, if you'll forgive me."

"Indeed." Takara said flatly.

"I am afraid that I must be certain you possess no magic before I can permit you to land, Lord Noumi. If you'll permit me…"

Takara sighed, "Is it really necessary? I assure you there must be some mistake."

"Never the less."

"What exactly is going on here?" Raiden's voice was hard.

The Duke spared him a glance, "Nothing you need worry about, but I must ask you both to not interfere. It's merely a test
we perform to ensure no unlicensed magic enters our country. None but the royalty and a few rare exceptions are permitted
within our borders if they're possessed of magical ability."

The secretary made a face, "It's all right. If I had any magical ability it would hurt, but I don't so really this is nothing more
than a waste of time."

"What!"

"That's enough," Takara snapped. "Just stand there and be quiet. Duke, if you please. I've had enough of this ridiculous
melodrama." He gripped the crystal tightly in his fist, closing his eyes as the Duke's hands settled around his own.

The Duke spoke a short spell, the word's harsh but somehow singsong. As he spoke Takara's breath caught, his face paling
slightly as he winced.

Raiden started to move at Takara's show of pain, but Kindan latched onto his arm and would not let him move. He glared at
the captain, huffing when Kindan only glared back. A sudden scream broke the staring contest and Raiden broke free of
Kindan's grasp and rushed to Takara's side.

The secretary was on the floor, gasping for breath, his face deathly pale. "What…I don't understand…"

The Duke began to speak, but as he did his face took on an unbecoming shade of green and he pressed the back of his
hand to his mouth, as if he were going to be ill. "That…you said…" he jerked his head around as the cabin door slammed
open to reveal a furious looking man.

"Storms take you! Krasny! I might have known it was you." Nankyokukai's eyes flashed bright blue in rage. "Get away from
my Secretary this instant and take your dragon damned spells with you!."

Krasny gaped, ignoring the sudden waves of illness in his shock. "By the Fire, what is a Stormland Prince doing here? And
why could I not sense you until now. Fires! You realize the trouble you are causing?"

"Not as much trouble as I'm going to cause if you don't explain to me this instant why you're abusing my Secretary. I had
hoped to keep my voyage as secret. As per usual, Duke," Nankyokukai spoke scathingly, "You manage to ruin everything."

The Duke sneered, "I'm not the one breaking political treaties, Prince."

"Pretend for one second that your stupid country has nothing to do with anything. I am on a mission for my father, nothing
more or less."

"My, you're unusually forthright today, Highness."

Nankyokukai stalked into the room, stooping to haul Takara up. He turned his bright, angry eyes back to the Duke. "That's
because subtlety is wasted on the likes of you. And I don't like it when paranoid, close-minded fools harm my people with
their ridiculous superstitions."

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"Always so quick to bare your fangs, Prince, when your little secretary is upset. I'm surprised you gave up your precious toy
to a mere merchant."

Takara choked, glaring at the room as a whole. "Why in the dragons' names does everyone see to think I'm some sort of
toy? Storms take you all." Angrily he turned away, only to be roughly dragged up against Raiden's side.

Raiden grasped Takara's chin and forced him to look up, his expression intent. "You're no toy. You're mine. That's the end
of the matter."

Nankyokukai smirked, "Indeed it is. I'm not certain Duke, where you got the idea Takara was anything more than my
Secretary. But back to the matter at hand," his eyes once more flashed, "I would know why you're foisting your vile spells
upon him. Takara possesses no magical ability."

"Clearly he does, Prince, if it caused him pain."

The blue-haired prince was silent a moment, "It must be that he's been around me nearly every day of his life, with me
tirelessly since I took him on as Secretary. I can think of no other reason."

"I can," the duke said shortly. "The strongest point of contact was at the center of his lower back. Whatever magic resides in
him originates there. I demand to know what he's hiding."

"My Secretary hides nothing, Duke."

"So you say…which means either you both are hiding something, or you do not know your secretary as well as you think."

Nankyokukai grew still, "If you dare to insult my Secretary or myself like that again Duke, you will learn the hard way why
my family finds me unbearable."

"Oh, I've seen plenty of demonstrations as to that. Clearly they've finally had enough of it, if you've been tossed to the seas
with your hair shorn."

Kindan interrupted, "That's enough. This is my ship and I'm putting an end to the bickering now. If this is how all officials
behave it's a wonder we're not all at war."

Tossing his head, Nankyokukai smiled humorlessly at the captain. "Don't be ridiculous. This is entirely personal. Raiden,"
he turned to the merchant. "It might interest you to know - if you haven't figured it out already - that this man would be the
reason I once kissed Taka. Despite the fact that in Pozhar, such relationships are almost as taboo as using magic."

Raiden nodded, "I see."

Beside him Takara sighed, annoyed. "Can we just get this matter straightened out? Duke, I swear to you there is no magic
in me. It's impossible. You know as well as everyone else that only those with ocean blue hair are possessed of magic in
Kundou. My hair is no such color."

"I still insist. Personal issues aside, I must confirm for myself that you are no threat. I insist on seeing your back."

"I'm not stripping!" Takara was outraged.

Nankyokukai agreed, "As my Secretary he deserves to be treated far better. If there really is a chance that he can wield
magic, there are far greater repercussions than his possibly drawing the attention of your storm-cursed firebird. I insist upon
better treatment than this, especially now that I've been dragged into it."

"Yes," Raiden interrupted, "Why did you come suddenly rushing in? Perhaps it's you they sense?"

Motioning impatiently with one hand, Nankyokukai dismissed his words. "No, they didn't feel my power until right before I
appeared. That's why they turned green," he smiled nastily. "They have to specially prepare themselves before entering our
country. Magic is strictly forbidden in Pozhar, as you know. What most don't know is that it's so forbidden they can barely
handle more than their own few spells. That's why they get so sick."

Krasny turned cold, "Perhaps you should not speak so scathingly of matters you little understand."

"Perhaps the same could be said for you," Nankyokukai said back with equal chill. "Cease this at once."

The Duke was silent for several long moments, gaze flickering across the various people scattered throughout the room. "I
can not let you dock. You will remain here. I shall summon someone else to confirm my test results. Then you will explain to

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me why a mere assistant is in possession of magic."

"That will suffice. If possible, I would have you summon Countess Oranzhevy."

Krasny nodded sharply, turning and barking orders at the soldier who had remained silent and still the entirety of the
conversation. "She will be here shortly. Now, Prince Nankyokukai, you have much explaining to do."

"I suppose so."

*~*~*~*

"Countess Oranzhevy, always a delight." Nankyokukai bowed over the slender hand held out to him.

A warm chuckled broke the tense atmosphere of the room. "The brat prince, what an unexpected surprise." She held to his
tightly for a moment before finally releasing it. "And quite the story I am hearing about you and your man," her amber eyes
strayed to Takara. "My Lord Takara."

"Countess." Takara greeted her, bowing over her hand and kissing the knuckles briefly. Slowly he went through the
necessary introductions.

Idly brushing arranged brown curls from her forehead, the Countess closely examined Raiden, The Secretary has fine
taste."

"Thank you, Countess." Raiden grinned, gloating.

Nankyokukai smirked briefly in Takara's direction before turning serious. "A thousand pardons for disturbing you, Sonya."

"Think nothing of it, darling. I was bored anyway. And the story brought to me is most intriguing. Of course the matter of
Culebra has been the talk of the court nearly the whole month. And accompanied by Lord Noumi himself. But what is this
about you and magic, dear Takara?" Fluttering over toward him, Sonya put her chin in her fingers as she examined him
thoughtfully. "Even with just the crystal I can see you have a lot more magic than you should. Only Nankyokukai should
make the crystal that bright…and you'll forgive my reluctance to have the Duke re-administer the test…"

Takara sighed, "So what you're saying is that you agree with him? But it's impossible - there must be some mistake."

"I am sorry, darlings. You know I would disagree in a moment if I could. But I am intrigued that Krasny said it seemed to
radiate strongest from your back? Perhaps…perhaps someone has cast a spell on you?"

Nankyokukai shook his head, "That is impossible. I would have noticed anyone casting a spell on Takara, even if for some
odd reason Takara failed to notice himself."

"Why are you so certain? You're not infallible, perhaps someone got something by you." Kindan watched the prince intently.

"It never ceases to amaze me just how little you know, Captain. Especially as I can see that so far as the ocean and sailing
goes, you know quite a bit. Amongst my siblings, none is more magically talented than I. I have my weaknesses the same
as anyone, but at present I am a great deal more powerful than anyone else in my family. Even my illustrious father would
have a great deal of trouble besting me."

"And the arrogance to match. It was a valid question." The captain replied sourly.

"Yes, it was." Sonya looked pointedly at the prince and his secretary, "Are you both certain there is no possible explanation?
If not, I am afraid Takara will have to show us that there is nothing to fear."

Both shook their heads. "There is nothing to say. I can only assume some mistake is being made here." Nankyokukai
stated. "I do not like it, but we have broken enough rules as is…"

Takara grimaced, "Fine. I still say someone," his gaze flicked to the Duke for a second, "Is contriving something."

Another warm chuckle floated through the air as Sonya moved to sit beside the blind prince still at the table. She picked up
his hand and smiled though Culebra could not see it, "It is a delight to see you again, Prince. I wish the circumstances were
happier."

"As do I, Countess."

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"Now," Sonya waved her other hand at the room, "Commence with the show, Takara. Let us see your backside."

Takara glared, "Whatever happened to appropriate behavior? If we were in court this would--"

"Lucky for both of us, we're not in court Taka." Nankyokukai for a moment looked tired.

Takara watched him for a moment, then with a soft sigh of defeat slowly began to unfasten the dark orange sash around his
waist and pull off the long sleeves and top of his robes. Pointedly he looked away from Raiden, gritting his teeth against the
expression that he knew was on the Merchant's face. He forced himself to stand still as both Nankyokukai and Krasny
approached him.

"Touch him, Duke, and I'll create political upheaval like you can't imagine." Nankyokukai's cold voice added to the tension in
the room. His eyes drifted down the fair skin of Takara's back, seeing nothing unusual. A mark would be necessary, if some
sort of spell had been cast. He was about to turn away and give the Duke a piece of his mind when something caught his
eyes. "Taka…" With soft fingers he shoved aside pieces of fabric to bare a small tattoo situated close to the base of
Takara's spine. "…Taka, what is this?"

"What is what?" Takara snapped.

"You have a tattoo here…but that's…" Nankyokukai's eyes darkened with confusion and worry. "That's a Mark of Sealing.
Why in the dragons' names would someone place a Mark of Sealing on you?" His voice turned angry as he pulled away.

Sonya prevented him saying or doing anything. "What is a Mark of Sealing? And why did you not know about it? Because I
can see quite clearly that you didn't."

"Of course I didn't, that would render it pointless. Even Takara wouldn't have known about it - and only my immediate family
would recognize it. Marks of Sealing are cast while the target is still an infant. I wore such a mark as a child - it keeps us
from harming ourselves with our own magic until we're old enough to handle it. The Seals are broken typically around ten or
twelve. Occasionally sooner. Because they're cast when the target is still so young, they become almost a natural part of
the individual as he or she grows, so there's no sensing the magic."

"Why do I have one?" Takara asked as he slowly put his clothes back into order. He looked at the prince, "Why in the
Dragons' names would I have a Mark?"

Nankyokukai shook his head slowly back and forth, blue hair sliding across his face. "I can not answer that. But seeing as
you do have one, we have found the source of the magic." He addressed the others, "A Mark of Sealing uses the bearer's
own magic to create the seal, drawing it to one spot and essentially 'locking' it there. That is why you sensed it on his back.
On the positive side, Duke, Countess, the Mark also means he couldn't use his magic even if he wanted to."

"You are certain? That still does not solve the problem of why we would permit him within our borders. Unless you want this
secret known, which I highly doubt."

"No, I do not wish it known…the best I can do is mask it for a time, like I did with my own power before he," a short nod in
Krasny's direction, "Decided to harm my Secretary unwarranted. And I don't want to hear your pathetic excuses. You
shouldn't have done it."

"Hmm…" Sonya was pensive. "You are staying only long enough to resupply, yes? That should only take a few days. Let
me speak with my brother, perhaps you can stay with me for that length of time. And maybe we can puzzled out why
Takara bears such a mark?" She smiled at Nankyokukai.

The prince nodded, not quite smiling but his stance relaxing. "You always did like your puzzles, Sonya. Very well, speak
with your brother. Keep me from the discussion?"

"Of course," Sonya fluttered her hands, then crossed the cabin to latch onto the Duke, "And I will see to it my cousin here
plays nicely. I know more than a few of his little secrets," she smiled sweetly. "If you will remain here for the night? We shall
fetch you in the morning and all have a splendid breakfast at my home." She once more held her hand out to Nankyokukai,
who accepted it and this time dropped a kiss on her fingers. "I bid you good day then, gentlemen." She dragged the Duke
away, snapping her fingers at the soldier to follow behind them.

Silence descended.

"I feel like I was just tossed in amongst the Storms themselves. What's going on?" Kindan folded his arms across his wide
chest and settled his impatient gaze on his usual target.

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Nankyokukai for once did not rise to the bait, "I'd like to know that myself. If we weren't already in Pozhar I'd turn around
and strangle someone in my family right this instant."

Raiden did not take his eyes off Takara as he spoke to the blue haired prince. "Then it is perhaps best we're in Pozhar.
Although you may have created a world of trouble by showing yourself Nankyo…"

Kindan nodded in agreement, "Yes. We were doing fine until you decided to suddenly break cover."

"It's just as well I did show myself. Who knows what would have happened if they'd found that without my being present."
Nankyokukai took the seat recently vacated by Sonya. "I would love to know, Taka, why you apparently are in possession of
magic. Someone in my family had a bastard child they didn't want anyone to know about. The possible ramifications of
this…" He rubbed his forehead tiredly, "I wonder who else knows."

Takara merely stood quietly in the middle of the room, expression downcast.

Nankyokukai was dismissive, "Taka, don't get upset quite yet. This entire thing could be nothing at all. And no matter your
identity, you're still Taka. Don't even start moping, that's the last thing we need right now."

"That's so easy for you to say."

"Yes, it is. And you'd do well to listen." Nankyokukai sniffed in contempt. "Just think about Taka - do you really want or care
about having blue hair? No, you don't. So stop thinking about 'what if' before you have to. If I don't permit myself to dwell on
such things, I most certainly will not allow you. So just stop it. Now, seeing as we've caused enough trouble for one day, I
believe I will take my leave of you all." So saying he rose from his feet and departed the cabin far more quietly than he had
originally entered it.

Kindan gritted his teeth, "Must he always do that?"

"Do what?" Raiden was focused more on Takara, who uncharacteristically let the merchant hold him.

The captain stalked toward the door himself, "Come in, make trouble, then fix it so that everything turns out the way he
wants! What just happened here? And why did he show up? Things were fine without him!"

Takara looked up long enough to speak, "He must've sensed the spell, and I screamed loudly enough for anyone to hear. It
was concern that brought him."

"Concern." Kindan repeated flatly as he stormed across the room to follow the prince, "Right. I believe that about as much
as I believe I'm a dragon. Someone concerned would have had something more to say than 'stop moping.' Please. I'm tired
of his games on my ship, especially now that we could all be in serious danger. I'm going to take care of this once and for
all." He slammed the door behind him.

Chapter Nine

"Oh no you don't," Kindan muttered as he storm toward the prince's cabin. "I've had enough." He grit his teeth as he threw
the door open, ignoring Nankyokukai's cold glare. He loomed over the seated prince. "What in the Storms' names is wrong
with you?"

The prince replied calmly, "That would depend on whom you ask."

"I'm asking you."

Something flashed in Nankyo's eyes, and Kindan realized suddenly that his response had surprised the prince. But in the
next instant the prince was smirking, "In that case, the answer is of course nothing. It's hardly my problem that you insist on
disliking me."

"Don't feed me that. Do you ever stop playing games?"

Nankyo looked suddenly bored, "We've discussed this before. Don't you have anything new to complain about?"

Kindan hissed, "No, because it's your tiresome tendency to play games that causes so much trouble on my ship. I want to
know why you revealed yourself and what you're conniving next. I won't permit you to tangle my ship in whatever political
intrigues you're playing at."

"Don't you ever get tired of jumping to conclusions, Captain?" Nankyo rose slowly to his feet, forcing Kindan to step back.

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"My voyage is far from political. It is exactly as I stated when Lord Raiden agreed to take me - I am taking a tribute to the
Dragons."

"Yes, a tribute you're being awfully secretive about. It can't be terribly important if you're all too willing to stir up trouble with
Pozhar."

"Pozhar would have found some way to hold this ship up. They don't concern me."

The captain snorted, "What does concern you?"

"My Secretary concerns me."

Kinda grew furious again, "Concern? You certainly didn't show any of that back there. Are you always so cold to the ones
you're concerned about? I'm almost scared to see how you would treat an enemy."

Nankyokukai laughed, "No one in the world has enough power over me that I'd consider them an enemy."

"Arrogance like that only leads to tragedy, prince. Perhaps you don't consider anyone your enemy but that doesn't mean
you don't have them."

"Are you concerned for me, Captain?"

Kindan snorted, "Hardly. As you like to remind me, I'm being paid to escort you to some godforsaken island. Which means
I'll do it even if you insist on causing trouble along the way. You can find fault with me all you like but the one thing you'll
never be able to criticize is my ability to fulfill my duties."

"Touchy, touchy. No need to get riled up, Captain. I've not insulted you yet. If you'll recall, you're the one that came to insult
me."

"I want to know what your game is. Playing with Pozhar is a dangerous thing to do and I won't have my men endangered
because you like to play risky games."

Anger flickered briefly across the prince's face, "There is no game! I had no idea you were this determined to see me as the
bad guy. I want to deal with Pozhar even less than you do, believe me. I have no desire to linger here."

"Then explain to me what's going on. Takara is all but assaulted, we're not allowed to enter port, and now we're going to be
forced to stay with Pozharian nobility while we resupply because your Secretary is some royal's dirty secret?"

"Enough," Nankyokukai spoke in a cold voice. "Again you're speaking of things you know nothing about."

Kindan roared, "Because instead of explaining things you give half answers that confuse me further." Agitatedly he ran a
hand through his short hair, stepping closer to loom over the prince. "Instead of criticizing something you make a habit to
perpetuate why don't you try explaining things to me."

"Temper, temper."

"Dragons take you! Storms, every time I put up with you I'm reminded why I hate royalty."

Nankyo tossed his head, "You seem quite chummy with Culebra."

"There's an exception to every rule," Kindan replied acidly. "He's a far cry from the conceited brat you make a point to be. If
more royalty behaved as he did, perhaps there would be more to recommend you."

Narrowing his ocean-blue eyes up at the Captain, Nankyo's voice took on a slightly more serious tone. "I believe you've just
answered your own question, Captain."

"What?"

"From the start you've held me in contempt. Why should I trust you with my honesty when you could not even be bothered
to give me a chance? If I'm as bad as every royal, you're as bad as any peasant." Angrily he turned away, "Get out."

Kindan ignored the order, unthinkingly reaching out to grab the prince's wrist to keep him in place. "I'm not--"

"Let go of me." In a quick, fluid move Nankyokukai turned and shoved him away.

Again surprised at the prince's strength, Kindan lost his grip and went stumbling back, his left side colliding roughly with the

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cabin door. He winced where the dagger in his sash dug into his side and pushed away from the door. "Temper, temper."

"Don't touch me." Nankyo said coldly.

Kindan responded with equal chill, "Believe me I won't. It was a reflex."

"If you're done insulting me for the evening, get out."

The captain shook his head, "I'm not leaving until you answer my questions."

"I believe Captain, that I just told you why I would never answer any of your questions."

"What right do you have to demand trust of anyone? You make a point to mislead us with every single word you utter! From
my perspective it seems you care for no one but yourself and you go out of your way to ensure I keep thinking that! I'm told
time and again that you're not as bad as you seem but I find it hard to believe. Why should I trust someone who treats
people like pawns?"

"My, Captain. I had no idea you thought quite so highly of me. You really shouldn't, I'm as much a pawn as anyone else."

"That I find hard to believe."

"You flatter me."

"No, I don't. Someone like you would never be content as a pawn, you clearly take too much pleasure in toying with people.
Storms, even Takara is probably just another pawn to you no matter how much he insists otherwise."

"Think what you like, Captain." Nankyokukai said shortly.

"Go ahead, deny it. You use him the same as you use everyone else."

"As a matter of fact, I do not. Not that you're going to listen to me."

Kindan sneered, "So you trust him implicitly? He knows each and every one of the games you play? No secrets at all."

The prince didn't reply.

"Then he is just another pawn."

Nankyokukai let out a dramatic sigh, "Everything is so black and white with you, Captain. Of course I don't tell him
everything - there are some things he simply does not need to know. No one needs to know everything about a person."

"That's ridiculous. The more secrets you keep the more trouble you cause for yourself later. But you're clearly not happy
unless you have secrets to keep."

"Or maybe I have no choice but to keep them!" the prince snapped. Clamping his mouth shut he once more turned away,
back and shoulders tense. "I've had enough of you for one night, Captain. Get out."

Kindan frowned, hesitant. Stubbornly he shook it off, "I told you I'm not leaving until I get my answers. And on this ship I
outrank you - I'll leave when I'm satisfied."

"And what do you want to know? Oh yes, what games I'm playing. And why I was so mean to my poor Secretary. I have told
you over and over again that I'm playing no games with Pozhar. As for Takara - that is between he and I. If you don't like
the way I treat him, try to remember it's none of your business. And you can stop fretting over your precious ship and crew. I
am only playing one game and there will be only one loser in it."

"And who is that?"

"None of your concern. As I said, there is no cause for you to worry."

Kindan looked as if he wanted to say more but after a moment merely snarled and turned away, "Don't think I'm finished
with you." He slammed the door behind him.

Tiredly Nankyokukai dropped onto his small bed. His fingers reached up to touch the pendant beneath his robe, a faint,
bitter laugh breaking the silence in the room.

The silence ended completely when a sharp rap broke it the next instant. Nankyo glared at the door, "Enter!" His expression

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smoothed as Raiden appeared in the doorway. "Your Captain has already yelled at me, if that's what you're here for."

"Hardly. I came to inform you Takara is doing well, all things considered. Your words seemed to have comforted him
considerably."

Nankyokukai nodded, reluctantly waving him inside when he realized Raiden wasn't finished.

"I was also hoping you might explain a bit more about this Mark he has. Most importantly - are you going to remove it?"

"Definitely not. What good would it do? Pozhar I'm sure would like to demand its removal out of morbid curiosity but given
the fact that the Mark seals away all his magic it would be somewhat hypocritical of them to do so." Nankyokukai smirked,
"We should be underway again in no time."

"Did you know about the Mark?"

The prince sighed, "As much as it might surprise you, no I did not."

"I didn't think you did." Raiden smiled ruefully, "I've been yelled at more than once to give you the benefit of the doubt,
Highness. I admit that after today I'm far more willing to do so."

"Perhaps you could encourage your charming Captain to do the same," Nankyo settled back on his bed. "Now if you'll
pardon me, Lord Raiden…"

"Of course. I wanted only to ensure Taka would be all right."

Nankyokukai, "If you had not been concerned, I would right now be questioning my own decisions. Good night."

"Good night, Highness." Raiden closed the door quietly behind him, lost in thought as he made his way back toward his own
cabin. He looked up at a flicker of movement in the corner of his eye, and smirked. "Lose again?"

"Dragons take you."

"That would be a yes?"

"Confound it, Shima!" Kindan rounded on the merchant, eyes blazing. "Why am I the only one that sees how much trouble
he is? The rest of you laugh it off. Does no one else see that he's playing at something?"

Raiden shrugged, "So what if he is? There's nothing we can do about it, and I have enough faith in Taka to know he'd never
permit the prince to do something awful." He looked out over the sea, frowning in thought. A moment later he turned back to
his fuming friend. "Anyway, Kin - what's with you? I understand why initially you held a grudge but I expected this
vehemence to have faded a long time ago. It can't continue the entire trip; the two of you will drive us all insane. Even your
men are starting to grow weary of it."

"If they don't like it they're welcome to find another ship. And if you don't like it you can kindly remember that I was against
this from the start." Kindan raked a hand through his short, pale hair. His gaze was challenging as he looked at Raiden.

"I haven't been allowed to forget," Raiden responded dryly. "If I'd had any idea you were this displeased, I would have just
gotten another captain."

"No!" Kindan lost some of his heat, wearily rubbing his forehead with his fingertips. "I don't regret being the one to captain
this voyage. I swore a long time ago to be there whenever you needed me. Dragons only know why you thought this was
the best way to win your Storming Secretary but I'd hardly let you undergo something as risky as this alone. I'm just tired of
being the only one to see that the prince is up to something."

Raiden crossed his arms across his chest, leaning against the railing as he considered his friend, "What exactly do you
think he is up to?"

"I don't know!" Kindan bit out. "But you can see it in every smirk and snide comment that he's hiding something important. I
don't like it - it reeks of trouble. And I'm not quite sure what to do when the one I'm supposed to be escorting is the source
of the problem."

"I think you're overreacting. I've no doubt the prince has his secrets, Kin. But unlike you I don't think they're a threat to us."

"Are you sure you're not blinded by Takara?" Kindan looked at him intently.

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Raiden frowned, "You know me better than that."

"You're right," the captain sighed. "I'm sorry. I can't seem to say anything right today. It's damnably frustrating being in the
wrong all the time."

"It's all right. You've barely had a break between runs and then I saddle you with this…but not too much longer we'll be at
Sanhoshi. I think I'm within my rights to demand we rest there for a good length of time. And then you'll have the Kumiko
back - that should cheer you up."

Rather than smile Kindan's unhappy expression only deepened. "Raiden, did you really need to go through all of this just to
snag a romantic interest? We're supposed to be scouring the world for treasure, not playing escort to a bratty prince and his
temperamental Secretary."

"That's harsh."

Kindan snorted, "No, it's not. Maybe it doesn't matter to you, but I don't relish wasting an entire year - at the very least - on
this mission."

Realization flashed across Raiden's face. "I think I see what's really bothering you. One more year won't make a difference,
Kin."

Kindan's expression collapsed into anxious misery, "I know, I know. It's unlikely he'll ever show anyway. I'm probably just
naïve and stupid to think he'd actually come. Still…" His hand strayed to the dagger tucked into his sash, familiarity
immediately seeking out a jeweled eye and stroking it through the fabric.

"You've only had the Kumiko a short time, it's entirely possible he'll show."

"Is it stupid to cling to such an old memory, Shima?"

Raiden's voice was firm, "Memories like that never fade. And I can think of worse reasons to strive for the life you've made
for yourself." He winked, "If you've waited this long for him to find you, I'd bet my entire fortune that he's out there looking
for you. Just be patient and stop taking out your anxiety on the rest of us."

"My 'anxiety' over Koori has nothing to do with my desire to wring that brat's neck. The two are completely separate
emotions."

Throwing back his head Raiden laughed loudly into the night sky, "Kin, if you ever get on me for obsessing over Taka I'll be
forced to point out that you're obsession with his Highness far surpasses mine."

"What in the Dragons' names are you talking about?"

Raiden's grin was laced with mischief, "I mean that not even a discussion of your precious, mysterious Koori can keep you
from railing about the prince. Even I can occasionally manage to leave Taka out of a conversation. You can't have a single
one without mentioning his Highness. So which of us is more obsessed?"

"If you're implying what I think you're implying…" Kindan spoke through gritted teeth, "Then we're about to see if Pozhar's
hospitality extends to drowning rats."

Snickering Raiden pushed himself away from the railing and strolled past his furious friend, "I'm not implying anything." He
yawned, "I was just making an observation. And right now I'm going to bed. Good night, Kin."

Fingers pressed once more to his temple in an effort to will away his growing headache, Kindan turned on his heel and
began barking orders to his men before they all settled in for the night.

Running out of things to yell about, Kindan finally took the hint in the glare his first mate kept sending him and retired to his
own quarters.

Wearily he lit the two lamps that provided him with light and set to work discarding what he could of his clothing. His sash
was quickly removed, the ornate, jeweled dagger carefully set on a small table. Next he stripped out of his black, sleeveless
tunic, tossing it over a chair - he would only be putting it on again in a few hours. Lastly he discarded the sleeveless
undershirt, collapsing onto his bed in only pants and boots.

He scrubbed his short hair, rubbing his face wearily. "Never should have taken this damned job," he muttered aloud. "If that
brat doesn't get us killed, Raiden will. Spare me the idiocy of romance." Tucking his hands behind his head, he stared at the
ceiling. "Storms, I know he's up to something."

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Exasperated with thoughts that went nowhere, he climbed to his feet again and ran his eyes over the limited contents of his
cabin for a distraction. Automatically they fell on the jeweled dagger and his face immediately softened, reaching out to pick
it up. Lamplight caught the blue saphir that were its eyes, glinting on silver that was rare even in the land where it
originated. "A year and a half at most, if you can just wait for me."

Kindan laughed at himself, setting the dagger back on the table. "Who would have thought I'd become this obsessed? How
pathetic…" He fell back onto his bed, half curling up on his side, facing the door.

A sharp rap on the door broke his thoughts and Kindan wanted to scream in frustration. Once more climbing to his feet he
stalked the short distance to the door and jerked it open.

His first mate bobbed an apologetic nod, "My pardon for disturbing you, Captain. Someone is approaching the ship, all
sneaky like."

"Show me," Kindan said sharply. He didn't bother to redress as he followed the sailor, his pale green eyes sharp in the
moonlight. He scanned the ship, noticing most of the men had bunked down for the night. Only the watch remained on duty
and they were mostly out of sight - presumably because of their unexpected visitor.

Same kept them to the shadow, moving slowly. He pointed to a nearly invisible object, visible only because of the rippling
water that the boatman could not completely silence.

Kindan narrowed his eyes, speaking with hands and nods to his first mate who silently beckoned over two more sailors.
They waited in the shadows, tense as the man reached the Fuujin and almost soundlessly climbed up and over - only to be
roughly grabbed and thrown down by the two men waiting for him.

"Explain yourself," Kindan demanded, examining the intruder. Definitely Pozharian, he had the heavy build and dark
features.

The man instead settled for snarling several Pozharian insults in a guttural voice, silenced only when Same backhanded
him.

Shaking the man hard, they lifted him none to gently to his feet. Kindan summoned another crewman, pointing to the
intruder. "Search him." Swiftly the sailor went through the man's clothing, throwing down three knives and one of the small
firearms that were unique to Pozhar.

Kindan gathered the weapons and tossed them over the side. He turned back to the man and regarded him coldly. "Tell me
your business or we'll make you talk. We're still at sea, no Pozharian law will protect you here."

"You wouldn't dare risk it," the man sneered.

Same backhanded him again.

Kindan waited until the man was looking at him again, "If I were you, I wouldn't test just what I would and wouldn't do. I don't
tolerate uninvited guests, especially the kind that slinks around in the dark."

"My business isn't with you," the hostility in the man's voice had lessened, but not by much.

"I'm Captain of this vessel, all business is with me." Kindan folded his arms across his chest. "You can either tell me your
business and you'll be tossed overboard alive, or you can keep being difficult and we'll toss your corpse overboard. It
matters little to me."

The man reverted back to his sneers and cursed, "Murdering me will land every last one of you in a jail house, Kudouin
nobility or not."

Kindan gave a dark laugh, "I told you - according to all laws we are still at sea. Pozhar has no rights here. The only law my
men abide by here is mine, and that is overruled only by the Storm Dragons themselves. If I say kill you, they will. This is
your last chance - explain yourself."

The man's glare was murderous, but at least he spoke in a reluctant, hateful tone. "I am here to speak with his Highness
Prince Nankyokukai."

At that Kindan tensed, pale eyes hardening with suspicion. "What makes you think Kundouin royalty is aboard?"

"Now who's trying to keep secrets?" the man spat at him contemptuously, "I know damn good and well the prince is

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aboard."

Kindan backhanded him. "Watch your tone. Who told you the prince was aboard?"

"None of your business." The man smirked.

Losing patience Kindan stepped in, ignoring the reek of ale and smoke, and latched onto the mans throat. He smirked as
the man began to struggle futilely for air, and shook him hard. "Tell me or you'll die now."

"Why…should…"

"Because I have men who can make death seem a mercy." The tone of Kindan's voice was a dark promise - the man
managed a weak nod. Kindan released him and once more stepped back, folding his arms across his chest.

"Hired…" the man gasped for breath. "I was hired."

"Hired to do what?" Pale eyes narrowed

"The Prince has something his brother desperately wants back. I was hired to fetch it."

"What?"

"A gemstone of some sort, pale blue, small."

Kindan frowned. "And you were just going to quietly take the stone and return it to the brother in question? Are all mercs as
stupid as you?"

"The money is well worth the trouble."

Same grimaced. "Especially since you're probably just planning to demand double before you return it. You really are stupid
- do you honestly think that a man who is willing to send scum like you after his own brother would think twice about killing
a reckless mercenary?"

"I have my ways."

"They're not very good ways if you were caught so easily." It was Kindan's turn for contempt. "Then again you are from
Pozhar - a babe knows more of ships and water than the lot of you." He fell silent a moment, thinking. "How were you
hired? Kundou is a month's journey from here."

"Birds travel quickly."

"Of course. And how did you plan to take the stone?"

The mercenary shrugged. "Hadn't decided."

Kindan shared a look with Same, eyes cold. He turned back to the mercenary, unfolding his arms, stepping close and
abruptly snapping the man's neck - his movements so quick and smooth the mercenary did not realize what was occurring
before the deed was done. Disgusted and suddenly very tired, Kindan turned away. "Sink him. Hopefully this will be the end
of it, though I doubt it. Double the guard and call me if there is further trouble. Do not speak of this to anyone off ship - or to
the passengers, not even Raiden. I will handle them."

"Aye, Captain," the sailors spoke quietly as they went to work disposing of the mercenary's body.

Wiling away the sudden weariness bearing down upon him, Kindan scrubbed furiously at his hair as he strode toward the
prince's cabin. He didn't bother to knock, swinging the door open - and stopped.

Moonlight spilled into the room, cascading over the sleeping figure of the prince. Nankyokukai didn't stir, stretched out on
his side. His sleeping robes were far from fastened, pulled open whenever he had turned in his sleep.

Weariness again attacking him, Kindan abruptly gave up any idea of waking him. Closing the door he turned away,
succumbing to the call of his own bed. There would be plenty of time to berate and question Nankyokukai in the morning at
breakfast.

His fingers slid over the silver, jeweled dagger as he passed it, seeking comfort. Then he blew out the lamps and fell into
bed, asleep before he'd finished falling.

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Chapter Ten

"Ah, Kin. You've decided to join us. It's not like you to be late for breakfast. Did you sleep well?" Raiden waved his friend
over, urging him to take a seat.

Kindan glared across the table. "Well enough, after I disposed of a would-be assassin after his Highness."

Silence. Even Nankyokukai froze, slowly lowering his fork as he stared at the Captain. "What in the Dragons' Names are
you talking about?"

"Tell me, Highness, are you in possession of a small, pale-blue gemstone?"

The prince for a moment looked startled. "You're just full of surprises this morning."

Raiden cut his arm through the air. "Enough. Kindan, what in blazes are you going on about?"

Takara remained silent, exchanging a concerned glance with the prince before focusing all his attention on Kindan.

Rapidly Kindan recounted the previous nights' events. Finished, he stared at his food - and shoved it away with a grimace.
He glared again at the prince, but didn't get a chance to speak.

"My apologies, Captain." Nankyokukai's words surprised the entire table into silence. "I had not thought Taiseiyou would go
to such ridiculous lengths in an attempt to fix his own idiotic mistakes. You should not have ever had to deal with my family
squabbles." He slid a pensive glance toward his Secretary. "This is something we had not accounted for. I wonder what
other surprises will arise."

Takara gave up on his own meal. "You could just send word to your father. There's no way he'd tolerate such a measure, at
least not until the tribute was seen to."

"I'm actually rather impressed that fool brother of mine was this bold. Clearly I don't give him enough credit for
underhandedness," Nankyo spoke as if Raiden and Kindan were not present, fingers tapping the table as he thought.
Takara too seemed to have forgotten their presence.

The Secretary rose to his feet and strode toward the desk, sliding his spectacles onto his nose. "Shall I write out the note,
then?"

"Write out three," Nankyo reclined in his seat, ocean-blue eyes sliding shut as he thought aloud. "One to my father,
explaining Taiseiyou's jump from mild stupidity to suicidal idiocy. Make sure to emphasize that if they want the Stone
returned, this is the wrong way to go about it." His fingers continued to tap out a rhythm as he spoke. "The second one is
for my brother. Explain that I now hold him in complete and utter contempt, and that it would be wise of him to put a stop to
whatever other acts of idiocy he's put in motion. Add whatever else you think of." He fell silent.

Takara wrote furiously for several minutes, shuffling papers as he filled one page and moved rapidly to the next. "Anything
special you want in the third, or just the usual?"

Nankyokukai suddenly opened his eyes, pinning them on a startled Kindan, "What is the name of the sailor who assisted
you last night?"

"Midori."

The prince nodded, turning toward his Secretary. "You included him?"

"I have now."

"That'll do then. See that everything is sent to the families, save for the first which can be kept until we return."

"Anything else?"

"That will suffice."

Takara nodded and continued to write for another minute or two. Finished, he rose and carried the sheaf of papers to set
before Nankyo, handing him an inked quill. Nankyokukai glanced at them, hand reaching inside his robes. He frowned in
sudden annoyance and looked up at Takara. Reaching up he pulled the spectacles from the Secretary's face and slid them
onto his own.

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He read quickly through the papers, signing the end of each letter in a neat, rapid hand. He handed the sheaf to Takara,
who carried them to the desk and stamped each one with Nankyokukai's seal before carefully rolling them up to be tied later
to messenger birds. "Anything else you require, Nankyo?"

"Nothing as of yet. Though if this is any indication of how our day is going to proceed, I want nothing more than to go back
to bed. See those letters are sent out with all due haste. The sooner that fool is off my back, the better."

Takara nodded and gathered the letters, sparing Raiden a glance before he left to send off the letters.

The merchant glanced at the prince. "Why is your brother trying to kill you?"

"Because he's a fool."

"Prince, that's no answer."

Nankyokukai leaned back in his seat. "At a crucial moment in his life, my brother chose frivolity over duty. I accepted that
duty in his place - at his request. He is perturbed that rather than hand that responsibility over to him later, I have elected to
keep it. Now that I am gone, his idiocy is no longer a secret."

"Right," Kindan said. "You're as straightforward as ever. I think I deserve a better answer than that."

The prince fell silent, staring at them both pensively. At last he seemed to reach some decision. "Have you ever heard of
the King's Stone?"

Raiden responded first, "Yes. It's part of the legacy of the royal house, passed from the King to his Heir when the Crown
Prince turns 18…"

"Indeed. Taiseiyou decided to do something else the day of his eighteenth birthday. Being the only one capable of a
glamour good enough to fool the entirety of the court, he begged me to stand in his place." He rose to his feet, "I never
bothered to give the Stone back."

Kindan hissed, "That's why Kundou is plagued with storms, isn't it? Because you've taken this King's Stone away from the
Islands."

The prince nodded, "That would be why, yes." He smiled grimly, "But in the long run my course of action will prove far more
beneficial to Kundou than anything that moronic brother of mine could accomplish."

"Why in the Dragons' names should I believe that? You're risking our entire country to play your stupid game."

"You are free to think what you want, Captain." Nankyokukai said wearily. "But if you insist on arguing with me, it will have to
wait. I believe our guests are arriving."

Kindan only nodded stiffly as shouting from outside signaled that visitors were being granted permission to board. "We're not
finished."

"Somehow, Captain, I don't think we ever will be." Nankyokukai said dryly.

Unable to reply, Kindan settled for shooting a puzzled glare at the prince. Then a sharp rapping on the door brought the
discussion to an end.

Countess Oranzhevy stepped briskly inside, beaming at the three of them. Right behind her Takara slid into the room,
glaring over his shoulder at the next figure to appear: Duke Krasny. "Good morning, Gentlemen. I hope your evening went
well?" She didn't seem to notice the brief glares shot between the prince and captain. Holding her out to Nankyokukai, she
did not let go after he'd kissed it. Instead she used it to drag him to the door, "I am sorry for your unpleasant arrival but if
you'll come with me I will get you settled at my house with all due haste."

"And Prince Culebra?"

"Will go to the palace. His comrades are most anxious for his return." Outside on deck, Culebra was indeed in the company
of one of his own countrymen - the Ambassador to Pozhar. He bowed in the direction of the four men, "Thank you for your
hospitality my friends. I hope someday I can return the favor, though I prefer it be under circumstances more pleasant than
mine."

Nankyo stepped forward, fingers resting lightly on the blind prince's shoulder to let him know where he was. Culebra smiled

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and stepped closer, kissing the blue-haired prince lightly on the cheek. Nankyo returned the gesture, "Storms favor you,
Culebra."

"Stone protect you." He repeated the gesture with the other three, laughing quietly as he bid farewell to Kindan. "It was a
pleasure meeting you, Captain. Thank you for rescuing me."

"Think nothing of it, Culebra."

"Farewell then, Gentlemen. May Stone protect you." The Stone Prince was led carefully from the ship.

Countess Oranzhevy stepped forward, brisk and eager. "Now, let's get going. No sense in wasting more time here, I'm sure
you are all tired of being on the water for so long."

She did not notice as all four shook their heads and shared looks of tolerant amusement. To suggest a native of Kundou
was tired of water? Was much like suggesting a fish was tired of swimming.

But the Duke and Countess clearly had already had their fill of the water, even though they were on ship for no more than a
few minutes. Quickly and efficiently Kindan brought his ship into port, and in record time the group was disembarking.

"Same," the captain barked to his first mate.

"Captain?"

"The men have permission to wander the harbor, but I want them back aboard ship each night. Anyone not aboard by the
final bell will not be under my employ the following morning."

"Aye, Captain. I'll see to it."

Nodding Kindan turned to join the others. He stifled a groan as they were led to a set of carriages, vowing revenge when he
heard Raiden beside him choke off a laugh.

He missed his ship already. Resentfully he climbed into the second of the two carriages, behind Raiden and the Duke. They
traveled in a stiff silence, and Kindan hid a smirk of his own knowing full well that his friend was just waiting for any excuse
to harm Duke Krasny. He looked away when Raiden sent him a suspicious glare.

Outside it was still cool and quiet, the morning sun still low in the sky. Personally he thought Pozhar a dark, miserable,
dreary country. It was a miracle to him there wasn't snow everywhere. And it was cold.

"Such a nice day today. The weather is lovely, don't you think?" The artificial congeniality in Krasny's voice was blatant.

Raiden shrugged, "A bit cool. I'm afraid we're used to warmer temperatures in Kundou."

"Too soft, you island people. Far too used to easy weather."

"On the contrary," Raiden said icily, "We simply enjoy a calm at home because out on the seas life is brutal. It's you land
lovers that are soft."

The Duke's smile was a baring of teeth, "I think you'll find that Pozhar can be much more brutal than your precious water."

"Certainly the company is proving intolerable."

Kindan interrupted, "How far are we from the Countess' manor, your Grace?"

"Not far at all. She prefers to live near the coast."

Raiden snorted, "At least some of you have taste."

"Shima!" Kindan glared. "Don't start acting like me, if you please!" He glared nastily at the Duke, who started to speak.
Somewhat to his surprise, the Duke opted to remain silent. The quiet lasted the rest of the journey.

The captain squashed the urge to flee, upon sighting the manor in which the Countess resided. He hated places like this. It
was almost as bad as the day Shima had dragged him to the palace.

That thought brought to mind another, and just for good measure he cast a withering glance at the prince's back.

Still cheerful and brisk, the Countess motioned them all forward. "Come, darlings. I promised you a fine breakfast and you

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shall have it. I hope you like Pozharian fare, my chefs do not know how to cook the odd things you islanders prefer."

"Odd things? Why does everyone say that about our food?" Raiden complained teasingly.

Beside him Takara smiled, "I think it's the way we treat fish. That's what they always try not to fuss over at all the state
dinners."

The Countess nodded agreement as they paused in a lavish hallway. Kindan resisted the urge to shield his eyes from the
excessive amounts of gilt that covered everything. Sonya wrinkled her nose, "It's not the fish…it's the other strange things
you pull out of the ocean. Surely not all of that is meant to be food?"

"If you lived on an island, Sonya, you would learn quickly what can and cannot be eaten. Had you simply tried the eel, you
probably would have liked it."

"Nankyo, darling, I do not eat raw food. I would almost swear it was still moving. Now come, you will be escorted to your
rooms to freshen up and then we will have real food."

For the second time that day, the men shared a look; four Kundouins long used to the remarks made by others about their
homeland.

*~*~*~*

"So how do you like it?" Sonya asked pleasantly, setting down a fragile teacup and beaming at them.

Nankyokukai's smile was calmer, "Quite excellent, Sonya. We do appreciate your generosity."

"Think nothing of it, darling. This is the most fun I've had in ages. How long do you think you'll be staying? So I can tell my
people and have everything properly arranged. So far I have planned for a seven-day stay."

All turned their eyes on Kindan, who seemed much more relaxed as the discussion turned to one he could handle. "It won't
take my men long to load things, once the supplies are obtained. Of course I'm sure they would like at least a few days rest
before we set sail again."

"Then you will stay the seven-day. I would enjoy your company immensely." She nodded decisively, taking another delicate
sip of tea. Her bright smile returned, the full force of it on the discomfited captain. "I must say Captain Ningyo--"

"Kindan is fine, please."

"Very well," her smile brightened. "Kindan, I must tell you that I am quite envious of your complexion."

"My Lady?" he asked in total confusion.

Sonya laughed, winking at him. "Your skin is stunning. So flawlessly pale. How do you maintain it? And on a ship, usually
sailors are so brown. Even your companions all have golden skin."

"Ah…" Kindan glared briefly at Raiden, who had suddenly started coughing. "I get it from my mother. Runs in her family."

"How fascinating. I really am most envious. My skin only gets that pretty when I take my powder, and too much of that is not
healthy I'm afraid. Be grateful you're a man, darling," she winked again, "For if you were female I would have to be most
cross with you for having better skin than I."

Nankyo's laughter spared Kindan having to answer, "You are as charming as ever, Sonya. Now do tell me what we can do
in return for your kindness. You must have had to argue with your brother a great deal to be allowed to host us like this. And
if he finds I'm part of the entourage, you will be in a great deal of trouble."

"Nonsense, silly boy. My brother owes me a great deal. And I don't care if he is king, he does not dictate who I may or may
not have in my home. Oh, do stop frowning Pytor." She frowned at the Duke, who was looking sullen. She turned back to
the prince and smiled, "I would dearly love a few of those lovely bits of fabric you wear around your waists. They're
becoming all the rage here, you know."

A startled silence fell across the table. Takara blinked at her, "You want a few sashes? Why in the Dragons' Names would
you want that?"

She sniffed, "Like I said, they're becoming quite fashionable." Helping herself to a few plump, round, red berries she waved
a hand expressively in the air. "Such colors, and patterns. No one else can make them. You really should not take them so

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much for granted."

"I would dearly love to know how something so absurd became a fashion statement in Pozhar. And what would you wear
them with? You hardly need them to keep robes fastened shut."

"But they make lovely scarves, and some of the larger ones can be used for wraps. And just the other day Lady Zelyony
had a small one woven through her hair." She frowned at the memory, perturbed a woman had beaten her at being clever.

The four men looked torn between dismay that their sashes would be used in such a way, and confusion as to how to
discuss fashion. Nankyokukai shook himself, "If you don't mind waiting a few months, Sonya, I will give you a letter to send
to the man that makes my sashes, and give you credit for a dozen?"

Clapping her hands, the Countess nodded and laughed in delight. "That would be splendid, darling."

"Then simply come up with a list of colors and designs you would like and I will have it sent out immediately."

"Wonderful. And now permit a selfish princess one more request?"

"What would that be, Countess?" Takara asked with an amused shake of his head.

"I would dearly love to study that Mark of yours," her expression turned thoughtful. "I am deeply intrigued, both by the
mystery of it, but also by the nature of it."

"The nature of it?" Raiden asked.

"Yes. We have no such skill here in Pozhar. If we could seal magic away like that, it would make our lives much, much
easier."

Kindan tilted his head, "Why is that? I mean, I know that Pozhar fears magic, and that is has to do with their fear of the
Firebird. But I never understood why."

"Captain, are you expressing an interest in myths? My, how surprising."

Glaring across the table, Kindan stabbed at his food. "How unsurprising, Prince, for you to make unnecessary remarks."

The countess didn't seem to notice their bickering, "Oh? Would you like to hear the story?"

"That is none of their business, Sonya." The Duke snapped from the far end of the table, purposely distanced from the
others though he cast several glances in the Secretary's direction.

"Pish posh. I am the princess and I can tell stories if I want to," Sonya said teasingly. "Honestly, it does no harm." Taking a
few more sips of tea, she rubbed her hands together and began.

"It is true that we fear magic," she glared lightly as the Duke snorted, "no matter what others might say. But we have good
reason to. We take prophecy very seriously in this country, and there is one that is very ominous to the people of Pozhar.
We call it 'The Lost Gods Prophecy' and are careful always to watch for the signs of its coming to pass."

Nankyo leaned forward in his seat, eyes intent. "I have not heard this. Do elaborate, Sonya."

"Of course. As you of course know there are in our world five countries: Kundou, the Storm Lands; Pozhar, the Firelands;
Piedre, the Stone Lands; Verde, the High Lands; and Schatten, the Shadow Lands. Each of these is protected by a god or
gods. And we all have one thing in common - our gods are missing, for whatever reason."

Slowly she swallowed another berry, "The prophecy states that so long as the gods remain lost, the world will continue to
plunge into ruin. Naturally this takes time, and even now the ruin is not obvious - but it is becoming more obvious by the
day. I do not think it will be too many more years before the first part of the prophecy comes to pass."

"What would that be?" Nankyo asked.

"Why, the return of the Sacred Storm Bringers. That is what we call your precious Dragons."

Nankyokukai sat back in his seat, snorting. "I hardly think that is going to happen. The dragons are dead, not lost."

"So you say. But for all that you carry the power of the dragons, Nankyo, you do not know all there is to know about them.
No mortal is that knowledgeable."

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The prince only shrugged, "What of the rest of the prophecy."

Frowning, the Countess continued. "The next part concerns Pozhar. 'Deadly Magic will destroy and wake the Firebird."

"But that's a good thing, is it not?" Kindan asked with a frown.

Raiden nodded, "Yes, if the purpose is to save the world by waking the Lost Gods…"

The Countess shook her head, hair flying back and forth behind her with the fervor of the motion. "I wasn't finished. The
next part says that in vengeance the Firebird will bathe Pozhar in fatal fire."

"Vengeance for what?"

Sonya shrugged, "There is no explanation given. But that is why we fear its revival. It's true we believe in prophecies…but
we believe and use them only in order to overcome them. I assure that the people of Pozhar are quite vehemently against
being turned into ashes. If the world is falling into ruin, then we are determined to find a different way to solve the problem.
We have lasted this long without the gods, it is not fair that we be burned while all other countries survive."

Cool laughter spilled across the table, and Nankyo tossed his head. "How silly, to get so caught up in such a ridiculous tale.
Honestly, have nobles nothing better to do with their time than listen to children's stories?"

"You would do better to learn respect, Nankyo," the Countess said reprovingly. "It is no children's tale."

"Yes, it is. The gods are gone; they are going to stay gone. At least…" he grinned ferociously. "The Dragons of the Three
Storms will stay gone. And as they're the first…well I don't think you need worry about your Firebird destroying things."

The Duke was contemptuous, "Arrogance is a fatal flaw, Prince."

"I'm sure you would know that better than I, Duke. You could give me lesson, no doubt. Now, Countess, tell me the rest of
the prophecy."

She shrugged, "Only that a flower that never ages will awaken Stone. That of course refers to Piedre, no doubt something
to do with their precious Stone Prince. The next part must be Verde, for it says that the Pegasus and the Unicorn will duel
for the Faerie Queen and wake to their true calling. And lastly that the Gods will suppress the Shadow."

"Amazingly forthcoming, Countess, for someone from a country notorious for its dogged silence." Raiden said idly, tracing
the rim of his teacup.

"You are friends," the Countess said with a small smile, "And really there is no harm in knowing some of it."

"That is not all of it?" the prince asked, though he sounded unsurprised.

"Of course not, darling. Spoiled and reckless though I may occasionally be, I am still a princess and must keep my state
secrets." She winked at them. "Now come, we are finished with breakfast and there is plenty to occupy us." She rose to her
feet, ringing a small bell for the servants to come clear everything away. "Were your rooms to your satisfaction?"

"Naturally, Countess." Takara replied, and the five men followed her out.

Reluctantly Kindan fell into step alongside Nankyo, while the Countess was occupied with Takara. "If she's the brother of the
King, why in storms is she a mere Countess?"

Nankyokukai, for once, answered simply. "She married well beneath her station, and insisted on taking her husband's title.
He is dead now, but she still maintains it. Really it's more a term of affection; everyone still considers her a princess."

"I see." Kindan was thoughtful.

"A royal you could approve of, Captain."

Kindan's mostly pleasant mood evaporated, "Exactly. Unlike you." He pointedly ignored the prince as they were lead to what
turned out to be a large study.

The Countess motioned them all to sit, except for Takara whom she led to the center of the room. The secretary tensed
immediately. "Do you, Takara? Could I see your Mark again? I would dearly love to understand it."

Takara frowned, hesitating. "Is this really necessary? I really don't like being an object of study."

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"You don't seem to mind when I study you."

If it was possible to kill with a look, Raiden would be dead. Takara purposely turned away from him, "Fine. But I don't want
anyone touching it."

"No one but I will be permitted, Taka. And I only if it for some strange reason proves necessary. Lord Raiden I have no
control over."

Nankyo was long used to his secretaries threatening glares. He merely smirked.

Unhappy but cooperative, Sonya nodded. "Very well. If you will explain to me again how it works, Nankyo?"

"Of course," the prince said idly. He reclined in his high-backed chair, "As I said, it merely seals away the magical ability of
an individual until they are old enough - and strong enough in mind - to control it. However, it must be done while the child
is still very young, otherwise the body fights being sealed. If for instance, you tried to perform such a spell on me, my body
would naturally fight against it. So I do not think, Sonya, that in the long run such a spell would prove useful to you."

"You said hard, not impossible. And anyway it never hurts to learn something new."

The prince's mouth quirked, "As you say."

Casting one last displeased glare at Nankyo and Raiden Takara bared his back. The Mark was low on his spine, slightly
larger than the medallions worn to show a person's status in Kundou. Three long, thin dragons curved around each other is
a complicated spiral. It looked like a tattoo done in dark blue ink.

"Fascinating…" Sonya murmured. "So strange to sense the magic, all radiating from that one small spot. How is it done?"

Nankyokukai shook his head, "The explanation would be useless to you. Yours is a country that uses as little magic as
possible; you can't even stand to be around magic. The fact that I must cloak mine to prevent your being ill only
emphasizes that fact. A Mark of Sealing is hard to do because it seals away any and all ability to use magic - as Takara has
proven, the person bearing the Mark does not even know they can use magic save for the fact that they're all part of the
royal family."

"So Takara must be part of the royal family."

The prince shrugged, "I suppose so; although affairs like that are strictly forbidden - one of the only rules my family does
tend to obey. But clearly someone has finally broken that rule. It hardly matters, as I have no intention of removing the
Mark."

Takara through all this was silent, looking anywhere but at the people surrounding him. Raiden watched him with a
concerned frown, and would have spoken but for the flash of movement at the corner of his eye. His frown turned into one
of severe displeasure. "Just what do you think you're doing, Duke?"

"I am getting a drink," Krasny didn't bother to look at him as he strolled past the Countess and Takara to help himself to the
beverages arranged on the desk.

The Countess smiled, "Of course. Would anyone else like something? Talking can be thirsty work. Takara?"

"No, thank you." The Secretary did not take his gaze from the window.

Nodding at the negatives from the others, Sonya turned to help herself to some tea.

Duke Krasny finished pouring his own drink and turned. As he passed Takara, his hand shot out to cover the Mark on his
back.

It happened fast. Takara began to scream.

Eyes wide with alarm Nankyokukai and Raiden shot to their feet. Raiden surged toward the screaming Secretary, snarling
when the prince blocked him. "Let me go."

"No. If you stop it now, things will be worse."

The screams faded and Takara sank to his knees on the floor. The Duke's smirk lasted only a second, before he and a
horrified Countess both began to look extremely ill.

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Nankyokukai's magic flooded the room as he confronted the Duke, "You're going to wish I'd killed you." His eyes glowed,
flashing like lightning, and the Duke sank to the floor. If anyone had examined him, they would have found him cold to the
touch; as if he had been plunged into an ocean colder than ice. Eyes still burning with anger, the prince looked at the
Countess. "Were you part of this?"

"No…no…I didn't think he'd dare."

"What did he use?"

"A…fire feather…they're what we use to kill Candidates. I swear, Nankyo, I didn't know."

"We'll see."

"By the Storms…" Kindan's voice was raw with disbelief. The Countess flicked her gaze toward the collapsed Secretary,
and gasped.

Nankyokukai turned to see for himself, and went ghostly pale. The room spun, and he willed it to hold still.

Still seated awkwardly on the floor, Takara stared back at him uncomprehendingly. His shoulder-length hair was ocean
blue, his eyes a stunning blue-green and set in a face of remarkable beauty.

And the spitting image of the prince.

Nankyokukai stumbled back, mind in pieces.

"What…Kyo…" Takara watched him, frowning. He rose shakily to his feet, unresisting as Raiden firmly gripped his arm. He
made to step toward the clearly dismayed prince, but stopped as he caught sight of his reflection in an ornate gilt mirror
hung on the wall behind the prince. He froze, lifting a hand to his face, unable to believe what he was seeing.

Kindan broke the dead silence. "Storms take it. They're twins."

Chapter Eleven

Nankyokukai fled.

Takara ran the opposite way, toward his room. The few servants he encountered either darted from his path or were shoved
from it.

Inside he locked the door and then stumbled to the floor length mirror set near the wardrobe, trembling hands going up to
examine the strange and familiar face he saw there. "How…what…" he tore away from the mirror and collapsed on his bed,
facedown. His hands tangled in soft blankets, his pained cries muffled by them.

Gradually he fell into a fitful doze, tossing and turning until he was tangled up in his robes and the bedclothes.

Raiden smiled briefly, gazing down at the colorful mess on the bed. But it rapidly faded, as he took in the tear-streaked face
that was and wasn't Takara's. He climbed onto the bed, sitting with legs stretched out alongside the secretary and stroking
his hair.

Takara murmured and shifted, and a second later his blue-green eyes blinked and opened blearily. He was on his back, and
turned his head to look at Raiden. Confusion fled his face as memory returned, and he shut his eyes again. "It's not just a
bad dream, is it?" he asked, eyes still closed.

"I'm afraid not," Raiden said with a sigh, his fingers still gently stroking through the blue strands of Takara's hair.

Opening his eyes again, Takara stared up at the canopy over his bed. He tried to find words to break the unhappy silence,
but could come up with nothing worth saying. "What am I supposed to do now?" he asked finally.

"Are you supposed to do something?"

Takara glared at him, the expression marred by the fact that his eyes were still red and raw. "What does that mean? Look
at me!" contrary to his statement, he covered his face with his hands. His words were muffled. "I'm not Takara anymore.
Who am I?" His hands fell away, "I was resigned to being some sort of bastard child…but…not this." Roughly he jerked
away from Raiden's grip.

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Raiden frowned, and hauled him back around. Disentangling him from the blankets, he pulled the oddly quiescent secretary
into his lap and brushed tangled strands of hair from his face. "You're still Taka. There's no reason to be this upset."

"So you say!" Takara raged. "Everyone my entire life has lied to me. Lied to Kyo. My mother isn't my mother, my parents hid
me like a dirty secret. My entire life is a storm of lies!"

"So you say," Raiden mimicked, unimpressed.

Takara said nothing, staring out across the room and not at Raiden.

The merchant continued, "The last time I checked, Taka, when twins are born one of them is always killed. So someone, I
would hazard the queen, loved you enough to keep you alive. Did you bother to think of that?"

"Instead I'm just kept like a dirty secret."

Raiden frowned, hands tight as he held Takara. "You're being childish. Just because you find out you have royal blood
doesn't mean the life you've led so far is worthless. You've a place in the palace, a strong bond with the man who turned
out to be your twin brother, and your mother cares for you, yes?"

"So I always thought."

"So you always knew!" Raiden said sharply. "It isn't like you to bemoan circumstances like this. Stop it!"

The anger in the merchant's voice brought Takara up short. He blinked, stunned into silence.

Raiden pushed on now that he had his attention, "You've certainly never had a problem protesting me, so why aren't you up
in arms over this?" He pressed fingers to Taka's lips, preventing the secretary speaking. "Pretending for a moment that you
were allowed to live, as a prince, do you honestly think you're life would be better than it is now?" His voice gentled, "I think
his Highness would be the first to tell you that his life is not the most enviable."

"Kyo…" Some of the bitterness faded from Takara's face, replaced by worry. "Where's Nankyo?"

"I have no idea. He ran off just like you did. And I doubt anyone rushed to comfort him." Raiden's voice still held a trace of
reprove. "Are you back to your normal self now?"

"That's really not funny."

Raiden paused, then smothered a laugh. "I didn't mean it like that, Taka."

"How do you even know I'm Taka?" the secretary asked bitterly. "Dress me up properly and throw me into a crowd with
Nankyo and no one would be able to tell the difference."

For answer Raiden grasped his face firmly in his hands and kissed him, long and slow. Takara's cry of surprise was instantly
muffled by it, and rather than protest he let the kiss soothe him as was intended.

Pulling slowly away, nibbling briefly at his bottom lip, Raiden stared at him with dark eyes. "I would know you no matter
what."

Takara shook his head, unable to form a reply.

Raiden kissed him again for good measure, resisting a smirk at the secretary's thoroughly distracted expression. "Now that
we've settled that, shall we go in search of your brother?"

"Brother?" Takara repeated. "That's going to take some getting used to."

*~*~*~*

"I'm going to kill them all," Nankyokukai said to the shattered pieces of mirror on the floor before him. He looked almost idly
at his hands, noticing they were still trembling minutely. Mostly in rage.

He stooped and lifted a large piece of the broken mirror. What little of his face was visible was still pale, one eye still dark
with anger and pain. Dropping the shard, Nankyo turned and threw himself into the chair beside the fireplace. His fingers
drummed on the armrests, lips pinched tight as he thought.

"There's no conceivable way his Majesty would have permitted Takara to live. So that means I've seriously underestimated

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mother all these years. I guess I get my craftiness from her after all…" he stared into the empty fireplace, letting his head
fall back against the chair. "All these years…who would have guessed he really was my brother. How eerie, to have a twin."
His eyes slid shut as he replayed the scene in the study. Sighing softly, he opened his eyes again and stared blindly around
his room. "Taka. I hope Raiden is taking care of him."

His expression hardened as his thoughts shifted to the man he'd left unconscious on the study floor. "He's first on my list."
Relieved to have a purpose to distract him, Nankyokukai rose to his feet and stalked from his room and back to the study.

He ignored the Countess, who was kneeling beside Krasny. He was completely focused on the Duke, propped against the
desk on the floor. "You are looking rather pale, Krasny." He loomed over the Duke, smile cold.

Krasny tried to glare, but his sick, pale countenance ruined the effect.

"Feeling cold? You should be grateful you feel anything at all." He knelt beside the ill-looking Duke. "So far as magic goes,
my specialty is glamour. None surpasses my skill in that area. However, I am not too far behind my brothers so far as attack
magic goes. And I have a penchant for freezing things. I was a troublesome child, always freezing things when I was upset -
and that was often. My nurse and the other servants took to calling me Koori, which means ice."

"What!"

Stiffening, Nankyokukai stumbled as he attempted to turn around and stand at the same time. His face paled, as he
realized who had been behind him the whole time.

Kindan was looking at him, a strange expression on his face. "You can't be Koori."

For once the prince seemed at a loss for words.

"You are, aren't you? It fits too perfectly…the dagger, why you couldn't run away…why they were looking for you. Storms! I
really am stupid, aren't I?" His hand went to his sash, and he pulled the dagger free, "This is yours, isn't it?"

Nankyokukai was silent for a long moment. "Yes," he said at last.

Kindan's expression shattered. For a moment it looked as if he'd throw the dagger toward Nankyo, but instead he merely
held it tightly and stalked from the room, door slamming behind him.

The prince made a choking sound, face twisted with a hundred emotions. He settled on anger, and with several sharp
words the Duke was once more out cold. He glared darkly at the Countess, "If you want him to live, I suggest you make
sure I never see him again."

He didn't slam the door as he left the study. Pausing in the hallway, he deliberated on whether to return to his room or go
elsewhere. The idea of his bedroom sounded stifling, so with a tired sigh he turned left and made his way to the front hall
and then out of the house altogether.

The sight of the ocean didn't make him feel at all better, and he turned away from it and toward the trees that lined the
Countess' impressive garden. He stared at the ground as he walked through the garden, ignoring everything around him,
lost in unhappy thoughts.

"I don't believe you." The voice came from one of the trees, and Nankyo looked up to see that Kindan was perched on the
lowest limb of the medium-sized tree only a few steps from him.

He cleared any expression from his face. "I hadn't realized you were here. Again."

Kindan ignored that, "So were you ever going to tell me? Or were you having too much fun keeping your precious secret? I
knew you were hiding things."

"You think it was fun, not telling you?"

"I'm sure it was, what with your penchant for games and all. Were you playing with me even back then?"

"NO!" Nankyo shouted. His outburst seemed to startle Kindan into silence. "I wasn't playing! Why must you always think the
worst of me?"

Kindan recovered, "Because I don't know anything else! Were you ever going to tell me? How long have you known I'm
Kinni?"

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Nankyokukai closed his eyes. "The moment you mentioned your ship. I've known about the Kumiko from the moment it was
registered…but I had never had the chance to seek it out. The ship was never in port…then you mentioned it aboard the
Fuujin."

"So you've known the whole time? Were you ever going to tell me? Or was it more amusing to keep it to yourself?" Kindan
asked bitterly, tossing aside the leaves he'd unintentionally ripped from the tree he was sitting in.

"Do I look like I'm finding this amusing?" Nankyo returned sharply.

Kindan glared, "Storms take you! How should I know?"

"You would know if you took time to do more than find things wrong with me!" Nankyo snarled. "I kept it to myself for
precisely this reason. You already hated me enough, why make things worse? I have enough problems as is."

Snorting, Kindan jumped down from his perch. "You make most of those problems yourself, so you'll forgive me if I don't
have much sympathy for you."

"I expect sympathy from no one," Nankyokukai said flatly. "The first and last time I received that, I was lost and alone in a
dusty old warehouse."

Something flickered in Kindan's eyes, but it was rapidly replaced by his familiar anger. "I wonder now if you even deserved
it."

Nankyo turned away, his tone one of weary defeat. "Because of course I'm the one who has always been the liar, the
deceiver. Not once have I ever been betrayed, or let down, or mistreated." He began to walk away, but stopped suddenly.
Reaching up he yanked at the chain around his throat, jerking hard enough to break the clasp. Spinning around, he
launched it at the Kindan. "You said you'd take me anywhere I wanted to go. Consider that promise fulfilled…Kinni." He
stared at the medallion a moment, and began to laugh as he once more turned away.

"What's so funny?" Kindan watched him retreat, frowning.

"Nothing," Nankyo turned to look briefly over his shoulder. "You were the one that told me to laugh instead."

"Laugh instead…" Kindan echoed.

'When you want to cry, laugh instead,' that's what my dad used to say.

Kindan pressed the hand that held the medallion to his forehead and began to laugh, the bitter, choking sound of it ripping
through the garden. "Storms, I'm a fool."

Slowly he made his way back to the house, medallion clutched tightly enough to leave impressions in his hand. Inside he
encountered Raiden and Takara. He shook his head, thrown off balance as he looked at the secretary. "This is really going
to take some getting used to."

"You're telling me," Takara replied with a sigh. "Have you seen Nankyo?"

Kindan's face clouded over. "He's outside somewhere."

Raiden's gaze sharpened as he took in his friend's face. "Kin? What's wrong?"

Mutely Kindan held out the medallion. Raiden's eyes went wide as he noted the lighthouse carved into it. "Where...where
did you get that?"

"That's Nankyo's medallion!" Takara snatched it away and stared anxiously at the captain. "Why do you have it? Where's
Kyo?"

Silence fell as the Secretary's words registered with Raiden. He let out a hiss, "I always wondered…"

"Wondered what?" Kindan asked roughly. "Don't tell me you knew the whole cursed time that he was Koori!"

Raiden shook his head, "No…but that dagger was worth at least a king's ransom. I always wondered if your precious Koori
was somehow tied to royalty."

Takara let out a cry of frustration, "What in the Storms' names is going on here!"

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Kindan pulled himself together, "The Prince gave this to me…we met years ago, as children. Only, I didn't realize until just a
few minutes ago that the boy I knew as Koori was actually Nankyokukai."

"I don't understand."

Kindan just shook his head and pulled the dagger from his belt. "I gave him my medallion when we met, he gave me this."

Takara stared at it, dumbfounded. "They always wondered where this had gone." He looked solemnly at Kindan, "It's a good
thing you didn't try to sell it or anything. If you had, you would have been arrested and probably executed."

"What do you mean?" Raiden asked.

Motioning at the dagger, Takara explained. "The Highland royal family visited when Nankyo and his siblings were still just
children. It was a pretty important visit. They brought with them gifts for every member of the Kundou royal family. A sword
each for the King and Heir; a necklace each for the Queen and Princess, and for the remaining sons, daggers. The items
were one of a kind, each unique in its own way. Nankyo lost his a year later…I only know it because the story is one of the
more infamous of his escapades. He ran away for about two days, the dagger among the possessions he took with him.

Takara looked up at Kindan. "When he returned, he claimed to have lost it. The King was furious, and punished him
severely for it. Back then Kyo and I still took classes together, though he was always distant, cold. I remember after he ran
away, he couldn't move from his bed for three days." He looked away. "He was different after that. I never could figure out
precisely how…and a year later I was shipped off for special schooling. When I came back, he was the prince you know
now."

With a ragged, strangled sound Kindan snatched back his medallion and surged passed the pair, climbing the stairs three at
a time and vanishing down the upstairs hallway.

Raiden shook his head. "This day grows worse with every second. Shall we try to go find his Highness?"

"No…I'm still trying to figure out exactly what's going on with those two. I had no idea…anyway, between Kindan and I,
Nankyo probably just wants to be left alone for a bit."

The sound of a door opening interrupted their discussion, and both men turned to see the Countess appearing from the
study. She looked exhausted; all her earlier cheer gone. Seeing them, she attempted a smile and failed miserably. "Taka…
I'm so sorry." She sounded almost tearful. "I had no idea, truly I didn't. If I'd known I never would have permitted him to tag
along."

Takara shook his head, blue hair swishing around him. "It's not your fault, Sonya."

"It is, at least in part." She grasped his hands when he held them out, clinging tightly. "But your…ah…Nankyo has taken
care of my cousin. I don't think he's going to wake up now for a very long time." She looked torn between concern for her
relative and satisfaction that the cause of the problems was suffering. "But we will settle the matter later. I would like to
apologize to Nankyo. Do you know where he is?" She bit her lip, "He was speaking with Krasny, and then something
strange happened between him and the Captain. I've not seen either of them since."

Sighing, Raiden replied. "There's always something happening between those two. It's generally best to just ignore it. But
I'm afraid we don't know where he is. We saw Kindan a few minutes ago, he said the prince was somewhere outside."

"Is that safe?" The Countess asked with a frown. "If he is seen…especially with his magic…"

"Oh no…" Raiden stiffened as something struck him.

Takara looked at him, confused. "What?"

"We've got to find him. There's a price on his head, remember?"

Eyes going wide, Takara turned wildly toward the door. Raiden grabbed his arm and hauled him back inside. "Stay here!"

"NO!"

Raiden held on tight, "Yes! Or did you forget what you look like now? You're in as much danger as he is right now. Stay
here."

Stiffly Takara nodded. Cautiously Raiden let him go, then moved to the foot of the stairs and bellowed up them, "Kindan!"

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A moment later the captain appeared at the top of the stairs, worry on his face. "What's wrong?"

"Where's the prince? We have to find him."

"How should I know? Why? He'll come back."

"Not if mercenaries find him first."

Raiden didn't think he'd ever seen his friend go so pale so fast. Barely had he blinked and Kindan was at the bottom of the
stairs. "Where might he have gone?"

"I don't know. He left the gardens, that's all I saw of him."

"Taka," Raiden turned sharply to address the secretary. "Any ideas?"

"He would have recalled that being seen is a bad thing. So he would either be near the house, or wandering around with a
glamour."

Kindan cursed loudly, "He better hope he didn't wander away with a glamour. I'll kill him myself." With that he stormed
toward the front door and threw it open. He called over his shoulder as he all but threw himself down the front steps.
"Search the house, I'll search the grounds. Then we'll go into town."

"If this situation wasn't so grim, I'd find Kindan terribly amusing." Raiden smiled briefly before turning serious again. "Let's
start searching."

Kindan had just begun to head toward the rocky cliff overlooking the water at the far end of the Countess' property when a
booming crack broke the silence. He went cold, and began to race toward the cliff.

Years of placing sounds on the open sea had made him good at pinpointing them, and the sound had definitely come from
the cliff. Reaching it, he looked over the edge, where a small, winding path worked its way down the cliff to the coastline.

Nankyo and his assailant weren't far down - it looked as if the prince had been on his way back up. Blood poured from his
right shoulder, over the hand held to the wound as he glared up at his assailant despite the pain twisting his pale face.

"Now, prince. You'll want to be coming along. I do believe they'll be willin' to pay more if you're alive." The man lowered his
gun confident he'd have the prince's cooperation. "No more trying those spells."

It was all Kindan needed. He pulled a dagger from his sash - this one all business, not a jewel in sight - and let it fly. It hit
the mercenary in the throat, and he was all but dead when Kindan leapt down and shoved him off the path. He turned to
regard the prince, "Can you go a single day without causing some sort of trouble?"

Nankyo merely shook his head. "I had no idea those weapons could hurt this much."

"Yeah, they're pretty nasty." Kindan considered him, then reached down and carefully helped the prince to his feet. "I hope
you can walk, because I'm not nice enough to carry you."

"It's my arm that's wounded, not my leg." Pale faced but stubbornly determined as he used the captain for support, Nankyo
painfully made his way up the cliff and back toward the house.

Barely had they stepped aside when Takara and Raiden appeared. "Kyo!" Taka cried fearfully, "What happened?"

"I found him a little too late," Kindan glared at the two of them to move, helping Kindan into the nearest room, a small salon
decked in green, blue and silver. He laid him out on a settee, "I think the ball is still in there."

Raiden grimaced sympathetically, keeping his grip on a frantic Taka. "I'll go get what we need. Taka, try to stay calm eh?"

"Storms take you! I'm not a child." Takara dropped down beside the prince. "Kyo!"

Nankyo looked like he wanted to do nothing more than pass out, but he focused his pain-clouded eyes on the Secretary. "I'll
be fine, Taka. Give me your hand."

Instantly Takara held out his right hand, and Nankyo gripped it with his blood-covered left one. He began to chant, but
faltered, pain making him stumble over the intricate pronunciations. He grit his teeth and then tried again, speaking slowly
and carefully. As he went, the words seemed to become easier, and at last he sat back with a sigh.

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Takara stared at him, then at his hand, and shook his head. "How strange. Is that what magic feels like?"

"Yes," Nankyo smiled faintly. "Wait until I can teach you to use it yourself. It's the only good thing about having blue hair."

"What did you do?"

"Stopped the bleeding some, lessened the pain a bit." He looked at the captain, "You said that whatever he shot me with
was still in me?"

"Yeah. The balls seldom go all the way through."

"Should be easier to take out now." He hesitated, "And thank you."

Kindan shrugged and looked away.

The Countess appeared before the silence could turn too awkward, dismay ravaging her face. Takara sighed and moved to
comfort and reassure her, wiping his hands on a handkerchief he pulled from his sash. When she was convinced
Nankyokukai would be all right, and that events wouldn't bring all of Kundou down on Pozhar, she shifted to fretting over
her blood-drenched settee.

Raiden reappeared and handed over a small kit to Kindan.

Takara watched them work on Nankyo, the Countess' grip on his arm all that kept him from doing them bodily harm at
causing the prince more pain, which even the spell he'd cast could not completely prevent.

Wound bound, Nankyokukai gave in and passed out. The four gathered around him, expressions somber and worried.

"Storms!" Raiden groused, "How in the Dragons' names could we have forgotten? All of us!"

"You should have told me," the Countess said reprovingly.

"We should have," Raiden agreed. He looked at Kindan, "I'm disturbed at how rapidly they found us here. They must have
been watching us even while we were on the ship. We're lucky only one was stupid enough to try it there. Are they working
in tandem? Or is this just a bunch of solo efforts?"

"Probably a little of both. I'm sure there are bands, and solo mercs leeching off of their efforts. This…was probably a solo
effort. If it had been a group, Nankyo and probably myself would both be dead." Kindan shook his head, "He probably tailed
us from the carriages, seeing us disembark. We're pretty distinctive here."

The Countess pursed her lips, "I will have servants stationed to stand guard, until proper security can be summoned. You
should have told me sooner he was in danger. I am most displeased with all of you. Did it not occur to you that we are in as
much danger as he? You will explain this to me in full after we get Nankyo to bed." She moved to ring for a servant,
"Though how we're going to get him upstairs…"

"I'll carry him." Kindan said shortly. He matched the deed to his words, stooping and carefully lifting the prince into his arms.
As he turned, he glared at Raiden. "This is the last storming time I do you a favor. From now on I'm sticking to the normal
routes and you can find someone else to man your personal voyages." He turned to Sonya, "And if it's all the same to you,
Countess, I'd prefer to summon my own men here to guard him."

"I can hardly argue that," the Countess said with a nod. "Shall I send a servant for them?"

"Send for Same," he said shortly before carrying the prince carefully from the room.

Raiden laughed, watching him go.

"What's so funny?" Takara asked, annoyed that he found anything amusing.

"Kindan in a guilt-ridden snit." Raiden said, unrepentant. He turned toward the Countess, his levity fading. "Countess, I most
humbly apologize for all of this. Once his Highness is well enough, we will take our leave. I think we've caused you more
than enough trouble."

"Nonsense, darling." Sonya managed a smile, "I do believe it was my cousin who caused problems first."

"Speaking of which, where is the Duke?"

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"I put him in his room. He is still unconscious, I'm afraid. If you're hoping to learn his motives, you will have to wait until he
wake up."

"That won't be for a while," Takara said in a mixture of weariness and amusement. "I've seen Nankyo do that before to
people. It's like bathing in ice water, they say. For hours. He's lucky it didn't kill him."

The Countess nodded, "It's no more than he deserves. I would like to apologize again for what he did. Still…it is incredible,
Taka. It's you and yet it's not you. I'm finding it terribly disconcerting talking to you. I keep thinking you are Nankyo…but
then you do something that is definitively Takara in nature." She laughed lightly, "Twins are not uncommon here, but I do
not believe I've ever seen such a stunning pair. I would love to see the two of you walk into a crowded room together - you
would take many the breath away."

Takara looked uncomfortable.

Raiden dropped an arm across his shoulders and changed the subject, "I don't suppose we could have an early lunch,
Countess? I think perhaps we could all use it."

Sonya nodded and clapped her hands together, expression and motions turning brisk. "An excellent idea. I'll go see to it
myself. Go refresh yourselves and check up on Nankyo, and lunch should be ready in about an hour." So saying she lifted
her heavy skirts and strolled gracefully from the room.

Takara moved to follow her out, "I'm going to go see Kyo."

"I wouldn't do that quite yet, Taka."

"Why not?"

Raiden's expression was serious, "Because I think maybe Kin would like a few more minutes to himself." He smiled a bit, "If
you thought those two were intolerable before, they're going to be impossible now. Especially Kin, I think."

Takara sighed.

Chapter Twelve

"Douse the lights," Nankyokukai said irritably as he tried to open his eyes.

A soft, familiar laugh was the reply, "I don't think one can turn off the sun, Nankyo."

"Then close the Storming curtains." With a wince, he sat slowly up in his bed and cracked his eyes open again. Whatever
he'd been about to say died as he took in the man sitting beside him. "It's going to take a long time to get used to this," he
said finally.

Takara snorted, "You don't say." He stood to close the curtains. "Better?"

"Much. How long have I been asleep?"

"The better part of two days. Would you like something to eat?"

"Yes." Gingerly he threw back the covers and slid from his bed. Ignoring Takara's disapproving frown he moved to one of
the chairs by the fireplace. "Stop glaring at me like some nanny, Taka. I'm injured, not crippled."

"You shouldn't be moving around."

"Dragons' Teeth, I'm fine!" Nankyo grimaced, "Perhaps a little sore."

Takara rolled his eyes and moved to ring for a servant. When the man appeared, he ordered food. "Also, would you let our
companions know that his Highness is awake?"

"Of course, my lord." The servant bowed and left.

Frowning, Nankyo looked at his secretary. "Taka, why was there a sailor standing outside my door?"

"Guards," Taka said. "We're not taking any chances. Not until we're back aboard the ship."

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"I don't like the idea of being kept under lock and key. What about you?" the prince glared. "You're in as much danger as I."

"They're keeping an eye on me too, never fear." Takara made a face. "So far it seems no one else knows you're here.
Reports from the ship say that a few more attempts have been made there. Hopefully we'll be all right until we depart."

"Which had better be soon."

"We have four days left. We can't rush things beyond what we already have."

Nankyokukai sighed, "How is the Countess?"

"Sonya is still distressed, but she's calmer now than she was before. Next time the Duke causes problems, try not to
complicate things by getting shot."

"I hadn't exactly planned on getting shot…I am sorry to have worried you."

Takara sighed, "I think you live to either anger or worry everyone around you. But would you please avoid further attempts
to get yourself killed? It's bad enough I have to deal with your pending death as is."

"I'll attempt to behave," Nankyo said with uncharacteristic solemnity. "Believe me, I never want to get shot again." He
reached out a hand, which Takara accepted and squeezed softly before letting go. Looking away, he changed the subject,
"Is the Duke conscious yet?"

"You know very well he isn't it. Did you have to hit him with it twice, Kyo?"

"Considering what he did to you, he's lucky he's alive. If he so much as looks at you in a manner I deem threatening, he
won't be waking up ever again. " He smiled nastily, "How convenient that he won't know which of us he's looking at."

Takara didn't reply. Nankyokukai looked up, frowning at the hesitant look on his face. "What is it?"

"This really is a weird situation, Kyo. You and I. I'm just curious…I mean…"

Nankyo sighed, "If you're trying to ask if I'm unhappy about this turn of events, then the answer is no. Rather disconcerted,
but not unhappy. Though I would dearly love to have a nice, long talk with my parents." He smiled faintly, "All this time I
thought you were dead…instead I've just been ordering you around." His expression turned odd, "And no offence, Taka, but
I don't think I'll be able to kiss you the next time a foreign dignitary tries to accost you."

His secretary choked, "That isn't funny!"

"I didn't say it was." Nankyo said with a straight face. He turned thoughtful, "I suppose it's just as well I gave you to Raiden.
It'd be rather awkward to keep you on as my Secretary now."

Takara glared at him, "I can see you're back to your normal self. Even getting shot doesn't do much to make you behave."

"Nothing and no one in this world can make me behave. And all this Storm-cursed wound is doing is annoying me further. I
think the spell I cast is beginning to wear off."

"Do you need me to help again?"

"No," Nankyo shook his head, "I'm strong enough now to manage on my own." He smiled, "I guess I'll have to spend most
of the voyage to our next destination teaching you magic. That'll be fun."

"I really don't know that it will do me much good. I certainly can't return to Kundou looking like this, and anyway if your plans
go the way you want them to I won't be able to use magic after…"

"Yes, but it will distract me. And who knows? It may save your life between here and there."

"Speaking of distractions and your plans, Kyo…"

Nankyo lifted a brow, "I know that tone. What?"

"Your medallion. The one you never show anyone if you can help it."

Making a face, Nankyo dodged his question a moment to recast the spell that numbed pain. "I see the delightful captain
couldn't keep his mouth shut."

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"Actually, he didn't say much of anything. Only that you apparently met as children, that one time you ran away. What
happened? He looked devastated by whatever happened between the two of you outside."

"He didn't like having a childhood dream so neatly shattered, " Nankyo said bitterly.

"Explain it all to me."

"It's a boring story, Taka."

"Tell it anyway. I think Raiden knows, so if you don't tell me I'll just learn about it from him."

Nankyo smirked, "Already comfortable enough to abuse the lover for information?"

"Very funny. It's not going to work. Tell me. I'm rather confounded as to why you gave that medallion back to him,
considering it still has the King's Stone you put in it."

"I wondered if you caught that. He must be wondering what in the
Storms' Names it is." Nankyo ignored Takara's glare, "It's a silly story, Taka. You know I ran away…the second day I wound
up in the warehouses…" slowly, haltingly, Nankyo related the childhood memory.

Takara was silent for a long moment after he finished, "I'm going to kill that man. Slowly."

"You'll do nothing of the sort," the prince said wearily. "It's my affair to handle, not yours."

"Whatever. You don't deserve the way he treats you." Takara moved to another side table, "Let me change your bandages."

"It doesn't matter," Nankyo said firmly. "How he treats me isn't going to change the end of this voyage." He looked up, and
only Taka would recognize the pain in his eyes. He nodded as Takara motioned to his shoulder, and sat still as the
Secretary set about changing his bandages.

Something clicked into place in Takara's head, but rather than voice the thought he changed the subject. "Is it wise to leave
the Stone with him?"

"Yes. I'm sure he'll be more voracious about guarding the medallion than even I. And contrary to what my esteemed family
thinks, the Stone need not constantly be with a royal person. It need only be near us."

"I see." Takara answered the knock at the door, thanking the servant for the food. Wandering back toward the fireplace, he
set the light meal on the table beside the prince, then finished the bandaging so Nankyo could eat. "Any idea what to do
about your attackers?"

"Yes. Leave Pozhar and make full speed for San Hoshi. But in the meantime?" Nankyo glowered at his food, "I guess all we
can do is lay low. I don't like it."

"Neither do I."

Nankyo looked at him, "If you wanted, Taka…I could try to either recast the Seal, or create a long-term glamour."

"You could?" Takara frowned pensively. "I don't think I want that Seal again. What's a long-term glamour?"

"Something I used a lot in my childhood. Of course back then they only lasted two or three days." The prince paused to
swallow a few of the thin slices of fruit laid out on his plate. "Now I can probably manage to make one that lasts a month or
so - with your help, of course. So if you wanted, you could go back to looking as you're more accustomed to looking."

"Honestly? I'm not sure. I don't think I'm going to grow used to this anytime soon," he shrugged, "But it seems…weak to go
back to the old me. Almost as if I were hiding. I'll think about it." He smiled at Nankyo.

Nankyokukai smiled back. The sound of a knock ended the conversation, as Takara rose and admitted Raiden.

The merchant greeted him and smiled at the prince, "You are looking much better than you were the last time I saw you,
Highness."

"Hopefully I will never look much worse than that," Nankyo responded dryly.

Raiden laughed, "Hopefully not. Are you well enough? I see you've already had your bandages changed."

"I changed them," Takara said.

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"You know how to change bandages?" Raiden asked with some surprise.

"It wouldn't be the first time I've had to do it," Takara glared at Nankyo, who only stared blankly back and continued eating.

Raiden shook his head. "I'm sorry we have to keep the two of you under guard."

"It hardly matters. Better to endure it for a few more days than wind up dead. I have no desire to get shot again."

"You shouldn't have been outside prince."

Nankyo didn't bother looking at him, "To be honest, Lord Raiden, I had momentarily forgotten the danger I was in."

"As did the rest of us," Takara said in disgust. "Not our best moment."

"Well, events were, to say the least, a bit unusual. I'm alive, and we're all currently as safe as we can be, so I don't see any
point in dwelling on it." Nankyo looked as if he was about to say something else, but instead he rose to his feet. "If you two
will excuse me, I think I should like to go back to bed."

"Of course, Highness."

"Do quit that. I'm growing weary of hearing it. And if you're going to be my brother's lover," Nankyo ignored Taka's dark look,
"You may as well call me Nankyo."

"As you like." Raiden didn't bat an eye at the abrupt granting of casual address. He latched onto Takara and started shoving
the man from the room. "Sleep well, then." Takara's protests were drowned out as he closed the door behind them.

Alone, Nankyo gingerly touched his wounded shoulder. He grimaced, grateful the spell was once more blocking the pain. He
walked slowly to the window, looking out over the gardens and fields beyond. Movement caught his eye, and he watched
the man in the distance rapidly approach the manor.

He recognized the brisk, no-nonsense stride, and froze. Face clouding over with anger and disappointment, he turned away
from the view of Kindan returning from a walk and moved to climb back into bed. He picked up the book he'd set out before
everything fell apart, and read until sleep claimed him.

*~*~*~*

"Where's Kindan?" Takara asked once they were outside.

Raiden shrugged, "Out moping, I'd imagine. He calls it 'taking a walk' I think. It's funny - he can stand perfectly still on a ship
if he wants but put him on land and he goes stir-crazy."

"And of course guilt over Nankyo has nothing whatsoever to do with it." Takara said acidly.

"Sounds like you've been told the whole story. I'm surprised Nankyo told you."

"He didn't want to…but I threatened to get it from you if he didn't. And I don't think he had the energy to resist, honestly."
Takara glared holes in the carpet as Raiden led him along.

The merchant shrugged, "Let them work it out. I don't know about the prince, but that small meeting has shaped Kin's life.
Given everything that's happened since we met? I'm sure he's got plenty to occupy his mind on those long walks."

"I hope his thoughts drive him insane."

"I have no doubt they will."

"Where are we going?" Takara asked suddenly.

Raiden shook his head, "The prince isn't the only one in need of rest. You haven't slept since he was shot. That's a bad
thing."

"I'll go to sleep when I please, mother."

"You may as well rest now. What else have you to do?"

"What? No lecherous suggestions?"

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"Sadly, I'm a little too tired for them. I've been awake as long as you have. I would like a nap, and you're going to take one
with me."

"Do I have any say in this matter?"

"No. Because I won't be able to rest until I know you're doing the same. And I know you could never say no after hearing
that." Raiden was spared Takara's scathing reply as the Countess appeared from the room where her cousin was resting.
She wrung her hands as she approached them.

"My cousin is awake, if you would like to speak with him." She hung her head a moment. "I know I have no right to ask…but
would you please refrain from hurting him further? I know he deserves a great deal more than he's been treated to…"

"Never fear, lovely lady," Raiden smiled reassuringly at her. "I think none of us are in the mood to stir up further trouble. We
will speak with him, nothing more. Nothing can truly be decided until Nankyo is able to speak with him, anyway. He is the
authority among us."

"What happened to that nap you so desperately wanted?" Takara asked irritably.

Raiden shrugged, "I guess it will have to wait a few more minutes. Why? Disappointed?"

"Hardly."

Raiden laughed and bypassed Sonya to enter the bedroom. He paused at the door, "Ah, Countess. Nankyo awoke just a
little while ago. He's gone to bed again, but I'm sure he'll be awake again this evening."

"That's wonderful news. I'll make sure I have a suitable dinner prepared for him."

Nodding, Raiden and Takara stepped into the Duke's bedroom.

He stared coldly at the man on the bed.

Gone completely was the Duke's perpetual sneer and arrogant mien. He looked much the worse for wear, hair limp and
skin pale. His eyes were dull, tired. Seeing the two men who had entered the room, they turned wary. A brief anger flickered
in his eyes, but it died as he caught sight of blue hair behind Raiden. "Which one are you?" he asked cautiously, voice thin.

"It's funny," Raiden didn't sound at all amused. "No one else so far has had trouble telling them apart." He took the seat by
the bed, which had most likely been placed there by Sonya as she tended her cousin. "It is fortunate for you that this is
Takara, not Nankyo."

Takara stood beside Raiden, "Why did you do it?"

"I thought it might make things interesting," the Duke had not lost all of his sneering confidence. "It does grow boring, your
being so perfect all the time."

Raiden snorted. "Is that really your only motive for attempting to ruin his life? Was it really worth the beating the prince
administered?"

Krasny looked vaguely ill at the mention of Nankyo, shivering at the memory of the spell that had washed over him not
once, but twice. As if he was drowning in ice. He looked as if words were choking him, "I wasn't aware the prince could do
that."

"Considering the degree to which your country loathes magic, one would think you'd study it rather than avoid it as much as
possible."

"You know nothing of the troubles that plague Pozhar!" Krasny snarled, "Do not presume you do. I have reasons for all that I
do, including the humbling of a snotty servant."

Takara was contemptuous. "I was never a servant. And you dislike me because I rejected your advances. Though I'm sure
you have plenty of other petty reasons. Assaulting a citizen of Kundou is a grievous offense, Duke. Assaulting a member of
the royal family is a fatal offense."

"An offense you can make no mention of, Prince. Or did you forget that you are here without permission?"

"I do not require permission on a private journey," Takara returned. "Raiden and I have every right to stop here to re-supply,
and that was our official story. I am certainly within my rights to use that story to explain your transgression. And who would

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believe Nankyokukai to be here? All know he is currently recuperating in a private estate back home. And I am certain the
Countess would corroborate our story, in recompense for your abhorrent behavior."

Krasny was silent.

Rising to his feet, Raiden turned away and wrapped his arm around Taka's shoulders. "I think we've said enough for now. I
think the prince would like a word with you before anything is truly decided."

Outside in the hallway, he grinned. "What are the two of you going to do with him?"

"Not sure yet. Nankyo is the one who comes up with the devious plans. I just implement them."

"I am ever grateful that I'm on your good side."

"You're on my good side?"

"Well, I like to think I'm not on your bad side."

"I suppose that's true enough. But I wouldn't say you're on my good side, necessarily."

Raiden chuckled softly as he led Takara into his bedroom. Arm still around Taka's shoulders, he used it to pull the Secretary
close and kiss him soundly. He chuckled again at the unfocused look in Takara's eyes as he pulled away, "Now am I closer
to being on your good side?"

"I'm not going to dignify that with an answer," Takara said, recovering. "Are we going to take a nap or not?"

Hiding a smirk, Raiden nodded and dragged him toward the bed.

*~*~*~*

Kindan stared up at what little sky he could see through the mass of branches and leaves, perched in the same tree he'd
been in when he and the prince had argued - again.

The medallion and dagger felt like lead weights in his sash. He pulled the necklace out, examining the broken clasp briefly
before rubbing his thumb along the lighthouse design that was his family's crest.

He frowned suddenly, thumb brushing over a jewel set into the lighthouse itself. That hadn't been there when he had it,
which meant the prince had added it. But why? What was it? The stone was a nice one, but not terribly remarkable, small
and pale blue.

Something suddenly occurred to him, and he nearly fell out of the tree when he realized what he was holding. "Storms take
him!" Kindan fought the urge to seek out and strangle the prince. "What's he thinking? This can't be. Dragons' Teeth!"
Dropping down from the low hanging branch, he all but ran into the house.

He barely managed to avoid careening into the Countess as he flew up the stairs.

"Is something the matter, Captain?"

"Not yet," Kindan bit out. "Is the prince awake, do you know?"

"He was awake earlier, but I believe he's gone back to bed."

Kindan cut off a curse, "And Lord Takara?"

"I believe he and Lord Raiden went to take a nap themselves." She looked at him concernedly, "As should you, Captain.
None of you have really slept since Nankyo was injured."

"I'm fine." Kindan said curtly before continuing on his way upstairs. Nodding briefly to the sailors standing guard, he
stubbornly shoved away any reservations and opened the door to Nankyo's room.

The room was dark, pulled curtains shutting out the midday sun. Remains of a light meal lay on a plate by the empty
fireplace.

As the Countess had said, Nankyo was fast asleep. Kindan stifled an urge to shake him awake and demand to know what
he was playing at, handing over something as valuable as the King's Stone to him.

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He stood at the foot of the bed, discomfited by the image of the sleeping prince.

It was all too easy, now, to see Koori in Nankyo. Even he couldn't deny the prince was beautiful. Most of the femininity of
had vanished, but he was still far prettier than a man should be. Especially when he wasn't wearing the cool, blank
expression to which Kindan was so frequently treated. His short blue hair was spread out on the pillow around him. Distantly
Kindan recalled when that hair had been long and threaded with jeweled beads, the day he'd signed the contract that had
gotten him into this mess.

This wasn't helping him think. Nor was it getting rid of the King's Stone. He was sorely tempted to leave it on the bed, or
elsewhere in the room.

But something stopped him from doing so. He just couldn't figure out what, sourly noting that when he did figure out what,
he'd probably feel a lot better. Turning away from the bed, he stared at the medallion. His free hand strayed to the jeweled
dagger he still wore.

Stifling the urge to scream and break things, he managed to close the door quietly behind him. "Don't relax your guard," he
said shortly before turning down the hall and then the stairs.

He passed the Countess again on his way out, but didn't pause as she spoke.

"Where are you going?" she asked with a frown.

"For a walk." He slammed the front door behind him.

Chapter Thirteen

Nankyokukai's eyes were ice as he stared across the desk at the man seated in one of two armchairs set before it. His
fingers were pressed together, elbows on the armrests. To his right stood Takara, and his gaze was no friendlier as he
watched the still-pale Duke. "What to do, what to do. It is rather an awkward situation, isn't it? I have no desire to call
attention to your assault of my brother," he smirked, "But neither do I wish you to get away with your reprehensible behavior.
Not only did you assault Lord Takara, you have needlessly worried our dear Hostess, whose only crime was to hold you,
her cousin, in some esteem."

The Duke said nothing, only stared balefully back.

Dropping his hands to beat his fingers steadily against the armrests, Nankyo continued. "Any recommendations, Duke? As
to your own punishment?"

"I committed no crime. Maybe you didn't like it, but it wasn't a crime."

"You assaulted a Prince of Kundou."

"He wasn't a Prince at the time."

"Ignorance of a man's identity does not excuse the crime." Nankyo twisted his head to look at Takara, "It was you he
assaulted, brother. The punishment is yours to mete out."

"I don't have much practice at it, brother." Takara smiled with exaggerated pleasantness. "I believe I'll allow you the liberty."

"You're far too kind," Nankyo nodded and turned to face Krasny once more. "Unfortunately, I have neither the time nor the
luxury to punish you as I would like. So I will keep it simple. You are forbidden all contact with Kundou. That means the
nation itself, all its citizens where ever they may be, its ships and all else. Should I ever learn of you disobeying, you will be
put to death for the assault of a royal prince in times of peace. Am I clear?"

Krasny nodded, his eyes dark with anger.

Nankyo regarded the Countess, sitting next to Krasny. "My Lady?"

"I will see he obeys. And I thank you for your kindness, Nankyo."

"If it were any but you Sonya, he would already be dead. I am sorry our visit has caused you such grief. You will be
reimbursed as best you can be. If he behaves for the next ten years, the sentence will be lifted."

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"Ten years!"

"You're lucky I'm that kind." Nankyo said coolly, rising from his seat. The heavy fabric of his pale green, wool robes swished
around him as he approached the duke, his yellow sash almost painfully bright in the somber room. "You look a little hot.
Would you like an icing to cool you down?"

Krasny snapped his mouth shut hard enough his teeth clicked audibly.

Smirking, Nankyo turned away and took Sonya's hand. He kissed it, and smiled at her. "We know our way back to the ship.
It has been a pleasure, Sonya, despite everything."

"I am glad it was not too horrible," Sonya touched the fingers of her free hand the sash she wore as a scarf; it was made
from dark scarlet satin, pattered with white and gold dragons. "Thank you, Nankyo. I hope the rest of your journey is
uneventful."

"As do I, Countess. May the Three Storms favor you."

"And the Fires keep you safe and warm."

*~*~*~*

Kindan let out a soft, relieved to once more be at sea with Pozhar several days behind them. The sea hair felt good on his
face, in his hair. Under his feet the Fuujin moved with the waves and he began to reacquire his sea legs. It was soothing to
be back where he belonged.

But at present, he had very little to do - the problems of captaining a solid crew and ship. He reluctantly left things to his first
mate and went to catch up on paperwork in his cabin.

Raiden was waiting for him.

"What do you want?"

"We need to talk," Raiden said calmly. His perpetual humor was completely absent.

Kindan's face tightened. "No, we don't."

"Yes, we do. And don't make me turn it into an order, Captain."

"Fine. What do you want?" Kindan sat down hard on his bed.

"I want you to sleep. I want you to eat. I want you to stop overworking yourself." Raiden shifted in his seat to face Kindan.
"You've done nothing but work and pace since we left Pozhar. You're running yourself ragged, and that isn't like you."

"There's a lot that needs to be done."

"And you have men to do it for you!" Raiden returned in a frustrated half-shout. "I am tired of dealing with idiots on this ship!
Even as a child you were sensible, that's why I was so willing to hire you back then. You have a level head - try using it.
You've barely done so since we started this voyage, and not at all since everything that occurred at the Countess' estate."

Kindan's expression was mutinous. "I'm fine," he said icily. "I'll be fine."

"Somehow I doubt that." Raiden's voice was equally cool. "You're a mess, and you're going to be a mess until you get
things straightened out with Nankyo."

"There's nothing to straighten out."

"If you honestly believe that, there's even more to fix than I thought."

"It's none of your concern!"

Raiden turned angry, "You're my best friend, of course it's my concern. And I'm getting tired of you taking your anger with
yourself out on everyone else. Moreover, you'd never leave me to wallow in my own misery, and I resent that you think I
should leave you to yours."

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Kindan was silent.

"What's wrong, Kin? Tell me."

"What's wrong?" Kin snarled. "Me. That's what's wrong. My very nature is wrong. Everything I do off a ship is wrong. I was
wrong about the Prince, and now apparently my behavior is wrong."

"Kin…" Raiden's anger faded, as he took in the torment on Kindan's face.

"I don't know what to do. I'm so angry…he's known all this time and never said a word…and it never occurred to me that
Koori might be royalty. And it should have. I feel so stupid! Of course a dagger like this," he pulled it from his sash, "could
only belong to royalty. No ordinary noble could ever afford it. And he knew! He never said a word…and I want so much to
hate him…but now every time I look at him…" he didn't finish, but buried his head in his hands. "I don't understand him at
all."

Raiden was stern. "Then maybe it's time you started to try. I admit he's frustrating, and that he hides things. But maybe
what he's hiding isn't quite what you have always thought. Instead of starving and exhausting yourself, try working your
problems out in a more sensible manner, Kin."

"And how am I supposed to do that?" Kindan asked bitterly. "I can't even get near him."

"Then speak with his brother. Taka severely dislikes seeing Nankyo this upset as much as I dislike seeing you upset. And
as impatient as he is with your behavior? Talking to him might do you both some good."

Kindan was silent for a moment, thoughts spinning through his head and across his face. "Fine," he said with a muttered
curse. "But it's your fault if one of those storming princes winds up killing me."

"Fair enough." Raiden stood, and motioned Kindan to follow. "Let's get started."

Reluctantly, Kindan followed him.

They'd barely entered the cabin when the Secretary glared at them.

"I know exactly what you're thinking," he looked at Raiden. "Forget it."

Raiden glared at him. Takara remained unmoved.

"It's his problem, he can fix it himself. I won't help someone who's treated Kyo the way he has."

"He came to you to fix the problem, Taka." Raiden looked unhappily between his lover and best friend.

Kindan turned away, anger and frustration clouding his face. "Never mind. I knew this was a bad idea."

"Why are you so hostile?" Takara's words stopped him.

"What?" Kindan looked confused.

Takara sat back down in his chair, "From the beginning, you've disliked Nankyo because he's royal. What's the source of
that hostility?"

A heavy silence fell, both Raiden and Kindan turning somber. Takara looked at them curiously. "Tell me and I'll help.
Because my impression is that that hostility is a large part of the problem."

"Fine," Kindan bit out. "I suppose that's fair."

"I'm going to go find something else to do."

"No," Taka said, "Stay. You may be the only thing that keeps us from killing each other."

Kindan grunted his agreement, and all three gathered around the table.

"So?"

He glared at Takara, "There isn't much to tell. In my experience the royals - most authorities - are all talk and no action. And
half the time they don't even talk. They just ignore."

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"There's a lot more to it than that."

Kindan was silent.

Raiden cocked his head, questioning.

In response, Kindan shook his own head. He forced himself to speak. "However many years ago, when the Dragons left,
the mermaids gave up on humanity and departed for the depths of the ocean. They avoid them at all costs - except to do
what they can to revenge themselves on humans. They won't t go near land, but frequently attack merchant vessels. It
seems remarkable that they still hate humans after all this time. But a large part of that is the fact that mermaids are very
long lived. Nearly immortal, really." He paused for a breath.

Takara remained silent, listening.

"Their limitless age is the result of cannibalism, a practice they resorted to at some point after the Dragons vanished. Most
likely to keep themselves alive, as they refuse to mate more than necessary. It is also possible they want to live long
enough to see the Storms return. They prefer not to discuss their reasons; they simply do it."

"You seem to know an awful lot of what no one else knows."

Kindan nodded. "I learned much of this from my mother, and notes she kept with the hope of someday sharing them with
someone who could help her."

Takara nodded and Kindan continued, "She kept them primarily because she was always in danger. We lived in a very
remote village when I was a child, on money my father had earned while a sailor before he met my mother. We lived right
beside the ocean, so that my mother was always near water."

"The only time a mermaid willingly leaves the water, and really it's begrudging more than willing, is to get with child. If the
child is a girl, and strong, she will become a new mermaid. If weak, she will be eaten. If a boy, it is immediately killed."

"Why?"

"Because male mermaids are an anomaly the mermaids detest." Kindan looked at his hands, "I don't need to be in water to
live, I don't need to eat mermaids to live for a long time; I am as much a human as I am a mermaid. In their eyes, that is a
sin beyond all others. They despise me, and my mixed blood makes them physically ill - females rapidly lose all traces of
humanity once taken in."

Kindan didn't look up as he continued his story. "All of this is merely background. My father met my mother sailing from
Verde to Kundou. He was caught in a storm and beached on a small island. There were a few other survivors, but not on
that island. They wound up elsewhere. My parents met there...the only other thing I know is that he was eventually rescued,
and my mother chose to go with him. At the time, her sisters suspected nothing."

"They suspected nothing for several more years...it is not unusual for a mermaid to spend several years on land. More than
a few have had to go through multiple children, and occasionally problems crop up. But eventually one mermaid did come
looking. My mother saw her, but too little too late. We packed up and fled, though at the time I didn't entirely understand
why. My parents begged for help at the palace, as Storm magic was likely the only thing that could hide my mother." He
looked at Takara, expression flat. "They locked my father up for three days, for lying to the Heir and wasting his valuable
time. We left once he was free, and simply wandered. We were staying in an old house at the outskirts of a small town
when the mermaids attacked. They killed my father and ate my mother."

"And you?" Taka asked quietly.

"Hidden in the basement. The mermaids couldn't smell me for all the earth, and they were farther inland than they typically
liked to be. I tried to go for help again the next day - no one believed me. I was taken in as an orphan by 'proper authorities'
and made the apprentice of a silversmith in the capital harbors. A few years later I met…the prince, and shortly thereafter
was taken in by Raiden."

"No one listened to you? But surely it's understandable why they would think it a mere tale."

"Why is everyone so willing to believe in dragons and snakes and firebirds but no one will believe me? I even tried jumping
into a fountain to make them believe me," Kindan spoke with bitter, frustrated sadness. "But they never even looked, just
laughed at me and went on their merry way." He ran his fingers up and down his forearm.

Takara's brow furrowed. "You jumped into a fountain?"

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"Yes," Kindan frowned back. "To - but of course you couldn't know. I'm half-mermaid, and really it's more dominant than my
human blood. Salt-water is better, but any sort of water will reveal more of my mermaid side."

"Interesting," Takara said.

"Not really," Kindan shrugged. "It was of no help at all when I really needed it. Nowadays I prefer no one knows."

Takara shifted in his seat, slowing taking a sip of wine from the glass in front of him. "It may interest you to know that while
the King and his cronies were ignoring the pleas of you and your father, they were meticulously abusing Nankyo and, to a
lesser degree, his sister."

"What?" Kindan asked, slightly thrown by the sudden shift in conversation.

"I always wondered why Nankyo was so harshly treated," he said almost to himself. "It's not hard to figure now that at least
some of it had to do with beating the stain of being a twin out of him. Even if I had apparently been killed, it didn't remove
the taint. But really that wasn't even the full of it," he looked at Kindan. "Nankyo's brothers were born snotty brats, and
raised to think the world belongs to them. Taiseiyou and Indoyou know intimately how much authority they weld as Heir and
Second, respectively. One day Sei will take the throne, with Indoyou as his Chancellor and back up heir until he has a child."

"Umiko is the quintessential princess...born a man she might have given her brother's a run for their money so far as
competence and worthiness goes. She is quick and smart, and plays the court games well without getting tangled in them.
Her father's talents but with her mother's heart." He took another sip of wine, fingers beating restlessly against the tabletop.
"This of course, they couldn't stand. And the one thing she typically lacks is the desire to go against her father's wishes. She
might have had life a lot worse, except that her youngest brother adored her and did everything in his power to see to it that
Umiko was spared the abuse she would have otherwise received."

Kindan was still, memories of a boy crying out of concern for his sister echoing through his mind.

Takara pressed on, "Nankyo was, I guess, trouble right from the start. Tainted by his birth, and as he grew older he proved
an easy match for his older brothers. In respect to magic, he easily surpassed them. But more than that, he was
defiant...not at first, save in little ways. He hated court life, hated the formality, the rigidity, the fact that his life was already
plotted out. He used to sit at his bedroom window and just stare outside for hours on end, until someone made him attend
this lesson or that dinner. And the tutors were relentless with him and Umiko."

"Bad enough that one day he just ran away. No one could find him anywhere," he looked at Kindan. "He returned a few
days later, and everyone realized that a child had not only broken his own Seal, he'd cast a high-level glamour on himself."

Takara sighed, "He was also missing the dagger he'd taken with him, a dagger that was a highly valuable gift from a royal
we were trying to make nice with at the time. He received a serious beating for that." He looked thoughtful, "Of course, now I
wonder why they never took the pendant from him."

"I wondered about that myself," Kindan forced himself to act and sound normal. But his eyes were dark, and his mouth tight.
"It wouldn't have been hard to track me down - the lighthouse on it is my father's family crest."

"He must have hidden it," Takara said. "He never let anyone see it; even I only ever caught a glimpse of it from time to time.
It was his greatest treasure."

Kindan glared, "If you're trying to make me feel even worse than I already do, you're succeeding."

"Good."

Raiden shook his head, "There's fault aplenty on all sides." He slid a glance at Taka, "You can't place all the blame on Kin."

"No, but I can place a lot of it." He shrugged, "I know how difficult Nankyo can be. But that doesn't excuse the fact that
neither of you really tried to see past that."

"All right, all right. Put the claws away, Taka. We're trying now, aren't we?"

Takara subsided.

Kindan rose to his feet, "I have duties to attend to."

"Leaving already?"

"I think I have enough to stew on for now," Kindan replied. "And the rest of you might have spare time aplenty, but I do not.

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Even if," he glared at Raiden, "I have men to do some of the work for me." He departed.

Raiden grinned, "So how much is this going to cost me? You were remarkably cooperative. I expected more of a
resistance."

Takara shrugged, "I don't want to see Nankyo more unhappy than he already is. " He slid his eyes over to stare at Raiden,
"And, to be honest, I did not expect a story quite as horrible as that. He's remarkably calm about it."

"Your precious prince," Raiden said, "Is not the only one with a hard past. If he has been quick to misjudge the prince,
neither of you gave him much of a chance either." He sighed, "But I suppose I could have done more than laugh at the lot of
you."

Rolling his eyes, Takara finished his wine and stood, "I really wish this entire voyage wasn't taking place."

"Oh?" Raiden asked in a level tone.

"I would have much preferred we met under circumstances less tense. All this anxiety and distrust is doing nothing but
harm. I wanted this to be a peaceful voyage."

Raiden caught his wrist, smiling when Taka didn't resist being pulled into his lap. "Well, I trust you. You trust me. That's a
start. Just wait. Once we reach Sanhoshi, things will improve."

Takara shook his head, vaguely amused, and relaxed against him. "You're awfully fond of this island of yours, aren't you?"

"It's my pride and joy. My second greatest treasure."

"And what pray tell could be more valuable than an entire island?"

"You."

Takara blinked, taken wholly aback. "I think perhaps you have your priorities confused."

"I think not."

"Your decision, I guess."

"Yes." Raiden grinned, "Now you're supposed to kiss me."

Takara sighed, fighting a smile. "If you insist," and leaned forward to do just that.

Chapter Fourteen

In a month and half they would be in Sanhoshi.

Nankyo stared unseeing at the book in his lap. From Sanhoshi he would have just three months left to live. He still had
trouble actually believing it.

Reflexively he reached for his necklace, then dropped his hand with a grimace as he remembered it was no longer around
his neck

He dropped his gaze back down to the book, the same old, worn volume he'd been reading since his father had told him his
fate. In contained a history distorted by time, written in the archaic form of Kundouin that no one could read. Save he, who
had realized by pure chance that possessing the King's Stone granted the ability to read it. He'd not shared the knowledge
with anyone else.

A hundred times he'd read it, in the two years following his father's announcement that he was to die. He all but knew it by
heart. No matter how often he looked, the words didn't change: blood to make, blood to break. It said blood, what it meant
was life. Only by his death and the seal-breaking spell could he rid his family of the Storm Dragon Magic.

The desire to do so had formed in childhood. How many times had he stared out his bedroom window, longing to be free?
Too many to count. But never could he leave, bound by the Magic that gave his family the right to rule. A right they earned
less and less…and in Nankyo's mind a right they'd never had.

Revenge was part of it, of course. Against an unfeeling father and a mother too mild to do much. Against brothers who'd

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never been anything but enemies. And for a sister who, out of all of them - himself include - was probably the only one
worth anything.

Frustrated, refusing to dwell on the true source of his misery, Nankyokukai shoved the book away and rose. It was late
enough that Kindan would be in his quarters; he could get some fresh air on deck.

Avoiding the ship's Captain was nothing short of difficult; but Nankyo could not bring himself to confront the man. Whatever
usually drove him was notably lacking. Stepping out onto deck, Nankyo leaned against the [railing] and looked out over the
water. He sighed softly, eyes wandering from the water to the sky to the water.

He remained thusly for a long while; time blurring as his thoughts rolled much like the water he watched without seeing.

The click of boots on wood broke his rambling reverie, and Nankyo stiffened at the familiar gait of the steps.

"Aren't you cold?" Kindan asked, taking in his lightweight robe. As he wore a short, sleeveless tunic himself, the question
seemed somewhat absurd. But then, the captain was long used to the cool nights at sea.

Nankyo looked at him, and said nothing.

"What are you doing out here so late?"

"I could ask the same of you, Captain."

"Patrolling."

Nankyo spared him a glance, then looked away with forced casualness. "Don't you have men to do that for you?"

He could almost hear Kindan grind his teeth, "And they'll patrol in their turn."

"Of course."

A beat of silence, before Kindan spoke again. "So?"

"What?"

"Why are you out here?"

"Suspicious, Captain?" Nankyo asked tiredly.

"Merely curious, Prince."

"That would be a first," Nankyo replied idly.

Unseen by the prince, Kindan's shoulders slumped. His tone, when he spoke again, was as weary and strained as
Nankyokukai's. "You are never going to give me a chance to fix my mistakes, are you?"

The Prince turned to look at him, some of his old fire in his eyes, "What? Have you suddenly decided you don't hate me?"

"I never hated you," Kindan stated. "I admit I have no love of royalty, but I never hated you. I hated your office, and I dislike
your tendency to evade and confuse. But I never hated you."

Nankyokukai was silent, then shrugged and turned to go back to his room.

"Would you at least give me a chance!" Kindan blocked his way, eyes fierce. "I've been yelled at by all and sundry about
you, not to mention--" he cut himself off, shaking his head. "The least you could do is talk to me."

"I've no interest," Nankyo stared up at him. "What's done is done. I made my choices, you made yours. There's nothing to
discuss." Something flickered in his eyes. "Goodnight, Captain."

But Kindan would have none of it, and grabbed his by the left arm, carefully avoiding the still-healing right. He braced for
the prince's expected struggle, and hid his surprise when there was none. "Fine then. Ignore me. Sulk and mope all you
like. You seem to be good at that," he ignored Nankyo's narrowed eyes. "So by all means do it. I'll permit it the rest of the
journey to Sanhoshi. But once we're there, you had better be over it. Because one way or another we're going to work
things out."

"I said it's over."

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"Then it's a good thing I've never made a habit of listening to anything you say." Kindan let him go, "Goodnight, Prince."

Kindan turned away, and Nankyokukai made his way back to his room. He leaned against the closed door, breathing slowly
and deeply before moving stiffly to his bed. He shoved the book he'd left there aside, barely noticing when it tumbled off the
bed and onto the floor with a dull thud.

A few minutes later he forced himself to sit up, stripping off his sash and robes and placing them in his trunk. He rifled
briefly through the colorful collection of robes and sashes, made from a variety of luxurious materials and colors enough to
make a painter jealous. All his favorites, one of the few luxuries he permitted himself. Nothing as flashy as those favored by
his brothers, but more impressive perhaps, for their subtlety.

He had commanded that the collection go to Taka...but he doubted Taka would accept them or anything else Nankyo left
him.

Shaking off the gloomy thoughts, Nankyo pulled on a pale blue sleeping gown and extinguished the lamp. He climbed back
into his small bed, hand reaching up once more for the chain and medallion he still expected to be there. Face clouding, he
once more sat up and reached for his glasses. Shoving them in place, he retrieved his book and opened it to the first page.

He read throughout the night, searching again and again for anything that might mean he got to keep his clothes.

*~*~*~*

"I know you wanted to teach me magic but really there doesn't seem to be much point." Takara looked up from where they
were perusing the old book Nankyo seemed to always have near to hand. He frowned, "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," Nankyo said, dropping his hands before he could rub his eyes. He blinked at Taka, "Are you certain?"

"It seems, ultimately, an exercise in futility."

"As you like," Nankyokukai said.

Takara blinked, startled at the easy acquiescence. "Are you certain you're all right?"

"Yes, I'm certain. I'm fine," Nankyokukai removed his glasses "Perhaps a bit tired," he conceded a moment later.

This didn't reassure the Secretary at all. "Did you not sleep well? That's not like you."

"I'm fine, Taka."

Still frowning, Takara nonetheless let the matter drop. Instead he shifted his attention back to the book, "I thought you could
only read this with the Eye?"

"Over the years I've actually learned it, and anyway so long as the stone is nearby, my abilities remain strong." Nankyo
frowned, thoughtful. "I wonder why it never occurred to me to have you work with the Eye." His expression tensed suddenly.
"Ah, yes. That would be why."

Takara looked confused for a moment, "Just ask him for it."

"No."

Rolling his eyes, Takara moved to door of his cabin to look outside. He spotted Kindan and Raiden, "I'll be right back."

Striding toward the helm where the two were looking out over the water and talking quietly, "Captain."

Kindan broke off speaking and looked at him, "What is it?"

"Done with your lessons already, Taka?"

"No," Takara shook his head. "Nankyo suddenly realized it would make more sense to practice with the King's Stone. So I
came to get it."

Raiden smirked, "Maybe he should come get it himself."

"He refused."

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Kindan shrugged, "Well unless he comes to me and asks for it back, he's not getting it."

Takara stared at him in silence for a moment, catching a look from Raiden from the corner of his eye. At last he nodded,
"Very well...but would you let me borrow it later? I will not inform him."

"Wouldn't he know anyway?" Kindan asked.

"No, it doesn't really work that way. At least the way I understand. The stone isn't 'used' per se. It more serves as a...control.
Without it, the Storm Magic would be uncontrollable."

"Why do you need it, Taka?"

Taka looked at him, "I want to be able to read the old tome Nankyo brought with him. I can't do that without the stone."

Kindan shook his head, "Not unless you can separate the stone from my medallion."

"Only Nankyo would now how to do that."

"Then I guess you'll have to suffer," Kindan said. "With all due respect. Unless the Prince asks me himself, the Stone stays
with me."

"So be it. And you could just call him Nankyo - all this 'prince' and 'captain' is getting ridiculous."

"There's only one name I'll ever call him," Kindan said sharply, "And I won't call him that until things are fixed between us."

Takara was stunned into silence by the vehemence of his words. Raiden, however, started chuckling. "Ah, Kin. A secret
romantic." He winked at Taka. "Has the legacy of his parents to live up to, you know."

"I am not a romantic," Kindan said through gritted teeth. "And I do not like what I think you're implying. There is nothing
between the prince and me."

Raiden just grinned. "Whatever you say, Kin. But I don't recall you ever getting this upset about anything else in life. You've
never moped this much before. It's almost cute."

"Would you like to go for a swim, Shima?"

"No, thank you." Raiden replied pleasantly.

"Then I suggest you shut up."

Kindan's discomfiture just made Raiden laugh all the harder, though he held his hands up in defeat when it looked as if he
was about to get hit. "All right, all right. I'll be quiet. I was just teasing you, Kin."

"You're being absurd," Kindan said before stalking away to find work.

Takara looked at Raiden, "You've got to be kidding me."

"About those two? Hardly. I was completely serious."

"You're insane."

Raiden grinned. "Nonsense. Just look at you and me."

"I think perhaps we're a bit different."

"Not so much. You started off disliking me quite adamantly, and look at us now."

Takara smiled, "We're a bit more simple. I think you're seeing things that aren't there."

"Are you saying I'm wrong?" Raiden demanded in mock outrage. "I'll show you." He grinned, "Or maybe you just don't want
to share your brother's affections with anyone else."

Takara rolled his eyes, "You're being childish. And delusional."

"Am not."

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That just earned him another roll of the eyes.

"What say you to some lunch? I'm hungry."

Sighing, Takara nodded.

"Excellent," Raiden shifted to bellow at Kindan. "Kin!"

"What?"

"Lunch? In my cabin?"

"Fine." They watched as Kindan finished speaking with a couple of sailors and sent them scurrying off. He indicated he'd
meet them inside.

Dropping an arm around Taka's shoulders, Raiden dragged him toward the cabin.

Inside, they were greeted by Kindan pressing a finger to his lips in gesture of silence.

Frowning, Taka looked past him.

To where Nankyokukai was slumped down on the table, fast asleep. He had apparently fallen asleep reading, for his
glasses were still on his face. Concern filled his face, "That's not like him. Nankyo never takes naps."

Raiden looked at him in question.

Takara barely noticed. "He said it all the time in the palace - 'I'm bored, I think I'll take a nap.' But really it meant he was
going to sneak off to do work at the docks rather than in his office. Or something similar." He frowned at both of them. "Kyo
can't stand laziness, and he thinks naps are lazy."

"Typical," Raiden said as he slid into his usual seat. "So why is he napping? Should we wake him?" A pause, "It would be
entirely keeping with him to be awake this entire while."

At that, Taka smiled. "No. Once he's asleep, it's hard to rouse him."

"Oh, he's like you then. All but dead."

Takara made a face, "Yes. But at least I get up when I'm woken. After waking him, it usually takes me another hour to get
him out of bed."

"You're in charge of waking him up?" Kindan asked, unimpressed.

"He doesn't trust anyone else to do it. Half the servants are scared of him, the other half got sick of his general lack of
modesty in the morning," he rolled his eyes. "Which was his intention, really."

"Should we try and carry him to his room?"

"That'll wake him." Takara said. "And I really don't want to do that. I think he's been staying up late at nights - later than
usual - reading that book. Seeing him now, I wonder how much he really sleeps."

Raiden looked at Kindan, "Then just move him to Taka's bed. We'll let him sleep."

"I have to move him? You do it."

"I'm not strong enough; neither is Taka," Raiden smirked, "And we've already seen you carry him up a flight of stairs so don't
try to say you're not up to it."

"Fine," Kindan snarled quietly. "But if he wakes up and kills me, I'm feeding you to the sharks."

"Fair enough," Raiden didn't appear concerned.

Gingerly Kindan went about removing Nankyo's glasses and carrying him to the bed. He shot Raiden another venomous
look as he took his seat. When Raiden only laughed quietly, he looked away in disgust. His gaze landed on the book, "What
is that?"

"This?" Taka looked up from skimming the volume. "It's an old history of Kundou. But it's written in ancient Kundouin, so no

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one can read it. Except Nankyo, and he only learned it because he had the King's Stone.

Raiden looked interested, "So he probably knows quite a bit more about our history than most. But I find it hard to believe
something like that would keep him up all night. I'm sure it's interesting, but certainly not enthralling."

"I couldn't say," Taka replied. "He reads it obsessively…possibly to do with the tribute. Storms forbid he get anything about it
wrong."

"Is it that difficult?" Kindan asked. "I thought it was just a matter of dropping something off."

Takara only shook his head.

Kindan shrugged, "Fine. Keep your secrets. I'll find them out in due time." He rose to go to the door, opening it before the
sailor could knock. Signaling them to silence, he let them carry in lunch. When they were gone again, he sat and began to
eat.

"So how long will we be at Sanhoshi before we set off for the island?"

"About a week or two. Do we need to leave sooner?"

"No," Taka said. He looked briefly at Nankyo. "I was just curious." Looked back at the other two, "As pleasant as this has
been, over all, I am growing weary of being at sea. And we're only a couple of weeks out of Pozhar. It would be nice to be
on safe land for a bit."

Raiden laughed, "That it would. Rest assured, there are no assassins or vile Dukes on Sanhoshi. The island isn't terribly
large, you could walk the entirety of it in about three days. The main village is about a half mile from the harbor, to offer
some protection from storms. Near the harbor, set on a cliff, is an old lighthouse. It was there when I bought the island; it is
where Kindan chooses to reside when he's there long enough to require a bedroom and office.

Kindan muttered something around the bite he'd just taken.

"That wasn't very nice," Raiden laughed. "The house connected to it is quite nice, and it allows him to keep his rough sailor
self from scaring the nice villagers."

"I'm not that bad!"

"And what happened the last time you tried to socialize?"

Kindan glowered, "I told her I didn't want to dance. Three times. It wasn't my fault the twit wouldn't take no for an answer."

Takara coughed suspiciously and took a healthy sip of wine. "So tell me more about Sanhoshi. What of your home? Do you
live in the village?"

"Just outside it. My home is, even by your exacting royal standards," he winked, "Impressive. It took several years to build,
mostly because of all the materials that had to be brought it. It's a few miles beyond the village, on a slight hill. Beyond that
are the fields; we grow our own grain and various fruits. We're short a few luxuries, but we make do."

"And these villagers you speak of?"

"Mostly sailors and their families, tradesmen, others who wanted to be anywhere but in their homeland. We don't ask too
many questions of those that find their way to Sanhoshi, and so far they have proven more than trustworthy."

"Somehow that sounds like you. Why do you live so far out? Two months out of Pozhar? Three out of Kundou? Is that not
inconvenient?"

"I have my reasons," Raiden said with a smile. "And I like the solitude, and the fact that I am in free waters."

"I might have known taxes and the bending of rules played into it. A merchant through and through."

"Naturally."

"Six ships and arrangements with who knows how many nations, guilds, and less-than-legal enterprises I'm sure. Quite
impressive."

"Thank you. Aren't you reassured, Taka?"

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"Reassured?"

"Well, it's obvious I'll be able to take very good care of you." Raiden through his head back and laughed at the threatening
look sent his way. "Anyway, my private jewel collection is kept there, and after this journey I don't think I'll be leaving the
island as often as I have. Unless you're Kin, spending half a year on one journey grows tiresome." He slid a glance at his
captain, "It was actually quite fortunate for me that you happened to be in port when this came up."

"Indeed." Kindan snorted. "Everything always goes your way, though Storms only knows why." He looked at Taka, "Did you
have to start liking him? It's only making him more intolerable."

"I could go back to hating him. You're right in that he's getting out of hand."

Raiden looked disgusted with them both, "Oh, I see. You get along in order to mock me."

"United against a common enemy."

Movement from the bed prevented Raiden's replying. All three turned in their seats to watch a groggy Nankyo sit up.

Slowly he smoothed his hair from his face, frowning. He blinked at them, gaze finally settling on Takara. "Did I…fall asleep?"

"Yes."

"Why didn't you wake me?"

"My impression, Nankyo, was that you needed the rest."

"What I need," Nankyo stood, quickly shifting from sleep-hazed to fully alert. "Is to be working and not lazing about.

"Why are you so upset?" Kindan posed. "You were only asleep for an hour or so. Stop getting so mad."

"It's none of your concern." Nankyo snapped. He saw his glasses beside his book, and snatched them both from the table.
"I have work; it cannot wait."

"At least sit down and eat lunch with us…"

"No…thank you." Nankyo turned away, steps still heavy with the last remnants of sleep.

"Kyo…" Taka frowned, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Nankyo pulled the door shut hard behind him as he left.

Taka rose to follow him out.

"Let him be." Raiden said sharply.

"What? No! He's upset about something."

Raiden shook his head, "And I think he'd prefer to be alone. Can't you see it in his face?"

Unhappily, Taka sat back down. "He shouldn't be alone."

"And yet, in my impression, that is what he tries so hard to be. Why?"

"That is not for me to say," Takara replied, looking up at Raiden with dark, sad eyes. "As much as I wish I could."

Kindan motioned impatiently, "I think we'd all be a lot happier if we could dispense with the confounded secrets."

"If it were up to me, I would." Takara picked his fork back up. "But it's not."

"Well, he can keep them until Sanhoshi. Once we reach home, it's all over."

Part Three

Sanhoshi

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Chapter Fifteen

Takara frowned as he watched the horizon, which was thick with black clouds. Around them ship the waters were growing
restless and the wind in his hair brought the sent of rain.

A familiar arm dropped lightly around his shoulders, Raiden pressing casually against his side. "What fascinates you so?"

"Those are storm clouds."

"Yes…" Raiden said, not quite understanding. Then he chuckled. "Have you never seen storm clouds before, Taka?"

"Of course not," the secretary replied, annoyed. "Until this journey I'd never left Kundou for more than a day or so - never far
enough to fall out of the protection of the Dragons. Rain I've encountered, but never a storm."

Raiden sighed. "It seems a pity, really, that so few Kundouins have ever seen that which their gods once controlled."

Taka fought the wind for his hair, pulling it from his face only to have the wind snatch it away again. He gave up. "It was a
parting gift, was it not, that we never again be forced to endure a terrible Storm?"

"Seems a strange gift to me, coming from the Three Storms. I wonder sometimes what the dragons thought they were
doing. A trifle like spoiling children, if you ask me."

Takara brushed his words away. "The devout would say it is better to accept, not ask questions."

"Ignorance creates more problems than asking questions." He took in Taka's impatience and gave another soft sigh. "Come,
Taka. We should go inside before the storm hits."

"Isn't there something about this entire situation that seems wrong to you?" Taka didn't budge when Raiden tried to guide
him toward his cabin. He glowered at the dark clouds.

Raiden shrugged. "Clearly the Prince is highly distraught about something. I'm certain your sulking is not helping much."

"My sulking?" Taka frowned. "I highly doubt…"

"That you're having any affect on the King's Stone? Come now, Taka. Even I know that the magic of the Dragons is affected
by the moods of the royal family. The more royals, the less their emotions upset things. But with only two of you within the
proper proximity of the Stone, and both miserable about something - it's no wonder we're in for a bad storm."

Takara shifted his glare from the clouds to the general direction of Nankyo's cabin. "If I could do something about him, I
would. But he refuses to see even me anymore."

"Maybe causing a storm will snap them both out of the foul moods they've been wallowing in," Raiden cast a glare of his
own toward the helm, where Kindan was speaking with his first mate.

"Are you certain it's a good idea to let the storm reach us?"

Raiden laughed softly. "Of course not, but it's nothing Kin and his crew can't handle. It would, naturally, be easier if Nankyo
would realize what he's causing and stop it, but seeing as he won't leave his cabin that is unlikely to occur. So we will
endure what the Dragons throw at us."

"Except that the Dragons are dead," Taka pointed out. "The royal family's magic is all that remains of the Three Storms."

"The ocean remains. As long as the ocean is here, the dragons will not completely die."

Takara looked at him askance, not taking his gaze completely off the black clouds approaching them. "I had no idea you
were so religious."

"Life on the ocean will turn most men religious - or at least teach them profound respect." Raiden smiled. "There are many
who believe that were the Dragons alive, the storms, the mermaids and the ocean itself would not be as hostile as they are
now."

"That is an argument I have heard over and over. You will not find me disagreeing, though I think it is perhaps wishful

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thinking for the most part."

"You two should get inside," Kin said abruptly from behind them. "That storm may seem to be approaching slowly, but it's
coming at a good clip. Neither of you is qualified enough to be above deck, so I suggest you get to your quarters unless
you're feeling up for a swim."

"Aye, Captain." Raiden replied with a grin.

Ignoring him, Kin turned to stride back to his first mate.

"Captain," Takara held him up. "If things start to get too bad - which I doubt because Raiden says this is nothing for you and
I have no doubt he's correct - Nankyo should know how to stop it."

Kindan sneered, "I don't need his help to manage my ship. Get to your quarters." He strode off, snapping orders for his first
mate to bellow to the crew.

"Captain," Same said when Kindan had fallen silent.

"What is it?" Kindan asked without looking at him, gaze locked on the rapidly approaching storm.

"If you'll beg my pardon, why are we being forced to cope with a storm? My belief was that, with a prince aboard - two, in
fact - we would not be forced to deal with such things."

Kindan's mouth tightened, hand going reflexively to the pendant that felt hot against his chest, beneath his tunic. "It is not
your job to grow spoiled by the presence of a royal. See to the men and ensure we lose no one. Keep a sharp eye out for
mermaids; storm-tossed ships make for good prey."

Though he looked as though he wanted to press it, Same was long used to his young, moody captain. "Aye, Captain."

Nodding stiffly, Kindan headed for Raiden's cabin. "I do not want either of you leaving this cabin until I give you leave. Is
that clear?"

"Perfectly, Kin." Raiden, for once, was perfectly serious.

Kindan slid his glare to Taka. "If he knows how to stop the storm, why is he letting it happen in the first place?"

"I do not know," Taka replied quietly. "I can only surmise that he is somehow unaware. Kyo is always careful about how he
affects the Stone. The fact that he's been the one in possession of it for so long is the reason the royal family's magic has
been especially stable for so long. I guess he is finally starting to lose control. Though as Raiden says, I am no doubt
contributing to it."

Kindan never got a chance to reply, as the rocking of the ship suddenly took a hard turn for the worse, sending all but him
crashing to the floor. Letting out a string of curses, Kindan turned to head back out. "Stay here and be careful."

Outside, he fought the wind and rain as he made his way to Nankyo's cabin. Reaching it, he threw open the door and
stepped inside. For some reason he had imagined seeing the prince sitting in his chair, glasses glinting on his nose as he
read from his strange book.

But the prince was asleep in his bed - though he was tossing and turning so much that it took Kindan a moment to realize it.
His cries were unintelligible, though Kin recognized them as similar to the strange, musical language he used for his spells.
The old language.

Glowering, Kindan stepped forward to wake him - just as a wave rocked the ship hard to throw him forward. He tumbled and
fell, half on the floor - half on the prince.

Nankyo went suddenly still, and Kindan realized he had woken. He struggled to sit up, and off the prince.

"What is the meaning of this?" Nankyo asked in his icy voice, only slightly slurred from his just waking up.

Kindan remained kneeling on the floor, not trusting himself quite yet to stand. "I should be asking you that," he snapped.
"Why have you suddenly brought a storm down upon us, Prince?"

"A storm?" Nankyo rose from his bed, tangled robes falling back in place around him, moving with him as he made for the
door. He pulled the door open and stepped outside, all but falling over from the force of the wind, rain whipping him in the
face as thunder crashed overhead.

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Cursing loudly, Kindan went after him, grabbing the prince about the waist and dragging him back inside. "Prince of the
Storms you may be, but a tempest such as that will kill you the same as me."

"It's beautiful," Nankyo said, eyes still locked on the door Kindan had slammed shut, as if he could see the storm through it.
Then he stiffened, realizing to whom he was speaking. "Give me the Stone."

Kindan shook his head, dropping his arms from around Nankyo's waist and backing up. "You don't need it to perform magic;
do without it."

"It will help!" Kyo snarled. "A storm such as that, it is better if I am touching the Stone. Unless you want the storm to batter
your ship and men."

"We have weathered worse."

"No, you have not. It is here because I mistakenly called it, and it will not dissipate until I have banished it." His expression
turned mutinous, and with startling speed he shoved Kindan back against the wall, searching for and finding the pendant
beneath his tunic. Hand held to Kindan's chest, he began to murmur softly to himself. The musical words of a spell filled the
small space.

Kindan moved to shove the prince away, but found himself pausing, shocked by how warm the prince was - almost too
warm. He frowned, looking Nankyo over. The prince, lost in concentration, did not notice his perusal.

The prince was beautiful; Kin had never denied that. Of all the royal children, he was the one least known but most talked
about. Kindan had always thought of him as reserved, cool, given only to speaking when he could provoke or manipulate.

But now the prince simply looked tired - Kindan would even venture he looked defeated. It was a look he had seen often
amongst the seafaring. There were shadows in his normally sharp eyes, dark smudges beneath them, his fair skin almost
white in the dim light of the cabin.

And now suddenly he could see traces of Koori in Nankyo, hints of the dirty face smudged with dirt and tears, the blue hair
even more beautiful than his purple glamour had been. Though the Nankyo he knew no longer gave in to tears. Which led to
the obvious question of what was upsetting the stoic prince so much. The secrecy plaguing the journey angered him, made
him want to beat the truth of someone - preferably the prince. A simple journey to deliver offerings to dead gods - what of
that could cause such agony in someone as reserved as the prince? Though, to be honest, he wondered more what had
forced Koori to become Nankyokukai.

Abruptly the cabin was too small, and Kindan could not have been more relieved when he felt the shift in the air - the storm
was gone and the prince had fallen silent. He stepped away and exited the cabin before Nankyo's awareness returned,
slamming the door behind him.

The sky was clear and blue above him, the ocean much calmer. He cast about for his first mate, "Same!"

The man appeared at his side almost immediately, reporting that minimal damage had been sustained and repairs were
already underway. Kindan nodded, "Keep an eye on things." He strode to the helm, staring out at the sea and doing his best
no to think.

Some time later, the sun much lower in the sky, soft fingers gently squeezed his shoulder. He turned to look unhappily at
Raiden.

"What's wrong?" the merchant asked quietly. "I have not seen you like this in years. Did we lose someone in the storm?"

"No," Kindan slowly shook his head back and forth. He regarded Raiden, eyes wide with disbelief. "I think you were right."

"About what?" Raiden asked, amusement creeping into his voice.

"The Prince."

Raiden looked confused for a moment, then his expression cleared as realization struck him. "As I would like to not be
pitched overboard, I will keep my mouth shut. But one we are on land, I am very much going to enjoy laughing at you."

Kindan's look was nothing short of murderous. "You are not doing a very good job of keeping quiet."

"I suppose you're right. Never was good at keeping my mouth shut, was I?" Raiden started laughing, nearly hard enough
that he sent himself over the side.

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Kindan punched him, somewhat appeased when Raiden's laughs turned into pained groans. "I am glad someone is getting
amusement out of this."

Raiden grinned, "You needn't act like it's some sort of punishment."

"Isn't it?" Kindan asked sourly, eyes fastened on the endless stretch of water before them.

"I should think not."

Kindan groaned. "I don't need this. I don't even know what to do about it."

Raiden's eyebrows went up. "Clearly you've been spending more time alone at sea than I realized. Would you like me to
give you some instructions?" He dodged away as Kindan swung another punch at him.

"If you're just going to mock me, Shima, go back to your lover and leave me in peace."

Raiden sobered. "So you like the prince after all. Is that such a problem? Or are you just mad that your precious Koori
turned out to be who you least expected."

"I'll grant you I never saw that coming - though I should have." Kindan looked as though he wanted to punch himself. "Of
course I'm mad. He shouldn't have kept it a secret, not after boarding my ship." He rubbed tiredly at his face, "I don't need
this."

Clapping him on the shoulder sympathetically, "Everything happens for a reason, Kin. And sometimes the last thing we want
is the very thing we need."

Kindan made a face. "Go away and take your wisdoms with you." Jerking away, he stalked off to check on the progress of
the repairs.

"How long 'til Sanhoshi?" Raiden called after him.

"If we're not too far off course," Kindan reluctantly replied. "We'll be there by morning next."

Raiden nodded.

Nankyo could not seem to quit shaking, huddled in his too-small bed with only the lantern to provide warmth.

He'd caused a storm! Was he so lost to his own selfish agonizing that he would grow so careless? He did not need the
deaths of sailors on top of everything else, the anger of Taka and Raiden…and the further anger of Kindan on top of
everything else. Storms, he was growing weak.

Perhaps he would be better off dead.

Nankyo attempted to shake off his morbid thoughts, breathing deeply and slowly. Waking from a nightmare to Kindan in his
lap and a storm-tossed ship had done nothing to calm him, it was no wonder his mind was in such turmoil.

Ignoring the slight trembling that lingered in his hands, Nankyo threw off his blankets and reached for the tome he was
heartily sick of reading. But forcing himself to study it, over and over again, had resulted in his understanding more than he
had before.

And in a solution - of sorts. Curling back up in his bed, he flipped slowly the relevant pages.

The nightmare lingered in the back of his mind, shadows of cold and dark and being utterly lost, but Nankyo ignored it as
best he could. He stopped, fingers tracing the words on the relevant page. A passage he had not been able to grasp
before. For all that the Stone granted him the ability to read the old language, it could not grant him perfect fluency. That
came only with practice, and before he had never needed that degree of skill.

But now…now he needed it desperately. There was no way out, not if he wanted to accomplish what he had set out to do.
But there was a solution of sorts.

The belief amongst the royal family - those who knew the burden of the sacrifice - was that it must occur on the lost island
every one hundred years. And it must be one of the blood, so that the magic would continue on down through the
generations.

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The time and the blood were inviolate. If not carried out every hundred years, the spell would begin to weaken. After the
Seal collapses completely, the magic was set loose. Without someone or something to control it? The results were best not
dwelled upon.

But the location was not, as the saying went in Pozhar, set in stone. They were three months from the location of the island.
Less than two days from Sanhoshi.

He would simply kill himself on Sanhoshi.

A sharp rap at his door broke into Nankyo's thoughts. "Enter," he snapped, reluctant to see anyone but knowing he owed
Taka, at the very least, an explanation.

"Kyo…" Takara looked him over, frowning in concern.

It was still strange, to look at Taka and see his mirror image. But it was a comforting sort of strange, though he did not
bother to examine why he felt that way.

And mirror images they might be, but there were still differences. Such as the flush that lingered on Taka's cheeks, his lips
obviously recently kissed. His sash was looser than Taka tended to wear it, hair less neat. To a degree, Nankyo was
envious. Mostly, however, he was glad that his family would not be able to do Taka harm after he was gone.

"What's wrong, Kyo?"

"I was rudely awakened for one," Nankyo said, annoyed. "The next time my nightmares accidently call up a storm, send
someone else to wake me. Sending that confounded Captain does nothing to calm my temper."

Taka quirked a brow at him. "Nightmare?"

"I'm sure it's only the result of my sulking." Nankyo cast his book aside and stood to stretch, arching his back, arms over his
head. Slowly he worked the kinks from his neck and shoulders, then smoothed out his wrinkled robes. "I do not suppose
there is going to be a meal anytime soon?"

"You…" Taka frowned. His eyes narrowed in thought, "You seem calmer, Kyo. The past several days you would barely look
at me, barely eat, barely move. And now you are asking if we're having dinner?"

Nankyo sniffed, "What? I'm not allowed to eat? I admit the storm was a bit much, but surely that doesn't revoke my dining
privileges?"

"Stop dodging my questions!" Taka stamped his foot. "Storms, Kyo! I've been worried sick about you - the least you could
do is give me a straight answer. It's not like you'll have to put up with me for much longer." In an instant, his anger turned
into misery.

Dropping his flippancy, Nankyo moved across the small cabin to embrace his secretary. "I am fine, Taka. I merely needed
some time to myself for a bit."

Takara settled for simply nodding. "Raiden has ordered dinner be prepared. I came down in the hopes that you might be
persuaded to eat."

"I believe I could be," Nankyo said lightly. "Let me change and I will be up shortly."

"Let me help," Taka offered. "I will not be able to do it much longer, and your hair could use a good brushing."

Nankyo hesitated, and then nodded. "Very well."

"Prince," Raiden nodded as the twins entered his cabin. "You are looking remarkably better than when I last saw you." He
grinned, "Perhaps the only man I know who can look better after several days of confinement, rather than worse. You must
tell me your secret."

"A Secretary who doubles as Dressing Servant."

Takara rolled his eyes, ignoring them both and taking a sip of his wine.

Nankyo sat down opposite Raiden. "And where is the Captain?" he glanced at the empty place setting. "Did he hear I was
coming and opt to not attend?"

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"Something like that," Raiden replied, smothering a grin. "I am certain he will appear eventually." He hesitated.

Nankyo shook his head, "I apologize for the storm. I accept full responsibility for it. My sleep was less than restful, and I
somehow lost control of the Stone."

"No harm was done," Raiden said calmly. "You do seem better than you did before."

Nankyo shrugged and began to eat. "Sulking gets boring, after a time. I think I shall resume being a nuisance."

"Despite our…less than happy start, Prince, I would never consider you a nuisance." Raiden smiled evilly, "Except to Kin,
who could stand the abuse."

The ghost of a smile danced across Nankyo's lips, but he refrained from replying. Raiden shifted his attention to Taka,
interspersing eating with teasing. Nankyo watched them in silence the rest of the meal.

Chapter Sixteen

"How in the Storms' Names did you ever manage to obtain an island?" Takara could not drag himself from the balcony
overlooking the majority of the vast island known as Sanhoshi. It reminded him a great deal of Kundou, all white sand and
green grass, farmland and houses built to endure the terrible heat that reigned most of the year. The smell of salt mixed
with the scent of flowers, and there was barely a cloud in the blue, blue sky. Behind the house he knew a forest stretched
on, and he could see ragged cliffs off in the far distance. "Especially one such as this."

Raiden came up behind him, smelling faintly of soap from a recent bath. His arms twined around Taka's waist, head by his
shoulder. "Do you see that lighthouse?"

"Yes," Takara looked again at the faded blue lighthouse situated near a jagged cliff. It was clearly old, even from a distance.
Several white seabirds crowded on the railing around the top.

"There used to be a house not far from it; the home of the family that once called this island their home. But the family fell
apart after the eldest child ran away in order to be with his wife - though he also did it to keep them safe. The islanders
remained, but they had no leader, no authority. I came across the island many years ago, after following the coordinates left
by the runaway son to his own child. An old sailor, who died a few years ago, gave me the coordinates because I had been
so interested in his story. So I moved in, and with Kin's help we've made it almost respectable."

Takara shook his head, "Your own small nation?"

"Nothing so grand. Do you like it?"

"It's beautiful. I wish I was here under happier circumstances."

Raiden nodded, "We'll come back after everything is done. Everything will be better then."

"Hmm…" was all Takara said He turned in Raiden's arms, his own sliding up and around Raiden's neck. "Do not depress
me the first day on your island. I would prefer to enjoy my stay here."

Pleased, Raiden grinned and nipped at Taka's lips. "I don't believe you've bothered to look at anything in my room save the
balcony."

"Which I notice is right in the middle of the house," Takara couldn't resist pointing out.

Raiden grinned. "Of course."

"Show me the rest of your room, then. Is your bed in the center?"

"Come and see for yourself."

Taka laughed, though he didn't protest as he was pressed down onto the large, dark canopy in the middle of the room. "In a
hurry?"

"Haven't I been patient long enough?" Raiden went to work on Taka's sash, frowning at the intricate knot used to tie it.

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Laughing again, Taka distracted him from the sash with a kiss, tasting a trace of the dark red fruit juice they'd had with their
early lunch.

Raiden pulled away, nuzzling his cheek before he sat up. "Are you happy, Taka?"

"If you mean am I still mad about how Nankyo let you purchase me, yes. But otherwise, I am as happy as I can possibly be.
You're Storming hard to stay mad at."

"Good," Raiden smiled, relieved, though some guilt remained in the back of his eyes as leaned down to give Taka another
kiss.

Taka sat up slowly, looking blearily around the room to figure out what had woken him up. Beside him, Raiden was fast
asleep. His hair - normally bound neatly beneath one of his colorful bandanas - was spread out across the pillow. It made
him look years younger, and Taka could not recall ever seeing him so relaxed. He smiled fondly.

Then pulled away, flooded with sudden guilt. Sliding quietly from the bed, he crossed the room to where his trunks remained
unpacked against the wall. Fumbling for a moment, he at last pulled out a blue and green robe made from fine linen, and a
bright yellow sash. He carried them into the washing room.

When he emerged several minutes later, Raiden was still sound asleep. It was odd that he slept so deeply, especially as
more than once he had teased Taka for sleeping like the dead. Combing his fingers through his hair, he padded to the
balcony, stopping under the overhang.

It was raining, a steady downpour that gave the early evening a deep, sleepy feel. No doubt it was the rain that had stirred
him from his slumber - such heavy rain was rare in Kundou. Hearing it always woke him.

He turned away, shaking his head in amusement at the still form on the bed. The temptation to climb back under the
blankets and curl up against him was strong - but guilt was stronger. Smothering a sigh, Taka stepped into his sandals and
snuck quietly from the room.

Raiden's house was massive - three stories of pale stone and old wood. It was decorated as only a merchant could afford to
decorate - as though he had access to a dozen royal houses in as many countries and borrowed their treasures and
furnishings at his leisure. But for all that the rugs, tables, lamps and paintings were extravagant, Taka would never call
them gaudy. It was a strange, seemingly impossible combination of the lighter colors of Kundou and the intricate designs of
Pozhar or Schatten.

It suited Raiden. Taka lingered in the main hallway to admire a painting of Kundou that had been placed there, then moved
on to the Glass Room.

It stood exactly opposite Raiden's room, and down one level. Where Raiden's room overlooked the harbor, village and cliffs,
the Glass Room overlooked the forest that stretched across a great deal of the last third of the island. All but the back wall
of the room was glass, the roof reaching up to the second floor. A single door lay in the eastern wall, leading out into the
field between the house and the forest, as well as to a small footpath that made its winding, twisting way to a private beach.

Nankyokukai was stretched out on a dark red chaise, seeming half asleep as he stared out at the rain.

"Kyo?"

"Taka," the prince shifted, and Taka noticed a glass of pale wine in his had. He smirked, "Enjoying your stay so far?" He
laughed when Taka looked away embarrassed. "Please don't tell me you've come down here to assuage your guilt."

"Assuaging it is hardly possible." Taka ventured into the room and settled into a deep settee a few feet from where Nankyo
lay. "I wanted to make sure you were all right."

"I am well enough," Nankyo sat up a bit, sipping delicately at his blush wine.

Taka shook his head. "It does not seem right that you are the one alone…"

Heaving a sigh, Nankyo sat all the way up and set his wine down beside a discarded book. "I am not alone - nor am I as
miserable as you seem to think. Granted, I wish this were a vacation and not my death sentence, but I am hardly going to
bicker the point."

"How can you be so positive, when for days on the ship you were so despairing?"

Kyo waved his words away impatiently, "A brief succumbing to weakness. Let us say that between being shot and my

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argument with our rigid captain, I was not feeling like my usual self."

Taka gave a weak laugh. "Your shoulder no longer pains you?"

As if to prove it was fine, Nankyo shrugged. "I am certain that, were I to live to be an old man, it would be bothersome in
weather such as this. But no, it does not pain me." He watched Taka, then shook his head and reached once more for his
wine. Snickering softly, he handed it to his twin. "You look as though you could use this more than I."

Taka accepted the wine without protest, taking a sip and glancing at it in surprise. "Sweet."

"Yes. I'm growing quite fond of it. Unfortunately, no one was around for me to ask what type of wine it is." Nankyo shrugged.
"Be at ease, Taka."

"How can you be so at ease?"

Nankyo shook his head, soft hair falling in his face. He brushed the strands back absently, "For one, I will not be dying for
three months yet. In the mean time, I am here. For the first time in my life I am away from the castle, the city, the country
that is all I've ever known. And while events did not go as I might have wished - I did meet…" He closed his eyes, then
slowly opened them again. "I did meet Kinni, and I was able to see that he became everything he wanted to be. And more
besides." He motioned toward the view outside. "This is not a bad place to spend my last days. All things considered, I
cannot find room for complaint."

Taka stared into his wine, face still troubled.

"Are you happy, Taka?"

"Why does everyone keep asking me that?"

Nankyo looked at him. "Because you look miserable."

"Probably because my brother is going to be dying shortly and there's nothing I can do about it!" Taka slammed the wine
glass down, breaking the fragile stem, the scent of wine strong as it spilled down his robe and onto the carpet. "Storms take
it!"

"Calm down, Taka." Nankyo reached out and grabbed his hands, forcing him to hold still. "Pretend my death does not loom
over you. Are you sorry about all of this? Could you be happy here?"

Taka frowned, then glared, then sighed and sat back down. "You know I could be. You knew all along that I would take to
him. He's so much like you and yet not. It hurts, because he makes me happy but the price is you. I don't want that."

"I wanted you to be happy after I was gone, because if you'd gone back to Kundou you would be nothing but abjectly
miserable. Tell me you are happy here, and will be for a very long time, and I will die with some peace of mind."

"Yes, Kyo. I am happy."

"Good." Nankyo motioned to a thick silk cord in the corner of the room. "Ring for a servant, and then take yourself back to
your room. I am going for a walk. If you try to bring this subject up again, Taka, I will tell Raiden every little thing you did
while you were away at school."

Taka narrowed his eyes. "Do not dare."

Nankyo smiled, all charm. "Then see that you stop being so morbid." With a wave he made for the glass door.

"Isn't it a little wet for a stroll, Nankyo?"

Pausing in the doorway, Nankyo looked over his shoulder and smiled. "Do not be silly. A little water is not going to harm a
great descendent of the mighty dragons."

Taka rolled his eyes and went to ring for a servant.

Away from the house, Nankyo's good mood washed away. He tilted his head up to stare at the cloud-ridden sky, then
shoved his wet hair from his face and continued on his way. Half-way to the beach, he veered off the path and walked
wherever his feet landed.

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Though he'd told himself he was just going to wander aimlessly to work out some of his restlessness, he knew he was
heading directly for the harbor. He could not seem to make his feet do otherwise.

And despite the fact that he'd been walking as slowly as possible, he arrived at his destination all too soon, walking down
the pier to stand before the second most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. From the moment they'd entered the harbor, his
eyes had sought it out. Looking away had been possible only because he did not want Kindan to catch him staring.

The Kumiko. Kindan had said it had been brutally attacked by mermaids, and the repairs showed - new wood mixed in with
the more weathered portions. The rest of the ship looked almost brand new, nothing tattered or torn or patched, gleaming
rather than worn into dullness. White sails and pale wood, it was the second most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.

A ship he'd thought about, dreamed about, and longed to see for what seemed like all his life. Too many times to count he'd
wondered what it would look like, what it would feel like to board the ship and let its captain take him away.

Instead the ship was all but forbidden. Fate seemed to enjoy mocking his every effort to outwit her.

Reflexively he reached for his pendant, cursing himself for every kind of fool when he felt hurt that it was no longer there.
Had not been there for more than a month. Was never going to be there again.

He almost wished it was over already. At least then everything would have finally stopped aching; his bitter joke of a life
brought to an end.

Nankyo frowned, annoyed by his morose thoughts. He'd come to terms with it, had he not? Being melodramatic served no
purpose. A few more days and it would all be over. If only he could find a secluded spot, as the ritual would take more than
a few minutes to prepare. Though it would not take long to conduct.

"Beautiful, isn't she?"

Nankyokukai froze, barely able even to breathe. Why oh why did life enjoy mocking him? He'd waited until evening because
he'd been certain no one else - especially him - would be out. He heard Kindan draw closer, cursing himself for not noticing
the footsteps sooner as he should have, and did not turn around.

It was hard enough looking at the Kumiko. As turbulent as he was feeling now, the sight of the Captain was something he
wouldn't be able to bear. He had made every effort to avoid him since Pozhar - and especially after the storm.

Kindan stopped a step or so behind him, close enough that Nankyo could not ignore him, could hear the pause in his breath
as Kindan hesitated before speaking. "She's my pride and joy. It was almost the happiest I'd ever been, seeing her finally
seaworthy."

"Almost?" Nankyo asked, voice nearly inaudible.

"Why are you here, Prince?"

Nankyo remained silent.

He heard the chink of metal against metal before a familiar pendant was lowered into his view, Kindan's arm just brushing
his shoulder. "You're not allowed aboard without this."

"Then I guess we've a slight problem," Nankyo finally spoke, determined not to be overwhelmed, forcing the challenging
tone he knew Kindan hated. "Because I paid you quite handsomely to take me where I wanted to go."

"You paid Shima," Kindan corrected. "I just do what I'm told - on his ships. But the Kumiko is my ship, and I am the one who
decides who is allowed to go aboard. You are not allowed, unless you have your pendant."

"It isn't mine." Nankyo said, voice too cool, too steady.

A hand dropped onto his shoulder as the pendant withdrew and Kindan, familiar with the prince's strength and anticipating
his resistance, managed to force Nankyo around to face him. "Yes, it is," he said, staring at the prince. "But I'm not giving it
back until we clear a few things up."

Nankyo shrugged his hand off. "There is nothing to discuss." It was as hard to look at him as he'd known it would be, not
least of all because Kindan looked as though he too had been resting, dressed in clothes more worn than he usually wore.
The rain had plastered his short hair flat against his head, his tunic and pants a wet, second skin. His pale skin glistened
oddly, and Nankyo was reminded of the mermaid they'd encountered what seemed like ages ago.

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"Wrong, Prince. I told you - I'd let you have your way on the Fuujin, but that once we arrived at Sanhoshi, that was the end
of it." He swept an arm out to indicated the harbor, "There's no one here but you and I, Prince. No one to distract or
interrupt, and this time you can't just say something to annoy me and walk away."

"It's always worked before." Nankyo stated. "No reason it should not work now."

Kindan looked annoyed, "I let my dislike of royals rule my behavior before - no more. I'm tired of your games."

"I'm not. I'd much rather continue to play them."

"Shut up, Prince." Kin spoke quietly, but with steel in his voice.

Nankyo fell silent.

"Why didn't you tell me the truth? If you've known it for so long?"

The prince sighed, turning his head to look out over the water. "Haven't we already engaged in this particular discussion? I
don't feel like repeating it."

"Too bad," Kindan grasped his chin and forced Nankyo to look at him, letting go before the prince could retaliate. "Why
didn't you tell me?"

Nankyo's only reply was a stony silence.

"Prince. We both made a promise that day - I deserve to know why you kept your silence."

Something rippled across the Prince's face, an expression Kindan couldn't quite grasp - except somehow he knew he'd just
won his answer. Nankyo continued to stare at him in silence for a moment longer, then dropped his gaze. "There didn't
seem to be any point."

"Didn't seem..." Kindan echoed, confused and hurt. "What do you mean?"

"It means that even if I had told you, I would not have been able to go anywhere. I'm as bound to my family as I ever was, if
not more so. The promise was to take me away - but I'm unable to leave. So, no point." He smiled bitterly, "And I didn't
want to shatter the illusion. I just..." he drifted off.

"Just what?"

Nankyo looked up at him, expression mutinous for a moment - then it crumbled into weariness. "I didn't care if you hated the
Prince - I just didn't want you to hate Koori."

"I never hated you."

Nankyo scoffed. "You'll forgive me if I find that hard to believe."

"Only if you'll forgive me for being a jerk."

His words had the effect of startling Nankyo, rare emotion written plainly on his face. "I..."

Kindan shook his head, "So what had you planned to do after this journey? Just return home and never tell me?"

"Something like that."

"...What aren't you telling me?" Kindan reached unthinkingly to grasp his chin again, keeping a grip on it as he narrowed his
eyes, searching the Prince's face. "Every word you utter, every jibe you make, I feel like there's something you leave
unsaid. What secret are you keeping?"

"One that I prefer to continue keeping," Nankyo whispered, strangely not breaking from the hold though he twitched at the
touch.

"Why?"

"It doesn't matter."

Kindan frowned, "It has something to do with why you didn't tell me you're Koori, doesn't it?" There was no missing the
shiver that passed through Nankyo as Kindan spoke the old nickname.

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For a second, Nankyo looked almost panicked. He reached up to remove Kindan's hand, at the same time moving
backwards and away from him.

But Kindan reacted instantly to Nankyo's attempted retreat, breaking Nankyo's grip on his hand and instead latching onto
the prince's. At the same time he moved forward, catching the prince at the waist to keep him from running away.

A beat of silence, as they both stood frozen, staring at each other.

"Let me go."

Kindan shook his head, unconsciously tightening his hold. His expression turned stubborn, determined. "No," he said at last.
And then he startled them both by dipping his head to crush Nankyo's lips beneath his, holding tightly as Kyo fought and
struggled to break free - until he abruptly ceased, and with a whisper-soft sigh relaxed in Kindan's arms.

Kindan didn't think he'd ever felt anything as wonderful as the feel of the normally stiff, proud prince pliant in his arms, his
lips as soft and warm as his words were usually hard and cold. He wondered distantly why it had taken him so long to admit
that this was the reason he found the prince so damned difficult to deal with.

Breaking the kiss eventually proved necessary, though Kin pulled only just far enough away to breathe. "Koori."

This time, the sound of the name seemed to wake Nankyo from whatever daze he'd fallen into, and he suddenly shoved
hard, sending the unsuspecting Kin reeling back, tripping over an uneven plank of wood and falling back onto the dock.
"What in the Storms!"

"Storms take you!" Nankyo shouted, eyes flashing. "Why can't you just hate me?"

"What?" Kin clambered to his feet, "Dragons! What's your problem?"

"You! Storms, I hate you!"

"Koo-"

"Don't call me that," Nankyokukai snarled. He backed away as Kindan approached him. "I hate you! Everything was easier
before you-- when you hated me. I was fine with my choices until you came along. I'd accepted it! And now because of you I
want--what I can't have." His too bright eyes gave way to tears, as thunder suddenly rippled across the sky, startling
Kindan. Nankyo took advantage of the momentary distraction, and ran as lightning raced across the sky, the rain coming
down in hard torrents.

Kin watched him go.

He turned away as the prince vanished from view, gaze caught by his own skin, where the rain had caused his scales to
appear, fine, small and glistening, noticeable only if you looked hard.

It brought to mind his despised, ocean-dwelling sisters, and he thought briefly of how much simpler his life would have been
if he'd been born a female, to a mermaid who raised him to hate humans...especially the blue-haired ones that looked and
smelled - and tasted - of the sea.

Raiden looked around the table, torn between amusement and frustration. His lover looked torn between misery and joy,
Nankyo simply looked miserable, and Kin looked more angry and ready for a fight than usual.

Kindan dropped his fork, the clatter of it against his porcelain plate painfully loud in the uneasy silence of the dining room.
"I've had enough."

"Of what?" Raiden asked lightly, hoping to ease some of the tension.

"Of the secrets. Of being toyed with and played with and mocked. I want to know what's going on and I want to know now."
He glared angrily at the prince, all but ready to spring out of his seat and beat him to a bloody pulp.

No one replied. Nankyo studiously ignored the angry Captain, while Taka merely sighed.

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Raiden gave them each a long, considering glance, then carefully set his own fork down on the table. A sip of tea, then he
leaned back in his chair and looked at each of them, gaze settling on his old friend. "I agree; the games have gone on long
enough." He toyed with the rim of his teacup, then forced himself to hold still. "The 'game' Kin, is simply this: the royal family
only keeps its magic because of the Seal cast a long, long time ago. To keep that seal intact," he ignored the looks the
twins were giving him. "They must, every one hundred years, sacrifice a member of the royal family. That is, someone must
die so that their blood can renew the Seal. Nankyokukai is the offering this time around. That is what they have not wanted
anyone to know."

Kindan opened his mouth to speak, but Nankyo spoke first. "How? How did you know that? Taka would not have told you,
and there is no possible way for you to know! How did you know?"

Raiden stared expressionless at the pale-faced brothers. "I know more than all the royals combined could ever know. More
than you can imagine. I knew about the Seal long before any human had an inkling of it."

"How?" Taka echoed the prince. "No one but the King and the sacrifice know, and the one who must accompany the
sacrifice to ensure he does not run away."

"You would not believe me if I told you."

Nankyo stared at him with narrowed eyes, "Try me."

Raiden held his gaze, eyes dark with old pain. "Once upon a time, my name was Tsunami."

"Impossible," Nankyo breathed. "The Dragons are dead."

Chapter Seventeen

"Yes, they are." Raiden never looked away as he spoke to Nankyo. "I am all that remains of what they once were."

"How?" the prince asked.

"What kind of joke is this?" Takara asked irritably. "I don't appreciate it."

"Nor I," Kindan added.

Nankyokukai and Raiden ignored them. "Have you been planning this venture the entire time?" Nankyo asked. "And here I
thought I was so clever."

Raiden almost smiled. "I've had centuries to plan this, and a hundred years to refine and prepare it."

"A hundred years? So you have been free since the last sacrifice?"

"Yes."

Nankyo tilted his chin up. "It is quite possible this is your idea of a joke - though it does not seem your style. Then again, if
you really are Tsunami, then I really don't know your style at all do I? Prove your identity."

"Kanchou," Raiden said softly. "Was the first sacrifice. He was killed by Manchou."

All traces of humor left Nankyo's face, which went a shade paler than it had already been. "You really are…"

Takara glowered, slamming his hand down on the table. "You are not a Dragon. What in the Storms names is wrong with
you?"

"Taka…" Nankyo laid a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Kanchou was the name of Tsunami's human lover. His twin brother
was Manchou, the high priest and liaison between the Storms and their people. The only place those names are mentioned
is in my book. Which only I can read with anything close to full comprehension. Raiden's never had access to it." He looked
to the merchant. "How did Kanchou die?"

"He was stabbed in the back," Raiden said. "He'd been helping his brother prepare what he thought was a cleansing
ceremony."

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Nankyo nodded, "Where were you when all this happened?"

"Schatten," Raiden replied. His eyes looked haunted. "We were helping to take care of a problem there."

Silence descended on the table.

"Pretending for one moment that you're being serious," Taka said slowly. "What exactly are you planning to do?"

"To take back the power that was stolen from my brothers and me."

Kindan stood up. "I can't believe any of this." He looked at Raiden, "You're going to have a lot of explaining to do when I
can stand to look at you again." He walked angrily to the door, casting a brief glance at Nankyo before leaving.

Takara rose next, but said nothing as he followed Kindan out, merely shaking his head.

"I think you're in big trouble," Nankyo said into the silence.

"I knew I would be."

Nankyo looked at him pensively. "I still find it hard to believe I'm in the presence of a god."

"You're not," Raiden said, a trace of bitter sadness in his voice. "I haven't been a god since I was Sealed away. All that
remains of my divinity is longevity."

"Not immortality?"

"No."

Nankyo stood up and took Takara's seat, sitting closer to Raiden. "So explain everything to me. And why I should not be
angry with you, because it's obvious you've been playing with us this whole time." His eyes were hard. "Do you really care
for Taka? Or was that part of your game somehow?"

"My feelings are genuine," Raiden said emphatically. "Despite appearances, I was not out to betray anyone. It was merely
that the easiest way to see that things went accordingly was to keep my silence. I am powerless, little more than a mortal. I
could not afford to have things go wrong before everyone was on Sanhoshi. That was the only reason for my deception."

"Hmm…" Nankyo said thoughtfully. "But you must admit that it does not look good. You love Taka but did all this planning to
kill me the entire time."

"Yes," Raiden said calmly. His eyes took on a gleam, lips tilting ever so slightly in a smug smile. "But I know something you
don't, in regards to the sacrifice."

"And what is that?"

"How to bring you back to life."

For the longest time, Nankyo couldn't speak. When at last he did, his words were little more than a whisper. "That isn't
possible. Blood to make; Blood to break. There is no other way to undo the Seal."

Raiden laughed. "Your plan, Prince, does require a death. But your plan stops at taking the magic from your family. That is
only half of what I intend."

Nankyo's eyes went wide. "Storms take me…you cannot be intending what I think…"

"Oh, but I am." Raiden's expression was thunderous. "The prophecy will come to pass, no matter what Pozhar thinks or
tries."

"The prophecy?" Nankyokukai frowned in confusion. "What does that idiotic thing have to do with this?"

"Everything," said Raiden. "Without the Gods, this world will eventually be lost to the Shadow which dwells in Schatten. That
Shadow is the reason the gods were lost; and the gods must be found in order to stop it." He looked down at the tablecloth;
staring at something only he could see.

Nankyo sat back in his seat, toying with the stem of Takara's abandoned wine glass. "Tell me everything, Raiden. Or should
I call you Tsunami?"

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Raiden looked up at him. "Raiden, please. Tsunami is the name of someone who no longer exists. And tell me why you are
still here listening, when the others left? Considering you stand the most to lose in this situation, I expected your anger more
than even Takara's."

"On the contrary," Nankyo replied. "I was going to die, no matter what. I stood to lose nothing by listening to what you had to
say. And by listening, I have gained the chance to live again - or so you say."

"I swear it."

"Then tell me everything. I am truly growing weary of secrets."

"As am I, Prince, as am I." Raiden sighed. "The Countess was mostly correct when she said all the gods had been lost."

"Mostly correct?"

"Yes. Nine gods once ruled the world; of those nine, three are dead, one is murdered over and over again every year, one
is reborn constantly into a cursed life, three are caught in a cycle of tragedy, and the other is truly missing." Raiden tilted his
head back, looking tired. "And then there is the Shadow, whose poison is the cause of all of this."

"The Shadow?" Nankyo frowned. "You mention this shadow over and over again."

"His name is Teufel, and he is the Shadow of Licht. 1000 years ago he engineered the fall of the Gods. We do not know
why, we do not know how -- only that heis responsible, and only the return of the gods will stop him."

Nankyo let out a long sigh. "It sounds like a children's tale."

"Indeed." Raiden sat up. "Let me better explain."

Nine gods created the world.

The Dragons of the Three Storms, Sacred Zhar Ptitka, the Basilisk, the Faerie Queen and Guardians, and Holy Licht.

Together the nine created the world and kept the balance of it. But the humans were jealous, and grew discontent. These
feelings were strongest in Schatten, and that negativity grew until it took a life of its own, and the people overthrew their
gods.

In the Land of the Three Storms, a jealous priest slew his brother and the Dragons, taking their power for his own.

In Pozhar, the people's envy for Zhar Ptitka's power and immortality persuaded them to kill him in the moment he was
weakest.

To save his people from the shadows he could see preying on them, the Principe de Piedra killed himself, to live as a
cursed mortal until the gods begin to return.

The Goddess of Verde allowed her emotions to get the better of her, and that mistake forced her and her Guardians into a
cycle of unending tragedy.

And so the Gods were Lost.

"How do you know all this? If the Storms were the first to die?"

"Because we were not completely dead, Prince." Raiden rubbed his face, trying to erase his weariness. "The Seal killed our
physical forms and bound what was left - our presence, our essence, whatever you want to call it. That is why the Seal
needs renewing, because our power ever works against it." He looked out the window beyond Nankyo. "The last sacrifice…
your ancestors were a few days late. It was not much, but it was enough that my brothers and I combined what was left of
us beyond raw power…what remained to make us individuals…"

The pain on Raiden's face was deep enough that Nankyo looked away. "My brothers died completely, in order to free one of
us. I escaped the Seal and emerged as little more than a mortal with a very long life. It took me ten years to make it back to
Kundou, and the other ninety to reach this moment." He looked back at Nankyo. "So to answer your original question - we
could sense everything. We simply could do nothing about it."

"I see," Nankyo said quietly. He lifted the glass before him and tilted his head back, downing the nearly full glass in one

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smooth motion. "Tell me more about this prophecy you and the Countess mentioned."

"The Countess and her people more or less have it right - of course, what they don't realize is that all they do with their
actions is serve that prophecy."

Nankyo reached over for his own glass of wine, sipping it. "Isn't that the nature of prophecies?"

"Yes and no." Raiden's hand twitched, but he resisted the urge to pick up his own glass. "In the end, it does not really
matter. What matters is that it is finally coming to pass."

Nankyo tapped his fingers rhythmically on the table. "And restoring the Three Storms is the first step?"

"Exactly."

"I see." Nankyokukai stood. "Good luck with Taka."

"Thank you. I have no doubts I will need it."

"Oh, you will. Not only is he going to be hard to convince of your divinity - he's going to be livid about your planning to kill
me."

Raiden sighed and stood as well. He hesitated a moment and then reached out to polish off his juice. "Yes, I know.
Hopefully he will at least give me a chance to explain."

"He will. Eventually." Nankyo gave him a sympathetic smile and moved toward the door. Out in the hallway he paused, brow
furrowed in thought.

Smiling knowingly, Raiden indicated the front door. "He's probably gone to his lighthouse. There's a small, secluded beach
just beyond it that he uses to hide from everyone. He's probably glaring at the ocean or something there."

Nankyo started to make some flippant remark, but in the end only nodded.

"You needn't look so nervous, Prince."

Nankyo said nothing, merely shrugged and departed.

Raiden closed his eyes and took a deep breath, then went in the opposite direction. His feet carried him to his Glass Room.
After his bedroom, it was his favorite place in the house. He stared out at the sea and sky beyond the glass, both bright with
early morning but darkening with the gathering clouds. Wherever Takara was, he was angry.

His hands clenched, nails digging into the palms of his hands. After a hundred years as a mortal, you would think he'd have
gotten used to the empty feeling that came with watching storms.

But he hadn't. It ached to see the water, the wind, the storms that were all around him without being able to feel them as he
once had. To see another control what had once obeyed his every command.

Raiden closed his eyes, wishing his stomach would settle, his heart slow. Everything was going as he had planned, more or
less. He should be pleased - and he was.

But a part of him had hoped that some of the pain would vanish, with the promise of the return of balance. It hadn't. All the
new developments did was remind him - yet again - of what he'd lost. So many centuries later, he still could not erase the
sight of Kanchou dead, his twin brother standing over him with a sick, triumphant smile. His green hair sticky with blood,
covering him as he held his dead lover.

The cold, wrenching feeling of the Seal, the screams of his brothers mingled with his own as they were caged, their bodies
destroyed and their powers controlled by someone they'd trusted.

You worry too much, Tsu.

"I can't help it, Kan." Raiden spoke softly to his memory, looking up at the morning sky.

"Raiden?"

Raiden spun around, startled. "Taka?" His brows went up. "I thought I would have to come find you, in order to talk."

"I just want to get it over with."

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"Are you that angry then?" Raiden forced his anxiety from his face.

"To whom were you speaking?" Takara stepped further into the room, though he stopped a good distance from Raiden.

"Memories," said Raiden quietly. "Breakfast stirred up unpleasant thoughts." He sighed. "You're mad at me."

"Should I not be? You're either telling one incredibly awful joke - or you've been lying to me this whole time and plotting to
kill my brother."

Raiden looked at him in misery. "It's not as bad as you think."

"What could possibly be good about hearing that my lover was interested only in killing my closest - my only - friend? This
entire trip you asked me to trust you! And this is what it's become." Takara jumped as thunder crashed loudly overhead.
"Storms take it!"

Raiden stepped closer, not showing his unhappiness when Takara stepped away from him. "You're the reason for this
storm, Taka."

"Don't call me that. And what do you mean, I'm responsible?"

"You're royalty. Remember Nankyo and the squall? This time it's you. A storm born of your anger."

Takara narrowed his eyes. "Try and tell me I don't have a right to be angry."

"I didn't say that," Raiden said in a huff of frustration. "I just said that's why--" his words were drowned out by another crash
of thunder, so loud it seemed to shake the glass walls around. Then the clouds broke, and rain heavy enough it hid the
world from them began to pound on the glass.

Taka stared up and all around them. "How do I stop it?"

"You have to calm down."

"That's impossible when all I want to do is wring your neck. Are you really one of the Dragons?"

"All that's left of them," Raiden said quietly. He used the distraction to step forward and gently clasp Takara's shoulder.
"Close your eyes."

Takara only looked at him.

"Just--" Raiden snapped his mouth shut.

"Just trust you?" Takara finished for him. "Why should I?"

"Because otherwise you'll do a lot more than this storm! And Nankyo isn't around to help you."

Takara narrowed his eyes, mouth opening in the starts of a protest - but the combination of teeth-rattling thunder and a bolt
of lightning seemed to shake him. He glared at the black sky. "I'm angry; I'm not that angry."

"You don't know how to control it, so it takes your anger and then gets out of hand. That is why there was a storm only
when Nankyo was asleep. He's grown up mastering his emotions, and knows by habit how to get angry but not let the
storms rage. You don't know that, so what with him would be a simple rain shower, with you it is this."

"Then I guess I have no choice but to let you help me."

Raiden sighed. "Last night you cared for me."

"Last night I didn't know you were in this just to kill Nankyo."

"Close your eyes," Raiden said heavily.

Takara glared at him for a moment, resentful, then obeyed.

Raiden kept his right hand on Taka's shoulder, and lifted his left to comb back loose strands of his ocean-blue hair. Takara
twitched at the touch, but kept his eyes closed.

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"Think of the ocean, Taka. Not as it is right now, but calm and blue. See it as you would standing on a beach, watching the
waves lap the shore, reaching for the sand before being pulled back into the ocean. Over and over again. Think of it lapping
at your ankles, cold against the warmth of the sun. A clear sky and a bright sun."

Taka's breaths were slow, soft, as he focused on Raiden's words and level voice despite a desire to ignore it.

Above them, the violent downpour slowly turned into a steady rain, to a drizzle, to a cloudy sky. When Takara opened his
eyes again, he was not sure how many minutes had passed.

And he wished he could say he was unaffected by Raiden's soft smile. "I'm still mad at you."

"I would be surprised if you were not. I admit - I knew all along - that my actions are not the most commendable. But I did
not do things maliciously. Quite the contrary."

Takara jerked away and put several steps between them. "What good am I supposed to find in this? Storms! How am I
supposed to believe this?" He whirled around, hair flying out wildly with his rapid movements, to level a furious glare at
Raiden. "Explain to me why I should even be speaking to you!"

"Hopefully it's because you haven't lost all faith in me."

His words startled Taka into silence.

"Perhaps," Taka said faintly. "I don't like thinking that everything was one big farce. I liked it that you cared."

"I did care. I still do. I would never do anything to hurt you, Taka. If you believe nothing else, believe that."

Takara shook his head. "I'm still trying to believe the part about you being a god…that's rather a difficult thing to accept. No
matter how convinced Nankyo seemed to be." He narrowed his eyes, "And speaking of Nankyo…"

"Pretend I know a bit more about these matters than even you and he, Taka." Raiden smiled. "I wouldn't bring all of you
here only to let him die. Then what would I do with you for the next several centuries?"

"Several centuries?" Taka blinked. "What?"

"How would you like to be a god, Taka?"

Taka looked at him as if he'd lost his mind. "No, thank you."

"Oh?"

"Yes, oh." Taka shook his head, blue hair falling in his face. He brushed it back, tilting his head back to look Raiden in the
eyes. "Let's just pretend this is all for real. What are you planning exactly?"

"To put the power back the way it should be. Killing Nankyo will sever the power's connection to the royal family. After that, I
can reestablish it amongst three - myself, Kindan, and you."

"No."

"Why not?" Raiden frowned.

Taka rolled his eyes. "Because I want no part of such powers. Storms, Raiden, I can't even handle the magic I have now. I
don't want it; I never did. The only aspect of this entire thing," he tugged at his hair. "That I don't mind is my relation to Kyo.
The rest I would gladly leave. So if your plan is to recreate the Three Storms--" He took a deep breath. "Then you should
kill me, because Nankyo would make a much better dragon than I."

"Taka…" Raiden reached up to pull Taka's hand away from his hair, thumb brushing over the ring he still wore. "I thought it
would take me days simply to get you to speak to me."

"As did I," Taka said dryly. "I came in here with the intention of lobbing several heavy objects at your head - but you looked
so sad."

Lifting Taka's hand to his lips, Raiden kissed his knuckles softly. "Bad memories; you've banished them with the storm."

"Of what?" Taka asked softly.

"Kan wore this ring once," Raiden said. "Except it was set with a saphir. When I found his body, I noticed the ring was

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missing. I found it only five years ago, and had it reset with an esmeralda." He smiled faintly, looking at the ring and then at
Taka. "Perhaps I sensed I would shortly find you."

Taka shook his head slowly back and forth. "You make me dizzy."

"The feeling is entirely mutual," Raiden managed, before Taka reached up to kiss him.

Chapter Eighteen

Nankyo paused while he was still some distance from the lighthouse. Above him the sky had finally cleared. He'd waited
inside the better part of an hour, not wanting to interfere once he'd realized Takara was confronting Raiden.

Clearly the discussion was going well.

He continued to linger on the path, staring at the lighthouse and old home beside it, filled with trepidation he could not -
would not - explain to himself. His robes and hair caught in the tail end of the winds that had only minutes before been
wreaking havoc across the island, but soon enough the wind settled to a soft breeze.

Disgusted with himself for hesitating, Nankyo forced his feet to resume working. He made his way slowly to the lighthouse,
circling around it and following the footpath down to the beach below.

Kindan sat on the sand, far enough away from the water that the waves only just lapped at his feet, legs pulled loosely up,
arms looped around his knees. His tunic was tight against the muscles of his back, the wind snatching at his short hair.

Nankyo didn't make a sound as he walked across the sand, stopping a few paces behind and to the left of Kindan. He
wondered, sometimes, how anyone could have let the man Captain a ship. There were any number of men and women in
the palace who would have given away their fortunes to keep the handsome, striking captain near to hand. It almost
seemed a waste to allow him to spend the majority of his time at sea.

Almost. Because as handsome as Kindan had been in his office, so long ago, the man really came alive at sea. He was,
quite literally, made for it.

How much had it hurt, that first day on the ship, to learn that the aloof, rigid Captain was the end result of the boy he'd met
so many years ago? Even now, it made him sick to think about it, the bitter irony of his dreamed-about rescuer captaining
the ship that would take him to his death.

Somehow, despite all his careful plans, everything had come out anyway. It was a wonder Kindan didn't hate him.

Although, now he really might. If that were the case, Nankyo would just choose to stay dead. Because now that he wasn't
going to die, there was only one thing he really wanted. Nankyo clenched his hands into fists to still their trembling.

"So this entire journey was meant to end in your death?" Kindan asked evenly, breaking the silence that had stretched taut
between them.

"Yes."

"And when was someone going to inform me of this?"

Nankyo shook his head and stared down at the sand at his feet. "I don't know. I never planned to tell anyone."

"So you were just going to vanish into thin air and leave Taka to explain things?"

"Something like that," Nankyo said tightly.

Kin's voice was rough, shaky. "So all this time I've been carrying you to your death?" He laughed bitterly, head dropping into
the circle of his arms. "Why?"

"Because that's how the Seal works," Nankyo said. "Or, in my case, that is how destroying the Seal works."

"Why not simply let it fall apart?"

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Nankyo shook his head. "That would take centuries, and there is no telling what might result from such a thing…" His lips
quirked. "Though I think perhaps I have some idea."

Kindan's breath hissed out between his teeth. "Just wait until I get my hands on him…" He twisted his head to glare at
Nankyo, "I'm sorely tempted to drown all three of you. Why would no one tell me the truth?"

"I didn't want you to know. I didn't want anyone to know, beyond Takara, who had no choice."

"Why?" Kindan stood, brushing sand from his clothes. He did not make a move toward Nankyo, though it looked as though
he struggled to stay in place.

"Because--" Nankyo stopped and fell silent. "I did not want you to hate me."

"I never hated you!" Kindan said in a rage. "When will you believe me?"

"You would have," Nankyo replied. "What if I had said I was Koori? And then what was to become of me? You would have
hated yourself, and eventually me, for doing that to you." He looked away, gazing blindly at the horizon. "I preferred to die
an aggravating prince than as Koori."

"Storms take you!" Kindan swore. "Prince, Koori or simply a brat, I would not have allowed you to kill yourself for such a
stupid reason!"

"It's not your decision to make," Nankyo snapped, turning to face him, angrily shoving away errant strands of hair.

Kindan grimaced in disgust. "I have nothing but hatred for your family now." He glared at Nankyo. "I flat out refuse to let you
die. It is not an option, even if you persist in making it one."

"Get this through your thick head - it's not your decision."

"Is that a fact?" Kindan asked, his voice low, angry.

Nankyo returned the anger full measure. "Yes."

Kindan moved fast, latching on the prince's shoulders and dragging him close even as Nankyo tried to back away, ducking
his head and crushing the prince's lips beneath his own. He kissed Nankyo hard, bruising his lips to ensure that the prince
would still feel the kiss hours later. He gripped Nankyo firmly, on the chance he began to struggle to get away.

They were breathing heavily when he finally pulled away. "I waited more than a decade for you, Koori. You have no right to
give up on everything without talking to me first. We made a promise - you're not allowed to choose to break it on your
own."

"Give up?" Nankyo asked icily, too angry to be distracted. "Who ever said I gave up? "

"Didn't you?" Kindan returned. "All I've heard from you on this stupid sacrifice thing is 'I have no choice' 'it's the only way' -
but that sort of resignation doesn't seem like you. It sounds to me like you never tried to find another way."

"There was no other way! I've looked a thousand times with no success!" Nankyo shouted, jerking away from Kindan. "If I
didn't die to take my family's power away, then Umiko would die to preserve it." His voice was bitter, "My father was right, in
that if someone has to die, I am most suited."

Kindan snorted, "That's the most absurd thing I've ever heard."

"Shut up," Nankyo snapped.

"Make me," Kindan retorted. Silence fell for a minute or two, as they glared at each other. "So why are you even here? If
you've come to try to justify your stupidity, you've probably noticed it isn't working. Though really, I'm having a hard time
deciding why I don't just kill all three of you and salvage what's left of my sanity."

Nankyo hands were fisted tightly at his side. "So you're saying there was no point in my coming to see you? That I shouldn't
have bothered?"

"I'm saying you'd better not have come for stupid reasons. Coming to explain to me that you have no choice but to die is a
stupid reason."

"And what would you like me to say?"

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Kindan sighed in aggravation. "That you haven't given up. That you're still trying. That you care enough about--" He broke
off, suddenly unsure. "That you care enough about me to keep trying." He stared miserably at Nankyo, "I would have done
anything, if you'd but asked me. Isn't that the promise I made? Anything in my power to do, I would have done."

"Why?" Nankyo asked roughly. "One small promise made by children is no reason for you to be this upset."

"Nor for you," Kindan replied. He moved closer to Nankyo, grasping his shoulders more gently than he had earlier. "Yet here
we are."

Nankyo looked uncomfortable, but did not pull away. He opened his mouth to speak, then changed his mind and closed it. "I
don't have to die."

"…What?" Kindan asked.

"I mean I do…but not really. Raiden knows…knows how to bring me back."

Kindan closed his eyes, hands tightening on Nankyo's shoulders. He opened them again, seriously annoyed. "I'm going to
kill him, I swear it. And why didn't you mention this before we started arguing?"

"Because--"

"Never mind." Kindan cut him off. "No doubt there's some needlessly complicated, aggravating reason going on in your
head that's only going to make me angrier than I already am. Do us both a favor and stop thinking." Kindan took a deep
breath, "So. You're not really dying. Which means you're not trying to break our promise, which means I don't need to dunk
you to make you see reason." One of his hands wandered up to stroke the fine line of Nankyo's cheekbone. "What am I
going to do with you?"

It looked as though it took all the strength Nankyo had to reply. "I was hoping you'd give my medallion back."

Kindan smiled faintly. "And where would you ask to go if I did?"

"For now, I'd rather just stay here."

Kindan smile widened, fingers sliding around to grasp the hair at the nape of Nankyo's neck, tilting his head back as he
leaned down to kiss him.

Shuddering in relief, Nankyo slid his own arms around Kindan's neck and kissed him back, for once free of the fear and
unhappiness that had plagued him for so long their absence felt strange. But it was strange in a heady way, as dizzying as
Kinni's kisses, the taste of fruit and salt a perfect fit for the captain's kiss, as direct and sure as the man himself.

"Well," Kindan said at last. "It's not how I imagined it would go, but I am happy to have found you again, Koori."

Nankyo let his forehead lie against Kindan's chest, shuddering in relief. "Me too, Kinni."

Trailing his hands along Nankyo's back and shoulders, both soothing and reassuring himself the prince was really there,
Kindan looked toward the mansion in the distance. "Was the storm you?"

"Taka, mostly. He was a trifle displeased."

Kindan laughed softly. "I would imagine so. Raiden always had a talent for placating."

"He's had a lot of practice, I'd imagine." Nankyo replied dryly.

"Mmm," Kindan murmured an agreement, playing with strands of Nankyo's hair. "I'm going to kill him. But later." Pulling
away, he kept hold of Nankyo's hand and led the prince to his home beside the lighthouse.

*~*~*~*

Kindan leaned over the bed and softly kissed Nankyo's lips. He brushed away loose strands of hair, baring a soft cheek,
then trailed his fingers down to the silver chain and heavy medallion that had finally returned to their place around Nankyo's
neck.

Pulling the blankets up around the sleeping prince, he reluctantly left the sanctuary of his room, passing through the main
part of his simple house to the door that led directly into the lighthouse. He looked up, blocking his eyes from the shreds of
sunlight that glared down on him. Sighing softly, Kindan began his ascent.

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The lighthouse was no longer used. Few ships came out this far - usually only those that had lost their way - and the ships
that did make berth on Sanhoshi did not require the lighthouse.

Kindan reached the top of the lighthouse and circled around the top slowly, hand trailing along the railing. The breeze was
refreshing, cooling in the late afternoon heat. He slowed to a stop and folded his arms across his chest. "I should shove you
over the railing."

"I can hardly argue that," Raiden replied. A dark red scarf kept the wind from his hair, matching the sash that held his blue
robes closed. Nearby, Kindan seemed oddly somber in clothes of gray and black. He grinned suddenly. "You look better
than you have in years. Less tense."

"I'm still tense about some things," Kindan responded.

Raiden sighed, smile fading. "You can't tell me you're that surprised. Of all people, I expected you to be the least startled."

"Shima," Kindan looked as though he wanted to smack his old friend. "It's true I always knew there was something strange
about you - in all the years I've known you, you've hardly aged a day. And you've experience far too extensive for your
years. But there's a world of difference between knowing there's something strange about you and learning you're a god."
Kindan paused. "I really hope you don't expect me to bow or something."

Raiden looked at him - and then burst into laughter. "No, Kin. Even if I did demand such a thing of people, I would know
better than to expect it of you. Besides, if things go the way I want - you'll be getting plenty of bows of your own."

"What is that supposed to mean? Never mind. We'll get to that later. So all these years, your only goal was to reclaim your
godhood?"

"As a first step, yes. But that's only the beginning of things."

Kindan grimaced, "Please don't start spouting about prophecies again."

"That won't make them any less true."

Dropping his arm, Kindan gripped the railing with his right hand, as if to hold himself in place. "I don't believe this. I refuse to
believe all that crap I heard in Pozhar, and from Nankyo, and from you is all true. Prophecies are stupid. If they come true,
it's only because the people believing in them worked to make them come true."

"I'm going to have to side with the prince on this one." Raiden smiled. "It is extremely ironic that a living myth so vehemently
denies belief in mythical beings, gods and prophecies."

Kindan glared, then turned his gaze to the sea. "What's so mythical about me? I get scales when I get wet? That's not
special - it's a nuisance. I read the winds and water well? Any sailor picks that up over the years. There's nothing special or
mythical about me, and certainly it never did me any good. Such things are only trouble and I won't perpetuate the problems
that come with believing in myths."

"Always so stubborn. Most people would be thrilled at the chance to be a god. You're the only man I know who sulks about
it."

"A god?" Kindan looked at Raiden as though he'd lost his mind. "What in the Storms are you going on about?"

Raiden smiled in a way that usually meant trouble for whomever he was bargaining with - the smile that had made him an
excellent merchant. "There were three Storm Dragons, Kin. For things to work properly, there must be three again, and
someone to take up the role of the Eye."

"You're giving me a headache, and I can't believe I'm listening to this instead of tossing you to the rocks below."

Raiden sobered. "I won't say I don't deserve it - but I've never intended anyone any lasting harm. I want the best for
everyone."

"Rather lofty of you."

"Not really," Raiden said, grin returning. "A god is only as good as his people. No people, no god. So I prefer that the
people be happy. I would also prefer my new brothers be happy. Perhaps I'm deceitful and manipulative - but my reasons
are honest."

"I don't see where I fit into any of this. I'm just a sailor."

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Raiden started laughing, throwing his head back. The wind snatched at the sounds, carrying them away across the sea.
"Kin…you are impossible."

"Are you begging me to throw you off the lighthouse?" Kindan stepped forward in warning, eyes narrowed.

"No," Raiden held up his hands, warding the other man off. "Just listen to me. Not even the Prince, for all his magic, can go
easily between the ocean and land. Everything he does requires his magic. But you - you understand the ocean as well as
the creatures that live in it. If you so desired, you could live in the ocean and never bother with land again."

"You're forgetting the part where the mermaids would kill me."

"There is that. But what I'm trying to say is this - you're as powerful as Nankyo in your own right. To call yourself just a
sailor is ridiculous. When I first met you, I was impressed by you."

"By my dagger," Kindan muttered.

"That too. But it was your demeanor, your determination, your skill. Then I realized what you really were, and it occurred to
me that perhaps I'd found the next piece in what I needed. You're relatively close to being divine already."

"I am not."

"Oh no? If you were to leave today, too fed up to stay - how long would you live?"

Kindan's angry expression faded and he dropped his head to massage his temples. "A long, long time." He looked up again.
"That hardly puts me close to divine."

"It does, insofar as divinity won't affect you as much as it would affect a normal person."

Kindan frowned, not entirely certain of what Raiden meant.

"I mean, just picking a person off the street and making him a god usually is only going to end one way - badly." Raiden
looked at him almost pleadingly, as if he needed Kin to understand what he was saying. "I needed people that could handle
it, that wouldn't crumble under the burden."

"So were you going to ask me to bear this burden, or just force the issue?"

Raiden looked tired. "I had hoped to ask, but I was prepared to force if it came to that. It took me a century to find you while
I waited for the next sacrifice. I don't have the luxury of being able to wait another hundred years."

"I really have no interest in being a god."

"You and Taka…" Raiden muttered. "Why is Nankyo the only one ready to go along with this?"

"Because he doesn't want to die!" Kindan snapped. "Hardly a fair position to put him in." He turned away, "I've had enough
of this."

"Kin--"

"Leave me alone."

But Raiden persisted, catching Kindan by the arm before he could turn away. "Do you really understand why I do this at all?
"

"No, I don't." Kindan glared angrily at him, though beneath the rage was no small amount of misery. "You were always
ruthless, Shima. But only about business. You never once struck me as someone who would so callously use people this
way."

Raiden didn't back down from his stare. "I'm desperate, Kin. There is no other reason than that. Though I'm only a mortal
now, I can feel the agony of the people in Schatten. Do you know how much it hurts? Not only to feel their pain, but to see
what my brethren have become? Culebra is little more than a sad, blind prince too scared of himself to remove his
bandages - he used to be so proud! Pozhar is a country that lives because they constantly sacrifice. And in the sea, the
mermaids hate their siblings on land. They used to live together - now you are the only evidence that such a thing is even
possible." He pushed on, seeing the indecision in Kindan's face. "And you know what it's like to lose everything. I can't get
back what I lost, but I can start over. That's what I'm doing. When you walked into my office, it seemed as though I'd found

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one more piece. I never meant to hurt anyone, but there are things I have to do."

"And the next time you're desperate? Will you use us then too?"

The crack of lightning startled them both, and they snapped their heads to see where it had struck - the beach, not too far
from the lighthouse.

"If you're both quite finished," Nankyo said irritably from behind them, standing at the head of the stairs. "Honestly, Kinni -
don't you get sick of bickering all the time?"

Kindan ignored the thrill he felt at hearing the nickname spoken so casually. "I'd stop getting into them if people stopped
giving me good reason."

"Oh, yes. Having a friend trust you enough to make you a god is grounds for biting his head off."

"Stay out of this."

"No," Nankyo replied icily, moving to join them at the railing. "We've enough problems looming over us without your
needless anger over every little thing. Aren't you tired of it?"

Kindan clenched his hands into fists. "I'm tired of suddenly not knowing who to trust."

"Do you trust me?" Nankyo asked softly.

Kindan was silent for a long time. Finally he nodded stiffly. "Yes, though Storms knows I probably shouldn't."

"I probably deserved that," Nankyo said dryly. "But if you trust me, then listen to me when I tell you to shut up, accept the
apologies and resign yourself to being a god."

Another long silence, and Kindan finally threw his hands up in defeat. "I don't want to be a god."

"You'll get used to it," Nankyo said as he stepped closer and tilted his head up expectantly.

Kindan complied, sliding a hand into Nankyo's hair and leaning down to kiss him softly. "You're a brat," he murmured
against Nankyo's mouth. "And this is all a bad idea."

Nankyo sighed. "You were willing to believe he could bring me back to life - you may as well just give up and trust him for
the rest."

"So are we done arguing?" Raiden asked quietly.

"Yes," Kindan said, pulling away from Nankyo. "But I'm still mad."

Raiden half-smiled. "Of course. Shall we go find an early dinner and Takara? The four of us have much to discuss." His
half-smile widened into a happy grin. "And I'm glad you two seemed to have settled matters."

Kindan hesitated, then gave up and smiled back.

Chapter Nineteen

"So…this is it?" Takara asked from where he and Kindan stood just shy of the beach, right where the grass began to turn to
sand. The section of beach they'd selected was a wide one; the place where Raiden and Nankyokukai worked was still well
away from the tide. "…Interesting," he said.

It was hard to believe it was all made from sand. Three ropes wove through and around each other in a large circle - a
longer look and Taka realized it wasn't meant to portray rope but the bodies of three dragons. The weaving bodies
eventually worked their way to the inside of the circle, three dragons heads with mouths agape angled toward the very
center of the circle, which was smooth and flat - it almost looked like stone or glass. At three points around the outermost
edge of the circle, the bodies loosed just enough to create three holes in the pattern - each just large enough for a man to
stand in.

They'd finished it the night before, but had vanished shortly after breakfast to look over and double check their work.

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"But it seems like an awful lot of work to go through just to kill someone," Taka continued. When silence fell at his words, he
rolled his eyes and muttered. "It was meant to be a jest…" He sighed and continued. "Why is it so elaborate? Is there
something like this on the island to which we were supposed to be going?"

"The one there is even more intricate," Raiden replied. "Manchou probably spent years creating it. And his was carved into
stone, not formed in sand. But the one he carved differs slightly from this one - the dragons face outward rather than
inward. Manchou's represented power leaving the dragons. This one is power returning."

"I see."

Nankyo looked at his pensive twin. "Are you certain you're all right with this, Taka?"

"The entire situation?" Taka shook his head. "No. It still feels like a dream or some wild story to me. About my dying instead
of you? Yes. Because when it stops feeling like a dream and more like reality, we will both be happier if you are the one
with power."

Nodding, trusting Taka's words, Nankyo turned back to the work at hand. "I see no flaws, as hard as I search for them." He
regarded Raiden.

"Then perhaps we are at last ready."

"When must the ceremony be done?" Kindan asked, regarding the circle with stony apprehension.

Raiden brushed sand from his clothes. "There is no particular time. The more specific a spell is, the greater the chance of
error. The only thing worse than a bad spell done correctly is a spell gone horribly wrong. The only requirements are the
circle, the sacrifice and, in this instance, the Eye and the words of the spells."

"What if we'd not had the Eye?" Nankyo asked curiously.

"It would have come with the first spell - the draining of the magic from the royal family."

A stillness seemed to settle over the four, an air of nervousness. "So…" Taka bit his lip. "Should we have a last meal or
something? I'm afraid my etiquette lessons never extended to a situation such as this."

Nankyo laughed.

Kindan shook his head. "If we are going to do this, I would rather do it as soon as possible. The more I'm left to think about
it, the less inclined I am to go through with it. I don't think I'll fully understand until this is all over with - one way or the other.
The sooner it's over with, the happier I'll be."

"I guess that settles that then," Nankyo said dryly. He posed his own question. "Will we be interrupted at all?"

"No," Raiden said. "We're so far from the village and the house that no one will arrive until we're long done." He considered
Kindan. "Have you memorized the verses I gave you?"

"The first set and most of the second set."

"That should be enough," Raiden replied. A beat of silence. "We can do this whenever you three are ready."

"Ready as I'll ever be," Kindan groused as he left the security of the grass and approached the circle of dragons in the sand.

Taka followed him, walking toward Raiden. "You've explained everything except how the ceremony will actually go."

"Trust me when I say the less you know, the easier things will be. And in your case, Taka, wholly unnecessary. You won't
be present for most of it."

Takara nodded absently, suddenly filled with all the trepidation he'd been doing his best to push away and ignore. He cast a
look at Kindan, who looked even more tense, and received a slight nod. Giving a surer nod of his own, he leaned up on his
toes and gave Raiden a quick, hard kiss. "Then let's do this, before - as Kindan said - we think too much about it."

"Then step into the center," Raiden said softly, giving him another kiss. He took a deep breath as Taka obeyed, fighting his
own trepidation. He motioned for the other two to stand in the gaps in the outer edge of the circle. "Nankyo?"

The prince nodded and pulled his pendant from beneath his robes. A few soft words and the small stone set into it came
free. It shimmered softly in the palm of his hand, and flashed in the air as he tossed it to Takara. Taking a deep breath of

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his own, Nankyokukai began to chant the spell that began the ceremony.

Raiden faced Taka once more, preparing himself to do the single most difficult task in the ceremony.

But in a blur of movement so unlike his usual stillness, Kindan stepped from his own circle directly behind Takara, gripping
him around the head and neck and twisting hard.

Takara collapsed into Kindan's arms, neck bent at an unnatural angle. Gently Kindan laid him out in the center circle. He
looked up at Raiden as he rose and returned to his own spot, face drawn and pale. "He asked me to do it. He didn't want
either of you to have to." Kindan swallowed the urge to explain further, knowing there was no time. His stomach roiled,
seeing what he'd done. But in Takara's place, he would not want his closest friend or lover to have to bear the burden. He
was only grateful that the literal spilling of blood wasn't necessary.

Stunned, Raiden nodded. Clearing his throat, he added his own voice to the spell that Nankyo had begun.

Nankyo, still chanting, looked at Kindan and gave his own nod, fingers going to touch the pendant hanging around his neck.

Shoulders sagging in relief, though his face was still pale, Kindan listened for a moment and then began to chant along with
them, only slightly more hesitant.

The world had faded around them, all their concentration on the spell and the circle in which they stood. In the center, the
gem Takara had been holding floated in the air above him, shining as if it was reflecting light, though the unseen sky above
them was hidden by a mass of black and gray clouds.

The last thing Kindan noticed before the spell captured all his attention was that his hands hurt. If had been able to look
down at them, he would have seen that his nails had dug deeply into his palms.

Only Raiden noticed when Nankyokukai nearly fell to his knees, hugging himself in pain and struggling against a scream,
forcing himself to continue with the spell. And he wished he could have prepared the prince for the pain of having the magic
ripped away - but it was better to leave him ignorant.

And as the first of the two spells came to an end, Nankyo slowly rose back to his full height. The three of them exchanged a
brief glance, a deep breath.

All the magic of the Storm Dragons rested with Taka, ripped from the royal family and held within the sacrifice by the power
of the Eye.

They began the second spell, three voices starting out slowly, carefully, growing in confidence as they continued. Kindan
came to the end of the verses he'd memorized…and kept going, too busy concentrating to wonder how he knew the words
of something he'd never heard before.

In the very center of the circle something began to move beneath Takara's still form. Something that appeared liquid, easy
to mistake for blood. Above him, the Eye shone brighter than ever, keeping tight control over the ceremony. The substance
was absorbed as it reached the open jaws of the sand-made dragons.

The light of the Eye rippled, and it seemed as though the sandy scales rippled with it, like light reflecting on water. The
rippling continued with ever increasing frequency.

Then the dragons seemed to breathe, slowly breaking away from the sand that had made them. They slowly began to
move, weaving in and around each other, as small as and yet larger than the circle that held the ceremony.

One last time the circled, then one by one broke away to each twine around one of the men still chanting, their eyes having
fallen shut in the face of the bright light at the center. The long, sinuous dragons wove up and down, twining back and forth
around the men lost to the spell they were chanting. And here they appeared to be sand, and there they looked very much
alive, until it was hard to tell which one they really were.

Above them thunder shook the sky and earth; lightning flashed so bright it stung the eyes of all who caught so much of as a
glimpse of it. But though the clouds were heavy and black, no rain fell.

In a final burst of movement and light, the sand dragons vanished.

Raiden's eyes slid slowly open, a light and strength to them that had not before been present. A simple motion of his hand
and the Eye vanished. Takara rippled with light and everything stilled.

Nothing remained of the intricate circle but the three standing where the edge had once been. And Takara still lying in the

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sand, his neck no longer broken.

Kindan drew a sharp gasp of breath, as though he had been startled awake. He glanced around him - at the island, the
ocean, the sky. Drawing a slower, calmer breath, he shook his head and moved to assist Nankyokukai, who had dropped to
his knees in the sand. He held out his hand and helped Nankyo to his feet, sliding an arm around his waist and using the
feel and warmth of the prince to steady himself. They watched Raiden in silence.

Kneeling, Raiden lifted Taka into his arms, caressing his cheek with his thumb. "Taka," he said softly, then more firmly when
there was no response. "Taka!"

Slowly Takara opened his eyes, fighting hard with the heavy sleepiness pressing down on him. "Raiden?" He tried to sit up,
but gave up the struggle a moment later and yawned, allowing Raiden to hold his weight. He blinked, and lifted a hand to
softly touch Raiden's cheek. "You look…happy." Beneath the realization of what he was staring at, the awareness of the
balance of power between the other three began to make itself felt, and his weariness slowly fell away. "Like…you've looked
happy before…but not like this." He smiled. "I guess you look whole."

Raiden smiled and stood, embracing Takara tightly. His smile turned into a grin and he began to laugh from sheer joy.

Nankyo shook his head slowly back and forth, both amused and bemused.

Kindan sighed. "This is going to take getting used to." He tilted his head, watching Raiden laugh. "Though having all this
power, I wonder how Raiden survived the loss of it." Along the shoreline, the waves had begun attacking the sand with more
fervor than they had before. Kindan frowned and shook his head slightly back and forth. The waves eased. "Definitely need
time to learn to cope."

"I don't know how he lived without it either," Nankyo agreed. "It was almost more than I could take to lose my magic and
compared to this…" His eyes flashed like sunlight on water. "My magic was for children. I had no idea…" He smiled at
Kindan, a taunting smirk Kin knew too well. "But I don't think it will take long to adjust to the change."

Kindan rolled his eyes.

Still smiling, Nankyo stepped out of Kindan's arms and further onto the beach, looking up at the sky still black with storm
clouds. His laughter joined Raiden's as he threw his arms out wide, palms up--

--And rain began to pour down on the Dragons of the Three Storms.

"So what happens now?" Taka asked. His hair was still damp, soaking the collar of his dark orange robe, as he sat curled
up on a thick rug before the fireplace in the largest of three sitting rooms in Raiden's house. Unlike the other rooms in the
house, this one was mostly lacking in windows; there only one relatively small picture window facing inland, a view of dark
trees and the red-orange of a setting sun. Inside, the sitting room was done in dark tones of brown and red and green, the
floor covered in elaborately woven rugs imported from Pozhar. Only the fireplace and a handful of lamps cast light in the
secluded room.

"Now we wait," Raiden said from where he sat in a deep chair nearby, legs crossed beneath the folds of his jade-green
robes. His hair for once was completely unbound, the midnight-blue strands absorbing the light of the fire and appearing
almost black. "It is up to the other gods to return by their own power. We will help some, but by and large they must do it for
themselves."

"What about Kundou?" This question Takara posed to Nankyo, reclining on a settee set further away from the fire. His
robes were the shade of the blush wine set on a small table, a stripped sash of various shades of green around his waist.
Standing behind him, Kindan was much more somberly dressed in a simple black tunic, though the sash at his waist was the
color of Nankyo's hair.

Nankyo smiled in his taunting, challenging way. "Authority has been stripped from all but one of the royal family. We have
given Umiko her chance. As the gods are responsible for their own return, it is up to Umiko to succeed as Queen or to fail."

"You're the gods of Kundou," Taka said, confused. "You're supposed to take care of them."

Kindan shook his head slowly, trying to shake his thoughts into an arrangement he could understand. He spoke slowly, as if
not quite certain why he was saying what he was. "If Kundou wanted to rule itself then let it. We will be there should they
really need us. Until then, our duties lie with our brethren and the creature that lurks in Schatten."

Nankyo laughed softly and twisted to lay face up on the settee he reclined on, lifting a hand up toward Kindan. "You're
adjusting nicely."

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"I have a choice?" Kindan groused, though his lips twitched. He caught the hand tugging playfully at his sash and squeezed
it gently before releasing it.

"So we wait here?" Takara asked.

"No, we don't." Nankyo sat up, pale robes swishing softly as he swung his legs to the floor. "I for one have a ship to catch
and I sense that before too long Zhar Ptitka will require our assistance."

Takara paused in fussing with his hair and looked at his twin. "Seeing the future?"

"No. But I can sense where the wind will blow." Nankyo stood up. "And there are other matters that must be seen to, the
sooner the better." Behind him Kindan grimaced. "We will make for Kundou and see with our own eyes how they fare." He
tucked a strand of hair behind his ear. "I will see to it that your mother knows you're all right. Is there anyone else?"

"There is none," Taka said with a soft shake of his head. "She was my main concern, and she can handle whomever might
seek her out to ask. So you're leaving now?" He frowned. "No time like the present, I suppose…"

Nankyo smiled. "We'll be back eventually. I didn't realize just how many chores came with godhood." He paused as Raiden
laughed, and resumed when it died down. "And we will not get used to being gods by remaining here."

"So what exactly do I do?" Takara asked unhappily. "I thought being the Eye would mean something a bit more than just
feeling whenever the three of you used your powers. I feel like a ship, constantly having to adjust to the sea. Or perhaps a
scale, with the balance always shifting…"

Raiden held out his hand and tugged Taka into his lap. "That is your purpose - you keep the balance. Of all of us you are
probably the most powerful. Without you, we would lose control of the Storms and perish. Never forget that."

Takara nodded and kissed Raiden before standing again. He moved toward Nankyo and Kindan, who were waiting by the
door. "It's still strange, Kyo, to look at you and know I look the same."

Nankyo grinned. "If you ever get bored, we can always use glamours." He reached out and dragged Takara into a loose
embrace, turning serious. "Take care, Taka. If you ever need to get away, make sure one of us is with you."

"I know." Taka sighed softly, hugging Nankyo back. "Stay out of trouble."

"Oh, don't worry." Kindan interjected. "He will."

Taka laughed and pulled away. "Shall we walk you to your ship?"

"No," said Nankyo. "You'd just have to listen to us bicker." He slid his gaze to Raiden, who had remained by the fire. "We'll
keep you informed."

"Of course. Be careful. Go no closer to Schatten than you absolutely must."

"As I said before," Kindan said dryly. "He won't be getting into trouble."

Nankyo rolled his eyes but said nothing. With a last farewell, they departed.

Takara stood watching the door for a moment, then shrugged and returned slowly the fireplace. "Everything seems
strangely normal, all things considered."

"The stranger things are, the harder people work to make them appear normal. Would you feel better if I assumed my
dragon form?" Raiden smiled and dragged Taka back into his lap, wrapping arms firmly around his waist to keep him there.
"Would that be suitably strange for you?"

His comment gave Takara pause. "You can do that?"

Raiden laughed hard. "Yes, Taka. I'll show you sometime."

"As hard as Nankyo tries, I can see it's all rather disconcerting to him at times. Kindan, I think, will never be entirely
comfortable. But you seem fazed not at all. It really is like you were finally made whole, isn't it?" He stroked Raiden's
cheeks with his thumbs, sliding his hand back to bury them in Raiden's thick, dark hair.

"It's true I never forgot what it felt like to know the winds and the sea - but Taka you never saw me before I saw you.
Perhaps now I have the last piece that was missing, but you were the one that brought me back to life."

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Taka shook his head, bemused. "If you say so. All I did was fight you for a necklace." But he didn't protest when Raiden
drew him closer, but wrapped his arms around Raiden's neck and curled against him.

"I do say so, and as I am a god what I say is final."

Taka gave a soft laugh. "I love you too."

Epilogue

"Having fun yet?" Nankyo asked with a playful grin, arms spread wide as he stood with his back to the wind. His hair and
pale blue robes flew out before him, as his grin turned into a laugh at the glower Kindan gave him. The sun was high above
them in a clear blue sky and the water stretched on endlessly around them.

"You're just gloating."

"So?"

"So stop it," Kindan replied, trying and failing to remain annoyed. It was hard to in the face of being able to control not just
his ship - without a crew - but also the ocean. That aside, it was hard to resist the man before him.

Nankyo lifted his chin in challenge. "Make me."

Kindan's eyes grew heated at the words and he closed the space between them to do just that, cradling Nankyo's head in
his hands and taking the mouth that was offered to him. "You taste awfully sweet for someone with such a tart mouth,
Koori," he murmured against Nankyo's mouth, nibbling at his lips before tasting deeper, swallowing his soft chuckle.

But he stiffened a moment later, good humor vanishing like a clear sky taken by a squall. "I don't want them on my ship," he
said firmly.

Nankyo pulled away, expression reprimanding. "You knew all along this would come up. You can't avoid them forever."

"I can avoid them longer than three days," Kindan snapped. "It's easy for you to tell me it has to be done - but you're the not
the one battling with love and hate."

Nankyo turned icy. "Certainly I know nothing about warring emotions."

"That's not what I meant."

Whatever Nankyo might have said in reply was prevented by the sound of splashing water and feet on wood.

Face tight, Kindan looked toward the bow of the ship. He didn't protest when Nankyo moved to stand in front of him. If he
was willing to take the lead, Kindan was more than willing to let him.

Nankyo realized he recognized the nearer of the two mermaids - the one who had climbed aboard their ship what seemed
like a lifetime ago. But this time her strange, beautiful face was unclouded by anger and disgust - instead she looked at
them in fear and wonder. Her waist was still wrapped round and round with shells and all manner of pearls, more of the
same at her wrists and throat, and tangled in her light green hair

Just behind her was a shorter, more full-figured mermaid. Rather than loose, her pale lavender hair was braided with thick
ropes of dark pearls. More of the black pearls were around her throat, wrists, and ankles. But at her waist she had nothing
but dark colored shells.

The green-haired mermaid took a few cautious steps forward, eyes wide with shock as she realized what she was seeing.
"It-it-it can't be."

"It is," Nankyo said coldly. "And you, daughters, have much for which you must atone."

The lavender-haired mermaid lost her wariness to anger. "We did everything for the Storms! We were not the ones who
betrayed you!"

"One man betrayed us, not all of humanity. Not only did you abandon your brothers, you fed on them to sustain yourselves.
Perhaps you did not betray us, daughters, but you let us down. That is little better." Thunder echoed across the sky, distant
but effective.

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The mermaids dropped to their knees, heads bowed in contrition. "What must we do to atone, Lord…" the mermaid
hesitated, realizing she no longer knew the proper names.

"I am Nankyokukai." He motioned to Kindan, silent and tense just behind him. "This is Kindan. And as you well know,
daughters," he looked meaningfully at the green-haired one as he spoke. "You will have to do much to earn his
forgiveness."

"Yes, Lord Nankyokukai."

"Your names?"

"I am Shio," the green-haired mermaid said quietly, head still bowed. "My sister is Shinju."

Nankyo nodded. "Shio, Shiinju. Since the two of you were the ones to climb aboard, you will be the ones to earn
forgiveness for all your sisters."

"Yes, Lord Nankyokukai."

"Go to the Firelands. Search out the Candidate and watch him, keep him safe. Pozhar cheats and the Candidate will not
become Zhar Ptitka if he is not given a fair chance to do so."

"My-my Lord!" Shiinju protested. "How do we even know who this Candidate might be? And you can not truly mean for us to
go to the Firelands."

Nankyo's expression was enough to render them silent. "You will go to the Firelands. The Candidate you will know by his
heat. Keep him alive and you will have earned your forgiveness. Am I understood?"

The mermaids nodded. "Yes, Lord Nankyokukai."

"Then go."

Rising to their feet, the mermaids wasted no time in departing, arching gracefully into the water. In seconds, Nankyo and
Kindan were once more alone on the Kumiko. "You'll have to forgive them eventually, Kinni."

Kindan sighed. "I will." He held his hand out to Nankyo and tugged him close, running his fingers slowly up and down
Nankyo's spine, making him shiver. "If you're done flexing your godly muscle, may we continue?"

"Continue with what?" Nankyo asked, even as he wrapped his arms around Kindan neck.

Kindan laughed against his mouth. "Making you behave."

"Is that what they call it?" Nankyo murmured.

"It's as close as you'll ever get," Kindan replied, and kissed him.

Prayer

"Not your pearls," Midori snapped. "You're being stupid."

Aoi yanked his arm free from where she clung to it, glaring coldly. "They are mine, I will do as I see fit."

"Calm down, Aoi," another villager interjected. Aoi rather thought it was none of his business. It was no one's business but
his own. "Midori is correct, you are being foolish. What are you going to do? Sell them to venture off on some rescue
mission? The best thing for us to do is wait."

"Yes," said another villager. "Show some sense."

"Sell?" Aoi demanded scathingly, disgusted with the lot of them. "I would never sell something so precious as my mother's
pearls."

Another villager snorted. "What, then, do you plan to do with them?"

"Make an offering," Aoi said, flushing when everyone laughed.

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"An offering, he says!" Yet another villager exclaimed. "Oh, what nonsense. You are as foolish as your mother, Aoi."

Aoi turned and stormed off, snarling when Midori tried once more to halt him, ignoring the sting of the rocks as they dug into
his bare feet.

His mother had never been foolish. She had always believed in the gods, even when everyone else forgot them. Not once,
even in hardship, had her faith wavered. What about that was laughable?

He did not want to part with the pearls. Delicate pink, a gift from his father, who had collected the pearls himself over the
course of ten years and had them strung into a necklace before he finally proposed to her.

Finally he reached the temple that rest high on a cliff overlooking the vast ocean beyond, the white beach below. It was
faded, neglected, but even during the storm which had raged a year ago it had stood strong. His mother had come here
every day of her life – even the day his father died, the day she died, she had come here.

The temple was in a fairly central location – many villages were near enough to it that they made frequent use. Though he
did not often see people, occasionally he saw one or two, and over the years their faces had become familiar. It had always
made his mother happy to know she was not the only one who still worshipped in their remote corner of the world

Aoi had always come with her, barring the one time he had simply been too sick to move.

He gripped the pearls more tightly in his hand and stepped into the temple. It was all pillars and open space, the floor made
of beautiful iridescent tiles in shades of blue and green.

At the far end of the temple was a shallow pool of water. Above it the temple ceiling was open to the sky, that the pool was
kept every filled by the not infrequent rain showers.

Climbing the few steps, he knelt and dropped the pearls into the pool, watching them sink the bottom. From time to time he
had glimpsed other offerings, though eventually everything vanished.

His mother had always taught that offering should always be made – the finest of the fish their father caught, the best shells
he found on the beach, whatever fine oddities washed upon the shore near their little hut.

If one was so daring as to ask the gods something, then the offering must be the equal of the request. It would not do to
offer a mere fish if one hoped to be granted a great boon. His mother had also cautioned requesting certain gods – they
none of them were exactly alike, and it would not do to beg a favor of the wrong one. Neither did each god accept the same
offering – what one saw as grand, the other might only sneer upon.

Aoi had no idea to which god he should appeal. He was too nervous even to pick one, and had no idea what manner of
offering each god preferred. Even his mother had not known. Such knowledge, she said, had long been lost.

So he could only offer up the pearls, his most precious possession, and hope it was enough.

Moving back down the steps, he knelt and clasped his hand together as his mother had done a thousand times before. Holy
Dragons, hear my feeble request. Bring Nori back home. Nori whom he had long loved, whom he wanted to be safe though
his ship had been due back months ago. No news had ever come, good or bad, and the village only continued to fret and
fret and wait for word that never came.

Yet they laughed at him for wanting to make an offer.

He focused on his prayers, driving all else out. Holy Dragons of the Three Storms, fathers and protectors of Kundou, please
grant the wish of this foolish child and return to me the man I love. Mostly humbly do I beg you to grant me this one boon,
and offer in return all that I have to give. He would offer more than pearls if only he had it, and for the first time hated he
was only a poor and simple fisherman.

The sun had gone down by the time he finally ceased his prayers, though he had repeated the wish so long it echoed still in
his head as he stood. With a groan he stretched out his limbs, hearing joints crack and pop, and tried not to think of all the
work he must do by candlelight tonight to make up for the hours spent in the temple.

He turned – and yelped.

The stranger's mouth quirked in amusement. "I was attempting not to frighten you."

Aoi shook his head. "I did not even hear you come in. I bet your pardon, if you have been waiting your turn all the while."

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"It is of no concern," the man said with a shrug.

He tried not to stare, but it was hard. The man's like he had never before seen. He was beautiful, and so shockingly white.
Against his simple dark tunic and pants, the high boots favored by sailors, his white skin nearly seemed to glow. His hair
was cropped short, and from one ear dangled a single pearl that put his entire strand to shame – perfectly, flawlessly black,
a breathtaking contrast against his white skin.

"You seemed rather ardent in your prayers," the man continued. "Not once did you so much as move a muscle." His eyes
were gray, and so sharp, and as he moved closer Aoi could smell the sea upon him – definitely a sailor. "You must be
wishing for gold or love."

Aoi flushed. "I would not know what to do with gold, except perhaps surrender it in hopes of having my prayers heard. But
please, I will be off and out of your way. I am sorry I kept you waiting so long."

The man shrugged again. "I have nowhere to be but my ship, and this is a fine enough temple, especially for its age. You
would attempt to purchase love?"

He was tempted to ignore the question, but something about the man's eyes just compelled him to answer. "No – that would
be stupid. The chief did that with his wife, and they do naught but scream at one another now. I want only for Nori to return
home safe."

"Nori is your lover?" the man asked.

Aoi shook his head. "No. I…" He hesitated, feeling foolish to confess such things to a total stranger…but he looked again
into those eyes, gray with a bit of blue he had not noticed before. "I love him, but he is not my lover."

"You have never told him how you feel?"

"It is complicated," Aoi said, and felt stupid with the words said aloud.

The man's mouth quirked again, and for a moment he looked briefly annoyed. "Love always is. Your love is a sailor."

A statement rather than a question, but Aoi nodded as though in answer. "Yes. His ship, the Sunrise, has been lost at sea
these past few months."

"That is a name I know," the man replied. "It has yellow sails."

Aoi startled. "Yes! You know of Nori's ship?"

"Aye," the man replied, smiling ever so briefly, and it eased the severe lines of his strange beauty. "Its Captain fell ill, and
has been stuck in port in Pozhar. I believe that put it a month behind schedule, and it would be working hard to recover the
losses incurred by so much downtime. No doubt it is even now headed home."

"Truly?" Aoi asked.

"I swear it," the man replied.

Aoi could not contain himself. "You have brought me great news indeed, dear stranger. I can never repay you for it. Thank
you."

"It costs me nothing to relate what I know of the ships I see," the man said. "I can see you want to run home and tell your
fellows. Please, do."

He wanted to argue, to make some show of gratitude, but even as he thought it he was racing off to share what he had
learned, oblivious to all but the fact that Nori was alive, and safe, and would be coming home.

Soft laughter wafted through the temple. Kin glanced toward the altar, the beautiful figure standing before it, absently
admiring the pearl necklace he had fetched from the pool. "You are a soft touch, Kin."

"I am not soft," Kin snapped, refusing to feel flustered. "He was loud. I wanted a bit of quiet."

Kyo chuckled warmly and stepped down from the altar space, walking toward him slowly, long hair rippling, moonlight
making the jewels within it flash, adding a shimmer to his blue and silver robes. "Mm, yes, my wholly unromantic sailor. That

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is why you always hear such prayers more clearly than the rest of us, because you are not a soft touch at all."

"Shut up, brat prince," Kin muttered, and bent his head to kiss Kyo deeply, if only to silence him, and perhaps because love
was complicated, but always worth any sacrifice, and he would always listen to those who were willing to make them.

Reborn

He wanted to scream. Cry. Shout his rage and grief and pain to the sky above.

All these desires, however, were muted. He was simply too numb to muster the energy for passionate protest.

The world was a strange, foreign place. Too still, too quiet. He could not hear the hopes and dreams of his children. The
voices of his brothers and sisters –

He cut the thought off before madness took him. It swam just beneath the surface of the mind-numbing cold.

All that he was used to hearing and feeling…gone. Simple as that. He knew nothing but that which was provided by the
most basic of senses. The smell of the sea, the coarse sand beneath his feet, the cold bite of the water as it raced up the
beach.

The voices, the prayers…he could not even hear the call of the sea or the song of the sky. Everything was gone.

What was he to do? Why should he do anything? Everything he'd ever loved was dead…

It wasn't fair. All they had made and given, and for what? To end like this?

They all should be grateful he was weak and helpless…

No…

That was not the way to think.

What was he to do now?

He was free, at least. That meant all was not yet lost.

Nothing but water stretched on for miles, familiar and foreign all at once. He could no longer hear it, speak to it…but…

Shivering against the cold air and colder water, he waded into the sea. Pain lanced through his foot as he stepped on
something sharp. Jerking away, his other foot caught on something out of sight and he went down with a cry that was
quickly choked off as he swallowed water.

He came up sputtering, flailing, forcibly reminded that he was not what he once had been.

It was a hard thing to accept.

Neither was he terribly strong anyway, but weak from all that had so recently passed.

He suspected not wearing a single stitch of clothing would not improve matters. But he could not stay here, to remain was to
fail before he'd even begun to fight. Somehow or another, he must get back to civilization. If only…

There was no point dwelling on impossibilities.

Slowly standing up, he shoved back the wet and tangled strands of his long hair. The very moment he was able, it was
getting cut. Once it had been a fine thing to let it fall all down his back. Now it was a nuisance, especially as it would seem
he had no choice but to throw himself upon the mercy of the sea that no longer understood him.

Taking a deep breath, tamping down on the panic that still threatened to break free, he waded more carefully into deeper
water – then dove straight into the water where depth made it violet rather than blue.

He kept swimming, ignoring pain, fear, so many things he'd never had cause to feel before. Not like this.

The seas would not let him down. Someway, somehow…they would help. They must help.

AmaSour Fiction

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*~*~*

"Oi, there!"

He jerked awake at a hard smack to his face, blinking uncomprehendingly at the face all but right up against his own.

"You're alive," the man grunted, and moved back slightly. "I bet you've a fascinating story to tell."

"T-thank you," he said, shivering, clinging gratefully to the rough-spun blanket wrapped around him. He tried to stand, but
collapsed gracefully back to the deck of the ship.

So he'd been rescued.

The man still watching grunted. "Got a name, stranger? Was your ship taken down by those sea witches?"

What?

He struggled to think, and opened his mouth to give his name – then snapped it shut again. "I…don't remember…"

"Not surprised," the man grunted. "If I wound up in the sea naked as the day I was born and blue from cold, I don't think I'd
want to remember either. Come on, then. To my cabin. Food and brandy will warm you right up."

An hour later he did feel considerably warmer, and suspected that he would live. Whether or not that was disappointing, he
didn't feel like pondering at the moment.

He still didn't know what to do. So much must be accomplished…his power must be taken back…

Thinking of all that had passed, and all that must come, he felt more tired than he thought should be possible. Had he ever
felt so exhausted? Drained? He did not ponder the answer, for fear of what images might surface.

"You look like you've the weight of the world on your shoulders, lad," the man said gruffly. "Certain you don't remember
anything?"

He shook his head. "No…I remember far too many deaths, and that I should be numbered among the corpses…somehow I
am not."

"Blessing of the Storm Dragons, that is," the man said wisely.

An hysterical fit of laughter threatened, and he knocked back the brandy left in his glass to drowned it.

"My name is Raiden," the man said, scrubbing a hand through short, deep green hair. His eyes were the same color, and
held a sharp focus as Raiden stared at him. "Captain Takumi Raiden of the merchant ship The Maiden's Heart."

"Thank you again for rescuing me, Captain," he said.

Raiden grunted again. "Anywhere we can drop you, lad?"

"I don't suppose you are returning to Kundou?" Lad. Ha! Him, a lad. If he thought he could laugh without sobbing, he would
find that hilarious

"Aye, that we are. Have to make port in Verde first, but then we're headed home again."

He nodded. "Then, if you are willing, I need to return to Kundou."

"Even though you don't remember what you're doing in the middle of storming no where?"

"Yes," he said softly, staring into his empty glass.

"You're a strange one, no mistake. I don't suppose you've remembered a name yet?"

He shook his head. "I have no name…not…not anymore…"

"Well, I suppose we can't go around calling you drowned rat or what all. Recall any experience with ships? Recall being
good at anything?"

His mouth quirked in a smile, and it surprised him. "I remember ships," he said. "I remember the sea."

AmaSour Fiction

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"I'd imagine you won't be forgetting the sea for some time. Can you read? Write?"

Could he? Were the words still the same, after all the years that had passed? "I think so," he finally said. "You rescued me.
I would imagine I can do whatever you need."

Bitterness washed through him, to think of what he could do – and what he could not. Mortality chafed. Weak, that's all he
was now! Pathetic and helpless, relying upon his own children to clothe and feed him, to fight off the terrible cold that once
he would have relished and enjoyed.

He shivered and wished for more brandy, for it brought a heat and numbness that he was more than happy to enjoy.
Anything was better than thinking. Certainly anything was better than feeling.

Setting his glass down, he rubbed his hands up and down his arms, attempting to ward off a chill he sensed he would never
be rid of. Alone, that's what he was now. He would always be alone, now. Who was left that cared about him?

No one.

All the emotions he kept buried slowly threatened to shatter the surface calm. He closed his eyes and drew in slow, deep
breaths.

A hand settled on his shoulder, startling him.

"Oi, lad. Whatever troubles you, it can't be so bad as that," Raiden said gruffly. "At any rate, it does you no good to dwell
upon it here, when there is nothing to be done. If it's Kundou you need, then we'll see to it you are returned to Kundou."

He nodded, humbled.

Perhaps there were reasons to fight, even if he must fight alone.

He stared at his hands, seeing blood, a pale body far too still in his arms. The deep, cold pain of a forbidden spell. Years of
pain, and still more pain as his brothers vanished forever to give him this last, desperate chance.

Kindness from a man who had no reason to give it.

Maybe he could do this…though he still had no idea where to start.

Slowly he looked up again. "I appreciate the kindness, and I hope you will let me return it in full. I do not know what skills I
possess, but they are at your disposal."

Raiden grinned. "I'm certain we'll find a way to put you to use. For now, I think sleep is what you most need. Go and find a
hammock, and tomorrow we'll see what you're made of."

Everything and nothing, he almost answered, but caught himself at the last.

When Raiden summoned the cabin boy to show him to a hammock, he went gladly. Barely had he settled when he dropped
off into sleep.

*~*~*

"Shima!"

He looked up at the sound of his name – though it still was so hard to associate the name with himself – and frowned in
concern. "What's wrong?"

"Captain needs you," the cabin boy said.

Shimano stood and brushed off his breeches, lacing up the shirt he'd loosened while he worked inside the hot confines of
the cargo hold. "Is something wrong?"

The cabin boy nodded, but said nothing.

Ah. Shimano's mouth tightened. He would get that stubborn idiot to retire or else. He should have done so years ago.
Shaking his head, he snatched up the scarf he'd pulled off earlier because of the heat and retied the plain green square of
fabric neatly over the top of his head before swiftly making his way back up the main deck.

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Striding down the gangway, he hastened to the offices and warehouse that were the headquarters of Raiden Shipping.

Captain Raiden sat in a chair beside the fire, and Shimano saw instantly why the cabin boy had summoned him. Though he
was putting up a strong front, Shima could see that he was barely managing it. Of late, the illness lodged in his chest had
taken a turn for the worse.

He hated it, hated that he was too weak and pathetic to help the first of his children to make him almost happy he was still
alive.

Not that he felt alive…but he did not feel quite dead either. Over time, perhaps, he would feel something like his old self. He
doubted it, but just in the past seven years many of his doubts had been proven false…so he held out hope.

One day he would be fully on his own feet again. He hated being fully at the mercy of the world he'd helped make, but there
was no help for it. He was more or less mortal now, and must play the mortal way.

First, however, he had to help Raiden.

Striding across to the little meeting alcove, he thought belatedly that it might have been wiser to change. Then again, he
hadn't realized he would be dealing with some of Raiden's customers. Faded breeches and sweaty shirt would have to do.
At least he'd tied his dratted hair back; even cut to his shoulders the storming stuff did not want to stay put and out of his
way.

He struggled not to remember the way it had once been caressed by sky and sea and the fingers of the one he'd loved
beyond and above all others.

"Good evening, gentlemen, lady," he said, sweeping a deep bow. Such mannerisms were strange to him, but amusing.
Flicking a glance over them quickly, he took in their clothes, their scent, their jewels, and risked a guess. "You are here for
the Pozhar tapestries. If you would be so kind, I will take you to them."

They look confused, eyes flicking between him and the amiably smiling – but probably about to succumb to a coughing fit, if
not pass out – Captain.

"He's the most familiar with them," Raiden said, still smiling, but his eyes so full of pain. "I assure you, he can discuss
matters with far more intelligence than I."

Shima almost snorted at that. Of course he could. He'd provoked Zhar by stealing half of them when they were first made.
Arashi had stolen the other half.

Motioning, he quickly coaxed the confused couple away, guiding them to the warehouse to view the tapestries.

An hour later, he saw them off and went back to Raiden, grinning in triumph.

Raiden, stretched out in a small bed in his office, laughed weakly. "You've a natural talent for fleecing people, lad. You are
wasted even on being my supercargo."

"You should be at home," Shima chided. "Not here."

"Bah!' Raiden said, waving a hand dismissively. "I need to talk to you, and it's impossible to talk at my house with all those
nagging women fluttering about!"

Shima's mouth curved in a smile "Your wife and daughters, you mean?"

"Aye," Raiden said, mouth twitching. "Those very ones. A beautiful wife and three loving daughters, but I've not a single son
to take care of them when I'm gone."

"I'm sure your daughters will marry well," Shima said, moving to sit next to him as Raiden flapped and motioned. "Your wife
is hardly the sort to let anyone but you attempt to order her about."

Raiden snorted. "I've yet to meet a woman that took orders she didn't feel like taking."

Shima laughed softly

"There's a gift for you, there," Raiden said abruptly, voice as gruff as it had ever been. He motioned to a chest in front of the
massive desk on the far side of the room. "Everything in it is yours. I don't want to hear a word of complaint, lad, understand
me?"

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Frowning, Shima crossed the room and pushed open the lid of the trunk. He stared down quietly at the contents. "The
keys?" he asked softly.

"To here, the warehouse, my house, the lockboxes…all of it, and well you know."

"You should not be giving me these things," Shima said quietly. He reached out to touch a small scroll, tied with a dark blue
ribbon and lying atop a bundle of bright, colorful silk. "What is this?" he asked softly.

Raiden started to speak, but fell instead into a terrible coughing fit. Shima strode back across the room and fetched the tonic
that helped ease the cough.

Storms, he hated himself in moments like this. What good was there in being alive, when he could do nothing for his
children when they most needed him? This one man he wanted so badly to help, and all he could do was watch him die…

All the wisdom of creation meant very little when such things were right in front of your eyes. Once he could do so much…
now he could do nothing…

Finally the coughing eased, and Raiden glared at him. "Get cleaned up, get dressed. You need to look sharp for once, not
like the humble little sailor you play at being."

Shima quirked a brow at him, but did not argue.

Striding back across the room, he knelt to examine the folded silk within the trunk. With a soft sigh, he stood and stripped,
washing off at the basin set on a table nearby. Clean again, he lifted the costly fabric from the trunk and slowly dressed.

When had he last felt such fabrics against his skin? Did he even deserve such finery? No, he most certainly did not. How to
make a stubborn old man see that?

Even a dragon, it seemed, did not have the answers for everything.

Still, he could not deny he liked them.

Loose, dark gray pants, tucked into short boots of highly-polished black leather. Over that, a thin under robe of palest silver.
An outer robe of deepest blue, stars cut out of the fabric to show the silver beneath.

The sash…the mark of any true Kundouin was his sash, and this would put even the royal family – he fought back a snarl of
anger at the thought of those who were descended from that traitor – to great shame.

It was dyed myriad shades of silver, rippling like moonlight on water. Sparkling caught the corner of his eye, and he saw
that further treasures remained in the trunk. Long strands of pearls and moonstones, meant to be wrapped and strung
through the sash.

Swiftly he bound all in place – and saw one last scrap of fabric in the trunk.

A large square of blue fabric, decorated with silver stars.

He smiled faintly, an ache in his chest, and swiftly bound the kerchief over the top of his head.

Finally he scooped up the small scroll and strode back across the room.

"Do I pass muster?" he asked.

"Aye, that you do," Raiden said quietly. "I hope you're not going to argue me over the adoption."

Shima shook his head, amused despite himself. A dragon, adopted by one of his own children. It was funny and charming
and sweet and sad. "Arguing with you is like arguing with the tide."

Raiden let out a sharp bark of laughter at that. "Aye, you've got the right of it. Well, come on then, let's get me ready to go
and tonight you'll be my son." He motioned to the office. "Then I can finally make someone else do all this so those storming
women will stop nagging me."

Slowly he got Raiden standing and dressed, managing to force down more tonic.

At last ready, Raiden led the way out, slapping Shima on the back and grinning. "Shimano Raiden. Has a nice ring to it, eh?
"

AmaSour Fiction

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"Yes," Shima said, returning the smile. "It does."

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