There were forty attendants in the Tower City, only forty. The Emperor had been gone most of the time, his daughter, Zao Hanahaksu, was usually left to study in the Library. Qu was her teacher most days, there were no other children in the Tower City. Those that remained were a few of Ho's Priesthood and the beastkin who wouldn't leave. Five Nyankin and thirteen Espers guarded while the other 32 assistants were Qu's personal harem.
The Empress was due to arrive shortly, she would be the first to return this time. It was the Emperor's turn to spend some extra time at study, enlightenment happened a lot easier when left to ones own devices.
"Mother!" Hana ran up, she had a book in her arms. It was one of the Dragon King's blacksmith manuals.
Kuzunoha wrapped her arms around Hana. "So this is what you've been up to?" Kissing her daughter on the head, the Empress walked her back to the library. Qu had produced a second remote token for her, but walking was always better when trying to spend time talking to someone. Kuzunoha was thankful that daughter wasn't mischievous like her father.
"Mhmm. but, I have some questions about why he would put cores into a blade at all. Some of these designs don't do the owners justice and seem like a waste of materials." Hana was 13, Her parents were returning for her birthday, she was turning 14.
Kuzunoha sighed, 'she's just like her father.. always thinking and working.' "Come along, its time I made you some dinner.
She went down to the kitchens and stood in front of a chopping block. She hacked up some monster meat, it was bright red and gave off a static aura. "This soup should taste pretty good in about an hour." Cutting up some herbs and vegetables, the soup turned into a potion-like substance. Kuzunoha put her hand on the pan, heating it and searing the meat. When it was fully seared she dumped it into the mixture. A bright purple aura came wafting out.
"Mmm.. This smells good." Hana loved it when her mother would cook. "When is father coming back?" She kicked at the counter while sitting in a chair.
"He'll be back later this evening, He wanted to go visit your uncle and make some arrangements." Kuzunoha went outside onto the balcony and stared at the clouds. "You know, you're growing up very fast. Your father was the same way, always toiling on something. It was what made me fall in love with him in the first place." The Empress smiled and took off her crown.
Sitting down, she tapped on the bench for Hanahaksu to join her. "My child, we're going to be gone a lot for the next few years. Our next mission could keep us away for longer than that. You're going to come of age by then, we have much to discuss." Kuzunoha hugged Hana.
"I don't understand? You're already gone so much.. why are you leaving for so long?" Hana's eyes started to water, ever since she was a child both of her parents were constantly off on missions and constantly doing things in secret without her.
"Its grown up stuff, you'll understand one day. The Empire is still at War, more than a decade of fighting and we're still there..." Kuzunoha's eyes seemed hollow for a moment. "Don't worry about it too much, your Father and I have been doing everything possible to end the War."
Hana didn't know what to say. She stood up and wiped her face. "If you're going, don't leave me here. I want to go to school, I want to be around others my age. I want to train, that way you won't leave me behind again." She knelt down next to her mother and cried in her lap. "I'm so tired of being here, its boring. I've read so much of the library and I've almost never seen the outside of this fortress."
Kuzunoha stared quietly at the top of Hanahaksu's head. "Daughter, we've never abandoned you. We've always left you in good care with Qu and the Tower City. I know its boring for a child, when I was your age, all I ever did was train. It was a hard life, you will have a long life, much longer than you believe. Enjoy your youth."
"How can I enjoy anything when I'm the only one here? I've been alone for years. I'm sick of it!" Hana got up and stormed off to her room.
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"Qu!" The Empress was sad, she called Qu over. "What have you been doing for the past year? Hana is crying." Her voice crackled a little bit from the concern.
"She's been like that since you left the last time, no matter what route I take, she cries. I think its time you send her to the Sect or do the traditional thing and send her out until she finds her quest. To tell you the truth, the Pagoda never had a female owner. I'm unsure how their coming of age traditions work. Typically, high profile women are made vassals of the Sect, tribe or kingdoms. They serve in the capacity of brides to bridge relationships." Qu was honest about a few things, but Kuzunoha had already heard them before. The Emperor and her had talked many times about their daughters future.
A Black sphere emerged in the middle of the Lobby. Qu could feel its presence and he alerted the Empress of his arrival. They both teleported to join him.
"Sweetheart, you're back." Kuzunoha came up to Wu Hai's chest. When they met, their Elemental cores brightened.
"Of course, how are my lovely women?" He looked around the room and didn't see Hanahaksu. "Where's Hana?"
Kuzunoha smiled, "She's having a hard time being here all alone, I tried to talk to her about our upcoming mission and it didn't really go over well. My love, She wants to go to school, be around kids her own age. You should go talk to her." Kissing him gently, she flickered, teleporting to their room.
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Knocking came on Hanahaksu's door, she answered. "?!?What?!" her voice was obviously distressed like she had been crying.
"Hana, I'm coming in." Wu Hai opened the door and saw her sitting down in a chair facing a window. "Your mother tells me you're having a hard time, you wanna talk about it?" He sat down next to her on the window seal.
Hana didn't know where to start, she wiped the tears from her face. "I don't know.." she sniffled. "I just want something else, I'm here all alone, day in, day out. Can't I go be with people my own age? I want to train.. that way I can join you and mom. I read, I read everyday! Please let me go to school dad! Please."
"Wu Hai." A voice came from the doorway, It was Kuzunoha.
"Okay. Okay. I'll contact your grandfather, but, and I mean that.. BUT. You have to go to school at the Sect. You know that getting in will be easy if you give them my name, but I don't think you want to get in that way do you? You should make your own path, that is what it means to grow up. Do you really want to go to school with the other disciples, do you even know what it means to be a disciple?"
The Emperor took off his armor piece by piece and stored them away. "A disciple must do chores, exercises and learn constantly. They are treated like the lowest of the low because they usually are entirely inexperienced, its nothing bad, everyone starts somewhere. Life is hard, even disciples can be hurt. Being a disciple of the Sect also means you'll have to earn it. From what I understand the selection process begins in the summer. That gives you three weeks. In three weeks you'll have to be ready and if you don't get in, then what?"
"If I don't at least make it into the outer sect, I'm sure grandma will let me help at the Tea Shop." It sounded like resolve, but the Emperor wasn't convinced. "Really.. I promise. If I don't make it in, I'll go stay with Grandma and Grandpa until you come back. At least I won't be stuck here in the Tower City all by myself, dad.. this is so bo-o-o-o-ring." Hana's drawn out words articulated her boredom perfectly.
She spun in her chair. "Come on dad.."
Kuzunoha glared at Wu Hai, 'Cough, Cough' Reminding him that she was in the room, he answered. "As long as your Grandmother agrees, I can't just shove that responsibility on her without her approval. We'll go there tomorrow. I smell dinner, Kuzunoha, I'm going to assume you did the cooking?" He licked his lips while he stared at her and then walked past.
Hana started cheering in victory.
Tomorrow, Princess Hanahaksu would return to the Sect. It had been ten years since her feet stepped foot out of Tower City, she was excited.
As they sat around the dinner table, all she could talk about were the details concerning her entry, she had questions. Lots of them.