Chapter Song Suggestion - "Printemps au Quartier by Luis Rigano"
They made their way up the mountain ridge leading to Donggu's borders. It was mid-afternoon and the biting sun was wearing them down. Inka's recovered wound throbbed from overexertion and Kyou's glowering face appeared in her mind. Undoubtedly, he would launch into a full-fledged tirade before confining her to strict bed rest.
Why that thought made her laugh, she couldn't say.
Clop! Clop! Clop!
Ryuu turned to see an elderly couple on a horse wagon riding towards them.
"Good day, young man. Do you need a lift?" The old man lifted his hat in greeting, his gaze shifting to Inka's ghostly pallor. "Your friend doesn't look well."
"If it's no trouble, we would appreciate it." Ryuu wiped the sweat off his brows, secretly thankful for their arrival.
"Hop on and we'll be on our way," the man urged, gesturing to the empty spot in the wagon. "As you can see, we have plenty of space. My wife and I are returning to Donggu if that's where you're headed."
"Yes, we are." Inka breathed a sigh of relief and quickly climbed aboard.
Ryuu followed, scrutinizing the draft horses towing the wagon. These animals weren't a common breed, kindling his suspicion about their identities. "Are you by any chance wealthy?"
Lightning quick, Inka elbowed his gut and he doubled over. "Please forgive my friend. He often speaks without thinking."
Ryuu pursed his lips, rubbing his sore stomach.
The old woman laughed merrily. "Oh no, we are servants of Lord Hideyoshi. He is King Shuhei's advisor."
"Well, thank you for giving us a ride. You can drop us anywhere that is convenient for you." Inka didn't want to further impose on their goodwill.
"Nonsense. The manor always welcomes new guests." The old man declared amiably. "You can decide your next destination from there."
Ryuu covered his hand over Inka's shoulder. "It's a feasible idea. We can ask around for information."
He had a point. Agreeing, she relented. "Alright, thank you."
Half an hour later, they arrived at the outpost where a mean-looking guard halted them. "Please present your identification."
The old man flashed a green jade amulet shaped like a serpent. "We are servants of Lord Hideyoshi."
Vigilant brown eyes glided over every face, memorizing their features before he stepped aside. Off they went, with a deft flick of the reins, down the rickety roads and into the heart of Donggu.
As a mountainous province, the town was built right into its naturally jagged terrains and landscape – a floating town in the mountains. Inka was captivated by the beautiful architecture of rising rock hill homes and shops connected by a network of crisscrossing rope bridges. Her neck arched as they passed a wide underbridge, gaping as several carts rolled by from above, casting shadows upon them. "How incredible!"
Their wagon ascended a narrow slope, entering a spacious but empty courtyard with a stone arch engraved with the words 'Hall of Four Heavens'.
"Is this where you live?" Inka studied the place in wonderment. These mountains were so different in comparison to desert sand dunes. While Shiryuu was soft sand and dry heat, Donggu was humid weather and rocky grounds.
"This is the front entrance. We'll have to cross the rope bridge to enter the manor." The old woman explained, climbing off the wagon with her husband's help. "By the way, our names are Komugi and Shinchan."
"I'm Inka, and this is Ryuu, my companion."
"If you like, you are welcome to stay the night." Komugi offered kindly. "The sun sets early here, and the roads will soon be dark."
Inka exchanged a hesitant look with Ryuu. "Thank you, we'll consider it."
"Take your time. Please, follow us." Komugi led them through the arch and towards a swaying rope bridge. The elderly couple crossed with routine ease, leaving Inka in awe of how high up they were. Peeking below, there was nothing but a yawning, misty abyss. Swallowing her nerves, she quickened her strides and followed Komugi up a flight of natural stone steps, unable to hide her admiration.
The Hall of Four Heavens was a segmented building spanning the pinnacle of Donggu's mountain range with several connecting bridges for its occupants to move freely in the sky — like a heavenly being.
"I have never seen anything this amazing!" Inka declared excitedly, darting by Komugi to marvel at the unimaginable sight of rocky greenery and endless clouds.
"Donggu is the most beautiful province in Xi. We have the highest number of travelers every year because many are curious about our stone architectures and lifestyle," Shinchan boasted proudly.
His words made her think about the infamous slave peddling, and she wondered if this elderly couple knew of their nation's dark side.
"I don't know about you," Ryuu whispered into her ear. "But there is something fishy about these two."
"How so?" she returned in a hushed voice.
"Just a feeling," he warned. "Don't let your guard down."
She nodded and continued walking in silence. Komugi graciously showed them the rest of the manor and Inka was ashamed to admit her newfound acrophobia. Her knees locked, and her muscles jammed while crossing another bridge stretched over a wide gorge.
"Do you need a piggyback ride?" Ryuu teasingly called out, witnessing her conflicted struggle.
"I can do this on my own!" she shouted stubbornly, her fingers strangling the ropes.
Ryuu sighed. Her blood-drained face told him otherwise. "It'll take you the whole day if you don't take a step forward," he complained and hauled her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.
"What are you doing!" she cried, dangling helplessly. "Put me down!"
"It's faster this way." He ignored her protests and insults, an evil laugh telling her he was enjoying this. "Cursing my name won't help."
Komugi guided them to the guest wing with extra rooms. "You can rest here. I will bring some refreshments."
After the old lady retreated, Inka surveyed the place and found nothing strange. She couldn't fathom why Ryuu suggested the elderly couple was dangerous. They seemed harmless.
'It's always the least unsuspecting ones that surprise you the most'.
She was startled to hear Kyou's words resonate in the depths of her mind. Even apart, it felt like he was there, constantly protecting her.
Kyou…
She wondered what he was doing right now.
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A week had passed since the witch left, and her absence was a gaping hole in his chest. It frustrated him – this power she wielded over him. In addition to that, the lack of sleep and problems he had unearthed in Shiryuu became a permanent scowl on his face. After investigating his brother's disappearance, he moved on to Donggu disguised as Jin while his advisor played the role of Emperor. What started off as amusing soon turned stale.
At Kyou's unannounced arrival, the Donggu council were beside themselves — stumbling and fumbling over their words and actions. Their King was away — a fact that fueled Kyou's exasperation. Where the hell was Shuhei? Were none of his brothers reliable?
"What's with the long face?" Rei yawned, wondering when the welcoming celebration was going to end. He hated tedious parties.
Kyou pinched the throbbing space between his brows. "Kairyuu has abandoned his post and Shuhei isn't here. My brothers are testing my patience."
"I think there's more to your discontentment than your brothers." Rei pointed out warily. There was a long awkward pause from Kyou before he sighed and grudgingly admitted. "I can't stop thinking about her."
Rei was momentarily stunned but, he settled back with his arms crossed — ready to listen. Kyou had always lent an ear to his problems, reserving judgment. Now, he could return the favour.
"Inka's here but I don't have a clue where she is." A muscle ticked in Kyou's jaw. "That little witch is flirting with danger trying to find the slave drivers."
Apprehension snuck up on Rei. "Please tell me she's not the reason why you dragged us all the way out here."
"Absolutely not!" Kyou scoffed. The idea of him mooning over the witch was bad enough. For him to cross the borders because of her? It was ludicrous. "I wish to end this conflict between my brothers and I," — a short pause — "And maybe help Inka. Am I being greedy?"
"You've always been ambitious and practical, so your decision isn't unexpected. I think you're upset because there aren't any results."
"I'm not upset," he frowned at his Commander. "I'm irritated that nothing is going the way I want it to."
"Now that's a first," Rei chuckled good-naturedly. "You've been spoilt too long believing the world revolves around you."
Kyou cleared his throat, a childish urge kicking in. "Excuse me but, who is the Emperor of Xi?"
"The last time I checked his name is Jin."
"I walked right into that one, didn't I?" Kyou emitted a sigh. "Well, Jin's disguise allows me to roam freely and discover what's going on in Donggu."
"And it's a clever idea," Rei praised.
"It's only useful against people who have never met me. Unfortunately, Shuhei is not an idiot. Even though we haven't met in ten years…I look too much like our father for him to think otherwise."
"The King of Desolation," Rei murmured.
Kyou refrained from snorting. "Thank goodness I wasn't saddled with such a depressing sobriquet."
"It couldn't be helped. We both know his tragic past."
Amongst his brothers, Shuhei was the only one he was close with as a child. He remembered a kind brother but, after Shuhei met the love of his life…everything spiraled out of control, and it destroyed him.
Kyou wondered if his brother still blamed himself for what happened.
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Inka and Ryuu ended up residing in Lord Hideyoshi's manor for a couple more days and it was depressing how she couldn't find any leads on her brother's whereabouts. That evening, the manor servants threw them a simple goodbye feast and Ryuu ate heartily while she took a few bites.
This wasn't the time to be celebrating. As the hour grew late, Inka felt unnaturally sleepy and sluggish, her lids becoming dead weights. What was happening? Alarmed, she searched for Ryuu and found him slumped over his food in repose. Something was terribly wrong.
"Don't worry, Inka. We will take good care of you." A voice murmured as her vision grew hazy and her muscles went lax.