Kyou stumbled upon the warehouse where the slave drivers were busy loading up the prisoners — starved to the point where they were too frightened and weak to retaliate. He spotted the Madame conversing with a giant, scarred man. That one seemed like he was in-charged of the operation.
He couldn't allow the slavers to leave with the captives. Adopting the quietness of a jungle cat, he lurked behind the crates and tackled the slavers one-by-one. Unfortunately, one man spotted him and took off in a dead run. "Intruder alert!" he shouted at the top of his lungs.
Cursing silently, Kyou abandoned his need for stealth and overturned the crates to stop him from escaping. The startled guards brandished their weapons, preparing for a fight while the prisoners took cover. Sword in hand, Kyou jumped into the melee, deflecting vicious blows, and swinging attacks. The guards didn't stand a chance against him, falling like dead weights in a pool of their own blood.
The Madame was driven into a corner, her pale face contorted with fear. "What's going on!" she demanded lividly. "Who dares to attack us?"
"Get back, Madame! This man is dangerous!" Satoshi warned over his shoulder, his face taut with anxious concentration.
A lance of fear speared her heart at his palpable dread — this from a man who claimed to fear nothing.
Satoshi leaped in and disarmed Kyou's weapon, wrapping a beefy arm around his neck and squeezed. Lungs choking, Kyou stomped his booted foot into his opponent's shins and bashed his head back. The unexpected force broke the other man's nose and Kyou whirled with a dead aim kick, sending Satoshi to the ground. Deftly swiping up his sword, Kyou thrust it into the giant's chest and twisted.
Crack! He heard the satisfying crunch of breaking bones.
"Now then, Madame," Kyou turned his dripping blade upon the cowering woman. "Why don't you come out if you don't want to end up like him."
Reluctantly, the Madame emerged from her hiding spot, her back straightening with defiance. "You! I remember you! How dare you barge into my den. I'll have you know that the King will hear about this."
Kyou pierced her with a frosty glare.
Intimidated, she took a step back. "W-what are you planning to do with me?"
"I am here in the name of King Shuhei. You will return to the palace with me immediately."
She blanched. "H-His Majesty wants to see me? W-why?"
Kyou sheathed his sword, weary of small talk. "You'll find out soon enough. Are you going to walk, or do I have to restrain you?"
"I will walk." She sniffed loftily, though her eyes betrayed her anxiety, darting for a way to escape.
"Don't get any ideas. I'm not the only one here." Menace hung in his warning.
Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Who are you? I knew your money was too good to be true. Are you the King's men?"
He shrugged. "Like I said, you'll find out soon enough. Now, walk."
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Ryuu swore he was going to harden his heart in the future. His string of bad luck began after meeting Inka. Needless to say, he was regretting his rashness because this adventure was getting out of hand. Here he was, trying to save a life...an act that didn't define him.
Unfastening the final cuff, he exhaled wearily and mopped his dripping brows. He released a harsh grunt when the young woman slumped onto him. "My God woman, you're heavy!" Wrapping an arm around her shoulder and the other under her thighs, he scooped her up.
"Wait, young man! Don't go! Let us out!" the prisoners protested.
"Sorry!" he returned contritely, hastening his steps. "You'll just have to wait for the King to come to your rescue!"
"The King won't be coming! Come back!"
Ryuu escaped the stifling dungeon and the haunted cries of its dwellers as if the hounds of hell were nipping at his heels. Their pain and suffering only brought forth unpleasant memories and if he were a saint, Shiryuu wouldn't be in such devastation. Securing the woman in his arms, he focused on getting out of this hellhole.
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It was near dusk and still, there was no sign of them. She paced, worrying her lower lip. "They should have been back by now." Hours had passed. They were taking too long.
"You'll catch a cold if you stay out here." Shuhei kindly wrapped a blanket over her shoulders. "These mountains get chilly at night."
"Thank you," she murmured, pulling the blanket tightly across herself. "I'm worried something had happened."
"They're grown men who can take care of themselves. Although, I can't vouch for Kairyuu's safety. He's never been good with a sword." The mild amusement in his tone failed to reassure her. Shuhei hadn't exactly hidden his perverse wish for harm to befall his brothers.
The horns blared and her gaze jerk to the main gates. "What's that sound?"
"There are people entering the palace. It must be them -" Before Shuhei could finish, Inka was already halfway down the steps and sprinting across the courtyard towards one man. "Kyou!" she cried out and jumped in mid-air.
Infinitely surprised by her zealous welcome, Kyou instinctively opened his arms to catch her.
She hugged him tightly, drawing a chuckle from him. His lips brushed her ear. "I'm glad you missed me."
"You were gone too long. I was starting to worry." Moonlit eyes roamed his body. "Did something happen?"
"Something happened alright," he acknowledged, stepping aside to reveal their two additional members.
Inka recognized the Madame, but she was curious about the unconscious woman on Ryuu's back. "Who's that, Ryuu?"
"I thought you weren't talking to me?" He reminded her childishly.
Kyou was tempted to rebuke him for his immature gibe, but Inka's fist was already swinging into his brother's gut. "What the hell!" Ryuu squawked in pain, fighting the overwhelming urge to bend over in fear of dropping the woman. "Be careful! She's hurt!"
Several sets of brows rose incredulously at Ryuu's outburst. Kyou had always known his brother to be selfish and irresponsible from adolescence. He disliked sticking his nose into another's business. But he chose to save this stranger's life. It seemed Shuhei wasn't the only one changing.
"Let's get her inside before her condition worsens," Rei suggested, quashing his own curiosity. He hauled the Madame forward. "We have bigger problems to contend with."
"He's right," Kyou agreed.
Their little entourage relocated to the throne room where the King greeted them with a less than enthusiastic smile. "What a pity. You're all still alive."
Inka was appalled by his petty spite. Kyou's siblings were ladened with...questionable characteristics — one was selfish, and the other was mean.
"Be grateful that I'm cleaning up your mess, Shuhei." Kyou shoved the Madame forward. "Now it's your turn to fulfil our bargain."
"Your Majesty!" Madame fell onto her knees crying, "Please, I beg you. I don't know why I'm here. I have done nothing wrong."
Shuhei's gaze sharpened onto her, silencing her immediately. "How arrogant you are to claim you have done no wrong. I know everything you do, Madame Sasha, or shall I call you Narumi? That's your real name, isn't it? Born to slaves yourself, it makes me wonder why you would become the very organization you despise. You're quite a twisted woman."
The Madame sneered, a crack in her polished veneer.
Shuhei circled her like a hungry vulture. "I never obstructed your operation because it brought in a generous income but, it seems your luck has run out." He gestured to Kyou. "Allow me to introduce to you the Emperor of Xi. You see, the woman you sold him is his lover and the man after, is our brother – the King of Shiryuu." He lifted her chin with the tip of his folded fan. "Tell me, how do you intend to repay these offenses, Narumi? Before you answer, know that your words, your body and your soul are of no value to me."
"P-please, I will tell you anything you wish to know. There must be a reason why you brought me here." She pleaded shamelessly, her eyes flicking to Inka. Crawling on both knees, she said. "I promised you, didn't I? I know where your tribespeople are!"
"Why did you lie to me?" Inka demanded angrily, feeling stupid and betrayed.
"I didn't!" Madame shouted, desperation edging her voice. "I questioned my men and they told me your people were sold and transported to the Donggu-Nanyang border. Since the establishment of the Golden Thread Road, the demand for cheap labour has increased. This motivated my men to capture more slaves to fulfil the workload."
"Golden Thread Road?" Kyou repeated the name.
"It's a profitable arrangement I'm working on with Akio. It's a free-trade road that allows travellers from Nanyang and Donggu to come and go without worrying about taxes, long distance, getting robbed or falling to their deaths in the mountains." Shuhei faced his youngest brother. "Conveniently, I would like to request the same concession from Beihai to bridge our inhabitants."
Kyou was stunned, though he quickly regained the power of speech. "My condition would be for slavery to be abolished in Donggu."
"You don't have to ask twice."
There was unanticipated resolve in Shuhei's eyes but, Kyou would be foolish to trust his brother wholeheartedly. He never took blind risks — especially not from family. "Then I shall submit a review to my council, and it would be best for you to join me in Beihai."
Shuhei knew his brother didn't trust him. Even he couldn't trust his own change of heart but, his mind was made up. Catrina would have wanted him to live in harmony with his brothers – as much as their dysfunctional upbringing allowed. A bond of unmitigated trust was impossible where pain lingered but, he was willing to give an inch.
"Your Majesty, you cannot be serious!" Madame exclaimed in hideous fury. "The slavers will lose their livelihood!"
"Find a better way to live, Narumi," Shuhei remarked coolly, his tone warned her not to argue. "If you resist or make a fuss, I will exile you from Donggu."
She inhaled on a sharp note, horrified that he would treat her this way. "Haven't I supported you all these years? How can you betray me! I am not someone you can discard as you please!"
"Tsk. Poor kitten. When have I ever misled you about our relationship? You're nothing but a pawn who lost its value. Retreat while you can, or I won't be courteous anymore." Gesturing for the guards, he ordered. "Take her below."
"You won't get away with this!" Madame struggled viciously, her true colours showing. "I will have my revenge!" Her shouts and curses rang in the hallway as they dragged her out.
"Now I understand why she became a slave driver. She's demented." Shuhei snorted, turning around to find everyone staring at him with a dirty look. "What's wrong?"
Unfortunately, their unconscious guest chose that moment to wake, releasing a string of incoherent mumbling.
"She's waking up," Ryuu commented awkwardly.
"You, over there!" Shuhei called for the passing maid. "Take King Kairyuu to the guest chamber." To Ryuu, he said, "I will send the royal physician to tend to her."
"I'll accompany you." Rei offered to carry the unconscious woman instead.
Once they were gone, Kyou said to Inka. "Now that we know where your brother is, we can make a trip to the border."
"I'm coming with you," Shuhei chimed in with the expression of an exuberant child. "I'm anticipating the progress of the Golden Thread Road."
"There is one problem," Kyou pointed out. "If the Golden Thread Road relies heavily on cheap labour, it will only give rise to more opportunists like the Madame."
"You're right," Shuhei admitted in a deep frown. "I'll make sure to look into it."
Before he left, Kyou stopped short. "For what it's worth, I am grateful that you're willing to meet me halfway." His expression softened, almost fondly. "I'll see you in the morning…brother."
Shuhei felt a shudder of repulse tinged with warmth. He didn't understand it but, in his twenty-three years, a weight lifted off his shoulders — a subtle one. Was this what peace felt like? Frankly, he was puzzled by his impetuosity. Just yesterday, he was against Kyou's peace offering but, in the end, he jumped right into the water.
Inka's face appeared in his mind. Could Kairyuu be right about the prophecy? Was Inka responsible for the start of a new era? The idea was absurd yet, he couldn't deny that she had spurred him to reflect on his past. When she berated Kairyuu, he began to see his faults as a King, and it felt as if Catrina were reprimanding him for his ignorance and laxity. After he lost her, the willingness to care was buried with her corpse.
His personal expectations had always been high. The last blow was one he never recovered from. After witnessing the Ashina Princess's spirit, he wondered how she could remain strong after enduring tragedy.
Then, he looked at the man beside her and he understood why. During the Kingdom's discord, Kyou was forced to severe his emotions and wiped the nation clean of their old man's misdeeds — to offer everyone a clean slate. He couldn't have done that with a soft heart yet ironically, he wouldn't have sacrificed so much if he had no heart either.
Shuhei never had Kyou's deep-seated ambition or resolve. Perhaps now, he comprehended even if a little, why the old man chose Kyou as his successor.
"What fools we all were," he gently mocked himself.