At first, Shichi found himself unable to move. The strength of the girl\u2019s voice mirrored her grip. A complete stranger was commanding him, attempting to control his very future to sate an absurd fascination. He had gladly taken orders in the past, from those he trusted, from places of honor. Yet, in Hime\u2019s voice, there was only greed.<\/p>\n
A sharp breath brought Shichi clarity, returning the body to his voice. \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo?<\/i>\u201d Hime gave the tengu a caustic glare. \u201cWhat do you mean, \u2018no?\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n
He straightened himself, twisting his arm free from the tangle of her fingers.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, I will not stay,\u201d he said. \u201cI am not a possession to be kept. I\u2019m sorry that you feel lonely, but you will have to resolve that on your own.\u201d<\/p>\n
Shichi reached for his hat, his thoughts focusing on his human form. It would be a simple matter of changing back and excusing himself. Chiyo would surely scold him for taking so long, but her voice would be a welcome change from Hime\u2019s. Before his thoughts could center, however, a terrible sound broke his concentration.<\/p>\n
It was a scream.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
He whipped his head back, catching sight of the shrieking girl. Her hands clenched the bedcover and her face had paled in distress. Before he could even open his mouth, the door clacked open. Footsteps hammered across the floor as her guards rushed in. Shichi reached for his shakujo, his ears ringing with the sound of steel blades slipping from sheaths. His hand never touched the staff. A weight hit him, crushing him against the tatami and forcing the breath from his lungs. A guard had pinned him, his sword glinting as it arced above the tengu\u2019s throat.<\/p>\n
\u201cStop!\u201d<\/p>\n
The katana froze. All heads drifted toward the girl, her knuckles strained and her eyes wet with crocodile tears.<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t kill him.\u201d She shook her head furiously. \u201cI want to keep him.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMy lady,\u201dsaid the guard, his brow creased in concern. \u201cTengu are dangerous. I cannot\u2014\u201c<\/p>\n
\u201cLet him go!\u201d Her voice was shrill, even more so than before.<\/p>\n
Shichi was paralyzed under the man\u2019s grip, his arms twisted backward and his ribs grinding into the floor. Black feathers littered the room, motionless as the man considered her orders. After a moment, he loosened his hold. With his chest free to expand, Shichi gasped in his next few breaths. Slowly, he pushed himself upright. When he found the courage to look, he could see Hime staring straight into his eyes.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s better.\u201d She gestured toward a chest of drawers. Immediately, a guard retrieved an item from a lower drawer. He brought it to her bedside, his head low as he placed it in her hands. It was a curious trinket, a silver loop with a latch on one end. The moment Shichi realized what it was, however, it was already too late. She had snapped the collar around his neck with a heavy click<\/i>.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t\u2014\u201c<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m sorry it\u2019s not very pretty,\u201d Hime said with a frown. \u201cBut this is a special collar. I bought it from a shaman.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSpecial?\u201d he said, his eyes wide.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt will keep you from shapeshifting. I was saving it for a kitsune, but I think a tengu is much better.\u201d<\/p>\n
He immediately reached for the latch. His fingers slipped over the fastening as he struggled to free himself, but it was no use. It was locked.<\/p>\n
Shichi\u2019s breath hitched. \u201cThe key.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t worry about the key. You belong to me now,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo person belongs to another.\u201d<\/p>\n
This made her smile. Hime\u2019s voice softened, as if speaking to a poor, foolish child.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut you\u2019re not a person,\u201d she said. Shichi\u2019s eyes tensed, his throat locking up at her words. He had felt it before, the sense that he was lesser, that he was of a race of monsters. To hear it, from a human, from the mouth of a young girl, only roused the bitterness he had spent years suppressing.<\/p>\n
Shichi swallowed. Hime was only a child. Her interactions with others, with the outside world, were limited. He would not allow himself to detest her.<\/p>\n
\u201cPut him away for the night.\u201d Hime waved her hand at the guards. \u201cI\u2019d like to sleep before I play with him.\u201d<\/p>\n
Two sets of hands found the tengu\u2019s arms, hoisting him upright before he could protest. His feet scuffed the floor as they led him out, but he knew it was no use. He couldn\u2019t escape these men \u2014 not yet.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, and if he gets away,\u201d she said as they crossed the threshold. \u201cI\u2019ll tell father.\u201d<\/p>\n
With those words, the door shut, leaving him once more at the mercy of human hands.<\/p>\n
When he had first arrived at the jinya, Shichi\u2019s focus had been on his patient. Now, his eyes scanned the layout of the villa. He was led through several halls and doors, each of which he committed to memory. Though Hime had forbidden him from \u201cgetting away,\u201d he had every intention of doing just that.<\/p>\n
He was pushed out into the courtyard. Clouds had covered the moon and a light drizzle was settling over the stone walkway. He glanced at the perimeter wall. Thoughts of scaling the barrier were cut short as the sound of growls stole his attention. The dogs he had noticed earlier were snarling, their eyes following the tengu\u2019s every step. Shichi\u2019s confidence wavered. Guard dogs would certainly complicate his breakout.<\/p>\n
They pulled him through the garden toward an old chashitsu. The tea house was minute, smaller than a common hut and worn with age. The host entrance had been boarded up and most of the paper windows had been covered with wooden panels. It seemed to have once been a beautiful structure, but had since fallen into a state of disuse.<\/p>\n
As they reached the building, one man brusquely felt over the monk\u2019s hips and sleeves. He found the satchel, wrenching it from the belt and tossing it to another man.<\/p>\n
\u201cPut it with his staff,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd don\u2019t open it, it might be cursed.\u201d<\/p>\n
The skin over Shichi\u2019s knuckles tensed. He cared little for the provisions within, but the bag had one thing he could not bear to lose. Aki\u2019s sword was still inside.<\/p>\n
The guard knelt by the guest entrance, sliding open the tiny door. They shoved the tengu\u2019s head down, forcing him into the low opening. His body toppled to the floor and he\u2019d hardly looked back before the door snapped shut behind him. The latch closed with a creak of rusted metal.<\/p>\n
\u201cPlease don\u2019t do this,\u201d Shichi said through the door.<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t worry, she\u2019ll lose interest in you eventually,\u201d came the voice of a guard. \u201cThen we can kill you like the last one.\u201d<\/p>\n
Shichi swallowed. \u201cThe last one?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a kappa.\u201d<\/p>\n
The guard said nothing else. Shichi could hear the men go, their footsteps fading as they left the garden. Soon, the only sound left was that of rain.<\/p>\n
Slowly, the monk pushed himself upright. He scanned the room, its floor only large enough for three tatami. The straw mats were scuffed and, in one corner, had started to grow mold. The little structure felt somehow familiar. Thoughts of Kana, the first human he had ever met, flashed through his mind. He remembered the storehouse. The building had been so small, yet had carried so many memories. She had shown him, in their moments together, the good side of humankind.<\/p>\n
Now, he was once again seeing the bad.<\/p>\n
Shichi touched his forehead, attempting to shift his line of thought. He would waste no more time on self-pity. Straining to see in the dim room, he began to feel the walls and ledges for a weak spot. Neither the guest nor host doors would budge. The windows had been sealed and only faint strips of lamplight leaked in through the slats. He traced his hands over the sill, noticing an exposed portion of paper screen near the floor. His palm slipped through, greeted by heavy raindrops and brisk air. Unfortunately, the cut wasn\u2019t large enough for his arm, not to mention the rest of his body. He withdrew his hand with a sigh.<\/p>\n
Shichi\u2019s pulse began to rise in frustration. The tea house was perfectly sealed. It hadn\u2019t been conveniently left in this state, nor had it been boarded up for aesthetic purposes. It was a prison. He began to wonder just how many souls Hime had kept captive there, and how many had perished in waiting.<\/p>\n
He slumped against the wall, remembering that Chiyo and Gin were still out there. Though the fox had a superb sense of smell, the jinya was far from the market. The town had been full of travelers and food stalls, carrying many more scents than a simple forest. He wondered if she or Gin would be able to find him, or if he would remain trapped in the custody of the human girl.<\/p>\n
Closing his eyes, Shichi fixated on the sound of falling rain. No matter how difficult it might be, or how long it took, he would find a way. This would not be the end of his journey.<\/p>\n
It was morning when they brought him back into the house. He hadn\u2019t slept. Though his eyes were heavy, he would not allow himself to look weak. He kept his back straight as they seated him at a long table in an vast dining room. Only Hime was sitting across from him, her eyes bright with anticipation.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou look hungry,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Shichi said nothing, only watching her impassively.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt must have been hard to find food out in the wild.\u201d Hime toyed with her long, dark hair. \u201cDon\u2019t worry, I\u2019ll take care of you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat isn\u2019t necessary,\u201d Shichi said, unmoving.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou just don\u2019t know any better. You\u2019ll see, eventually. You need me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Before he could interject, the doors slid open. Two servants entered, both carrying wide trays of food. Shichi\u2019s eyes snapped open. It wasn\u2019t the lavish presentation of the dishes that caught his attention, nor was it the alluring smell of cooked food. The meal itself went ignored as he focused on one servant, a young woman in a cream kimono.<\/p>\n
She was a tengu.<\/p>\n
Her head hung low as she placed the dishes in proper order on the table. Hime had continued talking, but not a single word went noticed by the monk. He couldn\u2019t look away, unable to believe he was watching a tengu serving humans. Her golden eyes were focused \u2014 too focused. It seemed she was struggling to concentrate on her task. For a brief moment, her eyes flickered toward him. He barely had a second to catch her gaze before she\u2019d looked away once more.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, are you jealous of Yuu?\u201d Hime asked. This finally caught Shichi\u2019s attention.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t feel that way,\u201d the girl said. \u201cShe\u2019s just one of father\u2019s servants. You\u2019re special \u2014 you\u2019re mine.\u201d<\/p>\n
Shichi thought back to the previous night, when Hime had claimed that she\u2019d never seen a tengu before. It seemed she had lied. Had this tengu willingly come to work for the daikan, or had she been forced?<\/p>\n
Shichi folded his hands on his lap. \u201cAs I said before, I am not yours.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, you are. My cousin in Nagoya got a set of cranes as a gift and she won\u2019t stop\u00a0talking about them. But now I have you. I think a tengu is much better than two old birds, don\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n
As Hime continued speaking, Shichi dared another glance at the serving girl \u2014 Yuu. Though only a house attendant, it seemed she had been made up to be pleasing to the eye. Her feathers were smooth and well-groomed, and thick lashes hooded her eyes.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou think she\u2019s pretty, don\u2019t you?\u201d Once again, Hime had caught him staring.<\/p>\n
Shichi exhaled. \u201cThat\u2019s not\u2014\u201c<\/p>\n
\u201cForget her. There\u2019s something wrong with Yuu \u2014 she won\u2019t even lay eggs. Father likes the way she sings, but I don\u2019t think she has a very nice voice.\u201d<\/p>\n
The servant stiffened in embarrassment, turning away to hide her face.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou should be kinder to your attendants,\u201d Shichi said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI told you not to worry about her.\u201d Hime pointed to the doors, her fingers tightly clenched. \u201cYuu. Leave.\u201d<\/p>\n
The tengu obeyed immediately, giving a deep bow before hurrying out of the room. Something about the exchange left Shichi feeling ill and he glanced toward the door with regret. Luckily, Hime was now focused on their meal.<\/p>\n
\u201cGo on, eat.\u201d<\/p>\n
Shichi kept his eyes on the wooden table, trying to ignore the many dishes spread over\u00a0it. Steam drifted over bowls of hot soup and there were plates of rolled egg and horse mackerel. A rainbow of pickled vegetables had been cut into slices and set into countless little bowls, covering the surface of the table. He had never seen such an opulent breakfast.<\/p>\n
\u201cEat,\u201d she said once more, her tone growing heavier. He remained silent, ignoring the twist of his stomach. Though he had been raised not to waste food, he couldn\u2019t bring himself to follow her commands. Eating now would mean accepting her terms \u2014 agreeing to the place she had given him.<\/p>\n
\u201cFine. Be ungrateful.\u201d Hime gestured to the remaining servant, the same bald man from the day before. \u201cPut him away until dinner. Maybe he\u2019ll be hungry then.\u201d<\/p>\n
The servant led Shichi back into the hall, leaving the girl to her breakfast.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo,\u201d the man said once they were alone. \u201cAre you really a physician, or was that just a cover?\u201d<\/p>\n
Shichi shook his head. \u201cI\u2019m not the one who lied.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSo you can heal?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI can.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGood,\u201d the servant said. \u201cYou must have heard the mistress talking about Yuu. Can you find out what\u2019s wrong with her \u2014 why she doesn\u2019t lay eggs?\u201d<\/p>\n
Shichi stifled his reaction. \u201cI suppose I could.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen follow me.\u201d<\/p>\n
He was taken to the servant\u2019s quarters, a narrow building behind the main hall. The structure was modest in comparison, built with plain, dark wood and lacking in decor. They walked through a narrow corridor with a half dozen doors, finally stopping at the entrance to a small room.<\/p>\n
The man gestured for him to enter. \u201cMake it quick.\u201d<\/p>\n
Shichi nodded, then stepped inside.<\/p>\n
The room was sparse, with no tatami to cover the floors, nor any furnishings for adornment. Yuu was seated on the floor, her hands occupied with a needle and thread.\u00a0 She glanced up at his entry, her hands freezing over the cloth she had been sewing. The feathers on her neck had risen and, at first, she could only stare. It seemed that visitors were an uncommon occurrence.<\/p>\n
\u201cForgive my intrusion.\u201d Shichi bowed his head before lowering himself at her side. Still, she said nothing, only watching him with wide eyes.<\/p>\n
Shichi rubbed the back of his head, hoping that he wasn\u2019t disturbing her. \u201cI\u2019m a doctor. I was asked to check your health.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOh. I see,\u201d she said. Her voice was soft and low, nearly a whisper.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you\u2019d like me to leave\u2014\u201c<\/p>\n
\u201cNo,\u201d Yuu said, then tightly shut her eyes. She took a deep breath through her nostrils, then continued. \u201cI\u2019m sorry, I\u2019m being rude. You\u2019re just\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
Shichi\u2019s eyes softened as he waited for her to finish.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been a long time since I\u2019ve seen another tengu.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen I should be the one to apologize,\u201d Shichi said. \u201cI\u2019m not much to look at.\u201d<\/p>\n
She laughed, attempting to cover her beak with her sleeve. It was a simple reaction, yet he could sense some of her tension lifting.<\/p>\n
\u201cYour name is Yuu, isn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes,\u201d she said, her expression easing. \u201cAnd what may I call you?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShichi. May I ask how you came to be here?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI was collected when I was young. Usually they only take eggs, but they liked my singing voice.\u201d<\/p>\n
His expression fell at her words. Shichi\u2019s hands clenched, his claws digging into his own palms.<\/p>\n
\u201c\u2026Collected?\u201d<\/p>\n
Yuu squinted at him, analyzing his reaction. \u201cYou don\u2019t know?\u201d<\/p>\n
He could only shake his head. Visions ran through his mind, of flames and soldiers, of men collecting eggs. He hadn\u2019t grasped why humans would want to take them, but now a new picture was being painted in his head.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey usually wait to see if a hatchling has any skill with a sword. Those are sold as bodyguards. Others, like me, become servants.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s slavery,\u201d Shichi said, his mouth suddenly dry.<\/p>\n
\u201cAfter the daimyo banned slavery of humans, I suppose they turned to us instead.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHave you tried to escape?\u201d<\/p>\n
Yuu\u2019s expression shifted to shame and she averted her eyes for a moment. \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBut you\u2014\u201c<\/p>\n
\u201cEnough about me,\u201d she said. \u201cHime thinks you\u2019re her pet. You\u2019re in a more dangerous position than I.\u201d<\/p>\n
Yuu\u2019s eyes were grim, locked onto his as she spoke. It became apparent she was not teasing.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m still planning my escape.\u201d Shichi\u2019s voice had dropped to a whisper. \u201cThe dogs will make it difficult.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI can\u2014\u201c<\/p>\n
There was a brief pounding on the door frame, startling both tengu upright. It seemed the servant had returned. \u201cAre you nearly finished?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAh, just another moment.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI told you to make it quick.\u201d<\/p>\n
Shichi looked back at the tengu before him, his brow drawn back in apology.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll have to discuss that later. I still need to check on you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Yuu looked suddenly shy, dropped her gaze to the floor. \u201cAll right.\u201d<\/p>\n
With practiced movements, he set to checking her pulse, tongue, and vitals. Her feathers had risen once more; it seemed she was unaccustomed to being touched.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, you seem to be perfectly healthy,\u201d he said. \u201cHow long has it been since you\u2019ve had an egg?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve\u2026 ah, never,\u201d she said, then cleared her throat.<\/p>\n
\u201cWould you mind if I did a more thorough exam?\u201d<\/p>\n
Yuu swallowed audibly, her eyes tightening as she stared back at him.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you\u2019d rather not, I don\u2019t\u2014\u201c<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s all right.\u201d She shook her head a bit too quickly. \u201cI don\u2019t mind.\u201d<\/p>\n
Shichi raised a brow at her terse response. He supposed it was natural for her to be nervous, as she had spent the majority of her life away from other tengu. It seemed her keepers had never bothered bringing her to a human doctor, as well.<\/p>\n
Slowly, she unfastened her kimono, allowing the collar to drape past her shoulders. As the cloth drifted over\u00a0her chest, she paused. Yuu\u2019s eyes flickered from his face to her clothing, then back again. She sucked in her next breath, then finally hurried to close the fabric back over her chest.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m sorry, I\u2014\u201c<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s all right.\u201d Shichi held up his hands. \u201cYou don\u2019t have to.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, you don\u2019t understand, it\u2019s not that,\u201d she said. \u201cI don\u2019t care if you touch me. You can touch me all you want.\u201d<\/p>\n
Shichi blinked at her and she stammered in response.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, no. I mean\u2014 that\u2019s not\u2014\u201c Yuu fisted her hands and took a moment to gather herself. \u201cIt would be a waste of time. I already know why I can\u2019t lay eggs.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou do?\u201d<\/p>\n
Her posture lost its vigor and she resigned herself to a slump. She lowered her head, still clutching the collar of her kimono.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere was a bit more to my story,\u201d she said weakly. \u201cWhen they captured me, they asked if I was a boy or a girl. I said I was a girl.\u201d<\/p>\n
He remained silent, only watching her struggle with her next words.<\/p>\n
Yuu closed her eyes. \u201cI lied.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy?\u201d Shichi asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause it felt right.\u201d Her voice was shaking. \u201cBecause that was the answer I\u2019d always wanted to give. Humans have trouble telling the difference.\u201d<\/p>\n
As he opened his beak to speak once more, the door was thrust open. Their time was up. Yuu\u2019s attention snapped to Shichi\u2019s face, her eyes wide with panic.<\/p>\n
\u201cPlease don\u2019t tell,\u201d she said in a hurried whisper. \u201cPlease\u2014\u201c<\/p>\n
\u201cWell?\u201d the servant asked as he allowed himself in. \u201cDid you figure out the problem?\u201d<\/p>\n
Shichi tore his eyes from her gaze, giving the man a nod. \u201cI did.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSo what\u2019s wrong with her?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHer reproductive system didn\u2019t develop properly. Yuu is unable to produce eggs, but she is otherwise healthy.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI see,\u201d the servant said. \u201cI\u2019ll inform her keeper. You need to get back to the tea house, you\u2019ve been out long enough already.\u201d<\/p>\n
Shichi stood, following the man past the threshold of the tiny room. Before he could pass the door, he glanced one last time at Yuu. She said nothing, her eyes glassy as she looked back. Shichi gave her a brief nod, then disappeared into the hallway. Though he was bound for his meager prison in the garden, he couldn\u2019t help but feel a tinge of comfort. He had seen one good thing in the jinya, and he would do everything in his power to make sure he saw her again.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
At first, Shichi found himself unable to move. The strength of the girl\u2019s voice mirrored her grip. A complete stranger was commanding him, attempting to control his very future to sate an absurd fascination. He had gladly taken orders in…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-898","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-book-two"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jisukcho.com\/karasu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/898","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/jisukcho.com\/karasu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/jisukcho.com\/karasu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jisukcho.com\/karasu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jisukcho.com\/karasu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=898"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/jisukcho.com\/karasu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/898\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":905,"href":"https:\/\/jisukcho.com\/karasu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/898\/revisions\/905"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jisukcho.com\/karasu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=898"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jisukcho.com\/karasu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=898"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jisukcho.com\/karasu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=898"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}