A Fox in the Works
Chapter 4 - Three Little Riddles
On the morning of the first day, Renshin set off into the nearby forest. Not his Forest, not this little bit of tamed wood, but close enough for him to think. He settled into a sun-dappled nook and drifted into deep thought.
Bring the dead back to life.
Measure the length of the world and how long it would take to walk it.
To find a thing of perfect beauty.
Sometime later a bluebird landed on his forehead. After a little while it left and the samurai was none the wiser.
---
On the morning of the second day, Renshin set off into the nearby forest. He walked at a normal pace until he left the gate guards sight. Then he reached inside himself and raced forward, leaping from shadow to shadow, from tree to tree with a speed uncanny to behold. He ran until his legs ached and his breath came in ragged gasps. He ran until his feet cried for mercy and his arms shook.
Once far enough away, he threw back his head and let out a yip like an injured dog. Chest heaving, legs on fire, he sat in a sun-dappled nook and drifted towards deeper waters, but his thoughts leapt like tadpoles in the shallows.
Bring the dead back to life.
Measure the length of the world and how long it would take to walk it.
To find a thing of perfect beauty.
Even exhausted, Renshin could feel his muscles twisting and struggling. He tried to catch some of the thoughts as they past.
A flower? What kind? No, flowers don't last…maybe the world is as long as a string? Is a seed dead? Has someone tried that answer already? No, seeds are alive not stones…what about stones? The kami are real, but are they alive? Should I talk to the Elders and get a pinwheel seed to lead me to Meido? Maybe a peach? A peach would taste good right now….
---
On the morning of the third day, Renshin pondered finding a gate to Jigoku and throwing himself into it. It would probably be faster than whatever the "painter" had in mind. He raced through the forest wearing nothing but a fundoshi, foxes ranging beside him for a while then falling away.
Bring the dead back to life.
Measure the length of the world and how long it would take to walk it.
To find a thing of perfect beauty.
Three little questions. Three traditional answers. None of them would help him now.
So he ran.
---
On the morning of the fourth day, a serious-faced Misao opened the shoji to Renshin's room to find the bushi struggling with his thick red hair. He had managed to get it tangled up into something that might, just might, be considered a top-knot by generous eyes.
"Kitsune-sama?" she said from the opening, kneeling but not bowing to him. He was samurai, yes, but she served the Kakita.
He looked at her, his hands tangled in his hair, eyes opened wide. "I don't know the answers."
"Here," she said, rising from the mats, "Let me help you."
---
A little later on the morning of the fourth day, Kakita Kaori sat on a little stool wearing her finest kimonos, freshly painted by her brother last night. She was sure his work, all in silver paint made through a technique he would not share with the Masters, would bring tears to the eyes of anyone with an ounce of spirit in them. That why she did not look at them when Misao dressed her. She had to be hard. Had to be cold, like the sea glass drop resting against her heart.
Seeing Renshin walk in, his thick hair woven into a braid, his hunter green juban and black hakama actually pressed and neat, she felt a moment of hope. It died when she caught the old, hard faces of the Masters gathered around. Handsome he may be but it would take more than just cleverness to resolve this challenge.
Her brother sat, resplendent in his robes, his face a mask to outsiders. Not his twin, though - she saw the tightening in his eyes, then the faraway look he got when he heard his Lady's voice.
Renshin bowed low to the Masters and waited for their command.
The Mistress of the Theater, a woman seventy seven summers into this life, stood from her stool. "Let all know that Kitsune Renshin, daring greatly, has requested the right to compete for Kakita Kaori's hand. Kakita Kaori, last daughter of the line of the First Kenshinzen, Kenshinzen of this Academy, Protector of Golden Petal Village, Granddaughter of Kakita and Lady Doji will submit to the results of this indignity." She was old but her voice carried power gained from a thousand performances, many before the Emperor himself.
"You have been given three questions, Kitsune-san.
The First: Bring the dead back to life.
The Second: Measure the length of the world and how long it would take to walk it.
The Third: To find a thing of perfect beauty.
How do you answer?"
Renshin's voice carried laughter in it as he answered, "I am ready, Kakita-sama. However, may I ask a question first?"
The Mistress conferred with the other Masters. "Hai."
"Do I have to answer the questions in the order given?" Renshin pitched his voice so that it resounded throughout the chamber.
The Masters conferred again, whispering behind fans. "Iie, you may address them in any order you wish," the Mistress eventually answered.
"Very well." Renshin straightened and looked her directly in the eyes. His green eyes seemed bright and merry, though his face struggled towards seriousness. "If Kakita Kaori-sama can assist me, I can answer the riddles to your satisfaction."
"Please, stand here," he said, pointing to the center of the room. Kaori considered, then rose, taking short steps to stand where directed.
"I will answer in this order. The world…" He stood in front of Kaori, then held out a hand so that less than a finger width separated the two of them. He walked around her, so that when he finished he stood in facing her again. "My world takes four steps to walk around, and less than a breath, though it will take a lifetime to encompass it all."
She felt her breath catch in her throat.
"A thing of perfect beauty…" He stepped in then, so close their noses touched. She felt his arms go around her, felt the warmth and strength of him as he pressed his lips to hers…
…what was he doing, OH BANZI…
Seizing the moment with the skill of an iaido master, of a samurai-ko enjoined by Bushido to live life to the fullest, Kaori kissed Renshin with strength and passion. When he tried to draw away, she held him close with arms strengthened from twenty years following the way of the sword. If this was to be her last moment with him, it would be worth it.
Sometime later, she let him pull away. They were both gasping for air.
"Love is the only perfect beauty", he managed after a few breaths. Renshin tried to step back but she would not let go. "For the first," he said as Kaori snuck a look under his arm at the Mistress, who was fanning her blushing face. "I think I've proved my point."
---
Toshiki walked out of the room where the Master's conferred. Kaori sat on the opposite side of the room from Renshin, her kimono in proper array again. Both looked at their hands.
"The Masters have decided."
Neither of the two looked up.
"You are to be wed at summer's end. Arrangements will be made."
---
Miaso lit two sticks of incense and placed them in the bowl before the statue of Lady Doji. She bowed low, pressing her face to the silk pillows in front of the shrine.
His Lady, he calls you, Lady Doji o'wise and fair. Please don't push him so hard. Please don't break him.
Lady, please…
Misao heard the rustle of silk and felt the warmth of a body setting next to her. "What is it child?"
She tried to press her face into the pillows, but felt a soft, warm hand cup her forehead. It lifted her up, pushing not with strength, but exerting authority that could not be denied.
The Lady stat next to the servant, her simple blue kimono and long black hair surrounded by a nimbus of jade light. She was as beautiful as the statue but neither cold nor hard, flesh not stone. She looked at Misao and smiled like a mother seeing her daughter for the first time.
"Well?"
"Lady, please, tell Toshi-kun to let me go. Let me return to my family. I will…" her hands went to the slight swell of her belly, still hidden under her robes. "I will say nothing."
"Iie."
"Lady…"
"Toshi-kun plays the game to keep all of you safe. I play the game to create an Empire from the hearts of men."
The Lady touched Misao's cheek. "And women. And children."
Chapter 4 - Three Little Riddles
On the morning of the first day, Renshin set off into the nearby forest. Not his Forest, not this little bit of tamed wood, but close enough for him to think. He settled into a sun-dappled nook and drifted into deep thought.
Bring the dead back to life.
Measure the length of the world and how long it would take to walk it.
To find a thing of perfect beauty.
Sometime later a bluebird landed on his forehead. After a little while it left and the samurai was none the wiser.
---
On the morning of the second day, Renshin set off into the nearby forest. He walked at a normal pace until he left the gate guards sight. Then he reached inside himself and raced forward, leaping from shadow to shadow, from tree to tree with a speed uncanny to behold. He ran until his legs ached and his breath came in ragged gasps. He ran until his feet cried for mercy and his arms shook.
Once far enough away, he threw back his head and let out a yip like an injured dog. Chest heaving, legs on fire, he sat in a sun-dappled nook and drifted towards deeper waters, but his thoughts leapt like tadpoles in the shallows.
Bring the dead back to life.
Measure the length of the world and how long it would take to walk it.
To find a thing of perfect beauty.
Even exhausted, Renshin could feel his muscles twisting and struggling. He tried to catch some of the thoughts as they past.
A flower? What kind? No, flowers don't last…maybe the world is as long as a string? Is a seed dead? Has someone tried that answer already? No, seeds are alive not stones…what about stones? The kami are real, but are they alive? Should I talk to the Elders and get a pinwheel seed to lead me to Meido? Maybe a peach? A peach would taste good right now….
---
On the morning of the third day, Renshin pondered finding a gate to Jigoku and throwing himself into it. It would probably be faster than whatever the "painter" had in mind. He raced through the forest wearing nothing but a fundoshi, foxes ranging beside him for a while then falling away.
Bring the dead back to life.
Measure the length of the world and how long it would take to walk it.
To find a thing of perfect beauty.
Three little questions. Three traditional answers. None of them would help him now.
So he ran.
---
On the morning of the fourth day, a serious-faced Misao opened the shoji to Renshin's room to find the bushi struggling with his thick red hair. He had managed to get it tangled up into something that might, just might, be considered a top-knot by generous eyes.
"Kitsune-sama?" she said from the opening, kneeling but not bowing to him. He was samurai, yes, but she served the Kakita.
He looked at her, his hands tangled in his hair, eyes opened wide. "I don't know the answers."
"Here," she said, rising from the mats, "Let me help you."
---
A little later on the morning of the fourth day, Kakita Kaori sat on a little stool wearing her finest kimonos, freshly painted by her brother last night. She was sure his work, all in silver paint made through a technique he would not share with the Masters, would bring tears to the eyes of anyone with an ounce of spirit in them. That why she did not look at them when Misao dressed her. She had to be hard. Had to be cold, like the sea glass drop resting against her heart.
Seeing Renshin walk in, his thick hair woven into a braid, his hunter green juban and black hakama actually pressed and neat, she felt a moment of hope. It died when she caught the old, hard faces of the Masters gathered around. Handsome he may be but it would take more than just cleverness to resolve this challenge.
Her brother sat, resplendent in his robes, his face a mask to outsiders. Not his twin, though - she saw the tightening in his eyes, then the faraway look he got when he heard his Lady's voice.
Renshin bowed low to the Masters and waited for their command.
The Mistress of the Theater, a woman seventy seven summers into this life, stood from her stool. "Let all know that Kitsune Renshin, daring greatly, has requested the right to compete for Kakita Kaori's hand. Kakita Kaori, last daughter of the line of the First Kenshinzen, Kenshinzen of this Academy, Protector of Golden Petal Village, Granddaughter of Kakita and Lady Doji will submit to the results of this indignity." She was old but her voice carried power gained from a thousand performances, many before the Emperor himself.
"You have been given three questions, Kitsune-san.
The First: Bring the dead back to life.
The Second: Measure the length of the world and how long it would take to walk it.
The Third: To find a thing of perfect beauty.
How do you answer?"
Renshin's voice carried laughter in it as he answered, "I am ready, Kakita-sama. However, may I ask a question first?"
The Mistress conferred with the other Masters. "Hai."
"Do I have to answer the questions in the order given?" Renshin pitched his voice so that it resounded throughout the chamber.
The Masters conferred again, whispering behind fans. "Iie, you may address them in any order you wish," the Mistress eventually answered.
"Very well." Renshin straightened and looked her directly in the eyes. His green eyes seemed bright and merry, though his face struggled towards seriousness. "If Kakita Kaori-sama can assist me, I can answer the riddles to your satisfaction."
"Please, stand here," he said, pointing to the center of the room. Kaori considered, then rose, taking short steps to stand where directed.
"I will answer in this order. The world…" He stood in front of Kaori, then held out a hand so that less than a finger width separated the two of them. He walked around her, so that when he finished he stood in facing her again. "My world takes four steps to walk around, and less than a breath, though it will take a lifetime to encompass it all."
She felt her breath catch in her throat.
"A thing of perfect beauty…" He stepped in then, so close their noses touched. She felt his arms go around her, felt the warmth and strength of him as he pressed his lips to hers…
…what was he doing, OH BANZI…
Seizing the moment with the skill of an iaido master, of a samurai-ko enjoined by Bushido to live life to the fullest, Kaori kissed Renshin with strength and passion. When he tried to draw away, she held him close with arms strengthened from twenty years following the way of the sword. If this was to be her last moment with him, it would be worth it.
Sometime later, she let him pull away. They were both gasping for air.
"Love is the only perfect beauty", he managed after a few breaths. Renshin tried to step back but she would not let go. "For the first," he said as Kaori snuck a look under his arm at the Mistress, who was fanning her blushing face. "I think I've proved my point."
---
Toshiki walked out of the room where the Master's conferred. Kaori sat on the opposite side of the room from Renshin, her kimono in proper array again. Both looked at their hands.
"The Masters have decided."
Neither of the two looked up.
"You are to be wed at summer's end. Arrangements will be made."
---
Miaso lit two sticks of incense and placed them in the bowl before the statue of Lady Doji. She bowed low, pressing her face to the silk pillows in front of the shrine.
His Lady, he calls you, Lady Doji o'wise and fair. Please don't push him so hard. Please don't break him.
Lady, please…
Misao heard the rustle of silk and felt the warmth of a body setting next to her. "What is it child?"
She tried to press her face into the pillows, but felt a soft, warm hand cup her forehead. It lifted her up, pushing not with strength, but exerting authority that could not be denied.
The Lady stat next to the servant, her simple blue kimono and long black hair surrounded by a nimbus of jade light. She was as beautiful as the statue but neither cold nor hard, flesh not stone. She looked at Misao and smiled like a mother seeing her daughter for the first time.
"Well?"
"Lady, please, tell Toshi-kun to let me go. Let me return to my family. I will…" her hands went to the slight swell of her belly, still hidden under her robes. "I will say nothing."
"Iie."
"Lady…"
"Toshi-kun plays the game to keep all of you safe. I play the game to create an Empire from the hearts of men."
The Lady touched Misao's cheek. "And women. And children."
