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When the man hears the silvery voice he looks up to see it is not his sweet standing there, he quickly scrambles to his feet and performs a deep bow. “Your highness, forgive me.”
The Masked Warrior grips the man’s shoulder. “It is quite all right when you were so engrossed in your work.” He takes a breath before he tells him what has happened to Kuru. The legend has to catch him and sits him down. “Easy, she is fine. The Healer told us she just needs to rest. Come, I am sure he will allow you to see her.”
Daigo uses a cloth to dry his eyes and questions, “Why are they back? Have they not caused enough pain?”
“Apparently not. This time though they are also going after us gods.”
The royal guard is confused and responds, “What? Why?”
“Oh, just the usual because I and Yamato Tenjō are into men. I should mention he is with us.”
“Wonderful, I need to speak to him and his Peacekeepers.”
Yūrei nods and goes on to escort him outside and over to the others who are talking to the General who informs the king, “The men I was fighting ran off after you turned up.”
The Great Warrior is quite pleased to hear this. “Good to know they are afraid of me. What about you? Are you hurt?”
“No, I am fine. One thing I was going to tell you, they were young, barely in their twenties. They are far too young to know about the fall of the castle and their families fight with the Sasaki. I cannot believe their parents have taught them to be the same.”
“I am afraid to say, you mortals do have a habit of making your children into your image. This is why they are so keen, I would say, to continue their parents battle. Mainly because they do not understand it is wrong.”
General Ōtomo releases a disappointed sigh and nods in agreement. “I am going to make sure my men are informed we are fighting young men. Oops, I think the Healer is wanting a word with you.”
The Great Warrior pats him on the arm as he turns around to see the Healer is beckoning him inside. He quickly trots over and enters the building closing the door behind him. The Healer has got Tenjō, Nakagawa Katsuhito, Detective Saitō and Commander Ōtomo together in a back room. He clears his throat before he informs them, “There is another royal guard who has been here in town for over a week. He has been keeping an eye on the Dancing Dragon. The thing is he is not staying at the Oak Inn or the Red Wood Inn. My son reported seeing him heading out of town towards the temple that lies near some castle ruins. The thing is he has not been seen for three days now, so the monks are searching the forest for him and his lovely grey speckle mare. The man himself is not hard to spot, for his clothes have seen some action. He is wearing wrist and shoulder guards, with a white scarf around his neck. He has red material around his waist and is wearing grey Hakama. All of his long hair has been placed into a bun, that is held in place with red ribbons and a headband. He of course has facial hair and is clearly not a young man. The monks have nicknamed him Hyōryū Senshi (Drifting Warrior), for he will not give his true name and they know he is a royal guard from his tattoos. I just hope—”
Then a cry for the Healer’s help comes from outside and the next minute a young monk comes bursting inside, who quickly uses a fan to shield his eyes of the lady.
“Dōng cháo, I am sorry to interrupt you,” says the monk, whilst performing a series of bows.
The Healer goes to him and gets him to rise. “It is all right, I guess you found him?”
“Yes, a woodcutter and his wife found him… he is in a bad way.”
Dōng cháo walks with him outside to find the Hyōryū Senshi is on a cart that is being drawn by the woodcutter. The lady is leading the unconscious man’s horse over to a stable. The monks help to carry the man inside and place him on a bed. They all bow before they leave so the Healer has space to work.
Dōng cháo claps his hands and orders, “Right, I need you all to help me. Commander, Detective, please could make him a tea and a healing barm for his wounds. I will need you to mash up some ingredients. Yūrei, fresh water, Dreamer, please could you make bangs and cover one side of them with this.” He hands him a pot that is filled with a light green cream.
Zhìhuì gives it a sniff and answers, “Yes, I can do that for you.”
“Thank you. The rest of you please help me to undress him.”
Tenjō notices a small white grub is making its way across the sheet, he gently picks it up and says, “A maggot?”
The Healer points to Hyōryū Senshi’s left upper arm and explains, “They are busy cleaning a wound, getting rid of the dead tissue and infection. To be honest they are doing a grand job. Let’s try not to disturb them too much and place that one back once we have got him undressed.”
The Soul Drinker places the wiggling, fat maggot in a dish and carries on helping to remove the man’s scarf.
The Great Warrior is in the small kitchen sorting out the fire to heat some more water and takes the first pot of hot water through. Dōng cháo points his hand at a small table whilst he drops some small dry roots in to a stone mortar. “Thank you, Yūrei, could add to it some winter honeysuckle.”
“Already taken care of,” replies the Masked Warrior.
“Oh, of course you would know what to do.” They both laugh and the Healer asks, “Help them with the undressing whist I sort the tea.”
Yūrei trots over to the bed and informs the Healer, “There is another pot of water on the stove and I have not added anything to it.”
“Wonderful, we will use some of that for the tea as I bet the lady would like a drink?”
Kuru smiles and nods. She just likes the way the Healer is very calm and is quick to sort everything he needs to help Hyōryū Senshi who is beginning to moan.
Zhìhuì is rubbing a cloth together to spread out the thick cream and tells them, “He is dreaming… He is recalling the fight… I see one of the men, who were attacking him, as they are running away he turned back to slashed Hyōryū Senshi’s arm. I will see if I can replace it with a nice image… that’s if I can find one.”
The Great Warrior is sitting the unconscious man up so the others can remove his undergarment. “Do your best, Mother.”
The Dreamer finds a nice image of the Royal Guard seated by a pond, he is eating a grilled fish whilst his horse is munching grass nearby. However, it is suddenly replaced by the same fight which makes Zhìhuì place the fingertips of his right to his forehead and groans.
The Healer takes over the king’s job so he can go and check on his mother. The Masked Warrior crouches in front of him and asks, “Is his mind fighting with you?”
“You could say that. He is angry about the fight… Not surprising when he was attacked by ten men, for no reason. They came out of the surrounding forest… Young men who’s stink is making our friend feel unwell. Let me see if another method will once again place him in a more peaceful mind.” The Dreamer goes to Hyōryū Senshi and gives him a tap on the forehead to snap him out of the repeating fight. “Ooh, I am cruel,” he says with a slight chuckle to his voice.
“Not at all, Dreamer,” answers Dōng cháo, “when we need to get his heart rate down. Please do what you think is best.”
Zhìhuì smiles and places his other hand on to the sleeping mortal’s head. “Ah, there it is, an image of you seated by a pool. Tenjō, could also lock on and give it some life.”
The Soul Drinker scans Hyōryū Senshi mind and responds, “Yes, I think I can manage that. How’s about a gentle breeze that carries the sent of incense as it travels across the rippling pool.”
Commander Ōtomo emits a soft laugh and states, “That’s it give the man the urge to pee. For that is what the sound of flowing water does to me when I am sleeping.”
Everyone quietly chuckle and Tenjō declares, “Perhaps that is not such a good idea.”
“To be honest, your lordship, it is making him relax,” informs the Healer, patting him on the arm. “Well done both of you he is certainly a lot calmer.”
“I do not want to put a damper on things,” implies the Dreamer, “it might not last long, giving how angry he is. Another thing we cannot mess with his mind too much as that can also cause problems.”
“I completely understand. Hopefully the tea I am about to give him might help keep him stable and relaxed.” Dōng cháo makes his way over to the Detective to find he has added the ground up ingredients to teapot of hot water. “My you all are very efficient,” he remarks, giving the tea a stir.
The Detective performs a slight bow. “Asuka and I thought we will try to help you as best we can.”
Commander Ōtomo nods. “Yes, as you have a lot to do.”
Dōng cháo gives them a pleased smile, then pours some of the tea into a cup. “Here, my dear, drink that. It might be a little bitter.”
Akito bows his head and tells him, “I added a bit of honey to it, to take the edge off the bitterness. I hope that is all right”
The Healer glares at him and responds, “What you’ve ruin it!”
Commander Ōtomo slaps Detective Saitō’s arm and tells him off, “I told you to check with him first.”
“Dōng cháo, you haven’t changed a bit. Boys, he is just messing with you,” informs Zhìhuì, shaking his head at the Healer.
Dōng cháo hands the cup to the lady and performs a slight bow. “I am sorry, lads, I could not resist. Dreamer, you know me?”
“You helped deliver my twins. It is me Zhìhuì, Raven’s best friend. I know it has been a long time since you last saw me. Mèngjiàn, or as we call him Mèng is my second son and Raven’s ninth son.”
The Healer’s eyes widen and he apologises, “I am so sorry, I did not recognise you. I must say you have a fine son here.”
“Thank you. It is hard to believe he came from me, he takes after his father.”
“Yes, I can see that,” replies Dōng cháo with a slight chuckle to his voice, whilst he pours some more of the tea in to Royal Guard’s mouth. “Kuru, my dear, you are welcome to add more honey if you are unable to drink it.”
The owner of the White Phoenix is pulling faces and agrees, “Yes, more honey will help.”
Daigo uses a spoon to add some more of the runny honey to his lover’s cup and gives it a stir. “Try that, my sweet.”
Kuru has another sip and smiles. “Yes, that is much better, thank you, darling. I am amazed he has not spat it out. He must be used to bitter tea.”
Zhìhuì hands the prepared bandage to the Healer and informs them, “The image within Hyōryū Senshi’s mind has changed. He is now thinking you are an elderly monk who gave him bitter mediation. It is quite an old memory.
Tenjō’s brow crinkles and his eyes narrow, “I agree for the image around him has also changed, he is now in a temple where a statue of a lying Buddha is on the far side of the room. It is spring, the birds are singing and cherry blossom petals litter the floor.”
Yūrei strokes Hyōryū Senshi’s back and says, “That sounds lovely and relaxing. Let’s hope he remains there.”
“Well, he seems to be for now,” implies the Dreamer and smiles. “Dōng cháo, are you needing another bandage?”
“No, the wound on his leg has healed fine, I just needed it for his side. I am going to leave his arm as it is to allow the maggots to do their work.” The Healer gives the man the last of the tea and lies him down. He starts to undo his bun and softly says, “Ah, there is the other invected cut. I am going to place some of the dropped off maggots on to that. Yes, there you go, more nasty necrotic blood and infected tissue to munch.”
Kuru emits a soft, “Eew!” She shakes her head and says, “That dose not sound good. Was he hit over the head?”
“Yes, and from the shape I would say it was done with the pommel of a sword. Just enough to knock him out. His brain seems fine, and the lump is going down. The maggots will soon sort it.”
“It just sounds so wrong placing them on to wound,” stresses the owner of the White Phoenix.
“I know it sounds counterintuitive, to place an insect larvae into an already infected wound. The thing is they will not touch anything that is alive and healthy and only clear away the bad stuff which is causing the infection. Then all I need to do is do some further cleaning and hopefully the infection does not return. I use them myself when it is clear they are old wounds that have not been properly taken care of. It makes the job easier for me,” explains the Healer as he places some more of the smaller maggots on to the head wound. “I think some more tea will also help him, then I will make a start on the soup.”
The Detective has already made another pot and offers, “I could feed him this whilst you start preparing the soup.”
“All right, thank you. Yūrei, please could you give him a hand?”
“Yes, of course,” answers the Eternal, sitting the man up and resting him in his arms so Akito can give him the tea.
The others go and see if the Dōng cháo needs any help and he soon has them washing rice and pealing vegetables and sends the Commander to fetch him some nice fresh duck eggs from the market on strict instructions no chicken eggs because the smell alone would make the Soul Drinker and him very ill.
All of a sudden the knife falls from Zhìhuì hand to the floor and he mutters in Chinese, “Fire… People running… Baby crying.”
Tenjō quickly swops places with his dear friend so he can help his mother through the strong vision.
The Great Warrior kneels down and gives the Dreamer a hug. After a few minutes his mother is patting him on the side and telling, “Bless you, I am all right.”
“Are you sure?”
Zhìhuì smiles and nods a few times. “Night visions are such a nuisance. I could not tell where it was… I just know from the moon it is happening in a weeks time. I will say one thing, I appeared to be high up looking down, over the amber glow of buildings alight… well alight. I just hope someone safes the baby.”
“Mother, I will be doing just that. In a weeks time I will be holding a baby.”
The Dreamer places his son’s masked face between his hands and his frown deepens. “Listening to the cry again it is not coming from the fire… it seems to be blow and to the left… I would say more towards the moon. I cannot believe the Bitō are going to sink that low again and set a place ablaze… I just wish I knew where it was.”
The Masked Warrior takes hold of his mother’s hand and recalls, “Rì chū thinks some of the family could be in a farming village below Kumo-kutsu because a prince on a white horse took some of the children there because Bitō were afraid to go there.”
Zhìhuì folds his arms and questions, “How do they know that is where those children settled? This is getting awfully creepy, in order from them to know and attack, Kuru and Hyōryū Senshi someone must have watched them bathe. Another thing how did the Captain know a member of the Fukuda family had taken the child.”
“Ooh, that makes a creepy kind of sense,” says Kuru wrapping her arms around her abdomen. “The man who stabbed me said, ‘all Sasaki must die’. How did he know that unless like you said, Zhìhuì, someone has been watching us bathe? And I only do that at home. I cannot see Hyōryū Senshi, with his tattoos, using a public bathhouse. The monks have either allowed him to use theirs or he has been bathing in a local hot spring. I cannot see him diving into one that is out in the open.”
Daigo grips her shoulder and agrees, “You are right, my sweet. He is a member of the Royal Guard and just like me he is trained to be observant of our surroundings… and if he is who I think he is, I know he is very observant and he would certainly not take any risks.”
“You are doing better than me,” expresses the owner of the White Phoenix with a slight chuckle to her voice. “I honestly do not recognise him. And going back to what our king said, I can tell you no one in the family owned a white horse.”
“It was him,” declares Daigo, pointing his hand at the sleeping guard. “If he is who I think he is, he was your eldest brother’s personal guard and he had this magnificent white horse. Imagine him as a strapping young man dressed in a dark red Kimono and black or grey Hakama with Waraji on his feet and his Katana by his right hip, which it was. Takahashi Sanjō.”
Hyōryū Senshi emits a soft moan which makes Dōng cháo call from the kitchen, “That was a response to you calling his name.”
Kuru places her hands over her face and begins to weep. Daigo gives her a hug and apologises, “I am so sorry I did not mean to upset you.”
“No, you haven't” she answers, removing her hands from her face and looking up at him. “I am just relived to know Ōhiko is alive and hopefully Sanjō can tell me where to find him. I have not seen him since that awful night.”
Asuka comes in from the kitchen and informs them, “I do not want to get your hopes up, I think I might know where Ōhiko is. In between Kunimi-jo and Mount Kongō is a tiny teahouse that is run by the local monks from Buddhist Temple that is literally next door to it. The Kannushi told me in private the young man who was with them came from the fallen castle along with eight children and another man. The Kannushi was very concerned about someone discovering who they were. Now of course it has been twenty years those eight children have moved on, however, it is still the same man who helps run the teahouse and the monks call him Mr Takahashi. I can tell you he is nothing like Sanjō, he is very much like you, my dear.”
Daigo and Kuru start to laugh and nod. “That is so my brother,” states the princess still giggling.
The Lieutenant clams himself down and explains, “Ōhiko was taught by the Forest Dragon… I think it was the same one you spoke of, your highness, how to make his tea.”
Kuru pats her lover’s arm as she says, “That is what he called it, ‘Dragon Tea’, he would put on this rough deep voice. Once he had learned how to make it, he refused to have any other tea. And when I tasted it I understood why he was so taken with it, it was amazing. Let me guess, Commander, that tea was on the menu?”
“It was indeed and when I read the ingredients I had to try it and yes it was amazing. I swear it was very, very close to the real thing. I was thinking about setting off now to just make sure that temple is fine for it is just over three hour ride from here.”
Yūrei walks over to link arms with him and says, “I will borrow a horse and join you.”
“In that case, please take my horse,” offers Dōng cháo, “the ride will do him some good.”
The Great Warrior performs a slight bow to think him and walks with Commander Ōtomo out the back and over to the stable, to discover the grey speckled mare has been housed there. She has not only been given food and water, the woodcutter and his wife are bushing her down.
“What good timing,” calls the woodcutter, “your highness, this dropped out from under the saddle, it is addressed to you. Sorry for disrupting you.” The couple bow.
The Masked Warrior takes the letter from the man’s shaking hand. He gives him a reassuring pat on the shoulder and tells him, “It is quite all right, you could have brought this to me.”
The lady clears her throat and answers with a soft nervous voice, “Like my husband said, we did not want to disrupt you.”
“Bless you both. Seriously this is key evidence which should have been brought to me straight away, understand.”
The couple nod and bow to him. “Yes, your highness.”
“Please, call me Yūrei and there is no reason for you both to be so afraid of me. I am a very nice god, is that not so, Asuka?”
“Yes, you are wonderful and very caring.”
The legend gives him a wink then steps away before he opens the letter:
King Mèngjiàn, you might not remember me, for it was, twenty years ago when I was known as Prince Ōhiko I am now king. Or should that be, I would have been king of Sasaki Castle… I cannot believe it was twenty years ago when our world was turned upside down. I gave this letter to my trusted, personal guard, my wonderful and brave Takahashi Sanjō. When he informed me my dear, sweet sister Mieko was alive and running, not only dice gambling place she also run a bathhouse in Hatsugano. I told him to watch over her and only hand this letter you, our king. I live at remote, high up monastery, near the summit of Kunimi-jo. I run their teahouse, for my Dragon Tea is very poplar. If you do remember me, you will know I am not one for boasting. If I recall correctly you called me, ‘a straight forward thinker’. The monks here call me, ‘too wise for my age’. I think they do not think that so much now I am no longer that strapping young man you once knew. Mèng, I think we are in trouble here, a lot of walkers have begun to ovoid the area because they have seen strange men hiding in the forest. A couple told the monks that they were followed by a group of stinky men… It is them, Mèng, the same men who attacked my home and murdered my parents. I cannot believe after twenty years they have returned. I fear for my sister and my other siblings lives. The eight I receded are in the faming villages that lie to the North and East of Kumo-kutsu. Mèng, I have one son, who lives near the Handa Gokuraku-ji Temple. I have told him to go there if he feels his life is in danger…. The problem is his wife is not far from giving birth to their second child… They have a two year old daughter. Please, I beg of you, do not worry about me, get them to safety. His name is Ninmyō after my grandfather. His wife is Fuyuka, daughter Aki yuki. Please, please keep them safe.
Your keen student, Ōhiko.
Yūrei holds the letter to his chest and closes his eyes. “Oh please, Death do not let be their child I am saving. Asuka, where is Handa Gokuraku-ji Temple?”
“That is just over two hours from the teahouse, if you do not mind rough terrine through the mountains, which will be covered in snow and could be a bit misty.”
The Great Warrior goes on to tell him what the prince has wrote and Commander Ōtomo decides to go and inform Detective Akito and Nakagawa Katsuhito who come quickly and get their horses from the Dancing Dragon stable and meet them over the Healer’s home.
The Masked Warrior gets on to the dark brown mare who seems to complain a little about not having her owner riding her. “Easy girl, I will not hurt you,” he says, giving the side of her neck a pat.
“Her name is, Zhuī lì,” informs Dōng cháo, stroking his horse’s nose. “Now be a good girl for our king, hmm?” The horse seems to respond with a huff and her owner chuckles, “I think we can call that a no. Zhuī lì, do as you are told, otherwise no mint.” The horse shakes her head and gives him a shove. “She will obey you now.”
“Thank you, Dōng cháo.”
“Warning, do not dangle her reins anywhere near her mouth for she will chew them, won’t you my sweet? I will give you some apples and mint for they are her favourite,” says the Healer placing some nice green apples in the saddle bag along with a large clump of mint and feeds her a piece of it. “There, good girl. I hope she behaves for you.”
“I hope so too,” replies the legend as he goes on to perform a few clicks and tells her, “Walk on. Walk on.” But the horse does nothing.
“Try Jìxù zǒu, she only knows Chinese,” hits Dōng cháo, winking his right eye.
They all laugh and once the king speaks in Mandarin to the horse they are off. Half way through their journey Yūrei has to make a stop to go to the bathroom. Whilst he is behind a confident tree he hears Commander Ōtomo tell the others he too is just nipping for a pee. The Great Warrior ears soon home in on something making its way through the snow. He decides to see if he can see what it is and makes his way a little further into the forest and crouches down behind a tree. Asuka is on his way back when he spots the king and realises from his body language he is surveying the area. He quickly, but quietly makes his way over to him and crouches down next to him.
“What is it?” Commander Ōtomo whispers, looking around.
Yūrei sniffs the air and answers in a soft voice, “Wild boar, just down there,” pointing his hand out in front. “They sound like they are searching for food. Mmm, roasted boar is just amazing. Sorry I should not say that in front of you.”
“Seriously it is fine for we do have meat just never around Tenjō. It is why my brother had a kitchen built a good few miles from base, on the grounds that no chicken or chicken related dishes are created inside it.”
“Sounds like a good solution. Come, let’s carry on.”
They return to the others and continue their journey up the mountain path to reach the remote teahouse. The air grows colder and it becomes very still all four men know they are in for a storm. When they are less than a mile from their destination the wind begins to pick up making the men put on gloves and wrap a cloth around their faces to protect it.
Detective Saitō is in front and is relieved to see a building is appearing through the blizzard, he points it out to the others and they all move a little quicker to reach it.
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