Chapter 4: Fireworks
Part 2 - Playing with Fire
Sazume tiptoed through the castle’s hallways, her delicate feet making no noise as she approached her father’s study. The door was closed, but a high window gave her a glimpse of the interior. The vision of many documents and maps stiffly organized reminded her of a day of brushes, ink and doodles on her dad’s scrolls, while he was too busy taking care of a silver-haired baby. She almost laughed at that, but made an effort to remain quiet; she shouldn’t be there.
“You sent for me, lord Sesshomaru. How could I be of service to you in this peaceful day?”
“Nothing. I just want to know your opinion on the mobilization on the eastern lands.”
The girl heard a short laugh. She looked though the window and hid again quickly after sawing the tattooed-face warrior sitting ahead of his father.
“The lords of the East are ambitious. They see the weaknesses of this side; demon lords with no expression, lacking the strength required to protect their lands and their honor. Nothing that should worry someone as you, of course”, he added after a moment of pause. “Probably only the small lords, like that fief south from here. A vassal of yours, am I right? What’s his name again?”
“Should war come to these lands, it’ll affect both small and high lords. In a fight between East and West, none will be able to stand neutral. So, which side will the Fire Tribe choose?”
Houji breathed in slowly, thoughtful, as he gazed at the sky outside. Sazume hid again before his eyes reached the window.
“It’s a tough choice to be made when your people live in borderline territory, surrounded by potential enemies. You want to know who will help you during the war; my concerns turn to who will support us after it.”
“It’s simple: swear loyalty as my vassal and you’ll have my protection, with or without war.”
Sazume let a short laugh slip between her lips; luckily, the fire demon did the same.
“And they say you don’t have a sense of humor, Sesshomaru. You know I’m too proud to accept that. I was thinking of something different, but with the same purpose: a permanent alliance.”
The girl looked through the window again. Her father was thoughtful; the widened eyes meant, she knew well, that he was very tempted to take the offer. Houji kept talking.
“Of course, we’d have to seal the deal with something concrete; an act to make public our mutual and unconditional support. Maybe a union of bloodlines. Your daughter, for example…” Sazume’s heart bumped hard; she stepped back from the window, trembling. “Hasn’t she already grown enough to get married?”
She rushed away into the estate’s garden, passing by the flower-beds, and stopped at the shore of a small pond, where she used to watch and feed the carps. She looked at her reflex on the water, but the perfect mirror was broken by the sadness that dropped from her face. She couldn’t believe; her father really considered the idea of marrying her to someone to form an alliance? She wiped a second tear and stood there, looking at her image rebuilding on the water’s surface.
“I told you.” Sazume startled, turning around quickly to face the visitor. Mikami, Chief Houji’s elder son; again with his indiscreet looks and his sarcastic smile. She held her breath as the brimstone stench approached her. “Oh, there’s no need to cry that way! However, I confess that I too was very… excited about my father’s idea to marry you and me.”
“Well, you can take this stupid smile off your face! I’m never marrying you!”
The fire demon’s hot hand grabbed her wrist before she could step back.
“Oh, you will, and you know why? Because you’re a good girl, your daddy’s little princess. Start packing, dear, soon you’ll be living with me in the mountains.”
Suddenly, the sound of quick steps, a gust of wind; Ichimaru’s claws cut through air. Mikami jumped away from Sazume before he lost his arm.
“Take those dirty paws away from my sister!”
“Paws? Look who’s talking, mutt face!”
“Say that again!” Ichimaru was already jumping on the fire demon, but was held back by Sazume. “Let go off me, I’ll break his neck!”
“What’s going on here?”
Sesshomaru’s peremptory voice fell over the elated moods as a stream of cold water. His angry eyes made everyone look at their feet.
“Easy, lord Sesshomaru. The kids were only getting to know each other better.” Houji approached the scene, laughing.
“Out of my house, both of you.”
The fire demon nodded, suddenly serious.
“The war won’t start tomorrow. You’ll have plenty of time to reconsider my offer. Come, son.”
Ichimaru snarled, watching the visitors walk away. Sazume’s hands still held him tight.
“Dad…” She turned to the demon lord, worried, but he had already turned around and headed back to his study.
