Leslie Moore - Griffin's Shadow

“I agree, love, but it is the way it is.” Ashinji sprawled on the couch beside the hearth, watching Jelena as she stalked, filling the room with her righteous indignation.

Abruptly, Jelena halted and rounded on her husband. “How can you be so…so unconcerned?” she demanded, glaring at him through narrowed eyes.

Ashinji sat up and held out his hands. “Please come and sit down,” he beckoned gently. After a moment’s hesitation, Jelena came and settled beside him, allowing herself to be held. At first, she remained rigid with anger, but the feel of Ashinji’s body against hers worked its own special magic and her fury slowly cooled. She sighed and relaxed into his embrace.

“I’m not unconcerned, love, just practical,” Ashinji said, brushing her cheek lightly with his fingers. “The weaver and her family deserved justice, and it sounds like they didn’t receive any. It is unfair, but the majority of okui don’t even acknowledge that there’s a problem. They truly believe that all hikui are content to live as our servants and laborers, never stopping to consider that the hikui woman or man they employ might just have higher aspirations.”

“Why are your parents different, Ashi?” Jelena asked. “Even though your father objected at first to our marriage, he did come around. Why?”

“I believe it’s because they were both raised in the borderlands where matters of blood and race are not as important,” Ashinji replied. “Many people out on the frontiers have a human or two hidden in their family trees.”

And a few, like Aneko, pass as okui, Jelena mused silently.

Jelena thought about the crime done to Sateyuka’s family and wondered how many other hikui had suffered unjustly-were still suffering-and her anger kindled anew. Ashinji must have sensed her hardening mood, for he pulled away and regarded her with cautious eyes. She looked into his face and, for the space of a heartbeat, she saw, not the man she loved, but the visage of an oppressor.

Gods, what am I thinking!

Jelena gasped with dismay. The anger fell away, to be replaced with intense sadness and regret. “Oh, Ashi,” she whispered and her eyes filled with tears. That anything could make her look at Ashinji with something other than love felt like an unbearable agony to her spirit, yet the injustice inflicted upon hikui by pure bloods remained undeniable, and she could no longer ignore it. She remembered Sateyuka’s words -If you and your husband love each other, perhaps that will be enough- and slowly shook her head.

“What are you thinking?” Ashinji asked.

“About…” Jelena paused, then drew herself up with new determination. “About how much I love you. And about how I can’t ignore what’s going on when I might have the power to help change things. I’m the king’s daughter, Ashi! I’m the king’s hikui daughter, and that obligates me to take action.”

Ashinji reached out and pulled her close. “I’m proud of you,” he said. “King Keizo is a fair man. I believe he’ll listen to you.”

“Hallooo! Where is everyone?” Lord Sen’s booming voice rolled into the room just ahead of the general himself, who strode in, trailed closely by Sadaiyo. Both father and son were dressed in heavy leathers, sweat-stained and dusty from the saddle. “Amara!” he called out, then noticing Ashinji and Jelena, he said in a somewhat quieter voice, “Hullo, children. Do you know where your mother is?”

“I think she and Misune took the girls out to tour the castle gardens, but they should be back very soon. It’s nearly dark,” Ashinji replied.

“Taking Lani out to dangle her in front of the eligible young bucks, is more like it,” Sadaiyo commented. Sen frowned.

“Must you always be so crude, Sadaiyo?” Ashinji responded, tight-lipped. “At least try to control your natural savagery where our sister is concerned.”

Sadaiyo shrugged at the insult, unfazed, and said, “While you’ve been lazing away the day on your backside, Father and I have been out working.” He crossed the room to stand by the hearth. Jelena eased herself off the couch and went to sit on the floor near the window. She found it difficult enough being in the same room as Ashinji’s brother. At the very least, she would put the length of the room between her and him.

“Your brother and I accompanied the king and Prince Raidan on a tour of the city’s defenses,” Sen explained. “Fortunately, most of the fortifications are sound, but I can’t say that about the old fort out on the Meizi Road. That’ll have to undergo major renovations before winter. Some enterprising local has turned it into an inn. Raidan was livid! I thought his head would burst!” Sen chuckled at the memory. He turned and addressed Jelena. “The king has invited us all to dine with him this evening. You’ll get to meet your uncle Raidan and his family, Jelena.”

“I’ve already met my uncle’s wife this morning,” Jelena said, remembering the strength of command that had radiated from Princess Taya.

My uncle must be a man of great strength himself, to have such a wife , she thought.

“Oh, yes. The Kirian Society. She is part of that, isn’t she?” Sen sniffed loudly and rubbed his nose on the back of his hand. “Hmm, well. I need a bath and a drink. The rest of you’d better think about getting ready, ‘cause we don’t want to be late.” He looked pointedly at Sadaiyo, then turned and stumped up the stairs.

With Sen’s departure, an uncomfortable silence descended upon the sitting room. After enduring several moments of the tense atmosphere, Jelena spoke up.

“Ashi, let’s go to the bath house now.” She stood and held her hand out to him.

“Good idea,” Ashinji replied. The two of them left Sadaiyo standing by the fireplace, his eyes hooded and inscrutable.

"Things are happening so fast, Ashi…perhaps too fast.” Jelena sighed and lay back on the bed beside Ashinji. “In two days time, I am to be presented to the King’s Council as Keizo Onjara’s daughter…and then…” She paused, momentarily overcome. Ashinji gently rubbed the back of her neck, offering silent support. “And then,” she continued in a shaky voice, “my father will present me to the people of Sendai, legitimize me and invest me with the title of Princess.”

The king had made his announcement that evening during dinner in his private quarters.

“My uncle Raidan and his sons…What must they think?” she mused.

Prince Raidan, Princess Taya, and their two sons-sullen Raidu and cheerful, curious young Kaisik-had greeted her politely enough; with the exception of Raidu, they had treated her as a welcome new family member. When Keizo had announced his plans, however, Jelena felt the change in her uncle’s attitude like a breath of chill wind upon her face. Raidan had remained unfailingly polite, but his hazel eyes had gone flint-hard.

Ashinji stretched languidly and stifled a yawn behind his hand. “The prince is a good man, and well-respected…and he is loyal to the king,” he said. “You have nothing to fear from him, I’m sure.” He frowned. “I couldn’t help but notice how your father’s Companion kept staring at you all evening. It was a little disturbing…like watching a lioness licking her chops over a rabbit.”

“Yes, she did make me feel a little uncomfortable, but she’s a Kirian, after all…she knows about my blue fire. I think she must be able to sense it somehow.”

“Perhaps,” Ashinji replied.

“My cousin Raidu did a fair amount of chop-licking over your sister, Ashi,” Jelena commented.

“Huh. Don’t think I didn’t notice. Lani’s at that age now. She’s beautiful, smart-and marriageable-and she knows it.” Ashinji rolled over and pulled Jelena against him. His hand strayed down to rest on her thigh.