The Twelve Kingdoms: A Thousand Leagues of Wind

winter weapons."
    Suzu's eyes flew open. "Gahou."
    "Undoubtedly. Are you thinking the same thing I am?"
    "Sure seems like it."
    The bedroom fell into silence. Suzu sat down on the divan and sighed. "The kid I was traveling with got killed by Shoukou."
    "Really?"
    "Why can a public servant like Shoukou get away with things like that? Shisui really is an awful place."
    "I've heard rumors."
    "Those rumors are only half as true as reality. Seishuu--the boy I made it all the way to Takuhou with--he didn't do anything wrong. He was killed for getting in the way of Shoukou's carriage. I was so angry. When I try to imagine people looking the other way when things like that happen, I get so mad I can't stand it. But Shoukou--"
    "--has got Gahou watching his back."
    Suzu blinked. "You know that for certain?"
    "That's what everybody says: Gahou and Shoukou are two peas in a pod."
    "No doubt they are. I'd sure like to see Shoukou and his ilk get what they deserve. With the Royal Kei looking out for Gahou, nobody's going to try and punish Shoukou. That's why we've got no choice but to take the initiative ourselves, right?"
    "I don't agree."
    "Eh?"
    "I don't think the Royal Kei is doing anything like protecting Gahou. Isn't that what the Late Empress Yo-ou did, you mean?"
    "It was true of the Late Empress Yo-ou, and the current Empress, too--"
    "The person who brought me here said that the Royal Kei simply doesn't know about things like that."
    "But--"
    Shoukei looked intently at Suzu. "When I was in Ryuu, I met a friend of the Royal Kei."
    "You what?"
    "One of her closest companions. I can't believe she's that bad of a person. She wouldn't protect Shoukou or collude with Gahou."
    "Maybe not--"
    "The Royal Kei has only recently acceded to the throne. There's got to be a lot she doesn't understand. I think that's what it comes down to."
    "Ignorance is no defense. She's the Empress, after all."
    Shoukei gave Suzu a long, hard look. Then she said, "My father was the king."
    "He . . . what?"
    "The Royal Hou. Three years ago his subjects rose up and overthrew him."
    Suzu gaped at her.
    "My father was detested by the people. The result of all that hate was regicide. They hate him even now, and there's nothing I could do to change that. But even with a father like that, watching him die hurt terribly. Probably as much as it hurt when Seishuu died."
    "Yes."
    "In order to prevent my father's death, before the hate grew so intense, I should have remonstrated with him. I loathe myself now for not doing so. What if all the people surrounding the Royal Kei are naive dunces like I was? She'll be hated as my parents were. There were people who even said that I condoned my father's sins." Shoukei lowered her gaze. "I don't know what's really happening. But if the Royal Kei is surrounded only by those kinds of people? My father was chosen by Hourin. He couldn't have been doomed from the start. But when the people around him tried to warn him and couldn't get through to him, he ended up parting from the Way."
    Suzu examined the longing look on Shoukei's face, an expression that brought to mind another person she'd met recently: She's a puppet.
    "You're right," Suzu said. Shoukei tilted her head quizzically. Suzu continued, "I met somebody else who said the same thing. Only rumors, but the word was that the Empress doesn't have the trust of her retainers and can't get them to do anything she wants. So her only recourse is to do what they tell her to do."
    "Yes, indeed."
    "You think that's really what's going on?"
    "I've heard that most of the ministers at the Royal Court are from the era of the Late Empress Yo-ou. I think you can guess what kind of people they are. The same ones who stood by while Yo-ou fell from Way before their very eyes."
    "But the Royal Kei dismissed the Province Lord of Baku. Wasn't he beloved by his people?"
    "Standard practice for corrupt officials. Of course, beasts like Gahou and Shoukou would conspire against an accomplished and respected man like the Marquis. They'd cook up some crime to frame him with."
    "But--"
    "There's a superintendent in Ei Province by the name of Enho. I've heard that he's highly knowledgeable of the Way. The rike where Enho was superintendent was attacked. The attackers killed a girl and kidnapped Enho. A gang was hanging around the rike, and rumor has it they were from Takuhou. I've also heard that the same day Enho was assaulted, even after the gates were closed, they were opened again."
    "You're