The Twelve Kingdoms: A Thousand Leagues of Wind

we all managed to end up in the same place, in the same predicament."
    "Yeah."
    "Being happy is simple. It's the getting there that's hard to pull off. At least, that's the way it strikes me."
    "You know," said Suzu. "when it comes to living a life, happiness is only the half of it. Suffering is the other half."
    "I couldn't agree more," Shoukei said with a nod. "But all we see is the suffering. Little by little, we lose the ability to even recognize happiness when it's in our grasp."
    "It's a matter of willpower. You know, this is a strange conversation we're having."
    "Strange indeed."
    Shoukei and Suzu ran out of things to say. The three of them lazily enjoyed the slight breeze.
    "People are curious creatures," Suzu said absent-mindedly. As if snapping out of a daze, she lifted her head. "Hey, how about we do a patrol? Let's take a walk around the walls."

Chapter 71
    O n such a carefree afternoon, it was hard to believe that there was a war going on.
    "Starting tomorrow, people are going to start dying," Suzu blurted out as they strode along the wall walk.
    "With so many sacrifices being made," Shoukei added, "news of this is bound to reach the ears of the Royal Kei."
    Youko stopped in her tracks. Shoukei glanced over her shoulder, a quizzical look on her face. "Ah," she said, a smile coming to her face. "You see, even if we attempted a coup d'etat, there's no guarantee that it would succeed. Kantai and the others aren't thinking about dispatching Gahou. If they could have their way, they'd like to know why their leader was punished by the Royal Kei. But if she takes notice, then it's worth the cost."
    Suzu nodded in agreement. "The Empress can't have any idea what's going on in Wa Province and Shisui Prefecture. If she knew the chaotic state things were in, and how much Shoukou and Gahou are despised, she'd be sure to investigate and spend a lot more time righting wrongs like this. That's what we're shooting for."
    Suzu giggled to herself. "To tell the truth, I came to Kei to meet the Empress. So did Shoukei."
    Youko's eyes flew open wide. "To meet the Royal Kei? Why?"
    "Because she's the same age as us," Suzu and Shoukei said at the same time, and laughed.
    "That's the only reason?"
    "No, not really," Suzu quickly added. "It was also because we were both kaikyaku."
    As they strolled along the wall walk, Suzu recounted the tale of her long journey. It really was a long journey. So many things had happened by the time she'd wound up here. Now, despite being in the middle of a war she wasn't sure she'd survive, she found herself strangely at peace with herself, as calm as this early spring morning.
    "Because I was a kaikyaku, I felt incredibly sorry for myself. I told myself that a fellow kaikyaku like the Empress would take pity on me and help me out."
    "You've really grown up, Suzu," Shoukei said.
    Suzu waved her hand. "Oh, c'mon. It's hardly anything to boast about."
    "Well, I despised the Royal Kei. But only because she was favorite scapegoat. I couldn't forgive the fact that I'd been driven out of the imperial palace at the same time a girl my same age had been crowned Empress."
    And then Shoukei recounted the details of her journey as well. The regicide of her father, the freezing winters spend at the rike, the time she was almost executed, and being sent to Kyou. How she'd escaped and fled to Ryuu, and the person she encountered there.
    "If I hadn't met Rakushun, I'd still be in the same sorry state I was then. I owe him everything."
    "Rakushun--!" Youko exclaimed.
    Shoukei turned to her. "He's a really good person. I had to believe that if the Royal Kei was a friend of his, then she must be a good person too."
    "I am?"
    "Eh?" Suzu and Shoukei said together. They stopped and stared at her. "You're what?"
    "I mean, what I'm telling you is, the Royal Kei you're talking about is me!"
    Both Suzu and Shoukei's mouths dropped open.
    "I know this is going to sound like some sort of joke, but listening to your stories, I couldn't remain silent. I had to say something." Youko felt incredibly awkward. Suzu and Shoukei didn't look like they were buying it.
    "The Royal Kei? Sekishi?"
    "Yeah. The ministers came up with that name. The Red Child. You see, because of my hair--"
    Their sense of astonishment slowly grew. "Is your name really Youshi?"
    "Well, it's really Youko. The characters are the same. You as in taiyou (the sun). Shi as in shison (descendant)."
    "You can't be serious!" Suzu stared at Youko. Buried