The Twelve Kingdoms: A Thousand Leagues of Wind

Do your duty, it was telling her.
    Suzu clung to the tiger. She cautiously reached out with one hand, but couldn't reach. A strong gust knocked her sideways. The stronger the wind, the stronger her panic. Her teeth chattering, her knees knocking, she knew this wasn't going to work.
    Apprehensively, she let go with both hands. But as she leaned towards the cliff, she tumbled from the tiger's back. She collided with the face of the cliff, gashing her skin. Setsuko caught her with a claw through her sash and for the third time tossed her onto its back.
    Suzu broke down weeping. "Why . . . ?" It was all too much. "Why is she doing this to me? Why does she hate me so much?" Suzu hit the tiger with her fists. "Let go of me! Kill me if that's what you want! Enough is enough!"
    Setsuko answered only with a low rumble in her throat.
    Take me way from here. It was the first thing that came to her mind. "Where to?" she asked herself timidly. If she ran away, her name would be erased from the Registry of Wizards, and that would be the end of her.
    "To Kei."
    Go to the Royal Kei. But how? Meet with the Royal Kei and appeal to her. Tell her about her miserable conditions, Riyou's tyrannical rule. But, still . . . .
    Suzu suddenly raised her head. "That's right! If I appeal to the king, I don't have to worry about the Royal Kei!"
    She grabbed Setsuko's coat hard enough to pull the hair out by the roots. "I'll petition the Imperial Court! The king of Sai. I get him to punish Riyou and keep my name in the Registry of Wizards!"
    Suzu whacked Setsuko as hard as she could. "Go! We're going to Choukan Palace in Yuunei!"
    Setsuko reared up without warning. Suzu clung on for dear life as the tiger's body turned and twisted in the air. Swept into this world, she had survived only by debasing herself. And yet she picked her first fight ever with Setsuko. The tiger flailed about, trying to buck her off. At length it seemed to give up and galloped off through the wind, heading straight to the northeast. The destination was Yuunei, the capital of Sai.

    The capital city of Yuunei. Somebody was pounding on the gates before the Hall of Government. The night was approaching dawn. Alarmed at what could be afoot at this time of night, the guardsmen rushed to the gate and discovered there a red tiger, and in the tiger's shadow, a young girl clinging to the post.
    "What are you doing here?"
    "I came from Suibi Grotto on Mt. Ha. Please help me!"
    The guardsmen lowered their spears to keep the tiger at bay. They assumed the girl had been attacked by this you -creature. After giving them a haughty glare, the tiger turned his back to them and flew off. The guardsmen breathed a collective sigh of relief.
    "Miss, are you all right?"
    In the light of the breaking day, the girl's sad state became apparent. Her clothes were torn and stained with blood. Her tangled, tostled hair was also wet with blood.
    "Were you attacked? Are you all right?"
    Suzu clung to the guardsman who was helping to her feet. It's a miracle. I made it to Yuunei. She cried, "You've got to help me! The Mistress of Suibi Grotto is trying to kill me!"
    The guardsmen all looked at each other.
    "I'm begging you. Help me!"

Chapter 14
    T he peerage system of the Twelve Kingdoms was organized according to the following seven ranks: king, prince, province lord (or marquis), count (or minister), province minister (or viscount), baron, and knight. There are two ranks of count, count and vice minister (or undersecretary), and three subdivisions each of baron and knight. All the nobility is divided amongst these twelve castes.
    At the level of national government, most counts are vice ministers or undersecretaries. Hisen ("wizards of the air") are allowed to rise to the rank of full count or minister. Hisen like Riyou who had been elevated according to imperial edict were granted vice-ministerial status. The rank of servant wizards fell between that of knight and baron, which was higher than the typical government bureaucrat.
    In fact, such gradations in rank were designed primarily for purposes of decorum and propriety. For example, when a person of lower rank encountered a person of higher rank on the road, who would yield the right of way. In other words, the authority to demand that you be treated with the proper courtesy, though not much else.
    In any case, after collapsing in front of the Hall of Government, Suzu was treated very well. She was taken to a room reserved for honored guests. A