The Twelve Kingdoms: A Thousand Leagues of Wind

was the voice of a young woman.
    "But enough of that. How is Hou doing these days?"
    "Fortunately, as well as can be expected."
    The envoy again touched his head to the floor.
    "Well, from my perspective, sitting upon the throne by right of the Mandate of Heaven, I'd say the Marquis of Kei is in a rather bad spot. But I'm sure you know that better than I do. I cannot thank you enough for all your good offices."
    The echoes of her young voice rang out like a bell.
    "Please congratulate the Marquis on his decisive action. The king was the cause of his own ruin. To escape his wrath, many refugees fled to Kyou in small boats and clinging to rafts. The people of Hou must all be breathing sighs of relief, now."
    Unable to bear it any further, Shoukei began to lift her head. It was a breach of etiquette to raise one's head without permission. But not only that held her back. Shoukei didn't want to see the Royal Kyou. From her voice, Shoukei could tell she was a young woman, perhaps the same age as herself. She didn't want to see her, a girl clothed in silk, adorned with jewels, sitting on the throne.
    "And I take it this is Son Shou."
    Hearing her formal family name so casually spoken by the Royal Kyou, Shoukei bit her lip and fumed. That glib use of her name alone spoke volumes.
    "Yes, it is."
    "I shall take Son Shou into my custody. You needn't concern yourself about her any longer. The people of Hou and the ministers of Hou can forget all about her."
    Understood, said the envoy with a bow.
    "Please tell the Marquis of Kei to put the king behind him and work for the good of the realm, and so atone for his sins. A kingdom without a king can sink into the depths with alarming speed. That is the best way of keeping the ship of state afloat."
    "I shall inform him thusly."
    "Does the Marquis still reside at the provincial capital? He should take possession of the imperial throne as soon as possible. I believe it best that he assume the throne until the coronation of the next king and work on behalf of all the people. I will send along letters making note of the same. If any profess dissatisfaction with this course of events, let it be said that it was done according to the recommendation of the Royal Kyou."
    Outraged, Shoukei raised her head. She couldn't stop herself. "Gekkei is a traitor and regicide!"
    Their eyes met. The Empress sitting on the throne looked no older than twelve. She had the face of an angel. Standing behind her was a man with golden hair closer to a shade of copper. Kyouki, the kirin of Kyou.
    The girl's coral lips parted. "The king destroyed himself," she said dismissively. "No king is killed except as the consequence of his crimes." She returned her attention to the envoy. "Sir, hasten back to Hou and give whatever assistance you can to the Marquis."
    The envoy bowed deeply. With a voice filled with emotion, he thanked the Court and withdrew, leaving Shoukei behind. Shoukei continued to stare up at her.
    The Empress said, "Once you are registered upon the census, would you prefer to live in the city or serve in the palace as a maidservant?"
    The blood rushed to Shoukei's cheeks. A maidservant, a working servant, not even rising to the rank of a lowly clerk, not even listed upon the Registry! This child was asking her, the princess royal, if she wanted to be a maidservant.
    Seeing the expression on her face, the girl giggled. "She still has her pride, if nothing else. Yet I am not so compassionate as the Marquis. Go to a orphanage or become a maidservant. Take your pick. You will reside at the orphanage until you reach the age of your majority, but as you are not a citizen of Kyou, you will not receive a partition. You'll have to find yourself a job. Well?"
    "You're mean."
    "And I don't much care for you, either." She grinned. "We took custody of you because your continuing presence in Hou would only cause more harm. Pity for your plight had nothing to do with it, and don't you forget it. So, which will it be?"
    Shoukei could not imagine being at the beck and call of this girl. But her memories pushed those feelings aside. Ending every day covered with dirt, working until you could barely move, sleeping in a drafty shack. Everything she had experienced in Hou now mitigated her feelings of outrage.
    "I'll be a maidservant."
    Really, the girl chortled. "In that case, the first thing you need to learn is to prostrate yourself properly before the Empress, and never to raise your head and speak until and