The Twelve Kingdoms: Shadow of the Moon

reign lasted only six years. In recent years, as he suffered from the shitsudou, public order disintegrated. And then this calamity. All those proximate to En or Kou have fled the country. But the great majority remain behind in Kei. And during all this time, they have been left to the mercies of the youma and natural disasters. There is no other way of saving them."
    "You mean, placing a righteous king on the throne as soon as possible?"
    "Precisely."
    Youko shook her head. "There's just no way."
    "Why is that? I believe that you possess all the necessary kingly attributes."
    "You're kidding."
    "You are the master of your own soul. You know what responsibilities you bear toward yourself alone. When it comes to a ruler who lacks such knowledge, trying to persuade him of his duties is useless. How can he who cannot rule himself rule others?"
    "I . . . can't."
    "But . . . . "
    "Shouryuu," Enki said in a reproving voice. "You're twisting arms. What the Royal Kei does with the Kingdom of Kei is up to her. Until she is prepared to accept the consequences of her actions, let her be."
    The En sighed. "Yes, you are right. But this alone I wish to ask of the Royal Kei. I am doing everything I can think of to assist the people of Kei, but the national treasury is not inexhaustible. I am pleading with you to save your kingdom."
    "I'll think it over." Youko hung her head. There was no way she could bring herself to look them in the eye.
    "Excuse me," said Rakushun, "but has anybody figured out what king has it in for Youko?"
    The En looked at Enki. Enki stared off into the distance. He said, "And who do you think it is?"
    "Well, I've come to the conclusion that it is probably the Royal Kou."
    Youko looked at Rakushun. For just a moment, this young man with the strained expression on his face seemed in no way connected to the gentle rat she knew.
    "And why's that?"
    "This is by no means definite. But Youko was chased to exhaustion around those mountains. I don't think all of the youma that attacked her were the kirin's shirei. In that case, what could have caused the wild youma living in the mountains to come together like that? Even if half were shirei, that is still too many. I can't help feeling that the Kingdom of Kou itself is on the decline."
    The En nodded. "So it is. In fact, I have received from Kou a strongly-worded petition seeking the extradition of a kaikyaku who fled to En. Kaikyaku have fled here from Kou before. But extraditing a kaikyaku is such an unusual step that I had Enki look into it. Somehow or other, someone in Kou has been supplying Joei with funds. Furthermore, Kou is falling into chaos. Not only does this cast all the more suspicion upon the Royal Kou, but only yesterday, we received word that Kourin has fallen ill with the shitsudou."
    " . . . with the shitsudou," Rakushun echoed. Bitterness clouded his otherwise lively, young face. "In that case, the end of Kou is near."
    "Isn't there anything we can do?" Youko asked.
    It was the En who answered. "It would be simple to counsel with the Royal Kou as a colleague, but the man will not agree to meet. And even if we did, nothing can be done if he will not admit to the error of his ways. Our only remaining recourse is that the rightful Empress of Kei accepts the Mandate of Heaven and fills the vacant throne. Why the Royal Kou has meddled in the internal affairs of Kei, I do not know. But if the purpose was to put a puppet on the throne and lead her around by the nose, then only then shall we see his ambitions wither and an end to this insulting pretense."
    His gaze fell on her. There was much more in his eyes that was left unsaid. Youko bowed her head. "Please give me time."

Part VIII
    ouko was put up in a magnificent suite with a soaring ceiling. The interior decor, from the furniture to the water pitcher on the table, had the indelible mark of fine taste and sumptuous luxury. The room was enormous, the glazed windows huge. There were arrangements of flowers, the smell of burning incense, the kind of thing that would make the eyes of a peasant from the backwoods of Kou spin.
    Having become accustomed to a pauper's accommodations on the road, she felt the same. She couldn't settle down. She had wanted to retreat to her room, give herself some time to think things out, but the ornate, overstuffed chairs were uncomfortable. The lacquered table was finished with mother of pearl and would show even a fingerprint if she touched it. She hesitated even to sit