The Twelve Kingdoms: Shadow of the Moon

scrambled up the bank to the causeway. "Where you from?" he asked.
    Youko registered the question with a deep sense of relief. They spoke the same language. She almost felt like laughing. She wasn't as bad off as she thought.
    "I was over there, by the cliff," she said.
    "The cliff? I mean, what's your hometown?"
    Tokyo, she started to say, and changed her mind. She'd decided simply to explain her circumstances, but she doubted now that they would find anything she said believable. As she stood there trying to think of what to say, the man pressed again, "You're not from around here, are you? You come from across the ocean, huh?"
    It was close enough to the truth. Youko nodded. The man's eyes widened. "Yeah, figures. A real pisser, you know, your kind showing up out of the blue like this."
    The man grinned at her, as if comprehending something that she did not. He stared, his look approaching a leer, until his gaze fell on the sword she held down at her side. "Hey, what have you got there? Looks important."
    "Someone . . . gave it to me."
    "Who?"
    "His name is Keiki."
    The man closed the distance between them. Youko took a step back.
    "Looks heavy. Don't worry. I'll take care of it for you."
    The look in his eyes did not assuage her. She didn't like the way he spoke to her, either. She clasped the sword to her chest and shook her head. "It's okay. Where am I? What is this place?"
    "This is Hairou. Frankly, missy, a dangerous thing like that, don't want you waving it around, specially when you don't even know where you are. Hand it over."
    Youko retreated again. "I was told not to."
    "C'mon, give it up."
    The force of his demand made her quail. She didn't possess the courage to tell him no. Reluctantly she held it out to him. He snatched it from her and examined it. "Yeah, fine work, this. The guy you got it from must have been loaded."
    The other men and woman gathered around them. Somebody asked, "One of those kaikyaku, is she?"
    "Yeah. Look at what she was carrying. Must be worth a fortune." He went to pull the sword from the scabbard. The hilt did not budge. "So it's just an expensive toy!" He laughed and tucked the sword into his waistband. He reached out and grabbed Youko by the wrist.
    "Ow! Let me go!"
    "Can't do that. All kaikyaku get sent to the governor. That's orders." He gave her a shove. "Get going. And don't try anything." He raised his voice to his companions as he pushed her along. "Hey, I could use some help, here."
    Youko's arm hurt. She could not begin to guess this man's true motives, nor where he was taking her. What she wanted most was to be free of him.
    Immediately as the thought entered her mind a cold sensation crept into her hands and feet. She jerked her hand free of his grip. Her arm, quite on its own accord, reached for the sword at the man's waist and came away with both it and the scabbard. She jumped back from him.
    "The bitch! Watch out! She's got the sword!"
    "What? It's just an ornament. Hey, little girl, calm down and come with us."
    Youko shook her head.
    "You want to get dragged the whole way there? Huh? Quit clowning around and get your ass over here."
    "No way."
    More people were gathering around them. The man took a step towards her. Youko pulled the sword from the scabbard.
    "What the hell!"
    "Don't come any closer . . . please."
    Everyone around her froze. Youko eyed them and backed way. As soon as she turned and started to run she heard footsteps behind her.
    "Don't follow me!" she shouted, but as soon as she had glanced back to see them coming after her she drew up, raised the sword, her body preparing itself for combat. Her blood roared in her ears.
    "Stop it," she told herself.
    She lunged with the sword towards the nearest man charging towards her.
    "Jouyuu, stop!"
    It was pointless to argue with him. The tip of the sword traced a graceful arc in the air.
    "I'm not killing any more people!"
    She shut her eyes. At once the movement in her arm stopped. At the same time someone came upon her on horseback, yanked the sword from her hand and knocked her roughly off her feet. Tears welled up in her eyes, more from relief than pain.
    "Stupid girl." They jabbed and kicked and punched her, but it was not too much to bear. Someone dragged her to her feet and pinned her arms behind her back. She did not care to resist. She pleaded with herself, with Jouyuu, do nothing.
    "Let's take her back to the village. Better take that strange sword to the governor as well."
    Her eyes still