The Twelve Kingdoms: Shadow of the Moon

and called out to what looked like a good-natured person.
    "Excuse me, but could you tell me how to get a ship to En?"
    The middle-aged man politely instructed her. She also inquired about the price of a ticket. She'd managed to scrape together enough money during her journey to get her to En.
    "When does the next ship depart?"
    "A passenger ship leaves every five days. The next one is three days from today."
    Youko confirmed the ship's departure time. If she messed this up and the harbor got closed down, it'd all be for naught. She asked about everything she thought she might need to know, and then bowed. "Thank you very much. You've been a great help."
    She left Agan at once and spent the next two days in the mountains. The ship was scheduled to leave in the morning. The day before she again went to the gates of Agan.
    The guards were on their toes. Because she would have to spend the night in the town, she couldn't do anything to attract any suspicion. Youko looked at her sword, wrapped up in its cloth shroud. Now at least she had the scabbard. Still, she didn't see many travelers wearing swords on their belts, so it wouldn't do to stand out in the crowd.
    If not for the sword, the risk here would be less. She'd given much thought to discarding the sword here in Kou, but even if she could, she had no desire to. As long as she was being pursed by the youma, it was necessary for her survival. It just wasn't a sword the guards were on the lookout for, so she didn't think getting rid of it would by itself improve her situation.
    She cut some long grass in the mountains and wrapped the sword up in a bundle that, at a glance, would not be taken for a sword. Toward evening, she crouched on the road holding the bundle and waited for the right opportunity.
    Soon after she sat down, she heard a man's voice. "Hey, kid, what's the problem?"
    "Oh, it's nothing. Just my foot acting up."
    The man gave her a suspicious look and hurried on toward Agan. She watched him leave and continued to sit there. After the third such inquiry, she spotted the kind of companions she was looking for, a man and wife with two children. "What's the matter?" she was asked.
    "I guess I'm not feeling very well."
    Youko didn't look up as she spoke. The woman reached out and touched her. "Are you all right?"
    Youko only shook her shoulders. If this didn't work, if she couldn't gin up some sympathy for her plight, she'd have to dump the sword and risk the consequences. The strain was enough to make her break out in a real sweat.
    "Are you sick? You're almost to Agan. Can you walk that far?"
    Youko nodded slightly. The man put his arm around her. "Well, then, hold on. It's only a little further. You can make it."
    Youko nodded again and put her hand on his shoulder. When she stood up, she intentionally let the bundle fall to the ground. When she stooped to get it, the woman picked it up for her and said to the children. "Why don't you carry this. It's not heavy."
    She handed it to the boy and his younger sister. They took it with a serious looks on their faces.
    "Can you walk? We can summon the guards, if you'd like."
    Youko shook her head. "I'm sorry. I'll be okay. My friends already went ahead and are getting a room."
    The man laughed. "Is that so? You've got somebody with you, that's great."
    Youko nodded, clinging gently to the man's shoulder as they walked along. She intended to appear beholding to the man helping her, while garnering as much sympathy as possible from the people around them.
    They drew nearer to the gates. The guards flanking the gates were inspecting the stream of people hurrying toward them. She passed through the gates. She felt eyes on her, but no one raised his voice. After putting a bit of distance between her and the gates, Youko finally allowed herself to breathe. When she peeked back over her shoulder, the gates were far enough away that she could not make out the faces of the guards.
    Score.
    Sighing with relief, Youko took her hand off the man's shoulder. "Thank you. I'm feeling much better."
    "Will you be okay? We can take you as far as the inn."
    "That's okay. I'll be fine from here. I'm really grateful for your help."
    She bowed deeply. I apologize for lying to you, she said in her heart.
    The man and wife exchanged glances. "Take care," they said.

    The city was bustling with refugees. Worried about falling under the wary eye of an innkeeper, she found an open space along the city walls and spent the night there.
    The