The Twelve Kingdoms: The Shore in Twilight

that's the way it feels to me." Of course, the ruin of Tai was not something Risai could have done. "If Tai is destroyed, so much shall be lost to me. The kingdom I love. Its realms and territories. Its people. And every memory tied to them. Everything. But I sense I shall lose something even greater than all that. Before longing for what is lost and weeping for what I no longer have, I shall loath what I have become and curse my fate."
    She took a breath and let it out. "You're right. I may be acting like a querulous child. At the end of the day, I was willing claw my way out of there in order to escape that pain. Simply in order to preserve the sanctity of my own emotions."
    Risai looked down at Taiki, and then turned her gaze to the altar. "This is not something I am hoping for from the Taiho. I'm not looking for any miracles. If the Gods--who could perform such a miracle--are not going to save Tai, how could I expect the Taiho to do so?"
    The Goddess raised an eyebrow.
    "However, light must be brought to Tai. Lacking that, Tai will truly freeze over and the death and destruction will only continue."
    The Queen Mother said nothing. Her face expressed nothing. In her eyes was reflected a universe of nothing. At last, her eyes fell on Taiki.
    "I will exorcize this sickness from him. I promise nothing else." Almost mechanically, she raised her hand. "You may leave now. And take him with you."
    As soon as she had spoken, a roaring sound resonated and the waterfall surrounded the throne, swallowing it up in the mist. Before she could even raise her voice in alarm, Risai stumbled backwards, closing her eyes reflexively. Gathering her wits about her, she realized she was at the back of the wide court, standing on the white cobblestones.
    The empty expanse of cobblestones reached out to the foothills of the verdant mountains. The quiet sound of the waves from the Sea of Clouds drifted in.
    Risai looked around in confusion, at the wizardesses gathered around Taiki, at the dumbfounded Youko and Shouryuu. Gyokuyou alone knelt on the cobblestones. After bowing deeply, she got to her feet and glanced over her shoulder at Risai.
    "You may take him back with you. Taiki will sleep for a while, but as the Queen Mother promised, he will most definitely be cured of this sickness."
    Risai looked back at Gyokuyou. Her noble features reminded her of the sad visage of the young woman she had parted with so long ago in Gyousou's home province of I.
    "That is all?"
    Gyokuyou nodded wordlessly.

Part Seven
    he king and kirin of Han were waiting for them when they got back to Kei.
    Enkyuu palace had been converted into Taiki's recovery room. Taiki continued to slumber after being brought back from Mt. Hou. But now Enki and Keiki and the other kirin were able to approach him.
    Having confirmed this for herself, with a great apparent relief, Renrin as well would be returning to Ren.
    "You won't be coming to see him?" Risai inquired.
    Preparing for her journey home, Renrin shook her head. "I have seen his face. I know he will be okay. With no other compelling reason to stay, I must be about my kingdom's business."
    "But--" Risai was about to say, and hung her head instead. Holed up in Kinpa Palace, Renrin had been spending time in the search for Taiki she should have been devoting to her own people. Risai had essentially stolen Ren's Taiho from Ren. There was no way she could continue to detain her for mere sentimental reasons.
    Renrin smiled. "With things getting back to normal, I'm starting to miss my liege. And if I don't get back right away, he's going to get anxious too. We don't want to be out of each other's sight any longer than necessary."
    Risai amiably agreed, and saw her off with a deep bow. The next day, Shouryuu returned to En, leaving Enki behind. The first hints of fall began stealing into the quiet West Gardens.
    She stayed by Taiki's side. Anything she couldn't handle, Keikei was there to pick up the slack.
    "He still hasn't opened his eyes," Keikei said rather grumpily. He always brought a sprig of bush clover with him so that would be the first thing Taiki saw when he woke up.
    "His color looks a lot better."
    "Yes, it does. The Tai Taiho is a kirin, and yet he doesn't have golden hair."
    "That's why he's called the 'black kirin.'"
    "I thought his hair turned this color because of his illness, but Youko said that wasn't the case."
    "Yes," Risai said with a smile.
    "I thought the Tai Taiho was a lot smaller person."
    "He