The Twelve Kingdoms: The Shore in Twilight

just two normal Japanese kids, it sounds funny."
    Taiki smiled. "So how old are you, Nakajima-san."
    But being addressed that way struck her a tad odd as well. "A year older than you, I think. Counting years doesn't really mean anything here." A thought occurred to her. She said, raising her voice, "How about I call you Takasato-kun?"
    "I'm fine either way. I came here once before when I was young, so being called Taiki doesn't feel so strange to me."
    "I see. I only came here three years ago. I guess that makes me a relative newcomer compared to you."
    "The fact is, I've only been here a total of one year." The poignancy in his voice contained more pain than nostalgia.
    "Well, you just may end up being my go-to guy anyway. I didn't have a particular interest in politics or social organizations when I was in high school. As a result, all I've got to go on is some vague knowledge and ideas."
    "I really don't think I'm all that different from you. I'm equally clueless about everything. I was only here a year, and half of that time I spent on Mt. Hou. I really didn't live in Tai for very long at all. Not to mention that I was a kid and didn't understand very well how the world worked. I sort of wandered about in a daze."
    "Starting now, then, any advice you have for me would be most welcome. For the time being, I'd like you to be my representative among the Tai refugees."
    "Yes," he said with a nod.
    A loud commotion suddenly erupted from the room next door. "What's going on?" she heard Risai cry out.
    Youko rose from her chair as the door to the room was forced open.

Chapter 47
    S everal men came charging into the bedroom. Youko scowled. Leading them was the Naisai, the vice-minister of the Interior, the official in the Ministry of Heaven specifically responsible for the Inner Palace. Behind him were several guards she recognized from the Forbidden Gate
    "What's going on?" She hardly needed to inquire. Their intent was obvious. They carried swords. "What is the meaning of this?" she said, glaring at the intruders.
    The men raised their swords. "You are bringing shame upon Kei," the Naisai said. "Granted, your incompetence does not match that of the Late Empress Yo, but you take the kingdom and the ministers too lightly. You have elevated commoners of unknown lineage and without connections, have trampled upon our customs, and scorn the dignity of the kingdom and the honor of the ministries."
    "That's right!" chimed in one of his underling guards, nervously gripping his sword, crouching there in a wary stance. "Treating hanjuu and the like the same as normal people, allowing them entrance to the court, even making one a general of the Palace Guard!"
    Youko felt a flush of anger rushing to her head.
    "Hanjuu and the like, eh?" Her hand reached for her own weapon, and then remembered that she hadn't brought the Water Monkey Sword with her.
    "Dragging the reputations of the ministers through the mud, installing hanjuu and rebels in the very heart of the Palace, contaminating its sacred grounds. Making light of the august court officials, elevating hanjuu and brigands above them, making them serve them. At the end of the day, you obviously cannot bear to stand in their presence and must drag everybody down with you. With hanjuu and bandits as your companions, you could divert your attention from your own weaknesses and insufficiencies. Gather kings and Taiho from other kingdoms and get caught up in their company, and I suppose you started to fancy yourself one of them. Your self-regard must really be something. A good thing Heaven won't tolerate your behavior forever."
    Youko found herself at a complete loss for words. She simply gaped at him.
    The Naisai spoke up instead. "That's enough." To Youko he said, "I apologize for his incivility. But understand that he is not the only one who holds such opinions. Though I would not go so far as he, I certainly cannot condone bringing foreign kings and Saiho into the Imperial Palace on such a regular basis. Giving asylum to a general from Tai and assistance to the Tai Saiho--you seem to have forgotten you are the Empress of Kei. What purpose could you have for entertaining so many foreign dignitaries? Do you intend to hand Kei over to foreign hands?"
    "You're quite wrong."
    "Then why do they strut around the Inner Palace like they own the place? Who do you take the subjects of Kei for?"
    "Just another woman empress, after all," the underling guard spit out. "Out to destroy the