The Twelve Kingdoms: The Shore in Twilight

appearances made her heart hurt.
    The girl curtsied. Returning Youko's curious look, she said with a polite bow, "Thank you for overlooking the abrupt nature of our arrival and honoring us with your presence. We are truly and deeply grateful to present ourselves as the most humble servants of the Royal Han."
    With that, the girl curtsied to the woman behind her. Youko turned her attention to her as well. Was this in fact the Royal Han? With an air of serene formality, the woman nodded. Youko found herself a bit taken aback. There was nothing pompous about her. At a glance, though modestly attired, she was a strikingly attractive woman. Looking closer, though she wore her kimono and floral jewelry without a breath of pretense, they were quite splendid articles.
    And yet the slender and well-proportioned frame struck Youko as nothing if not that of a man. And still a perfect fit for the attire. Of course. Just as Shoukei had said. An individual of complete refinement. Youko was flustered as to where to direct her gaze.
    The girl smiled at her. "The Royal Han wishes to share a few words with you."
    Youko nodded, taking this to mean they wished the room cleared. She turned to the Registrar. "Tell the Minister of Protocol to show our honored guests--"
    The girl shook her head. "I'm sorry, but whenever and wherever possible, we would prefer to avoid pomp and circumstance. There is no need to disturb the ministers."
    "But--"
    "If you wouldn't mind. Otherwise, I'm afraid the Royal Han would be most displeased with me."
    "Well, then. Given your leave, I welcome you as my personal guests. This way, please."
    The Registrar raised an aggravated voice of protest, but Youko silenced him with a look. As she led the girl from the Outer Palace, the Minister of Protocol could be heard to mutter in aggrieved tones that Han must be a land replete with ill-bred people.
    "I'm afraid the manners of my retainers are not all they should be," Youko apologized.
    The girl smiled. "Only because His Highness has only barely made Your Highness's acquaintance."
    There was something about her Youko couldn't put her finger on. Her figure itself should not draw undue attention, and yet she possessed a kind of magnetic brilliance about her. The one aspect that Youko's friend, buried in a corner of Ei Province, had not shared.
    "Is something wrong?"
    "No, it's just that you remind me of somebody I used to know."
    "I see," the girl smiled.
    The other "envoy" said nothing, but followed close behind, a fixed expression on his face, not saying a word. Not only did he have an almost strangely unobtrusive sense about him, but his movements flowed along with remarkable grace. He must be the Royal Han, Youko confusedly thought as she escorted them alone.
    Walking to the Inner Palace, they ran into Keiki, headed toward the Outer Palace at practically a run.
    "Oh, Keiki. This is--"
    She stopped mid-sentence as Keiki, quite unlike himself, gaped. "Your Highness, this is--"
    "A servant of the Royal Han," the girl interrupted with a smile and a bow.
    Youko looked amazed as an obviously flustered Keiki did the same. "The Han Taiho, I presume?"
    "What?" Youko blurted out.
    The girl placed her finger to her lips. "Shhh."
    Youko looked back at her with new eyes. Her long hair was glossy black. Youko had never seen another kirin like her. A chance smile came to the lips of the tall person following close behind.
    "And where are you taking us?" the girl asked in her carefree manner.
    With a start, Youko collected herself and pointed out the garden enclosed by the Inner Palace. The expansive garden reached through the Inner Palace to the library, opposite the Guest Palace. The arbors and pavilions dotting the gardens stood like hideaway cabins among the knolls and hillocks.
    Youko led them to one of the abodes and dismissed the servants. The place having been secured, the girl took hold of the collar of her robe. With movement that resembled removing a singlet, she removed a hitherto invisible headdress, revealing the bright sheen of transparent, golden hair.
    She turned to the dumbfounded Youko and bowed. "I'm sorry for startling you. Let me greet you on a more proper footling. I am Hanrin."
    She didn't resemble the girl Youko once knew in the least. Hanrin was, to be sure, the most beautiful creature Youko had ever beheld. She draped across her arm the garb she had removed from her head, a kind of fabric like delicate gauze.
    "Oh," she said. "This is a koseisan. As my