Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Of Legendary Creatures and Mystical Beasts ❯ Tactics ( Chapter 16 )

Disclaimer: None of the characters, or settings, the property of the author of this fanfic. These belong to their various creators and distributing agencies, and have only been borrowed for entertainment purposes. The author of this fanfic is receiving no payment for the work on this site, and has borrowed these characters/situations only out of deep and reverent love for them. Rurouni Kenshin is property of Nobuhiro Watsuki.

Notes: at the end.

She swore softly, walking slowly back to the Yukishiro state. Since those weird Japanese customers that had visited the Master returned to their country, the red-haired woman had left the property every night.

Mei Lin cursed again.  It was the fifth time in the week she lost the slut's tracks.

'How does she do it?' She wondered with more than a touch of frustrated perplexity.  'Never mind, I will catch you, vixen.'

What was even more of a mystery was how the little white pest had managed to escape not just the vigilance of the guards and herself, but of the Master too.  Mei Lin was sure she was drugging him, but try as she might, she never managed to gather any evidence to uncover her plot.  The Chinese servant personally tasted the food and drink presented to him, and had rummaged through the petite woman's belongings in search of narcotics and poisons every single day. Her attempts so far had proven fruitless.

After she noticed the first night's escapade, she had started to spy on the other woman.  Mei Lin was ready to jump on her and slit her throat if she dared to try to kill the Master in his sleep.  However, she did nothing of that kind.  To her utter confusion, the woman even tucked him into bed, and kissed his forehead each time she left the place. 

"White women are so strange… wild, uncivilized animals, like everyone of their race." Mei Lin shook her head, bewildered at the strange, incongruous behavior.

She didn't know what to make of it all.  But what was exceedingly shocking was the woman's audacity.  Mei Lin had no doubts as to where the small redhead went during the nights.  No matter how incongruous with her open and --more disturbingly-- private shows of affection towards Yukishiro da-ren, it was clear that the white concubine was having an affair with someone else.

The woman had to be a complete fool or harbor hidden suicidal desires.  Because when the Master learnt of her treachery, she, as well as her lover, would wish they'd never been born at all.

Mei Lin had tried to bring the Master's attention to the problem, but the white slut had bewitched him with her charms and he refused to hear anything on the subject.  In fact, every time she mentioned the topic of the redhead having a hidden lover somewhere, he got very angry with her.

"Men are so foolish."  She shook her head again, muttering quietly, now already close to the residence again. "Sex is their doom, blinding those silly little egos of theirs, even the cleverest among them."

She felt sorry for the young Master, but if he wasn't capable of keeping order inside his household, she'd straighten things on his behalf by herself.  Otherwise, such display of weakness would make the Master the laughing stock of the syndicate.  And in the long run, would cause his death too.  Nobody followed a man deemed weak because he was incapable of ruling his own house.

However, Mei Lin determined in her heart to bring about the end of such scandalous behavior from the white harpy.  And she'd do it in such a way that would leave a frightening  warning for all the new consorts the Master decided to take in the future.

Patience is a virtue.  A cruel smile etched its way across her mouth.

Yes, she'd soon open Yukishiro da-ren's eyes with proofs, and would be rewarded with the unfaithful, arrogant redhead's fall.

Asiyah stretched before slipping between the sheets.  She was awfully tired, but at least she could still enjoy a couple of hours of rest.

Sighing, she looked beside her.  Though she had already lifted the spell, Enishi still looked quite peaceful in his sleep, which was an uncommon sight most of the time.  She was well aware that while his body rested, his mind was still busy at work making meticulous plans. Asiyah could live for extended periods without any form of rest.  However, she was well aware that body and mind needed to take a break from the world's events to keep one's sanity more or less intact.  And this was as valid for Jinni as it was for humans.

'Well, being forced to trick him has its advantages too…,' she thought, kissing him gently on his forehead, the contact making him stir and mumble incoherently.

All the same, a sense of remorse coursed through her.  She hated keeping him out of the knowledge of her nightly raids on the local sorcerers.  To get what he had demanded from her, she had to perform certain acts.  And to do so, she had to have her hands free of any bounds.

But had he been in possession of this information, he would have demanded handling it according to his methods, and through his organization.  Asiyah could not allow that.  According in her own recent experiences, the sorcerers would have very likely obliterated him and his men.

'And that's exactly what we are trying to avoid here, my darling,' she thought as she snuggled closer to him.

Asiyah shut her eyes, attempting to find some measure of rest.  However, the anxiety that had been mounting inside her during the past days prevented the coming of the sleep she longed so much for.

While she searched for answers, her fears had been confirmed.  Despite the advantageous offers she had made in exchange for their information, all the sorcerers she met had refused.

'That would be a major understatement, in fact.'

Asiyah sighed again.  She hated the mess that she was forced to provoke in order to extract the information.

However, what was more annoying was the fact that the few times she had managed to catch one of them alive, they had nothing significant to offer.  She had improved her luck somewhat with the one she had interrogated that night, but the tips she got were just too vague.

Asiyah shivered and cuddled closer to her lover, seeking not only the warmth of his body, but to revel in the feeling of security she enjoyed when they were together.

Something ominous was going on behind the scenes, something dark and elusive that she could not grasp.

For a moment, she considered surrendering to the yelling voices of her instincts that were advising her to run for her life.  But she could not do such a thing. 

She didn't love him, she was certain of that.

However, the first stage of mere ambition had also long since been passed.

She had realized almost too late that she cared for him the night she had to reveal his nature to him and how she had became involved with him in the first place.  There was genuine affection blossoming there, thus when the sense of betrayal arose in him, she felt true desperation.  And it wasn't related only to losing the Beast, but to losing him as a mate as well.

Sometimes, she wondered how she had grown fond of such a domineering, brash, and even positively bratty man.

It was one thing to want the power within the Beast and enduring anything to get it, and a completely different matter to become emotionally linked with the man bearing the Mystical Spirit.  However, each time she remembered his story, she could not help but feel sympathetic, pondering the extremes she would have gone to avenge a loved one, and wishing genuinely to help and comfort him.

They had mended things somehow, but she was sure that she had lost his complete trust, maybe forever.

However, she refused to give up.  She would anything to prove to him that she was reliable.

'Yes, that's the way.'

Another resigned sigh escaped from her.  The last conscious thought she held before finally falling asleep was that there were still many sorcerers to visit in Shanghai.

The large window allowed a perfect view of the garden below.  Enishi repressed the urge to snicker at the sight developing in front of him.  His petite Jinniyeh wasn't having the best of times.

Xian Zedong, his friend and sponsor of sorts inside the Hung Society, had summoned him to discuss a 'situation' over lunch.  As Asiyah was obsessed with his security since they had met Shishio, he had taken her along with him to their meeting.  He knew better than arguing with his stubborn concubine; it was a waste of time to do so.

Obviously, Xian had been surprised at this development.  He knew the ideas of this man, and he shared them to some extent.

They weren't westerners, who had the strange habit of mixing their mates with social or business gatherings.  That didn't happen among them.  So seeing him bringing Asiyah to their lunch was a sort of shock to the Chinese man.  However, he had reacted fast and had even introduced his own wife to them. The latter, at the moment, was now 'entertaining' the obviously very bored Jinniyeh.

In the meantime, they had a private talk about some business.  Xian had a sort of 'situation' with a stubborn Russian aristocrat in the Russo-Mongolian frontier.  The man took delight in plundering Xian's possessions and territories.  As he couldn't find a reasonable agreement with the Russian, Xian had resorted as his ultimate solution.  He turned towards the person whom was once the most feared shadow assassin among the whole Hung Society: Xuedai Yuan, better known as Yukishiro Enishi by the respectable white gentlemen with whom he made legal business.  His services were coveted and highly paid for by his previous employers. 

Xian had resorted to this last desperate measure because his best men had already failed and the Russian Embassy had asked the Dowager Empress for his head.  The dreadful woman had spared him because of their common hate of foreigners.  However, as a member of the Hung Society, he was a sworn enemy of the Qing Dynasty, so now that he had been brought to the fierce regent's eye, he could not allow himself the luxury of committing a mistake.  So to perform the task at hand Xian needed someone trustworthy and reliable. 

Enishi was the only one who met the requirements.  And on account of their past ties, he could not decline the request.

So they finally agreed that the Japanese would use his own silk business as an excuse for a trip to the North, erasing Xian's Russian thorn from his side discreetly in the meantime.

He had to suppress a sigh.  The possibility of a new argument with Asiyah over this trip was a daunting possibility.

'And talking about the devil…'

Asiyah was evidently paying little heed to his friend's wife.  Xian was a traditional man, and chose his women from among beautiful dimwits.  Usually their main goals in life included marrying powerful and rich men, producing offspring for them -- and thus ensuring their own futures-- and running a reasonably opulent household.  It was a requirement also, that they lack intelligence, since a bird-brained wife rarely could hatch a successful plot or keep a lover without one's knowledge.

'No wonder why she is barely hiding her yawns.'

He smirked, amused.

"She is a nice sight indeed, that woman of yours," Xian commented in a silky voice. The stout Chinese man stood beside him now, looking at both women below through the fine gauze curtains.

"Witty and intelligent too.  I knew you'd fall for her since that night of ball at the English embassy, when you found her again.  After your small excursion in the desert together, you looked for her so fanatically that I just knew she would be a very special woman, just made for you.  It seems that I haven't been wrong."

"But…?"  Enishi asked, already knowing the answer beforehand.

The old man turned towards him, with a genuine, honest smile in his lips.  Enishi knew that such a gesture was a rarity only dispensed to those he truly appreciated.

"Ah, you know me well, Yuan (1), my boy…  I wish you had accepted my offer.  I would have been proud of calling you my son, not that I don't consider you one already, beyond formalities."

Enishi winced inwardly, as he always did every time the old man mentioned the issue.  Xian was just a strategic ally, not a friend and even less a father figure in his mind.

'But let's humor the old man…'

After all, it was highly convenient to do so and would only serve to further his goals.

Enishi gave a cursory glance at the man. Short and stout, his hair was almost as white as his, tied in the traditional pigtail that Chinese men wore.  He has a common face, full of wrinkles now, one that would never be noticed amid the multitude.  It was perfect in their profession, to go unnoticed. It was an advantage he had never counted on, since his white hair singled him out immediately. However, it also had its advantages, being his trademark, the one that made his targets knew the futility of trying to escape.

His attention returned to the other man. The fine embroidered white silk of his traditional robes couldn't hide his humble roots, evident in the rest of his body. The man had covered his origins well, but there was nothing that anyone could hide from Yukishiro Enishi if he wanted to know about it. He was the son of a poor peasant family from inner China, and he moved away, starved, but decided to beat the odds, when his kin died in a drought.

The experience had made him tough, as much as the war had helped him to become stronger. Now, many years later, he dressed in the finest silks, and though he looked like nothing more than a calm and pleasant old man, he was one of the bloodiest, ruthless bosses in the Triads.

He remembered well the circumstances that had brought them together. Xian had three sons, the promise of future for his dynasty.  But they were greedy, vicious, and rather stupid in his opinion.  They were impatient too.  So one day they decided it was time their father should take a sudden and permanent retirement and had conspired to kill him.  Enishi learned of the plot, but instead of warning his ally, waited patiently until the three unfaithful youngsters made their move.

And when they did, so did he. It was a perfect strategic scheme to gain power and respect, and the support of an influential boss in the Society.  Thus, he proceeded to thwart their little plan, leaving them caught red-handed, with the evidence stacked against them and in their father's hands.  In their world, treason, even if it came from a loved one, could not be tolerated.  And so, their heads rolled, as had their mother's, the main conspirator behind the plot.  Xian became heirless, and as Enishi was still a rising star in the Triads world, he proposed adopting the young Japanese. That would have put him in the position of inheriting Xian's whole business upon the old man's death.  Enishi pointedly but politely rejected, since it didn't fit his interests.

He didn't want to get involved with the traffic of women, gambling, or opium dealing.  Enishi just wanted to be the head of the weapons business.  Something somewhat smaller, but highly specialized, that would put him in position of crushing his enemy and his doing, the Meiji Restoration, into the ground.

Instead of angering Xian, he had gotten his instant admiration and respect.  Enishi hadn't acted selflessly or for free, that was far from the truth.  However, he wanted to make his own path without looking like a looming shadow plotting Xian's demise, an argument that his many enemies among the Hung Society would have used to plot his own fall.

"I know, my friend, I know.  I felt honored by that proposition then, as much as I'm flattered now," Enishi finally answered, sipping the strong liquor in his cup.  "Yet, you already know I have no desire to inherit your place and that I'll retire from my own branch as soon as my goal is accomplished.  If it hadn't been so, then maybe…  But as things are, Destiny has commanded that our paths run though different roads."

"It's a pity, yes.  Ah, well, but an old man can always dream, can't he?" the Chinese shook his head, a sad smile crossing his features "Yuan, it's because of this affection I feel for you that I want to give you a small piece of advice.  This little woman of yours is beautiful as a rare pearl, fine like the finest silks, witty and clever almost like a man, and for those qualities, especially the last one, she is dangerous."

"Xian, rest assured, I have things under control," At least, as much as I can, he thought "But I appreciate your concern."

"Be sure not to get wrapped in the white people's tricks, Enishi.  It would be wiser to remind her where her place in life lies.  She has nothing to do outside the walls of your house, except buying nice things to look beautiful for you."

"I'll keep that in mind, my friend," Enishi smiled faintly.

For a moment, silence fell upon them. Xian went to the table and served himself a new glass of liquor, while his mind wandered toward Asiyah and his mentor's words.

Casting aside the fact that he could not force Asiyah to do anything against her will, he knew better than to waste such a wonderful resource as the sharp Jinniyeh's mind.  She was a useful asset, leaving him time and capacity to deal with the most unsavory parts of his business within the underworld.  But he knew his Chinese ally all too well to go against his tenets.

"Has she been giving you problems lately?" the man asked tersely, coming back to Enishi's spot, close to the window.

'You have no idea old man, no idea at all…,' Enishi thought, but instead, he answered:

"No, she simply had a couple of busy weeks, organizing the estate and receiving my most recent guests.  That made her a bit tired and moody."

 "I see…  I guess this little lady of yours is as serious as you'll ever get in matters of the heart. I cannot say that I approve your choice completely, but I agree, she is lovely."

Xian gave a quick peek at both women who were seating beside each other.  Even from this distance, the difference between them was remarkable.  Xian's young wife was all that could be expected of a woman raised to be the consort of a powerful man.  Poised, and demure, but following Xian's preferences, simple and a bit hollow.  Asiyah, who looked even younger than the other woman, had a distinct air of command and a clever glint in her eyes that couldn't be ignored.

"By the way, I have an idea as to why she might feel tired and moody, apart from being kept busy with her household duties," the old man chuckled, patting Enishi's back at the same time. "It looks like you have already put a tiger cub inside her belly.  After all, you are a young and strong male.  I'm sure that your seed has without doubt taken root easily."

Enishi almost choked at the comment.  It was not as though he was naïve and hadn't thought more than once about the consequences of their nightly activities.  However, there were other things to ponder about.  Truth be told, his mate was someone so different from human standards that even he wasn't sure if they could ever have offspring from their union.  And of course, he had to finish delivering his Justice before thinking of moving forward with his life in that direction.

"Ah, if it didn't already happen Yuan, you should give it some serious thought," Xian said, seeing his moment of hesitation. "Having a baby in their arms and their bellies full with another one keep nosy women out of men's business.  As it should be."

Enishi considered pointing out to the other man that he had not been exactly successful in what he preached, but finally settled for wise silence.

 "And for everything else, my friend," the old man continued with his advice "there is always the cane.  A thorough beating administered to a meddlesome wife clears her senses very quickly."

Enishi could not suppress a glare.  Many men thought like Xian, but he wasn't certainly among them. 

He knew that there was a big chance that Battousai had forced himself upon Tomoe with these methods.  The thought of someone treating his sister like that made his stomach churn.  So he was absolutely convinced that Tomoe would positively be unhappy with him if he ever considered adopting such oppressive means.

'Never like her tormentor.'(2)

Of course, there was also the detail of the extent of his lover's power.  Even if he actually wanted to, he doubted that he would ever get the chance to punish her physically.  Naturally, even if he ever managed to equal her in terms of strength, because of his past, the option was absolutely closed.

He experienced enough violence daily to know better than to taint the sanctity of his inner refuge with it, especially now that he had one to come back to after so many years of complete loneliness.

Enishi shook his head, slightly shocked at the inconceivable notion that had just popped into his head.

'I'm starting to go too soft.  This might be dangerous.'

He narrowed his eyes.  Saying that he was utterly taken aback by his own train of thought was an understatement.  These would never have crossed his mind just a few months ago.

Maybe it was the price of becoming intimately involved with someone else, getting ideas that he would never have considered before his encounter with the Jinniyeh in the desert.

"I see…" 

The old man paused, looking the contents of his glass pensively. Then he spoke, in a voice full of grave intonations, just as in his mind, a father should to his son.

'He is getting on my nerves,' Enishi thought.

"You haven't even deemed it necessary to think about discipline.  Believe me, you are still going through the infatuation phase, Yuan.  You still think of her in terms of the feelings she arouses within you.  But it will soon pass.  I understand, my friend, but pay some heed to this old man's advice.  No matter how sweet and defenseless they may look, beneath their appearances might lie a dormant beast, ready to tear you apart and seize whatever you possess.  Never trust anyone, and always keep her in your iron grip."

Enishi smirked.  He considered it utterly ironic that the other boss mentioned the hidden natures of some people, while having Asiyah and himself as guests.

'If you had the slightest idea of the kind of creature that is sitting down there, old man, you'd be more careful with the words you use.  Not to mention that you'd be running to the farthest hideout you could find.'

However, he simply said:

"I'll keep it in mind."

Though Xian had misunderstood his gesture, some of his words still resounded in his mind.  Frankly, he had to admit that he wasn't exactly in love with the petite woman.  Of course, she was important; she soothed his loneliness and helped him with his goal.  Besides, she had been given to him by Tomoe. And Asiyah had undergone great pains to protect him.

But he wasn't a fool, for he knew that she too had her own goals. Thus, he was cautious where she was concerned.  At this point, he could do nothing if she decided to trick him, but Enishi was aware that she wouldn't do such a thing.  It would have been a strategically bad move against her own interests.

"By the way, what do you think about last nights' strange deaths?"

"Mmmm?"  Xian's voice abruptly brought him back from his reveries.

"Haven't you heard?  There have been some very --odd--and I mean odd murders."

The old man shivered and gulped his liquor in a quick, unexpected movement, to Enishi's surprise.

"I've gotten some comments; however, as they weren't related to business, I didn't dig further," Enishi commented, nonchalantly.

"I took the same attitude at first, but the unrest it's causing is damaging our deals.  The victims weren't related to our trade, and there wasn't any indication of political killings."

His mentor served himself another glass. Enishi wondered how he could still stand, though he knew better than underestimate the other man.

"Yes. I know this, that's why I didn't pay attention.  Someone is going into a random killing spree, and frankly, I'm not interested"

"However, the killer selects his victims very deliberately…  There is nothing 'random' in this butchering, Yuan.  All the dead have been known to be practitioners of magic and sorcery.  Some were mere charlatans… but some were the real thing, if you know what I mean."

"Oh."

Now it was his turn to drink his liquor in a single, quick gulp.  The fiery punch of the strong alcohol shook his senses.  As things stood, he had the distinct feeling that he would need more than this shot in the following minutes.  Though he was the least inclined to deny the supernatural, there was still a slim chance that everything was nothing but a mere struggle among factions, exaggerated in the populace's mind to keep outsiders away.  Chinese were, by nature, very superstitious (3), and someone might be taking advantage of such a fact.  However…  He couldn't help it; his mind zeroed in on Asiyah, her tiredness and his housekeeper's reports on the redhead.

"Are you feeling alright? Suddenly, you look a bit pale."

His mind had been so occupied, racing, trying to focus on possible scenarios and alternatives to his friend's words that he almost didn't register the tense silence that filled the room.

"Yes, it's nothing. Just a sudden headache," he waved a hand dismissively. "Do you mean that the victims were sien-Cheng (4)? Maybe someone took one of them too seriously, and lost big time, and now he is getting satisfaction killing as many of these imposters as he can..."

He hoped that the old man followed this trail of thoughts. Because if things were as Enishi suspected, he'd have big trouble on his hands to deal with.

"No, no" the other man shook his head. "I know that you are quite the skeptic in these fields, my friend, but you shouldn't think as a Westerner. Some things are for real. They really were true wizards and sorcerers. Some were working with high officials from the court."

'Oh, yes, I know old man, I know… Better than you do, perhaps…'

"I see… A war among their ranks, perhaps? Maybe it's an internal struggle to achieve certain positions…" He was grasping at straws, trying to focus on other aspects besides magic.

"We thought so at first, and we tried to get an insight on what was happening. But our own men running the office told us that it wasn't so.  The murders started among those of the lower hierarchy. Then, they slowly started to climb up among the ranks… However, they keep their mouths tightly shut."

"Well, this cements my opinion about an internal struggle."

For a moment a look of mild irritation flashed across the older man's face upon hearing Enishi's reiteration of his earlier opinion. Xian seemed to ponder a bit, narrowing his eyes, before going on sharing his information.

"Maybe you are right. Anyway, some among us tried to offer their services to protect them for a price, but the wizards laughed in their faces. On the other hand --and this is the really interesting part-- the wizards had told them that none of us, no matter how skilled with weapons or ruthless we were, would stand a chance against the kind of creature that was coming after their heads."

"Really?" he inquired, curious.

"Rumors say that it's a fire demon, a huge horned beast who hunts at night because the sun would melt his skin…"

Enishi could not help but laugh. If, as he suspected, his lover was involved, the description was far from accurate.

"Forgive my bluntness Xian, but I think these men are trying to trick us all with their stories." Then, he added to pacify the peeved gentleman, "How come they have a description, when I presume there are no survivors? I say that they are trying to keep us out of their business. They don't want to rely on us."

"I cannot completely deny that possibility.  Under normal circumstances, it would make sense. We always try to hide our affairs from outsiders too. However, I doubt it is that simple somehow."

The old man looked disturbed, and considering the things he had done and seen, whatever prompted that reaction had to have been a very uncommon sight.

"You should have seen the carcasses that were recovered... No human can do that in just one night… The men were alive and kicking after sunset, and come dawn they were left in scrapes or gnawed to the bone by vermin."

"I should hire the one behind this," Enishi said with pretended nonchalance. "It seems he is using pretty effective techniques to dispose of his targets, and to strike fear in the hearts of his enemies."

"Yuan! We must take this seriously… people are getting unnerved. They don't want to go out at night in case that thing decides to have a snack on its way to the sorcerers' quarters.  Gambling dens, brothels, even opium parlors all are feeling the lack of patrons."

"I see…" Enishi said, pouring another glass of liquor for himself.

"The worst part is that some extremists are taking advantage of the situation to create unrest against the red-haired devils (5). No offence meant to your concubine, of course."

"Of course."

"However, these problematic elements keep reminding the populace about how much the white missionaries despise our customs and, especially, our astrologists and wizards. There were a couple of reports about missionaries beaten brutally.  Considering this, I think you should keep your woman within your property."

"I see. This gives the white men more excuses to put their noses and their claws in China"

"Exactly. You know better than anyone else how I despise them for the humiliation that they have brought to our land. That's why I found it so disappointing that you…" the other boss stopped abruptly before apologizing profusely. "Oh, I'm sorry, forgive the senseless ramblings of this old man."

"Forget it. No offence taken. I acknowledge it as the sign of the worry a father feels for his son."

The other man smiled warmly. Truth be told, though he knew Xian's opinion, the remarks ticked him off slightly. They shared a common loathing for the arrogant cow-smelling foreigners, but the old man was getting too meddlesome for his liking. The private company he kept was his business and no one else's.  

"Anyway, man or devil, this must be stopped. The affair is starting to catch the attention of the officials, who will demand higher bribes and as I said, the Westerners are already starting to make demands. Add this to the drop in the profits… A priest has been summoned, a holy man from the Xiangguo Monastery(6)… He is an expert in exorcisms."

"I get the point. I'll keep my eyes and ears open, and I'll let you know about any useful information that reaches me."

"Good."

The old man patted his back affectionately, and they changed their conversation to lighter topics. However, Enishi's mind couldn't help but to wander towards Asiyah and the long, long chat they should have later. 

By the time they were back at the manor, it was around dinner time.

After the boring lunch at Xian's, they had taken a short detour for a brief meeting with the British Ambassador. As Enishi had made arrangements to leave the city for a while --something that they should discuss seriously later-- he deemed it prudent to conclude his affairs with the European before heading to his business outside town.

Normally, they wouldn't go unannounced. However, the Englishman had been sneaking around, avoiding any meeting with Enishi. Coincidentally, her lover's record of invitations to the Westerners' parties had been noticeably reduced by at least half.

Asiyah had no doubts concerning the reasons.

Enishi hadn't been exactly popular before, for he made no secret of his animosity towards the Westerners' presence in the Far East.  Besides, his association with well-known crime lords left little room for suspicions with regard to his real activities.

And she was not stupid concerning how she was regarded.

Her own association with him, she being a 'white woman' in an scandalous, illicit liaison with an Oriental male, had fueled a wave of negative gossip that was just the push that Lord and Lady Berry had needed to ostracize him. This gave them complete impunity.  Who would take any charges made by such a depraved individual seriously, a man who dared to reverse the natural order of things by mingling races?

Though Europeans had never considered her a full white woman, as much as Easterners had never considered her a full Asian, Asiyah was still white enough to make her relationship with Enishi a disturbing affair for both communities.

'Human idiocy never ceases to amaze me…'

Truth be told, there were also some kind of social/racial problems among her own people. Partly, one's hierarchy depended upon the Clan into which one was born. However, some social issues caused by this could be overcome.

Unfortunately, other subjects, like the level of power and magic that one could attain, were irrevocably linked to one's tribe of origin, much like how skin color was definitive since birth for humans.

Thus in a way, she could understand the Westerners' and Asians' attitude towards her. But in any case, most Asians were still courteous and polite, even when they were not in a position where they needed to be, like Xian, who had at least the same level of power, if not more, than Enishi himself.

However, white people were entirely another matter.  Through her own experience, she could now understand the revulsion and resentment that many Asians directed at these foreigners that sought to dominate them by force and brutality. They despised and mocked a delicate and cultured people, who were civilized long before the Europeans stopped carving coarse megaliths and walked away their caves.

'The label 'barbarians' fit them well, in my opinion.'

That afternoon she had been confronted with a new level of arrogance that she had seen used in the daily treatment of Asian servants.

After waiting for what had seemed an eternity, Lord Berry had finally accepted the inevitability of having to talk to Enishi. However, she had not been allowed to pass beyond the lobby. A distance from where she had been standing, Lady Berry was entertaining guests. Looks of disgust and unconcealed comments about 'some women's shameless behavior'--in obvious reference to her-- reached her ears. Lady Berry took the chance to censure her openly, and called her everything but a harlot, practically right to her face. But short of walking over and causing a major scandal by making a scene with the insufferable, self-important woman in the latter's own home, Asiyah could do nothing.

'They are not worth the trouble, really,' she thought with disdain.

She couldn't care less. In reality, all the stuck-up women in the place were nothing more than high class courtesans.  They had been sold by their families for position and money, and if they knew what was beneath Enishi's human shape, they would surely skin her alive for the privilege of laying their hands on him. It was plain sickening that those humans dared to put her on trial while their fine dresses and jewels, and luxurious estates were paid for by the enslavement of others. Be it their unhealthy factories, which were barely fit for humans to work in, or the opium dens they ran, these activities, were, in the best of cases, as criminal and loathsome as Enishi's.

'You'd think that people who made their fortune through immoral means would be more discreet with their peers and look the other way, instead of acting like self-righteous puritans.'

Asiyah sighed.  At any other time, she would have come back at night and taken painful revenge on such brainless but talkative people.  Now, she had to save her energy because she had more important concerns to deal with.  And surely, Enishi wouldn't want to attract more attention to them than was necessary.

'Besides, these poor devils will be just dust in a few years. In the meantime, I'll be walking the Earth. Now, who is the fool here?, she smirked. Oh, well, never mind them.'

She glanced over at Enishi. Fortunately, his meeting with the Briton had been mercifully short, though she suspected that he had heard some of the stinging comments about her because of the dirty glare he sent towards Lady Berry and her guests.

Though he had told her that everything had been satisfactorily resolved with the Englishman, he was in an obviously dark, brooding mood.

In fact, he had been like this since they left Xian's house.  She wondered if his disposition had something to do with his talk with the Chinese man or whether it was something else.

'Maybe he is anticipating that we'll have a fight over this…'

Of course, there was no way that he'd travel alone. But after the last discussion, she knew that she had to approach the situation with silky diplomacy.

She wished she had some guidance in such matters, because she felt --and was--absolutely clumsy and inadequate in trying to negotiate and come to a compromise with him.

When Mei Lin came to their room to announce dinner, she decided that she would take the chance to rest a bit before leaving the house to perform her nightly raids later.  She excused herself, attributing her tiredness to the earlier tour.

"Mei Lin will bring dinner for you here," he said, leaving the room with the housekeeper in tow.

"Really, it's not necessary.  I'm not hungry and I prefer to sleep."

"If you feel so tired, maybe you should consider staying at home tonight."

Asiyah, who had been walking to her dresser, whirled to face him, her mouth gaping in surprise.

Somehow, he knew.

"Mei Lin, leave us."

"Yes, master."

The old hag wore a pleased look; the wide smile crossing her face didn't leave any room concerning the role she had played in Enishi's knowledge of Asiyah's escapades.  Damn her stupidity.  She had thought that without proof, he wouldn't believe Mei Lin…

'Never mind.'

She'd make her regret it later.

There was no possibility of feigning innocence.  Firstly, because it would be a breach in their covenant and a Jinni never broke a promise once the word was given.  Besides, that would mean losing him completely.  And the second was simply that she was actually acting in his behalf, carrying out his command.

"I don't really know why I am surprised.  I knew that sooner or later you'd find out…"

"I see.  So you don't deny it."

"Why should I?  I was just performing the task you had requested of me…"

He sighed, shaking his head.  Then, he moved towards her, and taking her by her hand, he brought her to their bed.  He made her sit down, and then took a place by her side.

"I've heard very disturbing things today.  I want to know how true they are."

"No, you don't want to."

Asiyah lowered her head, trying to avoid a staring match with him, but he took her by the chin and coaxed her into look straight at his face.  She pursed her lips into a fine line, making it very clear that she had every intention of keeping silent.

However, and despite the disapproving scowl he directed at her, he wasn't actually mad, at least not as much as she had expected him to be at first.  In fact, he had a rather thoughtful light in his eyes.

"So I must assume the tales are true…"

"Enishi, you have your methods and I have mine.  I don't question you about what you do so please, don't question me.  I did what was necessary to achieve our goals."

She didn't want to go into detail about what she had to do in order to get what they needed from the sorcerers.  It had to be done, but the gore she had been forced to produce was not something that she was particularly proud of.

She knew that nobody had seen her, and she had covered her tracks well, leaving just the remnants of her 'job' behind.

Mei Lin hadn't managed to follow her successfully to make the link between the string of sorcerers' deaths and her nocturnal trips.  She could be wrong, but the woman was the main person among his henchman who kept the closest watch on her, observing her every move.  Besides, the older woman's suspicions were directed toward her having a romantic affair.  Thus, she wasn't the source from which Enishi had received the report. That realization helped reduce the immediate fury Asiyah had experienced earlier at the woman's interference. So Mei Lin was not the one responsible, for all her attempts to get her into trouble with Enishi.  

'The old witch is safe…for the moment…'

Therefore, there was only one explanation for his knowledge: Xian. He must have mentioned the corpses.  However, except for Enishi, there was no one who could relate those incidents back to her, and therefore, Enishi was safe.

"You asked me to find a way to awaken the Beast.  I'm not playing a fool here," Asiyah replied evasively in Japanese; she wanted to avoid the chance of Mei Lin picking up on what they were talking about.

"I assume you used some of your magic on me so that you could slip out of the house unnoticed."

"Yes.  It was necessary, for your protection.  They can still hurt you in your human form.  If they find you…"

He was studying her in detail.  It was his right to do so.  She had not lied to him, but she had not told him the truth either.  However, he wasn't yelling yet, and that was always a good thing, but one that intrigued her nevertheless.

"Since Shishio came here, I placed wards around you, trying to disorient those who might be looking for you. Honestly, at this point, it is a bit useless, because there is no doubt they know you are in the city, at least the most powerful among them must know. Why they didn't come for you, I really don't know.  Killing a Mystical Beast brings a horrible punishment on the perpetrator. However, they could have tried to ensnare you…  I'm wondering how many times they tried to create situations that would provoke someone to try assassinating you."

He kept silent, his smooth brow marred by a frown.  He seemed to be measuring each word she had spoken to him.

"This doesn't mean that I should not do my best to prevent anything bad from happening to you. Don't get mad at what I'm about to say, but this is one of those things where you can't be involved.  And I mean it.  It's not a simple overprotective mania I have."

She had to be cautious here; she knew how much he hated their current roles.

"Strange things are happening and I cannot get hold of a real clue to explain why.  I didn't pay attention in the beginning since the loose events didn't seem to be connected at all.  But when other things began to happen, such as Shishio's visit, I couldn't help but realize these things were not happening at random.  That's why I didn't tell you." 

"I would have preferred that you had." 

There was a degree of annoyance and impatience in his voice, but it was only understandable that he felt that way since she had kept him in the dark. 

"If they had informed you about the state in which the bodies were found, then you surely would understand my silence.  Had I told you, you'd have insisted on coming.  I could not afford to let you get hurt…"

Somehow, she had managed to do what she had told herself precisely not to do: mention his helplessness. Her voice faltered.  She was nervous.

"I didn't leave you unprotected though.  Had an enemy attacked the manor, you'd have been awakened.  And look."

She walked to his section of the dresser, taking his bedclothes, and bringing some with her.  There, in the collars and cuffs, she pointed out several minute signs apparently embroidered in the fabric.

"I did the same with the rest of your clothing.  And here as well," she pointed behind his pillow and to the headboard. Upon closer inspection, Enishi could see more markings.  "I put wards everywhere around you.  If someone with bad intentions gets close to you when we are not together, the wards would protect you and alert me. And I'd be here in the blink of an eye."

"The little pouch around your neck… is it also a charm?"

"What?  This?  Oh no, not at all."

Asiyah couldn't help but blush faintly.  She didn't want to explain.  It was…embarrassing.

"But it contains a lock of my hair, doesn't it?  Hair is used in spells, or so I've heard."

"Yes, and yes.  But it's not a charm, I assure you."  She blushed more, feeling like a schoolgirl being caught in the act of writing a love letter. She should have known better than to think that she would be allowed to keep something private from his eyes.

"Oh?  Just mere sentimental reasons then?" Enishi looked more than a bit skeptical, but when Asiyah actually squirmed and avoided his gaze, it was obvious that he realized that he had hit the nail right on the head. Which, of course, made her feel more mortified. "Asiyah, look at me-"

"Alright!" she burst out, unable to bear the embarrassment any longer. "I cut it when Shishio was around.  I feared that he would take you from me and I wanted to have something of yours with me, even if I didn't survive.  Yes, I'm the Jinni version of a stupid romantic damsel.  C'mon, tease me and be done with it."

But he didn't.  He simply kept staring at her, with such sheer amazement in his wide open turquoise eyes.  After a while, he cleared his throat and returned to the original topic of discussion, much to her relief.

 "Asiyah, I don't judge you.  You know that.  But you must stop."

"How do you expect me to do what you asked if I cannot do what I must?" she said in a frustrated, but slightly subdued tone.

 "Well, you could have consulted me about this for starters," he said.  "Your methods are…inconvenient.  They are drawing a lot of attention and we don't need that.  Had you come to me, we would have drawn up a strategy to circumvent all this trouble."

Though he was undoubtedly scolding her, the tone was soft, and above all, he wasn't even furious, as she had expected he'd be.  To say she was surprised was a bit of an understatement.

"Believe me, if the situation had allowed it, I would have gone directly to you."

"People are getting nervous.  And as for what I've heard, they have good reason to be.  But the consequences are that people stay at home and this means that businesses are going down the drain.  The other bosses aren't happy, and they have taken the affair into their hands.  "

He got up and paced the room.  It was clear that the situation was taking its toll in him.  She understood him well; because of her deeds, he was in a very delicate position now. Also, if she were not mistaken, he was also worried for her.   

'If only the damn sorcerers-'

"Even a priest from a famous monastery has been called in to perform an exorcism… they believe that you are a kind of horned, big demon…"

"Oh, my…" she giggled and he could not help but chuckle with her, although he regained his serious expression almost immediately.

"I know it sounds funny, but Asiyah, the situation is not.  If you were discovered…"

"I take the due precautions.  Concerning the priest, he will be looking for evil forces, so I'm out of the range of his exorcisms because they are very specific.  They don't want to upset the rest of the magical creatures by casting the wrong spells.  If they did, the results would be nasty.  As for the rest, they can't catch someone who walks invisible among them."

"So far, the wizards have rejected all the offers of help and protection from the bosses, but with the arrival of the priest, things might change.  Do you remain invisible at all times and in all places?"

"No.  I need to talk with the sorcerers first, and I reveal myself to carry on the negotiations…or at least I attempt to negotiate…  I don't know why I even bother.  They attack me on sight…" she said, frustrated.

"They… what?" His eyes went wide at first, and then narrowed with undisguised fury.

Her made her get up and examined her, looking for possible hidden injuries.  Asiyah tried her best to repress her laughter.  But she had to admit that his concern was endearing, unnecessary as it was.

"Don't worry, they can't even scratch me," she said

She patted his hand reassuringly and he relaxed, satisfied that she was telling the truth since she was, as she said, unscratched.

"So this is why you have been so reckless…  Why didn't you come immediately to me after the first time?"

"As I told you, I could not involve you or your men without risking your lives.  I can fend for myself.  But none of your men, or you for that matter, would have survived.  They are putting up a fierce resistance."

"There must be a way to catch them safely and bring them here.  But we cannot keep acting like this.  Otherwise, there will be unwanted consequences for us."

 "Oh, I'm sorry Enishi…  I didn't mean to bring trouble to you."

She took his hands in hers, feeling genuinely regretful.  His behavior, being so unexpectedly understanding and not even yelling once, had also helped add to the amount of guilt she was feeling.

"They forced me to act like this…  I must say that it was a tad disconcerting because they have always been desperate to get a deal with my people.  They were so uncooperative… facing me as they did was suicidal for them and they knew it.  All that show of resistance for naught….  they had nothing remotely useful for us anyway. It's like they were expecting me to go for something else…"

She shook her head, avoiding his eyes again.  Asiyah didn't want him to see what was there.

"I'm really worried.  This and all that has been happening around you lately made me reconsider telling you the truth."

"Alright.  Tomorrow you and I will discuss a way to catch them in a more discreet manner, but not after things calm down a bit.  We don't want to be obvious, do we?  Then, I'll fix an isolated place for the interrogations and I'll help you.  After that, I'll dispose of the bodies inconspicuously."

"Enishi, it's very dangerous for ordinary humans to face them…"

"I understood what you explained.  But we'll do it my way. And I want you to promise me you won't go out on your nocturnal hunts anymore… nor cast any spells on me to do it freely."

"On two conditions: One, that you won't intervene personally in the capture, and two, if your men fail, then it will be my way."

He thought about it for a few seconds but knew that it would be the greatest concession he would get from her.

"Alright, we have a deal."

"Good," she smiled, finally relaxed and very pleased. Things had turned out so much better than she had thought they would.

Unexpectedly, he leaned over and kissed her.  It wasn't a sensual kiss, but it tasted sweet and tender.

"I'll be back soon.  Just rest for now."

My deepest gratitude to Gracey, for helpful comments, and the wonderful work she did proof-reading this chapter for me. Thanks also to Kamorgana for her helpful comments and hints and all the extra help. Also, my deep gratitude to Michaela, for being my pal, and a sincere wish of happiness for her and her family.

(1) I'm using here the name given in the Chinese manga which is a direct translation of "Enishi" (as Fate). Being in China, among Chinese underlings, I think it would be more logical that his people knew him more through a Chinese name, than by his Japanese one. It would be less complicated to work for a Chinese named boss than for a foreigner.  Obviously, this would be his 'underworld' name, known among his 'soldiers', and he'd use his native Japanese name in his other dealings, like it happened when Asiyah meet him in the British Embassy. Enishi is mentioned there by his Japanese name. Enishi's complete Chinese name is Xue Dai Yuan or Xuedai Yuan.

(2) Remember, this is ENISHI's POV, not what objectively happened in the manga. Be aware that Tomoe didn't explain the reasons for her change of heart. All he knew is that she sends him away, reminding him of his duty as the sole male heir of his household, and telling him that he should not be involved in the plot against Kenshin at all. He guess something is wrong, but IMO, he might think she is trying to protect him and their family from Kenshin. Through the years, he could have built a net of reasons to justify this, even to the point of thinking that Kenshin had been forcing her, and therefore, that was the reason he wanted him out of the scene so badly. IMO, he cannot admit Tomoe would think in leaving him behind so completely. Though he might have had a hint of her feelings for Kenshin, the sight of her death at his hands can only cement his views of Kenshin as a vindictive, ruthless killer. After all, for all he know, Kenshin might have found out Tomoe had been working with the Bakufu planning his downfall. So the sight of Kenshin killing her would fit in an execution/revenge scheme from Kenshin in Enishi's mind. Remember that we are talking here of Kenshin's days as the ruthless Hitokiri Battousai, not the clueless, gentle Rurouni. So if  he saw any hint of Tomoe's affections for Kenshin (IMO, he didn't. He just knew something was amiss), her death at his hands obviously wipes that out. That increases the chances that he perceived the whole relationship between his sister and Kenshin as one born out of coercion, and she asked him to go back to Edo to protect him from Battousai.

(3) This comment is simply based in the documenatation I've read. I cannot claim if it's is true or not, since it's most probably based in the common perception of the Westerner travelers of XIX century, which had a tendency to see every single cultural difference as 'superstition' of 'barbaric' peoples. In certain cases, as in Meiji Japan, these ideas took firm root, and the local government worked hard to 'erradicate' the 'barbaric' habits of their population. Let's add that it wasn't out of servilism or blind admiration for the West, but more born as a reaction of self preservation. After the terrible consequences of the Opium Wars in China, Japan was wary of following the same destiny, so the Meiji Restoration worked hard to look like an 'enlightened' governement with an 'enlightened' population, which would allow Japan to negotiate in the same foot with the West. The goal was to eliminate the inequal treaties that Japan had been forced to sign, which were less humiliating than those signed by China, but still a slap from the colonial West in the Japanese pride. The situation would revert slowly, creating tensions with the West, until the Russo-Japanese war of 1905, degenerating in the militaristic state that Japan became in the first decades of XX century until the end of WWII. Japanese politic and cultural development has to be seen in the light of what happened to China during the same period. As the Dowager Empress had a very well known hate for foreigners, her oposition to the West only caused that the West treated China with an iron fist, something that Japan managed to avoid. The Dowager Empress' hate for all things Western and her adherence to Chinese traditions helped to increase the Western prejudices against Chinese and their culture. If you add the reaction to Chinese inmigration in America during XIX century, you have a picture of mutual distrust, prejudice, and misunderstanding.

(4) A "sien-Cheng" is a recognized itinerant fortune-teller, who for a few sapecks is ready to reveal all the secrets of the future. His professional appliances are nothing more than a pack of sixty-four cards, and a small bird in a cage which he carries attached to his button-hole: the cards are painted with pictures of gods, men, and beasts. The Chinese generally are very superstitious, but they are particularly prone to respect the prognostications of a sien-Cheng. ( excerpt taken from "The Tribulations of a Chinese Gentleman", by Jules Verne)

(5) 'hung moh gwai' red-haired devils' - or just 'gwai loh' ('foreign devils'). The terms were invented by Mandarins, but given time it lost the political/nationalist content and transformed into accepted colloquialisms for the individuals of white race.

"Certainly 'devils' we were in Shanghai.

As the British were the most important element in Shanghai and the other concessions elsewhere and wielded the greatest influence on patterns of behavior, it had to be admitted that the affliction of indignity on the cultured Chinese race - and others not of pure European stock - was, largely, a British crime.

Strangely enough the French, whose policy at times in China was as harsh as that of Japan, inflexible on maintenance of treaty rights, were on remarkably good terms with the Chinese.

The Portuguese, the Belgians, the Dutch, the Spaniards and the Scandinavians treated the Chinese on an equal footing and the Americans, whose record on race relations at home was a deplorable one, accorded the Chinese much more dignity than most Britons.

The American Club in Foochow Road was open to Chinese who had studied in the United States or to those with close American connections. Nevertheless, I never saw a black man there and there were many black Americans in Shanghai.

Few Britons ever thought of trying to learn Chinese. If the natives did not speak English then it was their tragedy. There was no job in a British firm for any Chinese who could not let the pidgin flow. English was the language of Shanghai and, by God, the Chinese would learn it or starve."

"Though the Chinese formed the bulk of the city's population the foreigners, which included the armed services, lived in a cocoon of privilege as if they did not exist. We treated them as inferiors, worthy only of high-handed, often brutal, subjection to our territorial strength, established by force of arms in the previous century.

We insulted a courteous, hospitable people by barring them from front entrances, by insisting on their exclusion from the centre sports arena of the Racecourse, by rigidly insisting on a Whites-only Policy at the Shanghai Club and other social centres.

It was a common sight in the foreign areas to see drunken soldiers knocking Chinese pedestrians to the ground because they had had the temerity to be on the same pavement. Similarly, white civilians often attacked Chinese on the streets, hitting them with walking-sticks or bundling them off pavements the road. I have seen Chinese pushed off buses by Europeans who simply wanted more standing room. I once witnessed a scene on a French tram in which an irate European forced an elderly, scholarly-looking Chinese to stand up and give him the seat he occupied. Everywhere - even in the missions - the Chinese suffered degradation at the hands of the whites."  (excerpt taken from Sin City, by Ralph Shaw. )

(6) Located in downtown Kaifeng,( Kaifeng located on the alluvial plains on the middle and lower reaches of the Huanghe River, Kaifeng, a key tourism city along the banks of the river, is under the direct jurisdiction of the Henan Provincial Government. It is 70 kilometers from Zhengzhou, the provincial seat in the west, with the Huanghe River in the north and the Huanghuai Plain in the south. ). The Grand Xiangguo Monastery is one of the most famous Buddhist monasteries in China. It was set up in 555 during the Northern Qi Dynasty. In the Northern Song Dynasty, it was enlarged many times because the royal court thought highly of it.