Utena, Revolutionary Girl Fan Fiction ❯ Love's Honor ❯ Chapter Nine ( Chapter 9 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Chapter Nine

Quiet reigned over the scene. A soft breeze swirled over
the emerald blades of the field's vegetation, ruffling it as
it did the silken hair and brightly-colored cloth of those
gathered there. The noontime sun shown down on the nobles,
peeking through broken clouds racing across the cerulean
sky.

Eyes the color of the sea glanced about, taking in the
details of the moment. Two figures stood -- relaxed and
poised -- in the center of the loose ring of onlookers.
Elegant and enigmatic, the pair of chieftains faced one
another, their foci each centered upon their opponent.

Around them -- near enough to observe clearly but far enough
away to give them room to duel -- were arranged the
witnesses to the solemn event: the Kaoru prince, his twin
offspring, the rose-haired maiden once more attired in her
boyish clothing, the wide-eyed and pretty squire, and the
verdant-maned noble whose honor was in question. More than
likely there were other observers; situated as they were
upon the grassy fields overlooked by the stronghold, anyone
up on the ramparts of the keep or on the outskirts of the
village would be privy to the encounter.

(He should win,) Utena reminded herself. (The truth is on
his side.) Even so, she could feel the rapid beat of her
heart, nervousness filling her, as she kept her eyes focused
upon the gallant Red Tyger.

Garbed in scarlet, a shade complimenting the hue of his
hair, Touga appeared as calm as always. His clothing was
form-fitting -- knee-high boots of black leather, hose, an
overtunic of padded brocade, the design stitched in silver
thread on the ruby cloth -- and at a space a handspan above
the neatly-trimmed ends, his long mane was gathered and tied
with a red ribbon. Both attire and tie were concessions to
the necessity of the moment. His longsword remained within
the lacquered redwood embrace of its sheath, tucked between
cloth and wide black-leather belt around his waist.

Equally poised was his opponent. Dark brown eyes staring
back, his sable and silver outfit similarly well-tailored to
allow for the greatest freedom of movement, Souji kept his
hand at his side, waiting. Longsword still in its
black-lacquered wooden sheath, it would remain there until
the decisive moment, when the two of them would draw and
strike as fast as possible, the first one to shed blood
proving his point.

Controlling his breathing, using the familiar movements to
keep himself focused, Touga continued to stare deep into his
opponent's eyes. (You will lose, Shadow. You are defending
the wrong side of this dispute . . .) Around them, the
sunlight dimmed then brightened again as a passing cloud
momentarily blocked the rays of the golden disk high above.
(This is bigger than you . . . Greater than us both . . .

(What do you see when you look upon me, Lord Souji? Someone
maliciously slandering an innocent maiden to protect a
friend? Someone threatening the integrity of something you
hoped to gain in my stating of the truth? Could you even
see me as someone only defending what I believe to be
justice?

(Justice . . . One of the virtues of Amor . . . Is this then
another of the trials the champion must pass? Lady Utena's
quest . . . How silly, I had first thought -- something
fanciful and yet, she derives her inspiration from it. So
real is it to her that it defines everything about her life.
And I . . .

(I've only played along . . . Used it as a path to try to
win her . . .

(But this . . . I'm not doing it for her, or for Saionji.
This is for Justice. Virtue is what separates us from the
animals; without it, there is no order, only instinct.
There's already enough chaos in the world -- enough
selfishness, enough hatred . . .

(And you, Lord Souji . . . I see it in your eyes. You fight
to protect the worth of your property. That's all she is to
you, isn't she? A thing by which you can amass more
objects. But that's not what I want . . .)

Around the unmoving nobles, the silence hung heavily over
the scene. Utena drew in shallow breaths, feeling like even
that could be enough to shatter the moment and disturb the
chieftains' concentration. Neither visage -- either the Red
Tyger's or the Honorable Shadow's -- gave away any hint at
all as to what was passing through their minds as they
stared down one another.

(I want . . .) Touga's blue eyes narrowed the slightest
bit, his focus as sharp as the blade still housed within its
delicately curved wooden scabbard. ( . . .an equal, not an
object. A partner, not an easily crushed flower I must
constantly keep from harm.) The light dimmed again as the
shadow of a cloud scudded over the duelists standing as
still as statues, brightening once more as the nimbus
hurried on its way and the sun again bathed the knot of
people in its golden rays. (I want to be an example of the
best that humankind has to offer . . .)

Rose-tinted brown eyes slid from his own cobalt-blue gaze; a
hand burst into motion to grasp an intricately-wrapped hilt.
Even as Touga reacted as swiftly as lightning, a silvery
power seemed to suddenly flow through him. Past, present,
future . . . A crystalline web of possibilities . . . A
single argent star glowing in the blackness of utter chaos,
holding back the nothingness . . . And he *knew*.

Golden light flashed off metal as abruptly-bared weapons
slashed through the air. Dropping his shoulder and pivoting
away from that place where he'd watched his challenger focus
dark brown eyes -- and waiting for the very last fraction of
a second in which to move -- Touga expertly flicked his
wrist during the well-controlled swing of his weapon. There
was a slight tug, then the sensation of cool air and even
colder metal against the top edge of his left shoulder --
but no pain.

As suddenly as it had started, the duelists' movement
stopped; both chieftains froze in place the moment they hit
the end of their momentum. Souji remained in an extended
position, one leg in front of the other, arms outstretched
in a thrust, the top third of his longsword piercing through
the scarlet and silver brocade of Touga's tunic. The Kiryuu
prince as well had his legs braced apart, but his sword was
pointed down, tip resting against the emerald grass of the
field. Even as he watched the sly grin of triumph appear on
the other's face, the expected bloom of red appeared, a
striking contrast to the Nemuro chieftain's pale flesh.

"Ha," Souji said, pulling his weapon back and out of Touga's
clothing.

"Look to your face before you claim victory," the redheaded
nobleman responded.

"Hmm?" For an instant, the Honorable Shadow's visage held
an expression, one of puzzlement. Reaching up with his free
hand, the pink-haired man wiped the back of it against a
now-stinging cheek. Feeling wetness, he lowered his hand;
his eyes grew slightly wider as the crimson blood smeared
there registered in his mind. Then that was gone, his face
once more taking on his normally blank countenance. Looking
over at Touga, he demanded, "What of my strike?"

Stillness settled over the scene once more, broken only by
the slide and click of steel against wood as Touga
resheathed his longsword before dropping the weapon to the
ground. "Close, but not quite," he responded, fingers
reaching up to nimbly unfasten his tunic. Stripping it off
as well as removing the loose-fitting, white, blouse-like
undertunic, his clothing made a bright spot against the
verdant grass as he bared his torso for all to see.

The rose-haired maiden could feel her cheeks taking on a
heated blush as she stared wide-eyed at the Kiryuu prince's
bare upper body. He was magnificent in conformation,
everything in proportion and well-sculpted by years of
training. Muscle rippled smoothly under light skin as he
turned to show his opponent that his shoulder was unmarked;
the weapon had been tilted slightly, the cutting edge angled
to the point where all that had touched the Red Tyger was
the flat of the blade.

For a lingering moment, Souji merely stared at the other
chieftain, expressionless as always, before bowing slightly.
"Well fought, Lord Touga. You are a worthy opponent."

"As are you." The scarlet-haired nobleman returned the
gesture of respect before swooping down to retrieve both
clothing and weapon.

While the Honorable Shadow slid his own longsword back into
its black scabbard, the Kaoru chieftain turned a
disapproving glare first at his daughter -- Kozue at least
had the grace to look horrified at the outcome, her face
pale -- then at the still-scowling Saionji prince. "Lord
Touga's witness has been proven true. Therefore, I must
conclude that there's been no wrongdoing on your part."
Despite his words, the tone of the grizzled warrior's voice
left no doubt: the man was still in a cold rage over the
entire incident and what it may do to his daughter's
reputation.

(A reputation already in question according to the rumors
I've heard,) Touga silently remarked, looking from Kozue to
her father and then back. Miki, however, evoked a sense of
pity; the older Kaoru twin had a stunned expression on his
innocent face, as if he couldn't quite believe his sister
capable of such unsavory action. The Kiryuu prince frowned
then, recalling his promise to the young lord. At the
moment, considering how Saionji had been treated, Touga felt
angry enough to just leave all of Clan Kaoru to the wolves.

Saionji nodded at the older chieftain's words, grateful to
have had the black mark against his honor cleared. Taking a
moment to glare at the still-stunned Kozue -- an action that
made a curl of disgust and rage both sit there in the pit of
his stomach like a lump of molten lead -- he growled at the
azure-haired princess, "I hope you find happiness in what
you've wrought." He then turned away, walking back towards
the keep, every bit as determined now to just go home and
lick his wounds as he had been to arrive there at the Kaoru
stronghold in the first place.

"Saionji! Wait up!" the redheaded prince called out. "Let
the two of us walk back with you." Worried about his friend
-- after all, the entire situation was surely a blow to the
green-haired lord's pride -- he wanted to reassure himself
that Saionji would recover. Noting that his foster brother
had stopped, the Red Tyger then turned and glanced back at
his feminine companion. He waited long enough for Utena to
catch up, then held out a hand to her; he echoed her smile
when she wrapped her fingers around his. Together, they
walked across the emerald field to return to the castle in
Saionji's company.

The trio remained in silence until they were halfway back to
the massive gatehouse that protected the entrance to the
bailey. Then the curly-maned chieftain came to a halt yet
again, turning to stare back the way they had come.

Stopping as well, Touga and Utena focused their gazes in the
same direction. Still there at the site of the Kiryuu
prince's victory, the three Kaoru were evidentially having
some sort of discussion with the Nemuro chieftain, his
pale-haired squire standing off a short distance away.

"If he still wants her after all that, he deserves what he
gets," Saionji muttered.

"Certainly," the scarlet-maned lord readily agreed.
Glancing sidelong at his friend, he queried, "Saionji, were
you even aware of the rumors about her?"

"Hrmph." The scowl on his face deepening, the violet-eyed
prince spun back toward the stone tower and once more
covered the ground with his long-legged stride. "They were
just rumors," he finally added. Still more quiet followed;
Utena carefully observed the interaction between the pair of
men while Touga willingly gave his foster brother the
opportunity to speak as he wished about the matter. "Sadly,
I believed her when she acted as if she cared. Silly me, to
think there could be something more than a marriage being
purely political," Saionji continued after another long
pause.

"That kind only thinks about themselves. And marriage can
be more than just politics," the other chieftain responded,
"with the right woman -- if you're willing to put some work
into it."

More silence. Without even a glance around, Saionji stormed
through the open gate in the middle of the fortifications
overlooking the entrance to the bailey. How glad he would
be to get out of this place and back home. Even as he
walked among them, he could feel their eyes upon them,
staring; he was well aware how swiftly news of a man's
dishonor could spread among people. That Touga had proven
the truth and had exonerated him meant little at the moment,
since word of that had yet to be common knowledge. Once
more he found himself among a crowd that looked at him with
suspicion and dislike.

Strangely enough, that made the verdant-maned chieftain's
thoughts turn to the golden-haired girl who was his friend's
younger sister. He'd seen Nanami give plenty of others
looks similar to the ones he was now receiving from the
Kaoru clanmembers; though he too had borne the brunt of her
annoyance on a few occasions while they were growing up,
never once had she looked upon him with the dark looks the
other Kiryuu folk, or even his own people once he had
returned to them, had tossed his way. However, the girl was
fanatically devoted to her brother. No one in the entire
world could live up to the shining image of Touga Nanami
kept in her heart. "Your sister would scratch my eyes out,"
the Saionji prince muttered, "and she'd do worse to you if
she wasn't so devoted to you in the first place."

"She'll get over it, with the right man," Touga pointed out.
"And she's very loyal to whomever has a place in her heart,
as you're well aware."

"Whatever makes you think I could be the right man?"

"She knows you. And so do I. You're persistent when you
set your mind to a goal, Saionji."

"So I am, Touga. So I am."

Another long halt in the conversation took place as the trio
of nobles made their way through the keep's bailey. Around
them, people stopped what they were doing to stare at the
three of them -- the dishonored Saionji prince, the
bare-chested Kiryuu chieftain, and the pretty maiden clad in
boy's clothing -- and then whispered to one another
sibilantly once the nobles had passed. Doing her best to
ignore all the gawking they were getting from the Kaoru
clanmembers, aware of the tenseness in Touga's gorgeous form
and in his hold upon her hand, Utena swallowed nervously.
She'd noticed the angry fire deep within his cobalt-hued
eyes, knew what she must do next for the sake of her quest.
Even so, the knowledge of what had to be done weighed
heavily on her mind. "So what now, my lords?" she finally
asked as they approached the stone tower that was the heart
of the stronghold.

"We get out of this accursed place," Saionji growled,
answering.

"We go home and negotiate a contract," Touga responded,
glancing at his friend. "Isn't that right, Saionji?"

"Aye."

Utena momentarily pressed her lips together. While the
verdant-maned chieftain's gruff voice sounded resigned, it
was easy to tell that the other highlander was still furious
over the incident involving Lady Kozue; Touga's voice held a
tone that chilled her to the bone. Such anger could easily
fester into something ugly. "My lord Touga," she began,
only to come to a faltering stop as she searched for just
the right words.

"Aye?" he queried, blue gaze focused upon where he was
walking; they were climbing the stone steps into the keep,
Saionji in the lead and Utena trailing behind him, their
hands no longer clasped in one another's light grip.

"There's something I must ask you to do. It will be very
difficult, given the circumstances -- more than likely the
hardest thing I must ask of you to accomplish to prove your
worth -- but I must make my request simply *because* it is
not easily achieved."

Touga frowned, abruptly coming to a halt. Turning to face
her then looking down at the masculinely-attired girl, he
felt an unexpected shiver of dread as he stared into her
aqua-hued eyes. Noting her deadly serious and uncertain
expression, he softly asked, "What is this thing, Lady
Utena?"

"You must forgive Lady Kozue."

The redheaded prince stared down at her, thunderstruck.
(*Forgive* her?) his stunned mind thought, unsure he had
truly heard her correctly. "Forgive her?" he repeated
aloud, the blood draining from his face.

"Aye. The heart of the champion of Love must be able to
forgive the sins of others," the rose-maned girl responded,
continuing to meet his gaze.

How could she ask that of him? Was she mad? "Saionji's
reputation and honor both could have been ruined forever by
Lady Kozue's machinations," the Kiryuu chieftain protested.
"The friend dearest to my heart could have been utterly
broken by what she did."

Utena's cheeks flushed faintly red while she tore her
sea-blue gaze away from the handsome highlander -- with him
half-nude like that, he was certainly a distraction, and she
felt uncomfortable staring at the confused and outraged
expression in his eyes. "I'm aware of her sins, Lord Touga.
But you must look to your own heart. The trials must go
on." (Regardless of the convenience -- or the agony such a
choice may evoke. I'm sorry . . .)

Forgive her . . .? Turn the other cheek, acknowledging the
fact that Kozue attempted to ruin his beloved foster brother
yet not holding it against her? Look upon her and somehow
not feel like wrapping his hands around her slender neck and
slowly crushing the life from her? The scarlet-maned
chieftain continued to stare down at the lovely maiden, his
cobalt-blue eyes wide in shock, as he wrestled with his
emotions. He had every right to hate the younger Kaoru twin
for what was an unnecessarily vicious way of spurning
Saionji, yet part of him realized that such a hatred ran
contrary to that shining example he wished to be. Hatred
drew to it pain and chaos as a lodestone drew iron; he
needed only to look upon the aftermath of his clan's
conflict with the Saionji for a confirmation of that.

(It's appropriate to be angry, but to stay enraged would
only fester like an infected wound . . . leaving hatred in
its place,) Touga thought, feeling the ice-sharp edge of his
rage abate somewhat. (And hatred tends to devour the heart
it inhabits, leaving little room for more tender emotions .
. .)

The Kiryuu prince closed his eyes, turning his head to the
right. His newfound desire to lead by example, to be all
that was noble and right, struggled against the remains of
his ire and his longing to see the one who had hurt Saionji
suffer an equal amount. (Ah, but her lies have been shown
for what they truly are, and she must deal with the
consequences of her actions. There is . . . no more need to
pursue it further.)

And with those thoughts, he knew he could forgive her.
There was no need to hold onto the potentially poisoning
fury. Taking a deep breath, he held it for a moment then
slowly exhaled, letting go of the anger as he forced the air
out of his lungs. It was over and done; life would go on,
as it should.

Hearing the sound of his long exhale, Utena glanced back at
the bare-chested highlander, then kept her fascinated gaze
there as she watched the tension literally drain away from
the lines of his gracefully muscular body. A nervous sense
of hope quivered within her as she awaited the return of his
deep azure gaze.

It never came. Footsteps sounded above, then came a voice
tinged with annoyance. "Are you coming along, or are you
going to stand there for eternity, Touga?" Saionji grumbled,
poking his head out of the doorway into the keep.

"I'm coming," the redheaded nobleman replied, turning away
and walking up the remaining steps as his friend disappeared
through the arched entryway once more.

The rose-haired girl softly sighed, her hope giving way to a
sense of nervousness. Trailing along after the two
chieftains, she did her best to have faith in the Kiryuu
prince. He had come so far -- further than any of the
others that had attempted to be what she sought -- but this
could be the test that would break him. Somehow, he needed
to have true forgiveness in his heart before he left Kaoru
Keep. If he couldn't do that, then she would have to take
her leave of him and begin looking elsewhere; it was a
thought that made a deep sadness momentarily impose itself
upon her.

It was her fervent wish that it wouldn't come to that.
________________

All of the belongings they had taken with them had been
packed away once more, secured in the saddlebags of their
mounts. Most of their party was down below -- the servants
and men at arms, as well as the still-fuming Saionji -- near
the stables, holding the reins as they awaited the remaining
stragglers. However, the Red Tyger paced along the hallways
of the stone shell tower, his feminine companion silently
following in his wake.

She had disappeared for a short amount of time while Touga
and his foster brother had gathered up their possessions
from the guestroom and had gotten word to their warriors
that they were leaving at the earliest possible convenience.
That she had later reappeared with her handmaidens in tow to
see how Saionji and he were faring made him think that she
had left to gather up her own belongings. After dismissing
Wakaba and Shiori to the stables to gather their palfreys,
Utena had remained -- though the scarlet-maned lord had
noted that she was quieter than usual. She had, however,
asked how soon were they going to be leaving; Saionji had
growled that it couldn't be quick enough to suit him.
Though Touga hadn't remarked, he certainly understood the
other chieftain's reaction. The green-haired prince had
never been one that liked to stay around a place that made
him think of negative things, and this had been the most
potentially embarrassing thing he'd faced in his life.

The boyishly-attired maiden had only nodded then had stood
there silently as the two chieftains had finished gathering
their things. While Saionji had stormed out, Touga had
remained behind in the guestroom, thinking. Then he had
left, Utena following a couple of paces behind.

Why did Lady Kozue do it? That was the question that
weighed upon the Red Tyger's thoughts. It was startling to
have witnessed the change in her, he realized now that he
was over the purely emotional reaction and had begun to
analyze the incident. The whole of the matter rested on her
intent, and he meant to discover just what it was she had
had in mind since he couldn't deduce from her actions just
what she had been trying to achieve. He was certainly
willing to admit that there may have been good reason to act
as she had done.

Rounding a corner, he came to a halt when he saw a youthful
figure approaching from the other direction. The light of
the few torches illuminating the windowless corridor made
azure highlights shimmer in the older Kaoru twin's short-cut
hair. Catching sight of the older noble, Miki stopped as
well, his gaze falling to the wooden floor and his
expression becoming one of uncertainty. "I've heard that
you and Lord Kyouichi are taking your leave."

"Aye, that's true. Saionji's of a mind to get some distance
between himself and this place," Touga gently admitted.

"If I thought my apologies would do any good -- "

"'Tis not your fault, Lord Miki. You are blameless."

"Even so . . . I still cannot believe . . ." The wide-eyed
youth shook his head, his voice fading away.

"Have you any idea why your sister would be so inclined to
make such a scene?" Touga asked.

Another shake of his azure-haired head. "I'm mystified,
actually. My twin can be quite headstrong and somewhat
impulsive, but I really can't think of any reason why she
would do such a thing," Miki responded. "However, Father's
furious with her -- "

"Where is she?"

"In her room, my lord. She's to stay there until Father
gives her permission to leave it," the Kaoru heir responded,
turning and gesturing down the hallway. "There's a guard
there keeping watch over the door."

Utena raised her eyebrows in surprise at the younger
nobleman's revelation. So the princess was being punished,
but for what? Under the circumstances, it could be for any
number of reasons.

"Would it be possible to allow me to talk to her for a short
while before I take my leave?" Touga queried.

"I don't know . . ." Miki answered, appearing even more
uncertain. It was obvious that he didn't want the Red Tyger
to leave in anger, but he also probably didn't wish to incur
the wrath of his sire as well.

"She can remain in her room and I shall remain in the
hallway. With Lady Utena and you watching, I'm certain
nothing untoward could happen," the Kiryuu prince said.
Noting the other nobleman's hesitation, he added, "Please,
Lord Miki? I just wish to discover what her motivation
was."

After a lingering pause, the blue-haired youth finally
nodded. "All right. I can't see the harm in asking her
that." Turning, he started down the hallway, adding,
"Follow me then, if it pleases my lord."

Deeper into the private quarters in the center of the keep
they walked, the youth leading the way. Coming to an
ironbound door before which sat a burly-looking warrior on a
sturdy wooden chair, Miki focused his azure gaze on the man.
"Leave us, Issei."

"But my lord -- " the brunette man began to protest, only to
be halted by the upraised hand of the Kaoru heir.

"I wish to speak with my sister, in private. Should she
leave her room, I'll take responsibility for it."

Issei frowned, not liking the situation. However, he stood
up when it became obvious that his lord's heir wasn't going
to back down from his demand. Bowing respectfully to the
young noble, the muscular warrior walked away -- though only
far enough to be out of earshot but not out of sight, Touga
noted. The Kiryuu prince nodded slightly in satisfaction;
the man took his job seriously, which was always a good
quality.

Slipping a hand into a black leather pouch attached to the
belt around his slim waist, Miki produced an iron key and
put it into the lock on the door. Giving it a twist then
pushing the oaken door open, he called out, "Kozue?"

"What is it?" came the reply; the Kaoru princess's voice
sounded both subdued and suspicious. Behind the shorter
lord, Touga settled into a relaxed stance, clearing away any
lingering anger. To be fair to the girl, he needed to hear
what answers she would give with an open mind.

"Lord Touga's here," Miki said in answer to his sister's
question. "He wants to speak with you."

"Tell him to go away," Kozue snapped. "I don't want to
speak with anyone."

"Please, Kozue. He just wants to know why -- "

The door abruptly opened further, apparently yanked from the
other side. Loosing his grip on the knob, Miki stumbled
into the room a step but swiftly recovered his balance.
Before him, her hand on the other side of the knob, stood
his twin; though her face was cold, with an expression of
pure annoyance, Utena noted that there was some evidence
that the princess had been crying earlier. From what little
she had observed of Kozue, it was quite likely that the
other girl had only shed tears in the privacy of her room;
the Lady Kozue standing there now was every bit the one that
had seemed callous and in control. "Why? I'm certain you
already know the reason." Sapphire eyes glared at the
elegant, redheaded noble. "So you're just wasting your
time." She started to close the door, only to have her
brother remain in the way.

"Actually, my lady, I truly don't know why," Touga admitted.
"Hence my seeking you out to ask it of you."

Kozue turned her angry gaze to her twin, her expression
clearly showing her annoyance. "Miki, get out of the way,"
she demanded, then glanced back at the waiting chieftain.
"I did it just to spite your friend, since that's the kind
of person I am. A wild beast . . ."

Something about her response didn't sit right. Cobalt-blue
eyes narrowing slightly, Touga looked the girl over. Though
she insisted that she did it out of malice, he somehow knew
that it was a lie, that she was saying only what she thought
he wanted to hear.

"Kozue!" Miki protested, still keeping himself against the
door so that his twin couldn't shut it on them.

"Well, it's the truth. It's what everyone's saying," the
young noblewoman replied.

"Just because everyone says it doesn't mean that it is the
truth," Touga said. "Lady Kozue, truly, why did you feel
the need to make such a scene? You risked much in doing so
. . ."

The violet-blue haired princess stopped trying to shove the
door shut against her brother, then slowly looked up at the
Kiryuu prince. "I know what I risked," she softly replied.
"But I would do it again."

"Why?"

"You know him. You grew up with him," Kozue answered,
turning loose of her hold on the door and taking a step
back. "He can be . . . overwhelming, obsessive. It's
frightening at times, even though at others, it's
flattering." She sighed, her gaze sliding to the floor as
she shook her head. "And I, being a princess, am forced to
be a pawn in the games of others . . ." She stopped,
folding her arms over her chest, still staring at the floor.

"Go on," the scarlet-haired chieftain gently prodded when
she didn't continue her words on her own.

"Father's frightened. He has been ever since we began
getting word that the Ohtori could be making ready for war.
You know we're a clan of modest means; against the Phoenix's
might, we may not be able to stand were we on our own. So
he looked to form an alliance, using me as the prize."
Kozue shook her head slightly, her frustration evident.

"Father bypassed you, Lord Touga, because he fears that any
alliance to you would result in our clan becoming
subordinate to you," Miki added, his own voice soft. "He
thinks you are very much your father's son."

A frown settled on Touga's face as he listened to the twins.
Granted, he had spent much of his time as chieftain
consolidating what he already had, so he could understand
the assumptions his neighbors could have about him. Given
what he knew of politics and of the people involved, he
said, "Your father invited both Saionji and Lord Souji at
the same time, did he not?"

"Aye," Kozue replied. "Though he made it very clear he'd
prefer Lord Souji over Lord Kyouichi because the former
would be not only more powerful and wealthy, but also a
coup, given how neutral the Nemuro have traditionally been.
When only your friend responded, I was expected to do my
best -- and I did." She shrugged helplessly, one of the few
times her brother ever saw her looking so vulnerable. "He
saw me as a way out, a means to getting some sort of
independence from you. And that idea became almost
everything to him. He talked often about how he would do
this or that once we were wed and he and Father were allies,
so much so that at times I was bothered by his fixation on
the matter. When I hinted that Father may find what he
considered a better alliance, he grew angry enough that I
was scared -- though I didn't let him see my fright."

The frown on Touga's face deepened. This certainly had the
ring of truth to it; he knew exactly what she meant as she
talked about Saionji, for he had seen that those same traits
in his friend before. "And then tonight, Lord Souji finally
arrived in answer to your father's summons . . ."

"Aye, and I could see the way Father looked at him that he
truly would rather make that alliance than the one he
considered second-best." She paused, then finally looked up
at the tall, redheaded lord. "I didn't think I could just
tell him that the alliance wouldn't be made after all. He
wouldn't believe it, and he could cause grief to those I
hold dear as he insisted on his rights. If Father manages
to actually strike up a deal with Lord Souji, I feared that
Lord Kyouichi wouldn't step back and gracefully admit
defeat. He already acted as if he owned me . . ."

"And so you acted out in desperation, setting up a situation
where you knew you'd be free of him no matter the cost,
because he would no longer want you?" Touga asked, his
expression compassionate. It made sense; given Saionji's
temperament and his personality, the Kiryuu prince could
easily see how Kozue could have felt trapped in a situation
not of her making. Had Saionji truly had made up his mind
that Kozue was *his*, then yes, he certainly would be nearly
impossible if her father decided to give her to someone
else.

"The weapons we noblewomen have are very limited, Lord
Touga," Kozue replied. "We are shuffled about as prizes,
objects given to other men in return for wealth or power.
It's my duty to do as my father pleases. If that means
stooping to dishonorable means, well . . ." She shrugged,
the icy façade settling over her once more. "You know that
it's stated that women have no honor, though the ones that
try to act in an honorable way are to be prized above
others. If we should be *dishonorable*, then we are only
being female."

The scarlet-maned lord felt sorry for her. In that moment,
he could see her truly as a person, caught in circumstances
beyond her control yet struggling to do her best to meet
everyone's expectations. The incident certainly achieved
what she wanted -- at this point in time, Saionji wanted
nothing at all to do with her -- but at what cost, she
probably still didn't know. Touga's own accusation, the
victory of the duel proving the truth of it, could
jeopardize the alliance her father actually hoped to make --
which more than likely explained why she was confined to her
room until further notice. Her father was waiting to see
what Lord Souji's reaction would be to the incident as well.
"Thank you, Lady Kozue," he gently said, nodding his head
slightly. "I understand now why you did as you had."

"Good," she replied, her sapphire gaze turning to glare at
her brother. "Now go and leave me to face the
consequences."

Touga nodded, taking a step back. "I forgive you for what
you did. Perhaps I can help make Saionji understand so that
he can forgive you as well."

"I don't care whether I have his forgiveness or not," Kozue
snapped, once more grabbing hold of the oaken door. "I just
want him to leave me in peace. Miki, get out of the way."

This time the older twin did as his sister demanded,
retreating beyond the swing of the door. Able to close it,
Kozue did so; the oaken panel slammed shut with an ominously
hollow sound. Softly sighing, Miki turned the key in the
lock once again, then slipped the iron object into his belt
pouch. "I'm sorry, Lord Touga -- "

"No, don't apologize. She has reason to behave in such a
manner, and I won't hold it against her," the scarlet-maned
chieftain replied, interrupting his youthful host.

Still standing a few steps behind the tall highland prince,
Utena smiled brightly. He had done it; she sensed that with
the knowledge of the why behind Lady Kozue's actions had
come a true forgiveness of what she had done. Only one test
remained for the dashingly handsome man, and with every
challenge overcome, she had discovered a deeper liking for
the Red Tyger. Turning her aquamarine gaze to the younger
highlander, she watched as Miki stepped past them both and
strode down the corridor.

"You must be wanting to leave now."

"Aye, I should rejoin Saionji and travel with him. Safety
in numbers after all," Touga replied, walking along after
the blue-haired noble.

"Lord Touga," Miki began, his soft voice sounding uncertain,
"I must know if I can continue to rely upon your help. With
the change in situation . . ."

The nobleman addressed frowned thoughtfully. He needed to
stand with Clan Saionji should the Ohtori come sweeping
northward bent on conquest, especially after asking Saionji
to do so. Yet he didn't want to take the brunt of the
possible hostilities, which would be the case should Clan
Kaoru fall. And what of the possible alliance between Clan
Nemuro and the Kaoru? Given the possibility that Lord Souji
had as squire a relative of Lord Akio, he couldn't dismiss
the fact that the Nemuro may be allied to Clan Ohtori after
all. However, he did find it intriguing that Miki was
asking for assistance while his father was looking to make
an alliance elsewhere. "You may," Touga finally said as the
trio of nobles descended a flight of stone steps leading to
the next floor. "I still believe it's in my clan's best
interests to support you against the Ohtori should it come
to that. However, I cannot promise anything more than my
own assistance. Saionji is free to do as he wishes, and he
may not want to come to your aid."

"Unfortunate, but understandable," Miki replied, leading the
way to the main entry into the shell keep. Opening the
door, he stepped to one side and then turned his bright
azure gaze to the Kiryuu prince. "I appreciate any effort
you may render on our behalf. I just hope that we are not
forced to meet one another on opposite sides of the
battlefield."

"Why do you say that?" Utena asked, startled by the youth's
grave-sounding words.

"Because . . . I fear that the Nemuro may have some sort of
alliance with the Ohtori, and should my father have his way
. . ."

"Then the south and west could be united to make a push into
the north and east, all for the greater glory of Clan
Ohtori," Touga finished, frowning.

"What truly bothers me is that Father may be exchanging
phantom chains of submission for true ones," Miki replied.

The Red Tyger nodded. Giving the youthful heir a smile, he
bowed slightly. "Fare well to you, Lord Miki, and tread
carefully. God willing that we shall not end up on opposite
sides."

"Fare well to you also, my lord," the blue-haired youth
said, smiling in return. He remained standing there by the
door, still holding it, as Touga and Utena carefully made
their way down the stone steps to the bailey down below.
Near the stables, their party was mounted and waiting, the
still-fuming Saionji staring at them in frustrated
anticipation, anxious to get out of the stronghold's
confines. Miki was still staring at them all as they rode
off through the gate, a faint sense of dread filling him.
(God willing,) he thought, turning away at last to step into
the stone tower.