V. Intuition

Day 4

When I came to, I felt something soft beneath my head and a comfortable, warm weight press gently upon my body. The groggy realization that I must not be in the tiny cell succeeded in pushing away the desire to let sleep consume me. Something had changed. Something was different.

I shot up in bed, taking a moment to marvel at the fact that I had been sleeping in layers of soft, luxurious blankets and not on a dirty, hard floor—and then groaning in discomfort. Every muscle in my body protested in pain from the sudden movement.

But even more bewildering was the fact that I was still alive.

And I precisely knew because every part of my body hurt no matter which way I sat. It even hurt to breathe, as if the muscles beneath my chest were straining to expand with every inhalation. And as I pondered the miracle of my survival, I tried to recall what had happened in the final moments leading to unconsciousness.

The last thing I remembered clearly was seeing the monster at the end of the hallway. Prior to that moment, forgotten words had been exchanged between the women and myself, and something weird had happened to my hands. They had looked almost green, but perhaps it had been the trick of the light? Or a hallucination?

And then I remembered feeling incredibly unwell and feverish. And afraid. I was so sure that the monster would kill us all, and I would never wake up again. Yet somehow… I was still here. Still alive.

Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted movement. I made to get up but stopped when a voice called out.

"Shizuko, she is awake!"

I turned my head to find that girl, the one who had been scolded for speaking out—what had been her name? Chiko, Chika…? Chie!—kneeling from a distance, her hands placed on her lap.

"Hello," I called to her, surprised by how hoarse my voice sounded. I coughed.

Chie, who had been facing the only door in the room, turned to me, eyes blinking in surprise.

"Hello," she said slowly with some hesitation.

I had many questions, but I finally settled on one. "Where am I?" I asked, attempting to rise from the simple makeshift bed on the hard floor while holding in another groan.

Chie lifted a hand in alarm, her voice colored with worry. "Oh, you should not move so suddenly. Your body is still recovering. You are not yet accustomed to this place."

I'll say, I thought bitterly.

But then another thought suddenly came to me as I brought a hand to rub my aching scalp, expecting the texture of impossibly tangled and dirty hair.

Yet instead, my fingers freely ran through clean, soft strands. What more, my hands were free of dried ink and blood.

My eyes traveled down my arms and chest, and it was then that I realized my tattered red yukata was gone, replaced by a dull, dark blue one, which was made of stiff linen and smelled faintly of old cardboard.

"Where are my clothes?" I whispered.

Chie blinked.

"Clothes? You mean the red rags? Shizuko had us remove them to bathe you. You were quite filthy after all, Miss."

"You… You bathed me?" The thought of foreign strange hands stripping me and washing my naked, unconscious body horrified me. My neck and cheeks burned in shame.

"Yes. We do hope that you are in better health now. The bath waters contained special healing properties good for humans. I hope—"

The sound of a door sliding open interrupted our conversation. The somber, dark woman called Shizuko entered. She nodded at Chie who rose, bowed, and exited the room after sliding the door closed behind her. Shizuko took Chie's old spot on the floor in the identical kneeling position.

For a long, uncomfortable moment, the two of us stared at each other.

Her expression was still blank. There was no telling what she was thinking, and my inability to read her thoughts made me uneasy and suspicious.

"I imagine," she began smoothly, breaking the silence, "that you have many questions for us."

I didn't answer, unsure as to what I should say or do.

Shizuko brushed back a strand of loose, black hair that had fallen from the bun at the nape of her neck and then placed her hand on her lap.

"We had drawn a special bath for you, but instead of accepting Akayoru's generosity, you insisted on neglecting the obvious signs that your body was trying to show you."

I must have looked confused, because the woman elaborated.

"You were unwell," she said.

"How did you know?"

"You were stricken with fever. That you could walk and stand for so long in your state was nothing short of miraculous. Chie later informed me that you had not touched the food that was given to you. You were subsisting on absolutely nothing."

One could hardly call that white mush food, I thought, my hands curled up into fists. But I kept silent.

"In fact, none of us expected to see you regain consciousness so soon."

"How long was I unconscious?" I asked, curious.

"Two days," she replied.

I was startled by the information. I had been out cold for two days? What in the world had happened to me?

As if she had read my mind, Shizuko explained.

"Your body will continue to adjust to the conditions of this new environment. It will be painful at times. But that is how you will survive as a foreign entity in a place where there can be no peaceful coexistence between us hansei and you."

My brows furrowed in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"I suggest that you stay here to recover."

"What? No! I want to leave!" I protested.

"You have no choice," she said with a frown. "If you leave, you are as good as dead."

"If I stay, that monster will come to kill all of us! "

Shizuko studied me, dark brown orbs peering into my emerald ones. Her brows creased in irritation. Then, as she sighed, her face softened and reverted to its default blank expression.

"You know absolutely nothing," she muttered quietly, her head shaking. "You are convinced that the one you call 'monster' will kill you at any moment, perhaps for attempting to escape. Then explain to me this: why are you still alive? Why has he not killed you yet?"

"Because he probably likes to torture his victims before killing them," I said, because that was the only plausible explanation, though it even failed to convince me.

"The Master may be cold and distrustful, but he finds no pleasure from partaking in excessive violence. If he must end a life, he prefers doing so in a swift fashion. I know the fact because I have seen it for myself."

Her words relieved me, but I was still unsure. My lips twisted in disgust. "That doesn't change the fact that he wouldn't hesitate to kill."

"Yes, but it invalidates your theory as to why you are still alive. So I will ask again to prove my point: why are you still here?"

I sat in stunned silence, trying to think of something, anything. Yet nothing came to mind. I had no idea. And I finally admitted to myself that I knew far less of my situation than I had thought. It didn't please me to admit the fact, though.

I sighed. "I don't know."

Shizuko's white lips curved to form a cryptic smile that served to unnerve rather than comfort me.

"The reason why you are alive is simple, my dear. He let you live."

My lips parted in disbelief. I searched her face for evidence that she was lying. But her immaculate, blank mask betrayed nothing. Not a smirk. Not a glint of amusement.

"Why?" I finally asked.

"I have no answer for that, unfortunately."

"Then what happened after I…?"

"After you lost consciousness? The Master reached you faster than we did, and he caught you before you hit the ground. He was the one who brought you to this room so that we could tend to you."

"What?" I scoffed, my mind reeling.

"It is true. The Master is much more powerful than all of us combined. He was the only one who could foresee it and react in time."

"I don't believe you," I replied vehemently.

She frowned, lips set in a hard line. "Whether you believe is none of my concern. Keeping you alive is the only matter of importance."

Shizuko rose to her feet in one fluid motion and moved towards the door, her pale hand resting on the shoji frame.

"One of the girls will bring you your meal shortly. Later, servants will retrieve you to have you properly situated. I expect your full cooperation in accepting Akayoru's generosity, lest you decide to accept your alternative fate."

I merely watched her, tempted to oppose her commands but deciding against it. Speaking out would probably give me more trouble than it was worth. Fortunately, she took my silence as affirmation and exited the room.

A sigh of relief escaped my lips. Being around her was suffocating. However, our brief exchange made me finally realize that the people in the castle didn't need saving. They didn't even want it. They all willingly served the monster. The woman in particular seemed to think very highly of him, for whatever reason I couldn't fathom. Persuading her to help me was not going to work.

In fact, seeking help from anyone in the castle was a lost cause. They all clearly wanted to stay here in this strange place called Akayoru. But why?

It also occurred to me that they probably distrusted me as much as I distrusted them. They didn't know who I was. Why should they allow me to escape? Perhaps all of them, and not just the monster, were captors taking part in imprisoning me.

But then again, why did they go so far as to nurse me back to health, bathe and clothe me, and provide food? Furthermore, why did the monster let me live? Wasn't I a prisoner? Why, then, were they doing these things for me? Why hadn't they let me die and thrown my body back into the drafty cell to rot?

The entire situation was beyond my comprehension. But, the more I analyzed it, the more I figured it would be a fruitless endeavor with what little information I had. I'd have to learn more before attempting another escape.

At that moment, the door slid open to reveal another servant girl. She entered, bringing to me a tray of several small dishes. Her nondescript clothes, plain hairstyle, and pale face made it difficult to distinguish her from the others, who were all dressed exactly the same. Even her soft, muted tone was the same as the others'! It wasn't just difficult to keep track of who was who—it was a little creepy.

She introduced herself as she knelt beside me to set the tray down.

"Hello, Miss. My name is Amaya. I trust you are feeling fine now?"

"Not really," I answered honestly.

"That is unfortunate. I believe some food will do you good. It should be much better than before. The kitchen staff deeply apologize for the congee they had served you several days ago. Most of the experienced cooks were... indisposed. They do feel very ashamed about it."

So that white stuff was congee after all.

"But," the girl continued, "I am confident that the meal will suit your tastes. Humans generally favor these kinds of foods, I think."

I frowned at the word "humans." Why did these people all speak as though they were not humans? She and the servants all appeared human, aside from the fact that they eerily resembled each other.

Amaya must have taken my confused expression as a sign of disgust, for she quickly explained herself.

"I mean, I know that humans like these foods. I like them. Or, well, I used to like them," she said, and then her voice dropped to a quiet murmur, "when I was like you."

When she was like me?

"What do you mean?" I asked.

But the flustered girl, whose cheeks had turned a light shade of pink, was already on her feet and running out the door. She slammed it shut before I could say another word.

Huh. None of these people made any sense!

Well, getting irritated wasn't going to give me more information. I could only hope that the food wasn't a bowl of pasty sludge. And even if it was, I knew that refusing food one more time was something I could not afford to do. My stomach ached from emptiness, and my head dizzy from hunger and exhaustion.

Surprisingly, upon uncovering the few dishes on the tray, I found them to contain hot soup, freshly steamed rice, a small fried fish, and sliced tomatoes. I had never appreciated such a simple meal before, but the mere sight of it made my mouth water. At that point, I could have eaten anything. Even the questionable "congee."

It didn't take long for me to finish. Though I still wanted to eat more, the small meal was enough to sate my appetite and clear my mind. Even the aches afflicting my body diminished significantly.

Only several minutes more passed until I heard a male voice call politely from the other side of the shoji.

"Hello, Miss. Are you ready? We have come to retrieve you. Please come out."

I froze.

A man? There was another man in the castle? What did he want?

He called again for me, but another male voice cut him off with an impatient groan.

"I will not wait around any longer. I haven't got time for this nonsense."

The shoji slid open with such force that the door slammed and bounced against its frame with a loud whack.

In entered a young man, perhaps only several years older than myself, wearing a black, no-frills men's yukata and a permanent scowl. He crossed his arms and stopped a distance away from me, with furrowed brows that set his dark eyes in a fixed, hateful stare.

Another man in identical dress entered after him, but the face of this second man was void of animosity and judgment. Though he physically resembled the first man with their shared tanned complexion and sharp features, his curious and benign expression made him appear almost a completely different person. The contrast was startling.

The second man offered an apology.

"Please forgive him," he said, gesturing to the scowling man. "He was taught better than to barge into a woman's chamber."

The first man scoffed. "This is not her chamber, and this human is no honorable guest, Ken."

"You may disregard all that my brother Ryou says," said Ken, to which Ryou responded with a snort of incredulity. Ken ignored this. "He has much to learn in proper decorum, especially when in the presence of a woman."

Ryou's eyes narrowed even more, but he said nothing.

"Did you find your meal suitable? Are you well-rested?" inquired Ken. "Do you need assistance in moving about the castle?"

Ken took a step forward, a hand outstretched as a sign of friendliness, but Ryou stopped him.

"Stop coddling the human. It disgusts me."

I stood up in anger, ignoring the sharp pains that accompanied the sudden movement.

"I can walk on my own," I responded, eyes narrowed at Ryou, who openly glared back at me. What was his problem? What had I done to warrant such openly hostile treatment from a stranger?

Ken, sensing the tension, offered a kind smile and quickly guided me out the door. Ryou sulked in silence behind the two of us.

"I'm sorry, but where are you taking me?" I asked Ken.

The man had the type of face that made me feel at ease. He looked trustworthy and honest enough. And harmless. Though I was not exactly scared to be led throughout the castle, I didn't know what to expect. Were they taking me straight to the monster, whom I assumed they also served?

He smiled again. "Fear not. We will not harm you. We merely have been assigned to show you different wings of the castle."

"Why?"

"Consider this a tour, if you will. Doing this will benefit both parties. If you ever lose your way, it would pose as an inconvenience to the one assigned to locate you."

I heard a loud scoff behind me.

"The human would have to be completely stupid to not know her way about the castle. It is not that big, even for us."

"Mind yourself and your manners, Ryou," warned Ken, to which his brother responded with unintelligible mutterings.

I paid close attention to the various rooms we passed by and made a mental note of which led to where. Most of them were identical—square, vacant, dark, and barely furnished—but some which we entered bore subtle differences. An interesting vase here, a handsome decorative cabinet there, an elegant byobu in the corner. Vaguely, I wondered why a monster would feel the need to possess such things; he did not seem the "refined" type, even as the master of a castle.

But my private musings were interrupted by the sound of a collective gasp. Ken, Ryou, and I all stopped in the hallway.

Across from us were two children. They, too, wore dark, austere yukata. One of the two little boys pointed his small finger at us, but I could feel quite plainly that his attention was directed to only me.

"A human!"

The other boy beside him stared at me with an expression of silent wonder, mouth agape.

"It's a human!" repeated the first boy.

The second boy dragged his friend by the arm and retreated from where they had come. "Run away!"

Ken only smiled and continued walking but said nothing. Ryou eyed me with contempt as I coolly passed him by and pretended not to notice.

But I was troubled. All of these people were calling me "human." It could only mean that they were not people at all… but something else. The sinking realization that I was probably walking among nonhuman creatures unnerved me. I had considered the possibility that, given the existence of the monster, there could be more of his kind dwelling in the castle. But I had never actually believed in it.

But maybe, rather than not ever believing in it, out of fear I had chosen not to believe—a psychological defense mechanism to help me make sense of this new reality.

Ken's abrupt stop took me by surprise. He turned to look at me.

"The section of the castle we have passed through was the south wing. If you recall, the south wing contains all of the guest and meeting chambers, which is where we retrieved you."

He then raised his hand to our left.

"From where we stand to the far end of this hall is the entire west wing. The west contains the bath, the study, and further down the library. There are some smaller rooms as well, but they are mostly empty. Though the bath is located in the west wing, you may have noticed that a hall connects it to the leftmost portion of the south wing for easy guest access."

Ken began to speak but paused mid-phrase. "I apologize. I suddenly realize that I may have spoken too quickly. Do you wish for me to repeat anything?"

"Uh, no," I said. "Please continue."

He nodded and pointed straight ahead. "That is north, and it leads to the Great Hall. Behind it are the kitchen, the sleeping quarters for the servants, and the storage closets." Ken coughed. "Which is where the Master found you."

Oh. So I had broken into and slept in a storage closet. My hunch had been correct after all. But what kind of closet needed a heavy lock and a barred window? It had felt more like a prison than anything else.

Ryou let out a grunt of annoyance. "And you," he said, looking straight at me, "couldn't have created a louder ruckus. Your pitiful shrieks succeeded in rousing us all, perhaps even the dead, from sleep."

A twinge of anger coursed through my blood, tempting me to speak back in defense. But I suppressed the urge, however begrudgingly. Arguing with the servants did not seem wise.

His brother sent him a sharp look, but the disgust remained in Ryou's eyes.

Ken sighed at his obstinacy but made no comment on it as he continued his introduction of the castle wings. "From where we stand to the entire region rightward marks the east wing. Those are the Master's chambers. None are permitted entry there."

Our eyes looked to that general direction. Though throughout the castle hung several metal lanterns, their dim lights could not reach all regions. Of all the wings, the east submerged the deepest in impenetrable shadows. I could barely make out the sharp, straight edges of shoji by the faint light that reflected off their frames, but all of the doors were shut closed, and on the other side of the paper and wood was darkness.

"Why?" I asked.

Ken's expression hardened, and his ever-smiling lips curved into a frown. "The Master forbids it. And that is how it has always been."

The man's sudden change in tone piqued my interest. He had been so accommodating, so polite and patient. Yet my innocent inquiry had produced such an odd reaction from him. It was clear that the subject was a sensitive one.

What secrets did the east wing hold that not even the servants knew? What was the monster hiding there?

Asking for answers from these two would not do. I decided not to press the issue any further. I'd instead search for answers myself at another opportune time.

"I see," I answered, producing a soft smile as a sign of understanding. This seemed to relieve Ken, who also offered a smile in return.

"Now, allow us to show you your new living quarters."

I was relocated to another guest room in the south wing, just down the hall from the room where Shizuko and the servant girls had nursed me.

Before they had left, Ken and Ryou—but mostly Ken, as Ryou's only purpose was to make snide remarks—instructed that I rest. And I was promised breakfast tomorrow morning.

I had thanked Ken, ignored Ryou, and shut the door after their figures had disappeared down the hall and around the corner. Then I had spent the next ten to fifteen minutes inspecting the room for holes, cracks, vermin, secret panels and swinging doors, but found none of those things—to my mixed relief as well as disappointment.

The room bore no discernible difference from the other "guest chambers." It was similarly furnished, minimally decorated, and kept dim. Tatami had been rolled across only a small section of the cold, hard floor, on top of which lied a bed that was thinner than even traditional futon.

The four walls were made of old wood, blackened from age like the rest of the castle's interior. Pushed against one wall stood an ancient-looking chest, with dull and unpolished metal hinges and several stubborn drawers that required some effort to tug open. Someone had neatly folded layers upon layers of boring, stiff yukata and placed them inside. There were even socks and undergarments, separated into two orderly piles in one drawer.

Despite the dark and dreary atmosphere, I couldn't deny that this room was a much better living space than a closet. For one thing, there was no cold draft blowing inside. In fact, the room was quite warm. And everything was reasonably clean.

I lied down, slipped beneath the warm blankets, and let out of a sigh of content. Though the bed was quite thin, compared to the floor it was like heaven. There was even a pillow, and anyone who had ever gone without one for even one night could attest that it was one of the greatest inventions of mankind, as well as one that many easily took for granted.

Had the servants prepared all this a sign of good will, to welcome me as a permanent "resident"? Or to try to bribe me into good behavior? Did they really not believe that I could and would try to escape again? They all had to be fools to think that I'd quietly submit to their demands.

But one thing was for sure. No matter how kind and generous most of them seemed, it was clear that several did not trust me. The two little boys had actually run away from me. And Ryou, in particular, detested me.

Why?

Well, perhaps the answer didn't matter. But I had a hunch that all of them were closely watching me. If I made a run for it right now, it was highly likely that I would end up bumping into one of them. Or worse, the monster himself.

As of now, the only thing I could do was follow through with their requests. Behave and obey. Then maybe, just maybe, I could gain the servants' trust over time and use it to my advantage. I could also study the layout of the castle, carefully memorize any exits, track movement patterns, and learn more about the monster.

Though it was the safest plan, it also meant risking an incalculable amount of precious time. How much longer did I have until the monster grew bored of me? There was no way of knowing when the servants would suddenly turn on me and bring me to their master.

However, if they were telling the truth about breakfast, then I was at least guaranteed tomorrow morning, right? But what about the next day? Or even just tomorrow afternoon?

No, it would be dangerous to assume anything, or believe anyone. I would have to remain vigilant. These people, or whatever they were, served a cruel, evil monster that had tried to kill me. At the end of the day, no matter how kind and generous they appeared, they answered to him.

Even after shutting my eyes, an unrelenting torrent of anxious thoughts kept filling my mind. I still knew nothing. And I still had no answers.

I didn't know when sleep had finally found me, or for how long I had slept, but something jarred me awake in the middle of the night.

A strange, uncomfortable sensation passed through my body, leaving me gasping for breath. My tired eyes peeled open, frantically searching the darkness for something, but not knowing what. I scrambled out of bed and was on my feet within seconds.

The lanterns had gone out. There was not even a window through which moonlight could penetrate. The only light source came from the other side of the shoji, but it was still difficult to see a few feet beyond the bed.

All I knew, somehow, from some visceral feeling, was that I was not alone. Something was in the room. And that realization manifested itself in the form of a paralyzing fear that ran deep into my bones and rendered my body absolutely motionless.

I dared not let a breath escape my lips. The soft beat of my heart sounded more like the strike of a drum in this perfect silence.

All at once, I remembered this feeling. This state of heightened senses, awakened by instinct.

It had happened the first night at the castle. When I had first become aware of him.

I called out hesitantly.

"I know you're here. If you've come to kill me, you should have done it while I was asleep. Then I wouldn't struggle and cause you more trouble."

But there came no response.

My fists curled into tight balls. They shook at my sides.

"I don't understand you," I admitted. "Why didn't you do it before? Why have you come for me now?"

I heard a gentle rustle of fabric come from somewhere across the room.

And then, before I could register what had happened, I felt a presence behind me.

When he finally spoke, just his voice alone sent a chill down my spine. The fine hairs raised from the flesh of my neck where his breath touched me.

"Are you not grateful for your new accommodations, human?"

I fought against the fear that threatened to keep me silent. I spoke boldly.

"I thought I was a prisoner, not a guest."

"The conditions have not changed."

"Then what is the meaning of all this?"

"Do you perhaps desire to return to the storage closet? Or receive slop for food?"

"You saw me try to leave. I broke the agreement. But you did nothing."

"Hn," he scoffed. "You possess incredible, misplaced faith in your lack of abilities."

He paused. His slow, steady breaths tickled my skin. I shivered.

"What do you mean?"

"It was a servant who unlocked the door that day. I ordered it to be done."

I faltered. "But… why?"

"It has come to my attention that keeping you alive would serve me potential benefit."

"But you said I had nothing valuable to give to you. So why—?"

He moved closer. His breath grew hotter against the back of my neck.

"You intrigue me with your questions. It seems you enjoy being a prisoner."

I spun around and backpedaled, forcing distance between us. In the darkness only the shape of his large form was barely visible. And I was grateful for it. I didn't know how I would behave if I had to see his terrible face again. Partial blindness, in retrospect, was a blessing that gave me confidence.

"Of course I don't," I retorted, bristling. But I balked when the monster took one step forward.

"Do you then beg for punishment?"

My heart began to race, and my blood went cold.

"No," I clarified, speaking slowly. "I just question your sudden change of heart. That night you made it clear that you would kill me for breach of contract. We can agree on that. So why haven't you done anything?"

A brief moment of silence fell upon us. Somehow, I gauged that the monster already knew what to say, but he was taking his time. I could feel his eyes on me, studying me, deriving amusement from the sight of my much smaller, cowering form attempting to stand tall and to speak out.

When his answer finally came, it was simple.

"I changed my mind."

He moved forward, and I backward.

"Several sources have brought to light a rather important matter which I previously had overlooked," he began, his deep rumbling voice filling the emptiness. "A glimpse into your mind revealed to me that you were innocent. Time has revealed to me that you know nothing of genjutsu.

"And so, without that integral knowledge it would have been impossible for a mere human such as yourself to dispel the genjutsu and invade Akayoru. The only reasonable explanation for your appearance was another enemy, someone who sent you after me. But, as aforementioned, you were innocent, and thus this theory could not hold.

"But now I realize it. Akayoru beckoned you. It uncovered itself from the shadows to you. The question now is why. But I do not suppose that you know the answer."

I shook my head, never doubting if he could see me in spite of the darkness.

"I figured as much," the monster said in a tone that conveyed both displeasure and a lack of surprise.

"So what does this mean?" I interjected. A bubble of hope formed within me. "You know I've told you the truth, and I can't possibly harm you. Will you let me go?"

But the bubble burst almost as quickly as it had formed.

"No. I will not."

I was speechless. At first, all I could do was remember how to breathe. My mind had gone blank. The hands that had trembled at my sides moments ago were now still.

"Why?" I asked, and it came out in a shaking whisper. When no response came, I asked again, and this time in uncontrollable anger and despair. All restraint had broken.

"Why?!" I screamed. "Why won't you let me go?! I have done nothing to you! I've sworn not to come back or tell others about you. You could easily verify that by looking into my mind. You've done it before. Why not now?"

He gave no answer, and his silence only further perturbed me.

"I've been gone for days now. I have family. And friends. They're waiting for me. I have to go back to them! Can't you understand?" I pleaded.

"No," came the reply, devoid of all emotion and empathy. "And nor do I care."

"What do you want from me?" I groaned, eyes wet and hot. "I have nothing to give you. Nothing!"

The monster moved forward again. I backed up. And as if in a dance, we moved together, his advances pushing me closer and closer to the wall behind me. I glanced over my shoulder, assessing which step next to take. But no matter which way I moved, the monster followed. And he began to speak.

"Even as the master of this castle, I know not why Akayoru permitted you to enter. Even with my sight, which peered into the deepest recesses of your mind, I am still perplexed.

"But I must admit, the wisdom of the spirits of Akayoru are infinitely greater than mine. Akayoru accepted you for some unspecified purpose, which I assume is for my benefit. Otherwise, Akayoru would have maintained the genjutsu and barred entry to you, just as it has done to malicious entities for centuries past.

"I had hoped you would provide an answer. But, seeing as you have none, I have no choice but to imprison you until I find out for myself. And when I do, heed my words, human: there will be nothing left for you to hide from me. I will take what is rightfully mine. And if you should rebel or refuse, you will surely wish you had not."

I felt my face grow hot as my throat began to tighten. My voice barely came out.

"It seems hardly fair that you've decided to hold me against my will on the grounds that you might find something of value," I said emphatically. "But what if you're wrong and you never find it? You don't even know what you're looking for. Years and years go by, but there's still nothing. And when I die, and you still find nothing, then what?"

Without warning, he stopped in his tracks. I, too, stopped to examine him. My body tensed.

What was going through his mind? Why had he stopped?

"Everything will come to an end someday," he said, and for a second it felt as though his voice had taken on a harsher, colder edge. "And nothing in this world is fair. What is fair? You whine and cry about unfairness. But the world owes you nothing.

"Life is nothing but a series of battles for survival. If you are weak, you can only hope to die a painless, quick death as the mighty trample upon you. There is no value lost from the death of a spineless fool who never amounted to anything.

"If, at the end of your meager life I have still found nothing, I will have considered such a waste of time a small tragedy. But do not fret. I will make sure to have the servants give you a proper burial—out of fairness."

I didn't know what possessed me to abandon all logical thought, but at the utterance of those words it felt as though my entire spirit began to quiver from violent fury.

With a loud cry I rushed toward the hulking monster. I summoned every bit of my strength as I slammed my fists repeatedly against the monster's body, hardly feeling the pain sear in my knuckles upon impact. But the blows that landed on him did not appear to produce any effect…

…except to enrage him.

Two strong hands caught my flailing arms and held them in a grip so tight that I could feel his talons bite into my skin. I struggled against him, letting out a soft whimper when the sharp talons pressed deeper and nearly cut into the flesh of my upper arms.

As I attempted to escape his grasp, the monster forcefully pushed me backwards into the wall. My back hit the wood hard, hard enough to steal the wind from my lungs and make my knees go slack.

But I recovered quickly. I slid out from his grasp, and amidst the chaos I heard fabric rip as his talons unhooked from and slid across my arms. Just a cursory analysis of the unfolding scene very clearly indicated that I was at a huge disadvantage. Not only was he stronger and faster, but he was also bigger. Much bigger. It was futile to try to aim a fist for his face when he was heads taller than me. To make matters worse, I didn't even have a pen this time. Plainly, I had gotten myself into a terrible situation.

Luckily, while dodging him, I found to my relief that his sword was missing. It was not resting on his usual left side. But even without a sword, it probably didn't matter to him. There were hundreds of ways he could easily kill me with just his bare hands… the same hands that had torn apart thick planks of wood like they were rice paper.

I ran in the opposite direction, examining the room in vain for anything that might help me. The monster stalked toward me, exhaling loudly in either fatigue or fury. The more likely answer was the latter.

My heels bumped into something cold and hard, and I turned to find the metal chest. It took all I had to lift it from the floor and throw it at him, but he cast it away with one arm as if to swat flies. The chest crashed to the floor somewhere behind him.

"It appears that you have run out of options," the monster remarked, breathing heavily.

He sprung toward me faster than my eyes could register. I tossed punches at him, trying to recall from bygone karate lessons which techniques would be most effective. The monster met every single one of my punches with defensive blocks with minimal effort.

"Enough of this," he hissed, and then his hands took me and threw me down, where I fell onto the disheveled blankets that had been kicked about across the floor.

He followed shortly after, pressing his weight upon my body while holding onto my arms. I was trapped. He was crushing me. His unyielding strength and the proximity made me struggle in panic. But my efforts were all for naught.

"You will stop moving at once," he commanded impatiently.

I was spent. I had exhausted all of my energy, and now not even fear for my life could keep me fighting. So I helplessly obeyed. Fearing to look at his face, I turned my head to the side.

"That was not very wise of you," rebuked the monster. "I suggest that you behave for your own best interests. It will be much less painful to endure if only you give up the fight and submit. It is your choice."

"I have no choice," I bit back, my eyes glued to the blank wall. "You stole everything from me."

None of us spoke for a moment, with only the sound of my ragged breathing to disturb the silence. I knew that he was watching me, but I feigned ignorance. I kept my eyes to the wall.

"Look at me," said the monster.

The demand surprised me, but I ignored him.

"Look at me."

His tone demanded no room for defiance.

Without a word, slowly, I inclined my head just slightly and lifted my eyes to stare into the monster's face. From up close and under little light, his eyes looked even darker and more sinister than usual. Bottomless pools of black that both repelled and attracted at the same time.

I forced myself to maintain a composed expression in spite of the terror that racked my body.

He released my arms to bring them both above my head with one of his claws. With the other he tightly held the bottom of my face so that I could not look away.

"Study this face and know it well, human. You will have to become accustomed to it, no matter how much you detest the sight of it."

He leaned in, bringing his dark lips close to my ear. I flinched, but his grasp was strong, and I could not inch away from him.

"I have been watching you from afar these past several days. But from tonight on, that shall no longer be. Every day I will summon you. When you are dismissed, you will assist the servants or remain in your quarters. You are not to enter the east wing or go beyond the castle walls without my express permission. If you violate any of these conditions, expect swift punishment. Do you understand?"

It was like the first night all over again.

Another contract, another set of binding conditions that I had to accept under duress. But there was really no alternative for me this time. If I denied him this, it would make no difference. He would still get his way. He had the loyalty of dozens, perhaps hundreds, of servants who could get me to bend to his will. And none of them, not even the ones who had shown me kindness, would go so far as to take my side and betray their master.

For now, at least. And I would change that in due time.

I would allow him this one small victory. I would humor him. But he would not control me. He would never get that satisfaction.

I managed to force words through gritted teeth.

"I understand."

"Hn," came the reply.

The monster removed his hands, lifted himself off of my body, and rose. He looked down at me, as if to sneer at my lowliness: the girl sprawled on the floor, hair a mess, clothes torn and destroyed, spirit seemingly broken. He turned to the shoji, exited, and closed it shut.

I watched his silhouette on the paper screen shrink as his lumbering form retreated into the depths of the castle. Shortly after, I could no longer hear the echo of his heavy footsteps.

For some time, a flurry of emotions raged through my mind. There was disgust. Anger. Humiliation. But one new thing was there, too. An unidentifiable, foreign thing, something I had never felt before.

And then in an instant I realized, as I lay on the sheets and reflected upon the recent events, that a significant yet subtle development had happened over time. Something within me had transformed.

No longer did I merely fear what I did not understand. A seed of change had planted itself in the part of me that once feared him. And in its place the seed had sprouted deep-seated hatred.

I remembered the look he had spared me before leaving. A look of condescension. How his black, empty eyes had glimmered with delight, and his lips had curled into a smirk.

I hated it. Everything about him. Yet in the midst of this newly accepted hatred was another feeling that begged attention: dread.

Tomorrow, and the day after, and the many days following that, for weeks and for many numerous months to come, until my dying day, I would have to be near that vile monster, answering to his beck and call if it came to it.

What would he possibly demand of me?

Would I survive even tomorrow?

Burdened with these thoughts, I did not sleep for the rest of the night.

Author's Note:

shoji: a door, window, room divider made of a wooden frame covered by translucent paper

byobu: a folding screen with multiple connected panels; used for privacy, decoration

futon: traditional Japanese bedding that can be stored and put away (I am not referring to the westernized couch/bed hybrid.)

I received a review from a reader named Malcriada, but unfortunately I was not able to respond since s/he had submitted the review as a guest. So I will answer Malcriada's questions here:

Yes, this story borrows elements from the Beauty and the Beast tale. (I am sure many of you have noticed the similarities.)

Unfortunately, despite the incredible heat and humidity, I wore long jeans to cover my legs to deter the mosquitoes… but they still penetrated through the fabric and sucked the blood of my right leg (cries in Spanish)! Dastardly things.

I have no single favorite food in Korea. There are too many good things to eat!

Anyway, have a merry Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, holiday season, whatever you beautiful religious/irreligious children celebrate. I am incredibly grateful to have such lovely fans rooting for me, in spite of how slowly I update. (I wrote, scrapped, and rewrote this chapter three times over the course of four months!) Thank you for your support and patience.

Questions, comments, constructive criticism? Hit me up with a review or PM.

Be kind to one another.

Love
-cion