Chen sat up, catching Eboshi's attention with the suddenness. He looked out, across the canal and into the darkness surrounding the small patio.

"Is something wrong?" Eboshi whispered unobtrusively.

"I don't know. I don't see anything suspicious, but Hitori left without telling me her reason. You're sure you weren't followed?"

She leaned closer and kept her voice down. "I can't be sure. Not by anyone at street level, but the kagekata have no such limitations to their methods." It would have been far too obvious to keep looking up at rooftops.

Eboshi shifted against his shoulder as he thought on a reply. She was still unused to being this close to a man. On the other hand, it made it quite easy to have private conversation. It seemed physical proximity did have some uses.

"Should we leave?" he replied.

Eboshi thought about it. If the Emperor really had sent his most skilled spies after her, there was little more they could have done. Then again, there really wasn't that much for them to see, just what appeared to be Lady Eboshi and her bodyguards meeting a pair of strange men with a child, talking and laughing where they could easily be seen and overheard.

She looked over the small group. Ituse was smiling at something Iroyuza had said, and Eboshi realized she hadn't seen the woman so happy recently. "No," she eventually responded. "As far as they can gather, we seem merely to be meeting with friends and family, albeit suspiciously. As long as nothing is said or overheard about our plans, there shouldn't be too much trouble." She looked to Chen. "And besides," she huffed with exasperation, "the emperor spies on everyone."

Ituse spoke up. "I would like to hear you play again, Iroyuza. The first time we were a little, well, distracted."

Toki snorted. "That's putting it lightly."

Iroyuza sighed, moving with an exaggerated reluctance. "I suppose I could play a few songs for you. Saryu, what time did you want to leave by?"

It took her half a moment before she responded to her old name. "Before midnight, if possible. We have much to do on the morrow."

Toki stood and walked to the small dock adjoining the house, looking up at the sliver of moon in the sky. "So an hour or two more, milady?"

"Yes, that should do." Eboshi looked over to her brother, who was removing his instrument from its case. "I had wanted to ask you how your learning of the instrument was going. The last time I was here, you were a long way from mastery."

"A lot can be learned in three years, Saryu, I do hope to impress you." He smiled sharply, plucking a few strings to tune them. "Or surpass you. Either works for me."

Eboshi sighed, "It won't be that hard now, trust me." She gestured her single arm. "You have a distinct advantage over me now."

"How did that happen, anyway?"

They all looked at Eboshi. "I lost it in battle."

Iroyuza paused, then nodded, expression blank. "I'm sorry."

"I'm used to it now."

Chen cleared his throat. "What instrument is that, anyway? It looks like a small samisen, but you play it with a bow."

Iroyuza nodded, clearly eager to change the subject. "It's a kokyu, a relative to the samisen. I find the bowed style more elegant. Any requests? I know selections from several genres, including ballads, folk tunes, epics, love songs—"

"Oh, we already know how good you are at those," Toki said, laughing.

Chen tapped his chin. "Somehow I doubt that, because, Iroyuza, it seemed that your 'love song' provoked the exact opposite reaction."

"It just might have had something to do with—" Eboshi retorted quickly, but Toki interrupted her, leaning in.

"Well, she's still in your arms, isn't she, Chen?"

The others laughed, and Chen grinned ruefully, almost but not quite embarrassed. Eboshi shoved Chen lightly back, trying frantically to process what she thought about that. "Don't push your luck, samurai…"

He chuckled and pulled her closer for a moment. "Oh, don't worry, I've already been pushed enough tonight."

She smiled back, despite herself, emotions whirling, and let her head rest on his shoulder again, letting her eyes close. That damned man. Why did he have to be so solid, and broad?

"Well, I'd like to see how a city man handles a commoner's song," Toki was saying. "Do you know, 'The Farmer and the Bull?'"

"It's one of the first ones I picked up." Eboshi opened her eyes, hoping nobody'd noticed. Iroyuza drew the kokyu up, and put the bow to the string. He began to play, and Toki and Ituse began to sing along. Chen shifted and she sat up, he smiled at her and eagerly joined in. Eboshi appreciated that he had remembered her attitude on her singing. He wouldn't push her to sing, and she would listen to him whenever he did. He really did have a nice voice. She just didn't want him knowing that.

The song went quickly, made faster by enthusiasm, and the ending echoed off the water and off the other houses. It wasn't breaking silence by any means, even as their song faded, Eboshi heard another start up several houses away. With the Akaihana, there were plenty of people still awake and about.

"Ah, you're good!" cried Toki, smile bright.

Ituse nodded, voice wistful. "I miss accompanied songs, the men are lucky to have two musicians, we don't have any."

"Oh, but I doubt that their playing could compete with your women's voices, if they all sing so sweetly as the both of you," Iroyuza replied with a small smile.

"Aw, stop it, I'm married," Toki blushed, but Ituse just stayed quiet, and Eboshi smiled to herself.

Iroyuza laughed. "Well, that won't stop me from complimenting the both of you."

"Iro?" Eboshi cut in gently, "Do you still have that flute of mothers?"

"Yes. Why?"

"Chen here is quite competent, and I'd much rather hear his playing than, well..."

"What's wrong with my voice?" he protested, and she quirked a smile.

"Oh, nothing much." She injected as much innocence as she could muster into the statement. "Could you get it, please?"

Iroyuza shrugged, and stood. "If you say he has talent…"

"I'll leave that to your judgement. I like his sound, personally."

"Well, I know how discriminating you can be, that's proof enough for me, I suppose."

Iroyuza went upstairs, and Chen looked at Eboshi. "You like my sounds?"

She leaned against him again, putting a finger to her lips. "Some of them. Hush." This fatigue really was beginning to catch up to her.

Ituse moved to where Ayako sat. The girl was still looking out into the darkness, presumably for the young forest spirit. "Is there a song you want to hear, Ayako?"

She didn't meet the older woman's gaze. "I don't know a lot of songs."

"That's ok." Ituse sat and smiled at the girl. "We came to visit you. Is there anything you want to hear while Master Chen's here?" She leaned in, drawing Ayako's eyes, and Eboshi had to strain an ear to hear what she said. "Don't let him hear you say this, but he's really very good at blowing into a reed with holes cut in it."

"Why can't he know?" Ayako tried to whisper.

"Just look at his head! It doesn't need to be any bigger, don't you think?" Eboshi physically restrained a snort of laughter.

Ayako giggled, then put a finger to her chin in thought. "There is one song..."

Iroyuza returned, a slim pipe in his fingers. "Please be careful with this, Master Chen." Eboshi sat up, giving room for Chen to take it carefully. It was made of a light wood with flowers carved into it. "It was our mothers."

He examined it with a professional eye. "I'll do my best to honor it, then."

"Now!" Iroyuza said, clapping his hands before picking up his own instrument. "What shall we play? What music do you know?"

"Actually," Ituse spoke up. "Ayako has a song she wants you to play."

"Yes, flower?" Ayako nodded. "Which is it?"

"The Wind and the Moon, please?"

Chen cocked his head, and Iroyuza frowned.

"The song about the legend?" Ituse confirmed.

Ayako nodded, looking down. Eboshi leaned forward. A young girl, whose favorite song was a tragedy? Interesting.

"It's a beautiful song, Ayako, but is that the best choice for a festival?"

Chen cut in. "I'm afraid I don't recognize that title, how does it go?"

Iroyuza sighed and raised his bow, playing the first few notes. They were slow, deliberate, a minor key. Eboshi knew it well, and before Iroyuza finished the first phrase, Chen had joined in, lilting the solemn notes. The kokyu and flute lifted in unison, and to Eboshi's surprise, Ituse joined in the chorus with the words, telling the legend of the wind which fell in love with the moon.

He formed a higher harmony with Iroyuza's melody, weaving around the established notes. Chen stood, moving on his feet as the music lifted him. Eboshi watched, nonplussed, as he stepped lightly around the listeners, moving his whole body to the swells and falls of the music as the tempo increased, bringing an energy to the tune.

Chen took a breath, letting Iroyuza take the melody for a moment, then held out a hand to Eboshi. Shock flew through her, and she dumbly shook her head, a wondering smile spreading on her face. He wanted her to dance with him? He shrugged and smiled back before putting the flute back to his lips. He danced to where Ituse and Ayako sat, and raised an eyebrow at them questioningly. Ayako jumped to her feet with a wide smile on her face, geta clacking on the stone floor as she stepped in time.

Toki shouted once, and begun to clap as the story of the song picked up. The words to the song ran through Eboshi's mind, fresh as the day she had learned them, and she began to hum. The wind had begun its journey into the sky, up to meet the moon when she was at her lowest, and Iroyuza embraced his part as his fingers moved deftly in tandem with his bow, the melody rising in power to meet Chen's higher harmony. Ituse was handling their adjustments to the source well, her voice surprisingly agile and light, filling the small space.

Chen moved back to unison, and Iroyuza took his cue, his kokyu beginning to lessen in its dancing tempo, regaining the steadiness from the start of the piece, and Chen's line began to falter as the wind lost its momentum trying to carry itself into the vastness between the heavens and earth. Iroyuza, his line representing the moon, never wavered, steady in its course, unable to help as the wind faltered. Iroyuza nodded to Ayako, who understood and sat again, eyes wide. Ituse's voice began to grow quieter as well, only Iroyuza's kokyu remaining as Chen's flute dropped out altogether. The wind fell back to earth, and Chen sat, setting the flute down as Iroyuza accompanied Ituse in the last lines of the song, despair and futility overcoming the earlier energy.

The last notes faded together, Iroyuza shifting at the last moment into a harmony with Ituse's sweet tones. It echoed along the water, this time not returning nearly as strong. There was a silence, and Iroyuza lowered his bow.

Ituse looked to Ayako. "So what does the wind do to this day?"

"No matter how hard it howls, the wind could… could never convince the moon to stop for it again," she recited. Then Ayako let a breath out, eyes shining with wonder.

There was a pause, and Eboshi relished in it. It seemed there was another reason to keep Chen around.

"Damn…" Toki said. "That was beautiful."

Iroyuza shifted, lowering his bow, a wide grin on his face. "Master Chen?"

Chen looked to the other man. "Yeah?"

"I underestimated your musical prowess. I shan't again." Eboshi laughed at that, joining Chen.

Chen pointed at Iroyuza. "You didn't slack at all either! I've never met someone that could keep up with my crazy improvisations."

"It wasn't easy, that's for sure. Who taught you?"

"My father bought it for me, but I'm mostly self-taught." Then, to deflect the incoming praise, he pointed at Ituse. "But you! I didn't know you could sing so good, I'd thought Toki was the best of you all, but your voice is heavenly!"

Iroyuza nodded fervently. "Agreed. Your tone was far from perfect, but you used that to add to the emotional stylization."

Ituse blushed at the attention. "Oh, Toki's much better than me, I really don't—" Her protests were booed out by Toki, but somehow a distant noise made itself known to Eboshi.

Chen had heard it too, and he perked up, looking towards the source. As praise continued back and forth between the others, he stood, and Eboshi closed her eyes to hear better. That was… a wolf's howl. Chen's eyes widened.

"What is it?" she asked, but he held up a hand. He was talking to Hitori, she realized. That was such a useful ability, she considered, and realized the thought had been placed in her mind to try and distract it from the many ways all of this could go wrong.

Soon he turned to her, eyes narrowed and solemn. "We have to leave. San's back, and she learned things vital to the plan." Eboshi considered this, rubbing her forehead in thought. Chen took her shoulder, normally light eyes darkened. "Kaya's been compromised."

Eboshi heart plummeted and she swore, mind racing, trying to comprehend the ramifications. The others looked over, startled out of their innocent revelry, Iroyuza concerned, Ayako confused at the strange word, Toki and Ituse already on guard. A wistful thought made itself known; but she'd only been here for an hour or two…

Eboshi narrowed her eyes. The time for relaxing was over.

"Come, Chen, Ituse, Toki. Say goodbye, we have to go."

...

The small group entered Eboshi's rented study quietly. The small room was lit by lanterns and candles, and Eboshi was surprised to see San already there, accompanied by Ganzo and Ashitaka, who had apparently already arrived back from his scouting trip.

The princess hadn't changed out of Saisana's costume, and sat cross-legged at the table, ink pen in hand. San was drawing something on a large piece of paper, but looked up sharply when they entered. "Good, you're here." She moved over, leaving room at the head of the table for Eboshi, but didn't stop her sketching. "Ashitaka, after the guard station, were there any places that could have hidden an entrance?"

"There were several large bushes," he began, thinking it over. Eboshi and the others sat, somewhat dumbfounded. "Those could have easily hidden something. There was also shadowed portions of the wall that I couldn't make out." Ashitaka and San, working together again? They weren't enjoying it, certainly, but the line of communication was clear, no intentional misunderstandings or bitter silences. There was distance between them, but their faces shared the same expression. Determination.

San scribbled further. Eboshi craned her head to see; it looked like a map of the palace complex. San looked up, finally making eye contact with Eboshi. "Things have happened. We have to talk."

Eboshi gestured. "Speak, then. We are here, and have nothing to report."

"First, there's a new way in," San pointed at a piece of the map vehemently, and Eboshi couldn't make any sense of the ink on the paper. "Almost no risk. I plan on taking it. Also," She looked up; blue eyes contrasted sharply by the red makeup. "The Emperor knows where the Emish are, and is preparing an army to exterminate them."

A stunned silence. Ashitaka bowed his head.

"So he knows," Chen said softly.

"Gods preserve us," Ituse whispered, eyes wide.

"How?" Toki asked, tone desperate.

"Kaya broke." The words were matter-of-fact, cool and collected, and Eboshi had to mentally remind herself that it was San that was talking, not some cold information broker. "I learned from Aiko, about the mobilization and plans his father has."

"The Prince knew all that?" Ashitaka asked. His words were flat.

Her stony expression broke for a moment, and San looked down. "He doesn't know about Kaya. He's innocent in all this." She looked up again, blue eyes narrowed, firelight flickering across her hardened features. "That is what I learned tonight. Now, what shall we do?"

Another silence, and Eboshi let the information sink in. This changed everything, but also nothing. Her part in the plan wasn't affected by the Emperor's preparations, in fact, she felt that she should be relieved to hear she and Irontown weren't the ones targeted as retribution for not acquiring the head of the Great Forest Spirit.

Eboshi looked down, ashamed at the thought. She couldn't truly feel relief. Not with Ashitaka, brought even lower by pain, shoulders heavy with unreleased sorrow, not with Chen, upright, fists clenched with indignation and sympathetic fear, or even San, with her features like ice and her voice like blades.

"Is Kaya still alive?" It was Ashitaka who asked, who sat up and met San's gaze, his storm-gray eyes glinting.

San looked back to him, and a crack showed in her mask. "I don't know. Like I said, Aiko didn't actually know about Kaya, just that his father knows where the armies are going."

"Do we know when?" This from Chen.

"Within the month. Soon."

"Then we don't have that much time."

"I know." San looked to Eboshi. "What shall we do?"

A small hint of pride had made itself known to Eboshi at seeing San take command like this, but it was quickly buried by the mountain of fears and considerations that had sprung up. Now, it was her turn to lead. She squared her shoulder and faced all of them, meeting everyone's eyes. "We must accelerate the plan. Tomorrow will progress like so; Ashitaka, Chen." They looked to her. "You will both go tomorrow to meet the trusted samurai of Chen's division. You will discuss our objectives with them, as well as how we plan to achieve them. Chen, before or after this, you will gauge interest, loyalty and usefulness from the bulk of your force, to prepare for your departure with Ashitaka after Kaya has been recovered." Eboshi's voice didn't hitch over the last phrase.

"Only now, I have to convince them to come with me to an unknown land for an obscure cause, and now also pursued by the entirety of the Emperor's armies," Chen laughed humorlessly. "This will be interesting."

'You're good with words, I'm sure you'll manage. San." The girl only looked back, attention focused. "Tomorrow will proceed as scheduled, with one change. That night you will infiltrate the Palace grounds to find the location of the Emperor's dungeon." San nodded. "You will use this new entrance?"

"Yes. It faces the lake, and is unguarded."

"Could it be used as an escape route?"

"It would be hard to climb for most humans."

"So no?"

"I didn't say that."

"Fine. I will direct my forces outside the city to be on guard for possible retreat." She paused, realizing something. "Originally… I had planned to flee when our ruse was done with, but now…" She looked to San, who met her gaze with confusion. "Have you given more thought to my proposition?"

Her gaze darkened, and she looked down.

"Proposition?" Chen asked.

"San and I spoke of possible alternatives to the original plan. In one version, she does not accompany you or Ashitaka to the Emishi, instead remains here and completes the ruse." Ashitaka looked up, eyes widening. "Then we of Irontown could leave without suspicion or panic after the festival is complete, making up some story about Princess Saisana returning home." She paused, looking back to San. "I, and the people of Irontown, would be indebted to you, San."

San huffed a dark laugh at that. "That's a strange thought." She considered. "I… I do not know." She looked to Ashitaka once, then turned away.

Chen spoke up. "You are welcome to come with us, San, but it is your choice."

She clenched her jaw. "One I will make later." She tossed her head angrily. "We do not even know if the girl is alive."

"Even is Kaya is dead," Ashitaka said quietly, "I still intend to leave with whatever force I can gather." His voice rose, and his narrowed gaze moved, penetrating each of them. "My people need warning, at the least, and if we cannot escape from the Empire's forces, I plan to die beside them."

San's head jerked up at that, and Ashitaka met her gaze unflinchingly.

Eboshi breached the silence carefully. "I believe that is all we needed to discuss, for now. When we learn the location of the dungeon, then we will reconvene to make an extraction plan." She looked around at all of them, this group that had set out only weeks ago, now so close to their goal. The iron bars of fate were beginning to close around them, and only a tight latticework of plans and secrets kept it from crushing them all. She shook away that line of thought. "Are we understood and agreed?"

"Yes." Ashitaka's voice was firm.

Chen nodded.

Toki and Ituse looked to each other, then nodded. "We'll do whatever needs to be done," Ituse stated.

Ganzo said nothing, but inclined his head.

San shook her head once, as if to clear it. "Yes," she growled.

Eboshi sighed. "Good. Now it is time for rest. We must be ready for whatever comes."

Ashitaka stood, hand clenched on the hilt of his ringblade, knuckles white. He left the room without a backward glance, closing the door behind him. San swore loudly and jumped to her feet, running to the door. She opened it, then looked back in the room, frustration visible. Finding nobody questioning her actions, San bolted from the room in the opposite direction from Ashitaka, white dress trailing behind her.

Chen stood slowly, rubbing his forehead. He bowed to Eboshi. "Thank you for allowing me to meet your family. Should I return to them, or stay here tonight?"

"There is a place you can stay in this building where you can hide and sleep. Ganzo, can you show him, please?" Ganzo nodded, standing. They moved to leave, and something within her tugged. "Chen?"

He looked back. "Yes, my lady?"

"I'm glad you met my family. And… thank you for tonight."

A smile quirked at his lips. "All of it?"

She considered. "Well, I did enjoy pushing you."

"And I enjoyed falling." Chen bowed again, smiling with just a hint of roguishness, and she allowed herself one as well. Then Chen left quietly with Ganzo, armor clanking under his cloak.

Eboshi looked to Toki, then Ituse, allowing the extent of her fatigue to show itself. She leaned on the table, propping her head on her arm. "That's a… development."

"You can say that again, milady."

"What are we going to do?" Ituse asked. "Are we really going to let Ashitaka and Chen just leave if—when they find Kaya?"

"We'll let them do whatever they want," Eboshi said, "They're not bound to us." A pang ran through her, and she tried to repress it before giving up. She was going to miss Chen terribly. Well, Ashitaka too, but only because she'd somehow grown fond of the young idealist. It was strange how different the two feelings of loss were beginning to feel to her already. One was definitely sharper.

"What if we never see them again?" Toki asked. "You promised that I could help them with their plan, my lady."

"We'll see them again."

"Eboshi, the armies of the Emperor are going to go right on after them." Ituse pointed out, gesturing. "I don't know about the Emishi, but you can't be entirely all right just letting them go off like that without any help!"

"Ituse." Eboshi sat up and raised her voice. "You know my first priority is the safety of the Irontown people. I didn't come to start or join a war, you know this."

Ituse wilted. "You're right. I'm sorry." She shook her head. "It just doesn't feel right, though."

"You didn't answer my question." Toki said gingerly.

"I know, Toki. I'll think about it." She rubbed her forehead, pushing back the allure of rest. "And you're right, Ituse. I… I also wish we could help them."

"We can," Ituse said softly.

Eboshi didn't answer. The weight of the pistol in her yukata drew on her. "Go to bed, my friends," she said quietly. "We all need it."

"Yes, milady."

Ituse didn't reply.

...

thank you all for being so patient during the gap. I hope to finish part two gradually. what with certain events coming up in life, I'm not sure how much time I'll be able to make, but know I'm glad to be back and I'm so very grateful for your continued support -pakari