By the time Misao returns to their room, the sun is well up. They shut the door and take a deep breath, feeling renewed and full of energy, despite their lack of sleep. They busy themselves unpacking and putting away the supplies for the ritual, shifting their robes back into the mourning black of the previous day.
Once everything is stowed, they kneel before Lucas's shrine, praying and meditating.
The knock at the door might be loud, then. Misao can't see it yet, but a weary, yawning Delta stands just outside in the hallway. She's wearing the same simple clothes she wore to dinner, and she carries a bottle of ...something... by its neck as she waits to hear if Misao will respond. The bottle is a cloudy green, stoppered with a cork.
Misao answers the door, smiling as they see their escape friend.
"Ah, Deruta-san! It is good to see you. Welcome! Come in! Would you like tea?"
Delta nods. "Deruta-san -- you'll have to explain that one. And aye, tea sounds good. As long as it isn't insulting to fortify it a tad." She steps into the room if invited. "Since we've lived a year in a day, figured I'd stop by and say hallo again. See how you're holding up."
Misao gracefully closes the door behind their guest.
"We... do not generally add alcohol to tea. You will see why, I think. But I can get you an additional glass, if you like."
Misao motions Delta to a set of cushions set around a lit brazier in the middle of the floor.
"Please sit."
They kneel before the brazier and begin the tea ritual, adding a small cup to the tray for the alcohol. As they work, they try to explain.
"I come from a place... Hikariguni, it is called... where our native language is very different from Thari. It is based on syllables, and each syllable contains a vowel. And we do not have certain sounds, like 'L'. In the language of Hikariguni, Delta would be De-ru-ta." Misao sounds the name out slowly, before continuing.
"And... using the correct level of formality when speaking is very important. 'San' is a basic title of politeness for someone who is neither above nor below the speaker, and is used in the absence of any familiarity that would warrant a more... affectionate and intimate term.
"So, I call you Deruta-san. I hope it is not offensive to you." Misao finishes the ritual and places the teacup before Delta. It contains a green frothy liquid that probably doesn't look like any sort of tea Delta has seen before. Misao also serves a small plate of sweets.
Delta sits on the cushions, cross-legged and comfortable. "Psssh, it's fine, doesn't matter to me. Like you said, we're just-met whatever we are." She doesn't hesitate to drink the frothy tea set before her, except that she gives it a few seconds' investigation. She takes a long swig before tossing one of the small sweets in the air so she can catch it in her mouth when it falls. "So what are all these? Curious taste."
"They are called higashi. Sweetened colored rice powder, pressed into shapes appropriate for the season. The tea is bitter, as you see, so the sweets are served with it to make it more palatable."
If Delta shows interest, Misao explains the tea ceremony further, including the steps of appreciating the utensils and teacup. It is all very regimented and regulated, simple and sparse, like the tea itself. Like the room, too, which is largely bare, save for the brazier, the cushions, and a few pieces of furniture against the walls. And the shrine.
Delta listens with open curiosity, and at the end of the explanation, she laughs. "They'd love you on a ship. Neat and tidy and all of it stowed away. You come from a place that likes its routines, eh?" There's nothing snide in the question, at least openly. She offers Misao her empty teacup and adds, "More, if you don't mind. I'm fond of bitter."
Misao ducks their head slightly, with a shy smile, pleased with the compliment. "Yes, we strive for beauty in simplicity. We celebrate the one perfectly placed flower, the one perfectly written character." They start to prepare more tea.
"Would you tell me about yourself? Where did you come from and what things do your people value?"
As Misao asks the question, Delta slips off the cushion so she can recline next to it, with the cushion propping up her elbow and upper torso. "Value? Ah. Delight, I suppose. Enough coin in your pocket to get what you want. Good weather, good winds..." She laughs. "The moment. I don't know. Never been of a philosophical bent, myself. But I can tell you about the place, eh? A string of islands from large to tiny, and all the ships that sail between them. A few floating cities -- rafts and pontoons, yes? Tied and built together, strong enough to hold against the summer storms. Every day brings half an hour of pouring rain and the rest of the time, searing sun." She's settled into a storyteller's cadence by now, whether she knows it or not. "And from the waters, it's said we receive everything we need. It's said, at least." She considers for a few seconds of silence before saying, "It'd be easy to spend each day the same way from adulthood until your ashes are stored."
"Islands...." Misao's voice deepens slightly. "There are islands off the coast of Hikariguni. I have often swum among them with my friend Umibana. She is of the wani... giant ocean yokai. They have taught me much of the bounty of the waters. It sounds as if we may be more akin than simply our Amber blood." They give Delta a nod as if to say, "Over to you."
And with the introduction of 'giant ocean yokai,' Delta's imagination seems caught. She sits up and resettles, cross-legged, so she can look more fully at Misao. "You've got to explain that one, I'm afraid. Giant ocean yokai? What's a yokai?"
"Hikariguni is a realm of kami, yokai, and obake. Kami are the great spirits, the guardians of the realm, wise and powerful gods. My mother is one. Yokai are the lesser spirits, the ghosts that populate Hikariguni. I am one. Obake are malign, evil yokai. Yokai take many forms and have many powers. Many are shapeshifters, as I am. Wani are the largest of the ocean yokai and live for many years. Umibana is young, and still small, but she still is larger than a dolphin. The largest ones... could be taken for islands, should they wish to rest on the surface. They spend much of their time in the depths, though."
Delta is quiet for a few seconds before saying, "Take me there? When the maze is walked, after I've been to Rebma, just sometime? If we're truly to have lives without end, there's time, eh?" She leans forward to emphasize her request. "Just take me there someday, so I can swim with the island-beings that move."
Misao nods. "I would consider it an honor."
Delta leans back a bit and adds, laughing, "Now tell me every little thing about being a yokai. I wasn't going to bring it up myself, but now that you've said it, I have a thousand questions. If you're willing."
Misao laughs, covering their mouth politely. "That would take longer than... well, I would say, our lifetimes, but as you said, we may have infinitely long lives. Still longer than many, many days worth of time. However, I will tell what I can."
They think for a bit.
"First, there are many, many different yokai, and each has its own nature. There are yokai of the water, such as the wani and the hoonengyo."
Misao stands and steps back. Their body lengthens and narrows, their skin darkening and growing scales and a long tail. Their hands and feet grow webs and small, sharp claws. Their hair shrinks back into their head and their eyes become more almond-shaped and yellow. Their ears are small and located further down on their head. They speak through a mouth of small, sharp teeth and two larger fangs.
"This is what the hoonengyo look like. They are yokai of fresh water, particularly rivers, where they hunt fish. They are fast and flexible, and fairly intelligent."
Delta lets out a bark of delighted laughter. "How many shapes can you have? Anything you imagine, or only the shapes you have words for?"
"That... depends. I know certain forms better than others, so it is easier for me to shift to them. Given enough time and study, I am able to copy other forms, at least temporarily, but it takes more effort to change, to adapt to the changes, and to sustain them."
Misao shifts again, back to the short, stocky, red monster that Delta no doubt remembers from their escape.
"This is the form of the oni. They are associated with the element of fire and are very strong and enduring. Which is why I used it during our escape, as it is an excellent form for hand-to-hand combat. They can be capricious, though, and are therefore generally considered dangerous."
"Aye, and all for the good, yes? Oni's a bruiser," Delta says approvingly. "How -- right. Let me start again. Did you come from a family of shape-shifters?" She smirks. "The side of your family that is not us, I mean." She shows no fear in beholding the oni; rather, the novelty of it (despite seeing it the day before) seems thrilling.
Misao returns to their normal form and comes back to kneel on the pillows.
"My mother is Kimiko-dono, the Lady of Hikariguni. She is the greatest of the Spirits of the Earth and rules over the domain of Hikariguni. She can shapeshift, yes, but generally does not find it necessary to do so. Most of the yokai of Hikariguni are also shapeshifters."
Delta points at her. "You're a princess!" she says. "If your mother runs the place, and you're her daughter - ha! So even before coming here, you had noble in your line. Not me." She stretches out again, crossing her legs at the ankle. "My mother keeps accounts for a warlord. Her man captains the warlord's guard. No idea who sired me, and no one's telling here, so --"
She pauses there, then sighs and continues. "Ah, balls. You lost your da recently, yes? Sorry if I'm poking at hurt places."
"Yes." Misao nods towards a small, low table, with what looks like a small, rectangular box made of dark wood sitting on it. Inside the open doors is Lucas's Trump. In front of the box, on the table, are a pair of lit candles, one on each side, a bowl containing a small green plant, what looks like a small bronze bowl with a padded stick lying next to it, a small rectangular bronze tray with ash in it, and a small glass container of incense sticks. In front of the table is another cushion.
"I do not know, in fact, how recently Otoosan died. I will have to inform my mother, eventually. In the meantime, I will mourn him forty days. And, of course," Misao's voice and face hardens, "I will find out who killed him and deal with it. If it has not already been dealt with."
Delta nods to this, as if to say, 'of course.'
Misao's face relaxes as they turn back towards their guest. "But, as for you, Deruta-san, no offense is taken. I truly hope that you find your parent, and I hope that you find them alive. If I can help in that, I am willing to do so." They smile slightly.
"It's good of you to offer. But that's not something I care about, eh?" Delta says. "I get on fine with my ma and her man, but I seem to be full up on unknown kinfolk right now. If he shows himself, fine. If he doesn't, I've got other fish to catch." The casualness in her voice does not seem forced. "I've got an underwater kingdom to see. Rebma -- you've heard of it by now, right?"
Misao nods. "I would like to go there as well. And Paris, where Otoosan's family lives. Do you have plans to go soon?"
"Soon as I can after walking the maze." Delta lets out an aggravated sigh, though a smile forms at the end. "I've been advised by Hannah -- have you met her yet? Sawbones. Smart. She says not to walk the thing until I'm fully healed from the gun. So I suppose I'll swan around here until then? Only a few days, hopefully. I'm eager." She glances at the shrine Misao has created for their father. "No disrespect meant, but does, ah -- does your forty days of mourning make it so you can't leave this chamber? Say...for a walk down toward the docks? Air's good to clear the head. Water's better."
Misao shakes their head. "Not at all. I would like to explore Xanadu some more."
They finish cleaning the tea ceremony items, stowing them carefully away, before gesturing for Delta to go ahead, following them out of the room.
Delta cheerfully leads the way, then falls in beside Misao as they head down various corridors. Delta calls to various pages as they walk, asking, "Which way off the castle grounds?" and the like. Even the mere thought of heading out into the world beyond the keep seems to fill her with a buoyant sort of energy. "There's nothing like it, eh?" she says to Misao. "Something new!" She laughs. "Though perhaps you're the sort who prefers a cozy fire and a quiet night?"
"I know the way to the stables, if you want to go that way," Misao offers, then adds, "No, actually, in Hikariguni I divided my time almost equally between my mother's house and other parts of the Shadow. Sometimes with her, but increasingly, without. As her heir, I am required to know the regions and inhabitants of Hikariguni thoroughly, in order to serve their needs. When we go, I will enjoy introducing you to my five mentors."
"Stables it is, then," Delta says. "Lead the way!" She stays beside Misao as they walk. "Five? No great joy being a princess, if you have five people telling you what to do." From her impish grin, she's teasing -- though of course that's a subjective matter. She then tilts her head. "Did you always call it a Shadow? Or was it -- is it -- just 'home'? Did you always know that there were worlds upon worlds?"
"Six, including my mother. All of them exacting taskmasters. Kind, but exacting." Misao's expression lies somewhere between exasperated, amused, and resigned.
"No, I did not know about Shadows. Hikariguni was home; it was all that was. All under Heaven, yes?" They shrug half-apologetically.
"When I woke up in that place... it was so different than anything I knew. And here is also very different. I am adjusting as fast as I can. Clearly I cannot be just the heir of Hikariguni anymore. And yet, I will never stop being that, either. How do I find the balance between the two? It will take time to determine that."
Misao glances at Delta. "And you? How different do you find your life now as opposed to before?"
As they stroll along, Delta answers with, "Different? When they took me, whoever 'they' are, I was in a card game, ready to win and celebrate. I am very annoyed to have missed out on the celebration." She winks at Misao before going on. "But ...mm. This is all I want, yes? Forward, new, different. Yes, all is new and terrifying and guns and sirens and strangers, but there's always a little thread of fear in the new. Truth be told, I'm thrilled. I just want more." The last is said wryly. "One of my fine, fine traits. More!"
Entering the stable block, Misao looks around for Donovan before giving Delta a smile.
"It sounds like you will fit in well here, then. Would you like to ride?"
The stables of Amber are neat, large, and busy in the early daylight hours. Donovan is not on duty, but another stable master recognizes the two newcomers and comes over. He directs the stablehands with quick finger gestures that send the boys and girls of the stable scurrying. He gives a quick bow of the 'I'm not entirely sure of your station, but it's above mine' type. "My Ladies, are you in need of horses?"
Delta says, to both Misao and the stable master, "Ah, I can. Ride, that is. But give me nothing spirited -- it's been a good while."
While stable staff see to them (and after or if Misao puts in their own request), Delta grins at Misao. "Our horses -- where I'm from -- run wild along sandy shores, or are used for work. Great big things, the hauling horses. Did you learn riding early?"
"Our horses are small, but don't run wild. These saddles look different from what I'm used to," and Misao starts going over the tack, making sure they understand it before mounting, "but I think I can manage. I'm not an expert, but I can ride."
The horses are small, given the size of the stalls. Or else the stables of Xanadu were built to accommodate monsters. But they are well saddled and respond promptly to commands. The are, as Delta requested, "not spirited."
Outside the stables is the crisp, cool morning of early winter in the tropics. If this is near the new year, then summer will likely be sweltering. The town stretches out below, down the switchback road that climbs the cliffside beside the waterfalls.
Another ribbon of road stretches upwards to the clifftops. It is narrower and looks to be the path less traveled.
Delta may be rusty as a rider, but she's competent. After a few murmured words of reassurance to the horse, she guides them out into the sunshine. "Thank the gods it's warm," she calls ahead to Misao. "I've no love of cold, that's for certain."
When they're closer to each other, Delta says, "Which way, eh? Me, I want a drink and a game. But high ground means seeing better what's around us. Have a preference?" She arches a brow as she regards her kinfolk.
"I was up there last night," Misao nods towards the path going up. "It leads up past the waterfall to a place that they call the Grove of the Unicorn. There's a path that leads into a forested area. Very peaceful, but not many people. I have no objection to going down. I wonder if this place has sake?" Misao looks rather wistful at the idea.
"The Unicorn!" Delta explains. "Dworkin took me and Alex up there...yesterday? I think we came down in a more overland sort of way."
At Misao's sake question, Delta says - with not-very-buried eagerness - "Don't know what that is, but let's go find out, eh?" She nudges her horse gently in the direction of town. "What's sake, then?"
"A drink made from fermented rice. It is served hot in the winter and cold in the summer. It is crisp and light to slightly sweet in flavor. Very refreshing." Misao follows alongside Delta down the slope.
"Fermented -- so it'll still addle your brain, given enough quantity, eh?" Delta says. "Sounds delicious, but I do like being addled now and again." Luckily, the horse knows both the path and the way, and Delta has to do very little as a rider. Her grin almost seems to widen with every turn of the steep switchback as they near the town below. "And I've got my cards -- not the magic ones, regular ones -- with me, so hopefully we'll be paying for our drinks with someone else's coin. Do you gamble?"
"We play a game with cards called koi koi. And yes, you can gamble on it."
The town is all fresh and new: buildings recently constructed and more laid out or still being built, bright paint, art and music. The babble of a hundred different languages, familiar and not, fills the air, along with the scent of cooking food with spices known and unknown. Coins from dozens of different realms change hands in stalls and shops as people--not all entirely human as Delta knows them, though none are particularly strange to Misao--do business. There's a hustle and bustle about the city, but everyone seems to be in a relatively good mood that suggests health and profit.
It's still early for gambling and liquor, though Misao and Delta might be able to find that down on the water, perhaps left over from late last night. There's the beginnings of a harbor under construction, though most of the ships seem to be loading and unloading by barges still since all the docks aren't ready. From the castle and on the road down, Misao and Delta could see how busy the water was with ships and barges, but once they're on the relatively level ground of the city, it's harder to see what's going on.
This is not the Pearl Islands, of course, but it's got a reassuring familiarity to Delta. The city reminds her of the booming parts of the isles. Misao doesn't see anyone they think is from Hikariguni, though they occasionally hear a similar language and see familiar forms of dress and weapons. But the wearers seem to be more like the bulk of the city-dwellers here--fully "human"--and less like the yokai they know.
Palaces are nice. Unicorn legends told by wizards, feasts hosted by kings and their families -- also nice. A busy port town with people and goods and hubbub means Delta is thrilled.
"What first? I wouldn't mind a new pouch for my cards. Food now, drink when the sun's past its high? Gods, I'm hungry. Is that grilled fish? I need to see the ships." If anyone looks her way with curiosity, she winks in a friendly sort of way, a smile broad on her face.
"Want to get a rub-down? Hannah gave me a name and a card. It's for calming, since potions are lost on us, she says." It's a rat-a-tat-tat of questions and comments until she looks at Misao for their answer.
"I generally do not eat seafood. But if they have something else, I would try it. I am hungry. A massage would also be wonderful. And I think I saw a leather worker's shop yesterday evening when I was down here looking for a woodworker. Say a rub first? So we don't have to lie down on full stomachs?"
Delta grins. "You're a sensible sort, eh? Admirable." There's no sarcastic edge to the words. "And aye, let's. Let me go ask one of these fine sellers where this address is." On instinct, she slips off her horse, then looks up at Misao. "Ah, right. They probably won't massage the horses. Want to find a stable while I get the directions?"
"I will return here when I am done." Misao dismounts and takes the reins of both horses, before heading off to find a stable.
When the pair reunite, Delta's waving back to the woman who helped her interpret Hannah's directions. "Got it. It's over this way, let's go!"
Misao follows Delta's lead.
The blue door is easily found, and there are a number of people sitting on a porch outside it. It's just before the start of winter in Xanadu, which is tremendously mild and famously short, but still real. If this is edge of winter, then summer may well swelter.
Delta seems content alongside the quiet Misao until she spots the blue door and its crowded porch. Misao gets a slight elbow nudge to their arm. "Heyo, that's the place. Here's hoping coins from one of our homelands gets us somewhere." She pats her pockets, grimaces at the scant findings, and arches a brow at Misao. "Do you have coin? I have no idea if I have enough for us both."
Misao nods. Once through the blue door, they adopt a business-like disposition, haggling just enough and not too much, then paying the agreed-upon sum, and following their host(ess) through and into the massage room proper, where they neatly divest themselves of their garments, folding and stacking them in the provided place, and laying down on the couch without much care about modesty.
It is a good and thorough massage. They are careful of Delta's wounds.
Delta chats incessantly with the attendant. Major things she asks include "best bar", "coolest ship captain who isn't one of the castle folk", and "hey, where do you get stuff you can smoke?"
The massuse recommends a place called Scarlett's, which has money behind it. The woman who runs it has another bar, a few blocks away, that is less public and caters to the service industry, but it's not as fantastic as her showplace.
Captain Guy of the Polina is considered a daring and dashing sailor and is rumored to have different wives in different shadows.
The freshest smokables are closest to the docks, since they just came in. Any Bazaar will have someone who's selling some.
They would be happy to have you visit again when you want more deep tissue work and they think you are especially tense right now. For a very reasonable fee, they can send someone to you to provide services.
Since Misao cannot be sure that they will be available on a regular schedule, they arrange to have a masseuse on retainer, to be available as and when required. They understand that this may be an unusual arrangement, and offer appropriate compensation.
If Delta wishes to visit Scarlett's, Misao is happy to do so, with the only question being, does the establishment serve food as well as drinks?
Misao is dressed and ready to go when Delta is.
Delta looks languid and refreshed, and gives Misao a pleasant smile when they've made plans for Scarlett's (including the food they serve) and are ready to head out. "That was glorious," she says. "Yours? And gods, I'm hungry enough to eat a whole tuna myself. Shall we?" This may not be the custom where Misao comes from, but Delta juts out her elbow as if to offer a cheeky sort of escort.
Misao nods. "A proper massage is heavenly." They politely ignore Delta's insistence on eating seafood. The elbow gesture gets a brief bemused look before Misao copies it with a smile and the question, "Please explain why we are doing this?"
Delta laughs. She drops her own elbow and says, "Well, I suppose I won't play fancy-escort, then." She mimes as if setting a hand on Misao's elbow -- as illustration -- but doesn't actually touch her cousin. "Don't mind me, eh? I'm in the finest mood I've been since this whole mess started, and I'm giddy with it."
Misao watches Delta's actions closely before echoing her laughter. "So that is what it is. We do not have anything like that in Hikariguni. I think I like it." They gently take their escape friend's hand and place it on their own elbow. "Like so? Let us go."
Assuming Delta permits, Misao escorts her to Scarlett's.
Delta most certainly permits. As they walk, she says, "We look all fancy-like now." She snorts amusement, though her tone turns more thoughtful as she adds, "But I bet you've got all the training in fancy manners, given your rank? Being a noble here won't be strange at all -- besides the obvious."
Misao laughs. "If Tenno Heika's manners and behaviors are anything to go on, I rather doubt it. It would seem that my manners will be too formal, and I shall have to learn to relax them."
And while Delta talks a big game (and can certainly back it up) about drinking and gambling, right now she seems very content with getting to Scarlett's, finding a somewhat quiet corner with Misao, and digging into some local food.
The restaurant seems to be made of quiet corners and places to be seen. The lunch time crowd is small, but the place seems designed to handle a crowds. The stage is currently unoccupied, and the somewhat brisk temperatures make the city seem tropical, if this is truly the end of the year and the start of the new one.
Likewise, Misao does not immediately order alcohol, and takes pains to make sure their food has no fish or seafood in it. Chicken, pork, beef, or vegetables are all welcome, however, and they display a healthy Amberite appetite, albeit with careful table manners. Forks seem to puzzle Misao at first, but by watching Delta, they get the hang of them quickly.
The food is well done, and Misao can avoid fish (although as a port town, it would likely be excellent if she were to partake).
Misao is intrigued by Scarlett herself and indicates to their server that they would like to meet the mistress, if she is available. Or if not, perhaps another time?
The server says she'll send word to Miss Scarlett, but that she usually doesn't arrive at the club until the evening.
Surprisingly, as they are finishing, a woman arrives. She seems to concentrate on being "grand"; flamboyantly red curly hair, a large smile, a bold red outfit that somehow goes well with her pale skin and hair. "My Ladies, I understand you asked to see me. May I join you?"
Delta is still stuffing the remnant of a delicious roasted fish meal into her mouth when Scarlett arrives. She makes a friendly wave gesture before pointing toward Misao. The muffled (mouth closed, at least) words she utters sound like, "You talk."
She does nudge a chair out from the table with one foot, though, making room for Scarlett.
Scarlett smiles indulgently, catches the chair, and pulls it out. A nearby waiter helps her get settled and then scurries off, in response to some signal or just knowing how to please the boss.
Misao bows gracefully while remaining seated. "Greetings, Scaruleto-dono. I am of Hikariguni, the child of Kimiko-dono and of Xanadu, the child of Lukasu, son of Furorumeru, daughter of Oberon. Please regard me with favor. I am well, are you well?"
Scarlett takes it all in, and doesn't seem to have trouble with Misao's accent. "I am quite well, my dear, thank you. Your father was Lucas? Have you met my son, Maximilian? Lucas is his father as well."
Delta interrupts with a, "Gods below, your people can cook," right in the middle of the kinsfolk conversation. "Sorry, sorry, go on. Is there anyone here not related to someone from the castle?"
Misao's response to this news is a surprised blink. "No, I have not had the pleasure. It has been a day only since I arrived and learned that my father had other children. I would appreciate the chance to get to know him, especially since I may be here for some time."
Misao's table manners may be graceful and polite, but they still finish their food fairly quickly. They relax into their seat, clearly more than happy to converse with their companions for the moment.
The plates are cleared by attentive but silent waiters, and small drinks are brought.
"He's at the castle doing whatever they occupy young Nobles with. If he's not a squire yet, he means to be one soon. But I'll tell him he has to look you up. He's got a half-sibling up there as well, Raven. From the Navy, mostly." She waves her hand in the vague direction of the sea.
"Max knows the names of all his brothers and sisters, even if we haven't met them. He's been planning on being the family patriarch, and leader of his generation, since he thought he was the eldest. You'll be at least a bit of a surprise to him."
Scarlett tuns towards Delta. "While Xanadu is new, and nobody born in Xanadu is a year old yet, Amber was ancient, beyond millennia. Her princes," she pauses, smiling, "were not restrained." She doesn't say how she managed to get two different children by two different princes, but she doesn't worry about Delta connecting the dots there. "The surprise is that there aren't more of them.
"I'm not sorry if my place gets the reputation of 'where young noblewomen of the court go for entertainment.' We try to allow your cousins and uncles to have privacy to enjoy the entertainment and food. While most of the tables are in the open so as to best see the stage, there are private spaces reserved for special guests."
"I'm not sorry to find a place with that reputation either, as long as I can get a card game now and again." Delta grins, and looks not at all surprised by the mention of either multiple half-siblings or the lack of princely self-restraint in her forebears. Or cousins, or peers, whoever. No shame.
To Misao, she says, "Another little sibling! I imagine you'll seek him out?"
Misao calmly responds, "I'm sure our paths will cross soon enough." Turning to Scarlett they add, "I am perfectly willing to respect his place in our family if he is willing to respect mine. But I imagine he and I will settle all that in time.
"But, please, if you will, the reason I asked for the pleasure of your company. Would you be willing to speak about your perspectives of Xanadu? As a newcomer, I know very little about this place and I would appreciate a perspective from someone outside the palace."
Scarlett nods. "He's young, and hard-headed, and willful. If he gets out of line, you send word here, and I'll set him straight.
"We're all newcomers, my dear. This city hasn't been here very long; Max is older than the city. And even with that, most people have been here months, not years. You can see it some places, but only if you're looking."
She pauses. "Do you know about Amber? Because if not, that's where the story starts."
She's quite a teller of tales, and before she stops, she's told of a great city of a million people, rich with trade and full of opportunities, but only for those who were taking them. She tells of the wars of the creatures and the death of the King, and the move to Xanadu.
Xanadu has the feeling, she tell Misao, the way Amber used to. The feeling of possibility and growth. How when you look at a warehouse, you can see the brilliant club it could be, better even, perhaps, than the one she'd run in Amber. And yet this one would be hers.
People who aren't afraid to succeed, they do well in Xanadu. It's the place to be if you've an eye for the main chance.
Mind you, people who were on top in Amber and Rebma, they may not be so interested in a place where someone who isn't them might rise to the top.
Delta has been listening to the tale with rapt attention, but after the last sentence she lets out a wry snort. "Isn't that the way everywhere? Warlords standing on a knife's edge, waiting to be cut?" As if she isn't part of the 'on top' now.
She doesn't go further with that thought, instead saying, "So there's more to this place than this dock, this castle? Have those of Amber and Rebma gone far into the world?"
Misao has been closely listening to Scarlett’s tale. "So this is Xanadu. So, then, what is Amber like now? And what was it like before?"
Scarlett sighs. "Oh, it's not the same. You should've seen it in the day, when the fleet was in the harbor, all ships flying flags from the masts. I remember the King's Official Birthday celebration one evening at the Red Mill, with Prince Eric and Prince Caine in attendance. There was a formal ball at the Castle that night, but the Princes wanted to unwind with us first.
"A million people lived in Amber and it was amazing. Before the war, anyway. Now it's just the place we're all from.
"Xanadu is like that. It's just like you know you can do well here. Amber, you had to fight more to get along. Xanadu is like Amber from my youth."
Scarlett turns to Delta. "There's a forest over the clifftops, Broceliande. We have Rangers there. And there are lands beyond the harbor to the south, and ships from foreign ports come in to make themselves and us rich. But we're a young city. If you're a sailor, you could be one of those explorers. My Raven, Max's older brother, he's a captain with his own ship, and your cousin."
There's a gleam in Delta's eye. "That sounds just fine to me as a future. I've never had a need to be captain. Too much to do, too many problems to solve. Introduce us sometime, eh?" She inclines her head toward Scarlett as she makes the request. "No hurry needed, I've got to see Rebma first before the rest of the world unfurls."
She lifts her glass. "A toast to all that's new," she says.
Misao drinks the toast silently.
Scarlett drinks the toast as well. "To all that's new," she echoes as she lifts the glass into the air.
Once they've all had their share of the toast, Scarlett turns to Delta. "Now, if you don't mind, I've a question for you. You spoke of Rebma; what's your interest there?"
"Why wouldn't I want to see a land that is not land?" Delta counters with a laugh. "An undersea world? I am besotted by the very idea." Her laughter fades as she adds, "My mother's side is from there, sounds like. At least in part. My grandmother used to go there for months and years, then back to us with impossible tales." To this stranger she isn't related to, she does not go into Coral's emotional decline. "So as soon as I'm able, off I go to see how the tales match truth."
Misao nods but doesn’t speak.
Scarlett nods. "It's been a long, long time, but I'm from Rebma myself. Who is your grandmother? Hang on a moment," she says, interrupting her own question. "Come here!," she says, and a boy comes to her side. He's wearing the livery of a castle page, but it's somewhat rumpled, as if he'd walked home in it. Through the forest.
"Max, say hello to your cousin Delta and your sister, Misao."
Max swallows, and bows to the cousins. "Hello, cousins."
Delta pauses her answer to the interrupted question, and instead gives Max a half-smile. "Hullo there, Max. Delta." She then quiets and glances to Misao, given that sibling trumps cousin. The floor is Misao's.
Misao stands gracefully and bows to Max.
"We meet for the first time. I am of Hikariguni, the child of Kimiko-dono, and of Xanadu, the child of Lucas, the son of Firorimeru, the daughter of Oberon. My name is Misao. I am, apparently, your older sibling," here Misao glances aside at Scarlett and emphasizes the last word before continuing, "and I arrived here only yesterday. I respectfully greet you as my younger brother and hope you are well. Please look upon me with favor."
Max runs his hands through his hair. "I have no idea what that means, but I'm happy to meet you. Did you know our father? I knew him, and I don't know if any of our other siblings do." He looks quickly to his mother and then back. "I have things I should tell you."
Misao nods, seating themselves again. "I knew Otoosan, as I called him. He was intermittently present in my life, although it was my mother who raised me. I have only just learned that he is dead. I look forward to our talk, whenever is convenient for you." They smile warmly at their brother.
Max solemnly nods back. "I'll find you after I get out of classes or done with my tasks at the castle, Misao."
He looks at Delta. "Cousin Delta, we're a strange family, and I'm probably breaking protocol rules here that I haven't been taught yet, but who is your parent? It's a big part of how we relate to each other, supposedly." He smiles. "I can tell I'm gonna like you. I didn't know any of them before a year ago, so I don't care, but they all care and it will help me as a squire."
Delta lets out a cheerful laugh as she says, "No idea who sired me, and no one's saying. Perhaps the man himself doesn't know? Maybe I popped out of an oyster like a pearl, eh? It's a mystery to solve." She winks before quieting again to let Misao and Max speak of their father.
Scarlett laughs as well. "Sometimes it's better if the man doesn't know," she says. "Raven, I raised on my own. Not always easy, but you don't have to make any compromises on how you raise 'em that way."
Max looks at her his mother and doesn't contradict her about how well she did with Raven. "May I go, Ma? I have studying to do."
"Get on with yourself!," she replies. "I doubt you'll study before it's absolutely necessary, but you can get off to whatever mischief you need to get into."
Max bows to his sibling and cousins. "My pleasure, Misao, Delta." He departs through the kitchen.
After a moment, Scarlett continues. "Rebma is run by women, and some shells run their family business that way. Some ain't big enough to do so. It's what my Ma taught me. So look out for the women, they are the powers that matter."
He smiles, not quite knowing what they are saying but understanding the good wishes, and heads out the back, through the kitchens.
Delta waves at the young page as he departs. "Fair winds, cousin!"
Misao bows deeply while still seated. "Mata ne, Otooto. Be well, younger brother, until I see you again."
To Scarlett, Delta says, "Handsome boy. As for Rebma -- did your mother ever speak of a woman called Coral?" She snorts a laugh. "I know, it's like asking if she could pick out one fish from a swirling school of them, but -- it is worth the try, eh? An older woman, striking. A traveler."
Scarlett grins, indulgently. "Coral isn't a name, it's a use-name. Like Scarlett. Or like Raven's father, Corby, for that matter. She wasn't a Countess was she? They'd call themselves after their titles. But there weren't any famous missing ones. You may want to find out more from her about who she is." Scarlett pauses. "Or bring her here."
The usually unflappable Delta is clearly startled. "A what? Countess?" She flicks a glance toward leader's heir Misao before saying, "There's nothing special about my mother's line, she's always said. Common as minnows. But ..." She rubs her forehead with one hand. "Clearly that wasn't so about whoever sired me, so... Gods below. All right. I'll go talk to her, soon as I'm able. That's more likely than dragging her anywhere she doesn't want to go." Scarlett gets an earnest, "Thank you," for her revelation.
Misao's expression, directed at Delta is sympathetic, and they reach out under the table to give Delta's hand a quick squeeze, without interrupting the conversation.
Scarlett's eyes follow the surprise around Delta's face. "It's a part of a lot of the fancier titles, but it also might be used by a member of a noble's household. I didn't go back after we fled, but your gran seems to have some reason to. She's welcome if she comes here, regardless of who she used to be.
"And you two are, of course, welcome here whenever you wish. We are friendly towards your entire family."
Delta squeezes Misao's hand in return, and flicks them a small, grateful smile before returning her attention to Scarlett. "Aye, of course. And thank you for the time, the words and the fine meal. I'll be back, whether with Cor-- my grandmother or without."
Misao bows again while seated. "Arigatoo gozaimasu Scarlett-dono. Thank you for your time, for your wisdom, and for introducing me to my brother. Be well until we meet again."
They prepare to settle whatever the bill is and then gracefully depart.
Scarlett doesn't understand half the words, but the sentiment seems friendly so she nods and wishes them well also.
Upon leaving Scarlett's, Delta pauses in the street to stretch luxuriously -- at least as luxuriously as her still-healing wound allows. That done, she gives Misao a wry grin. "I don't want to think on family any more at the moment. Want to go spend a bit of coin getting me a new card-pouch? My coin, of course. Not yours."
Misao nods and leads the way back to where they had previously seen a leather worker's shop. They adapt their pace to Delta's, moving leisurely and window shopping, or moving quickly and with purpose, whichever Delta wants to do. They also maintain a companionable silence, obviously open to conversation but not forcing it, giving Delta space to process her new information.
The day is bright and cool, in the "tropical winter" kind of way. The open air market isn't far from the docks, which made sense for both incoming goods and to sell items to travelers. One side of it is lined with warehouses, and there are shops and restaurants adjacent as well. It's several blocks from Scarlett's. Over the warehouses, which are long, low buildings, the cousins can see a collection of masts. The neighborhood here is more respectable than Scarlett's, but most places don't look as well appointed as her club.
As Delta wanders with Misao in the direction of the open-air market, she says, "Thanks for that, back there. The kind hand. It's not every day I learn my grandmother's been giving her family a false name all this time." She snorts. "Mysteries upon mysteries, eh? I love a good mystery most of the time, but having wool drawn over my eyes, that's not such a fine thing."
Misao nods. "Discovering secrets kept by your family can be a great shock. I admit to a certain amount of trepidation anticipating my future visit to Otoosan's family in Paris." They offer a sympathetic smile. "We have a saying in Hikariguni. Shigata ga nai. What can't be helped must be endured. We will get through this."
The market is busy, and leatherworkers are available and can make items of quality or cheap leather coin purses, or anything in between. Some are waterproof, some don’t look particularly waterproof, regardless of what the vendors say. Some have charms on them against pickpockets, others provide luck at the gaming tables, still others are made from exotic leathers from creatures who never walked or swam in Xanadu.
Artisans will make a pouch to specification, if desired, or she could have a collection commissioned, to match her clothes or one for each day of the week. It's clear to both Misao and Delta that there are both a wide variety of talents in the pouch creation industry and a wide variety of prices at the tables.
Delta finds a stylish, strong, waterproof pouch for her Trumps, and she and Misao ride their horses back to the Castle, where they amicably part ways.
Last modified: 16 July 2022