Heian fic, chapters 3 & 4
I've been trying to update this since Monday... let's see if it works now. Here's the next two chapters, in fact. Not among the happiest chapters of them all (eh, that just might have been an understatement) but then again, when the story involves someone who's committed suicide, hardly everything can be just sunny.
Chapter 3
As Hikaru was led into the mansion, he thought hard about what to say, planning to confront the man right away, but when he finally was face to face with Sugawara no Akitada he saw to his surprise that they weren't alone. There was another man in the room, and a child, both of them in the fine clothes of aristocracy, and he stopped, uncertain.
“Come, sit down,” Sugawara no Akitada said. “This is a friend of mine, Abe no Toshirou, and his nephew, Seimei. Toshirou-sama is a skilled onmyouji. He is here to help us find... find your teacher.”
Hikaru froze when he heard the word onmyouji - he did harbor his share of some healthy superstitious fear of anything concerning the supernatural. He shot a careful glance at the man. He seemed friendly enough; a big man with a somewhat round face and non-outstanding features.
“So, you are a student of this missing person?” the man asked with his booming voice, and Hikaru nodded quickly. “Very well! Would you mind if I skip the pleasantries and begin?”
“Begin what?” Hikaru squeaked, imagining all kinds of dark, forbidden rituals.
“I have prepared a simple spell which will help you locate your teacher - if he isn't too far, that is. The bond between a student and a teacher is a strong one, and it is not easily broken, even if... that is, no matter what happens.”
Hikaru swallowed. “A simple... spell?” He almost asked 'does it hurt', but managed to bite that down. “If it helps to find Sai...”
“It certainly will! I have made this spell myself, and though it's simple, it is strong.” The man stood up. “I would have preferred to wait until tomorrow, but Akitada-sama doesn't want to waste any time. Shall we get started, then?”
“Yes, I want to be done with this,” Sugawara no Akitada said, and suddenly Hikaru remembered everything he had been planning to say.
“Hey, is it true you are the one against whom Sai played that game?” he started. “The game in which they claim he cheated? Because...”
“Come now, boy, look here or I can't do this,” the onmyouji commanded and spun him around.
“But I...”
“Shh! It's better to get started while we have some light left. Now, be quiet.” He held his hand in front of Hikaru's eyes, holding the index and middle fingers up and the others bent, and started muttering something Hikaru didn't understand. He repeated the same thing over and over again until he finally finished in a commanding tone and touched the boy's forehead. “There!”
Hikaru placed a finger on his forehead, confused. “There?”
The man nodded. “Yes. What do you feel?”
“I don't...” Hikaru fell silent and closed his eyes. He did feel strange. As if there had been dozens of little strings tied to him, and they were all pulling him to the same direction. He opened his eyes. “We should go that way,” he said, and pointed.
Sugawara no Akitada laughed aloud. “Brilliant work, my friend!” he exclaimed, and quite a self-satisfied smile spread across the onmyouji's face.
The four of them left the mansion. Hikaru had once again forgotten all his questions and everything he had planned to say to Sai's rival, as the constant pull demanded all his attention. He walked on swiftly and determinedly, and the others followed him in silence.
“Where is he going to?” Akitada finally muttered. “I would have taken my carriage if I had known we'll have to walk this much.”
“If you don't wish to go on, you can return home and leave this to us,” Toshirou replied quietly. For a moment Akitada seemed to consider this, but in the end he followed them quietly.
They did walk long, through the city. When they reached a city gate Akitada hesitated again. “Are we really leaving the city?” he whispered to his friend. “Isn't this dangerous?”
“Don't worry,” Toshirou calmed him. “You're in good company.”
They left behind the gate and the areas outside it where city was spreading, walking toward one of the rivers that ran by capital. Approaching the river Hikaru shivered, suddenly feeling cold. He wouldn't have wanted to continue, but the pull was stronger than ever, and he headed toward the river, heart growing heavier on each step.
As they reached the river bank, Akitada, quite out of breath, cursed quietly. “How will we ever find his body if he's jumped into a damn river?” he muttered.
Hikaru didn't hear him. His eyes followed the river, stopping on a small reedy cove in its bend. He swallowed and walked on. As he reached the bend he didn't stop, but walked straight into the water without bothering to undress first. There, half thrown on the rocks by the river's waves, hidden by the reeds, was a messy lump of white and black. Unable to hold tears back anymore Hikaru slumped down on a rock next to it, afraid to touch it and see what was left of his teacher and friend.
“Well? Is he there?” Akitada called from the shore. “Based on the stench, something definitely is.” Unable to speak, Hikaru nodded, and heard the man cursing on the ground.
“Seimei,” Toshirou said, “run back to the city and get the first priest you can find. And someone to dig the grave. Oh, and hire us a carriage, too, I don't want to walk all the way back.”
The boy didn't say a word, just nodded and headed away. Hikaru looked up, only now registering what the man had said.
“Priest? Grave?” he asked. “What are you talking about?”
“We have to get him buried,” Toshirou said grimly, “and the sooner the better. No point to postpone it.”
“But... shouldn't we take him...”
“Where? To his home? Surely you don't want to carry him all the way to the provinces... he's been lying around in water long enough. It's good if he even stays in one piece once we get him out of there.”
“But...” Hikaru looked at the mess of black hair, floating unbound in the water. “But you mean we'll bury him here? In the ground...?”
“Oh, shut up already!” Akitada snapped. “This guy has already caused way too much trouble for a dead man. What does it matter where or how he's buried?”
Anger flashed underneath Hikaru's sorrow and took over. He jumped up, almost slipping on the uneven river bottom. “Doesn't matter to you, maybe! If it weren't for you, he'd still be alive!”
“I didn't push him into that river,” Akitada said, suddenly quite pale.
“You as well might have!” Hikaru splashed angrily out of the river to face him. “You were the one who claimed he had cheated, weren't you? You are the one who ruined his life!”
“He's the one who ruined his life, quite on his own!” Akitada yelled back, red spots appearing on his pale cheeks. “He's the one who tried to climb higher than he could rightfully reach, and he's the one who tried to cheat to keep the position he didn't deserve!”
“You're nothing but a liar!” Hikaru shrieked and raised his arm as if to strike the man, but Toshirou got a hold of him and pulled him around.
“Calm down!” He shook the boy a little as Hikaru tried to struggle against him. “It must be a shock, but still, this is not proper behavior in the presence of the dead. Do you want to shame your teacher?”
“I...” Hikaru swallowed and ceased his struggling. “I'm sorry, but... he is lying, I know he is...”
“You know he is lying? And who are you to blame a court noble of such things?” Toshirou let go off him. “Now, stay quiet. Once Seimei is back, we'll have a burial. Then, this will finally be over.”
The last rays of sun had disappeared behind the horizon long ago. The moon was almost full, though, and the sky was cloudless, so they did not lack light. Hikaru hunched down by the water's edge, silent and red eyed, staring at the shimmering moonlight without really seeing it, while Toshirou muttered blessings and protections on the ground and the river. Akitada was gradually wandering farther and farther away, holding a sleeve in front of his nose.
It did take a long while, but then Seimei finally returned, riding on an ox-drawn carriage together with a Buddhist monk, followed by two strong workmen. Once the men had fished the body out of the water the monk, a middle-aged spindly man, dressed in a simple brownish robe, gave it one glance and turned away with a flinch. “You are sure no crime is committed?”
Toshirou nodded. “Suicide,” he said, and the monk shook his head sadly.
“Are you his relatives?”
Hikaru, who had remained unmoving by the river, finally looked up. “I am - that is, in a way... sort of. At least he was my teacher.”
“And... did I understand correctly? You want a ground burial?”
Hikaru looked from Toshirou to Akitada's dark shadow farther away. “I guess.” His voice was uncertain but resigned. “It doesn't really matter.”
The monk nodded. “Let us then hold a short wake.“
“Wake?” Akitada asked incredulously. “Why don't we just dig a hole and...”
“I did say proper funeral,” Toshirou pointed out. “It is not good to hurry these things.”
“But... what of the payment? I don't want to waste on...”
“I'll see to the payment,” Hikaru snapped. “Just go back to your mansion. Nobody wants you here, anyway.”
That earned him a dark look both from Akitada and Toshirou. “Mind your tongue,” Akitada snapped. “I might point out you would never have found him without our help.”
Hikaru snorted. “And surely it was out of sheer kindness that you were looking for him? Because you were oh so worried? I bet you just didn't want anyone else to find him first and start asking troublesome questions, right?”
Akitada glared at him a moment, but turned then away with a shrug. “I will return to my mansion,” he said to Toshirou as he climbed into the carriage. “There is no reason for me to stay here. I'll send another carriage to wait for you.”
“Good riddance,” Hikaru muttered under his breath, watching darkly after the man. “Lying bastard.”
As the carriage rolled away, the monk, after one sidelong glance at the glowering boy, turned to eye the body quite grimly. “What a sight,” he muttered. “There is hardly anything that could be done to improve this.” He spread out a large white sheet, had the men move the body on it, and wrapped it into the sheet. Then he turned to Hikaru.
“You said you're 'in-a-way-sort-of' relative of his? And his student. Better than nothing. I brought incense. You can offer it while I read the sutra.”
The night passed slowly. The monk's unceasing litany, the quiet wind in the tree tops, and the soft rolling of the waves of the river mixed into one otherworldly tone, which made Hikaru drift away, as if he had been watching the wake from somewhere far away. It was a welcome diversion, though. And at least the smell of the incense was strong enough to cover other smells, making the proceedings bearable.
Meanwhile, the men dug a hole to a place Toshirou pronounced to be the most suitable, and once the monk fell silent and the incense burned out, they moved Sai's body to the grave - a little too roughly, as Hikaru noted in dismay.
“I'm sorry,” Seimei said quietly when the men dropped the body into the grave.
Hikaru looked at him in surprise. So far he hadn't heard the boy say anything at all, and most of the time it was easy to forget he was even present. A moment Hikaru wondered what to say - something like 'It's alright' didn't feel quite correct. “Thank you,” he muttered in the end.
“I would have brought some more suitable people,” Seimei went on, “but it was hard to find anyone who wouldn't have been terrified about the idea of coming out here in the night for something like this.”
Hikaru shook his head tiredly. What did it matter, after all. “The monk, at least, is alright, even if he doesn't look like much. Where did you find him?”
“I know him,” Seimei answered shortly.
Once the grave was covered, the monk burned yet another incense and chanted a little more: both for the person who had passed away and for those who remained behind. Hikaru knelt down by his side, staring at the new grave with increasing numbness. How sure he had been, in the morning, that everything would yet turn out well. Now, he could barely understand what had just happened.
When everything was over, Toshirou climbed on the carriage that had arrived a while ago. “Come,” he said to his nephew. “Let's go to tell Akitada everything's over. I doubt he's sleeping yet.” He looked at Hikaru. “Do you want a ride?”
Hikaru, still kneeling by the grave, shook his head without looking up.
Toshirou shrugged. “Suit yourself. What about you, houshi?” he asked the monk.
The monk shook his head as well. “No. It's not a long walk to the temple.”
“As you wish.” Toshirou gave a sign, and the carriage jerked on the move.
The monk stood still a while, watching after the carriage. Then he turned to the boy who hadn't moved from his position on the ground. “And what now, boy? Shouldn't you be heading home, too?”
Hikaru gave a start; he hadn't realized the man had stayed behind. “I'll go soon,” he muttered. “I...” Then he remembered something. “Oh! Your payment! I... don't have much with me, but...”
“Don't worry about such things. We can talk about payment later. Right now,” the monk knelt down next to the boy, “I'm more interested about the events that led to this curious situation.”
“What's there to say?” Hikaru puffed bitterly. “The 'good people' don't look kindly on those who try to enter their circles. Skill has nothing to do with it, if you aren't born high enough, then you aren't.”
“And what will you do now?” the man asked, and Hikaru paused.
What indeed? Would he return to his mother's home? Or should he head right away back to the Kawachi province, to tell Sai's father what had happened? That was, in the end, his responsibility. He just didn't feel he had the energy or the will for traveling and facing the man with such news.
As he remained silent, the monk scrambled up. “Well, morning is wiser than night,” he said. “Come, let's return to the city. I can find you a place to stay at the temple, if you wish.”
Hikaru stood up, still silent. He followed the man quietly, as he didn't know what else to do. With every step, he could feel the growing distance to the grave - whether it was because of remnants of the spell, or something else, he couldn't tell, but it squeezed his heart almost harder than he could bear.
In this single night, everything had suddenly become worthless. The new life that was waiting for him, the skills in go he had achieved, everything lost its meaning. Perhaps he would simply send a message to Sai's father, and return home. His old home. Back to his mother. He'd get work somewhere, perhaps Taro would teach him carpentry. And maybe he'd marry Akari. That, at least, would make his mother happy.
“Are you giving up?”
The sudden question made him start. He looked up and saw the sideways look the monk gave him. “You said some harsh words earlier,” the man went on.
His gaze dropped back to ground. “Maybe. I know they're lying, but so what? They're powerful people, how could I ever win against them?”
“Conquer the angry man by love,” the monk said softly, looking ahead at the great Rashomon they would soon reach. “Conquer the ill-natured man by goodness. Conquer the miser with generosity.” He paused for a moment before going on. “Conquer the liar with truth. So said the Buddha himself.”
“It's easy to say!” Hikaru burst out. “But how can I find out what the truth is? With Sai gone... he's the only one who could have told me. Nobody else seems to be interested at all in what happened to him.”
“Not even his father?” the monk asked, and Hikaru fell silent, thinking about it.
“He would care, of course,” he said then, “But what can he do? He doesn't have much power, even if he is of the Fujiwara clan. You know what people of the capital think about the people of the provinces, and he is a provincial governor, even if it's one of the home provinces... but what could he do, anyway? Nobody knows the truth except Sai and that man, and Sai's dead and he's not talking.”
“But nevertheless, the truth exists.” The monk walked on, talking quietly, his eyes still on the great main gate. “In the end, what people know, matters but little - the truth exists, the good and evil people do doesn't change from whether others know about it or not. Everything they do will carry fruit, either within this life, or in a future one. But,” he gave the grim-faced boy another look, “if this bothers you so much, you should not give up so easily. If you search for the truth for the sake of others, it can never be a deed that would carry a bad fruit.”
Hikaru said nothing. He followed the monk into the city, walking silently behind him. As they walked underneath the great gate, he kept his gaze from wandering upward, trying not to think of the dead bodies lying there above them, bodies that nobody wanted and that would end up in a mass grave. He didn't know what to think about it, really - how had this great, beautiful gate, the main entrance to the city, ended up playing such a gruesome role? For a moment he wondered what it told about the city itself, of its inhabitants, so fond of beauty and luxury, that to enter the city one had to walk underneath the rotting corpses of unwanted people.
The monk headed straight to the eastern temple, and Hikaru was about to follow him. Then he stopped. As if sensing this, the monk stopped too and looked behind.
“Aren't you coming?”
Hikaru shook his head. Bowed. “Thank you for the offer. But... I don't feel like going to rest yet. I'll walk around a little.”
The monk nodded. “Be careful,” he simply said. “This city has sharp teeth.”
Hikaru bowed again and started to wander deeper into the city.
~
Back at Akitada's mansion, Seimei was lying on his bed, wide awake. Once they had returned, Toshirou had triumphantly declared that they were finally finished with this unseemly business - only to find out that nothing had changed. The ghost was still there.
The way Akitada's expression had changed from joyful through disbelief to utter desperation, his face growing gradually longer and longer, had been almost comical. Seimei had, in an exemplary manner, managed to keep his own expression blank, but still Toshirou had shot a sharp glare at him and told him to go to sleep. Which he had obediently done, but he would have given much if he could have found out what those two were talking about, alone. He had tried to listen in, but Toshirou wasn't quite useless as an onmyouji and had taken precautions, and he didn't dare to push too much. Now he sat up, thinking.
If he could find nothing here, perhaps he should venture elsewhere.
Notes:
It was a cheerful part indeed to do some research on drowning and decomposition of the body in water... but maybe I won't go into details here, unless someone's interested. :/ I had wanted to make Sai's home province some place father away than Kawachi, but then I realized it'd take too much time for Hikaru to get to Heian-kyo. (First the message about what had happened would have to reach them, then they'd wait a while for Sai, then Hikaru would travel to the capital... and a year's passed, or something.)
About the burial: all my sources agree that in-ground burial was quite uncommon in Heian times. Uncommon, of course, doesn't mean it never happened, right? I decided I might get away with it. Nobility were cremated, and the not-important people... well, mainly they were taken somewhere, and left there. A quote: “Open-air” burial was very common, and in such cases the fact that animals devoured the flesh probably meant that the “aesthetics of decomposition” would have been less of an issue. Getting Sai cremated would have been tricky... they would have had to move him somewhere else, and overall, as they wanted to get everything done quickly and in silence, I decided this was the easiest way... so in-ground it was.
Houshi: Buddhist monk
“Skill has nothing to do with it, if you aren't born high enough, then you aren't.” That made me think about how silly the court rank system was. The rank determined one's post in government (and not the other way round, which would make more sense), and the rank itself was determined, exclusively, by family connections. If your parents didn't hold high ranks, most likely you wouldn't either, no matter how competent you were. And important posts were given away based on pedigree, not ability. For example, once a sixteen years old boy was made the chief of the imperial police. No wonder crime flourished.
Conquer the angry man by love
Conquer the ill-natured man by goodness
Conquer the miser with generosity
Conquer the liar with truth
From the Dhammapada, which is a Buddhist scripture traditionally ascribed to the Buddha himself.
Chapter 4
It was late in the night, and the city was, for the most part, quiet. Hikaru made his way slowly down the great Suzaku Avenue, then wandered aimlessly to the smaller streets, until he came to a street that had a canal flowing in the middle of it. As he watched the clear water, he couldn't help wondering from which river it came from. Had some of this water passed the place where they had buried Sai?
Well knowing that it did no good to dwell on these things he still crouched down by the canal. Hugging his knees he only now realized his clothes were still wet from the river, the many layers taking their time to dry. He didn't care though, and as the hot weather still continued, the night wasn't too cold. From somewhere farther away he heard the noises of a busier street; distant music, some drunken cries. He closed his eyes and tried to push it all away, to clear his mind and break the vicious circle which always returned to the fact that Sai was gone and there was nothing he could do about it.
Voices got closer, and soon steps approached him.
“Hey, you okay, man? Drank too much?”
There was laughter. “It's one of the good people, don't you see? Too good to hold a drink down.”
Hikaru stood up. “I'm fine, thanks,” he muttered, still not looking at the men standing behind his back, and started to walk away.
“Hey now, what kind of manners is that? Here we are, worried of your health!” Someone suddenly put an arm around his neck, and he could smell the unpleasant combination of sweat and alcohol. “Come, if you're fine, why don't we go to have a drink together? Fine clothes like that, surely you can get us some!”
Hikaru shook the arm off. “No. I'm on my way home.”
“Boring fellow! Or too good for our company? Hey, I'm talking to you!” A hand grabbed his arm and spun him around. Angry, he tried to pull himself free, and as the hand suddenly let go, he found himself stumbling backward. A grinning face, breath reeking of alcohol, appeared too close to his own, and as he instinctively stepped back he found empty air under his foot. Losing his balance, arms waving wildly, he fell down into the canal with a great splash.
The men, three of them, were laughing hard as he spluttered to the surface.
“Gods damn you! Help me up!”
The men laughed even harder. “Hey, don't be so cross! It's a nice night for a swim, right?”
Suddenly a fourth figure appeared behind them. “Why don't you take a swim too, then? The way you smell, you could use a bath.” And before the men in their drunken state could realize what was going on, they were one after another tripped into the canal. The newcomer looked down on them with a grin. “Nice night for a swim? I hope you enjoy it.”
The men were shrieking and splashing around, trying not to sink. One of them grasped Hikaru in his dread, almost pulling him below water again, and the boy cursed.
“Dammit, Tetsuo, stop laughing and help me up!”
The young man looked down at him with a grin and bent down to take a hold of his hand. “As you ask so nicely...” He pulled, helping Hikaru back on the dry land. One of the men was still hanging on Hikaru's clothes, trying to get up, and he kicked the man back into the water. “Now, you gotta ask real nice before I help you. Oh...”
The sound of approaching steps made him grasp Hikaru's hand and pull the boy into a run. “Okay, let's go. Let the guards fish those fools up.”
They sped down the streets, ignoring the yells that told them to stop. The guard didn't bother chasing after them, though, and soon they slowed down.
“Why did we run?” another voice asked. “It's not like we did anything illegal.”
“Kimihiro! Great to see you!” Hikaru exclaimed, only now noticing him, at the same time as Tetsuo replied, “I just don't like explaining things to guards.”
“You're all wet,” Kimihiro went on, eying Hikaru worriedly. “You should get home before you catch cold.”
“I'm fine,” Hikaru assured him. “I was wet to begin with. And it's not that cold.” His assurances lost much of their strength when he sneezed. “Anyway, I don't feel like going home yet,” he mumbled, sniffing.
“And you shouldn't!” Tetsuo clapped his back so hard that he almost stumbled. “Why didn't you tell us you're back? Or aren't we good enough for you anymore?”
“Don't talk nonsense... I've just been busy.”
“Anyway, that wimp's right, we need to get some dry clothes for you. Come. I know just the place.”
“Where are we going to?” Hikaru tried to ask, but got no reply. “Kimihiro?”
He glanced at the other boy who shrugged. “No idea. But you had a perfect timing - I had just managed to convince this fool to go home... now he'll probably stay up all night.”
“So? I can spend one night without sleep if I want to!”
“Without sleep and drinking? And still remain in condition to work tomorrow? Your master's wife is quite demanding, and, if you've forgotten, doesn't quite approve of nightly escapades.”
“Ha! As if I'd let that old hag determine what I do and what not!”
“You're not that cocky when it's daytime and you're facing her,” Kimihiro muttered, but was ignored.
“Hey...” Hikaru put in. “Thanks for helping me, but... I... I'd rather, I mean, you don't have to look after me or anything. Just go home. Kimihiro's right, you shouldn't...”
“Here we are!” Tetsuo exclaimed, ignoring him as well, and pushed him into a building.
“Where?” Hikaru asked, glancing around in confusion. “What is this place?” It looked like they had entered some kind of a tavern - through a backdoor.
Kimihiro shook his head, defeated. “I should have known it. I really won't get you home tonight, will I...” he muttered to himself.
A girl appeared in the corridor, freezing when she saw them. Tetsuo grinned at her. “Hello, Miya. Tell granny I'm here, okay?”
The girl gave him a look and turned around without a word. Soon a wrinkled old woman appeared in her stead. “What is it you want?” she spat out when she saw Tetsuo. “It's a busy night.”
“Nice to see you too, granny.” He pointed at Hikaru with his thumb. “My friend here had a little accident. You wouldn't have anything dry he could wear?”
The woman looked at Hikaru, and after taking in his clothing, definitely that of a nobleman, though at the moment quite ragged, her manner turned immediately more polite and she gave them a bow. “I can certainly find something. Would you wish to stay for a drink while we dry your clothes?”
“I...” Hikaru started, but didn't get farther before Tetsuo cut him off.
“Sure! We can use the usual room, right?”
There was nothing grandmotherly in the glance the woman shot at him. “It is not on the house,” she snapped. “And not on your tab either,” she went on as Tetsuo opened his mouth.
Tetsuo gave her a reproaching look. “What a coldhearted granny I've got! My friend's freezing, he needs a drink to warm up.”
“It's alright,” Hikaru put in. “I'll pay.” He hoped he had enough on him. And reminded himself that he had promised to pay the monk, too.
The old woman gave him an estimating look and nodded. A girl led him to a small room where they gave him dry clothes to change into. When he was ready, he was led into another room, in which Kimihiro and Tetsuo were waiting for him, the latter with a drink in hand. As he sat down, Tetsuo raised his cup.
“To your return!” he said, grinned, gulped it down. “Took your time.”
Hikaru said nothing, just shook his head at the offered drink.
“Come now.” Tetsuo pushed it closer. “You're paying for it.” As he still didn't take it, Tetsuo finally shrugged and emptied his cup, too.
“It is good to see you again,” Kimihiro said. “I went to see your mother every now and then when you were gone, but she didn't have much news. We've been really curious... and you certainly should have much to tell.”
Hikaru still said nothing. He stared at the floor, hoping he could excuse himself of this situation. His head felt heavy, and he really didn't feel like having a conversation right now.
“So...” Kimihiro went on after the silence grew awkward. “How are you? Did everything go fine?”
“Yeah,” Hikaru muttered. “Everything went just fine - there. It's here in the city that...” His voice broke off. It took him a few tries, but finally he managed to whisper, “We just buried Sai.”
With those words, he felt tears beginning to flow down his cheeks. His friends sat in silence. Then, Tetsuo reached for his cup, poured it full, and gave it to him. Choking back his tears Hikaru grasped it this time, took a gulp, and grimaced.
“Shit,” Tetsuo muttered while pouring more for himself. “What happened?”
“Haven't you heard? Usually you hear all the gossip... He was banished from the palace. And then he killed himself.” The words came out surprisingly easy, though with considerable bitterness.
“There hasn't been any gossip about something like that,” Kimihiro said. “Though... I think I remember hearing something about some commotion, about some high ranking noble loosing his position or something, a couple of weeks ago.”
“Might have been that,” Hikaru muttered. “Gods, it's just so crazy...”
“Why?” Tetsuo asked. “Some political maneuvering?”
“I don't know.” Hikaru shook his head tiredly. “Maybe. They say he cheated in a game, in the emperor's presence. That's insane - Sai would never cheat. Haven't you really heard anything?” He gave them a begging look. “Anything at all.”
Kimihiro shook his head. “Nothing in addition to what I said. I guess we could try to ask around - but I don't know if we're able to find out anything. We are just commoners, you know.”
Hikaru sighed. “I guess I'll just have to do my best. But I don't even know where to start! Nobody I know has been helpful at all.”
They fell silent, all three of them staring into their cups in gloomy contemplation. Then Kimihiro raised his head.
“Talking about gossip... have you heard the current news?”
“What news?” Hikaru asked without any real curiosity.
“They say the emperor is sick and going to abdicate. And his son, Prince Hiroakira, will receive the succession.”
“The boy is eight,” Tetsuo snorted. “Fine emperor we'll have. Just you wait, the Fujiwaras won't let this chance slip their fingers. A child emperor needs a regent - and once they get that post back they won't let go of it again.”
“What does it matter who does the ruling, as long as they rule well,” Kimihiro stated. Hikaru just shrugged. He couldn't be less interested in who was the emperor.
“Kind of funny, though...” Tetsuo mumbled, staring at his drink. “This chain of events, don't you think?”
“What do you mean?” Kimihiro asked, and Hikaru too gave him a curios look.
“Just think about it! The emperor banishes someone, wrongly, this someone kills himself, and then the emperor gets sick. Doesn’t that sound just like what happened with that Sugawara guy who was unjustly banished?”
“Sai wouldn't do something like that!” Hikaru exclaimed. Tetsuo gave him a look.
“How do you know that? Even a lesser offense would make a vengeful spirit.”
“That's just what I mean, Sai isn't vengeful! He wouldn't turn into that kind of a spirit.”
“Maybe he wouldn't,” Kimihiro said thoughtfully, “but would it hurt if people thought so?”
“Huh?” Hikaru gave him a confused look.
“You read my mind,” Tetsuo said with a grin, pointing a finger at Kimihiro. He emptied his cup again. “If we spread a rumor that the emperor is sick because the angry spirit of Fujiwara no Sai is after him... it just might make some tongues loosen. People wouldn't want to share the emperor's fate.”
“I don't know,” Hikaru said doubtfully. “I'm not sure if I like this plan.”
“Why not!” Tetsuo spread his arms, starting to speak more and more animatedly. “The whole story makes sense, I wouldn't be surprised if it even were true. The timing is too convenient! Besides, there is no way of knowing what people are like when they are dead - just because you're sure Sai wouldn't have done something like this when he was alive doesn't mean he wouldn't do it when he's dead. That's a different story!”
“And whether or not it's true, it might help us find out the truth,” Kimihiro agreed.
“Whatever!” Hikaru raised his arms in resignation. “I give up. Do what you want. But I...” He stood up. “I think I'll go to ask your granny if there is any quiet corner where I could sleep.” As his friends tried to stop him, he shook his head. “I'm sorry, I really want to be alone now. Let's talk more tomorrow.”
Tetsuo's granny did arrange a relatively quiet place for him. As quiet as it could be, in the middle of the night in a tavern that was still open. He lay on his mattress, dead tired but unable to switch off his brain as he listened to the noise and racket of people who, among drink and music and beautiful women, had happily forgotten all the burdens of their short lives. At some point he must have drifted into sleep, though, because suddenly he became aware of someone sitting beside him.
“Wha-ah?” He raised his head, drowsily. “What is it?”
“Nothing much,” someone whispered. “I just wanted to ask you something, then you can go back to sleep.”
“Yeah?” He screwed up his eyes, confused, trying to make his groggy brain to work. “Hey, who are you anyway?”
“Weren't you born a commoner?” the other asked, ignoring his question.
“...what do you mean?” He pushed himself half-way up, leaning on his elbow and rubbing his sleepy eyes with the other hand.
“I think you were. One can still see it.”
“Gee, thanks,” he muttered and frowned. “Why do you....”
“Then why did Fujiwara no Sai take you as a student?”
Hikaru froze. Swallowed. “Sai?”
“Yes. Why did he take you as a student?”
“Because...” He closed his eyes, remembering his first meeting with Sai. A bright, hot day of the late summer, much like these autumn days. “Because he saw I loved go just as much as he did,” he whispered.
“And that's it?”
“Yeah.” He opened his eyes again, tried to make out details of the small figure that was bent close to him in the darkness. “That's it.”
“I see. Thank you. Just go back to sleep now.”
Hikaru blinked, and found himself alone. He remained still a moment, half lying, half sitting, propping himself up with his hands, and then, with a sigh settled down again. Strangest dream he'd had for a long while. He closed his eyes and drifted away again.
Notes:
Emperor Daigo (the current emperor in this story) was exceptional in the sense that he ruled by himself. Even adult emperors used to have regents, and usually these regents were of the Fujiwara clan. And true enough, after Daigo things returned to as they'd used to be.
And... about money. A little belatedly I realized they didn't really use it in the Heian period, and I tried to edit out any mention of it. Some money was minted, yes, but it circulated very little... they mainly used some kind of a barter system. I don't have a clue what Hikaru would give to the monk as a payment, or how things would work in a tavern... (eh, surely they had taverns, or places like that?) This is also why, earlier in the story, Hikaru's mother thanked him for the rice he'd sent - first I'd written there money, but I thought that maybe rice might work, as it in addition to being the main food was also the main medium of exchange... but overall, as it is, I don't have a clue. ^^
*sigh* Kaga and Tsutsui so weren't supposed to be in this story. Hikaru was supposed to say thank you to the monk's invitation and spend the night at the temple. Instead, he just had to start wandering around, end up in the canal... and Hikaru falling into a canal > pool > Kaga, goes my brain.
Alright. Akira returns in the next chapter.
Next chapter
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
As Hikaru was led into the mansion, he thought hard about what to say, planning to confront the man right away, but when he finally was face to face with Sugawara no Akitada he saw to his surprise that they weren't alone. There was another man in the room, and a child, both of them in the fine clothes of aristocracy, and he stopped, uncertain.
“Come, sit down,” Sugawara no Akitada said. “This is a friend of mine, Abe no Toshirou, and his nephew, Seimei. Toshirou-sama is a skilled onmyouji. He is here to help us find... find your teacher.”
Hikaru froze when he heard the word onmyouji - he did harbor his share of some healthy superstitious fear of anything concerning the supernatural. He shot a careful glance at the man. He seemed friendly enough; a big man with a somewhat round face and non-outstanding features.
“So, you are a student of this missing person?” the man asked with his booming voice, and Hikaru nodded quickly. “Very well! Would you mind if I skip the pleasantries and begin?”
“Begin what?” Hikaru squeaked, imagining all kinds of dark, forbidden rituals.
“I have prepared a simple spell which will help you locate your teacher - if he isn't too far, that is. The bond between a student and a teacher is a strong one, and it is not easily broken, even if... that is, no matter what happens.”
Hikaru swallowed. “A simple... spell?” He almost asked 'does it hurt', but managed to bite that down. “If it helps to find Sai...”
“It certainly will! I have made this spell myself, and though it's simple, it is strong.” The man stood up. “I would have preferred to wait until tomorrow, but Akitada-sama doesn't want to waste any time. Shall we get started, then?”
“Yes, I want to be done with this,” Sugawara no Akitada said, and suddenly Hikaru remembered everything he had been planning to say.
“Hey, is it true you are the one against whom Sai played that game?” he started. “The game in which they claim he cheated? Because...”
“Come now, boy, look here or I can't do this,” the onmyouji commanded and spun him around.
“But I...”
“Shh! It's better to get started while we have some light left. Now, be quiet.” He held his hand in front of Hikaru's eyes, holding the index and middle fingers up and the others bent, and started muttering something Hikaru didn't understand. He repeated the same thing over and over again until he finally finished in a commanding tone and touched the boy's forehead. “There!”
Hikaru placed a finger on his forehead, confused. “There?”
The man nodded. “Yes. What do you feel?”
“I don't...” Hikaru fell silent and closed his eyes. He did feel strange. As if there had been dozens of little strings tied to him, and they were all pulling him to the same direction. He opened his eyes. “We should go that way,” he said, and pointed.
Sugawara no Akitada laughed aloud. “Brilliant work, my friend!” he exclaimed, and quite a self-satisfied smile spread across the onmyouji's face.
The four of them left the mansion. Hikaru had once again forgotten all his questions and everything he had planned to say to Sai's rival, as the constant pull demanded all his attention. He walked on swiftly and determinedly, and the others followed him in silence.
“Where is he going to?” Akitada finally muttered. “I would have taken my carriage if I had known we'll have to walk this much.”
“If you don't wish to go on, you can return home and leave this to us,” Toshirou replied quietly. For a moment Akitada seemed to consider this, but in the end he followed them quietly.
They did walk long, through the city. When they reached a city gate Akitada hesitated again. “Are we really leaving the city?” he whispered to his friend. “Isn't this dangerous?”
“Don't worry,” Toshirou calmed him. “You're in good company.”
They left behind the gate and the areas outside it where city was spreading, walking toward one of the rivers that ran by capital. Approaching the river Hikaru shivered, suddenly feeling cold. He wouldn't have wanted to continue, but the pull was stronger than ever, and he headed toward the river, heart growing heavier on each step.
As they reached the river bank, Akitada, quite out of breath, cursed quietly. “How will we ever find his body if he's jumped into a damn river?” he muttered.
Hikaru didn't hear him. His eyes followed the river, stopping on a small reedy cove in its bend. He swallowed and walked on. As he reached the bend he didn't stop, but walked straight into the water without bothering to undress first. There, half thrown on the rocks by the river's waves, hidden by the reeds, was a messy lump of white and black. Unable to hold tears back anymore Hikaru slumped down on a rock next to it, afraid to touch it and see what was left of his teacher and friend.
“Well? Is he there?” Akitada called from the shore. “Based on the stench, something definitely is.” Unable to speak, Hikaru nodded, and heard the man cursing on the ground.
“Seimei,” Toshirou said, “run back to the city and get the first priest you can find. And someone to dig the grave. Oh, and hire us a carriage, too, I don't want to walk all the way back.”
The boy didn't say a word, just nodded and headed away. Hikaru looked up, only now registering what the man had said.
“Priest? Grave?” he asked. “What are you talking about?”
“We have to get him buried,” Toshirou said grimly, “and the sooner the better. No point to postpone it.”
“But... shouldn't we take him...”
“Where? To his home? Surely you don't want to carry him all the way to the provinces... he's been lying around in water long enough. It's good if he even stays in one piece once we get him out of there.”
“But...” Hikaru looked at the mess of black hair, floating unbound in the water. “But you mean we'll bury him here? In the ground...?”
“Oh, shut up already!” Akitada snapped. “This guy has already caused way too much trouble for a dead man. What does it matter where or how he's buried?”
Anger flashed underneath Hikaru's sorrow and took over. He jumped up, almost slipping on the uneven river bottom. “Doesn't matter to you, maybe! If it weren't for you, he'd still be alive!”
“I didn't push him into that river,” Akitada said, suddenly quite pale.
“You as well might have!” Hikaru splashed angrily out of the river to face him. “You were the one who claimed he had cheated, weren't you? You are the one who ruined his life!”
“He's the one who ruined his life, quite on his own!” Akitada yelled back, red spots appearing on his pale cheeks. “He's the one who tried to climb higher than he could rightfully reach, and he's the one who tried to cheat to keep the position he didn't deserve!”
“You're nothing but a liar!” Hikaru shrieked and raised his arm as if to strike the man, but Toshirou got a hold of him and pulled him around.
“Calm down!” He shook the boy a little as Hikaru tried to struggle against him. “It must be a shock, but still, this is not proper behavior in the presence of the dead. Do you want to shame your teacher?”
“I...” Hikaru swallowed and ceased his struggling. “I'm sorry, but... he is lying, I know he is...”
“You know he is lying? And who are you to blame a court noble of such things?” Toshirou let go off him. “Now, stay quiet. Once Seimei is back, we'll have a burial. Then, this will finally be over.”
The last rays of sun had disappeared behind the horizon long ago. The moon was almost full, though, and the sky was cloudless, so they did not lack light. Hikaru hunched down by the water's edge, silent and red eyed, staring at the shimmering moonlight without really seeing it, while Toshirou muttered blessings and protections on the ground and the river. Akitada was gradually wandering farther and farther away, holding a sleeve in front of his nose.
It did take a long while, but then Seimei finally returned, riding on an ox-drawn carriage together with a Buddhist monk, followed by two strong workmen. Once the men had fished the body out of the water the monk, a middle-aged spindly man, dressed in a simple brownish robe, gave it one glance and turned away with a flinch. “You are sure no crime is committed?”
Toshirou nodded. “Suicide,” he said, and the monk shook his head sadly.
“Are you his relatives?”
Hikaru, who had remained unmoving by the river, finally looked up. “I am - that is, in a way... sort of. At least he was my teacher.”
“And... did I understand correctly? You want a ground burial?”
Hikaru looked from Toshirou to Akitada's dark shadow farther away. “I guess.” His voice was uncertain but resigned. “It doesn't really matter.”
The monk nodded. “Let us then hold a short wake.“
“Wake?” Akitada asked incredulously. “Why don't we just dig a hole and...”
“I did say proper funeral,” Toshirou pointed out. “It is not good to hurry these things.”
“But... what of the payment? I don't want to waste on...”
“I'll see to the payment,” Hikaru snapped. “Just go back to your mansion. Nobody wants you here, anyway.”
That earned him a dark look both from Akitada and Toshirou. “Mind your tongue,” Akitada snapped. “I might point out you would never have found him without our help.”
Hikaru snorted. “And surely it was out of sheer kindness that you were looking for him? Because you were oh so worried? I bet you just didn't want anyone else to find him first and start asking troublesome questions, right?”
Akitada glared at him a moment, but turned then away with a shrug. “I will return to my mansion,” he said to Toshirou as he climbed into the carriage. “There is no reason for me to stay here. I'll send another carriage to wait for you.”
“Good riddance,” Hikaru muttered under his breath, watching darkly after the man. “Lying bastard.”
As the carriage rolled away, the monk, after one sidelong glance at the glowering boy, turned to eye the body quite grimly. “What a sight,” he muttered. “There is hardly anything that could be done to improve this.” He spread out a large white sheet, had the men move the body on it, and wrapped it into the sheet. Then he turned to Hikaru.
“You said you're 'in-a-way-sort-of' relative of his? And his student. Better than nothing. I brought incense. You can offer it while I read the sutra.”
The night passed slowly. The monk's unceasing litany, the quiet wind in the tree tops, and the soft rolling of the waves of the river mixed into one otherworldly tone, which made Hikaru drift away, as if he had been watching the wake from somewhere far away. It was a welcome diversion, though. And at least the smell of the incense was strong enough to cover other smells, making the proceedings bearable.
Meanwhile, the men dug a hole to a place Toshirou pronounced to be the most suitable, and once the monk fell silent and the incense burned out, they moved Sai's body to the grave - a little too roughly, as Hikaru noted in dismay.
“I'm sorry,” Seimei said quietly when the men dropped the body into the grave.
Hikaru looked at him in surprise. So far he hadn't heard the boy say anything at all, and most of the time it was easy to forget he was even present. A moment Hikaru wondered what to say - something like 'It's alright' didn't feel quite correct. “Thank you,” he muttered in the end.
“I would have brought some more suitable people,” Seimei went on, “but it was hard to find anyone who wouldn't have been terrified about the idea of coming out here in the night for something like this.”
Hikaru shook his head tiredly. What did it matter, after all. “The monk, at least, is alright, even if he doesn't look like much. Where did you find him?”
“I know him,” Seimei answered shortly.
Once the grave was covered, the monk burned yet another incense and chanted a little more: both for the person who had passed away and for those who remained behind. Hikaru knelt down by his side, staring at the new grave with increasing numbness. How sure he had been, in the morning, that everything would yet turn out well. Now, he could barely understand what had just happened.
When everything was over, Toshirou climbed on the carriage that had arrived a while ago. “Come,” he said to his nephew. “Let's go to tell Akitada everything's over. I doubt he's sleeping yet.” He looked at Hikaru. “Do you want a ride?”
Hikaru, still kneeling by the grave, shook his head without looking up.
Toshirou shrugged. “Suit yourself. What about you, houshi?” he asked the monk.
The monk shook his head as well. “No. It's not a long walk to the temple.”
“As you wish.” Toshirou gave a sign, and the carriage jerked on the move.
The monk stood still a while, watching after the carriage. Then he turned to the boy who hadn't moved from his position on the ground. “And what now, boy? Shouldn't you be heading home, too?”
Hikaru gave a start; he hadn't realized the man had stayed behind. “I'll go soon,” he muttered. “I...” Then he remembered something. “Oh! Your payment! I... don't have much with me, but...”
“Don't worry about such things. We can talk about payment later. Right now,” the monk knelt down next to the boy, “I'm more interested about the events that led to this curious situation.”
“What's there to say?” Hikaru puffed bitterly. “The 'good people' don't look kindly on those who try to enter their circles. Skill has nothing to do with it, if you aren't born high enough, then you aren't.”
“And what will you do now?” the man asked, and Hikaru paused.
What indeed? Would he return to his mother's home? Or should he head right away back to the Kawachi province, to tell Sai's father what had happened? That was, in the end, his responsibility. He just didn't feel he had the energy or the will for traveling and facing the man with such news.
As he remained silent, the monk scrambled up. “Well, morning is wiser than night,” he said. “Come, let's return to the city. I can find you a place to stay at the temple, if you wish.”
Hikaru stood up, still silent. He followed the man quietly, as he didn't know what else to do. With every step, he could feel the growing distance to the grave - whether it was because of remnants of the spell, or something else, he couldn't tell, but it squeezed his heart almost harder than he could bear.
In this single night, everything had suddenly become worthless. The new life that was waiting for him, the skills in go he had achieved, everything lost its meaning. Perhaps he would simply send a message to Sai's father, and return home. His old home. Back to his mother. He'd get work somewhere, perhaps Taro would teach him carpentry. And maybe he'd marry Akari. That, at least, would make his mother happy.
“Are you giving up?”
The sudden question made him start. He looked up and saw the sideways look the monk gave him. “You said some harsh words earlier,” the man went on.
His gaze dropped back to ground. “Maybe. I know they're lying, but so what? They're powerful people, how could I ever win against them?”
“Conquer the angry man by love,” the monk said softly, looking ahead at the great Rashomon they would soon reach. “Conquer the ill-natured man by goodness. Conquer the miser with generosity.” He paused for a moment before going on. “Conquer the liar with truth. So said the Buddha himself.”
“It's easy to say!” Hikaru burst out. “But how can I find out what the truth is? With Sai gone... he's the only one who could have told me. Nobody else seems to be interested at all in what happened to him.”
“Not even his father?” the monk asked, and Hikaru fell silent, thinking about it.
“He would care, of course,” he said then, “But what can he do? He doesn't have much power, even if he is of the Fujiwara clan. You know what people of the capital think about the people of the provinces, and he is a provincial governor, even if it's one of the home provinces... but what could he do, anyway? Nobody knows the truth except Sai and that man, and Sai's dead and he's not talking.”
“But nevertheless, the truth exists.” The monk walked on, talking quietly, his eyes still on the great main gate. “In the end, what people know, matters but little - the truth exists, the good and evil people do doesn't change from whether others know about it or not. Everything they do will carry fruit, either within this life, or in a future one. But,” he gave the grim-faced boy another look, “if this bothers you so much, you should not give up so easily. If you search for the truth for the sake of others, it can never be a deed that would carry a bad fruit.”
Hikaru said nothing. He followed the monk into the city, walking silently behind him. As they walked underneath the great gate, he kept his gaze from wandering upward, trying not to think of the dead bodies lying there above them, bodies that nobody wanted and that would end up in a mass grave. He didn't know what to think about it, really - how had this great, beautiful gate, the main entrance to the city, ended up playing such a gruesome role? For a moment he wondered what it told about the city itself, of its inhabitants, so fond of beauty and luxury, that to enter the city one had to walk underneath the rotting corpses of unwanted people.
The monk headed straight to the eastern temple, and Hikaru was about to follow him. Then he stopped. As if sensing this, the monk stopped too and looked behind.
“Aren't you coming?”
Hikaru shook his head. Bowed. “Thank you for the offer. But... I don't feel like going to rest yet. I'll walk around a little.”
The monk nodded. “Be careful,” he simply said. “This city has sharp teeth.”
Hikaru bowed again and started to wander deeper into the city.
~
Back at Akitada's mansion, Seimei was lying on his bed, wide awake. Once they had returned, Toshirou had triumphantly declared that they were finally finished with this unseemly business - only to find out that nothing had changed. The ghost was still there.
The way Akitada's expression had changed from joyful through disbelief to utter desperation, his face growing gradually longer and longer, had been almost comical. Seimei had, in an exemplary manner, managed to keep his own expression blank, but still Toshirou had shot a sharp glare at him and told him to go to sleep. Which he had obediently done, but he would have given much if he could have found out what those two were talking about, alone. He had tried to listen in, but Toshirou wasn't quite useless as an onmyouji and had taken precautions, and he didn't dare to push too much. Now he sat up, thinking.
If he could find nothing here, perhaps he should venture elsewhere.
Notes:
It was a cheerful part indeed to do some research on drowning and decomposition of the body in water... but maybe I won't go into details here, unless someone's interested. :/ I had wanted to make Sai's home province some place father away than Kawachi, but then I realized it'd take too much time for Hikaru to get to Heian-kyo. (First the message about what had happened would have to reach them, then they'd wait a while for Sai, then Hikaru would travel to the capital... and a year's passed, or something.)
About the burial: all my sources agree that in-ground burial was quite uncommon in Heian times. Uncommon, of course, doesn't mean it never happened, right? I decided I might get away with it. Nobility were cremated, and the not-important people... well, mainly they were taken somewhere, and left there. A quote: “Open-air” burial was very common, and in such cases the fact that animals devoured the flesh probably meant that the “aesthetics of decomposition” would have been less of an issue. Getting Sai cremated would have been tricky... they would have had to move him somewhere else, and overall, as they wanted to get everything done quickly and in silence, I decided this was the easiest way... so in-ground it was.
Houshi: Buddhist monk
“Skill has nothing to do with it, if you aren't born high enough, then you aren't.” That made me think about how silly the court rank system was. The rank determined one's post in government (and not the other way round, which would make more sense), and the rank itself was determined, exclusively, by family connections. If your parents didn't hold high ranks, most likely you wouldn't either, no matter how competent you were. And important posts were given away based on pedigree, not ability. For example, once a sixteen years old boy was made the chief of the imperial police. No wonder crime flourished.
Conquer the angry man by love
Conquer the ill-natured man by goodness
Conquer the miser with generosity
Conquer the liar with truth
From the Dhammapada, which is a Buddhist scripture traditionally ascribed to the Buddha himself.
Chapter 4
It was late in the night, and the city was, for the most part, quiet. Hikaru made his way slowly down the great Suzaku Avenue, then wandered aimlessly to the smaller streets, until he came to a street that had a canal flowing in the middle of it. As he watched the clear water, he couldn't help wondering from which river it came from. Had some of this water passed the place where they had buried Sai?
Well knowing that it did no good to dwell on these things he still crouched down by the canal. Hugging his knees he only now realized his clothes were still wet from the river, the many layers taking their time to dry. He didn't care though, and as the hot weather still continued, the night wasn't too cold. From somewhere farther away he heard the noises of a busier street; distant music, some drunken cries. He closed his eyes and tried to push it all away, to clear his mind and break the vicious circle which always returned to the fact that Sai was gone and there was nothing he could do about it.
Voices got closer, and soon steps approached him.
“Hey, you okay, man? Drank too much?”
There was laughter. “It's one of the good people, don't you see? Too good to hold a drink down.”
Hikaru stood up. “I'm fine, thanks,” he muttered, still not looking at the men standing behind his back, and started to walk away.
“Hey now, what kind of manners is that? Here we are, worried of your health!” Someone suddenly put an arm around his neck, and he could smell the unpleasant combination of sweat and alcohol. “Come, if you're fine, why don't we go to have a drink together? Fine clothes like that, surely you can get us some!”
Hikaru shook the arm off. “No. I'm on my way home.”
“Boring fellow! Or too good for our company? Hey, I'm talking to you!” A hand grabbed his arm and spun him around. Angry, he tried to pull himself free, and as the hand suddenly let go, he found himself stumbling backward. A grinning face, breath reeking of alcohol, appeared too close to his own, and as he instinctively stepped back he found empty air under his foot. Losing his balance, arms waving wildly, he fell down into the canal with a great splash.
The men, three of them, were laughing hard as he spluttered to the surface.
“Gods damn you! Help me up!”
The men laughed even harder. “Hey, don't be so cross! It's a nice night for a swim, right?”
Suddenly a fourth figure appeared behind them. “Why don't you take a swim too, then? The way you smell, you could use a bath.” And before the men in their drunken state could realize what was going on, they were one after another tripped into the canal. The newcomer looked down on them with a grin. “Nice night for a swim? I hope you enjoy it.”
The men were shrieking and splashing around, trying not to sink. One of them grasped Hikaru in his dread, almost pulling him below water again, and the boy cursed.
“Dammit, Tetsuo, stop laughing and help me up!”
The young man looked down at him with a grin and bent down to take a hold of his hand. “As you ask so nicely...” He pulled, helping Hikaru back on the dry land. One of the men was still hanging on Hikaru's clothes, trying to get up, and he kicked the man back into the water. “Now, you gotta ask real nice before I help you. Oh...”
The sound of approaching steps made him grasp Hikaru's hand and pull the boy into a run. “Okay, let's go. Let the guards fish those fools up.”
They sped down the streets, ignoring the yells that told them to stop. The guard didn't bother chasing after them, though, and soon they slowed down.
“Why did we run?” another voice asked. “It's not like we did anything illegal.”
“Kimihiro! Great to see you!” Hikaru exclaimed, only now noticing him, at the same time as Tetsuo replied, “I just don't like explaining things to guards.”
“You're all wet,” Kimihiro went on, eying Hikaru worriedly. “You should get home before you catch cold.”
“I'm fine,” Hikaru assured him. “I was wet to begin with. And it's not that cold.” His assurances lost much of their strength when he sneezed. “Anyway, I don't feel like going home yet,” he mumbled, sniffing.
“And you shouldn't!” Tetsuo clapped his back so hard that he almost stumbled. “Why didn't you tell us you're back? Or aren't we good enough for you anymore?”
“Don't talk nonsense... I've just been busy.”
“Anyway, that wimp's right, we need to get some dry clothes for you. Come. I know just the place.”
“Where are we going to?” Hikaru tried to ask, but got no reply. “Kimihiro?”
He glanced at the other boy who shrugged. “No idea. But you had a perfect timing - I had just managed to convince this fool to go home... now he'll probably stay up all night.”
“So? I can spend one night without sleep if I want to!”
“Without sleep and drinking? And still remain in condition to work tomorrow? Your master's wife is quite demanding, and, if you've forgotten, doesn't quite approve of nightly escapades.”
“Ha! As if I'd let that old hag determine what I do and what not!”
“You're not that cocky when it's daytime and you're facing her,” Kimihiro muttered, but was ignored.
“Hey...” Hikaru put in. “Thanks for helping me, but... I... I'd rather, I mean, you don't have to look after me or anything. Just go home. Kimihiro's right, you shouldn't...”
“Here we are!” Tetsuo exclaimed, ignoring him as well, and pushed him into a building.
“Where?” Hikaru asked, glancing around in confusion. “What is this place?” It looked like they had entered some kind of a tavern - through a backdoor.
Kimihiro shook his head, defeated. “I should have known it. I really won't get you home tonight, will I...” he muttered to himself.
A girl appeared in the corridor, freezing when she saw them. Tetsuo grinned at her. “Hello, Miya. Tell granny I'm here, okay?”
The girl gave him a look and turned around without a word. Soon a wrinkled old woman appeared in her stead. “What is it you want?” she spat out when she saw Tetsuo. “It's a busy night.”
“Nice to see you too, granny.” He pointed at Hikaru with his thumb. “My friend here had a little accident. You wouldn't have anything dry he could wear?”
The woman looked at Hikaru, and after taking in his clothing, definitely that of a nobleman, though at the moment quite ragged, her manner turned immediately more polite and she gave them a bow. “I can certainly find something. Would you wish to stay for a drink while we dry your clothes?”
“I...” Hikaru started, but didn't get farther before Tetsuo cut him off.
“Sure! We can use the usual room, right?”
There was nothing grandmotherly in the glance the woman shot at him. “It is not on the house,” she snapped. “And not on your tab either,” she went on as Tetsuo opened his mouth.
Tetsuo gave her a reproaching look. “What a coldhearted granny I've got! My friend's freezing, he needs a drink to warm up.”
“It's alright,” Hikaru put in. “I'll pay.” He hoped he had enough on him. And reminded himself that he had promised to pay the monk, too.
The old woman gave him an estimating look and nodded. A girl led him to a small room where they gave him dry clothes to change into. When he was ready, he was led into another room, in which Kimihiro and Tetsuo were waiting for him, the latter with a drink in hand. As he sat down, Tetsuo raised his cup.
“To your return!” he said, grinned, gulped it down. “Took your time.”
Hikaru said nothing, just shook his head at the offered drink.
“Come now.” Tetsuo pushed it closer. “You're paying for it.” As he still didn't take it, Tetsuo finally shrugged and emptied his cup, too.
“It is good to see you again,” Kimihiro said. “I went to see your mother every now and then when you were gone, but she didn't have much news. We've been really curious... and you certainly should have much to tell.”
Hikaru still said nothing. He stared at the floor, hoping he could excuse himself of this situation. His head felt heavy, and he really didn't feel like having a conversation right now.
“So...” Kimihiro went on after the silence grew awkward. “How are you? Did everything go fine?”
“Yeah,” Hikaru muttered. “Everything went just fine - there. It's here in the city that...” His voice broke off. It took him a few tries, but finally he managed to whisper, “We just buried Sai.”
With those words, he felt tears beginning to flow down his cheeks. His friends sat in silence. Then, Tetsuo reached for his cup, poured it full, and gave it to him. Choking back his tears Hikaru grasped it this time, took a gulp, and grimaced.
“Shit,” Tetsuo muttered while pouring more for himself. “What happened?”
“Haven't you heard? Usually you hear all the gossip... He was banished from the palace. And then he killed himself.” The words came out surprisingly easy, though with considerable bitterness.
“There hasn't been any gossip about something like that,” Kimihiro said. “Though... I think I remember hearing something about some commotion, about some high ranking noble loosing his position or something, a couple of weeks ago.”
“Might have been that,” Hikaru muttered. “Gods, it's just so crazy...”
“Why?” Tetsuo asked. “Some political maneuvering?”
“I don't know.” Hikaru shook his head tiredly. “Maybe. They say he cheated in a game, in the emperor's presence. That's insane - Sai would never cheat. Haven't you really heard anything?” He gave them a begging look. “Anything at all.”
Kimihiro shook his head. “Nothing in addition to what I said. I guess we could try to ask around - but I don't know if we're able to find out anything. We are just commoners, you know.”
Hikaru sighed. “I guess I'll just have to do my best. But I don't even know where to start! Nobody I know has been helpful at all.”
They fell silent, all three of them staring into their cups in gloomy contemplation. Then Kimihiro raised his head.
“Talking about gossip... have you heard the current news?”
“What news?” Hikaru asked without any real curiosity.
“They say the emperor is sick and going to abdicate. And his son, Prince Hiroakira, will receive the succession.”
“The boy is eight,” Tetsuo snorted. “Fine emperor we'll have. Just you wait, the Fujiwaras won't let this chance slip their fingers. A child emperor needs a regent - and once they get that post back they won't let go of it again.”
“What does it matter who does the ruling, as long as they rule well,” Kimihiro stated. Hikaru just shrugged. He couldn't be less interested in who was the emperor.
“Kind of funny, though...” Tetsuo mumbled, staring at his drink. “This chain of events, don't you think?”
“What do you mean?” Kimihiro asked, and Hikaru too gave him a curios look.
“Just think about it! The emperor banishes someone, wrongly, this someone kills himself, and then the emperor gets sick. Doesn’t that sound just like what happened with that Sugawara guy who was unjustly banished?”
“Sai wouldn't do something like that!” Hikaru exclaimed. Tetsuo gave him a look.
“How do you know that? Even a lesser offense would make a vengeful spirit.”
“That's just what I mean, Sai isn't vengeful! He wouldn't turn into that kind of a spirit.”
“Maybe he wouldn't,” Kimihiro said thoughtfully, “but would it hurt if people thought so?”
“Huh?” Hikaru gave him a confused look.
“You read my mind,” Tetsuo said with a grin, pointing a finger at Kimihiro. He emptied his cup again. “If we spread a rumor that the emperor is sick because the angry spirit of Fujiwara no Sai is after him... it just might make some tongues loosen. People wouldn't want to share the emperor's fate.”
“I don't know,” Hikaru said doubtfully. “I'm not sure if I like this plan.”
“Why not!” Tetsuo spread his arms, starting to speak more and more animatedly. “The whole story makes sense, I wouldn't be surprised if it even were true. The timing is too convenient! Besides, there is no way of knowing what people are like when they are dead - just because you're sure Sai wouldn't have done something like this when he was alive doesn't mean he wouldn't do it when he's dead. That's a different story!”
“And whether or not it's true, it might help us find out the truth,” Kimihiro agreed.
“Whatever!” Hikaru raised his arms in resignation. “I give up. Do what you want. But I...” He stood up. “I think I'll go to ask your granny if there is any quiet corner where I could sleep.” As his friends tried to stop him, he shook his head. “I'm sorry, I really want to be alone now. Let's talk more tomorrow.”
Tetsuo's granny did arrange a relatively quiet place for him. As quiet as it could be, in the middle of the night in a tavern that was still open. He lay on his mattress, dead tired but unable to switch off his brain as he listened to the noise and racket of people who, among drink and music and beautiful women, had happily forgotten all the burdens of their short lives. At some point he must have drifted into sleep, though, because suddenly he became aware of someone sitting beside him.
“Wha-ah?” He raised his head, drowsily. “What is it?”
“Nothing much,” someone whispered. “I just wanted to ask you something, then you can go back to sleep.”
“Yeah?” He screwed up his eyes, confused, trying to make his groggy brain to work. “Hey, who are you anyway?”
“Weren't you born a commoner?” the other asked, ignoring his question.
“...what do you mean?” He pushed himself half-way up, leaning on his elbow and rubbing his sleepy eyes with the other hand.
“I think you were. One can still see it.”
“Gee, thanks,” he muttered and frowned. “Why do you....”
“Then why did Fujiwara no Sai take you as a student?”
Hikaru froze. Swallowed. “Sai?”
“Yes. Why did he take you as a student?”
“Because...” He closed his eyes, remembering his first meeting with Sai. A bright, hot day of the late summer, much like these autumn days. “Because he saw I loved go just as much as he did,” he whispered.
“And that's it?”
“Yeah.” He opened his eyes again, tried to make out details of the small figure that was bent close to him in the darkness. “That's it.”
“I see. Thank you. Just go back to sleep now.”
Hikaru blinked, and found himself alone. He remained still a moment, half lying, half sitting, propping himself up with his hands, and then, with a sigh settled down again. Strangest dream he'd had for a long while. He closed his eyes and drifted away again.
Notes:
Emperor Daigo (the current emperor in this story) was exceptional in the sense that he ruled by himself. Even adult emperors used to have regents, and usually these regents were of the Fujiwara clan. And true enough, after Daigo things returned to as they'd used to be.
And... about money. A little belatedly I realized they didn't really use it in the Heian period, and I tried to edit out any mention of it. Some money was minted, yes, but it circulated very little... they mainly used some kind of a barter system. I don't have a clue what Hikaru would give to the monk as a payment, or how things would work in a tavern... (eh, surely they had taverns, or places like that?) This is also why, earlier in the story, Hikaru's mother thanked him for the rice he'd sent - first I'd written there money, but I thought that maybe rice might work, as it in addition to being the main food was also the main medium of exchange... but overall, as it is, I don't have a clue. ^^
*sigh* Kaga and Tsutsui so weren't supposed to be in this story. Hikaru was supposed to say thank you to the monk's invitation and spend the night at the temple. Instead, he just had to start wandering around, end up in the canal... and Hikaru falling into a canal > pool > Kaga, goes my brain.
Alright. Akira returns in the next chapter.
Next chapter
Chapter 2