Mayumi asked, appearing from thin air. How long had she been listening to them?
"I was just …”
"Not you. Him ." She pointed at the ship captain. "I can't leave you alone for two seconds and you're already filling the boy's head with lies."
"Lies? How is scholarly work going to prepare him for the real world of a ninjobi? Why are you even teaching him? The only reason I tried teaching you was …"
"Don't give me that same excuse. You wanted to train my sister, but you got stuck with me. You had to take an apprentice or else you'd lose your title. Why didn't you just re-marry? I'm sure the women lined up to be with you. If not for you, then definitely for the money."
Kaito blinked. He wondered how much he know about this woman? Everything these past few weeks, seemed to not even scratch the surface of her past. And now this ship captain's past was creeping up in interest for Kaito.
"You know why I couldn't marry."
"Didn't, yes, but there's always a choice. You just chose not to make it, because of your stupid, idiotic …"
"Enough!" he shouted. "If you want your apprentice to die, be my guest. You two aren't even worth my time. You aren't fit to learn the true ways of the ninjobi."
Mayumi grabbed Kaito by the arm and dragged him away from the captain. The two of them left without saying another word. Kaito could feel the tension between them. His body shook in anticipation as he half-expected one of them to attack the other. When neither did, Kaito relaxed. The fear remained, however, masked by a thin layer of hope as he remembered his father's advice on being a good ruler.
"Why do you hate him so much?" he asked.
"Because he wanted me to the kill the one I loved. Said it would …" She swallowed. "Complete my training. I don't want you to have to live with a decision like that."
Kaito turned away and looked at the man. He agreed with both Mayumi and the ship captain. Of course he did so on two different points. On the one hand he understood Mayumi's lack of empathy for the man, but to limit himself to her way of training? And she was the one who said he was stubborn. Hypocrisy aside, he didn't have much choice. It seemed the ship captain wouldn't help him, regardless.
"What did he mean 'not worthy?'" Kaito asked.
"It means he thinks he's better than us."
"Us?"
"All of Jakai. You see, he's not from here. His name is Eiji and he's the former Emperor of Chaiku."
"Chaiku."
The name sounded familiar, but he couldn't think of where. The inkling probably came from one of Yuri's history lessons, trying to work its way back to the forefront of his mind. She always did have a knack for studying the past. If only there was a better way to teach it.
"Listen, Kaito, it's very important you don't tell Eiji who you are. His … culture doesn't take too kindly to what the Jakain people have done in the Kachaku's absence."
Of course, he thought. Jakai was a colony of Chaiku.
"Kaito, promise me?"
There was worry in her voice, but it didn't all come from this particular set of circumstances. Something else bothered her. It appeared to be eating away at her from the inside.
"Is there anything you want to tell me, Mayumi?"
She wiped a forming tear from one of her eyes and sniffled. "No, I'm fine. Just promise me you won't tell Eiji who you are."
Kaito nodded and wondered, in the back of his mind, why telling Eiji who he was mattered in the first place.
Chapter Twelve
Yuri was half-awake. The meaningless chatter around town would have driven her mad, but she found herself not caring about it, mostly due to lack of sleep. News of Jin’s death spread quick. Worried whispers and bold statements of murder came soon after. Faster than expected.
She walked along the central market street, gripping the painting of the thrush in her hand and the note Jin left for Kaito in the other. Right now she was going through the motions. One foot after another. She didn’t care about the latest rumors surrounding Jin’s death. All
"I was just …”
"Not you. Him ." She pointed at the ship captain. "I can't leave you alone for two seconds and you're already filling the boy's head with lies."
"Lies? How is scholarly work going to prepare him for the real world of a ninjobi? Why are you even teaching him? The only reason I tried teaching you was …"
"Don't give me that same excuse. You wanted to train my sister, but you got stuck with me. You had to take an apprentice or else you'd lose your title. Why didn't you just re-marry? I'm sure the women lined up to be with you. If not for you, then definitely for the money."
Kaito blinked. He wondered how much he know about this woman? Everything these past few weeks, seemed to not even scratch the surface of her past. And now this ship captain's past was creeping up in interest for Kaito.
"You know why I couldn't marry."
"Didn't, yes, but there's always a choice. You just chose not to make it, because of your stupid, idiotic …"
"Enough!" he shouted. "If you want your apprentice to die, be my guest. You two aren't even worth my time. You aren't fit to learn the true ways of the ninjobi."
Mayumi grabbed Kaito by the arm and dragged him away from the captain. The two of them left without saying another word. Kaito could feel the tension between them. His body shook in anticipation as he half-expected one of them to attack the other. When neither did, Kaito relaxed. The fear remained, however, masked by a thin layer of hope as he remembered his father's advice on being a good ruler.
"Why do you hate him so much?" he asked.
"Because he wanted me to the kill the one I loved. Said it would …" She swallowed. "Complete my training. I don't want you to have to live with a decision like that."
Kaito turned away and looked at the man. He agreed with both Mayumi and the ship captain. Of course he did so on two different points. On the one hand he understood Mayumi's lack of empathy for the man, but to limit himself to her way of training? And she was the one who said he was stubborn. Hypocrisy aside, he didn't have much choice. It seemed the ship captain wouldn't help him, regardless.
"What did he mean 'not worthy?'" Kaito asked.
"It means he thinks he's better than us."
"Us?"
"All of Jakai. You see, he's not from here. His name is Eiji and he's the former Emperor of Chaiku."
"Chaiku."
The name sounded familiar, but he couldn't think of where. The inkling probably came from one of Yuri's history lessons, trying to work its way back to the forefront of his mind. She always did have a knack for studying the past. If only there was a better way to teach it.
"Listen, Kaito, it's very important you don't tell Eiji who you are. His … culture doesn't take too kindly to what the Jakain people have done in the Kachaku's absence."
Of course, he thought. Jakai was a colony of Chaiku.
"Kaito, promise me?"
There was worry in her voice, but it didn't all come from this particular set of circumstances. Something else bothered her. It appeared to be eating away at her from the inside.
"Is there anything you want to tell me, Mayumi?"
She wiped a forming tear from one of her eyes and sniffled. "No, I'm fine. Just promise me you won't tell Eiji who you are."
Kaito nodded and wondered, in the back of his mind, why telling Eiji who he was mattered in the first place.
Chapter Twelve
Yuri was half-awake. The meaningless chatter around town would have driven her mad, but she found herself not caring about it, mostly due to lack of sleep. News of Jin’s death spread quick. Worried whispers and bold statements of murder came soon after. Faster than expected.
She walked along the central market street, gripping the painting of the thrush in her hand and the note Jin left for Kaito in the other. Right now she was going through the motions. One foot after another. She didn’t care about the latest rumors surrounding Jin’s death. All
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