The cool night air seemed to calm her troubled thoughts, after a moment, Akiko sighed. Seimei"s words had rea.s.sured her a little. The nagging thought persisted at the back of her mind. Was she just seeking any excuse to shed her burden of guilt?
Seimei quietly observed her expression and smiled at her as she turned to look at him.
"Don"t worry, my child. I"ve just received an order from the palace to pray for Shouko"s recovery. I"ll do everything in my power to help her regain her health. "
"Really?" Akiko looked up, eyes distant.
Seimei nodded sincerely, and then looked over meaningfully at Tenitsu. She acknowledged with a nod and stood, quietly approaching the pair.
"That"s enough for tonight, Princess, please take care to rest early."
Akiko nodded without protest and stood, pulling her robes tighter around her shoulders.
"Good night then" She bowed to Seimei and after a pause, waved to her small audience of mononoke as well. "Sleep well !"
Seimei nodded to her as she turned away, watching as she disappeared around the corner in the direction of her own quarters.
The courtyard gradually quieted as the a.s.sembled mononoke wandered off, and the night returned to it"s quiet chorus of crickets.
The small ape-like mononoke and the horned mononoke had been the last to leave. Suzaku had glared at them as she scampered over the wall.
"Those guys getting too comfortable with all this." he scowled.
Seimei didn"t answer. He looked down, knitting his brows, face becoming troubled again. Of" course, the cancellation of Shouko"s imperial induction ceremony , was no fault of Akiko.... nor did it have anything to do with Shouko"s illness. Leaning back, he lifted his head to the night sky, his gaze lost in the boundless sea of stars.
"The stars trailing Polaris have darkened."
A dark aura, it"s presence undetected has made it"s way into the palace to settle beside Princess Shouko. A malice intended not for the emperor, but for Shouko herself.
To protect Shouko, it was imperative to find the source of the aura. Shouko"s place in the palace has not yet been establish, should anything befall her, the position of the Fujiwara family would be affected. But in the end, he would do all in his power to protect her, even if only to keep his promise to Akiko.
Seimei stood with a sigh, still lost in thought.
What if Shouko"s fam...........!
He grimaced suddenly as a sharp pain shot through his chest, his breath hitching in his throat at the sudden attack. His hand shot up to press against his chest, in a desperate attempt to steady his breathing as he staggered forward on unsteady feet.
"Lord Seimei ?"
"Seimei !!"
Alarmed the two shinshou were on their feet instantly, but Seimei waved them off, drying the sudden sweat at his forehead with his sleeve.
And as quickly as it appeared, the pain was gone.
Behind him, Suzaku and Tenitsu stood, shocked and speechless. After a moment, Seimei turned towards them and offered a weak smile.
"Perhaps my soul separation technique is harder on me than I thought."
Since last summer, Seimei had begun to frequently use the soul separation technique, tearing his soul from body, and allowing it to travel independently. A difficult technique that has taken a heavy toll on his aged body.
"You"re not young any more. Please don"t press yourself so hard. If our master loses his health.... then................................"
Tenitsu looked away, unable to continue on. At her side, Suzaku gazed at Seimei silently, his expression troubled.
Seimei merely sighed, and then smiled with difficulty.
"You"re right."
[i]I must survive long enough for Masahiro to a.s.sume my place. Otherwise, even if I pa.s.s on, there will be no rest for me. [/i] The thought trailed into his consciousness as he lifted his gaze into the western sky.
Far beyond the western horizon, the grandson that will take his place, his other grandson, the Shinshou and the white creature with the crimson eyes.........
"Please return soon...."