The Outen cutoff had collapsed.
Ameko stared, distraught, as Jer continued his conversation with the local man. "It'd be impossible for anyone, man or cart, to get through right now. The tunnel's completely collapsed."
"How long will it take to fix?"
"A month, maybe more. It depends on the weather, for one. It's frightful up in the mountains around this time of the year."
"All right, thank you. Has anything else happened to the roads around here?" Jer made a mark on his map.
"Nope. Course, there isn't any other pass through to Mayama for several days in each direction, so it's not like there's much to collapse."
"Ame, are you all right?" Nikado asked worriedly as he laid a hand on her shoulder.
"I need a moment to think." She'd become complacent, she cursed herself, starting to feel at ease among the friendly members of the caravan, and now she'd lost sight of her escape, her way away from Shiou and the prophecy both. The pass she had considered days before was now even further away, and the nearest in the direction she was heading was still several days away, and past a major city. Traveling was starting to make her nervous; every town they had stopped in along the way had something to say about the missing noblewoman of Rahiro. It was only a matter of time before someone found out, and she couldn't decide which worried her more: a stranger finding out, or the caravan finding out.
"Ame," he murmured to her, putting a hand on her shoulder. "It's all right. You can stay with us until we find a way around."
"Mayama's no good any more," she said with a shake of her head. "I need to see a map and think about which destination is the best."
Nikado frowned, but knew not to question what she was running from further. "Ame, it's...not about the faith, right? Then why can't you stay with us?" he asked, bringing back a map from Jer.
"It'd be impossible. He'd find me eventually. The convent is the only place I can go that he can't touch me, even if he knows I'm there. I have to hurry," she muttered.
"Can't I convince you otherwise?" he asked quietly. "If you left...I'd miss you. A lot."
"I'm sorry," she apologized, and she meant it. Somehow, the "stupid" man had become a friend, someone she could confide in, even if it was only a little. "Neither of us has the strength for that."
"Yes we do," he insisted. "People become as strong as they need to be, to protect what's important to them. You're important to me, Ame. I don't want to see you go."
"What are we looking at maps for?" Talira asked, peering over her brother's shoulder. "Our course is already decided. We're going to circle through Ijihima and then cut through the end of the mountains to Kayane, which will take us to Mayama."
"It's okay. Don't bother going to Mayama for me," she told Talira. "I'm changing my destination."
"You're such a flake," she sighed, "changing your mind like that after we bust ass trying to accommodate you. Like a damn princess."
"I'm not!" she snapped, the volume in her voice surprising even herself. Nikado and Talira both paused, looking at her. "Sorry. I didn't mean to snap."
"Let's leave her be," Nikado said to his sister. "This is important to her."
"Whatever," she growled, walking off. "All right folks, we're getting ready to move, let's get things assembled!"
"Here, you walk with me today," Nikado offered, rolling up the map. "We'll think of something."
"I'm sorry to get you involved in this, Nikado. It's my burden."
"Silly girl, nothing about you is a burden to me," he chuckled. "Keep your chin up and have a canteen. Shall we go?"
Ameko's mood didn't improve as they walked, even with Nikado doing his best to make her smile or laugh. She barely heard his jokes, drawn into herself as she thought about the situation. Why did convents all have to be so remote? There was one past the city of Ijihima, she thought, over in the duchy of Juniba, but that place was wracked with problems like monsters and unrest, so there wasn't even an assurance that it would still be there. Stupid Juniba brothers, she thought to herself, annoyed. Even when they weren't trying to win her over, they were still causing problems.
"Ame? Are you listening?" Nikado shook her shoulder, and she blinked, looking over at him. "I said I have a bad feeling."
"Why?"
"The birds have gone quiet," he said in a low tone, looking around. "I think that--"
A cry came from the other side of the caravan, Nikado cursing. "Ame, you go, I'll guard the left flank!"
She nodded, drawing her sword as she moved between two of the carts, looking around. "Halt!" she shouted as she saw the man, ducking as he threw a dart at her. Talira was crouched on the ground, glaring dangerously at the bandit. "Surrender, or you're dead!"
He met her eyes and smirked, then jumped back, quickly fading into the woods. "Damn it!" Keeping her sword in hand, she went over to Talira, grabbing her arm. "What happened?"
"Jumped us with those darts," she growled. "I'm gonna...." Her knees gave way as Ameko tried to help her up, the younger woman falling to the ground.
"Talira!" Ameko looked around, not so sure the bandit wouldn't be back. "There was only one? Nikado, bring the left flank around here, we need assistance!"
The rest of the caravan quickly came flooding in, Nikado immediately kneeling by his sister. "Talira, what's wrong?"
"It's damn poison, what do you think is wrong?" she snapped.
Nikado bit his lip, looking around and seeing that Aizaem was on the ground as well, struck by a dart. "Jer, get into the infirmary and go through Aizaem's books. We need an antidote. I'll look for the symptoms."
"Nikado, there's no time," Ameko said gently, putting a hand on his arm.
"There's no way in hell I'm giving up," he told her, looking up at her with an unusual fierceness in his dark blue eyes. "I'm never giving up on them."
"I know, but that isn't the right way." Somehow, she felt a cool calmness echo inside her, as if it no longer mattered. "Bring them all to a central location. Keep them laying down, but get them close together. Quickly!"
He looked at her in confusion, but did not question her, grabbing Aizaem and placing him next to her sister. Ameko looped her hands under another man's arms, dragging him over, and the other members quickly joined in. "Good, that ought to be good," she said, tension in her voice as she rubbed her hands together. "Now stand back."
"What are you going to--" Nikado cut himself off as Ameko put her hands together, sliding them over each other as her skin took on a silvery glow. The aura spread around her from where she was standing, covering the poisoned members of the caravan. That's right. Purge the body of this unnatural thing. Restore the purity of their true form.
The silver light became blinding to her, and she stumbled, dropping to one knee as it faded, leaving her seeing spots. "Ame!" Nikado said in alarm, putting a hand under her arm supportingly. "That was...will they be all right, now?"
He knew, he had to have known that was noble magic, the magic of purification. "They'll be fine, Nikado. They're all right now."
"Well, shucks, wish we'd known you could do that," Anko commented after a moment. "Would have saved us some herbs and worry."
"It doesn't matter. What matters is that my family's going to be okay," Nikado murmured, pulling her into a tight hug. "Ame is Ame, it doesn't matter exactly who you are or where you're from. To us, you're Ame, and you just did a great thing."
She let out a little sigh, patting his shoulder. "We need to pull them inside and let them rest. Do you think the mules can carry them, Jer?"
"Possibly, but not that far without straining themselves."
"I don't think it's a good idea to remain here. Even if it's not that far, we should leave," she told him urgently.
"I agree. Quickly, let's load up the injured," Jer instructed before picking up his younger brother to take him into the infirmary. "Spread them out as best we can."
Slowly, the cart got moving again, although Ameko's expression remained troubled. "What do you think he was trying to do?" Nikado asked. "Weaken us?"
"Probably. We're on our guard now, though. Even with his darts, he'll have a hard time taking all of us down. I think he's probably alone," she said. "Otherwise he'd probably attack while we're moving."
"When do you think he'll attack, then?"
"When it's dark. Damn it," she cursed. "Hand me the map, I need to see if there's any better location to set up camp. We need some place defensible, but how? This is one man, not an army."
"Agile, too. He's all hit and run," Nikado scowled. "We need a trap, something to slow him down."
"But what? How can we lure him in? He's probably going to be sniping at us from the distance."
"We'll circle the wagons," Nikado said. "We'll fill in the gaps with rocks. Have the wounded inside and have them lock the doors. How long do you think it'll be before they're recovered?"
"Too long, in this case. They'll be fine by morning and probably awake by tonight, but we have to survive til then. So we'll set up a wall against him, then what?"
"If we do it right, the only way to get at us is from above," Nikado said. "Pick an open spot. He'll have to come onto the carts to attack. Put tar on top of the carts.
"Good idea. We'll get started on that right away."
Her heart was pounding, and yet somehow, she felt secure. The plan she and Nikado had come up with would work, she was confident. At any rate, it was the best they had. "It's quiet out there," he murmured, "and so late. Should we take turns sleeping?"
"Probably. He's probably waiting for that, though. Damn, if I'd been thinking about that, I would have told people to get some sleep already," she groaned.
"We needed everyone for our wall," he pointed out, looking up.
Ameko looked over at him as he rubbed at his eye. "What'd you do?"
"Nothing. Just got dirt in my eye. Achoo! And in my nose too, apparently."
"Sand!" she realized. "He's onto us, he's up there!" Without waiting, she drew her sword, jumping onto the ladder on the side of one of the carts.
A loop of rope circled around her, dragging her upwards and into the sandy glue. "Hi there," the bandit from before greeted in a soft tone, putting a knife to her neck. "Now how about you tell your friend not to come up here, or he'll be getting your head back. I want a word with you."
"Nikado, stay down there," she called out.
"Ame, what happened?! Are you okay?"
"No, but give me a minute, I'm working on it," she grunted. "What do you want with me?"
"It's not me that wants you," he said with a smile. "Our lord Shiou would like his wife to come back home."
Her heart felt like it was about to leap out of her chest. So she was the target. He knew. "So that was a test before, then? There was no reason to get them involved."
"Anyone near you is going to be involved, my Queen. It's pure inevitability. Now, are you going to come back home, or shall I start giving you reasons to come back?"
"Go to hell," she told him, sounding braver than she felt. "I am not his wife. I'm on a pilgrimage. Is this how he treats women of faith?"
"Nice try, but you don't count until you're there and have taken the vows," he laughed. "If you won't come willingly, I'll have to make you. On your feet, and no funny moves. I would hate to stab a queen."
She got to her feet, wary of the knife at her neck as she considered the situation. "Ame!" Nikado shouted as she stepped into view.
"Listen up, boy, and all of you," the bandit said from behind her, keeping his knife to her throat. "This woman before you is none other than Lady Ameko Satoka, the daughter of the Duke Akito of Rahiro. This is the girl that betrayed her duchy and her king. This is the girl that the duke suffers in vain for."
"I don't know what you're talking about," she snapped, feeling a surge of panic inside at his words. She couldn't bear to look down at Nikado, to see what he might think.
"Oh, that's right, the little traitor doesn't know about her father, does she? Poor Duke Akito," the bandit said in a singsong tone. "Jailed and tortured in the darkest dungeons of the king for his daughter's crimes. Did you really think he would go unscathed?"
"You're lying!"
"It's no lie. Why don't you continue to Ijihima and find out? Ask anyone you like. The word is everywhere."
She could feel her heart sinking in her chest as she sagged in his grip, biting her lip. Had she been right after all, that it would have been better never to have cared for him, and he in return?
"Ame!" Nikado pulled himself up a ladder, climbing onto the roof. "You bastard, let her go or I swear I'll kill you."
"I'm not done yet," he sniffed, "and I have no intention of killing the lady as long as my hand isn't forced."
"I don't give a damn what you say," Nikado growled, the burning light of the fire reflected in his eyes. "You hurt my sister. You're mine."
"I'll give you til you reach Ijihima," he whispered to Ameko, "and then I'll start killing them. Let's just see how many will suffer for the brave, noble princess. Oh, don't worry, I think he'll be last," the bandit said, running his blade along the edge of her neck lovingly. "He makes such a beautiful expression."
"I said," Nikado said, drawing his dagger and flicking it across his own hand, drawing blood. "Let her go, or I'll kill you." He ran his finger along the injured hand, making a shape.
"I don't see what you can--Augh!" The knife dropped from his hands as the bandit stumbled back, clawing at his face. "My eyes, oh god, my eyes! What have you done?!"
Bloodmagic, she realized. A dangerous magic that was thought to be gone from the hunting of the ones that held it. "You'll still live," Nikado growled, "and you can regain your sight if you seek help quickly. Get out of here, and don't you dare show your face again."
He stumbled backwards, dropping off the edge of the cart. Hitting the ground awkwardly, he ran for the trees as best he could, one hand still over his face. Nikado lowered his eyes, wiping his hand off on the tail of his shirt. "Sorry you had to see that."
"No. It's I who should be sorry," she whispered, walking over to him and putting a hand on his arm. "I'm so sorry. I've put everyone in danger. And...I'm sorry I couldn't tell you."
He pulled her into his arms, stroking her hair. "Ame is Ame. Whatever name you want to go by, it doesn't matter to me. It's you that I care about, not your lineage."
They were words that she wanted to hear, and yet, the timing couldn't have been worse. She leaned her head against his shoulder, holding onto him tightly. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
"That little bastard!" Talira's irate voice yelled from below. "Give me a half decent shot and I'll nail his ass."
"Let's just focus on getting some rest," Jer told her. "You can be on night watch, since you're so eager."
"Are you okay?" Nikado asked her quietly.
"You always ask me that," she murmured softly. "And I always tell you I'm fine."
"But are you?"
She didn't answer, pressing her cheek to his shoulder. No, Nikado, I'm not okay. Because I think I'm in love with you.
