| [Mar. 5th, 2018|04:12 am] |
“You could. She’d probably be grateful, making a fresh start with young kids,” Raidou said. He leaned forward, releasing Genma and Kurenai. “She’d have an easier road with proof of her skills, though. We can get her brewing tools from Tanigawa, but you’re the only one with her sake.”
Himself swirled the sake in his cup thoughtfully, while Genma frowned, Kurenai stayed expressionless, and Raidou contemplated the series of choices that had led to negotiating in a bathtub.
“I suppose we don’t need all one-hundred and eighty seven casks,” Himself said at last. “Very well. Ten for Harubi, one for the five of you, and one for your Daimyou. I think that’s more than fair.”
Genma’s face lightened. Kurenai’s lips curved.
“The sake is for you to drink,” Himself added sharply. “No giving your cask to the Daimyou. I’ll give you another scroll to make that clear. ‘Wealth shared with the deserving comes back a hundredfold.’ ”
“‘The generous enrich themselves by giving,’ ” Raidou quoted back, and dipped his head. “Your gesture is appreciated. Thank you.”
Genma tugged the floating tray over and filled the two remaining sake cups. He didn’t have Kurenai’s flawless grace, but his wrists were lean and golden under the lantern light. Water droplets slid from his fingertips as he raised a toast. “To generosity, and our very kind host.”
Himself echoed the gesture, ageless and silver in his temporary form. Raidou tipped his own cup and took a chilled swallow of Harubi’s gift. The sake went down like distilled peace, radiating calm from his core to his skin, and a thought occurred.
“Will the effect remain in our world?” Raidou asked. “Or will the sake go back to its, uh, normal self?”
Himself winked. “A little something extra may have flavored this batch when we opened the cask. The sealed ones are probably more ordinary, if just as tasty.”
“So much for peace in the Daimyou’s court,” Kurenai murmured.
“Peace in the Daimyou’s court is even more mythical than tanuki,” Genma said, studying his empty cup. He placed it back on the tray, gave a happy little sigh, and sank down into the steaming water until it touched his chin.
Since the Daimyou’s court had recently exploded, Raidou allowed that Genma had a point. He set his own cup down and leaned back against the smooth stone, which managed to radiate even more heat than the steaming water. It was a little like a burning massage; his muscles were incapable of staying tense.
Genma, safely returned on his left, and Kurenai, a study of ink and snow on his right, went a long way towards grounding the sense of alcoholic tranquility into something genuinely real. Since they were naked and the leader of a transdimensional band of thieves was watching them all like a fascinating set of butterflies he hadn't quite gotten around to pinning, Raidou kept his hands to himself, but more than a few smoky thoughts drifted by.
He crossed one ankle carefully over the other knee, and addressed Himself. "If you don't mind me asking, why don't your people and the wolves get along?”
Himself rolled his neck with a crackle of vertebrae and sighed. “You did meet them, right? Would you get along with them? Imagine having to live next door to those arrogant, uncultured brutes for sixteen hundred years. You’ll notice there are hardly any shrines to them, but why would there be? They never answer prayers.” |
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