Tsuki ✔️COMPLETE

Chapter 4: Kirizuma Castle

West Coast, Jiritsu

Almost ten thousand miles from home, Takumi was freezing cold. It was spring here apparently, although he never would have guessed it. There was snow, something he had never seen before. Takumi had decided the novelty of it had well and truly worn off.

He had spent the last few days relaxing in a hot springs inn with his new 'colleagues', dunking his head and turning the dripping water to icicles in the cold air. There was no one here around his age. In fact, there was easily a ten year age gap between him and the next youngest.

Shirono appeared to be in his mid twenties but had an immature, callous energy around him. Takumi often found himself feeling the need to avoid him, but if they were going to work for the same superior he would have to make it work.

Shirono did not seem to mind the cold, having been born in a large country across the sea and further north where it only got colder. So far north, the people grew so pale that even their hair turned white, their eyes a pale amber.

People there wanted to look like him, he had said. Such paleness showed good breeding and fortitude to survive in and rule over the tundra. Takumi wondered what Shirono thought of his own skin and hair colour, but he had a feeling he already knew.

Takumi was lanky, like a lot of sixteen year olds. He noticed his shoulders were starting to get broad and there was a little dark fuzz on his chin. Not enough to really do anything with. He wondered if he looked like his father at his age. He wished he could talk to him, or his mother.

Most of his life he had been raised by his uncle back home in Migiue, a privileged life, but still not the one he wanted. His aunt was his mother's sister, but she had also passed. Just an example of how sickness can spread through a family like wildfire. No one knew she was contagious until his aunt became sick too. Somehow, by some miracle, he survived the illness while only an infant. For a long time it was just him, his two cousins, and his uncle.

"Shake a leg, string bean." came a voice from over his shoulder. Shirono. He looked like he had been sculpted from white marble, two gems laid in his eyes. He had boyish good looks, disguising a mean streak a mile wide.

Lingering silently a few steps behind Shirono, as always, was a second man. He had a stern look behind his spectacles but Takumi knew him to be soft spoken and very precise in everything he did.

Chikuroshi was exceptionally ordinary looking, neither tall nor short, thin nor stocky, pale or dark. His dark brown hair was parted at the side neatly, his uniform without creases, and he walked unsettlingly quiet. He often wore a pair of narrow, wire spectacles, though usually while reading. He read a lot in his down time. A stiff black sash was tied around his waist, his uniform belt decoratively tied over it more as an accessory.

The sash secured three scabbards on his left hip, each one longer than the last, and one scabbard to his right. The trio of swords had hilts that matched, all beautifully ornate with silver, streaked agate fixtures and black bindings.The blades curved gently and hung perfectly parallel together. Takumi could only describe the set as a dagger, a shortsword and a longsword.

A longer sword was on his right hip and it stood out, a much older piece with worn wrappings and a mosaic of red precious stones in the hand guard. The blade was straight. It looked so much different from the others and Takumi was intensely curious about it.

"Alright, coming." Takumi said, reaching for a bathrobe. A serving lady had placed it there for him an hour or so ago. She had not looked at him, her gaze never meeting his eyes even when he thanked her. She was scared. They all were scared of their current clientele. Nine strange men and one woman were occupying the entire inn and sending the other visitors fleeing.