Tsuki ✔️COMPLETE

Chapter 20: Daio

Jiritsu Coast, Jiritsu

The newest member of Nisshoku finally arrived. Bad weather on the mainland and suspicion of travellers amongst neighbouring countries had made travel difficult, but the young man had eventually disembarked at the coastline of Jiritsu. Takumi and Tasetsumoto were both sent to meet him and travel back to the castle with him by carriage.

It was wet. The snow was melting on the lowlands. Snowdrops, lupines and crocuses burst up from their stone garden beds in vibrant white, purples, pinks and yellows. They burned like multi-coloured flames against the regenerating jade grass and ebony soil. The magnolia and mandarin orange trees near Takumi's window had started to bloom before his eyes. The flowers tempted the bees brought by the old Collector woman's twin daughters.

For once, Takumi felt totally at ease with their presence, knowing that they had a special connection to those girls like pets, and had no interest in stinging anymore. They crawled on the waxed paper screens so calmly he expected he could reach out and stroke their furry bodies.

He dodged another puddle, able to smell the sea on the cold breeze. It stung his nose a little, but was not unpleasant. It was brisk, refreshing even. The smooth paving stones tilted outwards slightly to run the water off them, but the road's gutters were at their limits with snowmelt, ice and spring rain.

It was not a far walk to the dock, but the weather made it an unsteady one. Their carriage would wait for them up on the main street where it was less steep than the coast.

"How will we know what this man looks like?" Takumi asked.

"He's been told to wear white and a black belt." Setsu explained. "Other than that, he's a young man about your age. Dark hair, dark eyes, probably a similar skin colour to me. He's from a nation bordering the north-eastern part of my home country."

"You never told me where you were from." Takumi recalled.

"Ethnically, I'm Yuyang, one of the native ethnic groups from Xhizheng, but I've been everywhere. He's Yevreyska, from Yevrey province. Very different language to mine. Xhizheng's such a huge place that the language has many distinct dialects, but most people adopted Proper for the ease of business and governance."

"That's really interesting." Takumi mused. "I've seen maps from long ago and the borders of Xhizheng have only expanded. If I remember correctly, Yevrey is a more recent conquest."

"We had emperors who warred a lot for over a thousand years. Yuyang, Yevrey, even Eon-eo. That's a whole different country now. Rulers tend to prefer their subjects homogenise to their cultural lifestyles, and when you have a new emperor every decade or two you end up with a delightful melting pot of cultures and stories."

"Migiue used to be like that too. The Great Slave King established the dynasty that ruled for several generations, all the way up to King Kinjiki."

"Whom your uncle, King Shuiro, usurped." Setsu contributed.

Takumi's stomach jumped a little.

It was strange for someone from across the world to know his family's personal history, not just his own country's. It made sense, he supposed. Most people were more interested in the rulers of countries rather than anyone else, after all.

"Yeah." he croaked. "Before I was born."

"Is he from your mother or father's side?"

"My mother was his wife's sister."

"Ah, his sister-in-law. It makes sense. Magic in humans is matrilineal after all."

That fact seemed to come up a lot. Collectors' magic came from the mother or grandmother. It was said to him so often it had to be true. He had become quite certain that his mother and his aunt were Collectors, meaning Rubi and Hiiro had magic in their blood just like him. If he and Rubi were married, gods and throne-succession forbid, there was a good likelihood that their children would be too.