"I received this, yesterday," she said. "This is what prompted me to seek you on the Wall." She handed the scroll over to Ranma, who glanced at her quizically before opening it.
"This..." he started with a cold voice.
"It is in-"
"Milady!" a voice called from outside, both Ranma and Kyoko recognized the voice of her servant and Ranma quickly rolled the scroll up and hid it as the servant came in. "You must come quickly! There is a woman saying terrible things about the clan! OH! Oh my!" The servant gasped as she burst into the room and immediately averted her eyes.
"Do not barge into my room as such again!" Kyoko insisted. "And what nonsense are you babbling woman?"
"A woman claiming to be a Scorpion has arrived," the woman said nervously. "And she claims the clan is making war on the Empire! Such could not be true!" She sounded certain of that, though her lady's silence brought that to a question. "Milady?"
"Is her name Soshi Konomi, or Bayushi Nori?" Kyoko asked. The servant gasped and looked up at that question, and was relieved to note that her lady and the crab were dressed.
"Milady..." she stammered. "Her name was Bayushi Nori. Milady, what does this mean? You already know her name?"
"It means the Daimyo has taken our clan upon a dangerous path," Kyoko said softly, trusting her servant. Then she and Ranma left the room.
****
Kisada smiled as Bayushi Kyoko came into the room, until he saw Ranma with her. That could be troublesome. He sighed and continued with his plans. Normally he was not given to believe the mutterings of every random wanderer, but considering his son's revelation...and the unwanted connection with Kyoko, he was living to give Nori a little more credence than usual.
"Well, Scorpion," he said, regaining his smile. "I am hearing interesting things about your clan from this pair." Kyoko remained silent for a long time and then looked to Ranma. Taking comfort in her beloved's supporting glance she stepped forward.
"Might I hear what Bayushi-san has to say?" she asked nervously.
"Indeed," Kisada said and gestured toward Nori. A distasteful look crossed Nori's face. Obviously this direly important piece of information was being used in the Daimyo's own personal agenda. That did not sit well with her.
A muffled grunt from her companion reminded her of something else, and she eyed the clothwrapped sword cautiously. Ryokoi had not explained why he had wrapped the sword, only that he did not want the Crabs to see it if not necessary.
That was enough information for Nori to identify the blade, and the knowledge filled her with dread.
"I am not Bayushi Nori," she started. "I am pledged to the ronin Ryokoi, all my loyalty to him, second only to the Emporer, in exchange for bringing me safely here. He has done so, and I will fulfil my end of the bargain. I am merely Nori now."
Kyoko winced and nodded, understanding the gesture, she had just made the same choice, after all. For some reason, her love was looking over both newcomers as if he recognized them from somewhere. It was a strange look she had been seeing frequently in him of late.
And Nori told them what she knew, at the mention of the name Shosuro Koshinke she felt all the blood drain from her body. She dropped to her knees, quickly catching at Ranma's arms as he caught her.
"Stop," she said. "You need go no further. Shosuro Koshinke is an assassin...and lacks the temperment for anything else." Kisada stood upright in his chair.
"You confirm what she says then?" he asked in disbelief. Ranma looked to Kyoko who nodded quickly as he helped her to her feet.
"Kyoko delivered this message to me," Ranma said, withdrawing the scroll. "This is why she came to the wall." Kisada frowned as he took the scroll and read it.
Nori glanced to Kyoko and wondered, if she should just have let herself be killed, if all of this were for nothing because another of her former clan's members had determined that this coup was foolishness. She sighed and countered that, no, to do otherwise, to be less diligent would have been to be untrue to her oaths as a Scorpion. She had done what was needed.
"Providing this to us betrays your clan," Kisada accused grimmly.
"The true oath of a Scorpion is loyalty to the Empire," Kyoko said softly. "Loyalty to the clan is second to that." Nori shared an approving look with Kyoko as that was said.
See other episodes by Thrythlind
(Posted Thu, 07 Nov 2002 22:56)
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