Kachiko's eyes were fixed on the horizon where the sinking sun bled its crimson color over the countryside, the only sound in the room the steady breath of the body that lay sleeping behind her in the silken covers. She looked across the fields of her husband's Empire, remembering the events that had led her to the alliance she was forced to make, and the actions of the man who forced her to make them.
"Toturi." She whispered the name with a voice edged with hate and venom. "Only you, Toturi. The rest of them are driven by pride. Only you understand the purity of honor."
She took a deep breath, the cool evening air slipping through her teeth. Then she smiled. "But you have provided me with something I did not have before. Now I have what I need to take the Lion's heart into my hand, and I shall squeeze it until the Lady Matsu begs me to let it go." She coiled her fingers into a fist as her eyelids dropped and her voice dropped to a slight whisper. "And then I will have you too, Toturi. You will be mine, body and soul."
Kachiko heard a stirring behind her and she turned from the sunset, letting the crimson light fall about her silhouette. She let her gaze fall across the figure in her bed and her smile turned to milk and honey. "You are awake," she said. "Very good my Lord. I have much to tell you."
"I have much to tell you," the man answered.
She stepped across the floor, her footsteps making no sound against the nightingale floor. "The first thing we must speak of is the revelation of your true allegiance."
He nodded. "Of course."
She reached the edge of the bed and put her hands on either side of his legs. "You and yours have long been associated with my Clan."
"Only by rumor," he answered.
"Soon, all rumors will be confirmed."
She drew closer and he reached up to caress her cheek. "Yes," she whispered. "And the Lion Clan will learn why it is unwise to tempt the wrath of the Scorpion..."
"And the Kolat," he said, his breath soft against her cheek.
"And the Kolat," she echoed. As he wrapped his arms around her, she thought of the two Lions again and she laughed. Soon, she thought. I cannot crush their armies so I will crush their hearts.
"Toturi." She whispered the name with a voice edged with hate and venom. "Only you, Toturi. The rest of them are driven by pride. Only you understand the purity of honor."
She took a deep breath, the cool evening air slipping through her teeth. Then she smiled. "But you have provided me with something I did not have before. Now I have what I need to take the Lion's heart into my hand, and I shall squeeze it until the Lady Matsu begs me to let it go." She coiled her fingers into a fist as her eyelids dropped and her voice dropped to a slight whisper. "And then I will have you too, Toturi. You will be mine, body and soul."
Kachiko heard a stirring behind her and she turned from the sunset, letting the crimson light fall about her silhouette. She let her gaze fall across the figure in her bed and her smile turned to milk and honey. "You are awake," she said. "Very good my Lord. I have much to tell you."
"I have much to tell you," the man answered.
She stepped across the floor, her footsteps making no sound against the nightingale floor. "The first thing we must speak of is the revelation of your true allegiance."
He nodded. "Of course."
She reached the edge of the bed and put her hands on either side of his legs. "You and yours have long been associated with my Clan."
"Only by rumor," he answered.
"Soon, all rumors will be confirmed."
She drew closer and he reached up to caress her cheek. "Yes," she whispered. "And the Lion Clan will learn why it is unwise to tempt the wrath of the Scorpion..."
"And the Kolat," he said, his breath soft against her cheek.
"And the Kolat," she echoed. As he wrapped his arms around her, she thought of the two Lions again and she laughed. Soon, she thought. I cannot crush their armies so I will crush their hearts.
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