To Morwen Eleriel, From Enki ♥ (Part 1)
Title: The Rune-caster (Part 1)
Author: Enki (ldydragon7)
Recipient: Miro (morwen_eleriel)
Series: Tsubasa RC (MKR cameos)
Characters/Pairing: Fai/Kurogane, some Sakura/Syaoran (very slight Hikaru/Lantis)
Rating: PG/PG-13ish
Warnings: Slight spoilers for Fai’s past.
Author’s Notes: This AU is set during the Heian age of Japan and the Viking age of Scandinavia, about the 900s. While I tried to keep this as historically accurate as I could, I am shamelessly playing around with geography. For purposes of plot I moved Scandinavia to the east of Russia, thus putting it almost directly north of Japan.
It was dark, clouds hiding the moon and stars. Kurogane closed his eyes, tilted his head back and concentrated on his other senses. He held his body loose and relaxed, letting it sway with the gentle motion of the wooden deck beneath his feet. A cold, damp wind blew, molding his heavy, fur cloak to his body; he could feel the salt heavy in the air, stinging his face. Behind him he heard the sailors moving along the deck, pulling on ropes, cursing and calling out orders. But it all seemed strangely muffled by the darkness and the heavy, wet air.
Soft, unfamiliar, rolling footsteps approached him, Kurogane’s body tensed imperceptibly. As the footsteps drew up behind him, he unsheathed his sword and spun. He opened his eyes.
The sailor yelped and threw up his empty hands. Kurogane’s blade lay lightly across the man’s throat. Kurogane held still, waiting.
The sailor swallowed heavily and stammered, “P... Please excuse the interruption, but the Princess--”
Kurogane cleared his throat meaningfully.
“--That is, the Envoy... has awoken and requests your presence at breakfast.”
Kurogane sheathed his sword in a single, fluid motion and stalked past the sailor. He carefully picked his way across the deck, eyes searching the shadows that lay between the areas lit by covered lanterns. He could hear the whispers start up behind him.
“They say he is a demon.”
“A demon.”
“He must be.”
“Only Princess Tsukuyomi can control him.”
“Quiet! He’ll hear you.”
A small smirk curved his lips. Let them think that. It meant they wouldn’t try to bother him. And if those rumors reached the ears of their soon-to-be hosts, all the better. They would be less likely to try to harm his Princess.
Below decks a room had been converted for the princess’s comfort while traveling. Covered lanterns cast a warm glow around the room, picking up golden highlights in the grain of the wooden walls. A low table had been laid with food and surrounded with floor pillows. Princess Tomoyo was already seated, cradling a steaming cup of tea in both hands. To her right sat Syaoran, a scholar of the court, and on her left was Souma, Tomoyo’s other bodyguard. Kurogane dropped down onto a pillow next to Syaoran. The kid-- he might have been a high ranking scholar at Amaterasu’s court, but he was still a kid in Kurogane’s book-- offered the Princess some grilled fish. She smiled and accepted and they began to eat.
“So how much longer until we arrive?” Kurogane asked. He drank the tea Souma passed him, letting the warmth of it spread through his hands.
“The sailors tell me that we are getting close. Perhaps only a day or too more before we reach the port.” Souma smiled far too sweetly at him. “Perhaps if you made a bit more effort to get along with the sailors, they would have told you the same.”
Princess Tomoyo looked between the two of them sharply. “You’re not terrorizing the sailors again, are you, Kurogane?”
He huffed and shot a glare at Souma. “I’m not terrorizing them, I’m practicing. We’re going to a place where the inhabitants are used to living in the dark half a year. I’m not about to let myself be caught at a disadvantage. You should be doing the same, Souma, rather then spending all your time gossiping.”
Souma seemed about to argue, but the Princess raised her hand and spoke mildly. “That is enough. As much as I appreciate the entertainment you two provide, it would be nice to enjoy some peace with breakfast. After all, not everyone is used to your banter.” She shot a significant look at Syaoran who was holding his breath, looking back and forth between the two of them, wide-eyed. “And Kurogane, please remember that this is a diplomatic mission and at least try to play nicely with others.”
Kurogane huffed and looked away. Tomoyo smiled. “More pickled daikon?” She offered him the dish.
~~**~~
Kurogane leaned against the ship’s railing, the fur-lined cloak that he wore over his imperial guard’s uniform pulled tight. The cloak was part of a gift King Thorvald had sent to the Court of Nihon during the negotiations that had led to this visit. Along with the more traditional works of art and elaborately carved and jeweled tools and drinking vessels, the King had included the cloaks and a note saying the Envoy and her party might appreciate having the warm, heavy clothing during their visit. Now that they were almost there, Kurogane reluctantly agreed.
The hatch leading below deck opened and Syaoran emerged. He looked around the deck and walked over to the railing by Kurogane. “Please excuse me, Kurogane-san. Do you mind if I join you?”
Kurogane shrugged to indicate that he didn’t care either way and went back to staring out at the sea. Syaoran leaned against the rail and turned his face to the wind. After a moment. he shivered. Kurogane raised an eyebrow and Syaoran smiled self-deprecatingly. “It’s nice to be out in the fresh air but it’s warmer inside,” Syaoran said.
Kurogane nodded. “The cold wouldn’t even be that bad, if there was some sun. This--” he said, waving up at the sky, which was colored the dusky blue of twilight even though it was nearly midday, “--this is just unnatural.”
“It seems strange to us. However, it is quite natural. This far north, the climate is more extreme. In winter the sun is so far away that it can barely rise, and in the summer the sun is so close that it never sets. The Norsemen call it midnight sun.” The kid babbled on about a tilted axis and rotations of various celestial bodies.
“How are Tomoyo’s lessons progressing?”
The kid started at the sudden change in topic, but swiftly changed gears. “The lessons are going really well. She is learning the Norse language very quickly. We’re taking a short break now, but after lunch she wants to continue.” Syaoran smiled. “Other envoys would simply be content to rely on the translator, but she is really serious about being able to converse in their language. She’ll still need me to translate for the negotiations to prevent any misunderstandings, but social functions I believe she’ll be able to handle on her own.”
Kurogane nodded. “That’s good.”
They stood, leaning on the rail in silence for several minutes, when one of the lookouts cried out. Land had been spotted.
~~**~~
A welcoming party met them at the docks and led them through the port area up the steep, snow-covered side of the fjord to the large village that surrounded King Thorvald’s hall. The earth had been built up to form a thick wall that encircled the complex. A stockade of thick logs sharpened to spikes lined either side of the earthen wall. Their guides called out to other guards in the watch tower and the gates were opened. They passed several long, rectangular wooden buildings. Kurogane could see torches burning even farther back, but it was too dark to tell just how many buildings the fortress protected. They were led to what he guessed was the center, where the largest hall stood. Torches flickered on the metal helms and swords of the guards who stood back to let them pass.
Inside, the hall was lit with torches in evenly-spaced sconces and fires that were surrounded by stones and sunk into the dirt floor. Dried heather and straw covered the floor. Holes in the roof let most of the smoke escape, though it lingered in the air and tickled the back of Kurogane’s throat. The hall itself was crowded; all of the king’s retainers and what seemed like half of the village had turned out to greet their guests. Large pillars to either side supported the roof. Looking around, Kurogane could see that the exposed roof beams and most of the wooden surfaces were carved and painted.
They were led to the far end of the hall where a large red-bearded man reclined in an elaborately carved and painted wooden throne. This section of the hall had been covered with a wooden floor and several furs lay scattered on the floor. A great stone hearth dominated most of the wall and the roaring fire both illuminated and deepened the shadows.
Their guide stepped forward and announced them. “King Thorvald, I present to you Envoy Tomoyo and her party.”
The king stood and threw out his arms. “Welcome!” His voice boomed through the hall. “Welcome to our guests from the southern islands of Nihon.”
Tomoyo stepped forward. Kurogane and Souma flanked her and Syaoran walked directly behind her where he could easily and discreetly whisper translations in her ear. She bowed to the king. “We are honored by your kind invitation and thank you for your hospitality. We are here to convey Empress Amaterasu’s warmest greetings and her hope for an alliance between our peoples.” A discreet gesture cued two of the princess’s servants to bring forth a large lacquered box and present it to the king. “Please accept this humble gift as a sign of our friendship.”
Two of the king’s retainers stepped forward to take the box as the king gave his thanks. He raised his voice to address all those gathered in the hall. “This meeting marks the beginning of what I hope will be a long and fruitful relationship between our peoples.” He turned slightly to the side and motioned to a figure that stood half hidden in the shadows behind the throne. “Fai.” He gestured and the figure stepped forward.
Firelight danced over pale hair that was pulled back from a delicate face. The figure seemed lighter and thinner then the stocky Norsemen Kurogane had met previously. Like the other men, he wore loose pants that were bound close to his calves with leather strips, and a tunic. Unlike the others, his tunic was sky blue and his cloak was woven with an intricate design in dark blue and white. A quick appraisal confirmed what Kurogane suspected. This man was dressed in finer clothes then everyone in the hall, save King Thorvald himself. Whoever this Fai was, it was obvious he ranked second only to the king.
“Cast the runes,” the king commanded.
Fai reached inside his tunic and brought forth a small bag. He spilled the contents into his cupped hand, then fell gracefully to one knee, his cloak pooling into a half circle around him. The bag was tucked away and both hands cupped, then he shook the contents. The soft clattering sound could be heard clearly in the now breathlessly-silent hall. He opened his hands. Small carved pieces of bone spilled across the floor. Fai leaned close and studied them intently. Something flickered in his eyes, and he looked up and studied Tomoyo. His gaze drifted to the side and was caught in Kurogane’s own scrutiny. Their gaze locked for a long moment and Kurogane found himself noting the intense blue of Fai’s eyes, a color like nothing he had ever seen. He narrowed his own eyes in irritation and reminded himself to stay focused. He was supposed to be watching for threats to Tomoyo’s life, not staring at pretty blue eyes.
Fai smiled into Kurogane’s glare, then ducked his head, scanning the runes. One long, fine-boned hand reached out and scooped up the scattered runes. He stood and slipped the bones back into their pouch and tucked it away.
“The runes are favorable. This alliance will bring good fortune to both our peoples and our enemies fear the result of our combined strength.”
Tomoyo spoke slowly and clearly in the Norse language so all in the hall could hear. “Our priestesses tell us that the spirits of Nihon look upon this alliance with favor as well.”
King Thorvald beamed at her. “Be welcome to our table and heath, and make merry. Let the feasting begin!” He stepped forward and clasped Tomoyo into a hug. Kurogane stiffened and at his side felt Souma also preparing to spring.
Syaoran quickly grabbed each of their sleeves and tugged gently, hissing softly in their ears. “This is a common greeting between friends; they don’t consider it inappropriate.”
Kurogane reluctantly relaxed and watched as Tomoyo’s petite frame almost disappeared into King Thorvald’s large beard. A long moment later he released her. Benches and tables were pulled away from the walls and set out as servants appeared from a door in the wall next to the hearth bearing platters and platters of food.
As guests they were given the benches closest to the fire. King Thorvald took his place at the head of the long table with Princess Tomoyo seated to his right. Kurogane made sure he was seated on the other side of Tomoyo while Souma sat to the left of the king in a modified version of their usual flanking positions. Syaoran was seated to Souma's left.
While looking around at the king’s retainers finding their own seats or helping to set up other smaller tables and benches, Kurogane saw Fai talking to a young girl with light brown hair. After a little shooing motion from Fai, she sat next to Syaoran smiling shyly. He then walked over and slipped onto the bench next to Kurogane.
“Hello. I’m Fai.” The blonde turned to smile at him, speaking in Kurogane’s language.
“Kurogane.”
“Judging from your sword and your demeanor, you are one of the envoy’s bodyguards, right?”
“Yeah.” Kurogane watched the servers carefully, making sure none of them got too close to Princess Tomoyo. All the dishes were communal, so it was impossible for someone to poison her without also poisoning their king. Still, Kurogane wished Tomoyo hadn’t refused to bring a food tester.
“Or perhaps I should say you are the princess’s bodyguard.”
Kurogane whipped around to stare at Fai, who was watching him with amused half-lidded eyes.
Kurogane narrowed his own in suspicion. “How did you know?”
“When I cast the runes, the rune for royalty was face up, pointing directly at Envoy Tomoyo. Given her age and what I know of Nihon’s royal court, I figure she must be Princess Tsukuyomi. This alliance must be important to Nihon for Empress Amaterasu to send her own sister.”
Kurogane sighed. “Princess Tomoyo is the best negotiator we have and the most flexible. Since your culture is so alien to ours, she is the best choice. Like what happened earlier. None of our other envoys would have allowed themselves to be grabbed like that.”
Fai raised his eyebrows. “You mean when King Thorvald hugged her? Don’t people in your country hug?”
Kurogane shook his head. “Not like that. A man will embrace his wife, but only in private. If someone had tried that in the royal court, he would have had his head cut off.”
“Really? So if I tried to hug you, would you cut my head off?”
Kurogane sputtered and was about to yell at the blonde for asking stupid questions when carved stone bowls and a platter of roasted meat, still on the bone, were placed in front of them.
“So, the Empress wanted to send her best negotiator, but didn’t want to cause the fuss of a royal visit. Hence, Princess Tsukuyomi became Envoy Tomoyo.”
Kurogane nodded. “Tsukuyomi is more of a title anyway. Tomoyo is her personal name.”
“I’ll have to tell the king this, but don’t worry, we know when to pretend we don’t know something.” Fai smiled up at him. “Here.”
Fai discreetly passed him two spoons carved from the same stone as the bowls, and two small knives with carved bone handles. “Everyone carries their own utensils here but I understand you use two long sticks to eat with. King Thorvald believes in welcoming guests properly, but he doesn’t always think of the small details.”
Kurogane examined the utensils carefully, then surreptitiously handed one set over to Tomoyo. “So who are you exactly? Obviously the king listens to you.”
“I am shaman, rune-master, and skald to King Thorvald the Bushy.” Fai twirled his hand and gave an abbreviated bow.
Kurogane could easily see where the king’s nickname had come from. His red hair framed his face like the manes of the lions that roamed the lands far to the west of Nihon. Even the carved pieces of bone, gold, and glass beads braided into his hair and beard couldn’t tame it. Still, Kurogane raised an eyebrow. “You call him that to his face?”
Fai nodded. “We like to give people nicknames.” With his knife he cut off a piece of meat, speared it, and ate it off the knife. Kurogane followed his example.
He felt Tomoyo watching him and soon she was helping herself while holding an animated conversation with King Torvald. Fai pointed down the long table to a sandy-haired warrior. “That is Leif the Unlucky. Watch.”
A buxom blonde serving girl was pouring a thick, hot soup into Leif the Unlucky’s bowl. He put a hand on her arm and said something Kurogane couldn’t hear over the general din. The girl put down her pitcher and slapped him hard across the face. She picked up the pitcher and walked away, hips swaying. Leif’s companions laughed and slapped him on the back.
Fai smiled. “See?”
A different girl filled their own bowls with soup. The shaman looked him up and down appraisingly. “Hummm. What should we call you? Kuro the Watchful, maybe?”
Kurogane glared at him. “I don’t need a nickname. And my name is Kurogane!”
“I know!” Fai clapped his hands together. “Kuro the Grumpy!”
Kurogane cursed under his breath. His glares only made the grinning idiot smile more; short of doing something Tomoyo would call ‘undiplomatic’ he didn’t think he could get Fai to shut up. “So what do they call you then?”
The shaman smiled mysteriously, his eyes closing until they were only two narrow blue slits. “They call me Fai the Cat-Tongued.”
The feast progressed as servers filled and refilled wooden cups with dark, rich beer. Three types of fish and mounds of vegetables were offered. Loaves of earthy bread were set out and used to wipe up juices and gravies.
A girl with her red hair pulled back in a long braid emerged from the door leading to the kitchen. Following her were two burly servants carrying an entire roasted boar on a spit. She clapped her hands and presented the boar to the king like an offering.
Kurogane didn’t quite understand what she and the king were saying but Fai leaned close and whispered to him. “This is the culmination of the feast. Right now she is presenting the boar the hunting party killed this morning and giving the king a description of the hunt. After this the tables will be pushed back and there will be various entertainments.”
“She is describing the hunt?”
Fai nodded. “She was the one leading the hunt.”
Just then the king stood and turned to his guests, one hand gesturing toward the red-haired girl. Fai leaned closer to Kurogane and translated.
“I would like to introduce to you my greatest treasure: my daughter, the Princess Hikaru.”
Princess Hikaru bowed to them. She stepped closer to the table and held out a large drinking horn with an elaborate gold rim and stopper. She murmured something to her father and Princess Tomoyo, then filled their cups.
She stepped up to Kurogane and bowed again. “It is a great honor to meet you. Please allow me to fill your cup.” She spoke his language with an accent, but slowly and clearly.
Kurogane nodded and thanked her. She poured a golden-colored liquid into his cup, then turned and filled Fai’s. She turned to do the same for Souma and Syaoran.
“I’ve been teaching her your language. She has been working very hard to learn it.” Fai picked up his cup and drank.
Kurogane looked dubiously into his cup. “What is this?”
“Mead. Try it, it’s very good.”
Kurogane took a sip. It was very sweet and very strongly alcoholic. Surprisingly the sweet taste did not clash with the taste of the alcohol as much as he would have expected. “Why is it so sweet?”
“Because it’s made from fermented honey.” Fai drank some more and licked his lips appreciatively.
Kurogane pushed his own cup away and watched Princess Hikaru slip into a seat between Souma and the king. “So that is the princess King Thorvald is sending to seal the alliance?”
“Yes. Hikaru is a good girl. It is difficult for her, leaving everything behind, but she is committed to carrying out her part of the alliance.”
Kurogane nodded. The boar had been carved and distributed, its carcass moved back to the kitchen. Princess Hikaru had struck up a conversation with Souma. The princess seemed to be making up for her lack of vocabulary with gestures. Next to them, Syaoran sat with his head bent close to the girl who had been with Fai earlier. She appeared to be showing him the proper way to eat boar with a knife. Apparently Souma and Syaoran had also acquired their own utensils. “So who is the girl? The one with the green eyes sitting next to the kid?”
“That’s Sakura, my apprentice. And your companions are?”
“The kid is Syaoran, translator and scholar. Next to him is Souma, Tomoyo’s bodyguard.”
Fai repeated the names and nodded.
King Thorvald stood and issued a command. People began to move, pushing tables back against the wall and rearranging benches.
“Well that’s my cue.”
Fai stood, walked out the center of the hall and turned, giving his cloak a dramatic twirl. He clapped his hands twice, then held himself absolutely still, waiting as the conversation died down and at last silence reigned. He began to speak. Kurogane couldn’t understand what he was saying, but the tone and fluctuations of his voice and the elaborate gestures were captivating. He leaned backed and watched, occasionally taking sips of the mead. Next to him, Tomoyo was leaning forward, listening intently.
The story was long, but the entire hall watched Fai intently until the end. There was a long moment of silence, then the hall erupted with cheers and clapping as he gave an elaborate bow. With a flourish of his cloak Fai retreated as musicians pulled out their instruments and began to play. Kurogane quickly decided that Nordic music was very much like Nordic people-- loud and boisterous.
Fai slipped back onto the bench next to Kurogane. Tomoyo leaned over and smiled at him. “That was wonderful, Fai. I only understood about half of what you said, but even still, that was amazing.”
He smiled back and leaned in close in order to be heard over the music. “Thank very much, Envoy Tomoyo. I am honored by your praise.”
Feeling slightly awkward as his princess and the shaman leaned around him to talk, Kurogane interrupted. “So what was that about anyway?”
“If I understand correctly, the story was about your god Odin who brought wisdom to your people at the cost of his eye, yes?”
Fai nodded. “Yes that is correct.”
They continued to discuss legends and tales. Kurogane almost asked if they wanted to switch seats but neither seemed to mind and occasionally Tomoyo would turn and address a remark to King Thorvald. So he simply leaned back and dealt with the invasion of his personal space. He kept one ear on their conversation while the rest of his attention was alert for trouble.
The entertainment lasted long into the night. Twice more Fai stood to tell stories as the dancers and musicians caught their breath. Slowly people began to trickle away and find their beds. King Thorvald summoned a servant to guide them to their guest rooms.
Kurogane inspected Tomoyo’s room first. She was asleep before he finished checking the rest of the building.
~~**~~
Kurogane awoke later then usual the next morning. Between the feast last night and the darkness that persisted long after the sun should have risen, his sense of time was getting skewed.
The rest of his party was still asleep. The guest quarters were another of the ubiquitous long, rectangular buildings. There was a large open room that led into an area containing a fire pit. The fire was banked for the night, giving off only a dim glow. Off of this area was a step up to the wooden-floored bedrooms. Kurogane checked the perimeter and found nothing had been disturbed.
Outside was eerily quiet. There was no movement. His internal time sense told him it was morning, but it felt like the dead of night. In the distance he could hear faintly the clank and occasional calls of the sentries on the wall. A short distance away from their lodgings was an area where the snow had been cleared. Shrugging out of his cloak, Kurogane began his warm-up exercises. He drew his sword and began slowly, each motion crisp and clear. He repeated the set slightly faster. Each time through the motions he increased his speed until his sword was a blur cutting through the cold morning air. He switched sets, moving in a different formation, and switched again, making each transition smooth and effortless. He broke the patterns, moving from one set to another halfway through as if responding to a sudden attack from an unexpected direction. After about an hour, he returned to the original set, slowing down on each repetition until he could feel his muscles quiver with the strain of moving slowly. He flicked his katana as if shaking off excess blood, then sheathed it in a single swift motion.
The sound of clapping behind him startled him. Towards the end of his practice he had felt someone watching him but had dismissed them as not a threat. Now he was beginning to rethink that designation.
“Wheet Whoo! That was impressive, Kuro the Grouchy!”
“My name is Kurogane!” Kurogane scowled. He had been feeling relaxed and warmed up. Now he was on edge. “And what kind of whistle was that?”
Fai picked up Kurogane's cloak and shook it out. “I don’t know how to whistle.” He held out the cloak to Kurogane.
Kurogane took it back as he walked past the shaman. “If you can’t whistle, then don’t whistle, but don’t just say it.”
“Ahhh, Kuro the Grouchy is so mean. And here I was going to be nice and show him to the baths myself.”
The sweat he had worked up was drying quickly in the cold wind, causing him to shiver. “All right, fine. Whistle however you want.” He sighed. “So where is the bathhouse?”
Fai grabbed his arm and began tugging him away from the guest quarters. Kurogane hesitated, glancing back over his shoulder.
“Don’t worry. I asked Sakura wait and escort Envoy Tomoyo and Souma to the female baths when they wake up.”
Fai tugged harder and Kurogane reluctantly followed. As much as he didn’t like being that far away from Tomoyo, refusal would be like a slap in the face to their hosts, saying he didn’t trust them to keep Princess Tomoyo safe in their own fortress. He didn’t trust them of course, but it wouldn’t be diplomatic to admit it.
“You can let go now.” He tried, unsuccessfully, to reclaim him arm.
“Ahhh but I don’t want Kuro the Grumpy to get lost. Besides, we’re almost there.”
‘Almost there’ was a relative term, Kurgone discovered. They past by some barns and animal pens as well as several wide-open areas that he guessed were fields when they weren’t covered in snow. Back here the snow was deeper, several feet high in some places, with trails made of packed-down snow to make walking easier. Despite the darkness, Fai maneuvered through the landscape with ease, tugging Kurogane along.
At the very back of the complex, nestled between the stockade wall and the steeply-rising rocky side of the fjord, was a small stone-and-wooden building. There were two doors in the wall facing out. Built into the foundation was a covered stone firepit. It was shaped almost like an oven, reaching deep into the building itself, leaving only an opening for the fire to be tended. Fai fed several logs to the fire before opening one of the doors. Inside was a small room with wooden shelves along the walls. It was surprisingly warm inside, considering that even sitting close to the fire, the king’s hall had been drafty. This small building was tightly constructed without any of the smoke holes that let in cold winds. On the shelves were several pitchers and bowls. Fai filled two bowls with water. “Hands, face and hair are washed here, then we’ll go into the bath.” He nodded at a door in the side wall.
Kurogane followed Fai’s example, placing his folded clothes on a shelf and washing. The floor was stone and followed the natural slant of the ground to a small drain to take away the waste water. Fai opened the door and led him into the second room. Kurogane noticed that the other man had an elaborate tattoo of a phoenix covering his back.
Kurogane gasped as a wall of heat and humidity hit him. He didn’t think it possible for any place to be this hot this far north. The walls were lined with cedar planks that gave off a pleasant, natural scent. Tiers of benches were built into the wall. A wooden box was attached to the outside wall with what looked to be a metal box inside, the top covered with fist-sized stones. A small bucket of water stood next to it. He looked around, but except for the small bucket, he didn’t see any water. “So how the hell do we bathe?”
Fai smiled impishly. “Sit down.”
Kurogane sat on one of the benches and watched as Fai took a dipper from the bucket and poured water over the stones. It sizzled and steam filled the air, taking Kurogane’s breath away. Twice more he heard the sizzling that meant Fai was pouring more water onto the hot stones, until the steam was so thick he could barely make out the pale figure just a few feet away.
Quiet footsteps sounded on the stone floor and then Fai was sitting next to him. The shaman took a deep breath of the heavy, damp air and leaned back on the benches behind them. “Now we relax and enjoy.”
Kurogane leaned back as well, letting muscles stiff from the cold relax. This steam bath reminded him of the hot springs back in Nihon. They sat in silence for several long minutes. Kurogane stretched and felt Fai wince in sympathy as joints popped. “So where is everyone?”
“They’re still sleeping.” Fai’s head was tilted back and his eyes closed. “I figured you would be an early riser, so I came to get you before the bathhouse filled up.”
Kurogane grunted. “Seems lazy to me.”
Fai laughed. “We’re making up for the summer when the sun shines both night and day and some people forget to go to bed at all. You see, in the winter, people spend most of their time inside so there really isn’t that much to do. We have six ways to stave off boredom: eat, sleep, fix anything that was broken during the summer, carve anything that holds still long enough, tell stories, and make love.” He ticked each one off on his fingers.
“Well that explains why everything, including the roof beams, is carved.”
“Ahhh you noticed that did you?” Fai nodded. “And why most babies are born late summer.” Fai stood and added another ladle of water to the rocks. “The last part of the bath our warriors especially enjoy.” The extra steam made it impossible to see Fai’s face, but his tone of voice made Kurogane nervous. “You see, the reason there is a door in this room as well is so that the warriors can run outside and jump into the snow.”
“What?! You’ve got to be kidding. No one in their right mind would go outside naked when it’s that cold.”
“I’m serious. It’s really quite invigorating.” The damn idiot was laughing at him, he was sure of it.
The door opened and a man entered. It wasn’t until the man had sat down on a bench that Kurogane could see him clearly enough to recognize King Thorvald. “Good morning, Fai. Ahh, and one of the envoy’s entourage, I don’t believe I caught your name last night.”
“This is Kuro the Grumpy, your Majesty, one of Envoy Tomoyo’s bodyguards.”
“My name is Kurogane.”
The king laughed and slapped him on the back. “Only here one day and you already have a nickname. Glad to see you settling so well.”
“Oh he is.” Fai’s voice held a false earnestness. “I was just telling him how our warriors show off their bravery by jumping into the snow after their bath. He was very interested but I think he’s a little shy.”
“I am not shy!” Kurogane stood up, ready to throttle the blonde.
“Excellent! Why don’t I give him a demonstration then?” The king stood up. Though he had only been in the steam house a short time, his skin already gleamed with sweat and condensation from the steam.
“That is a great idea, Your Majesty.”
Kurogane was about to object, certain this had to be some kind of elaborate joke, but the king had already opened the door and was charging outside. He gave a wild war cry and jumped, landing in the thick snow and rolling around. He stood up and shook himself off like a dog, sending slush flying everywhere.
Fai smiled up at him. “Your turn, Kuro the Shy.”
Kurogane glared at him, but Fai had set it up so that there was no way of getting out of this without looking like a coward. Better just to get it over with quickly. The cold didn’t hit him until after he hit the snow. The contrast between the hot steam room and freezing snow sent a shock through his whole body. He gasped and sputtered, pulling himself out of the snow.
The king laughed heartily and slapped him on the back again. Kurogane was getting really tired of that. “Well done! Good to see Nihon warriors can handle themselves just as well as any Norseman. So many of your companions are just so short, I don’t know how they manage.”
Kurogane grit his teeth. “We manage just fine.”
They both reentered the steam house, where Fai was watching them both, just barely holding in his laughter. Kurogane glared at him. “Well what about you?”
Fai’s eyes opened wide in mock innocence. “Me? I’m not a warrior.”
Kurogane growled, but he had to admit the snow had chased away the drowsiness caused by the stream bath, leaving him awake and alert. And with the heat seeping back into his bones and quickly melting the snow and ice that clung to his body, it was harder to mind. King Thorvald sat back down and settled in, obvious intending to remain for awhile. Kurogane went back to the changing-and-washing room and Fai followed.
Towels had been laid out and someone had replaced their clothes with clean ones. They had almost finished dressing when the outer door opened, emitting a large group of Norsemen. The talked loudly and jostled each other good-naturedly as the vied for space and washing bowls. Syaoran was caught between two especially large and burly men. The men seemed to be showing him what to do with a great deal of emphatic gestures. The kid shot him a pleading look before being swallowed up by the crowd. Kurogane and Fai quickly made their escape.
It was only later, after he had escaped Fai’s annoying presence, that Kurogane realized the king had been speaking to him in his own language. Apparently Princess Hikaru wasn’t the only one taking language lessons.
~~**~~
MOD Notes: Because this fic is so long, it's been broken down into two sections. Part two can be found here.
Author: Enki (ldydragon7)
Recipient: Miro (morwen_eleriel)
Series: Tsubasa RC (MKR cameos)
Characters/Pairing: Fai/Kurogane, some Sakura/Syaoran (very slight Hikaru/Lantis)
Rating: PG/PG-13ish
Warnings: Slight spoilers for Fai’s past.
Author’s Notes: This AU is set during the Heian age of Japan and the Viking age of Scandinavia, about the 900s. While I tried to keep this as historically accurate as I could, I am shamelessly playing around with geography. For purposes of plot I moved Scandinavia to the east of Russia, thus putting it almost directly north of Japan.
It was dark, clouds hiding the moon and stars. Kurogane closed his eyes, tilted his head back and concentrated on his other senses. He held his body loose and relaxed, letting it sway with the gentle motion of the wooden deck beneath his feet. A cold, damp wind blew, molding his heavy, fur cloak to his body; he could feel the salt heavy in the air, stinging his face. Behind him he heard the sailors moving along the deck, pulling on ropes, cursing and calling out orders. But it all seemed strangely muffled by the darkness and the heavy, wet air.
Soft, unfamiliar, rolling footsteps approached him, Kurogane’s body tensed imperceptibly. As the footsteps drew up behind him, he unsheathed his sword and spun. He opened his eyes.
The sailor yelped and threw up his empty hands. Kurogane’s blade lay lightly across the man’s throat. Kurogane held still, waiting.
The sailor swallowed heavily and stammered, “P... Please excuse the interruption, but the Princess--”
Kurogane cleared his throat meaningfully.
“--That is, the Envoy... has awoken and requests your presence at breakfast.”
Kurogane sheathed his sword in a single, fluid motion and stalked past the sailor. He carefully picked his way across the deck, eyes searching the shadows that lay between the areas lit by covered lanterns. He could hear the whispers start up behind him.
“They say he is a demon.”
“A demon.”
“He must be.”
“Only Princess Tsukuyomi can control him.”
“Quiet! He’ll hear you.”
A small smirk curved his lips. Let them think that. It meant they wouldn’t try to bother him. And if those rumors reached the ears of their soon-to-be hosts, all the better. They would be less likely to try to harm his Princess.
Below decks a room had been converted for the princess’s comfort while traveling. Covered lanterns cast a warm glow around the room, picking up golden highlights in the grain of the wooden walls. A low table had been laid with food and surrounded with floor pillows. Princess Tomoyo was already seated, cradling a steaming cup of tea in both hands. To her right sat Syaoran, a scholar of the court, and on her left was Souma, Tomoyo’s other bodyguard. Kurogane dropped down onto a pillow next to Syaoran. The kid-- he might have been a high ranking scholar at Amaterasu’s court, but he was still a kid in Kurogane’s book-- offered the Princess some grilled fish. She smiled and accepted and they began to eat.
“So how much longer until we arrive?” Kurogane asked. He drank the tea Souma passed him, letting the warmth of it spread through his hands.
“The sailors tell me that we are getting close. Perhaps only a day or too more before we reach the port.” Souma smiled far too sweetly at him. “Perhaps if you made a bit more effort to get along with the sailors, they would have told you the same.”
Princess Tomoyo looked between the two of them sharply. “You’re not terrorizing the sailors again, are you, Kurogane?”
He huffed and shot a glare at Souma. “I’m not terrorizing them, I’m practicing. We’re going to a place where the inhabitants are used to living in the dark half a year. I’m not about to let myself be caught at a disadvantage. You should be doing the same, Souma, rather then spending all your time gossiping.”
Souma seemed about to argue, but the Princess raised her hand and spoke mildly. “That is enough. As much as I appreciate the entertainment you two provide, it would be nice to enjoy some peace with breakfast. After all, not everyone is used to your banter.” She shot a significant look at Syaoran who was holding his breath, looking back and forth between the two of them, wide-eyed. “And Kurogane, please remember that this is a diplomatic mission and at least try to play nicely with others.”
Kurogane huffed and looked away. Tomoyo smiled. “More pickled daikon?” She offered him the dish.
~~**~~
Kurogane leaned against the ship’s railing, the fur-lined cloak that he wore over his imperial guard’s uniform pulled tight. The cloak was part of a gift King Thorvald had sent to the Court of Nihon during the negotiations that had led to this visit. Along with the more traditional works of art and elaborately carved and jeweled tools and drinking vessels, the King had included the cloaks and a note saying the Envoy and her party might appreciate having the warm, heavy clothing during their visit. Now that they were almost there, Kurogane reluctantly agreed.
The hatch leading below deck opened and Syaoran emerged. He looked around the deck and walked over to the railing by Kurogane. “Please excuse me, Kurogane-san. Do you mind if I join you?”
Kurogane shrugged to indicate that he didn’t care either way and went back to staring out at the sea. Syaoran leaned against the rail and turned his face to the wind. After a moment. he shivered. Kurogane raised an eyebrow and Syaoran smiled self-deprecatingly. “It’s nice to be out in the fresh air but it’s warmer inside,” Syaoran said.
Kurogane nodded. “The cold wouldn’t even be that bad, if there was some sun. This--” he said, waving up at the sky, which was colored the dusky blue of twilight even though it was nearly midday, “--this is just unnatural.”
“It seems strange to us. However, it is quite natural. This far north, the climate is more extreme. In winter the sun is so far away that it can barely rise, and in the summer the sun is so close that it never sets. The Norsemen call it midnight sun.” The kid babbled on about a tilted axis and rotations of various celestial bodies.
“How are Tomoyo’s lessons progressing?”
The kid started at the sudden change in topic, but swiftly changed gears. “The lessons are going really well. She is learning the Norse language very quickly. We’re taking a short break now, but after lunch she wants to continue.” Syaoran smiled. “Other envoys would simply be content to rely on the translator, but she is really serious about being able to converse in their language. She’ll still need me to translate for the negotiations to prevent any misunderstandings, but social functions I believe she’ll be able to handle on her own.”
Kurogane nodded. “That’s good.”
They stood, leaning on the rail in silence for several minutes, when one of the lookouts cried out. Land had been spotted.
~~**~~
A welcoming party met them at the docks and led them through the port area up the steep, snow-covered side of the fjord to the large village that surrounded King Thorvald’s hall. The earth had been built up to form a thick wall that encircled the complex. A stockade of thick logs sharpened to spikes lined either side of the earthen wall. Their guides called out to other guards in the watch tower and the gates were opened. They passed several long, rectangular wooden buildings. Kurogane could see torches burning even farther back, but it was too dark to tell just how many buildings the fortress protected. They were led to what he guessed was the center, where the largest hall stood. Torches flickered on the metal helms and swords of the guards who stood back to let them pass.
Inside, the hall was lit with torches in evenly-spaced sconces and fires that were surrounded by stones and sunk into the dirt floor. Dried heather and straw covered the floor. Holes in the roof let most of the smoke escape, though it lingered in the air and tickled the back of Kurogane’s throat. The hall itself was crowded; all of the king’s retainers and what seemed like half of the village had turned out to greet their guests. Large pillars to either side supported the roof. Looking around, Kurogane could see that the exposed roof beams and most of the wooden surfaces were carved and painted.
They were led to the far end of the hall where a large red-bearded man reclined in an elaborately carved and painted wooden throne. This section of the hall had been covered with a wooden floor and several furs lay scattered on the floor. A great stone hearth dominated most of the wall and the roaring fire both illuminated and deepened the shadows.
Their guide stepped forward and announced them. “King Thorvald, I present to you Envoy Tomoyo and her party.”
The king stood and threw out his arms. “Welcome!” His voice boomed through the hall. “Welcome to our guests from the southern islands of Nihon.”
Tomoyo stepped forward. Kurogane and Souma flanked her and Syaoran walked directly behind her where he could easily and discreetly whisper translations in her ear. She bowed to the king. “We are honored by your kind invitation and thank you for your hospitality. We are here to convey Empress Amaterasu’s warmest greetings and her hope for an alliance between our peoples.” A discreet gesture cued two of the princess’s servants to bring forth a large lacquered box and present it to the king. “Please accept this humble gift as a sign of our friendship.”
Two of the king’s retainers stepped forward to take the box as the king gave his thanks. He raised his voice to address all those gathered in the hall. “This meeting marks the beginning of what I hope will be a long and fruitful relationship between our peoples.” He turned slightly to the side and motioned to a figure that stood half hidden in the shadows behind the throne. “Fai.” He gestured and the figure stepped forward.
Firelight danced over pale hair that was pulled back from a delicate face. The figure seemed lighter and thinner then the stocky Norsemen Kurogane had met previously. Like the other men, he wore loose pants that were bound close to his calves with leather strips, and a tunic. Unlike the others, his tunic was sky blue and his cloak was woven with an intricate design in dark blue and white. A quick appraisal confirmed what Kurogane suspected. This man was dressed in finer clothes then everyone in the hall, save King Thorvald himself. Whoever this Fai was, it was obvious he ranked second only to the king.
“Cast the runes,” the king commanded.
Fai reached inside his tunic and brought forth a small bag. He spilled the contents into his cupped hand, then fell gracefully to one knee, his cloak pooling into a half circle around him. The bag was tucked away and both hands cupped, then he shook the contents. The soft clattering sound could be heard clearly in the now breathlessly-silent hall. He opened his hands. Small carved pieces of bone spilled across the floor. Fai leaned close and studied them intently. Something flickered in his eyes, and he looked up and studied Tomoyo. His gaze drifted to the side and was caught in Kurogane’s own scrutiny. Their gaze locked for a long moment and Kurogane found himself noting the intense blue of Fai’s eyes, a color like nothing he had ever seen. He narrowed his own eyes in irritation and reminded himself to stay focused. He was supposed to be watching for threats to Tomoyo’s life, not staring at pretty blue eyes.
Fai smiled into Kurogane’s glare, then ducked his head, scanning the runes. One long, fine-boned hand reached out and scooped up the scattered runes. He stood and slipped the bones back into their pouch and tucked it away.
“The runes are favorable. This alliance will bring good fortune to both our peoples and our enemies fear the result of our combined strength.”
Tomoyo spoke slowly and clearly in the Norse language so all in the hall could hear. “Our priestesses tell us that the spirits of Nihon look upon this alliance with favor as well.”
King Thorvald beamed at her. “Be welcome to our table and heath, and make merry. Let the feasting begin!” He stepped forward and clasped Tomoyo into a hug. Kurogane stiffened and at his side felt Souma also preparing to spring.
Syaoran quickly grabbed each of their sleeves and tugged gently, hissing softly in their ears. “This is a common greeting between friends; they don’t consider it inappropriate.”
Kurogane reluctantly relaxed and watched as Tomoyo’s petite frame almost disappeared into King Thorvald’s large beard. A long moment later he released her. Benches and tables were pulled away from the walls and set out as servants appeared from a door in the wall next to the hearth bearing platters and platters of food.
As guests they were given the benches closest to the fire. King Thorvald took his place at the head of the long table with Princess Tomoyo seated to his right. Kurogane made sure he was seated on the other side of Tomoyo while Souma sat to the left of the king in a modified version of their usual flanking positions. Syaoran was seated to Souma's left.
While looking around at the king’s retainers finding their own seats or helping to set up other smaller tables and benches, Kurogane saw Fai talking to a young girl with light brown hair. After a little shooing motion from Fai, she sat next to Syaoran smiling shyly. He then walked over and slipped onto the bench next to Kurogane.
“Hello. I’m Fai.” The blonde turned to smile at him, speaking in Kurogane’s language.
“Kurogane.”
“Judging from your sword and your demeanor, you are one of the envoy’s bodyguards, right?”
“Yeah.” Kurogane watched the servers carefully, making sure none of them got too close to Princess Tomoyo. All the dishes were communal, so it was impossible for someone to poison her without also poisoning their king. Still, Kurogane wished Tomoyo hadn’t refused to bring a food tester.
“Or perhaps I should say you are the princess’s bodyguard.”
Kurogane whipped around to stare at Fai, who was watching him with amused half-lidded eyes.
Kurogane narrowed his own in suspicion. “How did you know?”
“When I cast the runes, the rune for royalty was face up, pointing directly at Envoy Tomoyo. Given her age and what I know of Nihon’s royal court, I figure she must be Princess Tsukuyomi. This alliance must be important to Nihon for Empress Amaterasu to send her own sister.”
Kurogane sighed. “Princess Tomoyo is the best negotiator we have and the most flexible. Since your culture is so alien to ours, she is the best choice. Like what happened earlier. None of our other envoys would have allowed themselves to be grabbed like that.”
Fai raised his eyebrows. “You mean when King Thorvald hugged her? Don’t people in your country hug?”
Kurogane shook his head. “Not like that. A man will embrace his wife, but only in private. If someone had tried that in the royal court, he would have had his head cut off.”
“Really? So if I tried to hug you, would you cut my head off?”
Kurogane sputtered and was about to yell at the blonde for asking stupid questions when carved stone bowls and a platter of roasted meat, still on the bone, were placed in front of them.
“So, the Empress wanted to send her best negotiator, but didn’t want to cause the fuss of a royal visit. Hence, Princess Tsukuyomi became Envoy Tomoyo.”
Kurogane nodded. “Tsukuyomi is more of a title anyway. Tomoyo is her personal name.”
“I’ll have to tell the king this, but don’t worry, we know when to pretend we don’t know something.” Fai smiled up at him. “Here.”
Fai discreetly passed him two spoons carved from the same stone as the bowls, and two small knives with carved bone handles. “Everyone carries their own utensils here but I understand you use two long sticks to eat with. King Thorvald believes in welcoming guests properly, but he doesn’t always think of the small details.”
Kurogane examined the utensils carefully, then surreptitiously handed one set over to Tomoyo. “So who are you exactly? Obviously the king listens to you.”
“I am shaman, rune-master, and skald to King Thorvald the Bushy.” Fai twirled his hand and gave an abbreviated bow.
Kurogane could easily see where the king’s nickname had come from. His red hair framed his face like the manes of the lions that roamed the lands far to the west of Nihon. Even the carved pieces of bone, gold, and glass beads braided into his hair and beard couldn’t tame it. Still, Kurogane raised an eyebrow. “You call him that to his face?”
Fai nodded. “We like to give people nicknames.” With his knife he cut off a piece of meat, speared it, and ate it off the knife. Kurogane followed his example.
He felt Tomoyo watching him and soon she was helping herself while holding an animated conversation with King Torvald. Fai pointed down the long table to a sandy-haired warrior. “That is Leif the Unlucky. Watch.”
A buxom blonde serving girl was pouring a thick, hot soup into Leif the Unlucky’s bowl. He put a hand on her arm and said something Kurogane couldn’t hear over the general din. The girl put down her pitcher and slapped him hard across the face. She picked up the pitcher and walked away, hips swaying. Leif’s companions laughed and slapped him on the back.
Fai smiled. “See?”
A different girl filled their own bowls with soup. The shaman looked him up and down appraisingly. “Hummm. What should we call you? Kuro the Watchful, maybe?”
Kurogane glared at him. “I don’t need a nickname. And my name is Kurogane!”
“I know!” Fai clapped his hands together. “Kuro the Grumpy!”
Kurogane cursed under his breath. His glares only made the grinning idiot smile more; short of doing something Tomoyo would call ‘undiplomatic’ he didn’t think he could get Fai to shut up. “So what do they call you then?”
The shaman smiled mysteriously, his eyes closing until they were only two narrow blue slits. “They call me Fai the Cat-Tongued.”
The feast progressed as servers filled and refilled wooden cups with dark, rich beer. Three types of fish and mounds of vegetables were offered. Loaves of earthy bread were set out and used to wipe up juices and gravies.
A girl with her red hair pulled back in a long braid emerged from the door leading to the kitchen. Following her were two burly servants carrying an entire roasted boar on a spit. She clapped her hands and presented the boar to the king like an offering.
Kurogane didn’t quite understand what she and the king were saying but Fai leaned close and whispered to him. “This is the culmination of the feast. Right now she is presenting the boar the hunting party killed this morning and giving the king a description of the hunt. After this the tables will be pushed back and there will be various entertainments.”
“She is describing the hunt?”
Fai nodded. “She was the one leading the hunt.”
Just then the king stood and turned to his guests, one hand gesturing toward the red-haired girl. Fai leaned closer to Kurogane and translated.
“I would like to introduce to you my greatest treasure: my daughter, the Princess Hikaru.”
Princess Hikaru bowed to them. She stepped closer to the table and held out a large drinking horn with an elaborate gold rim and stopper. She murmured something to her father and Princess Tomoyo, then filled their cups.
She stepped up to Kurogane and bowed again. “It is a great honor to meet you. Please allow me to fill your cup.” She spoke his language with an accent, but slowly and clearly.
Kurogane nodded and thanked her. She poured a golden-colored liquid into his cup, then turned and filled Fai’s. She turned to do the same for Souma and Syaoran.
“I’ve been teaching her your language. She has been working very hard to learn it.” Fai picked up his cup and drank.
Kurogane looked dubiously into his cup. “What is this?”
“Mead. Try it, it’s very good.”
Kurogane took a sip. It was very sweet and very strongly alcoholic. Surprisingly the sweet taste did not clash with the taste of the alcohol as much as he would have expected. “Why is it so sweet?”
“Because it’s made from fermented honey.” Fai drank some more and licked his lips appreciatively.
Kurogane pushed his own cup away and watched Princess Hikaru slip into a seat between Souma and the king. “So that is the princess King Thorvald is sending to seal the alliance?”
“Yes. Hikaru is a good girl. It is difficult for her, leaving everything behind, but she is committed to carrying out her part of the alliance.”
Kurogane nodded. The boar had been carved and distributed, its carcass moved back to the kitchen. Princess Hikaru had struck up a conversation with Souma. The princess seemed to be making up for her lack of vocabulary with gestures. Next to them, Syaoran sat with his head bent close to the girl who had been with Fai earlier. She appeared to be showing him the proper way to eat boar with a knife. Apparently Souma and Syaoran had also acquired their own utensils. “So who is the girl? The one with the green eyes sitting next to the kid?”
“That’s Sakura, my apprentice. And your companions are?”
“The kid is Syaoran, translator and scholar. Next to him is Souma, Tomoyo’s bodyguard.”
Fai repeated the names and nodded.
King Thorvald stood and issued a command. People began to move, pushing tables back against the wall and rearranging benches.
“Well that’s my cue.”
Fai stood, walked out the center of the hall and turned, giving his cloak a dramatic twirl. He clapped his hands twice, then held himself absolutely still, waiting as the conversation died down and at last silence reigned. He began to speak. Kurogane couldn’t understand what he was saying, but the tone and fluctuations of his voice and the elaborate gestures were captivating. He leaned backed and watched, occasionally taking sips of the mead. Next to him, Tomoyo was leaning forward, listening intently.
The story was long, but the entire hall watched Fai intently until the end. There was a long moment of silence, then the hall erupted with cheers and clapping as he gave an elaborate bow. With a flourish of his cloak Fai retreated as musicians pulled out their instruments and began to play. Kurogane quickly decided that Nordic music was very much like Nordic people-- loud and boisterous.
Fai slipped back onto the bench next to Kurogane. Tomoyo leaned over and smiled at him. “That was wonderful, Fai. I only understood about half of what you said, but even still, that was amazing.”
He smiled back and leaned in close in order to be heard over the music. “Thank very much, Envoy Tomoyo. I am honored by your praise.”
Feeling slightly awkward as his princess and the shaman leaned around him to talk, Kurogane interrupted. “So what was that about anyway?”
“If I understand correctly, the story was about your god Odin who brought wisdom to your people at the cost of his eye, yes?”
Fai nodded. “Yes that is correct.”
They continued to discuss legends and tales. Kurogane almost asked if they wanted to switch seats but neither seemed to mind and occasionally Tomoyo would turn and address a remark to King Thorvald. So he simply leaned back and dealt with the invasion of his personal space. He kept one ear on their conversation while the rest of his attention was alert for trouble.
The entertainment lasted long into the night. Twice more Fai stood to tell stories as the dancers and musicians caught their breath. Slowly people began to trickle away and find their beds. King Thorvald summoned a servant to guide them to their guest rooms.
Kurogane inspected Tomoyo’s room first. She was asleep before he finished checking the rest of the building.
~~**~~
Kurogane awoke later then usual the next morning. Between the feast last night and the darkness that persisted long after the sun should have risen, his sense of time was getting skewed.
The rest of his party was still asleep. The guest quarters were another of the ubiquitous long, rectangular buildings. There was a large open room that led into an area containing a fire pit. The fire was banked for the night, giving off only a dim glow. Off of this area was a step up to the wooden-floored bedrooms. Kurogane checked the perimeter and found nothing had been disturbed.
Outside was eerily quiet. There was no movement. His internal time sense told him it was morning, but it felt like the dead of night. In the distance he could hear faintly the clank and occasional calls of the sentries on the wall. A short distance away from their lodgings was an area where the snow had been cleared. Shrugging out of his cloak, Kurogane began his warm-up exercises. He drew his sword and began slowly, each motion crisp and clear. He repeated the set slightly faster. Each time through the motions he increased his speed until his sword was a blur cutting through the cold morning air. He switched sets, moving in a different formation, and switched again, making each transition smooth and effortless. He broke the patterns, moving from one set to another halfway through as if responding to a sudden attack from an unexpected direction. After about an hour, he returned to the original set, slowing down on each repetition until he could feel his muscles quiver with the strain of moving slowly. He flicked his katana as if shaking off excess blood, then sheathed it in a single swift motion.
The sound of clapping behind him startled him. Towards the end of his practice he had felt someone watching him but had dismissed them as not a threat. Now he was beginning to rethink that designation.
“Wheet Whoo! That was impressive, Kuro the Grouchy!”
“My name is Kurogane!” Kurogane scowled. He had been feeling relaxed and warmed up. Now he was on edge. “And what kind of whistle was that?”
Fai picked up Kurogane's cloak and shook it out. “I don’t know how to whistle.” He held out the cloak to Kurogane.
Kurogane took it back as he walked past the shaman. “If you can’t whistle, then don’t whistle, but don’t just say it.”
“Ahhh, Kuro the Grouchy is so mean. And here I was going to be nice and show him to the baths myself.”
The sweat he had worked up was drying quickly in the cold wind, causing him to shiver. “All right, fine. Whistle however you want.” He sighed. “So where is the bathhouse?”
Fai grabbed his arm and began tugging him away from the guest quarters. Kurogane hesitated, glancing back over his shoulder.
“Don’t worry. I asked Sakura wait and escort Envoy Tomoyo and Souma to the female baths when they wake up.”
Fai tugged harder and Kurogane reluctantly followed. As much as he didn’t like being that far away from Tomoyo, refusal would be like a slap in the face to their hosts, saying he didn’t trust them to keep Princess Tomoyo safe in their own fortress. He didn’t trust them of course, but it wouldn’t be diplomatic to admit it.
“You can let go now.” He tried, unsuccessfully, to reclaim him arm.
“Ahhh but I don’t want Kuro the Grumpy to get lost. Besides, we’re almost there.”
‘Almost there’ was a relative term, Kurgone discovered. They past by some barns and animal pens as well as several wide-open areas that he guessed were fields when they weren’t covered in snow. Back here the snow was deeper, several feet high in some places, with trails made of packed-down snow to make walking easier. Despite the darkness, Fai maneuvered through the landscape with ease, tugging Kurogane along.
At the very back of the complex, nestled between the stockade wall and the steeply-rising rocky side of the fjord, was a small stone-and-wooden building. There were two doors in the wall facing out. Built into the foundation was a covered stone firepit. It was shaped almost like an oven, reaching deep into the building itself, leaving only an opening for the fire to be tended. Fai fed several logs to the fire before opening one of the doors. Inside was a small room with wooden shelves along the walls. It was surprisingly warm inside, considering that even sitting close to the fire, the king’s hall had been drafty. This small building was tightly constructed without any of the smoke holes that let in cold winds. On the shelves were several pitchers and bowls. Fai filled two bowls with water. “Hands, face and hair are washed here, then we’ll go into the bath.” He nodded at a door in the side wall.
Kurogane followed Fai’s example, placing his folded clothes on a shelf and washing. The floor was stone and followed the natural slant of the ground to a small drain to take away the waste water. Fai opened the door and led him into the second room. Kurogane noticed that the other man had an elaborate tattoo of a phoenix covering his back.
Kurogane gasped as a wall of heat and humidity hit him. He didn’t think it possible for any place to be this hot this far north. The walls were lined with cedar planks that gave off a pleasant, natural scent. Tiers of benches were built into the wall. A wooden box was attached to the outside wall with what looked to be a metal box inside, the top covered with fist-sized stones. A small bucket of water stood next to it. He looked around, but except for the small bucket, he didn’t see any water. “So how the hell do we bathe?”
Fai smiled impishly. “Sit down.”
Kurogane sat on one of the benches and watched as Fai took a dipper from the bucket and poured water over the stones. It sizzled and steam filled the air, taking Kurogane’s breath away. Twice more he heard the sizzling that meant Fai was pouring more water onto the hot stones, until the steam was so thick he could barely make out the pale figure just a few feet away.
Quiet footsteps sounded on the stone floor and then Fai was sitting next to him. The shaman took a deep breath of the heavy, damp air and leaned back on the benches behind them. “Now we relax and enjoy.”
Kurogane leaned back as well, letting muscles stiff from the cold relax. This steam bath reminded him of the hot springs back in Nihon. They sat in silence for several long minutes. Kurogane stretched and felt Fai wince in sympathy as joints popped. “So where is everyone?”
“They’re still sleeping.” Fai’s head was tilted back and his eyes closed. “I figured you would be an early riser, so I came to get you before the bathhouse filled up.”
Kurogane grunted. “Seems lazy to me.”
Fai laughed. “We’re making up for the summer when the sun shines both night and day and some people forget to go to bed at all. You see, in the winter, people spend most of their time inside so there really isn’t that much to do. We have six ways to stave off boredom: eat, sleep, fix anything that was broken during the summer, carve anything that holds still long enough, tell stories, and make love.” He ticked each one off on his fingers.
“Well that explains why everything, including the roof beams, is carved.”
“Ahhh you noticed that did you?” Fai nodded. “And why most babies are born late summer.” Fai stood and added another ladle of water to the rocks. “The last part of the bath our warriors especially enjoy.” The extra steam made it impossible to see Fai’s face, but his tone of voice made Kurogane nervous. “You see, the reason there is a door in this room as well is so that the warriors can run outside and jump into the snow.”
“What?! You’ve got to be kidding. No one in their right mind would go outside naked when it’s that cold.”
“I’m serious. It’s really quite invigorating.” The damn idiot was laughing at him, he was sure of it.
The door opened and a man entered. It wasn’t until the man had sat down on a bench that Kurogane could see him clearly enough to recognize King Thorvald. “Good morning, Fai. Ahh, and one of the envoy’s entourage, I don’t believe I caught your name last night.”
“This is Kuro the Grumpy, your Majesty, one of Envoy Tomoyo’s bodyguards.”
“My name is Kurogane.”
The king laughed and slapped him on the back. “Only here one day and you already have a nickname. Glad to see you settling so well.”
“Oh he is.” Fai’s voice held a false earnestness. “I was just telling him how our warriors show off their bravery by jumping into the snow after their bath. He was very interested but I think he’s a little shy.”
“I am not shy!” Kurogane stood up, ready to throttle the blonde.
“Excellent! Why don’t I give him a demonstration then?” The king stood up. Though he had only been in the steam house a short time, his skin already gleamed with sweat and condensation from the steam.
“That is a great idea, Your Majesty.”
Kurogane was about to object, certain this had to be some kind of elaborate joke, but the king had already opened the door and was charging outside. He gave a wild war cry and jumped, landing in the thick snow and rolling around. He stood up and shook himself off like a dog, sending slush flying everywhere.
Fai smiled up at him. “Your turn, Kuro the Shy.”
Kurogane glared at him, but Fai had set it up so that there was no way of getting out of this without looking like a coward. Better just to get it over with quickly. The cold didn’t hit him until after he hit the snow. The contrast between the hot steam room and freezing snow sent a shock through his whole body. He gasped and sputtered, pulling himself out of the snow.
The king laughed heartily and slapped him on the back again. Kurogane was getting really tired of that. “Well done! Good to see Nihon warriors can handle themselves just as well as any Norseman. So many of your companions are just so short, I don’t know how they manage.”
Kurogane grit his teeth. “We manage just fine.”
They both reentered the steam house, where Fai was watching them both, just barely holding in his laughter. Kurogane glared at him. “Well what about you?”
Fai’s eyes opened wide in mock innocence. “Me? I’m not a warrior.”
Kurogane growled, but he had to admit the snow had chased away the drowsiness caused by the stream bath, leaving him awake and alert. And with the heat seeping back into his bones and quickly melting the snow and ice that clung to his body, it was harder to mind. King Thorvald sat back down and settled in, obvious intending to remain for awhile. Kurogane went back to the changing-and-washing room and Fai followed.
Towels had been laid out and someone had replaced their clothes with clean ones. They had almost finished dressing when the outer door opened, emitting a large group of Norsemen. The talked loudly and jostled each other good-naturedly as the vied for space and washing bowls. Syaoran was caught between two especially large and burly men. The men seemed to be showing him what to do with a great deal of emphatic gestures. The kid shot him a pleading look before being swallowed up by the crowd. Kurogane and Fai quickly made their escape.
It was only later, after he had escaped Fai’s annoying presence, that Kurogane realized the king had been speaking to him in his own language. Apparently Princess Hikaru wasn’t the only one taking language lessons.
~~**~~
MOD Notes: Because this fic is so long, it's been broken down into two sections. Part two can be found here.