Princess Jori hadn’t been allowed to bring any assistants of her own down and she was willing to put up with that in order to be allowed to come herself. But as long as her sister’s handmaiden was here, why not put her to use? The girl was half youkai but she’d served her sister well for many years. Jori would made due. She approached the dragon guarding her and waved Katsu forward. 

“Come attend me,” she ordered. 

Katsu appeared startled but quickly approached. 

Jori waited a bare moment and then pivoted on her heel. 

--

Prince Kuroaki kept an eye on his sister, smiling slightly when she reached her tent. She probably thought she would have it all to herself. Little did she know she’d be sharing it with himself. But then he frowned and approached general Tatsuo. 

“I’m not sure I like all these pillars. They’re too easy to hide behind.”

Tatsuo glanced at him, then nodded. “Perhaps you’re right. Should we move, your highness?”

Kuroaki frowned pensively. 

“Not if you don’t believe so, general.”

Tatsuo’s eyes began to twinkle. “We are hiding, yes, because we don’t want to announce to the whole world we’re back. Not because we’re in physical danger from whatever might find us. Let’s focus on the first part. As for the second, rely on our strength and training.”

Kuro still looked uneasy. 

“It’s only for one afternoon. We’ll move under the cover of night.” He patted the young man’s shoulder.

Kuroaki nodded. 

Then both men turned to examine Kaizou and the soldier with him. Kuro internally raised an eyebrow. He knew this Tanuki. He wouldn’t call him a ‘troublemaker’ exactly, but he knew him to be opinionated and angry at the dragons. Except perhaps for Shinrai, due to all her efforts? He was not one of the prisoners of war though and could have chosen to remain in the Sky Islands. Kuro was almost glad he hadn’t remained (since he might have become a troublemaker there) but seeing that he’d volunteered to come on this mission somehow made him uneasy. Had he come just to win his freedom, or for some other reason? He shook his head at himself. Shinrai would be ashamed at him for thinking the worst in people. So he forced himself to nod slightly in civil recognition to the Tanuki. 

Tatsuo peered down at Kaizou. He was a large man, of course, well suited to his high position. “State your name,” he directed first. Then asked flatly, “Do you intend this expedition any harm?” watching keenly for a reaction. This time Kuro’s eyebrows did draw up in surprise.

-----

 

Miho finished putting up Jori and Kuro’s tent, then helped Katsu set up the interior. Jori herself, since she had less passengers, had been the one to carry most of this stuff. They set out two bedrolls, pillows, blankets, a trunk of clothing, a pack of clothing, and even a tea set. Katsu took care of that. 

“I will go and make us some tea, princess.”  With a curtsy, Katsu left. 

Miho lingered and eyed the Princess. Jori was examining herself in a small mirror. They both saw a young, pretty girl who was miserably overwhelmed. Miho slowly turned and knelt facing the entrance so she could guard it.

“It wasn’t your fault, Princess,” she murmured. 

“I don’t need you to tell me that!” Jori hissed vehemently. She looked at the pain in her expression and then thrust the mirror away. She brought her knees up and hugged them. “I’m sorry.”

“I understand,” Miho replied evenly. 

A sigh, almost a laugh. 

“Do you?”

Miho glanced over her shoulder and then back at the entrance. 

“Yes,” she stated simply. Then she fixed her eyes outside the tent. Next to a pillar she could just see the back of Prince Kuro. She recognized his blue hair and tail. 

“I want her back too,” she murmured.

Katsu returned just then with tea. Miho wondered if she’d stolen it from the store of water. Surely there hadn’t been time to get fresh water and heat it, but she didn’t say anything. Katsu knelt quickly by Jori and poured her a cup. She kept her face down but said, “We all do.” 

Jori refrained from angrily snatching the cup. She took a deep breath, then a long sip to calm herself. She fiddled with the tea cup and nodded. But what she was thinking was ‘NOT AS MUCH AS ME.’