Day 14 -  Shiro Kuni

The Crab. Their high mountains hide the way to the far south, the darkness of the Shadowlands--and something more.

She has not approached Kyuden Hida. Even on the edge of immortality, Hitomi knows better than to tempt destiny's blade. Standing on the cliff's edge above the stone walls of Shiro Kuni, fortress of enchanters and of war, Hitomi catches a glimpse of a life that was denied her.

Still, the figure that walks along the arched stone bridges before the palace comes, not caring about decorum or posterity.

Hitomi watches, intrigued at his approach.

A staff of jade shines in his fist as he steps upon the cliffs, his wide black hakama fluttering in the stiff breeze. "So," he begins, with no thought of politics, "You come to us."

"I walk where fate leads me. The path is not one of my choosing."

"How lucky for you." Kuni Utagu's voice holds sarcasm but not hatred. It is more than she expected. He continues. "Leave our lands. Your question here has already been answered. If it is our duty to aid you, then one of the Hiruma will come."

Hitomi nods and opens her mouth to speak once more, but the Crab lifts a fist to point at the empty sky.

"Know this, Hitomi-sama. When you rise from earth to heaven, the Crab will be watching you. Do not think that our arrows cannot reach you in the sky. If we must, we will build a wall so high and so thick that even you cannot harm the Empire, and we will shoot at you from atop it until you fall screaming to the ground. Now, go." Gruff, he turns away, having no further words to give her.

For a moment, Hitomi smiles. "I believe you would, Crab. I believe you would."

Source: posted to www.wizards.com/l5r on 2/4/00