Light and Darkness by Aura
Stains
Chapter One: Stains
The grass was colored a deep crimson; some say from the blood that had seeped into the grasses around Viabar through the years, perhaps that is the case. I never particularly cared to look deeply into such things. I only was at the Scarlet Fields to give them a new drink of the liquid, an uprising had arisen in my father’s lands and I traveled with an army of my own soldiers to put it down. Parts of bodies littered the battlefield, both from my men and the enemy. Though our losses hadn’t been great, only a few hundred of our men had fallen and we’d finished off the rebellion in only a few days.
“General Sesshomaru.” The female voice was Zuka, my personal Major that worked as much as a secretary as she did soldier. “The lands are ours, there are a few that ran from the battle but many are trying to go through the Mistmaze and men would rather not follow them.”
“Leave them. It’s suicide to enter the storms this time of year.” I gave the order easily, and I knew it wouldn’t be questioned. The Mistmaze was a living storm that traveled through the lands of Viabar in a strangely predictable pattern; it was a reliable way to tell the season. The lands it ravaged were left open except for a few weathered roads here and there; it cut a circle around his father’s lands as a clear mark of the territory that belonged to them.
Instead I turned my eyes toward Sunset, one of the outermost territories that belonged to us and one that I had been assigned to watch over. It was a small farming city, with a population that usually remained about eight-thousand. Though it had a old ruin that was at a tactical point for the area, settled on a hill that jutted out of the ground as if placed at the highest spot as a throne. The Castle Horizon, it marked the westernmost area of father’s lands, the few mile long markers between lands curving just around the hill where the castle was placed.
“We need to take the Horizon.” I pointed it out and began to walk in that direction, not caring that Zuka had to jump to keep up with me as I walked off. “Send a runner that we need a good architect, I’d like the run down keep rebuilt as my base of operations. If we’re going to be here a while we might as well spend my father’s money and make it livable.”
“Yes sir...” The way she hesitated, her voice barely drawing out the words got me to turn my gaze on her hesitation. “There may be problems with the force. Not myself of course, I don’t believe in such old nonsense but a lot of people don’t want to go up or serve at Horizon.”
“Oh? Why not? That silly rumor as to it’s being haunted?” I scoffed; it was silly to believe such superstitions. Though, the place had a history, I knew enough to realize there would be many even amongst my company that wouldn’t be comfortable. “We’ll arrange the bravest to attend and let them pitch at the bottom of the hill on the road.”
“Of course,” She nodded at that, bowing slightly. She didn’t write it down, she had an incredible memory, it was part of why I’d picked her for the position. “I can do that, as well as begin to deal with the locals; I’ve already sent some troupes ahead to try to get an idea of who the biggest troublemakers will be.”
“Good, go ahead and make sure the rest is taken care of, I can handle being on my own for a while.” I shooed her off, eager to get a bit of distance from my army for a while. Weeks of marching and days of battle left me wanting to know what hole my father had arranged for me this time.
“Of course sir, though, there is one more thing. We received this for you today.” She handed up a letter closed with wax and marked with the seal of a wolf’s head - my father’s seal. I nodded her off and tugged off my chain gloves to shove into a pocket so I had the dexterity needed to open it.
To General Sesshomaru Fang
The birds tell me you are not far now from winning the skirmish I sent you to put down. I sent this ahead to your assistant for when the battle was won. Congratulations on your victory my son, I’ll be sending Inuyasha there to help you get settled in. I know you two don’t get along, but he is capable at what he does and he should only be there a few weeks to help you clean up smaller details and needs before returning here. Likely he will be there in only a few days, utilize him well. Hold your ground there for the time being. I’ll be granting you barony over Sunset, if that goes well I will eventually give you a Duchy to take care of.
Be well my son.
-Inutaisho Fang
I scoffed as I closed the letter and slipped it into a pocket. He only offered this joke of a barony because it was as far away from his main power base as he could get me. Inuyasha’s his pet, likely only coming to spy on how I do and report back my misgivings. The only use he’d be was causing more problems in the city and the only thing he’d be good at was dealing with the tavern brawls he would start.
It was to be as much a thorn in my side as possible since he found out how ruthless I really am. A wise decision by father to get me out of his city before I deposed him, however much more difficult he was making it on me by sending me to this town I’d manage it well. It was a good first step to learning more of the running of a country to begin with a city. I sadly doubted it was as easy as leading an army. Common folk didn’t tend to like me overly much, I was much more a General than a friend to anyone. That’s what subordinates were for, all people had to do with me was to see me and fear.
I put father out of my mind as I continued the climb, which was much higher than it looked from a distance, the path up the steep incline easily felt on my calves after nearly twenty minutes of walking. I still had quite a while left as well, this place was certainly separated from the town below. Instead of continuing the tedious walk I paused and closed my eyes a moment, clearing my mind of the various thoughts and focusing instead on the magic I had been learning. I was hardly a master of the art, but I knew enough to make myself fly for a short period of time.
I muttered the incantation I pulled from my memory and then felt myself grow weightless, floating upward instead of walking as I took in my new estate. It was certainly in need of repairs; the tower was barely standing and likely wouldn’t survive another pass of the Mistmaze. Though I had nearly a year to deal with that problem, the Mistmaze was still in view and had only just passed the outskirts of this area where I’d made my stand at the Scarlet Fields.
The courtyard was cluttered; many of the stones were covered in ivy or mosseaten. Most of the place would need to be completely rebuilt, but enough of the main building seemed to be intact that I could have it reinforced and stay there while the other repairs and rebuilding was happening. It was a massive place; my father’s palace in the mainland was the only other castle I’d seen that could rival it. The tower itself had to go up at least sixteen stories, the main building seemed to have six, and likely it had basement levels as well. That didn’t include the stables or the other side buildings and the walls themselves had walkways for guards with kill-holes. The main gate would need to be replaced, it was completely missing and certainly wide enough to be a security issue if it wasn’t, he could have fit much of his army through it easily if they marched in ranks. Grand, though not the most considerate of security and that would need to be fixed.
The lands below gave him view of Sunset, and even cities further off in other baronies, a view of Moonrise - the city of the neighboring nation across the divide. The path of destruction the Mistmaze made had just begun to recover from its latest pass but it was still miles worth of a line cut into the land where there was almost nothing. Only the red grasses native to this area were starting to peak through the land again like small specks of blood.
I touched down at the opening of the gate and smiled as I touched it. I would lay open claim in the traditional way for those troops brave or stout enough to make the climb later, for now, it was nice to have the chance to personally look through my new home. It would be cluttered with others soon enough. I’d have to have servants taken as well as hired from the local village, it would serve as a slight softening of the blow that they had a new and unforgiving lord.