The Wings of Dreams

treat Seisai like a member of the family. Better, I suspect. But what a fine kijuu he was.”
    “You wouldn’t be conniving already to get your hands on another one?”
    “If you would only say the word—”
    “The word is, let’s first see what kind of effort you put into your next assignment.”
    “So that’s what it’s come to?” Rikou shook his head in bemused resignation and turned his gaze out the north windows. In a voice almost too soft to be heard, he said, “I made a few friends in the Yellow Sea.”
    And now that he knew his way around the place, he could well imagine hunting one down on his own.

    Five days later, the phoenix sang in the Kingdom of Sou. The news came from the Kingdom of Kyou: The Empress of Kyou has ascended to the throne.

From T HE C HRONICLES OF K YOU
    I n the Eleventh Year of Fuhaku, Her Imperial Highness passed away in the Enshin. In that same year, a Kyouka appeared on Mt. Hou.
    In the Twelfth Year, the Kyouka gave birth to Kyouki.
    In the Eighteenth Year, the Kouki appeared over the Rishi.
    In the spring of the Thirty-Eighth Year, Saishou entered the Yellow Sea from Ken. The Taiho sallied forth to meet her and sealed the Covenant.
    The name of Saishou was entered upon the Registry of the Gods and she took her rightful place on the Imperial Throne.