A Scandal in Edo

Suzaku, for once in a fairly long time, found himself at leisure to do what he pleased for the day. His uncle had no need of his services that day as he was busy with other things and Jino--well, he had been acting oddly of late. Suzaku, take the day off! or Could you just find something else to do? You're always so uptight!

Well, odder than usual for he seemed to be urging Suzaku to leave him alone. So Suzaku, rather than fighting a useless and energy-sapping battle, had given in. However, if he happened to be going in the same direction as the young nobleman, there was such a thing as coincidence. Or so his cousin used to say whenever she followed him around back when she used to visit.

So long as he had a purpose, he did not actually feel out of place while walking through the streets of Shitamachi. He was aware that his bearing and clothing indicated his status and had deliberately dressed plainly. The feeling that he was not quite fitting in remained with him as he navigated the narrow streets.

This place was a warren. Suzaku paused at a crossroad. There was no-one in sight. He was fairly certain he should be turning left--

"Don't move or you'll bleed to death in a minute," a voice growled behind him just as he felt the kiss of a very sharp knife at his throat, right above the jugular. His hand froze on its way to his short sword--too slow! He had not been alert enough.

"Oh put that away, Kallen! He doesn't respond well to armed threats," a more familiar voice said and the blade was rather reluctantly withdrawn. Kaguya trotted out of the shadow of the alleyway behind him. "Greetings, cousin! Since you were so helpful the other night, we've decided to help you today!"

"And what are you supposed to help me do?" Suzaku eyed the other two women who were with her warily. He was beginning to suspect that they might be more than just simple female entertainers. He had not even heard Kallen as she approached. And how had Kaguya found him in the middle of Shitamachi?

"We're going to help you do a good deed," Kaguya said. "Of course, if you're not interested in helping to rescue wrongly detained women, we'll look for someone else."

"Don't get clever with words--I'm not ten years old," Suzaku said, sighing inwardly. "Tell me everything."

Kaguya knew when to show her hand. It was obvious what they wanted from him, but his cousin had deliberately held back so that he would not jump up at once to run headlong into a confrontation with the doushin the way he might have once.

"My uncle is not in his office this morning--he went to a meeting with some high-level officials."

"Wonderful--they're discussing new taxes and not seeing petitioners today," kallen said scathingly. Suzaku had a feeling that she would happily gut him with her knife at any given provocation.

"But we have a secret weapon up our sleeves, Kallen," Kaguya said.

"Kaguya can forge the necessary documents, but we need the official seals," said the other dancer--the one with the most disconcertingly expressionless stare. She was said to be a fairly well-known performer. "Your uncle should have the right ones."

"But--" It was true enough that official petitions took time and his uncle was not going to see any today. Yet a lot could happen in the span of a day. He knew the unhappy fate of the women who were rounded up in the arbitrary raids in Shitamachi. Indentured in the Yoshiwara, probably never to emerge again until death or sickness overtook them.

"We should hurry if you want to be in time. Meet you in your uncle's office in half an hour." She also knew what to say to override his protests.

“But how are you going to get in--”

"Suzaku--we'll never get anything done if you keep asking questions," Kaguya said over her shoulder as she dashed away. Just like the way she used to when they had been children.

Suzaku was entirely too calm as he turned back and headed up the hill again. Only his whitening knuckles on the hilt of his sword betrayed his unease. He owed the girl this much. If it had been her alone, he would have gone to his uncle for the official documents and borne the scrutiny of the doushin to redeem a woman who would then be known as his mistress. A minor issue, but he disliked his affairs to be made so public. His cousin’s ruse would have to suffice, for now.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

No-one paid much attention to Suzaku’s return. He was often called upon to deliver important missives to nobles and samurai alike and his coming and goings were not very tightly scrutinised.

He made his way to the rooms that his uncle used as an office for his duties as a magistrate. And almost jumped out of his skin as his cousin and the woman called Oshiitsu popped up just as he reached the door.

After ignoring his questions about how they had got into a walled compound in one of the most securely fortified areas on the hill, Kaguya got to work immediately. She laid out the paper and a sample document by his uncle’s assistant--Ogawa was with his master today to take notes--and ground a stick of ink against the suzuri in a professional manner before throwing back her sleeves and picking up a brush.

As a former member of the nobility, her calligraphy was typically reflective of her background--a highborn woman's educated and cultured hand. As a forger, her calligraphy was magnificent. Suzaku could not tell it apart from Ogawa’s hand and that alone was rather alarming. For instance, it might explain how someone could move around was easily as she could--

"Someone should stand watch," Oshiitsu said. Suzaku volunteered. No-one would question his presence and he was uneasy at all the subterfuge that was going on.

“He’s a bit strait-laced,” Kaguya said, when the door slid shut. “That kind of traditional upbringing doesn’t allow for much freedom.”

Oshiitsu looked around at the fine but suitably understated furnishings around them and raised her brows. “And you’re saying you didn’t have a traditional upbringing?”

"I didn’t say it worked the same way on different people. Ne, Oshiitsu-san . . . It occurred to me that this could be done without so much sneaking around. I could have forged these documents anywhere and Suzaku could have taken it here for the seal and be done in a minute."

"Oh? How interesting," Oshiitsu said, opening a cabinet and removing a stack of records.

The brush barely paused as its wielder looked up thoughtfully. "So who do you work for? The Roujuu? Of course not, those old fossils would never utilise a female spy . . . The Imperialists?"

A soft thump as another cabinet was opened was her only reply.

"The Chinese? The Koreans?"

Oshiitsu did not respond to this line of questioning as she flipped through a few more tomes.

"Or the Dutch? Some group I haven’t mentioned yet? You know, as a loyal subject, I should be stopping you--"

The other woman paused in the midst of her activities.

"--but I'm not going to care about what you're doing right now because this is more urgent," Kaguya continued. "And you're not a bad person, are you, Oshiitsu-san? After all it was your trick with the hook and line that got us in the back gate."

"Saa, that depends, doesn't it?" Apparently finished with her search, she took a sheet of paper and a stick of charcoal to write something down.

“So much intrigue,” Kaguya said, picking up the heavy official seal in both hands and making a very neat imprint in the corner.

“Speak for yourself.” Oshiitsu came over to the writing desk and looked over Kaguya’s handiwork. “No wonder we passed the security checks so easily.”

“Upbringing again. I’ve seen this done plenty of times. This should do it. Now let’s get my cousin so that he can go save the day.”

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