April Preview- excerpts from ongoing stories

War and Peace, Problem Child, and Swordpoint Diplomacy, in that order.

1.

Their invitation opened the doors to a grand estate. A bustling town sprawled around the hillside, complete with the clanging and smoke of industry. The normal people lived with thatched straw roofs and many were outside in the sun to weave their new tatami mats. 

The procession went through the town without stopping along with the servants heading upwards. Aiko stole glances through the paper door of stoic girls hauling water up the hill, of men in foot wraps with burdens of coal. Her vision was severely obstructed by the carriage box she was in, meant to protect her from the heat of the sun and the indignity of being stared at by peasants. 

The path wound up and around and into an orderly courtyard of noble wealth. The road underneath was cut stone. The homes here were on square plots with measured green spaces, not the organic growth of homes below. The sun shone off blue clay tiled roofs. 

“It is an impressive sight,” Madara said quietly. His tone was neutral. “Please prepare to exit.”

Aiko glanced at his shadow on the other side of her transportation box. He was walking on the outside, haunting her perimeter as if there was any truth to the polite social fiction that she was a vulnerable lady. Hashirama was further back with his lady wife. The most prominent position in the parade was, humorously enough, Izuna. He was doubtless reclining in his silks as indolently as any cat might manage. He would be on full display in the late morning sun.

‘He must be so pleased to have all these strangers see how pretty he is.’

She rolled her wrists and ankles a bit to work out stiffness from the tight space and then fought a yawn.

2.

Miss Head was spinning some bullshit about her beloved son, who apparently lived with her husband but was large in her heart. Aiko rolled her eyes when no one was looking. She tuned back into the conversation when it came to the topic of how hard it must be to manage childcare without family in the area. 

Here it was, Aiko thought. She was going to offer to babysit.

“Were you aware that Mr. Luthor has a son?”

Aiko spat some tea back into her cup and gave Miss Head an incredulous look. Him?

Mom was similarly surprised. “I didn’t even know that he was in a relationship,” she admitted. “A newborn? Or-” her eyes darted to Aiko. “An age-mate to Aiko? Is that why he’s taken such interest in her development?” She sounded like she wanted that to be true.

“No, Kon is older,” Miss Head said. “But he is also gifted. He might have some helpful perspective…” She trailed off, as if she regretted overstepping. “In any case, I’m sure you’ll see him around the compound.” She gave Mom a sheepish smile and moved as if she was about to excuse herself. 

‘Why?’

“Is he- Are we talking about a teenager?” Mom asked, looking over at Aiko again with consideration. 

“He’s fifteen,” Miss Head said. “A very good boy, I think, he is off volunteering a lot.”

Mom paused. She looked at Aiko, all 50 terrible pounds of her. “Do you think he would like to earn some pocket money?”

3.

“It smells nice, actually.” Marcel scanned the horizon again and couldn’t hold back a frown. “If I didn’t know this was meant to be a darling hamlet and not a stretch of nature, I would think this was a wonderful place to have a picnic.”

“Yes,” said Vivian, “that’s part of the lure, unfortunately.”

Kian made a pained expression. “This is exactly how people get eaten,” he muttered. He was wild-eyed, constantly jerking his head in every direction.

That wasn’t especially encouraging, but he wasn’t the supposed subject matter expert. Marcel turned his attention to Vivan in hopes of comfort.

“...No, that’s worse,” he muttered.

The blacks of her eyes swollen to swallow the ring of color, and a morose grief pressed into the downturn of her lips. She looked like a haunted doll.

He failed to suppress a shudder.