Empire of Shadows

Chapter 7: Katsuo

Icy Barrows* greeted them with honors. Entering the city, Katsuo noticed the same old beige-brown houses with pyramid rooftops. The center area was decorated with creepers, in which ice ornaments were braided. It was mid-summer day, so the frozen elements didn't melt, because of the magic that was put inside them. Every corner in the expanse was crowded with dozens of pry eyes.

Even though, Aisu Clan didn't win anything, the inhabitants missed their Clan Leader Eri and the talented heir Young Master Katsuo. The son and the mother were commoner's hope for the bright future, because of their splendid magical powers and martial abilities. People adored and praised them. So, on their arrival, the folk peppered the ground with wisteria petals, carpeting their way up to the main residence. They bowed their heads when the column walked past, blissfully watching two slender figures move further away.

The successor of Ice Clan got used to the image of cold and impregnable celestial, which he built over the years; therefore he pretended not to notice those stares, full of genuine awe. The youth strolled the streets with an indifferent face, features sharpened, his back straight as a harp's string, pearlescent hair smoothly flowing down his shoulders.

In some time, he was able to contemplate the towering glacial palace. Its great and stout belfries looked like huge ancient giants, rivaling with immense mountaintops behind. The mansion was built from hard grey stone, roofs carved in an opening bud, resembling an awakening flower and the windows were made of solid ice-glass.

Their small troop parted on the gates. Members of the royal family went into the courtyard with their personal servants, while the guards dispersed to their posts. Katsuo and his mother walked in complete silence. Echoes of their footsteps resounded from the walls. No one uttered even a single word, creating the heavy and uncomfortable atmosphere around. They paced like this until reached the fork in the hallway. There the youth stopped and inclined his head, "I'm quite weary from our journey back. I'll be pleased to take a bath and change myself into fresh clothes."

"You heard the Young Master," Eri addressed the servants, who immediately rushed to prepare what Katsuo needed. "I'll give you an hour to clean yourself. After it, I wish to see you in my chambers. We'll have a talk," she put him before the fact.

"Yes, mother," he folded his arms in front of the chest.

The billowing flaps of her clothes and the sound of her heels clicking were the answer. Katsuo drew himself up to his full height and without lingering went to the room, ignoring the itching feeling inside his heart.

The scalding hot water was already poured inside the bath by the time he came in. Katsuo noticed the steam, emerging from the end of the apartments and two servant maids, who fussed all over the chambers. Hastily having finished all the preparations, they showed him where laid his new fresh clothes, apologized for the delay and left the room in hurry.

The fellow let out a heavy sigh and trudged to the bathroom. His body craved the cleanness and a good wash out. He also wanted to wash off the tense of the last day's events. Undressing, Katsuo neatly folded the foul smelling garb on the floor and sank into wooden bathtub.

The heat rose up to the air as he scrupulously scrubbed the calluses and scratches off his sensitive skin. These places now were blush-red from the friction, but he did not pay the slightest attention. The youth was lost in his thoughts, angry at himself for failing on the beast hunt. "Why did I even come there if I couldn't prove myself as the winner? I not only let my mother down, but also our clan. How pathetic I am."

He understood why Eri wouldn't even look at him and during their way back didn't say a single word. She was upset and she had every right to treat him like this, because Katsuo would've done that too. He felt disgustingly miserable and he hated it. He hated this feeling of shame and guilt that was pooling inside, but what could he do? Only face consequences of his stupidity.