Yet the moment he was out of sight, Aiko donned her own armor, leather and scaled with brass, and took up her weapons and mounted her horse and followed slowly after, her face hidden behind a silken mask.

She rode down to the valleys below and overtook her father's rentai marching in the army north to meet the foe, and she merged her horse into Lord Yodama's Red Tiger cavalry ranks.

The men of the mounted regiment said nought as they were joined by this anonymous youth, for it was the custom of untried young men to come to war wearing silken masks so that no dishonor would fall upon them or their families should their services to the Warlord prove to be undistinguished in any way. Yet should they show valor in battle, then according to form the mask would be ceremoniously removed and the warrior and his family honored. Regardless, at least for now Aiko remained anonymous as Yodama's brigades passed across the land.

In the days that followed, Aiko was careful never to expose herself to the men when she relieved herself or when she washed or bathed, else they would discover she was female.

At last Yodama's army came face to face with Hirota's, and they amassed in drawn up ranks on opposite sides of a shallow valley, a sparkling stream coursing through at the bottom, a stream which soon would run red.

In the first battle with Hirota's army, Aiko was a savage reaper, for her father had taught her well.

In the second battle, she and three others broke through a ring of the foe and rescued the entrapped Lord Yodama himself. She and Yodama were the only ones to escape alive, and this primarily because of her flashing steel.

In the ceremony that followed, Aiko did not remove her silken mask even though it was custom. Lord Yodama was surprised at her desire to remain anonymous, yet in the historical past others had also retained their masks, and so Lord Yodama did not insist. Instead he named her to the Order of the Red Tiger and sent her to the tent of the onna-mahotsukai and commanded the witch to give this warrior his requisite tattoo. This Aiko could not refuse.

The witch was ancient, and when she insisted that Aiko remove her armored jacket and silken undershirt, the old woman's eyes widened at what was exposed. Even so, she said nought, but instead muttered over her needles and inks, adding potions and powders to the mix.

The crone carefully etched a baleful red tiger glaring out from between Aiko's breasts, the witch whispering and sissing all the while unto the crimson cat slowly revealed, as if it were a creature alive. When the old woman was done she winked up at Aiko and grinned a toothless smile, sharing the warrior's secret. And as Aiko started to don her silken undershirt and leather jacket, the witch reached out and touched the sanguine image between Aiko's breasts and said, "I have given you a special tora, child; listen to her closely; heed her guidance and warnings, for you are in her care."

In the third and fourth battles of the war between Yodama's Red Tigers and Hirota's Golden Dragons, Aiko distinguished herself time and again.

And still she declined to reveal her face to Lord Yodama.

In the fifth and final battle, Lord Yodama was arrow-slain, and his son, Yoranaga, took command. They routed Hirota's Golden Dragons, and no mercy was shown.

In the ceremonies that followed, Lord Yoranaga commanded Aiko to remove the mask. She respectfully declined, but Yoranaga insisted. Reluctantly she did so. Arinsmaster Kurita, standing at Yoranaga's side, gasped, "Aiko," for he saw that this gallant warrior was none other than his very own daughter.

Now all was revealed-Aiko was female!-and Lord Yoranaga was harsh in his judgement, for Arinsmaster Kurita had broken the law of the land. Kurita was stripped of his weapons and properties and titles and commanded to live all the rest of his days in poverty and disgrace. Aiko, hero-nay, heroine of the war, savior of Lord Yodama, gallant warrior in the Order of the Red Tiger- was banished from Ryodo altogether.

Arin shook her head and stood and lifted Aiko to her feet. "No, Lady Aiko, thou didst not betray aught. 'Twas but outmoded custom thou didst break."

"Aye," said Rissa. "A custom we Elves abandoned long past. If females bearing arms and engaging in combat is dishonorable, then nearly half of all Elves are so disgraced." Rissa drew her sword and flashed it on high. "Here's to the sisterhood of such dishonor-long may we reign."

Laughing, Vanidar raised up his long-knife and clanged his blade against hers. "So be it."

So be it! echoed Melor, Ruar, Perin, and Biren.

"So be it," whispered Arin in Aiko's ear. Then Arin held Aiko at arm's length and said, "Thou didst no dishonorable thing, Aiko; nevertheless, I do accept thee as the cat who fell from grace."

Councilmage Belgon grasped the lapels of his overrobe and said, "Warrior Aiko may indeed be the so-called 'cat who fell from grace,' Lady Arin, but what of these other references in your rede? Who or what might they be? Given the nature of the Green Stone, I am quite in the dark."

The other Mages 'round the Council chamber muttered and nodded in agreement. Sage Arilla rapped for order, and when quiet fell, she said, "All of us are quite in the dark, Wizard Belgon. Yet perhaps if we reason together we may shed some light on this mystery. In particular, we should strive to resolve the riddle of just who these others are whom Lady Arin must find to aid her in her mission."

A murmur whispered around the Council Chamber, but fell to silence when Lysanne said, "Forget not the legend Warrior Aiko recounted, for it, too, may have some bearing-being, as it is, a tale of a Wizard warrior-king who is to raise the nation of Moko to conquer the world, and who will wield a mighty talisman before which even the Dragons must bow."

"Do you believe it is the Dragonstone?" asked Irunan from his seat against the wall.

Arilla raised a negating hand. "Leap to no conclusions, for the whole tale smacks of but a fable and may have no bearing at all on the Dragonstone or on Dara Arin's mission."

"And then again perhaps it is very relevant," said Belgon, "coming as it does at this particular time. It speaks of war and Dragons and of a Wizard warrior-king."

Gelon, at Irunan's side, called out: "But who among Wizards would do such a thing?"

"Renegades, Black Mages, others," replied Belgon. "Anyone consumed with ambition to rule, no matter the cost to those who get in the way." He paused and looked about the chamber, then said, "Perhaps someone in this very hall."

Shouts of denial followed Belgon's words, and Arilla rapped the gavel hard and long ere order was restored. The Sage fixed Belgon with a cold stare. "There was no cause for that accusation, Belgon."

Belgon sketched a seated bow and said, "I do apologize to this entire assembly, Sage."

Arilla looked long at him and finally said, "Well and good, Belgon. Well and good." She turned to the others and rapped once with her gavel. "And now, Council, let us get to the matter at hand: Lady Arin solicits our advice as concerns the words of her vision. Specifically she desires suggestions as how to find those who are to aid her in her mission." Arilla leaned back in her chair and spoke to Lysanne. "Would you repeat the list?"

"These are the remaining ones she seeks," said Lysanne, holding up her fingers and ticking them off one by one: "One-Eye in dark water; mad monarch's rutting peacock; the ferret in the High King's cage; a cursed keeper of faith in the maze."

A dark-haired Mage raised her hand. "Yes, Ryelle," acknowledged Arilla.

Ryelle looked back and forth between Arin and Lysanne and asked, "Do you think that all these are people, or could some truly be the thing described: a peacock, a ferret, even a cat?"