Chapter 3: The Fox in the Portrait

The portrait bothered Kuzuno.
Not in a bad way.
In a curious way.
Which, unfortunately, was usually worse.
For three days she found herself thinking about it.
The white hair.
The nine tails.
The sad eyes.
Most of all...
The way Tamamo had looked at the painting.
Not angry.
Not bitter.
Lonely.
That was the part Kuzuno couldn't understand.
Because lonely meant something important.
Lonely meant:
Someone was missing.
The young princess sat beneath her favorite sakura tree.
A notebook rested in her lap.
She had begun keeping notes.
Kayo referred to this as:
"Evidence of a future disaster."
Kuzuno preferred:
"Investigation."
The notebook currently contained:
Yeounui Investigation
Aunt.
White hair.
Nine tails.
Missing from records.
Makes adults uncomfortable.
Mother misses her.
Kayo avoids discussing her.
Definitely suspicious.
The final note had three underlines.
Because it felt important.
The younger princess stared thoughtfully at the page.
Then added:
Probably stubborn.
That part came directly from Tamamo.
And therefore counted as evidence.
Footsteps approached.
Kuzuno immediately closed the notebook.
Not because she was hiding anything.
Because she absolutely was.
The newcomer turned out to be Toba.
The emperor looked down at her.
Then at the suspiciously hidden notebook.
Then back at her.
Silence.
"Kuzuno."
"Father."
"What are you doing?"
The young princess considered lying.
Then remembered she was terrible at it.
"Investigating."
Toba immediately regretted asking.
The emperor sat beside her.
The spring breeze moved gently through the garden.
Petals drifted from the sakura tree overhead.
For a while neither spoke.
Then Kuzuno asked the question.
The one she'd been carrying for days.
"Did you know Aunt Yeounui?"
Silence.
Not uncomfortable silence.
The kind of silence people used when choosing their words carefully.
Finally Toba nodded.
"Yes."
The answer came softly.
Almost thoughtfully.
The emperor looked toward the sky.
As though searching through old memories.
"She terrified me."
Kuzuno blinked.
That wasn't what she expected.
"Terrified you?"
Toba nodded.
"Absolutely."
The younger princess stared.
Her father was Emperor Toba.
The same man who once intimidated an entire council with a look.
The same man who sparred with Tamamo.
The same man who commanded armies.
"How?"
The emperor smiled.
A small smile.
A nostalgic smile.
"She was smarter than me."
Kuzuno laughed.
The answer sounded ridiculous.
Toba looked offended.
"I'm serious."
That somehow made it funnier.
The emperor leaned back against the tree.
Then continued.
"Your mother and I would spend hours debating strategy."
A fond smile crossed his face.
"Yeounui would walk into the room..."
A pause.
"...listen for five minutes..."
Another pause.
"...and point out everything wrong with our plan."
Kuzuno immediately grinned.
That sounded exactly like someone who would drive Tamamo insane.
The emperor chuckled.
"She was infuriating."
The smile lingered.
Then slowly faded.
"And brilliant."
The sadness returned.
Subtle.
But unmistakable.
Kuzuno noticed.
Because she always noticed.
The younger princess looked down.
Then quietly asked:
"What happened?"
The question settled between them.
Heavy.
Dangerous.
Real.
Toba's expression softened.
Then became distant.
For a moment...
The emperor looked older.
Not physically.
Emotionally.
Like someone remembering a wound.
Finally he answered.
"I don't know if I'm the right person to tell that story."
The answer surprised Kuzuno.
Because it sounded honest.
Not evasive.
Not political.
Honest.
The emperor looked toward the palace.
Toward the royal residence.
Toward the place where Tamamo currently worked.
Then he smiled sadly.
"Some stories belong to the people who lived them."
Silence followed.
The wind carried another shower of petals through the garden.
The younger princess watched them fall.
Thinking.
Understanding.
Slowly.
This wasn't a mystery about villains.
Or heroes.
Or secrets.
This was a family story.
And family stories were complicated.
Much later that evening...
Tamamo stood alone on a balcony overlooking the capital.
The city glowed beneath the night sky.
Beautiful.
Familiar.
Home.
Yet her thoughts were elsewhere.
A younger version of herself.
A younger version of Yeounui.
Training together.
Laughing together.
Arguing together.
Competing.
Growing.
Dreaming.
Sisters.
The memories came uninvited.
As they often did.
Then a voice spoke behind her.
"Mother?"
Tamamo turned.
Kuzuno stood in the doorway.
The queen smiled immediately.
Always immediately.
"What is it?"
The younger princess hesitated.
Then walked forward.
Slowly.
Thoughtfully.
Finally she stopped beside her mother.
And asked a question.
A simple question.
One that pierced straight through years of silence.
"Do you miss her?"
Tamamo froze.
The city lights shimmered below.
The stars stretched above.
The wind moved softly through her silver-red hair.
For several moments...
The queen said nothing.
Because the answer hurt.
Then she smiled.
A sad smile.
A loving smile.
The smile of a sister.
"Every day."
Kuzuno looked up.
And in that moment...
The mystery of Yeounui changed forever.
No longer a missing princess.
No longer a forgotten name.
No longer a secret.
Now she was something else.
Someone loved.
Someone mourned.
Someone waiting somewhere beyond the horizon.
And for the first time...
Kuzuno found herself wondering if Yeounui missed them too.
Far above the mortal realm...
A goddess watched.
And quietly closed her eyes.
Because there were some questions even gods feared answering.