12 Chapter 12

She was almost aggressively cheerful next morning at breakfast and for the time that they lingered at the oasis after the baggage camels had started. Sir Kiba was gloomy and silent, and she exchanged most of her banters with Udon, who was supervising the man, who had been selected as her personal attendant to accompany her, in preparing and packing foods for the journey. Aside from her personal attendant and Akatsuchi, there were about 10 men riding with her to the vast country desert.

The time to start her expedition had come. Udon was fussing about the horse that Hana was to ride.

"Everything all right, Udon? Up to your standard? Don't look so glum. I wish you were coming to look after me, but it couldn't be done. Sir Kiba would be lost without you."

The idea of a tour without Udon in the background seemed suddenly meaningful, and the smile she gave him was more serious than she meant it to be. She went back to her brother, who was pulling his goatee savagely. "I don't think there's any use waiting any longer. You won't want to hurry yourself too much, and you will want to be in Iwagakure in time for dinner," she said as casually as she could.

He swung towards her. "Hana, it's still not too late to change your mind. For Heaven's sake give up this folly. It's tempting Providence (divine guidance) ." For the first time there was a genuine ring in his voice, and for a moment Hana wavered, but only for a moment. Then she looked at him with a slow smile.

"Do I fall on your neck and say, 'Take me back, dear Guardian; I will be good,' or do I prostrate myself at your feet and knock my head on the floor right at your feet, and whine, in the language of the country, 'Hearing is obeying'? Don't be ridiculous, Kiba. You can't expect me to change my mind at the eleventh hour. It's perfectly safe. Akatsuchi will take care that everything goes smoothly. He has his reputation in Iwagakure to think of. You know the character the authorities gave him. He is not likely to throw that away. In any case I can take care of myself, thanks to your training. I don't mind owning to being conceited about my shooting. Even you admit that I am good, even better than you."

With a gay little laugh she whipped out the ivory-mounted revolver, and aiming at a low flat rock, some distance away, fired. She was an unusually good revolver shot, but this time she seemed to have missed. There was no mark on the stone. Hana stared at it stupidly, a frown of perplexity creasing her forehead. Then she looked at her brother, and back to the revolver in her hand.