Flame of the Ocean - Chapter III
“You’re too quick on pulling the salmon in,” Satoshi told her, sounding quite sure about the proper way to fish.
“You’re overpacking your horse,” Kasumi told him, quite sure she knew by now the proper way to load a saddle.
Summer had taken its turn steaming the countryside, autumn had put on its show of leaves, and a mild and snowless winter had hurried along. Now spring was on the village, and in full flower. Every tree along the lake and river stood tall and proud in white, lilac, violet, and pale yellow.
“What are you packing on your poor old mare anyway?” Kasumi asked. She ignored the tugging at her line – it was a small fish, she could tell, and anyway she much preferred catching them while in the water, without tools. She only tried this way to humor Satoshi, who was so excited to “teach” her how to fish.
“Just a few things Mama wants sold,” said Satoshi. He spared a quick look at the house, then slipped his bow out of the largest basket. “But she won’t check too carefully.”
“Are you any better at that?” Kasumi asked, pointing to the bow. That was something she learned about Satoshi on her first real visit above land: he never gave up the passions he struggled with, only practiced them more discretely after failing the first time.
He made a face at her. “Wouldn’t you like to know.”
Kasumi made a face back. “Well, as long as you don’t try stealing that drum back, I won’t tell.”
Satoshi laughed and sat down beside her. He flopped down onto his back, with his hands behind his head. Denko hurried out of his hair and into Kasumi’s lap. She moved one finger up and down his stomach, and the dormouse trilled appreciatively.
“Are you sure you can’t come with me to the market tomorrow?” Satoshi asked.
“I told you,” said Kasumi. “I’m forbidden to be gone overnight.” None of her father’s court could be gone overnight; he said it encouraged dereliction of duties. “And besides, I must attend Father tomorrow when the emperor comes.” There would be no shortage of duties then, though Kasumi still didn’t know why all the imperial court, and the shogun, were coming below the sea.
“I thought you said you were going to be presented to your uncle, then go to the party after,” said Satoshi.
“That’s for Namika,” said Kasumi. She had only learned that the day before. She’d caused no trouble all month long, and said so, but Father wouldn’t change his mind. “We need an attendant,” he said. “The court will be busy, and your mother won’t have her brother mortified by you. He’s heard too much already.”
Satoshi turned to her and frowned. “You don’t get to do anything then?”
“I get to fetch the scrolls and clear the food. Namika will sing and taste higashi and dance.”
“But that’s not fair,” said Satoshi, sitting up. “Higashi are delicious!”
Kasumi shoved him back down by his face. “That would be all you care about.”
“Not all.” They traded faces again. Kasumi adjusted her grip on the pole. The sleeve of her yukata fell back past her elbow.
“What are those?” Satoshi pointed to three red lines across her arm.
“I was supposed to study crab dancing yesterday.” She could tell Satoshi wanted to know more, but Kasumi didn’t want to tell him. It wasn’t much of a story anyway. Father gives out swats for truancy all the time. Just because his claws drew blood this time, what difference should that make? And what business was it of anyone from the land above?
Another tug came at Kasumi’s line. This time, she could tell it was a big fish. A wake appeared where the line met the water, while the pull made the line taut. “You’ve got it!” Satoshi cried. “Don’t pull too fast now.”
“I know what to do,” Kasumi insisted. She took the pole with both hands, and Denko went back to Satoshi’s shoulder. They both cheered as Kasumi pushed onto her feet, tugging and tugging. The wake in the water kept going out; it held steady, it stated to yield and drift back to her…
An enormous green fly with double wings buzzed by Kasumi’s face. She reached with both hands to shoo it away, and the pole fell to the ground and was pulled into the lake.
“That was my best pole!” Satoshi whined, standing. “Kasumi, go and get it.”
“Get it yourself,” she said. “I was just attacked!”
“Kasumi, it’s just a dragonfly,” said Satoshi. “They’re always around this time of year.”
“Dragonfly?” Kasumi pulled away with a great show of indignity. “That buzzing little thing is no dragon. Remember, sir, that I am a dragon, and the flame of the ocean at that.”
Satoshi grinned, put his hands on his hips, and leaned in toward her. “I’ve never seen you become a real dragon.”
“As if I’d show you.” In truth, Kasumi had never taken on a dragon’s form. Even the children of the dragon king could not become dragons, until and unless they had need, passion, and fury great enough. But Satoshi didn’t need to know that.
“I bet you could become a shrimp,” teased Satoshi.
“You dare insult the flame of the ocean? What a fool you are!”
“And you come out of your ocean to see me every chance you get. I guess that makes you a shrimpy fool.”
Kasumi leapt at him. Denko, very sensibly, hopped down Satoshi’s leg and took a safe spot on a rock as the two of them fell to the ground. They rolled, pinched, tickled, bit, and slapped at one another, up and down the lakeshore, until they made a small trench and both their yukatas were caked in mud. Finally, Kasumi flipped Satoshi over and pinned him. She turned up her nose as she glared down at him, and he puffed his face into a pout.
They both started to laugh.
“I almost forgot – we haven’t had your lesson today.” Kasumi stayed on top of Satoshi even as she reached over to the water’s edge and picked up a small yellow turtle swimming by. She held it above Satoshi’s face and asked, “Do you remember how to say hello?”
Satoshi scrunched his face and rubbed his nose, as he always did when he didn’t want to answer. He opened his mouth wide, like she’d taught him, and clicked in his throat without clicking with his tongue, but not from far enough back. The turtled wiggled its flippers and hissed at the vulgar insult accidentally paid to it.
Kasumi shook her head and tutted. “Still not practicing. Really, Satoshi, if you can’t learn the basics of turtle, how can you ever hope to talk with seahorses or jellyfish?”
“I’ll practice,” Satoshi promised, as he always did when caught having not practiced. “One of these days I’ll be able to do this with any sea beast you give me.” He made a louder click with his tongue and let out a low whistle. Denko hopped over, made a big leap, and bopped Kasumi on the nose. It was as light as a bubble popping against her skin, but Kasumi was so surprised that she fell back and rolled off Satoshi. The turtle made its way back to the water.
“Children!” Hayami’s earthy voice called from the house. “Dinner!”
There are no fires under the sea, and volcanoes are too unpredictable to cook with. This means that there are no hot foods to be had in the dragon king’s palace. When Kasumi tasted Hayami’s meals for the first time – steamed rice, tempura, edamame, gyoza dumplings and sukiyaki – she thought they were the finest dishes she’d ever had. So when she heard Hayami’s call, she rushed to beat Satoshi to his own home and hearth.
It was another wonderful meal – seaweed soup, cooked millet, wild salmon, and dumplings well-fried. Satoshi had Denko dance around the hearth to make Kasumi laugh. Hayami laughed too, and discussed anything about surface life that Kasumi asked about, from horse sandals to felling trees.
She asked Kasumi about going to the market with Satoshi as well. “It’s only for one night dear, after all, and we’d see you safely back to the water tomorrow evening. Although I daresay you wouldn’t need us for safety.”
“No, ma’am,” said Kasumi.
“And I’d be happy to make room for you here,” Hayami went on. “I could show you the well you asked about in the morning, before you and Satoshi had to leave. And perhaps you’d let me dress your hair?”
Kasumi’s mother often dressed Namika’s hair. When she couldn’t, they did for each other. No one ever offered to dress Kasumi hair. It seemed such a silly thing to do together, she always said, and she kept her hair so short, why bother with letting anyone do that for her?
Kasumi’s cheeks felt warm inside, and her throat felt tight. “Thank you, ma’am,” she said. “But I’m really not allowed.”
She put a hand to her eyes, to be sure they were dry, and looked back down at her meal. She said nothing else all night. Hayami and Satoshi said no more either, until it was time for goodbyes. But for the first time since Kasumi had started visiting, Satoshi let her have the last dumpling.