The dragon sat legs crossed, gazing down upon the shrine maidens. His posture was erect and regal and though it was hard to believe, he was even more magnificent in the robes that had been procured for him. The Head Priestess bowed low before him the tip of her nose brushed against the reed mats. The dragon regarded her and she blushed like a young virgin.

“I am thirsty, bring me rice wine,” he said.

The Head Priestess trembled like a leaf in the wind. “Yes, right away.” She turned her head just enough to order the young woman behind her to do his bidding. “You heard the lord dragon, get him some rice wine.”

The girls jumped up and tripped over their billowing robes in an attempt to hurry and do the dragon’s bidding.

Do they not care that he is a fake? Suzume thought, he is nothing but a charlatan and yet they fall over themselves to do his bidding. Despite Suzume’s thought on the matter, the others did not seem to care one way or another whether he was a god or a dragon. Though both gods and dragons were immortal, the thousands of benevolent gods were the ones that cared for the people. They brought the rain to make the crops grow. They were not all good. They also brought down the wrath of the natural elements when displeased. A dragon was an entirely mischievous creature that played tricks and was in essence selfish.

This dragon seemed no different. He kept her close at his side, like a pet lap dog. She had only been out of his sight long enough for him to dress –at the head priestess’ adamant behest—and now she sat beside him like the bride at a bizarre marital feast. In fact she had not even been given the time to change and she still wore the ceremonial white robes, though now they were dusty and her makeup was smeared.

The shrine maidens returned with the rice wine and handed the clay jar to the head priestess. She and her second bowed before the dais on which Suzume and the dragon sat. At least I am back in my proper place, Suzume thought. She disregarded the fact that her current elevation in status was in part based on a lie. She did not know how she broke the seal or how to help the dragon find the woman that had sealed him. However, she had to keep up the facade or else risk losing what little reputation she had left.  

“My Lord, we have brought you what you requested.” The High Priestess said, once more her face nearly buried in the reed mats on the ground in front of her. The High Priestess offered up the clay jar and the second presented a set of small cups.

“Ah, good.” He took the clay pot from the tray and disregarded the two small cups that the second had offered. He brought the jug to his lips and took a long draught of the rice wine. Suzume sat mesmerized by the bobbing of his throat as he drained the entire jug. He set the jar aside and then smacked his lips.

Suzume crinkled her nose, a charlatan and crude, delightful.

He leaned back and rested on his arm and regarded the two shrine maidens before him.

“Now tell me, when was this temple built?”

The High Priestess replied to the reed mats and did not move from her deep bow as she replied, “My lord, in the year one hundred and three of the sun king’s reign.”

He picked up the jug and swirled the contents which sloshed around inside. Suzume was not one for arithmetic but that had been roughly five hundred years.

“There is no need to grovel, Chiyoko. I may not be your god of the mountain but your songs eased my long slumber. Please rise and share my rice wine with me.” He held out his hand to her, beckoning her towards him with the crook of his finger.

The head priestess raised her head and tears brimmed on her lashes. “My lord, I am not worthy.” She placed her hands flat on the ground in front of her nearly flattening herself on the floor.

Suzume sighed and rolled her eyes. It was all too dramatic. She reached for the rice wine. If they were going to continue to carry on in this manner, she too was going to need a drink. As she reached for the jug and the second’s hand darted out to brush it away.

“That is for the lord dragon.” The second withdrew her hand and bowed deeper as if she had not moved at all. Suzume glared at her and rubbed her hand where it had collided with the second’s.

“You are, Zakuro, I believe. Do you have something against my bride?” The dragon asked and the second’s head shot up eyes wide.

The Dragon reached across and grabbed Suzume by the nape of her neck and squeezed. Suzume smirked at the second. He has chosen me as his bride and to think I could have settled for a general, now I am the bride of a dragon! Even if he was a fake, it still put her in a most advantageous position. It made her superior to these women, as she had been prior to being exiled to this temple. She would use the dragon’s attachment to her advantage.

“My lord,” Zakuro said, “She is not in actuality your bride but a servant of the mountain god, and at your own admission, you are not him.”

He smiled at her and tightened his grip upon Suzume who gasped in pain. The Dragon did not notice. “Well, that is a shame since there is no mountain god. This is not hallowed ground at all.”

The shrine maidens gasped and then nervous whispers filled the room.

“How could you say that? Our sisterhood has protected this place for generations. Just because you were sealed in the holy object does not mean the mountain god does not exist!” Zakuro shouted.

He released Suzume and she rubbed her neck where his nails had left half-moon marks on her pale skin. The Dragon leaned forward with narrowed eyes focused on Zakuro.

“Because this is my mountain and my realm. I have been here since before you humans had the ability of speech. I have watched your empires rise and fall.  I am the lord of the mountain!” When he spoke thunder seemed to roll from his throat and a menacing aura hung about him. The shrine maiden’s recoiled in fear and one of the younger girls cried out.

Only the High Priestess, Zakuro, and Suzume did not flinch. Suzume smiled, pleased that Zakuro was getting the brunt of his ire. She was so amused that she did not think to curb her sharp tongue. “Until a woman sealed you away,” she laughed and covered it with her sleeve.

He turned towards her and storm clouds seemed to be gathering in his eyes. Suzume swore she saw lightning flash in his dark pupils. “Yes, until a priestess sealed me away.” His words sent a chill down her spine. How could she be so foolish to speak out of turn, this was not the White Palace; her sharp wit was not appreciated here!

She had gone too far now to back down and asked with an arched brow, “You were sealed by a mere human?”

The dragon smiled and rested his elbow on his knee and regarded her. “You are testing my patience.  Perhaps my bride has tired of her ceremonial feast and wishes to make our union an official one? Though I must warn you, dragons often kill their lovers in the heat of passion. The sensation of a woman and the taste of a woman has been known to drive them to madness.”

How dare he say such things to me and without any remorse! A burning blush branded her neck and cheeks and she thanked the gods for her white face paint which she hoped disguised her discomfort, no matter how he tried, she would not be cowed by this dragon. “Perhaps we should tempt the fates and see if it is true,” Suzume replied cooly.

He laughed a barking laughter and the moment was finished. Suzume thanked her quick tongue for saving her. Now his attention returned to the Zakuro and the High Priestess.

“The woman who began your order, what was her name?” he asked

“The first High Priestess is Hotaru Kazue, my lord,” High Priestess Chiyoko replied.

The clay pot shattered in his hand and the shards fell onto the woven mats and the rice wine dribbled down over his fingers. A thin line of blood mixed with the wine and pooled on the ground and stained the mats.

“Is that the woman, my lord, the one who defeated the dragon and imprisoned him in a tiny stone?” Suzume asked and the silence that followed was deafening. She thought they had come to an understanding, a playful jesting being equals. She could not have been more wrong. She could hear her blood pumping in her ears and Zakuro’s mouth twisted down into a frown. Then the dragon turned on Suzume and pinned her against the mat and pressed his forearm to her throat.

“Do not pretend to know me, girl, you are my servant and if I want your opinion or thoughts I will ask for them. Is that understood?” His voice echoed in the chamber and the walls shook with the force of his anger. Suzume wiggled beneath his grasp and struggled for air. She had pretended to not be afraid of him before but now she did not give any such pretense. “I am keeping you alive because you amuse me but if you over step your bounds again, I will not hesitate to kill you.”

He eased off her windpipe and she rubbed her throat, glowering at him as he rose to his feet.

“I wish to spend time in solitude,” he announced and strode out of the room.

Once he was gone the High Priestess and the second turned on Suzume.

“You idiot girl!” The High Priestess shouted. “How dare you speak to our lord in such a way?”

“You are fortunate he did not kill you,” Zakuro added though Suzume suspected it would not be a loss to her if she had perished.

“You would be glad to be rid of me, I am sure. You may think the cast off daughter does not make for an ideal priestess, but you cannot deny the truth, I was the one to awaken the dragon! I broke the seal and I have been here less than a fortnight while you have toiled and devoted your lives to a god that does not exist. I exposed the truth and it was me he has chosen me as his bride.” She lifted her chin in a show of regal superiority and then glided out of the room. The other shrine maidens watched her with comingled jealousy and awe.

Good, she thought, let them realize who I am. My father may have set me aside but that does not change the fact that I am a princess and as such I am better than them. It only makes sense that my spiritual powers would awaken the dragon.

Suzume closed the sliding door behind her and hurried down the hallway. Her mind raced. No matter how she tried to reason it, she could not convince herself. Never in her seventeen years of life had she ever shown the slightest indication of spiritual power. If she had, she would have been sent to the White Palace shrine to learn the ways of the royal priestess’. She might have one day been equal to that of the emperor. She would not have been sent to this remote temple, set aside to be forgotten.

A hand darted out from the darkness and grabbed Suzume by the wrist. She twirled in place and attempted to break free but could not. She was pulled forward and collided with a firm chest. He held her arms at her sides and breathed across her neck and the small hairs at her nape stood on end.

“Come to my chamber, my bride, it is our wedding night after all.”