“Suyo?” Sheiji awoke to find Suyo going through the contents of his food bag. “Give that here!” Sheiji snatched the bag angrily away, aware that it contained both his coronation ring and his two engagement rings. “What were you doing going through my things! What are you doing here?”
“I figured you needed help,” Suyo explained. “I was in Taiyunyi anyway.”
“How’d you hear that I was in Taiyunyi?” Sheiji asked, relaxing a bit.
“Only one person can cause such a commotion in a city. They’ve got soldiers on every street corner and no one is allowed to leave or enter the city until they find this horse thief. No one is even allowed outside their homes, which will make it very difficult to get you out of here.”
“You knew it was me just from that?” Sheiji asked.
“That’s a lot to go by. Besides, Yoson, the silk merchant said he saw you,” Suyo shrugged. “I’m a sort of friend to him.”
“Meaning you steal from him?”
“No. He’s probably the only merchant I wouldn’t steal from. He’s loyal to you, do you know that?” Suyo explained.
“I know.”
There was an awkward pause as each tried to think of something to say.
“Are you still angry with me, Suyo?” Sheiji asked.
“Angry? Why would I be angry with you?”
“Because I’m a prince,” Sheiji replied. “I thought you were angry because I didn’t tell you. I thought that’s why you left.”
“I was never angry,” Suyo said softly. “I thought maybe you wouldn’t want me around anymore because I’m a girl. I thought you would be angry with me.”
“I’m not angry with you either. But why do you pretend to be a boy?” Sheiji inquired, greatly relieved.
“Why do you pretend to be a peasant?”
“Because it wouldn’t be safe to be myself!” Sheiji exclaimed.
“The same for me. It’s too dangerous for girls on the streets. It’s much safer—and easier—to be a boy,” Suyo shrugged. “Besides, I can’t climb buildings in a dress.”
Sheiji smiled. It was good to have her back.
“So you thought your advisor was being killed?” Suyo asked.
“Did the silk merchant tell you that too?”
Suyo nodded, “Fa-Ying is safe.”
“Do you know where he is?” Sheiji asked. “Would you take me to see him?”
“I know where he is. But I can’t take you unless Yoson says I can,” Suyo answered. “For now, we must figure out how to get you out of the city. Where’s your Uncle’s army?”
“I left them to come behind me so that I could get to Taiyunyi more quickly,” Sheiji confessed.
“That was a stupid idea,” Suyo said bluntly.
“Yes.”
“Where are they now? You’ll need them to get into Taiyunyi and then into the palace.”
“I don’t know where they are. Hopefully they’re near. We still have several thousand men. How many soldiers are in Taiyunyi?”
“Less than that. But they’re good soldiers and Sui-Tsai could bring in more at a moment’s notice. You’ll need all your men. Everyone’s talking about the battle at the Crossing of the Rivers. They said you almost lost but that some common peasants came and rescued you.”
Sheiji nodded.
“I’d like to hear what happened,” Suyo requested.
So Sheiji told her everything that had happened since she left him at King Naro’s palace. When he finished, Suyo asked, “What are all those rings in your bag?”
Sheiji opened his bag and withdrew his three rings. “This one,” he began, taking up the gold ring, “Is my coronation ring. It’s what gives me power to claim the throne. These two,” he replaced the gold ring and took out his two betrothal rings, “are each a half of an engagement ring. They show whom I’m betrothed to. I have one half and my betrothed has the other.”
“Why do you have two rings?” Suyo asked, peering at each one closely.
“I was betrothed twice. This ring,” he held up his first betrothal ring, “is from my first engagement to a girl from Nakuchi when I was two years old. She was kidnapped and is dead now, so Sui-Tsai betrothed me to a girl from Hevana. That is the second ring.”
“I have one of those,” Suyo commented. She took her ring from her sash and held it up for Sheiji to see. “That must mean that I was betrothed once.”
“Yes,” Sheiji said.
“But how do you know who has your other half?”
“The ring only fits one other ring,” Sheiji said. “They are made one of a kind and snap together to form one ring. You can never make an exact copy to fit with your ring. Only your betrothed’s ring will fit. So you find whose ring fits with yours and that’s your betrothed.”
Suyo smiled, “I’ll try every man’s ring in the whole of Imatsuro. You first!” They laughed and Sheiji handed her Mirala’s ring.
“You’re right. They don’t fit,” Suyo marveled as she tried to snap the two rings together. “How do they do that? It’s amazing!”
Sheiji agreed and handed her the other ring. His smile faded as he heard a click and watched as the two rings melted into one.