Chapter Text
The sun was creeping low on the autumn sky when a man and a boy entered the yard of a grand mansion in Heian-kyo. A bowing servant received them and led them in. The man paid no attention to the servant – in truth, barely even noticed him. Waving animatedly he went on telling the boy of the time he had exorcised a demon in this very same house, occasionally bursting into booming laughter. He only fell silent when they entered a room in which a middle-aged man was waiting for them.
“Ah, Akitada-sama!” He spread his arms wide, and wide was also the grin on his face. “It has been a long time, old friend!”
The old friend didn't quite seem to share his cordiality. “Yes... yes,” he muttered. His gaze kept on wandering round the room. “Good of you to come, Toshirou-sama.” His eyes stopped on the boy, and he frowned.
Toshirou clapped the boy's shoulder. “I hope you don't mind, but I took my nephew with me. I thought this would be a great learning opportunity for him. He is young, just nine years of age, but he is the best student I have ever had, far surpassing those twice as old as him.” He smiled proudly. “His name is Seimei,” he said, and the boy bowed. “And this is my old friend, Sugawara no Akitada.”
“Welcome, welcome,” Akitada muttered. “Come, sit down. Would you like a cup of sake?”
“Certainly! These past days truly have been quite awful, not autumnal at all. What is it with this horrid, lingering heat?” Toshirou sat down and took the cup offered to him, and drank half of it with the first gulp. “Ah!” he breathed. “That's better. You know, I was just telling my boy here about the time I exorcised that snake spirit, remember?” He laughed. “What is it in you that attracts demons? Say, what's the matter this time?”
Akitada took a sip from his own cup and savored it a moment. Then he licked his lips. “Over there,” he said, voice quivering a little, and pointed.
“Hmm?” Toshirou turned to look, but saw nothing but a perfectly ordinary go board. “What? I'm sorry, I don't understand.”
Akitada cleared his throat, and now his voice was more even. “The go board. It's cursed.”
“Truly?” Toshirou's eyebrows rose. “Well, well. This is something new. Tell me more about it.” He took another gulp of his cup.
“It started a few weeks ago. Every time I play a game on it, something strange happens. The air turns chilly, I feel sick to the core, and often I can barely stomach touching the stones, for it makes me feel such an overwhelming sorrow I must leave the room.”
“Isn't this peculiar?” Toshirou muttered, eying the go board curiously. “What say you, boy? Ever heard of anything like this?”
“No, master,” the boy said. “But...”
“But don't worry!” Toshirou exclaimed with a laugh, and raised his cup in a salute to his friend. “I am now here, and I will deal with this.” He emptied the cup, and it was promptly filled again.
“I am certain of that, old friend,” Akitada answered with a smile. “You, you who would be skilled enough to become the head court onmyouji, you will surely face no problems with a thing like this.”
The onmyouji laughed again. “Come now, you flatter me! But it is true that my skills are widely admired. Perhaps, some day, the emperor himself will be impressed enough...”
“That is certainly just a matter of time. And possibly not a long time at all. You know I myself have quite a secure position at the court...”
“Indeed, indeed!” The men shared a smile of mutual understanding. “So, why don't we play a game on this board? I'd like to see this curse at work.”
The smile disappeared from Akitada's face and he swallowed. “Is that... necessary? Can't you just... do... something, and...”
“I need to know what I'm dealing with, first. Come now, nothing bad will happen to you. The greatest onmyouji in the city is here, after all!” He burst into laughter again, and Akitada rose up to fetch the go board. He obviously would have preferred not to touch it.
“Master,” Seimei whispered. “There is...”
His uncle waved with his hand dismissively. “Hush now boy! Watch and learn. A cursed go board, you won't see something like this every day.”
“Yes, but...”
“Shh! Don't bother me now, I need to concentrate.” Toshirou traced a finger on the decorated side of the go board. “A beautiful board,” he muttered. “I must see no harm comes to it.”
The men started a game, and the boy watched them quietly, wondering when his teacher, the greatest onmyouji in the city, would notice the ghost that was sitting right next to him, watching the game with unfathomable sorrow on its face.