A Great Distance in the Wind, the Sky at Dawn - Chapter Eleven

A Great Distance in the Wind, the Sky at Dawn - Chapter Eleven (風の万里 黎明の空 十一章, Kaze no Banri Reimei no Sora Juuisshou) is the thirty-fourth episode of the Twelve Kingdoms anime series. It is the eleventh chapter of the third arc of the series.

Summary
In Meikaku Youko is running from the Kei soldiers pursuing her and Shoukei. Suddenly, Youko jolts around ard clashes swords with the men. Hyouki then appears and scares the men off.

Youko meets up with Keiki. He claims, "There is an unpleasant smell in the air. It seems to be coming from you, Your Majesty". Youko apologizes and says Meikaku is filled with the smell of blood.


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Asano meets back up with Shoukou on the grounds where the man from earlier was going to be crucified. Shoukou gives a new mission to Asano: Go the Kokei with Shoukou's men and check out the Rike the Taiho has been seen at.


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Kantai says to Shoukei, "Your quite a brave girl throwing a stone at soldiers". Then, introduces himself, claiming he works as a mercenary in Meikaku and abroad. He and some other mercenaries rented out a small place and welcomed Shoukei to stay. Kantai offers Shoukei some to tea, much to her surprise, when she walks into the kitchen it is overflowing with dirty dishes. Kantai starts up a conversation with Shoukei while she is cleaning dishes. He asks her why has she come to Kei when she was from Hou. She says it is because she heard a rumor that she can get land in Shisui in Wa Province. Kantai tells her tax is at 70% no matter what. He goes on to say the Chief Shisui is Shoukou who is supported by Gahou. If a resident was short one percent the whole family would be exicuted. Not only that, sometimes a whole village would be burnt down in one of Shoukou's raids. Shoukei gets terribly upset and says she wants to make the Queen known of this. Kantai gets a little suspicious. As those two are talking. A man walks in on their conversation. Kantai offers to introduce the rest of the mercenaries.


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In Takuhou, Koshou is telling Suzu how to find members of their group: look for the grey ring and make a hand gesture. He also says, "If they say Shikin, in San Prefecture, in Baku Province they're on our side. Then you tell them you're Otsuetsu from Roushou". Suzu asks if there is a special meaning behind that phrase. Koshou goes onto explain there was a well respected man by the name Otsuetsu who Tatsu-Ou invited in the court yard, who disappeared later, but he is not even sure if it is a true story. Suzu replies if his group has any other targets. He says yes. She blurts out, "Like Queen Kei?". He looks on in surprise and says he wants to go after the provincial lord, who bought Wa Province at a bribe. Suzu asks if the Queen supports Gahou. Koshou says some people think so and that she fired the lord of Baku Province and let Gahou free. He continues to tell Suzu that the lord of Baku Province was well liked by the people and opposed the false Queen, Joei. Suzu looks at him puzzled. He says Queen Kei did just take the throne so she may need time to adjust. Suzu smirks and says, "I guess Queen Kei is no different than the last queen". Koshou's jaw drops, then looks at her and asks if she was planning on doing something to the queen. As the two continue to talk Koshou gets on the subject of his brother, Sekki, how smart he is he could have become an official. He wondered if Sekki would work under Shoukou. Sekki then tore up the parcel he received in a distance of Koshou's. Suzu hands Koshou a cup of tea and they both sit down to drink.


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Youko and Keiki are walking in a graveyard. Youko is looking for a 'new' grave. Keiki asks, "Is it the child who was run over by Shoukou?". Youko squats down at a grave and says, "I had no idea crucifixions were still being done in Kei". Keiki looks on in confusion. Youko explains that there are crucifixions going on in Shisui. She says she must go check something out in Takuhou. Keiki replies he wants to go with her but Youko abruptly denies his request telling him someone might recognize him. Youko wants to get down to the root cause of all this mess, to find peace as herself and a queen.


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Over in Ei Province Shoukou's men and Asano are riding in a carriage. One man is explaining the plans to Asano: Tell them you here to visit her Majesty. Asano hesitantly says yes.


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Youko is walking down a street, then turns into a shop where Suzu recognizes her. Suzu thanks Youko for the other day with Seishuu. She tells Youko he was originally from Kei and was making his way back here after the new queen came along. The two girls properly introduce themselves to each other. Then, Youko asks if she is the only one here. Suzu replies they were just here. Suzu starts boasting that Kei has not been blessed with a good queen like Sai. Youko agrees. Suzu remarks at how there is a rumor about the queen supporting Shoukou and dismissing the lord of Baku. Youko lets out a quiet gasp and rushes to her feet and leaves. Suzu follows Youko out the door to say farewell. When she turns around to go back inside, there, Koshou and Sekki are staring Youko down with suspicion in their eyes. Sekki thinks allowed: Youko might be checking on them because they are gathering Touki weapons and Youko might know about it. Koshou states, "Suzu", she looks up, "I want you to go to Lou's place and pick up the goods again tomorrow". Koshou then says, "We should move out of here soon". Sekki nods. Suzu looks on and says, "She didn't look like she was a bad person, though". Sekki replies, "But she wasn't an ordinary person either".


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Back in Kokei, Keikei asks when Youshi (Youko) is coming back. Rangyoku replies she will be back soon. As Rangyoku is drying some dishes Keikei looks up at her if Youshi will ever get married. Rangyoku says she does not know.

A small group of men shoves a open to Enho and Asano talking. Enho says one of these men look fimilar. He then realizes he saw him the day Shoujyuku burned down. Asano asks what is going on--he might be able to get info about the queen from him. The hooded man states Enho is a felon and will be taken to Takuhou--the Chief of Shisui has been looking for him for a long time. As Asano walks away he is spooked by Keikei, who he first thought was Seishuu, and pulls his pistol out. The hooded man tells him to kill them but Asano keeps seeing Seishuu's face. Enho yells to the kids to run away. Then Keikei runs to Asano shouting, "Stop it!". All the while, Asano is sweating more profusely. Then he pulls the trigger the bullet goes strait through Keikei's chest. While being tied from behind, Enho rushes over and lays himself over Keikei. Rangyoku flees. Enho glares at Asano, asking why he did it. Asano says, "Because everything in this world is trying to kill me. I'm going to save Queen Kei, then go back to my world". It dawns on Enho that this man knows Youko from Hourai. A hooded man interrupts them.

Rangyoku is still running when she stops to look back and the men bust through a door to see her. She rushes into Youshi's room, hopes onto her bed. She feel something hard that her hand has landed on. She pulls a small square pouch out from the sheets. Something falls out, she realizes it is a Kingdom Seal. She wonders why Youshi has this. The three men bust down the doors. Rangyoku scoops the seal up and conceal it in her clothes while fearing for her life. The men pull out their sword and swing it at her.
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Keiki and Youko are riding Hankyo and Hyouki in the sky. Youko looks down-hearted so Keiki asks her what happened. The two squabble about the matter of Koukan. Then he asks what brings up that matter now. She asks what he thought of him personally. Keiki says he was a respectable man. Irritated, Youko asks why he did not say earlier. He says he knows she would not have listened to him. Saddened, she looks downward and says to him, "Forget it Keiki".

On the ground, Keiki asks if she is upset with him. Youko says she is just upset with herself, realizing Gahou was the first one to shoot accusations against Koukan. Keiki's eyes soften at her.

As they are walking Youko asks who Enho really is. Keiki responds that he is a man of great wisdom, but he says someone was after him so he hid him in Ei Province. Keiki stops short. Youko turns around and asks what is wrong. With his hand over his nose he says, "I smell blood". Youko rushes to the Rike and shouts the kids' names. She sees Keikei out cold on the ground. Keiki calls for Kaiko to take Keikei to Kinpa Palace with Hyouki. Youko tells Keiki to leave too. Keiki asks Hankyo where Enho is. Hankyo says he cannot find him nor his body and the girl has already passed away. Youko walks into her room to find Rangyoku slain in bed. As Youko picks her up the seal falls from her hand. Tears start streaming down Youko's face wondering if Rangyoku was trying to protect her secret. Youko declares she will not let anyone die like that.


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In Takuhou, a horse and carriage rush by. A horse whinnies, Suzu looks up and asks what was that at this late an hour. Sekki says it's Shoukou--he has the ability to open the gate after dark. He may have come back from another 'hunt'.

In the carriage sits Shoukou's men, Asano, and Enho.