A Nation in Shadow

The Shin-Oh is knocked unconscious after the sudden Tohda attack on the boat-ride to the palace, and stays at Lord Kazalm's home until she recovers. Ia-lu feels ashamed of not protecting her Majesty, and awaits his punishment. Erin sees the aftermath of the attack, and decides to calm the worried men by playing "Birds of Dawn" on her harp. Ia-lu recognizes the song and finds Erin playing it. Erin tends to Ia-lu's wound from the Tohda, and she and Ia-lu talk. Erin tells Ia-lu that the Tohda attacking the ship weren't the Grand Duke's because they didn't have a mark on their tails. Erin then reveals to Ia-lu that she is a Wajyaku, and is from a Tohda breeding village. Throughout the night she tells him about her life; her home village, her mother, and how she ended up in the Shin-Oh Region. The next morning, Erin leaves for the school and Ia-lu promises her that he will keep her story a secret until the time is ready.