Six Crimson Cranes

Shiori’anma Hanriyu, affectionately called Shiori, is the princess of Kiata and the emperor’s only daughter. She dreads the idea of being betrothed to Lord Bushian’s son, Lord Takkan, because she wants her freedom and does not want to move from the capital, Gindara, to the Far North. Magic is forbidden in Kiata, but Shiori recently discovered her own magic when she enchanted a paper crane she folded. While Shiori’s brother Hasho escorts her to the betrothal ceremony, the bird, Kiki, escapes Shiori’s sleeve and Shiori chases after it, diving into the nearby Sacred Lake. Her heavy robes weigh her down and she begins to drown, and the last thing she sees before losing consciousness is a small dragon holding Kiki between its claws.

Shiori wakes up in her bed to Hasho covering for her, claiming that a snake scared her away. Her six brothers, father, and stepmother Raikama (which literally means “The Nameless Queen”) scold her for missing the ceremony, as it caused great shame to the Bushians. When Shiori mentions the small dragon, her brothers do not believe her, but Raikama seems momentarily disturbed by the news. Shiori begrudgingly agrees to embroider an elaborate tapestry as an apology gift for the Bushians, even though it means she will miss the upcoming Summer Festival.