Flame in the Mist Series #1
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Disclaimer: I have read this book of my own volition. Any and all opinions and interpretations contained herein are my own.
The Spoiler Report is a recounting of the major events of the novel mixed with my own interpretation of the meaning and symbolism of said events, emotions, and actions. Reading this report is NOT a substitute for reading the actual novel and should not be taken as such. Not every single detail, feeling, and event is divulged within. It is essentially a lengthy outline of the story. Many details and all dialogue have not been included. This report is for those who appreciate knowing what happens or feels they may miss things when reading, or just want to have a detailed overview of a book before, or during, reading.
****THIS REPORT CONTAINS SPOILERS****
This is not a book review. For the full review of this book please visit HERE.
One last warning – SPOILERS AHEAD!!
A boy watches as his father guts himself with a sword before the father’s best friend beheads him with a katana. An execution fit for a samurai suspected of treason. Kindling a fire in the boy, vowing to burn all his father’s enemies.
10 years later
Mariko is traveling to the imperial city of Inako amidst her convoy. A long journey to deliver her to her to the emperor’s second son, her betrothed, Prince Raiden. A political marriage. Resigned to her fate, having no say as a woman.
Traveling through the Jukai forest at night, where even the sheer ambience frightens the horses and Mariko’s carriage is overturned and she loses consciousness.
Waking in her overturned carriage, Mariko finds her maid servant’s dead body draped over her. The Black Clan attacked her convoy and are sticking around to ensure that she is dead. With the looming threat of nightbeasts and her carriage catching fire, they assume she is dead. Leaving Mariko time to escape undetected. Only to get attacked by a filthy thief.
After killing the man, Mariko knows she has to find out who sent the Black Clan to kill her or her life will always be in danger. Also needing to spare her family shame and embarrassment. Bonus—undertaking this journey will give her a period of freedom she never had and will probably never have again.
Channeling her inner Mulan, Mariko chops her hair with a knife, steels the dead man’s clothing and forges ahead as a boy so she can be taken seriously.
Kenshin, Mariko’s twin brother, finds the remains of her convoy three days after it was attacked in the forest. Known as the Dragon of Kai, Kenshin discovers Mariko’s trail leading away from her carriage and into the woods. He knows she is still alive.
Minamoto Masaru, the emperor of Wa, wanders and ponders his life’s decisions. Kanako, his consort and true love, Raiden’s mother, finds him. Tells him that the Black Clan attacked Mariko’s convoy.
Hunting down the favored watering hole of the Black Clan Mariko waits. When they finally arrive, Mariko homes in on Ranmaru, the possible leader of the Black Clan. Wanting to enact her plan, she looks for the weak link to buddy up to and befriend in order to infiltrate the clan.
Before she is able, Ranmaru approaches her. Pretending to be a boy as best she can, trying to charm him into accepting her. Their talk is interrupted by a giant of a man. He uses Ranmaru’s full name. A name that Mariko recognizes from when she was a young girl. The son of a fallen samurai.
Kenshin finds the body of the man Mariko killed and disrobed. Examining the body and its surroundings, Kenshin begins to understand what happened. His sister is now traveling as a boy.
Mariko witnesses a fight between a giant man and Ranmaru’s best warrior, someone Mariko had already written off as useless. With supernatural abilities, Ranmaru’s man beats the giant.
When one of the giant’s men tries to cheat, Mariko draws attention to herself to warn the Black Clan. Earning herself an audience with Ranmaru. Giving him the name Sanada Takeo, after a warrior, when asked. But Ranmaru wants her to earn that name. Until then calling her Lord Lackbeard— ah, literal naming.
Sharing a drink with the Black Clan leader—he drugs her.
Waking, Mariko is strewn over the back of Ranmaru’s horse as they travel. After asking too many questions, she is thrown onto Okami’s horse, the Black Clan’s best, giant beating, warrior; also known as the Wolf. She rides with him until they reach the Black Clan’s encampment.
Kenshin loses his sister’s trail at the rundown watering hole and decides to head home with his men. But only to rest his men and regroup before resuming his search.
Mariko goes through physical torment at the camp, led by Ren, another Black Clan member. Saved only by a brutal intervention by Okami.
Yoshi, the Black Clan’s cook, begins to worm his way under Mariko’s barriers which goes against her original intent. She learns she is not a prisoner, but the newest Black Clan recruit. Igniting her curiosity further.
Late at night, Mariko is woken by an animalistic scream. Following Ren deeper into the forest, they join others gathered around a young man tangled in the roots of a tree. The roots have grabbed him and are drinking his blood to feed.
Mariko was clearly brought to witness this as a warning.
Ranmaru tells her a story of three friends, warriors. One of them is Ranmaru’s father. Another is Okami’s. It is their backstory and the deaths of their fathers. Mariko remembers the day Ranmaru’s father was killed, and Ranmaru. Threatening to soften her need for revenge.
Determined, Mariko continues her training hoping to gain the trust of the Black Clan leader and Okami. Needing to know why they were sent to kill her and by whom.
Haruki, the Black Clan’s blacksmith, listens to Mariko’s idea to fashion a six-sided throwing star. Haruki takes to her Ranmaru’s tent to tell him of her idea.
Okami interrupts, returning from Hanami, a place he disappears to almost every other day.
Ranamru strikes a deal with Mariko. Help Haruki bring her throwing star to life and she can travel with Okami to Hamani next time to see what he is up to there.
For Mariko, every interaction with Okami continues to blur the line between loathing hatred and something stronger. Something worrying.
Alone, Ranmaru and Okami discuss Sanada Takeo, their newest recruit. Okami clearly feels the same concerning sensations when he is in Markio’s presence. Since he believes her to be a boy, Okami interprets them as mistrust and discomfort. While she has no odd effect on Renmaru whatsoever. Believing the boy might be an asset to the Black Clan in the future.
Kenshin arrives in the imperial city of Inako. Him and his men are taken to see the emperor during an exhibition of his army’s might. One particular rider stands out above the rest. Prince Raiden, Mariko’s betrothed.
After the demonstration, Kenshin tells the two princes he believes his sister is still alive. Prince Roku and Raiden do not want to discuss such things in a place with so many ears. They invite Kenshin to a teahouse in Hanami.
Mariko, Ranmaru, and Okami arrive in Inako. The conversation turns toward the idea of love until they reach Hanami and the most luxurious and unexpected teahouse Mariko could ever imagine. Where geiko entertain the male patrons, giving Mariko pause over her previous judgment of the beautiful women. Giving her a new perspective. Meeting Yumi, a maiko, an apprentince geiko. One that clearly favors Okami. Causing Ranmaru distress and Mariko to experience unfavorable and confusing emotions. Concocting theories of Yumi’s true power as a woman.
Spying on what Mariko believes to be an intimate moment between Yumi and Okami, Mariko is furious and jealous. The need for revenge overriding all other emotions and logic, Mariko positions herself to eavesdrop on the two from above. Instead, she sees her brother who isn’t alone. Through knowledge and observation, she knows his companions are Roku and Raiden. The princes’ father is the one that exiled Ranmaru’s and Okami’s fathers.
Immediately, Mariko realized her brother and the princes must not cross paths with the Black Clan. It could be a catastrophe for all. Trying to create a diversion to hopefully prevent their meeting. Instead angering Okami but still giving ample warning of the approaching company. Okami is able to conceal his identity and engage before Kenshin and the princes.
Fearing for her brother’s life, Mariko intercedes. Managing to knock out her brother and hit Okami in the shoulder with one of her throwing stars. Injured, Okami grabs Mariko and runs.
He leads her through the city to a rundown building and an elderly woman. Giving the old lady a pouch of gold. The Black Clan helps to fund the children she cares for. The woman can easily spot Mariko as a girl but says nothing.
Kenshin and the princes think the attack at the teahouse was deliberate. They just don’t understand why Kenshin appeared to be the target and not Roku who is in line to be the next emperor.
Mariko is granted a steaming bath in the hot springs for her actions at the teahouse. Okami interrupts her soak. Inspiring unwanted visuals and feelings in Mariko. But a small bond is formed as some barriers soften between them. Okami admits that Yumi is his sister. Trusting Mariko with one of his truths.
After their time in the hot springs, Okami suspects that Sanada Takeo is a spy sent by their enemies in Inako. Never trusting the way the newest recruit makes him feel.
Roku knows it was the Black Clan that attacked them at the teahouse. Prince Roku also believes that the clan killed Mariko as revenge for Ranmaru’s father.
Mariko is gathering mushrooms in the forest for Yoshi when she spots some foxglove. Climbing to reach the potentially poisonous plant, she slips and falls into the hot springs and loses consciousness.
Mariko comes to, saved from drowning by Okami. In order to save her, he had to perform CPR, ripping her clothing apart in order to perform chest compressions, exposing her chest. To keep Okami from talking, Mariko kisses him.
Laying together after sharing many kisses, Mariko still refuses to trust Okami. Giving him the name of her deceased maid, Chiyo, as her own. Okami doesn’t believe her but will keep her secret—for now. There is a clear lack of continued mistrust between them even though both want to step over that line.
Okami struggles with the reasons behind his decisions surrounding Chiyo—or whatever her name is.
Ranmaru orders Okami to train Sanada Takeo in sword fighting. Okami eventually relents. They have been avoiding each other since their kiss by the hot springs. Training Mariko is hell on his mental well-being. Her presence, her touch, everything about her. It all makes some sort of sense to him now knowing her secret. At least one of them. It helps justify some of what he had been feeling around Sanada. And knowing only intensifies those feelings.
Kenshin wakes amongst tall grasses surrounded by blood that is not his. With no real memory of how he got there and where the blood came from, he denies he is capable of doing whatever caused the massacre.
The Black Clan takes Mariko with them to the watering hole for the first time since they found each other. When they arrive, the building is still smoldering. Bodies strewn about. The owner is barely alive, claiming it was the Dragon of Kai—Kenshin — that caused all the destruction and death.
Ranmaru plans to raid the Hattori province, Mariko’s family’s lands, attacking them directly.
Belaying their plan, Ranmaru’s and Okami’s disdain and bitterness toward the emperor’s and Mariko’s family, the Hattoris, shine. The ultimate goal is to return military power to Ranmaru, his birthright were it not taken from his father.
Kenshin returns home. Plagued by nightmares, flashes, about what might have happened at the watering hole.
The Black Clan arrives at the Hattori province, Mariko’s home. Ranmaru divulges some truth about Mariko’s father and his actions and greed. Mariko does not believe him. Wanting her to see for herself, Mariko accompanied Okami travels around the local village to see the truth firsthand.
Alone with Okami, Mariko accuses the Black Clan of taking on the role similar to Robin Hood—stealing from the rich to give to the poor. But she doesn’t approve. Especially because it is her family that oversees the Provence. But Okami shows her the truth behind the quality of life the people in the Hattori Provence experience.
Even though she sees how things have truly been, Mariko still needs to save her family.
An old man tells Kenshin someone, he doesn’t know who, plans to raid the storehouses in the middle of the night.
As the raid begins and Mariko wars within herself, she finds she doesn’t need to warn her family. Kenshin and his men are already there waiting for them.
Mariko sets off an explosion as a distraction. Later beating a soldier, releasing the anger and bitterness from her life culminated from her experiences as a female. Kenshin spots her punching the soldier moments before the granary roof collapses and Mariko is pulled away.
A dear friend of Kenshin, Amaya, tries to get his help saving some workers trapped in the burning granary. Kenshin’s father insists that he save the soldiers—not to waste time on the servants. Kenshin hesitates long enough for his father to hold him back as Amaya runs to save more lives. The granary collapses.
Okami recovers from saving Mariko. Having witnessed Kenshin recognize her, Okami knows the girl he has fallen in love with is the Dragon of Kai’s twin sister—Mariko.
Mariko wakes in the teahouse in Hanami, hands burnt and dressed. Okami confronts her. He hints that the clan was not responsible for the attack on her convoy. Betrayed, Okami banishes her from the clan. Planning on telling everything to Ranmaru. Threatening her before he leaves the teahouse.
Kenshin mourns the loss of Amaya. Guilt stricken, he vows to exact his revenge on the Black Clan.
Yumi tries to impart wisdom onto a defeated Mariko. They are interrupted as Yumi receives a letter saying that Kenshin is going to march into the Jukai forest in attempt to save his sister from the murderous Black Clan. Mariko agrees to try and find the Black Clan’s camp to warn them. But she will do it as a girl.
Mariko travels through the Jukai forest with new perspective. Being led by a shadow beast to the Black Clan who all appear masked. Discovering that Ranmaru knew the truth about her since the very beginning. Still, he offers her the chance to become a shadow warrior—a true member of the Black Clan. Even though she has lied and betrayed them several times. The Black Clan accepts her—as she is.
Okami comes to her tent at night. They reconcile—their hearts know the truth between them and that’s enough.
Konako, the emperor’s mistress, Raiden’s mother, asks a man in an enchanted place to complete a task. Something to rectify an earlier mistake—failing to kill Hattori Mariko. The man is to find a way to gain control over Ranmaru and seek the Dragon of Kai. She has something Kenshin desires—Amaya.
A combined company of troops from Hattori, some led by Kenshin and more men led by Raiden, find the Black Clan camp.
Kenshin had help finding the camp from the giant Okami fought at the watering hole in the beginning of the story, and a mystical, yellow-eyed fox. Convinced the Black Clan has turned his sister into a savage,
Kenshin, Raiden, and their men attack. Offering Ranmaru an exchange for Mariko. Yoshi, dying, pleads with Okami to protect Ranmaru and take his rightful place.
Ranamru approaches Raiden who is offering an enchanted sword that has supposedly been in Ranmaru’s family for 1,000 years. Raiden realizes that Ranmaru doesn’t recognize the sword and the sword doesn’t recognize him.
Seeing the sword, Mariko remembers the story, the myth, of that sword. It begins to glow as Okami steps up beside Raiden. Okami, a man Raiden recognizes as Takeda Ranmaru.
Okami, the real Ranmaru, will not give up Mariko, she is one of them. But Mariko will not allow more bloodshed because of her. She convinces Ren to play a part in forfeiting herself.
Raiden does not accept her life as worthy enough anymore. Okami offers himself as well.
Mariko insists on being taken to Inako instead of back to Hattori Provence. Their journey begins.
The empress, Genmei, makes her way to have tea at night with her husband, the emperor. He wants to do better as a husband and a father. Improve for the sake of all. But it is not enough. She kills the emperor. But her act was witnessed by another.
