Autumn Nightfall By Ree Soesbee Each stroke of the brush against the stone, each delicate application of dark ink upon white rice paper - these things served to draw peace into the life of the elderly magistrate. For nearly thirty years, Kitsuki Yaruma had served the Emperor as the official liaison to the court of the mysterious Dragon Clan. It was a lonely position, and a thankless one - his kinsmen did not understand his preoccupation with the material world, nor did he have companions from his house or family in court. But the gentle strokes of the sable brush against the smooth paper gave him a place to retreat after the business of the day. The aging Emperor often called his appointments short these days, and the court's eyes fell often upon the young son of Hantei - wondering if he w