Twenty-sixth Day of the Second Month, Year One Thousand Ten of the Reign of the Ichiya Dynasty

Kimika

Another beautiful morning dawned on the home of the Sato residence. And yet, Kimika wept. Sitting out among her beautiful chrysanthemums, staring up at the cherry blossom tree that had only a month ago shed its beautiful pink blossoms, all she could do was cry. For her husband, whose death was a hole that would never fill. For her two boys, who would grow the rest of their lives without his example. And for her eldest daughter, who she was unsure she would ever see again.

She watched the shrine of the Sato family quietly, her tear stricken face looking disgusted at the memories it represented. “Sacrifice,” she muttered. “We all have to sacrifice, right? That’s what it means to be a Sato.” For a moment, she felt a wave of anger swell in her chest, but it died only a moment later. “Of course it is. I knew that when I married Kosuke-kun. That one day, he likely would die a martyr to the Ichiya dynasty. That he would leave me alone to raise our sons, my daughter. And yet, I only have one son to raise.” Her eyes stared daggers into the name ‘Sato’ written in intricate kanji.

“What will your name take from me next? Himari? Souka? If you come for Jiro, I swear to all of the Kami that I will fight you until my body breaks.” Without thinking, her hand shakily pointed at that name. That accursed name. “Leave them alone. Please. Don’t take anything more from me.”

“You know that your husband died to stop that, yes?” Kimika turned with a start. The sight of Goro Masashi was always a distasteful one, but somehow today it burned just that much brighter. He continued, eyes impassive. “The path we walk is a difficult one, Kimika-chan. But to stop another Sato dying for another Ichiya, he did what had to be done.”

“And I suppose you get to live to reap the benefit,” Kimika said bitterly. “With the power vacuum caused by the end of that line and the removal of Makoto, you’ll what? Take the Throne for yourself?”

Masashi laughed. “Hah. I know that I am ambitious, Kimika-san, but give me some credit. I’ve no interest in the Throne, and in the target it points at its owner. To stand next to the Emperor and be able to guide them through the world has always been my highest ambition.”

“Then why?” she insisted. “Why start all this? Why involve my husband, put my daughter in harm’s way? What was the point of that?”

Masashi sighed sadly. “Because he asked me to, Kimika-chan.”

Kimika rose to her feet in a burst of fury, her finger poking into his chest hard enough to bruise. “Do NOT lie to me. My husband was loyal to the Emperor until you poisoned his mind with whatever plot you have planned. He would never have betrayed Tsuhiko unless he was pressed into a position where he had no choice.”

To his credit, Masashi took each poke, each jab, with stoic understanding. “Kimika-chan,”

“Do not use that honorific with me. You lost that right a long time ago.”

“Fine. Kimika-san. I know that you have little reason to trust me. Truth be told, I long gave up on the notion that I could trust myself. When one has stood in the shadows for so long, they tend to forget their own appearance. Even now, with little need for me to keep my cards close to my chest, I am loath to give either you or your daughter any information that might provide an easier path forward, because in some way I worry that it will take away some perceived advantage.”

“Right,” Kimika’s hands rested on her hips. “I am to believe then that you are some form of victim?”

“We are all victims, Kimika-san. Kosuke-kun was just the first to be lost. I regret to say there are likely to be more casualties before it is all done.” To Kimika’s surprise, a single tear rolled down his cheek. For a brief moment he seemed… human. She saw in him a twenty year old man from a lifetime ago. A man that dreamed of doing great things for the Empire, of helping people and making Seifu a better place.

A man that both she and her husband once loved.

She stepped into him quietly and wrapped her arms around him. For the briefest of moments, his arms wrapped around her in turn. They kept their quiet moment as long as they could, and she allowed herself to be flooded in feelings that she buried so long ago. It was cruel, in a way. To let him, even for the briefest of moments, be a man that she loved as she loved her husband for even a second. But somehow, the knowledge that that man still existed down there somewhere brought her comfort.

But as moments go, this one too was fleeting. No matter who he had been, the man before her now was no longer that person. Without another word, he stepped into the shadows and disappeared, leaving her to cope with yet another grief.

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

With little recourse except to take steps forward, Kimika made her way to the kitchens to ensure that lunch would be properly prepared for the house staff. For a moment, she contemplated that she might need to eat herself. She quickly shook that away. Such things seemed trivial at the moment. But what didn’t?

Still, she had to make sure that Jiro was fed. She found her way to his room, where a pair of harried servants again tried to keep him under control long enough to finish putting the room together. She couldn’t help but giggle at the futility. “Jiro-kun,” she called to him. “Come on, Willful Boy. It is time for lunch.”

Jiro looked at her with a cheerful smile and rushed to her side, mercifully giving the servants an opportunity to finally tend to his room while the two made their way to the dining hall. They shared a relatively quiet meal that was filled with Jiro’s usual questions about everything he’s ever observed.

“Mama, when is my big Sister coming home?” He suddenly asked, and Kimika’s heart broke.

She had to pause to consider how she wished to explain things to him. But she finally said, “Himari is on a big mission, Jiro-kun. We don’t know when she’ll be back, because she has to protect some very important people on a very important quest. Whenever she is able to come back, I am very certain you will be the first person she will want to visit.” Kimika’s smile didn’t meet her eyes. But she had to be strong for Jiro, at the least.

“Mama, why are you crying?” Jiro’s question caught her off guard. “You said it yourself, she’ll be back, right? So we just have to play together until she’s back!”

“You’re right, my child,” she said, pulling him in for an affectionate hug. “Tell you what. Let’s go play in the garden and let the servants see to the house.” She squeezed him tight, stealing the opportunity to wipe away her tears with her sleeve. By the time Jiro could see her face again, the mask of a dutiful mother ready to play with her child had returned to her.

The two had spent several hours out in the garden, and to her great fortune, Jiro seemed to have finally started to tire. So when a servant came to announce that dinner was ready, she allowed him to go with her while she stayed in the garden to allow herself just a little bit more time to contemplate her situation. Perhaps it was time that she took Jiro and fled the city. But where would she go?

Alas, any hopes of further contemplation would be dashed as one of the gate guards approached. “Apologies, Sato-sama, there is a guest asking for you by name.”

“I am not accepting guests at this time,” she answered with carefully tempered neutrality. When the guard didn’t move, her eyebrow lifted in annoyance. “Was I unclear, Santohei?”

“No, my Lady, you weren’t. It’s just. This guest claims that she has a message from you from Sato Himari-sama.”

For a brief moment, Kimika’s blood ran frigid. She had heard from Masashi that her daughter still lived, but Masashi kept oh so tight on details. To hear from someone else… she couldn’t dare do anything but hope. She nodded gently. “Very well. Bring this person to me.”

The woman… no, the girl who approached her could not have been more than a few year’s older from Kimika’s daughter. She was smaller, which didn’t surprise. Takahashi Makoto was the only person that Kimika had ever met that was taller than Himari. Her short hair was messy, only really cut to keep it from blowing in her face, which was remarkably plain. Her face was kept carefully neutral, and she bowed crisply and evenly. “Sato Kimika-sama, I am honored to meet you. My name is Maiko, and I have spent the last two months as one of your Honored Daughter’s traveling companions.”

“Well met, Maiko-san. Please, join me. Would you like tea?” She defaulted to a polite, pleasant tone. It would do until she was able to better work out this woman’s intentions.

Maiko shook her head. “Ah, thank you for the offer, but I am afraid my visit must be brief. There are, as I am sure you understand, many messages to be delivered.” Nevertheless, she sat and made another bow. “If it is alright, the message I carry is for Sato-sama’s ears only.”

Kimika looked to the guard that accompanied Maiko and nodded. The guard returned calmly to his duties. “This place is as secure a place as you will find in all of Nishibi, Maiko-chan. You may speak freely here.”

The woman in front of her nodded her head. “First, Himari-sama wished for you to know that she is doing well. She has learned a great deal in a short amount of time, and is part of the force preparing to reclaim the capital from the Usurper Takahashi Makoto.” She took a breath, then continued. “She also wished for you to know that she greatly appreciated the letter that you had sent to her through Masashi-sama.”

Kimika’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “Wait, what? I never wrote any such letter to her.”

Maiko’s response was… a smile? How odd. “We expected as much. Masashi-sama thinks himself too clever for his own good sometimes. I will ensure that she is made aware that the letter is not from you. If you like, I could have your words properly conveyed to her.”

Kimika considered briefly. There was much she likely would want to say to her dear daughter. But eventually, she shook her head. “I thank you for the offer, but I would rather hear my daughter’s words for myself. Simply tell her to return to me as swiftly as she can.”

Maiko nodded and rose, offering a bow. “As you wish, my lady. Then I should tell you what I am intended to and make my way on. As I said, there is much for me to do.” After Kimika nodded her permission, Maiko continued. “In three days time, those who have no loyalty to Takahashi Makoto will attempt to take the capital back from her. Himari-sama asks that you take whatever means you can to be safe when the attacks begin.” She bowed one more time, and without waiting for Kimika’s words, she was gone with the evening breeze.

Kimika sat with those words for a few moments. She had much to plan, and very little time to plan it. Swiftly, she rose and made her way to find her head servant and provide her a very important message.

They would be going on a camping trip very soon.