I do not own vocaloid, thus I do not own Gakupo or Rin- only the ideas used in this fanfiction.

Note: Some things in this are historically based, though don't try to connect too many dots here, I wanted to leave it somewhat nondescript to preserve the fiction feel to it, but you may recognize a few names and time relevant issues. Though the names used to not reflect the real people of that time, merely there to provide concept.

Also, in this story, Rin is 13 and Gakupo is 18-19. If that age gap is not for you, please do not continue reading, or if you choose to, please refrain from flaming me. I have warned you. This type of relationship holds relevancy in historical context, and their ages would have been no issue in that time. Please keep that in mind. The title refers to the name for young brides/young concubines taken by older partners, "Osanazuma" lit. "Intimate Playmate". Times were different then, and this was seen as normal.

At the bottom of each chapter will be a glossary of the Japanese used, please see to it if there is anything you don't quite understand. Thank you for choosing my story, please enjoy!

"Hai, wakarimashita*."

Purple curtains of silken violet dipped low as a bow bent the frame of the stoic samurai, hands pressed politely in forefront of him, his dual swords lie at his side. The pooling sleeves of his haori* piling at his downturned wrists.

From under the shelter of the samurai's veiling forelocks, downcast eyes slowly dragged up to look upon the lord in front of him, seated upon a cushion bent at the knees and allowing his ankles to rest in the hollow of his lap. The man's shoulders broad with the added points of his own attire, and his wrists resting on his folded knees in a stately manner.

This man, whom he now bowed to, had finally called upon him to repay the debt left to the young man by his father. His father, who had allowed the death of the boy's mother by bandits before succumbing to his own death and leaving his son to the mercy of the lord whom now looked over him expectantly. This lord had allowed his life, and in exchange he would be raised as a protector for the lords purposes- a samurai owned to the families estate and prestige.

The young man had owed his very life to this cross man, his services at the lord's disposal from the delicate time of his youth onward.

Yet, in all that time, little had been requested of him. Little had been brought for him to serve. It was not until now, that the boy in waiting- now a man- had been called to his lord's quarters. The sliding of the shoji* door and short way of padding to kneel before the nobleman marking the first assignment the young man would receive.

His honor was to be put to test, his strengths required at last.

Even still, he had wondered why it had taken so long for such a call to be made. Why would his lord delay such in procuring his indebted servant's skill, when the country suffered from such terrible times of war and violence? Did not he need him for his forces?

Questions though they were, valid though they may be, he dare not ask. The young man knew his debt well, knew that speaking out in defiance was not his place. He would hold his tongue and comply as the time deemed necessary.

Slowly the armed man rose his forehead from from his bow, leaning back into his kneeling position with sword calloused hands folded in his lap respectfully.

He, at last, was to take request from his lord and- for all intents and purposes- his father.

"Hai. My Lord, I understand." He would mutter politely while listening to the statues left him by the leading man.

"This marriage is not to be delayed. It will, with great necessity, bind our alliance with the Wada-ke and assure our combined protection from shinobi with the internal influence the Wada family holds in the Koga," the lord's gruff voice spoke assertively, his eyes dark and insistent. He had made his decision.

His daughter was to be married off to the Wada clan head's young heir. Procuring peaceful ties to the neighboring family and assuring their future.

Thinking upon it, the young samurai had forgotten of the subject of his lord's daughter for most regards. He had never had need to be in her presence, and was kept busy with his own training and obligations- not often did those obligations cross the paths of the business of the estates women and their happenings. He knew well the lord's lady, and their son- heir to the lordship, but little had he known personally of the princess.

She was twin sister to the estates' heir, yet he knew not what she truly looked like even.

It would matter little now though, he mused internally. She would be gone to wed in the coming months, and her departure to the neighboring lands was to leave in a few short days. Even he, in his limited know of the palace happenings, knew of the frantic preparations the common staffing of the castle, as they bustled to get things in place for the eventual departure of the caravan.

Time seemed to be passing in leaps and bounds, he thought. Already the young heir was well on his way to manhood, and so only as would make sense, the young princess had reached marrying age as well.

"Hai, Hakushaku-sama*," the young man nodded, "I understand to urgency of the matrimony, I do. I shall see to it that the young princess is transported in safety. No harm shall come to her."

He bowed once more, before bringing his eyes to meet the stern stare of his father figure. A grunt of approval rumbled in the chest of the master, and a nod shook his head stiffly,

"Good. I expect much from you, Gakupo-kun."

The honorific was familial on purpose, the young man guessed. There to remind him of the ties he held to his lord, placing the full weight of a father's expectations on his shoulders. The lord's daughter would be under his protection.

After another brief nod, the young man rose to his feet smoothly, replacing the two swords he carried to the obi around his waist.

His hand reached for the shoji, but before he could grip its frame, the panel slid open on its own and led him to blink for a instant in confusion. Looking down, he found the source of the movement bowed low to the ground in an action of apology where she knelt on her bent knees before the door.

Powder blue eyes widened as he gazed at the small figure on the ground, palms to the floorboards and head still lowered to where he could not see her features. Even still, his limited sight of her provided enough realization for him to connect the mental dots in his head.

Her past shoulder length locks gleamed a pale gold, in likeness to the lady of the manor and that of her son- the heir to the lordship. Her form small and childish, not quite giving off the air of maturity, though she clearly had manners suited of a proper woman. She still sat at the cusp of childhood and womanhood, perhaps thirteen winters old or so.

Even still, from where he stood, he could see that she was a beautiful creature. Well cared for, petite and manicured. She must have been...

"Father, forgive me," she spoke, her voice soft and light like summer breeze, "I did not intend to interrupt..."

So she was...!

This was the lord's young daughter, who was to be married in short time, he realized with something akin to disappointment ringing on the edge of his mind. Only now had he met the young beauty, and she was soon to depart... He quelled his thoughts with internal reprimandation. This was his lord's young daughter, a girl- no, woman now- of high standing who was to be married to a man of equal standing.

He was in no place to covet what was never his.

The lord cleared his throat,

"My dearest daughter, why is it you have sought me out? Have you not preparations to tend to with your mother? What ails you now?"

His questions were met with another low bow,

"Forgive me father, you are right. I should not have interrupted..." her soft voice begged pardon, and slowly she rose from her bow to look to her father, her eyes slowly turning to meet those of the samurai who stood just in front of her now.

She was beautiful, the young man swallowed somewhat nervously, once again having to turn away his thoughts. Her eyes were the purest blue, like the sky of a summer afternoon, and she looked upon him in confusion. It was only then he realized he had gone without speaking a greeting to the manor's heiress,

"Oujo-sama*, forgive my rudeness," he bowed his head to her politely. "Good afternoon to you, I am honored to be in your presence, my lady."

The girl watched him in curiosity, her blue eyes trained on his own.

"This is Kamui Gakupo, dearest daughter. He will serve as your leading escort on your coming journey. You shall be in his care," explained the elder man, looking over from his daughter to the esteemed samurai before her with a gesture of his hand.

Her eyes blinked several times, gazing over the proud figure before her, eyes settling on his swords before blinking back up to his eyes only to lower with her bow,

"A good afternoon to you, as well, Kamui-sama. I trust well in your abilities to procure my safety..." again her voice trailed off into softness, and the young man could only add that to the list of her perfections.

She was well mannered, polite and quiet- a young girl who would prove to be a wonderful bride and mother in the years to come. Though he wondered why she bowed to him, in her status above his own as heiress to her father where he was servant. She spoke politely, and regarded him with respect in a manner that caused pause for thought.

Apparently, her mannerism were not unseen by her father either, who turned to speak of her,

"She has been undergoing training in the art of respect to her future Lord husband, and it seems she has adapted those qualities well. Though forgive her for any misuse," his gaze turned solely to her and her eyes lowed at the stare he gave,

"I am quite certain she will not make mistakes in the days to come, however. For she knows the importance of this marriage..."

Gakupo's eyes turned back to the young girl in time to watch her visibly flinch, and for some strange reason his heart too gave a spasm at the sight. Powder blue eyes lowered to watch her before he returned his sights to his lord,

"All is forgiven, Hakushaku-sama. I am quite sure her respective husband will be quite pleased to receive a bride with such grace and honor as Lady Rin," the samurai gave a small bow, the smile on his lips faint and polite to his lord.

His statement was met with a grunt and a nod from the elder man, apparently pleased with the boy's belief in his daughter's abilities.

Another dip of his head, and the young man made to exit the chamber once more, stepping to the shoji door to slip passed the young girl and provide the father and daughter privacy should they so need it. His steps brought him just through the door before he heard the girl make to speak to her father once more,

"Chichi-ue*, please forgive my interruptions. I shall return to mother now..." the soft voice nearly whispered, and again the samurai could not help in his eyes returning to her bent form on the floor.

The man nodded his consent, and the girl bowed in return, turning her body and gently reaching with fingers delicate to slide the door shut silently. Her body seemed to quiver, but she did not falter in standing smoothly from her lowered position, righting her layered kimono as it fell to place, and smoothing the wrinkles that had formed at where her lap lie.

The young man watched her stand, her small, childish yet ladylike hands smooth over her upper legs, the soft silk sliding against her skin while she did. Her soft countenance glowed like pale porcelain in the light of the afternoon, her hair like the sun above. Once again, the man forced his sights away from her beauty, resigning himself to his own standing.

She seemed to be in her own world as she stood there for what seemed like a lifetime, silently evening her breathing, and holding her form from shaking. Until, at last her eyes rose from the floor to notice that her protector- her samurai was standing just before her in his noble grace. Her breath caught in her throat for the moment, and her eyes locked on to his own.

Her depths were so very deep, he breathed calmly, watching her once more. So very deep; and so very...sad. The heart of the samurai once more clenched painfully as he watched the water glimmer in her eyes, threatening to spill over and trail down soft rose dusted cheeks. The young man had to wonder what had caused the young girl such grief, though in truth he could assume it was her father's indifference to her trials.

This marriage to be was no doubt very difficult on her. Her childhood had reached its end and now she would have to move into the territory of becoming wife to a man, accepting him as provider and bearing his children.

A shiver, not unlike a pang of jealousy and guilt, ran through the samurai despite his best efforts. The thought that she would be handed to another man burning in his mind though he knew not why, and wished it begone from his concern. She was bride to another man, a man of high social status such as she...

Gakupo had no such place in her life.

Despite the standing of samurai status atop the four tiers of social class, he barely met such levels of nobility. He was not of normal standing amongst the name title he held, instead, he served as indebted to his lord. The class of those in the villages his lord oversaw, those whose classes ranked beneath samurai class would- of course- refer to him by proper respects. They would bow their heads as he passed, treating him every bit as highly as his lord had trained and adorned him to appear. Nevertheless, his memory of living as a poor child of a farmer remained in his mind well into his years. Even now, after his coming of age at the age of eighteen winters, he had yet to erase the social standing and livelihood he once lived from his mind.

Were it not for his lord, he would perhaps be bowing in the presence of other samurai of whose ranks he had never joined. They were elite, and though he had procured the same title as they, he felt less than a castle servant before the eyes of his lord- and currently- his lord's daughter.

Her eyes continued to water before him, watching him from under a fan of long lashes that dusted her pale cheeks as she blinked away the moisture. It seemed like she too was frozen at the sight of him, just as he found little strength to move nor talk before her, and the time seemed to drag as they looked at each other- her looking up a ways to do so.

She was so small, he noted. The girl barely reached his pectoral at full height, her head just below fully coming to his chest. Her form was heavily layered in ornate kimonos, her obi beautiful gold and pale blue in water like patterns where it was wrapped around her small frame. Her hair hung loosely, aside from the right side, which was pulled back gently and secured at the back by an ornamented comb of gold with blue jeweled flowers at its wide base.

The Lady Rin seemed a deity on earth, her features so unusual in color and shade. Pale hair and bright blue eyes, it made him think perhaps he should reverence her, worship at the altar of her beauty. Where his strange hair color of violet and soft blue eyes had him accused of perhaps having youkai in his blood, her unique features surely brought the assumption that she were a heavenly creature on earth.

His eyes could, for the moment, see no other than she.

It was perhaps frightening how he took to her so quickly, and he did not wish to dishonor his lord by interfering the marriage with his own desires. Still, her beauty was like none he had seen before...

Finally, she was the first to breath the silence, shatter the ice that had frozen them in time,

"I am sorry for staring, Kamui-sama. Please find forgiveness in my actions..." her soft voice like a bird's song called to him, "I do not wish to be rude. Please excuse me, I...I must go."

Her words came out slowly at first, then as she neared crying, her voice cracked under the burden of grief, and she quickly finished what she needed to say. This time she did not take time to bow to him fully, instead she tucked passed him gently as a summer breeze but with the haste of a rushing river, the sleeve her kimono brought up to cover her face as she no doubt now wept.

How she wished not to be weak in his presence...

The samurai blinked repeatedly as she passed him by, the sight of her tearing eyes bringing a soft gasp of shock to release from his chest. So he had been right, she was on the verge of crying after all...

And who could blame her? Perhaps she suffered more than she let on even now, the burden she carried for her family name was immense.

His blue eyes watched her go, her form disappearing around the corner toward the gardens. She had told her father that she would be returning to her mother, but somehow, Gakupo could guess that was not where she had headed now.

The beautiful bared such cruel fate, she did.

He could not help the urge that implored him to follow behind her steps after a short while. His own curiosity leading him down the outer hallway in her wake.

Japanese to English:

*Wakarimashita = I understand/Alright

*Haori = A wide sleeved over-coat that was worn over a kimono to add formality to the outfit.

*Shoji = A paper sliding door used to divide rooms

*Hakushaku-sama = Lord/My Lord (as in lord of the manor)

*Oujo-sama = Princess (born into nobility)

*Chichi-ue = Father (manner of addressing one's father formally)

And for the hell of it I will add that "hai" means, "yes", as well as a kimono is the traditional dress of Japanese women- and as well as men in some circumstances, an obi is a sash that both men and women wore (for men it was a thinner strip of material used to hold the yukata/kimono closed and in the case of samurai could be used to hold their swords, whereas for women it was a wide length of material that was often very ornate).