Author's Note: After I played Shigi's route in Kagami no miko, I just really want to write a fan fiction with Shigi and Mariko as I really like them together, and I think Shigi needs Mariko because she can make him happy as well as a bit more normal. I was really about to cry when I saw the end.

An important thing to note is that this is based on the Shigi in the game. I feel that the Shigi in the game is much more normal. I think Shigi in the original manga is ruthless and cruel, but I feel that in the game, he is just ruthless, not really that cruel. Also, another important change is that volume 6 doesn't apply.

The young girl that returned with their commander after one of his secret mission surprised most of the people in the army as they simply could not understand why Shigi would keep such a girl by his side.

But no one questioned him as they already knew that doing so was a bad idea.

People soon learnt to leave the girl alone after a few men made the mistake of not doing so due to having had a bit too much to drink. The girl usually stayed within the tent that she shared with Shigi but on that day, she happened to be sitting outside.

It just happened that it had been too long since the soldiers had any female company.

The drunken men realised their mistake when the hand that had been tugging the young girls' dress fell off- no due to the decision of the owner.

"Mariko- please go back inside." Shigi stated. "You will not want to see what will follow."

She usually obey as the only way that she could remain by his side was to separate his position as the commander form the man that she love.

"Shigi, will Hakei-sama be..." she began, concerned on his behalf.

"Hakei-sama will not blame me." Shigi said. "He told me that if anyone dares to hurt you then I have to authority to punish them. After all, those who dare to insult their commander..."

Hakei was not affected by Mariko's presence at all because he knew that the young girl was not going to cause him any problems. She was even an asset as she made Shigi all the more determined to make Hakei the emperor.

Shigi did not seem to have undergone any dramatic change due to the young girl, as he still carried out his orders very efficiently, employing cruelty if the occasion demanded it.

However, her presence was important, only that most people could not see it.

Uruki managed to see the most surprising sight because he was taking the opportunity of having to pass a message to Shigi as a way to spy on the one who he decided was much more dangerous.

The girl that he heard people whisper about was sitting by the makeshift table which contained the book she put aside due to Shigi, who was sitting by her feet with his head resting in her lap. His armour was discarded and even though his weapons were within reaching distance, he was still in a very vulnerable position.

The amazing thing was that he looked peaceful, with a smile that was real.

But Shigi's eyes suddenly narrowed and he reached for his weapon. As he did so, he said: "Close your eyes."

Uruki then decided that this was probably the best time to come out, as he had no doubt that Shigi would send his weapon flying at that direction. When he entered, Shigi was standing beside the girl, who resumed reading her book, and his smile was that same fake smile.

"I see. I will be right there." Shigi said before he indicated for Uruki to leave.

While he was glad to do anything that would be of use to his master, he was still a bit regretful that the time he spent with Mariko was shortened.

When he carried out Hakei's orders, he naturally would recall what exactly it was that Hakei saved him from, as well as what had happened to him before.

But when he was with Mariko, he could just forget everything. It was a feeling of peace that he had never felt before.

"That must be the power I have as the mirror's priestess." Mariko had laughed out, referring to what he once called her. "Isn't the world of the mirror the exact opposite of the reality?"

Then he would ensure that they have such a world, and this was also the world that he firmly believed Hakei would be able to create.

He would succeed, and he was even more certain and determined now that he has someone he wished to share his life with in that world.

Author's Note: When I played the game, the idea I had is that Shigi needs Mariko because by her being there, she can make him forget about all the suffering that he has just for that brief moment when he is with her. The bit that Uruki see is the idea I suddenly had: when he is with Mariko, he is at peace.

Perhaps Mariko is a bit different but I don't think this is out of characteristic. In my story, she has spent a year with Shigi and I think in order for her to accept what has happened, she really must close her eyes to it. And I think Mariko could as she is actually very practical, she knows what she can and can't do. Although I plan to explore this a bit more in the second one shot I plan to do.

The fact that Shigi tells her to close her eyes is indicating how he doesn't want her to see stuff that might upset her.