Tomoe spread the blanket on the grass just as Nanami had finished placing the last talisman on a young cherry sapling that Tomoe had planted earlier that month. She joined Tomoe on the blanket and picked up her chopsticks.
"Beef curry and Shitake mushrooms. MMM!"
Tomoe looked at her amused. "I never thought that I would hear you say those words" he chortled. Nanami smiled, "me either, pregnancy cravings are the worse!"
It became something of a tradition on their anniversary to have a picnic and watch the falling sakura in the orchard near the shrine. For the past years, however, the orchard had diminished in size because of fire and disease.
"How is the new sapling doing?" Tomoe asked.
"It's healthy, but I'm afraid the disease is spreading to the other trees as well and we might have to cut them down," Nanami answered.
Tomoe said nothing and took a long sip of sake admiring Nanami's new kimono. "That is a beautiful kimono; however, isn't it a bit large on you?" Tomoe asked.
Nanami smooth her fingers over the cream silk fabric and touched the intricate embroidery on the purple butterflies. "Thank you, Tomoe. It was a present from Kamehime and Mikage. I think the kimono is meant to grow with me as the pregnancy progresses. At this rate, I might need a bigger kimono by the time the baby is born."
The afternoon sun was beginning to set. Tomoe clutched his cup of sake with one hand while he absent-mindedly caressed Nanami's head as it covered his lap.
"Nanami, shouldn't we choose a name for the child?"
Nanami's eyes widened in thought. "Don't you think that it might be too soon? I'm only two months along, after all."
Tomoe looked passed the horizon. "It's almost three months. You are almost done with the first trimester. How about 'Hatsuko' or 'Taimu'?"
Nanami shook her head no. "What makes you think it will be a boy, Tomoe?" Tomoe smirked, "I can sense these things and I read all your medical textbooks."
A mischievous look flashed in Nanami's eyes. "Well, how about Himetarou, then?" Tomoe looked at her surprised as she let out a giggle.
"I was wondering why that boy kept calling me Himetarou. I hated that name," he told her.
"Sorry! Not sorry!" Nanami said laughingly.
"I know you called me Himetarou to protect me from the village men, and for that you have my eternal gratitude. Your half-assed apology is also accepted."
Nanami stared at him in disbelief. "I called you that to protect you from Yukiji. Yukiji was scary and lethal. The villagers feared her more than they feared the Youkai that plagued their village. I've told you how she beheaded a youkai casually lurking in my room."
Tomoe looked up at her surprised at her sudden outburst, "that was not the Yukiji that I remember."
"Then consider yourself among the lucky," Nanami said sternly. "She was never the same after her village burned down."
"That was Akura-Ou who burned down her village! " Tomoe interjected.
Nanami jumped. "But you did nothing to stop him, Tomoe! You are guilty by association!"
Confused, Tomoe stared at her blankly. Where did this sudden outburst or anger come from? He picked her up and placed her on his lap. "You win – you are right. Let's not argue about this again," wrapping his arms around her and nuzzling her neck.
"Surely a few centuries in service to a god helps repay my debt to society, does it not?"
His words did little to soothe her as he could feel her start to quietly sob.
"What's wrong?" Tomoe was alarmed and then he felt himself getting aggravated. "We've had this argument many times before, Nanami!" he growled.
"That's not it," Nanami said quietly. "I'm just sad. Maybe it's the pregnancy hormones, but I got sad thinking about Yukiji. She had trouble becoming a mother as well."
There was silence between them. In the past three years of their short eight year marriage, they had been trying desperately to expand their family with little success. Two miscarriages, one too many false starts. The heartache beginning to settle in Nanami's 27 years of existence.
Tomoe softened, "Yukiji became pregnant without the aid of the Dragon King's eye as did you. She loved you, Nanami. While she was in my care, Yukiji took careful lengths to make sure that I could not see her eyes. I thought back then it was because her heart has closed."
Nanami sniffed, "Why did she do that?" Tomoe grasped her hand. "You already know the answer, my love. It was her way of ensuring that my love and affection remained true to you. She did not have those unclouded eyes of yours."
"My eyes are no longer unclouded," she pouted. Tomoe stroked her cheek with the top of his long claw.
"You are right, I like these eyes better. Your eyes are that of a brave, fearless woman. Deep and passionate yet still full of hope and trust."
Nanami's lip quivered, her voice shaking, "I'm afraid, Tomoe. Yukiji was able to give birth safely because of the Eye. We will not be so fortunate."
Tomoe placed a soft finger on her mouth to silence her; however, Nanami was not to be deterred. "I want you to promise me something. If you ever have to choose between my life and that of our child's…please, Tomoe, choose our child for my sake."
Tomoe kneeled in front of Nanami. "Please don't make me choose. You deserve to be a mother the most. Your warmth and strength - I've spent centuries without that," tears began sliding down his face.
"Tomoe! If this baby….if this pregnancy doesn't…isn't successful. Then, I can never…" her voice trailed off. Tomoe grabbed her waist, pulling her onto the ground with him. The soft pink petals fell silently as they laid there hopelessly gazing into each other eyes.
"The Sakura, Nanami," Tomoe said after a while. "Do you remember when I took you to see it the first time?"
Nanami wiped her tears and smiled, "I almost forgot about that." He grabbed the hairpin from her hair and clutched the pin against his chest. Nanami shook her hair from the loosened bun, the long waves grazing the tops of her breast on her half open kimono.
Tomoe brushed the petals from her face. "Don't you remember, that if you die, I die as well? Should our child suffer a lonely childhood as we have?"
Nanami said nothing, cupping her hand against Tomoe's cheek. "I promise you, Tomoe, next year we will be among these trees together. All three of us."