Part 1: Akairi and the Wolf of Mibu
Chapter 1: Mother and Daughter
Outskirts Osaka. End of Autumn 1868 (4th year of the Keiou Era).
Autumn has passed by quickly, leaving behind it nothing but a trail of withering leaves, rue and sorrow in the minds and hearts of many.
Autumn is beautiful, yes, but it is transient as well.
To Kaede, she has always lived in autumn. Her life knew no youthful spring, no cheerful summer, nor sorrowful winter...or at least not yet.
Once she had been clothed in luxury and pleasure and love. Only long enough to discover how short-lived those things are.
Kaede plucked at a chord on her koto and began playing a love song she had known by heart. The music was gentle at first, like the red maple leaves falling outside the porch where she was sitting.
...She was noble and proud. She was the daughter of an eminent samurai clan.
She was elegant and beautiful. She was a lady of chastity.
Then came the war. It tore her family apart. It threw her father and mother and sisters and brothers into bloody deaths. It tossed her into this brothel, this gory hell of carnality!
What is she now? She is nothing more than a wretched whore! A malicious matron making a living on helpless girls' agony!
Her fingers struck down on the chords with the ferocity of a thunderstorm. They clawed violently back and forth as if to tear up the koto. Each note was her scream! Her fury! Her pain! Her sorrow! Her despair!
Streams of tear rolled down her cheeks. Her sobbings were audible even amidst the cacophony of sounds. Kaede played as if she was fused with madness. So overcame by her emotions, she failed to notice the string of footfalls coming towards her from the other end of the hallway.
Out of the blue, Kaede felt a pair of tiny hands covering her tear-brimmed eyes. As if electrified, she stopped playing instantly and sat still like a stone statue.
She heard a child's cheerful laughter dissolving into the air. The spell was broken. Kaede caught her breath.
"Kaa-chan, what is today?"
Kaede peeled the tiny hands off her eyes and quickly dapped her eyes with her kimono sleeves before she turned to face Akairi.
Akairi. Her precious daughter. Her sole companion in this lonely, sinister world. Her only source of light and joy. Kaede'd give anything just to see the childish, adorable smile beaming upon that innocent face. Always clad in splendid kimonos made of the finest silk--those that were once Kaede's but now fixed to fit Akairi's small frame--, Akairi looked like a hime-chan, a poignant reminiscence of Kaede's jubilant past.
The daughter looked nothing like her mother, with a nimble, diminutive frame and her burgundy hair partially tied into a ponytail, her mischievous hazel brown eyes, plus the most remarkable string of freckles that traveled down the length of her tiny nose. On the other hand, Kaede possessed an air of grace, with a tall, refined appearance, and scarlet lips, ivory complexion, in addition to the long, silken ebony hair twisted into an intricate knotwith along silver hairpin (and adorned with other various smaller decorated hairpins made of metal as well). However, if one is to look more closely at their personalities, it is certain that Akairi inherited her intrepidation and unsuppressable pride from Kaede.
"What is wrong, Kaa-chan? Why Kaa-chan cry?"
"Iie, I probably have a speck of dust in my eyes, that's all. See how windy it is today, Akai-chan? The wind blows around plenty of dust."
The little girl seemed satisfied with her Kaa-chan's explanation, and repeated her previous question. "I have no idea what today is. You'll just have to remind me, Akai-chan." replied Kaede.
The eight years old girl fumed, "Kaa-chan lying! Akairi is mad! Not playing with Kaa-chan!"
Kaede said, "Alright. I suppose you won't need me sleeping by your side at night any longer, will you?" Seeing Akairi's pout, she let out a soft laugh: "You're so cute when you're mad, Akai-chan. Let's go inside, Kaa-chan's got something for you."
"Domo arigatou, Kaa-chan! Akairi can open?" Akairi beamed, hugging the nicely-wrapped present to her chest. Seeing her Kaa-chan's nod, she started to untie the ribbon on top.
"Do you like it? Kaede asked, indicating the beautiful wooden doll dressed in crimson silk brocade similar to Akairi's. "It's custom made. Does it looks like somebody we know?"
"Like Akairi?"
"Hai." But beneath Akairi's happy expression was an obvious disappointment.
"What's the matter?"
"Iie, doll is very pretty, Kaa-chan! Akairi loves it."
"Akai-chan. Tell me what's wrong. Today is your birthday. If you are not happy, neither am I."
Akairi looked at Kaede sadly, "Tou-chan."
"You have no father, Akai-chan." Kaede bit her lips, her voice dripping of bitterness.
Akairi shook her Kaachan's hand in earnest, almost pleading, "Kaa-chan! Say Akairi has Tou-chan! Say Akairi not bastard!"
Kaede was infuriated, "Who said that? Who said you're a bastard?"
"Michiko."
Kaede spat at the name, "That despicable, god-damned whore! She'll be sorry for this!" Then, turning to Akairi, she said, "Don't listen to her. You know how she hates the two of us. You are not a bastard. You are my jewel. My precious child."
Heedless of her Kaa-chan's word, Akairi cried out,"Kaa-chan! Say Akairi not bastard! Where is Tou-chan?!" Furiously, the little girl tossed the doll aside and threw the crumbled gift box across the floor.
Before Kaede could say anything to palliate Akairi, she heard a knock on the door, followed by a woman's voice:
"Toyotomi, there's some girl wanting to speak to you outside."
Kaede stood up and opened the shoji, "Akai-chan dearest, I have to leave for a while. Will you be good?"
Akairi did not look up when her mother left.
"Takiko!" exclaimed Kaede at the sight of the dishevelled teenage girl who was waiting for her in another room.
"Kaede-san! It's been so long since we've last met! How have you been? Where is Akairi-chan?" exclaimed Takiko--a former scullerymaid in the Shinsengumi compound--, who was utmost relieved to see Kaede.
"Indeed it has been too long. I am alright, so does Akai-chan. Have you been well? What of the Shinsengumi? How is Shinpat-san and everyone?"
Takiko's face was grave, "Have you not heard, Kaede-san?"
"About what?" asked a wide-eyed Kaede.
"Kondou-san was...beheaded. And...and Okita-san...!" sobbed Takiko loudly, unable to continue.
"How has Okita-san been faring?"
Takiko broke down in tears.
"I am so sorry, Takiko." Kaede meant it. She knew what a pleasant young man Okita was, and how Takiko was very fond of him. "What about the rest of them?"
Takiko suppressed her tears and answered. "Hijikata-san is still resisting against the Ishinshishi and gone North with a group of men, but it seems that the Shinsengumi is meeting its end now..."
"What about Shinpat-san?" She tried the best to retain her patience, but Kaede's mind was quaking with fear of the worst.
Takiko remained silent. The air became dense with anticipation. So dense it was almost tangible, solidated, that nearly caused Kaede to suffocate.
Finally, Takiko spoke, "...Earlier in the spring, Nagakura-san and Harada-san left the Shinsengumi to head for Aizu due to an argument with Kondou-san and Hijikata-san. Though rumor has it that Harada-san was killed in Edo...perhaps along with Nagakura-san, since they went together..."
Noticed the unnatural paleness of Kaede's face after hearing the last bit of news, Takiko went on softly, "It is utmost unpleasant news... Yet I think Akairi-chan should know. She is old enough."
"Iie, Akai-chan doesn't know about Shinpat-san. Let's not burden her with this horrible news." replied Kaede frankly. "What will you do now?
Takiko spoke with a trembling voice, "It is shameful of me to come begging of you like this. But I have nowhere else to go..."
"I will neither discourage or encourage you to stay. It is entirely your decision. Consider it carefully."
"What's a homeless girl to do, Kaede-san? I'd be ravished on the streets just as I would be...living here." murmured Takiko bitterly. Her eyes watered as she lowered her head in despair.
Kaede walked out the door and was soon returned with the woman who told Takiko to wait, "This is Miyagi-san. She will show you where your room is, and give you an overview of this place. Domo arigatou, Miyagi-san."
The woman nodded and signaled for Takiko to follow her.
Alone, Kaede shut the door and dropped down on her knees like a sack of rice, completely distraught. Uncontrollable tears sprang down her cheeks, those that she had held back for so long now gushed forth like water streaming out of a broken dam. In a feeble attempt to silent the unsuppressable sobs, she stuffed her mouth with her kimono sleeve. But the sobs kept on coming from her throat no matter how hard she tried...
End of chapter 1.
Next chapter: Mother and Son.
--The Heaven cries our tears...Dearest Sou...--
