She gently tucks the stray strand of hair behind her ear, standing there alone in the poppy field. The falling snow does not bother her; she continues to stand there, unmoving, staring at the unending rows of red. Her small shoulders lift and fall as she looks around her, sadness reflecting in those glass eyes. A cloud of breath escapes her small mouth as she allows herself to sink onto her knees, silent tears glittering on her face. My heart aches to hold her, wrap my warm body against her cold one, lift her petite body and gently rock telling her all the while that I love her and that I would always be there for her. I want to kiss her tears away, and if she would allow me, heal her heart. But, I have to remember my place- no matter how vulnerable she seems she is my Mistress; my beloved Mistress, my reason to continue to exist. My Ai.
The heavy smoke was overpowering, the fire had eaten its way through the cloth and was now gnawing at the wood. Everyone was out except for the Mistress. Risking everything, I went in to fetch her while others were helping to evacuate the other residents. "Mistress? Mistress? Can you hear me? Where are you?" I screamed into the burning rooms. Dodging a burning beam of wood I ran deeper into the fire, continuously screaming for my Mistress. Ai, where are you? Please stay alive, don't die on me, I thought to myself as I used my jacket to cover my face. "Ren" came her soft voice, "Mistress? Mistress! I am coming, where are you?" "Here in the child's room." came her calm answer from my right. The only thing that blocked my way was a burning door; bracing myself, I threw myself against it, stumbling into the smoke filled room and to my horror found my Mistress standing in the centre of the room holding something dearly against her bosom. The question must have been very clear in my eyes because without even batting her eyelids she said, "I could not leave it alone." Hissing and not caring that she is my Mistress, I removed my jacket, covering her with it, swept her into my arms and hurled ourselves out of the window. "Ren, Mistress!" came the voices as we landed on the grass, I had used my own body to break the fall. "Mistress, are you okay? Are you hurt? Thank you Ren, for saving Mistress. Oh Mistress!" sobbed Hone Onna as she crushed the girl into her own chest, "Don't you ever do that again! Ever! Okay Mistress? Please promise, promise that you will never do such a thing. Promise that it was the first and the last time, promise!" Hone Onna scolded the Mistress and hugged her again as a mother would upon finding her dear lost child. I was smiling at the scene when I was hoisted onto my knees, and heavy slaps fell on my back forcing me to cough. "Cough the smoke out. You will live! Well done!" Wanyuudu said as he continued subjecting me to his so called helpful slaps. Taking deep breathes in, I paused a bit to check on the Mistress. Even though her face was covered with soot, I was taken back when I realized that the red glow on her face was not a reflection of the fire but that she actually was blushing as she lovingly petted the cat she had just rescued. For the first time in all these hundred years, she looked exactly like the child she was supposed to be. Her face radiated with pure innocence and happiness. My heart went out to her again; at that moment I fell in love with her a hundred times over.
The sun seemed to be very lazy to leave its home, though it was warm; the sun was hiding under his blanket of clouds. A cool wind rustled the leaves above me; I would have walked away had not a flash of red caught my eye. Shading my eyes I saw the Mistress sitting on one of the higher branches, though she still wore her dark uniform, I realized that her hair was tied in a bun fastened with sakura shaped clips. She seemed to be gazing her horizon while her hands loosened the red scarf round her neck, holding that gently between her lips, she began to undo the clips in her hair. She must not have been paying much attention to what she was doing because a couple of them slipped from her slender fingers. Picking up her clips, I teleported myself to the branch on which she was sitting, "Mistress, I do believe you dropped these." I smiled and held the clips in my open palm. She must have then only realized that she dropped them because she opened her own palm and replied with a simple, "Oh, thank you Ren." "My pleasure, Mistress." Blinking at me, she went back to gazing at the horizon, ignoring the scarf and the clips that now lay on her lap. Not wanting to invade her space I decided to leave, when I felt her grab my jacket, "Stay. Stay a while." she requested. Unable to deny her, I sat next to her; we sat there on that branch till sunset in perfect comfortable silence. I never felt happier.
I don't care if the love is one sided, I cherish everything about the Mistress and every honored moment that I spent with her, both private and with everybody. All I know is that I have eternally pledged my heart, my soul, my love, my life; my everything to the quiet Mistress standing alone in the poppy field.