Dome of heaven
By: Tiian
Disclaimer: I own only the story, not characters from RK.
Authors words: Misao is 17 years old. Good luck. To me that is.
"Talking"
*Thinking*
When the sun had risen, had the sky been clear blue without even a trace of clouds. But when the evening was closing, black clouds covered the sky and thunder could be heard coming closer. And with that storm came two strangers.
Chapter 1:
Visitors
Aoiya had been quit quiet lately, nearly no visitors, but the situation had changed suddenly couple of days ago. Aoiya had been full of people and every person had to do their part to keep everything under control. Even Aoshi had been dragged from the temple to help them.
Kuro and Shiro had been almost clued to the kitchen, Okon and Omasu to the customers. Misao cleaned floors, washed laundry and helped in kitchen if it proved to be necessary. Okina welcomed new customers and said goodbye to the leaving ones. Aoshi's job was to take care of complaints, which were surprisingly rare, and help where he was needed. He also did the shopping.
The whole Kyoto seemed to be packed full with people who wanted to see the visit of very important people from other lands who gathered, surprisingly, in Kyoto. Every guest in the Aoiya spoke about the upcoming event, so they always knew the latest news and wildest rumours.
When the sun was hidden behind a thick layer of black clouds, people swarmed inside Aoiya, everyone wanting to eat at the same time. Now only Okon and Omasu were not in kitchen, everyone else were there making food as soon as they could. People talked, yelled, argued and whispered to each other so loudly inside their rooms that no one heard when the first lightning hit down from the sky followed with a low rumble. No one noticed that it had started to rain, before two persons run inside the Aoiya. Wet from head to toe.
A woman with a long black hair tied at her neck, wearing a pair of very dark green pants and a black, probably loose when dry, shirt which at the moment cling to her skin, just like her pants. Her eyes were deep green, surrounded by very black and long lashes. Her lips were sensual and quite red, like she would have just been kissed. She was about 165 cm tall.
A man with just as black but short hair, deep blue eyes and a strong nose. He wore a pair of black pants and a black shirt, which revealed his strong build. He was about 175 cm.
They both had scarf's around their neck, the woman's was green and the mans black. They both also had strange black robes with a hood hanging in their arms. The robes had been cut all the way from neck till down from the middle.
All together they had not dressed themselves like traditional Japanese persons would have. They had many Japanese characteristics in them, though.
Aoshi was the first to notice them as he stepped outside of the kitchen with his hand full of warm food. He turned and spoke loudly to Okina in the kitchen. "Okina. We have new quests." He nodded to the couple and turned to deliver the food.
Soon after he was out of the couple's eyes the door to the kitchen opened and Misao stepped out. Her hair was pointing in every direction; the sweat was running down her face. She had her usual clothes plus a dirty apron. She was a mess, but her eyes twinkled energy and friendliness, her stance showed of no tiredness and she smiled happily.
"Welcome to Aoiya! I am Misao." Misao smiled to them.
The strange couple looked at each other amazed. Their eyes were wide. Then they turned to look at Misao again. They were silent for a moment and just stared at Misao with strange look in their eyes.
"Ummm... May I help you in any way?" Misao asked to fill the silence. The couple seemed to shake of whatever trance they were in and smiled at Misao.
The woman was first to open her mouth and speak.
"I am Senritsu and this is my husband Kei. We came hoping to get a room. We are very sorry for the way we acted. You just look so much like... a person that was very important to... us. Seeing you was like seeing her again", she laughed and continued. "But there is no way you could be her. She died about 15 years ago. We are very sorry."
Misao laughed too. "No problems. And you're lucky. Now is a rather busy season and almost every inn and hotel in Kyoto is full, but we've got one room left. I hope you don't mind sleeping in the same room..." When the couple shook their heads, she continued. "Come, this way." Misao turned and started to walk towards stairs left from her. The couple followed her silently.
Misao was in the middle of the stairs when she heard something. It was different from the sounds that surrounded her, in a way it seemed to dim other sounds and she heard only that voice full of motherly warmth and security,
¨There is no other way she could look so much like Sora, our heaven. Sky may bless her soul. And this little ones also.¨
Misao turned to the couple walking behind her. "Did you say something?" They looked at each other and shook their heads. "No, we said nothing." Misao only shrugged and turned, and doing so, missed the look Senritsu and Kei gave to each other before continuing to follow her.
Misao led them to the middle of the hallway and opened the door on the right. "Here, this is your room. It is not much, but I hope it is enough." The woman, Senritsu, looked inside. She smiled. "This is perfect compared to the others that have been offered to us."
Misao returned her smile. "If there is anything you need, feel free to ask. Anyone will help you. Just say that you are staying here."
Both the man and the woman bowed to her. "We'll dry up and come down then later." This time it was the man that talked. He had a pleasant voice. If Senritsu was mother, he was father.
Misao bowed to them and hurried downstairs to help others. She missed the looks on their new visitors faces as they stared at her retreating back. "There is no mistake. I am sure of it." Senritsu spoke silently. Her husband stayed quiet.
Misao hurried back to the kitchen. She was not the best cook possible, but she helped in other ways. She threw her hair out of her sweaty face. She reached the kitchen soon and accidentally pumped into Aoshi as she was coming out. She felt herself blush. *Great. This is just what I needed.* She smiled awkwardly, said she was sorry and quickly walked past him into the kitchen where she was safe from his everything seeing eyes.
Then back to work.
She saw the tired looks on all of their faces. They simply took all of this wrong way. To her this was a practise. Balancing a tray, chopping vegetables, everything was good for something. She weaved her way trough the room to the table she had occupied earlier. She sat down and got back to work. She had lots of vegetables in front of her and a knife. "So it is chopping now." Her job changed all the time.
Misao took a quick glance of the room before beginning. There were at least ten extra-people working at the moment.
Two carrots down, eighteen to go.
She didn't have to really pay so much attention on what she was doing. Her thoughts were elsewhere. Usually on Aoshi, but now they were on the strange couple.
Six down, fourteen to go.
She was sure that she had heard something. A voice that sounded just like Senritsu, did saying weird things. She swept sweat from her face and then continued.
Ten down, ten to go. Half done.
Misao smiled, enough thinking. The speed of her hand increased and it took her practically no time to finish this little assignment. And onto the next.
It was past midnight when she was getting tired. She had risen with the sun to work and had worked till this moment. She had a right to be tired.
She walked in the upstairs corridor with a tray full of food well balanced in her arms. It was rather heavy. Had it been that morning, she wouldn't have even felt it, but now it really weighted something. And that something was a lot. She reached the room in the end of the corridor, knelt and knocked.
A man opened the door. He was almost as tall as Aoshi and he had long, brown hair and very muscular build. He also stinked of sake. She saw two men behind him, both as muscular as the first and at least ten sake bottles. Probably empty.
"That took long. Hear me girl, lo--ong time." he sounded drunken as well. He had a annoyed look on his face. Misao wanted nothing more than just throw the food at the man, but restrained herself, with effort. She stood up and took the tray. Then she offered it to the man. He took it, turned around and threw the door closed without any words of thanks.
Misao counted to ten and when it didn't help, she tried twenty. Fifty was the point when she turned and walked away, her hands clenched into tight fists. She would have loved to take one good swing at the man.
Misao yawned and stretched her hands. It had been a tiring day and tomorrow would be another one just as tiring. Misao was just about to walk back down to tell anyone in charge that she would go to sleep when she heard a whispering sound. It was sourceless and gone in a moment. Misao couldn't help but look at the door to her left. It was the room she had given to the strangers.
This time the sound was only her imagination. She was sure of it.
She yawned again continuing walking, it really was time to go to sleep. Heck, she started to hear things already.
End of chapter 1.
TBC in chapter 2.
Sorry about the short chapter. When things start to happen, the chapters will be longer.
By: Tiian
Disclaimer: I own only the story, not characters from RK.
Authors words: Misao is 17 years old. Good luck. To me that is.
"Talking"
*Thinking*
When the sun had risen, had the sky been clear blue without even a trace of clouds. But when the evening was closing, black clouds covered the sky and thunder could be heard coming closer. And with that storm came two strangers.
Chapter 1:
Visitors
Aoiya had been quit quiet lately, nearly no visitors, but the situation had changed suddenly couple of days ago. Aoiya had been full of people and every person had to do their part to keep everything under control. Even Aoshi had been dragged from the temple to help them.
Kuro and Shiro had been almost clued to the kitchen, Okon and Omasu to the customers. Misao cleaned floors, washed laundry and helped in kitchen if it proved to be necessary. Okina welcomed new customers and said goodbye to the leaving ones. Aoshi's job was to take care of complaints, which were surprisingly rare, and help where he was needed. He also did the shopping.
The whole Kyoto seemed to be packed full with people who wanted to see the visit of very important people from other lands who gathered, surprisingly, in Kyoto. Every guest in the Aoiya spoke about the upcoming event, so they always knew the latest news and wildest rumours.
When the sun was hidden behind a thick layer of black clouds, people swarmed inside Aoiya, everyone wanting to eat at the same time. Now only Okon and Omasu were not in kitchen, everyone else were there making food as soon as they could. People talked, yelled, argued and whispered to each other so loudly inside their rooms that no one heard when the first lightning hit down from the sky followed with a low rumble. No one noticed that it had started to rain, before two persons run inside the Aoiya. Wet from head to toe.
A woman with a long black hair tied at her neck, wearing a pair of very dark green pants and a black, probably loose when dry, shirt which at the moment cling to her skin, just like her pants. Her eyes were deep green, surrounded by very black and long lashes. Her lips were sensual and quite red, like she would have just been kissed. She was about 165 cm tall.
A man with just as black but short hair, deep blue eyes and a strong nose. He wore a pair of black pants and a black shirt, which revealed his strong build. He was about 175 cm.
They both had scarf's around their neck, the woman's was green and the mans black. They both also had strange black robes with a hood hanging in their arms. The robes had been cut all the way from neck till down from the middle.
All together they had not dressed themselves like traditional Japanese persons would have. They had many Japanese characteristics in them, though.
Aoshi was the first to notice them as he stepped outside of the kitchen with his hand full of warm food. He turned and spoke loudly to Okina in the kitchen. "Okina. We have new quests." He nodded to the couple and turned to deliver the food.
Soon after he was out of the couple's eyes the door to the kitchen opened and Misao stepped out. Her hair was pointing in every direction; the sweat was running down her face. She had her usual clothes plus a dirty apron. She was a mess, but her eyes twinkled energy and friendliness, her stance showed of no tiredness and she smiled happily.
"Welcome to Aoiya! I am Misao." Misao smiled to them.
The strange couple looked at each other amazed. Their eyes were wide. Then they turned to look at Misao again. They were silent for a moment and just stared at Misao with strange look in their eyes.
"Ummm... May I help you in any way?" Misao asked to fill the silence. The couple seemed to shake of whatever trance they were in and smiled at Misao.
The woman was first to open her mouth and speak.
"I am Senritsu and this is my husband Kei. We came hoping to get a room. We are very sorry for the way we acted. You just look so much like... a person that was very important to... us. Seeing you was like seeing her again", she laughed and continued. "But there is no way you could be her. She died about 15 years ago. We are very sorry."
Misao laughed too. "No problems. And you're lucky. Now is a rather busy season and almost every inn and hotel in Kyoto is full, but we've got one room left. I hope you don't mind sleeping in the same room..." When the couple shook their heads, she continued. "Come, this way." Misao turned and started to walk towards stairs left from her. The couple followed her silently.
Misao was in the middle of the stairs when she heard something. It was different from the sounds that surrounded her, in a way it seemed to dim other sounds and she heard only that voice full of motherly warmth and security,
¨There is no other way she could look so much like Sora, our heaven. Sky may bless her soul. And this little ones also.¨
Misao turned to the couple walking behind her. "Did you say something?" They looked at each other and shook their heads. "No, we said nothing." Misao only shrugged and turned, and doing so, missed the look Senritsu and Kei gave to each other before continuing to follow her.
Misao led them to the middle of the hallway and opened the door on the right. "Here, this is your room. It is not much, but I hope it is enough." The woman, Senritsu, looked inside. She smiled. "This is perfect compared to the others that have been offered to us."
Misao returned her smile. "If there is anything you need, feel free to ask. Anyone will help you. Just say that you are staying here."
Both the man and the woman bowed to her. "We'll dry up and come down then later." This time it was the man that talked. He had a pleasant voice. If Senritsu was mother, he was father.
Misao bowed to them and hurried downstairs to help others. She missed the looks on their new visitors faces as they stared at her retreating back. "There is no mistake. I am sure of it." Senritsu spoke silently. Her husband stayed quiet.
Misao hurried back to the kitchen. She was not the best cook possible, but she helped in other ways. She threw her hair out of her sweaty face. She reached the kitchen soon and accidentally pumped into Aoshi as she was coming out. She felt herself blush. *Great. This is just what I needed.* She smiled awkwardly, said she was sorry and quickly walked past him into the kitchen where she was safe from his everything seeing eyes.
Then back to work.
She saw the tired looks on all of their faces. They simply took all of this wrong way. To her this was a practise. Balancing a tray, chopping vegetables, everything was good for something. She weaved her way trough the room to the table she had occupied earlier. She sat down and got back to work. She had lots of vegetables in front of her and a knife. "So it is chopping now." Her job changed all the time.
Misao took a quick glance of the room before beginning. There were at least ten extra-people working at the moment.
Two carrots down, eighteen to go.
She didn't have to really pay so much attention on what she was doing. Her thoughts were elsewhere. Usually on Aoshi, but now they were on the strange couple.
Six down, fourteen to go.
She was sure that she had heard something. A voice that sounded just like Senritsu, did saying weird things. She swept sweat from her face and then continued.
Ten down, ten to go. Half done.
Misao smiled, enough thinking. The speed of her hand increased and it took her practically no time to finish this little assignment. And onto the next.
It was past midnight when she was getting tired. She had risen with the sun to work and had worked till this moment. She had a right to be tired.
She walked in the upstairs corridor with a tray full of food well balanced in her arms. It was rather heavy. Had it been that morning, she wouldn't have even felt it, but now it really weighted something. And that something was a lot. She reached the room in the end of the corridor, knelt and knocked.
A man opened the door. He was almost as tall as Aoshi and he had long, brown hair and very muscular build. He also stinked of sake. She saw two men behind him, both as muscular as the first and at least ten sake bottles. Probably empty.
"That took long. Hear me girl, lo--ong time." he sounded drunken as well. He had a annoyed look on his face. Misao wanted nothing more than just throw the food at the man, but restrained herself, with effort. She stood up and took the tray. Then she offered it to the man. He took it, turned around and threw the door closed without any words of thanks.
Misao counted to ten and when it didn't help, she tried twenty. Fifty was the point when she turned and walked away, her hands clenched into tight fists. She would have loved to take one good swing at the man.
Misao yawned and stretched her hands. It had been a tiring day and tomorrow would be another one just as tiring. Misao was just about to walk back down to tell anyone in charge that she would go to sleep when she heard a whispering sound. It was sourceless and gone in a moment. Misao couldn't help but look at the door to her left. It was the room she had given to the strangers.
This time the sound was only her imagination. She was sure of it.
She yawned again continuing walking, it really was time to go to sleep. Heck, she started to hear things already.
End of chapter 1.
TBC in chapter 2.
Sorry about the short chapter. When things start to happen, the chapters will be longer.