Chapter One

Seasons Change

Along the coast of the island of Japan, along the beach front, the border lands between the sandy dunes of the coastal lines and forest, was the small village of Mahoroba. This village, however small or humble was the driving force behind agricultural and fishing production that provided neighboring villages and towns with fresh food. This village was made up of farmers, fishermen, women and children, god worshiping priest and miko. They were surrounded by the earth—by lush green forest and deep, deep colored soil. The coastal line was white, sandy and pristine—the ocean calm and soothing—blue and green meeting in a soft dance of force and submission.

In this village of Mahoroba time went by very slowly.

"What do you mean you're going away?" the 12 year old miko in training asked, her small voice wavering and on the verge of tears. She sat along the pale colored beach, her red hakama pants sandy and wrinkled underneath her folded legs, her small hands gripping the vibrant fabric desperately.

Next to her, a girl the same age sat guilty, her head hanging low and weary—long black tresses covering her pained blue eyes, keeping them hidden from view. "They're sending me away, Himeko." Her voice said weakly, as if broken and beaten, worn down to the very bone. She clenched her pale hands into tight fists; the color of her hakama pants much deeper and darker against her milky white hands.

The small blond gave her a pleading look, brushing her hair from her face hastily with her small hands; she scooted forward so that she could have a better look at the girl before her, so she could determine whether this was joke or not. She knew however, that it wasn't. No, Chikane wasn't capable of these kinds of jokes, she wasn't that cruel. "But…" she began, her eyes looking at the white sand underneath her as she tried to gather her thoughts, "W—Where? W—Why?" she asked finally, a frightened tone to her voice. Tears were welling up in her amethyst eyes, threatening to spill forward any second. Had it been because of her? Had her unruly affection for the girl made her parents cross? She felt guilt wash over her in a wave, her heart pounding in her chest.

The former looked up, cerulean eyes painted glassy with sadness and anger, this wasn't what she wanted, she never wanted to see the blond cry—especially not when there wasn't a thing she could do to make her feel better. She remained quiet for a while, pale blue eyes intent on the sand beneath her, as if searching for the right words to say, for something less truthful; something less real. She found none. She felt a pang at her heart as she watched the girl's bottom lip tremble, the sight tearing her heart in two. Why did it have to be like this? Why did she have to cause her beloved friend this kind of pain?

"They're…" she began, her small lips pressed together in frustration, "They're sending me away to some etiquette school." She scoffed feeling her ears burn with anger, "Mother and father want me to be prepared to marry a high ranking official or some samurai…" she felt hot tears falling along her cheeks. Quickly, as if ashamed she brushed them away, sniffling slightly. "They want me to go away and come back a lady…" she said bitterly, much too bitterly for a child her age. " But—!" Chikane made fists of her hands, gripping the fabric of her hakama tightly. "But I-!" she choked, her pretty face contorted with grief.

"Chikane-chan!" The small blond cried, throwing herself forward, wrapping her arms around the formers slender frame. Chikane could feel her friend's wet tears soak through her gi, her small arms tightening around her desperately. She felt her heart break, her form trembling despite herself, her eyes burned, her throat ached. She shut her blue eyes tightly—commanding her own tears to stop, trying to will away the sobs she knew were fighting their way out of her. She was a Himemiya! She did not cry! She had to be strong, she had to be—!

The dam broke. The dam she had worked so hard to build broke and she felt the unfamiliar wave of grief wash over her.

"I don't want to go! Himeko!" she cried, every last bit of resolve leaving her body at once. She felt her throat choke with a whimper, her eyes burning with shamefully welcomed tears. "Himeko!" she cried, holding on to the blond, her hands gripping at her robes, pulling fistfuls into her small hands.

She was the prized possession of the Himemiya clan. That was always the reason behind her doing things she didn't want to do. She was Lord Himemiya's only daughter—his precious crowned jewel in which his hopes and dreams were imbedded deep, deep within. She was his daughter as well as his son—his protégée as well as his princess and with such a title came many unwelcome responsibilities.

The Himemiya were a family made up entirely of fierce warriors and graceful women, of refined talents and high ranking officials and she would be no exception. The men born of such blood would be swords men, warriors, diplomats, artists. Woman would be beautiful, elegant and intelligent but never weak, the perfect wives and ideal mothers. The women would marry of course, increasing the prestige of the family name; their lives but meant for that purpose and that purpose alone. They would be made the most attractive, they would be cultivated, bread into perfection, for the Himemiya always had their pride. Chikane would be no different, and regardless of her desires she would do as she was told. This was her destiny, as it was for all the women in her family. For when one was born into the nobility she was, your life was already decided, choices already made for you; your destiny written long before you came to be.

Chikane accepted this, had learned to accept it long before she even realized it. But despite her quiet disposition, she hated it, hated it with every ounce of her being. She had never disliked the amount of reverence she received from the townsfolk or the attention and encouragement her parents gave her. She had been born into it, she had been raised off of it, she had become accustomed to it; it was all she had ever known but at at the moment she couldn't bear the feeling of her own skin. She couldn't bear the title that hung upon her head—the duties she had to fulfill. When they asked her to leave, to leave her home, her family, her best friend—her only friend—she felt her heart break. The realization was one that made her stop in her tracks, one that banished every thought that lay previously; she was a pawn, she was an asset, she had almost forgotten that. But that realization quickly became second to the reality of the situation. She was to leave her only friend; her beloved Himeko. What would she do without the blond she had known since she was only nine? What would she do without her cheerful voice and bright smile? How would she survive without her?

"Chikane-chan…," Himeko sniffled, wiping her tears with her robes sleeve, "How long will you be away?" she asked, her voice undeniably hopeful. Chikane looked away, unable to look at her friends deep violet eyes as she lied to her face, unable to see the vibrant hope that grew bigger by the second. She was a terrible person and she knew it—she hated herself.

"Father didn't say." She said softly, it sounded like a lie even to her own ears. She bit her lip, feeling her heart sink in her chest, feeling as if the weight of the world had suddenly settled on her slim girlish shoulders.

She couldn't kill the hope in her best friend's eyes. She wouldn't be able to forgive herself if she did.

Himeko smiled completely unaware, a wide smile—brighter than the sun itself. "So, you might be back soon!" she concluded, drying the rest of her tears with the back of her knuckles. Chikane could hear her sniffle adorably. She smiled weakly at the sound of her voice, at her adorable manerisms. She couldn't bear telling the blond the truth. She would have to stick it through—ride it out to the end and hope for the best… Hope that she would come back soon enough.

"Maybe." She said, her voice much weaker than she had hoped. She ignored it however, brushing the blonds' hair away from her face, looking at her amethyst eyes with a warmth and kindness too old for her age, "And when I return, I will ask mother and father if you can stay with us for the night," she started, her voice lighter and delightfully humorous despite the tightening in her throat, she could see Himeko's eyes widen with joy, "And we'll eat sweets and talk all night." She finished wistfully, wanting to believe her own words and knowing very well that was impossible. She couldn't let that show however, she couldn't let it slip through.

"Y-You think that would be okay?" Himeko asked with a hopeful voice, her face flushed with color.

Chikane giggled despite herself. She loved this girl so very, very much.

"Of course." She nodded, holding her friend close—relishing the warmth she would soon be deprived of. "Absolutely."

The ocean roared, green waves crashing along the soft off-white sand, inching closer and closer to the two girls. The sun had slowly begun to set, staining the wide expanse of sky a deep orange, the wistful clouds thin and light and carrying a slight blue to them. The town began to settle down making less and less noise as the minutes added up more and more.

"Chikane-chan?" the tiny blond asked softly from her home on her friends lap. She was sleepy; her eyes tired and puffy from crying, her head dizzy and light from Himemiya's lingering fingers.

They hadn't left the beach yet; they had spent the last few hours sitting there together in silence, too afraid to bid each other farewell, knowing very well it could be their last. Himeko had since made herself comfortable on her beloved best friends lap, nuzzling her legs like a love-sick puppy, finding refuge in her warm presence. The Himemiya princess didn't mind one bit, not at all. She took the liberty of running her delicate pale fingers running through her friends tea colored golden locks again and again, soothing the small girls fears with delicate caresses—hoping that hers would be soothed away as well.

"Yes, Himeko?" the princess replied, her graceful fingers running through her hair, pushing it to one side so that she could peer over at the blonds baby-like face.

"I love you." She said timidly, hiding her face in her friend's lap where the beautiful princess' blue eyes couldn't find her. Surely she was blushing a delightfully bright red.

Chikane felt her face burn—her fingers stilling where they were instantly. She was… stunned for lack of a better word. She couldn't think. Never had she felt her cheeks burn like this, never had anyone coaxed such a reaction from her with such a simple phrase, such a simple and predictable string of words. She felt her heart skip a beat—her ears burn and ring. She didn't say anything for a moment, her brain feeling like it was overheating inside her head. Quickly she pulled herself together, bending over slightly at the waist so she could look at her friend's bashful expression. Himeko didn't let her however, she simply kept her face hidden, buried in her friends hakama. Chikane felt the corners of her lips curl slightly, unable to hide the sudden rush of tenderness that washed over her, the sudden excitement at the beautiful words she had just heard.

"I—I love you too, Himeko." She whispered with a bit of difficulty. Her voice came out a little shakier than she had hoped it would, she sounded unsure almost but that couldn't be farther from the truth. She smiled softly, lowering her face so that she could press a soft kiss on the blonds head. It was an innocent kiss meant for a friend, meant for someone cherished in childlike affection, a soft brush of her lips.

They didn't say anything. They simply sat in silence, the blond content where she was, her expression hidden away. Chikane didn't mind this, not anymore. She would rather the blond stay the way she was, it would certainly save her some embarrassment. Her face was red, she knew it was even without looking at her own reflection.

"Chikane-chan?" her timid voice asked again. Still, she concealed her expression. What a silly child she was.

"Yes, Himeko?" the Himemiya replied with an amused smile, her hands still caressing her blond tresses dotingly.

"Come back to me soon." she said simply, her voice muffled slightly—it was more like a plea than a request, really. The delightful inflection in her voice made Chikane blush slightly. She didn't know why, but she didn't have the leisure to figure out the exact reason. She simply smiled, trailing her slender fingers along her friends shoulder, down her arm, seeking to hold her hand. She found it and laced their slender fingers together, pressing their palms against each others slightly.

Himeko's hand was warm.

Chikane felt her eyes sting.

"I will."

It had been five years since the only daughter of the Himemiya family had been sent away to become a lady. She had unwillingly agreed and mounted her horse with all the elegance that a Himemiya was expected to have, her back straight and graceful. She had prodded the horses belly gently, taken the reins and bid her family farewell, her cerulean eyes unreadable as Himeko waved goodbye to her, her child-like face red and fighting back tears. That day had been much better than they had both hoped, and much worse.

The Himemiya family knew the measures were drastic, having sent their only child away, but found comfort in their daughter's bright future. Surely she would make a fine wife one day; surely she would find happiness and all their hard work would pay off. Surely.

Mahoroba had remained the same after that day, to Himeko's surprise. The princess' departure had not affected everyone like it had her. The towns people went about with their business as if nothing had every happened, yet there was a dulling of sorts. It was as if the heart and soul of the village had been drained away; leaving the hollow but still functioning shell that remained. The sun rose and fell, the clouds came and went. Spring, summer, autumn and winter danced about each other again and again in this town where time passed slowly.

Nothing had changed, only the seasons.

Or had it?

Himeko, who had taken the Himemiya's absence the hardest, had since grown into a young woman. The thin form that her best friend had last recalled was far from reality now. Himeko looked and sounded different, having blossomed into the delicate flower that was womanhood and all of it's glory. Himeko had developed into quite a beautiful young maiden, her hips fanning out significantly, breast much more prominent than they been on her twelve year old self. She had grown petite and womanly, her curves doing nothing but enhance the allure she carried as an innocent maiden. She often found herself wondering if her friend would recognize her at all when she returned, as she peered at her own reflection, her eyes gazing down at herself with an expression of bittersweet longing and loneliness.

When she returned…

If she returned.

She had since begun taking her duties as a miko much more seriously, although the idea of exorcizing anything still made her uneasy, being the sensitive girl she was at heart. She had been left to care for the family shrine when her grandfather passed away a few summers ago, finding the help of her fellow mikos and priests more valuable than gold.

She had spent the last five years in perpetual limbo however, spending her days waiting aimlessly, hoping that the day her best friend came back would be just a sunrise away. But of course, at the end of every day as the sun set and she gazed at the horizon longingly, she realized dishearteningly that that was not the case. And so life went on in Mahoroba—slow and steady, Himeko's heart growing less and less hopeful by the day.

"Himeko!" a young priest called out, looking around franticly for his childhood friend, "Himeko!"

There was a rustling in the greenery behind him, and there suddenly—dirty and hair a mess—immerged the very blond with nothing less than a puppy in her arms and a wide smile on her lips. He sighed, his roughened hand running through his brown hair sheepishly. This was very much like the girl he had grown up with. She hadn't changed much, if any at all.

"Ah! Souma-kun!" she chirped with a smile, "I'm sorry! Inou-sama's dog ran away again and I offered to help her catch him!" she explained with a light laugh, brushing off the dirt from her ceremonial robes quickly.

Somehow the puppy had found his way to the shrine she spent most of her time cleaning and had gotten stuck in a bush behind one of the stone statues, she of course had tried to help him being the kind-hearted girl she was, although that simple task proved to be much harder than she had hoped. The small dog had squirmed and whimpered away from her before finally surrendering at the touch of her gentle hands and sound of her cooing voice.

The young priest walked over to his long time friend and laughed, picking leaves from her tousled blond hair and brushing her bangs away softly, his hands displaying a tenderness not uncommon for a lover. He gave her a smile and was rewarded with a sheepish expression.

"No wonder, she's been looking everywhere for you." He chuckled, taking the plump puppy from her arms awkwardly, "Did you hear the news?" he asked with a look she had never seen on his face before.

Himeko cocked her head to the left, adorably, obviously confused by his words.

"What news?" she asked, hands running through her golden blond hair, absentmindedly picking out the scattered leaves that had clung to the glorious mass of silk.

The look on the young priests face mirrored her own confusion. He blinked a few times, then shook his head with disbelief.

"Himemiya-sama is coming back today." He said with a bemused look, fidgeting with the whimpering puppy in his arms. "I thought you would be the first to hear." He said with a laugh, looking at her like she had just done something adorably funny.

Himeko felt her heart stop for a second, amethyst eyes wide with disbelief.

It couldn't be.

"Himeko?" the priest asked, concerned at her lack of a response.

"The Himemiya Princess is here!" they both turned around as one of the towns men called out, causing a stir. Suddenly, as if the town had suppressed their distress at the Himemiya's absence, all hell broke loose. Excited whispers and hollers of joy filled the village.

Himeko felt her heart speed up at the sudden realization. The Himemiya princess had returned, she was here, right now at this very instant! Himeko looked frantic. She wasn't ready for this! She looked awful—her face was covered in mud, her robes were wrinkled and her hair was tangled and unkept—but she could think of that now! Not when Chikane was—!

Suddenly, much to the priests surprise the clumsy blond took off running. The priest reached out, trying to stop her, but she was long gone.

Today was the day.

She had finally come back to her.

Chikane had finally come back.