Her eyes slowly fluttered open only to be greeted with a blurry vision.
She lay as she was, breathing shallow, her eyes focusing.
Her stomach and chest contracted, forcing her to spit blood.
She supported herself on one elbow and searched the barren scorched field for the familiar figures.
They lay among the mud, blood and ruins- Ren, Hone Onna, Wanyuduu.
The pesky kid stood near the older woman weeping into her kimono.
The old man had been nailed to the ground, his scarf foiled with blood and saliva.
She dragged herself to the dying young man.
His legs were pinned by fallen columns, his chest speared open.
"Ren" she whispered as tears wet her soiled cheeks, he was now within reach.
He smiled though life was leaving him, "Mistress" and reached out to grab her hand.
They were now in each other's bloody embrace, together in love.
The red Sun dived into its evening abode, ashamed.
"I am sorry Ren, I promised you all a new life, I am sorry" she silently wept balling his jacket into her still tiny hands.
"Mistress, you did give us a new life, everyday has been a new day of our lives." he reassured her as he held her tighter.
Kikuri pulled out a knife from her kimono and looked at Hone, "Please forgive me Mother, but I must let you go."
As her tears fell, the child fell on her knees and placed her lips on the older woman's, "I love you." Kikuri said as she plunged the knife into Hone's heart, stilling her completely.
Overcome with grief the little girl hugged the older woman and cried into her bosom, "Mother, Mother, I am sorry, please forgive me. Don't leave me, MOTHER" Kikuri wailed as she rocked back and forth with Hone Onna.
Ren cupped her face with his cold hand, "I love you Ai." He leaned forward and met her lips, the sweet taste of long bottled up love mixed with the bitter taste of blood.
"I have always loved you and I will always wait for you", he whispered into her ear as life finally left him.
Finally being freed from the curse of being emotionless, she shamelessly cried, hugging him, burying her face into his jacket.
"In the end, you got what you wished for", the Spider clicked near her, "Freedom, love, family. I have been kind; you shall be together till eternity, save the child, at least for now."
Placing a rough hand on Kikuri's shoulder, he pried the weeping child from the corpse.
Ai spat more blood and before she could say anything more, time stood still and all went dark.
"Ai! Get down already!" her mother screamed from the drawing hall. The young girl with flushed cheeks, bright red eyes and ebony hair ran down the steps crashing into her father a small built bald man generally dressed in a brown kimono and red scarf. "Sorry Father, is he here Mother?" she asked her mother eagerly. Wiping her hands on her apron, the woman with sparkling eyes and dressed in a blue kimono and her hair tied in a red scarf, smiled and gestured to the door with her head.
With blood rushing to her ears and her heart pounding so hard that she could swear it could be heard till the Heavens, the shy girl opened the door and was greeted by the warm familiar back of her love, "Ren".
The name barely left her lips when he scooped her into his strong arms and kissed her full on the lips, "It has been far too long Ai, you kept me waiting. I love you." He smiled as they kissed again.
The married couple watched them from the safety of kitchen as they tenderly held hands, "I think we will name her Kikuri", the wife stated as she lovingly rubbed her stomach. Patting her hand, he smiled in agreement, "Yes love."
A/N: not really a good work or way to enter the New Year, but wish you all a very happy new year!
God bless!