She couldn't tell if her eyes were opened or closed; every time she blinked she was met a piercing darkness. A heavy pressure coursed through her entire body; every single bone in her body was locked into a painful stiffness. She was sure if she moved her fingers she would be able to hear it crack a thousand miles away. Her throat itched with dryness that kept her swallowing with a constant need of water.

Not only couldn't she move, but she has no single memory of who she was. The only thing she felt right now was overwhelming amount of grief. It would hit her at the most random of times; just like waves crashing against the coastline during an unexpected storm.

She didn't know anything and she was terrified. She wanted to break free from this prison, but she isn't sure how. She didn't even know if she truly was in a prison or if this constant miserable darkness was death.

I want to …be free.. she thought miserably as another wave of grief hit her full force.

What on earth was happening?

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The room was lit with the soft light of the full moon. It casted a gentle shadow across his face. His eyes were closed as he took another long sip of his sake. The shoji doors were wide open, letting a cool breeze course through the silent room. On the table laid a single folded piece of paper. It was addressed to him and he knew it was from Otome.

He didn't want to open it. When he woke up that morning he didn't think much of the fact that she wasn't next to him. He went through his entire day like nothing was amiss until when night came. There was no sign of Otome anywhere. Not around the house, the town or the surrounding forest. No one has seen her.

It sent a sudden shock of fear through his system. Somebody must of hurt her. After days of searching high and low, Setsura found the letter. She looked crest fallen as she reluctantly handed the letter to the heart broken Rihan.

And now here he sits two days later with the letter in front of him; still not wanting to open and gaze into the its content.

"Rihan"

He looked up and saw the worried Yuki-onna. Her eyes were glowing with worry. She stepped into his room and quietly sat down next to him. She slowly reached her hand out to lay it on his shoulder for comfort, but she quickly changed her mind as she hesitated before she set her hand down on her own lap.

"You haven't read the letter yet?" she asked as she eyed the letter.

"Nee-san…" Rihan whispered "I don't think I can face whatever is written in there….what if…" he hesitated. He didn't know what if truly meant.

"Rihan, you can't keep pushing this aside. We…I..you need to know the truth.." Setsura said as she grabbed the letter and held it out to Rihan. He looked away before he grabbed the letter and opened it.

It was a poem. A very short simple to the point poem. It was so to the point that Rihan immediately shoved it back into Setsura's hand.

"I..need to be alone" he said. His voice cracked and a broken smile appeared on his face.

"Wait!" Setsura grabbed onto Rihan's sleeve, but he simply shrugged her off before he disappeared into a cloud of fear.

"Rihan come back!" she called out. She ran outside and stared into the gardens. She was alone with the letter crumpled in her hand.

Did Otome really leave them?

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She has no idea how much time has passed. A hundred years or a second, but her grief was growing by the second. It started from her mind and slowly crept to her inner being. Not only did she constantly feel sad, but she is starting to feel her soul sink heavy with the grief.

She was floating..or was she sinking? She couldn't tell. She couldn't tell anything at it frustrates her. She wanted to move her body…she wanted to speak and sing and most importantly she wanted to see. She wanted to see where she was. She was tired of being held captive in wherever the hell she was.

Her passive grief was beginning to turn into irritated anger. It wasn't fair! It wasn't fair that she was stuck here.

She as a person-she knew she had to be a person- had every right to choose what happens to herself and she will be damned if anyone was going to stop her.

Her thoughts were abruptly shoved aside when she felt something kick her. She gasped- internally of course- when she felt a kick again. It almost felt like it was coming from her stomach.

Alarm bells went through her mind as a heavy load of panic set on her barely moving chest. What was this feeling? Was there something inside of her?

What was happening to her?

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A couple of hours of panic later

When calmness began to set in another emotion seem to fill her heart. She thinks she hasn't felt this in a long time; it felt almost familiar. It reminded her of a warm light gently caressing her skin on a perfect cloudless day. It made her feel hopeful.

After a while a though seemed to click into her mind.

A baby….

The word echoed in her mind for what seemed like an eternity when an image started to pop up in her minds eyes; it was bright. She could see silhouettes of two people. A man and a woman. As the image became clearer she saw the woman was holding a squirming bundle in her arms.

Her heart started to hum in joy as she recognized that woman to be her. It had to be! And the man…He was so handsome…he was….or he is someone important to her. She smiled with joy as she tried to desperately reach out to the man.

She craved that man on such a level that her entire body jerked forward. A loud screech tore through her dry throat as her lungs were suddenly filled with a thick liquid. Her arms and legs started to kick and wave around as she desperately tried to find air.

Air..Air…I need to breathe!

She broke through a dark surface as she coughed up all the water that entered her lungs. Her heady was dizzy and her vision blurry.

It took a moment for her to regain her sensibility before she looked around the place carefully.

She was sitting in a pool of pure black water; it was so black that she couldn't even see her own body. She looked up at the walls and noticed that she was in a dark cave with candles lit everywhere. She couldn't see a light to the outside world, but it didn't matter. What was important now was getting out of there. She carefully swam to the edge before she slowly hefted herself up. Her belly was swollen and big and she didn't want to hurt the baby that grew inside of her.

A warm blush painted itself on to her cheeks before she painfully stumbled to the cave wall. It felt like it had been a century since she last used her legs. Her bones stiff from un use.

I need to get out of here She thought as she slowly dragged herself against the walls. After a half hour of walking and getting her body accustomed to walking once again she was able to find an opening to the outside world. She smiled as a single tear trailed down her cheek.

Freedom….

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The sun was high in the sky signaling that it was currently noon. Setsura was in a sour mood; technically everyone has been in a sour mood ever since Otome left. Rihan has always been a person to do what he wants whenever he wants. An annoying trait he picked up from his idiot father….his handsome and…good looking father. Ah, no matter what she says about him Setsura can't help herself to love that idiot. Setsura felt her cheeks fill with warmth when she thought about her commander. It's been a few good years since she has last thought of him in such a ….wanting way. She huffed before she angrily shook her head from side to side as she tried to cast the wanton image of Nurarihyon out of her mind.

"This is not the time…" she sighed as she continued walking deep into the forest. It has been months since anyone has last seen Otome and it was only two weeks ago that Rihan called off the search. Despite the fact that he called off the search everyone knows that he has been secretly looking for her. His disappearing acts has been more frequent and longer. She couldn't help herself, but huff out a small breathe of amusement. Kubinashi would lose his mind every time he noticed that Rihan ditched his duties again.

Her content smile dropped quickly from her face when her thoughts wandered once again to Otome. Even though Otome left that letter for Rihan she was sure that she didn't leave on her own. That letter was hidden quiet well and it was through pure luck she even found it back then. That letter wasn't meant to be given to Rihan yet or ever. Otome wanted to leave, but she was uncertain.

"Dammit!" She cursed as she kicked a rock in anger. She wanted to hide that letter, but with Otome missing she had no choice but to hand it in to Rihan. He was absolutely broken when he finally read the letter. He disappeared for an entire month. Some of the older clan members thought that he might have gone and done a drinking binge others speculated that he went and sought comfort from other ladies, but Setsura and the others knew deep inside their hearts that in that month Rihan was searching for Otome. She was sure of it.

Rihan loved Otome and he wouldn't cheat on her right of the bat.

Currently Setsura was a couple good towns away from Nura territory searching for Otome. She honestly had no idea if Otome was close by in this area at all, but she was desperate to find her. Plus the moody atmosphere back at the house was starting to grate on her nerves.

She stopped walking when she heard quiet sobs echo through the forest. A small sense of hope lit inside her as she quickly continued walking with a faster pace. The more she walked the louder the sobs became. Soon the sobs turned into crying and then shouts of pain.

She broke through a heavy pair of bushes when she suddenly came face to face with Otome.

"Otome-chan!" she called out to her with a relieved smile on her face. However, Setsura's smile suddenly dropped when she looked down at Otome's belly.

"Ah…..baby!" Setsura choked out as Otome shouted once more in pain. When the hell… a thousand theories popped into Setsura's mind, but none casted Otome in a good light. When did she get pregnant? Who did that baby even belong to? Shit…

Otome's entire face was contorted into a scowl as sweat covered her body. Otome didn't look once up at Setsura as she huffed and puffed in pain. Setsura quickly shook herself out of her stupor before she quickly knelt down in front of Otome.

"I see the head!" Setsura exclaimed as she desperately looked around for any source of water. There was none. Otome was laid next to a tree and there wasn't a source of water at all nearby.

Shit…

"Please…the baby….it's coming…"Otome begged as her hand weakly grasped the grass under her. Her back arched as another wave of pain coursed through her body.

"It'll be okay! I promise" Setsura said as she settled herself between Otome's legs.

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"Rihan-sama! Rihan-sama!" Karasu Tengu called out as the small youkai frantically flew around the house. He was looking for Rihan with an urgent look in his eyes.

"Rihan-saaaammmaaa!" He called out as he crashed against the wall. He fell down on to the ground with a loud thump before a shadow was casted on to his wounded form. He opened his eyes and screeched as he jumped up and shoved the letter into Rihan's face.

"Urgent letter from Yuki-onna!" He said as he puffed out tiredly before crashing down on to the ground. He was pooped.

Rihan didn't say a word as he opened the letter. His eyes scanned the letter carefully before he gasped and quickly ran out of the house.

"Rihan-samaaa where are you gooiinnggg?!" Kubinashi yelled after him as the second commander disappeared right in front of him.

"Damn youuu!" Kubinashi cursed.

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AAaaannnDDddDDd cliffhanger because why not lol

Thank you for reading!

I wanted to apologize for such a long wait. Real life has been kicking my ass and I have been in a situation where I honestly didn't have the time to sit down and write.

Real life sucks some times.

Anyway, I have been having issues with showing and not telling and I'm sure you'll notice in the first chapter. I tried to show more in this chapter, but I can tell I'm not there yet. I stopped writing for a long while and I really want to get back into it, but it has been more difficult than I thought.

Anyway, keeping me chin up!

Also remember to leave a review or favorite or follow.

Thank you!

With much love and until the next update!