Chapter One: Her Name

Ashitaka walked quickly, narrowly escaping a hidden root on his path. He jumped out of the way just in time. Ashitaka was at the entrance of Tatabara now. Ashitaka stopped, and breathing heavily, looked down at the bundle in his arms.

Ashitaka's daughter had slumbered through his journey from the edge of the forest to the entrance of Tatabara. Her grip was still firm, clutching his hand as if holding on for dear life.

It was dawn when Ashitaka entered Tatabara. No one was awake yet. Ashitaka walked warily around to make certain that no one was awake just as his daughter began to fuss. Ashitaka immediately increased his pace.

The house Ashitaka stopped at was modest. It was small and made out of wood, but Ashitaka could see that Kouroku's and Toki's house was sturdy. A sense of nostalgia overcame Ashitaka as he remembered the Emishi people. His people. Ashitaka could feel his daughter fussing, and she let out a thin wail. Ashitaka knocked on the door.

Toki appeared at the door with her sleeping son, Hikaru, in tow. Toki looked like she had just gotten up.

"Ashitaka-sama…" Toki mumbled. Then she saw the bundle squirming in Ashitaka's arms. "Ashitaka-sama, what brings you here?" Toki was alert now. Hikaru started to squirm as well. "And…what child is this?"

"Mine." That was Ashitaka's only word. His daughter's cries were more persistent and getting less quiet. "May I come in?"

Hesitating only for a moment, Toki allowed Ashitaka in, and she called for Kouroku.

"What happened, Ashitaka-sama?" Kouroku asked as he and Ashitaka sat down at the same dining table as Toki washed Ashitaka's daughter.

"That I cannot say, Kouroku." Kouroku's eyes widened at Ashitaka's words. "But I want to let you know that I am extremely grateful for what you and Toki have done for my daughter. Thank you." Kouroku wouldn't say anything, not because he had deep respect for Ashitaka, but because Kouroku knew that Ashitaka did everything for a reason. Something must have gone terribly wrong, Kouroku thought.

Ashitaka watched his daughter more closer this time. Although she was a newborn, her head was full of light brown hair. The exact same shade as San's. Ashitaka could see that she had inherited his eyes, the exact shape and shade. His daughter also had smaller hands than any other newborn infant, and he could see that she had full lips and a small nose.

"Ashitaka-sama," Toki's voice broke Ashitaka's thoughts, "what to happened to San?"

Ashitaka swallowed. He could easily remember what San said about her daughter. "She is weak, and I have no use for weak children."

"San is fine," Ashitaka finally replied. "She didn't die from child birth."

"Can you tell us what happened?" Toki had finished giving Ashitaka's daughter her bath, and wrapped her in a blanket and lied her next to Hikaru.

"No," was Ashitaka's answer. As Toki frowned, Ashitaka stood up. "I have a request for both of you."

"What is your request?" Kouroku and Toki asked at the same time.

"I want you to take care of my daughter, and raise her as your own."

Silence was met at these words.

"You are the only people I trust here," Ashitaka tried to explain.

"Yes, but why?" Toki was confused.

"That I cannot say," Ashitaka repeated. Before Toki could say anything, Ashitaka spoke. "In return for taking care of her, I will give you half of my supplies that I obtain regularly: food, weapons, and tools. I will also train Hikaru when the time comes. He will need to know how to defend himself, as it is with the world."

When Toki and Kouroku hesitated, Ashitaka pleaded, "Please."

At last they nodded. "Thank you," Ashitaka said, walking towards the door. As he was about to open it, Toki stopped him with a question.

"Can will tell her about you?"

"No," was Ashitaka's immediate response. "No. She has to be told that she is the daughter of Kouroku and his wife, Toki, and her brother is Hikaru. Don't tell her about me. At all."

"What is her name?" Kouroku asked.

Ashitaka looked straight in Kouroku's eyes. "Her name is Moro."