Misao sighed as she left the temple, the first hint of snow was falling and caressed her shoulders. Aoshi had promised her that he would try to be a husband to her, but that did not ease the anxiety that caused her stomach to hurt. Perhaps it was she wasn't ready to become a wife that made her feel uneasy. Making her way across the yard of soon-to-be snow, she settled by a tree, one of her many favorites. This tree had accompanied her in good times and bad, and always seemed to connect her to her Aoshi-sama. She laid her head against the tree and started to dream.
She was running. She didn't know where or why, just a sense of running out of time. Time it seemed had been crucial lately, something she didn't have enough of. All the while her thoughts were scouting for anything familiar, a marking, a shrub, a tree, anything that would tell her where she was and why she was there. Up ahead was a small cottage, plain and simple. The cottage was important somehow and also somehow familiar, but it made her chest feel tight, like an unpleasant memory that threatened to resurface, hanging almost visibly over her hair.
Running to the cottage, the thrust open the door to see Jiya fall to the ground, Aoshi standing over him like the monster he had once been.
" Jiya!" She screamed, her voice echoing off against the forest frightening the small animals into departure. Aoshi turned to her threatening, but halted upon looking at the young teenage girl. Emotion flashed across his face, but was gone so quickly that she wasn't even all that sure what she had saw had actually happened. Sighing. he walked past her and through the forest. Running after him she yelled.
" Wait! Aoshi-sama!" She cried. He turned to her once again.
" I never want to see you again," He had responded in a flat, monotone voice. She was shocked, why was this all so familiar, why did she get the sense of deja vu. Then it hit her, she had done this before, been in this place, at this time, and had witnessed these same events. Knowing this, it awoke her.
At first she was confused as to where she was, she awoke expecting to still be fighting Makoto Shishio. But, then she remembered the events of the past weeks, and that that battle was long over. She also remembered she was engaged, and was kind of hoping THAT was the dream.
Dusting herself off she walked briskly back to the dojo and slipped inside to prepare herself a bath. The dream still haunted her, threatening to make her break down. She believed that memory had always been there, waiting for when she was vulnerable to make its strike and scream to her 'I'm still here!'. Well, it couldn't have chosen a better time.
After her bath she made her way to dinnner where Omasu was serving sushi with rice and dumplings. She paused in shock to see Aoshi had joined them tonight. She sat beside Okon, who served her the food. Shiro and Kuro looked at her, surprised she was home. Okina joined them right when they began eating.
Halfway through the dinner, Okina picked up his cup.
"To the bride and groom." Everyone went quiet, well everyone except Aoshi who hadn't even opened his mouth except to eat. Misao's eyes widened in fear. It was just like Jiya to make a spectacle of himself. Shiro was the first to speak, he raised his glass, along with Kuro, Okon, and Omasu. Silently they whispered "To the bride and groom." Aoshi looked over at her and her head was bent down and a creeping blush was formed over her soft cheeks.Aoshi looked at Jiya
"Perhaps we can relocate such a cheerful toast to a more suitable time and place, say after the wedding?" He asked Okina. Misao looked at him, astounded, as did the rest.
" Of course, you are quite right,"Piped up Shiro. Okina nodded.
" Very well, when in fact has this wedding been planned?" He asked. Aoshi looked at the old man.
" Maybe I misunderstood you, Okina, but I was quite sure the wedding was under your direction," He spoke slowly. Okina was taken back.
" Only if you approve, it is afterall, yours and Misao's wedding" Aoshi smirked.
"I'm sure Misao wants this wedding over as soon as possible as I do," He insisted, Misao sighed. Okina nodded.
"Alright, if you insist." Okina sipped his tea and the dinner continued without another problem. Later on, Misao tossed and turned in her futon, dreams of the past haunted her again.
He smiled at her, that beautiful smile that he no longer had, a smile she longed to see again. She walked towards him, wobbling a bit.
" Come on, Misao, you can do it," He laughed. She smiled and her one year old self wobbled to her Aoshi.
She woke up again in a sweat, annoyed, how many dreams was she going to have about him. She took a sip of water by her bed and laid her head back down. Slowly she drifted into sleep.
