Disclaimer: I do not own Kannazuki no Miko nor any of its characters. But how wonderful it would be if I did! Anyhow, the only thing I own is the plot which comes from this ol' brain of mine. The rest belongs to the anime and the creator of the anime.
Author's Note:Hey everyone! So it's been quite a long time has it not? (Since I last posted a chapter.) I know you all have been asking me for it and waiting patiently, and maybe even wondering: "Where the hell is she?" Well, guess what, I hate leaving things unfinished and disorganized, as well as those who care disappointed. So even though I'm still just as busy with life as I was before, it's not right to just abandon a story I worked so hard on just like that, and leave all of you guys guessing. So I'm going to finish it, it's going to be slow, as a warning, but it's going to happen. So without further ado, and I'm sorry for further delay, here's Chapter 7. Enjoy y'all.
*Note: Italics indicate thoughts, or for Chikane sometimes, what she's writing to communicate! Just a little head's up!
Chapter 7: The Overture to An Odyssey
A FEW HOURS AGO..
With Himeko and Souma..
Narrator Change: Himeko.
It was Souma, what was I to do? I couldn't let him get close to the merchant, Mako and I. The merchant would recognize him too quickly and things would turn really bad, really fast, I just knew it. So instead, I went with the only thing I could think to do. I walked over and met him halfway the distance to the merchant. I greeted him nervously.
"H-hey Oogami." I began to internally panic. I didn't have a plan on what to say, or how to distract him or make sure that he didn't get any further than he was standing with me right now. I didn't know what to do, and I was beginning to accumulate all that frustration inside of me. I didn't want to cry, or scream, all I could muster to do was being intensely nervous and begin blushing. I must have appeared almost like..
"Uh hey Himeko." He rubbed the back of his head shyly, and his face began coloring too. He seemed nervous as well, and almost so restless it looked like he was going to break out in a sweat.
"How are you doing?" That was the only thing I could think of to say next. I began to fidget with my clothing some, almost pointing my fingers, a sign that I was just as restless as he was. But, why was he restless? Maybe, he sensed what was going on with me? Had he already known what I was up to by seeing me walk over? Did I give it away? I hope not.
He smiled simply, and then said: "I'm fine, and you?"
"I'm fine too." I answered. My mouth was beginning to feel the effects of my nervous body. I almost stuttered. If this kept up, I probably would. I tried to remain calm and keep a relaxed demeanor about myself, that might make us both a little less anxious. I smiled, maybe that would help.
"G-good. It's always nice to see you happy." He muttered.
"Mhm." I answered back, with a nod.
"S-so listen, Himeko. I-I've been meaning to ask you this for a while now, but I just haven't gotten the courage enough to do so. ..S-So uh.. I was wondering, would you like to go out with me tomorrow night?" He placed an arm behind his head again and managed to move his eyes to look at me; Once our gazes met, he averted his eyes away from me and to something off in the distance. His heart must have been pounding, his chest was moving up and down pretty fast. My eyes looked downward to the ground and searched the dirt beneath us for an answer, but then I looked back up with more of a blush in my cheeks and replied:
"S-sure, I'd love to." I didn't know what this sinking feeling was in my gut that I was feeling right now; It was almost like I was coming down with something. Was I sick, is that what it was? I tried to hide it and keep it down, it would be best that way. Besides, I'm sure it would go away soon, if I could just hold it together. He was surprised at my answer and suddenly his eyes found my form again, and he smiled.
"R-really?" His voice cracked.
"Y-yes. I'd like to go out with you tomorrow night, S-Souma. Is that, okay?" I stuttered out and looked downward and then back up at his face. Our gazes met again, but this time we didn't look away.
"Well, alright." He smiled even wider and placed his arms down, taking in a deep breath and letting it go, to catch his own, it looked like. This time he seemed more confident. And he said to me suddenly: "Alright then, I'll pick you up tomorrow night for some dinner, and later we can go explore around the kingdom if you'd like. I know a few rare places that are really pretty." There was a moment of silence before he smiled nervously again and began walking away: "So uh, see you tomorrow." Souma then began to walk away. He was really nice, but something just didn't quite feel right. I remained where I was, and that's when Mako walked over to me after bidding the merchant goodbye, to check on me.
"Hey Himeko, are you alright?" She asked, waving a hand in front of my face. I was caught in the middle of my thoughts again, wasn't I? I suddenly awoke and looked at her.
"Huh? O-oh yeah, I'm fine Mako-chan. Don't you worry, I'm fine. See?" I smiled to reassure her. But I knew Mako, and anyone who knew Mako knew she wasn't going to take just that as an answer.
"I don't believe you. You seem like you're all tense. Loosen up, would ya? I mean you got a date with a noble! How awesome is that? It's not everyday that girls like us get noticed by boys like him, so I say cheer up! Besides, Souma Oogami is a really nice guy, you should be happy Himeko! I just know you two will hit it off, and you'll have fun too." She got right in my face with that smile of hers that I just couldn't resist smiling back at. So that's what I did. I smiled back, and this time it wasn't so nervous. She was right, maybe this wouldn't be a bad thing. I had gotten myself into something that I didn't want to get into, but maybe it could help us out.
And as Mako and I began walking back to my quarters, some thoughts crossed my mind.
Had I really said yes because I honestly wanted to go out with him?
Or had I said yes because I was nervous and didn't know what to say?
Or had I said yes because I didn't want to be rude, and I wanted to make him happy?
A bunch of them swarmed my conscious mind, but the last one was by far the worst of all.
Had I really just unknowingly said yes to him because I had to get that crest from him?
And this would sit heavy on my mind, and my heart, until it happened..
THE NEXT DAY..
Meanwhile with Chikane..
(Narrator change.)
Never had I felt such a heaviness on my heart like I did last night. It was something unfamiliar, a new feeling. And although I had felt disappointment before, I had never felt it in such severity it made a crack in my heart as it had just done. I awoke today in less of a chipper mood than would usually be seen on my visage.
Sluggishly, I got up out of bed and went into the washroom to prepare for yet another voiceless day. But as I went through my routine of making sure my hair was brushed, and my face was washed, and my teeth were as clean they could be; As I wandered emptily over to my wooden drawers filled with all kinds of clothes, and absentmindedly held one in my hands, I couldn't help but wonder what happened last night. What really happened last night.
I began to stroke the fabric in my hands, and then my thoughts got the better of me.
'What if she discovered who I really was and got too shaken up to attend dinner and the hotsprings with me?' That was one thought. 'Then again, knowing Himeko, she could have never been interested in the first place.. she just strikes me as someone too kind to say so.' That was another. In all of this darkness, I began to search for some light. If I could find a positive reason, perhaps I could cling onto that, get my hopes up and try again.
'What if she.. just got too nervous and didn't show?' It was starting to work, this was another thought that arose in my mind, and soon I found myself furthering that idea…
'Yeah, perhaps that's what happened. I don't know Himeko too well yet, but I'm sure someone as kind and thoughtful as that would have a good reason not to show. Maybe her schedule suddenly filled up. I'm sure I'm just over-thinking things… so why.. am I so upset?' My thoughts echoed. Oh how I wish I could speak outwardly to someone, have someone just to tell my troubles to, a voice to speak out with. But, instead, I just swallowed, tightened my mouth as I knew no voice would sound, and clutched at the cloth of the casual dress in my hands. This life was anything else but how everyone thinks it is. I am anything but "royally normal".
I sighed, and began to undress myself from my comfortable sleepwear and place on the necessary items for my choice of today's wear. Once finished, I made my bed, and folded my night clothes, placing them all neatly next to each other on the warm and inviting sheets of my mattress. I looked down for a moment at my bed, my eyes scanning over its midnight blue color, I couldn't help but think:
'Those sweet dreams you give to me, are my escape. Sometimes I wish I could sleep all day. Being princess has its advantages, but it also has many faults too.'
And without another beat, I turned around swiftly and started for my "art table". (As I called it.) It was a nicely polished and painted wooden piece that wasn't too big and didn't take up too much room. The only reason I called it an art table was the pure reasoning of its purpose. This is the table I visited whenever I felt like dressing up. This is the table I came to when our family was going on an outing somewhere private and fancy. And this is the table I ended up at when my mother told me that she wanted me to get all dolled up for some occasion. Actually, I hardly ever did feel like dressing up, the only times I came to this very table is when my mother commanded it of me. The only reason I was sitting here, on the small stool that went with it, now, was for an accessory I always wore in my hair. A yellow headband to hold my bangs back just a bit. A piece of furnished wood was nailed into the wall, and hanging from it was a silver string, that attached to a small piece of circular glass, fit to be a mirror. I grabbed my treasured item and looked into it, adjusting it how I wanted to. Once positioned perfectly, I flashed a half smile and proceeded on my walk downstairs. I smelled breakfast, but I wasn't hungry.
My appetite had vanished since last night, and it still hadn't returned to me. My loss of hunger could be attributed to my disappointment over Himeko; No wait, it may be more than disappointment. If it was bugging me this badly, to the point where it was solely the only thing my mind really wanted to think about, it had to be… Was I hurt? Soon my mind began thinking that was the only thing it could be, the only thing that could explain this deep. internal discomfort I was feeling right now. It was the only thing that could explain my sluggish start this morning as opposed to my usual routine when I wake up, and it was the only thing that could rationally explain why I wasn't feeling hungry right now, even so, I really hadn't eaten since yesterday. Nonetheless, I had a life to live, I would always have some kind of purpose to fulfill being the princess of this kingdom. I sighed; might as well go do it.
"Chikane!" My mother exclaimed to me as I entered. She was sure in a bright mood this morning. There was a steaming cup of hot water next to her, I was sure she was waiting for it to cool down some before making herbal tea for herself. The natural caffeine in leaves of that tea would change her into her normal self soon, I hoped. This.. cheery mother was nice and refreshing, for about two seconds, then I realized how creepy it could actually be. I looked around the room, wondering why she was so happy; Had there been a new appointment made with the doctor or something - And that's when my eyes caught sight of it.
My mouth opened and smiled wide. If I could speak I would have shouted my father's name, but as you very well know, that wasn't possible for me. So instead, he smiled and opened his arms in return, which I dashed into for a great big hug. He kissed the top of my head gently.
"I'm back from my negotiations. How is my lovely daughter today?" He asked, cuddling me in his protective embrace. I nodded to show him I was fine, and for a moment I really was; I was overjoyed at the fact that my father had returned, for a moment, he'd made me forget all about the painful thing that happened last night. But then, I snapped right back into it, right back into that internal reflective state I was in just a few minutes ago; My memory would not let me forget last night, even if something like this distracted me. But, I didn't show it on my face, I continued to wear the calm smile I usually had fastened on my lips and my father created a small distance between us, letting me go and kissing my forehead. His smile was like my smile, calm and mysterious, but refreshing.
"Well that's good. It's nice to see you're doing well." He walked a few steps back, turning his back to me temporarily, so that he could take off his kingly cape and hang it on a wooden hanger that was nailed to the wall. He began again: "Your mother tells me the date of your operation is quickly approaching." He paused, placed the cape on the rack, and then turned around again, walking back towards me. I hadn't moved from where I was standing yet. "I have all the faith in the world that the doctor will do you justice and I'll finally get to hear my baby girl speak to me." He continued. As he continued to walk over to me, I stood still. I didn't know what he was going to say next, and I wanted to listen intently. That was the difference between my mother and father; Whenever my mother spoke, I never took her seriously. I listened, but with my gaze drifting towards other things. But with my father, I always stood at attention. I think he really admired the fact I gave and still give so much respect to him; I had no doubts in my mind that if he so much as even caught my eye wandering, he'd bellow for my attention and he'd get it immediately. But then he bent down gently, looked into my eyes and said more softly: "But, first and foremost, I need you to be strong for me. I will be looking over matters with the other kingdoms, including our mother kingdom, so I unfortunately won't be there, but I know you Chikane, and you'll be that tough little girl I raised you to be. After all, it won't be so bad, your mother's going with you." As he said the word mother, his gaze momentarily looked over to where she was sitting with her tea now made. She was reading through the paper in front of her, not really paying any mind to what my father and I were talking about. Internally, I rolled my eyes at the phrase "mother coming with you". What a joy that was dad, really. But, outwardly, I just nodded to show him that I understood. I wasn't really nervous about my voice coming in or not, I just wanted to know the outcome; Life without a voice was pretty hard already.
It was then, that our conversation ended and he kissed my forehead one more time. That's when he stood up to his full height again and walked over to grab himself some breakfast. I was thankful that neither of them noticed my change in appetite too much. I sighed for a moment; That was still bothering me.
What could I do to get rid of this? What could I do to forget for just a little while?
It was then, as my gaze drifted around the walls of my house thinking of things that my mind was struck with an idea. If my father could temporarily lift the burden on my heart, then perhaps going.. downstairs may help to ease it as well. I felt happiest when I was dancing, that much was true. But I'd need a way to distract my parents from coming down and finding me. So I'd begun to walk towards the steps that would lead me down to the area I most desired to be in, that was until..
"Oh hello there princess." An unfamiliar voice spoke to me. She was below me, crouching and cleaning the stairs, I would assume that led up to my room. An unfamiliar body as well. I didn't know her or who she was in the slightest, but the uniform told me she was definitely working for my mother and father without a doubt. Was she someone new they hired? But they're personal assistants always did just fine, what was the purpose of having this young girl around?
She was just about my size when she stood up fully, she had golden brownish eyes, and short brown hair, she couldn't have been much older than I was; And by now she was probably catching the drift that I was very much confused by the expression on my face. I probably had cocked my eyebrow unintentionally to express just how out of the loop I was.
"Oh that's right. We haven't officially met yet. Well it's an honor and a pleasure to meet you Miss, my name is Otoha. And I'll be working here from now on." She bowed to me with a smile. I looked down at her for a moment. She seemed really friendly.
After a minute or two, my face softened and I smiled as well. I gently placed one finger under her chin and tilted her head up so she could see me in almost full view again. It was then that I used the other hand to point "up", as if telling her to stand up. She shyly stood up, and crossed her arms (one of them was holding a dishrag).
Now she was the one who looked perplexed. Gently, I let go of her chin, to which she blushed when she realized I was still touching her, and placed that hand in front of her, offering to shake her hand. Slowly, she took my hand in hers and shook back.
After the shake, I slowly turned her arm, and opened her hand up, writing on her palm in imaginary kanji.
'Hello. My name's Chikane. It's nice to meet you too, Otoha.'
"Chikane.. Your name's Princess Chikane then?" She asked, looking up at me. That's when I shook my head, and a look of mortification shot upon her expression. "But! Miss! You're the princess, would not it be fitting to call you princess then?" She pleaded with me.
I smiled and wrote again, 'Chikane will do just fine'.
"So then..you wish for me to call you by your formal name?" I nodded. Again, the look of displeasure came upon her sweet visage. She clearly had a problem referring to me just by my name; Even so I didn't much care for all the formalities and pleasantries people gave to me anyway. "I shall call you Miss Chikane then, is that alright by you, princess?" She questioned politely.
I wrote, 'Of course'. She smiled, finally, and I nodded back in agreement. Gently, I let her hand fall back to her side, and for a moment there she stood, speechless. She was perhaps awe-struck at first meeting me, that was my first thought, but then I remembered, I had been writing on her hand everything I wanted to say. Inwardly I thought..
'She must be wondering why I'm writing everything.' I grabbed her hand again, gently of course, and brought it back up so I could write on it. The sudden burst of my actions caused a pinkish color to erupt in her cheeks once more. She continued to stare at me, that was, until, my finger touched her skin.
'You must be wondering..' I started writing.
"Why you're not speaking, am I correct, in saying that Miss?" She completed my sentence for me. For a moment, I was surprised she knew that. She knew something about me that most people don't. She knew something that my parents keep from the rest of the kingdom. I only simply nodded a 'yes' to her question. "I've known for quite some time. I figured it out actually. You see, whenever I would see you on the streets with your parents, or saying hello to others, I noticed that, wherever you went, you always had someone with you. I noticed that your parents or whomever went along with you, would do all the talking. I even noticed that you'd been visiting the local doctor's office quite a lot. Don't think me rude or obsessive, don't think me a spy, my princess, but I had to wonder if something was wrong with your throat. I was only concerned for your welfare, my lady. Well, with time I had come to my conclusion that something was indefinitely wrong with your voice. And when the precession for that foreign doctor and all the talk of him arose, I finally pieced it together… I thought, wow, it's so interesting that our princess doesn't have a voice, she hides it so well. Especially with the way she graciously moves." She was blushing even harder, and then she looked down, I only continued to listen to her more intently.
"Excuse me, Miss, what I mean to say is.. I think you're really beautiful, and I can only imagine that your voice, when you attain one, will be just as beautiful too…" She was just barely able to look up at me, for a second, until her gaze shot downward once more.
After a moment, I smiled, and let go of her hand again, allowing it to fall. I gently reached for her chin, and tilted her head up. I brought my face in close to hers and kissed her cheek. The hand that once rested on her chin, moved to her other cheek and wrote a soft: 'Thank you'. Before I let her go. I began on my walk downstairs, she stood there for a moment, completely shocked. It was when I started to really descend that she turned around. I winked at her, and she winked back; Otoha was my new friend.
Later this day with Himeko and Souma…
(Narrator change.)
So this was it, the date with Sou-.. I mean Oogami-kun. Tonight was the night I needed to somehow manage the crest off of his jacket. I didn't know how I planned to do this, or even if I wanted to do this, but all I knew was that I had made a promise to that merchant, and even more so, a promise to myself. I wanted to give Chikane-chan her present, and I made up my mind, I'd do whatever it took to do just that. With any luck, the merchant might forget about the crest from Oogami-kun, and ask for something else. Or maybe Oogami might just give me the crest and with some chance he may have more on his supply. I have to hold it together though, just for a little while.
Knock. There was a knock on my door, softly. I sprang up from where I was sitting.
"Oh that must be Oogami." I brushed off the bottom of my dress, and rubbed my hands together nervously a few times. I even adjusted a few strands of hair that seemed out of place. And then again..
Knock, knock.
"Ah! I'm coming!" I tried to exclaim. I picked up my dress a little off the ground so it wouldn't get too dirty if I had managed to clumsily step on it, and made my way over to the door. I opened it and there he stood, in his most regal clothing, Souma Oogami. He smiled as he looked down at me. I blushed lightly, as I looked back up at him. I managed a small smile, as another piece of hair had fallen in front of my face. I lightly tucked it behind my ear.
He looked off to the side, and his face began to turn a little pink as well, although it was hardly noticeable with the way the evening light hit his already quite tan skin.
"Uh hi Himeko. Y-you look, lovely tonight." He stuttered out nervously.
"T-thanks, you do too, O-Oogami-kun." I said nervously as well. I didn't know what had me so anxious, perhaps the underlying reasoning for agreeing to this date in the first place. I shook my head and thought:
'No.. I can't think of that now. I'm going to go out with Oogami, and have some fun. Yeah that's what I'll do, I'll forget all about it.'
I must have looked a bit uneasy because the next thing I heard was a concerned..
"Himeko, are you alright? You don't look so good." I snapped back to reality and caught sight of his worried expression gazing down right at me. Before I had a chance to react he said something else. "Maybe this was a bad idea. If you didn't feel well you should have told me. If you wanna stay home and rest for the night, I won't stop you. Just let me know if there's something you ne-.."
"No!" My sudden outburst in the middle of his sentence got him to stop and look at me. I continued, after a shy and nervous giggle. "I mean, no, I'm fine Oogami really. See, just fine. And I want to go out with you tonight. So let's go out like we planned, okay? I promise, I'm fine." I looked at him, waving my hands with a smile, in that manner to try and show him that everything was just fine.
He blinked once or twice, absorbing what I had just said to him. He smiled, "Are you sure about this Himeko?"
"Positive." I nodded.
"Well alright then, but you let me know if you start to feel bad during this date, okay? I'll take you home to rest right away." I nodded and he offered me his hand. I took it softly and began out the door with my coat draped over my other free arm, and closing my door swiftly, we left on his horse for our planned evening.
A few hours later..
After a lovely dinner with Souma at this restaurant I'd never heard of, he took me out to the borders of our kingdom. It was a beautiful meadow with a giant tree off in the distance. And behind that tree, I could see the outline in the distance of a bunch of other trees, and a small fog that had set in upon the tops of them. We sat upon his horse and gazed out at the view, and up at the stars and the moon in the night sky. The winds blew by peacefully, and the waning moon's light provided us with the perfect spotlight.
"I bet you've never seen anything like this." He began softly.
"What do you mean Souma?" I asked back, still looking in the distance with him.
"Well, I mean, this place at night. You're always busy doing things, fixing up your home, or at the hotsprings, or the marketplace or somewhere else, but you never, no one ever for that matter really comes out here to see the beauty of this meadow. No one really ever has seen it. I think it's amazing the way this place lights up at night, and it's so peaceful looking in the daytime too." He explained gently. There was nothing, no sound, only the winds that blew by.
"Really?" I could only say.
"Yeah. I think the sun is the greatest entity of all. The moon sure is beautiful, but it doesn't interest me much. I always come here at some point during the day and just rest in the meadows here with my horse. The grasses and the winds feel great on my skin, blowing through my hair. But most of all, I love the way the sun warms everything in its light. I love the way that it makes the plants grow and it just fills everything with life. You know.. there's even a story that goes with the sun and the moon and that forest just up ahead if you wanna hear it. It's more like an urban legend, but I still like the sound of it. I could tell it to you if you want." He offered kindly.
I nodded. "Sure, I'd love to hear the story. Will you tell it to me, Souma?" I looked up at him.
He nodded with a small blush upon his face, "Uh sure." He cleared his throat and then began. "Well, back in the ancient times, before these kingdoms ever even existed, there used to be a primitive society. They were human, but they lived like the natives of this land, no hierarchy, no arguments or decrees or rules, just harmony. With everything. The plants, the animals. And of course, there were gods and goddesses. Many of them, in everything. In nature, in animals too, and of course, within the hearts of the people who believed in them. These people used to worship these gods and goddesses, pray to them for prosperity. And every season, because of their continual worship, their wishes for growth were granted. They functioned well as a society. Until one day, another group of people came and tried to conquer the lands these people had cultivated for the longest. And just like that, a war began. These two ancient tribes all worshiped a majority of the same gods and goddesses, but there were four that took priority over all."
I looked at him, curious as to what happened next: "And who were they?" I asked.
"The Sun Goddess, Amaterasu. The Moon God, Tsukuyomi. The God of Swordsman and of the Clouds, Ame no Murakumo, and of course, the evil eight-necked serpent Yamata-no-Orochi." He answered.
"Wow." I said, in amazement.
"Well, the tribe that attacked the other in siege of their lands came under a name. The tribe's name was forgotten as they began to call themselves the 'Mangetsu no Senshi', or the 'Warriors of the Full Moon'. And the tribe defending what was rightfully theirs came under a new name as well, they began calling themselves, 'Hikari no Heishi' or 'Soldiers of Light'. And you can almost guess what happened next. A full scale war." He looked forward with a hard look in his eyes, almost as if this story was paining him; I didn't understand why, but I suppose if I kept listening I'd find out. After all, I did want to know more. My eyes widened as I awaited what was to come next.
"Himeko, do you ever take a moment to stop and think about why our kingdom and everything in it is named after the sun..? Why the insignia of our land is of a sun. Why even the crest I wear, has some part of that sun in its design?" I shook my head. I had a guess, but I didn't want to be wrong and ruin the story, so I slowly said…
"No …I'm sorry. I.. don't know." I shook my head.
His face softened for a moment, and he smiled, just a bit. "It's because.. when the war ended, the Hikari no Heishi had won. It was rumored that the sun goddess herself lent them her strength and that's why they were able to win. I don't know if I believe that. There was another rumor that claimed that the tribe was just intrinsically stronger.. you know, battling on their own land, the lands they'd grown on and grew up with and knew. That seems a little more believable. I don't know what you choose to believe, Himeko, but it was always taught to me to resent anything having to do with the moon up in the sky at night. And yet, there is one piece of the moon in our kingdom that is in fact, inextinguishable. And no one, at least not openly, seems to complain about it." Souma began mysteriously. I thought for a moment.
When I had first come here, to the Kingdom of the Sun, I noticed that everything was represented by the sun insignia, just as Souma's story had justified; But there was one thing that wasn't like the rest. The castle that royal family lived in, in the heart of this land itself.
"Souma…" I trailed. "You're speaking of the palace, r-right?" I asked shyly.
"Yes. The palace." He confirmed and the winds blew by again. The horse adjusted his hoof position and once more he began his explanations. "The palace has a different look, hell, a different aura to it, and around it. Anyone who goes near it knows that a kind royal family lives in it, but they have this weird vibe. Not the people, but the place, the palace, the walls they live in. No one knows why for sure, but we know that that palace is named Palais de La Lune Bleu for a reason. That is French for Palace of the Blue Moon. Rumor has it that that palace was originally built as a fort for the Magetsu no Senshi, and over time it withered to almost nothing. But as the years went on, they rebuilt it and kept building upon it, and eventually made it look more regal. Soon royal families started paying attention to the place and wanted to buy it, but the original merchant could never be found, so it wasn't sold for any amount of money. And no one had lived there for centuries. That is, until the Himemiya family moved in. No one knows how they attained the place, or if there was another merchant involved in the sale, but we don't question it, especially with how many have tried to venture inside and search amongst its ranks just for curiosity's sake, and have failed to even open the front doors." Souma concluded.
"Wow Oogami, you sure are knowledgable about the past. I mean, is all of that true?" I had a lot of questions, and I didn't wish to overload him, but I'm sure if I were kind about it, he'd answer them all, I think. He, however, when he finally looked at me, and caught the amazement in my stare, could only lightly chuckle with amusement at my childlike enthusiasm.
"Heh, well I don't know if it's true or not, like I said, it's just a story from old times Himeko. It's up to you whether or not you want to believe it." He chucked one more time.
"W-well wait a minute. I want to know, w-why could no one get into the building after it had been fixed up? A-and, what happened with Amaterasu and Tsukuyomi… I mean they were sun and moon gods r-right, shouldn't they have something to do with one another or s-something?" I tried pleading to see if he knew more.
"Well, I don't know about that one. It was rumored that there was a mysterious power that sealed the door and kept travelers and thieves, even regular people out. But no one really knows for sure. And yes, I do believe Amaterasu and Tsukuyomi did have a lot to do with one another, but then again I'm not the person to ask about Japanese Mythology. All I really know is what I've been told and what I've read about. That's all. Sorry." He said in response.
"Oh a-alright." I nodded. I knew Souma couldn't have known everything about these things, I don't think anyone really did, so I couldn't blame him. I sighed and looked down, thinking of a way to get the crest. It was getting pretty late and I had to come up with something quick. But I couldn't just outright ask him for it. I opened my mouth to say something, but, as soon as I had done that, he opened his too.
"Himeko I…" He beat me to saying something. Immediately, I closed my mouth shut and looked up at him.
"Yes Souma?" I questioned.
"I.. I don't know if this anything, or even if it's going to seem special, but I want you to take this to commemorate this night with me. And I want you to cherish it. It's just a way of honoring the fact that you said yes, but don't worry, you don't have to take it if you don't want to." He looked off to the side. I looked at him, just what did he mean?
"But, Souma, what is it you're talking about?" I asked, curiously. He opened his balled hand which contained the crest that was just pinned to his jacket. He had swiftly taken it off and clutched it in his grasp a bit tight. He didn't know if I was going to take it; and I was at a crossroads. Didn't taking it mean we were dating? Or rather, that I wanted to see him again? If that was the case, I didn't want to be playing with him, but then again, I may never get another opportunity to get the crest. I sighed and closed my eyes, and with a gulp, I opened them, with my answer.
"I… can't take it from you Souma. I mean it's such an important item to your family… I just couldn't possibly take something like that from you."
"I want you to have it." He forwardly said. "Go on, take it. I have tons more at home. But this one is special because this was the first one ever made for me. I've had it since I was a boy. But I think it might be time to give it a better home, and a better meaning, I'll just get another for myself. Go on take it Himeko, I know you'll make it even more special than it already is." And without another word, he pinned it to my dress softly. I blushed as he touched me so delicately. This was Souma, a noble, and he was helping put such a priceless accessory on me. I didn't know what to think, I mean some part of me was happy for accomplishing what I needed to do to get that present, but at the same time, I felt really guilty.
"Himeko…" His voice softly penetrated the air once more. "Are you alright? You're not sick are you? Oh no, tell me it wasn't the food we ordered."
"It's okay Souma, I'm fine. Really. I'm just very tired. But I want to stay here a little while longer with you. Just a little while longer, okay?" And I hid my face in his chest, closing my eyes, huddling closer to his body. He blushed and cuddled me in his arms, mumbling my name intimately. And while his heart was almost pounding out of his chest in bliss, I was fighting my hardest back the tears that so wanted to flow from my eyes.
And the waning moon in the night sky's light, waned a little too; a cloud of fog passing in front of it glacially. The light continued to shine on him, whilst I fell into the cloud's dark shadow.
