A/N: To those who have guessed Mai as the next person that will carry on the pace, three cheers! The ending chapter of the second arc is short, but it is worth being short.
Second Month, XX date.
Mai slept in a room somewhere in the middle of the shrine. She had not told me specifically where her room was, but it was obvious that her room was unlike mine or my father's. After all, she was the next in line to take on the role as priestess of the Ise Shrine. Her aura was magnificent, powerful to the fact that I could feel her when she was a mile away. I had always wanted to ask her, but I daren't press such an issue. Mai never said anything about whom she really was or where she came from.
All I knew was that she was Mai.
Tokiha Mai.
The next priestess of the Grand Shrine of Ise.
Mai told me once, when she was hanging the wet sheets, that she wasn't hand picked by the current priest of the Grand Shrine. She, herself, chosen by the emperor that she was to be the next in line to take charge of the famous shrine that many people respected and went on pilgrimages to. She was only a little girl then, separated from her only sibling after her mother's death.
She was somewhat like me, just that her destiny was already planned out for her.
I watched her from the veranda where I sat upon folding paper; the starting cries of the crickets could be heard in the distance in the bamboo. It wasn't obvious to the eye, but it be could picked out like how my father could easily spot when I mentioned it to him.
Whenever the breeze came by, I would be able to set sight onto it. A clean small shape upon the base of Mai's hairline, below her neck, a symbol or some sort branded onto her skin. It was of the light colour of pink grey ash. It blended into her skin, but at an angle, I was able to see it clearly as if it was painted black like a stroke on paper.
It had the shape of a hollyhock enclosed within a circle.
It didn't need any explanation as it was so easily spelt out for me.
Was Mai from the royal family?
A/N: As always, there will be an intermission chapter to the next arc. To all those that have supported this story thus far, you have my greatest thanks! Your support means a lot to me.
Then again,
Cheers!