Epilogue

"In a far and distant time

We now part once again

When we have crossed even destiny

We will be able to meet again."

~ (運命の月は紅)

The ouyasha continued to exist despite the end of the war as it remained a useful building. Many times, Yasuhira would observe everything from there. It was also useful by being a good place for him to think.

It remained a private place that most did not go to.

It was summer and the lotuses in many temples were blooming. When he was shown of how well the bloom was, he ended up being given one, which he carelessly tucked into his cloak.

The white lotus always made him think of his wife, his first wife. Who was it that gave the flower to her?

It was strange that he was still not able to forget her when he had everything else that he wanted… (1)

"Yasuhira-sama, Kurou-dono and the hakuryuu-no-miko-dono wishes to see you." A servant announced.

The first name was not surprising but the second one… Nozomi had kept a certain distance from him since that day and he was sure that she was still hostile to him despite the amount of time that has passed. After all, she has seen what happened with Shirogane and that seemed enough.

"Yasuhira-san, surely you still remember this?"

How could he ever forget about the gekirin? To suspect that of him was almost amusing. Now that hakuryuu was in its full power, the gekirin was very bright.

"It has not been like this." Nozomi said, guessing what he was thinking. "It remained shining, but it did not glow until quite recently. Strangely, it began to glow when Yasuhira-san is nearby. Therefore, I can only presume that it wishes to be given to Yasuhira-san."

"To me?" at this, he chuckled bitterly. "You will give this to me despite how violent you had protested against this."

"This is different." Nozomi said simply.

"What could it do?" Yasuhira said rather bitterly, although he did close his hand over it.

"I do not know. However, I wish for it to be returned." Nozomi added before she and Kurou left.

"Ryuujin…what is it that you two plan to do?" Yasuhira asked out aloud as he stared at the object in his hand. "You two have never really favoured Hiraizumi before, so that is why I had to do all that I did."

In order to protect this land, he had to try to kill his own father as that was the only thing he could do to make sure that he was in the position of leadership. This was a deep sin and his first wife also died due to this.

Perhaps he was wrong by the method despite being in the right of wishing to protect what was important to him. However…what has his first wife done wrong? (2)

The same could be said of Kurou. The other was a hachiyo, but this did not help him in anyway at all. After all, it seemed that the only one that the ryuujin truly protected was the priestess.

"And what is it that you two would do for me?" he asked.

Nothing was probably the most accurate answer.

He would return the gekirin to the miko or Kurou when he met them the next day. He was certainly not going to go through the trouble of finding them.

His first wife had spoke of miracles but then, she was that type of person who would indulge in such fantasies. A little girl who was willing to believe in such a thing despite having seen reality. (3)

He had trouble sleeping that night- he was simply unable to sleep. Now that his wife, he second wife, was no longer able to give birth to any more children, he would rarely visit her at night time. The only time he would visit her at this time was no longer because he wished to sleep with her, but if there was something to be discussed in extreme privacy. He was sure that she thought in a very similar way.

Some actually suggested that he should get a sokushitsu that would be able to give him more children although his second wife did give him many children. This was not illogical, but he has not done this yet, as he was not sure whether this would be good. This might cause more friction between his sons, which he now have three. Right now, the two younger boys idolise their elder brother. Even though Yoshihira had a different mother, he was like full brother to them as their mother was like a real mother to him. However, what would happen if there was a third party involved?

Nor did he believe that he needed one.

Therefore, it was more useful for him to be sleeping alone. It was strange but there had been times when he would be extremely foolish by thinking of the impossible. There had been a time when he actually thought that Rurihime was sleeping beside him, as he would suddenly think that he was living in the past.

Sitting up, Yasuhira noticed that there was something glowing amidst his discarded clothes. Reaching out, he saw that it was the gekirin- tangled with his cloak.

The thing seemed to be vibrating and without thinking, he placed his hand around it.

It was dark, but he could still see the objects around him. In addition, there were sounds from outside. However, everything suddenly disappeared. Not only was he in a sudden void, there was complete silence.

A bright light then come and it did not quite disappear because he could see a wild plain of snow.

He had been in a night at summer, but now he was clearly in a morning in a winter.

No matter what, he knew that he ought to find out where he was. Upon taking a close look at the scenery, he realised that he was in the backyard of some temple, although he was not sure of which temple it was.

"Who are you?" he had not heard this voice for two decades yet he could actually recognise it. At this stage, he was sure that he must be dreaming. This was not like him, but then he was not fully normal when she was involved.

"Rurihime." He began as he turned around.

It was his wife…his first wife. This was a strange dream as it was a dream that he has an awareness of.

"Who are you?" his first wife repeated with a frown. "How dare you address me in such a fashion!" (4)

"Do you not recognise me?" he asked. He was now in his forties, but he did not feel that he has changed that much in regard to his appearance.

"If I know who you are, then would I be asking you?" She said dryly and she then chuckled. "I sounded like Yasuhira-dono just then…"

"Rurihime, I am Yasuhira." He began, but was interrupted.

"If you don't tell me the truth then I will start to scream." She said firmly. "You seem to know who I am, so you should know that you could be severely punished."

It was a dream, it had to be a dream, but he still ended up deciding to be rational about this by not preferring to have a huge scene.

"I am Fujiwara no Yasuhira, your husband, and I can proof it." He said confidently.

"Really?" it was clear that she was suspicious of him, but then, she could be like that.

"How old are you now?" he asked.

"Seventeen."

She was seventeen and to be at the temple at such a time…

"Is it not time for you to stop making a scene just because you feel that I am not paying you enough attention?" he began. Even though this event took place such a long time ago for him, he still regarded her action as very childish.

"…you do sound like him. Only Yasuhira-dono would really talk to me this way. However, there are others who know why I am here."

Something that no one else knew…

"On the first night of our marriage, as well as the next few nights, you would try to talk to me even though I would usually be reading." He recollected. "You also told me that you were waking up."

At this, she was gasping. Even though she knew that many suspected that Yasuhira did not sleep with his twelve years old bride, no one would have thought that he would be reading. Although, one has to admit that it was very in character.

"Yasuhira-dono…it really is you." She whispered. "But how…"

"This is a dream. It must be." He explained.

"It is not a dream, Yasuhira-dono." She said firmly.

Did it really matter? After all, he wished to see her again and he managed to have his wish. Perhaps it was better to treat it was if it was real.

A miracle?" Rurihime would think so.

"I miss you and I want to see you again." He admitted in an unusually honest fashion.

"Am I no longer there?" she whispered.

"You…died. However, you were not unhappy." He said truthfully. He just didn't elaborate when.

"I can understand. If Yasuhira-dono cares about me enough to miss me, then my future self must be really happy as she is really lucky." She said with a smile. "But Yasuhira-dono, you will know why I am here."

"Rurihime, I am not the type of man to say what I feel because I do not really understand it. However…" at this, his voice was rather soft. "I do miss you and I cared…I care for you. Therefore, please return."

"But the you at this time do not care."

"I do." He corrected her. "I have not realised it yet."

She looked at him for a long time before she nodded.

"If it is Yasuhira-dono's wish." She declared out. "I merely wish to do something for Yasuhira-dono."

Yet it would be this that caused her death.

"Rurihime…" he did not know what he would say, but he was sure that he wanted to say something.

However, the time for a miracle was running out.

She was growing distant, as if she was being pulled away. It looked like that to him, although he was sure that it was probably the opposite.

"I wished to see you again…that is the only wish that I can wish for." He said, knowing that she heard.

In his cloak, which he had hastily put on due to the weather, was the white lotus that he had not bothered to take out. It fell out and his wife picked it up and held it against her chest.

When she returned, she had a flower that ought not to be blooming and she often said that it was the sign of a miracle.

She was right while he had been wrong. It was not a dream, but a miracle.

Now that he thought about it, not only had her return been very strange, she also seemed a bit different.

So this was why…he had been the one who give that white lotus to her, as well as being the one who caused her to come back.

He was not someone who gives thanks easily, but he still did so the next day upon returning the gekrin. Although, a rather unimpressed Nozomi pointed out, it was certainly very reluctant.

A meeting in the family was now very different. First of all, Kurou was allowed to be there as Hidehira declared out that Kurou was like a son. This then meant that Kurou's wife and trusted advisor- which was Benkei- could be there. Both Yasuhira and his brother now have a different seishitsu and their sons were there. (5)

Yoshihira was a good son. The boy was capable and intelligent. It seemed that upbringing was so much more important as many had commented that Yoshihira seemed much more like his stepmother then the real mother who died when he was only one year old. However, this had to be said in secret. (6)

However, Yasuhira thought that the boy actually looked a bit like his mother. Or was it because he was actually being foolish?

Like many others in his position, Yoshihira married at quite young an age, but unlike his father, he was a very different husband. Much to the joy of everyone, a son was finally borne after another daughter. (7)

As he looked at his grandson, Yasuhira thought of what his father had said upon seeing Yoshihira. When you see your grandson, it meant that you have succeeded in creating a place. He could actually still remember that day, although he would not admit it.

Now that his heir has an heir…he could actually be at more ease. At this he smiled cynically. Why was he like that when it was something that no one could determine?

"But Yoshihira-dono," his second wife began. "Surely you need to tell this news to your haha."

"Of course, I will go to her temple now." His son said. "Chichiue, will you come with me?"

A negative was given, but this did not surprise Yoshihira at all.

"Yasuhira-dono," he second wife began as soon as they were alone.

"There is no point for me to be there." He said impatiently.

"This is not what I wish to talk to you about." She quickly said. "Yasuhira-dono, I am a bit alarmed at the state of your health. You have been unwell since autumn."

Since she said it, he decided that it must appear quite bad. If it had been Rurihime then he would just have dismissed it as an exaggeration.

He and his second wife had a very good relationship as she was a bit similar to him. This was done for the sake of the alliance. However, she differed from him due to the great care that she had for their children and even her stepson. Initially, Yasuhira had been a bit sceptical about her as Iwako had arrived like that, and he could still remember the scenes that she had created. (8)

"I will ask Benkei-dono to examine you." She said and this should be all that she would say, since this was all that she needed to say.

"Why are you still here?" Yasuhira said when it was clear that she was not moving.

"I am thinking of a question." She said steadily. "Since I stayed here, I might as well ask it. Yasuhira-dono, was it you or Rurihime-dono that liked the white lotuses?"

"What foolishness is this?" he said in irritation.

"I have always been curious about it. You do not seem to be a man who would give your wife a flower so it must have been something that she already treasure. However, nor would you be the type to treasure a flower just because Rurihime-dono was fond of it." She reasoned.

He did not answer, perhaps it was a question that could not be answered. After all, which way around was it?

Winter has arrived and the whole land was covered in snow. It seemed that everything was concealed. However, he could still recollect the winter when that white plain were splashed with bright red blood. After all, he was doing all that he could to prevent it from happening again.

Yet spring was not always full of promises. Rurihime had died on that day. The blooming flowers were covered by her blood.

He must be getting old, he thought cynically, to spend his days by thinking of such a thing.

As he stared at the scenery, he couldn't help but to wonder whether the sacred lands would look like this.

Yasuhira's illness was not a sudden one, but the worsening was. He simply woke up one day and became very sick. All of a sudden, he changed from being unwell to being severely ill.

But then, his father's death had been very sudden. (9)

It was hard for his people to talk about what they felt. There were always a certain distance when he was involved, unlike his father and son. Yet at the same time, they knew that he was a good ruler. After all, they could still remember the war with Kamakura two decades ago. It had been he who won the war for them.

Benkei has gave him the necessary medicines, but Yasuhira's condition were not improving at all.

The man himself was surprisingly calm despite the fact that he was the one that was sick. He would still making many arrangements by sitting upright with many scrolls balanced on his lap. At one stage, someone cynically commented that he would probably be arranging his own funeral.

"…chichiue, you sent for me?" Yoshihira said formally as he entered. "What is it that you wish?"

"You will be the leader of Hiraizumi when I am gone. Remember that." Yasuhira said. "As the leader, you must protect this place no matter what."

This was really all he needed to say as the ruler. However, he actually wished to speak from the position of a father, as well as a husband.

"Yoshihira…look after your haha's grave and temple." He said.

"Chichiue, do you wish to be buried there?" Yoshihira asked again.

A silence appeared although Yasuhira then said very softly, barely audible to even himself: "That might not be bad."

Yoshihira would remember that phrase for many reasons: one of it being that this was the last thing that his father said. It was the last thing that his father said to him, and it was most likely the last words that his father said to anyone.

When his son left, Yasuhira closed his eyes. He had worked so hard for everything and it seemed that he could finally rest now. He could not do any more. It was a time of peace so his son would probably not face any great difficulty.

If there was trouble…his brother and Kurou would be able to help him.

It was winter and spring was far away. However, he thought that he could hear the birds chirping loudly and even a bit noisily, and he could even smell the wild flowers. It was an incense that was remarkably similar to some incense that his first wife had liked to lit.

A pleasant smell due to it not being suffocating even though it would linger for a very long time.

When she died…she had been smiling.

…it was time to truly rest.

A grand funeral was held as Yasuhira was the leader of Oushu. Therefore, many people came while others send some sort of representative. The funeral was grand, but the place he would be buried surprised many.

It was the temple that he had built for his first wife.

"I believe that this is where chichiue would wish to rest." Yoshihira had declared out firmly when some questioned the suitability of this small temple.

"I am not sure of your father but your mother would have been very happy…overjoyed." A woman said softly.

"Tamako-dono?" he examined out in surprise. "Are you and Kagetoki-dono both here?"

"Officially, it is for Kunihira-dono's sake." Tamako said softly. "But for me…it is for that little girl's sake too."

Yoshihira naturally did not remember Tamako any more then his birth mother, but Iwako did tell him that Rurihime had been much closer to his uncle's first wife.

"Tamako-dono, what did my father felt for my birthmother?" he whispered. "I don't understand at all."

"Your father is an oddity." Tamako said bluntly. "However…he did care for your mother. After all, he built this temple for her and he would go to her grave."

"But in secret." Was the bitter reply.

"Perhaps that is an answer itself. For me, this is a sign of her being very special to him."

With that, she walked back to her husband and the man that was her dear friend again. Despite the circumstances, there was a slight gap between them and the rest. It would seem that people were finding old grudges a bit hard to forget and this was a good time for old wounds to reopen.

However, the two of them bore all this as they could tell that their friend needed them.

"…Yasuhira was a good leader but was he ever happy?" Kunihira said softly. "As I think of that, I cannot help but to pity him."

"I think he was happy. He had what he wanted." Tamako pointed out logically. "Hiraizumi is safe and prosperous."

"But at such a price, including Rurihime-dono's death." Kunihira said with a shake of his head. "Yet he would say he rather her die then Hiraizumi being safe, even though he did care for her. I think that is the tragic part."

Initially, he had almost loath his own brother due to what he did in order to win but as time passed, he realised that what he felt became a different emotion: pity.

"I cannot help but to think: so what? Yasuhira is dead now and who is truly grieving for him?" Kunihira continued. "The one person that would have done so is dead due to him. It is a truly haunting thing."

"Kunihira, don't be like this. I think Yasuhira-dono was happy at having protected his people. Any leader would." Kagetoki added firmly. "You are nothing like him."

"That is so." Tamako agreed. "If something happens to you then I would be very upset. So would Iwako-dono."

At this, Kunihira finally smiled. Yes, that was true. He and his brother were completely different.

He was truly glad of his two friend's companionship and he was very glad that they had that special friendship back. However, Tamako was no longer an object that drove him to despair and crazed actions. He loved his wife although it was not that obsessive love he had with Tamako. However, he was much more happier.

The same could be said of Yuzuru- who actually married someone else and was much happier by having his love returned. (10)

"But I think Yasuhira-dono would be happy resting here." Tamako said. "Because Rurihime-dono understood and accepted him. She loved him and she would be happy at being with him again."

Before Tamako returned to the main house with her husband and their dear friend, Tamako took one last look at the grave in the small temple, where the husband now rested beside the wife.

Perhaps in the future, the names engraved onto the stone would be gone. However, nothing would change the fact that the two of them were resting together and would always do so.

Note

(1) Which is another indication of him caring for her. To Yasuhira, the most important thing was to protect Hiraizumi (and Kurou, as I feel that these two things are interrelated). Therefore, the logic was that as long as he had these things, then everything should be alright. The important thing to note is that Yasuhira is not saying that he would exchange everything he has for her. It is the suggestion that he is not fully happy because he still thinks of her even though she should not matter because what he wanted was the protection and safety of Hiraizumi.

(2) A sign that he cares for her. He does not feel that her death was just. The fact that he feels that her death was unfair is an indication of his concern for her because otherwise, he would probably just think: 'tough, life is unfair'.

(3) For everyone else, Yasuhira would probably have used the word idiot in his description. Of course, he still regard this as foolish, but he is actually not calling her a fool

(4) For Rurihime, this man (whom she does not know) suddenly turning up and just calling her by the name, is really rude! After all, she is the wife of the future leader (and a princess) so she was used to people addressing as 'sama' and at the very least, there should be a 'dono'. To be honest, I am really surprised at how the PC (and even Yuzuru as well), just went around calling everyone else '-san'- including Yoritomo and Masako and got away with it!

(5) I feel that even though Hidehira did like Benkei, it was really Kurou who was like another son to Hidehira, not Benkei. Benkei was probably just someone that Kunihira was fond of.

(6) The fact that it had to be said in secret was because Yasuhira did not like such a thing being said, and this is because he did love Rurihime.

(7) In the previous paragraph, Yasuhira was commenting that his son seemed to bear some resemblance to Rurihime. However, his does not say this in regard to his granddaughter ( ones from Yoshihira). This is because they are still quite young. However, it is more likely that his granddaughters would resemble Rurihime. In addition, most people say that Yoshihira is like his stepmother more. However, because he is Rurihime's son as well as his, Yasuhira feels that Yoshihira has some resemblance to Rurihime. Yet this does not extend to the granddaughters yet. I guess this just kind of show that Yasuhira is still Yasuhira.

(8) Initially, Iwako was not meant to end up being in love with Kunihira- at least not until much later, probably not until Tamako was gone. However, the story then ended up changing quite a bit. The reason that Yasuhira has to be a bit sceptical about his second wife is to take note of this change. Because initially, he would not need to worry about it, as Iwako was actually meant to be quite a good example.

(9) I think the real Hidehira died of a stroke and it did seem to have been quite sudden. From the drama, he was quite well as he was drinking and eating with them, and then he just had a stroke and died.

(10) One of my earliest ideas was that no matter what, Yuzuru is going to move on and he is going to have a very happy life with someone else. There is no way that I am going to let him play the role of the devoted admirer who gave up gracefully but remain unmarried.

Author's Final Note: To be honest, I really wanted to call it something flower or lauli lapis, but it was a bit hard as we have four people and two different storylines. That is why this story is really hard to write at times, especially with the epilogue. I want to involve all the characters.

I wanted to write about Kagetoki and Tamako, yet I wanted to do a Yasuhira and Rurihime story too. Therefore, I decided to do both. However, this is really hard as these two are not really connected. So there were times when I feel a sense of am I writing two different stories? This is especially the case in the beginning, when Tamako was not in Hiraizumi. I guess Tamako sort of became a link for the storylines.

The other really hard thing is that it is hard to write with Yasuhira. Whenever he does the lightest thing, it seems that this is a risk of him being out of character. Having said that, I do believe that he does care for Rurihime although he is just never going to admit that out aloud.

However, I am satisfied with the result, I really enjoy exploring both Kagetoki and Yasuhira's character and I guess due to the setting of the OC, I ended up being quite anti-Nozomi since the hostility from the OC (really Tamako, as all Rurihime was a frustration at not understanding why Nozomi would not help Yasuhira) is actually quite reasonable. But I think my own stand is an interest in Yasuhira with a deep sympathy for Kagetoki. In addition, this story does show that I am very pro-Genji as well, as I suggest (quite often) that Yoritomo is not a bad man and he is probably better then the Heike.

I must admit, I was heavily inspired by the 2005 NHK drama. The whole thing with the Heike and as I have said before, I really feel that by omitting Taira no Munemori, the story has become very pro Heike. Although I did not really mention him other then the incident with the horse.

Another thing with this story is that I really focused on this side of Kagetoki. I would not call it his cruel side, instead, I think I can say the potential he has in being a bit cruel and ruthless. Hence, this whole thing about how he killed Tamako's brother. But a very important thing is that I used the Izayoki version- where Kagetokis' reason for working for Yoritomo was not just due to his family being threatened, but the fact that he did feel that Yoritomo would be able to become a great ruler.

I actually had NozomixKurou which is a bit rare given that I tend to do YuzuruxNozomi. But one of the themes in this story is actually the idea of moving on and I want Yuzuru to move on, I think he deserves this.

Shirogane is probably in love with Nozomi and what happened to him is actually really hard to write. I still decided that he probably did end up betraying Yasuhira, and causing him to die. However, I was really surprised at how I talked about Tomomori's death. It was in so much more detail and it was a scene that I quite like. It is quite ironic given that I do not really like Tomomori, yet does like Shirogane (to a certain extent)

Finally, one of the really hard bit for me to write is the end. In the end, I didn't want to kill Rurihime, yet this was my decision all along. This was her fate from the beginning. I think it is the fact that once you started to write, then you do kind of feel for the character and hence you just wish to let them be happy. This is rather hypocritical. However, I do not deny that her death is due to the fact that I decided to let her die.