Very little of note happened after that until August, but the months still gave us plenty of surprises.

Yori proved the maid I'd spoken to right and began crawling around the castle. One of us would take our eyes off him for the briefest second, and he'd be gone when we turned around. In the end, Mizu took to tying him to the nearest piece of furniture and letting him move about until he was tugging at the tether confused. It was a trick we all ended up using, and soon a semblance of peace returned to the castle.

Since the same could be said for the rest of the country, with the uneasy stalemate holding for some reason, Hanzo and my talks soon turned to the future, which was dangerous even if I said so myself. But it was also the only way we could escape some times, since neither of us had anywhere else we could go. Even Mizu was planning on going back to Oshu when Masamune left, though, not without some consideration. "Do you think we should follow, when all this is over, I mean?"

"I guess it depends where we want to go." I shrugged, blowing the dandelion seeds and watching them fly against the stars above us. Naturally the likelihood of this conversation ever becoming reality depended on both of us surviving, but we were avoiding that possibility.

Giving one of the seeds a quick puff to get it away from his face, Hanzo picked another, making his own wish. "Well, since Obon's coming up, I was planning on going back to my village and paying my respects. I could keep an eye out for houses there."

"Now we are building a castle in the air." I let myself smirk. Laughing at the comment, Hanzo adjusted his position against the tree, tugging me up slightly so my head rested in the crook of his neck. "Well, Satoshi's been harping on about going to Mino, I think he's hinting."

"Could be." Certain he couldn't see; I let a frown slip onto my face. Unlike him, I wouldn't be on the lookout for houses, just the nearest way in and out of the province. It wasn't like Satoshi to decide to go home all of a sudden, as far as I knew, he avoided Mino's border as much as I tried to. For him to suddenly want to go there was fishy in the least. "Yomi?"

"Hm?"

"It wouldn't just be us, right?"

I didn't even have to think, "Of course not, we've collected too many strays to do that." This time I laughed with him, and the next few minutes were thoroughly dedicated to mapping out our imaginary home. And somehow, in doing so we came to a decision. "I can ask if you want. If you're sure?"

"We've practically adopted them as it is. I'll speak to Mizu in the morning." And just like that, it was official.

Sighing in contentment, I leant back into Hanzo some more, letting him play with my hair and continue his story for our future until I fell asleep against him. But my dozing was peppered by a single nightmare that lasted maybe ten seconds before I jolted awake, Hanzo halting his story mid-sentence to look at me in alarm. "Bad dream?"

"Yeah. Yeah it was…weird." Without prompting, I quickly relayed what I had seen, still trying to make sense of it myself. I didn't have time to look around the dream properly, but the area around me had been dark, and I didn't look to be any older than I was now. But I was wearing my armour and I had both of my swords raised in front of me, the blades crossed as I tried to hold something off. What had made me wake up was the fact that the other me in my dream, after she turned to meet my eyes, she lost the struggle, blades snapping into several pieces before a sheer darkness swallowed her.

Hanzo listened to my words carefully, nodding at all the right moments until I finished, "You didn't see what was attacking you?"

"No, it was just…it was almost like the shadows were attacking."

"Like when you were younger?"

I shook my head, "No, this was different, I can't explain how, it just was." The implications for my swords, my father's swords, were not promising. Taking a few, hopefully calming breaths, I glanced back towards the castle, getting to my feet, ignoring Hanzo rising behind me. Kotone's swords had recently arrived, and she had taken to them instantly. Having the most experience with the sword master's work, Satoshi had given them a quick examination, declaring them to be fine work.

If my dream was as real as I knew it was, then I would need a new set, and soon.

I had my letter sent within the hour, Hanzo patiently waiting in the doorway while I scribbled my request down and handed it to the least tired looking messenger. He even walked me back to my room, asking once again if I was okay when we were at the door. My bad dream had spoiled our perfect evening together, and if it hadn't have rattled me as much as it did, I might've had the decency to feel horrible about it. Instead, I gave a small nod, promising to come wake him up if I had any more nightmares and slipped in, almost sliding down the door when my legs almost failed me.

But the curious glance Mizu sent me to see me in so early kept me standing. She had borrowed one of my books, but the page went ignored as I stumbled over to my bed, falling onto it with a grunt, "That good huh?"

"Terrific." Lifting my head up with a sigh, I rolled over to look at the ceiling, "No, that's not fair. It was great. I'm just being an ass."

"At least you admit it." Mizu shrugged, returning to her book. Looking towards her, I soon returned my attention to the ceiling, wondering if it was worth telling her. Deciding not to, I grabbed the book I still hadn't managed to finish off my shelf, finding the folded corner and settling into it, calming with every word I read.


The next morning came with a surprise. We'd barely settled down for breakfast, Hanzo using Kotone's ramblings to everyone else to cover his questions. I answered each of them positively, assuring him that I hadn't had any more nightmares when a maid knocked at the door, Ieyasu nodding when he noticed her, "Is there something wrong?"

"No, my Lord. There's a man at the gate with a delivery for Lady Hiroto." Swallowing my mouthful hurriedly, I followed her down, shrugging to all the weird looks I was getting. Closing the door behind me, I heard the conversations swap to the return trip to Oshu tomorrow, Mizu assuring everyone that she would remember everything. I just hoped she wouldn't grab anything of mine while she was tearing the room apart.

At the gate a young man, maybe only just a man, was standing to attention next to a horse, a long box in his arms. Thanking the maid for bringing me down, I approached him, making no secret of my curiosity, "You have a delivery for me?"

"Yes, just uh," He handed the box over and then fished around in his pocket, finding a slip of paper and handing that over as well. "Do you need to inspect them before I go?"

"I'd better, considering I haven't got a clue what they are." I ignored the panicked look on his face when I said that, tucking the receipt up my sleeve, and gesturing for him to hold the box while I lifted the lid.

"T-there isn't another Lady Hiroto Sayomi here, is there? See, the master got a letter from her asking for swords and if-" He was cut off by my large intake of breath, wincing as if expecting a reprimand for something. Looking back, it was probably the poor guy's first delivery.

But resting on the cushioned exterior of the case, held into place by brackets were two beautiful sayas, black cord wrapped around them close to the top, in a deep red lacquer finish with gold petals falling down it. I won't lie and say I was pulled to them, told by some otherworldly presence that these were mine, but when I blinked, intending to look at the delivery guy and figure out how gentle I would have to be to assuage his fears, the blades sparkled with a light blue aura.

Breaking out of my stupor, I quickly replaced the lid and moved the box into my own arms, fixing him with a smile, "Thank you, they're just what I ordered. Please tell your master I'm very impressed with his speedy work."

Nodding with the speed of an anxious schoolboy, the delivery boy turned to leave, but then slapped his forehead and reached for something on his saddle, "I also have something here for your father."

"Sorry?" I blinked. This was getting weirder by the second.

"Yeah, Satoshi Hiroto?" The relief that brought me could not be explained with words, and I took the much smaller box in my other hand, deciding not to bother with any explanation. Seeing off with a nod, I glanced down at Satoshi's parcel, toying with the notion of peeking inside, but decided against it.

The others were still at breakfast when I got back to them, Hanzo having filled my plate back up in my absence. I looked them all over, watching their varied curiosity at the boxes, but my eyes rested on Satoshi narrowing in suspicion. He didn't even try to hide his expression, just asked for the water jug with a smug smile, making himself comfy before looking back at me. "You get what you were expecting Botan?"

"Yeah, something for you too, you schemer." His jovial tone brought a smile to my face, and I easily took my place again, taking a few mouthfuls before speaking to the table at large, "They were new swords for me. I had a dream that implied I might need them soon."

"Always good to listen to dreams," Mizu shrugged, before wiping her mouth and getting up, "I'm going to raid the armoury for a bit. See you guys later."

"Don't take what you can't carry." Master Katakura called after her, getting up himself to do some work. But he seemed to halt almost, looking towards me, "Sayomi, can I speak to you later?"

"Sure, is something wrong?"

"Nothing serious." My eyes widened, and I couldn't help but glance at Hanzo who looked equally confused.

In truth, Master Katakura's grave tone put me more on edge than the conversation he wanted. Putting our relationship into words was complicated, but I'd always thought him as someone I didn't have to worry about. I trusted him to listen to my problems and give calm, even judgement that I followed precisely because I didn't feel like I had to. For him to ask to speak privately, and sound so grim about it was uncharted territory and something I couldn't predict.

Despite the small flakes of ice in my veins, I went with Kotone and Satoshi into the training hall, taking my new swords with me. "So Satoshi, you know this sword master, right?"

"I do, he made all the family swords, like his father before him." Waving his match to put the flame out, Satoshi took a deep breath of his tobacco while shrugging, "Or so I'm told."

Oh well that was a vote of confidence if ever I heard one. "So, the strange difference between how long Kotone's swords took to get here, and how long it took these to get here…?" I tapped the swords at my side meaningfully, one finger lingering to follow the stream of petals down, "They're a princess's weapon, don't you think?"

A barking laugh left my uncle, "Ah Botan, I won't offend you by calling you a princess. I won't offend the title either." Kotone giggled at that, but continued her katas at the same time. "But if you're asking if the swords were already there, the answer's yes."

"Mind telling me why?" As I spoke, I steadily drew Kotone into a spar, backing away from the first slice she tried. To first blood only, and I hoped she'd be able to stop herself. Knocking the next one away, I turned my head in Satoshi's direction, indicating I wanted an answer.

He obliged, thankfully waiting until after Kotone attempted a lunge. "I ordered them when you were younger, after you told me about this wonder sword Oda was having made for you." Without realising, I blushed at the words 'wonder sword', remembering the excitement it had come to me with. "Figured that as your last living relative and all that, it should be me who made sure you were well armed." Satoshi gave an awkward cough, blowing out through the side of his mouth, "Anyway, enough mushy crap, I want to see these things in action."

It was my turn to smirk, releasing Kotone's sword from where I had been pinning it, "Alright then, show me what you've got old man."