Her small fingers curled tightly around his hand. Misao stood at his side, looking for all the world like an English doll. One of her mother's old kimonos had been sacrificed for the funeral, and little Misao had never seemed quite so little before, dressed in the remnants of her mother's wedding kimono.
She tugged on Aoshi's hand. "Where is my grandfather going?" Misao asked in her clear little voice. "When will he come back?"
Aoshi squeezed her hand. "He can't come back," he answered.
Misao turned to look at the funeral pyre. "Will he be back tomorrow?" she asked. "He promised to play with me."
"He can't come back," Aoshi repeated patiently.
Understanding finally dawned in the child's eyes. "Is he gone forever?" she asked him.
"Forever," Aoshi sighed, remembering two other funeral pyres he had witnessed before.
There was silence for a long minute, until he heard a soft little sob. He knelt to her eye level.
"Aoshi-sama," Misao whispered. "How long is forever?" Hot tears trickled down her round cheeks.
Aoshi scooped her up in his arms and pressed her head against his shoulder. "Oh, Misao-chan," he whispered. The sobbing child wrapped her arms around his neck as Aoshi stroked her back, tangling her jet black hair around his strong fingers.

Sorry for such a short update. But people kept reviewing, so I thought, "hm, better do SOMETHING!!!"

Thanks for the reviews!