Kasou ~ Flower Burial

by littlemaiko





Disclaimer: Gensou Suikoden 2 and all its elements are properties of KCE. Title is taken from "Kasou", property of L'arc~en~Ciel. Stealing is prohibited.

Note: Hisui is the name of Hero from Suikoden 2.



:: Chapter 4 ::





Beautiful spring blessed Rockaxe a week after Nanami's arrival. Warm wind caressed all who tread out in the open, gentle light of the sun shining down without discrimination. It was the season of life.

Waking to the soft rays of morning, the brown-haired girl groaned and pulled the coverlet over her head. She didn't feel so energetic the past few days, and right now, she was particularly dull. It was the same sensation as the lack of blood circulation to her limbs, except she felt it all over her body. Either she had a severe deficiency of iron in her blood or something else was seriously wrong. Moaning unhappily once again, she slitted her eyes open.

"...Not a very good morning..." Nanami sat up weakly and mumbled under her breath. At least, the concentrated scent of cherry blossom she carried had begun to thin away. By now, it was barely strong enough to pass for a cologne. Hating the coldness of her fingertips and toes, she rubbed her hands together quickly as one would during the winter.

A glance over at the simple grandfather's clock to the side of the room told the girl that it was nearly noon. She had overslept through the breakfast. Sighing exasperatedly to herself, she slid out of the comfort of the bed and set out to dress.

Momentarily, a vision flickered across Nanami's mind. There was a gust of warm breeze, carrying a torrent of pale-pink petals. The large cherry tree in the middle of the courtyard was already half-stripped of its glory, unable to fend off the cruel passing of time. The melancholic image faded as suddenly as it had appeared, leaving her in daze. A small shiver ran down her spine, but she dismissed the matter and pulled on the usual green pants.

**********

Out of all the knights of Matilda, Miklotov appreciated the pleasant weather the most. It meant that he could push the Blue Knights to train longer hours, starting from early sunrise. Naturally ignoring the small groans from younger cadets, the dark-haired knight captain called out clear "one, two" in sync with the men's sword swings. He wielded Dunceney himself, since he was not one to just stand and watch. He stopped, however, when he saw the familiar lithe figure in pink approaching.

"Good m-... afternoon, Lady Nanami." Miklotov greeted the teenager, his tone rigid yet affectionate.

"Hello, Miklotov. Am I interrupting?" Huffing slightly from the mysterious exertion, Nanami asked the man. Her cheeks weren't rosy as they should have been.

"Not at all, my lady. Are you feeling all right? You are pale." The tall knight frowned, not liking the paleness he saw in the pretty face. He'd been noticing the decline of Nanami's energetic appeal; it bothered him a great deal.

"I feel a little dull, but it's no problem. It could be the spring laziness kicking in." Nanami replied with a feigned assurance. She was worried herself, but she hated to concern others. "I was told that Camus is busy today. Can I watch the training?"

Studying the faint dark circle under Nanami's rounded eyes, Miklotov pondered if he should refuse and see the girl off to rest. However, he knew that she'd insist on being fine; it was both the curse and pleasure to know this girl well. She'd never allow him to be as overprotective as he'd like to be. With a sigh, the tall knight nodded his consent.

"Of course. Have a seat in the shades. If you'd like," Miklotov trailed off unsurely. He was not good at making a proposition to a lady. "...I will escort you around the town afterwards."

Nanami's smile assured the man that his words were appropriate. Returning an uncharacteristically soft look, Miklotov went back to the Spartan training session. From a corner of his dark eyes, he saw the girl sit down against a large oak tree nearby. He kept a frequent eye on her, his mind not on his task.

**********

The residential sectors of Rockaxe had been rebuilt with priority, but abandoned buildings were still in the ruins. Nanami followed Miklotov closely as they strode down the main street of Matildan capital. The blue-clad man's steps were so much wider than her own that she practically had to skip alongside him to keep up. It gnawed at her tired physique but she liked the way Miklotov walked. It represented his personality well, and she had to smile at the brisk, straight strides. She recalled that Camus walked in leisurely, yet sharp steps. While she mused, she lagged behind by several feet.

"Lady Nanami?" Miklotov ceased his advance and turned to his chestnut-haired companion. Realizing that he'd been inconsiderate of her apparent lack of energy, he awkwardly extended a gloved left hand, imitating Camus. "...Forgive me, my lady."

"It's OK." Giggling a little at the obviously unpracticed gesture, Nanami rested her small right hand upon the offered palm. The dark-haired knight's hand was larger and stronger than Camus', with prominent knuckles and joints. She reflected upon the feel of warm hand as she was lead on.

Miklotov also thought over the feel of Nanami's hand in his. The girl's fingers were tiny compared to his, palms and wrists likewise. Although her lively outlook often outshone the actual petiteness of her body, he saw now that she stood only up to his upper chest. To think that the sharp-pointed Matildan arrow had pierced through this small body... it made Miklotov shudder. He'd been spared of seeing the arrow sticking out of Nanami's chest, since Huan had extracted the deadly weapon before bringing her to the medical facility, but the amount of blood had made him lose hope.

//...It must have been a miracle that she survived. The wound had seemed fatal...//

The two walked in silence, Nanami concentrating on keeping up with Miklotov's natural pace of walking and he deep in thought. Upon entering the city square, the girl huffed and finally gave up.

"Miklotov... let's rest?"

"Yes, Lady Nanami. Would you like to take a seat there?" Miklotov pointed out to the old cherry tree in the center of the grassy park area. It was a coincidence that he did so, but he remembered that Nanami wore the scent of the same flower about her. The sweet aroma was so faint today that he had forgotten of it. Secretly proud of his choice, he lead her to the thick trunk of the arbor.

The aged cherry blossom was yet in the wake of its bloom. Nanami eased down on one of the thick roots, looking up to the outspreading branches wearily. She didn't like the pretty pale-pink hue of the flowers or the distinctive, pleasant smell of their nectar. She felt suffocated being so close to the tree, as if her very life was being sucked into it.

"Lady Nanami?" Miklotov peeked into his companion's face. "...Perhaps the climate at Matilda is too cool for you?"

"Huh? ...Y-Yes, maybe..." Nanami nodded clumsily, leaving the morbid thought of the tree behind. "It is colder than Kyaro."

"How thoughtless of me. I shouldn't have brought you outside." Looking seriously regretful, the Blue Knight pulled off his long uniform jacket and placed it snugly over Nanami. It was tailored four sizes larger than her and covered her almost completely. "Would you like to head back, my lady?" He asked, seemingly ready to just scoop her up and leave.

"I'm fine, Miklotov. Thank you for the jacket." Nanami held the blue garment to herself, smiling. Seeing the older man blush slightly, she stifled a giggle and closed her eyes. She couldn't believe how fatigued she was from the short walk. The faint aroma of the just-blossoming tree consumed her senses as she sat there, easily pulling her into darker region of her mind. She didn't mean to fall asleep, but she did so without even realizing. It was similar to the sensation of death she'd experienced before.

Soft rustling of young petals against the spring breeze caressed Nanami's ear, but she was not hearing anything by then.

**********

Miklotov watched Nanami, wondering after a few minutes if the girl was asleep. Her eyelashes were casting shadows over her cheeks, and her head was hung slightly forward in total slackening. Deciding that he must be right, the knight whispered an inquiry just to make sure.

"Lady Nanami, would you like to head back now?"

When there was no answer, the dark-haired man carefully nudged one arm between Nanami's back and the tree trunk and also under her knees. She lifted off the ground easily, her lack of weight coming off as a shock to him. Hefting her so that her head rested against his shoulder, Miklotov began on the walk back to the palace.

//She is so light. And quiet, too. ......Is she... breathing?//

Halfway through the short journey, Miklotov came to a dead halt. He studied his young burden closely, disturbed by the lack of rise and fall of the small bosom. Hesitation and embarrassment pushed back by the worry, he leaned his face close to listen for the breathing, if there was any. Dimming aroma of cherry blossom touched his nostrils.





"Lady Nanami...?"

**********

Nanami looked up to the cherry tree in the courtyard of the Camelot Castle. She saw that the three-quarters of the flowers had been torn off the branches, reducing once-marvelous bloom to mere specks of white-pink. Each breeze carried off more of the beautiful petals, literally stripping life of spring from the tree.

Feeling weak, the brown-haired girl rested her back against the stout trunk. She was bound here by the blood promise; she had been forgetting her purpose since her awakening beneath the blooming flowers, but now... she remembered well. She'd only wanted to see Camus' end of their promise be fulfilled. And now that she had, her time was coming to an end once again.

"But I don't want to go just yet." Nanami whispered to the tree, resting her right hand over the coarse balk. It nipped at the open wound on her index finger, causing blood to drip out. She let the red liquid be absorbed by the tree, sighing softly as she watched the stain disappear from the brown surface.

"Give me a little longer..."

Green leaves rustled noisily, giving the girl the answer she needed.

**********

Miklotov felt his blood run cold in his veins. He continued to listen for the small breaths, but finally lost the calm and began to shake Nanami.

"Lady Nanami!? Nanami!!"

"......Ack... Don't shake so much..."

Soft voice made Miklotov freeze all over again. He watched the rounded dark eyes flutter open, not daring to relax until the gaze fixed upon him with full consciousness. Nanami smiled to him at the close distance, her resumed-breath caressing his cheek as she spoke.

"Was I asleep?"

"...Y-Yes. I thought... you weren't..." The Blue Knight trailed off, too relieved to really talk right now. Seeing that the girl would offer him no explanation, he firmly held her up and began to walk again.

The conversation between the two before reaching Rockaxe's palace was a short one. Yet, it was an exchange Miklotov would never forget.





"Miklotov."

"Yes, Lady Nanami?"

"...Do you think Camus could take a few days off his work?"

"It would be difficult... but why do you ask?"

"I want to go somewhere with him. It's really important to me... and it can't wait too long."

"I could take over the duties for a week. You'd have to ask Camus, my lady."

"...Thank you..."

"It is nothing, Lady Nanami."

"No. Thank you, Miklotov..."





Beige-gloved hands wrapped around Miklotov's neck loosely and held there for the duration of the walk. He listened to the girl's soft breathing, wondering if it had been a waking nightmare that he sensed it cease...





To be Continued