Chapter 11a
"Oof," grunted Misao as she placed the clean dishes on the rack to dry—she shouldn't have eaten three servings of stew that night. It couldn't be helped, Misao reasoned, I was starving! But the abnormal weight that settled at the bottom of her stomach made her feel slightly queasy. She shook her head slightly—maybe she should have gone a little easy on her portions. She then smacked her fist on the countertop, grasping an idea that had flitted through her mind: she could take a walk to digest a little, and then she could do some late night training. Perfect, thought Misao triumphantly, that way, I can concentrate on getting back into shape! Humming cheerfully as she washed her hands, Misao scowled at the remains of the dish she had broken earlier: she had been daydreaming about the kiss she had shared with Aoshi the day before, resulting in a careless slip of her hands and a mess of broken shards in the sink. Get a grip, Misao, she growled at herself exasperatedly, it was just a kiss! Oh, what an inaccurate understatement that was. Misao's cheeks flushed—his enveloping warmth and demanding ardor had plagued her thoughts many a time that day. I hope we can try that again sometime soon…
Aoshi lifted the shutters, looking out silently in front of the Aoiya's front window as he waited for a particular someone to arrive. He wasn't too worried about her safety—she was a kunoichi, after all. He was impatient; however—he had just one more thing in plan for her. His sharply tuned hearing caught on light, steady steps and merry whistling; she was back. Opening the door before she could even raise her hand to grasp the handle, Aoshi simply said, "We're going out for another round."
Misao smiled effulgently: anything that involved Aoshi seemed heavenly to her now. Timing her flighty steps with his long strides, Misao looked up at him, "Are we going to do anything interesting, Aoshi?"
Smiling faintly on her emphasis on "interesting", Aoshi nodded, "You'll see, Misao." Content with his brief confirmation, Misao focused on the scenery of the garden in moonlight. The sky was clear that night: the stars shone vibrantly, making her almost dizzy at their pale intensity, and the strong greens and spring colors had been subdued to silvery jades and dark indigos in their nocturnal setting. Smiling contentedly, Misao breathed in the fragrant fresh smell of crushed grass and subtle blossoms, grateful for the beauty that surrounded her. Aoshi looked over at Misao, giving her a gentle look before grasping her hand in his with a timidity that amused Misao—he would have to get used to touching her.
Aoshi exhaled loosely. He didn't need to look at the radiant young woman by his side to feel shivers running down his spine pleasantly—her hand in his sufficed. Their pace gradually lessened to a slow stroll. They were enjoying the evening together: there is never enough time for young lovers. Soon they had stopped in front of a grand maple tree a little off into the border between Kyoto and the dark forest. Aoshi and Misao faced each other, their eyes locked onto their joined hands. Slowly, Aoshi raised her hand to their faces, gently turning it upwards, tracing the faint lines on her palm. Misao closed her eyes, enjoying the sensations he aroused with such a simplistic touch. Her eyes only opened when she felt his warm, moist lips press onto the center of her hand, leaving a damp imprint on her, his mark of possession. Taking in Misao's surprise and pleasure with shining, heated eyes, Aoshi brought her closer, bending over to seize her by the mouth. Stroking the soft baby hair that had escaped her pinned up hair, Aoshi reached up and let all her hair down as he continued to court her lips. They only parted when they had to come up for air, gasping and taking in the cool night air greedily. Aoshi smiled amusedly, his chest heaving as he stared at Misao, who wasn't in a condition any better than his. It's the first time in a while that I've seen Misao too spent up to even talk, he noticed with humor. Well, she better get accustomed to it.
Noticing Aoshi's smile for the first time, Misao looked up into his unguarded eyes, her gaze light and dancing. He has an irresistible smile, mused Misao dreamily, if he smiles like that again, I think I'll have a hard time keeping myself off of him. Misao watched him in dazed perplexity—he was fumbling with something in his pants pocket. Aoshi, who saw Misao's questioning glance at his hand in his pocket, gave her an endearing look as he brought out a dark handkerchief. Misao stared at it openly—it looked like it was covering a short, narrow object. Aoshi briefly shut his eyes, sending a brief prayer to any entity in the heavens, "Please guide me—I am usually not a man of many words." Then he turned his piercing eyes to Misao, who stood in front of him with loving expectation. Inhaling sharply, Aoshi slowly kneeled before Misao, putting his large hands on her waist, "Misao, I have something to give to you. Taking the small bundle from the grass, he offered it to her silently, "The last kunai. The last piece of my heart—I am now all yours."
Misao immediately brought her hand to her mouth, her throat dry: he had kept one of the kunai for all these years? Taking it shakily with her other hand, she unwrapped it and held it to the light—finally, her set was truly complete. Putting the small knife gently aside on the ground, she then leapt into Aoshi's arms, brushing his earlobe with her lips while she whispered, "Arigatou, Aoshi." Aoshi held her close to him, feeling overwhelmed by the feeling of her cheek against his, her soft hair brushing against his hands, and her warm breath tickling his ear. Putting her down for fear of dropping her in dizziness, Aoshi leaned forward, supporting himself by holding onto her shoulders. Misao smiled beautifully, tears glistening in the deep blue of her eyes. Aoshi lifted a hand to stroke her cheek, gathering all of his courage to murmur, "Misao, will you be my wife?" Overwhelmed, all Misao could do coherently was nod. She was rewarded for the second time with a small smile that lit up his dark features: Aoshi was pleased beyond words.
When they had reached the Aoiya's front gate, the two lovers lingered, reluctant to return to propriety and formality back in the company of others. Misao's expression became serious, and she tugged Aoshi's shirt to gain his attention, "Aoshi, we still have something important to talk about."
Sensing the air of gravity that hung around his fiancée, Aoshi halted, turning to give her his undivided awareness, "Go on, Misao."
Gathering all of her courage, Misao looked at him square in the eye and said simply, "What about children?"
Her tall suitor blinked, "Yes?"
Misao sighed, "Aoshi, I want you to hear me through, okay?" Seeing him nod slightly, she continued trenchantly, "I think it's worth a try. I mean, I think that we can have children." Hearing his sharp intake of breath, Misao smiled wryly, "Oh, come on, Aoshi. Even if it was true that I did get injured, it wasn't too deep a wound. It is known by fact that the uterus is located closer to a woman's spine than to her frontal region—I doubt I did much more than strain it." Aoshi couldn't help but admire her intelligence—what exactly had she been doing all those years during his absence? Misao reasoned further, eager to make her point, "Also, Okaasan did pass away at my birth, but she had an extremely delicate build, even more slight than mine. As you remember, Ojiisan had never been a tall, well-built man—that's what made him a great Okashira—no one could possibly guess how potent and efficient he was just by taking in his appearances. Otousan, on the other hand, had been everything Okaasan's father had not been: tall, lean and full of raw power." She ceased for a moment, letting Aoshi take in the words, "Therefore, it is true that I resemble Okaasan, but she only constitutes half of my being. Otousan is also an ever-present part of my life—from him I get my persistence, my courage, and also my strength. I trust in my heritage—if they risked their lives to have me, I can do the same for my children and for you." Flushing furiously at the revelation of her innermost thoughts, Misao turned away from Aoshi, trying in vain to collect her tumultuous emotions.
Aoshi was stunned—what a woman he had in his hands! Since when had she become so determined, so wise? It had been his luck and his only decisive victory that let him claim her as his own. Tenderly, Aoshi wrapped his arms around her from behind, "So it will be, Misao. We will have children." Then he blew softly on her hair, murmuring wistfully, "The only upsetting thing is that we have to wait now."
Misao couldn't help but giggle, "My, my, aren't we a bit impatient." Behind his deceptively solemn countenance, Misao could see that he was laughing with her.
Chapter 11bMisao wrinkled her nose in mild disgust; did Omasu truly believe she was going to put all that gunk on her face? Fidgeting restlessly, Misao sighed deeply, looking out of the window with a dewy smile. She knew that her Aoshi was a passionate man, but she didn't know that he was so impatient to marry her. She smiled with pleased humor: He couldn't even wait for longer than a month. Himura and Kaoru must be endlessly amused. Fingering the silky material of her pale wedding kimono, Misao colored slightly, full of hope and anticipation. There was a light knock on the door, "Come in," Misao called out pleasantly, "Oh! Megumi! I'm very happy you managed to make it to the wedding!"
Megumi smiled charmingly, her red full lips curved and her dark eyes sparkling, "Yes, it hasn't been too long, has it? It does seem like a certain stone is eager to have you as his wife, and consequently, as his bed companion."
Misao glared at her in mock-anger, "Such lack of respect for the couple-to-be, Takani-sensei!"
"Misao, you're a woman now, and I'm sure you're well informed about nightly pleasures. Why, with that transvestite's revelations a while back ago, and your sharp onmitsu hearing skills, you must've picked up quite a few things."
"Oh, Megumi! How could you remind me about that vile man's elephant?"
Laughing daintily, Megumi patted the girl's shoulder sympathetically, "Ah yes, your virgin eyes." Ignoring the scowl Misao aimed at her, Megumi tossed her hair aside nonchalantly, saying matter-of-factly, "Oh, I have something for you."
Fishing a small brown package from the inside of her kimono top, she handed it over to Misao. Misao took it with a smile, which was replaced with a look of recognition: "This is just like the package you gave to me earlier!"
Megumi nodded pleasantly, "Very good, Misao-chan. You may open it now."
Misao opened the bundle and stared in surprise when she saw the dried substance unwrapped, "Tea?"
"Yes, would you like me to explain? They're the ingredients of a very special tea. After you have your nocturnal adventures, you drink a cup every morning to prevent pregnancy. When you run out, you may ask me to send you some more."
Misao knew the value of such a gift. With a heartfelt grin, Misao thanked her and added saucily, "I guess Aoshi won't be disappointed, then." Both women's laughter rang through the Aoiya, jubilant and free.
Misao smiled fondly at the collected friends and family celebrating down below—how would she have made it to where she was without any of their support? The looks on their faces upon her arrival had been priceless; if they had doubts about her maturity before, they certainly knew now that she had grown up—she was a married woman! Recalling Aoshi's enraptured expression he had reserved only for her, Misao smiled secretly to herself again. The vow he took sincerely, as well as the loving look he had bestowed upon her when he lifted the veil to give her a chaste kiss had made Misao sigh with pleasure. She had to admit that she was getting a little softheaded—she only seemed to be capable of irrational laughter, silly tears and deep sighs. She amusedly hoped that Aoshi wouldn't mind if she couldn't talk intelligibly for the first few months of their marriage. Smiling effulgently by the window side, Misao watched the sun set as she waited for her husband to join her in their bedroom. She had scorned the traditional cushion on the floor, opting for the seat on the couch by the open window so she could see the events in the garden below. To hell with tradition, thought Misao as she grinned roguishly, pulling her gown up to her knees so she could sit more comfortably, no one can see me from up here anyways. As if he could read her mind, Aoshi looked up at her that moment, a slight stealthy smile meant only for her. Misao shivered in anticipation—when would nightfall come?
Owari
Comments: Ugh. Was that almost too sweet for you guys? Like saccharine sweet?
Aoshi had asked Misao earlier to trust in herself, but he probably was still wary about the idea of children, hence Misao's need to talk to him about having children with him after their engagement.
The tea Megumi had given Misao actually exists—it's Chinese, really potent and nasty-smelling (no, I'm not speaking from experience, okay? I've just heard about it, that's all…)
Traditional Asian marriages (from my limited knowledge) had the bride come down veiled only for the actual ceremony (which took place late afternoon early evening-ish), having her sent back to her husband's room to wait for him in the nighttime by herself in silence as he celebrated with the guests. A little chauvinistic, but hey… that's how it really was back then. The newly wed woman would sit alone in the bedchamber, forbidden to look at anyone or leave her seat on the ground (symbol of submissiveness and acknowledgment on the woman's part as being her husband's property). Misao chose a traditional marriage, but it doesn't mean she had to follow all the rules completely…
Err, sorry for no wedding night scenes… I can't do lemons! Thanks to the few who read and reviewed!
Anyone up for an epilogue?