Hikari no Miko
Chapter 3: A Long Night
Mirei slowly opened the screen door leading to Kiku's room. She approached the slumbering girl deliberately. She knelt down gracefully and put a slender hand to the girl's forehead. She took her hand away and frowned; her frown wrinkled her pretty face slightly. She looked at Gohda-sama who was standing near the entrance of the room with other concerned looking people.
"How long has she been sick?" asked the miko.
"Two days," whispered Gohda. His looked as if he were going to fall asleep at any given time.
"Hmm...these symptoms are just the beginning. They will get worse tomorrow," said Mirei.
"Then stop talking about it and do something that will make it cease!" boomed Ayame.
Kiku began to stir. She opened her eyes and looked at the unfamiliar face of Mirei.
Mirei complied to Ayame's violent suggestion and looked at the dour-faced Tesshu. "Tesshu-san, please get me some towels."
Then she turned to Rikimaru. "Riki-san, boil some water and get me a basin of cold water."
Lastly, she looked at Ayame. "Aya-san, get some mugs and a whisk to mix tea."
Ayame gave Mirei a venomous look because of the nickname the miko gave her. Then the assassin/isha and the two Azuma ninjas left the room to get the things that Mirei told them to get.
******************************************************************************************************************
Ayame, Rikimaru, and Tesshu entered Kiku's room with the items Mirei told them to get. Kiku was wide awake and seemed to be cheerful. Gohda-sama and Counsel Sekiya looked very sleepy. They were so worried about Kiku that they barely slept.
Mirei greeted them with a suave smile and set the items on the floor near Kiku's sleeping mat.
"It's best if all of you stay away from the hime so you won't catch the illness," Mirei said hurriedly. She politely shoved everyone out of the room and slid the door shut.
Gohda-sama looked around at the people standing outside of his daughter's room. "Well, I'm going to sleep. You should all be doing the same too."
Gohda-sama sauntered down the corridor and disappeared. Counsel Sekiya also went down the corridor but turned to the left where his room was.
"I am going home. Good night to both of you," Tesshu said to Ayame and Rikimaru. With Tesshu gone, the two Azuma ninjas were left alone.
"Do you think Kiku will be alright?" Ayame whispered to Rikimaru.
Rikimaru could hear the conspicuous solicitude in Ayame's voice. He could see the concern pulsing in her beautiful brown eyes. He did not want to see her unhappy.
"I am sure that Kiku will be fine under the care of Mirei," Rikimaru said in a reassuring voice.
His answer didn't change Ayame's worried face. He wanted to do more to console her but he noticed the door to Kiku's room slide open. The miko, Mirei, gracefully stepped out of the room and closed the door. She seemed a bit confused.
"She drank the tea I gave her and...and it didn't really help," said Mirei.
"I was hoping it didn't have to come to this...but it's probably the only way to save the girl," Mirei muttered under her breath hoping that the ninjas did not hear her. But they did hear.
"What do you mean?" asked Ayame.
Mirei dodged Ayame's question and pretended she didn't hear the ninja. "Everyone should stay away from the hime until I say so. I already explained this to Gohda-sama and Sekiya-san."
"Will the illness wear off?" interrogated Rikimaru.
Mirei sighed. She would have to tell them. "No, unfortunately. The only way to help her is to obtain a certain medicinal herb."
"Why didn't you tell us this in the first place?!" shouted Ayame.
"I..I didn't think it would be this bad," lied Mirei.
"Where can we find this herb?" asked Rikimaru.
"Midori Estate," squeaked Mirei.
The Azuma ninjas looked at each other. They did not want to return to that heavily guarded estate. It took wary steps and patience to retrieve Gohda's valuables. But they knew they would take the same meticulous steps to save Kiku-hime's life.
Mirei summoned her courage from the bottom of her heart. She clenched it like a predator with the prey in its mouth. "I know where the herb is kept. I used to tend to it, but that was a long time ago. I could go with you two."
The ninjas looked a bit baffled.
"Morimoto Hotsuma is my uncle. I used to live in his horrid estate. I do not wish to go back there but I know you need my help," explained Mirei. Her dark eyes were brimming with tears.
Rikimaru's callous face softened when he saw her tears. Ayame's usual arrogance faded and turned into concerned pity. The Azuma ninjas watched each other, searching for answers in the others' eyes. Finally, one of them spoke.
"We shall go to the Midori Estate tomorrow night," declared Rikimaru.
******************************************************************************************************************
Ayame sat in her room with her ninja weapons near her. Darkness had suffused most of the room; the orange glow of the lamp only shone close to her. She was sitting near the large window with one of her blades in her hands. She was sharpening the blade on a smooth stone with care. She had already sharpened four long shurikens and her other blade to pass the time. When she was satisfied with the sharpness of the blade, she nimbly whirled it on her fingers.
She picked up the twin of the blade in her hand. She got up and slipped them in their scabbards that were in her back pocket. Ayame knew not to go anywhere without her precious blades, even in Gohda's castle. She quietly opened the screen door of her room and walked out.
She crept to the right side of the corridor. She looked around warily. She saw no one and her ki could sense no one. Then, Ayame deliberately sauntered down the corridor.
Ayame quickly reached her destination, Kiku's room. She didn't care what Mirei said about staying away. She wanted to visit Kiku; she knew the girl was probably lonely because the miko isolated her from her loved ones. Before she opened the screen door, she suddenly felt the presence of life. And it was very close. Her heart beat raced as she turned to see who it was.
She rolled her eyes and put a hand on her hip when she saw who it was. Half cloaked in darkness was her fellow Azuma ninja, Rikimaru. He stepped out of the shadows and into the opaque light that Ayame stood in. The look on his face seemed to be very vague and not easily fathomed.
"You know you are not supposed to see the hime," he said, staring at her with cold black eyes.
She didn't reply to his comment. She stared passed him into the shadows as if her brown eyes were searching for something.
Then she finally spoke in an arrogant tone. "So what?"
Ayame could tell that Rikimaru frowned under the black cloth that covered his mouth and nose. He approached her with friendly steps.
"Ayame, you might catch the blight. I wouldn't want that to happen to you," he answered.
Ayame backed up against Kiku's door nervously because Rikimaru was considerably close to her. She watched him cynically. She obviously didn't trust him very much. He was gone for such a long time, and she thought that he had died. It surprised her that he survived by going into the portal that Mei-Oh fled to. Eventhough they had known each other when Ayame was 14 and Rikimaru was 17, he felt distant to her, like she stood before a stranger. They had gone through so much with the fight against the evil Tenrai; but she still didn't really know how to act around Rikimaru.
"You sound just like that damn miko," said Ayame, with a sarcastic smile.
Then her hand reached to open the screen door, but was thwarted by Rikimaru.
"Please, Ayame. Don't disobey Mirei," said Rikimaru. He set his hand on her hand that was trying to open the door.
Warmth filled Ayame's hand. She gazed at Rikimaru dreamily.
"Riki-san's right, you shouldn't try to see Kiku now," said a graceful voice.
Ayame and Rikimaru hastily let go of each other's hands. They turned to meet the pretty gaze of Mirei the miko. It seemed that Mirei had recovered from reminiscing about the old times in Morimoto Hotsuma's estate.
"How long were you standing there?" asked Ayame, her cheeks had hints of red in them.
"Not too long," said Mirei with a smirk,"I have a question...are you two lovers?"
"No!" exclaimed the two ninjas in unison.
"Who would love Rikimaru? He's too ugly to be loved," teased Ayame.
"And who would love you?" countered Rikimaru,"You're too mean, Ayame."
Mirei giggled as the ninjas exchanged scowls.
*****************************************************************************************************************
Ayame was once again backed up against the wall near the window in her room where she sharpened her weapons. The orange glow in her room was still there and the sharpened weapons remained just where she had placed them 20 minutes before. She looked around at the people in her room. Rikimaru sat across from her sharpening his Izayoi and other numerous weapons. Mirei sat to her right; the miko was painting sacred symbols on her blank paper seals. They had all insisted on staying in Ayame's room for the night just in case she decided to try and go see Kiku again.
"If you aren't lovers, then what kind of relationship do you two have?" inquired Mirei with her eyes on her scripture.
"We are just partners. Nothing more than that," replied Ayame in an irritated voice.
"Oh, I see. So how long have you been partners?" asked Mirei.
"A long time," Rikimaru said brusquely. He was focusing more on sharpening the Izayoi then answering Mirei's annoying questions.
"A long time?" said Mirei,"So how old are you, Aya-san?"
"I am 22," replied Ayame.
Mirei smiled at her. "I'm 21. What about you, Riki-san?"
"26," said Rikimaru.
She nodded but it seemed he didn't really notice.
Ayame wanted to ask Mirei questions, but Mirei might not want to answer her questions. She wanted to ask Mirei about her uncle, Hotsuma. And why she didn't want to go back to the Midori Estate. She admired the miko's courage for offering to help them find the herb that would save Kiku's life.
Ayame's curiousity got the better of her and she could not stop herself from asking the miko the dreaded questions. "Mirei, why did live with your uncle?"
Mirei stopped painting and looked at the ninja girl with morose eyes. "My parents died from a similar illness that Kiku has. Uncle Hotsuma gladly took me in because he knew my mother taught me a lot about medicine. He said I would be a great asset to him. I used to treat all of his ninjas' wounds but they weren't very nice people. I hated living there because the ninjas would...they would..."
Mirei's voice died away as she struggled to contain her tears. One tear ran down her cheek and splashed onto her scripture. Rikimaru stopped sharpening weapons and watched Mirei cry. Ayame felt bad for asking her an emotional question. She wanted to do something, anything to make the miko stop crying.
"You don't have to tell us what they did to you. I'm sorry I ever asked that question," said Ayame in a rueful voice.
"That's all right, Aya-san. I understand that you wanted to know somethings about me," Mirei said. She brushed away her tears, feeling unabashed that the ninjas watched her. She was used to crying in front of people.
Chapter 3: A Long Night
Mirei slowly opened the screen door leading to Kiku's room. She approached the slumbering girl deliberately. She knelt down gracefully and put a slender hand to the girl's forehead. She took her hand away and frowned; her frown wrinkled her pretty face slightly. She looked at Gohda-sama who was standing near the entrance of the room with other concerned looking people.
"How long has she been sick?" asked the miko.
"Two days," whispered Gohda. His looked as if he were going to fall asleep at any given time.
"Hmm...these symptoms are just the beginning. They will get worse tomorrow," said Mirei.
"Then stop talking about it and do something that will make it cease!" boomed Ayame.
Kiku began to stir. She opened her eyes and looked at the unfamiliar face of Mirei.
Mirei complied to Ayame's violent suggestion and looked at the dour-faced Tesshu. "Tesshu-san, please get me some towels."
Then she turned to Rikimaru. "Riki-san, boil some water and get me a basin of cold water."
Lastly, she looked at Ayame. "Aya-san, get some mugs and a whisk to mix tea."
Ayame gave Mirei a venomous look because of the nickname the miko gave her. Then the assassin/isha and the two Azuma ninjas left the room to get the things that Mirei told them to get.
******************************************************************************************************************
Ayame, Rikimaru, and Tesshu entered Kiku's room with the items Mirei told them to get. Kiku was wide awake and seemed to be cheerful. Gohda-sama and Counsel Sekiya looked very sleepy. They were so worried about Kiku that they barely slept.
Mirei greeted them with a suave smile and set the items on the floor near Kiku's sleeping mat.
"It's best if all of you stay away from the hime so you won't catch the illness," Mirei said hurriedly. She politely shoved everyone out of the room and slid the door shut.
Gohda-sama looked around at the people standing outside of his daughter's room. "Well, I'm going to sleep. You should all be doing the same too."
Gohda-sama sauntered down the corridor and disappeared. Counsel Sekiya also went down the corridor but turned to the left where his room was.
"I am going home. Good night to both of you," Tesshu said to Ayame and Rikimaru. With Tesshu gone, the two Azuma ninjas were left alone.
"Do you think Kiku will be alright?" Ayame whispered to Rikimaru.
Rikimaru could hear the conspicuous solicitude in Ayame's voice. He could see the concern pulsing in her beautiful brown eyes. He did not want to see her unhappy.
"I am sure that Kiku will be fine under the care of Mirei," Rikimaru said in a reassuring voice.
His answer didn't change Ayame's worried face. He wanted to do more to console her but he noticed the door to Kiku's room slide open. The miko, Mirei, gracefully stepped out of the room and closed the door. She seemed a bit confused.
"She drank the tea I gave her and...and it didn't really help," said Mirei.
"I was hoping it didn't have to come to this...but it's probably the only way to save the girl," Mirei muttered under her breath hoping that the ninjas did not hear her. But they did hear.
"What do you mean?" asked Ayame.
Mirei dodged Ayame's question and pretended she didn't hear the ninja. "Everyone should stay away from the hime until I say so. I already explained this to Gohda-sama and Sekiya-san."
"Will the illness wear off?" interrogated Rikimaru.
Mirei sighed. She would have to tell them. "No, unfortunately. The only way to help her is to obtain a certain medicinal herb."
"Why didn't you tell us this in the first place?!" shouted Ayame.
"I..I didn't think it would be this bad," lied Mirei.
"Where can we find this herb?" asked Rikimaru.
"Midori Estate," squeaked Mirei.
The Azuma ninjas looked at each other. They did not want to return to that heavily guarded estate. It took wary steps and patience to retrieve Gohda's valuables. But they knew they would take the same meticulous steps to save Kiku-hime's life.
Mirei summoned her courage from the bottom of her heart. She clenched it like a predator with the prey in its mouth. "I know where the herb is kept. I used to tend to it, but that was a long time ago. I could go with you two."
The ninjas looked a bit baffled.
"Morimoto Hotsuma is my uncle. I used to live in his horrid estate. I do not wish to go back there but I know you need my help," explained Mirei. Her dark eyes were brimming with tears.
Rikimaru's callous face softened when he saw her tears. Ayame's usual arrogance faded and turned into concerned pity. The Azuma ninjas watched each other, searching for answers in the others' eyes. Finally, one of them spoke.
"We shall go to the Midori Estate tomorrow night," declared Rikimaru.
******************************************************************************************************************
Ayame sat in her room with her ninja weapons near her. Darkness had suffused most of the room; the orange glow of the lamp only shone close to her. She was sitting near the large window with one of her blades in her hands. She was sharpening the blade on a smooth stone with care. She had already sharpened four long shurikens and her other blade to pass the time. When she was satisfied with the sharpness of the blade, she nimbly whirled it on her fingers.
She picked up the twin of the blade in her hand. She got up and slipped them in their scabbards that were in her back pocket. Ayame knew not to go anywhere without her precious blades, even in Gohda's castle. She quietly opened the screen door of her room and walked out.
She crept to the right side of the corridor. She looked around warily. She saw no one and her ki could sense no one. Then, Ayame deliberately sauntered down the corridor.
Ayame quickly reached her destination, Kiku's room. She didn't care what Mirei said about staying away. She wanted to visit Kiku; she knew the girl was probably lonely because the miko isolated her from her loved ones. Before she opened the screen door, she suddenly felt the presence of life. And it was very close. Her heart beat raced as she turned to see who it was.
She rolled her eyes and put a hand on her hip when she saw who it was. Half cloaked in darkness was her fellow Azuma ninja, Rikimaru. He stepped out of the shadows and into the opaque light that Ayame stood in. The look on his face seemed to be very vague and not easily fathomed.
"You know you are not supposed to see the hime," he said, staring at her with cold black eyes.
She didn't reply to his comment. She stared passed him into the shadows as if her brown eyes were searching for something.
Then she finally spoke in an arrogant tone. "So what?"
Ayame could tell that Rikimaru frowned under the black cloth that covered his mouth and nose. He approached her with friendly steps.
"Ayame, you might catch the blight. I wouldn't want that to happen to you," he answered.
Ayame backed up against Kiku's door nervously because Rikimaru was considerably close to her. She watched him cynically. She obviously didn't trust him very much. He was gone for such a long time, and she thought that he had died. It surprised her that he survived by going into the portal that Mei-Oh fled to. Eventhough they had known each other when Ayame was 14 and Rikimaru was 17, he felt distant to her, like she stood before a stranger. They had gone through so much with the fight against the evil Tenrai; but she still didn't really know how to act around Rikimaru.
"You sound just like that damn miko," said Ayame, with a sarcastic smile.
Then her hand reached to open the screen door, but was thwarted by Rikimaru.
"Please, Ayame. Don't disobey Mirei," said Rikimaru. He set his hand on her hand that was trying to open the door.
Warmth filled Ayame's hand. She gazed at Rikimaru dreamily.
"Riki-san's right, you shouldn't try to see Kiku now," said a graceful voice.
Ayame and Rikimaru hastily let go of each other's hands. They turned to meet the pretty gaze of Mirei the miko. It seemed that Mirei had recovered from reminiscing about the old times in Morimoto Hotsuma's estate.
"How long were you standing there?" asked Ayame, her cheeks had hints of red in them.
"Not too long," said Mirei with a smirk,"I have a question...are you two lovers?"
"No!" exclaimed the two ninjas in unison.
"Who would love Rikimaru? He's too ugly to be loved," teased Ayame.
"And who would love you?" countered Rikimaru,"You're too mean, Ayame."
Mirei giggled as the ninjas exchanged scowls.
*****************************************************************************************************************
Ayame was once again backed up against the wall near the window in her room where she sharpened her weapons. The orange glow in her room was still there and the sharpened weapons remained just where she had placed them 20 minutes before. She looked around at the people in her room. Rikimaru sat across from her sharpening his Izayoi and other numerous weapons. Mirei sat to her right; the miko was painting sacred symbols on her blank paper seals. They had all insisted on staying in Ayame's room for the night just in case she decided to try and go see Kiku again.
"If you aren't lovers, then what kind of relationship do you two have?" inquired Mirei with her eyes on her scripture.
"We are just partners. Nothing more than that," replied Ayame in an irritated voice.
"Oh, I see. So how long have you been partners?" asked Mirei.
"A long time," Rikimaru said brusquely. He was focusing more on sharpening the Izayoi then answering Mirei's annoying questions.
"A long time?" said Mirei,"So how old are you, Aya-san?"
"I am 22," replied Ayame.
Mirei smiled at her. "I'm 21. What about you, Riki-san?"
"26," said Rikimaru.
She nodded but it seemed he didn't really notice.
Ayame wanted to ask Mirei questions, but Mirei might not want to answer her questions. She wanted to ask Mirei about her uncle, Hotsuma. And why she didn't want to go back to the Midori Estate. She admired the miko's courage for offering to help them find the herb that would save Kiku's life.
Ayame's curiousity got the better of her and she could not stop herself from asking the miko the dreaded questions. "Mirei, why did live with your uncle?"
Mirei stopped painting and looked at the ninja girl with morose eyes. "My parents died from a similar illness that Kiku has. Uncle Hotsuma gladly took me in because he knew my mother taught me a lot about medicine. He said I would be a great asset to him. I used to treat all of his ninjas' wounds but they weren't very nice people. I hated living there because the ninjas would...they would..."
Mirei's voice died away as she struggled to contain her tears. One tear ran down her cheek and splashed onto her scripture. Rikimaru stopped sharpening weapons and watched Mirei cry. Ayame felt bad for asking her an emotional question. She wanted to do something, anything to make the miko stop crying.
"You don't have to tell us what they did to you. I'm sorry I ever asked that question," said Ayame in a rueful voice.
"That's all right, Aya-san. I understand that you wanted to know somethings about me," Mirei said. She brushed away her tears, feeling unabashed that the ninjas watched her. She was used to crying in front of people.