Chapter 2- Shifting Loyalties
On that same night, there was a meeting held in secret at the Fujita household. The rebel terrorists who marched through the village on patrol had no clue of this, which proved how secretive the natives could be.
Satomi was there in the crowded dining hall, listening to everyone arguing. Her fiancée, a handsome brown-haired youth named Ayabito Kazuma was among those talking, and it wasn't something that Satomi was happy to hear.
"This past drought has wiped out half of our crops." One man declared. "How on earth are we supposed to make a profit and still pay taxes to those rebels?"
"Since when are we being taxed for everything by those bastards?" another demanded angrily.
"Next thing you know, they'll be either fining or killing us if we look at them funny." A third muttered.
Kazuma stood up just then. "These aren't ordinary fools that are holding Shiroki hostage here. They all seem to be skilled as if they were trained warriors."
Satomi watched him. Just where was he getting at?
"I don't like this idea, and I know there are many among us that would not either, but maybe if we joined their cause like they requested in the first place, we could get by with the money we make."
Satomi left in a huff before he could even finish.
Once outside in the cold evening air, she folded her arms in disgust. It was all the more reason for her to not want to marry him. It was an arranged engagement, like with most of the villagers, so unless she formally called it off, there was nothing she could do. She huffed again as she walked down the woody pathway. 'Like he would even allow for me to say no to him.'
It was quiet on that night. Though it was cold to be walking around in a summer kimono, the crickets continued to chirp in the weeds. The sky was clear and starry and the full moon cast its light down upon her pale skin and short black hair. Satomi loved this time of year.
Just then, she noticed something out of the corner of her eye. Turning her head, she saw a glowing light somewhere within the trees. She blinked in surprise. "That's strange. Who would be having a campfire all the way out here?" After all, the Rebels certainly didn't need to do so. They had taken over several of the buildings in town.
Curious, she changed course and headed through the thick grass into the woods. It wasn't long before she came to a clearing and saw the small camp. There was a simple tent rigged up next to an old log, though it looked as though the shreds of fabric would give at any moment. Over the campfire, there was what appeared to be a type of grouse smoking in the flames. And sitting there in front of the fire, resting his head on his knees, was a young man. It was the same young man who she had waited on at the restaurant.
Satomi took a step forward into the clearing. "Excuse me.sir?"
He lifted his head and turned it towards her. Immediately, he cracked a friendly looking smile. "Hello Miss."
She smiled back before bowing respectively. "Sir, in case you do not remember, I am the one that you helped at the restaurant this morning. And I."
He stood up and bowed back. "Ah, I thought that was you ma'am."
Satomi held up a hand to stop his respective gesture. "Please sir. You don't have to. My name is Hanahara Satomi and I wanted to thank you for earlier."
He shrugged. "That's okay. No harm done." He sat back down, beckoning that she do the same.
Satomi took a seat across from him, enjoying the warmth of the fire.
"By the way, you can call me Soujiro." He said, that smile remaining etched in his handsome face. "No family name needed, Hanahara-san."
"In that case, just call me Satomi." She replied cheerfully. She liked this youth.
Satomi peered at the little roast that he had over the fire. "Oh Soujiro- san, is that all you have to eat?"
He laughed and picked it up from the fire with a stick. "Afraid so. My hunting skills are a tad rusty."
She stood up. "Then the least I can do is invite you to dinner at my house."
He blinked. "Oh well.I don't wish to impose."
She smiled. "You won't be. I was just heading home to make it anyway. It's no trouble to set an extra place at the table."
Soujiro nodded. "Okay then." He got up and got ready to follow her.
On that same night, there was a meeting held in secret at the Fujita household. The rebel terrorists who marched through the village on patrol had no clue of this, which proved how secretive the natives could be.
Satomi was there in the crowded dining hall, listening to everyone arguing. Her fiancée, a handsome brown-haired youth named Ayabito Kazuma was among those talking, and it wasn't something that Satomi was happy to hear.
"This past drought has wiped out half of our crops." One man declared. "How on earth are we supposed to make a profit and still pay taxes to those rebels?"
"Since when are we being taxed for everything by those bastards?" another demanded angrily.
"Next thing you know, they'll be either fining or killing us if we look at them funny." A third muttered.
Kazuma stood up just then. "These aren't ordinary fools that are holding Shiroki hostage here. They all seem to be skilled as if they were trained warriors."
Satomi watched him. Just where was he getting at?
"I don't like this idea, and I know there are many among us that would not either, but maybe if we joined their cause like they requested in the first place, we could get by with the money we make."
Satomi left in a huff before he could even finish.
Once outside in the cold evening air, she folded her arms in disgust. It was all the more reason for her to not want to marry him. It was an arranged engagement, like with most of the villagers, so unless she formally called it off, there was nothing she could do. She huffed again as she walked down the woody pathway. 'Like he would even allow for me to say no to him.'
It was quiet on that night. Though it was cold to be walking around in a summer kimono, the crickets continued to chirp in the weeds. The sky was clear and starry and the full moon cast its light down upon her pale skin and short black hair. Satomi loved this time of year.
Just then, she noticed something out of the corner of her eye. Turning her head, she saw a glowing light somewhere within the trees. She blinked in surprise. "That's strange. Who would be having a campfire all the way out here?" After all, the Rebels certainly didn't need to do so. They had taken over several of the buildings in town.
Curious, she changed course and headed through the thick grass into the woods. It wasn't long before she came to a clearing and saw the small camp. There was a simple tent rigged up next to an old log, though it looked as though the shreds of fabric would give at any moment. Over the campfire, there was what appeared to be a type of grouse smoking in the flames. And sitting there in front of the fire, resting his head on his knees, was a young man. It was the same young man who she had waited on at the restaurant.
Satomi took a step forward into the clearing. "Excuse me.sir?"
He lifted his head and turned it towards her. Immediately, he cracked a friendly looking smile. "Hello Miss."
She smiled back before bowing respectively. "Sir, in case you do not remember, I am the one that you helped at the restaurant this morning. And I."
He stood up and bowed back. "Ah, I thought that was you ma'am."
Satomi held up a hand to stop his respective gesture. "Please sir. You don't have to. My name is Hanahara Satomi and I wanted to thank you for earlier."
He shrugged. "That's okay. No harm done." He sat back down, beckoning that she do the same.
Satomi took a seat across from him, enjoying the warmth of the fire.
"By the way, you can call me Soujiro." He said, that smile remaining etched in his handsome face. "No family name needed, Hanahara-san."
"In that case, just call me Satomi." She replied cheerfully. She liked this youth.
Satomi peered at the little roast that he had over the fire. "Oh Soujiro- san, is that all you have to eat?"
He laughed and picked it up from the fire with a stick. "Afraid so. My hunting skills are a tad rusty."
She stood up. "Then the least I can do is invite you to dinner at my house."
He blinked. "Oh well.I don't wish to impose."
She smiled. "You won't be. I was just heading home to make it anyway. It's no trouble to set an extra place at the table."
Soujiro nodded. "Okay then." He got up and got ready to follow her.