Oh boy, now things start to get messy…er…I guess. Yeah. Oh, and someone asked about ages. Yeah, I thought that could be confusing, which is why if you look back at that chapter, you'll see that I state both of their ages, even though I could have technically told you only one of the kid's ages, since she was born when Miroku was seven. But, for those of you who didn't see it, here are the lines:
"I know, Kikyo." Miroku paused, turning to lower himself so he was looking the six-year-old in the eyes.
"I love you, Miroku. I don't know if I've told you…I think of you two as the children I never had. I am sorry I could not stay with you longer. The time I've had with you is some of the best in my life." Kaede told the thirteen-year-old.
So yes, I did tell you how old they were. You have to just watch for it. And seriously, I don't mean to sound mean about it, but this story isn't one of those ones that hands you everything in plain display, so if you're missing something like that right now, you might have some trouble with the plot later on. I don't want to spell everything out, but I will answer people's questions because I understand that this is a complicated story, and I don't want you guys to get lost in small things like that. So try your best!
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Gossamer Dreams
Part 3
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Miroku looked out the coach's window for what had to be the tenth time in as many minutes, shifting his awkward, lanky limbs in his seat. He knew it would not make him stop worrying, and he would only continue to replay his parting with Kikyo the day before over and over again. He was terrified to leave her alone…and yet, she was still too young to hide herself, and so she could not hope to come with him. So he had done his best to warn her. At least she understood the difference between Youkai, humans, and herself. Maybe that knowledge and his stern orders would be enough.
"And I have purchased enough food for two weeks. I will be back before one has passed, but I just wanted to be sure." Miroku explained. "Just be sure to do your prayers and writing practice every day…and do not fall behind on studying. I will quiz you to be sure you have not fallen back while I was gone. And be sure to water the garden and do your prayers every morning."
"I know." Kikyo sounded nervous, anxious, scared, and a bit impatient. "I won't forget."
"Promise that you will not go out, no matter what happens." Miroku demanded for the fifth time that morning.
"I'm eight years old, I'm not a baby." She told him finally. "But yes, I promise I won't go out. I'll be looking forward to your return."
"Be good while I'm gone, little sister." He kissed her forehead and then was gone.
He knew that she would be fine when he returned. Just as he was far more responsible than average fifteen-year-old boys, Kikyo had learned early on to shoulder her own share of obligation. It was living in the country that hated them so acutely, he thought. Surely children should not be refugees in the country where they were born. And yet, that was the lot they had been handed. At times, Miroku wanted to hate his long-dead mother for handing him such a raw deal, but he could not hate the woman he had not seen since he was only a small child. He could not hate that fuzzy memory with eyes like his and a kind, gentle smile.
His thoughts drifted as the village he was traveling to came into view, and soon enough, it seemed that he had arrived, letter kept safely in the fold of robes where his coin bag rested heavily, a small bag slung carelessly over his shoulder. It contained very little; Miroku liked to travel light. He stepped out of the carriage, gave a respectful nod to the carter, and then took a deep breath of the fresh country air.
Almost like a place he had once called home.
Determined, he set out to accomplish his mission.
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Kikyo was behaving wonderfully.
She had studied just as though Miroku was there, looking over her shoulder and adding in his own comments, correcting the strokes of her writing, explaining the origin of characters and the history of this word or that, giving her helpful ways to remember names and dates that she somehow doubted would ever be useful. And yet, they were important to Miroku, so they became important to her as well.
She had watered the garden as usual, swept the dust and leaves from the tiny backyard shrine, continued her morning prayers diligently, eaten three meals a day, and always spent at least one hour waiting. Just waiting for Miroku to return. Then she would think of something else she could do. Some cleaning, a storybook that she wanted to reread, a bit of additional studying, a character that she wanted to perfect, some poetry she hoped to copy down. Anything to distract from the quiet loneliness. She realized that even when he was home, Miroku spent most of the day and quite a bit of the evening being called out to heal various patients, but it seemed very unfair to her that she should go so long without even glimpsing his face. It only made her that much more determined to practice her meditations and learn to control her spirit so that she could go out with him when he left. And then they would never be separated.
Kikyo was thinking about this while weeding the garden halfheartedly when something extraordinary happened. It was something that had never happened to Kikyo in all the eight years of her life. She had glanced up at a bird on the fence post when suddenly, a cat leapt up onto the fence as well.
This might not seem strange or wonderful to most children, but Kikyo, while she had seen pictures of cats, and read about all sorts of animals, including cats, had never seen one in real life before. At first, she was wondering if she had identified it incorrectly, but it turned to her, tilted its cream-colored head to one side, and let out a cute, short meow. Kikyo was so amazed at this that she dropped her work and immediately leapt to her feet. She had heard that cats liked to be petted, and that they were very soft. This was something she had never been able to test, but now…now…
"Hello, cat." She addressed it, thinking that was proper. "May I pet you?"
The cat tilted its head to the other side, jumped onto Kikyo's side of the fence, and meowed again. Kikyo assumed that was a yes.
So she walked toward the cat, knowing from experience that birds would oftentimes be spooked when she approached quickly, and she did not want to lose this wonderful chance. "I have never met a cat before." She told it, hoping that it would stay if she continued to speak. She reached out a small hand, and the cat actually ran up to her, butting its head against the hand eagerly. "So, you do like to be petted…" she felt her face move into a smile as the cat let out an extraordinary noise while she continued stroking its head. "Is that…purring?"
In answer, the cat blinked at her, and Kikyo giggled with pleasure before lowering herself for better access. The cat did not seem to like this idea, and it jumped away from her, back onto the fence. "Oh, cat, please do not go. You see, my brother left and I have no one to talk to." The cat did not seem overly sympathetic, as it simply walked toward the front end of the fence, stopping at the small gate and leaping off to leave her alone again.
And then Kikyo did something very foolish.
She ran to the gate, unbolted it, and raced after the cat.
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"You aren't her." The man was unreasonable, stubborn to a fault, and unwilling to give up his daughter to a teenager who claimed to be Kaede's heir. "Hanami said to give my daughter to Kaede. Not to a boy. It wouldn't be right to let some boy live with her anyway."
"Please. I am perfectly reputable." Miroku was insulted by the man's insinuations. So what if he was a bit quick to smile and wink at every pretty girl he passed on the street? That didn't make him a man of questionable character. "I have the letter right here."
"You showed me, but I won't give her to you." The man was adamant. "She's the last thing I have to remind me of her mother."
"You have a son, as well, I was told." Miroku blinked at the man in question, and he narrowed his eyes.
"Anyone coulda told you that." He answered after some thought. "What else you know?"
"Your wife was not from Fukumaden." Miroku knew that well enough. "And she had grey eyes."
"And?" he was clearly unimpressed.
"Your daughter has purple eyes, brighter than anything you've ever seen." He supplied easily.
"Everyone knows that." The man snorted slightly.
"Sir, I respect your love for your daughter, but she is really not safe here." Miroku tried giving the man a piece of truth. "Only I can help her now."
"She doesn't need your help." The man's back became stiff. "I take good care of my kids." Miroku sighed deeply. There was no choice. He had to tell the man. But he was sure…he loved his daughter. He would not betray her, no matter what. Hopefully.
"I need to get her out of the country." He began.
"Why?!" the man was furious. That was not what he wanted to hear.
"Because, she is Gifted." Miroku continued calmly. "And anyone from the capital with knowledge of such things would recognize it the moment they saw her eyes. She is not safe in this country."
"Nice try." The man chuckled nervously. "Gifted don't just get born from two normal folks."
"Hanami was Gifted." Miroku told the man. "She used a special technique to keep her eyes grey. I use that same technique. Kaede taught it to us both, and that is why Hanami wanted to leave Rin, who shows the signs, to live with Kaede, who could help her if she was still alive. She is gone, but she passed her knowledge to me. Please, sir. Do you not love your daughter?"
"You…you're serious?" it was hard for him to swallow. Not that Miroku had expected him to accept the idea easily. "And you…you're Gifted too? Can…you prove it?"
"I suppose." Miroku sighed slightly. He really did not enjoy parlor tricks, but in this case…concentrating, he formed a ball of purple light in his hand. "Satisfied?" he arched an eyebrow at the gaping man.
"And you say…my daughter…is half?" the man asked.
"So is your son, he simply does not show the signs." Miroku told him. "I was also only half Gifted. On my mother's side as well. I can understand your daughter in a way very few can. And do not worry that I will be living with her alone. Back in Yuurei, I left my younger sister, and she is the same age as your daughter."
"Uh…but if…if you take her, will I get to see her again?" he was close to giving in, if only out of shock.
"She will visit you occasionally once I teach her to hide her eyes. It is not safe for our kind to travel in the open country of Fukumaden." Miroku explained. "I can tell you that she will write as often as she pleases. It is not prison. Think of it as school."
"School…"
"Shall I take her with me, then?" Miroku inquired as the man stared at the floor. He blinked and nodded, nearly running out of the room. He was gone for so long, Miroku wondered if he wouldn't return at all.
"She came for me? But father, I don't want to leave!" a young girl, her black hair in a small side ponytail that let the rest fall down her back entered the room behind the ashen-faced man. She blinked at Miroku momentarily and then turned to her father again. "That's not an old lady. That's a kid."
"I am older than you, thank you." Miroku corrected politely. "My name is Miroku, and I am Kaede's heir. Kaede died two years ago."
"I don't want to go with you. I love my daddy and my brother." She told him firmly. "Tell him I don't have to go, daddy. Mommy died, and you guys can't do anything without her. So you need me. Mommy wouldn't really want me to leave you alone here."
"I think…it's best this way." The father managed a shaky smile before looking up at Miroku. "Miroku, this is my daughter, Rin. I ask that you watch after her from now on."
"I shall do my best." Miroku bowed formally. "It is nice to meet you, Rin."
"Go and leave. I'm not going with you." Rin pouted, crossing her arms over her chest.
"You have to go, Rin." The father tried for firm, but he sounded only vaguely confused.
"Rin, may I speak to you frankly?" Miroku asked, and the girl blinked at him in answer, so he continued. "When I was just a little younger than you, my own mother died. I grew up with Kaede, and she taught me all kinds of things that I can teach you. Do you go to school?"
"Yes…" Rin still seemed rather hesitant about all this.
"Well, as I have told your father, I am taking you to a sort of school. And there is another girl there who is your age." Miroku tried to tempt her. "She is my little sister, and she would love another little girl to play with. Would you like that?"
"Um…" Rin looked confused now. "But I love my daddy."
"I never said you did not. And do not think you can never see him again. I will let you visit him, and you can write him every day if you wish. Does that sound okay to you?" Miroku's voice was soft, calm, and mature enough to impress even the shell-shocked father.
"Daddy?" Rin was still unsure.
"Daddy wants you to go with Miroku." He told his daughter, his hands shaking as he patted her head and kissed her. "Your brother can help you pack, and you can leave any time Miroku is ready. How does that sound?"
"If…that's okay." Rin turned to Miroku and smiled brightly. "It's nice to meet you, Miroku!"
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The End (Of Part 3, That Is)