AN: Once again I show that I am utterly warped. I dunno. It's fun?
Chapter 5: Music of the murdered
It was a quiet evening in their little cottage, and he appreciated it immensely. He was spending a while sitting in the doorway, watching the night scene, the dark sky and the small but efficient garden they had planted.
When he was a small child, he had enjoyed the simple beauty of nature, but never had he long moments to savor it. And then he left Hiko to join the war, and there was never enjoyment. But here, now, finally he could truly feel the beauty and life that flowed from nature...
Tomoe said something behind him, and he turned to see her. She sat inside, by the fire pit, one hand tucked behind her back in an awkward manner even as the other rested lightly on her lap. It should have struck him as odd, but he didn't notice. He asked her to repeat the words.
She didn't, just looked at him, studying for a time. Her head tilted, then back up, her face developing the brightest, sunniest, oddest smile he'd ever seen. Slowly she scooted forward, coming towards him, straight to him though she'd only one hand to help her. She came to rest at his side, her facade-smile growing more pronounced as she brought her hand from her back. She held her tanto, and reached forward to caress his cheek with the flat of the blade. His eyes closed as he leaned into the touch, and he didn't flinch as she turned the blade sideways and cut into his skin.
The blood began to trickle down his face, slowly at first, then faster as more skin was cut. It was just him; his pain, his wounds, he didn't matter.
He felt a loss of sensation as the blade was removed, then abruptly it was halfway in his hands. Another held the weapon, curling his hand around the hilt as it was swiftly raised and pulled through her throat.
His eyes shot open in pure horror as sensation returned in full. She still sat before him, one hand curling his around the blade as her throat poured forth her life. She was smiling at him, still, only now it was a free smile, true happiness in her demeanor even as she fell sideways and died. It occurred to him that only when she was leaving -
escaping -
him she felt real happiness.
---His eyes shot open, full of a terror and grief quickly submerged by cold efficiency as he sensed a threat. He'd whipped his sword around in a frightening battojutsu before he even had time to assess what was attacking him. He stopped dead.
There was no one there.
No, there was something, many somethings present, threat and security alike everywhere but he couldn't see them. His senses were screaming contradictions at him and after several seconds he dropped his sword and clapped his hands to his head just as an unearthly howl whipped through the trees - and then all was silence.
He stayed that way for a while, head bent in acute stress and instinctive fear, holding his head like his life would end when he let go. As his senses told him over and over again he was now alone, he slowly looked up at the world, his face full of raw emotions. Slowly, an age passing before he reached his sword, he retrieved his blade and sheathed it. He backed up several steps, hitting a tree and sliding down to the ground. He leaned his sword against his shoulder and dropped his head, staring wide eyed at the ground.
A sense of peace stole over him, calming his nerves and sending the terror away. He relaxed, momentarily feeling a happiness he hadn't felt since Tomoe was with him. As he curled forward, falling asleep, he thought he felt a light kiss on his forehead. And he was certain he heard a former guilty pleasure - his wife, singing, a beautiful calm voice that rang through the trees as he slipped into slumber.