And we're up! Thank you everyone for being so patient

Reviewer Responses:

Charmed Wolf—thank you again Charmed Wolf

Kenni nii chan—thanks and yes, I do tend to go rather deep in my writing. Unfortunately, it causes me to struggle with action

Where My Heart Lies ch 4

Misao headed downstairs for dinner. She and the other Oniwabanshu of the Aoiya ate in the restaurant after closing for the day. It was well an hour after dusk, summer as it was, and night descended over the city of Kyoto.

The table was unusually quiet this night. Strange. This silence was becoming awfully familiar. Misao deliberately avoided looking at Aoshi, not wanting to face him just yet. Even so, she felt his gaze on her throughout the meal and shrank slightly under it.

It was obvious to Misao that whatever change had overcome Aoshi had been brought on by she herself. She finished her meal quickly, as she was doing none of those things that would normally have distracted her. She had additional reasons to finish and leave quickly, of course. The silence and the continuous sensation of being watched were making her uncomfortable.

She retreated once again to the gardens behind the Aoiya. Any more time alone in her room she could not tolerate. She sat once more aside the small koi pool. At this time there was a small leaf floating in the water (likely having been knocked from a nearby tree by some small creature). The large fish would disturb the leaf every so often, creating ripples at the water's surface.

If Aoshi had made his decision, as it appeared he had, what was she supposed to do now? There is no knowing, really. You can try to prepare yourself for every scenario, but it will seep through, somehow. It penetrates your plan through its tiniest flaws and brings you to feel very unprepared nonetheless. She hadn't even thought ahead this time—not that it really made much difference, but at least she wouldn't feel such failure to try. Regretting her lack of preparation would be of no help to her now. There is no strategy in such things, only whatever tactics you can manage.

As much as she hated to call it such, her strategy of confronting Aoshi had worked well enough and now the small flame she had set forth was raging out of her control. He had that unpredictable, swift and powerful aura of a fire, and yet he was as untelling and unpersuadable as a glacier. Rampant and yet solid, a great force to be reckoned with.

In such matters concerning Aoshi, one must wait knowing that whatever will occur shall do so in due time.