Falina bent down to pick up the cherries Avrin had spilled. Some of them had hit the ground hard and dripped sticky crimson juice onto her fingers. She wiped her carmine fingers on her handkerchief leaving a faint pink stain. When she had finished Falina took the reed basket and put it on Avrin's doorstep. Falina had seen Kiisan come dashing home, but she didn't want to see him dressed as a soldier. She could wait until later to speak with him. A light breeze blew through the tiny village on the outskirts of Serif. Some of the wisteria blossoms clinging to Avrin and Kiisan's home were blown off the clumps that hung from the vine like grapes and caught in Falina's hair. The smell of the flowers was so strong it was nearly intoxicating. "I...I'll see Kiisan later," she convinced herself as she left his yard. "I still have work to do."

Murasaki Fuji no Shita ni Kuni

"The Country Under the Purple Wisteria"

Chapter 1- The Weaver Girl Who Loved the Spring Wisteria

Under a canopy of blossoms Falina sorted out the thread she needed to begin her task. Although it was frustrating having wisteria petal stick in her cloth Falina preferred to work outside were she could see all the activity in the village humming and buzzing about her. The wisteria waved in the sea breeze. There was jasmine climbing the fences and walls too, but it was still covered in buds with not a single flower in sight. She smoothed her skirt and knelt down to start her work.

The rough threads caught on her fingers, but she deftly slipped out of them and they slid back into place. The ultramarine cloth came together slowly and stretched across the oak loom. Falina tugged at one of the ends to straighten it and measured the length with a piece of cord. "That's good enough." She finished off the ends and taking the cloth off the loom headed towards the fields to see her father.

She smiled as she walked the well-trod path. How many times had she walked that way before? How many more times would she walk it in her life? It was nice to have a well-structured life. Doing the same kinds of things every week...having the same old friends...peaceful. A little change every once in a while kept things interesting. Falina knew Kiisan wished things would happen, but she felt that it was better if nothing happened. At least that way nothing could change for the worse. She could see the tomato fields ahead. Her father stood bareheaded laughing with one of his friends. Both of the men had tan, bald heads, their hair burned off from years working hatless in the fields under the sun. She waved the piece of cloth at them and picked up her pace a bit, leaving the path to scuttle through the nearly waist high tomato plants. "Papa! Look how fast I finished up!"

Pohren smiled at his daughter, "That's a nice color. Did you get that thread from Avrin?"

She nodded, "Avrin said she had so much that she couldn't use and that I could take whatever I wanted. I thought you could use this to protect your head from the sun."

Pohren laughed, "I don't know if my head's worth protecting any more!"

Falina shook her head at the tall, muscular man, "Just take it. You don't want to get sunburned again." Pohren took the dark cloth his daughter offered and tied it over the top of his head. His companion stifled a laugh.

Pohren gave him a stern look and then turning back to his dark-haired daughter mumbled, "Thank you Falina." She laughed and scrambled up out of the field onto the dirt path.

She walked back towards the village trying not to kick up too much dust. Past the tiny village was the whole world. She had never gone much further than some of the small neighboring towns in her entire life and the nation, let alone the world, was much too vast for her to fathom at this stage in her life. She wondered what sorts of places lay beyond the horizon and if Kiisan had gone anywhere radically different from Finnel Village. Falina had heard of such foreign cities as Caleria and Saousmouth where the people wore different sorts of clothing and ate strange food, but all she knew was only hearsay. She had never even met someone who had been to visit those places. Although she was too afraid to consider traveling to anyplace that far away she hoped to visit Crystal Valley someday. It wasn't too faraway or too foreign. Kiisan had been there once and the tales he had returned with made her tingle with excitement despite herself.

Falina picked up her loom and moved it inside to avoid the early morning dew dampening it. It had belonged to her mother, whom she had never known. In such a small village however there were always many people who didn't mind watching a child and although her father spent six and a half days in his fields a week she had never been lonely. Kiisan's mother, Avrin, had taught her to weave, to read and write, and to dance. Avrin always said she was a quick learner and despite her reluctance to be complimented she knew it was probably true. Her father had taught her to cook and how to defend herself. Most of the things she did she accomplished rather well, but she always denied proficiency in any area. It made her nervous to have the way she did things looked at and analyzed. ...It was just the way she did things. Why did they need to worry about that?

She swept off the porch and watched some children playing tag. "Quiet things are the best," she murmured to herself. Falina knew that the wars were coming closer. The state of Serif was drafting young men. Kiisan was lucky to come home alive so soon. Her father had barely proven himself too old to be drafted. He had served with Serif's Light Brigade for five years in his youth and rarely spoke of the time. It had been too painful. She knew when she saw the look in his eyes as five young men marched away from their hometown. Only Kiisan had come back. They had died in a surprise attack when they were camped in Eiken Valley. The Aronian Kingdom was doomed to battle itself. No leader had stood strong enough to pull the many states together since the kingdom was established. Falina worried about the wars sometimes when she became distracted. If something were to happen to the village or to her father she didn't know what she would do or where she would go...But she had decided not to worry about it until something actually happened...the times were simply flowing on as always...the wars usually receded near Sorlath Citadel. There was always the fear that this time would be the time they came closer...and once they came closer than the citadel what would stop them? Falina put the broom away and walked to Kiisan's home. She approached the door cautiously and knocked lightly. After a few moments waiting and receiving no response she knocked again a little harder. Kiyo, the older of Kiisan's two younger sisters, opened the door. "Hi Falina. Are you here to see 'Niisan?"

Falina nodded, "If your mother isn't keeping him too busy..."

Kiyo smiled knowingly and stuck her head back inside, "Mama! Can Falina come inside?"

Avrin's voice rung back from another room, "Yes, Dear, please let her in!"

Kiyo turned back to Falina, "I guess you heard that." Falina took off her shoes and left them just inside the doorway. Kiisan's home was only a bit larger than her own, but lodged two more people. As she looked to her left she saw Kiisan, Osayo, and Avrin sitting on the floor around the table. Kiisan wasn't wearing his uniform. His cat-eared hat sat lopsidedly on his head much more to the left side than the right.

Falina blushed awkwardly, "You didn't get wounded, did you? You're okay...? ...I...um...I missed you."

Kiisan winked at her, "No, I didn't get hurt or anything. I missed you too Falina. It was only two months, but that was two months too much."

Avrin stood up and looked at her daughters, "Osayo, Kiyo, why don't we leave Kiisan and Falina alone- I'm sure they've got a lot of catching up to do." She led the two young girls out of the room.

Kiisan took a deep breath. "Whew! It was getting hard trying to keep my cool around my sisters ...So, Falina, anything new around here? I mean, did your dad miraculously grow some hair somewhere other than his face or something?"

Falina looked at him indignantly, "No. Not much had gone on...It's just a bit more tense now. And we're still mourning your companions."

Kiisan toyed with the bell hanging from his sash, "Paul, Keiji, Kairu, and Yuujin. It was tough. It's still tough..."

Falina whispered her understanding, "I won't ask about it if you don't want to talk about it..."

Kiisan laughed in a rather relaxed manner, "It's okay Falina. ...It'll be okay."

Falina sat down close to her friend; "I'll believe it if you say so."