Chapter 8: Conversation
- By a Stream. Night-
The army had stopped near a stream for rest. Night stretched over them all with fine, sparkling dust. Small tents had been pitched for shelter against the worldly elements. Diru sat at the edge of the steam, skipping flat, smooth rocks across the surface of the transparent water. He had strayed away from everyone to be alone in his solitude. Everyone back at camp had started a small fire for warmth. They huddled by it and were talking in normal toned voices. Diru could make out a bit what they all spoke of. He leaned against the large tree's trunk, looking up to the heaven of night. How was Kiyoko doing? Was she tied up, tortured and starved? Neglected and left alone in a dark room? A criminal's word could never be trusted.
" Diru?"
Akira had come across Diru and in such a sorry state. The man refused to eat or sleep. Akira couldn't blame the poor man for he too felt the same pain and knew the same consequences of letting it rule you. The broken man looked to him with saddened eyes then back to the flowing stream. Akira stopped his little stroll and took a seat near Diru, resting his elbows on his knees as he did.
" We'll try to get there earlier than a week. These men are trackers. They'll be able to track Kiyoko down..."
" I wish I could believe you."
" What is that suppose to mean, Diru?"
" Call me cynical, but do you really think criminals are going to leave her untouched? Sanosuke knows criminals better than either of us know, and he has told me many times how untrustworthy those scummy bastards are. This one is no different, Akira."
" Have some faith, Diru. I am sure she is alive. We'll arrive at this man's place, pretend to produce the money and when he comes out to receive it, we'll unleash a huge fight on them. We'll rescue her and kill the man that did this...And since you are her brother, I shall let you fight him if you wish."
" Very kind of you, thank you."
" Come on, Diru. We both know how fragile and shy Kiyoko is but I do not doubt she'll fight back if she finds an opportune moment to do so."
Their conversation ended and only the distant sound of romping soldiers and the running of stream water could be heard. Diru looked away from Akira, not wishing to have the man in his sights. Akira let his sight to the grass and nothing more. Both didn't know what to say to another. they would be brothers in law and still stand at opposite ends on beliefs and opinions.
" So, why do you despise me, Diru?...I felt it ever since you've laid eyes upon me. Do you fear I'll treat your sister wrong?"
"...I despise you for what you have done to this country. You and your Meiji dogs."
"...Diru, I have a story to tell you. (lays on the grass) I used to be a Daimyo. I was against the Emperor and those Satsuma and Choshu bastards. I killed many of them when they dared to fight me. But just one's fighting wasn't enough for the whole war. When the emperor's powerful force finally overwhelmed us, he gave us Daimyo's a choice...to follow in suit of his idea of a perfect government, or to die...call me a coward if you wish, I do not care...I chose to follow his orders and his ideas and in turn he gave me the position I have today."
" So you betrayed your own beliefs...you're really a dishonorable man."
"...What would you have done if you were as young as I in a war like that? Wouldn't you want to live and be able to protect your mother and sister? Sometimes, honoring the family name is not what family is about but rather, being alive and well for them so you can protect them...and so they would not have to grieve."
Diru stood and left the banks of the stream to return to the camp. Akira stayed there and didn't make a move to leave his spot.
"Maybe I shouldn't have said that..."
-Enishi's Household. Night-
Enishi had returned Kiyoko to her room. Coming with night also came chilling air currents. He let her sit on the bed as he closed the window and went into a closet, dragging some heavy blankets out for her to sleep under. Kiyoko sat on the bed and said nothing to him, remembering his words in the carriage. No speaking unless spoken to. When she was given rules to follow, Kiyoko never disobeyed them. The heavy blankets were set beside her. Still she continued to look down to the floor without looking up to Enishi to thank him nor say good night. Enishi cocked his head, wondering now what was wrong with her. He hadn't the patience right now to put up with this kind of attitude and if it was thoughts of escape, he would have to tie her down for the night.
" Do you wish to be tied down for the night? Answer me."
" No, I do not wish it."
" Good. So no thoughts of escape?"
"...Why don't you answer?"
"You didn't tell me to answer."
The comment surprised him. But then he smiled and sat by her.
" You are a very peculiar girl...much different than the usual snobby, pompous noblewoman I had expected you to be."
" Do you always say that to women you kidnap?..."
"...Then again I could be wrong."
Enishi sat there brooding in silence as Kiyoko made clear her refusal to look to him. The demure creature kept her soft hands folded across her lap, her back straight as she sat on the edge of the bed. Her hair was still up, revealing that sensual back of the neck. It wasn't so much admired now days in Japan, but long ago when a woman showed the nape of her neck it was admired as the most sensual part of a woman's body. Enishi averted his eye sight and looked down to his own hands. Those hands were not too sinewy, but calloused and rough from so much training and although not visible to the naked eye, tainted in blood. He then turned his head back to her own hands, seeing how soft and pure they were. Hands like that could never deserve to be so tainted as his. It made him jealous and hateful of her that she could be so pure so happy when he could never be so.
" You know, I really hate your type. (stands up and paces in front of her) Your kind goes about with a happy life, untainted, undefined. No one's suffering matters to you unless it's your own. Selfish and snobby is what you truly are. This demure act you are playing out is not the true you. The true you, is a selfish, snobbish, greedy gold digger just like any other girl now days in this stupid era! Oh, and that fiancee...A lovesick puppy. Both of you are just in love and ignorant about the problems in the real world. You two are so rich...you don't have to care about other peoples' problems!"
" Don't dare pass judgment on me, Enishi! You do not know the tortures I have gone through nor the sacrifices I make!"
" Oh and what's that? Ruining a favorite kimono and having to buy a generic replacement?"
Kiyoko stood up, those blue eyes finally shedding themselves of softness and the flow of water and took a more determined, hardened look. Her hands for the first time balled into fists of anger, and the face muscles contracted into a scowl that was unbecoming of her.
" I lost my father in the Boshin war! Ever since I and my brother grieved and despised the Meiji government! They took lives of innocent families who dearly needed their fathers and brothers! Then I met Akira...I was still scarred from the loss of my most cherished family member. We had been wealthy merchants at one point and well off. Father was very successful. Then this Meiji government comes in and flips everything upside down! We started to become poor...and Akira saved my life once! He started to help my family out...and though he is a good man despite his position in the government, he is a good man! But! I do not love him! True...I do use him for money but not for selfish acts you proclaim I do! I am marrying him so I can support my family! I'm sacrificing my own happiness just so my family can survive!"
Enishi couldn't say anything to defend himself. He'd judged her too loosely, only basing her on her class. He should have known to look deeper and see the hidden pain but she hid it so well. It still didn't matter to him anymore. He gritted his teeth and headed for the door, slamming it open. He cast a mad glance at her.
" Good night, Miss Kiyoko."
He slammed the door and Kiyoko was left standing there still with rage burning brightly in her heart. Then in a helpless heap, she fell to the ground, covered her face and cried. It had been such a long time since she let her emotions gets the best of her. The hot tears dripped down the smooth cheeks. The door creaked open and Kiyoko threw herself back, preparing herself to see Enishi to come in. It wasn't. Dear Tomoya stepped in and closed the door then gave her a gracious smile worthy of an angel's.
" My, you seem to have upsetted Enishi pretty badly for him to go storming around like that."
" Maybe."
" I heard the conversation, Kiyoko. (sits down next to her on the ground) But you got to understand, Enishi had a bad life. He didn't become a criminal just to be one. Believe me, you had not the best of luck in your life, but your past cannot compare to the losses and sacrifices he's made throughout his life during childhood. I would tell you his story, but...it's not mine to tell. Just don't disrespect him. Show him some kind of respect and if you can, a bit of compassion. Maybe he'll ease up his attitude about you if you did...but let me warn you. Don't be overly compassionate...enough to let him know you understand, but not enough to disrupt his life any further. you understand?"
" Yes...thank you, Tomoya. I didn't mean to...yell like that. I don't hardly ever yell...I don't hardly stick up for myself."
" Ah well, sometimes it is good to stick up for yourself. Maybe Enishi won't think the same about you now since he knows like...all your life."
" (laughs) He hardly knows ALL my life...but thank you."
" Welcome. (gets and goes to the door) Hey, get some rest and stop trying to trick yourself into guilt. (leaves)"
Tomoya left her and shut the door softly, not wishing to break the peace he given her. Once he shut the door, in the darkness near the staircase stood Enishi with crossed arms. The glare was that of a dragon, mad and powerful. There was no fear in Tomoya as he stared at Enishi and even dared as much as to smile to him in a friendly way.
" I don't want you talking to her again ever, you hear me, Tomoya?"
" Come, Enishi...don't you find her the least bit attractive or interesting?"
" (turns his back and heads for his room) No such feelings occupy me, Tomoya."