Day 4: Devotion
Different ways of devotion
The cold wind blows seeping through her flesh and bones, sending shivers down her spine. Yet this doesn't stop her in her walk to the Grand Narukami Shrine, going upstairs before she heads towards the Sacred Sakura, her firm steps echoing in the air.
It's only when she's in front of the centenarian tree that she stops, watching the majesty of the Sakura petals that covers it rustling as the tree sways with the wind, filling the air with their sweet and pleasant scent in such an inclement night, prompting her to kneel and pay her respects.
Sara closes her eyes, her hands resting at both of her sides as she begins to pray.
She prays for the well-being of her soldiers and their families, for those who perished in the battlefield. She prays for her city, for Inazuma her home, and its citizens.
She prays for their ruler, for the Shogun, for her beloved Goddess.
A bitter laugh erupts from her throat as she clenches her eyes tightly upon the thought of her, of somebody who doesn't even care about the well-being of her people. Somebody who never once dared to recognize her sole existence or any of her efforts after victorious and arduous battles under her name, nor had any word of comfort after the corpses left behind in bloody lost battles.
Somebody who never once dared to look at her with nothing but void eyes and a cold expression on her face.
Sara clenches a fistful of soil from the ground in between her fists tightly as a lonely tear falls from her eyes onto her balled fist, wondering how could she devote herself to somebody who doesn't care in the slightest about the people she rules over and even much less about those who serve her, mere killers staining their hands with the blood of their enemies in her name for the sake of protecting her and their beloved home in her war game.
Another tear falls from her eyes rolling down her cheeks, before a gentle thumb wipes it away.
Sara quickly opens her eyes to find herself trapped into a pair of mesmerizing but concerned amethyst eyes staring into hers.
- What's wrong, my little bird?
Yae asks softly, concern laced in her voice much different from her usual sly tone, managing to bring a timid and brief smile to the general's lips upon the pet name.
- It's nothing, Lady Yae. I apologize for such a late inconvenient – Sara apologizes, letting out a quiet sniff as she wipes her tears.
- It may be something important if such a strong person like you is here this late, and no less than crying.
Yae says as she strokes her cheek looking at her with nothing but worry in her eyes, and Sara feels her chest tightening, more tears shedding down her eyes as she leans into the priestess' touch.
The pink haired woman can only sigh heavily, pulling her into a tight hug. She feels Sara tensing up against her upon the unfamiliarity of it, before she relaxes, sinking further into the warmth of her body, the softness of her touch and her soothing scent, breaking down in tears.
- Tell me little bird, does this have anything to do with your beloved Shogun? – Yae asks patiently as she runs her fingers through the general's short hair, feeling Sara clutching her clothes tighter as her crying intensifies, breaking her heart at the silent answer she gets – It's okay, Sara. It's okay, I'm here.
Yae coos softly as her hand travels down Sara's hair to begin rubbing her back on circles hoping it can help her to calm down.
It's okay, I'm here.
Her words, her caring voice echoes in the general's mind, feeling her soft touch helping her to slowly calm down, and she almost wants to laugh at the unfathomable thought of Yae Miko being the one who has always been there for her in her own cunning ways, in the way she has always yearned the most.
A shaky sigh escapes her lips as Sara allows herself to sink further into the pink haired woman's comfort, closing her eyes for a moment to enjoy it and remember those times in which the priestess took care of her while still bothered her.
- My, my, general, you look terrible – Yae used to say whenever she went to the shrine to pray and alleviate the burdens she carried over her shoulders – You know, some herbal tea would do wonders to those horrible bags under your eyes. We wouldn't want your soldiers to mistake you for the enemy, or even worst, for a living dead.
She would end adding with her typical sly smirk adorning her lips, accompanying it with a sweet playful giggle to try to rile the general, hearing a grunt in return, before Sara rose from the ground to leave the sacred grounds without exchanging another word between them, failing to notice the look of pure concern in the priestess' eyes.
Sara then would think about the mentioned herbal tea on her way to her home at the Kujou compound, buying some grams of it out of curiosity to brew it and take a sip, realizing next morning how it worked perfectly as it helped her to sleep and wake up with less noticeable under-eye bags.
- My, my, general, you sure seem to be growing weak and thin. Are you sure you're feeding yourself appropriately?
Yae would say in between mischievous giggles as she stopped by in the middle of training to then squeeze her biceps.
- Good thing I happen to have this with me. Here, have it at least.
Yae would then take her hand to place a carefully wrapped onigiri, her favorite food, on it before walking away like nothing. Sara, of course, would eat it without realizing of the relieved smile on the pink haired woman's face as she watched her in the distance.
Or those times in which she would reprimand her about being a bad warrior for having so many wounds only to begin healing them as she kept repriminding her and inflicting her more pain. Or in which she would storm into her office in her fox form to snatch her fountain pen from her hands to then run away with it, obliging her to take a break from all the paperwork resting on her desk just to chase her.
Sara smiles softly as she remembers it, before she unclenches her hands to fully hug Yae in a warm and grateful hug.
- I'm sorry.
It's the only thing she can say to the pink haired woman, feeling her hugging her tightly, before Yae lets her go after she's calm enough to then wipe a tear from her cheek and cup it and stroke it again, obliging to look at her.
- There's no need to apologize. I've also been in your same position, too blinded by the Shogun's radiance, devoting myself to serve her and do anything for her, only to get nothing but pain in return.
Sara can only grab Yae's hand, pulling it away from her cheek to squeeze it, trying to comfort her as a soft smile returns to Yae's face.
- I wanted to spare you from going through that suffering... So please, my strong little bird, don't keep kneeling for somebody who doesn't share an ounce of respect nor care for you or for her people.
Yae notices the look of hesitation on Sara's face as if she was letting her words sink in her, before she sighs and nods tentatively.
Yae gives her another soft smile, squeezing her hand encouragingly, before a loud thunder roars, a fury lightning flashing in the night sky as it starts to pour down hard on them.
The pink haired woman almost wants to laugh at the irony of it, before she finds herself sheltered from it by one of Sara's large wings.
- Thank you – she whispers coyly, seeing a timid smile spreading across the other woman's lips, finding the sight endearing – We should head inside if we don't want to catch a cold.
Yae suggests as she makes a move to rise from the ground, only to stop, frowning upon not seeing Sara moving at all.
- Sara? – she calls her name worriedly, seeing a blush tinting the tengu's cheeks.
- I, huh, I apologize, I think my legs are numb.
Sara mumbles embarrassedly, the blush on her cheeks growing deeper as she hears a loud guffaw coming from the priestess.
- You're so cute.
Yae teases her, seeing the blush on her cheeks getting an even darker shade of red, before she helps her to stand up, circling her waist with her arm as Sara leans on her shoulder, walking together like that towards the pink haired woman's abode under the shelter of Sara's large wings preventing them from getting soaked.
- I'm sure some hot tea can help with it – Yae comments playfully, eliciting a quiet giggle from the other woman.
- Herbal tea?
Sara asks playfully back, hearing Yae laughing again on their walk inside and the tengu can't help but feel her heart flutter at such melodious sound, smiling contentedly at being the one causing it, before taking Yae's hand in hers to squeeze it.
- Thank you for everything you do for me.
She thanks her softly, feeling Yae squeezing her hand back.
- You're more than welcome, my little bird.
Yae says, before they enter the shrine, walking towards her abode to brew some tea and talk more about everything over it.
Maybe one day, with time, Sara will realize about the different ways she devotes herself to her people, giving the best of her to protect them and Inazuma from any danger. The way she takes care of those who she cherishes, giving them all her affection and time.
Maybe one day, the Shogun and Inazuma won't be the only ones she devotes herself completely to, but also a certain pink haired priestess.
