Day Twenty - Silent Night
Characters: Umehito & Kirimi Nekozawa
Genre: Family
Triggers: None
Soft candlelight danced across the dark room, casting long shadows along the far walls and drawn windows. Although it was the late hours of night every curtain was closed. Moonlight, as beautiful and tempting as it was, was not invited to this evening's affairs.
Umehito lit another candle with a lit match, waving away the sparked flame as the candle took.
"There, the last candle." He whispered to himself, stepping back to have a better look at the arrangement displayed on his family's alter.
"Big brother, what are you doing?" A small voice asked from below.
Umehito looked down to see his little sister, no more than seven years old, stared up at him with large inquisitive eyes.
"We are honoring our family tonight, the ones who came before us." Umehito replied. He picked up Kirimi, situated her on his hip, and pointed to the family portraits standing among the lit candles.
"These are the Dark Lords before me, they wore this very cape and served the darkness." His finger moved across several portraits on the alter.
Kirimi looked at the last one and asked, "Where is yours?"
Umehito laughed, "I don't have one yet. I'm still alive."
"Oh," Kirimi said, not fully understanding the weight of his answer, "But one day you will."
Umehito nodded, "Yes, one day I will."
"Who will light your candle?" She asked, still surveying the alter.
"Would you like to?" Umehito leaned in close to nudge his nose into her hair.
Kirimi smiled broadly, "I'd love to big brother!"
"Thank you Kirimi," Umehito laughed, "I wouldn't want anyone else."