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The rain continued to fall, as did night. I kept watch over my sister and newly adopted brothers as I raised a mental plea to Mother Moon, guardian of dreams. Under her, the night passed without incident.

The next day, Father Sun led us in the direction of the civilization Sister mentioned. The soil became richer and in it grew different grass. Vegetation I never saw before graced us with shade. We rested and rose into the next day.

The one on my back grew steadily worse, his sweat soaking through the cloth separating us as Sister's charm faded from it. Vines and low branches clawed at us as we avoided the path that bloomed from the earth. Father's position in the sky was difficult to discern through the thick canopy. According to Sister, it was late morning.

We moved toward the road and stopped. The boy was removed from me and I grazed, being sure to stay nearby. My hunger sated, I returned to lay next to the fair-haired one. The supplies to be kept were removed from the supply bags. The quiet one shouldered the bag and they left. I kept watch over the supplies and guarded the swaddled, sleeping figure resting against me.

. . .

Before we left Aysel, I tore some material from the cloth I swaddled the blonde one in and made a temporary ankle-length skirt and used some to cover my hair. I made sure to tell Italy not to flirt with any woman. They were either taken or promised to someone.

The city gates loomed over us, open in welcome. Just in front of it, a guard stopped us to ask our business. Italy was about to say something, but I subtly took and squeezed his hand. Japan told him that he had come looking for work and brought his family. The guard let us pass, murmuring something along the lines of "the foolish young".

We were immediately met with the commotion of a large crowd mingled with merchants crying their wares. The wide street was packed with what could have been a hundred people. I navigated the crowd with Japan at my right and Italy close behind us. I did this while trying to make it look like Japan was leading, appearing meek in the process. We found someone willing to buy the hide and horns and received thirty silver pieces, the diameter equal to the length of the pad of my thumb.

Then I guided them to an alley way that I knew all too well. The air seemed heavy with the scent of decay. Around us were several wooden buildings in various states of disrepair. I gently took Italy's hand as he started to whimper.

At the end of the alley, four roads branched from it. We took the second from the left. From there it dwindled in size until it was a small dirt track, overgrown in some areas by grass. A two-story, stone house stood before us. I knocked on the faded, wooden door. A muffled kind, female voice called, "Come in!". We entered a square room, roughly five meters in width, that was dimly lit by two windows, assisted by a candle on the wooden counter before us.

From a doorway behind the counter, an elderly woman emerged. Her shoulders were stooped slightly from years of hunching over mortar and pestle. Her hair was long and silver, pulled into a loose bun on the back of her head. Some flyaway strands were tucked behind her ears. When she saw me, her eyes lit up, like so long ago.

"Big sister Tokemi!" she cried excitedly as she ran towards me, arms outstretched. She ran between the men and tackled me with a hug, laughing. I joined her silently. She rolled off of me and stood, helping me do the same. Her smile had not changed in eighty-three years.

"Big sister! You haven't changed at all!" She turned and smiled at Japan and Italy. "And who are these fine gentleman? Surely, you haven't been claimed by both?" I laughed again and shook my head as pink dusted Japan's cheeks.

Italy animatedly introduced himself and Japan. He opened his mouth and turned to a space beside Japan and stopped. His face fell. Her expression changed to one of worry. "Germany... H-he fell asleep two weeks ago... Two days ago, he got sick. I... I don't know what to do." He tried to blink away his hears. She pulled him into a hug, resting her head atop his. "Hush. Hush, little one. You have come here. Your friend will be okay. Shh." She held him until his tears subsided, rocking him as a mother would her child.

She released him and turned to me, asking his symptoms. I explained that he had been bitten four times by the kissing wasps, at least once while he was awake, and described his fever, occasional muscle spasms, and heavy sweating. She simply nodded. Asking us to wait, she slipped through the doorway behind the counter. All three of us stared after her and I relished in the familiar scents of the herbs she kept.

She returned with a small glass flask, half filled with a clear liquid, with a bowl and pestle in one hand. In the other, she held a bundle of herbs. She set the bowl and flask on the counter and separated the herbs into two piles. We watched her crush some of the herbs while adding small amounts of the liquid. When she finished, she handed me the bowl.

. . .

I blinked and Mama was gone. Italy screamed and held tightly to the older woman. I remembered Mama saying that she sad been called many things. Tokemi... I recognized that name. "Hush, little one. Big Sister has gone to tend to Germany. The sun is beginning to set. Do you have a place to stay?" I shook my head and told her that we should catch up to Mama. She said that the gates close at sundown and would not reopen until dawn. She continued, saying that we were welcome to stay the night. We nodded. Before she lead us from the room, I asked her name. "Oh! Please forgive my manners. My name is Amaya."

We followed Amaya through a large storage room filled with shelves, packed with assorted herbs and liquids, and up a flight of old wooden stairs. From there, we went through a dark hallway and into a small room lit dimly by a window. The walls were a fading white and the worn wooden floor was bare except for a single mattress of straw in a far corner. She apologized for the poor conditions, explaining that the years had not been kind to her.

Turning to a small closet, she took out four blankets. Two she spread on the floor, another on the mattress, and the fourth she kept in her arms. She bid us good night and went downstairs again. I slept on the floor while Italy took the mattress.

Out of habit, Italy and I woke at dawn. We folded the blankets and returned them to the closet. The stairs creaked as we descended. It was dark, since there were no windows. I heard Italy wimpier behind me. I stopped and he walked into me. He apologized as I held a finger to my lips. I heard a sound to my left and followed it, Italy close behind.

A match was struck and a soft light illuminated Amaya's kneeling form for a moment before it was thrown into a fireplace. It caught and slowly started to grow. Amaya stood and turned to us, greeting us in our native tongues. She took three stools from a stack against the wall and set them in front of the fireplace. She sat on the left one.

Italy sat on the center stool and asked,"How do you know our languages?" Amaya glanced at me as I sat, saying, "Big sister taught me." I looked at her confusedly and asked, "How did you meet her? She told us that no one has ever seen her, just felt her passing." She nodded and replied, "She told me the same. I haven't actually seen her until today. I met her in my dreams."

Italy and I leaned closer as she continued. "When I was a child, I helped my mother gather herbs from our garden and watched as she made cures for all sorts of ailments. I remember her teaching me to stitch wounds and set bone. When age started to get to her, I had to take over most of her duties. I was twelve years old. About that time, I felt someone watching me. At first, I was uneasy. In time I learned that the presence was harmless. I got the feeling that it was curious more than anything. I felt it look over my shoulder as I worked. A few days later, I met her.

"In my dream, I was in complete darkness. I was afraid. I heard footsteps in front of me. They were nearly silent, bare feet on on a smooth surface. The space brightened slightly as they approached. As each second passed, rather than feel more fearful, as I expected, peace grew in my heart.

"Before me stood a strange woman. She came up to me and sat. I just looked into her eyes. They were so beautiful. I asked her name and she smiled softly. Her mouth didn't move, but I heard her speak in the language my mother spoke in. She told me that she had no name. I nodded and asked her to tell her story. Towards the end, I remembered a traveling merchant and a name he once said. I believe it is in your tongue." She looked at me and I nodded, saying, "Tokemi, meaning 'time embodied'." Amaya nodded and continued, "I would meet her every night. She taught me so many things and kept me company as sickness slowly took my mother. One day, she just left. I am so glad to see her again."

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