18
Ataru's Wire
A slow smile spread over Ataru's face as he read the wire in his hand a second time. And then a third, just to make certain there was no mistake.
It was regarding his query of last fall, and the update was to say that Kaoru had ridden into Iyo and had taken possession of her deceased uncle's farm.
Ataru let out a long sigh of relief. So, she was alive and well. Thank God. He wondered by what miracle she had managed to escape from the dragons, and the Wild People who had come behind them after the other two passengers, and how she had been fortunate enough to find her way home. But that didn't matter. Nothing mattered except that she was safe.
He had been too stubborn to believe that she might be dead, but after so many months had passed without a word, he had almost given up hope.
He folded the wire and placed it in his pocket next to his heart. She was alive.
Soon, he promised himself, as soon as he could arrange it, he would go to Iyo and be with her again. He would declare his love and ask her to marry him. Hopefully, she would accept. If not, he would woo her with flowers and candy and sweet words and anything else it took to win her heart.
He began to pace the floor as his excitement grew. His second-in-command would be back from duty at the garrison by the end of the month, and since everything was quiet here, Ataru would take off on one of the routine runs with a brief layover in Iyo.
He left the office to make his afternoon rounds, imagining how surprised Kaoru would be when he showed up on her doorstep with a bouquet of flowers and a proposal.