Empire of the Sun
By: Katreju
Chapter Seven
A trickle of sweat ran down the side of her face as Orihime stared at the shadow standing in the dim corner of the room.
This is not good! Oh, why didn't I pick the door on the left?
As soon as she finished recuperating from what she titled as "the world's greatest tactic of how to petrify someone to near-death and look absolutely paranormal while doing it", she took a step back and pivoted on her heel to ready herself for the execution of Plan Three:
Run like your hakama caught on fire!
Considering she had just evaded the group of men who were no doubt still lingering down the hallway, the cloaked red-head decided to make her escape through the other shoji across the room. But before she could reach the door, the stranger seized her arm then forcefully pushed her against the wall. A shot of pain darted up her back from impact as she closed her eyes and awaited her inevitable doom.
"What are you doing here?"
Orihime recognized that voice; that deep, composed and critical voice that could send chills down one's spine and urge them to curl into a ball on the ground...
Oh, how relieved she was to hear it!
Her round eyes promptly opened, now staring upward into his piercing eyes, and right then and there she knew she would not be able to explain her way out of the hole she had dug herself in.
"Answer me." Ulquiorra commanded, maintaining his hard grip on her arm.
"I had to come to get some things," Orihime answered.
"And you could not wait until I was with you?"
"Shouldn't my presence here answer your question?" She laughed to make light of the mood, but quickly caught on that it only exasperated him further then quieted down and waited for him to speak.
Ulquiorra faintly sighed then released her arm before returning to his interrogation. "How were you able to get inside?"
"I came through the east gate."
"The castle is heavily guarded. There is no justification for why you would have not been seen."
"You're right. There were some ashigaru along the way, but I took them out."
What she was about to see would forever be branded in her memory.
Ulquiorra raised one eyebrow, albeit skeptically, at her and she had to repress a snort that was compelled on coming out. "…Really?"
Orihime nodded with glee. "Yes."
Strangely enough, he found himself inclined to believe her, but that did not take away the unease he felt. In fact, it worsened it. "If this is true, I am afraid to even ask where you hid the bodies."
Her finger repeatedly scratched her cheek. "Um, I kind of left them in front of the gate."
"You are proving to be more troublesome by the day," he stated emptily.
"Hey! I didn't kill them if that's what you're thinking! I just knocked them out using my shinobi skills."
"Shinobi skills?"
"Well, it's more like self-defense but substituting shinobi makes it sound fiercer!"
This girl was revealing to be a lunatic as well. Troublesome, perhaps even strangely fascinating, but definitely a lunatic. He made a mental note to be certain he mentioned all three on his unassigned peer assessment when he returned to Naitsu. "Where did you learn these techniques?"
"Tatsuki taught me! I started learning from her a few years ago after we became friends."
"Why am I not the least bit surprised?"
"Huh?" she blinked.
Orihime watched him walk over to the shoji and slide it open before he turned his eyes back on her. "I will accompany you from this point on, but you are free to search around for what you need." He noticed the clueless stare on her face and became somewhat annoyed by it. "What is it?"
"I guess I'm a little surprised that you're allowing me to do this. That's all," she said.
"What would be the point of stopping you?" he said candidly. "You will be defiant as usual and attempt to repeat your offense all over again."
"You make me sound like a criminal," she frowned.
Ulquiorra glared. "Would you care for me to go over your history?"
"No! Because then we'll be standing here awhile and I'd rather we be doing something productive, like find the items I need."
"Then lead the way."
"Gladly!" Orihime puffed up and walked over to where he stood before they left the room together. For a while it was silent between them as they trailed down the dark corridors of the castle. However, being silent could only last so long if Orihime is around.
"Do you always keep your hands in your pockets?" she asked, staring at the side profile of her escort. "I've noticed that you do that a lot."
"It's not a habit I am consciously aware of," Ulquiorra replied.
"Eh? But you even have pockets sewn into your hakama!"
Ulquiorra eyed at her suspiciously. "Are you implying that you retain your attention on my hips?"
Orihime's face began to burn. "No! Besides, you make it pretty obvious that you have pockets!"
"Your shame is written all over your face."
"Because I'm displeased that you would even think that of me! Like really, stop making me out to be a pervert!"
Ulquiorra said nothing more while Orihime grumbled under her breath. So much for small talk, she thought regretfully. And she still wanted to ask him about another matter.
This man is the one who presented Lord Inoue and his swords to be consecrated.
Hacchi's words had been in the back of her mind since their meeting. She had not overlooked what the General did for her brother, even though she believed he would rather her feigned ignorance. It was that there had not been any opportunities for her to talk about it and she had rather their conversation be private even though she thought the world of Tatsuki.
Maybe now was the time for her to bring it up…if she could only get over how flustered she still was over their previous conversation!
Her attention was then drawn to the shoji on her left and her steps came to a standstill.
Ulquiorra ceased as well. "This is the master chamber," he said.
"Yes, I know," she replied solemnly. Her heart quivered as to why this room was especially significant. She stared at the shoji for another minute before decisively sliding it open.
And then it hit her.
The powerful stench of rotten blood, decay and old soil instantly circled around her and she had been able to quickly locate its source. All around the chamber were foot-stained trails that led to an enormous carmine stain in the center of the tatami-matted floor.
This was now the memorial ground of Lord Inoue's murder. This was where she had held her brother for the last time and watched his spirit depart from this world.
Orihime could feel herself starting to fade in and out, but not before she examined the stain further. She then spotted the multitude of insects and vermin feasting over what remained on the floor and felt a wave of nausea come onto her. Suppressing the urge to retch on the floor, she covered her nose and mouth with her hand and tore her eyes away from the gruesome sight.
She now faced the other part of the chamber and became aware of the full damage the room had taken. All of the doors had been kicked in or punctured, many important documents had been left scattered around the levelled platform, the decorative scrolls that used to be on the walls had either been torn apart or stolen, and the cherry-wood desk – her brother's beloved cherry-wood desk that he delighted in using for writing, reading, socializing with visitors, or enjoying a cup of tea - had been reduced to shards.
It was all too much for her to bear.
Ulquiorra had long been accustomed to death. His position as a samurai had required him to be of witness and partake in the darkest recesses of the human mind. He had seen this same scene over and over again and that, along with other methods, have made him desensitized to the art of warfare, no matter how sordid or repugnant it can be. Therefore, he was not the least bit bothered about the sight before him.
However, he did not expect his ward to feel the same and wondered if he should have tried to avert her away from the chamber. But had he done that, would she not have been hindered in the future? Yes, she would have continued on being naïve and sheltered from this one harsh truth, but she was a daimyo now and it was inevitable for her to face more situations like this during her reign. The wide-eyed idealism she seemed to be raised in no longer belonged in her world. She would not succeed very long if it did.
"General Cifer…"
Her soft voice was barely audible, but loud enough to break him out of his train of thought. He stared down at her and observed the hot tears pooling in her eyes.
"I need some air…" she pleaded, her focus still on the room ahead. "Please help me."
He did not comprehend what she meant by 'helping her', but the moment he saw her attempt to walk back into the corridor with less than stable footing, his arm instinctively wrapped around her shoulder and pulled her close to him. "Come."
He felt her shift most of her weight on him and made certain that she remained steady in his grasp.
Neither of them saying another word, Ulquiorra led them away from the master chamber.
. . .
A decent amount of time had passed when the two stepped into a small garden pavilion overlooking the pond. Ulquiorra assisted Orihime in sitting on the wooden bench provided and stayed standing in front of her, waiting for his next instruction.
However, the young daimyo seemed like she was in a trance. Her hands were tightly gripping the legs of her umanori and her solemn eyes were downward like she was studying the ground.
Ulquiorra was gradually becoming annoyed by this display of weakness, yet he could not help being a little concerned over her welfare. The girl was seriously testing his endurance. If she fainted right now, then he vowed to never leave her unattended again and she would not be permitted to reenter the castle.
"I will get you some water," he said.
Orihime silently nodded and he took that as confirmation to leave.
A few minutes later, Ulquiorra returned with a cup in his hands and passed it to her. Orihime chugged down the cool liquid and let out a sigh once she was finished. She then placed the cup next to her and set her eyes on the General. Eyes that were like tamed fire.
"Why did you do it?" she said, her voice even and firm. "You were the one who orchestrated the whole thing, right? Why? What reason could you have for attacking my homeland the way you did? Was it because you had something against us?"
"I hold no ill toward you, your brother or your kin," Ulquiorra stated impassively. "My actions were solely based on doing the will of my master."
Orihime stared disbelievingly at him. "So you're okay with indiscriminately killing people?"
"If it is necessary, then yes."
She slowly lowered her eyes to where her hands were and realized how tense she was. "I don't get it," she murmured. "How can you feel nothing at all?"
Orihime.
Her brother's voice echoed through her mind. And she knew why. For it brought back a memory of one summer day when she was on the brink of adolescence, standing with him in the training fields and observing a few young samurai sparring with each other.
Orihime, these men have not only pledged their swords but also their lives. For a samurai, devoting his time, mind and skill to his master is not viewed as enslavement but rather as an honor bestowed upon him by the gods. His servient nature is unwavering. He does not question the authority or the decisions of whom he serves. Which is why, even if he is faithful to someone who is not our ally, you must remember to show him respect for everything he represents and the ordeals he goes through to earn his prestige.
Yet how were they supposed to know those words would one day even apply to his murderer? It did not seem fair and part of her told herself that it would be justified and easier to stay at odds with the taciturn man in front of her. But another part of her argued that an attitude like that would not bring healing and peace within her heart. Nor would it allow for her brother's spirit to rest.
Furthermore, her interaction with the General over the past few days - in spite of his unceasing cut-and-dry temperament and consistent apathy toward her sorrow – had made her aware of this fact: she did not hate him nor wished him any harm.
Even if it proved to be difficult, from here on, she knew which path she had to follow.
"Since you said you were only obeying his order, I guess then it was Aizen who provided for the funeral services and memorial," Orihime said, sounding slightly disappointed.
Ulquiorra kept his hard gaze on her. "No. He is not responsible for that."
Orihime looked up and met his gaze. "So then Hacchi-dono was right." She waited for his reply, but it never came. She then rose to her feet. "I don't understand. I mean, I was very shocked to learn that you would do something like that. Please don't get me wrong, though…I am very grateful for what you did. If Aizen had forced me to stay in Naitsu, then the funeral rites still would have happened without me. I guess…what I'm trying to ask is…I don't understand why you would donate your money to provide such a blessing to your enemy."
"This matter does not require much speculation. The House of Inoue had been decimated by our hands and those who were left alive and unharmed were of no influential importance," Ulquiorra replied sharply. He then turned his gaze away from hers. "Enemy or not, Lord Sora Inoue was the last direct descendant. It is befitting for a family of high caliber to be given honor, especially now that their bloodline has ended."
There was a heavy pause between them before Ulquiorra turned his eyes back on hers. "You are making no effort to deny it."
"Nor do I intend to," Orihime said resolutely.
Their silence returned once again until Orihime clasped her hands together and gently sighed.
"My mother's name was Kaiyo Inoue. She was the wife of Lord Fuka Inoue and the great-niece of Lord Katashi Ueda, the leader of the Ueda clan. Since it was a time of great turbulence in our country, their marriage had been arranged as a merger for the Inoue to help the Ueda preserve their land in exchange for their service as retainers of Tenkū.
"However, unlike most arranged marriages, the foundation of this one was a bit different. Lord Fuka was already in love with my mother, which is why he took the opportunity to help her people and to make a good impression on Lord Katashi so he would give her away to be his wife.
"There was just one problem. Even though she married him, my mother never returned Lord Fuka's love. She played the role of being a daimyo's wife very well and even bore him a son, but her heart had never been his to claim. In fact, I was told that the only person she was kind and devoted to was my brother. But that all changed the year they traveled south to visit one of Lord Fuka's retainers.
"My mother met a Dutch merchant by the name of Jakob while she and her maidservants were on an outing in town. They grew very fond of each other and over time, their meetings started to become more frequent and peculiar to those around them. When the time came for my mother to return to Tenkū, against her better judgment, she had allowed her lover to follow her back to the capital. From there, everything spiraled down for the worst.
"She soon discovered that she was pregnant again, only this time it was not her husband's child. Lord Fuka and my brother were delighted to hear of the pregnancy and diligently started preparing for the child's arrival. My mother, on the other hand, was thrilled to be carrying the child of the man she was deeply in love with, but now it had created a greater problem for them.
"When my mother went to tell her lover the news, nothing had prepared her for his response. Jakob had revealed that he was returning to his country before Japan closed off its borders from the outside world. Desperate not to be separated from him, my mother begged him to take her with him so they can raise their child and live out their lives together. However, Jakob rejected her words, declaring that she and her child would have no place in his society or his marriage. He left the next day without saying goodbye to her. After having coldly turned his back on her, my mother despaired for months over the loss of her beloved. Everyone thought she was suffering from an illness, which had greatly worried my brother and Lord Fuka. That is, until the day she gave birth.
"Everyone immediately responded to the child's distinctive foreign features. Some were bewildered while most were outraged. At this time, my mother revealed the whole truth about her affair, but because her heart had already turned to ice, she felt no remorse for the pain she caused. Not even for my brother or her husband.
"Distressed over his beloved's infidelity, Lord Fuka's mind started to collapse and he was kept in bed for a good number of days until he was deemed well again. During that time, my brother stood in for his father and took measures to ensure that the clan would not fall into disarray. However, word of Lady Inoue's illicit affair spreaded and soon he was up to arm's length in requests for her death. My brother did his best to quell the growing wrath of the clan, but it gave him no time to grieve for the state his parents were in or their crumbling marriage.
"One night, when he was walking around the castle-grounds with his newborn sibling, he entered into his mother's chamber only to discover she was gone. He found a letter written in her handwriting that stated she wanted nothing more to do with either clan and had left to escape the imprisonment she felt all these years that came from being Lady of the House of Inoue. This was the moment that crushed my brother, mostly because he had could no longer protect her and that he would never see her again.
"As for Lord Fuka, after he had learned of her abandonment, he sent out a decree for the extermination of the Ueda clan. Unfortunately, that decision would later haunt him for the rest of his life.
"After Tenkū had some time to recuperate from the scandal, my brother had announced that he was adopting his mother's child as his own. Since the elders firmly believed that the child would further harm the reputation of the Inoue and that their successor, who was barely sixteen years of age, would ultimately collapse under the sins of his parents, they vehemently objected to his decision. But their words had fallen on deaf ears. He had already bonded with the child and decided to name her after the heroine of one of his favorite stories…"
. . .
"'Orihime'? What kind of silly name is that?" yelled a noble's son roughly four years older than her.
His taunt encouraged snickering from the other children around his family's courtyard as they circled around to watch.
Her cheeks red from embarrassment, the seven-year-old Orihime balled her fists in front of her chest and timidly spoke out. "I-It's not silly! My brother gave it to me! It means 'weaving princess'!"
Another boy with a mean scowl approached her. "Huh? You don't look like a princess to me!"
"Yeah!" said an older and taller girl, smirking from behind her. "A princess wouldn't have ugly hair like this!" She proceeded to continuously yank on Orihime's long hair, causing the red-headed girl to cry out in pain as the other children laugh out of amusement.
"Please let go!" Orihime pleaded as she brought her hands up over the girl's to remove them from her aching scalp.
"Don't touch me!" she yelled before angrily releasing her hands off Orihime, but not without pushing the younger girl to the dusty ground.
"Don't even think of putting a curse on her, kōmō-jin!" shouted a little girl from the circle.
The noble's son's ears peaked with interest. "Kōmō-jin?"
The little girl became meek. "It's what I heard my parents call her..."
"And they are right," he smiled vilely. "We now have the perfect name to call this," he pointed at Orihime, "girl who is not one of us: 'Kōmō-gaki'!"
The children laughed then in unison began chanting the name over and over.
Orihime hung her head low and silently remained sitting on the ground.
. . .
Kōmō-jin, as you probably already know, is a general term coined by the populace when the Dutch first arrived on our shores. But for me, being called that was a constant reminder that I was distinctly different and would never fit in with everyone else.
Up until that day before I went to my cousin Seiichi's house, I was pretty much overlooked by everyone. No one went out of their way to speak to me or acknowledge me whenever I was in passing or an audience. The anger people still felt toward my mother and the shame she had brought to the clan had become my birthright. One that I had often prayed the gods would take away from me.
Instead, I had also become the prime target for courtyard bullying and ridicule by my peers.
Of course, there were three people who made my early years memorable in a good way. I had my loving older brother who never withheld anything from me, a kind and burly samurai by the name of Gorō Ito who was not only a fun companion but also a great meal partner, and a remarkable woman named Kagerou who had served my mother since they were young and had volunteered to continue her service as my maidservant and teacher. Eventually, Gorō-dono had moved out of the castle after securing a house for himself and Kagerou had passed away from a prolonged illness.
It was during this season that I had felt very lonely, but then I would remind myself of all the different ways everyone had shown their support of me and reaffirmed myself that I wasn't truly alone.
In regards to what happened with Lord Fuka, he had passed on his title as daimyo to my brother when I was around two years of age. I was told that he didn't see himself worthy anymore to rule Tenkū nor positively represent the Inoue clan in the Shogunate. So he retired and, with my brother's permission, relocated to stay in the furthermost chamber of the castle so that he would be secluded away from everyone.
And from me.
. . .
"Brother! Brother, where are you?" Orihime shouted down a sunlit corridor.
The nine-year-old had been searching for the Lord of Tenkū for the last half hour and had been unable to locate his whereabouts. Her search led her wandering around the southern wing, a restricted area of the castle for only those who were authorized by the daimyo could enter.
She may not have had his permission, but the red-headed girl figured her brother would not be too mad at this one little act of rebellion. And if asked, she could always tell him that she was justified since he was late showing up for their planned trip into town.
She passed by an open shoji then backtracked her steps and stared inside the room. There was an aged man with patches of graying-brown hair sitting in the middle of the chamber. He was staring at the sunbeam coming through the window while holding a ceramic bell-shaped bottle in his right hand. He looked very fatigued and sullen, as if his soul had departed and left his body in this position.
Orihime gingerly stepped into the room and walked over until she was standing by his side. "Excuse me, sir?"
A pungent smell radiated off him like the one inside of the bottle he held. It was an unfamiliar smell to her and she wondered what kind of strange drink he was consuming. She began to study him and noticed the blue veins running through his glossy skin.
"Is there anything I can do for you, sir?" she asked.
The older man finally turned his attention on her and for some reason she shivered when his eyes met hers. "If you would be so kind, child, as to find me a cover. It's a bit cold in here."
How was it cold? It is the middle of summer, she thought enquiringly.
Still, she did ask him if there was something she could do for him so she ran over to the closet, found a blanket to cover him with then ran back over and arranged it over his shoulders.
"Thank you," he said. "My, that is a pretty yukata you're wearing."
"Thank you!" Orihime said, twirling around to show off. "My brother bought it for me this past spring! I wanted to wear it because he promised that we would go shopping today," her voice dropped, "but I can't find him."
"Do not worry. Your brother sounds like he loves you very much," the man said solemnly. "If he said he will take you then believe in him."
Feeling a tinge of guilt, Orihime nodded. "Yes, sir."
He took another gulp of his drink then rested the bottle on his lap. "Tell me, child, how is it that you have permission to venture around the castle without supervision?"
She lightly blushed. "Um…well it's because I live here. You see, I'm an Inoue."
"Really?" He gently smiled. "Well, that is something we have in common even though your red hair is quite peculiar."
Her heart welled up with excitement. She intertwined her hands together behind her back. "So does this mean we're related?"
He nodded.
"This is great! Oh!" She placed her arms on each side and leaned forward in a bow. "It's an honor to meet you! My name is Orihime Inoue!"
The man hesitated before announcing his identity. "I…am Fuka Inoue."
"So you're Lord Fuka?"
"I was," he stated before taking another drink.
Her eyes widened out of delight. "That means you're Brother's father!"
"I'm your Brother's father?" he asked perplexed.
"I'm the little sister of your son, Lord Sora Inoue!"
His face turned pale. "You…you are…that child?"
Orihime nodded. "Yes!"
The ceramic bottle fell and shattered on the floor.
Startled, Orihime took a step back. "Sir, are you okay?"
A malevolent look shadowed over Fuka's features as he stood to his feet and stared down at the young girl. He violently seized her arm, making Orihime cry out in pain as she felt his nails digging into her skin.
"Why do you insult me by coming here?" he asked. "It's dishonorable enough that you're still alive, but coming into my presence to seek amusement out of my pathetic existence?"
"It's not like that!" Orihime said. "I didn't come to laugh at you."
Fuka forcefully threw her on the ground. "Your looks favor that red weasel, but your spirit is definitely of the viper's." He picked up a jagged shard from the broken bottle, not caring that his hand now cut and bled in the process. "It would be better if I ended your line of deceit right now."
Tears welling in her eyes, Orihime had wanted to run but her legs did not heed her internal command. She watched as the older man brought his arm down, pointing directly for her forehead.
And in an instance it was over.
Fuka's attack had been foiled by the firm strength Sora held on his arm as the daimyo now stood in between his father and little sister. His steely dark-brown eyes bore into the older man's, rebuking him for the murderous act he was about to commit.
Astounded, Fuka murmured. "Sora..."
"Stop this, Father," Sora commanded.
The older man's face twisted in rage. "You promised me...you promised me that you would keep that abomination away from me!"
In seconds, the two guards that had accompanied Sora rushed into the room. "My lord!"
"Stand back and protect Orihime!" Sora commanded.
At that moment, both guards noticed the girl's presence and saw her fearful eyes watching the violent bout between their masters. This all must have started with her, they concluded.
"You went back on your vow! You have betrayed me!" Fuka screamed.
"I went to get you water. That is all I have done," Sora replied calmly.
Drops of blood fell onto the floor, causing everyone to recognize that at some point the shard had managed to puncture Sora's arm.
"Brother, you're hurt!" Orihime shouted in fear, standing to her feet.
Horrified of the daimyo's wound, Fuka started murmuring. "I...I didn't mean...I didn't mean to…"
"I know, Father. Please let go," Sora said.
Tears streamed down Fuka's face as he released his weapon to the floor and began moaning into Sora's chest. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry, my son. I'm sorry for everything. Please…please forgive me."
Orihime took a step forward, hoping she could reach over and examine Sora's arm. "Brother…"
"Why did you disobey me?" Sora said frigidly, keeping his back on her. "Didn't I tell you that you are not allowed to come here?"
"I…I just wanted to find you," Orihime said meekly. This was the first time he had taken such a tone with her and she was not certain how to react. Suddenly the room felt cold.
"You need to leave. I will speak to you later."
"Y-Yes…"
Not once did he turn around to face her. Putting on a brave face, she held back her tears as she ran past the guards and exited the room. The faster she ran down the hallway, the deeper her heart descended into her chest.
. . .
Orihime had been sitting in a tree, watching several orange-tinted clouds move toward the sunset. It had been hours since she left the castle and the part of the woods was one of her favorite spots to dwell and meditate in. The young girl sighed and wrapped her arms tighter around her knees.
What a mess she had made.
She did not mean to upset Lord Fuka nor had she intended for her brother to have gotten hurt over trying to fix her mistake. But that is exactly what happened. Although Lord Fuka's disregard of her had hurt, she was mostly upset at herself for the pain she continued to cause on other people. Was there was any way she could right the wrongs she committed?
Figuring that she should be heading back, Orihime climbed down the tree then safely jumped off and landed on the ground. She ran down the dirt road for some time before a group of older girls blocked her path, forcing her to stop in the middle of the road.
"We heard that you caused some trouble at the castle," said the eldest, and seemingly their leader.
"What happened to Lord Inoue? Why was he hurt?" demanded one of the girls.
Orihime looked remorsefully at the ground. "He was trying to protect me."
"Ha! As he always does!" one of them sneered.
"Why don't you start taking responsibility for your own problems?" said another girl before taking a partial hold of Orihime's hair. "Your biggest one being your disgusting looking hair!"
Orihime frowned sadly. "If that's all it would take for no one to get hurt by me ever again, I would gladly give up my hair."
The group of girls quietly looked amongst each other, their faces radiated with delight.
"Well then. How would you like if we helped you just this once?" asked the leader.
Before she had time to answer, Orihime was being dragged off by two of the girls. Nevertheless, she cooperated with her escorts and sat on the boulder they led her to. She then watched the other girls pick up some jagged stones off the ground and hold them in their hands like tools. They then walked over to where she sat and stood on each side of her.
The leader smiled. "Try not to move."
You have beautiful hair, Orihime. It's such a warm and wonderful color.
Orihime ignored her brother's words as she felt the stones begin to roughly saw through her long strands.
. . .
Miyako patiently watched the physician finish securing the bandage wrapped around Lord Sora's arm.
"You've been a great help," Sora smiled.
"It was my upmost pleasure! Is there anything else I can do for you, my lord?" the physician asked.
"No, thank you. Please allow one of my soldiers to escort you home."
The physician leaned over in a bow. "Thank you most kindly. Please get some good rest, my lord."
He then grabbed his medical bag, stood to his feet and followed the soldier out of the room.
Sora turned his smile onto his cousin. "You didn't have to stay here. After all, it is getting rather late."
"I am aware of that," Miyako said defensively. "And need I remind you that I'm fully capable of taking care of myself."
He suddenly laughed heartily, earning him a scowl from the dark-brown haired beauty.
"Are you mocking me, my lord?"
"No, I am not! Believe me, I've known ever since we were children that you're a force to be reckoned with." The daimyo calmed his laughter but maintained his spirited demeanor. "Anyway, I do appreciate your company. Would you like me to escort you back to your estate or will that earn me another evil glare?"
Miyako slightly blushed and pouted her lips. "Of course not."
"Great! I'll go find Orihime and see if she wants to come along with us. I'm sure we can all use some fresh air after today's event."
"You're far too easy on that girl," she frowned.
"I wouldn't say that." Sora carefully stood to his feet. "No one makes the effort to show her any kindness so I have to make sure that I'm doubling my efforts."
Miyako sighed and stood to her feet. It was pointless to debate with him on this matter. "If that is what you think is best."
They walked out of the room and down the corridor. As they made their way down the staircase in the lobby hall, Sora's eyes widened in horror as he discerned the young child smiling at him from the bottom of the steps. Her hair was cropped very short and he had almost mistaken her for young boy.
"Good evening, Brother!" Orihime said.
Sora immediately rushed down the stairs until he was able to kneel down in front of the girl. "Orihime, what happened to your hair?"
She shook her head. "It's fine! I wanted to do this."
"But why?" he asked sadly, placing both his hands on her shoulders.
Because I don't want to a burden to you or anyone anymore, she thought. "I thought it would be a great change! Besides, having long hair feels like I'm always wearing a blanket on my head since it's so hot outside!"
"But why so short?"
She would have told him that her accomplices had cut her hair lopsided in some areas and in order for her to look somewhat decent, she evened out her strands until this was final result. That is what she would have told him if she wanted to honest with him.
"I guess I got a little carried away," Orihime replied sheepishly.
Sora brought her into his embrace, making Orihime smile from contentment. That was until she felt tears seeping into her shoulder.
"Next time, just ask for my permission," he said softly. "Can you do that for me?"
Her heart squeezed in her chest as she nodded. "Yes. I promise."
Sora tightened his embrace and Orihime returned his hug in kind while Miyako quietly stared at the two from atop the stairs.
. . .
Later that year, before the end of Kannazuki, Lord Fuka had passed away. It was a very hard time for my brother and the members of our clan. I remember that year being the coldest winter we had and it felt like the world had lost its color.
In order to regain perspective and focus for our lives, my brother and I traveled to Edo and stayed at our family's estate for six months. It was a well-deserved break and we were both able to draw support from friends who lived in the capital. Although it had been hard watching my brother grieve, I remember it being one of the best times of my life since our relationship grew closer through it. And for a while, I felt like I could give back all the love and comfort he had shown me my whole life.
I also started growing out my hair again, but I never let it pass my ears. I still received weird looks from others, but I think it was combination of my hair being red and short. My brother never imposed his opinion on me, but I could tell at times he wished that I would grow my hair long again. However, the memories of ridicule and the issues that occurred from my hair always stopped me from doing so. I was afraid and truthfully, I didn't want to deal with it anymore.
By early summer, we returned to Tenkū. My brother was in better spirits and had new aspirations for our clan and homeland. After witnessing many of his goals come into fruition, I was very proud of him and happy that he had found his zeal for life again.
As for me, well, I tried to stay out of way. Granted I didn't keep myself locked up in the castle, but I tried to avoid luring public attention to myself. Although I was never mean to anyone, you could say that I was turning into a recluse, until one day…
. . .
The eleven-year old Orihime was surrounded by a band of boys close to her age.
As of late, one of the many life lessons she had been learning is that the art of bullying was able to transcend all economic classes. Therefore, even if her pursuers were at the bottom of social hierarchy, it did not stop them from cornering her in an alley near the shopping district of town.
On the paved ground in front of her laid her bag of groceries that had been ripped away from her hands. She rushed over to grab it, but one of the bullies snatched it away before she could. She heard the others snickering and glared at them before moving her eyes back onto their leader.
"I haven't done anything to you! Please let me go," Orihime said.
"Not a chance, brat!" their leader smirked. "Unless you give us all the money you have."
Orihime shrunk back. "I won't!" She then felt a foot kick her from behind and abruptly fell face forward on the ground. The one who kicked her then placed his foot on her back to hold her down.
"If you won't give it to us willingly, we'll just take it from you ourselves."
In a flash, a rock flew across the air and hit the leader squarely in the back of the head. He cursed out loud and rubbed the sore spot. "What gives?"
"I did!" shouted a rough yet feminine voice. "And if you annoy me again, I will aim the next one at your nuts!"
"Who the hell are you?" demanded one of the bullies.
Orihime slowly lifted her face up from ground and looked to where the unfamiliar voice came. There, casually sitting on a wall with an arm resting over her knee, was a short-haired girl wearing a cotton navy-blue kimono with brown hakama and waraji on her feet.
…I met Tatsuki.
Glossary:
Kōmō-jin (-gaki) - Japanese term for the Dutch, which literally meant 'red-haired person'. The suffix '-gaki' can translate to 'brat' or 'punk'.
Kannazuki - Old name for the month of October. Also known as the 'Month of No Gods'/'Month when there are no gods'.
Just Some Extra Info:
In the canon-verse, Orihime had learned karate from Tatsuki. True story. Sources: Manga Chapter 119. Anime Episode 42.
Disclaimer: I do not make any profit from writing this story. I'm simply borrowing Tite Kubo's characters for my sheer enjoyment.