A goodbye deserves a gift, something to remember the other by or perhaps just a way to remember the past, the memories shared here, and the time spent together. Or at least that's how Mitsuhide justifies it as he walks down through the market at a rare time off. Just all the odds and ends and little trinkets don't seem to say the right words.
And somehow he remembers that Kiki has pierced ears, and so, he wanders to a jewelry stand, all the silver glittering up at him in images like flowers and animals and stars and none of that is right. None of it says a strong knight who served the Second Prince of Clarines who will serve her estate just as strongly. Instead, they say things that seem too dull, too simplistic, too off somehow.
And he heaves a sigh. Today is not going the way that he hoped it might, the way he had been banking on.
"Sir?" The merchant asks, voice soft and welcoming despite the fact that he's probably only just trying to sell merchandise or is a little bothered seeing a disappointed man staring down at his wares, "I can make whatever you're looking for? I do custom jewelry as well. It costs more, but that's to be expected."
"You do?" Mitsuhide felt that stirring up of hope in his chest, that little shock of anticipation. Just he wants to get this right. He loves Kiki, has known her for years, gotten to know her really well, and knows that she's loved the time she's spent serving Zen in this way, but he also knows that as she moves on to one day manage her estate, she also will love that. She has always held a little flicker of hope for the position, not that she thought she wouldn't inherit the estate from her father, but that she hoped she'd come to enjoy it and do good and serve the royal family in that particular way.
"Yeah, I can make anything! Is there something you're looking for? Earrings? Bracelets? Necklaces? Something sweet to give your lady?"
"Nothing like that, no." His face turns red, just the implication of it, and the fact that Kiki would probably object to such a title, "No, I mean, I'm thinking of earrings?"
"Earrings?" The merchant asked, "What kind?"
"Could you do swords?" Mitsuhide swallowed; it sounded foolish even as soon as he said it, but swords represented her time as a knight and gave her something to think back to and admire about it. Just a little reminder as she lives her life whatever that may look like. Even though it seems a little odd as far as jewelry goes.
"Of course." The merchant answers, "She's quite a different lady then, huh?" He's smiling and sympathetic anyway.
"Yeah, she's the best." Mitsuhide swallowed, that bit of honesty felt like a little too much, and somehow reminded him of the ease in which Obi usually spoke, not Mitsuhide or at least not like this, "Can you write her name on them? Carve it, I mean? It's Kiki."
"Sure. No problem. It's a little harder on smaller pieces of jewelry but completely doable." The merchant was friendly at least, and Mitsuhide hoped that was more so his personality and not just his desire to sell things and make a profit or more than likely a living. "You can afford this, right?"
"Yeah. I'm a high enough ranking knight. It should be no problem." And Mitsuhide rarely went out shopping, and as a side effect, ended up doing a decent bit of saving. Though he feels that little pit of nerves in his stomach, because he already imagines that it will cost a lot and ever since he was young, he hates spending a whole lot of money at once. It feels just like he won't make it back, even though he knows he definitely will here.
"Okay. Good." The merchant smiles, "Do you have a time you'd like it back by?"
"The end of the week, maybe? It's not a problem, if you can't though." He's trying not to rush it. Just he wants to give it to Kiki well before she leaves, so she can definitely receive it before then. So, she has it by the time she packs and gets ready to go back home.
Home. Such a weird word here. It feels like she's embarking on some journey other than home. She's been here so long, that it feels more like her home is by Mitsuhide's and Zen's side than back at the estate with her father.
"It's no problem at all. See you then."
"Thank you!" Mitsuhide feels that gratitude like a balloon rising up in his chest. That's good. That's very good. And then he'll be able to gift her something that reminds her of serving Zen as a knight and gives her a little strength going forward.
It feels weird to want to leave something here for Mitsuhide, like he'll suddenly forget who she is. But she's always known the way her heart goes soft around him or at least known that for a little while now.
And she knows his stubbornness and loyalty better than just about everyone. So, she knows he'll just work for Zen, and his life will mostly be the same anyway. Just, she wants to leave a little bit of her with him, so that when she goes home, Mitsuhide can bring that with him and keep on going, stronger than before. Like she's lending her strength to him.
And then, there's this busy marketplace with hagglers and children squealing and running, and couples holding hands, as if they can't bear to part for even just a second, and merchants trying to promote their wares with a certain kind of urgency and smiles that are meant to draw people in.
It's all familiar, but it feels way too crowded regardless. She's used to other things. But she knows her way around a market, knows that a market usually blends into the exact same thing everywhere, just with different smiling faces and different kids enjoying a break and a good game of tag. Different couples that want to stay close. Different hagglers. Different everything but the same kind of atmosphere regardless.
And she steps a little closer to a forge. It's familiar. And this one caters more towards men's jewelry anyway, something sturdy and strong that can manage to survive the clashing of swords.
And there's something like a knight's whisper on the table there. A thin necklace that is long, and hanging down low on it is a sword, a sturdy familiar looking blade. And she smiles despite herself.
"You find something over there?" And the merchant who must be the blacksmith too comes over, dropping a work in progress gently on the table, that Kiki can't discern what it will be. It's too early in the process to make heads or tails of it yet anyway.
"Yes." She answers, clear as day, and when he comes over she picks up the necklace.
"A knight, you buying for?" He's relaxed and calm and half teasing, and Kiki smiles back at him, just a tentative, little thing.
"Yeah. From one knight to another." She waves her badge, and he's already grinning as he eyes the pendant.
"Lady Kiki then? I've heard about you!" He's still friendly as he tells her the total, and Kiki hands over the money.
"I've earned quite a reputation then." Kiki answers. It's easy to, especially among those living an ordinary life. Her life feels like one of wonder and awe to those who can't imagine what it is like. And that's not a bad thing. It just reminds her to remember the beauty of the life she lives.
"Only the best kind of reputation." He responded! "I hope whoever the knight you're getting that for, that he likes it." He shrugs. It's an easy enough response.
"I hope so too." She twists the necklace in her hand, which sends the sword spinning. It is odd to look at this and realize that her life is heading down a new corner, and this one doesn't even feel old yet. But she'll miss it, and she'll miss Mitsuhide too.
The blacksmith smiles and returns to his work, and for a moment there, she wonders if he's crafting a sword, not unlike this necklace, but stronger and sturdier too.
The week is ending before Mitsuhide knows it, and he hopes that the rest of time doesn't fly by yet. He's too eager to try to cherish every moment together, while they are still a team and life is still normal. He's not ready for the end that is coming rapidly in sight now.
But the merchant is easy to find, chatting away with another customer and all smiles, selling some beautiful, good quality jewelry to the person standing there. And then Mitsuhide comes over, just as the others leave.
"Oh, you're back!" The merchant smiles, "Let me go grab them."
And when he returns, cupped in his hands are the earrings, and Mitsuhide takes a deep breath, closes his eyes, and reopens them, a little nervous that his hope could have failed already.
They are beautiful! They look like simplified royal swords, without the insignia, and he stares down at them and under the noon day light, Kiki's name glitters on them. Like a whisper of a past that will only continue to give her strength in the days ahead.
Mitsuhide swallows that lump of nerves. "Thank you. They're beautiful."
He's already digging around for his money, even before hearing how much they cost. Every cent is worth it for her, and he feels that hope like a hummingbird beating in his chest. Kiki should love these, and with these earrings, she should remember fondly the people she's gotten to know these past several years.
And when he brings them back to the castle, they already feel like a light weight, a reminder, in his hands.
It's been a couple days, and Zen dismisses them, talking about focusing on his work in peace and quiet. And besides, Obi is keeping an eye on him for now. Shirayuki's elsewhere in the palace, and all is well.
So, Mitsuhide asks Kiki if she'd like to go on a walk with him, just to walk the familiar castle halls, to walk the gardens, to spend a few moments together before they have to return to more serious matters.
And when Kiki says, 'yes,' Mitsuhide feels that gentle weight in his pocket, tucked away, the earrings for her. It's as familiar as it is nerve-wracking.
But down they go, past the guards keeping watch at the end of the hallway, out through a door and into the courtyard, and it's hard to breathe past the lump in his throat.
"Mitsuhide?" Kiki stops him in a quiet stretch of space, away from anyone that could call their attention and demand it. And as he looks at her, he realizes this isn't an impulse nor is she nervous like he feels.
"Yes?" So, he stops with her, already half reaching for the earrings in his pocket but a little too nervous to focus on them now.
"I got something for you. I know it won't be the same as having me around, but it's the closest I could manage." And she hands him something. So, Mitsuhide overlooks his pocket to accept the gift. And staring down at a sword in miniature, his heart jumps to his throat to be the new lump there, and he stares at something that immediately makes him think of long, late night practices. Sometimes to relieve the buildup of stress and sometimes to cure boredom, other times just for practice, and sometimes just to draw close and grow together once more.
And he sees fights where Kiki's had his back in ways he never anticipated, the relief in his chest, and the support at his side. He sees her presence and her support and strength. And down here, he feels just the one person who he fully trusts to protect Zen with him.
He swallows and for a moment can breathe again. And he picks up the necklace, bearing a simple sword for a pendant, and drapes the band around and over his neck, feels the steady weight of the sword bouncing off of his armor over his chest, and it feels like letting another heartbeat in.
It won't be like having Kiki at his side, but he feels in some ways, it will be like having her in his heart in secure ways.
"Thank you." He says, finally breaking the silence that fell over them, "I love it." It's the best words he has to explain any of this, and when he looks over at her, Kiki is smiling. Her face has gone gentle and soft, and he feels the love and warmth of her gaze and also feels a bit like she can read his mind and truly see all of the thoughts spelled out there.
"I'm glad." She looks ready to move again, ready to begin their long walk once more, and Mitsuhide needs to stop her.
"I got you something too." He's a little nervous all over again, but the sword necklace feels almost like it gives him a bit more of a steadying strength, and he pulls out the earrings from his pocket.
So, Kiki steps closer, and in the light of the early evening, Mitsuhide truly sees her. The beautiful sunlight-gold of her hair, the way her uniform glints in the light, and the strength and beauty of the woman he's fought beside for so long now.
Kiki cups her hands and Mitsuhide sets the earrings in them. And she holds them up to the light and blinks, "They have my name on them."
"Yeah, I don't want you to forget all of this. And you know, you're really strong, and I figured the reminder would be good to carry with you always." And he's rambling a little bit. His nerves have caught up to him again.
"Thank you." The warmth in her voice undoes him just a little and then she takes her own earrings out, and places these ones in instead. And somehow Kiki standing in the evening light in her full knight's uniform with swords bearing her name glittering in her ears, Mitsuhide has never seen a more beautiful sight or a more powerful one.
He's too dazed to bother trying to swallow the lump out of his throat, even as he can't look away.
Something about her putting them on right away somehow seems to sing of how much she does love them. And he hopes that this moment however quick it might actually seem will be a memory he never forgets.