A deep sense of darkness and emptiness occupied Goro Mayugorô's mind. It was a different feeling that he could not explain. He felt as if his body was falling gently, floating light as a sakura petal.
Suddenly he felt first his hands, and then his body, land on a stony, hard, cold surface. Opening what he felt were his eyes, he saw with astonishment that his hands were resting on a floor of rocks and dirty snow, dark and gloomy.
Goro sat up, feeling his body too light. Almost disembodied. He sat still, transfixed by the strange landscape. It was a landscape of rocks and night ice, with a sky totally black but at the same time so lit with stars as he had never seen before, but moving in unison rapidly across the sky, as if in a choreography. He stood for seconds in awe gazing at that sky, which did not seem real.
Suddenly, to his right and above the rocky horizon loomed a much larger and more luminous star, as bright as he had ever seen one before. Its light was blinding, creating a powerful contrast of light and shadow on the rocky landscape. However, the sky remained pitch black despite the star's brilliance. He tried to look at it, but its brightness blinded him.
As he shielded his view with one hand, a strange snorting sound behind him put him in guard. He turned and saw a strange formation of rocks about two meters high, piled in a disorderly fashion, as if they were the broken remains of the sculpture of a legendary animal, cracked by time. Hundreds of thin, cobweb-like threads glistening in the light of the powerful star seemed to bind the remains of the statue to the ground.
To his surprise, suddenly the rocks closest to him moved. What appeared to be a head, connected by a long neck to the great lump of rocks began to struggle off the ground, struggling against the threads. Two red dots of light like eyes in a pair of deep dark sockets appeared, staring at him.
Goro could not contain his fear, and fell backward as he tried to retreat, frightened and surprised. He wanted to speak, but the voice would not leave his throat. In surprise he watched as the entire sculpture began to color itself a shade of red that glowed amidst the palm-sized dark rocks that covered the sculpture. Then Goro realized that what he saw as rocks were actually scales. And in the reddish light, the shape of the sculpture revealed itself in a frightening way. That being of rocks was a dragon.
After a great effort the animal managed to raise its neck almost a meter above the ground, always looking at him with its intense red eyes, and snorted again.
Goro felt that the sound of the snorting seemed to come directly from inside his own head, unmediated by his ears. What he heard was a mixture of grunts, snorts and words that reached directly into his consciousness.
"Grhhh-fsssss...YOU...fsss...ARE... VENGEANCE...fssss."
Suddenly, the dragon, the terrain and everything he saw around him disappeared under his feet at a dizzying speed, as if his body was being pulled by a rope tied to his back at an unthinkable speed, leaving at his feet first a big gigantic white rock, which after a couple of seconds was reduced to just a pebble to finally disappear as a dot, leaving only a black sky totally starry in all directions, as if all he saw and existed was a deep black sky lit with stars. For several seconds he could only admire that strange sky until suddenly everything was darkness again. And then came the pain: an intense pain in his head that shook him through the darkness.
Goro opened his eyes with a grimace of agony. An intense pain in the back right side of his head caused him to exhale a deep groan that left him gasping. A woman's voice next to him tried to restrain him.
"Shh, easy, easy, easy, you're going to be fine, don't move."
Goro realized that he was lying on his side on a thin futon, facing a wooden wall. The voice that had spoken to him was unfamiliar. The voice belonged to an older woman behind him. He tried to turn around, but a hand gently held him back by pushing on his right shoulder, at the same time he felt a water-soaked cloth touch warmly on his head.
"Don't move! You're in the Miyamizu shrine, and you received a heavy blow to the head. You bled a lot, so I need to finish cleaning your wound and bandage you up. Stay still."
The peremptory nature of the order and the pain he felt again when the wet cloth touched his head again immobilized him. He gritted his teeth and tried to hold on. As he did so, images of his last memories invaded his memory. He was escaping from the sanctuary guards when he was cornered against the hill behind the sanctuary, next to a waterfall. He was starting to climb the boulders of the rocky slope when one of the guards caught up to him and threw him to the ground pulling him by his clothes. He was about to stand up when he felt footsteps behind him from a second guard. He tried to turn around when he felt a blow to his head and everything had fade to black.
He had been caught. Just what Hanako had asked him to avoid, because...
A second image of a memory, like a dream, that he saw from the ground, came to his mind. It was Hanako crying and screaming surrounded by people. The image took his breath away Had that been a dream or did it really happen?
He tried to move his hands, but suddenly realized he was bound. So were his feet.
"Hey, boy, stop, I'm almost done, don't move," insisted the woman.
Goro tried to speak, but his voice choked. His mouth felt dry. When he managed to control his throat, he heard his own voice low and weak to the point of unfamiliarity.
"Ha-Hanako... is she... okay?"
"Yes, she's fine. It's you who's in the most trouble now. You'd better be quiet. Come, I'm going to help you sit down now, but slowly."
He felt how the woman came closer until she almost put her knees on his back, taking him with one hand on his neck, and another under his right arm, helping him to sit up and turn around.
"Come, slowly, sit up slowly."
As he stood up, he felt for a few seconds as if his head was spinning and was going to explode. He had to close his eyes.
The woman took a cloth and began to dry his neck and head.
"My name is Ishida Narumi. You received a blow and a big cut on your head, behind your ear. You lost a lot of blood, but the cut is not deep. I cleaned the wound and now I'm going to bandage you."
Goro opened his eyes and looked at the woman. She was an older woman he had seen accompanying Hanako in the market on many occasions. She wore gray, service clothes, like the shrine maids, but they were of very good quality. He guessed that she must be an authority among the shrine maids.
The woman began to wrap a cloth around his head, pressing a cloth with against the wound.
"Thank you for helping me, Ishida-san."
"It's the least I can do for you. It was one of my sons who hit you. I apologize for that, but they thought you were a ruffian who had come to rob the shrine. And also, the high priest's daughter was missing, so everyone was very nervous. I think you know something about it... don't you?"
"I..."
Goro turned his head to look at the woman for a second, but she grabbed his head and pulled it down like a child.
"Don't move, I haven't finished the bandage yet."
A tug on the cloth made the wound hurt Goro, who had no choice but to comply with a whimper.
"I... I'm sorry, I don't think I can answer your question."
The woman smiled apologetically as she shook her head.
"At this moment Hanako's father must be talking to her and he must already know everything. And I suspect he will soon come to talk to you. I recommend you to be honest and tell him everything you know, for your own sake. And also, for hers'."
The woman began to knot the end two ends of the cloth until she felt it was firm.
"Good! I'm done with you, boy. Your lips are pale and dry, are you thirsty?"
The thought of drinking made Goro suddenly aware of the thirst he felt, and it even became more acute.
"Y-yes, I feel very thirsty."
The woman stood up, walked to a nearby center table where there were a few small wooden bowls. She reached back one and dipped it into a bucket with water nearby from the place where Goro was sat down, and then approached him, putting the bowl to his lips. Goro drank greedily.
"Hey! Slowly, slowly, don't get stuck. I'll send for some soup and food. Now sit still, you can lean against the wall or if you want you can lie down. But I can't untie you, boy, I'm sorry. You've been ordered to be watched at all times, so don't do anything stupid in my absence, understand?"
"Yes, madam, I won't."
The woman picked up several bloody cloths, put them in a basin and took it along with an oil lamp that was on the floor at the side of the bucket. On the way out of the room the woman exchanged a few words with a young man, who then came in, approached the table and sat down on a cushion, about ten feet away from Goro, leaving a truncheon beside him. He glared at the prisoner with contempt.
"Hey you, I'll be keeping an eye on you. You've given us too much to do tonight, so don't abuse our hospitality."
Goro looked at the man. He didn't know if he had been one of his pursuers, but he preferred to remain silent. He moved his body back a few centimeters until he leaned against the wooden wall, and closed his eyes trying to rest, while he felt the wound in his head throbbing. As he closed his eyes, the darkness reminded him of a strange vision he felt he had had when he woke up. He tried to recall the details, but the memory blurred like a distant dream in his head…; had he seen a... stone animal?
§
"Hanako, for the last time, I need you to tell me what kind of relationship you have with that boy."
Hiroshi Miyamizu was standing with his arms crossed and frowning as he looked at his daughter, who was kneeling with her head down, in the middle of the tatami room. The girl just stared at the floor sobbing, showing no intention of responding. After several seconds of uncomfortable silence, her tearful voice sounded pitiful.
"I told you... I told you...; we love each other, I want to be with Goro."
"And has he done something to you? Has he disgraced you?"
"No! He hasn't done anything to me, it's-you're the one who has these ideas, is that all you care about? Do you only care that I'm no longer a valuable commodity of the shrine?"
"You! How dare you...?"
Hiroshi took a step towards his daughter, his face flushed with anger, but he had to bite his lips to control his anger. After a few seconds, he turned back to the living room door, where his wife Kyomi sat watching them worriedly.
"I can't go on with this talk. I think I'll go talk to that boy, see if he is more cooperative than my own daughter."
"Honey, I think you need to calm down, we need to understand Hanako," interjected Kyomi, looking sadly at her daughter.
Hiroshi turned to look at his daughter, who was clasping her hands against her chest, shivering. He let out a frustrated snort. He looked back at his wife, with a tired look on his face.
"It's better that you try to understand her, I need to come up for air. She doesn't understand what's at stake."
Hiroshi walked with tired steps to the door until he reached his wife's side. He caressed Kyomi's cheek, who held her husband's hand against her face.
"Honey, remember that she hasn't been initiated yet. She can't understand yet."
Hiroshi felt defeated. His wife was right. If only Hanako understood...; he turned one last time to his daughter.
"Hanako, you can't leave this room until I tell you to, do you understand?" and he left.
The girl continued to stare at the floor, shivering from a mixture of fear for Goro, for them, and anger that her father couldn't accept her relationship with him Why did she have to be the one to bear the burden of being the clan's heir?
"Sometimes I wish I could leave this shrine behind, and really be free...," said the girl quietly, not realizing she had verbalized her thoughts.
Kyomi looked at her with deep sadness. She remembered her own youth, and knew how she felt. It was a weight that many of her ancestors had felt.
"Do you really think that? Do you think belonging to the Miyamizu clan, and being their heir is a burden you can't bear?"
"Mom, I've lived my whole life at this shrine, and I've seen you day after day serving the temple, and I know you're happy doing it. But you have Dad, and you love each other. Why can't I have the chance to be happy with the one I love, too?"
Kyomi settled into the chair that supported her, put her hands under her belly, trying to balance the weight of the baby. Her legs felt swollen, and she wanted to rest, but she couldn't leave her daughter alone in a moment of crisis like this.
"Hanako, many of us Miyamizu women have wanted to be happy with someone who sometimes has been out of our reach, or whom we met in dreams and could not hold on to; and many of us have had to accept being part of something that is bigger than ourselves. You are part of that story, and you must accept your role in it."
"But the sanctuary would be perfect without me. Even Kaori enjoys everything you do more than I do."
"It's not that simple, Hanako. There are things you don't know yet..."
"What things? Haven't I learned all the rituals and dances of the shrine to make dad happy?"
"That's fine and I'm glad you know those things, but what you don't know is... the reason why all this is important."
Hanako raised her head and looked quizzically at her mother. From her earliest childhood she had been a shrine maiden, and had learned every ritual, every prayer, every dance, and every kind of design of the kumihimo ropes they used in rituals and sold to the faithful, paying attention to learn every detail. She always felt the pressure to be the eldest daughter. The model daughter. But the question of why all that was important had never crossed her mind.
"Isn't it because it's the tradition of the shrine?"
"Yes, that's true. Every single thing you've learned has been done over and over again for dozens of generations. Our ancestors have bequeathed that responsibility to us, but don't you think there was a time in the past when there was no Miyamizu to do those things? Someone had to create each of those rituals, each of those dances and each of those strings for a good reason."
Hanako opened her eyes in surprise. It was the first time she heard her mother talk about this.
"And you... do you know what that reason is?"
"It's a secret. A secret that only the initiated, the heirs of the Miyamizu clan can receive. I received it, and... you should do it soon. Because there is a reason behind every dance and every ritual. When we serve Shitori-no-Kami, there is a reason that goes back to the distant past, to a time when Itomori Lake did not yet exist..."
"What...? Hasn't the lake always existed, just like the sky and the mountains?"
"I know it's hard to believe and understand. My mother revealed to me that, more than a thousand years ago, this was a valley with meadows, without a lake. People lived here, planted rice and lived happily, but they served another god. A great and fearsome dragon god of the sky. There was already a temple that worshipped that god. At that time the first Miyamizu came to the valley from far away. We were artisans, and we worked the ropes and threads, and we honored Musubi. In time, people began to know of Musubi through us, and people began to come to him; the town's people began to honor Shitori-no-Kami and abandoned the worship of the old dragon god, Ame-no-Kagaseo. And that made him angry."
"But then did the gods create the lake?"
Kyomi made a colored grimace. Her belly felt a little hard, and she couldn't find a way to get comfortable in the chair. After a couple of tries, she managed to find a more comfortable position. Then she continued:
"The dragon god exploded in anger when he saw that the people of Itomori no longer served him. And he decided to destroy us all. But then Shitori-no-Kami took pity on us. Musubi, we were united with him. And he communicated in dreams with our Miyamizu ancestors and gave them a prophecy: when the two-headed dragon appeared in the sky, everyone had to move away from the valley, away from Itomori, because that would be the day of the dragon's fury. The Miyamizu family believed in Shitori-no-Kami, and when they saw the dragon god appear in the sky, they managed to convince half the people in the valley to go and take refuge in the mountains."
"Are the dragons real?"
"I don't know if there are other dragons, but Ame-no-Kagaseo is real. As real as Shitori-no-Kami is. And the dragon is a proud and jealous god. That people didn't worship him made him angry. He sent fire from the sky to punish Itomori, and that fire destroyed the valley until it left a hole that became the lake. Many people died that day."
Hanako was dumbfounded. It was the first time she had heard this story. It seemed like a fantasy, but the seriousness with which her mother told it to her left no room for doubt.
"S-So, that god hates us?"
"Yes. Ame-no-Kagaseo's grudge against Shitori-no-Kami and the people of Itomori is eternal. Even all his followers, who were honoring him in the valley, succumbed. If we were saved that day, it was thanks to Musubi's help. That is why we Miyamizu made a pact with Shitori-no-Kami, and consecrated ourselves to serve him forever, as the price for his protection. And then Musubi revealed in dreams to our ancestors the secret rituals and dances that made it possible to seal Ame-no-Kagaseo in heaven, so that he could never again cause harm to men on earth."
"Why didn't you ever tell me?"
"It's what I'm doing now. Hanako, you are the heir of the clan, and you must begin to know. You have to understand that for over a thousand years the survivors of Itomori joined the Miyamizu clan to fulfill our pact. That's why they built this shrine and we have maintained the cult of Shitori-no-Kami ever since. All this is to remember things we have passed down from mothers to daughters for generations. No one in Itomori remembers all this anymore, only us. And you must pass this knowledge on to your sons or daughters who inherit this responsibility of the clan."
"Is that the secret?"
"Yes... but you still need to be initiated, there are many things you must learn that you have never heard of. Do you remember that your uncle always has a key around his neck? There are ancient documents that we have kept in storage that tell this story, and teach those secret rituals. Now that you are almost an adult, you are one step away from being able to receive that inheritance."
"But I don't want this responsibility! Why do we have to be tied to this shrine for something that happened... over a thousand years ago?"
Kyomi sighed; she had already talked more than she should have, more than her mother had ever told her before she was initiated into the clan's secrets. But she felt she could not hold her daughter back unless she understood her role. She looked at her daughter earnestly, and marked each of her words with the solemnity of the weight of her secret.
"I can tell you something, and I hope that with this you will understand why you are part of this story. Shitori-no-Kami bequeathed us another prophecy. One that says that Ame-no-Kagaseo will revisit Itomori in the future, and unless the Miyamizu clan is there to do the protection rituals that Shitori-no-Kami bequeathed to us, the dragon god will fulfill his promise and destroy everything and everyone."
Hanako suddenly began to feel an oppression on her shoulders that she did not know. The weight of being the clan's heir was burdensome, having to carry the responsibility of the clan was something she didn't want. But this she was hearing was unexpected. Now she was carrying the responsibility of everyone's life in Itomori?
"Are we doomed to be bound to this shrine?"
"That is the pact our ancestors made with Shitori-no-Kami in order to obtain her blessing and protection, Hanako. Our blood is blessed by Shitori-no-Kami."
Kyomi put her hands around her belly, getting harder and harder. She tried to massage it with her hands at her sides, thinking of the baby inside her. She smiled for a moment at the thought of him, but then a shadow crossed her mind.
"Many generations ago the Miyamizu clan was larger and more powerful; now there are fewer of us every day, our shrine is losing power and influence, and if this continues, we will disappear. That is why your father is looking for you to marry someone powerful who can strengthen the clan, so that we can grow again, survive, and pass on this knowledge to the new generations of the Miyamizu clan. If you abandon the clan, and the clan weakens and dies, all the effort of more than a thousand years will have been in vain, and you will condemn Itomori to its death at the hands of the dragon god. Are you willing to carry that burden?"
Suddenly in Hanako's mind many of the dances she was doing with that dragon-shaped rattle seemed to take on a meaning she was unaware of. And the kushikami sake they were preparing and offering to Musubi, wasn't it a simple ritual? Was it a pact with their god? She felt bad. Knowing this now made her feel both burdened and guilty. Her happiness with Goro was in the way of a pact she had never known about, and of which she was now the inevitable heir Why did the gods have to be so cruel to her?
"But... but... but... isn't there a way that I, and... Goro, can... can we be family, and that he is the one who will make our clan grow?"
"I don't know, my child. Your father and I have been looking out for the best for you and the clan, and what you have done, and what we found out tonight, has upset all the plans. And you know your father is stubborn, and he won't give in easily."
"But... if he... agreed, could we, we...?"
"That boy is the son of a craftsman, isn't he?"
"Yes, of the Mayugorô shoemakers."
A shadow of fear crossed Kyomi's face when she heard his name. But she did not want to get distracted by his apprehensions. She wanted to make her daughter to understand.
"And his parents will allow him to abandon his family forever, abandon his tradition, abandon everything, and become a Miyamizu? Would he be willing to do that for you? Our clan needs men and women dedicated to serving the shrine, for life. Is he willing to take that path?"
Hanako opened her mouth to answer, but hesitated. Once Goro and she had talked about what it would be like to escape together, to get away from Itomori and go to Kyoto, and rebuild their life there. It was like a game and a dream, but not a reality. If she were to ask that of Goro now, to stay in Itomori forever, but as a Miyamizu...; she wanted to believe he would say yes, but something in her knew the answer was not simple.
"I... I... I, I don't know."
"I see; if you believe you love him, and you believe he loves you, that would be proof that his love for you is real. Assuming your father would agree, of course. Remember that we have already sent letters to the Daimyo to secure your engagement to the fourth son of the Matsudaira family. That will not be simple to resolve, even if your father agrees to what you say."
Hanako looked down at her hands, and realized that she was trembling again. She felt fear, an unknown, visceral fear for the future. She felt that she had no control over her life, and that her fate was in someone else's hands.
"Mom... will you... help me? Will you help me... be happy?"
"I want to, daughter, but I..."
Kyomi felt the air in her lungs freeze as her belly suddenly hardened to the point of making her gasp. She couldn't sit still any longer, and decided to walk a little. She carefully stood up and took a couple of steps towards her daughter, when she felt a warm liquid begin to run down her thighs. She looked down in fright, and watched as a pool of water began to form around her feet, not knowing how to react.
Hanako watched her mother in front of her, noting how she paled as she looked at the ground. She followed her gaze and when she saw the pool of water forming around her mother; she didn't understand what was going on. He thought she was peeing herself, but why?
"Mom, are you feeling alright? What's wrong?"
Kyomi suddenly came back to her senses, as a contraction stronger than all the previous ones made her squeal in surprise.
"Hanako, look for Narumi-san. Tell her that the baby is coming, that my water broke."
"What? The baby?"
"Hanako! Please! Call her now!"
§
After the incident, Keitaro Miyamizu went to the shrine's library room. Although it seemed that the ruffian was not a real thief, the very idea that he was mistaken and that this boy or someone else had broken into the archives and stolen something made his stomach churn.
He looked through the prayer books and some history books that were the most used and usually within easy reach, and after a couple of minutes he saw that nothing was missing or out of place. But Keitaro knew that those were not the most valuable or important documents.
He made his way to the back room, much smaller than the previous one, which had a writing table, and a metal-locked trunk leaning against the wall.
He checked the trunk and it looked untouched. Somewhat nervously he pulled out a small key knotted around his neck. He operated the lock, which gave way with a small click, and opened the trunk. He brought the lamp he had left on the table closer, and inspected with his other hand a number of books and documents that were neatly arranged in the small space. With relief he could see that everything was in order.
He locked the trunk again, and was on his way out of the room when he met Hiroshi, who was entering the document room.
"I knew I would find you here."
"It's no surprise that this is the place where I'm always, brother," replied Keitaro with a somewhat tired smile.
"Well, as a prayer master and curator of the shrine library, no doubt you've devoted a lot of time to this place."
Hiroshi picked up one of the books near him. It was one of prayers. After glancing through a few pages, he put the book back where he had taken it.
"But it's clear that I didn't come to talk to you about books. What do you think about what happened just now?"
Keitaro looked around, and saw a couple of cushions lying near the table. He indicated them to his brother as he walked over to them and sat down heavily. He waited for Hiroshi to sit down as well.
"I think you have a big problem. I know Hana-chan has been acting very rebellious the last while, but I didn't expect her to be pursuing an affair with someone outside the shrine, let alone without your consent."
"She had been challenging me for a while now, but I didn't know she was taking it this far. And now it's not just my problem, but that of the entire sanctuary."
"You mean because of the engagement?"
"And why else would it be?"
Hiroshi put his hands to his temples. He wanted to rest, and the night had not yet finished giving him worries. If this gets out of the shrine, Hanako's engagement may be ruined. And with it also our hopes that the Miyamizu clan can return to being a strong clan as before.
"When you asked for Kyomi's hand, you did it thinking about the convenience of the shrine and the clan, didn't you?"
Hiroshi looked at Keitaro somewhat displeased. He sensed that he didn't like the direction the conversation was taking.
"It's not the same. Besides back then I didn't really understand what it meant to be in charge of the shrine."
"And how old were you, twenty?"
"Twenty-one."
"And if my father hadn't given you his blessing, tell me: if he had considered that you weren't the best for the shrine and for my sister, would you have accepted it, just like that?"
"Wait, what are you getting at?"
Keitaro was silent for a while, thinking about his next words.
"Do you think Hana-chan is going to accept, just like that, what you want to do? She's your daughter, remember?"
"No, don't compare her to me. My situation and hers are totally different. I had the preparation and the ties to be who I am now, and I had all the skills to take this role in favor of the clan. On the other hand, that boy we caught just now, who is he? He's an artisan's son who probably can't even read his own name. Do you think someone like him could be a worthy successor, someone worthy of being with the clan's heiress?"
"That I have to concede. If that boy has any chance, he's got it pretty tough. But do you know why I remembered all this?"
"To tell you the truth, I've been wondering that for a while now".
"Musubi."
Hiroshi paled when he heard that name. He stared at Keitaro, not knowing what to say. Finally, Keitaro broke the silence.
"What is happening today seems too strange and surprising to me. And that the heiress of the clan has made these decisions without us noticing it may be a big mistake of her, but don't we serve Musubi, the god of bonds? And what bond could be stronger than the one your daughter is showing at this instant for that boy? Perhaps this is something that Shitori-no-Kami put in our way, for some reason that at this instant we cannot comprehend."
Hiroshi could only sigh. Keitaro's words made him even more worried.
"If this is something that is Shitori-no-Kami's will, we won't be able to do anything about it. But how can we know if it is? What if we're wrong? I'm afraid, Keitaro. There's too much at stake, our future is at stake, and it's making me sick..."
Hiroshi slowly stood up and motioned Keitaro to follow him.
"Narumi-san told me that the boy woke up. Please come with me, I need to talk to him."
"Interrogate him, you mean."
"Whatever it takes. The future of my daughter and the clan is at stake. Let's go."
Keitaro stood up and began to turn off the oil lamps in the hall. Hiroshi helped him with a few, until they finished and left the hall, heading for the cellars at the back of the shrine.
The night had already advanced and the air was very cold, so both men walked in silence towards the cellar. As they rounded the corner of the building, they saw a lamp peeking out of the shrine stairs, and two figures behind them walking towards them, until they met them.
"Kaisho Hiroshi-sama, we're back."
"Oh, just in time. How things unrolled with the Mayugorô family, Jiro?"
"We were able to find the intruder's father and talk to him. We explained that we caught him prowling around the shrine and that he fled when we detected him, so we captured him thinking he was a criminal."
"Did you tell him he was wounded?"
"Yes, we told him. But I think he was so upset with the boy that he didn't pay attention to that."
Hiroshi and Keitaro exchanged quizzical glances. Hiroshi was left wondering what that meant, but Keitaro simply wanted to know from his men.
"So, what else did he tell you?"
"He said that the boy was dishonoring his family with what he was doing. That this was not the son he had raised."
"So, what do we do with him?" said Keitaro, looking at Hiroshi.
"What we had already said. Jiro, did you tell him that tomorrow I will personally bring his son to him?"
"Yes. He said he will wait for you. He looked very embarrassed."
"I see; I think this is bad news for the boy, but we won't tell him anything about it. Let him meet his family tomorrow. Jiro, did he tell you anything else?"
"No. He apologized to us on behalf of his family, and dismissed us. Another of the sons was present, an older one than that boy, but he seemed to bite his tongue. I saw him offended, but I don't know if it was because of what his brother did, or what his father said. But he didn't say anything."
"I understand..."
"Kaisho, there is something else," said the second emissary."
"What else, Masaru?"
"When we left their house and were on our way back, the boy's mother caught up with us. She was very upset and crying. She also apologized to us, and asked us about the boy's condition. We told her he was alive, that he had a head wound, but that we would treat him. I guess he is still alive, right?"
"Yes, he is alive, in custody. Your mother already cured him."
"What a relief..."
"Why?"
"It's just... I was the one who hit him on the head. I felt bad in front of his mother, Kaisho. I don't want to be a murderer."
"You're not, Masaru. You were doing your job defending the shrine, and your brothers when he was being captured. If you hadn't done it, in the heat of the fight that same boy could have hurt you or your brothers, and maybe we'd be regretting something different."
"Yes, that's true. Thank you, Kaisho, tomorrow I will make an offering to Musubi for that boy's recovery."
"That's all right. Go home now."
The group broke up. The high priest and his second-in-command continued walking toward the cellar. When they arrived, they opened the door and startled the guard, who was nodding off sitting at the small table in the center of the room. At the back, against the wall and sitting on a futon, they saw the prisoner lying on his side, hands and feet bound.
"Koishi-san, is everything alright?" Hiroshi asked with firmness in his voice.
"Oh, sorry, High Priest, it's been too quiet here. All in order."
The guard turned to the prisoner with a dismissive gesture.
"The prisoner fell asleep a while ago."
"Thank you, Koishi-san. Please leave us alone with him for a while."
"Right away, Kaisho."
"Go get some warm clothes if you're staying outside, it's freezing, though you'd better go talk to Koba-san, they may have to relieve themselves tonight," Keitaro recommended, with a nod of his head pointing out of the room.
"You are right, Keitaro-sama, I will go at once. High priest, with your permission."
The guard gave a quick nod and left the room.
The conversation had awakened Goro. Seeing the two men at the entrance, he tried to sit up quickly, but a sharp stab of pain in his head made him groan and slow his movement. After a couple of seconds, he managed to finish sitting up, as the two newcomers surrounded him, sitting across from him about five feet away.
"I am Miyamizu Hiroshi, high priest of Miyamizu Shrine, and this is my brother Miyamizu Keitaro, head of prayers and in charge of the shrine's library. We need answers and I need you to be absolutely honest with us. To begin with, tell us who you are, why you came to the shrine and why you behaved like a delinquent tonight."
Goro looked at both men and blushed with embarrassment. He knew the high priest was Hanako's father, and though he knew the day would come when he would have to have a conversation with him, the circumstances under which it was taking place, with him tied up like a criminal wounded his already battered pride.
"I... my name is Mayugorô Goro. I am the fifth son of Mayugorô Yamazaki. We are craftsmen and we make shoes for all of Itomori."
Goro felt his mouth and throat suddenly very dry, and he felt like coughing. He couldn't hold back the urge, and ended up doing so, which brought tremendous pain to the back of his head.
Keitaro looked around and saw a bowl near the futon, and a bucket of water. He stood up, drew water from the bucket and offered it to Goro, who responded with an embarrassed 'thank you', drinking with some trepidation.
"Well, we know who you are. But why did you come to the temple at night, and why did you run away from the wardens like a delinquent?" continued Hiroshi.
Goro looked both men in the eyes for a second, and then could not hold his gaze. He looked down at his knees and fell silent.
"Boy, you'd better answer us."
After a few seconds of hesitation, Goro's voice came out choked. He wanted to protect Hanako at all costs, even if he had to pay a high price for it.
"I... I... can't answer that."
Hiroshi sighed. He figured the boy wouldn't cooperate, but he felt tired. He stood up and began pacing the room, thinking about how to get the boy to tell the whole truth. When he spoke, he did so without stopping pacing in front of Goro.
"What happened tonight at the shrine is serious. There was a Miko shrine maiden who was missing for a long time. In fact, the wardens were actively searching for her all over the shrine and the surrounding area. And then you were discovered and caught. I fear that maiden may have been disgraced. Do you know what will happen to that shrine maiden if that is the case?"
Goro opened his eyes unconsciously. What was Hanako's father talking about? He hadn't done anything to dishonor her, but he didn't know the laws and customs of the shrine. The thought that they might severely punish his beloved made his blood boil. He tried to calm himself, but he felt his heart soar, and with each beat he felt as if his head would burst, but his fear was so great that the pain took a back seat.
"I... I don't know, but... but... but... I didn't do anything to anyone, t-the girl doesn't deserve any punishment, she hasn't done anything wrong You have to believe me!"
"And how do you know that?" asked Keitaro, who looked sideways at Hiroshi, who winked back at him to continue the game.
"A tainted maiden is no longer fit for the shrine, it is an offense to the gods, so she should be sacrificed to appease them as soon as possible, to prevent a curse from falling on us."
For a second Goro could visualize the scene of Hanako being killed by these priests, and the scene in his mind collapsed all the composure and dissimulation he had tried to maintain.
"No! Don't do anything to Hanako, she's innocent, I swear to you! If you have to punish someone, do it with me, but leave her out, please! Please! Please! Please...!"
Goro just couldn't go on, he started sobbing uncontrollably. He fell on his hands and put his head on the ground, prostrating himself, barely being able to mumble 'please' between sobs.
Hiroshi felt guilty for manipulating the boy in a somewhat dirty way, but they needed to break him in order to get him to cooperate with them. He approached the boy and squatted down in front of him, speaking calmly to him.
"So, you know my daughter Hanako. If you really care about her, then you will answer everything we ask you, or else your lies will be on her. How do you know her and what is your relationship with her?"
Goro felt shattered. All his attempt to protect Hanako had failed, and now all his mental defenses were shattered as well. He continued to sob as he sat up, but without looking Hiroshi in the face.
"I-I... we, we met two years ago; we started seeing each other at the fountain, on market days."
"What relationship do you have with my daughter?"
Goro felt that question as the final blow. He no longer had a way to hide it. He closed his eyes for a few seconds, to try to find a strength he almost didn't have anymore, and then fighting his fear he looked up and looked at Hiroshi.
"I love your daughter. And she loves me too. We love each other and we want to be together..."
Hiroshi, although he already knew the answer, could not stop an angry impulse from running through his chest as he listened to Goro. His daughter had kept this relationship from him all this time, for years, endangering the continuity and well-being of the clan. And this boy had just confessed to him a love that for Hiroshi was a mistake. A mistake that ruined the plans he had fought for several years. He felt like slapping him. To restrain himself, he stood up and began to walk in front of the boy, trying to calm down.
Keitaro saw Hiroshi's disfigured face, and decided to take control of the conversation while he calmed down.
"Do you realize you're talking about the high priest's daughter? She is the heiress of the Miyamizu clan, and is destined to be the head of the clan, and to marry someone who is capable of being a leader and high priest of the shrine. It can't be just anyone, it has to be someone capable and prepared. Do you think you can take that place? Do you even know how to read and write?"
"Do you think I don't?" answered Goro bitterly. "We've talked about it many times. And she told me that you would look down on me for being the son of an artisan, not someone with money or power. And you don't even know me!"
"No, we don't know you," continued Keitaro. "And that's why I ask you again, do you think you could be someone worthy of being the husband of Hanako Miyamizu, heiress of the Miyamizu clan? It is not enough that you love her, it is not enough that you are a good craftsman or that you can give her a good life. Hanako's husband will have to be a Miyamizu, someone who dedicates his life to her and to this shrine, it can't be someone who continues with a normal life working the land or with his hands in anything else. Are you a man capable of abandoning everything for her, your family and your profession, in order to dedicate your life to serve Musubi and her shrine?"
Goro felt how Hanako's father stopped in front of him. Without looking at him, he felt Hanako's father's gaze pierce him. He looked at his hands, still bound, thinking what the other priest had asked him. Was he willing to give up everything, and turn his back on his family, for Hanako?
He thought of her. He thought how a few weeks ago they had fantasized about leaving Itomori, leaving everything behind, running away together to Kyoto, starting a life together away from the obligations of their families. Yes, he was willing to leave it all behind. But he knew Hanako hated feeling like a slave to the shrine and her family, and he knew that what she longed for most was to be free from the bonds of her family's tradition. If he said no, he would lose her forever, but if he said yes, wouldn't he be betraying her, selling her out in order to buy happiness together in a life she didn't want? He felt his chest hurt.
"I was... No, I'm willing to do anything for her. I could give up my family, my name and my pride for her. But I don't know if she wants that, if that means staying in Itomori and in this place..."
"That is something for the Miyamizu clan to resolve, not you," hoarsely replied Hiroshi. "I..."
The sound of footsteps approaching at a run toward the cellar interrupted him. The cries of a woman calling 'Kaisho, Kaisho' in a nervous manner set him in alarm. Hiroshi glanced at Keitaro for a second, then rushed to the door, throwing it open violently and peering out. He caught a glimpse of one of the maidens rushing toward him with a look of relief on her face as she found him.
"Hi-high priest, your wife..."
"What's the matter? What's wrong with Kyomi?" replied Hiroshi turning pale. He felt the pit of his stomach tighten.
"It's the baby, her water broke, but something's wrong! Narumi-san asked me to look for you and take you to her right away!"
Next chapter 3: "Maternal Truths." To be published on March 1st, 2023