AFTER THE BATTLE
The soft
silver moon just arose over Ukiyoe town.
Its light blended with some cool breezes kissed the sleepy small city and
enveloped the azure night in peace. At the edge of the small town, a grand and
ancient mansion bathed in merry lights
and music. Every one celebrated the homecoming of their young Sandaime, Nura
Rikuo. Rikuo just got back in the morning from healing session at the hanyou
village where Hagoromo Gitsune brought
him after the last battle with the Nue.
“More sake
here, Nattou,” Hitotsume Nyudo, the one eyed daiyouki ordered more drinks,his
face was already beet red of drunkenness.
“Haiii...,”
small Nattou Kozou ran to the kitchen and almost hit Kubinashi at the corridor.
“Watch your
step, Nattou!!,” Kubinashi yelled with his hands full of food and bottles.
“Gomen ne....”
At the party
room, Nura Rihyon, the Yondaime and Rikuo, in his youkai form, exchanged
several bowls of finest sake, congratulating each other on their recent victory
over Seimei.
“You have surpassed
me and your father, kid.”
“Everyone
helped me, Grandpa. I wouldn’t be able to do all by myself. You and these
people here also the Keikain Onmyouji’s house have shares in tonight’s
celebration,” Rikuo sipped some drinks from his wooden bowl.
“You’ve
grown up, Rikuo. Even in the demon
world, you are totally awesome in this age.”
“Oiii...
Sandaime. Since you are already mature,
why don’t you take a beautiful lady for a wife??!!!!,” Aotabo spoke to Rikuo
and laughed.
“Or you will
end up as wasted bachelor like this youkai here,” his index pointed to
Kurotabou who sat in front of him.
“What!! I
will kill you !,” Kurotabou jumped and wrestled Ao, much to the cheers of the
crowd.
“Sure Rikuo,
you can choose who you like in your situation as now,” Nura Rihyon teased his
grandchild ,” Or you already had someone in mind, eh...eh??? Hahaha....”
Suddenly...
the shoji door opened and...
“Here she is
!!! Our Sandaime’s lady sama....!!!,” somebody yelled and quickly followed by
others.
“Good choice
!! We agree ...!!”, the room became hurly burly at once.
Nura Rihyon
and Rikuo turned their heads and found a shocked and dumb looking Tsurara at
the door. She stood there frozen and terribly red faced.
“Nani?? What
do you say, people? Kyaaaa....”, she ran fast dropping the tray in her hands.
“Hahaha...
such a weird reaction, “ Nura Rihyon chuckled and looked at his grandson. To
his surprise, he saw that Rikuo’s face blushed deep and the youth was
pretending to eat some onigiri while big drops of sweat dripped on his cheek.
‘My...my....
and I think you are more cool and indifferent
in your night form, Grandson!!,” the old man slapped Rikuo’s shoulder
and laughed heartily.
“Nonsense...,”
Rikuo grumbled and tried to look straight at the food he had picked. But he
could not suppressed the hollow feeling in his stomach and he thought that his
heart beating harder than previous.
“Wooooohooooo...
watch our Sandaime!!!...He is blushing!!!...Hoorayyy for Tsurara!!!...”. The
cheers were deafening and many small youkais started to dance wildly.
Rikuo stood
up and reached the back door trying to escape this embarassing moment silently.
He walked to the backyard of the mansion toward his favourite cherry tree. How
he wanted to calm his racing heartbeat from the embarassment back there.
His steps
halted abruptly then. At the corridor, leaning to the wooden wall, there was
Tsurara Oikawa looking at the sakura tree. Stars seemed floating in her eyes , reflecting the softly
falling petals in their bluest pupils. A
longing expression could be seen on her pale white complexion. Rikuo heard she
sighed deeply as if burdens had weighed down on her soul heavily.
“The moon
and the sakura petals are such a match tonight, aren’t they, Tsurara?”.
“R-Rikuo
sama...”, the ice girl startled being woken from her unseen fantasy. Rikuo’s
wistful voice brought her back from her unfathomed thought.
“That white
silvery moon and the pink flowers blown by gentle breezes... What a wonderful
sight to see.” Rikuo walked closer to Tsurara until they were standing side by
side on the quiet verandah. The little
snow maiden flinched and replied her dearest master gently.
“Yes, Sir.
They are very beautiful tonight. Why don’t you stay at the party, Rikuo sama?
It is to celebrate your triumph. You shouldnot leave your company right now.”
“That noisy
and busybody crowd!! I love quietness more. And what are you doing here?
Sulking and daydreaming, very unusual for my cheerful and smiling Tsurara.”
“My... he
said My?,” Tsurara was wondering and suddenly centered much attention to her
tabied toes. “Why do I feel like thousands of butterflies flipping their wings
in my chest? Rikuo sama, go away pleaseee, I can’t bear it much longer,”she
turned to steal a look at the man beside her. Rikuo was staring at the azure
sky and Tsurara swore to herself that there weren’t many men, both human beings
and youkais who was as handsome as her
Sandaime. His red orbs watched the moon
with soft look in them. The smirks usually found in his lips were replaced by a
small smile which rarely displayed openly.
Suddenly,
Rikuo turned his head and caught Tsurara’s looking at him intensely. This
unexpected movement made the girl’s face changed crimson furiously.
‘Were you
scrutinizing me, Tsurara? Have an ugly
opinion about me?”.
“Kyaaa... I
am very sorry, Rikuo sama. I didn’t mean to be rude....,” Tsurara started to
run away because she was afraid that her master would be angry. A bigger and
warmer hand caught her wrist halting her escape.
“Don’t go,
Tsurara! Or I will never know what you’d like to say about me,” Rikuo’s right
hand held Tsurara’s cold fingers very tight. In the dim light he could see
Tsurara’s lips were trembling.
“Tell me now
Tsurara. This is an order from your Master”.
Tsurara took a deep
breath and started to speak though she was fidgeting here and there searching
for a way to release Rikuo’s grip.
“You’ve
grown up, Master. I still remember the day when you were born and I carried you
in my bosoms...”
“Geez...
your bosoms? I wish I could remember that too, Tsurara,” Rikuo touched his chin
and stared at the girl beside him again.
“Aaaa...
please don’t talk about it like that, Rikuo sama! Everybody carries their
babies in that way!”
“Okay...okay.
Continue now”.
“You were so
small, cute and chubby. Cutest baby in the youkai world. You rarely cried and
how Rihan sama loved and praised you a lot. Then you grew older and turned into
such a mischievous one. We often fell to your pranks and I was very worried one
day when I couldnot find you everywhere while the sun was already set. It was
very dark outside.What a relief when I found you alone at the city park.”
“I never
forget that too, Tsurara. I was so scared and confused, but just when I began
to cry, I saw a hand as white as snow gleaming in the darkness. Soft hand that
had guided me home is the one I’m holding now, right?”
Tsurara
gazed at her right hand which was in Rikuo’s palm and slowly she whispered,
“You remember, Master? Thank you, it is a great honor for your humble servant.
Now, would you kindly let my hand go?”. She tried to pull her hand but her
effort was futile. The grip on her hand was from a daiyoukai, not so easily be
shaken off.
“Not yet,
Tsurara. I am the one who should say thank you. I never tell you how grateful I
was at that time. I felt so lost and you came saving me from that frightful
darkness. Have I told you about how lucky I am to have someone like you by my side,
Tsurara? You have been taking care of me since the day I was brought into this
world and then you are always beside me through the falls and triumphs.”
“Well... It
is my duty to put your safety and well being above other priorities, Rikuo
sama. I am such a burden for you at many countless times too. I often failed to
protect you and ended up with the facts that you were the one who shielded me
from dangers. I am really ashamed for being a useless attendant, Sir,” Tsurara
choked and felt a mist of tears already formed at the corners of her eyes.
Rikuo was
surprised when he heard low sobs from
his number one guardian. “It is okay, Tsurara.
Please, dont’ cry. You are always standing in front of me,
supporting me and my source of strength
when I was feeling so down. I always
feel like home whenever you are near me.”
“Am I?...”
“So, let me hold your
hand for a little longer , Tsurara. And
let us just enjoy this lovely night quietly
while everybody is having that crazy party.”
Tsurara
looked at Rikuo happily, unbelieving every word she just heard. Rikuo smiled at
her and tightened his hold on her hand. Together , under the moonlight and
falling sakuras, there were two people looking up the sky hand in hand. Calm
happiness flooded their hearts making them content and unconsciously they moved
closer to each other. Tsurara’s head found a resting place on Rikuo’s shoulder
and the handsome young man put his chin on the top of her silky white blue
strands. Red and golden orbs were
shining with affection they neglected before. Secret smiles decorated their peaceful silent conversations
of the hearts. Unheard by others, but
strongly acknowleged by their souls.
About
everybody is having that crazy party, naaahhhh... Dozens of colourful bright eyes were watching
the whole scenes between their young master and his snow girl all the time from
the farthest corner of the great mansion, whispering and gigling to others
about what they had seen.
“Yo,
Yondaime. It is about time for you to prepare a big wedding for your grandson
soon,” Aotabou muttered to a short balded man in front of him.
“Yes, that
is right, Nurarihyon sama. We must make the most grandeur feast in Japan for
Sandaime’s wedding!”
“ Be silent,
all of you!! Rikuo is only 14 years old. Wait for another 3 years till he comes
of age in human world,” Nura Rihyon snapped at his underlings but he couldnt
hide his smiles over his wrinkled face.
“Aaaawwww....
That’s too looong!!!!”
“Shut up and
get yourself married, Kurotabou!!!”
THE END
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