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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