Love and Tears
Kotori was stood by a balcony in front of a tree seeing a bird making a nest as her mind was deep in thought mostly on a certain Ronin "Oh Umi, why did I do this to you?" she asked herself a she touched her neck.
"Kotori, are you ok?" Lady Minami asked as she stood next to the ashen haired girl, Kotori said nothing in response.
"Is it about Umi?" to which simply Kotori nodded.
"I'm sure she'll come around."
"Maybe, maybe she's better off without me in her life, mama."
"Kotori, you two loved and still love each other."
"I do, I'm not so sure on Umi, having seen her and spoken to her she seems so empty and I did that, I took all she had away from her." Kotori choked "It would have been more merciful if Kira had killed me."
"Kotori you don't mean that, Umi would have been just as heart broken by that. I know it seems hopeless now but have faith she'll come around, every day brings something new, you know her best of all, if anyone can get her back to her old self it's you."
Kotori sighed, the weight that had been building since she'd first seen Umi building further "I used to know her mama, now all I see is hollow person in the shape of her, besides she has her niece to think about, she doesn't need me adding more trouble to her life."
"I know it seems hopeless now but I have faith in you, in both of you." Lady Minami smiled as she hugged her daughter.
"Thanks mama." Kotori smiled into her mother's embrace, though deep down she didn't believe it 'How can Umi forgive me?' Kotori though to herself.
(Eli and Nozomi)
"Did you know about Tatsumi from the start?" Eli asked Nozomi a slight hint of annoyance keeping secrets from her.
"No, I only found out after I sent you all away for that private chat." Nozomi replied
"But you did know about Saki being here."
"Yes, I kept that a secret because Lady Minami requested it, Tsubasa told me nothing, she was told to keep quiet, I thought Tatsumi had just sent her away to be safe with us, not that she had been killed."
"Umi's going to be in a real mess over this." Eli sighed "Not to mention how she and Kotori are acting with each other."
"I know, but the best we can do is try and help her where we can."
"I wish we could do something more." Eli sighed as Nozomi cupped the blonde's cheek. Nozomi kissed the blonde's forehead with a smile. "All we can do right now is wait for fate to decide what to do about them all we can do is watch and hope."
"I know, I'm still mad at you, you know?"
"Well then let me make it up to you." Nozomi smiled as she guided Eli's head to her lap and started to stroke the girl's hair "Khorosho."
"Where did you hear that?" Nozomi asked not hearing before.
"From a trader, apparently it means good or well." Eli said as Nozomi moved her hand to the back of Eli's head "Khorosho." Eli let out in long sigh in response.
"That helping?"
"It's a start."
"Oh my, is my little darling wanting to be on top tonight."
"Wait…"
Nozomi giggled "I'm teasing, mostly."
"Should we really be doing this given what Umi's just gone through?" Eli asked.
"You know what she'd say, after screaming shameless."
"I know it just feels wrong."
"Ok, how about tonight I just pamper you for a change, though you owe me."
"I can live with that." Eli as she sat up and kissed Nozomi.
"Glad to hear it." Nozomi smiled as guided Eli's head back down.
"Though before we do, I need to see Umi."
"Oh want to get a sneak look at Sakura, do we?"
"No, well maybe, but I always see her at this time."
"Ok, I'll be right here when you get back." Nozomi smiled.
(Maki and Nico)
Maki was walking around the castle trying to not think about Umi and Kotori being around each other, which she still felt was a bad idea, she was so wrapped up in her own thoughts she missed the feint sound of someone landing on the floor behind her and sneaking up behind her till it was almost too late.
Maki spun around and tried to draw her Katana but her arm was grabbed and she was faced with the pointed end of the Tanto blade.
"I win Princess." Nico smiled.
"Unfair, I was distracted."
"We've been over this before."
Maki snorted and put her Katana blade back in its sheave "I know, I know, your insufferable sometimes."
"You can always find someone else." Nico countered as she put her blade away.
"Then I'd have to execute you remember." Maki glared.
Nico scoffed "I could easily have gotten out if I wanted to."
"And beat Umi?"
"Blasted Blunette..." Nico growled "Anyway you know the deal."
"Yeah I do." Maki sighed "Come on."
As the pair walked Nico surprised Maki with a question "Don't you think your being a bit hard on Kotori?"
"Nico, she…"
"I know what she did, but we know she was forced and she regrets it, look I get why your angry, but she's hurting just as much as Umi, she just can't show it, she has to keep an example up, Umi doesn't have that issue anymore." Nico let out a little laugh "Guess they are more alike than they think."
"I know she's hurting to its just, having to see the mess Umi was, it's hard to let go." Maki sighed as the pair came to Maki's room.
Nico gave the pink haired girl a smile "Let me see if I can do something about that."
(Honoka and Tsubasa)
"Are you angry at me?" Tsubasa asked the ginger.
"No." Honoka sighed as she flopped on to the futon "Just jealous you got to see Umi's niece before me, I know that sounds weird."
"A little." Tsubasa smiled as she ran her fingers through Honoka's hair.
"I'm trying not to think about what Umi's going through right now, I wish I could help her."
"We can't, she has to figure this out on her own."
"I know."
"Now." Tusbasa said as she leaned closer to Honoka's ear "I think I need some relaxing from my trip and I know just the thing."
"Your worse than Nozomi sometimes." Honoka gulped.
"Only sometimes, I'll need to try harder, now won't I?"
(Rin and Hanayo)
Hanayo stood by one of the balconies watching some fireflies around a tree "Nozomi has a real eye for beauty." Hanayo said to herself.
"Kayo-chin?" Hanayo turned to see Rin standing next to her observing her "Are you ok?"
"Yes, thank you Rin, I was just thinking how beautiful Nozomi's castle always is."
"Yeah, she always did make the place look beautiful, I wish we could have come here more sometime."
"Yes, I do to, but after the incident with Umi…"
"I wonder how she's doing?" Rin wondered seeing Hanayo's sad face "With her niece that is."
"Oh I'm sure she's fine." Hanayo said though she wasn't sure.
(Umi, Saki and Eli)
Eli pulled the door open to Umi kneeling over the cot.
"Is it ok to come in?" Eli asked when Umi noticed her.
"Yes Lady EIi."
Eli moved closer to the pair, she smiled when she saw the little girl, she looked so cute to Eli, Umi just sighed at her friend's reaction.
"How are you doing?" Eli finally asked, her eyes still on Saki.
"Stressed." Umi sighed "Looking after a child is hard, even with Alisa's help."
"You seem to be doing ok so far, don't you think Saki?" Eli asked the little girl and got a happy cry in response.
"Thanks." Umi sighed.
"I wasn't asking about how you are doing with Saki you know?"
"I know." Umi sighed "Right now I just need to try and process all that's happening."
"I understand." Eli said as Saki yawned "Aw, someone's sleepy."
Umi just shook her head 'I guess even Eli can act like kid sometimes.' Umi thought to herself.
"Look Umi, Nozomi's decided that you need to guard Kotori…" Eli started, not sure how to carry on.
"If Lady Tojo requests it, then I shall comply and fulfil that task to the best of my abilities."
"Yes, but what do you feel about it?"
"It's not important to fulfil my task."
"Umi…"
"I have been given a task, that is all there is to it." Umi said as she turned around to leave the room.
"It's not though is it, Umi talk to me we're friends, what do you feel about her really and don't make me command you."
Umi sighed as she turned to look at the blonde "Look, regardless of my feelings for her, nothing will come of it, either way."
"But what do you feel for her?"
Umi turned away and moved to the door "Excuse me Lady Eli and try not to wake her up, she's worse than me for having her sleep disturbed."
As Umi closed the door and began walking through the castle "What do I feel for her?" Umi repeated Eli's question, it was a question she'd been struggling with for years now. She still felt the knife that was thrust into heart with what happened to her. Yet she still felt same tingling warm feeling when she saw though soft eyes and the screams in her head to leave those thought behind.
"What do I feel for her, I still love her but I can't love her." Umi sighed out. As she found herself standing on a bridge. She stopped and took a moment to stand on the bridge and listen to the sound of the stream under the bridge losing track of time.
Umi closed her eyes and faced the sky thinking on the happy times of her times with Kotori "I wish I could feel those arms again." Umi muttered to herself.
"Umi?" came a soft voice.
Umi turned to see the Kotori standing before her on one end of the bridge, Umi had to admit the sight of Kotori could still leave her stunned and her standing in the moonlight surrounded by fireflies did just that 'If only it didn't make it so hard to look at her.' Umi thought as she looked away.
"Is there something I can do for you, Lady Kotori?" Umi whispered.
(Kotori)
Kotori found herself walking around the outside of her room when she noticed Umi walking along one of the gardens. Kotori stopped and watched the girl stop at a bridge silently. Kotori debated whether she should go and try and talk to Umi or not, eventually Kotori decided to try.
She walked as quick as she could hoping that Umi wouldn't move, eventually Kotori came to the bridge Umi still standing closed her eyes and facing the sky clearly deep in thought.
"I wish I could feel those arms again." Kotori heard Umi muttered to herself.
"Umi?" Kotori said in surprise of Umi's words.
Umi turned to face her, for a second Kotori swore she sore a glint in the blunettes eyes, but Umi's smiled fell and she turned away 'Umi.' Kotori thought to herself.
"Is there something I can do for you, Lady Kotori?" Umi whispered.
"Umi, how are you?"
"You mean about my sister, or my niece?" Umi said as she looked at the stream.
'Maybe this was a mistake.' Kotori said to herself.
"Did you know, about either of them?" Umi asked.
"No." Kotori replied, "Not till this evening at least."
"I see." Umi sighed.
"How is your niece?" Kotori asked unsure what else to say.
"As well as can be expected."
"What's her name?"
"Were you not told?"
"No, just that you have one."
"Saki."
"Sweet name."
"Yes, my sister always did have a way with names."
"Umi, I'm sorry."
"About what?"
"All of it, Saki, your sister, what I did, I'm sorry Umi."
"Its fine, its done."
"It's not though, you barely talk to me or look at me, you call me Lady, you only did that once, I know I hurt you, I'd understand if you hate me for it, but just tell me where we stand."
"That's the thing Lady Kotori, I don't know where I stand with you." Umi sighed.
"How do you mean?"
Umi turned away and began to walk away "Umi?" Kotori said making the Ronin stop in the tracks for a second.
"Lady Tojo and Minami have asked I guard you while we are traveling Lady Kotori, there will be time to talk then, now I have to see to Saki, good night my Lady."
Kotori stood silently watching the girl walk away, her mind torn, on one hand Umi had said they could talk more, but she still seemed to be keeping the distance up between them, Kotori sighed and walked back the way she came, the opposite to the way she wanted to go, her heart twisting with each step.
Both girls walked away unaware of the tears rolling down the others cheek