Celebrations and Revelations
(Umi)
Umi sat in the garden with Saki watching the celebrations from a distance "I know you want to see them but I can't be there." Umi whispered to Saki as Meiyo sat next to her investigating Saki.
"Meiyo, that's rude, be nice to her, sorry Saki she doesn't mean to be rude."
Umi leaned back and sighed "When this is all done, I will make sure you are well looked after."
"How did you find the others?" Umi asked and Saki yawned in response.
"I know they can be exhausting, but they are lovely all of them, even if I didn't get on with them all at first, one day when your older I will tell you how I met Nico, though I will leave out the shameless stuff." Umi laughed.
"I see you really liked Lady Kotori, that's good, she'll be your lady one day and you'll need to get on with her, plus she's offered to look after you while I'm busy with the fighting."
Saki moaned at the word fighting "I know, but I'll be careful, plus its our duty as Sonoda's we are a warrior family, don't worry though its not for you to be concerned about right, now just enjoy the peace."
(Nico)
Nico stalked the rafters following Maki to her chamber, the pink haired samurai having two maids in each arm.
"Knew she didn't want anything real." Nico muttered "Lying harlot."
After Maki took the girls inside and closed the door, Nico dropped down to the floor 'I am so going to get her for tricking me.' Nico thought to herself, only for a voice to take her by surprise.
"Practicing your spying I see." Nico spun around and drew her knife to see Nozomi standing before her.
"What do you want?" Nico sighed.
"Oh nothing, just wondering why Maki was taking those two girls and not you to her room?" Nozomi smiled.
"Oh haha, you know why, it was the reason I got the contract on her to begin with." Nico said putting her knife away and walked past the daimyo.
"You know, she only takes girls to her chamber now if you're not around." Nozomi said as Nico was next to her.
"What makes you think I care?"
"That scowl on your face and the hurt look in your eye." Nozomi said her face going from smiling to serious "Those aren't the looks of someone who doesn't care, so what's up?"
"What's up, I'm sick of that girl messing me around, saying she wants something real then taking those two…" Nico growled as a laugh from one of the girls was heard.
"What if I said she was genuine about that?"
"She sure doesn't act like it."
"Maybe, but Maki is a complex girl, if you talk to her you might find the real Maki."
Nico heard another laugh and looked at the door "Even if she was, it wouldn't work, besides not like I'm interested anyway."
"Oh, so why are you were stalking her in the rafters while she takes two beautiful women away?"
"It's what…"
"Nico-chi, I know what you're going to say and we both know your lying." Nozomi sighed as she turned away from the room "She started being a bit honest with you, if you want her to be fully honest with you be fully honest with her and to do that you need to be fully honest for yourself, so do you want something real with her?"
Nico sighed and looked at the door "I guess, but when she does this, all I want to do is smack her."
"Funny, that's what she said about herself when she does this." Nozomi smiled as she walked off leaving the Ninja alone for a moment.
"Idiot." Nico sighed, though weather she meant herself or Maki the ninja wasn't sure as she climbed to the rafters as more laughter was heard from the room.
(Hanayo and Rin)
Hanayo walked to the courtyard and stood watching the celebrations off in the distance though deep down she was concerned, just then the cause of her concern entered her sight after spotting her.
"Kayo-chin!" Rin shouted as the ginger ran up to her.
"Are you ok Rin?" Hanayo asked.
"Yeah, it's fun." Rin smiled
"Good I'm glad." Hanayo said as she gave a smile back.
"Is something wrong?" Rin asked suddenly.
"No, why do you ask?" Hanayo said playing with her fingers.
"Kayo-chin, I know when you're lying, what's wrong?" Rin asked as she clasped her hands over Hanayo's "Your cheeks are red, are you ill?"
"No, I'm fine." Hanayo replied, though her heart was beating like thunder at the touch of Rin's hands on hers. Hanayo took a deep breath "I'm just worried."
"About your home?"
"No, well yes, but that's not the main thing."
"What is it then?" Rin asked curious.
Hanayo smiled, Rin always tilted her head to side when she was curious, rather like a cat "It's you, going off alone into the wilds to get our army, I'm worried about you."
"Aw Kayo-chin!" Rin said as she hugged Hanayo "I'll be fine, just watch we'll be back together at the fort again before you know it, I'm lucky remember, I got you as a best friend for starters."
"Rin!" Hanayo blushed at the compliment "I know you're lucky, but would you mind me adding to that luck?"
"How do you mean?"
Hanayo took her hands away, missing the touch of Rin's hands as she did "I made this, please keep it with you." Hanayo smiled as held up a hand carved wooden cat with its paw up.
"Kayo-chin… it's beautiful" Rin smiled before frowning "But I don't deserve this."
"But I want you to have it, please, it will help me keep calm if I know you have a piece of me with you on your ride." Hanayo plead as she held Rin's cheek "Please, for me."
Rin smiled as she gently took the cat, before smiling and hugging Hanayo tight "Thank you."
"Be safe out there." Hanayo whispered as she held Rin tight as she could.
"I will." Rin whispered back.
(Kotori)
Kotori smiled as she saw Rin and Hanayo hugging off to the other side of the celebrations area, she was happy for her two friends she knew they liked each other even if they didn't know it yet, though the happy sight also made her feel a tinge of sadness and envy "I wish I could feel those arms again." Kotori repeated Umi's words.
She'd seen a glimpse of the Umi she knew for a second while she had held Saki and had hoped she might have gotten through to her a little bit more earlier when she'd touched the Ronin's hand, but Umi had shut her off.
"And who's arms are you wishing for?" came a soft motherly voice.
"Nozomi?" Kotori said surprised she hadn't heard the older woman walk up to her.
"Oh please, I'm not as formal as your mother." Nozomi smiled "I fancy a walk, would you like to come along, I haven't had a chance to talk to you yet."
"Of course." Kotori smiled as she followed Nozomi away.
"Thank you for helping us." Kotori said with bow to the twin tailed damiyo.
"Of course we're all firends and never leave my firends in trouble." Nozomi smiled.
"Though, how did you have your troops ready to go so quick it took us a week to get fully ready."
"Tsubasa, she came with a message when she came with Saki." Nozomi said noticing Kotori's face fall slightly at the mention of Umi's niece but decided to wait a bit before bringing up the blunette "The message requested that I ready my troops as you were in need and wanting to help our friends i did just that."
"Then why negotiate with mama?"
"Well if i'm honest I wasn't really negotiating, I wanted to see how remorseful she was about what happened." Nozomi sighed "Don't worry, we're all commited even Maki." Nozomi turned to the girl and smiled "Now enough of the gloomy things, to something happy, what do you think of my gardens?"
"Oh, their lovely, as always." Kotori smiled.
The two walked chatting about some of the things they had been up to, Kotori felt it was nice to feel like she could let her mask fall a bit and relax a little. Just then they came to the bridge Kotori had seen Umi the other night and she paused.
"Everything ok?" Nozomi asked.
"Yes, fine." Kotori lied.
"You know you're a terrible liar and I do hate them." Nozomi said as she moves her next to her head and wiggled her fingers.
"EEK!" Kotori let out as she covered herself "Ok!"
Nozomi dropped her hands behind her back, once she was semi-sure Nozomi wasn't going to do anything Kotori began talking "It's Umi, I saw her here the other night."
"Oh and what happened?"
Kotori sighed and went to the side of the bridge in an almost mirror image of how she's seen Umi "I asked her where she stood with me?"
"What did she say?" Nozomi asked standing next to the ashen girl.
"She said she didn't know." Kotori said trying to hold a choke back "My childhood friend and she doesn't even know where she stands with me and the thing is, I can't blame her, I did this, I made her into this." Kotori choked as tears tried to escape her eyes "I wish papa hadn't elevated Kira, I wish Umi had been there, but most of all I wish I could go back and change it, it hurts seeing tiny glimpses of the Umi I knew and then for her to go back cutting me off." Kotori stopped herself from ranting and she tried to hold back her pent-up emotions.
Kotori was surprised by a pair of arms wrapping themselves around her and pulling her in "It's ok let it out, I won't tell." Nozomi whispered, at the comforting words from the motherly like girl Kotori let the dam burst, she wasn't sure how long she spent bawling her eyes out in the older girls arms but Nozomi made no move to stop her till she'd let it out.
Once finished she looked up "Thank you." Kotori said as she wiped her eyes with her hands.
"What if I told you, she still loves you?"
"Huh, but she said…"
"I know, but just listen, a few months ago I asked to speak to Umi…"
(Six months back)
"Lady Nozomi you wished to see me?" Umi said bowed as she entered the empty chamber.
"Yes I did, sit down Umi." Nozomi gestured in front of her.
"How might I be of service, My Lady?"
"Information."
"Information, My Lady?"
"Yes, information." Nozomi said as she stood up and beckoned Umi to follow her "What do you feel here away from your home?"
"This is my home now My..." Umi started only for Nozomi to cut her off.
"You can drop the My Lady, were friends and we're alone and don't give me answers like that I want the truth." Nozomi fixed the Ronin with a stare.
Umi sighed with her shoulders sagging slightly "Its lovely here and it's nice to be among friends, but I do miss my family home."
"Is that the only thing you miss?" Nozomi asked.
Umi sighed again, her clenched hands leaning on the banister next to her "No, but that which I want is out of my reach." Umi sighed "I still owe you a great debt for your intervention that day."
"Your welcome." Nozomi smiled placing a hand on Umi's shoulder before asking. "Do you not love her anymore?"
"I do still love her, I never stopped, but I can't have her."
"What do you mean?"
"Even if I want her back, I can't with this tainted honour of mine."
"Then if you get your honour back and you…?"
"I can't, even if I can deal with Kira my honour will be forever tainted and can't be cleared, at least not enough for me to ever try with Kotori, she needs a pure Samurai." Umi said as she shook with tears from her eyes.
Nozomi tried to hug the Ronin but Umi stopped her "What stain are you talking about Umi?" Nozomi asked confused.
"The stain I made, I wasn't there to protect Kotori and that is my stain on my honour." Umi said through gritted teeth.
"But you weren't to know…"
"But I should have, she was to be my wife, she was my life and I wasn't there to protect her, that is my failure, one I can not forgive myself for, as such I can't accept being with her again."
"Is." Nozomi said.
Umi looked at her Daimyo confused "Kotori and her mother refused to allow Kotori to be married off to anyone, officially she's still meant to marry you."
"She shouldn't."
"Isn't that her decision?"
"If she did marry me, she would have everyone pointing at her that she's got a tainted lover and that would taint her and I refuse to do that to her."
"They wouldn't."
"It would feel like it to me and I refuse to do that."
(Present day)
"Umi…" Kotori said with tear in her eyes "What do I do Nozomi?"
"First thing's first, do you want her back?"
Kotori didn't even think "Of course, she's my world, I miss her so much it hurts, but I'm not sure I…"
"Kotori forget the past, it won't change, the only thing you can change is the future, so stop thinking on it, Umi doesn't hate you for it ok?
"Ok."
"Now then, you have to fight; you have to get through that famous stubborn streak of hers." Nozomi said "She still loves you deep down she just can't allow herself to love you; you just have to make her rethink."
"How?"
"That's for you to decide she's your ronin, your samurai, your Umi." Nozomi smiled as she walked away leaving Kotori pondering looking at the moon listening to the sound of the stream.