I start to panic and try to rub off the flower from my arm but it starts turning red from rubbing it too much. Spitting on it does nothing and my panic only rises. How did this get here? I try seeing if clawing it would peel it off but nothing is working. It's just the world stained onto my skin.
What does it mean? Why is it suddenly there?
I put my head in my hands and try calming myself down by breathing, it doesn't help.
"Pull it together Ren. You can hide it with your clothes." I mutter to myself as I push the hair out of my hair and look down at the floor realizing that it's early morning and the sun has not come up yet.
I get up and stretch out my body. It seems tense from the dream. My arms and legs feel sore and I set myself back on the floor. Sighing, I open my door and walk quietly down to the baths.
I poke my head through the cloth and see no one is there. I exhale in relief and prepare myself for a bath. The water feels nice and warm when I sink into the water. It relaxes my muscles when I am fully submerged lay my head back propping it up on the side.
The warmth brings my mind back to focus away from the thoughts about the dream and my arm. I sit there for a bit letting my mind wander until I hear voices and sit up.
"I don't know about her. He seems to ignore the fact that she looks like her." A deep manly voice passes the opening of the baths. His footsteps stop to what it sounds like to be the men's baths.
"If she is somehow related to her. Then we are all in big trouble. She is a ticking time bomb waiting for the right moment to take advantage of us." Another voice replies.
"We have to be on guard then. We don't know what the Master could be thinking." Both people start to walk away and their conversation fades off down the hall.
I exhale and go back to the position I was in. Were those guys servants of Orochi? I wonder who they were talking about. They could have meant me but the way they were comparing the person to someone must suggest otherwise.
As I finish up getting out of the water, I notice my mark on my forearm has faded a little bit but it's still noticeable.
I throw on my robe and dry my hair, then head back to my room. I pull out one of my kimonos and put my hair in a bun; I couldn't bother trying to put stuff in my hair with the horror in mind of the dream.
Making sure the flower on my arm is hidden, I grab my shamisen and head outside so I can play without disturbing anyone.
The cold air feels nice against my skin after the nightmare. But it gives me the chills when I realize it was also windy in the dream. I sit down in a dry patch of grass near a tree and begin to play.
My mind just gets lost in the notes again and I look up to see that the sun has risen above the horizon. I see maids start walking around the area get ready for the day before anyone is awake.
"You play very well. But I'm almost surprised you up this early." I turn around to find Orochi standing eating an apple.
"I couldn't exactly sleep all that well." He comes around in front of me and plops himself down onto the grass. His hair seems to drape around him perfectly giving him a wickedly handsome look to him.
He looks at me with his gold eyes and asks, "Why couldn't you sleep?"
I look at him trying to search to see if he was looking just for an answer or if there was a possibility that he might know why I couldn't sleep.
But nothing registered across his face.
"I just had a rough night and couldn't sleep." I look at him hoping that this would mask the fact that I was lying straight to his face.
He looked at and then waved it off if it didn't bother him.
"Well stop flirting with men in your dreams maybe that would help."
He shifts himself so his legs are crossed and he has his elbows on his knees looking at me.
"I-I'm not flirting with anyone! I just couldn't sleep because of a bad dream. Men are all fools." I fold my arms frustrated at his comment and look at the orange sky.
Orochi laughs, "I'm only kidding. I'm sorry you didn't sleep well. I noticed it just a second ago, you have bags and dark circles."
I gasp, "You're lying out of your mouth! Do I look that bad?" I try to cover my eyes with my hand since it would be embarrassing to show the horrible bags.
But I feel a warm hand grasp mine, Orochi' s face is two inches from mine. I suck in my breath and freeze in my spot. He looks at my face and uses his other hand to gently grab my chin.
"Is it normal for humans to be like this? Sleepless and thoughts in disarray?" He says as I blush.
I try to answer but my body 'nor muscles move to my command. I just sit there like innocent prey up against a panther. He chuckles and sits back knowing he affects on.
I put my head down and take in a deep breath, the scent of jasmine fills my nose when he sits back. The scent makes me blush an even deep shade of red, probably very noticeable to him now.
"It is normal sometimes. I don't know what you mean by disarray." I sheepishly speak.
He chuckles and puts his hand under his chin. He looks at the sunrise that is becoming brighter by the second we sit here talking. "Well, since your up so early; why don't we go eat something? I'm starving."
"With you?"
He looks at me confused, "Well, who else would be up at this hour?"
I take in his words for a moment, "Sure."
He stands up and holds out his hand, I take it. I get up and brush the dried grass off of me and grab my shamisen.
We both walk down a series of halls keeping to ourselves. I don't mind the silence but at the same time, it bothers me.
He leads me to an unfamiliar room, it's dark but subtle light from a lantern on the small table in the middle of the room. Orochi goes and sits on the floor, waves me to sit down with him. I slide the doors shut and sit across from him.
"Do like it here?" He is looking down at the lamp with furrowed brows. He seems devilishly beautiful in this lighting.
His hair contrasts with the yellow value from his face and looks like a midnight purple. His lashes skim across the top of his cheeks like black feathers.
"I mean I guess. It does get lonely being trapped in here all the time." I admit looking down at my hands in my lap.
I hear him shift while sitting but I don't look up. "Why don't you make friends? Tomoko and you seem close."
I frown, "She has been busy probably with other matters. She does work to take care of the people here and I don't want to bother her work when I am feeling down."
He hums in response and a soft knock evades the silence of the room. Orochi stands up and a maid is holding our breakfast.
He thanks her and sits the tray down on the table in front of me. It's steamed rice, miso soup, and grilled fish. My stomach growls at the sight of it.
I laugh nervously and rub the back of my neck, "Guess I am a little hungrier than I thought I was."
Orochi laughs, "Naturally you would be when you don't eat dinner." I open my mouth to say something but nothing comes out.
We both take our time eating when he asks, "Why did you skip on dinner?"
I freeze and look down at my food. Should I tell him about the incident with the lady? Or the dream? I bite my lip, Tomoko said I shouldn't tell anyone but I feel like I can trust Orochi at least with the dream.
"I had a bad dream." I poke at my rice while I wait for a reply.
"That's a shame. If you don't want bad dreams simply think of the good memories you have." He states.
"It's easier said than done. It was just very scary that's all." I mumble.
"Scary? What were you dreaming of murder?" He laughs and continues eating. I pale a little bit and try to focus on the food in front of me. We both continue eating and finish our savory breakfast.
My stomach is so full of the miso, whoever the chef is; is a great cook. I stack both of our dishes and the maid comes to collect it.
Orochi stands up and helps me get up. "Unfortunately, I have to leave to do some more business so I have to leave you for now." We walk outside the doors to say goodbye.
"Well, it was very nice eating with you. I loved the food." I shyly mumble down at the floor, he sees my sincerity.
He nods, "I'm glad then. I will see you around dinner then." His figure recedes around the corner and I relax a little. His presences make me so uptight, I wish Tomoko was here.
But she is busy with her duties which I should try to find something to entertain me as well. I walk off to wonder when a demon lady walks near me and I am suddenly on my face. Did she just trip me?
"Make her pay. Show what a demon's place is." Something whispers in the back of my mind. A male voice?
I look around to see where it came from but no one else is around besides the fading laughter of the women who tripped me.