Chapter 10
This would truly be a special day for Bai and Aya. Botan then entered into the room, in his hands a tray with small boxes full of rings that had been designed. Everyone sat on the ready. As there was enough boxes for all in the room. Kaida spoke as Botan neared the throne area.
Kaida Endo: "This is a special occasion today. We are not only celebrating Bai and Aya's awakening, but we are also celebrating our unity as a family. Botan has finally made the rings I drew so many years ago. Today, we are giving them out to everyone. I hope you all accept and appreciate them. I wondered for a long time what the rings were meant to symbolize. I had long contemplated weather they were supposed to be an engagement ring or a symbol of unity."
Botan Date: (Packing the tray in his hands, he carefully carried them over to the table beside Kaida and set the tray down…) "I often wondered myself what the symbolism was. So, I figured I would have them made and prepared for this occasion. I would like to begin by handing the other lords their rings first."
Kaida Endo: "That is a great idea. After which, Dai and Kano can present the ones for Aya and Bai. After all, they awakened them. It would be the perfect symbol as well to show that you are taken now. Any other lords we may run into in the future will hesitate before trying to take any of us now. At least that is the hope I carry."
Dai Haku: "I thank you for the token. It is a beautiful ring design indeed. I shall now present the one ring to Aya."
Slipping the ring on her finger, he gave a soft smile. Looking down at her hand, Aya smiled back in return as she spun it on her finger with her right hand. Looking at all the stone designs held within the leaves, she was in awe at the craftsmanship of it. Kaida snickered at her reaction as she picked up a glass that had just been freshly filled by one of the maids. Walking up next was Kano. Handing Kano his ring, he placed it upon his finger and picked up the box designated for Bai. Taking the ring out, he placed it upon her finger.
Kano Nishio: "I thank you for the ring and I hereby place the ring designated for Bai upon her finger. The design has been in our thoughts since Kaida drew it out."
Bai looked down upon her hand and was in awe of the design as well. She could hardly believe it had never been put into physical form before now. The way they talked of the design, she clearly understood that it was something that had been thought of and drawn out for a long time now. She was pleased and smiled brightly.
Haruko Ikeda: (Taking his ring from Botan, he looked at his hand in wonder…) "They are lovely design indeed. I have had the pleasure of looking upon the design since the original concept was drawn out in the midst of a battle. To finally see it in a physical form is breathtaking."
Botan Date: "Me, Tsubasa and Kaida have had ours on since yesterday. We were not sure when you would wake up, so I presented them to her in the library where she was studying. I was so over excited about them; I could not help it."
Tsubasa Endo: "I was there. You were like a little kid with a new toy and could not wait to show it off. It was rather interesting to watch. But regardless, the rings are indeed of a beautiful design. I cannot believe you managed to find someone to make them."
Kaida clapped her hands together as a maid came through refreshing her glass and handing a full one to each of the lords as well as Aya and Bai. She gave a stern look after everyone had a glass of their own and raised her glass high.
Kaida Endo: "Regardless of the intricacy of the design, please raise your glass and let us have a toast to a successful awakening and to a bright future for us all. Let us also hope that we can survive any adverse things in the future."
Everyone: "Here, here. To our noble queen, may she guide us well."
Everyone drank happily as they chatted merrily about anything. It was then decided that a trip into town was in order. With more of them drinking the blood donations now, a trip to the clinic was in order. Besides, they would have to be reintroduced now anyway. They are the newly born princesses of the family home. It is a much fitting term considering the transformation process that has to take place. One's body might as well be completely reborn.
Kaida Endo: "We all shall head to town tomorrow and get reacquainted with the people at the clinic. Besides, the fabric stores should have a restock on some of the finer materials. We shall have some new kimonos made for you two. A more mature design."
Aya Endo: "That would be wonderful. I thank you now in advance for that."
Bai Endo: "Me as well. I cannot wait to see what the tailor has in stock."
Botan Date: "Very well then. We will make sure to have the larger carriage we had designed prepared in the morning. That way it can accommodate all eight of us."
Kaida Endo: "That would be great. A day trip, it will be good to get out of the mansion for a while. Fresh air will do us all good. Anyway, I am tired now, I am going to head to the bath and then my bedroom."
Getting up from her chair, she bowed lightly to everyone and headed straight for the bath. She had made it a habit to keep an evening kimono or bed set placed in the shelves. She locked the door to keep out Tsubasa and Botan. Those two had just been getting to be too much lately. All she wanted was a nice relaxing soak in the smaller tub, after all, the new bath bomb she had made up was just calling her name. Disrobing her clothes, she placed them in the dirty linen basket. Grabbing the small stool and a bucket, she scooped buckets out and poured them over herself as she scrubbed her body down. Once she was clean, she climbed into the tub to take a long soak. Using the hibiscus leaf mix, she washed her hair thoroughly and dunked herself under the water. The bath bomb blends seemed to have a rejuvenating effect on her body. She wondered if it was something that had been specially passed down just for the queen, but she knew that was most likely not the reason. Outside the door, she could hear Tsubasa and Botan both, most likely, sighing at the fact that she had locked them out of the bathing area once again. She sat snickering in her relaxing mode as she thought about their frustration.
It had been well over ten years now. It was time to make a decision about those two in general. She would have to be with them sooner or later and at this rate, nothing would change. She brought her hands together in the tub and cupped them together as if she had a bowl, raising her hands lightly above her head, she watched as part of the water trickled down her arms. Sighing slightly to herself, she got out of the bath and proceeded to put on her night clothes. Pulling her hair to the side slightly, she towel dried it as best she could and combed her hair out. Pulling it back, she proceeded to do a simple braid in her hair and tied the end up tightly with a ribbon. Finally, she unlocked the door and headed for her bedroom. Climbing in her bed, she leaned against her backboard as she proceeded to read another book she had set aside from the library.
After about an hour of reading, she rubbed the bridge of her nose as she placed the book back on the end table. Snuggling herself under the covers, she got herself comfortable and fell into a deep sleep. The dreams she had been having had now seemed to scream louder than ever. With the decision she needed to come to, it was obvious it was beginning to plague even her dreams now. As the vision of her standing between the two became more and more vivid, even in a dream state. She would have to marry both Tsubasa and Botan as was foretold to her in the beginning. The fate she had tried to slow was now upon her. The look of everyone's faces was even clear in this dream of who was to attend. It was as though all eight of the family would be there and most of the people that tended to them regularly, including citizens from the city of Oshu. While Kaida dreamed this dream of the future, everyone else had finally decided to head to their own rooms themselves. Botan initially heading for his room as it was his habit to sit in his evening chair every day and drink a glass down as he thought. However, this night, he would dare to actually sneak into Kaida's bed as Tsubasa had done on so many occasions. He figured it was finally time to try himself. It had now been slightly over twenty years now, why not finally take the risk?