It was a dimly lit throne room. The cold light of night reflected on the pale white marble floor leading to a lone figure sitting on a huge silver throne. Shadows were fleeting in this cold throne room, one would instantly know these shadows were persons going about their businesses.
The lord of this palace never wanted these servants but his father didn't want him to leave alone and sent him too many servants. Since they were already here the lord had his right-hand man appoint them to some positions and duties. The lord of this mansion was Getsumei.
His throne room was bare of any decorations. His right-hand man, Handa, said it was lacking a woman's touch but he didn't think so, he liked it just the way it was. He was always described by his servants to be a cold-hearted beast waiting to slaughter them but tonight he didn't know the mood he was to be in, a servant had stolen his precious wine and was brought to him to administer punishment.
Getsumei looked down at the shivering figure kneeling at his feet. In his left hand was a wine cup, in his right a back scratcher. He twirled the wine lazily to test its texture and shifted uneasily on his throne, tonight was going to be a full moon, he thought, why did this have to happen now? He simply didn't have the strength to be angry.
Getsumei was too anxious to think of a befitting punishment for the servant. He stood up abruptly, frightening the poor servant witless and ran off his throne out of the throne room.
'Handa, I'll leave this to you!' he called and a shadow behind his throne solidified into a person. He glanced at the servant who burst into tears upon seeing him, it was obvious this Handa was more terrifying than the lord of the palace himself. The lord was seldom around, it was this person who oversaw the activities in the palace and his punishments were slow and wicked.
'Take him to the wine cellar, since he loves drinking he shall drink to his death.' Handa said and looked at his lord's disappearing back and sighed.
The servant cried and begged for mercy as guards came to drag him away. The grown man had already pissed himself in fear and now he was shitting. Immediately maidservants came with water and rags to wipe the mess away. By that time Getsumei was already out of the palace and the moon rose to the sky at that instant.
He stopped at the balcony and from his vantage point he could clearly see Kaoru, she had come to the edge of the stream again and Kana with her. Wait… he squinted as if that would help him see better, the stream was different. They must be at a different location.
Wow! Lucky Kaoru, he thought, anywhere she went a stream was waiting for her to disturb it. They sat quietly wetting their legs in the stream and discussing in low voices. It seems Kaoru wasn't going to sleep this night.
Getsumei turned away from them suddenly bored, he wanted to listen in on their conversation but he thought better of it. He trudged back to his palace but stopped when he saw Handa come out with a big jug of wine.
'My dear Handa, you're the best!' he said, sticking his tongue out in a silly way.
Handa's face twitched at his lord's childishness though he still gave him the wine and blended back into the shadows.
After sitting in silence for a silence, Getsumei still hadn't drunk from the jug. He looked to be deep in thought, he went back to the balcony and peered down. They were gone.
'Send her a dream' he said to Handa who nodded and disappeared. She might not have humoured him with a song tonight but he felt like doing something for her for the other nights she did.
Getsumei then stood up with his wine jug in hand to the other side of the balcony, from there he could see Susumu chilling on the veranda of an infirmary.
'You went wild again' said Getsumei.
Susumu opened his eyes, 'Gozu Tenño visited. He was sniffing around Kaoru.'
'I see…' Getsumei nodded and tilted his wine jug. A drop fell then two, then it rushed like water and not a drop wasted. All fell into Susumu's open mouth.
'You still brew this best wine, brother' Susumu smiled at him. They then watched each other in silence, and he occasionally tilted the jug, sharing his wine with his brother.
'How is the father?' Susumu suddenly asked.
Getsumei shook the now empty jug desperate to get a last drop of wine, 'I haven't seen him in a long while. Do you miss him? He might banish you once he hears of your "excellent" feats.'
'Do you think there's anything that happens under the heavens that father doesn't know about?' Susumu scoffed, 'I want to introduce Kaoru to him and get his blessings.'
'Good luck with that' said Getsumei drily.
'His return would see your marriage sealed.' His little brother smiled wickedly.
He stopped shaking the jug and looked at it completely pissed. 'HANDA!! MORE WINE! When I'm free I'll kill you.'
'I'd like to see you try.' Susumu chuckled and faded from his sight. The scene changed to Kana's bedroom and she stepped out of it into his palace. Getsumei frowned and stood up.
'Stop.' Kana said in the low dangerous tone she used when she is getting angry. Getsumei ignored her. 'I said STOP!'
Getsumei kept walking though, he went back into his palace and the door closed itself when she tried to follow.
'This is the lord's domain. You can't act imperiously here.' Handa blocked her when she attempted to force her way in.
'I'll get you back for this' Kana wept and fell to her knees, 'anyone you give your favour to will not survive, you know this!'
But Getsumei was long gone, until their father was back he didn't want to have anything to do with this sister of his. He loved her but he couldn't love her enough.