As the morning rain came down, it created this chill vibe, and the usual chaos of the house quieted as everyone rushed off to tackle their daily stuff. In the middle of all this, I found myself alone in our big house, just watching the raindrops fall from the gray sky onto the green garden outside. I felt kind of lonely standing by the window, thinking about how our fancy home belonged to my dad, the big deal heir to the shogunate. That title gave him authority over everything in this land, making him the top dog, only answering to the gods above.
Lost in thought, I wondered how lonely it must be to have that much power, imagining my dad as this solitary figure dealing with all the heavy leadership stuff with just the heavens watching him. Just then, my mom walked up behind me, her footsteps muffled by the rain, and startled me. I stumbled back in surprise when she asked why I was staring at the rain and the garden, pulling me back into the real world. When I accidentally bumped my head, she rushed over to check on me. It made sense, especially with my 9th birthday coming up soon. She gently held me and kissed the spot I hurt, and I always thought it was amazing how moms could make you feel better both physically and emotionally. It was like a special magic I couldn't quite wrap my head around.
The rest of the day went on as usual. The young women who helped my mom were busy cooking and cleaning, while she focused on sewing her beautiful kimonos. My older sister would pop in now and then, usually just to annoy me. When it was time to eat, my dad came home with two of his loyal followers. They sat down with us at the dining table. One was a tall, young guy in his twenties with long blond hair, and the other was a shorter, slightly older dude in his thirties. They stayed a little behind my dad, ready to jump into action if anything went wrong.
"Come on, sit down and enjoy this meal before it gets cold. No one would dare mess with you, my lord," my mom encouraged. But the guys politely declined her offer. As we started eating, we had this delicious soup with tender chicken and fragrant rice. I couldn't help but burn my tongue on it, but it was so good that it was totally worth it.
After we finished, my dad called me into his room where he was meeting with his advisors. He wanted me to join in on his meetings to learn about ruling. Even though he wasn't shogun yet, my grandpa had passed the responsibilities to him because he wasn't well. With a serious look, my dad reminded me that I'd be turning nine soon and wanted me to understand more about leadership. But then he asked me something confusing for a kid like me: how to deal with the
"My son is brilliant!" my dad exclaimed, applauding while getting a treat ready for me. "That could actually work, my lord. It deals with the rebels without hurting anyone innocent, which is great for keeping the peace," the tall retainer added, though it seemed like they could have figured it out without me.
"Who taught you strategy, Lord Naruhito? Did you talk to the general from the Eastern Tower?" the short retainer asked, scratching his clean-shaven face. "No, my lords, I haven't asked anyone about strategy. But if my dad says it's cool, I could go to the Eastern Tower to learn a bit," I said, glancing at my dad, whose face gave nothing away. After a moment, he said, "No, Naru. You're staying here to learn how to rule. If you become a strategist, who's going to take over the kingdom? Your sister or your half-brother?" It was obvious. My sister was a girl, and my half-brother, being from a concubine, couldn't inherit the throne. "Plus," my dad added with a laugh, "if you learned that guy's tricks, you might try to take me down too soon. Ha ha!" My dad had a funny way about him; if only he knew how silly he looked to his retainers.
After meeting my dad, I dragged myself outside to train in swordsmanship with Master Derin. I really didn't want to, especially since I wasn't even ten yet, but I had to put in the work. It didn't make sense to me; we were at peace, and I thought I'd be more useful as a strategist than just a soldier. But my dad and Master Derin were set on teaching me to fight, which was a bummer.
"Wouldn't it be better if it just rained?" I grumbled under my breath, but Master Derin heard me. "If you actually tried, maybe the gods would give you the rain you want… but that's clearly not happening!" he said, annoyed. Then he handed me a wooden sword and told me to defend against his attacks. He came at me from all sides, he felt even stronger than my dad. As he swung his sword, I was totally overwhelmed by how fast he was. It felt like he was just messing with me.
After getting totally schooled, Master Derin scolded me for slacking off and asked what I saw. When I described how many swords were coming at me, he looked more shocked than I was. "You little monster, if only you hadn't skipped practice… Listen, kid, if you keep it up, you might even outdo your dad!" He said.
After a long, exhausting day, I finally crawled into bed, though that wouldn't last long...
~~~
Blood. As I opened my eyes, the sight that greeted me was a horrifying one - a scene drenched in blood. The flames engulfed everything, and everyone around me was covered in dark red blood. The decapitated heads of both my parents were displayed on spikes, while my brother's lifeless body hung outside the house. The so-called "loyal" retainers and soldiers, who were supposed to protect our family, were feasting on our food and taking pleasure in the abuse of my young sister, who was just 14 years old. She was meant to be married to the land's priest and become a saint, but now she was defiled by these people. In the midst of this chaos, I found myself hiding inside what used to be a church, praying for someone to come and save me, silently fearing that even the slightest noise could be fatal.
I prayed and prayed, desperately hoping for help, but it seemed that my prayers were falling on deaf ears. The only sound that reached my ears was the agonizing cries of my sister as she was being violated by the men who had betrayed and murdered my family. A dark thought crossed my mind - was it my fault? Was I to blame for the tragedy that befell my family? A voice in my head kept telling me that I was responsible for their deaths and my sister's suffering, fueling my heart with hatred towards both the traitors and myself. The words "hate," "kill," and "slay the traitors" echoed in my mind...
Just when I had lost all hope, a response to my prayers came, but it was not from a god or saint. It was a man, a barbarian with long black hair that danced in the wind. Dressed in a pitch-black kimono, he carried two katanas at his side - one black with a crimson guard, and the other white as snow with a silver guard and mysterious inscriptions on its sheath. He looked at me with a mix of sympathy and disdain, asking what I was doing in such a horrific scene. I stammered, telling him about the betrayal and murder of my family by my father's retainers, who were under the command of the shogun himself.
I also mentioned the desecration of my sister, who was supposed to become a saint. The barbarian assured me that those responsible would pay, but not immediately. He saw this as an act of war against the divine. Confused, I asked what he meant by "divine." He explained that if my sister was meant to be a saint, then this was not just blasphemy, but a grave offense against the divine order. The barbarian offered to take me away from this place, promising revenge and more. However, determined to reclaim what was rightfully mine as the last surviving male of the main bloodline, I refused to flee. The barbarian sighed in annoyance, respecting my decision but warning me to be cautious if I wanted to keep my head intact. With that, he left.
Lost in thought, I noticed the soldiers searching for something. I realized I had been discovered. Panic set in as I desperately tried to come up with a plan. I needed to act quickly. Before I knew it, I found myself trapped in the ruins of the church, surrounded by soldiers who had betrayed their true masters and had become usurpers. I knew how this would end - I would join my parents soon.
(Clap)
Suddenly, I felt a cold breeze caressing my skin, reminiscent of the frozen lake I used to visit with my father. It felt magical, as if it held a secret. My father used to tell me that this place was not meant to be covered in snow, that it was the work of an evil being who had cursed the land. He always reminded me to accept both the good and the evil in the world.
(Clap)
As I pondered these memories, I heard a clap. Startled, I opened my eyes and was greeted by a breathtaking sight - everything was covered in ice. The soldiers had turned into statues of ice, and the once vibrant city had become a frozen wasteland. I called out for my sister, hoping against hope that she had somehow survived. But the only response I received was silence. Overwhelmed by grief, I vomited and wept uncontrollably. The pain I had always feared had become a harsh reality.
Then, a voice broke the silence. It was the barbarian from before, but now his appearance had changed. His kimono was as white as snow, his hair a pale white like an albino's, and his eyes had a calm, light blue hue with irises shaped like snowflakes. He informed me that my sister had been taken by the enemy and was headed north. There was an aura of strength and determination emanating from him, reminding me of the priest my sister was meant to marry.