"Momma, what's this one?" I asked, nuzzled in her arms. Her gentle fingers caressed my face as I stared into a picture book of other lands.
She would always tell me fantastical stories of faraway places, their cultures, their beliefs. Her words were vivid and colorful, often laced with terms I didn't yet understand—but that only made them more intriguing. The unknown was magical.
"That's Japan. That's where we're going," she said, her hand brushing through my shaggy brown hair. I laughed at the ticklish sensation, delighted by her touch.
"When we get there… do you think things will be better, Momma?" I asked, my voice tinged with hope. My question brought a smile to her lips, soft and wistful, as though she had been thinking the very same thing.
"Of course," she said, her voice as soothing as a lullaby. "It will be wonderful for us, for all of us." Her body radiated a comforting heat, a warmth I have missed for so, so long.
"Where… am I?" I whispered, my voice trembling. The silk covering me felt like it was spun for royalty, its smooth texture slipping through my fingers like flowing water. The bed beneath me cradled me in a soft, luxurious embrace, so different from the hard ground I was used to.
I turned my head slowly, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings. Gold accents lined the walls, gleaming under the soft glow of lanterns. The light danced across pristine white panels, creating an atmosphere of purity and grandeur. Everything about the room was untouchable, too perfect, too distant from anything I had ever known.
Confused, I slipped out of the bed. My bare feet sank into a plush rug, and my fingers brushed against the delicate fabric of the clothes I now wore. They shimmered faintly in the light, expertly tailored, far removed from the tattered rags that once clung to me.
A sharp noise startled me—a shout from outside the room.
"M-my lady!"
I opened the door in a rush and it felt like someone ran into it, peering into the hallway. The sight before me made me freeze. A girl, dressed in finery, was clutching her face in pain, her hair cascading over her shoulders like a dark waterfall.
"Lady Kieri! Are you alright?!" one of the guards shouted. He was older, his lined face framed by the edges of his helmet. His voice boomed with authority as he glared down at the girl.
"You… we took you in, and this is how you repay us?!" the guard roared, his hand tightening around the shaft of a gleaming naginata.
The sight of the weapon made me stumble back in fear. My heart pounded as the guard raised the blade, his face set in fury.
"Enough," came a firm yet gentle voice. A young guard stepped forward, placing a hand on the elder's arm. Though shorter in stature, he carried himself with quiet strength, a massive tetsubō strapped to his back as proof of his power.
"She's injured. Take her to the infirmary," he commanded.
The older guard hesitated but eventually relented, guiding the girl down the hallway. Her soft sobs echoed faintly as they disappeared from view.
The young guard turned to me, crouching slightly to meet my gaze. His eyes were warm, a stark contrast to the storm I had just witnessed.
"You're awake," he said with a kind smile. "I see you're doing a lot better."
I froze for a moment; actually picking up on the words he was saying, something I thought would never happen in a land such as this.
I nodded hesitantly, unsure of what to say.
"I'm glad. You gave us quite a scare, you know." His voice was light, almost teasing, as he scanned me carefully. "Ms. Kieri was so worried about you. She insisted on coming with us to see if you were alright."
I looked down, guilt tugging at me. "I'm sorry… I didn't mean to cause trouble—"
He waved a hand dismissively, his laughter deep and hearty, filling the hallway like a warm breeze. "There's no need to apologize. You've been through enough."
"You said you… came to see me?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
"Ah, yes!" His expression brightened, as though he'd just remembered. Slowly the man got up, smiling down on me as he announced with his hands over his chest with a proud grin.
"Thanks to the generosity of Ms. Kieri and the daimyo, you'll be living here now. With the duty of protecting the daimyo and his family."
Family…
The air felt so much cleaner on this side… I found myself following the kind soldier, he felt so much bigger in comparison, so much bigger than he is now…
"We were originally sent to escort the royal family to Edo," he spoke up out of no where as we walked. "They were discussing relations and was entrusted with a demonblade by an enemy nation in the name of peace."
"...Although we lost it, so you can imagine the relief we felt when we found such a magnificent blade within your hands! Haha." He chuckled, turning to me with the softest of eyes.
"Not only that, you managed to draw the blade as well— That means the blade has chosen you," His words caught me off guard, my heart racing with unknown feelings maybe excitement, maybe something more.
"Me?…" I muttered in disbelief, watching as the man would nod, confirming my suspicion.
"Yes, It had entrusted itself to you," He stopped at a door, its wooden lattice framing translucent paper, softly revealing the silhouette of the room beyond.
I stand behind him in confusion, watching as the door slides open, revealing the blade that had shown itself to be that very night. My eyes no longer blind to it's true splendor.
A golden silhouette of a serpentine dragon coiled up the blade's sheath, its movements furious and untamed, writhing through a sea of golden flames. From the dragon's open maw emerged the upper half of a woman's bare body, not in terror, but as though caught in the throes of transformation—wild, powerful, and otherworldly.
"The blade of chaos and malevolence, Kiyohime, forged from the Kiyohime dragon itself…" He muttered, his voice somewhat nostalgic, as if admiring the blade from afar.
"With this blade…entrusted to you by the Daimyou himself…" He muttered, slowly walking up to it as if he was hesitant to even touch such a magnificent katana, before wrapping his fingers around it and turning to me. Watching as I look in awe at the weapon.
"Under lord Daimyou Kurokage Hisanobu, You have been bestowed a sacred name, that name being, Fushiguro." His words echo as the blade is passed on to my fragile hands.
"You will lead us all one day, as captain of the great Aokaze army,"