A cold sweat

(Misaki)

The small sliver of space between the Shoji screens was just barely enough to get a good look at the person beneath the heavy helmet. And by god he was only a boy! He wreathed and rolled on the floor of one of our many rooms reserved for unexpected guests. The servants had brought pot after pot of herbs to help promote healing. The smoke from each pot hit my nose like a breath of fresh air. I recognized the scents as Kampo, Horap, and Arikko. To pull out our best herbs at such a high degree made me ever the more curious as to who my father had let into the castle.

"Chisana Hasu!"

I flew around and found my father in his formal robes, glaring down at me. I shrank into myself as I averted his gaze. I bowed my head and clasped my hands together.

"Gomen' nasai."

He said nothing for what felt like hours before taking my hand and lifting me from the ground. His smile was kind, but his eyes held nothing but worry as he fought to reassure me.

"Chichi, who is that?"

His sigh was worn, and he shook his head as he turned toward Mosai. He was one of the guards standing behind my father. Mosai's face was devoid of emotion as his king addressed him.

"Please see to it that the princess gets back to her room safely.

No detours Misaki-san."

I took a small step forward. "But Chichi I-"

His thick finger found my lips and my protest died with the contact.

He shook his head. "I do not need you contracting this sickness. All due to your curiosity my dear."

I knew that those words were a warning that he would hear no more back talk from me. Hanging my head low I bowed and walked past him, Mosai quick on my heels.

One way or another I would get the answers he refused to give me. I would just have to wait until the moon and stars Illuminated the night sky, replacing the sun. I would wait until the entire house was asleep so that I could investigate without having to look over my shoulder.

It had to have been the longest wait of my life. It appeared the day purposely slowed to a dismal crawl. It was like somehow the sun knew that I was waiting for it to disappear. Though, when it finally did fade behind the mountains in the far distance and the moon rise bright and full, I slipped my feet out of my Zori slippers I usually adorned while roaming the palace hallways. My Tabi surely would make as little nose as possible as I picked my way down the long open halls. The guards were vigilant so that required me to move only when they were in the process of switching posts. It took over an hour to get back to the room I knew the stranger resided in. I sank to my knees tucking my dress quickly beneath them as I pressed my fingers to the screen doors, sliding them back a fraction to peer inside once more.

A PLACE BEYOND THE NORMAL DIMENSION

"And so it begins"

(Chi)

In and out of a drowsy sleep I went. I had woken again in a cold sweat, the sheet beneath me soaked with it, as was my hair. Everything remained a blur, but my eyes no longer burned as I tried to make out the things in the room. My eyes only made it to the screen doors, or better yet what was peering between them. The shadow of thin hands decorated the door while I tried to focus on the coal rimmed eyes staring intently down at me.

I used what little strength I gathered to raise my hand unsuccessfully toward the mysterious person before my eyes rolled to the back of my eyelids once more.

My feet met warm pebbles smooth from recent rains. The

clashing of metal rang in the clean air and I turned quickly trying to find the culprit of the sounds. As I came full circle, the darkness turned to light as the home I left behind sprang into view. It looked just as it had when I left. It only had more life here in this figment of my imagination. A woman with a long dark woven braid hanging over her shoulder, red lips, and pink shadow gracing her eyelids, sat at the open Shoji doors to our home. My eyes watered and my breath caught. It had been so long…

"Haha.."

Her smile was bright and glowing as she watched on ahead of her. Turning to see what she found amusing I sank to my knees with grief as I saw a boy, hair bound by a small strip of red cloth clutching at a long sword. It scraped against the flat slab of white marble beneath the willow tree. Unlike home, there was no blood here. Only a young Samurai teaching his kin how to wield his first sword. I watched myself as I frowned at the weight.

My fathers' hair was still a rich dark brown and tied in a knot at the back of his head. His face had almost no wrinkles of time, his skin still emanating youth. He took in my expression and came to stand beside me.

"Grip the hilt harder, and space your hands out more here.."

My younger self did as told. My father took a step back to view my stance before turning his sword and hitting the soft space behind my knees. "Bend your knees. You will need to be prepared for any strike another may throw at you. Being unprepared will get you killed Musuko."

He rounded me again with a slow blow from above. I smiled as I remembered the fond memory. My sword came up in that moment as my metal clashed with his. My adolescent self-smiled excitedly and my father retreated, taking a step back and nodding approvingly. Only now did I see the proud smile he hid from me as he and my mother looked fondly to one another. I always thought he'd been serious about everything, but here…

A glaring shot of lighting suddenly struck the willow. The bark split as flames engulfed the inside. The cards of our clan burned so quickly beneath the heat. The sky turned a roiling black and thunder shook the sky.

This could not be right. My memory was not remembered this way. Fear took root in my chest as all I could do was watch as rain began to pour down on top of my family. I reached an unsteady hand out and jumped back when I looked at my palms and they were stained that sickening red. My eyes flew up to the sight before me and my eyes widened in confusion and terror. There was so much. How was it filling up so quickly?

A river formed inside the walls of my home. The waves were violent like the ocean in its time of rage. I watched as the water rose and rose around me. It reached my mother. As I watched her, I trembled as she made eye contact with me. Could she see me? Was she alive?

"Haha!" I yelled as I rushed into the high blood waters. But as I moved towards her the water began to thicken like drying blood.

Her lips moved softly as she made no motion to get away from the rising waters.

"You must fulfill your destiny. Do not get pulled out by the oceans current. For the moon carries the tide. Remember your history, and all shall be as it should."

She smiled as I always remembered her doing when addressing me and I let out a roar of agony as the blood overtook her and she was gone.

My eyes shot open and my breathing was the only thing heard

in the quiet room. Tears fell like rain as I realized where I really was. I wanted to go back to the beginning of that dream and live through that happy moment we'd had as a family, but I was back to reality, set in this room with candles and Aroma pots continuing to burn. I let my face fall into the palms of my hands as I fought to control my emotions. My pleasant dream had turned horrific and I had no idea what any of it meant. Was this punishment for dealing my father's death blow? Had I let him down and done it wrong somehow?

A bowl of water sat beside me, and my hands gathered it in both and sipped the lukewarm water. There was a hint of honey and rosemary left on my tongue. I glanced at the doors again and saw that they were still cracked. Laying back down I took a deep sigh and tried hard for relaxation. What I got was another deep, all-consuming sleep.

(Misaki)

He tossed and turned violently in his sleep, speaking in low rushed tongues. His voice took on the tone of sounding hoarse and sorrowful. His eyes were pinched shut and his head was home to beads of sweat. The heavy cover the physician had placed over him looked as if it was constricting him. Father had said not to interact with him for fear of coming down with whatever sickness this boy may have but against my better judgement I peered down both directions of the dark hall before sliding the screen doors completely back and crawling quietly inside. I shut them as silently as I could before turning around. I inched closer and took in the boys' sharp features. His cheekbones were unusually high, but his skin was flawless. His restless eyes rolled beneath their lids as his thick eyebrows scrunched together and his silk black hair clung to his wet face. There was a towel with a bowl of cool water beside his bedside. Shakily I picked up the cloth and dipped it in the liquid, my eyes darting quickly from the bowl to the boy. The last thing I needed was for him to stir and wake to a strange girl in his quarters. I also didn't need my father finding out I blatantly put my life at risk for this newcomer.

As quietly as I could I rang the cloth out and began to gently pat away the perspiration.

"Haha.." he murmured.

My hand froze above him.

Mother? He was dreaming of his mother?

But if that were true, why did he look so conflicted and pained as he tossed? Somewhere in my chest I felt a similar ache. The boy only seemed to thrash harder and I flew quickly to my feet. He needed a calming tonic before he did harm to himself. Sneaking from the room, praying he did not wake in my absence, I moved along the hall down the left corridor and down the long main hallway. Guards lined almost every second pillar. I had to think quickly as I nonchalantly stepped out and all of them turned abruptly to me, hands on the hilts of their swords.

"Denka!" They all greeted, bowing respectfully. I nodded impatiently and moved forward.

"I believe there is a rat inside my rooms. I refuse to return to them until the vermin has been extracted."

Without another word with as to how I came this far without seeing a guard before reaching them all they hurriedly moved past me in the direction of my room. I stifled a chuckle as I crouched low. Once they were out of earshot, I gathered the bottom of my robes in my hands and sprinted down the rest of the hall and down into the kitchen where most of the servants were asleep in their quarters nearby. Kai, Akame, the cook, was sitting at the long marble table with a small round saucer and matching bowl, filled with what I presumed was Sakai. Her tired eyes found me and widened in fear with her recognition. She immediately lowered herself to the floor and laid her arms out in front of her.

"Ojo! I apologize sincerely for my rudeness. May I get you something?"

I shook off her unnecessary apology. "Goodnight Akame. There is no need for apologies. I just seek a calming tonic. Perhaps your sweet honey water with Rosemary and Roasted Passion fruit?"

Akame rose to her feet uncertainly and nodded. "Yes, my lady." She milled about quickly as my heart pounded hard in my ribs. "Trouble sleeping?"

"What? Oh, hai hai. I am restless tonight."

She nodded before she placed all the ground herbs into a small sipping bowl and filled it with warm water from the iron kettle. She walked over and placed it in my hands.

"I hope this helps you to sleep Ojo."

I gave her my thanks again before walking carefully from the kitchen and shuffling as quickly as I could back down the long hall. I heard guards approaching as I quickly entered the room once again, shutting the door silently behind me. The guards would be realizing that there was no rat to extract and would come looking for me any moment now. They could not find me here. Placing the bowl next to the boy's body I stole one last dismal glance at him before slipping out of the room.

(Chi)

There was no darkness here, only the brightest light. It wasn't quite white but the most vibrant yellow I'd ever seen. The air was warm and sweet as a pristine arching moon bridge lay ahead of me. Dozens of Cherry Blossoms decorated the space not covered by aquamarine water that rippled and traveled beneath the bridge, expanding outward in a vast expanse. My feet mechanically carried me forward and onto the bridge. A calm that could not be denied fell over me wherever I was now. The trickle of water and loose blossom petals swirling in the wind created an unnatural beauty. Even the palace gardens could not compare to here. As I neared the center of the bridge my steps grew slightly heavier. Looking out over the water I almost missed the small jade bead resting on the thick red railing lining the bridge from beginning to end. picking it up I held it up to the light admiring the color when suddenly blinding light shone in my eyes and I flew up once more in a state of panic. I was back in my room, no light anywhere in sight.