2 2 - Mina Jin

The day of Saera's departure was set for a month later. Her apprehension was lessened some when Akira began to write to her: formal but sweet letters, interspersed with almost poetic tones. Akira was the oldest son of a noble family, and hints of his good looks and strength as a leader began to reach her ears through the gossip of servants and commoners. Careful not to place too much trust in rumours, Saera allowed herself a small modicum of hope - maybe she had chosen well, and her sacrifice would not be so unpleasant after all.

"It is a great honor to me that you would accept me in marriage," Akira wrote, in a strong, sprawling hand. "Our families have always had a relationship favorable to both parties. I will work hard to ensure this applies to our future, as well."

She toured the lands, packed her belongings, and spent time with all of her young cousins. The Mina family was close enough that she could return to visit at any time, but Saera couldn't shake the feeling that she was preparing for a journey to a distant land. Mostly she fretted, musing over stories of women trapped in loveless marriages. When anxiety overcame her, she worked hard to shed any tears privately, so that the rest of the family saw her only with a smile on her face.

The preparations were quick and efficient. With a second letter, a gift arrived quickly for Saera: a intricately crafted silver chain from which hung a delicate silver sakura flower streaked with gold. The piece was clearly a depiction of the family's skill and mastery of metalworking. "May this piece be as pleasing to you as your countenance is to me, like the blooming flower that is my family's crest," Akira wrote. Though his words seemed stiff and formal, the effort was still there, so on the morning of her departure Saera fastened the chain around her neck.

Saera dressed quickly in the cool morning air. She chose a full, loose skirt, securing a thin belt under her bust. She planned to ride today, instead of being carried in a closed litter the entire way. No man or woman could convince her to have the family's staff carry her on their shoulders when she could ride, enjoy the scenery, and feel the wind in her hair. The idea that a husband could command her to do otherwise made her want to vomit.

She brushed through her hair loosely with a jade comb and tied it below her shoulders with a strip of leather. Her hair reached to the small of her back in delicate ripples, like waves in an onyx pond. It shone whenever light touched it, and it felt smooth and silken to the touch. She had learned with age that she could both feel beautiful, and cultivate beautiful things like her hair, without it demeaning her intelligence or independence in any way. She scrubbed her face in cool water and patted it dry with a soft towel, looking at her reflection in the dimly lit vanity mirror. Intelligent, wide eyes fringed with delicate long lashes that she accentuated with a touch of kohl. A thin, straight nose bridge that she dabbed with light powder. Full, smiling lips that were pink and soft even before she rubbed them with sweet almond oil. The necklace Akira had sent her glistened against the pale skin of her collarbone, simple in design but evidently superior in craftsmanship.

Saera stood and looked around the room. A plain wooden room, with tatami flooring and a simple raised futon in the center. Her vanity and writing desk were bare and empty, all of her belongings packed away. The closet hung empty of clothing, all of her robes neatly folded into a bag the days prior. This was the same room she had occupied since childhood, having refused to move to one of the larger rooms. With a final glance, she turned and slid the door closed quietly behind her, fighting the urge to cry.

Before leaving, Saera met with the elder council one final time and smiled politely as they lectured her on the value of traditional marriage and the importance of proper behaviour. In turn, Saera reminded them of their agreement, which they would put into action on the day of her official marriage. Her cousin Fumiko would be of age to marry in only a handful of years - Saera needed the elders to do what they had promised before that day arrived.

By the time the sun had risen in the sky, Saera was ready to depart at the front gate of the family's keep. She was to be accompanied by staff and servants, some distant cousins and others who wished to visit the Mina family's grounds, but she was most thankful for Risa, one of her oldest friends.

Shisui stood on a raised balcony with Fumiko at his side, his expression stiff. His thick spectacles were not enough to hide the angry set of his face. Shisui himself had married for love, rejecting the offer of arranged marriage to marry his childhood sweetheart. He hadn't been pleased when Saera had agreed to be married to a stranger, and this displeasure showed in his stance.

Saera waved to Shisui with falsified cheerful countenance, doing her best to appear confident and excited.

As the group slowly began to trickle out of the gates, Risa spurred her mount beside Saera's.

"Are you really so excited, or are you pretending for your cousin's sake?" She peered closer at the moisture in Saera's eyes, then she nodded knowingly. "I see. There's no need to worry before we even arrive, Saera. We will wait and see what the family is like." A twinkle flashed in her eye. "Perhaps this young lord will turn out to be the most handsome and honorable in all the land."

"He's not a lord."

Risa snorted. "You're no fun." She glanced sideways at her friend, but Saera stared straight ahead, teary eyed and determined.

"STOP!"

The cry echoed off of the gates so powerfully that Saera jumped, yanking the reins to stop her steed abruptly. She turned as low voices hummed in confusion around her. Shisui hurried down the staircase, his pace lacking the decorum of a family head and instead resembling that of a frenzied messenger.

"Shisui?" Saera watched in shock as he ran to her, kicking up dust in his wake. He reached her surprisingly quickly, skidding to a stop and placing a hand on the reins to keep her horse steady. "Shisui, what's going on?"

Shisui took a moment to catch his breath and readjust the spectacles that had slipped down his nose. Saera glanced around uneasily; all eyes were trained on them.

Shisui raised his hand, in which was clutched a small roll of parchment. He leaned in and spoke in a low voice.

"They changed their proposal. They say Akira refuses to get married."

Saera flushed, horrified. [He was that upset by the idea of me?]

"Not to you." Shisui waved the parchment through the air. "To anybody. Apparently Akira has renounced marriage, but they don't say why." He ground his teeth, visibly frustrated. "But Saera… they knew we had turned down everyone else. They waited until the last minute to tell us."

Saera understood immediately. Shisui had officially refused her other offers of marriage, and the families would not accept a change of heart. Without a marriage, Saera's negotiations would crumble, and the family elders had made it clear that they would not uphold their end of the bargain were she to avoid marriage once again. The Mina family had backed her into a corner.

"So what do we do?" She bit her lip.

"We would uphold our pledge of marriage to the Mina family's eldest daughter by her acceptance of our second son." Shisui read off of the letter, then dug into his pockets and pulled out a crumped, yellowed paper. "They want you to marry Akira's younger brother. He wasn't one of the original suitors."

Saera took the drawing carefully. She didn't recognize the man it depicted. The sketch was hastily done and lacked detail, showing a plain, common face.

"Who.. Is he?"

"Mina Jin. Second oldest son. He is about your age. Saera, this smells of treachery and dishonesty. If the messenger hadn't arrived before you'd left…"

"Surely this timing is what they wanted." Around them, people waited with baited breath, eager to know what had caused the disruption. Shisui was right - the change was unprecedented, and the family's motivations questionable.

Saera's gaze slipped to the left, where the family's elders sat on a large balcony overlooking the proceedings. Saera's grandmother sat at the front, her hands clasped in her lap and her face unreadable. She knew the elderly woman wouldn't hesitate to reinstate strict arranged marriage the moment Saera wavered, for she believed it was the proper fate for a noble woman. Saera then caught sight of Fumiko, who remained on the balcony Shisui had vacated, her expression concerned. Despite her intelligence and fiery personality, Fumiko seemed small in the distance, and the thought of her being married young to some strange man fueled Saera's resolve.

"Tell them yes." Saera folded the sketch of Jin and tucked it haphazardly into her pocket. "Send a messenger swiftly ahead of us. Since I'm sure they've already prepared for my arrival, we will aim to arrive right on time."

Shisui's expression darkened. "I can do that, but…"

"Do it." When Shisui tried to speak again, Saera shook her head. "They need this as badly as us. What would happen to them if word spread that they don't honour their commitments? Something is odd about this… but I will be married." She waved to the front of the procession, telling them to begin moving.

"If something goes wrong, you will come back immediately."

"I will, " Saera promised.

[I won't. I have to make this work.]

Then she spurred her horse and was off, moving through the gates of her family home and heading to marry a stranger.