Chapter Twenty-six: Little girl
Miko's eyes fluttered open, and her heart raced as she jolted up from her damp futon. Beads of sweat clung to her brow as her night robe clung uncomfortably to her skin. The room, a serene haven provided by Lord Yoshiwara, seemed to mock her with its tranquility in the wake of her turmoil.
She brought her trembling hands to her face, her slender arms glistening with perspiration. Her silky, dark hair cascaded like a waterfall, a stark contrast to the frown etched across her features. She knew that something sinister had disrupted her peaceful slumber, yet the details remained elusive.
Furrowing her brow, Miko strained to recall the nightmare that had left her in this disheveled state. But as she delved into her memories, it was as though a shroud of forgetfulness enveloped her mind, obscuring the horrors that had haunted her.
She chewed on her lower lip, frustration mounting as she racked her brains in vain. Then, like a bolt of lightning in the storm of her thoughts, it came rushing back to her. The events of last night flooded her mind – the unsettling sound of whispers, the eerie atmosphere that clung to the air.
With a shiver coursing down her spine, Miko remembered how she had summoned her courage and quietly pushed open the door. There, in the dimly lit corridor, stood Lord Yoshiwara, his form backlit by the soft glow of a lantern. He appeared to be in conversation with the ethereal, ghostly figure of a woman, her presence sending waves of fear and fascination through Miko's very soul.
Miko's heart still raced from the memory of the eerie encounter with Lord Yoshiwara and the ghostly woman. She offered a silent prayer to the Kami-sama for guidance, seeking solace and courage in the peaceful morning light that filtered through the delicate shoji screen.
As her gaze shifted around the room, Miko noticed an unusual lump beneath her futon, right next to where she had been sleeping. Confusion mingled with her fear as she whispered to herself, "What is this?"
Cautiously, she lifted the futon's edge, revealing the innocent face of a young damsel, perhaps a few years her junior. This girl, the average-looking daughter of a noble living in the Heian period, lay nestled within the folds of the futon, her slumber untouched by the night's events.
Despite the sweat-soaked sheets and the sudden intrusion of Miko's presence, the mysterious girl continued to sleep soundly, her thumb gently resting in her mouth. Miko couldn't help but wonder who this unexpected guest might be.
"Is she a relative in this house?" Miko pondered, gazing at the peaceful features of the girl who lay before her.
With a tenderness that contrasted with the unsettling night she had just endured, Miko resolved to not disturb the girl's rest. She decided to watch over her until she awoke, her thoughts a tumultuous blend of curiosity, apprehension, and the ever-persistent mysteries.
"This is perplexing," Miko murmured to herself, her slender fingers lightly brushing a strand of her silky hair away from her face. She couldn't shake the feeling of intrigue and confusion that swirled within her. Who might this girl be, and why had she appeared in her futon on this peculiar morning?
The soft morning light continued to bathe the room in a gentle glow, casting delicate shadows across the tatami mats. As Miko kept a careful watch over the slumbering girl, her mind began to churn with questions and possibilities. Was the girl a distant relative, or perhaps a friend of Lord Yoshiwara's? Or could there be a more mysterious connection that she had yet to uncover?
Miko's fingers traced the embroidered patterns on her night robe, a symbol of the life she had known as a shrine maiden.
The girl's eyes fluttered open, and Miko couldn't suppress her surprise as she met the gaze of those bright, piercing blue eyes. The intensity of their color sent a shiver down her spine, for those eyes reminded her of someone she held close to her heart – her faithful ally, the Nameless Knight. This unexpected connection was concerning, as if the threads of fate were weaving an intricate tapestry around her.
With a cautious yet polite tone, Miko inquired, "Hello, did you sleep well?" She used honorifics in addressing the girl, as she couldn't be too reckless when dealing with someone who might be related to Lord Yoshiwara.
The little girl, adorned in colorful, finely embroidered robes, seemed a mirror image of Miko in terms of her raven-black hair. She continued to suck her thumb, her eyes now focused on Miko.
"What is your name, little one?" Miko asked gently, her voice laced with kindness. "Are you hungry?"
The girl responded with a mere nod, her thumb still in her mouth. It was clear that the girl was too hesitant to speak, and this only added to the mystery of her presence. Miko couldn't help but wonder how this girl's arrival was intertwined with the strange events of the previous night and Lord Yoshiwara's ghostly conversation.