Kyojuro Rengoku Ice Heart And Flame Soul

| Chapter Forty-five | Brother

I smiled at Senjuro, and pulled him in for a hug. And I stared at the wall behind him. Mura. I wished my brother hadn't been killed. I loved my parents, but there was a bond between my brother and I, and it was the same one I saw between Kyojuro and Senjuro.

"Rika, you really need to learn to do your hair better. That ribbon is lopsided." Mura said.

He pulled the ribbon from my hair, and it was the same ribbon I always wore. My favorite red one. He adjusted it and tied it back into my hair neatly and it stayed in place.

"Rika! Mura! Run!"

Mura and I turned as Father burst into the room. He was covered in blood but was dragged back out of the room.

I screamed and Mura stood in front of me, shoving me behind him. We listened to the sound of our father screaming, and it sounded like he was fighting with someone.

I covered my ears and began to cry. Mura turned to me and held my face in his hands.

"Don't worry, Rika. We're going to be alright. A crazy person came into the house, and he wants our things. But don't worry. We're safe here." He said.

"Mura!" Father shouted from the hallway. "Protect Rika!"

Mura stepped forward and I clung to him, begging him not to leave me behind.

"Mura! Don't leave me! Please! I'm scared!" I cried.

"I'll be right back. You stay here. Hide behind the desk." He said.

I scurried behind the desk and peeked around it, watching as Mura walked slowly to the door. He peered around it, and inhaled sharply.

He turned wide-eyed and ran to me and by the desk I was hiding behind.

"Rika, we need to leave the house. NOW!"

Mura stood and looked frantically around the room. His gaze landed on something and he nodded. I watched as he ran to the sword our father had displayed on the wall and grabbed it. He pulled on the desk and shoved it in front of the door, blocking the slider so it couldn't open.

I heard heavy running footsteps in the hallway and a pounding on the door. I screamed and Mura ran to me and pulled me into his arms.

"Don't worry, Rika. I'll keep you safe. Your big brother is here. I promise you're going to be alright." He said.

I sat there, covering my ears and crying while Mura tried to force the window open. It was our only escape from the house.

The window was jammed and it wouldn't open. Mura growled as he stuggled trying to force it open.

"Damn it! Why won't this open!? Agh!" He roared.

He picked up a chair and hit the window hard, breaking the glass and damaging the wood. He hit it again, forcing the wood to crack and separate.

Behind him, the door cracked and a monster burst through it. I screamed and Mura grabbed me, then pushed me through the window. I cut myself on some of the glass shards but made it through.