Till The Moon Shines

Hypocrisy

Many things were commendable about the captain's wife- her kindness, her composure, and her art of maintaining harmony in her house and the village. In a few months she had adjusted to her expectations. She knew that if her husband was the ideal of his battalion, she had to be the ideal of their wives, she had to be one of the hardworking women who kept no servants, who had no luxuries she was used to, it was her duty, role and her appreciation towards them.

No one likes to leave a warm blanket in the mornings of crisp winter when the sun doesn't greet you, even she doesn't. Yet pushing her sloth away, she wakes up for the sake of her duty. Getting ready and going to the temple had become her routine, the children would be waiting.

"Running away from adversities doesn't end them. Nothing can stop what is bound to happen." She preached, sitting on the temple's steps as the children surrounded her.

A young boy complained, "Then why not just end your life?"

Megumi's neck snaps to the side, "Ryo-kun who's teaching you that?"

"Budhha said in my ear". Ryo giggled and Megumi pinched his nose "Oww! Lady Tsugikuni!" The boy whined in a nasal tone.

"Budhha asked me to pinch the nose of the kids who lie." He rubbed his nose with a pout. "And about your question... Yes, life is full of suffering and there is no escape. A human cannot be entirely happy he's either less sad or plain delusional."

The kids were gawking at her and One of them finally asked, "But Lady Tsugikuni, you are happy right? So are you less sad or delusional?"

Silence drew upon the preacher. 'Happy... I am happy, yeah. I have a loving husband, everyone in the village likes me I am happy. Why am I even reasoning when I know I'm-'

Ryo held Zoned-out Megumi's hand "Ouch fu-!" she winced, censoring her mouth in time.

"I'm so sorry Lady Tsugikuni!" The boy screeched backing away apologetically.

Her hands. Her cold hands with bruised and swollen fingers. Her hands never looked this way no matter how cold the weather got. But yeah, she never had to collect and chop firewood, set up a stove, mop, and do the dishes herself. 'Happy?...' She unknowingly grinned to herself.

Oh and, where was the loving husband? 

He would leave for his post early morning keeping an eye on any movements from the enemy without disturbing his sleeping wife. But he would come back every night for her again. A batch of soldiers would get a day off once every fourteen days except him. How could the captain stay back any day?

Not to forget he hasn't ever mentioned her swollen and blackened fingers, to not make her insecure of course. Now we can't doubt the man's care, can we? The one who calls her his pride...

"I almost forgot, where is Kishibe-kun?" She asked looking around.

"Probably the bowl head got sick again," Ryo sneered followed by crackling of other children.

Megumi showed him a slap, "Ayy! Don't call that little guy names. And now you all go home. Have breakfast and help your moms, go go go go go!"

The kids were gone, leaving her with a question that she fortunately didn't have enough time to ponder. She needed to get wood from the forest, prepare lunch and give it to Fuhimito. Fuhimito? Her sweet mother-in-law's nephew, she was supposed to send lunch for him.

That poor guy works as a messenger for the local landlord, taking his horse from here to there to nobody knows where. Messengers are crucial for lords, carrying information, lives... However, Megumi was made in charge of his one-time meal by her mother-in-law.