The Head Lord and the Rat Thief {Kamisato Ayato FanFiction}

Chapter 30 ~ The Quiet One and the Sword Dancing Lesson

Chapter 30 ~ The Quiet One and the Sword Dancing Lesson

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       The next morning, after breakfast, Caiome accompanied Ayato to the entrance of the Great Hall where Ayato forbade her to enter.

       "What?" she exclaimed. "Why?"

       "Because last time you were inside for a meeting, you were on the verge of sabotaging everything," Ayato said with a smile that conveyed nothing but contempt for her in a subtle way. "Instead, you can look for Himawari and start your first lesson of sword dance if you think you will get bored. You should be happy that you do not have to stay next to me for a few hours, quietly, in front of everyone."

       "Who says I would have stayed quiet?" she crossed her arms over her chest.

       "Now you see why I do not want to take you inside?" Ayato said, and Caiome lifted her chin, half turning away from him.

       "Very well. Go and deal with your boring meetings."

       And with that, she left.

       Ayato shook his head slightly, watching Caiome until she disappeared down on one of the corridors, then entered the Great Hall where he was greeted by the other clan heads who had already heard about Yamamoto Shichiro's departure from Inazuma, but no one dared to ask questions.

       As she began to wander through the mansion's rooms, Caiome finally found Himawari together with Mrs. Nakamura in one of the upstairs rooms. Himawari had just tied her blooming sash around her waist, while Mrs. Nakamura tied her hair into a low, curly ponytail.

       "Hey there!" Caiome waved as she entered.

       Himawari quickly lifted her gaze to her, blushing in her cheeks. "Good morning," she murmured softly, starting to fidget with her hands.

       "Haven't you learned yet to knock?" Mrs. Nakamura asked after tying a bow with the colorful thread in the girl's hair.

       "We've known each other for so long," Caiome said, "do we still need to be so formal?"

       Mrs. Nakamura had nothing to respond but to sigh.

       "Lucky you," she said to Himawari, "Ayato has a meeting he doesn't want me at, so we can start the first lesson."

       Himawari raised her brown eyes to her. "So soon?"

       Well, Caiome couldn't tell her that these lessons were part of her entire education that Ayato wanted to provide her with so that one day she would be able to lift the Yamamoto clan once again. But if Himawari was already asking questions... she probably would put everything together soon, no matter what excuses Ayaka would have given her when the lessons were supposed to start.

       "The sooner, the better, right?" Caiome said. "What happened? Until now, you were following me everywhere, and now when you really have my attention, you don't want to be around me anymore?"

       "Uh... it's not about that," she said quickly, raising her white hands.

       Caiome took one of them, studying her fingers. Although Himawari was small in stature, her fingers were long and quite firm, so it wouldn't be a problem for her to hold a wooden sword.

       "Then what are we waiting for?" Caiome said. "Let's go."

       "Just be careful," Mrs. Nakamura managed to say as Caiome grabbed Himawari by the wrist, already leaving the room. "This girl..." she murmured to herself, then took her embroidery, starting to crochet with the thin threads.