Hearts Divided (Dororo)

Silk

First-person P.O.V.

"I'm going out for some fresh air, Okaa-san. I'll be back by sundown," I announced in our quiet home. There were only a few maids around at this time and Okaa-san was having some tea, green tea to be specific. Ingredients that were plucked right from our garden.

"Of course, Y/N! Stay safe," my mother replied warmly as she watched me step out of the room.

With a nod, I left the comfort of our house, the soft sound of my curly hair brushing against my back as I walked along the wooden path. The colorful patterns of my kimono swayed in the gentle breeze as I headed to the garden.  The kimono was a gift from my Oto-san and I treasured it dearly, it was made of the finest silk and woven by skilled hands, Okaa-san had a matching kimono too!  The only difference was hers had longer sleeves and a fancier cut.

Sitting by the large stones, I couldn't help but sigh deeply. When was the last time I truly enjoyed fresh air? Lately, my trips beyond our estate were mostly for visits to the nearby province, home to the Daigo Clan, our allies for sixteen years.

Oto-san and the head of the Daigo Clan were at one of their weekly meetings in the Daigo province and it had been roughly three and a half hours since he left Okaa-san and I alone. Hovering my fingers and entangling them with stray grass, I shut my eyes.

"Quick! We need to go to town!"

"Why? We already got the ingredients for tonight's dinner."

"That's not it! We need to get some silk! We completely forgot about it!" Opening my eyes, I turned around to face some of my family's most trusted workers.

"I could help with that." I interrupted, standing up from the rocks and walking towards the two maids.

The two maids looked at each other and at me before nodding in agreement. They explained that the town was only a short walk away, and the sun was still high in the sky.

The three of us made our way through the forest after informing Okaa-san about where we would go, the dirt trail beneath my feet crunching with every step. The trees towered over us, their branches intertwined like a blanket of shade over our heads. Eventually, we made it to town. I turned to the maids and asked, "Where can we go to purchase silk?" They pointed to a small building not too far from us and we made our way there.

As we went through the door, fresh silk filled my nostrils. The building was small, but the walls were filled with shelves of colorful fabrics. The two maids went to the back to converse with the shopkeeper while I browsed the different fabrics. I ran my fingers across the soft textures, feeling the silk and wool under my fingertips. There weren't many other customers in the fabric shop, but from the inside, I could see a small crowd forming near the river bank.

"I'll be outside." The maids nodded their heads. As I exited the shop, the chiming of bells announced my presence. A small crowd had gathered near the riverbank.

"Come, come! Quality goods over here! Straight from the capital!" exclaimed a child, presumably a boy, with unkempt black hair and dressed in green, tattered cloth.

Intrigued, I approached the crowd, only to be interrupted by a sudden harsh shove.

"Yikes," muttered the child, whom the crowd addressed as Dororo.

Brushing off the dust from my kimono, I faced the person who had pushed me. It was a tall, middle-aged man wearing a tattered vest and, surprisingly, no pants.

"Excuse me," I said, tapping the man's shoulder with a mix of confusion and irritation."I was about to purchase something from this child."