Swords & Saniwa

Drown

~Shokudaikiri Mitsutada~
燭台切 光忠

In the meantime, enjoy this as I squeeze out some ideas for the sequel~

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"I s-aid~ Mi-tsu-ta-da... Drink up~ Cheers!!" Pouring him a cup full of sake, you stuffed it into his hands and brought your cup nearer to his, making a 'cling' sound as you cheered. The eye patch was baffled at your level of consciousness.

"Hey, Jirou! Stop having her drink sake!! She's drunk!" Grabbing the sake jug from the oodachi, he passed on to Tarou who walked by just now, causing the drunk oodachi to chase his brother for his precious jug. Meanwhile, you whined at Tarou's sudden disappearence.

"Huhhhhh, Jirou isn't here... Mitsu, join me-" Grabbing the scabbard of his sword, you pulled to make the tachi accompany you.

"Aruji, stop drinking! It's not good for your body!" The small cup was taken away, causing you to throw a tantrum like a spoilt kid.

"Uwahhhh! A Saniwa is also a human... Why can't I drink-" Halfway through the whining, your vision blurred, causing your body to fall on his shoulder.

Shaking you gently, he asked, "Aruji? Aruji?" When there was no response, he sighed. Covering you with his blazer, he slipped his arms under and carried you back to your room. On the way back, you were mumbling something, but he couldn't hear properly to what you were talking about.

Putting you down on the futon, he tucked you in and was about to leave when you grabbed on the scabbard of his sword again. 

"Aruji! Go and-"

A single tear slid down from your dark brown eyes, followed by another, then another one, until a stream of salty tears formed. 

"A-Aruji..? What happened?" Kneeling down, he enveloped you in his arms. His strong arms seemed to be protective of you when it was wrapped around your petite body frame. Your cries were muffled in his clothing, unable to tell him the exact reason why you broke down. It all seemed to be a release from your inner depths, where they are always kept in the dark, until you decide to let them all out. 

It was the first time you cried with a person around you, staying with you like a guardian angel.

It hurt to give another fake smile.

Once the eyepatch stopped hearing any sobbings, he held your shoulders and looked at your dark brown orbs, as if he was searching deep into your soul. You were half sober now.

"Care to tell me what happened? It was a big mess earlier."

"I felt really stressful these few days... Worrying about you guys out in the battlefield, emergencies like healing six heavily injured swords.. A lot. My family.. They are pressing me to show some accomplishments that are worthy of the 'Kiyomura' name... I don't like it."

Your mother was a great Saniwa, owning almost every sword and guaranteed victories in most battles.

Except the battle in Ikedaya took her life; getting stabbed by an enemy oodachi before retreating. Her exemplar, Hasebe, felt guilty till now for not being able to protect your mother, and thus shut himself away. It hurt to see him every time, and yet you had to keep a fake smile plastered on your face on everyone to not let them worry you.

It was tiring.

"You know, you could have told me. I mean, you wouldn't have to carry so much burden on yourself.."

"I am used to it. Being alone and carrying all the burden..."

Strong arms enveloped you once again, bathing in his warmth. You didn't want this to end. It felt assuring, but it had to. 

Wiping away any tears on your face, you looked into his golden orbs.

"Mitsu, don't tell this to anyone. I told you because I trust you, as my sword, as my exemplar."

Gently caressing your face, a pair of lips pressed on your forehead. Not expecting it, a blush seared through your cheeks. He chuckled.

"Hand it to me! I'll save you from this hell!"

You collapsed into the land of dreams right after he said, with dizziness striking back.