During the peaceful period in Japanese History known as the "Edo" era (1600s to 1860s), the Daimyō of the Chōshū Domain, Ryuuichi Tanizaki is left with no male heir after his wife perishes during childbirth, leaving him with only a daughter: Tsubaki...
Ryuuichi Tanizaki was a young boy of only 17 years when his father had an unfortunate accident and passed away. The one to find him was Ryuuichi himself. He found his father's head cleaved down the left when one of his ornamental weapons on a display his great-grandfather had hand-built above the seat of the Daimyo detached and fell onto him. His father's favorite white garment soaked in crimson blood. The previously-inconspicuous patterns on the sleeves of this silken garment had soaked up the blood too, and now were visible. These patterns portrayed Silk moths flying towards the moon. This sudden death meant Ryuuichi had to take the reigns after his late father.
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At the age of 20, Ryuuichi Tanizaki married the love of his life, Tsukiko. He never had any other romantic interests than her, despite their difficulty with conception when a male heir was important. Ryuuichi refused any suggestion or ideas to produce an heir from any woman other than Tsukiko.
To show his love to his wife, Ryuuichi had fifty Eunuchs* guarding her at all times. Twice a day, fresh Lotus flowers in full bloom would be delivered to her room. He provided her only the best quality silk Kimonos and the most beautiful hand-crafted jewellery from around the domain and sometimes even painstakingly delivered from across Japan.
At the age of 24, Tsukiko and Ryuuichi finally conceived a child. This was one of the happiest days of their lives. Upon finding out the status of her pregnancy, Tsukiko made Ryuuichi promise her one thing: to always be the most benevolent and merciful leader to his people to keep their child safe from the vengeful spirits.
Months later, on a stormy night, Tsukiko went into labour. Due to the dangerous storms, necessary birthing pain medicine could not be delivered to their abode. Tsukiko had an especially painful labor and near the end of it, she had bled considerably. Tsukiko held onto the hand of Ryuuichi who was hysterical, kneeling by her side. Once again, with the last of her strength, she reiterated to Ryuuichi to make the promise to her again. He promised her to be the best leader for all the people of his domain and begged her to pull through so they can rule the domain together and he went on a begging tangent of promising her a future for them but her responses had already ceased while he begged her to be strong for him. Tsukiko was already dead. Ryuuichi screamed out in grief and agony as he squeezed Tsukiko's hand upon realising she had moved on to the next life. He was so absorbed in shock and grief, he didn't notice the nurse with his newborn child in her arms. He wept and sobbed over Tsukiko till he couldn't yell out or cry anymore.
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He woke up the next morning, his head laid on Tsukiko's cold bosom. A white cloth covering her face. Her skin cold to the touch and grey. He couldn't get himself to lift the cloth off her face. He sat by her side silently. His tear ducts were dry. His cheeks were covered in tracks and smudges of salt left behind from his tears.
Ryuuichi looked out the open sliding door to his side and was the cascading camellia tree growing by a dry well. Flowers white like snow, centred with the yellow stamen. He noticed one of the flowers was variegated with red smudges as if stained with blood. The new sprouting green grass was just piercing the thin layer of snow left behind, the sun was rising behind the clouds.
The entrance sliding doors for this room, each door with a unique painting of white roses parted and in came two maids who proceeded to bow. Then came the late Tsukiko's Kindai-Sanba, or birth attendant, followed by his older sister, Yayoi Tanizaki. In the Kindai's arms slept his new child, wrapped in white cloth.
"Brother dearest? ..." – asked Yayoi.
"Your offspring is here ... uh ... sh ... s-she's beautiful..." –Yayoi flinched after mentioning the gendered-pronoun of Ryuuichi's newborn child.
–However, Ryuuichi sat silent. looking through the open door, watching the sunrise, the clouds make way and the snow melt.
