THE PRICE OF WAR [Taka x Reader]

XX. Coming Home

Your troop moved slowly down the narrow path. On your right, a wide river known as Araki flowed calmly while on your left a wide and green rice paddy was being worked by some farmers. As you passed by, everyone left their task while some looked at you with admiration and others with fear.

"Look mom! There's also a girl!" a little girl yelled pointing at you.

Her mother automatically shut her up and urged her to continue helping her. That gesture surprised you, although it actually wasn't. Seeing a troop stroll through their lands was definitely not good news for anyone. War only brings good things to a few while others pay the consequences. While kings and rulers are boasting of glory and prosperity, millions of innocents go hungry, mourn their dead and carry on their humble lives that those same kings have been responsible for destroying. You thought about Duymir and how that wound would probably never heal. And the worst part was that you knew perfectly well that Duymir wouldn't be the last. It could be Taka. Or Yrion. Or Kyria. Or the boys. Or you. That was why couldn't waste time weeping Duymir, because as soon as you realized it someone else would fall and you wouldn't be there to save him or her. You couldn't let that happen, now that you knew your name was Aalyn and your life had started to finally make some sense.

Aalyn. You couldn't still believe it. It was funny, now that you had found your name it didn't feel like yours. It sounded delicate but it also had a powerful meaning. And it belonged to you. It was yours. You realized no one would call you Yumiko ever again. You missed it. Even though it referred to your silly arrow that you almost never used now.

Your horse suddenly neighed and brought you back to reality. It used to be the horse of one of the fallen soldiers and since you also needed a new one you had to keep him. His skin was of a beautiful cinnamon color and his snout, hair and legs were black. It was a beautiful horse, but of course he would never be as beautiful as your dear Duymir. You noticed Kahze coming from behind and you quickly wiped a small tear off.

"Hey"

"Hi..."

"Are you okay? I don't want you to be lonely"

"I'm not, Taka" you softly smiled.

He smirked and looked away.

"So, what does it feel like?" he asked after some seconds "Now that you have a name?"

"It's strange..."

"Aalyn still sounds beautiful"

"Please, don't call me Aalyn" you begged him "Not you"

"Why?"

"Because..." you blushed "That's not how you named me"

He looked down and nodded.

"It's true" he smiled "It would be a shame to suddenly stop being called Yumiko after all this time, right?"

You nodded.

"Besides, Yumiko has a meaning that Aalyn will never have"

You looked back at him. He was looking away, as he always did when he dedicated you even the slightest compliment. You smiled.

"And what about you? We'll soon arrive to Mizumura"

"Yes!" he sighed "My family must be waiting for me. I would like you to meet them"

"Oh, really?" you asked while looking at him askance.

"At least my brothers"

"I didn't know you had brothers"

"Yes, Tomohiro and Hiroki. They are both younger than me. Tomohiro is somewhat reserved, but he is a good man. And Hiro... I hope he has already found a good woman and settled down if he doesn't want to end up like his older brother..." he mocked.

"Taka, I don't think that's a good idea meeting them now"

"Why?"

"I don't want to cause any trouble..."

"But..." he laughed "What trouble could you cause?"

"Well, I don't know what to be a mother feels like, but I'm sure that yours won't like seeing his older son with an unknown woman from a different kingdom who barely speaks their language"

"Yumiko..."

"Not to mention that you have another woman worrying about you and who you should talk to as soon as you step in Mizumura"

He looked away in shame. He knew you were right.

"At least introduced yourself to them, please. Not as my friend but as the wielder of the Great Power"

"Alright, I'll do it" you sighed after some seconds "But only if you speak to Hatsumi first and you two make peace"

"I can't guarantee you that... But I'll try"

"Thank you" you softly smiles as you grabbed his hand.

He hold it closer and kissed it as he looked you in the eyes. Meanwhile, the troop had already left the rice fields behind and reached the mouth Araki river in the lake Kagami, one of the biggest lakes in the Eastern Kingdom and on whose whore the small hamlet of Mizumura was located.