Underneath the Red Trees

CHAPTER 21: GOLDEN HOUR

'You were threatened,' the voice sounded like a woman. It was pleasant and familiar, soft, and soothing. 'I had no choice but to force my way into physical existence.'

'Tenko?' Yuuki asked.

'It is I,' she said. 'You must be more mindful. I cannot protect you if you are this heedless.'

'Forgive me,'  Yuuki said. 'Did you enjoy reuniting with your brother?'

'It has been centuries since we two met. Our meeting was long overdue,' Tenko said. 'Whether I enjoyed it, I cannot say.'

Yuuki opened his eyes to an unfamiliar room. It was dark. Was it night-time? He had trouble sitting up. His muscles ached. His throat was dry, like a desert thirsting for water.

Yuuki glanced around the room slowly. He was still half-asleep but the dryness in his throat prevented him from returning to the peaceful realm of dreams.

He wriggled out from under the futon and crawled on his knees to the shoji doors. The sliding doors slipped open. Yuuki had not opened them. There was a person standing on the other side. Yuuki glanced up.

Ryogetsu frowned. "What are you doing?"

Yuuki touched his throat. His throat was too dry to speak. He could only hope Ryogetsu understood what he meant.

Ryogetsu grabbed Yuuki's arm and dragged him back to the mattress. After that he disappeared out the door. Yuuki stared at the door. Had he not understood?

Ryogetsu returned soon, however, and he knelt beside Yuuki. He cradled the back of Yuuki's head in the palm of his hand. He pressed a cup to Yuuki's lips. Cold, clean water poured down his throat, washing the dryness away like the start of the rainy season in the midst of the summer heat.

"When was the last time you took care of yourself properly?" It was most definitely Ryogetsu's voice. Yuuki was not sure what he did after saying this, because sleep once again took him. 

The following morning Yuuki awoke to the sound of muffled footsteps. He stared at the still unfamiliar ceiling absentmindedly before he sat up. A sharp pain stung his side. He groaned. Yuuki was not sure how long he had been asleep.

The door opened and a boy entered. His eyes widened when he saw Yuuki. "You have risen!" he exclaimed. Yuuki gave a curt nod and pulled his kimono to cover his bare chest. His throat was too dry to speak. The boy smiled. A smile that lit up his entire face. "Lord Getsu will be happy."

Yuuki was not sure if what the boy had said was true. Ryogetsu's feeling regarding Yuuki was a mystery to him, but he sat here, in Ryogetsu's castle, so it could not be all bad.

The boy sat down beside Yuuki. "You know? I have never heard of a third son from the Akano Clan." Yuuki chuckled softly.

"Master Keijiro!" the boy jumped. Behind them entered a middle-aged woman. She was holding a clay water basin with a cloth hanging over the side. The water spilt over the edge as she moved. "He has just awoken. Assaulting him with all these questions is quite indecent."

He giggled awkwardly. "Sorry grandma," he said bashfully.

The woman sighed, "Go fetch master Ryogetsu. He would certainly like to know that his guest has awoken." Keijiro nodded and fled from the room.

At the mention of his name Yuuki's mind wandered to the night before. He could still feel Ryogetsu's touch on his face and on his neck.

The woman clicked her tongue and put down the water basin. "That boy really is too troublesome." The old woman turned her attention to Yuuki, "Are you in any kind of pain?" The woman moved to feel Yuuki's forehead.