Chirijiraden - Vanishing Memories Chapter 1
Confession to the Rain
By CD
An autumn breeze filled the air as the fading blossoms fell from the Sakura trees. A young man lay sleeping in the waning sunlight, his back propped against one of the many trees still blessed with a few resilient cherry blossoms. His smooth black hair flowed effortlessly with the wind, lightly caressing the sheathed blade at his side. Winter would soon arrive and with it the rainy seasons. A soft whisper from behind draws a light smile across his soft lips in remembrance of all that he cherished within this mortal world.
“Here you are, Tue Sho! I should have known,” A slender young woman with a single braid of shining brown hair topped with a brilliant white orb appeared from behind a tree and laid beside her lover, her delicate physique wreathed in linen and silk. She placed her head lightly upon his breast and he brought an idle hand around her shoulder to hold her tight, wishing nothing more than to remain in the Lesalia gardens with his love forever. “You always come here when you wish to sort your thoughts. Why?”
Tue Sho released his half-hearted grip on his blade’s sheathe and brought the free hand around to embrace his love. “This place is always cool, even in the midst of a summer’s blaze. The air here is calm and serene, enough so that it chills my blood and brings me peace... that is until a certain young girl wanders around filling the wind with words until is it laden with questions.”
The young woman gave a shocked expression betrayed by her brilliant smile as she playfully pulled away and lightly swatted his arm in mock rage. He pulled her close and planted a love-born kiss upon her tender lips, her unbridled emotions forcing her lids to conceal her emerald green eyes as the sun cast it’s last glimpse of light across the enraptured lovers’ secluded venue. A brilliant horizon adorned the sky in breath-stealing shades of purple, blue, orange, and gold as a pale moon rose to command the myriad of stars. Sparkling lights danced like faerie fire as the fireflies came out to play. Tue Sho opened his slanted eyes for the first time since he laid down to rest to gaze into the endless thoughts and dreams held captive within his mate’s.
“Aisha, you should be at the monastery. What are you doing here? The sisters will worry of you.” Aisha laid her head back down upon the samurai’s shirt as she looked longingly at the moon in the sea of stars as blackened clouds began to flow in from the west. “I felt that I would die of breathlessness if I had stayed there. It’s no different than a prison inside those walls. They close in to crush the air from my lungs. It’s not fair. Why should I have to remain there, Tue Sho? Why must I? Why can’t I be free, as you?”
His body shook with laughter as her misperception of his life filled his ears. “I’d hardly call my life one of freedom. Spending the twilight hours over books and tomes while spending the morn and noon changing blows with the sword masters. My mind and body ache with all the training. These periodic ventures are a necessary respite.”
“I see. It must be hard living up to your heritage. Generations of samurai on one side, a powerful sorceress on the other. Your teachers expect you to be fluent in both sorcery and swordsmanship because of your parents’ abilities.” She gave a lighthearted sigh and turned her smile on Tue Sho. “You wouldn’t happen to have a distant relative that’s a god as well, would you?”
The two filled the air with a careless laughter that sent the birds in the Sakura above them flying. A moment of silence followed after until an exotic fragrance sent Tue Sho’s thoughts astray to ones of sinful pleasures. “Perfume? That’s unlike you. What is that heavenly fragrance?” He buried his nose in her hair and inhaled a deep breath as she giggled shyly. “Is that chantage I smell?”
“Setiemson. I borrowed the bottle from sister Mileena’s chambers.”
“Thievery, Aisha? Your father would be shocked to hear of such acts!” he gave a taunting chuckle as she feigned astonished anger for the second time today.
“You’re terrible! You know how I hate that name! Call me Aeris, like when we were kids. If you don’t I’ll bring up the name YOU hate, Chirijiraden.”
Aeris snickered at Tue Sho with narrowed eyes as a look of illness formed on his face. He glared back and mumbled something under his breath that could be taken for “you win.” He stood slowly and picked up his blade, lightly caressing her cheek with his other hand. He bent backward, holding himself upright using the tree until he hears a satisfactory series of cracks from his back followed closely by a sigh of relief. She slowly stood beside him and hung on his shoulder, not wishing to return to the convent. “Are you nervous about tomorrow? You’re in the first wave, aren’t you?”
Tue Sho stopped everything and looked at her in the fading moonlight. “I’ll be fine. Besides, I’ve got my grandfather’s sword by my side. I’ll be more than safe.” The calm words did little to lighten the burden on her heart.
“Tue Sho... never mind, it’s nothing.”
“What is it? I said I’ll be fine. Don’t you trust me?” He gave a bright smile as she gazed up into his eyes, a look of utter morose sprawled across the soft features of her face as droplets fell from the sky unto her brow.
“I... I....I’m...” the soft look of concern in her eyes told him all he needed to know. He picked her up and swung her around in a loving embrace. Bright tears of joy came to his eyes as his smile beamed, brightening her expression. She smiled lightly as her eyes began to brim with her own tears, forcing her fear up from her soul through the flesh.