Heian Romance: 15. Ayawaka the Kitten

15. Ayawaka the kitten

The Seimei is the memorial day of the ancestor; it is also the 2^nd biggest event of the year after the New Year. Everyone in the palace is obliged to attend the praying ceremony early in the morning follow by the usual feast and performance session.

Again Yuiko was seated among the wives of officials and courtiers and directly opposite Yorinaga’s seating quarter. Thru the blind Yuiko saw that Yorinaga is as tired as she is for they haven’t got a chance to sleep after back from the old shrine. Yuiko’s kitten Ayawaka suddenly appears on her thought.

“Where is Ayawaka?” asked Yuiko to her lady in waiting Ryoko.

“I…I haven’t seen it since yesterday…”

“What?! Haven’t I told you to take care of it while I’m gone?”

“I am sorry… I was worrying about your safety yesterday…”

“Gosh!”

Yuiko rises, leaves the event hall and gone looking for her kitten. Her peculiar waddling walking style due to her injured leg had caught Yorinaga’s attention. He too then leaves the hall and follows her.

“Ayawaka! Ayawaka! Where have you been?”

Yuiko searches high and low but still no sign of her kitten Ayawaka.

“Meow.”

“Ayawaka!” Yuiko heard Ayawaka’s meow and run towards the sound, where she found that someone is petting it.

That person is a six foot tall man, wearing a white official formal robe, has fair complexion, a pair of round eyes, straight nose and a delicate mouth. He also dyes his teeth and paints his eyebrow in the courtiers’ fashion, making himself a good looking aristocrat. And that person is…

“Yorinaga?!”

“Is it AYAWAKA the kitten that you are looking for, my lady? No, should be the physician of Oxen Street Abe no Koremitsu!”

“No, you had made a mistake, Minister of Left Yorinaga. I’m not the physician you said. But please return the kitten to me.”

“The kitten eh, it’s name Ayawaka? That’s odd; it’s just that this name happens to be my childhood name.”

“How I know your childhood name. That’s just coincidence!!”

“Admit it, my lady! What happen to your right leg then, bitten by snake I presume?”

“That’s really none of your business, Minister of Left Yorinaga.”

“And suppose I’m the one who help you to suck out the snake venom. Have you forgotten about it?”

“Enough!”

Yuiko walks towards him and try to snatch Ayawaka back; however she twisted her injured leg along the way. Yorinaga then drops Ayawaka and quickly holds Yuiko up before she starts to fall.

“Stop it! What are you doing? People are looking you know?! Let me down!”

“No I won’t! Not until we reach your quarter! You better keep your voices down or you’ll attract other’s attention!”

This leaves Yuiko no choice but to keep quiet and let Yorinaga carries her back to her quarter…