Heian Romance: 26.夢詠みThe song of dream part 2

26. 夢詠みThe song of dream part 2

In a small settlement at the eastern part of the country lives a couple with two children. They are physicians who provide health care services for the villagers. Most of their services are free but sometimes in return the local will bring crops and poultries for their family. 

 “Thank you, madam physician for saving my son’s life! I am sorry that I couldn’t repay your with money. But here are some fresh eggs my hen laid this morning; I hope that you’ll like it…”

“Of course!”

After sending her last patient back to her house, the lady of the house called for her children to get ready for dinner.

“Tadamichi, Tamako! Quit playing and come back for dinner! But before that make sure you are squeaky clean!”

“Yes, mother!” replied her children. Although at young age, both of her children Tadamichi eight years old boy and Tamako five years girl resemble their parents, which are blessed with good looking and on par with the elegant courtiers in the capital. 

While preparing dinner in the kitchen, suddenly someone hug the lady tightly at her back…

“What’s for dinner dear? Eggs, I presume? ”

“Stop it! The children will be watching!!”

“No worries I had already checked, they are still taking their bath!”

“Why you cunning fellow!!”

“I’ll take that as a compliment!”

Still not releasing his hand from the lady’s waist the master of the house continued:

“Do you regret for leaving the court life and stay in this stage of poverty?”

“No and never will. My vocation was never to live as a pampered princess in the court. What about you?”

“Absolutely not!”

“Just as Saigyo the monk had mentioned, this is the beautifulness of life. To live in a life of fulfilled dream and to live in order to fulfill dreams…”

“Indeed with you here I’m living in a life of fulfilled dream, and together let’s work hard to fulfill our dream which is to help the poor that in need of medical treatment. Well, I have another dream though…”

“What is it?”

“You see we have our little Tadamichi and little Tamako. But what about little Asatori and little Norikiyo then?”

“Why you!! What do you think I am, sow? I’m not going to do so!! I refused to accept your suggestion!!”

“I’ll make you! After all you’re my one and only beloved sow!!”

 The couple’s flirtatious quarrels will go on and on even when they reached old age. This is because they are truly and deeply in love with each other.

Their name----- Yorinaga and Yuiko.

 

~The End~

 

Afterword: Finally I managed to finish this short story. I would like to thank my best friend and the one and only reader Isabelle!!Ha-ha!! Also I want to thank Mr. Fujiwara no Yorinaga my 2012 year lover too! Without him I wouldn’t have anything to write. Lolz~

While writing this story, I come across few songs which can represent the feelings of the story. They are:

1.      恋 by中孝介 – represents the fruitless romance of the Regent Fujiwara no Tadamichi.

2.      情歌 from平清盛soundtrack – during sad time

3.       夢詠み...紀行  from平清盛soundtrack- which I use it for the title of the last 2 chapters.

4.       Deepness by MISIA- the theme song for Yuiko and Yorinaga.

Next, I may be writing another story as I started to be fond of this person Matsudaira Katamori (The last lord of Aizu clan, protector of Kyoto and the initiator of Shinsengurumi), his personality I guess was more like the placid Fujiwara no Tadamichi instead. Nevertheless I don’t think it will be that soon, as I haven’t really understood this person…

Last but not least, life is short thus living it to the fullness. Dare to dream, dare to fulfill!!

By nanaho88

12:43am January 14, 2013

Heian Romance 25:夢詠みThe song of dream part 1

25.　夢詠みThe song of dream part 1

“Dream…it must be...it must be a dream!!” Yuiko keeps on mumbling away to herself. She couldn’t believe and accept what was happening in front of her. Suddenly, someone give her a slap on the chin; the painful burning sensation woke her up from delirium. That person was Saigyo the monk…

“Yuiko, wake up!! This is not the time for sentimental! If you didn’t act now Yorinaga will be dead by losing too much blood!!”

“But….but I can’t… I don’t know what to do…”

“Nonsense, you’re a practiced physician!!”

“I….”

“Stop hesitating!! Do it!!”

With this Yuiko closed her eyes said a prayer, swallowed a deep breath and started to work on this seems to be impossible mission…

Together with Saigyo and Yorinaga’s servants they moved him to a small abandoned temple for treatment. After much adverse attempts, Yuiko finally managed to stop his wound from bleeding. However no matter what she did Yorinaga still remains unconscious. Whether will he be awake, it’s all really depends on his will to live…

Just in this precarious situation, the Regent Fujiwara no Tadamichi arrived at the temple with numbers of fully armed warriors…

“What are you doing here? Don’t you ever try to lay a hand on Yorinaga!! Get away from us! You’re not welcome here!!”shouted Yuiko furiously.

“Princess Yuiko, I meant you no harm. Please listen to me… In a short while, the Goshirakawa’s army with be here to capture the war criminals. With me here are few trustable guards they will escort you and Yorinaga to a safer place. I beg you to do as I said and leave this place immediately! Please outsmart the army and survive, don’t ever repeat the same mistake your parents made years ago!! I may be as you had said coward and selfish but in order to protect the one I cherish, I am willfully to do atrocious deeds, be humiliated or even to give out my life…”

This was the second time where Tadamichi arranged an escape for his love one. Previously was Fujiwara no Tamako and now Yuiko. While witnessing Yuiko’s escape, her mother Tamako ran across his mind, his love towards both of them was beyond description yet it was destined to be a fruitless romance. Thus the only thing he can do is to help them to get their happiness, a way he defines his love…

Hundred of horseback warriors reached the temple short moment later, with the aid of Tadamichi Yuiko managed to escape narrowly. However on the run Yorinaga’s wound manifested again and fresh blood started to gush out…

Heian Romance: 24. Destiny

 24. Destiny

After had been defeated in the war, Yorinaga and his servants ran overnight from temple at Arashi Mountain to fisherman village at Ooigawa River to seek for refuge. At last when he couldn’t bear anymore pain on his neck, his last wish was to seek his father Fujiwara noTadazane’s absolution at Nara…

They reached Tadazane’s quarter in Nara at the early dawn of 13^th on the seventh month. However they were rejected at the front of the house…

“Master Tadazane, your son Yorinaga seeks for an audience. He is seriously injured.”

After much thinking, Tadazane finally open his mouth and said: “Let him go.”

“What? Sir, wouldn’t you want to see him, your son?”

“Sorry to say but being shot by an arrow means a bad omen, such person will only bring ill fortune to the Fujiwara clan. Thus, kindly please leave before the master is angry.” Said one of Tadazane’s servants.

“But Yorinaga is Master Tadazane’s son!! Please!! Please let our Master Yorinaga in!! Open the door, please!! Even a glance will do, please I beg you!!”

There wasn’t any replies afterwards…

As if had been thrown into an endless pit, his father’s envenomed rejection had made him give way to hopeless never ending grief…

At this very last hour, he remembered the old time when he’s name is still Ayawaka playing hide and seek in this very spot with his father Tadazane. Tadazane’s every move, every single action, his fatherly stern expression, and warm hands all of these had deeply imprinted on Yorinaga’s mind…

Tears overflow, with much despair he breaths in deeply for the last time, draws his whole body’s last energy to his jaw and bites his own tongue off…

Blood was oozing from his mouth; the vivid in color warm fluid slowly dyed his snow white robe into fresh red…

In front of this despondent scene, stood Yuiko strongly shaken by what she had witnessed…

Heian Romance: 23. The Hougen War

23. The Hougen War

“My inner heart? What does Saigyo means? What is he trying to tell me?”  

While thinking about Saigyo words, the veil of the Hougen War draws quietly, like a shadow in dark…

It all begins when Minamoto no Yoshitomo a Genji warrior of the Goshirakawa’s army suggested night ambush towards Yorinaga’s. This idea was fully supported by the Regent Fujiwara no Tadamichi, however Yuiko thinks the other way round. Night ambush means to attack the other party at night when people are at rest; this would be cowardice and ignoble action, but sadly Yuiko was in no position to stop them. And so the Goshirakawa’s army had their ambush at four in the morning marking the starts of the 1^st war after almost a century of peacefulness------ The Hougen War.

From time to time informers come and go bringing the latest information regarding the war to people at Takamatsu Palace. All of them were good victory news nevertheless these didn’t lighten Yuiko’s mind; the reason she had been paying attention to the monotonous informers was waiting for them to inform her HIS whereabouts…  

At last slightly before end of the day, one informer rush in bringing the news that the war is over with mentions of the name Fujiwara no Yorinaga…

The Hougen War lasted for only a day leaving Sudoku’s army totally defeated, it all ended when the war general Fujiwara no Yorinaga was shot by an arrow during his flees…

“Minister of left Yorinaga was shot?!”

As if had been struck by the lightning, Yuiko had gone sobers up, now only would she realize all along it is Yorinaga that she really wants …

Without much thinking she stood up, gathered all her medicines and head for the exit of Takamatsu Palace. However at the gate, she was stopped by the Regent Fujiwara no Tadamichi…

“Yuiko, stop it! Don’t go. You don’t know what you are going to meet!”

“Get away from me. I must go, no matter how dangerous the outside world is! If not I’ll regret!!”

 “Do you know where he is? No!! So just let him die, he’s a now war criminal!! And you are a princess he’s no good for you now!!”

“How can you say such words? You are his brother and you used to be his foster father too!! He’s now in danger yet you still talk ill about him!! How cruel!!”

“Yuiko, I’m doing this is for the sake of you! Yorinaga is now a war criminal, going off to see him will only make you one of his accomplices! Although I’m his brother, but law is law I must obey it!”

“You are a coward then!! From the way you accepted Yoshitomo night ambush’s suggestion, you are no better than those rascals!! Now I finally understand why mother chose father instead of you, because you are a selfish good-for-nothing timorous fool!! You never get her and you’ll never get me either!!”

Yuiko pushed Tadamichi’s off and haste towards the disastrous outside world…

Part of Yuiko agreed with Tadamichi as she doesn’t know Yorinaga’s whereabouts, rushing out without any plans would be a ludicrous act. Nevertheless her inner heart told her to act before she could feel sorry about it. Thus will she be able to find him in this havoc state, it’s all depends on their destiny…

Heian Romance:22 The Enshrouded Truth

22. The Enshrouded Truth

“Norikiyo…Satou Norikiyo?”

The monk smiled to Yuiko and said: “Norikiyo was my past, and now I’m Saigyo.”

“You are alive!! I thought that you were dead, killed by Kimiharu!!”

“I was once death and now alive…”

“But…how?”

And so Saigyo previously called Norikiyo begins to narrate his salvation story…

 To some people love is a possession, to be fond of someone is to gain ownership towards that person heart and soul; if failed this type of person will then do anything and everything to prevent others to take the heart of their lover, they named this type of love as obsessive love…

Norikiyo was a victim of this obsessive love, so do Yorinaga’s departed wife Sachiko.

While working as a watch guard for the Empress Taikenmon, day after day his heart towards the soft-spoken beauty grows, eventually he decided to confess his fondness to her during the first day of the year as she retreated to her quarter after the ceremony. She rejected him politely and he accepted his fate either, however his inner demon was awaken when he heard that the Empress was going to spend her night with the Emperor. Anger and jealousy clouded his mind, without thinking he raised his hand towards the lady’s neck and strangled her to death. Luckily the Empress lady-in waiting was around and prevented the catastrophe. The Empress decided to forgive Norikiyo thus ordered to set him free, he was so much ashamed with his deed and never to set foot in the palace again…

On the other hand, Sachiko was attracted by Norikiyo’s charm while she was a court lady serving the Empress. Even after married to Yorinaga, her affection towards Norikiyo never languishes.  She finds that her younger husband is childish, uncompromised and not charming for he failed to produce no poet at all.  As a married woman her movement is much restricted, despite that she keeps on inviting Noriyiko to her household. But she was rejected every time when Norikiyo had duty at the Empress quarter. Bit by bit her resentment towards Norikiyo increases until at last she ordered her servant Kimiharu for Norikiyo’s life for he had failed to keep his promise…

One day as Norikiyo was visiting a temple at Mount Kiei, he was attacked by Kimiharu and his gang by surprise. They chased him towards a cliff and use arrows to shoot him over. While falling he assumed that he’s going to die and got a flashback of this whole life. All the while he had been looking for beautifulness in life yet thru the flashback it was a mere meaningless act, he was regretting about it but it was too late…

Luckily the God haven’t abandoned him, he was saved by an old couple. Due to the deep fall, he was injured severely. But with the aid of the old couple his wound was healed in no time. He was surprised to know that such brilliant physician can be found in the deep woods. He then thanks the couple and leave for Mount Kiei to take the tonsure…

 “Princess Yuiko, I was deeply touched by the old couple who saved me when I fall. Though in old age wrinkles all around, their affection towards each other is pure and deep, only then I realized this is the true beautifulness I was looking for. In rich in poor, in good in bad, in life in death, their love is imperishable and everlasting.

The reason I’m here tonight is to remind you to pay attention to your inner heart. My lady, listen to what it tries to tell you what it really wants, and act accordingly. We only live once and no one would be as lucky as I to have a second chance in life, therefore when it’s the right time don’t hesitate, grab the opportunity tightly and never regrets about it!”  

After saying these words, Norikiyo now Saigyo perishes quietly, without leaving trance of his presence…

Heian Romance: 21. The Eve of War

21. The Eve of War

Tension arises when warriors and troops all around arrive at the capital. It gets to its extreme when Taira no Kiyomori from the warrior clan leads five hundred horseback troops from the eastern country to the Heian Capital. And so here marks the beginning of the first war after almost a century of peacefulness in the Heian Kyou…

***

Yuiko along with other courtiers and royal families who belong to Goshirakawa’s side were bought to Takamatsu Palace as refuge from the war…

If this were to be a song banquet the hundred over occupants in the Takamatsu Palace would turn the place down with their chatter and laughter. However at the eve of war, even the noisiest busybody decided to keep her mouth shut and concentrate in her prayer instead. Everyone gathered here are reluctant about the future, if Goshirakawa’s army was to lose in the war, all of them will be listed as traitors and rebellions, otherwise.

Yuiko and her lady-in waiting Ryoko sit at the far corner of Takamatsu hall quietly facing the garden. As if pending for a heavy storm, the night before is eerily quiet, there are few fireflies waltzing around the garden, however night like this no one would have the spirit to appreciate their beauties…

Yuiko is worrying about Yorinaga, as both of them are in the opposite side; which means one survives the other will falls, especially Yorinaga as the war general his punishment will unmitigated leading only to death…

Yuiko’s thought was interrupted when a footman announced that she has a visitor at a chamber in the west wing.

When she reached the chamber, she saw that the visitor is a monk. The monk is in his travelling cassock which seems that he had just traveled from far, he is in his twenties and very handsome indeed. There are familiarities in this man, but Yuiko couldn’t put a finger into it…

Heian Romance: 20. The Sorrowful Song

20. The Sorrowful Song

 The departures of both his servant Kimiharu and wife Sachiko had left Yorinaga weary and heart-breaking. He spent the following forty-nine days in mourn praying day and night, his sleeves were never dried…

 While in mourn, he had enclosed himself in a small chapel, excluded from the outside world, totally unaware of the turmoil in the court.

 In the mid summer, the young Emperor Konoe had gone to the other world leaving no successor. Thus, initiates the breakage of the court unity. The court was now separated into two; the abdicated Emperor Sudoku and the Emperor Goshirakawa group. Sudoku and Goshirakawa are rival brothers, with Goshirakawa sided by the Regent Fujiwara no Tadamichi, the Empress Dowager Bifukumon, and her brother Fujiwara no Ienari; while Yorinaga sided with Sudoku.

The Sudoku group couldn’t acknowledge Emperor Goshirakawa’s sovereign and insisted to make his own son the new emperor instead. Both parties gathered troops, funds, warriors secretly conspire to overthrown each other, in a short future…

***

Yuiko couldn’t get into sleep ever since knowing the death of Yorinaga’s wife Sachiko. Part of her felt sorry for him, for he had lost two of his beloved ones at the same time. Although, Kimiharu was the culprit who murdered Norikiyo, but she wasn’t glad when receiving his death news. Now only would she know revenge is merely a never ending sorrowful song…

The night of a mid-summer where the weather is hot and humidity is high, crickets song can be heard everywhere around the palace. In this sleepless night, Yuiko took out her koto and play a lachrymose tune, a requiem to the death, so much so sad that her face was covered with tears. Not far from her quarter, the sound of flute joins in and immediately she knew that was the Regent Fujiwara no Tadamichi…

Heian Romance: 19. The Red Medicine Packet

19. The Red Medicine Packet

When the nightingale sings, it is then time to sleep. As Yuiko changes into her nightgown, a man rushes into her quarter harshly, and that person is the Minister of Left Fujiwara no Yorinaga.

“Minister of Left Yorinaga, how can you rush into the quarter without announcing yourself?”asked Ryoko.

“Where is your mistress? I want to see her now!!”

“What’s all the commotion, Minister of Left Yorinaga?” asked Yuiko.

“What had you done to my servant Kimiharu?”

“What about that?”

Yorinaga then takes out the red medicine packet which Yuiko gave yesterday to heal Kimiharu.

“It happens that there are trances of arsenic in this red packet, and YOU are the one who gave it to Kimiharu!”

“Are you accusing me for poisoning your servant?”

“Are you not?”

“Why would I do such things?”

“To take revenge, for Kimiharu had killed Satou Norikiyo!”

“So it was him then!! You instructed him to do so?”

“That’s really none of your business!!”

“What none of my business? He had killed Norikiyo, an important imperial guard and of course my best friend and my lover!!”

Yorinaga’s face becomes uneasy when Yuiko said the word ‘Lover’.

Yuiko then continues: “If you said the death of Norikiyo is none of my business, then I guess Kimiharu’s too as well the same. What I did was clear as water, white as snow; the medicine I bought was truly the actual herbs to heal him. I don’t have any right to stop you accusing me, so do it if you like! As for now, it’s been quite late already I would like to call it a day, so would you kindly LEAVE?”

Yorinaga tried to protest but was stopped by Yuiko’s lady-in waiting Ryoko.

***

Yorinaga was truly upsets with his servant Kimiharu’s death. The usual diligent minister of left was absented at the court office for seven days because of this. Within these seven days, he would only eat simple vegetarian meals and spent all of his time praying for his death servant’s soul.

Almost immediately after Yorinaga’s seven days leave at the court, he is going to be absent again, this time for a month. His wife Fujiwara no Sachiko had passed away at the age of forty. Record stated that she had passed away due to sickness, but the truth is she had committed suicide. A small red medicine packet containing traces of arsenic was found beside her dead bed…

Heian Romance: 18. The Dead of a servant

18. The Dead of a servant

Yuiko reached Yorinaga’s quarter at the East 3^rd Avenue that evening. Yorinaga was away with his office, so instead she was welcomed by his wife Fujiwara no Sachiko. Sachiko is a sulky looking woman who seems clueless about smile and happiness. She is eight years older than her husband Yorinaga, in addition with her upset appearance they made the most mismatch couple in the court. In real life, due to the large age gap between them, they could not get along well either.

  “Welcome Princess Yuiko, it is an honor to have you visits our household. However may I ask you the reason to come here?” asked Sachiko monotonously.

“I am here to heal your sick servant Kimiharu. Minister of Left Yorinaga told me so.”

“In that case please follow me.”

Sachiko then leads Yuiko to the servant quarter at the far end of the household.

Kimiharu was resting when they enter his room. His wound seems getting better after using Yuiko’s medicine which Yorinaga brought back the other day.

“Princess Yuiko…Kimiharu is just a poor servant; I won’t have the honor for the princess to heal me…”

“Foolish. Aren’t you forgotten that I also heal the poor at Oxen Street? Don’t worry I’ll heal you in no time.”

Yuiko took out a small red medicine packet and instructs Sachiko to prepare them for Kimiharu. After Sachiko leaves the room, Yuiko handed an arrow to Kimiharu…

“Do you know what this is?”

“It’s my arrow…”

“Indeed. But do you know where I found it?”

“Sorry I don’t…”

“I found it at the edge of a cliff at Mount Kiei. The same spot where Satou Norikiyo was last seen!!”

“……”

“Tell me what had you done to Norikiyo? Did you kill him? Or push him down the cliff?”

“I…I don’t understand what you are talking about, my lady.”

“Don’t try to act innocence!! Who instructed you to do so? Was it Yorinaga?”

“It is none of my master Yorinaga’s business. If you don’t mind, my lady, I would like to rest.”

“How DARE you to speak to me like this?!”

Their conversation was interrupted when Sachiko brings back the cooked medicine.

“Kimiharu, your medicine is done. Drink it before it gets cold.” said Sachiko.

After confirming Kimiharu had fully consumed his medicine, Yuiko leaves the household quietly…

***

When in the palace,

Yuiko received news that Yorinaga’s servant Kimiharu had passed away shortly after she left…

Heian Romance: 17. The Arrow

17. The Arrow

 

 

Perhaps it was the aftermath of snake bites or maybe of what Yorinaga had said, Yuiko went into delirium after Yorinaga left her quarter.

When Ryoko finished her duties, she was shocked to find that Yuiko lying weakly on her bed.

“My lady is you unwell?”

“Ryoko, finally you had returned. I’m a fine… Just a little bit tired…”

“Really? You look sick…What had happened?”

“Well the fact was that I think Yorinaga had just confessed to me…”

“What did you said then?”

“I just managed to say thank you. It’s just so weird; I don’t know how to reply to him. Not that I hate him, I just couldn’t describe my own feeling…”

“My lady, you better don’t fell for him. Or else you are going to hate what I’m going to tell you…”

  “What is it then?”

“Remember that you told me to investigate Satou Norikiyo’s disappearance? Though I still can’t allocate his body, but all evidence point to Yorinaga’s servant Kimiharu that he was the last person who was seen with Norikiyo…

 According some herb collectors around Mount Kiei, they saw Kimiharu chasing Norikiyo towards the end of a cliff one day while collecting herbs around the mountain. They tried to stop Kimiharu, but it was too late, Norikiyo falls from the cliff as Kimiharu tries to shoot him using an arrow…”

  Ryoko then hands an arrow engraves with the word ‘K. Haru’ for Yuiko to see.

“Did the herb collectors mentioned why Kimiharu wanted to kill Norikiyo?”

“No, they don’t know either. Perhaps he was doing his master’s order…”

“His master? The Minister of Left Fujiwara no Yorinaga…”

 “Affirmative…”

“If so I would REALLY like to figure it out!! Ryoko, brings me my weather wear and medicine kit, it’s time to pay the sick servant a visit!!”

Heian Romance: 16. Abe no Koremitsu

16. Abe no Koremitsu

Yorinaga lets Yuiko down when they enter her quarter.

“Thanks for carrying me to my quarter, and so respectable minister of left Yorinaga you may LEAVE now…” said Yuiko cynically.

 “Hold on here, don’t you think you can get rid of me just like that. I won’t leave until I get an explanation of this matter!!”

“What matter? What explanation?”

“Don’t try to play fool Princess! But before that I must treat your wound first.”

Yorinaga then let Yuiko sit down and try to mend her injured leg.

  “Let me do it. I’m the physician you know!”

“Talk about physician, see what you did to yourself? Your wound had manifested! So please keep your mouth shut and let the PROFESSIONAL does his work!!”

Yuiko was quite surprised to see that Yorinaga did very well on mending her wound.

“Never thought an aristocrat like you, know how to handle such circumstances too!”

“Do you think I’m completely oblivious during my days in the Oxen Street? I’m not that stupid you know.”

“So you have to thank me then for teaching you first aid!”

“Balderdash! And now Princess Yuiko why you didn’t tell me you is Koremitsu the physician all along?”

“Well… I don’t think I have a need to do so. Firstly I don’t know you well. Next the tenacious personality of yours, I don’t think you will leave me in peace when you know the truth.”

“Of course I won’t! No matter what you’re still a princess, how can a princess go out impersonates as a man and hang around with the lowly? Not to mention some of them are terribly sick! This is absolutely against the rule!!”

“Here we go again…..” said Yuiko then shutting her ears to isolate herself from Yorinaga seems to be never ending nags.

“But… The most important thing is…You made me wonder about my gender preference!!”

“Gender preference?”

“I….I keep on…keep on asking myself…whether I am really….in love with man!! I even told my servant Kimiharu to test me. But all came to negative results, other than one person……”

 Adrenaline was doing its job excellently when Yorinaga speaks and his face was the reddest when he said the name:

“Abe no Koremitsu…”   

Yuiko was wondering whether this can consider a confession from Yorinaga. His words keep on swimming around her mind making her completely blank.

“Thank you….” That was the only reply that manages to come out from Yuiko’s emptied mind.

“I see…” said Yorinaga and leave the quarter quietly with a hint of disappointment…

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…

Heian Romance: 14. The Snake

14. The Snake

    Yuiko quickly releases Yorinaga when she realizes that she had been hugging him tightly during the thunder. After that there’s silent among them…

“Koremitsu…are you…are you really a man?”

“Yes I AM!! This is insulting you know?

“Sorry…It’s just that….”

“Ouch!!”

A long green snake emerges suddenly and bites Yuiko’s leg. Immediately Yorinaga took out his knife and slices the snake into half before it could start menacing again. He then came to Yuiko and put his mouth on her injured leg to suck out the snake’s venom.

 “Yorinaga, what are you doing?!”

“Suck out the venom, you fool!! Are you really a physician?”

“Thanks… Could you pass me the herbs pouch, I would like to apply some herbs onto my wound.”

“Sure. Are you well?”asked Yorinaga when he saw Yuiko’s face getting redder and redder.

“Yea…why ask?”

“Well it seems that your face is getting redder. Was it the effect of the venom?”

 “Perhaps, but don’t worry I’ll be all right after applying the soothing herbs.”

“If you’re tired please sleep then, I’ll help you guard the night.”

“Thanks but I insist to stay awake, who knows what will happen next in this weird place.”

“If you insist…”

Both of them stay awake the whole night chit –chatting on and off until the beginning of another day. They went back at dawn after the rains stop; Yuiko gave Yorinaga some herbs to heal his servant Kimiharu, but rejects to heal him personally.

***

Back in the palace,

“My lady, where have you been? I have been looking for you the whole night!”asked Ryoko Yuiko’s lady in waiting worrying.

“Was caught in the rain while collecting herbs.”

“Really, thank God to see you in perfect shape!! Clean up and dress up quickly for we’ll be late for the Seimei Prayer Session!”

“Gosh, I almost forget about it!! Here comes another troublesome festival of the year!!”

“What to do, you’re obliged to attend. So please be hurry. By the way my lady what happen to your right leg?”asked Ryoko when she saw Yuiko’s bandaged leg.

“Bitten by a snake.”

“What?!”

“Don’t worry, already been taken care of. Now let’s proceed.”

Heian Romance: 13. The Old Shrine

13. The Old Shrine

 

One particular cloudy evening, Yorinaga was looking for Yuiko urgently. So he went to Oxen Street but found that she had left the clinic and went to outskirt of the capital looking for certain herbs sometime ago. Hence, he hastened his horse in order to catch up with her.

 The reason Yorinaga looking for Yuiko, is that his affectionate comrade and servant Kimiharu was hurt by a poisonous arrow while running his master’s errand. Ever since Yorinaga was promoted to the Minister of Left, he had made many enemies who resented his disapproval of the current Emperor Konoe. His enemies namely consist of his own brother the Regent Fujiwara no Tadamichi, the Empress Dowager Bifukumon and her brother Fujiwara no Ienari. When they heard that Kimiharu was hurt, they would bride all the physicians in the capital not to treat him. Therefore it left Yorinaga no choice but to ask for Yuiko’s help.

Yorinaga found Yuiko picking wild flowers along a small stream when he reached the site stated by the servant in the clinic.

“Physician Abe no Koremitsu, I beg you to come with me immediately!”

“Yorinaga?! What are you doing here?”

“My servant Kimiharu was hurt by a poisonous arrow, he is in need of your help!”

“Why should I? That’s none of my business. I only treat poor people, not dog from prestige family!”   

Yuiko get back to her horse before Yorinaga could make any replies.

 “Get back here!!” Yorinaga got up his horse and started a cat and mouse chase with Yuiko.

The sky turns darker as they went farer and farer from the capital, and eventually heavy rains fall which cause them to stop at an abandoned old shrine.

“I guess the rain won’t stop until the next day.” Said Yorinaga.

“Well thanks to YOU, we are trap in this broken shrine!!”

“Why me?”

“If you didn’t follow me then we won’t end up here!”

“If you would accept my invitation to help Kimiharu then we won’t end up here!”

“Why should I accept it?”

“Why shouldn’t you?”

“Stop it! Stop it! This conversation is getting nowhere!”

“Fine!”

They set up a fire inside the shrine and Yorinaga started to take off his outer garment to dry them beside the fire.

“What are you doing?” asked Yuiko.

“Are you blind? I am drying my garment! It get all wet and damped because of the rain. You should do the same either, before you catch cold.”

“I am fine!! I like the wet and damped feeling though! Hachoo!!”

“Here let me help you get rid of your clothes.”

“Get off of me!! I am fine!!”

“What a weird person. Saw you picking wild flowers just now, makes me wonder about your gender.”

“NONSENSE!! I am truly a big man! Not like you white face, red lips sissy!”Said Yuiko while striking her chest.

“You should be the sissy not me!!”

Their menial argument continues until a loud thunder strikes.

“Hey, do you know this place?” asked Yorinaga.

“No…actually I never been to as far as the stream just now...”

“Really? Hmm… this place gives me a creep! Do you think it is haunted?”

“Silly you how can it be?”

“Think about it Koremitsu, an abandoned shrine in the middle of nowhere on a rainy day!! They said there will always be a parade of hundred demons during night like this!!”

“Stop it Yorinaga! You are scaring me!!”

“Ha-ha!! So who’s the sissy now?”

The thunders strike again. This time more vigorously.

 “Ah!!”

Both of them were shocked and hugged each other tightly.

While hugging a sudden indescribable feeling grows in Yorinaga…