As you may know by now, FY doesn't belong to me. It belongs to Watate-sama, Bandai, Flower Comics, Viz Comics, Pioneer and others. No infringement is intended. Now on with the show.
Ayako stirred and rubbed her eyes. "What's happening now, Okaasan?"
The mother grinned sheepishly. "I'm afraid I don't know. I fell asleep, same as you." She picked up the open book. "I don't know about you, but I'm hungry."
"Me too!"
She handed the book to her youngest daughter. "Here. Read to me, while I make us something to eat."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Suzuno put on the long nightgown that had been given to her before she left the palace. Seeing that she had no clothes, other than what she wore, the Emperor thought it best to have some clothes made for her.
Yawning, she climbed into the bed. It still felt rather odd sleeping in a bed, after all, she and her family slept like all traditional Japanese people did. But, she didn't mind sleeping in one. She had no sooner gotten into bed, when there was a knock at the door.
"Who is it?"
"Subaru. May I come in?" Without waiting for an answer, she opened the door. "Since we're going to be traveling together from now on, I thought it best if we spend the night together. Get to know one another."
Suzuno slid over in the bed, as Subaru climbed in. They lay there a moment in silence before Suzuno spoke. "This reminds me of when me and my sister, Ayako, were little girls. We would sleep together."
"It must be nice to have a sister."
Suzuno looked over at Subaru, even though all she could see was the silhouette in the darkness. "You don't have a sister?"
"I only had an older brother."
"Had? What happened to him?"
"Let me tell you a story. My father was a military man and we lived in the capital."
"Was he in Toroki's group?"
"It was a long time ago, so I doubt it. He died in battle when I was little. My mother brought me and my brother here. My uncle, the man who runs this place, took us in. My brother wanted to join the service when he got old enough, but mother forbade it. She didn't want to lose him as she lost her husband. I didn't want to lose him either."
"You were close?"
"Yeah, about as close as most siblings are, I guess."
"Me and Ayako are close, too. Though we do fight from time to time."
"Well, my mother always said it was abnormal for siblings not to fight. She was a great lady! She passed away a few years ago. My brother went against her wishes and joined the service. I begged him not to but he didn't listen." Suzuno heard Subaru's voice start to break. "We got the...notice a few months ago. My brother was...killed in a fight between our forces and those of Kotou."
Suzuno could hear the other girl sniffling. She wrapped an arm around Subaru. "It must be very hard for you. I'm away from my family, and that makes me very sad. But I know that after I summon Byakko, I will go home to them again."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ayako started sniffling, as the mother put the food on the table. The older woman looked at her. "What's wrong, Ayako," she asked, gently.
"I miss 'neechan!"
The mother put her arms around the girl, tears in her own eyes. "I know. I also miss her. But, when she has summoned the god, she'll be back." She dried Ayako's eyes and gave her a smile. "Now, read on and let's find out who the next seishi is!"