When the peonies bloom.

Late Autumn Part 1

On her short walk back to the house, she spotted Hyosaku and her evening entourage returning from their parade.

Tomo hurried up the stairs

Tomo announced herself and entered.

"Did you try to run away again?" Hyosaku watched Tomo enter by the reflection in the mirror as an older staff member peeled off her luxurious outer coat.

Tomo gave a grim smile setting the bowl on the table and poured the tea from the bamboo thermos.

Hana and Aimi glanced at the tea set on their mistress' table.

"Here is some tea that will help ease your um discomfort." Tomo said as she place the saucer on top of the bowl to prevent more heat from escaping.

"I don't remember any doctor prescribing weird and wonderful teas." Hyosaku peered at the tea and back at her bodyguard from afar.

She waved at the female helper to leave and floated over to her cushioned seat.

Hana wiggled closer to the table and gracefully lifted the lid covering the bowl and brought it to Hyosaku's hands when she came over.

"I-I did." Tomo said keeping her head bowed and she kneeled in front of her mistress. She was too nervous to watch Hyosaku's reaction.

"You're not trying to poison me with your random concoction then?"

Tomo looked up at the ceiling to crack her neck and blew stray strand hair away from her face.

"That would do me no good. It is not 'random' My mother used to drink this tea whenever she had pain urinating. I'll drink it with you if you believe it is poisoned."

Hana grabbed a tea cup from a tea set displayed on the low cabinet behind Hyosaku and handed it to Tomo.

Tomo poured some of the tea, avoiding any clumsy spillage and drank it in front of her mistress.

Hyosaku heaved a dramatic sigh and lifted the bowl to her lips.

"Yes, Aunty came and spoke to me and lectured me about not keeping my health in good shape. I will go to the doctor's clinic in the morning with her. But I had to press on with the evening parade just now so as to not rouse more suspicion and gossip."

"Put your worries aside hm. Come on, drink the tea whilst it is hot. It will help improve your urination and relieve your pain. I didn't slave over a burning hot stove for an hour at the cook house for you to not drink it."

Tomo watched as her mistress as she sipped the tea cautiously.

"What about Mr Tenya?" Tomo suddenly asked in an untimely manner.

Hyosaku almost choked upon hearing her regular client's name setting off slight panic that she should have been preparing for him, only to remember Aunty had cancelled her client for the evening.

Aimi quickly grabbed a towel and dabbed Hyosaku's face as she coughed as Hana supported the bowl from underneath.

"Aunty disgruntledly cancelled his appointment and just sent a messenger to his residence. It's my fault for holding all this to myself. I should have known better. Now look at this whole mess..." Hyosaku cleared her cough. "Wouldn't be great if I could turn into a bat and fly away in the night sky."

Hyosaku raised the bowl again and drank it delicately covering her face with her long sleeve.

"I hope the bitterness was worth it."

"After bitterness comes the sweet." Tomo produced a small paper parcel from the fold in her garment and undid the string on the table.

Tomo noticed her little friend's eyes glimmered as she peered from behind her mistress and spotted the small pebbles rock sugar unveiled in the small parcel on the table.