A New Beginning

Hashiras

During the week after she had passed the final selection. The start of the blooming season.

Giyuu was 12 when she was told about Kie's secret garden.

"It's a place that has been kept in perfect conditions for generations." She said whilst looking over to her with a smile. They hadn't walked that far off, but the place was still very hidden nonetheless.

"Every wife has had the job to take care of this place. For it is said that the spirit of a wife lingers here, bringing fortune to the mountain." They arrived at the place.

A secret garden of red spider lilies surrounds a small tombstone made of bedrock and moss. It looked too sucked in with the earth but the circular shape as well as the writing was still clear to Giyuu that the stone was man made.

"Uta." She read the tombstone.

Her eyes noticed a hint of blue amongst all of the red.

"Once a girl reaches the age of 12 she is brought here to look at the flowers." They both stared at the nest of red spider lilies, carefully watching from aside as to not step on them.

"Since you are part of the Kamado family, I decided to bring you in."

"Will you protect it with us?" Kie said.

Her blue eyes looked over to the blue lilies. A hole in her stomach started to appear.

I can't... Those lilies... What if... What if Tanjiro comes... What if Muzan finds out about this place?

She didn't even have the slightest hint as to what they are for but for damn sure did she know that if demon Tanjiro-- no, Muzan, was talking about it, it isn't something good.

She would have to forget about even living if this place was discovered. The more she stared at the blue spider lilies, the more she sweated at her decision.

"Okaasan... I have to ask, those lilies..." Giyuu's voice began to crack, as she pointed over to the blue lilies that surrounded the stone.

"They bloom on the anniversary of her death. But only for a few minutes at a time." The mother said in such a calm manner, of course she would, she didn't know what those lilies could do.

"It's never on the exact day but it's always at the exact time of it, and for a few minutes at a time." Just as she explained, the blue lilies started to bloom once the clouds had passed over the sun.

"Are they important to the garden?" Giyuu weighed her options.

"Yes."

Giyuu hesitated for a moment. "Why?"

"Because those blue lilies are alive."

"Their caretaker must always nurture them or else they won't bloom at all." Kie continued as the blue lilies began to open, they had a bigger plum than the red ones, a taller root and, just like Kie said, they looked far more alive.

Giyuu couldn't grasp what it was that made them seem that way, would it be the movement of the flowers, the dance of the wind, or was it the sudden call to go and touch them?

Without noticing, Kie headed over to the blooming flowers, not stepping on any of the red ones as she passed. As soon as she touched them, the two blue spider lilies fell in her hand.

She went back to Giyuu with a smile.
"Every year that they bloom we make tea with these lilies..."

Giyuu blinked.

"We've been drinking them..." The mother nodded with a smile.

"Today is a lucky year, you know, these spider lilies didn't bloom for almost 5 years, I was starting to worry that I might have to find another medicine for Tanjūro."