Hidden Moon

Painful Memories and Faded Letters

After dinner Setsu excused herself from Iwame's room and decided to visit her stallion, she walked towards the stables and tiptoed as she walked past the snoozing guards and the many stalls of the stable lit up with some candles.

She smiled when she saw her stallion munching on some carrots that were piled beside it's hooves, "hey there, come. I wanna check something." she said as she untied the knot on his reigns and pulled on it to lead him closer to the flickering candles of the guards, the horse whinnied softly and followed. She reached up to the pack she secured on her saddle and sighed as she fished out the scroll that Mama gave her before she left, she tucked it in her obi and lead her horse back it's post and tied the reigns.

"See ya later in the morning, boy." she said while giving it's neck a few stratched and rubs, one which the stallion eagerly received.

Setsu walked to back to the direction of her room and she almost jumped out of her skin when out of nowhere Jiiya appeared holding a lantern in the dark. "God! You old geezer! You're gonna kill me!" she hissed while clutching her chest, trying to still her erratic heartbeat.

Jiiya frowned at her language, "what are you doing up so late Miss? Are you lost?" he asked, Setsu shook her head, "no, I was at the stables checking on my stuff for my journey tomorrow. Just making sure I packed everything, what about you? Why are you still awake?" she asked.

"I always make eveing rounds just before I go to bed." he curtly replied, "better take it easy there Gramps, staying up late is bad for your health." she said teasingly, "I will have you know I get enough rest and sleep, and I am as healthy as can be."

The seriousness of his tone made Setsu giggle, "yeah, yeah. Now allow me to excuse myself, I best be on my way back." she said while sidestepping him and walking towards the direction of her room, but something caught Jiiya's sharp eyes.

"That.. what is it? he asked while grabbing her shoulder, she turned and followed his gaze to the scroll she tucked on her obi. "It's the package my Mistress told give to her old friend."

Jiiya's eyes widened and he sighed, "fate can be so unpredictable." he pulled his hand back from her shoulder, "so you're O-Sei's girl." He said, the usual crease on his brows softened, "forgive me, but I'm the person she told you to meet, I'm Ishida Kyoren." he said.

Setsu's mouth dropped, "wow, you have to be kidding me." She said in disbelief, Jiiya chuckled. "It's getting late, Miss. We can talk tomorrow after breakfast, meet me at the gardens tomorrow." he said, now he was acting all kind and weird. It kinda confused Setsu how just knowing she was the one Mama sent changed his treatment of her, shrugging the tangled throughts she had in her head, she headed straight to her room and settled down for the night.

In the corner of the East wing of the Palace, Jiiya placed his lantern on his desk with shaking hands. After all these years he could not believe he would be reunited with the girl that his best friend died for, she would not remember anything though, she was only a babe when that tragedy happened. One so tragic it stripped him of the people he loved and cared for the most, every night a piece of him is still haunted at the image of the bodies laid on the floor and the burning temple.

When the shaking of his hands stopped, he opened a small chest he kept hidden, away from the stacks of scrolls and documents on his low desk. It had been too long since he peeked in a small box that could conjure nostalgia and painful memories, 'it all makes sense, the undeniable resemblance and why O-Sei had suddenly disappeared..'

His fingers touched letters he had read many times, and although the writing in it began to fade he could remember every word, every line...

'To my dearest and most loyal friend'