My Little Bride

Chapter 6

The birds are singing and the weather is clear. All she can hear aside from a man's voice is the rustling of leaves from the trees whenever the wind blows. Dororo watches a butterfly and a bee drifting from flower to flower. From her spot, she can see the beauty of the garden. The sun shines brightly and the air is cool. Her palm is under her chin, listening to Tanaka-sensei as the tutor recites a haiku.

"Young lady," the man pauses from his reading. "Are you listening?"

Dororo's twitches and smiles nervously. "O-of course!" she lies and avoids his gaze. Tanaka scrutinizes her before speaking again. He waltzes on her side, his long, red and gold kimono grazing at the wooden table. Dammit. She thinks. Dororo can foresee and incoming scolding coming from the man.

"Then what was the title of the book I was reading?" he asks, raising an eyebrow.

Dororo glances up with a pout. She stammers, looking for an answer.

"Uh, eh, 'One Hundred Trees!'" she replies proudly but is soon hit by the truth that her answer is wrong when Tanaka's eyebrows become one line.

"It's 'Ten Thousand Leaves' young lady." he presses the honorific at the end and Dororo wants to sink in her seat. Tanaka-sensei is a strict tutor. Hyakkimaru says he is one of the best teachers across the region. His intellect and no-nonsense stance are what make him known among the nobility.

"I'm sorry..." Dororo apologizes. "I lost concentration."

The man sighs audibly and shuts the book on his hands. "Young lady, you are about to marry the next head of the Daigo clan. I highly suggest you take your classes seriously. As a future Lady of this land, you should set an example." Tanaka says sternly, adjusting his spectacle.

Dororo takes his words to heart. Staying in Daigo for almost two months now, Dororo is starting to feel the responsibilities and weight of having Hyakkimaru as her husband-to-be. But despite this, she is willing to learn more although some days, she's plotting to sneak outside and skip her classes but then her mind will flash a staring Hyakkimaru with an emotionless face which makes it hard to surmise if he is mad, doesn't care or whatsoever. And Dororo will reluctantly go back inside and study.

The tutor looks straight at her eyes. "Your next assignment will be to write an original poem about the four seasons. You can choose from spring, summer, autumn, and winter."

"What?" Dororo's face turns pale and her mouth in a shape of 'O'

Tanaka picks another book and starts to recite another poem, not paying attention to her shock. Dororo wants to pull her hair and swears to listen attentively.

"Young lady Dororo,"

Dororo and the tutor look up to see Mutsu approaching.

"Your presence is requested by young master Hyakkimaru in the training grounds," Mutsu announces with a short smile. She greets Tanaka-sensei as well and the tutor recognizes her as one of his students back when he was tutoring Tahomaru.

Dororo's face lights up and proceeds to organize her study materials. Before leaving, she thanked the tutor for his time and bounces from the corridors to the garden and then the castle ground.

"You're a lifesaver, Mutsu!" She laughs while holding Mutsu's hand. The two girls chatter as they run together.

"Save your thanks to young master Tahomaru, the truth is he's the one who requested your presence." The older of the two reveals.

Dororo is bewildered and before she asks again, Mutsu continues.

"We're having a combat training today. This is an opportunity for you to watch young master Hyakkimaru." she stifles a laugh.