My Little Bride

Chapter 12

Biwamaru decides to leave the domain after several weeks of staying. Among the places he had been, it was probably his longest stay in a village. The people live comfortably, merchandise are affordable and in good quality, and the place itself is pleasing. Peace and prosperity define Daigo. But Biwamaru knows that once war has been spoken, the future will be unlikely to tell. He's such an old man and unlike his glory days, he wouldn't be able to survive head-on against a younger and much stronger horde of samurais. What a pity, he would like to stay for a little longer though. He has been a traveler for as long as he can remember and meets plenty of people along his journey. Most of them, he cannot remember the names and faces. He could only remember someone or something if it's 1. Recent 2. Made an impact on him as a person. That being said, he vividly remembers the young lady he encountered a few months ago. A teenage girl, energetic and charismatic in her way, with wild bangs and behaves like a tomboy. During his stay in Daigo, he had hoped to meet her again but instead met her husband-to-be.

I do hope this domain won't lose its stronghold or it will face a disaster.

Biwamaru looks back at the village he departed from and sighs, hoping that its forces won't underestimate their opponents. He knows from experience that doing so will only bring its downfall. He had seen countless of domain to cease in that fashion. They do have such a promising heir. He thinks. It will be a shame if the domain's future ends here.

The monk turns after hearing a crying animal from a distance. Hmm? And sees a foal tied nearby.

A beautiful, white foal striving to pull the tie that binds it from a tree. Biwamaru carefully approaches it, wondering why a foal as pretty as this is alone close to the southern border and is begging for help.

"Oh, you poor thing." He checks the foal and it stopped struggling, smelling him. Biwamaru raises a hand to touch it. The foal seems to be desperate to be comforted and let the old man stroke its head. He frowned, seeing that its neck is sore probably from all the pulling its been doing since who-knows-how-long.

Biwamaru looks around just in case its owner is somewhere in the area but finds no one but him and the foal in the middle of a deserted place. No one really dares to step near the borders between Daigo and Asakura but it is also the short-cut to the quickest exit from the domain (yet he knows how dangerous it is but Biwamaru is simply an old man in the eyes of many. After all, what could a 'harmless' traveling monk could do against samurais?)

"I guess your owner abandons you here. What cruel fate you have." He says as he pulls a knife to cut the tie on the foal's neck. After freeing it, the foal bumps its nose to his head as though thanking him and the monk makes a surprise sound then watch the animal run to pick a piece of green ribbon by its mouth from the ground.

In a fleeting moment, he remembers someone who has the same green ribbon. Of course, there are plenty of women, heck it could even be a man too, that wears a green ribbon. But for some reason, Biwamaru's intuition tells him that it is that person - that girl.

Hmm.

He watches the foal runs hurriedly back to the domain and the monk is left dumbfounded.

-xxx-

"This is the worst." Hyogo murmurs from behind, following their young master. He can hear his older sister's pleas and the young master arguing back. He mentally shakes his head at the situation.