(Third person's POV- omniscient)
[Since the day of the marriage]
Hana felt weird after getting married. She had never thought that Kairo would marry her.
Their rituals were different but she would be lying if she said she didn't enjoy it. All of them, men, women, children, olders, everyone welcomed her with warm smiles. For the first time, she felt she was filled with love.
They kept teasing Kairo and her whenever they get the chance and it made Hana's face permanently red the whole day.
Then the group of elders arrived...
There were five older women and three older men, all had wrinkle faces and some of them even had no teeth. They were just too old.
As Kairo bowed to them for their blessings, Hana bowed as well, imitating him.
Kairo said, "They are the elders of Shinkyo."
"Elders?"
He nodded, "They give advices and they know every wise things because they have lived longer. They also spread the old tales and events to people around them. Most of the things of the past we learnt from them. We all respect them."
She nodded acknowledging the elders. Kairo started to talk with them. She didn't know the new culture or their rules. So, it was best to follow Kairo.
But the elders suddenly surrounded them. The older men took away Kairo as she was left with the old women.
They gave her toothless grins and said, "Now, my dear Hana... If you would be so kind, how about we give you some advices..."
Hana nodded, giving them a sweet smile and thought, it was best to hear from their elders so she could gain knowledge.
And two of them came near her, whispering in her ears, "So, you do want that cheeky bastard to love you right?"
Hana's smile turned into a frown as she asked, "How do you know that?!"
It was a surprise that they knew she wanted her husband to fall in love her! Her respect for them intensified tenfold. Were they...were they Gods!
They caught her attention in this. She needed to know everything!
Their grins broadened as they said, "We know everything. But first, you have to know some basic things since you are still so young, my dear."
She nodded and her mind was determined to take their precious advices. They certainly made a great impact on her.
As one of them displayed an evil grin and said, "You need to know what a man want!"
"What is it that he wants?" Her heart thumped. Finally she would know what Kairo wanted!
"The thing you have kept hidden all these years! Now you can't do that!"
She nodded with a serious face but what was it she had kept hidden?
All she kept hidden was her formula book on which she had been writting down her experiments in poison!
Her eyes widened. So, she couldn't hide it...
Of course! How could she hide it from her husband?
She said, "Then I have to be open about it..."
The elders nodded. Another one said, "Yes! Be bold! And you know how to do it?"
She shook her head. She said, her heart running wild, "I don't know... But I have to!"
They nodded together and one of them remarked, "You are the first person who has the same mindset as us! I haven't seen such enthusiastic girl in a while!"
And they started to sniff. "Oh! What a joy! Finally, there are some people who understands that it is very important!"
Hana said, her fists clenched as a renowned vigour washed over her. "Of course! If we aren't open with each other how can we love?"
They nodded visibly satisfied with her words. "Yes! To make love you need to be bold, be bare with your shyness and throw away all those narrow minded thoughts!"
"Because believe it or not, men love bold women!" They all said together.
Hana nodded, "Yes!...what—"
She blinked but the elders had already surrounded her.
Wait! What did they mean by bare...
Make love?
And as soon as her ears flooded with interesting information that she had never heard before, her face reddened in the deep shade of red.
It seemed it was even dangerous than her poisons...
On the other hand, Kairo looked at Hana while the elder men were trying to give him some advices but mostly they were teasing him.
He saw Hana stood surrounded by the women and now her face resembled tomatoes. His eyes narrowed down and he excused himself from the men as he went toward them.
He asked, "Hey! Hey! What are all old hags are trying to feed her?"
Hana blinked at him and immediately looked away in shyness and now Kairo was suspicious of what just they told her. Did they tell her about him?
Maybe bad things? Like, he used to be very naughty and irritate people in Shinkyo so they would throw him out...
Would they tell her that?
His face became grim and worry crawled on his mind. She certainly would feel disappointed that she had married a man like him!
He looked at the elders with angry gazes and said, "Back off, you old hags! Don't try to pollute her mind!"
"Eh~ we were only giving her advices," they giggled evilly and Kairo immediately guarded Hana from them.
He knew everyone said to be aware of the ladies otherwise they would pollute minds.
He asked, "What kind of advice?! I'm sure she doesn't need advices!"
They grinned and said, "Why don't we give you some advices as well?"
He was now extremely suspicious about their move and he made sure Hana was behind him as he became her shield.
He asked, "Advice on what, exactly?!"
They had already surrounded them and now Kairo had nowhere to run with his wife as they said together, malicious miasma coming out of them, "Advice on how to make healthy babies..."
Wha—
Nani!!!
After two hours later of advices of the respectful elders, both Kairo and Hana felt their heads had been completely wiped out with their precious advices and in a second, their souls would be leaving their bodies.
They were both extremely tired and Kairo now knew why they said to be aware of them.
Because they can literally wipe out energy too.
Hiroshi was crossing them as he looked at them and it didn't take him long to know what happened.
He came near and said, "Yo, ladies, what are you doing with them?"
They grinned and said, "We were just educating them since they both are young..."
He looked at the two of them who looked as if their souls had left their bodies. Dark wrinkles had already surrounded their under eyes and they had no energy even to speak anymore.
He sighed.
They had certainly given them very interesting advices...
He knew Kairo was still unaware of those inappropriate content and as for Hana, she was still too young for that. Now, both of them were scarred from their souls.
He muttered, "The elders certainly leave no one..."
He said to the old women with a flirtatious voice, "Why are all beauties wasting time teaching children?"
They blushed as they pouted. "Because you don't have time for us to listen our intersting stories, nowadays..."
He chuckled and asked with a smirk, "Ah! Then why don't I come with all of your foods and we hear some of your interesting stories?"
One of them demanded, "Then I want that dumplings you gave me yesterday!"
He scratched his chin and looked at a distance, frightening he was talking to himself, "But Prince Rian has ordered very exotic foods for especially the beauties..."
They became excited and said, "No! Then we want that exotic foods!"
He asked, "Are you sure you don't want dumplings?"
They nodded like little children who were just too excited to have new food. In real, the exotic foods were nothing but healthy food for their health which Hiroshi makes for the elders.
They were all alone in this world as most of their sons, or daughters or whole families had died of some diseases or in the wars.
They were too old to live by themselves so Prince Rian and Hiroshi made an old home for all those old people who had no one else. They lived together and the people of Shinkyo looked after them.
Hiroshi was always busy but he never once missed to make their food. Yoshi, Takashi and Kondo also made them food and went to meet them on regular basis. They needed simple and healthy food since most of them had no teeth so each day, he came up with new food names but served them the same food but he would certainly make it look different each time.
Prince Rian or others from Kuro soldiers would also contribute their little time to them since they were all chatty. They want to talk and tell stories and it was good for everyone that they certainly knew many things of the city. They knew how the former crown prince was and they knew how the late emperor was since they were the longest to live in the whole city.
It was a good tradition to spread those old tales to new generation and also it never made them lonely anymore since most of the times they were surrounded by people.
But the old hags certainly loved to make everyone uncomfortable sometimes.
Hiroshi said, "Alright, then. Now go back to your house and leave my brother and sister-in-law, will you?"
They pouted, "We were only trying to give them a lesson on life..."
He said, looking at the poor couple, "Well, that would be enough lessons for today."
And before he leaving with the elders, he said to Kairo, "Kairo, this is a small gift from both Prince Rian and me."
He gave him a small key and a letter and Kairo came back to life as he blinked at it. Hana looked at the key and wondered what was this for as Hiroshi smiled at them and said, "The important things inside of it are gifts from all of the Kuro soldiers. Also, all of the gifts from the people are already transferred there. Enjoy your married life, both of you."
They smiled and Hiroshi patted Kairo's shoulders as a proud brother and suddenly his demeanor changed as he said with a wicked grin playing on his lips, "Also, don't forget to give us heirs!"
"Brother Hiroshi!" Kairo whined as Hiroshi winked and left, making them uncomfortable again.
But deep down Kairo knew how his Brother Hiroshi was.
Hana was uncomfortable around him as Hiroshi left but somehow she asked, "What is that key is for?"
Kairo looked at the key and shook his head. "I don't know."
And he opened the letter. It was a map but the handwriting was really poor as Kairo scowled. He knew it was Hans's handwriting. At the end of the map, a treasure box was drawn in a childish way. He felt like laughing.
Hana asked, "We have to find a treasure then?"
He said, "It seems so. Alright, let's follow it then."
And both of them went to have a small adventure of finding the treasure.
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8th January, 23
1890
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A/n: I know most of you want to be around Arashi and Bianka but I couldn't help but add others since I have already told you before as the plot grows, I would have to add other's POVs. Kindly bear with me. :)