OCHITSUKE/STAY CALM

I am so out of sorts from being a grief striken student one day and the next in a village that is pre meiji era,followed and attacked by the very men I had obsessed over enough to make it my life's work to be(if it extends beyond today).
Now here I am following a young lady somehow remaining untouched by this heavy rain,meanwhile I am utterly drenched and near constantly checking our sides,afraid that someone else will appear yet I don't get the feeling I will be harmed."You will not be harmed,a certain guardian is by and is not fond of anymore blood happening on this particular ground.Not our blood anyway."I catch the glimpse of a doting smile that flees immediately as she recalls that is far too much emotion to show someone as I,my grandmother told me of somehow who fits this child exactly and they are not over fond of often displays of warmth.

It seems like forever before we reach her home,it is an estate of high regard here it seems,one I think has been little changed until maybe a decade ago in my time.
Fit for a Tokugawa or a high ranked warrior,maybe a minister but it must belong to someone of note.
Takahhira Kiko.........
She turns to me almost harshly as though to have spoken without bidding was almost unlawful,I must have spoken out-loud,I bow my head"Gomen,I only was thinking out-loud,I feel rather frightened and lost here.Forgive me."
The fact that I am older does little to differ her into respect but instead I am looked at as though I am less.
"This will be interesting."I mumble to myself.

Two hours later.

Sleep escapes me,my mind wanders from the ends of the hallways of this house and out of doors which I find myself gravitating to.
Kiko said that due to the violence here her father would go himself to meet with an ally  of his towards the loyalists,that I may stay here the night as a thank you ,for if I had not arrived and been
"distracting",she would have been found out for searching the woods and possibly killed.A kind servant gave me era clothing,a soft but worn kimono belonging to that very servant,Shioki is her name.The small portioned riceball was filled with a herb and fruit mix that was comforting,like my mother and grandmother would make me.
I find myself now gazing up at the stars,trying to stare away the tears,to listen to the sounds of the frogs,birds,insects even shioki's moving about to answer Kiko's summons here and there because I can't stop hearing the cries form the vision i saw.
That mother whose belly was open and child gone from her with no chance to even breathe once of this life,a father and warrior who bravely tried to secure his most precious alive and a boy who became broken so young,"what am I doing here,now,at all??"I question the air and hear nothing for moments then I begin to hear a small sound,one that grows louder by every second escaping away.
Screaming,and the sound of a sword swinging hard and landing fast.
I don't know why but I begin to run towards it,the horses in there stalls whinny in confusion at my hasty arrival and passing the border lined with blossoms and hand painted rocks with the kanji's for"star","luck",and "heaven" as a noteworthy decoration for some reason.It isn't long before I find the one screaming and the reason as to why.
Strange how events shape a person,somehow I know who this is without a name or even what is beneath that mask.
"You saved me but does the tree deserve to suffer at all?It feels too.''
I can't believe I just said that out loud nor does he it seems,the warrior who I have ever only known as"Blade of withering shadow"turns halfway towards me ,only his eyes make any human-like appearance to him.His voice seems horse unlike before when he speaks now."Wisdom would be to return to that haven,not to search out a reason to scold,especially one wielding a sword.Many,even women,have died for much less."
His words feel deep towards me and not hostile like I believe he wanted for me to feel,and adding to the fact that his horse takes to my shoulder and puts his nuzzle to my hair,making him sigh and quiet again.
Why does that thought bother me now?
I'm in a worn torn country now and grieving yet for all the world I can't escape the fact I want to stay here right now,with him.I always hated instalove stuff in the books yet I am suddenly acting it now.
"What?"I ask when i see him beginning to run towards me,I almost flinch from how fast he nears then passes me,I saw his eyes flash in surprise and now I know why.
So it is true what is said about arrows or sword strikes coming from a place of hate or pain.Because the sight that comes to me from it is horrific and I scream as though my heart will give way.