Always remember what you hold most dear

I awake to the sound of birds chirping outside the inn. Despite my… concerns, I was actually able to sleep relatively well last night. I guess the ease of Ann’s company is much stronger than… y’know… whatever else I was feeling. Although, upon waking I’ve realised that such ease has led to a unique situation for Ann and I.

“Shiidou?”
“Yes, Ann?”
“Is that your hand in mine?”
“It certainly feels that way.”
“Should I move mine own?”
“…no. Let’s just… stay like this for a moment.”
“…yes, let’s.”

When we first laid down we left plenty of room between us, but now we’re close enough that our hands are touching one another’s. We must have instinctively moved closer in our sleep.

Still half asleep, I somewhat unthinkingly close my left hand. After a moment, Ann does the same with her right. No words are exchanged, but the moment is comfortable, and I find myself not wanting it to end. Her hand is warm. I’d hold it forever if given the option.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK
“Shiidou? Lady Ann? Have you awakened yet?”
“YES SHIMU, WIDE AWAKE!”
“UP AND PREPARED FOR THE DAY, LORD SHIMU!”
Me and Ann’s eyes meet for a moment, before we both quickly look awake. Her face is a shade of red I’ve never even seen before, and I’d assume mine is the same. Dammit, Shimu, you bastard, why did you have to ruin the moment?

“…if the two of you are awake, may I ask that you join me for breakfast before getting to work? With the two of you, there is much I need to discuss, for which I had not the chance yesterday.”
The uncertainty in his tone tells me he found the panicked responses suspicious, but chose not to push further. That’s sure to cause a misunderstanding, but that can be dealt with later.
“Give us a minute to change into our day clothes and we’ll be right with you”
“Yes, I oughtn’t be seen wandering the town in a nightgown.”

She and I set about changing into the last clean set of clothes we have, and make to leave the room and join Shimu.
“Oops, almost forgot.”
“Ah, yes, we must send that off without delay.”
Before opening the door, I remember to grab the rolled-up letter from the desk.
Now set to leave, I in my black adventurer’s gear and Ann in yet another maid garb (I’m certain she has other clothes), we exit the room and join Shimu.

“I certainly hope I didn’t interrupt the two of you during any important business.”
“Important business? Like what?”
“Like continuing the Kana family bloodline.”
“I swear to god, I will send you to the chopping block for Lese Majeste.”
I look over at Ann for backup, but she’s turning her head away, her ears tinged red. This is not the time to blush, getting all bashful will not help clear up this misunderstanding, dammit.

“Fret not, as offspring of both a talented light mage and a talented darkness mage, such a child would likely inherit immense magical ability.”
“That is not the issue here, dickhead! Ann and I were not doing what you’re implying, that’s a baseless slander.”
“Then why such a panicked reaction to my words?”
“We were just… surprised, is all. Since it’s so early in the morning and all.”
“Y-yes, Shiidou and I were simply unprepared for such an early call from yourself, lord Shimu.”
Little late for the assist there, Ann, but I appreciate it all the same. If I don’t change the subject, Shimu’s gonna grill us on this until the embarrassment renders me comatose.

“By the way, think you could get this sent off back home for us?”
I hand him the bound letter, which he briefly inspects before replying.
“Ah, I assume this is to send word to cousin and ease the nerves of those in your household?”
“Yeah, wrote it out before bed last night.”
“And did the lady Ann also partake?”
“I did indeed, lord Shimu. I know that mother, along with the lord and lady Kana, will be frightfully worried if they receive not a word from myself.”

…oh shit, I forgot to write anything to Okaa.

“I’ll have it sent off at first opportunity, I’m sure they’ll be glad to hear from the two of you.”
“My thanks, lord Shimu.”
“Cheers, mate.”

Thankfully, for the rest of the walk Shimu doesn’t bring up the continuation of the bloodline again, but as we approach the mess tent he remains strangely silent. His cheerful demeanour seems to become more and more solemn as we walk. Whatever it is that he has to talk to us about, it must be serious.
“Please, take your seats here. I’ll have someone bring food for us.”

Ann and I wordlessly take our seats opposite Shimu, who’s face now looks grave. What topic of discussion could be so serious as to trigger such a sudden change in attitude? After a moment of silence, he begins to speak, his tone deep and sorrowful.

“As I’m sure the two of you can guess, the damage done by the tsunami has been severe. Several small towns along the coast were irreparably destroyed, and many of those who lived there were unable to escape.”
Ann and I briefly look to one another, then back at Shimu. Since we arrived yesterday, we had been so focused on preventing further casualties that we hadn’t stopped to consider those already beyond saving. My gut drops. It’s not a topic that’s easy to talk about.

“How many were lost?” Ann asks the question on my mind, while I hesitate to do so myself.
“We’re unsure of the exact numbers, but we were lucky in that the wave was spotted quickly and most managed to evacuate. Initially, only a few hundred were lost.”
“Hold on, initially? There were more deaths after that?”
For a second, Shimu says nothing, but gives a slow nod of the head. The look on his face is a barely-disguised misery. Whatever he’s about to say, it must be causing him a lot of pain.

“When we sent word to your father, we had assumed the worst had come to pass, but we could not have been more wrong. Thousands from Higashi rode to the coastal towns to aid the injured evacuees, and they managed to save several lives, but at a great cost. Flash foods, worse than any this land has ever seen, eviscerated what was left of the towns, taking the lives of many those who had not evacuated or come to help.”
He swallows. The pause is painful, and his face a picture of grief.
“Among those lost was my own lady wife. She had led the group of rescuers while I stayed to organise treatment and housing for the evacuees, and she never returned. She drowned, trying to save others from the same fate.”

The words take a moment to sink in. The colour drains from my face, and Shimu looks down at the table, a few tears lining his cheeks. Ann covers her mouth with her hand, her face plastered with shock.

“Aunt Hime’s… dead?”
“Along with some 10,000 of our countrymen.”
“Ten thousand?!”
“Things here are worse than we ever could have expected. I waited until today to tell you because we needed the Lady Ann on top form to treat those most critically wounded, but it feels wrong to keep such a truth from you any longer.”

The news doesn’t sound real. Not only is the casualty count some ten times larger than we’d expected, it also claimed the life of one we knew well. Before moving to Nishi to govern the eastern half of the island, Shimu was one of the people Ann and I looked up to growing up, and his betrothed, the lady Hime of the neighbouring Sankoku island, was one of the purest souls I had ever met. She’d have laid down her life for those she held dear without a second’s delay, and she’d have done so with a smile on her face. To lose someone like that… it's a grief that’s hard to describe. But I can only imagine what Shimu is feeling.

“At least… the Lady Hime passed the way she would have wished to. To give her life to save those under her protection. I can think of no end more fitting than that for one as unconditionally kind as herself.”
Shimu looks up from the ground at Ann. With tears still rolling down his face, he manages a smile in response to her words.

“Thank you, Lady Ann. To be remembered so fondly would bring a smile to her face.”

To see Shimu so torn up kills me inside. Over the past day he’s joked with us and extended every kindness he could, all while hiding so much pain. I’ve been so selfish to not consider how he must be feeling.

“Shiidou, would you join me for a word in private? There’s something I’d like to discuss with you one-to-one.”
“Hmm? Yeah, of course.” After a quick ‘I’ll be right’ to Ann, I leave the table with Shimu to listen to what he has to say.

“It is only now that I’ve lost her that I understand how much I truly loved my wife. And such a loss will plague my mind for many years to come. One never knows when their beloved may be taken from them. I ask only that you treasure your own while she is still with you.”
Shimu nods his head towards Ann. He has no idea just how well I understand his words. The idea of losing her again haunts me every day.
“Don’t worry, Shimu. I’ll treasure every second she and I spend together, until the day I die.”
His expression lightens slightly, and some life returns to his eyes.
“I’m glad to hear it. You must always remember what you hold most dear. Do not repeat my mistakes.”