Chapter 11

“Father, what is wrong?” His hand shook with rage and fear as he 
gripped the neatly folded note. His mostly black hair looked grayer 
than before. He had been under much stress. I don’t know what the 
stress was from, but it was taking its toll on him. Mother set a cup of 
tea in front of him. It was her special remedy to soothe troubled 
minds. She gave it to me often, especially since a marriage was to be 
arranged for me. I was ready to be a wife, or so I had been told.

“Nothing daughter. Go back to making dinner.” Mother was crying when I 
left. Later, I snuck in to father’s room to see that the note had a 
similar painting to the one we received. Father was upset. Very rarely 
did he call me ‘daughter’ as opposed to my given name.

That night when mother and father went to bed, father protected her as 
you did me. Except, he fell into the temptation of closeness. Mother 
became pregnant. After nine months, we forgot the threat as my baby 
brother was brought into the world. We were happy. My brother was 
handsome and healthy. He looked like father with mother’s eyes.

Two days later, there was a knock on the door. “Xu…I hear you have a 
new member of the family.”

“Go away. I owe you nothing.” Snickering came from outside the door. 
Though I was frightened, I stayed behind a corner to overhear their 
conversation. However, there was no more conversation. Only the sound 
of steel cutting through something moderately soft, like a sharp knife 
slices through fruit, could be heard.

“Steal what you want. Destroy everything else.” Father’s head rolled 
into the wall opposite the door as if it were kicked. Men came crashing 
through the entrance. They ransacked the house. I heard mother 
screaming from the living room. She had been feeding my brother up till 
then. Brother wailed as I heard the same sound that accompanied 
father’s death over and over. Suddenly, my brother was silenced.

The men were everywhere. I couldn’t get out, so I hid as best I could. 
I could hear them scuffling about. They broke things in their effort to 
steal and destroy. Then, all the loud noises stopped. I waited hoping 
that meant they had left.

A sound bigger than that of a firework exploding reverberated off of 
the walls of the house. Cold air swept past me as a huge metal ball 
tore my father’s home in half. The men outside laughed as if they were 
having a festival. My ears rang from the sound of the cannon. I covered 
my head with my hands. I had to move. The house was no longer safe. But 
what would they do if they caught me?

I heard them reloading the cannon. It was my chance. I escaped the 
house and tried to run as far as I could. “Hey!” I had been spotted! 
“Well, well.” The man grabbed me by my hair. He peered at my face and 
smiled. “Boss! I found the daughter! Seems a waste to kill her!” He 
stroked my cheek and smelled my long hair. “Definitely a waste…”

“Bring her here!”

“Wouldn’t want to hurt any of this beautiful hair. Now, would I.” He 
took one more sniff before running his fingers down my spine to 
retrieve my wrist. I was tugged toward the voice that ordered the 
murder of my family.

As I stood before the man, he lifted my chin and searched my eyes. “Xu 
has raised a beautiful daughter. You are certainly a succulent piece of 
eye candy. Aren’t you?” Just like the man before him, he smelled my 
hair and skin. “You will pay your father’s debt. Bring her along with 
the other goods!”

I was taken to their stronghold where their whores dressed me as if I 
were a doll. They made me look younger than my age because it would be 
more tempting for the men. I was made to please them. They never 
touched me. That was what the whores were for. I was only to please 
them. I never want to do any of those things again.

Once, I tried to escape. I got lost and found where they hid the things 
they stole from my father. To this day, it surprises me that the room 
was not guarded. My family’s dagger was there. I tried to take it, but 
two of the men caught up to me. I was dragged back to the boss, Michio. 
The dagger was ripped from my grasp and used to carve small cuts across 
my stomach, chest, and back.

“You’re so pale when you’re afraid Tang Mu.” He began engrave the scars 
into my skin. “It’s like blood upon a white plum blossom. Beautiful. To 
pay for your escape, you will say you are sorry to each man here until 
he is satisfied.”

As I pleased the men, I planned my escape. I had to wait. They were 
expecting it. I had to wait four years. Michio and his men are very 
patient. They make a living off of it. In that time, I tried to listen 
to rumors. I heard that they bought weapons from a mysterious, young 
Japanese with hair the color of an old man’s. No one knew his name 
except for Michio. I tried to find out who it was, but I could never 
accomplish it…until now…Through all those rumors, I found nothing. No 
information on this debt they keep speaking of. Nothing. I was paying 
for something I didn’t know about. 

After those four long years, I was cut and primped. I pleased and 
cried…and planned. Finally, I managed to steal my father’s dagger. I 
hid it with a garter. We were on a boat to Japan. Apparently, Michio 
and many of his original men came from here. Just before they left, 
they hired a new member. The man didn’t know that I was to please and 
not to be pleased. He tried to ‘seduce’ me, but I still had the dagger.

I convinced him to ‘take me’ on one of the life boats. He was young and 
stupid. I killed him and lowered the boat. By the time I managed to 
pull far enough away from the ship to be considered on my way to 
freedom more men were already lowering their own boat. They eventually 
caught up with me. They tried to tip my boat. The dagger was lost to 
them again, but I managed to escape by beating them with my oar. Once 
on dry land, I ran until I came to a village. That is where I met you.

* * *

He remains silent for some time. Even when I mentioned the fact that he 
was the weapons dealer, he never flinched. I cried and he never 
comforted. Enishi simply remained rooted to his spot, his fists 
clenched upon his knees. The only indication that he wasn’t catatonic 
were his eyes. They softened and intensified with his emotions. 

“You told me everything.” It wasn’t a question, yet I nod anyway. His 
eyes close as his fists relax. The dagger is set upon the wood floor 
beside him. Slowly, he rises and turns. “I will request some tea. We 
both need something to soothe our nerves, I believe.” His voice has 
softened. It is still no where near the tone I am used to, but it will 
have to do for now.

He opens the door to see the boy pass from the direction of Kaemon’s 
room. “Yahiko…bring tea for the lady…please.” His voice tightens with 
the last word. After some grumbling, the boy leaves to accomplish his 
chore. 

I told him everything. Now he knows me for what I am. I have dishonored 
my family name. Sold my body to men who were not worthy of it. Hot 
tears run down my face. He will no longer want to protect a woman so 
impure. Do I still want him to protect me? He sold my family’s 
murderers weapons. No. He is not the same man they spoke of. He has 
changed. I don’t want him to leave me. I need his comfort, his 
strength.

He turns, hard teal eyes going soft at the pitiful sight of me. I know 
I am pitiful. I am helpless, weak. Suddenly, I feel a strong hand grasp 
my chin. Blinking, my face lifts to look into sea colored depths. “I 
told you. I will not lose you to them.” Gently, he strokes my cheek. “I 
will not lose you. Do you still trust me?”

Still? I smile as my lip quivers in my attempt to stop the tears from 
flowing. I have to be strong. He will lose hope if he doesn’t see me 
smile. When he sleeps, he nearly chants his desire to see a smile. 
Whether he is speaking of his onee-san or me, it is the simple smile he 
yearns for. I will smile for him and give him strength. And, by 
protecting me, he will give me the strength to smile.

He leans towards me as if he wishes to physically accept my offering, 
but a knock comes at the door. His eyes falter before he turns to take 
the tea the boy, Yahiko, has delivered. They exchange words through 
their expressions. The younger of the two scowls and leaves. The boy’s 
antics cause my smile to widen.

“Did he put Cho-chan to bed?” Enishi switches his attention back to me. 
His lips twitch forming what might have been the mischievous grin I 
have grown accustomed to over the past few months. Setting the cup of 
tea down in front of me, he sits intimately opposite me.

“Yes. She wished for me to wish you good night for her.” His mouth 
twitches once more. “I wasn’t sure if I should do what she asked, but…I 
have made my decision.” Carefully, he moves his cup to the side. His 
fingers lace around my drink as he removes it from my grasp. What did 
Cho-chan ask him to do? Like his, my cup is placed out of the way. He 
holds my face in his hand and gives a faint smile. “She says, ‘Good 
night Liya-san…’” His lips briefly press against mine…

* * *

I admit that I was one of the people that made her life miserable, but 
I am also the one person she trusts and I am her protection. When I met 
her, she was not afraid of me, nor is she now. Perhaps that says 
something about my status as a monster. Battousai and his followers may 
think of me as a demon, but she and the two in the room next door do 
not. They are all that matter right now. 

“Did he put Cho-chan to bed?” That’s right. She asked me to give her a 
good night kiss. Didn’t she. I was meaning to forget the promise as it 
was something rather childish, but perhaps I should fulfill it.

I turn and try to smile, but it doesn’t seem right for some reason. 
After hearing such a painful story, I believe the mood should lighten. 
However, it may be too soon. I will let her decide. “Yes. She wished 
for me to wish you good night for her.”

After hearing her story, I know I am not worthy of her. Of course, what 
man is worthy of their woman? Kaemon may hate me for this, but I now 
realize I have fallen for her. Since the moment I came to notice her 
smile’s importance, I have been in love with her. The passed out drunk 
in the next room deserves her more than I do, but he can’t possibly 
love her the way I can…and will. “I wasn’t sure if I should do what she 
asked, but…” No, I won’t turn back now. I need her just as much as she 
needs me. “I have made my decision.”

Tea can wait. I set my tea aside. Onee-san pushes me on with a light 
smile. Our fingers touch as I innocently remove her cup from her grip. 
Stroking her cheek, our eyes lock in a searching gaze. Slowly, I inch 
forward. “She says, ‘good night Liya-san…‘” Our lips brush briefly 
before I make the contact more firm. I doubt Cho would give a good 
night kiss like this. In fact, it would be disturbing if she did. 
However, this is also a good night kiss from me.

It is now that I realize just how much I have wanted to be with her 
like this. Not sexually, that can come later, but intimately. Since the 
moment she kissed my forehead, I have wanted to taste her lips. Each 
night that I rest by her side, I have wanted to be even closer to her. 

My hand lightly travels from her cheek, through her hair, to cup the 
back of her head. I press my lips even more firmly to hers. She has yet 
to push me away. Nonetheless, I leave myself open indicating that she 
has the power to do so at any time.

I remain as I am. Will she accept me? My question is answered 
immediately as she tentatively wraps her arms around my neck. I lead us 
once more as we rise to our knees. One hand runs through her hair as 
the other winds around her waist to wander her back. Her fingers 
massage my scalp as if she is desperately clinging to her life support. 
I can’t help but think my analogy is true as we, together, intensify 
our mouths’ embrace.

I hear her whimper with pleasure. It causes my body to react in ways 
they haven’t been given the chance to do for a long time. Perhaps we 
are going too far. I don’t want my body to expect something I have no 
intention of getting tonight. I will not make the same mistake her 
father did.

I create a trail of kisses from the corner of her mouth to her neck for 
a lingering peck. She smells clean despite the medical ointments and 
herbs applied to the wound. I simply breathe her scent. My body craves 
more, but I force the sensation down. For now, this is all we will do.

Her fingers comb through my white locks as I plant small kisses at the 
nape of her neck. Tea doesn’t seem so tempting anymore, but perhaps it 
will calm my body down. I will never be able to properly protect her if 
I am thinking with my lower half as I am now. However, I am comfortable 
with her in my arms.

“He was very kind to bring the tea for you as well.” Yes, I suppose he 
was. We really should drink the rest. I reluctantly remove my breath 
from her neck to explore her eyes with mine. One last kiss. That’s all 
I need. I press my lips to hers. We linger a bit too long and my body 
takes over again. My hand reaches up to cup her face as I threaten to 
start the cycle over again.

She catches me by pulling away. “We should finish our tea before we 
sleep. It will…calm us…” Her placid smile is betrayed by her growing 
blush at the implications of her words. Almost as quickly as Kaemon 
finished his first choko of the evening, I finish the remaining liquid 
in my cup. Much to my body’s dismay, Liya takes her time savoring the 
taste of the drink.

“Things will be different now.” We set our cups far enough away from us 
so that we can safely lie down.

“Aa…” I barely resist the urge to gather her in my arms and continue 
our explorations. As usual for us, my arm wraps loosely around her 
waist. This time, however, I must avoid a wound. It’s not a bad injury. 
Kaemon’s hand prevented the dagger from making any major damage. He is 
quite brave when he is drunk.

* * *

Author's Notes:

I hope the citrus was okay. I'm not very good at writing that kind of
stuff, so I hope it was okay.

Well, that's it from me! Thanks for reading!