Forever Yours (Kamisato Ayato)

3

"Archons! Did I do the chores in my sleep?" Thoma breathed, staring at the room in disbelief. The floors were shimmering clean, the sheets and blankets are perfectly folded, there wasn't a speck of dust in every corners, and on top of that, there was food on the table and all of Ayato's clothes were washed and ironed.

As the head of the Kamisato clan scribbled on his paper works, his lips curled into a smile. "I believe its my wife's doing, incredible isn't she?"

"You've found yourself an awesome wife, my Lord. She must love you very much if she did this much." Thoma exclaimed, which left a frown on his young Lord's face.

The word 'Love' echoed in his mind repeatedly, leaving a painful sting on his chest. "If only.." He whispered to himself, failing to notice that the ink of his pen has already seeped through the other papers.

"You seem displeased, My Lord.."

"Say Thoma.." Ayato paused for a while in attempt to gather his thoughts. "What do husbands do to make their wives happy these days?"

"Woah..For you my Lord to ask such an ambiguous question, you must have quite the dilemma. Well...if it is Lady Akina, she appreciates anything that is sincere, but as I read her personality, I believe she'll be very pleased if you give her enough freedom."

Ayato paused for a moment, pondering over the housekeeper's answer. "Freedom you say?"

"Well, there have been a lot of controlling husband these days. And that just wont work for My Lady...You see, I've observed her as a young maiden, on the surface, she seemed a lot like a doll, doing everything her family told her to do. But on the outside, lives a girl yelling for help, weary of being caged."

Ayato grips his fist tight, snapping the pen he was holding. "No..no wonder she dreads me so much.."

"What do you mean, My Lord?"

"I am the very thing she loathes. I caged her into this marriage. All of us did.." He mumbled as he brushed back the side of his hair with his palm. "So I'm afraid I cannot grant that very thing to her.. Or rather, I cannot get myself to do so.."

"Because if I do.."

"If I do..."

"She'd slip away from my grasp.." He hissed.

-------

"You've grown taller, Kazuha.." Akina spoke softly, gracefully avoiding the leaves around her to fall to the ground as she danced with her sword.

"You haven't changed..Master.." The young man behind him whispered, genuinely concerned at his master. "You look as exhausted as you have always been.."

"I envy the dust in the wind.." she whispered, touching the ground with the tip of her blade. "They are not contained in one place, and are free to go wherever the wind takes them."

"It's too late for me..but please continue being a dust in the wind, Kazuha.." she told him with a sad smile, the leaves falling to the ground without the blade's attention.

"Unlike me, who's but a leaf falling from a tree, who seem free, but is meant to wither on the ground and fly no longer."