Fairytale retellings & Myths Reimagined

Princess of foxes

"Father, father!" the boy shouted as he ran towards the lake. He and his family had been traveling towards Kyoto for the yearly festival for three days. The boy loved the trip.

Despite the fear for thieves, the roads were safe and many others had also joined the caravan of carts and horses.

He found his father knelt to the lake's bank. His head was bowed and his hands clasped together in a stance of prayer. On the lake's surface a sole candle was floating, an offering the boy could tell. When the man got up and turned, he smiled at his son, who had watched him in silence.

"Sakamoto, son have they settled the camp already?"

"Hai, otou-chan. To whom were you offering prayers?"

The man's dark brown eyes wrinkled from smiling. He shared the same ones with his son as also the black hair and he was proud for the boy's thirst for knowledge.

"I will tell you at the camp. Now, let's head back. Your mother and sister are expecting us." He hugged his boy from the shoulders and pulled him away from the sparkling waters of the lake.

When night fell and the travelers gathered around the fire, the man's family made a circle around their own fire. Sakamoto hugged his sister, Sakura, the girl's smile wide with affection, and eagerly waited for his father to settle down, close to his wife and begin.

The man caught his son's expression and smiled. He kissed his wife's temple and took a deep breath.

"It began at the times of the past, when people and spirits walked side by side..."

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Japan was shared between lords whose families were ruling with iron fist and sometimes they preferred war instead of peace. It was at the times of peace when the lord of a certain area, at the south, learnt that he was going to be a father. He loved his wife dearly and for years they were trying to have children. Lord Nishimura and Lady Ame were respected from their peasants and the families of the nobles.

When the time came, Lord Nishimura found out that his wife had disappeared from their home. He sent his troops to search the province even the borders from fear that she was a captive. He feared and despaired and prayed to the gods to bring his wife back.

On a night of the full moon, which hung on the sky like a mirror, illuminating even the thickest darkness, Lady Ame returned.

She couldn't remember what had happened to her and the physicians had assured the Lord that both woman and unborn child were healthy.

"But she was spirited away my Lord." The councilors would say.

"The kitsune had made their magic and we fear that the child will not be human!"

"Nonsense. For all I care is the safety of my wife." The Lord would insist and he had spent time on his wife's chambers reassuring her that she was safe.

One month later, the baby was born.

The women screamed.

Lord Nishimura entered the room and gasped with the sight. Lady Ame held the baby girl with tenderness and love; but the baby's hair was shining white and her skin was pale, like a ghost. He walked slowly towards his wife, terror written on his face. He leaned and watched the baby opening her eyes.

"Blue, pale like the moon." He whispered, thinking that his council wasn't so wrong after all.

"She is beautiful, my love. Like the moon." Ame lifted the bundled baby and she smiled. "Her name will be Yuki." She gave the baby to her husband and after a long look and a kiss to Lord Nishimura, she left her last breath.