Tengu's bride | Giyushino

[1] ~ Ascension quest

Every three years, a sacrifice was made to the yokai as a way to keep them from harming the village that was built by the end of the mountain that they rested on. The majority of the villagers considered this an honour for their children to be picked as an offering to save the village, while the other part of the village was frightened to death every time the year rolled by, praying to the gods that their child wouldn't be the victim of the evil head of the village.

Cries echoed through the neighbourhood caused by the victim's families every time they were picked. Those who tried to intervene were thrown in prison or, worse, kicked out of the village forever. The people who supported him snickered and laughed, degrading the families who tried to go against it.

Time went by fast, and before Shinobu could react, it'd already been time for her to be sacrificed. Shinobu sat down in her seat while the maids that the old man sent were fussing over her make-up.

She stared at herself in the mirror, listening to the cheers of the people who were waiting for this moment. Her eyes caught her mother, who was standing not too far away. Her mother looked away when she saw her daughter staring at her in the mirror.

Shinobu couldn't blame her, knowing that her parents have to go through this process again, now with their youngest daughter. Still, her heart aches when they won't look at her.

'I wish Kanae were here.' She thought, and for a second, she felt her body and mind go numb as she relived that memory again.

Three years ago, her big sister went through the same thing. Shinobu remembers her sister sitting down in this seat as she let herself be groomed by the same maids that the old man sent.

Shinobu's little cry ranged throughout the room as she begged her big sister not to leave her.

"Everything is going to be fine, Shinobu." She recalls her sister trying to console her after all the maids left the room. She opened her arms wide, which caused the little girl to run into her embrace.

"Nothing is going to be fine when I won't ever get to see you again." She sobbed, which made her sister frown.

"I know... but Shinobu, you have to stay strong for our mother and father. You have to take care of them now that I won't be here anymore." Shinobu sobbed harder, and her sister's kimono absorbed all her tears.

"No. I can't let you go." She cried, hugging her sister tighter.

In that moment, their mother came in. Her face was red, and the two sisters then realised that their mother was crying this whole time.

"It's time, Kanae." The mother stuttered as she tried her best to control her voice. Kanae then gently let go of her sister as she got up from her seat and straightened her kimono.

Shinobu watched in awe of her elegant big sister. Her big sister was once claimed to be the fairest in the village, which caught the eyes of many suitors, including those who crossed the seas just for a chance of her glancing at them.

Her parents thought that Kanae could escape the chance of being sacrificed by the head of the village since she brought him quite a penny from around the country, but their dreams were destroyed the moment it was announced that the ever-so-stunning Kanae were no more of use to the village any longer.

The family, along with the rest of the village, watched as her sister slowly ascended the mountain to meet her future husband, whatever type of yokai that could be.

Kanae turned around to look at her family one last time. She bowed her head to them, silently thanking her parents for taking care of her all this time. Shinobu shivered as her sister's eyes moved towards her. Kanae gave her sister one last smile before turning around and walking forward again.