The Dragon Kings Daughter (Book 3)

Chapter 4- Bamboo Leaf Rice Cake

Gently, the woman picked me up and held me to her chest. I blush considering my current position but I didn't really care. If I was going to die it was better then dying on the side of a lake. I blanked out.

-Kaiyōs POV-

I can't believe I found Tomoe before the men did. He's covered in blood and badly injured so the first thing on my list was treating his wounds.
"Kaiyō!" Yukiji and Nanami ran out of the house towards me.
"Who is this?" Yukiji asked me. I quickly thought up of a name.
"His name is Ayato. He's a boy from my village that I grew up in. Please we need to help him."
"How do you know if this isn't Tomoe in disguise?"
"I know it's him." I protested.
"Very well then. Fuuta. Get a room set up and fetch some cool water."
"Yes Yukiji!" Fuuta ran outside to get some water while we went inside and laid him on a futon.

Fuuta came in with the water and a cloth.
Nanami and I sterilised the stab wounds. What ever weapon was used to attack Tomoe, it was a powerful one.
Yukiji retired for the night. Nanami called it a night and went to bed not long after. I stayed next to Tomoe, keeping his wounds clean and keeping his temperature under control. Fuuta offered to take over but as a yokai I don't need as much sleep so I declined. Of course he didn't know that.

"Let me take over. You need to rest."
"I'm fine Fuuta, really."
"You need to rest."
"You need it more then me. Your a growing boy after all. Besides, I can rest when he's awake. I can't let Ayato see me."
"Why?"
"Not my place to say but he can't know about me or Nanami, okay." Fuuta nodded. "Good. Now, his favourite food is bamboo leaf rice cake. Do you think you could cover while I make some?"
"Sure." He said cheerfully.

I left the room quietly and headed for the kitchen to prepare the rice cakes. I remember Tomoe asking for them when we where under the lucky mallets spell. It only seemed fitting.
I finished preparing the rice cake, placed them on a place and headed to Tomoes room.
"Fuuta?"
"Yes Miss Kaiyō?"
"Do you think you could give these to Tomoe when he wakes up?"
"Sure!"
"Thanks Fuuta. Do you mind if I go to bed?"
"Not at all. I got it covered from here."
"Goodnight Fuuta." I said before walking down the hall to my room.
"Goodnight Miss Kaiyō."

-Past Tomoes POV-

Warmth. The next thing I noticed warmth but it was no longer the warmth of that woman body. It was artificial and unsatisfing.
I slightly opened my eyes to see a young human boy sitting in the corner of the room. He seemed to me wetting a cloth. The boy turned around and removed a damp cloth from my head and placed another, cooler one on.
Fully opening my eyes, he jumped.

"Your awake!?"
"Where am I?" I mustered up the strength to say those few worlds. It hurt to speak.
"Your in Miss...um...Miss Yukijis household. She found you near a river, injured badly and decided to nurse you back to help. My names Fuuta, The households servant. Anyway, you must be hungry. Miss Yukiji made you these." He boy turned around and produced a plate of two bamboo leaf rice cakes. "Here you go."

I sat up slowly and took the plate out of his hands.
As I ate, all of these questions started to pop into my head.
Why bamboo leaf rice cakes?
Why did this Yukiji decide to take care of me even though she saw me in my true form?
How does she know how to use enchanted leaves?
Does she know who I am?
"Mr Ayato? Are you okay?" Ayato? Who's that? "Hello?" The boy appeared in my line of sight.
"Huh?"
"I asked if you where alright but you never answered."
"I'm fine thanks." I softly answered. Did he call me Ayato? "Why do you ask?"
"You've been staring into space for a few minutes now. Just following miss Yukijis orders." The young boy shrugged before taking the plate out of my hands.

I guess if this Yukiji knows who I am and she wants to help me, she wouldn't tell people my real name but why...
"I'll leave you till morning. Good night!" He left the room.

I felt a sudden wave of dizziness as I laid back down. As I fell asleep one question kept on bothering me.

Why is a human woman try to protect me?