written by a sweetpea with passion :)
Tomoe fled across the fortress away from all the party activities. Sakura followed her but remained at a distance. Tomoe found herself entering Lord Tokugawa’s private garden. She sat on a same seat in which her and her Lord had sat that first day. The memory of it brought a tear to her eye. She put her head in her hands and cried. Had she just imagined all that? She thought to herself or was it just some dream? Sakura stood back from Tomoe in the shadows. She knew Tomoe needed some private time alone but she didn’t want to leave her in such a distressed state. Tomoe pulled the Kanzashi ornaments from her hair. She looked upon them as her hair fell around her shoulders. ‘What a fool I have been’ she thought to herself ‘How did I ever think that Lord Tokugawa could love me when he is a very powerful man and can have any woman he desires. Why would he want a warrior when he could a have princess?’ She threw the hair ornaments as far as she could and wept. Sakura saw Tomoe throw something and it landed near her. She went over to find what it was. By the light of the moon the hair ornaments sparkled, she picked them up and tucked them into her kimono. From where she was standing she could see Tomoe very clearly. Although to some, at that moment Tomoe may have looked like broken woman but to Sakura, Tomoe was the most attractive intelligent woman she had the honor to ever meet. Sakura felt Tomoe’s pain like it was her own. When she could bear no longer to see Tomoe suffering like this she stepped out into view “Do you wish to be alone?” she softly called out.
“No I do not. Please come sit with me a while” a tearful Tomoe replied. Sakura sat down next to her. As they sat in silence Tomoe gazed up at the stars shining brightly in the sky. She had always found comfort in the night sky. Sakura unsure of how to comfort Tomoe eventually said quietly “Sometimes it is the way of such men” Tomoe looked at her then hung her head low “Yes I spose it is” she murmured. Sakura saw that Tomoe’s white face powder had run from the tears she had cried. Sakura dabbed the streaked make up away with a piece of rice paper.
When Sakura tucked the rice paper back into her kimono her hand touched upon the hair ornaments, she took them out and offered them to Tomoe “I think you dropped these” she said.
“Thank you but I do not wish them anymore. A warrior has no use for such finery” Tomoe replied.
“But there were a gift from your Lord and they are very expensive”
“I shall not be needing them again”
Sakura softly spoke “Take them”
Tomoe reached out to take the ornaments and as her hand touched the young woman’s, Sakura gently closed her hand around Tomoe’s hand and held it. She lent towards Tomoe and kissed her on the lips. Tomoe did not pull away as Sakura had expected but instead she simply closed her eyes.
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