★ MINE ★
THE RED-EYED SAMURAI

the wind that sent around them as they ran whirled her two braided pigtails in all directions. Kimiko felt the golden ribbons loosen and soon her orange-gold hair that resembled maple leaves flew up to her tailbone. But that didn't matter. She now understood why the stranger wanted to take her out of the forest. Then there were many more than the ten men he had eliminated.

Kimiko had always heard such stories. Her father had often told such horror stories, she herself had witnessed such an atrocity, but she still saw the good in people. Even if it upset her father because he was afraid she would risk her life as carelessly as her mother. But apparently there was something to the stories.

It wasn't that she thought she was immune to the attacks because she was pretty and good with words. But she had always thought that since hardly anyone knew her face anyway, she would at least be protected a little. But apparently she really was as naive as her mother and had underestimated the robbers.

The red-eyed stranger stopped abruptly and pulled her behind a wide log. He didn't let go of her hand and peered past the tree to the right. Then he turned to her. »You must be someone special.« So he didn't know who she was after all.

»Not as special as you might think now.« Anyway, Kimiko didn't think she was special. She'd just been lucky. Lucky to be born into the right family. However, whether it was really good luck and not rather bad luck, everyone probably saw it differently. »But you're really good at fighting so you're.«

»Shh,« he interrupted her. »You talk too loud.«

»Not true.« Kimiko tore herself from his hand and took a step back. She stepped on a branch that cracked loudly through the silence of the forest.

The young man shook his head with a sigh. »And you're clumsy.« She wanted to contradict him when she heard loud footsteps approaching. The stranger pulled her to him and put his right arm around her. He carefully put his hand over her mouth and pulled her behind another log. Seven men ran past them but did not see them sitting at the base of the tree.

Once the men were out of earshot, the boy relaxed his grip. But they still sat on the ground and he still had his arm around her. »Now you can thank me,« he said softly. He wasn't out of breath a bit.

Kimiko turned to him. »How do you know they're all gone?«

»I know these men and I know this forest,« he answered. »The wind tells me they're gone.« The wind. And that's when she noticed his vision. He was one of those people who meet certain requirements to get a vision from the gods just like her. It granted him the elemental abilities of the Anemo Element. Kimiko tilted her head to the side and regarded him intently.

He wore samurai clothing. A gray kimono with short sleeves and a black haori coat. He wore half of the cloak on his left arm, with a flowing orange sleeve decorated with orange and red maple leaves, while the other half was draped behind his waist and secured by an obi belt he wore over it. He also wore a black and red scarf with gold accents and a slanting belt that ran under his right arm and over his left shoulder where his Divine Eye was attached at the back. Tied to a red tassel decoration, the Divine Eye was near his samurai shoulder armor. He wore red hakama pants with a maple leaf pattern and black sandals with burgundy tights and a black piece of leather on each leg that reached from below his kneecaps to his feet.

»You are Kaedehara Kazuha.« She still didn't know him. Not personally. But she had heard stories about the Kaedehara clan. When you were locked at home, there wasn't much activity. So Kimiko had read a lot of books or listened to stories.

In addition, in the villages where she helped out, many had already talked about him. And they were right. He could fight and was polite. At least she had been able to sort of see that for the last twenty minutes.

He nodded and got up off the ground. He offered her his hand to help her up. Kimiko accepted his help. »Just Kazuha.« He smiled and released her hand as soon as she stood. »So you know me, but I don't know which lady I saved.«

Yes, and she couldn't tell him who she was. The Kaedehara clan wasn't exactly on the Tenryou Commission's Best Friends list. In fact, they didn't even like each other at all. There were always disagreements and for this reason Kimiko's father made sure that none of the samurai knew her. Even if Kazuha had saved her, she couldn't risk it.

»Well, this lady is very grateful to you, but she can't tell you who she is.«

Kazuha nodded. He didn't look angry about it. He had a very gentle gaze the whole time. »You have secrets, I accept that,« he said. »But then I don't think I can accompany you home safely either?«

Even though he really would have made her feel safer, he couldn't accompany her. He would find out who she was and surely regret saving her. Also, she shouldn't show up at home with anyone from the Kaedehara clan. »It's not so far anymore.«

»If you used the main routes, this would definitely not happen again.«

»The main ways,« mumbled Kimiko. »That's not an option for me.« Kazuha nodded. There was a small smile on his lips. Something told her that he already had his suspicions about exactly who she was. »Besides, I have my spear.«

»A Lady with a spear, unusual,« he thought aloud. »You need more practice with it if you can just walk through the woods.«

He was right. She hadn't really exercised in a long time. But not because she was scared or unable to do it. She didn't have time. She hardly found a moment when no one was watching her.

     Kimiko crossed her arms. »I impaled the man.«

An amused snort came from Kazuha. »That was luck.« He walked past her, grazing her shoulder with his. »Be careful my lady.« And then he disappeared just as quickly as he had come. Kimiko watched him for a few more seconds before hurrying back. When she got home, she sneaked into the hallway that led to her room and immediately met Hiroki, who was upset.

»Miss Kujou!« He walked towards her and let his gaze wander over her. »It's been hours since you wanted to see Lady Misaki.«

»Well, you know women have a lot to say to each other every now and then.«

»It's my job to take care of you,« he noted. »You didn't see Lady Misaki, I asked. You were outside.« It was clear that if she was late, he would investigate. Good guards did that.

Kimiko sighed. »Did you tell anyone?«

»No.«

»Why not?«

»I didn't mean to get you in trouble,« replied Hiroki. He was definitely too good for the Kujou Clan. »You are full of dirt, you should take a bath. In the meantime, I'll get you lunch.«

»Thanks, Hiroki.« She gave him a smile. »Would it be too much to ask to still bring me lavender melon?« She had a guilty conscience. He could have been punished just because she went out again. And this time it could have ended really badly for Hiroki. If Kazuha hadn't been there, a thousand things could have happened.

»I work for you, Miss Kujou.« He stepped aside and bowed slightly. »Nothing is too much to ask.« She still had trouble telling him things. Maybe because he was her age or maybe because he liked her. Kimiko just didn't feel comfortable in her position.

So she just nodded and went to her room. The lavender scent hit her right away and reminded her of her tiredness. It had definitely been the hardest morning of her life. Kimiko took off her soiled kimono and not wanting to call her servants, she ran the water herself. She tied her long hair into a ponytail, realizing that she had lost one of the golden silk ribbons in the forest and climbed into the warm bathtub.

It felt good to be surrounded by the warm water. But before she fell asleep, Kimiko screwed the dirt off of herself and got out of the tub. She dressed in her typical ceremonial clothes and let her long red hair fall wildly down her back. As soon as she sat down on her armchair, Hiroki knocked and came with her food.

He blinked a few times until he put the tablet down. He didn't usually see her with her hair loose, nobody did. »Can I ask you something?«, Kimiko asked before he could turn away from her. He nodded. »Why are you working for us?«

»Why do I work for the Kujou Clan?« She nodded. »I was trained for this work and when I finished, the first offer came from the Kujou Clan. They pay good money,« he honestly explained.

»But they have different views than you.«

Hiroki nodded slowly. »I don't work for the Kujou Clan.« Confused, Kimiko raised her brow. »I work for the lady of the Kujou Clan and her allegiance is not with the Tenryou Commission.« So he was her guard just for the money. Well, and because he probably saw something in her. »Would you now answer a question for me?«

»I can try.«

»Where have you been?«, he asked. »If you want me to protect you, if you want me to cover for you when you leave the manor, I have to make excuses. It would only be fair if I knew where you were.«

Kimiko sighed. He was right. »I help distribute food to the poor and sometimes donate some of our money.«

»And that's where you get so incredibly dirty?«

»I was attacked in the forest. Don't look at me like that, nothing happened to me! someone helped me,« she said quickly. »And no, of course I didn't tell him who I am.«

»I could accompany you next time, then something like this wouldn't happen again.«

»And what do you want to tell my father? We are going for a walk?« Kimiko shook her head. »I can manage on my own and somehow I could have managed without the help from this strange boy.« Even though Kazuha was probably convinced that she had only step the man because she had been lucky. »Really, you don't have to worry.«

»I don't agree with your father about many things, but he's right about one thing. It's dangerous for you outside, you're leverage for many and.«

»Stop!«, she interrupted him. »I'm not going to spend the rest of my life in this room and if you can't understand that, well then next time I'll climb over the balcony.« Kimiko snorted. »I'm not a porcelain doll that shatters as soon as it falls.«

Hiroki nodded. »Do you know who the stranger was that saved you?«

»No.« Of course that was a lie. But she didn't even want to Hiroki reveal that Kaedehara Kazuha saved her. That would make this discussion even longer and Kimiko didn't want to do that. »I am tired I would like to rest.«

»Of course.« He left the room and took his usual place in front of her door.