Kirara stared at him in shock. Marry Ukyo…? Yes! But… “We…really haven’t, umm…”

He turned red. “I know we haven’t been together for that long…but I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. And so…ummm…” He trailed off and turned to stare out at the water, blinking rapidly. I should have known it was too soon to ask her. Why did I think this was a good idea? Of course she wouldn’t want to marry me…

She began to smile. “Yes.”

Snapped out of his self-pitying reverie, he blinked at her. “’Yes’? Yes, what?”

Her face lit up. “Yes, Ukyo. I’ll marry you.”

Ukyo pulled her into his arms and held her tightly. She rested her head against his chest, listening to his heart beat. This is who I love. This is the man who is perfect for me…and I will stay with him until the day I die.

They were still standing like that, silently, as Akemi made her way over the bridge hanging on to Kusano’s arm. She grinned broadly as she saw them.

“Heeey, oniichan! Why’re you grinnin’ like an idiot for? Finally get laid?”

Ukyo shook his head, beaming. Kirara pulled away from his embrace reluctantly to inform her friend of the truth. “He asked me to marry him. And I said yes.”

Akemi cheered and swept Kirara up into a tight hug. Shino and Katsushiro, who had been walking a little ways behind Kusano, stared at each other. Shino, for some reason, blushed. Katsushiro left his girlfriend’s side and approached Ukyo with a serious expression on his face. The former merchant flinched until Katsushiro bowed deeply.

“I thought I was in love with Kirara-dono, once. I hated you then. But as I’ve come to know you better…well, you can still be pretty annoying, but you’re not that bad, and I know Kirara-dono loves you. I hope you two are happy together.” The young samurai straightened up and met Ukyo’s eyes, adding, “But if you harm her, I will kill you, no matter what she says.”

Ukyo smiled and bowed to him in return. “Have no fear of that.”

“What’s with the hugging and the bowing?”

Kirara would have flinched at Haruka’s approach, but she was being hugged simultaneously by both of her best friends—and her sister, who had been trailing Katsushiro—and could barely move with Akemi’s arms around her shoulders. The female samurai directed her cool gaze towards Ukyo, who flushed red and stared back at her.

“I—I asked Kirara-kun to marry me. She agreed.”

Haruka sighed happily. “Finally! Best of luck to you, Ukyo-kun.” She turned to where Kirara was being hugged and unceremoniously wrapped her arms around both Kirara and Akemi. The mikumari squeaked in surprise. Haruka chuckled and pulled her closer. “Congratulations. As I’m one of Ukyo’s former concubines, I should let you know…” She let go of Akemi and motioned for Shino and Komachi to step back as she dropped her voice to a whisper in Kirara’s ear. After a bit, she stepped back, grinning smugly.

Ukyo blanched as he watched Kirara’s face go red. “Haruka-san…what did you tell her?”

Haruka’s grin widened. “Nothing. Nothing you don’t already know, anyway…”

“Haruka-sama!”

“What? Oh, and you still owe me a sparring match sometime.”

He sighed and shook his head. I don’t want to fight a woman, but I guess she’ll never give up otherwise. “Sure. Maybe after the wedding.”

The ship lurched from side to side as it sped towards Kanna-mura—a direct result of letting Akemi and Kusano pilot it together. Kirara, Shino and Komachi were sitting in the cargo hold.

Shino sighed wistfully as she looked at Kirara. “I can’t believe you’re getting married.”

She smiled. “Neither can I. By the way, Shino-chan…how’s that project coming along?”

Shino beamed. “Wonderful. Komachi-san’s been helping me, so we’re almost done…but, Kirara-san, are you sure about those measurements?”

Kirara frowned, thinking. “I took them from one of Satoru-san’s old shirts. They’re about the same size.”

Komachi piped up, “Can’t we just ask him?”

“Ask who what?”

Kirara twitched in surprise and shook her head at Shino and Komachi, motioning to them not to say anything as Ukyo stepped down the stairs. Thinking quickly, she replied, “Nothing, nothing.”

Shino shrugged. “We were just talking…about me and Katsushiro-sama. Girly things; nothing for you to worry about.”

Ukyo raised one eyebrow. “If you say so. I left him cleaning that oversized knife of his on the back deck—just in case you want to talk to him instead of about him. Oh, and Kirara-kun? I kind of wanted to talk to you…” He stared at the floor and mumbled something under his breath.

Shino blushed and crossed the hold to the stairs. “Umm…I’ll just go upstairs then. Komachi-san, come upstairs with me and get some fresh air.” They left, leaving Kirara and Ukyo alone.

She felt her face heat up. “…You said you wanted to talk to me? Is this about our wedding?” If he calls it off because he’s got cold feet…

Ukyo met her gaze. “This is probably going to sound like a stupid question, but…umm…what do you do for weddings in Kanna-mura?”

She began to giggle out of sheer relief. He watched her warily until her laughter subsided and she responded. “The man has to ask permission from the woman’s father before the wedding can take place. In my case, since my parents are dead, you would ask my grandmother instead. Then, once Gisaku-dono gives his permission, the adults in the village begin to build a separate house for the new couple. The wedding takes place once the house is finished. There are some things that are different from a typical wedding—none of us can afford the traditional betrothal gifts, after all. (1.) Satoru-san and Fujiko-san are going to be married next week; you’ll see then.”

A faint smile appeared on Ukyo’s face. “Finally; I was starting to think they’d be engaged for the rest of their lives.”

She chuckled. “Now you’re just being silly. You were helping build their new house, remember?”

“If by ‘helping build a house’, you mean ‘bringing the workers tools and food’, then yes, I suppose you could say I did help.” (2.) He frowned and twined his hair around his fingers, thinking. “There was something else I wanted to tell you…Oh, right! They won’t exactly be traditional, but if the Amanushi honors his promise, you’ll still get betrothal gifts.”

Kirara blinked, taken aback. I remember…right before we left, Ukyo and Katsushiro were talking to the Emperor about something, but I wasn’t close enough to hear what it was. “What are you talking about?”

He grinned. “Hopefully, you’ll see in a few weeks.”

Katsushiro was running a rag soaked in metal cleaner down the back of his sword. The sunlight reflected back from the blade was so bright that for a moment it almost looked to Shino as though there were two suns. He looked up and smiled at her approach.

She did not return his smile as she sat down next to him. “Katsushiro… I have something very important to tell you.”

He winced. This can’t be good. “Yes?”

“Ummmm…” She blushed and lowered her voice. “I…think I might be…pregnant.”

“What?!”

She pressed a finger to his lips. “Not so loud! I haven’t told anybody else yet—I thought you should be the first to know. I’m not even a hundred percent sure I really am pregnant…but if I am…” She trailed off, shivering slightly.

She flinched in surprise as he wrapped her arms around her shoulders. “I’ll stay with you. Did you think I was going to abandon you?”

“The thought…had crossed my mind, yes.”

His voice hardened, and he tightened his embrace. “I would never do that. You are the most important person in my life, Shino. I risked death, or at least severe pain, for you, and I will not abandon you just because you’re pregnant!”

She leaned back in his arms, resting her head on his shoulder. “Thank you.”

“…Shino-san’s pregnant?!”

Shino groaned; Katsushiro winced. Komachi had been sitting in the sun on the front deck, and their voices had evidently carried to her. Now she stood in front of them, looking curious. “Are you really?”

Shino rubbed her forehead. She could feel a headache coming on. “I think so. I’m not sure yet, so please don’t tell anyone…”

Komachi grinned. “Ooooh, Katsu-noji, you’re gonna be in so much trouble when Manzo-san finds out!”

“Komachi-san, not so loud!”

“You’re pregnant?”

They flinched again. Apparently, Komachi’s outburst had attracted the attentions of Kirara and Ukyo as the latter pair made their way up the stairs. The mikumari’s eyes were wide with shock.

Ukyo’s eyes, on the other hand, narrowed in fury. “Katsushiro.” The younger man cringed, expecting a blow, but Ukyo turned away from him and wrenched open the cockpit door. “Akemi-chan, we have to make a detour to Kougakyo.”

His sister glared at him, pulling away from Kusano. “For what?”

Ukyo sighed and shook his head in disgust. “A pregnancy test for Shino-san…and a shotgun for me. I think Katsu-kun might need some…incentives.”

Akemi choked, rather spectacularly, on her own spit. When she regained her breath, she marched out of the cockpit, grabbed Katsushiro by the collar, and shook him hard, berating him in a voice that grew steadily louder with each shake. “You! You dog! You better grovel when Manzo-san finds out, or I swear to Benzaiten I’ll be using you for target practice! Is that PERFECTLY CLEAR?”

He nodded rapidly, fearing his teeth were about to be rattled out of his skull. She dropped him and marched back into the cockpit. “To Kougakyo it is, then.”

Safe in the bathroom of Jiro’s Drug and General Store, Shino stared at her pregnancy test. A tiny strip of paper, that was all it was. A tiny strip of paper that will determine my relationship with Katsushiro.

She had already taken it. She threw it into the trash bin on her way out.

Akemi was waiting on the other side of the door. Under her breath, she asked, “Well?”

Shino smiled nervously. “I…I’m pregnant…I think. It turned blue, so…”

The other girl patted her shoulder awkwardly. “Congratulations, I guess. Do you want me to make a doctor’s appointment for you?”

Shino gulped. “Umm…I don’t know. We have Kirara-san and Komachi-san…and the older women of the village. I’m—I’m sure I can manage.”

“If you say so.”

Kirara was sitting on an uncomfortable plastic chair next to the pharmaceuticals when the other girls rejoined her. “…How did it go, Shino-san?”

Shino blushed, feeling horribly guilty. I don’t like to do this, but… “I’m pregnant.”

Kirara’s eyes narrowed and she glared down the aisle to where Katsushiro and Ukyo stood. The younger man was turning red while Ukyo shook a finger in his face. She couldn’t hear their words, but guessed from the sign at the near end of the aisle that it had something to do with condoms. Shino followed her line of sight and blushed again. It was Akemi, though, who spoke.

“Katsu-kun should have followed my oniichan’s advice and bought those condoms the last time he was here.”

Shino decided it was time to change the subject. “Akemi-san, where did Kusano-san go?”

Akemi hung her head miserably. “Back home. He says he’ll write, and that I can stop by any time, but you know how guys are. They’ll forget anything if they aren’t reminded every five seconds. Which is why you should carve your wedding date into the wall of your new house.” (3.)

“…Are you going to get married?”

Shino flinched at the unexpected question. Kirara had not turned to look at her; she was still gazing down the aisle to where the men were paying for their purchases. Slowly, she repeated her question. “I said, are you going to get married? And if you are, is it because you love Katsushiro-sama, or just because he’s the father of your child?”

She fixed her gaze on the linoleum floor. “I love Katsushiro-san, and that is why I want to marry him. Not because…not because I’m pregnant.”

Kirara smiled faintly. “That’s a good reason.”

The next day, Ukyo prostrated himself before the village elder and Kaede, Kirara’s grandmother. “I want to marry Kirara.”

Gisaku snorted. “Does she want to marry you?”

From the shadows, Kirara spoke up. “Yes.”

Kaede beamed. “Then I wish you all the happiness in the world. Such a fine young man I will have for my grandson-in-law!”

Ukyo blushed from the unexpected praise and risked a glance upward to Gisaku. The old man was deep in thought.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity of silence, he spoke. “You’re terrible at farming, can barely lift a hammer without bringing it down on your foot, and your attempts at transplanting rice are better left unmentioned. But…now that we no longer need to fear the Nobuseri, we need someone who can trade our rice in Kougakyo and keep the books for us. Although it pains me to give our senior Mikumari away in marriage…I will give my permission.”

Ukyo grinned. Through the thin walls, those inside heard Akemi and Komachi cheering.

Everyone except Gisaku left; Ukyo nearly walked into Manzo, Shino and Katsushiro, who were on their way in. Manzo was glaring at the boy with thinly-disguised loathing, and Ukyo settled himself down next to Komachi to hear the conversation. “This should be…interesting.”

Kirara sighed. “Go ahead; indulge your passion for gossip. I will be helping Grandmother with dinner.” Underneath her breath, she added, “Honestly, you’re as bad as those girls sometimes.”

Ukyo somehow managed to arrange his features into an expression of mortal indignation. “Gossip? My dear Kirara, I merely wish to find out what Manzo-san has to say about his daughter’s circumstances—before anyone else, of course.”

As Kirara left, an explosion of inarticulate fury burst through the walls; evidently Katsushiro and Shino had managed to apprise her father of her condition.

A month later, with the wedding looming, Shino sat in Kirara’s house, drinking tea. Her hands trembled as she set the cup down, and Kirara’s eyes narrowed.

“Are you alright?”

Shino flinched. “Y-yes…I’m fine. Just a little nervous about my wedding.”

“But not the baby?”

Shino refused to meet her friend’s gaze. Kirara continued. “…You’re not really pregnant, are you? I thought it was strange when you wouldn’t let the midwife see you.”

The other girl shuddered violently. “Kirara-san…please. Please don’t tell anyone. I want to marry Katsushiro so badly! But you know how my father is. Unless there was something material, something truly important, he would never let me get married.”

Kirara nodded. If my future with Ukyo was at stake…I don’t know that I wouldn’t do the same thing. “I won’t tell anyone. But answer me this. Why did you keep a secret like that from Katsushiro? Don’t you trust him?”

Shino blushed. “Actually…he knows. I told him right after my father gave his permission for us to marry. He was a little upset, but he knows that it was the only way.”

The soon-to-be former water priestess smiled faintly. “I will take care of the rest of the villagers. Once the wedding is over—that’s in a week, right?—I will tell them you suffered a miscarriage. At this stage, they won’t be able to contradict me.”

A commotion outside drew their attention before Shino could thank her. They ran out into the street to find a group of burly men surrounding Gisaku, deep in conversation with him. Ukyo and Katsushiro were standing nearby; the older man looked infuriatingly smug. Kirara approached her fiancé suspiciously.

“What are you so happy about?”

Ukyo beamed. “Your betrothal gifts. These men are here from the capital to hook the village up with free electricity from the generators in Kougakyo. No more endlessly searching for firewood, or having to spend half of our profits from rice on oil for lamps. And when any of the lights burn out, they’ll send people to replace them.”

Kirara blushed brightly. “I…I don’t really know what to say. Thank you for arranging this.”

Ukyo pulled her into a tight hug. “I know you love this village. So do I. It seemed right for our betrothal gift to be a gift for the whole village.”

It was fall now. The few leaves that remained on the trees were red and gold and brown. In their new house—smaller than nearly all the others, but well-made and elegant—Ukyo was trying on the set of Kanna peasants’ clothes Kirara had made for him.

He stretched slowly. The cotton was slightly rough, but not unpleasantly so. The red trim on his jacket had a distinctly purplish cast, and he smiled at this. “Nice color.”

“It almost matches your eyes. How does it feel?”

Ukyo grinned and plunked himself down on the floor next to his fiancée. “Very comfortable. I feel kind of silly in the wrist bands, though.”

Kirara giggled. I have to admit, he does look rather silly with the arm- and legbands all the village men wear. “You can take them off after the ceremony. I’ll see you in a few hours—the other women in the village have to do the bride’s hair and clothes before the wedding.” And so she left.

Ukyo was alone. He flopped onto his back, staring up at the ceiling. We’ve come so far. It’s been over a year since the attack on Kanna. I’ve fought machine samurai, beaten Shimada Kanbei, gained favor with the Amanushi himself…and gained the love of the person who means the most to me in this world. And now I’m getting married. It doesn’t seem real. He pinched the skin on the back of his hand as hard as he could. It hurt. But I suppose it is.

To distract himself, he went over the guest list in his head. Kusano-kun, of course. Then Amami-sensei and Toshiki-sama…it’s too bad Kyoichi-kun can’t make it, but his girlfriend just had a baby. He smiled as he remembered the wedding gift his “brother” and his girlfriend had sent; a beautiful pendant of carved amber for Kirara. And all the villagers as well.

He rolled over on his side, staring at the rough planks that made up the walls. At first, he had offered to help, but Rikichi had refused to let him anywhere near the building, saying that they had enough men working on it. He knew the older man was right—he was woefully inept with any tool unless it pertained to guns—but it had still stung to be brushed off. He had to admit, however, that they had done a wonderful job. The house had been wired for electricity. The roof was watertight, and there was just enough room for the two of them and their things. They might have to add on to the house once the children came along, though.

He had been half-asleep before, but that thought startled him fully awake. Children? Me? He shuddered. Maybe in a few years, as long as we’re more careful than Katsu-kun and Shino were. I still can’t believe she miscarried like that…rather convenient that it happened barely two weeks after the wedding.

He shut his eyes. Maybe I’ll take just a little nap…

He was shaken awake by Katsushiro. “Come on, get up! The ceremony’s about to start.”

Ukyo leapt to his feet. “Aaagh! Where? Now? How’s my hair? Are my clothes wrinkled? Have the special guests arrived yet? Amami-sensei’s gonna kill me if I miss my own wedding…”

Katsushiro sighed. “Calm down. Kusano-san is with Akemi-sama, and Tatsuko-dono and Toshiki-sama are waiting in the village square with everyone else.”

Ukyo nearly knocked the young samurai over in his haste to be out the door.

Kirara stood in the center of the square, surrounded by the married women of the village as they fussed over her hair. She was so nervous she thought she might scream, and she found herself wishing she had Suigetsu at her side, just to let off some steam.

Ukyo stared at her. Everything else seemed to melt away, even sound; he was aware only of his own heart pounding. Kirara was beautiful. She wore a shining kimono of multiple shades of blue and gray, and the silver threads used for the embroidery rippled like water. Her hair had been done up in an elaborate style, held in place by metal pins and a carved wooden comb. All that paled in comparison, though, to the love he saw in her eyes. Love for him.

Suddenly, he felt horribly unworthy.

Before he could form a coherent thought, he was being shoved in her direction, and found himself walking over to stand by her side, in front of Kaede and a trembling Komachi. The new mikumari’s hands trembled as she poured a glass of sake for each of them. “If you swear to be true to each other throughout your lives, you may drink.”

Ukyo raised it to his lips and took a small sip before setting it down again. Kirara smiled at him before doing the same.

Komachi raised her voice slightly. “If you swear to never forsake one another, to guide each other throughout the twists and turns of life, you may drink.”

Another sip. Ukyo’s hands were trembling. In the crowd, he saw Tatsuko leaning against Toshiki’s shoulder and sighing wistfully.

“If you swear to honor the gods and your ancestors, you may drink.”

The last sip. Kirara gave a sigh of relief as she set the cup down.

The ceremony was over. Komachi looked at her sister anxiously as the crowd began to mingle. “Did I do okay?”

Kirara smiled at her before taking Ukyo’s hand. “Yes, you did wonderfully. You’ll make a great mikumari. Now come on, we’re the guests of honor.”

Ukyo pulled her closer, and she rested her head on his shoulder. He grinned as he asked, “Can’t we just skip the party?”

She poked him in the ribs. “It took two hours to get this kimono on, and it’s not coming off yet.”

He leaned down and kissed her, hard. She sighed happily. When they pulled away, she stared into his eyes. “You know, I love you very much.”

He felt a smile starting to form. “I love you too.”

And so, hand in hand, they went to their wedding party.

Author’s Notes

1. Traditional betrothal gifts include a fan, dried cuttlefish and bonito, and money. Also (and this is the expensive part) an obi and hakama. The villagers of Kanna aren’t exactly wealthy enough to afford those.

2. Since Satoru is his friend, Ukyo did offer to help him build his house, but it didn’t end well. Mainly because Ukyo’s skill with machinery only extends to guns.

3. Ukyo probably wouldn’t forget his own wedding date, but Kirara actually followed Akemi’s advice anyway. Not only did she carve the date into the wall of their bedroom, she wrote it on a sheet of rice paper and tacked it above the stove.

Next Chapter

There is no next chapter. I hope all of you who have stayed with me this far will have enjoyed your reading! Reviews, comments, and/or cookies are always appreciated.