Akayuki (Red Snow) Chapter 4

Warning: The following contains strong language and violence. Reader discretion is advised.

Author’s Note: This was written separately from the other chapters so excuse the inconsistencies. The story is the same, regardless.

Disclaimer: The following is a work of fan fiction. It is intended for entertainment purposes only. Any resemblance to actual persons living or deceased is purely coincidental. 

~o~

The masked ronin struck again.

The guards return the body to the main house. 

The head is inside a burlap bag. The bag drips and leaves a trail of blood on the tatami mats.

One of my maids cries out in fright behind me. Another dashes out the open door. I hear her being ill in the silence. 

I can taste my own breakfast against the back of my throat but I swallow it down and give the order.

“Inform the family and bury the body.”

I watch more blood drip from the bottom of the burlap bag and…

…bite my bottom lip to keep from laughing. ‘Cause this is funny shit.

“I want this ronin captured and brought before me,” I order the guards. “Captured alive. I want his story before I decide on a punishment.”

“He killed one of our family.”

I glare at the dissenter and he shuts up. He has the decency to keep his head bowed for the remainder of this meeting. 

“I assure you, the ronin will be punished. I need him brought before me in order to do it, so, go find him.”

As it turns out, the ronin came to me on his own free will. 

He arrived minutes before midnight, wearing a white devil's face mask with black horns protruding from the head. The mask's long black hair swayed in the breeze stealing in from the open balcony door.

The ronin wore a dark blue yukata with black flames licking up his legs. 

He did not speak as he stepped into my bedroom. He moved like a shadow of a cloud over a full moon, the silver of his katana blade lighting the way, although as he drew closer I saw the red blood dripping off the steel.

I stared defiantly up at him, unable to move from my spot on the futon. My katana lay sheathed by my right side but I didn't think this ronin would allow me to pick it up.

He exuded blood lust and I shivered with fear and anticipation as I awaited his next move. 

He made no move. Though I could not see his eyes underneath the mask, I felt his gaze penetrating me.

“You have come to kill me, ronin,” I say in a voice hoarse with fear and defiance. “Go ahead. Kill me. I'm a crippled woman. I'm no match for you. So, go on. Do it!”

He takes a step toward me. 

I can’t restrain the flinch but I refuse to burst into tears or beg for my life.

“Will you destroy Blue Moon after you finish me?” I ask him. “I heard you have slaughtered quite a few of their number…to my great pleasure.”

I'm smirking. 

The blood continues to drip off his katana.

He takes another step towards me. He's now standing at the very edge of my futon.

He lifts his katana and points the bloody tip level with my face.

I keep my attention on his mask. The weapon, after all, cannot be bargained with. It obeys the will of the one wielding it.

I stare at him.

“Go ahead,” I tell him. “Send me to join my parents, sister, and niece. All the people I loved who he murdered and left me alive to mourn in this ruined body. Go on. Do it. DO IT!”

The ronin raises the katana and I utter a quick prayer in my mind before…

…the door behind me slides open and my maid calls my name. 

“Nica-sama.”

“Don’t come in here!” I order her. “Run away!”

Too late. 

The ronin disappears from in front of me and seconds later I hear my maid scream. I close my eyes as her blood splashes the wall and floor behind me. The scent makes me gag.

“Guards!” I shout but it's too late. The ronin is gone.

The elders insist I have a bodyguard by my side, twenty-four-seven. Two guards are stationed outside my bedroom. I am not allowed to leave the main house until the masked ronin is arrested.

The elders ignore my “capture him alive” order. They want the ronin’s head.

As for Blue Moon, their representative issues a similar proclamation. Whoever delivers the masked ronin's head to the Blue Moon’s leader will be awarded a year’s wage plus three sacks of rice.

The citizens scramble to arm themselves with chef's knives, axes, and hand-held scythes. I see from my balcony one old man wielding a wooden practice sword. 

Michael brings in my afternoon tea as I watch the spectacle.

“Thank you,” I tell him.

He sets a plate of dango by the tea tray. 

I pick up my tea, gently blowing on it before taking a sip. The tea is warm, fragrant, bringing to mind fallen autumn leaves. The dango is especially delicious, sprinkled with cinnamon and drizzled with honey.

Michael sits by the balcony door playing bodyguard. 

I finish the dango except for one. I offer this one to Michael, who refuses with a single shake of his head. I pop the dango into my mouth and eat it as intended, otherwise I will be lectured by Mixter for wasting food.

Michael collects the plate and tea tray when I am done. He passes them to Ren, who is waiting by my bedroom door. I'm still seated on the balcony but I can see her batting her eyelashes at Michael. I stifle a laugh while clenching my right hand into a fist. The nerve of the little…

Michael returns and picks me up. I don't bother to protest. I am fortunate the elders have allowed me to sit outside for a few minutes every day.

“I hate the masked ronin,” I grumble as Michael sets me on the futon.

He stretches my useless legs out on the mattress before pulling the covers over them.

“Michael.” He looks up at me. “Promise me you won't go after the masked ronin.”

He nods once before pulling the covers up to my waist. He puts his hands on my shoulders and our eyes meet for the second time in so many seconds.

I can see what Ren finds so appealing about him. His face is deceivingly angelic. He is a grown man, yes, with a boy's naive mentality. It is the look he gets in his right eye–the working eye…he has an evil contained inside him…it bothers me. I don't say so but it does.

I lay down as commanded and he tucks me in. 

“You will stay, won't you?” I ask. “While I sleep?”

Michael nods then rises from my bedside. He closes the balcony door then takes a seat in front of them. He removes the sheathed katana tucked into his belt and lays it before him. 

“All prepared,” I comment with a smile. 

Michael says nothing. He sits and watches me.

I close my eyes, prepared to lie awake for an hour, but I doze off in no more than five minutes. 

I dream the masked ronin is before me once again. This time he sheathes his katana and removes his mask. He's Michael. 

I awake with a gasp. Michael has moved from his spot in front of the balcony door to my bedside once again. He has a scroll in his right hand. The scroll is tied with red and green ribbons. 

I rise into a sitting position, throw back the bed covers, and take the scroll from him.

Nica-Chucky, 

This masked ronin everyone is out for…I received a letter from a doctor in Haddonfield. He wants to talk to you. Come to my house in six days. Don't bring your bodyguard. Use Jake or Devon. I'll handle the elders. 

F