A Promise Left Behind
Chapter 5: Last Debts
Part 1: On his own
The sun rose on the horizon, and the first thing it saw was the small castle, solidly built at the edge of the precipice. A cold mist ruled the air, and only by afternoon the weather would be a little more pleasant, but there was already movement in the yard. As lonely as the fortress in that landscape, Ichimaru practiced with the sword, his hands freezing at the steel handle.
"You woke up early."
He turned around to face Kumari, smiling.
"I just thought I could use some exercise before leaving. Thanks." He accepted the hot tea cup his friend had brought.
"You've been training hard. Wanting to impress your father when you're back?"
"It's not just me who should be worrying about causing a good impression on the big dog."
Kumari looked away, annoyed.
"Did you at least learn something about the sword?"
"She's quite easy to handle, once you catch the way. Oda's lessons and the practices with you were no waste of time, too. I still don't know what does she really do, but I think I'm getting close", he said, sitting next to Kumari. "And don't change subjects. Do you know what are you going to say to Sazume once we're there?"
The bear demon breathed in deeply, his eyes over the walls, waiting for the first sunbeam to touch the yard. Slowly, the morning mist was beginning to fade away.
"I was angry because of the deal with Mikami. I hoped she would trust me to talk about that. Anyway, it wasn't right yelling at her the way I did. She deserves my apologies.
"Ever stopped to think that it's not what she's expecting you to ask?" Ichimaru wondered, but then saw Soji running through the yard to them. "At least think about what we've talked, okay?" he whispered before the boy arrived.
"Here you go, Ichimaru-san." He delivered him a small package. "Are you sure about this? A whole month away, alone? This food isn't going to last that long."
"It won't last a day, the way he eats", the bear demon said. "Winter is being harsh this year, again. It'll be a while before it gets warmer."
"Until the season is over, it'll already be Sazume's birthday. And you bet my dad will have a lot of work waiting for me."
"Fair enough." Kumari laughed. "So what are going to do?"
"I don't know. Explore. Run through the land, spend the nights in the woods. It might be my last chance to wander around without worries."
"Enjoy it. Just don't forget to be back in a month, or we'll be late."
"Relax." Ichimaru stood up, and Kumari did the same. "By the way, be a nice man, buy her a real gift this time, instead of taking something out of the family's chest."
"I'll think of something."
Soji kept watching as the dog demon hanged the sword at his belt.
"What's with that face? I'll be back in a month."
"Yeah, but then you'll go home", the boy said.
"I'll come to visit you often, I promise. Don't think you'll get rid of me that easily."
"I wish…" the bear demon mumbled.
"Until then, take care of lord Kumari for me, okay?" He messed up the boy's hair. Soji hadn't had a decent haircut lately, maybe hoping to look like Ichimaru. "Now, go take care of your chores."
The two demons watched him running back to the castle.
"He'll miss you, you know?"
"I'll miss you too, short hair." Ichimaru made Kumari laugh. "Thanks for everything. Really."
"Yeah, it wasn't that bad having you here."
He was already walking away when, in an impulse, the dog demon hugged him. Before he knew how to react, Ichimaru had already stepped back; with a smile, a pat on the shoulder and no word, he walked to the gates. The young lord stood still at the center of the yard. Sometimes, it was hard for him to understand what went on his friend's mind, but not that time. He smiled discreetly and caught himself wishing that one month would go by quickly.
Outside of the fortress, Ichimaru looked back, gazing at the sun as it raised behind the main tower. Surprisingly, he felt the same way as the time when he left his home, the year before. He wanted to go back, but couldn't stop thinking that, from now on, that feeling would never leave him.
