Honourable

Her cheeks were touched pink in the morning sun, and she held a hand close to her chest over the brightly coloured kimono she wore. Standing knee-deep in grass in the outer fields of the village, she felt the once calming wind draw back the loose ends of her hair beside her face. They used to be held back with a bit more firmness, but she had allowed the ribbon to slacken gradually. Her long dark brown hair was weightless whereas her heart felt heavy.1

This field was ghostly to her despite the warmth of the summer day. It used to bring her so much pleasure to stroll among the swaying daisies. Carefree as her life had used to be. The blue sky was pale to her eye, alike to her skin. In the sunlight it seemed flawless. She was pretty, but would have been prettier still if she had been smiling. But she felt as if she had forgotten how...2

"Kyota."3

The voice called out, sounding so distant. But not distant enough for it to be distorted. But she thought even if that voice was 500 miles away she would still have been able to recognize it.4

Reluctantly, she turned around, her eyes taking a while to focus on the person who had spoken because of her drifting hold on the present. She hadn't been wrong.5

It was him. 6

He looked...7

She took a moment to take in the sight of him in his formal clothes... it was all in white. Like the daisies around them. 8

It was he who taught the sun how to shine as it did.9

The wind blew their surrounds to the west briefly, just playing at the ends of their clothes and hair. His eyes held a small something in them as he regarded her with an almost sadness to life. There didn't seem to be a need for speeches now... Her brown eyes shined. His blue ones looked almost clouded, but at the same time they seemed ever clear.10

"Not long until she comes," he said with an undertone of regret.11

She used to love the sound of his voice. Now listening to him felt like torture on her already tortured soul. She knew who he meant.12

The one... she had met her, she knew. She was beautiful. Brown eyes much like her own, and long black hair halfway down her back. She had a perfect complexion. She was shy, but polite and charming. Even she herself couldn't help liking her... she was indeed a good choice for him.13

He was waiting for her to say something.14

"You look..." she said quietly, her voice barely louder than the wind itself.15

He waited for an answer. A link of something. A sign.16

She looked at his eyes directly, standing in silence. She made the most of the moment. It wouldn't be like this again.17

"Honourable..."18

She felt sick and she closed her mouth to stop herself from choking. His eyes held a look of disappointment as she finished. He looked away, into the wind. She turned to face the same direction, pressing her hands together to stop them from shaking. She felt numb.19

"Thankyou," he said with his head down.20

He looked back at her with the faintest hint of longing. She longed to say many things, to run into his arms and fall upon him. She felt as if she was fighting a battle just to stay standing, and yet she was in perfect health. But she said nothing.21

She dropped his gaze, and the small hope in his eyes vanished. 22

He looked away and turned around, facing his back to her. 23

"..Thankyou..." he said quietly, standing one last time with her. 24

She didn't trust herself to speak as he slowly moved away from her. She turned herself to face his back as he walked away, not looking back. His walk was one of a defeated man. 25

Her resolve was failing.26

She turned back to face the outer path of the hill, the grass tops swaying. She stood still and tried to relax her jaw. She wasn't tensed, and yet she felt stiff all over, as if she had overworked every muscle in her body. As if she had been riding in full armour for five days straight.27

She tried to stay still, not wanting to move in fear of breaking down. She stared blankly into the distance as the sky turned from blue gradually to orangey red. She didn't let herself do anything. 28

She didn't know for how long she stood there...29

The sun fell to come level with her gaze. The bright ball of firey light blinded her vision, she made no move to shield her gaze. 30

The church bells rang out into the air from a distance. They were carried to her by the wind.31

She crumbled.32

She still stood unmoving, but as soon as the wedding bells rang, she died inside. Her heart shattered. There was no more life for her. There was no light.33

The sun reached its zenith ahead. It sank down, as did her broken heart.34

A tear slipped down her face as the sun disappeaered below the horizon.