Kaname"s eyes were huge like saucers, reminding me of an old cartoon I used to watch. When I was researching about my birthday destination, I stumbled upon an article about what couples were like in j.a.pan both in the olden days and modern times. It seemed that they were not very showy and vocal about their affections. Sure, he can be very flirty and may tend to act cute to "calm me down" but at the end of the day, the shogun is still not used to hearing terms of endearment."Anata," I whispered again. "My body aches."
His face immediately transformed into a worried one. "D-does it still hurt? Forgive me for being so rough last night," he patted several parts of my body in his anxiety.
"Yes, you were so rough," I pouted prettily then pointed at the chest of drawers on our left. "You even took me on the dresser."
He opened his mouth and closed it again, then he grinned impishly. "But I remember how much you loved it," he toyed with a few strands of my hair. "You even asked me to go deeper and faster."
I lowered my lashes demurely, I knew he was going to say that. I didn"t tell him that my visit at the practice hall was also to blame. He lifted my chin, forcing me to look at him. "That was the best night of my life, did you know that?"
The intensity of his gaze told me he was not lying. "I feel the same," I confessed.
"My beloved wife," he kissed my forehead. "Please stop looking at me like that, I am weak when it comes to you."
"Huh?" I was bewildered.
"You"ve driven me mad from hunger these past few months, now that I"ve tasted you I can barely contain my desire to have you again."
I laughed, "Anata, you are insatiable."
"Call me that again," he kissed my lips.
"Anata," I complied. "Anata…"
He groaned as his lips traveled to my neck down to my collarbone. "Wife, is it really not possible?" there was a hint of begging in his tone.
"I really am sore," I was as disappointed as he was.
He sighed and stopped himself from opening my robe and going lower. "Will this happen after every encounter we have?" he asked but it was more to himself. He sat at the edge of the futon. "If it will, then I definitely will go crazy."
"I don"t think so, I think this is because it"s been a while for me," I hugged him from behind. "Although there are other ways I can satisfy your need."
He turned his head slightly, revealing his profile. "Nothing feels better than being inside of you. I"ve decided to wait it out."
"Are you sure?" I untied the sash of his robe to run my hands on his muscular core. His muscles tightened when my fingernails drew circles on his abdomen.
~~~
Kaname was redoing the knot of my sash when I remembered that I haven"t given him my little gift. There was a satisfied smile on his face; despite saying that he was willing to wait, he still surrendered to my advances and we ended up quenching each other"s thirst. I stood and went to retrieve the silk-lined box from my backpack. He eyed the box curiously as I sashayed back to where he was. I knelt before him and offered him the box.
"What is this?" he asked as he took it from my hands.
"Open it," I smiled in antic.i.p.ation. I couldn"t wait to see his reaction although I was feeling slightly nervous.
He did as was told and took the dagger with an intricate hilt. His fingers traced the dragon head as he examined its craftsmanship. "This is wonderfully made. It"s st.u.r.dy but lightweight," he remarked.
"Do you like it?" I asked.
"It"s beautiful," he nodded. "Where did you get this?"
"I bought it when the merchants visited the gate," I took my own dagger and showed it to him. "It actually has a pair."
"What else did you buy?" I tilted his head to the side.
"These were the only things I bought," I told him. "The baubles and silk garments didn"t interest me."
"Oh?"
"Yes," I lowered my head before continuing timidly. "I… I actually bought this while thinking of you."
He took me in his arms while chuckling happily. "My wife, you continue to surprise me."
"You don"t think I"m weird or something?" I hid my face on his chest.
"No," he a.s.sured me. "I adore your uniqueness. You are the only person aside from mother who bought me something because she thought of me. People usually gift me things because they want to curry favor from me."
I returned his hugged and inhaled his scent. He smelled like sandalwood and something else I couldn"t name. I didn"t know how to reply to his words so I just let my embrace do the communicating for me.
"This reminds me, when is the anniversary of your birth?" he ran his fingers on my hair.
"I was born on the seventeenth day of the eleventh month," I replied. "I celebrated my thirtieth birthday before I came here."
"Hina," he broke our embrace. "Your birthday was yesterday?"
I shook my head. "Isn"t it already December, err, I mean the twelfth month?"
"No," he said. "It is still the eleventh month. To be exact, today is the eighteenth day of the eleventh month of Mizunoe Saru Genki 3[1]."
"I arrived here months earlier?" I thought to myself. "This explains why it hasn"t snowed yet."
"What else?" he prompted impatiently.
"I celebrated my thirtieth birthday again?" I replied stupidly. "Where was he going with this?"
"My early homecoming meant that I spent your special day with you," he looked so happy. "My beloved wife, I was here on your birthday. No wonder I was so h.e.l.l-bent on returning a day early, it must be fate"s way of telling me that I shouldn"t miss a special occasion."
The shogun knows how to be romantic! I buried my face on his chest and hugged him tight. "Anata, I feel ridiculously happy for some reason."
"I"m happy, too," he rested his chin at the top of my head. "Very happy."
~~~
I stirred and rolled to my side to find the s.p.a.ce beside me empty. Frowning, I sat up to find myself the only person in the room. I got up gingerly and was about to slide the door to the parlor open when I heard the hushed voices on the other side.
"Are you certain?" Kaname asked someone. "I just want to make sure."
"Yes, my lord. I am certain," came Ryuko-san"s voice. "Lady Hinata just had her monthly cycle. There is an enormous possibility that she will conceive from your oneness."
"I see," he sounded very pleased. "I just have one more question."
"What is it, my lord?"
"Is her grumpiness this morning a sign that I was able to impregnate her?"
"My lord, it is still too early to tell. We can only be sure if she is carrying your child in a month, two at most."
-------------------------------------------------
[1] Year 1572. The j.a.panese have a different calendar and time system. For a more detailed explanation, please visit sengokudaimyo.com/miscellany/calendar