The procession advanced slowly through town while the four guards who held the palanquin were changed every hour. They reached the edge of town at sunset, and the river looked like a flaming, fluttering ribbon in the orange-hued sky. The palanquin was set on a stage on the riverbank, giving the opportunity for the rest of the public to pay their respects.
A group of people stood near it, giving out chōchin. A huge pile of paper lanterns was stacked beside them. Ciara stood in line with Katsuo to receive one, hoping her ugly lantern wouldn’t make it here.
Alas, she was surprised when she saw Katsuo picking up one from the ground. It was hidden underneath the pile of lanterns. And it was the ugliest she’d ever seen. Even so, she immediately recognized it. Her eyes widened.
“Milord, please have this one,” the man next to Katsuo said, offering him a perfect one. “This one’s better. That one was made by an amateur.”
“I like it,” Katsuo insisted.
“A-are you sure, Milord?” the man asked, sweating under the piercing gaze of his daimyō.
“It’s all right,” Ciara spoke up and offered the perfect lantern in her hands. “Let’s switch.”
“There’s no need. This is perfect in its imperfection. Natural.”
“You say the sweetest things,” Ciara said, snaking her free hand around Katsuo’s arm.
“What are you talking about?” he asked, heading for the next group of people, in charge of lighting the lanterns.
“You know, what he said was true. It was made by an amateur.”
“I can see the care with which it was created. I like it.”
Ciara gently squeezed his arm.
“I’m happy you do.”
Her comment left Katsuo puzzled, but she didn’t elaborate. Soon, the sun was completely set, and the riverbank was full of blinking little flames. If one saw it from a distance, they might mistake it for a field of fireflies.
“What happens next?” Ciara asked, excited.
“Takeru arrives and lets the serpent back to the river.”
“It came from the river?”
“It didn’t. It’s just a symbol since Benten is primarily a water goddess.”
“Ah, I see.” Ciara nodded. “Basically, the serpent symbolizes the goddess, and when you let it into the river, the goddess returns to her usual place. Is that how it is?”
Katsuo looked surprised for a moment.
“You’ve grasped that quite well for a Westerner.”
“I’m going to take that as a compliment.”
“It was,” he replied, turning toward the stage. “Look, there’s Takeru.”
Just as he said, Takeru carefully retrieved the white snake from the silky pillow in the mini palanquin and slowly walked toward the river. Everybody fell in reverent silence as he walked amongst them with the representative of the deity in his arms. Katsuo was the first to move, and the crowd parted before him. Ciara followed him as they lined up behind Takeru.
One by one, people quietly joined the procession. Katsuo stopped a few feet behind his little brother as Takeru lowered the white serpent to where soil and water met.
“Thank you for your blessings, beloved Benten,” he murmured as the snake slithered out of his hands and into the river.
He straightened and faced his brother who nodded in approval, making Takeru beam with pride. Katsuo walked over to the river with Ciara by his side. A couple of people stood to the side and lit the small candles installed in the lanterns. As Katsuo gently put his on the water, Ciara copied him. The chōchins swayed slightly as they journeyed down the river.
Soon, several other lanterns joined in, and the river became an orange ribbon in the dark night, celebrating the goddess Benten.
“How did you like the festivities?” Yuki asked as she suddenly appeared next to them.
“Today was amazing!” Ciara exclaimed happily.
“Well, there’s still a dance and feast waiting for everyone. Make sure you enjoy tonight.”
“Thank you, Yuki. You too.”
Yuki had a sad smile on her lips.
“I’m afraid I need to depart,” she said. She looked up at Katsuo apologetically. “But I’ll try to make it back to your wedding day. When will it be?”
“In a fortnight.”
“Oh, I might be late, then,” Yuki’s expression fell at the news.
“We are happy to have you here whenever,” Ciara quickly jumped in. “Right, Katsuo?”
“Indeed.”
“You take care of each other,” Yuki told them. “And Ciara?”
“Yes?”
“Be careful, darling. The sun might darken but only for a moment.”
“Okay?” Ciara looked at her, puzzled. Yuki smiled and waved goodbye. “Take care, Yuki!”
She quickly disappeared among the celebrating crowd.
“Well, that was cryptic,” Ciara commented on Yuki’s last words.
“She does that.” Katsuo chuckled. “You’ll get used to it.”
Will I? Will I stay long enough to get used to it? Ciara silently wondered, not for the first time. She could definitely get used to waking up in Katsuo’s arms each day. But what of her family? Her life in the modern days? If she were to stay, both of them would need to agree it was permanent. Right now, this arrangement was only for two more weeks.
“What’s weighing on your mind?” Katsuo asked as he moved closer and put his hand on her waist, half-embracing her.
Ciara shook her head. She didn’t want to ruin this perfectly nice evening with her worries.
“Let’s see what they have for dinner!”
***
Unfortunately, they couldn’t be alone for long. Someone always needed to exchange a few words with Katsuo. Ciara drifted away a few stalls down. She was debating over the fried octopus balls.
Katsuo was just about to catch up with her when Orihime flitted into his path unexpectedly. She was dressed in a plain, pink kimono. Katsuo took a second glance at her attire.
“Good evening, Orihime-dono,” he greeted politely.
“Good evening, Katsuo-sama. I see you’ve taken a liking to my kimono,” she twirled around, her hand gracefully resting on her shoulder as she faced him. “I thought to mingle with the common folk.”
“And how has your experience been so far?”
“Why, splendid! It’s fun here.”
“I’m happy you like the festival.”
“Is it every year?”
“Indeed. Why?”
“Oh, nothing, I was just thinking how wonderful it would be to attend from now on,” she mused out loud, sneaking a glance at Katsuo from the corner of her eye.
Katsuo groaned inwardly. Anything, but that! he thought, forcing a neutral expression on his face, lest he offend Orihime. Too bad she was the daughter of a close ally, otherwise she would’ve already been sent back to her father. As things stood, that version still offered a solution.
“If you’ll excuse me—”
“Oh, look! Dango, my favorites!” She hooked her arm into Katsuo’s and dragged him with her to the nearest vendor. “What flavors do you have?”
Katsuo tried to retrieve his arm, but Orihime didn’t let go.
“Milord, would you like something, too?” The dango man asked. There went his incognito.
“Thank you, I’ll take two,” he said, thinking of Ciara.
“Why, thank you, Katsuo-sama,” Orihime grinned, taking one of the sticks with three dangos on them. At least she let go of his arm.
Katsuo froze for a moment at the face of such audacity. Orihime used this chance to bite into the dango, leaving Katsuo with no choice but to acquire another portion for Ciara. He had just about enough of Orihime for that night.
“How peculiar…” Orihime murmured. “These foreigners, that is.”
“What are you talking about?” Katsuo followed her gaze and saw Ciara talking to a vendor and a couple of other men standing in a semi-circle around her, speaking with her.
“She’s engaged and still flirts with men. Tsk, tsk. I wonder if it’s normal from whence she came,” Orihime said, throwing away her half-eaten dangos. “If I were engaged to a man of your caliber, I’d never do such a thing.”
“Enough.”
“I’m sorry?” Orihime blinked up at him innocently.
“Have a pleasant night, Orihime-dono,” Katsuo said, leaving her promptly.