[shina]
by onkoona
A Lady's Request (The Edo files, part 4)
Sai had his head craned to be able to read the harmonica book that had been spread out and hung up quite high, not unlike a serpentine party decoration, in his little room. It really wasn't a very interesting book, and its location didn't help any, but he'd read all the others, most of them twice, so it was the only new thing available.
He reminded himself to ask Torajiro to hang up some more when, as if on cue, the door slid open.
Only it wasn't Torajiro coming through the door, but the lady Tachibana. Sai quickly leapt aside. It wasn't that he was worried the woman might touch him; she could not, but the Heian ghost hated it when people passed through him; it always made him shudder.
The lady could not see him, of course, and Sai peered around her to try and see what she was carrying.
It was a small altar, with a bronze Buddha sitting in lotus position, eyes closed, smiling, his right hand open in his lap and the left held up as if imparting wisdom.
Lady Tachibana kneeled near the only alcove in the room, setting the altar to the side. She then proceeded to move the tall piles of books off the alcove shelf and stacked them neatly against the wall on either side of the alcove.
She very carefully placed the altar on the shelf, rearranging the various items on it to her specifications. It was only now that Sai could see what else was on the altar; an incense burner, a saucer of rice, some name-papers with family names that belonged to her family, as was expected. But what was not expected was the presence of a stiff sitting doll dressed in an almost exact replica of Sai's own clothing, eboshi hat included. It sat right at the foot of the Buddha. As a final touch she lit the incense
Once she was finished, she sat back on her heels, and clasping her hands together, she bowed and started chanting prayers almost silently.
In deference, Sai sat behind her in silence, head up, back straight, with his fan held closed in his right hand, where it lay with his left in his lap. He let his mind drift a bit on the rhythmic sounds of the traditional chants, keeping it empty of any specific thoughts
Sai was startled out of his almost serene state when lady Tachibana started talking out load, saying his name.
"Oh, Fujiwara-sama. Oh, most honoured and ancient kami who protects my husband and who brings wealth and fame to our household." She bowed.
"Oh, ancestor," she hesitated. "Please, continue to smile upon my husband and," she hesitated again. "Please, don't take him away from me!"
She bowed again and sat still for a few moments before getting up, tapping the incense off and leaving.
Sai sat for a while longer, contemplating what had happened
The next day Sai was less surprised the lady Tachibana entered his closet-room.
As she sat in front of the altar, it was she who was surprised; a note sat in the Buddha's reclining hand. It was addressed to her and she took it from the Buddha and read it.
Sai had no need to read it over her shoulder; he knew exactly what it said, as he had dictated the words to Torajiro earlier that day.
I would never do that, is what it said.
And Sai meant it too. Torajiro was, unlike Sai, alive, and even without the generosity the young man had shown in letting Sai play to his heart's content, he was more than worthy of a happy life. And Sai had seen Torajiro happy with this woman, who was determined not to come between her husband and his ghost.
So he felt it no more than fair to not come between husband and wife.
A Lady's Request (The Edo files, part 4)
Sai had his head craned to be able to read the harmonica book that had been spread out and hung up quite high, not unlike a serpentine party decoration, in his little room. It really wasn't a very interesting book, and its location didn't help any, but he'd read all the others, most of them twice, so it was the only new thing available.
He reminded himself to ask Torajiro to hang up some more when, as if on cue, the door slid open.
Only it wasn't Torajiro coming through the door, but the lady Tachibana. Sai quickly leapt aside. It wasn't that he was worried the woman might touch him; she could not, but the Heian ghost hated it when people passed through him; it always made him shudder.
The lady could not see him, of course, and Sai peered around her to try and see what she was carrying.
It was a small altar, with a bronze Buddha sitting in lotus position, eyes closed, smiling, his right hand open in his lap and the left held up as if imparting wisdom.
Lady Tachibana kneeled near the only alcove in the room, setting the altar to the side. She then proceeded to move the tall piles of books off the alcove shelf and stacked them neatly against the wall on either side of the alcove.
She very carefully placed the altar on the shelf, rearranging the various items on it to her specifications. It was only now that Sai could see what else was on the altar; an incense burner, a saucer of rice, some name-papers with family names that belonged to her family, as was expected. But what was not expected was the presence of a stiff sitting doll dressed in an almost exact replica of Sai's own clothing, eboshi hat included. It sat right at the foot of the Buddha. As a final touch she lit the incense
Once she was finished, she sat back on her heels, and clasping her hands together, she bowed and started chanting prayers almost silently.
In deference, Sai sat behind her in silence, head up, back straight, with his fan held closed in his right hand, where it lay with his left in his lap. He let his mind drift a bit on the rhythmic sounds of the traditional chants, keeping it empty of any specific thoughts
Sai was startled out of his almost serene state when lady Tachibana started talking out load, saying his name.
"Oh, Fujiwara-sama. Oh, most honoured and ancient kami who protects my husband and who brings wealth and fame to our household." She bowed.
"Oh, ancestor," she hesitated. "Please, continue to smile upon my husband and," she hesitated again. "Please, don't take him away from me!"
She bowed again and sat still for a few moments before getting up, tapping the incense off and leaving.
Sai sat for a while longer, contemplating what had happened
The next day Sai was less surprised the lady Tachibana entered his closet-room.
As she sat in front of the altar, it was she who was surprised; a note sat in the Buddha's reclining hand. It was addressed to her and she took it from the Buddha and read it.
Sai had no need to read it over her shoulder; he knew exactly what it said, as he had dictated the words to Torajiro earlier that day.
I would never do that, is what it said.
And Sai meant it too. Torajiro was, unlike Sai, alive, and even without the generosity the young man had shown in letting Sai play to his heart's content, he was more than worthy of a happy life. And Sai had seen Torajiro happy with this woman, who was determined not to come between her husband and his ghost.
So he felt it no more than fair to not come between husband and wife.