But he didn’t pull back – instead, he touched the scar and ran over it.
«Your scar… it doesn’t make you ugly or less attractive, Nakano. It shows how bravely you fought.» He whispered and leaned in to kiss Kara again.
Itsuki had a lot of scars as well, but Kara didn’t ask – only ran her fingers over some of them, feeling the texture and getting an idea how deep a wound could have been to leave such a scar. One of the scars ran across his chest and looked like someone slashed him with a katana.
«An assassin.» Itsuki said, glancing at that scar and Kara smiled.
«Looks like he knew nothing about killing if he left you alive.» She said.
«I was faster.» The man replied with a smirk. «Though, suffered a wound, I still saved my shogun from being killed.»
«And this one?» Kara touched a dark round scar on his side. «Looks like a round spear?»
«That was a demon’s horn. About a year ago…»
Kara embraced him, feeling his back, covered in more scars.
«Claws?» she asked, caressing the lines.
«Yes, three demons surrounded me and knocked me to the ground.» Itsuki ran his fingers down her arm and gently took her wrist. «Your scars are more subtle and hidden.»
Kara looked away, understanding what scar he was referring to. But the man caressed her cheek and turned her to face him again.
«That particular scar is a sign of my weakness.» She said and her voice gave out her pain. «I covered it so that I won’t have to see it anymore.»
«What happened?»
Kara tried to keep her eyes from tearing up.
«I tried to take my own life.» She whispered. «A very long time ago.»
«Why?» Itsuki sounded hurt by what he heard.
«For many reasons. I felt… all alone in a world full of people. I felt betrayed and broken, and tired of fighting everyone and everything. And I felt so much pain, that I simply wanted it to stop…» Kara felt a lonely tear run down her cheek. «I was a coward.»
Itsuki pressed his forehead against hers and sighed.
«I am glad that you survived.» He said.
«I’m not sure what happened then… I took the sharpest knife… and I ran its blade over my skin many times.» Kara looked at the scar, hidden by the intricate tattoos. «But it didn’t… cut. It took all my strength to force it in… and the cut closed within moments. It left a scar, but… it was as if someone denied me the death I was looking for that night. And a week later I made this tattoo…»
She showed at the Latin phrase «Gods favour the strong’.
Itsuki embraced her tightly, and she lay there in his arms, feeling vulnerable, but protected – something she hadn’t felt before.
«It still pains me to remember that moment of weakness…» she whispered.
«Admitting your weakness is brave. And you haven’t tried again, so that says more about you than that single night.» The man kissed her gently. «I am grateful for all the gods that have watched over you and didn’t let you take your life. They must have known you will be needed elsewhere later.»
Kara smiled faintly, and looked into Itsuki’s eyes. His gaze was warm, soft and caring, and he was genuinely happy to see her beside him. He smiled and kissed her once more.
«I am glad the gods brought you to me, Nakano. Because you are a magnificent woman!» he said with a smile.
«I just hope I am good enough for you…» Kara whispered.
Itsuki shook his head with a smirk:
«I’m afraid, it’s the other way around. I’m not sure I can be good enough for you, my deadly flower.»
A little confused, Kara giggled:
«Deadly flower? That’s an interesting way to call me.»
«You are as beautiful as a flower, and yet deadly, as the weapons in your hands, so… how else am I to call you?» Itsuki smiled back.
5
* * *
When the morning came, Kara woke up with a feeling that all that happened was a dream. But it wasn’t – Itsuki was there, next to her, lying in a tumbled bed and with a faint smile on his lips. It was so sweet to see him like this, and Kara reached out and gently touched his face, caressing his cheek.
He groaned though his sleep and opened his eyes.
«Hi.» Kara smiled at him and he pulled her closer, as if not wishing to let her go.
They could stay like that all morning, but someone knocked at the door – very faintly, but quite persistently.
Itsuki growled, burying his face in Kara’s neck.
«Who is it?» Kara decided to reply, since it was, after all, her room.
«I beg your forgiveness, Nakano. Lord Ryuu is asking for you and Master Itsuki to attend an urgent war meeting.» She heard a servant’s voice.
«Thank you.»
Itsuki sat up, looking puzzled.
«An urgent meeting…» he whispered under his breath.
«We shouldn’t keep our Lord waiting.» Kara jumped to her feet and stretched, before dressing up. Within two minutes she was ready to go, as was Itsuki.
He grabbed a couple of mochi to have a snack on their way.
«Why do I have a bad feeling about this?» he said, offering one to Kara.
Kara took a bite before answering:
«Let’s not speculate and just wait until we hear what’s it about?» she sighed. «Or… are you worried that last night might have been out of line?»
«No, I don’t think that’s the case, Nakano.» Itsuki smiled at her, and she noticed his confident glance.
«But I am surprised that he called me as well.» Kara shrugged her shoulders, trying to shake off the nervous feeling.
When they approached the hall, servants opened the doors and let them in. Lord Ryuu greeted them with a very concerned expression.
Kara and Itsuki bowed before taking places in front of Lord Ryuu – next to Ayame and a couple of other samurai and shinobi Kara had seen around the castle.
«It has come to my knowledge that one of the northern villages is to be attacked by demons in a weeks’ time.» Lord Ryuu said. «Therefore I need a group of my finest to ride out and scout the land before I arrive with the main force. Itsuki, Ayame, gather your men, take Nakano with you.»
«Yes, Lord Ryuu.» Itsuki and Ayame bowed.
Kara bowed as well, feeling tense and nervous.
«Nakano!» Lord Ryuu sounded very strict. «Keep your eyes peeled and return victorious!»
«Yes, Lord Ryuu.» She replied, bowing once more.
«Leave at once!»
Itsuki and Ayame jumped to their feet, followed by Kara. All three bowed and ran out of the hall.
«Gather your things, Nakano. We’ll see you at the stables!» Ayame said, running off into one of the corridors.
Itsuki nodded at his lover and disappeared in another corridor.
Kara ran to her room and grabbed her weapons, quickly changed into her shinobi outfit, and ran off to the stables, grabbing the remaining mochi in a piece of cloth to have something to eat on their way.
She got to the stables before others and