Her voice brushed against Daisuke’s neck, it was recognizable within a moment's notice.

That cold feral wind, a single whiff of the voice’s dreary air was enough for the enjoyment of the peaceful moment to take a hike. Daisuke’s shoulders arched and his body was shaken up by wave after wave of frivolous shivers. He didn’t want to turn around, but he had to.

A frigid chill shot down Daisuke’s spine at the very sight of Ayame standing over him, arms crossed as she scowled with her tightly wound lips. A few headshakes were all she had to offer for an explanation of Daisuke’s actions. Her eyes narrowed and set aglow, full of relentless fury for his disobedience.

“I looked everywhere, I mean everywhere, for you.” She huffed out egregiously.

An hour’s worth of pent-up sweat that soaked her paled skin was evidence enough of the search endured. The skin on her left knuckles was worn out, little scrapes left behind from every door banged upon. Going door to door in a dead panic to just find him there, trying to make up for it all with a haphazard smile.

“Heh-heh. You found me.” Daisuke muttered through the nervous chatter of his teeth.

“And do you know what’s the prize for being found?”

“There’s a pri—ow-ow-ow!”

Ayame yanked Daisuke up by the ear and dragged him away from Kiyo, her muscles strained and teeth gritted. Flexing a fake grin she glanced over her shoulder back at Kiyo. Every ounce of anger that twisted her face into a frightful glare smoothed out instantaneously. Her unrelenting rage flipped into a beautiful rosy smile.

“I’m sorry but Daisuke will have to be heading home now. Won’t he?” Ayame asserted with a twist of Daisuke’s earlobe, his ear stretched to the very brink of rupturing. Her little pinch of pain was one that only continued to swell on the side of his head.

“Okay. Yes, I will.” He relented.

“You promise?” She gave a sharp tug upward, and the spike of pain squealed through the side of his head. Like she tore it clean off. His eyes dilated as he sputtered for a response, hands flying up in an effort to free himself. It was no use, only one option left to escape her grasp.

“I promise!”

“Okay. Good then.” She said adamantly as she released him.

Dropped back onto the ground, Ayame squeezed Daisuke’s left hand within hers, the nurturing smile returned to her face as she looked back at Kiyo. A total one-eighty as she buried the aggression once more, saving it for Daisuke later. His punishment inevitable.

“I’m sorry but I will actually have to take him back now. He’s about to become an older brother and he should really learn to set a better example.”

“Never asked to be an example,” Daisuke muttered under his breath.

“What was that?”

“Nothing! I’ll be good. Very good.”

“There you go. You’re learning so much already.”

Ayame held her smile as they walked away from Kiyo. Fingers crushing Daisuke’s little hand as she forcibly hauled him away. And like that Kiyo left on his own, isolated, forced to deal with his struggles alone. A broken child. He lifted his right hand to his chest and did a slight shake. A forlorn goodbye.

Daisuke watched his newfound friend wave him off, but something wasn’t right. Feet planted in the gravel, he resisted Ayame’s pull.

“I don’t want to go.” He let out through gritted teeth, mind made up.

“Master Daisuke, not this again.”

“But, we can’t leave him.” Daisuke insisted with a longing point thrown up toward Kiyo. Ayame followed the boy’s adamant gesture but only snuffed it out. Irritated enough by Daisuke’s shenanigans she upturned her nose at the thought, not about to fall for them once more.

“We’re going home. Now.”

“But look at his back Ayame! He’s got extra markings I don’t have.” Daisuke cried out.

She fell still and jerked back to face Daisuke.

“What are you talking about?”

“Just—look. He said his dad gave them to him.” Daisuke said as he continued to point at Kiyo.

Ayame debated the idea of giving in to Daisuke’s request. To take a look at the back of this unknown child. A heavy sigh billowed out of her mouth, carrying out her frustrations as she hung her head forward. Too exhausted to put up a fight.

“Alright Master Daisuke, alright. Let’s take a quick look. Is that okay with you Kiyo?”

“Yes, m—miss.” He stammered out meekly.

Ayame released Daisuke and walked over to the somber boy as he leaned off the wall enough for his back to be visible to her. She reached down and slid the shirt up Kiyo’s back, his tender secrete exposed to the sunlight. It only took a second for it to sink into her eyes as she shrunk back. The irritation pent up in the creases across her face broadened, mouth unable to form the words that came to mind. Airless sputters were all that slipped out between her awestruck lips.

It was unbearable to imagine a child having faced such torment. Her hands traced out the scars, the deep gashes in Kiyo’s supple flesh. His pale skin stained a vibrant dark mahogany.

“Oh my Sun . . . your father gave you these?”

Squish.

“Mhm.” He mumbled abruptly, twitching away from her cold touch.

Pure terror plastered itself across Ayame’s face. The sight of abuse was something not acceptable in the clan’s eyes. Especially that of a marked child meant to one day protect the masses of the blessed Paladinian people he was born into. To save them.

“Isn’t that cool? He said he gets to train with him every day. Like me with you.”

“Every—day?” Ayame said sorely, tears right on the cusp of her eyes.

With the sleeve of her white robe, she wiped away the dreary emotions as they streamed down her cheeks. Daisuke’s eager smile faded away at the sight, confusion settling in on what the scars really meant. Face masked with curiosity.

“Ayame? Why are you crying about his marks?”

“I’m not, it’s just.” She heaved in a deep breath and relaxed her panicked mind, not quite sure how to deal with this situation. “I’m going to fix this Kiyo. Okay? No one marked should be getting this treatment.”

“N-no.” Kiyo shook his head and recoiled away from her. “Please don’t tell anyone. Please.” Kiyo said weakly as he shuddered, unable to keep still at the very thought of others finding out.

“Okay, it’s okay. We won’t, let’s just—find someone to bring you to. Someone to help.”

“But—”

“Kiyo. We have to tell someone. Believe me, it’ll be the best thing for you. Okay?”

Kiyo nodded, his face downcast, gaze dropped to the gravel beneath his feet. Ayame smiled and stood upright as she glanced around, trying to think of who to contact. Who was nearby to send a message to the high priest? Who would help the child in the meantime? Who was the boy’s father?

Amidst the confusion, Daisuke slipped away from her line of sight. Quiet as a mouse.

“I think we’ll just have to go to the chieftains shrine. It’s not that far.” Ayame uttered, distracted by the onslaught of people that continued to walk by on the roadway. Oblivious to Daisuke as he snuck right over to Kiyo’s side taking his hand within his own.

“Wait-” Kiyo was cut off as Daisuke shoved his finger over Kiyo’s lips.

“Shh. Just follow me.” Daisuke whispered with a hearty smirk.

“Maybe the priestess would be understanding. Maybe?” Ayame questioned herself.

With a single tug, Daisuke convinced Kiyo to join along in his escape plan. The opportunity was too good for either of them to pass on. Led down the other end of the narrow pathway, they crept back a good distance and then took off in a full sprint. Kiyo yanked along by Daisuke’s will, unable to get a word in as they dashed out into the open cobblestone walkway.

“Either way, let's go . . . not again.” Ayame turned back and rushed to the other end of the backway, gaze sent in both directions. “Master Daisuke, get back here this instant! Daisuke!”

It was too late. Daisuke bobbed and weaved between buildings, needling the thread as they avoided adult supervision. Low to the ground, they stuck to the narrow gaps between the homes. Stealth on high till they reached the very edge of the Nippon housing district. Nothing but a bare field in front of them. The last stretch until the outskirts of the village.