“Yuki, come back here!”
“Yes, Mother, I was just playing in the snow”
“You will catch a cold if you stay out thee too long!”
“No I won’t Mother, I’m a big boy now!”
I awoke then from my dream about the past, and looked to the West, where smoke was rising from the burning city. My commander had told me to get some rest, for I was no use to anyone tired. As I looked at the fiery spectacle before my eyes, I wondered what had brought back those memories of the past, of peaceful, simpler times, before this madness began…
I was only eight when the war began, a war that seemed so far away, especially in the mountain town of Nara. The battles were distant from us, in the land of Persia, our allies. It was winter, and the first snows had fallen. My older brother, Aki, had been drafted into one of the new Musketman units, and my parents were worried about me. Often, as I played in the snow with my other friends, I would see my parents talk in quiet whispers, periodically looking in my direction. I had no idea what they were talking about, other than about me. So I just continued to play, innocently, constantly awaiting the spring, when classes would start again, and I would turn nine.
As the snows melted, and the Sakura blossomed, the town mayor approached our house with a grim look on his face. He handed a piece of parchment to my mother, who after reading it, fled into the house in tears. At that time, I did not know, but the people in class were treating me differently, for some reason. On the day of my birthday, my Father led me outside.
“Yuki,” started Father, “I have some bad news. Your brother Aki, he passed away outside a place called Susa”
I was shocked, and now I realised why my mother was so depressed, and why my classmates had treated me differently. A tear started to form in my eye, my older brother, Aki, was dead. I then felt anger, I knew Susa was in Persia from class, and I knew that there was a war going on in Persia. I felt like I wanted to kill. I did not know whom, but I just wanted to kill. My Father placed his firm hand on my shoulder and continued to speak, “Your mother and I have been talking about sending you to your Grandfathers in Kyoto, where it is safe. They say the war is getting closer. I… we want you to be safe,” he finished stoically. Mother came out, tears in her eyes and gave me a hug. A cart approached, driven by the eccentric Satama-san, the old merchant in the town. Mother looked at me, her eyes holding back the tears, and said, “Satama-san will take you, he needs to pick up some supplies from Kyoto.”
Satama-san jumped out of the cart, and started to collect my bags, and load them onto the cart. Father turned and said, “Farewell, son, please, once this terrible war has ended, return to us!”
Mother could do nothing but weep at my going, even though she knew it was for the best. I climbed on to the cart with Satama-san and said my farewell. My parents stayed out watching the cart intill I could see them no more. My new life in Kyoto was about to begin, or so I thought.
“Yes, Mother, I was just playing in the snow”
“You will catch a cold if you stay out thee too long!”
“No I won’t Mother, I’m a big boy now!”
I awoke then from my dream about the past, and looked to the West, where smoke was rising from the burning city. My commander had told me to get some rest, for I was no use to anyone tired. As I looked at the fiery spectacle before my eyes, I wondered what had brought back those memories of the past, of peaceful, simpler times, before this madness began…
I was only eight when the war began, a war that seemed so far away, especially in the mountain town of Nara. The battles were distant from us, in the land of Persia, our allies. It was winter, and the first snows had fallen. My older brother, Aki, had been drafted into one of the new Musketman units, and my parents were worried about me. Often, as I played in the snow with my other friends, I would see my parents talk in quiet whispers, periodically looking in my direction. I had no idea what they were talking about, other than about me. So I just continued to play, innocently, constantly awaiting the spring, when classes would start again, and I would turn nine.
As the snows melted, and the Sakura blossomed, the town mayor approached our house with a grim look on his face. He handed a piece of parchment to my mother, who after reading it, fled into the house in tears. At that time, I did not know, but the people in class were treating me differently, for some reason. On the day of my birthday, my Father led me outside.
“Yuki,” started Father, “I have some bad news. Your brother Aki, he passed away outside a place called Susa”
I was shocked, and now I realised why my mother was so depressed, and why my classmates had treated me differently. A tear started to form in my eye, my older brother, Aki, was dead. I then felt anger, I knew Susa was in Persia from class, and I knew that there was a war going on in Persia. I felt like I wanted to kill. I did not know whom, but I just wanted to kill. My Father placed his firm hand on my shoulder and continued to speak, “Your mother and I have been talking about sending you to your Grandfathers in Kyoto, where it is safe. They say the war is getting closer. I… we want you to be safe,” he finished stoically. Mother came out, tears in her eyes and gave me a hug. A cart approached, driven by the eccentric Satama-san, the old merchant in the town. Mother looked at me, her eyes holding back the tears, and said, “Satama-san will take you, he needs to pick up some supplies from Kyoto.”
Satama-san jumped out of the cart, and started to collect my bags, and load them onto the cart. Father turned and said, “Farewell, son, please, once this terrible war has ended, return to us!”
Mother could do nothing but weep at my going, even though she knew it was for the best. I climbed on to the cart with Satama-san and said my farewell. My parents stayed out watching the cart intill I could see them no more. My new life in Kyoto was about to begin, or so I thought.
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