Our fading memories

[Anadwen]

It was uncomfortably quiet. Isako was all nervous from the silence - and from watching Seiki - twitching on her place, and just jabbing into her food instead of actually eating. It felt like a funeral, nobody said a word and nobody even looked at each other.

She let out a long, audible sigh. "What's wrong with you people? You all look like someone forgot to season your food..." she finally broke the silence. "What's up with the faces like if you saw a dead fox hanging from the ceiling?"

[Wicked Basket]

"It was dead, but it wasn't fox," Sozen replied referring to the spirit they had fought.

It was hard to believe that several weeks had passed since. It was as if it had only happened yesterday.

[Anadwen]

"What was dead?" Isako still didn't understand. What was Sozen on about?

Then, Shinobu's hand appeared on her shoulder. "The spirit Sozen and Seiki fought. Did you...?" The words froze on her lips in the middle of her sentence. Isako shook her head. "What spirit? You said... You never told me..."

Shinobu never told her the truth. But... But why would she hide something like that from her? Why?

The older Adachi daughter bowed her head in sorrow. "I'm sorry, Isako. These matters are too complicated. I did not find it right to tell you about it." she explained silently. That was all that was to say about it. Isako wasn't ready to know everything... She'd most likely just panic, and that wouldn't help.

"Seiki, is that... Is that true? Did she lie to me? Sozen? Seiki? Was it really a spirit?" she called out towards them, slamming her small fists into the table. Her crimson eyes were suddenly filled with tears.

[Wicked Basket]

Oops. Sozen was unaware that Isako was had not been informed, nor had anyone told him not to mention it in front of her. He too was curious as to why she wasn't told. She was an Adachi too, was she not? He didn't get why she was getting so worked up about it.

"It's over and done with," Sozen said flatly. "We took care of it."

[Anadwen]

"No... I don't think it's so over and done with as you say!" she opposed him. "You could have died! I know Shinobu wasn't telling me the truth, I knew it when I saw Seiki again! I knew it because she and Haru didn't let me into either of your rooms! Do you all think I'm stupid? That you can lock me away from your big noble matters all the time?"

She had just enough of it. Both of them were talking to her like if she was a child, and just to be sure, Seiki didn't say a word!

Though, that was soon to change. Even she shut up when she saw Seiki laying his chopsticks down and his cold glance shifting to her. "Isako. The reason why we kept the truth from you is very simple. You are not mature enough to accept it without panicking. It was done for the safety of us all, and you in the first place." he spoke. The words would be calming, if it would not have been his voice, such an... Unfeeling, indifferent, distant sound.

[Wicked Basket]

"The spirit is dead," Sozen assured her. "There's no need for concern."

So this is why Isako wasn't told. It kind of made sense now.

[Anadwen]

"No need for concern? Look at yourself!" Isako screamed back, tears welling out of her eyes. She stood up from the table, clenching her fists and wiping the tears off her cheeks with the backs of her hands. "You lied to me because you think I'd panic... What would you do if one of you die? Would you lie to me, too?" she shouted.

"Isako, calm do..."  Seiki didn't manage to finish his sentence, and his words disappeared in coughing. He pressed his hand onto his mouth. More blood... He clenched his fists to hide it, but it was flowing down his fingers.

At the sight, Isako immediately shut up, staring at him in horror. "What more did you not tell me?" she whispered.

[Wicked Basket]

"You are innocent, Isako," Sozen said simply. "We wish to keep you that way. Life is much easier when you're innocent."

Sozen continued eating in his usual manner, slowly and methodically. He briefly wondered if his own sister would have reacted the way were she still alive, but the thought was then quickly repressed. She was dead. There was no point in thinking about such things.