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A Shadowed Childhood
Part 1 - The Prelude
It has been two years since I last saw my
beloved husband and I know in another year I shall join him, wherever he is…
Since then I have secluded myself in our old hidden room. This was so I could
remind myself to be strong and not cry although my heart was broken because I
miss him so… But he still lives… My beloved Leudast Akume Backlight lives in my
heart, and in my memories, and that’s why he is not truly dead.
His first friend, besides me, Arekai, his tiger,
has also left me, and I am alone living here… The only living demon in the Backlight
line besides my children; left this castle, after she wed another demon… Ki Backlight,
Leudast’s little sister, my little sister-in-law, will find me dead when she
returns to this place, that I know for sure… And if in a year, I do not die; I
shall kill myself out of grief. I cannot live without Leudast any longer than another
year… I long to see his face…look into those piercing golden eyes…
It’s so nice to see those golden eyes reflected in the crown
prince, my grandson. My thrones long ago went to my children; Unmei’s throne is
now my son Rémi’s, and the throne that has been in my mother’s family that I
reclaimed –Egae- has now gone to my daughter Adair. They were born twins, but
are as different as night is from day. Everyone considers Egae a moon, but yet
it is not a moon…it is its own planet…the planet that the senshi of Unmei
always hailed from, the guardian of its twin planet. That title, too, has gone
to Adair. She bears the title, and the title of Crimson Butterfly, well despite
finally having become a mother herself.
Natalia, the child of my favorite
general, the first kitsune in a long time to marry into the royal family and be
taught all of our secrets; she keeps telling me to continue living…pleads with
me even. But her parents have long since gone as well…and I don’t wish to
continue this lonely existence, watching my grandchildren grow.
Part 2 - The Beginning
I, a young girl about the age of 7 walked
through the darkest forest in Unmei. My hair swayed gently with every step I
took, my raven black locks just barely brushed my shoulders giving me a
tomboyish look. My eyes were the color of the sky at midnight with flecks grey
as rainclouds.
Strangely enough, I had grayish black fox ears and I also had a
noticeable enough black foxtail that had a silvery tip to it. My name was and
has changed since, Kurisutaru Etowaaru Tatari. I was wearing what most human
women and girls thought inappropriate and horrifyingly boyish for a girl who
seemed to be human when they saw me that day. My black pants had been torn
short at the knees and had been stained by blood, which still showed in the
darkness of the forest. My shirt had at one time been a black, long sleeved
shirt that now had the sleeves torn short at my elbows and also had
bloodstains. Around my neck was a black choker with a silver chain attached to
a red gem, my black boots had silver blood-stained laces, laced up and tied
about an inch below my knees and made me look about four inches taller than I
actually was at the time.
Most of the human men and boys found it quite strange for me to be
carrying a quiver of arrows (poisoned, of course) and a bow. I was also wearing
a belt around my waist that kept the silver and onyx sheath that held my sword
from falling off. It was not a wooden toy sword but a beautiful, yet deadly and
dangerous black crystal blade – given to me by my mother upon her death.
My dark eyes were cold and full of hate because of something that
related to what I had just done. Most of the people in the village I came from
knew what I truly was, a half-blood Kitsune, and a dangerous one at that. I
seemed to have blood everywhere on my clothing but soon everyone in the Human
Village and the Kitsune Village near the Mansion would know why I had blood on
my clothes that day.
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