Togame is spending the night in Owari when realizes that she misses the stars.

It's hard to say at which point she has changed so much. Togame is a beautiful and proud woman, always holding her head high when her neck breaks, but she never wasted time just to look up and watch the sky. Usually she claimed that if she wished to possess all shiny lights, glowing like diamonds over her head, she would get them with some cunning and a proper plan. But they were too far away and Togame is a woman who reaches out for what is at her fingertips.

She noticed the beauty of the night sky during the travel. The reason is partly practical, because in the wilderness the stars are a very welcomed source of light. However, partly it's poetic - when she falls asleep, almost always she admires the beautiful stellar vault, hanging gracefully above her.

Sitting on the windowsill in her bedroom, Togame comes to the conclusion that Owari seems to be strange and tiring. Her city is loud and colorful and even now, in the middle of the night, she can hear the drunken rabble singing under the windows. It is also brighter, the wealthy aristocracy houses, bathed in the light, almost completely mixed the faint stars with the sky alabaster.

So she can't sleep.

As usual, Shichika does not seem to have any problems with it. No matter if they spent the night under the open sky, in a roadside tavern which was dirty and offensive to Togame's dignity, or were officially welcomed as the messengers of the shogunate, Shichika quickly fell asleep in every bed.

Despite the cold weather, he didn't cover with her delicate sheets, but treated them as the ballast and kicked on the edge of the futon, burying his head in the pillow where a moment ago Togame's head was resting. He is sleeping peacefully, on his back and with an open mouth, and Togame thinks it is rather charming. Then she immediately scolds herself. This is irresponsible and she is cautious.

Shichika sleeps in her bed. She thinks about it too, but the beginning seems to be beyond Togame's memories. It's impossible to find any particular time or a specific reason. She has a problem with recalling the first time she slept next to Shichika. Maybe she did it in the Odori Mountains, when her frail body almost died from the cold and Shichika made sure she that felt a little warmer, even though he was shivering himself? Or did she sleep with him earlier? She can't remember. They have never talked about it, but going to bed Togame almost naturally seeks Shichika's body, at times wondering how she was falling asleep alone for over twenty years and why a few months erase many years.

He's sleeping peacefully like a child and she suspects that despite the passage of time, deep inside he is a baby. Only children guided by their typical naivety and stupidity, which Togame refuses to recognize as kindness, would be able to sleep in the same bed with an almost-stranger. If she panicked or used her cold calculation, if it was just her whim - she would pierce his chest with the dagger hidden in the closet, under the extra board, and Shichika wouldn't even notice.

Stupidity, pure stupidity. Togame despises stupid people who easily fall into the trap and are unworthy of being her opponents.

When she lies down on the futon, first she hisses at Shichika and orders him to give her the sheets that he's not going to use. Then she forces the half-sleeping man to hug her properly. Even if he will remember it in the morning, she doesn't care. Finally, falling asleep, Togame decides that since they have gathered the Deviant Blades, it's time to finish the plan. Later she can only have more doubts.

Contrary to what Togame says, Shichika isn't stupid.

Shichika usually doesn't criticize Togame's opinion, the woman he loves is almost always right. Even when she talks about his intelligence, she is not completely wrong. Regardless of the consequence, he always keeps going forward, doesn't think about the future, doesn't reflect on his goal. She thinks for them both, scolds him from time to time and plans many complex strategies, things he can't understand.

Shichika isn't the best in thinking. But definitely he isn't worse than Togame in observing.

The boy raised on the isolated island learned that the key to survival is adequate perception of reality around him and paying attention to details. Therefore, he immediately begins to wonder why Togame, always enjoying the comforts of home, got up at dawn, long before him. Why for the first time she responded to his gaze only with a courtesy smile, then looked at the empty corner. Why the distance between them seemed to be getting longer, to the point where he felt they were farer than at their first meeting.

Later they sat down to eat together the breakfast Togame has prepared, too rich and too solemn by Shichika's standards. They are eating in silence until Togame elegantly puts down the chopsticks and looks at him from the other side of the table.

"The Twelve Swords has been found," she says and pauses, clearly hesitating. Shichika waits. "I think this is where our paths diverge. Let me be honest: this is the end, Shichika."

Shichika is silent for a moment.

"You are kidding, right?" his laugh sounds a little forced. "You cannot dismiss me so easily. Even if collecting the swords is over, I'll follow the way that you choose."

"On my way there is no place for Kyotōryū. I've decided."

She's not joking, he knows it well. During this year Shichika listened to Togame's voice in many situations, engraved each of her glances in his memory. He looks at her and sees what he could observe several times, but it was never reserved for him.

Her back is straight, the words sound cold and emotionless, like always when she does business. And the wise eyes, reflecting thousands of plans and possible scenarios going through her mind, now judge his reactions.

"I don't believe you, Togame. We are going on a next journey, to create maps, right? So what are you talking about? You got me, I got you. You were the one who said it. Togame!"

Deep in what is left of his heart after Togame took the rest, Shichika tries to speak confidently and firmly, because in fact he is sure, even for a moment he does not have any doubts. But his physical body, forged artificially like a sword, seems to act on its own and runs away from his orders. Shichika feels that his voice is trembling with emotion, like a vibrant string, sweat pours down his face. No battle scared him as much as the last and most important encounter - because is fighting with Togame using words, their special moves are arguments. And he has a feeling that he is going to lose. Words are Togame's kingdom and he is no longer the undefeated sword, but rather a weak and still crawling man.

When Togame speaks, she doesn't even wince.

"It was a lie, Shichika."

She starts a story about terrible sins and Shichika wants to stop it, but she doesn't care. Throughout her life Togame has never looked back, she just pushes aside all obstacles.

Finally Shichika isn't interfering, because he realizes that the flow of words and confessions was accumulating in Togame for years and probably never found another escape. And then comes something that should be obvious, but for someone as stupid as Shichika it wasn't - Togame confesses her terrible plans and actions in which Shichika doesn't want to believe, but for the first time she can be honest. He sees it in the guilty calmness on her face, as if whispering that it all ends now.

"I was going to kill you, Shichika. Like everyone before you, but..."she takes a breath, ignoring the fact that the words stabs Shichika's heart sharper than any sword. "I have changed my mind. That would be wrong. You sacrificed a year of your life for this journey and served me very faithfully. You never gave me a reason to doubt.

So this time I'm going to act honorably. Listen to my last order: when you leave this room, forget about me and live your own life. Our partnership is over now."

"No!" he shouts, no longer trying to play by her rules. That naive part of Shichika believes that anger can wake her up. "How can I forget!? I will never forget about you, Togame. Without you, I am nothing, I can't achieve anything. You taught me so many things... you gave me so much... What should I do? Where should I go without you? I want to be with you!"

"That's not true. You can do it, now you can. In the end, I taught you everything I know."

Shichika wonders whether Togame was always like that.

He remembers the first time he saw her on the island in Tamba. Shichika was fascinated by how colorful and different from him she was. Too confident, completely losing her self-assurance as soon as something went beyond the previously arranged scheme, overly enthusiastic and loud, she didn't accept the refusal, obviously taking her beliefs for granted. However, back then Shichika felt that although Togame is from the great world, in fact she seems to be afraid of people more than he was.

Togame solemnly announcing the murder plans isn't the woman who one year ago sat down in his house and imperiously tried to catch Shichika's attention and persuade him to leave the island. Now he sees her as tired and much older, almost as if her whole body was aching with the weight of each word.

"This is the end of our contract."

Shichika blinks. When Togame finishes he notices something, someone between the new and mature Togame and the old one, charming and terrified because once again everything can go wrong. She smiles gently and with shame, her eyes soften for a short, too short moment. "Thank you, Shichika. For everything. Cheerio... "

There are many things he wants to tell her, but someone so simple, with limited vocabulary and feelings, will never be able to speak well. He wants Togame to know how important she is, not in that proud way she always sees herself, but differently, for him. Does she know that she gave him the life he never dreamed of? That she changed everything and with the divine power created the new order, created Shichika-human? Does Togame know that if she really wants it, he can kill himself in front of her, so he won't live alone?

Shichika genuine wants to explain everything. But before he can say it, the room around him dissolves and fades like the a dream and Togame's face becomes faint. He is not sure whether it's dizziness or the woman he loves really cries.

The lonely journey takes more time than Togame has originally planned.

As usual, when she's analyzing first she thinks about the practical reasons. It is only natural that traveling without Shichika's help turns out to be extremely difficult. Now Togame is carrying on her shoulders the luggage which appears to be heavier than she is, so it's impossible for her to move on faster. All frequent rests and suddenly deteriorating health are another inconvenience. Also loneliness falls within the category of further difficulties, now she has become an easy target for wandering bandits, so Togame has to follow the main roads. All forest paths, previously used by her and Shichika, are now useless.

If that was not enough, with each kilometer Togame feels strange frustration. Usually she proudly announces that the price she paid for her brilliant mind is the weak body. But now she can't help but wonder if everything around her is falling down - including herself. She isn't so weak, in her short life Togame experienced the hardships of war, escaping and hiding, working for someone to survive, finally many lonely journeys. She knows pain. After getting the rights to proclaim the shogun's will with her words, from time to time the strategist commanded over some paid people, but more often discretion required individual missions. For her being alone was a part of life, it was not different than oxygen filling the lungs.

The worst comes at night. In one of many roadside inns, where she was forced to spend the night, Togame wakes up after an hour of sleep. The nightmares haunting her have recently evolved, although Togame was trying really hard to push away the images and lock them in the corner of her mind, where all shadows belong. But under cover of night the memories easily crawl out, leaving her completely exhausted. She saw her father's head, rolling down like a caricature image of the ball she owned as a child, fire crackling and singing along with her scream, the falling palace. Now Shichika was a part of her dreams too, sometimes as a person who takes her father's life, sometimes as someone who is saving her from the burning castle when Togame pierces his heart.

She found out that Kiguchi Zanki wasn't lying when she mentioned the healing properties of one of the swords, Ōtō Nokogiri. Holding the wooden blade as if it's Shichika's shoulder, Togame finally falls asleep just for a moment, convincing herself that she is a pawn on the history chessboard.

The lonely journey takes more time than Shichika has originally planned.

First he naively allows himself to believe that everything will go much easier. Truth be told, in some situations he's doing better than at the time when he had Togame by his side. Shichika doesn't have to match the pace to the short steps he heard near probably a week ago, although in his memories it feels like years -his sense of time is never good. Now Shichika didn't take so many things, the luggage and swords were heavy and sometimes he carried tired Togame in his arms, though not without poorly hidden delight.

One morning Shichika just lost everything and a little bit more.

The journey was getting complicated and it only convinced Shichika that without Togame he is not able to do the simplest thing. He is illiterate, so he can't read maps or the signpost guiding him. Yes, he looks carefully at the pictures drawn on a piece of paper, but that abstract level of reducing the surroundings in his head and showing everything that is real and physical as a collection of lines still seems to be distant, so he often chooses a wrong direction. Shichika grew up on a small island, there every path was a part of the archipelago of his house. Compared to it, even those small and crumbling little towns Shichika visited, even though he didn't plan it, seem to be huge metropolis. Dealing with formalities such as accommodation is too complicated, so mostly he sleeps in forests.

Waking up is the hardest. At night Shichika dreams about Togame and her silver hair disappearing in fire, red eyes changing into Tsurugi Meisai's empty look, flowers wilting around his sisters, then again about Togame.

He didn't use to dream so much. Then Shichika decides that he didn't dream at all. The endless night sorrows must be yet another part of the human soul that Togame suddenly awakened in him.

In the morning Shichika doesn't get up immediately. He watches the bloody sun, crawling like a spider higher and higher, and wonders what Togame might be doing now. Or if she is alive. Sometimes Shichika doesn't move until afternoon because he can't find any motivation to start a new day.

It's not over yet, he tries to tell himself.

After two weeks they bump into each other in Edo.

It would be more literary if they were trying to find each other without knowing how close they were, as Togame points some time later, or if they met in a special place. The reality is, as usual, ironically realistic.

The Edo streets are filled with people flowing similar to choppy water, it's hard to move freely without pushing someone at the same time. For Togame it's even harder as she sags under the weight of heavy bags.

She is the first to notice Shichika in the crowd. He's coming from the opposite direction and she sees him right away, as usual his height stands out among surrounding him small silhouettes. In her rational mind instantly appear many possible and much more likely scenarios - she misses him, of course. After all she spent a year with Shichika, it's only natural. Her eyes try to trick her, but Shichika is not the only tall man in Edo. The same clothes can be worn by different people, being similar to someone she knows does not deserve her attention.

Togame sees that Shichika wears all twelve layers of the kimono she once haughtily gave him and involuntarily stops, feeling a shudder like when she fell into an icy stream.

Then he notices her too, small and colorful like a bird hiding in the gray crowd. Shichika rubs his eyes, suspecting it may be simply the effect of the small amount of sleep. The silvery hair that he remembered long before her face can't be mistaken with anything else.

„Shichika."

„Togame!"

They just stay like that; surprised, looking at each other. Then Togame slowly realizes that people are looking at them. Some already slowed down, irritably pointing out that the pair blocks the street or waiting for some scenes taken from books. Togame doesn't want to give them a public example of her book narrative, you never know who is going to listen to and what information they need. The pink shade growing on her cheeks is another factor forcing her to grasp Shichika's arm and lead him to the nearest empty alley.

Shichika hides in the shadows of an unfamiliar building, still astonished. Usually he reacts fast, faster than Togame. Only with her he can't focus. On the other hand, Togame feels that her mind is clear. According to her intellect is like parchment, not everything can be erased, but if it's necessary she can write the difficult facts in the margin and forget about them for a moment.

Shichika seems to be more mature, though she is well aware that this is impossible, they split up only two weeks ago. The scar he won during the last fight with Emonzaemon adds to his face some sharpness that she couldn't notice earlier, full kimono in her eyes makes him dignified. He's not a naive boy she took from the island in Tamba.

Togame clears her throat.

"I thought my order was clear. There is nothing between us. It's over and I ordered you to live your life. What are you doing here?"

Shichika analyzes the question longer than usual. Togame would like to know whether he forgot her words, which would be rather unlikely, or maybe from the depths of his mind tries to pull out the most satisfying answer. Whatever the reason, Shichika sighs as he gives her his usual, slightly indifferent look.

"If you see it that way, as a free man I can do whatever I want. I don't need to follow your orders anymore. I wanted to come here and see you, Togame." He answers, with an emphasis on the last sentence.

At this point Togame also forgets about the non-existent contract and decides to punish her sword for that absurd disobedience. She keeps a straight face, then jumps, trying to hit Shichika in the jaw.

„CHEERIO!"

Of course she misses, but the iron blow makes Shichika groan and lose his balance. Yet as usual, it's Togame who ends up falling to the ground.

She nervously rejects Shichika's helpful hand, looking at him with anger.

"Shichika, do not forget what I told you before leaving! I was going to kill you. And I wasn't kidding." Togame is angry that she didn't choose this argument first.

But now Shichika doesn't hesitate even for a moment.

"I knew."

Togame unexpectedly feels really confused and it doubles her alleged humiliation. Seeing it, Shichika smiles slightly, as if nothing happened and they held one of their aimless conversations.

"Actually Maniwa Kōmori told me about it when we first met. He kept talking about you and your father. And he warned me that you were going to use me for your own purposes, then avenge your family. From the beginning I knew the end of our story."

Togame blinks and bites her lip. For the first time she wonders if she didn't misjudge Shichika.

"So why did you come with me, Shichika? Knowing it all?"

"The answer I gave Maniwa Kōmori was the same you later heard from me. And it will never change." Togame needs just one smile to know it was stupid to doubt. "I fell for you, Togame."

Shichika leans forward and helps her stand up almost forcefully, because Togame is too stunned and embarrassed to resist. She could swear that after all this time she became comfortable with his naive straightforwardness, but her heart starts beating painfully fast. She feels like a child and she hate it.

"I knew you wouldn't go to the Owari palace," Shichika continues answering the unasked questions, "You don't trust the Princess enough to speak with the Shogun in her presence. Emonzaemon is wounded, but still you'd be all alone with valuable swords in the home of you enemy. The strategist never risks so much."

"Well, it's true."

When he sees the signs of admiration on Togame's face, he speaks with even greater pride.

"You taught me everything you know. The most logical choice would be a boat. But you are aware, Togame, that I fell for you, and you know I would follow you... "

„You!..."

"...That's why you decided to go on foot, right?" Here he laughs. "But you are awfully slow. I came to Edo some time ago."

Now Togame realizes that Shichika is still holding her hand. Their fingers are connected in a new way which Togame doesn't recognize, but it seems to be more intimate than anything that happened between them so far. His grip is powerful, she says to herself in thought. Certainly he has no intention of letting her go now. And Togame admits that the sight of their fingers, laced together like their complicated fate, attracts her.

"Togame... If everything you said is true, you were suffering the most. How can you keep hurting yourself? Over and over again?"

"Shichika... you have no idea..."

"Togame, I really love you."

Shichika doesn't know how much his words make Togame suffer. They remind her that the true angels live in this world, but more people are like her and use their tendons to make a rope ladder to heaven. All her life she saw others as her tools, then the human sword let her use himself and turned out to be more human than she was. Irony.

She doesn't deserve to be loved. As long as she gives up her own heart, all these feelings will disappear in the void.

Togame suddenly remembers the once-forgotten memory of the burning palace, screams, the smell of burnt human flesh. Her father looked at her with a smile on his face. He was so calm that for a moment Togame believed they would survive, together, start all over again. But the last thing he gave her was the echo of his words.

I really love you

Later nobody said it. Who could love a selfish and ruthless, manipulative woman?

I really love you

She never said it too. She wasn't able to love, her heart burned to ashes together with the body of her father, it was hidden deep, together with their palace. Everything in her life was a game of revenge.

I really love you

Even if someone had feelings for her, she used it without hesitation and regardless of the consequences. Even if she had to use her own feelings, she was ready to sacrifice them for her vendetta. Everything for the goal.

I really love you I really love you I really love you I really love you I really love you I really love you I really love you I really love you I really love you I really love you

Togame realizes that she doesn't hear her father's words in her head. She buried her face in Shichika's chest and is crying them out aloud, like an endless mantra.

Maybe even someone like her can change.

Togame is staring at the fire. It feels like years since she it did. Apparently Shichika establishes all the rules of her life, including a sense of time. It's pathetic how much she needs to rely on someone. But she can't deny, it is a nice change.

It's almost December, so nights are getting colder. Shichika doesn't seem to be bothered, as if blood running in the veins could warm up his body, but Togame is freezing. That's why she moves closer to the campfire, then quickly steps back as the smoke hurts her eyes. Shichika sighs slightly when Togame again squirms uncomfortably on his lap.

"Togame, are you sure?"

Togame stays silent, but for Shichika it can be as well confirmation. She isn't sure and he can't blame her. He loves Togame, among others, because she has clear goals and knows what is necessary to make her dreams come true. He likes her perseverance. And for the past year she desired the Twelve Deviant Blades. But maybe he is wrong, maybe her dreams were the result of the day when she saw her father's death. Probably it was the moment when her current life emerged from the smoke - the climax of all the decisions she made was suppose to be her place in the shogun palace.

Now Togame is ready to destroy all her ambitions.

Suddenly she stands up a little too quickly and Shichika is knocked by her knee. He hissed with pain when Togame, who can now look down at him, snorts with contempt. "Why are you dawdling, Shichika? Let's do it. I won't be more ready."

"Roger!"

The swords lying in front of them look like a parodic exposition. Some blades are like straight lines, some curved, others do not resemble swords or do not even look like real weapons, but Shichika learned to admire them all. They're beautiful now, when the unique metal glows with fire. Shikizaki's Blades, their mission.

Togame raises her hand, as if giving him the signal for battle. Perhaps in her heart she does it for the last time.

"Kanna!"

The unbreakable sword, this is what Kōmori claimed. If someone were to ask them, Togame and Shichika would reply that everything can be turned to dust faster than the word "unbreakable" is said. The world is strange and uncertain, deprived of stability. The sword disappears in the second.

„Namakura!"

The sharpest sword which is able to cut through anything. For Togame many things are sharper than weapons; words and lies, memories and sick ambitions, emotions placed skillfully on a chessboard. All metals can be destroyed, as Shichika does with the second sword.

„Tsurugi!"

The most numerous sword. Shichika wants to know if Tsuruga Meisai would be unhappy about the original blade, breaking under his attack together the nine hundred ninety nine copies. He remembers her eyes and feels she wouldn't be. The amount doesn't matter, swords are always worth less than a human.

„Hari!"

The lightest sword. Togame laughs softly under her breath. The lightness of living isn't so difficult to achieve. Her past is still too heavy, but Shichika raises her up. The sword seems to break under the pressure of the air.

„Yoroi!"

The defensive sword. Togame was hiding behind a high wall of emotions for twenty years. If Shichika shattered to pieces her beliefs, the sword is not a problem.

„Kanazuchi!"

The heaviest sword. Even without it, Shichika and Togame carried too much, they don't need another ballast. Life is heavy, the secret lies in sharing the burden.

„Bita!"

The sword which heals the body. Now Shichika stops. The memory of his sister's smile hurts stronger than weapon. He remembers her as a child - delicate and caring and with a watermelon pip on her mouth… The Evil Sword didn't fit Sister.

„Kanzashi!"

The most changeable sword. Shichika greets the doll like a human before it falls apart in his hands. His soul is no longer tied with strings.

„Nokogiri!"

The purest sword. Even if Shikizaki Kiki played with them, Togame must admit that he created something beautiful. She feels sadness when a wooden sword disappears as if it never existed. Maybe one day they can find a peace like that.

„Hakari!"

The sword which doesn't cut. It has already done its job when they looked at each other like in a mirror. There is still a lot to say, but they need to deal with it on their own.

„Mekki!"

The most poisonous sword. Shichika destroys it faster. He is not afraid of poison as long as it doesn't affect other swords. However, the world is full of wars and suffering, Mekki became redundant.

„Jū!"

The most automatic sword. And two bullets. One hit Togame in the stomach. The other left a scar on Shichika's face. It could be their end.

But it wasn't.

When Shichika finishes, Togame looks strange. He expects the woman to cry, but she just laughs. It is a weird sound, loud and full of regrets, yet also incredibly beautiful. Shichika looks at her and feels that finally something is changing.

They are laughing together all night.

The evening breeze airs the spacious room and sets the flowery garlands into motion. Someone would say that the paper flowers hanging from the ceiling do not make any noises, but Princess Hitei can hear every sound.

The branches rustling outside. A petal rubbing delicately another petal. The barely noticeable steps above her head.

On her beautiful face appears a slight wince.

"Emonzaemon! How dare you come back here after your defeat? I deny the existence of such an annoying person!"

"I beg your pardon, Princess."

"I would tell you to commit seppuku if your fight with Shichika-kun wasn't so interesting."

Princess expected Kyotōryū to kill Emonzaemon during their fight for Entō Jū. She wasn't particularly happy about it, but it didn't upset her as well. As Princess Hitei she denied any feelings that could affect her plans. Emonzaemon's death would be just another step of the long stairs that Shikizaki Kiki built between her and the true history. Princess was climbing for a long time and almost won when she found out the stairs have been destroyed.

"So?" She whispers, hiding behind the fan. "What happened to that unpleasant woman? I hope the wolves devoured her depressing face when she was heading toward Edo."

"That did not happen, Princess."

"I know. Something so trivial couldn't defeat the woman who was so problematic for years. You take everything so seriously, Emonzaemon! When you're done, go away. You make me depressed."

"Understood."

Emonzaemon tells her with details about the separation of the two main characters, their reunion, finally about destroying the Shikizaki's Deviant Blades. This time Princess doesn't comment anything.

Princess Hitei does not consider her life to be a part of any real time. If anything, she lives with opportunities and possible endings. She observes what history gives her, constantly comparing the events with the alternative version. For her it is like a picture book, elements are still moving and changing, sometimes surprising her with an appealing mosaic. Emonzaemon's words drew her a new picture, the existence of which was a mystery even for her.

When the story comes to an end, Princess leans back with a sweet laugher.

"Does that depressing woman even realize what she's doing? The story is going to change! Irreversibly..."

"If I can say something," Emonzaemon adds politely, "I doubt that miss strategist wishes to see an appropriate end of our history. She is too selfish. Her previous plans could coincide with the true history, but that's a coincidence."

Upon hearing this, Princess Hitei snorts in a huff.

"Nobody asked you."

Emonzaemon doesn't seem to be offended by his lady's coldness, but Princess doesn't expect him to be. Ignoring the comment, he continues.

"Forgive me. Nevertheless, the strategist's situation didn't really change. She is going to follow the most convenient path, even if it's against Lord Hida's will. Even if it will lead to the destruction of Japan, as long as it won't affect her."

"Hm, is that path in fact more convenient? I would like to know... But the story is not over yet."

Feeling both fatigue and excitement, Princess smoothes her dress with grace and yawns. It's getting late.

She's lost in thoughts and plans when she goes to the terrace. Although it's winter, tonight stars are surprisingly bright and Princess has a sad feeling that unpleasant woman is watching them too. She smiles slightly, aware that Shikizaki Kiki probably sees them as well. He was not a man who could be defeat by death, there her ancestor and miss strategist have much in common. But if he was really the narrator, would he predict all possible endings? The swords are destroyed, the Shogun sits on the throne, the country is doomed to fail.

"The son of the sixth Kyotōryū master and the daughter of last rebel leader, Hida Takahito. It's a historic misalliance."

"You have no intention to do anything about it, Princess?"

The silence is torn apart when Princess Hitei closes her fan proudly.

"Haven't you noticed, Emonzaemon, that I am quite moody? I'm not going to be a writer, being a reader who follows the story suits me much better. If our history is false, it's the page which was not written by Shikizaki Kiki. I am curious how it will end..."

She feels Emonzaemon smiling in the attic. She also smiles a little, waiting for a new fairy tale like a child. For now she is going to have a cup of tea.

"Actually, our story isn't very interesting, Shichika."

"You think so?"

"Yes. It had some potential to become something really groundbreaking, but we wasted it."

Shichika nods, being sure that Togame is right.

They have been wandering through Kiso-sanmyaku for some time. Originally it was Togame who decided to come here, yet now his companion seems to be rather annoyed by difficult slopes waiting for them, whereas Shichika is rather happy. He is holding Togame in his arms and she doesn't complain about people seeing it and taking her for a permissive woman. Shichika can't understand what bothers her so much.

It's spring again, or at least he thinks so. Warm colors of the sun brighten the mountains, but in a pleasant and calming way, so they don't have to search for sun hats, and on both sides of the path flowers are growing. But it is cooler in the mountains, maybe summer rules somewhere below and Shichika doesn't know about it? They travel together and Shichika stopped paying attention.

Togame puts her hand on his nape and buries her face in his neck. Shichika then hears her muffled mumbling.

"I can write down what happened to us, it wasn't bad. But we have too many holes in the plot, so it won't sell well."

"For example?" Shichika asks interested, because for him the long travel is rather impressive, especially with the fights.

"I don't know... Secrets? The big finale? Like Kyotōryū past, the rebellion, my father's death. Something more interesting should hide behind it all. "

Shichika smiles and although he is always careful, just in case he pulls Togame even closer. In the past she would never say a word about her father during a normal conversation.

"What about your parents' death? It would be a good family secret."

"My father wanted to die, the same with my sister. That's why I killed them. But I don't know much about mother."

Togame only sighs and with resignation gives Shichika a delicate "cheerio" on the cheek.

"You wouldn't be a good hero. You give me the creeps. "

There were still few things Togame would like to know. The origin of the princess and her motives, Emonzaemon and his role in the story, Shikizaki's real plans. Maybe something about Shichika. Despite her great ambitions, she didn't create the most original story of all time, but for sure she will write it and then add something dramatic.

"In the end, it's just an ordinary sword story."

"A good sword story. And very flashy. "

"That may be true."

She has a lot of time for creating on paper the fairytale-like versions of her thoughts. For now she is tired, so presses her cheek against Shichika's warm skin and closes her eyes. Togame is falling asleep when she feels a kiss on the forehead.

She isn't happy and paradoxically after realizing it, she finds a true sense of tranquility. For almost twenty years Togame was frantically chasing after the meaning of life and at the finish realized that life has no sense. Hers was also pointless. In fact, everyone is miserable - Tsuruga Meisai and her priestesses, Yasuri Nanami destroyed by her cruel fate, honorable Maniwa like Hōō and those bringing shame on the shinobi corps, even the lonely princess who lives in a high tower. Suffering is Togame's fate as long as she's a human. However, each of these people experience in their life a piece of happiness.

Togame believes that happiness is like a drug; it comes in small doses and makes people pay any price for a blissful moment. Some people go crazy. The best way is not to look for happiness, but trying to be unhappy as rarely as it's possible.

Maybe together with Shichika she can learn it.

Princess Yōsha from the Hida clan more than anything feared being forgotten. She will die, her bones will be buried under a tree. Someone is going to remember her, then that person will leave this world too; she can only disappear from the pages of history, like thousands of great people before her. Finally her skeleton will turn to dust and become one with the earth, another story will take place on her grave. But princess Yōsha, who once walked this path, is going to be forgotten. That emptiness overwhelmed her.

Yasuri Togame will also die, but perhaps she can leave something behind. The memories and people who knew her, some smiles, the love story told in secret behind the walls of the Sanzu temple. Maybe a family. Not much, but enough to live for.