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The Courtship of Lady Tokio

by Misaki Toyodome

Chapter 19 - Another September

September, Mibu Shinsengumi Headquarters -

"These sweets are so good!" Okita took another bite. "Fank ouu Tokio-fan." A few crumbs fell from Okita's mouth.

"I am glad that you are feeling better, Okita-sama."

It was one of those wonderfully bright Autumn days, the lingering heat of summer mingling with the cool breeze from the mountains. Tokio carefully poured three cups of tea, first for Okita who immediately took a gulp, and the second for the taciturn figure casting the sharp shadow against the wall, and the last for herself.

"I am really sorry that I missed the tea ceremony, Tokio-san." Okita's face seemed as though it had absorbed the golden sunlight and was glowing of its own accord.

"Please, don't be. All you missed was my behaving in a somewhat underhanded manner."

"Hahaha! I hear you put on quite a show! And I would have liked to have seen that."

"Well, my Lord and your Commander were none too happy with the outcome." She sighed resignedly. "And it is a shame, as the wedding promised to be a spectacular event." The expression on her face and the tone of her voice belied her statement.

"Hmph." Saitou threw a disdainful glance in her direction.

"Though you were sorely missed, if I may say so Okita-sama. The conversation was...somewhat strained, and you do know how to brighten up a room." It was her turn to look slyly at Saitou. Unlike some people, was the implied insinuation.

"Dear dear, Tokio-san, first I hear that you put Hijikata-san in his place, and then you run rings around Satsuma with your sneaky tactics. You are not to be trusted." Okita picked up another sweetcake. "Shame, Tokio-san, shame on you. You are simply a devious woman, and if you are allowed to get away with it, it is simply for the fact that you are a beautiful lady." Okita shook his head in mock distress.

"Okita-sama, you flatter me. I had very little to do with the matter. It was merely that what comes round goes round."

"Well, you are still very beautiful."

Tokio laughed quietly and hid the lower half of her face modestly with one hand.

"Please don't say such things, you are altogether too gallant, and it flusters me."

"Nonsense Tokio-san, I should be allowed to tell a beautiful girl that she is beautiful, and if she blushes, then it is very becoming." With that, Okita gave a theatrical flourish of his hands.

"Hmph." Tokio turned to Saitou, who pointedly did not look back. "The way you two carry on is enough to turn a strong man's stomach." Tokio lowered her head to hide a smile. "Okita, if you're feeling well enough to simper over giddy girls, then I'd say you're well enough to start training again. But considering that ever since Hijikata mollycoddled you into that bed, your troop has been operating much more efficiently, I'm going to suggest that you be given one more week of enforced sick leave."

"Saitou-san! That's just not right! My men are leaderless and directionless without me, you know that!"

"Ahou ga." He stood up.

"You," he jerked his chin at Tokio, "take your leave. The boy is sick, you're tiring him out."

"Noooo! She makes me feel better!" Okita tried to get up from the futon. Saitou grabbed him by the forehead and forced him back down. Okita's arms flailed for a while, trying to strike Saitou, but were too short to make contact. Tokio bowed low and stood up.

"Please take care Okita-sama. I pray for your quick recovery."

"Please, Tokio-san, please stay!"

"I will send some more sweets, Okita-sama. Thank you for your time, it is always such a pleasure. Please get well soon." She stepped out of the room towards the engawa, the sunlight framing her smiling face. Saitou jerked his arm and Okita's body back down and stalked out after her. As he slid closed the door, they could hear Okita calling out after them.

"How dare you treat a sick man so harshly!"

Saitou started to walk down the corridor.

"And I am not a boy!"

Tokio hesitated and started after him.

"I'm older than you!"

"Ahou ga," came the standard response.

When they came to the inner courtyard, Saitou sat down without so much as a glance at his companion and closed his eyes.

"... Okita-sama seems to be recovering well. I heard that it was quite a persistent chest cold..." She knelt beside him.

"It would be troublesome enough if you caught it."

"Where you afraid that I might catch something?" She teased. "Is that why you made me leave so quickly?"

"Ahou."

"Well! At least Okita-sama is a gentleman, and would never call me such a name."

He opened one eye to look at her.

"And he thinks I'm beautiful."

"You know what your problem is? You're pretty so no one ever told you to shut up."

"You think I'm pretty?" Her eyes widened slightly, a disbelieving smile turning up the corners of her mouth.

"Shut up." He snapped, and closed his eyes again, but a faint smile had appeared on his lips.

"Pppff." He heard her exhale through puckered lips in mock exasperation.

He opened his eye a crack, and found her staring at him with quiet intensity. Unashamed, unabashed, curious and tender. He gave up his pretences, and met her gaze.

'I've never seen anything quite so wonderful,' the thought ran through her mind as she noticed the way the amber of his eyes caught the sun. She did not know that the same thought was running through his head as he carefully, deliberately etched her image into his memory. He had thought the same thing a few weeks ago when he saw how the moonlight caught the hollow of her throat as he carefully laid her in her futon – he thought the same thing every time he saw her.

"...I missed you." She said it so simply, so gently. Such a simple statement, but with such power that it made his heart miss a beat. The heart misses a beat, and never regrets the loss.

"I've been busy," he said shortly.

Tokio had arrived earlier that day with Hirosawa and a servant, he to talk to Kondou and she to visit Okita in his sickbed. Since the last time Saitou had seen her, Tokio's nuptials had been cancelled. It was a muted and mutual agreement, an item of news of only moderate interest to gossip mongers; Tokio may have been known as the Flower of Aizu, but she kept a low profile. And when he heard that the information was official, Saitou had admitted to himself that he felt more at ease than he had for several months, but he smacked Okita every time his colleague tried to coax him on the subject. Saitou had been busy though – with the rumours that Satsuma would ally itself to Choushuu, the Choushuu elements that still remained in the city had experienced a ripple of excitement, and that inevitably meant more violent clashes on the streets of Kyoto at night. Tokio noticed a new scar on Saitou's right hand, and moved her hand slowly to trace it. Saitou took her hand in his, but only fleetingly, as he let go when he heard footsteps approach.

"Tokio-san, Vice Commander Hijikata would like to see you now." Yamazaki bowed as he turned the corner. Tokio inclined her head in acknowledgement and rose to her feet.

"Thank you Yamazaki-sama. And thank you for your company, Saitou-sama." She headed in the direction of Hijikata's room.

As she left, Saitou looked up lazily at the messenger. Yamazaki was watching her walk down the corridor and only when she turned the corner did he look down at Saitou. He crouched down next to him.

"...She's trouble."

"She's in trouble?"

"No, she is trouble. But I guess she's in trouble also. Hijikata seems to have a bone to pick with her."

Saitou did not respond, but closed his eyes again and turned his face to the sunlight.

"And you, Saitou-kun, you better watch it."

"Watch what, Yamazaki-kun?"

The deliberate nonchalance of his voice made Yamazaki shake his head.

"... Those who know, know, if you catch my drift..."

Saitou did not react.

"Y'know, Saitou-kun, not many people know that you like to hang out with her down by the river late at night. But enough people know. And some of the ones I'm assigned to watch know." The ones Yamazaki was assigned to watch, meaning the people that were dangerous and needed watching. "I just thought you ought to know."

"... I appreciate your discretion." That was all Saitou could think to say.

"Well, it's not my place to do anything about it, I just thought you'd like to know." Saitou nodded. Yamazaki stayed a moment, observing him, then bowed and left. Left alone with his thoughts, Saitou closed his eyes as if to go to sleep; it really was a glorious Autumn day.

- Hijikata's room -

"Tokio-san, come in, come in," Hijikata barely looked up from his writing desk.

Tokio bowed and entered the room, and knelt down. Hijikata motioned towards the tea that was placed by her. They sat in silence for a while, and Tokio dutifully kept her eyes downcast. But as Hijikata continued writing, and Tokio finished her tea, Tokio hesitantly broached the question of why she was there.

"Excuse me, Hijikata-sama, but you did want to see me?"

Hijikata snorted in annoyance and continued to write. Tokio did not say anymore, and lapsed into meditation.

"What on earth possessed you to embarrass Saigou Fuminori like that?" He asked suddenly. Startled out of her reverie, Tokio looked up at Hijikata's scowling face.

"Pardon?"

"You, embarrassing Saigou, what possessed you to do that?"

"... It was not my idea to invite Saigou-sama to the ceremony. It was just that my Lord Matsudaira thought it would be appropriate to have Saigou-sama there also. And it was just chance that the message arrived at Koumyouji when it did." She looked at him resolutely, not flinching in the slightest as he glowered.

"Just chance! Hardly, Tokio-san. It was a nice little show you put on there for Saitou's benefit, and a spiteful little piece against Saigou, humiliating him in front of us, whom he so obviously deemed inferior to him."

"Well in that case, I make no apologies, if that was his attitude. My Lord, and the Shinsengumi also, are not to be looked down upon."

"Hah! What are the Shinsengumi to you, huh? Have you not heard what they call us? Wild dogs, blood thirsty wolves."

Tokio bit her lip, and murmured defiantly,

"And you are content with that? I am not. I will not have it said that Aizu has allied itself with dogs."

"So all for the honour of Aizu. Very well. But see, your actions had repercussions. And I would have thought that you would see that Aizu could do with as many allies as possible."

Tokio lowered her eyes – she knew what he was talking about, he could see that. Saigou Takamori, Fuminori's uncle and the Lord of Satsuma, had immediately denied that Sakamoto Ryouma had anything to do with Choushuu and that they were perfectly within their rights to receive him as a guest. And of course Saigou Takamori was adamant that the insinuation that they were entering into an alliance with Choushuu (branded the Imperial Enemy since their march on Kyoto) was an attempt to undermine Satsuma. In fact, he had reacted with outrage to the questions from Koumyouji. It was true, there was no tangible proof of any relations between Satsuma and Choushuu. And now, suffice to say, relations between Aizu and Satsuma were tense, and it was making the Shinsengumi's work more complicated.

"Not only do we have to be on guard about Choushuu now, but we're getting very little cooperation from the Satsuma people." Hijikata said bitterly. "What on earth got it into your head that Choushuu and Satsuma would join together?"

That was a valid question; it was well-known after all that Choushuu and Satsuma were age-old bitter rivals.

"I have my ways, Hijikata-sama. My sources are rarely wrong."

"What reason would they have to put aside all their old differences and suddenly become partners, huh?"

"... To thrust out Aizu from Kyoto. To overthrow the Shogunate. To seize power for themselves. Satsuma covets Aizu's role as Protector of Kyoto. And without Aizu, the Shogunate would flounder."

"Hmph. That's all very academic, is it not? And a flimsy premise to launch accusations at the Saigou clan. Is it any wonder that Saigou Takamori is furious?"

"... There is another more practical factor to this. Satsuma is facing a shortage of rice this year... A famine, to be precise." Hijikata frowned – he had heard talk about several typhoons and bad weather damaging crops in Satsuma, but it was not something that had interested him greatly. "And if there's one thing that Choushuu have in abundance, then it's rice," she continued. "Choushuu in return then would receive the military support of Satsuma." Satsuma was one of the most renowned regions in the matter of military affairs. Lines furrowed Hijikata's brow. A famine would be a plausible reason why Satsuma might agree to cooperate with Choushuu. And to simplify things, they already had a common enemy in Aizu.

"... Still, there's not much happening on that front now, is there?" Hijikata spoke after a moment's contemplation. "And all you did was make Aizu's position in Kyoto that bit more uncomfortable." Tokio pursed her lips. Hijikata was right - with Satsuma at odds, Aizu had become isolated in the city. "Which causes problems for us."

"... I am sorry, but -" She did seem sincerely contrite.

"Sorry doesn't cut it." He cut back sharply. "All this because of your personal vengeance against Saigou, and for Saitou's benefit?"

She wanted to say no, she wanted to tell him he was mistaken, but before she could find the words, he dismissed her with a wave of his hand.

"Enough. I've had enough for today. Go. Leave. Hirosawa-san will be here another while. One of the men will be glad to escort you back, I'm sure."

There was still time for her to say something. There was still time to try to explain, but she couldn't. In her mind, she had rationalized it, told herself that in the long run, it would be better that Aizu see through Satsuma's machinations sooner rather than later. But still, she was honest enough with herself to admit that what Hijikata said had a point. So, she was honest enough not to become defensive and deny it. It was with a restrained bow and impassive face that Tokio retreated from Hijikata's room.

Although she tried to mask it, a perceptive man as Saitou was could tell that Tokio was subdued that late afternoon. She had been withdrawn ever since she talked to Hijikata. Not that he was worried, he knew that she could handle Hijikata. He was more concerned about Yamazaki's warning. As the sun dipped in the sky, throwing a myriad of colours onto the horizon, they walked, wrapped in a minor peace. She stopped as a red dragonfly flew by and landed on her hair. It rested there for a moment before adjusting its wings and taking off again.

"... I remember last September..." She murmured. It was the first either of them had spoken since they had left Mibu.

After she had emerged from her meeting with Hijikata, she had prepared to leave. A minor stand-off ensued when the question of who would escort her arose. Harada, who had been training offered his services immediately, as did Nagakura although he had to patrol that evening, and even Okita made his way out of his sick bed to join in.

"... Tokio-san, what would your father say?" Saitou, who had been lying with his eyes closed on the engawa, addressed her coolly without looking at her, while the others squabbled. "I doubt he'd be impressed if you showed up at Koumyouji with a sweat-soaked boor..."

"Hey!" Harada objected.

"...or a man willing to shirk his duties," Nagakura fell silent.

"...or a sick boy."

"Oh yeah, and what about you, Saitou-san?" Okita asked in a low voice.

"I know her father," came the short reply. The others fell silent, they could not argue with that. And so, Saitou was escorting her to Koumyouji.

He looked down at Tokio and cocked his head.

"Another September..."

"... A lot has happened since then." He replied after a pause. She smiled at him wistfully.

"Do you remember?"

"Do I remember how you pestered me? And how you deliberately almost got yourself killed?"

"I would rather that you remember different things, such as how beautiful the moon looked on those nights." She said in a mild tone.

"Or like the earful I got over Serizawa's death?"

"Oh dear." She sighed. "I really have caused you so much trouble, haven't I?"

"Things happen as they should, don't they, Tokio-san?"

Her lowered lashes cast shadows on her cheek as she smiled.

"You have worked hard to live up to your uniform." She sighed quietly. "But I really do apologise for the troubles I have caused." He raised an eyebrow in question. She hesitated, then continued, "Hijikata-sama led me to understand that my...selfish actions had consequences for your work."

Saitou realized then what had been on her mind, that Hijikata had seen fit to blame her for the recent spate of frustrating showdowns with Choushuu.

"Hmph. If you think that a mere girl could seriously influence such matters, I'd have to say that you're seriously over-rating yourself."

"Saitou-sama..."

"Our differences with Choushuu are ideological. Our differences with Satsuma are political. These matters are not for women to concern themselves."

"Saitou-sama," her voice grown more stubborn now.

"This world was not meant for creating strong women, was it Tokio?" He asked, his voice low, intimate even, and slightly teasing. He had called her by just her name. She bit her lip.

"Saitou-sama," she tried again, "I aggravated matters."

"Perhaps," he conceded, "but you did not create them." He looked down at her, as she was looking at the ground. "Tokio, you are a strong woman. And we all do what we can."

"...And you are a good man."

She looked up at him, and smiled weakly. A cool breeze swept up the hill, tossing with it dandelion seeds.

"Thank you, Saitou-sama." He nodded. "Though I can't recall giving you permission to address me by name only." She added mischievously. He arched his brow, and was just about to say something when a voice called out to him.

"Aah! Saitou-sama!" It was a shrill, piercing voice. He turned around, as did Tokio, and saw a geisha hitch up her kimono and walk towards him hurriedly. "Saitou-sama, it's been so long!" She exclaimed in sweeter tones.
Saitou knitted his brow slightly as he tried to recall.

"Kohana," the name came back to him.

"Well, who else?" Kohana giggled. She gave a sideways glance at Tokio before draping herself onto his arm. "I've missed you so much! I mean, I know you were busy, but still, I missed you so much!"

Saitou gingerly tried to disengage his arm from her grip without being too forceful. He glanced at Tokio, who looked slightly bewildered.

"I mean, I haven't seen you since July." She gently tapped his nose. Saitou recoiled. She said in a low, seductive voice, "Please say that you'll come see me soon, please?"

"...Aah." Saitou nodded. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to see that this girl gets home safely."

"What, official duty?" Kohana pouted, and narrowed her eyes disdainfully at Tokio. "Why, she's nothing special. Though..." Kohana let go of Saitou and swayed towards Tokio. "If you made more of an effort, girl, you could be pretty." She made a little 'mou' with her mouth. Tokio was taken aback, her eyes wide in confusion at this vision of abundant silks and hair ornaments, the haze of face powder and perfumes. Kohana turned back around to Saitou.

"So, please? Saitou-sama, you do know how to please a girl so. And I promise that if you spend the whole night, I'll make arrangements for some very special sake?" She purred.

"Now if you'll excuse us," Saitou began to walk again. Tokio followed him, her eyes still on the other woman.

"Bye bye Saitou-sama, and be sure to come see me soon!" The geisha called out after them.

Tokio frowned. Seeing this, Saitou deliberately raised his hand and waved – it gave him a mean sense of satisfaction to see her discomfited and bothered, the cracks in her usual impeccable composure. Tokio looked appalled. After they were out of earshot of the other woman, Tokio too casually asked,

"Was she a friend?" She was vexed, it would seem.

"... It depends." Saitou answered dryly. "She's less than a friend in most ways, but more than a friend in one."

" I see." As realization dawned on Tokio, the colour rose to her cheeks.

Tokio, it would seem, was jealous, and the whole situation was highly amusing to Saitou.

"Well, I am a man like any other." He taunted her.

"... You are not like most men." She sniffed snidely.

"But you were engaged." She could not argue with that – and after all, her engagement had been the direct cause of the effect that he had ended up with Kohana. Tokio obstinately pursed her lips. Saitou continued to tease her. "And I had no obligations to you."

"Of course not." She was trying so hard not to show that she was hurt.

"... Are you jealous, Tokio?" He did not try to hide the malicious grin that had appeared on his lean face.

"Jealous?" She snapped. Composing herself again, she continued in a restrained voice. "Why would I be jealous? The lady with such obviously bad taste is only to be pitied."

"You consider me bad taste, Tokio?" There was a highly bemused note in his voice.

"Please, I never gave you permission to address me by name only, and I find it disrespectful, Saitou-sama," she stressed the appellation. She sped up her pace.

"Well then Tokio-san, tell me by what right are you angry at me. You were the one who was betrothed after all."

"Of course, Saitou-sama, and why on earth would I be angry at you?" She replied with feigned pleasantness.

"Why on earth indeed?"

She chose not to answer him, and he chose to watch her silently fuming for the rest of the walk. It tickled him deliciously, that Tokio was jealous. Tokio, the aristocrat's daughter, the one who always had an answer, who men fell over themselves for, was jealous, because of him. With the way the dwindling sunlight danced on her face, and the delightful pain in her eyes, it really was a glorious Autumn day. But when they arrived at the Aizu compound, and she merely bowed in farewell, with no kind words, he regretted his selfish satisfaction somewhat.

Saitou had been standing outside the side gate for nearly half an hour now. He scuffed his toe against the wall in irritation. She never kept him waiting, not this long. 'Fool of a girl, I thought she'd be above this kind of thing.' She was deliberately not coming out tonight, knowing full well that it was his first night off in several weeks. Since the day of the tea ceremony to be precise. That day, she had still been the bride-to-be, and the cause of his personal strife, and that night had been so different, he had been so grateful for the relief he felt. His hands which he had tucked into his sleeves seemed at a loss for something to do while he waited. Restless, resentful and impatient, he was just about to sneak inside when the gate opened. And out she stepped.

Instead of her monk's outfit or the servant girl's kosode, tonight she was dressed in a full length furisode. He nearly did not recognise her, Tokio amidst all the finery. She was usually so understated that he felt it unnatural. The ornaments in her hair, the rouge on her lips, the elaborate obi.

"Good evening, Saitou-sama."

It was only when he tried to reply that he realized that he had been holding his breath.

"... This is why you kept me waiting? So you could dress up in...this?" He sounded harsher than he intended, but he felt uneasy. She turned on her ankle and started walking away backwards, looking at him. He followed slowly, a strange glint in his eyes. And he noticed that there was a slight sullen light in hers. The way she walked, her innate gracefulness, it all seemed surreal to see her clothed in rich brocades of silk and lamplight. And she was still annoyed at him.

"I guess I should ask you to excuse my behaviour this afternoon."

She glanced up at him, her eyes blinking once.

"I didn't think you were the type of man to need my pardon."

"I'm not. I'm asking you for courtesy's sake, since you seem to regard it as some affront to your dignity." She sighed. He couldn't say simply that he was sorry.

"Well, you seemed happy to flaunt the matter in my face." She inclined her head. "And my discomfort was amusing to you."

"... You were engaged." He said in a contrived unconcerned voice.

"What exactly are you trying to say?" She asked quietly.

"... Now you know how it feels." Jealousy was an emotion that neither of them had thought they would give in to, but they had.

She looked at him sharply, but he did not meet her eyes.

"... Well then, I am sorry. Though it was not my fault." She relented. She absentmindedly picked at some low hanging leaves and cast them into the river. "Saitou-sama, I am sorry. It's just that, it's just not fair. I find it hard to deal with, that I want this time with you so much, but it is forbidden to me, whereas you actually pay her to spend time with you." Her voice was so quiet, and so fragile sounding. "I never wanted you to be jealous of Saigou Fuminori. I thought you wouldn't be, seeing as how it was not my own will."

"Tokio, do you feel you need to dress up in order to compete with a geisha?" His eyes didn't leave her face. She blushed and lowered her head.

"I apologise, it must seem petty of me..." Her voice trailed off. Still, all she had wanted was for Saitou to like the way she looked. They remained in silence for a moment.

"...It didn't matter that you didn't feel for him." Saitou shut his eyes again, too self-conscious to meet those dark, searching eyes. "He would never have appreciated you, yet he was entitled to be with you by default of birth. That, Tokio, is unfairness."

Tokio gently fingered the cloth of his sleeve, before she pulled herself against him and buried her face against the robes of his chest.

"It's been a hard day for me, I am sorry that I have been difficult. But first there was Hijikata-sama, and then there was that geisha girl, and I felt so wretched today, and I felt so low..."

She felt his strong, calloused hands gently cup the back of her neck, and she knew she was the one he chose, that there was no one else, that this was all that he wanted, and that he thought she was beautiful. She whispered assurances against his chest that there was nowhere else she'd rather be, no one else she'd rather be, nobody else that she'd rather be with. They stayed like that for quite a while, and in the waning Autumn moon, she first learnt how tender a strong man's kiss could be, and how gentle his lips were in contrast to the harsh lines of his face. And in that instant, the thought crossed Saitou's mind that he didn't care who knew that he was there with her, because sooner or later, he was determined to make her his own.