The General's Daughter

a/n: And now the epilogue!!!

Little note: Though Mitsurugi may be technically a ronin (warrior without a master), I saw a lot of samurai ethics there. A fast and painless death was dishonorable.

Epilogue:

~~~

Three months later

How I wish it did kill me. Anything would have been better than the pain I felt and still feel.

Instead, Soul Calibur removed the remnants of Soul Edge’s presence in me. It pierced my heart barely, but in doing so, exorcised the evil. It healed everything as it was pulled out.

I gave Miyuki a warrior’s funeral at Lake Biwa, near Kyoto.

Taki had survived the battle between us and came to the funeral. Tentatively, she approached me. I didn’t speak to her and she didn’t to me, but we knew.

We both knew and we both forgave each other. We sat and watched the flames grow higher and stayed there without speaking until long after dark. She got up and placed a gentle hand on my shoulder. “Take care of yourself.”

Then she left. I never saw her again.

I went to the Matsudaira stronghold the year following. I told Matsudaira Shichihiro what had happened to his sister. His shoulders sagging, he told me that Gendo had died—the night following Miyuki’s death.

I handed him my sword wordlessly, inviting him to give me the death I so righteously deserved—fast and painless.

He wouldn’t. “Miyuki would want you to live. This. . . Xianghua allowed you to live, being a witness, because she felt you needed to. I will not kill you.”

Matsudaira and I had walked for hours. “You kept my sister alive for that year she was with you?”

“I wanted to return her to her family. A woman should not be on the battlefield.”

“You know she would have been killed the second she stepped in that gate.”

“. . .I did not find out until I met with her master and the others.”

Shichihiro sighed. “Uncle was never the same. He died shortly after he came home from there.”

“He was a great man from what Miyuki told me.”

“That he was.” We walked for longer in silence. “You truly loved her, didn’t you?”

“I did.” I said without hesitation. “I would have wanted to actually settle down after the Soul Edge business.”

“How much did you love her?” We stopped and I look Shichihiro in the eye when I responded.

“With all my heart.”

Shichihiro smiled wanly at me. “You have your honor.”

~~~

It’s been five years to the day.

Now I sit here in the same spot as the pyre was overlooking Lake Biwa. Some of the wood is still here. I collect it and build a campfire. It is late afternoon and I have just finished writing about Soul Edge and Miyuki and everything that had happened.

I have been coming here every year since that day, looking for reprieve. It hasn’t come. I’ve waited for so long to do this and now the day has come.

I finish my poem and sit back to read it.

“A man sits, thinking.
His close death, contemplating.
Love, remembering.”

Perfect. I slip it into the fire.

As the light grows dim, I change into a spotless white yukata. I remove the wrap from my black hair and let it down to mid shoulders.

I douse the fire and kneel facing the lake. I strip the yukata to my waist, baring my chest and stomach.

It is time.

As the sun sets, I pull out my—Miyuki’s—tanto and place the tip of the blade against my stomach. I have her swords at my house, along with a note to take them to her clan upon my suicide.

All my efforts against the Tanegashima were for nothing. It is still in Japan and every army is using it. I have fought since I was nineteen years old against it and it still exists in Japan.

As I begin to drive the tanto into my stomach, an ethereal hand stops me. I look up to see a familiar pair of jet black eyes.

[It’s not your time.]

My jaw drops. “Miyuki?!”

For several minutes, I just stare. She looks exactly as she did five years ago, beautiful, strong. . . She is wearing a simple blue kimono with darker blue cranes flying up the trim. Her waist length hair is loose and free.

[You’ve changed so much in five years. When’s the last time you’ve eaten a good meal?! When’s the last time you shaved?!] she admonishes, wagging a ghostly finger at me and adopting a matronly scowl. Whenever she speaks, she does not move her mouth, yet I hear her voice in my head.

“Uh. . . “ Chastised, I move a hand to my chin—the beard has grown quite a bit!

[Never mind.] She smiles. [I've been watching you since I got here. I haven't been allowed down until now. Now that you need me.]

". . .I've needed you for the longest time. . .just to feel you. . .just to hold you. I needed forgiveness. . .Please—Miyuki. . .please forgive me."

[I always have; it was not you. The sword took over your mind and made you do what you did. My time here is short, so I must tell you now: it still exists.]

I am speechless for several minutes. "But. . .I shattered it!"

[The Frenchman. He survived his wounds and found it. He repaired it and is now the new Nightmare. You must find him and stop him. Please. . .you're the only one that can--the others are gone, dead.] Miyuki's large eyes widened and began tearing up. [You must find Taki and you both have to stop him.]

I sit there for a few minutes, utterly astonished. Soul Edge--still existed?! "I'll do it. I will stop him."

[. . .thank you.] She smiles peacefully. [I must leave you now. . .I love you.]

Something warm caresses my lips--her hand. Then an ethereal kiss, deep and passionate. Gods, I need to hold her. My arms move of their own accord to wrap themselves around her shoulders, but she is no longer there. Only the peaceful but strong presence.

[I will always be with you, no matter where you are.]

The night falls and finally I regain my senses. I look at the fire's wet ashes and bury them under the dirt. I reflect on the conversation and do something I have never done, not even when she died.

I cry.