Shisui's vision blurred as he lay in the Moonbloom Infirmary, nestled within the lotus gardens of the Morinaka palace. His body was wrapped in gauze soaked in Spiritroot Balm, and his shoulder throbbed from the assassin's poison. Despite the warmth of sunlight drifting in, the weight of recent battles made his heart heavy.
Kurou visited briefly, offering silent reassurance with a nod. But it was Naoko, the daughter of the foreign Daimyō he was meant to marry, who remained by his side the longest.
She brought a tray of herbal tea and rested it beside him.
"You're lucky the poison didn't reach your core," she said softly. "It was meant to silence your Arch Energy network completely."
Shisui turned his head slowly. "Why are you here?"
Naoko poured the tea and sat on the edge of the bed. "Because I want to understand you—not as a political match, but as a person."
There was a silence between them, filled only by the soft chirps of garden birds. Then, she added:
"You fight like a warrior. But carry your pain like a prince trying not to show it."
That made Shisui blink. "...That obvious?"
Naoko smiled faintly. "To someone who listens, yes."
They spoke for hours—about their childhoods, their dreams, and their duties. Naoko revealed she was trained in Spirit Weaving, an art of soothing Arch Energy through touch and sound. With a gentle song, she harmonized with his inner chakra.
> As her fingers glowed faintly over his shoulder, the pain dulled, and warmth spread through him—not just physical warmth, but connection.
"I never had someone... just sit with me like this," Shisui said.
Naoko's eyes met his. "Then let this be the first of many times."
He fell asleep soon after, with the scent of her floral aura lingering in the air like a healing rain.