Farewell
Late 1800s
a note from Hisa to Aspasia upon Hisa's release
Now that I have gone away from you, Aspasia-san, sad of eye, mother who has made me hisa and who has drawn out my life, I wish to tell you a story.
When Nakano Taka was a very small child, her grandfather was killed in battle. Her grandfather had been a veteran samurai, wise and well-respected as his sons would be in the years to follow, and many men mourned his death. Taka-chan mourned because grandfather had been kind to her, even though she was simply a little girl. He would pat her on the head when he saw her and praise her beauty and obedience. He would give her inari from his own bowl. Taka-chan loved her grandfather very dearly, and she was very sad that he was gone and that she would never see him again.
One afternoon, little Taka was sitting on the porch outside her rooms and she was crying. Her father, who had the same face as her grandfather, came upon her as he was going out of the house. He stopped and asked, "Taka-chan, why are you crying?"
"Because grandfather is dead, and I miss him," replied the little girl.
"Why, little one, grandfather was samurai. He was prepared for death to come to him at anytime. A samurai is not afraid to die. Although we, as the living, miss his presence, we are comforted because we will see him again someday."
"When will we see him, father?"
"When we die, we join with all our ancestors. We will see him then."
"But father, where will we find them? And what if we get lost trying to find them?"
"Taka, you should not question this. Just know that one day, you will."
Now, I leave your side, Mother, to wander, to return to the Heavenly Islands. You release me, and I must know my Beast completely on my own before I can accept my death. Though I wander, though I search, I know that I will not lose my way. I will never lose my way. I will return to your side.
Your daughter in death
A single kanji graces the bottom of the letter - Hisa
a note from Hisa to Aspasia upon Hisa's release
Now that I have gone away from you, Aspasia-san, sad of eye, mother who has made me hisa and who has drawn out my life, I wish to tell you a story.
When Nakano Taka was a very small child, her grandfather was killed in battle. Her grandfather had been a veteran samurai, wise and well-respected as his sons would be in the years to follow, and many men mourned his death. Taka-chan mourned because grandfather had been kind to her, even though she was simply a little girl. He would pat her on the head when he saw her and praise her beauty and obedience. He would give her inari from his own bowl. Taka-chan loved her grandfather very dearly, and she was very sad that he was gone and that she would never see him again.
One afternoon, little Taka was sitting on the porch outside her rooms and she was crying. Her father, who had the same face as her grandfather, came upon her as he was going out of the house. He stopped and asked, "Taka-chan, why are you crying?"
"Because grandfather is dead, and I miss him," replied the little girl.
"Why, little one, grandfather was samurai. He was prepared for death to come to him at anytime. A samurai is not afraid to die. Although we, as the living, miss his presence, we are comforted because we will see him again someday."
"When will we see him, father?"
"When we die, we join with all our ancestors. We will see him then."
"But father, where will we find them? And what if we get lost trying to find them?"
"Taka, you should not question this. Just know that one day, you will."
Now, I leave your side, Mother, to wander, to return to the Heavenly Islands. You release me, and I must know my Beast completely on my own before I can accept my death. Though I wander, though I search, I know that I will not lose my way. I will never lose my way. I will return to your side.
Your daughter in death
A single kanji graces the bottom of the letter - Hisa