Authors Note:? This is the first half of the last chapter of the prologue arc the chapter was to big so i had to divide it into two parts.? Enjoy and thank your support.

From the floor her skin was discolored courtesy of the black and blue bruises splattered all over her wounded body. ?The guilt in my heart stirred, but I knew that blaming myself wasn’t the answer.

I was just grateful that Shinobu was still alive that’s all that mattered to me all the suffering I’d endured fell away and didn’t matter anymore. ?Shinobu strained herself, forcing a grin to appear on her face.

“Hey don’t sit up you’re hurt, lay back down.”

“I’m fine Mari, I’ve had three days of laying down.”

“Three days?”

Three days? I was comatose for such a long time I had presumed that a few hours had passed, not days, and my body still felt on the brink of exhaustion, although I could most likely chalk that one up to the torture.

“Oh, Mari.”

Shinobu wrapped her arms around me and dragged into a loving embrace I could feel her trembling body as though it were my own. ?This was best being held by her eased my fears and grounded me.

I don’t know what I’d do without her. ?I’d realized it that night in the baths, but I didn’t want to admit it for fear of ruining the relationship. But there might never be a more opportune moment.

“Hey Mari, listen, I wanted to apologize for..”

I moved toward Shinobu guiding my face towards her soft quivering lips I pressed mine against hers causing the both of us to let out a seductive moan. The taste of her lips was intoxicating. I loved kissing her like this.

“Shinobu.”

“Mari, how can you kiss me?”

“What, you need a more thorough demonstration?”

‘Seriously, why don’t you hate me?”

“I could never hate you, Shi.”

“But I was greedy and sinful I submitted to my carnal desires and took advantage of you and you’ve suffered as a result, all because of my reckless indulgences”

“Look Shi, I’m only saying this once, so shut up and listen.”

“When I first came here, I knew nothing I was helpless and out of my depth and when I was starring death in the face with my back against the wall, you saved me like a knight in lustrous armor.”

“That doesn’t..” Shinobu said

“Then you nursed me back to health, fed me, talked to me and gave a room. ?You have always encouraged and supported me. ?You gave me everything I needed and more, I know it’s only been two months but I feel like I’ve known you my entire live. ?I don’t hate you, Shi.”

“You called me.. Shi.. for the first time.”

“I sure did. How did it make you feel, Shi?”

“Thrilled, but I don’t deserve that happiness.”

“Your words make me happy saccharine though they may be, it fills my heart with the sweetest of songs.”

“There’s a but coming isn’t there?”

“But..”

“Called it.”

“I’m a heretic, an accursed, I knew the risk and yet I still acted on my foolish desire, especially right before the festival how could I have been so stupid.”

“What festival?”

“The Sayuri festival.”

“Sayuri Festival?”

“It’s festival held every two years on the first scarlet moon It’s the only time the High Bishop visits all the villagers scattered throughout Hyogo.”

“Whats the festival celebrating?”

“It’s a celebration of the church and the shared wish of Hyogo citizens that we defeat the Eris Empire and that the flames of war smoulder so that peace may reign again.”

“I’m not exactly the devout type, so forgive my lack of enthusiasm.”

“Shinobu, I’m going to be blunt.”

“You’re always blunt.”

“Just shut up and look at me.”

“Okay.”

“Shinobu I...”

‘Don’t blush you’re making it more awkward than it already is.”

“Just say it already the anticipation is killing me.”

“I’m in love with you.”

What a shameful confession here I am, a 37 year old with a failed marriage and two children and I’m blushing like a teenage girl, well I guess I am one now so that makes sense. It made me an asshole to admit, but I felt more affection for Shinobu right now than I ever did for Ayumi hell the best thing to come out of that spoiled marriage were my kids.

“You what?”

“You heard me I’m In love with you, like a lot.”

“A lot?”

A lot of a lot.”

“But I’m a heretic, a harlot driven by impulse.”

“Dog shit.”

“Excuse me.”

“Your past is like dog shit it doesn’t matter.”

“Don’t use my words against me this is different..”

“You’re so damn stubborn, you know that.”

“I am not.”

“I don’t give a fuck if you’re a sinner or an outcast or actual dog shit for matter.”

“But Mari, I”

“if you’re a harlot than be my harlot, if you’re a whore than be my whore, if the world shits on you, we’ll shit on it back twice as much?Dog shit doesn’t worry about the opinions of others or what’s right and wrong, it just is it exists as it pleases. ?Let’s be like dog shit, Shi.”

“You really have a way with words Mari.”

“You came into my life like a bolt of lightning you saved me from going insane replaying the same routine without end. Gradually but surely as we spent time together, I felt the lethargy in my heart flutter back to life.”

“You had the courage to raise your voice, so let me answer.”

“I love you with all of this harlot’s heart.”

Shinobu leaned in and kissed me softly I know I didn’t have any right and if I had the chance to go back, perhaps I would have stayed inside instead of jumping from that window. I’m a bastard who ran from his dead end life and I know I don’t merit this.

I will never get to see my wife and kids again so I’ll carve out a new happiness here with Shinobu, this time l’ll provide all the love and support I can and ill protect her with this dead end life,

“So what happens now?” I asked.

“We’ll take our punishments at the end of the Sayuri Festival.”

“That sounds pleasant, so do you know what kind of discipline where in for? ?No more water torture I hope.”

“No, nothing that severe torture would ruin the atmosphere of festival.”

“Have you seen anyone punished for breaking the precepts?’

“Yes, only once when I was little, it was also at the Sayuri Festival coincidentally enough.”

“Which precept did they break?”

“Same as ours, a sister had fallen in love with a local boy and they got caught in the act of love.”

“So what did our kindly overlords deem to be a fit penalty?”

“They brought them before crowds of the festival their crimes where read aloud to the jeering of the spectators, they then received five lashes each and where exiled from Hyogo as heretics.”

“Seems like a light punishment, though being forced to leave your country with monsters out there is cruel.”

“So Shi when is over and we’re exiled sinners we’re do you want to go?”

“Lancaster, I’d love to settle down somewhere peace and adopt some orphans. Not as a sister from the church but just as Shinobu.”

“Let’s take our punishments like upstanding citizens and then leave this place and never look back”

When I arrived here, I thought I’d be up for some grand world sprawling quest to save the people from a terrible

Fate, but now I don’t want to play the part of hero.

“I do have one idea, Shi, but it’s laughable.”

“I won’t laugh at you, well maybe a little or a lot depends on what you say.”

“Let’s open a cafe in a bustling city it’ll be hard and laborious work but with our talents united we could carve a comfortable living and build a life for ourselves.”

Shinobu pondered for a moment then smiled, delighted by my abrupt proposal Shinobu leaned in close resting her head on my throbbing shoulders. ?Healing magic that doesn’t erase the agony is a pain in the ass.

“That sounds wonderful Mari.”

“I know it’s absurd but I feel like if I’m with you it’ll work out Shi.”

“Ludicrous or not, I’m in favor of the idea. No monsters and no church with it’s suffocating precepts.”

“You forgot the best part.”

“And what’s that?”

“The sex”

“The sex?”

“Yeah, we can go at it like Rabbits where ever and whenever we damn well please.”

“If you keep talking like that, I might jump you.”

“You’re welcome anytime, sister, Like I could ever resist you.”

“An enticing offering but I fear we won’t have time, the festival should start soon and with it our punishment.”

The Flanade church reminded me of the churches back home in fact they’re eerily similar they preach their virtues while reprimanding their followers for the smallest of infractions and also can’t forget their unabashed love of torture.

Welcome to the Flanade inquisition, I supposed

. After some time we heard the gathering crowd from our cell, our ears were swiftly greeted with the singing of sisters and the playful mirth children.

Footsteps echoed down the hall quickly approaching our cell and who to my surprise came to greet us none other than torture extraordinaire Maya. ?Her apathetic expression remained unflinching as she calmly opened our cell and gestured for us to follow her.

“An inquisitor?”

“Yep.” I said.

“Why is a holy inquisitor here?”

“To torture me.”

“They tortured you?”

“Sure did she was very thorough ain’t that right Maya?”

“I’m a professional we’ve already established that.”

“Yeah, you’re a professional alright, a professional cunt.”

“I care not for your savage words.”

“I’m sorry, Mari you went through that because of..”

“Don’t say it Shi, the pleasure you gave me was worth the pain.”

“Guess your here to collect us.”

“That is correct.”

“You go where your master beckons such a dutiful dog.”

“Yes, my master is everything to me. ?I would readily die if he ordered me to do so.”

“You’re psychotic.”

“Hey Mari”

“What’s up, Shi?”

“Let’s get this over with, we’ve got a lot of travelling to do.”

“Yeah, don’t want to keep our future customers waiting.”

“Let’s get this shit show over with.”

I stood up and offered my hand to Shi, who held it tight and battled to rise to her feet even with my help. ?I no longer cared about becoming an all powerful hero or the main protagonist of my story no I was content to let someone else steal the spotlight.

All I sought was to be a background character with this marvelous, beautiful, fiery woman by my side.

For my dream to become a reality I’d suffer any indignity they threw my way. Because when it was over, it would be worth it just to see her smile.