A refreshing sunrise streamed into a simple room. After having breakfast and getting dressed, Shanao took a deep breath, breathing in fresh morning air. Shortly before staying here, Shanao left Hiraizumi to join her brother, Yoritomo Minamoto, after his defeat at Ishibashiyama.
"Are you awake, Shanao?"
"Brother! Good morning!"
Yoritomo, who had awoken earlier, returned to the room. In his hand he held a scroll of paper.
"What's that?"
"I have sent out many messages to military leaders throughout the land to come to our aid. This reply just came today."
Yoritomo quickly sat down and unrolled the scroll of paper. Shanao watched as Yoritomo's eyes scanned the page. She wondered if the sender had agreed to join them or not.
"Hm…"
"What does it say?"
"They will come as soon as they can."
"Really?!"
Shanao's face lit up upon hearing the good news. The more people that joined her brother, the more the momentum would shift away from the Heike.
"Still, I'm not optimistic."
"Why not?"
"It's only one reply. I won't know where we stand until we hear back from more of the generals."
Yoritomo's tone was plain. His eyes seem to be quietly looking out in front of him, calmly assessing the situation. Shanao's expression tightened and she bowed her head.
"It's just as you say, Brother. I apologize for getting too excited."
"If you want to be on the safe side, you can't let your guard down. We also don't know what the Heike have been up to."
Shanao watched as Yoritomo's stared intently at the ground, his mind seemingly racing with a thousand different thoughts and strategies. In awe of him, she lowered her gaze.
"What's wrong, Shanao?"
"Huh?"
"You were thinking about something just now. Are you scared of what lies ahead?"
Shanao shook her head as he stared at him. However, she knew her brother's intuition was not wrong.
"I came here to help you, Brother. There is nothing to be afraid of. It's just…"
"What?"
"I'm just a little worried about you. You've been working so hard ever since we got to the inn. You must be tired."
From the first time they had met, to their reunion on Mount Ishibashi, Yoritomo's strict attitude never broke, not even once. He stood as Genji's son, driven by a fanatical desire to overthrow the Heike and crush any obstacle that stood in his way.
"That's right. But if we don't act now, we'll lose our chance."
"But—"
"I have no time to rest. The situation changes from moment to moment."
Shanao opened her mouth to speak, but she knew no words could reach her brother.
"Hey, Brother! I was going to eat that!"
"You're the one who's always saying finders keepers, Tadanobu."
From the next room the voices of the Sato brothers, Tsugunobu and Tadanobu, could be heard as they ate breakfast.
"Oh c'mon now, don't pout."
"I'm your younger brother! You're supposed to take care of me!"
"Fine, fine, I'll give you half."
Shanao wanted to tease the two of them for acting like children, but remembering she was next to her brother, she thought better of it.
She expected her brother to get up and scold the Sato brothers for the noise, but looking up at him, his expression wasn't what she had expected. The sharpness disappeared from Yoritomo's face, and instead he looked slightly flustered and embarrassed.
The change was so slight, it could have easily gone unnoticed. Unconsciously Shanao's lips curled into a soft smile.
"What is it, Shanao?"
"It's nothing…"
It was only natural for brothers to tease each other like the Sato brothers were doing in the next room. Still, because Shanao and Yoritomo hadn't been raised together, they both knew it would take time for them to establish a relationship like that. Perhaps that's why Yoritomo looked so embarrassed just now.
"Sorry, Brother. I'll tell them to be quiet later."
"Right..."
"But they feel just as strongly as I do. We all want to work together and bring victory to you in the next battle!"
As if to solidify her own determination, Shanao gave a small nod after she finished speaking and Yoritomo's face returned to its normal, harsh contenance. Shanao couldn't help but stare at his radiant appearance.

Deep inside the glittering Heike mansion, there is a small room where no one is allowed to enter. This small room is surrounded by thick walls and a barred door. Contrary to its dark surroundings, the room is lined with colorful cloth and luxurious furnishings. This place filled with disparate yet strangely harmonious items, was called the "bird cage" and was designed to hold one special person in particular.
This person, Shanao, sat in the corner of the room, holding her knees to her chest. Hearing footsteps, she raised her face to the door.
"Hello again, Shanao."
"Tomomori…"
The appearance of Tomomori, the man who had captured her, made Shanao's body tense up.
"You don't look so great. Did you skip your meals again today? That's no good…"
While Tomomori smiled softly, Shanao knew there was no kindness in him. Here in this cage, he ruled mercilessly over her.
"Let me out of here…"
"Oh come now, not again with this…"
"Shut up! I'm going home! I'm going back to my friends!"
Tomomori opened the door and went inside. He walked up to the huddled Shanao and crouched down, peering into her face he spoke like a parent to an obstinate child.
"But you are home. You have no friends. I told you, didn't I? You are to be my wife. You have no need for anything else."
"I refuse!"
Shanao glared at Tomomori, but even she knew how pathetic she must look. Her face was gaunt, all the former strength from her was gone and the light in her eyes had grown dull. Tomomori stared at her as though she was nothing more than a kitten with its claws out.
"You really are something, aren't you?"
"…"
"You trying to hide your fear from me... It's both pathetic and adorable."
"Pathetic?"
"That's right, my love. You are both beautiful and hopelessly pathetic."
When Tomomori reached out for her, she recoiled. She closed her eyes and felt his cold fingers on her cheeks.
"Tell me... If I were to let you go, where would you run to?"
"What?"
"Kurama Temple is no longer your home. The vassals who once served you are gone, scattered to the wind. You have no one."
"..."
"Do you even want to leave...? No...no I don't think you do. I think you want to be here, I think you want to be my pet."
"!"
"Remember? The night I first held you?"
His hands were cold and Shanao shivered.
That night she tried to escape... She was consumed with fear. Worried about her future with no place to turn, it was in that dark place that Tomomori found her. Once she accepted his lies, it was as if she herself had locked herself in this cage.
She always believed she needed to be strong. She had built a wall around her heart. Somehow Tomomori saw through the lies and he exploited the fragility within her.
"I-I…"
Shanao's voice shook as she spoke, and Tomomori pressed his face closer to hers, drinking in her quivering voice.
"You did this to yourself. You chose to reject the fight, to give yourself to me, to give yourself to fate."
"..."
"There's no reason to be ashamed. No one could blame you for making such a choice."
He was right. She shuddered, realizing what she'd done to herself.
"Fear not. I will accept your weaknesses and love you."
Tomomori wrapped his hands around her trembling shoulders. His embrace, loose at first, grew tighter till she was ensnared in his grasp.
Her heart and will broken, she no longer had any strength left to push him away.
"No...don't..."
"No...don't..."
"Very well, I can wait. I told you before, didn't I? I can wait for you forever."
Narrowing his eyes, Tomomori gingerly kissed Shanao's black hair.

"Noritsune! Hey! Noritsune!"
"?!"
The voice that called his name was strong and determined, and Noritsune suddenly looked up.
"What do you want, Shigehira?"
"You finally notice me? I've been calling your name for ages."
Shigehira glared at Noritsune, his face contorted with frustration.
They were in the room of the Heike estate where Noritsune lived. The room was empty and bare.
"I was just thinking."
"You? Thinking? That's a first, I thought all you could do is wield a sword. Is Shanao's escape still bothering you?"
"No."
"It's all anyone will talk about. You lost to Shanao twice, and now he's completely disappeared."
"..."
Noritsune remained silent. It was true that he had lost his duel to Shanao, and that even all the power of the Heike failed to capture him. This was indeed a giant mistake. Under normal circumstances he would have been overcome with shame and would have searched for some way to redeem himself. However, on this occasion, it was Noritsune who had let Shanao escape.
The memory of the previous night's encounter with Shanao came flooding back to him.
"I don't want this! I don't want this name, Genji! I don't want to live as a child of Genji. I want to live as me - as Shanao!"
It was in the clear night air that Shanao had confessed that to him. He was staring straight at Noritsune when he said it. It was the first time their eyes had met, and he was surprised how filled with fear, anger, and sadness Shanao's eyes were. And yet within those eyes there was a will strong enough to overcome any obstacle...
"Why did I let Shanao escape?" Noritsune thought. Not even he understood his reasoning. All he knew was that he didn't want their story to end there, in that place. He wanted to fight Shanao, that was true, but one on one, not with some massive army at his back.
He felt as though his mind had been captured by Shanao. He wanted to beat him in combat because Shanao was a child of Genji, and the two were matched in age and strength... And yet at this moment, both Heike and Genji seemed like a hindrance to their ability to test their skills against one another.
"I wish I hadn't been born a Heike."
"Huh?"
"I can't live as I want, can't train as I want, can't fight as I want. This name is just an obstacle."
"What are you talking about?"
"..."
Shigehira frowned, unable to understand Noritsune's incoherent mutterings. Surely no one else in the Heike clan had such strange delusions. To be born to the Heike meant to be born to the family that rules the world. It meant to have the finest of clothes, food, and drink at your very command... Why would he want to give all that up? Isn't that what Shanao was attempting to do, by fleeing Kyoto?
Noritsune's mind raced with how to meet Shanao again, not as a Heike, but as himself, and only himself. To cross swords with him as an equal... Shigehira watched Noritsune with fading interest.
"I've had enough of this."
Shigehira stood up with a sigh.
「"My father has called us back to the estate, it's best you come right away. He's very upset about what happened last night, so be ready to get an earful from him."
"I see."
"What are you going to do if he doesn't forgive you? What if he kicks you out of the family?!"
Kiyomori was always kind to his family, showering them with positions of power and influence. However, he was also a very prideful man, and was ruthless to those who impugned the power and prestige of the Heike. There was no telling how he'd react to Noritsune, and Shigehira grinned at the punishment Noritsune was bound to receive.
"That may be for the best."
If Kiyomori kicked him out of the family he'd lose everything...but that would also mean he'd be free to live as he pleased. He'd be free to live as himself and pursue Shanao as his own man.
"Shanao..."
Noritsune had begun to change and grow, but no one yet knew the consequences of the man he was to become...

A small lord and their much-larger vassal walked along a ridge in Hiraizumi. Shanao breathed in deeply and stretched her arms out in front of her.
"I feel so refreshed, sometimes it's nice to take a walk like this. Good idea, Benkei!"
"Of course! There's no better way to clear your head."
Benkei smiled happily at his lord, who seemed to be feeling much better than before.
Since they all had arrived in Hiraizumi, Shanao had been focusing all her time and energy on figuring out what to do next. Seeing her rising anxiety, Benkei suggested that the two of them get out for some fresh air.
The two of them continued their leisurely walk for some time.
"Hm? My lord, please wait a moment."
Stopping his lord, Benkei quickly ran up to a nearby tree, and closely examined the bush that was growing at the base of the tree, quietly muttering to himself.
"What is it?"
Shanao peered out from behind Benkei's shoulder to get a better look at the bush. Inside was a small, huddled creature crying out for help.
"It's a little bird, still too young to fly."
"It must have fallen from a nearby nest. Up there! Look!"
Looking up, the two of them spied a nest on a far up branch.。
"I can't reach the nest, but if we don't get it back there it will die soon..."
The chick was still alive but it was clear it wouldn't last long, it would either die of exhaustion or be eaten by a some kind of predator. Benkei's face clouded in frustration.
"Don't worry, it will be fine."
"My lord?"
"I will save it, Benkei, wait here!"
　Shanao gently picked up the chick with both hands and placed it in her jacket pocket. Then she began climbing up the tree.
"My lord, it's dangerous!"
"This is nothing, I grew up in Kurama, remember? I've been climbing trees all my life!"
Shanao smiled down at Benkei, before refocusing her attention on climbing. In the blink of an eye she reached the nest, pulled the bird out of her pocket, and gently returned it to its nest.
"You'll be alright. Be careful not to fall down again, okay?"
The chick happily peeped a reply of gratitude and understanding. Shanao gave the bird a quick smile and jumped back down to the ground.
"All done! Hm? What's wrong, Benkei?"
Shanao stared at Benkei who stared silently at her.
"I'm just impressed... I never knew my lord was so wonderful!"
"Oh please, that was nothing."
"No, it wasn't nothing! You climbed that tree so quickly and jumped down without a scratch! It was so impressive!"
A brilliant smile creeped its way to Benkei's face.
"But more than that, your desire to help such a creature without hesitation was truly something to behold. You really are special, my lord!"
Benkei's lovely words made their way right into Shanao's heart, and she took in a sharp breath after hearing them.
"It's you who's special, Benkei. You were the one to notice the little bird, and you're always taking such good care of me. I'm so grateful for all you did to help us get to Hiraizumi."
"My lord, your words are far too kind."
By this point Shanao's cheeks had flushed red with embarrassment, and Benkei's face too was beginning to blush. The two stared at each other for a beat before both averting their gaze from the other.
"It's getting dark, we should probably head back..."
"Yeah...but promise me we can do this again sometime! "
"Of course, whenever you want, my lord."
"Thank you, Benkei. I'm really glad you decided to join us. "
A gentle calm came over the two of them as they made their way back to the estate.
The small lord and much-larger vassal walked along the road, their shadows looming large against the backdrop of the setting sun.

A bright, red sunset shone on the Mount Kurama temple where the youngest child of Genji lived.
"Nothing today either, huh?"
"Mm. I just can't seem to find him, he must be really well hidden."
Shanao sighed, her face darkening slightly as she thought of the challenge from Noritsune Taira.
Instead of a direct conflict between them, Noritsune had suggested the two of them work to catch the monk Musashibo Benkei, who had been causing trouble in the capital. Shanao had been searching everywhere for him to no avail.
"Don't look so down Shana, there's still time to find Benkei."
"But the deadline is the next full moon. If we don't find him..."
"I know it's not just Noritsune's game that you're worried about... You're worried about the future too..."
Shungen cast his gaze to the ground as he finished speaking. Since birth, Shanao had been living here, in the temple at Mount Kurama, her identity as an heir to the Genji name kept secret. But now that Noritsune had found her, there's no telling what would happen.
"If we don't find Benkei and beat Noritsune at his stupid game, I don't know what will happen to the temple..."
"That's no reason to panic, that's not going to help anything. "
"I know you're right, but..."
Shanao nodded in agreement, but her face remained troubled.
"Jeez...you're much too serious sometimes, Shana."
Shungen grinned, and quickly changed the topic.
"I heard an interesting story in town today." "Oh?"
Shanao tilted her head slightly.
"The capital is awash with stray dogs apparently. But despite the fact that they're strays, they seem to be very helpful. Carrying things on their backs, acting as guard dogs for the people of the city..."
"Though the situation in the capital has been rather dreadful as of late, it seems the appearance of these dogs has brough some joy back to the people of Kyoto."
Shungen's expression was soft, and he seemed to be staring off into the distance as he spoke. As she watched him, a gentle smile graced Shanao's face.
"Hehe, well that's good, isn't it?"
"I should think so. One appeared as I was talking to one of the shopkeepers, he seemed quite clever, almost as though he could understand we were talking about him. "
"Seriously?"
"Mm. He was so trusting when I went to pet him too."
"That sounds nice..."
The words came tumbling absent mindedly out of Shanao's mouth, and Shungen laughed when he heard her.
"Haha! Did you want to pet him too?"
"N-not really, but...I don't know... That sounds kind of nice..."
"Hahah. Tell you what, next time we go into town we can take one back here with us."
"Hahah! But instead of a dog, how about a puppy?!"
"Yeah, but we'll have to make sure he hasn't been housebroken! Lord Kakunichi would absolutely love that! "
The two of them laughed heartily picturing the monks of Kurama Temple training a mischievous puppy.
"Thank you, Shungen..."
"What?"
"You told me that story to cheer me up, didn't you?"
Their situation hadn't changed, but the laughter had made Shanao feel as though a massive weight had been lifted from her chest.
Shungen didn't answer, he merely smiled in the fading light of dusk.
"Let's continue to work hard and search for Benkei, that's all we can do."
"That's right, and don't forget Shana, I'll be here for you no matter what. You don't have to do this alone."
"Shanao nodded in agreement. Together, they would find a way out of this situation. They always managed to find a way out together."
"I think that's enough training for today. How about some studying?"
"Sounds good to me!"
Shungen nodded but his face suddenly became very serious.
"But don't go overboard, you need your rest."
Shungen's gaze, filled with genuine concern, made Shanao smile, and then burst into laughter.
"Typical Shungen, and you think I'm the one who's too serious?!"
But his concern made her smile. It had always been like this, ever since they were kids, Shungen had always looked after her.
"It's only natural, we're in this life together Shana."
"Hehe, that's right. We worry, we face our fears together, and we overcome. That's just what we do."
Before they knew it, the sun had fallen, and the moon began rise in the deep blue sky. Looking at the stars high above them, they stood up quietly and made their way home.