Tamiko Alternate Ending

“They say,” the woman next to me whispers as she looks around the room, addressing the dozen or so women surrounding us, “that he is a descendent of the dragons.” She pauses for a moment, taking in the petrified faces staring back at her. “I have also heard that he is just as violent and bloodthirsty as one.”
The women grab for one another, clutching each other’s arms as they listen to Tamiko speak. Though their faces are painted, I know that they are pale with fear. Their eyes, wide and filled with dread, give them away. I, too, am afraid of him. What he is rumored to be.
“I have also heard,” Tamiko continues, “that he is the most beautiful man—nay, person—you will ever see. More beautiful than Misaki.”
The ladies gasp at the mention of the
My fingers idly pick at the loose string on the sleeve of my robe, letting a small section of the sloppy hem come undone. I hurriedly tuck it back into place, hoping that nobody will notice.
Moment later, the doors on the other side of the room open, slamming against the walls as they let a tall man enter. He stands at the door, waiting for the women to quiet. Impatiently, he taps his foot, the sole of his sandal softly slapping against the wooden
I gasp as I take in the clear, blue water. A small waterfall spills into the pond, turning my attention to the brightly-colored fish swimming beneath the surface.
I kneel down, my fingers grazing the water. Enchanted by the pond, I take no notice of the figure walking towards me.
“Lovely, isn’t it?” a man asks, crouching next to me. “I hear that His Majesty favors this spot above all others.” “I can see why,” I say as I turn to look at the man, awestricken by his sharp, almost foreign features. “It is the most beautiful place I have seen since my arrival.”
He smiles and looks down at our reflections. A fringe of dark hair falls over his left eye, softening the harsh lines of his face. Even though he is smiling, his features are sharp, giving him the appearance of perpetual anger. Next to him, my soft, round face looks like that of a child.
I sigh and pull myself to my feet. “If you would please excuse me,” I say, bowing to the man, “I must go.” I leave the man behind, the damp hem of my kimono dragging across the dirt as I rush back to the others.
“Where did you go?” Tamiko sneers upon my return. “We were told not to go anywhere.”
Another woman peers over her shoulder at me, opening her mouth to say something. Her words, however, are cut short by those of the tall man who had brought us