That day, the young shrine maidens were lively from early morning, quietly discussing the evening's activities. After all, this was the annual Tanabata festival, when they could pray for their families' safety and ask the Weaver Girl to bless them with skillful hands. Though it had originally been a celebration for court nobles, and the girls regarded it with reverence, when their Master said, "Let's celebrate Tanabata too," they were overjoyed, even if they had no idea how to celebrate this aristocratic festival.
"Han, have you decided what to wish for?" Gardenia asked the girl beside her with a smile. Their Master had said that they could make wishes to the Weaver Girl on Tanabata. Whether they wished for skillful hands or peace for their whole family, if the Weaver Girl heard them, she would surely grant them her blessing.
"Yes, I suppose I'll ask for skillful hands too, so I can become good at making clothes." Han sounded a little troubled.
She had always struggled with sewing. Even with Gardenia's patient guidance, she still made a mess of every garment she sewed. The shrine maiden robes Han wore now had originally belonged to Gardenia. Han had intended to return them once she had made her own, but she had never managed to do so. Instead, Gardenia had given her several more sets of everyday clothes.
Han was deeply embarrassed, but she had also come to understand more clearly how little talent she had for such things. After that, whenever she went out, she always brought back beautiful flowers and delicious fruit for Gardenia. Plants, medicine, scholarship, archery, and talismans were where her talents lay.
"The Weaver Girl will surely bless Han and make her wish come true." Remembering Han's usual efforts, Gardenia could not help laughing.
"Enough about me. Have you decided on your wish, Gardenia?" Han cleverly changed the subject.
"Yes. I hope Father and Mother are happy in heaven, and that everyone will always be safe." Gardenia stroked the slip of paper against her chest, looking a little downcast, but soon brightened again.
"Yes, and you have to stay happy and safe too, Gardenia!" Han linked her arm through Gardenia's and nuzzled affectionately against her.
Soon, the sun began to set, and evening gradually approached.
After finishing their midday meal, the young shrine maidens had happily gathered beside the persimmon tree to tie the slips of paper they had prepared, each bearing a wish, onto the bamboo branches. Girls with deft hands, such as Yuriko, also tied on paper ornaments they had made themselves.
Their Master had said that people at court would place the bamboo branches on rooftops or in rivers, hoping their wishes would reach heaven or their misfortunes and suffering would drift away with the current. Facing the silvery moon and watching the slender slips sway gently on the branches in the breeze, they silently pressed their palms together and prayed that the Weaver Girl would grant their wishes.
Han prayed quietly too. The wish she had written on her slip was to find a Spirit Bow of her own. The bow she currently used was one of those the temple had provided for everyone-in fact, the girls had made them themselves-but whenever Han used it, she felt as though her power was being held back.
Their Master had once said that a true Spirit Bow could channel a shrine maiden's power and strengthen her arrows. Yet Spirit Bows were exceedingly rare, and few shrine maidens could obtain one truly their own. Her other wish was for Kikyo, far away, to be happy, and for the two of them to meet again soon. Though Han firmly believed she could fulfill that wish through her own efforts, she still hoped the Weaver Girl would help it come true sooner.
In Kaede's Village, Kikyo took Kaede with her to tie their wish slips onto a small tree beside their house. Imagining the shrine maidens at Kiyomori Temple bustling around the bamboo branches and tying on their wishes one by one, just as they had in years past, she smiled warmly.
"You look happy, Sister. Are you thinking about your Master and the others?" Kaede asked beside her after finishing her prayers.
"Yes, but I want to be here with you even more. I hope the Weaver Girl grants you skillful hands." Kikyo smiled and stroked Kaede's head, wondering whether that girl named Han, who was about Kaede's age, was doing well.
"If you hadn't needed to come back to protect the village, you'd still be studying at Kiyomori Temple now. Maybe you'd be happier." Kaede sounded a little dejected. Perhaps her sister's time at Kiyomori Temple had been her happiest since their parents had passed away. Yet to protect the village and fight demons, her sister had been forced to return and face a life of battle.
"Being with you is what makes me happiest, Kaede. You're the most important person to me. Don't worry about it." Kaede had always felt uneasy that her sister could not study at the temple in peace because of her. To Kikyo, however, nothing brought greater happiness than staying beside Kaede and protecting her village. Though Kaede might also possess spiritual power, Kikyo hoped she would grow up to be an ordinary girl and lead a peaceful, happy life, rather than become a shrine maiden who had to stand strong against vicious demons. That was also why Kikyo, as her older sister, had not taken Kaede with her to study at Kiyomori Temple.
"Yes, and you're the most important person to me too, Sister. No one in the world matters more than you." So said the young Kaede, yet she could not foresee her future. Sometimes, the very people one had no choice but to hurt were those who mattered most.
Kikyo smiled, comforted, and said nothing more. She simply held her little sister's small hand firmly, its skin slightly cool in the night air.
At Kiyomori Shrine, everyone clapped their hands to mark the end of their prayers over the wish slips, then began carrying the offering table and offerings into the courtyard. The offerings were corn and pears, the latter a very precious fruit.
With their Master leading them, Tsubaki stood just below her, while Han and the other girls stood behind them. Together, they prayed toward the heavenly bridge of the Milky Way, hoping the Weaver Girl would grant them deft hands, whether for making clothes or practicing calligraphy. Though they did not often practice writing, they still prayed earnestly.
Once their prayers were finished, the young shrine maidens put everything away, then prepared to carry the bamboo branches to the nearby river. They lifted the branches and left the temple together. It was a rare outing in which everyone could take part.
As two of the older girls, Ran and Gardenia held lanterns at the front and along the side to light the way for everyone.
The pale yellow lamplight swayed gently around the young shrine maidens, quietly illuminating the path beneath their feet.
"What did you wish for, Tsubaki?" Yuika softly asked the quiet girl beside her as they carried the bamboo branches together.
"To stay with our Master forever." Tsubaki gave a pure, open smile, looking entirely different from her usual reserved self. Perhaps it was because she had spoken of such a lovely wish.
"That's a wonderful wish." Yuika smiled in understanding. Everyone could see how deeply Tsubaki depended on their Master.
"Yes." Tsubaki smiled too.
The night gradually deepened amid the girls' scattered conversations along the path.
Before long, they could hear the gentle burble of water. They were nearing the river.
Carefully, they laid the bamboo branches, laden with all their lovely wishes, into the river and gently pushed them out.
Watching the branches drift gently into the distance on the rippling current, they wished for one another's hopes to come true.
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