Dance of the Crane: Purple Blossom Cronicals, #1

By Nathalia Books

The magic dance begins. Diàsha Sumero waves her fans. The sun perks over the horizon. Purple blossoms unfold. It is a new day. A new beginning.

 

... The end of a normal life...

• Language: English
• Publisher: Purpleheart Publishing
• Release date: Apr 2, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215970829

Nathalia Books

Nathalia Books is a real dreamer and turns these dreams into stories. Each with their own world and charm, she prefers to write all day long, and she loves to forget the world around her. Her worlds take you to deserted places and new unknown cities. She introduces you to new unknown races and beliefs.

Book preview

The Crane

13th of February 400, year of the Crane

The magic dance begins . Diàsha Sumero gracefully waves her fans. The sun perks over the horizon. Purple blossoms unfold. With a smile on her face she turned on her axis, there was no music except the one in her own mind. Completely happy, she took the last step of her dance and opened her eyes. She looked around in amazement, she had no idea where she was. She stood in front of a cherry tree with purple blossoms, the leaves of the delicate flowers released with the slightest breath of wind. Several petals fluttered slowly down and circled quickly. Five animals appeared out of nowhere among the leaves. Diàsha knew these animals by heart, the tiger, the praying mantis, the snake, the monkey and the panda. These were the five of the six sacred animals of Kimocana. She swallowed, but where was the sixth animal, the crane? She looked around in amazement. Behind her stood Asowa the host of the cranes spirits. But he had died last year, what was he doing here? The petals began to dance around him and the image of Asowa changes into the image of the crane. The animal with a red red cap on it’s white head, white body and black feathers on its wings. The animal spread its wings and began to move. It was much like the dance she had performed before, the crane looked at her inquisitive.

Do you want me to dance with you? she asked and the crane bowed its head slightly, as if it was nodding. Diàsha opened her fans and danced with the crane, this time music was looming from an unknown place. She knew the dance by heart and all she had to do was move her feet and fans. The music died down again and the dance was once again over. She bowed to the crane with her fans open and the crane did the same, but then with his wings. The sun went down, Diàsha looked at the cherry tree, it was bare and there were no petals left on it. What a pity, it was such a beautiful tree. The crane came up next to her, the other sacred animals were still standing there. What are they waiting for? Diàsha asked aloud, but she did not look at the crane. Suddenly a thought popped into her head and she slowly shook it. Again the petals began to dance around the animals and the animals disappeared instead of them, the present hosts of the animal spirits appeared. She took a deep breath as the blossom leaves began to dance around the crane, but instead of old Asowa, she stood looking at her own reflection. Only her hair was red brown, instead of black. Her hand went to the hair in a braid on her back and to her surprise the color was the same. No, no. This is cant be!

Her eyes shot open and with a jerk she came up, lying on her futon on the tatami mats of her room. She knew everything in the small room. The white and blue kimono she would wear today, already hung on a scaffolding of yellow-stained bamboo. She got up from her futon and folded up carefully. She put it in the chest and walked to her kimono carefully putting on her Nagajuban. She smoothed the white fabric of the collar so it wouldn't irritate. Then she slipped the silk kimono over the white fabric. With her trained finger she donned the Koshihimo, for once she was grateful to help her mother with hers. That way she didn't need any help herself. She tied the Obi on her back, just not as tight as it should be. She walked in small steps to the polished iron that functioned like a mirror. She looked into it sleepily, suppressing a cry just in time. Her hair was reddish brown and her normally sun-tanned skin was now as white as cooked rice.

Diàsha, what is that infernal noise? Her mother pushed open the door with a loud yawn. Diàsha winced, there was one thing her mother hated more than her, and that was waking up too early. And her mother didn't hate her, she just wasn't the much wanted firstborn son her mother wanted so badly. That honor went to her younger brother.

I'm sorry mother. Diàsha murmured, hoping her mother would close the door again. But her mother was too busy rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

Oh that's true. Today is your sixteenth birthday. Her mother opened her eyes, but did not look at her daughter. Instead, she inspected the room. It won't be long before you finally fly out to a household of your own and expand our nobleblood line. Diàsha had to try her best not to groan loudly, that was all where her mother could think about. What would her father have said if he were standing there? But Diàsha could not recall an example. By the sacred animals! her mother screamed.

Diàsha was on her knees on a zabuton, some kind of pillow, in the large reception hall of the main building of the Sumero estate. Her mother was the head of the Sumero family, at least until her younger brother turned sixteen.

Thank you for coming so quickly, Sensei Sumero. Her mother could not suppress her frustration. She didn't like surprises and this was a real surprise.

Calm down, my lady. Calm down. We knew the crane would come forward one day. The man called Sensei said.

Yes, but Diàsha is a girl? A girl? Her mother replied. The irritating was clearly audible, again the fact that she was just a girl was brought up.

I know, my lady, and I also know that we never had a female host before. But just because something has never happened before, doesn't mean it can't be. Sensei said in a calm tone. Didn’t he know that her mother hated that as well. But what else could the man do, panicking?

Please keep your half-wisdoms to yourself. Her mother snapped. The two entered the room and Diàsha looked uncertainly at Sensei Sumero. Whose mouth turned into a friendly smile.

Good morning Diàsha and happy birthday. He said.

You are here to take me. It was not a question. He nodded, she sighed. May I say goodbye to Jiad? Sensei Sumero shook his head.

Unfortunately that's not possible and I don't want to be mean, but we really have to go now. He said, while motioning with his eyes. She knew what that meant, her mother didn’t want her to interact with Jiad. She could be stuborn, she could say that she didn’t want to leave unless she was able to say goodbye. But instead she nodded and stood up.

Sensei Sumero, take good care of her. Her mother said, as if she cared about her. The only person her mother cared about was Jiad and of course herself.

Dojo

13th of February 400, year of the Crane

Diàsha sighed as she walked the streets of the Sumero estate.

Diàsha are you okay? Sensei Sumero asked, she shook her head. This would be one major disappointment. Although she was the family head’s daughter, she was a stranger to the rest of her own family. Not being the desired son, she was mostly kept at home by her mother and for the past few years she was more of a slave in her own house. Her brother, who was a year younger, he was her only friend in the world. It'll be okay, you're one of the hosts now. Which makes you very special. She scoffed and turned her gaze towards him. He looked at her uncomprehendingly.

Sensei, let's agree on one thing. I may be only sixteen, but I'm not stupid. Hosts are nothing special, it's a curse put on our family by an angry Kina. Since then, our family has done nothing else than to hide the hosts. Diàsha said. Sensei chuckled slightly.

You are your father's daughter, Diàsha Sumero. But indeed I must not forget that you are the daughter of our Lady Sumero as well, and that you have enjoyed the privilege of a good education. In the art of reading and writing, as well as in the Way of the Crane. Which is actually quite funny, when you think about it. He said. She tapped her foot, which was tucked into a white sock and slipper to protect it from the dusty ground.

Unfortunately I don't see the joke in it, but maybe that will come. She said. He chuckled and put a hand on her shoulder.

But you are rightfully special Diàsha, but let's get to the dojo. There I introduce you to the other hosts and then you immediately start your training. He said.

Are you saying I put on this kimono for nothing? She asked and he nodded slowly.

Sensei slid open the dojo door and walked inside. Diàsha followed him, the room they entered was a low wooden floor with steps leading to an elevation that led to the rest of the building. The elevation was low enough so that people could sit on it to take off their outdoor shoes and put on their Uwabaki, simple slippers for the home. Something they immediately did, Sensei helped her up the narrow stairs, as she couldn't move very well in her kimono.

Follow me, the boys are most likely training and if they aren't. Well then I'll have to drag them out of their beds. I always have six buckets of cold water ready so be warned. Diàsha hung her head slightly, the redbrown locks sliding forward. Normally she would wear it in a bun, but she didn’t had the chance to do her hair properly. The wooden floors could use a good scrubbing, she looked at the rice paper walls. Also in desperate need of replacement, it was because her mother had used her as a house slave for the past few years and had her clean the entire main house. That she noticed how dirty it here was. She shook this out of her head, she wasn't a house slave anymore, she was a spirits host. So here is the training room, you can only enter the mats with bare feet otherwise you will damage them. He slid open the door and loud manly cries came at her. She saw five men sparring with each other, all five with weapons from a different way. Gentlemen, gentlemen I must say I am impressed.