Jin awoke next to the tree, yawning and rubbing the impression of bark from her cheek. Birds were chirping merrily above her head. She got up, embarrassment all over her face, hastily heading inside before she was seen.

The house was quiet, still. The Prince was still blissfully asleep, and Ishawari was too. That left Jin alone to start breakfast, which was fine with her. Usually too much quiet was a bore, but she was starting to get used to it here. She threw some sticks into the stove and lit it with a match, letting the warmth coat her hands. It briefly brought back a flash of last night’s nightmare, and she shut the metal stove with a clang. 

“Enough of that.” She muttered to herself. Then she put a pot on the stove and started to prepare breakfast. Miso soup was the order of the morning: filling, easy and blissfully simple. Even she couldn’t burn soup!

The smell of the meal soon began to waft through the little house, while Jin enjoyed a cup of green tea to wake herself for the day. If the Prince didn’t get up soon, she’d have to wake him herself. There was a small school here for the local children. While it was far behind what Prince Hotaru had already been taught, they made him attend anyway. Both to keep him occupied and prevent suspicion on their part. 

Jin stood with her tea and peeked in the room where both of them were still sleeping away. Maybe she could give them ten more minutes.