Dark Nights of Kyoto by kaoruhana

Taking Edo

June 1868

“Tokyo” Kane made a face at the name, “is still not pleasant to visit.  The rains have arrived and are drenching the city.  A lot of new visitors have arrived as well, and while most of them have left, enough remain that it is too crowded.”  Kane stopped reading the letter for a moment, but Rin and Kagome urged her on.  It was confusing to the three whenever Kane read about Tokyo.  Edo, it seemed, was no more.  The city had been renamed. 

The three were all sitting in Rin’s room, the younger girl having invited everyone over for Satow-san’s letter reading.  It had become a favorite pastime for the three women.  As it was, this letter reading only took place late at night or early in the morning when most of the house’s inhabitants were asleep.  While Kagome trusted the staff to protect them, she didn’t trust them to be silent.  And that was what was needed whenever the letters were read and their secrets deciphered. 

Kane sighed, and then continued reading the letter in the dim light.

“Some of the visitors who came are planning on leaving to the North, almost to Hokkaido.  I am afraid that soon, everyone will start going north and more problems will arise as a result. I know that you had wanted to join me in Edo and meet my British colleagues, but I think it is best for you to hold off your visit until the visitors and rain both end.  Please tell your friend that I have run into her husband here.  He is doing well, but plans on joining the men going to the North.  Apparently, they are in need of doctors near Tohoku.  He apologizes for not being able to write but he has so many new patients that he rarely has time in the day to relax.  Take care of yourself Kane.  I look forward to seeing you again once it is safe to travel.” 

The silence in the room was tense for a moment until Rin interrupted with her giggles.

“Can you imagine Sesshomaru-sama as a doctor?” She asked in a hushed whisper.  The other two in the room shared knowing smiles. Yes, it was hard to imagine the lord of the house as a doctor. Nonetheless, the elder two were both happy that Rin had been able to lighten the atmosphere.

* * * * *

A/N: Edo doesn't become Tokyo until the end of 1868 (or therabouts). I took some liberty here because I'm sure there must have been some talk about the name change even before it happened. At this point, Edo was being surrounded and eventually Katsu Kaishu (Tokugawa's army minister) negotiates a surrender. Some stragglers remain and regroup to fight in Ueno.  Yet others then flee north to Aizu-han and Sendai/Hokkaido where the last battles of the Boshin War occur. 

Credit for the next set of drabbles to Chie and her monthly prompt: Letters