Work Text:
Ataraxia
(n.) 1. An untroubled and tranquil condition of the soul.
2. A state of freedom from emotional disturbance and anxiety; tranquility.
...
"Are you leaving now?"
Her lips whispered something, but all Kagura could hear was the beating of her heart, a sound so incredibly foreign to her that now pulsed in her ears. Miasma clouded her vision until it went dark, a piercing golden stare watching her until her lungs no longer filled with air.
The warmth of darkness embraced her, and she only remembered the inkling of a thought that she could have been loved, if the gods had been amused by her feeble desires. But instead she had only been granted a glimpse of the freedom she sought for so long.
Kagura was content to drift through whatever end Hell deemed her worthy of.
A soft breeze then caressed her cheek, the air a heady blend of scents - the sharp zest of pine and the clean, invigorating freshness that could only be found upon her feather as she soared the wind passages through the sky. She snuggled further into the silk that swathed her like a newborn, content to remain burrowed in the phantoms that chased her even in death.
It wasn't until a hint of floral sweetness tickled her nose, like the blooming slopes of wildflowers, that she finally opened her eyes.
Thrown open windows yielded to the beautiful blue sky, so crisp in color it nearly blinded her, as amethyst curtains fluttered in the wake of a well-acquainted old friend. Kagura furrowed her brows, sitting up to find herself in a bed fit for a queen, and a room that she had never stepped foot in before.
She swung her legs over the side, taking note of the beautiful furs that lined the bed, and a purple yukata that dressed her frame. Her curiosity drove her from the unfamiliar chambers, into the halls of a palace in which walls were open to nature's blessings. Springtime flourished, iridescent butterflies flitted amongst the flowers ripe with pollen and nectar.
"Yes, please set them in the great hall," an empyreal woman's voice lifted through the open doorway ahead.
A muffled response preceded soft footfalls that drifted away. Kagura tentatively approached the threshold, her guard up as she tried to assess her surroundings. She squinted her eyes as she entered what seemed to be the parlor, sunlight cascading through marvelous windows that extended from floor to ceiling.
"There you are. I wondered how long you would sleep."
As her eyes adjusted to the coruscating golden light that spilled in from the west, the being who emerged before her could only be described as otherworldly. Her skin shimmered with an underlying glow, her hair a lustrous silver that cascaded down her back, her eyes flecked with gold.
"Where am I?" Kagura demanded, old defenses of a life once lived awakening, a habit hard to break.
"My castle," she answered simply, an amused tug at her lips.
"And who are you?"
The woman tilted her head, the navy outer wrap she wore, embellished with a fur belt, moving as she swept her hand toward the grand doors that mirrored the window-filled walls. "Join me in the gardens."
More of a command than a request, Kagura tentatively followed after her.
As she left the walls of the palace behind, she was greeted with rolling hills of wildflowers, stone walkways curving through the various groves and hedges. In the distance rose mountains capped with snow and a sky so blue it nearly broke free a catharsis of emotion from her chest.
"I am called many things," the woman beside her began, her voice anodyne among the far-off twittering of birdsong. "Some call me the Deity of the Sky, others have named me Queen of the Celestial World, and then there's the Sky Mother. I am not partial to any of them, nor claim to be deserving of such titles." She turned to face Kagura, her purple lips pulling into a smile. "You may simply call me InuKimi."
"What is this place?"
"An interval, I suppose, between one place and the next. Somewhere to lay one's head, a pause in the middle of a breath." Her eyes found the snow-capped mountains. "A soul is often barraged with unspeakable suffering, burdened with terrors even the gods cannot fathom. My castle, these grounds, are simply a place to rest."
Her eyes narrowed. "What do you want from me?"
"Absolutely nothing. If you choose to stay, you are free to venture as you please. There are no shackles for you here."
It seemed too good to be true - there had always been an exchange, a debt owed, an obligation to fulfill a task required of her. Yet, Kagura detected no deceit in InuKimi's offering.
Distant memories told of a cold and frigid existence, wrapped in tendrils of darkness and loathing. After so long without it, Kagura was surprised by the warmth of the sun's rays. Her breaths came easily here, no weight pressing on her chest, and the beams that thawed her heart were not enough to burn. Rather, the first lick of spring had her returning to a calm she never knew.
Ruby eyes flickered to the woman beside her, tracing the magenta stripes that decorated her cheeks. InuKimi had not demanded anything from her, nor scolded her for some shortcoming. She offered a simple respite, a place to find comfort and the strength to reenter unyielding lands. These were protected walls, offering a chance to heal hearts and essences.
Kagura suddenly felt timid, like a freshly-born babe unsure of the strength of her legs, hesitant to accept the kindness offered. But as InuKimi's eyes locked with hers, a golden stare so familiar yet different, she felt all the uncertainty fade.
"I would like to stay awhile," she finally said.
InuKimi's gaze twinkled. "However long you like."