Wind Children

In the skies, she was alone. Hiroko loved the deep blue around her. She remembered the moment when she was born. The sun and the clouds felt so warm around her body. Hiroko felt love in Kami’s arms. He watched her grow into the beautiful lone wind spirit that she had become. Still, it wasn’t enough. Kami noticed her feeling sad one day.

“Hiroko-chan, what is the matter?” he asked.

“I am so lonely,” she said.

“Why?”

“I have no one to love.” Hiroko placed her hands to her chest. Over the years, she saw mothers bonding with their children. She wanted to feel the same warmth that they felt. Kami patted her on the head.

“You want to be a mother?” he asked.

“Yes. I want to be able to make my own child.”

Kami ran his thin, airy fingers through her long brown hair. He wanted to see his little wind princess happy. If a child was what she wanted, a child she shall get. Kami smiled. “I will see what I can do.” Hiroko bowed her head with a little smile on her face.

“Thank you,” she murmured.

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Kami blessed Hiroko with the ability to create children. However, she was unaware of this at the time. She did her job and waited to have children. The wind spirit did her best to fulfill her duties to the earth. The whole time, she waited in her heart. She even prayed that she would find the right partner to have a child with. One day, she was helping put out new clouds in the sky.

“Could please get the cutters from the top drawer?” Kami asked.

“Okay,” Hiroko said. She glided over to the chest in the shed. The wind spirit pulled open the thick, heavy oak drawer.

“Be careful,” Kami said. “The blades are really…”

“Ow!” she yelped as her finger slid across the newly sharpened blade.

“…Sharp,” he finished. Hiroko drew back her finger and tried to suck on the wound. However, one drop of blood escaped to the ground. Kami came over to her side.

“Let me take a look,” he said. As Kami examined Hiroko’s finger, they heard a small sneeze.

“Bless you,” he said.

“That wasn’t me,” Hiroko said. Kami froze as he looked up.

“Then who was…” They turned their heads to see a little girl standing inches away from them. She was naked with long white hair. The paleness of her skin could rival the sun. When the child opened her eyes, Hiroko fell in love.

“Oh!” she said. “She is so precious!” The wind spirit walked over to the little girl. “What is your name?” The child stared at her with empty eyes. “Never mind.”

“You finally have your own child,” Kami said. Hiroko looked up with a curious look in her eyes.

“Huh?” she asked.

“She was born out of your blood,” he said. “Therefore, she is now your beautiful daughter.” Hiroko turned to the little girl in her arms. When the child stared into her eyes, she fell in love all over again. She gave the child another hug.

“I guess you are right,” Hiroko said. “She is my child.”  The little girl hugged her back. In six weeks, the child grew to love her new “mother”. From then on, every year, a new wind chi was born from the blood of Hiroko and her daughters and sons. Pretty soon, they almost filled the sky as the clouds did. Their mother was finally fully happy.