Akiko’s nerves returned as soon as she stepped out of her room. She clasped her hands in front of her as she’d learned, and walked carefully to the front of the house, stepping down into the sandals Shiraishi had left in the entrance hall. From the door, she could see the priest finishing the preparations.

Four braziers, burning wood, stood at the corners of a square, and the himorogi was set up in the bright area between them, the shide fluttering in the gentle breeze. The wind shifted, and Akiko could smell the smoke, burning pine. Smoke. It reminded her of why they had to do this ceremony, and, taking a deep breath in an attempt to steady her nerves, she stepped out and walked over. The only sounds were the crackling of the flames and the quiet rustling as Shiraishi finished her preparations.

The priest heard her approaching, and looked round, immediately breaking into a warm smile.

“The vestments suit you, Akiko.â€ Akiko smiled back, but she could feel that it was a bit lacking in enthusiasm. Shiraishi seemed to notice. “Well, anyway, kneel here.â€ She indicated a mat directly in front of the himorogi. Akiko stepped out of the sandals at the edge of the mat and knelt, settling herself.

The flickering light of the fires made the sakaki branch seem to shimmer, as the leaves shivered in the breeze. The light glittered on the brocade bag at its base, the bag containing the go-shintai. Beyond the himorogi, the firelight danced over the stones of the iwakura, making them look almost alive. Despite the warmth of the fires, Akiko shivered.

Now that she had decided, she had to take responsibility for actually doing something. But what? What should she do?

“Takamanoharanikamizumarimasu…â€ Shiraishi started the purification prayer, and Akiko bowed her head. After the ohnusa was waved over her, Shiraishi knelt in front of the himorogi, and called Tamao, her long, drawn out “ohâ€ eerily loud in the night.

“Kakemakumokashikomi…â€ Akiko could pick out a few parts of the norito, as Shiraishi introduced her to Tamao, like he didn’t know her already, and said something Akiko didn’t quite catch about her suitability to be a miko. The priest asked Tamao to look favourably on his new miko, to bring her happiness, calm, and growth.

<em>That would make a nice change,</em> Akiko thought, and then chastised herself for getting distracted.

Shiraishi picked a tamagushi, a small sakaki branch with shide attached, up from a table off to one side, and called Akiko forward to present it to the kami. Akiko stepped back into the sandals, and took the branch. Standing directly in front of the himorogi, she held it vertically up in front of her.

“I will serve as a miko here, Tamao,â€ she murmured, quietly enough that, she hoped, Shiraishi could not hear. “I will stand between you and the people of Kawasaki, and, so far as it is in my power, neither you nor the kegare will harm them. This I swear.â€