As a black porcelain-like bird flew over my hometown of Nagaoka, Japan I wondered where his family had gone. Does he have any friends? I think to myself when I turn to look at myself in the mirror, I eye my shoulder length black hair, flowing down my back as straight as a washboard. Then I scrutinize my clothes, filthy from hours of working in the rice fields. I am just like you little black bird, I mumble aloud. If only I could spread my wings and fly. I would fly to a wonderful town along a beach with shimmering icy blue waves and burning sand as white as the snow. Here children would jump around and not worry about in arriving home before dark. This vision was instantly shattered as when I heard the shrill voice of Aunt Lucia.  I quickly ran inside, desperate to avoid chores, if even for a few minutes. Because of my harsh settings, many of the maids pitied me and took me in as their own. Every night they would lay me down on my straw mattress in the basement and read stories of princesses and heroes, princes and frogs, and I would fall asleep with a small grin on my face.  Dreaming of kissing that ugly frog smack on the lips. But every morning it would soon disappear and was replaced by a disappointment as I served my stepsisters and stepmother their morning tea.
I skipped down to the rice field to gather grains for dinner, to my surprise, I saw a shadow move across her basket. Looking up, I saw a man in a black kimono making a run for it with our dinner.
“You thieving rascal!” I exclaimed as I ran after the figure. Many years of running from my stepmother had paid off when I caught him by the arm and dragged him back. Yanking his robe off I gasped, he had beautiful features, fit for a prince.  He yelled at me to let him go, causing me to flinch. His eyes softened when he saw that it was a young woman whom had caught him.  I studied his eyes closely, and thinking I was a good judge of character, decided he must be one of the arrogant rich boys from the village. “Then why was he stealing my rice?” I thought to myself.
Before he could react, I yanked his silken collar and started dragging him in the direction of my stepmother’s house. As I entered the threshold, I caught sight of a familiar black bird out of the corner of my eye.
“Rinnn,” my stepmother screeched after about two seconds of my arrival.
“We’re starving! What took you so lon-,” she froze once she caught sight of the man in my arms and his fine clothing.
“Rin, what on Earth are you doing with this boy? Oh you poor dear. No supper for you until I get an explanation,” Aunt Lucia exploded.
“But he was trying to steal from my basket,” I complained.
“You’re the criminal here, not this poor boy. Just another mouth to feed,” scolded Aunt Lucia. “Take him to the kitchen and clean him up.”  Aunt Lucia spat at me before returning to the stepsisters.
The man asked me if I was part of the hired help, I don’t know what came over me, but I found myself explaining how my parents died when I was very young, resulting in my transfer in five different foster homes until Lucia adopted me.    I waited for him to share something of importance from his own experiences, but nothing came.  He looked at me intently, as if trying to figure something out but couldn’t find it.  Before he could respond, I interrupted, questioning, “Sir, if you don’t mind me asking, can you share with me your name?”  “My name is Sadeo, and yours must be Rin,” he stated with a proud smile.  When his head was turned, scouting out the land before him, I took the time to study his physique.  He was well built, with few blemishes across his skin that was not covered still by the robe, almost as if he was experiencing the outdoors for the first time in years.  When he caught me staring he winked, with a smirk playing on his lips, but soon went back to the landscape before him.  I rolled my eyes at his behavior, and came to a halt outside the guesthouse.  I handed him a towel, directions to the bathhouse, and the time he should be reporting back to the main house for dinner.   “Thank you, Rin,” I heard him call after me.  “Don’t steal anything,” I shot back with a playful smile.
After an awkward dinner of rice and fish from the market that Mio, one of our fisherman, had dropped off earlier in the afternoon, I was ready to go to bed.  All  nightI couldn’t stop thinking about Sadeo.  There was something missing and I planned to find out.
I walked into the guest house to wake Sadeo for breakfast and tea with step-mother.  Before I could interrupt I heard something I had forgotten all about.  The power of song.  He sang quietly to himself while tidying up the cabin.  I stood by the door, entranced by the sound.  “Click,” I heard the door open, but it was too late.  I waited for the feel of dirt coming in contact with my body as I fell face first, but it never came.  I slowly opened my eyes and looked straight into those blue orbs of his, sparkling with humor.  That’s it, I need answers.  “Good-bye!” Sadeo calls out.  This is my chance, I think.  “Wait, sir, let me come with you,” I beg.  I think I am falling in love with this mysterious man.
I have not felt these emotions in such a long time.  Not since father and mother. Sadeo halted, waiting for to catch up.  “Are you sure about leaving your home?” Sadeo asked.  “This was never my home,” I respond, looking back on the fields for the last time before disappearing into the trees.  “Are we going to your home?” I asked, breaking for silence.  He looked skeptical at first, but finally answered, “Yes, and I would to invite you to stay with me.”  “Of course!”  I squealed.  We walked in a comfortable silence, side by side.  I couldn’t shake the silly grin off of my face.
“The palace!” I gasped.  “This,” he says as we walk closer to the gates, “is your new home.”  My knees go weak and I would have fallen if not for his arm encircled around my waist.  I walked carefully next to Sadeo as we entered the massive doors so as not to touch anything expensive.  The first thing I saw as we arrived in the dining room were the warm smiles directed at me from the Emperor and his wife.  “I am Komaki and this is my husband, Goruo.  You have our blessing for marriage.  We are so happy you brought back our son.  We worried he would not return.  We have put a stop to the non-sense of an arranged marriage,” Komaki tearfully smiled.  “I have chosen my new bride,” Sadeo announced, kissing me on the cheek. 
On the wedding day I couldn’t help but worry if everything was in the right place.  I ran to the kitchen to check on the food.  That’s when I saw Sadeo walk in, already dressed in the wedding robes, carrying a blackbird?