285 Lilli arrives in Japan

Alex is excited to take William to the temple to meet Kiki and the monks. Yona is just happy to have company on this trip. 

when the plane arrives Shiro and both of his Uncles are waiting for them. When Lilli sees Shiro she cannot contain her excitement. She takes off running towards him the two hugging as soon as they see each other. 

"I have missed you, I told father that if you could not come soon I was going to go to see you." Shiro tells Lilli. 

"Silly I told you it would be a few months, that my mom had her baby and so did my Aunt Salali. That we were very busy. Besides uncle could not leave Aunt Remi with the twins until Crystal was on break from school. " Lilli reminds Shiro. They are still holding hands while walking through the airport and in the car. The adults notice that Shiro is reluctant to let her hand go when she needs to get out of the car. 

"I hope you do not mind but our brother would like for you to join us for dinner tonight. So if it is ok we will go to his house first. Then after dinner I will have the driver take you back to your house. Hiroto tells Yona . 

"Oh no that is fine, I am looking forward to meeting him. It will give them a chance to meet Lilli and the boys. Besides I have a gift for Shiro's from the Uncles as well. Aisling sent a small gift for the baby." Yona tells him. 

when they arrive at Shiro's home Lilli gasps at how beautiful the garden is as they walk to the house. She saw that one of the small shrubs was a little wilted and goes to kneel next to it. Seeing that it is infected by a fungus she uses a little of her earth power to heal it. Whispering to the shrub. 

"you will grow and be healthy now. Do not worry. " seeing a small koi pond she walk over and fills her cupped hands with water to put on the shrub. Standing she notices that everyone was looking at her and waiting for her. Bowing her head shyly she mumbles an apology for them having to wait. When they go inside Shiro takes Lilli's hand and walks her to the washroom so she can wash her hands.  He waits for her till she is tidied up and takes her to meet his father. 

"Father this is Lilli, she is the one I told you about. " Shiro nervously tells his father. 

"It is very nice to meet you, I have presents for each of you . I hope you do not mind but they are handmade gifts." Lilli looks at her uncle and he brings her the cases that he retrieved from the car. Lilli opens the case and takes out a blue silk covered box. 

"Mr Jiro, when you visited I noticed that you enjoyed this most at dinner. So I made you some right before we left. I hope you will enjoy it. She hands him the box he opens it and inside was Irish soda bread. 

"You were right I think I nearly ate the entire plate . May I ask you to show my cook how to make it for me." Jiro smells the bread and breaks off a piece to taste it. Smiling as he puts it in his mouth. Hiroto winks at Yona and snatches a piece to try. 

Lilli hands out the other packages in the case. She smiles brightly when she hands shiro his. He knows what it is before he opens it. 

"You really made them for me? Look father Lilli made me a pair of doe skin moccasins. I saw hers when I visited her house and she promised to make me a pair. " Shiro slips them on and grins . 

"She not only made the slippers but she killed and skinned the deer they are made from herself. Those are made from her first deer." Alex tells Shiro. 

"We always keep the hide from the deer we kill especially our first one. We are taught how to tan the hides to use for other things. Lilli saved hers to make something special. " William tells Shiro. 

"Lilli that is amazing and thoughtful that you would use something special to you for me." Shiro tells Lilli thoughtfully. 

"Its nothing, I had it just hanging in the loft and did not want it to go to waste." Lilli interjected not wanting Shiro's father to think that she is not feminine. 

" I have a few gifts as well." Yona tells them. In the other case he gives Jiro a long case. inside the case is a handmade long bow like the one he admired at Astila's home. 

"You had mentioned that you would like one so the uncles crafted you one . They will make Shiro's when he visits next time." Yona tells Jiro. 

"Thank them for me. It is beautifully made. What are these symbols etched on it?" Jiro asks Yona 

"They are Cherokee symbols for friendship." Yona explains. The three brothers look at Jiro's bow and arrows that the uncles made. Yona pulls out Aisling's gift. Handing it to Akio. 

"Lilli's mother made this for your daughter. It is a dream catcher, in our culture it helps trap bad dreams and only allowed good ones through. The bad ones are trapped and burn up in the morning sun. " Yona explains Aisling's gift to them. 

Akio thanks him and looks at the beautiful gift. The people of this family are talented in many ways it seems. Akio thinks to himself as he admired the abundance of gifts they were given. 

Shiro's mother comes out of the room with her daughter in her arms. Shiro stands and goes to get his sister. Akio introduces their guest to his wife. When Alex and William take her hand they each take one. They feel the sadness inside of her. It is not because of the birth of the baby. It is because of her fear that she will be sick like her oldest child she lost. Alex nods to William and they both close their eyes and enter her mind. When they do they see a serpent coiled inside whispering to her that she is not a worthy mother. It has her trapped in its coils keeping her from being able to function. Alex places his hands on the neck of the snake. While William holds the woman's hands. Alex stares deep into the snakes eyes and fire begins to flow from his hands. The flames flow through the snakes body burning it and its poison from the inside out. William tells the woman to trust him and to come away from the snake. He places his hand over the wound the snake made and the poison oozes out from under her skin burning like acid as it comes out. Once the snake is gone and the poison is gone. The woman is free from its spell. The boys leave the woman's mind and open their eyes. They know that Lilli stopped time they moment they held Shiro's mothers hands. That way they could heal her without the others noticing. The nod to her and she starts time again. 

"Lilli it is so nice to meet you , I hope you will enjoy your time here." Shiro's mother tells her. For the first time in months she starts to direct the staff to set the table for dinner. 

Shiro smiles at Lilli and nods to the boys . He knows they already healed her as promised. 

Dinner was more formal than at home but Yona was proud of how the three of them behaved. Shiro's mother laughed and smiled throughout dinner watching her son interact with Lilli . She can see that the bond between them is already strong. Happy that her son has such a friend she invites Lilli to go to the temple the next day.