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.·¤**¤·.Eyes Clouded By Love.·¤**¤·.
¤ By: Telpelindewen ¤
¤ Chapter One ¤
"Ashitaka you know how much I care for you."
"Yakkul and I will try and visit as often as I can."
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"Ashitaka stay and help us rebuild the great city we once had. Help us fortify iron town again." Eboshi said with one of those alarming smiles. She waved to some women and
"I will…on one condition." "What is that young warrior?"
"That for every blade of grass that you cover you must plant a tree as well."
She laughed loud and bright [for a lady with a severed hand anyway]. "You're serious about this aren't you?"
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It's been 3 years since Ashitaka left his village in the east; it's been two years since the great forest spirit died, and six months since Ashitaka last saw San in the reborn forest. Iron town is almost complete, and the forest almost regrown. Except without a forest spirit there is nothing to help the trees grow healthy and steady. Many fall over when gaining height – and there are many bare areas where trees once lived.
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"Ashitaka! Don't leave now… we need you to help us with the start of iron town's forge." A very pregnant Toki pleaded.
"Toki, you will be fine under Lady Eboshi's eye, and I haven't seen San for a half of a year." He went into his hut to get Yakkul's saddle and briddle.
"Toki, let him go. You can see how much he misses her. The longing in his eyes to leave gets stronger everyday." Seamy a new iron town female persuaded her.
"Okay, Ashitaka we will tell Lady Eboshi for you that you will be taking leave for a while. I hope that you return." They walked Yakkul to the gate as Ashitaka got a bag or rice for food.
"Wow, Ashitaka, that's enough rice for two weeks. I hope that's not how long you'll be gone." Seamy commented.
"I don't know how long I'll be gone, maybe longer than two weeks. It's been a while since I've left Iron Town. It's not my home, so I don't plan to stay forever." With that he held onto Yakkul's horn and swung onto his back and into his saddle. As he galloped off he shot an arrow near Lady Eboshi's window that usually signaled that he was leaving.
No one ever knew each time that he left if he would indeed return to Iron Town.
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FUSSSSZOOM WOBBLE WOBBLE
An Arrow struck the roof outside Lady Eboshi's window and then fell to the roof bellow.
Lady Eboshi was sitting drinking her tea with the remaining lepers when the arrow struck. "See you sometime Ashitaka, and thank you for all your help." She whispered to herself. But outside Seamy waited to be let it to tell the news to her leader.
"I'd like to see milady please." Seamy announced to Gonza.
"Her ladyship wishes not to be disturbed." Gonza replied trying to be manly.
"Oh move over will ya!" Toki shouted at him. "Seamy you have to learn that these men are such babies and they always pretend to be strong and manly; but between us and the rest of the women in Iron Town we all know that they aren't. Okay?"
"Yeah, okay Toki." Seamy said.
"Hey wait a minute that's not true! We are just as brave as you women are." Gonza's pride was obviously wounded.
"Oh, Gonza will you just let them through!" Lady Eboshi yelled, "All that ruckus is giving me a headache."
And with that Seamy and Toki pushed past Gonza and entered the tent where Lady Eboshi and the lepers sat drinking their tea. [of course not without sticking their tongues out at him first].
"Lady Eboshi! We came to tell you that Ashitaka has left, and we don't know if he's coming back but he took enough rice to feed an army." Seamy blurted out and then blushed before being permitted to speak.
"I already know this, but thank you for telling me. Seamy, I don't want you to think of Iron Town is anything like that Tatara Ba because I would really hate that. This place is where you are treated fairly. I want you to speak whenever you want and don't be afraid to be assertive."
"Yes, milady. I will try, it's just so different from Tatara Ba." Seamy said shyly.
"Yes I know that, I also have to find you a husband. Usually when I bring women here I have contracts of marriage for them, but I didn't have time to find one for you so if you have anyone in mind then tell me and I'll see what I can do."
"Oh! Goody! Come Seamy we're gonna go man shopping. I'll show you all of the available bachelors around. Common now!" Toki grabbed Seamy by the wrist and dragged her down the steps of the garden plateau.
"Oh dear." Lady Eboshi sighed.
"What was that milady?"
"Nothing Gonza."
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It would take one whole day to get to San's hideout where she lived with her two siblings. Who last time he checked had found other wolves for mates. But that was six months ago and they could have changed even more by now. Ashitaka missed not only San, but his village more than ever. He wanted to visit but knew that it would go against their laws. Kaya would be almost sixteen years old. This made them about five years apart. It was just about spring in the west and soon it would be San's birthday as well.
"Common Yakkul, it's almost dark and then we'll rest. I promise only a little further."
Ashitaka always pushed a little bit more when visiting San. He wanted to see her. Wanted to see if she had changed. The last time he was there she was letting her hair grow and it was around her shoulder length. Ashitaka himself had decided to keep his hair short considering it would be in his face all the time otherwise.
"Okay Yakkul, lets settle down here for the night." He took the saddle and bridle off knowing that Yakkul wouldn't go anywhere.
Instead of rolling out a blanket and pillow he like to sleep on leaves on the ground more than a comfortable bed. This was Princess Mononoke's influence. Yakkul decided to graze on the grass as Ashitaka cooked the rice in a stone pot he had brought along. Ashitaka stared off into the night of the beginning of the reborn forest. Everything was peaceful and smelled wonderful. He loved the forest just as much as he loved everything else. He had started to develop the name the Warrior of Courage. He didn't know why but it did make sense when you looked back about two years ago.
"Yakkul, come rest." Ashitaka laid among the leaves that he piled for himself and Yakkul. Yakkul came over and laid stretched out along Ashitaka's body for warmth. They fell asleep there till sometime before dawn.
"Look the boy is almost here." Mune said as he was on of Moro's godlike sons. They rarely left the forest, but they had smelt a scent that wasn't human nor animal from a mile away. While their sister slept in the cave that overlooked the forest they went out together to see where the scent led them. It was Ashitaka and he was sleeping.
"Should we tell San?" Nuke asked as he looked from a far at the boy who became man since they last saw him.
Nuke was the other wolf that Moro sired along with Mune.
"No, let him surprise her. She would be pleased either way." They decided to stay and watch over the man that their sister liked so much. Yakkul saw them from a distance, but he was friends with the wolves and knew that they would watch and protect them. So he let his guard down and slept.
It was an hour till dawn when Yakkul awoke and rustled to get up. He finally maneuvered enough to get up and pull on Ashitaka's hair to wake him up as well.
The wolves were still sitting upon the ledge watching the man awake and put his things away. Ashitaka got his saddle ready and placed it Yakkul's back just as the wolves stood up. He saw them above the rim of the saddle. He froze and nodded his head towards the wolves who nodded their heads in return.
"Common Yakkul, let's go!" Yakkul's hoofs were flying down the path into the forest that only he had dared to go into since the rebirth.
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Moro stood on a cliff above the forest. Higher then where San was. Momma! Momma! I miss you so much. I want you to come back. You only got that damn woman's arm. But I'm glad she was in much pain. I can't be an enemy with her though because I saved her life and now she owes me a favor. Momma! Where are you going?
Moro turned away and smiled as she trotted away.
Momma! Where are you going! Come back!
San got up and followed Moro down the path. The path was a blinding light where she could only see a shadow. It looked like a girl along with a crystal dagger. Moro was trotting away from San and laughing the whole time.
Momma! Come back please.
GASP, PANT, PANT.
"Another nightmare San?" Mune asked licking her face.
"We tried to wake you. Was it the same dream?" Nuke asked.
"Yeah, I can't take it anymore. I hate that Momma won't talk to me. I know it's really her, but I wonder if it's a game she's playing." San was still breathing pretty heavily.
"Go back to sleep Princess, you will have a visitor come tomorrow, and it's the first day of Spring." Moon said tucking her back in her fur bed.
"Mmmm… that's nice." San mumbled already have asleep.
"Yakkul only a little bit more boy. That's it. See that cliff that's where San lives. Common a little bit further. Look we beat dawn. So now we can surprise her." Yakkul came to a sudden halt as two wolves blocked their path to the caves where San lay rest.
"What do you want here stranger?" The smaller of the two asked.
"I am…"
"Let him pass he is no stranger. That is Ashitaka and Yakkul." Mune came out of the shadows.
"Good morning to you Mune, and I see that you have children already. Fine looking pups they are." The two wolves moved out of the way pleased by his comments.
"We thank you Ashitaka and that you are no stranger. We have heard the story of how you helped our Princess those years ago." It was too dark to see the color of the wolves fur so Ashitaka nodded his head, and handed them his bag of rice, and then dismounted off of Yakkul who was prancing with delight.
Ashitaka peeked into the dark cave just to see San sleeping softly. She made some noises as if in distress. Ashitaka went to step towards her when Nuke stood up and walked over to him.
"She's been having a nightmare this past month. It's been getting worse."
"What are they of?" Ashitaka asked.
"Our mother and a path out of the forest, otherwise we can't figure the rest of it out." He replied sadly.
"I will let her sleep then." Ashitaka took his supplies and leaned them against the inside wall of the cave. He could see they had running water through one of the cave walls.
He walked towards San bent down and looked at her sleeping face. He could see dark circles starting to form under her eyes.
"Oh San." He wisped away a strand of hair that was covering her face and then stood back up to walk towards Nuke who was watching the forest outside of the cave on the cliff overlooking the new forest.
"Ashitaka, I can smell you anywhere." Mune's mate said without turning around. [Nuke followed behind]
"I hope that I smell good and I don't have a stench that is foul to the nose." Ashitaka replied with a smile, glad to be with the animals he missed.
"That's the strange thing my friend, you do not smell human, and yet you don't smell like an animal either. You have your own smell, but I'm glad you're here… San doesn't smile too much anymore and you can help with that. She always is happy when you're around." Nuke turned around to go look at San the sleeping princess. The noises of distress had stopped and she was sleeping peacefully.
"Can we go talk to the human?" Inispa asked. She was Mune's young daughter. She was a shiny white. Her mother who was Juven has blue bright fur – the only wolf fit for a god. Mune had two young pups, and Nuke had yet to find a mate. Mune's pup's were all white and named Natsumi and Inispa. Except for one of the pups was all black. Their names are Gyro. They were all much more intelligent than their parents, and this was Moro's gene's that influenced intelligence.
"No, he travels hard to get here in one day. So, let him rest a bit and when he approaches you then… you can talk all you want." The nodded and watched as their princess started to make distressful noises again.
Momma no! Come back please!
San was talking in her sleep.Ashitaka turned around when he heard San's distressful sounds. He walked over to her as dawn broke over the horizon and sat down beside her. She stopped moving and in her sleep she started to smell the air. Something had boggled her. A smell so familiar, yet not at all.
"Ashitaka…" She sighed in her sleep.
He smiled and then stood up to leave her in peace. Just as he was about to turn away something grabbed his ankle like a snare in the jungle.
"Where do you think you're going stranger?" San was awake and smiling. He turned around smiling as well that was until San flipped his ankle so that he landed on his but next to her on the ground.
"Ouch, San, be gentle." He started to laugh. "Common, it's time to get up."
"How long have you been here?" San asked rising to her feet.
"Only since…" San stood up in the light and Ashitaka could finally see her from head to toe. She had become even more beautiful. Her hair was down to her waist - it was in a tight braid, and she had become taller too. Thank god he had as well; otherwise she would have been taller than him.
"What are you staring at Ashitaka?" San glanced behind her.
"San you have changed over these last six months." He looked at her appreciatingly.
"Well then so have you, but only my appearance has changed and not my actual self."
"But what of these dreams you have. You don't seem to be sleeping normally." He pressed the pad of his thumb under her eye where a dark circle was forming.
"It's nothing." And before he could ask her more she grabbed his wrist to take him outside to meet all of the wolf pups. "Ashitaka I want you to meet my whole family."
They gathered around and sat before him.
" Mune's pups are Inispa, and Natsumi. But I don't see Gyro anywhere. He should be the easiest to remember because he's all black." San was glancing around for Gyro.
"Hey they're gorgeous pups." Ashitaka looked on to the wolves and smiled. They were all gorgeous, some with tints of blue or silver.
The baby pups decided to approach Ashitaka, and so he and San sat there for a while talking to San's family while some of them tried playing with Ashitaka.
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"Okay Seamy. I've rounded up all the present bachelors here in Iron Town. They're all standing in a line to see you!" Toki was overly excited.
"Toki you should be resting, not running around with that stomach of yours." Seamy was a little embarrassed. She was scared that no man would want to be her husband. "Toki I'm not sure that I want to do this anymore."
"Why Seamy? You're downright beautiful, you have nothing to worry about." Toki starting telling her about all the different bachelors but she wasn't paying attention. She had stopped to look inside the blacksmith shop where there were tons of men filing out the brand new iron. All the men had wives, and they were kind to give them water whenever they were taking a brake from the iron works. It was time for that brake because every man had water dripping down their throats, well except for one.
He kept on working and refused water from any woman.
"Toki come back here a second." Seamy whispered fiercely.
"What?" Toki was confused.
"Who is that man in the forge there?" She said looking at the blacksmith without water.
"Oh him, he's a grump. You don't want anything to do with him." Toki turned thinking that they were finished when Seamy pulled on her wrist.
"Toki, tell me who he is! Please."
"Alright, alright his name is Beau Osaka. He's been here for I don't know how long, but he's pretty much a loner." Toki looked at Seamy's face which was full of sympathy.
"Is he married?" She asked hopefully at Toki.
"Hmmm… you like him don't you!" Toki danced around "You like him, you like him!"
"Toki please, shhhh. I haven't even met the guy………So, is he married?" She asked
"Well, he was married once before. But then the wife decided he was too boring and grumpy so she left him and was married in another town to a different man. He wasn't exactly happy that he was being divorced by a woman so he's not exactly friendly to women any longer.
"So when do they have breaks? Well days off I mean." Seamy was concocting a plan.
"Well they can take a break and all that whenever they want. I think you should try to talk to him." Toki was trying to boast her confidence.
"Thanks Toki, I'll talk to you later!" Seamy ran off.
"Oh boy." She rounded the corner. "Okay guys never mind I think Seamy found a husband. Sho! Go back to work."
"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh" Murmured a disappointed crowd of men.
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DISCLAIMER
All the characters appearing in Princess Mononoke are copyright of someone else. No infringement of these copyrights is intended, and is not authorized by the copyright holder. All original characters in Eyes Clouded By Love are the creations and the property of Telpelindewen. Even if they are out of character.
BLAH!!!!