Hello my name is Anastasia but i prefer to be called Anya. My Father, Captain Nathan Algren, and i are in Japan to train the Japanese Army.i have Brown eyes and Brown hair like him, i am meant to be married at my age but i have not been pushed into Japan i am to help translate since i am fluent in Japanese along with French, German and Welsh.
Father and i were in Japan, i was getting strange looks from women because i was wearing black pants, navy blue button-up shirt with my hair in a bun which was hidden under my black hat.
Father, Bagley, Mr. Graham, and i stood outside the Emperor's audience chamber, waiting to go inside. Mr. Graham kept fussing about the way we looked, for each knew what a great honour this was and wanted to look our best. The two military men were completely silent as they stood, unmoving while i was freaking out inside, i never can cope with a lot of people looking at me.
the door opened and we were allowed inside. Mr. Graham talked us through the ritual of meeting the Emperor. I already knew the ritual because i had read everything about Japan,the customs and i know Japanese, so i followed alongside the three men without the help of Mr. Graham's instruction.
Finally, we bowed in front of the Emperor at the closest they would likely be allowed. we stood up and Omura said, as per ritual,
"The Divine Emperor Meiji bids you welcome. He is grateful for the assistance your country offers. We hope to accomplish the same national harmony you enjoy in your homeland."
The Emperor spoke out then, saying, "Omura, ask them of the American Indians."
I smiled slightly hearing his soft, if you like, voice but she quickly wiped her face of all emotion when she remembered that she was in court. Omura continued to question Bagley and Father about the American Indians on the Emperor's behalf.
Bagley answered the first set of questions. The Emperor then asked, "Ask Captain Algren if it is true that they wear eagle feathers, paint their faces before battle and that they have no fear?"
Omura translated quickly for the Emperor.
"They are very brave," Father said simply.
Mr. Graham bowed her head slightly and translated it to Japanese.
After he finished speaking, the Emperor stood up on his throne, astonishing the court because of Japanese customs. Mr. Graham said for the two officers' benefit, "Bow." i already knew and was bowing half a second before them. i told Father this before on the ship.
In my peripheral vision, I could see that the Emperor had gotten down from his dais. That alone greatly surprised.
Against my better judgment, I looked up slightly at the Emperor. I saw that Father was doing the same. The Emperor looked at the two of us before saying in somewhat halting English,
"Thank you very much." He surprised them still further by bowing to them. She bowed lower still, and Mr. Graham told the others to as well.
The three of them waited for the Emperor to ascend to his dais again before standing up straight and exiting in the proper, ritualistic fashion.
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Later that same day, the six of them went out to the training fields to begin the training of the Japanese arher. we went to stand in front of the new recruits that stood quite disorderly in ragged lines.
Mr. Gant yelled out some rather obscene things to them, which none of them understood but which made them at least pay better attention. Not much later, they all stood at attention in lines.
"Well done, Sergeant," Father comment.
"When ye understand the language, Sir, everythin' falls intuh place," he commented in his Scottish accent.
Father walked forward and began to walk along the first rank of the new recruits. Mr. Graham followed and translated for him. "The first rank will kneel, rifles at the ready," Father yelled out.
Quickly, Mr. Graham yelled the translation. He kept ordering the soldiers, while he kept yelling out the translations.
it was like that for days and those days turned into weeks and in those days i had gotten the army uniform, i must say it was quite itchy.
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A few days into the training, Father motioned for me and Mr. Graham to follow so that he could speak with Hasegawa.
"What can the General tell me about this man, this samurai, Katsumoto?" Father asked.
Quickly, Mr. Graham spoke to Hasegawa in his native tongue. He answered and she quickly translated. It continued like that for several minutes as Father attained much information about the samurai, though he clearly did not know that Hasegawa was samurai, i knew because i started talking to him, getting to know him
He continued by asking a most controversial question, "Who supplies their arms?"
i translated to Hasegawa who gave a response, though i already knew the answer. Either way, i said to Father,
"Katsumoto no longer dishonours himself by using firearms."
Father looked greatly surprised. He asked to clarify, "He uses no firearms?"
"Katsumoto follows the old ways. To them he is a hero," i said with a slight smile because of the fact that they have held on to their old customs.
"How well does he know this man?" Father asked bluntly.
"The General and Katsumoto fought together for the Emperor," Mr. Graham clarified.
"He fought with the samurai?" Algren asked, not believing his own ears.
"Father, He is samurai," she said, frowning slightly.
He turned to look at Hasegawa, a speculative look on his face. Hasegawa bowed his head slightly to Father, showing his pride in being a samurai.