Chapter 4
Shuffling noises outside the shed woke Fuu from her pleasant nap in the sunbeam. She didn't bolt up in fright as she would normally have done. The pain of her stomach and head reminded her all too quickly of the situation. Instead, she lay there, listening to the nearing footfalls and tried to recognize the pattern. She signed when she realized it was Kato, her father's…. now her, retainer. 'Hm, if he's my retainer, do I have to pay him?'
Sweat had beaded on her upper lip from her body warming in the sunshine. She knew she would have to move away or end up sunburned. The last thing she needed was more pain. To preserve her dignity, she shifted uncomfortably into a sitting position before the old man appeared.
He smiled like he was overjoyed to see her awake when he rounded the bend in the path and could see her. Fuu casually lifted a hand to wave in greeting and noticed the old man carried another box of supplies. Just the thought of food made her stomach issue a quiet growl. Maybe she would try to eat something.
The sun had shifted in the sky so that there was plenty of light on the floor for her sleeping friends to share. The guys would be warm if she had to drag them over there herself and light them on fire! Rising awkwardly to protect her injuries, Fuu motioned to her friends as the retainer entered the hut, "Kato-san, I need your help to move Mugen and Jin into the sunlight. They need to be warm to heal properly and I just can't drag them another inch."
The old man chuckled as he nodded his head in agreement and moved to grasp Mugen. He mentioned, "You can eat a bit while I take care of this for you, Lady Fuu. I brought some rice and stew in case you needed something more substantial than the soup from earlier."
Fuu carefully sat beside the box and withdrew a small bowl of broth as she kept a close eye on the old man so he did not aggravate her friends' injuries. Seemed this old guy was pretty good at caring for critically injured warriors. Once Mugen and Jin were gently placed so they could soak up the sun's warmth, she relaxed enough to sip at the soup. It felt good going down, but then her stomach started acting up and she knew it wasn't going to stay. Not one to waste food, she placed the bowl back into the box and carefully lifted herself to try and walk around the guys in the doorway.
The retainer looked up at her with concern on his face, "Lady Fuu?" He noticed her sweaty, pale face and how she had one hand over her mouth and another over her stomach and quickly surmised what her problem was. He jumped up with a speed that belied his bent, aged body and took hold of her arm and gently lead her outside to the side of the shed. She hated to have anyone see her get sick, but she didn't have the strength to shake this little man off. He was actually helpful as her stomach heaved and her legs buckled. He helped to keep her from falling gracelessly as her body seized up.
A few minutes later, her stomach was thankfully empty and quiet. Her body slumped into a boneless heap kept up only by the old man's hands. Through tears, she noticed a trace of blood on the ground along with the contents of her stomach. Cooing sounds issued from the retainer as he practically carried her limp body back into the hut.
As much as she wanted to be the one caring for Mugen and Jin, Fuu found herself confined to a pallet at the back of the shed for the rest of the day. It was easier to comply with the old man's demands for her to rest than it was to argue with him. She just didn't have the energy or the breath to argue. But she did watch his every movement where it concerned her guys. She did have enough breath to issue commands as to their care and comfort.
As the sun was lowering in the sky, Kato had moved the guys back to their original positions in front of Fuu. It eased her worries to be within touching distance. She traced a hand down each manly face and was pleased to find the skin beneath her fingers to not be cold. They felt normally warm and alive. She silently closed her eyes and said a few words of thanks.
Fuu turned to the retainer who was arranging new supplies on the shelf beside the door. "Kato-san, do you think you could find some medicinal tea that would aid in their healing? I bought some in Edo, but we have used it up in our journey." The soothing tea from earlier had been nice, but she knew it didn't have anything in it to boost their healing. That kind of tea tasted worse than burned dirt. The old man smiled kindly and scurried out of the hut in search of the healing tea. Surely, someone in the small village had such a thing.
Left alone in the hut with her thoughts and her unconscious friends, Fuu let sleep claim her again. She knew she would only sleep off and on, as it was her job to watch over the boys. But she could fight it off no longer.
In her light sleep, the dreams became twisted with reality. She could hear the noises of the room and the world outside, but she couldn't wake herself up. She desperately tried to call out to the retainer or to Mugen or Jin but found her body was immobile. There was no way she could pry her eyes open. It was very unpleasant, and she became a bit fearful. Not only that, but she could still feel every ache and pain in her exhausted body.
She thought she heard a noise inside the tiny room, but that couldn't be possible. Mugen and Jin were unconscious. What if another assassin had slipped up on them? NO! Her dream contorted to show her the room with a mysterious dark shadow creeping in from the sun-drenched doorway. She couldn't tell if it were a man or woman. Was it another like Sara and this last assassin? Or could it be someone from their past? Like that Yukimaru kid and those sick brothers from the other day? How many more people were going to come after them? Would it ever end? Would they ever find a place to live in peace?
The shadow moved to completely cover Jin's body where she could not see what was happening. Strange swishing sounds reached her straining hearing. Then it moved away. Jin lay in a puddle of blood with his eyes open, staring soullessly at her. NO! Horror colored her face a sickly pale as the shadow turned to move over to Mugen. It inched closer to his motionless form and she wanted to gag. She still couldn't move. She wanted to throw herself at this evil apparition and make it stop. Death couldn't have them! She had fought so hard to get them somewhere safe! But as she struggled, the shadow covered her pirate, leaving him in the same state as Jin. Lifeless eyes staring at her from a puddle of blood.
Then the shadow seemed to turn and face her. It was impossible to tell since there was no face or shape to indicate where the front was. But she knew. It was so cold when it turned to face her. She had seen death many times over the years, but nothing like this. This wasn't even a person she could fight against. No amount of bargaining and pleading was going to stop this figure. It was unrelenting like the tide. As the shadow approached, she could see shapes forming in the swirling black mass. Faces formed of all those that had tried to kill them. Just as she began to recognize some of them, the blackness was upon her. The sensation was the same as when she had been drowning in the river after she fell from the cliff. Her breath was gone, and her own heartbeat pounded like a drum in her ears. All around her were ghostly warriors standing watch. Among them were Jin and Mugen, looking somber and lonely. 'This is what Mugen described when he almost died from drowning. Is this the afterlife? Then where is Father? Shouldn't he be among the warriors of the dead?' She struggled and pitched and screamed at the ghosts as hands reached out for her.
When a hand grasped her shoulder in a painful grip, her eyes flashed open and she shrieked for all she was worth. The little old retainer who was trying to wake her fell over on his butt in shock as she screamed in his face. "Oh, Lady Fuu. I'm terribly sorry for frightening you. I only meant to wake you. You seemed to be having a terrible dream." Fuu's eyes darted around the darkening hut to see if any of the shadows were moving. Her eyes fell on the sleeping forms of Mugen and Jin. 'No blood. Oh thank goodness.' She slumped over a bit as her relief washed over her in waves, taking her energy with it.
Kato pulled himself up off the floor and brushed off his rump as he kept apologizing. It took a minute to realize that it had gotten dark enough that the man had returned with lamps as well as the medicine. She only heard parts of his rambling explanation about a visiting doctor who brought herbal remedies to the island once a season. Her head was hurting worse, and every ache in her body seemed amplified by her previous terror. She mumbled to the old man, "Place lamps everywhere. I don't want to see any shadows." The old man looked at her oddly, but complied.
A distant rumble of thunder stirred her troubled mind to notice the old man shuffling around, checking on Mugen and Jin, and feeding them the tea. The room was unusually bright with all the lamps, and only dim shadows were seen dancing across the wall behind the retainer. After all, he was the only one up and moving.
Slowly, drops of rain hit against the wooden roof of the shed. Had the builders made the structure waterproof? They would find out soon enough. The gentle pattering of the raindrops on the roof calmed her fright and she found she could think a bit clearer. It was silly to watch each shadow for the creature from her dream. Although, it did make her aware that they needed to move from this place as soon as the guys were able to walk. Maybe they could go back to the river they had camped at the night before they left for this island? Or they could possibly hide among the throngs of people in Nagasaki. The only problem with that was the need for money to pay for lodgings and food while they regain their strength.
She watched the little old man move about, placing bowls under the leaks from the roof. Who needed a shed to be waterproof, anyways? At least there would be no shortage of drinking and bathing water. She finally broke the silence, "Kato-san, do you know of any places on the mainland where we might recuperate without being found? It can't cost very much because we've used up all the funds that we earned in the last town. And I don't think I'm in any shape to be working at a teahouse to earn more."
The retainer jumped a bit, showing that he had thought his lady was asleep. Then he turned a thoughtful face to her and pondered her question. "Well, there is a small fishing village near Nagayo. It is only a short walk from here, and I have some friends there that supported your father. They owe your father a debt of honor, and would be proud to house you while your friends recover." He smiled gently at her. "But, Lady Fuu, you should not concern yourself with money. Your great father left enough inheritance to provide for your comfort for the remainder of your life. Not to mention the estate where you and your Mother lived is now yours alone."
The shock of someone telling her she not only had money but land rendered her incapable of listening to any of the other stories the old retainer told. Her pained mind tried to grasp the concept. She had been little more than a vagabond for years now. There was no way her luck could change that drastically. A quiet, derisive snort escaped her lips and stopped the old man's ranting. She explained, "There is no way I'll ever be able to return to or claim those lands where I lived with Mother. The shogun's assassins already chased me from my home almost two years ago. I would be killed if I even stepped foot in that town. Even if I hired someone to dispose of the property for me, it would only be putting another person in danger. I have no doubt the Shogun would torture my agent to death to learn my whereabouts. The Government has sent some of their highest level assassins after me. I doubt torture would bother them at all."
The old retainer sat in front of her and bowed to her in apology. "I'm sorry to hear that Lady Fuu. Your Father so wanted you taken care of." Suddenly, the roof sprung another leak, dripping right on the back of the old man's bowed head. Fuu covered her mouth and giggled quietly. Another bowl was procured from the pile in the corner and set up to catch a bit more water.
The conversation shifted to Kato asking questions about the journey that brought Fuu and these two men to Ikutsuki island. It was well into the night and Fuu was still talking about their adventures. Had it really been almost half a year since they had met in the tea house? It would have gone faster if she had been able to travel straight through. But having to work for money and the delays from the rainy season had set them back a few months. Kato was shocked that in all the months of traveling, she had only thought of quitting once, when Sara had supposedly killed Jin and had almost killed Mugen.
Kato took pity on Fuu when he realized how tired she was after another grueling day. She had been able to keep nothing down other than a bit of tea from earlier. Even though she had napped on and off, he knew she needed rest as much as the two men. Her body showed the signs of having been brutally beaten recently. The old retainer sadly shook his head. He would never understand how someone could harm a woman, especially a lady. "Lady Fuu, you should get some sleep. I will remain by the door in the event that you or your friends might need me."
Fuu smiled at Kato-san. It would be nice to have someone else keep guard over them for the night. She no longer feared waking to find Mugen and Jin cold and lifeless. She knew that the first day after such an injury was crucial, and they had survived. Now, she would have to keep an eye out for any signs that their wounds were getting infected.
With quiet thanks and good night, Fuu curled up into her blanket to fend off the creeping cold. With the approach of the storm, the pleasant temperature in the shed had dropped drastically. Kato-san had already closed the door and rolled up a mat to shove under the gaping crack under the door. Hopefully, tomorrow, he could find a small fire box that they could use indoors, or provide some heated stones to snuggle against.
The droning of the rain was lulling her to sleep. Before she drifted off completely, she had to remind the retainer, "Make sure Mugen and Jin are warm. I don't want them getting sick from the cold." Then she was wrapped into a gentle and dreamless sleep.
