I got home before Kyuzo returned, two wooden buckets both filled with water. I picked up the bowl I had discarded on the counter earlier and dipped it into one of the buckets filling it to the brim. I noticed that all four of the deceased bodies had been removed from the ground outside my front door and for that I was thankful.

I placed both the whetstone and the bowl of water on the table as the door slid open and closed. Kyuzo removed his shoes at the door. At least he was courteous about keeping my home clean. He walked over and drew his swords before sitting down at the table. Unsure of what else to do I took a seat across from him. He began his work of caring for his blades.

"Thank you for what you did today," I said forcing myself to look at him. He paused briefly and glanced up at me before returning to his task. That brief glimpse from him allowed me to see just the tiniest flash of what I just knew had to be a faint smile. But I brushed it off as my imagination playing tricks on me.

"You couldn't have done it alone," he replied.

Okay, so he was rude…but he was being honest.

"Why would you say that?"

"Your form was sloppy."

I narrowed my eyes at him.

"My husband was supposed to have finished training me, but he didn't return from the mission he left on." Why was I talking about Tetsuya?

"I heard The Dragon was a master of weapons," Kyuzo said, still not looking up from his work. Were we actually having a conversation?

"He was. You could put any type of weapon in is hand and he knew how to use it."

"Your marriage to him was arranged?"

"Yes, he was a brave samurai and I was a helpless magistrate's daughter. My father wanted to make sure I would be taken care of."

Kyuzo still didn't look at me, but I knew he was really listening.

"I told Tetsuya-san the day we got married that I would take care of him if he promised to teach me how to use weapons…"

"You were fond of him then?"

I furrowed my brow as I thought about this personal question. I was still in shock that this man was capable of carrying on a conversation, although his questions and statements were quick and to the point. I didn't see the point in lying to this man since he probably wouldn't be staying with me for much longer anyway.

"Well since I have no reason to lie to you…I loved Tetsuya-san, or The Dragon, but I believe there are different types of love in this world. Loving someone and then actually being in love with someone. While I loved my husband, I cannot say with a honest face that I was in love with him." I paused briefly and looked at the table before me, running my fingers over the rough edges.

"Am I ashamed of that? Yes. Do I miss him? Yes. Do I wish he were still alive? Yes. Am I lonely? Yes," I continued on, mostly mumbling to myself and fighting back tears. The sound of metal scraping the whetstone halted and I blinked back tears before looking up at Kyuzo again. He was watching me and I couldn't keep the thoughts inside anymore.

"I know you're probably thinking, 'What about your family?'. The answer to that is, my mother passed shortly after my birth and my father passed on shortly after my wedding. I have an older brother who inherited my father's position as magistrate, but the two of us aren't on good terms. So I really have no one to turn to."

"I see," he responded and switched to his other weapon.

"I apologize. I shouldn't be rambling on about my problems to you."

"When a samurai doesn't fight for a long time, the lust for battle builds inside of him. Soon he must kill again."

That was record of the longest sentence I had heard him speak, but his words rang all too true for both samurai and for a woman in my position. If I kept my thoughts locked away for too long, it wouldn't be healthy and I had to get them out. I seemed to be gaining a better understanding of Kyuzo, but at the same time he remained such a mystery to me. The sound of his blade on the whetstone went in a calm rhythm and I found it relaxing. It stopped occasionally as he scooped water out of the bowl with his hands and then sprinkled the moisture over his weapon. I excused myself from the table and went into the kitchen to arrange some of the rice balls I had prepared earlier onto a plate. After doing so I remembered the flower lying on the counter. I filled a cup with water and then placed the flower inside, placing it gently on a small raised part of the counter.

I served the rice balls as a late breakfast around the time Kyuzo finished sharpening his swords.

"I wish I could pay you for your assistance today, but I have little money left over from what my husband left behind."

He didn't respond and the two of us ate in silence. After the meal was over was when he spoke to me again.

"I would like to recruit you."

"Excuse me?" I asked in shock. He didn't reply. "Why me? You even said my form was sloppy…"

"I can help."

"You mean…teach me about weapons?"

"Travel with me. You will learn."

I had no idea what to say…It was all so very sudden.

"Could you give me the night to consider?"

He nodded.

"I will be leaving in the morning."

I got up and gathered the dishes to take them into the kitchen. The offer clouded my mind for the rest of the day, but by that evening I had made my decision.