Chapter 4: Hold My Hand Tight
The three humans sat together and ate in silence. The fire that had erupted in the forest had been successfully doused thanks to San's quick thinking. She had also managed to return to Kaya and Ashitaka with cooked meat that hadn't been entirely burned. Ashitaka bit off another succulant piece of cooked flesh. He liked his meat slightly charred; he thought it gave it a smokey flavor. At this, his taste buds danced with delight at San's lucky find. Kaya, however, was not so pleased. The wolf-girl couldn't just go out and hunt down a new, fresh catch and bring some fire back here to cook it with? How ridiculous. Kaya nibbled on a tiny bit of lightly cooked meat she had salvaged from the beast.
She was also disgusted by San's manners. She tried to advert her gaze from the woman ripping the meat apart as if she were some kind of animal. She might as well be, Kaya thought, taking another small bite of her meat. San noticed Kaya's small piece of meat and was offended that she wasn't eating more when there was so much left on what had been some form of medium-sized animal. She lowered her own piece and tossed it toward Kaya. It landed right in her lap. The Princess looked at the food with a distorted face. She tried to be polite in declining the offer. "Oh, no thanks. I—"
San glared at her and motioned toward the food she had just given to Kaya. She had gone through the trouble of letting the girl live, the least Kaya could do is stand to have a meal with her. "Eat."
Kaya was deliberating whether or not to accept the wolf-girl's share of food, but she remembered something that had bothered her and changed the subject. "I had wanted to ask you where that wound in Ashitaka's chest came from." Kaya informed the wolf-girl with a furrowed brow.
If it was possible, San's eyes became even more narrowed. "And how would you know about the wound in Ashitaka's chest?" She was looking at Ashitaka now as if the question were directed toward him.
He immediately finished off his share of food and quickly answered before Kaya had a chance, as she wouldn't realize that question wasn't for her. "San, Kaya was the one who staunched the bleeding on my arm..."
"I didn't ask about your arm!"
Kaya intervened, "No, but he winced an awful lot when I got closer and closer toward his shoulder."
"Kaya it was nothing, let's just drop this conversation." Ashitaka proposed half-heartedly, knowing both girls were too headstrong for that.
The Emishi girl lashed out at him with her words, "I'll be the judge of what's nothing, Ashitaka. That wound was fresh, and it was the same size as my kurisutarudaga." she paused for a moment, "So tell me, Mononoke... how did Ashitaka get that wound?"
"I stabbed him," San replied bluntly, "and if you were any kind of Princess you would know what's good for yourself and leave now. Your people would want you to return to your village, and I want you to leave my forest; I suggest you do just that."
"Fine by me! C'mon, Ashitaka, let's go." She grabbed Ashitaka's good arm and led him over to where Yakkul and Ryuuk had been grazing.
San was not amused by this girl in the slightest. "The next time I see you in this forest I will kill you, regardless of what Ashitaka wants," She continued watching them climb onto their red elks and prepare to depart, "and if he gets in my way I'll kill him, too."
Kaya gave her another glare before bounding away in the opposite direction of Iron Town. Ashitaka, seated on Yakkul's back, did not move. He waited as San approached him. She rested her hand on his thigh and looked up into his comforting eyes. Ashitaka knew that San was emotionally stronger than most girls; if she was normal in that respect, he knew she would have been in tears at this moment. San looked away from him; she couldn't stand looking into those compassionate brown orbs any longer. "I'm sorry..." she muttered, "I—I..."
It was enough for him to just hear her attempting to apologize. That was something San almost never did. "Apology accepted, and really it's nothing."
She shook her head from side to side, her mood lighter now, "You're such a liar, Ashitaka."
He smiled down at her as she backed away from Yakkul, then he became a little more serious. "I'll take Kaya to Iron Town and be back before morning, I promise."
She stood there and kept her eyes on him until he was gone from her sight, hidden behind the numerous trees of the forest. Kiba rubbed his snout against San's arm, trying to console her. "If you want, I'll keep an eye on him?"
"No." She hadn't moved her eyes from the spot he had disappeared, "He can handle himself."
Tsume growled, "He keeps hurting you, San! It's not a matter of if he can handle himself, can he take care of you?"
She laughed, "That's what I have you two for."
Ashitaka had finally caught up with the girl on the red elk and directed her toward the town. Night was beginning to fall on them now and Ashitaka knew that when there wasn't enough light to see, Iron Town would close its gate. He asked Yakkul to hurry up so they would make it in time. Kaya and Ryuuk also increased their speed. He could see they were closing in on Iron Town and the men were preparing to drop the gate. As Yakkul continued to race toward the town, Ashitaka screamed, "Wait! Hold the gate!"
Someone recognized him and Ashitaka could hear them shout his name back and forth between them. He and Kaya were able to rush through, and as soon as they were inside the fortress, the gate was sealed. Ashitaka could hear Toki's loud voice calling his name, "Ashitakaaaa!"
She pushed her way through the crowd and smiled up at him on the back of his red elk. "What are you doing back here?" Toki then noticed the girl on an elk very similar to Yakkul, "Huh... hey, who's your friend?"
"Kaya. She's—agh!" Ashitaka grimaced when he lifted his arm to introduce Kaya to the towns people.
Toki didn't fail to notice this, and turned around to a few of the people behind her, shouting out orders. "He's hurt! Someone get Gonza and tell Lady Eboshi! I need a hand; help me get him down!"
In truth, Ashitaka could get down without further injuring himself. He tried explaining this to Toki who refused to listen. "Ashitaka, shutup. We all know that the safest way down from Yakkul is by grabbing his antlers. Now, I've never ridden a—" she couldn't remember what kind of animal Ashitaka had said Yakkul was, "Yakkul before, but there's no way in hell I'm going to risk more injury to you."
Ashitaka gave up, he knew well that the women of Iron Town were far too stubborn to argue with. He allowed them to help him make his way to his home. It was one of the first built in the new town, mainly because he was the equivalent of a hero to them. Most of the people lived conglomerately together inside the homes that existed because not everyone had a place to call their own quite yet. Ashitaka had no qualms with sharing his abode with others of the town, for there was plenty of room. Toki had his good arm slung over her shoulders. He was taken to his bedroom, which the towns people generally didn't disturb. It seemed, however, that this incident provided an exception to that rule. Toki helped him onto the mat he considered a bed and propped him up. Gonza and Lady Eboshi were there shortly. Eboshi's brow furrowed as Gonza removed Ashitaka's arm guard to reveal the torn flesh that had been laying beneath. She immediately jumped to conclusions in believing San had bestowed that wound upon him.
Ashitaka was quick to correct her in stating that he and San had been attacked by a demon... moreso him than San. "You can ask Kaya, she was there—urgh!" He grunted through gritted teeth as Toki helped Gonza in better cleansing his wound.
Eboshi raised a brow. No one in the town bore that name. To whom was Ashitaka referring? The one-armed woman turned to face the people who had gathered into Ashitaka's home. "If there is anyone here by the name of Kaya, step forward. I will hear the story from you."
Recognizing the authority in the pale woman's voice, Kaya did as requested and took a step out of the crowd. Iron Town's mistress was surprised to say the least, but was careful to not allow this emotion to show on her face when she addressed the girl standing before her. The Lady Eboshi scrutinized the girl. Her face was contorted with what seemed to be a sneer. It would seem she had something she wished to say. As Eboshi stared at her, she noticed Kaya's garb resembled that which Ashitaka wore. It was obvious to her that Kaya came from the same distant land as Ashitaka. Why she was here, however, seemed to remain a mystery for the timebeing. She contemplated her response to the girl's obedience before speaking. "You are a foreigner in these lands, are you not?"
The raven-haired woman paused and Kaya took this to mean she was expected to give an answer. "I am," She stated confidently.
"You must have traveled a very long journey to find this place. If you don't mind my asking, why is it you're here?" Eboshi asked with an aura of serenity.
Kaya was slightly taken aback by the refined nature of this woman. It was strange to be spoken to as if she was an old friend, but there was a hint of mistrust Kaya could pinpoint in the woman's words. "I came to retrieve Ashitaka. When he has healed he and I will leave together."
Eboshi chuckled a little bit. What could this girl possibly know of Ashitaka if she expected him to leave with her without a fight? He had long ago claimed the Princess Mononoke for his own surely she still belonged to him as he was the only human accepted within the boundaries of the forest. Ashitaka had stayed here far beyond the extent of what Eboshi had originally anticipated. It was clear to her that this was his home now. There was no hope for him to convert entirely to heathenism like his counterpart, but Iron town was the closest civilization to the monstrosity he loved and therefore she could only imagine he had no intentions of leaving Iron Town save for when he chose to spend time in the forest.
"My Lady, you can't let her take Ashitaka away! He belongs here!" Toki begged out of place, "He's one of us!"
She was not chastised for her actions, for as Eboshi looked upon the faces of her town's people within Ashitaka's home it seemed Toki's feelings were mutual. The Lady of authority met the gaze of the young girl. "If Ashitaka leaves with you it will be of his own accord, however," Eboshi turned to face the man on the mat with the wounded arm, "I wonder what the Princess Mononoke would think of that, Ashitaka?"
The title by which this woman referred to the wolf-girl made no sense to Kaya; she was slightly confused. Was the barbarian not a bodyguard? By the sound of it she was actually a princess, like herself. Kaya refused to believe that this could be so. There was no way the troll was in the same league as her! Ashitaka grunted as Toki covered his arm in a poultice. "Don't be so sensitive!" She scolded him.
Toki smacked his shoulder as punishment, but Ashitaka let out a wail of pain as she did so. Kaya flinched, knowing the reason for Ashitaka's cry. Toki didn't understand what she did wrong, quickly she removed his shirt to find another wound just below his collar bone. Toki gasped and apologized for hitting him in an area he was wounded. She followed up by reprimanding him for not telling her he had more injuries. Lady Eboshi's brows furrowed causing a deep crease in her forhead. She turned quickly to gaze upon Kaya once more. "I will hear that story now, Kaya."
Kaya nodded. Ashitaka half expected her to flat out lie in front of him, but was pleased when she recounted each detail delicately and accurately. Kaya made sure to put emphasis on the fact that San had given him the wound in his chest. However, her audience seemed rather unphased by it. Gonza sighed, "Why couldn't you have found yourself a girl that didn't try to slit your throat everytime you visited her?"
The men laughed at Gonza's comment and Ashitaka smiled. He knew it was somewhat risky to be involved with San, but he didn't care. Eboshi dismissed Kaya, thanking her for clearing up the events of what had occured. She asked Gonza to kindly find shelter for those who usually stayed in Ashitaka's home as he would be needing undisturbed rest.
It was dark and Toki was usually comfortably nestled up with Kouroku asleep at this time of night. Instead she was quietly stalking a young foreign girl from the shadows. Kaya had been placed in the same home as her, Kouroku, and a few others who usually stayed at Ashitaka's. Perhaps it was nothing more than just a midnight visit, but Toki didn't trust her. She watched Kaya peer over both of her shoulders before entering past the bamboo curtain of Ashitaka's home. What was that girl up to? Toki followed her, creeping into the foreigner's, now permanent, residence. She tip-toed up the staircase that led to Ashitaka's room, cringing at every creaky step. Toki could hear sounds from within Ashitaka's room, that Kaya-girl had probably woken him up. When she was finally outside the doorway, she could hear Kaya speaking, not to Ashitaka, but to herself.
"Where the hell did he go? He's supposed to be asleep!"
"As are you." Toki stated as she entered the room with her arms crossed over her robust bossom.
Kaya jumped at the unexpected company. Had that woman really trailed her all the way here? Toki stood and watched Kaya's expression as it changed from surprise to solemn. It seemed obvious to Toki that the girl was very concerned about Ashitaka and wanted to know where he was. She, of course, knew that if he wasn't here in his condition, then he would be in the forest with the wolf-girl. She wasn't about to tell Kaya that, though. Toki sighed, leading the girl away from Ashitaka's abode and taking her to one of the lookout posts along the fortress wall. Kaya was confused. Why would this woman bring her here? She was about to ask that very question when Toki spoke first, "What do you see when you stare out at the forest?"
What kind of question was that? Kaya preked a brow and looked beyond the walls that kept intruders out. "Trees, grass, dirt, flowers... Gods..."
Toki smiled at the girl. "Do you want to know what I see?" It had been posed as a rhetorical question, so Kaya stayed silent, "I see beauty, dreams, life, hope... and freedom."
"Freedom?" Kaya breathed.
That word was the one that had really caught her attention. Toki laughed at her awe-struck expression, and Kaya stared out at the forest again to see this freedom Toki spoke of. However, when she searched it wasn't anywhere to be found. How could freedom reside in a forest anyway? Toki noticed Kaya was having trouble seeing it. She gently took Kaya's hand in hers and gave a light squeeze. "It's like this," Toki began, "the trees can't help where their roots grow or for how long they live and they can never leave the spot which they take root. The winds blow past them, winds that have been everywhere always with a new story and a new adventure to tell. It's through the winds the trees see the world, and there's no controlling the winds."
Kaya rolled her eyes. This conversation seemed to be going nowhere, and she still had no idea what happened to Ashitaka... or did she? "Are you suggesting I'm a tree... and Ashitaka is the wind?"
"No... Ashitaka is the tree and his princess is the wind. There's nothing man, beast, Demons, or Gods can do to change that." With that, it seemed Toki had no more to say to the newcomer as she turned to leave.
Kaya's brows furrowed. "Wait!" The woman turned to face her and Kaya continued, "You never told me your name."
"It's Toki."