Chapter: Warm
…..
…..
…..
Hot.
Ana felt hot, and wanted coldness. She tried to move, to push whatever kept her warm off her body. The air around her felt moist, and made her to sweat even more.
A small sigh escaped her as she managed to use her feet to push the blankets down enough to let some of her body to feel the cool air. There was a brush of a wet, cool cloth across her forehead which made her eyes to flutter open. The blurriness of her vision disappeared within seconds, allowing her to stare up at a wood ceiling.
Ana began to process about her location. Flashbacks of what happened entered her mind, and then she remembered how ill she felt later on through the day. After that, she remembered Katsumoto and others tried to feed her broth or drink medicine herbal tea. The steam from the hot rocks and pot with water to put moister in the air, but also, to make her sweat more.
The cloth left her forehead making her to turn her head to follow the hand which held the cloth. She tiredly stared up at Ujio, seeing a gleam of concern in his eyes for her. She almost did not believe he was here, and he showed concern, but when he reached out to brush a strand of her hair out of her face, Ana knew he was real. His fingers had callouses on them from the constant handling of either his samurai swords or the bokken sword.
"Ujio…" Ana whispered, eyeing him with tire eyes.
A small shush sound escaped from Ujio as he brought the cool wet cloth up again to swipe across her forehead before he settled the folded cloth on top of her forehead.
Her eyes fluttered a little, but Ana made sure to keep her eyes trained on Ujio. He moved a little in his spot and sat back on his heels, but set his samurai swords beside him. Her eyebrows furrow downwards and toward the middle of her head, staring at him and wondering what he was planning to do.
As Ana continued to stare at him, watching him get this thinking expression across his face, Ana knew he was actually debating to himself about something. It was then Ujio eyes made connection with her own before he shut his eyes and bowed forward.
Ana eyebrows rose beneath the folded wet cloth, but her eyes began to widen as Ujio let a low apology out, and it was directed toward her.
"Ujio."
"Forgive me."
There was a deep inhale which gone through Ana before a low exhale escaped. Her eyes were soften on Ujio as he sat up, but his head was bowed. She knew he was blaming himself for the condition she was in, and she wish for him to not think it was his fault.
With a lot of effort, Ana pushed herself up in an upright position.
"No." Ujio reached out to stop her, but she shook her head.
Ana sat up and shut her eyes, waiting for the lightheadedness feeling to go away before she would open her eyes.
Once the lightheadedness gone away, her eyes opened up and she stared at Ujio with a little grin. She bowed her head to him, staring down at the wood floor between the two.
"I am also sorry for my yelling earlier. Forgive me." Ana whispered, looking up a little to watch as Ujio gave a small nod.
"Do not blame yourself for me being sick, Ujio. I simply did not get out of the rain and out of my clothes quick enough." Ana explained.
Her hands played with the wet cloth that landed on her lap when she sat up. Another pair of hands came over hers to take the cloth away and set it aside. It drew her attention, and she found herself lifting her head up to stare directly at Ujio.
Ujio brought a hand up to rest against her forehead. His hand was a cool; thus, Ana shut her eyes and sighed out in a little relief as she enjoyed the cool touch. The hand slid off her face, but not without hovering over the side of her face. The presence of Ujio's hand made Ana to open her eyes to stare at Ujio, seeing him focusing on her face and once again, looking as if he was debating with himself mentally.
The hand moved toward her face once again, but to the side. A few strands of her hair that rebelled away from the rest of her hair was soon brushed backwards and laid back onto her back, fusing with the rest of her hair.
Ana eyes followed Ujio's hand as it slowly left away from the face. Her eyes came up to meet his own. She told herself over and over again in her mind to not blush, to keep a straight face as Ujio and her stared at one another without the other looking away.
Ana was the first to look away and bowed her head a little.
"Ujio, I wish to ask a favor." Ana asked, her eyes flickering up to stare at him through her dark eyelashes.
"Yes?" Ujio eyebrows moved a little before he relaxed.
"I wish for you to train me to defend myself."
The favor Ana asked made Ujio eyebrows to raise and then relax. Ujio was already teaching Ana their customs, which in return Ana was teaching Ujio English and about her country. Ana wanted to know as much as possible, especially to defend herself better. She saw how Taka had a hidden short sword known as a tantō on her. Taka informed Ana about being taught to wield a tantō and a ko-naginata to protect the family if no one else was around to do so.
Ujio sat up even more than he already sat. His left hand landed on his samurai sword for a moment, and his eyes strayed off her face to scan her body. When his eyes came to meet her own, he gave a small nod.
"Yes, you should know how to defend yourself better." Ujio said slowly, knowing Ana was still learning the Japanese language.
Ana gave a small nod, but she was wondering if Ujio agreed because of the condition she was in at the moment. She shook it off, and continued to give a thankful expression toward Ujio. She held back a grin as Ujio made a gesture for her to lay down.
Slowly and carefully Ana laid herself back down on the futon. She was about to grab the blanket, but Ujio beat her to it. He made sure it was perfectly set on her and he reached for the wet cloth, dipping it back in the water bowl and twisting the cloth. Folded carefully, the cloth was put back on Ana's forehead.
Another relief sigh escaped Ana due to the cool cloth upon her highly warm temperature skin. She gone to turn her head to stare at Ujio as he stood up, but he made a small tsk sound and another hand gesture for her to not move about so much because the wet cloth would slide off her head. She held back an another grin and stared up at the ceiling, but listen to Ujio move.
"I will bring more tea." Ujio said in a low tone.
Ana heard his feet move toward the shoji door to leave the room.
"Ujio."
"Yes?"
"Thank you."
There was no reply, but Ana knew he nodded. She shut her eyes as she listened to Ujio leave the room and the shoji door slid shut behind him with a soft snap.
…..
…..
…..
…..
…..
Hi Everyone,
Here was a new chapter.
A short one, but it will lead into the next chapter.
Please Review, Favorite, and/or Follow!
Enjoy!
Thank You!