My Dearest Bankotsu,

Nikita is growing alarmingly fast. She's naught but three months old and already happy to play with the other children. I would expect her to be crawling soon. She truly has your strength and at times your impatience. Yet she is smart. I can almost hear her brain working when she is faced with a challenge. She's already figured out how to get the cat to bring her toys. Quite remarkable since that beast doesn't like anyone other than the lady of the house.

On our journey we went through many sixth and seventh members of the Shichinin-Tai. Some of them weren't quite cut out for it and fled in the night. Some of them found themselves as Kyokotsu's next meal. One of them tried to take me for himself. I never thought I'd ever seen you so angry. Killing him was not pleasurable for you. It was just out of anger and your sworn duty to protect me. Mukotsu didn't look at me for a week, fearing your anger.

Kyokotsu and I somehow got along well. Despite his cruel nature he was quite philosophical. He was the only one, other than Jakotsu, who didn't seem to want anything from me. Suikotsu was mere jokingly suggestive when you were around and Mukotsu was careful not to stare too long whether you were around or not. We had grown into something of a family in our time together give and take some of our sixth and seventh members.

By this point we have been travelling for a year and my seventeenth name day was fast approaching. We seemed to have found a sturdy sixth and seventh member of our group. Raikotsu and Daikotsu. They were brothers, already mercenaries in their own name. They faced you in battle and very nearly held their own. However you were merely toying with them. Until Raikotsu said something about taking me by the hips and taking me until the days stood still. Then you got angry and took them both down with a single swipe of the Banryu. You pointed the tip at their throats and spoke a few dark words. "You fight as well as anyone. You may join us as the remaining members of the Shichinin-Tai. But if you touch my girl I will not hesitate to kill either of you."

You then turned back to the rest of us and swept me into your arms. We returned to our camp and not long later we were joined by the two brothers where you warningly put a hand on my hip. You refused to leave me alone with them for a month after they joined us. I couldn't blame you. I didn't feel comfortable being alone with them until a month after they joined us. And when you decided you could trust them with me you didn't leave them both. You left one or the other and more often than not with one of the others. I was touched that you cared so much but at the same time not surprised.

I remember the first day you left me with Raikotsu alone. The rest of you went to scout what village you would raid next. Raikotsu and I stayed behind to clean up camp and wait for your return. We had nearly done when he finally spoke. "I hope you know that what I said about... about what I would do to you was just a tactic to get Bankotsu to start taking our battle seriously."

"And I would hope you know that Bankotsu really would kill you if you touched me."

"Which makes me wonder why you are here."

"Why wouldn't I be?" I looked at him. "I love Bankotsu. I will stand beside him forever."

"Brave words for a girl who has no idea what he does when we raid."

"I know exactly what you do." I snapped. "And what Bankotsu does."

"So you know that he rapes women while we raid those villages?"

I won't deny that the thought had crossed my mind. It took some time but I had gotten over the idea. "Bankotsu and I aren't... physical. He has needs that I cannot fulfill for him right now."

"So you're alright with him taking it from other women?"

"I know Bankotsu loves me as much as I love him. As long as he comes back to me I don't have the right to tell him what to do."

"You have the right to ask him not to touch other women."

"What do you want from me, Raikotsu." I sighed, straightening up. "Do you want me to cry, say you're right and run off to my uncle's where a safe marriage is waiting for me? To my father's scolding words for running off with a band of mercenaries? Tell me Raikotsu, I promise that nothing will make me run."

"I want to protect you."

"Protect me?" I laughed. "How sweet. That's just what I need. Six men worrying about me."

"What makes you think Daikotsu does not worry?"

"Fine. Seven men. I barely wanted one man worrying about me, it just so happens that when you love someone you subsequently worry about them. Jakotsu, Suikotsu, Kyokotsu and, yes, even Mukotsu are like brothers to me. I love them and I like to think that they love me. I have five men I know who love worry for me and who will die to protect me. You and Daikotsu are but strangers to me. I ask no love from you and hope that you would not expect it from me so soon."

"Of course not, my lady, but..."

"My lady?" I laughed again. "When has anyone in our group ever called me lady except in mockery of where I came from?"

"Very well... Mayako... I just think about what you could have if you stopped to settle down."

"I have thought about it." I sighed. "For a long time it was all I wanted. A normal life with a normal husband. Normal children and maybe, eventually I'll love the man I'm supposed to marry. But this way I know I'm in love. It may or may not work, I'm not an idiot. When the time comes that Bankotsu and I decide that we don't want to be together anymore we'll sort it out like adults. So I ask you again, Raikotsu, what are you looking for?"

Raikotsu's attention suddenly turned to the woods behind me. I turned, expecting to see the others return. I didn't have time to see anything when Raikotsu struck me over the head, knocking me out. I woke again, bound hand and foot, gagged and blindfolded. I was being carried over someone's shoulder and I knew instantly it was not yours. I screamed through the gag, accomplishing little more than a groan and started pounding his back with my bound hands. "About time," I captor snapped and flipped me over so that I landed hard on the ground.

Raikotsu pulled the blindfold off me and I wish I could have scratched that disgusting smirk off his face."Now, now," he laughed. "Don't look at me like that. You didn't think your father would just sit by and let you wander around with a bunch of mercenaries, did you?"

I swore through the gag and he laughed before setting my feet loose and forcing me back up. He made a tether and pushed me forward. "You're a spritely thing." He said. "You can't weigh more than a hundred pounds."

I stopped to face him but he only shoved me forward. "Don't worry," he continued. "Your Bankotsu won't be missing you for a while. Not until we're well out of that giant's reach. And by then there will be no trail, not that any of them are too good at tracking anyway. I'll have you back home before you know it."

I stopped again but this time Raikotsu rammed his foot into the back of my leg. Pain shot up my leg and my entire side forcing me to fall painfully. He knelt beside me and sighed. "Delaying won't bring your Bankotsu to us." He said. "You see I'm an illusionist. A puppet master. Bankotsu and the others will see us until we reach the half way point. And, in case you haven't guessed already, my 'brother' is but another illusion. I needed eyes everywhere. Bankotsu was right not to trust me. Now, it would do you good to stop fighting me and just keep walking."

I glared at him hoping that would give him the answer I had in mind. He only laughed, hauled me up and pushed me forward. I limped forward, stopping occasionally as if to show him that I wasn't going to give up on fighting him. We walked until nightfall when I couldn't walk anymore. Where I collapsed Raikotsu blindfolded me again and carried me a bit further until he dropped me again and letting us be for the night.

Since I couldn't see if Raikotsu was truly asleep or not I had to be careful about trying to trying to pull my wrists from the ropes. Stopped struggling when I realized that the ropes were too tight. I backed up against a tree and started to rub the ropes against the bark. I kept at it, stopping every few minutes to listen intently. When I finally felt the ropes give way there was blood running down my wrists. I could hear him breathing evenly so I took the chance. I pulled off my blindfold and gag and stared at Raikotsu for a minute, making sure he was asleep before tugging at the restraints of my feet.

As soon as I was free I got up as quietly as I could and slipped into the shadows of the trees. I don't know where I was going but as soon as I was far enough away I broke out into a run. It was almost too easy I was beginning to think. I skidded to a halt, damn near tripping on Raikotsu. Somehow I'd managed to circle back. I turned around quietly and walked away again but only a few steps before getting back in the clearing. I didn't understand. What the hell was going on? "Master of illusion, remember?" Raikotsu turned over onto his side. "You don't go anywhere unless I say so."

I stormed up to him and grabbed the sword from his belt. He jumped and we faced each other. "What are you going to do with that?" he smirked and with a blink of the eye there were ten more of him surrounding me.

I dropped the sword and stared around at the ten separate Raikotsu's. There was a loud bang behind me and I turned. The other Raikotsu's faded away but the one behind me was bleeding. Behind him were Renkotsu and Ginkotsu, who now looked more machine than human. I'd never been so happy to see that bald head of his. I ran past the illusionist and flung my arms around Renkotsu. "Thank the gods," I cried. "How did you find me?"

"Been following you for a while." He laughed and let me go so I could hug Ginkotsu. "I didn't want to believe it when we heard that your uncle hired Raikotsu to get you back."

"You know him?"

"To some degree. He works alone, for the most part reasons that you just saw. He specializes in retrieval. Usually information because, as you can tell, he's not too good with people. I've been looking for a chance to kill that bastard for years."

"Well I'm glad you finally got your chance."

"Grsh,"

I looked at Ginkotsu. His jaw had been replaced by a metal plate and one of his eyes was now gone. A huge weapon's pack had been loaded onto his back and he had been fitted with new armour. "Ginkotsu and I ran into a little trouble while trying to escape our duty to your uncle." Renkotsu shrugged, patting his giant friend's shoulder. "Now let's get you back to Bankotsu. He'll be going crazy by now."

"Thank you."

I followed Renkotsu through the woods and Ginkotsu followed behind us. It took the three of us over a day to find you again. You were livid when we did. More angry at yourself than anyone else. You pulled me into your arms and thanked Renkotsu and Ginkotsu. Jakotsu came into the scene by jumping into Rankotsu's arms and immediately began teasing him about his lack of hair. Everyone started laughing until you grabbed Renkotsu's hand, forcing him to drop Jakotsu. "I hope I can assume you're here to stay?"

"If you'll have us."

"You were always a part of our crew."

With that Jakotsu raised a cheer and you came back to me. You put a hand on my hip and you led me away. "Did he hurt you?" You asked in a hushed tone.

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"Bankotsu, I'm fine."

We reached a clearing filled with hot springs and I turned to you. "I want you to learn some self-defence." You said. "I don't want this to happen anymore."

"It's kind of an occupational hazard when the love of your life is a mercenary. I'm your weakness."

"You're not my weakness."

We stood in silence for a minute before you finally dropped my hands. "I'll leave you to your privacy."

"Wait,"

I pulled you back and pulled you down to kiss me. You responded immediately and pulled me close. You were soft and sweet and I clung to you. I pulled at the strings of your armour and heard it clatter to the ground. I managed to get all your armour off but you took my face in your hands and pulled me back slightly. "You keep going like that," you whispered in an almost frustrated tone. "And I might not be able to stop myself."

"So don't," I whispered back.

You tilted your head back and groaned. I took advantage of it and reached up to kiss your neck. You gripped my hips. I pulled at the red sash that held everything together. My hands slipped passed through folds of your haori and I nervously touched your chest. Rock hard muscles flexed at my touch and you couldn't stop yourself anymore. You pulled me close against kissed me roughly. I let you take control, slowly pulling away my own sash and reaching out to slide your hands on my bare hips.

I shivered against your touch and pulled back. You let me slip out of your grip and I sauntered towards one of the pools. I let my kimono drop, not looking at you, and stepped into the water and went to the very edge. The water went only up to my hips and I waited until I heard you follow me into the water. You reached out and wrapped your hands around my waist. You kissed my neck softly. "Are you sure about this?" you whispered.

I turned, showing my exposed body for the first time. I nodded nervously and lifted myself on my tip toes to kiss you.

That was our first time, as you would remember. It hardly went smoothly. I was nervous in my inexperience and you were trying so hard to be gentle with me. After a time we seemed to find our rhythm and we spent that night together in those pools. It was like everything was coming together. We were in love and the Shichinin-Tai was complete. If I had known where we'd be in a short year and a half then I would have said that I was wrong. I love you, my sweet Bankotsu.

Mayako