Mononoke-hime Continuation
Chapter Ten
San had scaled the walls of Iron Town before, on raids and once when she had attempted to kill Lady Eboshi the previous year. The tall logs of the town's outer wall that had once been mighty, towering trees were pierced easily with her long knives that she used to pull herself up the lengths of the timbers. The night was in full, and only the moon in its first quarter gave any light that might betray her. Beneath the cover of her silvery wolf fur cape and clay domen mask, San crept unnoticed up the perimeter wall, biting into the soft wood with the daggers in each of her hands.
Once she made it to the top of the wall, she balanced herself easily between the two pointed ends of the logs with her knees and peered down. She was right at the place she had wanted to be. Ashitaka's hut was visible down below. She could see Yakkuru standing by the side of the corral, great-horned head hanging down, sleeping. The windows of Ashitaka's house were all dark. He would probably be asleep now, too.
Without further thought, San launched herself easily into the air, dropping the thirty or so feet to the ground like it was just a small distance. She hit the dirt with a light thud; her strong leg muscles absorbed the impact without too much pain. Sheathing her twin daggers, San removed her mask and wolf pelt, then crouched down, moving silently towards Ashitaka's hut like a wraith in the night. Yakkuru must have smelled her, for he opened his eyes and turned his head to regard her with soft, sleepy eyes. San froze and stared at him, frowning. After a moment Yakkuru simply ignored her and went back to sleep. There was no reason for him to be alarmed by her. San breathed a sigh of relief and continued towards Ashitaka's house.
Ashitaka was locked in an unpleasant dream. He was standing precariously on the edge of the roof of Iron Town's great forge, looking down at the buildings and people below. The colors were dull, as though the sun wasn't shining like it should. Details were hard to see. Ashitaka was not alone, though. Kaya was up there with him, Kenshin at her back. She was tugging on Ashitaka's shirtsleeves and mouthing words that didn't reach his ears. She was not the only one. Toki and Lady Eboshi were pulling on his other arm, each trying to speak to him, drawing him in another direction. And just a few feet away from them, Lord Asano was unsheathing his sword. His expression was a mix of victory and hatred. He pointed the gleaming blade at Ashitaka and started to advance. Ashitaka saw the sword and tried to pull free of the women who were yanking him in two opposite directions. They didn't seem to see Asano or his oncoming sword and continued fighting over him. Asano noticed them no more than they saw him. He only had eyes for Ashitaka. Ashitaka turned his head to look behind him, and gasped. San was standing nearby, garbed in her simple dress of purple and white. Her blue eyes were like ice that froze him to the core. A long stone knife was in her hand. She raised it and started to walk towards him. "San!" he called out to her. "I've been looking for you!" He glanced at the women holding on to him, trying to pull him away from San. "Let go of me!" he told them angrily. They merely tightened their hold on him. Asano was still coming, sword out and ready to take his life. Ashitaka turned his eyes back to San. She was now just a few paces in front of him. She stretched out her arm until the point of her knife was just barely touching his neck. Ashitaka didn't understand. Why? Why was she acting like this? Did she want to kill him? He remembered Asano and whipped his head around. Asano was within easy reach now, with his sword out. Ashitaka watched helplessly as Asano raised it, ready to bring it down with full force on his body. Ashitaka darted his eyes to Kaya, Eboshi, and Toki, who were still holding on to him, totally unaware of Asano's presence. They were still trying to pull him apart, oblivious to each other. "Let go of me!" Ashitaka snapped at them. Asano's sword came down on him. "Ah!" Ashitaka felt like a jolt of energy had suddenly rocketed through his body, like he'd been thrown into a lake of ice-cold water. He jerked awake, only to find that he was trapped. Something was pinning his shoulders down. Mind still halfway in the dream, he cried, "Let go of me!" "Let go of you?" a woman's voice replied from the darkness. "I heard you saying that in your sleep." The voice sounded amused. "You've never asked me to let go before. Especially not at night." "San?" Ashitaka said disbelievingly. His eyes were still trying to adjust to the darkness. It was taking a few moments, but already he could make out her shape in the dark shadows. She was crouching over him, hands on his shoulders, like a prowling mountain lion with a mouse under its paws. Not that he was any mouse, he thought wryly. He surprised her by seizing her arms around the wrists and wresting her from her grip. He heard the wolf princess squeak indignantly as brought her tumbling down beside him. Before San could make another move he was the one pinning her down, gently but firmly. "I've been looking for you for days!" he whispered loudly. He didn't quite know why he was whispering to her in his own house, but it seemed unimportant. He was torn between wanting to hold her as tightly as he could and wanting to shake her by the scruff of the neck for running off. She squirmed in his grasp, but he didn't ease up his hold on her one bit. "Why have you been avoiding me?" San's reply was sharp and simple. "I was angry!" she said. "I told you that being around humans wasn't a good idea!" Ashitaka sighed wearily. "It was all going so well," he said, mostly to himself. He addressed San. "Just what happened, exactly? What made you fight with that girl in the middle of the night?" He couldn't see her face very clearly, but Ashitaka was sure she was scowling, just by the sound of her reply. "That dark-haired weasel wanted to take you away from me! She threatened to! I couldn't let her walk away unpunished." Ashitaka was only mildly surprised. He had learned himself that Takiko was infatuated with him. The memory of his last encounter with her was all too fresh in his mind. "San, I..." He tried to puzzle out what he would say to her. He didn't want to infuriate her again. "I don't blame you for what you did." He wasn't quite sure what else to say. San's motives and justifications were different from anyone else's. He'd come to accept that. "Still, it was all going so well." San was quiet for a moment. At least she had stopped trying to fight him. "Would you rather I was one of those painted dolls to be pampered and sheltered? Act as if I might break into pieces at any moment like an icicle?" From her tone, it was difficult to tell if she was being sarcastic or serious. "Of course not," Ashitaka said. He felt like grinning. He felt completely idiotic. Perhaps it had been foolish to try and put San into that kind of situation. She wasn't a delicate doll to be pampered. She wasn't made of glass. She was strong, and beautiful, and courageous, and...and so many other things. Now he truly felt like a fool. "I love you more than I could a porcelain doll," he said softly. And he did. He only realized now just how much he loved her as she was. He very much wanted to kiss her right then, so he did. San didn't protest, but received his affections gratefully. She was relieved to finally make him see how she felt. And she had missed him. When he kissed her, she felt all her anger melt away; he finally let go of the vice-like grip he had on her wrists. San embraced him lovingly, forgiving him completely. A few minutes of tenderness, though, and San recalled her other reason for being there. Gently she pushed Ashitaka away, full of regret. "What's the matter?" he wondered. San didn't answer immediately. "Ashitaka," she said, "what has been going on in this place over the last few days?" "Why do you ask that?" "What's been going on?" San repeated. She heard him sigh heavily, which did little to reassure her. "A warlord from a faraway land has come and taken over. Eboshi is no longer in power. He's oppressing the people, making them pay all kind of taxes and work for him and his soldiers." He knew why she had asked. He knew where this was going. "The Tatarans have very rich lands," he continued. "Not just because of the ore under the mountains. He's cutting down the trees as well." He sat up. San's breathing was normal and steady, but he already knew that inside she was boiling. The few moments of peace hadn't lasted long. They'd been through this before, when Eboshi had invaded San's forest in the past. Many of the great trees had fallen and died, and parts of the mountain were made bald and ugly. The Great Forest Spirit had given his life to bring them back. "San," he said quietly, speaking her name. She made no reply. "San, please talk to me," Ashitaka pleaded. "You know how I feel," she said plainly. "Yes, I do." "I won't let it happen, Ashitaka. Not again." "I know." "Will you help me?" The question didn't exactly throw him off guard. But that still didn't prepare Ashitaka with an answer. "I...I'm trying," he finally told her after a long moment's thought. "Lady Eboshi and the Tatarans and I are trying to find a way to get Asano to leave, with as little conflict as possible." "Will you help me to protect these mountains? Will you help me to drive them out?" Ashitaka felt as trapped as a rabbit in a snare. He was afraid it would come to this. San was always a forceful person. Raised by wolves, she'd lived a life full of fighting—resorting to violence to protect what she cared about. As she had done when Takiko confronted her. Ashitaka wanted a peaceful way to settle everything. That wasn't the only problem, though. He couldn't help Eboshi regain control over Iron Town if he was assisting San in ridding the forest of its violators. There had to be a way to do both, but Ashitaka just couldn't see it yet. "San...I...I just don't know if I can," he said slowly, warily. He quickly added, "If Eboshi and I can get rid of Asano, though, it will save the forest as well. It may take some time." "How much time?" San demanded. "I don't know," Ashitaka answered honestly. "I'm going to try to talk with him. To reason with him. Maybe I can get him to stop logging the forest." "Talk won't work," San argued hotly. "They have to be driven out. They have to be fought. Humans won't listen to talk." "We still have to try, San." "Ashitaka," San asked him frankly, "are you going to help me or not?" Ashitaka hesitated. "San, I..." San immediately made an exasperated noise and pushed herself up. She hopped down from his bed lightly and started crossing the floor. Ashitaka couldn't see well, but he heard her footsteps heading towards the window. "San, wait!" There was no answer. By the time Ashitaka was on his feet, he heard the sound of the window slamming shut, accompanied by the tinkle of glass breaking. She'd already escaped. He was alone. Ashitaka bit back an oath and sat back down on his bed. There was no use going after her at the moment. Even if he did manage to catch up to her, what would he do? What would he say? San was obviously furious with him for not helping her. He didn't really blame her. "I have to try, though, San," he said to his dark, empty room. He sighed tiredly and collapsed back on his mattress. He would talk to Eboshi again tomorrow, and they would both confront Asano. Time was running short, whatever Eboshi said. She was a patient woman, but Ashitaka knew that this whole business had to be resolved before San's fury attracted Asano's attention. Things would just get worse, then. 'They're already pretty bad now,' he thought to himself. He gave a dry chuckle and said aloud, "San won't be the only one driven to violence if things get any worse."
Chapter Ten
San had scaled the walls of Iron Town before, on raids and once when she had attempted to kill Lady Eboshi the previous year. The tall logs of the town's outer wall that had once been mighty, towering trees were pierced easily with her long knives that she used to pull herself up the lengths of the timbers. The night was in full, and only the moon in its first quarter gave any light that might betray her. Beneath the cover of her silvery wolf fur cape and clay domen mask, San crept unnoticed up the perimeter wall, biting into the soft wood with the daggers in each of her hands.
Once she made it to the top of the wall, she balanced herself easily between the two pointed ends of the logs with her knees and peered down. She was right at the place she had wanted to be. Ashitaka's hut was visible down below. She could see Yakkuru standing by the side of the corral, great-horned head hanging down, sleeping. The windows of Ashitaka's house were all dark. He would probably be asleep now, too.
Without further thought, San launched herself easily into the air, dropping the thirty or so feet to the ground like it was just a small distance. She hit the dirt with a light thud; her strong leg muscles absorbed the impact without too much pain. Sheathing her twin daggers, San removed her mask and wolf pelt, then crouched down, moving silently towards Ashitaka's hut like a wraith in the night. Yakkuru must have smelled her, for he opened his eyes and turned his head to regard her with soft, sleepy eyes. San froze and stared at him, frowning. After a moment Yakkuru simply ignored her and went back to sleep. There was no reason for him to be alarmed by her. San breathed a sigh of relief and continued towards Ashitaka's house.
Ashitaka was locked in an unpleasant dream. He was standing precariously on the edge of the roof of Iron Town's great forge, looking down at the buildings and people below. The colors were dull, as though the sun wasn't shining like it should. Details were hard to see. Ashitaka was not alone, though. Kaya was up there with him, Kenshin at her back. She was tugging on Ashitaka's shirtsleeves and mouthing words that didn't reach his ears. She was not the only one. Toki and Lady Eboshi were pulling on his other arm, each trying to speak to him, drawing him in another direction. And just a few feet away from them, Lord Asano was unsheathing his sword. His expression was a mix of victory and hatred. He pointed the gleaming blade at Ashitaka and started to advance. Ashitaka saw the sword and tried to pull free of the women who were yanking him in two opposite directions. They didn't seem to see Asano or his oncoming sword and continued fighting over him. Asano noticed them no more than they saw him. He only had eyes for Ashitaka. Ashitaka turned his head to look behind him, and gasped. San was standing nearby, garbed in her simple dress of purple and white. Her blue eyes were like ice that froze him to the core. A long stone knife was in her hand. She raised it and started to walk towards him. "San!" he called out to her. "I've been looking for you!" He glanced at the women holding on to him, trying to pull him away from San. "Let go of me!" he told them angrily. They merely tightened their hold on him. Asano was still coming, sword out and ready to take his life. Ashitaka turned his eyes back to San. She was now just a few paces in front of him. She stretched out her arm until the point of her knife was just barely touching his neck. Ashitaka didn't understand. Why? Why was she acting like this? Did she want to kill him? He remembered Asano and whipped his head around. Asano was within easy reach now, with his sword out. Ashitaka watched helplessly as Asano raised it, ready to bring it down with full force on his body. Ashitaka darted his eyes to Kaya, Eboshi, and Toki, who were still holding on to him, totally unaware of Asano's presence. They were still trying to pull him apart, oblivious to each other. "Let go of me!" Ashitaka snapped at them. Asano's sword came down on him. "Ah!" Ashitaka felt like a jolt of energy had suddenly rocketed through his body, like he'd been thrown into a lake of ice-cold water. He jerked awake, only to find that he was trapped. Something was pinning his shoulders down. Mind still halfway in the dream, he cried, "Let go of me!" "Let go of you?" a woman's voice replied from the darkness. "I heard you saying that in your sleep." The voice sounded amused. "You've never asked me to let go before. Especially not at night." "San?" Ashitaka said disbelievingly. His eyes were still trying to adjust to the darkness. It was taking a few moments, but already he could make out her shape in the dark shadows. She was crouching over him, hands on his shoulders, like a prowling mountain lion with a mouse under its paws. Not that he was any mouse, he thought wryly. He surprised her by seizing her arms around the wrists and wresting her from her grip. He heard the wolf princess squeak indignantly as brought her tumbling down beside him. Before San could make another move he was the one pinning her down, gently but firmly. "I've been looking for you for days!" he whispered loudly. He didn't quite know why he was whispering to her in his own house, but it seemed unimportant. He was torn between wanting to hold her as tightly as he could and wanting to shake her by the scruff of the neck for running off. She squirmed in his grasp, but he didn't ease up his hold on her one bit. "Why have you been avoiding me?" San's reply was sharp and simple. "I was angry!" she said. "I told you that being around humans wasn't a good idea!" Ashitaka sighed wearily. "It was all going so well," he said, mostly to himself. He addressed San. "Just what happened, exactly? What made you fight with that girl in the middle of the night?" He couldn't see her face very clearly, but Ashitaka was sure she was scowling, just by the sound of her reply. "That dark-haired weasel wanted to take you away from me! She threatened to! I couldn't let her walk away unpunished." Ashitaka was only mildly surprised. He had learned himself that Takiko was infatuated with him. The memory of his last encounter with her was all too fresh in his mind. "San, I..." He tried to puzzle out what he would say to her. He didn't want to infuriate her again. "I don't blame you for what you did." He wasn't quite sure what else to say. San's motives and justifications were different from anyone else's. He'd come to accept that. "Still, it was all going so well." San was quiet for a moment. At least she had stopped trying to fight him. "Would you rather I was one of those painted dolls to be pampered and sheltered? Act as if I might break into pieces at any moment like an icicle?" From her tone, it was difficult to tell if she was being sarcastic or serious. "Of course not," Ashitaka said. He felt like grinning. He felt completely idiotic. Perhaps it had been foolish to try and put San into that kind of situation. She wasn't a delicate doll to be pampered. She wasn't made of glass. She was strong, and beautiful, and courageous, and...and so many other things. Now he truly felt like a fool. "I love you more than I could a porcelain doll," he said softly. And he did. He only realized now just how much he loved her as she was. He very much wanted to kiss her right then, so he did. San didn't protest, but received his affections gratefully. She was relieved to finally make him see how she felt. And she had missed him. When he kissed her, she felt all her anger melt away; he finally let go of the vice-like grip he had on her wrists. San embraced him lovingly, forgiving him completely. A few minutes of tenderness, though, and San recalled her other reason for being there. Gently she pushed Ashitaka away, full of regret. "What's the matter?" he wondered. San didn't answer immediately. "Ashitaka," she said, "what has been going on in this place over the last few days?" "Why do you ask that?" "What's been going on?" San repeated. She heard him sigh heavily, which did little to reassure her. "A warlord from a faraway land has come and taken over. Eboshi is no longer in power. He's oppressing the people, making them pay all kind of taxes and work for him and his soldiers." He knew why she had asked. He knew where this was going. "The Tatarans have very rich lands," he continued. "Not just because of the ore under the mountains. He's cutting down the trees as well." He sat up. San's breathing was normal and steady, but he already knew that inside she was boiling. The few moments of peace hadn't lasted long. They'd been through this before, when Eboshi had invaded San's forest in the past. Many of the great trees had fallen and died, and parts of the mountain were made bald and ugly. The Great Forest Spirit had given his life to bring them back. "San," he said quietly, speaking her name. She made no reply. "San, please talk to me," Ashitaka pleaded. "You know how I feel," she said plainly. "Yes, I do." "I won't let it happen, Ashitaka. Not again." "I know." "Will you help me?" The question didn't exactly throw him off guard. But that still didn't prepare Ashitaka with an answer. "I...I'm trying," he finally told her after a long moment's thought. "Lady Eboshi and the Tatarans and I are trying to find a way to get Asano to leave, with as little conflict as possible." "Will you help me to protect these mountains? Will you help me to drive them out?" Ashitaka felt as trapped as a rabbit in a snare. He was afraid it would come to this. San was always a forceful person. Raised by wolves, she'd lived a life full of fighting—resorting to violence to protect what she cared about. As she had done when Takiko confronted her. Ashitaka wanted a peaceful way to settle everything. That wasn't the only problem, though. He couldn't help Eboshi regain control over Iron Town if he was assisting San in ridding the forest of its violators. There had to be a way to do both, but Ashitaka just couldn't see it yet. "San...I...I just don't know if I can," he said slowly, warily. He quickly added, "If Eboshi and I can get rid of Asano, though, it will save the forest as well. It may take some time." "How much time?" San demanded. "I don't know," Ashitaka answered honestly. "I'm going to try to talk with him. To reason with him. Maybe I can get him to stop logging the forest." "Talk won't work," San argued hotly. "They have to be driven out. They have to be fought. Humans won't listen to talk." "We still have to try, San." "Ashitaka," San asked him frankly, "are you going to help me or not?" Ashitaka hesitated. "San, I..." San immediately made an exasperated noise and pushed herself up. She hopped down from his bed lightly and started crossing the floor. Ashitaka couldn't see well, but he heard her footsteps heading towards the window. "San, wait!" There was no answer. By the time Ashitaka was on his feet, he heard the sound of the window slamming shut, accompanied by the tinkle of glass breaking. She'd already escaped. He was alone. Ashitaka bit back an oath and sat back down on his bed. There was no use going after her at the moment. Even if he did manage to catch up to her, what would he do? What would he say? San was obviously furious with him for not helping her. He didn't really blame her. "I have to try, though, San," he said to his dark, empty room. He sighed tiredly and collapsed back on his mattress. He would talk to Eboshi again tomorrow, and they would both confront Asano. Time was running short, whatever Eboshi said. She was a patient woman, but Ashitaka knew that this whole business had to be resolved before San's fury attracted Asano's attention. Things would just get worse, then. 'They're already pretty bad now,' he thought to himself. He gave a dry chuckle and said aloud, "San won't be the only one driven to violence if things get any worse."