« Hajime, can we stop a few minutes ? » asked Chizuru.
I looked at her. She seemed totally healthy and I suspected her to ask this so that I would rest, more than herself.
« We're less than two hours away. » i objected.
« Yeah... but my feet are sore and I'm not feeling very well... » she added.
« I'll carry you. » i said calmly, not fooled by her attitude.
« Hajime, you can't be serious. » she furrowed her brows, annoyed. « We need to stop. You look pale, there's no more blood in your face, you're still panting and sweating and you look on the verge of collapsing with each step. »
« I can walk. » i affirmed.
« Alright. » she said, sitting down « then walk alone. »
« Chizuru... » I implored.
« I will not look at my husband while he chooses to kill himself just because he's got too much pride to admit that he needs some rest. » she crossed her arms « If you want to continue, fine. I stay here. »
« Alright... » I sighed « but not here. Give me a minute to find a better spot. »
« Okay. » she said with a smile, getting up « but not more than a minute. »
I looked around and walked some more until I found a big tree where I could lie against. There were ferns nearby that we could use to hide. It wasn't a perfect spot but it was the only one we had.
I lied against the tree and Chizuru opened my kimono and took off my bandage. First thing that striked me was the smell. It wasn't looking good and I could see a silent question in her eyes.
How can you still walk with this ?!
« It's infected. » she stated « I will have to clean it but we don't have any water... So I will need to use a blade to remove the pus and the infected tissues. I will also have to make a fire to cauterize. »
« You can't make a fire. » i said firmly.
« If I don't make one, you'll die before we reach Osaka. »
« If you make one, we'll both die. » i sighed, fighting the pain and fever « Chizuru, go. »
« What do you mean, go ? » she asked, her eyes widden.
« I won't make it and I'm slowing you down. We both know it. » i said calmly « I won't let them take you. »
« No way I'm leaving you to die. » she shook her head vigorously « I'm making this fire. Either we're both getting out of here alive or I'm leaving this world with you. »
« I refuse. »
« You ain't in any position to refuse anything. I will walk alongside you whatever path you must take, remember ? »
« Then walk for gods sake ! » i erupted.
The fever was making me lower my guard, allowing all my raging emotions to leak out my impassive mask. I tried to stand again, resume walking, but her hand pined me to the ground. Was she really that strong or was I becoming weaker ?
She made her damn fire that I was sure would sign our downfall but she wouldn't listen anyway. She took off the tanto she got on our wedding day from her obi and unsheathed it. She cut in her kimono, the salmon one with the plums.
I liked that kimono, she was radiant in it... I will never get the chance to see her with it again... And the yukata, the yellow one with the fireworks... It probably burned in the magistrate's office along with what she wore on our wedding and the haori Kondou-san offered me... The midnight blue one with the Makoto... The Makoto... The Shinsengumi... Kondou-san... The flames... My men...
Thoughts, just like emotions were swirling in my head without any discipline or organization. I was loosing control. The fever was slowly taking me.
She used a piece of cloth to wipe what she could from my wound, then a second one and a third one. How could such a tiny bullet make so much pus ? She was squeezing my side, making it flow outside my body but I didn't scream or cry. The pain felt so far away as if my spirit was already gone from my body. She used the tanto to cut all the infected tissus inside the wound and looked at it pensively.
« I think that's enough. » she said putting the tanto in the flames of her fire. « Are you ready for me to cauterize ? »
I think I nodded. I'm not even sure... She waited for the blade to be red-hot and I closed my eyes when she approached it. It was the most painful thing I ever experienced and I bit the inside of my cheek so hard that I felt the taste of blood in my mouth but I didn't scream.
« Are you okay ? » she asked.
« Ha. » i answered, panting.
« Try to sleep. » she said, cleaning her tanto « we will walk again when your fever starts to drop. »
« The fire... » i whispered.
She nodded and threw the spoiled piece of cloth into the brazier to kill the infection.
« When it's burnt, I'll extinct the fire. » she affirmed me. « Please, sleep Hajime. »
I didn't wanted to lie down, fearing that death could take me but I closed my eyes, my back still supported by the tree. I woke up a bit later and with my blurry eyes, I saw that she really extinct the fire. She was lying next to me, asleep and I brought a shaking hand to her hair, carressing it, before feeling the tiredness taking me once more.
The second time I woke up, I was feeling better. The fever was still there, the pain too, but nothing that could stop me from walking. Chizuru was looking at my flank and she closed my kimono.
« How are you feeling ? » she asked me.
« Good. » i answered firmly. « We have to walk, take advantage of the dark. »
« Are you sure you can do it ? » she asked, concerned.
« Why are you wasting your time with this kind of filth ? » I heard in a very recognizable arrogant voice.
The timing couldn't have been worse for Kazama Chikage to find us. Shit. Only two more hours, maybe less, and Chizuru would have been safe... I stood up, helping me with the tree and took a defensive stance.
Kazama was smiling with an arrogant grin. He could see that I was hurt and that was delighting him. Chizuru's eyes were going from him to me and back to him again, wondering what to do.
« Come behind me. » i told her firmly.
« But Hajime, you can't... »
« Do as I say. » I ordered her but she didn't move.
« Oh ? You really think you can protect her ? » said Kazama, smiling some more « that's pathetic. You are nothing more than an insect. »
« Hajime, please, sit down. » implored Chizuru.
« Why do you protect him, Yukimura ? » said Kazama, unsheathing his sword.
Chizuru frowned and looked at him with hatred and volition, her little fists clenched.
« I'm not Yukimura. I am Saito Chizuru and you will leave us alone ! » she yelled in anger.
Kazama's grin disappeared, replaced by a rictus of anger.
« You married that ? » he asked with disgust « you turned your back on your kin, on your legacy for this kind of trash ? »
« He's probably worth more than you are ! » she yelled without any fear but Kazama just exploded in laughter.
« You think so ? Then I guess I have no other choice than to make you a widow. » he laughed, getting closer.
« Chizuru, get behind me. » I repeated.
« I will not. » she answered, unsheathing her kodachi.
« You should listen to him, Yukimura. » objected Kazama « I will kill him regardless but I'd rather not damage you in the process. So if you could stay still and wait for it to be over, which will be soon, I'd appreciate it. »
Chizuru took her fighting stance, full of hatred, and her hair turned white, her eyes golden and the horns grew on her forehead but that didn't seem to impress Kazama.
« You won't touch him. » she affirmed.
« Or what ? » asked Kazama with a grin, turning into his demon self as well.
« Chizuru ! » i shouted but she threw herself forward with inhuman speed, her kodachi in hand.
Kazama chuckled and kicked her in the stomach with force, making her land on a nearby tree and hit her head.
« Chizuru ! » i shouted again, running to get to her, ignoring the pain.
She was already healing but she uncontrollably turned back into her normal self, terrified. I positioned myself in front of her, shielding her.
« Now that she's calmed down, shall we fight ? » he asked me, visibly enjoying the situation.
I stayed silent, focus, and waited for him to make the first move.