Chapter 26
The hills and mountains watched over me as I walked through the village, the grass was green and lush once more, flowers began to show their heads. A warm breeze blew through the cherry blossom trees, shaking their pink blooms. It wasn't long before my eyes fell on Higen and the silent samurai who followed Algren at a distance, they were in the training field. It looked as if the pair along with all the other samurai were getting ready to observe something. My blue eyes turned to Taka who stood at the fence, observing.
"What is happening?" I asked curiously as I approached her.
"Nathan and your husband," Taka nodded down to the field, she didn't need to add any explanation, I saw Mr Algren stretching out his shoulders, wooden bokken sword in hand, Ujio stood a few meters away waiting for Algren to ready himself. Taka bent under the fence and approached where the men stood watch, I followed, ungracefully shuffling under the wooden fencing. We stood quietly not far from the men who rested on the steps of the small cabin that housed all the training equipment. We did not announce or make our presence known, women were not allowed into the training fields, never mind watch, but curiosity got the best of both of us. The match was about to begin.
Nathan got into position, swinging the sword in his hand a couple of times. Ujio held out his sword, his arms locked in his strong stance.
"Ujio will win in three moves," One samurai said to Nakao. Nakao thought for a moment, scratching his neck.
"In five," Nakao replied roughly crossing his arms across his chest, his eyes focused on the two men before them. Knowing my husband and his abilities I mentally agreed with the man who's name I did not know.
Mr Algren made the first move, hitting away Ujio's wooden sword and swinging for him, their swords collided again and again before Ujio struck Algren in the stomach and then the centre of his back. I tried to hold back my smile as Taka sighed next to me. The unnamed man held out his hand expectantly as Nakao reached for his coin.
Nathan sighed loudly, a look of defeat on his face, his eyes flashed to Taka just for a second before he retook his position, swinging his sword in his hand and curling his fingers around its shape.
"Next in five moves," The unnamed man smiled. Nakao narrowed his eyes on Algren, watching the two men hold out their bokken swords ready to go again.
"In six," Nakao replied confidently. Higen watched on with his mouth open, the silent samurai not so far away watching intently.
Mr Algren made the first move once again, swinging his sword furiously at my husband, their swords collided once again, the echo of the wooden weapons crashing together echoed through the field. This time Algren lasted a little longer, but Ujio got him with a sword to the neck. Taka sighed again, crossing her arms over her chest, she was really routing for the American. I briefly smiled to the ground, overjoyed at my husband's ability and prowess.
The men stared at each other carefully, analysing each other as an opponent before Ujio pushed Algren back with his sword. Algren stumbled backwards, sighing. Taka tensed up, she knew Algren would not give in until Ujio had beaten him to ground, it was not in his nature to yield. Nakao handed more coin over to the man begrudgingly.
Algren held his sword out ready to go again, but this time closed his eyes as the warm breeze flowed through his hair. He whispered something under his breath, inaudible to all but him.
"You can do this Nathan," Taka whispered beside me.
Ujio readied himself, tightly wrapping his fingers around the wooden sword. The two men raised their weapons as they stared each other down.
Algren swung first yet again, which Ujio defended easily. Their swords collided again and again, both men furrowed their brows as they fought. Algren swung around and tried to strike Ujio, but my husband defended the blow with precision. Ujio raised his sword above his head and brought it down on Algren, which he blocked quickly. Algren returned a blow to Ujio, attempting to swipe at his head, but Ujio was too fast, ducking and causing Algren to miss. Quickly the two men spun around each other, swords in hand and swung sharply. The duo stood with their swords pressed to the others neck, almost in unison they had both caused a winning blow.
Nakao stood to his feet in disbelief, Taka let out a light gasp from beside me and Higen's face lit up proudly. The two men stared at each other furiously as they realised the outcome of the match.
"A draw!" the man who had created the bets gasped. I bit my lip to stifle a chuckle as a look of confusion, disbelief and anger flashed over Ujio's face, he would be enraged by this for weeks and I would never let him forget the time he drew with an American. The two men backed away from each other slowly, Algren's chest rose and fell quickly, his stamina not up to Ujio's yet. Algren looked to Ujio for any kind of response but Ujio just stared back and eventually nodded his head respectfully. Algren bowed his head in return.
Nobutada entered the training fields from behind us and strolled up next to his aunt.
"You're both not supposed to be here," He reminded us with a cheeky grin. "What did I miss?"
Taka and I turned to the younger man; I bit my lip to keep from laughing whilst Taka smiled triumphantly.
"Ujio and Algren had a draw," Taka spoke as she set off to return to the village road, I too followed on her heels, my hands pressed gently to my stomach, all the excitement had woken the baby who kicked and punched within me, he was definitely going to be his father's son.
"What?! And I missed it?!" Nobutada huffed, annoyed he missed watching something so momentous.
As we both dipped below the fence and made it back onto the village path Taka spoke to me.
"I have something for you Arabella-san," She said softly as she led me to her home. I followed slowly, my feet were swollen and sore, my back pained, I did not complain about the discomfort the child brought as I was overjoyed to be blessed with a child in the first place.
I made it up her steps slowly, my bump was extremely large now, I could not remember the last time I saw my toes or was able to do the simplest of jobs with ease. I knew we neared the end now.
Taka took my arm as we walked into her home, she guided me towards the back porch where a basket lined with cloth and filled with blankets sat.
"You are just weeks away now Arabella-san," Taka smiled as she eyed my rounded stomach. "I wanted to give you this for when the baby comes, it was Higen's and then Magojiro's, and now I want it to be your child's,"
I could not muster any words, my eyes welled up with tears and I instinctively pulled Taka in for a warm embrace. I buried my face into her shoulder and thanked her over and over again.
"You are most welcome," Taka spoke as she held me at arm's length. She wiped a tear from my face and smiled warmly at me.
"Taka you truly are the sister I never had," I sniffled, pulling her in for another laughed lightly.
"I will have one of the men take it to your home," she informed me. "Soon you will be a mother, and it is scary, but I am here for you Arabella-san,"
I ventured back home in the afternoon, I planned to go and feed the chickens Katsumoto had gifted us as a wedding present and then begin dinner preparations. I was not the best cook but Ujio did not seem to mind. As I walked along the dusty village road someone caught up with me, their strides long and powerful, whilst my swollen feet could only shuffle along at a snail's pace. It was unmistakeably my husband who strolled up beside me.
"You know you are not allowed in the training fields," Ujio spoke from beside me as he matched my pace. A small smirk played on his lips.
"I do not care, after all I got to see you beat by the American," I smiled cheekily, hooking my arm into his.
"I was not beaten," Ujio said roughly, "It was a draw,"
"You should be happy," I commented, "It means you are a good teacher," Ujio did not reply, instead he grunted and shook his head. I would get lots of satisfaction out of teasing him about this day.
"Taka has gifted us a basket for the baby," I informed him, laying a hand on my stomach.
"I know," Ujio told me, "She sought my permission first, she wondered if we had one, but we did not,"
"I feel so ill-prepared," I admitted to my husband, we had almost nothing for our child and yet they were just weeks away from coming in this world.
"Our child will have a loving home that is all he needs," Ujio spoke wisely as we approached our house.
"Well he will also need clothes, and toys, and…" In all honesty I did not know what a baby needed, I was clueless when it came to motherhood, "and he will need other things too,"
"You worry too much," Ujio scolded me lightly, "I will sort everything, you need to rest in these last weeks,"
"I hate resting," I complained, there was nothing worse than being confined all day with nothing to do. I missed dancing, riding, going for little adventures, I missed the little things I could do before I was ridiculously round.
"I know," Ujio sighed as he helped me climb the stairs to our home. Ujio decided to change the subject to a cheerier one as he guided me into our home, "Tomorrow is the spring show, you will enjoy it, it is not like your shows in the west but it is entertaining,"
"Katsumoto wanted me to dance in it, I really do miss being on stage," I smiled sadly. Ujio kissed me softly on the forehead and pressed a hand to my stomach.
"You can watch and enjoy, dancing will come after our son is born,"
Ujio was right, the spring show was entertaining, the village people had built a makeshift wooden stage not far from Taka's home during the day, and by evening the entire village had packed around it. Rows of benches held villagers and samurai, whilst I sat with Taka and her children on the porch of her home. Ujio stood nearby with Nobutada, even he was almost cracking a smile.
Everyone chuckled as a man in an elaborate demon costume pulled at a man dressed as a woman, who slapped the demon down comically. The crowd laughed, I noticed out of the corner of my eye Algren eyeing Taka from across the porch, he laughed along with the crowd but his eyes were set on her. She laughed too, unaware of her secret admirer.
Oohs and ahs sounded through the night as Katsumoto stepped up onto the stage, he pulled a silly face causing all the children to burst with laughter. We all applauded enthusiastically as Katsumoto took his position on the stage.
"Who is this amateur?" Nakao called outjokingly. Ujio looked on, a small smile on his face, Nobutada next to him could not contain his joy at his father's actions.
Katsumoto tapped the shoulder of the character dressed as a geisha, she too slapped him away comically, Katsumoto returned to the geisha and plucked the demon from behind her, presenting him to the crowd. Katsumoto pushed the demon to the stage floor, but the demon began to roll along the stage, causing Magojiro to giggle uncontrollably from his mothers' knee. We all clapped as the play carried on, I wasn't sure exactly what the story was but it was entertaining none the less. Katsumoto prepared to playfight the demon character to save the geisha when Algren stood.
"Katsumoto!" He shouted; Katsumoto turned upon hearing his name. As his head snapped to the audience the bolt of a crossbow flew passed his face, piercing the demon actor in the face.
Before I could even work out what was happening villagers were screaming and fleeing, samurai were up and their swords were drawn. Katsumoto had rolled from the stage into the protection of his samurai.
"Protect Katsumoto! Protect our Lord!" a samurai shouted from the crowd, but he was soon taken down by a crossbow bolt.
Taka pulled me to my feet as Algren rushed towards us, he took Magojiro into his arms. Men dressed in black suddenly rushed out from the darkness at all angles. Algren pushed Higen and Taka towards the house through the screaming chaos, her hand still wrapped tightly around mine. Taka's fingers slipped from my own as she was pulled from me towards the house in haste. I tried to move as quickly as possible but fighting samurai and men dressed in black blocked me. I scanned the scenes of anarchy for any sign of Ujio, but I could not see him, my heart pumped hard and my stomach flipped as I failed to find the face of my husband.
Nobutada fired arrows from down near the stage, sending assassins falling from the rooftops to the ground next to me. I screamed and jumped back, falling onto my bum roughly. It was then I saw Ujio at Katsumoto's side, escorting him quickly towards the house. I tried to heave myself to my feet but my arms were shaking too much, instead I crawled along the ground, avoiding men slashing and slicing with their swords. I crawled under the porch of Taka's house where I lay still and quiet in the foetal position. I grabbed a rock from under the house and held it out ready to defend myself.
From my position I saw a samurai being pierced through the back, a village woman's abdomen sliced open and a young man's face practically taken off by an assassin blade. I caught sight of Ujio taking on multiple attackers at once, expertly throwing them around and slicing them up. I prayed he would not meet a fate like those poor people I had already witnessed being brutally killed. I hoped Taka and her family were safe in her house, that the attackers could not gain entry. I closed my eyes and prayed it would all be over soon.
But I was pulled from my rushed prayers when a hand gripped onto my foot tightly, pulling me from under the house. A man in a black paint pulled me under him as I screamed and kicked, I tried to hit him with my rock but he knocked it from my hands quickly. He raised his sword above his head ready to strike me. I closed my eyes and waited for it to be brought down upon me, but it never came. Instead the attacker let out a breathy groan as a sword pierced him through the gut. He fell to his feet to reveal Ujio behind him, his sword caked in crimson. I cried out in relief, and reached for my husband, Ujio said nothing, instead he quickly came to me and pushed me back under the porch where I crawled on my elbows and knees. Tears fell down my cheeks like streams as I held onto my stomach and watched from under Taka's home. All I could see of Ujio where his legs as he defended my hiding spot.
I watched as Ujio killed attacker after attacker, slicing and stabbing them ruthlessly. When all the assassins had fallen the samurai looked around and then let out a victorious war cry, led by Ujio.
My shoulders rose and fell quickly as I struggled to breathe, Ujio knelt down and beckoned me out, which I did eventually. He pulled me to up to him, my legs unsteady and giving way slightly he took my weight in his arms and held me.
"Are you hurt?" He asked as he looked me over.
"I do not think so," I breathed as I looked at all the bodies that scattered the ground. There was assassins, samurai and innocent villagers, they all lay bloody and bathed in scarlet.
"The baby?" He asked, running his hands over my bump. I could feel the child's kicks inside me as he caressed my stomach. "I feel him," Ujio sighed in relief, pressing his forehead to mine. "You're both safe,"
Writer - thank you for reading! I am enjoying hearing your thoughts and feelings, please do let me know what you think of this chapter.