15
I knew our day could not stay like this. Ujio had responsibilities and so we were already dressed and walking back toward the village. I could see Nathan sitting on a hill playing with some of the tall grass. I tensed a bit before looking at Ujio who just nodded firmly as if giving me encouragement. I nodded and moved in the direction of the hill and I knew Ujio was watching me move toward him. Once I was close enough, Nathan looked over his shoulder halfway and saw it was me before looking away. I moved over and sat beside him and we just stared out at the field in front of us. We had done this before when in America. We just sat in silence after Nathan told me he was called to Japan and he didn't want to leave me behind which I had never felt so special.
"This is where we are now." I replied, and he just looked down some picking a blade of tall grass before lightly flicking it around. There was more silence, and I wasn't sure if he was going to say anything.
"Do you even like him?" he asked looking at me. I couldn't help but smile a bit and nod slowly glancing up at him.
"Yeah I do." I replied looking up at him. "He treats me the way you treat me… like a human being." I replied, and he just stared at me for a moment.
"I am not your master. I do not own you and you don't ever have to do anything you don't want to. You know that?" he asked. I nodded slowly looking down at the grass. Nathan was the barrier around me that protected me against the hatred of the American world. But here Ujio could protect me in this strange new world. Nathan looked at me even more closely before looking ahead. "You aren't coming back with me are you?" I just stared at him feeling light fear fill me not because of him, but I feared for him that I would hurt his feelings. We had been through so much together, that we were inseparable. To watch him go and me stay behind anywhere was a mildly scary thought, but I wouldn't be alone. I would have Ujio.
My silence gave him my answer, and he just nodded. Slowly we just leaned in to one another my eyes slowly closing so soft tears could escape them.
"I hope you find happiness here." he said lowly, and I only smiled and sniffled some only feeling happiness inside me that he was okay with this. Nathan just kissed the top of my head and wrapped his arm around me. "I may not like the guy… but I always want you to be happy even if it is without me."
We decided to embrace this new culture with the time that we had left together. Days were turning into weeks and I had no idea what day it was anymore. I took to exploring the fields and the forest, with Ujio always behind me with his arms cross and his rough exterior still showing, yet when we were together I managed to get him to smile some. Nathan was talking more to Katsumoto and they traded stories about the war and what they had both experienced. I had even noticed he was growing close with Taka. Grant it so did I, but I could see the way they looked at each other. They two were growing quite close.
Ujio and I spoke more, doing our best not to take each other every minute we got. I actually got to know him and his family. His father was strict, but he learned a lot from him and was the man he was today for it. His mother was kind, being the reason, he practiced restraint when around me if he happened to be angry about something. I told him about my family and how we were mostly separated and sold off to different plantations. Nathan was slowly trying to learn more about the samurai, and Ujio still was not pleased, but with encouraging stares from Katsumoto and a glare from me, he slowly began to accept Nathan. He taught me their language as Taka and her children taught Nathan. It was quite an experience.
The villagers were growing use to both Nathan and my presence. Aika was still bitter against me and attempted to smack me again, but one punch to the face quelled all of the hostility. Finally, the snow came and I was not prepared for it. Ujio and I huddled together through most of it, but I was not used to it and found myself really ill.
Katsumoto sent his best version of doctors to help me through it. I kept trying to keep my distance from Ujio so he wouldn't get sick, but he was not having any of it. He brought me my meals and would lie with me when I had to rest and gently chant in my ear. Nathan kept me company when Ujio had to tend to his responsibilities, much to Ujio's dismay, but we talked about the past and what Nathan planned to do when he was freed. I knew in my heart that I would miss him greatly.
When the snow finally melted, and I had felt better again, I was eager to move back into the village again and roam the fields and explore once more. Ujio of course watched me like a hawk to make sure I didn't over work myself. I dressed in more kimonos that the elder women had made for me. I was honored to wear them. Nathan and I were no longer seen as annoyances from the people, but were now used to being seen and we did our part to help however we could during the cold and Katsumoto appreciated it.
I was watching Ujio direct a group of men in the practice of their swords. I standing with a few of his friends who were very entertained with the fact that Ujio had taken an interest in me. They were quite funny and very interested in talking to me about America in general. They did not scold me or expect me to be off doing what they saw was women's work. I was watching Nathan practice with a sword by himself and Ujio immediately confronted him with a glare already ready to teach him a lesson. But Katsumoto and Nobutada were arriving on their horses just in time to save Nathan. Ujio looked at his lord who just nodded at him. Ujio looked at him before glancing at me and I just gave a soft and quick smile.
Ujio looked at Nathan and just huffed hitting his wooden sword with his own and challenged Nathan to a spar and for a few rounds, Nathan was losing. I continued watching and saw Nathan was gathering himself and taking deep breaths. On the last round, it ended with a tie, and I smiled proudly while the others were shocked at what happened. Nathan was a quick learner and he was learning well. Ujio backed away giving a small yet still firm nod and I just shook my head and grinned.
Later on that evening, an interesting play was being held on the side of Katsumoto's home and everyone was laughing and clapping and having a good time. I was a little behind on what was going on, but I didn't say anything. I looked around to see Nathan smiling some and laughing as was Taka and the children. Their smiling faces made me happy if anything. I saw Nobutada and Ujio standing together. Ujio had a small smile on his face, as I knew he was keeping guard and trying not to get too distracted.
However, he caught me staring and I couldn't help but smile at him. I was happy our relationship had grown from him being on my captor to us being more than that. Ujio smiled and gave me a nod and I just smiled and turned to look back at Katsumoto as he made funny faces to the crowd as he was smacked away by the woman in the white dress. That made me laugh even if I didn't understand the story line.
"KATSUMOTO!" Nathan suddenly screamed causing me to jump now and before I knew it I heard screaming and everyone was running all over the place. I saw men in black running from the fire set up around the stage that was set up for the play. What was going on? Before I knew it, Ujio grabbed me and had me on my feet.
"GO INSIDE GO!" he shouted running me in the direction of Nathan who grabbed me and Taka immediately as we were rushed inside. There was so much blood that I could hardly process what was happening.
"What is it!" I screamed. Nathan was still guiding us inside.
"Get inside now now!" he demanded. We moved inside and Nathan guided Taka, the children, and I into a corner of the room. The doors slid shut, but that did not stop the men in black from forcing their way inside. Nathan was there in a flash already clashing swords with them. Taka's arm was wrapped around Magojiro, while Higen was behind her and me. Her hand never left mine as well as we built a wall around the children. My heart was pounding while I looked for Ujio wondering where he was. These men who were here they had to be some type of assassins. Why were they here? Suddenly, one of them came flying at us and Taka and I screamed, only to see him slashed in half by Katsumoto. The body fell toward us, and on instinct we all separated moving in the scramble of the killing. I fell to the ground and could feel my forehead hitting the wall, but I couldn't really feel it. I looked up to see Magojiro screaming as he is running down the hall and jumping outside with one of the men in black quick on his feet. They were running right into the massacre.
"MAGOJIRO!" I screamed and got up and ran after them. My heart was pounding fast as the child was running through chaos after losing sight of his mother. If I didn't get to him, they were going to kill him. I ran outside after him using all of my strength to catch up to them. I saw a dead samurai on the ground with a knife lodged deep in his neck. I paused for only a quick second and didn't even think before grabbing it and running after the man who was following the child beneath the stage. Lord give me strength to reach them in time. The assassin grabbed Magojiro by the collar of his robe and raised his knife to ready to plunge it down on his throat and I screamed hard as I gathered all the strength I had to plunge my blade deep into the back of the man's head. Blood spewed out onto my kimono and the body fell. I screamed out standing there shaking as I watched the body slump down to the ground. My hands were shaking for only a second, before Magojiro threw himself into my arms.
I wrapped my arms around him ad lifted him up carrying him beneath stage and we both just hid there, his face buried into my chest, and my hand holding his face there so he would not see the massacre around him. I could see it however. I could see all the bodies falling at the hands of a sword. My eyes just widened as my heart was hurting so hard from beating. I watched as men stabbed and sliced each other. I finally caught sight of Ujio as he was slicing men in half and stabbing his sword through them. It was all too much and I buried my face in Magojiro's head and he just held me tight.
I closed my eyes hoping- praying we were not found by the enemy.
When I heard men yelling, I couldn't tell what was going on so I remained quiet and still.
"MAGOJIRO!" I heard Taka in a state of panic.
"Grace! Grace where are you!" I heard Nathan. My head snapped up and now that it was quiet, I knew the fight was over. I did my best to get up, with the child in my arms and slowly, we moved out from under the stage and moved into the view of everyone. Nathan and Taka were standing with Katsumoto and the other samurai. When Nathan saw me, he jumped off the steps of the porch and ran to me with Taka behind him. Ujio had to stand by his lord to make sure the threat was gone, but was looking at me intently with worry in his eyes. Taka was in front of me and it took a few seconds for me to finally release Magojiro to his mother and Nathan took my face in his hands.
"Hey, hey you okay?" he asked and my body was just shaking violently as I remembered what happened. The blood, the force of my hand shattering the back of a man's skull. I just looked up at Nathan and slowly shut my eyes leaning into his chest and crying hard and Nathan embraced me as I held on to him tight. I had never killed a man before and I hoped I would never have to. But it was too much, it was something I could not get out of my mind.
Author's Notes
Yes last update for the evening, but I figured I wouldn't spend too much time on a winter chapter, because I didn't feel much could happen in that amount of time. Anyways enjoy!
