21
I paced back and forth my heart beating fast with anticipation and knots forming in my stomach from fear. What is Nathan going to do? Is he going to get help from the samurai? Is he going to get Katsumoto out of prison? But if he does that that would automatically mean treason against Emperor Meiji. I moved over to the nearest window and looked out it. I could see the palace from here. My is it beautiful. There was a firm knock coming from the front door. I turned quickly thinking maybe Nathan had come back or maybe Ujio. I lifted my dress some and hurried to the front door and opened it swiftly only to freeze up at the sight.
Normal POV
Nathan used all of his strength to slice the head off the silent assassin who had followed him after he left the inn. He looked around making sure all of his enemies were dead before running from the village. It wasn't long before he found them sitting around the fire. Ujio was the first to look up and stand when he saw Nathan running over.
"Katsumoto's been arrested we have to break him out!" he replied and now everyone stood up ready to help. Nobutada moved over to him.
"What is your plan?" he asked. Ujio however looked over Nathan's shoulder and all around him.
"Where is Grace?" he asked quickly. Nathan looked behind him for a second.
"I had to leave her at the inn in case of danger. I was attacked by Omura's men. We need to get her and break Katsumoto out of jail." he replied. Ujio didn't like this one bit.
"I'm going to get Grace then meet you at the jail." he said holding on to his sword as he ran off leaving the others to come up with a plan.
Grace's Pov
I was very tense as I stared up at Col. Bagley only in his white long leisurely garment with black pants and boots. I looked him over noticing his shirt was open at the top and I noticed he didn't smell like alcohol. He was fully sober. I inhaled silently and looked down some.
"Mr. Algren is not here." I replied lowly already moving to close the door. But Bagley's hand caught the door quickly pushing back on it firmly.
"It's a good thing too. You were always attached to Algren. Hell his grip was tighter on you then his grip on a bottle." he said moving forward. I tried to block the inside of the room from him, but he pushed hard against the door causing me to stumble back and stare intently at him.
"I am the emperor's guest. You can NOT come in here." I replied, my voice breaking some as he stalked toward me after closing the door.
"But the emperor is not in this room now is he?" he asked lowly and now a familiar fear rushed over me as I was very familiar of the look in his eyes. He suddenly rushed me and I screamed and ran for the room Nathan and I shared. Bagley grabbed my arm hard and wrapped his arms around me lifting me off the ground. I shouted and struggled against him thrashing about swiftly.
"NO! NOOOO!" I screamed and was suddenly thrown to the ground and I tried to crawl away, but I was grabbed once more and thrown over a small drawer knocking over Nathan's maps and books.
"Shut up!" he screamed kicking me in the stomach. I groaned out hard trying to crawl away once more. My ankles were grabbed and I was dragged across the floor. I screamed harder opening someone would hear me. I was lifted off the ground and immediately began smacking and hitting at him as he managed to pull me back into the room. I was seeing red. Anything to get him off me, I had to get free. Suddenly I feel a hard wall colliding with my face and I realize it's his hand that hits me. I screamed out spinning around and landing on half of the bed. I began to slide off it in a daze, and I feel my hair being pulled hard. I screamed out grabbing onto his hand as he pulled me up and forced me onto my back. I could feel blood dripping into my mouth and he just he just stared at me with a feral glare.
"You forget you're just a nigga in a fancy dress. You may be fancy and know big words, but you're still just a mongrel whore." he spat, and I felt his tongue sliding over my neck and I whimpered out and closed my eyes wanting to just die now. I wished I could just step outside my own body right now. I struggled a bit against him and screamed out again.
"NO!" I yelled out feeing his hands start to paw at my body. He back hands me again and I cry hard and sob. He suddenly grabbed my cheek hard forcing me to keep eye contact with him.
"That's a good little whore." he said and I began to freeze up now feeling my body grow numb. No one would save me not then and not now. But I looked at him with hate in my eyes. Hate for all the men and women like him who used fear to bend us to their will. But as I glanced back at him, I saw what I never expected to see. Ujio coming into the room in silence, his blade drawn. I had never felt such heavy relief that I cried more. I looked back up at Bagley who smirked. "Now you gonna be a good girl or am I going to have to get violent?" I stared up at him for a long moment and for the first time in my life, I felt like I held the power in my hands for once. Ujio was moving up to him swiftly yet silently as well, and I gave a sneer of disgust.
"I choose violence." I replied sinisterly, and Bagley's head tilted in confusion, and in one swift move, Ujio gripped the man's hair quickly pulling him off me and he wasted no time with pressing his blade against the colonel's neck and slicing it right across his flesh. I sat up right as he was making a low gurgling noise. My eyes widened as I watched Ujio release him and he just gripped his throat as he failed to stop the bleeding. I just stared at him longer watching as his eyes rolled backward and he began to freeze up and fall over. Now there was only Ujio standing over him. He said something quickly in his language and spit on Bagley's corpse. He then looked up at me and moved over to me quickly and I raised my hands and he took them and pulled me off the bed and embraced me hard. I sighed in content and pulled and kissed him swiftly and he curled his hand into my hair holding me close as our warm lips collided. His scent washed over me and I immediately felt safe in his arms. We pulled back and embraced each other once more.
"I thought you were returning to America." he said, and I shook my head and looked back at him holding his face in my hands.
"I am not going anywhere. Like you said… I am yours." I replied, and he smiled planting numerous kisses over my face causing me to giggle softly.
"Come." he replied taking my hand and pulling me from the room. I glanced back at Bagley's dead body glad he was dead before running out with my love.
"Katsumoto's been arrested." I told him as we left the inn and moved down the empty streets.
"We are going to help him." he informed. Ujio led me to where they were keeping Katsumoto and we saw Nathan and Nobutada. As soon as Nathan saw me his eyes darkened and he moved over to me.
"What happened?" he asked taking hold of my shoulders. I remember my busted lip and I shook my head.
"Bagley." I replied and Nathan's eyes filled with anger and worry as he looked me over with questioning eyes and I knew what he was asking. Ujio stepped beside me.
"He is dead." he replied and Nathan nodded looking at me.
"You need to get back to the horses. It's too dangerous for you here." he said. Ujio nodded.
"I'll escort her back." he replied and I took hold of Nathan's shoulder a sign I was telling him to be careful, before leaving with Ujio. We moved swiftly through the village. Three soldiers were coming our way. Ujio grabbed me quickly and moved us behind a darkened building, holding me close until the men passed. He led me to the outskirts of town where other samurai and the horses were. He released my hand.
"I will be back." he said already moving to leave, but I grabbed his hand quickly and moved up to him kissing him hard and he returned it quickly. He embraced me and slowly I let my lips leave his and I looked up at him with deep and worried eyes and he saw it. He caressed my cheek gently.
"You had better." I replied, and he gave me a strong look before nodding and turning to move back into the village. I stared at his form closing my eyes in realization that Ujio had killed a man for me. And that's when I knew, he would kill a hundred men for me.
