Chapter 3 I Will Always Protect You

Note: Corny Alert! For you guys out there you might wanna flip through the flashback part! Ayame stood outside the castle walls. She seemed almost in meditation as she stared up at the bright moon. She slowly closed her eyes so to allow her soul to return to the past.

::FLASHBACK::
"What on Earth do you do up here every night, might I enquire?" Asked Ayame as she climbed to the top of the ladder.

"Hm? What's that?" Said Rikimaru.

Ayame sat down next to him with a puzzled look on her face.

"You always sit up here at night. Its almost like you're in some sort of a trance. Do you really find the overview of the city that beautiful or does the roof of Shiunsai's old house have a lot in common with you?" Said Ayame in a joking manner.

"Hmph. It figures that you'd say something like that." Replied Rikimaru.

"How well you know me. But honestly what are you doing up here?" She asked.

Rikimaru lay back on the roof.

"Have you ever wondered what you could've been if you had a past? When I was just an infant, Master Shiunsai found me abandoned in the bamboo forest. I have no past, no lineage, nothing. When I look at my reflection, it's as if I'm looking at a hollow, lifeless corpse. Instead of having a shadow of my own, I am forced to live in those of others. When I became an Azuma, I agreed to be like a shadow, to forget that I ever had a past. If only...if only I could see my own shadow, even for one day, to see every detail of it, then I swear that would be all I would ever need." He said.

"Rikimaru..." said Ayame.

"I know you've noticed it. My hair and skin color are different from everyone else's. If I knew why, then I could go on serving Lord Ghoda without another thought in my mind except for fulfilling his wishes." Said Rikimaru.

"So this is all for the sake of your duties? Would you take nothing from your past worth taking?" She asked.
Rikimaru turned his gaze from the stars to meet with Ayame's eyes.

"No, not quite nothing. From the knowledge of my past I would take a new life and the meaning of the word 'memory', and I would leave behind an empty heart that I once claimed as my own." He replied.

Ayame looked at him for a moment and then a small smile crept across her face.

"Its strange, I always thought of you as this stiff and formal guy. You know, a 'Yes sir' man. But this is a side of you that I've never seen before. Its very touching. If I could give you the chance to see your shadow, I would give anything for it to be." She said.

Rikimaru smiled and sat up. "Thanks Ayame." He said.

He turned and looked up at the moon. Ayame suddenly felt as if her body was light enough to float. The way his eyes glowed in the moonlight and the wind blew through his hair, it made Ayame think she had never seen anything more beautiful.
::END FLASHBACK::

"Ayame! Ayame, are you listening?"

Ayame opened her eyes and found herself looking into the face of Sekiya.

"I finally found you." He said, ushering her to follow him.

She took one last look at the night's sky, and turned to follow. Lord Ghoda was sitting in his chambers, rubbing his brow in exhaustion.

"Sir?" Ayame said kneeling in front of him. "Ayame, I have many questions to ask you." He said.

"Yes, about what?" She replied.

"First and most important, how is this possible? You said it yourself, Rikimaru was crushed to death under boulders, yet he seems to be alive and breathing." Said Lord Ghoda.

There was a long silence before Ayame said anything. "Perhaps, he was alive all along. Maybe he found a new master to serve under." She replied.

"No, that cannot be. I know Rikimaru would never betray my trust." He said.

"But what other explanation is there?" Said Ayame.

"I do not know...my surgeon is still examining him. When he is finished, I shall get the answers directly from Rikimaru." Said Lord Ghoda. At that moment, Sekiya entered the room.

"The surgeon is finished sir." said Sekiya.

"How is he?" Asked Ghoda.

"Thankfully, the surgeon said he thinks he'll live. But we must not take the matter of his health lightly. We must tend to Rikimaru through the night, otherwise, he will not survive." Replied Sekiya.

"I see, I'm glad." Said Ayame.

"I think its best to leave our questions for when he is well." Said Lord Ghoda.

"Sir, if you will allow me, I'd like to stay with Rikimaru tonight." Said Ayame.

Lord Ghoda nodded slowly and turned to leave.

"Well it seems that I'll be Kiku's playmate tonight." Chuckled Sekiya before closing the door behind him.

Ayame knelt beside Rikimaru and studied him thoroughly.

"I never thought I'd see the day when you'd be like this. You must've been blind for this to happen. And personally I hope that you don't make it! I'm better off without you!" She Said.

Rikimaru stirred slightly.

"So...you can hear me? Then listen and listen good!" Said Ayame as she leaned down next to his ear.

"If you should ever find out who you are, or if you already have, then I beg of you...please don't leave me alone again." She whispered.

"I lo-" before she could finish, Sekiya rushed into the room.

"Ayame, come quick!" He said.

Ayame scrambled to her feet and proceeded to follow. Lord Ghoda was awaiting her in his throne room.

"Whoever those bandits were, its seems that Rikimaru is of great value to them. Or of a great threat. Take a look at this." Said Ghoda handing her a note. Ayame took the note and read what is said:

"Deliver Rikimaru to us by midnight. If you fail to do so, or if you do not deliver him in the time, we shall kill one innocent for every minute you are late. If you still refuse, our offer after this, we shall then proceed to take him from the castle by force. We'll be waiting for you."
Nyanko

"They have hostages? Those cowards." Said Ayame.

"Indeed the situation calls for action. We must not allow my people to be harmed." Said Ghoda.

"Then it seems we have no choice." Said Sekiya.

"Prepare to take Rikimaru to them." Said Ghoda in a sad voice.

"What?! Just like that you're giving in?! You would simply throw Rikimaru's life away like worn clothes?" Shouted Ayame.

"Enough! Rikimaru is nothing but a shadow in the form of a man! He was born to serve me! And so he shall! I will not let my people die...even if it costs Rikimaru his life. That was his duty in the first place. Compared to my people, he is dust and so are you!" Replied Ghoda in a grim voice.

Ayame clenched her fists as her heart sank. She'd never thought her Lord had seen her as 'dust' that can be casted aside, but as a friend and protector. What could she do? She couldn't let Rikimaru die. It didn't take her long to come to her decision.

"So help me my lord, I will not allow him to be taken away from me again! And I will no longer be thought of as dust!" Said Ayame.

"You can do nothing child! How dare you forget your place!" Said Ghoda.

Ayame looked at Ghoda through eyes stricken with hurt and anger.

"And how dare you forget that without the Azuma, you are helpless, useless, and defenseless against your enemies! But it seems that is one lesson you never learned. Lets see just how long you and your people will last without me?" Said Ayame before turning and leaping out the window to the streets below.

There was a long, lingering silence before Sekiya gave orders to a near by servant to prepare Rikimaru for departure. Ghoda sat down next to the window and looked out at the gates to the city and a deep rooted fear came over him. Was he really doing what would be best for his people?

"Rikimaru is gone sir!" Cried a servant as he stumbled through the doors.

"What?!" Said Lord Ghoda.

He quickly ran past Sekiya and threw opens the doors to the room where Rikimaru was kept. He looked around the room and found Nyanko's note partially burnt on the floor.

"She couldn't have..." He said. Ghoda flung open the shutters to the window.

"AYAME!!!!!!!" He shouted.

From the bamboo forest she could hear his call, but she would not answer. Ayame continued through the forest as fast as she could while still supporting Rikimaru's weight on her back.

((Please forgive me Kiku, for you will suffer until I'm heard...))

Next chapter, Ayame has abandoned Lord Ghoda and must go into hiding until Rikimaru has recovered. But will he have enough time before Ghoda's troops find them. And what of Nyanko? Will Ayame allow the innocent to die for the sake of her cause? Next chapter "Hunted Shadows"