Despite Thæn's threat the night before, he didn't make Ryo or Kye-Ren leave right the next morning. In fact, he was letting them stay as long as they wanted. For Ryo this was a good thing, for his health had taken a turn for the worst last night, Kye-Ren had woken up to find him with a high fever. Thæn had her move Ryo downstairs and laid him on the bed that Thæn had used the night before. There Thæn and Kye-Ren both used what healing skill they knew to help bring the fever down. In any event, Ryo would be bed-ridden for some time.
"The river moss will bring the fever down," Thæn assured Kye-Ren as she watched him grind the plant into a thick paste. She doubted it, but none of her medicine had worked, so it was up to Thæn now. He didn't seem too concerned about it, though. As he had explained it to her, fevers were common this time of the year, and Ryo would recover soon.
"He's going through so much. Why must things get worse for him?" Kye-Ren asked herself.
"Sounds like you have a great deal of feelings for this boy. How long have you known him?" Thæn asked.
"Not very long. Yet I feel as if I have known him forever. And I do love him. More than I love my own life. I would do anything to give him his memories back and heal his fever and wounds..."
"I believe," Thæn said after a brief pause, "that the reason Ryo does not remember his past is because the Great Mother has a plan for him, and you."
"Great Mother?" Kye-Ren asked, confused. Thæn smiled.
"The Great Mother is the spirit who watches over all the realms. She is the one who brings life, and makes things grown. She protects life, and she has plans for everything and everyone. I believe that she has special plans for you two, and I am a part of that plan as well. I sense things sometimes, it is a Gift given to me from Her. You two may stay here as long as you like."
"You know, last night, when we first met, you were mean to us, ready to kill us, and now you are welcoming us into your home like lost family. I do not understand your kind."
"Nor I yours. But we will see. Who knows what She has planned. We must merely go along with it."
Thæn turned back to his task and left Kye-Ren to watch over Ryo. She gently placed a cool cloth on his forehead, humming a soft lullaby as he slept. He was very restless, as if he was having a bad dream. And as much as Kye-Ren wanted to wake him up from such a dream, she didn't, because he might have been remembering something of his past, and she did not want to interfere. So she sat and thought about what Thæn had told her, about what the Great Mother might have planned for them. Whatever it was, it had better be worth the trouble the Ryo was going through.
The storm continued for three days before it stopped, and then the snow began to fall. The Ronin Warriors had little luck in finding any clue as to Ryo's whereabouts, but White Blaze found something interesting, a small piece of metal with something engraved in it. It looked like some sort of ancient writing, so they took it back to Mia, to see if she could make anything of it. Now they were waiting, and it seemed like an eternity before Mia looked up at them.
"Its defenitly some sort of writing, but I can only read a little bit of it," she said.
"Well, then, tell us what you can read," Sage told her.
"Alright, I can make out the words Aja and Healer. Then Ryo's name... that's about it. This is a message from whoever took Ryo. And Healer is another word for doctor, right? So he is safe."
A sigh came from the four young men. They were relieved to know that Ryo had been found by a doctor, but they still didn't know where he was. But with the winter storms raging outside, searching the mountains would be too dangerous, even for them. They would have to hope that either the doctor who found Ryo would bring him back or that Ryo would return on his own. But they hadn't lost hope. They knew he was alive, and for now that was enough.
Two weeks passed before Ryo was well enough to move around. He had lost a great deal of weight, and looked rather awful. His clothing hung loosely on his body, and there was little either Kye-Ren or Thæn could do. They did help him out as much as possible, for, now that he was able to move around, they found that he didn't like to sit around doing nothing. He did what chores he could, and slowly, bit by bit he grew stronger. Some of his memories were returning, he could remember names, but he couldn't think of who they belonged to. All he knew is that they were important in some way.
Thæn told Ryo about the Great Mother and Her plan, as he had told Kye-Ren, and he accepted it as he did any other information that Thæn or Kye-Ren thought he ought to know. He recovered his strength quick enough, even if he still was thin from the fever. Thæn taught both him and Kye-Ren about the area around the cabin where they were staying so that they wouldn't get lost. They both met a few other people like Thæn, each of them kind and accepting as the Elders in Kye-Ren's world had not been. They didn't seem to care that they were humans; if Thæn like them they they could be trusted. That seemed to be the general feeling of things.
And Thæn wasn't the least bit surprised when Ryo announced, rather suddenly one evening, that he was in love with Kye-Ren. It had happened when Kye-Ren and Ryo were finishing their dinner; Thæn had already done so and was working in his workshop, something he always did after the evening meal. Kye-Ren had been putting the food away while Ryo had been clearing the table when he suddenly told her, "Kye-Ren, I love you."
She had dropped the loaf of bread that was in her hands, too stunned to move. She had wanted to hear those words for a long time now, and to hear them come out of his mouth was a surprise. She had shown some affection towards him lately, trying to see if he would show any back, but he had acted as if it was just a common friendship. Now he was telling her that he DID love her, and she was too surprised to answer back. But Ryo didn't need an answer. He could see it in her eyes, just as he saw everything else when Kye-Ren was too shocked or confused to speak. He laughed as he put his arms around her and rested his head on her neck. Kye-Ren recovered enough to lean into his strong body and sighed softly, happily. From his workshop Thæn laughed, startling both of the humans.
"I told you She has a plan. And its starting now!"
"Thæn! Must you speak in riddles?" Kye-Ren complained, unwrapping herself from Ryo's arms and picking up the dropped bread, setting it back in the pantry. Ryo laughed, as did Thæn. He didn't mind it when the creature talked in riddles, he enjoyed it, and that bothered Kye-Ren at times. It was as if he could understand what Thæn was saying, and was leaving Kye-Ren to figure it out herself. She gave Ryo a dark stare that turned into a grin when he winked at her. It was just impossible to stay mad at him.
"I'm going to go rest, love," He told her kindly.
"You better before I decide to beat both you and Thæn into a pulp!" Kye-Ren threatened.
Ryo pretended to flinch with fear as he made his way up to the loft. He knew that Kye-Ren wouldn't go through with that threat, but he also knew that it wasn't wise to get her mad. He had watched her practice fighting with Thæn, and she could usually beat the large creature with little trouble. She was as great a warrior as she was a healer, and she had a big heart, which was the reason Ryo loved her so much. It wasn't long before he heard the door to the loft creak open and then heard Kye-Ren's soft footsteps as she moved across the floor. She laid down next to him and put her arms around his neck, kissing him on the cheek.
"I'm glad you finally told me how you feel," she whispered. "I was worried it was only a one-sided infatuation."
"Well, now you know, Kye-Ren. And even if I never get my memories back, I don't think it will be too bad, because I have you."
Kye-Ren said nothing to that, instead, she kissed Ryo deeply, and nothing was said for a long time.
(Yes! My first attempt at romance, so don't kill me!-Kye-Ren)
"The river moss will bring the fever down," Thæn assured Kye-Ren as she watched him grind the plant into a thick paste. She doubted it, but none of her medicine had worked, so it was up to Thæn now. He didn't seem too concerned about it, though. As he had explained it to her, fevers were common this time of the year, and Ryo would recover soon.
"He's going through so much. Why must things get worse for him?" Kye-Ren asked herself.
"Sounds like you have a great deal of feelings for this boy. How long have you known him?" Thæn asked.
"Not very long. Yet I feel as if I have known him forever. And I do love him. More than I love my own life. I would do anything to give him his memories back and heal his fever and wounds..."
"I believe," Thæn said after a brief pause, "that the reason Ryo does not remember his past is because the Great Mother has a plan for him, and you."
"Great Mother?" Kye-Ren asked, confused. Thæn smiled.
"The Great Mother is the spirit who watches over all the realms. She is the one who brings life, and makes things grown. She protects life, and she has plans for everything and everyone. I believe that she has special plans for you two, and I am a part of that plan as well. I sense things sometimes, it is a Gift given to me from Her. You two may stay here as long as you like."
"You know, last night, when we first met, you were mean to us, ready to kill us, and now you are welcoming us into your home like lost family. I do not understand your kind."
"Nor I yours. But we will see. Who knows what She has planned. We must merely go along with it."
Thæn turned back to his task and left Kye-Ren to watch over Ryo. She gently placed a cool cloth on his forehead, humming a soft lullaby as he slept. He was very restless, as if he was having a bad dream. And as much as Kye-Ren wanted to wake him up from such a dream, she didn't, because he might have been remembering something of his past, and she did not want to interfere. So she sat and thought about what Thæn had told her, about what the Great Mother might have planned for them. Whatever it was, it had better be worth the trouble the Ryo was going through.
The storm continued for three days before it stopped, and then the snow began to fall. The Ronin Warriors had little luck in finding any clue as to Ryo's whereabouts, but White Blaze found something interesting, a small piece of metal with something engraved in it. It looked like some sort of ancient writing, so they took it back to Mia, to see if she could make anything of it. Now they were waiting, and it seemed like an eternity before Mia looked up at them.
"Its defenitly some sort of writing, but I can only read a little bit of it," she said.
"Well, then, tell us what you can read," Sage told her.
"Alright, I can make out the words Aja and Healer. Then Ryo's name... that's about it. This is a message from whoever took Ryo. And Healer is another word for doctor, right? So he is safe."
A sigh came from the four young men. They were relieved to know that Ryo had been found by a doctor, but they still didn't know where he was. But with the winter storms raging outside, searching the mountains would be too dangerous, even for them. They would have to hope that either the doctor who found Ryo would bring him back or that Ryo would return on his own. But they hadn't lost hope. They knew he was alive, and for now that was enough.
Two weeks passed before Ryo was well enough to move around. He had lost a great deal of weight, and looked rather awful. His clothing hung loosely on his body, and there was little either Kye-Ren or Thæn could do. They did help him out as much as possible, for, now that he was able to move around, they found that he didn't like to sit around doing nothing. He did what chores he could, and slowly, bit by bit he grew stronger. Some of his memories were returning, he could remember names, but he couldn't think of who they belonged to. All he knew is that they were important in some way.
Thæn told Ryo about the Great Mother and Her plan, as he had told Kye-Ren, and he accepted it as he did any other information that Thæn or Kye-Ren thought he ought to know. He recovered his strength quick enough, even if he still was thin from the fever. Thæn taught both him and Kye-Ren about the area around the cabin where they were staying so that they wouldn't get lost. They both met a few other people like Thæn, each of them kind and accepting as the Elders in Kye-Ren's world had not been. They didn't seem to care that they were humans; if Thæn like them they they could be trusted. That seemed to be the general feeling of things.
And Thæn wasn't the least bit surprised when Ryo announced, rather suddenly one evening, that he was in love with Kye-Ren. It had happened when Kye-Ren and Ryo were finishing their dinner; Thæn had already done so and was working in his workshop, something he always did after the evening meal. Kye-Ren had been putting the food away while Ryo had been clearing the table when he suddenly told her, "Kye-Ren, I love you."
She had dropped the loaf of bread that was in her hands, too stunned to move. She had wanted to hear those words for a long time now, and to hear them come out of his mouth was a surprise. She had shown some affection towards him lately, trying to see if he would show any back, but he had acted as if it was just a common friendship. Now he was telling her that he DID love her, and she was too surprised to answer back. But Ryo didn't need an answer. He could see it in her eyes, just as he saw everything else when Kye-Ren was too shocked or confused to speak. He laughed as he put his arms around her and rested his head on her neck. Kye-Ren recovered enough to lean into his strong body and sighed softly, happily. From his workshop Thæn laughed, startling both of the humans.
"I told you She has a plan. And its starting now!"
"Thæn! Must you speak in riddles?" Kye-Ren complained, unwrapping herself from Ryo's arms and picking up the dropped bread, setting it back in the pantry. Ryo laughed, as did Thæn. He didn't mind it when the creature talked in riddles, he enjoyed it, and that bothered Kye-Ren at times. It was as if he could understand what Thæn was saying, and was leaving Kye-Ren to figure it out herself. She gave Ryo a dark stare that turned into a grin when he winked at her. It was just impossible to stay mad at him.
"I'm going to go rest, love," He told her kindly.
"You better before I decide to beat both you and Thæn into a pulp!" Kye-Ren threatened.
Ryo pretended to flinch with fear as he made his way up to the loft. He knew that Kye-Ren wouldn't go through with that threat, but he also knew that it wasn't wise to get her mad. He had watched her practice fighting with Thæn, and she could usually beat the large creature with little trouble. She was as great a warrior as she was a healer, and she had a big heart, which was the reason Ryo loved her so much. It wasn't long before he heard the door to the loft creak open and then heard Kye-Ren's soft footsteps as she moved across the floor. She laid down next to him and put her arms around his neck, kissing him on the cheek.
"I'm glad you finally told me how you feel," she whispered. "I was worried it was only a one-sided infatuation."
"Well, now you know, Kye-Ren. And even if I never get my memories back, I don't think it will be too bad, because I have you."
Kye-Ren said nothing to that, instead, she kissed Ryo deeply, and nothing was said for a long time.
(Yes! My first attempt at romance, so don't kill me!-Kye-Ren)