Chapter 3
Among Mourners
" She could need serious medication and treatment. Why did you not bring her straight back here?!"
No one, for as far as anyone could remember, had ever reprimanded Lord Godha. Anyone who had even come close to reproaching their great and honorable lord had come to regret it. Unfortunately, Hinageshi had not been informed of this, and even if she had, the woman most likely would not have cared.
Surprisingly, Lord Godha relented to the woman's scolding. "I am sorry Hinageshi. She insisted on seeing Lady Kieryn first."
Hinageshi scowled, then studied Ayame carefully. The girl was sitting quietly, looking at the adjacent wall, seeing through it. She had no expression on her face. Her shoulders were slumped, throwing off her entire posture. It was so very out of character. Hinageshi would have given anything for a smart ass comment from the usually sarcastic woman.
"Well, she doesn't seem to be injured physically. Still, there are some herbs I can recommend. Let me see." she said, crossing the room and looking through her cupboard of stored medicines.
Oh Rikimaru, Hinageshi thought, sadness finally striking her heart. You were so very young. Such a tragedy this is. Hinageshi then shook her head firmly. No, she thought suddenly. Focus on Ayame. You may grieve later. The poor girl must be in shock. Perhaps I can give her some herbs that will calm her mind and induce sleep. But will she take them?
Ayame sighed, not hearing a word of Hinageshi and Lord Godha's discussion. She simply ignored all that was happening. Her mind had shut down. She relaxed and enjoyed having not a thought or feeling.
Lord Godha was in a similar state. He seemed to have aged five years in only one day. Hinageshi had never once seen him look so fragile. It must be hard on him too, she mused. Rikimaru was like the son he never had.
"Shoko!" Hinageshi called out. A young woman from the adjacent room entered quickly.
"Yes?" she asked nervously, feeling awkward to be among the mourners.
"Please bring us a pot of hot water."
The woman nodded and left quickly. Hinageshi turned back to her cupboard, inspecting the herbs again. She picked out a small vial of plush leaves and emptied a generous amount into a grinder. She took her favorite pistol and carefully crushed the leaves, adding a few pinches of various herbs from different vials as she worked. The combination was quite potent, and just a cupful would induce sleep and keep the drinker calm for several days.
Shoko rushed in with the tea pot and rushed out just as quickly. Hinageshi couldn't blame her. A mourning ninja was dangerous. On the rare occasion when a ninja lost control of their emotions.well, Hinageshi banished the thoughts. She focused herself and prepared the tea quickly.
"Please drink this." Hinageshi said, placing a small cup in front of Lord Godha and then Ayame. Lord Gohda cradled the small cup in his hands and drank the boiling hot liquid in one motion. He closed his eyes and traced the movement of the tea throughout his body, feeling calmer with each passing breath.
Ayame raised a skeptical eyebrow. She stared at the cup as if it were filled with poison. She then studied Hinageshi.
"Why do you not drink with us?" she asked bluntly.
Hinageshi blinked. "I am not thirsty."
Ayame smirked. "Oh, but I insist. I would not feel right drinking in front of you."
"Really Ayame." Hinageshi said, hoping to dear Buddha she sounded sincere. "I just finished my tea. Please drink it."
Ayame smiled. It was a chilling smile that of a person who has seen things beyond their years. She scoffed.
"I do not wish to drink anything that will dull my mind. I want to be left alone with my thoughts." She said bitterly, pushing herself to her knees and leaving the room.
Hinageshi watched as Ayame left and cursed under her breath. Lord Godha on the other hand didn't seem to have noticed the interaction. He sat calmly with his now empty cup, his mind serenely blank. Hinageshi sighed and began to put away the herbs and discarded the tea before anyone accidentally drank it.
Ayame is a strong girl. She can easily get over this.
As the silence of the room rang in her ears Hinageshi doubted the truth to her own thoughts.
Author's note:
Whew. It's always a relief to get past the first three chapters. Its like for the first one or two there is always this fear that a story will die out. Blah. I don't know why I'm telling you all that, but I am relieved. This story is flowing much more easily than I expected.
Wow, but I was so happy to check up on my story and already see three new reviews. Shadowed-AngelXD and Et-chan, thanks a whole bunch. And to dan, I unfortunately can not play Tenchu 3 because I do not have a playstation 2, but if at some point I ever do play Tenchu 3 or 2 for that matter (I haven't been able to find it anywhere) I may write some stories based on them.
Yummy, I'm drinking really good tea right now. Everyone should drink more tea. It is very good for you.
Umm...this note has gotten a little too long. I'd better go write the next chapter :p
" She could need serious medication and treatment. Why did you not bring her straight back here?!"
No one, for as far as anyone could remember, had ever reprimanded Lord Godha. Anyone who had even come close to reproaching their great and honorable lord had come to regret it. Unfortunately, Hinageshi had not been informed of this, and even if she had, the woman most likely would not have cared.
Surprisingly, Lord Godha relented to the woman's scolding. "I am sorry Hinageshi. She insisted on seeing Lady Kieryn first."
Hinageshi scowled, then studied Ayame carefully. The girl was sitting quietly, looking at the adjacent wall, seeing through it. She had no expression on her face. Her shoulders were slumped, throwing off her entire posture. It was so very out of character. Hinageshi would have given anything for a smart ass comment from the usually sarcastic woman.
"Well, she doesn't seem to be injured physically. Still, there are some herbs I can recommend. Let me see." she said, crossing the room and looking through her cupboard of stored medicines.
Oh Rikimaru, Hinageshi thought, sadness finally striking her heart. You were so very young. Such a tragedy this is. Hinageshi then shook her head firmly. No, she thought suddenly. Focus on Ayame. You may grieve later. The poor girl must be in shock. Perhaps I can give her some herbs that will calm her mind and induce sleep. But will she take them?
Ayame sighed, not hearing a word of Hinageshi and Lord Godha's discussion. She simply ignored all that was happening. Her mind had shut down. She relaxed and enjoyed having not a thought or feeling.
Lord Godha was in a similar state. He seemed to have aged five years in only one day. Hinageshi had never once seen him look so fragile. It must be hard on him too, she mused. Rikimaru was like the son he never had.
"Shoko!" Hinageshi called out. A young woman from the adjacent room entered quickly.
"Yes?" she asked nervously, feeling awkward to be among the mourners.
"Please bring us a pot of hot water."
The woman nodded and left quickly. Hinageshi turned back to her cupboard, inspecting the herbs again. She picked out a small vial of plush leaves and emptied a generous amount into a grinder. She took her favorite pistol and carefully crushed the leaves, adding a few pinches of various herbs from different vials as she worked. The combination was quite potent, and just a cupful would induce sleep and keep the drinker calm for several days.
Shoko rushed in with the tea pot and rushed out just as quickly. Hinageshi couldn't blame her. A mourning ninja was dangerous. On the rare occasion when a ninja lost control of their emotions.well, Hinageshi banished the thoughts. She focused herself and prepared the tea quickly.
"Please drink this." Hinageshi said, placing a small cup in front of Lord Godha and then Ayame. Lord Gohda cradled the small cup in his hands and drank the boiling hot liquid in one motion. He closed his eyes and traced the movement of the tea throughout his body, feeling calmer with each passing breath.
Ayame raised a skeptical eyebrow. She stared at the cup as if it were filled with poison. She then studied Hinageshi.
"Why do you not drink with us?" she asked bluntly.
Hinageshi blinked. "I am not thirsty."
Ayame smirked. "Oh, but I insist. I would not feel right drinking in front of you."
"Really Ayame." Hinageshi said, hoping to dear Buddha she sounded sincere. "I just finished my tea. Please drink it."
Ayame smiled. It was a chilling smile that of a person who has seen things beyond their years. She scoffed.
"I do not wish to drink anything that will dull my mind. I want to be left alone with my thoughts." She said bitterly, pushing herself to her knees and leaving the room.
Hinageshi watched as Ayame left and cursed under her breath. Lord Godha on the other hand didn't seem to have noticed the interaction. He sat calmly with his now empty cup, his mind serenely blank. Hinageshi sighed and began to put away the herbs and discarded the tea before anyone accidentally drank it.
Ayame is a strong girl. She can easily get over this.
As the silence of the room rang in her ears Hinageshi doubted the truth to her own thoughts.
Author's note:
Whew. It's always a relief to get past the first three chapters. Its like for the first one or two there is always this fear that a story will die out. Blah. I don't know why I'm telling you all that, but I am relieved. This story is flowing much more easily than I expected.
Wow, but I was so happy to check up on my story and already see three new reviews. Shadowed-AngelXD and Et-chan, thanks a whole bunch. And to dan, I unfortunately can not play Tenchu 3 because I do not have a playstation 2, but if at some point I ever do play Tenchu 3 or 2 for that matter (I haven't been able to find it anywhere) I may write some stories based on them.
Yummy, I'm drinking really good tea right now. Everyone should drink more tea. It is very good for you.
Umm...this note has gotten a little too long. I'd better go write the next chapter :p