Chapter 4
The Power to Destroy Oneself
Ayame tilted her head to the left, closing both eyes and listening with her heart. One.two.three. She let out a sigh. Yesterday it had only been two.
Lord Godha did not trust Ayame with her own life. Ninja's from her own clan had been trailing her for days, following her even when she was in Lord Godha's estate. Her room was guarded as well, for Hinageshi had moved in under no pretexts. The woman made it blatantly clear that she was watching to make sure that Ayame "recovered from her tragedy". Ayame smirked as she remembered the careful way the gentle woman had worded it. She smirked again as she remembered everything that had happened over the tumultuous week. Ah dear Buddha. She thought sadly. All that may happen in the course of but a few days.
Her senses heightened. One behind the tree to my left, one crouching behind the shrubbery, one.oh my my, one in the high branches. Do they expect me to climb up a tree and try to plummet to my death?
"You three can come out. I know your watching me for Lord Godha." Ayame said. There was no response.
"You may as well just come down and escort me. I'm ready to go back now." She said calmly, her voice taking an edge that the three ninja's could not ignore.
Ayame stood and stretched. She had been watching the sunrise by herself again as she had for the past week. It did not seem to look the same to her anymore.
The three ninjas left their hiding places and approached Ayame slowly. Ayame studied them carefully, seeing from their movements that they were all very experienced. Still, Godha was a fool to think even all three of them stood a chance against her.
One of the ninja's took a hesitant steep towards her. "Ayame, I'm very sorry for your loss. I knew Rikimaru. He was a good man."
Ayame smiled at the young ninja. He was tall and slight but Ayame could tell his arms and legs were lined with muscles. He moved with great discipline. He pulled his hood back so that he could look at her. Ayame studied his eyes carefully. They were kind and full of compassion.
"Thank you." she whispered softly, her voice filled with the memories of a thousand lives. "What is your name?"
"Koyanagi Taro." he replied obediently.
"Well Taro, listen to a old woman who has learned a few things about the world. Always keep that compassion in your eyes. It will guide you to a very fortuitous life." Ayame was not sure why she said these words, but for some reason she knew them to be true.
**************************************************************************** **
"Father.where will Rikimaru go?" Kiku asked.
The two were in Lord Godha's main room, alone for the time being. Kiku sat peacefully in his lap. A sad thought struck Lord Godha that his daughter was getting older, and soon would be too big to sit in his embrace.
"He will go to a beautiful place, Kiku. A place of peace and calm." Godha said in his most soothing voice. He stirred as he saw a frown play on his child's features.
"Do you not believe me?" he asked.
"No." Kiku responded honestly. "But I think it will take a little while for him to get there."
Godha wondered at this. "What do you mean?"
"I mean." Kiku said, pausing and trying to think of the proper words to express herself. "What I mean is.well.he was always so busy in life that, umm.I think he'll be the same way in death. He was always about work. A place of peace sounds like something he will try to avoid for as long as he can." She said, nodding in conviction. Lord Godha chuckled.
"Do you not believe me?" Kiku mimicked.
"Oh no precious, I believe you." Lord Godha said, smiling and relaxing for the first time in days.
When Ayame came upon the pair Kiku was napping in Lord Godha's arms. The young girl had insisted on waking in the early hours of morning so that she could spend more time with her father, but her resolution seemed to clash against her necessity for long periods of sleep. The energetic Princess consumed food and slept like no other. Ayame bowed politely.
"Please sit with me." Lord Godha said quietly, so not to awake his daughter.
"I'll only be a moment." Ayame said, voice equally low, shaking her head. "I've come to request that you stop having me followed."
Lord Godha paused for a moment, a heaviness now about his features. "I only do it out of concern for your well being."
Ayame smiled kindly. "I thank you my Lord, but it is not necessary. I can handle my own emotions." "I do not do it out of a lack of faith, Ayame. I can say with pride that you are the strongest individual I know. But Rikimaru's passing...it is hard on all of us, and you especially. I only wish to have you protected."
"From myself?" Ayame asked bitterly.
Kiku stirred in her sleep, an unhappy look upon her face.
"Yes, Ayame. You have the power to destroy demon lords. What makes you think you do not have the power to destroy yourself?" Godha asked calmly.
"Really my Lord? Is that truly why you are doing this?" Ayame asked.
"What are you implying, Ayame?"
"I'm implying that there is something else on your mind, my Lord. Another reason why you are keeping such a close eye on me."
"Ayame...I do not know what it is you speak off." Godha said after a long hesitation.
Ayame regarded him thoughtfully. Fine, so he is going to deny it. I can play at this game.
"Never mind my Lord. I am sorry for bringing up accusations. I have not been myself lately." she conceded, though there was not a hint of remorse in her eyes.
"It is all right, my dear Ayame. All I wish for is your happiness."
"Thank you my Lord." Ayame said, bowing again. "But please do stop having me followed." she said, growing deathly serious. "If I wanted to end my life, you would not be able to stop me." And with that she left the room.
Lord Godha winced slightly as the door shut and slapped against the wall. Kiku stirred again, muttering unhappily in her disturbed sleep. He watched the empty space where Ayame had just sat, pondering many things.
"You would not be able to stop me."
That one statement harshly reminded Lord Godha that this was the woman who killed a demon king. No, he mused finally. He would not be able to stop her.
Authors note:
Ayame is too kick ass for her own good. Really, I don't think anyone from the Godha Clan could stop her if they wanted to. But anyway...
Yeah, I've heard that Tenchu 2 wasn't good, but I'd still like to play it someday just to see the storyline. And I really wish I had a Playstation 2. But my continual lack of money prevents me from acquiring this. Stupid poverty.
Anyway, thanks for the continual reviews dan and thanks Psygirl for the warning. Next chapter should be up soon.
Ayame tilted her head to the left, closing both eyes and listening with her heart. One.two.three. She let out a sigh. Yesterday it had only been two.
Lord Godha did not trust Ayame with her own life. Ninja's from her own clan had been trailing her for days, following her even when she was in Lord Godha's estate. Her room was guarded as well, for Hinageshi had moved in under no pretexts. The woman made it blatantly clear that she was watching to make sure that Ayame "recovered from her tragedy". Ayame smirked as she remembered the careful way the gentle woman had worded it. She smirked again as she remembered everything that had happened over the tumultuous week. Ah dear Buddha. She thought sadly. All that may happen in the course of but a few days.
Her senses heightened. One behind the tree to my left, one crouching behind the shrubbery, one.oh my my, one in the high branches. Do they expect me to climb up a tree and try to plummet to my death?
"You three can come out. I know your watching me for Lord Godha." Ayame said. There was no response.
"You may as well just come down and escort me. I'm ready to go back now." She said calmly, her voice taking an edge that the three ninja's could not ignore.
Ayame stood and stretched. She had been watching the sunrise by herself again as she had for the past week. It did not seem to look the same to her anymore.
The three ninjas left their hiding places and approached Ayame slowly. Ayame studied them carefully, seeing from their movements that they were all very experienced. Still, Godha was a fool to think even all three of them stood a chance against her.
One of the ninja's took a hesitant steep towards her. "Ayame, I'm very sorry for your loss. I knew Rikimaru. He was a good man."
Ayame smiled at the young ninja. He was tall and slight but Ayame could tell his arms and legs were lined with muscles. He moved with great discipline. He pulled his hood back so that he could look at her. Ayame studied his eyes carefully. They were kind and full of compassion.
"Thank you." she whispered softly, her voice filled with the memories of a thousand lives. "What is your name?"
"Koyanagi Taro." he replied obediently.
"Well Taro, listen to a old woman who has learned a few things about the world. Always keep that compassion in your eyes. It will guide you to a very fortuitous life." Ayame was not sure why she said these words, but for some reason she knew them to be true.
**************************************************************************** **
"Father.where will Rikimaru go?" Kiku asked.
The two were in Lord Godha's main room, alone for the time being. Kiku sat peacefully in his lap. A sad thought struck Lord Godha that his daughter was getting older, and soon would be too big to sit in his embrace.
"He will go to a beautiful place, Kiku. A place of peace and calm." Godha said in his most soothing voice. He stirred as he saw a frown play on his child's features.
"Do you not believe me?" he asked.
"No." Kiku responded honestly. "But I think it will take a little while for him to get there."
Godha wondered at this. "What do you mean?"
"I mean." Kiku said, pausing and trying to think of the proper words to express herself. "What I mean is.well.he was always so busy in life that, umm.I think he'll be the same way in death. He was always about work. A place of peace sounds like something he will try to avoid for as long as he can." She said, nodding in conviction. Lord Godha chuckled.
"Do you not believe me?" Kiku mimicked.
"Oh no precious, I believe you." Lord Godha said, smiling and relaxing for the first time in days.
When Ayame came upon the pair Kiku was napping in Lord Godha's arms. The young girl had insisted on waking in the early hours of morning so that she could spend more time with her father, but her resolution seemed to clash against her necessity for long periods of sleep. The energetic Princess consumed food and slept like no other. Ayame bowed politely.
"Please sit with me." Lord Godha said quietly, so not to awake his daughter.
"I'll only be a moment." Ayame said, voice equally low, shaking her head. "I've come to request that you stop having me followed."
Lord Godha paused for a moment, a heaviness now about his features. "I only do it out of concern for your well being."
Ayame smiled kindly. "I thank you my Lord, but it is not necessary. I can handle my own emotions." "I do not do it out of a lack of faith, Ayame. I can say with pride that you are the strongest individual I know. But Rikimaru's passing...it is hard on all of us, and you especially. I only wish to have you protected."
"From myself?" Ayame asked bitterly.
Kiku stirred in her sleep, an unhappy look upon her face.
"Yes, Ayame. You have the power to destroy demon lords. What makes you think you do not have the power to destroy yourself?" Godha asked calmly.
"Really my Lord? Is that truly why you are doing this?" Ayame asked.
"What are you implying, Ayame?"
"I'm implying that there is something else on your mind, my Lord. Another reason why you are keeping such a close eye on me."
"Ayame...I do not know what it is you speak off." Godha said after a long hesitation.
Ayame regarded him thoughtfully. Fine, so he is going to deny it. I can play at this game.
"Never mind my Lord. I am sorry for bringing up accusations. I have not been myself lately." she conceded, though there was not a hint of remorse in her eyes.
"It is all right, my dear Ayame. All I wish for is your happiness."
"Thank you my Lord." Ayame said, bowing again. "But please do stop having me followed." she said, growing deathly serious. "If I wanted to end my life, you would not be able to stop me." And with that she left the room.
Lord Godha winced slightly as the door shut and slapped against the wall. Kiku stirred again, muttering unhappily in her disturbed sleep. He watched the empty space where Ayame had just sat, pondering many things.
"You would not be able to stop me."
That one statement harshly reminded Lord Godha that this was the woman who killed a demon king. No, he mused finally. He would not be able to stop her.
Authors note:
Ayame is too kick ass for her own good. Really, I don't think anyone from the Godha Clan could stop her if they wanted to. But anyway...
Yeah, I've heard that Tenchu 2 wasn't good, but I'd still like to play it someday just to see the storyline. And I really wish I had a Playstation 2. But my continual lack of money prevents me from acquiring this. Stupid poverty.
Anyway, thanks for the continual reviews dan and thanks Psygirl for the warning. Next chapter should be up soon.