Apprentice

Chapter 11

The path of bushido

Aoshi lay the boy gently on the floor mats of his small room, and began to remove his soaked clothing.

Misao came up behind him. "He's alright, Aoshi?" she asked anxiously.

"A deep abrasion on his arm seems to be the worst of it. Many bruises and scrapes," said Aoshi, lightly running his hands over the boys limbs to check for injuries.

Kenji moaned, and his eyes fluttered open. "Uncle Aoshi?" he said weakly.

"Aa," replied Aoshi, "It's me."

"Am I at the Aoiya?" asked Kenji.

"No, Kenji-chan," said Misao, kneeling by his head and stroking his wet hair, "You're in your room at Hiko-san's cabin. But we're here for a visit."

"I'm cold," moaned Kenji. "And my head hurts. And my arm."

"You went into the river, Kenji-chan," said Misao, "and Hiko-san and Uncle Aoshi got you out. You'll be fine, now."

Aoshi was rubbing him briskly with a towel. The boy's skin was slightly bluish with cold, but between the friction and getting dry, it was starting to become it's normal light golden hue again. Aoshi motioned to Misao to unfold the futon, and after she did so, he again lifted Kenji onto it and covered him with a dry blanket from his bedding.

"Can you drink some tea, Kenji-chan?" asked Misao.

"I-I think so, Aunt Misao," replied Kenji.

Hiko, now in dry clothing, came into the room. "So, he lives," he said, still drying his long black hair with a towel.

"So it would seem," replied Aoshi, moving to dry Kenji's hair now that he was wrapped in the blanket on his futon and was obviously warming up.

"I'll get you something for that arm of his," said Hiko, and left to retrieve his medicine chest. Misao rose after him to get the tea.

"Why did you go into the river, Kenji-chan?" asked Aoshi, catching Kenji's pale blue-violet eyes with his own intense blue gaze.

"I was angry at Shishou Hiko, and I hit him with my bokken," said Kenji, lowering his gaze in a guilty fashion. "I ran to the river because I thought he wouldn't catch me there."

"That was very foolish, Kenji-chan," Aoshi's tone was graver than usual. "Don't you know that Shishou Hiko would never harm you, and he is responsible to your parents for your safety? He risked his own safety to help you."

Kenji nodded, still refusing to look at Aoshi. In spite of himself, a tear trickled from the corner of one eye, although he refused to cry in front of his Uncle Aoshi.

Misao came in with tea. "This will warm you up, Kenji-chan," she said brightly, then noticed Kenji's averted eyes and the lone tear making a path down Kenji's cheek.

"Oh, Kenji-chan!" she exclaimed, putting down the tea hastily, she dropped to her knees beside the boy and embraced him tightly. The last of Kenji's already weakened self-restraint crumbled and he buried his face in Misao's shoulder and began to sob loudly.

"Shh, shh, It's all right," Misao murmured into his hair, rocking him like he was an infant.

Hiko returned with his medicine box and seeing the scene before him, scowled. "It's his own damn fault he almost got killed, so quit feeling so sorry for him," he said to Misao.

Unfortunately for Hiko, that remark was a direct challenge to Misao's maternal instincts which were running on high at the moment and she gave Hiko a glare that could have burst wet kindling into flame.

"You stone-hearted old beast!" she practically snarled. "Leave him alone!" She tightened her embrace on Kenji unconsciously, in a protective gesture.

"Misao," said Aoshi with a warning tone. "We are guest in Hiko-san's home, need I remind you."

"I'm sorry, Aoshi, but Kenji-chan is hurt, he doesn't need to hear that right now."

Kenji's sobs had subsided and he pulled his head up from Misao's shoulder.

"Shishou is right, Aunt Misao," he hiccuped, "I shouldn't have jumped into the river. I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry." He buried his face again in Misao's now damp shoulder.

"See, the boy agrees with me, so you can quit giving me that demon's eye," grumbled Hiko at Misao.

"Misao, I need to tend Kenji's arm," said Aoshi, nudging his wife over gently but firmly so he could do so.

Hiko handed him the chest, and Aoshi opened it and took out some healing salve and bandages.

"Perhaps you'd better go and see what Yuki-chan is doing," Aoshi suggested pointedly to Misao.

"Yes, Aoshi," she replied, "You'll be alright, Kenji-chan?" Misao asked, as she rose to her feet again.

"Hai, Aunt Misao." Misao strode out of the room, giving Hiko another "look" as she passed by him.

Hiko also turned to leave. "Your wife has spirit," he remarked to Aoshi, grinning faintly.

"Aa," replied Aoshi absently, focused on his task of bandaging Kenji's arm.

"Too much spirit," Hiko continued.

"Aa," said Aoshi, tying the ends of the bandage and tucking them in. He checked his handiwork to make sure the tension was just right, then closed the small chest.

"Here, Kenji-chan," Aoshi said, handing him the cup of tea on the tray that Misao had set down earlier.

Hiko stepped over and knelt down beside Kenji, checking the bandage on his arm. "You did a good job on this, Shinomouri-san," said Hiko grudgingly.

"I've had much practice," Aoshi commented dryly.

"Kenji-chan, you need to rest now," said Aoshi, rising to his feet.

"I'll be in the other room if you need me." Aoshi left the small room, leaving Hiko still kneeling beside Kenji.

"Here, boy, let me take that," said Hiko, taking the now empty tea cup from Kenji and putting it on the tray.

"I'm sorry for hitting you, Shishou," said Kenji quietly.

"You should be," grumbled Hiko. "Not many have and are still alive."

"I just got so angry," said Kenji, a defensive tone entering his voice.

"You must learn to control your spirit, Kenji," frowned Hiko, " a man who cannot control his spirit is no better than an animal."

"Hai, Shishou," said Kenji meekly.

"Striking out blindly in anger, that is not what learning the art of kenjutsu is about," Hiko said, looking Kenji directly in the eyes. "Do you understand me, boy? I won't be responsible for turning a poisoned dragon loose on the world." "Poisoned dragon?" queried Kenji.

"Yes, one who defiles his warrior's spirit with the lust for power and killing and lives for nothing else."

Kenji looked down at his hands.

"True," Hiko continued, " the sword is an instrument of death, a means to defeat the enemy. But, learning the art of kenjutsu is not learning to becoming a wanton killer. It is the discipline of the human character, so that one might use one's strength to become useful, to bring order from chaos."

Kenji looked intently at Hiko as he spoke, and his face became thoughtful.

"I understand, Shishou," he said solemnly.

"I sincerely hope so, Himura Kenji," Hiko said to him gravely. "Any student of mine who defiles the way of bushido will meet his wretched end at my own hands, that I promise you."

"I don't want to be a poisoned dragon, Shishou Hiko," said Kenji quietly.

"No, of course not, boy," said Hiko rising to his feet.

"Go to sleep, now," he said to Kenji, who was trying unsuccessfully to smother a yawn of exhaustion.

"Hn," said Kenji, curling up on his uninjured side and closing his eyes.