Kaya Sees the World, Chap. 10
Thanks to all my reviewers! ( You guys have been great!
Gonza watched the women working with a hawk-like eye and personality. He would not tolerate any slacking or complaining-not that any of them really did; they were all terrified of him, and this pleased him greatly.
Irontown was coming along exactly how he wanted it-the way it had been before the fiasco with the forest spirit. A smile came over his face as he remembered this, but it quickly faded into a frown as he turned to study the youngest girl working hard at the bellows.
Kaya felt none of the usual soreness after a strenuous period of pumping the bellows. Unconsciously she had allowed a little smile to play onto her face, for she was thinking of San and her promise to help her. The last time that she had sat around a fire telling stories late at night and laughing with the rest of the women seemed an eternity away. Gonza's regimen was a strict one and he was the only one it suited.
Wisely Ashitaka had chosen to stay out of as much as he could, but there was certainly nothing he could have done to avoid being dragged in by Gonza a few moments later.
"Your sister." Gonza pointed at her with a rough finger.
Ashitaka stared at Kaya, feeling a sense of fear and suspicion swirling in his stomach. Despite being away from Kaya for so long, he knew that smile all too well. Kaya apparently had some little secret of her own, and knowing Gonza, he would do anything to get it.
"What about her?" Ashitaka asked in a creditably nonchalant voice.
"Don't tell me you don't see it. That smirk on her face. What does this sister of yours know?"
"Nothing that I know of," replied Ashitaka, which was certainly true.
Gonza growled fiercely, which had most of the women looking up and shrinking in fear. Ashitaka stood immobile in front of him, however, being sure to keep his face devoid of all emotion.
"Get out." With a rough push, Ashitaka flew out the door. "Get back to work!" he yelled at the women, then stomped out himself.
Kaya was still afraid to tell the women her secret, but knew now that Ashitaka himself was in a very vulnerable position as well. Telling him that Gonza had killed Lady Eboshi would be handing him a death certificate.
For now, San was the only person she could trust. But with Gonza watching her every hour of the day, she couldn't risk visiting her only ally.
In fact, it was several months before Kaya managed to slip away during her brief lunchtime. Ashitaka was using Yakkul to carry materials for a new house Gonza was constructing, so she was resigned to walking on foot. She ran quickly, the thick soles of her feet hardly feeling the cool soil beneath them.
She entered the forest gasping for breath and looked around wildly for San. Quietly she called out her name.
San was lying lazily by the water, but her wolf brothers' ears' perked up immediately at the sound. "There is someone calling you," growled one of them.
With a sigh, San stood up and walked slowly towards the sound. She failed to hold back a yawn but her eyes widened upon seeing Kaya.
"Kaya! What are you doing here? And without Yakkul.?" but Kaya cut her off.
"We don't have much time, San. Gonza knows something's up. We-"
"KAYA!"
San grabbed Kaya and threw her aside into the underbrush. Terrified, Kaya crept under the half-unearthed roots of an old tree and hid there, breathing heavily. But even the sound of her own heavy breathing couldn't block out the sounds of marching footsteps.
Thanks to all my reviewers! ( You guys have been great!
Gonza watched the women working with a hawk-like eye and personality. He would not tolerate any slacking or complaining-not that any of them really did; they were all terrified of him, and this pleased him greatly.
Irontown was coming along exactly how he wanted it-the way it had been before the fiasco with the forest spirit. A smile came over his face as he remembered this, but it quickly faded into a frown as he turned to study the youngest girl working hard at the bellows.
Kaya felt none of the usual soreness after a strenuous period of pumping the bellows. Unconsciously she had allowed a little smile to play onto her face, for she was thinking of San and her promise to help her. The last time that she had sat around a fire telling stories late at night and laughing with the rest of the women seemed an eternity away. Gonza's regimen was a strict one and he was the only one it suited.
Wisely Ashitaka had chosen to stay out of as much as he could, but there was certainly nothing he could have done to avoid being dragged in by Gonza a few moments later.
"Your sister." Gonza pointed at her with a rough finger.
Ashitaka stared at Kaya, feeling a sense of fear and suspicion swirling in his stomach. Despite being away from Kaya for so long, he knew that smile all too well. Kaya apparently had some little secret of her own, and knowing Gonza, he would do anything to get it.
"What about her?" Ashitaka asked in a creditably nonchalant voice.
"Don't tell me you don't see it. That smirk on her face. What does this sister of yours know?"
"Nothing that I know of," replied Ashitaka, which was certainly true.
Gonza growled fiercely, which had most of the women looking up and shrinking in fear. Ashitaka stood immobile in front of him, however, being sure to keep his face devoid of all emotion.
"Get out." With a rough push, Ashitaka flew out the door. "Get back to work!" he yelled at the women, then stomped out himself.
Kaya was still afraid to tell the women her secret, but knew now that Ashitaka himself was in a very vulnerable position as well. Telling him that Gonza had killed Lady Eboshi would be handing him a death certificate.
For now, San was the only person she could trust. But with Gonza watching her every hour of the day, she couldn't risk visiting her only ally.
In fact, it was several months before Kaya managed to slip away during her brief lunchtime. Ashitaka was using Yakkul to carry materials for a new house Gonza was constructing, so she was resigned to walking on foot. She ran quickly, the thick soles of her feet hardly feeling the cool soil beneath them.
She entered the forest gasping for breath and looked around wildly for San. Quietly she called out her name.
San was lying lazily by the water, but her wolf brothers' ears' perked up immediately at the sound. "There is someone calling you," growled one of them.
With a sigh, San stood up and walked slowly towards the sound. She failed to hold back a yawn but her eyes widened upon seeing Kaya.
"Kaya! What are you doing here? And without Yakkul.?" but Kaya cut her off.
"We don't have much time, San. Gonza knows something's up. We-"
"KAYA!"
San grabbed Kaya and threw her aside into the underbrush. Terrified, Kaya crept under the half-unearthed roots of an old tree and hid there, breathing heavily. But even the sound of her own heavy breathing couldn't block out the sounds of marching footsteps.