From his spot on the bank of the river, Ashitaka let his gaze wander over
the hills and the forest and the newly re-built Irontown. He remembered
well a day three years earlier when he had last spoken with Lady Eboshi.
~*~*~*
"Ashitaka, I wish to repay the debt I owe you. You have saved me and my girls. What would you ask of me?" the Lady has asked him in her soft voice, standing tall and proud in spite of her missing right arm. An arm that had meant to kill the forest spirit and very well did. And yet, it was that same arm that sheltered her girls, common brothel girls along with the lepers she'd taken in.
Ashitaka had looked upon her, graveness in his eyes and in his heart. "I know you mean to rebuild Irontown. I will help. However, I ask that what you take from the forest be replaced. If you take a tree to use for your town, you must replant it. Whatever herbs and shrubs you take, you must replant." He told her, his eyes boring into her delicate ones. "If you wish to honor your promise, this is what you must do."
The Lady smiled a small smile and bowed her head for a moment. "If this is what you wish, you will have it. The promise will be fulfilled. I thank you again, Ashitaka, for what you have done." Lady Eboshi responded, her soft voice rich and clear in the air.
He didn't say anything. He didn't need to. Everything that he could have said in words was expressed in his glance. Everything that he wanted to say, was conveyed in his small benign smile.
~*~*~*
That was three years ago and Irontown was rebuilt. Turning his gaze away from the town across the lake, Ashitaka stood and called softly to his long time friend.
"Come, Yakkul. Let us ride. We've a journey ahead of us." He smiled and stroked the beautiful red elk who had been by his side long before that fateful day three years ago and would ever after be with him.
"Come, it has been a long time. They are waiting for us ..."
~*~*~*
"Ashitaka, I wish to repay the debt I owe you. You have saved me and my girls. What would you ask of me?" the Lady has asked him in her soft voice, standing tall and proud in spite of her missing right arm. An arm that had meant to kill the forest spirit and very well did. And yet, it was that same arm that sheltered her girls, common brothel girls along with the lepers she'd taken in.
Ashitaka had looked upon her, graveness in his eyes and in his heart. "I know you mean to rebuild Irontown. I will help. However, I ask that what you take from the forest be replaced. If you take a tree to use for your town, you must replant it. Whatever herbs and shrubs you take, you must replant." He told her, his eyes boring into her delicate ones. "If you wish to honor your promise, this is what you must do."
The Lady smiled a small smile and bowed her head for a moment. "If this is what you wish, you will have it. The promise will be fulfilled. I thank you again, Ashitaka, for what you have done." Lady Eboshi responded, her soft voice rich and clear in the air.
He didn't say anything. He didn't need to. Everything that he could have said in words was expressed in his glance. Everything that he wanted to say, was conveyed in his small benign smile.
~*~*~*
That was three years ago and Irontown was rebuilt. Turning his gaze away from the town across the lake, Ashitaka stood and called softly to his long time friend.
"Come, Yakkul. Let us ride. We've a journey ahead of us." He smiled and stroked the beautiful red elk who had been by his side long before that fateful day three years ago and would ever after be with him.
"Come, it has been a long time. They are waiting for us ..."