Secret of the Princess

Chapter 11

San relaxed on her bed of fur and relaxing herbs. Her two wolf brothers were ecstatic to see her back in pretty much one piece, and not one of the eagles had been hurt in the attack. Ashitaka was taking count of all the money he had recovered off the samurai. He knew it would be important sometime soon. He knew that the samurai leader simply had to go, even if he had to hire assassins to kill Asano. But he knew that even though Asano had treated his daughter in a foul manner, San wouldn't just shrug off him being killed by the man she loved. She was showing more and more human emotions as she spent time with Ashitaka. San glanced over at Ashitaka counting money and smiled. She spoke softly, trying to create a real lovers' air.

"Ashitaka?"

Ashitaka looked up from his self-appointed task and looked at his forest princess.

"Yes San? Is there anything wrong?"

San tried her best to hold in a giggle, and ended up disguising it as a cough.

"Well there is actually. My lips have gone all sore, and my body's aching."

"Really? Lets have a look at you."

He walked over to San, the wolves curiously watching their sister. She had never acted like this before. San sat up in a relaxed position.

"It hurts about here."

She indicated the top of her upper lip. Ashitaka leant in to see what was wrong. San smiled ever so slightly.

"Closer."

Ashitaka leant in even closer, so their noses were touching. San whispered again.

"Closer."

Ashitaka, still unsuspecting, leant in until their lips were nearly touching. San pulled him into a hug, and then began playfully wrestling with him. Even lacking one hand, she still managed to pin him down. Smiling, she touched his lips with her own. Ashitaka kissed her back and embraced her close. The wolves were astonished to see San playing like a wolf cub. San held onto Ashitaka as if her life depended on it. Ashitaka sat up, and she climbed into his lap.

"Leaving so soon Ashitaka? We're just getting started."

Ashitaka laughed, drawing a smile from San.

"Last time I tried to get close to you, the end result wasn't really what I had in mind. What have you got planned for me this time?"

San gave a sly smile.

"Not what you'd expect."

Ashitaka looked at her sceptically.

"I'm not sure I like the sound of that, Princess Mononoke."

San's smile broadened.

"Just trust me."

She approached him and took his hands in hers. She then led him to where her bed was, and pulled him down onto it. Ashitaka leant in close and kissed her softly on the cheek.

Outside, the sun was setting. The total eclipse was long since over, but it had burnt itself into the minds of many. The eagle leader Chrysaetos stretched his magnificent golden-brown wings. Iron Town's characteristic spire of smoke could be seen, but even as the giant eagle looked, a second, much darker pall of smoke rose into the air. Chrysaetos took to the air and flew over to the town. Below him, Asano's men were firing flaming projectiles into Iron Town. The sound of gunfire was ear splitting even from where the eagle soared. This time, Asano's men seemed to be winning. The fireballs were wreaking havoc on the wooden houses, forcing many to choose between dousing the fires and sniping at samurai. As suddenly as the attack had begun, it began to die down. Suddenly, an explosion ripped through the back of Iron Town. Chrysaetos watched in surprise as a gaping hole was blown in the palisade wall surrounding the town. The Tatarans turned around for a fatal moment, allowing the samurai to storm the town. In mere minutes, the battle looked irretrievably lost. Those that didn't surrender were brutally cut down and butchered. Soon, the entire town was knelt in defeat. Children cried in distress as the samurai prowled around them. Chrysaetos flew back to San's cave, knowing San and Ashitaka would want to be informed of this development.

About twelve miles from Iron Town, a single young girl wearily trod along the dusty road that led to the forge town. Already, the characteristic spire of smoke could be made out if the air was still. She brushed a hand over her forehead, adjusted the pack of food on her back and carried on her journey. Her feet ached as if they were being cut in half. She had a motive for finding Iron Town, one that she would die for.

San and Ashitaka were both cuddled up together and dozing the evening away. Both of them were sleepy, and enjoying a quiet moment in the almost constant battles that seemed to make up their lives recently. San was mumbling in her sleep as the eagle lord flew onto the ledge.

"No, I don't want to take a bath Ashitaka, I want some of that musty, hot drink. It's REALLY something. YOU'RE really something."

She giggled and rolled over in her sleep, balling up in the fur blankets. The eagle rolled his eyes as he nudged her, making her roll over again.

"Oh my Ashitaka, coming into my bed now? Really, what will you do next?"

The giant eagle lord gave vent to a harsh battle cry, waking the forest princess up in seconds. San leapt out of bed and panted for breath, her hand over her heart.

"Chrysaetos, what did you do that for? I was having a lovely dream."

"I daresay you were San, but Iron Town has fallen."

"So I awake from one dream into another. I had always hoped those gunmen would clash with the..."

San broke off, realising that her father was at the forefront of the samurai leading the raid. Even though the Great Forest Spirit was reborn, the land was delicate. One battle could alter the balance of power permanently and tip the land into chaos. And this time there'd be no rebirth. The forest San had struggled to protect would be a barren land. This time, she knew fighting would only fuel the problem. She sat down and began thinking of a way around this insurmountable problem. As she sat there, she was unaware of a pair of eyes staring at her. Slowly, a huge animal crept closer and closer to the cave, so silently even the three wolves didn't hear it.