A/N: Hello! Quick notice: From here on, there will be periodic bonus chapters that are told from Kyuzo's POV. I hope I don't confuse anyone and I hope you enjoy =)
It was a long trek from the city to the seemingly abandoned home out in the forest. I needed sleep and a meal desperately. When I arrived at the place I had been heading to, nobody was home. I went inside anyway and after being there for a few minutes I got the sensation that someone was outside. I assumed it was The Dragon's wife, Amaya, due to the light footsteps. I positioned myself by the front door and drew one of my blades, extending it in front of me just in case. The door slid open and a woman no older than twenty appeared, her hand gripping the katana at her side. She looked frightened and speechless so I asked her if this was her home. She nodded and asked me why I was there. I gave my usual simple answer and she informed me the man I was searching for had passed. I was confused on why the samurai in the city hadn't told me this information when I asked where The Dragon lived. She looked as confused as I felt.
She offered me dinner and since I was half-starved, I didn't decline. Of course I didn't say yes either. We exchanged names and she appeared taken back at first when I already knew who she was. Dinner was served and I finally got some food in my system. She also offered me a place to sleep and I was thankful for that.
The next morning I awoke early to a storm outside, but I decided to go out anyway to better scope out where I was at. I traipsed through the rain for quite some time discovering a mountain range a good distance away and assumed the ocean rest just beyond the rocky terrain. I scowled at it knowing trouble would most likely come from that direction. My intuition was hardly ever wrong. I hurried back to the residence of young widow. When I returned she was cooking again. I noticed her sandals at the door and removed my boots out of respect. She welcomed me with a cheery voice and I took the seat I had occupied the night before. Dressed in a shade of blue that contrasted against her midnight colored hair, she looked different than she had the day before. How, I didn't know. She looked at me with a slightly worried expression and went to get a blanket. I felt her hesitate before draping it over me. She told me I could stay another night due to the fact of the rain still drenching the earth. Her residence was warm and comfortable and peaceful. I could have stayed for days if I hadn't been in a hurry. The weather had already delayed me a few times before. I accepted her offer, but told her I would take my leave when the rain stopped. She served breakfast and as we ate I could tell that she was struggling to not ask me questions. I probably would have told her if she had asked.
The next morning I was relaxing in the futon enjoying the feel of the sunshine on my face when I heard Amaya emerge from her room. I stayed still with my eyes closed and I felt her gaze linger on my form. She snuck out the door and as she did I cracked an eye open and caught a glimpse of her leaving, dressed in black. I didn't want to notice how the material covered her body, but I couldn't help noticing how nice she looked. I was a man, after all. I closed my eyes again, trying to get a little more rest, but the image of her scrambled my thoughts. Her smile was nice, but incomplete. She seemed broken behind the happy exterior.
I gave up on trying to get some more rest and got out of the futon. I grabbed my jacket and felt around in one of the pockets until I found what I was looking for. On my way back from scoping out my surroundings the day before I had saw and managed to salvage a small flower from the heavy raindrops that had been falling. I slinked over and placed it beside her knives on the counter in the kitchen then slid my coat on my body as she just so happened to step inside. She bid me good morning and I mumbled a response. I watched as she went into the kitchen and I watched to see if she had any reaction to the gift I had left for her. She had finished putting some rice balls in a bag when she did notice it. Amaya didn't look at me immediately, but when she did, it wasn't for long. I went over to put on my boots and she met me at the door extending the bag to me. I took it and watched as she opened the door. We both stepped outside into the sunlight and I thanked her. As I turned to walk off she called out to me. I turned slightly and she asked me about the flower. I was honest with her and when she went to speak again I was forced to quiet her due to the sound of footsteps not too far away. I was right about the mountains, for they were bringing trouble.
I told her to go inside, she listened but somehow I knew she would be back. Sure enough I was right and she returned with her katana. She had to be crazy, there were four men approaching. She argued with me when I told her she was just going to die if she tried to fight so I told her if any got past me she could handle them. I kept my breathing steady as I stepped in front of her, waiting. The intruders appeared and soon charged me all at once. This was going to be too easy…In less than ten seconds I had finished them all off at once. I requested a whetstone and some water before taking care of the corpses surrounding me. I dragged them off two by two and left them where the wolves would find them before returning to Amaya's home.
When I got back she was placing the whetstone and the water on the table. I wasted no time and began to sharpen my blades carefully on the old stone. I couldn't help feeling honor at the fact I was using the same one The Dragon had once used. I only hoped I could have challenged him at least once for the stories of him in the Great War spread far throughout the land. Unfortunately now I would never have the opportunity. I did learn one thing about Amaya during the time I sat there working. She was just as broken as I thought she was. She prattled on about missing her husband, their arranged marriage, and how he had never gotten to finish her training with him before he was cut down, by what I assumed to be samurai. With the terrible stance she had there was no way she could defend herself if any other bandit decided to try and take what was rightfully hers.
Stupidly I told her that I could be of some assistance, but in order for that to happen, she would have to travel with me. I was already way behind schedule to this delay and the weather and let her know I needed a decision by the time I left in the morning. I worried about her delaying me even more, but asking her to come along just seemed like the right thing to do.