Pen present.
First of all- SO very sorry about my lack of updates. I completely lost my plot sheet, so from this point on, I'm writing from the top of my head from what I can remember. This might not be that much, so bear with me and please be gracious about any and all plot holes.
Second of all, a big, heartfelt thanks to all of you who are reading, and especially to all of you who review. Anyone who is an author of anything knows the feeling of a review. I know that this particular movie isn't one of the most popular categories on this site, so I wasn't expecting many reviews, but you guys blew me away. Thank you!
Onto the chapter, then.
Earth and Stone
Chapter Seven: Stranger At the Gates
"My Lady Eboshi, I hate to disturb you, but there's a conflict that is havin' difficulty bein' resolved."
Eboshi lifted one eyelid reluctantly, and with a groan she propped herself up onto her pillows. Song was bobbing frantically at the doorway, trying to keep a burly worker from entering the chamber. The worker, looking haggard beneath a day's worth of stubble and dark-rimmed eyes, appeared apologetic as well as slightly angry. Yume, another young servant of Eboshi's house, was vainly trying to prevent the worker's mud-covered companions from entering behind their friend.
"Yume, Song, please allow these gentlemen to enter."
Yume cast a dark look at the men at the word gentlemen as if she didn't believe that the label could be applied to such men, but bowed in deference to her lady's wishes and stepped primly out of the workmen's way. Song, however, looked around at Eboshi worriedly.
"My lady, you need rest, and couldn't any conflict be taken up by Gio? He is in charge while L-Lord Ashitaka's gone."
Eboshi gave the young woman a knowing smile before responding. Song was still pining over the handsome young man, Eboshi surmised from the slight stutter in her voice. "My dear girl, I was just about to ask these men the same question. However, since I believe the answer will be long and complicated, I promise that I won't wear myself out too much. Is that suitable?"
"Yes, milady, but please take your medicine first."
Eboshi wrinkled her nose. "That bile? I shan't need it tonight. I am feeling much stronger than I have."
Song fixed her mistress with an admonishing gaze. "Now, milady, you know as well as I do that should I let you skip tonight, you'll just want to skip it tomorrow night, and the next, and then what shall I do with you? Also, Maeduyo will have both of our heads if you refuse to drink the medicine."
Eboshi shrugged helplessly. "You make a forcible point, my girl. Go now; I'll choke it down later."
Song opened her mouth to protest, but Eboshi silenced her with a firm shake of her head. "Not now, Song."
The young medic dipped her head in a bow before backing out of the same door Yume had exited through. Once she had departed, Eboshi turned her attention to the workers. "What is this pressing problem you gentlemen have? And why is Gio not taking care of it?"
"Gio, milady, is a part o' the problem;" one of the other men growled. "'E made an unfair judgment on 'ow much the fruit vender should be paid for the damage on 'is wares by one of our men. Gio said that our man should reimburse the fruit as well as 'alf as much again to pay for the trouble. A worker's salary t'ain't large 'nough to support such a charge, an' it bein' an accident an' all, it just t'ain't right."
"And why hasn't this man come to me?"
The first man shuffled his feet sheepishly, apparently unaware of the large amounts of dirt he was depositing on the rug. "He felt it unwise to disturb you, milady. He would rather go broke than do anythin' to stop you from getten' well."
"He's a real kind-hearted fellow, milady, and that makes his bad fortune all the harder for us to see him bear. So we came on his behalf." A bearded man spoke up, an earnest look in his wide-set eyes. "We wouldn't have come, but he's got a liddle baby jus' born and he won't take any of our help."
"He just keeps sayen' that we ought to trust Gio like we did Lord Ashitaka, 'cause you appointed Gio to take the lord's place," the first worker added.
"Gio's just making our fellow pay more so he looks better, more generous," another man from the back grumbled. "Lord Ashitaka would have reached a much fairer decision." His words brought a murmur of assent from his fellows, which Eboshi silenced with a look.
"I have no doubts that our lord could have handled this gracefully, but we must come to terms that Ashitaka isn't here, and will not be here for an undeterminable amount of time. We are not so brutish, however, that we cannot reach civilized agreements without his wisdom, no matter how much it may seem so." Eboshi motioned for the first worker to fetch her a goblet of water from a basin across the room. "Let me wet my throat first, and then I will come with you to resolve this."
"But Milady-"
"Not a word from any of you." Eboshi pulled back her mantle and swung her legs out to rest her feet on the floor. "I am still the founder of this town, and my decisions still hold sway. Your friend seems an honest man, and I doubt very much that this incident was done with malice. I shall see to it personally that your friend is not cheated."
"Milady, you are ill-"
"Silence." Eboshi accepted the cup of water and downed it. "The next person to comment on the state of my health will repave the main entrance road single-handedly! I will not hear any more objections. Now, let's see about this discrepancy, shall we?"
Ashitaka awoke slowly, savoring the smell of wood burning in clear morning air. Despite the stiffness in his lower back and the dull throb of his head, he felt refreshed and more cheerful than he had been in months. Slowly, as to avoid further disturbance of his injuries, Ashitaka eased himself into a sitting position and looked around for his protector.
San was by the fire, dosing where she sat. Her head drooped so that her forehead rested upon one upraised knee, and the knotted twine usually restraining her hair was missing. The dark strands partially obscured her face. At his movements, however, she started and looked over at him.
"You must have some sort of enjoyment of pain, since you keep moving so much." Her voice did not sound angry.
Ashitaka didn't respond, testing the limits of his body gingerly. To his pleasant surprise, he found he could move slowly with relatively little pain. Using his newfound mobility, he crawled to San's side by the fire. The warmth felt good on his still-bare torso, and he leaned a little closer to the flames. A small thrill ran through him as he felt San place her hand on his back, obviously checking his wound. He relaxed as her experienced fingers prodded at the flesh around the cut; apparently satisfied with her findings, San's hand withdrew.
"You're healing nicely."
"Thanks to you." Ashitaka sent a slow smile her way, enjoying the flicker of flame-thrown shadows dancing across the contours of her face. Her gaze held his steadily, brows creasing as she studied him.
"You never stopped thinking of me?"
Ashitaka stared at her for a moment at a loss before recalling their previous conversation. He nodded, slowly, eyes still trained on hers.
San turned roughly away, the back of one hand pressed to her cheek. She stood abruptly and paced to the front of the cave. Her face felt hot, and her stomach had lurched pleasantly when she had touched his skin moments before. Perhaps she was getting ill. And if that were the case, she had best keep her distance from Ashitaka rather than get him sick as well…
"Does that bother you?"
San sighed; her stomach had protested again gently at the husky voice. "Why would it bother me?" Her voice didn't come out as hard as she wanted it to; in fact, she sounded quite breathless.
"I don't mean to make you uncomfortable." Ashitaka's voice was quiet, almost too formal. "And I apologize if I have done so-"
"It's not you." San cut him off, not believing her own words, as her cheeks had flared again with his voice. "I-I'm just not feeling my best, that's all."
"Oh." His voice was contrite. A lark singing outside of the cave mouth broke the silence that settled between them. San turned and went back to Ashitaka's side, dropping into a crouch.
"Are you thirsty? I can get you some water if you are."
His kind brown eyes smiled back at her. "I don't want to strain you if you're not feeling well."
"I'm not an invalid." San retorted. "You're the one with the injuries."
Ashitaka sank to his stomach obediently, a hint of a smirk on his face. "Yes, miss. Whatever you say."
San stared at him as he settled into his submissive position. His eyes held the same mischievous spark she saw in Usi-Kai whenever he was playing keep-away with her. She grinned back, and then stood up and left the cave, returning moments later with a full water skin. She crossed the space to where Ashitaka lay, and then dumped the contents onto his head and back. Ashitaka yelped in surprise, and San started to giggle.
"Is that enough water for you?"
Without warning, Ashitaka's hand latched around one of her knees and pulled hard, so that she overbalanced and toppled over. Ashitaka crawled over her and shook his dripping head over her face. San shrieked as the cold water peppered her skin.
"Though you were funny, hmm?" Ashitaka laughed as San put her hands to ward the droplets off. "How do you like it?"
San pushed on Ashitaka's shoulders, and he winced a little. Immediately San ceased applying pressure, concerned about his wounds. She opened her mouth to ask if he was alright, but before she said anything the realization hit her about their position, and the heat of his skin beneath her palms. The firelight hit the rivulets of water running down his chest and face, making the young man glow.
Ashitaka realized their position about the same time San did, and after a moment's hesitation, backed up and sat on his haunches, eyes still trained upon her face. San stayed where she was for a moment before getting back to her feet.
"I'll get you a fur to dry off with."
The guard looked over the wall at the finely adorned stranger, then at his small band of similarly-dressed comrades, most of them monks. The leader, however, appeared to be a wealthy person, but not a holy man. "State your name and business in Iron Town, stranger!"
The young man gave a short bow from his saddle, hands tight on the reins of his high-strung mount. "My name is Kataki Bou, and my men and I are just passing through this area. We need a place to stay for the night, and I wish to pay my respects to the Lady Eboshi as well."
"Whaddyou want with her Ladyship?"
Kataki laughed a little; his voice was musical and deep. "My father and Lady Eboshi once knew each other well, and I come to inquire of her health and look upon the town in its second birth."
The guard disappeared behind the wall for a moment, obviously conferring with his fellows. With a great creaking noise, the gate to Iron Town lumbered open and the guard called back down to the small band: "You'll need to leave your weapons with the guards until you're approved by Lady Eboshi or…" the guard faltered slightly, "until you're approved by Lady Eboshi."
"What about Gio? Can't he approve them, so we don't bother her Ladyship?" A faint voice, another guard, floated past the wall.
"That excuse for a leader? Huh, I don't trust 'im. He's certainly no Lord Ashitaka."
Kataki leaned forward in his saddle, motioning for his men to go inside without him. "Lord Ashitaka? Is he here as well? I should dearly like to meet him- he's another of my father's acquaintances."
"Sorry, sir, but Lord Ashitaka is… taking a trip from Iron Town right now. Come in, so we can alert her Ladyship you're here."
Kataki nodded and urged his horse forward. Ashitaka had better return soon… he and I have a score to settle…
End Chapter
DUH DUH DUUUUUUUNN! Someone who has a bone to pick with Ashitaka? Who ever could he be??
Chocolate cookies to the reviewer who guesses who his father is (and yes, his father was in the movie.)
Thanks for reading! Until next time,
Cheers,
Pen