Disclaimer: This story is based on "Inuyasha," copyrighted by Rumiko Takahashi. No infringement of copyright intended or implied.
Raising Strength
Takumi tested the pull of Kaede's bow, then had her attempt to draw the bow he'd brought with him. He then declared that teaching her to aim was secondary to increasing her strength.
She didn't argue.
He roused her early, and led her out to do chores that she'd mostly never been required to do, as miko apprentice or miko stand-in. Carrying water, hauling wood. By breakfast time, she ached.
She said nothing. Even when, the next morning, Kaede could barely raise her arms above her head.
Takumi noticed, and was sympathetic but unyielding. If you're going to be a miko who fights youkai, you need to think as a warrior, he said. A warrior is always training, always working to keep the body strong and whole.
Kaede nodded, gritted her teeth, and persevered.
Chores became easier. Then, Suriya and Takumi presented her with a wooden staff, and Suriya started taking her through training katas for the naginata in the late afternoons.
Kaede couldn't see how learning those moves would help with the bow, but she remembered her promise, and accepted the additional work without arguing.
She slept very soundly.
Some weeks later, Takumi presented her with the bow that she'd barely been able to bend before. She took the bow with a dubious expression and tried to draw it.
It bent easily in her hands. Takumi laughed at her startled expression. "See? I knew you'd get stronger. Ready to start the real work?"
Kaede smiled and nodded.
Author's Note: This was written for the prompt 'Raise or Raze' for the LiveJournal community Issekiwa. It was originally published on August 30, 2012. It took second place. (12/26/2012)
This is the end of updates for this serial for 2012. With some 6 more days off work, I hope to sit down and plot out where this story is going - particularly Hajime's part in this story. I may even get one or two stories written and posted to the appropriate LiveJournal community, but they won't be posted here before the first week of February. I hope you have at least enjoyed the six new chapters, and one resolution for 2013 is to not get any LiveJournal entries posted to this site within a week of the ending of the contest voting.