]
CHAPTER I
OUT TO SEA AND INTO WAR
The year is 1672. As the Franco-Dutch War begins, both sides call in favors and petition for new alliances. While Robert Ibeada has enjoyed a relatively happy five years of marriage, events across the English Channel were beginning to bring problems. One such form of anxiety is a message from Khione's cousin, Gabriel Dumont, who lived in Orléans.
Robert had just come back from checking the incomes and finances of the Toles' sales when he saw a sight that concerned him. That sight was that Khlione did not jubilantly great him as she normally would after his return. Worried that something had befallen his French wife, Robert cautiously looked through the house, calling for her.
Just as he was about to contemplate either alerting the authorities or searching for Khione himself, he heard labored breathing from the living room. As he got closer to the sound, he realised that the labored breathing was not someone choking or suffocating, but attempting to hold back a sob.
When he saw who the person attempting to hold back a sob was, Robert immediately ran towards her. As he held Khione in his arms, he wondered what could have caused such pain. After a few moments of consoling, her, Robert gently lifted her face up to look at him.
"What is it, my treasure?" Robert said softly,
"As it is written in French, you would not know what it says, but I can easily translate it to English." Khione said before reading the letter.
"'My dearest cousin, I write to you about unfortunate events in France. King Louis has witnessed the Dutch Republic growing in power and is preparing a campaign to put things in balance. Calls are going around for men to join the army for the war, and I believe I may be amongst them. I hope that England is not pulled into the war for the sake of your English family. Though I haven't met him yet, by the way you have written of him in your previous letters, I know that your husband is very dear to you. Should I ever meet my Anglo-Samurai cousin-in-law, I swear I will make sure he returns to you alive. -From your brother, Gabriel Dumont'."
"Because England and France are greatly intertwined, you and your brother fear that England will soon be picking a side." Robert said,
"Yes. And I can't bear the thought of losing anyone. If my brother were to
die, I would be haunted. If you were to die, there would be no life in England for me. If you both died, I would be a hollow shell with no life at all."
Unfortunately, on March 27th, 1672, the very thing Khione's cousin feared came to pass: for the third time in the same century, England and the Dutch Republic were once again at war. Day after day, Khione prayed and prayed that her husband would not be pulled into the war for any reason. There were even moments when Khione wanted to do something drastic to make sure that Robert was unable to be drafted or sign up. She would do everything from claim he was injured to put a pumpkin in her dress to pretend she was pregnant and claim that Robert promised to go after a year with the baby.
While Robert did indeed find the actions flattering at first, he began to get slightly irritated at his wife's overprotective nature. He soon wondered what it was about the thought of him going off that made her so desparate to keep him away from the war.
In spite of the fact that was after the Action of March 12-13, there was no formal declaration of war. Regardless of the lacking of a war declaration, Khione still fretted about her husband and cousin being conscripted or enlisting should war end up breaking out. For a four-day period, Khione was put at ease. Unfortunately, however, on the 17th of March in the year 1672, the Kingdom of England formally declared war on the Dutch Republic.
"My dear husband. You have a good life here. Your business is thriving. You have a loving relationship with your wife. You do not have to join this war, Robert." Khione said,
"What would it say to my father if I turned down the call? I may be a man of England, but I am also a son of Japan, of a Samurai. My father always reminded me that I am bushi; a warrior. Eight hundred years ago, the term 'Samurai' originated from the term 'saburau': 'to serve'. I am a warrior. And I will serve England."
"Then I want you to promise to serve me by coming back alive." Khione said,
"You know I cannot promise that. What if I promise you that, then get killed?" Robert asked,
"You have your Bushido code to guide you and God to protect you. I doubt you can be touched." Khione said,
"I admire your faith in me Khione. This is one of the many reasons I married you." Robert said,
"And I married you because you have never broken your promises to me. When we said our vows, you and I have upheld those vows since the moment we consummated our love. We have been married harmoniously for three years
now, the permanence of those vows being the foundation that this marriage was
built upon." Khione said,
"And I do not intend to break them. Those vows are not just in my heart. With each beat, those vows seep into my blood. They are a part of my very being." Robert said,
"That's why I don't want you to go." Khione said, her voice breaking,
"That's why I must go. I must fight for this home, you, and the children we will bear." Robert said,
"If you die, Robert, I will take a vow of chastity and become a nun. I may not be as mad as Juliette and kill myself, but I made a promise to God that I would only marry and love one man. God as my witness, if you die, I will lose all sense of love." Khione said,
"And if your parents force you to marry?" Robert asked,
"Then it will be a loveless marriage, and any child I have with that man would serve only as a remindered of what I could have had with you and wanted only with you." Khione said, "We are bound forever. Wherever you go, that is where my heart is."
"As my heart is forever with you." Robert said, "Our bond is indeed permanent."
With her eyes watering, Khione said in a small voice, "If you go, please tell me you'll come back."
"I'll try my hardest to do so." Robert said,
"I promised my father I would have a baby. I want it to be you that gets me pregnant." Khione said,
"If I am called up, I will fight. I will return. We will rejoice. And we will have our baby." Robert said,
Khione grabbed Robert by the sleeves of his shirt and pressed her lips to his fiercely; as if she wanted to have as much of his taste on her lips as possible.
After an unknown amount of time, Khione finally let Robert catch his breath. Even as Robert was breathing heavily, he would every now and then like his lips as if savoring the taste of her. While he was quite used to such passionate urges, Robert would always be left delirious and loopy from the experience. Regardless, Robert never got tired of it.
What surprised Robert was that Khione was apparently not done with him yet. Before he could comment on that it was as lovely as always, his words got stuck in his throat. All Robert could do was follow the movements of Khione's hands as she slowly loosed her dress knot by not. The candles were lit and the fireplace was warm, but that wasn't even noticed, as Robert was completely entranced by the sight slowly taking form before him.
Watching Khione undo her dress as slowly as she was felt like torturous pleasure. He knew what she was saying with every movement. "Remember this. Remember what you're fighting for. Remember who you have to return to.".
Finally loosening her dress, Khione whispered, "Watch."
All Robert could do was just that, his eyes following the dress as it fell away to reveal his wife in all her beauty. Just as Robert was about to undo himself, Khione caught his hands and shook her head. Khione then began to remove his clothes layer by layer. It was as if she wanted him to not only see her before him, but feel the warmth of her touch tingling throughout his body.
No soon had she completely removed his clothing did Khione press her naked body to his, their two forms fitting together like puzzle pieces, as if they were made for each other.
When Robert made the decision to go, his carried the memory of the passionate night he shared with his wife still fresh in his mind. Fearing that the sight of his wife standing outside looking at him would make him change his mind, Robert woke early, careful not to accidentally wake Khione in the process. Robert then dressed himself, grabbed the katana he was given by his father and the pistol given to him by his father-in-law, and headed to the docks.
Feeling that she spoke the most to him, Robert received permission to join the crew of the Adventure. As he looked back at the docks of Engand, he easily recognised his wife amongst the farewelling crowd. Though he could not hear her, he effortlessly decphered the movement of Khione's lips: "Come back to me alive."
His eyes fixed on his wife, Robert voiced to himself what he was fighting for.
"For king. For country. For family. For wife. For children to be had."
As he walked upon her deck, he knew where the route the Adventure was taking him: out to sea and into war.