Either way there is fun to be had.
October 27, 2012
Bubbles
Either way there is fun to be had.
October 24, 2012
October 21, 2012
Flight of the Warrior Chapter 14 - The last adventure
The
old lady lived in the castle complex of Tsurugajo near the port. It was her
duty to go down to the shore well before sunrise to give the fishermen her
predictions.
It was common
for the area to be cloaked in a blanket of snow this time of year and this
morning was no different. She woke and covered her aging joints in layers
before climbing slowly up the staircase of the west tower. From here she could
listen and feel the coming of the day's weather. She also received other
messages that were unrelated to weather but she kept those to herself. They
were meant for her. They were private.She had been excited for some days prior as she expected the arrival of a red headed girl. This girl would want to speak with her, perhaps learn her skills. The thought of a visitor, one she could talk to about the old ways lifted her spirits. In fact, for a while there she had thought about picking up her swords and running through some basic motions. But she was in her seventies and the bones were more fragile than she hoped, the muscles hung loosely on her frame and she limped badly from an old injury. Adventure seemed a thing of the past.
This morning she was anxious. Arriving at the top of the tower staircase she took a moment to catch her breath before opening the crude door. She could feel bad news before she went outside, it seemed to be seeping through every small opening in the door frame.
Being centred and alert was important. The wind would deliver much to her particularly in the first few moments atop the turret. She had to be ready and focus on what she needed. It was very much, she imagined, like a mother who walks into a room full of her children, all yelling at her, pulling at her kimono, demanding that she listen to them and not their brother or sister. Except she had no children of her own.
Once she reached the centre of the small turret, the wind whirling around her head, she closed her eyes to draw her concentration to the fore. Opening her eyes they glowed red and she could see the messengers cloaked in smoke racing through the air, some black menacing and wild, others white and joyous. She waited for a moment till she saw it, and opened her arms inviting. Several messengers trailing black smoke made vain attempts to crash into her but she was too quick and she slapped them away with a carefully placed movement of her hand. They held what she did not care to hear, the threat of war, the coming of the Mongols. There would be time to know the details before the invasion. A moment later she welcomed the messenger she was looking for, grey smoke passing through her body.
She retreated inside. The girl was not coming, she was fleeing the man who had attacked her. She was stuck in a place and trying to call a stranger to help her. And the worst news, Nakano was trying to find her, and he had picked up her trail of jasmine on the wind.
She sat on the first step trying to make sense of it all. This was bad indeed. She had only been able to do so much to keep Nakano away from the girl. She had convinced him in a dream that he needed to go South to pick up the fees he was owed. That if he didn't war would come and he may never see the money. He must strengthen his ties to the nobility of the South, too much time had passed since his last visit. He had taken too many women, there had been too much pleasure and not enough work. He would pay for this. The God of War would not be happy.
There was little she knew she could do to stop him once he was hunting the girl. His passion once flamed would not dim till he found her.
But the girl
was not ready, not prepared. She was a warrior yes, and she had some natural
talents. Like all warrior women she was proud and strong, but she lacked
knowledge that would unlock her skills. That is where Tomoe would come in, she
would be the girl's teacher. The girl must not perish, there were too little of
her kind around anymore. So few were born with the gift.
So perhaps she would have to go to the girl. As old and frail as she was, she would need to travel, and to teach the girl in less time than she would probably need. The question was how was she going to get to her before Nakano did? Perhaps she should break her silence and send the girl a message to warn her somehow.
So perhaps she would have to go to the girl. As old and frail as she was, she would need to travel, and to teach the girl in less time than she would probably need. The question was how was she going to get to her before Nakano did? Perhaps she should break her silence and send the girl a message to warn her somehow.
The daimyo
would never let her leave for an extended period because of the warnings she
provided the fishermen were important to the livelihood of all the villagers.
But it was not uncommon for her to go out on the boats from time to time. She
would use this as her way to escape. She would ask a local fisherman, a trusted
member of her family to take her to the island of Sadogashima where she would
have the girl meet her. It was further north for her, but according to the
messages she had received was west of the girls location, away from Nakano who
was coming from the east. No time to waste.
Getting up as
quickly as her tired body would let her, she returned to the turret. Standing
in the centre again she drew her concentration inward. Her eyes blazed red, and
a mist fell around her. She raised her hands to the sky and the mist turned to
rainclouds, the wind increasing in speed her garments billowing around her
legs. In a swift motion, her hands came together in a soundless clap and the
clouds shot off to the Northeast, racing like thoroughbreds through the sky.
Every messenger in its path cleared the way.
Returning
inside she did not pause to rest, but continued down the stairs. With each step
the list of questions grew. She wondered where the stranger fit into all this?
She wondered if she had the energy for the voyage? But most of all she wondered
if her message would reach the girl before Nakano did.
Where I write...think...
It has been a lonely spot since Dash died, but Smudge and I are now back in the habit of sitting here again and pondering our human and canine navels.
Smudge alternates between being close to my chair and out on the small deck when the door is open.
October 16, 2012
Flight of the Warrior Chapter 13 - Hunting
Once
he knew in which direction to find her, he urged the black horse a little
faster. The beast seemed to have a reserve of energy that was boundless, in
fact like a demon itself. It was well capable of the speeds he demanded of it.
When he first came upon the horse it was wild and crazed, having been shot by a bow through the flank. He was unsure at first if he wanted to catch and treat the animal but somehow he had been drawn to do so.
Following the hapless creature for two days, keeping a short distance, he was able to close the gap slowly. Each time he moved marginally and then sustained the distance for another hour, moving only when the horse was comfortable. Eventually he was able to lay a hand on the nose of the thing and with some coaxing remove the arrow.
He enjoyed riding in preference to flying, even though he made slower progress. Atop this preternatural mount he felt more powerful somehow. He certainly had experience of coming upon a battlefield and men and horse alike fleeing from his charge. The black horse would set back its bat like ears, lower its neck and charge with such force that a tremendous wind tunnel was created, making it hard for enemies to stand steady. This provided him with the opportunity to relieve a man of his head.
He smiled at the memory. It was diabolical splendour.
He knew that war was coming, a new threat from across the seas. This did not displease him, but was simply a potential new source of income. A ronin for hire in times of unrest was never without currency.
He was however, concerned that the advent of war may come sooner than expected. He hoped for at least a week with his little Toraneko, to teach her he was her master. Not only did she provide him with physical delectation, he felt there was more to discover. There was much he wanted to know, and he would make her tell him. How was it that she could fly, or know how to manage the short sword she had some skill in wielding? And more than that, what else did she know?
There was predictability in his daily life, but with her, there was the unknown. A new type of entertainment awaited him. There for his taking.
The little fool had left a trail. He had picked up the scent playing on the wind without too much difficulty but he was perplexed by the direction it was taking him. First the ravine into which he had to fly, and then to the hilltop where a bare hut sat abandoned. He saw the disturbance in the snow where a body had flailed about, and then the trail went cold. He had spent valuable time absorbed in the patterns in the snow. Could two people have made these marks? If so, who was the second person? The man he had seen at the hut? A mentor who had taught her some of the skill necessary to be a warrior? In any case he needed to be on his guard.
It took some time focussing on countless whispers on the wind before he found the one he sought and recommenced the hunt. He was headed to the coast, maybe two days ride between him and the open sea. One day if he flew. He contemplated his options and decided to ride till nightfall, rest, then fly the remaining distance. By then he would know exactly where she had fled.
And where it was he would capture her a second and final time.
When he first came upon the horse it was wild and crazed, having been shot by a bow through the flank. He was unsure at first if he wanted to catch and treat the animal but somehow he had been drawn to do so.
Following the hapless creature for two days, keeping a short distance, he was able to close the gap slowly. Each time he moved marginally and then sustained the distance for another hour, moving only when the horse was comfortable. Eventually he was able to lay a hand on the nose of the thing and with some coaxing remove the arrow.
He enjoyed riding in preference to flying, even though he made slower progress. Atop this preternatural mount he felt more powerful somehow. He certainly had experience of coming upon a battlefield and men and horse alike fleeing from his charge. The black horse would set back its bat like ears, lower its neck and charge with such force that a tremendous wind tunnel was created, making it hard for enemies to stand steady. This provided him with the opportunity to relieve a man of his head.
He smiled at the memory. It was diabolical splendour.
He knew that war was coming, a new threat from across the seas. This did not displease him, but was simply a potential new source of income. A ronin for hire in times of unrest was never without currency.
He was however, concerned that the advent of war may come sooner than expected. He hoped for at least a week with his little Toraneko, to teach her he was her master. Not only did she provide him with physical delectation, he felt there was more to discover. There was much he wanted to know, and he would make her tell him. How was it that she could fly, or know how to manage the short sword she had some skill in wielding? And more than that, what else did she know?
There was predictability in his daily life, but with her, there was the unknown. A new type of entertainment awaited him. There for his taking.
The little fool had left a trail. He had picked up the scent playing on the wind without too much difficulty but he was perplexed by the direction it was taking him. First the ravine into which he had to fly, and then to the hilltop where a bare hut sat abandoned. He saw the disturbance in the snow where a body had flailed about, and then the trail went cold. He had spent valuable time absorbed in the patterns in the snow. Could two people have made these marks? If so, who was the second person? The man he had seen at the hut? A mentor who had taught her some of the skill necessary to be a warrior? In any case he needed to be on his guard.
It took some time focussing on countless whispers on the wind before he found the one he sought and recommenced the hunt. He was headed to the coast, maybe two days ride between him and the open sea. One day if he flew. He contemplated his options and decided to ride till nightfall, rest, then fly the remaining distance. By then he would know exactly where she had fled.
And where it was he would capture her a second and final time.
September 2, 2012
Hello beautiful Spring
“Is the spring coming?" he said. "What is it like?"...
"It is the sun shining on the rain and the rain falling on the sunshine...”
Frances Hodgson Burnett, excerpt from The Secret Garden
"It is the sun shining on the rain and the rain falling on the sunshine...”
Frances Hodgson Burnett, excerpt from The Secret Garden
 |
| Wattle, Diamond Creek |
August 26, 2012
Flight of the Warrior Chapter 12 - Running from the shadow
He was much faster than her even carrying her weight so they had been forced into this uneasy partnership.
She had been stoic at first, ashen-faced but stoic. Then she had started to wriggle and began to complain they needed to take a break. She was polite at first, the requests made quietly, and when he whispered they needed to go a little further she would hang her head. Then she started to beg, plead and reason with him. Surely he was tired, perhaps they should stop and get him some food. Maybe if they stopped they would be able to get a sense of how far away the kage was. They may have more time than they thought she had reasoned.
Then she started to lapse in and out of consciousness. Each time she was out cold for longer and longer, and woke groaning in pain. Finally with the small shelter in sight, he moved off the pocket of prevailing wind he had been using to glide over the high passes. Landing as softly as his fatigue would allow, he fell onto his knees in the soft snow. She had been unconscious for a few moments before he landed, but she woke with a start. Almost instantly she clawed away from his grasp and on all fours was sick in the snow.
He was not sure if it was the hours flying or his mind playing tricks but the sight of her struggling to get away from him only to throw up repeatedly broke his spirit. There had to be a way to release her from the curse, but this was outside his area of expertise. It plagued him that the kage had a talent he did not know how to wield, could there be other surprises?
After a while there seemed to be nothing left inside her and he motioned she should come inside the mountain shelter. He had used this hut several times before. It was nothing special, but provided some warmth and protection from the harsh storms that regularly drew up and covered the area. It was also the most direct way west and he knew the area was uninhabited.
She moved slowly and with some relief he noticed her cheeks had some colour. He silently prepared the hearth and she watched him as he made tea and a small dish of rice and beans. She ate little so he encouraged her with every bite.
After eating she fell into a fitful sleep, tossing and turning and murmuring to herself. He found it hard to watch her. So he left the hut and went to check on the weather outside. It would be better to leave first thing in the morning to allow them both to rest, but he did not want to get stuck in a storm and be snowed in for days, losing precious time and allowing the kage to close in on them like caged birds. When he met this man it would be on his terms.
If a storm was coming he would let her sleep for a couple of hours and then wake her to leave again.
Looking at the sky it seemed clear and blue in all directions with light winds. No threatening cloud formations. Then he drew his focus inward to see if there was anything further he could learn, any warnings on the wind. He was struck immediately by the silence. There was nothing, like he was in a void. No messengers flapping around him vying for attention. There was only one vibration far away in the distance that he sensed, hard to make out. He went back inside to check on her. She was sitting up sipping some tea, looking worn.
"Anything?" she asked.
He was not sure what she was asking, what she knew he could see, so he answered, "Nothing close by. But something, maybe bad weather coming our way. We may need to leave."
She got up and moved to the open door, leaving the cup on the table near the hearth.
He looked with amazement at the clouds rushing toward them, they were incredibly close. Where there had been a clear sky before, the area to the south west was almost entirely black. She looked at him stunned, "Was it this close before?"
"No," he replied with uneasy concern. He moved to stand in front of her so she could not see his eyes glowing red as he took his focus inward, and saw instantly a tremendous wind on its way to her. A message, a warning.
Not caring about his eyes he turned to her, "A message for you."
She had gone white, in shock he thought. Then suddenly before either of them had a chance to move, they were immersed in cloud, complete with a strong wind that did not seem to know which direction it was going. Then as if entering a different weather zone, the cloud was gone and a thick mist descended. He could only just make her out so he took a few steps closer, unsure of what was going to happen next. Then as if in a vacuum the whole mist seemed to rush at them and he inhaled sharply.
In a surge of wind the cloud and mist was gone, they were standing on the snow, surrounded in blue sky again.
He glanced at her, and was instantly alarmed. She was kneeling down, grasping at handfuls of snow and rubbing it viciously against her wrists.
"What are you doing? You will hurt yourself." But unable to grab her without causing her pain there was little he could do.
"At least tell me what is wrong?" he pleaded.
"The jasmine, he is following the trail of jasmine." At this she started to wrench at her clothes, to get to bare skin, grabbing handfuls of snow and scouring herself with it.
He came up behind her, grabbed the cloak that had been thrown off and placed it around her shoulders, saying softly, "That is enough. We should go inside."
She stopped raking her skin but sat for a moment looking down at the snow in her hands, her wrists red raw. She nodded and stood up drawing the cloak around her and he led her inside the hut.
"We have to go west to an island off the coast. A woman will meet us there. She said his name is Nakano, he is a ronin. He is some way east from here so we have a small lead, but she warns to not waste a moment. Should he fly he will catch us quickly, at present he is riding a horse. He is following me because I sent you a message and the jasmine..... ," she added almost to herself.
"Do you think you can trust this woman?" he asked.
"I was going to go to her after I met you in the forest. I don't know how she knew I was going to do that. I had heard she has special skills. I wanted to learn from her."
"Do you know her name, where she is from?" It was his job to protect her and he would not go to the island without being satisfied it was not a trap.
"Tomoe I think, she lives in Tsurugajo."
He smiled to himself. She was a famous female samurai. Even Finn with his limited knowledge of bygone conflicts knew of her. She would be quite old now, but certainly a good person to have on side if she could help Bianca. Finally some luck was falling their way.
"We need to go now," she said "If you feel up to it I mean you must be very tired. I can fly myself for a while, although I am not as fast as you."
He nodded. "Let's go then." And he shut the door with the hearth still burning inside.
She had been stoic at first, ashen-faced but stoic. Then she had started to wriggle and began to complain they needed to take a break. She was polite at first, the requests made quietly, and when he whispered they needed to go a little further she would hang her head. Then she started to beg, plead and reason with him. Surely he was tired, perhaps they should stop and get him some food. Maybe if they stopped they would be able to get a sense of how far away the kage was. They may have more time than they thought she had reasoned.
Then she started to lapse in and out of consciousness. Each time she was out cold for longer and longer, and woke groaning in pain. Finally with the small shelter in sight, he moved off the pocket of prevailing wind he had been using to glide over the high passes. Landing as softly as his fatigue would allow, he fell onto his knees in the soft snow. She had been unconscious for a few moments before he landed, but she woke with a start. Almost instantly she clawed away from his grasp and on all fours was sick in the snow.
He was not sure if it was the hours flying or his mind playing tricks but the sight of her struggling to get away from him only to throw up repeatedly broke his spirit. There had to be a way to release her from the curse, but this was outside his area of expertise. It plagued him that the kage had a talent he did not know how to wield, could there be other surprises?
After a while there seemed to be nothing left inside her and he motioned she should come inside the mountain shelter. He had used this hut several times before. It was nothing special, but provided some warmth and protection from the harsh storms that regularly drew up and covered the area. It was also the most direct way west and he knew the area was uninhabited.
She moved slowly and with some relief he noticed her cheeks had some colour. He silently prepared the hearth and she watched him as he made tea and a small dish of rice and beans. She ate little so he encouraged her with every bite.
After eating she fell into a fitful sleep, tossing and turning and murmuring to herself. He found it hard to watch her. So he left the hut and went to check on the weather outside. It would be better to leave first thing in the morning to allow them both to rest, but he did not want to get stuck in a storm and be snowed in for days, losing precious time and allowing the kage to close in on them like caged birds. When he met this man it would be on his terms.
If a storm was coming he would let her sleep for a couple of hours and then wake her to leave again.
Looking at the sky it seemed clear and blue in all directions with light winds. No threatening cloud formations. Then he drew his focus inward to see if there was anything further he could learn, any warnings on the wind. He was struck immediately by the silence. There was nothing, like he was in a void. No messengers flapping around him vying for attention. There was only one vibration far away in the distance that he sensed, hard to make out. He went back inside to check on her. She was sitting up sipping some tea, looking worn.
"Anything?" she asked.
He was not sure what she was asking, what she knew he could see, so he answered, "Nothing close by. But something, maybe bad weather coming our way. We may need to leave."
She got up and moved to the open door, leaving the cup on the table near the hearth.
He looked with amazement at the clouds rushing toward them, they were incredibly close. Where there had been a clear sky before, the area to the south west was almost entirely black. She looked at him stunned, "Was it this close before?"
"No," he replied with uneasy concern. He moved to stand in front of her so she could not see his eyes glowing red as he took his focus inward, and saw instantly a tremendous wind on its way to her. A message, a warning.
Not caring about his eyes he turned to her, "A message for you."
She had gone white, in shock he thought. Then suddenly before either of them had a chance to move, they were immersed in cloud, complete with a strong wind that did not seem to know which direction it was going. Then as if entering a different weather zone, the cloud was gone and a thick mist descended. He could only just make her out so he took a few steps closer, unsure of what was going to happen next. Then as if in a vacuum the whole mist seemed to rush at them and he inhaled sharply.
In a surge of wind the cloud and mist was gone, they were standing on the snow, surrounded in blue sky again.
He glanced at her, and was instantly alarmed. She was kneeling down, grasping at handfuls of snow and rubbing it viciously against her wrists.
"What are you doing? You will hurt yourself." But unable to grab her without causing her pain there was little he could do.
"At least tell me what is wrong?" he pleaded.
"The jasmine, he is following the trail of jasmine." At this she started to wrench at her clothes, to get to bare skin, grabbing handfuls of snow and scouring herself with it.
He came up behind her, grabbed the cloak that had been thrown off and placed it around her shoulders, saying softly, "That is enough. We should go inside."
She stopped raking her skin but sat for a moment looking down at the snow in her hands, her wrists red raw. She nodded and stood up drawing the cloak around her and he led her inside the hut.
"We have to go west to an island off the coast. A woman will meet us there. She said his name is Nakano, he is a ronin. He is some way east from here so we have a small lead, but she warns to not waste a moment. Should he fly he will catch us quickly, at present he is riding a horse. He is following me because I sent you a message and the jasmine..... ," she added almost to herself.
"Do you think you can trust this woman?" he asked.
"I was going to go to her after I met you in the forest. I don't know how she knew I was going to do that. I had heard she has special skills. I wanted to learn from her."
"Do you know her name, where she is from?" It was his job to protect her and he would not go to the island without being satisfied it was not a trap.
"Tomoe I think, she lives in Tsurugajo."
He smiled to himself. She was a famous female samurai. Even Finn with his limited knowledge of bygone conflicts knew of her. She would be quite old now, but certainly a good person to have on side if she could help Bianca. Finally some luck was falling their way.
"We need to go now," she said "If you feel up to it I mean you must be very tired. I can fly myself for a while, although I am not as fast as you."
He nodded. "Let's go then." And he shut the door with the hearth still burning inside.
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