SAMURAI

Chapter 17; Adachi Megumi

    The heavy burden upon my heart released. I laughed out loud. Long. Laughing at my stupidity, laughing at my childish nature, as well as laughing at my feelings for her being revealed.

    Tomoe Aya held my hand. Her eyes searched mine, our gazes met. Her full lips pulled. The most beautiful smile I have ever gotten from a woman was emblazoned in my eyes. Aya's palms pressed against mine felt warm in the hug of the cold night. The pores all over my body were wide opened. The dense feathers in my hand stood up without being able to hold back.

    “Genta, thank you for all that you have done for me. Had saved me from death on a Mongol ship, saved me from an unwanted marriage. "

    I nodded accepting the gratitude.

    The beautiful girl who has hardened my soul continues her sentence with a sad look, “At the same time, thank you for the feeling you have for me. I don't know if I can repay that feeling right now. Too fast for me. I don't know you, you don't know me. There is a high wall between us. But, I'm glad you have that taste for me."

    I squeezed the hand in my grip. Ten of her tapering fingers traced mine. I looked at those beautiful eyes with all my heart. 

    “Tomoe Aya, I can climb the barrier wall. I can even destroy it for our future. Over time, we will get to know each other. I will tell my whole life and past, and I will not be bored hearing your past stories. We will tell each other every day, after waking up to sleep again."

    I took my breath for a moment so that it filled the cavity of my lungs which was pressed by a pounding heart. I brought the girl's right palm to my chest. 

    "This taste, never existed until I found you. You're my first love. I am willing to die for you, even I can live for you."

    The girl's eyes dimmed. The light from the moon made her two cheeks flushed red. Tomoe Aya brought her head closer. The breath that came out of her nose smelled of cherry blossom, tickled my lips to search for hers. She tilted her face, kissed my right cheek lightly. That lips rested briefly on my cheek, then shifted to my ear. Breath roared softly against the hairs in my ear holes. 

    My soul flew to reach Paradise.

    She whispered, “Thank you, Knight. Enough for tonight. Let time determine the story of our life."

    Before my soul returned to fill the space of my excited heart, Tomoe Aya stood balancing her footprints on the branch, then jumped into the other tree. Without a sound, she opened the door, entered to accompany Goemon to sleep. My body sagged slightly from the top of the tree. Four pairs of eyes stared at me. One pair belonged to the python, three pairs belonged to the black bear.

    "What are you looking at!" I snapped softly with a smile.

    They were also happy that their new friend has confessed their love even though it had not received a definite answer. At least a light kiss on the cheek as a beginner. My stomach moaned. From morning has not been filled.

    Goemon's state fluctuates. For a moment conscious, momentarily lose consciousness. I and Aya took looking after her. The spear that was stuck in her stomach had already been pulled out. The stab wound was deep, leaving a gaping hole in the waist. Less than one or two knuckles, the liver will split open. Aya sews up the scar. The contents of the black bag Masashige gave are quite complete. Apart from shurikens, wound coverings and medicine were also available. 

    Unfortunately, the amount of medicine was not sufficient to heal the wound. Only one time of use in stock. If there was no more medicine, Goemon's condition would be worse. The puncture mark left an infection and would quickly fester without medication. Aya tried hard to gather medicine from the available plants and leaves. She had studied medicine from his swordsman teacher. The potion she made was not as powerful as Masashige's potion. But, enough to withstand the infection so as not to over attack.

    While Aya was looking for leaves, I cooked the porridge over low heat. Takes a while, but is safe. Large fires generated smoke and would invite pirates. As the week progressed, the food stock was running low. Aya and I can hunt rabbit meat or eat sea fish. But, Goemon needed porridge. She could not eat solid food.

    That night, I was very carefully reshuffling another tent. The guard was tighter than ever. The five guards stood still after the blood was smeared. I brushed off the supplies in the tent. Rice, dried meat, smoked fish, salt, and three sets of clean clothes fit into the thick blanket. Unfortunately, there was no medicine to steal. Medicine was very valuable to pirates. Exceeds gold gems. Medicines must be kept tightly guarded in Jinbo Palace. To patronize Jinbo's palace was the same as a life deposit. Dozens, maybe hundreds of pirates would be on your way. Jinbo Palace, which is a ruined fortress, was not the right place to bury yourself.

    Entering winter, the air in the forest grew biting. Light snow started to fall.

    Goemon groaned in pain again. The porridge I made was ready. I put out the fire, then climbed into the tree. The sun has started to disappear. The mist creeps downed, the forest would soon freeze over. I opened the door slowly. Goemon, lie down weak with a pale face. Her lips were chapped, shivering something vague. Goemon's groan grew louder. The medicine was only used once. Aya had not yet come with a portion of leaves. 

    Without waiting for Aya, I was forced to pull down Goemon's pants, open her underwear at the waist. Took off the potion, then replaced it with the remaining portion.

    Goemon's groaning sounded cut when I put the potion on her wound. Her hand gripped the wooden divan. Legs twitched in pain. I fixed a thick blanket up to her neck. Her breath was raging. In the cold weather her forehead sweats.

    "Water, please ...." she groaned.

    I lifted her head slowly. The glass from the coconut shell that was lying beside me slowly pushed it against her lips, drank the water inside the shell little by little. I put back Goemon's head gently. Her breath was a little hurried. Eyes were partially open. Chapped lips smiled faintly.

    "Thank ... thank you ... Priest," she said softly with a harsh breath.

    I returned the smile. Bring my lips closer to her ears. "You're welcome, Dandy samurai."

    Even though her body was moaning in pain, the consciousness still made this girl's brain run. She tried to pull lips wider, but the pain that whipped up ended Goemon's smile. I wiped the sweat on her forehead. Not as hot as two days ago. Aya's potion worked quite well.

    "Where's Tomoe Aya?" she asked softly.

    “She's looking for leaves for medicinal herbs. You eat porridge first, right? "

    She shook her head. I forced it a little.

    “Goemon, you have to eat even a little. You have to get better soon. We can't stay here long. They will find us. "

    Goemon nodded slowly. The girl opened her mouth, taking bite after bite from the wooden spoon. Pirate cruelty parrot treats women force herself to eat. After the last bite, I pushed her a medicinal herb for her to drink. One gulp she drank until she finished Aya's potion as if she had finished fighting against dozens of pirates, Goemon threw back down. 

    Fatigue. She closed her eyes. After fixing the thick blanket that covered her entire body, I moved from Goemon's side.

    "Megumi."

    I stopped.

    "My name. Adachi Megumi."

    "Genta," I said back. I gave the best smile. "Nice to meet you, Megumi."

    Adachi Megumi smiled back at me. Her eyelids were completely closed. Gradually regular breathing. The girl fell back asleep with a broad smile.

    The girl who was struggling with her life was in height. Aya was taller. Megumi is a very beautiful girl without a head covering. No men's makeup. Her hair was shoulder-length with the skin was clean reddish slightly sunburnt. The nose is small, sharp. Moles adorned under her thin lips. The jawbone is widened with the chin hanging off. A perfect beauty. Somehow this girl hid her beauty in men's makeup.

    Until late at night Aya had not arrived. Worries started to spread. The girl left the hut in the morning. She does have high martial skills, but facing hundreds of malignant and lustful men, Aya would lose. I decided to wait a little more. If She hasn't come home for a moment, I'll catch up with her, and leave Megumi in the custody of my four animal friends.

    The air was getting cold. The sky was covered with thin snowflakes that were slowly falling. Aya hasn't come home yet. Panic hit my heart. I decided to look for my belaying girl. Before moving, the scrap of leaves trampled broke the silence. My body stiffened. I prepared to welcome the arrival of Aya, a wild animal, or pirates.

    "It's me," said a low, muffled voice.

    I greet her on a branch. Once grabbed the rope, the girl's body floated lightly upwards, perching on the branch next to me.

    "Sorry to keep you waiting," she said lightly.

    There was something on her cheek that made me gasp. Bloodstains.

    "There's blood on your cheeks," I said frantically. My forefinger pointed to her cheek, lightly rubbing the blood spot with my palm.

    Aya shook her head. "Not my blood. I was forced to kill some pirates."

    "Ha? Why? "

    Aya nodded while laughing softly. “Megumi needs a speedy recovery. I have to gamble with my life."

    "What do you mean?"

    "In the next three days, if that girl can't escape from this place, I assure you this place will be flooded with hundreds, maybe thousands of pirates."

    Before I asked any further, she explained, “Yesterday I forced a pirate to tell about the weirdness of his nest. I saw that the fort and the field, which were usually crowded with hundreds of people, looked quiet. There were only dozens of pirates guarding the fort. The tents were left bare. The pirate I held up with the sword said, Jinbo brought hundreds of his men to gather on the island of Harushima. 

    The four pirates ruling the islands of Harushima, Nagashima, Oshima, and the island of Wakayajima are gathering. The Ilkhanat army would attack them sooner or later. Chinese pirates and Goryeo have determined. They will not interfere in this war. Move aside while waiting for the movement to subside. Japanese pirates also have to take a stand. Indifferent, or in favor of one party."

    It was interesting that the movements of armed groups did not obey the rules of any country. For them, Nationalism was just nonsense. For the benefit or not for the group, that's the choice. They lived for the wealth and glory of their respective groups.

    "Which side do you think they will choose?"

    Aya took a deep breath. "I have no idea. They are difficult to guess. "

    "Why? Didn't you have time to become the wife of the leader?" I asked seductively.

    The beautiful girl who stole my heart snorted in annoyance. Her face turned red. The snowflake specks against her black hair made her glow.

    "Don't bring it up again!" she sulked.

    I apologized. We still haven't had the chance to talk about the story that brought us together on this island. There would be times when I wanted her to talk about her past.

    "So, what?"

    Aya got excited again. "This morning I talked to that girl. There are only two options. Waiting for her to recover with just medicine takes a long time with the risk of pirates invading this place, or gambling with her life. "

    "You mean ...?"

    “I've been taught a potion that is very effective for healing stab wounds. I never tried it, because my teacher had never tried the recipe itself. My teacher said, very hard and very deadly if the patient's body is not strong enough."

    I took a deep breath. I know what Aya means. Gambling is very dangerous. "What is the girl's response?"

Tomoe Aya said softly, “Megumi chose the second option. It would be better for him to die than to harm all of us. "

    "Crazy! Is there no other choice? "

    The girl in front of me shook her head. "You know the answer. In two days Jinbo returned with his troops. He will do everything possible to find us. The island is too small to be a hiding place. "

    I give up. Sighed softly imagining what would happen to the girl. Megumi has already determined her fate.

    "Have you got the medicine?"

    “I waited until dark to enter Jinbo fort. I stayed there a few days. Know very well the ins and outs of storage of goods. The medicine for the potion I'm about to make is stored in the medicine room in the fortress.” 

    Aya was Jinbo's future bride. Of course, she had stayed a few days. I hope that the ugly pirate didn't force his lust. To suppress my jealousy, I proceed to the next question, "Did you get it?"

    Tomoe Aya reached into her haunted kimono, took the bundle from the inner pocket. "This." She lifted the bundle in her hand. "By killing five guards," said the girl with satisfaction.

    "You sure are a reckless girl!"

    Aya pressed her body into my body. The smell of the girl's cherry blossom-filled my nose. I wanted to embrace this body in front of me, but my courage did not allow it. I could only take a deep breath, bringing the fragrance of that body to the bottom of my heart.

    Aya held my hand. Her gaze was serious. The words that came out of her lips were full of firm tone. "Genta, must be tonight. If the day after tomorrow Megumi doesn't recover, we'll have to leave her here."

    My breathing stopped. The fragrance of this girl's body was stuck at the tip of my nose. The last sentence sounded sadistic. But it made sense. Waiting for the girl to recover was suicide. I and Aya could not possibly serve hundreds of pirates. I'm not afraid to die, especially die by the side of the woman I love. However, if there is an opportunity to live together, why choose death as the end of love?

    "Is there another way?"

    Tomoe Aya shook her head sadly.

    I took a deep breath. Fragrant cold air filled the cavities in my chest. I threw away the air by the decisions I had to make. "OK."

    "We have to do it, Genta ...." 

    Aya understood that the agreement I gave put me in the position of "Participating in" if the girl's condition was not helped.

    "What can I do for you?" I continued.

    "Be on guard. As long as this medicine is working, there shouldn't be anything disturbing. I will call you when needed."

    I squeezed Aya's finger. She squeezed my fingers back. "Gambatte!" I whispered.

"Hai, Ganbarimasu!" replied Aya.

    Tomoe Gozen's granddaughter left me alone. The door to the hut closed tightly. She would work alone. And I have to make sure there are no distractions. I changed my hakama pants and haori kimono with a black ninja suit. I made sure the ninja sword is ready to use. The lives of two beautiful women depended on me. I didn’t want to disappoint them.