Chapter Twenty-Two

“You plan on dreaming the rest of your life away?”

Janice did not waken straight away. She did so slowly, groggily, at peace with her decision. And with more than a few mumbles and hand waves.

“Sleep well then, princess.”

One eye of Janice’s shot open. “Who you callin princess?”

“Mmmmm, she lives,” Chigusa crowed, plopping into a cross-legged seat upon the floor at the foot of Janice’s bed, her sword laying gently across her lap.

Her full bearings returned, Janice grimaced and flung the blanket she had previously been tightly tucked into and scrambled to her feet. She proceeded to crack her neck, then her shoulders, back, hips, ankles……. Ankles again. Still wouldn’t crack. Ankles one more time.

Chigusa smiled and chuckled warmly. “What are you doing, child?”

“Well, obviously you’re going to need my help,” Janice said as she stretched one arm across her chest followed by another.

“I see the sleep has steeled your courage.”

“It…..” Janice looked upon the legendary warrior. Her idol. And her heart sank. The glimmer in her eyes; her perfect, smooth bronze skin. It was as though Chigusa had not aged a day in the 19 years since the end of the 20 Years’ War. She looked exactly as Janice always imagined when reading her stories. And she had read so many of them many many times.

And here she was looking weak. The sleep had rejuvenated her though nowhere near to 100 percent. But that would not dissuade Janice from fighting alongside the famed Lioness.

“I’m ready,” Janice finally said after several moments of hesitation.

“Show me.” Chigusa rose and threw her sword hilt-first toward Janice, who flinched for just a second, her muscles and tendons frozen in stone before looseness returned and she effortlessly snatched the sword out of the air.

“You do know a thing or two about steel. Show me more.”

Janice paused and adopted a questioning stance.

“What do you mean?”

“What do I mean? Attack and show me what you can do with that.”

“I…. don’t want to hurt you.” For the first time, Janice noticed the fresh wounds dotting Chigusa’s body. The blood that slowly drizzled from a tear in the side of her gambeson. A deep scratch near the hairline on her forehead that would no doubt form into yet another scar marring her otherwise perfect skin.

“Last night you said you knew me.”

“Yes, of course, I….”

“Then let us not waste time. I would like to sleep and need to know if you have the skill to protect me while I do so.”

“What do you mean?”

“No more questions,” Chigusa shouted as she rushed toward Janice, her body arched forward like a dive-bombing eagle, ready to swoop upon its prey.

Janice instinctively lunged the sword forward in one powerful killing stroke. Chigusa dodged and rolled to Janice’s right side. Only slightly off-balance, Janice countered with a sweeping slice that was blocked by Chigusa’s heavy metal bracers. Her biceps flexed as she stayed Janice’s blow with a single wrist.

“They told you not to bother training,” Chigusa said through gritted teeth.

Though shocked and a slight bit perturbed by how easily her attack was stopped, Janice continued. Blow after blow evaded and blocked.

Chigusa spun away for breathing room.

“They said you’d never be as good as a man. Were their words true?”

“No,” Janice said with a snarl as she swung again. And again. And again. Chigusa smiled as a final stab glanced her ear, drawing blood.

Janice immediately recoiled and dropped the sword with a clatter.

“I’m so sorry,” she cried.

Chigusa’s smile did not wane as she fell to one knee, a hand holding herself steady while another checked on the wound.

“Are you ok?”

“Just a scratch, my dear. I guess I’m more tired than I thought.”

Janice indignantly placed a hand on her hip. “Hey, my skill had something to do with it,” she said wiping the sweat from her brow. “You’re amazing.”

Janice moved to offer a hand, but Chigusa waved it away, rising on her own.

“So what’s next?”

“It is daytime, and I will need sleep before tonight’s hunt,” Chigusa said, walking out into the hall. Janice followed quickly on her heels.

“So what do you want me to do until then? How do I prep for tonight?”

Chigusa stopped at a door down the other end of the hall and turned toward Janice.

“Tonight, you will sleep. TODAY, you will protect me.”

“But……”

“They captured me yesterday right from my very bed. I could await them today and make them regret their foolish ideas. But that would leave me even more tired and weakened for tonight.”

“You want me to protect you?” Janice at first spoke with dejection, then felt a tinge of excitement followed by fear. “How many will there be?”

Chigusa placed a hand upon Janice’s shoulder, her broad smile a sun upon Janice’s heart.

“These men are cowards. Governed by fear and desperation. Fell one, and the rest will flee. They are no warriors here.”

Chigusa opened the door to her bedroom and entered, beckoning Janice inside.

“I do not expect your help for free. I will reward your generosity,” she said as she began to remove her boots and armor.

“You will have free reign in my home. My food is yours to eat and my library is yours to peruse. If reading is your inclination, of course,” she said with a shrug. “In between our duties, I will mentor you as best I can.”

Janice watched Chigusa dress her wounds, a litany of thoughts crowding her brain. But one thing kept her excitement at bay: her sister.

Chigusa took note of her hesitation. “You are just passing through,” she said.

“I am.”

Chigusa sighed.

“I can stay for a little while,” Janice said. “I guess what I have to do can wait.”

“Speak.”

“I……” Janice thought of telling Chigusa her whole story. She longed to tell her, to tell anyone. But doing so would not lift the burden upon her shoulders. It would not clear the darkness from her heart nor would it enliven her future.

It all felt meaningless. And hopeless. And…..

“I know,” Chigusa said. “I know.”

With a nod of her head, she laid upon the bed turning to her side, her back facing Janice.

“I’ll stay and help you,” Janice said. “For a little while.”

“Thank you, my dear.”

“Thank you.”

Janice left and closed the door behind her. Her stomach grumbled almost immediately after. It was time to explore.

It turned out, the cabin was far more than a cabin. Built into the side of a hill, Chigusa’s home extended far beyond what its simple, shabby exterior belied. Libraries, with a plural -ies, an alchemy lab, kitchen and storeroom, dining hall, and oh, the armory.

Though Chigusa had not mentioned it as part of their verbal pact, Janice thought it natural to partake in its many wonders if she were to adequately protect her new mentor. The word swirled in Janice’s head, as she danced from armor to blade. Mentor.

She’d never had one before. She’d had taskmasters, disciplinarians, bosses, overseers and shitheads. But never a mentor.

And she’d never worn golden plate armor.

And she’d never worn golden plate armor while eating grapes.

And she’d never worn golden plate armor while reading a book on siege tactics.

Catapults, trebuchets. Sure. Tunnel sappers? That had her interest. It reminded Janice of her afternoons spent napping in the trenches of the Marius line. She imagined herself covered in dirt and soot, digging her way under the castle fortifications. Watching as her work brings the enemy walls crumbling down. But then what?

Janice pushed the thought of violence and bloodshed from her mind and continued to explore. And she’d never worn golden plate armor whilst traipsing about the woods.

The air was crisp and cool. Morning dew still clung to the leaves. The sun still hid behind the forest canopy. Mountain hemlock and whitebark pine. The Toutle mountains were not far. And her sister closer still.

A grip of fear froze Janice as she imagined these creatures in her sister’s home. How far had this evil spread? The questions built in Janice’s head, and she hoped against hope Chigusa would have the time and patience for them once night fell.

She continued scouting the area, hoping for any signs of incursion. The sounds of the clanging plate armor rang throughout the forest……..

Janice wore leather armor whilst carefully stalking the forest.

Eventually, after an hour of finding nothing, she was no trained scout, after all, Janice returned to the cabin. Its front entrance would be far more easily defensible. And perhaps reason could be used to avoid any proper conflict. Especially if she had glorious golden plate armor. And a halberd strapped to her back. A sword at each side and a crossbow across her chest.

No, turns out that was too heavy.

Ultimately, Janice decided the best thing to do was to stand at the entrance and wait. And wait. And wait.

Janice decided it was best to pull up a chair at the entrance and wait.

Janice decided it was best to pull up a chair at the entrance and wait with a good book to read.

Or three good books to read. She really needed to bone up on her knowledge of herbs and tinctures.

By the time bush rustling and distant murmuring arrived, Janice was close to sleep. Only the heated discomfort of the plate mail had kept her conscious to that point.

She swiftly bolted up, kicking the chair aside, books tumbling from her lap. Her eyes studied the thick forest brush, looking for any sign of movement, any life biding its time to burst forth and attack. She help her sword aloft, grimacing as she saw the book she’d been reading laying open haphazardly in the dirt.

“Who is it,” she heard whispered. Tracking the sound, she found its source. A group of robed and hooded figures crouching amongst the thickets and bushes a good thirty yards away.

“Come out,” Janice said, barely above a whisper.

“Come out, I said,” this time with a shout. But still, nothing happened.

“C… cowards!”

The robed figures shuffled forward. They were armed though without a singular professional weapon, only farming tools, sickles and clubs. Janice grinned.

“Who are you?” one said with a deep voice and a pointed finger.

“I’m the protector of this house,” she said. “Chigusa needs rest. She’s hunting these creatures. She’s trying to help. And from the look of things, she’s the only one here who can.”

“She’s the reason this even happened,” another of the robed figures shouted.

“She needs to die,” another said.

“Are you stupid? Is that your problem?” Janice asked with a crook in her brow. “Because I’ve never heard of a spell that just goes away when the caster is killed. Once you cast a spell, that’s it. The spell is done. You can only stop it by casting a competing spell.”

The figures stood in place, looking to each other in obvious confusion.

“What? Have none of you heard of the Inertia Principle?”

“In….ursha?”

Janice shook her head.

“This is boring me. I’m bored.”

“Listen, little girl,” one said marching forward. “You’re going to…..”

“My sword thirsts for blood,” Janice said, a wicked grin spreading across her lips.

“What?” The figure stopped.

“My sword,” Janice’s volume rose as she spoke. “Thirsts. For BLOOD!”

Janice raised her blade high and charged. Her voice grew guttural as she shrieked a barbaric yell. Every member of the mob cried and ran. The one who marched threateningly toward her turned and tripped on his robe. Janice turned her sword to its flat end and slapped his behind as it stuck in the air, his hands clawing at the dirt. She spanked him again and again cackling with glee the whole while.

The robed figure at last dug his way up and chased after the rest of the mob.

“And don’t come back,” Janice cried.

In that moment, Janice felt a pride and joy she’d never felt before. No tournament victory nor loving embrace could compete. The former were fueled by rage while the latter brought only uncertainty and insecurity. She had a story to tell Chigusa. And perhaps, if she was lucky, she would have many more to tell.

Ready to celebrate, Janice whirled about only to come face to face with her cousin, Joseph. He looked upon her silently, his face without emotion. Without most of its skin. Blood had congealed on his ghostly visage, his body mostly white bone and tattered skin.

“Have you been there the whole time,” Janice asked.

Joseph nodded.

“Not in my story when I tell it, you weren’t,” she said, marching haughtily past him. She gathered the books from the ground and opened the front door. “Are you going to stand watch?”

Again, Joseph nodded as he silently watched her.

Janice heaved a heavy sigh. “Thank you,” she said. “I don’t know if you can even be hurt….. but stay safe.”

Janice had a story to tell Chigusa. She hoped it would make the warrior proud. And that thought, for the first time in a long while, that thought made her happy.

Janice thought it best to pull up a chair and wait outside Chigusa’s room and wait.

Janice thought it best to clean up Chigusa’s books and put them back where she found them. And polish the golden armor. And clean her dirty dishes.

And finally, she sat back outside Chigusa’s room to wait. And wait. And wait. Then sleep.