A few days later, Katsuo was going through the movements for his training. Today, he felt like exercising with a katana. Even though the air was chilly, he warmed up quickly and had to lose his shirt. He was just behind the pagoda, out of sight of everyone.
The quick pace of the kata made his heart race. He felt he had to break the usual routine, otherwise he’d go crazy. All he’d been doing the last couple of days was paperwork, which was broken by the instances he was eating with his family. He hadn’t had a chance to spend much quality time with them, and he hadn’t had an opportunity to let off some steam. Even though there were a few border skirmishes, they were insignificant enough that his officers stationed there could handle it.
But if nothing happened, he might just get on a horse and ride to the closest enemy border. He concentrated on the way of the sword, expanding his senses, calming his emotions, silencing his mind. After a while, he felt as if he was becoming one with the wind. Bending left and right, cutting through the currents with a sharp blade.
His concentration was broken as he felt eyes on him. Katsuo continued his practice as if nothing was amiss but carefully surveyed his surroundings. Nothing was out of place. He pricked his ears and sharpened his senses as he let his power seep out. He was in the middle of a particularly difficult choreography, twisting himself and twirling the blade so fast it was hard to follow with non-trained eyes.
He heard a gasp, and he unexpectedly let go of the blade, hurling it toward the voice he’d heard. Another gasp and a clatter followed as the sword lodged into a tree behind some huge jars, which mostly contained sake. One of those jars dangerously tipped to the side, and Katsuo hurried to get there in time to catch it.
He saved it the last moment. He let out a breath in relief and returned the jar back to its place. Strange, it was heavier than he would expect. He furrowed his eyebrows and drew the wakizashi from his waistband. Pointing the blade at the top of the jar, he quickly removed the lid.
For a moment, he didn’t know whether to laugh or be furious. His betrothed was hiding inside one of the jars, peering up at him with a red face. Her eyes were looking up at him innocently even though she was caught in an area off-limits to her.
“Get up,” he said, fighting a laugh. His voice sounded raw even to his own ears.
“I can’t,” she whispered.
“What was that?” Maybe he heard wrong.
“I can’t,” Ciara repeated, louder this time. “I’m stuck.”
Oh, for heavens’ sake! He couldn’t stop the laughter bubbling up from the deepest part of his soul. Who hides in a jar and then can’t get out of it?
“Sure, laugh at me all you want. I’ll just wait until the rest of eternity,” Ciara grumbled, “or until a gentleman decides to rescue me, while you laugh.”
Katsuo wiped a tear from the corner of his eye.
“Come on, I’ll help you.”
“How?” she asked, eyeing him. She tensed up as he walked closer and bent over her head. He gripped both sides of the jar and it moved to the side. Ciara grabbed the edges and panicked. “No! Wait!”
“Trust me.”
“It’s hard when I’m stuck here!”
“I’ll get you out,” Katsuo insisted and the jar fell sideways.
“Waaaaaait!” Ciara screamed and braced for impact. It never came. Carefully, she opened her eyes and realized she was laying on her side, inside the jar, which was quite intact.
“Now what?” she asked, blinking up at Katsuo. He grabbed a small container hanging from his waistband and opened it. It looked like something Ciara would put cosmetics in. Katsuo dipped a finger in it and Ciara realized there was some kind of cream inside the container. “What are you going to do with it?”
Instead of replying with words, he started to rub the cream on the edge of the jar. It smelled awful. Ciara made a face, which Katsuo caught from the corner of his eye. He chuckled.
“Now, give me your hands.”
“Both of them?” Ciara asked.
Katsuo nodded and put the container away. He reached out his hands, and Ciara struggled to have both of her arms come free from the jar. One was easy, but two at the same time?
By some miracle, she did it. He tightened his hold on her wrists, and before she could do anything, he pulled on her arms. She shrieked, but by the time the sound left her mouth, she was already free.
Ciara sighed in relief and hung her head.
“That was so embarrassing!” she said, burying her face in… something warm? Her breath hitched and she looked up, fearing the worst. Yep, she had just managed to embarrass herself even further, if that was possible.
She was laying on top of a topless Katsuo who had just saved her from a very troublesome situation. She straightened her arms, putting her palms on his muscled torso.
“I’m so sorry!” Ciara scrambled back, falling on her bottom. She stared at Katsuo with wide eyes. “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to do that!”
“What were you doing there, anyway?” he asked as he sat up without any help from his hands. Damn, the man had abs. Ciara looked away, her face reddening. She realized he was waiting for her reply. Thankfully, he didn’t have any sharp objects near him, not that she could see.
She cleared her throat and looked back at him.
“I was just taking a stroll and wanted to see the pagoda. And then you came, and I panicked, and I just… hid.”
“Are you aware this place is off-limits? There’s a guard on the path here,” Katsuo asked. He was still amused at her feeble attempt to hide and how she got stuck in the jar. But she needed to know the boundaries. He reached for the fallen wakizashi and Ciara’s eyes widened.
“Yes!” she hurried with her answer. “I did know. I’m really sorry, I just wanted to see this building from up close. It looks so unique! Please don’t kill me!”
Katsuo was taken aback.
“Kill you? Why would I…?” He realized he was twirling the blade in one hand. Ah, that’s why. He put it away in its scabbard then stood to retrieve his katana. He walked back to Ciara who was cowering on the ground. Her hands were shaking badly. He put the katana away, too, and squatted down. Their eyes were at the same level.
“You’d have to do a lot more for me to even consider hurting you,” he said. He was surprised to realize he meant it.
“B-but I wasn’t supposed to be here.”
“Well, as long as you’re not a spy… Are you?”
Ciara fervently shook her head.
“Then we’re good. Just promise me you won’t break any more house rules,” he smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. Even though he put the weapons away, Ciara felt the danger had still not completely passed.
“I’m sorry. It won’t happen again,” she said, determination lacing her voice.
“Good. Come.” He stood up and offered his hand for her. After a moment of hesitation, Ciara took it, and he helped her up. “Let’s go back.”
He went to get his shirt, put it on, and walked back to Ciara, who was waiting for him patiently. He steered them toward the path leading from the pagoda to the castle courtyard.
“Are you mad at me?” she asked. Her voice was small.
“I’m not happy with you, but no, I’m not mad at you, either.”
Ciara let out a sigh of relief and straightened from her hunched posture. For the first time, he looked at her attire. She was dressed like a man.
“Why aren’t you wearing a kimono?”
She puckered her lips.
“It’s easier to move around wearing these clothes,” she admitted. She glanced at him, nervously. “Katsuo, can I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
“How do you do it?”
“Do what?”
“You use the sword so easily,” Ciara said.
“Years of practice.”
“No, I mean…” She sighed in frustration, trying to find the words. “On the battlefield. You fight people, you kill people. How do you deal with that?”
Katsuo looked at her, puzzled.
“There is war. If I stopped to mourn every time I cut someone down, I’d be dead in a heartbeat.”
“So you just… not think about it?” Ciara asked for clarification.
“That’s not quite right, either. How shall I put it?” Katsuo placed a hand to his chin as he thought. “You do what you must in order to protect something important to you. If it’s killing someone, then that’s it. You know you have to do it. And you put it away to a corner of your mind. Something like that.”
“I see…”
“Have I satisfied your curiosity?” he asked, concerned what brought upon this line of questioning. Did she think he was threatening her? She did beg him not to kill her, not that that had been the case.
“Thank you for your honesty,” Ciara said, giving him a sad smile. “You gave me plenty to think about.”