Life Never Ending (Part 4)

Posted on Wed Jun 1st, 2022 @ 5:06pm by Kyle Cragen [Reece] & Commodore Phoenix Lalor-Richardson
Edited on on Sat Jun 11th, 2022 @ 5:23pm

Mission: Tales from the other side of the Mirror
Location: Earth, Japan
Timeline: 1587 AD
1889 words - 3.8 OF Standard Post Measure

**FIVE DAYS LATER**

Natsuko reined in the cart horses at the foot of the mountain track. She looked around. "What do you think?" She asked Kyle.

Seeing how steep the trail was, Kyle knew that her horses would struggle. "I'll hook my horse to the cart as well, plus push the cart from behind. You will need to guide the horses on foot."

Natsuko nodded. She climbed down and moved to hold the horses heads. She patted their noses while he moved his horse to the front of the cart.

Once his horse was secured to the cart, he handed both sets of reins to her. He then moved to the rear of the cart. "On three, start guiding them slowly. If you go too fast, we run the risk of them losing their footing. One, two, three!"

On Three she began to lead them slowly up the track. She moved slowly, keeping an eye on the track, the horses hooves and where she was going. It took them a few hours to get to the top, where two large gates stood ajar.

Once they reached the open gates, Kyle moved up to Natsuko. "Wait here, I'll scout inside, ensure it is empty." He placed his hand on his sword and slowly entered the gates.

Natsuko waited quietly outside, holding the horses heads. As she did she noticed that the leaves were starting to change. She had forgotten, winter was coming soon.

A few moments later, Kyle returned. "It seems to be empty. And the walls all seem to be solid and free of any damage. Let's get everything inside and secure the gate."

Natsuko began to lead the tired horses and cart through the gates. Once they were in the courtyard she stopped and turned to help him close the gates.

Once the massive gates were closed and securely bolted, Kyle then helped Natsuko tend to their horses. Afterwards, he helped her unload the cart and carried the items to the king's former chambers. All around them, there were weapons and wealth strewn about, as if there had been a hasty exodus to leave the castle. While it was no king's treasure, later, after they finally finished looking around and gathering what could be found, they would find that they still had a sizable fortune to survive on. They would not find themselves wanting for material wealth in the near future.

After their gathered possessions were in their new quarters, Kyle turned to Natsuko. "I imagine you would care to bathe and relax some. I will give you privacy to do so." He bowed and started to leave the bedchambers.

"Kyle?" She said as he moved to the door. "It's ok, you can stay, I don't mind." And she found it was true. She didn't mind. She moved to the other door that led to the bathhouse path. "I will go light the fire in the Bathhouse."

Hearing Natsuko say that he could stay, Kyle smiled softly to himself. Not that he would take advantage of the situation. He had sworn to her that he would not force himself upon her. He may have done many terrible things over the past two centuries, however, he was still a man of his word.

While he waited for Natsuko to return, he looked around the master bedroom and found where the king had stored his armor and swords. Seemed like an ideal place for his own armor and swords, so, he carefully removed and positioned every piece on the proper hooks and stands. When he was finished, he was standing in a pair of linen breeches and undershirt. He had already removed his shoes at the door, so he sat down and started to unwrap his leggings.

Natsuko slipped back into the room. "The water will be ready soon" she said as she pulled her hair pins from her hair, letting it fall down her back.

Kyle nodded as he finished his right leg, rolling up the linen strip, before starting with his left. "You can go first, so the water is fresher."

"very well" she moved and gathered clothing and other items. "Do you think it's safe to light a fire in the kitchens?"

Kyle thought about it and nodded. "So long as it's a small fire, It should be okay."

"After I have bathed I will go make us some food" She said softly. "The Bathhouse fires vent down into the mountain."

Kyle nodded. A part of him wanted to join her in the baths. But, he would only do so if and/or when she invited him.

Natsuko bowed and left the room to bathe.

When she returned 15 minutes later she wore a robe and her hair was tied back from her face with a strip of cloth.

"You can bathe now" she said as she tidied her belongings. "I will go make dinner."

"Thank you," he said, softly. As he exited the room, he pulled his undershirt off over his head, revealing his well-built back, shoulders and arms. Making his way down the short path, he ducked his head and entered the bathhouse.

Natsuko found the kitchens and after a few moments thought she lit a fire in the smallest hearth she could find. She hunted through stores and found rice and other staples. And Set about making dinner for them both.

A little while later, Kyle exited the bathhouse and made his way back to the master bedroom. As the only clothing he had were what he was wearing earlier, he rooted through the former king's wardrobe, trying to find some that fit as best as possible to his larger frame. Finally, he found a few pieces that, while short, would have to do until either his clothes were clean, or he had more choices. He then set out to find Natsuko, to see what she had found.

In the kitchen, Natsuko had set the table in the large room for two people and then served up two bowls of rice and beef. She considered going to find him, instead, she found a bottle of wine and poured two glasses.

"Now, please don't laugh too hard," Kyle stated as he stepped into the kitchen. "While he was fat, the king was short as well." The robes he was wearing almost had enough shoulder and chest room, but the length...they stopped just at his knees.

Her lips quirked but she ducked her head to hide her mirth. "Well for now they will do." She got out as she finished setting up their meal. "Sit, let us eat."

Kyle smiled broadly when he saw Natsuko's reaction. As he moved to sit down, he reached out and gently lifted her chin so he could look into her eyes. "Please don't hide from me. I want to see that beautiful smile of yours." He paused before adding, "If you want, I'll go try to squeeze my feet in his tiny slippers? I might be able to get my toes in them."

Natsuko laughed softly. "No, it's all good. I am sure we will be able to work things out."

Kyle grinned. "There it is! Perfect!" His eyes moved over every square centimeter of her face, as if he was trying to memorize it.

Natsuko blushed. "Eat before it gets cold," She said with a smile.

Kyle softly grinned and nodded. He then looked for a fork, but only found a set of chopsticks. "How..um..do I use these?"

Natsuko reached over and guided his fingers in their use. "Like this."

Kyle held them as instructed, feeling odd eating with sticks. When he went to grab a piece of beef, he squeezed too tightly and it spun out of his grip. As did the sticks and some rice too. "Oops!" He blushed slightly, hoping Natsuko didn't think he was a fool.

"The more you use them the easier it will be. Not so tight" She instructed.

Kyle nodded, then focused on the task. He watched how effortless Natsuko used hers. Taking a breath, he tried again. This time, it worked! He got both some rice and a piece of beef successfully into his mouth. He looked over at her with excitement in his eyes, then, they softened as the delicious taste of the food finally connected with his brain. "This is so good!"

She blushed again and said "my mother insisted my sisters and I know how to cook"

Kyle grinned happily. "I can't tell you how long it has been, since I had a meal cooked in an actual kitchen. For the past two centuries, I've been living off the land, eating what I hunt or pick from nature. The rabbit stew was great....but this!" He carefully took some more food into his mouth via his new learned skills with the chopsticks. "Mmmmm!! This is excellent!"

"So you have not had a home in all that time?" she asked curiously.

He took another bite, then shook his head. "No. The last home I had was the one I was born and raised in, back in England. I have been on the move ever since. I haven't slept in the same place longer than my bi-annual rasstala, which is three days."

"Then we will have to change that" She said firmly.

Looking up at her, he smiled softly. "I'm a bit of a beast, at times, I'm afraid." His smile faltered. "The few times when I do sleep normally, I always have nightmares. Well, the same nightmare, actually. Of my parents dying and blaming me for not being strong enough to save them." His gaze hollowed out as his eyes fell away from Natsuko.

She reached out a hand. "I doubt they believed that. Your parents wanted you to survive"

Feeling her soft hand on his, Kyle was brought back to the here and now. Blinking his eyes back into focus, a few tears fell away. "I know, rationally. But, I've basically been alone since they were killed. No one since then has known the real me. Until you," he added softly. He turned his hand over and gently closed his large hand around her delicate one. He found that it felt right to hold her hand in his.

"Well you helped me understand my new life" she whispered. "We will navigate it together"

Slowly, he brought her hand up to his lips and gently kissed her knuckles. He then lowered his forehead down to them. "Whatever I am, whatever I will become, is yours until my last breath."

Natsuko smiled back at him. "I am feeling the same." She smiled a bit brighter. "You know little of the politics of this land, correct?"

Looking up into her smiling face, Kyle felt butterflies. "I do not."

"The King's Study should be able to help with that." Natsuko said. "We have time don't we? for us both to learn?"

Smiling softly again, he said, "Time is something we have in abundance. By the time the Humans go to space, which I'm sure they will, if they don't exterminate themselves first, we will have enough knowledge and resources that we could do anything."

"A very good Plan" Natsuko smiled.

Kyle smiled. They finished their meal, talking about things that new couples do to get closer to one another.

~TBC~

 

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