Life Never Ending (Part 3)

Posted on Wed Jun 1st, 2022 @ 5:06pm by Kyle Cragen [Reece] & Commodore Phoenix Lalor-Richardson
Edited on on Sat Jun 11th, 2022 @ 5:25pm

Mission: Tales from the other side of the Mirror
Location: Earth, Japan
Timeline: 1587 AD
1219 words - 2.4 OF Standard Post Measure

***The Next Morning***

Kyle was still standing in the same place from when Natsuko went to sleep the night before. He had moved only to feed the fire.

She woke as was her habit with the sun. She sat up and pushed her long black hair from her face. She looked around and saw Kyle standing there. "morning."

Turning back towards her and smiling softly. "Good morning. Did you sleep as well as you could, considering the circumstances?"

She nodded "Yes for the most part" she admitted.

He nodded slightly. "I am sorry. Hopefully, by the next time you need to sleep, you will have an actual bed. He turned and spooned out a fresh pot of stew. "Here, you need all the nutrients you can get right now. You eat and get ready to travel. I'll break down the rest of our little camp here, get dressed in my armor, then get the horses ready."

Natsuko nodded and took the meal. She ate without really thinking. Once she was done she cleaned the bowl and packed up the remaining items into the Cart. She pulled on her brother's boots which she had worn since his death and helped Kyle lead the horses and Cart out of the caves.

Once they were ready, Kyle pulled his cloth mask on, then donned his helmet. Now, aside from his sheer size, no one would notice him as being a foreigner. He walked over to Natsuko and placed a gloved hand gently upon hers. "We still need to be careful during the journey. Hopefully, if we come across any bandits, and they see a huge Ronin escorting you, they will think twice about engaging us. However, if they choose to be foolish, move away only far enough to find cover. I would not put it past the humans to try and separate you from me with a split force."

Natsuko nodded. "I will do as you ask" She replied with a smile and climbed into the cart.

Kyle helped her get settled in the cart, then moved over to his horse and mounted the saddle effortlessly. As he moved along her left side, he asked, "How far is the journey to these abandoned homesteads?"

Natsuko considered it "Depends on how far we go. But the nearest is several days' ride from my home, which I left..." she counted "A week ago."

Smiling from under his mask, Kyle asked, "Does that week include the time we have been here?"

"Yes. But I am unsure how long I was asleep. I traveled 4 days from home before we met."

"You slept in the cocoon for three days. So, your home is still four days away." He started to lead her back to the road from where he found her. Then, when they started back down the direction she had come from, he moved back over to her left side to continue speaking to her. "Do you remember anything about the men who attacked you? Uniforms, flags, family crests? Anything that would help us identify them?" He was still angry that she had been treated as badly as she said she was.

"Oda Nobunaga," She replied softly. "He is fighting against Toyotomi Hideyoshi"

Kyle nodded. He had heard of Oda in his travels through Japan. He had actually decided to start with him and his army, in his quest to exterminate the humans in Japan. Now, of course, he had more reason to do so. "He will never threaten you again," he said solemnly.

She gave him a smile. "Thank you," Natsuko replied. They moved down to the main road and turned south.

For the next several hours, they traveled in peace, talking more and getting to know each other more. Finally, they had to stop and allow their horses to rest.

Natsuko slid down from the cart and collected the bucket from the cart. "I will get water for the horses." she said softly.

Kyle nodded. "I'll feed and brush them." He lowered his large from down to the ground and stretched. Looking around the countryside, he didn't see another soul other than Natsuko. It was quite peaceful.

Natsuko walked down to a nearby creek and filled the bucket, carrying it back up to water the horses. She did it another 3 times, the last bucket for the humans. When she was done she paused and said "Do you have a map parchment?"

After Kyle took a drink of the cold, clean water, he nodded. Handing the cup to Natsuko, so she could drink, he reached down and pulled a rolled parchment that was in a slot on the outside of his right boot. Moving over to stand next to Natsuko, he unrolled it for them both to see. "If my sense of direction is correct," he said softly as he looked around at their surroundings, then back at the map. "I'd say that we are about....here." he pointed to a part of the road that was roughly between a set of mountains, to their left and a large lake, to their right, a few kilometers away.

Natsuko looked at the map. "Hmm there is a stronghold in those mountains. " she said softly. " My brother was to go there for training in military matters."

"We should avoid any entanglements with the humans. You are not strong enough yet to properly defend yourself, or me, when I am in rasstala." He looked at the map. Where is your family's home, and the abandoned homesteads?"

She pointed to a spot further north. "Family home." And then she moved her hand down south of where they were. "Abandoned homesteads, here, oh and this." she placed a finger further south. "My father said this is where there is an abandoned Castle as the lord was killed last month"

Kyle considered the choices. "Each one has pluses and minuses. You are familiar with your family home, but it has the stigma of your attack. The homesteads are abandoned, however we don't know their current state of repair. And the castle, also abandoned, could have possible battle damage, but it is larger, so we could hide easier." He looked over at her. "This is your country, what is your vote?"

Natsuko studied the map. "The castle may be damaged but it is on a mountain...." she said softly. "Views for massive distances. Last place enemies would look."

Nodding in approval, Kyle replied, "Then the castle will be our new home. How long is the journey from here?"

"Five days but shorter if we do not stop at night..."

Kyle looked at their horses, then shook his head. "If we pushed them that hard, they'd be dead by the time we got there. Especially yours, pulling the cart." He took another drink of water, offering the rest of the cup full to her. "We can probably push them for two days without stopping, at most."

Natsuko nodded. "Okay then, we take it slow."

Kyle grinned. "Slow and steady wins the race, afterall." After making sure Natsuko was done with the water, he poured the rest into a bladder, for them to drink later. He then helped her back up into the cart and mounted his horse again. Then, they set off again, heading to the castle, which lay five days away.

~TBC~