reverberated against her brain, allowing no other thought inside. Then suddenly she heard the sound of footfalls in the passage. She stood up and
prepared to meet whatever fate awaited her.
She heard the door open. The figure was outlined by the dim light in the passage. She couldn‟t make out his features She screamed.
She lunged at him. “You‟ve killed him, you brute! You killed him, you killed him YOU KILLED HIM!” She pounded her fists against his chest, tears blinding her vision, until he arrested her hands. He pulled her into his arms.
“Shizuka na.” He said gently “Quiet koibito .”
“Isamu!” No other words came and she cried tears of relief and of pent up emotion. “You‟re alive!” She barely believed it. “You‟re alive!” She mumbled through
her tears into his shoulder
“Yes, koibito .” He laughed. The pure pleasure in the realization came over him. Holding her face in his hands, he smothered her with kisses until she joyfully begged for mercy.
The Samurai‟s Lady
Chapter Seven
Suddenly they heard a noise. It was far away, but increased in intensity as whatever was making it came closer. Her fear was mirrored in his eyes. “Easy.” He told her. He moved to the side of the door, ready to surprise anyone who entered. He drew his short sword quietly from its scabbard. The footsteps came closer.
“Isamu?” It was Hataro.
Fujito relaxed and put the sword away. “You scared us half to death.” He breathed.
“Sorry. I came to help you get away. I hope you‟re packed already. You don‟t have much time. They‟ll be wondering where the metsuke got to and come looking forhim.”
“We are.” Fujito told him. He fetched the things while Katharine and Hataro waited in the garden.
When he returned Hataro handed him a scroll tied with a red cord. “A map I made of the area you‟ll be going to.” He explained.
“Thank you.” Fujito smiled taking it. “You could leave now if you wanted to.” Fujito said with a smile.
“I can‟t do that. You see, I believe that Christians should stand together.” He smiled.
“How did you know?”
“The Good Samaritan.” He explained. “Another samurai would have let me die in Toyama or helped me attain my reward; I am, after all, the next in line to a peasant.”
“Well, you are also a good friend. I am in your debt” Fujito said, bowing. They took the back trail to the outskirts of the town that led to the mountains. “Have you traveled mountainous terrain before?” Hataro asked.
“I have, some.” Fujito answered
“What about Katsuko?”
“I don‟t think so.”
“I would watch out for her, then. The first time I came this way I got awfully sick; I almost died. If it weren‟t for a pilgrim‟s help, I would have. Just be careful.” “I will.” Fujito said. “What should I be looking for?”
“Headache, and dizziness, and a queasy stomach. Stop right away. Allow her time to get used to the altitude. I‟ll be praying for your safety.”
“Thank you.” He bowed.
Hataro came as far as the first turn off then said good-bye.
They switched their footwear to straw sandals because it would be easier to ascend the heights in them than the normal geta. Although, Fujito told her, geta would be fine for a light snowfall.
“But there shouldn‟t be any of that just yet.” He added smiling.
The first part of their journey was on low flat ground then the terrain began to climb gently.
“How‟re you doing?” Fujito asked.
“Fine.” Katharine smiled. She did feel a rubbing on her heel from the sandal but it wasn‟t bad so she didn‟t mention it.
On the first night, they stopped in a grove of cedars. The ground was soft and warm and the trees overhead gave a roof overhead. As the sky darkened stars winked through the tall branches blown by a soft breeze.
“It‟s so pretty here.” Katharine sighed. She leaned her back against a large trunk. “Do you have forests in England?” Fujito asked, kneeling beside her. “The higher Lords do. They
prepared to meet whatever fate awaited her.
She heard the door open. The figure was outlined by the dim light in the passage. She couldn‟t make out his features She screamed.
She lunged at him. “You‟ve killed him, you brute! You killed him, you killed him YOU KILLED HIM!” She pounded her fists against his chest, tears blinding her vision, until he arrested her hands. He pulled her into his arms.
“Shizuka na.” He said gently “Quiet koibito .”
“Isamu!” No other words came and she cried tears of relief and of pent up emotion. “You‟re alive!” She barely believed it. “You‟re alive!” She mumbled through
her tears into his shoulder
“Yes, koibito .” He laughed. The pure pleasure in the realization came over him. Holding her face in his hands, he smothered her with kisses until she joyfully begged for mercy.
The Samurai‟s Lady
Chapter Seven
Suddenly they heard a noise. It was far away, but increased in intensity as whatever was making it came closer. Her fear was mirrored in his eyes. “Easy.” He told her. He moved to the side of the door, ready to surprise anyone who entered. He drew his short sword quietly from its scabbard. The footsteps came closer.
“Isamu?” It was Hataro.
Fujito relaxed and put the sword away. “You scared us half to death.” He breathed.
“Sorry. I came to help you get away. I hope you‟re packed already. You don‟t have much time. They‟ll be wondering where the metsuke got to and come looking forhim.”
“We are.” Fujito told him. He fetched the things while Katharine and Hataro waited in the garden.
When he returned Hataro handed him a scroll tied with a red cord. “A map I made of the area you‟ll be going to.” He explained.
“Thank you.” Fujito smiled taking it. “You could leave now if you wanted to.” Fujito said with a smile.
“I can‟t do that. You see, I believe that Christians should stand together.” He smiled.
“How did you know?”
“The Good Samaritan.” He explained. “Another samurai would have let me die in Toyama or helped me attain my reward; I am, after all, the next in line to a peasant.”
“Well, you are also a good friend. I am in your debt” Fujito said, bowing. They took the back trail to the outskirts of the town that led to the mountains. “Have you traveled mountainous terrain before?” Hataro asked.
“I have, some.” Fujito answered
“What about Katsuko?”
“I don‟t think so.”
“I would watch out for her, then. The first time I came this way I got awfully sick; I almost died. If it weren‟t for a pilgrim‟s help, I would have. Just be careful.” “I will.” Fujito said. “What should I be looking for?”
“Headache, and dizziness, and a queasy stomach. Stop right away. Allow her time to get used to the altitude. I‟ll be praying for your safety.”
“Thank you.” He bowed.
Hataro came as far as the first turn off then said good-bye.
They switched their footwear to straw sandals because it would be easier to ascend the heights in them than the normal geta. Although, Fujito told her, geta would be fine for a light snowfall.
“But there shouldn‟t be any of that just yet.” He added smiling.
The first part of their journey was on low flat ground then the terrain began to climb gently.
“How‟re you doing?” Fujito asked.
“Fine.” Katharine smiled. She did feel a rubbing on her heel from the sandal but it wasn‟t bad so she didn‟t mention it.
On the first night, they stopped in a grove of cedars. The ground was soft and warm and the trees overhead gave a roof overhead. As the sky darkened stars winked through the tall branches blown by a soft breeze.
“It‟s so pretty here.” Katharine sighed. She leaned her back against a large trunk. “Do you have forests in England?” Fujito asked, kneeling beside her. “The higher Lords do. They