He whispered with a smile. He held her as sobs racked her body. “Easy.” He whispered stroking her hair. “You‟re all right now.”
When her sobs had lessened he held her away from him and wiping the tears from her cheeks with one hand took her arm with the other. They moved carefully on through the mountain pass until nightfall forced them to make camp. She hadn‟t paid any attention to the blister on her heel. But while she was removing her sandals she rubbed the place and winced in pain.
“What is it?” Fujito turned from the fire he had just built and came over to her. “My heel, I think I‟ve got a blister.”
He examined it. “When did you first feel it?”
“Yesterday.” She said a little sheepishly.
“Why didn‟t you say something before?”
“It wasn‟t bothering me too much. Besides,” She smiled, “who can think of a blister while they‟re hanging over the edge of the world?”
“No one, I imagine.” Fujito laughed. He brought the oil lamp closer and examined her foot again. He became serious.
“Maybe you should have.” He said. “It‟s pussed and infected.”
“What can you do?”
“It needs to be broken and cleaned out. You‟ll have to tell me what to do.” “You need a knife.”
He took his shortsword from its scabbard. “Will this do?”
“Yes.”
“Would you like some sake ?” When he looked at her, his eyes held a mixture of worry and compassion.
“Yes.” If she drank it fast just as he was about to break the membrane, she wouldn‟t feel him clean the wound out.
He handed her the container and said, “I hope I‟m as good as you.” He smiled. “What do I do first?”
“Heat the blade in the fire to sterilize it. Then puncture the membrane in the center to release all the pus.” Her voice was calm, but inside her heart was beating rapidly. A simple blister was no problem, but with an infection, the pain would be worse.
She watched as he heated the blade and came toward her.
He sat in front and to the side. Taking her ankle and held it tenderly in his left hand. Just as he was about to puncture the skin with the blade she closed her eyes and drank the sake .
The tingling warmth of the liquor lessened the sting of the knife blade and the only sound she made was a sharp intake of breath, although tears filled her eyes. “Easy.” He comforted. He looked at her then back at her ankle. “Almost finished.” It was a minute or so later when he said, “There.” He kissed the tip of her nose.
“Are you all right?”
“I think so.” She smiled.
“How did I do?”
She examined her foot. “Very well, Sensei. You got it all.”
“I had a good teacher.” He said softly. “And I see that I can still make you blush.” He kissed her cheek.
He made a bandage from some toweling and wrapped her ankle with it. “We should get some sleep.” He said after a while. “We have an early start tomorrow.”
The following day Katharine felt a little dizzy. But, thinking it was an effect of the infection in the blister, she said nothing. The following morning she felt fine again sowas glad she hadn‟t spoken of it.
The climb got increasingly steep as they made their way deeper into the mountains. Forests of pine gave way to snow on the ledges; rice fields were less frequent as they left the lowlands.
It was becoming colder, too. Katharine found her quilted kimono and coats more necessary. But even so, the terrain was easier; no winds buffeted their way and the sky was clear.
One morning Katharine woke with a slight headache but put it down to the way she had been laying. This was borne out when it lessened as she climbed. But near the end of their day‟s walking it returned. Not wanting to burden him, she kept it quiet until they were almost at the place where he intended to stop. She was walking beside him when he saw her wince.
“What is it?” He asked stopping.
“It‟s all right. It can wait.” She told him.
Mindful of Hataro‟s warning he was understandably concerned.
When her sobs had lessened he held her away from him and wiping the tears from her cheeks with one hand took her arm with the other. They moved carefully on through the mountain pass until nightfall forced them to make camp. She hadn‟t paid any attention to the blister on her heel. But while she was removing her sandals she rubbed the place and winced in pain.
“What is it?” Fujito turned from the fire he had just built and came over to her. “My heel, I think I‟ve got a blister.”
He examined it. “When did you first feel it?”
“Yesterday.” She said a little sheepishly.
“Why didn‟t you say something before?”
“It wasn‟t bothering me too much. Besides,” She smiled, “who can think of a blister while they‟re hanging over the edge of the world?”
“No one, I imagine.” Fujito laughed. He brought the oil lamp closer and examined her foot again. He became serious.
“Maybe you should have.” He said. “It‟s pussed and infected.”
“What can you do?”
“It needs to be broken and cleaned out. You‟ll have to tell me what to do.” “You need a knife.”
He took his shortsword from its scabbard. “Will this do?”
“Yes.”
“Would you like some sake ?” When he looked at her, his eyes held a mixture of worry and compassion.
“Yes.” If she drank it fast just as he was about to break the membrane, she wouldn‟t feel him clean the wound out.
He handed her the container and said, “I hope I‟m as good as you.” He smiled. “What do I do first?”
“Heat the blade in the fire to sterilize it. Then puncture the membrane in the center to release all the pus.” Her voice was calm, but inside her heart was beating rapidly. A simple blister was no problem, but with an infection, the pain would be worse.
She watched as he heated the blade and came toward her.
He sat in front and to the side. Taking her ankle and held it tenderly in his left hand. Just as he was about to puncture the skin with the blade she closed her eyes and drank the sake .
The tingling warmth of the liquor lessened the sting of the knife blade and the only sound she made was a sharp intake of breath, although tears filled her eyes. “Easy.” He comforted. He looked at her then back at her ankle. “Almost finished.” It was a minute or so later when he said, “There.” He kissed the tip of her nose.
“Are you all right?”
“I think so.” She smiled.
“How did I do?”
She examined her foot. “Very well, Sensei. You got it all.”
“I had a good teacher.” He said softly. “And I see that I can still make you blush.” He kissed her cheek.
He made a bandage from some toweling and wrapped her ankle with it. “We should get some sleep.” He said after a while. “We have an early start tomorrow.”
The following day Katharine felt a little dizzy. But, thinking it was an effect of the infection in the blister, she said nothing. The following morning she felt fine again sowas glad she hadn‟t spoken of it.
The climb got increasingly steep as they made their way deeper into the mountains. Forests of pine gave way to snow on the ledges; rice fields were less frequent as they left the lowlands.
It was becoming colder, too. Katharine found her quilted kimono and coats more necessary. But even so, the terrain was easier; no winds buffeted their way and the sky was clear.
One morning Katharine woke with a slight headache but put it down to the way she had been laying. This was borne out when it lessened as she climbed. But near the end of their day‟s walking it returned. Not wanting to burden him, she kept it quiet until they were almost at the place where he intended to stop. She was walking beside him when he saw her wince.
“What is it?” He asked stopping.
“It‟s all right. It can wait.” She told him.
Mindful of Hataro‟s warning he was understandably concerned.
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