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scene two, the first glimpse of a blessing
Allow me to explain-- you see, my love faced a wayward samurai today. We were passing through the forest as the sun hung high in the air, and were ambushed by this samurai quite unexpectedly. Twice now, my love has fallen to a sneak attack. Twice now... he has failed.
Out of so many times he's succeeded in this land, twice he has been unhonorably defeated. Why do these people shun him so, when he has already done so much for them? What more can this man give, other then his very life?! Will his blood shed across the land be what finally satisfies these people?! He has given them so much... so very much.
The samurai look at him as a rebel, a mere man disguised as one of them. If that were truly so, then it's a pity that a mere man has more honor then the very samurai responsible for guarding our lands. Could it possibly be that the samurai have an honest fear of the Wandering Samurai and his radical ways? Could men like Deng Tuo truly fear the Wandering Samurai's prowess?
I only wish my love could be accepted, that he accomplish his dreams one day and we could even settle down with the grace of the emperor. I only wish the best for my love... and these samurai only wish to destroy him. I quickly grow tired of these fools trying to stop him from his goals time and time again, it's placing a heavier burden on him going into his battle with Deng. He deserves so much better...
The samurai which defeated my love in the forest today was the Ash Samurai, Fan Ao shun. He and several other samurai have been causing havoc throughout the lands, flying in to their target swiftly and silently-- like a flock of birds on a warpath. I truly fear that with their growing strength, they may soon attempt to ursurp the emperor and gain control of the lands. I fear this, because they have now assaulted my love.
And my love may soon stand beside the emperor... to have beaten him in battle would prove to the lands that they are a serious threat, regardless of whether the attack was a sneak attack or not.
I despise these samurai who go against the code of honor... have they no shame? Have they no dignity? Don't they realize that our lands are crumpling beneath our very feet because of their ignorance?! Why must they perform such horrible acts against the people of our lands?
I've so many questions flowing throughout my mind, but I know it is not my place to ask such things of the samurai. My love is the only one who can provide me such answers, and for these questions he always says the same:
"They do these things for it is the nature of man to fear those with higher power. Though their actions are indeed foolish... they see them as the best path."
Yet if it is the nature of man to do such things, why is it that he fears not a soul? He fears no man nor beast nor the cold touch of death... he only fears losing me, and failing to acheive his dreams. Both could be caused by both man or beast, but he does not fear either... for he only fears the outcome.
Yet why fear the outcome and not the processes that lead to it? Does he truly believe that he can alter the outcome to a favorable result, no matter what the incident may be? That if a man were to hold a dagger to my throat with his intent to end my life carved in stone, he could end that man's life instead and sweep me off my very feet? He only fears the ending to his story... he does not fear the writing of it.
Some men are truly strange... and I do believe my love to be the strangest of them all.
No, it is not his logic which makes him so strange... but the things in which he is capable of doing. Today, after his fall to the Ash Samurai, was the first I'd ever seen him truly show what powers lurked within his very core.
It was as though the heavens opened above the forest that day... a great light peirced the clouds above him and its rays fell upon him. At that very instant, a strong breeze picked up, forcing the Ash Samurai to retreat in fear with his mistress at hand. I watched on curiously... and yet horrified at what I was seeing. The light was peircing my love's body, breaking through his skin and radiating from him like the fires which kept man alive for as many generations as there are stars in the sky.
The breeze circled him, bringing him from the ground and back to his feet. With his eyes closed my love let out the holiest of screams I'd ever heard, with a voice that would awe the angels and shake the very core of this Earth. Birds of feather retreated from their nests at the sound, as those animals which lurk came from their hiding only to retreat in fear. I could feel my heart as it pounded in my chest, wishing to flee with those animals as I watched my love be impaled by those bright rays...
Yet, in an instant, it was over. My love fell to a knee and, with heavy breathing, told me not to be afraid. His whole body was radiating a white light, as though he himself were blessed by the Gods. I'd never feared my love, for I'd known him all my life... but looking on him at that instant, I feared what had become of him.
It wasn't until he took me in his warm embrace that I realized he was, indeed, the same man he'd always been. I held him close, as though he were taking his final breaths and I were to have him die in my arms, and wept into his chest. His arms wrapped tight around me and yet were soft and gentle, careful not to harm me.
His wounds from that samurai were completely healed... and not a drop of blood were on his body. When I glanced at him with wondering eyes, he only had but one thing to offer me:
"My destiny is not to fall in these woods... if I am to fall, let it be at Deng Tuo's hands."
My love speaks so much of destiny and his dreams, but could it be that his soul will not let his body rest until he at least comes within arm's reach of his dreams? Twice my love has fallen... and twice he has forced himself to stand again.
I've seen the supernatural occur around him in battle, I've seen him vanquished beasts of the land as though guided by the hands of God... but not once have I ever seen his battle wounds be healed in such a way as they were then. Is my love truly blessed? Is there more to the Wandering Samurai-- to the rising star of the continent-- then meets the eye?
I both fear and anxiously await the next time the supernatural occur... for there are so many questions I have of my love that he himself would not answer for me, that I must see for myself to get the answers I desire.
My love calls from beyond the tent... it is time to move on. I will write again when we reach our next destination.