Lady Samurai

Chapter 54

The next day she joined the household for the morning meal. She wore hakama trousers and both her swords. On entering the hall she bowed from her waist, without falling to her knees. The Lord greeted her with a curt nod and indicated for her to sit next to him. Then he returned to his conversation with one of his retainers. The previous night they agreed that in order for people to accept her fully as samurai she needed to abandon her status of a Lady. She was to become as his other men.

After the meal was over, Kazuki was called forward and offered the position of Ana-San's chief bodyguard. He bowed respectfully, first to Lord Takeda and then to Anna. "My Lord, My Lady, I will serve faithfully and will be honoured to lay my life for My Lady." He again bowed to Anna, indicating that now she was his master.

"Let's hope that will not be necessary." She smiled, seeing that his eyes were roaming the hall in search of Sumiko's.

"Nabutada," Lord Takeda spoke to his chief retainer. "I want you to teach Ana-San the ways of the warrior."

"Hai, My Lord. We can start straight away." Nabutada's dark eyes appraised his newest student.

*

And so, a new stage in Anna's life had started. In the mornings she learned to use swords, later she rode a horse and practiced archery. In the afternoons she was climbing up to the monastery, to be with her father. In the evenings she was usually so exhausted that only with difficulty she was able to keep her eyes open.

Nabutada was initially very respectful, trying to treat her as a lady, who wanted to be indulged. But soon he was rebuffed for that.

"Nabutada-San," She bowed with respect due to one's teacher. "I don't need to be patronised. I will be of no use to our Lord if I can't defeat a real enemy. I want you to teach me to fight!" She looked at him with deep conviction.

He considered her for a moment in silence. After that he bowed. "In that case I ask forgiveness for what's to come."

From that moment Anna was constantly pummeled and bruised, but, in a simple act of self-preservation, she learned very fast how to avoid or block his blows. She suspected he was not employing his full force, regardless of her wishes, but actually she was quietly grateful for that. Before, she had not realised how much it would hurt to be taught 'properly'.

Between her training and meetings with her father there was very little time she could spend with the Lord and one day Hikaru thought to surprise her with a visit while she took a bath. When he saw her bruised body, he stared at her with a horrified expression. Then he made a move as if to draw his sword and she was absolutely sure that, had Nabutada been anywhere close, he would have died that day.

"My Lord," She came close to him, wrapping herself in a kimono. "It is entirely my fault. I was too slow."

"He will pay for this!" Takeda could hardly speak, choking with anger.

"My Lord... Hikaru, I ordered him to treat me like he would any other student." He knew she wanted him to listen, when she used his name this way. So he gently traced the bruises on her arm with his finger and let her speak. "I must learn fast. And I'm not doing it only for show. I am of no use to you if I can't fight off a real opponent. Besides, pain is the best incentive to move faster." She smiled with irony.

"Lottie, I can't bear to see you like this."

"It must surely be preferable to seeing me dead!" She stared at him with hard eyes. "I don't like it either, believe me, my love. But I'm making progress."

*

After a few weeks she grew used to her demanding schedule. The autumn rains came and they had to limit their outdoor activities. But she was diligently practicing the sword fighting with Nabutada, and with Haru, who soon joined their training sessions. The boy liked to spar with her and to correct her mistakes. He liked Ana-San, because she never treated him as a child and always listened to his instructions.

One day Haru was explaining to her one of the cutting techniques when Lord Takeda came into the dojo, unobserved by all, except Nabutada. He watched his son and the woman he loved working together and learning from each other; because while Haru taught her fighting stances and thrusts, she taught him in turn the discipline and relentlessness.

Hikaru was greatly impressed with progress she had made. Soon he started joining their sessions and teaching Lottie and Haru himself. As the boy lived most of his life with his mother's family, the Lord never knew the pleasures of spending so much time with him. Sometimes they staged mock battles and sometimes just played. Lottie was especially good at playing monsters. And each time she managed to induce Haru to tears of laughter.

"Haru-chan," She laughed with him. "If it spreads that it is as easy to defeat you as to make you laugh, I fear for your future."

"I will always have you, a monster slayer at my side, to defend me." He declared with trust in his earnest face.

She knelt in front of him, deeply touched. "Haru-San, I will always protect you and our Lord, your father." She said with a solemn tone of an oath.

Takeda's heart swelled with love and pride. She was such an exceptional woman.

Soon Kazuki also joined the practice. He turned out to be a formidable swordsman and all of them admitted they were hard pressed to stand against him.

When snow fell, Mariko was the last one to join their group. She had been hearing from Haru about it for some time now and eventually, decided to see for herself what that was about. She had been taught the basics when she was young, but later she abandoned her training, as unfit for a Lady. Hikaru welcomed her presence, as he still could sense Mariko's reluctance to accept Lottie as her equal. Perhaps their joined practice will bring them closer? Lottie welcomed Mariko without any prejudices. It was good to fight with an equal for a change. Mariko lacked Lottie's strength and her determination to equal the men, but she was graceful and surefooted.

Quoting his old Master's saying, that one should not have a favourite weapon, Kazuki suggested additional practice with naginata, a small blade set on top of the long pole, traditionally used in a defence against a horse rider and it was added to their training.

With time, when her fitness and strength improved, Lottie was able to work even harder. She took to running up the monastery steps every day. Without hesitation, Kazuki offered his company, which raised a few eyebrows, because running wasn't a requirement in samurai training. But he used this time, alone with her, to share some of his more unusual skills.

He taught her to run up the stairs at full speed and at the top to force her heart and breathing to slow to a meditation pace. He showed her how to track and sneak up on people, without them noticing anything, and how to throw Tanto, a short knife he offered her one day as a gift. "It seems fitting that you would receive a weapon from each of your closest friends." He grinned.

They became once again very close during those days and when she asked how he acquired these special skills, he answered truthfully.

"After I avenged my sister, I discovered I had nothing else to live for. I drunk, gambled and fought with anybody who would dare to stand against me. One day, I found a man lying beside the road. He had been stabbed. I was tempted to leave him where he was, but instead, I carried him to a safe place and tended to his wounds. He should have died, but somehow he survived. He had never said it straight, but I soon gathered he was Ninja... We travelled together for a time and he taught me some of his tricks. Now you know these tricks as well. They might come useful someday."

She appreciated his honesty and it brought them even closer.

Their little group often met in the evenings, to discuss the recent events and plans for the future. Lottie insisted that both Haru and Mariko also participate. "They need to understand what's coming." She persuaded. "There will be many changes. And as a future leader Haru will need all my insight."

Takeda agreed. He could see that Lottie had a good influence on his son. Recently the boy asked for a permission to learn English.

"Only if Ana-San will have the time."

But she, of course, agreed. It added to her already busy schedule, but she was glad to get to know Haru better.