Second Born

by Lance Wilson

  “I’m actually glad your here Kenshi, I wanted to ask you something” Attonnan asks still looking out at the sky

  “He’s not coming for you Attonnan, he doesn’t care, he never did” Kenshi says sure that he is wondering about Fuma.

  “I’ve realized that, it hurts still, but I’ve realized that” he says lowering his head.

  “I know it hurts. Sometimes even now I find myself looking out, wondering where my master is, or does he remember me. But then I remind myself what he did and why. It was all an illusion to get you to think the way he wanted Attonnan, just as it was with me, and all the others” Kenshi says letting his hand drift to stroke the side of Attonnan’s face from behind.

  “I know, but I wanted to talk to you about something he did do to me” Attonnan says wondering how to put this into words. He has been rolling this thought over in his head almost the entire afternoon, and he knows that Kenshi is the one to ask.

  “Go on, I’m not sure all that he did to you but I’m sure I know most of it” Kenshi says now leaning on the banister next to him.

  “You know that Fuma bedded me” Attonnan says his voice soft and almost a whisper.

  “Yah, he did the same to me, there is nothing to be ashamed of” Kenshi says looking down. It took him forever to get over that one. Sometimes he still finds himself falling into the mind of broken servant, a child dominated.

  “I was talking to the captain of the guard, Ina.” He says and looks over at Kenshi.

  Ina took the position after Attonnan had killed the last captain. She is strong and firm but from a noble family. Ever since she took control of the guard the criminal empire has fallen drastically. He knows she has a long way still to go but she is making her positions known.

  “Go on” Kenshi says wondering what Ina had to say.

  “I told her how he took me. She told me what he did, that it wasn’t love, just domination. She also told me that to be bedded by someone you care about is something of a great reward.” Attonnan says and takes careful consideration on what he is about to say next. It is a critical part and must be laid out carefully.

  “It is” Kenshi says his voice soft and caring, he has had a few that he cared about. But never found that right one to settle down with. Not that it made any of the others less special in his eyes.

  “Would you bed me? Before you answer let me tell you what I think about all of this. She said that it was special if it was someone you cared about. Well you are like an older brother to me. Also since you have been through the same things that I have you would understand what needs to be shown to me. At least that is how I see it.” Attonnan says and quickly looks back at the night sky.

  Kenshi only thinks about what he is saying. Sure parts of it make sense and he can understand the way Attonnan is thinking. Thinking it through for a bit he can’t see any real harm in it himself. But there is something he should point out to Attonnan. Something Ina might have failed to mention.

  “Attonnan, you do realize that for the most part you should find someone of the opposing sex to enjoy. At least that is the common rule.” Kenshi says not looking at Attonnan, he knows that it was Attonnan that turned away, and so he won’t make him look at him right now. He’s sure this is hard enough.

  “Ina mentioned that as well, but she also said that since my first experience was with a man, I should try another man just to understand the difference. Then move on to a woman. When I’m ready.” Attonnan says and continues to stare at the sky. Kenshi hasn’t said yes, but on the other hand he hasn’t said no either. He can feel his heart racing. He wants to learn this. What he didn’t tell Kenshi is that when he talked to the blade master about all this the blade master said that love was almost critical to the understanding and love of the blade itself. That once Attonnan experienced love then he would then understand the true nature of his blade. Maybe not himself yet, but at least of his blade.

  “Tell me, tomorrow you have that mission about that town just due south of here right, half a days ride” Kenshi asks calmly

  “Yes, but I don’t see how that has anything to do with this” Attonnan says trying to keep him on the subject.

  “Tell you what, you do that mission tomorrow, come back unharmed, and I’ll bed you that night” Kenshi says thinking that it is a fair trade. Especially since he would bed Attonnan anyway. He has to admit that this young man with his pale white skin, raven hair and soft features has perked his lusts, but he would never tell Attonnan that. Attonnan is only looking for a teacher, that that is what he will be right now, a teacher. Nothing more.

  “Thank you lord Kenshi, you are right, I should get some sleep if I am to be at the top of my game tomorrow” Attonnan says and with a polite bow walks into the palace and off to his room.

  Kenshi however stays on the balcony, he isn’t sure what he has just signed himself to do. He knows he cares for Attonnan, but that is not what he is looking for. Attonnan is like a child just now discovering life and all it has to offer. Now the question remains to himself, can he bed Attonnan, keep it strictly teacher and student, and still not fall into the dark lusts of his master. He knew that this test would come; he knew that one day a young man would come to him, want his affection and he would be tested. As he stands there looking out, wondering the strength of his own metal, he hears a set of footsteps. At first he thinks it is Attonnan coming back for something, maybe he forgot to mention something, but the footsteps are different, these are calm more confident.

  “Good evening Master Takada” Kenshi says without turning around.

  “I have not seen you stare out into the night like this in several years, is there something wrong Kenshi” Takada asks calmly laying a hand on Kenshi’s shoulder.

  “Attonnan seeks lessons I’m not sure I am ready to give. But I have already given my word that I will” Kenshi says knowing that his master will piece it all together in no time.

  “I see, he wishes to learn of love, at least the act of love” Takada says and smiles out into the darkness leaning on the balcony next to Kenshi

  “Yes sir” Kenshi says looking high into the face of the harvest moon.

  “Kenshi, I have seen you with many a young man, and several young women. If you fear that you might well become your master Fuma, then I bid you to put that fear aside. You would have long become him by now. You are a caring and compassionate soul, that is what you have always shown me, and I would guess you have shown it to Attonnan as well otherwise he might not have asked you. No one but you can put these fears to rest, but I assure you, when you choose to teach young Attonnan you shall not fail yourself.” Takada says and with that walks back into the palace.

  Kenshi only stares at the night sky a bit longer, then mumbling only a few things under his breath he too goes into the palace and retires for the evening.

  It is early the next mourning when Attonnan wakes. Quickly he gets dressed in his white apprentice outfit that Fuma gave him and looks over by his bed. There are two blades there now. The twin blades that he purchased when he got here, and now, the sword that Fuma gave him when he was officially made his apprentice. It is the curved katana with the handle curved opposite of the blade. The handle white cord wrapped around sky blue silk fabric, the cap and hilt in polished brass, the sheath is white with a sky blue dragon on it, it too caped in polished brass. When Kenshi gave it back to him he rejected it, said he never wanted to see it again. It was the blade master that asked to see it. The blade master after looking hard at it told him that it was a perfect blade for him. The vary energy of the blade had told him that none other than Attonnan had wielded it, the blade would evolve with him, when he changed it would as well. His hand gently reaches for his katana and gently strokes the cords on the handle; it is a magnificent blade and has never failed him. He has practiced with it since his transition from Fuma’s apprentice, it still feels flush with his hand, and it
reads him just as he reads it. Smiling he picks it up and ties it to his side with the yellow and blue sash. As he finishes tying the sword to his side he hears a tap at his door.

  “Enter please” Attonnan says now turning to face the door.

  He smiles to see that it is Takada who enters the room, a smile on his face.

  “Attonnan, I came here to ask about this,” he says holding up a letter that Attonnan had written late that night, before his talk to Kenshi.

  “I believe I stated everything in it, there should be no question about my actions” Attonnan says turning away.

  “It says here that you intend to go to the city of Shimazu alone. I have ordered you to lead a smaller regiment of Takunen warriors. Explain yourself please” Takada says keeping his town much like that of a curious grandfather.

  Takada watches as Attonnan hand drifts to a Hojo headband lying on his dresser, the headband has always been there never moved and Attonnan has never wore it himself.

  Attonnan’s mind drifts to the last time he lead a group of men, it was his attack on this palace, all of them cut down. He is an excellent fighter, a killer to be sure, but no leader. It was the third regiment of the Hojo elite that died cause of his failure, even his best friend, Aang.

  “I will not have the lives of those men depending on me. I will ride out alone sir, this is not a request” Attonnan says, his voice soft and quivering.

  “The mistakes of the past must be forgiven. Attonnan, you are ready again, but if this is how you see it, I will not force you to take the others. Go then. Shimazu is waiting” Takada says and steps to one side and watches as Attonnan he smiles and walks to the door.

  “Takada, thank you” Attonnan says knowing that it is cause of Takada and Kenshi he would still be sulking and furious for no reason.

  Attonnan walks to the stable and picks out a white horse, looking at the well cared for and strong white horse his mind drifts to the days with his father when he would only get this scrawny black horse that looked like it was only a few days away from death. Now, now he has his choice in his horses really his choice of anything. Smiling he knows that he has to push these thoughts to the side until he later, right now he has work to do. Mounting the horse he rides out of the city, as he rides through the streets all the guards stop and salute him, they know him well and they know that it is his doing that ended the corruption between the police and the gangsters. Once outside the walls he takes a deep breath and kicks the horse into a run.

  With the horse at a run it takes Attonnan almost no time to get to Shimazu. Getting there he sees exactly why he was sent. Takada has received information that pirates may attack them at any time. Now normally pirates are not a problem for most people, however looking at the town Attonnan can see that there is almost no guard, and those that are around are not really up to par. This is a simple fishing village, but is right on the docks and would be a good staging point for a raid on Omashu. Attonnan isn’t sure when the raid may happen, but he was told soon. Calmly he trots down to the city and quickly finds the captain of the guard. The captain glances over at Attonnan and bows low, Attonnan only smiles; with these cloths and this horse they must think he is a noble of some kind.

  “Sir, I am here to talk to the guard, the people of Omashu fear that there may be an attack on your city and soon. I am here to examine the guard and make sure they are ready” Attonnan says and smiles at the captain. Better to make then think he is just here to help and not to protect them from the threat about to happen.

  “There isn’t much of a guard here, really when a threat happens the town just rallies together and fight,” the captain says shrugging his shoulder.

  It is then that Attonnan sees it, a ship, coming fast, then and the sound. Cannons,

  “Get everyone to safety the pirates are here and they have opened fire” Attonnan says and leaps off of his horse.

  Cannon balls rip through the air hitting streets and houses, shattering all that they hit. The guard quickly runs to a tower and begins to ring a huge bell. The townsmen quickly gather and the guard shouts out the orders to them that he has shouted a thousand times, get the women and the children in the town hall, lock them down. The men begin to gather their weapons.

  “No, get the men outside the town hall, I shall handle them” Attonnan says in a low cool voice as the canons rip through the air.

  “But sir” The captain says but is stopped dead in his tracks as Attonnan glares at him. The glare is one of shear power and ferocity. The captain only nods and does what he is told? It is only moments before the women and children are in the town hall, and all the men that can fight are around them. Attonnan himself only walks to the base of the docks and waits for them, his hand gently resting on the pummel of his blade. He is the wind of death on the battlefield and they shall know it. The pirates run in not caring what is in there path or what is going on, all brandishing weapons, all ready for blood and violence, but what they meet is something far worse then any nightmare they have ever had, worse then an evil being they have created in there mind. Before they can even think Attonnan is in action. It starts like a flash of lightening he starts with his draw, the draw alone seems to cut though a good four or five right away, the pirates freeze in fear having never seen such skill of ferocity breathing slow and calm Attonnan slows his mind, lets his focus and calm drive him. Everything around him seems to slow to a crawl, unleashing his ferocity on them he moves through the army of pirates cutting them down as if they were only dummies, each stroke of his blade is death to them. First he strikes those in front of him, two maybe three, then a quick spin he cuts down those behind, always with the same thought in his mind, once you settle into one spot you try to move as little as possible, never should any move be wasted, not that of your sword arm, and not that of any other part of your body. One should never waist any energy when on the battlefield, that is where great warriors have always fallen, he shall be better then that. Once that group of men falls to his blade he moves on to the next, and the next always the same, he places himself in the middle of then, then cuts them all down around him. The pirates are not ready for him, some are lucky enough to have their blades drawn, and most don’t even get that far. Two of the townsmen that watch over the town hall by the bell tower look over the battle, but what they see can’t be happening. They watch this man, this one in white rip through the army as if it is nothing. But that is not what stuns them it is how he moves, he is in one place killing a group and then in seconds he is somewhere else, but no one can see the movement between places, it as if he rips though their reality, that time and space seems like nothing, he the ghost of death on the battlefield. The battle lasts only minutes and soon Attonnan is standing in the middle of an army of dead bodies. Soaked in blood. Calmly he stands there breathing slowly, he felt nothing for them, and yet even now he can feel the tears running down his cheeks. They were not his friends, he didn’t know them, and they were going to kill this whole village. So why is it he cries for them. This is not the first time, the first time was when he killed a man for his master Fuma, he cried then, and he has cried for every man he has killed since, almost. It was odd, when Aang died, and he saw his body, he couldn’t cry, even when he thinks about it and the pain wells up in his chest, he still cannot cry. So why is it that these scum, those that would harm others get his tears and those that he truly wishes he could cry for get nothing. It takes only a few moments for him to be joined by the captain of the village guard and several of the men that were guarding the town hall.

  “What, what on earth was that? Are you, are you alright” the captain shocked to see the tears.

  “I am fine. Your threat has been dealt with. I am sure that the rest of you can handle the clean up. If you do not mind I would like to get back to Omahsu and report that this has been dealt with. If you’ll excuse me” Attonnan says and bows then lets out a whistle.

  In a few secon
ds his white horse comes right up to him, it too is splattered and sprayed with blood. Attonnan wipes the tears of his face smearing it with blood from the sleeve. He then mounts his horse and kicks it into a run. He wants to go home. He wants his reward for a job well done, the reward Kenshi promised. Attonnan rides his horse hard back to Omahsu. When the guards see him approached they do not hesitate to open the doors, they can tell that he is in a hurry and there is no real point in delaying him, besides he might have an urgent message. Once inside the gates Attonnan slows his horse down and takes a good look at the sky, it isn’t quite evening, he figures he has a good hour before dusk. Right away a young stable hand comes and grabs the rains of the horse and watches as Attonnan quickly look around.

  “Take good care of him. Clean him up, brush him down, a rub down, and some fresh food and water… oh, have you seen Kenshi” Attonnan asks still looking around.

  “I believe he said something about spending the rest of the night in his room” the stable hand says and begins to lead the horse away.

  “Vary well, if any one asks I am unavailable.” Attonnan says with a smile. Good Kenshi is already in his room. Now they can get into the lessons of intimacy, and he can learn what love has to do with the blade. He makes his way to Kenshi’s bedroom and smiles as he reaches the door. Taking a deep breath he reaches to tap on the door, he is shocked to see that his hand is trembling. Shaking his head he taps on the door. There is no reason to be nervous. With that thought his mind flashes back to the times he spent with Fuma, how Fuma took him, made him feel both inferior and loved all at once. No it won’t be like that, Ina talked to him all about it, she told him that if you care about the person then it was completely different. When he snaps back to himself Kenshi has already opened the door and is smiling at him.

  “Your here early, I didn’t expect you for another hour or so. Well a deal is a deal, you have returned to me unharmed, and I shall uphold my end and teach you of love making” Kenshi says with a slight smile.