"Yes," Imari said. The question had struck a nerve. It had taken her a long time to re-learn how to complete her kata one-handed, since the katana almost always required a two-handed grip, but she had done it without complaint. Still, she couldn’t see what it had to do with her request. Someone who had survived similar trauma had to admit two hands were better than one, no matter what she was capable of.
After a long moment, Wen Ling replied, "I will help you, Imari, but in the method of my choosing. I cannot simply give you back what you had before."
Imari's mouth opened, but she couldn't summon the right words. She was completely confused, unsure whether to thank Wen Ling for the offer of help, or to demand a better explanation. At a loss, she fell back on politeness. "I appreciate your willingness to help me, but—"
"A new hand will do you no good," Wen Ling said. "You aren't the same woman you were before you lost yours.”
Imari's heart sank. Wen Ling was reluctant to restore her hand, even though judging by her own repaired limbs, she or the dragons had the capability. Her first instinct was to argue, but before she could blurt out something rude, she thought of her father. What would he do in this situation? The answer came to her quickly. He wouldn't give up. He would stay and convince Wen Ling to change her mind. He would keep pressing, politely, until she saw he was right. I have to do the same.
"Again, I appreciate the offer of help, as well as your hospitality," Imari said. "Would it be alright if my companions and I troubled you for the night? We wouldn't be able to reach a proper campsite before dark."
Wen Ling nodded. "You're welcome to stay as long as you like. In fact, you'll need to, if you want my help."
Despite her frustration, Imari couldn't help being curious. What kind of gift could Wen Ling possibly have in mind that wasn't a new hand? She added it to her rapidly growing list of questions, resolving to ask tomorrow. Kaede's arm rested on Rin's back for extra support, Kenta's eyes were drooping, and even Takeshi seemed less alert than usual. As magnificent as Wen Ling's forge was, all five of them were exhausted. Imari looked for Suanni as well, but unsurprisingly, they had disappeared again.
"Don't trouble yourselves about them," Wen Ling said, seeming to read her mind. "Dragons come and go as they please."
"I suppose if you're that big, you can do anything you want," Kenta said.
Wen Ling laughed. "Right you are, Kenta. Now, please allow me to show you to your rooms. I do have some prepared for adventurers, although they might be a little dusty. Few make it this far. You should be proud." She headed for a stone opening at the back of the forge, but Takeshi called out in protest.
"Wait. Don't you need to quench the fire in the forge?"
"The fire is ever-burning," Wen Ling explained as they passed. "Dragon fire doesn't go out unless the dragon wills it—another gift they have given me."
Imari shielded her face as they passed the bellows, tilting away and using her shoulder to protect herself. The heat was more intense than she had expected, and the flames were brighter, too. They exited the forge quickly, and she sighed as they stepped into a cooler passage beyond. Like the first tunnel, it was lined with glowing rock, but it was much more inviting, more like a hallway that would be found inside a home. A tatami mat covered the floor, and Imari saw a place to remove her sandals. She did so, catching Kaede's eye as she bent down.
"So?" Kaede whispered, "what do you think?"
"I think I'm going to have to practice my diplomatic skills." Imari glanced over at Wen Ling, who was removing her own shoes on the other side of the hallway. "I also want to find out about that strange skin of hers. Even if she doesn't want to give me a new hand—yet—I think she's capable of making one."
"I think you should hear her offer," Rin said, entering the conversation uninvited. "She has already agreed to help you. Plotting to change her mind before she's explained her plan is rude."
Imari narrowed her eyes. "Are you missing a leg, Rin?"
"No, but a wolf can survive with three, and so can you. Wen Ling wasn't wrong about that."
"I have the utmost respect for you, Rin, but in this situation, you don't get to have an opinion about what I should and shouldn't want. Until you've been in my situation, please don't comment." Without giving Rin a chance to reply, she headed further down the hall, to where Kurogane was waiting for them.
"In here," Wen Ling said, pulling back a door set into the stone. "I have two rooms, so some of you will have to share."
"It's way better than sleeping out in the open," Kenta said, with his usual cheer. "This'll be the best night's sleep we've had in weeks."
Imari had to agree. The rooms were simple, but furnished with comfortable looking futons and low tables. No windows, but just like in the forge, there was a small blue hole in the ceiling to let in fresh air. Despite the opening, the space was warm and cozy. In fact, it was warm enough to make her eyes droop. She bowed. "This is kind of you. My friends and I are grateful."
"Please, if you need anything, don't hesitate to ask," Wen Ling said. "I'll see you all tomorrow for breakfast." She began to exit the room, but before she closed the door, she smiled. “I may come off as rough and brash, but that is not my intent. Living with the yokai tends to dull one's memory of etiquette. The dragons don’t see others as above or below themselves, and neither do I. Now, get some rest.” With that, Wen Ling shut the screen, leaving the five of them alone.
"What kind of gift do you think she has in mind, Imari?" Kenta asked. "If she isn't going to give you a new hand, what's she going to make?"
"I'm not giving up on the hand yet," Imari told him, full of determination. "I didn't come this far just to be told no."
To her surprise, Takeshi nodded. "I don't think you should give up, either. The dragons gave Kurogane a whole new right half. I don't see why they can't give you a new hand. If anyone's worthy, it's you."
Imari gave him a look of gratitude. "Thanks, Takeshi. So, do you and Kenta want this room or the next one over?"
"We'll take this one," Takeshi said.
"Because it's closer to the door?" Imari asked, amused.
"Of course. Would you expect anything else from me?"
"We'll head next door," Kaede said with a snort. "Sleep well, boys."
Kenta smirked. "Oh, we will, as long as you two keep it down. Don't tire out your lips, Imari. You'll need them tomo…hey!" He winced as Takeshi cuffed him lightly on the back of the head.
"Stop that," he ordered, before giving Imari a short, polite bow. "Good night. We'll see you and Kaede tomorrow."
Imari winked at Kenta, preparing to make a comment of her own, but she refrained when she caught sight of Kaede's cherry red face. It seemed like she was doing her best to hide it, staring pointedly away from them. "Come on," she murmured, taking Kaede's elbow and leading her into the other room. "Don't mind Kenta. He doesn't mean any harm."
"But how did he figure it out?" Kaede whispered, hurrying past the screen door. Once they were safely inside, she let out a long sigh of relief, followed by a low moan of embarrassment. "He didn't see us kissing, did he? Because we only did it that one time under the waterfall and, you know, the next night before bed. And I guess—"
Imari pressed a finger to Kaede's lips, silencing her before she could work herself into a worse fluster. "I'm sure Kenta is just fishing, but if he did see, I don't care." She hesitated, a little worried. "Wait, do you?"
"No!" Kaede blurted out as soon as Imari removed her finger. "I mean, I thought you would. Since, you know, I'm your yojimbo, and Takeshi had a past with you, and I don't know." Her shoulders slumped in despair. "I told you, I really don't know anything about this. I'm pretty hopeless when it comes to girls."
"Well, I wouldn't say hopeless." Imari curled her fingers around the back of Kaede's neck, toying with the soft strands of hair there before leaning up and in for a kiss. It was soft and reassuring, but with just enough of a spark to light up her belly. "In fact," she continued when they broke apart, "I think
you're a pretty fast learner."
"You're a pretty good teacher," Kaede said. From her smile, Imari could tell she was much more comfortable now that the two of them were alone.
"Well, I'm afraid I can't do much more teaching tonight. I'm much too tired. Although." She glanced over at the two futons, which had been unrolled several meters apart. "Hold on." She let go of Kaede and headed over to one of them, lifting one end and dragging it across the floor until it pressed snug against the other.
Kaede's face flushed bright red again. "Wait, Imari."
"Don't worry," Imari murmured. "That isn't what I'm asking for. But it's kind of cold in here, with the skylight and all. I thought we could keep each other warm."
It was a complete lie, and Kaede had to know it, but to Imari's delight, she didn't point that out. "I guess that would be okay. We'll have our yukata on, right?"
"Right." Imari sat down on the edge of the futon, patting the space next to her and waiting for Kaede to join her. "Look," she said, placing her hand on top of Kaede's thigh, "this can be whatever you'd like it to be, and it can go as fast or as slow as you want."
"Yes, but why me?"
As soon as the question came out, Imari could tell Kaede had been holding it back for some time—days at least, possibly even weeks. She thought for a moment about her answer. Her first instinct was to compliment Kaede's appearance, but she had a feeling that wasn't the kind of response Kaede was looking for. She wanted something more, and Imari had to admit that when she thought of her reasons, they came one after the other, so fast she could barely keep up.
"I enjoy your company. You're funny and kind, smart and skilled with a sword. You listen to me, and you've never once thought less of me because I'm missing my hand. On top of all that, you're beautiful. I'm not about to let someone like that get away."
She knew she'd answered well when a broad grin spread across Kaede's face. "You really see all that when you look at me?"
"Yes," Imari said. "Do you see those things when you look at me?"
Kaede nodded. "All of them. So.…" Her voice trailed off, as though she wasn't sure what else to say.
"So, we probably shouldn't sleep in our kimonos," Imari said. "Get undressed. I promise not to peek unless you want me to."
Kaede blushed and rose from the futon, turning to face a corner of the room. Imari did the same, and just as she had promised, she resisted the temptation to steal a glance over her shoulder for several minutes until Kaede said, "Done."
When she turned, Imari’s breath left her once again. Kaede's yukata was snug enough to show the outline of her body, and with her hair down instead of pulled back into a messy topknot, she seemed softer and prettier than usual. Imari liked Kaede's rugged, samurai-warrior look, especially the scar under her eye, but this was a pleasant surprise too. It reminded her of the night back in Yin, when the two of them had shared a room at the inn. But things were different now—more open and serious.
To her delight, Kaede stared at her with similar appreciation. Her dark eyes were wide, as if they couldn't drink in enough, and Imari caught Kaede's tongue peeking out to run over her lower lip. Then Kaede seemed to catch herself, and she snapped out of the intense gaze. "Bed?"
"Bed," Imari agreed.
The two of them settled down together, lying on their sides and facing each other at first. Without speaking, they came together for another kiss. It wasn't deep, but it lasted a long time, and they breathed each other in for several seconds after it ended. "Front or back?" Imari asked.
"Can I take front? I mean, I'd rather…"
Imari resisted the temptation to laugh. In truth, she wouldn't have minded, but she knew Kaede would. "Don't worry, I'll hold you. Turn around."
Kaede did so, and Imari snuggled up against her from behind, draping an arm around her waist and pressing a kiss to the back of her shoulder. "Good night."
"Good night."
That night, with Kaede in her arms, Imari fell asleep faster than she had in months.
Chapter Seventeen
THE NEXT DAY, IMARI woke before the sun. Kaede snored peacefully beside her, and the hint of sky she could see through the hole in the ceiling was still a deep shade of blue. She considered remaining in bed, pressed against Kaede's back and listening to her friend's peaceful breaths until she fell back asleep, but a restless energy got the better of her. She found herself curious about everything that had happened the night before—too curious to simply sleep the morning away.
She removed her arm from Kaede's waist and left their joined futons as slowly as she could, careful not to make a sound. Kaede stirred for a moment, but her eyes didn't open. She turned around, grasping the patch of blanket Imari had been using and bringing it to her face. Imari smiled. It was sweet, watching Kaede search for her scent and her warmth, and she couldn't resist bending over to kiss the top of her head. Kaede was obviously exhausted, because her face didn't even twitch.
Once she was certain Kaede wouldn't wake, Imari rummaged in her bag for one of her cleanest kimonos, a green one with white stitching. The grey haori with the mon of Homura on either side of her chest matched the black hakama. She wanted to look somewhat presentable when she went to speak to Wen Ling. With the morning came fresh hope. She had learned something important yesterday: what she wanted could be done, if not by Wen Ling, then by the dragons themselves. It wasn't that Wen Ling didn't have the ability. She didn't see the need.
Well, I'll make her see, Imari thought as she finished dressing. I'll ask as many times as I need to.
She retrieved her swords and left the room, sliding the screen door open slowly and quietly. Takeshi and Kenta were still asleep too, sprawled beneath their blankets, and she crept past them without much difficulty. Rin cracked open one blue eye as she passed, and her tail swished from side to side. Imari lifted a finger to her lips in a gesture for silence. Luckily, Rin remained resting on her paws, and the bright eye closed again.
After she entered the hall, Imari slipped into her sandals and headed for Wen Ling's forge. Dry heat swelled around her, carrying with it the smoky smell of charcoal. As she drew closer, she began to hear the sound of hammering as well. It wasn't particularly loud at first, but nearer to the door, it sounded almost musical, like the chime of bells. She tilted her head to listen. Wen Ling was obviously hard at work on something, even this early in the morning.
Imari listened for a while, waiting rather impatiently, but there was no pause. Eventually, she decided to go in anyway. She entered in time to hear the hiss of steam and watch a billowing cloud surround the area behind the forge itself, where the fire blazed a darker shade of red—much hotter than the day before. She walked around the forge to find the smith standing in the slowly dissipating steam. Behind the forge a wide stone basin filled with water boiled around a pair of tongs. As Imari drew closer, she saw a glowing piece of metal pinched between the tongs, though she couldn't make out the details through all the steam.
"Good morning," Wen Ling said, looking up and taking notice of her. "You have good timing. I just finished folding this billet."
Imari leaned in for a better look at the slab of golden-hot steel rapidly getting darker and covered with black flakes. "What will it become once it’s done?” she asked, curiosity getting the better of her. She had come with a clear goal of asking Wen Ling to fulfill her request once more, but she also found the blacksmith’s craft quite fascinating.
Wen Ling withdrew the unfinished sword, setting it carefully atop of the anvil to cool. “I don’t know. It hasn’t told me yet. I’ll have to grind it for a few days, then fold it again, and cool it in water. And repeat the process after that. Perhaps it will become clearer then.”
Wen Ling shifted the billet until it was perfectly aligned in the middle of the anvil. Then, she started toward the other end of the forge, waving for Imari to follow. On her way, she removed her apron and gloves, setting them on separate hooks on the wall. Then she turned to Imari and regarded her with gleaming eyes.
>
“I have thought about your situation, Imari,” she said slowly. “Would you let me look at your sword?”
Even though the sudden request confused her, Imari withdrew her katana and handed it over. Wen Ling took the weapon carefully, cradling the handle in her palm and letting the back of the blade rest on the other. She looked it over with care, the gleaming fingers of her right hand sliding over the blade. “It’s a shame that this blade is such a bad fit for you. The katana is a two-handed weapon.”
Imari stiffened. “I can use a katana fine,” she said, gesturing to the saya at her hip.
“You misunderstand me, Imari. The determination and effort you must’ve put into relearning to use a katana only proves your character. However, there are better options for you. I was going to speak to you about it today, in fact.”
That got Imari’s attention. “What do you mean, better options?”
“The katana is one of the finest blades in existence.” Wen Ling turned Imari’s sword in her hands, admiring its curve. “But it isn’t the only kind of sword there is. The Westlands have their own swordmaking traditions, and there is a particular kind of weapon I think would suit you far better.”
“Really?” Imari’s annoyance turned at once to breathless anticipation. It wasn't the new hand she wanted, but she had to admit that the prospect of a new sword excited her. Kaede had Mizu-no-Hamon, but she didn't have a named blade of her own. Her katana was serviceable, but surely something made by Kurogane would be worthy of a title. “That’s incredibly generous, especially since you only met me yesterday. What do I need to offer you in return? Surely something that valuable—”
Wen Ling waved her off. "I need nothing in return. Outfitting worthy warriors with the swords that compliment them best is what any blacksmith wishes for. It’ll bring me great pleasure to know I have helped you find your perfect match.” She handed the katana back to Imari and waited until it was sheathed. “Please, come with me.” She turned and pulled on the handle of what Imari realized was a door—a metal door so perfectly blended in with the surrounding walls it had was invisible.
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