With growing excitement, Imari followed Wen Ling through the archway and into a smaller side room. Shafts of golden sunlight poured in from above, and the whole chamber seemed to glitter as she stepped inside. Imari gasped. Stands filled the room, each one housing a weapon. Closest to her was a selection of breathtaking daishō placed upon wooden koshirae. To her left stood a row of spears. To her right, swords she didn't even recognize. No two looked alike, and Imari's eyes darted everywhere at once, trying to take them all in.
"How could you have made so many?" she asked, her awed whisper echoing throughout the chamber.
"I had a lot of time. A good blacksmith in your home country can make a katana in six months, with their team’s help. I make one weapon every few years. This room houses almost every weapon I have made in three centuries. " Wen Ling headed to the right side of the room, toward one of the rows Imari didn't recognize. "This is what I wanted to show you."
Wen Ling approached the display and removed a sheathed sword from the nearest stand. She withdrew the blade from its bronze-ringed, wooden scabbard, examining every angle. The sword gleamed, but once Wen Ling removed the oil with the cloth that hung at her side, the steel surface shone brighter still.
Imari approached reverently. The sword was like none she had ever seen before outside of her books. Instead of a single curved edge, it was perfectly straight, sharpened on both sides. The end tapered to a slightly rounded point, and the blade itself seemed thinner and more flexible than what she was used to. Its hilt was more pronounced than that of her katana and shaped differently as well. A spiral of bronze wound up around the grip, ending with the head of a small, intricately carved bronze dragon. Its eyes were sapphires, and each diamond-shaped scale had been scratched into the metal.
“It’s amazing,” Imari murmured, unable to tear her eyes away.
"It's called a jian," Wen Ling explained. "As impressive as it is that you have learned to fight with a katana using only one hand, it isn't ideal. This sword will suit your style much better. You'll need to stay and train with me for some time to master it, but I have a feeling you'll be a quick learner. It's flexible enough to break past an opponent's guard and agile enough to take advantage of any opening—all with just one arm."
Imari’s excitement grew. The longer she looked at the sword, the more enchanted she became. "Thank you," she said, bowing deeply. "It's absolutely beautiful." She rose after several long moments, and then it was to stare at the sword's surface. It twinkled like starlight, but it had the fierce bite of steel. “May I take it now?”
“Take it?” Wen Ling looked up from the blade, her eyes dancing with the same light. The reflection seemed almost mischievous in her dark irises. “It’s not yours. I was simply showing one of my jian to you.”
“But…but you’ve said…”
“Again, you misunderstand me. There is an old warrior saying, I’m certain the samurai in your country know it well: the sword always chooses its master, and it only serves one. If I gift you one of my blades, don’t you think I ought to make sure it’s the right one? For both of you?”
“I’ve never thought of it that way,” Imari admitted. She had heard the saying, but she’d never thought of it so literally.
Wen Ling sheathed the jian, placing it back on its stand. With a few steps, she circled behind Imari. “Relax,” she said, placing a calming hand on each of Imari’s shoulders, “and close your eyes. Breathe slowly, like you’re preparing to meditate. Feel the warmth of the air, smell the oil and metal. Reach out with your ki and say hello.”
Imari obeyed without question. This ritual would’ve seemed silly to her a few months ago, but since then, she had flown on a dragon. She had crossed the Jade Sea. She had seen Kaede fly through the air like an arrow. She had met the legendary Kurogane and was about to be gifted a magical blade. After all that, making friends with a sword didn’t seem like such a crazy proposition.
Once her breathing steadied, she began to feel a pull, like the flow of a river or the pressure of the wind. It was an odd feeling, but she let it guide her until a distant voice tugged at her ears.
“Imari, open your eyes.”
With a start, Imari snapped back to the present. She stood a few paces away from where she had been before, right in front of a new stand. The blade held was like the first one she’d seen—long and straight, with the same wide guard and dragon-headed pommel. However, its scabbard was green, as were the dragon-scales on its handle.
Imari glanced back at Wen Ling, who gave her a nod. “Go ahead. Take it.”
She exhaled slowly, closing her palm around the handle. The blade slid smoothly from its scabbard, and she tilted it into the light, marveling at the perfect balance. While she lost herself in its sheen, Wen Ling appeared at her side with the same cloth in hand. She swiped it along the blade, wiping it clean of oil, and as she did, Imari noticed an inscription close to the hilt. It was in an old variant of Tsun’i script, which she couldn’t read, but the characters were beautifully carved.
“What does the inscription mean?”
“Never give up without a fight. Fitting, isn’t it?” Wen Ling told her. “I think both of you chose well.”
Finally looking away from the sword, Imari bowed deeply. “Thank you. Does it have a name?"
"Not yet," Wen Ling said. "It's certainly deserving of one, but swords generally tell you their own names in time. You'll have to train with it before it comes to you."
"And you can train me?" Imari asked eagerly.
Wen Ling nodded. "I've mastered many different sword techniques, but the jian is one of my specialties. Perhaps it's immodest of me to say, but you won't find a better teacher."
Imari bowed again, even lower than before. "Then I'm at your disposal, Sensei. And please, if you want anything of me in return for the sword and the lessons, ask."
"I ask nothing of you, Imari. Every smith wants their swords to find good homes. I have a feeling this blade will be happy with you."
"You speak about the sword like it's alive," Imari said. As she looked at the way the blade twinkled and glittered, she couldn't help wondering if it was.
Wen Ling laughed. "I do, don't I? But first, one more finishing touch." She headed over to a table on the other side of the room, digging in a small set of drawers Imari hadn't noticed before. She had been so focused on the weapons that she hadn't looked at any of the furniture.
She didn't have long to gawk. A moment later, Wen Ling returned with some brightly colored cord in her hand. It ended in a tassel, and Imari was further impressed when she noticed the colors: white, bronze, and crimson. "How did you know the colors of my mon?" she asked, shaking her head.
"A little dragon told me," Wen Ling joked, "but the tassel isn't only for decoration. Once it's tied to the hilt of your sword, you can sweep it at your opponent's eyes as a distraction."
Imari grinned. "This style of fighting is sounding more and more fun."
"So it is," Wen Ling said. She offered the tassel and the blade, waiting for Imari to take them. "You tie it on."
Carefully, Imari took the sword. The hilt practically melted into her hand, and as she gave a testing stroke, the air seemed to split against the edge of the blade. Already, it felt like an extension of her arm, and she didn't want to put it down again. However, Wen Ling held out the tassel. The strands were rougher than she expected, and she imagined they would hurt lashing across someone's face at a fast speed.
It was a struggle to attach the tassel to the hilt one-handed, and it was with a great deal of fumbling and some embarrassment that she managed the task. "I hate to trouble you after this lovely gift," she said, tugging on the end of the tassel with her teeth to tighten the sloppy knot she had made around the bronze dragon’s neck, "and I hate to seem ungrateful, but this would be a lot easier if I had two hands."
Wen Ling snorted. "That was subtle. I stand by what I said before. This blade will serve you well. You'll fight better, and you will have a trophy to show back h
ome to prove you came all this way. I see no reason to give you a hand as well."
"A sword won't help me tie knots," Imari pointed out. "Or turn the pages of a book, or hold chopsticks—"
"You wouldn't hold chopsticks with your left hand anyway."
"That isn't fair." Imari knew she was bordering on rudeness, but she didn't care. She could practically feel her chance slipping away. "I don't understand why you won't help me. The dragons gave you a whole new right half—"
"Because I needed it," Wen Ling said. "Without their magic, I would have died. You are nowhere close to dying. You don't need a new hand. What you need is confidence."
Imari's jaw hardened with anger. "Excuse me, but I have plenty of that already. You said yourself the journey here was difficult."
"And yet, even though you've made it all the way here and been given a beautiful sword, you're still afraid to go back home,” Wen Ling said. She watched Imari with interest, although not impatience, her expression thoughtful. “Why? Do you really think the people back in your city will think less of you if you return without a magic hand?"
"No, but I'll think less of myself. I promised myself when I set out that I wouldn't go back without one." She sighed. Arguing with Wen Ling was getting her nowhere—at least, not yet, and a frown formed on the smith's face. "I apologize for my rudeness. You've been incredibly kind to me, and the sword is one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen. It's just that—"
"I know," Wen Ling interrupted. "There are times when I would give up my new body parts to be myself again. But sometimes, we're forced to change, whether we like it or not. It's how we deal with those changes that matters, not the scars they leave on us."
For a while, Imari was silent, considering Wen Ling's words. Sometimes, she thought the smith understood her pain and frustration perfectly. The next moment, she was certain Wen Ling didn't realize how difficult living life without a hand truly was. "I'm not going to stop asking, you know," Imari said at last. "If you don't want to train me because of that, I understand."
"I'll still train you," Wen Ling said. "I wouldn't expect someone as stubborn as you to stop asking—and before you ask, I mean stubborn in a good way."
Imari nodded. "Thank you. And I meant what I said before. If you want me to do anything while I'm here as payment, ask."
"Perhaps we can see about having you and your friends sweep the forge," Wen Ling said. "I do let it get a bit dirty in here sometimes."
Imari glanced around. To her, the forge seemed surprisingly clean, but she bowed nevertheless. "You only have to ask."
"Then we have a deal," Wen Ling said. "Now, come with me. You can help me prepare breakfast for your companions. After we're finished eating, I'll show you some of the new kata you'll need to learn. The jian is quite different than a katana. It will take some adjustment."
"I'm up to the challenge," Imari said at once.
Wen Ling gave her an approving look. "I have no doubt about that."
***
Kaede woke to an empty bed. The sun had risen, and Imari was nowhere to be seen. Disappointed, Kaede sat up, rubbing her eyes. She wasn't sure where Imari had gone, but she wanted to find out. Over the past few months, she had grown used to seeking out other people's company instead of keeping to herself. Besides, her stomach was rumbling. She needed something to eat—preferably something more palatable than the dry rations in her pack.
She rolled her shoulders, pleasantly surprised by how loose they felt. Spending the night in an actual bed had done her a world of good. She felt relaxed and rested, and could summon the energy to stand up quicker than she had during their mornings of travel. She washed the worst of the previous day's dirt away with the bowl of water that had been provided then dressed quickly, finishing by sliding her katana into her obi. Once she was finished, she headed over to the screen that separated her room from Kenta's and Takeshi's.
"Kenta? Takeshi? Are you awake in there?"
A moment later, the screen door folded back, revealing Kenta's grinning face. It was dripping with water, as did the strands of hair framing his cheeks. "Good morning, sleepyhead. You took your time getting up. Where's Imari?" He peered over her shoulder, and Kaede saw the moment he noticed the two futons pushed together. His eyebrows crawled all the way up his forehead, and he gave her a toothy grin.
"She's not with you?" She pushed past him to check their room. "I suppose she left without us."
"Of course she did," Takeshi muttered. He seemed annoyed, but not overly worried. Obviously, he didn't think Wen Ling meant Imari any harm. "One of these days, she'll wise up and start telling people where she's going. That's what I keep telling myself."
"You'll be waiting a long time, but if telling yourself lies is what keeps you sane, go ahead." She caught sight of Rin curled up in the corner. "I suppose you know where she's gotten off to this time?"
"She didn't say," Rin answered, "but I assume she went to see Wen Ling. They were supposed to meet this morning."
"Then we'd better go find her." Kaede wasn't sure she could handle Kenta's ribbing without Imari to help fend him off, good-natured as it was.
"And food," Kenta added. "I'm starving."
"You're always starving," Takeshi said.
The four of them headed out into the hallway together, with the three humans pausing to put their sandals back on before heading back the way they had come. Heat came from the forge, but to their surprise, they found it empty. There was, however, another door in a far corner other than the one they had entered through the night before. Kaede headed in that direction.
Kenta hovered by Kaede's side, looking as if he wanted to say something, but before he started his teasing, Takeshi redirected the conversation. "You know, I can't wait to eat something other than biscuits," he said, musing aloud. "Something hot and fresh-cooked. Maybe some eggs. Even those plums we left back home are starting to sound good."
"I think I smell food," Rin added, trotting past the door and into another hallway lined with lanterns. Its walls were smoother and more polished than some of the others, with more wood and less natural rock.
To Kaede's relief, Kenta seemed to forget all about poking fun at her. He sped up his pace, following both Rin and his nose until he was a short distance ahead of them. Once he was gone, Kaede's nervousness returned. She hadn't considered that without Kenta to act as a buffer, Takeshi might try to speak to her privately about the futons as well.
"Look," she whispered nervously, "about the beds. We didn't—I mean, I'm not trying to cause trouble."
"You aren't," Takeshi said. "I'm not upset with you, if that's what you think. Imari can do what she likes and spend time with whomever she wants." He gave a slight sigh. "Ancestors know she's told me that often enough. Just be careful with her. She thinks she can take on the world."
"For someone so smart, she can be stupid," Kaede said with a laugh. She was happy Takeshi didn't seem to disapprove of her blossoming relationship with Imari and grateful they were on the same page. "Don't worry. I still take my commitment as her yojimbo seriously. I won't let anything happen to her."
"It's not just her safety I'm worried about," Takeshi said with a frown. "Imari doesn't enter into relationships lightly. If you're only in this for a bit of fun or because you're bored—"
Kaede's eyes widened and she shook her head. "No," she interrupted, as loudly as she dared. "I don't take relationships lightly, either. At least, I don't think I do. I've never been in one before."
Takeshi seemed pleased with her answer. "Then I'll stay out of it. Despite my nagging, I do want her to be happy, even if it's not with me."
"That's honorable of you," Kaede said, with a newfound sense of respect. She and Takeshi were getting on better recently, but this was a new step in their relationship. Perhaps he had learned something from his failed engagement to Imari after all.
"Not really," Takeshi said. "If I didn't think you'd be good for her, I'd interfere." He gave her a sidelong look. "Don't tell Imari I sai
d that."
Kaede made a motion of sealing her lips. Soon after, they arrived at the end of the hall to a room that glowed with extra light and the heavenly smell of food. The screen was already open, revealing a kitchen and a table, at which Kenta, Imari, and Wen Ling were already seated. Rin had curled up happily by Imari's feet, her tail thumping on the floor as she gnawed at a piece of raw meat. She looked up from her chewing and slobbering long enough to give them a bark of greeting, and then returned to gulping it down.
"Nice of you to wait for us," Kaede drawled, taking the seat next to Imari.
Imari ignored the quip. Her face glowed like the sun, and she was practically bouncing with excitement. "Kaede, Wen Ling gave me a sword!" She gestured proudly to a scabbard sitting on the edge of the table near her elbow.
"A sword?" Kaede repeated, sidling in closer. "What about your hand?"
"I'm still working on that," Imari said as Wen Ling gave a short sigh. "But back to the sword.” She removed it from its sheath, and Kaede sucked in a breath. The blade was stunning perfectly straight with two sharpened edges, and seemed to glow with its own inner light.
“Is that…?”
“A dragon!” Imari said. “Isn’t it beautiful? It's a jian, a one-handed Tsun'i blade. I'll need to stay here a while to train with it. Is that all right with you?" She looked at Takeshi and Kenta too, waiting for their opinions.
"Stay here? Away from my cousin?" Kaede said. "Sounds good to me." Although she was too polite to add it, she was also looking forward to the prospect of sharing a room with Imari for the next few weeks. There would probably be a few awkward moments, but it would be worth it to fall asleep in Imari's arms, and perhaps to steal a few more kisses. Remembering herself, she bowed to Wen Ling. "Thank you for allowing us to stay. If there's anything we can do—"
"Imari has already offered," Wen Ling said. "If you want to help me keep up with the place, I'd appreciate it. Perhaps I can even show you and your friends a trick or two while I'm training her."
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