Lottie spent the rest of the day with her father. They shared a small meal and talked more, again recounting everything that had happened during the last twenty years.
"When I saw you last time, you were a little girl of seven." He stroked her face with tenderness. "Now you are a grown woman, and samurai at that. I can't even tell you how proud you make me for achieving so much by your own merits."
"I remembered the things you taught me." She was embarrassed by his praise. "I wanted to be just like you - brave and independent. Not bound by the convention or birth rights..." A sudden thought struck her. "But you must have taught Hikaru the same virtues. It explains why he is so different from other men!"
"You honour me, My Lady." He bowed to her, but smiled happily at the same time. "But it is getting late. You should get back." He rose with the agility of a younger man. If it wasn't for his disability he would have been in very good shape for his age.
They walked together towards Tori, where Lottie found her entourage waiting. "Kazuki," She exclaimed with worry. "You should not be here! You are still not well."
"My Lady." He bowed with dignity, and she realised that something had changed about him. He held himself differently.
"Kazuki-San had been seriously wounded, protecting me during the recent ambush." She explained to her father.
"I am well enough to ride, My Lady. You honour me with your concern."
"People seem to love you." Her father said quietly in Norwegian. "I can hear it in his voice."
She left it without comment, happy that she could still understand his native language. "May I come again tomorrow?" She looked at him with tenderness.
"Of course, my child. We have a lot to discuss." He embraced her.
Kazuki stepped forward to help her mount and they left the temple grounds.
Lottie was silent on the way and nobody dared to interrupt her thoughts.
After their return to the residence she forced Kazuki to retire to his room and rest. He obeyed with a smile. Then she returned to her own quarters to leave the swords. Straight from there she went to the bath house. Sumiko brought her a clean kimono and helped her to dress. She immediately noticed a profound change in her Lady. Lottie seemed to be more excited, but more composed and calmed at the same time.
"Sumiko, please send some food for Kazuki-San. And have something brought for me as well. I feel quite hungry."
"Hai, My Lady. Shall I order tea as well?"
"Yes, thank you."
Food was waiting when she returned to her room. She ate, without even noticing what it was, because she knew she needed to regain her strength. On the way from the temple she had decided to become samurai as soon as possible; not only in name, but in skill as well. She would train and learn to fight with swords. She would never again let anybody attack her and force her to retreat!
After the meal she sent Sumiko to ask if she could speak to Lord Takeda. The girl returned soon with a message that the Lord would see her whenever she was ready. She rose immediately and was taken to his rooms in the opposite wing of the residence.
'I really need to learn finding my own way around here!' She thought, not for the first time.
"My Lord." She bowed after entering.
"My Lady," He bowed politely back. "Please, come in. What can I do for you?"
"My Lord... Hikaru," She said quietly, when they were alone again. "Thank you for bringing me to him."
"Would you believe that until that moment I had no idea who he was?" He smiled, moving closer to her.
"It seems that my life is in some mysterious way connected to yours from the very beginning." She mused. "I grew up not far from here, you saved my father, and then we met so far from your home and met again back here."
"I believe I said something to that effect a long time ago." He smiled again, happy to see her recovered.
"Hai..." She hesitated briefly. "My Lord, I come here to ask for a favour." She bowed humbly.
He stiffened. So that was it. She was going to ask for his permission to leave with her father. And he would be forced to agree. Never to see her again...
She took his silence for an encouragement to continue. "My Lord, I wish to commence my training as soon as possible."
"What?!" That was so far from his expectations that he didn't understand what she had meant.
"My training." She repeated. "With the swords." She heard a long intake of breath from him. Has he changed his mind? Her heart sank. Was he planning to make her samurai only in name?
"Of course." He assured quickly, seeing her face fall. "But perhaps you should fully recover first?"
"I can start slowly, but I wish to learn as soon as possible. Will Nabutada-San be still willing to teach me?"
"What has brought such urgency?" He looked at her with curiosity.
"My Lord, I don't want to feel vulnerable ever again! I don't want others to risk their lives for me. I want to be... formidable. I want to be able to effectively protect myself and your family."
He smiled, relieved. She wanted to stay. "My Lady, you are the most formidable woman I know. There is no doubt about it. I believe that with your discipline and practice you will become a very skilled samurai."
"Thank you, My Lord." She inclined her head. "And thank you for all you did earlier." She added quietly. "Allowing me the time to grieve and again today, pulling me out of this pain."
"Lottie, I couldn't allow you to sink into the sadness." He took her hand. "With my own eyes I have seen what so much despair could do to a person. We both shed tears for our unborn child, but... it wasn't its time."
"Hai." She acquiesced.
They sat silent for a few moments, each deep in their own thoughts.
Eventually, he spoke. "There is another matter to discuss. As a ranking samurai from my household you will need your own guards. SaitÅ will not give up and it might be dangerous when we go to KyÅto. Would you consider Kazuki as your chief bodyguard?"
"But isn't he your samurai?"
"No. Kazuki is a Ronin." He explained. But didn't go into any detail; not sure if she was aware of the truth.
"I know. He told me the whole story." It was her turn to surprise him with almost reading his thoughts.
"I employed him for non-combat missions," He continued. "Mainly as a spy, for which he has a special talent. But he has definitely proven his worth. He will protect you with the loyalty and fierceness of a true friend."
"Wouldn't he prefer to serve you?"
"Perhaps, but his Ronin status prevents that. You are not Japanese and nothing precludes you from accepting his oath. I have talked to him already. He would be honoured."
"I like him." She mused. "And I know I can trust him. I will also be honoured." She smiled, recalling their meeting and the first conversation. Hikaru just sealed it with a nod. "But, as my samurai, will he get an income from me?" She asked, as a new thought occurred to her.
"Do not worry about that. I will appoint a trustworthy clerk to administer your income."
"No," She shook her head. "I don't mean that. He and Sumiko, my maid, like each other. Now he will be able to take a wife!" She was very excited.
She looked at that moment like a different person. Hikaru was delighted by her transformation; for her, but also for his own sake.
"Yes, I believe his new status will allow him to take a wife and support her. Since when you have become a matchmaker?" His eyes danced.
"He was willing to sacrifice his life to save mine. I want to repay him somehow."
"But you feel that any gratitude for that same deed, directed at you, is just an undue indulgence on my part?" He looked at her with an admiration and love.
She blushed, embarrassed. "I have only done what anybody in my position would."
"That's what I mean! You expect so much from yourself, but treat everything people do for you as a great favour. Oh, I'm not criticising." He assured. "It is an extremely rare quality. And that's the reason why you win people's hearts and souls." She blushed even more. "You are so beautiful." He couldn't suppress his admiration. "Will you stay with me tonight? I just want to be with you. I have missed you so much."
"I've missed you too, Hikaru." She whispered softly, allowing him to embrace her. With him she always felt peace...