everyone that she is unarmed, she continued to step back, before turning her back to them and walking towards the castle.
«Stop!» Kara heard Lord Ryuu’s voice and froze.
Feeling threatened and very vulnerable, she turned to the shogun.
«You have fought well! And you deserve a worthy name! I name you Nakano! Thank you for helping us protect our home!» Lord Ryuu said loudly.
Feeling a little shaken, Kara collected herself and slowly bowed to Lord Ryuu. The samurai all around raised their weapons and shouted her new name.
«Nakano! NAKANO!»
Kara nodded, acknowledging this honour, but knew, that she needed to sit down and rest a little – the battle was really tiring for her.
She turned her back on the warriors, leaving them to take care of the wounded and dead, and walked off to the castle. She didn’t see, but rather felt that Inei followed her – silent as always.
Half way to the cellar she now called her home Kara suddenly felt a wave of dizziness wash over her and tripped. Fortunately, she was walking next to the wall and managed to catch herself upright, by grasping at it. But even though she stayed on her feet for a second, her legs bent under her weight and she fell to the floor, realising that something was terribly wrong.
She saw Inei by her side, frantically checking her body for injuries, and felt something warm flowing down her side.
Kara couldn’t hear anymore – her ears were ringing, but she thought that it was because of the adrenaline rush she had experienced during the battle. Now she knew – it was because one of the creatures actually got to her. She slowly realised that one of the claws reached her and cut through the back and side, leaving her wounded, while she was ignoring this injury during the fight.
As she slipped into the warm embrace of the dark, she thought that it might be for the better.
* * *
Kara woke up to a scent of some herbs and a feeling of overwhelming pain clutching her body. She lay in a fine bed – on the floor in a big room. There was a small table next to her bed and someone was sitting in the corner. Through the mist in her eyes, she tried to get up, but the person jumped up and ran up to her, gently forcing her down.
It was hard to concentrate her eyes, but when her sight became clearer, she saw that it was Inei. Her own shadow was watching over her.
«Hello, Inei.» Kara whispered, not expecting him to answer.
Instead, she heard him sigh with ease.
She stopped trying to get up – she felt too weak to do that anyways, and the man reached to a small cup on the table. Very gently he raised her head a little and offered her the drink. She didn’t refuse – her mouth felt dry and harsh, as if she hadn’t drank anything for days.
«Thank you.» Kara whispered to the shinobi.
She felt him press on her chest a little.
«You’re right. I’ll stay in bed.» She smiled, feeling sleep creeping over her.
For the next few days she was staying in bed all the time – in and out of sleep. Inei was always there by her side, tending to her how he could – gentle and careful. He helped her drink and fed her soup, while she was too weak to hold a bowl.
But, bit by bit, she recovered, and by day five she forced herself to her feet – not without Inei’s help.
The wound still hurt and it was very painful to walk, but Inei helped her to walk to the doors of the room and opened them. Behind them Kara saw a beautiful private garden – a very small one, but just enough to have some time to herself while having some fresh air.
Inei aided her down onto the tiny patio, and as she sat down, she leaned against one of the poles that held up the roof.
«Can I ask you to bring me some tea?» Kara sighed, feeling the chilly morning air entering her lungs.
Inei nodded and walked off. A few moments later he returned with a tea set on a beautiful lacquered tray that could be used as a tiny table.
«I don’t suppose you will join me for a cup?» Kara smirked, already knowing the answer.
Inei shook his head, confirming her guess. He set down the tray and began preparing her a cup of tea.
«Well… Maybe, some day we will be able to actually have a conversation.» Kara smiled. «And share a drink or two.»
She heard a very quiet chuckle and noticed how the man shrugged his shoulders.
He handed her the tea and for a few minutes Kara stayed with the warm cup in her hands – just to feel it warming her body a little bit. She knew that she must have lost quite a lot of blood to feel so weak and cold. And she was grateful for someone so attentive like Inei taking care of her.
Kara sipped her tea, carefully examining her capability to move. Since the wound was located on the left side, she needed to know how fast she could get back to her usual self. So while drinking tea she slowly raised her left arm and lowered it, moved it around just a few times, feeling the wound stretch and burn with pain each time. Inei watched, but didn’t force her to stop. Perhaps, he knew it was for the best to keep the blood flowing and the muscles return to their usual form.
Little by little Kara used every day to sit in the tiny garden and work on her movement. With each day she felt more and more confident, and a bit stronger than the day before. Very soon, right after the healer examined her wound and found it healing quickly, she asked Inei to take a walk in the castle gardens again. The man thought for a few moments before nodding.
When they returned to Kara’s quarters, Ayame was waiting for them with a smile on her face.
«Nakano, Lord Ryuu invites you to join him and his war council for dinner tonight.» The woman said. «If you feel well enough to attend.»
«Tell Lord Ryuu I will be honoured to come.» Kara bowed slightly – her wound still hurt too badly when she tried bowing fully.
When the evening crept up, Kara was ready to come to Lord Ryuu’s dinner. Ayame helped her to get dressed in a new haorihakama. This one had plain black hakama and silk bloody red haori with dark red stripes that imitated a tiger’s. Kara loved the design, and felt good wearing it.
As they entered the dining hall, Kara saw a long dark table with fourteen people behind it. It was a mixed company – men and women, all dressed in fine silk haorihakama and with swords lying beside them.
Kara followed Ayame’s lead and bowed – as best as she could, even though pain was still quite strong in her healing side. But she tried her best not to show it to the others.
Ayame stepped forward and took her place on Lord Ryuu’s left hand side. To his right sat a handsome man – very tall, with wavy dark hair and blue eyes. Next to this man was an empty place, and Lord Ryuu gestured Kara to take it.
Feeling very strange and knowing that such places were usually kept for either guests of honour or
