Disclaimers: These fabulous characters do not belong to me. They belong to Hayao Miyazaki, Studio Ghibli, and Miramax films. Anyone I left out, sorry! The only characters that belong to me, are any created characters that may pop up in the story, but there won't be many of them.

And now for a few notes. I know the story takes place in midieval Japan, but I'm not the best with names and things like that. So any liberties I take with locations, beliefs and names, they are not meant to reflect on that aspect, because I know very little about midieval Japan.

Also, I have given Moro's pups names, because I could not find any. If anyone knows their actual names please email me them, and I'll. . . I'll make you some free fanart. BUT ONLY IF THEY'RE REAL NAMES OF THE WOLVES!

Any lines in italics are the words of the animals, most commonly, the wolves.

With that out of the way, I hope you enjoy my story.

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Chapter 3: Conspiracies

by Ritsuko

Her arm hurt. Or, to put it more correctly, her right shoulder hurt, considering her arm had been bitten off by a wolf goddess. Lady Eboshi smiled bitterly, and rubbed at it with her left hand, as she surveyed the night happenings of Iron Town. With her new bellows having been built, its extra light cast off a warm, orange glow to the rest of the town, but not any of the surrounding area.

She shook her head, remembering the glory of her old bellows, which had dwarfed this newer version. But she was keeping an oath with Ashitaka. Any mention of building anything new, even an extra shed had to be cleared with him. At first, she had thought the deal would work for the benefit of her townspeople, and the damn gods. But when she had said she had wanted to make a better town, she had also hoped on expanding. Improving. Becoming an undeniable force in the world.

With all that happened with the forest god, it seemed no one wanted anything to do with Iron Town. Things were still sold, at reasonable prices, but it was more of a struggle nowadays. Not as much of a demand. . . especially from a place that had so much trouble with the gods.

Then there was that Ashitaka. . . the boy had started to grow into a fine young man. . . who knew what he was doing. He balanced out control as evenly as he could between the forest and civilization. She couldn't help but feel jealous that he was helping her mainly as a babysitter, and San with real intent.

But then, his true loyalty held in neutrality.

A leper slowly came to her side, a glass of wine outstretched on a tray for her. "Lady Eboshi, does it hurt?" He asked, a worried tone more than apparent in his voice.

All at once, she left her thoughts behind, and smiled. "Not as much as your affliction probably hurts you, Samon." She gratefully accepted the cup in her left hand and sipped at it idly, as the leper put the tray at his side. "Some would say that I brought it upon myself."

Samon slowly shook his head, bandages fluttering in the nighttime air. "My lady, you have brought this town up well, thinking only of its inhabitants, and it is a shame that the goddess took your arm of you. One can say that all is fair when one is at war, but you are still the same woman that you were, and you still have all of our gratitude for everything you have done."

Eboshi managed to hide her shock quite well. 'Still the same woman?'

"Why, yes, Lady Eboshi. You are still ambitious and kind to those that are weaker than you. You have high aspirations for the town, and could do anything, especially if the pact were off." Samon replied, then slowly looked up at her. "Did I say something to offend?"

Eboshi smiled tiredly. "No, Samon. I guess I am the same person, deep inside."

'Why else would I have such thoughts against the forest spirits?' She thought, starting to wonder exactly how far she could push the pacts with the gods. There had to be some way. . . It was true that she mainly thought only of her townspeople, especially the women and her lepers, and ever since she lost her arm, she had grown all too accostomed to weakness, and she didn't like it.

"Have the rest of your kin figured out how to make the new weapon I described?" She asked, hoping for the best. Yet deep down, she knew the answer. The thought of making a compact rifle for one handed use was about at easy to make in real life as capturing a wisp of wind.

"No, my lady, but I think that Mihusa has started to figure out an easy way to contain the gunpowder in the model. I'm afraid it still might be a little large for single hand use." Samon repiled, taking the glass that the lady had drained while he was talking.

"That won't do. It needs to be one handed." She stated the obvious, and Samon nodded in response. Eboshi's ears perked up, and she could hear the sound of far off hoofbeats. Ashitaka was back. "You may go now."

"Yes my lady." Samon bowed, and wandered off, as Eboshi waited, full knowing that any moment Ashitaka would come to talk to her.

Eboshi smiled into the night sky. "At least when it's dark, I can hardly tell. . . it's almost like the old days. . ." She sighed cherishing the darkness that hid all of her losses over the land. And if there was one thing Eboshi hated, it was losing. . .

"Are the old days something that should be missed so much?" Came his voice from behind her. She didn't even start at the sound of his voice, well knowing that no matter what she did or said, it would usually get back to him anyway.

"Ashitaka. . . sneaking up on a lady like that. One would think that you had more manners." She chided, turning and staring right at him. He stood stoicly, not moving an inch.

"There are those that would debate your being a lady, but since I am a guest here, I will try to make myself known the next time I present myself to you." He said, and moved up next to her.

"Ashitaka. . ." Eboshi sighed. This peace was starting to get on her nerves, especially his ever watchful eye. If there were only some way she could get rid of him. . . Slowly she looked up at him, and started to grin, as a plan came to her.

>>>>>>>TO BE CONTINUED. . .

Eep! Cliffhanger!