Shoukaittou:
Song of the Sword
Chapter 1
Heart of a Child
By:
Night~Mare
With many thinks going out to:
Akai_Kitsune
The samurai watched the redhead shrewdly from the high up tangle of branches. The swordsman was walking right into a trap and he didn't even know it. She shifted slightly on her perch, gripping the hilt of her sword tightly. He paused a second, no more then a heart beat, then continued on his way. She leaned forward, readying herself. Suddenly he turned, whirled and pointed straight at her.
“I see you hiding Shoninne!” he called gleefully. She sighed and jumped from the branch. When she hit the ground, her feet slid out from under her and she sat down hard. Shoninne winced and stood, rubbing her smarting rear. The redhead was standing a few feet in front of her, smiling like an idiot. She glared at him.
“You cheated Shinta!” she said, shaking her long black hair out of her eyes so she could see him better. The seven-year-old smiled.
“I never cheat, that I don't. You're just loud.”
Ooh. That was the last straw. Shoninne clutched her stick firmly in both hands.
“Shoninne Special Attack! Overhead stick strike!” she shouted, running toward Shinta, stick raised.
“Oro?” Shinta said. Shoninne’s eyes widened as the stick impacted with his head and broke. Shinta’s eyes swirled and he fell over.
“Shinta, you baka! You were supposed to block it.”
“I didn’t think we were playing anymore.” He said, rubbing the lump on his head. “And anyway, looks like you have to find a new sword.”
Shoninne regarded her broken weapon for a moment, then casually tossed it over her shoulder and held out a hand to help him up. Once he was on his feet she began to the ground for another stick. Finding one, the heated battle resumed. They clacked their way through the forest. Sticks becoming blur. Faces narrowed in concentration as they tried to knock the others weapons away. With a battle cry, Shoninne swung hard as she could, twisting her body along with it. Shinta’s stick broke, the top half skittering away into the forest.
“Ha! I beat you!” Shoninne said, putting her stick at his throat.
“Yes you did.” Shinta said, dropping to his knees and gazing up at her. Shoninne smiled triumphantly.
“Now, wretch, what shall I do with you?”
“You can set me free.”
“Ha! Like I would! I'll take you as my prisoner and you’ll have to be my slave for life!” She let out a burst of what she hoped was honorable yet triumphant laughter.
“What shall I do first O Shoninne-sama?”
“Hmmm…,” the seven-year-old said, narrowing her eyes. “Invite me to dinner.”
“That would be great. It’s been a while, that it has. But are you sure your mother wouldn’t mind?”
“Ah, don’t worry about her.” Truthfully, her mother would be mad if she ate dinner at Shinta’s house again. She didn’t want to bother with that though. She didn’t want to think such unpleasant thoughts so soon before eating. She shoved her sword-stick in her rope belt and rested her hand inside her kimono. The two started down the hill toward Shinta’s house.
“You know what? Someday I’m gonna be the greatest Samurai there ever was! My mother and brother say it’s impossible though…”
“I think you would be a great samurai! Even though all you have between your ears are feathers.”
“Shut up Rice-head! Who asked you anyway?” she said and stuck her tongue out at him. He laughed and so did she. She scooped up a pebble lying on the ground and began to toss it from hand to hand.
“What are you going to do Shinta? I mean, when you become a man?”
“I think I’m going to take over the farm from my father.”
“You don’t want to be a Samurai?”
“No…I want to grow things. I know it’s not really as grand as being a samurai… but I like it where I am.”
“That’s okay. Being a farmer is very honorable. Besides, you’d make a lousy samurai anyway,” she said, poking him in the forehead. “You don’t pay attention and you don’t have half the skills you’d need. I mean if you were my partner, I’d always have to run around protecting you.”
“Well you couldn’t even grow a weed and you’d spend all your time trying to find out how to grow sword trees, that you would,” he said cheerfully. A blush burned her cheeks and she hit him in the arm.
“Baka! You’re the one that told me swords grow on trees!”
“And you’re the one who spent three weeks looking for one.”
“Hush up Rice-head before I change my mind about taking you prisoner.”
“Better rice then nothing.” Shoninne narrowed her eyes, rolled up her sleeve and bopped Shinta on the head. She tossed her hair out of her eyes and glared at him.
“I’ll never talk to you again! You’re dishonorable and mean!” As they came to a little clearing, she spotted the house through the trees. A delicious food smell hung in the air.
“Hey! Do you think your mother made rice balls Shinta?”
“Oro? I…I think so.”
“Let’s hurry back to the house! I love rice balls.”
“Wanna race?” he asked.
“No…that’s okay.”
“
“Hey!” she shouted.
“Maybe next time you should race a turtle, that you should!” he called.
“Bakaaaa!” Shoninne yelled. She pulled her stick out of her belt. “Eyaaa!” she screamed, throwing it at him. The stick tangled between his legs and he yelped as he was sent sprawling to his stomach. She laughed as she ran past him.
“I’m going to beat you anyway Rice-head!”
“I don’t think so!” Shinta shot back. She felt him behind her again and suddenly he tackled her sending them both flying. Together they tumbled painfully down the hill, ending in a heap out the bottom.
“Ow,” Shoninne said.
“You won, that you did,” Shinta said from underneath her. “Now could you get your elbow out of my head please?”
---
Shoninne glanced out the window at the sunset. She finished up the last of her fish and set her chopsticks in the bowl. Then, with a heavy sigh, she stood.
“Oro? Is something the matter Shoninne?” Shinta asked.
“I’d better be going home, it’s getting late.”
“Oh…may I walk her home Father?” Shinta asked.
“Halfway,” his father said.
“Thank you for the meal Hatake-san,” Shoninne said, bowing to the man.
“It’s always a pleasure to have you here Shoninne-chan,” Shinta’s mother said, smiling.
“Thank you Asagao-san.”
“You shouldn’t say things like that Mother,” Shinta said. “Now we’ll never keep her away.” Shoninne hit him.
After she had thanked his parents a final time, the two went outside into the darkening evening. A fresh summer breeze made the tall grass dance. Fireflies twined among them, blinking their lights like miniature stars. She smiled and reached out to catch one. It flew from her fingers easily and disappeared into the air. She wished she could do that. Flying would be even better then being a Samurai. Shoninne rested her hand inside her kimono and sighed.
“It’s too bad you have to go home so soon,” Shinta said. “Maybe tomorrow you can ask to stay out later so we can catch fireflies. I heard that if you catch enough of them, they’ll give you a wish.”
“I might not be able to come out for a while Shinta. My mother’s going to be really mad that I snuck out. She…she doesn’t like me playing with you.”
“Why? Did I do something to upset her?”
“No…” Shoninne was silent a moment,
trying to think up a plausible lie. “It's just…well…you're a farmer and she
doesn't like farmers.”
“I can't help what I am,” he said softly. Shoninne looked at her friend. Shinta’s violet eyes were sad. Shoninne shook her bangs out of her eyes. It was partly true that her mother didn’t like him because he was farmer. She didn’t think a good person could come out of anywhere where they worked in the dirt. But Shinta’s family lived comfortably and her mother would never say anything against those that were well off.
“If I weren’t a farmer would she like me?”
“No…Shinta…. But don’t look sad. You could play with the other children in the village.”
“Like who? Everyone who isn’t four years older then me can barely even walk. You’re the only one my age.”
“My sisters are only a year younger…” Shoninne said. Shinta stopped walking and fixed her with a look.
“Can you see them playing samurai?” he asked. She pictured the two, white faced, quiet little girls and shook her head. They would no more pick up a sword-stick then she would sit in the house and play with dolls.
“You’re the only boy my age…,” Shinta continued as they resumed walking. “And you’re…you’re my best friend too.” Shoninne smiled and looked away from him. He needed to choose better friends. She liked him a lot…but her Mother wouldn’t tolerate this behavior much longer. The woman had said so herself. The village appeared just over the peak of the hill. Shoninne ran toward it, leaving Shinta behind.
“Don't you want me to walk with you?” he called. She half turned and glanced at him over her shoulder.
“No…I just thought Mother might be waiting at the edge of the town. If she catches me with you we’ll both be in trouble.”
“Sayonara then! I’ll see you soon I will! And be careful Shoninne!”
She waved over her shoulder and resumed running down the hill. She’d been friends with Shinta ever since she could remember and he still had no idea she was a girl. She didn’t want to tell him. A lot of the boys in the town hadn’t wanted to play with her once they found out she was a girl. Shinta was her best friend, but she wasn’t sure if he would still like her if he knew she was a girl. Mother wouldn’t mind if Shinta didn’t want to be her friend anymore. Mother wanted her to be friends with other girls of the town. Mother wanted her to learn how to clean and sew and serve tea. She wanted her to wear fancy kimonos and makeup and look respectable. Mother didn’t understand that she didn’t care about stuff like that. She’d rather play outside and swim and climb and practice to be a Samurai.
By the time she'd arrived at the town, it was dark. Fortunately her mother wasn’t waiting for her like she’d feared. She went to her father's store and crept around to the back where the family quarters were. As long as she wasn't noticed, she'd be fine. Shoninne reached for the door, only to have it pulled open before she could touch it. Light streamed out from the doorway and her Mother stood in the doorframe, like some great blood-sucking demon. Shoninne laughed nervously and hid the sword-stick behind her back.
“Konbanwa Mother. I was just out berry picking…and…I guess I lost my way,” she said, trying to make her face look as innocent as possible.
“Liar!” Mother snapped, her pale hand shooting out and snatching her daughter’s wrist. Shoninne winced as the woman’s long nails dug into her skin. Little droplets of blood appeared underneath the woman’s claws. Shoninne tried not to let the pain show on her face. Samurai never showed pain.
“You little wretch!” her mother screeched, jerking her into the house and nearly jarring her arm out of her socket. “You were out all day with that farm boy again, weren't you?”
“His name is Shinta.”
“I don’t care what his name is! He’s a boy! You’re a girl! Look at you. You're absolutely filthy! That's no way for a lady to look.”
“I don’t care if Shinta’s a boy or not! He's my best friend!” The words tumbled out of her mouth before she could stop them. For a moment, dangerous fire glinted in the woman’s eyes. Pain exploded in Shoninne's cheek as her mother’s hand came ringing down. When the girl opened her eyes, she found herself sitting on the floor, her cheek aching. Her mother’s strong fingers laced through her hair and Shoninne found scrambled to her feet as her mother pulled her upwards.
“It is hurting the honor of this family for you to go out dressed as a boy. You’re a girl. You were born a girl and you will die a girl. Furthermore, you are the oldest sister. Namai and Rika look up to you and I won’t have you setting a bad example.” Shoninne stared at the ground.
“But…but…Shinta’s my best friend. I can’t just stop playing with him.”
“Best friend? Boys and girls aren’t best friends. The only relationship an unrelated boy and girl can have is one of marriage and you will not marry that…that scum of the earth.”
“I don’t want to marry him! I don’t want to marry anyone; I just want to be a Samurai.” The force of her mother’s slap drove her to the ground again.
“Don’t be a fool, child! Women are not samurai! Women are wives and mothers and that’s it. And you, girl, are not going to be let out of the house until your husband takes you. Now give me that stick and get to bed. Tomorrow I am going to take a scrub brush to your back and maybe we can wash this boyishness off of you.”