A roaring thunder shook the house as rain poured outside in thick heavy drops. Some of the animals scurried to find shelter, a few of them huddled against a tree in the distance. InuShin rested his forehead against the glass, sighing.
"Oh dear, looks to be no training today," Duanna commented.
He shook his head and turned around to face her. "No, we can still train inside. I need to get stronger for when I return to Nihon."
"While I admire yer enthusiasm to train despite the situation or weather. Ye must remember that training every day can wear yerself out." She stood there in her usual purple plaid kimono, free-flowing gray hair cascaded down her back and over her shoulder. "Ye need to take time to relax, recuperate yer mental state, and let yer aching muscles recover. Ye wouldn't continue to pour from an empty cup, ye would take the time to refill it. The same for yer body."
"But the more I train, the stronger I will get. The less rest I will need."
"One may believe that." She took a seat on the window sill, folded her arms in her lap, and glanced out in the window. "Or ye may need to rest for longer periods. When our bodies need rest, they will tell us by this overwhelming need to take a break. It comes in many forms. Someone may not be able to write, draw, plow the field, or hammer a nail. When that happens, ye need to take a break before ye become ill."
"How can someone take a break when your very life can be at stake?" He folded his arms, stuffing them into his blue haori sleeves.
"Yer fight or flight will kick in. Everyone needs to rest from time to time. And when conditions become unfavorable, take it as a sign to rest."
"But…"
"No more." Duanna returned to her feet. "Follow me."
InuShin followed her out of the main room, down the hallway, and into a separate room after she slid the door open. A covered engawa appeared before him, leading to a second building. She strolled across the walkway and entered the building, leaving the door open. "There's nothing to be worried about."
He closed the door behind him and slowly joined her, taking each step slowly and cautiously. Once in the kura, he spotted Duanna on the far end, fiddling with a door against the wall. "What are you doing?"
"Something to show ye." She moved some farm equipment out of the way, leaning them against the wall. She closed her eyes, held her hands up, forming a shape with her fingers and chanting something in a foreign language.
A purple aura slowly covered the edge of the thin door and slowly engulfed it with its liquidlike motion. InuShin stared at it as little white specs appeared within it, floating all over the place. What is she doing?
It looks like a portal. Tapeesa suggested. Similar to when you traversed to your mother's world.
"Come here, InuShin." Duanna gestured to the purple aura. "Take a peek inside."
He stepped towards the door, stopping mere centimeters away and looking back at her. "What's on the other side?"
"Look closely."
InuShin turned his attention back to the door and furrowed his eyebrows as an image appeared within it. It was his home village. The castle stood tall over the other buildings, guards trained in the usual open field. "Why are you showing me this?"
"To show that when yer ready, ye can return home. Do ye wish to return now?"
"What happens if I do?" He glanced back at her.
"Ye will not be allowed to return here. Once ye return, ye will have a small chance at returning to the village, but that could result in the Emperor have ye set to be killed again, or ye could take the chance at surviving on yer own. Neither choice is wrong."
"And if I choose to stay here?" He raised an eyebrow.
A small grin crossed her lips. "If ye choose to stay, yer training will continue and ye will be better prepared to live life on your own or to return to the village. And I will make sure ye are prepared to return to the village if that is what ye choose to do." She folded her arms, slipping them into her haori sleeves. "But I will leave the choice up to ye. What will ye do?"
InuShin inhaled sharply and stared into the portal. The image slowly shifted to a close-up of Princess Anana, his heartbeat thumping harder at the sight of her beauty. She wore a rose-colored kimono with blue nemophila designs all over. She paired her kimono with a light blue obi, tied into a bow in the back. Her raven hair was tied up in the back with a silver hirauchi kanzashi holding it in place.
"Princess Anana." He whispered. I can't wait to see you again. He watched her slowly walk towards the door of her room, hands lightly resting in front of her legs. The guards bowed as she walked past them and General Saitou joined by her side.
"Have ye made a decision?"
"As much as I wish to return to Princess Anana's side." He inhaled deeply, turned around to face Duanna, and exhaled slowly. "Now it is not the time. If I return now, I will not be able to protect myself against Emperor Satsu or the others. I most certainly would not be strong enough to protect Princess Anana."
"So what is yer decision?" She raised an eyebrow, and the wrinkles around her eyes faded slightly.
"I choose to stay here, for a little longer. I want to become stronger, calmer, and smarter. I won't be able to learn those on my own. So if you are willing to teach me, I am ready to listen to you to be better. Can I stay with you for a little longer?" He stared into her emerald eyes with his zaffre ones.
Duanna smiled gently and waved one hand in front of her, causing the portal to dissipate. "Of course ye can. Ye can stay until ye feel like yer ready to return."
Thank you, Duanna." InuShin bowed to her, hands by his side, and neck in a straight line. "What will we do since it is still raining?" He twitched his canine ears at the sound outside. Still pretty heavy too.
"We will have a relaxing day. No work, no stress, no negativity. Just full of laughs, fun, and happiness. Is that something ye can handle?" She smirked.
His gaze falter for a second but returned to hers. "I can attempt. I may need guidance, but I will try. The only fun I had with my father was swimming in the nearby creek. It was always work at home."
"No worries!" She walked past him and walked back across the room and opened the door. "I will show ye how." The rain poured on both sides, even heavier than earlier.
InuShin inhaled sharply, exited the kura, and followed after her. How does one have fun?
© 6/29/2122 InuShin
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