Read in landscape!!!
Now long across the earth they trod that's foreign fair and great,
And move their steeds on ancient roads at simple plodding gate.
There gazing down on Nihon's holds with comely rolling hills,
Along with wonders great and small with which that country's filled.
Though alien charm the land did hold it's charming none the less,
And have not many sages claimed that stranger beauty's best?
Yet sight they see was long beheld from birth to present day
So onward foreign people went on foreign paths and ways,
Not heeding things that men from other lands would stop and heed
Nor feeling deep in heart what's wonder's great and burning need
To gaze yet down on place they roam though place was very fair
Nor long yet any thought did give or great for landscape care.
Instead they both did ponder trials future current deigns
How man was bid to teach the boy and deadly arts to train
He former failed to learn in keep though given plenty help
Along with tutors great and skilled from land in which he dwelt.
Who all did fail to shape the boy into his needed mold,
And neither made his blade be skilled or heart be very bold.
So task did fall to noble man who's forced as serf to live
To train the child yet all alone with only skills he's give.
Yet worries warrior hid in heart so child would fail to see,
Or start their task in state of fear that makes him fail to heed
The teaching man would give the boy in all the warring ways
That men who came before the two in ages past did pave.
So many days did come and go across the land they trekked,
And neither one did speak a word their silence fear abets
Of things to come and hindrance sure that pair are bound to face
Yet still they both unwilling go though took at plodding pace.
Till pair did rest at overlook that showed their final goal
A tiny peasant village stood where former warrior bodes.
So slow on roads they winded down to place where serfs do sprawl
Yet far from all that's handsome made in princely warring halls.
And boy did see the peasant folk refuse to meet their eyes,
Nor up from work was any man for even instance pried
For although pair do hold inglorious rank it still is held
Above the head of humble folk who down in village dwell.
Then finally reaching stable yard from steeds the pair do climb,
And little ways they upward go on slope to hut yet find
Where warriors spent his days since leaving fortress Daimyo held
Where all his warring kin and kind in leisure current dwell.
So up they go not stopping short to very forest edge
Where laid a tiny peasant hut that's bound on side by hedge.
So far from village down below where rest of serfs yet dwelled
There working hard to wring from lots the riches earth had held.
Now both inside the hut yet go unloading bags and goods,
And both before the other man's appraising eyes yet stood.
The boy the teacher gave by father, king, and sovereign lord
Who made his son to go to man as bidden feudal chore.
The man did also stare at child and judged with greatest grief
The one that king had gave to man and bid him ways to teach.
For child who walked from village up to cottage man did dwell
Possessed a form yet worn of breath that's very deeply fell,
That man though wound himself did fail to gain or current hold
From easy trek that pair had made to reach his humble bode.
So spoke he quick to chide the boy and make it known his ways
That soon his sordid heir would learn and do as teacher bade.
"Weakness of form and the gasping of breath
Speak of a man who is fated for death
Short is the hour that boy would yet live
High in the station by birth he is give.
Rank that demands of him battling deeds
Sure if the duties of title he'll heed
Also would bid him to die for his lord
Falling to curve of an enemy sword.
Sounding of trumpet and clashing of blade
Last you will hear 'fore in grave you are laid.
Heed you my heir and yet know of my words
Things that to greatness I hope will you spur.
Way of the warrior does death still yet bey
All who are sworn to the samurai way.
Only those turned to be masters of craft
Live to the day and survive yet it's wrath
Learn from me all that your master has learned
All of the secrets and skills he has earned
Long through the decades he waged in his strife
Grant you I will what's the sum of my life.
All I require is that boy be yet stilled
Steady and calm to receive what's my skill
Heeding not body that cries for it's peace
Trained by the leisure in father's own keep."
The boy in silence sat and stared at man not knowing thing to speak
For many men before this warrior same did often seek
To teach him all the warring ways and skills of ancient clan
That long on Nihon's shores before their king and lord did stand.
Yet still he knew for current time that courage face must show
Though none inside his heart the boy at present greatly holds.
So child does calm his shaking hand and nodded slow his head
Though mind was filled with many doubts and heart with nagging dread.
"To man I lend my form and hand
So warden teaches ways of clan
To boy who's judged by many weak
Amidst the folk who king did seek,
And tried to shape my skills and ways
To bring me forth and lengthen days
As future lord of all the clan
Before the elders hatched this plan
To send me far from former home
At edge of realm to rankless roam
Displaced from all I'm former cared
Usurping throne I dared not dare
Yet still anew I'll treat this task
As man who claims my life does ask,
And heed your words as though their spoke
For first of times by man who smote."
So warrior hears the words of boy and solemn nods his head
Though task he knows is very great and one that man does current dread
For child's form not made to fight and bears no will to heed
Preparing self for ways of war and vicious battle deeds.
To sleep he send the boy that night and thinks of coming day
Of skills he'll teach adopted heir to guide him on his way.
And late into the night does man yet set and deeply fret
The lack of rest his growing worry stirs and great abets.
Then morning came the cracking dawn did wake the pair from sleep
The boy from bed and man from chair do raise from slumber deep.
To start the day and train for first of times since pair did meet,
And out they went to training yard with bokken used to teach.
There man does stand and forth to boy his wooden sword does reach
To hand the tool to child so all his knowledge man may teach,
But first he needs to see what skills the child does current own
So man his weakest points may soon begin to try and hone.
"Beating of heart with a hastening thrum
Pounding in chest like the sounding of drum
Bids you to rise and your weapon to take
Showing me well what are skills that you stake
Gained in the fortress you former did live
All of the knowledge instruction did give.
Rise and now fight me your master and liege
Man who on all of your form does yet siege."
And raising bokken man now smote his practice sword on head
Though only owning single arm his strength was great and dread,
And forced the child beneath his blow to buckle down to knees
For boy at present time did own not strength or skill or speed
To stop the blows that fell on head with dreadful training wrought
With many years and hours practiced warrior skills were bought.
So down to ground beneath his hamm'ring blade the child now fell
Inside the little practice yard where current bout was held.
Till finally man relented easing blows he launched with stave
So boy could rise and push yet back from place he former laid.
His wooden saber held as guard inside his trembling hand
Yet still with shaking knees before his tutor student stands.
He launches hard with vicious blow that's easy turned away
By man with single arm who skills of boy does deft evade.
And child does land his face on ground and skirts across the dirt
But rises up and braces self inviting further hurt.
With wooden sword he marches forth though bearing little plan
On ways to harm or even win against the warring man.
Again again the boy does charge receiving harm each time
No one unguarded thought or place on man the child could find.
Till finally single blow does land across the child's brow
That forces boy to drop his sword and clutching face to bow.
Above his ward the warrior stands and looks he leering down
At quiv'ring child sat at feet now beaten down to ground.
Then slowly man does turn from boy beholding falling tears
For fight confirmed the former warrior's many growing fears.
That boy not any native skill for blade or battle bore,
Nor held the courage men did need to march on battle chores.
"Gasping of breath and the weeping of eyes
Made by the boy who at feet does now lie
Speaks not of courage speaks not of skill
Speaks not of man who is willing to kill.
Marching for lord to the battles you'll go
Down where to death or to vict'ry he'll goad
Men who do claim from him leisure and name
All that does come with the Samurai's fame.
Head you my words and from teachings do learn
All that by many a year have I earned.
Granting in shortest of time what was gained
Over the years what's the knowledge I claim
Take from me skills that are lethal and dire.
Gaining in short what for long I've acquired."
And boy in heart a dread still held now greater bore than 'fore
For child did know that man was skilled in ways of battle chore.
So soon like all the other men who struck and blew him down
His little worth the warden quick would learn be wanting found.
But child these thoughts inside his heart did hide in fear of man
Yet still in back of mind the boy did start to hatch a plan.
So many days and weeks did pass inside that cottage held
Where man so long apart from clan alone himself did dwell.
And trials great befell the boy at hand wardens schemes
Who trained the child in day and night in all the ways he deems
And hard he works to greater labor give to ward and heir
That boy in future times the fields for liege might dare.
Yet child did grow in neither skill nor strength despite his work,
And all the trials man did give the form of boy did hurt.
So boy arose in night when master slept in soundest sleep
To steal from home and contract gave by king and lord to breach.
To wander far from lot he's gave though suited ill for chore,
And out in world unknown and cruel to quick in silence bore.
Yet deep in dark he fails to see his masters open eyes
That current watch and scheming ways and child do knowing spy.
Yet still he fails to rise from bed his face is cunning set
Like man's assured the child's own schemes his will might great abet...
Hey guys if you liked the chapter please vote and comment! What did you think? Do you think it was a good idea for Naegi to run away? Why do you think the Koyo-Te let him?