Read in Landscape!!!
And quick across the countryside the little child did go
On pumping legs he bid not stop to former held abode.
With pounding heart and fearful dread he dared not halt his race
He took across the rolling land at fastest speed and haste.
For ventures took the former day had many trials brought
Along with wonders filling land that highest fear yet wrought
So on he wended back to place he briefly 'fore forsook
On back to master's hobbled home where first the boy was took.
With only moonlight lighting path to village boy does fly
Not daring utter word aloud for fears of dangers lied
In depths of Nihon's comely lands a false façade now shown
As merely beauty made to trap what men might dare to roam
It's realms though realms does welcome such like lure welcomes prey
So on do roam unwitting folk too soon in grave be laid.
Now finally boy to overlook of village pausing comes
The restful place yet far from fear does leave him stricken dumb
It's yellow lights on streets and ground do cast a comely tint
Against the purple blue of night it's calm allure hints
Of refuge far from danger found in wilder lands by child
And bids him come to rest himself from forces dark and wild.
So forward boy does go on path he former took with man
Who brought him forth from castle keep as child's own father planned
Through winding roads he crept as fast as silent steps allow
To try and hide his venture took from prying peasant crowd.
And up the winding way again to hobbled shack now far
From peasant place though close enough that eldritch things are barred
From coming forth and haunting child as done in wilder lands
Not far from village little boy does current keep and stand
But once the child arrived at home, he saw a light was lit
Through window shape of man beside a table current sits.
He pauses seeing sight of one from which he outward ran
In depth of deepest night into the reach of foreign land.
Will anger held by man who waits inside the peasant home
Yet cause the warrior former feared to little boy disown?
But child does know that forward path's the only trail that's left
So through the door he creeps inside with skill he thought adept.
He pauses brief to stare at work his master current made
Before the man a bonsai tree with many clippings laid.
He turns to onward sneak to bed he left in depths of night
In hope that boy can lengthen time before confronting slight
He gave to master leaving home that warring man had shared
When bidden by the chief of clan for child to take and care.
And briefly boy's now filled with hope that quick to sleep he'll go
At least he knew for current night that child might claim abode
Inside the little broken shack that boy into was brought
At least for briefest time some haven safe for night be wrought.
But sudden shifted warring man who spoke in voice that's calm
Yet still was stern so thing did serve as little healing balm.
To calm the nerves of boy who knew he folly great had made
When rising up and sneaking out from bed in which he laid.
"Silence of steps but a pounding of heart
Prove that you played to a mischiefous part.
Sneaking from master who's bidden to hone
All of the skills that your bidden to own.
Tell me what made you return to my keep
Deep in the night while we should be asleep."
And hearing words the boy's own heart does leap inside his throat
Now fearing daunting question man who kept him current spoke.
For child did know the answer gave would either help or harm
His case to stay in shack for night yet far from great alarm.
Then after long he told the man of things he learned in land
Not far from present place that both the boy and master stand.
"I sought to leave my station bid
Where many dangers men are give,
To venture far from order gave
From birth to seek an early grave.
I sought a station found in world
Where danger's hold does fail to curl
And grasp its hand around our selves
Where warring men have chose to dwell.
But world is filled with danger great
No matter rank your bid by fate.
And venture took when out I cast
Has proved that war's a safer path.
In present age aren't dangers kept
In every shadow left unchecked?
And many without our station grant
Must face those things with help that's scant.
For neither training neither sword
Can normal men yet keep and horde.
To safety grant when world is faced
On rank alone is chance yet graced
To keep you safe from all that's held
Inside these lands with will that's fell."
Now hearing boy the man does shift and bid him sit beside
The man who current works on craft not turning thing from eye.
So child with pausing walk to side of master slowly goes
Not knowing whether night will grant this shack as boy's abode.
"Hesitant step and the shaking I hear
Speak of the fact that you still have yet fear.
Courage is present still far from your grasp
Still what you've learned will yet serve me in task
Till you do learn what is bravery's cause
Rushing to battle with little a pause
Keeping you walking on path that I've asked
Teaching you ways of the Samurai caste."
In silence pair now sat the boy's own breathing quickly slowed
No longer fearing out from house the child by man be goad.
Then sudden twinkle lit the eye and elder turned aside
That spoke of question underneath his placid surface lied.
"Rolling of hills and the waving of grace
Comeliest things on this land are yet cast.
Still, I do wonder what turned you aside
Sending you back to your master's own side?
Tell me what things you did see in this land
Though for this happening your master did plan."
The boy now froze afraid to tell what thing the child had learned
Inside the shack where spinster bides in greatest fury earned.
If crone in fact did live or merely lingered still on earth
An angry ghost to watch his fate and savor well his hurt.
So boy instead did tell the man of challenge child was gave
By village boy to lead the Onis far from place they're laid.
To tell of dare that boy was gave the only thing he dared
Yet still the man at tale could tell from just a single stare
That still some secret child did keep now hidden deep in heart,
But man did merely bide his time and play a master's part.
"Foolhardy acts and the lacking of thought
Disaster and panic for long have yet brought.
Back in the past that was custom of place
Till a mistake was yet made in the haste
Brought by the fear that the Oni do give
Sending a boy to our village as bid
Fast by the feet he had fled to his home
Seeking a place where in safety he roams.
Drawing those beast to the village he kept
Leading them down while the rest of them slept
Many did die and the village was burned
Out from their midst was the custom then spurned
Never again were they bidden to lead
Proving their courage when dare they did heed
On to places yet far from their post
Distance of which they did afterwards boast.
Prudence did bid you on path that was right
Saving yourself and what's others from spite."
Yet boy still felt ashamed at way he failed to rise and taunt
The beast to anger great so on his heel they quick would haunt,
And follow boy to road thus earning place amongst the tribe
Of children met in vale beyond the village keep yet lied.
"I wish that prudence bid my cause
And cautious heart had given pause
Instead of fear I felt at time
But fear alone is all you'll find
That kept me back from taunting beast
For fear that boy becomes their feast.
Though wanting dear to join that tribe
Of children off from village lied."
And awkward silence held the room in which they current sat
And both the pair's own lack of social grace this air abet.
For both did know not thing to say at current present time
Though other topic many folk at such a moment find.
Then boy did raise his voice to question man on craft he made
Who current trimmed at bonsai tree before him gently staved.
And man began to tell the boy of craft he current honed
How skill to man from time before in palace halls were loaned.
"Comeliest branches and pliance of leaves
Tell of a skill of which man's not bereaved.
After my arms was yet taken by war
Many a skill from my body were tore.
Bonsai though came to me well at that time
Back when I first had been stricken by bind.
Even as skills that I former had bore
Came to yet pass as the hardest of chores.
All that you need is to act as its guide
Finding in branches the potential there lied."
And hearing man then speak of arm though voice was gentle made
Did cause the child's heart to jump at words that warrior made.
So master noticed thing and quickly stared at ward he kept
And studied face of little boy with skill that's most adept.
So onward man did press to find what thing he long withholds
And bids the boy to onward speak with voice that very bold.
"Haunting of mind and the paleness of face
Tells me a secret's been hidden in haste.
Answer your master and bid me your tale
Out with it all not a thing be withheld."
So, boy when hearing words of master told his worried tale
Of feyish crone who bid him harm in manner very fell.
"A cronish woman claimed you harmed
And brought on whole of clan alarm.
Thus down on men there bringing woe
By striking arm to slay your foe.
Though earning little good for act
As men did bid a deathly tact.
And sent you far from home your sped
To place where little boy you led."
And hearing words the man with solemn face now shown
On every word the boy had spoke his whole attention's honed.
For man was shocked to hear his tale from students mouth yet spoke
So few were things in world at time that man's own surprise smote.
"Depths of the night and the goulishness wrought
Forth by the words that the spinster has brought
Speaks of a specter or speaks of a foe
Both who are danger to place we abode.
Fear not this night for a watch I will keep
Till in the morning her house I will seek."
With words he spoke he put the boy at even greater ease
To know that crone would fail to come and go as thing would please
Her wicked ways and spiteful heart as both yet laid and rest
For surely thing the vengeance found in heart would help abet.
Yet still the boy a question held for man at current time
That heart of child was bid to seek in hopes that boy might find.
"My master grant me answer best
So mind may swift be put to rest.
Why serve ignoble clan such way
Who bid you send yourself to grave
For sake of thing in war you lost
Their sake the cause to pay that cost?"
And hearing words the master calmly sat for present time
A way to tell the boy his cause he tries in words to find
Why man is bid to serve his clan though clans do serve themselves
And tries to tell the boy their lot in which he current delves.
Then finally master leans to side and lets him know this thing
How service down on head of men his clans did ever bring
"Pause in my speech and the quake in my voice
Tells of a man that's unsure of his choice.
All of my life has been bidden by code
Bound to yet do as the law does yet goad.
More than my glory and more than my breath
Even much more than own bidden death.
Product of codes what I want to yet see
Price we are given for paying it's fee.
Whether it's worth what is taken from men
Down when we off to our battles are send.
On I will see where it's path does yet lead
Though my own death I will fail to yet heed.
Death would yet steal from me answer I want
Long since my childhood it ever has haunt.
Man will yet know what our law is yet worth
Whether it grants recompense for our hurt.
So I must do as the Bushido demands
Doing its will as that creed does command."
And answer soured in ears of boy who thought he knew the quest
That code they long were bid to serve would surely fail the test.
But still he onward went to bed no longer being haunt
Nor puzzle master made of self his mind this moment daunts.
And rest that night was peaceful made not fearing mystic holds
So boy from land of rising sun does lay his head now bold.
...
And morning came and pair did rise from sleep they took that night
Now rested well from trials gave no longer fearing spite.
And out they went from place they dwelled to shack where boy had laid
When spinster brought him down to sleep though thing was only gave
In spite of master boy did serve in hope to harm his keep
So man would fail at task he's gave though thing was very meek.
But crone was gone and shack was crook'd like many years had past
Since any man or even beast inside it's wall had come and cast
Themselves to rest or stay the night inside its humble bode
Though boy recalls what happen still and fear his heart does goad.
So back they go to home they kept and man did bid the child
To put the thing he saw from heart and dwell on things not vile.
So back to training man and boy did set themselves to task
As boy's own sire the warrior king of man had former ask.
Now warrior trains his vaunted ward like man had done before
And still the thing was often great and worthless striving chore.
But boy much more than ever 'fore did turn himself to act
Of warring ways and made himself yet strive as master ask.
And many moons did come and go and both the boy and man
Did fondness grow for other one though neither thing did plan.
And boy though bearing little gift for ancient way of sword
Did slowly learn the regal craft from low exiled lord.
And height was gained and strength did grow for warring prince exiled
Though boy had yet to come of age and's still but naught a child.
Yet all the day by battle craft and careful hand of friend
A skill was won though thing was long he gained a craft in end.
So boy could finally wield the sword with will of proper heir
And owned a courage found in heart to try and danger dare.
So many years did pass this way and boy nor man did act
Nor changed from any current course to take a diff'rent path.
Then came a day at peasant market boy did overhear
A gossiped word that stirred his heart and made him draw yet near.
His family clan not far from town a siege had current laid
And just across the border's bound a war was being made.
On rival clan their warring craft did boy's own cousins use
With swords and spears and arrows great their foes the clan abused.
So boy to place his master kept with hasty pace yet ran
To try and bid them go and join with rest of warring clan.
"My master close to place we keep
Our clan a war with foes does seek.
And wages siege against their walls
For all our clan to join is called.
I ask you let us go to place and walls
Where battle loud and highest brawl
Will let us prove our warrior state
So exiled path for both abates."
Now master hearing words did shift in seat he current takes
And thinks of strange event that's bid by such a turn of fate.
But speaks to soften blow and still the hopes in childish heart
That men again in clan might play once more a noble part.
"Call of the hunter and lie of a friend
Both of them stoke what is hope that will end
Bringing disaster and bringing despair
Tell I now boy for your sake I do care.
Long I have pondered rejoining the clan
Path is not paved as it currently stands
Well so that men to their home could yet trod
Down though the halls that are lofty yet laud."
Yet masters moved when seeing student's face yet stoop and fall
And up he rose and bid him fetch his steed from stable stall.
So both the man and boy on beast to foreign front do ride
With hope in heart that neither man can stop or stem the tide.
Though hope would make their likely fall yet grate them even worse
Still hope they current bore for selves like things was clinging curse...
Hey guys what do you think of Naegi's and Koyo-te's conversation?
Any idea on what the spinster in the shack was?
Do you think the siege will work out for them?
Please vote and comment!