Warriors of the Heavens
Chapter 7
Four months passed by slowly for Ayano. Each day was the same boring ritual. The smith held true to his word, her fingers bled from all the writing he had her do. The last night of her stay the smith approached her with five packages. Carefully he laid them out in a row in front of her.
“Tomorrow you will return home?” he knew the answer already but he had to ask. He would miss the wild girl that had worked for him the past four months.
She nodded. She was slightly reluctant to leave. “My mother and father will be glad of my return.”
“What time will you leave?”
“Dawn.”
The smith sighed and then brightened up handing her the square package, “Before we go to bed I have several things to give you. Take this to your room and try it on first.”
She went into her room and peeled off the brown wrapping paper and a full length, silk dress fell into her arms. She held it up by the thin straps and smiled. This dress was made to be serviceable in a fight. The silk was a shimmering gold with a slit up the side that ended just below the butt of the dress. Quickly, she peeled off the tattered linen dress she was wearing and slid the dress over her head. Her breath caught in her throat as the cool silk slid down her body. Spinning slowly, she inspected how well it fit.
Out of the corner of her eye she noticed a pair of matching shoes by her bed. Sitting on the edge of her bed, she slid the shoes onto her feet securing the straps tightly to keep them in place. They were sandals with a three and a half inch high heel that was square and wide allowing for maximum balance and mobility. The straps made an intricate pattern down the front and the backs and sides of the shoes were solid leather with an open toe front. She experimented with the shoes and paced back and forth across her bedroom floor. The shoes made a faint clicking noise when she walked, but were very comfortable and easy to walk in.
She walked out of her room dressed in her new clothes to gasps of approval from the smith, his wife and even the apprentice. “They fit perfectly. Thank you so much!” her voice was shaky as she thanked them for the wonderful gift and hugged them all.
Gently the smith peeled her off and placed her in front of the other four packages. “I believe these are what you originally came for.” His tone was almost inaudible as he picked up the smallest of the four and handed it to her. She removed the paper covering the twelve inch dagger and removed its fine leather sheath, gently caressing the linen-wrapped handle. With the agility of practice she did not possess, she tossed the blade into the air, spun to face the far wall, caught the dagger’s blade between her middle and index fingers and tossed it skillfully towards the wall. The blade made a ‘thunk’ sound as the blade bit into the wood, sticking straight out. She plucked the dagger out of the wall, sheathed it and slid a thin leather belt through the belt loop and secured the belt about her waist.
The smith said nothing as he handed her both of the sabers. Ayano unwrapped them both and slid them onto her belt. The green-handled blade went on her left hip and the blue on her right just in front of the dagger. As soon as they were in the proper place the blades were freed and held straight in front of her. The naked steel glittered beautifully in the light. Whistling through the air as she sliced imagined foes, the blades were scarcely visible.
Abruptly, she sheathed them both and picked up the long sword. Carefully she removed the wrapping and wore it on her back. The strap crossed her front diagonally, going from her left shoulder to her waist. The blade settled comfortably against her back and she could feel the cold fire of the sword through her dress. She drew it slowly, holding it with both hands at an angle in front of her. She worked out how it was balanced with a few practice swings and then spun it from hand to hand, taking care not to carve up the floor. She let the blade fall back into its sheath and took a deep breath.
“Thank you.” Her tone was flat and her eyes were steely and unforgiving, much like the weapons on her body.
“You’re welcome.” The smith’s voice was shaky and everyone else was motionless with fear.
An awkward silence followed her out of the room and they all went to bed. That night Ayano's body began a change that no one knew was coming, not even her. Her hair lightened slightly and grew an inch to fall just below her shoulder blades. She began to get a little taller, but not so much that it would be noticeable. Her body wasn’t changing completely, only preparing for a much bigger change that would be coming soon…
“Tomorrow you will return home?” he knew the answer already but he had to ask. He would miss the wild girl that had worked for him the past four months.
She nodded. She was slightly reluctant to leave. “My mother and father will be glad of my return.”
“What time will you leave?”
“Dawn.”
The smith sighed and then brightened up handing her the square package, “Before we go to bed I have several things to give you. Take this to your room and try it on first.”
She went into her room and peeled off the brown wrapping paper and a full length, silk dress fell into her arms. She held it up by the thin straps and smiled. This dress was made to be serviceable in a fight. The silk was a shimmering gold with a slit up the side that ended just below the butt of the dress. Quickly, she peeled off the tattered linen dress she was wearing and slid the dress over her head. Her breath caught in her throat as the cool silk slid down her body. Spinning slowly, she inspected how well it fit.
Out of the corner of her eye she noticed a pair of matching shoes by her bed. Sitting on the edge of her bed, she slid the shoes onto her feet securing the straps tightly to keep them in place. They were sandals with a three and a half inch high heel that was square and wide allowing for maximum balance and mobility. The straps made an intricate pattern down the front and the backs and sides of the shoes were solid leather with an open toe front. She experimented with the shoes and paced back and forth across her bedroom floor. The shoes made a faint clicking noise when she walked, but were very comfortable and easy to walk in.
She walked out of her room dressed in her new clothes to gasps of approval from the smith, his wife and even the apprentice. “They fit perfectly. Thank you so much!” her voice was shaky as she thanked them for the wonderful gift and hugged them all.
Gently the smith peeled her off and placed her in front of the other four packages. “I believe these are what you originally came for.” His tone was almost inaudible as he picked up the smallest of the four and handed it to her. She removed the paper covering the twelve inch dagger and removed its fine leather sheath, gently caressing the linen-wrapped handle. With the agility of practice she did not possess, she tossed the blade into the air, spun to face the far wall, caught the dagger’s blade between her middle and index fingers and tossed it skillfully towards the wall. The blade made a ‘thunk’ sound as the blade bit into the wood, sticking straight out. She plucked the dagger out of the wall, sheathed it and slid a thin leather belt through the belt loop and secured the belt about her waist.
The smith said nothing as he handed her both of the sabers. Ayano unwrapped them both and slid them onto her belt. The green-handled blade went on her left hip and the blue on her right just in front of the dagger. As soon as they were in the proper place the blades were freed and held straight in front of her. The naked steel glittered beautifully in the light. Whistling through the air as she sliced imagined foes, the blades were scarcely visible.
Abruptly, she sheathed them both and picked up the long sword. Carefully she removed the wrapping and wore it on her back. The strap crossed her front diagonally, going from her left shoulder to her waist. The blade settled comfortably against her back and she could feel the cold fire of the sword through her dress. She drew it slowly, holding it with both hands at an angle in front of her. She worked out how it was balanced with a few practice swings and then spun it from hand to hand, taking care not to carve up the floor. She let the blade fall back into its sheath and took a deep breath.
“Thank you.” Her tone was flat and her eyes were steely and unforgiving, much like the weapons on her body.
“You’re welcome.” The smith’s voice was shaky and everyone else was motionless with fear.
An awkward silence followed her out of the room and they all went to bed. That night Ayano's body began a change that no one knew was coming, not even her. Her hair lightened slightly and grew an inch to fall just below her shoulder blades. She began to get a little taller, but not so much that it would be noticeable. Her body wasn’t changing completely, only preparing for a much bigger change that would be coming soon…