The Burgeon of Tenchi Mountain

Nobushige Ezofuji.  Now Nobushige Ezofuji-no-Yamagata.  The Prince Yamagata.  Daimyo of Yamagata Province.  Steward of the Summer Palace.  Head of the Ezofuji Branch Family, the Ezofuji-no-Yamagata Clan.

For the past ten years he had been General of the Imperial Second Army.  The second highest officer position in the strongest army of the Imperial Armies.  The only army that saw action in these peaceful times.  Fighting against the demons.

He had spent ten years, from the day he turned 18, until just a few weeks ago, serving in the military on behalf of his father.  He had made his father proud--for all he could not emulate Nobunaga's ruthlessness in the face of adversity and rebellion.

Nobushige had made the nation proud.  He had served with honour, and fought well.  He had fought alongside his brother, his only superior officer.

Nobushige missed him dearly.  He missed the army to.

He had been recently retired--by choice--so he could return to the mainland and take up the mantle of regional Daimyo of Yamagata Province at his father's request.

Nobushige missed the army.  Missed the command.  But he loved the freedom of being a Daimyo.

He kept order and regulation and schedule in his life by working out regularly.  But other than that, he was free to do as he pleased.  Usually he spent that time practicing his swordsmanship or bending.  Reading books.  And often, as he was doing now, exploring local markets for small baubles and trinkets to add to his compulsive collection.

Nobushige, for this week, was visiting his brother, Nobuyuki, Daimyo of Tenchi.  The two were not especially close, but they were closer than Nobuyuki and Nobumori.  Even Nobutada and Nobuyuki did not speak often, as they were so different.

It had been so long since Nobushige had seen any of his family to be truthful, he relished even moments with any of his siblings.

The first thing Nobushige had done was visit his family in the capital.  He visited Kenreimon at the Izumo Grand Shrine in the capital.

The two had always been close and she demanded he write to he r and send her gifts when he left.   She was 8 years old then.  Now she was 18.  She was High Priestess of the Empire now.

Then, Nobushige spent some time at the palace, visited his father, Nobunaga, the Emperor.  Received his debriefing about what was to happen to him.

Nobushige saw Hana, his sister, the Imperial Assassin that ran the Imperial Vanguard and the Ezofuji Twelve Braves--the personal ninja guard and assassins of the Emperor.  The Vanguard protected the Emperor and his family, but the Ezofuji Twelve Braves were the black hand of the Emperor.

Then, Nobushige met with his sister Sayuri, Ambassador to the Empire and its Imperial Family.  She lived outside the city at the Ezofuji Estate, making wine in her spare time and painting.

Then Nobushige went by Yanagi Province to visit his younger brother, Nobumori, and congratulate him on his recent engagement to the future Queen of the Four Winds, Adelaide Hirahara.

Then, Nobushige went by Tenchi.  Here he was now.

Here he would see, and had spent time, his brother Nobuyuki.  The Black Sheep of the Ezofuji siblings--though Nobuyuki would say Nobumori was the black sheep.

While here, Nobushige decided--while Nobuyuki was out at a meeting--to browse the local market for wares and baubles.

It was a habit he picked up in Nippon, thanks to Kenreimon.  He would send her letters with little trinkets to show her he was still alive every day.

Now he did it for himself.  For fun.  Something to do--and to support local craftsmen.

Nobushige touched the dangling cherry blossom figuring that dangled from the end of his sword, strung to the hilt by a golden threat.

Something Nobushige picked up at the Siege of Kamikimura.  Demons laid siege to the town for a week...it was completely unheard of before.  Demons being organized.

Nobushige sighed as he thought of the dead girl who handed it to him as she lay there bleeding out.  Thanking him for trying to save her...but that it was just...too...

He moved his mind to a kinder topic.

Nobushige walked through the crowded city streets.  He didn't like having the retinue of six guards around him.  In fact he hated it.  He wasn't on a battlefield.

He left the army and Nippon to get away from this.  He didn't need the retinue. Nobushige could handle anything that came at him.  He wasn't a General for nothing.

General Nobushige Ezofuji, the Demonsbane. The Red Slayer.  The Crimson Vengeance.

The only man to take out a Great Tengu single-handed.

Nobushige froze as he was about to approach a small booth of carved figures.  Something tugged on the hem of his robes.

First he thought it was a child.  Nobushige could hear the whispers as they noticed him.  He sighed.  He hated the attention.  Nobuyuki was his brother, but he was an idiot.  The retinue of crimson-clad soldiers only made him stand out more for anyone trying to kill him.

Nobushige looked down at the thing tugging at his robe, and let out a laugh as he realized it was a tiny little dog.

He knelt down, let the creature sniff his hand, and patted it gently on its head.  "Atta...boy?  Girl?"

A woman walked over.  More like ran over, barreling several people over in an attempt to get her dog.  She flashed him a smile Nobushige wasn't entirely sure wasn't fake.

"It's quite alright," smiled Nobushige, though this time genuinely, "I love animals.  How old is she?"

Nobushige couldn't shake the feeling that this girl wanted to rip his hear out through his nose, but didn't know why.

Nobushige merely stood there in complete shock as the woman went through, what seemed like, a full roster of personalities and emotions before his face.

As a General, a Prince, and an honourable warrior, Nobushige remained composed and calm. He did not know what caused this woman to act this why, and why she went from reverent and kind to angry and flighty, only that her reasons were her own and they should be respected.

Nobushige watched as the girl sucked her finger. A wound. Blood. Nobushige could see her blood. He was reminded of all the blood on his hands, literally. Villagers, commoners, travelers, friends, subordinates. Left to die, bleed, as the demon wounds were filled with a dark power that could not be healed.

Nobushige tried to save so many...lost so many more.

He tuned back in just in time to see the woman storm off, announcing she had to leave.

People in the crowd began whispering and murmuring amongst themselves. Nobushige, however, said nothing.

He turned to the Sergeant of his guard squad. "Captain," he stated authoritatively, "I want a horse. Immediately. I must pursue that girl."

The Sergeant placed a hand on his blade. Several of the other men reached for their tanegashima firearms. "Is she a danger or a traitor sir? Do you think she meant you harm?"

Nobushige disliked how trigger happy soldiers in the Mainland were. The Imperial First Army was saved for defending the Mainland and other Six Nation provinces, colonies, territories and interests. They saw relatively no action, and were kept around out of potential need and deterrent. They were a glorified police force.

These men did not know battle or the hardships of war. They did not know temperance or patience.

Always eager to go shoot something or chase something down.

Nobushige lay into them for it. "Sergeant, do not question your superior officer. As a Prince of the Empire, Daimyo of Yamagata Province and General of the Imperial Second Army, I outrank and outclass you. I have given you an order. Get me a horse, now. Or I will have you shipped off to the Tenmu-roya Prison for insubordination. Do I make myself clear?"

"But s-sir. Your brother, our lord, made its specifically clear that you are to be--"

Nobushige cut them out with a glare. "My brother is a fool. You may tell him so yourself when you return to the palace. You are dismissed, Sergeant."

The Sergeant bowed. "Yes, sir!" he replied, before dashing off to commandeer Nobushige a horse.

Once Nobushige was mounted comfortably, he sent the Sergeant and his men away, and chased off after the woman. Her and the dog had left the city, out into the wilds of Mount Tenchi. Past the gates.

The hoof beats caused the ground to shake, beating out a rhythm into the dust that kicked up dust and debris behind Nobushige. His goal was singular.

Find the woman; find out what was wrong.

Something about her seemed preordained. Meeting her was no accident. Nothing in this life truly ever was--Nobushige learned this the hard way.

He dashed through the city gates and out into the forests. He followed the cart tracks in the dirt as he slowed his horse down to a light canter. She had gone off into the depths of the newly grown forest. Perhaps to her home...perhaps to gather herbs?

Judging by the vials that clinked about in her back and the smell of herbs and remedies that came from the cart, Nobushige could only discern she was a herbalist or healer of some kind. It would not be wrong to assume she lived out in the wilds, where herbs and plants grew more readily available.

It would be more convenient to harvest and process these herbs nearer to home and cart them into the city than it would to go pick them, bring them back, process them and then sell them. The fresher the herbs the more portent the remedy, and the closer a herbalist lived to her garden, the faster she would get the herbs home for processing--and thus--the fresher the herbs would be.

Nobushige found the girl in a clearing.  She was near a small hovel and garden just down the way--a place that Nobushige assumed was hers.  But something was different...something was offer here.

The girl's cold, almost angry demeanour was one thing.  She was very direct.  Calling him Market Noble.  Nobuyuki might've taken offence to that.  Princes in the past had imprisoned for less.  But Nobushige wasn't like that.

In fact he was far more concerned with the scent of blood in the area.

The dog barked as Nobushige silently dismounted his horse.  He looked around.

There was blood on the ground.  Blood on the girl's hands.

Nobushige's investigative nature kicked in.

He kept searching.  Blood stained the gir's neck...her nape...her robes around the shoulders.  Nobushige circled around and saw the gash on the back of the girl's head.

"Madame," started Nobushige, ever formally, "I do not wish to alarm you.  But it seems you are bleeding profusely.  I must insist that you seek medical attention, as I cannot assist in cauterizing this wound so close to your hair...lest the results be...problematic for your beauty."

Nobushige looked over at the girl's hovel.  "Do you, per chance, have any herbal, or medicinal remedies within your home, over yonder?"

Nobushige extended his arm to the woman.  "If I may?" he stated.

His hope was to allow the woman, as any gentleman would, a chance to lean on him and his support as she walked back to her place.  She was losing blood, and might have a concussion.  From what Nobushige saw of the ground she had hit her head.  If the woman didn't take it easy soon she'd risk a concussion.

Nobushige would not be the reason another innocent died.

"I have some experience with a thread and needle, madame," nodded Nobushige, carefully guiding Nyla and her dog, which followed them faithfully, towards her small hut. The horse remained behind in the clearing, grazing on the grass and small sprouts that grew in the area.

"I would normally prefer to cauterize the wound and clean it before treating it...but I shall admit, I have no intention to burn your hair off by doing so," confessed Nobushige, "And I would like to humbly assure you my intentions are nothing more than pure and innocent. I come for reasons that are my own--but they are not devious, I promise you."

Nobushige could see they were but a few feet from Nyla's place. It was a simple place. The walls were mud/clay brick, supported by wooden beams. A raised porch of wood. A roof for the porch. The entire place was covered in a thatched, sloping roof, that was covered in thick, dried reeds and grasses. A wooden beam that curved upwards on both sides parted the roof at the highest point.

Your typical house.

Small. Single room. Nothing fancy, but still very nice to behold. A vast difference from the palaces Nobushige was used to, but a welcomed change.

As Nobushige, the puppy, and the woman entered the home, removing their shoes on the porch--Nobushige was not a barbarian--before they slid open the door.

Inside Nobushige could see that the floor was wooden, but the hearth where the cooking fire was, completely with hanging hook for a pot, sat inside the ground. One would sit inside the lowered portion of the house, using the floor as a seat, and eat or cook around this hearth.

A bed roll in the corner. A simple pillow and blanket on the futon bed roll.

A single stair dresser for what could be clothing, and a trunk on the far end for herbs it seemed and vials.

Dried and drying herbs hung from the ceiling on ropes and small hooks. Nobushige was amazed and impressed.

He could see, atop the stair dresser, khol and powders meant to be used as make-ups.

It was a spartan living, but a nice place regardless.

He sat the woman by the hearth, and went searching for the herbs, needle, and thread. He rushed back to her side immediately and began to examine the wound, pushing hair out of the way, tying hers up so it stayed away from the wound.

"I shall wash this first," stated Nobushige, "To answer your question from earlier, madem, I have some skill with a needle and thread. Sometimes we would lose our medics in the the war...sometimes they could not get to everyone in time. I tried to help out to make sure we saved as many as we could. But I shall admit...I'm not a professional...still I would not let you do such a task alone. You have not the strength after losing that much blood."

Nobushige ran out to the well in the garden and gathered a fresh bucket of spring water. He returned with a rag, which he tore from the hem of his robes, and placed the water to boil, using his Fire Bending to heat the black pot that hung above the fire pit.

He held the robe-rag against the woman's head as they waited for the water.

They didn't say much. The woman was completely out of it from the blood loss. And she still didn't look the friendliest towards him. Though Nobushige would never know why--yet.

Within minutes the water had boiled and Nobushige began to throw in some charcoal pieces he found in the woman's medicine trunk and threw them into the bought. One thing Nobushige knew was his medicines.

Charchoal was unbeatable for drawing foreign objects and infections from wounds. It would be good for cleaning.

Nobushige dabbed at the wound with the hot, charcoaly watery rag, cleaning the wound carefully until all blood and bits of dirt were gone. It bled still, but not as bad as before.

With that, Nobushige began the hard part--sewing the wound shut.

Nobushige didn't remember much of this next bit, he sewed up the woman's wound with virtually no mistakes. Though she winced and was in pain through most of it, to her credit she didn't pass out or cry out in anguish.

It could not have been a pleasant experience either way.

Regardless, Nobushige commended her.

While she lay there, pressing a warm compress to her head, Nobushige began working on a salve for the wound he would soon wrap.

Walking over to the trunk, Nobushige founded everything he needed. Chamomile and tea tree oil, for for anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial purposes. Calendula, or pot marigold, like regular marigold, but it held antioxidants within it and promoted blow flow to wounds to promote healing. Yarrow, for fighting infection, improve healing and fighting infections.

Were it not the middle of summer in the Empire, Nobushige might've used honey. It was great for antibacterial and antimicrobial purposes--especially the honey of the manuka bush--but the woman didn't need bees, wasps and flies swarming her. Besides, sticky honey in one's hair was not pleasant.

Nobushige turned to the woman, the salve crushed and ready in the pestel and mortar. He applied some to the sutured wound, and then wrapped several bandages around her head, applied a new layer of the salve to the bandages that lay over the wound with each layer of the wrap.

Once all was said and done, it wasn't the prettiest bandage job, but it would do, and it would keep the woman healthy and alive--that's what mattered.

Nobushige sat back and cleaned his hands in the nor warm water. "How does that do, madame? How do you feel? You should really eat to regain strength but...for now, let us rest, shall we?"