The Samurai That I Loved

第17章

The Echigo province was upon them. They entered into the area atop the horse while neither spoke a word. The gradually decreasing mountains began to contain a salty spray within the wind and the chill in the air grew colder with each mile that brought them closer towards Ernest Fletchum.

Already deeply filled with regret and a secret longing to return home, Eliza harbored no more fantastical notions of Ernest being hopelessly smitten and exurberantly joyous to see her. In fact, she was beginning to dread the entire meeting at all.

After much consideration and time to think atop this blasted horse with a far too tall, dark and handsome Samurai as her guide, she had finally begun to realize the insane gravity of her life choices. Ernest would undoubtedly be shocked to see her, but happy?...

He would be positively livid.

She was aware her prescence was unwanted inside the country. Keeping hidden had assured her it was truly a crime worthy of a deep penalty, which prompted her to stop and consider Shojiro's "help".

What if she had gotten everything entirely wrong? What if he was less a guide and more a guard? He was, after all, a samurai. From what she had witnessed, others revered him, showed him respect, and at times fear.

Why else would he put up with her?

What exactly am I headed towards? Have I quite possibly put Ernest's life in danger?

The very thought sent chills down her spine. She did not ponder over that question too long. Besides, what of the nights? What was that look in the eyes of the man whom she had been spending every waking minute of her life with for weeks on end?

Why did her heart whisper that even though this entire ordeal was all wrong, there was strangely something about it that still felt entirely right...

Why did Shojiro-san mean so much to her?

She couldn't deny the rush of emotions that flooded through her anytime he would look at her, touch her or even simply hold her at night. The night he had smiled down at her while tending to her fever was ingrained in her memory and heart. The night he had shoved her up against the wall and kissed her...she would never forget.

Yet there was something off now. Ever since the night he had given her that look of desire and caressed her bare skin beneath her robes during the storm, he had changed.

He had grown more and more withdrawn the closer they neared to the capital city, Niigata inside the prefecture. The look in his eyes and state of his demeanor had changed from that of a relaxed traveler, to a dark warrior's gaze and broadened stance, holding himself more poised while exuding an air of authority that was impossible to ignore.

Once they approached the city gates, Shojiro brought the horse to a halt and abruptly dismounted, taking Eliza with him to her surprise.

"What are you doing, what's going on?" She whispered with a confused expression beneath her drawn hood. He wordlessly ignored her as he suddenly began to pull out a rope from the saddlebag. Eliza stared down at it in his hands with unease.

Her heart began beating faster as she asked once more in a more direct tone,

"Nanishiteruno, Shojiro-san?"

(What are you doing, Shojiro)

He wouldn't even meet her gaze. Her stomach began to churn when he turned the rope over in his hands while breathing deeply.

"No more talk. You are my prisoner. You do as I command, trespasser." He said in english, his eyes lifting to hers with a resolute look of the samurai he was raised to be and nothing like the man she had come to know.