Yamada awoke only five days after Elven assault. The pungent scent of burning wood permeated the hut. He heard the frantic sounds people rushing around. The world spun around as he sat up slowly. From head to toe, Yamada was had a bruise. His skin was yellow and purple, bones held in place with bandages and wooden splints. He looked around in a daze, seeing Islanders covered in cuts and bruises, to those missing limbs and being amputated, and finally to a group weeping weakly covered in burns.
He stumbled out of the bed, falling onto his knees and hands. A unbearable obliterating pain shot through his hands. He shrieked rolling onto his back, another searing sharp pain travelled through his body. Wailing and flailing, the pain became a loop of misery. To cry hurt his ribs. Crying made his face scrunch hurting him even more. To stop it all he tried to clench a fists, each finger wrapped tightly around a splint. "MUMMY!" He cried out, snot and tears filling his eyes. The old Blessed women rushed in, holding back their tears at the sight. They held him down, easing his pain by branding his chest with Blessed magic. But they could not stop him from screaming. With a burst of energy he kicked them away, tears streaming down his red scowling face. "WHERE IS MUMMY!? WHERE IS DADDY?" He shrieked, breathing heavily and gritting his teeth.
He pushed through the pain, the anger keeping him conscious. They Blessed women were shocked at his strength, and tried to circle him. "Yamada lay down, you're in pain. We can fix that." One of them said with a warm smile. Yamada pushed his way out of the hut, gazing in horror and confusion. The tree line reduced to ashes, rock mounds for the dead, grieving families. His heart punched against his chest, each thump felt like a dagger. Each blink and sniff made him wince. Yamada walked through the chaos and destruction in a daze, before seeing his father's spear lodged into a rock mound. The air escaped his lungs, and he ran with all his might into the jungle. Kahu a young woman, rushed after him leaving Kale with Blesseds. He had been silent since the attack, his father's weapon laid across his lap. Each step felt like his body was stabbed by a thousand needles. Each breath felt like trying to push his gut into a wall of blades. Kahu called out to Yamada. He didn't hear her, he had to know what had happen to his mother.
This had to be a nightmare, and when he would find her. He would wake up. She promised that she would always keep him safe. She promised... "YAMADA STOP!" Kahu screamed out. Yamada found the clearing, seeing the crater his body made. He panned the area with a gaping mouth, his jaw quivering. The two mangled half of his mother were still festering in the sun. Maggots and flies swarmed her entrails. He locked eyes with the dead and lifeless eyes of his mother's corpse. Kahu saw Yamada standing amidst the remains. "Yamada look away now!" She screamed rushing towards him. She held him tight covering his eyes. "Don't look. Don't look." She repeated, stroking his head. She suddenly felt the vibrations of his words on her stomach. Kahu stood back seeing the tears stream down Yamada's face. "Why didn't I run away?" He whimpered, choking on his tears. "Why didn't I run away?" He asked again. Kahu burst into tears hugging him. "It's not your fault." She said hugging him tightly. "Why didn't I run away?" He asked once more.
She carried Yamada back to the village. Each tear that dropped on her shoulder, felt like a dagger piercing her heart. Each one weighed more than anything. Kahu was no longer carrying a child, but a broken man at the tender age of six. She dropped him near Kale, who still stared silently at his father's weapon. The quickening of the winds caught everyone's attention. A young Urkse flew in as his black Ryū. On his back carrying large supplies of food, Blessed woman and men, and clothing. Kahu let out breath of relief, want to stay with Kale and Yamada. When she noticed Yamada had disappeared. She sprinted to Kale, shaking him violently. "Where is Yamada!? Where did he go!?" She asked hysterically. Kale was silent, shrugging his shoulders. "I saw him walk back into the jungle." Another Islander said rushing past Kahu to meet Urkse. Kahu rushed back into the jungle.
She found Yamada, breaking down into tears at the sight. Yamada had affixed a vine around the halves of his mother. He dragged it with his teeth, into the crater. He no longer had the face of someone in mourning. He wore the face of a wronged man. The tears had dried on his face. The redness in his eyes, now came from, the anger burning inside of him. She grimaced at the sight, of Yamada standing over the make shift grave. Kahu slowly approached him reaching out to comfort him. "I'll kill him. I promise you. I'll kill him. I promise you." He repeated over and over again. Each time made Kahu tremble. He clenched his fists, snapping the wooden splints to her dismay. The cut into his palms, blood dripped out from his shaking fists. "Yamada." She said softly, turning him around. She locked eyes with him. His eyes filled with pure rage as he marched away from her.
Gwyneth found Yamada with the sun starting to set. He sat under a trunk, with one knee up, resting an arm over it. Harbinger stuck half way into the ground. She crept up behind him, hearing him muttering. She crept in closer to eavesdrop. "Papa, I didn't learn the spear like you did, but I'm learning the sword from the most amazing person." Gwyneth blushed and smiled at his words. "I'm getting stronger. Just wait a little bit longer Mama." His warm words touched her heart. "Then I'll be able to kill him, in front of his children." Gwyneth reeled back, hearing the malice and evil in his words. Yamada's sudden chuckled made Gwyneth curious. Did he know she was there? "It might have to wait a little longer Mama. Kapuna was right. I didn't think I would meet a girl, that I would give my heart to, but I did." Gwyneth stifled a gasp, her face going red. "Mama, Papa, I don't know if you can see her, but she's beautiful. She's also amazingly strong, smart, but I don't like how she teases me." He pouted folding his arms. "Hmmm, I guess I do like it. Although only in that time....that I hope you weren't watching." He said wincing up at the sky. Gwyneth tittered to herself, covering her mouth.
He let out a sigh to her concern. Yamada held his hand out, inspecting the thick scars on his knuckles. "But how can I love her?" He said glumly. Her heart sank. "I made myself into a Forsaken Knight. I'll eventually turn and lose myself. I don't want to break her heart again." He sighed, banging his head against the tree. Gwyneth smiled and reached out ready to grab his attention. "Then don't you idiot!" Soel shouted, shooting out from the ground. The two of them scrambled back in shock. Yamada's terrified yelp, covered Gwyneth's one. She stood over the terrified Yamada, hands on hips, glaring at him. Stone encased Gwyneth, dragging her underneath. 'Soel, what are you doing!?' Gwyneth screamed. "How long where you listening to me?" Yamada asked baffled.
"Not important." Soel said shaking her head. "What is important, is Gwyneth." She snapped jabbing her finger into his breastplate. "Now, I don't care if you're going to eventually turn into a Draken. She comes first. I've waited nearly 20 years to see her wear that smile again, and you will not take it away!" She barked getting into his terrified face. Soel raised his visor, with a finger, staring at him with her fierce gaze.
"Now, here are three things you should know about Gwyneth." One! She may put up a tough exterior, and be independent. But she's a real big softy, so treat her like a woman, no matter how much she objects." She lectured pacing back and forth. Yamada sat against the tree confused at her presence. Gwyneth struck the stone tome with all her might, the stone reforming as it scattered. She let out a frustrated scream, her face going red. She could tell Soel was doing something mortifying. "Second! You need to take charge of her. Be rough and rugged. Pin her to the wall, pull her hair-" Soel stopped her passionate lecture, clearing her throat, looking at Yamada's confused face. "Is that something she really wants?" He asked. "It is. Now thirdly. Gwyneth loves-" chunks of earth flew through the air, sending Soel and Yamada ducking for cover.
Gwyneth stood over Soel breathing heavily, wearing a scowl, with her long sword in her hand. "Gwyneth? Where you listening to me as well!?" Yamada exclaimed looking around for anyone else. "Alright time to leave Soel." She growled, raising her sword. "Leaving." Soel said opening the gate of earth magic beneath her. "Wait! What was the third thing?" Yamada asked. "There was a third thing?" She asked turning back to Yamada. "What did you tell him!?" She roared at Soel. She gave Gwyneth a seedy smile, raising her eyebrows suggestively at her, before disappearing into the ground. "Soel! What did you tell him!?" She yelled. Soel broke out into a deep evil chuckle disappearing. "What did she tell you!?" Gwyneth snapped at Yamada.
Yamada feigned ignorance, whistling a tune and averting his gaze. "Yamada..." She growled marching towards him, and towering over him. "What did she tell you?" She said through her teeth, trying to lock eyes with him. "Nothing..." He said wincing away.
Gwyneth let out a sigh. "Come on, it's getting dark and it's not safe out here." She said walking away. Yamada gulped, and never believed he would ask this question in his life time. "Gwyn." He called out hesitantly. She turned back looking at him askance. Did he call her by a pet name? She noticed him trembling even in his armour. "Did...you...want..." He stammered, forcing himself to speak. "To....dance?" He asked quickly shying away, burying his face into his gauntlets. He screamed into his gauntlets, making her giggle. "Do you know how to dance?" She asked. Yamada let out another scream. He had only realised after asking, that he had no sense of rhythm. And that the only time he had seen dancing was drunken Islanders around a bon fire. What was he thinking asking this?
"We don't have to dance." She said with a smile. Yamada took a deep sigh of relief, hunching over. "But." His muscles all tensed up, stiffening his back. "I want to know, why you had sex with me? I thought you wouldn't touch me, because I still loved Hendrik?" She asked tilting her head. Yamada let out a frustrated scream to her surprise. "Why doesn't anyone know about love on the mainland!?" He shouted to the sky, rubbing his head. 'Love?' she thought. He turned around marching up to her. "You gave me a piece of your heart, telling me what I meant to you. So I had to give you a piece of my heart. I didn't expect the kiss to...lead to that..." He said bashfully. "Do you mean the first time? Or the next seven times it happened?" She asked with a coy smile. Yamada spun around pouting.
"The piece of your heart that I get to keep. Was it simply the kiss?" She asked indifferent. "It was my first." He angrily mumbled. Gwyneth let out a astonished laugh, annoying Yamada even more. "That was your first time kissing a girl...." She paused coming to a sudden realization seeing Yamada fidget around. "Oh! I was your first? The first woman?" She prodded leaning over his shoulder. "Well, I'll keep that piece of your heart till I die." She said wrapping her arms over his shoulder, resting on it. He felt her breath seep through his visor, her scent intoxicating. "But tell your parents to stop watching, for what's coming next." She whispered with a breathless voice. His skin bumped and the hairs on his body shot to attention with a shiver running down his spine. She spun him around, and he took a nervous gulp. "We're going to practice dancing." She said with a cheery smile, to his confusion and dismay.