One month after the Elven attack, Urkse and Cin prepared to fly back to the Citadel. Cin's torso was bandaged in a sash. He bowed deeply to the thankful Islanders. Cin felt sick seeing their praise and thanks. He couldn't bear to look at the destruction he had left behind. The ashen tree line and the groans of disfigured Islanders, haunted him. Urkse entered into his draken state, leaving the Islanders in awe. As Cin and the others leapt onto Urkse's back, he noticed a young child standing on the cliff edge, staring off to the west.
Yamada gazed over the edge, the Maelstrom crashing under him. His knuckles white, with his nails digging deep into his palm. Kahu cautiously approached him. "Yamada, come and have some lunch." She said warmly reaching her arm out to pat his shoulder. He spun around swatting her arm away. Yamada's slit amber eyes made her freeze in terror. He started to run around the edge of the Yamata's main island. Yamada struck every tree and rock he passed. Kahu sat with Kale as he greedily ate a bowl of fish stew, stroking his back. Yamada emerged from the tree line, his fists and feet bloodied. Kahu shrieked rushing him to the Blesseds.
His breath was ragged, but he wore no expression. Pieces of skin dangled off his knuckles, sharp twigs were embedded into his feet, and jagged rocks had cut into him. The Blessed woman, was in her mid fifties, bronzed skin from staying out in the sun, with frayed white braids. "This is going to hurt, don't be afraid to scream." She said clutching the twig jutting out of his foot. Kahu braced herself, holding Yamada's shoulders, ready to hold him down. With a grunt the Blessed woman yanked the twig out, blood spurted out and she quickly branded him with the golden cross. Yamada was silent and expressionless. He stared vacantly at the woman, before raising his bloodied knuckles. Kahu and the Blessed woman shared an anxious glance, before she closed his wounds with a thin layer of skin. "Take some rest. I'm tired and did not fully heal-" She trailed off.
Yamada walked off, ignoring her words. He felt nothing but hunger, and marched off to the fire. He snatched a skewered fish grilling over the flame, meant for another child. The hunters would normally have struck Yamada for his rudeness. To take a meal that was not his. But they all knew, he was one of the children that suffered the most. He had spoken only a few words since the attack. Repeating the same words over and over again like a creed. 'I'll become strong. I'll kill you.' He savagely ate the fish, leaving the moment he finished, walking into the darkness. Kahu followed after him. She had stopped trying to make him do things, and instead guide him. A small poorly constructed tent of leaves and straw was made over his mother's grave. His father's hunting spear used to prop it up. He slept on a bed of leaves and straw. Kahu sat beside him, caressing his face, tears streaming down hers. "You didn't deserve this." She whispered her voice cracking. "Mama...Papa..." He said in his sleep, with a tear rolling down his cheek. He suddenly frowned clenching his fists tightly "I'll kill him..." Kahu fell back surprised, seeing the skin around his knuckles break. Blood trickled out, and he continued to whisper. "Become strong...Kill him..."
Gwyneth flicked his visor up, smirking at him. "You look disappointed. Where you expecting something else?" She asked with a coy smile. He slapped his visor down. "No." He pouted. She giggled wrapping her arms around his shoulders. His heart raced and he began to breath heavily. "Wrap your arms around my waist." Yamada took a nervous gulp wrapping his arms around her waist. "You're still nervous around me, even after what we did." She said leaning in, and pulling him in. He let out a sigh. "I don't know how to dance. And I don't know how dancing would help me become stronger." He said frustrated. "Step on my toes, I'll teach you." She said swaying her hips gently side to side, creating a rhythm for him. He was glad that she could not see his face properly under the visor. He felt like his skin could melt anything it touched.
Yamada diligently placed his feet atop hers, making sure to not crush her. She rocked side to side with him, staring into his visor, her breath seeping through. "Dancing teaches a great skill of rhythm." Yamada let out an audible scoff. "How does that help you fight?" He said derisively. She smiled. "Like this." She said sweeping his feet out from underneath, throwing him to the ground. The force knocked the air out of his lungs. He gasped quickly getting to his feet. "What was that!?" He exclaimed annoyed. "You entered into my rhythm, and then I changed it. Now wrap your arms around my waist, and let's continue." She ordered. He let out a huff, before wrapping his arms around her waist.
As he placed his feet onto hers, she pushed him away, before he could wrap around her waist. He stumbled backwards, falling and feeling the force travel through him. "I thought you said, we were going to dance!?" He yelled annoyed. She cocked her an eyebrow at him with a smirk. "You must really want to dance with me." Yamada let out a low groan, rising to his feet. He shook his head, irritated that he fell for that obvious trap. "Rhythm is important Yamada. The one who sets the rhythm, dictates how you will fight." She said wrapping her arms around him. The two of begun to rock side to side again. "Will you fight against the rhythm?" She asked coming to a sudden stop. He felt the force she used to stop his arms. They begun rocking again. "Or will you go with it?" She asked before twirling in time with his rock.
Her hair and cape flowed majestically, captivating Yamada. The sight and her warm smile spinning back in, left him speechless. She fell into his breastplate, leaning on him. "Do you understand?" She asked. He nodded silently. "Good, let's go back. You need to eat and bathe." She said breaking away from him. Yamada raised his arm smelling his pit. The sour smell made him reel back. Yamada and Gwyneth entered into the kitchen at the same time. "Ladies, prepare a hearty meal for Yamada, and then join me for your bath." She ordered walking into her room. "Wait what?" Yamada asked shaking his head in disbelief. Gwyneth ducked her head back out, wearing a big smile. "I can't have several voracious women, bathing you anymore. So I will take on that responsibility." She said smirking at Yamada before ducking inside.
"Just once, would it be possible for me to bathe alone?" He asked, grimacing as waited for her response. "Of course!" She said through the door. He let out a sigh of relief, walking towards the bathroom. Gwyneth emerged with a single cloth wrapped around her torso. "But not while I'm around." She said with a wink. "Well it will take time for the handmaidens to finish making the food. So you'll be done bathing, before I-" Yamada spun around to see the table fully set with a small feast. The handmaidens smiled at him all huffing and puffing. "How...?" He asked baffled. They pushed him down to eat, quickly forcing him into the steaming room.
Gwyneth was sat in the large wooden bath rub, leaning over the edge. Clearly waiting for him to enter. "Lose the armour Yamada, unless you intend to bathe in it." She said. "I might." He said trying to sound bold. She stood up exposing herself to him, water rushing down her body. His armour disappeared, revealing his stunned and flushed face. He shied away covering himself, quickly leaping into the water. He submerged himself down to his nostrils, looking away from her. Their legs overlapped caressing in the water, he tucked his legs away every time they touched. "You're still nervous around me. Tell me why." She ordered firmly.
He peeked his mouth of the water. "You're confusing..." he muttered shyly. She rushed towards him. He let out a high pitched yelp, as she pressed her back into him, forcing his arms around her. "Tell me like this." She said looking to his annoyed face with a coy smile. Yamada took the deepest breath through is flared nostrils, closing his eyes. "I feel weaker and stronger, when you're in my mind." He said turning away. Both of them were blushing. "Before I met you...I only had one thought in my head. Becoming strong enough to kill Begron." He said letting out sigh. She felt his arms tense and knuckles clench. "I never thought of anything else. Not where I would sleep, get my next meal, or how I would do it." He took a deep breath, finding the strength to continue. She could feel his heart beating against her back, bashing at his ribs.
"Then I met you, at Abaddon's workshop." He said tenderly, his grip releasing. She felt his heartbeat increase in speed, but his breathing became calmer. "You entered into my mind like a raging storm. I could ignore the storm, when I heard you cry about Hendrik. I knew your heart was closed, so I knew I could ignore your teasing." He said feeling her arms tense around his. "Then why were you so kind to me? You knew all I did was bring you pain." She asked solemnly. He cleared his throat, shying away. "I made Kahu, read me the same book every night." He muttered trying to hide his shame. She craned her neck up to him. "The Way of Knights." He answered before she asked. "The children's book?" She asked smiling at him. He nodded.
"A knight must always be true to their words. Protect, those who cannot protect themselves, utmost graciousness and courtesy to ladies..." He recited before trailing off. "Keep going." She said resting into his chest. "Honour, sacrifice...faithfulness." He blushed resting his forehead onto her head. "None of those virtues, tell me why you acted the way you did." She said. He let out a hot sigh onto the nape of her neck. "Kahu, added another virtue not in the book. She said it every time to me." He said pulling her in tighter, she blushed her breath becoming heavy. "A knight saves those, even when they refuse help. Open your heart to those, who have closed theirs, and make them smile. They need saving the most." He recited tenderly, hugging her. Gwyneth lurched forward into his arms, feeling the tears well in her eyes. "You did those things because..." He answered as she trailed off. "Because, I want you to keep wearing that smile of yours."
She chuckled in his arms, before spinning around into him. "You are very sweet. How did an Islander, become so good with words?" She said leaning closer to him. He could feel her hot breath even through the steamy air. He shied away grimacing as she pressed her weight onto him. "I...I read my mother's book of poems..." he said going bright red. She reeled back astonished, and then pressed back onto him. "Tell me one." She asked eagerly, with a childlike smile. He let out a low growl. "Only one...and then we get out." He said trying to sound confident. "Oh, eager to get in bed with me?" She asked with a coy smile. He frowned and pouted at her. "Okay one poem and we leave." She said caressing his face. He took a deep breath, trying to fight through the embarrassment. "Just remember...it's a poem, and not me." He said. "Just say it." She said frustrated, snapping her fingers. "I will love you as long as the sun burns in the sky, as long as the moon shines its light into the dark knight, until the raging blue oceans become calm and dry. I will you love till the end of time." He said lovingly.
She was speechless staring into his eyes. He shied away. "It was a stupid poem and-" She lunged into him, kissing him passionately to his shock. She felt him stop resisting and relax. She pulled away letting him breath, in his daze and bewilderment. "I'll have the handmaidens wake you up in the morning." She said breathing heavily over him. "Why would I need them to wake me? I always wake up-" She lunged in again, taking his breath away with a passionate kiss. Soel and the handmaidens stood outside the bathhouse, hearing water splash violently. They nodded to each other, their faces filled with pride for Yamada.