Sam Samurai (part 3) (work in progress)
Sam worked as a servant in the Governor's house for the next whole year. Within the first couple months, Sam worked harder than any other five servants in the governor's house which earned him permission from the Governor to have the afternoons to himself. He was a quiet, and observant young man. He watched carefully to learn anything he could from the masters of the house. He learned arithmetic, politics, and swordplay from the same tutor who taught the Governor's children. He even became fast friends with the Governor's eldest son, Yoshi, and the two of them would practice swordfighting for hours into the evening. His kind, and happy personality caused the Governor and his family to accept Sam more as a son than as a servant.
Sometimes Sam would miss his family, and would retreat to his dark and quiet room in the basement of the compound to think about them. He wondered if he would ever see them again. He wondered if they missed him. He wondered if they were doing alright without him, or if they were struggling to survive.
On one such occasion, Sam began to cry softly when he thought about them.
"You miss them, don't you?" said a voice.
Sam's entire body became tense as a chill ran down his spine, and he tried to recall where his practice sword was. "Who are you? What do you want?"
"Don't worry, Sam." the voice said again, as a tall figure stepped from the dark shadows in the corner of the room. "I'm not here to hurt you." He paused, thinking. "And besides, if i did want to fight you, your wooden practice sword would hardly be a threat to me."
He was a thin, muscular man with tattered robes and a large, rounded straw hat which hid the top half of his head. The hilts of two swords protruded from his belt. One sword was very long - longer than Sam had ever seen before, and had a weathered, leather-bound handle. The other was short, and was wrapped in black cloth, and had several symbols etched into it's metal. It was hard to tell the man's age, but he seemed very strong, and smart. Sam felt he had seen the man before.
"Who are you?" Sam repeated.
"My name is Ogi." the man said. "I knew your father."
Sam's jaw dropped. "You knew my father?"
"Yes," said Ogi. "Your father and I worked under the Emperor together. I didn't know him for very long, but I can tell you that he was stronger than most men. He was fierce and powerful."
"I can see you've been learning a lot here, Sam. Your father would be pleased at that." Ogi picked up Sam's practice sword and spun it around in his hand. Sam carefully watched as the blade seemed to disappear with Ogi's smooth, cunning movements. His eyes grew wide as this stranger manimpulated his practice sword to do things he didn't know it could do.
"Keep learning." Ogi said after a long pause. "When you are finished learning what you can here, I shall resume your training."
Sam swallowed. "Training for what?"
"Do you need a reason to learn?" Ogi asked. He placed his hand on Sam's shoulder, and started again. "I am here to encourage you, Sam. You are doing good work, and your father would be proud. But your training cannot be revealed. The Governor wouldn't like the idea of slaves learning too much."
Sam nodded in agreement.
"Also, do not mention me. My presence here must be kept secret. If you reveal my presence I will not teach you." He turned to leave the room, then looked over his shoulder back at Sam and smiled broadly. "Keep up the good work, Sam. I'll see you soon."
And Ogi kept his promise. He would return in the evenings, and sneak Sam out of the compound to learn swordfighting, to learn about the stars and their locations, to learn about the history of their land. Ogi only visited once a month, but Sam continued to study and grew in knowelege every day.
In the spring of his second year working at the Governor's house, Sam was informed that Emperor Yamato was to visit the Governor.
Sam was sad that he had to live away from his family, but he also took great joy in his work as a servant. He had become very excited about the events that took place in the Governor's household. When he learned that the Emperor was coming, he wanted to make a good impression. He even borrowed some of Yoshi's formal robes to dress up for the occasion.
The entire household gathered in the courtyard to await the Emperor's arrival. The Governor sat in his chair, and all of his household stood in two large lines leaving a wide path covered in flower petals between them for the Emperor to walk on. As the Emperor arrived, music began playing from somewhere unseen, and the emperor's carriage was carried into the courtyard carried by 4 guards. The carriage was carried on two long wooden poles, and was inlaid with bright red and gold. Atop the carriage was the Emperor himself. He was large, and fierce looking, with a large, black beard, and a shaved head, and he wore a small, funny-looking hat which sat atop the center of his head.
Sam noticed that walking several feet behind the guards and the emperor was Ogi, his tutor! Sam almost didn't recognize him. He was dressed in extravagant decorative robes, and he had a stone-still look in his face. He didn't turn to Sam or even acknowelege him.
Sam's excitement was bubbling over. He had never seen so many big, important, powerful people before. And all were decorated with fancy robes of every color imaginable.
The Emperoror was officially visiting the Governor on business, but it would be rude to simply discuss politics without first showing hospitality to Emperor Yamato. The Governor did a very good job of showing some of that hospitality: musicians, actors, jugglers... all came to display their talents to Yamato. Sam was delighted. It was like a carnival. Then dinner was served to all: Roast duck and noodles, Shark steaks decorated with fish eyes, Vegetables steam-cooked with rare spices from the west, Sushi wrapped in seaweed, and a spiced hot beverage and a sort of thin cake for desert. It appeared to be working. Yamato was, indeed, very satisfied with the food and entertainment of the Governor.
Sam couldn't hear what was being said between Emperor and Governor, but he often saw Yamato laugh heartily, and smile as the different dishes came out, or as a band started playing a new tune.
Then came the sparring... Yamato pointed to the center of the courtyard, where a circle formed, and several members of the Governor's household in turn, stood in the center, bowed to the Emperor, then bowed to each other, and started fighting. It was the first time Sam had seen a formal demonstration of swordfighting. The emperor clapped politely. Sam laughed at some of the swordfighters. He thought it was almost shameful that some of them would be displaying such lack of talent in front of the Emperor. They were making critical errors. One had a horrible footing as he faced his opponent, another would let his guard down at the wrong moment. Even Yoshi, the emperor's son, was fighting poorly.
Sam held the bridge of his nose and shook his head in disappointment. Yamato caught him doing this, and pointed him out of the crowd. "You, young man."
Sam's eyes grew large, and he was overcome with panic.
"Me?"
Yamato nodded, and pointed for Sam to take the ring with Yoshi.
Sometimes Sam would miss his family, and would retreat to his dark and quiet room in the basement of the compound to think about them. He wondered if he would ever see them again. He wondered if they missed him. He wondered if they were doing alright without him, or if they were struggling to survive.
On one such occasion, Sam began to cry softly when he thought about them.
"You miss them, don't you?" said a voice.
Sam's entire body became tense as a chill ran down his spine, and he tried to recall where his practice sword was. "Who are you? What do you want?"
"Don't worry, Sam." the voice said again, as a tall figure stepped from the dark shadows in the corner of the room. "I'm not here to hurt you." He paused, thinking. "And besides, if i did want to fight you, your wooden practice sword would hardly be a threat to me."
He was a thin, muscular man with tattered robes and a large, rounded straw hat which hid the top half of his head. The hilts of two swords protruded from his belt. One sword was very long - longer than Sam had ever seen before, and had a weathered, leather-bound handle. The other was short, and was wrapped in black cloth, and had several symbols etched into it's metal. It was hard to tell the man's age, but he seemed very strong, and smart. Sam felt he had seen the man before.
"Who are you?" Sam repeated.
"My name is Ogi." the man said. "I knew your father."
Sam's jaw dropped. "You knew my father?"
"Yes," said Ogi. "Your father and I worked under the Emperor together. I didn't know him for very long, but I can tell you that he was stronger than most men. He was fierce and powerful."
"I can see you've been learning a lot here, Sam. Your father would be pleased at that." Ogi picked up Sam's practice sword and spun it around in his hand. Sam carefully watched as the blade seemed to disappear with Ogi's smooth, cunning movements. His eyes grew wide as this stranger manimpulated his practice sword to do things he didn't know it could do.
"Keep learning." Ogi said after a long pause. "When you are finished learning what you can here, I shall resume your training."
Sam swallowed. "Training for what?"
"Do you need a reason to learn?" Ogi asked. He placed his hand on Sam's shoulder, and started again. "I am here to encourage you, Sam. You are doing good work, and your father would be proud. But your training cannot be revealed. The Governor wouldn't like the idea of slaves learning too much."
Sam nodded in agreement.
"Also, do not mention me. My presence here must be kept secret. If you reveal my presence I will not teach you." He turned to leave the room, then looked over his shoulder back at Sam and smiled broadly. "Keep up the good work, Sam. I'll see you soon."
And Ogi kept his promise. He would return in the evenings, and sneak Sam out of the compound to learn swordfighting, to learn about the stars and their locations, to learn about the history of their land. Ogi only visited once a month, but Sam continued to study and grew in knowelege every day.
In the spring of his second year working at the Governor's house, Sam was informed that Emperor Yamato was to visit the Governor.
Sam was sad that he had to live away from his family, but he also took great joy in his work as a servant. He had become very excited about the events that took place in the Governor's household. When he learned that the Emperor was coming, he wanted to make a good impression. He even borrowed some of Yoshi's formal robes to dress up for the occasion.
The entire household gathered in the courtyard to await the Emperor's arrival. The Governor sat in his chair, and all of his household stood in two large lines leaving a wide path covered in flower petals between them for the Emperor to walk on. As the Emperor arrived, music began playing from somewhere unseen, and the emperor's carriage was carried into the courtyard carried by 4 guards. The carriage was carried on two long wooden poles, and was inlaid with bright red and gold. Atop the carriage was the Emperor himself. He was large, and fierce looking, with a large, black beard, and a shaved head, and he wore a small, funny-looking hat which sat atop the center of his head.
Sam noticed that walking several feet behind the guards and the emperor was Ogi, his tutor! Sam almost didn't recognize him. He was dressed in extravagant decorative robes, and he had a stone-still look in his face. He didn't turn to Sam or even acknowelege him.
Sam's excitement was bubbling over. He had never seen so many big, important, powerful people before. And all were decorated with fancy robes of every color imaginable.
The Emperoror was officially visiting the Governor on business, but it would be rude to simply discuss politics without first showing hospitality to Emperor Yamato. The Governor did a very good job of showing some of that hospitality: musicians, actors, jugglers... all came to display their talents to Yamato. Sam was delighted. It was like a carnival. Then dinner was served to all: Roast duck and noodles, Shark steaks decorated with fish eyes, Vegetables steam-cooked with rare spices from the west, Sushi wrapped in seaweed, and a spiced hot beverage and a sort of thin cake for desert. It appeared to be working. Yamato was, indeed, very satisfied with the food and entertainment of the Governor.
Sam couldn't hear what was being said between Emperor and Governor, but he often saw Yamato laugh heartily, and smile as the different dishes came out, or as a band started playing a new tune.
Then came the sparring... Yamato pointed to the center of the courtyard, where a circle formed, and several members of the Governor's household in turn, stood in the center, bowed to the Emperor, then bowed to each other, and started fighting. It was the first time Sam had seen a formal demonstration of swordfighting. The emperor clapped politely. Sam laughed at some of the swordfighters. He thought it was almost shameful that some of them would be displaying such lack of talent in front of the Emperor. They were making critical errors. One had a horrible footing as he faced his opponent, another would let his guard down at the wrong moment. Even Yoshi, the emperor's son, was fighting poorly.
Sam held the bridge of his nose and shook his head in disappointment. Yamato caught him doing this, and pointed him out of the crowd. "You, young man."
Sam's eyes grew large, and he was overcome with panic.
"Me?"
Yamato nodded, and pointed for Sam to take the ring with Yoshi.
posted by Jon at 2:39 PM
4 Comments:
I'm really enjoying these stories, Jon. Thanks for not only writing them but sharing them.
And then what? What happens next? C'mon man, you can't just take a story to this point and then leave it! What happens next?
Oh, and I've been enjoying the story, too.
patience... i have to leave it at a cliff-hanger while you wait for the next installment.
oh, and thanks.
Hey El Santo... This IS the '1000 drawings in a week' jon ponder. I'm still doing art... but much more slowly. (you can really only keep up the 1000 a week thing for so long) Did you buy any of those drawings?
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