Back to ze past

Ayama turned to the fool. "How about yo help me fix my garden?"

He beamed and pranced nimbly to his feet. "That would be wonderful!" He replied, switching languages with ease. Shade walked off to find Elizabeth.

"Your getting good." Ayama smiled.

---

Elizabeth was looking at the wall, she licked her lips as she admired the art.

"But of course!" Taro exclaimed cheerfully, spreading his arms wide. "I need to be able to chew the ears rom someone other than that lot here!" He said with a grin.

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Shade stopped behind her, silently scanning his eyes over the wall. "Elizabeth, find anything of interest?" He asked.

Ayama laughed. "Don't worry, I'm good with getting my ear chewed off."

---

Elizabeth smiled softly and pushed her hair behind her ear. "The artwork is beautiful... like it tells a story. Of love. Of War. Of heartache...." She looked down to her arm before glancing to Shade. "I'm sick of being weak Shade."

"You shouldn't need to fear that" Shade said, squeezing her shoulder. "You can learn. If need be, you can learn."

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Reaching the garden, Taro paused. He whistled his awe at the destruction. "Well, well."

"How can I learn?" Elizabeth asked. "I tried and still I had to be saved. Am I nothing more than a damsel in ever need of a rescuer?"

---

"It was once a beauty." Ayama sighed longingly. "And I controled it all and now... GONE!"

"You can learn the methods, you can learn the stances, practice... But in the end, you will get it, or that style of fighting is simply not yours to master" He said, tones serious. "You're not a damsel in distress."

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"No matter! We'll get it back." He said, rolling up his sleeves. "Gardening, always something to enjoy" He said, smiling lightly as he wandered through the thicket of weeds. "That needs to go"

Elizabeth bit her lip. "I'll become the woman you just said. I'll become her and when that day comes. I'll be a woman you can be proud to know."

---

Ayama smiled happily, finally a good helper.

"I'll always be proud to know you! Don't ever doubt that." He said fiercely. "No mater what."

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Taro thew himself into the garden work. Soon, between them, the main garden bed was very nearly uprooted of the vile plants. He tucked his shoulder length blonde hair behind his ears and smiled, pausing. "Maybe we can grow some plants from england here too," He mused. "From the seeds shade carries for herbs... with your agreement of course!" He added with a large smile to Ayama.

Elizabeth sighed and looked away. "I know I doubt it far more than I should. But with such strong women around its hard and it feels like I should be more. I feel like since we arrived here I've gone backwards, I'm not what I used to be." She grabbed his hand. "I am proud to know you though. You've taught me so much and worked your way into my heart."

---

"I'd love to learn how to make the English poisons." Ayama smiled

"Don't worry. You'll be fine. And I'm glad to know it." He said with a grin, squeezing her hand. "So no more of this worrying."

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"Not all poisons" Taro said, plucking out a stray weed.

Elizabeth grabbed his face and kissed him. Her eyes grew wide as her hands dropped. "Oh god." She said, taking a few steps back. "I-I'm sorry."

---

"Herbal remedies, healing concotions. Anything." Ayama said,

Shade was frozen to the spot, hands hanging by his sides and an expression of slight shock drifting over his face.
"Well..."

Elizabeth licked her lips. "I'm sorry." She said again before rushing off.

Shade moved to follow her but stopped, running his hand over his stubble. What was he meant to do?

-----------

Taro sat down to pry over a small pile of clippings taken from the plants that they were going to replant. He set them all out in a line and admired them silently.

Elizabeth rushed out of the cave. She needed fresh air right now.

Ayama noticed this and turned to look to taro. "Whats happened?"

A smile pulled at the harlequin's mouth. "Oh, just a little development." He said, and smirked.

"What development?" Ayama asked. "Whats going on?!"

"ask Shade" Taro suggested with a shrug, still smirking at the line of plants.

Ayama looked around for Shade.

Shade paced quickly past the garden, tapping his chin and twisting his mouth in indisicion. Taro permitted himself a foolish grin, which Shade ignored, turning around to walk in the other direction.

"I don't think I'll ask him right now..." Ayama said. "He looks... In thought."

"Indeed," Taro said, straning up and brushing himself off. "I fear I must get a drink. Demons may be able to go for a while without a drink but it doesn't seem to work for all of us." He said and bounded off.

Shade cursed when the fool dashed past in front of him and pulled his mind back to the immediate situation. She may have just completely thrown him off course, but he wasn't going to let her explore by herself. Not his Elizabeth. He smiled at that thought and marched outside.

Elizbeth sat around some trees, not beliving what she had done. What if he hated her now, what if he.... She paused in her thought and turned slowly.
She screamed loudly.