Fan Fiction ❯ Silver Tear ❯ Enter Marrowind, Lady of The Eastlands ( Chapter 15 )

Enter Marrowind

A harsh wind stirred. It circulated the outside, making the leaves rustle and the grass sway, then came in through the window. A scent came to her nose. The scent of death. She stood up.

"More tea m'lady?" a servant asked timidly from the doorway.

"No." she said flatly, still looking out the window at the lush eastern forest. "Inform my child that I am leaving for a while."

"As you wish m'lady." The servant bowed and walked away, glad to still be breathing.

This scent wasn't nothing to be too concerned about. There was always death everywhere, but it was normally she that caused it. This time, it had been somebody else. As the land as her domain, Marrowind Haruko didn't accept this.

Lately, there had been many strange rumors, attacks, and demons floating around. Marrowind had no idea where they all came from, but knowing that her rival may be the cause of it all, she was willing to put a stop to them. She glanced around her room for a moment. It was a grand place. The floor was thickly matted and the walls scrubbed clean and shone its true wooden finish. She had designed the room herself and the rest of her grand home with it. Her servants built it.

"Mother…"

Marrowind turned to see a small boy peering around the corner. His blue-gray hair hung in front of his timid yellow eyes along with the scars on his left. The sight of them made Marrowind boil inside.

"Yes, what is it?" Marrowind asked.

The boy stepped inside. As Marrowind's son, he was the only other person who could enter her room without having to bow or grovel.

"I just heard that you were leaving." the boy said.

"I am." Marrowind said.

"Alone?"

"Yes." Marrowind sighed as she turned to the window again. "Do you smell that my son? Something calls me. I must seek it."

"What is it?" the boy asked as he appeared next to her and looked out the window too. He took in a deep breath through his nose but didn't smell anything. He figured that his scenes weren't strong enough to detect the things his mother could.

"I'm not sure." Marrowind said. She was starting to loose patience with the boy's questions.

"You won't stay out there long, will you?"

Marrowind turned to her son. She placed her hands on his shoulders and looked into his eyes.

"Don't worry Keaden." She said. "You'll be fine here by yourself. Just make sure the servants do their jobs. Remember what I told you. Don't let anyone push you around. Especially those who are inferior."

"I understand…" Keaden bowed his head.

"Good." Marrowind said promptly as she released his shoulders. "I want you to be safe. Don't leave this place until I return." She then swept past him and exited the room.

Keaden watched her leave. He then sighed and stared out the window.

"That's just the problem…" he said to himself. "I don't want to be alone."

A few years back. Marrowind gave birth to a healthy baby boy. Her lover and the child's father was a great and powerful Zodiac dog who took the whole eastern side of the country as his domain. Everyone lived in fear and abided his every will. Marrowind was proud to be the maiden by his side.

Not too long after the birth of their child, the lord had heard of a rumor of a cat demon by the name of Hoku who had taken over the west single handily. Being a lover of competition and war, he set out to find the lady of the west and didn't return. Then Keaden, not being able to understand the facts of death, left without his mother's consent and trailed his father and he didn't come back either.

In rage, Marrowind was in hot pursuit. She journeyed to the west lands to avenge the deaths of her loved ones. One night while camping in the woods, a masked man emerged from the trees. He told her that Keaden was still alive and where his location was. When she had asked about her mate, he merely shook his head. He told her that he had been killed by another powerful demon, but not Hoku, the cat.

Following the stranger's directions, Marrowind found the place where her son was being held. It was a house. A grand house that much resembled like those of China. Confused, she crept about and spied on its inhabitants. She noticed that there were many humans in rags and one demon. The feared Hoku.

The first time Marrowind laid eyes on Hoku was when she was talking to a small boy. She seemed to be interrogating him and eventually struck him across the face, leaving long gouges with her sharp claws on his cheek just below his left eye. Making up her mind, Marrowind came up with a plan to release her son from the clutches of a monster.

Marrowind stepped lightly into a clearing. The scent of smoke and blood was so strong that her eyes were starting to water. She walked around and looked at all the bodies and burning pagodas. She paused when she noticed something shimmer in the sunlight. She walked up to it and kneeled down.

"Drops?" she thought to herself as she picked up a tiny glinting object. She studied it more closely. "This is… sliver."

She stood back up, still holding the little object, she continued to investigate.

The pagodas were completely desecrated. She noticed that he human's had been slashed by something sharp. A sword perhaps. She had a feeling that maybe the village had been robbed by thieves from the empire who called themselves the Teisora. Marrowind had heard of these bandits. They plundered villages and ransacked palaces. She knew that their main intentions were to take over the land. Marrowind wasn't about to let her land be taken over by a bunch of humans who thought they were special. All humans were the same to her. They were in inferior race that was nothing more than target practice.

Marrowind left the village, but she didn't head back to her home.

She walked for quite a ways. Through the forest and onto a ridge where she stood and waited. Not too long after, there was a rustle behind her and the sound of footsteps. She turned to see a large white tiger standing there.

"You always make a quiet entrance," she said. "Don't you Kiyoshi?"

The tiger sat down. It then transformed into its Zodiac spirit form.

"Indeed I do." Kiyoshi grinned as he sat down on a large rock.

"And like always, your timing is impeccable." Marrowind said. "I have some questions that need answering."

"What is that?" Kiyoshi asked.

"That village." Marrowind said, taking his eyes off of him. "Do you know who or what was responsible?"

"Yes." Kiyoshi nodded. "There is a rumor spreading from the north about some demon who calls himself Silver tear."

"Silver tear?" Marrowind asked. She could feel the little drop of silver still in her fist. "Could you tell me all the information regarding him?"

"There isn't much to say." Kiyoshi frowned. "I can't describe him to you because everyone who has seen him is either dead or unable to speak because their tongues were ripped from their mouths. The only thing I know is that the attacks started in the north where the rumors came from. There were also some killings in the west too."

"That isn't helpful." Marrowind turned away. "Anyway, have you been following her?"

Kiyoshi nodded.

"You never told me she was so beautiful."

"You never keep your mind clean do you?" Marrowind glanced at him over her shoulder.

"I try." Kiyoshi shrugged. "It's been a while since another cat has been around, and anyway, I'm having some fun for a change."

"Well, don't get too comfortable." Marrowind said. "Because I sense that she is getting dangerously close. It will be only a matter of time before I protect what is mine once more."

"You speak like a scribe." Kiyoshi said as he stood up. "I don't want to kill her, but you can do as you like. I'm only helping you because it is helping me in the long run."

"How is that?" Marrowind frowned.

"Well you're lazing back and keeping calm," Kiyoshi said with a grin. "I'm gathering some information and finding out why the Taisora is here."

"The Taisora?" Her predictions were true.

Kiyoshi nodded.

"Yes." he said. "They had already sent mercenaries. They're hunting Hoku as well."

"I don't understand." Marrowind said thoughtfully. "First the Emperor, then bounty hunters. Now the Taisora is getting involved?"

Kiyoshi just shrugged.

"I've been trying to figure out what is so special about Hoku." he said. "There must be something up if that many people are going through so many trouble trying to catch one demon."

"She's not that powerful." Marrowind growled. "Anyway, so how does all this information help you?"

Kiyoshi turned away from her.

"In case this whole thing turns out badly," he grinned. "I can get the hell out of here."

Marrowind wasn't at all surprised about what Kiyoshi had to say. Something fishy was happening. Not too long ago, she'd started to sense more Zodiacs in the area. For the longest time, Kiyoshi was the only one she knew of other than the clans of rabbits. Though he was slightly arrogant for her taste, she still relied on him for useful information.

She headed back to her house. It was dark by the time she made it to the front gate. There she met her son.

"Mother!" he exclaimed as she approached where he stood. His face looked pale and his eyes were frightened.

"What's going on?" Marrowind asked as she kneeled in front of him.

"Someone is here." he panted. "She said that she won't leave until she speaks with you."

Thinking that whoever the person may be was lacking manners, Marrowind strode into her home with her son at her heels.

The door slid open and Marrowind strode inside the room. Keaden was ordered to wait outside. Marrowind didn't want him to get too involved with what this woman had to say.

She was sitting cross-legged on a mat and seemed to be patiently waiting. She wore a strange blue and white dress that matched her blue eyes and white hair. Marrowind hadn't ever seen such garments before. There was something about this woman that made her feel uneasy. She looked like a normal human, face seemed calm and gentle, but there was something about her aura that made Marrowind pause before sitting before her.

"I'm sorry about the unexpected visit." The woman said. Her voice seemed as gentle as her looks. "I have heard about you and this land. You seem to have everything under control here. You must be very powerful."

"Where are you going with this?" Marrowind asked. She was starting to feel annoyed, but she maintained her calmness. "You seem to be in favor of something if you wish to flatter me."

"There is something I wish to ask you." the woman said. "I have been sent by the emperor to negotiate the capture of a demon in this area with you."

"What is this about?" Marrowind asked curiously. "Is this about the cat Hoku?"

The woman nodded.

"Yes." she said. "The emperor wishes to have Hoku exterminated."

"So I've heard." Marrowind frowned. "So I suppose you want me to go out there and destroy her because the emperor wishes it?"

"Yes."

"What's in it for me?" Marrowind asked. "Though, I wouldn't mind having the pleasure of doing such a task, but the fact is that I don't work for free. I'm not a common mercenary or bounty hunter."

"Well, I'm certain that riches don't suit you either." the woman said. She then pulled out a scroll. "This is a treaty signed by the emperor himself. If you carry out the task, this land will be officially yours and his samurai won't bother you anymore."

Marrowind stared at the scroll for a moment.

"I inherited this land from my lover." She said. She closed her eyes and soaked herself into her words. "I remember fighting many men who claimed that I wasn't its true owner. They said that it belonged to their emperor. I killed every one of them. I even destroyed the house of Hoku to take back what was mine. I am proud of what I fought for. I earned this land. Why should I do something for something I already have?"

"I fully agree." the woman nodded.

Marrowind's eyes popped back open.

"Excuse me?"

"I agree with your statement." the woman smiled. "You are a strong woman no doubt. I'm sorry if I've wasted your time."

"Enough with the flattery." Marrowind said as she stood up and glared down at the woman. Something told her that the conversation was about to end. "Who are you, and what is the real reason why your all after the cat?"

The woman cocked her head to the side. She then stood up. In her hand was a long silver staff with a blue orb on top. She held it out in front of her.

"I see that I have overstayed my welcome." She said. She then closed her eyes and started to chant something.

Marrowind gasped and stepped back when the blue orb started to glow.

"What's this?" she growled.

"I didn't wish to do this, but if I must…" the woman said as she opened her eyes.

Marrowind froze as a flash of light blinded her.