Chapter 3: Uncle Haru

The battle was quite savage to be sure. Big Stone stood in her amalgamated armor, sweating, bleeding and breathing slightly ragged. 

"We have won." she said finally. 

It was true, their felled enemies were all around. 

Big Stone didn't say anything more and let Eiji keep her from falling and got her to her horse. They rode slowly as their injuries made the movement painful. 

The Usagi was among the most sought after brothels in the prefecture. The Aunties met the warriors of their "house" with joy and apprehension. 

"Who made this fielding dressing?!" cried Auntie Akihiko. 

"Eiji there's an arrow in your back!" screeched Auntie Kane. 

Eiji tried to reach it, turning around a few times as though that would make his arms longer. 

"I'm tired" said Big Stone. 

"My children!" said Uncle Haru; he kissed his daughter and his nephew. "Ladies, please see to them." 

Big Stone started to falter from blood loss, Haru moved to support her. As he always had. Aunties Akihiko and Kane went to Eiji. 

They took them up narrow secret stairs to the warrior's baths. 

Big Stone was looking pale, as the Aunties heated water for baths. 

Haru sat her down and took off her armor. "You are just like your father." he sighed. "You pushed your self far too hard." 

"You should have been there." Big Stone said. 

"Love of my love, those days are behind me." Haru said as he evaluated her wounds; nothing serious but quite bloody. Haru reached for a bottle of alcohol and clean linen. 

"This will hurt," he said as he soaked the linen. 

Haru cleaned his daughter's wounds and sewed her up adding to what her father called "The great map," as he referred to all his scars. 

"Let's these hold for awhile, the Auntie's will get you bath soon." 

"What are going to do?" Big Stone asked. 

"I will visit your father, I'll be back at sunrise." Haru said. 

"You will come back?" asked Big Stone. 

"Love my love, I will always come home." 

... 

Up the hill to Big Rock's grave. It's a secret place; there aren't any other graves. And Haru presses his head against the stone and quietly said: 

"You know she's just like you." Haru said, the tears burning. He tried to hold them back. "Stubborn and angry." He couldn't keep the tears back anymore. "But so strong. And so kind and I miss you so much my love. I think of you every day. Every sun rise... I wish you were holding me and watching it with me. She is an amazing warrior and she is astonishing and you would be so so proud of her and if she wasn't here I'd already be dead. She is a gift. She looks just like you! And I wish I was dead. And I must remain. For her. Our daughter." 

"Uncle." said Big Stone. "Why are you crying?" 

Save for a fundoshi she was naked; her wounds already healing, her pale skin gorgeous in the rich golden light of the sun rise she looked like her father but... more. Much better. Stronger. Faster. Maybe a samurai? 

"Nothing, nothing, it's nothing love of my love. I was just very worried and I had to pray. You know I was debating there is moss you see and your father loved being outside so maybe I'll let it grow over this.." 

"I miss him, too." Big Stone said. "Auntie Kane said this would smell like him," and it was small bamboo pot. "But we have to burn it." 

Haru felt like he was falling. Haru felt like... 

"Yes, let us burn that together." 

Big Stone and Haru walked back to the Usagi and on the roof they burned it and it was true. 

It smelled like her father and the love of Haru's live. The salt of the cold awful oceans he sailed on so far away. The rich rose scent of his hair. The salty copper of his skin. The rich meat of his breath. 

There he was. 

In that incense, he was alive again. 

"I suppose I should join this war, then." Haru said.