Makings of a Monster

Damn she is good. You almost forget that your opponent is the most beautiful woman you have ever seen. Try to strike at her straight ahead? She deflects with her blade and moves aside. She has her blade down and you try to take advantage of the opening? She strikes upwards at your hands and spoils your strike. Try to strike at the very same time with her? She holds back just at the right moment, then sweeps upwards. And her blade is so light to handle, she is so fast... of course, it isn't much to parry with and leaves lots of openings, but most of the time she manages not to be there when you try to hit one home.

Fortunately Sarevok has hit a few home too. Sometimes Tamoko seems to fall out of her rhythm, and then he manages to score a hit. Occasionally a genuine surprise widens her eyes a little, even though the expression doesn't register for anyone else than Sarevok to see. It would be a shame to be beaten by such a little girl, even in a sparring match. Sarevok was sweats profusely but is determined not to give up. It is Tamoko who speaks first.

- "We are both exhausted. Call it off?"
Grateful, Sarevok nodded. Tamoko was sweating less than he was. Surely it was just because women sweat less?
- "I'm sure we both have learned much from each other," said Tamoko, sheathing the katana.
- "Uh, I sure did," managed Sarevok.
- "In Kara-Tur we bow like this to our sparring partner, to show respect," said Tamoko, and demonstrated. Sarevok did likewise, and their eyes met each other.
Oh Winski, is this the moment now when I'm supposed to ask? I don't dare! What if she won't?
- "T...Tamoko?"
- "Yes?"
That damn enquiring and collected expression again. Sarevok's tongue didn't work and he cursed himself in silent despair.

- "Sarevok, I don't know about you but I'm very thirsty. After we refresh ourselves, how about if we join each other for a drink in a tavern? We could discuss the things we learned from each other during this training session," suggested Tamoko in a neutral voice. She knew from experience that westerners couldn't read her expressions or the tone of her voice. She was grateful. She was nervous about suggesting it even though her instincts suggested that Sarevok would agree.

Sarevok tried to look as if he was thinking about it for a few seconds.
- "All right then. Let's meet here in fifteen minutes, shall we?"
That should have been cool. They nodded at each other and went for their respective bathing facilities.

As they left for the tavern Sarevok noticed that Tamoko still had the weapons with her even though they were off-duty. He asked about that.
- "A samurai never leaves her katana. Except in Kara-Tur, when she visits a house of another samurai. They have this special holy... shelves or racks for them in the doorway, but everywhere else it is either sheathed at her waist, or in her hand. To lose the family katana is a great disgrace... of course, I'm no samurai any more." She looked so sad now.
- "I don't even know what a samurai is. Or obviously, a warrior of your kind, but all the other things. Will you tell me about it?"
There was a genuine interest in Sarevok's voice, Tamoko noticed. It was not just that he was interested to learn what kind of sensual secrets the women of Orient held, if the poor boy even dared to think that far. He genuinely wanted to hear this. Tamoko was touched.
- "I will tell you. Let's order something."

They ordered a large pitcher of water and small glasses of wine.
- "Being a samurai is a great honor. Those who are chosen go through a very rigorous training, a training for both mind and body. Not only do we practise weaponry and fighting unarmed, we also learn poetry and science, even the basics of the language of the westerners, which proved to be a good thing for me. We must follow the bushido, the way of warriors. It is an ancient code of honor which must never be broken. We must follow the word of our daimyo, our lord, without question. My daimyo was my father, the head of Daidoji family and the Crane clan."
- "What happened then? Why did you leave so far away from your home?" Sarevok was mesmerized.
- "I... broke his direct order. That is inexcusable. I would have been one of the honored Daidojis, perhaps... but fallen in disgrace I am but a ronin. A... wave rider, a masterless samurai. That is just another warrior. So I left. There is but disgrace and death for me at home," she explained, amazed how open she could be with Sarevok.
- "But what did you DO? What could be that bad?"
- "I... I am not ready to tell about that."

She was silent for a long moment, looking somewhere Sarevok only could guess at. He was sure he had ruined something irrevocably. But then she tilted her head and looked Sarevok in the eyes.
- "Sarevok, how would you like to try sparring unarmed? I have a dojo, a hall for that kind of fighting, at my residence. I could show you how the Cranes fight. If you want of course... you seem to like that big sword which is probably taller than me so much that I doubt..."she said in a teasing voice.
- "Oh, I'm always interested in anything to do with... fighting," grinned Sarevok.