On Her Own
By Kevin D. Hammel

A Story Inspired by Jeff Hosmer's Amazons.

Episode 03: The Tale of Five Mothers.

Ranma 1/2 is property of Rumiko Takahashi. Publishing rights are held 
by Viz in The US and Shogakukan in Japan. My purpose is to honor the 
creator and her works. No infringement intended.

=======

The next town Ranma came to was fairly large, so she wandered around 
for a while. Walking by a dressmaker's shop, her heart almost stopped. 
A beautiful black silk dress was on display in the window. In the 
center of the chest was a Tao symbol embroidered with silver to create 
a shining yin to contrast with a black yang. This was HER dress.

The redheaded girl smiled at the dress in the window then entered the 
shop, her eyes clouding over for a moment as she saw herself wearing 
it. She spoke to the dressmaker with a hopeful glint in her eye. 
"Hello, I need to earn some money. Do you have anything I could do to 
help you?"

The man's eyes twinkled. "I saw you looking at the dress in the 
window. If you would like to work, the owner of the import store down 
the street has a pregnant daughter who needs a few months off so she 
can have her child."

"Thank you! I still want to buy that dress some day!" Ranma said, as 
she hurried out of the shop and down the street.

The man smiled in the redhead's wake, shaking his head slowly. He 
never really understood why he had made that dress, and had never 
expected to sell it... But something had compelled him to create it... 
this girl's destiny perhaps?

=======

"Lee Imports" read the sign on the shop. Ranma figured this must be 
the place, so she clambered up the stairs and entered the open door. 
"Hello?" She asked as she entered the store.

"May I help you, miss?" Came a soft voice to her right. Ranma looked 
up at a girl about her age, though a good 15 centimeters taller. Her 
black hair fell unbound from her head to flow smoothly down her back. 
The girl's hair was fine and straight, while Ranma's always seemed to 
have a mind of its own, currently corralled in a ponytail.

Ranma looked up at the girl, almost in awe. She had been away from 
Joketsuzoku long enough to forget just how short a girl she was... But 
there was something else about this girl. Something that made Ranma 
reluctant even to think of her as a girl... What made her different? 
Suddenly, she remembered what the dressmaker had said, and cast a 
quick glance at the young woman's midsection, noticing a slight bulge.

Flushing very slightly, Ranma responded. "My name is Saotome Ranma... 
and... uh... I'm traveling to Japan, but I'd like to earn a little 
money. I was told there might be a job working at your store."

The girl's expression became happy as she replied "I'll go get my 
father, Okay?"

"Sure..." Ranma told her hostess' back.

It wasn't too long before a middle-aged man returned with the girl. A 
worn pair of glasses perched on is nose, calling attention to 
themselves instead of his very ordinary face and coal-black hair. His 
body was muscular, and Ranma figured she'd give up at least half a 
meter to this giant of a man, from her perspective. As he approached 
the redhead, he offered a hearty smile. "Mei-Lin said you'd like to 
help out in our store when she... is unavailable."

Ranma reflected the smile boosted by an enthusiastic sparkle in her 
eyes. "Sure, I'd love to help!"

The man's expression lost a little happiness as he continued. "You're 
not from around here, are you?"

Ranma's face fell. "No, sir. I hope the job you need done can be 
performed by a lonely Japanese girl... far from home." A tear 
punctuated just how far away she was from home, and how lonely she 
felt.

"I think so, Ranma. I think you'll work out just fine."

=======

Mr. Lee, Mei-Lin's father never ran out of things for Ranma to do, 
especially when he found out just how strong the teenager was. The 
girl unloaded trucks and re-arranged stock in back with surprising 
ease, never complaining. She also became a good friend of Mei-Lin, who 
after only a few months found her ability to work in the store 
restricted by her advancing pregnancy. Ranma's Mandarin improved 
greatly due to her very public position as a clerk and stocker in the 
store. Her blossoming friendship with the increasingly expectant 
mother gave her ample opportunity to learn more about the Mandarin 
language, and about a very feminine condition, pregnancy.
 
After a few months more, Ranma's life had fallen into routine. It was 
daybreak, so she was practicing her kata. Mei-Lin watched as her 
friend performed her martial arts dance, like she did every morning. 
Ranma was a remarkable girl, and had helped both father and daughter 
tremendously. The petite martial artist stopped her workout & turned 
with an arm raised, catching a thrown towel from her friend. "Thanks!" 
Ranma exclaimed happily, giving the young mother-to-be a beautiful 
smile as she toweled off the bulk of the sweat her workout had 
generated.

"Sure, Ranma. Tossing you a towel is a pretty small place to pay to 
watch your martial arts show in the morning!" Mai-Lin replied.

Ranma walked over to her friend, draping the towel over her shoulder. 
"So, how's junior?"

"Well, the baby's not trying as hard to practice the kata as last 
week. No kicks yet today!"

Ranma laughed "Good, Mai-chan. Mom deserves a rest sometime..."

"Yeah, I guess..." The taller girl responded with a grin.

Ranma looked at her friend, who was now only a few weeks away from 
delivery. Would she ever be able to do this? It would be tough, men 
held none of her interest... at least that way. But, though the part 
of her that longed to join Mai-Lin in motherhood seemed to grow larger 
each day much as her friend's baby did. She could never imagine 
herself willing to be with a guy in that way. Period. She had become 
more of woman then she had thought possible. When she closed her eyes, 
she saw a girl now, at least outside. Inside was a different story. 
She hoped it would always be so.

=======

Finally, it was time to leave. Ranma's friend and 'neice' were doing 
so well that another hand was no longer needed around the store. Never 
wanting to be a burden, the girl had thanked her hosts and packed to 
leave.

Ranma hated times like this. Leaving friends, perhaps forever with 
only words to mark her passage. But she knew that wasn't true. She had 
made an impact at each place she had stopped and, with the start of a 
new spring, would be back in Japan in just a few months. She did have 
one purchase to make before leaving, however.

The dress she had fallen in love with nearly a year ago was no longer 
on display at the shop, but she knew it was still there waiting for 
her. With a bit of excitement, she opened the door.

"So, you've come to make your purchase before leaving town?"

"Yes, I hope I have enough to pay for it..." Ranma put a wad of 
crumpled bills on the counter, the man counting out his share.

You can change in the back room. I'll bring the dress to you." 

"Oaky!" She said, and hurried to the back room. The dressmaker brought 
the dress to her and left the room. She quickly got out of her skirt 
and blouse, then put on the dress. She clomped out into the room.

The man made some markings on the dress "It will be ready tomorrow."

Ranma walked to the back room and looked at herself in the mirror. He 
would NEVER have worn anything like this, but she would. She took the 
dress off, and put her mundane clothes back on. Returning it to the 
man, she said "See you tomorrow!"

=======

Ranma smiled as she left the town. The dressmaker had helped her 
carefully roll up the dress, and pack it in a plastic bag to protect 
it from damage. Ranma wasn't sure when she would be able to wear it, 
though. Someday she would sport the beautiful symbol of her life new 
and his old one, when she had a good reason to.

It was wonderful to walk again, to leave the urban area for the 
freedom and peace of the open road. After a few days travel, her trip 
reached a junction she had never imagined.

Ranma saw a flash on either side of the road, 200 meters ahead; she 
went to the side of the road and quickly took off her boots, putting 
them in her pack. The flashes hadn't moved. The fools didn't see her! 
Though it was much less comfortable to walk in her stocking feet, she 
could FIGHT. She put her pack back on, cautiously walking down the 
road.

A twig snapped. Ranma went to her battle stance, dropping her pack. 
Four, no, six men rushed out from the bushes. She knew where each of 
them was. In two seconds, she whirled around to disarm them. "Feh, 
weapons users!" She whispered as she whirled around again, rendering 
them unconscious.

Hearing the sound of a man clapping behind her, she jumped and 
flipped, now facing him 5 meters from where she had previously stood.

"Very good, you are skilled, girl! But can you beat a man?" He 
sneered, taunting her.

Anger filled Ranma for a second, but she let go of it, that was part 
of the trap this man was trying to set. She studied her opponent.

"Ah, a bit of self-control. I am truly impressed; you are indeed a 
student of the Art. A pity you must die today."

Her opponent slowly advanced...

Ranma studied him, he lunged at her, just missing...

Ranma felt a trickle of blood on her leg, and a slight burning. Her 
expression darkened... POISON!

"You know no honor!" She spat.

The man laughed. "I'm a thief! What honor do I need? And YOU... are 
dead!"

Ranma had to act fast. Shouting "Kachuu Tenshin Amiguriken!" She 
pummeled the man before he had a chance to react. Three tenths of a 
second later, her opponent was unconscious.

Ranma tied a strip of material from her skirt around her thigh. At 
least some of the poison wouldn't make it, but would it be enough?

Pain forced her to the ground. So... this is where it ended, so far 
from either of her homes...

She heard an auto engine, then rolled over to see a truck. She 
screamed before the darkness came.

=======

The woman driving the truck slammed on the brakes, then her companion 
jumped out of the truck, running over to the girl.

The man looked at the girl, her leg already turning blue-black from 
her wounds. He shouted to his wife, the driver. "Floss! You'd better 
call for backup, we need to get this girl back to town."

The woman shouted into the radio. "This is Floss, calling from the 
South road into town!"

"What's your problem, Floss?" A scratchy voice responded.

"We need another truck out here right away. The bandit gang is down, 
but we are returning with a critically injured woman, over."

"We're coming. Let's put those bastards on ice. Out"

The man carefully carried the girl to the truck as his wife radioed 
back to town. He'd seen the effects of the bandit leader's poison 
before. It looked like the girl had applied a tourniquet, saving her 
life. He hoped the doctor could save her leg.

As the man gently laid the girl in the back of the truck, his wife ran 
out to get the girl's backpack and throw it in the back of the truck.

After her husband secured the girl, Floss turned the truck around, 
then gunned the engine to race home.

=======

The blackness was lifting; Ranma heard the sounds of a household 
around her. She opened her eyes, and saw a young girl about four years 
old. She was cute, with pink hair and dancing gray eyes. "Hello." 
Ranma said in her native tongue.

The girl looked puzzled. "What did you say?"

"Hello, who are you?" Ranma responded in Mandarin.

The girl smiled. "I'm Gloss"

Ranma struggled to smile. "I'm Saotome Ranma."

The girl ran out of the room. "Mommy, the brave lady is awake! She 
says her name is Ranma!"

Two more people come to Ranma's bedside, a man and a woman.

"I am Chang Zhming, and this is my wife Floss."

The man had brown hair; Gloss had inherited her hair color from her 
mother.

"How long?"

"You've been semi-conscious for two days, Ranma. The doctor was able 
to save your leg, but thinks it will take at least 5 months to 
recover." The man smiled as he continued. "Because you put an end to 
the bandits which have plagued our village, you are the honored guest 
of our town."

"What did you do with the bandits?" Ranma asked.

The man's expression turned grim. "They were taken away. We heard they 
were tried and sentenced to long prison terms. My guess is they were 
taken out and shot."

Ranma winced; she did not like to be responsible for the death of 
anyone.

The man's expression remained grim. "They had killed many people who 
lived here, Ranma. You should be proud, not upset. You avenged all of 
their innocent victims."

The man's wife spoke next, motherly concern on her face. "The doctor 
recommends that we help you exercise your leg. It's going to hurt, but 
we should start as soon as possible."

Ranma could not bring herself to look at her leg. She tried to flex 
it. It was on fire, but moving. She continued to move it until it was 
completely extended. she then tried to contract it fully , then extend 
it. After extending it, she became dizzy, and blacked out.

=======

When she woke up again, the girl was at her bedside.

"Where are you from, Ranma?" She asked with the intense curiosity 
unique to four-year-olds.

"I'm from Japan. It's a beautiful place across the sea." She looked at 
the girl's hair, the light pink reminding her of "Sakura."

"What?" The puzzled girl asked.

"Sakura is the Japanese word for cherry blossom, you hair reminds me 
of them." Ranma replied with a gentle smile.

The little girl grinned. "I see! You're a nice lady, Ranma."

"Thank you, Sakura" Ranma grinned right back.

The girl perked up even more, a delighted expression crossing her 
face. "That can be your nickname for me!"

"Would you like to learn a little Japanese?"

"Sure, Ranma!"

=======

Weeks of pain followed. Exercise of her damaged leg alternated with 
lessons about Japan and Japanese for Gloss and her parents, and 
Mandarin lessons by the Changs for Ranma. After about a month, Ranma 
was able to get along well enough to walk, though with a pronounced 
limp. With their guest able to look after herself, the two parents 
left their daughter in Ranma's care while they worked.

During this time, Ranma took it upon herself to work on making the 
Chang's home spotless. She felt it was the least she could do for her 
hosts. Gloss 'helped' her as any four-year old would. It was two steps 
forward and one back. Ranma would scrub the floor, then Gloss would 
tip the bucket over, while trying to move it for Ranma. She could not 
find it in her heart to treat the girl too harshly, as she WAS trying 
to help. Soon, Ranma provided Gloss with a DRY sponge, so she could 
help clean the areas Ranma had not reached yet. Gloss really enjoyed 
helping her "big sister", and proudly showed her parents where she had 
helped clean each day.

When the Changs got home each night, Floss gave Ranma a cooking 
lesson, and found the girl to be an eager learner. After a few 
lessons, Ranma had a hot meal waiting for them when they got off work 
each day. After their meal, language lessons and cooking tips 
continued as Ranma and Gloss did the dishes. The Changs really grew to 
love their guest, and Ranma wondered if she really needed to search 
for her family any more... Then she thought of her father and mother, 
a man she loved and a shadowy entity buried in her memory. She knew 
then that no matter what, her family was in Japan.

=======

In another month, Ranma could walk well enough to engage in a light 
workout. She invited all of the Changs to join in a simple kata in the 
morning. When their parents went to work, Ranma trained Gloss, then 
studied some books she had bought at the town store, after her 
housekeeping chores.  She thought it strange that it would be in China 
that she would finally teach herself proper Japanese.

=======

A low rumble broke the silence that usually filled the valley. Ranma 
was studying her Japanese when Gloss ran in to the room. "Ranma, 
something bad happened at the mine! Can you come help?"

"Yes!" Ranma made her way out the door, and limped to the mine 
entrance up the hill above the town.

The town elder was at the mine entrance "Ranma, there has been a 
collapse in the mine. We think there are seventeen people trapped down 
there. Can you help?"

"Yes, can you get me to the collapsed section?"

Finally, Ranma had managed to crawl to the point of collapse. Several 
workers were using picks, making slow progress against the mass of 
rocks.

"Excuse me, do you mind if I try?" Ranma asked the people in front of 
her.

The miners moved out of the way. She studied the rock, looking for its 
breaking point. She turned around. "Could you clear the room, please?" 
After the workers were a safe distance away, she turned to the rock 
wall. With a shout of "Bakusai Teknetsu!" She touched the breaking 
point, disintegrating the rocks. A repeat of the process, and she 
broke through. Poking her head in the opening, she heard cries of 
relief from the other side.

Fifteen people crawled out of the tunnel Ranma had dug.

Concern suddenly filled her face. "Where are the Changs?"

"They're still back there, the roof collapsed on them."

Ranma crawled as fast as she could through the tunnel, the elder close 
behind. When she emerged from the collapsed area, she saw another 
place where the ceiling had come down... Ranma hurried over, dreading 
what she would see.

Mr. Chang was dead, crushed by the rock.

Mrs. Chang was clinging to life. She looked at Ranma, her head shaking 
with her struggle to live. "Ranma, my husband is dead, and I soon will 
be. Please raise Gloss as your own, we will not be able to."

"It will be my honor and joy." Ranma said through tears. She sobbed 
for several minutes. When she looked to back on her friends, Mrs. 
Chang had died with a smile on her face.

The elder was behind her. "Saotome Ranma, will you accept the duty 
given you by your friends?"

"Yes. After I free them from this place, I will comfort my daughter." 
Ranma began her terrible task, wishing she was beneath the rocks...

========

The two bodies wrapped in bed sheets lay in the back of one of the 
trucks. One of the drivers turned to the stricken girl. "We must go to 
the city to..." He could not finish the sentence. At last, he 
continued. "You must stay with your daughter to comfort her."

Ranma limped home as fast as her good leg would carry her.

=======

Dirty and bleeding from her ordeal, Ranma limped into the home, her 
endurance nearly spent. "Gloss, are you alright?" She breathed, 
collapsing on a bed.

"Did you see mommy and daddy?" The girl replied with concern.

Ranma choked out the words she needed. "They are gone, little one. 
They were killed in the mine."

Gloss' expression became puzzled as she asked. "When will they be 
back?"

"I am sorry, they asked me to be your mother, because they will not be 
coming back, Gloss"

Gloss began to cry, joining her 'big sister' in bed. Ranma just held 
her, trying to absorb all the child's suffering. Soon both girls were 
crying themselves to fitful, painful, sleep.

=======

The sun rose, waking Ranma up. "Gloss, are you OK?"

Gloss had slept embracing Ranma. The girl still was not awake, but 
seemed to be breathing regularly. Suddenly she screamed.

"It's OK, honey, I'm here. Gloss, are you alright?" Gloss grabbed onto 
Ranma as if she was a life preserver... perhaps she was. The girl and 
her mother drifted back to sleep.

There was a knock on the door. Ranma got up to answer. "Miss Saotome, 
the truck is back."

=======

Ranma and Gloss looked through tears at the two small boxes. Gently, 
Gloss picked the first one up, and placed it into a larger concrete 
container, then she did the same with the other. Ranma placed the 
cover on the larger box; then haltingly bore it to the grave. Her 
injury made the trip agonizing, but she refused all assistance. 
Physical pain was the least of her suffering, and she had one last 
duty to perform for her friends. Several mine workers attached cables 
to the container and lowered it. Ranma and Gloss helped fill the hole.

As they left the gravesite. Ranma looked down at her daughter. 
"Gloss."

The girl shot a glance of pain at Ranma "Gloss is dead, papa-mama, I 
am Sakura!"

"Why do you call me papa-mama?" Ranma asked.

"You said you used to be a boy, and both my mom and dad are dead, so 
you must be papa and mama to me, papa-mama."

Ranma and her daughter returned home, and promptly tried to sleep. 
After many hours, the two girls succeeded.

=======

Nerima, Tokyo

A young woman with short brown hair, Tendou Nabiki, ran the usual 
search of newspapers she did once a week using the name "Saotome 
Ranma". The computer and the Internet made this a much easier 
proposition than it might have been. It seems that this Ranma 
character was engaged to the Tendou family, and was to marry either 
Nabiki or one of her sisters. Unfortunately, he got lost in China when 
his idiot father had taken him there to train. There had been a battle 
and the two became separated. Nabiki figured she might as well search 
the Japanese-language papers in China looking for this Ranma, and had 
been doing so for a year.  Today was her lucky day...

The words on the screen almost shouted at her. "Japanese youth saves 
fifteen in mine!" The person who performed the rescue was Saotome 
Ranma from Nerima, Tokyo. Nabiki printed off the article and ran to 
show her father.

=======

China

Days and nights of pain and tears followed, after a few weeks, the 
tears stopped and the pain was much less. Ranma was able to walk 
without a trace of a limp, her recovery astonishing the town 
physician.

Her recovery complete, Ranma decided it was time for her to earn some 
income to support herself and... her family. Setting up a few tables 
in front of the Chang's house, she opened a small cafe, "Ranma's", 
putting the kitchen skills she had learned to work.

Business was slow at first, but seemed to pick up after a few weeks. 
Her clientelle seemed to consist mainly of single male miners, but 
Ranma never seemed to notice. There was always a line each morning of 
eager customers wanting for some hot foot to take with them to work.

After a month, a smiling Sakura looked up at her mother. "Could I get 
some clothes like yours?"

Ranma shook her head with a puzzled expression. "Do you really want to 
wear clothes like mine, little one? You deserve prettier clothes."

Sakura looked at Ranma with the twinkle in her eyes that still melted 
her mother's heart. "Your clothes are very pretty, mom, especially on 
you!"

Ranma shrugged in smiling resignation. "OK, lets go to town on the 
next truck."

=======

Ranma got a chance to visit her friends in the city. Most of them knew 
the Changs, and would miss them. First, Ranma visited the dressmaker.

"What would you like?" The man asked with a smile.

Ranma looked a little embarrassed. "My daughter would like clothes 
like mine."

Nodding his head affirmatively, the shopkeeper replied. "We should 
have these in stock."

Soon Sakura was wearing clothes that looked just like her mother's.

=======

Ranma looked down at her daughter. They had just finished their 
morning kata. Sakura did not cry anymore, neither did Ranma. It had 
been five months since the accident. Another winter had come and left, 
spring was again upon the land.

Sakura looked up at her mother. "Papa-mama, could you please have a 
baby so I will have a brother or sister to play with?"

"I'm sorry little one, but I'm a boy and can't love a man. I don't 
know if I can have a baby."

"Please, mommy?"

Ranma realized that many of the regulars at her cafe would be happy to 
take her as a wife and Sakura as a daughter. Had she come far enough 
to become one with her body at last? Was she ready to abandon hopes of 
going home for the sake of her daughter? Had she finally become, at 
last, a woman?

"Mommy?" Sakura asked with concern, worried Ranma hadn't responded to 
her question.

"I'll try, Sakura." Ranma felt part of herself come to life at her 
promise. She prepared to take a step on the road she dared not tread, 
but realized she had reached its end. Looking at her daughter through 
fresh tears of joy and sadness, she reached down and scooped the girl 
up into a loving embrace. "You'll have a sister or brother, Sakura. I 
promise."

That evening, Ranma thought she heard some people speaking Japanese, 
but it must have been her imagination.

=======

Elsewhere in the village

Three Japanese travelers were looking for Saotome Ranma, 
unfortunately, they could not find anyone who spoke Japanese. The 
finally found an older man who spoke their tongue.

The village elder looked at the three foreigners. The man seemed to be 
muscular, and wore a cloth over his head. His wife had red-brown hair 
and had a sword strapped to her back. Their daughter looked to be 
seventeen or eighteen perhaps, and had long black hair.

The woman spoke at last. "Good day, sir. I am Saotome Nodoka, Saotome 
Ranma's mother. Do you know where Ranma lives?"

The man looked thoughtful. "Yes, but they are probably in bed by now. 
There is an inn at the end of the road, perhaps you could stay there 
tonight and see them tomorrow morning."

Undeterred, Nodoka continued. "Very well, do you have Ranma's 
address?"

Jotting the address and a crude map on a piece of paper, the elder 
offered the paper to the woman. "Yes, here it is."

=======

Nodoka looked at the simple bed with trepidation. Would she find her 
son tomorrow? Would she even be able to sleep the night away? So many 
nights had passed unnoticed since Genma had taken Ranma. And, after 
the first few, all had usually passed easily. Now... perhaps... only 
one was left. She lay awake, wondering if this Ranma WAS her son... 
Visions of a strong, noble, manly son occupied her mind. Across China, 
another mother tried to sleep next to her own child.

The room was dark and redolent with the odor of damp straw. She 
couldn't sleep, so she just lay and quietly cursed men and their 
arrogance. A stirring nearby caught her attention. The young mother 
couldn't keep a smile off her face as she picked up her child, pulled 
at the tie to free the top of her dress, and began to nurse the 
infant. Little Cinnamon was the reason she had been tossed into the 
dungeons; her daughter had cost her a position as a bridal candidate. 
But looking at that tiny face, and feeling that little mouth draw 
sustenance from her very body, made her realize it was worth it.

The sun was up by the time Cinnamon had been fed and was sleeping 
again. A thin beam of light made its way into the room to provide a 
dim illumination. Mother regarded daughter as she went over all that 
had happened in the last year.

She glanced up a torn piece of metal that provided with a mirror of 
sorts. Studying her distorted reflection in the polished surface, she 
saw again the face that had seemed so strange when she woke up in that 
room. Her pale blue hair had been short, but now flowed down below her 
shoulders, and tickled her bare back. She never really was sure WHY 
the face or hair seemed strange. It was her face, she knew that, and 
that the hair was hers but... Had it always been? She had no memory 
before awakening that day a year ago, with the bloom and growth of 
motherhood already upon her.

Her clothing was fairly typical of girls the Musk had taken, being a 
simple dress of coarse tan fabric that tied behind the neck and waist, 
leaving her back bare. Further study of the mirror allowed her to tie 
her top again after nursing her child.

The... men... had given her a name, Rosemary. It was a pretty name, 
she thought with a small smile. People don't choose their names, so 
she accepted it. Rosemary had given Cinnamon her name, when the little 
girl was a newborn. Before the mother had been cast out with her child 
because of the girl's gender.

She had known that if she bore a son, that one of the... Musk warriors 
would have taken her as wife. And much as she hated those men now, 
when she was in labor, she was genuinely excited that one of them was 
going to... make her his.

She relived the birth again.  The girl recalled all the pain, ripping, 
and tearing. Hearing her screams as if she were outside her body. And 
Anise, who held her hand and offered encouragement the whole time. In 
the last month the expectant mother and her friend had spent what 
little idle time they had sizing up warriors as husband candidates.  
Of course, a wife does not chose who takes her. But all the men were 
strong. Rosemary's dreams the last few weeks were of one of them 
holding her. Of that unknown warrior keeping her, her son, and the 
fortress safe. It was a nice fantasy that always put the pregnant girl 
to sleep with a smile on her face.

But all that vanished when she saw the horror on the midwife's face. A 
tear fell as she thought of Anise... the woman she loved, and who 
loved her. A glance at contentedly sleeping Cinnamon changed the 
nature of her tears. Though the little baby had cost her dearly, she 
could not help but love the tiny girl. She was a mother, and that's 
what mothers did.

=======

Anise looked over her charges. Because of the special skills she had 
shown, she had been placed in charge of the Musk swine herds. 
Actually, she had been told to 'report' to the drunken excuse for a 
warrior that was in charge of the herds. Like Rosemary, she had no 
memories before the day they both woke up, a year ago. But, unlike her 
friend, she didn't feel the face in the mirror was strange. She was a 
short girl, but could look Rosemary in the eye.

She sighed as she recalled the months they had spent together. 
Rosemary was exactly her height. Things were so perfect between them. 
The two girls spent every moment together, talking and sharing as 
together they wrote each page in the blank book that was their lives. 
Just as her birthing pains began, they had shared a few moments Anise 
wished could go on forever...

"Oh... there it..." Rosemary said as she sucked in a breath and shut 
her eyes for a moment as pain hit again. "I think he wants to come 
out... Right now." She said as she looked at her friend's face.

"Rose, What if it's a girl?" Anise asked, concerned for her friend, 
and her unborn child.

Rosemary closed her eyes in response to a totally different kind of 
pain. "It won't be. I just KNOW it won't be."

"But... what if it is? What then?" A concerned Anise insistently 
asked.

"Then... my life... my baby..." Tears and pain beyond the physical 
were augmented by another labor spasm. Rosemary felt a familiar, 
strong embrace. And felt a lot better, letting out a sigh of 
contentment.

"I'll there for you, Rose. I'll always be there for you." Anise 
whispered in a voice choked with emotion.

Rosemary grabbed Anise so tightly the latter spat out a breath and had 
trouble breathing. "Annie. Thanks."

Just as suddenly, the strong grip of her friend disappeared. Opening 
her eyes, Anise saw a hot red blush on her friend's face. "Rose, 
what's wrong?"

"We... we're both girls, Annie. But it felt so... right to... hold you 
like that." The furiously blushing girl replied.

Anise had felt something too. She gave her friend a peck the cheek. 
"I'll be waiting for you, Rose. No matter what happens. I'll be there 
when you're taken as a bride, or I'll be right here waiting for... 
You. I promise."

Rosemary smiled, through her tears, through her doubts, and through 
her insecurities. "Thanks, Annie. No matter what, I love you."

A squealing drew Anise from her recollections. She could feel the 
blush on her face. But there were others who needed her, and she 
recognized that squeal. "Tokugawa!" She shouted, at a large pig. She 
leapt over the fence and was soon at the side of the animal. "What's 
wrong?" She asked, much like Rosemary would question Cinnamon.

The black swine could not answer except to turn its head toward her. 
Glancing down, Anise saw a bleeding cut on a trotter. "Okay, 
'emperor'. I'll be back and fix you up, 'kay?" She said in a soothing 
voice. She turned, took a couple of graceful steps, and then hopped 
the fence again.

A minute later, Anise was at the side of her charge, first cleaning, 
then dressing, and finally binding the wound. "Be careful." she 
whispered. "You'll be okay again soon."

"Anisssss" cane a singsong call of Barley, the Musk Swine warden.

The girl stood and turned to face her... superior... for lack of a 
better word. "Yeah?" She asked.

"I ssssee you fixed up that ol' porker real" He coughed a couple of 
times, "good."

Anise let a tiny bit of controlled pride show, before she bowed. "All 
in your service, Swine warden." A thought came to her, as she stood 
erect again. "Uh... Swine warden. Do you think you might be able to 
get Rosemary back?"

Barley actually looked a bit thoughtful, then took a swig from an 
earthen mug. "ahh!" He exclaimed in satisfaction, wiping his mouth off 
on his tunic sleeve. "Good stuff." He blinked at Anise' questioning 
look. "What wazat again, hon?"

Anise swallowed bile as she responded as sweetly as she could. "Swine 
warden, since Rosemary didn't have a boy, she's not much good as a 
bridal candidate right now. I was wondering if she could come back as 
my assistant. I could REALLY use the help."

There was a twinkle in his eyes as Barley responded. "You girls..." He 
shook his head for a few moments, before a coughing fit broke the 
mood. "Sure, Anise. I know you two do... uh... really well together. 
And a girl working out here is a whole hell of a lot more useful than 
one rotting in the dungeons." He winked at her before continuing. 
"I'll see what I can do ya for."

Anise jumped over the railing and hugged the man. Ignoring his stench, 
prickly beard, and her own urge to gag, she looked up. "Thanks." She 
said at last.

After a few moments, Barley pushed her off. "No, Anise. Thank you. I 
don't know WHAT Prince Herb woulda done t' me if you hadn't a showed 
up." With that he turned and walked toward the keep. Or at least 
ambled in that general direction... mostly.

Anise watched the broken warrior make his way to the fortress proper. 
She had a small smile on her face as she realized how lucky both Rosy 
and herself were to have Barley in their lives. Not to mention how 
lucky HE was to have them. It was GOOD to have a man in their debt, 
even if he was hobbled from years of war. 

=======

Rosemary propped her head up with a bent arm so she could watch little 
Cinnamon sleep. There wasn't much else to do. Jingling keys tore her 
attention from her sleeping daughter for a moment. With a look of 
concern she placed herself between the door and her child. They would 
not touch Cinnamon without killing her mom, Rosemary swore to herself.

The door was thrown wide open, hitting the wall with a bang... like a 
gunshot, Rosemary thought, then wondered what a gun WAS. Two burley 
warriors entered, standing to either side of the door. With lightning 
speed, both of them thrust spears at the young mother, the weapon's 
deadly tips mere centimeters from the girl's throat.

The girl with pale blue hair regarded them with a cool and unflinching 
gaze as she stared into the eyes of the two invaders, who both looked 
away in a few seconds. Her face showed no reaction to the tiny victory 
she won in that test of wills. She had been beaten enough times for 
allowing her face to show who the superior was in such a contest to 
realize it was better to keep emotion inside around... men.

A small man then entered the doorway, but not the room. He unfolded a 
paper and read from it. "The girl Rosemary, found unfit to be a Bride, 
is hereby bound to servitude tending the Prince's herd of Swine, 
overseen by Sir Barley." With mechanical motions, he folded the paper 
and disappeared from the doorway.

Both men focused on the girl again, thrusting the razor-sharp 
spearheads ever closer to the girl's vulnerable throat. "Well, well. I 
guess you're gonna go back to pig-farming, girlie." The man on the 
right said in a lurid voice, then licked his lips. He lifted his spear 
close to the frightened girl's face, drawing a thin line of blood from 
her cheek as it passed. He then thrust it into the floor, just a 
centimeter from Cinnamon's head.

Rosemary flinched, but the baby's stirring told her the spearhead had 
missed. She allowed herself the small sigh of relief her motherhood 
demanded, then steeled herself again. The girl felt the warm liquid on 
her cheek, which began to make its way down her face, like crimson 
tears.

"Oh, the little mamma is frightened for her little girl?" The man who 
still held his spear responded as he leered at the girl. "If you're 
concerned about a useless girl, you'll make a good wife. You won't 
like it down there with all them pigs, so maybe we can help you have a 
son." The man on the left said, as he lowered his spear.

Rosemary willed her body into immobile stone. If these... pigs were 
going to do THAT to her, she was NOT going to make it easy. She 
realized how much more she liked the swine outside than in the 
fortress.

A sound of stumbling in the corridor distracted the guards for a 
moment. It seemed Barley had arrived to pick up his charge. "Could you 
wait a minute? We're just trying to help this girl have a son..." One 
of the guards said.

Rosemary watched and was astonished at what happened after that. 
Barley seemed to stumble toward the guard with a spear, but in an 
instant the guard's spear clattered uselessly to the ground as Barley 
struck him. The surprise was so complete; the object of the attack 
didn't even have a chance to dodge. Barley jerked his body to stare at 
the other guard, stopping just short of his face. A trickling sound 
betrayed the man's total fear.. "Doncha EVER touch any a my girlzzz, 
ya hear?"

"Y... Yes," The man verbally stumbled, as he bowed profusely. "Thank 
you sir. Good luck with the girl." With a crash, the retreating guard 
tripped over his unconscious compatriot then shambled drunkenly down 
the hallway in shock, completely forgetting the spear imbedded next to 
the sleeping baby's head.

Barley looked at the terrified girl, who began to tremble, then passed 
out from the shock of her release. He smiled, remembering his own 
daughter, and what had happened to her. He placed the sleeping baby on 
her mother's chest between her breasts, and then draped Rosemary's 
arms around the child. With a deep breath, he lightly lifted the two 
girls and stumbled down the hall. Rosemary was small, even for a girl. 
He swore to himself he would never let harm come to either of his two 
servants or their daughter. Perhaps he would pass on his Art to 
them... They were more fit to be heirs than any of his fellows. But 
the Drunken Fist might not be the best School to teach the two girls. 
No matter what, they would learn to defend themselves. That Barley 
swore. Through them he would avenge his daughter.

=======



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