Prologue: The Grim Soldier

 

William; a retired American soldier from California limps with a cane in hand, to the port, with his ticket in hand, and backbag held tightly against his chest. He stammers up the walkway to the ship glancing behind him and wondering if this is the right thing to do. In his younger years he would have to leave his town to fight the Confederates in the 118th regiment under Colonel Hasgard. The army taught William how to hold, and shoot a rifle. How to fight in forests, and use gurilla tactics against your enemy, as well as ambushes, close quarters fighting, and a few engineering technicals for the cannons he had to lug around. Hasgard; a man of honor and had seen MANY battles before him had taken command of private Williams and noted his tenacity for violence, warfare, and torture. Hasgard and many of the soldiers knew that War was inevitable with the South veering ever so close to vitory a few short times. The battles were bloody, the losses were many, but Williams relished in it at a young age of only 17. Williams fought in 109 battles and retired from service over a musket ball hitting him in the knee cap practically shattering the bone. He knew loss very well with his brothers in arms dying all around him while thinking the whole time that MAYBE next time would be HIS time to die. Hardened, and cold from the slaughtering of innocent men, and women during his tours of duty he was known to many as "The Californian Monster" for his outrageous physical, and mental aptitude to use deadly efficiency in battle as well as being slightly insane. A few soldiers in his squad would see him mercilessly use wire cutters to yank confederates fingers off for information while he tied there hands to chairs, and feet were barb wired to the legs of the chairs. He enjoyed wirecutters. Not because he couldnt find anything else, but because he enjoyed the screams of agony the further he enduldged into it. But no one dared question him, or talk behind his back because he wasnt exactly the nicest person to hold a grudge. Long years of service awarded him many medals for valor, honor, and a position of higher service but ultimately turned it down. He retired somewhere on the outskirts of San Fransiscos mega metropolis that was seeing many shortages in the economy because of a depression that was looming around the corner. The country was in shambles, and he wanted to leave. At 43 and nothing much else to do he packed up his bags from his house, grabbed all the money he could, and set out for the port of San Fransisco. He was going to leave America.........

 

Japan; 1893, Port of Edo

 

Prologue 2. The Shijo Bride

 

As Japans samurai were coming to an end with the integration of modern weaponry such as guns, and ships with cannons, the sword seemed only last place for the period. A few samurai were still close to there beliefs of honor in swordfighting in the different schools that still taught but rarely educated the different styles. A 14 year old girl had found herself given to a man whom she disliked almost entirely, but to please her father the most, was her goal in life so she had accepted the idea of an arranged marriage. As a loyal follower of the emporer of Japan and land owner of many rice farms in the Edo region Guihan Yao's father Goru Yao had only to marry his daughter into a wealthy family for there position to rise as "high as the stars" he would tell her. Guihan would use her fathers sword to learn to be a warrior and defend herself mostly from a young age, and frequent threats from many shogunate officials on wanting there lands. As a young girl in Japan Guihan never had the rights to many things. Such was the ways of many cultures throughout history. She loved it there and was content enough to keep her livelyhood in check from time to time. The bustling success of her fathers business prompted him to expand to many rural areas of the neighborhood. She would sell her fathers famous dishes, and bushels of rice to many adoring customer who were willing to pay for top quality food. As was the ways of many of the merchant sellers during the early Meiji Restoration period. As a fire burned throughout one of the Yao farms they all leapt to there feet to rush to put it out. Yet another attack was forced upon them and Guihans father was becoming to old to fight, and stand up for his own lands anymore. He had trained his daughter Guihan to help protect the village from the many who wish to seek profit from stealing, or saboteuring there wares. Guihan wondered if her father would ever be the warrior he once was fighting against the Western ways of thinking throughout his lifetime he had become old, and frail. Guihans mother; a Gia for a very large Japanese crime family known as the Shi-toh Bawa syndicate was stolen from her parents at a young age into slavery. Shin-Ji loved her daughter with all of her heart since the day she was born into the world. She taught her many womanly mannerisms for the custom of Japanese women to walk behind there husbands, speak only when spoken to, among other things. But Guihan didnt think that a chance encounter with a tall, battlehardened, Western soldier would soon change her life forever....