As I slowly slid to wakefulness I felt lazy and warm and found that I was smiling. I couldn't remember the last time it felt natural to be this way.

Finding myself alone didn't bother me - how strange - and sensing Shai was nearby I rolled over and opened my eyes.

"I've sent him on an errand." She supplied, she looked impassive, but her eyes were dancing. "It will give you time to relax - a bath perhaps?"

Such sweet words.

"Oh yes please!"

As I sat up a breakfast tray was beside me, I felt thoroughly spoilt but went with it easily. Shai had gone by the time I turned to thank her and Kizen knelt in her place. She removed the dressings and I was surprised how healed the wounds felt as they met the air. The next couple of hours were sheer unadulterated bliss and my body was grateful.

Dressed in a light kimono, the fabric felt like wearing a breeze, I had to keep checking it wasn't transparent; so its dark blue colour was reassuring. I stayed in bare feet with my hair free behind a headband that had a tiny spray of gold flowers on the left that made light sounds in my ear.

Shai looked at me approvingly as I entered what had become my room, then I heard a light step on the verandah and spun around just as Saizo returned. He was genuinely caught by surprise, just for a hint of a moment, which was quickly replaced by a smile.

A real smile.

I twirled about in the fabric.

"You like?"

My own smile just wouldn't stop. He had already closed the distance and grabbed me quickly into a kiss before I finished turning. Shai laughed softly and for some reason I was instantly self-conscious and went to pull away, but he picked me up off the floor with one arm and toyed with the golden flowers near my ear with the other as I looked straight at him.

"You are beautiful little lady."

The words were spoken so softly they only reached the space between us, they were just for me. Then he neatly set me down, spun me around and pushed me ahead of him to walk further into the room.

* * * * *

I haven't the slightest wish or desire to write about how Shai, Kizen and Saizo cleared my mind.

The living of it, the reliving of it, breaking down each of the walls, seems best left to just vaguely remembering the process.

Suffice to say there was wounding, there was healing, there was incredible pain and release. At one point I thought the merry-go-round of horrors was never going to end, but finally it did.

I know I passed out more than once, and judging by the vile taste in my mouth as I came to at the end, I must have drunk gallons of that awful restorative stuff.

* * * * *

Never have I felt so weak physically and mentally, I couldn't even lift my head to eat or drink, but in a peculiar way I felt lighter, better, and wrapped in care.

How long I slept I have no idea, the last colours of sunlight only just lit the room.

A hand found its way across my chest to my shoulder, I went to try and sit up, but the random hand pushed me back. Suddenly I found energy and I sat up sharply saying loudly:

"Damn it Saizo!"

Instantly he was sitting upright next to me.

"I'm starving!"

He bumped my shoulder playfully with his then put his hand to my cheek, turning my head towards him, there was mischief in his eyes and a smirk on his face.

"What would we like to consume first then little lady?"

I punched him and got up out of bed, just as Kizen materialized with a food tray, and for the first time I didn't jump, it's amazing what you can get used to. I felt like I could keep eating to catch up for a lifetime of hunger, every taste was fresh, revitalizing, it was like my body could instantly draw strength from it.

If I ever get to taste magic, I'm sure now I will recognise the flavour.

As we were preparing to leave, Shai beckoned me over and we stepped out onto the front edge of her verandah, standing above the woodland valley below.

The air felt different, cooler, and not just from the altitude, the sun was less fierce and more clouds filled the sky. I probably put the word rain in my head because Shai said:

"In a few days time."

We sat on the verandah edge together and as I took in the quiet beauty she spoke softly to me.

"There's a reason you didn't return when Kenshin took the pendant."

A brief flash of the moment he pulled it from me surfaced, but it was just a picture and had no power.

"You didn't put the pendant on yourself did you - someone else did."

From what seemed like eons ago I saw the pendant's reflection in a mirror as it was put over my head.

"From their hand, back to their hand."

I wasn't entirely sure what that meant.

"You appear to be sleeping ... almost an hour..."

Shai seemed to be answering me before I could speak.

"Why don't you stay for a while longer?"

I confess I hadn't even thought about it.

Shai then turned my head in her cool fingers to meet her eyes.

"I will make sure you have time and when you are ready you can return."

That sentence was just weird on so many levels.

"Just take this day as your first again Lady Tamara."

The idea was like a gift and one I wasn't expecting.

"Now go, or you will not meet up with the troops in time, you are already missed." I found myself hugging her and she seemed totally surprised.

"Make sure you eat well, you still need it."

I smiled - again - how odd it was so easy to do so. We must have looked an odd pair sitting there, an elegant lady in a soft green hatama and me in my light armour.

As we walked back, Saizo had already brought the horses and after giving a bow to Kizen as I passed, I stepped lightly off the verandah and took Jin's reins.

Once mounted, I took a long look around me, I wanted to forever remember this quiet rocky sanctuary, and with a nod from Saizo we headed back down the slope.

I went to look back, but clear words appeared in my mind.

"Ride forwards Lady Tamara, be safe, we will meet again."

I could feel Saizo send me a questioning look, but I just kept smiling and did exactly what she said.