Pusan, 1587
Chosun Dynasty of Modern Day Korea
The storm that raged along the shores of Pusan was unusual for this time of year. The rainy season was not due for another few months but almost out of nowhere the sky blackened as the heavens unleashed their fury on the inhabitants of the coastal town. Fighting her way back to her home, Ji Eun cursed herself for not leaving sooner. She'd had a particularly good run of fishing and was trying to hold out until the last possible minute. Now, battered by the harsh rain, her jacket over her head, she was paying the price. Her rubber shoes sank into the wet sand, slowing her progress when she suddenly tripped over something in the sand. Pushing her wet hair off her face, it was so dark she could barely see ahead of her, the only light the illumination from the fierce lightning that tore across the sky. In the brief reprieve from the darkness, she was barely able to make out some pieces of driftwood lodged in the sand and next to them, a mass that looked like a person. Feeling pity for the hapless fisherman who had run ashore, she left her catch on the beach and began dragging the person back to her home.
After five minutes, she began to become extremely tired. If he was a fisherman, he was extremely heavy and had she not been spurred along against her will by the storm, she would have stopped to rest, frequently. After what seemed like an eternity, she finally managed to get him inside her modest house. Sliding the wooden door closed with a sigh of relief, she fumbled around to light a candle. When she could finally see somewhat properly, she nearly dropped the candle in her attempt to stifle a scream. Lying on the floor in front of her was a man. Still unconscious, he was heavily suited in a strange kind of armor that she had never seen before on a soldier of the Chosun army. Unable to reign in her curiosity, she inched forward to get a better look at him.
Raising the candle to his face, she saw that he was not that old, late twenties at most. Figuring that she should get him out of his wet clothes, she set down her light and pondered how to remove his armor. Clumsily tugging at the various lacquered plates, she finally hefted off the last of his vestments when she felt how hot his skin was. He was burning with fever. Her modesty forgotten, she stripped him to the skin and dried him as quickly as she could and dragged him to her bed. After covering him with what few blankets she had, she reached into a small dresser drawer and pulled out some dried plants. When she'd ground them into a fine powder, she poured them over a cloth and steeped it in some hot water. A foul smell soon filled the room.
Scurrying to the stranger's side, she cradled his head in her lap and slapped his face, trying to rouse him. When his eyes finally opened a crack, she held the bowl to his lips and felt him try to fight when he smelled its contents. "No arguments," she snapped, not even sure if he understood her. "Drink it." As if understanding her, he downed the concoction and fell back, exhausted from the effort.
Figuring they would both need to eat, she ran back to where she had left her fish and hurried back inside, shaking the water from her as she entered. After cooking the fish, she boiled a simple gruel of millet and changed into some dry clothes before sitting next to her guest. This time when she tried to slap him awake, he didn't move. His fever was breaking and a cold sweat had sprung all over his body. From where she sat, she could see him visibly shivering. Eating a little herself, she looked at his armor curiously and examined his sword. Pulling it out of its sheath, she marveled at the workmanship in the slender blade. It was a beautiful weapon. Setting it back down next to his discarded clothing, she pillowed her head on her hands and studied his face in the dim light before falling asleep.
Noboru awoke groggy and disoriented. When he tried to sit up, he found he was so weak that he could barely lift his head off the pillow. Pillow? Where was he? As his vision came into focus, he turned his head to see a young woman sleeping, curled up in a ball. I must be in her bed, he thought. Disconcerted by his surroundings, he tried to remember what happened before he passed out. The last thing he recalled was his scout ship being pulled into the ocean only minutes after the tempest had hit. He could only surmise that he had washed up ashore and discovered by the girl next to him. Every part of him ached and he suddenly realized that his clothes were gone. Thankfully he was more than adequately covered, but it was a bit unnerving to say the least after everything he had just been through. Seeing how she was dressed, he knew was in Chosun. His thoughts were abruptly cut short when she opened her eyes.
It was strange. She said nothing, remained motionless and simply observed him in silence for a few minutes, looking into his eyes. Not sure what to do, he blankly stared back. She looked to be in her late teens, if not her early twenties and he was somewhat astonished to see that she had freckles. When she opened her mouth to finally speak, he didn't understand a word of what was said. His host must have deduced his confusion from the quizzical look on his face and pointed to herself. "Ji Eun." She patted her chest a few more times indicating herself and repeated, "Ji Eun."
Swallowing dryly, he managed to croak, "Noboru." Nodding approvingly, she shuffled away and rummaged around in the far corner of the room and brought back some paper and an inkstone. What struck him was the obvious high quality of the paper and expensive look of the stone as she ground a stick of ink and added some water. Taking a brush in hand, he saw her write something and was shocked to recognize it as a Chinese character. In elegant calligraphy, she had written the word "big" and looked at him expectantly. Not sure what he was supposed to do, Noboru spread his hands wide to indicate something of great size and she nodded excitedly again. Again she wrote, this time the word "storm". Reading the paper, he pointed outside, and she laughed delightedly. He couldn't say why, but the sound pleased him and he felt himself smile in return. Bowing his head a little, he indicated the brush and after understanding what he was asking, she handed it to him and watched him write the word "country".
"You want to know what country this is," she guess aloud, looking at his face. Taking the brush, she wrote the symbols for "high" and "kingdom", the two characters that indicated Chosun. She saw him nod his comprehension. Glad to have found a way to communicate with him, she began to worry when she saw that they would soon run out of paper. As if sensing her concern, he appeared lost in thought for a moment, then beckoned for her to pass him his clothes. Sliding his pants over his hips, he tentatively stood up.
Noboru felt like he would pass out at any moment, and Ji Eun immediately got up to assist him, but he shook his head and motioned for her to stay where she was. Sliding the door open, he staggered onto the beach and looked around until he spotted a large flat rock. Bringing it inside, he gestured to her for something to drink and he took the bowl of water she gave him and dipped a second brush into it and wrote on the stone. The water darkened the surface long enough for a character to be read, and then as it dried the writing vanished. She was able to make out "stone" before the water evaporated and she smiled at her clever visitor, warming him.
Now unconcerned with running out of paper, the two began a long unspoken conversation. He explained to her that he had come from across the seas and was shipwrecked during the storm. She explained that she had lost her parents to a plague in the capital of Chosun and had been living with her uncle until he had passed away a few years ago, leaving her alone. He asked her how she knew Chinese characters and she answered that because her father had been a high ranking official in the court, he had seen to her education. That would explain the expensive inkstone, he mused silently. His heart filled with pity for the girl, alone and impoverished. Remembering that he had not properly thanked her for saving his life, he wrote his thanks on the stone and bowed to her in gratitude. She smiled and bowed in return. When she asked him what he was doing in the area, he suddenly felt guilt descend upon him.
There was no possible way that he could tell her that his shogun was planning the invasion of her country in preparation for his conquest of the Ming Empire. He knew nothing about the people of Chosun, and he didn't particularly care for war, but when his younger brother had been assigned on a mission to scout the coastline of the small country, his protective nature made it impossible for him to allow Saburo to go on his own. Now, after his life had been saved by one of their inhabitants, he felt a great pang of remorse and found it difficult to look in her face.
Sensing his discomfort, she gestured for him to forget the question and set the stone aside so that they could eat. As they shared the simple fare, she noticed how he held the bowl to his mouth and pushed the rice in with his chopsticks and he also noticed that she left her bowl on the table rather than holding it to her. He also noticed that she was in fact quite pretty and dignified looking in spite of her obvious poverty.
Refilling his bowl, she watched him eat and looked more closely at his face. He was clean shaven, and his hair was tied in a knot above his head. Though he looked similar to the men in Chosun, she could see subtle differences in his features. Sensing her gaze on him, he looked up and she felt her face burn as she averted her eyes. Peeking out of the corner of her eye, she saw that he was actually smiling and she gave an embarrassed laugh that caused his smile to broaden.
