āUGH! I give up! Sweet mistress of sleep, will you not welcome me into your warm embrace!ā Sitting up from his uncomfortable floor was a welcome relief, and Alexander meandered towards a desk in the room. Upon It was perched a candle (one could only assume this was to be used in a lantern.) A piece of parchment would be procured from the meager surroundings of the room. Inns in this country were a far cry away from luxury than the boy would have liked, but there was something charming about them. Though, if anyone were to ask Alex, heād say there was something charming about the whole country.
āIf master was telling the truth, weāll be fighting a whole army! Weāll be like the Spartans!ā There was something else too. Something else which tickled Alexās thoughts. At the time, the young man had just brushed them aside but now in the empty darkness of the room Alexander found himself thinking about that other thing Sensei had mentioned. āDemons. Real demons.ā Soon, the boy would be faced to face with the reason he came to this country. Alexanderās fingers tugged beneath the collar of his long pajamas. Beneath them he revealed a silver crucifix. It would be a surprise to no one, that a noble family like the Ornsteinās were devout Catholics. Even Alex believed earnestly in the faith of his family. āMaster said weād be facing demons. If thatās the case, Iāll need your protection.ā
Western religious doctrine was pretty thorough on how to deal with demons. There was holy water, crucifixes, and silver. Finding a small piece of flint among his traveling gear, Alexander struck the stone against a hard surface, and struck the candle to light. This would serve a dual purpose. Among the things he carried with him, the boy always had a musket ball maker. These were small devices which had a hand ratcheting system. With a hot enough fire (those of a candle did well) metal could be melted into an iron mold, and come out as a musket ball. The parchment on the desk would serve as a paper cartridge. All Alex had to do was rip out strips, roll them into long tubes, and seal them with wax, or animal fat. As parchment in Japan was different than the type the blonde found back home, heād easily be able to tell which ones had the ammunition he was making tonight.
With nothing more than brute force, the young man took off his crucifix, and smashed it against the desk. From here, he placed the pieces, and chain, into the hand mold, in total he would get five musket balls. When they were cooled, he plopped them into the paper cartridges, and sealed them with some of the melted candle wax. Now that the hard stuff was out of the way, there was one more agenda for tonight. Writing the financer.
As Alexander was the third in line of succession, this meant that by now (as an adult) the male would have been cut off in most cases. However, as he was unmarried and arguably his motherās favorite son, Alexander found no recourse in sending her a letter asking for money. His father, and two older brothers would undoubtedly hate him for it, but what they didnāt know didnāt have to hurt them. Taking a second piece of parchment, and a quill pen from his bag, and ink from the desk the young man decided to scrawl his thoughts.
Domo! Or rather Konbonwa! Greetings from the land of Japan.
I have come to this land, in ardent search for my master. When I arrived in this strange place I could feel it in my bones mother, real monsters are here. The people here are quaint, albeit interesting in their own ways. There were some helpful people, marred by tattoos which helped me find my master. When they did, I discovered something horrible! Master Fumio is sick. A sickness had ravaged his small village, and master obtained it as even though all of the children in the village were sick he refused to let them slip on their lessons.
I come to you at urgent request, to send supplies and aid. I believe it will take nothing short of 1000 gold coins to heal my masterās body. If it isnāt done quick enough, he might lose his sight. As it is heās already lost his left ring finger.
However mother, all is not lost for me here. In these lands where plague can so easily riddle a manās body, a beauty has struck my soul. And this is the second reason for the request I am sending. A woman whose beauty is beyond compare is the matron of the village here. In this society women are the overseers of all. I believe this to be the reason for Master Fumioās politeness. She has offered herself as a reward to anyone who can cure the sickness of the village. Any man who can do so, will become a potential suitor. Of course, then theyād just have to fend off the honorable samurai, and show that they have wealth enough to keep a princess enchanted.
I believe the cause of this sickness to be a mystical monster. It is a small devil, one no more larger than a peacock. And in fact they would look similar stood next to one another. Only this oneās feathers are white as fallen snow, and red at the center. I will go to great lengths to hunt this creature, I will stake my fame, my fortune, and my life upon it.
Mother, youāve always been my first and last hope. My alpha, and omega. It is for this reason which I write to you, requesting 1000 gold coins (any nations will do, we will simply melt down the coins for their raw value) some supplies such as medicines, and as always your love. I am here alone, but I know you are here in spirit.
Your son
Alexander Ornstein III
Alexander finished his letter, and sealed it with wax as well as his familyās crest. This would serve as a legal notification. Afterwards he placed it on the center of the table, blew out the candle, and wandered back to his cot. Stretching out his arms, the boy only hoped he knew what he was getting into. It was hard speaking the language here, so he was sure most of what he said was glanced over. Yet, he did have a desire to prove his manhood, and test his mettle. Tomorrow heād be the first to arrive, and heād bring his master with him. Whenever he found a trader, Alexander would send the letter back home.