‘If Lightning is the anger of the gods, then the gods are concerned mostly about trees.’
Yenn couldn’t participate in any combat, wouldn’t be able to for quite some time it seemed. It wasn’t as though anyone was physically stopping her, but she knew if she tried probably someone would. The someone most likely being Tamwyn and then anyone else he told why she shouldn’t be fighting. In essence she agreed with the concept, carrying twins was not exactly conducive to mortal combat. Or combat of any kind really. Unless it was a competition as to which combatant could simultaneously consume the strangest foods and then throw them up again. That she might win. When she had heard that her fiance would be aiding to mediate the conflict of the Modoroki and Todoroki shrines she was intrigued. She was not a religious or spiritual person by any sense of the word, but she didn’t agree with a government stepping in and telling anyone where they could or could not revere that which the people believed in.
Being able to watch Tamwyn fight in a battle so significant, and relatively peaceful all things considered, was something Yenn was not going to pass up. So she had traveled to O’uzu Island to spend her time sitting in the audience and offering her support to her future husband. The arena was large; hosting tens of thousands of people which left Yenn feeling very anxious. She didn’t like large crowds and this was the largest group of people she had ever had the displeasure of being stuck in. Her anxiety was partially alleviated by the awe she felt as she took in the sight of the massive arena, a circular stone building with giant statues that stoically observed the happenings within. She found a seat on the second level in the front row, giving her a good view of the sand below. She was wearing her usual black leather attire, though she had also wrapped herself in a warm fur and feather cloak, partly for the warmth but more so for the protective bubble of social distancing it provided. On her right arm she had her newly crafted Kêu Vang, she doubted she would need it, but the extra protection it afforded her was something she was also unwilling to pass up.
There was a hush that fell over the crowd as the two combatants entered the circular field of battle. Yenn felt her heart rise into her throat, her intense reaction due to both her concern for Tamwyn’s safety and the happiness and pride she felt at watching him take a stand for the people. He looked stunning as usual, and a small smile would cross her face as she watched him walk in. Though that smile faded as she looked across at his opponent after seeing the tell tale sign of annoyance flicker across Tamwyn’s features. Ashitaka Inuzuka Senju was a child. A literal child. Horror filled her as she realized what that meant. Ashitaka was most likely more than competent as a shinobi, but to send a child to battle was barbaric. Where were his parents? Did they allow this, and if they did. . . what kind of monsters would send their child into an arena? It sickened her and she imagined that it was having a similar effect on Tamwyn. She had not spoken of it with Tamwyn as yet, but in that moment she made a firm decision; she would not allow her children to enter the Academy until they were of age. Once they were adults they could make their own decisions, but until then she would die before she consented to them being placed in a situation that could harm them.
A very significant part of her wanted to scream for the battle to end before it began, to stop the madness that was this show of brutality. She knew better than to underestimate someone based on their age, but morally and ethically it wasn’t right, and it broke her heart. Someone like Ashitaka should be at home with his family, training if he liked, but safe and far away from combat. He should be allowed to enjoy his childhood while he still had it, she knew much of having a childhood ripped from you and she didn’t wish it on anyone. Not even on Tamwyn’s opponent. She didn’t scream of course, while she was opinionated and idealistic she was also timid and fearful unless pushed. So she sat quietly and observed and despite her earlier assertions that she was not the spiritual type, she prayed to whoever would listen for the fight to be over quickly and without bloodshed or serious harm. Her heart went out to Tamwyn, it was horrible to watch, but for him to have to fight the young boy. . . she knew how he felt about child soldiers and she knew it must be killing him.
As soon as introductions were finished she saw Ashitaka form a series of hand seals and suddenly an impressively large forest formed around the two, obscuring them both from sight and making it impossible to even hear them. There was a wave of gasps that went around the circular seating area as the two opponents disappeared from view beneath the foliage, followed by excited murmuring as everyone tried to imagine what must be happening beneath the canopy of trees. Yenn leaned forward in her seat, trying desperately to catch a glimpse of Tamwyn through the leaves and branches but to no avail. She worried that the entire fight might transpire like this and that in the end one side would prevail over the other with no one to actually witness it.
Only a minute or two passed before even she gasped in awe along with the assembled crowd as Tamwyn rose above the treeline in a way she had never seen. She was intimately familiar with his wings, they flew everywhere together and always had, but this was new. The wings crackled and pulsed in their usual way, but this time they were black. She heard the word ‘Blackwing’ muttered over and over throughout the crowd around her and she nodded as though to give her approval to the title. She mouthed the word along with the crowd and breathed a sigh of relief as so far Tamwyn seemed uninjured and the unseen Ashitaka could be assumed to be as well seeing as Tamwyn was still talking to him. As her emotions deepened and turned to anger and doubt and fear a storm gathered overhead, dark clouds formed as thunder rumbled and lightning crashed and the heavens opened up overhead to pour down her tumultuous spirit onto the assembled masses.
