Her thoughts were troubled as she walked along the well-worn dirt path, following the roads as they took her from one town to the next.  She heard passersby as she traveled, and made way for the odd carriage or rider that wandered through, but most made way for her instead.  There was nothing overtly out of the ordinary about her.  She carried a small bag of belongings tied in a cloth sack hanging on a wooden pole over her shoulder and rested her other hand on the hilt of her katana.  Her clothes denoted those worn by most any other swordsperson and deep red hair was odd but not unheard of.

                No.  What gave her away were her eyes.  Though she wore nothing to cover them up, there was something about her eyes that most people were able to tell at first glance that she could no longer see.

                Then again, all people were blind in some way.  Some couldn’t see the emotions or views of others; some couldn’t see the privilege they were born to; and some, like Bom, couldn’t see at all.  Moving steadily towards her next destination, she no longer found it to be the restriction most who met her believed it to be.  She disliked their ignorant pity most of all, though she kept such opinions to herself anymore; they simply did not understand.  Even without her eyes, she was more capable than most, though those who did not recognize her took notice of the katana at her waist.

                In all other ways, she like any other swordswoman, which wasn’t such a rare occurrence.  Her waist length hair was as kempt as she could manage; the caliber of her garb was clean and better than second hand; and others had told her that her brown eyes looked fine, with little more than a pale sheen of gray glossing over the otherwise clear orbs.  She had no reason to disbelieve them and accepted the words at face value.  Besides.  Why did she need to know how her eyes looked after all?  It wasn’t like she was ever going to get her sight back after twelve years anyway.

                For a moment, Bom paused in her tracks, hearing grains of dirt crunch under her wooden shoes, the sound loud over the whisper of the wind.  Callused fingertips pressed against the side of her eye as she blinked, feeling the strands of her hair caress the inside of her forearm gently.  Pretty lips pulled up into an amused smile and she laughed to herself.

                She was being followed.  Again.  It always happened when she came this way.  How many times was it now?  She was no longer sure if it mattered.  Sometimes, they followed her wherever she went though so this was nothing new.

                Bom took a deep breath and sighed quietly, letting her hand drop to the hilt of her sword as she resumed walking, weaving slightly when she drifted too far one direction or the other as denoted by the change in terrain.  Traveling between towns was easy because all one had to do was follow the dirt path.  If she hit grass or greenery, she knew she’d gone too far.  The thought was inconsequential though and she instead turned her focus to determine who was present.

                Her head tilted slightly as she listened with keen ears, picking out the minute sounds that gave her pursuers away: the unusual rustling of leaves; a footstep that was not her own; someone breathing too loud.  They were nervous.  As well they had right to be.  There were few blind swordswomen and only one with red hair, that she knew of.  Her reputation was hard earned and she’d been dealing with people like this for almost a decade now.

                Pausing deliberately, she pulled her shoulders back and laughed in the back of .  “Are you going to keep following me all day or would you rather just get this over with?”

                Silence was her answer, as she had known it would be.  There were very few times that she actually came to blows with her pursuers, though she was always the victor when she did.  It was too hot for much talk anyway and she herself was more than ready to make her destination without the discomfort of another needless battle on the way.  Her clothes were comfortable but overly warm in the summer and there was a blister on her foot she needed to attend to soon.

                Waiting for a moment more, Bom nodded to herself.  “Very well,” she murmured, continuing on her way.  For now, it was enough they knew she was aware of them.  Had they really learned nothing in all these years?  It didn’t feel like those she had expected though.  This close, she almost thought it was a certainty.  Perhaps not.

                Her smile widened into something genuine when she caught the first sounds of a village ahead of her, though it was a mixed blessing.  It was the last village along her path before her final destination and she had yet to make it all the way there.  With the sun still gracing her skin with warmth, she knew it was daylight and should have plenty of time to gather word from the villagers before she settled in for the night.  A sightless glance over her shoulder told her she was still being tailed but chances were better they wouldn’t strike while she was among civilization.  Not without good reason.  They were nothing if not considerate of bystanders.

                Almost as soon as she entered the village, Bom felt the awareness of the people shift in her direction.  She wasn’t imposing in the least, measuring in at an average height and build, but she was distinct.  In her younger years, she had been more than capable of turning heads and that hadn’t changed with the new recognition.  Now, people knew her for her reputation, if not always her face.  With practiced ease, she plastered a gentle smile on her lips, inviting those who were desperate enough to come closer at their leisure.

                Older women were always the first to approach her.  ‘Bless you, lady Bom.  You are a saint.’  ‘Lady Bom.  Allow me the honor of offering you lodging for the evening.’  ‘Lady Bom…’  And every time, she patiently heard them out and tried her best to correct them.  Bom was no saint and it bothered her to be called one.  Even the title of ‘lady’ was bothersome on occasion.  Really, she was just Bom.  No more, no less.

                Still, it wasn’t until she’d been in town for a little while before the younger women and children gathered their courage enough to approach her.  Them, she adored.  For them, Bom would sit and talk for hours, smiling and telling stories of her adventures and offering guidance when she could.  It was for them that she offered her services free of charge, so long as the request was honest and from the heart.

                When she heard the whisper of a plea amidst the general din of sound, she held her hand up for silence and tilted her head to the side, blindly searching for the speaker.  “Say again, please,” she beckoned encouragingly, holding her right hand out with her palm up.

                “Swordswoman?” a young woman’s voice spoke, uncertain and nervous.

                “Ne?” Bom smiled gently, recognizing a request pending when she heard it.  “Have you need of my skills, dear girl?” she inquired, blinking in the breathless silence around them.

                The young woman felt nervous, tension radiating from her in their midst.  “I… uh.  I don’t,” she explained at first, her voice dropping to almost nothing.  Bom heard annoyed muttering around her but she waited.  There was a reason the girl spoke now and she would hear it out.

                “But?” she prompted gently, turning to face the speaker, imagining a slight, wisp of a girl.  It was likely she had large eyes and a dainty mouth with fine, dark hair.  By her age, she could almost be…  Bom stilled when the girl who was little more than a child came close enough to whisper in her ear, warm breath tickling the outer shell as she spoke.

                “Can you help my brother, swordswoman?” she pleaded with a note of desperation, one dainty hand resting on her arm imploringly.

                That was an unusual request.  Not unheard of but men only asked for her assistance sparingly.  Her guess was that this girl’s brother had no idea she was asking.  Gently, she grasped the girl’s hand in hers and turned to look at where she would be.  “And what does your brother need help with?”  Titters of laughter broke around them and she felt the girl try to pull away in embarrassment, but she held firm, the smile still on her face.

                She turned her head to the side, offering her ear for the girl again.  Gladly, the child took the escape and leaned close to whisper her request quickly.  It actually took Bom a moment to puzzle the words out for herself but then she opened in silent understanding and nodded once.

                “I see,” she smiled, releasing the girl’s hand.  “What’s your name dear?”

                “Chaelin,” she responded shyly.

                Bom blinked at the name, a tiny gasp escaping her lips before she forced a smile and played it off.  “Well then, Chaelin.  Let’s go see your brother, shall we?” she asked, rising to her feet with her belongings slung back over her shoulder, holding her hand out so the girl could guide her.

                It didn’t take Chaelin long to lead the way and while she did, Bom simply ‘watched’ the world around her in a different way.  Though the only thing she saw anymore was darkness, she remembered much from the time before she was blind.  Those thoughts transposed themselves onto her awareness as she mapped her surroundings in a mind that had become accustomed to sharpening her spatial awareness.  She used her nose and ears to tell her more about where she was, from a vendor selling food, to a hawker selling his wares, to the inn that stabled horses nearby.  All such things made markers in her mind to help orient herself to her surroundings.

                “This way, swordswoman,” Chaelin urged, cautioning her against the steps which Bom heard in the change of cadence in their pacing.

                Once the little girl brought her inside, she called for her brother and Bom had to smile.  This Jongup was apparently a very shy boy who was too nice for his own good and it looked very much as if a woman had taken advantage of his kindness.

                “Chaelin, you didn’t?!” he gasped, obviously freaking out about who was standing in their house.

                “Of course I did,” she shot back, irritated for him.

                Bom chuckled and both fell silent immediately.  “Jongup,” she smiled, bowing politely before she drew near.  She heard him gulp loudly and shuffle in place, the response making it hard not to laugh.  “Be honest with me and I shall be fair with you, ne?” she gestured, holding her hand out invitingly.  Every person who requested her help deserved a chance to tell the full story.

                “I can’t believe you told the blind swordswoman,” Jongup groaned quietly to his sister, trying to keep his voice low.

                Before Chaelin could answer, Bom held her hand up and stepped close to Jongup, listening to the way his breathing hitched.  “May I touch your face?” she asked sincerely, holding one hand against her chest while the other clung to the traveling stick as she waited for a response.

                Chaelin gasped and giggled while Jongup stammered a response.  “Um.  Why…?  Um.  Sure?” he finally managed, his voice quality changing as he looked between his sister and Bom.

                Smiling, the blind woman shifted to hand her belongings to Chaelin, waiting for the girl to accept her burden before she continued.  With both hands free, she raised them slowly, finding Jongup’s face with gentle fingertips.  It wasn’t that she could actually see the way he looked through her fingers like some believed, but touch rarely lied and by tracing his face, she could feel the smooth planes of his skin; could trace a soft mouth that liked to smile; edge around kind eyes which blinked frequently during her inspection; and sense the veritable innocence that practically rolled from him in waves.  Inside a man or woman’s personal space, they were most vulnerable and it was there, Bom could read more than just what her fingers told her.

                She pulled her hands away to trail fingers down his arm so she could find his palm, stifling a laugh in when he flinched and tried not to pull away.  It appeared as if he was ticklish.  Delicately, she traced the calloused skin with a smile playing on her lips.  He confirmed Bom’s initial thought when he giggled as her fingers followed the lines in his palm and her eyes crinkled in amusement.  Jongup was not shy about working either.  He was obviously still nervous but when she clasped his hand gently between hers, he stilled and she could almost feel the tentative smile he gave her.

                “So Jongup.  Would you tell me about this woman who has wronged you?” she inquired, curious to see the full extent of her transgressions.

                His story was not the worst she had heard, nor what she had quite feared it might be, but it was still damning to the woman initially.  Particularly since she had remained in town after cheating on Jongup with another man and begetting his child instead.  Bom conceded it was not so terrible that she had stayed with the father of the child but it galled her considerably the wench took Jongup’s pledge gift and had not the decency to break things cleanly between them.  It was not respectable and they all deserved better than that fate.

                “Where may I find her?” Bom asked, tilting her head and extending the question to their parents as well, both of whom had appeared midway through the telling.  Tension filled the room almost immediately and she could tell Jongup was ashamed of his predicament.  Apparently, he had not given them the full truth as well.  More embarrassment indeed.  Taking pity on the boy, she extended her hand to him.  “Come.  Show me.”

                For a moment, she wasn’t sure that he would accept, but eventually his fingers wrapped around her hand and she allowed herself to be guided out in utter silence.  The day was mostly over by the time she stepped foot outside his abode and she allowed him his peace as they walked.  She could only do so much; the rest of the battle and his own restoration of honor, would lie between Jongup and his former betrothed.  After that, it would be up to him to figure things out with his parents.

                Goodness.  She remembered those days.  So many memories…  Her thoughts briefly grew troubled as she walked down older paths in her mind and she had to draw her focus back abruptly.  When women were at fault, swords were rarely drawn but battle was just as strenuous all the same.  As they drew close to the door of the destined abode, Bom gave Jongup a reassuring smile while she rested her hand on the door.  “It will be alright,” she promised, knocking firmly once.

                Bom was mostly correct.  By the end of their ‘conversation’, the swordswoman had to defend herself and Jongup against the woman’s angry husband, who was a trained swordsman himself; keep things civil between the two former betrothed as they tried to talk - well Jinri yelled and Jongup was painfully silent; negotiate recompense for the wrong against Jongup; and finally get down to the very bottom of the matter.  As it turned out, there was more to the larger picture than even Jongup had been aware.

                Speaking one on one with Jinri, her sword drawn preemptively to curtail any additional interruptions from her husband, Bom heard, and allowed Jongup to listen in on, another piece of the puzzle.  Against her will, Jinri had been taken by force by her current husband before they were married.  It was only after she found that she was carrying his child that she left Jongup, ashamed of herself and afraid of what would happen then.  She had never stopped loving him but she didn’t have the courage to explain what happened or face the rest of the village.  Her husband tried to say she was lying but Bom was very practiced in making heads and tails out of false claims.  Of course Jinri wouldn’t have spoken out about the truth of the matter; few would believe her word against her husband’s.

                So Bom issued one more challenge.  “You,” she stated, speaking to the ill-mannered husband whose name she didn’t care to know.  “You have tarnished both their honor and their pride.  Amends must be made.”

                With her hand on her sword hilt, she refused to give him time to argue as she closed in, demanding he defend himself.  The fight did not last long.  When it was over, he was bloody, afraid, and disgraced, but alive.  Death was not hers to grant on behalf of another and it would do no good here either.

                It was true that she left them with an even bigger mess to clean up in the aftermath, but with the truth in the open and recompense possible, matters could be settled between all parties in a more satisfactory manner.  Bowing politely and respectfully, Swordswoman Bom collected her belongings, unobtrusively testing to be sure nothing was disturbed, and departed from their company to seek rest for the evening.  It was later than she thought and she couldn’t afford to be too worn down yet.

                What had seemed rather simple to begin with had turned into so much more, and getting to hold Jinri’s infant for the few moments she had allowed herself before she left had been more taxing than Bom realized.  Her footsteps slowed as she rested her right hand above her womb and sighed.  The brief pause helped her to notice that she wasn’t alone on the streets herself.

                Whoever it was, they felt like a woman, with a quiet presence and soft footsteps.  Bom thought it was strange for her to be out by herself in the evening air.  “Excuse me?” she asked, holding one hand in quiet entreaty.  Bom heard a questionable chirp in response and she opened to continue when the breeze brought her the faint scent of cinnamon and… cedar wood.  She paused and closed , tilting her head to either side as she listened for anyone else.  There were a couple people up and down the street but other than the girl, that was all.  Strange.

                “Yes?” a soft voice tinged with wariness interrupted her thoughts and she blinked.

                “Sorry,” Bom laughed lightly in the back of , pushing the ill-timed concern away.  “I was wondering if I could trouble you to assist me in locating the inn?”

                “Ah,” the girl smiled, a certain dawning comprehension in her voice.  “You are the blind swordswoman, ne?” she asked to confirm.

                “So far as I’m aware,” Bom responded with a light laugh, bowing politely.

                “I would be happy to assist you, my lady,” the girl explained, coming close with quiet steps, though there was a nervousness about her.

                “May I know your name?” Bom asked as she accepted the girl’s arm, resting her palm gently atop the bare skin of her forearm.  She wasn’t trembling but the girl felt tense beside her.

                “Forgive me, lady Bom,” she immediately murmured in apology, giving an awkward moving bow.  “My name is Minzy.”

                Bom nodded acknowledgement and smiled, pleased for the company and assistance.  A thought occurred to her, pushing the other concerns away, and before she’d gone very far, she questioned, “I’m sorry.  Did you say Minzy or Minji?”

                The girl beside her faltered slightly but it could have just been surprise.  “Minzy,” she clarified, a hint of uncertainty in her voice.

                “Forgive me,” Bom chuckled, waving off the other’s discomfit.  “I have been traveling all day and I fear an evening of rest is in order,” she excused herself.  It had to be because she was coming back.  Memories and similar names…

                “Of course,” Minzy agreed quietly, the tension bleeding from her as quickly as it had come.

                Fortunately, the inn was not far and the journey proved to be short.  She bowed politely to her guide and then checked in with little trouble.  Bom could still smell the lingering scent of cinnamon and cedar wood, which troubled her to no end, and made it hard to tell if the tension she could feel in the air was coming from her or from somewhere else.  While she was following her guide upstairs, she slowed to listen better, turning her head this way and that.  Something was off, but again, she didn’t know if it was her or another matter entirely.

                “This way please,” the guide urged when she dallied too long.

                Bom smiled and nodded his direction, hearing nothing out of place in his tone.  As much as she hated coming this way, she was driven to try as well, and every time, she questioned it.  But…  Catching up to her guide, she laid a careful hand on his shoulder.  “Do you have a bath available this evening?”

                “Ne.  Shall I have one prepared for you, my lady?” he asked promptly, anticipating her next question with ease.

                “Please,” she confirmed, bowing at the courtesy.

                “Of course.  Let me show you to your room and I shall let you know when it is ready,” he promised with an easy cadence to his voice.

                Unless he was superbly good at hiding his intentions, he knew absolutely nothing about what she was possibly feeling.  Maybe it was just her.  There were certainly times she would love to be able to see again and this was one of them.  Still, there was no guarantee her eyes could confirm what her other senses were having a hard time distinguishing either.  As before, Bom pushed the concern away.  If it was truly something, she’d find out soon enough, one way or the other.

                While her guide hurried off to prepare her bath, Bom took a few moments to familiarize herself with her room, touching everything that was there and walking the small space of the enclosure.  It was simple and sparsely decorated, which was how she preferred it.  She pushed the chest at the foot of the bed into the back corner of her room and did the same with the single chair she found against the wall.  She much preferred things out of her way with as much floor space as possible and nothing to trip over.  There was no carpet so that wasn’t a concern and Bom took a deep breath, checking to make sure the window was locked before she finally sat down on her bed.

                At least she’d finally be able to take care of the stupid blister on her foot…  It felt good to rub the tired skin of her feet out and she was about ready to call it an evening, bath be damned, when she thought she heard a subdued commotion nearby.  Her interest piqued, Bom slipped her shoes back on and grabbed her katana in hand before she stepped out of her room, closing the door firmly behind her.  Holding very still, she listened intently and could tell that it wasn’t the normal argument she was accustomed to hearing between men.

                On quiet feet, she eased her way towards the stairs, feeling along the wall with her fingertips as she did so.  Her lips pulled down into a frown when she heard a woman’s voice and managed to catch the gist of their antagonism.  Some things never changed.

                “Please,” the girl pleaded, her voice familiar.  Bom’s hair stood on end when she realized it was Minzy.  “I really should be going,” she breathed in a shaky voice, apparently struggling.

                “Aw.  Come on then girl,” a young man’s voice chuckled, full of pomp and arrogance.  “We just want ta talk to ya in private,” he smirked, making Bom grimace.

                “Now don’t be playin hard ta get,” a new voice butted in, just as young and arrogant sounding as the first.

                “Please no,” Minzy begged, her tone turning desperate.  “Help me, sir!” she called out, trying to gather aide from the innkeeper.  At least that was what Bom assumed.

                “It’s alright, old man.  We aren’t goin ta hurt her,” yet a third voice intoned, addressing the apparent inn-keeper.

                What had happened to the assistant and her bath?  Oh well.  That didn’t matter anyway.  Not with the situation at hand.  Something felt a little off anyway but still.  “Minzy?” she called, loud enough to grab the attention of everyone in the room.

                “Swordswoman Bom!” the young woman breathed in relieved recognition.

                Quiet muttering followed her announcement and Bom frowned as she realized the young men were speaking among themselves in hushed and worried tones.  “That girl is under my protection,” she commented calmly, grip tightening around the scabbard of her weapon.

                “That’s not what she told us,” the first speaker replied gruffly, his words sparking another bout of quiet muttering between his two companions.

                “It’s-” one of the other two started to speak before something hit him and shut him up.

                “Bom!” Minzy yelped as a commotion erupted around her.

                Bom heard the girl cry out in pain and hurried forward, using her scabbard to feel for obstacles in her path and flowing around them seamlessly before she closed on the young fools.  The familiar sound of weapons being drawn alerted her that they were armed but she kept her sword sheathed, holding off on attacking until she could pick out where Minzy was.

                Heavy footsteps pounded towards her with a young man yelling.  Bom felt a chair near at hand and drew it close to kick it at her attacker, fouling him up before he could get close.  His blade clattered to the ground at the same time he did, accompanied by the sound of splintering wood.  Two bit swordsmen after all.  No skilled fighter would go down that easy, or relinquish his blade so soon.  Even more annoyed, Bom rapped the downed male on the side of the head with the scabbard, rendering him unconscious so that she could deal with the other two.

                “Watch out!” Minzy warned, finally letting the swordswoman know where she was.

                Relieved the girl was out of danger, Bom closed with the other two fighters, relying on predictability, patterns, and her own hard-earned skill to win her the day.  The untrained ones were more troublesome than the skilled fighters with their brash unpredictability…  Not that she hadn’t fought enough to have a better understanding all the same.

                A blade slid off her scabbard and she winced at the poor vibration of the resonation.  They had cheap swords too, the metal of inferior quality and poorly tempered.  Knocking the weapon away, she smacked her sheath against his abdomen, bending him over so she could knee him in the face before she pivoted around to counter the next strike against her.  A blocked downward attack gave her plenty of opportunity to kick the attacker in the gut and send him crashing backwards over a table.

                Remaining still, Bom listened to see if they would continue this pointless confrontation.  When all she heard were muffled groans and what had to be someone sliding over the ground, she exhaled softly.  “Gather your friend and leave.  We’re through here,” she announced, standing upright with her head tilted to the side in a perpetual listening pose.

                Muttered curses and grumblings were her response but she nodded when they made sure to keep a wide berth around her.  “My apologies, lady Bom,” the innkeeper murmured hurriedly as he came around from behind the bar to approach her.  “They weren’t bothering anybody at first and then I didn’t know how to get rid of them,” he explained, giving her the impression he was wringing his hands.

                “Enough,” Bom exhaled, holding up her free hand.  “Minzy?” she called, shifting to try and find the girl.

                “I’m here,” Minzy responded meekly, obvious shame and concern in her voice.

                “Are you alright?” Bom asked, taking a step closer to her.

                “Ne,” was the only word she got back.

                “What are you still doing here?” the swordswoman inquired.

                Minzy shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot but didn’t actually respond.  Bom was about to ask again until the innkeeper interrupted.  “She was trying to barter for a room,” he explained quietly.

                “I-I don’t have any funds,” Minzy stammered, sounding oh so lost.  “I ran out before I could make it to the next city,” she admitted with every evidence of shame and embarrassment.

                Bom blinked in thoughtful surprise and spoke before the innkeeper could, “You were heading to Kwanju?”

                “Ne,” Minzy responded in a quiet tone of voice.

                For a very quick moment, Bom mulled the thought over in her head, nodding to herself quietly.  It was on the other side of her destination but it would buy her time in delaying making the attempt again, wouldn’t it?  And there was no harm in helping the girl reach her next destination, especially considering what had just happened.  “You are traveling alone?”

                “Ne,” she answered in that monosyllabic manner again.

                “Very well.  If you’ll accept it, I would not mind extending my protection for a little while longer,” Bom smiled kindly, turning her body to face the young woman.

                “I couldn’t ask that of you, lady Bom,” Minzy denied, likely shaking her head.

                “You’re not asking.  I’m offering,” Bom reminded her with a warm smile.  When she received no further complaint, she shifted her focus to the innkeeper.  “I will need a cot brought to my room and two baths shall need to be prepared,” she explained deftly.

                “Lady Bom!” Minzy gasped, her objection silenced with a hand gesture.

                “Of course, my lady,” the innkeeper murmured, shuffling ahead of them to alert the change in plans.

                “Come,” Bom smiled with a laugh, still weary and ready for sleep.  “A bath will do us both good I think,” she assured her younger companion who hesitantly moved close enough to guide the blind woman back up the stairs.

                What in the world had she managed to get herself into this time?  Bom didn’t really know but company might be nice for a change.  No matter what, it would buy her time before she tried again.  She wasn’t sure if it would be a good thing or not yet, but time would certainly tell.  It always had before after all.