Free Short Story: Samurai Nights/Samurai Days by Neale Sourna

Samurai Nights

by Neale Sourna

Kyoto, Japan; 1600s

We were encamped within in sight of our lord's favored family temple. His entire core retinue was in attendance, to be of service to his every noble whim. He is a good lord, a great lord, who is extremely clever and most brave, and exceedingly handsome.

As one of the many ladies of his high court, it is a joy and a thing of great hidden tears to merely glance upon him, even at a distance, as I kneel when he passes and I bow in fullest respect to such a superior being.

But, it is rumored that his heartbeats are set upon the noble Lady Ko, a wealthy cousin of our emperor with many liege knights at her call. She is a widow, and mature, but highly valued for her fine lineage, wealth, and lasting beauty.

I am but a courtier's daughter, fair at the athletic defensive skills of katana, bow, and court wit. I'd more than willingly give my life in preservation of my lord's; and yet, he will never look upon me as he does the refined and delicate Lady Ko, who supped and laughed with him, as I continued my unfortunate display and regrettable knack for breaking my Koto strings.

If I could but....http://www.romantic4ever.com/romantic-fiction/080116-samurai.html

Samurai Days

I was encamped within sight of my favorite family temple. My entire core retinue was in attendance. I didn't need them all, but it was the most certain way to have HER there, and have no one discern the full interest and possible plans I had for her.

She's clever in fierce conversation, brave in battle, and exceedingly beautiful every moment, and yet has a blushing innocence beneath her sharp wit that intrigues me to no end. It has been pointed out that she would make a most exceptional concubine. It is even a consideration her parents clearly entertain, having singled out her best assets to me, on more than one occasion.

I could make a high match of matrimony for her. I've had several underlords, and even a rival prince or two, beg a blood alliance, sealed by her graceful hand.

I have said, "No," and I will always say, "No."

My own betrothal prospects have been argued and betted upon for some time. My ally, Lady Ko, is the frontrunner, and a marriage alliance with that wealthy, imperial cousin would prove advantageous; and she is a woman in whom I have attraction.

But lovely Ko is not HER, who I could not keep my gaze from, at my banquet for Ko, not while she was so well presented in her finest robes and brightest smiles. She sings and plays the Koto well, although she believes she does not, and even played well, despite suddenly broken strings, and did a brave thing of humor to cover her playing errors, which most women would have been far too mortified to have accomplished.

SHE repeatedly distracted me from my necessary duties with Ko, and so I had her father send her from table, for....http://www.romantic4ever.com/romantic-fiction/080116-samurai.html

Japan’s earthquake shifted balance of the planet By Liz Goodwin

Last week's devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan has actually moved the island closer to the United States and shifted the planet's axis.

Picture: Thermal Image Japan/Pacific

The quake caused a rift 15 miles below the sea floor that stretched 186 miles long and 93 miles wide, according to the AP. The areas closest to the epicenter of the quake jumped a full 13 feet closer to the United States, geophysicist Ross Stein at the United States Geological Survey told The New York Times.

The world's fifth-largest, 8.9 magnitude quake was caused when the Pacific tectonic plate dove under the North American plate, which shifted Eastern Japan towards North America by about 13 feet (see NASA's before and after photos above). The quake also shifted the earth's axis by 6.5 inches, shortened the day by 1.6 microseconds, and sank Japan downward by about two feet. As Japan's eastern coastline sunk, the tsunami's waves rolled in.

Why did the quake shorten the day? The earth's mass shifted towards the center, spurring the planet to spin a bit faster. Last year's massive 8.8 magnitude earthquake in Chile also shortened the day, but by an even smaller fraction of a second. The 2004 Sumatra quake knocked a whopping 6.8 micro-seconds off the day.

After the country's 1995 earthquake, Japan placed high-tech sensors around the country to observe even the slightest movements, which is why scientists are able to calculate the quake's impact down to the inch. "This is overwhelmingly the best-recorded great earthquake ever," Lucy Jones, chief scientist for the Multi-Hazards project at the U.S. Geological Survey, told The Los Angeles Times.

The tsunami's waves necessitated life-saving evacuations as far away as Chile. Fisherman off the coast of Mexico reported a banner fishing day Friday, and speculated that the tsunami knocked sealife in their direction.

(An energy map provided by NOAA shows the intensity of the tsunami caused by Japan's earthquake: Reuters/NOAA. Below, Satellite image of Japan's coast moving: NASA.)

CORRECTION: This article originally attributed Lucy Jones' interview to the The Boston Herald.

Spectacular unknown species found in Amazon by Karl Malakunas

NAGOYA, Japan (AFP) – Spectacular species previously unknown to the outside world are being discovered in the Amazon rainforest at a rate of one every three days, environment group WWF said in a report published Tuesday.

An anaconda as long as a limousine, a giant catfish that eats monkeys, a blue fanged spider and poisoned dart frogs are among the 1,220 animals and plants to have been found from 1999 to 2009, according to the study.

More info and photos

The report was released on the sidelines of a United Nations summit in Japan that is being held to try to stem the mass extinction of species around the world, and the WWF said it highlighted why protecting the Amazon was so vital.

"This report clearly shows the incredible, amazing diversity of life in the Amazon," Francisco Ruiz, head of WWF's Living Amazon Initiative, told reporters at the launch.

"(But) this incredible region is under pressure because of the human presence. The landscape is being very quickly transformed."

Logging and clearing for agriculture uses such as cattle farming and palm oil plantations have led to 17 percent of the Amazon -- an area twice the size of Spain -- being destroyed over the past 50 years, according to the WWF.

The WWF compiled the findings reported by scientists over the 10-year period to highlight the extent of biodiversity loss that may be occurring without humans even knowing while the Amazon is being cleared.

"It serves as a reminder of how much we still have to learn about this unique region, and what we could lose if we don't change the way we think about development," Ruiz said.

One of the most amazing discoveries was a four-metre (13-foot) anaconda in the flood plains of Bolivia's Pando province in 2002.

[Photos: See more new species discovered in Papua New Guinea]

It was the first new anaconda species identified since 1936, and became only the fourth known type of that reptile, according to the WWF.

There were a total of 55 reptile species discovered, with others including two members of Elapidae -- the most venomous snake family in the world that includes cobras and taipans.

A kaleidoscope of different coloured frogs were also found, including 24 of the famed poison dart variety and one that was translucent.

Among the 257 types of fish discovered in the rivers and lakes of the Amazon was a "goliath" catfish.

One of them found in Venezuela measured nearly 1.5 metres long and weighed 32 kilogrammes (over 70 pounds).

Although the "goliath" catfish normally exists on a diet of other fish, some of them have been caught with parts of monkeys in their stomachs, according to the WWF.

Another extraordinary species of catfish that was discovered in the Brazilian state of Rondonia was extremely small, blind and red.

Villagers found the fish when they accidentally trapped them in buckets after hauling up water from a well.

At least 500 spiders were also discovered, including one that was completely brown except for a pair of almost fluorescent blue fangs.

Thirty-nine new mammals were also found, including a pink river dolphin, seven types of monkey and two porcupines.

Among the 637 new plant species discovered were sunflowers, ivy, lilies, a variety of pineapple and a custard apple.

The Amazon is home to at least 40,000 plant species, and the WWF described the scale of diversity in some areas as "mind boggling".

It said 1,000 plant species were documented in one hectare (2.5 acres) of lowland rainforest in Ecuador, while 3,000 were found in a 24-hectare region of the Colombian section of the Amazon.

As part of efforts to save the Amazon, the Brazilian government has worked with the WWF, the World Bank and other groups to establish protected areas of rainforest covering 32 million hectares over the past six years.

The WWF said the protection efforts, in which foreign governments and organisations provide some of the finance to help run the projects, should serve as a model for the world in how to save rainforests.