“She is my wife. She belongs to me Daiki,” Thom blurted and enjoyed the moment of surprise upon Hiraiwa’s face. The General looked at Hayato once who shook his head.
“I sorry. We look after Lady Mizuki now,” he carried on undeterred.
“No! She comes with me. You cannot keep her here against her will. She is not a possession; she is a human being with her own mind. She married me and made her choice. Her only worry was for Karasu and now you have killed him. What has she to stay here for?”
“Lord Hayato not recognise claim. You foreigner. You have no place here. Lady Mizuki taken care of as will Karasu-san. I sorry for him. Bullet meant for you.”
“Damn you and damn Hayato! You make me sick the lot of you with your talk of honour. You do not know the meaning of the word.
“Come Mizuki; let me take you away from here.” Thom held out his hand but Mizuki did not move. She dropped her gaze to her dead brother and shook with grief, but she did not take a step towards the man she loved.
“Mizuki?” Thom urged his voice quiet but imploring. She looked into his eyes and he instantly knew she was not going to come with him. A flood of emotions washed through his body, from absolute heartbroken grief to intense anger. He felt her mind in his caressing his pain, appealing for his understanding. But he did not want to understand, though in time he would. He felt the rejection like a limb torn from his own body and could not yet admit that she had no choice. That if she had chosen him that he would have died before stepping foot onto the Brig along with Hiraiwa and Hayato as both sides fired their weapons without regard for the sanctity of life.
He would not acknowledge knowing that then. Instead he dropped his hand limply by his side and lifted his head high in an attempt to hide the pain that fought to break free, to beg and cry out for her. His body shook and it took all of his resolve and strength to look her in the eye without outwardly betraying his agony, but deep inside he knew he fooled no one. He knew she saw his anguish just as readily as she showed him hers.
“Mr Aledd?” he shouted aloud.
“Aye Sir?” Aledd replied.
“Lower your weapons. Set jibs, fore and main courses. Let’s get out of here before low tide.”
“Aye sir,” Aledd acknowledged, the relief evident in his voice and he repeated the order.
Thom looked defiantly at where Hayato sat, seeing no emotion in the proud face.
“Mr Hiraiwa, please let Lord Oyama know that today he has become everything that his enemy was. For today he took the life of his brother and doomed his sister to a life of lonely captivity. I feel sorry for him. He has fallen from the true path,” he said calmly and then took a step towards Mizuki. He stopped as rifles were brought to bear once more and awaited his next move. He picked up her hand undaunted and kissed it.
“I will come back for you one day. I promise,” he whispered his eyes brimming so that he could not face her any longer. He dropped her hand and without further hesitation strode onto the Brig.
“Cast off Mr Aledd,” he commanded and ordered the helm to steer for the tidal stream that still ebbed through the harbour mouth.
He stood aft, his back to the rails and did not watch Hiraiwa lead Mizuki to her brother who pulled her onto his saddle behind him. He did not see the hundred Samurai turn with their Lord and follow the long street, lined by cherry trees, back to the castle. He did not see Hiraiwa come back for the body of Karasu and gently lift it onto his horse which, he led away by hand. And neither did he notice the lone figure of Stefan Marrel gazing after the wake of the Brig as she drifted swanlike into the open sea, set her full rig and catch the offshore breeze with a soft whoop of canvass. But he did see the great black bird circle the ship once, alight upon its starboard rail and cock a beady eye at him. He smiled at the cheeky raven though he felt no happiness or pleasure in its company only a deepening sadness. It would be a long time before light would enter the heart of Thom Devlin again.
“Fly away Karasu,” he uttered morosely. “Watch over your sister for me.”
The Raven lifted effortlessly into the air, circled the Brig once and then rose higher and higher until its form was lost in the immense blackness of the night.
Raven's Quest Page 37