by Ryan Kirk
He had spread out his sense as he ran and now it created the same disorienting effect as being in the city. Ryuu fought against the nausea in his stomach as he tried to leave his mind open. He needed to find Takako but he couldn’t imagine how to go about it. He had thought he could pick her out, but there was too much information. He had hoped she might stand out as a woman, but there were many women present, which also surprised Ryuu. Marching an army wasn’t the all-male affair he had expected it to be. He glanced at the moon. He had imagined by now he would be escaping from the camp, not still trying to get in.
Ryuu paused for a moment to think. There had to be a way to make the searching simpler, faster. He couldn't go from tent to tent checking inside. He ran his eyes over the camp again. This was a military camp. There was no way that the tents would be set up randomly. There would be some sort of order to them. If he could figure out the order then he could narrow down his search.
Ryuu tried to think logically. Nori's son would be close to his father for protection and for image. It would make sense then if they were closer to the center of camp surrounded by the entire protection of their army. Ryuu’s eyes wandered to the center of the camp again while searching for patterns and exceptions to patterns. His closer examination revealed a likely target. Near the center there was a tent, larger than the others with just a little more space around it. Perhaps it was Nori's tent.
It was too far and there were far too many people for him to use his sense. If he was going to be useful he’d have to get closer. He thought about trying to plan out his route, but he had no time and he wasn’t sure it would do him any good anyway. Whatever plan he had was already in tatters. No point trying to make a bad situation any worse.
Ryuu stood up straight and walked down towards the camp. The closer he got to the camp the more rings of sentries surrounded him. He had worried there would be passwords, but no one challenged him. Either there were none, or the guards were lazy. Ryuu counted himself fortunate to have gotten at least one break.
He relaxed once he was inside the camp. There was no order as soldiers walked throughout the camp. Ryuu paid attention to his surroundings and moved at angles towards the center of the camp. He changed directions while observing the reactions of the people around him. Soon he was confident he wasn’t being followed.
He got as close to the center as he could without attracting attention. There was a ring of guards around the innermost tent, but Ryuu cast out his sense and couldn’t find Takako within the ring.
Ryuu tried to push out his sense, but there were too many people moving and he was too nervous. He’d have to be close. He started circling the center of the camp, weaving so as not to attract too much attention. Tent after tent and he couldn’t sense Takako. Pressure mounted in his chest. He had to find her. This was his only chance.
There was no warning when he sensed her. His sense was too limited by his environment. He needed more training. His intuition, thankfully, had been right. He pushed his stress down as far as it would go, focusing on his surroundings and on his breath. His sense of Takako was strong. She was alone.
Ryuu was able to walk right up to the tent. It was smaller than the tent in the center, although still nicer than the tents common soldiers shared. In another stroke of luck there weren’t any guards. They were probably assigned to Akio. The consort didn’t merit special attention. His hopes soared. He could walk in and sweep her off her feet, rescue her and be out, the hero of the day.
He was still day dreaming as he walked in.
“Get out!”
Ryuu was shocked. Didn’t she recognize him? Did she think he was a guard? His eyes adjusted to the dark and his heart fell. He was too late. Takako’s clothes were in shreds, one breast hanging out without cover, the other barely hidden. Her legs were visible, long and lean and beautiful. But he could tell. He could sense it.
Ryuu groped around the dark searching for words. His mind had given up on processing what was happening.
“What are you doing here? Akio will kill both of us for sure!”
Anger caught in Ryuu’s throat, giving him a voice to speak.
“That bastard can’t hurt me.”
Takako struggled into a sitting position and Ryuu saw why she had no guards. Her wrists and ankles were bound tightly, tied to the tent. She had nowhere to go.
“I came here to rescue you.” The words sounded more pathetic than he had imagined. The day dream of a boy who didn’t realize he had walked into the very middle of an army.
“No. Turn around now before he kills us both. Don’t be so stupid.”
This wasn’t what he had planned. She was supposed to jump in his arms, not turn him away. He went to her, trying to explain.
Takako struggled backwards. “No! Ryuu, there’s nothing for me or you . . .” Takako’s eyes went wide as Ryuu noticed the light of a torch behind him. Takako had distracted him. He had lost his sense again. Shigeru would be very disappointed.
Akio’s eyes flared with hate as he recognized Ryuu. In one smooth motion he placed the torch in a rest meant for it and drew his sword. Akio was quick. He was almost as quick as Shigeru. A sudden step by Ryuu caused Akio’s cut to miss by the width of a hair, and Ryuu took two paces back to give himself some space. Akio didn’t follow, keeping his balance.
Akio’s rage dripped from his voice. “I will kill you for this.”
Ryuu didn’t respond. He was focusing on his breath, dropping into his stance. He drew his sword.
Akio was on a different level than bandits. He had been well trained since childhood in all the arts of war, and may have had a long future as a swordsman ahead of him. No more. In three moves the duel was decided, and Ryuu sheathed his blade.
Takako couldn’t have been more surprised. “Akio was an expert swordsman.” Her voice trailed off in shock at recent events.
Ryuu knelt down in front of her. “Takako.”
Her wandering eyes focused on him. “I am not what you think,” Ryuu said, “but I will not hurt you. I can take you away from here if you wish it.”
He felt her gaze boring through him. He didn’t know what he would do if she said no. She looked at Akio’s body and back at him, trying to do the calculations in her mind.
“They will kill me if I’m here when he is found. I don’t have a choice.”
It wasn’t a yes, but it would have to be good enough. He leaned forward and cut through the straps tying her. He turned away as she found spare clothing and rubbed life back into her extremities.
“Why were you tied up?”
“He was paranoid about me trying to escape.”
With Takako freed, they found another uniform in the tent. Takako dressed quickly, hiding her hair and arranging the uniform so it revealed nothing. Ryuu threw out his sense, but there was no special commotion. The camp was active and busy even in the middle of the night. One guard was stationed outside the tent door, but he seemed to be almost asleep.
Ryuu debated cutting through the back of the tent or going through the guard. He decided it was less suspicious for the tent to be missing the guard than the tent to have a big cut in it. There were many rationalizations for a guard leaving post, fewer for the cut. Ryuu summoned the guard into the tent and knocked him unconscious.
They left the bodies and walked out casually, two guards patrolling the camp. In time they crossed the perimeter claiming to be scouts, and it was over. They walked out over the ridge Ryuu had come up through and managed to get to a safe distance to rest by the time morning light was peeking over the Pass.
Ryuu only allowed them to rest for part of a watch before he urged Takako on. The morning would bring the discovery of Akio’s body, and the manhunt would begin in earnest.
14
Takako followed Ryuu, blind to the events around her. The world seemed to be covered in fog, its ways impenetrable to her vision. She didn’t think, couldn’t think. Too much had happened in too short a time. All because of some innocent letters to a boy.
When Akio had found them in her rooms at Madame’s in New Haven she had been both terrified and excited. Excited by the mere chance Akio would void their contract, terrified at what the alternatives may be. When Akio had taken her, without any fight from anyone, Takako’s heart sank beneath an ocean of resignation. Something had seemed so special about Ryuu, but he had not come to her aid at the very moment that she needed him the most. She didn’t blame him, she had just hoped he would have been more than he seemed. It was a foolish hope.
When she adapted she found it was nicer not to have any hope. Where there was hope there was sorrow at hope unrealized. But when there was none, when there was only one path forward, it was easy to cope. It was easier not to choose. Easier not to dream.
Akio challenged every shred of dignity and optimism Takako possessed. She had thought her first time would be meaningful. It had been such a deal in the house. He had taken her roughly on their first night. Takako had studied the art of love-making for cycles in Madame’s house, but none of it meant anything when her time came. There was no foreplay, no conversation, nothing resembling even the fake love that permeated Madame’s house. He simply ripped off her clothes and rammed himself inside of her until he was finished. When he was done he put his clothes back on and left the tent. Guards came in immediately to tie her up, regardless of whether or not she was clothed. She learned to dress quickly when Akio left.
Madame had told her about men like Akio, but Takako had never believed her. They thrived on the power they exerted over others. There was no reason for Akio to tie her up. They were in the middle of an army encampment. There was no place that she could possibly go. But it was an exercise in power.
She was fed well and allowed to take care of herself. Besides being tied up almost constantly and having to deal with Akio, her life wasn’t difficult. Akio didn’t change. He never tried to get to know her or start any sort of relationship. It felt like revenge, and her suspicions were confirmed one afternoon as she overheard him talking to the guards before they came in to tie her again. It was to make sure “she didn’t see other men.”
Takako had found a numb peace on their days of travel. All she had to do was spread her legs. Akio wasn’t creative enough to try anything else. She was alive, and that was enough.
But then Ryuu stepped into the tent. After the immediate shock passed she had ordered him out. The boy was innocent and kind, and it was generous and brave that he had come for her, but she knew he would die in the attempt. Then she learned a truth about Ryuu that was harder to bear: He had been the one innocent thing in her life she had held on to. But he too was a murderer. He wasn’t the boy she had held in her mind. She didn’t understand how it had happened. Over the course of her trip she had seen many of the soldiers practicing sword fighting. Akio’s father required practice every day, even while on march. But Takako had never seen anyone as quick as Ryuu. She couldn’t even see his motions. Everyone at the camp knew Akio was skilled, but Ryuu had killed him without difficulty.
Their escape was a dream that could never come true. She thought they would be stopped, questioned by a guard. The fear in her heart raged, making walking in straight lines a difficult task. Every guard seemed taller, stronger, more aware of their presence than possible. Ryuu was her guide. She kept her eyes on him, allowing the rest of the world to blur into imagination.
Her tension didn’t dissipate as they left the ring of guards. Ryuu offered no break. He let them stop for a couple of moments at a time, but he never let her sit, never let her think and plan out her next move. He kept them going, pushing them ever forward. She couldn’t believe how calm he seemed. You would never know he had just killed one of the most important people in the Kingdom. He walked with such steadiness. Perhaps it was because of her focus on her own feet, but for the first time she noticed his step was always light and quick. He didn’t shuffle around or move from side to side. Each step was precise, targeted. Takako found it so fascinating she almost lost her own balance watching him.
They walked through the night and through the early dawn. Finally Ryuu found the spot he must have been looking for. He closed his eyes quickly and reopened them. Takako couldn’t tell if he was trying to think or if he was just tired. It didn’t seem to be either. He didn’t seem to be tired. In fact, he looked like he could be doing this all day. He spoke in a voice just above a whisper, some of the first words he’d said since the rescue.
“You can rest here for a while. I’ll keep watch, but we’ll need to be moving again soon. I want us to meet up with Shigeru by tonight. I’m sorry I can’t let you sleep for more than a little while. They’re going to send search parties by horseback, and I’d like to put as much distance as possible between us and them.”
It seemed like an opening to ask questions, to untie some of these mysteries which suddenly surrounded her. But she couldn’t find the courage to ask. She settled for the least controversial question she could ask.
“Aren’t you tired?”
Ryuu gave her a funny grin, like he had a secret she was close to guessing. He shook his head.
“No, I’m not tired yet. I’ll need to sleep tonight for a little while, but should be fine until then. Thanks though.”
Takako meant to push the question further, but her level of exhaustion overwhelmed her. She laid her head down in the tall grass and was asleep instantly.
When she awoke Ryuu was still next to her sitting motionless in the grass. She looked around. The sun wasn’t too much higher than when she had fallen asleep. Ryuu seemed to read her mind.
“No, you haven’t been asleep long, but I was going to wake you soon anyway.”
Ryuu startled her. His eyes had been closed, and he had been so still that Takako had assumed he was asleep.
Takako started to get up, but Ryuu laid a hand on her shoulder. It was gentle, a touch she hadn’t felt in some time. “There are soldiers coming. They won’t see us if we stay still.”
Takako strained all of her senses, but she couldn’t hear anything, and in the tall grass she was unable to see anything. It seemed like an eternity passed a moment at a time before she heard the rumble of horses. In the meantime, Ryuu had slithered down on to his belly. Takako followed suit. The horses didn’t even slow down. They passed dozens of paces away and kept going.
Some more time passed before Ryuu sat up again.
“They responded faster than I thought they would. I bet they found the guards I attacked earlier first. It will change our travel, but I expect we can still reach Shigeru by tonight. He’s not far now.” He looked over at Takako. “How are you feeling? We will need to walk quite a ways today.”
Takako was sore all over, but didn’t want to let Ryuu know. She didn’t want to appear weak in front of him. “I’m good.”
Ryuu seemed to see right through the lie, but he didn’t say anything. He handed out clothing which made them look more like peasants and hid his sword. After putting the clothes on they were up and on their way in no time, keeping the rising sun on their right.
Throughout the walk they would sometimes stop and hide, always due to Ryuu’s remarkable senses. Every time it happened Takako couldn’t see or hear anyone. Soldiers on horseback crisscrossed the country, but Ryuu always seemed to know they were coming. The tall grass of the prairie was wonderful cover, and they had no fear of discovery.
There was only one conclusion, but the sheer absurdity of it meant Takako didn’t come to it until spending a full day of playing hide and seek with the largest army in the land.
“You’re a nightblade, aren’t you?”
Ryuu didn’t even turn around to answer the question. “Yes.”
The matter-of-fact way he answered the question was the only reason Takako believed him. Her history books had taught her that nightblades were long extinct. All individuals who could use the sense were in the monasteries, descended from the dayblades, and Takako knew Ryuu wasn’t a monk.
“I thought you were all dead.”
“I don’t know about that, but to the best of my knowledge, I’m not dead yet.”
Takako almost laughed at the sarcasm, but she couldn’t believe she was awake. To be in the company of a nightblade. Her life couldn’t get any stranger today.
Despite the routine patrols the sun set without incident. Takako was too tired to think about speaking and Ryuu was too focused on everything happening around them for anything meaningful to be said. Takako found she didn’t mind the silence. It gave her shattered mind a little peace to process what had happened. The silence felt companionable and peaceful, not awkward.
As dusk fell they met up with Shigeru in a place Takako could only describe as the middle of nowhere. There didn’t seem to be any defining marks, any grove of trees or natural features that would have served as landmarks. Takako didn’t even know Shigeru was in the tall grass until they were on top of him. The two of them must have sensed each other. Now that she was aware of their secret little details started to make more sense.
Shigeru greeted them both.
“I’m glad to see both of you.”
Ryuu bowed to Shigeru. “It’s good to see you too.” Takako realized his voice was full of relief. He hadn’t known whether or not he would succeed. She held on to the information. “Takako needs rest as do I.”
Shigeru nodded his assent. “I had figured as much. I’m well rested and can give you the full night. Tomorrow we can split it. Were you discovered?”
“I had to kill Akio. He stepped into the tent just as I reached Takako.” Ryuu dropped the news like a rock from a tree.
Shigeru greeted the news with silence. “That’s going to complicate things.”
Takako thought that seemed liked a bit of an understatement.
“Yes. The patrols are already farther afield than I expected. I suspect the guards were found earlier than I had hoped. However, we haven’t been seen yet, nor have we gone anywhere near the villages where they might betray us for coin.”