The Samurai's Lady

by Gaynor Baker

  Around noon, the farmer"s wife came with some lunch: miso soup, fish and pickles for them to share.

  “Arigato o gozaimasu.” Katharine bowed.

  “Do itashimashite.” The other woman answered. She divided the food between them. “What is your name?” She asked.

  “Katsuko.”

  “My name is Midori.” The farmer"s wife said.

  “Dozo yoroshuku. Pleased to meet you.”

  “I wonder how Kenji and—”

  “Isamu.” Katharine supplied.

  “I wonder how they are doing?”

  “I don"t know.” Katharine smiled popping a piece of salted fish into her mouth. “But I half expect someone to come and tell us he"s got his head stuck through the roof.”

  The two women laughed together.

  “He is not an experienced roofer? Oh, of course, he"s samurai, but a very remarkable one. A samurai who doesn"t mind hard work is a rarity.” “Isamu is very different.”

  “I think he loves you very much.” She said shyly.

  “I know.” Katharine returned the shy smile.

  “And do you love him?”

  “I can"t—”

  “Of course you can"t. It is impossible to grow to love someone overnight. Kenji and I were married three years before I could say I love him.” She looked down at her flatstomach and a blush slowly colored her cheeks. “Now we are expecting our first baby.”

  “Oh that"s wonderful!” Katharine exclaimed. “When?”

  “Seven months, I think.”

  Katharinehad meant to say she couldn"t love him because she couldn"t stay with him;

  but the wrong conclusion to which Midori had jumped had saved a lot of explanation.

  The men came home at mid afternoon.

  “I see you didn"t get your head stuck in the roof.” Katharine observed, brushing a stray piece of straw from his coat.

  “She sounds disappointed.” Isamu said to the others with a smile as he accepted a cup of tea from Katharine.

  “Did Midori make you feel at home?” Kenji asked her

  “Yes, she did.”

  “I think Katsuko and I will become good friends.” Midori smiled.

  That night Fujito wrote to his sister.

  “She"ll need to know that we will be here for a few months.” He told Katharine with a smile.

  “Be sure to give her my best.” She told him.

  “I will.” He assured her with a smile.

  “When will you post it?”

  “There"s a station between the second and third bridges.” He answered. I"ll take it in the morning. I shouldn"t think there"ll be many more days left before it closes for thewinter.”

  Just after noon, he set off, this time in the dark kimono of the doctor. They had come the opposite way into town so had missed the post station. But anyone there would be on the lookout for a samurai and a lady.

  He held Katharine close and touched his lips to her temple. “I shouldn"t be long.” He told her.

  “All right.”

  While he was gone, she did some straightening up, putting the futons back in the cupboard.

  The day dragged without him, although Midori"s presence seemed to ease the loneliness somewhat. Katharine estimated he should be back within six hours. She just had to keep busy until the evening meal.

  The pale gray clouds began to darken around mid-afternoon.

  “Storm"s coming.” Kenji said coming inside. He took off his straw hat and smoothed his windswept hair. “It"s a good thing we got the roof fixed. Where is he?” He smiled at Katharine, meaning Isamu.

  “He went to post a letter to his sister.”

  “I hope he can out run this storm. It might be the one that closes the roads.” He said to his wife. “Otherwise he"ll be stuck with no way to get back.” They were in the tiny kitchen, but Katharine overheard. He turned to her.

  “Don"t worry, Katsuko. He"s probably on his way home by now.” He smiled reassuringly.

  But the evening meal was over and he still hadn"t returned. Snow was falling softly from a windless sky; it was beginning to get dark. While Kenji and Midori were busy in other parts of the house, Katharine panicked and ran out to look for him. She had forgotten to check the amount of oil in the lamp she took from the table.

  She had not gone one mile when the wind came up and the snow started to swirl in spirals around her. The lamplight was so weak she could barely see and she tried to shield it from the wind to keep it from going out.

  “Isamu!” She called as she trudged deeper and deeper into the drifting snow. It was a bare quarter hour when Fujito arrived back at the farmhouse. “It"s getting bad out there.” He told them. “The road out is closed.” “Did you get your letter off?”

  “Just barely.” He smiled. “But she probably won"t get it for months if the roads are as bad everywhere. Where"s Katsuko?”

  They had been dreading the question.

  “She went out to look for you.” Midori said quietly.

  “When?”

  “About a half hour ago.” Kenji said.

  Fujito said nothing more but headed toward his room.

  “Where are you going?” Kenji asked, following him.

  “I"m going to look for her.” He took off his wet jacket, quilted trousers, and changed into dry ones.

  “You"re a fool!” Kenji called after him.

  “I have to go.” He called over his shoulder. “I love her.” Fujito smiled, but there was a look of hard determination in his eyes.

  Midori and her husband exchanged knowing looks.

  “Here.” Kenji handed him a lamp with a fresh wick and full of oil. “The gods go with you.”

  “Thanks.”

  All Fujito needed was the help of one God. And he prayed to Him in his spirit even as he yelled Katharine"s name at the top of his lungs, to try to be heard over the now howling wind.

  Following her footprints was almost impossible. Snow had all but covered them over, the new snow looking pale gray in the lamplight.

  Then out of the corner of his eye he caught a glimpse of something, a flicker, like a flame of a lamp just winking out. But when he turned the sky was dark and no outline dented the snow.

  Then he thought he saw something move against a nearby pine tree. Running as best he could in the mounding snow, he reached the tree. Kneeling on one knee he made a well in the snow beside him and set the lamp down. Pawing at the snow, he saw her. She had leaned against the tree to rest and had slid down in the snow.

  He felt her hands and face. They were not too cold; she was only sleeping. He shook her with as much force as he could without startling her. He wondered how long

  she"d been there.

  “Katsuko, wake up.” He called.

  She roused herself from a deepening sleep and her eyes fluttered open. “Where am I?”

  “It doesn"t matter, koibito. You"re safe now.”

  “Isamu?” She hadn"t recognized his voice.

  “Come on, sweetheart. We have to get you back home.” He pulled her to her feet, which were unsteady. She almost fell, but he caught her with a firm hand around her

  waist and lifted her into his arms.

  Luckily she hadn"t gotten too far and it was not long before he could see the farmhouse. Kenji was watching for him and slid open the door.

  “Is she alive?” He asked as he brought her inside.

  “Yes.” Isamu smiled. “Midori, would you boil the kettle for some tea, please?” “Of course.”

  While he waited he removed her wet clothing and covered her with the thickest quilt in the cupboard. He relaxed only when he heard her shiver.

  “Good girl.” He smiled. “Your starting to warm up.”

  “Says you.” She shivered. He laughed a sound that warmed her more than the quilt or the tea Midori brought to them.

  “Thank you.” Fujito said as she set the tray beside him. Taking one of the cups, he put it into her hands. Picking up the second, he took a sip. “Koibito, you"ve got to pr
omise me something.” He smiled.

  “What?”

  “That you"ll stay in this room the rest of the winter. That"s the second time you"ve almost caused my heart to stop in as many days. Whatever made you go out like that?”

  “Sorry.” She took another sip. “I panicked. I don"t really know why.” He took her cup and set it back on the tray. Then he enfolded her in his arms. “Go to sleep now, koibito. I"m here and you"re safe.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead.

  She settled her head on his shoulder and was asleep almost before she closed her eyes.

  When she woke the next morning her throat was raw and her head throbbed. Fujito noticed it right away, even though she had tried to hide it from him. “I think you"re getting a cold.” He told her with a smile. “Maybe you should go back to bed?”

  “Not yet. I don"t feel all that bad.”

  “All right.” In his smile, she could tell he knew she didn"t mean it.

  Fujito was right. By afternoon, her eyes were watering and her throat was so sore she could hardly talk. She didn"t mind in the least when he helped her back to her room and settled her under the covers. He brought her some tea, and after she"d finished sang the lullaby that she knew now she would never forget. When she woke again, it was to eat a little soup.

  “I wrote you a poem.” He smiled. He took a piece of rice paper from the tray and read, “Like tiny golden birds, the ginko leaves scatter. From the tree on the hill in thesunset glow.”

  “That"s lovely.” She smiled. “Thank you.”

  “Do itashimashite.” He smiled. “Now go back to sleep.”

  The following day she felt better. Fujito spent the afternoon reading to her then she took a nap before the evening meal.

  Over the next few days she improved steadily and by the end of a week had fully recovered.

  “It was all due to the sensei"s ministrations.” She smiled at him.

  “Maybe now you"ll think twice before you go dashing out into the snow.” He said lightly, grinning.

  “Doubtful. I"m stubborn, remember?”

  “Never forgotten.” He said softly, kissing the tip of her nose.

  Except for visits to he other farmers in the village there was nothing much to do. Snow covered the landscape as far as the eye could see, with only glimpses of the green

  tops of the pine trees to relieve the monotonous white.

  During the long days Fujito taught her how to play Go-Bang, the Japanese form of the Chinese Mahjong, and was not surprised when she beat him three out of four times in a row.

  “She sings, too. And plays the koto.” Fujito said proudly to the couple who had very quickly become their friends. Many evenings were thus spent in singing and playing instruments.

  One day Kenji came to them with the news that he had found them a house of their own.

  “It isn"t that we don"t want you here any more.” He explained. “But we have seen you together and thought you might like quarters of your own. The house will otherwise remain empty. Please, it is our gift to you.”

  Before they retired for the night, Fujito would read to her or they would take turns reciting poetry. Then she would fall asleep in his arms.

  One morning Fujito woke early and went to the kitchen to make tea; then he went to the place where they stored their things. He pulled out a prettily wrapped package and set it on the tray beside her cup.

  Kneeling beside her futon he bent over and kissed her cheek. “Ohaiyo o gozaimasu.” He whispered.

  She could hear the smile in his voice and rolled over. “Good morning.” She smiled then stretched.

  Fujito reached for the package on the tray. “Omeidato.”

  “Now there"s a new word.”

  “Merry Christmas.” He whispered kissing her cheek.

  “Christmas?” She"d completely forgotten. “Oh I—

  “Forgot?” He smiled. “I fear you"ve been among us too long. Go on, open it.” She untied the ribbon and unfolded the triangles revealing a sheet of rice paper. Turning it over she saw a picture of herself in a bright kimono sitting on a mosscoveredstone next to the lake in Fujito"s garden at Kagoshima.

  “Did you draw this?” She asked surprised.

  “Aha.” He smiled. His eyes were full of love. He gently took the picture and its wrapping from her and laid them on the floor then he enfolded her in his arms and kissed her. It was many moments before he remembered the tea.

  They were just finishing breakfast when they heard a knock at the door. “Forgive me for bothering you, sensei. But I"m worried about the baby.” “Come on inside.” Fujito took her arm and helped her over the door ledge. “Why are you worried? Has something happened?”

  “No. That"s just the problem” She explained. “If I was in pain or something I would understand. But I"m just feeling this sense of foreboding. I can"t put a finger onit.”

  He smiled understandingly. Motioning for her to sit he knelt on the opposite side of the table. Something in his spirit told him she would be open to hearing the Gospel so he told her of the birth of the baby in Bethlehem, whose birth they were celebrating that day. In the telling she saw how Mary, the mother would have been afraid too. Especially since the baby was to be God.

  “But how could God be man as well?” She asked her eyes full of awe mixed with excitement.

  “No one can put it into words.” Fujito smiled. “We just have to believe it is so.” “But then what about the Buddha? Is it not wrong to go against his teachings?” “Buddha taught a way of life, Midori. In fact, if you look at the Scripture in light of them, you"ll see that they are very similar to what Jesus taught. But there is one difference. Jesus is still alive. Buddha died many centuries ago. Christ died, suffered forus on a cross so that we could live eternally with him.” “But should we not all suffer, to attain a better life next time?”

  “We will suffer. Jesus said that in the world we will have persecution, but we will not be subject to God"s wrath if we have accepted him as our savior.” “No man can do that for another.”

  “That"s right. But God as Man could and did.”

  While he"d been talking, Katharine had gone to fetch the scrolls from the bedroom.

  “Thank you.” He smiled up at her. Finding the spot he pointed out to Midori, “See, it says that while we wee still sinners Christ died for us.” He found another passage. “And here, For God so loved the world that he gave his only son so that thosewho believe in him should not perish, but have eternal life.”

  “What is a sinner?”

  Fujito patiently explained how God had created the world and how man had lost his special place in it. Then he said something that struck at her heart. “You see, Midori, all the religions man could devise like Buddhism is an attempt to reach God. Christianity is God reaching down to meet man.”

  “May I read your scrolls? I want to learn more.”

  “Of course.” He replaced them in the case and handed them to her.

  “Thank you.”

  “Any time you have any questions we"re here.” He assured her. He opened the door for her.

  Katharine sat motionless where she was, overwhelmed by his gentle way of explaining the Truth, as she had never heard it before. She realized that she had never actually been a Christian in the way he"d described it to Midori. She had gone to Mass and followed the tenets of the Church and had even given indulgences, although she had never really believed they would work. But she obviously did not know Jesus as he did.

  “What is it?” He knelt beside her. When he lifted her eyes to his he saw they were misted with tears.

  “What you were telling Midori.” She said quietly. “I"ve never heard it quite like that before. I belong to a church and serve wherever they ask me to but—it seemed likeyou were saying that works won"t get us into heaven?”

  “That"s right.” He smiled. “Jesus paid the whole price of our disobedience and he kept the whole law for us. Remember he said, “You think I"ve come to destroy the law but I have come not to destroy t
he law but to fulfill it.” So, because he kept the whole Old

  Testament law perfectly, when we accept him as our savior in God"s eyes we have keptthe law also, because Jesus did. There is nothing more.”

  “What must I do to be saved?” She asked.

  “Do you believe that Jesus is God and Man and died to pay the price for your sins?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then you need do nothing more.” He smiled.

  Two days later Midori came back to return the scrolls. Kenji was with her. “We want to become Christians.” Kenji said.

  Fujito smiled and welcomed them in. He might have asked if they were sure; he knew the perils of being a Christian in Japan. But the rewards were far greater. Afterward they all went back to their house for a meal.

  “To celebrate Christmas.” Midori smiled.

  The months passed. Finally, frost and ice began to melt and grass peeked out from under the snow.

  Fujito knew that they would have to move on soon; the roads would be open in a month or so.

  When they did open Kenji went to the next village for supplies. When he returned he went straight to Fujito.

  “Kenji, what is it? Come inside.”

  “They"re putting posters up. About a samurai from Satsuma and a young lady, who is barbarian?”

  Fujito sighed. They had come close already. “That"s right.”

  “You wouldn"t know it. She looks and acts like one of us. Did you teach her?” “Yes.” Over tea to warm the traveler, he told him the whole story. They worked out a plan. Instead of going straight through to the Kiso valley they would travel to Matsumoto and then through the tiny village south of it and back to the Kiso. The evening before they left they entertained their new brother and sister in the Faith. Katharine enjoyed preparing and serving the meal. Each time he looked at her he wished he could convince her to stay with him.

  When it was time for Mdori and Kenji to return home the two women embraced and bid each other a tearful goodbye. Fujito wished they could stay where they were; hehated to see Katharine so sad. But it seemed the Shogun"s forces were taking no chances,

  if they were even checking small settlements. He only hoped there were a few towns leftthat they hadn"t checked out.