Risuko

by David Kudler

  “Going for a climb, Murasaki?” The lieutenant was leading Inazuma by the reins.

  I blinked up at him and shook my head.

  “I haven’t seen you climb since... In a while.” His eyes were small, concerned half-moons under his helmet.

  I blinked again. “Are you leaving, Masugu-san?” Inazuma carried a pack of supplies, and Masugu was dressed in a full set of armor — not his usual shining black armor with the four diamonds of the Takeda emblazoned on his chest, but rather a battered brown set with the white disk mon of Mochizuki — the Full Moon.

  He was dressed, in fact, very much as the pig had been.

  I couldn’t hear the squealing any more.

  The lieutenant nodded. “It’s time to go.”

  “You’re not going to wait for Lady Chiyome to return?”

  Now he shook his head. “She knew I needed to leave once the passes to the west started to clear. She won’t be surprised.”

  I wrapped my arms around myself. “I... We will miss you.” Mieko-san will miss you the most, I thought, but thought it best not to say.

  “Well, it shouldn’t take me more than a month to get to the capital, deliver my... the map you returned to me, and get back here. No time at all.” He smiled and patted my arm. His horse whickered impatiently. “Besides, Inazumi wants to run.”

  I nodded.

  “Say, don’t you have a lesson? Shouldn’t you be with the others?”

  My gorge rose, but I stared up at him. “Did you know that if I were to slip a very sharp blade up beneath the back of your helmet, I could push the tip just under your skull and sever your spinal chord?”

  Masugu’s face froze.

  “Mieko-sensei was teaching us to do that. On a pig dressed in armor.”

  “That... would be very effective.”

  “I couldn’t do it.”

  “No,” he sighed. “There is a purpose for your being here, Murasaki-san. I do not know the reason that Chiyome-sama brought you to the Full Moon. I do not know the reason that the gods brought you, Emi, and Toumi here—but there is one.” He squeezed my shoulder. “Learn what Mieko and the rest have to teach you.”

  I pleaded, “I don’t want to be a killer.”

  “No,” he sighed again. “Neither do I. And yet I am a Takeda warrior. It is my duty. We live in dangerous times. If I were not to fight to protect our provinces and our people, how many more would die?” His sad smile reminded me of the one that Mieko gave me so often. “You are a samurai maiden, Kano Murasaki—the daughter of a warrior. You too have a duty.”

  Now he had me crying. “I’m no s-samurai. My f-family was stripped of its honor.” Otō-san, walking toward the Inagawa castle. Walking toward his death. “Do no harm.”

  “And yet your duty remains. If I know anything about your father—or his daughter—I do not believe that any power on this earth would take that away.” He squeezed my shoulder again and swept the tears from my cheeks with a gauntleted finger. “In the meantime, Murasaki, why don’t you forget about knives and samurai and duty for a bit. Climb.”

  I nodded and gave him a smile, though it was the last thing I wanted to do. “Thank you, Masugu-san. Come back soon.”

  “As soon as I can, Murasaki-san. Take care.”

  As the lieutenant led Inazuma toward the front gate, I scrambled up into the lower branches of the enormous hemlock that grew on the eastern side of the great hall.

  It wasn’t until I threw my leg over the biggest of the branches, waving at Masugu as he mounted and rode out onto the ridge beyond the gate that Fuyudori’s ghost came to visit.

  Not her actual ghost. Angry though the white-haired girl’s spirit must have been, we had performed all of the proper rites for her. Her body had been burned and the ashes buried in the icy ground behind the compound. We had left out a bowl of rice and a cup of sake at our meals. (They had been small ones, though—no one felt she deserved more.) No one had spoken her name. It had been longer than the forty-nine days it would have taken for her spirit to reach the next world.

  But sitting there on the branch, feeling the wind stirring my hair, it was hard not to remember sitting on that same limb, watching her climbing after me, furious. Murderous.

  I took a deep breath and did my best not to think of her.

  Already, Masugu-san was only half visible, disappearing over the edge of the ridge down the path that led to the valley and the road west, toward the imperial city.

  I waved again, though I knew he would not see.

  It was nice to be up in the tree again. Nice to feel the wind. Across the valley, the mountain peaks were still covered in snow, but lower down all was green — a deep, living green, broken by flashes of silver where streams poured the melting snow down into the valley.

  The ridge top too was green. Fresh shoots pushed up through dead, grey grass. White wildflowers inked the field.

  I stayed there for the rest of the lesson. A small moment of bliss.

  “You staying up there all day, Mouse-chan, or are you getting your mousy behind into the kitchen to help make dinner?” Toumi glowered up at me from the corner of the great hall.

  “Can you see anything interesting?” asked Emi. She too was frowning—but then, she always frowned.

  “I was waving goodbye to the lieutenant.”

  “Oh. He’s gone?” Emi’s frown deepened into a pout.

  Toumi made a retching sound. “Come on. We had to bleed the stupid pig. You get to butcher it.”

  When I blanched, Emi said, “Killing it was very easy. And put the animal out of its misery.”

  “I know,” I whispered.

  “Then why didn’t you just kill the stupid thing, baka!” growled Toumi.

  “I couldn’t help...”

  “What?” Both girls walked below my branch.

  I closed my eyes. “I couldn’t help thinking... of whose spirit might inhabit the pig.”

  “You... What?” Toumi gaped up at me.

  “I couldn’t help but think... that it might be... I don’t know. Fuyudori. My father.”

  “Oh,” said Emi.

  Toumi gave a harsh laugh. “Unbelievable! Seen you kill enough chickens and bunnies. Do you go around worrying about crushing your father when you step on ants?”

  Again I felt the blood leave my face. “I... I will now!”

  “Baka-yarō!” Laughing once more, Toumi shook her head. “Come on down here, Mouse. You’ve got your dad to cut up.”

  “Toumi!” whispered Emi.

  I took another breath, trying to steady myself, trying to find that quiet bliss again, and looked back out at the green and white landscape.

  Over the edge of the ridge, where Masugu-san had disappeared, there seemed to be a hazy wave rising. A wave of vertical lines tipped in steel. Spears. Dozens, Many bearing blue flags showing the wild-ginger leaf mon of the Matsudaira.

  “Uh... guys?” They both looked up at me. Now, instead of feeling bloodless, I could hear the blood pounding through me. “I think we’re being invaded.”

  To be Continued in

  Bright-Eyes

  Seasons of the Sword #2

  Coming Soon!

  Find out more on Risuko.Net

  Follow on:

  twitter.com/RisukoKunoichi • risuko-chan.tumblr.com

  facebook.com/risuko.books • instagram.com/RisukoKunoichi

  risuko.livejournal.com

  Glossary

  -chan—Child

  -ko—Ending meaning that the word is a girl’s name or nickname

  -sama—My lady or lord (honorific)

  -san—Sir or ma’am (honorific)

  -senpai—Senior student (honorific)

  baka-yarō—Complete idiot (offensive)

  daikon—A large, white, mild radish

  go—A Chinese gam
e of strategy

  hai—Yes

  hanyak—(Korean) Herbal medicine

  hiragana—phonetic script used for foreign terms and for emphasis (equivalent to italics)

  ichi—The number one

  Jizō-bosatsu—The Buddhist saint (boddhisatva) of lost children; he is often portrayed with a blank face and large sleeves in which he protects the children

  katakana—phonetic script used for most words

  katana—A samurai’s long, curved sword

  kanji—Chinese ideograms; over three thousand of these non-phonetic characters are widely used in Japanese writing

  kimchee—(Korean) Pickled cabbage, often spicy

  kitsune—A mischievous, nine-tailed fox spirit

  ku or kyu—The number nine

  kumiho—(Korean) Mischievous fox spirit (similar to a kitsune)

  kunoichi—“Nine in one”; a special kind of woman

  Kwan-um—(Korean) The Buddhist saint (boddhisatva) of mercy and beauty; called Kwan-yin in China and Kannon in Japan

  miko—Shrine maidens; young women who assist at Shintō festivals and ceremonies

  mizutaki—A hot-pot dish made with fish, chicken, or some other meat

  Mochizuki— “full moon”; the clan of Lady Chiyome’s late husband

  mogusa—Mugwort; formed into pellets, burned (with the lit end away from the flesh) as a stimulant and as a way to celebrate childrens’ aging during the New Year festival

  mon—The emblem of a noble house (like the European coat of arms)

  Mukashi, mukashi—“Long, long ago” (traditional beginning to Japanese folktales, similar to “Once upon a time”)

  no—Of or from

  Otō-san—Father

  Okā-san—Mother

  Risuko—Squirrel (a girl’s name or nickname)

  samisen—A long-necked, five-stringed instrument, similar to a guitar or banjo

  sensei or -sensei—Teacher (honorific)

  Shintō—The native religion of Japan; Shintō believes that there are many gods or spirits (kami) inhabiting different parts of the natural world, and is frequently practiced side by side with Buddhism

  shakuhachi—A long flute carved from bamboo

  shōgun—The emperor’s warlord

  shoyu—Soy sauce

  tatami—A straw mat that is traditionally used to cover floors in Japan

  torī—A large arch or gateway usually found at Shintō shrines or temples

  wakazashi—A samurai’s short sword; traditionally used for defense and for committing ritual suicide (hara-kiri)

  Wihayeo—(Korean) Cheers!

  yang—(Chinese) The male force

  yin—(Chinese) The female force

  Characters

  Note: In Japan, as through most of East Asia, tradition places the family name before the given name. For example, in Kano Murasaki, Risuko’s proper name, Kano is her family’s name and Murasaki her given name—what English speakers would call her first name.

  Residents of the Full Moon:

  Risuko—Proper name: Kano Murasaki. Called “Squirrel” and “Bright-eyes.” Novice.

  Lady Mochizuki Chiyome—Mistress of the Full Moon.

  Mieko—Lady Chiyome’s maid. Kunoichi-teacher, miko-dance master.

  Kuniko—Lady Chiyome’s maid.

  Tarugu Toumi—Called “Falcon.” Novice.

  Hanichi Emi—Called “Smiley.” Novice.

  Aimaru—Servant.

  Little Brothers—Servants.

  Lieutenant Musugu—Takeda warrior.

  Sachi—Called “Flower.” Kunoichi-teacher, miko-music teacher.

  Fuyudori—Called “Ghostie.” Head initiate.

  Mai—One of the “Horseradish Sisters.” Junior initiate.

  Shino— One of the “Horseradish Sisters.” Junior initiate.

  Kee Sun—Cook. Korean.

  People in Risuko’s hometown:

  Okā-san—Risuko’s mother. Proper name: Kano Chojo.

  Usako—Risuko’s sister. Proper name: Kano Daini.

  Otō-san—Risuko’s late father. Former samurai, turned scribe. Proper name: Kano Kazuo.

  Naru—Pig-keeper.

  Karoku—Woodgatherer.

  Kenji—Boy. Played with Risuko and Usako.

  Irochi—Egg-man

  Major Historical Characters:

  Takeda Shingen—Lord of the Takeda clan of Worth (Kai) Province. Called “The Mountain” and “The Tiger of Kai.” Allied with the Oda and the Matsudaira

  Oda Nabunaga—Most powerful lord (daimyo) of Japan, controlling the capital in Kyōto and the military government headed by the warlord (shōgun). Head of the Oda clan of Rising Tail (Owari) Province. Allied with the Takeda and the Matsudaira.

  Matsudaira Motoyasu—Lord of the Matsudaira clan of Three Rivers (Mikawa) Province.

  Imagawa Ujizane—Lord of the Imagawa clan of Serenity (Totomi) Province

  Ashikaga Yoshiaka—Hereditary warlord (shōgun) of Japan. For all intents and purposes Oda Nabunaga’s puppet since Oda-sama took contol of the capital.

  Place Names

  I have translated most of the place names in the book; after all, the names aren’t exotic to a speaker of Japanese! The translations are my own, and sometimes aim more at a poetic than a literal translation of the name.

  There is in fact a town called Mochizuki in Nagano (what used to be Shinano or Dark Letter Province). It is not very far from Midriver Island (Kawanakajima), the site of several of the greatest battles of Japan’s Civil War era. I couldn’t help but set the estate of the Mochizuki family there. The estate itself, however, is entirely of my own imagining.

  Serenity Province—Totomi

  Pineshore—Hamamatsu-shi, Totomi Province

  Three Rivers Province—Mikawa

  Quick River Province—Suruga

  Worth Province—Kai

  Dark Letter Province—Shinano

  Full Moon—Mochizuki, Shinano Province

  Midriver Island—Kawanakajima, Shinano Province

  Great Eastern Sea Road—Tokkaido

  Rising Tail Province—Owari

  Acknowledgements

  There were many, many people who helped me as I wrote this book. It may take a village to raise a child, but it seems to take an army to write a historical novel.

  First, I must thank Julia Nations and her students, who were the first test audience for this book as I was beginning to write it. Their thoughtful questions and their persistent requests over subsequent years to know what happened next were a wonderful inspiration to finish the story.

  Sarah Jae-Jones was kind enough to try to help me understand how a Korean accent might sound to the Japanese. Don’t blame her for the way Kee Sun talks, however. That’s all from my peculiar imagination.

  Dr. Diane Monteil shared her wisdom in the use (and abuse) of traditional Asian herbal medicines. She was both patient and good-humored in the face of all of my questions about poisons (as well as their antidotes), about traditional treatments for premenstrual syndrome, and about the concept of the five elements, the five flavors, and the five colors.

  Brenda and Donal Brown read the book long before it was finished and provided both their wisdom and their apparently bottomless enthusiasm, which sustained me through many of the darkest passages in my journey to complete Risuko’s tale. They also introduced my book to Danielle Svetcov (see below), for which alone they deserve literary Elysium—if they hadn’t already earned it in a thousand other ways.

  Kristine Ball and Amy and Anschel Burke also provided invaluable early input.

  Once I had completed the first drafts of the manuscript, a group of early readers provided incredible feedback, spotting inconsistencies, narrative dead ends, and typos, poking me when I needed it, but also tell
ing me what worked, which I sometimes couldn’t see. This book would not be as readable as it is without the assistance of Ken Schneyer, Victory Davidsmeier, Stephen Gerringer, Diana Lee, Giovanni Martelli, Justice Hardman, Ania Mieszkowska, Alison Coulthard, Ryan Blood, Alithea Howes, Sherry Baisden, Mary Carroll, Sarah Grant, Laurie Lockman, Liz Ottosson, and, most especially, Aleta Johansen. Each of these folks is a wonderful writer in his or her own right; I’m honored to have benefitted from their thoughts on my own prose.

  Danielle Svetcov, my agent, took my book on and promptly did what every author needs but no author wants: she showed me where the story lagged, and how to make it much, much better. Her insightful and incisive critiques showed me that I needed to cut a major-but-distracting secondary character, as well as a needless prologue and epilogue. (Once I had made these as well as a number of the other excellent cuts and changes that she suggested, I had managed to add four thousand words. I’m still not sure how that happened!)

  The Tuesday Night Mill Valley Library Authors Group, led by the wonderful Caitlin Myer, helped me think through some of those changes. The book in your hands—particularly the prologue and the section about Risuko and Toumi’s escapade on the switchback—is there because of their input.

  Scott Delehanty, one of my oldest friends, wrote me from old Nihon to point out some basic errors in Japanese language and culture. Again, any problems that persist are mine, not his.

  The Risuko Beta Team provided incredible feedback as I was completing the book. A heartfelt dōmo arigatō to Lyndsey Lowe (who came first), A.D. Madden, Amanda, Breanna Kelly, Breanna Manlick, Carson Smith, Casia Courtier, Cherrie Walker, Crystal, Dawn Kearns, Dilara Çelik, Elizabeth Fields, Fabienne Gilbert, Gabrielle Nadig, Helen Thompson, Isis Erb, Jaime Andreas, Jo Metivier, Jossie Marie Solheim, Judit Casedemont, Kelley, Kizzi R., Lauren Skidmore, Lucie Boisgard, Melody A., Nikolett Nagy, Racheal, Rachel Stansel, Rebecca A.W. Lovato, Sheri Olshan, Tanya Grech Welden, Ventureadlaxre, Yasamin, Yu Xuan, and Zoe Plant.

  Without the Kickstarter supporters who backed Risuko, this book literally would not have been published. To Susan R. Woodward, Margot Avery, Robert Walter, Heesung Yang, Sylvia-Michelle Hostetter, John Idlor, magycmyste@gmail.com, Ken Schneyer, Alithea Howes, mywayhoff11@aol.com, Stephen Gerringer, Ania Mieszkowska (again!), Isaac “Will It Work” Dansicker, Roger Beckett, Empress Diana and Imperial Princess Amara of the Most Illustrious Lee Dynasty, Cara Melia Pico, Lennhoff Family, Christine Gengaro, Breanna Manlick, Kira Newman, Andrea, Karpov Kinrade, Anika Loeffler, Alexander John Aristotle Kimball, Sueatducksfoot, Ripley Patton, Sam Mickel, Heather Albano, ebuckle@gmail.com, C Carter, Don, Beth & Meghan Ferris, Rachel S., Craig Allen, Ritske Rensma, Candice Bailey, Seow Wan Yi, Roy Romasanta, D-Rock, Mattia Forza, Benjamin Ellefson, Roman Pauer, Riccardo Sartori, Jason Png, Rachael Barcellano, SwordFire, Joy Mundy and Tony Navarette — you are angels in every sense of the word.