“He’s not so bad,” Kaito said. “I mean he wasn’t strict or anything. My guardian, Yuri? She was the one who took care of me most of the time. Father was often busy with other things to watch me every day and night.”
Mayumi frowned. “Yuri still works for your father?”
“Yeah, why?”
“It’s … nothing,” she said. “Don't worry about it.”
Kaito looked at her, head half-titled to the side. How did she know Yuri, and why did she seem shocked to find Yuri was working for his father? What did she mean by still? He thought Yuri's role as his father's Shogunal Deputy was common knowledge even to an outsider. Where did Mayumi say she was from, again? Her clothing was certainly strange, but to the best of his knowledge, not southern attire. He'd never seen clothing like it before. The holes where the arms went through were large. One could fit two arms inside at once and still have plenty of room to move around.
Mayumi sheathed the two blades and brushed dirt onto the fire with her bare feet. She didn’t even flinch as the sparks came close to her toes. It was as if getting burned was not a possibility for her. Kaito’s eyes widened in surprise. He wished he could be that brave.
"We should get going while we still have the light," she said.
Kaito nodded and packed up his belongings, which wasn't that much to begin with. They'd stopped at another village along the way, but he was still switching between three pairs of clothes he could actually wear in public. Mayumi forbade him to wear anything that might give him away as being the Shogun's son.
The cold, night air clung to his skin, giving him goosebumps as he tried to rest. The next time he opened his eyes the sun was on the rise. He'd never payed attention to the sun as it greeted the day each and every morning. It was beautiful. He wished he could enjoy it further, but knew they should move as soon as possible. Reikutaun was quite a distance by foot. Perhaps they could find a cart. Even after resting for the night, Kaito still felt tired. He'd been going off his determination to learn Mayumi's sword techniques. He still couldn't believe it'd been two days since he'd left Kyotomo.
Mayumi was several paces ahead of him. She was certainly fast. Kaito ran to catch up with her, but he still remained several leaps behind her. Soon he could barely see her as the sun blinded him for a few moments. Kaito rubbed his eyes, trying to focus on Mayumi. He placed a hand over his eyebrows in order to block the sun.
She was gone.
Kaito fell backwards, exhausted from all the running and for what? He couldn't catch up with her, not at the speed she ran. His throat began to dry as he panted. He needed water. He could see the ocean to his right, but with no way to drink it without getting sick, the detour would be a waste of time. Did Mayumi even realize he wasn't following her anymore? The thought of being lost out here washed over him as hours passed and nightfall came and went a second time.
Still no sign of Mayumi as rain began to fall from the sky.
***
Yuri sat at her desk with the window open. Cool air blew through her study. The candlelight she used to see the piles of scrolls she worked on went out, leaving her alone in the dark with her thoughts. She worried about Kaito, out there alone in the woods. What was the boy thinking, leaving like that? Something didn’t add up and it started with Jin’s death.
She told herself over and over again, that the suicide was plain as day. What other cause of death could there be? The one loose end; the clue with the ability to prove Jin’s suicide wasn’t motive. Even people committing ritual suicide had a reason. Usually it was to retain their honor, but it was a motive nevertheless. One every warrior followed.
By the spirits, I can’t do this, she thought. I’m no ruler, no shogun. I don’t have what it takes to run an entire nation.
She didn’t have to worry quite yet. Jin only acquired dominance in the northern half of the archipelago and set the capital closer to its southern counterpart. She didn’t rule everything. At least not yet, but Jin’s father was so … hostile to the supporters of the Yoritomo, back during the first great war.
No one wanted to side with the people who practically enslaved them. Even during Jin’s short rule, most people farther north were oblivious to the fact that Kasaju Minamoto was no longer ruler. She couldn’t really blame them. After all, Lord Kasaju's laws were still in effect and the clans up north had barely been able to scrape by with the high demand they owed the capital in taxes for protection. Jin was too afraid of his father to change any of the laws he set in place all those years ago.
She couldn’t blame him either. The nickname given to him at the battle of Murimasu Bridge: "Blood Sun," was certainly a well earned and fitting title for the former shogun.
Yuri got up. The floor creaked audibly as she ascended. The shoji slid open and the two guards from the front gate stood, both their tachi were at the ready. Yuri raised an eyebrow at them. They were acting like fools. What else is new, Yuri thought.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
The former front gate guards bowed.
“Apologies,” one of them said. “We simply heard a disturbance in your chambers.”
“You mean this?” Yuri asked, applying pressure to the loose piece of wood, making it squeak over and over.
Both guards blushed and bowed. “Apologies,” they said in unison.
When nobody spoke, Yuri grew impatient. She didn’t have to time to deal with these idiots. “Well, what do you want?”
“Lord Minamoto has requested your presence.”
“Is this some kind of joke? Are you so stupid that you don’t know the shogun is dead? What is wrong with you two?”
Yuri's breathing was heavy. She hadn’t gotten this worked up in a long time. Not since she first met Mayumi Shingen.
She sighed. “It seems any form of guard duty is way above your skill level. Now then, would you like to clean up after the animals for the rest of your lives?”
Yelling at this point, she didn’t care if everyone in the castle heard her. She couldn’t take another day with these two fools. The guards looked at each other and swallowed.
“No, Lord Kasaju has requested your presence.”
Yuri’s heart stopped and picked back up at an uneven pace. Lord … Kasaju. What does he want with me?
She asked the two guards, hoping one of them would know. She hated not knowing what to expect, in particular when it came to seeing Jin’s father.
The shorter one shrugged.
“He didn’t say,” the taller one said.
Yuri frowned and dismissed them with the wave of her hand. “Go do something useful.”
The two guards left her alone to gather her thoughts before meeting with Lord Kasaju. Yuri hadn’t spoken to the man in years—not since she was given the task of nitsu seiba’s guardian.
With nothing left to do, she walked to the western-most room of the castle. The darkness and shadows made the journey last longer in her mind. Every noise created by the wind outside sent chills down her spine. Yuri steeled herself. She couldn’t afford to show any weakness in front of Lord Kasaju. Not after what happened last time. The idea of being summoned after such a long hiatus made her shake with anxiety.
She arrived and knocked on the door.
“Enter,” a voice from the other side said. One which Yuri knew all too well.
She did as requested, eyes stuck to the floor as the door opened for her. Like the guards positioned on either side of the door, she dared not look up unless given explicit permission. The man treated those who looked at him as traitors. Nobody but Jin and his own wife had ever seen his face. She knelt before him, her eyes on focused on the floor, waiting for Lord Kasaju to speak.
“I am giving you a new task in addition to your other,” he said. “You will investigate my son’s death and report to me anything you find.” He shuffled audibly as he stood up. “And I mean everything.”
Yuri fought the urge to look up past the man’s ankles as he rose from his cushion.
�
�Is this understood?” he asked.
“Yes, my Lord,” she said, bowing as low as possible while she continued to kneel.
“Good. You may leave.”
Yuri got up and bowed one more time. She was about to leave when Lord Kasaju spoke.
"Wait," he said.
She turned her head and for a split second she saw a part of his face. Yuri quickly averted her gaze to a corner of the room.
“Yes?”
“Don’t tend to matters regarding the coming war,” he said. “I will take over that duty. You are incapable of leading my men to battle, let alone victory.”
She bowed. “Of course, Lord Kasaju.”
“Go.”
Yuri bowed again, and closed the door behind her as she left. She sighed, relieved, letting the air from her lungs come out all at once. It felt good to breath, again. Kasaju’s presence was overpowering to most people. She often wondered how Jin talked to his father, assuming he ever did.
During the walk to the meeting room to check on nitsu seiba, Yuri thought about Kaito. The boy had no idea what he was getting into and she feared for his safety and his life.
She opened the secret compartment and fell backwards at what she saw. The sun saber was gone. Yuri’s heart pounded faster and faster in her chest as the ramifications of losing one of the most powerful swords in the nation would have on the coming war.
What have I done?
Chapter Six
Will the rain ever stop, Kaito thought.
He'd already changed into his last kimono and it was already soaked to the brim. He had found a tree with big leaves, which caught most of the rain water, though some still dripped down onto his head and shoulders.
His main concern at the moment was with the increasing wind speed. Being near an ocean, the thought of a typhoon brewing wasn't too outlandish. It scared him. He wished he was back home in his bed. He never should've left the castle. What was he thinking? He couldn't survive out here. Even with someone like Mayumi. Now that she was gone, he didn't stand a chance.
Kaito shivered as the downpour continued, hitting his skin and clothes. Each drop came down harder than the last, like a barrage of dulled arrowheads made out of rain water: unable to pierce, but still hurting on impact. This was no ordinary rain. Could this be a typhoon, he wondered.
The gusts and gales continued to get stronger and more frequent. A nearby tree was taken from its roots and launched into the air. Dirt flew inches past his face. Some got in his eyes, but he didn't have time to wipe it away as another tree—bigger than the last—hurled towards him. He ducked in time, but the sharp branches scratched his face. A trickle of blood dripped to the ground. He tasted the iron in his blood as more blood trickled down his face. Kaito wiped away the blood. The cut wasn't that deep, but he'd feel better if he could find some medicinal herbs to stop it from becoming infected. What plants did Yuri say to use for open wounds, again?
It didn’t matter. He’d be dead before the storm was over.
Kaito’s hair fell over his eyes as the wind stopped without warning. He looked up at the sky. It was peaceful, no longer harnessing the raging storm from seconds earlier. Kaito couldn’t believe it. Typhoons didn’t stop on a dime. He should be dead.
“Good, you survived,” Mayumi said, appearing out of nowhere.
She jumped down from a branch of a tree in front of him, flipping in the air, and landing several steps behind him. Kaito turned around. When did she …
He blinked. Mayumi walked towards him, looking him over, as if inspecting his current condition.
“Aside from the hair and wet clothes, you look fine,” she said. “I’m surprised. Not many people can survive a typhoon that tsuki no ha-ken creates. Just be thankful it wasn't a full one."
Kaito shook his head, in shock. His brain started to process what he’d heard. Mayumi had created the storm. Why would she purposely try to kill him, after promising to escort him to Yoshino? Was it all a lie? It wouldn’t have been the first time somebody lied to him. He wished it was the last, but knew his luck wasn’t fortunate enough to make those claims.
“It was a test,” she said, “to see how well you could handle yourself. If you can survive a typhoon, your enemies will truly fear you.”
“I’m only alive because you stopped the storm before it took me away.”
Mayumi pointed up. “I had nothing to do with stopping the storm.”
Kaito followed her finger upwards. The moon was no longer visible in the sky, instead dimmed by the sun’s morning light. She hadn’t stopped it. Nature did.
Mayumi yelled back for him. Kaito snapped out of his trance, realizing Mayumi was nowhere to be found, again. Something was rustling in the bushes. Kaito readied himself for anything. Who knew what lay in these woods. He’d heard rumors of ronin warriors who turned savage and ate unsuspecting victims who dared venture off from the path.
Kaito looked down at his feet. There was no path. Instead of walking along the road, they went the long way. Mayumi had been covering their tracks as they went. She was good. There was no sign of their trail anywhere. Of course, Kaito had limited tracking skills. Most of what he learned came from books written by people who knew other people who travelled these lands. Wild beasts also roamed these parts, known to rip off arms and legs with one chomp of their jaws. The bushes rustled, again.
A small white rabbit hopped out. Kaito screamed. This time Mayumi came running and laughed when she saw the creature and laughed. He frowned at her, but she wouldn't stop.
"I could've been dead," he shouted.
"What, from this thing?”
"I meant from something more dangerous. Don't leave me alone, again, or my father will have your head on a spear."
"And which father would that be?" she asked.
Kaito was about to open his mouth to retort, but decided against it. Mayumi looked at him with a worried expression, hand placed on his shoulder.
"I'm sorry," she said. "I shouldn't have said that."
Kaito sniffled. "It's fine. I just wish I could've said goodbye to him before I left."
Mayumi narrowed her eyes. She wasn't looking at Kaito, rather her attention was on the rabbit. Kaito watched her walk towards the creature. There was something strapped to its leg: a note. Mayumi carefully removed the note from the rabbit’s foot and unfolded the paper. Her eyes widened in shock.
"What is it?" Kaito asked.
“I’m … not sure. It’s a message, but I can’t decode it.”
“Let me see.”
Mayumi handed him the note. Kaito’s eyes darted across the page. The message didn’t make any sense. One thing did stand out to him, however. This was one of his father’s drawing. He’d seen him work on it countless times. The picture itself was simple, but he considered it his father’s masterpiece. The depth each tree held was almost foreign to him when compared to his later works. The subject matter was his father and himself, holding hands in front of the woods where he now found himself. There was something new about the picture; an addition not there the last time he'd seen it. The newest part was crudely drawn, but his ink self was wearing his father’s armor. The same one he always attempted to try on when he was younger. This was a message for him.
But what did it mean? Kaito studied it closer. There were other odd things perplexing him about the painting. It was the one piece of art his father declared “finished.” Whoever added the armor to the composition, it wasn’t his father. Who had access to the Shogun’s quarters.
Yuri. The message was from her; only she knew where to find Jin’s art collection.
Kaito’s head pounded in his skull. This was too much work for him right now. He needed to take a break. He blinked blearily, his arm fell asleep while holding the scroll for a long time. Mayumi looked at him, eyebrows raised.
“Well?” she asked.
“It’s from Yuri.”
“And?”
Kaito shrugged. “I’m not sure what it says, but I think it has something to d
o with my father.”
“Well we better get moving, regardless,” Mayumi said, packing up their belongings. “We have a long journey ahead of us.”
He nodded in agreement. They were taking the long way to Yoshino, but it was the safest route.
The two of them continued their journey, the ocean to their left acting as their guide. Their next stop, according to Mayumi was a small port town called Reikutaun. Once they reached the docks there, it was a simple boat ride northeast towards Yoshino.
***
Sunlight poked through Kaito’s eyes, waking him up. He yawned. The faint smell of cooked meat entered his nose. His stomach growled. Kaito rubbed his belly. His bones were limp and heavy.
But the smell was so intoxicating.
Kaito stood up with what strength he had left and blinked twice. The fire was nearby. It was the same one Mayumi had started last night. This one, however, was bigger and more tamed. The source of the smell was coming from a rabbit. Kaito blinked blearily, his brain still trying to wake up.
The message!
He didn't have time to panic as several footsteps and the rattling of armor approached his location. He needed to hide. Whoever was coming, it wasn't Mayumi. There were too many feet for one person.
Kaito ran for a nearby bush, hiding inside the prickly green bristles. They rubbed against his him, irritating his skin, making him want to itch. The fear of being found out stopped him from even breathing for a few seconds. He released his breath suddenly when he saw dozens of boots out of a small crack between the bush and the ground. Those weren't ordinary shoes they were wearing. They were sandals made out of cloth. What were bushi-ama warriors doing all the way out here?
One of the feet came close to the bush. Kaito held a hand to his mouth trying to mask his breath. The man stopped and turned; the front his shoes pointed towards Kaito as if staring him down. He couldn't take much more of this. The tension was driving him crazy. Without thinking, he came out from the bush. He wished hadn't. Now in plain sight, several of the men laughed at him. These men were bushi-ama warrior all right, but who was their master?
Moon and Star: Book One Page 4