by I. J. Parker
What was so important about this place that it was dangerous for him to have seen it? Well, if it was a hangout for these men, who were surely the much feared prowlers, he supposed they would prefer the police or the high constable's unreliable soldiers did not find out about it. But perhaps there was something else. He studied the part of the place that he could see from where he was lying.
The wood structure had a rather flimsy roof, the kind you see on storage places for firewood or farm equipment. There was no firewood that he could see, and while he did not know how far they had carried him, he guessed they were still somewhere in the Ise forest. But there were goods stacked against one wall. Alas, they were wrapped in grass mats so that he could not tell what they contained. A bench stood nearby and some sort of chain hung over one of the beams. On the bench lay a whip. It was the kind carters used on their oxen, but this one had an unusual number of knots, and its business end was stained dark.
A memory stirred and Akitada's eyes went to the dirt floor. Yes, there was a large dark stain over there. This must be the place where the girl Michiko had been tortured and then killed.
And these men were surely her killers.
They would certainly not leave him alive to lead the police to this place.
Akitada wondered who their "boss" was.
One of the prowlers got to his feet and came over to check on Akitada. Akitada kept his eyes closed and took shallow breaths.
"Out cold," the man said. "I'm going for a pee." The others merely grunted. One of them stretched out on the dirt floor. "Might as well get some sleep while we wait. Make sure to hide the wine."
The other two made themselves comfortable. The man who had gone out to relieve himself came back in. "You're not going to sleep? How's that going to look if the boss comes?"
The first man to lie down said drowsily, "That's why you're going to stand watch."
The other prowler greeted that with a curse and sat down again.
Nothing else happened for a long time except that one or two of the villains started to snore. Akitada kept a wary eye on the last man. His head sank to his chest and his eyes closed. Very carefully, Akitada tested his bonds. They held firm. Nevertheless he persisted in moving his wrists, trying to stretch the rope, hoping to loosen his bonds eventually and get a hand free.
To his startled surprise, the rope suddenly parted. Afraid that he had made too much noise, he remained still and in the same position, eyeing the dozing guard. When nothing happened, he tried to loosen the bonds on his ankles by moving his feet. They, too, parted easily. It seemed inexplicable that he should have been so carelessly tied, but you did not question a miracle. He moved his hands and feet, trying to get the circulation back. His eyes gauged the distance to his sword.
Four against one, and the sword was close to them. By the time he got hold of it, they would have killed him. Still, he could not think of any other move.
Before he could make up his mind, a shout came from outside the hut. The dozing guard jumped up and grabbed the sword. Akitada cursed his luck. In just another moment, he would at least have had his sword and could have a chance to fight his way out. Now he would be killed. He sent a fleeting thought to his children and to Yukiko, who would be a very young widow.
But the guard changed his mind. He dropped Akitada's sword and took his own, a shorter one. Then he started kicking his companions awake. Another shout came from outside, and two of the prowlers ran out. The other two got to their feet and took up their weapons. One said "Is it the boss?"
They both looked over at Akitada and then turned back to the door.
It was his chance, his only chance. He had no idea how many people were coming and what point there was in it, but Akitada scrambled to his feet, feet that disobeyed and made him fall again when he reached his sword.
The two men at the door were fortunately slow to grasp the situation. They were still half asleep and probably not very bright at the best of times. Thus, Akitada managed to get to his feet again, a little unsteadily, but with his sword in his hand. He lunged at the one to his right.
They both cried out and simultaneously tried to get out the narrow door. Predictably they got stuck. Akitada sliced through the thigh of the man on the right and delivered' a fatal slash to the neck of the other. This man simply collapsed, half blocking the doorway, while the other managed to stumble into the open. He was bleeding badly.
Akitada gave a quick thanks to the Sugawara blade, which was as sharp as ever. The sword was old and heavy but had been made by a master sword smith. He would have grieved its loss.
But there was little time to think about what might have happened because the danger was not over. The two men outside were wide awake, armed, and forewarned. And someone else was coming.
Akitada stepped over the dead man in the doorway. In a delayed reaction, his body rebelled against the sudden exertion after having been stretched into an unnatural position for hours. As he took a couple of steps to meet the attack from the other two villains, his legs gave way and he nearly fell flat. Only a superhuman effort made him catch his balance to stand and raise his sword to deflect the blade of the first man. After that, he found the strength to parry the next strike and slash off the man's head. It rolled a few feet, and the headless body fell. Slightly dazed by his quick success, he turned to look for the first man.
He lay a few feet away. And on him sat the goblin.
"Junichiro?" Akitada gasped. "What are you doing here? Get away from him. He'll kill you."
"No, he won't," the dwarf said with great satisfaction and held up a rather large and bloody knife. "Did you get the others, master?"
"Yes. But I don't understand." Akitada checked the man Junichiro was sitting on. He was dead, stabbed in the belly and his throat slashed. "You did this?"
The dwarf grinned. "I may be small, but I'm quick and strong, and I always carry a knife in the woods." "But what are you doing here?"
"You wouldn't tell me what you were up to, so I followed you." This he said accusingly.
Akitada could not very well complain about the dwarf's nosiness when he had just killed a man for him. On second thought: those ropes had come off very easily. He turned on his heel and went back to the hut, checking the two bodies at the door. Both robbers were dead.
Inside, he picked up the pieces of the rope and found that they lead been cut. Shaking his head, he looked at the wall. A couple of boards were missing at the bottom, leaving an opening just large enough for a child to get through.
Junichiro had followed him and stood beside him. "This but is old and badly built. Not like mine. There's a knot hole over there." He pointed. "I looked in and saw you tied up. those missing boards behind you made it easy."
"I probably owe you my life," Akitada said in a tone of awe.
The dwarf chuckled. "It was nothing, but you really shouldn't wander around the woods alone after dark.
Next time you do that, you've got to take me along. What were you doing anyway'"
"Not now," Akitada said. "We have to leave. They sent someone to their boss. We may have company any moment."
Junichiro ran to the door. Akitada was about to follow when he remembered the bundles of goods. Using his sword, he slit one open and found it filled with short swords and long knives. There was also a keg and several rice bales. Weapons and provisions. He cast one more look around and hurried after Junichiro.
The darkness seemed impenetrable after the dimly lit hut. Junichiro, who appeared to have owl eyes, called to him, and he followed. They moved along quickly, Akitada with his sword in his hand and absolutely no idea where they were or in what direction they were headed. Junichiro was surprisingly fast for his short legs, but he could hear his labored breathing.
"Slow clown," he called out. Junichiro stopped. "Sshh!"
He heard it, too. Horses. They must be near- a road. Junichiro touched his arm and pulled him a few steps toward the side. He saw lights beyond the trees, torches. They shone on sever
al armed men and their horses. In a moment they passed quite closely, and then they were gone, swallowed up by the night.
Akitada said, "'!'hose were warriors. The police lieutenant told me they would call in the high constable's men to secure the area. Come on, the road should be safe enough now."
"No," said the dwarf. "You can't trust anyone when it comes to the prowlers. We'll follow the road home, but we'll stay in the trees in case someone else shows up."
Akitada thought of the goods and weapons stashed in the but and decided in favor of caution. But they slowed down their pace, and after a while Junichiro spied a rock outcropping and said, "Let's rest a bit I've walked a far distance tonight."
Akitada felt guilty. With his short legs, the little man had taken far more steps than he had. They perched on the rock. "Is it far?" Akitada asked. "You could get on my shoulders, you know."
"Don't insult me," snapped the dwarf. "Sorry. Just trying to help."
Junichiro snorted. Neither spoke for a while. Akitada checked the seam of his robe and found the letter from the imperial secretary gone. In whose hands was it now, and what would that person make of it? He had failed. His identity was known, and so was the emperor's concern for the princess. Meanwhile, the princess remained lost.
It struck him now that he could have run into an ambush at the Tanoe shrine, and that meant he had either walked into a trap or he had been followed all along. If Junichiro could follow him, so could others. Had Lady Ayako set him up? Perhaps on orders from the senior lady-in-waiting? Or had those who knew his purpose in Ise done this. The only ones who knew were Minamoto, Lady Tamba, and the chief priest. And Lieutenant Matsuura knew his identity, though not his real assignment.
Akitada shook his head. It was an impossible situation. He was completely out of his depth. His head still hurt quite badly where the prowlers, or whatever they had been, had knocked him out. He must think, but first he must get some rest.
Junichiro had come to same conclusion, for he jumped down and said, "Come, it isn't far now. Time for bed for little people."
19 A Storm is Brewing
Tora and Saburo sat up late that night, going over the recent events.
"He was shaken, brother," Tora said with satisfaction. "That means he's in it up to his neck." Saburo pursed his lips. "I agree that Kitagawa's behavior suggested unease. I noticed that his eyes went everywhere and he got angry. It is possible to interpret this as a guilty conscience, but what exactly do you mean by "n it up to his neck'?"
"In with the pirates, of course. Think of that landing stage. Fishermen don't need landing stages. That was built for larger boats and easier unloading. And then there was the treasure house. You see them in the mansions of the great nobles in the capital, but he runs basically a farm. Why does a betto need a treasure house? And that woman at the shore who carne to get the children so they wouldn't talk to me was very hostile. I bet Kitagawa is a pirate boss."
"You forget Hozo. If he went with a payoff from the merchant Takanami to Kitagawa, how does that fit in with a pirate attack?"
Tora scratched his head. "I haven't quite worked that out yet. To tell you the truth, I need some sleep. I can't think straight at this hour. Let's plan the next step tomorrow."
==
But the next morning, Tora was sent for by Lady Yukiko. As it turned out, the gardeners had disappeared as soon as Tora had turned his back, and there was also the matter of certain other improvements Lady Yukiko had thought of in the meantime.
"My husband has no koi pond," she informed Tora. "He misses that, I'm sure. He told me that he liked playing his flute sitting on his veranda and watching the fish. I think we should get some men to dig a small pond quickly so it can be finished by the time he returns." She paused. "And that reminds me. Has there been a letter from him?"
"No, my lady. I would have brought it to you immediately. It may come later today."
"I was drinking that he might only have written to you or Saburo." She looked rather forlorn as she said this.
Tora reassured her. "He would never do that, my lady. It's more likely that he'd write only to you."
She blushed and smiled gratefully. "I miss him so," she murmured.
Embarrassed, Tora cleared his throat. "I'll go see about those lazy gardeners and get someone to dig that pond. You want one about the same size as the one at home?"
"Yes. Thank you, Tora. "And could you check in town if they sell koi:?"
Tora promised, bowed, and went to tell Saburo that the pirates would have to wait while he was busy with domestic duties. He was a little resentful, but Lady Yukiko had a way with her, and somehow he always found himself eager and willing to serve her in every whim.
Having set the gardeners to gardening with assorted threats and put three men to work digging the pond, Tora went to town to check on the availability of koi.
He wore his ordinary clothes for this errand, having decided that he might pay another visit to the harbor and perhaps engage some boatmen in conversation. Koi were for sale at the market and he made a deal with one of the sellers to deliver a dozen of' the fancy ones as soon as the pond was dug. The man shook his head dubiously.
"You can't ,just fill a hole with water," he warned. "That just makes mud. These fish will die."
"What do you care? You'd just sell more then." The fish seller was taken aback. After a moment, he said, "Can I send you some plain ones instead?"
Tora burst into laughter. "I was just joking. Can you come and tell us how to do it? It's for the new governor."
The man brightened. "I'll come tomorrow." "Good. Ask for Tora"
This encounter had cheered Tora, and he now walked to the harbor. There a surprise awaited him. The merchant's boat was gone. In fact, the harbor looked thin of boats even to his eyes. He went to see the harbor master.
Having passed a greeting and a few pleasantries, Tora asked, "Where are all the boats?"
"Oh, haven't you heard? There's a storm coming. The bigger boats go out to the open water or home where they can pull their boats on land. If they stay in the harbor, they'll be smashed to pieces."
Tora stared at him. "A storm? The weather looks great. Not a cloud in the sky."
"Not here, but out at sea the storm clouds are building up. There'll be a storm. The sailors know about such things."
Tora pointed to the remaining boats. "What about them?"
"They're local. They'll leave when the time comes." "I wanted to talk to the men who claimed they'd been attacked by pirates."
The harbor master's brows shot up. "You mean they were lying?"
Tora bit his lip. He was not sure about anything at the moment except that people seemed to have a lot to hide here in Komachi. He said, "What if they were? Would you be surprised?"
The harbor master laughed. "Not at all. I didn't like them or their master."
Tora smiled. "See? I got the same feeling. I'd like to know what's going on. Are there pirates or not? If not, why were they all lying?"
"I wish I could help you. Yes, there are reports of pirates from time to time, though this one puzzled me. But I can't help you. I will say the owner's claims seemed astonishing."
Tora sighed. "That's what made me suspicious in the first place. These pirates, are they local men? Are they operating out of Mikawa?"
"I have no idea. It's possible."
Tora thanked the harbor master and went back to the tribunal, where Saburo received him with the news of a visit by Lieutenant Mori.
"A complaint has been filed against us," he said. Tora looked at him. "You're joking. About what?" "About harassing people and interfering with their work."
Tora laughed. "Mori behaves like the moron he is." Saburo cleared his throat. "Actually there are two complaints. The first one was by the merchant. The second involves both of us and our visit to Kitagawa." "Oh, come. That's ridiculous. What can they do? We're merely doing our duty investigating piracy."
"I know, but somehow you have managed to irritate Mori t
o the point where he could file these charges with the authorities in the capital."
Tora sat down and cursed. "That bastard! How dare he do such a thing? And how does he plan to go on? We're here for the next four years. He's got to work with us."
"I know, Tora. I pointed all that out to him, but he insisted that his own appointment depended on keeping the capital informed." Saburo cleared his throat. "I suspect that someone in the capital has given him special instructions to report anything and everything that might be taken as malfeasance by this governor.'
"Dear heaven! I thought we were finally sailing smoothly with Lord Fujiwara protecting the master.' Saburo nodded. "Yes. It comes as surprise to me also. I bet the master doesn't know. It makes me wonder if this assignment he's on might be some sort of trap. His enemies clearly haven't gone away."
Tora threw up his hands. "Now you believe me? Didn't you tell me that messenger only brought some dull instructions and the master was only visiting the shrine for his own benefit?"
Saburo looked guilty. "Well ... you did make a very good case that something else was going on, so I considered it."
Tora gave a snort. "Sometimes you can be a pain in the ass, Saburo."
"I'm going to make up for it I'll have a look at the Kitagawa place tonight while you sleep in the soft arms of your wife."
Tora frowned. "Hanae's been moody lately, so I doubt I'll be sleeping soft tonight What are we going to do about the complaint and that bastard Mori?"
"Nothing. We'll try to prove that your merchant and Kitagawa were up to no good."
Tora sighed. "The merchant is gone, and so is his boat. The harbor master says there will be a storm and most of the bigger boats and ships are going out to sea to ride it out."
"Really? Maybe you'd better check the roof of the residence."
Tora nodded glumly.
20 Silk for a Princess