“Who are you?” She demanded suddenly, glancing about briefly for enemy warriors, but at the moment the area was free of any threat.
“Come on!” He insisted, growing more and more anxious with each passing moment.
“What’s your name?”
“Come on,” he repeated, waving his arm at her emphatically. He looked so comical that Chisuzu smiled, hiding her mouth with her hand.
“Please!” He begged and without wasting any more time Chisuzu dropped down over the edge, sliding down the dirt embankment in a squat. She jumped several times as her momentum increased, and tried to slow her descent by gripping the hillside with her split toed tabi socks. She was not successful and was soon running all out, desperately trying to keep her feet.
Chisuzu raced down the embankment with no thought other than to stay upright. Before she knew what was happening she slammed into the waiting young man, who took one step back from the force of the blow and promptly fell into the shallow water. They stared at one another in shock for a moment, both caught up in the humor of the situation, but then a shout came from somewhere behind them up the hill.
The young man jumped quickly to his feet and grabbed Chisuzu’s hand and began dragging her through the water, but instead of heading east toward the sea, he pulled her upstream back toward the road.
“Where are we going?” Chisuzu hissed quietly,
“Katashi,” he answered her earlier question, “my name is Katashi.”
‘Katashi,” she thought and smiled. ‘Katashi,’ her mind repeated as she allowed him to pull her along in the shallow stream.
“Where are we going Katashi?” She asked, enjoying the sound of his name.
“Sssshhhh,” he told her, but then added softly. “I know a place…” he stopped talking as another shout echoed from the hills above. They both froze for an instant until they realized the sounds were coming from behind them…“if we can get to it we should be safe.”
He led her so far through the stream that Chisuzu was expecting to come along the road shortly, but without warning Katashi turned and clambered up the far bank using a host of exposed tree roots for support. Chisuzu followed along without comment and tried to ignore the chafing of her wet tabi on her feet and ankles.
The hill on the far side of the stream was not nearly as steep as along the opposite bank. Katashi only pulled her a short way before stopping inside a tight cluster of trees. He studied the far bank and the stream for several long moments, anxious to find out if any of the soldiers chasing them could actually track. Just when they thought they might have lost their pursuers, a group of soldiers appeared in the stream, one carefully studying the muddy banks while the others followed along, their bows nocked with arrows. Katashi put a finger to his lips before grabbing Chisuzu’s hand once more and quietly led her farther away from the stream. They moved slowly and carefully up through the trees until they came to a large cluster of boulders. They were piled high around each other, like treasures from a dragon’s hoard.
“Take off your tabi,” Katashi told her softly and leaned against the rocks and began pulling off his own footwear. Chisuzu did as she was told and when her feet were bare he took her socks and tucked them into his belt next to her zori.
“Where…” she started to ask but he grabbed her by the waist and lifted her up and sat her on the nearest boulder. Without comment he took a hold of her left foot and began drying it with his noragi jacket. His clothes were rough on her skin, but she hardly noticed next to the gentleness of his hands. He dried her right foot next, seemingly unaware of the personal nature of the task.
“Stay on the rocks,” he told her when he’d finished and then quickly dried his own feet before jumping up to join her. “Don’t leave any tracks,” he whispered and then led her along the boulders, moving carefully from rock to rock. She followed along closely behind and only glanced back once to see if the enemy was in sight. Thankfully the forest remained empty, though she could still hear the soldiers calling to one another in the distance.
Worried as she was, Chisuzu’s attention was soon occupied solely on the job of hopping from one boulder to another. There were occasional stretches of flat rock to walk on, but for the most part the pair jumped and climbed from one curved surface to another. Surprisingly, the scattered rock formation was enormous, and Katashi led her in a wide circle for several hundred shaku, or feet, until they were well-hidden from the direction of the gully. Chisuzu’s feet were getting sore from walking and jumping on the hard, uneven surfaces, but she said nothing, not wanting to appear weak in front of the young man who was risking so much to help her. She understood the need to hide their tracks, but she didn’t understand how this was going to help them all that much. Eventually the boulders were going to end and they were going to have to move back down to earth. She was about to point this fact out when, inexplicably Katashi began to climb, moving from one rounded boulder to another. Chisuzu sighed, but followed the young man as he moved ever higher.
They moved so high that Chisuzu began to worry about being spotted by the trailing warriors, but well before they reached the top of the formation Katashi paused near a gap that opened between three large boulders. He put his hand to his mouth, signing her to be very quiet and then moved his lips close to her ear.
“They’re close,” he whispered and Chisuzu shivered, though not from fear as Katashi guessed. He crawled along the rocks in front of her and then began to slide down a steep narrow incline between the boulders. Chisuzu watched his progress for a moment before studying his destination below. From up top there didn’t seem to be any place to hide. The sandy area at the bottom was roughly ten shaku around, and was completely empty except for a lone bush that didn’t seem nearly big enough to hide them both. However, when Katashi reached the bottom he almost immediately disappeared beneath a hidden ledge. He quickly reappeared and motioned for her to follow.
Chisuzu hesitated for a moment and then slid down on her bottom, pressing her hands and feet against the rock sides to control her descent. The way was very steep, but it was not hard to move down slowly, a few shaku at a time. Her biggest worry was that her kimono kept riding up as she slid down, exposing most of her legs to the young man waiting below. Of course Chisuzu had been nude in front of countless men while bathing, but it was always in a proper setting for such a display. This was not the place, and the situation was causing her much distress. Thankfully Katashi realized this and respectably averted his eyes.
Luckily she reached the bottom quickly.
“Come on,” Katashi told her and dropped down to his knees. Chisuzu followed and immediately saw that there was a deep depression underneath one boulder that went back almost a dozen shaku. The space was not a cave, but it was easily big enough for them both to hide beneath, though not very comfortably. The ceiling was high enough to crawl under, but Chisuzu was not sure she could sit. It was going to be a long wait indeed.
Katashi however, did not stop and quickly scrambled to the far side and made his way to the lone bush. After a moment Chisuzu followed, crawling on all fours. Thankfully the ground was sandy and soft and easy on her hands and knees. Once she reached the bush Chisuzu noticed another hidden crawl space that quickly widened into a sizeable area. The space was created by three enormous boulders that leaned against one another. They formed a circular area roughly ten shaku across, much like a large stone tent. The floor was flat rock which was covered in several inches of fine sand that had drifted down from above as the three giant boulders ground against one another through the ages. The ceiling was high, gradually narrowing in the darkness above, forming a large, enchanting grotto. The hidden cave was far from empty and was obviously visited often. There was a fire pit in the center of the space, and along the far wall was a sleeping area complete with a hand woven grass mat and an old blanket. Directly behind the mat was a natural rock ledge that held an assortment of clay jars, one knife and a host of crudely made stone spear points. A stack of wood was piled alo
ng another wall and leaning near the door was a collection of spears, crafted from mostly straight branches, though a few appeared almost comically crooked.
“Quiet,” Katashi whispered, “sound carries well through the rocks. They’ll hear us if they’re close,” he told her and watched as she took in the strange surroundings.
“I’ve been coming here since I was a little boy,” he explained. “I found it on accident…fell down the incline. Now I come to be alone…to think,” he told her, not wanting to admit to her that he spent most of his time in the cave dreaming of being a samurai. It was an unfair fantasy, but now that he was older he understood that.
“We won’t be able to light a fire,” he added quietly as she studied the stacks of wood and kindling. “The smoke travels up through a small hole to the outside. It will be visible.”
Chisuzu nodded, not knowing what to say. She stood for a long moment, anxious about what to do next now that they were alone and out of immediate danger. Sensing her discomfort Katashi rushed over and snatched up the blanket. He quickly folded it into a nice square and set it on the woven mat.
“Please…sit,” he told her and backed away to give her room. Chisuzu hesitated, but then moved forward, not knowing what else to do.
“There’s water,” he told her and moved over to check the contents of the clay jars. “It’s not very fresh; I haven’t been here for a few days.”
Chisuzu shook her head, sat and pulled her legs up close. She began examining her ruined kimono.
Katashi ignored her negative reply as he would with any guest and gathered up the nearest water jug and a pair of elegantly made wooden cups. He knelt before her and with much grace poured her a cup of water. He handed it to her gently with both hands and she took it with a smile, pleased by his attention and obvious respect.
“I am sorry about your clothes,” he added, trying to make small talk, and for the first time Chisuzu realized that he was as uncomfortable as she was by the odd predicament they were in. She was not sure of the etiquette they were supposed to follow. She wasn’t entirely sure if she should consider herself a guest or a not, but she was clearly in Katashi’s debt.
She took a sip of water and then raised her eyes and studied the young man as he poured his own cup. He was older by a few years…maybe five…maybe more. She couldn’t really say. She was not good at guessing the age of her elders; however, it was obvious that he was a young man and not a boy. He was tall and tan, obviously from his labors in the sun. His shoulders were broad and muscular, as were his forearms. He looked to be very strong, but his face was open and friendly. He gazed back at her with only concern and worry.
They sat silently for a time, only occasionally drinking from the wooden cups, until finally Chisuzu took pity on him.
“Did you make the cups?” She asked, clearly admiring the craftsmanship.
Katashi nodded happily and struggled to keep from fidgeting. He was nervous about having someone else in his private sanctuary, the fact that it was a beautiful girl, and a samurai no less, did nothing to ease his discomfort. He could tell by her manner that she was still anxious about the recent attack.
“They won’t find this place…unless they come down the slope and even then they’d have to crawl in one at a time,” he said with a half smile. “I could kill many before they made it through.”
Chisuzu only nodded, suddenly remembering the frightened and surprised expression on Yoshiko’s face when the arrow struck her. Her sadness must have shown on her face.
“Why were those soldiers trying to kill you?” Katashi finally asked, blushing slightly from his bad manners.
Chisuzu shrugged, ignoring his lack of decorum.
He knew she was a person of some importance, a daughter of a high ranking samurai, but that still didn’t explain the attack by the unknown soldiers. Clearly they were not Tokimasa’s men and came from some other province. For the first time Katashi wondered if all Izu was under attack. Visions of Atami burning filled his mind’s eye, followed closely by scenes of his mother and father sprawled dead and dying on the ground. His heart raced and he forgot all about manners.
“Please excuse me,” he stammered, suddenly shy, “but what is your name? Who are you?”
Chisuzu jerked her head up at the bluntness of the question, but immediately forgave Katashi. It was unforgivable of her not to have introduced herself long before this.
“Chisuzu,” she answered quietly, “youngest daughter of Hōjō Tokimasa.”
Much to her dismay, Katashi immediately fell prone before her. He leaned forward, his forehead touching the hard stone floor and his hands spread out before him in supplication.
“Forgive me Lady Chisuzu! Forgive me for bringing you here,” Katashi stammered. The daughter of his daimyo hardly deserved to spend even a moment in such a lowly place, let along hide out the night.
“Stop it!” Chisuzu commanded a bit too loudly. “You’ve saved my life,” she added. “I would be in the hands of my father’s enemies if you hadn’t been there today.”
Katashi remained where he was, not daring to move. He could lose his life for such ill-mannered behavior.
“Katashi…please,” Chisuzu finally said and then froze when the sound of voices drifted down to them.
Katashi shot upright and placed a finger to his lips before snatching up a spear and moving to the mouth of the small cave. It was quiet for another long moment and then the voices returned. They floated down from above. Katashi could tell the soldiers were not on their way down the incline, but even so his heart pounded. For all his earlier bravado, he’d never killed anyone and wasn’t sure he could. However, when Chisuzu moved to his side and clutched his arm he realized he would kill for her if he had to.
They gazed into each other’s eyes, both straining to hear anything more. Katashi knew that if the soldiers decided to descend he would know it. It would be impossible to do so silently. Minutes passed, but thankfully the voices did not return. They remained in place, not daring to move. Chisuzu still held tightly to Katashi’s left arm and he did nothing to dissuade her. Finally after nearly an hour they moved carefully back into the cave, each stiff from holding the position for so long. The inside of the cave had grown dim.
‘The sun must be near setting,’ Katashi thought as Chisuzu once again took up her place on the grass mat, however this time Katashi settled down nearby, his back against the far wall.
“Will they give up the search when night falls?” He asked her. She would know far more about their motives than he would.
Chisuzu shrugged in the growing darkness. “I do not know,” she replied, remembering all the stories she’d been told of samurai commitment and tenacity.
They sat silently as the cave grew darker and darker, until finally the interior was solid black, only the opening appeared a bit lighter than the surroundings. Chisuzu listened to her own breathing, until she could take it no more.
“Katashi,” she whispered, and after the quiet her voice seemed very loud. “I’m afraid,” she easily admitted. “Come sit by me,” she added, and though she hadn’t meant it to be, it sounded like a command. Even so, Katashi happily obeyed. He moved carefully through the darkness, unable to see anything. He moved with his hand out, cautiously searching for her. When his hand found her chest he gasped and jerked his hand back, suddenly afraid of her reaction, but Chisuzu laughed quietly. It was the happiest sound Katashi had ever heard.
“Careful,” she added and suddenly one of her small hands touched his nose. He smiled and followed her arm in close and sat down next to her. Chisuzu immediately leaned into him, liking the feel of his large, warm body next to hers.
“I’m afraid, Katashi,” she repeated. “I’m afraid for my father and mother…and for my sister and my brothers.”
“I’m afraid for my family as well,” Katashi admitted. “Atami could be under attack. All Izu could be at war,” he added before they both fell quiet in the darkness. It was a long time before he heard anything e
lse from her, but then soft noises of sadness welled up from inside her, and Katashi realized she was crying. Very carefully he put an arm around her, and held her tightly. Chisuzu snuggled in close.
“They killed my Uba,” she finally whispered. “They shot her with an arrow.”
Katashi said nothing, just pulled her closer to him. In the darkness he felt her small arms encircle his waist and then her head pressed against his chest. He held her close, relishing the smell of her hair and the feel of her lithe, young body, and though he was far from comfortable where he sat, he still did not want the night to end. They both remained awake for a very long time, each aware of the other, but soon the safety of the darkness and the warmth of their bodies caused them to relax.
“Oyasuminasai,” good-night, Chisuzu finally mumbled sleepily.
“Oyasuminasai,” Katashi replied softly, with a smile of deep satisfaction on his face.
♀
Chisuzu woke slowly to the rhythmic thump of Katashi’s heart in her ears. He was reclined slightly, leaning against the hard cold stone of the cave. Her head rested softly on his chest. She remained very still for several minutes, just listening and enjoying the warm feel of his body so close to her own. By the rhythm of his breathing she assumed he was still sleeping, but when she slowly raised her head she found that he was looking down at her, a slight smile on his face. Chisuzu blushed, and fought the urge to fix her hair.
“How long have you been awake?” She asked a bit more harshly than she intended, but his smile only widened.
“Not long,” he whispered and put his finger to his lips and then pointed to the cave opening. “My back is killing me,” he added and groaned slightly as he straightened.
Chisuzu flushed again. “I apologize, I shouldn’t have fallen asleep on you like that,” she whispered and then glanced at the daylight that brightened the cave opening.
One Life Well and Truly Promised Page 21