The Hand of Death Ch. 11

Chapter XI

"Supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy's resistance without

fighting."

"The Art of War"

~by Sun Tzu~

The Koga would contact me from time to time with small tasks. I had to steal an artifact from the Nigata and hide it in the belongings of a visiting courtier. Listen in on financial plans being discussed by visiting merchants. Steal an original copy of the "Emerald Sutra" from a corrupt merchant. Little tasks like this were common. That was soon to change. I had been reading in the library during my second year at the school. While reading I was approached by a samurai of the Aka-Inu House. They were a small House whose lands were nestled in the middle of the Okayama territories to our south.

"It looks to be a long night." he said.

It was the code I had heard several times this year. I looked up slowly at him trying not to draw attention to us. We were alone in the library. Good.

"Best if it is." This was the counter phrase to his statement.

He continued as he sat down. "Nokizaru Daiki sent me. There will be a retinue of the Karafuto House coming to negotiate with the Bandai in a few weeks. We need you to incite as much strife between these two Houses as possible. We need a war." I nodded before he continued. "Or as close to it as you can get us. Do you understand?" I nodded again.

"Domo arigato, Hiro sama." he rose and left. I finished my book.

Afterward, I went to court. The Nigata Daimyo, Shun, was not present. He was first cousin to the Emperor and as such could usually be found within the imperial city of Teikoku Toshi no Kyoto serving as an Imperial aid. His Shugodai was Nigata Chosan. She was conducting court that day. I walked into the middle of a session on a Honshu courtier's behavior in Toshi Towada. The topic of the Karafuto did not come up that day, or the next.

To ask questions about a subject that hasn't been mentioned, without looking suspicious, is almost impossible. It had to come up on its own before I could broach the subject. On the third day I finally heard it. A Karafuto Shogun was coming to discuss a trade agreement between their House and the Bandai. The Bandai Champion Shigeru, Champion is how they referred to their House Daimyo. He had to earn his position by dueling the previous Champion. The duels were usually just to the first blood, but some were to the death. Anyway, Shigeru would be coming from Toshi Towada to meet with them. The Karafuto Shogun would bring one hundred men, his aids and servants. As well as his daughter. They said she was a samurai-ko of great promise.

All I could do was prepare my equipment, weapons and drugs. I wouldn't have anything solid to work with until they arrived and I could see what kind of Giapanese they were.

They weren't scheduled to arrive for another two months. I used this time to find out what I could about them. The Shogun, Karafuto Kasuga, had a good record and was not known for any vices. I got a message through my only contact in town back to the Koga. I needed something to go on. The results didn't help much.

He was an honorable man with an honorable family. His daughter, Karafuto Eisai, thought guarding the north was the most important assignment any mononofu could have. She was an exceptional soldier, but usually people sided with her because she was incredibly pleasant. Most of the other Houses' courtiers and samurai couldn't bring themselves to disappoint her. This was terrible news. Their Daimyo sent them because he could trust them. These just weren't the sort of people that lied. I would have to frame them for something when they got here. I hated that.

To get my mind off of this I walked down to my local merchant, a man by the name of Shinnon Jira. He was a merchant of the Bandai, his family being vassals of the Towada. He was a pleasant man in his late twenties with long hair like the Bandai and a short mustache. I chose him because he seemed honest. He wasn't, but most thought he was. This kept me on my toes when dealing with him and I always knew what to expect.

Samurai frown on any mononofu getting involved with the workings of money, and since the Bandai assumed I was samurai, I had to be discreet. Jira understood this and though he might be able to use it against me, he wasn't quite sure what my idea of fair recompense would be.

I walked in to the small tea-house, covered in my brown cloak. I sat at a table near the

back waiting for him to finish giving his orders to the boy he used as a runner. When he was done he looked up and saw me at my usual table so he came over and sat next to me. "Kumikazu sama, have you eaten rice today?"

"I have not, my friend." He waved a girl over and ordered us some food. While we waited I asked him, "And how has the RyuKyu silver been doing over the past few days?"

"Ah, the day has been so long I cannot even muster the energy to lie to you. It has done well. One to two against the Shikoku you traded for last week."

"There now. You see? You are not too tired to lie. I believe you meant to say one to two and two copper? Did you not?"

"Ah, as I said my friend, fatigue. It will be the end of me. I must learn to rest some time." I smiled at the crook. He reminded me of home.

"I will be happy to drop one copper off the trade if you buy dinner."

"Yes. A very fine trade indeed." He paid the girl when she brought our rice and tea. She made sure to count it before she left.

"And your friend who needed the silver. Did she find the Hokkaido wanted her pearls as badly as she thought?"

"Wayo san? I do not think she has returned as of yet, my lord." He was being careful with that 'I do not think' in his reply.

"Oh? But I saw her arrive just last night. I would have thought she would come to you

immediately." I said mockingly. He thought a moment.

"Yes. I was so tired when I spoke to her that I forgot." I nodded with a grin.

"Let me see the ledger, Jira san." He removed a small book from his kimono, with a smile. I spent several moments looking through it. I saw no trace of forgery, and all of the information looked legitimate. It showed I had earned double my silver from her transactions, thirty silver, eight copper. I was very pleased. "Do you have my money, Jira san?" He nodded and handed me a small silk bag. I removed the silver and counted it. "You are two silver short, Jira san."

"My apologies, Kumikazu sama." He handed me the difference.

While I put it away I said, "You are so incorrigible, my friend. Are you sure you are not a Koga?"

He became honestly upset at that. "My lord, I do have some honor!"

I wanted to kill him. But instead I looked sorry and said "My apologies, Jira san. I was

attempting to make you laugh. Not insult you."

He calmed some. "No, it is I who should apologize. I should not be so sensitive, my lord." He seemed to be thinking. "Kumikazu sama, why do you do this? I know it's not my business to ask, but..."

I looked at him. "Because it is fun, Jira san. It is fun." I gave him a big smile, while he laughed for a moment.

Once I had made up for my 'insult' I said my goodbyes and left. I put the money in my kimono and found a hidden spot in an alley. When I felt none could see me, I removed my cloak and stuffed it into my silk backpack. Then I just walked out the other end of the alley and back to the castle. I had been sending my mother the extra silver since I got here. One of the benefits of a secret contact from the Koga. She didn't know where I was or what I was doing but it sure paid well. I don't know what she thought of that. So far I had about three hundred silver at home.

Eventually I stood with all of the other citizens of Shiro Nigata at the gates of the castle. I saw the Bandai Shogun's honor guard approaching in the distance. Brave men with bold blue and white banners. At their head road Ren, Shigeru's eldest son. I bowed with the others as Ren passed.

He was the Daimyo of the Towada family and everyone loved him. Women adored him for his skill and handsome features, while men followed him blindly because of his charisma. I'll give the pretty Bandai this much, he looked impressive. His father rode just a little to his left rear, looking dour and, well, mean. Across from him rode Mito Uji, the Daimyo of the Mito family. They killed Ino. Behind them rode Daimyo Nigata Shun. He was a pretty man and more than a little effeminate.

There was a great celebration that night. Dancers, jugglers, and all sorts of other artists were there. My friends and I all became very inebriated. The next day we found ourselves in class with aching heads.

Ashi announced, "Class! Your Champion wishes to meet you!"

We all knelt and bowed as he walked in. We were in the dojo, where we would have conducted Jujutsu practice followed by weapons training. NOT the katana. Then we would have left to let those past their second year practice with their swords. Shigeru told us to rise as he walked down our ranks still looking angry.

"They look good, Ashi san."

"Domo arigato, my Champion." Ashi walked behind him with a very relaxed smile on his face.

"Who is your best duelist?"

"Mito Renkoiji, my Champion." He nodded to that. Renkoiji was almost through with his

second year of the sword.

"And who is your best with a spear?"

"Towada Hotei." Hotei was about to begin his sword training in a few months.

"And who is your best Jujutsu student?" They were still walking past the three hundred of us gathered here.

"Fukushima Saburo, my lord." Shigeru stopped and looked at him.

I was very proud, my friend was mentioned to Shigeru. I glanced at him and he was beaming with pride. It would take me a long time to knock that out of him.

"Is there a student here who could defeat all of them?"

Ashi turned his head slowly with a grin and said, "Nigata Kumikazu! Come here!"

I didn't know he even knew my name! I couldn't stop to think. I got up. Stepped out of rank. And ran to my right to clear the students in front of me.

"Yes, Sensei." I bowed to them.

Ashi walked to the wall and retrieved two long yari. They were practice spears, wooden poles about twice the length of a Bo staff. Shigeru looked at me and spoke.

"You will defeat me, Kumikazu san. Yes?"

This was bad. If I won, Shigeru would lose face. If I lost I would be disobeying him. Causing me, and my Sensei, to lose face.

"Yes, my Champion."

Ashi handed us the spears. I stepped back and realized that near the entrance stood Towada Ren, Nigata Shun and even Mito Tsubasa. We bowed to each other and it began. He lunged forward with a strike to my stomach. I parried it away to my left with the middle of the spear, and followed that up with a 'butt strike' to his head, but he ducked it. When he swung up towards my stomach, I cart-wheeled in the air over his spear, and swung for his head with what would have been the bladed end, in a pulling motion from my left to my right. He ducked and hopped back driving for my chest with the weapon when he landed. I stepped out of the way and began to spin the spear from my right hand, behind my back to my left. This was to give me room. When he slashed down at me with his yari, I spun to my left swinging the spear wide in a tripping maneuver. At the last moment, I brought it in and drove up for his chest, knocking him to the ground. It was over very quickly.

Everyone was silent. I glanced at Ashi expecting him to be concerned but he was smiling.

Shigeru was starting to get up. I bowed to him.

"I hope that was satisfactory, my lord?" He rose to his feet and watched me with a slight smile before returning my bow.

"Ashi san, bring him with you when you come to see me after practice."

Ashi bowed to him and sent me back to my rank in class. The training was grueling that day, but once it was over Sensei told me to get cleaned and changed, then wait for him outside of his suite. I took my time knowing that Ashi would be hours with the duelists. I was still at his shoji screen before he arrived from the dojo. A half hour later he stepped out of his room.

"Are you ready, Kumikazu san?"

I bowed to him. "Yes, Sensei sama."

He bowed quickly. "Let us go then."

We walked to the top floor of the castle to the suites belonging to the Nigata Daimyo. A servant waved us in and bowed when we got to the room. We bowed back as we walked through the doorway. I heard the servant close the screen after we were inside. I knelt with Ashi before Shigeru. He returned our bow and watched me some more. I got the feeling he was looking for a hint of something from me. The three family Daimyo sat near him. They all seemed to be watching me. I thought it best to sit with my eyes directed at the ground.

"We need you to perform a task for us, Kumikazu san." Shigeru said.

"Yes, my Champion."

"There is a Karafuto representative coming here to make a trade agreement with the Bandai. He is bringing a daughter with him. This girl considers herself a great warrior though she has never been tested. She will want to duel with one of our Iaijutsu students. I need you to fight her... and lose. Can you do that?"

This disgusted me. The Bandai! They are supposed to be this great House of moral Samurai! Something the rest of us are supposed to aspire to and emulate! Not......To paraphrase one of my sensei in the Bei-oshi, they wax poetic about what it is to be a samurai, but they lack the courage to do it. I never believed her until now. They could find any number of samurai that could lose to their Champion and beat a girl but they needed one that could beat their Champion and lose to a girl.

They claim to be great samurai, but always come looking for a Koga. The Honshu claim to be great samurai. Their motto is "The Mountain does not bend." And they would die before allowing this kind of a meeting to occur in regards to their business.

"Yes, my lord."

"Do not lose too easily. I want this girl to think she won fairly. Boost her and her father's egos a little."

"I will make it last several moments and then lose from fatigue, there-by proving her endurance is better than mine, my lord." Judging by his grin, he liked my confident attitude.

"Very good. You may go now."

I bowed and said, "Arigato gozaimasu for this opportunity to aid my House, my lord."

He bowed. "Do itashimashite, Kumikazu san."

I left thinking, maybe this would provide me with what I needed to do my job. A chance to get close to her... no. That is not true. At the time I was hurt. By this point in my life I had killed more people than syphilis but on some level I was still a child. A kid who dreamed of meeting his heroes and when he did? They turned out to be just men.

With no other choice I waited for my prey. Two weeks later they arrived. The Shogun was a great powerful looking man. Confident in his abilities. His daughter though, she looked to be about sixteen. Long black hair, and a face... well the kind of face wars were waged over. The Shogun and his retinue were welcomed with a large celebration that night. The next day they were given a tour of the Nigata castle.

When they came through the dojo at midday, class stopped. Eisai made a comment about

testing her skills against one of the Bandai's students. She said that since she would be no contest at Iaijutsu, how about Kenjutsu instead? They pulled me out of class and introduced me. One of the other students was sent to retrieve two bokken practice swords from the wall. When he returned I took them and waited for Eisai to finish her preparations. I bowed and offered her a bokken in each hand when she was ready.

"Your choice, Eisai sama."

She took the one from my right hand and we prepared for the match.

I fell into a left handed stance to throw her off balance. She began to sidestep around me to my right. I followed and waited for an opening. She lunged with a downward strike. I knocked it to my left and swung for her chest. She dodged easily. We continued in this manor for several moments. I would strike and she would block, she would strike and I would block. I don't remember all the attempts each of us made, but the crowd wasn't bored. Halfway through the fight I changed to a right handed grip.

That gave me such an advantage I had to really slow it down a bit. She was becoming very tired while I was sweating but still feeling quite fresh. I made her work for the remainder of what felt like half an hour before giving her the opening she had wanted. I acted frustrated and tired and went for a big overhand slash. I screamed, Kai! as I dove for her. She slipped right, barely, and was able to stab me on the stomach as I passed her. It was a good hard hit and took me a few moments to recover. The dojo filled with the sound of raucous applause. It had apparently been a very good show. I bowed to her.

"Domo arigato for the lesson, Eisai sama."

She bowed back. "It was my honor, Kumikazu san."

I offered to put the bokken away for her so she might continue her tour. She didn't seem a bad sort of samurai. They left after she had caught her breath. Ashi excused me from training the rest of the day. I went and took a long bath. I always had to be careful when bathing to make sure none of the Bandai were around. This was one of those few times I could bath in the light because everyone was somewhere else.

It took little time to find out what rooms Eisai was using. I already knew the best entrances and exits having been here for two years. The meetings and dinners for all of the dignitaries went well. While they discussed, I planned. I misted into town and stole a small metal locket with the Mito family crest from a merchant. I then prepared my narcotic for the blow-gun. I broke the chain of the locket and set it in the silk package with the drug prepared darts of my fukiya. There was another dinner planned that night, so I hid the package in my room and calmly went to dinner.

I walked into the main meeting hall of the castle. The celebrations had begun before I got there. There were many people present, most of them entertainers, acrobats, actors, and musicians. My friends found me quickly. I spoke with them jovially while looking for Eisai. It was quite lively with all of the entertainers performing around the room. I noticed most of them were students of the various schools. My friends made me stand with them near the artists. Eventually, I saw her and made my excuses to my friends.

"Karafuto Eisai sama?"

She looked up. "Nigata Kumikazu san, it is good to see you again."

We bowed to each other.

"I had hoped to talk with you tonight, if you were not too busy?"

"It would be my pleasure. Were you hoping for lessons on Kenjutsu?"

I shook my head with a laugh. "No, only practice can help me there."

"It will be a moment before dinner is served. Will you walk with me through the gardens while we wait?" she asked

I waited until we had gone a short distance away from the banquet hall before speaking.

"Did you enjoy your tour of the castle today, my lady?"

"Yes. Though not as much as defeating you." she said while looking directly at me.

I was becoming irritated. "Perhaps next time I will make it more difficult for you to win."

"Oh, I have no doubts as to that, Kumikazu san."

"Of course with your superior abilities, I do not know."

"Oh, I think I could only defeat you seven or eight more times before you FINALLY won, Kumikazu san," she said.

"Only seven or eight?"

"Yes," she nodded.

"I once heard a man say, "It is not nice to kick a man when he is down, my lady."

"It is also not nice to hand someone a victory, Kumikazu san." She watched me while we