The Shuugeki Ways
I remember as the lightning struck, the whole barn shook, and an old grey mare bolted down the shed row. I leaped out of the way, throwing myself against a stall door. I knew I had startled my ebony stallion Shopai, so I quickly unlatched the stall door and tried to calm him down. I remember how cool the air was, and how nervous I had been. My hands trembled uncontrollably, I was scared, anyone would have been. It was my first real mission. I was afraid I was going to dishonour my clan, The Shuugeki. My father, Lord Haka, led the Shuugeki. We were assassins, wanted in every part of our country. People always talked bad about us, the truth was, we just didn't like the way our country was being run. All I had to say about this matter, was that different clans have different beliefs, and because we did not believe in their ways, we were cast out by the "Gods".
I stood beside Shopai, brushing his glossy coat. I needed him to look scary and yet radiant, or so my brother said he did. I wasn't sure why he had to look good. My targets would stand there going "Wow look at that beautiful horse," but why would that matter if all I was going to do was kill them? But as strange as it sounded I never questioned my brother. I had two brothers, Doku and Deisuuke. Doku was my youngest brother, he was 10, and my older brother's name was Deisuuke, was 17. I was the middle child. I was 14 at the time; I was also the only female in my family. My father was never around so my brothers and I brought each other up. Deisuuke looked after me and I looked after Doku. What bugged me was that no one looked after Deisuuke.
I suddenly felt a firm, cold hand on my shoulder. I didn't need to look up to see that it was my father. "Your mother would be proud of you Sayoku," He had said in a rough voice. His words stayed with me.
My mother had been killed by a group of soldiers when I was 8. Back then my father was always around. He had my mother to help him keep things in order. My mother had been the top assassin in our clan. She was so strong and yet, she was taken down so easily. This made me worry even more. Deisuuke was now the top assassin. " Thank you father," I said and bowed in respect.
He looked sad when I bowed, and loudly laughed out, " I bought you a new saddle!"
Even when he tried to look happy or reassuring, he was still rather frightening. I tried not to laugh but it was kind of hard, he just stood there with his arms open, looking for a hug. I hugged him and he squeezed me so hard I thought I was going to pass out. I grabbed a saddle pad and swung it over Shopai's back. My father then placed the saddle on, and did the girth up.
At that moment Doku walked in. He was shaking. "Sayo-" he had started to say, but then tumbled over a pile of hay. He just sat there and started to cry. He always cried when he was nervous. I helped him up. "Come on Doku, lets go get Miharu saddled up. Miharu was his white mare. Doku loved Miharu more then anything. Sometimes when I would walk into the barn, Doku would be sitting there telling Miharu stories he had made up, or the dreams he had, had that night. We quickly walked over to Miharu, grabbing her saddle pad, girth and bridle on the way. "Doku, why don't you go get Miharu's saddle while I brushed her?" I had asked, even my voice was a little shakey.
"There's no need to go get that radey ol' thing, I bought you a new saddle!" exclaimed my father. This only made Doku cry more.
I saddled up Miharu while he sat and cried. By father had left, and it was just Doku and I in the barn. It was quite with the exception of the odd sniffle and cough from my brother. I sat next to him. "I am really scared, what if we don't live?" he sobbed.
"I know your scared," I tried to reassure him, " We will live, we have Deisuuke looking after us!"
I was scared too, but I didn't want Doku to know. He'd only cry more.
"That's right, you don't have to worry"
I hadn't even noticed Deisuuke come in. He sat in front of us. "Come on, go get ready."
He saddled up his bay mare. I took one last look at our little village. " Lets go you two," my brothers voice was was stern.
I looked at him. His hair was long and black and he held it back in a ponytail. My father's and Doku's hair were black too. Mine wasn't, it was white, like my mothers. It went just past my knees.
I mounted Shopai and followed my brothers out of the barn. It was still slighty raining and the air was bitter. Nobody said anything for a while. I just listened to the clip-clop of Shopia's hooves, and noticed how smooth his gait was. It was dark out and we were right beside a cornfield. This made me worry. "Sayoku, Doku," Deisuuke's voice cut through the cold air.
I knew something was wrong, "Stay quite and go into the corn," he snapped.
We quickly stepped into the corn. I didn't know where we were, or where we were going. There was a clearing ahead. I remember everything that went through my head at that moment, like: what would happen next? Or, what if Deisuuke couldn't protect us? I don't know what I would do without my brothers. It was then I realized in all my thoughts that, myself or even my brothers may not survive. I tried not to cry. If Doku saw me crying he would probably start to cry again. We walked into an open field. "An open field?" I thought, " I was taught to never go into an open field!"
Deisuuke must have had a plan. Before I had a chance to ask him an arrow was fired from a near by bush. Doku screamed and flew of his horse. He lay there frozen in shock. Suddenly Miharu fell, almost landing on top of him. The arrow had hit her. Another arrow was fired. It was aimed right for Doku. Deisuuke quickly picked him up and yelled at me to follow him into the forest. We galloped through the field as fast as we could. We finally reached the forest and slowed down. Deisuuke stopped in a small opening in the woods. He dis-mounted his horse and grabbed Doku and set him on the ground. I got off of Shopai. I got Shopai and Deisuuke's mare Reesah some water. "I don't now what they were thinking, letting a 10 year old go on a mission." He mumbled
But before I could yell at him for leading us into an open field we were ambushed. Deisuuke and I tried to keep them away from Doku but we failed. Doku was killed in an instant. Deisuuke froze and was also stabbed in the chest, right where his heart was. I felt alone. I set off a trap Deisuuke and I had set-up. It off killed of most of the men. There was 2 or 3 left. I took them out. When I knew they were all gone. I took one last look at my brothers, laying peacefully on the ground and grabbed Shopai and Reesah's bridle. I walked away, back to my village. I had to leave my brothers, and I had to return to my village. This was the way of the Shuugeki. I had failed my first mission; I had failed to help my brothers.