Chapter 1: Initium
by Aki no Ryu
XXX
The bed was large, comfortable; the sheets soft and cool against her skin but Lady Izumi had been unable to sleep, tossing and turning all night, so when her maid knocked and entered the room, she was already alert and sitting up in bed.
"My Lady."
"What is it, Aya?"
"A messenger has arrived. My Lord the Earl is arriving before high noon."
A glance out the window told Megumi that sunrise was probably no more than two hours away. She stood swiftly, tugging a fur wrap around her shoulders and began issuing last minute instructions. She was meeting her husband in a few hours.
Sanosuke breathed deeply as his faithful stallion sped over the dew-soaked grass. A glance back showed that he had already gained a considerable distance from his men. They were well within the borders and were in safe territory so he rode ahead, allowing them to follow at a more sedate pace. It was good to be home. Home. Would it still feel like it now that he had a wife? He spurred Aku on.
Dressed and coifed for the day, Megumi sat with her father-in-law, The Most Honourable the Marquess of Sekihoutai, in one of the upstairs receiving rooms. The old Lord looked kindly at her and patted her hand in comfort.
"Don't fret, my dear. My son is a fine young man and I'm not saying this just because I'm his father, mind you – you will be happy with him, I'm certain."
"I only wish to please his Lordship, Father."
"None of that!" the old man tutted disapprovingly. "I've seen you handle the servants and run this household these past weeks, Megumi. You are not this docile matron you're speaking as at this moment. You should not be afraid to be the strong-willed young woman I have observed you to be."
Megumi silently regarded her father-in-law then finally nodded. She was a Takani and she was no wilting wallflower but despite all this, the sheltered young woman could not but ask, "Do you think he will like me?"
The old man smiled kindly at Megumi whom he had come to love as his own daughter and answered emphatically. "Without a doubt, my dear. Just be yourself." He then shooed her out of his sitting room and ordered her to wait where she could spot his son's arrival as soon as he entered the Castle gates. Megumi, relieved to be somewhere else where she could dwell on her thoughts alone, acquiesced.
Megumi settled for the sunroom overlooking the forward expanse of the castle. Attempting to expend all her nervous energy, she paced. She was finally meeting her Lord and Master, her husband, Sanosuke, for the first time after being married to him for two months. With the object of her reverie so near arriving, her thoughts naturally went back to the wedding four weeks prior. She was the Lady Megumi, second child and only daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Aizu. At a young age, she had been promised to Sanosuke Earl of Izumi, the only child and heir of the Marquess of Sekihoutai. Sekihoutai was a large border principality whose importance lay in its strategic location between Sengku and Dotaku, two nations on the verge of war.
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Sekihoutai was loyal to the Northern Kingdom of Sengku. Its resources, both man and material were at the service of the Emperor. The small Duchy of Aizu was nestled at the base of the mountains beyond Edo, capital of Sengku. Unimposing in size though impressive in its natural beauty, Aizu was the royal purse that the Kingdom needed to fund her campaigns. Uniting its most powerful principality with its richest was a simple move with enormous gains for the Emperor. Thus the Lord Sanosuke and the Lady Megumi were betrothed without ever even laying eyes on each other.
The Marchioness, Sanosuke's mother, died soon after the war between Sengku and Dotaku broke out. It was told in hushed whispers that the Marchioness died of a broken heart, fearing that her only child would eventually be killed in one of the ensuing battles. Sanosuke, hardly eighteen at the time, led a significant arm of the Emperor's forces. Sengku emerged the victor after longs weeks of grueling campaigning and the Emperor decreed that Dotaku would be allowed its autonomy as a territory of the throne. A restless peace was over both kingdoms but everyone knew it was just a matter of time before Dotaku would want the independence it had lost. However, as long Sekihoutai lay between it and the Capital of Sengku, there was not a lot Dotaku's lords and princes could do for their plans to materialize.
The quiet lasted for two years. Six months into the third year, a small skirmish occurred along the southern border of Sengku and although the parties involved were not identified, Sanosuke had a strong hunch that Dotaku was involved in it. The Emperor, agreeing with the young Lord's assessment, set the date for the marriage that would unite Aizu with Sekihoutai. On the week of the wedding, a border patrol was attacked and Sanosuke rode out to inspect the incident and to perform a general inspection of all the border garrisons. Unwilling to cut his inspection of the border short in the face of the increasing unrest and violence, Sanosuke and Megumi were married by proxy four months after the first cracks on the tentative peace between the two Kingdoms appeared.
There had been no personal vows, no promises to protect, to obey, to love, to cherish, to honor, and to respect. It had all been almost impersonal to Megumi. To a young woman of eighteen, going to another principality that was days away by horseback from her childhood home was a daunting prospect, not to mention the fact that she was now wife to a man whom she had never talked to, corresponded with, or much less met before. But Megumi was a Takani and she held her head high as rice was showered over her and her entourage as she exited the temple with her parents, brother, and the elderly Marquess looking on.
The sound of a trumpet from the village watchtower alerted Megumi that Sanosuke had been sighted. She automatically patted her hair to check that every strand was in place and with a deep breath, she descended the grand staircase to meet her husband.
xxx
Sanosuke gave Aku an easier pace when he sighted the terraced roofs of his ancestral home. His heart beat faster in anticipation. He would finally meet her, his bride, the Lady Megumi – nothing but a name and a fortune to him but the person to whom he was pledged for eternity. He didn't know if he should laugh or slam his fist into something at the absurdity of it. But he was a Sagara and they did their duty even if it killed them. Upon entering the village, he spurred Aku on into a faster canter then a full on gallop as he entered the flagstone courtyard of the Castle.
Megumi stood at the bottom of the castle steps beside the Marquess with the household staff lined up behind them to welcome the younger Lord. She was nervous though it was somewhat tinged with some excitement though she would never admit it. She frowned when a lone rider entered the castle gates at what appeared to be breakneck speed- and headed straight toward them. She gasped when the man practically vaulted from the saddle before the massive beast had even completely halted. Without having to be told, she knew – this was Sanosuke. The man pulled off a scarf that he had been wearing across the bottom half of his face to reveal a tanned, masculine face. Megumi sucked in a breath. Sanosuke Sagara was a very handsome man.
Sanosuke leapt off his horse and landed gracefully before his father and a young woman whom he could only assume was his bride. She was dressed in rich silk robes and her raven hair was done up in intricate twists around her head. The new Lady Izumi was a beautiful woman.
"Father." With a bow Sanosuke addressed his father, rather unsure on the protocol of addressing the lady as society dictated that a gentleman be introduced before he spoke to a member of the fairer sex – despite the fact that this woman was already his wife. Thankfully Lord Sekihoutai stepped in and taking the lady's hand, held it out to his son's.
"My dear, meet my son, Sanosuke."
"Son, this is Megumi, Lady Izumi."
"My Lord."
"My Lady."
Sanosuke took Megumi's hand and almost dropped it as a strange sensation surged through him. It was not unpleasant but it was something that he had never felt before and took him by complete surprise.
With her hand in his, Megumi curtsied as he bowed over it and raised it to his lips. The light brush of his wind chapped lips on the backs of her fingers sent a wave of warmth to Megumi's cheeks and she thanked the heavens she wasn't prone to blushing. She could hear her blood pounding in her ears and felt as if time slowed down when Sanosuke raised his eyes to hers. His eyes pierced through to hers and she stifled a gasp at the depths in his rich brown eyes. Then it was over and he was straightening up and she had to look up at him because despite being a tall woman, he easily stood over a head taller than her.
The elderly Marquess cleared his throat. "Shall we?" He led the way up the steps into the castle. Sanosuke turned to Megumi and offered her his hand. Together, they ascended the steps, palm to palm, Megumi's resting lightly on Sanosuke's. They stepped away from each other when they reached the foyer.
"My Lady. Father." Sanosuke bowed slightly. "If you'll excuse me, I will wash off the dust of travel and join you shortly for luncheon." With that he departed for his chambers.
Megumi gazed at her husband's departing back before turning to her father-in-law. She smiled at him to show that she was fine. The old man squeezed her shoulder and led the way to the sitting room.
Sanosuke was met at his door by his efficient and stoic valet Suboshi who promptly set about pouring warm water for his master to wash up with. Suboshi had wanted to join him on the campaign but Sanosuke had insisted that he stay. Suboshi had then offered the services of one of his nephews to valet Sanosuke on the field as a compromise and Sanosuke had agreed if only to give the old man some peace of mind. Clean and feeling like a new person, Sanosuke addressed Suboshi as the valet brushed off lint that only he could see from his master's robes.
"How has the new mistress been settling in, Suboshi?"
"Seamlessly, Sire." The older man seems to hesitate for a moment, as if he was about to overstep his place. "If I may speak freely, My Lord."
Sanosuke nodded for him to continue.
"If I may be so bold, the Lady Megumi took on the role as Mistress of Shoen with mastery and the servants all respect her. I congratulate you on your choice of bride, Sir."
The last sentence was said in almost a reverant whisper. Sanosuke chuckled and straightened his cravat.
"Thank you, Suboshi. I'll relay your congratulations to her Ladyship."
xxx
Megumi noted with a degree of admiration that Sanosuke transitioned from mud-spattered soldier to Lord of the Castle very well indeed. He was now clothed in silk robes as opposed to his rough-spun field wear. The silk belt around his waist emphasized his lean torso and the V of the overlapping folds of the robe at his chest revealed a smooth and sun-kissed throat.
Sanosuke once again escorted Megumi, settling her into her seat before taking his across from her. The young couple flanked the Marquess on either side where he sat at the head of the table.
Sanosuke spoke briefly of the matters along the border, avoiding anything that might alarm his father or even Megumi. Megumi asked specific questions about the campaign which intrigued Sanosuke that a lady of her birth would be so informed or even be interested in such matters. He said as much.
"What is happening at the border concerns all of Sengku, My Lord. Thus, it is of interest to me."
Sanosuke nodded, respect for this interesting woman increasing.
"How long before you must return, Son?" The Marquess broke in.
"It is currently quiet on the front. I have already reported to the Emperor and there is time for me to attend to matters here." He looked at Megumi and detected a slight hesitation from her but she lifted her chin not a moment later and smiled.
"Welcome home, My Lord."
This is a rather unique mashup of the ancient Far East and medieval Europe with a hint of the magic of period mangas. I have the characters in ancient Chinese and Japanese attire in a Japanese landscape with European and Japanese castles and Oriental mansions in a made-up land with a monarchy and nobility loosely based on English ranks and titles. It was meant to be a one-shot but it rather ran away from me and is currently at 30 pages and over 13,000 words on MS Word. Thus, I've chopped this tale up into more manageable chapter-lengths.
I hope you all enjoy this little story that I've come to love.
Here's a glossary for the places:
Aizu – a small but wealthy duchy governed by a Duke, Megumi's father
Dotaku – an enemy nation south of Sengku
Edo – capital of Sengku
Izumi – Sanosuke's earldom
Sekihoutai – a large and powerful principality of Sengku that lies along the border of Sengku and Dotaku
Sengku – the Northern Kingdom
Shoen Castle – the seat of the Sekihoutai family