Sunpu castle, one week after the Kouga-Iga war
Tenzen looked towards Edo from the balcony of his suite. Despite his recent achievements, restlessness lined his face. His fine autumn patterned kamishimo swished heavily, as he turned towards the two Shinobi kneeling in his room. A beautiful woman in red, whose hair framed her pale face like heavy velvet. A rough-jawed young man in black, shoulders already rounded with years, scars seeping from the mask on his eyes like the ghosts at the edge of silence.
"Koushiro. Akeginu-dono. So far, I've been very satisfied with your work." Koushiro's scarred lips, and Akeginu's crimson ones contorted towards something approaching gratitude, "This letter indicates that our task has not yet ended, however."
"One of the Kouga ten survived, Tenzen-Sama? But we checked each body..."
Koushiro fell silent under Tenzen's glare.
"Koushiro! If such a thing were even suspected, the succession of our lord would be called into dispute–civil war would begin again, Iga would lose everything. Don't speak without thought."
"Forgive me, Tenzen-Sama. I've been finding it difficult to meditate..."
"Restrain your emotions! Haven't I told you often enough since you were a brat?"
As Koushiro bowed his head, faint tenderness shone in Akeginu's eyes.
"To continue, word has just arrived of an attack on Tsubakure, by the remnants of the Kouga clan. Hanzo-dono and our lord the Shogun must not discover this incident–it would only obstruct the task of finally restoring our honour."
Akeginu saw Koushiro's limbs stiffen, and realised what was coming.
"You will travel in disguise to Kouga Manjidani, and liaise with four squads of genin from Iga Tsubakure. You will exterminate everything, down to the birds and rabbits, if you feel so inclined. The Kouga's bestial nature compels them to fight on in disgrace and defeat. Until they are extinct, peace will not come."
"Tenzen-Sama...?"
"Ah, yes, you both sought me out over some other matter? I have an audience with Hattori Hanzo in an hour, so speak briefly."
"Is Oboro-Sama recovering, Tenzen-Sama? Enough to see...?"
"Oboro apparently remains unwell," Tenzen made no effort to mask his irritation, "And she has personally refused all callers save myself and the castle surgeon."
"Even Akeginu-dono...?"
"Both your names were explicitly mentioned," Tenzen turned to Akeginu with a satisfied air, "And you, Akeginu-dono?"
"A small matter, Tenzen-Sama. One we last discussed two weeks ago by the river..."
"Oh, yes." Tenzen's lip curled, "Always returns to that with you women, doesn't it? We'll see, when you return. You do realise the seriousness of your mission, Akeginu-dono? Very well; dismissed."
Teahouse, Yoshiwara district of Edo, several hours later
Akeginu looked up from her cup of sake, as Koushiro pushed through the curtain over the door. The red lanterns hung outside bloodied his face for a moment, before he sat at Akeginu's table. Even inside, it was a cold evening.
"Koushiro-dono? I thought you didn't like alcohol?"
"Still couldn't meditate. Actually, I didn't know you..."
"Only when the mission requires a woman who drinks." Akeginu tipped back her cup in one gulp, and signalled the barman.
"Huh. Uh, have you...ever had orders like these before?"
"Nothing on this scale has been done by Shinobi," Akeginu looked down at her new cup mournfully, "I've prepared myself for such a task, knowing it might come...but never expecting it, I suppose. I really thought, after this many dead, we would be able to rest."
"We're going to do it though, aren't we, Akeginu-dono? The Kouga attacked us. They're our enemy...even the familes..." The blind ninja shock his head like a sick dog, "The bloodiest tasks must be finished absolutely; Tenzen-Sama often said that, when he trained me. I really do feel...I've done worse than this for him already. Him and Iga." Akeginu nodded sadly. They finished their drinks together, and ordered again. "Oboro-Sama. We won't have to tell about this...?"
"We've lied enough to her already about the plan to kill Gennosuke. And she won't see us...you know, last year, I would never have even dreamed I would miss her wedding."
"...gods, we will. Oboro-Sama...I just pray she resigns herself to her duty...It's all we can do."
Akeginu observed Koushiro's breath quicken as he said Oboro's name, and his shoulder's shake as he thought of her fate. If he'd known what his sensei, Tenzen, had already tried to do to Oboro twice, Akeginu didn't care to imagine his reaction.
"I still can't believe she refuses to see you, Akeginu-dono. You've been her closest friend since...since we were all children. You feel her heart like I never could. For killing Gennosuke, for failing her every time she cried...she should despise me. But you protected her life–"
Akeginu swiftly put her fingers over Koushiro's mouth.
"Oboro-Sama trusted me. I knew her heart, I lied to her...and then I told her the truth. When I think of how things were, when she was small, and I would have died for her a hundred times...I don't know how it happened, but Oboro-Sama is right to hate me. Always, it's her who's right, but it always hurts her..."
Mouths tortured with anguish, the two shinobi barely resisted collapse. Finally, they moved apart, finished their drinks, and called the barman again.
"Forgive me, Akeginu-dono." Leaning hard against her, as he almost lost his feet, Koushiro hiccupped miserably. Above the sake-fumes, dizzying layers of cooking smells and voices deadened the senses he had leaned on since losing his eyes. More people than the whole strength of the forest village he'd grown up in seemed to have been emptied onto a single street to eat and drink.
"Ugh..." Akeginu hauled his arm over her shoulders, manoeuvring Koushiro's nerveless, if pleasantly well-built, body. "I think your future wife will have to be a patient woman."
"Wife...couldn't imagine it. Not unless I could always protect her, and never bring her pain or care..."
"I care for you now, Koushiro."
"I...thank you, Akeginu-dono. Don't worry for me; if I could only protect Oboro-Sama, I'd want nothing else–"
"I want to carry you like this, Koushiro. Is a woman's heart so hard to understand?"
"Sorry, Akeginu-dono...I shouldn't be troubling you. You're...the kindest woman ever, though I don't really know..." Akeginu sighed deeply, and tried to spot an unoccupied passing rickshaw.
Sunpu castle, two days earlier
Kneeling to announce herself, Akeginu slid back the beautifully painted screen door to the simple but finely polished room. She went quickly to the bed where a small eighteen-year old girl was trembling.
"Oboro-Sama! Have you even slept an hour this past week? You've barely eaten...please, let me help you wash, and put your hair up. You will feel better...you can't go on like this."
From her futon, Oboro stared at Akeginu dully. Her long hair was as lank and messed as trampled reeds; it had a sour smell that irresistably brought blood to Akeginu's mind.
"Gennosuke-Sama...he's my soul, Akeginu. What can I do, when I won't see him again?"
"Oboro-Sama...you are the princess of Iga. Your people care for you, they'd weep to ever see you like this. For them, for everyone who loves you...please live."
"Tenzen...he wants to hurt me, Akeginu. Even before the wedding...I can't endure it, I won't!" Oboro flinched away with fearful eyes as Akeginu reached out to her.
"It won't last, Oboro-Sama. Tenzen-Sama's work will take him away; he's giving his life to Iga, and lost many things...he's the only man left with the Iga blood. For the clan, can't you forgive him...?" Akeginu's voice broke, as she struggled to go on, Oboro's stare was lost and afraid, "He really...isn't much worse than most men."
"No! He tried to...my...he...!" Oboro's voice died away.
"I know about men, Oboro-Sama–too much about them. I know the pain you're feeling." Akeginu tried to reach out again–Oboro shrank away, shaking her head. "My first time was on a mission for Iga, Oboro-Sama. I washed myself for a day and a half. But I lived on...I had to take care of you. Gennosuke-Sama was different...but that wasn't to be."
"No. No, he's not dead, Akeginu! I only tried to take my own life because of Tenzen. Gennosuke isn't dead, I know he isn't, he can't be...the world's a shabby, rotten fake when he's gone..."
"This is the world, Oboro-Sama. We live in it together." Driving her face into the blankets, Oboro broke down. Akeginu rested a hand on her shoulder carefully, and tried to speak.
"Akeginu-dono..." Oboro's voice was muffled, "Are men all so cruel? Even...Koushiro-dono?"
"Koushiro? Oh no...but there's no way you could marry him, Oboro-Sama. He'd do anything for you, of course...but not that. Not now–"
Akeginu tried to stop; to forget the pain in Koushiro's face when Oboro had laughed together with Gennosuke–darkness flashed in her eyes.
Like an avenging angel with scars on her wrists, Oboro rose up and slapped Akeginu's face.
"How can you say you know my pain? The man you love is still alive."
"Oboro-Sama, I'm not the one Koushiro-dono–"
"You think I'm stupid, don't you? You can't marry Koushiro without Tenzen's consent–did he promise to give it, if you told me all those disgusting things? You lied to me, you told me to betray Gennosuke-Sama, to let that man hurt me! Isn't that how you bought your happy ending?"
"No! Everything was my true feelings as a woman, Oboro-Sama. I'm sorry–"
"Just go! Go away!"
Swaying as she rose, Akeginu bowed, straightened, and backed out of the room. Moments after she slid the screen door to, desperate weeping burst through it.
Head lowered demurely, Akeginu made it to the castle's guest rooms. Then she fell against the doorframe, sobbing into her silk sleeve. Teeth grinding as if her true feelings were ready to explode in her mouth.
As Oboro had screamed at her, Akeginu had seen the welts on her tongue. Where her princess had tried and failed to bite it off.
Oboro-Sama...gods, you're pure. You're innocent, but I can't help you at all. I'm just a lying, cursed shinobi.
