Chapter 4: Questions, answers and a ninja
Author's notes: Special thanks to Jen for polishing this chapter and making it shine! You're the best!!
888
Misaki slept fitfully that night, tossing and turning. Instead of dreaming about her new life as the wife of a future daimyo, she dreamt about the fine-looking Jakotsu and his equally handsome lover. She was in the throes of yet another erotic dream, when a pair of hands slipped around her throat in the wee hours before dawn. She surfaced roughly from her dream as the hands increased the pressure on her neck. Misaki, struggling to get in enough breath to scream, desperately kicked and clawed at her attacker.
Renkotsu, the sound of rustling bed clothes invading his dreams, was the first to awaken, thinking the "rabbits" were at it again. He sat up, letting his eyes adjust to the gloomy early morning shadows. Once they had, he could see they were sound asleep, Jakotsu spooned in behind Bankotsu, holding him in his sleep like he never wanted to let go. Renkotsu sighed softly as he lay down again. But the noise persisted, so he got up and quietly shook his fellow comrades in arms awake, a hand over their mouths to muffle the noise of their awakening. Using a series of hand signals, Jakotsu was sent to go see if the princess and her handmaid were alright.
The cross-dresser padded softly around the sleeping screen and got the shock of his life. Instead of seeing the women peacefully sleeping, he saw a figure clad in black, its hands wrapped around the princess' throat. What the hell?! He slowly untied his sleeping kimono's obi, wrapping the length of cotton around his hands until he got a length just wide enough to be used as a garrote. Damn it!! I wish I had Jakotsutou with me… Moving as quietly as he could, Jakotsu crept forward, hoping he was not too late for the princess, not that he cared that much about what happened to her. He was angrier at the thought of someone sneaking in their room without notice and trying to kill a client under their protection, than he was at her fate. It was a matter of pride and as he slipped the makeshift garrote over the figure's neck, he twisted it, pulling as hard as he could, while shouting for the others to help him. Thank you, Ren, for teaching me this lil trick of yours…
The figure, too intent on the job at hand, only realized too late that he was about to share a similar fate. Unlike the princess, he was able to fight back and Jakotsu was hard pressed to hold on. Just when it seemed an eternity had passed, the others rushed around to help him. Minutes later, the intruder had been killed; his identity unknown. Even more upsetting, Renkotsu had looked outside their room and discovered the palace guards had also been killed.
"Oo-Aniki," he said as turned and came over to the others. "Is she alright?" he asked, tilting his head towards the princess.
"She seems to more shaken up than hurt, although, she's got some nasty bruises," Suikotsu answered for him while he examined the princess' throat.
"I'm fine…" Misaki rasped. "And Sako…?"
"I'm sorry…" Bankotsu trailed off after he checked on the girl. She had several bruises on her neck as well as a large one on her right temple and her face was contorted in fear.
She glanced briefly in Bankotsu's direction. "Who is he…?"
The young leader of the Shichinintai looked up from where he squatted next to the intruder's body. "I was hoping you knew," he replied.
"Oo-Aniki, I think it's better if she rests," Suikotsu said as he looked over his shoulder at him.
Bankotsu sighed. "Fine."
"Some ninja, you are," Jakotsu chuckled as he prodded the dead man with his toe. "Couldn't even get passed us…"
"You're right about that, Jak."
"Hunh?" The cross-dresser blinked in surprise.
Renkotsu lit a candle, casting the room in a soft glow. He held it close to the princess so that Suikotsu could get a better look at her injury. "Using your hands alone to strangle someone is inefficient. It's much better to use a garrote, but if all you had to use was your hands, then it would have been quicker to simply snap her neck." Feeling Bankotsu glaring daggers at him for the insensitive but necessary remark, he grinned apologetically at Misaki. "Forgive me, Hime-sama."
She simply held up a hand and he nodded.
Bankotsu stood. "I'm going to go see the daimyo." He turned to leave, catching Jakotsu's eye. "Stay here, Sweetness," he added softly to his paramour. "Like it or not, you're her guardian and if her father comes back here, it's better if you're acting like one, not that they'll do anything…"
"Okay…" the cross-dresser whined softly.
"You did such a good job killing that stupid ninja…" Bankotsu trailed off.
"That you want me to take care of any more that show up," Jakotsu finished with a self-satisfied smirk.
"Yup."
"So can I cut them up?"
"Only if you have to, I don't want to make any more of mess than we have."
"Okay…" The cross-dresser grinned wickedly, thoughts of blood and pieces of dead ninja dancing in his head.
888
Bankotsu strode quickly through the maze-like corridors of the palace, searching for the daimyo's quarters. Luckily, a few servants were up and about and were able to point him in the general direction. By the time he had found the place, he had worked himself up into quite the foul mood, although, he still maintained an air of deadly calm.
"Halt!"
The men guarding the shoji, leading to the daimyo's private quarters, drew their swords as they blocked Bankotsu's way.
"I need to see the daimyo, now!" Bankotsu replied in a tone that brooked no argument.
"Come back later, don't you know he's asleep?" one of the guards replied, leaving the "you idiot" unsaid.
"I suggest you wake him and now, before he finds out that an attempt was made on his daughter's life and you withheld that information from him," the young leader of the Shichinintai said, folding his arms neatly across his chest as he drew himself up to his full height. He may have only reached the shoulder of the guard who had addressed him, but it had the desired effect.
They briefly hesitated as they were reluctant to believe him since no cry of alarm had swept through the palace. After exchanging glances, one of guards sheathed his sword and slipped into the daimyo's private chamber. The low muffled sounds of a brief conversation filtered through the door along with the soft whisper of footsteps on a tatami mat. Minutes later, Bankotsu was ushered inside.
888
Renkotsu, pulling Jakotsu from his reverie as he took him aside, said softly, "Come, help me get rid of him, he's upsetting the princess."
"Who?"
"The dead guy." The fire-breather heaved a long suffering sigh.
"Oh…" Jakotsu laughed sheepishly. "Uh, Sui, can you watch her for me while we get rid of the ninja?" Hmmm… maybe I can cut him up outside while Ren cleans up in here…
"Sure. And don't worry; I'll be over here, making her some tea."
"Thank you… Jakotsu… sama…"
The cross-dresser nodded at the princess, and bending down, he grabbed the dead intruder's feet. Without out waiting for Renkotsu's help, he simply dragged the dead body from the room. The fire-breather shrugged, and shaking his head, he started to follow the cross-dresser, when he stopped and turned. He back tracked several steps over to them and picked up Sako, carrying the deceased handmaid from the room. Suikotsu, meanwhile, sat near the room's brazier, heating water up in a small pot that sat on top of it. He quietly observed the princess while pretending to be more interested in his comrades, and he was please when she visibly relaxed.
Suikotsu stood a few minutes later, and walked over to the window and opened it. The cool morning breeze that blew in was as welcome as the first bright rays of the sunrise. As the shadows began to dispel the horrors of their early morning awakening, things felt as though they were returning to some semblance of normalcy. Renkotsu returned a few minutes later, damp from a hasty purification in the courtyard fountain.
"Aniki-chan back yet?" Jakotsu said when he breezed in the room, looking rather pleased with himself. He was damp like the fire-breather, but unlike him, he was also covered in blood.
"Not yet, Jak. Everything okay, Ren?" Suikotsu asked from where he sat, making tea for the princess. He had laced it with a few herbs to help her relax. Despite her outward calm; he could see the fear in her eyes from her first real brush with death.
"Yeah…" He chuckled softly as the cross-dresser headed over to the window and looked out. "Just Jak being Jak. I think he thinks he's sent whoever was behind this a message not to mess with us."
Suikotsu's eyes went wide when he caught sight of the cross-dresser. "He didn't?" he said, rubbing the area between his brows with the tip of his middle finger. That explains the bloodstains…He mentally shuddered as he resisted the urge to go outside and wash his hands.
"Yeah, he did, but only the ninja. I made him leave the others alone." The fire-breather grinned. "Anyway, got enough in there for two?" He walked over to the tansu that stood along the room's outer wall.
Suikotsu nodded and Renkotsu picked up another teacup from the top of the ziggurat-shaped cabinet, before coming over to the claw-bearer. "We left them in the main courtyard as I'm sure Kato-sama would want to see them, especially the ninja."
"True…"
"And we don't want to jeopardize the mission. Besides, the girl was an innocent victim."
Suikotsu nodded. "You did the right thing in being overly cautious. Let's hope Oo-Aniki's head is as cool."
"Yeah…"
Jakotsu stood at the window and watched the sunrise as he replayed the morning's events in his head. It had been fun cutting the ninja up even if he couldn't make him squirm and beg for his life. A pity he wasn't a very good looking man… The cross-dresser mentally shrugged. Maybe that's why he wore that mask…
"I heard that!" the cross-dresser said when his comrades' conversation sunk in.
"Heard what, Jak?" Suikotsu asked, hoping to stop a tantrum before it had a chance to start.
"You and Ren. We're the Shichinintai! People are afraid of us and that stupid ninja just walked in here like we weren't even here. Of course I had to let them know you can't do that!" And it was so much fun too! A pity you didn't let me cut up that ugly dead girl as that would have been a big improvement to her looks…
The claw-bearer nodded. "You're right, Jak. Our reputation should have been enough, would have been enough in most instances." But why not now?
"Yeah…" Jakotsu replied, somewhat mollified.
"That's right," Renkotsu said, a hint of surprise creeping into his voice. "And yet, it's almost as if whoever was behind this either didn't care or knew we were here and ignored us."
"Ignored us? How could anyone ignore us? What are they, stupid?!" the cross-dresser cried indignantly, hands on hips as he glared at his companions.
"Calm down!" Renkotsu warned. "You're disturbing the lady."
Jakotsu was about to retort with a snappy, "so what?" when he looked over at Misaki, who blushed at the sudden attention. Heaving a long suffering sigh, and mentally berating himself for being concerned over what some stupid woman thought, the cross-dresser strolled over to her. "Are you alright?" he asked, keeping his voice carefully neutral. Sweet Kami-sama, if she starts crying I'm going to smack her cuz Aniki-chan'll get mad if I cut her up like I want to… Damn it!! I hate being nice… He forced his pout into a tight little smile as he conjured up images of Misaki dressed like a boy in his clothes. The cross-dresser had found, as the week had gone on, that if he thought of her as a boy, he could tolerate being around her much better.
Misaki put a hand to her throat and gave him a slight shake of the head "yes," although she refused to look him in the eye. During the scuffle when Jakotsu used his obi to defeat her attacker, she had seen more of him than she should have, and combined with watching them last night and her erotic dreams, it made her feel really uncomfortable in his presence.
"You sure? You don't look so good." Jakotsu knelt and peered at her intently.
Misaki swallowed and looked away. The mental image that sprang unbidden in her head colored her cheeks a bright red.
"Oh hell!" the cross-dresser groaned. "Sui! I think Ojou-sama has a fever!" What else is going to go wrong and delay us?!
"Hime-sama?" Suikotsu got up and hurried over to her. He gently laid the back of his hand against her forehead, moving it down to touch her cheek and frowned. He took her wrist, carefully counting the beating of her life-force. It was puzzling as she seemed fine; in fact, she felt cooler than Jakotsu when the claw-bearer held the same hand up to the cross-dresser's cheek. While she was more subdued than she had been, that was a natural reaction to what had happened and Suikotsu was very impressed at how well she had handled herself. As he looked her over again, looking for injuries he might have missed, it hit him. Misaki was embarrassed to be in the cross-dresser's presence, and resisting the urge to groan loudly, the claw-bearer prayed she had not caught the "rabbits" at play.
"Uh, Jak… I believe the tea is cool enough for the Hime-sama. Would you get it for me? Thanks…" As the cross-dresser complied, he rechecked the princess' pulse. Hmmm… not as fast, which is good. And her color is more normal… oh hell, if she has seen them, there could be trouble, especially if her father and fiancé find out…
"Here…" Jakotsu said when he returned. He handed the cup to her, and without waiting for a reply, he headed over to Renkotsu.
888
"Kato-sama, we need to talk," Bankotsu said as he entered the daimyo's private quarters. He was so angry at what had happened and what could have happened that he did not even bother to bow.
"Is she alright?" The daimyo hurried over to him, his concern for his daughter overriding any need for pleasantries and in his present mood, Bankotsu was happy to indulge him.
"Suikotsu thinks so, although she was badly shaken up as anyone would be in that situation. That being said, what I want to know is how someone was able to get past your defenses?" The sixteen year tried hard not to glare at the older man as they left the room.
"Honestly, I have no idea how that happened, but you can rest assured, I will find out. And when I do, those responsible will be severely punished." Kato quickened his pace.
Bankotsu hurried along after him. Big talk, but that doesn't explain how your defenses were breached, unless someone inside betrayed you. And if that's the case, then why strike now? Your daughter looks to be about my age… unless you've only recently become a threat to someone, but to who…?
888
"What do you want?" Jakotsu said peevishly.
"You're upsetting her," Renkotsu informed him.
"So?"
"So, you don't want be doing that. Ban's gone to get her father and he's going to be pissed as hell as it is without you adding to it."
The cross-dresser made a face. "She's just got a fever." He rolled his eyes. "And besides, I saved her li…fe…" he trailed off softly. Oh hell…
"That you did…" Renkotsu drawled. He chuckled at the look of outrage on the cross-dresser's face. "Does this mean you have feelings for her…?" He feigned a look of shock. "Oh my, maybe Ban is the one who should be worried about you leaving him for a woman, instead of the other way around," the fire-breather said smugly.
Jakotsu narrowed his eyes at him as he balled his fists. He wanted nothing more than to smash that smug look off of Renkotsu's face. In fact several delicious scenarios played through his head in as many minutes. "You take that back," he hissed. "There's no way I would ever do that to Aniki-chan!! EVER!!" he shouted.
"Ren?" Suikotsu said warningly as Misaki looked around wildly.
"Yeah?"
"Can you go see what's keeping Oo-Aniki?" Why do you always pick the worst times to upset Jak about nonsense?
"Okay…And Jak, I promise I won't say a word to him about your new girlfriend," he said softly to cross-dresser, before leaving the room, sliding the shoji shut behind him.
Jakotsu glared daggers at him as he left, muttering softly to himself about "Stupid Ren!" He pouted at the closed shoji, shoving his arms in his sleeves until he heard a muffled giggle. He turned towards the sound. "What's so funny?" he said peevishly.
"Jakotsu!"
"What?!" the cross-dresser whined.
"Behave," Suikotsu replied.
"Yes, Chichi-ue." The cross-dresser sauntered over to them, his little temper tantrum over. "What's wrong with her, Sui?" He sat down.
"Nothing except, 'rabbit fever.'"
Jakotsu stared at him blankly as he repeated, "Rabbit fever?"
The claw-bearer cleared his throat. "Yes, I believe two noisy little rabbits woke her up last night."
Misaki stole a quick glance at the cross-dresser, her eyes widening in surprise when he laughed.
Suikotsu raised an eyebrow.
"Hime-sama asked about that when I told her I loved Aniki-chan," Jakotsu said smugly, "although, I didn't say anything." See, I know how to behave…
Suikotsu shook his head at him. "My apologies, Hime-sama," he said to the princess.
"Hey!" Jakotsu cried, his peevishness flaring up again. "I didn't do anything wrong!"
Before Suikotsu could say anything, the others arrived.
"Daughter!" Kato cried as he rushed over to her and threw his arms around her. "Are you alright?"
Misaki gave him a slight shake of her head in reply, before bursting into tears. Her father made soft comforting noises as the Shichinintai moved away to give them a measure of privacy.
"Oo-Aniki, after giving it some thought, I don't think that was a ninja," Renkotsu said.
"What do you mean it wasn't a ninja? He's dressed in black, snuck in here under our noses and tried to kill the princess and possibly us," Bankotsu argued.
"Oo-Aniki, while it's true ninja are stealthy warriors, this one was either stupid, or had some knowledge to guide him."
Bankotsu nodded at the fire-breather to continue.
"Think about it, he chose a very inefficient way to kill the princess, although, his choice to bludgeon the others was a bit more effective. Still, it was a risky move as anyone could have woken up and given the alarm at any time. And then we have the guards, they were all bludgeoned, which is a bit odd as at least one of them should have been awake…"
"You think they were poisoned?"
"Oo-Aniki," Suikotsu said. "Instead of poison, it's likely they were drugged and probably with something strong enough to cloud their judgment so that instead of attempting to go for help, they simply collapsed where they were, making them easy prey."
Their leader stood there, thinking it over.
Jakotsu, however, had his attention more focused on the princess and her father. He found her soft crying irritating and it was several minutes before he realized Bankotsu had spoken to him, so he said the first thing that came to mind. "I would have simply cut them up…"
"Exactly!" Renkotsu agreed, drawing the conversation back to him. "A real ninja would have simply thrown his stars at the guards, killing them before they could react. From there, it would be a simple matter to slip inside our room and slit our throats, before sauntering out of there. Ninja make a point of blending into their surroundings; they look like peasants, act like peasants and servants; the kind of people you don't notice unless you need something from them."
As Renkotsu related the stories the blacksmith, who had taken him in when he was a young boy, had told him about ninja and the weapons he had made for the one who had passed through his village, Jakotsu tuned him out. He looked over his shoulder and said, "Hime-sama! What did I tell you about crying?"
"Jakotsu!" Bankotsu hissed.
"What?" The cross-dresser briefly focused his attention on his lover.
"That was uncalled for!"
Jakotsu rolled his eyes. "Oh please, Aniki-chan! If she's' going to cry every time something upsets her, then we might as well have her travel as herself! Or better yet, leave her here!" he hissed back.
However rude it may have been, Jakotsu's statement had the desired effect. The crying stopped.
"See?" he said smugly, although Bankotsu was not amused.
"Waka-sama, come, let's go see this 'ninja,'" Kato said, ignoring their outburst, as he stood up to leave. The Shichinintai came over to him. When Jakotsu offered to remain behind and guard his daughter, something that raised eyebrows amongst his comrades, Kato noticed the blood staining his sleeping kimono. "Are you alright, Jakotsu-sama?"
"Yeah…?" The cross-dresser blinked in confusion.
"But you're covered in blood and my daughter said you saved her life, which I'm grateful for and you are forever in my debt, but…" the daimyo trailed off helplessly, gesturing at the stains.
"Oh yeah…Umm… well, that was nothing…" Jakotsu replied airily. "I was just sending a message to that stupid ninja about messing with us." He glanced at his fellow Shichinintai. Hmm… maybe I should change into my day clothes; Sui's starting to rub his hands together like he's washing them.
"I see… Never-the-less, I will see to it you are rewarded handsomely for your valiant effort."
"Ummm… Thank you…" the cross-dresser said uncertainly. He looked to his lover, who smiled proudly at him and back at the daimyo.
"No, thank you, Jakotsu-sama," Kato said and without another word, they headed outside to view the bodies, leaving the momentarily confused cross-dresser alone with the princess.
"Remember, if you're going to be me, you can't cry over every lil thing, okay?" The cross-dresser said as he walked over to where he had left his "princess" kimono. Not caring if she watched or not, he shrugged out of the ruined sleeping kimono and proceeded to get dressed.
"Okay…" Misaki rasped as she averted her eyes, something the cross-dresser found amusing since she had already seen him naked during the night and probably while he fought with her attacker.
Jakotsu nodded as he wrapped the green inner kimono around himself. "Good." He tied it closed. Bending over, he retrieved the pretty outer one and shrugged into it. "Can you help me with the obi?"
"Ummm… That's what Sako was supposed to do," Misaki replied softly.
"Damn it!" the cross-dresser swore as he picked it up, and after wrapping it around his waist, he simply tied it in a large bow and left it in the front.
"I'm sorry…"
"It's okay," he replied, and turning away, he walked over to window and looked out, leaving her alone with her thoughts.
Her curiosity getting the better of her, Misaki ignored the pain in her bruised throat and whispered, "Was it hard killing him?"
"Hunh?"
"Was it hard killing him?" she repeated a bit louder.
"Nah… and it was fun cutting him up too." Jakotsu turned and grinned at her.
Misaki's eyes widened as she took in that little bit of information.
As if reading her mind, Jakotsu added, "Killing isn't as hard as you think and you get used to it after a while. So you need to learn to not let it bother you as I'm sure we'll have plenty of ninja and others to deal with until we get you to your husband's castle." He turned to look out the window again.
"Oh…"
"Don't worry, if there is any trouble we'll take care of it."
"Thank you…"
The cross-dresser shrugged. "It's our job." He let the silence stretch briefly between them. "Damn it!" he swore. "What the hell is keeping them?"
"I don't know…" Misaki said softly.
Before he could reply, Bankotsu entered. "Hurry up and get dressed, Hime-sama, we're leaving."