Chapter 4
Akiko duly abased herself in the great receiving Hall of Toranaga-sama; and listened while her father explained the attack upon his daughter.
"Hmmmm" said the Shogun. "And what conclusion did you draw, Anjin-san; that this was an attack on your family from those who hate foreigners, even when the majority are banished to Nagasaki?"
"It crossed my mind, Toranaga-sama" said Blackthorne.
Akiko lifted her head slightly and put it down again as Buntaro glared at her.
Toranaga had seen it.
"What clues has your daughter?" he asked "Anjin Akiko, tell me YOUR thoughts."
Akiko rose enough to bow her head and spoke.
"I was threatened with having an ear or my nose cut off as I would not need such in a convent. I was also called a heretic Gaijin. It seems to me that those who resent my father and his council to you, my Lord are those who are Catholic converts. They also spoke about flogging me, and Catholics are obsessed with flogging."
"Hmmmm" said Toranaga again.
"AH!" said Blackthorne "The one my daughter wounded mortally spoke of being in Paradise. I apologise; I had momentarily forgotten that in my fear for my daughter."
"These foreign religions are a menace Toranaga-sama" growled Buntaro.
"They are when they interfere with my politics and with my advisors" said Toranaga dryly.
"My lord, is it possible that my wife and son are at risk?" asked Blackthorne, paling.
"Hmm" said Toranaga "I will send men to guard your home more thoroughly. They will become your retainers, Anjin-san. They will ride out. Naga-san!" he called his son forward "See it done immediately; and make sure each of those you choose tramples the Christian cross first."
"Hai Toranaga-sama!" said Naga, bowing deeply. He would carry out the commission faithfully; he did not like the Christian influence in Japan.
Blackthorne bowed deeply.
"Thank you Toranaga-sama" he said. It was not appropriate to thank Naga for carrying out orders but Blackthorne nodded to the Shogun's son who inclined his head back. Naga was older and wiser then the brash young man Blackthorne had first known; but it was plain that he still preferred action to any other course.
"Have Tsukku-san brought to me" said Toranaga "Kasigi Omi, have one sent for him, to come as soon as possible."
"Hai, sama" bowed Omi. As soon as possible was as soon as might be expedited and had no implications that the Portuguese priest's comforts should in any wise be considered.
Toranaga was displeased.
The foreigners had been quiescent for some time; apparently however they had not stopped their planning. Nor their use of those Japanese who had embraced their religion. It would have to stop.
He had others to greet who had travelled to Edo; and it would be several days before Martin Alvito would be there. Bar warning his men to watch for the safety of the Anjin and his exotic daughter he would do nothing for the time being.
oOoOo
The gardens of the castle were beautiful now, in late spring, late blossom was still on the cherry trees and new spring flowers bloomed throughout the gardens; and Akiko enjoyed exploring. That one of her father's retainers and one of Lord Toranaga's were always in sight was mildly irritating but only to be expected. Kaigiri had deserted her to play with dolls with another little girl; and Kenichi had found some boys and was ashamed to admit to playing with a girl.
Akiko sighed.
She caught sight of Buntaro, strolling out with his bow held casually, string uppermost as was proper and ran to join him, bowing with deep respect.
"Oh please, sensei, are you doing anything interesting? And may I go with you? I can fetch and carry, and perhaps my watchers will feel I am safe with you."
"Taku-chan, do you even breathe between firing off questions like arrows?" growled Buntaro. Akiko beamed; he sounded cross but he was calling her Taku-chan. He grunted. "Very well you may come; I go to practise. Run get your bow and you may join me. But only if you are swift, mind! If you are not back soon enough I shall move on!"
"HAI!" said Akiko and ran for her bow.
He was still waiting.
"Almost too late" he growled.
She giggled.
"Oh, Sensei, that is a case of hotei no tatemai, there is a difference between what is said and what is done! You would wait for me so long as I did not dawdle!"
"Would I?" said Buntaro.
"I think you would" said Akiko.
"Well perhaps" said Buntaro. "But I will not encourage you to dally any more than I will encourage you to be soft. I will make allowance for your aim being poor for your swollen eye. Your captors had no manners."
"I believe that is a question of understatement sensei" giggled Akiko.
"You wretched brat, you are not in the least afraid of me" said Buntaro.
"No sensei; you are my sensei" said Akiko.
"Your father is afraid of me"
"My father respects you" said Akiko "He has learned to FEAR no man; merely sometimes to wish to avoid the consequences of irritating some of them. I think he wishes to be sure you are not angry at me for him. Fathers have to be protective. Even when it isn't necessary" she added. "I wish you will tell me why you dislike each other."
"Because when he was first Samurai my wife was his interpreter. She was angry at me for saving her life at some risk to my family honour; and she took every opportunity to try to make me jealous by seeming fond of your father" said Buntaro baldly "And that is all I will tell you; and I would not tell you that if I did not trust your stubborn nosiness to find a servant who might talk of the matter. And yes, I got drunk and beat her under your father's roof. The only time I beat her. He, being more barbarian than Japanese at the time, was disturbed by it. I had to apologise for disturbing his wa. If he has ever told you of that. "
"He has not" said Akiko "Thank you for explaining; I think there were many things he did not understand at first that must have caused much friction. She sounds disagreeable."
"She was beautiful and as cold as ice" said Buntaro "And we will never refer to this conversation again."
"Hai" agreed Akiko.
oOoOo
They shot at butts; and Buntaro drew a crowd of watching samurai who admired his skill. Akiko drew laughs and jocular comments when she first stepped up to shoot; but the comments died away as she fired well.
Buntaro nodded
"The swelling has not altered your aim by much; you are aiming a little to the right of where you should be. Look at the target and turn your head each way to fix where it is, as a man blind in one eye may do to get distance and aim."
"Hai, sensei" said Akiko.
"Perhaps you should not have beaten the child if you did not wish her to have her aim impaired, Buntaro-san" said one of the watching samurai.
Buntaro gave him a reptilian stare.
"Perhaps, anta, getting your facts correct might be a good idea" he said coldly.
The samurai went for his sword; the form of 'you' used by Buntaro was an insulting one.
Buntaro waited for the last moment; then in a display of iajutsu that left some of the spectators gasping his sword was out of its scabbard and casually lopping off the head of his opponent in one fluid moment. Buntaro shook the drops of blood off his blade, the oiled surface readily repelling them, and returned it to its scabbard with a smooth hiss.
He turned back to Akiko.
"My apologies to my pupil for that momentary distraction" he said.
"It was a treat to watch" said Akiko, much impressed. "Can I learn that?"
"Heh" said Buntaro. "We shall see. Now you are the arrow; show me how you may fire."
Using the idea of moving her head, Akiko performed better.
Others removed the body of the dead samurai.
oOoOo
"Did you HAVE to kill him?" sighed Toranaga.
"He drew blade, my lord" said Buntaro. "I was not displeased however; he has delighted in needling me and moreover tries to stir up trouble between me and the Anjin-san when I have sworn to you that I will live in peace with him."
Toranaga sighed again.
"You provoked him" he said.
"Am I supposed to swallow an insult that I have hurt that child as badly as it is plain she has been hurt?" said Buntaro coldly. "It was intolerable."
"No, I suppose not" said Toranaga "But it displeases me that my men fight each other when we have a potential enemy in the Christians. Had he family I should order you to wed his widow and take on his children."
"Lord, if he stirs up trouble, is it not possible that he was influenced by some means by the Catholics?" asked Blackthorne. "I too have noticed that he has tried to paint Buntaro-san black in my eyes."
Buntaro threw him a look that from anyone else might have almost been approval.
"Hrmm" said Toranaga. "I shall look into his dealings. It may be merely that he enjoyed the drama of causing trouble; there are those men to whom such is meat and drink. Very well, Buntaro-san; I exonerate you from blame. It is well that your skill is such that witnesses were able to say that he had committed to blow first or I might have been more displeased."