Chapter 22

Ujio prayed at the temple as ordered by Katsumoto, he prayed for my safe return as well as the health of our unborn child, he prayed for both us of us to be returned to him safely. He grew restless in the temple, pacing back and forth anxiously, he waited for any news. Day had turned into night, and Ujio grew tired of waiting. Ujio grew angrier and angrier by the second, so angry he punched the wooden wall of the temple hard, his hand crunching against the wooden structure. That's when he spotted Nakao approaching, alone.

"I searched Ryuki's home, there was no sign of Kyoko, in fact the house was barren." Nakao shouted up to his superior. Ujio nodded, he stroked at his goatee as he thought, "There's more, I looked for Ryuki, I asked for him at the stables, the horse master said he has not been to work today and that a horse and wagon were missing,"

Ujio sneered at Nakao's words he knew in his gut that it was Kyoko, and now it was clear to him she had roped her foolish brother into it too. Ujio had already compiled a mental list of all the places I could have been taken: abandoned houses, caves, barns. He knew it would be somewhere close, a pregnant woman can only walk so far and so quickly, he also believed it wouldn't be too far from the tree in the ransom letter. Ujio knew the land well, he mentally pictured what areas would be most likely, he would check every single one of them.

"Nakao, with me," Ujio barked as he flew down the temple steps, Nakao obeyed and followed.

"Where are we going?" Nakao asked as he charged after his superior.

"To find Arabella,"

Kyoko took over the watch through the night, she kicked me hard in the shin as she walked by my sleeping body, whipping the blankets off me she spat down on me as I gripped my leg in pain. She said nothing, she simply chuckled, throwing some fresh fire wood upon the flames she took a seat by the warmth. I could see her chilling stare from across the fire, the amber light lit up her face in the most terrifying way, the shadows it cast made her look more demon than human. I shook and shivered against the cold stone cave walls as she basked in the heat of the fire, watching me, mocking me.

I wondered whether she was always like this, or whether she turned into this menacing creature after her time with Ujio. I hoped it was after, I could not imagine Ujio laying with such a wicked person, so devoid of care and kindness. She was the polar opposite to me, not just in personality, but in looks, she was much shorter and had lots of curves, Kyoko had dark sun-tanned skin and black straight hair. She made me feel self-conscious, like I was a rebound, did he only choose me, a polar opposite to Kyoko, just so he would not be reminded of her?

"I thought you were just a prissy western brat," Kyoko spoke suddenly, she narrowed her eyes on me. "But a travelling merchant told my brother of what you did in Tokyo," Her eyes glinted devilish, a small smile played on her lips "They said you killed a man," She almost sounded proud, she looked impressed, almost surprised of my actions. I looked away from her gaze, ashamed that someone like her could ever look at me that way.

"They put a reward out for your return, I doubt Ujio will pay the ransom, you're not worth the amount my brother asked for, so we head to Tokyo at dawn" Kyoko said as she twirled her long black hair between her fingers "Personally, I don't care about the reward money, I just want to watch you hang,"

Algren and Katsumoto crept through the darkness, they had lost the trail through the bushes and undergrowth, but continued on combing the area. They had no lanterns, just the moons rays to aid their search. Algren held up his hand quickly to halt Katsumoto and crouched down, there was movement ahead. Katsumoto too crouched low to the ground, he peered into the darkness to see two figures moving by moonlight, the two shadowed figures were not creeping, but instead striding, they were quickly weaving between the trees. Algren shuffled after them, hunched over staying low to avoid detection. As they came to a rocky hill Algren lost sight of the two shadows behind the large boulders that had long fallen from the mountainside.

Crack.

A twig crushed under the foot of Katsumoto let out a loud noise, snapping in two beneath his weight. Sensing the presence of the two targets nearby Algren held his breath as Katsumoto reached for his sword, his hand hesitating over the hilt. An eerie silence filled the forest as tension hung in the air. Algren pressed his back against the rock as Katsumoto rounded its side, he chose his moment to strike, unsheathing his blade he whipped around the rock and came blade to blade with a shadowy figure, metal crashed against metal.

"Lord?" A familiar voice asked from the darkness, the moonlight shone off the metal blades, both parties pulled back their swords and held them strongly by their sides, ready to strike when needed.

"Ujio?" Katsumoto asked in a whisper, peering into the shadows. Ujio stepped forward, the moons rays lighting up his chiselled face. He bowed respectfully to his lord, Nakao too stepped out of the darkness and bowed.

"I told you to stay at the temple," Katsumoto hissed, relieved he had not taken off his friend's head, and even more relieved his friend had not taken off his.

"Forgive me Lord, but I could not," Ujio replied, "I cannot stand by idly," Katsumoto sighed and nodded his head, he understood, he could never expect Ujio to stay away, not when so much was at stake.

"Algren found a trail, but we lost it," Katsumoto sighed, "There was two kidnappers,"

"Nakao could not find Kyoko, or her brother who did not do his work at the stables today, I believe them both to be involved, a horse and wagon have been stolen from the stables too," Ujio informed his Lord. "We thought they must be keeping her within the vicinity, we checked a few abandoned farms, a cave and a small hunting shelter, but nothing as yet, we have had no word from Nobutada,"

"There were no wagon tracks by your house, but we will keep our eyes open for it, have had no word from my son either, dawn is still a few hours away, he may yet find those responsible, where were you headed?"

"There is one last cave nearby, up these rocks and then through some rough terrain, after that we were to check a few areas down in the valley," Ujio replied, nodding his head up the rocky incline. Katsumoto nodded.

"We will join you, if nothing Algren and I will regroup with Nobutada at the tree as you continue your search," Katsumoto agreed that was the best plan and began to scramble up the rocky hill, the moonlight guiding them up the mountainside.

Kyoko tapped her brother awake with her foot, nudging him slightly. He swatted her away, rolling over to face the cave wall.

"Ryuki! Dawn will be coming soon," Kyoko uttered as she nudged her brother again with the side of her foot. Sitting up he sighed and let out a large yawn, contagiously I yawned too.

"Are you tired little lamb?" Kyoko mocked, "You'll be going to slaughter soon, you'll have all the sleep you want then,"

"Snuff the fire and pack up everything, I will be back soon," Ryuki said as he stood and stretched.

"Where are you going?" His sister hissed as she stamped out the fire.

"To the tree, to collect the money," He said confidently as he moved towards the cave entrance.

"I told you there will be no money, Ujio will have men lying in wait, do you want to get captured? Let's just go to Tokyo and have this bitch hung," Kyoko argued, to be fair she had a point.

"And if the money is there? You expect me to leave it? That money is our salvation Kyoko! Our start at a new life in the city!" Ryuki shouted at his sister, his voice reverberating off the cave walls. I pulled my knees deeper into my body, just wanting this all to end. My stomach was pained from starvation to the point it just felt numb now, my head was light and faint, I couldn't remember the last time I had a drink – it was the night before I was taken.

"I will not come to your aid when Ujio takes your head, I'll already be on my way to Tokyo with her," Kyoko warned her brother, but he left anyway, shrugging off her threats, I dreaded being left alone with her.

Ryuki headed through the bushes, pushing the branches back as he went, he headed in the direction of the large yakusugi tree, he muttered under his breath as he went complaining to himself about his sister. As he rounded a large rock and readied to climb it to reach the ridge that overlooked the tree a hand clasped over his mouth from behind, dragging him to the floor, he banged his head heavily against a small rock. Ryuki reached for his head, his hands covered in crimson, he wanted to let out a pained wail but the hand tightly cupping his mouth prevented it from coming out. Ryuki opened his eyes, vision blurry but he made out four figures above him, as his vision returned, he identified the men: Katsumoto, Ujio, Nakao and the American soldier. Ryuki began to struggle, he should have headed his sisters warning.

"Where is the golden-haired girl?" Katsumoto asked the man; Nakao slowly released the stable hands mouth ready for his answer.

"The cave," He gulped, he thought if he cooperated all would be forgiven, his sister would take the blame, it was her idea in the first place after he told her of the merchants' words.

"Who has her? Your sister?" Katsumoto questioned.

"Kyoko," He answered, tears began to fill his eyes, he became more and more distressed by the second.

"Just Kyoko, no one else?" Katsumoto asked, Ryuki shook his head no, tears slipping down his cheeks.

"Is she hurt?" Ujio questioned the man through gritted teeth.

"No, I haven't laid a hand on her, I promise! But Kyoko plans to take her to Tokyo to be hung, she is packing up camp this second," Ryuki cried, he felt no guilt giving up his sister, she was the reason he was in this mess in the first place, she knew how easily he could be convinced, they needed money, they both knew war was coming, Ryuki yearned for the city where it was safe, he knew he could find Kyoko a husband and a job there, things would be better.

"Tokyo? Hanging?" Nathan stuttered. They allowed the terrified man to sit up and gather himself, blood trickled down the back of his neck from the wound on the back of his head. He breathed heavily as he spoke.

"There is a reward for her return," Ryuki explained, "she faces punishment, death for the man murdered," Ujio exchanged a worried look with Katsumoto.

"Thank you for being forthcoming Ryuki," Katsumoto whispered, the stable hand looked relieved for a second, he thought he would be granted forgiveness, but instead he met the edge of Ujio sword, it sliced into his neck like a knife into butter, sending his head rolling along the ground. His body fell limp to the floor, crimson blood spurted out of the top of his torso where his head once sat.

"He told us everything, you didn't have to kill him," Algren said, he was shocked by the sudden act,

"He kidnapped my bride to be, the mother of my child, he got what he deserved," Ujio spat. He had no regrets in killing Ryuki, he had killed for less. The four men left the body for the animals to eat, he was not worthy of a burial. The group headed towards the cave, even though it was just Kyoko left, Ujio would not underestimate her, she posed more of a threat than her fool brother. Ujio knew Kyoko wanted my death more than she wanted coin, and she wouldn't be picky whether I was hung, stabbed, or bludgeoned, as long as she got to see the life leave my eyes she would be pleased.