9 days until Christmas! I don't own Basara.
Chapter 12: Lessons for the Samurai
The knock at the bathhouse door startled me into submission, the maid there looking worried at the splashing she'd obviously heard. A bundle of cloth was in her hands, which she hastily set down before exiting again with my furisode.
Waiting a few seconds to see if she'd come back, I slowly climbed out of the tub, padding softly over to them. A towel was there, and as I dried myself, I unfolded the second article, smiling sadly to see a sleeveless dress, similar to mine, but mainly red. Underneath was a pair of leggings in a dark grey.
As I held onto it, I realised that had my plan carried on as intended, then it would've insulted the hospitality that Lord Takeda had shown, along with breaking severe protocol. Seppuku was a privilege, not a right, and had I taken my own life without permission from my Lord, then my family would be further dishonoured. What was left of it anyway?
Sinking onto the bench with a shake of my head, I began wrapping my sarashi, finding comfort in the layering system from my days in the castle. Leaving my hair loose to brush later, I tied the thin sash neatly, experiencing a childish pride when I managed it correctly.
Upon stepping foot outside, I was immediately confronted by a Kunoichi who was leaning against the tree, wearing a uniform similar to the one I was wearing, but with longer sleeves. When she noticed me, she inclined her head slightly, "I am glad the dress fits. We were not sure of your exact size."
"I apologise for the trouble." I bowed, figuring that since the only women I'd seen around here were the maid and her, girl's clothing wasn't a major commodity.
So I was surprised when she laughed a little, "It was no trouble. Master Sarutobi has been ordering us to clear the store cupboard for a while now. Who knows, by the time I get back, Daisuke and Noburo might have dug themselves out of their mess."
Giving a small wave as she walked away, the ninja's grin leapt onto my own face as I thought over her words. It reminded me of Gracia whenever she was teasing us. I wonder if this ninja ever tried hiding pins in her comrade's sandals or adding extra spice to their food. And then another thought wondering if her teasing ever went further than words. I doubted Sasuke would let such things get too far. Shaking my head at my silly musings, and getting a face of wet hair for my troubles, I began the small walk back to my borrowed room, noting the unusual amount of guards on patrol.
Hospitable he may be, but Lord Takeda really was no fool. He knew that one miscalculation could lead to a dragon being pinned underfoot or a tiger skinned, and was not going to take that risk. The thought actually cheered me up, at least someone thought I was still worthy of such precautions being taken.
It was not long before I learnt that life in the Takeda household was far from dull. Every single morning started with a loud call from Yukimura as he started his training, along with an apology to me and the Date from Sasuke for the disturbance.
Still dressed in clothes that Kasumi, the female ninja, lent to me, I sometimes went along to watch, head tilting at the skill he had with those spears. Occasionally he would spar with Masamune, but only with wooden practise weapons, and never when Master Katakura was likely to turn round the corner.
The wound Masamune had suffered at Nagashino was healing well, and the change was obvious as the days went by, the spars becoming more and more intense with every strike. Of course, by the time they'd actually managed to get a hit on each other, the gong would be sounded for lunch, and there'd be a brief scramble to hide the evidence before Master Katakura did turn the corner.
Then with any luck, the routine would settle down after lunch, with us young ones as Lord Takeda called us settling inside for the afternoon, spending the hours playing a game or reading. He also had yet to stop adding a Very to my title, but considering he never seemed to mean any insult, I took it with a smile.
True to their rivalry, Masamune and Yukimura could compete fiercely at anything, with Yukimura being a surprising good Go player, despite his outward demeanour. A few times they invited me to join them, but I was happiest with a book, my eyes roving over every page with a hunger I had no idea I possessed until Yukimura had shown me the wealth of knowledge tucked away neatly, just waiting for someone to put aside a few hours for them. The fact that I pored over the books in this manner amused everyone around me, especially when I walked into a door frame because my eyes were down, but the root of this could be traced back to a simple thing.
Lor- Oda had had my education firmly centred not only on being a fine warrior, but on scholarly matters such as mathematics and calligraphy, impressing on me the importance of such lessons. He was more than abundantly clear that any street rat would give their right arm for such an honour, and I'd taken the lesson to heart, finding time to read every day, usually before I went to bed.
But whereas the books in Gifu were on swordplay or philosophical teachings, with Lad- Nohime keeping an eye on anything too scandalous, Lord Takeda held tomes not only of past strategies, but near enough every swing of the sword that contributed and the celebrations held after every victory. As lessons on war they were valuable, as entertainment they were priceless.
It began to dawn on me that as a general in the Oda forces, every word I said would be watched so it could be used against me, but as a prisoner of the Takeda, I had more freedom than I knew what to do with. Despite this, my sword remained where it was, and even when Lord Takeda freely invited me to spar with his men, I preferred the heavy feel of a bokken.
The night before the most eventful day of my captivity, Kasumi queried about it, her hands guiding mine through the pattern she'd shown me. Three lengths of string lay in front of me, and with each movement, they bonded as one. "A samurai's weapon is their soul, correct?"
"That's the belief, yes."
"So why don't you wear yours?"
My eyes flickered upwards, staring at the lacquer sheath with a cool hatred. When I'd first seen it all those years ago, I'd adored the sight of it, longing for the day when it would be in my grasp everyday, my hands wrapped around the golden bamboo stems painted onto the black polish. Too much had changed for me to feel that again. "It's been tainted. There is no strength in it, only weakness."
Shrugging lightly, Kasumi returned to teaching me how to braid the strands together, clapping me on the back when I finally managed to do it.
As I'd said, the next morning was definitely the most event filled I'd ever seen, starting from the very second I'd gotten up to Yukimura's yelling. A ribbon had been left near my head, and after dressing, I seated myself in front of the small vanity mirror, tongue sticking out in concentration while I struggled with my braid, eventually giving up and tying it in a loose tail down my back.
Yawning widely, I waved a greeting to the night guards heading for their own rooms, receiving friendly nods in return. Collecting my sandals from the underside of the deck, I frowned slightly at the wearing soles, giving them a little flick. I'd have to look in the armoury for a repair kit, or ask Sasuke if he could take them into town to be fixed.
Slipping them on nonetheless, I decided to seek out today's training regime, wondering whether or not I should take part today…when I came upon one of the lesser known quirks of the Takeda household.
Many had wondered at the strength Yukimura had despite his age, and had worked for years to uncover the secret behind it. Witnessing this for myself only made me giggle at the absurdity of it, even as the yells of the two Tigers near destroyed my hearing. "Your Lordship!" "
Yukimura!"
"Your Lordship!"
"Yukimura!"
"How long have they been at it this time?" I yelled over them, gaining Masamune's attention as he shrugged. "What happened?"
"Old Man Takeda mentioned some kind of contest and set him off." There was a sudden pause in the shouting and punching match, both turning to look at us, Lord Takeda wearing a surprisingly scary grin.
"And of course you are welcome to join as well. One Eyed Dragon, I will await you and Yukimura in the training hall. Very Young Blade, your training will take place elsewhere." Oh this didn't sound good, and a quick look at Masamune told me he was very much in agreement with my thoughts.
After that, Lord Takeda took an almighty jump to clear the area, leaving us blinking at his departure, and Yukimura beside himself with excitement. "Finally I too shall take part in the Takeda Contest of Men! Words cannot express how moved I am!"
Meeting Masamune's glance with a shrug of my own, I left him to ask the obvious question, "What the hell is this Contest of Men?"
The words broke the catatonia of the Young Cub, who quickly turned with gleaming eyes, "Of course, you have both been granted leave to participate. Congratulations!"
"Please, just answer the question." I begged, beginning to regret my choice to watch the training before eating. This was not the kind of madness any sane person could deal with on an empty stomach.
Choosing to oblige that last thought with a full length history lesson, Yukimura launched into a tirade, his face growing more excited with each word he spoke, "The Takeda-Style Training Camp! Known to all as the Takeda Contest of Men! Since ancient times it has been the training ground for those chosen to rule Kai to challenge themselves to become true warriors. They say that almost none successfully overcome the numerous punishing obstacles. I have heard that the contest is utterly unforgiving. Those who overcome it have one and all become an indelible part of Kai's history. Oyakata-sama is one of them. The Takeda Contest of Men is the battleground every warrior of Kai dreams of above all others."
Pausing to take a breath at last, Yukimura took in our stunned faces. This training Lord Takeda spoke of must be extremely testing, but rewarding all at the same time. Amazing. "I never expected this joy to be mine!"
"So in other words," Masamune drawled, placing a hand on his chin in thought, "It's the ultimate Takeda party."
While Yukimura added more ramblings to the summation of his speech, even if it was spoken in a different language, I hummed a little, "If it's the Contest of Men, how come Lord Takeda is allowing me to join?"
"I don't know Sayomi-chan. Maybe that is why your trial takes place elsewhere?"
Shrugging, we split up to get ready for the training, which meant food for me and armour rather than hakama for Masamune. Curiously Yukimura had been completely ready, meaning that he had known about the Contest of Men all along, or and this one was the more likely option, he was never out of his armour like a good many warriors.
Stopping at my room to collect the bokken I'd borrowed, I froze upon seeing the empty weapons stand. No bokken, or katana in sight. Swallowing hard, I assured myself that they had been there that morning and the room appeared undisturbed.
Behind me, a hand knocked softly on the screen frame, Kasumi's comrade Daisuke standing there, shielding his eyes from the sun, "I have been ordered to escort you to the training grounds. You will need no weapons, just your strength."
Biting my lip, unsure whether to mention the disappearance or not, I stayed silent, following Daisuke from the room without another word. Masamune passed us, heading in the opposite direction, sharing a nod of good luck with me. Returning the gesture, I narrowly missed Daisuke suddenly leaving through one of the gates, motioning me to follow him for a little longer.
The road we were on didn't appear to lead to any part of the town, especially considering its unpaved state. Sometimes there were bumps that would catch me by surprise, Daisuke's arm suddenly yanking on mine to keep me steady. As we walked, the tree cover started to get thicker, and rushing water could be heard. A new worry began to come into my head, whirring around like a dragonfly.
Had Lord Takeda finally decided that it was too risky to leave me alive? Is that why my weapons had been taken and Daisuke sent to escort me? Was I walking to my own execution?
"Be careful, the roots grow across the path here." Nearly tripping over one of the very roots mentioned, I gave a nod, jogging slightly to keep up. The water was getting louder now, and when we turned the final corner, the source lay right in front of us.
A waterfall was travelling its natural path, Kasumi and Noburo standing back to back in the river, faces covered by oni masks. A quick glance at Daisuke showed he was wearing a similar one, the embarrassment in his eyes clear. Well if was my execution; at least I'd go out with a grin in place.
"Is this a challenger I see?" Kasumi intoned, reluctance dripping from her voice. There was a pause, during which she nudged Noburo, "It's your part."
"I am not doing this."
"Just say it." Daisuke ordered, shaking his head. Clearly none of Sasuke's subordinates had volunteered for this, but the results were still comical.
Looking between them all, I snorted, gaining their attention. "What in the name of Bishamonten is going on?" Knowing a lifeline when he heard one, Noburo eagerly got out of the river, sitting on the large rock jutting out from the bank while he struggled with his mask.
After a moment's hesitation, Kasumi joined him, but left her mask where it was. "Lord Takeda ordered us to assist you with your challenge. We agreed, and then he mentioned the masks." He explained, shrugging slightly, "It's Master Sarutobi I feel sorry for. Imagine Master Sanada's face when he sees him!"
Deciding to distract his comrade while there was still some dignity in the ninja core, Daisuke stepped in front of me, hiding the pair from view, "Your challenge is to light the lantern atop this cliff, whereupon your destiny as a warrior of honour, or indeed a warrior will be revealed."
"To reach the top of the cliff," Kasumi called over, deciding to join the fun again, "You must climb the waterfall without fear or aid."
Raising an eyebrow, I snuck a peek at the waterfall, cringing at the height. And oh boy the water would be freezing… Sensing my hesitation, Daisuke raised an eyebrow, "Unless of course you feel you're notable to do it?"
"I'll do it. There are footholds right?"
"Lord Takeda would not assign the impossible. If he'd wanted to do that, you'd be fist fighting him." Noburo assured, feet bare as he poured river water out of his boots. Scooting slightly away from him, Kasumi threw over a small box, letting Daisuke tie it to my waist.
Nodding to the three shinobi, I waded into the water, tensing as the temperature hit me. It was only ankle deep but all the same, my toes would be planted close to that lantern for a long time before I even tried climbing down again. Once I got closer to the actual waterfall, cringing at the freezing assault it was staging on my head and arms, I saw the footholds in the rock surface, some more obvious than others, but there all the same. Frowning as I starting the ascent, I wondered what kind of state my hands would be in by the end of this, uncovered and open to cuts.
It was not long before I found the secret to ignoring the cold and the ache in my muscles whenever I pushed them too far to find another grip. So long as I acted purely on instinct, leaving my thoughts to wander somewhere else, I could do this. I wondered about what we'd be eating for dinner that day, and how the men had fared in their challenge, but most of all, why did Sasuke's subordinates feel sorry for him?
These thoughts ran out about halfway up, and a quick glance downwards only told me that the ninjas had moved only to view my progress from the base, as well as getting more water down the back of my neck. So I turned my mind to other things, the next handhold just in sight and reach. I let myself think of the Oda clan and how they were faring without me, whether or not Talon had returned to the attack site only to find me missing and my scent on the breeze. It was as I thought of my falcon that the cave came into view, hidden by the curtain of water, but clearly not forgotten by the ninjas.
There was a towel waiting inside, and as I clambered onto the ledge to rest, I used it to wipe my hands and feet, cringing at the now wrecked soles. Leaning against the cave wall, I waited a few minutes before restarting the climb, stopping only to gulp down some water while I could. Judging by the sun's position in the sky, it would be about lunch time, meaning that with any hope, my challenge would be over soon.
Suddenly, about five minutes into my second bout, something pierced my foot, a quick glance telling me that the rock I'd used as a temporary perch had been sharper than its initial appearance gave away, and had managed to go completely through my sandal. Gasping with pain, I registered a sudden increase in the water flowing against my back, eyes widening.
The only sensible option would be to climb downwards again and attempt to signal the three at the bottom, but when I finally lifted my foot from the spike, a new flash of pain jolted through me, and I returned to hugging the wall. And even that depended on how long my hands could stay gripping the slippery rocks without gloves on to improve my grip.
"Now this is a predicament." Sasuke criticised from my right, legs swinging from the branch he was sitting on.
"I thought you were helping Masamune and Yukimura with their trial?" I recalled, glad to see him all the same.
"Eh, they've reached the second stage. You need any help here?"
"A little." I admitted, readjusting the grip I had on the rocks, "I need to get to the top."
Sasuke was looking at my foot, one eyebrow raised, "I'd rather get you back to the doctor. That foot doesn't look so good."
"But if I don't reach the top I'll fail. Please, Sasuke." It was easily to arrange my features into the expression I used on Noh to get what I wanted, and I could see the ninja faltering. Finally with a sigh, he started moving closer, one hand clasping a branch growing from his perch, the other outstretched for me to take.
Smiling gratefully, I took one of mine from the rock, intending to take it, just as the wave I'd been dreading hit, destroying any form of grip I had. My ears filled with my screaming, and a sudden tug in my shoulder, Sasuke's grunts lost in the torrent beside us.
Now that we were in view of them, I could hear the three ninjas below us yelling, begging us to hold on while they came to aid us or got help. Neither of us answered them, Sasuke's face screwed up with the effort of holding us both up, and mine staring with horror at the drop beneath us. If either of us lost our grip…
"Master Sarutobi!" Daisuke suddenly yelled from below, "Noburo is climbing up to you, throw her across the river if you can!"
I didn't need to look at Sasuke's face to know that he couldn't, even if he didn't voice this objection. All the same, there was a rustle of leaves, and a weight suddenly clashed into me, breaking the vicelike grip I'd previously had on my lifeline and carrying me through the air like a bride. Noburo's murmured prayer hit my ears as his feet touched the ground, closely followed by mine.
There was a second's panic when my foot refused to hold me, but there was no real concern, Noburo wrapping an arm around me to slow the fall. "Easy now, I've got you."
"I'm fine, I swear. What about Sasuke?" Aloud curse echoed from the river, Daisuke's voice betraying his relief. "Never mind."
Both of the male shinobi came through the bushes a second later, Sasuke still covered in leaves from what I presumed was his way of slowing his own fall by grabbing at branches like a staircase. This just left one person absent, "Where's Kasumi?"
"I ordered her to get help, Master Sarutobi, but if I know her worrying…"
"She'll go for Lord Takeda." Noburo finished, lifting up my foot so he could inspect the damage. If what he said turned out to be true, who knows how long we'd be waiting here? On the other hand, that meant I still had a chance to finish the challenge.
Spotting the determination in my eyes, Daisuke sighed slightly, filling his boss in with a few murmurs. The older ninja paused for a second, but nodded, "This time we'll use a rope, I think."
Which was how, as the sun set behind us and Kasumi returned with Master Katakura in tow, I leant heavily against the lantern as I fumbled with the clasp on the box still tied to my waist. Sasuke stood to one side, watching me strike the flints together with enough speed and power to send sparks into the lantern, one finally catching.
A flourish of warmth filled me, along with the smell of heavy incense, the traces of which were overflowing from the stone, powdering the river below. It smelled familiar, but I couldn't place where it was from exactly, until the area filled with a new layer of colour, lying predominantly over Sasuke and a small area behind the rocks.
Ignoring the obvious querying look coming from behind me, I limped closer to the rocks, hissing whenever I put too much weight on my bad foot. Finally though, I reached the stones, the warm light growing as I got closer to its source. Outstretching one hand, I felt my fingers close around a saya wrapped in a length of cloth.
Eyebrows scrunching together, I tugged it free, gaping at the golden bamboo stems I saw. "I've been meaning to ask you," Sasuke started, suddenly appearing in front of me, "Where did you get those marks on your face?"
