A/N:
The name "Akai" is the word in Japanese that means "red."
Here's a teaser poem I wrote that fits this chapter and has the same title:
Upon the ancient islands of Japan
There rose a war full of chaos and fear
Spawned forth from an unknowing atmosphere
Born to a world ruled under one clan
Ominous clouds of change loomed overhead
As the West approached swift as a typhoon
Kin against kin, they fought beneath the moon
For and against the coming hope and dread
Shogun and Emperor, along each side
Men and women fought for what they believed
And perished by sword or gun, to achieve
Victory, for which they war glorified
See! One youth's beginning and one man's end
Wounds are still bleeding, but in time, they mend
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------
Chapter 4 - The Bakumatsu
The Matsu estate was deafeningly quiet as evening settled down upon the city. The silence was broken by a nightingale, which began a sweet melody for the hearts of whomever may hear. The ronin, leaning tranquilly upon the windowsill, listened to her song. He watched the golden bird sing full-throated to the twilight, a mournfully melodious sound that pleased his ear and soothed his thoughts. Then, just as swiftly and beautifully as it had began, the song ended and the bird alighted upon the night wind, flying into the distance. The ronin watched its glorious flight until it disappeared into the bamboo forest beyond.
The swordsman wondered at his appreciation of the nightingale's song. During these hard times it was a rare thing to be blessed with such a blissful moment. The wars raging throughout the country drowned out any song of happiness from bird, or child, filling all with horror and dread. He was grateful he was, for the time being, away from the war-ragged streets of Kyoto. This place was much more peaceful, despite it being under threat. Closing his eyes, he relished in the quiet, until the soft sound of footprints rang in his alert ears.
Picking his head up, he heard the footfalls sound along the outside hallway, stopping at the crack of the sliding paper doors. A small knock rapped on the framework and a shy voice spoke, "I have brought your evening meal, bushi-sama."
"You may enter," the ronin replied.
Delicate hands reached through the crack and slowly slid open the doors. Head low, the maid brought in a tray of hot beef stew, freshly steamed vegetables and a flagon of warmed sake, served in clean and sparkling blue and white dishes and a pair of ivory chopsticks. The ronin watched her carefully bring the tray into the room, kneel gently and close the doors. She brought the tray to him, placed it on the black wood table before him and bowed respectfully. Then, elegantly, she poured him a cup of sake, which he drank silently. The girl's face had not been revealed, for the sun had set and no lamps had been lit in the room thus far. As a maid should, she asked, "Would my lord wish for light?"
The ronin nodded, and took another sip of the potent drink. As the warm glow of fire slowly penetrated the darkness, the girl's face lit up like the sun. Her eyes a bright emerald green, sparkled as the jewels of Persia from behind a curtain of midnight lashes. Her black hair flowed down over her shoulders like a river of onyx stone, her hands trembling like white doves upon the bough. Dressed in a glorious white kimono that sprung forth in golden light, flowers blooming in the vein of bright flaxen jewels, and silken cranes. The swordsman's left eyebrow twitched slightly and he immediately lowered the sake cup. He held back an exasperated sigh as he recognized the girl who had been following him for the past two days and had not heeded any warning given her.
"Is there something wrong?" the girl asked, tentatively.
"You were advised to absent yourself from my company and yet you still pursue it. You truly are a foolish girl. Go back to your poetry and music, you need not follow in the shadow of a killer."
The girl shifted slightly, but did not sway from his side. "Gomenasai, but I must refuse to comply with that."
The ronin could not hide his sigh. This was proving to be difficult. He replied slowly, "Why is this?"
"Because," the girl stuttered, staring into his eyes like a frightened child. "I have some questions I wish to ask of you."
"Such as?" the ronin, intrigued at her excuse, picked up the rice bowl and chopsticks and began eating.
As if relieved by the sudden break in tension, the girl bowed slightly and said, "Bushi-sama, I wish to know what is happening in this country. I have been hidden from the world and have longed for the day when I could see its splendor and diversity. I would be honored if you would tell me what it is like out there."
The ronin paused in mid-bite and looked her straight in the eye. He placed the porcelain bowl back onto the tray and asked gravely, "Are you sure you wish to know?"
The girl nodded eagerly, awaiting the answers she sought. The ronin sighed once more at her persistence and voted against it. "I do not believe you will receive any information from me. I have been instructed not to be in your company and think it best that you put your questions aside form more important matters. What's more, after what you witnessed last night, I do not believe you would enjoy hearing what I have to say."
The girl frowned somewhat and retaliated. "I am not a child. You need not consider the possibility of innocence."
"You contradict yourself," the swordsman murmured, eyes aflame. "You are innocent. Why else would you have fainted dead before a manslayer?"
The girl, with baited-breath, stared into his eyes but did not waver. "I have made a request of you. Shall you be silent before the daughter of a daimyo? Will you disregard the query of a lady? If this is so, you are not a swordsman.but a ruffian, unworthy to even look at a sword."
Enraged at her impudence, the ronin quickly seized his katana, drew it from its silk-lined sheath, to her delicate neck, the edge gleaming, anxious to taste her blood. Toshiki flinched slightly but her gaze remained locked in his frightful stare. Her eyes sparkled in the firelight, streams of gold running through her emerald orbs, a bold spirit reflecting into him. The swordsman's hand quavered, unable to move the blade any closer. In the past no creature had the power to hold the weight of his stare. Most gave in to his fearful gaze and thus perished. However, this girl, this pestering girl, who already caught his stare and remained there long enough to make him feel uncomfortable, what's more stayed his hand. Not one soul in all his years of being a manslayer stayed his hand for even a moment, but this young woman accomplished something that no one else could do. By no means could he put her life to an end if she was fearless enough to follow a manslayer into the night and not scream at the sight of his sword.
The katana fell from its deadly position and returned to the sheath unsatisfied. "Very well," he sighed. "You've won my confidence. I will give you this one meeting. Afterward, should you come to me again, I may not be so kind."
The girl smiled impishly at her victory, which dismayed the ronin even more. He took his empty sake dish, which the girl promptly filled. Before he began, the ronin eyed the girl curiously and said, "Shall I speak to a nameless lady?"
"My name is Toshiki," the girl beamed. "Shall I listen to a nameless swordsman?"
"Call me what you wish," he said.
Toshiki thought carefully, eyeing the regal swordsman with a cool serenity. Her eyes trailed the river of scarlet streaming from his head and whispered, "Akai."
The swordsman's eyes lit up at the word. "What did you say?"
"I will call you Akai, for never before have I seen a man with hair of crimson."
The ronin, amused, took another sip of sake, cleared his throat and prepared to relay the happenings of Japan.
"For two hundred years one clan has had control over the whole of the country, the Tokugawa shogunate. Recently, however, the shogun has been ruling poorly and because of this, certain daimyo have begun to revolt against him. The reasons for this revolt are many, but mainly it is because of an outside threat. Looming on the horizon are the western nations armed with guns, black ships and talk of trade. In normal cases, Japan would have stayed hidden from such influences. However, thirteen years ago a treaty was signed, allowing these westerners to enter the country and spread their foreign political disease. An influential daimyo, Lord Choshu, founded the policy, 'Revere the Emperor, Repel the Barbarians!' He saw the Shogun's inability to keep out the western foreigners and wished for the Emperor to rule in his place. He has gathered many men to fight for this idea, using great force against the shogunate. Because of this revolt, the Shogun has sent a police force to protect his main place of operation, the city of Kyoto. This revolution is taking place now, as we speak. Both sides are fighting many battles, the streets running red with blood every night. It is an internal war of the greatest magnitude ever seen in this country and it has been happening for the past seven years. This is a time where chaos runs wild and many people are suffering because of it. Be glad that you now remain secluded within these walls, for the time may soon come when the threat of war and bloodshed will come upon you."
Toshiki, stunned at hearing of such horrors, brimmed tears in her eyes. The ronin knew that she was unable to comprehend the seriousness of his words, and only watched as she held back the sorrow flooding her heart. Composing herself with a deep breath, she bowed to the ronin and said, "Arigato gozaimasu."
The swordsman, taking another sip of sake, eyed her dangerously and said, "Are you satisfied?"
Toshiki stared at him sadly, her eyes sparkling with starlight, and nodded solemnly. She bowed gratefully and left the room, her silken footsteps sounding down the hallway. Now alone in the flickering light, the ronin sighed, sipped down the last drops of rice wine and whispered, "Foolish girl."
The name "Akai" is the word in Japanese that means "red."
Here's a teaser poem I wrote that fits this chapter and has the same title:
Upon the ancient islands of Japan
There rose a war full of chaos and fear
Spawned forth from an unknowing atmosphere
Born to a world ruled under one clan
Ominous clouds of change loomed overhead
As the West approached swift as a typhoon
Kin against kin, they fought beneath the moon
For and against the coming hope and dread
Shogun and Emperor, along each side
Men and women fought for what they believed
And perished by sword or gun, to achieve
Victory, for which they war glorified
See! One youth's beginning and one man's end
Wounds are still bleeding, but in time, they mend
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------
Chapter 4 - The Bakumatsu
The Matsu estate was deafeningly quiet as evening settled down upon the city. The silence was broken by a nightingale, which began a sweet melody for the hearts of whomever may hear. The ronin, leaning tranquilly upon the windowsill, listened to her song. He watched the golden bird sing full-throated to the twilight, a mournfully melodious sound that pleased his ear and soothed his thoughts. Then, just as swiftly and beautifully as it had began, the song ended and the bird alighted upon the night wind, flying into the distance. The ronin watched its glorious flight until it disappeared into the bamboo forest beyond.
The swordsman wondered at his appreciation of the nightingale's song. During these hard times it was a rare thing to be blessed with such a blissful moment. The wars raging throughout the country drowned out any song of happiness from bird, or child, filling all with horror and dread. He was grateful he was, for the time being, away from the war-ragged streets of Kyoto. This place was much more peaceful, despite it being under threat. Closing his eyes, he relished in the quiet, until the soft sound of footprints rang in his alert ears.
Picking his head up, he heard the footfalls sound along the outside hallway, stopping at the crack of the sliding paper doors. A small knock rapped on the framework and a shy voice spoke, "I have brought your evening meal, bushi-sama."
"You may enter," the ronin replied.
Delicate hands reached through the crack and slowly slid open the doors. Head low, the maid brought in a tray of hot beef stew, freshly steamed vegetables and a flagon of warmed sake, served in clean and sparkling blue and white dishes and a pair of ivory chopsticks. The ronin watched her carefully bring the tray into the room, kneel gently and close the doors. She brought the tray to him, placed it on the black wood table before him and bowed respectfully. Then, elegantly, she poured him a cup of sake, which he drank silently. The girl's face had not been revealed, for the sun had set and no lamps had been lit in the room thus far. As a maid should, she asked, "Would my lord wish for light?"
The ronin nodded, and took another sip of the potent drink. As the warm glow of fire slowly penetrated the darkness, the girl's face lit up like the sun. Her eyes a bright emerald green, sparkled as the jewels of Persia from behind a curtain of midnight lashes. Her black hair flowed down over her shoulders like a river of onyx stone, her hands trembling like white doves upon the bough. Dressed in a glorious white kimono that sprung forth in golden light, flowers blooming in the vein of bright flaxen jewels, and silken cranes. The swordsman's left eyebrow twitched slightly and he immediately lowered the sake cup. He held back an exasperated sigh as he recognized the girl who had been following him for the past two days and had not heeded any warning given her.
"Is there something wrong?" the girl asked, tentatively.
"You were advised to absent yourself from my company and yet you still pursue it. You truly are a foolish girl. Go back to your poetry and music, you need not follow in the shadow of a killer."
The girl shifted slightly, but did not sway from his side. "Gomenasai, but I must refuse to comply with that."
The ronin could not hide his sigh. This was proving to be difficult. He replied slowly, "Why is this?"
"Because," the girl stuttered, staring into his eyes like a frightened child. "I have some questions I wish to ask of you."
"Such as?" the ronin, intrigued at her excuse, picked up the rice bowl and chopsticks and began eating.
As if relieved by the sudden break in tension, the girl bowed slightly and said, "Bushi-sama, I wish to know what is happening in this country. I have been hidden from the world and have longed for the day when I could see its splendor and diversity. I would be honored if you would tell me what it is like out there."
The ronin paused in mid-bite and looked her straight in the eye. He placed the porcelain bowl back onto the tray and asked gravely, "Are you sure you wish to know?"
The girl nodded eagerly, awaiting the answers she sought. The ronin sighed once more at her persistence and voted against it. "I do not believe you will receive any information from me. I have been instructed not to be in your company and think it best that you put your questions aside form more important matters. What's more, after what you witnessed last night, I do not believe you would enjoy hearing what I have to say."
The girl frowned somewhat and retaliated. "I am not a child. You need not consider the possibility of innocence."
"You contradict yourself," the swordsman murmured, eyes aflame. "You are innocent. Why else would you have fainted dead before a manslayer?"
The girl, with baited-breath, stared into his eyes but did not waver. "I have made a request of you. Shall you be silent before the daughter of a daimyo? Will you disregard the query of a lady? If this is so, you are not a swordsman.but a ruffian, unworthy to even look at a sword."
Enraged at her impudence, the ronin quickly seized his katana, drew it from its silk-lined sheath, to her delicate neck, the edge gleaming, anxious to taste her blood. Toshiki flinched slightly but her gaze remained locked in his frightful stare. Her eyes sparkled in the firelight, streams of gold running through her emerald orbs, a bold spirit reflecting into him. The swordsman's hand quavered, unable to move the blade any closer. In the past no creature had the power to hold the weight of his stare. Most gave in to his fearful gaze and thus perished. However, this girl, this pestering girl, who already caught his stare and remained there long enough to make him feel uncomfortable, what's more stayed his hand. Not one soul in all his years of being a manslayer stayed his hand for even a moment, but this young woman accomplished something that no one else could do. By no means could he put her life to an end if she was fearless enough to follow a manslayer into the night and not scream at the sight of his sword.
The katana fell from its deadly position and returned to the sheath unsatisfied. "Very well," he sighed. "You've won my confidence. I will give you this one meeting. Afterward, should you come to me again, I may not be so kind."
The girl smiled impishly at her victory, which dismayed the ronin even more. He took his empty sake dish, which the girl promptly filled. Before he began, the ronin eyed the girl curiously and said, "Shall I speak to a nameless lady?"
"My name is Toshiki," the girl beamed. "Shall I listen to a nameless swordsman?"
"Call me what you wish," he said.
Toshiki thought carefully, eyeing the regal swordsman with a cool serenity. Her eyes trailed the river of scarlet streaming from his head and whispered, "Akai."
The swordsman's eyes lit up at the word. "What did you say?"
"I will call you Akai, for never before have I seen a man with hair of crimson."
The ronin, amused, took another sip of sake, cleared his throat and prepared to relay the happenings of Japan.
"For two hundred years one clan has had control over the whole of the country, the Tokugawa shogunate. Recently, however, the shogun has been ruling poorly and because of this, certain daimyo have begun to revolt against him. The reasons for this revolt are many, but mainly it is because of an outside threat. Looming on the horizon are the western nations armed with guns, black ships and talk of trade. In normal cases, Japan would have stayed hidden from such influences. However, thirteen years ago a treaty was signed, allowing these westerners to enter the country and spread their foreign political disease. An influential daimyo, Lord Choshu, founded the policy, 'Revere the Emperor, Repel the Barbarians!' He saw the Shogun's inability to keep out the western foreigners and wished for the Emperor to rule in his place. He has gathered many men to fight for this idea, using great force against the shogunate. Because of this revolt, the Shogun has sent a police force to protect his main place of operation, the city of Kyoto. This revolution is taking place now, as we speak. Both sides are fighting many battles, the streets running red with blood every night. It is an internal war of the greatest magnitude ever seen in this country and it has been happening for the past seven years. This is a time where chaos runs wild and many people are suffering because of it. Be glad that you now remain secluded within these walls, for the time may soon come when the threat of war and bloodshed will come upon you."
Toshiki, stunned at hearing of such horrors, brimmed tears in her eyes. The ronin knew that she was unable to comprehend the seriousness of his words, and only watched as she held back the sorrow flooding her heart. Composing herself with a deep breath, she bowed to the ronin and said, "Arigato gozaimasu."
The swordsman, taking another sip of sake, eyed her dangerously and said, "Are you satisfied?"
Toshiki stared at him sadly, her eyes sparkling with starlight, and nodded solemnly. She bowed gratefully and left the room, her silken footsteps sounding down the hallway. Now alone in the flickering light, the ronin sighed, sipped down the last drops of rice wine and whispered, "Foolish girl."