Lots of Shinsengumi this time, doing all the things they do. There are: jokes that back fire, laundry, pigs, sweets, tea, soba, sake, fighting, lots of yelling, opportunities for fan girl-type drooling, and more visits to the roof. However, there is no haiku, potatoes or cucumbers.
So on to business……the men of the Shinsengumi are a matter of historical record. They appear here as realized by Nanae Kurono. I do not own them in any way.
This is probably best rated as 13+ for sexual innuendo and samurai-type violence.
Chapter 3
Waiting
The early morning was a beauty and promised to turn into a perfect day.
It is too nice for any serious work. The only way I'll get Harada and Nagakura to patrol is by putting a spear up their asses, Hijikata thought as he walked to the training hall.
As their numbers increased, he found it harder and harder to find a time when he could practice in private. So he was not surprised to find that he could hear someone already inside. Curious to see who the early riser was, he cracked the doors open a little and peeked in.
Of course, he thought, it figures.
She had been there a while, judging by the amount of sweat on her face. The sleeves of her kimono were tied back, baring her arms. She was practicing an unarmed form of combat. It was unfamiliar to Hijikata, but interesting. He knew that some unarmed combat forms were also taught as dance. She appeared to be practicing such a style, repeating each set of moves twice, once as dance and once as combat. It was fascinating to watch her hands turn a set of graceful motions into something powerful and deadly.
At the end of a series of moves, she came to a stop.
"You do not have to stand out there and watch. Come in. It would be less than dignified if the Vice-commander got caught peeping like some degenerate."
He opened the doors wider, "I am disturbing you. I shall leave."
"No, no. I am almost done. You probably have a hard time finding time to practice alone, so I do not want to stop you. We can't have the rank and file see you sweat like a normal human, can we? By the time you are ready, I will be done."
Ignoring his glare, she returned to her practicing. Hijikata entered and closed the doors behind him. A sudden upward movement of her arms caused her sleeves to slide further up, revealing a tattoo on her right shoulder. It was an intricate circular design of a salmon chasing its own tail. As her arms flowed through her exercises the creature seemed to move as though swimming in an ivory stream. He was struck by the contrasts in this woman. The serenity on her face was at odds with her impertinent greeting.
"….. for an early riser," with a start he realized that she was speaking to him. She had finished.
"Pardon?"
"I would not have taken you for an early riser. I am not normally up with the birds myself, but I am not sleeping well, so….." she shrugged. "And you should know, a tattoo does not mean the same thing where I come from as it does here. Although, if the rumors I've heard are correct, you are the gangster; 'a yakuza with wild hair.' Medicine peddler, tailor, yakuza, samurai, and demon; you have an interesting résumé, Vice-commander Hijikata."
Hijikata snorted in disgust but did not reply. Damned woman didn't miss anything. He wanted to ask how she had learned so much in the short time she had been in Kyoto, but that would just encourage her to stay. So instead he busied himself, fiddling with his hair tie, his sleeves; just waiting for her to leave.
However, she seemed to be waiting for something also. She was leaning against the wall in a posture reminiscent of the one Yamanami adopted when he wanted to discuss something. He always disturbs my practice too, Hijikata thought sourly.
He turned his back to her. Over and over he brought his practice sword down in a precise arc.
After a while he stopped, "Well, what is it?"
She shifted a little, "Umm, well, I don't suppose that you have had any word about…."
"No," he looked over his shoulder at her. "And do not even think of going to look for them. You have orders to wait here."
"I know, I know. But it has been two days since I got here. They should be here by now."
"Do you have any better reasons than that to worry?"
"Not really. If there was a problem of Constantine's making, I might have sensed it, but maybe not. My skills don't really run in that direction."
For a few moments there was only the sound of Hijikata's sword.
"Do not go after them!" he growled.
"I heard you the first time."
It occurred to him that perhaps there was a reason why she was not sleeping. So, the smart-mouthed brat has a soft spot for her companions, he thought.
"If they are not here by noon, I will send a patrol out. But they cannot go much further than Kyoto's limits."
"Yes. Thank-you."
"Well, it might be prudent for Lord Matsudaira's men to have some extra escort into the city."
"Of course. Thank-you, Sir. Thank-you very much."
After a moment she bowed politely and left.
Tomoe walked slowly along, making her way back to her room. She was more than a little concerned about her companions. He was right though; her first instinct was to head out in search of them, and it was probably not the most prudent thing to do. She decided to wait until the afternoon and then she would check again. If nothing else, it gave her something to do, she was getting bored and twitchy. Maybe she could coax another chess game out of him at that time. She should try and find out where he had learned to play, that was the sort of detail Evans always wanted to know. When he got into the game and forgot to be an arrogant bastard, he wasn't so bad, she thought.
A loud yell from around the corner of a nearby building interrupted her musings. It sounded like the hapless page, Tetsunosuke. She wandered over and peeked around the corner to see what was happening. Three men were with the boy and seemed to be teasing him. He was hanging laundry, white rectangles of cloth mostly, except for a small pile which appeared to be……
"Pink! Whaaaaat!"
The tallest of the three men laughed loudly. He was almost as tall as Cameron. He leaned down to the page, so that the front of his kimono gaped opened to expose his broad, scarred chest, "Don't worry puppy boy. We just decided try Hajime's suggestion."
"That's right," the second man chimed in. In contrast to his companion, he was quite short, with a mop of unruly hair. "He did say that red would be a more manly color for Soji."
"Although," the third man picked up one of the damp bundles and regarded it sadly, "I guess we did not use enough of the dye," his boyishly handsome face brightened. "But I think that Soji will probably like this color just as well."
"But Mister Todo," the page sounded horrified, "these aren't Mister Okita's. They belong to Mister Hijikata!"
"What!" all three said at once. They all went as white as the little page. Tomoe realized what sort of laundry she was seeing. Although she tried to stifle it, her snort of laughter carried across the yard. The men and the boy all looked her way with various degrees of guilt and fear on their faces. Upon seeing her, their expressions immediately changed.
"See! I wasn't making it up!" the page yelled.
"Whoa, hey there," the big one grinned and then wolf-whistled.
"Sano!" the little one poked him in the ribs.
The third one just gaped at her. For a moment Tomoe stared back, matching the big one's leer with all the insolence she could muster. Then she remembered that she was supposed to be keeping a low profile, and ducked back around the corner. She decided that it might be best if she headed back to her room.
She laughed to herself as she went, envisioning the Vice-commander's face when he saw the altered state of his laundry. But then, she mused, pink might just be a good color on him. Now the image of the man clad in only a pink undergarment flashed before her eyes.
"Oh, stop that, you silly cow," she muttered after a moment. "Get a hold of yourself. You are deranged. Just keep your mind off his skivvies, or any other part of him."
Still, it was just too funny. She started to laugh out loud again and then quickly stifled it when she heard someone behind her.
"Oh, good morning Miss Cameron," it was Okita. "You seem to be in a good mood today."
Tomoe told the young man what see had seen.
"I see that you have met our trio of jokers," he giggled. "They are up to their tricks awfully early this morning."
"Tricks, yes. But they do not seem to have worked out quite as planned."
"Heh, heh, yes, that seems to happen quite often."
"I would have never guessed." she said wryly. "You will make sure that the boy does not get into too much trouble, I hope."
"Yes, I will see to it. Although….." Okita's voice trailed off and he stared into space for a few moments. Seeing the look in his eyes, Tomoe realized that was imagining the very same thing that she had been a few moments ago.
"Mister Okita!" she tried to sound scandalized, but then spoiled it by starting to laugh.
Okita reddened for a moment, but when he realized why she was laughing, he joined in.
"And we could get him a pink hair tie, too. It would look so nice on him."
"Oh, please stop," she had pressed both her sleeves over the lower half of her face. Her eyes peered over top, bright with her amusement and embarrassment. "This is just not proper."
After a moment he sighed wistfully and collected himself, "Yes, you are right. Would you like to come get some breakfast with me?"
"I would like that very much, but uh…"
"Miss Ayu will let us eat in the kitchen. It is a bit more private there."
"In that case, lead on."
"I have to go on patrol in a little while, but when I come back, we could go into town. Kyoto's very nice. There are some sweet shops not too far from here."
"Thank-you for the invitation, Mister Okita, but I have orders not to leave the headquarters."
"Well, you could wear your hat."
"Are you trying to get me into trouble, Mister Okita?" She stopped while Okita said hello to their pretty cook and asked for some food. Ayu eyed Tomoe narrowly and served her with the barest of courtesy.
"Hmm, I wonder what is wrong with Miss Ayu?"
"She has the same name as the spy I met yesterday."
"That is right. He is her brother."
"Well," she grinned sheepishly, "I was a little rough on him. She is just being a big sister," she looked at her food. "I wonder if I should get you to taste this first."
She laughed at his shocked denial, "I am sure it is fine. I am just kidding."
They ate in silence for a while.
"So will you come with me?"
"I am afraid I can't."
He pouted a little, "But I want to hear more about your home, your family. And you should see Kyoto. It is a very nice place."
"Well, I did see some of it on my way here."
"The view from the roof tops does not count."
"Well, it was pretty interesting. I do not think that I have been anywhere that has such busy roof tops. One would think that they were the actual streets, with all the comings and goings. I cannot see how any of it remains secret."
Okita giggled, "It is not like that where you grew up?"
"No. We are a little outside the town. And it would not be as easy to move about as it is here. And I cannot even imagine trying it in the winter. Cape Breton gets a lot of snow, but not much intrigue."
They talked a little while longer about their families. Too soon, it was time for him to go.
"Are you sure?"
"Obedience, Mister Okita!" she said with mock sternness. "But you could always stop at a sweet shop on the way back. I only have a little money with me, but….."
"Oh, no. It will be my treat. That is a good idea. I am always hungry when I get back from patrol and Mister Hijikata does not let me have sweets before dinner, but if I bring them for you to try.……."
"That sounds like a fine plan. I will see you later then. Thank-you for the company. Be careful, okay?"
"Oh, do not worry. Good-bye."
Seen from afar one would almost think that it was just three young men enjoying an afternoon break. Okita was sitting with Saizo on his lap and a sack of sweets in one hand, Tetsu was sprawled on the ground munching on something, and Tomoe was sitting cross-legged, leaning against one of the porch supports. Another bag of candy sat on her lap and a dumpling skewer hung from one corner of her mouth. Ichimura was chattering away about his recent excursion to Hyōgo. Okita was listening with his usual gentle smile. She was listening also, but her eyes were focused elsewhere. It occurred to Hijikata why they had chosen this particular spot to loaf. It gave her a good view of the front gate.
He stalked over to the group, "Ichimura, don't you have work to do?'
"No, Sir, I have finished all my chores. Except the laundry, it is still not dry."
"I told you to do that this morning. Why is it taking so long?"
For some reason both Soji and Tomoe found his question very amusing. They looked at each other and started to laugh. Tetsu started to splutter an explanation, his face red. Soji laughed harder, his slim shoulders quaking with mirth. After a few moments he started to cough. When the fit did not subside, Hijikata knelt at his side, laying a supportive hand on the young man's back, looking very concerned.
"Soji!"
After a few moments the coughing stopped. Soji waved one slender hand, dismissing his concern, "I am all right. A piece of candy just went down the wrong way."
"You should be more careful. And what are you doing with all this brat food anyways?" his usual scowl had returned to his face.
Tomoe watched the exchange, both eyebrows raised. She took the wooden skewer out of her mouth, "Please, do not blame him, Vice-commander. Mister Okita was just being nice. I could not go to Kyoto's sweets, so they came to me," she pointed the stick at Hijikata. "Those were my orders, right?"
She ignored his glare and leaned forward. Okita was still wheezing, "Are you sure that you are all right? Shall I get you some water or something?"
"Oh, no. I am fine. Please do not worry."
She shrugged and leaned back, rearranging the pleats on her hakama. She cocked her head and watched Hijikata. He was watching Okita again. Concern had softened his lean features. Well, she thought, he could be too…….but maybe not. The young man does have a way of making you want to look out for him. Even you were sounding like a big sister this morning before he went on patrol. She realized that Hijikata had caught her staring. She picked the bag of candies off her lap and offered it up to him.
"Oh, I am sorry, Sir. Did you want some of this….uh, brat food?" she said sweetly.
Hijikata's nostrils flared and his eyebrow commenced its twitchy dance. Tetsu gulped. She was tormenting the demon Vice-commander again. She had to be a little crazy. He started to back slowly away from the scene. He really did not to be around if the truth about the laundry came out.
Miss Cameron, however, was ignoring the demon's rumblings completely. She seemed to be listening to something else. Then, in a flash, she was gone, sweets and taunts forgotten, running toward the gates of the compound.
She arrived at the gate just as a group of armed men in Matsudaira's livery entered. They quickly closed the gates of the headquarters behind them. Other men carrying a palanquin were also with them. The samurai leading the group had one arm in a sling. The stocky man with him appeared to be a priest of some sort, with a tall staff and large hat. Tomoe looked closely at him. Before her eyes, the man's face seemed to blur a little, becoming more recognizable. He took off his hat to reveal his bald head and the bandage around it.
"Mister Evans! How did you do that? What took you so long?"
She realized that Cameron was not in sight. It would be unlike him to sit inside the palanquin if he could walk. They did not seem to be carrying any bodies, but…..
She hurried over to the palanquin and threw the cover aside. Cameron was inside with the Lady Jeanne. His head was also bandaged. He had a spectacularly blackened eye, already faded from purple to yellow. She leaned in further to get a better look at him.
"Cameron, m'lady! Are you alright? What happened?"
"He is fine, he is just resting a little and keeping out of sight," Jeanne answered. "Evans is calling you. Go and help him, he probably needs a translator."
"Go on, lass. I am not hurt. You know this thick skull of mine is practically impervious."
"Are you sure? What happened? I…." Evans called her name again and she pulled her head out of the palanquin.
She apologized and went over to where he was standing with the head of their escort, "Mister Evans! Your disguise! That was incredible. I did not know you could do that. What happened?"
"Calm down and try to listen. I want you to extend our thanks to this man for his assistance in getting us here. His men fought bravely at our side. Also extend our condolences for their losses."
She passed this along, "Mister Evans, please. Was it him? It was, wasn't it?"
Hijikata had arrived on the scene. He greeted the head of the escort, "What happened?"
"Good question," she muttered.
"Sir! One moment please," he addressed Tomoe, "Thank your Master for his kind words. And thank the Lady for her help. Our losses would have been much worse if not for her skills."
He waited until she had passed on his thanks to Evans and then continued, "Sir, we were attacked on our way here. We managed to fight them off. There were Choshu among them and others…….." he shifted nervously, "Well, I do not know what to call them……. And then after we had to stop while we dealt with the wounded. There would have been many more dead except for the foreign woman. She is remarkably skilled," he looked at Tomoe again and touched the sling on his arm. "Please be sure to thank her."
"Of course, I will. And thank-you for seeing them here," she turned to Evans and spoke briefly.
The man turned back to Hijikata, "Vice-commander, I have a report for you here. It has all the details. We went to our headquarters first, to report in and to drop off the wounded. I drafted the report then and left a copy there."
"Very good," he accepted the document, "I will not detain you any longer. We can get these people settled ourselves. If I have any other questions I will contact the protector's office."
"Yes, Sir. Thank-you Sir," he bowed to Hijikata and then to Tomoe and Evans and then again to Cameron and Jeanne, who had disembarked from the palanquin. With a final bow, he gave orders to his men and they proceeded to unpack the small amount of luggage that the foreigners had brought. Then he left.
"Ichimura," Hijikata said over his shoulder, "see that their things get to their rooms."
The little page did not respond. He was busy gaping at the foreigners. He was not sure who was the most interesting, the huge red-haired man, the short stocky man with the bushy black beard, or the woman. She caught him staring and he had to look away quickly, blushing. She was very beautiful.
"Ichimura!"
"What? Oh, right. Yes, Sir!" he ran to their small pile of belongings and began to wrestle with the largest case.
Cameron watched the boy battle their luggage with a puzzled look on his face. What was a child doing in this place? He was far too young to be a member. After a moment he went over and hefted the case over one shoulder, "Here boy, let me help with that. It is almost as big as you are. Take something you can manage and then show me the way," he smiled reassuringly at the boy. He turned to Tomoe, "I'll see that we get settled in. You go with Evans and her Ladyship and make introductions and reports. I will have the boy show me to you when we are done."
"Right, Cameron. Try not to break anything, Tetsu, okay?" she winked at him.
"Yes, Miss Cameron. Please, it is this way, Sir."
Tomoe watched them go, "I told you something was wrong," she muttered almost so Hijikata could not hear.
"Vice-commander, I think you remember Alexander Cameron and Ivor Evans from Osaka. And this is the Lady Jeanne."
She made introductions in English for her companions.
Hijikata had not met the woman in Osaka. His interactions with Tomoe and the mention of her healing skills had not prepared him. She was wearing some sort of hat with a veil, but had pushed it back and he could see her face. In contrast to her young companion she was petite, with fine bones and delicate features. Even before introductions were made she had picked him out. Her gaze seemed to go right through him. No, he thought distractedly, right into me. It was a penetrating, probing stare. No woman had ever looked at him like that before. But just how that could be was beyond him, because the eyes that stared at him so steadily were sightless.
Tomoe watched his discomfort, a faintly amused expression on her face, "Vice-commander, do you think we could retire to someplace a little more comfortable? They can tell us about what happened. And then I can take them to their rooms. It has been a rough couple of days for them. Is Commander Kondo around? He should meet them too."
Finally, Hijikata was able to tear his gaze away from the woman, "No, here is not here today. But I can act in his place. Yes, show them to my quarters."
"Yes, Sir. Uh, Vice-commander, if we get served tea, can it be by someone other than Ichimura, please?"
After meeting with Hijikata they gathered in the room that Tomoe was sharing with the Lady Jeanne. Tomoe had translated their story about the ambush to the Vice-commander and Okita (who had handled the tea service). Somewhere mid-way between Osaka and Kyoto they had been ambushed by about thirty men and three creatures similar to the ones that had attacked Hijikata earlier. Cameron and Evans had worked with their escort to repel the attack. Then the Lady Jeanne had helped administer aid to the wounded. They had slowly finished the trip to Kyoto.
Cameron settled down over the chess board with the younger woman.
"So do you think that he was after you or Lord Matsudaira's representative?"
"I am inclined to believe that we were all targets," Evans said.
He got up and wandered out of the room, fixing his pipe as he went. He settled down on the covered porch to enjoy his smoke.
Tomoe wrinkled her nose, "So Constantine has allied himself with the Choshu. That means the attack in Osaka was aimed at Vice-commander Hijikata and not us. It was just his good fortune that Cameron and I showed up. It makes sense. His death would have a big impact on the plans of the royalists."
"This one man has such an important role?" the Lady Jeanne spoke up. "And who was the beautiful young man with him?"
"So you noticed him, eh? That is one of the Captains. Okita Soji. Yes, they are an attractive bunch. But to answer your question, I think that it is Hijikata's potential that frightens the royalists, not anything that he has done to date. The Shinsengumi is a small group right now, but is shaping up to be a very effective weapon. I think the Vice-commander has some big plans for them. They are currently recruiting new members and he is very involved in that, as in all other aspects of their operations."
"Just picture how their recruiting posters would read," she traced one hand in the air, over an imaginary notice board. "In these turbulent times, we are broadly seeking those who wish to serve their country. Bring your sword and your patriotism. The squeamish and the ill-favored need not apply," she laughed. "Yes, a very comely group indeed. You also probably noticed that adorable child at the gate too. He is the Vice-commander's page. Can't serve tea to save his life and he does not have a sword, but perhaps he has other skills that recommend him."
Cameron frowned at her a moment, but then realized what she was implying. She was looking right at him, grinning mischievously.
He thumped a chess man down, "You can't mean….!"
"Who knows," she slumped down into a more comfortable position on the floor. "You saw Captain Okita; he followed the Vice-commander here from his home. Our surly friend doesn't strike me as the type, but who knows? And then there are these three other Captains, always in a little group and always looking like they are up to something. I caught the biggest one leering at me the other day, but….."
Evans cleared his throat, "Surely in the time you have been here, you have managed to do more than make these idle conjectures."
"And I would like to know what that man was doing here in this room with you," the Lady Jeanne added.
"He brought some intelligence reports to discuss and we played chess. I did not let him smoke in here. I beat him too."
Evans cleared his throat again.
"Alright, alright," she moved one of her men and then rolled over on her back, organizing her thoughts. "But Hijikata does seem to run the show here. There is Commander Kondo, another Vice-commander named Yamanami, various Captains, and a couple of military strategists. I have not met the other Vice-commander. He does not seem to be around much and decisions seem to get made without his input, mostly by Hijikata. The Vice-commander is also the reporting point for their spy network, which is fairly extensive.
"There were originally other members to the upper ranks, a Serizawa Kamo in particular. Sometime recently he and some his followers died. One, Niimi Nishiki performed ritual suicide, but Serizawa was assassinated. No official word on who his killers were. Gossip says that both men were abusing their power. They extorted money from local merchants and got into petty fights, that sort of thing. I have no proof, but it feels as though Serizawa was killed by the other core members of the group. And that means we are dealing with a pretty ruthless bunch. But for what it is worth, it seems that he had it coming."
"Could that explain the absence of the other Vice-commander?" Evans asked.
"I do not know. He is one of the original members too. They were a group of men from the training hall that Commander Kondo ran. They banded together and came to Kyoto. Eventually they were given this commission. They have a very strict set of guidelines, even beyond those defined by the warrior's code. Apparently they were devised by Hijikata. They seem to focus a lot on the outward appearance of morality and lack of corruption. Not a bad idea for a police force. Members cannot take money from outside sources, no personal vendettas, that sort of thing. Once you are a member, you do not leave, except by dying. And if you break a rule, the punishment is seppuku."
"And how are they received by the people of Kyoto?" Evans asked.
"It depends upon who you listen to. If they caught your son or husband doing something they felt was suspicious and then killed him, well, you do not think much of them. But they also stop other crimes, without extorting money as a 'reward.' That has won them many supporters among townsfolk. I think that overall they will make useful allies."
"And there is one among them who may be of particular interest, a Captain named Saito. He has a sort of Sight. He knew me for what I am almost immediately. And it may not stop there, he mentioned something about seeing ghosts too. I am thinking that you will definitely want to meet him, m'lady. Oh, and one more thing, that little page knows some Latin. And maybe some English, too. I have not had the chance to follow up on it yet. Do you think it has any bearing on our business?"
"I cannot say. More information is needed," Evans puffed meditatively a few moments. "If the opportunity arises, try to find out more, but do not appear to be seeking the boy out. So what were these intelligence reports you discussed without a chaperone?"
Tomoe explained.
"Do you think that we should contact him?"
Evans nodded, "Yes. Constantine has seen your blade and knows its power. Its maker would be a tempting target. And you were right to wait for us."
"This evening, if it is possible, could you manage to introduce this Saito fellow to her Ladyship? Be discrete. Tomorrow, I will speak more with the Vice-commander. We should not plan our moves without at least hearing what he has to say. I would also like to see this temple where the priest was killed. Most likely the site has been purified and will be of no help, but we should still investigate. I think that you and I should go."
"More waiting for me then," Cameron groaned, moving his one remaining knight.
"I am sure we will keep you amused somehow," she rolled over and settled back on to her knees. She moved a man. "Hah! I have got you on the run now. So, Mister Evans, you still have not told me about the disguise. Was that an illusion? I have never seen you do anything like that before."
Evans shrugged, "Yes, it was. I have known the theory for a long time. However, this is the first time I have been any place where the power existed to allow me to actually execute the spell to any great extent."
"Well, it was amazing. Cameron, this place has a rather nice training hall. We could go spar a little after you lose here."
"I suppose I could do with a little exercise to work the kinks out after sitting for so long. Is there anything else you would need us for?" This was addressed to Evans and Lady Jeanne.
"Go ahead. But do try and stay out of trouble, yes?"
"Careful now. Watch how you lead. Keep that left shoulder back," Cameron instructed. He always found it amusing to be giving her fencing lessons. For some reason, she was not familiar with the French and Spanish styles, although she had memories of how to kill in hundreds of other ways.
"Is that better?"
"Yes. But I cannot correct your foot work while you are wearing those things," he pointed at her hakama.
She halted the series of moves he had told her to do, "Well, that is one of their functions; to obscure my footwork from an opponent. I guess they work, eh?"
Cameron chuckled, "Aye. You are improving, but I do not think you will ever completely drop all the bad habits you learned at home."
"Bad habits, hmmm, I think my former Master would be more than a little annoyed to hear his beloved style called a bad habit," she saluted him and then executed a series of lunges. When she finished, she wandered over to their small pile of gear, set her foil down and picked up a towel.
Cameron acknowledged her comment with an absentminded grunt. His attention had been drawn to their companions in the training hall. Three men had been in it when they had arrived. Cameron had suggested that they should come back later, but she had brushed the suggestion aside, saying that these three had already seen her, so there was no point in trying to hide. Cameron guessed that these were the three Captains she had mentioned in her report. None of them had been practicing very hard since the two Camerons had arrived, and their stares were becoming more than a little annoying.
Tomoe could hear Cameron rumbling to himself.
"What is it? They are not bothering us."
"I do not like the nature of their stares, especially from the big one. They should be more respectful of a young woman."
She shrugged. She scrubbed at her face with her towel. After a moment her eyes peered at him over the folds of the cloth, "It is nothing. Besides, maybe it is you they are staring at, hmm?"
"Do not start with that again!"
"I am truly surprised by your reaction, Cameron. I would have thought that a man as well traveled and educated as yourself might be a little more open minded."
He sputtered a little, "It just doesn't seem right."
"So, you are telling me that no warrior could…….. Not men like, oh, Alexander, Richard….."
"Richard? You mean the Lion Heart?"
"Aye."
Cameron found himself gaping at her. It was so easy to forget that an old soul lay behind her green eyes. Most of the time, she acted in a manner consistent with her appearance; energetic, brash, and a little naïve about some things. Right now she was looking at him a little sadly and he could catch a glimpse of the things she had seen; their weight and horror.
"Uh, so they were….."
"Well, the Macedonian was equally fond of men and women. To him it was just another place where he could dominate and conquer. And Richard….well. I did not really know him too well. We met only for a short time, but I got the impression that for him it was a response to something that had happened to him early in life. But make no mistake, he was glorious in combat," her eyes were far away in both space and time. "Too bad he was not so adept off the battle field," she roused herself back to the present. "It is strange Cameron, usually I have to struggle to access most of the memories, but lately they are just…..there. And it is not as uncomfortable as usual either."
"Have you mentioned this to her Ladyship?"
"We have discussed it a little. She thinks it is my response to the magic remaining here."
"That makes sense," he scowled at the other end of the training hall. "Did he just wink at you?"
"I did not notice. Why are you so protective all of a sudden?"
"You are my cousin, and it is my responsibility."
Cameron did not fail to notice the sly look that briefly replaced her grin. He knew the look, she was finished practicing, finished being serious, and now she was ready for some fun.
She gave her face one final wipe.
"So, Cameron, I am a little dry after all the exercise. You don't suppose I could get a little drink. I know you have your flask with you."
"Now you know that…."
"Come on," she wheedled. "I know Glover gave you some from his private stock. And he gave you some chocolate too. What kind of whiskey was it?"
"Talisker."
"Ah, lava of the Cuillins. So can I have some? Puhleeze?"
With a sigh, Cameron produced his flask and held it out to her.
"Why do I have the feeling that I am about to get into some trouble?"
She drank a little. At the sight of the flask, the largest of the three Shinsengumi perked up, just as she suspected he would.
This is going to be just too easy, she thought. It almost takes the fun out of it. Almost.
She waggled the flask at him, "Captain Harada, right? Would you care to try some? It is much better than sake."
"Ouch, hey!" Harada yelped as the big foreigner whacked his ribs with his staff.
"Hey, he doesn't have to hit him so hard," Nagakura complained to Tomoe.
"Well, what he said was pretty insulting," she shook her head. "And spitting it out like that. It was a big mistake."
"But it was just some….uh," Todo scratched his head, trying to remember, "What do you call it?"
"Whiskey. You just don't understand. You see we have this expression: 'water is for drinking and whiskey is for fighting about.' He called it peppered dog piss. You can't let something like that go by. At least Cameron let him choose the weapon. He's not going to kill him or anything. So…….," she shrugged.
Tetsu had arrived at the training hall, "Hey, it's almost dinner, why are you all still here? Why are they fighting? Why is Mister Harada letting himself get hit so much?"
Tomoe chuckled, "Well, they are just working out a disagreement over what the best sort of liquor is: sake or whiskey." She laughed harder at something Cameron said.
"What!" Todo, Nagakura, and the page yelled in unison.
"Umm, well, he told him to try a bigger weapon than his granny's walking stick. And he said that he should give his granny her night clothes back. To him a kimono looks like women's night clothes."
"Hah, like what he has on is any better."
"It's called a kilt and I would be careful I were you. It's almost as bad an idea to insult a clansman's colors as it is to insult his drink. I am also a member of clan Cameron you know," Nagakura could not tell if she was serious or not. Then she grinned, "But the boy is right, it is time to eat. Come on Cameron, finish up."
Both men were ignoring them. They were almost nose to nose, each straining against the other's weapon. They were both quite tired, but neither man was about to back off. They had both been reduced to muttering incoherent curses, neither having enough wind left to speak.
"Hmm, I guess they are not ready to call it a draw yet," she shrugged. "It is time to eat. I need to see what my Mistress wants."
Tetsu trailed after her. He had been hoping for a chance to talk to her alone, but he was not sure how to start, or even if he should. Then it occurred to him that she had given him a way.
"So, have you been a page to your Mistress for very long?"
She slowed down a little so he could catch up, "Page…hmm. I guess in some ways my duties are similar to yours. I have been with her for almost two years now. Mostly I am responsible for her safety. She is also teaching me."
"Teaching? What?"
"Oh, various things. Mostly how not to be young and foolish," she grinned briefly. "It must be the same with you. Was it the Vice-commander who taught you Latin?"
"No way! I learned a little from my father and brother. And some English too. Mister Hijikata would never show me anything interesting. He does not really even want me as his page. It is just: get me tea, sweep the training hall, feed the pigs, run his errands……." Tetsu stopped. It probably was not a good idea to complain about the Vice-commander.
"And do the laundry," she finished for him. "So your father and brother are members also?"
"My brother is. My parents have been dead for two years."
"I am sorry to hear that."
He shrugged, "It is alright."
"So what unit is your brother in?"
"None of them. He is a book keeper."
"Hmm, you sound as though you are embarrassed by that."
Tetsu felt his cheeks turn red, "Well no….it is just that….."
"It is just that having a sword and fighting is far more interesting. Like the Vice-commander."
"No! I do not want to be anything like him."
"I am sorry. I did not mean to pry. It just seemed a little odd to me."
"No that is all right."
They walked in silence for a few moments.
"So what seemed odd to you?"
"Well, I mean no offense, but the Vice-commander does not strike me as the type of man to take someone so young and untrained as a page. I would have expected someone with his own sword. Someone a little older, you know, fifteen or sixteen or so."
"I am fifteen! I can't help it if I am short!" Tetsu fumed.
"Oh! Please forgive me, I did not know."
She stopped and bowed to him to show that she really meant it.
"That's all right. It happens all the time. But you are right. I do not know why I am his page. I do not get to do anything interesting, just all those boring chores. I tried to become a spy, like that freak Yamazaki, but Mister Hijikata just yelled at me. He won't let me have a sword. He yelled at me when I asked. He even yelled at Mister Okita for sparring with me. But then Mister Harada said that it is not what you wear on your hip that counts, so it does not bother me so much any more."
"Really? He said that? That is quite correct," she was quiet a moment and then laughed softly.
"What is so funny?"
"Oh, nothing, just me. I am an idiot. As I said, I am supposed to be learning not to be foolish, but some days it seems that I have learned nothing. I have gotten your age wrong, misjudged Mister Harada, and maybe even the Vice-commander. I apologize. I do not like it when someone judges me solely on appearance and here I am doing just that. But if you do not mind my saying it, I think that you have also misjudged a little."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, as you describe them, the Vice-commander's actions suggest to me that he is protecting you. And I cannot see him doing that if he hated you."
"But he always yells."
"Well, that is just his way. He yells at Mister Okita too. Do you think he hates him?"
"No way!"
"So, there you go," she grinned. "But that pig, Saizo, he definitely does not like him."
Tetsu laughed, but then something occurred to him.
"So why is he protecting me?"
"I could not say. Maybe you should start by asking: who is he protecting you for? Did your brother get you this position?"
"No. He did not even want me to join."
"Was it your father then?"
"No. He died even before the Shinsengumi came to Kyoto."
"Well, it is quite the mystery you have there. If you do not mind me asking, what did your father do for a living?"
Tetsu shrugged. He was not really sure what his father had been up to all those times he was away.
"I am sorry. I did not mean to pry."
"No, that's not it."
She started walking again and Tetsu realized that he still had not been able to ask his questions. Mostly he had just answered hers. He started after her. Soon they reached her room.
She turned to face him, one hand draped over her sword hilt. Tetsu had seen Mister Nagakura and Mister Harada strike that pose many times. It looked really cool and casual, but he was coming to learn that it was anything but.
"So, what is it that you want to ask me? You are interested in more than just my page duties, aren't you?"
Tetsu felt his face go red, "Um, well….there is something. I am not really even sure but……" he took a deep breath, "Where did you learn to speak Japanese?"
"My previous Master was Japanese. He taught me," she paused a moment. "Oh, I see. I am sorry Tetsu, but I do not ever remember him mentioning any man named Ichimura to me. I do not think that he ever met your father. He must have learned his English somewhere else. The rest of the world is very large, you know. I am sorry."
"No, that is all right. Do want some help getting food?"
"Oh, no, I can manage. But you should get along, in case the Vice-commander wants something."
"Oh, right. Well, good evening."
"And to you also."
Evans was sitting with the Lady Jeanne. Tomoe entered and paused at the door, looking thoughtful.
"Was that the young Ichimura?" he asked.
"Yes. This place, it is full of interesting people with their own adventures. It is a strange thing to drop in midway through their stories and then have to leave without getting to see the ends of any of them."
"I asked about the English. He learned it from his brother and father. The father is dead, but the brother is a book keeper here. He does not know where his father learned English. He actually asked me if I might know where he learned. The older brother might know. Do you want me to ask?"
"Hmm, no. It is an interesting mystery, but I do not think it concerns us. I might look into it myself, just out of curiosity. Where is Cameron?"
"Oh, still at the training hall. Making friends. Can I get either of you some dinner?"
Evans nodded.
"M'lady?"
"Yes, please. Have you made any progress with Captain Saito?"
"No, I am afraid not. He has been out since late morning on an errand for the Vice-commander. I could just ask Mister Hijikata if he could order a meeting, but you said be discrete, right?"
"That is correct. Please keep trying."
"Yes, m'lady."
Saito was outside the kitchen, he had gone in to cadge some noodles from Miss Ayu. It was not his usual habit to beg for food outside of meal times like Harada, Todo, and Nagakura, but he had missed lunch and dinner running an errand for Vice-commander Hijikata.
He had been sent to an old mansion near the outskirts of the town to see what he could see with both physical and spiritual sight. That had not been much; the place had an aura around it that seemed to discourage the spirits that were usually so eager to speak to him. While he had not seen or heard anything of interest, it had been nice to spend some quiet time free from the whispers of the dead.
He was contemplating how to report this to the Vice-commander when a throat cleared behind him, "Captain Saito, Sir."
He turned and nodded politely to her, "Miss Cameron."
Then he resumed eating.
She waited until he was done. He had seen the incident with the tea first hand, but the woman waiting patiently for him had no air of mischief about her, nor could he sense the deadly force that had been present at their first meeting. Nothing gave him any indication of what her intentions were. Even the spirits were silent on the matter.
Finally, he decided to see what she wanted.
"Can I help you, Miss Cameron?"
"Perhaps. I was wondering if I could impose upon you a little. I had reported to my Mistress about you most interesting abilities. She has asked me to see it I could persuade you to come and meet her."
"That could be arranged."
"Well, she is not busy now. And you have finished eating. Your next patrol is not until tomorrow afternoon. Is that correct?"
"You are very well informed."
"Well, you know how it is. Some of us are just good at finding things out. That reminds me, we could also take this opportunity for you to tell us what you found out during your trip to the outskirts of Kyoto today. I am sure that Vice-commander Hijikata will give use a full and accurate account later, but it will also be useful to hear your version from your very unique perspective."
Just like that, he thought, I am trapped. But he had to admit, he was curious to meet the other foreigners and it would give him something more to report to the Vice-commander to make up for the poor showing at the mansion.
"Very well."
They walked to the rooms in silence. Tomoe opened the doors a little and spoke to the room's occupant. Then she opened the doors wider and gestured for Saito to enter.
"M'lady, I have brought Captain Saito."
"Very good."
She ushered him in and had him sit. The room was dimly lit; he could only just make out the pale features of the Lady Jeanne. It was unnerving how surely her sightless eyes seemed to focus on him.
Tomoe made introductions and inquired politely if he wanted any tea or food. She shifted easily into the role of page to her Lady.
Saito declined, "Will the others be joining us?"
"No. Mister Cameron has decided to spend some time with Captains Harada, Todo, and Nagakura. Mister Evans has another errand to occupy him. So, it is just the three of us. Is that all right? Do not worry. You will not come to any harm."
Saito could not tell if she was teasing him or not. He shrugged, "I am not worried."
"Very good. As a said earlier, my Mistress is most interested in your abilities. Do you mind if she asks you a few questions about them?"
"No."
Tomoe nodded to her Mistress.
"How long have you been able to speak with and see the dead?" Tomoe translated.
"Since I was very young. I cannot say how old I was."
"Who trained you?"
"No one."
The Lady's eyebrows raised in surprise when she heard his answer. She passed another question through Tomoe.
"Has anyone else in your family been able to do this?"
"Not that I know of. It is not something I was allowed to discuss."
"She says that it must have been hard for you. She is sorry to make you remember those difficult times."
He had not mentioned that it had been difficult for him, but she somehow knew.
"She wants you to describe how they come to you."
"I am not sure what you mean."
"I am sorry, I am not translating this well. It is hard because I do not have the Sight, so I do not really understand what she means myself. Just a moment please."
The two women had a short conversation.
"Mister Saito, umm, she wants to ask….. She thinks that this would go easier if…."
The woman halted her with a gesture. Then she raised both her hands and made as if she would place them on his face.
"I see. Tell her, she may touch me."
She smiled gently and placed her soft hands on either side of his face with her palms on his cheeks.
"Take a deep breath and relax," Tomoe said softly and moved away from them a little.
Up close he could see that her eyes were blue under their cauls. He could feel himself slipping into a trance as he matched his breathing to hers. After a few minutes a soft voice called to him. It sounded like most of the spirits that spoke with him, but he knew it was not.
Can you hear me?
"Yes."
You do not need to speak out loud. Let me show you.
I see.
That is good. Now, this will be much easier. Please show me how you See.
Soon he was so deep in rapport with her that he did not hear Tomoe leave the room.
This gift you have is a rarity among men. I am amazed at how well you bear its weight.
That is a great compliment, coming from you Mistress.
You are too kind. So, will you allow us to make use of your talents while we are here?
As much as I am able.
That is good. Tomorrow could you accompany Miss Cameron and Mister Evans to the temple where the recent murders occurred?
I think I will be allowed to do that. But what help could I possibly be? I think that their skills are more formidable than mine.
In some things perhaps, but not this. They both have great powers that help them defend and destroy, but we need information first. Your skills will help us determine what happened. If the spirits of the slain men have lingered, I would like you to find out how they were killed, the priest in particular. I warn you, it may not be a pleasant thing for you, so you may refuse if you wish.
I said I would help.
Brave man. Mister Evans will help you to prepare at the site and Miss Cameron will be there to defend against any attacks on your person.
I am capable of doing that myself.
I am well aware of that, Miss Cameron has told me that she has rarely met such a talented swordsman. For her to say that, you must be very skilled. However, while you are busy with this task, you may be distracted and unable to defend yourself. Also there is a chance that you may encounter something beyond your experience and you may need her help. Do not be fooled by her demeanor, she is more deadly than you can begin to imagine.
I am coming to learn that.
Yes, she mentioned that you were aware of her many lives. Not many can look upon that. But, I stray and we should not do this much longer. It can be very draining if you are not used to it. If you allow me, I will show you what I want you to look for.
Please, go ahead.
This requires a deeper rapport. I will show you.
She lead him down deeper into the trance, past a point where even words were needed. At some point his consciousness faded. When he awoke, she urged some tea and rice cakes on him. Tomoe was still not around, but she must have returned with the tea at some point. When he was finished and felt able to get up he bowed and said good night. In lieu of a spoken farewell she merely placed one of her soft hands on his cheek again. It was brief caress that spoke volumes.
Saito slid the doors shut and paused for a moment. As she had said, he was indeed very tired. It was now fully dark and quite late. He had not realized that he had been so long in conversation with her. There was a soft thump on the grass behind him. He turned around.
"You are quite fond of our roof tops."
Her teeth and eyes gleamed faintly in the moonlight, "The view is most interesting. Young Yamazaki came by to check up on us. I told him you were here. One would think that the Vice-commander does not trust us," she shrugged. "It is a good place to keep watch. And to do a little star gazing," she tilted her head back a little to look heavenwards. "Some of your stars are the same as those back home, and others are completely different," she brought her eyes back down to regard him soberly. "So, what do you think of my Mistress? Did she ask you if you would accompany us to the temple tomorrow?"
"Yes, she did. I think it will be possible."
"And the other?" she prompted after a moment. "I am most interested to know what you will be reporting to the Vice-commander," she was toying with her sword hilt in a casual manner, but Saito knew that the question was anything but. His life could very well depend on the answer.
"For whatever it is worth, I will recommend that we continue to assist you. Of course, whatever happens will be entirely up to Vice-commander Hijikata."
"Somehow I think your opinion carries some weight with him, so that is reassuring. As you know, we have been betrayed before. I will not allow any further harm to come to my companions, my Mistress in particular."
She was still regarding him steadily. Saito felt sweat trickle down between his shoulder blades. His Sight showed him another face behind hers, dark with menace. It passed swiftly, like a ripple fading on dark waters. All the while, spirit voices whispered warnings. The woman was dangerous. She would kill him if she thought he was a threat.
Be quiet, he ordered them. He did not need the very obvious pointed out to him. Sometimes he wondered why he put up with their intrusions. They were very seldom helpful but always very vocal. And most of the time they caused him to behave in a somewhat distracted manner that had earned him his reputation among the Shinsengumi as an odd loner.
He thought of the blind woman's offer to him at the end. Come with us. He could go into the world and see the things that he had only heard about as rumors. And more tempting, he could be among those who would accept him completely. He decided that it would be best not to mention that to the Vice-commander. He had declined, but Hijikata might see the offer as a threat. He was a great leader of men, but not in tune with more esoteric matters. Only an actual demon, rearing up to attack, would convince him that they were real.
She was still watching him, waiting for some further comment. Saito realized that he had not really answered her original question directly.
"She is deserving of your devotion and protection. While you are here, I will do my best to serve her also. You have my word on it."
"Really?" her eyebrows shot up. She had not expected this. "That is most remarkable. Won't that conflict a little with you other loyalties? Please do not get yourself into trouble because of us. You are already taking orders from one difficult master. I cannot see him sharing you with another."
"I do not think it will come to that. Now, if you will excuse me."
"Of course. Good evening, Captain," she bowed. When she straightened, another of the remarkable shifts in her demeanor had occurred. "And please give the Vice-commander my greetings. Tell him that it is a most unusual blend of tobacco he has chosen this evening. It has a hint of something very exotic and just a little illicit. Most unexpected for a man in his position."
Saito did not reply, but merely nodded and walked away. He felt as though he had just finished a close fight. It was that sense of relief and surprise at still being alive that made him feel a little light-headed. Fool, he thought, you are not done yet. This next conversation will be just as deadly.
The Vice-commander was waiting for him, indulging in his pipe. Saito took a deep breath, curious to see if he could determine what she had meant. He smelled nothing unusual. The woman either had a very keen nose or was just trying to cause trouble. He decided that both things were most likely true.
Enough, he thought, you need to concentrate now.
Hijikata was looking at him oddly. Then he waved Saito into his quarters.
The doors clicked shut behind them.
The Vice-commander went to his usual spot at his desk and gestured for Saito to take a seat.
"You were in there an awfully long time alone with her. I was starting to worry a little," he smiled thinly. "I thought I was going to have to rescue you from the clutches of a foreign woman. Imagine how that would have looked to your prospective future in-laws."
Saito sighed. Hijikata seemed to take a perverse pleasure in Saito's discomfort with that whole affair. The man really did deserve the title of demon sometimes. Saito decided that for once he would dole out a little discomfort of his own.
"I apologize that I kept you waiting so late. There was much to discuss and I knew that you would wish me to be thorough. By the way, Miss Cameron asked me to give you her regards and to compliment you on your choice of tobacco this evening."
Hijikata glared at him a moment. It was unlike Saito to respond to his jibes about the negotiations for his marriage.
"All right then, what exactly did you discuss? I thought that she did not speak Japanese."
"She speaks a little, and there are other forms of communication that do not require speech, Vice-commander."
Hijikata snorted in disbelief and gestured for Saito to continue.
"She confirmed what we had heard earlier. A good deal of the visit was spent discussing and assessing my abilities."
"Assessing?"
"Yes, to see if I will be useful to them as more than just a swordsman."
"And will you?"
"She seems to think so."
"And when they are done? What do you think? Are they what they say they are?"
"Yes. They are here chasing evil. When they are done, they will leave."
"Just like that?"
"Yes. They are only interested in those aspects of our affairs that concern their mission."
"Hmm," Hijikata knocked his pipe against the side of his ashtray. Embers hissed as they extinguished in the sand. "Was there anything else?"
"She asked if I would be available to assist in the investigation of the murders at the temple."
"As long as it does not interfere with your patrols, I will allow it."
"Yes, Sir."
"Good. Report to me when you return."
"Yes, Sir."
Hijikata looked at him over one shoulder, "Did she want anything else?"
"No, Sir."
Hijikata stared at Saito, his eyes narrowed. After what felt like an eternity, he looked away and Saito felt a sense of relief for the second time that evening.
"What about the men? Will this cause any trouble internally?"
"There are some rumblings, but they know you are acting under orders. Also, Okita has made it known that anyone who interferes with them will have to deal with him."
Hijikata snorted. Of course, Soji would do that, he thought. He just loves to take in strays. Pigs, brats, and now foreigners. Soji never changes. Too bad the rest of the world could not remain so constant.
"Very good. You are dismissed."
"Yes, Sir."
Once outside, Saito headed towards his quarters. He was not sure, but once or twice he thought he heard someone behind him or above him. But no voices whispered any warning and when he stopped to look, all he saw was the night sky, bright with stars.
End notes
Talisker is an exceptionally peppery whiskey. Spitting it out is a fairly common reaction among those who have not developed their palette.
