Kaoru on Call
Chapter Four: Why She Was Chosen
-Note-
No summary this chapter! MWAHA! School starts tomorrow for me, so I decided to do another chapter before I have to go back to homework. So enjoy! Oh, by the way, locations, history, and things about Japan in here are real facts, so you are basically learning about Japan as you read this story!
Lady Aikoku sat down beside her husband, and rejected the tea when the servant attempted to set her cup and utensils down. Her deep brown eyes scanned over Kaoru as if scanning over the young girl for flaws, and her gazed stopped on the purple yukata.
"Ms. Kamiya, that yukata you were looks vaguely familiar. Who made it for you?"
Once again, Kaoru found herself in an embarrassing situation. Luckily, Yamanote spoke for her.
"Dearest, Toppi-"
"Silence! If I wanted your input I would have asked for it." Aikoku snapped, quickly silencing her husband.
Kaoru was taken aback, any wife that dared raise her voice to her husband would typically have been killed on the spot by him, if not commanded to commit suicide. Sheepishly, Yamanote withdrew and let Kaoru speak.
"Toppi accidentally ripped my own when I arrived, and Kitano let my use this one until mine was mended."
The kimono clad woman lifted a perfectly groomed eyebrow then let it drop back down it it's original position.
"I see. Take care and try not to spoil it, for my mother gave that to me as a wedding gift before I left for Arashiyama."
Yamanote chuckled nervously and reached out to touch his wife's hand, his hand touched cold wood.
"Touch me without permission and lose your limbs by whatever means I see fit."
Afraid of an accidental bump by some freak of nature, Kaoru removed her hands from the table and placed them in her lap. Once again, he was forced back into his seat while his spouse spoke.
"Ms. Kamiya, if you wish, you may share quarters with me. Mine are too large for my taste and some company would be pleasant change."
"Um, love, if I may, I need to speak with Ms. Kamiya on the means in which she was summoned here."
This time, she simply nodded and stood up with the long sleeves of her kimono cascading down her sides from her lap. She paused before exiting the room and turned to Kaoru.
"I expect you to my quarters no later than six. If you come up one minute later, you will have to find a sleeping place else where."
"Yes ma'am, of course." Kaoru said nervously, standing to bow before Aikoku left the room.
When her soft footsteps were inaudible, Yamanote took a swig of his tea before speaking.
"Now, I know you know of the ninja assassin, but you don't know exactly why I wanted you for this job."
Kaoru shook her head, her eyes large and attentive as she processed every detail.
"You are very quick to be a woman, and your swordsmanship style requires no killing. I trust you didn't bring a weapon with you?"
"No, sir. I didn't bring anything with me but my clothes and a few other items." Kaoru lied, keeping her gaze on the brown liquid in her cup.
"You may use any weapon you see fit, as long as you don't kill the culprit."
Kaoru looked at Yamanote with a question burning in her eyes.
"I don't understand, you hired me because you don't want the assassin dead?"
"Precisely."
"But...Why don't you want them dead? Their trying to take your life are they not? Most would want their attempted murders six feet under!"
Kaoru clapped a hand over her mouth and ceased raising her voice when Yamanote stood and went to the window.
"You will find, Ms. Kamiya, that I am not like most government officials. I don't want every possible threat to me eliminated. I want to be able to see my enemy, face to face...Man to man.."
To the girl behind him, the pieces just weren't fitting together.
"You don't want your enemies slain because you want to kill the yourself?"
"I like a good challenge, Ms. Kamiya. I like to destroy my enemies personally....By my own hands. You see, if I wanted all threats to me eliminated, I would have killed Aikoku eleven years ago."
"What?!" Kaoru gasped, standing up from the table so abruptly that her chair fell to the floor.
Yamanote chuckled and walked back to the table and leaned against it.
"After Aikoku miscarried our first and only child, she began to blame it on me. She said that it was because my seed was that of a Westerner and not a true Japanese. That is why she hates me now."
Kaoru was beginning to wonder why he was confiding in her and she hadn't even know him a whole day. She turned to him, and tried to change the subject.
"So, what is it that you want me to do when I manage to get the assassin?"
"If my wife acts like she is trying to get her revenge on our lost child, kill her immediately."
She stood up and furious.
"Mr. Kinoshita Yamanote! My swordsmanship style is that that helps people-"
"Exactly, you will be helping me by destroying my wife.
Kaoru started to leave the room when Yamanote grabbed her by the arm.
"I mean it, Ms. Kamiya. You may believe killing is wrong, but I know that the Kamiya Dojo is in serious debt. If you fail this mission, I will have my workers take my fortune and seize the dojo, leaving you and the Battousai homeless. Am I understood?"
She couldn't be intimidated, she just couldn't. Kaoru nodded and Yamanote released her and smiled like nothing had happened between them.
"Ok, I shall see you in the morning."
He left Kaoru in the room, her entire being too shaken to move her body.
............................................................................................................................................................
Aikoku came into the room several minutes later, changed into a teal colored sleeping yukata.
"Ms. Kamiya, it is three minutes till six..."
"I know, I know Lady Aikoku. I was coming-"
"Call me Aikoku."
Giving up on speaking to the elder woman, she allowed Aikoku to lead her up to her room. The two of them walked the halls in silence, then they came to an elegantly designed shoji screen. Aikoku pulled it back, and for the fourth time that day, Kaoru was amazed.
The room was simple, yet extremely beautiful. The floors were dark and smooth, satin pillows were arranged around a fire in the middle of the room, and several kimonos stood on stands against the northern wall. A woman wearing a simple green kimono stepped forward from behind a screen wielding a bamboo tray with tea, and from Kaoru's since of smell, it was matcha[1]. The woman bowed, then disappeared behind the screen again. Aikoku sat the tea down and tied her sleeve back with the strip of cloth the woman servant had brought.
"Please sit down Ms. Kamiya."
Kaoru stepped forward and sat on the mat in front of Aikoku.
"Please, call me Kaoru.."
With an acknowledgement of her silence, Aikoku scooped some powdered matcha into the cup and poured the steaming water over it. She whisked it and handed it to Kaoru who looked at her in confusion.
"Isn't this only used in tea ceremonies?"
"Yes, but you are a guest, so feel free to drink as you wish."
Kaoru held the small bowl in her right hand and placed it in the palm of her left. She turned it clockwise about ninety degrees and raised it to her mouth with both hands, then emptied it in three gulps.
"Do you know who replaced the original Japanese tea utensils with these you see here?" Aikoku asked, pointing to the utensils on the tray.
Kaoru nodded and sat her cup down.
"Wasn't his name Sen no Rikyu?"
"Yes, it was. He was born in 1522, then when he grew older became a student of Shuko and an adviser to the warlord Hideyoshi. He was the very one that formalized the tea ritual by replacing the native tea utensils with Chinese ones. His descendents continued this, and it resulted in two schools of tea; Omote Senke and Ura Senke."
Kaoru's blue eyes widened at Aikoku's knowledge, and sat listening attentively as she continued.
"You must get some rest, Kaoru. Tomorrow, we travel to the Rinzai-sect temple of Tenryu-ji."
The elder woman handed Kaoru a yukata, and pulled out the things so she could prepare herself a futon. When everything was set up, Kaoru rolled over an tapped Aikoku on the shoulder.
"Tell me about Tenryu-ji Temple."
With a sigh, Aikoku started her story.
"Tenryu-ji was founded by the first Ashikaga shogun, Takauji, in 1339. The gardens there are serene and still intact. The pond is shaped like the Chinese character kokoro, which means enlightened...heart."
Kaoru's breathing was calm and even with sleep. She had fallen asleep to the smooth lulling of Aikoku's voice, making the older woman's mouth rise up in a slight smile. She pulled the blanket up to her chin, and closed her eyes to drift off to sleep like the young girl beside her.
END! Well, how do you like Lady Aikoku? You may think she's a witch, but just wait!
[1] Matcha- a high grade of tea used in tea ceremonies or when a special guest is present.