of the first
In the beginning, there was a brave boy and a gleaming blade in the heavens.
And drawn to its radiance, he rose ever higher
With it, he conquered summer sun and winter moon.
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"Hiko, oi Hiko-sama!"
The boy looked up from his calligraphy. The arch of his brow and the low curl of his lip screamed annoyance. His eyes however betrayed him.
"What! Part with one or the other girl. Well, what is it? Can't you see? I'm busy!"
"I've got something! Something just for you."
"And what would that be eh? Another fat toad you've caught at the high pools or maybe a little cat you stole off of the washer woman?"
He stopped, as he saw her face fall, though only for a second.
I was right! You do have a cat in your room.
The girl, no "young lady," amused him to no end, though he would never admit it, usually not even to himself. She was hardly a "lady" and her father, his sensei, often said that taming her was the one challenge he could never quite match up to.
"No!" she paused, seeming to consider sticking out her tongue at him," I have something that you want, no need. That you've been pining away like the armorer's widow for." She grinned broadly.
"I have," she stopped, her hands plunging into her obi, "here", she paused again, an impish grin tickling her cheeks "a letter. A letter from the lord, master Tanaka!" Her roundish face shone with glee—eyes tucked beneath smooth folds of skin as the grin broadened further. Hiko swept up to his feet.
The brush clattered onto the little bowl, specking black its already spotted golden-gray surface. His face tightened. The girl, considered tall by many, stood only at his shoulder. In a moment he was at her side.
Hiko nimbly brushed the letter off of her hands before she could tuck it into the folds of her juban and walked off with a satisfied smile.
"All you had to do was ask" she whined.
He could almost see her pouting, but didn't look back.
"Well, you are most welcome!" she added in annoyance as he ignored her completely, walking out of his large chambers with long strides.
Hiko noted that the high candles had been lit along the hallway, though little light still peeked in through the slits in the awning. He had so far found little to complain about the servants of the inner palace. His grip around the rolled and bound parchment tightened.
I think I'm doing a good enough job of being "lord" in your place tou-san. Don't you?
"Hiko. Hiko."
"Aa, kaa-san. Would you want something of me?"
"I gave Miatoki that lett—" she stopped as he held up the scroll. With a nod she returned to her chamber and the door creaked shut.
He stood for a second as he heard muffled coughing, hers, from behind the doorway.
Maybe it's the cat. She does seem to be getting worse.
His tabi clicked loudly in the long stone passage. But not louder than his thoughts.
I pray that the imbeciles have fed Kirsha today, Kami help me if I do something I'll regret tomorrow.
The hall ended in low luminescence from the rice-paperpanels. The empty meeting hall on the other end was bathed in all the light the afternoon afforded.
To the left the passage declined into a smooth low cut staircase. The attendants' quarters were on these lower levels.
To the right the hallway sloped wider and higher. Farther ahead the double doors led onto the high meadow—the northwestern barracks, the captains', the practice hall and "battle-ground" and his sensei's lodgings.
Hiko stepped out onto the packed dirt path, the cool wind swirling around his long loose sleeves. The meadow stretched before him, smooth, green, and level before it dipped abruptly down the hill. The stone wall, below, in the distance, hugged the huge compound like a great gray-green—mossed up snake. Hiko passed by the buildings, nodding to the members of his saburai as they hurried along the pathway from the stone staircase that led up the hillock.
He followed the deepening shadow like it was his path.
The sentry ward rose tall and secular right ahead. The low sun in the horizon cast its long shadow across the plain. Like a pike embedded in the rise by lord Hachiman to stand in attendance to Amaterasu as she descended the many crags of the sky each day. The rough layering of the first wall lay ahead.
Hiko climbed the stone hewn high stairs. He noted the two guards lounging in the parapet, others stood in various postures of ease along the west guard-tower. He entered, unnoticed, into the tiny aviary.
The flutter of wings died down soon, replaced by low contended titters. He stooped low, crossing the dropping strewn enclosure. The door ahead creaked open then shut.
Hiko streched his back, the roof was far higher here.
He looked through the large barred window in front of him. The sun would not be with them much longer. The room rose high and circular, decked with flats and perches. The floor was clean apart from a few cracked bird-bones nearly stripped of flesh.
"Kirrr-shah! Kirr—" he intoned, breaking into a low smooth whistle.
There was a swooshing flapping overhead. A huge bird—a gyrfalcon, though young, landed on the inner sill of the window. Its large circular amber eyes fixed on Hiko as its head moved back and forth. The bird settled completely as he reached forward slowly, stroking the gray-brown downy plumage on the folds of its neck with two large fingers. It nestled the tip of its beak against his thumb.
In a few minutes Hiko exited the aviary, Kirsha perched on the leather pad strapped onto his shoulder. He removed the bird's blinds as soon as the two were back in the wind and the light. They made their way onto the rampart.
The men stood in attention, bowing low as Hiko approached.
"Tanaka-san, good afternoon!"
Hiko nodded, realizing instantly the men didn't particularly want to be in attendance of the sharp-eyed bird or his sharp-eyed master. He passed by them without another word settled on the stone cropped outliers.
Swinging out his legs over the edge, he let loose the bird and slowly unfolded the letter.
The black brush-strokes were shades of dark green in the red-orange glow. A strong shrill cry pierced his thoughts. Hiko smiled. The sound fell slightly, never dulling, as Kirsha alighted the heights, having stretched his magnificent snowstorm wings.
Hiko's eyes wandered back between his hands. He began..
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Yes, this is indeed a very different Hiko. Well, the introduction to the stories, winded and long drawn as they were, are finally complete.
Actual chapters will have both time and place to them, fear not.
Note on the bird: A Gyrfalcon is one of the largest species of falcon. It is depicted as a "king's bird" and is VERY rare in Japan. Both points have context to the story.
A big thanks to lolo popoki for her beta work.
"heavier" Japanese terms:
saburai: literally, those who serve, they are the forefathers of the samurai-class.
juban: a casual kimono, usually worn beneath the more ornate kimono types. Used as housewear in the past.
Amaterasu: The "sun goddess" and the omi-kami(prime goddess) of the early shinto sect.
Hachiman: The "war god."