Alrighty… I know I told some of my reviewers that I'd post like two weeks ago… but my life is a little hectic right now, I am posting and working on getting more chapters edited so I can post them. To all my readers, thank you for putting up with me, YOU ROCK!!!!
Okay, I'll be easy and let you get straight to the chocolate filled, chocolate. (I'm craving candy, I haven't had any since Halloween…) Here's the chapter. Read, Review and please enjoy
Two days passed before Hiraru heard from Saito. In that time, Hiraru paid for her stay by helping out with the cleaning, repair work, and serving around the tea house. After that time a young police officer delivered a note to Hiraru. It said simply, Have information. Come to office to pick it up. In the matter of an hour she had pulled together a purple under-kimono, red main kimono with a white flower pattern, and sun yellow obi, with a violet shawl, not to mention her wig and a little make up. This time, as the rickshaw runner helped her out of the vehicle, she had her wig pulled into a half tail with a fancy white ribbon in it.
In Saito's office she sat in the single, wooden chair in front of his desk. Cho-san had let her in, and explained that 'Fujita-san' had been called in to speak with his superiors. Hiraru sat quietly for several moments, studying a map on Saito's wall. Then, bored, she stood and walked around the desk to the window. Out of it she could see the street in front of the police station, her rickshaw and its runner leaning against the wall opposite the station's front entrance. She smiled, wondering if Saito had watched her as she had climbed out of the vehicle both times.
"Enjoying the view?" Saito's cold voice brought her back to the room.
Smiling she turned to face him, "It is interesting, are you enjoying yours?"
Saito raised a brow. He closed his door as Hiraru walked back around his desk and sat down in the chair once again. He set his files on the desk before he leaned in front of it and spoke, "Your father was repeatedly shot by a group of men, while saving Sagara Sanosuke. His head was removed and taken to the courtyard in Kyoto, and his body was taken and buried in an unknown location. I do however have a list of every member of the regiment that attacked the Sekiho army. I underlined the still living members, and put a second line under the officers." Saito offered her a list.
Hiraru looked it over; there were at least twenty names with lines under them, ten of them with two lines. Saito wasn't finished yet, "I also had a list of their last known residences made. The officers are mostly still important to the government, so if you harm any of them I'll have to put you in jail."
Hiraru nodded, "I understand, and I have no intention of hurting anyone, Saito-san."
Saito snorted, "What exactly do you intend to do?"
Hiraru smiled, "I'm not sure, but I need to gain their trust, get them to give up their war stories, then I might be able to find out what I need to know. It might be as easy as finding out about the right party to attend, showing up and using my grandfather's name a little, or it might be more difficult, like visiting every officer's home."
Saito sighed, and picked up a third paper, "The colonel of the regiment is hosting a party, for his youngest son's twenty-first birthday. He's invited all of the men who served him during the time of the 'Sekiho Massacre' not to mention quite a few merchants, government officials, and police officers. The party is in two days; get yourself invited if you really want to meet all the officers at the same time." He handed her the paper, it contained everything about the party short of the table setting and an invitation.
Hiraru smiled, "I think I can manage that…"
Saito raised an eyebrow.
Hiraru gracefully glided out of the carriage, taking the hand of the attendant. Her wig hair was loose around her shoulders, an elegant pin keeping it to one side of that shoulder. She was dressed in the finest kimono Korin-san had owned; a light purple one with an interknit spring garden scene gracing it in different shades of purple, green and black. Her obi was dark blue with large flowers outlined in black, the under kimono was white, and she wore a green traveling skirt as though it where a fancy western skirt. The sleeveless, see through, gauze coat had silk ribbons forming a pattern along the edge and added to the short train that followed Hiraru. Korin had done Hiraru's make up, going as far as to paint her lips with western lipstick, and add color to her eyelids to make her eyes pop.
Hiraru slowly went up the steps of Colonel Ikeda Toshimi's mansion, being careful of her kimono hem, and giving the men at the door plenty of time to look her over. When she reached the top step, she folded her hands in front of her preparing to enter the front entrance. One of the men blocked her skillfully, "Excuse me, ma'am, are you on the list?"
Hiraru lifted her head and gave the man a look that said, 'I am not amused', "Excuse me?"
The man swallowed, "Are you on the list ma'am?"
"Unlikely," she said with a raise of her brow.
The man blinked in surprise, "Then I'm going to have to ask you to…"
Hiraru slapped him, "Impudent man, didn't you're mother teach you to let someone finish talking?" She did not wait for the now angry man's answer, "As I was saying, I won't be on your silly little list, since Ikeda-kun asked me to be here himself. Most likely because he was unsure if I could attend or not, he did not add my name. You, however, will allow me to enter."
The man's comrade raised an eyebrow, "What is your name ma'am?"
Hiraru raised her chin, looking up at him, "Kojima-Akira Hiraru, granddaughter of the Great Samurai Akira Tatsuo."
Both men's eyes widened.
"Now," she continued, "Are you going to let me in, or would you like to explain to your boss why I was not at his son's party, when I send a letter tomorrow?"
The first man bowed, "Excuse us Kojima-dono."
"We were not aware that someone of you're title would be here," the other man bowed as well, "Please do not tell Ikeda-dono we hindered you."
"We'll see how I feel about it later," Hiraru tossed some hair over her shoulder, and glided into the main hall.
An attendant immediately greeted her with a bow, and showed her the way to the room the party was being held in. The mansion was a western style house, with a large front hall that led to a grand ball room. Hiraru entered the doors and the attendant bowed again before leaving her as quickly as he'd come. Hiraru stood at the top of eight stairs. She held her head up and her back perfectly straight, as she let her gaze cross the room from one side to the other. It was easy to pick out the birthday boy; he was a tall, ugly young man in the center of a bunch of men the same age who were horsing around like ten-year-olds. As Hiraru made the assessment and continued to look around the room for his father and the other officers of the regiment, which was near impossible because none of them were in uniform, a hush fell over the room as the gathered people noticed the pretty young girl standing alone at the top of the entrance stairs.
Hiraru looked down at the stairs, picked up the edge of her Kimono and descended the steps as calmly as she could. When she arrived at the bottom, the birthday boy was standing directly in front of her. He scooped up her hand and bowed over it, his hand was hot and sweaty in his white glove but Hiraru smiled and bowed her head to him. "Milady," he spoke through his nose, "I thought I knew all the beautiful young women my father had invited to this party."
Hiraru hid part of her face behind the sleeve of her kimono, "Ikeda-san, perhaps your father wished to surprise you with another lady, and you are most flattering, I believe you've made me blush...." She looked at him coyly from the corner of her eyes.
"It only makes you even lovelier," he said, kissing her hand.
Hiraru turned her head more towards her shoulder, "You are too kind."
"You know my name, but I am at a disadvantage…" He dangled his sentence at her.
Hiraru pretended to take the bait, "A disadvantage, Ikeda-san?"
"I do not know yours," The buck toothed boy smiled.
Hiraru reclaimed her hand and folded it under her own, "I am called Hiraru."
His smiled widened, thinking he was gaining ground, "A lovely name for a lovely lady. Tell me, would you like to dance?" He indicated the music playing a European waltz.
"I'm afraid I've never danced to such music," Hiraru said with shy innocence.
"Then I shall have to teach you," Ikeda wrapped an arm around her waist and took the other one into his free one. He led her in a waltz. He was clumsy and kicked her in the toes several times. It took a great amount of ability on Hiraru's part not to out shine him, but to make him look like the better dancer.
When it ended, Hiraru was beyond grateful. She bowed to him. "Well Ikeda-san, I must say I've never had an experience like that," she said truthfully, not adding that she hoped she'd never have one like it again.
The fool smiled as though he were actually about to get a girlfriend, "Perhaps you would like to dance again? Maybe to something slower?"
Thankfully his father showed up at that moment, "Takashie, who is this lovely lady that you seem to have attached to your arm?"
Hiraru took a step away from Takashie, and bowed to Colonel Ikeda Toshimi. "Ikeda-sama, Please allow me to introduce myself, I am Kojima-Akira Hiraru."
"Wait" Ikeda the younger said, "You said my father invited you."
"Excuse me, Ikeda-san, but I said no such thing," Hiraru ducked her head, "You did. I was invited by another guest."
"I'm sorry, what?" Toshimi asked.
Hiraru smiled, "I am here on behalf of my grandfather, for business. The man I was seeing this afternoon said that a young lady, such as myself, shouldn't spend her Friday alone in a plain hotel. Then he invited me to this party, and how kind of him, I've never been to a western style party."
Toshimi tilted his head to one side, "Who was it that invited you, Kajima-Akira-san?"
"Oh, the head of the national estates and private property bureau…what was his name…" Hiraru placed a finger to her lip, pretending to try to remember his name.
"You must be referring to Mister Hidiekai Asusmi," Takashie supplied for her, "I saw him enter about five minutes before her…"
"Forgive me, Kajima-Akira-san, but why is a young woman dealing with her grandfather's affairs of state?" Toshimi asked, "Do you have no father? Brothers?"
Hiraru took on her practiced distant look, "My father died before the government he saw such promise in managed to take hold. I do have brothers, but the only two old enough to care for such matters have their own families and estates to care for. My eldest brother attends to his own estate, which was once my father's, and my other brother has decided to become a merchant, and was unable to come." She smiled politely, "My grandfather's titles and land are to go to my youngest bother, but he is not yet twelve, therefore I am caring for them until he comes of age. I assure you I am quite capable of taking care of my grandfather's estate, and this afternoon I was a very shrewd negotiator." She squinted down her nose in good humor.
Toshimi smiled, "I see," He took her hand leading her off the dance floor and leaving his son to look for a new dance partner. "You have not told me who your grandfather, or father, is. What would be their names?"
"My father was a low samurai by the name of Kojima Shiro," Hiraru told him, "and my grandfather's name is Akira Tatsuo." She did not add his title or any more information playing the part of a 'partly air-headed heiress'. "I took my family name from both of them," she continued to explain.
"Akira Tatsou…. Akira Tatsou…" Toshimi was tapping his chin, "The only Akira Tatsou I can think of, would be Akira Tatsou the samurai who protected the emperor thirty years ago. I believe his nick-name was Dawn Dragon?"
Hiraru smiled, "Yes, because he woke early, 'with a roar to the dawn'. My grandfather's friends tell me the stories, every time they visit." She rolled her eyes. "He used to tell them that my grandmother was the princess he'd stolen," she shook her head, "They were like newlyweds. It was sickening."
Toshimi chuckled, "I could not imagine one of the great samurai acting like a newlywed, especially the Dawn Dragon."
"Don't remind me…" Hiraru rolled her eyes again.
"What were you and Hidiekai Asusmi negotiating this afternoon?" Toshimi asked; Hiraru had been wondering when he was going to get to that.
"Oh, the ownership of my grandfather's land was coming under question. After all, it was given to him by the last government. Apparently it took this long for it to come up," Hiraru shrugged, and took a sip of the champagne Toshimi had given her.
"I see, what happened?" Toshimi asked.
"I explained how all the people adore my family and seek our well being. Every year they come to the shrine and pray for our long lives, they give us free food, not out of owed taxes, and how my grandfather hardly ever even intervenes in the town's governing, which is really what the minister wanted to hear." Hiraru looked at Toshimi from the corners of her eyes, "After that I did a little bit of wheeling and dealing, the way my older brother taught me, and I got him to let my family keep the land awarded to my grandfather as long as we give twenty-five percent of the taxes to the government each year and take a government official into our family home to evaluate us every year."
"Not bad…normally they'd make you give up everything…" Toshimi rubbed his chin.
"Well we do support a major shrine, and historical land, not to mention the royal and historical people buried at the shrine…" Hiraru put her finger to her chin.
"Tell me, how much land does your grandfather hold?" Toshimi was watching her carefully.
Hiraru put a hand on the side of her face, "Well…according to the certificate, my grandfather was given the equivalent of about three hundred American acres, but grandfather did give twenty acres to mother as a wedding present, that added to father's twenty acres, but then again the acreage is only counted horizontally, so all the land of the mountain isn't really counted…" Toshimi's jaw had dropped quite a while ago, "Ikeda-sama? Are you alright?" Hiraru asked him innocently.
Toshimi coughed, "Fine, Akira-san. Please, I would be honored if you would sit with me at dinner."
Hiraru bowed her head, "Of course, Ikeda-sama." At that moment an attendant appeared at the top of the steps and called for dinner.
(This is one of those oh shit moments) Hiraru is in the wolves' den, and she only has Saito who knows were she is… That's proably not reassuring for most people… You know, being in a wolves' den and only having a wolf as your back up…
Well the more reviews I get the more likely I am to post quickly, so thanks to all of you who sent me fav-story alerts, you make me feel special. To those of you who actually sent me reviews, I'm posting thanks to you guys.
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