Chapter Text
“What is it, Chomei-kun?”
Chomei glanced up, startled. He had come down here expecting to be able to read his letters in solitude, safe from having to keep up the constant mask of calm confidence that was his best defense against the other students. He quickly relaxed. It was just Ariko. His Suzume friend was coming down the bank to the river flats and she had chosen to come down the steepest section, doing so at a little skipping run to keep her balance.
“What do you mean?” he asked, a little helplessly. Ariko was never content to let things be. Her sharp eyes caught even the smallest flash of emotion and, if you were her friend, she didn’t let it go until she was sure it wasn’t a problem she could help with. She often could, he had to admit. With her on his side, the rest of the school year had been so much better than his first few weeks. Oh, it had helped that his time with Jiromasu had all but caught him up to his age peers, and then the extra lessons had got him the rest of the way there. But having Ariko around had made things considerably easier as well. She rarely directly intervened when he was facing his tormentors - and he wouldn’t really have expected her to, not with her being younger, smaller, and Suzume, not Crane. But when she was around, she was a witness that caused some to hesitate and even when she was not an obvious presence, the number of times an instructor happened across those altercations and put an end to them had increased noticeably. And when there was no instructor, those involved had often found themselves the victims of ultimately harmless but embarrassing or perplexing accidents. The day that the three worst offenders all had to arrive at the morning’s training wearing bright orange hakama due to a washing mishap was particularly entertaining.
And possibly even more importantly, she was someone to talk to who could understand what it felt like to be a non-Crane at one of the premiere Crane schools in the country.
“What do I mean,” she scoffed. “You look like someone who is afraid the letter he is reading might eat him.”
He gave her a little smile. He was a little overset, he had to admit. “It is a letter from Jiromasu-sama.”
“Yes?”
“He writes to say that he asked my foster-family if he might have me come for a visit for a fortnight during the Summer Rest. My foster-family is to send someone to take me there and bring me back to them for the remainder of the Rest.”
Ariko looked at him, her head cocked and her eyes narrowed. “And?” she prompted.
Chomei snorted. Trust Ariko to immediately sense that there was more. “My sister’s letter also arrived today. She said that Father is leaving soon to join General Hashiga-sama, to journey to a summit in northern Chisana Basho.”
“That is where Joromasu-sama’s home is, isn’t it?” she asked, immediately catching why he was so unsettled. “Do you think it is on purpose so you can see your father?”
“I do not know,” Chomei said. “I do not know what to hope for more… that he learned of my father’s coming and saw the chance to do me a kindness… or that he was impressed enough by me as we travelled that he thought it worth inviting me to visit and that my father also being in the area is a blessing from the Fortunes.”
“It might be both,” Ariko suggested. “I can see why that letter affected you.”
“There is more,” Chomei said. He grinned. That had startled Ariko.
“More.” Her tone was flat and her eyebrows rose.
“More.” He paused, watching her face as he drew the silence out a little. When she started to twitch with impatience, he gave in. “Jiromasu-sama also said that he knew that you were to stay at the school over Summer Rest, as it was too far for you to see your parents. So he asked the school if you could come with me. They gave him permission to have you visit as well.”
“Jiromasu-sama invited me as well?” The fact that she needed to repeat it told Chomei that the news had truly surprised her. Ariko’s mind leapt to action the moment she learned of something, a remarkably Lion tendency in his Suzume friend. The adjustment didn’t take long, though. Ariko’s delighted smile lit her face. “Oh, Fortunes. Now I don’t know what I hope for most… that he is impressed enough by you to want to ensure your enjoyment of the visit by providing you with a familiar companion, or that what you’ve said about me has made him curious to meet me.”
“It might be both,” Chomei offered, then quickly dodged as she lashed out at him. “My Crane escort will already be on their way. We should probably pack.”
Ariko grinned at him. “This is going to be fun!” she said. Then she was off, scrambling up the bank on all fours. Chomei watched her climb the most difficult section of the bank as he folded up the letter and tucked it away. He glanced down the river a little, to where the grass sloped gently down to the river’s edge, then gave out a shout of jubilant laughter and went up the bank after her, also on all fours as he used grip on grass and earth to half-climb the steep slope.
***
Kagami reread the paragraph in front of her for the third time, then put down the scroll with a sigh as she realised she had still not understood the words. Her attention was not on her studies today, too wrapped up considering what the next few weeks were to hold. Hashi no Mura was to play host to a large contingent of Lion from the province to the North and Doji Uki was coming up from Kiri no Machi to meet with them. The entire town, it seemed, was in a state of agitation as the preparations were going on. Bureaucrat Bobu was in his element, helping organize the workers responsible for building the temporary tent-city that would host and house both delegations.
And they were to have guests at Yoriki House as well. Jiromasu had told them the night before that Chomei’s foster family had agreed to Chomei coming to visit. That in itself wasn’t responsible for how that news had increased her own levels of apprehension about the upcoming few weeks. Nor was the information that a friend of his, another Crane foster-child, this one from the minor Suzume clan, would be coming with him as well. The presence of the two children would not have been upsetting. Chomei had seemed to be a serious, polite child and Jiromasu reported that Chomei and his Suzume friend had gotten caught at no more than mild mischief at the school. No, her disquiet was being caused by the fact that an unknown Kakita would be joining them for that time, a member of Chomei’s foster-family who was to pick the two young samurai up from the school and bring them to Hashi no Mura. This Kakita would be staying with them as well. That was enough to raise her anxiety levels. She was sure it would be fine, even if they turned out to be someone that Kagami was not interested in spending much time with, but it would remove some of the comfort she found within Yoriki House’s walls. And she had secrets that she did not want a stranger finding out, secrets that would be harder to keep from their notice if they were living with her.
She watched as her little Water-kami did erratic laps of the room, its attention on something up near the ceiling that kept abruptly changing direction. It flowed around the leg of her writing table, the carved wood briefly completely surrounded by its aqueous form, its attention never leaving whatever it was watching so intently. Her lips twitched at its total focus. How often did she find herself watching its antics, and how often did people notice her abstraction? She didn’t know, and didn’t know how to ask, but she would have to remain vigilant to that tendency if they had a houseguest.
Jiromasu entered the common room, freshly bathed after an energetic sparring session with Nami. He was in high spirits; the same events that were unsettling Kagami were feeding his anticipation for the next few weeks and she smiled as his enthusiasm bled through the link they shared, raising her own spirits.
“Alright there, Kagami?” he asked, lips tipped up in a tiny smile.
“Yes,” she said, rolling up the scroll she was holding. She relaxed a little, letting herself believe that her cousin’s view of the future was the one that the Immortal Dragon of Void would provide them and taking joy in his pleasure. “When should we expect Chomei-kun and his entourage?”
“In a few more days,” Jiromasu said, sitting down beside her and reaching for the teapot. “They should be here just before the two delegations arrive.”
“I am glad that this is taking place in Chisana Basho,” Kagami said.
“It is always better to control the ground you do battle on,” Jiromasu agreed. He smiled as Kagami gave him a look. “It is to be a battle of words, Choshi-chan, but that does not change the fact that familiar territory gives one an advantage.”
“It isn’t exactly Kiri no Machi,” Kagami pointed out, swatting at him for using her childhood name.
“No, but the summit is being held on our illustrious Governor’s lands,” Jiromasu said, easily dodging her half-hearted blow.
“Am I going to be there the whole time?” Kagami asked. She was, of course, at Doji Uki’s disposal for whatever the Governor needed. And if she needed Kagami’s skills, or simply her symbolic presence, for the negotiations, Kagami would be there, doing her best to fulfil the expectations placed on her. But she was really hoping that her presence would only be needed during a few of the scheduled meetings. This level of politics was not where she felt comfortable.
Jiromasu’s smile had a knowing edge. “For the opening ceremony and the evening entertainments,” he said. “And perhaps for a few of the meetings, but not many. But I may ask you to help me with my tasks as well, if you are up to it.”
“Of course,” Kagami agreed immediately. If Jiromasu needed her help, it was his. “What do you need me to do?” She ignored the tight little twist in her gut as she waited to hear what he might want of her.
“My task is to keep the younger bushi entertained and out of trouble,” Jiromasu said, with a light laugh as he stepped forward to wrap an arm around her shoulders and drop a kiss onto the top of her head at her immediately agreeing to aid him. “We will be hosting a small tournament. Your presence would be helpful on many fronts.”
Kagami considered this. A tournament would give the younger, more martially-minded bushi something to focus on, hopefully keeping tensions low. Her presence as healer would, indeed, be helpful. And she was sure that there were other tasks that he would assign her. Even those that were uncomfortable would be within her ability; she trusted him not to give her more than she could successfully accomplish. The tense feeling in her stomach unravelled a little. “I am happy to help,” she said, leaning into his touch briefly before he released her and stepped away.
“Excellent,” Jiromasu said, smiling. “I am having Goro-san be one of the judges for the martial elements of the tournament. He may be of Chisana Basho, but he is neither a Crane, nor a Phoenix. He will be less likely to have his impartiality questioned by the Lion. Will you join Saito-sama in judging the poetry element?”
“Will my impartiality not be questioned?” she asked.
Jiromasu smiled. “You would not let Clan affiliation affect your appreciation of a poet’s words,” he said. “Anyone who might consider mentioning the possibility of such a bias will face either my blade or that of your fellow judge.”
Kagami, flattered by Jiromasu’s words and confidence, sat and listened as Jiromasu began to outline the various contests he had been devising. It sounded quite exciting, with elements that displayed a broad range of the skills that might be useful to a bushi, and each day paired together a martial skill and a courtly one. The participants would have the morning to prepare and then the physical contest would take place in the afternoon, while the social contest would take place during and after the evening meal.
“I would also ask your aid in another task,” Jiromasu said. He glanced at her a little apologetically. “I had not been given the honour of arranging this contest when I had organised to have Chomei-kun come and visit. I will do my best to uphold my duty to care for him and his Suzume friend, but when I cannot, can I ask you to ensure their safety and comfort?”
Kagami bit her lip. This was a task much less to her taste, but it would not be a great hardship, she was sure. There would be plenty to do and she had liked what she had seen of Chomei on his two brief visits. She looked over at him and gave him a small smile. “I am sure that I will appreciate the chance to get to know Chomei-kun and this Ariko-chan better. After all, how much trouble could they get into at Yoriki House?”
Jiromasu winced. “Kagami, why would you say something like that?” he asked, plaintively.
Kagami laughed. “You are right. I will take some time today to pray to the Fortune of Irony to apologise for my words.”
“It will be your fault if they somehow discover a portal to a cavern full of sleeping Naga,” he said.
“If they find a cavern full of sleeping Naga, I will be the one to answer to Jakla-sama,” she promised.
***
They were almost at Yoriki House, and Chomei had yet to make up his mind about the Kakita his foster-family had sent to escort him on his visit to Jiromasu-sama. Kakita Oguri was a handsome man of medium height and medium build in perhaps his late twenties. He did not appear to be resentful of his duty, indeed he seemed excited to be making the trip to Yoriki House, but his focus was on his destination, not his role as caretaker of the two young samurai. Oh, he fulfilled his duty, ensuring they were fed and that they all travelled in relative comfort, but his care was absent, more after-thought than primary goal, and he rarely spoke to them unless it was to discuss Jiromasu-sama, the Yoriki Five, or Yoriki House. On those topics, he had an insatiable curiosity and after the first few days of travel, Ariko and Chomei had learned how to scamper a little ways ahead while they were walking, close enough that it was easy for him to see them, but with enough distance that conversation was difficult.
They were seated at a hearth, waiting for the heimin to serve them dinner, and Oguri-sama had brought up Jiromasu’s companions again.
“You spent several days visiting with them,” Oguri said, looking over at Chomei. “What can you tell me of them?”
Chomei considered what to say. The man may just be curious, given that he was going to be staying with them for a fortnight, but his questions over the past few days had begun to raise an uncomfortable feeling deep inside the young Akodo. And while Chomei was fairly sure he did not know anything that would be considered harmful or compromising regarding Jiromasu-sama or his friends, still, the details the man was pushing for felt invasive somehow.
Maybe it was the etiquette training with Asahina Motohiro-sama or the political skills classes with Doji Masiko that were causing an alarm bell to chime deep in the back of his mind. Or maybe it was just that Chomei found the Kakita mildly grating, his tone dismissive when responding to any comments the two children made and his orders to the heimin coming without the quiet words of thanks that habitually accompanied Jiromasu’s acknowledgement of their service.
“I know more of Jiromasu-sama than the others,” Chomei said slowly as he tried to decide how to approach answering the man’s questions. “He is a talented swordsman and a fast, agile fighter. He is a good story-teller and understands people and he is an excellent teacher. He taught me enough while we travelled together that I was almost fully caught up when I returned to the school. And he likes a challenge. He fought his way through many opponents when we visited General Akodo Hashiga-sama’s encampment.
“And there is a Kuni that is part of Yoriki House, with a Daidoji yojimbo.”
Chomei nodded. Both the Kuni and the clan of his yojimbo had been a shock to come face to face with. “Kuni Goro-sama does not speak a great deal. And he is startling to look at. He has a disfigured face. One eye is normal. The other, the pupil is a line instead of a circle, the iris a golden yellow, and the rest of the eye is blood-red. The skin around it is also red, shiny and burnt-looking. He’s got a rough, growly voice.” He thought about his for a moment before continuing. “None of the others look worried or upset when he speaks abruptly, though, so maybe you get used to that. Daidoji Tetsunotaka-sama also doesn’t speak much. And he is big. Much taller than any other bushi I have met. When he is not training, he spends his time reading, watching Kuni Goro-sama or Asahina Kagami-sama, or folding origami. He is very good at origami.”
“And Asahina Kagami-sama?” Oguri asked, leaning forward.
“As small as Daidoji Tetsunotaka-sama is big,” Chomei said with a smile. “She is shorter even than I am. And very pale. I know that a lot of Crane dye their hair white like you do. Jiromasu-sama’s hair is white as well, but I think that Kagami-sama’s hair is naturally that colour. Her eyebrows are white as well, and her eyes are a bright blue-green.”
“And she is Ishiken,” Oguri said. “She went to the Isawa shugenja school.”
Chomei nodded. “She wears her Isawa mon with pride. And her clothing is a mix of Phoenix and Crane styling and colours. And I never saw her without her scroll satchel. She plays Go, but I don’t think very well, and she reads a lot. There are scrolls everywhere in Yoriki House.”
“What does she read?” Oguri asked.
Chomei blinked. Why would Oguri think he would know that? He had only been in company with her for four days in total. “I believe I saw her reading a book of poetry,” he said finally.
“And is she beautiful?”
Chomei threw a look at Ariko, who shrugged and carefully did not pull a face, though Chomei could see what it had cost the Suzume girl.
“I think she would be thought pretty rather than beautiful?” he said, a little uncertainly. “She is quiet. I only saw her at home, though, never dressed up for an event. She didn’t wear any cosmetics or face-paint while I was there, and she didn’t wear much in the way of jewellery, other than a necklace of carved and enameled metal.”
“And an accomplished shugenja.”
Here, Chomei was on firmer ground. “Yes,” he said, nodding. “She is a very talented shugenja. Jiromasu-sama spoke with great pride of her abilities. And she has a spell she uses that lets you see picture and hear sounds to go with a story someone is telling.”
“She is impressive enough to warrant two yojimbo,” Oguri said. “Her cousin and another Kakita. Kakita Nami-san? What can you tell me of her?”
“Uh…” Chomei threw his mind back to his visits to Yoriki House. He had not given the other Kakita a great deal of thought, too focused on the one who had been escorting him. “She likes Go? At least, she was playing against Kuni Goro-sama. And she’s as tall as Jiromasu-sama. And has a nice laugh.” Nami had been quick to laugh at the more entertaining portions of Jiromasu’s tales.
The interrogation continued for some time longer, until the food arrived. It had been a relief to move on from that topic to others for a while, but Chomei knew that they would return to it far sooner than he would be comfortable with.
Oguri was not an early riser, but Ariko and Chomei were still operating on the school’s strict schedule and rose with the sun. Chomei found this fact particularly useful. Unlike Jiromasu-sama, Oguri was not making use of this journey as a time for training his charge and so, other than perhaps a half-hour of practicing his kata, Oguri had not been enforcing any daily practice for the two students and was certainly not teaching them new techniques. So Chomei and Ariko had been making use of the hours before Oguri rose to practice together, first the Kakita forms that the school was teaching them, then swapping back and forth between Suzume and Lion techniques. Ariko had grumbled a little on the first day, reminding Chomei that it was the Summer Rest, but, especially after it became clear that Oguri was not really going to work with them at all and that there would be several hours of boredom before the Kakita rose from his beauty sleep, she acquiesed with good grace. By the time Oguri rose, the two of them had had time to work up a sweat and then cool down and clean up for breakfast.
“He seems really interested in Jiromasu-sama and the yoriki,” Ariko said, panting for breath as they paused in their practice. “Like… really interested.”
“They are becoming well-known,” Chomei said, wiping away a trickle of sweat that risked making its way into his eye. “And remember what Asahina Motohiro-sama said. Knowing about someone allows for you to tailor your questions and your responses to their tastes, to increase the chance of a positive response. Perhaps he is just trying to make sure he gives a good impression.”
“You’d think, as Kakita, he’d already have enough in common with Jiromasu-sama and Nami-sama,” Ariko said, setting herself into position for the next exchange. “His questions are usually about Jiromasu-sama and Kagami-sama, though. I wonder which of the cousins he most wants to impress.”
Chomei considered that as their wooden bokken clacked together as they both sought for advantage. He wasn’t sure. If anything, Oguri’s questions had centered more on Jiromasu-sama’s Ishiken cousin, but that did not mean his interest was necessarily in her. Even in the short time they had spent together, the bond between the two cousins was unmistakable. She had been sending him daily messages by Air-kami to stop him worrying about her, after all. He grinned, then missed a step as the memory of the insistent Air-kami interrupting Jiromasu-sama’s spar with Matsu Suni-sama jumped vividly to mind. He yelped as the moment of distraction gave Ariko the opening to have her bokken connect with his forearm. She immediately pulled back, looking a little taken-aback.
“What was that?” she asked.
He laughed ruefully. “I was distracted by memory.” He shook out his arm, wincing. That was going to bruise, and he had no one to blame but himself. “I was just thinking that it is hard to tell. It could be either or both.” He set himself. “Let’s try that again… and this time, I will not worry about Oguri-sama’s persistent questions and what they might mean. I doubt there is anything I could share that Jiromasu-sama would not be alright with him knowing. After all, he will be staying with them himself and will soon be able to observe it first-hand.”
They ran through the paired kata several more times and then finished for the morning. The heimin had provided them with a bucket of water to wash with and they quickly wiped the sweat from their bodies and then readjusted their clothing and attached their bokken back to their packs. From the muffled sounds from the house they had been sleeping in, Oguri was up and moving about, so Chomei also asked the heimin to bring them their breakfast.
They were soon on their way again, Chomei and Ariko running a little ahead to avoid having further questions leveled at them by the Kakita. It proved unnecessary, however, the man content with his own thoughts this day, though the evening brought further questions about Yoriki House, how it was set up and how it was run. He was uninterested in the various servants Chomei had met, and Chomei couldn’t help thinking that if Oguri was looking to give a positive impression to Jiromasu and his friends, that him completely discounting the heimin who kept Yoriki House running was unlikely to work in his favour. It wasn’t his job or his place to give the man advice, however. He was fairly unobjectionable, for a Crane, but he had not created a positive enough impression on Chomei for him to have any interest in putting himself in a situation that might be considered impertinant and end up with him being disciplined for it.
They would be at Yoriki House the next day, and Chomei was anticipating it on numerous fronts. He was interested to see how Jiromasu-sama responded to Oguri. And he was very much looking forward to seeing Jiromasu-sama again. He had treasured the letters from the man, his responses to Chomei’s dutifully provided reports on his progress, but there was only so much that could be put in a letter. And he very much wanted to know if he would have the chance to see his father as well.
He had a hard time falling asleep that night, laying awake long after Ariko’s breathing had evened out.