Read Online Heart of the Ronin by Travis Heermann - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Travis Heermann
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walk and we never get anywhere. At least the rain has stopped, I suppose.”
“I think it is exciting! The world is such a big place, and until we went on this journey, I had only ever seen my father’s house.”
Hatsumi sighed and folded her hands in her lap. “The world is so big that a person could get lost in it.” She shuddered. “It’s frightening! I miss home. I wish we were there.”
“Everything is still too new and interesting for me to miss home. Perhaps if we were on a much longer journey I would begin to miss it. It’s just so exciting! Haven’t you enjoyed yourself at all?”
“Lord Tsunetomo’s garden was quite nice. Very beautiful and quiet.”
“And the cherry trees! They were wonderful! Everything was so wonderful! I could have wept for the beauty.”
“Wet sleeves are always fashionable for young ladies. It helps to attract husbands, so they say in the court.”
“But I’m not a weepy court maiden, Hatsumi,” Kazuko said with a wry smile.
“No, you are a princess of bumpkins, and sometimes you think you are a man,” Hatsumi said with an innocent expression.
Kazuko gasped and slapped Hatsumi’s leg affectionately. “I cannot help if Father’s estate is so far from anywhere important. I’m sure you would rather be the servant of some court concubine, someone with a more wealthy family, or higher standing?”
“Only if you were there, Kazuko. You know I could never leave you.”
“And I also cannot help that Father had no other children.”
“Sometimes he thinks you are a boy. But one thing is certain. Lord Tsunetomo did not think you were a boy.”
Kazuko’s mouth fell open, and she feigned ignorance. “What do you mean?”
Hatsumi giggled. “I noticed him looking at you like a hungry tiger.”
Kazuko felt herself blushing. “Yes, so did I. I . . . I didn’t like it.”
“Do you suppose your father is trying to find a husband for you?”
Kazuko shook her head vigorously. “Don’t be foolish.”
“ You are the foolish one. You are old enough to be married now. You should start paying attention to such things. Why do you think Madame Hayako has been tutoring you in the ways of being a lady? Before you know it, you will be too old to find a husband, like me.”
Kazuko protested, “But you’re not too old! You’ll find a husband someday!”
Hatsumi sighed wistfully. “I hope so, but I’m sure you’ll be married long before me. No man ever notices me when you are nearby.”
“I will talk to Father about matching you with one of his men.”
Hatsumi smiled. “So you want to be my matchmaker, eh? Very well, you can be my matchmaker.”
“Oh, it will be so much fun! And I’ll be sure to find you a strong, handsome husband!”
Hatsumi patted Kazuko’s hand. “I’m sure you will, Kazuko. And don’t forget, he must be rich.”
Kazuko giggled and looked back outside through her small opening in the flap at the bushi guarding the palanquin. “I do not know if any of these men are married.”
“Captain Mitsubashi is quite handsome.”
Kazuko leaned back out of view as the yojimbo she had been watching, a man named Harata, turned to glance at her as if he had heard part of the conversation. Her ears grew hot with a flush. Then she said, “Why do you think Lord Tsunetomo never married?”
“I heard that he was married once, long ago, but his wife died from a fever.”
“Oh, that’s terrible, but why did he not get married again? He is too old now. He is near retirement age. So unfortunate that a man of his status has no children.”
“I do not—” Hatsumi was cut off by a sharp scream of pain from outside. The palanquin lurched. Hatsumi nearly fell out of it as the front corner fell to the ground.
Kazuko heard the shouts of her bodyguards and other shouts from farther away, along with a few vulgar taunts.
The palanquin lurched again and fell to the ground as if all eight bearers had dropped it together.
A chorus of more screams, in
“I think it is exciting! The world is such a big place, and until we went on this journey, I had only ever seen my father’s house.”
Hatsumi sighed and folded her hands in her lap. “The world is so big that a person could get lost in it.” She shuddered. “It’s frightening! I miss home. I wish we were there.”
“Everything is still too new and interesting for me to miss home. Perhaps if we were on a much longer journey I would begin to miss it. It’s just so exciting! Haven’t you enjoyed yourself at all?”
“Lord Tsunetomo’s garden was quite nice. Very beautiful and quiet.”
“And the cherry trees! They were wonderful! Everything was so wonderful! I could have wept for the beauty.”
“Wet sleeves are always fashionable for young ladies. It helps to attract husbands, so they say in the court.”
“But I’m not a weepy court maiden, Hatsumi,” Kazuko said with a wry smile.
“No, you are a princess of bumpkins, and sometimes you think you are a man,” Hatsumi said with an innocent expression.
Kazuko gasped and slapped Hatsumi’s leg affectionately. “I cannot help if Father’s estate is so far from anywhere important. I’m sure you would rather be the servant of some court concubine, someone with a more wealthy family, or higher standing?”
“Only if you were there, Kazuko. You know I could never leave you.”
“And I also cannot help that Father had no other children.”
“Sometimes he thinks you are a boy. But one thing is certain. Lord Tsunetomo did not think you were a boy.”
Kazuko’s mouth fell open, and she feigned ignorance. “What do you mean?”
Hatsumi giggled. “I noticed him looking at you like a hungry tiger.”
Kazuko felt herself blushing. “Yes, so did I. I . . . I didn’t like it.”
“Do you suppose your father is trying to find a husband for you?”
Kazuko shook her head vigorously. “Don’t be foolish.”
“ You are the foolish one. You are old enough to be married now. You should start paying attention to such things. Why do you think Madame Hayako has been tutoring you in the ways of being a lady? Before you know it, you will be too old to find a husband, like me.”
Kazuko protested, “But you’re not too old! You’ll find a husband someday!”
Hatsumi sighed wistfully. “I hope so, but I’m sure you’ll be married long before me. No man ever notices me when you are nearby.”
“I will talk to Father about matching you with one of his men.”
Hatsumi smiled. “So you want to be my matchmaker, eh? Very well, you can be my matchmaker.”
“Oh, it will be so much fun! And I’ll be sure to find you a strong, handsome husband!”
Hatsumi patted Kazuko’s hand. “I’m sure you will, Kazuko. And don’t forget, he must be rich.”
Kazuko giggled and looked back outside through her small opening in the flap at the bushi guarding the palanquin. “I do not know if any of these men are married.”
“Captain Mitsubashi is quite handsome.”
Kazuko leaned back out of view as the yojimbo she had been watching, a man named Harata, turned to glance at her as if he had heard part of the conversation. Her ears grew hot with a flush. Then she said, “Why do you think Lord Tsunetomo never married?”
“I heard that he was married once, long ago, but his wife died from a fever.”
“Oh, that’s terrible, but why did he not get married again? He is too old now. He is near retirement age. So unfortunate that a man of his status has no children.”
“I do not—” Hatsumi was cut off by a sharp scream of pain from outside. The palanquin lurched. Hatsumi nearly fell out of it as the front corner fell to the ground.
Kazuko heard the shouts of her bodyguards and other shouts from farther away, along with a few vulgar taunts.
The palanquin lurched again and fell to the ground as if all eight bearers had dropped it together.
A chorus of more screams, in
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