Read Online The Samurai's Garden by Patricia Kiyono - Free Book Online
Authors: Patricia Kiyono
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he knew would follow.
"I wondered about the noises I heard coming from this room when you weren't home. But you have not come here during the day before now. What caused you to abandon your duties today?"
Hiro's heart held to a thread of hope. Was it possible that his warrior father understood? He struggled to find his voice. "F-forgive me, otousan . She â she seems ill. She is not eating."
Otousan said nothing, but one brow raised. He held out his hand and waited.
Dutifully, Hiro handed over the kitten, though his hands trembled, and he feared he might drop her. Otousan took the tiny bundle in his large hands and examined her closely. "It appears she has a cold. See, her eyes are watering, and her breathing seems labored. Let's see if we can help her." He turned and strode to the ofuro , the bath area, with Hiro following closely on his heels.
In the hot, steamy room, otousan lay the kitten on a soft, clean towel. Gradually, the kitten settled in, her breathing calmed. Hiro's anxiety also eased as he realized she was going to be all right.
Father and son brought the pet back to Hiro's room to rest. "You should bring her back to the ofuro three or four times each day to clear out her lungs." He turned a stern eye toward his son. "Of course you will do this in between your chores and lessons." Hiro nodded in understanding. "And now that she is resting comfortably, you can return to polishing this armor properly."
Hiro bowed low, thanking the gods he would not be punished today. "Yes, Otousan . I will polish until it gleams."
The beloved pet had lived until her master left for the university, and Hiro never forgot his father's compassion that day. He had learned it was possible to be both a fierce samurai and to have a tender heart. And he realized that strength used to care for a weaker being showed a greater nobility than strength used to take from those who could not fight back.
****
Now, Hiro leveled a steady look at his friend. "Hanako would make a fine samurai wife. I would be honored if she agreed."
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Chapter Six
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"Ginjiro and I would like to build a house for you."
Hanako nearly dropped her rice ball. "Build a house? Why?"
"Consider it payment for our room and board. Or a payment for you teaching us these new skills and profession. Orâ¦" He leaned toward her and lowered his voice, eliciting a chill in her spine, "â¦consider it an early wedding gift."
Heat flooded her cheeks at the mention of a wedding â their wedding. She cast a quick glance at Ginjiro, who lay snoring under another tree. The three had taken a lunch break from their farm work. She and Hiro hadn't really discussed marriage. He had not brought it up since the day he had first dropped the suggestion, and she had wondered if he had regretted the impulsive offer. But she wasn't ready to discuss it now. She tried another line of questions.
"What would happen to the house I have now?"
"You could tear it down â or perhaps keep the animals in there during the winter. They would not be able to survive outdoors in the snow."
She hadn't considered that problem. Hokkaido was famous for its pleasant summer breezes, but winters in Japan's northernmost island were brutal.
"Where did you keep the animals in the winters before the raid?"
Before the raid, they'd had a barn for her larger animals and a coop full of chickens. The r onin had slaughtered the animals, eaten a few, and left the rest to rot. The outbuildings were burned to the ground. How could she have forgotten about building permanent shelters for these new animals? Her shoulders sagged as she realized the implications of what was needed to keep her farm afloat. In order to make the needed improvements, she needed money. What was she willing to do to get that money? Hiro had offered a solution. Would it be wise to accept his offer? Or would she be selling her body and soul?
And what was Hiro's motivation? What did he stand to gain by marrying her?
Long ago,
"I wondered about the noises I heard coming from this room when you weren't home. But you have not come here during the day before now. What caused you to abandon your duties today?"
Hiro's heart held to a thread of hope. Was it possible that his warrior father understood? He struggled to find his voice. "F-forgive me, otousan . She â she seems ill. She is not eating."
Otousan said nothing, but one brow raised. He held out his hand and waited.
Dutifully, Hiro handed over the kitten, though his hands trembled, and he feared he might drop her. Otousan took the tiny bundle in his large hands and examined her closely. "It appears she has a cold. See, her eyes are watering, and her breathing seems labored. Let's see if we can help her." He turned and strode to the ofuro , the bath area, with Hiro following closely on his heels.
In the hot, steamy room, otousan lay the kitten on a soft, clean towel. Gradually, the kitten settled in, her breathing calmed. Hiro's anxiety also eased as he realized she was going to be all right.
Father and son brought the pet back to Hiro's room to rest. "You should bring her back to the ofuro three or four times each day to clear out her lungs." He turned a stern eye toward his son. "Of course you will do this in between your chores and lessons." Hiro nodded in understanding. "And now that she is resting comfortably, you can return to polishing this armor properly."
Hiro bowed low, thanking the gods he would not be punished today. "Yes, Otousan . I will polish until it gleams."
The beloved pet had lived until her master left for the university, and Hiro never forgot his father's compassion that day. He had learned it was possible to be both a fierce samurai and to have a tender heart. And he realized that strength used to care for a weaker being showed a greater nobility than strength used to take from those who could not fight back.
****
Now, Hiro leveled a steady look at his friend. "Hanako would make a fine samurai wife. I would be honored if she agreed."
Â
Chapter Six
Â
"Ginjiro and I would like to build a house for you."
Hanako nearly dropped her rice ball. "Build a house? Why?"
"Consider it payment for our room and board. Or a payment for you teaching us these new skills and profession. Orâ¦" He leaned toward her and lowered his voice, eliciting a chill in her spine, "â¦consider it an early wedding gift."
Heat flooded her cheeks at the mention of a wedding â their wedding. She cast a quick glance at Ginjiro, who lay snoring under another tree. The three had taken a lunch break from their farm work. She and Hiro hadn't really discussed marriage. He had not brought it up since the day he had first dropped the suggestion, and she had wondered if he had regretted the impulsive offer. But she wasn't ready to discuss it now. She tried another line of questions.
"What would happen to the house I have now?"
"You could tear it down â or perhaps keep the animals in there during the winter. They would not be able to survive outdoors in the snow."
She hadn't considered that problem. Hokkaido was famous for its pleasant summer breezes, but winters in Japan's northernmost island were brutal.
"Where did you keep the animals in the winters before the raid?"
Before the raid, they'd had a barn for her larger animals and a coop full of chickens. The r onin had slaughtered the animals, eaten a few, and left the rest to rot. The outbuildings were burned to the ground. How could she have forgotten about building permanent shelters for these new animals? Her shoulders sagged as she realized the implications of what was needed to keep her farm afloat. In order to make the needed improvements, she needed money. What was she willing to do to get that money? Hiro had offered a solution. Would it be wise to accept his offer? Or would she be selling her body and soul?
And what was Hiro's motivation? What did he stand to gain by marrying her?
Long ago,
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