Young Samurai 06 - The Ring of Fire (6 page)

He could see the doorway tantalizingly close, but he would have to run a gauntlet of flame to reach it.

The sacking on his back, now dry as tinder, ignited and he was given no other choice. Shrugging the cloth from his shoulders, he clasped the baby to his chest and threw himself towards the only exit. Flames licked at him as he ran, his soaked kimono his last defence.

The farmhouse creaked and groaned, then caved in on itself as Jack tumbled out into the square. Coughing and spluttering, he collapsed in the snow, for once grateful for its cold embrace.

‘
My baby! My baby!
’ cried the mother, breaking free from her anxious husband’s grasp.

Jack handed her the screaming child. As soon as it was in her arms, the baby fell quiet, comforted by the mother’s embrace. The woman inspected her child with relief, then looked to Jack, her eyes filled with tears of gratitude.

‘
Arigatō gozaimasu
,’ she sobbed, bowing her head low.

The man now approached and Jack prepared himself to be run out of town once again. But the farmer dropped to his knees, throwing his arms out and placing his head to the ground in total respect.

‘Young samurai, our family is forever in your debt,’ he said. ‘My name is Yuto. I’m the father of this child and now your humble servant.’

8

ABDUCTED

Jack tucked into the biggest bowl of rice he’d ever seen. All the village women had come together to bring him gifts of food. Jack didn’t wait on ceremony this time. Deftly using his chopsticks, he polished off the meal and moved on to the miso soup, steamed vegetables and even some smoked mackerel. Given his last experience with the farmers, he had to make the most of being in their favour while he could.

He sat in Junichi’s house, warming by the fire in a fresh kimono, the baby’s mother having insisted on washing his dirty blue one. Neko had crept in and now knelt beside him, proudly guarding his swords and pack. Junichi, Yoshi and Toge sat opposite and joined Jack in his meal with freshly brewed cups of
sencha
. Behind them knelt Sora and Kunio, the boy transfixed by the new hero in their village.

‘Please accept my apologies for our previous ill manners,’ said Junichi, bowing his head. ‘I only had the village’s safety at heart. It was a shock to discover you were a foreigner. And we have no wish to defy the Shogun’s orders.’

‘I understand,’ replied Jack, knowing the power of life and death that the Shogun held over his subjects.

‘We would like you to stay. At least for a few days until you’re fully rested,’ continued Junichi. ‘Of course, if you wish to stay longer …’

‘I’ll have to think about it,’ said Jack. The farmers had shown their fickle nature and Jack wasn’t willing to commit to anything, although he would take them up on their offer to stay a couple of nights.

‘A great fire burns within you,’ observed Yoshi. ‘You saw for yourself our feeble-hearted men. We
need
a person of your courage.’

‘The boy may be brave,’ muttered Toge, moodily sipping his green tea, ‘but that doesn’t make him a samurai.’

Fed up with Toge’s scepticism, Jack put down his chopsticks and, without warning, whipped out his
katana
. The razor-sharp blade sliced clean through Toge’s cup, spilling hot tea into the farmer’s lap.

Too stunned to move, Toge could only let out a pitiful whimper as the steaming
sencha
seeped through the cloth of his kimono. Recovering his wits, he examined his fingers in panic to check they were all still there.

Neko clapped her hands in delight at the farmer’s hysteria, while Kunio rolled with laughter on the floor. Even Yoshi gave a toothless grin at this fine display of swordsmanship.

‘If that doesn’t convince you,’ chortled Yoshi, ‘why don’t you challenge the boy to a duel?’

‘Yes, a duel!’ Kunio blurted eagerly. ‘Jack’s on his
musha shugyō
– his swords are deadly!’

Shamefaced, Toge sullenly crossed his arms and shut up.

Junichi, hastily putting down his own cup, declared, ‘I have
no
doubt in your abilities, young samurai.’ With a nervous smile, he added, ‘Sora has offered his house for as long as you wish to stay. And you may use my bathtub at any time.’

Jack acknowledged their hospitality. His point having been made, he sheathed his
katana
and returned to his meal.

Rested, bathed and fed, Jack felt like a new person as he stepped out of Sora’s house and into the morning sun. Last night was the first time he’d enjoyed an undisturbed sleep in weeks. At this rate, it would only take him a few days to recover his full strength.

Neko, now his constant companion, was waiting outside. Sora also joined him on his stroll down to the village pond. As Jack passed other homes, he was greeted with respectful bows and kindly looks, and it was clear the farmers had accepted him into their community. Although he could never truly be a part of Japanese society, there were moments like this when the barriers dropped and Jack felt like he belonged – just as he always did at Akiko’s side. His thoughts went out to his closest friend and Jack prayed she was safe and well. Kazuki had vowed revenge on Akiko for disabling his sword hand with an arrow during the Battle of Osaka Castle. Yet despite having recently saved his rival’s life in return for the promise of her safety, Jack didn’t trust Kazuki. That’s why he’d sent his friend Hana to warn Akiko, while Jack left clues along his route, so that his arch-rival would track
him
down instead.

‘Are you all right?’ enquired Sora, noticing the frown on Jack’s face.

Jack nodded. ‘I’m concerned for my friends.’

‘Aren’t we all?’ he replied mournfully.

Jack studied Sora’s despairing expression and sensed an inconsolable loss in the old man’s heart. But it wasn’t just him. On reflection, Jack realized that all the farmers bore a similar air of grief. He’d put this down to the impending threat posed by Akuma, but even the children in the square were solemn and unusually subdued.

It was then Jack noticed there were hardly any young girls – only mothers and their smallest children.

‘Where are the girls of your village?’

Sora sniffed. ‘All gone.’

‘You mean, to market?’

‘No, abducted.’

Jack was stopped in his tracks. ‘Who abducted them?’

‘Akuma! Who else?’ spat Sora, clenching his fists in futile rage. ‘He took my only daughter.’

Sora began to sob uncontrollably at the memory.

‘The first two years … Akuma only stole our rice … leaving us barely enough to survive … But last winter … he kidnapped our girls to become the bandits’ slaves!’

‘Do you know where they took them?’ asked Jack, appalled at this news.

‘No. We searched for months, but the bandits’ camp is hidden somewhere deep in the mountains. Our girls are lost forever!’

Sora wiped the tears from his eyes and fell into a shuddering silence.

For the first time, Jack truly appreciated the suffering Akuma and his bandits had delivered upon this innocent community. Not only had they taken the food out of the farmers’ mouths but the life and soul from the village itself.

‘Perhaps Akuma won’t come this year,’ said Jack, trying to console the old farmer.

‘He will,’ replied Sora. ‘Black Moon always does.’

9

RECRUITMENT

‘So what’s the story with Neko?’ asked Jack as the three of them walked round the pond, its rim encrusted with ice and snow. ‘She’s still here.’

Neko looked up expectantly at Jack, somehow aware that he was talking about her.

‘The bandits didn’t want
her
,’ replied Sora, with uncharacteristic bitterness.

‘Neko’s parents must be thankful.’

Sighing heavily, Sora revealed, ‘Her parents were killed in the first raid.’

‘So who looks after her now?’

‘No one. She’s an orphan of the village. We all take care of her, but Neko remains a painful reminder of our loss.’

Jack felt his outrage boil over. Neko had lost all that was dear to her, just as he had. But at least he’d been fortunate enough to have friends like Akiko, Yamato and Yori to turn to. She had no one to comfort her. Knowing the torment she would have suffered alone, Jack felt his resolve harden. This Akuma was cruel and merciless – worse than a devil.

‘I must return to Okayama,’ stated Jack, much to Sora’s alarm.

‘B-b-but you can’t go yet!’

‘Don’t worry, I’ll be back,’ he replied. ‘With more samurai!’

News of Jack’s decision spread like wildfire and he was heralded as the village’s saviour. In spite of his determination earlier that morning, Jack was beginning to question his ability to deliver on the promise. He might be able to convince other warriors to join the cause. But once they discovered he was a
gaijin
, what then?

The villagers in their excitement seemed to have forgotten this.

Yoshi, the elder, hadn’t.

‘Take Toge with you,’ he instructed as they discussed his departure over lunch at Junichi’s house. ‘He can act as your servant. It’ll lend you more status.’

Toge’s expression soured at the idea, but he was given no choice.

‘You go too, Sora, as representative of the village.’

‘And me!’ volunteered Kunio.

‘If you must,’ replied Junichi wearily. Though his expression suggested relief that he’d be rid of the boy for another few days.

‘Neko comes too,’ said Jack.

‘What for? She’s a terrible cook,’ muttered Toge.

‘Are
you
going to cook for me?’ challenged Jack. To which Toge didn’t answer.

By the time all the travel preparations had been made, it was late.

‘We’ll leave tomorrow morning,’ said Jack.

Jack awoke at first light, fresh and more positive about his forthcoming mission. The weather also appeared to be in their favour. A bright winter sun shimmered across the crisp white carpet of the Okayama Plain and the main road was clearly visible, snaking its way towards the horizon.

All the villagers gathered in the square to wave them off. As the provisions were divided up between the party of five, Jack ensured Neko wasn’t overburdened this time.

‘Kunio!’ he called as the boy went for the smallest load. ‘This rice sack and cooking pot should be no trouble for a strong farmer like you.’

Not wanting to lose face in front of the other boys, Kunio smiled gamely.

‘No problem,’ he grunted, hauling the heavy iron pot along with the cumbersome sack on to his back. He staggered slightly, then followed Jack and the others out of the village.

Working their way past the snow-laden fields, the group crossed the bridge by the mill and soon left Tamagashi behind. Neko skipped merrily at Jack’s side, clearly delighted not to be treated as the village slave for once.

With the route clear, they made good time and by mid-afternoon the outskirts of Okayama came into view. Toge managed to acquire the same rundown accommodation as before and they left Neko and an exhausted Kunio to guard the provisions. Okayama’s main square was bustling with people and there was a buzz of excitement in the air.

‘Market day,’ explained Toge as he led Jack through the crowds and past stalls of fish goods, silk traders, spice merchants and vendors selling everything from oil and wood to farm tools and pottery.

‘That’s good news,’ said Jack, keeping his hat low over his eyes. ‘There’ll be more samurai to choose from.’

They decided the marketplace itself was too hectic to make a personal appeal to anyone, so Jack chose a small tea house at one corner of the square. As well as providing good views across the market, it was an appropriate meeting place for
ronin
. More importantly, it offered Jack the best escape route should his identity be exposed.

Acting according to his role, Toge ordered a pot of
sencha
for his master, poured out a cup, then knelt to one side with Sora. The three of them surveyed the market for suitable samurai.

Jack spotted one almost immediately. He wore a plain black kimono and had a neatly trimmed beard. On his hip were a pair of well-maintained swords and he walked with an air of confidence, but not arrogance.