Raven's Quest

by Karen Hayes-Baker

  Thom looked up rapidly his temper rising. Was he being mocked? But he saw by the look on Karasu’s face that the ronin was sincere.

  “She is here?” he asked, his anger melting.

  “No, but I take you. Stefan help also. But we go now Thom, before dawn, before we seen.”

  “You risk this for me? What is the point Karasu? Why bother?” But his heart was thumping with the thought of seeing Mizuki again.

  “Please. She wish to see you. She can take care of arm and you spend little time together. It not much I know, but it hurt if you left without seeing once more.”

  Thom hesitated, his mind reeling, but it was already made. He threw the pipe to the floor and pulled himself stiffly to his feet, his head swimming in a half drugged haze.

  “I’m a bit high, not to mention battered and bruised I am afraid. Not exactly the man she wants to see,” he joked pulling on his jacket and fastening his hair back with a black ribbon. “Lead the way Karasu.”

  Out in the night air the fug that filled Thom’s brain rapidly dissipated. He had not smoked so much that his senses were totally dulled, only enough to ease the pain. But, as he hurried after Karasu, across the wide harbour front to a group of shell damaged warehouses; his head began to thump with a dull ache. Stefan stepped out of the shadows leading two horses he handed one to the Kapitan.

  “Stefan knows way. Go quickly,” Karasu urged and slipped back away from the buildings, checking for signs of life. There was none other than a light whistling of the night watchman from the Rose.

  Thom pulled himself into the saddle and without a further word squeezed the flanks of the animal with his heels forcing it to follow its stable mate into the night. They stopped briefly outside of the city while Marrel lit a lamp.

  “Tis dark tonight,” he said obviously and pressed his horse along the road. Thom followed in silence, the pain in his leg and arm now competing with his head.

  They entered the forest, passed the battle scene, although there was no trace in the inky blackness that anything had disturbed the peaceful tranquillity of the leafy glades and tracks. They turned off the main road and ascended a hill for some distance before the trees became sparse and as Devlin looked upwards he could see a million pricks of light glittering in the heaven above. There was no moon, its new crescent had long since sunk behind the mountains to the west and though the night was clear, the darkness infiltrated and blanketed everything so that even the sound of the horses hooves seemed muffled and deadened. They left the trees behind and surmounted a rise. Below them in a narrow valley a dim glow of lanterns managed to pervade the pitch and beckon them downwards.

  Thom felt his horse stumble upon the steep slope; he instinctively gripped its flanks tighter and pulled up on the reins. The animal snorted, but plodded on, carefully picking its way down the rocky path.

  As they reached the bottom of the incline they could make out tall stone walls and a sombre solid wooden gate. Stefan jumped down from his mount and, holding the lantern aloft, searched for a rope. Finding it to the right of the door he tugged it once.

  “Climb down Thom, this is it,” he instructed and as the Kapitan lowered himself from his ride the heavy gate swung open.

  Stefan said something to the monk in Ashiman and as the holy man nodded and bowed his understanding he turned back to his companion.

  “He will take you to her. I will return tomorrow night for you,” he grinned and placed a hand on the younger man’s shoulder, “Go on,” he whispered with a slight push. The pirate smiled shakily and disappeared into the Temple leaving Marrel to return to the city alone.

  SIXTY-THREE

  The monk brought Thom to a small bungalow at the far end of the Temple’s extensive grounds. He knocked upon the door and smiled, jabbering something in his own tongue and bowing his head at the pirate with respectful deference. The Kapitan could hear his own heart beating. He felt strangely anxious, afraid even, though he did not know why. When the door swung open and Mizuki stood there framed in the soft glow of yellow candlelight he caught his breath and a thrill of euphoria shook his body. She smiled and held out her hand. Hesitatingly he took it glancing at the beaming and nodding priest as she gently pulled him inside. The door closed upon the happy holy man and with a satisfied air he clapped his hands together twice and blessed the young people within the low house before silently retreating to his bed.

  As bright sunlight filtered through the opened screens that lead to an exquisite garden of delicate blooms and tall shady Acers, Thom lay staring at the sleeping girl beside him. Her hair cascaded around her pale shoulders, falling a little over her face and he reached out to stroke it away. She stirred, but did not awake and he gazed, unable to rest his eyes from her beautiful face and body, his skin tingling at the recollection of what they had shared. He indulged himself by running the exquisite memory over in his mind.

  He reached across and kissed her lips unable to resist their allure any longer. Mizuki’s eyes fluttered open and she smiled sleepily at him. He pulled her body to his and held her tightly in a fiercely protective embrace.

  “Marry me?” he whispered and caressed her neck. She pushed away from him and lay staring at his face as he absent-mindedly stroked her arm.

  “I am serious Mizuki. Surely one of these priests could do it. Marry me and come with me. What have you got to stay here for anyway?” he continued and lifted his eyes to hers. He saw doubt and fear and he felt her Sennjo spirit searching for truth. He let her in. There was nothing to hide. He wanted to spend his life with this woman. He loved her more than he had thought it possible to love anyone. Tears filled her eyes.

  “What is it? Do not cry Mizuki. Do you not want to marry me?” he asked his own fear of rejection mounting. He did not think he could bear to be separated from her now.

  “Yes, but what of Karasu?” she replied.

  “What about him? I do not want to marry your brother,” he joked and regretted it when she looked hurt.

  “He and I are one. He is twin. We share womb and souls are one. I not know if I can leave without him,” she tried to explain knowing that he did not understand.

  “He can come too then,” he said with a nonchalant shrug at length. She looked away from him towards the garden. He hooked his hand around her chin and pulled her head to face him.

  “I cannot live without you Mizuki.”

  She was crying and he pulled her to him holding her trembling body close to his, stroking her hair as though comforting a small child. He closed his eyes and prayed, fearful of losing her, hoping some God existed and would take pity upon him. Was he asking so much?

  “Yes. I come with you. I marry you,” she whispered at last and he wrapped his arms tightly about her dropping his head on top of hers in thankful relief.

  As the sun began to sink towards the western peaks the Presidor’s sister and the foreign sailor, of whom the monks had heard many great and honourable things, stood side by side in front of the Sento altar to the glorious Amaterasu, the Kami goddess who shone lazily upon the lovers before her. A priest waved incense and offered prayers, iterating and reiterating blessings upon the couple. Neither had rings to exchange so she hung a finely, blue and green enamelled locket of gold around his neck within which was a strand of her hair and he placed a silver pocket watch into the sash of her kimono. Their hands were pressed together and the priest poured water over them, washing away impurity and symbolising the flow of life. The holy man clapped three times and then bowed to them both. He rose with a wide grin and widened his arms. Mizuki smiled and looked up at Thom.

  “Is that it?” he asked.

  “That is it,” she replied.

  He laughed and swept her up into a crushing embrace. Then he wrung the hand of the monk in both of his, thanking him over again. The little man was overwhelmed, but graciously accepted the heartfelt gratitude for his services. He laughed and ushered the couple away.

  Thom picked up Mizuki’s hand and tucked it in his arm.

&nbs
p; “Come my love, let us return to the bungalow,” he grinned with boyish, wicked charm and began to stride from the main Temple altar so fast that she almost had to run to keep up.

  “Slow down Thom,” she complained with a laugh.

  He swung around and caught her up in his arms.

  “I cannot. I want you now, so badly. My beautiful, lovely wife,” he cried and kissed her face, his eyes burning with fevered passion. She giggled and hid her head in his neck allowing him to carry her away.

  But they did not reach the bungalow. Thom had hardly stepped from the main shrine when two priests ran towards them, a taller man close behind. Thom felt the dread fill his heart before he even recognised Stefan Marrel and he slowly lowered Mizuki to the floor.

  “Thom, you have to come, now. Hayato knows you are here. He will send men for you. I…, you must leave,” Stefan blurted his eyes flicking from the pirate to the Lady by his side.

  “Then we both go,” Thom returned squeezing Mizuki’s hand so tight that she winced in pain.

  “No. Tis better that the Lady Mizuki stays here,” Stefan insisted, not understanding.

  “But she is my wife Stefan. I will not go without her.”

  “What?” Marrel cried incredulously, his jaw dropping in surprise.

  “We have just been married. If I go, Mizuki comes too. We leave together.”

  “Holy Gods in heaven above. You bloody stupid…! Of all the idiotic, harebrained…! Hell!” Stefan cried throwing his hands in the air in frustration. He rubbed his head and looked back at the young couple. Mizuki clung to the Kapitan her eyes wide with fear, her husband was arrogantly defiant. Young and rash maybe, but not stupid that expression said. Stefan slumped.

  “Very well, but hurry. There is no time to lose. I have horses at the gate. Can you ride my Lady?” he demanded.

  “She can ride in front of me. I will not let her fall,” Thom insisted and with a squeeze of her hand he smiled at her. “Alright my love?”

  She nodded once, her heart pounding rapidly, trepidation filling her body and threatening to overwhelm her. She dreaded what would happen to Thom should they fail to escape and though she tried to hide her fear, some of it reached his mind as her spirit fled, instinctively to find reassurance with his.

  “I will not let anything happen, Mizuki. Trust me,” he uttered lowly, feeling her fear. She nodded and exhaled a long shuddering breath. “Let us go,” Thom urged Stefan and the three of them fled to the entrance of the temple and mounted the horses waiting there.

  They rode hard to the city through the gathering dusk. Marrel took them by a different route, following a woodsman’s track rather than the road and in through the western gate instead of the more direct northern one. They saw no one who posed any threat to them, but all three were jumpy and easily startled, distrusting of their senses and seeing pursuers everywhere. They reached the harbour as the lamps along its edge were being lit.

  “Go on, quickly. Get to the ship. Your men are preparing her to sail,” Marrel urged.

  “The tide?” Thom queried his eyes scanning the quiet scene before him. It was too quiet. Not the busy hub that a harbour should be.

  “Still ebbing, but you do not have long. I showed Mr Aledd the safest course where the water is deepest. The Brig has less draft than yon frigate, she’ll get through alright, but I cannot vouch for her if you wait too long. Go on man, what are you waiting for?”

  “Tis too quiet. I do not like it Stefan. Something is wrong,” Thom mused aloud and Marrel knew what he meant, but the older man was impatient. He knew the Kapitan had to go now.

  “You have to risk it. If you stay here they will catch you for certain. Look, Aledd is at the rails, he will watch out for you,” he urged.

  The Kapitan stared at his ship and saw the large frame of his First Mate, there were other men too and it gave him courage. He took hold of Mizuki’s hand and kissed it.

  “You can run?” he asked her. She nodded in reply. He held out his other hand to Marrel.

  “Thank you Stefan. One day, I hope we will meet again,” he said. The ex-naval levtenant took the outstretched limb and shook it.

  “I too. Now go. Tarry no longer tis not safe,” he said and released his grip.

  With a quick glance around the harbour, Thom clutched Mizuki’s hand in his and set off at a run towards the Rose. He felt her stumble over the skirt of her kimono and half lifted her without slowing his pace. He saw Aledd straighten and wave at him and he thought for one blissful moment that they were going to make it, that he would escape with everything he longed for. But the expression on Aledd’s face changed as it was caught in the glow of yellow lamp light. Devlin saw the big man’s posture stiffen and become more upright, he noticed others point somewhere behind him and the hairs rose on the back of his neck. Several men on deck darted from view only to return seconds later armed with rifles. Thom and Mizuki slowed to a standstill. The Kapitan stared up at his First Mate now just above the quayside where he stood. The gangplank was only paces away. Yet Thom did not move. He heard the clatter of horses hooves on cobbles and the angry shouts in a language that leant itself to violent threats and he manoeuvred Mizuki very carefully so that she stood between himself and the Brig.

  “Kapitan Devlin,” a voice called from behind him. It was Hayato’s voice and it cut through the warm twilight with an icy chill. Very slowly Thom turned around. Before him were one hundred Samurai, at their head Lord Oyama sat astride his horse. All were armed with rifles and the ubiquitous katana.

  “Lord Oyama,” Thom acknowledged with a curt nod of his head. Slowly he stepped sideways towards the gangplank pushing Mizuki with him.

  “I wait Kapitan,” Hayato shouted.

  “Wait? What for?” the pirate responded. He glanced up at Aledd and caught the nod of his head and guided his bride a little closer to the ship.

  “Sister stay. Now, Kapitan.”

  Mizuki’s foot sought the gangplank and she looked back to where a sailor held a hand to help her aboard, but she did not let go of Devlin’s waist.

  “Mizuki, go on board,” he whispered and felt her tighten her grip, “Please?” he added and half turned his head towards her. Reluctantly she let go of him and edged her way up the gangplank.

  As she moved away Hayato barked a command, somewhere to his left Thom heard a desperate cry of “No”. Mizuki stopped climbing and twisted to see what was happening, her fear mounting and prickling at her neck. Thom whipped his head around to see Karasu flying towards him, his mouth open in a round O of protest. The crack from the gun echoed just as Karasu reached Devlin, the latter ducked instinctively, Mizuki screamed. Karasu’s body jerked convulsively and his face paled with shock. He sank into Thom’s arms, a trickle of blood oozing from between his lips as the bullet that was meant for the Kapitan tore through his chest. A shout from behind reached his ears and Thom heard rifles cocked and knew they all aimed at Hayato, they waited his command.

  “Karasu, Karasu!” It was Mizuki’s voice. She had run back from the ship and threw herself on the floor next to her brother and the man she had married. She sobbed, catching her hand to her mouth as the Kapitan turned the ronin over exposing his white, bloodless face and a purple mess that was his chest. Karasu forced a smile at his grieving sister and a little frothy foam trickled down his chin.

  “I sorry Kapitan Devlin. I honoured to be friend,” he gurgled through the rising blood in his lungs.

  “The honour is all mine my brother,” Thom replied, his voice thick with emotion.

  Karasu smiled faintly once more. A large black bird landed from nowhere, its glossy feathers gleaming in the strengthening lamplight as the darkness spread. It hopped close to the dying man and cocked its head with a watchful beady eye. Thom made to shew it away, perturbed by the boldness of this scavenger of carrion. He found its presence disturbingly sinister. Mizuki caught his arm and whispered her brother’s name.

  “Tis a raven. It feeds on the dead, but it has no place here,” Thom sai
d. Mizuki shook her head, tears splashing onto her pale cheeks.

  “No. It Karasu,” she implored. He gazed at her unwilling to acknowledge what she meant. But Mizuki stayed his arm, determined that the bird reach her brother, understanding that his soul must flee some place before darkness took it otherwise it would be lost for eternity and she would be more than bereaved of a dear sibling, she would lose half of herself. The bird drew nearer and still Mizuki clung to Thom’s arm as he flinched at the great black creature’s apparent intent upon reaching Karasu. It hopped onto the dying man’s chest and peered piercingly at the Kapitan. Thom shuddered and finally wrenched his arm free of his wife’s grip. Yet at that moment, while he still held the ronin’s head upon his lap and when Mizuki gasped in half terror of the bird being chased away, Karasu’s body shuddered its final breath and the light within him faded. Mizuki exhaled a barely audible gasp of mixed relief and sorrow and held out her hand to the bird as she witnessed the shimmering entity that was her brother’s soul slip from the broken shell of his bodily remains and into the raven upon him. The bird cawed loudly disturbing the silence and then with a great flapping of massive wings took to the air and vanished into the gathering gloom.

  Thom became aware of sandaled feet by his side. He looked up at Hiraiwa. The General wore an expression of immeasurable sadness but it also held a steely resolve.

  “Kapitan, we ask you leave,” he said in Westlandish and reached down to take Mizuki by the arm.

  Thom jumped to his feet determined to reclaim Mizuki.

  “That not wise Sir. You dead before you touch her,” Hiraiwa warned.

  “You speak Westlandish better than I thought. You never let on,” Thom mumbled stupidly but his eyes remained on Mizuki and he hardly dare breathe lest his men might fire upon Hayato. He did not want a bloodbath; though at that moment he would have done almost anything to see the Lord dead. Hiraiwa inclined his head in acknowledgement.

  “Very sorry Kapitan. You brave and honourable man. But Lady Mizuki belongs here with gracious brother. You go now.”