by I. J. Parker
"What did you run away for?" gasped Tora, skidding to a halt.
The beggar pointed at a long single-story building resembling a merchant's warehouse. "Go there and tell them the Rat sent you!"
Tora growled and seized the beggar by his ragged shirt, lifting him a couple of feet off the ground. "Oh, no, you don't! I'll walk in there and they'll slit my throat, and you'll split the proceeds. I'm not so green I don't know the games they play with strangers." He pushed his face close to the beggar's and snarled, "You fooled me once with that false stump of yours and got your five coppers. Now you either produce the girl or give them back. If you don't, I'll make an honest cripple out of you." He gave the Rat a shake that made stump, bowl, and coppers fly from his shirt and scatter in the street.
"No, no!" whined the Rat. "You got it wrong. Let me go, fool. I tell you, it's not safe to make a scene here. Those monks are still after the girl, and they won't forget you either. Go in there and tell them what happened."
Tora set him back on the ground and released him. "You saw what happened?"
The Rat nodded. "I keep an eye on her. Now go! Remember, the Rat sent you!" He ducked, scooped up his things, and scurried away.
Tora looked at the building. It had a steeply pitched, thatched roof, but no windows. A double door was in the center, and a red sign proclaimed in large black characters that this was Higekuro's Training Hall in Martial Arts.
Tora walked up to the door and pushed it open. Inside was a vast, dim hall. A few thick mats lay scattered on the floor, and a rack of oak and bamboo poles used in stick fighting stood against one long wall. Another wall held archery targets of varying sizes. Bows and quivers of arrows were hanging from pegs. There was nobody about.
Tora saw another, smaller door in the rear wall and went through it into a dirt courtyard. It was empty also, but a short bamboo fence separated this area from a kitchen yard adjoining a neighbor's tall plastered wall. When Tora peered over the fence, he saw the girl. She had her back to him and was bending over a basket of cabbages. He would have recognized those shapely hips anywhere. Calling out a greeting, he vaulted over the fence and came up behind her.
She paid no attention to him until his foot kicked over a pail of water that spread quickly toward her. When it reached her foot, she spun around and stared at him. He repeated his greeting. Her eyes were quite large and very beautiful, but she made no sound and it suddenly occurred to Tora that she might be mentally deficient.
"Don't be afraid, little sister," he said slowly, smiling at her. "I am Tora. The Rat told me where you live."
She shook her head and backed away.
"Stop running away." Tora was losing his temper and glowered. "Why don't you answer me? You'd think you could at least say thank you."
She looked frightened and turned to run toward the house. Tora reached for her shoulder, but before he could stop her, his other arm was seized violently and he was pulled off balance; he received a very painful kick to the back of his knee and a sharp blow to his lower spine, and was then lifted, spun about in the air, and tossed. He landed against the trunk of a tree with a thud. By sheer instinct, he rolled and prepared to launch himself against his attacker, a dimly perceived shape coming at him. His lunge was met by a raised foot. The heel caught him squarely on the chin, knocking his head back against the tree, and turning day into sudden night.
When he came to, he felt, through a painful haze, gentle hands on his face. A cool, wet cloth was pressed to his lips. He licked them, tasted salty blood, and opened his eyes.
He was propped against the tree, and a girl was bent over him, not his girl, but a stranger. He looked past her for his attacker. There was no one else around.
"I am very sorry about this," the girl said in a strong, clear voice. "I thought you were annoying my sister. I keep an eye on her because she cannot call for help."
Tora recalled the ungrateful wench and glared. "What do you mean, she can't call for help? There was no need. I called out to her several times. I introduced myself. She knew me. Not to mention that I had just saved the silly skirt from being raped. Why the devil should she call for help? What's the matter with you people? And..." Tora pushed her roughly out of his way and got to his feet. "And who knocked me out? What, by all the demons from hell, is going on here?"
There was no sign of his attacker, but he picked up a handy length of bamboo just in case.
"I said I was sorry." The girl bit her lip. "My sister, Otomi, is a deaf-mute. That is why she cannot hear or speak. I am called Ayako, and our father is Higekuro. He teaches martial arts, and we get a lot of rough characters walking in here because of our business."
Tora noted that she was good-looking, though not the beauty her sister was. But at the moment he was too enraged to care. "Oh, so I'm a rough character now!" he snapped. "Thanks a lot! Well, you can tell your father it's customary to inform a man of the reason before knocking him out. Jumped at from the back, too! No wonder you get thugs here. No honest man would fight that way." He hit his forehead with the palm of his hand. "And to think I listened to someone called the Rat!" The girl flushed and rose to her feet. She opened her mouth to say something, but Tora was just hitting his stride. He was outraged. "And what's more," he shouted, "you would both be better employed looking after the poor girl than sending her alone to the market where any villain can lay his hands on her. Two bastards in monks' outfits grabbed her from a vendor's stall and carried her off for their pleasure. I caught up with them just in time. She could've been gang-raped by a whole cursed monastery for all you cared."
"That does not give you the right to insult my father!" she flashed at him.
"Oh, for the Buddha's sake," he muttered disgustedly and tossed the bamboo staff aside. Turning, he made for the door he had come through earlier.
"Wait!" she cried.
He kept right on going.
When he passed through the exercise hall, there were quick steps behind him and a hand pulled his sleeve. He swung around and saw the deaf girl, her face wet with tears.
"Now, then, er, Otomi," he said awkwardly, "it's all right. Just watch yourself next time," and made her a short bow.
Her sister came up, too, and knelt, bowing her head. "This ignorant person apologizes for her words and deeds. They bring dishonor on our family. Please, for the sake of my sister, I beg that you will not leave without allowing our father to express his gratitude and share a cup of wine."
Tora hesitated. He had no wish to further his acquaintance with this bizarre family, but he was curious to see the man who had floored him so efficiently. With a grudging nod, he allowed himself to be led to the living quarters of the martial arts teacher, Higekuro.
These consisted of a single room, which served as kitchen and living area, tiny but very clean, and furnished with a built-in wooden platform for sitting, cooking facilities, and a few simple utensils. In one corner, stacked wooden cupboards formed steep steps to an attic space above.
A bearded giant of a man sat on the platform in the Buddha's pose. He was occupied with weaving the soles of straw sandals. His luxuriant black beard accounted for his name; Higekuro meant Blackbeard.
"A new student, child?" he asked the older girl in a booming voice when he saw Tora.
"No, Father," the girl Ayako answered. "A friend. He saved Otomi from two monks today, and the Rat sent him to us."
Higekuro dropped his work and sat up, looking at Tora with interest. "Did he, indeed? We are deeply indebted to you, sir."
Eyeing the giant warily, Tora stepped forward, bowed, and introduced himself. Clearly this huge, muscular man was the one who had attacked him, but what game was he playing?
"Pray join me in some wine," continued Higekuro, inviting Tora to sit next to him. "Two monks, did she say? Good heavens! I see that they must have been a handful. Your face is badly bruised and cut." He waved Otomi over and said, gesturing to Tora's face, "Go get some salve, little one, while your older sister pours the wine."
Th
e deaf girl watched his lips carefully, nodded, and scurried up to the attic.
Tora looked from the giant with the magnificent black beard to Ayako. He felt completely out of his depth. Somehow nothing was as it should be with these people. Perhaps he had wandered among the fox spirits.
Ayako saw his frown and flushed a deep red. "It was my fault, Father," she murmured, hanging her head. "I am so ashamed. I thought he was trying to grab Otomi...and I'm afraid I. . ." She did not finish.
"You mean it was you?" Tora was aghast. "You? A mere slip of a girl threw me? Impossible! This is a joke, isn't it? It was you all along, Master Higekuro, wasn't it?" He looked from one to the other. The girl turned away. Higekuro shook his head sadly.
"I am sorry," he said. "I know how you must feel, and it grieves me deeply. A girl." He sighed. "Try to forgive her. She is very good, you know. I taught her myself before I lost the use of my legs. She has been helping me in the school ever since, because I can no longer stand. Ayako handles all of the stick-fighting lessons and demonstrates the wrestling holds. I am crippled from the waist down and can only teach archery and give instruction and advice in the other arts."
Tora was shaken. He avoided staring at the other man's body and instead glared at Ayako. A woman fighter! There were stories about such women, but he was deeply offended by the impropriety of it. Women were supposed to be weak, soft, pleasing, and accommodating to their men. Perhaps there was some excuse in this case. The father was crippled and had no son to take over, but in Tora's view Ayako was no longer a desirable female.
When Otomi returned with the salve and tended to his split lip with tender care and many commiserating glances from her beautiful eyes, he felt completely justified in his opinion of her sister.
Ayako handed him a cup of wine and said quietly, "My father is the best archer in the province. No one can beat him. Perhaps he could show you some of his techniques. At no charge, of course."
Higekuro said modestly, "My daughter exaggerates, but yes. Allow us to show our gratitude. When the muscles went in my lower limbs, I concentrated on exercising my arms and upper body. Bending a bow and shooting at targets is good practice. When I became adept, I took on students." He pointed to a scroll of characters hanging against the wall. "We live by those words."
Tora blinked and nodded. He could not read.
" 'No Work--No Food,'" Higekuro read. "We all work in our way, even little sister. She paints and is very good at it. After the day's labors, the girls share the household duties while I make straw sandals. But enough of us. You must think us very poor hosts. How about some food for our guest, girls?"
Tora politely refused but was pressed to stay. While the daughters busied themselves with the cooking, Higekuro asked about the incident with the monks. When Tora had satisfied his curiosity, he shook his head and said, "I don't understand it. Otomi used to visit all the temples within a day's journey to make sketches for her paintings, but recently she has been reluctant to go. I did not know she had good reason to be afraid of monks. The Rat looks out for her, but if you hadn't come along, he could not have helped her. I wonder what made those monks come after her."
Tora snorted. "She's a beauty, that's why."
Higekuro raised his eyebrows. "There have been complaints about young monks from the Temple of Fourfold Wisdom outside the city. I thought it was just youthful spirits, but perhaps we had better watch Otomi in the future."
"Is it the big temple in the hills?" asked Tora.
"Yes. My daughters say it's very beautiful. The new abbot is a great teacher. Many people travel here to hear him preach. The governor and his family, and most of the so-called good people attend his services."
Tora was listening with only half an ear, his eyes on Otomi's hips as she bent over the oven. "Those bastards!" he muttered. "I should've killed them."
Higekuro followed his glance. "Are you a married man, Tora?"
"No. Never could afford a wife. Of course, now..." Tora decided it could not hurt to brag a little. "I serve Lord Sugawara from the capital. We just arrived."
"Ah." Higekuro nodded. "Your master was sent to look into the missing taxes. Don't look surprised. That mystery is on everyone's mind. Three times a whole tax convoy disappears-- soldiers, bearers, packhorses, bag and baggage. And without a trace, if you can believe official notices."
Tora took his eyes off Otomi and gaped at him. "How can such a thing be? It must be a lie. Do you believe it?" he asked.
"Hmm." Higekuro looked thoughtful. "The present administration has been a good one in most respects. People will be sorry to see Lord Fujiwara go. My guess is that someone with the convoy, maybe on instructions from someone else, simply took the goods to the far north. There the bearers and soldiers were paid off and are too afraid of reprisals to come home."
Tora said, "Those soldiers must be cowards and crooks, in which case the local garrison is to blame. Perhaps the garrison commander is behind it. Yes, that must be it. No wonder rowdy monks run wild in the market."
Higekuro shook his head. "We have a new commander. He is young but efficient from what I hear. Besides, it's really the prefectural police who are supposed to keep the peace in the city." He gave Tora's shoulder a friendly slap and said, "Well, perhaps you and your master will solve the puzzle for us. Here's the food."
The meal was plain but tasty, and the company pleasant, especially Otomi, who made up for her silence with the most speaking glances and tender smiles.
So much so that, when he finally took his leave, Tora promised with great fervor to return soon and often. Otomi blushed and Higekuro smiled.
* * * *
FOUR
THE GOVERNOR'S GUESTS
How dare the man offer me a bribe the minute I arrive?" Akitada was pacing about the room angrily.
Seimei knelt on the mat, looking glum. "Perhaps it was a misunderstanding," he said without much conviction.
The door opened abruptly. "Here I am," cried Tora, grinning from ear to ear. When he took in the scene, he came in. "What's the trouble?"
Seimei glared. "Where have you been? The nerve of walking in here as if nothing happened! Putting one's trust in you is like relying on the stars on a rainy night."
Tora wrinkled his forehead in an effort to comprehend that remark.
Akitada stopped his pacing and said, "Seimei is very upset, Tora, and rightly so. Why did you run off without a word?"
"Oh, is that what's bothering him? Just wait till you hear." Tora sat down and looked around the room.
Seimei snapped, "Servants do not sit in their master's presence. Get up instantly and kneel!"
"Oh." Grinning at Seimei, Tora knelt. "You'll both be proud of me. I saved a girl from being raped by two monks and picked up some very useful information." He paused. "Is there anything to eat? Maybe some wine? It's hard to talk on an empty stomach."
"No," snapped Seimei.
Akitada came over and sat down. "Just tell us what happened," he said.
Tora told his tale plainly. When he was done, he added virtuously, "I slept in the guardhouse and ran over here before my morning rice to make my report. Now, if you don't mind, I'll go get a bite in the tribunal kitchen."
"You call that a report?" scoffed Seimei. "The whole thing is a tall tale! You were chasing females, I think."
"Never mind, Seimei," said Akitada. "Tora had some strange encounters and reported them well. Best of all, he has already become friendly with a local family." He pulled his earlobe and thought. "The Buddhist presence is puzzling. I wonder what it means. These monks seem to be a strange breed."
Tora grinned at Seimei's sour face and asked, "Shall I go back to Higekuro's and ask more questions? Given a bit of time, I may be able to pick up something useful, like who's made off with the taxes."
"More likely you're going to pick up something else in that house," said Seimei. "A wrestler with two young daughters and no older female in the home? It is a known fact that martial arts schools often maintain links with c
riminals and prostitutes. You'd do well to beware of that company. A man's faults are measured by his associates."
Tora lost his temper and shouted, "What do you know, you stupid old man? You haven't even met them. They're better than you. They're working for their daily rice instead of living off the nobility. You're no better than a tick on a dog."
Seimei's jaw dropped. Akitada, who barely kept a straight face at being compared to a dog, knew that Seimei had somehow touched a raw nerve. He said quickly, "That is unkind, Tora. Apologize. Seimei spoke rashly because he worries about you. Go back to Higekuro if you like, but be careful about what you say until we have a better understanding of what is going on in Kazusa." He brightened. "But before you leave, let's have a short bout with the staves. You will want to stay in practice if you are going to impress the warrior maiden."
