One Life Well and Truly Promised

by Richard D. Parker

  Katashi felt a brief moment of panic. His mother seldom left the house this late in the day unless it was to work in the back garden, but before his fear could grow too great his mother calmly walked through the front of the house.

  “Aki! You’re home. Did you catch…” she said happily before she caught sight of his companion.

  “Kon-nichiwa,” she added and bowed low, before straightening and studying the young woman

  “Kon-nichiwa,” Chisuzu replied very conscious of her filthy kimono.

  Kiyomi, Katashi’s mother, noticed the disarray as well, but was also aware of the fine silk beneath the dirt.

  “Okāsan,” Katashi began very formally, which his mother found disturbing. “May I present Chisuzu-sama, esteemed daughter of Hōjō Tokimasa.”

  Kiyomi gave an involuntary cry of surprise and then dropped to her knees, bowing so low her forehead hit the bamboo flooring.

  Chisuzu returned the bow,though as etiquette dictated she did not get down on her knees. She was now the highest ranking person in the village, but even so her heart fell upon hearing Katashi call her ‘Chisuzu-sama.’ She hadn’t truly known what to expect, but she was hoping for the little less formal Chisuzu-san…but it was not to be. Katashi was correct in addressing her so; after all she was the daughter of the daimyo of Izu province.

  “Please stand…this is your home,” Chisuzu said softly. “Your son has saved my life,” she added but Kiyomi remained on her knees. As was appropriate to the situation she forced Chisuzu to ask again before finally climbing back to her feet. Even then she gave Chisuzu several additional bows before shooting a warning glance at her son.

  “Soldiers have already been here,” Kiyomi informed them and Chisuzu gasped.

  “Here?” Katashi asked and his mother nodded vigorously.

  “Hai! They searched the entire village…our home as well,” she told them, clearly worried.

  Katashi rushed to the front door and glanced down the narrow dirt lane that ran from the front of the house to the north, toward the center of the village.

  “They left early this morning,” Kiyomi told her son, and then shot another worried look at Chisuzu. “They killed Hibiki-san,” she added sadly and Katashi spun around.

  Hibiki was a village elder and a very influential man, who along with his older brother Naoki, helped guide Atami to its recent prosperity.

  “Hibiki…” Katashi repeated softly. It didn’t seem possible. Hibiki was instrumental in swaying Katashi’s father about his hunting. Katashi was sure that without Hibiki’s calm reason, he would be relegated to a life of endless fishing. In a strange way Hibiki had helped save Chisuzu. If not for him, Katashi would undoubtedly be floating in the bay, or collecting shellfish in the shallows, instead of leading the young woman to safety.

  Kiyomi nodded. “This morning…they took his head for some imagined offense. You know how calm Hibiki was in all things.”

  Katashi nodded.

  “Have all the soldiers left?” Chisuzu asked and Kiyomi bowed to her again before answering.

  “Hai, they moved off to the north toward Kamakura,” Kiyomi replied and then blanched when she saw the concern in Chisuzu’s eyes.

  “Never fear,” she added hastily, “Tokimasa will deal with those rogues quickly enough. Your father’s a great warrior. He will drive them from Izu.”

  Chisuzu hoped she was correct, for though her father was strong and had many fine samurai loyal to him, the attack on her retinue had shaken her confidence.

  “What should we do now?” Katashi asked, clearly desperate.

  Kiyomi frowned for just a moment. “We will wait for your father to come home and then we will go see Naoki.”

  Chapter Ten

  Katashi and Chisuzu

  September 14th, 1180 A.D

  Hayato, Katashi’s father, was a broad-shouldered, stocky man with a wide, weather-beaten face. It was a hard face, tan and rough, molded by years of exposure to the sun and sea. Hayato’s appearance would have caused Chisuzu some unease if not for the wide, friendly smile that seemed to have taken up permanent residence across the leathery landscape. Katashi had the very same smile.

  Despite his friendly demeanor, Hayato was worried about what Taira’s samurai might do if they found Chisuzu hiding within the village. There was no thought of throwing her out however; it was their duty to protect the daughter of their daimyo, whatever the cost.

  “Sakura,” Hayato finally said, addressing his oldest daughter, “please take Chisuzu-sama and find her some less conspicuous clothes to wear. We will take her to see Naoki when she’s changed.”

  “I’m coming too,” Kaiya, the youngest announced. She’d been staring at Chisuzu with wonder ever since she’d returned from hunting small crabs along the seashore.

  Sakura scowled at her younger sister, then blushed and bowed to Chisuzu when she realized she was being watched.

  “Keep quiet,” she ordered Kaiya softly, as she led Chisuzu to the northeast corner of the house. Kaiya skipped along happily behind the pair, impervious to her older sister’s criticisms. They went through a wide doorway and Sakura gently closed a paper partition, which effectively separated the area for privacy while the girl changed.

  Once closeted away Sakura offered her best kimono, but Chisuzu shook her head.

  “Please, I don’t think I’m supposed to attract attention,” she told the girl.

  “But you’re so pretty,” Kaiya interjected. “Everyone will be looking at you no matter what you wear.”

  Chisuzu smiled down at the beaming Kaiya. “Please everyday clothes if you don’t mind,” she added to Sakura, who bowed and took out a set of noragi and handed them over.

  “They are not very fine,” Sakura complained, thoroughly embarrassed.

  “But they will protect me like armor,” Chisuzu replied and the two girls happily helped her change into her new clothes. The fabric was scratchy, but it was tough and warm and Chisuzu realized quickly that they would hold up well to the rigors of labor.

  “I thank you,” she said and bowed formally to Sakura. She then turned and bowed to Kaiya as well, who laughed, and returned it with a solemn expression. “Please Sakura-chan will you help me with my hair,” Chisuzu added and began plucking out the long wooden pins that held the intricate weave together. “I need it to look much like your own,” she explained. Sakura sighed in dismay to see such fine work ruined so quickly. For Chisuzu it was truly no problem; her hairstyle had suffered greatly during the excitement of the last couple of days. Kaiya chirped happily and gathered up the nearest comb, eager to get to work while Chisuzu gracefully knelt on the matting that covered the floor, her back to the sisters.

  Sakura’s hair was plain, but clean and combed, and tied back into a single braided ponytail which hung down to the middle of her back. At the moment it was still damp from working at the water’s edge. Normally Sakura was not one to care about such things, but she jumped at the chance to work with Chisuzu’s long dark hair. She snatched the comb from Kaiya, who protested loudly.

  “Hush Kaiya-chan, I’ll let you have a turn,” Sakura promised, and she did once she’d combed all the intricate curls and braids out of Chisuzu’s hair. In surprisingly quick time the lady’s hair was draped over her shoulders, running like a river of black down past the small of her back.

  “Oooh, it’s long!” Kaiya exclaimed and Chisuzu frowned.

  “Too long?” She asked and Sakura shrugged.

  “It would be a challenge diving and working with the nets,” she admitted.

  “Could you cut it?” Chisuzu asked and Sakura gasped.

  “Noooo!” Kaiya exclaimed.

  “Hush!” Sakura and Chisuzu said as one. Surprised, they looked at one another and then burst out laughing. Kaiya, shocked by double order, was stunned quiet for just an instant. Finally she laughed with the two older girls, though she wasn’t entirely sure what was so funny.

  “I can cut it,” Sakura said with confidence and went to retrieve the
sharpest razor in the house.

  “Why?” Kaiya complained when her sister was gone. “It’s pretty. I want my hair this long.”

  Chisuzu, who was still on her knees, looked the young girl right in the eye. “I’m hiding,” she told her and Kaiya grew solemn. “Bad men want to catch me and I need to look like everyone else. I need to look like you and Sakura. Can you help me hide?”

  After a moment of serious thought, Kaiya nodded vigorously. “I can help! I’m good at hiding!” She exclaimed as Sakura returned.

  Chisuzu glanced at the razor and felt moment of hesitation, but then squared her shoulders. “The length of your hair,” she told Sakura, who nodded.

  Now Sakura’s hair was far from short and fell well past her shoulders, but even so she was going to remove almost a shaku, or foot, of Chisuzu’s hair. The razor made quick work and soon Chisuzu’s hair was braided and tied exactly like Sakura’s.

  “Can I keep this?” Kaiya asked, holding up the long strands of cut hair. Chisuzu glanced wistfully at it before smiling indulgently down at the young girl.

  “Hai,” she agreed, and Kaiya beamed at her.

  Katashi, who was waiting patiently in the main room for Chisuzu’s return, could not believe the change in the young woman when she finally emerged. She took his breath away and his mouth dropped open. Dressed as an ordinary peasant girl, with a nondescript hairstyle, she was infinitely more attractive to him. Somehow she appeared less abstract, less like a painting or a piece of art, and more like a human being…a female human being. ‘Stop it!’ Katashi chided himself; the feelings washing over him were futile. What he was hoping, the desire that suddenly dominating his entire being, could not be, could never be!

  “Look!” Kaiya announced as she burst from the room, completely oblivious to the turmoil going on inside her brother, her favorite person in the world. She proudly held up a fistful of long black hair. “Chisuzu-sama says I can keep it,” she squealed with delight, and Katashi was struck by an almost overpowering feeling of envy.

  “No more Chisuzu-sama, Kaiya,” Hayato explained. “Chisuzu is trying to hide from the soldiers. She’s a villager now…no one important at all. It wouldn’t do to have you address her so.

  Kaiya frowned and then put her small fists on her waist. “Well, then we shouldn’t call her Chisuzu,” she complained.

  Chisuzu laughed behind her hand at Kaiya’s fierce attitude, but everyone in the room quickly realized that the young one was correct.

  Hayato bowed deeply to his youngest. “You are a wise one Kaiya-chan,” he told her with all seriousness before straightening up and glancing questioningly at Chisuzu.

  “Yoshiko,” she blurted instinctively and then felt a wave of sadness. “She was my milk mother,” she added with her head down. “She was killed by Taira’s samurai.”

  “So sorry Yoshiko,” Hayato said genuinely and the entire family bowed in unison, even young Kaiya, who once the formalities were over, stepped closer to Chisuzu and took her hand.

  “I’m going to call you Yoshi,” she said solemnly and Chisuzu smiled.

  “I’d like that.”

  ♀

  The village of Atami, though primarily a fishing hamlet, was growing as a destination for the wealthy nobility. They were drawn to the area by the natural onsen hot springs, which were purported to have healing properties for both the body and spirit. The village was dominated by the main bathhouse, which was located high on a hillside and completely enclosed the largest onsen in the area. The bathhouse was a large, elegant structure, commissioned by Chisuzu’s grandfather. On the misty, foggy mornings that were pervasive in the area, the building seemed to float on the clouds, hovering over the sleepy village below. Naoki and the wealthy citizens of Atami lived up on the hillside above the thatched homes of the fishermen and the farmers of the village.

  As they climbed, Katashi walked behind his parents and close to Chisuzu, though not actually close enough to touch her. He was saved from making small talk by Kaiya, who walked behind with Sakura and aimed a steady stream of questions at Chisuzu.

  “Chis…Yoshi,” Kaiya began as they finally drew close to the home of Naoki, “did you get to see my brother hunt? He’s a very good hunter.”

  Chisuzu glanced over at Katashi and smiled. Katashi tried to smile back normally, but he was sure he looked utterly foolish and transparent.

  “Sadly I did not,” Chisuzu answered, “but he showed his woodland skills by keeping me safe from the men who were hunting us. He led us through a stream to hide our tracks, and then along some hard rocks so that the samurai could not follow us.”

  “My brother is a good hunter,” Kaiya repeated, satisfied.

  “Quiet now,” Hayato commanded as they reached Naoki’s home. A white lantern hung from a front pillar, shining brightly, almost joyfully, but it signified a death in the family. The group moved quietly up onto the wooden porch, but Kyoko, Naoki’s wife, slid open the front door as if she was expecting them.

  “Please,” she greeted with a bow and indicated they should enter. Everyone returned the bow and silently removed their zori before stepping into the house. Naoki’s home was large and elegant. The family shrine, located on the north wall of the main room was currently covered with white linen to keep out the spirits of the dead.

  Within moments Naoki entered. Hayato and his entire family, including Chisuzu, bowed very low. Naoki returned the bow and then gazed at Chisuzu curiously.

  “How may I help you Hayato-san?” Naoki asked formally, finally pulling his eyes from the strange girl in his house.

  “It is as you’ve guessed Naoki-san,” Katashi’s father began. “May I present Chisuzu-sama, daughter of esteemed Hōjō Tokimasa.”

  Kyoko gasped from the background, but Naoki remained very still for several long moments before regaining control of his senses. He knelt before the simple looking girl and then bowed forward and touched his forehead to the floor. His wife followed suit much to the consternation of the impatient Chisuzu.

  “Please stand,” she told them and Naoki quickly rose, though his wife remained prone behind him.

  “It was you the Taira samurai were hunting?” He asked, though it was more of a statement.

  Chisuzu nodded.

  “They are not aware of just who was in the sedan,” Naoki told her, “or they would have taken more heads to find you.”

  Chisuzu nodded again. “I am a danger,” she admitted, and Kyoko gasped again as she finally stood.

  “Never!” She exclaimed. “It is our duty to protect you,” she added and Naoki nodded.

  “My brother would be very proud,” he said softly. “Your presence honors his death. He would be satisfied.”

  Chisuzu bowed low. “He honors me…as do all my protectors,” she replied and glanced quickly at Katashi.

  “And protect you we must,” Naoki insisted. “Hibiki’s death demands it. You will stay here, in the village?”

  Chisuzu nodded. “Yes please,” she answered and Naoki smiled.

  “You must have a new name then,” he added.

  “Yoshi!” Kaiya interjected excitedly then fell silent under her father’s piercing glare.

  Chisuzu smiled indulgently at the young girl. “Yes, Yoshiko,” she told the elder.

  Naoki bowed slightly. “Very well Yoshiko. You’ve dressed the part, now you will have to work very hard to make the story appear true. The samurai will return and when they do they must find an unremarkable young woman. A young woman from Numazu seeking Kiyomi’s favor to marry her son should be plausible enough.”

  Katashi blanched, but his heart beat happily in his chest. Chisuzu, however, showed no emotion and just nodded very calmly.

  “Hai Ojiisan,” she agreed with a bow and then moved slowly closer to Katashi.

  ♀

  Hayato and his family rose very early the following morning, well before sunrise. Kiyomi and Sakura were already busy preparing the morning meal by the time Chisuzu had washed her face. Katashi and his father
were sitting on mats and setting up the chabudai, or short legged table. Kaiya, eyes still full of sleep, sat quietly out of the way and waited for the food to be served.

  “How may I help?” Chisuzu asked Kiyomi, strangely eager to start her deceptive life as a commoner. Kiyomi hesitated just a moment before handing her a small plate of seaweed.

  “Please toast these over the fire,” she ordered briskly as any judgmental mother would do when dealing with a prospective daughter-in-law.

  Kaiya laughed, but quickly sobered when she caught her father’s eye. “You should help as well,” he scolded and Kaiya hopped to her feet, wanting to avoid any real trouble.

  Chisuzu burned the first piece of seaweed and was preparing to ruin the second until Kiyomi intervened and showed her the proper way to toast the delicacy. Even so, she did not scold or bark at the inexperienced young woman as she probably would have if she’d been a true suitor for her son’s hand.

  Once shown the trick, Chisuzu quickly mastered the skill of toasting without burning.

  “Oooh, you’re good at that…Yoshi,” Kaiya exclaimed as she watched her new friend turn the dish and then again.

  Chisuzu beamed, very proud of her new skill and was surprised how comfortable she felt carrying the finished product to the chabudai where everyone was now waiting. Chisuzu blushed slightly when she realized Kiyomi was also waiting, the remainder of the meal already finished and laid out for consumption. She bowed her head and set the seaweed down, taking the free seat between Sakura and Katashi.

  “It looks delicious,” Katashi said and Chisuzu silently blessed him.

  The meal consisted of boiled rice, miso soup made from dried kelp and the toasted seaweed.

  “Itadakimasu,” the family said in unison when everyone was settled. The shared pronouncement meant ‘I gratefully receive.” Kiyomi insisted the family honor the generous nature of the kami least they withhold the bounty of nature.