Duel at Strolling Ponds

replied.

  "Very well," said Kaname, pleased with the suggestions. Then he nodded to the lowest ranking advisor. "Go now and have orders written up to have the northern legion forces put on alert and ready to move at a moment's notice. I want them written quickly. I will add my personal seal to them before going to see Lord Takakatsu. Time is of the essence, so have the orders sent by multiple carrier pigeon to the legion’s captain. As a contingent plan I also want you to send twenty mounted samurai with the same written orders to be delivered by hand."

  "What of the sohei at Kanchai-ji?" asked Kazan. "They routinely patrol the trade roads to the north as well as many of the mountain passes and villages in their region of the Jinzo Mountains."

  Kaname looked to the next lowest ranking advisor. "You are instructed to do the same and prepare written orders for Kanchai-ji. Tell the monks to increase their patrols and expand them. I want them to report any unusual activity. I will also sign those orders with my own seal before I go to the castle. Send the orders by way of carrier pigeon. The same contingent plan applies with twenty mounted samurai to deliver the order by hand. I want any news the monks may have or what they might learn to be reported quickly regarding this unknown army."

  At that moment the shoji door to the hall slid open again and a young samurai stood in the doorframe. He had a large bruise running along the left side of his face. It was Kaname's son and heir, Hatachi. He quickly bowed to his father, who nodded in return while studying his son's facial wound. Kaname didn't show any emotion or concern, but inside he felt his anger rising. An assault on his son was an assault on him and the entire Matsuo clan.

  "All of you go and prepare as you have been instructed," Kaname ordered his advisors. "Kazan I want you to stay a moment longer."

  The three dismissed advisors bowed once then got up and quickly left the hall while Hatachi came forward to a position next to Kazan. Hatachi kneeled and bowed again to his father before settling back into seiza.

  Once the advisors left the hall and the shoji doors closed Kaname focused his attention on his son's wounded face.

  "Why are you bruised and where are the others I sent to deal with that ronin, Shogoro?" Kaname ordered with a brisling tone.

  "So sorry, father, but they are dead," Hatachi replied with a strained voice as he bowed once again, this time his head went all the way to the floor and stayed there. He was ashamed at what had transpired and what he was being forced to admit to his father.

  "Dead! How is that possible?" Kaname roared at his son.

  Surprised more than a little at his own outburst, Kaname took a few deep breaths and attempted to calm himself but only partially succeeded. "I sent three capable samurai to deal with one worthless ronin. You were to stay out of harm's way and bear witness to his death for me. Explain yourself!"

  "I've failed you father," Hatachi groveled, "I will go and find this ronin and return with his head as you commanded."

  "You will do no such thing. Sit up!"

  Hatachi immediately sat up but could not look at his father, instead his eyes fell to the area of floor between them.

  Kaname pulled a small fan from inside the sleeve of his kimono, opened it, and began to slowly fan himself as he studied his son carefully. He wondered if perhaps he had made a bad decision to have named him his heir. He showed such promise as a samurai and natural leader ever since he donned the two swords several years ago, but failing at such a simple task as sending one lone ronin's spirit into the next life was inexcusable.

  "Katsume Shogoro is more than he would seem to be," Kazan commented quietly. "I am curious to hear what happened."

  Hatachi sat without responding, instead his eyes were darting around the area of the floor he stared at as he tried to find the correct words to reply.

  "Answer Kazan-san," Kaname ordered his son sharply.

  "Aochi and the two others were standing almost semi-circular in front of the ronin when he was making a declaration. He said something about being the student of Hotori Toshizu, and being the bane to the Hoyodoshi-ryu school in Akita as well as the Kagawa-ryu school in Miyagi. After he finished he bowed, and that was when Aochi went for his sword."

  "Aochi drew his sword when the ronin was bowing?" Kazan asked incredulously, for such an action in an open confrontation would be considered deceitful and without honor. He knew Aochi well and thought him above such trickery.

  "Yes, he did," Hatachi answered, "but as fast as Aochi was, and despite the fact that the ronin was not in a good stance to defend himself, the ronin somehow proved to be faster. He must have been expecting the attack at that moment, because he drew his own sword and slashed horizontally spilling Aochi's guts onto the ground as he straightened back up. The ronin was so quick that Aochi only just managed to clear his own sword from its scabbard before he was mortally wounded."

  "What happened then?" Kaname ordered. His anger was still boiling, but he was also intrigued by the unexpected turn of events.

  "The ronin stepped back as the two other samurai drew their swords. Both charged forward without pause and he cut them down in mere seconds." Hatachi raised his eyes to look at his father for a moment then looked directly at Kazan before returning his eyes to the floor. "The ronin Katsume Shogoro is very strong in his skill."

  Kaname's fisted hand slammed down on the low table with the provincial map on it, startling Hatachi with a sudden jolt. "And yet you offered to go after him and bring me back his head! Your words were foolish!"

  Kaname took another deep breath and calmed himself, hating that he lost his temper and blaming his son for his loss of face in doing so. "I've a mind to order you to shave your head and become a monk."

  Hatachi's expression went from horror to shame and he immediately bowed all the way to the tatami. "If that is how you wish me to serve you," he said through a strained voice.

  "Sit up," Kaname ordered as he began to fan himself again. "I thought you had more patience. I have always told you to think before you act. I'm very disappointed." Then he gestured towards his son's face with his fan. "Why are you hurt? I ordered you to bear witness only. Did the ronin assault you?"

  Hatachi's face took on a crimson shade and he frowned in embarrassment. He didn't want to tell his father what had happened and further anger him. But he had to answer.

  "I became enraged at the ronin and charged him," Hatachi explained. "I attacked in an overhead diagonal down cut but he easily slapped my sword to the side and then grabbed my wrist. Before I knew what happened I was pinned on the ground."

  "What was it he did? How did he do it?" Kazan asked curiously.

  Hatachi shook his hood twice, "I don't know, Kazan-san. It happened so quickly. I was laying there and he still had my wrist locked as he kneeled next to me. The pain was intense. I tried to break free but it hurt all the more, so much so that my body refused to move though I wanted it to. His knee was pressing into the side of my neck just below my ear with great force. I could see from the sides of my eyes he had his katana poised above me ready to hack me in two."

  "Yet you couldn't move?" Kaname asked.

  "I never felt so helpless."

  Kaname and Kazan glanced at each other and nodded their heads.

  "It would seem this ronin has been trained in Aiki-ryu as well as the use of his sword," Kazan commented.

  Both Kazan and Kaname were somewhat familiar with Aiki-ryu. It was a relatively new open-hand combat style that blended with the motion of the attacker to redirect the force of the attack. The techniques of the style involved many types of throws and joint locks. It was not widely practiced, as it was deemed useless on the battlefield by most in the warrior class.

  "Why didn't he kill you like the others," Kaname said looking back at his son.

  "He told me why. He said he wanted me to deliver a message to you."

  Kaname frowned, "And what is the message?"

  "That he is not going to be killed so easily, and that if he
must he will come for you."

  "That is all?"

  "After that he applied more pressure to my neck and I soon passed out. I awoke shortly after but he was gone." The words of his defeat came more easily to Hatachi. He had been humbled by the ronin and shamed at the same time. In the back of his mind he was already planning his own revenge against Katsume Shogoro. He knew he would never admit such to his father.

  Kaname nodded once then sat in quiet thought. Both Kazan and Hatachi remained motionless. Hatachi continued to look at the floor matting before his father, while Kazan focused on the center of his lord's chest. Both waiting for their lord to command them into action or dismiss them.

  After a minute passed Kaname spoke.

  "You have disappointed me in your failure to deal with this ronin. You should have returned and reported him dead. That would have been the end of it with no more need of discussion. For your failure I order that once you leave this hall you will spend the rest of the day crawling on your belly to and from whatever duties you need to perform while inside the walls if this estate. I will decide later if you will remain my heir. Now go."

  Hatachi bowed once then backed away from his father, bowed once again when several paces away, then stood up and walked back to the shoji doors that were opened for him as he neared them. Kaname watched as his son then proceeded down on his stomach and crawl away as the shoji doors were once again