The Samurai's Lady (15 page)

watched from a few feet away.

They‟d gone! Nothing was left. Last year the sight would have devastated her but now—
Tears of relief leapt unbidden to her eyes. She could not remember praying, but the Lord had heard the cry of her heart.
He saw the rise and fall of her shoulders as the tears fell.
“Katharine…”
She turned and crossed the narrow space between them.
“I‟m sorry.” He whispered when she was in his arms. “The boatman told us.” When she lifted her face from his shoulder, she was smiling, even as tears coursed down her cheeks.
“Isamu, no.‟ She said, smiling through her tears. “I made up my mind in Matsuyama that I wasn‟t going home.”
He did not quite believe what he heard. He buried his face in her hair. “We have to go to Dejima.” He whispered.
“But I thought, I—”
He stopped her words with a kiss. “So that I can marry you.”
“Oh Isamu!” Coherent thought was lost as his mouth captured hers. The Samurai‟s Lady

Chapter Fifteen
The sun was just coming up over the bay.
When they reached Dejima, the island post of the Dutch traders who were the only foreigners allowed to trade with Japan, they were met with a surprise. The English
Factor was there. He had returned with the Dutch to clear up some loose ends. He arranged for a minister to marry them.
The night before the ceremony Fujito gave her a beautiful silver kimono with mountains decorating the back panel to wear. And a jeweled dagger; he had said that as the wife of a Daimyo she was entitled to wear it. She closed her eyes and remembered his exact words.
“As an Englishman‟s wife you w ould be his Lady. As the wife of a Daimyo you become samurai and are allowed to own a dagger as the samurai carry the swords of hisoffice and title.” Then he had taken it gently from her hand and showed her how to carry it.
Mariko led the way down the aisle and then she had entered. Keeping her eyes on Fujito, she walked gracefully down the aisle to meet him at the altar. He looked so regal and handsome in his black kimono with the family crest on the sleeves and back. There was softness in his brown eyes.
When she reached him, he took her hands in his and they turned to face the Captain/Factor.
After the prayer and the declaration of intent, he nodded at Fujito. He turned to face her with a gentle smile on his lips.
Turning her to face him, he had said:
“Katsuko Chan, my dearest Nikko. You have brought me sunlight, the sunlight of your presence, of your smile and your love. When I found you, broken and bleeding I swore in my heart to protect you, with my life. Today along with that protection I give you my troth, my possessions and the greatest of these, my heart.” Then smiling added the final words of the sonnet that had become her favorite. “Who taught thee how to make me love thee more? The more I hear and see just cause for hate/ although I love what others do abhor/ with others thou shoudst not abhormy state.” Looking tenderly into her eyes, he quoted the last two lines. “If thy unworthiness raised love in me/ more worthy I to be beloved by thee.” With misty eyes, she remembered her answer:
“Isamu. Since the day I woke in your house, you have offered me your kindness, and protection in a world that was hostile to me. You have shown me respect while not wholly denying your growing feelings for me. You caused me to love you, when I wanted to hate. Even then, you left me the freedom to choose between you and my homeland.
“Therefore I this day choose you for now and always. I pledge myself to you and like Sarah, call
you
lord, as my Daimyo and my husband. I give thee my troth and myheart.”
Fujito stirred at her side, halting her reverie. When she opened her eyes, a tear glistened on the edge.
Leaning on his elbow, he brushed it away with the side of his thumb. “Why are you crying, my tsuma?” He asked. Smiling, he looked lovingly into her eyes. “Tsuma?”
“Wife.” He chuckled.
“Oh, I forgot. The word I mean.” She smiled.
“Would you like me to take you back to Dejima?” He smiled.
Shaking her head she said shyly, “You could take me back to last night, though.” She turned her head away but he knew she was smiling.
“So,” He grinned. Hooking a finger under her chin, he turned her to face him. “The lady has become a vixen?” Before she could answer, he captured her lips with his own.
“Now, why were you crying?”
“I don‟t remember.”
Chuckling he kissed her again
It was a long time later when she said,
“We have to get up.”
“Why?” He asked lazily, nibbling the side of her neck.
“Because I‟m hungry.” She declared.
He considered playfully for a moment then threw back the quilt. “I suppose that‟s a good enough reason.”
“You could have at least warned me you were going to get up.” She closed her eyes.
Fujito laughed. “I thought last night would have banished all that.”
“Shizuka na.” Quiet.
He laughed again
As he dressed, he marveled again at the grace shown to him by God. He had been so afraid when the English Factor, now a Captain for the Dutch offered her a birth on the
next ship. He could feel his heart throbbing in his breath as he waited for her reply. Yet, there she was in the next room, his wife and his lover.
Over breakfast, Fujito considered their next move. Although they were back on Kyushu the danger to them both was far from over. Whoever had arranged for his arrest at Hakone, and he believed he knew who it had been, would be more angry now that he had escaped to bring the barbarian woman home.
Except she would never see her home again. But that would be of little consolation to the Bakufu who was famous for its vivid imagination. The comforting fact was they wouldn‟t chance a full scale war with the other Shimazu Daimyo, preferring to wait until he had returned to his domain, so their journey home at least, would be uneventful.
There was now nothing between them had home except fields and a river. They stayed two days at Akune, the coastal town across the narrow body of water separating the mainland from Dejima, before starting the trek back to Kagoshima. There was one stop to make at a small hamlet of farmhouses about midway between Akune and Kagoshima. They stopped at a small inn on the outskirts and received a surprise. When they entered their room Jiro, Mariko, Kimika and the Factor/Captain were there waiting for them.
“How did you get here?”
“I am responsible for that.” Jiro said as Kimika hugged her new sister-inlaw. “I sent a message the day we left for Hirado.”
“But you didn‟t even know Katsuko would accept.” He drew her close and kissed her temple.
“Well, if she hadn‟t, I would have been here to console you.” His sister smiled. “But there was never any doubt in my mind that day you sat in the kitchen in Kanazawa thatshe wouldn‟t become your wife.”
“You‟ve always been able to tell me my thoughts before I‟ve had them.” Fujito smiled.
“It‟s in his eyes, Katsuko. If you want to know what he‟s thinking just look into his eyes.”
“Giving her family secrets already?” Her brother teased.
“I think she already knows.” Kimika said knowingly.
That night a wedding feast had been prepared. Katharine felt as much a part of the family as if she had been adopted into it. Fujito had told her some boys were adopted into a higher-class family than what they had been born into. When Katharine was talking to Jiro and Mariko, Fujito took Kimika aside. “Where‟s Kazu?” He asked bluntly.
“Oh Isamu, you don‟t want to spoil your wedding by discussing him.” But she knew her brother would accept nothing less.
“He is in Edo. He won‟t return until harvest so I have plenty of time before he returns.” She turned away so that he wouldn‟t see he pain from the beating she had sustained at her husband‟s hands in her eyes.
Taking her chin in his hand, he turned her face toward him. She didn‟t need a lecture, but a solution.
“You could stay with us.” He told her.
“I know but—.”
“Just promise me you‟ll think about it.”
“All right. Now you‟d better get back to Katsuko. She looks lonely.” She smiled. That night under the quilts Katsuko said, “Isamu?”
“Aha?” He traced a line down her neck with his finger.
“Kimika said she knew even then that you would marry me. When did you know you loved me?”
Fujito smiled and clasping her hand held it to his lips. “From before I sent you away from Kagoshima. But like a fool, I chose not to believe it. When I watched you sleep on the hill outside Kanazawa the night I rescued you my heart could no longer denyit.”
“Oh Isamu!” She rubbed her cheek against his. “Tell me you love me again.” “Aishiteru.” He murmured as his mouth claimed hers.
When they left three days later, Kimika came with them. She had not yet decided to make it permanent but at least it would be a respite while Kazu was away. Fujito hired a palanquin for the ladies while he walked ahead of the mini Daimyo procession. Katharine for the most part liked to walk up front with him. He was concerned about the humidity. Japan was a humid country everywhere, but it was more pronounced and Katharine had become accustomed to the lower humidity on Honshu.
“Are these all your domains, Isamu?” She asked as they walked through the vast green fields that seemed to spread across the whole island.
“They are all Satsuma lands, yes.” He smiled and brushed her lips with his own. “Remember, they are your lands now as well.”
“Oh yes. I‟d forgotten.”
“Hmm. Maybe I should not have married you.” A hint of a smile appeared at the corners of his mouth.
“Why not?”
“Marriage seems to have dulled your memory on a number of things.” He laughed. He thrilled at the sound of her laughter joining with his.
“I wish Kimika wasn‟t riding with us.” She whispered.
“I see I shall have to be less liberal in my affections.” He grinned. “There will be plenty of time
koibito
.” He whispered. “We have the rest of our lives.” He bent to whisper in her ear. “You must have forgotten” He chuckled.
“Oh you!” She raised her hand to strike his cheek. He captured it and kissed her knuckles.
“So much for less liberality of affection.” She giggled.
He raised his eyes to the sky in mock exasperation, which made her giggle more. They could see the top of Kagoshima castle; it would not be far now. Fujito had noticed Katharine was slowing down and appeared to be wincing in pain although she hidit very well.
“Are you all right?” He asked.
“Yes. My leg‟s a little sore that‟s all. Believe it or not I don‟t think I‟m used to this flat terrain.”
He accepted her answer although the thought crossed the back of his mind that it might be heat cramp.
“Why don‟t you ride for a while?” He suggested. “We‟ll be stopping once more before we reach Kagoshima. You can walk with me from there, all right?” “Hai, Daimyo-Sama.” She bowed. Mischief lit her eyes.
“Good girl.” He smiled. As she climbed into the litter, she heard his low chuckle. When they stopped a few miles outside the capital she wasn‟t feeling much better but she said nothing to Fujito and as they started off again came to join him. He took her hand and surreptitiously felt her pulse. It was slightly elevated and the skin on her wrist felt clammy. Looking sideways at her face, he noticed it was flushed.
“Are you all right?”
“Yes. Fine.” She turned to smile at him and teetered on her next step. “Are you sure?”
“Yes. Look, over there. Something glinted in the sun.”
Fujito glanced about at the surrounding trees. But he saw nothing. He was sure it was heat exhaustion. He was about to tell her to get back in the litter when she fainted in his arms. He called the litter bearers and one of them helped to get her into the palanquin.
“What is it?” Kimika asked, very concerned.
“She fainted. I think it‟s heat stroke. Keep her cool. When she wakes up give her some water, but slowly.” He jumped into the palanquin.
She could tell from the tone of his voice that he was worried about something else as well.
When she had said she saw something glinting in the sun, he had at first thought it was her imagination. But just as he was carrying her to the litter, he saw it for himself. It could only be one thing.
“Take us around that way.” He told the bearers, pointing in the opposite direction. “What is it?”
“Haratoda and his henchmen.”
“What will you do?”
“Try to out smart them. That‟s why I sent them this way. If that doesn‟t work, my only option is to fight them.” He sighed. “Give me your fan.” Although the litter was a shelter from the direct sun, it was still hot inside the curtained vehicle. He fannedKatharine‟s face. Feeling her pulse he found it to be elevated. Her skin to his touch was clammy. He prayed they would reach the villa soon. When the house came within sight just beyond the clearing, he breathed a sigh of relief. Looking around he saw the area was clear. They had lost them. He jumped from the palanquin and signaled the bearers to carry Katharine inside. As he turned away from the litter, he saw more twinkling of sun on metal: swords. They‟d been found out. Suddenly metsuke and yoriki surrounded him. He recognized Haratoda.
“Isamu?” Kimika‟s face showed her concern.
“Don‟t worry about me. Just take care of Katsuko.” He whispered. Securing his katana in its scabbard, he faced his enemy.
“So, this is the last battle, samurai.” Haratoda grinned evilly at him. Suddenly he felt a stirring in his spirit, and a voice seemed to be telling him, “Do not be afraid, for I have many people in this city. I have given your enemies into your hand. The battle is the Lord‟s.”
“Don‟t be too sure.” Fujito answered back menacingly. His eyes flashed fire in iron. Now he was fighting under the Lord‟s command, he had no fear of losing. Haratoda made to strike a blow to his head. Fujito spun away to avoid it and held his sword to slice Haratoda‟s stomach.
Haratoda avoided the blow and Fujito aimed for his arm. His opponent twisted away to avoid it and without hesitation Fujito aimed a thrust at his throat. He heard the sound of metal ripping skin.
Haratoda‟s eyes bugged in surprise and he heard the death rattle His enemy fell to the ground, blood spewing from the wound.
As he turned to face the second attacker, he prayed for Katharine‟s safety. His assailant thrust with his sword. Fujito came up from underneath and blocked the attack. Then he swung the sword around his head and struck the aggressor on the side of the neck. Blood gushed from the juggler as the man screamed in pain. He fell to the ground with a thud. Then there was silence. Looking around him, he saw the yoriki fleeing through the trees.
Suddenly he was grabbed from behind. Dropping his sword Fujito grabbed his opponent‟s right sleeve and pushed back with his hips. He pulled him over his shoulder by the right arm as he bent his legs and rotated his body to complete the throw. Hisattacker‟s head hit the stump of a tree, knocking him out cold. He picked up the katana and ran his thumb along the blade to clean it then sheathed it. He didn‟t even stop to catch his breath but headed up the hill to the villa, and his wife. When he reached the villa Kimika ran out to meet him. “How is she?”
“She came out of her faint but—”
“But what?” Fujito asked, fearing the worst.
“She asked where you were. I had to tell her you weren‟t here. For some reason she kept mumbling Hakone and fainted again.”
Her brother rushed past her and into his bedroom where they had laid her. Katharine was lying on the futon. A light quilt covered her to prevent shock. “Did she drink anything?” He asked Kimika.
“Yes, a little.”
Fujito relaxed but not much. Keeling beside her he took her hand and held it to his lips.