The Samurai's Lady by Gaynor Baker

Author:Gaynor Baker
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Circleloom Press
Published: 2012-02-20T06:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

Fujito found himself being pushed toward the prison, a deep hole in the ground reached by a steep ladder and covered with a bamboo grill.

He knew that after the torture the grill was unnecessary. No one could move after that.

He prepared himself for the inevitable agony. Folding his hands in prayer, he concentrated on the agony of Jesus before the cross. He prayed that he would be strengthened with the same strength the Father had given to the Son.

When she was on the other side of the highway, she pulled out the piece of paper Fujito had given to her. It was a map of the route to Atami. He must have drawn it just in case anything happened to them.

She found it hard to walk with the tears streaming down her face but she resolved she would make it home without him; she would do that one last thing, for him. He said that he‟d try to meet her in Atami. But that was probably impossible now. She had looked back just as he was being taken away. She refused to think of the torture

he would endure.

She was in love with him, totally, deeply. But why was it only now he was absent that she dared admit the feelings that had been there for weeks, perhaps months into her consciousness?

She stopped at a small farmhouse to beg shelter for the night. The old woman that lived there offered her an empty granary. The ground was hard. Fujito had had no time togive her anything from the pack he‟d been carrying. But it was much better than sleeping outside.

“Come on you, out.” The guard‟s gruff voice followed him as he was pushed up the ladder and out into the blinding sun.

He was herded like an animal to a hut not far from the post station where the official was waiting.

He was not afforded permission to kneel but was forced to stand in the center of the room before the official‟s desk.

“What is your name?” The magistrate barked.

“Fujito Isamu.”

Funny, the official thought, his voice held the tone of a nobleman, his baring that of a samurai, yet he carries no sword. His dress is that of a common townsman. “No.” He told him, smiling silkily. “It is Hashimoto. Now, what is your name?” “Fujito Isamu.”

The official nodded at the guard. His hand came up and struck Fujito across the cheek. He turned his head to deflect the force of the blow.

“What were you doing in that field?”

“Walking.” It was the truth.

“You were escaping a village because you had committed a murder.” “If that‟s true, then where‟s my weapon? I haven‟t had a chance to wash; do you see any blood on my hands, ormy clothing?” Fujito asked evenly. His eyes showed no fear.

The official had no satisfactory explanation. His logical questions made him feel inadequate, and he hated to feel inferior.

“Imbecile!” He bellowed. He nodded to the guard again. Slap.

For another hour he was questioned, told answers, and rejected them for the truth.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.