Bright Eyes: A Kunoichi Tale by David Kudler

Author:David Kudler
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Young Adult, Middle Grade, historical adventure, Japanese Civil War, historical fiction, coming of age, kunoichi, teen fiction, murder mystery
Publisher: Stillpoint Digital Press
Published: 2022-05-05T00:00:00+00:00

17 — Pretty

The midday meal was quiet. It felt like after an earthquake has hit and all you can do is wonder when the next one is coming.

During the meal, Captain Tokimatsu was looking only at Mieko, an expression on his face like a cat’s that’s trying to decide whether the raven in the tree is something he should hunt — or whether it might be hunting him.

Next to him, the Matsudaira samurai who had fought with Torimasa-san the previous day, Lieutenant Sakai, was covertly scanning the room as he slurped his noodles.

When I pointed that out to Toumi, Shino’s flat face warped. Teapot in hand, she marched over to the lieutenant. “She’s not here.”

Lieutenant Sakai blinked up at her. “I beg your pardon?”

“Mai has been confined to quarters.” Remembering who she was talking to, she softened her posture. “As it pleases our lords.”

Bewildered, the samurai shrugged. “Of course.”

Tokimatsu-san shot him a smirk — the first smile I’d seen in the hall that whole meal.

As we were clearing the tables, the orange-robed monk glided into the hall and back toward the kitchen. Uncertain what to do, we just shared confused looks until Torai, the Takeda cook, intercepted the holy man, his flat voice calm. “No, no, Excellency, not in here! Let me show you — ” And he led the monk back out toward the hall’s front door.

“What do you think that was about?” asked Emi.

“I don’t care!” snarled Shino, and that was the last we spoke of it.

—

After the kitchen was cleaned, we all trooped back into the Great Hall. Hoshi-sensei informed us that all of the women of the Full Moon would be having a lesson together.

Not Mai. She was still in the Retreat. I assumed she’d been ordered to stay there, but we didn’t know.

Not that we didn’t talk about it.

When we joined the older women, I saw that there was one man there — or rather one boy: Aimaru, dressed in heavy padding, with a helmet we used to practice sword fighting.

“Hey, Aimaru,” Emi whispered.

He answered back, though we couldn’t hear him through the padded helmet and the mask.

Sachi-san, the music teacher, clapped her hands together rhythmically, quieting us all. “So it’s clearly time for us to remind you how to deal with unfriendly advances.”

The women — and us girls — all groaned. “We know how to defend ourselves, Sachi-san,” complained one of the kunoichi.

Hoshi spoke up. “Still, it’s always good to refresh our memories.”

Mieko appeared in the midst of the group, her voice low as always yet carrying. “As with many arts, it is important to approach it anew with a novice’s eyes. To be ready, we must be prepared. To be prepared, we must practice. Danger strikes when we least expect it.”

And, as usual, Mieko quieted all objections.

“So,” said Sachi, sashaying up to Aimaru, “who can tell me the three best ways to escape an armed man?”

—

Out in the courtyard, we helped Aimaru remove the last of his padded armor. “Are you sure you’re all right?” Emi asked, looking concerned.

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