In Darkness, Death by Dorothy Hoobler

Author:Dorothy Hoobler
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin USA, Inc.

The road continued northward, toward Lord Inaba’s castle town, Kanazawa. By midafternoon they came to a fork, where another road led to the west. “We go that way,” said Tatsuno.

“No, no,” Seikei protested. “Kanazawa is up the other road, to the north.”

“It certainly is,” said Tatsuno, “and we have no reason to go there.”

“But we must! We have to present the farmers’ grievances to Lord Inaba.”

“What do you think Lord Inaba will do then?”

“Why ... I don’t know. He should take steps to reduce their suffering.”

“I can’t believe you’re this big a fool,” said Tatsuno. He was not angry, merely stating a fact. “Your original father, the merchant, must have been happy to get rid of you.”

Seikei’s face reddened. Actually that was true. “But now,” he said, “I am a samurai, and I would betray my honor if I didn’t keep my word.”

“To those farmers? You’d be doing them a favor if you threw those papers away. Better, burn them so no one will ever find them. Have you ever heard the expression ‘The nail that sticks up gets hammered down’? If Lord Inaba knows their names, he’ll come here and make their lives a lot more miserable than they are now.”

“But if that’s true,” said Seikei, “then why did you have me write down all the complaints?”

“Because I wanted us to get out of there safely,” Tatsuno said patiently. “Didn’t you see all the tools they were carrying? The bamboo spears they had? Those farmers were in a mood to use them on someone, and we were the obvious choices.”

“We aren’t working for Lord Inaba.”

“You don’t know these country people, I see. We were strangers. That was all they needed to know.”

“Nevertheless,” said Seikei, “they trusted me and I accepted that trust. So I am going to Kanazawa, no matter what you choose to do.”

He strode resolutely down the right-hand fork in the road. He didn’t care whether Tatsuno followed or not. So far, there hadn’t been any danger to speak of, and Seikei had once traveled halfway down the Tokaido Road by himself. Well, nearly by himself, Seikei had to admit. Bunzo had followed him, disguised as a holy man.

There wasn’t any chance of Bunzo knowing where he was now.

Seikei cast a glance over his shoulder, just out of curiosity. Looking annoyed, Tatsuno was following him, about thirty paces back. Secretly Seikei felt a little relieved.

Some time later, they saw a horseman coming toward them. He was moving briskly, so they knew he must be a samurai. The farmers used their horses only for pulling carts or carrying loads.

As the rider drew closer, Seikei recognized the crest on his kimono. It was a camellia, the symbol of the Inaba family. Tatsuno nudged Seikei, who remembered that those of the lower classes were supposed to move to the side of the road when a mounted samurai passed by. For good measure, Tatsuno knelt, and Seikei did the same.

But the horseman did not pass them. Instead, he reined in his horse and turned to face them.

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