30.

Okuni With Akiko in his arms, Jack felt time stand still. All his pain and worries melted away. It was as if the ens inside him was whole again. He now repeated their vow the one they'd made on the battlefields of Tenno-ji, when the bond between them had become unbreakable.

'Forever bound to one another,' he whispered back.

But how could Akiko be here in Kyushu? She was supposed to be in Toba, caring for her mother. After all, they'd said their final heart-wrenching farewells in the Iga mountains the previous year. Her appearance now was like a dream to him.

For a moment, they simply gazed into each other's eyes, their breathless silence expressing more than words ever could.

A polite cough interrupted their embrace. 'I don't wish to break up this happy reunion,' said Benkei, an urgency to his voice, 'but the bandits are coming back.'

Akiko stepped away from Jack, suddenly self-conscious of their display of affection.

'And there's a samurai patrol not far behind me,' she revealed, regaining her composure and handing Jack back his katana.

This double threat impelled them all into action. Jack retrieved his wakizashi from the dead leader, while Benkei gathered their belongings. Junjun, however, appeared to be in a state of severe shock. She stood unmoving, her large brown eyes fixated on Jack, the trauma of the tameshigiri evidently too much for her.

'Y ... you're ... the gaijin samurai,' Junjun finally managed to stutter. 'And it's true ... your hair is golden.'

Jack's hand went to his head, his straw hat missing. He realized that Benkei's advice not to get involved in the girl's predicament may have been hardhearted, but it had been prudent. Now Junjun might tell the samurai patrol.

'Well, I don't see any gaijin,' Benkei stated, shooting her a conspiratorial wink as he plonked Jack's hat back on his head. 'Do you?'

For a moment Junjun crinkled her nose in puzzlement, then it dawned on her what he was implying.

'No,' she replied earnestly. 'I never saw any gaijin.'

Angry shouts warned them that the bandits were getting closer.

'Let's go,' urged Akiko, mounting her stallion and taking up the reins.

With Junjun offering to guide them to zu, they hastened down the road. A few well-aimed arrows from Akiko kept the outlaws at bay as they made their escape. After two more fell by the wayside, the bandits ceased their pursuit and raided their slain comrades for weapons and spoils instead.

'Bandits have no honour!' exclaimed Akiko, disgusted by their immoral behaviour.

But Jack was just relieved the gang had given up the chase. Yet this was no reason to slow down. 'How close is that samurai patrol?' he asked, running alongside Akiko's horse.

'In the last village, a little way up the valley,' she replied.

'Were they still searching for me?'

'The whole of Japan is looking for you.'

'Well, I'm glad it's you who found me first,' said Jack, grinning up at her.

'And not a moment too soon,' added Benkei, hurrying along beside them. 'Any later and we'd have been sliced and diced like sushi!'

The forest had given way to paddy fields and the road now followed a broad lazy stretch of the Shira River. Further along, a small town hugged its banks and spread out like the fronds of a pond from the water's edge. Even from a distance, zu was evidently busy. A steady stream of foot traffic crossed a wooden bridge at its centre.

'It's market day,' explained Junjun, pointing to an open field on the opposite bank filled with stalls, farmers and local townsfolk.

'We should avoid the town, if we can,' said Jack, searching for a path across the paddy fields.

'That might look suspicious,' said Akiko. 'Besides, we can't afford to waste time. If you walk by my side, with your head down, people will think you're my retainer and not give you a second look.'

Trusting in Akiko's judgement, Jack kept close to her horse's flank. They entered zu, Benkei taking the weight off his aching leg with a strong forked stick Junjun had found for him in the forest. The tea houses and shops were thronged with visitors and farmers from the neighbouring villages. So much so that no one paid Jack and his friends any attention.

As they crossed the town's bridge to the market itself, they heard the twang of a shamisen and the clack of wooden clappers coming from a tented encampment. Two rectangular marquees with red and white vertical stripes were pitched inside a circular camp curtain. As Junjun stepped through a gap in the curtain, Jack spotted a wooden stage upon which two young women were dancing their flamboyant movements like two birds-of-paradise competing in a courtship ritual.

'Junjun! There you are!'

The music stopped and a beautiful woman in a purple and green kimono came running across. Her hair was styled into a curving bob that perched on her head like a black falcon with folded wings. Her flawless face was painted white as snow with her lips stained the colour of rubies. Black and red make-up rimmed her eyes and her brows had been redrawn like the fine strokes of a Shodo brush. She reminded Jack of an exquisite porcelain doll.

Despite her delicate appearance, the angry look on her face told a different story.

'Where have you been?' demanded the woman. 'Rehearsals started ages ago.'

'Sorry, Okuni,' said Junjun, looking apologetically down at her feet. 'But I was attacked by bandits. These samurai saved me.'

With formality and practised grace, Okuni bowed her respects to Jack and Akiko. She smiled openly at Benkei, whose colourful appearance seemed to garner her approval.

'It's heartening to discover there are still true samurai in this land,' she said, addressing Akiko. 'Junjun is one of our star performers; we'd be lost without her. Please honour us by being our guests for this evening's kabuki show.'

'I'm sorry, but we cannot stay,' replied Akiko.

'It's not to be missed,' insisted Okuni with evident pride in her voice. 'We perform in towns and festivals all over Japan, and even for daimyos and the Imperial Court.'

'Another time perhaps. I'm afraid we have an urgent engagement in Kumamoto.'

'But it's late already,' she protested, indicating the sun sinking low on the horizon. 'You won't get there tonight. Why not rest here?'

The sound of pounding hooves caused them all to turn. A patrol of six mounted samurai thundered down the road on the opposite bank. Jack fought the urge to run. They had to appear unconcerned by the patrol's arrival. Akiko casually pulled on the reins of her horse to leave, although the apprehension in her face belied the approaching threat.

Junjun whispered urgently in Okuni's ear. The woman's eyes widened, her shock accentuated to dramatic proportions by her make-up.

'And this samurai saved your life?' Okuni asked again, reassessing the hatted warrior before her.

Junjun nodded emphatically.

'Then we are in his debt.'

She bowed once more to Jack and the others. 'Do not worry, my girls will distract the patrol.'

Okuni clapped her hands and beckoned her performers. A group of young ladies, all dressed in colourful robes and their faces painted white, scurried out.

'We have potential patrons,' she announced, indicating the mounted patrol. 'Ensure they stay to see this evening's performance.'

Giggling and fluttering their fans, the kabuki troupe crossed the bridge to head off the samurai.

'Junjun, you need to get changed for rehearsals,' reminded Okuni sternly.

Bowing a final goodbye, and with a lingering look towards Benkei, Junjun hurried inside the curtained encampment.

'Like the cherry blossom in spring, she disappears again!' sighed Benkei.

'You're a poet?' queried Okuni, with the protective tone of a mother.

'No, a conjuror.'

Okuni seemed pleased by this answer. 'Perhaps one day you can show us your talents? We're always looking for new acts.'

'I'd very much like to '

'Come on!' urged Jack.

Offering an apologetic smile, Benkei hobbled after Jack and Akiko as they lost themselves in the throng of the market. The patrol reached the bridge and paused, their eyes drawn to their glamorous welcome party. The six men stood little chance against the charms and attention of so many beautiful girls. Like sailors bewitched by the song of the sirens, they dismounted their horses and allowed themselves to be led into the tented enclave.

With the patrol hopelessly distracted, Jack, Akiko and Benkei left the market and disappeared down the road towards Kumamoto.

31.

No Butterfly Benkei sat astride the white stallion. Akiko had offered her saddle to him so he could rest his leg following their escape. And although he'd never ridden a horse before such a privilege being reserved for the samurai class he was clearly enjoying the experience. Settling in the saddle, he patted the horse affectionately and announced, 'This is the only way to travel!'

Jack and Akiko walked on ahead, leading the horse by its reins. With evening drawing in, the dirt road to Kumamoto was deserted and Jack and Akiko were able to talk freely. Lost in each other's company, they barely heard Benkei as he continued to expound the virtues of riding to the only companion now listening the horse. 'No more aching feet, no more muddy sandals ...'

'How did you ever find me?' asked Jack, still reeling from Akiko's surprise arrival.

'I knew you were headed for Nagasaki, but it was mostly luck,' she explained, then raised her eyebrows in a teasing accusation. 'Not that you were too difficult to follow given the trail of destruction you leave behind!'

Jack held up a hand to protest his innocence. 'I'm just trying to get home. And I left some clues on purpose.'

'I know, and you've made some very loyal friends on the way too,' she added with a smile. 'Shiryu sends his regards, as do Yuudai and Hana.'

'Hana?' exclaimed Jack, fondly remembering the girl thief who'd helped him recover his stolen swords and possessions. 'So she made it safely to Toba?'

Akiko nodded. 'Along with my brother.'

As she said this, her eyes lit up and her face seemed to radiate happiness. Jack realized how important her brother's homecoming was to her. Kiyoshi had been kidnapped by the ninja Dragon Eye when he was just five and Akiko had spent years searching for him. By pure good fortune, Jack had discovered her brother living among a ninja clan, hidden in the Iga mountains. He'd managed to reunite Kiyoshi with his sister, but their meeting had been brief the ninja clan forced deeper into the mountains for safety, and Kiyoshi going with them.

'My mother is beside herself with joy at seeing Kiyoshi again,' explained Akiko. 'And he and Hana agreed to stay and look after her, while I came looking for you.'

'But didn't Hana warn you about Kazuki?'

'Of course. She told me the danger you were in.'

'But so are you,' insisted Jack, alarmed that his warning had gone unheeded. 'Even more so now you're with me.'

'I'm no defenceless butterfly, Jack,' Akiko replied, laying a hand upon her bow and narrowing her eyes with steely determination. 'If Kazuki wants to find me, let him come. But he'll discover I'm the bee that stings him first.'

Jack had to admire Akiko. She was as brave as she was beautiful. But Jack also knew that Kazuki was as devious as he was deadly.

'Kazuki's not an enemy to be underestimated,' he reminded her. 'He has the help of his Scorpion Gang and a thirst for revenge. By leaving a trail, I've been trying to lead him away in order to protect you.'

Akiko's expression softened. 'I know you strive to be the "English gentleman", Jack. But I'm the daughter of a samurai. I'm a trained warrior and know how to look after myself. Besides, together we stand a greater chance of defeating Kazuki.' She took his hand in hers, this time not caring if Benkei saw.

Jack realized her plan made sense. He began to wonder why fate had ever parted them in the first place. They were meant to walk this road together.

Akiko let out a small gasp of shock.

'Who did this to you?' she asked, for the first time noticing his missing fingertip.

'Sensei Kyuzo,' said Jack, touched by the tender way she examined his injury.

Akiko's eyes widened in disbelief. 'NO! He wouldn't dare ...'

But she saw the cruel truth in Jack's eyes. She sorrowfully shook her head. 'The Shogun has much to answer for. His rule is destroying the very spirit of bushido. It's a dark day when a sensei turns against his student.'

They walked on in silence, their shadows following hand in hand, stretched thin and long across the road by the dying light of the day.

'Can we stop, please?' moaned Benkei, his face grimacing in pain with every jolt of the saddle. 'My rear's bruised black and blue!'

Spotting a copse of trees, they turned off the road to make camp. Benkei stiffly dismounted and stroked the stallion's mane.

'Thanks for the ride, horse, but I think I'll stick to walking tomorrow.'

While Akiko tended to her stallion and unpacked their provisions, Jack and Benkei went off to collect firewood.

'So what's the story with you and the samurai girl?' asked Benkei, as he picked up a dead branch and passed it to Jack.

'We trained at the Niten Ichi Ry together.'

'Looks more than that to me!' pressed Benkei, giving him a knowing wink.

'Akiko's just a good friend,' Jack insisted, feeling his face flush.

Benkei suppressed a grin. 'Of course,' he replied and continued gathering wood.

Once Jack's arms were full, they returned to camp and built a fire. Akiko wrapped several handfuls of rice in a cloth, soaking the bundle in water before burying it beneath the fire to cook. Among the supplies Shiryu had given them, Benkei found a couple of dried fish and Jack cut these into strips to eat with the rice.

As the sun dipped behind the mountains and darkness closed in, they gathered round the fire. The tinder-dry wood cracked and popped, sending sparks like fireflies into the night sky.